Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2002 14:49:06 -0500
From: Gary <gary_q@hotmail.com>
Subject: Patient John Doe Chapter 10

Patient John Doe
By Gary_Q
Gary_Q@hotmail.com

The below story is a work of fiction, none of the events described
happened, nor do any of the characters exist.  This story may contains
erotic and/or sexually explicit behavior between consenting males, both
adult and underage minors.  If it is illegal for you to, or you find this
sort of work offensive, don't download or read it!

The author reserves all copyrights to this story, it my be printed,
electronically recorded or reproduced ONLY for personal use.  The
reproduction or linking to this story by pay web sites is expressly
forbidden.

Author's Note: Thank you, on behalf of Miguel and myself, for the many,
many notes you have sent both regarding our collaboration and hopes for
'C's recovery.  As you might see below, I am looking forward to working
with Miguel and his characters from 'Julio'.  I also thank everyone that
has written, and wanted to apologize for not answering each of your
e-mails, but I received over seventy notes in less than a week just on
Chapter Nine, many all but demanding I write faster (well, and trying to
make a living on the side!)  and am sorry if I didn't answer yours.  Thanks
again for your support,
Gary

				Chapter Ten

     "I'm on the phone calm down guys!" I admonished the boys.
     I did a double take as I looked down at Mark, then toward Ronnie,
standing next to Junior in front of my desk.  Mark and Ronnie were wearing
Orthodontic headgears like Junior.  Both of them had facebows sticking out
of their mouths, along with thick straps going not only behind their necks
but also up their cheeks, wrapping behind the top of their pixie little
heads.  When Mark blushed and gave me a nervous grin, polished metal
brackets attached to his upper teeth gleamed in the room's light.
     "Ah, wait just a minute, okay?" I told Mark.  "I'm sorry Cindy, I
suddenly have a lap full of, well, tin grinned kid!  I had forgotten they
started their treatment today."
     "DAD!  You don't gotta tell everyone!" Ronnie barked.
     "What's wrong, BRIDLE BOY!" Junior snorted.  He giggled as Ronnie
attacked him, both or them wrestling onto the sofa, squealing and squirming
like two-year-old's.
     I didn't have time to glare at them before Johnny pushed against me.
"Please Pop, will you take me riding, PLEASE?" he cried.
     "Adam, we are running short of time, should I send this fax?" Cindy
injected into the confusion.
     "Please Pop, I'll do anything you want if you will take me for a
ride," Johnny whined, pushing more tightly against me as his eyes welled
with tears.
     "Please Dad!" Mark cut his friend off.  "Please you're gonna let him
ride aren't you?"
     "Adam, can I send this or not?" Cindy more demanded than asked into my
other ear as the boys spoke.
     "Alright! Yes!" I barked at Mark and Johnny.  "Now calm down, you are
going rude!" They both stared at me wide eyed as I continued into the
handpiece, "I'm sorry Cindy, I'll give you a good deal on a couple of
turkeys!"  After the boys were silent for a second or so, still hugging me,
I asked Cindy, "Now, where were we?"
     "You just filed to adopt Johnny, I'm waiting to receive a
confirmation," she answered.  After I muttered 'but, but' she added, "You
said 'Yes' when I asked you if I should!  I'm getting what I'm sure is a
filing confirmation already!" she bubbled.
     "But I was talking to the boys," I exclaimed.  "I thought you
were. . ."
     "Go take your new son for a ride, oh and hug him for me, for Carl and
I both," she interrupted.  "Don't prepare anything for tomorrow, I picked
up some absolutely wonderful Tuna steaks for everyone, you'll love them! I
have to go, Carl is home.  Oh, remember the Vet is coming, see you tomorrow
morning!" she concluded, hanging up before I could respond.
     'Shit, she sat me up for that one!' I thought as I started to re-dial
her number.  Johnny pushed more tightly against me, whimpering softly.
When I look over he looking up at me, his pixie little face begging, his
miles deep blue eyes swallowing me.  'Please?' his soft red lips silently
mouthed.
     "Let's go saddle Zeus," I said as I set the phone down and hugged him
and Mark.  "A little later I want to talk to you, I have some very good
news for you," I added, kissing his nose.  They returned my hug before
darting out of the room ahead of me.
     "Let's go you two," I said as I popped Ronnie and Junior on their
round little butts.  "Before I put a lead rope on those bridles," I added,
earning a matching pair of dirty looks.  I tucked both of them under my
arms as we walked out of the house.
     After he stopped blushing Ronnie filled me in somewhat about their
trip to the Orthodontist, as we walked toward the barn.  The doctor had
installed brackets on all the upper teeth for each of them, along with
their new headgear.  He sent a patient manual home with each of them that
we were to read together.  I was impressed with Ronnie's maturity and
honesty as he told me they were to wear the headgears intermittently, for
longer and longer periods over the next few days, after that all the time,
except at school.
     "See, you're fitting right in out here," I teased Junior as I slipped
a finger under each of their neck straps.
