Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:29:05 -0400 (EDT)
From: ErastesTouch@aol.com
Subject: A Throw Away Kid, chapter 14

Throw Away Kid - by Erastes
Copyright 2012 by Erastes
Chapter 14 – Just Being a Boy.

I had to try to think of things to do with Bryce on Saturday, because I
didn't want him to be bored his first weekend alone with me.  Well,
maybe I was doing this more for me than for him, because I hoped the
things we did would take his mind off of thinking about anything to do
with sex.  Around 10:00 a.m., I took Bryce to a place where we could
drive go carts, except these were more like small Formula I racing cars.
We got there early, so the place would be fairly empty and he could get
a chance to practice.  As it turned out, only a couple of people showed
up before noon, which gave us plenty of time on our own.

I gave Bryce a quick run down on how to operate one of the vehicles
and the guy on duty even let me take him around the track once with
me, to let him get the feel of it.  The man just happened to have an old
cart he used to get around in that had more room and no sides, so we
could both fit in it together.  By using this cart, I showed Bryce how the
pedals worked and I let him steer a bit while I operated them, and then
I let him do the last half lap on his own.  When we got back to the
starting area, I asked him if he thought he could do it alone and he said
he could, so I let him go first and I followed him around the track.  I did
this so I could block off anyone who might try to pass us and cause
Bryce to panic.

He did quite well for his first time and thankfully he wasn't too heavy
on the gas pedal.  As the day wore on, he got better and better, until I
felt that he could deal with the other people who might give him
problems.  Not that they'd harass him on purpose or anything like that,
but with more people on the track it would be tougher to move through
the traffic, but he handled himself admirably.  It was nearly 2:00 p.m.
when I finally talked him into leaving, because we hadn't eaten since
breakfast.  I also wanted to get his take on how he'd enjoyed this.

"Man, that was really awesome, Uncle Kyle.  I've never done anything
like that before," he gushed.  "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, little man.  I had fun too," I confessed.  "What do you
say we grab a bite to eat before we try something else?"

"That's a good idea, but I'm only a little hungry," he told me.

"Well, how about something like a small sub then?" I offered.

"As long as it's a small one," he agreed.

"Ok, that's what we'll do then," I confirmed.

We went to Subway and ordered our subs, with Bryce getting a half of a
ham sub, while I ordered a whole Italian sub.  They were great, we both
got full and we washed them down with some lemonade.  After we
finished, I turned to Bryce and asked him what he wanted to do next.

"Well, sport, we can either go roller-skating or bowling next, your
choice," I offered.

He looked pensive, as he made this difficult decision, and then he
announced that he wanted to go roller-skating.

"Good choice," I told him, "now let's hop back into the car and head
over there."

We went directly to the roller rink and rented skates, and then we went
out on the floor to see how we would do.  I hadn't roller-skated in ages,
so I was very rusty, but this was something else Bryce had never done.
When I saw him struggling to maintain his balance, all I could think of
was the first time I saw the Disney movie 'Bambi,' when Bambi was
learning to walk and when he was on the ice.  That's very similar to how
Bryce appeared, since he fell several times with his legs going places he
wasn't expecting.  I tried not to laugh, since he was doing his best to get
the hang of it, but I couldn't help it and burst out, hysterically.

"Uncle Kyle, it's not funny," he said, pouting.

"I'm sorry, sport, but it is," I corrected him.

Just as I said that, I took a similar tumble and Bryce burst out laughing
at me.

"I guess you're right, Uncle Kyle.  That is VERY funny," he
commented, as he started to giggle again.

I scrambled to my feet and made it look as if I was going to chase him,
so Bryce attempted to take off, but he looked more like a man on a
treadmill.  His legs were going like crazy, but hardly moved anywhere,
so I scooped him up in my arms and carried him around the rink.  He
was laughing uncontrollably now, like this was the neatest thing he'd
ever experienced, until I finally put him on the floor in front of me.  At
this point I began to push him along, sort of steering him as we went.  I
had placed my hands on his upper back, with my palms just above his
shoulder blades and my fingers curled over his shoulders, as I guided
him around the rink and supplied all of the momentum.  He was
laughing so hard that he was almost crying now and I felt that if I kept
going he might even wet his pants.  I slowed us both down, while guiding
him toward a bench, and we sat down to catch our breath.

"Why did we stop, Uncle Kyle?" he wanted to know.

