Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 17:31:55 EST
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: briarwood:father-jeff-52

All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or
are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language,
please exit now.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>





                                  "BRIARWOOD"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2005

                          aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2002

                                Revised Version

                                A dramatic saga

                                      by

			        Ritch Christopher

                                  <><><><><>

                                   BOOK FIVE

                                 "FATHER JEFF"

                               Chapter-Fifty-two


<><><><><>><><>

			"Loving you is not a choice, it's who I am..."

			Stephen Sondheim,
			from his 1994 musical, "Passion"

<><><><><>


	"Hello?" Ryan answered the phone.

	"Ryan?"

	"Jeff! How's everything in Brigadoon?"

	"Rrrright as rrrrain! How are Kyle and the kids?"

	"The kids are growing like weeds. I think Kyle is mixing Vigaro
with their Ovaltine."

	"You guys sound so happy, I know you've made Dad and Daddy Dave the
proudest Grandpops in Briarwood."

	"I keep telling your dad that it's not too late to start a second
family. He and Dave ought to look into adopting!"

	"Jeez, the thought of having a baby brother makes me feel old."

	"Why not a baby sister?"

	"That thought scares the hell out of me!"

	They both laughed.

	"I'm skipping to the chase, because I know you too well, Jeff
Clayton! You wanna ask a favor, don't you?"

	"Not necessarily. Can't I just call up and say 'hi'?"

	"No, Jeff, not you. You've never been one to call and say 'hi'
unless you finished your sentence with a request. So, what am I gonna say,
'yes' to?"

	"Well, since you're being so congenial, I suppose I could ask for a
SMALL favor..."

	"Uh oh, here it comes!"

	"I have this kid who's staying with Johnny and me."

	"And he's come between you and Johnny!"

	"That'll be the day! He's sixteen years old."

	"That's the right age to make the headlines...'Priest Harboring
Juvenile For Obvious Reasons'...details on page 97...to be continued."

	"Quit clowning! This kid may be in serious trouble, and Johnny and
I want to help him."

	"OK. Now how does that involve me?"

	"To make a long story short, he had unprotected sex about a year
ago with a partner who had full-blown Aids."

	"Jesus! Another one?"

	"What's worse, he's not gay. He's not aware that he could be
sick. I mean, I don't know for sure, but the probability of him being at
least HIV positive are pretty damned good!"

	"I see how serious you are, Jeff! What can I do to help?"

	"I'd like to pay his fare to Briarwood and let you walk him through
the Institute...give him every possible test and if my guess is correct,
I'd like you and Kyle to follow up with his treatment."

	"Jeff, that's not a favor to ask---it's what I'm here for. Send him
down, you know Kyle and I will do all we can."

	"I was just thinking about your kids! You know, safety precautions
and all that!"

	"Jeff, you know that our kids have lived in an Aids environment
since we adopted them. Kyle and I use strict precautions. The kids have
picked up on them and go along as if it's the only way to do things."

	"I started to call Jay and Troy, but this kid might not know how to
take Jay's jokes. He's very precarious. His mother died a few weeks
ago. His dad disappeared a long time ago, and he came to Mackintosh looking
for his only living relative, his brother, Vince."

	"Vince lives in Mackintosh?"

	"He did. He died."

	"Jesus!"

	"Wait until you hear the worst. Johnny and I haven't told him that
his brother is dead."

	"What are you waiting for?"

	"That's where the details get more severe!"

	"Oh my God, don't tell me that he may have been infected by his
brother?"

	"You got it!"

	"Jeff, we have loads of room here. If the kid wants to baby-sit, he
can stay with us, in case his treatment is going to be long-term."

	"I knew you would say that. You and Kyle have never turned your
back on any person in need."

	"How could we? I mean, after all that your dad did for us, not to
mention the love we got from Father Cliff and Roger."

	"I know. Roger's living legacy just keeps going on and on."

	"And Father Cliff's!"

	"I know."

	"And, at the rate you're going, you're gonna have a living legacy
before you're thirty!"

	"Shut up! I'm not doing any more than you, Kyle, Jay, Troy, and
Alex are doing."

	"Hey, speaking of Alex, how's Ted?"

	"They're supposed to arrive here in the next day or two. Ted's
walking again, with the assistance of two canes, but he IS walking!"

	"I hope he and Alex will like living there. It's quite a contrast
from L.A., but since they were both raised here in Briarwood, I think
they'll adjust to it OK."

	"Here's hopin'!"

	"Jeff, call me when you're ready to send the kid."

	"I will. I just had to get the OK from you and Kyle."

	"You sneaky little bastard. You knew damned well you'd get the OK
from me."

	"Apparently, my reputation precedes my influence."

	"It always will, Jeff. Why try to change now?"

	"I love you, Ryan. Give my love to Kyle."

	"We love you and Johnny, Jeff. We do miss you, though."

	"Thanks. Listen, I've got to tell Johnny about our conversation,
and after we've talked with Mike, I'll get in touch with you.

	"Oh? The kid has a name?"

	"Yeah, I'm sorry. It's Mike Hanley."

	"You always leave out the essential details when you call to ask a
favor."

	Jeff laughed, hearing the truth.

	"I'm sorry. Good night, Bro."

	"Good night, 'Father'."

	The conversation ended, Jeff went back to join Johnny and Mike, but
discovered that Mike had gone to bed.

	"Is he all right?" Jeff asked.

	"I think he had too much to eat on a nearly empty stomach. I told
him to go on to bed."

	"Whom were you talking with on the phone?"

	"Ryan."

	"Our Ryan?--in Briarwood?"

	"Uh huh."

	"What about?"

