Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2002 10:35:59 -0500
From: Gary <gary_q@hotmail.com>
Subject: Patient John Doe Chapter 12

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.

				DEDICATION

This story is dedicated to a wonderful young man that sadly I only knew via
the internet.  It is dedicated to Ashton Cody Sanchez.

God sent Cody here on 5 January, 1989, as a newborn baby. After years of
being tested for his beliefs as a gay youth, Cody was delivered into the
loving home of my good friend, and now collaborator on this project, Miguel
Sanchez and his wife. They adopted Cody in April of this year, 2002.

By the end of June, 2002, Cody had completed the mission he was sent here
for, and God swooped him back into his arms. Cody succumbed to
complications of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, and entered Heaven the evening
of 29 June, 2002. While waiting for God to call Cody back, my friend Miguel
read Cody the first several chapters of Patient John Doe, sitting next to
him in the lad's hospital bed.

Please think of abused, and misunderstood kids like Cody and Johnny (and
the many, many thousands of others out there) as you read my tale. I am
sure Cody is reading with us from above, surely now comfortably perched on
God's lap.

AUTHORS NOTE: I understand it is a little unusual to offer a Dedication in
mid stream of a story, but I did.  The above Dedication has been added to
Chapter One of this story, and I would ask anyone that has archived,
printed, or saved earlier chapters add this Dedication to their copy.  I
also wish to thank Miguel for his continuing collaboration in developing
this tale.

Thanks, Gary

			      Chapter Twelve

     Despite Johnny's objections I was able to convince, or coerce, him go
with Cindy, who had agreed to take Ronnie and Mark to school and Johnny to
Hill Country.  "I'll see you this afternoon, I promise.  I would bet you
will enjoy today's session more than you think you will." I told him.
After a group hug they were off, and I was dialing my cell phone as they
rounded the corner.  'I bet you will, little man,' I snickered.
     Rodriguez called me into his chambers after I testified at the second
hearing.  "I spoke with my counterpart in Arkansas after your hearing," he
began.  "They have dropped their action against Johnny.  I traded the boy
for the bigot, after he spends tonight as a guest of the county," he
snickered.
     "I need a written evaluation of Johnny, including what you said in
court earlier.  I am in the process of having all the charges against him
consolidated to this court, and with your conclusion he was operating under
duress I intend to drop all actions against him, he will start afresh with
a clean slate." he said.  I assured him it would be on his desk very
promptly.
     Cindy was elated when I called her and told her of the Judge's
request.  I wasn't surprised either when she said she would be delivering
the final partitions regarding Mark and Ronnie before lunch today.  She had
already prepared them and just needed to add the date, but didn't have
access to a printer in court.  "You probably will want to stop by
Cornerstone to change the records to reflect their new last name," she
added.  'Ronnie Owens, Mark Owens, yeah!' it thought.
     She accepted my offer to have her family join mine for supper to
celebrate.  "I was thinking somewhere, formal, how about Chuck-E-Cheese!" I
offered.  We both had a good laugh and agreed on 6:00.
     The rest of my day seemed like it was thirty or so hours long, but
finally I finished my afternoon hospital rounds and was on the way to Hill
Country.  I had to smile as I thought about the hospital staffs' reaction
to my getting custody of their former patient, I got so many hugs and
handshakes my body felt a little sore.
     The nursing staff on Johnny's ward at Hill Country amazed me.  After
they sent him to a therapy session in another part of the center, they
packed his few belongings and cleared his room.  I rushed his things back
out to the car before rejoining them, just as they were moving extra
chairs, along with a cake and cooler of drinks into his old room.  As soon
as everyone crowded into the room, including several off duty staffers that
came in for the occasion, the charge nurse called to therapy.
     "Has Doctor Pop gotten here yet, he always come about now," we heard
Johnny's alto voice through the intercom they intentionally left open.
     "Not that I know of, I'm sure he will be here soon," we heard the
charge nurse say.
     "Well can we call him?  He's got that phone he carries everwhere," he
said after a pause.  "Can I wait out here for him?  I wont run or nothing,"
he pleaded.
     "Go to your room," she ordered as the electronic lock buzzed.  "And
shake the door when you get inside, so I know it's locked."  "Go!" she
barked after a pause.
     "Yes ma'am," he whimpered, I could almost hear his tears.  As we
waited much longer than it should have taken for him to walk the thirty
feet or so to his room I could picture him shuffling down the hall.
Finally we heard him sob, "Please ma'am," through the door.
     "Go!" the nurse barked, again more from the other side of the door
than the intercom.  "And lock yourself in."
