Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 16:52:47 EDT
From: RitchChristopher@cs.com
Subject: briarwood:unto-the-hills-83

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.

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                                  "BRIARWOOD"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2005

                          aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
                            Copyright Ritchris, 2003

                                Revised Version

                                A dramatic saga

                                      by

			        Ritch Christopher

                                  <><><><><>

		   	           BOOK EIGHT


                                "UNTO THE HILLS"

			      Chapter-Eighty-three

                         * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


		    "If I could've been what I could've been,
                        I could've been somethin'..."

                            Lyrics by Micki Grant
                      From the Broadway musical, "Working"
                               Copyright 1978


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	In spite of their financial wealth and long-lasting, loving
relationship, Kyle and Ryan had always thought of themselves as nothing
more than average American 'friends of Dorothy'.. They both loved
Streisand, Taylor, and Garland and, just as Liza planned for her mother,
Judy's, funeral, Kyle borrowed her 'grief motif' and arranged for Ryan to
have a yellow funeral at St. Genesius. All the flowers were to be bright
yellow jonquils, chrysanthemums, asters, roses, orchids, carnations,
daisies, and calla lilies. The male guests were requested to wear yellow
shirts and/or ties and the females, yellow dresses, hats, and gloves. It
was to be a yellow celebration of Ryan's life and death.

	Father Cliff and Jeff wore yellow vestments, as did the altar
boys. Nothing about the service was to appear gloomy. Instead of the usual
hymns sung at funerals, all the songs were to be Sondheim compositions,
Ryan's favorites...some even comical, such as "The Little Things We Do
Together (make perfect relationships!)", others, more serious, like "Being
Alive", "No One Is Alone", "Move On", and "Soon, I Promise", all sung by
Rob and accompanied by Timmy on the piano. The two had flown down from New
York. Rather than taking his scripture from the Bible or the Anglican
Prayer Book, Cliff chose his text from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet" which
Ryan had read so often, he could almost recite it from memory.

	Solemnization was replaced by jubilation. It was a joyous occasion,
just as Ryan had wished. Barely a tear was shed by anyone, including Kyle.

	There were six rows of pews roped off down front for Kyle, Petey,
and Danny to be surrounded by the immediate family of Briarwood Boys. Alex
and Ted flew down from Mackintosh. Scott, the bartender who had been cured
at Cole accompanied Ted and Alex on their flight. Tom and Mike asked Jake
and Lee to sit next to them, along with Jay, Troy, Walter, Dave, and Roger
with his arm around Billy, sat behind them as forefathers of the
clan. Beside them were Doug and Charlie, the elder Briarwood adoptees. The
only Briarwood Boy not in attendance was Johnny, who had remained at home
to care for the twins.

	Jeff acted as Father Cliff's deacon for the mass.  Cliff's funeral
sermon was as cheerful as he could make it. After the sermon, each
Briarwood Boy arose and came to the lectern to relate his favorite anecdote
about Ryan. There were many laughs during their remembrances. The church
was overflowing with guests, friends, and well-wishers whose paths had
crossed Ryan's over the years. Far in the back of the church on the last
row sat Hal, whom Jeff had met at Denny's and was still a guest at Walter's
house.  Hal watched the ceremony wide-eyed in disbelief...first at the
grandeur of the funeral and secondly, at the splendor of St. Genesius and
its congregation. He was still in awe of the bidet in the guest bathroom
and now all this? Wow! How great are these people and how wonderful is this
town, this Briarwood?!!

	After Cliff's benediction, Ted, Alex, Jay, Troy, Rob, and Timmy
arose and came forward to assume the duties of pallbearers for Ryan's
coffin, which incidentally, was white French Provincial with yellow
trim. The six 'boys' hoisted the casket onto their shoulders as was the
procedure in Old English churches and carried it up the aisle and out the
door. It was followed by Kyle and his two boys and the rest of the
Briarwood brothers and the entire assembly of mourners. They walked in a
procession from the church to Cliff's house and driveway, and then to the
far back lawn where Ryan's grave had been opened...next to Kendall's.

	Any stranger passing through Briarwood for the first time would
have thought they were all crazy for while they were marching, everyone was
singing Sondheim's, "Side by Side by Side". Even though the tune was bouncy
and cheerful, quite a few tears were shed anyway.

	Hal was the last person to join the parade. He was still in shock
at what he had just witnessed. "Boy, these folks know how to give a guy a
good send-off!" he said to himself.

	When the graveside service was over, Roger invited everyone inside
the house for refreshments which Jay had spent two whole days
preparing...yellow hors d'oeuvres, yellow sheet cakes and a yellow-colored
punch made from Grand Marnier. The table was decorated with yellow candles,
flowers, tablecloth, and napkins. The room looked as if Tinkerbelle had
developed jaundice in her wand and zapped the entire dining and living
rooms of Cliff and Roger's house.

	Kyle, Cliff, Roger, Walter, and Dave formed a receiving line to
greet the guests individually while Jeff took Petey and Danny outside to
swing them in the huge roped swing which hung from a large oak tree. Hal
felt like a stranger in a strangely wonderful land skipped the crowd and
went outside to be with Jeff and Kyle's two kids.

	When Jeff saw Hal, he asked, "Well, what did you think?"

	"You mean about the funeral?"

	"Yes."