	Jeff explained the reason for calling Ryan, showing the method in
his madness or vice-versa. Johnny was pleased by Jeff's plan of action. IF
Mike was HIV positive or worse, he could receive no better treatment than
at the Cole Institute.

	"When are you gonna tell him?" Johnny asked.

	"Fuck! I don't know! I tried several times during dinner but lost
my nerve every time. I mean, how do you tell a boy, who's still grieving
over his mother's death, that his brother died of AIDS...and oh, yeah, you
might be dying, too?"

	"Sleep on it, Jeff. Maybe the two of us can tell him at breakfast
in the morning."

	"That's a helluva a way to start your day...especially for Mike."


<><><><><><><>


	When Alan had finished his day at the center with Johnny, he
hurried to the Powder Puff Pub. His stomach was aflutter with all the
butterflies he felt. He hadn't talked with his new lover since this morning
on the phone, and hadn't seen him since the two of them had slept together
the night before.  Alan was sure that his feelings for Scott hadn't
changed, but he feared that Scott may have been caught up in the moment
last night, and might feel differently in the light of a new day. Alan had
experienced this many times. How many times had he heard the "I love you,
babe" lies. Because the next line would be something like, "Could you suck
a little harder?" One night romances...all too frequent, and each one more
hurtful than the one before.

	"If Scott looks at me like a meaningless trick, I swear, I'll walk
out of the bar and go kill myself!" Alan resolved.

	It was nearly six before he reached the Puff. The bar was filled
with patrons lingering from the "happy hour". The jukebox was blaring, "Cry
Me A River" by Julie London. All the stools at the bar were taken except
two. Alan slowly walked to take a seat at one of them, trying to be
unnoticed. Scott had his back turned away from the bar, shaking a
cocktail. As he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Alan in the corner of
his eye. He poured the drink into two glasses and set them in front of two
customers and made his way toward Alan. Alan saw him coming and thought he
would get diarrhea in anticipation.

	Scott walked around the opening of the bar and strode up to Alan's
back.

	"Turn around," Scott said to him.

	"What?"

	"I said, 'turn around'."

	Alan swiveled the barstool to face Scott. He thought he would faint
when Scott grabbed his two cheeks and planted a big kiss on Alan, The
patrons who were watching began to cheer, loud whoops and whistles filling
the bar. When the kiss had ended, Scott looked into Alan's eyes.

	"Hi, lover!" Scott said.

	Alan was so overcome with emotion that he burst into tears.

	"You're still the same way." Alan replied. "You didn't change."

	"Why should I? Didn't you believe me when I said I never lie?"

	"I guess not. I hoped, but I had little faith."

	"Stop crying and show the crowd how happy we are!" He took his
thumbs and wiped Alan's cheeks.

	The crowd was still happily taunting the new lovers. They were
crying out all kinds of comments, like, "Hey Scott, you told me you'd never
fall in love again!", "Scott, who finally snared you?". "Scott, what's he
got that I don't? I told you I was hung!"...to which someone replied,
"Scott thought you said you were going to hang yourself!" Everyone
laughed. A few walked toward Alan and Scott offering sincere
congratulations and best wishes, amidst some kidding jeers.

	"Wanna drink?" Scott asked him.

	"Yeah, I think I do."

	"Name your poison, only don't order anything too strong. I want you
sober when we get home."

	"Uh...I'll have a Vermouth martini with a splash of gin over the
rocks."

	"Don't tell me I've got to teach you how to drink?"

	"I guess you have a lot of things to teach me." He smiled at Scott.

	"One Vermouth martini coming up." Scott announced, going back
behind the bar.

	The group that had surrounded Alan remained to introduce
themselves. Alan couldn't believe how easy it was to meet people and make
new friends. Being in love for the first time had put everything in Alan's
life into a new perspective. The day at the center with Johnny had tired
Alan, but he had enjoyed every minute of it.

	"Wanna dance?" an unfamiliar voice asked Alan.

	"No, thank you, I don't dance." Alan replied nicely.

	"Ah, come on. It's not really dancing---you just kinda stand there
and do your own thing while keeping time with the music. It's a good way to
let yourself go."

	Scott moseyed over to just in time to hear the conversation,

	"Go ahead, my little guy, dance with Rocky!" Scott said encouraging
Alan.

	"All right, but if I mess up..."

	"You won't mess up," Scott added. "Go have a little fun. Life is
like a cafeteria. You stand in line and decide what you want and go for
it!"

	Alan had never heard words like this said to him. It made him feel
good that someone cared enough about him to egg him on, even if it meant
dancing with a stranger. It was like....Scott trusted him, and he realized
that that made him feel even better. Before the bar closed, Alan had danced
with nearly every guy that asked him...and that was many.

	Scott closed the bar and he and Alan walked home. The evening was
warm and the moon was waxing. Crickets and frogs were singing duets,
creating a night music to be remembered.

	"Tired?" Scott asked.

	"Yeah, but a happy 'tired'," Alan said, looking up at Scott.

	"You've had a long day since you left the house around 6:00 AM. How
did things go at the center with Johnny?"

	"It was great. I told him about you and me. I hope you don't mind."

	"Mind? You can shout if from the church tower if you like. In fact,
I think I'd like that real well."

	"It's so hard for me to believe that you love me." Mike's eyes
misted up a little.

	"Better get used to it, " Scott smiled.

	"It's just I don't want us to get started...and, well, one of us
gets sick...and..."

	"Hush. That's the problem with most relationships. People gauge
everything on 'what if's', and forget to relish today.  We have tonight
and, yes, we'll have tomorrow, and the day after. Eventually, there WILL be
a time when one of us will leave the other, but think of all the good times
we might waste, waiting for the bad times in the future."