     After another pause the door slowly opened.  His chin was on his
chest, and his teary eyes were staring down at the floor so much he didn't
notice the twenty or so of us as he started into the room.  One of the
nurses silently counted with her fingers to three and we all yelled,
"Surprise!"
     He sullenly looked up before his mouth fell agape and his face paled.
"Congratulations, you're going home!" the charge nurse told him as she
pulled him under her breasts, pulling his back against her.  His eyes
widened to the size of saucers as he looked around.  Our eyes only met for
an instant before he pulled out for under the nurse's cuddle and dove into
my lap, burying his pixie face into my chest.
     "You ready to go home?" I asked him.  He just sobbed and pushed more
tightly against me.  "I want you to still come for therapy, but just during
the day, you live at the ranch now!"
     "Not yet!" the charge nurse countered.  "Not until you eat a piece of
your cake!" she added, holding out a plate loaded with ice cream toped
cake.  Someone pushed the meal tray from his bed in front of us and she sat
it down, offering a spoonful of the treat to him.
     He turned slightly toward it, but pushed back against my chest.
"Okay, if you don't want any!" I quipped, leaning forward and pulling the
spoon into my mouth.
     "Pop!" he howled.  "POP!!!"  He attacked the next spoonful offered
with a vengeance.
     Ten or so minutes later about a dozen staffers escorted us to my car,
hugging and teasing the boy all the way.  "Wow, I really getta spend the
night at the ranch again!  Thanks Pop!" he bubbled as I drove out of the
parking lot.
     "Well, but you are not going to spend the night, son," I answered.  He
stiffened before I could continue.  "You are going to spend the next
several years there, our ranch is your home now!" I again wondered if I
should write a letter to the UK congratulating them on designing such a
strong seat belt system they had blessed my Jaguar with as he hooted and
stressed the restraints, hugging my arm.  I started to explain what his
schedule would be, what was going to happen now, several times as we drove
toward the ranch, but finally gave up, deciding to wait until he came down
from cloud nine.
     'There is nothing normal about that little horse,' I thought as I saw
Ginger waiting for us at the gate, staring to the passenger side of my big
cat even before I turned off the road.  She bucked and pranced as she ran
next to us toward the house.  Johnny darted to the fence as soon as I
stopped, and I had to shake my head as I watched her intently listening to
Johnny as he talked to her, clearly filling her in on the day's
developments.  'Maybe we should have had her testify at the hearing this
morning,' I snickered as I went inside.
     I was a little surprised that the boys were in the pool instead of
riding.  I barely had time to accept my afternoon beer from Mary before
they rushed inside, wrapping their wet Speedo clad little bodies into a
dripping hug.  "Thanks Dad!  But where's Johnny!" Mark asked, soaking my
starched shirt as he rubbed against me.
     "Yeah, Mary said he was gonna come home with you!" Ronnie added.
Buddy pawed my trouser leg as if also demanding an answer.  "Yeah, and wow,
his room is totally awesome!" he added.  Mary and the boys exchanged dirty
looks as she pushed towels at them, she glaring down at the water dripping
on the carpet.
     "He's outside talking to, , , to your little sister.  Go get him, and
let's show him his room, and we need to talk, a quick family meeting," I
told them.
     They both darted toward the door when Mary snapped, "Put some shoes
on!"  They both sheepishly slipped on their sandals as she added, "And,"
looking toward their headgears, laying on the breakfast bar.
     Johnny was awestruck as the boys led him around his bedroom.  He pawed
his new computer, then the home theater system identical to the one in Mark
and Ronnie's bedroom, almost as if he was worshiping them.  All the boys
almost gasp as I explained how all the computers were now networked to our
new server in my study.  I didn't tell them that was actually for parental
control that I added the server, so I could better regulate their internet
and computer use.
     I felt my heart throb as I watched Johnny inspect his bedroom door
several times as he passed it looking around his new room.  I stepped to
the door and pulled him under my arm on his next pass.  "No, son, it does
not lock, there is no way to lock it.  Those days are over, okay?" I
whispered.  He carefully inspected the door another time before burying his
face into my chest.
     I was surprised a few minutes later, when we went back downstairs and
Mary was still there.  "You said we were going to have a meeting!" she
said, I'm sure in response to my questioning face.  I hugged her with my
eyes as I sat down on the family room's couch, the boys piling around me.
She sat down in my recliner and I started to speak when Ronnie reached down
and deposited Buddy in my lap.  'Well, better Buddy than Ginger, or Zoe!' I
silently laughed.