"Well, I was afraid you might pee yourself, you were laughing so hard,"
I explained.

He looked at me as if I'd just insulted him.

"I'm not a baby.  I don't do that any more," he scoffed.

"I didn't mean it like that!" I informed him.  "It's just that sometimes
when a person laughs too hard, he just loses control of his bladder.  It
has nothing to do with age."

"I've never seen that happen," he stated, in disbelief.  He looked very
serious now.

"Well, I might have to give you a lesson about that later then." I teased.

"What do you mean?" he followed.

"Don't worry, you'll see," I replied, leaving him to wonder.

I don't think he quite got the total implication of this yet, but I knew I
would give him a first-hand experience later.  Oh, aren't I a devil?

We skated some more after that and Bryce did show improvement, but
he was far from being proficient at this point.  We did have a great time
though and I was thrilled to see Bryce enjoying himself and just being a
fun-loving kid.  When it was time to leave, he put up a mild protest, but
he knew there would be more opportunities and other things to do at
other times, so he finally stopped his balking.  As we walked back to the
car, I asked him what he wanted to do after dinner, and he said he
thought we should just rent a video, because he was getting a little tired.
I agreed and we stopped at the local video store and picked out a couple
of different movies.  It was his choice, of course, and then we went home
and rested for a while before we did anything else.

Bryce wanted to sit on my lap and just snuggle, as we watched
something on the Disney channel, and I didn't think that would be a
problem.  He sat on my lap, with his head on my chest, and I tipped the
recliner back, so we could chill out.  A short time later, I asked him a
question about the show we were watching and he didn't answer, so I
moved slightly, so I could see his face, and he was out like a light.  He
looked so cute like that, even though he was drooling on my shirt, and I
just wrapped my arms around him and let him sleep.

When he finally awoke, he apologized for getting my shirt wet and was
embarrassed by how it happened.  I told him not to worry about it and
explained that many people do the same thing when they're sleeping
and it's not something you can control.  He seemed to accept that,
although he still seemed mortified that he had done it, but he did stop
saying he was sorry.

Before we watched one of the videos, Bryce suggested we go for another
swim first to wake him up, and of course he wanted to do it naked
again.  After the last episode in the pool, I wasn't sure I should agree to
it and told him maybe it would be best if we wore our trunks this time.

"Aw, Uncle Kyle.  I won't touch your dick any more, if that's what
you're thinking," he whined.  "I promise.  Really, I do.  Please?"

I looked at him and he seemed to be sincere, but I could also tell it was
important for him to know that I still trusted him.

"Ok, you little con-man.  Let's go for a swim," I agreed.

This time, Bryce wasn't in a hurry for us to get to the pool, so we took a
leisurely stroll on our way there.  Bryce had his arm wrapped around
my waist and stayed as tight to me as he could get, which told me this
was more than just a late night swim for him.

"Thanks, Uncle Kyle.  I think this has been the best day of my whoooole
life," he said, dramatically.

He'd emphasized the word 'whole,' although I knew that when he
talked about his entire life it wasn't, in reality, a very long time.  For
Bryce, however, it was an eternity.  I was just grateful that he'd had so
much fun.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, sport, but it won't be the last of
the good times," I suggested.  "I promise."

"I know, Uncle Kyle, and that's why I love you," he replied.  "No matter
what you think, I really DO love you."

"I know, pipsqueak, because I think I love you too," I confessed.

Bryce stopped in his tracks and looked up at me.

"You do?  You really do?" he asked, in disbelief.

"Yes, Bryce, I don't think I can deny it any longer," I admitted.  "I
really do love you."

His grin spread from ear-to-ear, as he thought about the implications of
what I'd just said.

"Does that mean we can do things now?" he immediately followed.

He looked eager, as well as hopeful, which made me realize I had
unintentionally opened a can of worms again.

"Not if you mean sexual things," I offered, correcting his misconception.

His expression seemed to droop, as I robbed him of that illusion.

"Why not?" he demanded.

His eyes were pleading with me to change my mind.

"Because I love you like an uncle or a father, not a lover," I explained.

"Why not?  I love you as a nephew and a son," he agreed, "but I want to
be your lover too."

"I know you do, and I think I feel the same way at times," I confessed,
"but I still think that you'd just be using sex as a way to thank me.  It
should be more than just that."

