Bill W

Castaway Hotel VIII

Chapters 10-18

Chapter 10
Living With Our Decisions

On Sunday, I made sure we all went to church. It was Palm Sunday, the time when Christians remember and celebrate Jesus' joyous entry into Jerusalem. Seeing it was a major event also meant the service would probably be longer than normal. Even though today marked a jubilant religious event, it also reminded us that this coming Friday would be Good Friday, the day Christ was crucified. The following Sunday we'd celebrate Easter and Jesus' resurrection from the dead, which signifies one of the strongest beliefs we hold – in the promise of life after death.

Coincidentally, this year Passover would begin on Tuesday, which meant the Jewish and Christian holidays would overlap, which doesn't always happen. The week between Palm Sunday and Easter is always a very important week for our family, but it is even more so this year, with Nick's return from Brazil.

After church, we rushed home to get ready for Nick's party. We were having a luncheon gathering, so Jake and I were busy fixing the meal, and a few of the boys were kind enough to give us a hand. While we were doing this, some of the other boys were cleaning up the house or setting the tables to accommodate everyone, since most of the extended family was coming to join us. Nick was also getting ready and setting up in the family room. He was bringing down all the things he wanted to show us and Shannon was busy assisting him.

When our guests started to arrive, they first welcomed Nick back and asked if he'd had a good time. He kept his answers short and sweet by telling whomever he was chatting with that he'd explain more about his trip later. I think this piqued everyone's interest and curiosity, so they were now looking forward to what he had planned. After that, we just sat around and talked until the last person arrived, and then we sat down to eat.

Except for the fact that the meal wasn't as elaborate as it was on the holidays, it almost began to look like we were having either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Most of our loved ones were in attendance, even Arlene. She seemed to be fairly lucid today, which made me feel good. At least this way, Little Ricky could enjoy the time he spent with her.

Nearly all of our college boys were missing, since they were busy finishing up their coursework. It was getting close to the end of their academic year, so they had projects to complete, papers to write and exams to study for. We made an exception with Shannon and allowed him to come home, solely because of his closeness to Nick. However, we felt the others would catch up with Nick in May, after they returned home for the summer.

After the meal, we sauntered in to the family room, where Nick had everything set up. Once everyone made himself comfortable, Nick started showing the first video from his trip. This one showed him meeting his host family and I think we all could see why he was so taken with his host brothers. They were both quite handsome, as were his host parents, and I was sure some of the boys would be questioning Nick about them later.

After this, Nick's video gave us a quick tour of their home, which was quite lovely. It was obvious they were better off than most and had many nice things. When Nick showed us his bedroom, the thing that came to mind was I'd be willing to bet the bed had never or would never see that much action again.

Once the tour of the home ended, the video took us around the school Nick attended in Brazil. Of course, he highlighted some of the students as well, and needless to say, there happened to be a large collection of handsome young men speaking to the camera. They made most of their comments in Portuguese, although a few spoke in broken English, but I was glad most people couldn't understand what they were saying. Even those speaking in English were difficult to understand and my boys were making comments of their own, so it helped to mask what was being said on the video. I don't think anyone heard or understood the personal comments the Brazilian boys made to Nick, much to my relief.

The end of this tape contained a variety of other things, ranging from more shots of the host family, Nick's attendance at various school related activities and a football (soccer) match. Nick explained what he wanted us to know, but I had a feeling there were other things he wasn't sharing at the moment. I wasn't sure if he didn't want to tell any of us these things or just the extended family. Maybe he would divulge these items later, either to the entire family or just selected members.

The second tape contained scenes from his trips to Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio with his parents. We got to see all the things he saw, including a great view from when they went to see the Statue of Christ the Redeemer. All in all, we got a good look at some really awesome sights and Nick managed to tell us what he felt were the most important facts about everything we viewed. When the second tape ended, we took a short break, to stretch, use the toilets or get drinks. After a brief hiatus, we came back to watch another tape, which contained the scenes from his most recent trips.

This tape started out with Nick's trip to Rio for Carnival. He was right, it was one gigantic party and we saw all kinds of bands and elaborately or scantily clad people dancing in the huge parades. We didn't see Nick in any of these scenes, although I was certain he had packaged his own appearance to ensure he'd attract his own share of attention.

In addition to these nighttime activities, Nick had also taken some pictures during his trips to the beaches. Once again, we got to see a lot of flesh. The guys mostly wore Speedos and the gals were predominantly clad in skimpy bikinis, so there was more than enough to appeal to everyone, whether they were gay, straight, bi, male or female.

Mrs. Spence even made a few comments about some of the guys who meandered across the screen, which caused her husband to playfully remind her about her age. However, she wasn't about to let her husband's comment slide and it seemed to provoke her to make her own response.

"Remember, dear, I'm just old, not dead," she shot back, which elicited a hearty chuckle from the rest of us.

The next tape was from Nick's trip on the Amazon and to Iguacu Falls. Both trips were interesting, especially since they contained many things you wouldn't normally see on the Travel or Discovery Channels. We got a good look at the floating market and his stay with the Caboclos in their stilt houses at the river village. We also were able to see parts of his impromptu trip to the Indian village. During his time there, Nick managed to get a lot of shots of naked people; old, young, male and female, which vividly illustrated the things he had mentioned to us about the natives in his emails. These shots weren't erotic, but did point out how great the differences were with groups of people living in different parts of the world, although I could see my boys happily living like that as well.

This tape also contained a lot of nature shots, which kind of surprised me about Nick. During parts of this video, we got to see a wide variety of colorful birds and butterflies, as well as a large collection of lizards and reptiles from his jungle trip. He also had some good shots of the dolphins and piranha from his time on the river, but the best shots he took were of the falls. I was impressed with Nick's eye for capturing the most interesting aspects of his travels and told him so. I think he was surprised by my praise, especially after several of the others joined in and confirmed my comments.

Once the videos ended, Nick passed around some of the souvenirs he had brought back with him. These included his most prized possession, the mounted piranha, which he had haggled over. Damn, their teeth aren't very big, but there are multiple rows of them and they are very sharp. I'd really hate to find myself attacked by one, let alone a group of these vicious predators. That would be an agonizing and frightening ordeal and a very slow way to die.

In addition to that, Nick had brought back some typical tourist brochures, some gifts the natives in the Indian village had given him, a pair of Brazilian sandals (the soles of which were made from used automobile tires) and recordings of Brazilian music. He also brought back several cans and bottles of food and drink he wanted us to sample, which we did a few minutes later.

After that, Nick answered the myriad of questions everyone asked him about his trip. He fielded these queries like a pro and was very descriptive in his responses. He gave just enough information to satisfy the person asking the question and you could tell how enthusiastic he was. It was also very obvious how much he had enjoyed his time there. The entire family was enthralled by everything he had to say, which I could tell really pleased Nick. By the time it ended, everyone had learned a great deal and had a fun time doing it.

Once our extended family left, I pulled Nick aside. I felt there was something else I needed to discuss with him. "I don't know if you remembered this," I reminded him, "but your doctor's appointment is tomorrow afternoon."

"You're right. I kind of forgot about that," he told me, while looking very unhappy about the fact I was still making him go. "You know, I really don't need to be tested, Pop. Honest." He was looking hopeful that I might give in and drop my request.

"Maybe not, but I'd rather be certain everything is fine," I told him. This caused his smile to disappear and his body posture to slump again, which signaled his slightly defeated attitude.

"I know I promised to do this, so I will," he assured me, so I didn't have to continue explaining my reasoning about him going through with it. Besides, he knew he wouldn't be having any sex until his test results came back, providing they were all negative.

Once Nick and I had finished up, I went off to find Trey. I had remembered that I still needed to talk to him about his college plans, but this was the first opportunity I'd had to do it. Trey had been accepted to three colleges: the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University and Villanova. Therefore, it was now time for me to find out which one he had decided to attend. I also wanted to know if he'd settled on a major too, as he was still undecided the last time we spoke about this. After taking him back to my room, we sat down and began to hash this out.

"Trey, have you figured out which university you're going to attend or what you're going to study," I asked, directly. "I'm hoping you've worked this out, because you're the last one to make up your mind."

"Yeah, I know, but I think I've figured it out. I picked the colleges I applied to so I wouldn't be too far away from Dion, and I've decided I'm going to go to Villanova," he explained. "I thought that way I'd have Kevin and Vinnie close by too, just in case I got too lonely. It will also make it easier to get back and forth."

I knew he wasn't aware that I had told Kevin that he and Vinnie could get an apartment the following year and I'd let Kevin have a car to get around with, but I'm sure the other pair wouldn't mind including Trey in those plans. They could get a two-bedroom apartment now, and that's one group Jake and I wouldn't have to pick up and drop off in the future. This may work out better than even I could have planned.

"That sounds fine," I advised him, "but have you also decided on what you're going to take?"

"Yeah, I think so," he told me. "I really wanted to do something with my writing, like writing movie scripts or plays. I might want to direct them too, so I'm going to major in English and minor in theater." I found that interesting, but not totally unexpected.

"Okay, I can understand your reasoning, but why did you decide to major in English at Villanova?" I wanted to know.

"Well, I figured that way I could also get certified to teach English," he explained, "so if my writing doesn't work out, then I can always teach and help other kids who have the same dreams I do." I not only thought his rationale was admirable, but it was also a good strategy to have a back-up plan.

"That sounds great, Trey. I'm glad you've ironed out your problems and worked out the details of what you want to do." He smiled and thanked me for my concern and help, and then I let him go. Even though this was settled, I knew there were other things I still needed to attend to.

The reason I had scheduled Nick's doctor's appointment this week was not only because he had just gotten back, but school was also on spring break. The vacation was primarily scheduled this way to give the students a chance to observe their religious beliefs without having to miss any classes. Seeing Passover began on Tuesday and Good Friday and Easter came at the end of the same week, it became an obvious choice to those planning the school calendar. It also meant that no one had to go to bed by any certain time or get up early either, so it was a good time to schedule other activities.

Even though I would be going in to work for at least part of the time, I would not work the whole day. I would also be able to enjoy some extra time off and could easily take Nick to his appointment.

The next morning, I woke up early and went in at my usual time, but I was planning to come back home shortly after lunch. There wasn't much going on and I was just taking care of some routine matters, as well as putting the finishing touches on next year's budget. A few minutes after 1:00 I headed home, but stopped to pick up the mail on the way. I was pleased to see I had a letter from Frankie and I couldn't wait to open it and see what he had to say.

Once I got in the door, dropped off my things and said hello to the boys, I sat down and began to read Frankie's letter.

Dad,

Basic training isn't easy, but I am kind of enjoying it. There are some things I don't like, such as we get up really early and they don't let us stay up very late, but I can handle it. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's filling. I'm really enjoying the physical training, but I'm glad I made sure I was in shape before I came here. We run a mile and do our calisthenics before breakfast and we march almost everywhere we go. I'm in even better shape now than I was when I left. The part I don't care very much for is that we have to go through so many inspections.

So far, we haven't done very much, except to learn about the differences between civilian and military life. We've also had to listen to the DI's, that's short for drill instructors, scream at us and tell us how pathetic we are. I guess it used to be worse; at least that's what I heard from some of the DI's, when they told us what they went through when they took basic training. I can't believe it's all so negative.

Our real training begins next week, when we start weapons instruction with the M-16A2 and bayonet training. After that we do our NBC training. That not the television network, if that's what you're thinking, and it stands for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. Even though it sounds pretty interesting, I'll bet it's not. I happened to talk to another trainee, who's in the later part of his basic training, and he said we have to go in a building and get tear-gassed, so we can see what it's like. I'm not so sure I'll like that.

Anyway, we do get a little time off on the weekends, usually Saturday night and most of Sunday. There are some places to go and things to do, but I'm still learning my way around, so I haven't found them all yet. We do have a day room, which has a ping-pong and pool table in it, and there's even a piano, for those who know how to play. There are some movie theaters on post and some enlisted men's clubs where we can go, but I usually just end up spending a lot of time around the barracks. It seems there's always something to do, like straightening my locker, shining boots, polishing brass and all that good stuff.

Well, I think I've told you everything I can, but I'll send you another letter next week. Tell all my brothers I said hi and they should talk to me first, if they ever think about enlisting. Love you all.

Frankie

It definitely felt good hearing from Frankie, and I will write back to him immediately. The return address on the envelope gives me a piece of information I didn't have before and has prevented me from contacting him. I don't think Frankie is regretting his decision about going into the military, but I think he's found it a little different from what he was expecting. However, knowing him, he'll stick it out and do his best.

The only disappointment I might have is that if he is merely sticking it out, I'd be willing to wager he's doing it more so he doesn't disappoint me or anyone else, rather than for himself. He still has this ingrained feeling that he still has to prove himself or make up for his past mistakes. Unfortunately, sometimes that's his primary motivating factor.

I sat down and wrote back, so I could tell him as much as I could think of. I included informing him about Nick's return home and the trials of living with our newest prankster, but there wasn't an awful lot to write about. From my own experience though, I know it's nice just to hear from anyone about anything when you're so far away, so I told him as much as I could think of. When I finished the letter, I put it in an envelope, affixed a stamp and put it on the small end table in the foyer, so I'd remember to mail it later.

I just happened to turn around and look up at the clock at that moment and noticed it was getting close to time for Nick's appointment. Since I didn't want to be late, I called up to Nick and asked him to come down within a few minutes, so we could leave. He did as I asked, although he still didn't look overly enthused about it, and we were on our way. I guess this was going to be his day of reckoning.

Chapter 11
Uncertainties

Nick was very quiet on the ride to the doctor's office and I wasn't sure why. Was he pouting about having to go? Was he worried about having contracted something? Or was there something else I was unaware of? I wasn't sure, so I merely drove on, but he was still silent as we walked in and announced our arrival. We took our seats and waited to be called. As we sat in the reception area, Nick finally spoke to me.

"You're coming in with me, aren't you, Pop?" I looked at him kind of surprised.

"I wasn't sure you'd want me to," I told him honestly, but saw his mildly shocked expression of surprise.

"Why? You've seen me naked plenty of times and I want you to see and hear what the doctor has to say. I want to prove to you this wasn't necessary." He had a very determined look on his face and I knew I wasn't going to get away with saying 'no' to him.

"If that's what you want, then I'll go in with you," I advised him. He grinned and nodded in response, so we waited to be called.

It wasn't long before a nurse showed up and called us back to an examining room, where she weighed and measured Nick before the doctor arrived. Once she left the room, Nick sat on the examination table, while I sat in the chair, and we waited for the doctor to show up. When the door opened and the doctor walked in, he made the usual small talk before asking Nick why he was there.

"Pop wants me to get checked out, to see if I picked up any diseases in Brazil," he told the doctor, who immediately looked over at me.

"Anything in particular you were concerned about?" he asked, studying me for my response.

"Yes, there is," I told him. "Nick is a sexually active young man and I want to make sure he didn't pick up any sexually transmitted diseases while he was an exchange student."

"A very wise precaution," the doctor confirmed, before turning back toward Nick. "Don't you practice safe sex, young man?"

"I usually do, but there were a couple of times when I didn't have anything to use, and I guess rubbers don't always work anyway."

"That's true," the doctor admitted, "so, let's check you out. Why don't you get undressed, so I can examine you? Do you want your father to wait in the reception area?"

"Heck, no," Nick responded. "He's seen me naked before and besides, I want to prove to him I'm okay." The doctor nodded his understanding.

Nick immediately took off all of his clothes and stood naked in front of us. The doctor had already advised me he thought it best to give Nick a complete physical, and not merely check for diseases, just to be safe. I concurred, so he began by doing the usual things, like checking his eyes, ears and throat, before listening to his heart and lungs, and then he moved down to the genital area.

The doctor had Nick lie on the examination table and then he slipped on a pair of latex gloves, before he handled Nick's penis. The doctor lifted his manhood, twisted it around and checked it over completely. He used a magnifying glass to examine the area and then walked over to a cabinet, where he pulled out a battle of liquid and some large cotton swabs. Delicately, he coated Nick's penis with the liquid, and before long a few small white patches began to appear. The doctor looked up and spoke.

"Well, it seems you have picked up some genital warts during your travels," he advised Nick.

"How could I?" Nick countered. "I was really careful and the only time I didn't have protection was a week or so before Christmas and a couple of times during Carnival." He announced this as if it would clarify everything and prove the doctor's observations were incorrect.

"Well, genital warts can take weeks or even months before they begin to appear," the doctor told him. "They are caused by human papilloma virus, or HPV, and genital warts are probably the most common STD in the world."

