Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2002 16:36:57 -0500
From: Gary <gary_q@hotmail.com>
Subject: John Doe Chapter Eight

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.

			       Chapter Eight

     Johnny's busy morning, along with the ten pounds or so of food he
inhaled, caught up with very shortly after we got back into the Suburban.
I glanced back a the kids as Roberts entered the freeway, and his eyes were
closed, his head leaned back against his seat.  We had driven five minutes
or so when Cindy, sitting directly behind me, gently touched my arm.  When
I turned around Johnny was snuggled against Ronnie's thin chest, tucked
under Ronnie's arm.  Ronnie gave me a wide smile when he saw me looking,
then rubbed Johnny's shoulder.
     I turned back toward the kids and put my finger to my lips, telling
them to be quiet as Roberts parked in front of my house.  After everyone
but Johnny and Ronnie climbed out I carefully picked the still sleeping
youngster up and carried him inside, gently laying him on the couch in my
study.  "Sleep, my little angel, I think you might have an interesting
afternoon," I whispered as I stroked his bangs.  I closed the window
curtains and turned out the lights, but left the door leading to the family
room open in case he woke up.
     I wasn't surprised when the kids were already in their swim suits.
"Perfect idea," I said, heading for my bedroom.  Cindy and Carl clearly
agreed and we all met at the pool, Roberts bringing beer for him and I.
Everyone swam, and stretched their stiff muscles from our car ride for
probably an hour before the boys all but demanded they be allowed to go
riding.
     "Okay guys, but when the truck gets here with the Roberts' horses, I
want you out of the pasture immediately.  No one in the pasture when we
unload, I mean it," I ordered.  Junior and my boys flew into the house to
change.
     Jennifer wanted no part of that, and asked if she could go inside and
read.  I snickered as Roberts shook his head at his daughter.  'Well, Cindy
has a horse now,' I thought.
     "They smell!" Cindy mocked, seeing my face.  "Sometimes I think she
would be a good candidate for some of your sessions."
     The boys rushed back out of the house before I could answer.  I had to
snicker again when Cindy gave Junior an harsh glare.  "Its in my purse,"
she said.  He glared back for an instant before going back inside,
reappearing a minute or so later wearing his headgear.
     A few minutes later I was trying to convince myself to get out of the
pool and get dressed, realizing Santos' truck would be arriving soon, when
Johnny appeared on the patio, yawning and rubbing his eyes.  He took three
or four steps toward the pool before he backed up and stepped back inside.
"Can I come out there, please?" he asked.
     "Of course you can!  Come here!" I answered, climbing out of the pool.
"Did you sleep good, feel better now?" I asked.
     "Yeah, I mean Yes Sir, but I didn't wanta go to sleep I'm sorry!  Do I
still got time to see the horses before I gotta go back there?" he
responded, pushing under my arm.  His pleading, miles deep eyes almost
drowned me as he look up and added, "Please?"
     "You have plenty of time, and of course you get to see the horses.
Doctor and Mrs.  Roberts new horses are going to arrive soon.  You go get
the notes you wrote to the horses, I'm going to go get dressed, okay?"  His
face sunk.  "Your letters are on the breakfast bar, I brought them in for
you," I added.  He brightened like a new penny and gave me a tight hug.
     I had changed into an old pair of jeans and tee-shirt, was putting my
hair back into a pony tail when the phone rang.  It was Santo's driver,
announcing he was about five minutes from the ranch.  Both of the Roberts'
had changed out of their swim ware when I walked back into the family room,
Carl with their camcorder hanging from his shoulder.
     "Johnny, the new horses are going to arrive in a couple of minutes, I
would like you to wait to give the horses your notes for a little while.
Would it be alright if Doctor Roberts held them for you?"  His face almost
snarled 'No WAY!' as he backed away from me, holding the papers behind him.
     "It's okay, my husband will take good care of them, but I bet you want
to see the new arrivals!" Cindy said as lovingly as only a mother could.
     He was still evaluating her face when the gate intercom buzzed.  When
I returned to the group after opening the entry gate, Carl had the notes in
his breast pocket, and Cindy had Johnny tucked against her bosom, the boy
smiling like a fat cat.
     'Here we go,' I thought as I watched Santo's big truck roar up the
driveway.  I had planned, or hoped, that Cindy would keep Johnny out of
harm's way while I unloaded, but as soon as the other boys climbed over the
pasture fence she told him to stay with the other boys and joined me.
     "I can handle unloading, I appreciate it if you'd keep track of the
kids," I told her.
     "I am, there is no way we are going to keep that boy away when he sees
what is in that trailer.  You handle your herd, I'll take care of the
boys," she said.  I was still deciding if I wanted to risk her idea when
the barrel racer side of her swung the pasture gate open and the truck
drove in.
     'That's a lady lawyer?' I wondered as I watched her slam the gate
closed like a ranch hand.  She ignored Zeus as he rushed to challenge the
truck's invasion of his turf, his ears laid flat against his massive neck,
his tail and hackles risen as he tensed for a fight to protect his harem.
All the other horses gathered behind him in loose formation, and after
looking back, almost as if he was counting heads, he advanced toward the
trailer.
     He started to charge Cindy, and the trailer, when she turned to face
him, hands on her hips.  'This is NOT going down like I had wanted,' I
thought as I rushed to the truck and Cindy.
     "Watch out for Zoe too, she is the Alpha mare," I told Cindy as I
stepped in front of Zeus.  "Down boy, down, it's okay."
     Zeus' attitude changed instantly as the driver opened the trailer
doors and the two mares' rumps became visible.  From the way his ears
perked back up and his tail went even higher into the air, I would have
sworn now considered the horse-trailer a big Christmas present.  As soon as
they backed the two mares out of the trailer Zeus strutted toward them like
a trained Lipizzan Stallion.  His face clearly read, 'Hello Ladies!!!'
     Cindy had just released the little cinnamon after she backed her out
of the trailer when Mark screamed "YEAH!  Yeah Pop Yeah!!!"