	"Do you want to cook a full meal when we get home?" Alan asked,
trying to change the subject.

	"Are you hungry?"

	"I had that kielbasa sandwich you made me at the bar."

	"That's not enough and it's certainly not healthy enough. If we're
going to try Johnny's new meds and treatment, we'd better make our bodies
healthier. Whaddya say?"

	"I like broccoli."

	"That's what I heard. That's when I thought you were sick in the
head, not just physically."

	"Don't you like it?"

	"Green turds with tiny beads on the top! Yecch!!"

	Alan laughed.

	"You're from New York. I'll bet that you're strictly meat and
potatoes."

	"Heck no! My dad was Italian. We had to have pasta five times a
day, including snacks."

	"How do you eat pasta for a snack?"

	"Ma used to dip it in melted chocolate."

	"Are you serious?"

	"No, but I wanted you to see what it would be like if I ever lied
to you....not that I ever would!"

	By this time they had reached their home. The last part of their
walk, they had held hands like two adolescents. They stopped and took a
long look at their cottage before entering,

	"Well, we're home, my love."

	"Home..." Alan sighed. "I like the sound of that. And the 'my love'
is enough to fill my heart."

	"I like hearing you say that." Scott leaned over to kiss Alan's
cheek.

	"Scott, can I ask you something?"

	"Anything! Shoot!"

	"Do you plan on us sleeping together tonight?"

	"Tonight, and every night from now on."

	"Do you think if we're really careful, we might make love?"

	 Scott looked at him. "Is that what you want?"

	"I think so. I've never had anyone to make love to me before. Sure,
I spent the night with lots of older men, but it was for THEIR pleasure,
not mine."

	"I think I might have some condoms stored in mothballs."

	"You haven't been sexually active since you moved here to
Mackintosh?"

	"Nope. It's not like I didn't have the chances. Hell, I could've
had any number of guys from the bar, but I didn't want to. I never had a
reason to want to, until you came into my life last night. But, even then,
I decided that we would never have sex until you wanted to."

	"I want to...tonight...with you."

	"It would be an honor making love to you."

	Alan returned Scott's kiss, but this time on the lips. Their
passion led them into the house to a wonder each of them had yearned for.


<><><><><><><>


	Needless to say, upon hearing of his brother's death, Mike was
devastated and burst into tears at the breakfast table. That was only the
first part of truth's two edged sword. The second pronouncement he would
hear would perhaps involve his own mortality. Jeff decided with Johnny that
it would be best to tell Mike everything at one sitting rather that stress
him out twice in one day. It's like when a boxer knocks his opponent to the
floor, once the opponent's down, he can't go any farther.

	"You're telling me that Vince had AIDS, that queer's disease, and
came up here to die?" Mike asked through his tears.

	"Yes, Mike. That's why Mackintosh exists. People come here to die
in order to pass away peacefully and unnoticed by their family and
friends." Johnny replied.

	"That's why he didn't want to see Momma when he came to visit
me. He was too embarrassed to tell her?"

	"Mike, that's the next thing we need to talk about," Jeff said,
"Vince's visit with you."

	"What about it?"

	"You told me that Vince forced you to have sex with him before he
left...."

	"I told you that in secret. No one was supposed to know about it."

	"No one knows except us."

	"Are you and him more than just roommates? I mean, are you a couple
of queers, too?"

	"I wish you wouldn't use that word," Jeff said. "Yes, Johnny and I
are a gay couple."

	"But...you're a priest!  Don't you have rules against queers, like
the Baptists do?"

	"No. Gay couples are accepted in our church. Even gay priests."

	"I'm not sure I understand all of this."

	"I'll explain it to you later," Jeff said. "But right now, I want
to talk with you about Vince's visit."

	"What do you want to know? I told you everything."

	"You mentioned that Vince didn't use a condom when he had anal
intercourse with you."

	"I told you, there was no reason for him to wear one."

	"Yes, there was, Mike....a very good reason."

	"What reason?"

	"Do you know anything about how people get AIDS or become HIV
positive?"

	"I keep trying to tell you, I don't know nothing about queers,
AIDS, or 'HAV' whatchamacallit."

	"Mike, what Jeff is trying to tell you is that Vince, unknowingly,
might have given the disease to you."

	"I told you and Father Jeff that I washed myself real good after
Vince left."

	"Usually, washing does no good, once you've had unsafe sex."

	"Heck, that was over a year ago. I ain't been sick. If Vince had
given me something, I would know it by now!"

	"Mike, the virus may be in your system and hasn't begun to take its
toll on your immune system yet, Sometimes it takes years before it
manifests itself." Johnny said.

	"Are you trying to tell me that I may be dying and don't know
anything about it?" Mike's eyes showed he was becoming panicked.

	"It's a possibility. That's why Jeff and I want to have you
tested."

	"Oh, no! I don't want anybody else to know what happened between
Vince and me, or else they might think I was queer, too."

	"Mike, over half of AIDS cases aren't gay related. Women, children,
and even old people get it, too, without ever having sex with
anyone. Surely you've watched TV in Alabama and learned that the HIV virus
is transmitted in blood transfusions or many other scenarios where a person
comes in contact with an infected body fluid. You could have a cut on your
lip and drink from the same glass that an HIV victim has used and get it
just as easily as if you'd had sex with that person."

	"Well, is there a cure for it?" Mike asked, showing fear in his
eyes for the first time.

	"There's no cure yet, but they are ways to treat it and to manage
it so that it stays in remission and never goes any farther."

	"Do you treat it here in Mackintosh?"

	"Not yet, but most of the residents here have found a way to live
with it and manage it."