"What was that liquid for?" Nick wanted to know.

"Sometimes genital warts can't be detected using the naked eye and I wasn't sure if that's what you had. In some cases, the warts only become visible after they have been coated with a thin layer acetic acid, like I used on you."

"You put acid on my dick?" Nick asked, alarmed. His voice was a little louder than normal and even a little shaky.

"It's not the type of acid or in a quantity that would harm you," the doctor assured him, "so calm down. It only helps to show us where the warts are."

"What do we do next, doctor?" I asked the physician.

"Well, let me check him out completely, to see if he might have contracted anything else. Once we've determined the extent of the infection, I'll have a better idea about how I want to treat it."

He now swabbed Nick's scrotum in the same liquid, with only one small white patch appearing, and then he had Nick roll over on his stomach. With Nick in that position, the doctor pulled Nick's butt cheeks apart and swabbed the area around and inside his rectum, as he looked for more warts. Eventually, the doctor made his announcement.

"Although he does have genital warts, the spread is limited. I think it's best to treat them with podophyllum, which we would swab onto each infected area. It's a cell poison that will start to kill the warts on contact. It will take several treatments in all, but it is usually quite effective, with such limited cases."

"First you put acid on my dick and now you're going to rub poison on me? This doesn't sound good." Nick looked incredulous.

"Well, young man, you might have been wise to keep it in your pants in the first place then," the doctor countered, which caused Nick to quickly give up his protest.

"Will that take care of the problem then?" I asked the doctor.

"For the time being," be told me. "Once someone is infected with the virus, you can never really get it out of the body. Even though we can get rid of the warts, there is always the possibility they could return at any time, throughout the rest of his life. It may not happen, but it is a very real possibility. Therefore, it is imperative that he never engage in unprotected sexual activity again, to avoid the risk of infecting any of his partners."

Nick and I both looked at each other and then he nodded that he would comply with those instructions. I think he's learned a valuable lesson, but I just hoped it isn't too little, too late.

"Isn't there a drug you can prescribe, to keep others from contracting the warts," I asked the doctor, as I thought about the other boys.

"No, I'm afraid not," he conceded. "The only way to prevent the spread of HPV is to avoid having contact with an infected person."

That wasn't terrible news, but I hoped there might be something we could give everyone else, to keep them from getting the warts too. Knowing Nick, this wasn't going to stop him from being tempted to mess around with others in the house.

"What's next, doctor?" I asked, to learn what else we should do.

"Well, I'll swab those areas down with the podophyllum and then we'll do a blood workup on him, to check for other possible infections, including HIV," he announced.

This news seemed to strike Nick hard, almost as if he'd been punched squarely between the eyes. I was sure Nick would relate all of this information to the rest of the boys, so they might benefit from this more than he would. I just prayed the doctor wouldn't discover anything more serious.

After treating the visible genital warts, the doctor gave us some more information.

"We'll have to repeat this procedure several times, to make sure we've gotten rid of all of them and more haven't appeared. I'll have the receptionist set you up with another appointment before you leave."

Prior to leaving, the doctor informed us a technician would be coming by soon to draw some blood and have Nick supply them with a urine sample. He told us to wait about ten minutes, to let the podophyllum sink in and dry first, and then Nick could get dressed again. He advised me that once Nick was presentable again, I should open the door to the examination room to let the technician know it was all right to enter and do her job.

"How long before we know the results of all the tests?" I asked the physician.

"We should know something within a few days," he responded. "My office will call you and set up a time you can come in for a consultation, once we have them back. We like to see you in person to do this, just in case there are other issues to discuss."

"So you won't tell me over the phone?" Nick questioned.

"No. We only do that during a face to face consultation," the doctor confirmed.

Nick didn't like that idea, but he knew it wouldn't change how this was going to go down, no matter how much he protested. Therefore, we both thanked the doctor for his help and he left us in the room alone. After he had departed, I looked at Nick and could see the concerned look on his face.

"Damn," Nick began, now that we were alone. "I didn't think I had anything to worry about. I guess I was a little stupid, huh?" he asked me.

"Well, you do seem to listen to the wrong head most of the time," I advised him. He only nodded weakly in agreement.

"I'm sorry," he told me, somewhat sheepishly. "I really did think I had been careful enough while I was there. I guess I'm not too bright about these things." He hung his head again.

"You aren't the first and won't be the last person to make such mistakes," I informed him, "although we always hope we can protect those we love from everything that's harmful to them."

"I know and I'm glad you made me come get checked out now," he confirmed. "I wouldn't want to be responsible for infecting Shannon or any of the others. Does this mean I can't have sex for a while now?"

"Yes, it does. Until your other tests come back, I don't want you doing anything with anyone," I advised him. "Besides that, I hope you paid attention when the doctor said you have to be careful and always have protected sex from now on. It's not just for your benefit, but to keep your partners from being infected with the genital warts or anything else you might have contracted."

"You think I've got other stuff too?" he asked, alarmed and shocked.

"It's a possibility," I warned, "but we'll know for sure once the other test results are in."

Nick gave me another weak nod and then I told him he could get up and get dressed again. As he buttoned the last button on his shirt, I opened the door to the room and then we waited for the technician to arrive. We only had to wait a few more minutes before she appeared and then she quickly filled several vials with Nick's blood. She also gave Nick a bottle to urinate in and directed him to the toilet. Before she left, she told Nick where to leave the urine sample and then advised us we should go to the front desk and see what else we might need to do.

Other than paying the co-payment and being given a card with the next appointment date on it, there were no other instructions, so we headed home. Now, we just had to wait for the call notifying us we could come find out the results of his tests.

On the way home from the doctor's office, Nick addressed me again. "I'm sorry. I kind of blew it, didn't I?"

"Well, let's just hope the warts are the only thing you picked up down there."

"I'm going to have to tell Shannon, aren't I?" He was looking intently at me, studying my reaction.

"Yes, he'll have to know, so he can protect himself too," I agreed.

"Isn't there something he can take to keep from getting them?" Nick asked, hopefully.

"No. Don't you remember when I specifically asked the doctor that?" I responded.

"No," Nick answered. "I guess I must have been thinking about other things when you did that." He was looking very uncomfortable at this point and I knew there was more on his mind than what we just talked about. Finally, he let me know what it was.

"Do we have to tell Shannon's dad too?" he asked, looking very worried. "I think he already hates me and this will only make it worse."

"Jake doesn't hate you," I told him, but realized my assurance would not be enough to relieve Nick's fears. I had to try to explain Jake's concerns to him, so maybe Nick could identify with why Jake might have some questions about Shannon and him being together.

"It's just that Jake knows you like to have a lot of sex and you do it with many different guys," I continued. "He's worried you might pick something up and then give it to Shannon."

"You mean, like this?" Nick wondered.

"Precisely," I concurred. "Jake's biggest worry is for his son's well-being, but that doesn't mean he hates you." Nick let out a little snort before he responded to my comments.

"Yeah and now he's going to find I DID pick something up, so he really won't want me with Shannon any more." Nick slumped down in his seat and looked very dejected.

"I don't think Jake will do that, because he knows how much Shannon cares about you," I confirmed, "but he will probably insist you two be more careful in the future."

Nick turned his head toward me now and I saw a glimmer of hope registering in his eyes. However, his body language told me he wasn't quite sure he believed what I had told him.

"Look, Jake wants Shannon to be happy," I continued, "but Jake's biggest concern is to keep Shannon safe. That's why I insisted you be careful while you were away and why I sent you all those supplies. I wanted BOTH of you to be protected. If you were monogamous, Jake wouldn't question your relationship with Shannon at all, so that should prove to you that he doesn't hate you."

"Monogamous, as in meaning I don't fool around with anyone else?" Nick asked, in an effort to make sure he understood the situation completely.

"Yes. Technically, the word means a person would be faithful and only involved with one person," I explained. "More precisely, it means a person is exclusively limited to one sexual partner."

"Man, that would be tough," Nick responded, honestly, "but I guess if it meant Jake wouldn't try to split us up, I'd be willing to try. I really do love Shannon and it's not just about the sex either. There's something about him that I haven't felt with the other guys I've been with." I looked in awe at Nick, as he told me this. I was truly surprised he felt this way.

"I was thinking about it while I was away," Nick continued, "because it was never quite the same when I was with anyone else. I think that's when it finally dawned on me how much Shannon really means to me and that I really do love him. You can't understand how bad I feel, now that I've found out I picked something up fooling around with someone else while I was away and I'm scared I might lose Shannon because of it." Nick paused briefly and I could see the pained expression on his face.

"I guess it also makes me realize how dangerous the things I do really are and that how I act doesn't just affect me," he reasoned. "I mean, I could have picked up AIDS and be dying now, but worse than that, I could have given it to Shannon too."

Nick hung his head after saying this and I could tell he was finally coming to grips with the fact that his actions had consequences. Even though he was still very young, he was beginning to realize he was not immortal. I would even wager he was thinking about Brent and Cody's deaths too, as he accepted the fact it's not just old people that die.

"I think you're finally beginning to grow up," I told him, "and I don't mean physically. Some people don't actually grow up until they're in their twenties or thirties, while others never seem to grow up at all, so I'm not belittling you here. It's just that the things you've just told me means you're beginning to put other people's welfare on an equal plane, or even ahead of your own, and to me that marks a very big sign of maturity. I'm very proud of you."

He looked up and gave me a weak grin. "Thanks, but why didn't you just tell me this before?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, I could have told you, and many times I've tried to indicate such things to you and the others, but people don't always learn by being told. Sometimes they have to piece things together for themselves and draw their own conclusions, or else it doesn't have the same meaning. You've finally come to that realization on your own, so now you'll be more deeply committed to living by your decision and not trying to live by what you've been told."

"Do you think I can really do this?" he asked, looking concerned. "I mean, I've never been able to limit myself to just one guy before."

"I think it's because you've lacked the motivation in the past," I told him, honestly. "However, since you're so concerned about losing Shannon or exposing him to some potentially fatal disease, I think you might be able to do it." His grin broadened slightly, as my words began to sink in.

"I'll try my best, because I really do love him," he explained. "You know, I never thought I'd be able to say that and really mean it, but I think I can and do now." That alone shocked and impressed me and maybe Nick was changing and maturing. I'm sure both Shannon and Jake will be pleased to hear this.

"Nick, I have to tell you I'm impressed with your change in attitude and have faith that you will do your best to succeed." He smiled and nodded, as his way of letting me know he appreciated my support.

"I just hope all the other tests come back negative," Nick advised me. "Now that I've decided I want to be with just Shannon, I'd hate for any of the stuff I did while I was away to ruin it." He did look extremely concerned.

"Nick, I hope they all come back negative too," I agreed, "but we will know for sure in a few days, so let's just wait and see."

Nick nodded again and we dropped the subject. Shortly after that, we arrived home, so Nick went off to find Shannon. He wanted to inform him he had genital warts and apologize for his cavalier attitude while he was away. I knew this wouldn't be easy for him, but he seemed determined to go through with it.

Chapter 12
Spring Break

As we entered the house, Nick walked away, to deal with his issues. Knowing he needed some time alone with Shannon, I didn't follow and went to use the downstairs bathroom instead. As I entered, I discovered something I wasn't ready for. Andrew was busy disconnecting the showerhead as I walked in.

"What are you doing?" I asked, which caused him to jump. He was concentrating on what he was up to and hadn't heard me enter. Not only that, but he hadn't locked the door either. Realizing I was there, he froze and looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights.

"It's you, isn't it?" I asked him. "You're the guy pulling all these new pranks, aren't you?" He didn't answer, but I could tell by the look on his face that I was correct. I pushed the door to the bathroom shut, so I could speak to him without drawing attention or being overheard.

"Okay, what's up and why are you doing this?" I pressed. He didn't answer right away, but I think he realized I wasn't giving up until he told me what I wanted to know.

"Well," he hesitantly began, "I started doing those things to prove I was just as good, just as smart and could do the same types of stuff the older guys do, but that isn't what happened. When I started doing those things, everyone just thought it was Ricky pulling the pranks again. That's why I did things to him too, so they could see it wasn't Ricky."

"Oh, I see," I told him, trying to give him enough encouragement to continue his explanation. "The thing is, you didn't stop there. So, why did you keep going?"

"Everyone started saying whoever pulled that off on Ricky must be really good, so I just thought I'd see how good I really was," he admitted.

I could tell Andrew was proud of himself and what he'd done, and I also knew he enjoyed how the others perceived him now. Even though they didn't know he was the one who was doing these things, they still admired the ingenuity and planning it took to pull off some of those stunts.

"Wait a minute," I continued, after thinking of something else. "Didn't some of those pranks get pulled on you too?" He smiled.

"I did some to myself, but mostly I just told everybody it happened to me too, but I was only making it up."

"Why did you do that?" I asked, although I assumed I already knew the answer.

"So they wouldn't figure out it was me," he responded, honestly.

"But I thought you WANTED them to know you did these things, so they'd be impressed by what you'd done." He had a thoughtful look on his face now.

"I do want them to know, but not yet," he admitted. "I want to make them talk about all the things I do and go crazy trying to figure out who's doing it, because I know none of them think I could do all this stuff. That way, when they do find out it's me, they'll be even more shocked." He smiled, but his planning and thoroughness really impressed me.

"Okay, I can understand that, but what were you doing when I caught you?" I asked him.

"I was loosening the shower head, so it would come off when the next person took a shower in here," he admitted.

"You know that most likely would have been Jake or me," I told him, and he grinned broadly.

"I know," he conceded, "but I thought the guys would really think the guy who was doing these things was really good and had guts, if he would do something to either of you too." I saw the logic behind his plan and was amazed by his audacity. However, I thought I had to do something about it, so I reached out and began to tickle him. He burst into laughter.

"Stop, stop," he pleaded, but I didn't let up.

"So, you thought you'd get Jake or me, did you, you little twerp," I teased him. "Let's see how you like being gotten." He was squirming about wildly in my arms, laughing hysterically.

"Stop, Dad. Please stop," he whined, through his giggles. Finally, I began to let up.

"Okay, Mr. Prankster," I continued, "I'll stop if you take Jake and me off your hit list." He looked at my face and pretended to be thinking about my request, so I thought he needed a little more encouragement. I began to tickle him some more, so he was laughing and wiggling about again, while trying to break free of my hold.

"Okay, okay," he conceded. "I'll leave you two alone." I started to ease up on the tickling, but did not quit altogether, just to see if he was going to try to pull something else. I was just about to stop completely, when he made another comment.

"For now," he told me. That was a challenge, so I wrapped him up in my arms and started rubbing my stubble into his neck, which caused him to squirm and wiggle some more.

"Are you sure you don't want to take us off your list permanently" I asked, as a hint as to why I was doing this. He giggled some more and then I eased up on my assault.

"You're a cheater," he announced, while looking at me and trying to fake a frown.

"Oh, and what you're doing isn't sneaky and underhanded?" I countered, which caused him to smile again.

"Maybe," he admitted.

"Then we're even," I told him, "so what do you say about leaving Jake and me out of this then?" He feigned a hurt look and then nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it," he gave in, "but the rest of the guys won't think it's as good, if I don't get you and Jake too." He looked at me now, as if he were expecting me to tell him I'd changed my mind.

"You'll survive," I responded, to let him know it wasn't going to happen.

"What if we just pretend I got you?" he pressed. "You can leave the showerhead like this and then take a shower. You can pretend it came off after you got in, but nothing will happen to you. Okay?" I actually considered what he asked, because I hoped it might be the spark he needed to stop worrying about being a baby.

"And what do I get out of this?" I followed, while I considered his proposal.

"I'll do anything you want," he replied, quickly. "ANYTHING! You just name it and I'll do it for you."

"Well, I might just wait until I come up with something really good," I responded, and then paused briefly, for effect. "Something really disgusting!" Andrew initially looked shocked, but then smiled.

"I don't care, as long as you do this for me," he confessed. "It will really get the others talking and make me look awesome, especially after they find out I'm the one doing it. I don't care how gross the job is, I'll do it to pay you back."

Seeing this was apparently very important to him, I agreed. I told him I'd fix the showerhead later, after I was supposedly gotten. At this point, Andrew hugged me harder than he ever had before.

"Thank you, Daddy," he told me, using his little boy persona. However, after this, I don't think I'll ever see him as a little boy ever again. I have to admit this has drastically changed my impression of Andrew, because I would never have thought he had it in him to do something of this nature. I guess I've been misreading him.