     I turned in time to see him, with Johnny right behind, squirming
through the fence and rushing toward the animal.  'This is NOT how I wanted
all this to work!' I again told myself as I tried to get between the filly
and the kids.  'I wonder what the glue factory would give me for all seven,
no all ten of them?'  'Kid hoofs for glue, or maybe fingernails, might be a
good research project!' I thought as the other boys bailed over the fence.
     "Slow down guys, she might be scared, you could get hurt," I ordered.
I was able to catch Mark as he tried to run past me, but even with his limp
Johnny dodged me like a professional soccer player.
     The filly pulled back against her lead at first when she saw the
little strawberry flash streaking toward her, but then seemed to recognize
him, jerking his rope out of Cindy's hand as she trotted toward him.  I
held my breath as they ran toward each other.  When they were about five
feet apart the filly stopped and turned her head to the side, sticking her
neck toward the youngster like saying 'hug me here,'
     The pandemonium finally subsided as the horses and boys welcomed to
new arrivals.  Ronnie and Junior rushed to the Roberts new mares, but Mark
and Johnny seemed only interested in their earlier playmate, and her in
them.  I was a little worried when Zoe approached them, but after looking
and sniffing the yearling throughly she started acting more like a mother
than a competitor.  I had just unhooked the lead from the filly's halter
when Johnny pushed against me.
     He looked up at me, his face as happy as I had ever seen it.  "She's
nice, thanks for letting her visit.  Well thanks for letting me too," he
bubbled.  Mark looked at Johnny, then me with a slightly lost look.
     "She's not visiting, she is going to live here now, I bought her this
morning," I answered.
     "Yeah Pop!  Thanks Dad!" Mark hooted, pushing into our hug.  The filly
pushed he head between the boys bodies and against my stomach.
     "You mean she's gonna stay here, she don't gotta go back there?  She
didn't like it there," Johnny whined.
     "Yes, she lives here now, and I promise she will like it here!
Whenever you come visit us she will be here, how's that sound?"
     "You're neat Mister!  I mean Doctor, Doctor Pop.  Thanks sir," Johnny
exclaimed.  "See, you're okay now," he added, burying his face into the
filly's snout.  I wondered if I was imagining things as the little horse
pushed her head more tightly against us and let out a long breath, almost a
sigh.
     "Well, she doesn't look too traumatized from her trip!" Cindy said.
When I looked up she and her son were next to us, leading their new horses.
She stoked the filly's neck for a second before adding, "Call me a lame
brained blond all you want, but may we borrow a couple of saddles?  I've
only been riding since I was eight, it didn't occur to me when one buys a
horse. . ."
     "Well, I do have a couple of extras I RENT out occasionally," I
teased.
     "Great, I'll trade my first-born for an afternoon's rental!" Roberts
countered from behind us, ruffling Junior's hair as he walked up next to
his son.
     "On the house!  I'm trying to keep my rat population down!" I quipped.
"You know your way around the tack room son, get what you need.  Please
don't use Zeus's tack, okay?" I said toward their boy."
     "Yes sir!" Junior exclaimed, flashing a wide silver grin and beaming
with pride as he glanced between his parents.
     Johnny developed a very curious expression as he looked up at
Junior. "How come you gotta wear a bridle?" he asked.  Junior's face
flashed repeatedly between bright red and crimson as he jerked his hands in
front of his face, trying to cover his headgear.  "I thought only horses
gotta wear them!" Johnny added.  The innocence in his expression on his
face kept me from nailing him.
     "Bridle-face, YEAH!" Ronnie hooted.  Junior jerked around, his fist
clenched and pulled back, only to find Ronnie perched on Zoe, he was only
level with his target's lower leg.  "Come on, Bridle-boy, I'll give you a
ride to the barn!" Ronnie giggled, offering his hand down toward his braces
laden friend.
     Junior cut Johnny, then his mom dirty looks.  "They're braces, for my
teeth!" he barked at Johnny.  He turned several more shades of purple
before grabbing Ronnie's hand and jumping onto Zoe, behind his friend.
     "Hi-Ho Silver!" Ronnie screamed as they galloped toward the tack room.
     "I don't get it!" Johnny whimpered.  "Why's he gotta wear a bridle?"
     "I'll explain it to you later," I chuckled, trying not to burst out
laughing.
     "Oh, what's her name?" Mark asked after a minute or so.
     "She doesn't have one yet, any ideas?" I answered.  I could feel gears
grinding in both boys brain's as we walked.
     "She's so pretty, she's gotta get a pretty name!" Johnny injected.  He
stopped after a minute, studying the animal.  "What do you wanta be your
name?" he asked her.  The filly looked directly at him for several seconds.
     "What did she say," I asked after she looked away, almost as a joke.
     "She wants to think about it," Johnny answered, quiet mater-of-factly.
     "The rest of our horses are named after Mythological Gods, we probably
should find one that suites her."  Seeing their lost faces I added, "Greek
Gods from Mythology. . . ancient Greeks. . .  Ah, some very important Gods,
people that lived a long, long time ago in Greece."  'That helped like a
fart at a funeral,' I told myself.
     "Let's get on the internet later, we'll look for a name, okay?" I
tried, hoping it would bail me out.  "I'm going to go start supper, why
don't you guys take her up to the barn and brush her out, you'll make a
friend forever I bet!.  I want you to come back to the house and rest in a
little while, please come when I call you Johnny.  And. . . she hasn't been
saddle broke, I mean trained, DON'T try to ride her Mark."
     His face showed his disappointment, but Mark answered with a Yes Sir.
I was impressed when Johnny said the same.  I tousled both their hair and
started out of the pasture.
     Roberts and I were almost to the gate when he called after me.  "Well,
but am I still gonna geta ride a horse?" Johnny asked rushing toward me.
"Please I'll be good and everything!"
