Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 11:46:31 -0500
From: Gary <gary_q@hotmail.com>
Subject: Patient John Doe Chapter 17

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.

If you are just joining this story, please note the DEDICATION of it,
stated in both Chapter One and Twelve.

I again want to thank my good friend Miguel Sanchez,
miguel_sanchez55@hotmail.com for his extensive help in developing this
chapter, along work we are doing on future ones.  (Julio, of course, is now
the mature Doctor Jay Sanchez in this story).  (Also, sorry about screwing
up his address before!)

			     Chapter Seventeen

     "Doctor Owens, I must insist you go back into the house, several
dangerous operations are beginning here, we are concerned for your safety
sir," Chad informed me as soon as I hung up on Banks.  "Please Doctor, I
assure you everything possible is being done to protect your children's
safety.  We have the situation under control," he added as he grasp my
upper arm.
     Without realizing I had I jerked out of his grip and spun into his
face.  I didn't notice I had half drawn the weapon on my belt until I saw
his eyes bug.  "I don't think you, or the FBI, have SHIT under control,
especially your oral diarrhea!  I trusted you with my boys' safety and now
you lost two of them?  GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FACE!" I snarled.
     As he stepped back I looked back down the beach, hoping for some sign,
but only wsa saddened by the sea breeze blowing whatever foot prints I had
hoped to see flat.  "Calm down Adam," Miguel told me as he joined my gaze.
"They are on our side," he added.
     "Great!  So was Carter, and, , ," I cut off my statement as a
helicopter flew over the house, its noisy engine disrupting us as badly as
its blinding search light confused us.  I had to cover my face to protect
my face from the flying sand it caused.  Just as our vision cleared I
snapped, "What about Jay and Ronnie, where are your sons?  God this cannot
be happening!"
     "I am not sure, but they are safe, if I know them they are watching
all this from nearby," he answered.  "Please calm down, my people assure me
the boys have not left the area near the house.  Please accept my word, a
Sand Flee could not get off my sons' property without their knowing it!"
Another helicopter pass made his rest of his statement inaudible, I could
only give him a dirty look as a response.
     After I brushed the latest load of sand and grit off my face and out
of my eyes, I extended my arm above me and gave the helicopter a one finger
salute.  As I took a deep breath I tried again to scan the sand for my
missing boys, praying they would appear.  When I turned back to Miguel he
was stepping around the corner of the house, talking into his satellite
phone.
     As I lowered my arm, knowing the pilots didn't see my gesture, my hand
landed on a bony shoulder instead of my hip.  "Arf, those things are
loud!!" Mark proclaimed as he pushed against me.  "But wow, I bet they
would be BAD to do that stuff!" he added, twisting his shoulders and back
like the helicopter banking and turning.
     "I told you to stay inside!" I snapped, grasping his neck.  "Get your
ass back up there, and don't even THINK about looking out the door until I
say you can!" I barked.  "No buts, get your ass upstairs!" I demanded as I
more dragged than guided him a couple of paces toward the deck stairs.
`I love you, but I don't EVEN need this shit!  Thanks a bunch,
Angelina!' I thought.
     His stiffening body and his tearing, frightened face made me realize I
was out of control.  I felt a gallon of bile push up against my throat as I
realized how harsh my panic stricken behavior had been.  "I'm sorry I said
that, I'm very, very sorry son.  Your brothers are overdue from the beach,
and we are. . ." I stopped breathing as I realized who was tucked under my
arm.
     "Oh my God, you're safe!" I gasped as I dropped to one knee and pulled
him against me.  "Oh, thank God!" I cried, kissing his forehead and cheek.
"Where is Johnny, is he, , , is he with you?" I risked, praying for the
answer I needed so desperately.
     "He's still in the Jeep, he got really scared when you yelled out
Chad," Mark whimpered, pointing at Jay's Hummer parked under the deck.
"We're sorry, we was just sitting in it!" he added.