"Daddy, please promise not to tell anybody it's me, okay?" he pressed. "Not even Daddy Jake." I think he said it this way to butter me up, so I'd agree. I wouldn't have ratted him out anyway, since I thought his stunts were quite comical and harmless. I really didn't have a problem with anything he'd done.

"Okay, I promise," I agreed, which elicited a huge grin from my boy. Then I added a kicker. "That is, unless you do anything else to either Jake or me." Andrew looked crestfallen that I had hinted I might use this against him.

"I won't!" he exclaimed. "I promise!" I guess that settled it.

Later that evening, I went in to take my shower early. I had left the showerhead loose, so I started the water and climbed in. A few minutes later, I finished unscrewing it and dropped it into the tub. Once it made a clanking sound, I screamed and started swearing. When some of the others came running to see what was wrong, I told them someone must have loosened the showerhead and it came off and smashed into my foot. I told them it might have even broken one of my toes. The boys looked shocked, except for Andrew. He was having a difficult time keeping a smirk from forming on his face. I really hammed it up and heard some of the others start commenting about the prankster. As Andrew suspected, they began saying things like, "Whoever is doing this has big balls to get Dad too," and "Damn, this sucker is really good and even braver than Ricky. He never got Dad."

I knew Andrew was in his glory now, so after everyone started to disperse. Jake and I reconnected the showerhead and went back to our room. As soon as the door closed, Jake confronted me about something else.

"It may not be the best time to bring this up, seeing your foot is probably still sore and all…" he paused momentarily and looked at me. He looked concerned, so I motioned my injury wasn't a big deal and he went on.

"I've heard that Nick has genital warts. Knowing this makes me wonder what else he's picked up?" I knew this was leading somewhere and was afraid where he was going. Therefore, I felt I had to respond.

"Nothing that we know of, but his test results will be back in a few days," I replied, trying to downplay this a little. "Let's not jump the gun and get all hyper, but we'll know for sure before long." Jake merely glared at me. He had a very hard and determined look on his face.

"I'm not sure I want Shannon to be with him any longer," he eventually stated. I understood his concern, but felt I had to point out it wasn't his choice.

"Jake, Shannon is old enough to make up his own mind now," I advised him. "You can't tell him what to do. He's not a little kid any longer. You can tell him your concerns, but ultimately the decision has to be his."

"Josh, I don't want my son exposed to all this crap," he shot back, as a way of letting go of some of his pent up frustration.

"And I can understand that too, but Shannon knows what Nick is like," I pointed out. "If he's willing to accept the risk that comes along with it, then I'm afraid you'll have to learn to accept it too or take the chance of losing him."

"Josh, I don't want to lose him either way," Jake explained. "I don't want to push him away, but I don't want to lose him to some sexually transmitted disease either."

"Jake, there aren't many fatal or debilitating sexually transmitted diseases any longer, with the exception of HIV. The rest can either be controlled or cured," I reasoned. "I think you'll have to trust your son's judgment on this. You can discuss your concerns with him, but don't try to issue any ultimatums. However, I suggest you wait until all the test results are back, before you start pushing the panic button."

Jake finally agreed to follow both of my suggestions. He would talk to Shannon and explain what he was worried about, but he would also wait until all the results were in, before he did anything more than that. Now, we just had to wait for the doctor's office to call.

The upcoming weekend was Easter and we were preparing for a big celebration. I had Vinnie call Duck, to see if he was still planning to join us, but he seemed to be having second thoughts.

"Are you sure it's okay?" he asked Vinnie. "I mean, from the sounds of it, you're having a whole lot of people over and maybe I should wait until another time."

"There's always that many people over," Vinnie admitted, somewhat confused as to why that should make a difference. "No matter when you come, it will always be pretty much the same. It's just that we have a very big family, and now you're part of it, so you'd better get used to it."

"But there will be so many people I don't know," Duck protested.

"You'll know them after we introduce you, so it's no big deal," Vinnie assured him. "Come on. Pop really wants you to join us."

"He does?" Duck sounded surprised.

"Yes, he does," Vinnie reiterated. "He wants to introduce you to the whole family. He even said to have you bring your girlfriend with you too."

"Tell him thanks, but she's going home to be with her family. She invited me to go with her, but she's taking a week of vacation then too, so she can spend it with her parents. I didn't want to do that, because it's a busy time at work for us."

"Well, come by yourself then," Vinnie insisted. "It's not good to spend the holidays alone and you're family now, so come spend it with your family." I think that comment touched Duck.

"You really think of me as family?" Duck asked, not quite believing it could be true.

"Not just me," Vinnie told him, "but Kevin and Pop too, and the guys who met you on the trip to Chicago. They think of you as another big brother. I'm sure the others will feel that way also, once they get to know you."

"Well, it does sound nice," he agreed, but then there was a momentary silence.

"Come on," Vinnie whined. "You've got to do this at least once, so you'll know whether you like it or not."

"Okay," I'll give it a try," Duck conceded, before adding something else. "Hey, Vinnie, tell your pop I really appreciate this. I haven't had a family in years and I think I'm going to enjoy this." Vinnie could sense the hint of excitement that had crept into Duck's voice and was pleased he had agreed to attend.

"Duck, this is going to be soooo great," Vinnie added. "I can't wait to see you again. Why don't you come Friday night and then stay until Sunday? You can leave after dinner, if you need to, but that way we'll still have plenty of time to spend with you. It will also give you a chance to meet my other brothers before the rest of the gang shows up."

"Are you sure there's room and it would be all right?" Duck asked.

"Pop told me to suggest it, so I'm sure we have the room and it's fine." There was a brief delay, before Duck responded.

"Okay, if you say so, then I'll do it," he confirmed. "Actually, I can't wait now."

They ended their conversation shortly afterward and then Vinnie came to find me. He was thrilled and anxious to let me know Duck had accepted our invitation. It was obvious how pleased Vinnie was, especially since he had told me earlier that he thought Duck might change his mind about coming. He concluded Duck was somewhat intimidated when he learned about the imposing number of people that would be here for dinner, so that was why I had helped him prepare some arguments to use with Duck. It seems to have worked, so now we were both pleased Duck would be joining us. I only hoped Duck was as happy as we were about this.

Seeing this was the week leading up to Easter, we decided to go as a family to see 'The Passion of the Christ.' Even though we had heard a lot of pros and cons about this particular movie, we decided we wanted to see it and judge for ourselves. Before doing so, however, I made sure to explain to everyone that I had heard the film contained a great deal of graphic violence, blood and gore.

My biggest concern was about the younger boys: Andrew, Sammy, Dion and Graham. I didn't want to tell any of them they couldn't go, but I understood the vivid portrayal of the torture and crucifixion, as well as the amount of blood involved, had been difficult for even some adults to deal with. However, after going over all of these concerns in detail, they still wanted to see it, so I finally decided to trust their judgment and let them go too.

It had been a long time since I had seen a movie with subtitles, and I'm not sure if some of the boys ever had, but I think it added to the realism of what was happening. It was almost like standing in the background and watching the events unfold in person, especially since the dialogue was in Aramaic and Latin, which would have been spoken at the time.

I will give you my observations about the movie itself, but I will also tell you it's probably best to draw your own conclusions, if you decided to see it too. First of all, concerning the big hoopla about it being anti-Semitic. I didn't feel the movie singled the Jews out as a race, but merely showed that there are good and bad in all groups, whether it's a nationality, a race or a religion. It also showed there are also certain people who have their own agendas when it comes to specific issues and they do things to protect their own position and self-interests, such as Caiaphas, the Jewish High Priest. However, I did not see that as a rap against all Jews.

On the contrary, if anything offended me, it was the seeming barbarity and callousness of the Roman soldiers and how they appeared to enjoy inflicting pain.

As far as the violence and bloodletting, I think that was way over the top and could have been toned down and still have been effective. First of all, just seeing all the blood that flowed so freely all over the place, I don't think Jesus would have had any left in his body after the flogging, if that had really happened.

Second, with the severity of the beating Jesus had to endure, because you could see chunks of flesh ripped from his body by the barbed whips that were being used, I can't believe he could have even stood afterward, let alone carried a heavy cross. I think Gibson could have done that a little more realistically and not lost the impact of the pain, suffering and humiliation Jesus had to endure before being crucified.

On another level, I was disappointed that Gibson also stuck to some of the historical inaccuracies that seem to have followed the story of the crucifixion since it happened. The first problem was he made Pontius Pilate look like a weak administrator who couldn't make his own decisions. Although the bible did infer this in one of the gospels (Matthew), history has shown Pilate was a very aggressive and often very cruel governor. He was very capable of using violence, and even death, to his benefit.

The second thing I found disappointing was the fact that Gibson had Jesus drag the whole cross to Golgotha, which most likely didn't happen. The most common practice at that time was to strap the cross beam to the person who was to be crucified, as was done with the two thieves.

Another problem I had was when the Romans drove the spikes through the palms of Jesus' hands. I think it has been proven that this practice would not have supported the weight of the body and the spike would most likely have torn through the tissue of the palm. I suppose they could have also used ropes around the wrists or put blocks of woods over his palm before the spikes were driven in, to keep this from happening, but that's not what Gibson did. Therefore, the body weight would have caused his hands to rip off of the spikes and the upper half of his body would have slumped off of the cross. As another alternative, most people who have studied Roman practices would agree the spike would most likely have been driven through the wrists and heels, which would have held the body in place.

Another thing that bothered me was when the Roman soldier stabbed Jesus in the side with his spear. Although it does mention in the gospels that Jesus' side was pierced with a spear, it also lets us know this was done to assure he was already dead. Therefore, the blood would not have spurted from the body, as was shown in the film, because there would have had no pressure, as it would if the heart had been pumping it. Instead, it would have trickled down his side, using only the force of gravity to drain from the body.

The final problem I had with the film was it made it appear as if the crucifixion was the most important aspect of Jesus' death. In reality, it was the resurrection that brought significance to his death and gave us the promise of salvation. I felt this point was way underplayed and, therefore, belittled and overlooked one of the most important aspects of Jesus' life on earth. Although his death was important, the resurrection was crucial, and I was saddened it had so little to do with the movie, overall.

Although I still enjoyed the film and thought it made the final days of Jesus life more vivid, I think it could have made a greater impact if the violence hadn't been so overdone and certain aspects were more historically accurate. I think it was a good vehicle to show how much the Son of God had to endure to cleanse the sins of man, and I think the film might even help to create a revival in religious beliefs, but I still feel the impact could have been even greater. I observed others who were watching the movie at the same time we were and noticed some of them react violently to all the bloody scenes. Although I think some of the brutality was essential, as I said earlier, I think a good share of it was unnecessary.

All the boys made it through the entire flick, even though I think some of them may have closed their eyes or looked down during certain parts of the film. I believe some of them looked away during the scourging or when the crow plucked out the eyes of the one criminal, but we all agreed that Jesus had suffered greatly before he died. I was glad we had seen it, but I think I would be extremely hesitant to allow or encourage pre-teens to view this film.

Chapter 13
Many Plans

The next couple of days went smoothly and the day before Good Friday, Andrew came to talk to me. "Dad, I just talked to Barry online and he really is excited about going on vacation with us. Did you get his dad's permission yet?

"Farrell said he'd be agreeable to the children joining us, even if his wife and he couldn't," I replied

"Will you call and find out for sure? And can I tell Barry where we're going or what we're going to do?"

"You know I like to keep that information secret, but I'll guarantee Barry, and rest of you boys, will really like what I've got planned," I explained. "I will call Farrell and see if I can get a firm commitment though."

"Aw come on, can't you tell me a little about what we'll be doing?" Andrew pleaded. "I want to be able to go back and tell Barry something. Okay?"

"All I will agree to do is call Barry's father and see if he's going to let Barry and Alannah go," I confirmed. "If it's necessary, I'll share a little information about our vacation with him, if he isn't sure about letting his children go with us. However, I'll also explain to him that I'd prefer if he didn't share this information with his son or daughter. If that will do, then I'll call shortly."

As I suspected, it wasn't what Andrew was hoping to hear, but he was willing to compromise. I think he concluded that as long as Barry could go, it really didn't matter where we went, so he gave up trying to get more out of me.

"Okay, go call him then," Andrew urged. "I'll tell Barry you're going to call soon."

I agreed to do it shortly, and about ten minutes later, I went and dialed the Flannery home. I recognized Farrell's voice as he soon as he answered.

"Hello."

"Hello, Farrell. This is Josh Currie." I greeted him. "I just thought I'd call to see if you'd made up your mind about going on vacation with us this summer. We're going to be away for most of June and you can join us for part or all of it. I've planned to take a nine-day cruise in the Caribbean and then spend some time in Florida, before we take another eight-day cruise in another part of the Caribbean. What do you say?"

"Josh, that sounds nice, but our tentative plans are now set in stone. We're vacationing with my wife's family in early August. That's all the time I can take off from work," he explained, "otherwise we'd love to join you. My in-laws would never forgive me if I backed out now and my wife would have me sleeping on the couch until next year, if I changed my mind about going with them." He gave a strained chuckle after saying this.

"I understand, but Andrew would really like Barry to go with us. Would you mind if I took him along? I'd be willing to have Alannah join us too, if she wanted. I'll pay for everything."

"Josh, you wouldn't need to do that," he countered. "It must be costing you a small fortune already."

"Well, one of my sons is in the service and will be unable to join us and Mark can't get off from work during June. I already made the reservations, so I have two openings," I explained.

"Let me talk it over with the kids and I'll get back to you. I'm pretty sure that's what Barry had in mind when he told me you were calling, but I think Alannah has gymnastics, band or cheerleading camp in June. Most of her summer is already booked up with all those activities. She's a very busy girl."

"That's actually good. It gives her less time to get into trouble," I teased.

"I hope so, because having a daughter really scares me," he admitted. "You know, worrying about her having sex and possibly getting pregnant and all."

"I know, Farrell," I commiserated. "Along the way, I raised two daughters too, so I understand what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you do," he agreed. "Josh, it is really nice of you to offer to do this, so I'll get back to you within the hour. I'll talk it over with my wife and the kids and then let you know what we decide." I thanked him and then we hung up.

As soon as I got off the phone, Andrew began to pester me about what had been decided. He wasn't pleased when he discovered we still wouldn't know if Barry could join us for a little while longer. I urged him to be patient, since Mr. Flannery had to discuss this with everyone first, but that didn't seem to assuage him. It was obvious he was going to stay close by my side until he got a definite answer, so I just let him follow me around as I went about doing the things I had planned. When the phone finally rang, Andrew went streaking for it, before anyone else could reach it.

"Hello," he said, in his very soft, high-pitched voice.

"Hello," the voice on the other end responded. "May I speak with Mr. Currie please?"

"Yes, sir," Andrew answered meekly. "Just a second, please, and I'll get him for you." Immediately, Andrew came charging toward me, with the phone held in his outstretched hand. "Dad, it's for you," he advised me.

"Thank you, Andrew," I told him, as I took the phone from him. "Hello, this is Josh Currie," I answered.

"Josh, it's Farrell Flannery. I've talked it over with everyone and we're going to let Barry go with you, if you still want him," he chuckled. "If you could see him running around and acting crazy right now, you might change your mind though."

I had a good idea what he was talking about, because I was sure the same thing would happen with Andrew, as soon as I gave him the good news. Andrew was standing a short distance away and staring at me intently, as he tried to see how I reacted to what I was being told.

"However, Alannah has gymnastics camp the first full week of June and band camp the third week of that same month, so she won't be able to go too. She told me to thank you for the invitation, but she's already sent in her applications and payments for those two camps."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," I told him, and I saw Andrew react immediately. He now looked in my direction, appearing crestfallen and depressed. "But please tell her I hope she enjoys her time at those two camps," I added, which caused Andrew to perk up again, when he figured out I was talking about Alannah, not Barry.

"Would you like us to come by to pick Barry up, or would you allow him to fly here to meet us?" I followed, which sent Andrew soaring into a frenzy of glee. He began to jump around, like a barefooted man walking on a bed of hot coals, and I had to stifle laughing at him, so I could listen to what Farrell was trying to tell me.

"I think he's old enough to make that short trip alone," Farrell confirmed. "I'll take him to the airport myself, to make sure he gets on the plane all right, so if you're willing to meet him at the other end, I see no problems with him doing this alone."

"That would work out perfectly," I agreed. "We'll, be flying out of Philadelphia, so I'll give you the exact date and time we'll be leaving from there, so you can put Barry on a flight that will get him there a few hours before we're scheduled to depart. That will allow us a little leeway for bad weather and such."