     We rode an hour or so, Johnny completely controlling my big stallion
as I sat behind as his safety, before more his stomach than his body
decided he was ready to back to the house for supper.  After I mentioned
food I received no argument from the other boys, and they agreed to groom
the horses while I warmed whatever Mary had prepared us.  I was a little
surprised when Johnny asked if he could come with me, offering to help.
     "You was talking about me, wasn't you?  On the phone I mean," he shyly
asked.
     'He's damn sure no dummy!' I thought. "Were, not was," I corrected,
sub-consciously buying time to think of the best way to answer, if I was
ready to commit myself to the obligation a truthful answer would confer,
not only to Johnny, but my other sons and the rest of the world.
     'My OTHER sons?' I asked myself.  'Well, that answered that!  But I'm
going to get even with Cindy for this!' I thought.  'Fuck, you are losing
it!  Not only are you talking to yourself, you're carrying on a God damn
dialogue again!'
     "What's gonna happen to me?" Johnny prompted.
     "Yes, I was talking to Junior's mom, she is also my attorney. . . my
lawyer, and I talked to a CPS worker.  Do you know who CPS is?"
     He stopped dead in his tracks, his board ridged body told me he did.
"I don't wanta go to one of those places again, I hate them!" he sobbed.
"Please don't let them send me back there!  But please, you said I can stay
here until Sunday!"
     'There?  This might get interesting,' I thought, we had no knowledge
of him being involved with CPS.
     "We aren't going to send you anywhere, calm down, I promise we are
not.  CPS has custody of you right now, that means they are the people who
make sure you are being well cared for."
     "But you're my Doctor!  And you're Pop now, you take care of me!"
     "I do, but legally, well, let's not go there."  I thankfully was able
to pause for a minute as I opened the patio door and escorted him into the
kitchen.  I scooped him up by his thin chest and perched him on one of the
kitchen counters.  "Give me just a minute to start warming supper, and then
I want to talk to you." I glanced at Mary's note of instructions as I
added, "But, I want you to listen to me, no interrupting.  Will you do
that?"  He gave me a frightened nod.
     "Okay, there are two things going on I want to tell you about.
Neither of them are to the point I can promise they will happen, but I am
very sure they will.  I think you will like both of them, but remember, you
promised to listen to everything I'm going to say before you speak, okay?"
     "Yes sir," he whimpered.  His distraught face was too much to resist,
and I kissed his forehead, asking him to relax.
     "Now, first I want you to remember you are still getting well, and you
are probably going to be at Hill Country for a little longer before you,
you are ready to be released.  Maybe even a couple of weeks."  He nodded.
     "When you are well enough, I would like to, I mean I'd like to, ah,"
'Say it ass-hole, your going to anyway!'  'Give Mary a pay raise,' I added
to my mental to-do list when I found some of my beer in the kitchen
refrigerator.  'A big one!' I added as I downed a big swallow of liquid
courage.
     "When you are, I want you to, well I mean you MIGHT be able to come
live here, I mean would you like to come live here with Ronnie, Mark and
I?"  'Good show, ALL that professionalism!' I chastised myself.
     "POP!!!  PLEASE CAN I?" he howled so loud my ears rang from his high
pitched voice.  I just caught him before he leaped off the counter.
"Please, I'll anything, ANYTHING you want!  I can make you really happy, I
promise!"
     I didn't want to know what he meant, what he was suggesting, as I
thought back on my late night conversation with Mark last weekend.  'Maybe
if I could find pappa before the cops do, GOD I'd like to give that
ass-hole some applied psychology, to his face, a couple of kicks to
his. . . no don't go there!' I told myself.
     "Anything I want?  Remember, I said you might, please don't get your
hopes too high, but I think you can.  We are going to go to a, a meeting
next week, but I think you can come live here with us.  If you get to, what
I want is for you to keep trying as hard as you can, and to work hard at
being the great kid you already are!  Would you be willing to do that?"
     "I love you Pop, I love you!" he exclaimed, pushing against me.  "I
don't care what you want me to do I will, please if I can stay here!  Mark
said I don't gotta but I can do stuff for you, I will, I WILL!"
     I pulled him tightly against me as I told myself, 'Well, you're
hooked!'  "I love you, son.  All I want you to do is. . ."
     "Pop!  POP!!!" Mark's frightened voice shrieked from outside.  "Pop,
he's got a gun, he's a gun and he got Ronnie he wont let him go!!!  POP!"
he screamed as he burst through the patio door.  My ass-hole sucked a
gallon of air as he slammed into Johnny and my snuggle.
     Junior rushed in right behind him.  "POP!  There's a crazy man down
there!  He grabbed me and hit me and kicked me!  I got away from him but
he's got Ronnie, you gotta help Ronnie he's gonna fuckin kill him!  He's
totally crazy and he's got a gun!  A great big one!" he panted, trying to
catch is breath.
     'No, God no this cant be for real' I told myself.  'If I ever get to
fart again I hope I'm alone, the amount of air my ass-hole as sucked in
today I could be dangerous.  God, this cannot be happening!'  The bruise on
Junior's cheek assured me it was.
