Back at the hospital, Debbie, Miles, Even, Simon, Donnie, Dylian and I were paired off, talking and relaxing waiting for Dr. Powers to come examine Simon. Miles and Debbie were talking with me about what needed to be done at their house as well as my country home to get them ready for the new boys' homecomings. The one thing that we did figure out right away was that none of the boys had any clothes.
"Why don't we send Bruce out to get each boy a few days worth of clothes. I am sure that we can talk Nancy into helping with this mission. I know she loves to shop." I chuckled.
"I will give her a call and hopefully be able to give her the boys' sizes." Debbie said. And headed out to the nurses station to make the call.
"Drew, I talked with Helen a while ago. I explained everything that was going on about Even, Simon and Dylian. I asked her to see if she could find you a live in housekeeper, someone just like her, or to go get herself cloned for you." He laughed. "Well, as it turns out, she won't need to get herself cloned. Her sister's husband died about 3 months ago and is needing help. Helen told me that the insurance was messing around with her and that her husband hadn't paid the mortgage for about 3 months. Now that he is gone, they are going to take her house. Patty is a lot younger then Helen, but she is a great lady. She has stayed with us on several occasions. Both Helen and I think Patty would be a great match for you as a live in housekeeper. I told Helen to go ahead and talk to Patty about the position." Miles told me.
"Call Helen and tell her to have Patty come ASAP for a visit and to get me the bank info for who holds the mortgage on Patty's home. I won't want to commit until the boys approve of her. After all they are going to spend a lot of time with her as well." I explained to Miles. And with that he was off. No sooner then Miles had left the room, Debbie was back.
"Nancy was thrilled to be able to help with this project. I told her to keep all receipts and that we would reimburse her for them. She fought a little about that, and then I reminded her that each of the boys had new families and that none of them were hurting for money. She said that she and Bruce would bring the clothes here as soon as they got them all. She also asked about shoes, I wasn't sure so I told her just to hold off on that until we can find out what the sizes are." Debbie seemed happy about this.
"Good. I should have thought about this before," I told her, as Dylian climbed up into my lap. "What's up, my little man?" I asked him knowing he was wanting something.
"We're hungry, me and Donnie that is. We don't know about those two." He said pointing at Simon and Even who were lying side by side talking to each other by typing on the computer.
I knew from what Debbie had told me that Simon was on a liquid diet for the next 48 hours, but I wasn't sure about Even. "Hey, you two! Are you guys hungry?" I asked them.
Before he answered, Even looked at Simon. Simon typed something for Even to read.
"Are you sure?" Even asked Simon. A slight nod was the answer Simon gave.
"Sir, Simon says his throat is a little sore, and he doesn't really want anything, but I am a little hungry." Even said to me as politely as possible.
"Simon, let me get you something for your throat. I will give you a little spray of medicine, and give you a pain killer in your IV." Debbie told Simon, getting up and heading out to get the medicine.
"Simon, buddy, you have to let us know if you are in pain. I can't read your mind, OK?" I asked him.
"Yeah, Dad. Sorry, but it just started to get sore. I don't want to be a pain or cause problems." Simon typed, then turned the computer so I could read what he typed.
"Simon, you are not a pain or causing any problems. We want to know, so that we can help you. There is no reason for you to be in pain, OK?" I tried to explain to him. "I want you to feel free to ask for anything, which does not mean you will get it, but you can always ask."
"Yeah, I know, Dad. I just hadn't got there yet." He typed, smiling at me.
"Ok, son, I am going to stay here and send Dylian, Donnie and Even down to the cafeteria with Debbie and Miles to get some dinner. As soon as Debbie and Miles came back in, they took the boys down to eat.
"Dad, why didn't you go eat with everyone?" Simon asked me.
"Well, son, there were several reasons. Mainly I didn't want you to be alone for any amount of time. I also don't want to miss Dr. Powers if he should show up while they are gone. And on top of all that, I wanted to talk to you without the others around." I told him.
"I figured this would come up, sooner or later. Well, let's get it over." He typed looking like he was going to start crying.
"Ok, I would like for you to tell me how your grades were in school? And if you know, I want to know about Dylian's grades, as well?" I told him.
His head snapped up so fast I thought he would hurt himself. "I thought you wanted to know if I was gay or not."
"Simon, I am not worried about you being gay or not. Why would I? There are many more important things about you that make you who you are than that. Like I told your brother, you and he are the most important things in my life, now. And in order for me to help you the best I can, I need to have the most information I can get." I explained.