	"It was like something from a movie. Something I never could've
imagined. Heck, back home in Hawthorne everyone that goes to a funeral
whoops and hollers, sometimes they roll on the floor even if they don't
know the dead person. I kept sittin' there in back of the church waiting on
horses or elephants to come down the aisle. I didn't know what to expect
next."

	"That's the way Ryan wanted his funeral to be."

	"He must've been a fun guy!"

	"He was...so is Kyle, his lover."

	"How long were they together?"

	"Oh, about ten years."

	"He didn't seem sad at all..."

	"Why should he be? They had ten wonderful years together and I
suppose they both did all their crying while Ryan was sick," Jeff replied,
while pushing Petey higher on the swing.

	"These are their two boys?"

	"Sure are," Jeff said, as he stopped the swing. "Danny, Petey, I
want you to meet a new friend of mine. His name is Hal."

	"Hi, guys," Hal said.

	"Hi," they answered, then Danny looked at Jeff and said, "Boy, he
sure talks funny?"

	Hal and Jeff laughed, "Danny, Hal has a southern accent. People
from different parts of the country talk in different ways. You oughta hear
what someone who's from Brooklyn, New York, sounds like. You'd really find
that funny."

	"What kind of accent do we have, Uncle Jeff?" Danny asked.

	"Just plain old Briarwood, that's all."

	"Hey, Hal, did you know that Petey and me are going to Europe and
other places?"

	"That's swell!"

	"You ever been to Europe?"

	"No, Danny, the biggest place I've ever seen is Atlanta, Georgia,
and that was just for one night."

	"Is Europe bigger than Atlanta?"

	"I'm sure it is! There are lots of cities in Europe, though, which
are larger, I think...London, Paris, Rome...lots of 'em!"

	"My Daddy Ryan showed me a picture of Paris and they've got this
big Ferris wheel there...the biggest one in the world and I'm gonna ride
it!"

	"Just be careful and don't fall off it!"

	"I won't. I'm getting bigger every day."

	Just then, Kyle came out of the house to join Jeff and his kids.

	"Hey, Jeff," Kyle said.

	"How you doin', bro?"

	"Better since I came outside. How many times can I hear, 'I'm so
sorry, Kyle,' without going nuts?"

	"Why do you think I made a fast exit with Danny and Petey? Back in
Mackintosh, I performed over a dozen funerals every week, that is until
they all found out that they could live longer by coming to Cole."

	"Why so many funerals in Mackintosh?" Hal asked.

	Jeff suddenly realized he had failed to introduce Hal and
Kyle. "Oh, excuse me, guys, for being so rude. Kyle, this is a new friend
of mine, Hal. Hal, this is one of my 'adopted' brothers, Kyle."

	"Nice to meet you, Hal," Kyle said, offering his hand.

	"Same here, Kyle, I'm so sorry...oh, dammit! I forgot. I really AM
sorry now."

	Kyle took Hal's hand and grinned, "That's all right. I suppose I
would've said the same thing to you if our situations had been
reversed. Are you the guy staying at Walt and Dave's house?"

	"Yeah, just for a day or so. I should've already been gone by now."

	"Oh, where are you headed?"

	"Gotta coin?" Hal asked. "Just flip it and I'll tell you."

	"Kyle, Hal lost his brother a couple of weeks ago. It was very
tragic."

	"Oh, I'm sorry...heck, now I'm doing it to you," Kyle said to Hal.

	"That's all right. Just call it 'pay back'. I didn't get to go to
my brother's funeral, so I was spared of everyone telling me how sorry he
was."

	"Was your brother in an accident?"

	Hal stood there unable to speak until Jeff intervened. "He was
murdered, Kyle." Petey and Danny were playing tag on the lawn and weren't
able to hear what Jeff said. "He was raped and murdered."

	"Oh, my God!" Kyle said. "Did they catch the person or persons who
did it to him?"

	"Not that I know of."

	"Jesus, going to Ryan's funeral today must have been hard on you!"

	"I know it sounds kinda mean and cruel for me to say it, but I had
a great time at the funeral. Everything was so cheerful and beautiful...not
like anything I've ever seen back in Hawthorne...in the Carolinas."

	"That's not mean and cruel, Hal. I thought it was lovely myself."

	Jeff was watching Kyle and Hal together and they appeared to be
quite compatible. He wanted to leave and see if a friendship might develop
between them just as his dad, Walter, had hoped.

	"Hey, would you two keep an eye on the kids while I go inside and
tap a kidney? I won't be gone long," Jeff lied.

	"Go ahead, the kids'll be fine and anyway, Hal and I have a lot in
common to share."

	Jeff almost shouted 'Yippee!' as he ran toward Cliff's
house. Glancing back, he saw Hal and Kyle sit on a white wrought-iron
settee.

	"How old was your brother, Hal?"

	"Just turned seventeen."

	"God, that's terrible!"

	"I...I was on the road, travelin' to God knows where and I wound up
in Briarwood late the other night...and here's the strange part...I went
into Denny's for breakfast and it just so happened that Jeff was in there
at the same time...and we got to talkin' and I was askin' him about a motel
to spend the night in...and, well, one thing led to another, and I
mentioned that I was from Hawthorne and Jeff looked like I'd swatted him
with a baseball bat because he said that two guys from Hawthorne had just
moved into his house with him. I knew 'em both...and then he asked if I
knew a young boy named, Noah? Noah! That's my brother's name...and then
that's when Jeff figured it all out. He knew about Noah being killed and
told me about it. That's the first I knew of...of what happened to him."