"Sure, I do want to give you something special too, for all you've given
and done for me," he concurred, "but I also want to do it because I
really do love you.  No matter what you think, I love you more and more
every day and that's why I want to do things with you."

"Well, I appreciate that, but I still think we should wait," I responded.

"Do we have to?" he whined.

"Yes, we do," I confirmed.  "Can you accept that?"

"If I have to," he agreed, but it was obvious that he was dejected again.

We undressed in total silence and then got in the pool, but it wasn't the
same as before.  We didn't jump in the pool or begin splashing around.
There wasn't any horseplay this time and we merely swam laps.  He
didn't even want to race.  I could tell that Bryce was sulking over my
rejection of his offer, but I knew I had to let him do this and not give in.
The problem was, it was getting harder to do with every passing day.

After we swam for a while, we dried off and carried our clothes inside.
We just put on shorts and a t-shirt for the rest of the night, and now
that we were dressed comfortably, we went to watch one of the videos.
Bryce sat with me again, but he was more than a little depressed, and
halfway through the movie, he got off my lap and went over to lie down
on the couch.  Now, I was positive it was because he was upset with my
not wanting to have sex with him.  I knew it was best not to say anything
to him, because it would only aggravate the situation further, so I let
him brood on his own.  When the movie ended, we went to bed.  He
went to his room and got into bed, without saying a word to me.  This
hurt me deeply, but if I gave in at this point then he'd be in charge – not
me.  Therefore, I ignored him giving me the cold shoulder and went to
bed.  About an hour later, I heard him knock on my bedroom door.

"Uncle Kyle, are you awake?" he asked, timidly.

"Yes, little man, I am," I answered.

"Can I come in and talk to you again?" he pleaded.

"Sure, come on in," I agreed.

He walked over to the bed and crawled on top of the covers, not under
them, and after I turned on my lamp, he was staring at my face.

"Are you sure you still love me?" he wanted to know.

"Of course.  I haven't changed my mind about that," I confessed.

"Then how come it didn't bother you when I didn't sit with you during
the video or when I went to sleep in my own bed?" he wondered.

I looked at his face and saw the forlorn expression etched upon it.

"Bryce, when you love someone, you have to give them room to make
their own decisions and be themselves," I explained.  "Love does not
mean smothering someone or always doing what they want."

"If you have to give them room to make their own decisions," he began,
paraphrasing me, "then why can't I make my own decision about
having sex with you?"

I guess he was trying to trap me with my own words again.

"It's because I want to be sure it's for the right reason," I offered.  "If
we do decide to do anything, I don't want it to happen just because you
want to show your gratitude."

"Then you think we might do it sometime?" he followed.

"I'm not saying we won't ever do anything, just not yet," I suggested.

He seemed to perk up a little, after hearing this pronouncement.

"Really.  We still might have sex?" he repeated.

"Bryce, why is having sex so important to you?" I wanted to know
"Can't you love me without demanding that we have sex?"

"Yes, I can, but it would be even better if we did that," he reasoned.

He was studying my face now, trying to read my reaction, and I knew
there was something more he wanted to say.  Eventually he did.

"Even though I didn't like doing it with most of those other guys, I
admit that it still made me feel good," he confessed.  "I know it would
feel even better with you and that's cuz we both love each other."

"Well, maybe it would, but just let it happen on its own, if it does," I
urged.  "Don't try to force it."

"I'll try, but I don't know if I can do that," he replied.

"Well, as long as you try," I offered.

"Can I still sleep with you?" he pleaded, flashing his eyelashes at me.

"Yes, you can, and yes, you may," I agreed.

"Huh?" he responded.

"The question should have been, 'May I?'  May I is asking permission.
Can I means are you physically able to do it," I explained, giving him a
quick grammar lesson.  "We both know you are physically able to sleep
in the same bed with me, but to ask permission, you should have asked
'May I'."

"Ok.  I'll do that next time," he relented.

After that was settled, he pulled back the bedding and crawled in.  He
then scooted over until his body was pressed tightly against mine again.
Soon, I felt his arm sliding across my belly, as he took up his favorite
sleeping position.  I kissed the top of his head, bid him goodnight and
then we both drifted off to sleep.