     "I promise you get to go for a ride, just as soon as you are well
enough," I answered, tucking him back under my arm.  The little filly
pushed under his right arm, the paralyzed limb slipping over her neck.  He
pushed more tightly against me for a second before I added, "Whenever
Doctor Roberts says you are ready you get to go for a ride."
     Roberts flashed me a 'FUCK YOU!' look if I ever had seen one.  "A few
more days I hope," he began.  "I want your ribs to heal a little more, it
wont be long I promise.  Go show your new friend her barn, Doctor Owens and
I will see you soon," he said.  Johnny hesitated until I nodded at him, and
started toward the horse barn, the filly following like she was on a lead.
     "His heart, and his other internal injuries are all but heeled.  If it
was not for his rib cage being split I'd release him.  We didn't break any
bones when we cracked his chest, but split a lot of cartilage, that takes
time to heal," he said.  "We need to start cooking, and I'm ready for a
beer!" he proclaimed.
     "I think the boy could sit a horse, walking and such, low impact," he
began as I lite the barbeque pit.  "I know it would do wonders for his
emotional state, well his recovery, but if he fell, any insult to his
thoracic cavity very well could kill him."  He paused, studying my face
much closer than I felt comfortable with before continuing, "I also think
the apprehension, uncertainty of the mixed promises he has been getting are
not helping him.  We might have dangled the carrot too long in front of
him.  Any ideas?"
     "Yeah, get the meat out," I answered.  "Grab a fresh beer for us!" I
barked as he went back into the house.
     "Short of falling, are you sure it would be safe for him to ride?" I
asked as I rejoined Roberts by the barbecue pit.
     "It would be the best thing I could think of for him!" he answered.
"Not tonight, he is starting to show signs of fatigue already, but yes,
ASAP!  When are you going to let him choose a name for his horse, too?"
     "My horse!" I declared.  "A risk, but an investment, I just hope she
thrives."  I dodged looking at him for a minute or so.  "If he rode
pony-back, someone behind him to keep him from falling off, would you
consider that safe?"
     "As long as it is an experienced rider, and someone he trusts.  I
would recommend a morning ride, when the boy is fresh and rested," he
answered.  His facial expressions started to make me feel trapped.
"Tomorrow morning would be perfect. Cut the shit, Doctor, and go call Hill
Country!" . . .  "Earth to Doctor Pop!" he teased before disappearing back
inside.  He returned a minute or so later with the ice cream maker, along
with my cordless phone.
     "My, don't we look serious!" Cindy said from behind us.  "Come on
boys, it's party time! We just made several boys as happy as if they were
in heaven, smile!" she added, popping her husband or the rear.  "It feels
great, just to own a horse again, thanks babe!" she said before kissing
Roberts on the cheek.  They hugged briefly before she asked if she could
make herself a drink from the bar.
     "I thought we had talked about old Saw Bones snooping into Shrink
business!" I teased Roberts after she went inside.  "Are you SURE he is
ready?  For staying overnight without medical monitoring, and to sit a
horse?  With a house full of kids, he's not going to get to sleep like he
would at the center."
     He handed me the cordless as his answer.  "Did you know there is an
extremely lucrative market, people make successful practices out of
treating and certifying old ladies emotionally crippled by their divorces
from rich old men?" I quipped as I dialed the phone.
     "Yeah I am sure," Roberts answered.  "But you'd never make it, you'd
have to cut your hair and wear a tie, they'd be certifying you in a month!"
he countered.
     The Nurse's Station picked up before I had time to answer, and I could
only give him a one-fingered salute as I identified myself on the phone.
"Oh, thank GOD!  Thank God you are okay, we have been trying to call you!"
the charge nurse exclaimed before I could say anything else.  'Great, who
O.D.'d, or tried to break out now?' I wondered as I snapped that I had
forgotten my cell phone when we went down to greet the new horses.
     I felt my face paling and my ass hole sucking wind as I she continued.
Johnny's dad had not only found Hill Country, but tried to enter the
facility.  He tried finding out if the boys was a resident at the front
desk, but was given no information.  About 10 minutes later the security
cameras had picked him up trying to sneak into the center's food service
area.  Before their security guards could confront him he retreated, but
their cameras recorded a car that had been reported stolen racing out of
the parking lot.
     "Oh, lord," Roberts uttered as I filled them in.
     "What are, well what happens now?" Cindy asked.  "Did they have any
ideas?"
     We discussed the situation for a couple of minutes before Roberts
asked what the police had advised, if anything.  When I told him they were
aware of the incident, but that was all I knew, I think both our faces lit
up at the same time as we remembered the cop I had met with.  After digging
through the pile of junk on my dresser, where I had emptied my pockets each
afternoon probably since I had moved in, I found Wilson's business card.
     When I dialed his number I got a police operator.  At first she
offered to take a message, but when I identified myself she asked me to
hold while she forwarded my call to his cell phone.
     "Good afternoon Doctor, where are you, no is the boy still with you,
and are you okay?  You are a hard man to find!" he said.  When I told him I
was at home, that I had forgotten my cell phone while I was outside for an
hour or so but everything was well, or that I was until I called Hill
Country he countered that he had sent officers to my apartment, that no
only was I not home but the apartment was vacant; further that both
hospitals had verified they were at the correct address.  He was in the
process of getting a court order to force my the manager of my old
apartment to release my new address.
     "Oh," I answered.  As I thought about his statement for an instant, I
had neglected to update my credentials at either Central Baptist or Hill
Country, and that, as my home phone number was unlisted and had changed
when I moved out into the country, the only way they could find me was the
cell phone still sitting on my dresser.  "What happens now, how safe is the
boy, are my other sons right now?" I asked after I explained the problem.
     "We have a task force looking for him.  We are hoping he doesn't know
we know what he is driving, if he is still driving it.  I'm a little
worried how he found out about the center, but we don't think he knows who
you are.  If he does he would play hell finding you, I did and I've been
tracking people down for twenty years," he answered.  "I reviewed Hill
Country's security a while ago, I think the boy would still be safe there,
but just as safe with you, and there would be less risk of his relationship
to you being exposed.  By the way, where the hell are you?  I can have
extra patrols in the area if you like."