	"God works wonders in strange ways," Kyle said.

	"That's the same thing Jeff said."

	"You said that Noah, your brother, was raped first?"

	"Yeah...and then murdered?"

	"Hal, would you be insulted if I asked if Noah was gay?"

	"No, I wouldn't be insulted. Noah would be the first to tell you
that he WAS gay."

	"But you're not?"

	"Nope, I don't think so. I had every girl in Hawthorne meowin'
after me like alley cats."

	"Did you go to school...I mean college?"

	"I graduated high school, but college was not for me. I'm not
'book-minded' like Noah---well, like Noah was."

	"So you held no grudge about Noah's being gay?"

	"Shoot, no! I'm an open-minded liberal Democrat like my daddy
was. Anything goes as far as I'm concerned."

	A strange idea was coming into Kyle's thoughts.

	"Hal, can I ask you a few personal questions?"

	"I got nothin' to hide."

	"Are you married or do you have an ex-wife or girlfriend?"

	"Since Noah's gone, I got nobody...nobody except me."

	"There's no family back in Hawthorne?"

	"Some second and third cousins, I guess."

	"How about...how about your life back in Hawthorne? What did you do
for a living?"

	"I was a mechanic! I can fix any car, any year, any model...I can
do it all?"

	"Did you ever get into trouble with the law?"

	"Good Lord, no! There ain't no law in Hawthorne. If you do
somethin' bad to someone or steal somethin' from somebody, then THAT person
takes the law into his own hands and either beats the crap out of you or
shoots you if it's necessary. No! I'm not a criminal."

	"How are you around children? I mean, do you get along with kids?
Do you like them?"

	"I raised Noah like he was my own kid, not my brother. He had the
cleanest reputation in all of Hawthorne and wound up as an all 'A's'
student at a private school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I bathed him,
clothed him, saw that he got three square meals every day. I taught him not
to drink; not to smoke; not to use curse words...and he went to Sunday
school every week, whether I went with him or not! I brought him up knowin'
right from wrong and how to stand up and speak for himself like a man!"

	Hal paused with a lump in his throat before continuing, "Noah was a
perfect kid. I never knew why he turned out gay, but if that's what he
wanted, then I supported his way of living. That's why it hurts so bad when
I think of what happened to him. He didn't deserve it! Even though he was
my brother, he was the finest kid I ever saw."

	The longer Hal talked, the more impressed Kyle became with
him. Kyle had heard Walter's hint that there might be someone who could
accompany him and the kids on their tour. Hal must be the one Walt was
referring to. Hal was straight and he had no problem about being around a
gay person. Better yet, there would be nothing romantic that could develop
between the two of them. He would be a good companion for Petey and
Danny. Lord knows, Hal could protect them from anyone who might want to
inflict harm upon them. He said he had no plans and no place to
go. Perhaps, if Hal were to stay a few extra days in Briarwood for Kyle to
evaluate him as a fellow traveler, the tour might be possible and the kids
wouldn't suffer another disappointment, the possibility of which loomed
after Ryan's unexpected death.

	"Hal, how long to you plan on staying with Walter?" Kyle finally
asked.

	"I guess I was plannin' on leavin' tomorrow or the next day."

	"How are you fixed for cash?"

	"I got a few bucks and some credit cards. Why?"

	"I was wondering if you might stay a few days and would like to
earn some extra money before you go your way."

	"What did you have in mind, Kyle?"

	"I have tons of Ryan's belongings I would like to pack and
store. So far, I don't think their father's death had really sunk in yet,
as far as Danny and Petey are concerned. I don't want to erase any good
memories that they have of him, but there are so many things Ryan left
around the house. Things that NEED to be put away before they get in the
way as a reminder of him. Ryan had books, tapes, movies, clothes, and loads
of items I'll never use or read or wear. If there was just some way I could
casually pick them up piece by piece in a manner so that they wouldn't
think I was trying to hide them or destroy Ryan's memory...but I need
someone to help me. I need someone to occupy their time or move things
while I draw their attention. I'd be willing to offer you room and board
and pay one hundred dollars an hour for assistance."

	"A hundred bucks an hour? Nobody in the history of Hawthorne ever
made TWENTY bucks an hour! Jesus! How many days are we talking about?"

	"A week...maybe two.:

	"Are you serious! Do you know how much money that is?"

	"I could pay you more if it isn't worth your time."

	"Christ Almighty! I'd do it for minimum wage just so long as I had
a place to stay and food to eat."

	"Then you'll consider it?"

	"Heck, yeah! Let's go! Right NOW, and let's get to packin'!"

	"Hal, if you really want to, when all the crowd inside Cliff's have
gone home, you can go to Walter's and get your belongings and follow me to
my house."

	"Where do you live?"

	"Don't laugh! Next door to Walter!"

	"Criminy! What Jeff told me about the Briarwood Boys...you guys
sure know how to stick together."

	"We're just one big family from Briarwood to New York and now
Mackintosh, New Hampshire."

	"I wish my two friends up there knew where I was and what's
happening to me!"

	"Would you like to call them?"

	Hal paused.

	"I...I can't!"

	"Oh?"

	"It's a long story, Kyle. I'll tell you about it some time."

	"I'd love to hear it, when you're ready...NOW, one final question!"

	"Uh oh...I knew there was a catch..."

	"Do you like broccoli?"

	"That's it? You wanna know if I like broccoli?"

	"Yep!"