	"Who'll give me the test?"

	"There's a huge institute in Jeff's and my hometown. It is the
biggest treatment center in the United States. They have the latest drugs
and the finest staff of doctors to treat you."

	"How would I get there? I've only got less than a hundred dollars
in the whole world."

	"We have connections with the institute," Jeff added. "If you'll
go, it won't cost you anything. We will pay for your transportation there
and we've arranged for you to have a place to stay."

	"A hotel?"

	"No, we have two brothers who will take care of you at their
house."

	"Are your brothers queer, too?"

	"They are gay. They aren't my natural brothers. I know it sounds
confusing, but they are a gay couple, the same as Johnny and I. They have
two adopted children."

	"Dadgum! No wonder Momma was always worried about me leaving home
and going out into the world on my own. I didn't know a single queer in all
of Dothan!"

	"Oh, they're there, you just don't suspect them."

	"Gosh! Are you guys trying to take over the whole world?"

	Jeff laughed. "No, Mike, we're just trying to make a place in it
for us to live in."

	"How soon do you want me to leave?"

	"As soon as you're ready."

	"Will you give me a couple of days to think about it?"

	"Sure, take as long as you like."

	"Do you know if Vince is buried here in Mackintosh?"

	"Yes, Mike," Johnny said.

	"I would like to see his grave."

	"I'll take you there, today or tomorrow...whenever you like." Jeff
told him.

	"Would it be all right if I stayed here until I've made up my
mind?"

	"Yes, Mike, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like."

	Mike sat silently, letting everything he had just heard sink in.

	"Father? Can I ask you one more question? I mean, it's none of my
business...and you don't have to answer."

	"Ask it, Mike. At this point, I'll tell you anything you want to
know...within reason."

	"Do you two have AIDS?"

	"No, Mike, we're virus free."

	"Then why do you live here. Why don't you go somewhere that's
safe?"

	"Mike, Johnny and I have dedicated our lives to helping anyone who
has the virus."

	"You must be crazy! Dang, if I'd stay around a place like this on
purpose."

	Jeff and Johnny exchanged glances and smiled at one another.

	"What would you like to do today, Mike? You can stay here or come
with me to the church to finish cleaning, or you can go to work with Johnny
and see what he does to help the residents here. It's your decision, You
make the choice,... or we could go to the cemetery on the way to the church
or to Johnny's center."

	"I think I'd like to stay here, if you don't mind. I've got a lot
of thinking to do."

	"As you wish. I'll come home from the church around noon and fix
your lunch. Whaddya say?"

	"Yeah, I guess."

	Johnny gathered the breakfast dishes from the table and scraped the
cold uneaten breakfast food into the garbage disposal. Jeff remained seated
at the table with a very scared, very heartbroken sixteen year old boy from
Alabama. Then the phone rang.

	"I'll get it, Johnny." Jeff said, hurrying to the phone. "Hello?"

	"Hey, bro!" Alex replied.

	"Alex! Glad to hear from you! How's Ted, and when are you leaving?"

	"In a couple of hours. You said you'd meet us at the Montpelier
Airport!"

	"My God! You're coming today?  I don't know what I was thinking! Of
course, I'll meet you...with open arms."

	"I've got Ted excited about the move. I just pray to God he's not
disappointed when we get there."

	"Don't worry. He'll love it here. We'll MAKE him love it!"

	"Boy, you may have become a priest. but you still remain a con
artist."

	"Alex, how can you say such a thing to your own flesh and blood
brother?" he laughed.

	"The same way I've been saying it to you since you were a babe in
diapers and knew how long and how loud you had to cry for Mom and Dad to
give you whatever you wanted. I saw through you then, the same as I can see
through your pseudo-sanctimonious ways now...but I wouldn't have you any
other way. That's what makes you 'Jeff', the brother I've always loved."

	"Some day, I may break down and tell you what makes me love you,
too."

	"Well, we've gotta run. Our flight gets in to Montpelier around one
this afternoon. Will you have time to make it?"

	"If my car won't make it, I'll have Johnny charter another jet for
me...only I have to go to Montpelier to charter one."

	"What can I say?"

	"Nothing! Just get yours and Ted's butt up here where I can look
after you. I've seen your cottage and it's lovely. It's first class! I
think it's perfect for the two of you."

	"Uh oh! If you think it's perfect, I won't be able to rest a minute
until I see it for myself."

	"Johnny thinks so, too."

	"In that case, if Johnny agrees, maybe we WILL like it!"

	"Get off the phone and go catch the goddamned plane!"

	"Yes sir! See you...and I love you!"

	"Me, too. Now GO!"

	Jeff couldn't believe he had mixed up the date of Alex's
arrival. But that was all right. It meant that in less than four hours he'd
be with his brother and his brother-in-law, and that made him very happy.

	"Mike, I have a change of plan. How would you like to drive with me
to Vermont and pick my brother up at the airport?"

	"You called him 'Alex'. Is that your brother's name?"

	"Yes, Alex Clayton."

	"I heard you mention another name...'Ted'. Is he another brother?"

	"Well, kinda."

	"Good Lord! Don't tell me that your brother, Alex, and Ted... are a
gay couple too?"

	Jeff laughed out loud as Johnny laughed from the kitchen at the
same time.

	"I don't want to disillusion you about my family, but, yes, Alex
and Ted are a gay couple, too."

	"I think I'd better hurry and get out of this town. The next thing
you'll be telling me is that the whole town of Mackintosh is queer."

	It was all Jeff could do to keep from breaking into hysteria. He
could hear Johnny's laughter coming from the other room.

