Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2000 16:43:43 -0500
From: Bill Porter <wep363@netzero.net>
Subject: My Bodyguard Chapter 23

My Bodyguard Chapter 23

A very special thanks to Ed for editing this chapter.

This story is not true.

This is a story of love, trust, hope, and commitment. It is not a sex
story. However, this story deals with love between two teenagers. If you
are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, please do
not read this story. There will be some sex scenes in this story; however,
sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal
to read this story where you live, don't read it.

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Thank you for all your e-mails.  If I have missed answering you, I am truly
sorry.  I have tried to answer all of them. Please continue to send me your
comments.


*************

Mark told Jeff and Sally that he would do everything he could.  I was
deeply touched with the scene before me.  Mark, Jeff, and Sally all had
tears in their eyes.

Lisa told Jeff and Sally that it was getting late and that we needed to
leave and they needed to go to bed.  She gave us her card and told us to
call her after 9:00 AM in the morning.  Mark reluctantly said good-bye and
we went downstairs and caught a cab back to the hotel.  It was 1:00 AM when
we got to bed.  Neither one of us could get to sleep.  Finally I heard
Mark's breathing slow down and become steady.  Soon after, I also fell
asleep.

I was awakened by the telephone ringing.  Mark answered it.

"Hello."

"Okay, we will be there."

"That was your dad.  Your mom and dad caught a flight out of Detroit last
night and are in the hotel.  They said that we were out when they got in.
They want us to meet them in the hotel restaurant for breakfast in 30
minutes."

I felt like I had just gone to sleep.  Yesterday was a long, stressful day.
I got up and got dressed.  Mark and I went down to the lobby and went into
the restaurant.  I saw my parents and we went over to join them.

"How you doing, Mark?" Dad asked.

"I'm okay, Papa Greg, but I do have a major problem," Mark replied.

"It must be a big problem to call me 'Papa Greg'.  I do kind of like it.
What is your problem, Mark?"

"Well, it is really two problems.  Their names are Jeff and Sally."

"Your dad's kids, right?"

"That's right.  I am their only relative and they have nowhere else to go,
except foster care."

"That is a big problem.  What are your options?"

"Two, really.  Let them go into foster care and get separated, or become
their guardian."

"Have you thought about the responsibly of raising two kids?"

"Yes, I keep asking myself what you would tell me.  Like, they need health
insurance, dental insurance, clothes, food, supervision, beds, furniture,
love, and many other thing that I'm not ready to provide."

"I would need to quit school and get a full time job.  I already have a
commitment to Mike and we are a team, so I would drag him down also."

"I am surprised that they would even consider you to be a guardian, Mark."

"Here in Chicago they do let older brothers and sisters have guardianship
if they can support them."

"GREG, quit this screwing around and let Mark off the hook!" Mom exclaimed.

"Do you have the caseworker's phone number, Mark?"

"Right here, Papa Greg."

"I'm really starting to like this 'Papa Greg' stuff.  Are you going to call
my wife 'Mama Amy' too?"

"Yep, If she don't mind?"

"I don't mind.  As a matter of fact, I kind of like it," Mom replied.

Dad got out his cell phone and dialed a bunch of numbers.

"Hi, John.  Look, you remember what we talked about a while ago?"

"Yep, that's right.  Well, we have found a couple in Chicago."

"They are friendly with Michigan social services?  That's great.  The
caseworker's name is Lisa Jones and her number is 312-555-5555.  The kids'
names are Jeff and Sally and their stepbrother is currently living with me.
Their parents died in a accident yesterday and Mark Adams is their only
living relative."

"Great, call me as soon as you get everything worked out.  I know it's a
Saturday but see what you can do.  Don't worry, I will pay you twice your
normal charge."

Dad hung up his cell phone and looked at us for about a minute before
speaking.

"About a year ago, your mother and I looked into being foster parents and
even adopting someone.  We have been approved for both in the State of
Michigan.  We are both fairly young and not anywhere near ready to retire.
We have not done anything about it yet because we still have Mike and we
didn't know how he felt about having other kids around.  Mark, we have
talked about commitment before.  There is no greater commitment or
responsibility than having kids.  Many parents don't take the
responsibility seriously.  I know you can relate to that, Mark.  There are
many kids who become parents at your age and some do well but most have
overwhelming problems.  If Amy and I take on this responsibility, you won't
have anything to say about the way we raise them.  Your responsibility will
be as a brother.  Amy?"

"You know I'm for it.  We have already talked about this.  I can't wait to
meet them."

"Mike?"

"I would love to have a little brother and sister.  I don't know what my
sister will think."

"None of her business anyway.  She will be married and starting her own
family next summer.  So we are all in agreement.  Great, what else can we
do?"

"We need to make arrangements for a double funeral and take care of the
kids and my father's stuff."

"I will need to check if there was a will and call a funeral home and other
things.  Your mom and I will take care of that this morning.  I will hire a
mover to clean out the apartment and the stuff will be put into storage
until a court can decide where it goes.  I will call Lisa in a little bit
also, after John, my lawyer, has had time to work his stuff.  What are you
guys going to do?"

"We need to page Captain Wright and talk about some things."

