Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 23:20:07 -0400
From: Lee Mariner <mariner23502@hotmail.com>
Subject: Christopher(Chris) #4

CHRISTOPHER(CHRIS)
By
Lee Mariner

August 2002

DISCLAIMER: This is a gay fictional fantasy and depicts homosexual activity
between young men and boys. All characters are fictional and in no way
related to any person or persons living or deceased. Any perceived
similarity is purely coincidental. IF YOU ARE NOT OF LEGAL AGE TO BE READING
THIS STORY OR YOU DO NOT APPROVE OF SUCH MATERIAL, PLEASE LEAVE.

PLEASE DO NOT ENGAGE IN UNPROTECTED SEX, IT CAN LEAD TO A LIFE THREATENING
CONSEQUENCE.

This work is copyrighted by the author and may not be copied or reproduced
in any form without the specific written authorization of the author. It is
assigned to The Nifty Archives under the provisions of their guidelines for
submission but it may not be copied or archived on any other site without
the authors written consent.

Copyright: August 2002 - Author: Lee Mariner - All Rights are Reserved.

Mariner23502@hotmail.com

				* * * * * * *

Chapter #4 - A new beginning

It always amazes me, that sitting completely relaxed on a commode how much
thinking I can do. Bathrooms and commodes are that little hidden place where
we can read, think or even enjoy ourselves if the urge arises and not be
interrupted.  Chris had left the shower door ajar and watching him shower
was almost erotic. His lean hard tanned muscles glistened under the shower
light. My cock hung flaccid as I watched enjoying the warm pressure that
built inside of me. Every now and then he would glance at me and grin
running his hands down over his body almost seductively.

My thoughts were not of wanting him physically but how he could become a
part of my life. How I could help him grow and reach his full potential. Not
as a sex toy but a grown productive man. He was a diamond in the rough and
needed polishing. Making him a part of my life was a little selfish I guess
but he would fill that empty niche that most of us have, that I had deep
inside. I was lost deep in thought when I heard, "You going to sit there all
evening or take a shower? I'm getting a little hungry."

"Oh Christ Chris, I'm sorry. I was thinking some things over." I said,
cleaning myself and stepping into the shower with him.

He didn't give me a chance but started right in washing me with the soap
loaded sponge. Relaxing under his ministrations, I closed my eyes. The
sponge and his hands were stimulating and when he washed around my cock and
balls he lingered long enough for me to start becoming aroused. His had slid
up and down slowly as my cock became harder and then bit my tit. The
electrifying shock snapped me out of my reverie and he leaned his body
against mine his lips nibbling my chest. His hard cock joined mine crushed
between us and he slid his arms around my waist squeezing tight. We both
leaned backwards against the shower wall, his eyes locked with mine.

A strong desire swept over me as I looked at him and he started to slid down
my body too his haunches. My steel hard cock ached for what I knew he wanted
but I gripped him under his arms lifting him up.

"Not now Chris, later." I said softly, his eyes looking at me questioningly.

"Why not? I want to do it." He breathed huskily.

"And I want you too but there will be other times. I have some things I want
to talk with you about."

"Can't it wait until after? How am I going too let you know how I feel about
you unless I do everything you do?"

"I know how you feel Chris, the same way I do but not now. Lets finish and
get something from the kitchen."

"And after we eat?" He said with an impish grin on his face.

"Good heavens what have I created?" I moaned as we stepped from the shower
and started drying off.

"You haven't created anything Charlie, just improved on what was already
there. If you want too create something, adopt me and then we can be
together all of the time."

His comment stunned me and I damn near slipped and fell from the shock,
dropping my towel and grabbing for it. Chris backed away slightly when he
saw the effect of what he had said.  His earlier comment about me being his
dad on weekends flashed through my head.

"What did you say Chris?" I managed to stammer, looking at him intensely.

His lower lip quivered slightly but he wasn't cringing, just standing
looking at me with wide brown eyes. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he
searched for the right thing to say.