Throughout this whole time I'd been watching Andrew carrying on, dancing and jumping about, so I had to tell Farrell about this. "Do you remember telling me how Barry was carrying on, after he discovered he'd be going?" I asked.

"Yes, I certainly do," Farrell replied, "because he's still doing those same things."

"Well, Andrew's doing his own imitation of a chimp in the wild right now too, so I think we've got a matching pair." I heard Farrell laugh after I told him this.

"I guessed he might," Farrell added, "After watching some of the things the two of them did when he stayed with us, after the St. Patrick's Day parade, it surely doesn't surprise me."

"He wasn't any trouble, was he?" I asked, concerned. I thought something might have taken place that I hadn't been told about previously.

"Oh, no," Farrell replied. "He was very good, in fact. It was just that he and Barry could begin acting very silly at times. Actually, it was quite enjoyable watching them getting along so well. That's one of the reasons my wife and I agreed to let Barry go with you on this trip."

"That's wonderful, and I promise I'll take good care of him," I assured him.

"And don't be afraid to discipline him if he acts up," Farrell added, but I was sure he was saying this more for Barry's benefit than for mine. "If you have to, you can even pull his pants down and spank his bare ass," Farrell insisted, and I could only imagine Barry's reaction to hearing his father tell me this.

"I'll keep that in mind," I countered, "but I doubt I'll have to resort to such drastic measures. And thank you for trusting me with your son."

"Oh, you may not be thanking me, once you've actually spent some time with him," Farrell joked back.

"We'll see," I told him, knowing I had made similar comments to others about my boys, as well. "Good-bye, and I look forward to him joining us."

"My wife and I both thank you, Josh," Farrell assured me. "I'm sure he'll have a great time. So long."

As soon as I pushed the button to end the call, Andrew ran toward me and jumped up, knowing I'd catch him in my arms. Once I plucked him out of the air, he began hugging and kissing me.

"Oh, thank you, daddy," he told me, slipping back to using his childhood name for me. This was something he did whenever he was trying to gain an advantage or when thanking me for doing something he wanted. "I love you and thank you for letting Barry come with us on our trip," he added.

He was truly one excited teen, even though he currently was acting more like a ten-year old. It was worth it though, even if it was only to see Andrew enjoying this youthful exuberance again.

Even though Barry was going, I had one more spot to fill on the trip, so I debated whom I would ask to go with us. I had two candidates in mind, Carlos and Ted. I decided I'd call them both, to see who might be able to join us, but I was worried Ted's family wouldn't let him leave home with people they didn't know for that long of a time.

I called and spoke with both boys and they seemed to be excited about the prospect. Carlos informed me he'd been working at a Mexican-American restaurant, but thought he might be able to take some time off. He also told me he would ask his mother about it, when she got home from work, and then let me know.

Ted was also very excited and told me he'd call his Aunt Jane, so she could help him present the idea to his parents. He told me he wasn't sure what they were going to say, but Ted did let me know he and his father had been getting along better, so it might be possible. He told me he'd get back to me as soon as he could and I told him that would be fine.

I hadn't been off the phone for very long, before Nick came to me with an idea he was considering. Some of the other boys were with him for support, as he explained his proposal.

"Pop, we want to form a gay-straight alliance at the high school. If we did, would you approve it for us?" he wondered.

"Nick, I'm surprised you want to do this now, since you're a senior, but I think that's a wonderful idea. However, you'll have to go through the proper channels to do this," I explained. "I can only approve things that are recommended to me by the various school principals. This would be considered a club activity, so it must be submitted to the high school principal first. If he thinks it's a worthwhile organization, he will pass the idea and his recommendation on to me. Of course, I'll approve it if he does, and then it will go to the board of education, but you have to go through him first."

"I'm doing it more to help the younger guys who are still in high school," he conceded. "Even though it hasn't been so bad since the David Hubbard thing, it's still not that great, so I want to see if I can help make it better for them. How long is this going to take and what do we have to do?"

"Nick, I think your reasons are admirable, so here's what I suggest you do. Write up a proposal as to why you think a gay-straight alliance is necessary and explain to the principal how you think it would benefit the high school. Also, start a petition in favor of it and get all the signatures you can to support your idea. Being organized and having the names of those from the student body who also think it is a good idea will have a big impact on your principal and help persuade him to approve this."

"Man, that sounds like a lot of work," he whined. "Can't you just help us out and make it easier?" Nick was pleading with me now.

"Nick, if this is really important to you, then you'll do the work. It's like when you wanted to be an exchange student, you had to complete the required steps to make it happen. Otherwise, I'm not sure it's important enough to you to get it going," I explained.

Nick looked dejected, but the others were encouraging him, by telling him they'd help do some of the work to make this happen. Resigning himself to the reality that this was the only way to get what he wanted, he accepted their help and they went off to start making their plans.

On Thursday, Jake and I set off to pick up the boys from college. They'd be coming home for the weekend and we'd take them back either late Sunday night or early Monday morning, but I wanted them home for Easter. However, doing all this driving again helped me make my mind up about something else I'd been considering. Since Jake and I were constantly spending so much time on the road, whenever we needed to get the boys to or from school, I'd been thinking of ways to eliminate this task for us. All of these trips were becoming a major pain in the backside, so I've decided this coming summer I'll buy two more vehicles, which will be for the college boys' exclusive use.

I'll assign one to Dustin and the other to Danny, seeing they are the two oldest and probably the most responsible of my college students. They will be able to use these vehicles to transport their brothers to and from school, which will take the onus off of Jake and me. I think they can handle the responsibility of having a vehicle on campus and not abuse the privilege, since one will be a college senior and the other a junior next year.

Turning this responsibility over to them would also be a huge help to Jake and me and save us from having to lug everyone around all the time. I've also agreed to let Kevin use the 4Runner, to help get him Vinnie and Trey around. This meant there would only be three or four boys in each vehicle next year, out of the eleven that would be in college by then. I think I'll pick up a couple of SUV's for them to use, which will have room to lug all their belongings back and forth too. Besides, the size of those vehicles will also give me some peace of mind about their safety as well.

We arrived home late Thursday evening and it felt nice to have everyone but Frankie home for the holiday. Over the past couple of years, with all the various other things going on, such as our exchange students being away, we haven't been together as a family for very many of the holidays. Of course, with my older children still missing from the picture and Frankie in the service, it still wasn't the same, but at least nearly all of my boys were here this time and it was nice to see the house full of activity.

As the college guys went to their rooms, to drop of their luggage and get settled, I began to hear some commotion. At first it wasn't much, so I ignored it, but then that changed. Being curious, I went up to see what was going on, only to discover it was due to our prankster striking again. Of course, I knew who the culprit was this time, but since I'd promised not to 'out' him, all I could do was watch from the background and keep my mouth shut.

It seemed that Dustin was the first to be had by my little trickster, because when he went to turn the light on in his room, nothing happened. Since he was still able to see well enough using the light from the hallway, he discovered all the light bulbs had been removed from his ceiling fan. As if that wasn't bad enough, when he went to turn on the bedside lamp, he discovered that bulb had been removed as well. He was uttering more than a few expletives and adding a few additional comments, such as 'payback is a bitch,' as he went off to round up a new supply.

Dustin wasn't alone, however, in discovering something amiss, as Danny and Brandon soon learned. Having been apart and living on different campuses for a couple of months, they hurried to their room, to spend a little time together. After stripping off their clothing, they hopped into bed, only to hear a crunching sound beneath them. Instinctively, they jumped out and threw back the covers, but they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Curious, but extremely horny, they crawled back onto the mattress, only to experience the same problem. They jumped out of bed again, but this time they also pulled the sheet off. That's when they discovered someone had spread cornflakes all over their mattress and then covered it over with the sheet. It was obviously done this way so they wouldn't notice it when they first got into bed, but it would be annoying, nonetheless. Now, they were busy sweeping the cornflakes into their small wastebasket and replacing the sheet, so they could get back to doing what they had planned.

Of course, those three at first suspected Ricky as the culprit, but seeing he came home with them, they knew he couldn't possibly have had time to set this up. It confused them a bit, but it also made them more resolute in their attempt to discover who had perpetrated these practical jokes upon them. However, those disturbances weren't what drew me upstairs to investigate in the first place, although I gathered something was amiss beforehand, but it was Ricky's outburst that actually grabbed my attention.

He had jumped into the shower, to clean up before going to bed, but things didn't go exactly as he had planned. Ricky was in the middle of his shower when I heard him scream, because the hot water suddenly went off and he was hit with a blast of icy cold water.

"Who's screwing with the water?" he screamed from inside. He then turned off the water and got out of the tub. "You know, I'm going to get the son of a bitch who did this," he shouted, as he stood dripping and shivering in the doorway. I reached him shortly after he'd completed his outburst.

"Ricky, something must have happened to the hot water heater for this shower," I explained, in an effort to defuse the situation. "I'll go down to the basement and check it out. Maybe the pilot light went out or something."

He seemed to calm down a bit after hearing me say this and I headed for the basement. We had three hot water heaters to supply our multiple bathrooms and other needs, so I wanted to see what was wrong. I had the water heaters labeled, so it was easy to tell which one served which location, so I went directly to the one that supplied the hot water for the bathroom Ricky was using. Everything appeared to be fine and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, so I began to check it out again, but this time more closely. As I bent down to examine the burner, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. It was Andrew. He was hiding in the shadows.

"You might as well come out," I told him. "I see you there." At first nothing happened, but then he hesitantly moved toward me.

"I should have suspected you had something to do with this," I told him, "but I told Ricky the hot water heater must be malfunctioning." He just looked at me, before walking up to the hot water heater and turning the knob to one of the valves. This allowed the hot water to flow out of the tank again. I just smiled at him, impressed by his ingenuity.

"You'd better stay out of sight for a while," I explained, "or someone else will figure you had your hand in this." He looked a little surprised.

"So, you're not going to tell on me?" he wondered.

"No, I told you I wouldn't, so I won't. The others will only find out it's you if they catch you in the act." He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks, dad," he told me, and then hugged my waist. After the exchange, I went back upstairs, to talk to Ricky again.

"It seems to be okay now," I advised him, "in case you want to finish your shower."

"Thanks, Dad," he responded, as he turned around and went back into the bathroom, to resume cleaning up. I went downstairs content that Ricky could finish his shower now, without further incident. Since I didn't hear any more screaming coming from the bathroom, I assumed I was correct.

However, that wasn't the last of the pranks for the evening. Before long, I heard a crash in Kevin and Vinnie's room, which is on the first floor, so I went to see what happened. When I entered, they were scrambling about, naked of course, and a bunch of paperback books, a couple of boards and other items where scattered about on their bed.

"Okay, what happened in here?" I asked.

"Someone rigged the shelves above our bed, so they'd crash down on us," Kevin informed me. Automatically, I looked at the space they were talking about, where the shelves used to hang. The brackets were still there, but the shelves were no longer where they were supposed to be.

"How did it happen?" I asked, innocently.

"I'm not quite sure," Kevin responded, still confused, but upset. "The shelves must have been rigged to fall when there were any vibrations or something." He flashed me a semi-embarrassed look, after saying this.

"Why? What kind of vibrations caused the shelves to fall?" I wanted to know. He swallowed hard and then told me.

"Well, Vinnie and I were making love and really going at it when everything came crashing down on us." Suddenly, I understood his little bout with being embarrassed.

"I guess the bed was bumping into the wall and that made the shelves give way," Kevin continued. "But someone had to set it up, cuz that's never happened before," he admitted, without realizing the implications of what he just said.

I helped them pick up everything and put it back where it belonged, and that's when I understood what he meant. The shelves were long enough to over hang the brackets by a couple of inches on each side, so someone had to push them out of place, so one side was on the brink of falling. That way, the slightest vibration would send it crashing down, and apparently, that's exactly what had happened. Actually, it was set up quite well.

Andrew must have sneaked out of the basement while I was in with Kevin and Vinnie, because he was standing in the hallway when I started back to my room. He just gave me a mischievous grin, before he turned and went up to his own room, but I could tell he was pleased about all the havoc he had created. The rest of the night was quiet and no other pranks were pulled, but the other boys were still miles away from solving the mystery of the unknown prankster.

Chapter 14
Tough Times for Nick

The following morning began very uneventful. It was Good Friday and I'd be taking the family to services later, but we were all pretty much on our own until then. Around 10:30 the phone rang and soon one of the boys was handing it to me.

"Hello, this is Josh Currie," I responded.

"Mr. Currie, this is Dr. Chandler's office. The doctor would like you and your son, Nick, to come in for a consultation this afternoon. Would that be possible?"

"Yes, we could do that," I informed her. "What time would you like us there?"

"Would 2:00 be good for you?" she asked.

"Yes, that would be fine," I agreed. "We'll see you then."

After hanging up, I went to find Nick, so I could tell him about the appointment. He and Shannon were still in their room and I wasn't sure if they were up yet, so I knocked lightly on the door. I knocked loud enough to get their attention if they were awake, but not loud enough to disturb them if they were still sleeping. Soon I heard a muffled reply. "Who is it?" Shannon asked.

"It's just me, but I need to speak with Nick. May I come in?"

"Yes, it's okay," he advised me. I opened the door, only to discover the two of them still cuddling. My raised eyebrows must have asked my unspoken question, because Nick was soon filling me in about what they were doing.

"Don't worry, we haven't had any sex. We were just hugging and kissing," he added, giving me a wink. "I never realized before how much fun that could be too, even without the sex." Shannon grinned and blushed at the same time.

"I'm glad to hear that," I countered, "but that's not what I came here for. The doctor's office just called and they want us there at 2:00, which means I want you ready to leave the house by 1:30." Nick gave me a troubled look.

"Does that mean all my test results are back then?" he wondered, looking concerned.

"I think it does," I informed him, but his brow seemed to furrow even more deeply now.

"Does this mean it's bad news?" he asked.

"Not necessarily," I advised him. "If you remember, the doctor said he would discuss the results with us, no matter how they turned out." I saw Nick relax slightly.

"Okay, I'll be ready then," he agreed. "Can Shannon come with us?" Nick asked, shortly thereafter.

"No, I don't think that would be appropriate," I pointed out. "You can tell him anything you want about it, after we get back." Nick didn't look happy about my answer, so he merely shrugged and then nodded, so I left them alone.

I went back to my room, to fill Jake in about what I would be doing and to assure him he'd be one of the first people to learn about the test results. I did that to alleviate some of his concerns about Shannon being with Nick, so I hoped the tests results would turn out as we hoped. Now, all we had to do was wait.

Nick and I arrived at the doctor's office a few minutes before our appointment time. Almost immediately, we were led back to an examination room, where we sat and waited for the doctor to show up. I thought this a bit strange, because I assumed the consultation would take place in his office and we'd sit on either side of his desk to discuss the results. Perhaps this doctor didn't have an office or he was one of those types whose office was too cluttered to meet in. Whatever the reason, Nick and I tried to make ourselves comfortable while we waited.

Several minutes later, he entered, carrying Nick's chart with him. He opened it, scanned its contents and then turned towards Nick. "The good news is your HIV test and most other tests are negative," he began.

I wasn't sure if Nick had caught on to his use of the phrase 'MOST other tests', but I certainly had.

"Great!" Nick exclaimed, obviously missing that minor difference in what he THOUGHT he heard.

"Doctor," I interrupted, "I take it not ALL of the tests came back negative?"

He nodded, indicating my assumption was correct. "Besides the genital warts we treated the last time he was here, your son seems to have picked up a case of Chlamydia too."

"What's that?" Nick asked, while not even attempting to try to pronounce it.

"Chlamydia is another sexually transmitted disease and appears quite frequently in those under twenty-five years of age. It is caused by a bacterium, chlamydia trachomatis and is often called a 'silent' disease, because seventy-five percent of infected females and fifty percent of infected males show only mild or no symptoms at all."

"Is it dangerous?" Nick wanted to know, his concerned look told me he was worried about what this might mean for him.

"If left untreated in women," the doctor informed him, "it can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus and other surrounding tissues. This can lead to pelvic pain, infertility and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies, which is a pregnancy outside of the uterus. It also increases the risks of contracting the HIV virus.

"Complications in men are much rarer," the physician continued, "but would include infections to the epididymis, which is the tube that carries sperm from the testis. This infection can cause pain, fever and sterility, although that is very rare. In certain cases, it may also cause an arthritic condition that can be accompanied by skin lesions and inflammation of the eye and urethra. That condition is called Reiter's syndrome and doesn't occur very frequently."