     I leaned against him, clutching him in a tight snuggle for almost a
minute until my head stopped spinning.  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I lost my
cool.  I love you son, ah, Dad's get scared too."  I was still a little
wobbly as I stood up and walk him over to Jay's vehicle.  I started to open
one of the doors, but paused.  "Go tell Johnny it's okay, I'm not mad," I
said, prodding him toward the car.  "But, I expect a great hug, a world
class one!" I prodded him when he didn't move for a second or so.
     Another kiss on the top of his head seemed to convince him, and he
opened the door.  After a second he climbed back into the back seat, giving
me a bashful look.  I looked around, and after a couple of attempts caught
Chad's attention, giving him the okay sign with my hand and pointing toward
the Hummer.  When he started toward me I motioned him to stay back, which
he complied with.
     "I'm sorry, I promise I am, sir," Johnny's voice whispered from inside
the vehicle's cabin.  All I could see was a little movement in the seat as
he added, "We wasn't gonna steal it or nothing, we was just talking and
stuff!  Please sir, we're sorry!"
     "Come here, Pumpkin," I asked.  After no response I reached into the
shadows inside the vehicle with both hands.  "Come on son, it's Dad."
     "But I'm sorry, please we weren't gonna be bad or nothing!" he whined
from the cabin.  "Please don't, , , please, , , I'm sorry, , , I promise!"
he stuttered between sobs.
     "Johnny, it's Dad, it's Pop!  You are not in any trouble, I promise!
All I'm going to do is give you a big hug, and thank God you are okay," I
tried, getting another whimper as a response. I stepped directly in front
of the door, trying without success to see inside its dark cabin.  The
vehicle shuddered slightly and I heard Mark whisper something I couldn't
understand.
     "Come here son, please?" I asked, extending my arms into the dark
cabin. After short pause I felt a thin little torso slip between my hands.
"I love you son," I whispered as I lifted Johnny out of the car.  He
wrapped his thin legs around my hips as I pulled him into a tight snuggle
against my chest.  I got a brief glance at his tear stained face before he
buried it under my neck.
     "You are not in ANY trouble, I promise!  Either of you," I said as
Mark climbed out of the care and pushed against my side.  "We were, well we
were afraid you got lost or something, and were kind of scared ourselves,"
I tried.
     "We had heard some Tyrannosaurus-gulls were hovering," Miguel said as
he stepped next to me, stroking the back of Mark's head.  I felt both boys
stiffen slightly.  "They like to eat sharks and small whales, but a
teen-age human is a rare treat for them," he added.  I bit my lip as I felt
the vibration of gears grinding in both boys heads.
     "But, a Teran-aron, a terran-whatever Rex, well however you said it's
a dinosaur, they're all dead and stuff!" Mark gulped more than said.
     "Then, I wonder what the helicopters were looking for?" the elderly
Doctor asked.  "Not to worry, they only fly at night, and I doubt any in
this area would be large enough to carry both of you off at once." I had to
suck on my upper lip to keep a straight face as Miguel's face remained
completely stoic and serious.  "It might be wise to stay off the beach the
rest of the night, though," he added.
     Johnny and Mark glanced between Miguel and me, clearly about only half
believing what they were hearing.  "Where is your splint, John?" Miguel
asked before they could recover.  "And your brace," he added, rubbing
Mark's thin neck.  "Go collect them, and we will join you inside shortly,"
he instructed.  After a pair of Yes Sirs Johnny climbed down, then Mark
retrieved their belongings from Jay's SUV.  He leaned out over the deck
overhead and scanned the sky carefully before guiding his still white faced
brother up the stairs.
     "Tyrannosaurus-gulls?" Chad asked, stepping out of the shadows.  >From
his expression I was not sure if he was trying to decide if Miguel was
joking, or insane as he studied the Doctor's expressionless face.
     "If I may inquire, are you still in your teens, young man?" Miguel
asked, looking skyward.
