Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2005 22:28:35 EDT
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: briarwood:the-clayton-clan-21

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"

                          aka "Whence Cometh My Help"

                                Revised Version


                                A dramatic saga

                                      by

			       Ritch Christopher

                                  <><><><><>

                                   BOOK TWO

                               "The Clayton Clan"

                              Chapter Twenty-One

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

	Alex and Ted arose early to prepare breakfast as they had the
morning before, but when they walked into the kitchen, most of the meal had
been prepared by Ryan. Alex rubbed his eyes, pretending he was dreaming and
coming out of a deep sleep.

	"Good morning, guys!" Ryan said as he picked up a large wooden
spoon to whip up the pancake batter.

	"Well, good morning to you, Ryan!" Alex exclaimed. "Did you sleep
any last night?"

	"It was the best night's sleep I can ever remember."

	"What's all this you're doing?" Ted asked.

	"Let's see, I've heated the griddle, warmed up the waffle iron that
I found in the cabinet. I've made coffee. I didn't know who liked what
meat, so I fried a little of everything, sausage, bacon, and ham. I poured
orange juice into some small glasses and set them back in the refrigerator
to keep cold in case either of you would like some juice to start with."

	"Ryan," Alex said, "you didn't have to go to all this trouble to
earn your keep for one night. Good heavens, you're our guest. You're
supposed to let Ted and me fix YOU breakfast."

	"Anything I can do to help you, Ryan?" Ted asked.

	"No, I was just about to..."

	"Good morning, boys," Walter said, interrupting as he came into the
kitchen. "My, my! What smells so good?"

	"Dad, Ryan must have been up for hours fixing breakfast for all of
us."

	"Why, thank you, Ryan," Walter replied in a jolly mood. "That's
very nice of you."

	"But Dad! Ryan is our guest and it should be WE who..."

	"Alex, I think it must've slipped my mind, or maybe I just forgot
to tell you, but Ryan is no longer our guest."

	"What?"

	"Ryan and I had a long talk after you two went to bed, after which
I made a proposition to Ryan. I told him that I'd be needing someone to
help me with the cooking and the house chores while you spent every other
week at Bruce's. I knew damned well Jeff couldn't help...or rather WOULDN'T
help. So I told Ryan that since he had no place to live and I needed some
help. Oh, hell!---what I'm trying to say is that I asked Ryan to move into
the den."

	"What?" Alex said in total surprise.

	"I hope neither of you mind..." Ryan jutted in.

	"Mind? I think it's great!" Alex said, excitedly.

	"So do I!" echoed Ted. who ran around the kitchen island to hug
Ryan, "Welcome to the family, bro!"

	"Wait, Ted," Alex said, "I saw him first so I should get the first
hug." Alex ran over and put his arms around both Ryan and Ted. "I hope you
realize what a wise decision you made!"

	"If I was unsure before, there's no doubt in my mind now."

	Walter stood back beaming at the three boys. "See, Ryan? Didn't I
tell you how they'd react?"

	"Sorry, guys." Ryan set the bowl of batter down and brought his
hands to his eyes to cover his tears.

	Ted put his hands on top of Ryan's and said, "Shit, now stop it or
you'll have me crying and ball players don't cry, as Tom Hanks said!"

	Alex looked at Ted and said, "Ted, let him cry. He's earned it!
Ryan, go sit down and let Ted and me finish the pancakes and waffles."

	"I thought I had my emotions under control until Ted called me,
'bro'. That's when I lost it. No one has ever called me that before."

	"I didn't mean anything by it, Ryan. It's just that I thought,
well, if we're all gonna be brothers..."

	"Ted, I think Ryan got your message," Alex said, giving Ted a hug.

	"Well, that's two down, one to go," Walter said.

	"Oh, God! Just wait until Jeff hears you're gonna live with us,
he'll pee his pants!" Alex said.

	"Who peed in their pants?" Jeff said, entering while rubbing the
morning debris from his eyes.

	"You, dick brain," Alex sneered at Jeff.

	"I DID NOT!"

	"I didn't say you DID, I said you would!"

	"Dad, what is Alex talking about? You said we couldn't have drugs
in the house, but I think he's high on something."

	"High on joy and excitement, Jeff. You see, Alex and Ted just found
out that Ryan is moving in with us for a while."

	"WHAT!"

	"Careful, Jeff, don't get too excited and hold onto your dick so
you don't wet your jeans." Alex couldn't resist the dig.