"Ok, I understand. I did really good in school. I knew that the only way I was going to get to college was by scholarship. I had a 4.0 GPA. I am only a freshman, but I would have been in 3 AP classes, next year. I don't know how far behind I am now, but I am sure that my grades have dropped big time. I have always pushed Dylian to do his best in school. He makes great grades, too. I have always been proud of him for his efforts." Simon typed Smiling at me.
"I kind of figured you would be a straight A student. Another reason I am very proud of you. Now, I will get in touch with our old school first thing tomorrow and find out what you can do to get caught up. And we will be transferring you to a new school. Don't worry, you won't be the only new student starting there. Even will be going there, too. I get the feeling you two are good friends, maybe more? If so, I think it's great. I also think it would be just as great if you two were just great friends. The one thing I want you to promise me is that you won't rush into anything." I told him squeezing his shoulder.
"I want to go to college. I will still work as hard as I can so that I can get a full scholarship and get into the best college. I had wanted to be a doctor. But, I don't think that is going to happen, now." He typed.
"Why not. I see no reason that you wouldn't be able to become a doctor if you wanted to, and worked hard enough." I told him.
"Seeing would be the reason for that. I know that my voice is going to be ok, but I just have this feeling that my eyes aren't going to get any better. I can tell if it's light or dark, but that's it. I will do whatever the doctors tell me to, or what you think is best. I just thought you should know, so you don't get your hopes up that my eyes will come back." Simon typed, looking like he was going to lose it at any moment.
"Oh, Simon. Just promise me that you won't give up. I won't give up, but I won't push either. If you can't become a doctor, then I am sure that you will do something else just as important. I just want you to be happy. I will get you the best tutor that I can get. They can help you get caught up, or learn how to deal with your blindness if the doctors can't do anything to help. But, Simon, you have to know that either way I will love you just the same. Don't ever think that because you can't see, it would mean that you are less then whole. Being blind is a challenge, but not one that can't be overcome. And if anyone can overcome it, that would be you." I told him, hugging him to me.
There was a knock at the door and Agent Jackson poked his head in. "Mind if I come in?" He asked.
"No Agent Jackson, come on in. Have a seat. What do we owe the honor of this visit?" I asked him.
"Well, I heard that Simon had his surgery for his voice and that things are looking good. I wanted to come by and see for myself that he was ok." He said toward Simon.
"I am good. Can't talk at all for a few days, but Dad got me this kewl computer so that I can talk through it. At least this way, I can talk faster than I could before the surgery." Simon Typed, then turned the computer so that we could read it.
"Simon, that is great. I am so happy to hear or read that. What about your eyes? Any word about them yet?" Agent Jackson asked.
"No, not yet. A Dr. Powers is coming in sometime today, to look at them. We will see then, no pun intended." Simon typed with a grin.
"Well, good luck then. I was also looking for the boy, um Even?" He said after checking his notes. "I was told that he was down here. I wanted to have him look at a few pictures to see if he could make some ID's for us." Agent Jackson said, turning back to business.
"Now, Agent Jackson, you weren't planning on talking to a minor without legal counsel or parent, were you?" I asked.
"Nope, I was told that he was here with his new parents. I can't tell you how happy I am that each one of these boys has found new families that are going to protect and love them. I will protect these boys with my life. That I can ensure you." Agent Jackson said with pride.
"Sorry, but I feel the same way, and was just making sure we were still on the same page. Even went down to the cafeteria with his new family and Dylian, to get some dinner. They should be back in just a little while. You are welcome to wait here or head down to the cafeteria." I told him.
"I think I will head down there so that I can get this taken care of. Simon, it was good to see you again. I will check in with you in a few days to see how you are doing." Agent Jackson said to Simon.
"Thanks for your concern." Simon typed. "I can't get over how many people care about me."
"You make it easy to care, Simon. I will see you soon, hang in there, buddy." Agent Jackson told him. And then he left the room.
"He is right, you know. Now back to what we were talking about. You and Even?" I asked him.
"I really like Even. When we were there, he helped me, he didn't have to. He said he did it cause I was really cute and didn't try to take advantage that he was, well a sex slave. We talked today about what we want to have happen and we would both like to be friends, maybe more. But we both agree after what has happened to both of us, that we need to take things really slow. And if we do become boyfriends, then there will be no sex until both of us and his parents and you are in agreement. I know this sounds weird, but after what we went through, we both feel that is the best way." Simon typed to me.
