Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 17:41:43 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Boo 6, chapters 23 - 24

Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 23 -- Many Plans.

**Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read
this.

On Tuesday, Cody had his next appointment with the oncologist and I was
anxious to learn how he was doing.  After we were called in, one of the
staff drew some blood from Cody's arm and took it to the lab to be
analyzed.  The oncologist had the ability to do this at his office, where
our regular doctor had to use the hospital for such procedures.

We were left sitting in the examination room while the blood was being
processed, but twenty minutes passed before the doctor joined us.
Unfortunately, he wasn't smiling when he entered, but I hoped it was merely
due to the fact that he was either busy or tired.  He shut the door, turned
toward us and spoke.

"I'm afraid things aren't going as well as I'd hoped," he announced.

"What do you mean?" I asked, while trying to control my urge to panic.

"The reintroduction of Cody's cells into his system hasn't worked as I
anticipated," he explained.  "From what I can tell, his body isn't
producing new, healthy cells, as we expected.  It's possible his cells
weren't quite as healthy or strong as we had hoped, so they didn't take
hold."

"Does that mean his body is producing more diseased cells?" I asked,
concerned.

"No, not that I can detect," he told me.  "However, we have to find a way
to get his body producing the healthy cells again, and in order to do that,
it looks like we'll need an outside donor."

"That's not a problem," I told him.  "My family has been begging to be
tested, to see if they could donate cells to Cody, so all you'll have to do
is tell us where to go and when."

"I'm pleased to know they are so eager," he replied, "but Cody is not
biologically related to any of the family, is he?"

"No.  Is that a problem?" I wondered.

"Not a problem, exactly, but when the patient's own cells don't take, we'd
prefer to use someone biologically connected to the patient," he explained.
"There's a better chance of them taking that way."

I wanted to be honest and speak openly with the doctor, but Cody was in the
room, so I didn't say what I'd planned.  I wanted to spare Cody from having
to listen to me explain that he had no living relatives and the various
circumstances surrounding his life.  After thinking about this some more, I
whispered to the oncologist.

"I think we should speak in private about this, doctor."  Regrettably, Cody
overheard my comment.

"No way," he blurted out.  "This is about me and I have a right to hear
what's going on."  He had this very determined look on his face as he said
this.

"Cody," I began, as I tried to smooth his ruffled feathers, "sometimes it's
better if we don't have to relive some of the bad parts of our life.  I
just wanted to spare you from having to go through that."

"You mean because my mother's dead and I still don't know who my father
is?" he shot back.  The harshness with which he stated this shocked me, but
he was correct.

"Yes, that's partly it," I admitted.  "I know discussing things of this
nature can bring back many unpleasant memories and create anxiety."

"I don't care," Cody declared.  "I want to be here, so I can listen to
what's going on."

"Are you sure about this?" I asked.  I was still hoping he'd change his
mind, because I didn't want him to feel worse than he already did.
However, after noting his look of determination, I had to concede he wasn't
about to give in on this one.

"Yes, Dad, I'm sure," he announced.  He was smiling broadly at me now and I
knew it was because he had just called me dad.  I'm not sure if he did this
for the doctor's benefit or if he thought it would be an incentive to get
me to do what he wanted.

"Okay, if you're so determined, you might as well listen in," I told him,
in resignation.  Then I turned toward the doctor and continued.  "Cody's
mother passed away, and as far as I know, she didn't know for certain who
Cody's father was."

"That's not right," Cody interrupted.  "She told me it was one of two guys,
she just didn't know which one.  She gave me their names, in case I ever
wanted to look them up."

"Do you have those names?" the doctor asked.

"Yes.  I keep the paper with their names on it with my other things," he
explained.

"Do you think we could try to find them, to see if one of them is a match?"
the doctor asked.  "That would actually be Cody's best chance of beating
this."

"If it will help Cody get better, I'd fly to the moon to find them," I
concurred.  Hearing me say this, Cody gave me the most loving look you
could ever imagine.  I think it was because he knew I'd do just about
anything, if it would help him get better.

"Good," the oncologist replied, breaking the momentary connection Cody and
I had established.  It also caused us to look back at the doctor.  "I'll
need them located and tested as soon as possible, to see if either is a
match."

"And what if they're not?" I asked.