	"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Jeff shouted.

	"Serious as a flat tire on I-75 in rush hour!" Alex retorted.

	"Hey, man! This is BOSS!" Jeff proclaimed to all that could hear
him. "Dad, could you lend me your credit card to go to Playworld and buy
some new Nintendo cartridges?"

	"I'll lend it to Ryan and on his lunch hour he can go to Playworld
and find a few games He'd like to play with you."

	"Then he oughta go up to my room before he leave so that he can see
what I've already got."

	"Jeff, I didn't think Nintendo had made any games which you don't
own already."

	"Don't worry, Alex, I'm pretty good at taking inventory. I'll make
a list of what cartridges Jeff has before I leave."

	"All I can say is, WOW!" Jeff was totally overjoyed.

	"Dad, I haven't seen Jeff this excited since old Mrs. Crookshank
told Jeff she wouldn't have him arrested for knocking over her twelve-foot
tall imported Venetian garden fountain."

	"I...I didn't knock it over...it fell!"

	"While you were climbing to the top of it."

	"I was doing her a favor. I didn't want her to come home and find
some dead birds in the top of it."

	"Jeff, the birds were taking a bath."

	"Well, I didn't know that! Besides she had no proof that it was me
who knocked it over!"

	"Except for the fact that you were right beside it, wet from your
hair to your toes when she drove up in her driveway."

	"Well, she still couldn't prove it was me who did it!"

	"Then why did Dad write her a check?"

	"He didn't!....Did you, Dad?"

	"Jeff, Mrs. Crookshank was going through a bad period in her
life. Her husband ran off with his secretary. Her housekeeper had quit her
job. Mrs. Crookshank's cat had died while having kittens and left her to
feed them by mouth with eyedroppers. Then when she came home and saw you
standing beside her toppled fountain...she got a bit upset, that's all. To
make her feel better, I offered a small compensation to her for the broken
fountain to maybe cheer her up a bit."

	"Yeah, Jeff! Dad cheered her up--to the tune of several thousand
dollars. No wonder she cheered up!"

	"DAD! YOU DIDN'T"

	"Alex, I thought we agreed never to let Jeff know about the little
gift to Mrs. Crookshank."

	"Sorry, Dad. Sorry, Jeff. I spoke without thinking. I suppose we're
both alike in that respect."

	"I'll say, 'amen' to that!" Ted spoke up.

	"Boys! Boys! Are we going to let all that good food that Ryan
prepared get cold and go to waste?"

	"Hell, no!" Ted replied. "Everyone sit down and give me your order
for pancakes or waffles!"

	"Ryan, you can sit by me if you want to...?" Jeff said.

	The morning started off with a bang...a happy bang...each to his
designated place and now Ryan had a place, too. Ted asked Alex to drive him
and Jeff to Briarwood High. Walter gave a spare house key to Ryan and
dropped him off at the music store on his way to his law office and that's
the way the day started for the family of four that had become a family of
five!


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

	Many rumors had surfaced at Briarwood High about Alex's absence
over the past few school days. Laura Caulder, a senior and also a
cheerleader, who incidentally had a secret crush on Ted, was the niece of
an RN at Kimbrough Hospital. On duty, the nurse, Sarah Coventry had seen
Alex admitted for a gastric lavage procedure which was primarily performed
for drug overdose. During a casual conversation, Sarah had asked Laura's
mother, Beth, if she knew Alex Clayton, a young man about Laura's age. Beth
had replied that Alex was the older son of attorney Walter Clayton, and one
of Laura's classmates. Sarah told Beth she had seen Alex in the Kimbrough
ER having his stomach pumped.

	Beth, in turn, asked Laura if Alex had a drug addiction, to which
Laura replied, "Not that I know of, Mother. Why?" Beth then spilled the
beans about Alex's emergency hospitalization to Laura and in less than two
days, it was all over the high school that Alex had overdosed on crack.

	So when Alex drove into the parking lot, driving a new red Mustang
which everyone had seen Ted driving the day before, heads turned from all
directions to see Ted sitting beside Alex, the druggie. When Alex, Ted, and
Jeff got out of the car, heading toward the school, Jeff ran ahead to meet
his fellow sophomores. Most of the others spoke to Ted but none spoke
directly to Alex, giving him, instead, an odd glance. Practically everyone
knew that the two guys were best friends, but no one had yet confronted Ted
with the 'drug' rumor to find out the truth, so both Ted and Alex were
puzzled as to their friends' reactions.