I concluded the doctor had offered all of that information to scare Nick a little, and rightfully so. It was obvious Nick had engaged in some risky sex, even though he thought he had been mostly cautious, so I was glad he was learning the potential danger from such behavior.

"Is there a cure for this, doctor?" I asked, after a brief moment of awkward silence. Nick hadn't said anything because he was still digesting what this news might mean for him.

"Yes, there is," the doctor confirmed. "It can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics, and we have a couple of choices here. I can give him a single dose of azithromycin or a week's worth of doxycycline, which would have to be taken twice daily."

"So which of those are you going to use for Nick?" I asked, curious as to which option he might choose.

"I thought I would try the single dose of azithromycin with him," he informed us.

"Is that all there is to it?" I followed.

"No, he will have to abstain from sexual contact until he is cured," the doctor announced and I saw Nick cringe. "He must also advise all of his sexual partners that they have been exposed to chlamydia and recommend they get tested and seek treatment too."

I looked over at Nick, to see his reaction, and he was just sitting there, as if he were in a trance.

"Did you hear what the doctor said?" I asked Nick.

"Yeah, he said NO sex, but for how long?" he whined, possibly missing the fact that he had other responsibilities to carry out as well.

"To be safe, I'd say one month," the physician told him, very matter-of-factly, but his comment drew an immediate response from Nick.

"Another month!" he said quite loudly, which drew a harsh look from both the doctor and me.

"Yes," I emphasized, "and we have to make some phone calls, so you can warn those you've had sexual contact with, while you were away." Nick slumped in his chair, looking totally lost and dejected.

"Hey, you have no one to blame for this, but yourself," I advised him. "I warned you having sex while you were in Brazil would be very risky, so it would be best to abstain. I also told you to use protection if you couldn't and you would only have had to wait a few days at most to get your new supplies, but you didn't. You've already gone a week without sex and now you will HAVE to go a month longer without being intimate. If you could have controlled your insatiable urges and that randy dick of yours, you wouldn't be in this fix right now."

I knew I was being a little rough on him in front of the doctor, but I felt this time he needed less sympathy and more realism. The doctor just nodded as I spoke and then got up to leave. He told us he'd be right back and returned a short time later, carrying a syringe. He gave Nick a shot and told him it should take care of his problem. He also warned us about possible side effects and allergic reactions to the drug, so we'd be aware to contact him, should we notice any of those symptoms. After he finished going over all of that information, he turned toward Nick and spoke again.

"Just because your HIV test came back negative doesn't mean you're out of the woods yet," he explained. "Sometimes, a positive test does not show up for months, or even years. That's why I want you to come in for an AIDS test every six months, until I notify you differently."

Nick just nodded his head and resigned himself to having to go through this over and over again for a while. After giving him some time to consider the errors of his way, we got up and headed to the front desk. After we were given the date for his next appointment, I paid the co-payment and we left.

Once we were in the van, Nick turned to me and spoke. "Damn, I really blew it worse than I thought, didn't I?" he moaned.

"I think I would have to agree with that observation," I told him.

"Man, what am I going to do now?" he asked, most likely rhetorically, but I thought I'd answer him anyway.

"Well, first of all I hope you've learned from this and your future activities won't be quite so reckless," I suggested. "It is important for you to follow the doctor's orders too and that means no sexual contact for at least another month. We also have to go home and make a few phone calls to Brazil."

Nick was looking at the floorboard of the van now, rather than at me. I knew having to tell his host-brothers and friends in Brazil would not only embarrass him further, but he would also feel guilty for putting them through such an equally embarrassing situation with their parents.

"I'm really sorry, Pop," he told me. "I really thought I had been safe and I didn't think I could pick up this shit just doing it a few times without protection," he admitted.

"Unfortunately, too many young people think that way and don't realize it only takes ONCE for something bad to happen."

"I know that now," he explained, "and I'm really sorry about this."

I could tell that Nick not only felt badly about everything he had done, but he also seemed to be extremely sincere about it as well. However, I felt this wasn't behind him yet and he was going to have more remorse to deal with later, after he dealt with Shannon and Jake and made his phone calls to Brazil. I wondered how the people in Brazil were going to react towards him, once they discovered what they had to go through.

When we got home, I immediately made Nick make his phone calls to warn his host-brothers and other partners that they needed to see a doctor and get checked out. Although this conversation took place in Portuguese, I could tell the brothers had some concerns, probably about how they were going to inform their parents as to why they needed to be tested.

Nick explained later that he also asked them to inform the boys from their school, the ones he had been intimate with, and tell them they needed to do the same thing. This caused a bit of an uproar, as his host-brothers didn't want to be the ones who would have to face the concerns and wrath of their friends. At first, they suggested they could get everyone's telephone numbers and give them to Nick, so he could call and tell them himself. However, after much discussion, they eventually gave in and told Nick they would do it for him, much to Nick's relief.

Once his telephone call ended, Nick informed me there were a few guys, the ones he met on his trips, that he'd have no way of getting in touch with, so he didn't know what to do about them. After thinking about it briefly, I told him we just had to pray they either didn't contract it from him or they would develop symptoms, so they could get treated for it before it got too severe. He agreed, but I could tell this bothered him greatly.

After making his phone call, Nick went to inform Shannon about his problem, while I went to tell Jake about what we found out. As I was sharing this information, I could tell this only reinforced Jake's negative image of his son's boyfriend and he was even more upset than he had been when he found out about the genital warts. He excused himself and went outside, and when I looked to see what he was up to, I saw him going for a walk up the road. Obviously, he needed some time alone to think about his feelings and cope with the reality of the situation.

Once he returned, he cleaned up and changed and we went to the early evening Good Friday service at church. Jake seemed a little aloof and extremely quiet since he returned from his walk, and this didn't change at church. I could only imagine what types of thoughts were going through his mind and I could tell he wasn't really aware of what was happening during the service. He wasn't participating, as he normally did, but he kept glancing over at Shannon and Nick instead. They were sitting on the other side of him, but seemed to be wrapped up in each other and oblivious to what Jake was doing. Of course, my attention was split between observing Jake and the service, so I missed much of what was happening too. However, we did manage to get through it without looking as if we had fallen asleep in the pew.

When we got home, Jake and I started putting the finishing touches on dinner. While we were doing that, the doorbell rang and several boys went rushing to see who was there. Fortunately, at least one of the boys recognized who was standing on our doorstep.

"Duck," Kevin said, "I'm glad you decided to join us. Come on in." Duck looked relieved that Kevin was pleased to see him.

"I was hoping this would be okay and wouldn't create any problems," Duck answered, while remaining outside.

I was actually surprised to see him this early, since Mark had only arrived home from work just before we got back.

"Duck, come on in and I'll introduce you to the guys you haven't met yet," I told him. Duck shyly walked into the foyer, but he had something else to say first.

"I hope I haven't shown up too early," he offered. "I took a half-day off from work, seeing things were on the slow side this morning."

"Wow, you were that eager to get here?" I teased, but Duck took it the wrong way.

"If it's too early, I can come back later," he suggested, apologetically.

"Nonsense, you could never be too early," I explained. "Get in here, so you can meet the others."

Duck followed me and I began introducing him to the college boys, whom he hadn't met yet. Since they weren't all downstairs, I asked Cole to round the others up, so I could introduce them too. It wasn't long before Duck had met everyone.

"We don't expect you to remember everyone's name right away," I informed him, and Duck looked relieved. "However, I do suspect you will have their names down, by the time you leave." Duck smiled.

"I'm really glad you're allowing me to visit and stay here for the holiday," he announced. "I'm really looking forward to this."

"So are we," Danny replied, as he and Brandon were busy checking Duck out. Before long, they were dragging Duck into the family room, so they could all get acquainted. When they did that, Jake and I went back to make sure the meal hadn't burn and finish up the last of the minor duties.

Mark changed and came downstairs a short time later, and by then everything was ready. After Mark and Duck greeted each other, I called everyone in to eat. I think Duck was a bit overwhelmed when he saw the size of the table and the number of chairs around it.

"Wow, this is like eating in the dining hall at college," he muttered.

"Close, but not quite," Danny agreed. "The difference is, here the food tastes much better and you don't have to worry about a food fight breaking out, at least not during a holiday meal." The others began to laugh when he said this, after thinking back upon the few times this had happened.

"I take it he's not joking then?" Duck asked, after seeing their reaction.

"It has happened a couple of times," I admitted, "but we nipped it in the bud quite quickly." Duck seemed surprised by this admission, but didn't pursue it.

During the meal, the college boys quizzed Duck about himself and shared some information about their backgrounds. I think they did this so Duck would feel more comfortable being with them. It seemed to work, since Duck was actively shared tidbits of his past with them too. It was all done in a very casual and low-key manner, and no one exposed more about himself than he felt comfortable with.

By the time we were finishing up, everyone was acting like old friends and Duck seemed pleased to be here. He confirmed that feeling, the very next time he spoke.

"I can't tell you how good it is to be here," he told us. "I already feel like I'm part of the family and not an outsider. Thank you, so much, for making this happen. You don't know how good it feels to be accepted and part of this wonderful and loving group."

"Believe me, we all know what you're feeling," Danny responded, "since we've all been there and done that."

Duck merely smiled at him, before doing the same to the rest of us. At that point, I suggested we go into the family room and relax for a few minutes. However, some of the good mood ended a few seconds later, when Jake spoke.

"Shannon and Nick, I'd like to speak with both of you before you go off with the others," he stated, which caused a panicked look to cross both of their faces. The other boys suspected what this was about, so their mood changed as well. The only one in the dark about this was Duck.

"Josh, I think maybe you should join us too," Jake added, while looking in my direction. I had a feeling I also knew what he was going to do, but I hoped it wasn't going to go as badly as I feared it might.

Chapter 15
Uneasy Moments

After dinner, the four of us met in the family room and closed the door behind us, before we sat down to talk. Jake spoke first.

"I'm deeply concerned about what's happened and the different things Nick has picked up while he was away," he began. "What concerns me most is the fact that he may have contracted more than just those two diseases and we won't know what else he has been exposed to until it is too late."

Jake paused to look at all of us, so he could gauge our reactions. Shannon and I were looking at him, but Nick had hung his head, so he was looking at the floor. After a few seconds with no one saying a word, Jake spoke again.

"I think it would be best if the two of you stopped going together," he added, which caused Shannon's mouth to drop open and Nick's head to snap upward.

"You can't do that," Shannon protested. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions now."

"I understand that," Jake conceded, "but I'm hoping you will listen to me on this matter and protect yourself by ending your relationship with Nick. He can't seem to confine his sexual exploits to just one partner, and in doing so, he is exposing you to all the same risks, not just himself. That's why I think it's best if you two break up."

"I won't do it," Shannon snapped back. "I love Nick and I won't give him up, for you or anyone else."

Jake looked upset and crushed by Shannon's reaction. I think he actually assumed his son would just do as he asked. Even though I had warned him about making an ultimatum, he had basically done it anyway. Now, I was afraid about how he might react to the repercussions arising from his demands.

"Uncle Jake," Nick uttered, breaking my train of thought. "I'm sorry about all of this and I know I've been really foolish, but I've learned an awful lot because of it too. I've learned that I really love Shannon and I don't want to lose him." Although Jake seemed to be moved by Nick's sincerity, it didn't look as if he was about to budge from his position.

"That's nice," Jake responded, "and you probably do think that, but you have to look at the whole picture. Even though you both think you love each other, you can't seem to confine your sexual activities to just one person and are putting everyone you come in contact with at risk. That's all right if you want to do it to yourself, but you have no right to put others at risk too, especially someone you claim to love."

I could tell Shannon was forming a response to his father's comments and getting ready to say something, but Nick spoke first.

"You're right," he admitted, "but I won't put him at risk any more." I think all of our mouths dropped open simultaneously. We were all unable to believe that Nick would break up with Shannon that easily. We were all too dumbfounded to respond, but we didn't need to, as Nick continued.

"I never thought I could commit myself to only one person, but having seen what can happen and realizing what a fool I've been, I'm ready to do just that," he announced. "If you will allow me, I promise I will love Shannon, and only Shannon, from now on."

Nick paused to look at both Shannon and Jake after saying this, and then he continued. "Will you both give me a chance to prove to you I can do just that?"

Talk about it being so quiet you could hear a pin drop. We all sat speechless. Well, I take that back. It wasn't that quiet. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest and it seemed so loud that I thought everyone else was probably able to hear it too. As I was pondering this thought, Shannon regained his composure and spoke.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked Nick. It seemed he still wasn't certain Nick could live up to this particular promise.

"Yes. Absolutely," Nick told him, while looking him straight in the eye. After a few, brief seconds, he turned toward Jake.

"Uncle Jake, I really do mean what I say this time," he insisted. "Even though I've been a fool up to now, I don't want to lose Shannon. I love him and I know he loves me too, so I'm more than willing to change, just to keep his love." Jake still seemed a bit startled, but finally responded.

"How can you say that?" he wondered, aloud. "You've never been able to contain your sexual appetite before, so what makes you think you can do it now?"

"Because now I realize how wrong and foolish I've been and I have more to lose now than I did before," he added, while looking at Shannon as he made his last comment.

"Please trust me," he continued, "and I'll prove it to you. I also promise we won't have sex for another month and after that, when we do, it will always be protected. Will that convince you to let us stay together?" Again, Jake didn't respond immediately.

"Please, Dad," Shannon begged, putting even more pressure on Jake to give in.

"I'll need some time to think about this," Jake informed them both. "I'm not saying no," he added, "but I do need more time to think it over."

Both boys seemed satisfied that he'd at least given in that much, so they didn't push him further. Instead, they went back to their room and left Jake and I alone.

"Josh, I know what he said, but I just don't believe him," Jake told me. "He just has too much history as a guy with hot pants, so I can't see him cooling off and confining his activities to just Shannon."

Jake looked at me and I guess my facial expression told him I wasn't in full agreement with him. That, I believe, is what made him ask me his next question. "What do you think, Josh?"

I swallowed hard and tried to mentally form my response, so it would come out as I wished. Once I felt I was ready to tell him what I thought, I took his hand and looked him in his eyes.

"A year ago, or even six months ago, I might have agreed with you about Nick," I told him, "but having gone through this with him, seen his reactions and listened to the comments he's made about everything that's happened, I really believe he's growing up and changing the way he thinks. I can't tell you specifically why I feel this way or point to any one item to support my position, but he's just not the same young man now." Jake studied me carefully, while mulling over what I had said. Carefully, he formed his next query.

"Isn't there anything you can tell me, to show me why you feel this way?" he almost pleaded. "I'm telling you, Josh, I just don't see it in him."

"Is that because it isn't there or due to the fact that you aren't looking for it? It might also be that you just aren't allowing yourself to see it." I replied. Jake recoiled slightly, after hearing my words.

"That's kind of a low-blow, isn't it?" he shot back.

"I don't think so," I told him, frankly. "You've never liked the idea of Shannon and Nick being together, although I must admit you've been pretty good about allowing it to continue. However, I now think you see exactly what you want to see in him and figure it's your chance to end their relationship. Jake, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure you'd actually be willing to admit you saw a change in Nick's behavior, even if it were obvious."

"I haven't seen any change?" Jake barked back at me. "He's screwed just about everyone he could get his hands on while he was away. I don't see any change there."

I could tell Jake was getting very emotional about this topic, so I thought maybe I should tell him something more. There was one bit of information I thought might calm him down.

"Jake, I know that's how Nick has always been, but look at these facts. We've told the boys they couldn't have sex until this was cleared up and they have BOTH done that. In fact, the other day I went up to talk to Nick and I caught him and Shannon cuddling and making out. They both swore there had been no sex and I believed them, but then Nick told me he never realized how much fun the kissing and hugging could be, even without the sex. For the week he's been back, he and Shannon have not been intimate, he's not been with anyone else for sex and he's been by Shannon's side nearly every minute possible. I think that shows some change. Don't you?"

"Okay, maybe he has been a little different since he's been back, but I'm not sure he can keep it up," Jake confessed. "I think he will revert back to his old ways eventually and that's just not good enough." It appeared as if Jake was going to remain resolute in his stance.

"Jake, I listened to Nick after he learned about his test results and I know how scared he's been and how badly he feels about putting others at risk. The thing is, up until now he's suffered from the same fate many young people do. They think they're invincible and nothing bad can happen to them. However, Nick has discovered that's not true, at least in his case, and he's really scared that something worse might happen. Besides, I think he's finally realized how much he loves your son and how much Shannon loves him, so I truly believe he's ready to commit to just one person."