     "Okay guys, a lot is going on, a lot of changes for all of us," I
began, still talking toward Buddy.  "Will everyone listen to what I have to
say BEFORE you react, I mean answer?" I got a series of worried nods from
my new sons.  "I guess the most important thing I want to say is Buddy has
been here for two days and hasn't hurt the carpet yet!" I proclaimed.  The
comment had the perfect effect, all the boys stared at me lost for a second
before relaxing hugging and praising the little fur ball.
     Everyone listened intently, but comfortably as I explained that Johnny
did indeed live here now, that I would drive him to Hill Country every
weekday morning for therapy and tutoring, and that either Mary or I would
pick him up each afternoon.  As I told Mark and Ronnie that they were
extremely close to having their adoption finalized, I enjoyed some of the
most wonderful hugs and snuggles I think I had ever received, and no one
offered any objection to eating supper in town.
     "We are also going on a trip this weekend," I told them.  They all got
quiet, and looked up at me curiously.  "We are going to Virginia, and meet
a Doctor there, who wants to evaluate, , , to see you, son," I said toward
Johnny.  "He MIGHT be able to help your arm work again.  We are going to go
see if he can."
     The room quickly became deathly quiet, the boys exchanging glances as
if trying to verify they what they thought they did.  "No, no way!" I
barked at Johnny, breaking the long silence.  "I'm sorry, but Ginger CAN
NOT go!  Horses don't do airplanes!" I teased, poking thin stomach.  He
giggled, but fell silent again.
     "Wow, do you think he can Dad?" Ronnie asked.  They listened intently
as I explained what had transpired with Sanchez over the past week, trying
to use terms I thought they would understand.
     "Airplane?  We're going to go on an airplane?" Johnny mumbled.  "Why
cant we go in your car?"
     "Do you know where Virginia is?" I asked, getting only a shrug.  "I
want you to find it on your computer later, but it would take about four
days to drive there, and about four hours to fly there."  His face told me
I wasn't getting through to him.  "Has any of you ever flown?  In an
airplane?"  They all acknowledged they never had.
     "It's really nice, you guys will love it," Mary injected.  "Did you
know you can watch movies on board. . . I mean while you fly?  You get to
eat, , , dinner on the plane too!" Mary and I both laughed as their faces
perked up.
     "Speaking of dinner, we have to meet the Roberts.  Everyone in the
shower, shorts and polo shirts!" I snickered.  I pulled them into a hug as
I added, "We will talk about it some more later, but we have to fatten you
guys up!"
     "Mama was right, the way to a young man's heart is through his
stomach," Mary chuckled as I showed her out.
     Johnny was very quiet on the way into town.  I tried to feel him out
if he was worried about flying or his upcoming ordeal with his arm, but got
no response.  I ended up spending more time arguing with my other two about
wearing their headgear.  I forced them to put them on before we left the
house, and intended to let them leave them in the car, but the more they
complained the closer I was to making them keep them on.
     "No more argument boys, you can take them off when we get to the
diner, but if Junior is wearing his, you go back out to the car for
your's." I finally proclaimed.  I'm not sure if my compromise or
Chuck-E-Cheese coming into site swayed them, but I suddenly had a pair of
bubbly, smiling teenagers.  Their jubilation was short lived as the fickle
finger of fate seemed to strike.  As I turned into a parking spot we
noticed the Roberts walking toward the eatery's entry door, Junior's thick
facebow reflecting brightly in the neon lights.  "Sorry guys," I tittered
as they begrudgingly began hooking their straps back around their heads.
     All the kids began completely enjoying themselves almost as soon as we
got inside.  I had taken Ronnie and Mark to Chuck-E-Cheese a couple of time
before when they still were living at St. Paul's, but it quickly became
clear Johnny had never been there, or anywhere close to it.  At first he
followed his new brothers around looking at the many, many games and
activities available, his face seemed to be wondering if he would actually
be able play any of them.  Five minutes later he was ricocheting between
the games, his face so happy I bought a disposable camera and followed him
around.
     I thought I would have to drag him to our table when our mountain of
pizza arrived, but after a small test bite, my one armed eating machine
kept up quiet well as all the kids inhaled a dozen or so slices each.  As
the kids seemed to be finishing their feeding frenzy Cindy subtly signaled
the waiter while I reviewed the documents she had given me shortly after we
arrived.  Quickly a couple of waitresses began placing small glasses of
Ginger-ale in front of us as Chucky, the smile faced big hairy rat mascot
of Chuck-E-Cheese, slipped up behind my boys.
