Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 14:13:19 -0800 (PST) From: Toby Barnum <bearwolf_7@yahoo.com> Subject: Ya Can't Get There From Here - Chapter 5 Reading a few old stories on nifty resulted in my being frustrated that they ended before all the loose ends were tied. When I remembered that I had done the same with this story, I decided to do some more work. If there's still any interest, I'll try to continue. Toby ___________________________________________________________ Ya Can't Get There From Here - Chapter 5 The following morning wind was howling around the lodge and snow was still falling. It was cold and crisp outside when Mark and Shawn showered, dressed and headed for the kitchen to start breakfast. A few minutes later, Josh emerged and made his way to the shower on autopilot. As a rule he didn't come fully awake until after breakfast. He gave a perfunctory response to greetings from the kitchen and stepped inside the bathroom. It wasn't until the shower spray hit that it dawned on him from whose room he had just emerged to greet his father and Mark. His face turned brilliant red as he scrambled to put together an explanation. Then Toby's image pushed his feeble attempts aside. Coming fully awake, he concluded that the truth would do. He wasn't ashamed of anything. He wanted to run outside and shout it. If the two men out there couldn't handle it, t' hell with 'em. Knowing and trusting his father as he did, however, Josh discounted that scenario. Since his dad seemed to have given this Mark guy some space in his life, Josh figured he'd be pretty ok too. Trusting Mark came easily. Come to think of it, Mark was pretty hot, for a fossil, that is. When he came into the kitchen he wore a defiant grin that said it all. It was only after he was seated at the breakfast table that he noticed that he was not the only one grinning. "What the hell are you two so all-fired happy about?" Shawn pointed to his son and said, "Mark, at this hour of the morning this is actually bubbling exuberance for this young man." "For once, dad, you got it right. I am pretty happy this morning." "That have anything to do with where you spent the night? Mark grinned wider. Josh's eyes came up with a defiant stare. "As a matter of fact it does! We're both pretty happy about it." "Son, I'd be pretty careful about making any statements for that particular young man. He has really creative ways of getting even. I outta know about that." "Dad, I'm pretty certain about this one." "Josh, I'm glad you are. That's half the battle. I also admire your willingness to stand up for it." "Then ..... you're not mad?" "Why would I be mad, Josh, it's a wonderful thing. I'm both proud and privileged that you can be this honest and trust us." "Yeah, Josh, I'm glad to see that the guy my Toby's fallen for can stand on his own two feet." At this point Mark called out to Toby, who had been holding on to his walker in the doorway of the room. "Mornin, son" "Dad? ..... dad" Then Toby stopped and gathered himself together. "Dad, hearing that you're ok with me 'n Josh, I'm just about the happiest man on the planet." He hesitated a second. "Josh, if it's still ok with you, that is." "Toby, it's ok today, tomorrow, next week, 100 years from now. I've found you, I love you, I'm not gonna let go." Josh walked over, reached out and supported Toby with his arms. They stood together. At this point Mark and Shawn had moved their arms from around each other's shoulders to their waists. They drew each other very close and smiled. Both boys took this in. Josh spoke for the two of them when he said, "Dad ... you don't mean ... um .... well .... you two ... you know ...? Mark and Shawn both burst out in belly laughs, then turned and embraced. "What's it look like to you, son?" Wolf took this opportunity to bestow his blessing on the proceedings by jumping up and licking Mark's face. "Well, I'll be ..... " Josh's mouth alternated between slack jawed amazement and grinning delight. Recovering more quickly, Toby eyed Mark and remarked, "Well dad, I gotta admire yer taste. Looks to me like ya fell for a real ... " "Hunk?", Mark supplied helpfully. "Ummm - I was gonna say decent relic actually." It was Toby and Josh's turn to dissolve in laughter. When they recovered, Josh winked at Shawn and added: "Yeah, dad, and if Toby takes after his dad in certain .... ahem ... personal characteristics, you must have yer hands full." "Hmmm ..." Shawn splayed his hands for inspection. "No challenge too great for the hands of a healer" "Healer, my ass", Mark retorted "We'll save that for your next visit", Shawn cracked. The free-for-all continued throughout breakfast. Afterwards, as they sat in front of the fire with steaming mugs of coffee, Mark spoke. "Toby, you up to letting us in on your side of the story today?" "Yeah, dad", came the answer. "I woke up feeling ready to take on the world." "Look out, world" Shawn muttered under his breath. "First thing I remember is being in a hospital bed and being totally out of it. Then I found out we were in New York city. When they backed off on the drugs, mom told me how I got there. Last thing I remembered was mama bear commin at me. I musta blacked out after that. When I asked mom where you were, she got real quiet. Said you'd snapped and shot yourself. Later she told me you left a note saying that your ashes be spread over the park. There was a part of me way down inside that refused to believe that you would walk out on me like that. That was the part that kept me fighting. Looks like that was the part of me that knew the truth." Toby's eyes filled and he was silent for awhile. "Don't hate her, dad. In her own way, she was pretty broke inside." "Toby, I let go of the regrets, second guesses and anger when I came up here. Weren't getting me no place I wanted to be, anyhow. I loved your mama once, and the proof of that is lookin right at me. Don't feel I need to say nothin' more about it." "Right again, dad. Today's a day for new stuff, great stuff. The Marquis de Sade, here is gonna learn me how to walk again." "And I always figured you for a pretty vanilla guy, Josh", quipped Shawn. Josh put on his best evil leer and got up to prepare the hot packs to start Toby's first session in his new surroundings.