"In that case, we'll test your family," he informed me.  "If none of them
is a match, then we'll search the National Marrow Donor Program registry."

"Can't you test us now, just to save time, in case we aren't able to locate
them," I pressed.  "I didn't want to waste valuable time later and
jeopardize his chance for recovery, if that is the case."

"Yes, that probably would be prudent," he agreed.  "I'll have my
receptionist set up appointments for anyone who wants to be tested.  We'll
schedule the procedure to be done in two days, if that's all right with
you.  Just tell her the names and ages of those you wish to include."

"Do the boys have to be a minimum age to donate?" I asked, since I was
afraid there might be.

"They would need to be at least 18, if they wanted to be part of the
national registry," he stated, and I started to become discouraged.
"However, younger donors have been used when they were related to the
patient.  Even though your boys are not blood relatives, I'd be willing to
make sure they're all tested and use any of them who are willing."  My
spirits suddenly soared again.

"That's fantastic news, and I'm fairly positive the boys will be eager to
help," I informed him.  "I think the younger ones would have felt slighted
and left out, if they couldn't at least be tested."

"Then we'll make sure everyone who wants to be tested is," he reaffirmed.
"Do you know how many of these tests we'll need to arrange for then?"

"I'm not sure yet, at least not until I ask the boys when I get home," I
replied.  "I would suspect they would all want to be included, but I'll go
home and ask them, just to be certain.  Once I have a firm number, I'll
call back and let your receptionist know.  As I said, I'm pretty sure it
will be most, if not all of them.  Is there anything else you'll need from
us or anything else we should do?"

"That's it for now, but I'll also forward Cody's file to the National Donor
Registry, to see if they can come up with a donor match," he added.  "We
might as well get that started too, just to be on the safe side.  That way
we'll have an option, in case no one in the family matches."

"That's great and I promise to get back to you shortly about the number of
my boys who wish to be tested," I confirmed.  "I appreciate everything
you're doing for Cody, Doctor, and thank you for all of your help."

Although I was hoping for better and more definitive news about Cody's
condition, I was satisfied the oncologist was doing everything he could.
Now that these issues were settled, we thanked the doctor and went out to
pay the bill.  I told the receptionist I'd call her back shortly, to let
her know how many appointments would be needed.  I figured I could bring
the college boys back later, if it proved to be necessary.  Once everything
was completed, I guided Cody out to the car and drove home.

As soon as we got back, I urged Cody to bring me the paper with the two
names on it.  I wanted to get started trying to find his father as quickly
as was humanly possible.  That was enough to motivate Cody to race up to
his room, well he went as quickly as he could, and he soon returned holding
a yellowed and crumpled piece of paper.  As he handed it to me, he spoke.

"I already know that neither of these men is very nice, so you don't have
to worry about saying anything that might hurt my feelings," he confessed,
although he looked slightly embarrassed that he'd had to reveal this
information.

"Cody, who they are, or were, has nothing to do with who you are now," I
explained.  "You are one of the finest young men I have ever had the
pleasure of knowing, and just because one of your parents might not have
been the most upstanding citizens around, it certainly is no reflection on
you.  You have nothing to prove and nothing to be ashamed of."

"Thanks, Dad.  I appreciate you saying that," he told me and I could see he
was glad I felt this way.  "The other boys have all told me you're great
when they need you most, so I sure am glad I got to come here to live."

"Hey, I'm only taking care of my boys, the way a father should do," I
reasoned, "and they're the finest group of young men a guy could ever hope
to call his sons.  Now, why don't you go do something fun, while I make
some calls to see if we can locate these two fellows."  He smiled, hugged
me and gave me a peck on the cheek, before he went off to find something to
do.

As I glanced at the two names on the paper, I began to appreciate the fact
that Cody's mother had been smart enough to do this for him.  It certainly
saved us a lot of time and effort, but seeing the names also made me wonder
which had been her pimp and who had been the John.  I guess it didn't
really matter, but if one of the two had to be his father, I was hoping it
was the John.  Maybe he was a nice guy in real life and was just unlucky at
love.  Maybe he just needed a sexual outlet from time to time, without the
emotional bonds of a relationship.

I felt even more strongly about this because I knew the other was not only
a pimp, but also a drug pusher to boot.  I certainly didn't want Cody to
have to bear that burden now too.  However, I guess we'll have to cross
that bridge when we come to it too.