	"Shit, I used to grow it back home and grind it up and feed it to
Noah for baby food!"

	"Then it's all settled. You're coming home to live with Danny,
Petey, and me!"

	Unbeknownst to Kyle and Hal, while they were in the garden talking,
Jeff was inside Roger and Cliff's house praying a 'miracle' would happen
between the two of them.  Little did Jeff know that his prayer was answered
and an instant 'miracle' HAD occurred in the garden.


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	With Ted and Alex having gone to Briarwood to attend Ryan's
funeral, and with Jeff being gone, too, Johnny had his hands full tending
to the twins and trying to manage the center in Mackintosh at the same
time. He decided that as long as Wade and Steve had planned on moving there
permanently, he might as well put them to work.

	Neither of the former Hawthorne natives had any experience with
filing or office work of any kind. The only reason either had ever used a
phone was to call members of their immediate gang and challenge them to
play pool at Smiley's. But they were both young, they were madly in love
with each other, and they were eager to learn how to earn their keep.

	The two were amazed at the orderly fashion in which Johnny kept the
center. When Johnny had first taken over, every entry, every case history,
every progress note, and all the personal information about the residents
and clients had either been written by hand or by typewriter. Now, thanks
to Doug and Charlie's benefaction, every item of information was
computerized. Except for records or documents which contained important
signatures or sign-offs, every folder had been destroyed in a huge bonfire.

	It was assumed that over ninety percent of Mackintosh's population
was comprised of HIV or AIDS patients or victims and many items were not
necessary to keep in filing cabinets. Much information was just assumed for
confidentiality's sake.

	"Can either of you type?" Johnny asked Steve and Wade.

	"Typewriter or computer keyboard?" Wade asked, innocently.

	"They're the same, jughead!" Steve replied to him, smiling.

	"Then, yes! I can!" Wade replied.

	"All right, Wade," Johnny said, "THIS is your desk...your own
personal desk!"

	"Good Golly!" Wade exclaimed, sitting in his swivel chair and
giving it a 'go-around'. "All the stuff on this desk is mine?" he said,
looking at the stapler, the pens, pads, and secretarial supplies.

	"All yours!" Johnny said. "Now, let's see what we can find for you
to do, Steve."

	"I suppose I can clean up, sweep, mop, dust, carry out garbage..."

	"No, that job is assigned to someone else. Do you suppose you could
use some of your southern accent and talk charmingly on the phone when
someone calls for help?"

	"I can try."

	"Usually, someone calls asking to speak to me or one of the
counselors. Other times, people may be asking for directions on how to get
to Mackintosh or maybe there's something a resident needs such as food,
medicine, or some other staple. Soon you'll learn how to handle these
requests. The most important call that you might get is from someone who
says he needs to talk...just talk."

	"Why is that so important?"

	"Because lots of times, he's calling for help. He might be
considering suicide or maybe he's already taken an overdose or cut his
wrists..."

	"My God, people call here for that?"

	"Not as often as they used to...but it still does happen."

	"What do I do?"

	"Try to get my or someone else's attention and transfer the
call. You can almost tell by the sound of their voice. If you feel they're
not suicidal and just want to talk...well, just talk with them. Be
kind...friendly...become a pal, but don't let yourself get involved
personally. Don't be frightened but sometimes some guy will call in and try
to use the 'call for help' line to jerk off and try to get you to join
him."

	"Are you serious?"

	"As a plane crash!"

	"What do I do?"

	"Don't upset them or make them angry, tell them that you have an
important call on another line and put them on hold...then ignore them and
discontinue your conversation."

	"Do all cities have crisis centers?"

	"Most do."

	"Not in Hawthorne. Every guy I know would be calling all the time
and the whole town would be jerking off at the same time!"

	Steve's remark forced Wade to giggle.

	"Okay, I'll be in my office getting some records for Wade to enter
into his computer and you'll be on your own for a few minutes."

	"Where do I sit?" Steve asked.

	"Your desk is the one up front with the master phone. There are
about a dozen lines you'll have to monitor, so if you get real busy, come
get me! When the phone rings, just answer, 'Mackintosh Help Center'!"

	"Johnny, before you go, I want to thank you for the way you've
treated me and Wade since we got here. I know we've had family quarrels in
the past, but I hope they're all behind us."

	"Steve, we're kin. We have the same blood flowing through our
veins. Jeff, the twins, and I are your family now. All is forgiven and
forgotten and we love you...you AND Wade."

	"We love you too, Johnny!" Wade chimed in.

	"Okay, our work day has officially started. Let's help our friends
and neighbors!" Johnny said as he went into his office.

	When Johnny had closed the door to his office, Wade looked at Steve
and said, "Wow! Do you feel as important as I do?"

	"I never thought Johnny would find us work like this. It's great!"

	Back in Hawthorne, Wade was one of the few guys who owned his own
computer and had become quite a whiz at it. He began by clicking on
odd-looking keys to see what would appear on the monitor. The first screen
showed, "Active AIDS Patient Roster" and suddenly thousands of names
started scrolling. "My Lord, Steve, you oughta see this!"

	"What is it?"

	"Millions of names...all living in Mackintosh and everyone of them
has or has had AIDS!"

	"It can't be millions. The town is not that big," Steve told him.

	"Well, it looks like millions."

	The phone rang, giving Steve his first call, "Good morning,
Mackintosh Help Line!" Steve announced.