     "I want you, and Johnny and Mark to go downstairs, to the Salon, the
pool room.  When you get down there, lock both the locks on the door, then
call 911, and then your mom.  You are not to open that door to ANYONE but
your parents or me, do you understand?" I barked.  I didn't realize I had a
handful of his tee-shirt, jerking his face in front of mine for a second or
so.  "No one, even if they say they are police.  This is important son, I
need your help!  Now go!"
     "Yes sir, but,"
     "I'm sure Ronnie will be okay, but you MUST be strong enough to help
me.  GO!  DO IT NOW!"
     They all gave me frightened looks as I ushered them to the basement
stairs.  I knew at least they would be safe for now, when I remodeled the
house I installed a high security door into the basement; living so far
from town, and realizing I could not expect any rapid response from the
cops, it seemed like a good idea that had just paid off.  'God, I hope so,'
I thought as I retrieved my pistol from its new hiding place in the study.
I dialed 911 on my cell phone and filled the dispatcher in as I started out
the door.
     I dismissed the dispatcher's demands that I go back inside my house as
I ran toward the pasture.  After her third attempt I barked, "Lady, my son
is in there, get me some Fucking Help!  If you get here in time to help,
I'm the blond guy with long hair, I'd appreciate it if you didn't shoot
me!" I gave her a gate code, and hung up on her when she started another
round of crap, telling me everything would be fine if I stayed out of the
way.
     'Damn good way to get shot!' I thought as I made my way toward the
barn.  I didn't like the picture that was unfolding for me as I made toward
it.  The doors were closed, the only time I think they had been, and all
the horses except Zeus and Zoe were staring at their barn almost in a
defensive formation.  'During Viet Nam, everyone smoked a couple of joints
before going into battle, where's mine!' I wondered.  'Why did I ever quit
smoking!'
     'Well, you have to start somewhere!' I told myself.  "Ronnie, are you
okay?  What's going on?" I yelled through the barn wall.
     "I got your brat!  I'm gonna kill him, then you, if you don't shit up
my bitch!  NOW!" a voice snarled from inside the barn.  "I'm going to butt
fuck one of them, my brat or your's?  I don't care!"
     "AHHH!  No I didn't do nothing OH! Please don't hurt me!!!" Ronnie
cried.  From his agonized howl I knew he had been somehow tortured.
"POP!!! DAD!!! HELP!!!" he begged.
     'No, please God, this cannot be happening!' I prayed as I rushed
toward the doors.  'The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want,' I began to
pray as I tried to decide the best way to open them, and enter into hell.
     I was about to test the door, to see if it would open, when the sheet
metal next to me bulged outward as if a huge hail-stone had hit it from
inside.  I heard the beginnings of a groan before Zeus's distinctive nay
blocked it out.  Just as I grasp the barn door to open it, pistol in hand,
I heard Ronnie whimper, "Yeah Zeus, yeah!  Someone go find Pop!  Hurry!
Tell him I'm hurt!"
     I pulled on the double doors, but they were locked.  "Ronnie, can you
get to the door, let me in!  What's going on?" I yelled.  "Where's the
ass-hole?  I mean man?  Open the door!"
     "Ah, ah Zeus kicked him.  He's not moving, he looks sorta dead.  I
cant open the door he tied me up!" he yelled.  'Fuck!  What to do now?' I
thought as I looked around for another way in.  "Please Pop, please help me
I'm bleeding!"
     I took aim at the doorlock with my pistol, but hesitated.  'Where is
he, where are the horses?  I could end up shooting one of them.' I grabbed
the door and jerked wildly on it several times hoping against hope I could
rip it off its hinges or something.  'Thank God,' I thought as I heard the
wail of sirens in the distance.
     "Open mother fucker!" I screamed at the metal barrier.  I had just
grasp the handle again when it flew out of my hand with a crashing sound
that sounded like it had been hit with an explosive.  I had just started to
dodge to the side as a big black object brushed my hair, slightly glancing
off my ear.  I guess from survival instinct I ducked as I saw Zeus' huge
rump cocking for another kick.  "Zeus, it's okay, it's me!" I yelled just
before the other door burst open.
     'Please Lord,' I silently prayed as I stepped inside, gun at ready.  I
was relieved and sickened as I looked around.  The dent in the barn's wall
was indeed caused by Ronnie's kidnapper.  He was laying in a heap next to
the wall, he somehow reminded me of an old cartoon, of Popeye after Brutus
had worked him over.  Ronnie was sitting, straddling a post for one of the
stalls.  His hands were tied around the post and he was bleeding from his
forehead, and Zoe was standing between the boy and his assailant as if
guarding the lad.  I had to take a deep breath to keep from vomiting as I
looked at his face and shirt, soiled by his blood and tears.
     "You're safe now son, everything is going to be alright," I told him.
I kicked man's gun a little further from him before picking it up and
tossing it out the barn door.
     I was rushing to Ronnie when I heard, "Ouch, what the hell!" from
outside.  "Holy Shit!' came another voice.  As soon as I stuffed my gun in
my belt I jerked my tee-shirt off and pressed against Ronnie's head as I
gently hugged him.  With my other hand I began untiing the boy's hands as I
reassured him.