	Jeff told Mike to brush his teeth, comb his hair, and get spiffed
up for their trip. Johnny readied himself to go to the center while Jeff
changed clothes, very "unpriestly" in fashion, to wear to go meet his
brother.

	"You want me to drive to Montpelier with you?" Johnny asked.

	"No, babe, thanks, but with Mike and all of Alex and Ted's luggage,
we're gonna be a bit cramped for room. I want Ted to have the back seat all
to himself, in case he needs to stretch out his legs." Jeff replied.

	"Drive carefully, will you? Remember your station. You're not that
hotrod punk that used to terrorize your neighbors with your inept driving
abilities."

	"I never got a ticket in my life!"

	"That's because the Almighty was looking after you. He had bigger
things for you to do."

	"Bigger? There you go, bragging about the size of your cock!" Jeff
joked, changing the subject from his reckless driving reputation to
something much more fun.

	"I'll show you how big it really DOES get when you get home
tonight."

	"Oh? Have you been holding back for five years?"

	"I'll surprise you!"

	"Be careful and if you have car trouble, call me at the center on
your cell phone."

	"I will."

	"I love you."

	"I love you, too!" Jeff said kissing Johnny, but quickly added,
"Bigger? Humph!"

	Johnny left for work and soon Jeff and Mike were in the car heading
toward Montpelier.

	Mike was quiet for the first thirty minutes of the trip. He enjoyed
looking at the mountains of New England. The scenery was similar to
Alabama, only, when everything was THIS green, it was much hotter down
south.

	"Pretty, huh?" Jeff said, watching Mike.

	"Yeah, it's kinda nice."

	"Do you miss your home?"

	"What's there to miss? Since Momma died, I was all by myself in
Dothan,"

	"It's just hard to believe that a guy your age has no friends. I
thought everybody was everyone's friend down south."

	"Momma and I lived pretty far out in the country. There wasn't no
one to make friends with."

	"Well, if you decide to go to Briarwood, you'll make LOTS of
friends. Kyle and Ryan will see to it."

	"Yeah, probably with some of their queer friends."

	"Why do you insist on using that word?"

	"Queer?"

	"Yes."

	"Because what you do IS queer! It ain't right."

	"Are you afraid someone is going to approach you or attack you?"

	"Nah! That doesn't bother me."

	"You and I have spent almost two days together. Don't you think
that you and I could be friends, at least?"

	"Maybe. It's just that..."

	"'Just that', what?"

	"Before Johnny left for work, I seen the two of you kissing."

	"And that upset you?"

	"Made me want to puke!"

	"Mike, as you get older, you're going to see lots of things that
you don't like. There are things that make me want to puke, too."

	"Like what?"

	"Dads running off and leaving mothers to raise their children all
alone. Kids starving to death, having no clothes to wear. These things make
me sick and angry."

	"Father---I haven't made up my mind for sure, but if I decided NOT
to go to Briarwood, what would happen to me?"

	"That would depend on a lot of things. First of all, you'd have to
know if Vince got you infected or not."

	"What if he did?"

	"Then, as I told you this morning, we'd help you get treatment so
that you could live out your life to its fullest."

	"What if I didn't want to get help?"

	"What do you mean?"

	"Just suppose I had AIDS, and didn't WANT to get well, like Vince?"

	"Come on, Mike! Everyone wants to have a long life."

	"Maybe I don't!"

	"You don't mean that!"

	"I was just thinking, maybe I could get a job in Mackintosh, you
know, as a stock boy or dish washer or something."

	"Where would you live?"

	"Well, isn't that a part of Johnny's job, to find places for guys
with AIDS, to live?"

	"Well...yes."

	"Let's say I DO have it and I don't want to get better. Say, I want
to stay in Mackintosh? Is there an age limit?"

	"Well, no, but you ARE underage."

	"If I'm not underage enough to get AIDS, why can't I decide what I
want? I got no kin folks to tell me what to do. If I want to die, that
should be MY business."

	"In a way, I suppose you're right. I'm not agreeing with you, mind
you, but I can't see you throwing your young life away."

	Mike had three thoughts to say out loud, but he paused before he
chose the correct reply.

	"Well, I told you I haven't made my mind up for sure, I just wanted
to see what you would say if I chose to stay in Mackintosh."

	"Like I told you, you have a few days to make your final
decision. If Johnny or I can be any help to you...like, if you want to ask
questions, go ahead,"

	Mike paused again, looking out the window at a deer leaping in a
nearby forest.

	"You and Johnny really love each other, don't you? I mean, like
husband and wife?"

	"Yes, Mike, we do."

	"Do you think Vince was ever in love with a man?"

	"I hope so, for his sake. It's not good to go through life without
having loved someone and being loved in return."

	"I guess I'll never know."

	How often had Jeff heard these same words over the past several
years from kids at St, Genesius, at his high school, or at the Cole Center.
They were the same words coming out of different mouths, all with the same
sadness, the same longing to be loved by someone or something. Jeff's dad
had always found the time to show his love toward Alex and him. Jeff always
assumed that other parents did the same for his peers.  But that was not
always the case, Jeff learned as he grew older and went into the
priesthood. Many of his high school chums had dropped out of college,
taking lesser jobs than those meant for their potential. Some had run away
from home. Others took to drink or to drugs. Many of the girls he knew had
had abortions before they entered college. Jeff had had long talks with
Father Cliff about the breakdown in the average family. None of the people
involved in them communicated with the others. They only saw each other in
passing to the next activity. But most important, none of them, parents nor
peers, ever took time to say, "I love you." It seemed that love in the home
was on the endangered species list...about to become extinct.

	Continuing the conversation, Jeff said, "Mike, who knows? Maybe
you'll find a girlfriend in Briarwood. It's for sure you won't find one in
Mackintosh because there are no young straight girls who live here."