"I don't know Charlie," he said softly. "Maybe I shouldn't have said that. I
said why don't you adopt me. Nothing wrong with that is there? I like you,
you like me I guess. What's wrong with you adopting me?"

"Nothing Chris and I do like you, very much. Lets go on in the kitchen. You
don't have a robe so just put on some shorts and a T-shirt."

				* * * * * * *

Chris put on what looked like cut off pajama bottoms and a T-shirt while I
put on my robe. His hair was still damp and all mussed up but he looked so
damned innocent and cute. He was a 5'7" almost a man boy. He was right about
one thing though, what was wrong with me adopting him. The surprising thing
too me was that he seemed to be thinking along the same lines as I was.

He followed me into the kitchen and sat down at the table while I got out
the fixings for sandwiches and a bottle of milk. I could feel him watching
me as I put the stuff on the counter. Another one of those silly thoughts,
"My first meal in the cottage and it was sandwiches."

"Do you like wheat, rye or white bread Chris? We have ham, bologna or salami
with Swiss cheese."

"Wheat is fine with L/T, Mayo,ham and cheese. I like bologna fried but not
on a sandwich."

"I'll have to remember that, I like it fried myself. Milk?"

"Yes sir, I like milk but not that watery stuff."

"This is 2%, I think you'll like it."

Fixing the sandwiches and placing them on the table, he dove in. He was
hungry and so was I.  We ate quietly for a few minutes, his eyes glancing up
at me every now and then as he ate. I was beginning to think I should have
made him two sandwiches and I was right. He asked me if he could fix another
before I was half finished.

"Chris, haven't you eaten today?"

"I had a bowl of cereal early this morning, that's all. Mom hasn't done any
shopping and she didn't give me any money."

"What happened to the $20 I gave you earlier?"

"She took it." He said softly. "She said something about needing some things
at Rite-Aid."

Chris didn't look at me when he was talking and kept on fixing his sandwich
and I was fuming inside. Damned bitch took the money for what she wanted and
didn't think about feeding her kid.

"I wish you had said something earlier Chris, I really do. I'm sorry for not
asking sooner."

"I didn't want too bother you Charlie, at least not then. I didn't really
know how you felt about me."

"Pretty much like I do no but if you keep building that sandwich you're
going to need a crane to lift it." I said chuckling a little.

"Yeah, it is kinda big isn't it? I was hungrier then I thought." He said
grinning a little sheepishly.
I watched in amazement as he devoured almost half of his Dagwood sandwich in
three bites. I had forgotten how much food a teenager could eat but he was
showing me. Usually their heads go down and don't come up even for air until
they were almost finished.

Reaching across the table I took his forearm in my hand, "slow down Chris,
there is more. Why do you want me to adopt you?"  I asked squeezing his
forearm gently.

"That's easy, I like you, no, that's wrong. I love you and the only way we
can be with each other all of the time is if we live together. If I was 18
and out of school I could live with you if you wanted me too but since I'm
only almost 17 that's another year away."

"And if I can adopt you now, we could live together and not wait a year.
What would your mother say about it?"

"Not much Charlie. I don't see her that much now. She is always gone or
bringing someone home. What time I do see her she is always fussing about
not having enough money and taking care of a brat didn't help. She don't
take care of me, I take care of myself mostly after I got big enough."

"What about clothes, food, medical care, seeing a doctor. Who pays for that
if she doesn't? Didn't you tell me she said for you not to be a pest and
stay out of trouble?"

Chris sat with his head down, his half finished sandwich in his hands, milk
untouched. His shoulders sagged a little.
I didn't realize it for a moment but maybe I was pushing him a little hard.
If I was going to be able to do what I had in mind before he even said it,
he had to tell me everything. He sat there not looking up and then I
realized he was crying softly when I saw the tears fall from his cheeks.

Getting up and walking around the table I pulled another chair close to his
and took him in my arms. He dropped his sandwich and buried his face in the
folds of my robe. His body shuddered and shook at the force of his crying
and I tried comforting him as much as I could stroking his hair and back.