Before I dozed off, I watched my little friend and considered how much
he wanted to be loved, but didn't seem to be able to separate love and
sex.  Maybe that's because it was the only way he had ever felt loved in
the past, but now I had to show him that love was more than just sex.  It
was two people caring about each other, willing to put the other person
first and wanting to be with them whenever possible.  I knew he'd learn
to enjoy that as much as the sex, even though he was testing my
willpower and pushing me to the limit.  He's just so damn sweet and
loveable though, so I nearly gave in to his demands on each of those
previous occasions.  I had to force myself to remember that I was the
adult and that I had to stand my ground.

Sunday morning, I suggested that we go to church, even though I hadn't
been to one in years.  I have problems with organized religion and the
hypocrisy of the church.  Even more, I have trouble with the faux
Christians who pretended to be so holy, but they're willing to ignore the
scriptures when it's convenient for them.  Isn't it funny how so many
religious leaders have been caught in scandals recently, including
sexual, financial and other criminal activities, yet they are willing to
condemn others for doing similar things.  I asked Bryce what church he
belonged to, but he told me he didn't remember ever going to a church,
so I picked one I was most comfortable with and we went.  I felt that if
he were going to be my responsibility, helping him find a moral compass
would be a good thing and something I should do for him.  Maybe that
would help him protect himself and guide his choices in the future.

We sat through the service and participated in as many aspects of it as
we could, although many of the hymns were unfamiliar to even me.  It
seems the hymnal has changed since I last attended services, so I was
unable to join in.  Bryce looked confused too, although he remained
attentive, so after the service he peppered me with questions.  It was
obvious that not only hadn't he ever been in a church, but no one had
even discussed anything about religion with him.  I answered all of his
questions and made sure he felt comfortable asking me whatever he
wanted.  Not only that, but I also let him ask me as many questions as he
wished.  This question and answer session even continued after we got
home and I was impressed by his curiosity.  You could tell he absorbed
almost everything he had seen and heard, because he asked so many
detailed questions about it.  Once we were through, I told him to go
change his clothes before we ate and then I took him bowling afterward.

This was something else Bryce had never done before, so I rented him a
pair of bowling shoes, showed him how to select a ball to fit his hand
and then I taught him some of the basics of the game.  I explained, and
demonstrated, how to time his footwork to his arm swing, how to use
the lane arrows to improve his accuracy and how the ball and pins
interact with each other when they made contact.  His first few attempts
weren't very good, although he did manage to knock down a few pins,
but then it just seemed to all come together for him and he started to do
better.

By the time we finished three games, he'd even had a couple of strikes.
Once again, he was thrilled about learning and experiencing something
new, and he thanked me over and over again when we finished.  After
we had turned in our shoes, we went back home and this time Bryce
wanted to shoot some hoops in the driveway.  The basket had been there
the entire time, so I just thought Bryce wasn't interested in basketball.
Therefore, I was quite surprised when he suggested this.  We shot hoops
for an hour or so and played horse, twenty-one and even played a little
one-on-one.  Bryce was decent, but by no means a standout, but he did
put a great deal of effort into everything he did.  I felt that with a little
coaching, he might even become an above-average player, but not quite
a great one.

Once we were done, I suggested that we shower.  Bryce agreed and went
to his room, so I hopped in my shower and started washing up.  I didn't
hear the door open or see Bryce come in to join me.  I only discovered
him when I bumped into his body in my over-sized shower stall.  When
that happened, I didn't know what to do or say.

"It's ok if I shower with you, isn't it, Uncle Kyle?" he asked, sweetly.

"I suppose so, but you should have asked BEFORE you got in here," I
advised him.

"Why?  You still would have let me, wouldn't you?" he wondered.

"Probably, but then I would have had a choice in the matter," I stated.

"I'm sorry, I just thought it would be alright," he apologized.

"Ok, but let's not worry about it now and just get cleaned up," I urged.

We both lathered up and then Bryce looked up at me.

"Uncle Kyle, will you wash my back?" he wanted to know.

I didn't want to turn him down, but to be honest, I wasn't sure if I could
wash his back without getting an erection.  I decided to do it for him,
since he couldn't see if that happened with me behind him, but if it did,
then I'd turn away from him before he noticed.  I soaped up my hands,
and then I ran them over his smooth flesh and delicate curves, as I
cleaned his back as well as I could.  Just as I suspected, my desires soon
gave me away.  I was ready to tell him to rinse off and then I'd turn
away from him, when Bryce made another request.

"Can you do my butt too?" he followed.

"No, Bryce.  I think you can't reach that yourself," I told him.

"Please, Uncle Kyle.  I want you to do that for me," he pleaded.