     "Police, Freeze!" someone barked from behind.  "Put your hands on top
of your head!" it ordered.  I glanced around to see three cops, all of them
with guns pointed at me.
     "My son is bleeding, I have to stop the bleeding," I countered.
     "Get your hands up or I'll shoot!" someone ordered.
     "Get an ambulance, no, I'm a Doctor get Life Flight out here!  I'm
also the ranch owner," I said as I guided my boy to lay down.
     "What the fuck!" I heard the cop cry.
     "I said get an AMBU. . ." I stopped in mid-sentence as I glanced
toward him.  Zoe and Zeus were standing between me and the cops, their ears
so flat against their neck the were invisible.  Hera and Epona now lined up
next their friends, putting about seven thousand pounds of very angry horse
flesh between the cops and Ronnie and I.
     The other horses, even little Ginger, were closing in on the officers
from behind, they just looked like they were looking for a fight.  "Zeus,
it's okay.  Down boy, down!" I called.  "Don't make any sudden moves
gentlemen," I added, guiding Ronnie to hold my tee-shirt to his wound.
     "Down boy, down Zoe," I said in a soft voice as I slowly walked
between them.  "It's okay, their friends," I said as I rubbed their necks.
After a couple of seconds they seemed to relax slightly.  "VERY slowly
offer your hand to them, palm up," I told the cops.  "Be gentle, or you
could end up looking like him," I said, nodding my head toward the wrinkled
corpse laying on the floor.
     Almost as if they were a well drilled SWAT team all the other horses
stared at the officers, their bodies clearly poised to attack, as Zeus
cautiously sniffed each extended hand, looking each of them over.  After a
second he snorted, and as if on command all the animals relaxed their
posture somewhat.
     "You, there's a first-aid kit on that far wall," I said to one of the
officers.  "Does anyone have a flashlight?" I asked as I turned back toward
Ronnie.  "And where's my ambulance!"
     The kit arrived just as I knelt back down next to my son, but I wasn't
sure at first if one of the cops or Zoe sat it down next to me and opened
it, her head was so closely following the man's hand.  I had just begun
cleaning Ronnie's wound to have a better look when a cop said, "Doctor, I
need to ask you for that gun, just policy, sir"
     "Help yourself, I'm busy," I answered, trying not to snarl too
harshly.
     Zeus's snort, followed quickly by the cop proclaiming, "Oh Shit!"
quickly followed.  When I glanced around the cop was frozen like a statue,
and white as a ghost.  He was bent toward me with his hand extended out
toward my waist; Zeus's big head was between him and I, although I could
only see the his huge neck I could almost feel the death glare she was
giving him.  "Ah, perhaps when you get a free minute you could hand it to
me sir?" the man murmured.
     "Doctor, this man's alive, can you help him?" another voice asked.
When I looked he was talking about Doeman.
     "I only treat humans, that slim-bag is something sub human," I barked.
'Here, take care of him," I added, throwing him a band-aid from the
first-aid kit.
     Roberts rushed into the barn a couple of minutes later.  The cops were
about to stop him when our four-legged incident commander interceded, and
they suddenly withdrew their objection.  He looked at Ronnie briefly and
told me Cindy was with the other boys, that they were scared but okay,
before he examined Doeman.  Was cuddling Ronnie, now sitting up and leaning
against me when he dialed his cell phone, ordering a Life Flight
helicopter.
     By the time the ambulance arrived Roberts and I had decided Ronnie
didn't need to be transported, that it would be safe, and less traumatic,
if I drove him into town for stitches, and the crew began stabilizing
Doeman.  I could feel the weight of the world slip off my shoulders as we
helped him to his feet and he walked, tucked under my arm, out of the barn.
I even snickered a little as Zoe fell in on the other side of him, walking
beside us looking around like a body guard.
     It wasn't until I began answering the thousand questions game with the
cops about what had happened that I noticed one of them had a swollen lower
lip, along with small amounts of dried blood around a small wound.  When I
asked how he was injured and offered to exam him, a couple of other
deputies snickered.  The salty faced cop blushed before he answered, "I got
slapped in the chops by the gun you threw out of the barn.  In my eight
years of law enforcement, my greatest fear has always been getting hit by
an assailant's weapon, but I never dreamed it would come down like this!"
'These guys did NOT have a routine call here!' I thought as I tried to look
innocent.
     I wondered why the patio doors were blocked open, and all the windows
I could see were also open, until Ronnie and I walked onto the patio.  When
I saw the cremated remains of our supper sitting on a patio table I knew.
'Yumm, smoke dried oven grease!' I thought as we walked inside the pungent
aroma stuck me.
     It took a couple of minutes to calm the boys down and reassure them
Ronnie was going to be okay, that his injuries were minor.  I gave them a
brief overview of what happened, deciding to not to tell Johnny it was his
dad for now, not until I knew if he would live or not.  Thankfully the cops
decided to move Doeman by ambulance to the road then load him onto the
helicopter, I couldn't help wondering if they had had enough of Zeus and
his gang.