	"Could you tell me if Father Jeff is there?" the voice asked.

	"No, sir, Father Jeff is out of town for a few days. Could I help
you?"

	"I don't know. Who are you?"

	Steve thought it best not to give out his name, so he replied, "My
name is...is Hal." That was the first name that came to his mind.

	"Hal...I need someone to talk to."

	"All right, I have a few minutes. What would you like to talk
about? I told you mine...so can you tell me your name?"

	"I...I'm, uh, William."

	"Nice to meet you, William. Do you live in Mackintosh?"

	"No, but I'm thinking about moving there. I had a friend who used
to live there and he told me that if I ever decided to come there, call
this number and ask for Father Jeff."

	"I'm sorry he isn't here to talk with you, but I am awfully glad
you decided to call anyway."

	"Hal? This place? Mackintosh? Do they still house AIDS patients
there?"

	"Yes, of course, William."

	"Do you know if there are any vacancies?"

	"From what Father Jeff told me, there are always vacancies in
Mackintosh."

	"And you DO have to have AIDS to live there?"

	"Not necessarily. Why, I know of two people who moved here just a
few days ago and neither of them has AIDS!", Steve was referring to Wade
and himself, of course.

	"How do you go about becoming a resident there?"

	"We have a center right in the middle of Mackintosh where one can
come in and be interviewed, fill out a few papers, and go looking for a
place to live...all in the same day."

	"God, it sounds so simple!"

	"It is, William, believe me."

	"Hal, I'll be frank with you. I need to come to Mackintosh!"

	"You're sick?"

	"I'm gravely ill."

	"Is there a doctor you're seeing now?"

	"Not any longer. He just sorta 'gave up' on me...and...I guess I
did the same thing...I just 'gave up' on myself."

	"Then, William, you've GOT to come to Mackintosh. Father Jeff told
me about all kinds of miracles that have happened here...when everything
else seemed hopeless!"

	"Hal, have you ever heard the expression, 'look before you leap'?"

	"All my life."

	"Well, I'm afraid I leaped before I called you?"

	"What do you mean, William?" Steve felt a pang of fear in his
abdomen. He wished he weren't talking to William and he was afraid of what
William would say next.

	"I...I..." William began to cry. Steve turned around to Wade and
mouthed, "Get Johnny, QUICK!" Wade ran to get Johnny.

	"Just take it slow and easy, William, and tell me what you meant."
Steve said.

	"I'm afraid I took a whole bottle of Xanax before I called you."

	"How many were in the bottle, William?"

	"I don't know...forty...fifty...maybe more."

	"How do you feel right now?"

	"Kinda dopey. Like I want to go to bed."

	In a flash, Johnny was at Steve's desk. He whispered, "What is it,
Steve?"

	Steve placed his hand over the phone's mouthpiece. "This kid on the
phone...he has AIDS and he's just taken a whole bottle of Xanax."

	"Steve, don't let him fall asleep. Keep talking to him while I have
the telephone call traced."

	"Uh, William, the last thing you want to do is go to sleep! I've
got all kinds of things to show you once you get to Mackintosh!"

	"If I had called sooner...maybe I would've got to see them."

	"You still can. Listen, I want you to stay awake...and...and SING
to me!"

	Johnny was on another line talking to the New Hampshire Highway
Patrol. They were having the phone traced. In a matter of seconds they had
located William's phone number and address. It was in Coburn, New
Hampshire, fifty miles west of Mackintosh. The NHHP dispatched a car to
William's address immediately.

	"SING to you?" William said. "WHY, FOR GOD'S SAKE?"

	Johnny returned to Steve's desk and asked him to turn the phone
call over to him. Steve handed the phone to Johnny.

	"His name is William..." Steve whispered.

	"Hey, William?" Johnny spoke to him.

	"What? Who are you?" William asked Johnny.

	"My name is Wesley." Johnny replied.

	"I don't want to talk to you! I wanna talk to Hal."

	"Er, Hal's on another line at the moment, he asked if I would talk
with you."

	"I DON'T WANNA FUCKIN' TALK TO YOU! I HAVE TO SING FOR HAL! PUT HAL
BACK ON THE FUCKIN' PHONE OR I'M GONNA HANG UP!"

	Feeling almost helpless, Johnny had deterred thousands of suicides
in his lifetime and thought it best to turn the conversation back over to
Steve, whom William trusted.

	"Here!" Johnny said, giving the phone back to Steve.

	"What?" Steve said, "Johnny, I can't..."

	"DO IT, COUSIN!" Johnny ordered.

	Steve returned to the phone. "William, are you still there?"

	"Yep...all tuned up and ready to sing with you."

	"All right, William, listen! I used to live in North Carolina and
I'm a bit homesick...so do you know, 'On Top Of Old Smoky'?"

	"Sure...you start and I'll join you!"

	Steve was all but tone deaf but if it meant saving William's life,
he wearily began to croon, "On top of old Smoky...all covered in snow..."

	William joined Steve on the next line, "I lost my true lover...for
courtin' too slow."

	Steve wasn't sure of the words to the next three verses but he
managed to make them up as he went. William wasn't listening, he was just
singing incoherently, anything that came to his mind."

	As they were about to go into the fourth refrain, Steve heard
another voice on William's phone. "Is this Mackintosh Crisis Center?", the
voice asked.

	"Yes!" Steve replied.

	"This is Officer Franklin, we have your 'jumper'. His breathing is
labored but I think we found him in time. Thank you for your good work!"