     "Everyone, I have an announcement, and wish to propose a toast, two
toasts." I told our table.  "First, to Master Mark Owens, and Master
Ron. . .ald Owens, who as of today are legally and officially my adopted
sons."  Mark and Ronnie stared at me wide eyed until Chucky bent down and
hugged them, as we held our glasses out to the boys.  "And to my new, soon
to be my adopted son, Johnny!  You're not legally an Owens yet, but you are
my son now!"  Johnny all but disappeared as the costumed character embraced
him from behind the boy's chair, hugging him and planting a kiss on
Johnny's head with his oversized smiling headpiece.
     The waitresses sat a cake on the table and quickly served each of us a
piece.  I had to snicker as I noticed the smeared frosting that still
faintly said 'Happy Birthday' above the kids neatly scripted first names.
A minute later Chucky leaned down and hugged me.  "We're sorry sir, but we
have never done an adoption before!" a female voice whispered from within
the mask.
     Cindy, Carl and I leaned back and ordered another pitcher of beer as
the five of them rushed back into the jungle of games, still chewing their
last bite of cake.
     I only received a few groans when I sent everyone upstairs to bathe
again, and Ronnie and Mark to do their homework, when we arrived home.  I
let Buddy outside and started to check my PDA, trying to decide if I could
afford to drink another beer or so and still function tomorrow, but decided
screw it, knowing I was going to drink one anyway.  'How often do you so
instantly increase the size of your family like this!' I told myself,
wondering if I should celebrate or mourn.
     I had put Buddy to bed in the spare room and was relaxing in my
recliner a few minutes later when something softly brushed my arm.  Johnny
slipped under it, then climbed into my lap as I looked around.  "How long
do you think I getta stay here?" he almost whispered as he tucked the top
of his head under my chin.
     "For a very long time son.  How long did I tell you, don't you
remember?" I answered, pulling him against me.  He molded his bare chest
tightly against mine.
     "Well, maybe if you can tell me again?  It feels neat when you say it.
Please?"
     "For a very, very long time," I told him, trying to keep my voice from
cracking.  "At least until you grow up, and then until you want to leave."
He answered by relaxing against me, and within a minute or so I was
listening to his soft breathing as he slept in my arms.  'Please God, a
very, very long time,' I silently added.
     I enjoyed his snuggle for a half hour or so before slipping my arms
under him and I carried him upstairs.  I started to take him to his new
bedroom, but noticed the other boys sound asleep, sharing Ronnie's bed.  I
stood in the door was for probably a couple of minutes enjoying the
moonlight reflecting off their golden hair.  'What the hell,' I thought as
I carried Johnny into the room. He didn't even stir as I slipped him under
the covers next to Mark.  I have no idea how long I stood in their doorway
watching my three little angels before my bladder, demanding relief,
snapped me back to reality and I went to my bedroom.
     I slapped the buzzing beast on my bedside table several times as it
attacked my slumber the next morning, but finally realized it wasn't going
to die, and woke up enough for the aroma of the coffee pot to enter my
consciousness.  'Yeah, well, maybe it's Friday,' I thought as I sat up,
swinging my feet off the bed.  My toes ran into a huge lump in the carpet
as I did.  When I looked down it wasn't a lump, but Johnny, still wearing
only his briefs, crawled up in a fetal position below me, sucking his
thumb.  He didn't wake up, but Buddy pushed his furry nose out from the
boy's chest and looked up at me.
     "Hi guys," I whispered as I sat Buddy on my bed then picked Johnny up.
I gently pulled his thumb out of his mouth as I hugged him.
     "Hi Pop," he mumbled as he opened his eyes.  "I dreamed you was gonna
leave," he told my chest as he buried his face into it.
     "But I didn't, did I?" I answered, kissing the top of his head.
"Looks like you are stuck with me, doesn't it!" he squirmed in my lap
before Buddy began trying to climb into his lap.  "I would guess someone
might want to go outside, and I bet there are some hungry kids somewhere
around here!  If you'll let him out and go wake your brothers up, I'll look
around for some breakfast!"
     "You're a neat Pop," he whispered.  He pushed against me for a second
before pushing off my lap and calling Buddy to go with him.  'No, you are a
neat kid,' I smiled as I watched him rush to the patio door.
     I couldn't count the number of times during my workday that I snicked
as I remembered leaving him off at Hill Country on the way to work.  It
didn't take him long to realize he wasn't being sent back to the secure
wing of the facility, and was grinning like an Opossum as he walked me back
to the Patient's entrance, unescorted.  When I reminded him he was to wait
inside, in the small foyer, and not venture outside until Mary or I drove
up to the door every afternoon to pick him up he blushed and promised.  I
was almost to my car when I heard his shrill voice yelling, "Bye Dad!" I
turned around, about to go back, but he just pulling his carrot topped head
back inside the door, his feet inside.  I'm sure he didn't see me as he
tested the door to see if it would open several more times.