     We decided Roberts and I would take Ronnie into town for stitches and
X-rays, Cindy volunteering to stay with the other boys and fix them
something to eat.  "Why don't you guys spend the night?" I suggest.  They
debated for several seconds, saying Jennifer was at a friend's house for
the night.  "I've lots of unused bedrooms upstairs, one with a hot tube on
the balcony!" I bribed.  It didn't take long for them to agree.
     'Run kitty run,' I though as I turned onto the highway and gave my
Jaguar her head.
     "You were bad!" Ronnie exclaimed after a minute.  "Thanks Dad,"
     "Zeus was the hero," I answered.  "And Zoe, they earned extra oats for
a long, long time," I answered.  'A guard-horse?' I thought.  'Crazy
world.'
     I was enduring Roberts' quips about hippies and pacifists when I
noticed a black and white car ahead of me on the road's shoulder.  Almost
immediately the red flashing lights mounted on it roof came on, and I saw a
faint puff of smoke come from its rear tires.  'Fuck!  How many times have
I flown down this road, why tonight of all nights!' I silently snarled.
'Oh well,' I thought as I glanced down at my speedometer 165 mph it
announced.  'Oh well, I cant outrun his radio,' I thought as I took my foot
off the accelerator pedal.
     The trooper was much more considerate than I expected.  As soon as I
explained the situation, and he saw Ronnie's frightened, bandaged face, he
suggested I follow him, that he would give me an escort.  I think seeing my
questioning look he added, "I cant reach the speeds you were traveling at,
but that was a little to fast for safety.  Your car would have soon broken
down at that speed anyway."  I would have given a week's pay for a picture
of his face when I told him I was only at about three-quarter throttle.
     Roberts and I used our influence and Physician ID's to get Ronnie into
the fast track at the hospital, and he had the lad into X-ray before I
began to fill out the paperwork.  The ER staff begun cleaning his wound and
prepping for his stitches when Roberts rejoined me.  "What about Doeman, is
he going to make it?" I asked him.
     "I would guess about fifty-fifty, " he answered.  "I asked the Triage
Nurse to find out what hospital he went to and his condition, but I can
assure you he wont be robbing people or beating up kids for a long time, I
am sure the kick broke his back, along with over half his ribs.  If you
want to add him to your Christmas card list, use his hospital address, he's
going to be there a long time."
     "Life's a bitch!" I replied.  "I'm just heart broken I didn't get to
kick him.  Maybe I should send him a Thank You card.  'Let's see, thanks
for the wonderful kid, ass hole!" we both laughed.
     Ronnie was in surprisingly good spirits after Roberts finished
stitching his head.  He showed off the hospital scrub shirt the ER staff
had given him, and offered no argument about stopping in the hospital's
snack bar for a milk shape and what turned out to be two hamburgers before
we headed home.
     "What's this, where is your nest?" I teased as we walked into the
house, pointing at the clean, quilt free carpet in front of the family
room's entertainment center.  All three boys blushed.  I snickered at their
ice cream mustaches and smudges on Mark and Junior's facebows as they
rushed to hug Ronnie and I.  "I'm glad Mrs. Roberts didn't spoil you!" I
snickered as I pulled them into a snuggle.  I didn't get any answer as they
almost ignored me, and broke our hug as they examined Ronnie's stitches and
bruises, listening to his blow-by-blow description of his adventures at the
hospital, then what happened in the barn earlier.
     Roberts and I drank one, then a couple more beers as the boys talked.
After a few minutes he and his wife excused themselves, hinting they wanted
to climb into my second floor hot tub.  I had just climbed into my
recliner, praying the evening was winding down, when Johnny pushed against
me, then climbed into my lap.  He slipped into the crook of my arm and
buried his face against my chin.
     I stroked his thin little back and shoulders for several seconds.  He
seemed to relax as I did, his little body melting against me even more.
After a couple of minutes he muttered something I couldn't understand two
or three times, as if trying to decide how to say what he wanted, then
finally let out a soft sob and fell silent.
     "What's on your mind, Pumpkin, why are you crying?"  His only answer
was to push his head more tightly under my chin.  "I know what happened was
frightening, but it's okay now, it's all over and your brother is going to
be just fine."
     "But, my brother's dead," he whined.  'Good show, dumb ass!' I told
myself.
     "I'm sorry, that came out wrong, I meant Ronnie."
     "I wish he was my brother," he sobbed.  "I wish Mark and Junior was my
brothers too."  I was about to answer when he took a deep breath and
continued, "I'm afraid, well I was afraid, well I was afraid that was my
dad, that he came to get me.  Please I don't wanta go with him!  He'll hurt
me again I don't want him to!" he started crying harder and trembling in my
arms.  I continued to rub his back, and began running my fingers through
his soft, fine hair with my other hand, cupping his pixie little head
against me.
     "Your dad isn't going to get you, he isn't going to hurt you.  You are
safe now, your dad is. . . going to jail, and he's going to be there a
very, very long time," I answered.
     "But what if he comes before he goes?  Before the cops catch him," he
whined.
     "They already have, they caught him not long ago," I tried as a dodge.