	It only became noticeable when Alex, always as gregarious as Jeff,
spoke to several of the girls and a few guys and found that they looked
away without answering.

	In his confusion, Alex turned, as always, to his best friend and
lover. "What's going on, Ted? I've only been away less than a week and it's
as if no one knows me."

	Ted had spoken to a few seniors and ALL had acknowledged his
greeting, but none seemed to acknowledge Alex's presence.

	"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out!"

	"You don't suppose they found out about you and me, do you?...I
mean about our living situation?"

	"How the hell could they, unless Jeff told them?"

	"I've never known Jeff to blab gossip. He's usually too preoccupied
with himself."

	"What do you have first period?" Ted asked.

	"ENGLISH! What else? You?"

	"Physics!"

	"Yuck!"

	"Yeah, I know," Ted replied. "Old man Bates is supposed to
demonstrate how electricity is conducted through copper and aluminum. I
almost hope he gets his wires crossed and lights up the rims on his
glasses! What do you have after English?"

	"Trig, followed by French and then choir."

	"Just take it easy and I'll see you at lunch, right after I get out
of gym."

	"Think I ought to get out of choir early and come watch you in the
shower?", Alex grinned.

	"I don't think you have anything to worry about. I only owe Tom
Frisco and Sammy Bane, one blow job each...then I'm off the hook!" Ted
joked.

	"If I even catch you near anybody, especially Tom or Sammy, I'll
hook you where it hurts the most!"

	"You mean where I like it most, don't you?"

	"I was kidding and you know it. I trust you."

	"I was kidding too, and you'd better damned well know it! Hell, now
that I've got you...I wouldn't risk anything breaking us up."

	"I love you, Ted...more every day, if that's possible."

	"I wish I could kiss you right now."

	"So do I, but you know you can't. We both promised Dad. We've got
to play our relationship like its always been...best buddies and nothing
more---until we get home!"

	"I just thank God you don't have gym with me."

	"Why?"

	"I'd have a hell of a time explaining who made me get a hardon in
the shower--and why!"

	"I'm getting excited just thinking about seeing you in the shower!"

	"Well, I'll show you all you want to see around 4:30 at home."

	The bell rang.

	"Well, it's time for us to go back to our cells, work-duty calls."

	"See ya at noon."

	"If you make it to the cafeteria before me, see if you can get a
table for just the two of us in the far corner beside the Coke machine."

	"OK!"

	Alex and Ted went in opposite directions to their prospective
homerooms for the morning roll call. Alex spoke to John Locke and Fred
Wardlow and both of them ignored him. Alex remained puzzled...and a bit
scared.

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

	It was almost time for lunch at the music store and Ryan was on his
knees unpacking several boxes of CD's between two aisles. The manager of
the store, Bill Harding, and two of Ryan's coworkers, Les MacGregor and
Wesley Phillips, had hardly recognized Ryan when he entered the store
before it opened. None of the three had ever seen Ryan in such a jolly
mood. Les elbowed Wesley and said in a low voice, "Looks like Ryan finally
got laid!"

	Ryan's new mood change had exhilarated his energy so much he was
doing twice the amount of work than usual. Bill, his manager, noticed the
variance in Ryan's work. He didn't question Ryan, but he was glad to see
it. Ryan had opened three huge cartons at once and was assorting the CD's
by artist and category when from behind him he heard a voice asking, "Hey,
Buddy, got any new Streisand?"

	Without turning, while keeping busy, Ryan replied, "The only thing
new by her is the soundtrack of 'The Mirror Has Two Faces'. It's mostly
instrumental but it does have a couple of songs by her...songs that she
wrote."

	"I guess I'll have to have about two dozen, IF you have that many
in stock!"

	"Two dozen?" Ryan exclaimed, as he turned around to face the
customer. It was Kyle. "KYLE! How did you know where to find me?"

	"It took a while, but I managed," Kyle said. "I called that number
you gave me and asked for you and some man started cursing at me."

	"Oh, God, Kyle, I'm sorry. What did he say to you?"

	"He called me 'faggot' about a dozen times and then screamed that
you no longer lived there."

	"That was my dad! Sounds just like him!"

	"Trouble in the home camp?"

	"'Trouble' hardly describes it."

	"I take it that they don't like you being gay?"