	"Thanks, Officer. If you see William when he's alert, tell him I
want to see him in Mackintosh, ASAP."

	"I'll do that, sir, and again, thanks!"

	Tears of relief streaked down Steve's face. Wade had watched the
entire episode from his desk and had already broken into tears. Johnny had
his arm around Steve's shoulder as Steve stood up and all but collapsed in
Johnny's arms. Johnny didn't let Steve fall. He held him close to his chest
and hugged him for all his worth.

	"You done good, Cuz!" Johnny said, "You just earned your first star
in your crown."

	"Thanks, Johnny! This is the first time in my life I've ever helped
anyone besides myself."

	"How does it feel?"

	"I can't find any words...I'm just so glad I have you, Wade, and
Jeff and for once I guess I feel my life IS worthwhile, after all."

	"You're gonna get lots more chances just like that one. Get used to
it! There's a whole lot of people who need you."

	By now, all three, Johnny, Steve, and Wade, were crying. This was a
moment that would change Steve's life forever.


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


	All the attendees at Ryan's funeral had left Cliff and Roger's
house finally. Troy was helping Jay clean up the dining room and
refrigerating the leftovers. Jeff was watching videos with Petey and Danny
in the 'theatre room' where DVD's could be shown on a theatre-size screen
with 5.1 stereo surround sound. The two kids wanted to watch "Finding Nemo"
but Jeff had talked them out of it and chosen Disney's "Aladdin" instead.

	In spite of Jeff's mischievous youth and all the wild shenanigans
he played on Alex when they were teenagers. Jeff had sounded like a harsh
conservative a few Sunday's ago when he preached his sermon on
"Nemo". Granted, the c.g.i. animated film was a landmark achievement
production-wise and had garnered over one billion dollars at the worldwide
box offices; Jeff had all but been horrified when he viewed it for his one
and only time. It seemed that every two or three minutes of the plot, one
or more of the characters was being terrorized by some dangerous
encounter. Even Jeff had looked away from the screen several times. Were
the Hollywood critics and adult audiences so enthralled by the
cartoonization that they were unaware of how frightening the sequences were
to children?

	Some members of Jeff's congregation were amused by his sermon,
others were outraged and thought Jeff was ignorant of what kids today
enjoyed. Just as he had used Bambi's mother's death to illustrate the loss
of a parent, there always seemed to be one segment of a Disney film to
either scare or bring a child on the verge of tears. Jeff had only seen Old
Yeller's death once. That was enough...and having seen "Finding Nemo" once,
later that night he had nightmares of sharks, whales, scary little girls
with plastic bags, and so on. Robin Williams playing the genie was safe as
far as Jeff's parental oversight was concerned.

	Cliff, Roger, Walt, and Dave were sitting out in the screened-in
veranda, enjoying a snifter of brandy, reminiscing about Ryan's funeral
earlier in the day.

	"It was a lovely service, Cliff," Walt said.

	"Thanks, Walt, I tried to follow Ryan's wishes to a 'T'," Cliff
replied. "We'll all miss him."

	"Somehow, God's ways don't always seem fair," Dave added.

	"I know, Dave," Roger spoke up. "Often when I see a young person
expire at Cole, I wonder if they achieved the goal God had in mind for him
when he was born. A baby, for example, who never got a chance to enjoy much
of life, suddenly 'taken' so soon. Sometimes I say the purpose of the
child's death was to strengthen its mother or father in accomplishing some
task yet to come. BUT, when the child has no father...he's either dead or
completely out of the picture and the child's mother is on another floor at
Cole dying from AIDS...I can't see any reasoning in the Almighty's plan."

	"Maybe you're right, Rog...maybe not...but their lives and their
deaths affected you and other members of your staff. Maybe their purpose
was to help all of us to strive harder to find cures or treatments so that
hundreds of other kids and young mothers could benefit from them," Cliff
said, wisely.

	"Even so," Roger continued, "I look at Kyle, Petey, and Danny,
knowing how happy they were and how much they loved Ryan. If Ryan's death
served a purpose, I fail to see it."

	"You will in time, Walt," Cliff said, "we all will...and speaking
of Kyle, he left early with that young man who's staying at your house.  I
didn't get a chance to meet him. Am I correct in assuming that he went home
with Kyle?"

	"I thought Jeff introduced him to you, Cliff. His name is Hal
Carson. He's a fine young man... with a somewhat bucolic
personality...handsome, rugged, with a heavy southern Carolinian
accent. Jeff recently had two of Hal's friends move in with him in
Mackintosh. As a matter of fact, one of those boys is Johnny's cousin...the
other. the cousin's new boyfriend."

	"Good Lord, Walt, Jeff DOES get around. Bless him!"

	"And Cliff, in case you're wondering about Hal's going home with
Kyle, let me assure you that he's strictly heterosexual. His younger
brother was gay and unfortunately was raped and murdered a couple of weeks
ago while attending a private school in Chattanooga."

	"Gay bashing?" Roger asked, quite concerned.

	"No one knows for sure. The mere fact that the kid was raped first
usually shows signs of abnormal psychosis. The police haven't caught the
murderer yet, but I suspect the perpetrator was either gay or had latent
homosexual tendencies. Gay bashers always seem to kill their victims or
mutilate the sex organs. They don't take time to rape their prey to orgasm
before killing them. Call it guilt or whatever, they don't want to let
their victims know that they are enjoying having sex with them."