	"Oh, sure," Mike said, dejectedly. "I'm positive that I'll meet a
girl who wants a boyfriend with AIDS!"  With this remark, a sudden
awareness of reality hit Mike about his situation and he began to cry.

	Jeff wanted to stop the car and comfort the tousled, brown-haired
boy with eyes green as shamrocks. The boy had had so much thrown on his
shoulders to bear during his life, but especially in the past few
weeks. Jeff's first inclination was to hold him, hold him tightly, but God
forbid, if Mike mistook his affection. Jeff would lose the kid's trust
forever if Mike thought Jeff was making a homosexual move on him. So Jeff
decided to keep on driving and let him cry it out on his own. After nearly
ten minutes of sobbing, Mike's outburst of tears subsided into a mere
whimper.

	Finally, Jeff spoke, "Feel better?"

	Mike failed to respond to the question.

	"Mike, if you'll open the glove compartment, you'll find a box of
Kleenex in there. You might want to wipe your cheeks or blow your nose."

	Mike knew for sure that his face was a mess. In spite of not
knowing Alex or Ted, he didn't want to give them a wrong impression. He
slowly opened the glove box and retrieved the Kleenex and wiped his face
the best he could.

	"I hardly ever cry," Mike said, "But it seems I cried nearly all
day today."

	"You've had enough to make a big Marine cry, Mike. All men cry at
one time or another. There's nothing unmanly about it. It just shows that
you're human like the rest of us." Jeff said, tenderly. "When I was your
age, I used to throw temper tantrums and run into my room to cry so no one
would see me. I remember one day I had a big argument with my dad and
Alex. I told them off, as only I could, and ran into my bedroom, locked the
door, and threw myself on the bed and cried for fifteen minutes. Then I
washed my face and came out to see assess the damage I'd done concerning my
brother and father. I was shocked by what I saw. I had upset both of them
so much, they were sitting in the living room crying...both of them! And
then I started to laugh. I'd done my damndest to make sure they hadn't seen
me and they were crying harder than I had. When they saw me laughing, they
looked at each other and joined in my laughter. The three of us sat there
laughing for several minutes. When one of us would stop, another one would
start all over again."

	"Your dad cried too?"

	"Sure, my dad cries at lots of things. He cries when he's happy."

	"I never got the chance to see my dad laugh."

	"That's HIS loss, Mike!"

	"Why do you say that?"

	"Because he never got to see what a wonderful son he had."

	"You think I'm wonderful?"

	"Sure, and so does Johnny. It would take a mighty stupid person not
to see what a good kid you are. You're tall, you're handsome, with a pretty
good build."

	"No one's ever said those things about me before."

	"Well, you'd better get used to hearing 'em, because you're gonna
meet a lot of smart people who'll say what I just said to you...and lots
more!"

	Mike slowly turned his head toward Jeff and for the first time in
two days, Jeff saw him smile. Jeff looked long and hard at him. Jeff
decided he had not exaggerated, Mike WAS handsome. His teeth were good and
would look better with a few more brushings. He needed a haircut, and,
boy!, he needed new clothes and shoes. Jeff was slightly less than ten
years older than the boy, but for the first time ever, he knew what it felt
like to be a father. Never had Jeff felt so grown-up before---and he liked
it! Would he be crazy to talk Johnny into their adopting a sixteen year old
kid from Alabama? Probably. Jeff thought, so just get that insane notion
out of your head!.

	For the rest of the trip, their conversation was lighter with no
mentioning of death or AIDS or "queers". Jeff pried into Mike's
preferences. such as what movies he liked?...did he follow sports?...did he
play video games?...just the kind of everyday chitchat that two boys Mike's
age would have.

	Jeff pulled his car into the Montpelier Airport parking lot and
Mike's eyes widened when he saw the jumbo jets, helicopters, and the
hangars hiding various types of aircraft. Jeff wondered if any jets ever
flew over Dothan, looking at the awed expression on Mike's face. This kid
doesn't need to get a 'new' life, Jeff thought,---he's never had one!.

	They got out of the car and went into the terminal. Alex's plane
was on time, scheduled to arrive in approximately thirty minutes. Jeff took
Mike to the coffee shop to wait. The front part of the shop was filled with
books, magazines, gifts, and souvenirs. Mike stopped at the magazine rack
where he eyed a "Playboy". When he thought it was safe and Jeff wasn't
looking, he slid the "Playboy" out of the slot to get a full view of the
naked woman on the cover. Jeff knew what Mike was doing and he turned and
watched while Mike tried clumsily to stuff the magazine back where it
belonged.

	"You like 'Playboy'?" Jeff asked.

	"No! I just wanted to see if it showed...NO! I don't like it at
all!" Mike said, extremely embarrassed.

	"I'll buy it for you if you want it."

	"Nah. You'd get in trouble! It's against the law for kids under
eighteen to look at stuff like that!"

	"Mike, when I was your age, I had lots of stuff worse than that
hidden under my bed. So did my brother!"

	"Yeah, and I bet yours were pictures of naked men."

	"Well, now that you mention it..." Jeff laughed. "No, Alex and I
had "Playboy" under our mattresses as well."

	Mike had another question he was ready to pop, but decided against
it. He thought he had talked enough about the "queer" business for one day.

	"I'll tell you what I'll do," Jeff said, "I'll buy it and put it on
the coffee table back home, and then, if you want to look at it tonight,
you can take it into your room. How's that?"

	"OK, I guess, but I don't think I'll be looking at it much."