	"Only enough to kick me out of the house and kick me out of going
to heaven, too, according to both my parents."

	"Most gay guys have similar situations."

	"Well, as I said in group with Dr. Hughes, I wasn't sure if I was
gay, but I guess my parents made up my mind for me."

	"In case you're wondering, that's how I found out where you
worked. I called Dr. Hughes and told him that you no longer lived at your
old address. He suggested that I try reaching you here at the record
shop. Instead of calling, I decided to drop by in person."

	"I'm really glad you did!"

	"So am I!"

	"You said you tried to call me. Is there anything wrong? I mean,
your... your sickness...have you gotten worse?"

	"A little bit. I'm going into the hospital tomorrow and I guess I
just wanted to see a friendly face...yours! I practically have no friends
in Briarwood since I returned from New York. I lay in bed last night and
got myself into a depressed mood. I kept thinking that, if I should die in
the hospital, was there anyone I would like to see before I was
admitted. Only two faces came to mine. Yours and that kid, Alex's. I know
he's only in high school, and you're closer to my age. Sooooo, you just
might be the last one to see me alive, other than doctors and nurses."

	"Kyle! Don't say that, please!"

	"Maybe I'm feeling a bit too sorry for myself, but you and
Alex.. you're all I have and I really don't know either one of you. Maybe
it won't be so traumatic for either of you if I..."

	"Stop it! What hospital are you going to?"

	"Where else? Old Kimbrough 'U'!"

	"Then I'll be there every day to see you. I'm sure Alex will be
there, too."

	"So...where are you staying since you got the heel of your dad's
boot?"

	"You won't believe this...!"

	"Try me."

	"I'm living with Alex and his family."

	"You're right! I don't believe you. How did this happen?"

	"Well, after my dad kicked me out...and the only friend I had in
the world kicked me out two hours later, I reached in my pocket and found
yours and Alex's telephone numbers. It was fifty-fifty, but I called Alex
first. He invited me over to have dinner with him. I met his boyfriend,
Ted, Alex's horny little brother, Jeff, and Alex's dad, Walter, who is
probably the nicest guy I've ever met. We watched a movie on TV and
afterwards, Ted had said I could spend the night on the couch in the
den. That's when Walter came in and talked with me. You can't believe what
a nice person he is. I mean, he not only knows about Alex and Ted, he
approves of their relationship. What's even more strange is that Ted's
parents bought a new car for the him and Alex."

	"Good God? Where are they from? They must be immigrants from
Holland or Sweden. I've never heard of parents with gay kids who'd do
that!"

	"I was all but flabbergasted. Then Walter asks if I would like to
move into the den. He's gonna fix it up with my own private dresser and
closet. I've got cable TV and run of the house!"

	"Sounds like you stepped into a pile of happy do-do! Nothing like
that ever happened to me!"

	"That's why I was so floored. I had to pinch my butt to see if I
was awake."

	"I'm very happy for you, Ryan, truly. Of course, if you had called
me first instead of Alex, I would have given you a place to stay. Hell, you
could have moved in there permanently, as long as you paid the rent, as it
seems I won't be living there much longer."

	"Damn! I wish you weren't so negative. I also wish there was
something I could do for you!"

	"Please, don't placate me by saying you'll pray for me. I don't
believe in prayer any more."

	"Say, would you like to go to lunch?"

	"You mean like 'my last meal' before they slip the almighty
injection into my arm?"

	"No, our FIRST meal together."

	"Why not? I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose."

	"I'll take you to lunch on the condition that you don't talk about
death or dying at all."

	"That's gonna be tough since that's all I have on my mind. Hell,
it's all I have on my schedule!"

	"Give me a second to punch the time clock."

	"Oh, before you do...I'll take one of those 'Barbra'
soundtracks. I've bought everything she's ever recorded. Might as well keep
up my collection complete until the end."

	"Here, take a copy. I'll put it on my account and get a discount."

	"Thanks."

	Kyle read the liner notes on the CD while Ryan went to check out
for lunch.


|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-| KYLE AND JAY'S STORY |-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|


	Kyle's parents, Jonathan and Lilly Andrews, had disowned him when
he tested HIV positive. It had been bad enough when they first learned he
was gay, but admitting to their social clique that their son had the
dreaded plague? That was more than their status quo could tolerate.