     Banks and two other agents appeared around the corner of the house
before Chad could respond.  Everyone relaxed fairly quickly as we talked,
Banks and Chad even dismissing my apology for jumping them.  We invited
them to come inside for a few minutes but the agents declined and excused
themselves.
     I had to snicker as Miguel, Chad and I started back inside.  As we
neared the stairwell Miguel stopped Chad, and leaned out from under the
deck, melodramatically scanning the sky.  "I think it's safe," he announced
in a very serious voice.
     "Not to worry son, I'm a shrink, I'll keep an eye on him," I chuckled
as I gestured the young sailor up the stairs.
     The kids were lounging in front of the TV when we went inside,
seemingly relaxed considering all the commotion that had just occurred.  I
was about to join Miguel in the kitchen to fill the adults in or the past
few minutes when I noticed Johnny was not in the room.  On a second scan
Mark was sitting in a chair somewhat off to the side of everyone else,
looking rather subdued.  Ronnie was at the edge of the group, but on the
floor very near his little brother. When Mark and I made eye contact he
quickly redirected his gaze to the floor as his cute little face saddened.
     To my surprise he jerked, then stiffened, when I gently lay my hand on
his thin shoulder.  "What wrong, Pumpkin?  Where is Johnny?"
     "We weren't doing nothing bad or nothing," he softly told my hand on
his shoulder, not looking up at me.  "We didn't hurt his car or nothing, we
was just sitting in it.  Please sir, we're sorry!" he whimpered.
     "I'm not mad, you are not in any trouble," I whispered.  "Come over
here, so we don't disturb everyone," I suggested, pushing lightly on his
shoulder to prod him out of the chair.  His eyes shot between Ronnie and
his shoes, as if asking each what he should do.  "Come on, Son, it's Dad,
remember!"  He gave his older brother a final glance and reluctantly crept
to his feet, allowing me to guide him to a love seat by the deck door.
     "We're sorry," he whimpered.
     "What are you sorry for, what did you do to feel like you need to
apologize for doing?" I asked.  "Were you snooping, like your big brother
is right now?" added, feeling Ronnie's breath on the back of my neck.
"Come here Turkey, your going to anyway," I added, sliding to the middle of
the settee.  Ronnie blushed, then sat down next to Mark instead of me.
     "Why do you think you did anything wrong," I again tried, after the
three of us finally settled into the small couch.  Mark stared at his shoes
for a very long minute.
     "Well everyone got all mad and stuff, and was trying to catch us and
stuff.  We weren't hiding or nothing, we wasn't gonna runaway or nothing!
I promise!"
     "Wait!  No one thought you had ran away, no one thought anything like
that!  We were frightened because we, we didn't know if you were safe!" I
debated on telling him more about the actual situation, but his frightened
face told me he was far from ready to be informed of what we actually had
feared, had overreacted to.
     "We were afraid something had happened to you, that's all we were
worried about.  I promise we were not hunting you, I trust you and the idea
never entered anyone's head that you were going to run or anything."  I
tucked him into a tighter snuggle as I asked, "Why did you even think
that?"
     His eyes darted between Ronnie's face, the carpet, and back to Ronnie
several times before he risk a quick glance at my face.  "Well, that's what
Johnny said, but he wasn't, please, I promise he wasn't!" he exclaimed.
"Please don't send him back there, he hates it, we was just talking, we
weren't hiding or nothing!"
     I had to take a deep breath, and a second to try to figure out what
the boy was talking about.  "Back where?  The only place Johnny is going is
back to Texas, back to our ranch, with us tomorrow," I said, hoping it was
an answer.  "What are you talking. . ."
     "Back to that crazy farm!" Ronnie interrupted.  "Please, Dad, he hates
it there and he's scared your gonna put him back in there.  Please Dad,
he'd freak totally if you lock up him in there again!"  I tried to control
my breathing as I digested his statement, and what was going through each
of their minds.  "He'll be good, he don't never do nothing wrong Dad, he
don't!" Ronnie further fueled my panic.