     "Well?" Cindy's voice snapped me back a few seconds after I rang off.
"You look like you have seen a ghost!"
     "Here, you look like you need this," her husband added, sitting a beer
in front of me.
     "No, thanks, I have to think right now," I muttered.  "Whatever you
do, don't forget your cell phone, even going into the pisser!" I groaned.
"Remember the good old days when you went to the country and no one could
find you, and didn't bother to try?"  'Yeah well,' I thought.  I looked at
the unopened beer can several times before I picked it up, downing about
half of it as I filled them in.  "I just wish they'd find the Bastard!" I
concluded.
     "I hope they find him before you do!" Cindy answered.  "Chill out
Adam, hatred does not become you!"
     "Yeah, hey if you don't mind I think I'd like to go for a ride.  Will
you guys watch supper for a few minutes?" I asked.  I went into the house
to get my cell phone without waiting for an answer.  I took a minute to go
to my study and get a pistol out of my safe, tucking it under my shirt.
     "Looks like you get to ride with a new partner!" Cindy bubbled as I
came back outside.  "She is doing so well, she looks so happy!"
     I could feel my eyes bug as I looked out toward the pasture.  'Fuck,
thanks kid, that's what I needed,' I thought as I watched Mark riding the
new yearling bareback, Johnny running beside them as Ronnie, mounted on Zoe
and Junior on his new horse trotted next to them.  'A dollar a pound, nine
horses and four kids, the glue factory would get a good deal,' I decided.
     "I'll trade all three, well with Junior all four of them for
Jennifer!" I offered Cindy and Carl.
     Mark was the first to notice me as I entered the pasture, diving off
the filly and hiding behind her, then ducking behind Zoe.  Junior and
Ronnie's jaws both dropped open as they halted their steeds, staring at me
white faced.
     Johnny turned ashen when he saw me, or probably my face.  "Well but
she was so sad, the other horses got to but no one would ride her, she was
sir!" he whimpered.  "She said she'd be good, she promised, I promise she
promised!"
     "And I didn't saddle her or nothing, sir.  She did tell Johnny she
wanted to get to go riding, sir," Mark added in a soprano voice.  The
yearling pushed her head under Johnny's paralyzed arm and looked wide eyed
at me.  "She looked so sad Dad, I'm sorry but she did, Sir!  She was scared
no one liked her!"
     'Siberia, I think it snows ten months a year there, perfect climate
for their boarding school!' I thought.  'Do they still have their work
camps there?  Good exercise for Johnny, and that damn horse.  Muscle her
out for the glue factory!' I was digesting their comments when Zeus pushed
his huge head under my arm, looking at me as if saying 'Chill dude!'
     "We're going to eat soon, you guys groom the horses and come up to the
house.  You'll have time to jump in the pool to clean up before we eat,
okay!" I stared back toward the gate before adding, "Brush Zeus, and the
filly out a little extra, they saved your asses."
     Cindy surprised me, closing the pasture gate as I went back into the
yard.  "So, so strict!" she snickered.  "You were so pissed when you came
down here I knew you were going to bite their heads off!  Ordering Mark and
Johnny to groom their horses as punishment, that's CHILD ABUSE!  Involving
my son and our horses, I LOVE IT!!!" she bubbled.
     I just grunted at her and started toward the house.  'Does St. Paul's
take horses?' I wondered.
     The boys were quiet when they came back to the house, Mark almost
seemed to be making a point of dodging me.  I gave him some breathing space
while I helped Carl and Cindy prepare supper let him and the other boys get
a drink They were coming out of the kitchen and walking toward the stairs
as I came into the house from the pit.  "Mark, can I talk to you for a
minute?" I asked.
     They all froze as I walked to the door of my study.  I waited a second
or so before holding my finger up, wiggling to indicate to come with me.
He blushed as he lowered his head and almost crawled to the door, his
brother right behind.
     "Excuse me, but I'd like to talk to Mark alone for a minute," I
declared as I stepped in front of Ronnie, blocking him from entering the
room.
     He studied my face briefly before saying, "But he's my brother, I'm
gonna. . ."
     "He's also my son," I countered, cutting him off.  We exchanged glares
for a second or so before I added, "Thank you for excusing us." I closed
the door in his face before he could respond.
     Mark was peering wide eyed from behind one of the high-backed chairs
in front of my desk, his jaw quivering, when I turned into the room.
"Please come here," I asked as I sat down on the couch.  He shivered and
looked away, whimpering something I couldn't understand.  "Please come here
son, I'm not going to hurt you.  Come on son, I just want to talk to you."
     He hesitated, starting out from behind the big chair two or three
times and hiding back behind it, before he shuffled to me, staring at his
shoes.  It took a couple of tries to get him to sit down on the couch, but
he stayed three feet or so away from me as he did, never lifting his eyes.
     I propped my knee on the couch and my arm over its back turning to
him, trying to look relaxed as I did.  "We had a little problem today, you
disobeyed me, didn't you?"  He shifted his eyes slightly toward the carpet
below my seat and moved his lips without any sound.  "I love you son, and
what you did was very dangerous.  It would break my heart if you were hurt.
Will you come here?" I tried, extending my hand toward him.
     His only response was to stare back at his shoes.  "Horses are really
neat friends, but the are very big animals.  If we don't respect them they
can hurt us, you HAVE to play by the rules if you want to be around them,
do you understand?"
     "But, they'd never hurt me, they're so nice and stuff!  I'm sorry I
was bad," he whimpered.
     "You are right, all our horses love us as much as we love them.  But
they are very big, and they get scared just like we do.  If the new filly
had gotten scared when you rode her, she could have hurt you very badly!"
     "Ginger's nice, she'd never hurt no one!  She's scared, but she just
wanted to be my friend, she told Johnny she would be good."