As he said this, he backed up slightly and my stiff dick brushed against
his ass cheeks.

"What's that?" he asked, as he spun around.

He smiled when he saw my woody and I blushed from embarrassment.

"So you do like me like that," he stated, sort of tongue in cheek.

"Yes, I guess maybe I do," I confessed, "but that doesn't change
anything.  In fact, maybe it means we shouldn't shower together and I
shouldn't wash you any more."

"No, Uncle Kyle, don't do that!" he whined.

Bryce was nearly frantic, as he blurted that out.

"Well, that is what caused this to happen," I explained.

"But it isn't bad, is it?" he asked next.  "I knew you liked me like that,
but I just needed to get you to see it too."

"I knew it all along, Bryce," I admitted, "but that never figured into my
decisions."

"Why not?" he demanded.  "If you like me like that and I want to do it,
then why can't we?"

"For the same reasons I told you before," I offered.  "I'm just not
convinced you are capable of making that decision yet, especially not for
the right reasons."

"But..." he began, but I cut him off.

"But let's just drop it, ok?" I suggested.

We finally agreed to do that and then we went to watch the other video
we had rented.  Once again, Bryce came over and asked to sit on my lap,
and hesitantly I allowed him to do so.  I was trying to keep sex and
affection separate, although there were some very fine, and sometime
indistinguishable lines between the two.  I felt this would not be crossing
that boundary, unless Bryce tried something else.

He stayed with me throughout the entire movie and never did anything
overt, although he did place his butt squarely over my crotch.  He may
not have meant anything by doing it, and he might not even have
realized it, but he did squirm on it once in a while.  At the time, I wrote
it off to his basic hyperactivity and tried not to make a big deal out of
everything he did, but it did cause me to have another erection.  I wasn't
sure if I saw him grin when this happened, but I was convinced he must
have noticed it.

We were now getting near the end of the weekend and I'd have to go to
work tomorrow, so I thought I should discuss that situation with him.

"Do you realize I'll have to go back to work tomorrow," I informed
him.  "I'll also have to work all week?"

"Yeah, I know, but I sure had fun this weekend," he answered, as he
looked at my face and studied my expression.  "I'll be ok, if that's what
you're worried about."

"That's part of it, and I enjoyed this weekend too, but you'll be alone
for long periods of time," I explained.  "Do you also realize you won't be
able to go out during the day, because the other kids will be in school?"

"I know and I'll be fine alone," he assured me.  "I've done it before."

"I know you have, but I needed to make sure," I offered.

"When are you going to talk to that lawyer guy?" he asked next.

"I was planning to call him tomorrow," I answered.  "I feel I know
enough about you now to get the best advice from him, but I don't want
you to get your hopes up yet, just in case he can't find a way to help us."

"I know, but I really hope he can," he stated, blissfully.

"Me too," I concurred.  "Do you still have both of those phone numbers
I gave you Friday?"

"Yep, I keep them in a safe place," he confirmed.

"Great, and don't hesitate to call me if you need something," I urged.

"I won't," he agreed.

We talked a little longer and then we went to bed.  Bryce asked if he
could sleep with me again and I told him we needed to discuss it further.

"Bryce, it's not that I don't enjoy having you in with me," I began, "but
I don't think it is something we should continue to do."

"I'll behave and I won't suck your cock again," he promised.

He had that same pleading expression on his face when he said this.

"It's not just that, but it's just not an appropriate thing for us to do," I
reasoned.

"Uncle Kyle, I didn't argue about the sex, well not that much, but I
can't let you make me give this up too," he added, looking hopeful.  "I
want to be with you, even if there is no sex, so don't take this away from
me.  It's all I have left."

He looked so sad and so hurt now, so I had to think this over quickly.

"Ok, as long as you remember the no sex part," I relented.

His face lit up when he heard my reply, because he knew he had
managed another small victory.

"Ok, Uncle Kyle, as long as we can still be together," he agreed.

I stayed awake until after he fell asleep, but I was almost afraid to let
myself give into my tiredness.  For some reason, my mind still kept
going back to that hummer he'd given me before.  I knew he promised
not to do that again, but I still wasn't so sure he could keep this promise
any better than his last.  I finally had to admit to myself that I couldn't
stay awake forever, so I finally let myself drift off to sleep.  It was not a
restful sleep, because many of the things I was worried about plagued
my dreams.  I was hoping that I might discover a solution to my
problems during those dreams, but it didn't happen.  When my alarm
went off in the morning, I wasn't really in any shape to go in to the
office and do my job.