	Kyle was handsome even as a child, winning several beauty contests
for boys. It was around age twelve when Lilly sent his picture in to an ad
search and landed him the position of "Blazer Boy" with Spectre Video
Games. He was seen on the game boxes and on all the ads on TV, dressed in
his red suit and yellow cap, he was on display in toy stores across the
country.  This first venture paid a whopping $15,000 which Jonathan and
Lilly soon put to their own personal use, buying a car and new clothes,
without setting aside a nickel for Kyle's future.  The Blazer Boy campaign
was so successful, the company soon asked Kyle to shoot the second
commercial. By this time, Lilly realized the potential gold mine she had in
Kyle's looks and asked for $25,000...and she got it!!

	She was ready to make her move now. Jonathan, her husband, was to
stay home in Briarwood and hold the fort down while she took Kyle to New
York and showed him off---up and down Madison Avenue.  Before they left,
Lilly took Kyle down to the local Wal-Mart and outfitted him with a new
wardrobe. She took the larger part of the balance of the $25.000 to go to
New York, leaving enough to keep the rent and utilities paid for Jonathan
at home. Jonathan had a job as a waiter in a French restaurant with a
mostly Canadian clientele.  He would come home from work every day cursing
at the customers who had stiffed him.

	Lilly stayed busy in New York, making the rounds with Kyle in
tow. Initially, there had been a lot of potential interest, but she was
usually told that Kyle was too old for juvenile ads and too young to sell
to teens yet. But possibly in a year or two...Everything had seemed
promising until shortly after Kyle reached his thirteenth birthday when
Mother Nature struck Lilly a fierce blow.  The day Kyle realized his voice
was changing was the very same day he noticed a bright red pimple on his
upper lip.  Lilly took care of it by squeezing out the pus and then
covering the spot with a dab of her Max Factor pancake.  Three days later,
there were three more red bumps on Kyle's chin which Lilly once again tried
to hide, as she had with the first one.

	Inside a week, Kyle had developed a full blown case of acne on both
his cheeks, his forehead and his chin. Puberty--and fate--had struck a blow
to his budding career and to Lilly's dreams. Lilly had gone out and bought
a supply of Clearasil which she applied to all of Kyle's infected areas
making him look like an oriental. Lilly tried to cover the yellowish
medicine with makeup, making it look worse than ever. The money was running
out. Kyle never knew his looks were supporting two parents at two separate
addresses.  Seeing there was nothing to do until Kyle's face cleared
up. she left New York, intending it to be temporary, and moving back home
with Jonathan.

	Kyle had attended PS 119 in New York in between commercial
auditions and when he returned to Briarwood, he entered the local junior
high school.  It was there that he met Jamie, his first 'boyfriend', and
the one with whom he would eventually learn about the joys of gay sex.

      Both Kyle and Jamie won roles in the ninth-grade play and agreed to
stay after school to help each other learn their lines. They were running
all the scenes, reading all the parts where cues were needed. There was one
scene in particular where Jamie was reading the part of Kyle's girlfriend
and the italicized direction called for the boy to kiss the girl. Instead
of skimming over this, Kyle decided on impulse to follow the direction and
practice the kiss on his best friend. Jamie was dumbstruck at first when
Kyle leaned over and kissed him on the lips. The warmth of Kyle's breath on
Jamie's made Jamie decide to linger there for a short period until he got
the courage to return Kyle's gesture.

	Before they knew it, pubescent testosterone surged forth in both of
them and their tongues were touching, hands were roaming up, down, and in
between body parts, ending with a grip on each other's mounting erections
through their blue jeans.  An hour-and-a-half later, they had become
familiar with every inch of each other's naked body, and how every moving
part worked. It was on this day that they had both had the first of many
orgasms to come. It was general knowledge among the guys that masturbation
and teen sex was the primary cause of skin disorders such as acne. But in
Kyle's case, the hormone adjustment had an adverse effect because Kyle's
skin suddenly cleared up and the smooth olive complexion replaced his
purple splotches. His looks had once again elevated him to the height of,
once again, being 'beautiful'. He was a notch ABOVE being handsome. His
looks rivaled feminine pulchritude.  With Kyle's miraculous facial
transformation, Lilly thought it was time to return to New York. Once again
she left Jonathan behind, ending Kyle's secret affair with Jamie.  However,
this time Lilly, being more than a typical stage mother, had her sights on
something higher, something more permanent. She insisted on a contract with
a guaranteed income! The 'ad game' was too 'iffy' with spot engagements and
without security.  Even though Kyle had only done one play in junior high
school, she started taking him to every soap opera open call.  Finally
fortune smiled on them as Kyle landed a lead role in the nationally popular
TV daily serial, 'To This We've Come'. His contract guaranteed him $2,000
per week. Kyle's exorbitant new salary was enough to elevate the Andrews'
social-climbing status in Briarwood a notch or two.