     'Ginger?' I asked myself.  'Should I go there?'  "She's a wonderful
horse she is a very smart horse."  'She told. . ., no horse accepts a rider
on her back for the first time without bucking at least somewhat.  How am I
losing ground in this ass chewing?  I'm the pro!' I thought.
     "Mark, do you know who Christopher Reeves is?" I asked.  The nod of
his head told his shoes more than me he didn't.  "Have you ever seen the
Superman movies?  He was Superman in them.  Do you know why he didn't make
any more Superman movies?  Because he was thrown from his horse, and now he
is. . . he cant move his arms or legs.  If something like that happened to
you, or Ronnie, it would kill me."
     After almost a minute he shifted his tearful eyes from his shoes to
the far wall.  "But, his horse didn't mean to hurt him or nothing, did
she?" he asked the paneling.  "Hera or Ginger wouldn't do nothing like
that!"  "Would they?" he asked his shoes.
     "Come here, Pumpkin.  Come on," I suggested.  He looked between his
shoes and mine a couple of times before sliding over on the couch within
reach.  He stiffened slightly is all as I reached under his arms and pulled
him against me.
     "No son, they never would hurt you on purpose.  But, you weigh what,
almost 80 pounds?  Hera weigh. . ."
     "I weigh 84!" he proclaimed.  "Ah, I ah, I didn't wanta interrupt sir,
I'm sorry,"
     "Hera weighs over 1,000 pounds, the filly. . . I mean Ginger, weighs
maybe 600.  I wonder how far a thousand pound horse can throw you?  When
we're in the pool I can throw you really high in the air, and I only weigh
about twice what you do!  Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"
He nodded.
     "Mark, I'm your dad now, I expect you to obey me when I tell you, what
you can or cannot do.  I'd hate to do it, but if you disobey me about the
horses again, I will ground you from riding any of them for a month.  I
don't want to do that, I don't think you OR our four legged friends do,
okay?"
     He looked at me wide eyed for several seconds.  "Yes Sir, I wont, I
mean I will, I mean, well, what are you gonna do to me for being bad today?
Please, I mean I wont. . ."
     "I guess I have to punish you somehow, let me think," I interrupted
him.  "I know what you deserve, a double rib tickle and a Dad squish!" I
grabbed him before he could react, tickling him until he was squirming like
a worm.  "I love you son, all I want is for you to be happy and safe,
okay?" I added, pulling him into a tight cuddle.  He leaned against me
softly giggling for probably a minute.
     "Come on Turkey, I'm hungry!" I announced, picking him up and carrying
him toward the study door.
     He giggled a little more as he slipped into my hug, but stiffened as I
was nearing the door.  "But, well, what about Johnny?  Please, sir, he
wasn't bad or nothing Ginger really did tell him she was scared and stuff.
Please don't do nothing to him, please?  Please he likes it here!"
       "Johnny has to learn to follow the rules, just like you," I
answered.  "I'm not mad at Johnny, I'm not going to punish him." After I
watched his face tighten in fear I added, "If I tell you a secret, will you
PROMISE not to tell ANYONE, I mean Ronnie even?"
     He nodded at me, and I pushed my lips next to his ear.  "Dad!  DAD!!!
Really, for real!  All night and tomorrow too!  I love you Dad!" he
giggled, squirming so hard I almost dropped him before I could lower him
onto his feet.  "You're a really neat Dad!" he squealed before he turned
around and ran headfirst into the still closed door.
     I had wanted to ask Johnny if he wanted to spend the night, as if I
didn't know what his answer would be, before we ate, but the table was sat,
and everyone was waiting for us when Mark and I came out of my study.  'OT
is doing well,' I thought as I watched the lad inhale three helpings of
food with one hand as quickly as the other kids did with two, his manners
as polite as any of the other kids.
     I thought he was going to loose it when he discovered the treasure
inside my ice cream maker.  "Wow!  That's were ice cream come from?" he
cried as Cindy scooped bowls for everyone.  "Wow!  This is different ice
cream, it's yummier the what comes out the handle!" he hooted as he dove
into his bowl.
     'So much for his manners,' I thought as I watched his milk moustache
grow into a full face beard.  "This is real ice cream," I told him.  He
only glanced up at me before resuming his attack on the bowl.
     After everyone finished their dessert I called Johnny off to the side
as the kids began clearing the table.  "I wanted to talk to you about
tonight, I would like to change our plans a little." I began as I put my
arm around his bony shoulder.  "I was wondering if you would. . ."
     "But PLEASE Pop, ah I mean Doc, I didn't get show my papers to Zoe and
everyone, PLEASE I gotta!" Johnny interrupted, pushing against me.  "Please
don't send me back till I geta, PLEASE can I stay just a little longer,
just till I geta read them to them?  PLEASE!"
     "Get TO!" I corrected "You still can read them to the horses, I know
they will like them!  But let's do it tomorrow, you look like a tired
turkey, I want you to rest.  Would you like to sleep here tonight?"
     He pulled away from me a little.  "Yes sir," he uttered.  "Please,
I'll be good and try really hard all week, but I gota show them before I
gotta go back there!  Please I made them for them and everthing!" he added,
sobbing as he turned away from me.
     "Come here," I asked.  He looked wide eyed, tears rolling down his
cheeks, at me for a second before moving back toward me.  "You weren't
listening to me a minute a ago, were you?" I continued as sat in a chase
lounge, I picked him up and put him on my lap.  "What I asked you?"
     He shrugged and leaned into my chest.  "Ah, if I wanted to go to
sleep.  But I don't wanta go back there," he answered between sobs.
     I stroked his back and neck for a minute or so until he calmed down
somewhat.  "No, that is not what I asked, you should listen more carefully.
Will you listen to me now?"  I felt his head nod up and down against my
chin and chest.  "I asked you if you wanted to sleep here tonight, and not
back to Hill Country until tomorrow."