     I could feel a slight vibration in his little head for a second or so.
"That was my dad, wasn't it?"  'He's damn sure not slow,' I told myself as
I took a deep breath.  "Wow, you beat my dad up, you saved me!," he said,
wrapping his arm around my chest.
     "Yes, that was your dad.  He's in the hospital now, and the police are
guarding him, and later he's going to jail, for a very long time."
     "But Ronnie said he was dead, that he looked dead," he replied looking
up at me.  I couldn't tell if there was doubt or, even, disappointment in
his face, but it definitely showed no grief.
     "No, he's not dead, but he's not going to hurt anyone again, probably
for ever."
     "Oh," he answered, looking away.
     "You're safe now, I promise," I told him.  "Do you remember what we
started to talk about earlier, before everything happened?" I said, hoping
to change the subject.
     "Sorta," he whimpered.  I waited, hoping to have him say more.  "Well,
you said maybe I can come stay here with you sometimes.  Please do I still
get'a?"
     "That's not quiet what I said.  I would like you to live here, , , I
want to," I took a deep breath and tucked him a little more under my arm.
"I want to adopt you," I blurted.  He stiffened like a board, his saucer
sized eyes darting to meet mine as his mouth fell agape.
     "YEAH DAD!" Mark's voice shrieked from next to the chair.  He leapt
into the other side of the recliner from Johnny and slammed into tight hug
with both of us.  Ronnie and Junior were right behind, filling my straining
lap with howling and cheering thin bodies, I could feel my thighs bowing
under their weight.
     "You guys weren't eavesdropping or anything, were you?" I snickered
with the small amount of air still in my lungs.  "Let's move to the couch,
before I turn into a crushed Pop," I groaned.
     After a few groans and gripes they reluctantly climbed down, and we
moved to the sofa, again with Johnny in my lap, Mark and Ronnie snuggled
under one arm and Junior the other.  Even with my disclaimers that only the
Judge could allow the adoption, or even for Johnny to move to the ranch
when he was released from Hill Country it took several tries, and minutes
to convince the new addition to our family I was serious, and that I he
wasn't dreaming.
     I decided not to go into our pending trip to Virginia, or the
possibility that he might regain the use of his right arm, not wanting to
overload him any more than I already had.  We talked briefly about the
incident in the barn earlier.  After listening to their reactions to what
had happened I concluded they would be okay, at least for tonight, and
didn't delve into it any further either.
     "It's getting close to bedtime for my flock of Turkey's, are you guys
going to make your nest?" I hinted.
     All of them exchanged looks, almost as if making telepathic links, for
a second or so.  "Ah, well, we wanted to sleep in your bed, please?" Ronnie
answered.
     "PLEASE Pop!" Johnny added, pushing against me.
     "Yeah, please Pop!" Junior added.
     "Mom and Dad are here, son," I reminded Junior.  "I don't think they
would care, but don't you think you should ask them?"  He blushed slightly
as he gave me a forlorn look, clearly trying to formulate an answer that
would get his wish, and save face with his peers.
     "Just don't wet the bed!" Cindy's voice rang from behind us.
     His face flashed every color in the rainbow, before turning so red hot
it reflected off his facebow, his mouth dropped open so hard I was afraid
he had bent the metal in his mouth.  "MOM!!!" he yelled as he jerked out
from under my arm and started to swing his face around toward her.
     "Got'ca!" Cindy giggled, pinning him back on the couch as she wrapped
her arms around his shoulders, pulling him back against the cushion and
into a hug from behind.  She kissed the top of his head a dozen or so
times.  "I'll trade four big hugs, and good night kisses for letting my son
sleep with this strange man!" she bubbled, tousling the other boys' hair.
"Oh, and rights to raid your refrigerator!" she added, pushing my head
sideways with her hand.
     Ten minutes and a couple of dozen cookies, and gallon of milk later
the boys drifted into my bedroom.  I thought for a minute, trying to word
my question just right, before I asked Cindy, "The kids sleep with me
sometimes, I'm sure when they feel insecure.  You don't have a problem with
Junior joining them, us?" I risked.
     She gave me an almost disbelieving look for a second.  "Adam, you are
the best thing that has happened to little Carl in a long time," she began.
"He's a very affectionate boy, he thrives on physical contact, and needs to
be nestled and loved.  But, when Mom cuddles him he feels babyish.  I love
my husband more than life, but with the children he is about as physically
affectionate as a Cactus plant.  If he didn't think it would cause a
divorce I think he would shake hands with them as his way of tucking them
into bed.
     "Since he, we, have met you, Carl junior has flowered beyond anything
I could believe in such a short time.  His grades have gotten better, he
loves life!  Whatever you are doing don't you dare quit or change, please!"
she concluded, squeezing my hand.  She kissed my temple lightly before
excusing herself and starting out of the room.
     "Well, except," she added, turning back to me.  "Send his clothes home
with him!  Almost all his school uniforms are out here, my washing machine
hates you!"
     'Wow,' I thought as I stared after her as she went back upstairs.