	Kyle stayed with the soap, finally completing a five year
contract. But during its run, he had supplemented his income with TV and
magazine ads, modeling for Calvin Klein and Armani. He picture was on the
largest billboard in Times Square, wearing nothing but a pair of white
bikini Calvin Klein briefs. The older he grew, the more age enhanced his
physical looks and prowess.  Lilly was spending less time in New York and
more time in Briarwood, where she and Jonathan were now members of the
country club, ranked highly in the local 'upper 400'.

      When she'd been at home for six months, Kyle met Lonnie, the newest
cast member of 'TTWC'.  It would have been impossible for anyone to decide
who was the better looking of the two.  Everyone was attracted to
them. But, primarily, they were attracted to each other.  They lived
together for two years, totally faithful to one other until one night after
the two of them had had a spat during a rehearsal.  Lonnie didn't come home
and it was two months before Kyle learned Lonnie had been tricking with
various Broadway chorus boys. In between acting jobs, Lonnie worked as a
waiter at a gay bar on Third Avenue where he became attracted to a drag
queen who also worked there. Lonnie began tricking with the transvestite
who went by several pseudonyms. (Her) His real name was Jay Braxton.

	Some time later, Kyle met Jay for the first time at Lonnie's
funeral. Lonnie had given AIDS to both of them, but neither knew the other
existed or was aware that they'd shared the same boyfriend. The two had
actually come close to meeting accidentally at an AIDS clinic where each
had gone every so often to check his blood to see if he was negative or
positive, eventually both proving to be infected. The two had sat side by
side in the waiting room, but neither one had any idea he had shared so
much in common with another. It was not only ironic but strangely
coincidental that both had lived in Briarwood prior to moving to New York.

	The months wore on and Kyle's health responded to his 'cocktail',
while Jay's t-cell count dropped to '9' which was almost equivalent to
end-stage AIDS. The slightest fleck of New York's airborne bacteria could
kill him.  He had given up on ever getting well. Jay had accepted his only
alternative---death, rejected by all his 'friends'. Rather than die alone
in New York, he decided he'd return home to his parents in Briarwood to
die. Never did either Kyle or Jay know that Lonnie had been the common
denominator of their illness.

	Because of Kyle's acquired wealth, Jonathan and Lilly were now more
affluent in Briarwood society and Jay's parents didn't run around in the
same circle with the Andrews. Had both sets of parents known about the
common bond which each of them shared, they might have created a
friendship, but both the Braxtons and Andrews were filled with homophobic
ancestry and neither of them would ever so much as spoken to each other.

	Word around the 'Variety' circles soon carried the rumor of Kyle's
affliction and, before long, his part on the soap got smaller and
smaller. Soon, he wasn't important enough to be 'written out' in a car
wreck or a adulterous shooting. He just 'disappeared' one day with no more
scenes or dialogue. Gossip had spread about his viral infection and he
couldn't get a job anywhere. It was then that Kyle returned home to tell
Lilly and Jonathan their ride on their gravy train was over; he had AIDS.

	Kyle's parents became enraged--about the money, not about his
illness. They literally threw him out of the house, the house which his
money had bought and paid for. Kyle had stashed away about $20,000 that he
had hidden from the parental vultures.  He found a cheap room for rent in
Briarwood until he decided whether it was worth his while to keep on
living.

	After his second suicide attempt, Kyle was ordered to attend weekly
counseling sessions at Kimbrough hospital under the auspices of Dr. Raymond
Hughes.

	Jay Braxton had returned home to Briarwood to die as well. His
parents, too, had no sympathy for him or his condition, and, just as Kyle's
parents had done, they all but hurled their son out of their house. Unlike
Kyle, Jay had no nest egg and was at the mercy of the gods for his few
remaining days. He made his way to a public park and sat by the lake trying
to decide if he should drown himself. But something made him look over his
shoulder and he saw a man sitting in a gazebo wearing a priest's collar. He
thought, "What the fuck?  If I'm going to die one way or the other, I might
at least talk to a priest first." The priest introduced himself as 'Father
Cliff'.