	Once again, Jeff felt himself playing the fatherly role by buying
his son his first pornographic magazine...filled with naked women, at that!
He was grateful he wasn't wearing his clerical collar.  He'd hate to start
a scandal that would spread over two states. He bought the "Playboy" and it
proved times hadn't changed when the cashier put it into a plain brown
paper bag. Jeff invited Mike to sit with him at the luncheon counter and
they ordered chocolate ice cream sodas.  Mike finish his in such a hurry
that Jeff asked the waitress to bring Mike another.

	The arrival of the flight from Boston was being announced and Jeff
and Mike hurried to Gate "H" to wait. Only twenty or so passengers got off
the plane, the last of which were Alex and Ted with his two canes. As soon
as Jeff and Alex saw one another, they made a dash to embrace, hug, and
kiss. Others, who were watching, tried not to notice, but the brothers
didn't care who saw what! Alex ran back to assist Ted. Jeff almost knocked
his canes out from under him while trying to embrace him as well. Jeff
realized he had known Ted all his life and this was the first time he'd
ever hugged him. Jeff decided to make up for lost time and planted a big
kiss on his brother-in-law. Jeff's display of affection took Ted by
surprise and his face reddened. Ted still lived in the straight world when
he was in public view.

	Alex noticed the young man with his brother and said, "My God,
Johnny, you've gotten younger!"

	Mike wasn't sure how to react, so he just smiled a little.

	"Bro, I want you to meet Mike Hanley. Mike, this is my brother,
Alex, and this is his...this is Ted."

	"Pleased to meet you, sir." Mike said to Alex and Ted.

	"Sir? Good God, Jeff, have I aged that much while Ted was in the
hospital?"

	"No, Alex, Mike is from Alabama where they still say, 'sir' and
'ma'am' to anybody who's a day older than they are."

	"Well, it's nice to meet you, too, Mike."

	"Mike's staying with Johnny and me for a few days. He might be
going to stay with Kyle and Ryan for a while."

	"Oh?"

	"I'll explain later!" Jeff said, "Let's get your bags and head
toward Mackintosh."

	"Will it still be daylight when we get there, Jeff?" Ted asked.
Alex has seen the town and, of course, I haven't."

	"There should be plenty of light. If not, you've got tomorrow and
the next day and the day after to see all of Mackintosh!"

	Mike helped carry the luggage, putting it in the trunk of the
car. He sandwiched himself in the front seat between the Clayton brothers,
giving the entire back seat to Ted. He felt a bit uneasy traveling in a car
with three homosexuals. He almost came unglued when Alex placed his arm to
rest on the back of the seat, just behind Mike's head. Alex, not knowing
anything about Mike or his homophobic background, had no second thoughts
about putting his arm almost around Mike. Occasionally, Alex would nudge
Mike in the back with his thumb and each time. Mike became more
uncomfortable.

	The entire conversation on the way to New Hampshire consisted of
tales about the accident, the therapy, the phone calls from the Briarwood
bunch, and slowly Mike began to relax and enjoy the enviable discussion of
home life, both present and past. Ted didn't talk much, he was enjoying the
scenery of mountains, forests, lakes, and streams. Vermont and New
Hampshire were beautiful. Some of the valleys were almost breathtaking. Ted
sat there taking it all in and tried to acclimate himself to his new
surroundings. It was a far cry from the traffic and smog of L.A. and it
slowly began to please him.

	An hour into the trip, Mike suddenly realized that he felt like he
was a member of the family. He loved the way Jeff and Alex joked and kidded
each other. He joined in, every chance he got, to laugh out loud with
them. Mike had only got a quick glimpse of Ted, but he thought he had seen
him somewhere, sometime, only where and when? Then the conversation led to
sports and that's when it dawned on Mike who Ted was. He was that sports
announcer he'd seen on TV. He must know all the famous athletes, Mike
thought. Maybe he could get me some autographs and send them to me, if I go
to Briarwood!. Ted was the only celebrity Mike had ever seen in person,
then his attitude changed when he remembered that Ted was a queer like
Alex, Father Jeff, and Johnny. There was no way that Ted, the sports star,
could do things like that! Mike became even more unnerved when Alex
accidentally pressed his leg against Mike's. He tried to push his own legs
closer together to release the pressure of Alex's leg and give him more leg
room. It became worse when Alex relaxed more, allowing his leg to come in
contact with Mike's once more. Alex was doing this innocently because he
had no idea what dilemma his leg was causing Mike to be in. Then, something
very strange happened---Mike discovered that Alex's touch was making him
sexually aroused. He panicked. He didn't know whether to hit Alex and cause
a scene or ask Father Jeff to stop the car. He sat quietly in his quandary,
assessing the predicament he was in.

	Jeff sensed something was wrong and looked at Mike, "Are you all
right?"

	"No, I think I'm gonna be sick!" Mike announced.

	Jeff pulled the car over to the side of the rode and Alex let Mike
out to be sick. Jeff got out of the driver's side and walked to the back to
see about Mike, who was adjusting his, now, semi-erect cock to keep it from
tenting in his baggy pants.

	"You OK?"

	"Huh! Yeah, I just got kinda car sick, that's all." Mike dared not
say anything to Jeff about Alex and the 'leg business'.

	"Let's see what I can do to make you feel better," Jeff said,
walking back to his door. "Ted, is there room for Mike to sit back there
with you? He got pretty car sick sitting between Alex and me."

	"Sure, tell him to climb in, we'll MAKE room."

	Mike thought this change in seating would alleviate the situation
in the front seat and he took a seat next to Ted. Now Mike got a really
good look at the celebrity and became more in awe of his fellow
passenger. If it was all right for a man to think another man is handsome,
then this was the time, because Ted Baxter was truly handsome in Mike's
eyes. He still refused to believe that Ted and Alex did things to each
other in bed!