     My four little angels were under the covers, in formation, when I went
to my bedroom.  Junior was tucked tightly against Ronnie, both of them with
their arm's draped over Johnny, only his pixie nose and forehead poking out
from the blankets.  Another lump in the covers almost made Johnny look very
pregnant, except for a tiny tuft of golden blond hair peeking out of the
top of the blanket, gently drifting toward and then away from Johnny's cute
little nose as he inhaled and exhaled.
     After I undressed I sat on the edge of the bed for several minutes,
soaking in their beauty and innocence.  'Thanks God,' I thought as I ever
so carefully climbed under the covers.  'Thanks so much,' I added as Mark,
still asleep snuggled into my chest.  As I closed my eyes I felt a soft
push against my forehead. "I love you Doctor Pop!" Johnny whispered as he
wrapped his arm around Mark and I, hugging us.
     "I love you too," I softly answered as I stretched my arm over him and
the other boys, kissing his strawberry hair as I did.  "You too, my little
tunnel rat," I added when Mark grunted as I crushed him between his new
brother and I.  'God, if I could only find a way to show you guys how much
I really do,' I thought as I closed my eyes.

     'Damn, no more hospital hamburgers for supper,' I thought when my
stomach's harsh growl woke me up in the morning.  My one working eye looked
over the sea of sleeping angels snuggled next to me for several seconds
when an even more distinct groan vibrated not only from my stomach, but
through my chest.  'Fuck, I hope this isn't how a heart attack begins!'  I
was in the middle of a mental triage of myself when the groan turned to a
muffled muttering.
     As soon as I leaned slightly onto my back a tuft of golden hair pushed
its way out the top of the blanket.  "I gotta pee BAD," mumbled as his
freckle face appeared.
     Within seconds of him scurrying out of bed Ronnie, then Johnny opened
their eyes, mumbling about being woken up.  Johnny sleepily looked at me
for an instant before turning his head and looked toward Ronnie and Junior.
"Wow, I'm really here!  I thought I was dreaming.  I'm not locked in
there!"
     "No, you're not.  You are laying next to a bunch of people that love
you," I answered, leaning toward him and pulling him against me by his thin
back.
     "Yeah dude, you're here," Ronnie almost whispered as he lay his face
on the boy's neck.
     Johnny purred like a kitten as he enjoyed our cuddle.  "But Mark has a
good idea," he whined after a minute or so.
     "Yeah, me too!" Junior chimed in as he threw the covers off him.  "Can
we go swimming?" he called back toward me as they rushed into my bathroom.
'Well, it saves water!'  I snickered as they all disappeared toward the
toilet.
     I had just gotten out of bed, and was deciding between the pool and
the coffee pot when all four of them darted across the room, still clad
only in their briefs, as was I.
     'Not again!' I thought as they ran out the door.  I rushed onto the
patio behind them, yelling "Junior, take off your. . ."
     "HEADGEAR!" Cindy's voice chimed in as they dove into the water.  I
was already several feet away from the door.  I could feel my face
reddening as I looked around, and I'm sure I turned crimson when I saw her
sitting in one of the chase lounges.  'Fuck, I forgot about them!' I
chastised myself, realizing I was in my underwear.
     "I hope you didn't mind, I'm very much a morning dove," she said.  I'm
sure seeing my embarrassed face she held up a cup of coffee as if offering
a toast and giggled, "Nice derriere, great thighs!"  I felt small enough to
hide my nudeness by walking in the cracks in the concrete as I half crawled
back into my bedroom.
     "Sorry about that," I told her as I joined her a couple minutes later,
now wearing swim trunks and a tee-shirt.  "I was still half asleep, I guess
it doesn't take long to get used to living in the country."
     "I wouldn't have traded it for the world," she snickered.  "I'm
surprised you guys don't skinny dip!"
     "God, don't give them any ideas!" I countered.
     We talked for ten minutes or so as we watched the kids frolic in the
pool before Roberts joined us.  He and I downed a quick cup of coffee and
decided to ride together into town for morning rounds at the hospital,
picking up a donut in the way.  On the way back we would stop by their
house for fresh clothes, and the items Cindy had gotten for our lunch,
while she fed the kids breakfast.
     I found myself worrying, when would something going to go wrong, as I
finished with the last of my patients in what had to be record speed; even
more so when Roberts was waiting for me when I went back downstairs.
"Let's get out of here before something happens!" I whispered to him as we
started outside toward the parking lot.
     We quickly organized our efforts when we arrived at the Roberts'
house.  Carl left to pack a bag with fresh clothes for he and his wife,
while I loaded an ice chest with the Tuna steaks and other foods Cindy had
asked we bring.  Ten minutes later we were making sure we hadn't forgotten
anything as he started toward the utility room to check on their puppies.
     "Actually, Buddy is old enough to go home, why don't we take him with
us!" he commented as he looked over the fur-balls yelping at him.  Seeing
my lost expression he said, "Mark's dog, Buddy!" as he held a furry, floppy
eared little rat looking creature out to me.
     "Mark's what?  Mark who?" I almost stuttered, afraid I knew the answer
to both questions.