"Damn boy! I thought you were 15 years old. I have known old men who didn't show that much wisdom. This is all the more reason that I am proud of you." I told him. "You know son, it's ok for you to still be a kid. I don't want you to grow up too fast."
"I know, Dad, it's just hard. I have had to be the adult for a long time for Dylian. I will try to have more fun." He typed.
"Ok, Ok I am glad you will try." I chuckled. "Now, do you want to go back to your old school or go ahead and start with the new school?"
"I guess it depends on what happens with my eyes. I figured that I would have to go to a special school if my eyes can't be fixed." Simon typed.
"Well, I guess that would be true. But I figured you would still want to go to a regular school. I can get you all the tutors that you would need. I think that you would be much happier in a regular classroom situation. I am not saying that I think it will be easy, because it won't. But, if it's what you want, then that is what we will go for." I told him.
"I think you are still holding out for me getting my sight back. I really don't think it's going to happen. But the thing is, I am really ok with it. At first when I lost my sight I was freaked out. But once I got used to it, it's not that bad. More like an inconvenience than anything. I know what you are thinking, I have given up. But Dad, I really haven't. I have had several weeks to get used to the idea that I am going to be blind for the rest of my life. I never thought that I would survive to meet someone like you that would care enough to fight for me. Hell, Dad, for that matter, I didn't even know that there were people like you out there. I guess that I would fight more, too, if I had lost my sight last night. I don't want you to think I am not grateful for everything, because I really am. I will try my hardest to get better or overcome my handicap." Simon typed with tears.
"Oh, Simon, I never was worried about you not trying, or being ungrateful. What I am worried about is that I can't make everything better for you or take away any pain or problems that you will have due to your blindness. I want to make sure that you are safe and happy that's all. You will have to remind me if I am pushing you too hard about learning to deal with your blindness. And please don't say you are handicapped. You may be disabled due to blindness, but that will not prevent you from being successful." I told him, hugging him.
"I know, Dad. But, you have to remember that it was not your fault that this happened to me. The only person I can blame is my mom. Well, her and me. My mom was a drug addict that cared more about her next hit then she did about her kids. You have to remember that I have raised Dylian since he was 3 years old. It was then that she started whoring to pay for her drugs. I did the best I could, for a 9 year old, to act as a fulltime father to a 3 year old. But, I let my own pleasure get the best of me and that is why I was sent away. If I would have just kept my desires to myself, then I would still be living at the foster home and taking care of Dylian, and he would never have gotten hurt." He typed, bawling his eyes out.
"NO! Simon, that is not true. You are a child and what you did was incredible. There is no-way a 9 year old child should have to be responsible for a 3 year old. There is no-way that this was in any way your fault. Simon, you are still a child, and that means that you aren't even legally responsible for yourself, let alone another person. You have done such a good job with Dylian that I am not even sure that I want to take over. I might just mess him up for all the good that you did with him. I would have never known that he had been raised by a child. He is very well mannered and polite. I am so proud of you, it's just not funny." I told him with tears rolling down my face. "Simon, I don't want you to feel guilty for what has happened. Please promise me that if you are feeling guilty or bad about all this stuff you will let me know."
"I will, Dad, I promise. But, will you like keep me part of um, raising Dylian?" He typed.
"I would never dream of keeping you out of it. But, you have to know and understand that I am the adult. So, if you and I disagree on something regarding Dylian, we will talk about it, but when it comes right down to it, what I say goes. Are we agreed with that?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I can live with that. I don't think there will be any problems between us." He typed.
I had a feeling that he meant more than working together on raising Dylian. "Simon, don't ever think for a minute that if you disagree with me that I will send you away. Or that if you and I have a fight that I will get rid of you or stop loving you. That will never happen!"
"How did you know I was worried about that?" Simon typed with his mouth open in awe.
"I don't know, but I just got the feeling that was what you were worried about. But Simon, son, you have to talk to me about your worries. Even if those worries are about me. OK?" I tried to get through to him.
"Yeah, Dad, I do have a few questions for you. But, I am a little worried about asking you." Simon typed, looking down at the keyboard even though he couldn't see it.
"Well, ask away." I told him.
"Ok, first question. Are you with anyone?"
