Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 05:50:00 -0500
From: C. E. Jordan <c.e._Jordan@MailAndNews.com>
Subject: THE VILLAGE BOY 8

The Village Boy
c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com

Copyright c.e. Jordan

From last episode:

    "You don't ever have to ask permission to use anything, or do
anything here Jer, just put stuff back when you are finished with it. And if
anything breaks lemme know. The kitchen is also open for raiding whenever
you want something to eat. Same rule, put things back when you're done with
them."

     "You are the best Charles!"  The exotic long black hair fanned out and
tried to wrap around me as Jer spun into my arms. I got a brief hug. "Oh,
Kevy is gonna be so blown away when he sees all this stuff..."

     Oh yes....Kevin. I almost forgot.

     I left Jer to explore the media room and went to check on Eliza.
__________________________________________________________


			 THE VILLAGE BOY - Part 8


     "Hi Eliza," Half-awake, she had stirred from her sleep, "how are you
doing?"

     "Okay, I guess....I sleep too much these days."

     "That's good, I'm glad you are able to rest."

     "Yeah....but who's gonna take care of my beautiful monster....where is
he anyway?"

     "Jeremy's okay, he's probably shooting some monsters of his own in
the media room."

     "Media-room? Geeze.....that boy's going to be so spoiled....." She sat
up placing her small bare feet on the floor. "We might as well talk now while
he isn't around."

     "Well....." I began uncertainly, but she interrupted me.

     "Look Charles, even before you came into the picture, I suspected my
boy was going to be gay. I was ready to deal with that, but an adult lover? I
dunno......well, I didn't know until now. But I think I understand you pretty
well--even after such a short time." She looked away from me and up toward
the skylights. Her fingers absently stroked her neck where the swelling and
redness was. I waited for her to continue speaking.

     "Whatever else you are, I know you are a kind man...and my son needs
someone who would be gentle with him. In certain ways he's a very bright,
mature kid...and he's a great student...but I guess you can tell that he'll
never
be tough, like the run-of-the-mill fourteen-year-old boy. He won't survive on
his own...he'll be too vulnerable to...all the stuff that's going on out
there....."

     "Eliza, you don't have to worry....." I began, but she interrupted again.

     "Charles, I want him to live with you if anything happens to me.
Don't let anyone take him away...especially anybody from my family. Just
don't hurt him....don't ever let anyone hurt him, please."

     For the first time I could see the beginning of tears in her eyes. I
moved
to sit next to Eliza and was bold enough to put my arms around her. I tried to
comfort her. "Eliza, I am physically and emotionally incapable of hurting
Jer...and I promise I definitely won't allow anyone else to inflict harm on
him...I do love your son Eliza...I don't know why, but I can't help it."

     Eliza rested her head quietly on my shoulder for a little while.
Suddenly she started shaking in my arms. Alarmed, I pulled away to look at
her face. She was silently laughing. I was puzzled, "What?"

     "It's too bad you don't like women Charley-boy....you'd make a great
boyfriend." I was embarrassed, but I couldn't help laughing too. "I guess in
this case, it's really my loss."

     There was one other thing I needed to tell her. "Eliza, I made an
appointment for you with my doctor. It's for early tomorrow
morning.....there's no need for you to go home. Why not stay here where I can
keep an eye on you...it will take the pressure off Jeremy......and off
yourself."

     I took a deep breath and continued, "Actually, Eliza, I was thinking
that you and Jer should stay here...permanently....as you can see, there's
more
than enough space here for us all."

     She seemed startled, her hands flew up like frightened birds, then
clasped together in front of her face. "You want us to live here? With you?"

     "Yep."

     She was quiet again for several more minutes looking vague and
distracted. But as usual she snapped out of it to say, "As for me living here,
let's see what happens after tomorrow....but, I think it makes sense for
Jeremy to stay here.....beginning right now. Soon, I won't be able to take
care
of him. I also think we should make the arrangement official....something
like.....guardianship....there has to be some kind of form I can sign or
something. It should be done soon."

     Oh, damn! I thought, we are planning her death. It seemed so
unfair...how could she be dying? She's so damned young! Perhaps the tests
will say something better than we expect. I felt like bawling. But Eliza had
something else to say:

     "If it's bad..........I don't want to be hanging around making Jer
miserable....and don't let them keep me hanging on and on for no good reason,
I don't want that....you understand?"

     "Understood....but let's wait....none of this may be necessary."

     "Perhaps....but the guardianship thing should be done immediately.....I
don't want my relatives taking him away...." Her voice rose, "they'll kill his
spirit.....they'll make him feel guilty about his sexuality...don't let them
do
that, don't let them take him Charles." Her hand gripped my arm. "Promise."

     I hugged her again,trying to calm her down, "I promise bab....." I almost
called her `baby' the same loving way Jer was `baby' to us, "I'll talk to my
lawyer first thing tomorrow morning."

     She agreed to stay the night. We were going to have to tell Jer about
our conversation later. I wondered how he'd take it. It was his life and he
would
have to agree to everything his mom and I had talked about.

				   ****

     I took Eliza Bell on a little tour of my apartment and she chose a
bedroom right next door to mine. It had it's own bathroom and was painted
in pale golden tones. The queen-sized bed had plump comfortable pillows and
champagne-coloured satin sheets. In addition to the large green fichus tree
filtering the light from an open window, I moved flowers from other parts
of the house and placed them all over her room. There wasn't much of a
view, but she'd be able to see clouds sailing past in the the sky above
while lying in bed. Eliza was tired again. I helped her into bed and
brought her some fruit and something to drink from the kitchen. She was
asleep before I left the bedroom.

				   ****

(to be continued)