"Easy Chris, get it all out." I whispered as he clutched at me. I felt anger
and sympathy swelling up inside of me. Angry at the hurt he was feeling and
sympathetic for the treatment he had suffered. I had never suffered during
my upbringing but there was no reason a child should not be cared for by his
mother and that made me angry.

Chris's crying slowly subsided and his breathing returned too normal. He was
leaning against me his head on my chest and I smoothed his messed up hair
breathing slowly with him, the anger still inside but controlled.

"Chris, I'm sorry for asking you about these things but I need to know them
so I can tell my lawyer. I don't know what Lloyd will do but I am sure the
more he knows the easier it will be for the adoption if that's what you
really want."  I said softly holding him close.

He lay quietly for a few minutes before looking up at me.

"You might not want me afterwards Charlie."

"Unless you have killed someone, I can't think of any reason I wouldn't.
Lets sit on the couch if you're finished eating, it's more comfortable."

He wasn't finished and finished his milk and sandwich before joining me and
snuggling close. I had seen the slight bulge in his swimsuit before but now
there was no bulge just a swinging from side to side freely inside of his
loose fitting pajama bottoms and another of those silly thoughts popped into
my head. If he grew anymore and he probably would, he was not going to stay
at 6" for long and he would develop more fully. I could see that already.

As he snuggled closer, I put my arm around his shoulders and he rested his
head on mine. He hadn't totally recovered from crying be he was a lot
calmer. At first I hesitated asking him anything else but I knew it was
necessary.

"Chris, why do you think I might not want to adopt you?"

"I haven't always been good Charlie, I got in trouble with the police once.
Mom got pissed when she had to come too juvenile court and get me out of
jail, I was only 13 and the jail here don't have anyplace for kids. I tried
to steal something from the Dollar store and the manager caught me. He
called the police and they were going to take me home but the guy wanted me
taken in for shoplifting. It wasn't much, only a toothbrush and toothpaste.
I didn't have money for it. The cops told Mom about and she was really mad
at me. The Judge told me I'd have too do some work for the store and pay for
the stuff. That guy got a kick out of making me work for nothing."

That little petty theft thing was something I could relate too. I had lifted
a couple of items from the grocery store but didn't get caught. I guess I
shouldn't have smiled about it but I did.

"Okay, what about eating, clothes and seeing a doctor?"

He gave a big sigh and said softly, almost a whisper. "You want me to tell
you everything?"

"Everything Chris lets be totally honest."

"You might not like some of it but I guess is the best thing." He said
quietly. "I'm a bastard Charlie. I don't know who my dad is or even if his
name is Connor. Once when mom was gone, I sneaked around her bedroom and
found my birth certificate. Where the name of my father is supposed to be,
they had written in "unknown". I wanted too know who he was but I didn't ask
her about it, she'd get mad at me for being in her bedroom."

He stopped for a moment when he heard me mumble "a bastard" under my breath.

"See." He almost whimpered. " I told you that you wouldn't like it. No one
wants a bastard around."

"Shhh Chris, that's not it. It makes me angry that's all and you're wrong
about not wanting you."

"Well, some people don't like it. I guess mom tried to raise me but maybe
she didn't really want me, I get that feeling once in awhile. She'd buy me
some clothes and once in awhile leave money so I could buy food. Mostly I'd
get my clothes from the clothing drop bins over by the church on 2nd St. The
Priest caught me a couple of times but he didn't say anything. After I
worked for the guy at the Dollar store I started looking for odd jobs I
could do and made some money that way. I never stole anything after they
caught me that one time and I only wanted that because the school nurse told
me I should be brushing my teeth more often. I got a couple of cavities but
we can't afford a dentist when they hurt. The man that owns the delicatessen
on Front St. lets me eat there when I work for him cleaning the kitchen and
emptying and cleaning his garbage cans. He told me I did good work and would
let me eat in his backroom. It's not always been that way Charlie. When I
was younger she would take me with her when she worked and I remember the
other waitresses being nice and bringing me different things to eat and
drink. Some of the men that were in the place would pat me on the head and
cheeks. But when she started really drinking and smoking that funny stuff
she got nasty then. I tried staying out of her way then.
But................"
He hesitated and stopped talking moving a little closer putting his head on
my chest under my chin. What he had told me already was bad enough but I
wasn't ready for what came next when I asked him, "But what Chris?"