We went on to tell them about Chicago's plan to put student patrols in
their schools and their offer for us to come this summer.  We finished our
breakfast and went back to our rooms.  We paged Captain Wright and he said
that he was done with us.  He just wanted to meet us.  He said that he
wanted to visit us after the holidays for a few days and would call us
before he came.  Mark then called his mom and told her everything going on.
He said that she was quite supportive.  Mark and I were still really tired
and we both cuddled up on the bed and fell asleep.

We were awakened by a knock at our door.  I looked at the clock and it read
12:30.  I opened the door and Mom and Dad came in.

"Let's go, guys.  We need to go to social services.  Lisa is waiting for
us."

We went downstairs and caught a cab.  We arrived at social services and we
led our parents to Lisa's office.  Lisa was real excited to see us.

"Nice to meet you, Greg and Amy.  I got a call from John and a caseworker
in Michigan and I have all the necessary paperwork completed.  I just need
you to sign.  The kids will be here in a few minutes.  You can take them
and pick up the clothes and toys and stuff from the apartment.  I will go
with you."

"I have made arrangements for all the rest of the stuff to be put in
storage until a judge can decide what to do with it.  I found out that
Mark's father didn't have a will so if it ends up going to Mark, we will
have it moved to our house.  There will be a graveside service tomorrow.  I
have taken care of all those arrangements."

"That's great.  Just sign this paperwork and we will be all set."

Mom and Dad signed the custody papers and became Jeff and Sally's
guardians.  Lisa explained adoption procedures.  Dad said he would have his
lawyer look into it.

"You don't know how happy I am to be able to place these kids.  We have
more kids in the system right now than we can handle," Lisa said.

Jeff and Sally were led into the room and saw Mark. They shouted, ran, and
hugged him tight.

"Who are they?" Sally asked.

"Mike's and your new parents.  I live with them too," Mark responded.

"You mean we get to stay together?" Jeff asked.

"That's right," Mark responded.

Mom was crying and I could see tears in my dad's eyes too.  Jeff walked up
to my dad.

"What should I call you?"

"Mark calls us 'Papa Greg,' and 'Mama Amy'.  You can call us the same if
you like."

"Nice to meet you, Papa Greg."

Jeff threw his arms around my dad, and tears came dripping down his cheek.
Sally slowly went over to my mom and opened up her arms.  She is so cute.
Mom picked her up and held her tight.  I'm not sure who was happier, my
parents or the kids.  Mark and I couldn't help it.  We were crying too.  We
all joined it a group hug.

After about ten minutes, Lisa led us out to her car.  We all climbed in.
It was very cramped but it also felt right.  We went to Mark's dad's
apartment.  We all went inside and packed up the kids' things.  We put them
in the trunk and went back to the hotel.  My parents had gotten a double,
so the kids' stuff was put in their room.  Dad got additional tickets for
the kids to fly home tomorrow.  We all went out to a nice restaurant for
dinner.  I was hungry.  I had not eaten since breakfast.  One thing I had
noticed was Sally had not been more than 2 feet away from my mom ever since
they met.  Most of the time they were holding hands.  Also, Jeff had
attached himself to Mark.  I felt good about that.  I didn't mind sharing
him one bit.

At dinner, Jeff started asking Dad about 100 questions.

"What about school?"

"You will be going to school in Michigan."

"Don't I get to say good-bye to my friends?"

"You can call them tonight or tomorrow."

"But there are some I only see at school."

"Tell your other friends to say good-bye for you.  You will make new
friends."

"What about my books?"

"We will send them back to the school."

"I'm in Cub Scouts.  Can I be in Cub Scouts in Michigan too?"

"Yes."

"Where am I going to sleep?"

"You will have your own room."

"Really?  I have never had my own room."

It went on and on like that.  Dad remained very patient throughout.  I
couldn't blame Jeff.  His whole life has been turned upside down.  Sally
seemed comfortable just holding my mom's hand.  I couldn't imagine what
these two were going through.  I guess that they were lucky, not sitting in
a group home for a few weeks.

We went back to the hotel and went to bed.  We both fell fast asleep.

The next day we got up and showered together.  It was a long, hard, shower.
Then we got dressed in our suits and packed all our other stuff.  We
checked out of the hotel and had breakfast.  We then went to the funeral.
It was just a graveside service and some of Mark's dad's friends from work
were there, along with some of his common-law wife's friends.  It was a
short ceremony.  Jeff and Sally cried their eyes out, and we took turns
comforting them.  Right after, we all needed to go to the airport.  We are
flying back into MBS international and my folks are flying into Metro in
Detroit.  When we got there, my dad helped us to find our gate.  It is a
good thing he was there.  I would have gotten lost.

The flight back was almost as much fun as the flight there.  I was so glad
when we landed back home.  We got in Mark's truck and paid for the
long-term parking.  On the way home we stopped for dinner.  Then we headed
home.  It had been a long weekend and we still had homework to do.  Mark
called his mom to let her know that he had gotten home safely.

About two hours later Mom and Dad got home with Jeff and Sally.  Mark and I
both pitched in, getting them settled in.  Mom said that she was going to
take them to get registered for school tomorrow.  They really liked their
new rooms and we showed them around the house.  Jeff's eyes got real big
when he saw the gym Mark had set up downstairs in the basement.  He begged
Mark to show him how to use all the equipment.  Mark promised that he
would.

We went to sleep that night with a full house.  Who knows what new
adventures tomorrow will bring us?