     The boys were still having their riding lesson when I got home.  Mary
surprised me by saying she had packed for the boys, even offering to pack
my luggage if I let her know what I wanted to take.  After I thanked her
and declined, saying I would pack tonight, she asked if she could take
Buddy home for the weekend.
     "Thanks again, but the Roberts are going to keep him at their house.
By the way, they are going to take care of the horses too, I want you to
enjoy a long weekend off, you have earned it."  She started to argue, that
there was still housework to do.  "Well, if you really want to help out,
you could take Ginger home while we are gone, I know she will be lonely!"
Her 'Up Your's!' look answered for her.
     I changed into my trunks and swam for ten minutes or so before the
boys and Stewart came out of the pasture, the boys racing ahead of their
instructor and darting toward the house.  I climbed out of the pool and
toweled off when I noticed Stewart walking toward the patio instead of the
side gate as she normally did.  I hugged the kids for a minute or so,
Johnny bubbling a million words a minute about his day at Hill Country and
his first riding lesson until she joined us.
     "He's a very good student, he's going to be a good rider," she began,
tousling Johnny's hair, making the lad gleamed with pride.
     I felt my stomach bounce off my kneecap as Johnny added, "She let me
ride Zeus!"
     Stewart just had time to say how well all the boys were doing when
Junior exclaimed, "I'm hungry!  Come on dudes, I know our Nanny's got
something yumm!!!" Stewart teased me about my rapidly growing family as she
spent a couple minutes filling me in on everyone's progress.
     I had to laugh too as we ate supper and Johnny bragged about having
homework tonight, Mark and Ronnie looking at him as if he was completely
crazy.  I had to take a deep breath to keep from crying when Johnny
countered, "Well, I ain't gotta, , , ah got to go to school much, I think
it's neat!"
     The boys seemed somewhat more relaxed as we talked about tomorrow's
trip and plane ride, before I sent them upstairs to do their homework and
bathe.  Johnny amazed me, completing each his assignments surprisingly
quickly before he proudly presented them to me to check for him.  I got
some groans and dirty looks when I told them they could only take a quick
ride tomorrow after school, that I expected them to take bath and be ready
to leave for the airport when I got home, but soon they were all sound
asleep, Johnny even promising to sleep in his bed for the first time.
     He was so cute I thought about him all day as I left Johnny off at
Hill Country the next morning.  As I stopped in front of the Patient
entrance and released his seat belt, he grabbed the box of floppy disks
containing his homework and started out of the car, before turning back to
me. He pushed over the center council and threw his arm around my neck,
hugging me, as he whispered, "Thanks Pop, I mean Dad.  I love you Dad!"
After I kissed his forehead he climbed out of the car and scampered into
the building, turning to wave before he went inside.
     After we loaded our luggage into the car and I locked the house that
afternoon, I wasn't too surprised to find the boys at the pasture fence
talking to the horses.  I shook my head as I watched, Johnny pointing to
his paralyzed arm as he talked, all the horses eyes following his gestures.
I had to call them a couple of times before they started back toward the
car.  Johnny followed behind Mark and Ronnie after Ginger stuck her snout
through the fence and sniffed her young master's arm for a second before
pushing her face against his chest, clearly waiting for a kiss.
     All three boys eyes were as wide as saucers as we made our way through
the airport terminal.  They were staying very close to my side, almost
taking turns nuzzling under my arms as we checked our baggage and waited in
line for security to screen us.  When we finally made our way to the front
of the line and the screeners went through our carry on bags, they quickly
found Mark and Ronnie's facebows.  The rent-a-cops looked them over for
several seconds, poking at the blunt ends of their inner facebow, I think
trying to figure out how to use the harmless appliances as weapons, as I
began explaining to the gathered group of high school dropouts what these
mystery items were for.
     Finally a supervisor showed up.  I thought Mark and Ronnie were going
to die of embarrassment when they finally had to install their headgears in
front of a couple of hundred people waiting in line behind us, but we
boarded the plane in time.
     All of them were in total awe as we found our seats on the huge wide
body jet, and I somehow shepherd all three of them at once.  They muttered
'Wow!' and 'Awesome!' and such as we settled in.  After I got everyone's
carry-on stuffed above us, and their seat belts fastened, I whispered to my
two wide eyed tin grins they could take their headgears off for the trip,
not sure if I was talking to zombies or kids.
     "Whatever," Mark mumbled after several seconds.  "Everyone's seen us
anyway."  As the pilot began starting the aircraft's engines, and all three
boys began to get more jittery, I began to understand the public exposure
of wearing braces might not be the problem.