"I don't want to talk about that Charlie." He sniffled pressing against me.

"Remember what I said about being honest Chris?"

"Yes sir, but I don't like thinking about that but I will if you promise not
to tell anyone else, it's really not nice."

"I promise."  I said my own curiosity really aroused as to what could be
that bad.

Chris inhaled deeply and sighed softly. His muscles were tight and I could
feel the tension in him.

"Once when I was 14, mom woke me up. She was only wearing a nightgown and
all I had on was a pair of jockey shorts. When I started to put on my other
shorts she grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to her room and told me I
wouldn't need anything else. I didn't know she had some man in her room but
he was sitting on the side of the bed naked. He was big and hairy and I
could smell the alcohol. His...his cock was hard and he was glaring at me
when mom pushed me at him. He grabbed me and started slobbering all over me
licking at me. I started to get sick and I was scared too death. All I could
hear was him saying what a tight little ass I had and how much tighter it
would be then mom's loose pussy. When he threw me up on the bed I rolled off
the other side and ran for the door. Mom and this guy were grabbing at me
but I got away and run out of the house and hid behind some bushes. I heard
mom screaming at me about being a little faggoty queen and how she knew I
liked boys from seeing me hanging around the beach bathhouses. I didn't have
any clothes on but I didn't want to go back inside for any. I could hear
them both hollering at each other. The man called mom a bitch and wanted his
$50 dollars back since he didn't get to fuck me like she promised he would.
She said it wasn't her fault he couldn't hold me and he could go screw
himself before she gave any money back. I'm not a faggot Charlie. I like
boys, you know that, but I wouldn't get in bed with someone like that guy
was. I haven't been in bed with anyone but you."

Chris sobbed holding me and the anger inside of me was building until I felt
like I would explode. It was then that I decided Chris would not go back
into that environment again if there was anything I could do to prevent it.

Picking him up gently I carried him into the bedroom and laid him on the bed
pulling the sheet and light blanket over him. He wasn't light but right then
he felt like a feather I was so angry. Getting a damp washcloth from the
bathroom, I wiped his face. His soft eyes held a hint of fear and anxiety as
he looked up at me and he reached for me.

"Charlie, don't leave me please."

"Shhhh Chris, I'm not going too leave you. Let me put this cloth back in the
bathroom and I'll be right back."

When I got back from the bathroom, he had slipped his T-shirt off and it was
lying on the floor with his pajama bottom. When I got in bed he moved closer
putting his arm over my chest and laying his head on my chest again. His
soft smoothness curled against me and with one leg over my groin he slowly
drifted off. His heart was beating in conjunction with mine and he breathed
softly and evenly. He had been a man earlier but right now he was a little
boy and one that I intended would not be harmed again.

My mind was racing with all of the evil things I would like to be able to do
but that solved nothing. Holding him close I felt myself drifting off more
from exhaustion then being tired although I was that.

				* * * * * * *

I slept rather fitfully not really used too being held so tightly. Every
time I moved I could feel him tighten his arm holding me closer except when
he moved it was so he could snuggle closer. It was sort of a catch-22
situation, I really didn't want to disturb him but it was a trade off.
Nature solved the problem for me with a raging bladder expanding need too
piss. For a piss hard it felt like I would explode before I got out of bed.
I managed to slide from under Chris's arm and hobble to the bathroom.

I had no sooner lifted the seat of the commode than urine cascaded in a
thundering stream and the water foamed yellow. The next best thing too a
climax is taking a badly needed piss, your body would almost go weak as the
bladder emptied with an almost ecstatic feeling of relief.