"You mean like a boyfriend? Well, no, I don't have one. I haven't had one for a long time. The last time I had one, his name was Randy, Randy Scott. I was in heaven; I thought that this was the one that I would spend the rest of my life with. But, it wasn't to be. I found him in bed with another man, in my house. He was just using me for my money and connections. I made sure that he wouldn't get another job anywhere near here. Mark and Brian have both tried to set me up on dates, and so has their law partner Jonathan. I am just not ready or wanting a relationship, right now." I told him, trying to be as honest with him as possible.
"Thanks for answering that one. Here is the next one; have you ever had any kind of sex with a kid?" He typed, looking a little sheepish.
"Not since I was a kid myself." I told him, laughing. "Simon, I am not into sex with kids. I have never looked a child in a sexual way."
"Sorry, I had to ask. Dad, would you care if Dylian wasn't gay?" He typed.
"No, son. I would not be upset at all no matter how Dylian turns out. I don't want you or me or anyone else, for that matter, to influence how he feels. I am not ashamed by being gay, but I also know that the world isn't ready to accept being gay as a normal way of life. Even now that I am as successful as I have been, I have to hide my orientation from the general public. Being straight would lead to an easier life, but what I want is for him to be true to himself, when the time comes. Ok?" I answered him.
"Yeah, Dad. What happened to your parents?" Was Simon's next question.
"Oh, man, you are asking the tough questions. I guess I will have to tell you the whole story. Well, it was my sophomore year in college. I had met someone and wanted to let my family know. I came home from college one weekend and came out to my parents. Needless to say, it didn't go over very well. My Father went nuts and beat me to a bloody pulp. My Mother was hysterical. The only one in the family I thought was ok with me being gay at the time was my little sister, Kari. My Father beat me so bad that I couldn't even walk. Kari got me over to Miles' house where his parents took me to the hospital. They pushed me to press charges against my Father, but I refused. I didn't want it to come out that the reason for my beating was that I was gay. As it turned out, while Kari was helping me over to Miles, my Mother collapsed. She had a massive stroke. She died three days later. My Father went so far as to get a restraining order to keep me from attending her funeral. My Father never spoke another word to me. He died five years after my Mother's death. He died of lung cancer. It was six years after my Mother's death that Kari started talking to me again. I had graduated from Collage and had started my own company by then. Kari told me about the last few years of my Father's life. He didn't talk to her either, but allowed her to live in the house. He did pay for her to go to college. She told me that any evidence of me was totally removed from the house. I wouldn't know, I haven't been back in the house since I left that night. My sister married Tom and was very happy. She called me in tears when she found out that she was pregnant with Lisa. Oh, I never knew her to be happier then those nine months. Unfortunately, she died during child birth. It wasn't until after Kari's death that I found out that my father had left everything to me. He resented the fact that Kari had helped me that night, but regretted losing his son. There was a letter that told me how sorry he had been for what he had put me through. I still have not forgiven him. I made a promise that I would make sure that Lisa would never want for anything. That little girl is worth more then 300 million. That was just over half of my Father's estate. I kept the companies and the family house, but that was it. I liquidated the rest of the estate into cash and divided that between Lisa and myself. I have not touched any of that money since. I had already made a lot of money with my own company by that time." I told him.
"Wow, I didn't know you had that much money." He typed in awe.
"Well, as of a few hours ago, I don't. See, I called Jonathan to set up the Trust Funds for the others; I had him set up one for you and one for Dylian, too. Only yours is a little different. See, since you and Dylian are my sons, you get a little more. So I had Jonathan set up yours and Dylian's Trust Funds with 75 million each." I told him with a smile.
Simon just stared at me. "But, that's way too much" He typed.
"Well, trust me, that won't be all of it. It will grow fast with the interest and investments that Jonathan will take care of for you." I told him laughing.
We were hugging each other when there was a knock at the door. "Am I interrupting anything?" A man asked.
"No, not at all. But, who are you and can I help you with something?" I asked not really liking someone just coming into my son's room.
"Sir, I am so sorry. I should have introduced myself as soon as I knocked. My name is Dr. Powers. I am here to look at Simon's eyes." The man said.
Thanks for all the feedback. I can't get over how many people are liking my story. I hadn't planed on it going this far. But you all keep egging me to keep it going. And that is what I am going to do as long as you want me to.
Please remember that kids are our future. It's time to protect them.
No Child Should Have To Sleep On The Street Tonight!
Hugs
Darrin