	"So Kyle and Hal only met this afternoon and Kyle asked him to move
in? What's that all about?" Roger asked, changing the subject.

	"Well," Walt said, "I suppose I'm partly to blame...along with
Jeff."

	"You devil!" Cliff mused, "What deviousness are you two up to?"

	"Kyle mentioned to me that he wished he could find someone to help
him pack a lot of Ryan's personal things...you know to get them out of
Petey and Danny's sight as constant reminders. I knew that Hal was not
heavy in dough, so I thought he might pick up a few extra bucks by helping
Kyle."

	"So what's so devious about that?" Cliff asked.

	"Well...now Cliff, don't get your dander up and deliver a wrathful
sermon because of me next Sunday. I talked it over first with Dave and Jeff
and wondered if it might be in God's plan for Hal to accompany Kyle and the
kids on their tour. I know how much the kids looked forward to it and you
know as well as I that Kyle wouldn't go away without another adult to help
look after the kids...and, well,...Jeff arranged for Kyle and Hal to
meet. I think he even prayed about it...to see if God would let them get to
like one another well-enough to take a trip together."

	"Walt! When in hell did you ever play 'Dolly Levi' before? I'm
shocked...amazed...and...rather pleased." Roger said, smiling.

	"Well, my loves, I'd better tell Jeff to get the kids back home to
Kyle," Walt said, "Hopefully, Hal and Kyle have become friends by
now. That's enough accomplishment for one day."

	"Well, at least Hal's straight," Roger said, "Kyle can rest knowing
that he won't have to be tempted so soon after becoming a widower...not
that he would, of course,... it's just that..."

	"We all know what you mean, Roger," Dave said. "Even though I had
no part in Walt and Jeff's tomfoolery, I hope it does work out between them
so that they can take the kids to Europe and beyond..."


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


	Hal was thunderstruck when he saw his room at Kyle's house. It was
equally as large, roomy, and luxurious as the one he had slept in at Jeff's
dad's house. 'Jesus!' Hal thought, 'Is EVERYONE in Briarwood rich?' Then he
walked into his bathroom and once again, he noticed a bidet. 'Christ! Don't
any of them know how to wipe their asses on regular toilet paper? The only
times I ever bathed my butt was when I took a bath twice a week', he
thought to himself.

	"Hal, I hope you like your room," Kyle said. "Also, when you're
sleeping, you might want to lock your door."

	"Oh? This rich part of town has burglaries?"

	"Oh, no, but you might be invaded by two little monsters who might
decide you need something other than a teddy bear to sleep with...like a
toad, a garden snake, or a cage full of crickets."

	"Heck, Kyle, that won't bother me none. Down in Hawthorne everyone
had frogs, lizards, garden snakes, and all kinds of creepy-crawly bugs in
their houses all the time."

	"Well, don't say that you weren't warned," Kyle laughed. "Petey and
Danny are wonderful kids, but they have their Daddy Ryan's disposition when
it comes to playing pranks. One day I was in the kitchen and took out a
large pot to fill with water. I got called away to the phone and when I
returned, I picked the pot up to put it on the stove and the damned pot
jiggled in my hands. I sat it down quickly and took off the lid and a small
wild Canadian goose flew up at me and kept circling the kitchen while Ryan
and the boys stood in the doorway laughing their heads off!"

	Hal laughed at Kyle's story; then his face became more somber. "You
guys must've been pretty doggoned happy together."

	"Mornings, noons, nights, days, weeks, months, years...forever."

	"Please, don't take this the wrong way...but I envy you."

	"You're life wasn't so great, huh?" Kyle asked, seriously.

	"Oh, it was fun most of the time...but nothing like you. I mean, I
never had anyone I could.....I mean, Momma and Poppa were both gone and
there was just me and Noah. I was sixteen and Noah was twelve when we were
left all alone. Many folks wanted to take Noah home with them and raise
him, but there was this judge who knew my folks...he lived just down the
road from us...and he said I could keep Noah and he'd look in on us to make
sure we had food and stuff."

	"You had no uncles or aunts?"

	"Nah, just some cousins. I had a bunch of buddies who spent most of
their spare time at my house. They'd bring food and stuff from their own
homes for Noah and me. Steve, my best friend, is livin' with Jeff up in
Mackintosh now...along with another friend, Wade."

	"How did Jeff know Steve?"

	"Steve is Johnny's first cousin. They're family."

	"I also had a couple of buddies, Randy and Tyler. We was all
close. They'd baby-sit with Noah while I went cavortin' on the weekends
with every available girl in Hawthorne."

	"Did you ever get serious with one of them?"

	"Yeah, Carolyn. She and I were gonna get married the same week Noah
was killed."

	"Oh?"

	"Yeah, she was pregnant and we got into a big argument about her
wanting an abortion and we broke up. She left me without telling me where
she was goin'. That's when I drove to Chattanooga to see Noah, I had no
idea it'd be the last time I'd ever see him."

	"Jesus, Hal, it sounds as if you've been through hell. You must be
awful lonely."

	"I'm kinda numb with the feeling. Since I didn't see Noah's body or
get to go to his funeral, in my mind, I guess, he's not really dead. He's
just off at school and I'll see him at Christmas when he comes
home...only...only he won't come home...and I won't be there either."

	"I suppose I'm lucky to have Petey and Danny. As long as they're
around, I feel that Ryan is too."