     "Where is Johnny now?" I asked, realizing there was a more pressing
situation at hand, and hoping for a glimmer of good news.  I breathed a
partial sigh of relief when they said he had gone to bed.  `Why me
Lord?' I wondered.  `Help me through all this, it's way over my head.'
     "I am going to go talk to Johnny for a few minutes, you guys relax, I
promise everything will be okay," I said.  "All three of you are my sons
now, and I love each of you.  I promise the only place I'm send Johnny is
down to the pasture to ride Ginger when we get home, okay?"  I got a pair
of weak nods as I kissed their foreheads and stood up.
     I fought back panic when I discovered Johnny's bedroom was empty.
`No please, NO!' I prayed as I checked the bedroom Mark and Ronnie were
sharing, `This cannot be happening!' I told myself as I checked the deck
and pool.  I had to lean against the wall and collect my composure when I
entered the bedroom I was using in the Sanchez home and saw a slight lump
in the bedcovers.
     "Hi, little buddy, are you tired?" I said as I sat on the edge of the
bed and slowly peeled the bedding back.  He was in a fetal position deep
below the pillows, sucking his thumb like a one-year-old.  "Do you feel
okay?" I asked, getting no response.
     "Come here Son, I want to talk to you for a minute," I said, sliding
him to me and tucking him into a hug.  "Bad habit, you're going to suck
your thumb-nail off," I chided as I pulled his thumb from his mouth,
wrapped my arms around him and leaned back against the bed's headboard.  I
gently blocked his hand as his thumb bounced back toward his mouth and
wrapped my arms around his thin torso, pulling him into a tight hug.
"Everything is okay, Dad is here," I whispered in his ear.
     It took probably two minutes of stroking his chest and upper arms as I
cuddled him to get him to relax somewhat, and to get him to lean his head
back against me.  "I love you, I love you so much!" I told him.  I repeated
the statement a couple of times before he responded with a soft, almost
silent sob and slowly touched my hand with his.  I embraced him for several
minutes as he nestled against me, neither of us moving, almost not
breathing as we held each other.  I'm not sure who needed who's touch and
strength more, he or me.  "Relax son, Dad's here," I told him.
     He squirmed a little more tightly against me before whining, "Can I go
see Ginger before I gotta go back?  I wont do nothing or nothing, please?
I wont, I promise I wont.  Please Doc!"
     "Where are you going?"  He just stiffened as an answer.  "You're not
in ANY trouble, you didn't do anything wrong, you are not going anywhere
but home with me.  Tomorrow we're going back to Texas, and you are stuck as
being one of my Turkeys, for a long, long time.  Can you live with that?
Everything is okay, I promise."
     "Yes sir," he mumbled.  He twisted in my grasp and looked up, more at
my chin than my face.  "But Mark didn't do nothing it was all me!  Please
he loves you please don't send him back too, PLEASE!  PLEASE Sir, we
weren't gonna steal it or nothing!  We wasn't hiding too, don't do nothing
to Mark, I'm the screw-up, I did it all!"
     `Engage brain, avoid flashbacks and overloads,' I tried to tell
myself, avoiding the darker side of me wishing I had a fat joint of smoke
to hang what little sanity I had left on. I reached under his thighs and
perched him on my lap, turning his little body so we were facing each
other.
     "The only way you screwed up is getting scared.  I love you son, and
you didn't do anything wrong!" he didn't respond, either with his eyes or
his body.  "Why don't we, I mean I think I want go ask, your brothers to
join us, let's have a family round-table, a talk."
     I was looking at Johnny, hoping for a response, when I heard a thump
against my bedroom door, then another on the wall.  "Please join us, boys"
I bellowed.  "Please come in, NOW" I added.  After several seconds my
bedroom door slowly opened, and Mark and Ronnie slithered in, their faces
so red their freckles were invisible.  "Do you know what happens to spies
when they get caught?" I asked in my poor, overly dramatic, German accent.