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

	At Briarwood High, through the first four periods, Alex had found
himself shunned by almost every one of his formerly close classmates. He
suspected that some, if not all, had learned of his suicide attempt. How
much MORE anyone knew, Alex didn't know. He prayed that no one was aware of
his having to see a psychiatrist, as ordered by the principal,
Mr. Bartolli, conditional to Alex's being allowed to return to his classes.

	Alex also decided that if the reason for shutting him out was
because of his new 'connection' with Ted, he didn't give a damn! Let
everyone think what he liked, but nothing would interfere with his love for
Ted and their relationship.

	Alex arrived in the cafeteria after fourth period and looked for
Ted, but Ted was not in sight. Alex went to the table where he was to meet
Ted, sat down and waited for him. Ten minutes past and finally Alex saw Ted
running toward him. Ted was excited and almost winded.

	"Did you have some trouble in the showers?" Alex said, jokingly.

	"Listen, babe, I've gotta leave.  Mr. Bartolli sent Cheryl Kahn to
tell me that my mom has been rushed to the hospital"

	"My God, Ted! Did Cheryl say what was wrong with her?"

	"All Cheryl knew is what my dad told Mr. Bartolli. Dad had come
home to have lunch and found my mom passed out on the kitchen floor! I
gotta run!"

	"Wait, I'll skip my classes and go with you! I think I should be
with you!"

	"Thanks, babe!"

	Ted and Alex streaked out the door of the cafeteria to head toward
the parking lot and hopped into Ted's car. Ted floored the accelerator and
drove to the hospital at a dangerous pace. Neither Ted nor Alex said a word
to one another on the way. Both minds were running faster than the Mustang.

	Ted parked his car as close to the ER door as possible. He and Alex
dashed into the triage where they saw Walter, not Bruce. Seeing Walter made
the boys even more anxious. Whatever was wrong with Jane must be serious
for Alex's dad to be at the hospital as well.

	"What is it, Dad?" Alex asked, breathlessly.

	"Is my mom all right, Daddy Walt?"

	"I don't know. I just arrived myself. Bruce called me at the office
and I told him I would meet him here. I'm glad to see both of you."

	"Where's Dad?" Ted asked.

	"I haven't seen him, son. I suppose all we can do is wait."

	Walter and Alex sat down on a metal bench while Ted paced.

	Fifteen more minutes passed before Bruce came through the double
doors which led to the examining cubicles.

	"DAD!" "BRUCE!" "UNCLE BRUCE!" were all cried out at the same time,
followed by, "HOW IS SHE" in unison. All three were shocked when they saw
the smile on Bruce's face.

	"Guys! You're not going to believe this, but Jane's gonna get her
wish! Ted, son, you and Alex are going to have a new baby brother or
sister. Jane's pregnant!"

	Ted, Alex, and Walter, all three collapsed onto the bench out of
relief. All were too exasperated by their earlier fears to be happy just
yet.

	"I had no idea," Bruce said. "I don't think Jane had an inkling
either. When I left for work, she complained about having an upset stomach
as if she wanted to throw up. I thought it was from eating too much spicy
food last night. So, about eleven o'clock, I decided to go home to grab a
bite of lunch. When I went into the kitchen, she was lying on the tiles. My
heart stopped, fearing the worst. I checked her pulse and it was fairly
rapid. She had fainted and her forehead was wet with perspiration. I called
'911' immediately and while I was waiting for the paramedics to arrive, I
called the high school to tell Bartolli to get word to you, son. Then,
Wally, I called, you at your office."

	"Bruce, I'm so happy and relieved, I want to cry," Walter
said. "Congratulations, you old son-of-a-gun. I thought you were still
firing blanks. How far along is she?"

	"Can't be sure, but the doctor thinks Jane's about seven or eight
weeks into her pregnancy."

	Ted went to Bruce and hugged him, "Dad, I'm just so glad Mom is
alright!"

	"Hell, she'll be an old lady in a wheelchair by the time your
little brother or sister gets out of high school!"

	"You old fool!" Walter said, "Jane'll hardly be in her early
fifties. YOU might be in a wheelchair!"

	"I'm younger than you, Wally!"

	"Six weeks."

	"Well, that means you're OLDER than I."

	"Bullshit!" Walter retorted, causing Alex and Ted to laugh.

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(To be continued in "Briarwood"---BOOK TWO-chapter-twenty-two)