"So you think I should give them my blessing then?" he followed. I wasn't sure he really wanted my opinion or if he was just asking this rhetorically and using it as a way of working through this situation on his own. Whatever his intent, I felt I had to respond and give him my view on it.

"I think you at least owe him the chance to try to prove himself to both you AND Shannon. As long as they use protection, Shannon will be safe, but I think he deserves a chance." Jake didn't say anything for a few seconds, but eventually he did respond.
"I think I'll need some more time to think about all of this," he finally admitted. "You've given me a lot to consider and I do know what Shannon wants and that he's committed to Nick. I don't want to break my son's heart, but I don't want to expose him to any unnecessary risks either. I think I need to go for another walk, so I can think this through," he acknowledged.

"Would you like some company?" I asked.

"No, I think I need to do this alone," he replied.

I respected his request and didn't try to lay a guilt trip on him about letting me go. Jake turned and headed for the door and I watched him slowly make his way from the house and head up the road. It was only a few minutes later when Shannon came back downstairs, looking around.

"Where did my dad go?" he wondered.

"He went for a walk, to think about this situation," I told him, and Shannon began to look worried.

"Do you think he's going to be okay about Nick and me being together?" he wanted to know.

"I'm not sure," I replied, honestly. "He is giving it a lot of thought, but he's not going to rush into any decision. I think whatever he decides, he'll do it because he thinks it's right and in your best interest."

"I know that, Pop, but I also know I'm not breaking up with Nick, no matter what my dad says," Shannon confirmed. "I love them both and I don't want to have to choose between them, but I also won't let one of them bully me into getting rid of the other. If they don't like my choices, then they'll have to either learn to deal with it or make the choice to no longer be part of my life. I won't be the bad guy here." I could see a lot of his father in him now and could tell he was going to remain adamant in his stance.

"Well, don't throw in the towel yet and give your father a chance to come to his own conclusions," I urged. "I know he'll do what he considers to be the right thing, whether you agree with him or not." Shannon merely nodded in response, before he went up to his room again.

Jake didn't come back right away and a half hour later there was still no sign of him. I began to worry and wonder if something more was wrong, but I decided not to panic. I figured possibly he just needed more time to work things through in his mind, before he was ready to announce his decision.

I was thinking about all of this when someone else approached. I looked up and noticed it was Duck. "If there's a problem, I can leave," he stated.

"Oh, no, Duck. I'd never allow that," I told him. "It's just that Jake has a problem with Shannon and Nick being together and now he has to make a choice. Either he accepts them as a couple or he might lose his son."

"Man, I'm so sorry to hear that," Duck replied, "but if my being here makes matters worse, then I'll go home and come back some other time."

"No, your being here makes no difference at all," I assured him. "We'd be going through the same thing, even if you left. That's why I want you to stay and enjoy yourself. If you're going to be part of the family, you'll see things like this happen from time to time, so maybe you'd better get used to it. The boys and I are happy you are here and I don't want you to worry about this situation."

Duck looked relieved, yet still concerned about what was happening. However, he went back to the family room and rejoined the others. I followed him in and spent a few minutes watching what was going on. I was impressed that everyone seemed to be getting along really well and had accepted Duck as part of the family. Well, that is if you can believe minor ribbing and teasing as being accepted into the Currie clan. Eventually, I left them alone and went back to my room.

An hour had passed since Jake had wandered off and I began to grow even more concerned. I was just about ready to go out and look for him, when I noticed him in the distance. He was walking slowly toward the house and seeing that made me realize how difficult this must be for him. I also wondered if he had made his decision.

When he finally reentered the house, he motioned for me to come with him, as he started up the stairs. I followed, as he made his way to Shannon and Nick's room and knocked on their door. He waited for them to tell him to enter and then we both went in. Shannon and Nick were sitting on the bed and a shocked and worried look came over both of their faces. Jake cleared his throat and then began to speak.

"I've given this a lot of thought and listened to what each of you had to say on the matter," he informed them. "After thinking it through, I'm ready to give you my answer." I think Nick and Shannon both held their breath, as they waited to hear what he had to say.

"Nick, I know you think I don't like you, but that's not true," he confessed. "I think you're a very interesting and lovable young man, but reckless in your sexual conduct. I love my son and wish to protect him and keep him from harm, just as any father would want to do, yet I also know he's old enough to make up his own mind." Jake paused now, licked his lips and took a deep breath before he continued. I thought both boys might pass out from the uncertainty and suspense, however they both managed to hang in there.

"After a great deal of consideration, I've finally decided I'm going to give my blessing to your being together, with one word of warning." Both boys had begun to jump off the bed to celebrate, until they heard Jake's last comment. Immediately, they stifled their enthusiasm and waited to see what else he had to say.

"Nick, I'm going to trust you and take you at your word that you're going to commit yourself to just my son," he advised him. This caused both boys to breathe a sigh of relief, but that was only momentary.

"However, if I ever learn this isn't the case, then as far as I'm concerned, you'll be history," Jake warned. "Of course, I can't force Shannon into doing that, but I will do everything I can to put pressure on him to end the relationship at that time. So from now on, my continued support will depend entirely upon your actions and whether you can keep your word."

At this point, Shannon moved swiftly toward his father, gave him a hug and thanked him for giving the two of them a second chance. Nick gave the pair a little time alone, before he joined them. He looked Jake directly in the eye, before he spoke.

"I will make my promise again, to you, Pop and Shannon that I will be true to my word. I won't have any other sexual partners and I really mean that," he added, thinking Jake had not been totally convinced of his sincerity.

"I hope you can do that," Jake responded, "because I'm going to hold you to it."

It was obvious there was still a little tension between them, so in an effort to convince Nick he meant what he said, Jake did something else. Jake pulled Nick into the embrace with Shannon and him, to prove he was giving him another chance and his past would not be held against him. Nick's reaction was immediate and the smile that spread across his face expressed how pleased he was by this gesture. It also let me know that Nick felt his 'father-in-law' was finally accepting this relationship.

I slipped out of the room and went downstairs, not only because I thought they needed a few quiet moments together, but I also had company I had been ignoring. Duck was still in the family room, watching a movie. They were quite into it, so I didn't interrupt and slipped back out of the room. A few minutes later, Duck, Mark, Vinnie and Kevin came out to find me.

"Hey, Josh, aren't you going to join us?" Duck asked.

"I just didn't want to bother you boys," I explained. "You all seemed into watching the movie and I figured I had already missed too much."

"Then we'll start it over," Duck suggested. "It's a DVD, so it won't be a big problem. I just hope Jake, Shannon and Nick have worked things out and will watch it with us too," he added, looking hopeful.

"They have and I think they'll be coming down soon," I assured him. "However, I do apologize for not being a more attentive host."

"That's not necessary," Duck stated. "I'm just happy you've let me come spend time with you and your family. I've really gotten to know the rest of your sons and I'm getting along great with everyone. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here."

"I'm glad to hear that and we're all pleased you were willing to join us," I replied. "I want you to promise you'll make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything. Did Kevin and Vinnie show you where you'd be staying?"

"Yes, they did, and it's very nice, but you didn't have to go to all of that trouble," he replied. "I could have just slept on the couch."

"It's no trouble at all," I informed him. "We added the guest room on for occasions like this and I prefer you to have some privacy while you're here. You may not realize it yet, but once you see this group in action, you're going to be grateful to have a place you can hide and get away from them." He let out a little chuckle.

"Awww, come on. They can't be that bad," he replied, playfully.

"Oh, you'll see," I warned him, "and you'll be grateful for what little time you can manage to get away from them. Come on, let's go in and watch that movie."

Chapter 16
Having Duck for Easter

Saturday morning, most of the boys slept in late, so I was surprised to see Duck wander down early, to join Jake and me in the dining room.

"Good morning. Would you like some coffee and a little breakfast?" I greeted him.

"Sounds great," he responded, as he sat down beside me. I started to get up to get what he wanted, but Jake put his hand on my arm, to get my attention.

"You stay here with Duck and I'll get his breakfast," he offered. I tried to protest and tell him I could do it, since Jake always seems to end up doing most of the cooking anyway, but he was adamant and wouldn't give in.

As Jake walked away, he asked Duck, "Do you take anything in your coffee?"

"Yes, milk and sugar, please," he replied.

"You may have regular milk or French vanilla creamer," Jake offered, "and sugar or Equal. Which would you prefer?"

"The French vanilla and sugar would be great," he told Jake, and it wasn't long before he was brought his cup of coffee, with the appropriate items to add to it.

"What would you like to go with it?" Jake asked him. "We have eggs, toast, bagels, English muffins, hot and cold cereals, waffles, pancakes, sausage and bacon."

"Whatever is easiest would be fine with me," Duck answered, trying not to be too big of an imposition.

"Duck, tell me what you want and I'll make it for you," Jake told him. "I'll probably end up doing most of that for the others anyway, so name your poison." I don't think Duck had ever heard that phrase used before and recoiled when Jake said it.

"That's only an expression," I told him. "Jake won't actually poison you, at least not intentionally," I added jokingly, which made Jake shoot me a dirty look and caused Duck to giggle.

"You guys are funny," he told us, although I wasn't sure if he meant our words, looks or actions. Not wishing to know for sure and possibly suffer a bruised ego, neither of us pinned him down to find out what he meant by his comment.

"Okay, I'll take eggs, toast and sausage," he finally responded. "If that's not too much trouble?"

"Not at all," Jake replied, "but how would you like your eggs?"

"Over easy, if you please," came his reply.

"And would you like jelly, jam or marmalade for your toast?" Jake followed.

"Ah, jelly will be fine, thank you."

"Strawberry, Raspberry or Grape?" Jake grinned, knowing Duck was not used to all these choices.

"Raspberry, please," he told him, before adding, "you guys sure make this interesting. It's almost like I'm ordering at a restaurant or something." Duck giggled again.

"Oh, we're not done yet," Jake advised him. "Sausage links or patties?" This caused Duck to laugh even harder.

"Links, please," he stated, and then Jake disappeared into the kitchen.

It was only a few minutes later before Jake returned with Duck's breakfast, but he had also fixed a little something extra for the two of us. We were eating and chatting when Mark and some of the other boys began to filter downstairs, still groggy but hungry. To my surprise, and horror, everyone except Mark had come downstairs in their birthday suits. Duck looked up and a shocked look came over his face.

"Hey, you guys, we have company," I chastised them. "I don't think Duck is ready to see the nudie parade quite yet."

"Oh, come on, I'm sure he's seen a dick or two before," Danny shot back.

"I have," Duck responded, to my surprise, "but not so many or such fine looking specimens," he added, with a giggle.

"Duck, I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I should have warned you the boys think this is a nudist colony."

"It's okay," Duck responded. "Vinnie did tell me you guys did things like that here, but I didn't think they'd put on a special show in my honor," he added, tongue in cheek. "I must say it's very nice and extremely thoughtful of them."

Here I was worried about how he might react and he seemed to be enjoying the show. "Hey, if you're all right with this, then I take back what I told them, about giving you a break."

"Thanks," Duck replied. "I like being here more every minute." This time he laughed out loud.

Once things settled down, Jake told the others to wait a few minutes, until he finished his meal, and then he'd fix them something too or they could do it for themselves, whichever they wanted. Mark went out and got his own breakfast together, but most of the others decided they could wait. What a bunch of lazy bums!

Once everyone was fed and sated, we sent a group of them to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen, while we directed everyone else to get ready to go to the park. I had some things planned for today, special types of activities to do while Duck was here with us. I remembered him telling me how much he missed having a family, so I thought we could do some things he might have done with his family. I hoped this might put an end to some of his regrets.

It was an early spring day, a little on the cool side, but the sun was shining. I told everyone to wear jeans or sweatpants, with a flannel or sweatshirt to go with it, and athletic shoes. What they didn't know was what I planned on doing. Jake and I then loaded them all into the vehicles, drove to the park and had them get out. It was then that I did something to announce we were going to have a touch football game. I grabbed the football out of the van and tossed it to Duck.

Once the others figured out my wordless message, I handed Vinnie a whistle. He would be our referee. Jake and I had made a list and divided the boys into teams before we came down to the park. We tried to make them as even as possible, so Jake and I were also on opposite sides, so no team would have two anchors.

We had put a lot of thought into splitting the boys up according to their abilities, although we weren't sure how good Duck might be. As I read off the names of who would be on which team, the boys came to stand beside either Jake or myself. Duck ended up on my team, along with Mark, and everyone seemed excited about playing, except Peter.

"This isn't like Aussie football," he told us, "so I'm not sure what to do."

"You'll catch on quickly," Ricky told him, "and we'll help you out, by telling you what you need to know." That seemed to suffice and Peter happily joined in the game.

These games always turn out to be a lot of fun, even if they aren't technically well played. We quickly got things under way and the game turned out to be very competitive. Everyone was taking turns playing the various positions, so no one would feel slighted or left out. Jake and I started out as the center for our team and then moved to a lineman position for most of the game, but we also ran a few plays at both receiver and quarterback. One thing we didn't try was running back, since we knew we could never outrun the boys.

The teams were swapping touchdowns and the score was growing quickly, since the boys were more interested in scoring than anything else. I guess most boys are the same way off the field too, interested in scoring, so to speak. However, not everything went smoothly and there were a few disputed plays. Of course our referee, Vinnie, had to step in and settle these disputes and his word was final, although it didn't mean everyone always agreed with him. There was the usual ribbing about his abilities, such as someone offering him a pair of glasses or asking him if he needed a rulebook. It was all done good-naturedly, however, so no one was offended.

There was one time, when I was playing quarterback and had just thrown a pass to one of my teammates, when Danny tackled me, not roughly, but I went down. Before I knew it, I had several boys piled on top of me, including my little devil Andrew, who was on MY team. When I complained about no call, referee Vinnie ended up throwing himself on top of the pile. We were all laughing and I started tickling whomever I could reach, and that's when I saw Duck come into view. He leaped on the pile with everyone else, so I guess he was feeling like part of the family too.

After order was restored, and that took many minutes to accomplish, we went back to playing the game, which my team eventually won by a touchdown. I think the boys decided to call it quits there, so Duck would be on the winning side. I hoped he realized and appreciated this fact, because the boys were probably not going to be as generous during his future visits. Duck acted as if he really enjoyed himself and talked about the game and how much fun he had all the way home. I was glad he was pleased with what we had done for him.

Once we returned to the house, I sent all the boys to clean up and change, because I told them that after lunch we were all going to the movies. I let the boys choose what we would see, after asking them privately to make sure Duck had some input into the decision making process. I even told them we could split up between a couple of different movies, if they couldn't all agree on one. Saying they understood, the boys went off to check out what was playing online, before they cleaned up.

Once the boys decided what they wanted to see, they went to hit the showers. A few minutes later, I noticed Duck walking naked toward the stairs, before he climbed them. I was certain the others were going to like what they saw, because Duck was not only very cute, but he was also fairly well built. He wasn't very hairy and his cut dick flopped from side to side, as he went up the steps, so I knew someone would probably hit on him. As it turned out, Danny and Brandon ask him to join them later and I was told Duck agreed.

After Jake and I cleaned up too, we set about preparing pizzas for lunch. We knew the boys would like that, and with this crew it would take several pizzas to fill them up. We took out the appropriate number of frozen pizzas, with a rather large selection of toppings. I felt everyone should find something he liked and there would be plenty to fill him up. We put two pizzas in the oven and two more in the wall oven, and we planned on telling the boys to go easy on them, until everyone had some, while the next bunch was cooking.

I also prepared a large salad to go along with the pizza, seeing most of the boys liked that too. I put the lettuce in one bowl, and then set out smaller bowls containing cucumbers, carrot strips, bacon bits, croutons, onions and tomatoes. That way everyone could take what they wanted and not end up with anything they didn't like.

I also lined up several different salad dressings, because there were also a wide variety of tastes to accommodate. Once everything was ready, I called all the boys to the dining room and made sure I got what I wanted first, before I watched them literally inhale the rest of it.

Duck just gawked in amazement, as he watched all of the food disappear, and his only comment was, "How can you afford to feed these guys?" I just winked at him and shrugged my shoulders, which caused him to grin and giggle.

Once the first four pizzas were gone, Jake and I took the final four out of the ovens and placed them on the table, figuring that should be enough to satisfy all of them. Once the last of the pizza and salad was gone, I pulled out several half gallons of ice cream for dessert. We went around the table asking what flavor or flavors each boy would like, and if he wanted two or three scoops. We tried not to overdo it with desserts, but we all liked something sweet to top off the meal.