I didn't hear Chris come up behind me until I felt his arm around my waist
and he aimed his piss hard cock in the same direction as mine, emptying his
bladder. He grinned at me.

"I needed too go but I didn't want to leave you."

"And what were you going to do, piss the bed?" I said chuckling a little.

"No. You know what I mean. I like feeling you next to me like now."

"Yeah, a couple of studs with piss hard cocks emptying their bladders. What
a picture that would make if we had a camera."

He just grinned happily and milked the last drops down as I did. I couldn't
help but notice how perfectly cut his cock had been there was hardly a scar.
It was thick and shaped like it was made for penetration.

Leaning over a little and kissing him on the side of his head, I said. "What
say we take a quick shower and then make our plans for the day over some
cereal and fruit. Sound good?"

"Sure." He said softly." I'll get the water ready."

I didn't say anymore while we showered but I heard the sad tone when he
spoke. Chris had withdrawn in his shell and said nothing while we dried and
dressed.

We hadn't taken the time to sort out the clothing he had brought from his
home but we should have, it was clean but very wrinkled. He selected a pair
of tan shorts with a T-shirt from the pile on the bed. I couldn't help but
notice he didn't have any jockey briefs or boxers when he put them on and
then went into the kitchen and I followed. I had the foreboding feeling that
he was worried about my leaving later in the day and I didn't know how I was
going to solve that problem if it became one. As they say though, "we cross
that bridge when we come too it."

				* * * * * * *
Silence reigned while I fixed our breakfast and placed it on the table. I
was hoping Chris would say something first but from the way he was toying
with his food that didn't seem likely. I wasn't really sure what was
bothering him when I asked if he wanted something besides cereal and fruit.

"Is there something else you want Chris?"

"No, this is okay. I'm just not really that hungry."

"You sure about that, you haven't said anything since we showered?"

""I know, I was just wondering what time you are going to be leaving and if
your going to be back next weekend, that's all."

"I guess I'll leave about 3 o'clock, takes almost 2 hrs before I get home
and the traffic is usually pretty heavy."

"You going to come back next weekend?" He asked still playing with his food.

"I still want to get the outside of the cottage cleaned up Chris so I guess
I will. Are you going to help me?"

"Sure, if you want me too."

"You know I do, but that's not all that's bothering you is it? Are you upset
about last night and everything you told me?"

"A little bit Charlie. I didn't want you thinking I was a thief or did those
other things."

"I don't think you are Chris. We all make mistakes; I snitched some candy
for a store when I was younger then you. I just didn't get caught. There are
probably a lot of kids that have done it but they don't all become lifetime
thieves. Have you been asked to do the other thing since that one time?"

"Oh no! No!" He exclaimed looking at me wide eyed. "Mom still drinks and
brings guys home but that hasn't happened since. I'd run away if mom ever
tried that again."

His words hung in the air almost vehemently declaring his intentions. It
didn't surprise me that he said he wouldn't. Chris was not going to let
anyone touch him that he didn't want, that was obvious. It was already clear
to me that he was an independent young man and would make his own decisions.

Reaching across the table I tousled his hair looking into his eyes, playing
with a thought that I had been playing with.

"Chris, when do you go back too school?"

"Two weeks. Mom already filled out the registration papers and sent them in
but I have to go in and learn what my classes will be the day after Labor
Day when school starts. I guess you won't be coming down much after that
will you?"

"What about clothes and supplies you'll be needing?"

"I'll find some odd jobs and get what I need. Mom might have some money but
most of it I earn. The deli guy will pay me like he always does. I'll be
okay."

"Do you think your mother would let you stay with me for a week? Would you
like it if she said it was okay and you went home with me this afternoon?"

I should have been ready for his reaction from what he had been saying
already but I wasn't. He jumped up from the table knocking his chair over
backwards, cereal and fruit flying all over me as he came charging around
the table. He hit me with such force we both damned near hit the floor.