	"They're lucky to have you."

	"Hal, it's plain to see that you're suffering with grief as much as
I. I only met you this afternoon, but do you think we might be able to
offer one another some kind of support system."

	"I don't have much money, but you're welcome to have what I can
give you."

	"I don't mean money, Hal. God knows, you'd probably keel over if
you knew how much money Ryan and I have--I mean had.  Well, you know what I
mean....."

	"Then, I guess I misunderstood you when you said, 'support
system'. I don't need your money either. You offered me a good payin' job
and, heck, I'd've helped you for nothin'...even if you don't want to pay
me."

	"Oh, I'm going to pay you what I promised, Hal. Our work agreement
and our contract stands as I proposed, I was talking about an emotional
support system."

	"OH?"

	"Now, please don't take ME the wrong way. You know that I'm gay and
I know you're not and I think we respect each other's lifestyles. I've
worked many hours at the Cole Institute and counseled many grieving
parents, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, best friends, yes, and
lovers...and the thing they need most is someone to talk to. Someone to
open up to and bare their grief and sorrow. I think that's what you and I
both need. Someone to just...'be there' for. If either of us wants to talk
or if we feel like crying, then neither of us will have to do it alone."

	"I think that would be nice, Kyle."

	"When the kids are at school, this house can seem awfully big and
lonely. Ryan and I were together 24/7...hardly ever out of the other's
sight. We were constant companions for over ten years...and very frankly,
it's going to be difficult learning to live without him."

	"There wouldn't be any kind of sex involved if I stayed around for
a while?"

	"None whatsoever. We have four cars in the garage and I want you to
feel free to drive any or all of them...and if you should find some young
lady in Briarwood and want to take her on a date...you'd be free to do
so. I'll also add that if you want to bring one of them here to your room
for sex or whatever, do it, but just be discreet around the
children. They've never seen a naked woman in this house ever."

	"Oh, I'd never do that. I never let Noah see me come home with a
girl. When I had sex, it was usually in the back seat of my car or in some
cheap motel room...but hardly ever...the price of the room wasn't worth the
price of pussy. Oops! I guess I'll have to start using better language,
huh?"

	"You'll get used to it. Ryan and I could never use foul words
without Danny preaching us a sermon. Believe me, he'll keep your vocabulary
clean."

	Hal dropped his head, grinning. Then he looked at Kyle, more
seriously.

	"Kyle...can I ask why you're offering all of this to me? I mean,
I'm sure there are lots of gay guys in Briarwood that would jump at this
chance. Hell, I must've seen hundreds of them at the funeral this
afternoon."

	"Hal, for the present, I don't want a gay guy living with me. I
don't want to have to watch over my shoulder when I'm about to shower or if
I should walk around the house in my underwear wondering if he's having
private thoughts about me. Ryan, myself, and our two kids often go around
the house stark naked. Living with a straight guy would allow me to have
that same freedom."

	"Yeah, but what if the shoe's on the other foot? I like to walk
around in my shorts or sometimes without 'em. You're gay. Are you gonna be
givin' me the fish eye?"

	"Ryan was the last person I ever seduced...and will probably be THE
last one, period. All my life I've been gay and I've lived long enough to
know it's useless to try to make eyes at someone who doesn't play for the
same team as I!"

	"Okay, as long as that's understood. I'll just try not to look at
you if you won't look at me if we're naked."

	"That's a deal!" Kyle said, "Now if you'd like to unpack your
clothes and scout around in your bathroom to see if there's anything you
need...or if you'd like to explore the house or outside near the
pool...make this your home."

	"Thanks, Kyle."

	"No, thank you, Hal."

	"Uh...listen..."

	"Yes?"

	"About that support system...?"

	"Yes?"

	"Would it be breaking a rule if from time to time we needed a hug?
I mean I made such a big deal about this straight/gay business...but, hell,
I used to hug my best friend when either of us felt like we needed one."

	"You feel like you need a hug, Hal?"

	"Kinda..."

	"Me, too."

	Slowly and timidly, they walked toward one another. Neither knew
who was to make the first move. Twice, they both raised their arms to
embrace, but both times they lowered their arms in the same movement.

	Finally, Hal took the initiative and said, "Ah, hell!" and he
grabbed Kyle, putting both arms around his back and drawing their bodies
tightly together. Each turned his head from the other's to avoid any
temptation of a kiss. They embraced for a long time, releasing whatever
emotion of grief and loneliness either had locked inside. Tears were
forming in their eyes. Neither of them wanted to break the mood or end the
moment. Just a plain, good old-fashioned hug was what they both
needed. They were unaware of how long they had been standing there until
the door to Hal's room suddenly burst open and Jeff yelled, "Hey! We're
home!"

	Call it d'éja vu, but Jeff had the same embarrassed feeling he
experienced when he was nine years old and walked into Walter and his
mother's bedroom to view their naked bodies having intercourse.

	"Oh, my God!" Jeff said. Fortunately he was alone; he had left the
kids downstairs in the kitchen. "I..I'm so sorry...I..." Speechless, Jeff
left and closed the door behind him.

	Hal was pale as an Easter lily, "Good Lord, what will he think...?"

	"Nothing..." Kyle said with assurance. Jeff is not only my adopted
brother and closest friend, but remember, he's a priest!"

	"Oh, shit, I forgot!" Hal said.



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


(To be continued in "Briarwood"---BOOK EIGHT--chapter--eighty-four.)