	It was nearly four in the afternoon when they entered Mackintosh
city limits. Alex turned around from the front seat to watch Ted's
expression, which changed with each quarter mile. By the time they reached
Alex's and Ted's new domicile, Ted's face was beaming with delight and
excitement. Alex felt an instant relief.

	"Well, bro's, here's your new home!" Jeff announced.

	Alex turned back to get his first view and he was astonished. It
met all his expectations and then some. The cottage was actually larger
than Jeff's, but still had the same storybook image with the Tudor doors
and wooden shuttered windows. Alex didn't know that the difference in the
elegance of the two homes had been paid for anonymously by his
brother. Jeff had had the home catered to accommodate Ted's recovery,
complete with a whirlpool bath, a sauna, and a semi-den/workout room to aid
in Ted's therapy.  Jeff also assumed that Alex and Ted would be have
frequent visits from their dads and so, two spare bedrooms had been built,
besides the master and guest bedroom.

	"My God, Jeff! Is this all for us?" Alex exclaimed.

	"Compliments of the Mackintosh city builders!" Jeff lied.

	"Ted, what do you think?" Alex asked.

	"You want me to judge a book by its cover? I want to see inside,"
Ted replied. "but from what I've seen, I love it already!"

	Alex looked at Jeff and almost broke into tears at Ted's comment.

	"Anything you want, or find out that you need, just name it!" Jeff
said to Ted.

	The four of them, including Mike, walked to the door.

	"Who's able to lift whom over the threshold?" Ted joked.

	"We're lifting YOU, you big jughead!" Alex said, "Come on, Jeff!
Help me hoist this big hunk that I love!"

	Alex and Jeff made a big to-do about the house's inauguration and
the two of them lifted Ted in the air, through the doorway. Once inside,
they discovered that the interior was quite a contrast to the
exterior. Jeff had spared no expense in modernizing each room with the
latest gadgets and appliances, including a wall screen television for Ted
to watch his sports tapes on.

	"Like it?" Jeff asked, putting his arm around his brother's
shoulder.

	"Jesus Christ, Jeff! How did the residents afford all this luxury?"

	"Oh, we get private donations from time to time."

	Ted almost tripped while going from room to room, still stunned by
what he was seeing. Mike, on the other hand, was awestruck. He had never
seen anything in his life to compare with the home. It was as if he had
gone to Disney World.

	"Good Lord, whom are all these rooms for?"

	"Our dads, Ted's dad and stepmother, Kyle and Ryan, Jay and Troy,
Rob and Timmy...anyone you might want to invite for a visit. There's even
two small offices in the rear, one for you when you go to work with Johnny,
and the other for Ted to fill with his sports memorabilia or anything he
chooses. Come on, I want you to look at the view from your back deck!"

	The panorama in the rear was a view of the lake with massive
mountains in the distance. It was like a huge 180 degree backdrop,
constructed and painted for an epic movie. Ted and Mike had followed the
brothers and were speechless by what they were looking at.

	"God, it's unbelievably beautiful!" Ted managed to say.

	"Want to try it out for a month or so?" Jeff asked him.

	"How about a lifetime?" Ted replied.

	"What do you think of it, Mike?" Jeff asked.

	"You mean, all of this is for TWO people?"

	"My two FAVORITE people, outside of Johnny." Jeff replied.

	"It's like something I've seen on TV, only this is real!" Mike
said.

	"Jeff, did you have a hand in this?" Alex asked, suspiciously.

	"Oh, Johnny and I came by from time to time to offer suggestions to
the builders."

	"Yeah, and you oversaw it with your own money!"

	"Bro, I promise you, I didn't spend one cent of MY money!"

	Alex got the message. Jeff had used Roger's money, but he also
knew, that he would've done the same for Jeff and Johnny. He realized that
Jeff and Johnny had done all this for Ted in an effort to make Ted's and
his life more complete and fulfilling.

	"Well, I'm going to leave you two alone and take Mike to the church
with me. I can still wipe down a few pews before Johnny gets home. Oh, we
are expecting both of you for dinner at our house."

	"What time?"

	"Whenever you're ready...six, seven, eight, nine? Our number is
programmed into your phone. Hit '*7' and we'll come pick you up!"

	"How can we say 'thanks' for all that you and Johnny have done for
Ted and me?"

	"You can't! It'd be like thanking yourself. Alex, we have the same
blood in our veins, we shared the same womb at different times, and it was
the same father's seed which sired the two of us. We're like the same
person in two bodies, so thanking me is like..."

	"I know," Alex said, "and I suppose my loving you is narcissistic."

	"You could say that!"

	"One more thing before you go." Alex said.

	"Name it!"

	"A couple of days ago, Ted and I were talking at the hospital, and
Ted asked if you or Johnny might be able to find someone to help him with
his exercises, getting in and out of the shower, et cetera. I was wondering
if you knew of some resident or some kid who'd be willing to assist. We'd
pay him, of course."

	Mike soaked up every word that Alex had uttered. His mind was
racing a mile-a-minute.

	"Johnny and I will look into the situation and see who we can
find." Jeff said.

	The four of them said 'goodbye' and Jeff left, followed by Mike, to
go to the church. Jeff started the car and noticed a strange look on Mike's
face.

	"Is anything wrong?" Jeff asked him.

	"No." Mike replied, somberly. "I was just thinking?"

	"About what?"

	"I think I've decided not to go to Briarwood?"

	"Oh?"

	"I have other plans, instead."


<><><><><><><><>

(To be continued in "Whence Cometh My Help: Father Jeff-11")