"Charlie, do you mean it? Would you take me with you? Please, your not
kidding me are you?  I'll go home and ask her right now if you mean it." He
exclaimed his arms around my neck almost choking me.

"Of course I mean it and we both will go and ask her not just you. I want to
meet your mother."  I said and then the chair toppled over from our weight
dumping us on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.

He was so excited I was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to let me
go and it took me a little time to get him calmed down. "Easy Chris, easy."
I said softly. "I don't want to meet your mother with a neck brace on."

He stopped kissing me and lying on top of me he looked into my eyes. I could
see the excitement in his and feel his heart racing, his hard body tensed.
He lay quiet for a few seconds. "You do mean it don't you Charlie?" He
managed to gasp out he was breathing so hard.

"Of course I do. Lets get this mess cleaned up and we will go and ask her."

>From what he had been telling me, I couldn't see any reason she would
object. It didn't seem as though she cared what he did as long as he wasn't
a problem. If what I had in mind, that problem might be solved completely.

				* * * * * * *

Chris cleaned up the mess while I changed clothes from where the milk and
fruit juice had splashed on me.

Walking too my car, we unhitched the trailer and drove too where Chris
lived. I remembered where the motel was that I had stayed in while the
cottage was being renovated but I hadn't really paid that much attention too
the area around it. On the main street that the motel faced it there were
the usual summertime businesses and motels. The house that Chris and his
mother lived in was on the street behind and many of the cottages had fallen
into pretty dismal condition. He pointed his home out and I parked in front
of it and another silly thought crossed my mind as I did, "there weren't
many Lexus on the street."

Chris ran up to the house as soon as I parked and I followed. Just as I got
to the dilapidated screen door I heard a high pitched voice, "you want to do
what? Who is this guy, one of your faggot friends?"

I heard Chris answering, his voice shaking, "No Mom, its Mr. Mercer.
Remember, I told you I was working for him this weekend and you took the
money from me last night that he paid me."

I stood outside of the screen door, unable to see inside but she sounded as
if she was drinking. Chris was trying to calm her down but she continued
ranting about faggots and Chris not being any help to her. I was just about
to reach for the screen door handle when I heard Chris say.

"Mom, Mr. Mercer is outside the door, he can hear everything your saying."
He pleaded with her but she kept it up.

"I don't give a good fuck where he is, tell him to come on in if he has the
guts, goddamned faggot."

Chris didn't have to tell me, I was already opening the door when she spun
around. She was wearing a flowered housedress and her hair was unkept. I
could smell the alcohol in the room, it was dirty and only had a few sticks
of ratty overstuffed furniture with linoleum covered floor. The two windows
in the room were so dirty that light was having a hard time penetrating. She
stood looking at me through bleary eyes.

"Hello Mrs. Wrightman I'm Charles Mercer."

"Soooo you're the fag..." She started to say and I stopped her.

"Mrs. Wrightman, I don't think you mean to say what I think you are about to
do you? Making those kinds of assertions about people and not being able to
prove them can be a lot of trouble. Chris has told me some of the things you
have said and I don't understand what basis you are have for saying it or
accusing someone without proof."

"Well what else is it then? Some stranger wants to take a young boy off with
him and he only just met him. I've seen Chris hanging around the beach
bathhouses where all the faggots are. What else is it?" She said breathing
heavy.

Chris was standing wide-eyed against the back wall of the room, his eyes
shifting between his mother and me. He had the appearance of a small doe
caught in the headlights of an oncoming car and unable to move. I inhaled
deeply before answering his mother.

"I would say that unless you have been inside the bathhouses you are
claiming he hangs around then you really don't know what goes on there do
you? Hearing and knowing is not the same thing Mrs. Wrightman. Do you know
for a fact that Chris has ever been involved in the practice you seem to be
accusing him of?  Have you ever witnessed him in the bed or another man?"

"No I haven't but that's what I hear goes on up there and he don't have any
girl friends that I know about."  She said with less vehemence then she had
spoke before.