Although Bryce stirred a bit when the alarm went off, he didn't wake
up, so I went in and performed my morning ritual, before I dressed for
work.  After I grabbed a quick bite to eat, I left Bryce a short note and
then drove to the office.  My secretary greeted me, but said I looked
awful, so I thanked her for the compliment.  That caused her to ask if
something was wrong and I merely told her that I had a restless night,
because I was trying to determine how to best handle a situation with
my nephew.  She was very sympathetic and offered to take over
whatever tasks she could, as her way of helping to relieve me of some of
my burdens.  I thanked her again for her consideration and told her
that she was more than earning her new raise.  She smiled, before
informing me that it wasn't the reason why she was doing it, so I
assured her I already knew that and it's what made her offer so special.

I immediately placed a call to the lawyer, to see what he could do to help
me with the situation concerning Bryce, but he wasn't in.  I left him a
message and asked him to call me at the office, as soon as he possibly
could.  I told my secretary I was waiting for that call and she was to put
it through immediately, no matter what else I was doing, and she
nodded her understanding.  Within the hour, the lawyer called back.  I
took it in my office and closed the door for privacy.  After I explained a
little of Bryce's background to him, I told him I merely 'found' the boy
in a building I was planning to purchase and had no other ties to him.
The lawyer said he'd investigate Bryce's situation further and advised
me that he'd get back to me, just as soon as he learned anything
relevant, so I thanked him.  I was not exactly sure what he planned to
do, but he reassured me that he'd use his contacts to gather this
information discreetly.

After I hung up from talking to him, I called the house to tell Bryce that
I had spoken with the lawyer.  I must have awakened him, because he
still sounded drowsy, so I told him I'd call him back later, when he was
more coherent.  He mumbled something unintelligible and then hung
up, so I doubted he would even remember this conversation later.  I
took it to mean that he didn't rest all that well last night either or he
would have been more rested and up and moving about.

I couldn't go home to have lunch with Bryce at noon, because I had to
meet with my realtor to see what progress he had made since we last
talked.  I was told our first offer was rejected, as we'd both expected it
would be, and then the realtor asked the owner to make a counter-offer.
Seeing that was still high, my representative then made his own counter-
offer, and the owner wasn't as quick to reject this one.  Then, the owner
made one final offer, closer to our last one.  My agent told the owner he
wasn't authorized to accept it on his own, but he'd present it to me, as
soon as we could arrange to meet.  I told him to accept it and finalize the
deal, so now I had something else to tell Bryce the next time I spoke with
him.

I didn't get a chance to call him for a couple more hours, but when I
did, he seemed glad to hear from me.

"Hey, Uncle Kyle.  I thought you'd call sooner," he announced.

"I did, but it seems you don't remember that one," I informed him.

"You called before?" he asked, somewhat doubtfully.

"Yep, and I spoke with you," I confirmed.

"You did?  I don't remember that," he replied.

"I knew you wouldn't," I admitted.  "It was around 10:00 and I think
you were still sleeping, even though you answered the phone."

"Really, what did you tell me?" he wanted to know.

I proceeded to tell him about having spoken to the lawyer again, and
this time he questioned me about all of the details.  After that, I told him
about buying the factory and he wanted to know why I did that, so this
is what I told him.

"First of all, I need a new warehouse to store the things we buy and I
was checking it out the day I found you.  That place will work out fine,
but I also wanted to have it so I would remember the first time we met
and the place where it happened."

"But it's not all that great," he replied, sounding more nonchalant than
I had expected.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.  "I thought you'd be thrilled that I
bought it.  After all, it's where we first met."

"I know, but it's not very, well..." he was having trouble explaining this
too me.  "It's just... not very nice or romantic."

"Well, becoming my nephew or son doesn't have to be romantic," I
reasoned.

"I know, but I'm still hoping I can get you to change your mind about
that," he suggested.

"You mean you've changed your mind about wanting to stay with me?"
I teased, knowing this would draw a reaction from him.

"No, I didn't mean that!" he objected.  "I meant I'd rather be more to
you than just your nephew or son."

"I know you do, but that may not happen," I told him, honestly.

Again he sounded disappointed, so I thought I'd change the emphasis of
our discussion.