     "Flying is great," I said, tousling their hair.  "Hey, and as soon as
we get in the air we get munchies!" I teased.  They were all tense as
boards as the big jet began vibrating and racing down the runway, pushing
them against the back of their seats as it launched itself into flight.
'Wow!' and 'Awesome!' began to ring into my ears as we gained altitude and
they pulled against their seat belts toward the windows and panoramic view
below.  They settled down and seemed completely happy as we leveled off and
they began watching a movie and supper was served.
     The boys lost a lot of their secure attitude as we deplaned and
entered the terminal at Norfolk, and I had a triple load of boys under
foot.

     "Doctor Owens, I'm Jay Sanchez," a voice said.  A well tanned man with
almost jet black hair was extending his hand to me as I turned.  "And this
is my partner Ronnie," he continued as we shook hands.
     'Wow! Thanks for the warning, Doc!' I thought shaking Ronnie's hand.
I was amazed as I looked at the man I was shaking hands with.  Except for
ever so slightly darker shade of blue in his eyes, he was an older version
of Mark and Ronnie.  His blond hair was as golden as their's his thin build
was what I pictured my sons to have at his age.
     "Pleasure to meet you, thanks so much for coming to pick us up, I
apologize for the hour!  But I'm Adam.  These are my sons," I answered,
touching the top of their heads as I continued.  "This is Mark, and my
Ronnie, and this is. . ." I reached behind me, almost dragging our patient
from behind my hip, before I continued, "Johnny.  Boys, say hello to Doctor
Sanchez and Mister, I'm sorry I didn't catch your last name sir,"
     "Sanchez, but please call me Ronnie, I hope your boys will too," the
older Ronnie informed me.
     "Doctor Jay, not Doctor Sanchez, please," he responded, offering his
hand to each boy.
     "Arf!  You used to play Basketball!" my Ronnie exclaimed.
     "A different Doctor Jay!" Sanchez snickered, patting the top of
Ronnie's head.  "But you are a very perceptive young man!"  Ronnie blushed,
but followed Sanchez's hand as the Doctor withdrew it, lining up almost
against his new friend.
     As we moved toward the baggage claim area Johnny remained tightly
tucked under my arm, but I could feel a slight, almost moon like gravity
pull as he subtitle guided us closer to Sanchez and his partner.  As we
stopped in front of the luggage drop-off he had positioned himself between
Sanchez and I, probably two inches between Johnny's shoulder and Sanchez's
elbow.
     "Are you really gonna fix my arm?" he whimpered.
     "I am going to do the best I can, I hope I can," Sanchez answered,
reaching around Johnny and cupping his crippled shoulder.  Johnny relaxed
in my cuddle for a second or so before slipping out from under my arm and
leaning into Sanchez snuggle.  He remained glued to the doctor as we
crossed the parking lot.
     "Wow, a Humvee!" Mark exclaimed as Sanchez unlocked the door to his
oversized SUV.  "Cool!" Ronnie chimed in.
     "It's a Hummer, the civilian version," Sanchez replied.  Seeing their
bewildered faces he added, "Mine doesn't come with machine guns.
     "Or canvas seats!" I quipped as I looked around the luxurious
interior, probably as plush as my Jaguar.
     I was a little in awe as Sanchez turned into a long winding driveway
and drove toward a sprawling beachfront dwelling, set at least a quarter
mile from the road.  As he maneuvered around the split level house and
parked under a wide deck, the ocean's waves splashing ashore only a hundred
feet away in the moon's light almost looked like something out of a
vacation advertisement.  "God, this is beautiful," I commented as I looked
around.
     Their home was as impressive as was their beach.  A huge deck had a
swimming pool as its centerpiece, but also equipped with a hot tub and
small wet bar, extended across the entire back of the house.  Their
spacious den, all five bedrooms and even their kitchen opened directly onto
it.  "There's a shower and changing room below the deck, when you guys come
back from the beach help yourself!" Sanchez told the kids as they showed us
around.
     The boys only gave me brief glares as I sent them to get into bed a
few minutes later, the trip clearly taking its toll on them.  Sanchez and I
retired to his rear deck as the older Ronnie also excused himself, saying
he had to be to work early. I had to cover my mouth a few minutes later
when Johnny, now clad only in a pair of Hill Country gym shorts came back
onto the deck hugged me, then Sanchez.  "Do we get tucked in?" he
whimpered.
     "I think so!" Sanchez replied, scooping the boy up and carrying him
down the deck.  He dropped my little bundle into bed like a sack of
potatoes before pulling the covers over the boy.  "Sleep good little one,
thank you for coming into my life," he softly said as he tucked the lad in.