     "Your Mark!  He asked Junior to hold the dog for him the first time
you came over here!"  he answered.  Buddy squirmed in his hand toward me
such that I had to catch the little puppy before he fell.  He immediately
crawled up my chest and began licking my neck with his long wet tongue.
     "Ah, too bad he didn't tell me about this.  I want to get a dog,
but. . ." Buddy interrupted me, licking me in the mouth.  As I cupped his
tiny head in my hand to push him away from my lips he pushed his face
against mine, whining as his little tail wagged as fast as an airplane
propeller.  "You're cute and you know it, don't you," I snickered, getting
a dozen or so sloppy face licks as an answer.
     When I looked back us Roberts was scooping dry dog food into a plastic
bag.  "I'll send enough food to get you through the weekend," he said.
     "Well, thanks, but maybe I should think about it for a few days, maybe
I need to talk to the boys about this, I mean. . ."
     "Okay, you tell that face he cant have a good home, with a houseful of
boys to love him," he countered, rubbing Buddy's neck.  He turned back
around and began arranging rags in a cardboard box.
     "Ah, well maybe he should have a few days, to say goodbye to his
mother, well and his brothers and sisters," I tried.  Buddy answered by
madly licking my face again.
     "Do you think that box is piss proof?" I asked a couple of minutes
later, as I looked at the Italian leather seats in my only months old,
fifty-thousand dollar big cat.
     "I wouldn't worry about it too much," Roberts answered as he sat down,
putting Buddy's box in his lap.  "It's already broken in, I christened the
back seat last night over your driving!  Somewhere between when you
retracted the landing gear, and when you broke the sound barrier, I shit
all over it!" he chuckled.  "Let's take your grandson home, Doctor!"
     "You know, I was single and normal until I met you!" I countered as I
started the engine.
     "Friend, I really doubt you were ever normal," he replied.
     The boys were in the pasture when we got home, Johnny playing with
Ginger while the other boys rode.  Cindy was back on the patio, relaxing
over a cup of coffee.  "Buddy!" she bubbled when she saw the box.  "You're
going to love him, he was the runt of the litter, but has started thriving
in the past couple of weeks." she told me as she picked him out of the box
and kissed his nose.
     "He's extremely intelligent, he is not quiet eight weeks old, and is
already starting to get the idea of being house trained!" she added.
     "House trained?" I moaned.  'How many thousand dollars did I just
spend on new carpet?  On having hundred-year-old floors refinished?' I
asked myself.
     "Don't worry, it only takes a few months!" Roberts quipped.  From his
face I knew he was thoroughly enjoying my agony.
     I was still in a fog ten minutes or so later when the Veterinarian,
then the Farrier arrived.  Roberts stayed behind to watch Buddy while Cindy
and I went down to the pasture with them.  None of the new horses had any
serious problems, one of Cindy's mares need a shoe replaced, but they both
were declared in excellent health by the Vet.
     After the poor animal doctor danced around Johnny as he examined
Ginger, he found no real problems with her either, stating he was sure she
could grow into a productive mare, and that although she would never be a
enormous animal, a few months of hormone injections would be all that she
needed to grow to a normal size, even suggesting she be ridden by a small
rider to build her muscle mass.  He suggested he give her the first hormone
injection, then that I give her one a week thereafter.
     Johnny freaked when he saw the doctor filling a large syringe for her.
"No!" he cried.  "No, don't hurt her!"  When the vet tried to tell him the
shot would not hurt, Johnny barked, "They do too!  When I get them they do
and that's too huge, please don't hurt her!"
     "I wont hurt her, I don't hurt animals," he replied, setting the hypo
down on his med kit.  "But, I just remembered some more medicine she needs,
will you help me give them to her?" he added.  He dug into one of the tool
boxes on his truck for a minute before pulling out a bag of small brown
biscuits.  "I want her to take one of these before she exercises, can you
remember to give her one each time you come to, play with her?  Why don't
you open the package and get one out for her," he suggested, setting the
bag on the tailgate of his truck as he slipped the loaded syringe into his
back pocket.
     I felt a little sorry for the boy as he wrestled with his one good arm
to open the bag, but the vet had just injected Ginger when Johnny proudly
announced, "I got it!" rushing toward Ginger holding out the biscuit.
     "The boy doesn't live here full time, yet," I told the Vet as Johnny
and Ginger ran away from us, playing like two human children.  "What are
the pills, how often does she need them?"
     "They're just training treats, sweetened feed," he answered.  "He's so
cute, so devoted to her, I thought it would help them bond.  And get him
out of my hair!  By the way, are you aware two of your mares are pregnant,
perhaps a third?"
     I couldn't suppress my smile as he pointed Hera and Athnea, saying he
was sure they were with foal, and that he thought Zoe might be.  "Damn good
stallion you have," he said.  'Yeah, if you even knew' I thought as I
rubbed my ear.
     Cindy decided to ride with the boys for a few minutes after everyone
was done checking the horses.  "I need to have a session with a bed wetter,
a new patient," I told her as I started back toward the house.  "But
remember we have a surprise for the boys up at the house," I added as I
closed the gate.

To Be Continued. . .