"Concerning the factory though," I continued, "I'm a sentimentalist, so
I wanted to own the first place we met, so I could always remember how
I found you and how you came into my life."

"Is it so you remember just how I dirty and alone I was and how little I
had?" he challenged.

"Not at all," I corrected.  "It's so I can remember where and how I
found this wonderful young man whom I fell in love with, even if it's not
exactly the kind of love you were hoping for."

"Well, I'm still not giving up on that yet," he countered.

"I know.  You sure can be stubborn," I observed.

He laughed at my comment, but he agreed with me assessment.  I think
it was just to let me know that he thought he'd eventually win out.  I
wouldn't really mind if that happened though, but it would have to be at
the right time and for the right reasons.

After I finished talking to Bryce, I went back to doing my job and
finished up the remaining details concerning the projects I had left
undone.   I completed these things about the same time most workers
were getting out of work for the day, which was unusual for me.  I often
kept going until well after dark, but I guess I was unconsciously
adapting to the recent changes in my life.  I now had someone else to
consider, someone who needed my attention, so I got ready to drive
home and take care of Bryce.  I called him before I left, to tell him to be
dressed so we could go out to dinner.  He tried to convince me that I
didn't have to take him out to eat again, but I told him I usually ate out,
even if I wasn't too tired to cook.  He finally gave in and permitted me
this small victory and I picked him up within the hour.

Tonight we went to a little diner I sometimes frequented.  They had
good food, but weren't very expensive, and it was a nice change of pace
and a good place to go when I wanted to remain somewhat anonymous.
Bryce seemed to feel a little more comfortable here, since the menu was
simpler and the prices in line with what he thought was reasonable, so
he didn't protest as much when I told him to order whatever looked
good to him.  It took him a couple of minutes to decide what he wanted,
because their were several choices he seemed interested in, but he finally
ended up getting a cheeseburger and fries, with side order of macaroni
and cheese.  Tonight, he ordered a glass of chocolate milk with his
dinner and I was glad to see him do that, without me having to badger
him.  Who knows how much Vitamin D and calcium he had been getting
in his diet prior to coming to live with me?

I ordered the special, which was meatloaf and mashed potatoes with
gravy, and it came with a side of broccoli and a small salad.  I also asked
the waitress to bring me coffee and then Bryce and I talked about our
day.  He wanted to know more about what the lawyer and I had
discussed, and then we talked more about my having bought the old
factory.  I think now he was beginning to feel honored that I had
decided to purchase it and realized that part of my decision was due to
my having met him there.  I think he saw that as a sign that I cared for
him a lot, maybe even loved him a lot, and he hoped this meant I would
soon give in to his other demands.

Once our meals had been delivered, Bryce kept looking over at my food
and I wasn't sure if something was wrong.  I asked him, but he merely
responded that he just wanted to see what I had, and that's when I
decided that possibly he had never tried meatloaf or some of my other
selections.  When I asked him about it, he hesitantly admitted that he
had not, so I offered to let him try some of mine.  At first he was
reluctant, but I held a forkful of meatloaf toward his mouth, and like a
little bird taking a worm from its parent, he opened his mouth and
closed his lips around it, taking it off my fork.

"Well, what do you think of it?' I asked.

"It's not bad, almost like a hamburger," he observed.

"Almost, but it does have a few different things in it," I informed him.

Next, I offered him a piece of broccoli, which he tried, but didn't seem
to care for.  After that, I offered him some of my salad, which I had
covered in ranch dressing.  He seemed to enjoy that, so I decoded to ask
him about it.

"I thought you said you didn't care for salad," I pointed out.

"But this isn't like the other salads I've had," he replied.

"Then I take it you've never tried ranch dressing before," I asked.

"What's that?" he wanted to know.

"It's the white stuff on the lettuce," I explained.

"I like that stuff," he agreed.

"I had guessed as much," I teased.

After that, we both finished our own meals and then headed home.  We
didn't do very much after that, just spent some time with each other
and took a quick swim, but before I locked up for the night, I noticed
Bryce had disappeared.  I didn't panic, because I knew he wouldn't
have gone far, so I checked his room, but he wasn't there either.  When
I went into my room, he was already in my bed, almost asleep.  I quickly
got ready for bed myself, and then slid in beside him.  This time I threw
my arm across his chest, as I kissed him on the cheek, and then I heard
him speak, in a sleepy voice,

"Goodnight, Uncle Kyle.  I love you."