After I kissed Johnny's forehead Sanchez and I stood next to each other at
the door leading back onto the deck from Johnny's bedroom for probably a
couple of minutes, both of us silent as we studied his angelic beauty.
     "Your face was worth a thousand words when I introduced Ronnie as my
partner earlier," Jay said as he handed me my drink after I had tucked my
other two kids in.
     "You damn sure surprised me!" I answered.  "This is great, I didn't
know Yankees could make a proper Margarita!" I teased as I took a sip.  "I
hope you made a pitcher!"
     "That isn't much of an answer Doctor," he said after several seconds
of silence.
     "Adam, remember?" I corrected before taking a long swallow of my
drink.  "Yeah, you shocked the shit out of me, I was expecting to meet,
well your partner to be some blushing bubbly bride.  Ronnie caught me off
guard to say the least.  I'm very sorry for my reaction, I was operating in
a protection mode, protecting my kids.  We are a half a country a way from
home, all three of my boys had been abused before they came to live with
me, please forgive my paranoia.
     "You two have a fantastic life, I can tell that in just the short time
we have been together.  I love your home, the life you have built, please
forgive me for being a freaked out pilgrim."  I paused for probably a
minute before downing my drink and adding, "You and your partner both have
Sanchez as a last name, are you married?"
     "Ronnie and I are also brothers, adopted brothers.  We fell in love as
teens, about the age your Ronnie and Mark are."  He poured each of us a
fresh drink as he continued, "Our families seem to have many
similarities. A single man, who like you is a physician, adopted both of my
brothers and myself, when we were all young teens about the age of your
boys.
     "Before I met my father I had to survive on the streets in Recife,
Brazil by doing what I needed to in order to survive.  My mother was a
hooker, a drunk and a drug addict, so it was up to me to fend for myself.
I found out she died from AIDS and all three of us had to be tested, and we
are clean, thank God.  I even had to resort to selling myself in order to
earn a few bucks to either buy food or glue."
     Seeing my face, or the amount of my drink I inhaled, he added, "Yes
Adam, glue. I'm lucky my now father found me and saved my life, otherwise I
probably would have ended up a vegetable, or dead.  One night I made a very
serious error in judgement and went into a darkened alleyway, and the next
thing I remember was waking up in the hospital.  My father happened to be
nearby when a man attacked me, and not only transported me to the hospital,
but paid my medical expenses before he even knew my name.
     "He saved Steven, my other brother, from getting raped, while trying
to find out my name.  Steven suggested Ronnie who knew who I was.  Steven's
mom had died from a drug overdose and Ronnie's mother was murdered almost
in front of his eyes.  There was one thing still bothering my dad though,
who was behind all this?  It didn't take him long to find out."
     "It seems the local sheriff was behind all the senseless killings.
The older kids had to pay him protection money or they would be 'punished'
for not doing so.  If this went on too long, they were taken care of once
and for all.  Dad told me that a nurse even tried to kill me with an
overdose of medication.  Once I woke up, I was back to my old self again,
not wanting to trust anyone.  That didn't last long.
     "When I saw Dad, I started telling him off, and that lasted all of
about two minutes when Ronnie let me have it right across the mouth.  I
think that was the only time he ever hit me but it worked.  He told me that
I didn't get it, but I did, right in the mouth.  He told me Dad saved my
life, probably all three of our's, and if I ever shouted at Dad again, he
would let me have it again.  Well, after that Ronnie and I became very
close.  As time went on, we both realized two things.  First we were gay
and second we loved each other.  Not like we love Steven, but like Steven
and his wife Angela.  I know this is a shock for you but now you know the
whole story."
     "An amazing story," I said after a minute or so.  "Forgive me if I am
a little slow, but what you are telling me seems like something out of
Hollywood, too good to be true.  I am looking forward to meeting your
father very much."  I took a long swallow of my drink, hoping it would give
me a little more composure, before adding, "God, I just wish, after all
they have gone through, my sons could grow up as happy and well adjusted as
you and your brothers have."
     I gazed out at the ocean's waves, so peacefully landing ashore for a
few seconds.  "I am too personally involved to deal with them
professionally, I probably should not have committed to adopt them,
especially Johnny, but, well I'm not sure what to do, well now.  I love him
more than life, but what Johnny thinks is, I mean what he thinks he has to
do to show love is, well, with his body.  He thinks loving an adult is
giving his, well, earning my love is having sex with me!  I just want to
raise him, and protect him!  To see him, them, mature and develop, like you
and your brothers.  I just want my relationship with him to be as my son,
not a Boy-toy!  I'm sorry, a bad choice of words."