Being uncertain as to how to go about finding these two men, I contacted my
best friend and legal advisor, Steve Shay.  I described the situation and
asked for his advice as to what my next move should be.  He quickly
explained he had a private investigator he used from time to time and gave
me the guy's name and phone number.  He told me to get in touch with him
and say Steve had referred me.  I thanked him profusely, because I was once
more in his debt.  He continually came to my assistance, whenever I needed
him, and you just can't replace that type of friend.

Once I was alone, I called the private investigator.  He picked up the
phone on the third ring.

"John Stokes Investigations," the voice answered.

"Hi, Mr. Stokes.  My name is Josh Currie and Judge Steven Shay referred me
to you," I informed him.

"Ah, yes, Steve.  He's a good man and an even better client," he quipped.
"Do you know him well?'

"Yes, he's my best friend," I confided.  "We have been close for a very
long time and he's also honorary Uncle to all my boys."

"All your boys?  I take it you have a large family then?" he responded.

"You might say that and I'm calling you because I need your assistance to
help one of them."  I went on to explain the situation, by telling him
about Cody's illness and emphasizing the urgency in finding the two
gentlemen in question.  I also gave him information about myself and
explained how this was going to affect the entire family.  He listened
carefully and then spoke.

"What information do you have, to help me find these guys?" he wanted to
know.

"The boy's mother left him a piece of paper, giving him their full names,
nicknames and a third item, which I assume to be their date of birth," I
replied.  "I hope this information is sufficient and accurate, but I can't
vouch for it."

"Well, let me copy it down and then I'll do some preliminary investigative
work," he agreed.  "Before you hang up, I'll try to give you an idea about
the chances of my being successful in locating them.  Did Steve also
explain to you how I bill my clients?"

"Yes, and that's perfectly fine with me," I agreed.  "I'll even pay you a
bonus, if you can locate them quickly."

"Then I'll start as soon as we hang up," he quipped, "but before I do, you
have to realize this might not be easy.  I'll begin by seeing if they have
any criminal history and I'll also try to determine if they've paid taxes
anytime during the past ten years.  Either of these sources would give me
their last known address and social security number.

"If I can't locate them that way, then I'll check drivers' records,
beginning with their last known state of residency.  If that is
unsuccessful, I'll spread my search out to adjoining states, until I find
something.  I will also check the Internet and scan the phone listings and
such, and hopefully one of those searches will do the trick.  If not, I'll
resort to plan B, but I'll be in touch with you, just as soon as I learn
anything."

I thanked him, hung up and then just sat and wondered how long this was
going to take.  Cody couldn't afford for it to be a lengthy and dragged out
process, so I hoped my offer of a bonus would encourage the P.I. to come up
with results in a timely manner.

I had already explained everything to Jake earlier and told him I wanted to
have a meeting with the other boys, without Cody being around.  I didn't
want his presence to pressure them into making a decision they might not be
comfortable with.  Jake then suggested he'd take Cody out alone for a
while, so the two of them could spend a little quality time together.  That
would give me the opportunity I needed to explain everything to the boys at
home.

Jake was emphatic and very sincere when he told me to make sure I included
him in on the list of those to be tested.  I knew this meant a great deal
to him, as well, since he had become fond of Cody too.  Before he left,
Jake said he'd take Cody to the mall, to distract him, and he'd allow him
to select a 'welcome to the family' gift, from him.  I told him that was an
excellent idea and I suspected Cody wouldn't catch on to what we were up
to.

After Jake and Cody left, I called the boys together for the meeting.  I
filled them in briefly about trying to locate Cody's father, but just in
case, we would go ahead with having everyone tested that wanted to be
tested too.  Once they understood, I filled them in about the testing
procedures that would be used to determine compatibility.  I was careful to
let them know everything it entailed, so they could make an informed
decision.  I wanted to make certain they understood every detail
completely, before they committed to anything.  Once I felt they were aware
of what they were facing, I asked them to let me know if they might be
willing to do this for their newest brother.

I didn't have to wait long for the answer to that question, as everyone
began to shout various positive responses, such as "I do," "Include me,"
and "Me too."  Even though I had expected this sort of response, I didn't
expect them to react so quickly or make such an unconditional show of
support.  It was really a joy to witness and made me even prouder of each
and every one of them.