     I could feel his eyes burning holes in my chest, along with the
vibration of gears grinding inside his little head.  I was waiting to see
smoke puff out his ears when he whispered, "You, you, well you mean it?
You mean I really can?"
     "Yes, I would like for you to stay here at the ranch with us tonight.
I want you to promise to. . ."
     "I promise, I PROMISE!" he hooted, wrapping his arm around my neck and
pushing his face against mine.  "Please Pop, please can I?"
     "You don't even know what you have to promise to!" I snickered.
     "I don't care, I'll do anything, please?"
     "You have to promise to get some sleep tonight, to go to bed and rest
when I tell you.  You're still getting well, remember?"
     "I will, I will I promise.  But, well, that's all I gotta do?"  I
nodded my head slightly, and before I could speak he kissed me on the
cheek.  "I love you Pop!  You're too neat!"
     "I love you too," I whispered, enjoying his snuggle.  I held him for a
minute or so before adding, "Okay, go help the other boys clean up the
kitchen."  I got another kiss and hug before he climbed off my lap and
scurried inside.
     The Roberts announced they were leaving shortly after the kids
finished in the kitchen, accepting my invitation to come back out and ride
their new horses tomorrow.  "If you want to go tell your horse good night
hurry up," Cindy told Junior.
     Junior looked at his friends then his mom a couple times, his
alligator eyes matching his frown.  When they started toward the front door
the boy moved right next to his mother, and as I followed they whispered a
brief, but clearly pointed conversation.  "Please Mom, he don't care, and
Johnny gets to stay, why cant I?" I overheard the lad.
     "No son, I know you want to, but you cant impose.  Doctor Owens is
been too generous letting you stay as much as you do," Cindy whispered.  He
gave her a dirty look and backed away, looking teary eyed at his friends.
     "Cindy, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he is welcome, he's no trouble
at all," I said, pulling his back against my chest and wrapping my arms
around his shoulders.  "New horses, and Johnny staying here for the first
time, it would be a good reason for a sleep-over party.  I added.  Junior
pushed against me as he looked up at his mom wide-eyed.  "Besides, I
thought I had custody on weekends!" I quipped.  Johnny pushed against my
side as Mark and Ronnie lined up on my other hip, all four of them casting
sad puppy eyes at the lady.
     Cindy gave me a slightly peeved look, but the boys' sad faces won.
"You behave yourself, and keep that thing on, all night, no, until we get
back!" she told Junior, touching his facebow.  "Thanks Adam," she added.
     Junior's body relaxed instantly as he leaned back against me.  He
slipped out of my arms and started toward his mother when Johnny asked,
"You gotta wear your bridle all the time?  The horses get to take their's
off at night and stuff!" he exclaimed.
     Mark and Ronnie giggled as Junior's face reddened.  He glared at
Johnny then took a swing at Johnny's arm, which the youngster skillfully
dodged before running toward the pasture.  I was amazed as I watched him
outrun his older attacker, Junior was a head taller than Johnny, and
despite his long legs, both of which worked perfectly, Johnny quickly
outdistanced him, limp and all.
     "Have fun!" Roberts chuckled as they climbed into their Suburban.
     A few minutes later I received no arguments when I sent the boys to
bathe and get into shorts and get ready to relax.  Johnny said he didn't
have any clothes here, and was a little less than pleased when I reminded
him he had a set of Hill Country shorts and tee-shirt from last weekend,
but hobbled upstairs behind the other boys.
     I was about to get into my shower when my cell rang.  'Fuck, what
now,' I thought as I read SA Police on the caller ID.  "Good evening
Doctor, I have some good news and some bad," Wilson began.  I was
disappointed when he told me they had not captured Doeman, but as he
continued I relaxed considerably.  Dad had attempted visits at several
Rehab. Centers during the day, they were sure he knew the boy was being
hidden in one, but did not know which one.  "There are only two more he
hasn't tried as far as we know, and we have plenty of folks waiting for him
at them, along with the others," he told me.
     'Yeah, well, at least MAYBE he doesn't know where his kid is, better
than nothing,' I thought as I stuffed my pistol inside the pillowcase of my
bed.  'No, you don't want the bastard to come here, quit wishing that way!'
I told myself as I let my shower massage take over my brain.
     I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as I walked our of my
bedroom after my shower.  Johnny, now wearing a tight fitting muscle shirt
and St. Paul's gym shorts, was dragging several pillows off the stairwell
toward the family room.  When I entered the foyer Junior was adding a
couple of more quilts to the sizable stash they had piled on the carpet in
front of the room's entertainment center.  "Hi Dad!" Ronnie said, giving me
an ear-to-ear smile as he looked over at me, then back at the mountain of
bedding piled on the carpet.
     "Hi Pop!" Mark exclaimed as he ran out of the kitchen.  I snickered as
he looked at me for a second, before turning back toward his brother; he
was shirtless, but wearing Johnny's Hill Country gym shorts.
     "Oh, ah, can we sleep down here tonight?  We'll be quiet and stuff!"
Ronnie stated more than asked.
     'You're so strict!' Cindy's voice rang into my mind.  I couldn't help
but snicker out loud as I looked at the other boys, staring at me wide eyes
as if they were awaiting a life or death decision.  "Well, I don't know," I
answered, rubbing my chin trying to look like I was in deep thought.  "I'll
have to think about it, can I let you know in the morning?"
     Ronnie and Mark shrugged their shoulders, then their eyes snapped onto
mine as if they were controlled by a single brain.  Junior whispered,
"What!?!"  His mouth was agape, his braces seemed to be radiating the
overload of electrons flowing though his brain when I turned to him.
     Reaching around his thin neck with my hand I pulled him next to me.
"I am not sure it's a good idea, can I let you know in the morning if you
can sleep down here tonight?"
     Junior tilted his face about forty-five degrees and looked up at with
a completely lost expression, his chin on his chest.  "Ah, I, ah, I guess
so.  I mean yes sir," he mumbled.  He gawked at me for a second or so
before turning his head slowly toward Ronnie and Mark.