After passing the various bowls around, everyone quickly downed their ice cream. When they'd finished their dessert, I asked what movie they had decided on seeing. I was surprised to learn they had all agreed on going to the same movie, something that rarely ever happens any more, so I told Duck he should feel special. He said he understood, after hearing the give and take going on while they were deciding what to see, but admitted it was fun to be part of the process.

At this point, the boys split into groups to take care of the drudgery, so we could get going. Some put away the salad dressings and leftover ice cream, while others took the dishes out to the sink and rinsed them off, before putting them in the dishwasher. The final group wiped down the table and swept the floor, so there wouldn't be anything lying around to attract bugs. Once that was done, we got ready to leave.

I did get some strange looks in the ticket line, as I ordered four adult and seventeen student tickets for 'Taking Lives.' The cashier did ask to see the student I.D.'s of some of my older boys and, fortunately, everyone had remembered to bring those items with them. It was a matinee showing, which I prefer to go to, because it does save a little money. After getting the tickets, I told the boys they were on their own if they wanted any snacks, seeing we had just finished eating. Only a few of them went to get anything, but I knew they all had money, so it wasn't a problem. After everyone had what he wanted, we went in to take our seats.

With these smaller theaters and the way my eyes are getting, as I grow older, I have to sit in the back of the theater. Most of the time, Jake and I will sit in the back alone, because the boys prefer to sit in other areas. However, when Duck and Mark decided to sit with Jake and I, the rest of the boys followed suit. We took up most of the back two rows of the theater.

The movie was quite interesting, about an FBI agent who's tracking down a serial killer. The odd twist was that the serial killer took on the identity of his victims, after he murdered them. Most of it was tastefully done, without the excessive blood and gore, and I think everyone enjoyed it, overall.

After we got back from the movie, I let the boys entertain Duck, because I figured he'd enjoy playing video and other games with them, instead of hanging with Jake and me. The boys were always good about doing such things with visitors, but I knew Vinnie and Kevin would want to be a big part of this. I realized they would have been more than happy to entertain Duck on their own after all he had done to help Vinnie out, during the post-Valentine's Day fiasco, but they also realized Duck would probably prefer interaction with the others as well.

A few hours later, I advised everyone they had about an hour before we'd be going out to dinner. I had made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants and since they could dress casually for this establishment, I concluded most of them would just wear what they wore to the movies. However, a few of them went to change into something else, since they didn't feel what they had on was appropriate. When the hour was up, we piled back into the vehicles and headed out to eat.

I did not invite the extended family to join us this time, primarily because Duck needed a little more time to get to know the older boys first. Most of the extended family would be joining us for Easter dinner tomorrow anyway, so he could meet them then, and I felt it best to leave it that way.

The restaurant had set up two long tables for us, since one would get too unmanageable for this large of a party. Duck sat between Mark and I, with Vinnie and Kevin on the other side of Mark. After we ordered our drinks and our meals, Duck decided to share some observations about his visit.

"This has been really great," he told us. "I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed being here with y'all."

"Duck, do I detect a bit of southerner in you?" I teased, referring to his use of the word y'all. He grinned.

"Not really," he answered, still grinning. "Two of the guys I work with are from the south and I guess I've picked it up from talking to them so much."

"Oh, I see," I told him. "So rather than teaching them proper English, you've decided to just assume their southern slang and drawl." He grinned some more.

"It wasn't intentional, but they say it so much, I guess I just kind of added it to my vocabulary too," he admitted.

"Ah, yes. I know from raising so many boys that bad habits can be picked up more easily than good ones." He laughed at my observation.

"I guess so, at least it is with me," he conceded, and we all agreed that was probably the case with most of us.

"So, what do you think of my insane asylum?" I asked, changing the topic.

"I think it's fantastic," he beamed. "I've had so much fun and everyone has been great to me."

"Well, enjoy it while it lasts," I advised him, "because I'm sure that will change." Duck flashed me a puzzled look, so I thought it best to explain. "Right now they're on their best behavior, seeing you're new to our family, but once you're just another family member, all bets are off in the nice department." This elicited another laugh from him.

"Oh, so I'm getting special treatment right now?" he joked.

"You might say that," I advised him, briefly. "Once you're a long-standing family member, they'll treat you like crap, just like they do the rest of us." This brought some mild protests from some of the boys, as they complained they didn't do things like that. However, I don't think it thoroughly convinced Duck they were being sincere.

During dinner, I told Duck what I had planned for the next day, and he seemed to be fine with the agenda. I followed that by asking him what time he planned on leaving to return home.

"No later than 7:00," he advised me. "I have to work the following day, so I don't want to get back too late. I still have a few things I need to do when I get home."

I told him that would work out fine and he might even be able to leave a little earlier than that, if he felt he needed to. That news seemed to please him. It was about then that our food arrived and our conversation tapered off, so we could enjoy the meal. The food was good and some of the boys did continue to talk to Duck throughout the meal. I was glad to see they were all enjoying this give and take and getting along so well. After we finished our desserts, I took everyone out for another round of competition, but this time it was at the local bowling alley.

Chapter 17
Duck's Initiation

Bowling is not something we do often, but I thought it would be another fun family activity we could do with Duck. Seeing most of the boys are competitive by nature, I thought I'd incorporate their natural instincts into this outing too. There were twenty-one of us in all, including Mark, Duck, Jake and myself, so I split us up into three teams of five and one team of six. This way the boys could still compete against each other, but as part of a group. It wasn't as easy as splitting them up into football teams, but we did our best.

I made sure Vinnie was on the team with the extra bowler. I teamed him up with Kevin, Duck, Mark, Sammy and Andrew, and I would drop the lowest score when we compared them to the others. Vinnie told me he had bowled before, and I had no doubt he would give it his best shot and probably hold his own. However, I felt it best to have him on the team with the extra bowler, just in case this proved more difficult for him than he was willing to admit.

The way I had planned it was like this. We got two pairs of lanes, with two teams alternating on each pair. Each team would bowl three games and then we'd add up total scores and announce the winners accordingly. I thought that should be fun for everyone. Now that we had all put on our shoes and selected our bowling balls, I assigned the teams to the two pairs of lanes.

Trust me when I say that none of us would have qualified to go on the Pro Bowlers Tour, but we did have some interesting and comical moments. During one game, Sammy's hand became sweaty, so as he went into his back swing, the bowling ball slipped off his fingers and came shooting back toward those of us who were waiting our turn to bowl. He was quite embarrassed by this little mistake, but we were all laughing so hard that it was almost impossible for him not to join in the jocularity. After he collected his bowling ball again, all the boys pretended to hide behind their seats, to avoid a repeat performance, but they made sure Sammy saw this and heard their comments. It was just one of those little ways the boys have to make you feel special.

"Take cover," Ricky yelled, as he ducked down behind his seat.

"Women and children first," Andrew added, grinning at his brother, and then he also hid behind his chair.

However, Sammy wasn't the only one to have a little faux pas on the lanes. During the final game, Dustin, who had been bowling quite well, had a problem of his own. His fingers had begun to swell and during one of the final frames, the ball didn't come off his fingers at the release point. Instead, it clung to his puffy digits during his follow through, and then finally came off his hand as it was reaching upward. The bowling bowl momentarily soared toward the ceiling, before it came crashing down on the lane. This caused everyone around us to stop and turn toward our lane, to see what had just happened. As Dustin tried to act nonchalant and watched the ball creep toward the pins, the others began to make their comments.

"Was that a shot put or a bowling ball?" Kevin teased his old boyfriend.

"Hey, Dustin, make sure you fix your divot," Brandon joked, throwing in a golfing analogy.

Surprisingly enough, Dustin did knock down six pins with that shot, but as he came back to get his bowling ball to pick up his spare, Ricky and Little Ricky, who was mimicking his idol, grabbed chairs and held them above their heads, as if that would protect them from bowling balls that might rain down from the ceiling. Dustin just shot them a dirty look, before he picked up his spare, but he did grab Little Ricky when he came back, and began to tickle him.

"Do you think you can get away with making fun of me?" Dustin asked.

"Ricky, help me," Little Ricky squealed, in between his fits of laughter, and soon his namesake came over to help pull him out of Dustin's grasp. Oh, Dustin could have maintained his grip, if he had wanted to, but he had proven his point, so he released Little Ricky and allowed him to believe Ricky had come to his rescue.

Our fun didn't rely only on the lighter moments of bowling either, and there were some moments of amazing success as well. At one point, Pat left a 3-7-10 split. The 3-10 is a small split, on the right side of the lane, and the ball will fit between the two and pick them up, if thrown properly. However, the 7-pin is on the far left side of the lane and the 3-pin must be slid into it. Just because someone picks up the 3-10 portion of the split does not automatically mean the 7-pin will be knocked down as well. However, Pat's shot was placed so perfectly, he knocked over all three pins and picked up his spare. Of course, this got him numerous congratulations from the others.

"Great shot, Pat," Graham told him. "That was really awesome."

"Yes," Duck added. "I bowl quite often and I think I've only seen the split picked up twice before. Well done."

"Can you teach me how to do that," Andrew asked innocently, yet sincerely.

"If I was sure how I did it, I'd show you," Pat told him, "but most of it was just luck."

Andrew looked disappointed, since he was hoping Pat could teach him that and other tricks. Seeing this, Pat told him he'd help him as much as he could, which made Andrew perk up again.

Another interesting time was when Jake threw six strikes in a row, which really impressed the boys. Jake mentioned he had bowled in leagues when he was younger and had always done fairly well. He then admitted he was starting to get the feel for the game again, but added there was still a lot of luck involved in how well he was doing. Regardless of why he was bowling so well, the boys often came to him to ask for pointers, which seemed to please Jake immensely.

The one other thing that seemed to impress all the boys was when Dion bowled his first 200-game. He did this quietly and none of us noticed it until it was over, which was quite an amazing feat. He'd picked up all his spares during the game, which in itself was a rare occurrence, but he'd also had a double (two strikes in a row) early on, and then finished up with a strike in the ninth frame and the first strike in the tenth frame, which gave him a 202 score.

The others all fawned over him and told him how well he did, as they marveled over what a great game he had. Dion enjoyed his time in the limelight and seemed to bask in their praise. He was king of the hill, for the moment, and loving every second of it, but his team didn't win. That honor went to Jake, Shannon, Nick, Graham and Pat, so we all congratulated them and acknowledged their supremacy on the bowling lanes.

Before we left, Duck made sure he came over to let us know he had another great time. His team had come in second, but he said that didn't matter, because he enjoyed every second of it, no matter how they had finished. He also told me he had bowled against Danny and Brandon and they were getting along really well too. I guess he wasn't aware that I knew of the invitation they had made to him and he most likely would be joining them for a threesome. On top of everything else, Duck also mentioned that Mark and he were really hitting it off and were even talking about meeting up sometime, with their girlfriends. Duck said he would like that and hoped it actually happened.

I was glad to hear what he had to say and Duck seemed to be glowing, so I knew he was being honest with me. I was extremely pleased we had been able to fill another void in his life and possibly ease the years of regret and pain he had endured.

After bowling, Jake and I took the boys home and left them to their own devices for the rest of the evening. Before long, I noticed Duck going off with Danny and Brandon and had a pretty good idea about what was going to happen. Danny filled me in about it later, so I'll also let you know what took place.

When they got to Danny and Brandon's room, Danny turned to Duck, to make sure he hadn't changed his mind. "Are you sure you're still up for this?" Danny asked.

"Oh, yes. Maybe your Dad, Vinnie or Kevin haven't filled you in about me, but I'm actually bi. I've always wanted to mess around with guys before, but I was just too scared after what happened the first time." Duck then went on to relay his story about his friend from school and getting caught by his father.

"Man, I thought my old man was pretty bad," Danny told him, "but your dad might have mine beat." Danny then went on to tell Duck his story, about when he got kicked out of his home. After that, Brandon told Duck about some of the tough times he'd been through and Duck was shocked.

"I guess it hasn't been easy for any of us, huh?" Duck asked.

"No, but Brand and I are really happy and wouldn't change our lives together for anything," Danny admitted. "We're partners for life and we plan on coming back here, after we finish our schooling, so we can help Dad take in more boys."

"That's really great," Duck admitted, "so if I'm messing up your relationship, we don't have to do anything."

"No, you're not messing up anything," Brandon told him. "Danny and I agreed to do this, so as long as it's both of us, and not just one, then it's okay."

"Hey, if you're sure, I'm game," Duck admitted.

"Great, then what would you like to do?" Brandon followed.

"Dang, I'm not sure," Duck admitted. "You guys know more about this than I do, so why don't you tell me."

Brandon looked at Danny and Danny looked back at him. Before long, they were both grinning. "Why don't we just teach you how great another guy can make you feel," Danny told him.

"Yeah, you don't have to do anything to us, if you don't want," Brandon added, "and we'll do all the work."

"Hey, if you think that's best," Duck confirmed. "You just tell me what to do."

Neither boy was shy about making their requests and before long all three of them were naked and lying on their bed. Danny moved up and began kissing Duck and working on his neck, while Brandon worked on Duck's chest and nipples. Duck was squirming and enjoying the dual stimulation and both Danny and Brandon were doing their best to make him feel good.

After a few minutes of doing that, Brandon slid down and started licking around Duck's shaft, which was standing tall and proud. It was about seven inches of fairly thick boy meat and Brandon eagerly began running his tongue up and down the shaft, before he let his mouth slip over the head, as he swallowed it, nearly down to the root. Duck groaned audibly when this happened. After a few seconds, Danny made a suggestion.

"Brand, hang on a second. I have an idea," Danny announced. Brandon stopped what he was doing and sat up to listen to what his lover had to say.

"Duck will you please get on all fours," Danny ordered, politely, and Duck did as he was asked.

"Okay, Brand," Danny followed, "you get on your back and slide between Duck's legs, so you can suck him off from underneath."

Brandon understood exactly what Danny was asking and did it immediately. As soon as Brandon was in position, Danny straddled him and bent forward and began rimming Duck. Duck wasn't ready for that and bolted upright for a second, before Danny spoke to him.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to enter you," Danny assured him. "I'm just going to let you experience how good it feels when a tongue, and maybe a finger or two are used down there." Duck looked hesitant.

"I've never done anything like that before," Duck responded, "and the only thing that's ever been put in my butt is a rectal thermometer and the nozzle from an enema."

"Don't worry," Danny reiterated. "I'm not going to hurt you, but you sure will feel good. I'm willing to guarantee it."

Hearing that, Duck began to relax and before long he was humming from the dual stimulation. Brandon was eagerly, and expertly, sucking him off and Danny was busy running his tongue around and in his anal opening. Duck had never felt anything so good before and was nearly about to pass out from the overload of pleasure.

After a few minutes of this activity, Danny reached into the nightstand and grabbed the lube. After greasing up the fingers on his right hand, he inserted his index finger into Duck's opening. He did it slowly, so it didn't hurt, but Duck did stiffen slightly, when it first began to happen. After a few seconds he began to relax again, so Danny began to slide his finger in and out, before he used it to locate the prostrate. When he did, he ran his finger over the surface of that leathery button and Duck began seeing stars. Within seconds, he was spewing his seed into Brandon's willing mouth, until Brandon had drained every ounce of fluid he had in that organ.

Once this happened, Duck slumped forward, landing above Brandon's head, and stayed that way for several seconds, while the other two got up to see if he was okay.

"Are you all right, Duck?" Danny asked.

"All right?" Duck quipped. "I'm better than all right. In fact, I'm better than I think I've ever been. Man, what did you guys do to me?"

"We just showed you what gay sex is all about," Brandon told him. "At least some of it."

"Well, I've had sex with girls before," Duck admitted, "but I've never come that hard or felt this good. Damn, I thought when you started messing with my butt I'd hate it, but that was fucking awesome. I can't believe how good you made me feel and then you sent all kinds of shocks and sparks or something through my body."

"Yeah, that can happen when someone messes with your prostate," Danny explained. "I'm glad you enjoyed that."

"Enjoyed?" Duck questioned. "It was more than enjoyed. If I knew it would be that good, I would never have let my father scare me out of trying more. Damn, I've missed out on so much."

"Well, you're still young and have time to make up for that," Danny informed him. "We'll help, but only if you want."

"Oh, hell, yes!" Duck exclaimed. "You guys are definitely hired as my teachers." Duck grinned and giggled after saying that. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Why don't you just watch and see what Brand and I do," Danny told him. "I think you've done enough for the first time, but we'll show you what you can look forward too."