     "A perfect choice of words and frankness, thank you," he answered.
"Johnny has been through a lot, as have your other boys.  If you would
like, I could talk to him and maybe get him to see that sex does not equate
to love, and that all you want to do is to be a father to him.  A father
who loves him for who he is and not what he is."  After I didn't answer for
a minute or so he added, "But we have all had a long day, let's get some
rest.  Let's talk again in the morning."
     Both the drinks and our long day was taking its toll on me and I
didn't argue.  After Jay and I checked on the boys, now a mass of tangled
arms and legs in the same bed, Jay led me to my bedroom and disappeared
down the deck.
     My nose awoke me.  Still half asleep I found myself trying to
interrupt the aroma that made my stomach growl; besides the wonderful smell
of coffee, it smelled somewhat like ham, but if it was ham it had to be
Moses's sacred hog being cooked.  My bladder reinforced my stomach's
demands and I bailed out of bed to the bathroom, then to find the kitchen.
     Jay was sitting at the breakfast bar sipping coffee and watching my
boys play in the pool when I stumbled into their kitchen, squinting at the
morning sun radiating the huge glass door opening to the deck and pool.
His mate was working at their stove, the source of the aroma that woke me
up.  "Well, you did survive!" he announced, setting a cup of coffee in
front of me.
     "You have some wonderful kids," Jay added.  "They are so full of life,
so happy.  I'm a little jealous."  I muttered a sleepy thanks and sipped on
my morning caffeine fix for a minute before he added, "Mark and Johnny are
involved, aren't they?"  I looked back out at the boys, flocking as he
said, "Watch their faces, their body language, they are so happy together."
     "But call them inside, breakfast is served!" Ronnie announced, setting
platter after platter of eggs, toast, fruits and Canadian bacon on the
table.  "I have an early luncheon, I need to get to work," he added as Jay
called the boys out of the pool.
     I'm not sure who was more impressed, my sons' bottomless pits we used
to call stomachs in Medical school, or I as we enjoyed our breakfast, as
perfect as if served in a five star restaurant. I started to worry if the
boys might explode as I watched them eat.
     Everyone was finishing their breakfast when Ronnie excused himself,
saying he was behind schedule and had to leave.  Just out of curiosity I
asked him where he worked .  "I'm a cook," he said.  Jay gave his partner a
slight grin.
     Sanchez spent over an hour examining Johnny.  The boy wasn't to happy
about the electrodes the doctor's nurses glued to his head, torso, arms and
legs, but I was proud of him as he lay still through all of his trials.
His face was almost as happy as when he was riding Ginger as the nurse
finally detached him from his electronic harness and Sanchez suggested he
meet his brothers in the clinic's snack bar and get something to drink.
     "I feel I have between an eighty and ninety percent chance of success
repairing the bundle. Perhaps, he could regain ninety percent reuse of his
limb.  However, time is a concern, the longer we delay, the more his
chances of full recovery demonism." Sanchez told me after the boys left.
     "God, that is beyond belief!" I exclaimed.  "When can you operate,
when should we be back up here," I gasp more than spoke.
     "I'd like to perform the procedure a little later in the morning," he
answered.  "I have an operating room reserved, we'll let him finish his
coke and go to the hospital.  The procedure should take about two hours,
and he probably will be able to spend tonight at my house."  He paused
briefly, I'm sure letting his statement soak in.  "He'll be back to almost
full activity by tomorrow, just wearing a shoulder immobilizer."
     "I, ah, wasn't expecting things to happen that quickly," I stammered,
still digest the 'a little later in the morning' part of his statement.
     "We will make two incisions, less than a half inch each, here and
here," he said, pointing at one of the boy's x-rays and indicating Johnny's
upper spine and just inside his shoulder.  I'm not going to put him under,
just sedate him somewhat and a couple of locals.  Can you monitor his
vitals while you talk him through sending different motor impulses?"
     "I suppose I. . . you mean in surgery?  I'm not a surgeon doctor!  I
haven't been in surgery since medical school, and I'm NOT going to begin a
refresher on my own son!" my arm throbbed as if it remembered the
defibrillator shock from my last visit to an operating theater.
     "You will do fine, and micro-surgery is almost bloodless," he
countered.  "Your presence will be of more reassurance to him than anything
else could.  And I need to have him think about moving different body
parts, not what is going on around him.  If I work with the wrong nerve
bundle his big toe might wiggle every time he raises his arm." he quipped.
"Come, let's go give Johnny the good news."
     'But I don't do surgery, I don't do ANY blood!' I told myself.  He was
already out the door before I could protest.

To Be Continued. . .