     "But, Dad!" Ronnie whined.  "But," he added.  From his face I could
tell he was starting to recover.  After another second he rushed to me,
immediately followed by his brother.  "Please Pop!  I mean Dad!" he
exclaimed as both of them pushed against me.
     Johnny joined them, pushing between Mark and my stomach.  His pale
face and worried eyes told me I had them.  "Well, I suppose so, if. . ."
they all snuggled a little tighter, then froze as they realized there might
be conditions involved.  "If you can find a good movie to watch, and
someone makes a BIG bowl of popcorn."
     "Yeah!!!" Mark and Ronnie hooted.  "Thanks Dad!" they said in unison.
     "Oh, and also, extra butter on the popcorn, so Junior's braces and
bridle wont rust up!" I added, pulling him against him.  His face turned so
red I could feel the heat from it on my chest.  "Got 'cha!" I said, poking
the embarrassed lad in the ribs.
     He gave me a dirty look before he started giggling, giving me a wide
grin.  "Your mean!" he snorted.
     "Okay guys, you've got a lot of work ahead of you!  Get your nest
built, and someone find a movie to watch, you can get two pay-per-views off
the satellite if you want.  And get me a beer!" I said, popping Junior on
his butt.
     Junior, Mark and Ronnie pushed away, almost running into each other as
they tried to figure out who was going to do what.  Johnny turned away, but
pushed under my arm instead, looking up at me.  "What about me?" he
whimpered.  "Where are you gonna put me?  I wont run. . ."
     "I guess I'll have to stuff you between a couple of those quilts," I
interrupted him.  "Do you want to sleep down here?  We have three unussed
bedrooms upstairs if you want to sleep in a bed, where do you want to
sleep?  Just so you get a good night's sleep, that is the only thing I am
worried about."
     "You're neat Pop!  I mean Doc!" he hooted, "You're so neat!"  I pulled
him more tightly against me for a second or so before he said, "Oh, you
wanta beer!" and jerked from under me, rushing behind the bar.  'You're not
just neat, you are wonderful.  How could God allow such a loving, caring,
little boy to be put through what. . .' I thought as he reappeared, rushing
back to me.
     Once the first movie started it didn't take long for our busy day to
catch up to either the boys, or I.  They crawled into the massive nest of
comforters and pillows they had built in front of the TV, and one by one
drifted off into dreamland.  I wasn't far behind, after an hour or so of
nodding off in my recliner, I tucked them under their covers and climbed
into my bed.  'Yeah, thanks so much God,' I thought as I nestled under my
covers, their cute, happy faces poking out from the quilts in the family
room still in my mind.
     A pair of long, thin arms wrapped around my neck, and a warm face
pushing against my neck disturbed my wonderful slumber.  After several
tries I managed to get one of my eyes to focus enough to discover Mark,
snuggling against me on top of the covers.  "I thought you were asleep," I
whispered.  He just tightened his grip on my neck and buried his little
face into me more.  "What's wrong, Pumpkin?" I asked, kissing his head.
"Did you have another dream?  Dad's here, everything is okay."
     He pushed against me for several seconds, sobbing softly as I stroked
his neck and head.  "Well, I'm scared for Johnny," he whimpered.  "He's
scared a bunch, and, ah, ah, he thinks he's gotta, ah, do stuff, well for
you.  He really scared, he is!"
     "I told him he has to get be good, and rest, he doesn't like that?
He's sleeping in a strange house and might be a little insecure, but he's
going to be okay."
     "But, Pop, he thinks he's gotta, gotta, well sleep with you.  He
thinks your gonna, well, he got to stay here so you can, suck, ah, well and
stuff you know!  He will, he said so!  Please Pop, he's FREAKED!"
     'No, this cannot be real!' I thought as I cuddled Mark.  I was so sure
Mark had forgotten his past, and was still, or again innocent enough to
forget it.  'Got to stay here so he can. . ., God did I really hear that?
Did the pixie faced strawberry angel sleeping in my 'family' room really
think was going to. . .'  I closed my eyes to fight back tears as I held my
new son, wishing this was not happening.
     "Johnny is frightened, just like you were when you came here, I mean
when you first started spending the night at my apartment," I whimpered, my
voice breaking as much as their's when they were insecure.  "I bet he had a
bad dream, like you have had!"  He just pushed more tightly against me,
pushing his little head under my chin.  "If I go talk to Johnny for a
minute, will you be okay here, get under the covers and I will be back
soon, I promise!"
     He disappeared under the covers as his answer, squeezing my arm before
releasing his grip on me.  I kissed the top of his head before carefully
pulling the covers off me and swinging my feet off the mattress.  I sat up
and started to lean to stand when a soft lump under my feet stopped me from
standing.  When I looked down the lump was Johnny.  Even in the dim moon
light filtering into my bedroom I could tell it was him, cuddled into a
fetal position, his thumb sealed tightly into his mouth.
     'Gee, fucking thanks, God!  Thanks for making my life so simple!' I
thought.  I slid down to the foot of the bed, then sat on the floor next to
the boy.  I brushed his bangs for a couple of seconds, hoping he would wake
up, but having no success I slowly pulled his thumb out of his mouth and
lifted his upper body into a cuddle.  "It's okay, Pumpkin, its just Pop, ah
Doc," I whispered.  He stirred slightly but didn't awaken, just relaxed
into my arms.  "You need to get back into bed, you cant sleep on the
floor," I added in a soft voice.
     When I didn't get any response for several seconds I scooped him into
my arms, and after a little struggling stood up, and carefully carried him
into the family room and gently tucking him into the quilts next to Ronnie.
"Take good care of him," I whispered into my son's ear.
     "I'd like you to go back and sleep with the other boys, Johnny trusts
you, and he might need you," I asked Mark as I sat down on the bed.  Not
waiting for an answer I picked him up and carried him to the mass bed,
laying him next to Johnny.  "You are such a special boy, I love you son," I
whispered before kissing him on the cheek.  He mouthed 'I love you' before
rolling over and snuggling against Johnny.