Duck agreed and watched as Danny and Brandon made love. Duck was enthralled by how loving and tender they were with each other, but he was amazed at how easily Brandon took Danny's larger than average penis, when they made love. As that pair was going at it, Danny spoke to Duck.

"I'm getting close, so why don't you move over here," Danny suggested. "You can jack Brand off if you want, so we can cum together."

"Is that all right with you, Brandon?" Duck asked, to make certain he was also agreeable to this plan.

"Oh, yeah," Brandon gasped. It was quite obvious he was enjoying what was being done to him and was willing to be involved in even more.

Eagerly, Duck sidled up beside him and tentatively reached out and touched his shaft. It had been a long time since he'd touched another penis, so Duck took his time, while noting its firmness and the heat it generated. After a few seconds of this exploration, he began running his hand up and down the cut shaft and immediately enjoyed this activity. His hand was pumping rapidly on the engorged tube and Brandon was moaning audibly and loudly. Duck wasn't sure if it was because of what he or Danny was doing, but he knew it was making Brandon feel good. A short time later, Brandon's body stiffened, he arched his back slightly and spewed his cream. It shot out of his dick and landed in various spots on his chest and on the bed, but Duck kept jacking him off until he was completely drained.

Before that happened, Danny drove his penis into Brandon one final time and shot his load into the tip of the condom. All three boys were sated and more than satisfied, and once I heard this story, I knew Duck would be back to visit us again.

A little while after those three rejoined the rest of us, and they were all complete naked when they did, we all chatted for a little while longer. I wasn't about to ask Duck any questions about what he had done or why he returned nude. I felt he'd tell me, if he felt comfortable.

I also got a kick out of the fact that when Mark saw Duck returning without any clothes on, he excused himself and then came back naked. I guess he was willing to show Duck he wasn't a prude either, although as far as I know, Mark has never fooled around with any of the others.

Eventually, I urged them all to get to bed, because tomorrow was Easter Sunday and we'd be having another full day. After some mild protestations and promises that they wouldn't stay up too late, I left them and went to bed myself.

Chapter 18
An Easter Surprise

Sunday morning I got everyone up and ready for church. Duck was informed about this in advance, so he could bring suitable clothing, and he seemed excited about going with us. He said it had been years since he'd attended a church service with his family, so he thought this would be fun. When we arrived at our normal place of worship, we noticed it looked a little different than usual. Since it was Easter, the altar was decked out in Easter lilies and there were swaths of purple cloth draped in several key locations. This service was about the hope of the resurrection – He Is Risen – so it was very joyous service. Duck sat beside me the whole time and happily participated, which included singing the hymns. I was very pleased he seemed comfortable and fit right in with the rest of my brood.

Afterward, we went out for our normal Sunday brunch, but I reminded the boys not to stuff themselves, because we'd be having our Easter meal around 4:00. Normally, we wouldn't eat our Sunday meal until between 6:00 and 6:30, so today would be early for us and I wanted the boys to have plenty of room left for Easter dinner. The boys all assured me they understood about eating in moderation and did so by eliminating one or more of their normal side dishes.

I had told our extended family we'd be sitting down to eat at 4:00, so we'd be finished in time for them all to get home at a reasonable hour. This was especially important for Duck, since he had a fairly lengthy drive to endure in order to reach his place. I wished he could stay a little longer, so he wouldn't have to rush back, but unfortunately he couldn't afford to take off the extra time. However, I did tell him that I wanted him to call me when he got back, no matter how late it was.

Brunch was quite enjoyable and there was plenty of the typical joking around and playful banter. I could tell Duck was enjoying this, because he was eagerly participating, but I was pleased to see he was able to give, as well as he got. After we finished up, we drove home, knowing we still had things to do before our guests arrived.

As we were pulling in the driveway, Vinnie made an observation. "Pop, there's someone here," he informed me, as he pointed toward our front porch.

As I looked in that direction, I spotted what appeared to be a prepubescent boy sitting on the step. His head was bowed against his chest and his arms were folded underneath, like he was trying to pull inside himself. Right away I asked the boys to wait in the van, so I could approach this kid alone. The last thing I wanted to do was to scare him off, if he saw so many people heading in his direction at once. Reluctantly, they agreed, so I got out of the van and made my way toward him, while someone else jumped out and told Jake and the boys in the Suburban what was up.

As I slowly made my way toward this kid, I was smiling and trying not to spook him. As I drew closer, I immediately noticed he was dressed in clothes that were probably two-sizes too small for him. He wasn't looking up yet and I didn't want to surprise him, so I softly called out.

"Hi, my name is Josh Currie and this is my house. Is there something I can do for you?"

Hearing my voice, he looked up and I was immediately struck by the sad and dejected look on his face. However, what really caught my attention was when I looked into his eyes – those two, deep, icy-blue pools that made my heart melt. He was cute, in a scruffy sort of a way, because he was so unkempt and unwashed. He had brown hair, which also had lighter brown and dirty blond highlights streaking through it, and it was cut in a modified, tapered, bowl-shape. He didn't respond to what I said, so I spoke to him again.

"Hey, I'm Josh. What's your name?" I followed, to see if he would say something now, but once again nothing happened.

He was watching my every move, as I glided closer, but he made no move to run away. However, he still wasn't replying to my queries. I wasn't sure why, so I thought I'd try again.

"It's a little cool out. Are you cold?" I asked, but still no response.

As I continued to move closer, I noticed a tattered suitcase sitting next to him and began to suspect he was a runaway. He was still making no move to get away from me, so I continued to approach, and that's when I also noticed there was an envelope taped to the top of his suitcase. I was now standing beside him and could see the envelope was addressed to me. I reached down and pulled it off, ripped it open and read the handwritten letter inside.

Dear Mr. Currie,

His name is Jesse and he is 10-years old. I read about you and your foundation and figured you could help him out. I just can't do any more for him. My new husband makes life extremely difficult for Jesse and I know my son would be better off without his stepfather in his life. I don't have a very good job, so I can't leave my husband. I could never make it on my own, let alone take care of Jesse too.

I also know I can't leave Jesse around his stepfather for much longer. The older Jesse gets, the worse the abuse becomes. Don't get me wrong, my husband never hits the boy, but he is verbally abusive to him. He is always referring to Jesse as the dummy, because he doesn't speak, but he also calls him the retard. The thing is, Jesse isn't dumb or retarded. When he was 4 1/2 years old, he saw his father killed in a drug deal gone bad and hasn't spoken a word since that day. Up until that time, he was progressing like any normal boy and talked all the time. But after his father was murdered, Jesse has never said another word. If he stays with his stepfather much longer, I fear for his safety and mental health.

I'd heard you are a very religious person, so I knew it would be safe to leave Jesse while you were gone to attend the Easter service. Enclosed you will find a legal document giving you guardianship of my son, because I know you will love him and care for him like I wish I could. Please do all you can for him and I know he will grow up to be a fine man.

Thank you for doing this and all my love to both of you,

Alice Wells

'Oh, Lord.' I thought. 'What am I going to do now?'
I'd been left another boy, but this wasn't some ordinary child. This kid had emotional and psychological problems, stemming from the trauma of watching his father murdered and then added to by his stepfather's abuse. I wasn't sure if I was up to such a tremendous challenge. However, I had to do something, so I reached my hand out toward the boy. I hoped he'd take it, so I could pull him to his feet.

"Jesse, I'm Josh and it appears that your mother wants you to stay here for now, so let me help you up. We'll go inside and I'll introduce you to all my other sons. He held out his arm toward me, but didn't grasp my hand, so I wrapped my fingers around his and gently pulled him to his feet. Once he was standing, I picked up his suitcase, put my arm around his shoulder and started to guide him toward our front door.

When we were in sight of the vehicles, I gave my head a sharp jerk toward the house, to let the others know they could come up and join us. Immediately, they started piling out of both vehicles and heading in my direction. Everyone began to barrage us with questions, but they were basically asking the same thing, only using slightly different phrasing to get their point across. Primarily, they all wanted to know who the boy was and what he was doing here.

"Guys, this is Jesse. It looks as if he'll be staying with us for a while," I informed them.

I received an assortment of reactions in response, but they were mostly non-verbal replies. Jake raised his eyebrows at me and many of the boys gave a surprised or confused look. However, Andrew stepped forward and walked right up to the boy.

"Hi, I'm Andrew," he stated boldly. "You can hang out with me if you want, cuz I'm closer to your age than they are," he added, while pointing toward the others. "How old are you, anyway?"

"Uh, boys," I interrupted, to draw their attention away from Jesse, "he won't be answering any questions for now and I want to spend some time with him alone, if you don't mind. Our company will be coming soon and I want to do this before they get here. I need to find out more about him and I think it will be best if I do it alone."

Most of the boys seemed to understand this and began to walk away, but Andrew wasn't about to give up so easily.

"May I come too?" he asked. His expression was pleading with me. "I think having someone close to his own age would make Jesse feel better. Wouldn't it Jesse?" he asked the boy directly and got a nod in return.

I was worried that Andrew's presence might make the questioning process more difficult, but I didn't wish for Jesse to feel ill at-ease. Therefore, I relented.

"Okay, you can come in with us, but only if you promise to keep quiet and just listen," I informed him.

Andrew rapidly agreed, so I told him to lead Jesse to the living room and I followed closely behind. The boys sat together on the sofa, so I moved over and sat on the other side of Jesse. This way, he'd still be close to Andrew and I felt it might make him a little more relaxed.

"Jesse," I began, "I know the letter said you don't talk, so I will try to ask you questions that you can answer by nodding your head yes or shaking it no. Would that be all right with you?" He looked at me and nodded.

"Why can't he talk?" Andrew asked, and I flashed him one of my icy-cold stares.

"Andrew, you promised you wouldn't interrupt," I reminded him. "If you can't do that, then I'll have to ask you to leave us alone." This comment caused Jesse to shake his head and grab on to Andrew's arm in response.

"I think Jesse wants you to stay," I advised him, "so if you will keep your promise, you may remain." Andrew nodded and Jesse relaxed.

"Jesse, did your mother talk this over with you, before she brought you here?" I followed. Hesitantly, he nodded.

"Did she also tell you why she thought this was best?" Slowly, he nodded again.

"Do you feel bad because she left you here?" This time he took a little longer to respond, but finally he shook his head.

"Did she leave you here because you and your stepfather don't get along?" This time there was no delay in his answer and his head bobbed up and down, quite emphatically.

"Do you want to be here?" I wanted to know, but once again there was a delay in his response. Before he answered, he turned and looked at Andrew first, and then turned back toward me. I could understand his reluctance to respond to this particular question, so I thought I'd let him off the hook.

"That's all right," I told him. "If you don't want to answer that question, then we can go on to something else." This caused Jesse to wave his hand back and forth in front of his body, while shaking his head vigorously at the same time.

"Do you want to answer that question?" I asked, somewhat confused, and got a nod in response.

"Okay, do you want to be here with us then?" This time he nodded.

"That's good," I told him. "Does your family live around here?" He shook his head.

"Do they live close by?" He continued to shake his head.

"All right, then you're not from around here. I guess I have enough information for now, but we'll have to find you a room," I informed him. "Would you like Andrew to share it with you for now, until you get used to being with us?" He nodded his head energetically this time.

"Okay, we'll arrange for that to happen, if it's okay with Andrew," I added. Andrew just beamed.

"Of course it is, daddy," he confirmed, reverting back to his little boy persona again. Noting his response, I realized this would probably be good for both of them.

"You two can use the guest bedroom downstairs after Duck leaves," I told Andrew, "and then we'll figure out a more permanent arrangement later." Both boys seemed pleased by this, but I continued. "Jesse, we're going to be having family over for Easter dinner, so you'll need to get cleaned up and changed. Let's take a look at what you have in your suitcase, to see if we can find something suitable." He just looked at me, but didn't respond, so I opened his suitcase. I was disappointed in what I found there.

"Andrew, do you think you could dig through your closet and locate some of the things you've outgrown? Maybe you could find something that would fit Jesse and would be appropriate for today." Andrew just glowed, because I was willing to assign him this responsibility.

"Yes, I could do that, daddy." He confirmed, looking very proud.

"Jesse, would you like Andrew or me to help you clean up then?" I asked, and Jesse immediately pointed to Andrew. This caused Andrew to radiate even more.

"Do you think you could help Jesse take a bath or shower?" I asked Andrew, and this caused him to nod energetically. "Jesse can have the choice of what he wants to do, but I suggest you find the clothes for him first. If you can't find any underwear his size, then he can use what he has in his suitcase, but they aren't in very good condition. Tomorrow, we can take him shopping and get him the things he needs."

Jesse mouth dropped open when he heard me say this and I could tell by what he brought with him that no one had spent much money on him recently. In fact, because all of his clothes were extremely small for him, I concluded that possibly nothing new had been purchased for him since his mother married his stepfather. To answer Jesse's unspoken question, I addressed him.

"Jesse, it's not a big deal. You'll need some decent clothes for school and other times, so we'll take you shopping tomorrow. It's a good thing tomorrow is another teachers' workday and none of you have school. That way we won't have to hurry. I noticed some papers in your suitcase and they look as if they might be report cards and other records, so I'll look them over, to see what we might have to set up for you. If everything works out, then we'll register you on Tuesday."

I hesitated after telling him this, because I knew I had to ask him a sensitive question now, but I wasn't sure how to do it tactfully. Realizing there was probably no easy way to proceed, I just blundered ahead.

"Jesse, I'm not trying to imply anything here, but can you read and write?" He nodded his head, to let me know he could.

"Great," I told him. "If you need anything and we don't understand what you want, you can always write us a note. That way, there won't be any chance we'll misunderstand. Is that okay with you?" He nodded again.

"Fantastic! Now that's settled, Andrew, why don't you two head to your room and then the bathroom, so he can get cleaned up and changed. That way, he'll be ready by the time everyone gets here."

"Okay, Daddy," Andrew replied, before taking Jesse's hand and dragging him from the room. After the boys left, I went to fill Jake in about our new arrival.

I began by handing him the letter and letting him read it for himself. Once he finished going over it, I told him the other things I'd learned about Jesse, when I questioned him in the living room. After Jake was brought up to speed, I began to share my doubts with him.

"Jake, I'm not sure we can handle this kid. He has some serious problems and will need a great deal of specialized help. Besides, he's so young, and that means more years of commitment just to get him through school. I'm not sure I'm ready for this. What do you think?"

"Josh, you opened up your home to help young boys and I agreed to help you continue doing it when I moved in with you. This boy definitely could use our help, but this will have to be your decision."

"Why not OUR decision?" I asked, which made him think about what he had just said.

"Josh, I didn't mean it to sound as if I didn't want to help here, only that I'd support whatever you decided to do. Jesse is young, so we would have to take care of him for several years, if you decided to let him stay. The thing is, he does need someone to look after him and I don't know anyone better to do that than you."

"What about the farm?" I asked. "Don't you think he could do just as well if we put him in the group home at the farm?"

"Josh, I think this boy needs personal attention," Jake advised me. "I'm not sure he'd do as well lumped into a large group setting."

"But wouldn't that be almost the same problem if he stayed here?" Jake gave me a strange look.

"Do you really think that's all you do?" he challenged. "Do you think you're in the same class as the foster parents at the farm-homes? Josh, you give these boys so much more than that. Each and every one of them has bonded with you, and not all in the same way. That not only goes for these boys, but guys like Carlos, Mark, Duck and Ted too. I really think this would be a better option for Jesse, but I won't pressure you into keeping him. If he stays, it will have to be because you've decided to keep him, but I will support whatever you choose to do."

"We'll need to spend more time discussing this," I informed him, "but we have other things to attend to first, so let's get ready for our company."

Jake agreed and we went back to work preparing the meal. We were having a traditional Easter ham, covered with pineapple rings and cherries, candied yams, mashed potatoes (for those who don't like yams), a broccoli and cheese casserole, baked beans, a green salad and a Jell-o salad. We also had a choice of several desserts, to make sure everyone was able to find something he liked.

While we were working on the food, Andrew and Jesse returned and it was a complete transformation for Jesse. Now that he was cleaned up, Jesse looked truly adorable. Andrew's old clothes fit him fairly well and Jesse actually looked quite good in them. Jesse had a big smile on his face and I knew he felt good about himself too.

"Wow, looking good," I told him, which elicited a cute grin. "Do you feel better now?" I asked. In response, his head bobbed up and down enthusiastically.

"I take it you and Andrew hit it off then?" I followed.

Once again, I got another energetic nod of agreement. I just smiled and sent them off to have some fun, until they were called for dinner.

NEXT PART