"Vat should we do vith them, Heir Johnny?"
     Johnny blushed as red as his brothers, and pulled against me and
giggled.  "As you vish, we will tickle them to death!" I announced in my
best corny imitation.  They relaxed slightly and sat Indian style on my
bed.
     It took several minutes to get them to open up again, and I again
found myself wondering if there really was a God as they gradually
expressed their concerns.  Ronnie that I would punish his sacred little
brother; Mark that I would punish, or send his new best friend/brother
away.  Johnny said he believed me regarding his placement, but his face
told me otherwise.
     "What happens now, guys?" I asked, getting three blank stares as a
response.  "No one is in trouble, I promise.  I want for Johnny's arm to
get better, and enjoy a bunch of time loving you guys!  A bunch of years
doing that!"
     "You guys are still scared, but you haven't told me what you did
wrong, what crime did you commit."  They all stared at the bed sheets as I
waited for a response.  `Come on kid, you're a professional, come up
with something to end this,' I thought.
     "Well, let me tell you what I think was inappropriate behavior," I
injected, causing them all to stiffen.  `Here goes nothing, or
everything!' I told myself.
     "When you use someone else's property, shouldn't you ask first?" I
suggested.  Johnny shuttered in my lap before he and Mark exchanged
frightened glances.  "Even if someone is sure you wouldn't mind, would not
you want them to ask before they used something that belonged to you?"
     All three of their faces answered for them, along with silently saying
`Oh NO, here it comes.'  After a second, Mark finally whispered "Yes
sir," to his knees.
     "If you would have asked first, we would have known where you were,
too, wouldn't we?" earned me a pair of groans I couldn't understand.  "If
you had it to do again, what would you do different than you did earlier?
Before you got into Doctor Jay's car?"
     From all three of their faces I could tell they thought I was waiting
for their pre-sentencing confessions.  After a full minute of silence
Ronnie seemed to take the big brother role, and answered for his condemned
siblings.  "Ah, ask first, sir,"
     "Thanks, guys, I'm sure you will, next time," I answered with a
relaxed grin.  "Anyone thirsty, I am?" no one moved.
     "Well, but what are you gonna do to us?  Ah, I mean them?" Ronnie,
still in his junior attorney role asked.
     "I already did, I asked you to use better judgement in the future," I
answered.  They exchanged glances as their eyes vibrated from the gears
grinding in their little heads.  After not getting any response for several
seconds I added, "Well, you might consider bribing me with a few extra hugs
for a couple days!  You got any spares handy?" I said toward Johnny,
pulling him against my chest.  He squirmed up my lap as he threw his arm
around me and molded his little body against my chest and stomach.
     "You're really not mad?" he whimpered after a second.
     "No, I love you, I love all of you," I answered, extending my free
hand toward my other two angels.  Almost immediately I had a triple load of
kids on my lap.  `I'm glad Jay and big Ronnie bought quality beds, they
saved me from two broken legs,' I thought as we snuggled.
     "Everyone go wash your faces, we only have one more night to party in
Virginia," I told them after a couple of minutes.  "And someone go ask
Ronnie if he has any beer in the house, I'm THIRSTY!"  All three of them
giggled a little and climbed down, rushing into my bathroom.
     I slipped into Ronnie and Mark's bathroom and rinsed my face before
joining the other adults, relaxing on the deck.  Although no one asked, I
responded to the several concerned faces in the group with a gentle smile
as I nodded my head in the affirmative.  I had just sat down when my Ronnie
appeared from the kitchen door, his eyes darting around the patio.  Steven
was right behind, zeroing in on his mother as he stepped out of the door.