     I tossed and turned in my bed for what seemed like forever before
drifting off to sleep.  'How can all this be happening?' I asked as I felt
the hard lump of my handgun under my pillow.  'I just wanted to have a good
practice, and hide out here and have a perfect life!'
     I stirred from sleep several times that night with bad dreams before
the morning sunlight, filtering in from my patio door announced the
morning.  "Yeah well," I groaned as glared at the patio door.  'A couple
more minutes and time to get up,' I thought.
     I had closed my eyes again before I began digesting what was next to
me in my bed.  I cocked one eye back open for another look.  A puff of
strawberry fir was no the other pillow.  Pressed against it was a golden
blond muff of tangled hair with a mass of freckles showing on the small
amount of forehead sticking out of the covers.  Just as tightly tucked on
the other side was a light blond crop of hair, this one had thick nylon
straps going around the back of it.
     'Well, at least everyone got some sleep,' I thought.  I remembered
Mark's comments last night as I looked at the small amount of Johnny's head
showing.  'He seems untroubled now, did Mark talk to. . .  Mark!' I
snapped.  'Pot light, one kid short!'  I started to lean up, hoping he was
on the other side of Junior, when a soft groan came from under the
blankets.  I started to lift the covers when a thin arm reached over my
chest, pulling me into a snuggle.
     "Good morning, Pumpkin," I whispered.  I felt an inaudible response
vibrate against my rib cage and I added, "I love you Son!"  He answered by
hugging me tighter.
     I had just closed my eyes when I felt Mark squirming, then a pair of
lips kiss my nose.  "Can we go swimming, Pop?" he whimpered.
     "Yeah!  Please?" Ronnie's sleepy voice added.
     I opened my eyes and found four smiling faces staring at me.  "Okay!"
I groaned with all the enthusiasm my half asleep mind could muster.
"Everyone go to the bathroom, no peeing in the pool!" I added as they
bailed out of bed.
     Johnny followed everyone toward the bathroom, his limp slowing him
down, but turned back.  "Me too?  Can I?"
     "You can go swimming, but only if you promise to get wet!" I answered,
throwing a pillow at him.  He giggled loudly as he caught it and limped
into my bathroom behind his new friends.  'Shit, I hope his leg is okay, I
hope he didn't overdo yesterday,' I thought as I tried to talk my stiff
bones to get out of bed.
     I was trying to convince my legs to allow me to stand and begin the
day when Ronnie, then Johnny and Junior darted cross the bedroom racing to
the patio door, Mark right behind.  'Fuck, not again,' I thought.  I
yelled, "Junior, take off your. . ."  "Headgear" I groaned after hearing
the series of splashes into the pool.  'That boy is nine or ten donuts
short of a dozen, he would make a good Senator, shit he could be President
some day!' I thought as I joined them.
     We were only in the pool a couple of minutes when the horses began
lining up on the pasture fence, snorting and trotting around as if
demanding our attention.  I slipped inside and nuked some rolls and such
for breakfast, calling the boys inside before my main concern, Johnny, was
too distracted by them.
     "Go put on your jeans and shoes," I told him after he finished eating.
"I know your buddies want to see you, and you want to read them the notes
you wrote to them, and then I have a surprise for you!"
     As he climbed upstairs, his limp much less evident than earlier, I
grabbed Ronnie and Mark pulling them against me.  "Get dressed, and go
saddle your horses, and Zeus.  Get Junior to do the same.  Hurry, I want
those horses saddled before Johnny gets to the barn, understood?"
     All three of them bolted upstairs, and were back in record speed
racing out the door.  Mark turned back to look at me for a second, at first
with a worried face but flashed me a wide grin before darting behind Ronnie
and Junior.  I had just climbed into a pair of jeans and shoes when Johnny
hobbled down the stairs, I met him right next to the patio door.
     "Did you remember your notes, for the horses?" I asked.  He blushed
and rushed back to the breakfast bar to retrieve them.  I snickered as he
and I walked toward the pasture, he was opening each of the papers, clearly
reviewing them as if preparing for a series of speeches.  'He is doing a
lot of things with one hand better than many people do with two!' I thought
as I watched.
     Ginger was waiting at the gate and pushed against both of us before I
could get the gate closed behind us, demanding our attention.  I had to
laugh to keep from crying for the next ten minutes or so as Johnny showed,
then read his Thank You notes to each of my horses, each horse seeming to
listen intently as he read to them, and Ginger tucked tightly next to her
new mentor, looking at each paper as if proofing it.  'Strange horse,' I
thought as I watched her.  'Strange boy, too, are they communicating on the
level I think they are?' I asked myself.
     "That was wonderful Johnny," I said, tucking him under my arm.  "I
love how thoughtful you are.  You are not well enough to ride on your own
yet, but would you like to go for a ride on Zeus, riding with me on him?"
     He stiffened, pushing against me like he was being pressed into a glue
form.  "I getta!  I getta!!!, I mean I get to?"  I opened my mouth to
respond when he added, "But he's so BIG!  Maybe I can ride Ginger, please
maybe her first!"  The damn filly had to stick her long snout into it,
pushing her head between Johnny and as if wanting to add her opinion.
     "Ginger isn't big enough, she is still growing," I began, without
realizing it talking to the little horse more than Johnny.  "She's still a
kid like you!  I know you want to ride a horse by yourself, and you will
get to, but I'd like to take you for a ride on a horse, will you go for a
ride with me on Zeus?  You get the saddle!"
     He looked at Ginger, then Zeus a couple of times before hugging
Ginger's neck.  He held her for a few seconds before Zeus pushed his
massive head against them, clearly contributing to the discussion.  Ginger
and Zeus looked at each other before she pushed her head back against her
young friend.  "Yeah, thanks, Doctor Pop!" Johnny hooted!

To Be Continued. . .