"It's not the same as knowing Mrs. Wrightman. I hear many things in my work
but until I know the truth, I don't make charges."

"What kind of work do you do? You still haven't said why you want to take
him with you."

It was all I could do at that point in the exchange too not reveal what
Chris had told me but I had made a promise. I wanted to sit down but not in
that living room so I stood quietly.

"Its my business to learn about peoples backgrounds Mrs. Wrightman and then
make decisions as to their character before writing a report for my
superiors. My associates and I do extensive background checks in compiling
these reports."

"You check up on people, what for?" She said more deflated and less hostile.

"That's confidential Mrs. Wrightman. Let's just say I work for a very large
organization that has a need for such information. As for my offering to
take Chris with me, he seems too have a need for some assistance in
improving his appearance before returning to school next month. As for
having just met him, hats not quite true. He has been at my cottage during
the renovations but the workmen were handling most of the cleanup. Chris
being a minor and not being an employee with insurance it was difficult for
him to work then. I asked him for help when I started moving in and he has
done good work. Since he will be going too school, I thought a trip up too
Philadelphia would be something he might enjoy and I could outfit him for
school. That would be less of a burden on you wouldn't it?"

She didn't answer my question, walking across the short distance too a table
where a bottle of some nondescript liquor was sitting. Turning to where
Chris was still standing she ordered gruffly, "Get me a glass."

Chris looked at his mother, and then me "Mom, please you don't need anymore
of that stuff."
"Do what I tell you before I..." She started to say in a threatening tone
and then stopped, remembering I was there. She sat the bottle back on the
table and dropped in an ancient overstuffed chair that had seen many better
days in the long ago past.

"I don't know mister, how am I going to know he is okay while he off with
you? What am I going to do if I need him here?"

"If you are that concerned about him, I'll leave you my home telephone
number and you can call or he can call you. From what I understand you don't
seem to need Chris that often do you?"

I almost bit my tongue when I said the last about her not needing him that
much and she glared up at Chris.

"What did you do, blab your mouth off?"

Chris started to answer her but I cut him off. "No Mrs. Wrightman, he didn't
have to, I can see some things for myself. If you don't want to give your
permission for him to leave with me then we can discontinue this right now.
Frankly I feel he deserves a little more then he is getting right now but
that is up to you. If you allow it, I'll have him back here next weekend,
it's your decision."

In her drunken stupor it would not have surprised me if she didn't refuse
just to be spiteful. I had said all that I could right then and maybe had
said more then I should but Chris spoke before she could reply.
"Mom, please let me go. I haven't been anyplace. I won't be any trouble for
Mr. Mercer, I promise." He pleaded.

"Well, I guess a few days without you worrying me will give me a little
vacation. Go ahead but I want that telephone number where you're going to be
at and maybe you can bring me a present."

"Thanks mom, I will. I'll get some clothes and be right back."  He said
beaming at me. The room almost lit up from the smile on his face as he raced
somewhere inside the house.

"Yeah, I bet you will." His mother said looking at the almost empty bottle
still on the table and then glancing up at me.

I reached in my pocket and handed her a $20 bill. That glance told me she
could care less about Chris, she just wanted another bottle.

I started to give her one of my business cards and thought better of it.
There was an old newspaper on the table and tearing off part of it, I wrote
my name and number on the margin and left it next to her bottle.

Chris came back with another plastic bag stuffed with clothing. I made a
mental note we would get rid of that stuff. He thanked his mother again but
she just sat there her head hanging down and I almost, almost felt a little
sorry for her. She wasn't much older then me and probably at one time had
been a pretty good-looking woman.

We left her sitting there and drove back too the cottage. We packed up the
few things I was taking back along with his two plastic bags.
Double-checking the windows and doors to be sure they were all locked, we
hitched the trailer back onto the Lexus. There was a service station outside
of the village where I could drop it off.  Today was the first day of our
lives together, a new beginning for both of us. Lloyd would have the answers
for that beginning.

				* * * * * * *

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