     Ronnie rushed to his older namesake and whispered something into his
ear.  He listened for a very brief second before darting back inside,
turning to cut a glance at his new friend before closing the door.  Jay's
partner had no sooner turned back from watching my son shoot inside when
his nephew bolted from talking to his mother to Ronnie's side, whispering
into his ear.  Uncle Ronnie mouthed something to the boy causing him to
break into an ear-to-ear smile and dart inside, bouncing off the door when
it didn't open as fast as his feet were moving.
     "Stevie's found a friend, you know there is going to be hell to pay
when they go home," Ronnie told his foster sister/sister-in-law.
     "There's going to be hell to pay over Angela not being invited!"
Angelina replied.
     "Well, she is welcome of course, she always is!" Jay added.
     Mark rushed onto the deck before anyone could response, setting a can
of beer on the table next to me.  He nervously glanced around at the other
adults, then leaned closer to me.  "Ah, do you think maybe we can camp and
watch TV, like we do at home?" he softly asked.
     "A great idea, but this isn't our home, or our family room, I wonder
who you should ask instead of me?"  He blushed as he looked around, his
eyes zooming in on Jay and Ronnie.  Instead of approaching either of them
he silently mouthed something to me and retreated back into the house.
     I had time to briefly explain what the boys were asking, make a nest
and sleep in mass on the floor before Mark, his brother and little Steven
came back outside.  They studied us for a second or so before locking eyes
with each other.  In what I was sure was a preplanned strategy Ronnie and
Steven rushed over to Steven's uncle while Mark moved next to Jay, giving
him a wide silver grin.  I was still trying to predict what was coming next
when a thin little body pushed its way under my arm, somehow perfectly
positioning my hand on the shoulder immobilizer on his right arm.  `This
is going to be good!' I thought as I pulled my little carrot topped son
against me, straining to keep a straight face.
     "Ah, Uncle Ronnie, well, Ronnie and Mark and Johnny had an idea, and
well, it sounds pretty neat," Steven began.
     "Well, at home some me sleep in front of the, well I mean we crash in
front, well on the floor in front of the TV and watch movies and stuff,
it's really neat!"
     "We don't make a mess or nothing sir, we don't!" Mark proclaimed to
Jay.  "We just wanta put some blankets on the floor, and maybe some
pillows!"
     "And we'll be real quiet and stuff, we promise!" my Ronnie added.
     "We will, Uncle!" Steven added, looking between his uncles and his mom
and dad at lightening speed.
     "Please Pop, Please?" Johnny whispered to me.
     Jay and Ronnie quickly agreed.  Ronnie had begun a comment about
finding enough quilts and blankets for the boys when Chad interrupted.
"Mister Sanchez, could I speak to you for a brief minute?"  I'm not sure
who's ass-hole sucked more wind between the other adults and I as Ronnie
met the young sailor on the edge of the party deck, out of our ear shot.
The anxiety tightened when Chad issued a couple more of his soft mouth
clicks and his partners followed him into the house, and Ronnie returned to
his seat.
     "Yes, you and your friends are welcome to have a sleep-over in the
den!" he told his nephew.  "But, I'm not sure we have enough bedding to go
around, you might have to make do!" he informed my son as much as his
nephew.
     Chad stuck his head out the door a minute or so later.  "Boys, would
you come in here for a second?" he asked.  The kids exchanged worried
looks, but meekly joined their bodyguard.
     Not long after they went into the house we started hearing muffled
giggles and comments from inside.  I didn't think too much of it, but
noticed Ronnie grinning as we listened.  After several seconds, curiosity
got the better of me and I went inside.  I was trying to figure out what
was going on now, what strange twist to a very long day as I looked around
the Sanchez den.  Three military style backpacks were neatly lined up on
one wall, and the majority of the den's carpet was now covered with
camouflage colored sleeping bags.
     "Look Dad!  We get to camp like the Army does!" Mark hooted when he
saw me.  He and Roger wrestled the sea of green quilting for a second or
so, Mark flashing a silver grin so wide I had to squint to protect my eyes.
     "Marine, Mark, Marines!" Roger snapped.  "The Army still sleeps on
bedrolls!" he quipped.  Chad and Chris snickered at their mate's comment as
Mark gave him a lost look.
     "We always carry our field equipment on assignment, and thought the
kids might enjoy getting so use out of our sleeping bags," Chad explained.
"We are connecting two of our bags for the four boys to share, and the
little girl can use the third.  Young Lady, excuse me," he corrected
himself as Angela shot him a death glare.
     "Yeah, look Pop, they even got war yummies!" Johnny said, holding up
an olive drab plastic bag.  `Wait until you taste one, you'll think
otherwise!' I thought as I looked at the MRE he was proudly displaying.
`God, not even a teenager could enjoy those things!'
     I met Angelina and Steven at the door as I stepped back onto the
patio.  After announcing they were going home they asked when our flight
was tomorrow, if they would see us again before we left.
     "I was going to talk to Adam about that," Miguel interrupted.  "I am
going to South America tomorrow, I would like to invite you to ride with me
instead of flying commercial," he said in my direction.
     Seeing my lost look, Jay injected, "Dad his a private jet.  Much
quicker than waiting on the airlines, and I promise you would enjoy the
flight."
     "Our foundation owns an aircraft," Miguel corrected.
     "For your exclusive use," Jay countered.
     "Please, do not tell IRS that!" Miguel said with a cagey grin.  "I
must stop in Mexico and Panama, so it would be on my way," he said toward
me.  "I would enjoy your families company."
     `Fuck, and I was proud of a little land and seven horses!' I
thought.  I almost declined his offer, not wanting to impose any further
than I already had, but something in the old man's face told me not to.
`If this don't mess up the kids brains, nothing will,' I silently
snickered as I accepted Miguel's offer.
     The kids were all sleeping through a Si-Fi movie when everyone moved
inside, Miguel leaving for home, Jay and Ronnie, along with our young
sailors heading for bed.  I took a minute to enjoy the heap of young teens
nestled inside the double sleeping bag.  Ronnie and Steven were snuggled
against each other, only their noses and foreheads protruding from under
the covers.  Pushed against Ronnie's back was an outline I was sure was
Mark and Johnny, with only a small tuft of Johnny's strawberry hair
visible.
     "You are indeed a very lucky man," Jay softly said, snapping me out of
my trance.  The two of us stood silently for a couple more minutes, just
watching the sleeping bag subtly move with the boys' soft breathing.
     "Yes, the luckiest man on earth," I whispered before going to my
bedroom.
     Jay, Ronnie and the kids were all on the deck when I got up in the
morning, the boys and Angela playing in the pool while Jay and his partner
watched from lounge chairs.  I was disappointed to learn Chad and his
fellow sailors had already left, saying they had to report back to their
ship.  "If you wouldn't mind, find out who their commander is," I asked
Jay.  "They deserve a commendation."
     "Not a problem, I intended to do the same," Jay responded.  "Also, Dad
called, he would like to leave about eleven, if that is acceptable."
     "He thought the boys would enjoy having lunch en route," Ronnie added.
I could only nod my approval before he continued, "It might cost me a good
Chef, but the boys should enjoy themselves."
     Seeing my curious face he explained that one of their restaurants
caters the Virginia, southbound leg of Miguel's trips, stocking the
aircraft for the on-board attendant to serve.  "Dad said to ask your sons
what they wanted for lunch and have it prepared, but I had to repeat myself
three times before the chef accepted he was to prepare chilli hot dogs,
french fries and banana splits," he chuckled.
     "This is a four-star restaurant, that is being evaluated for a
five-star rating," Jay added.  "We could be making history, I wonder if hot
dogs have ever been cooked in a five-star kitchen!"
     "As pontifical as Pierre is, I wonder how many cookbooks he scrounged
to find the recipe!" Ronnie quipped.  "A five-star wiener, on a hot bun, ,
," his cagey grin finished his statement as he stood and went inside.
     "When do you want to see Johnny again?" I asked Jay.  "I hope you will
take my offer to come to Texas, at my expense to examine him.  I hope you
two will be our guest at the ranch for the weekend."
     "As I had suggested, in four weeks.  Ronnie and I talked about that
last night, and, although we are not worried about expenses, we would enjoy
visiting your ranch.  We would probably travel on Dad's aircraft, so there
actually would be very little expense anyway." I was about to respond when
he added, "Also, thank you so much for inviting my nephew.  Of course I
will have to check with his parents, but I'm sure there wont be a problem.
He is looking forward to the trip."
     It took a brief second, and another sip of coffee for his statement to
soak in.  `Should I kill them in order of tallest to shortest, or oldest
to youngest?' I asked myself.  `No, I could never hurt them,' I thought
as I watched their happy faces in the pool.  `That's illegal anyway, I
wonder if that Afghanistani boarding school is still accepting students?
Can I still schedule winter sessions in Alaska, or Siberia?' I looked at my
innocent faced boys for a second as I wondered if I should research youth
camps at the North Pole.
     "I also relayed our conversation, regarding children, to Ronnie," he
said, interrupting my internal debate as to if I should e-mail Afghanistan
for enrollment forms before leaving for Texas.  "We also discussed it
briefly over the phone with Dad this morning when he called."
     The professional side of me took over as I turned my full attention to
his statement.  I waited for several seconds, hoping he would continue as
we made eye contact several times, he glancing away each time.  "How does
your partner feel about it?  How do you feel after having some time to
reflect?" I finally risked.
     "We agree there is a void in our lives, one we didn't really notice
until your visit."  He turned his gaze to the pool and the kids.  "A void
we are not sure how to fill when you, and your sons leave.  However, given
our lifestyle, and our orientation, neither Ronnie or I are convinced we
are capable of being good parents, even if there was any hope of us getting
the opportunity to try."
     "We appreciate your efforts, but despite what you and Dad say, we
would be fostering false hopes," Ronnie said as he sat fresh cups of coffee
next to Jay and I and sat down.  "How could we be declared, certified,
however you want to put it, as fit parents?"
     "Ronnie, would you ever hurt a child, would you ever do anything not
in a child placed in your care's best interest?" I asked.
     His glare, and tight face expressed his anger with my question, but he
took a deep breath before answering in a sharp tone, "Of course not, I
thought you knew better!"
     "Jay, would you?" I continued, ignoring Ronnie's nasty stare.
     "No, Doctor, neither of us would."
     "You are fit parents, according to a Board Certified Adolescent
Psychiatrist, me!" I answered.  "I know it's not that simple, but my word
goes a long way, and I'm ready if you are.  As a boarded expert, anything I
say has to be either accepted or challenged, as I'm sure Jay knows," I told
them.  "Oh, but Ronnie, let's leave out the Five-star Wieners and Hot Buns
if we go to court!" I quipped, making the chef blush bright red.
     I was waiting for Ronnie to respond, or recover, when kids started
appearing around us.  "I'm, we're hungry, Dad!" Mark announced, wrapping
his still dripping arms and shoulders around my neck.
     "Yeah Uncle Ronnie, when is it going to be ready?" Angela asked,
hugging her uncle.
     "Breakfast is ready, all we have to do is set it out!" he told his
niece.  "You know how to serve, why don't you guys go eat, Jay and I want
to walk down to the beach with Doctor Owens for a few minutes."  "Can you
serve as hostess while we are away?" he asked, pulling the girl against
him.
     After giving her uncle a wide grin she darted toward the door.  "Come
on!  Steven, get out the plates, Mark, get us some OJ!" she ordered like a
military officer.
     I fought off busting out in laughter as my boys gave me quick,
concerned looks before their noses seem to take control of their bodies and
rushed into the house in search of food, Mark barking at Johnny to find out
where to find glasses.

To Be Continued. . .