When we finished our little meeting, I phoned the doctor's office, to let
them know how many had volunteered to be tested.  I think they were quite
amazed that everyone had agreed, but quickly emphasized it should increase
the chances that one of us might be a match.  The receptionist explained
she'd call the hospital lab to make sure they could handle this many and
would then call me back to let me know how many of us they could handle and
the times we should be there.

Once that was settled, she told me the doctor had mentioned that he wished
all of his patients had this kind of support, but admitted too many had to
go through things like this alone or with minimal family support.  Although
I knew in my mind it was true, my heart ached for all those who found
themselves in such a situation.

When I'd finished my conversation, I phoned the boys in college, to let
them know what was going on too.  It also gave me an opportunity to see if
they might want to get tested as well, since I didn't want them to feel
left out of this opportunity.

After each of them informed me they wished to be included too, I told them
to contact the local Red Cross unit in their area, to see what they'd need
to do to be tested.  I informed them they'd probably have to set it up to
be tested for the national registry, but that would also make them
available to Cody as well, since the registry would be searching for a
match for him too.  This way they might be able to donate to Cody, without
having to miss classes and come home to do it.



Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 24 -- Digging Into the Past.

The next day, the private investigator called to tell us he had located one
of the two men we were looking for.  It happened to be the pimp/drug dealer
and he was currently serving a 20-year to life conviction for dealing
drugs.  I wasn't surprised to learn this, but I suspected he might already
be dead by now.  I figured he could have been killed by a rival drug
dealer, died from an overdose or contracted AIDS from a drug needle or one
of his pros.  Fortunately, this was not the case.

Even though it was encouraging to discover he was alive, I now had the
unenviable task of trying to convince him to do the right thing.  I wasn't
even sure he'd even know what doing the right thing was, even if it jumped
up and bite him in the ass, but I had to get him to agree to be tested.  It
was imperative to determine if he was a genetic match to Cody.  However,
until I was positive he was Cody's father and was willing to help his son,
I was not going to tell Cody that we had located him.

After thanking the P.I. for his diligent work, I contacted Steve, to see if
he could arrange for the two of us to visit this guy in prison.  I wanted
Steve to join me for two reasons.  First, I knew a lawyer would be able to
get access to a prisoner more quickly than I could, and second, I wanted
him there to advise me of any legal ramifications of anything I might do or
offer this guy, to get him to cooperate.

Of course, Steve was more than willing to help and I suddenly felt better
knowing I could rely on his company and counsel.  He even offered to set
this up for me, so shortly after I spoke with him; Steve called the prison
and arranged a time for us to visit.  He merely explained he had legal
issues he needed to discuss with the prisoner, while knowing he couldn't be
pressed for details about an attorney-client meeting.  It didn't take long
to receive our approval for this meeting and it would happen the following
day, after we were tested to see if any of us were an acceptable match to
Cody.

All night long, I mentally rehearsed what I was going to say, since I
figured I'd only have one shot at gaining his cooperation.  After carefully
evaluating my options, I chose the approach I was going to use.  I
speculated it would be highly unlikely he would agree to be tested, unless
we offered him some sort of incentive, especially since I knew his
background.

As it became clear as to how I was going to deal with this man, I also
tried to picture what he might look like.  At first I thought he might be
one of those dandy-type pimps, who likes to dress in expensive and
outlandish styles of clothing, like you might see on one those police shows
on television.  Then I added in the fact that he also dealt drugs, so I
began to envision him as a hardcore gang member.  I now saw him as being
rough, unyielding and totally uncooperative.  I knew he was probably also
going to be a tough nut to crack, which made me even more grateful Steve
was going to be there too, so I wouldn't have to face him alone.

The following morning, Jake and I loaded everyone into the vehicles and
drove to the hospital.  When we arrived, the staff in the lab looked at us
skeptically.  I think they were surprised at how young some of the boys
were.  This could be due to the fact that they were used to the requirement
that registry donors had to be between 18 and 60 years of age.

I must give them credit, however, as the lab was prepared for this large
group to come in for testing and they proved to be quite efficient.  As I
talked to the young man working with me, he admitted they had expected
members of a community organization, such as the Lion's club or the
Kiwanis, or possibly even employees from the same business, but not this.
He stated they certainly weren't anticipating a family, especially one that
included so many young members.

While we were chatting, someone else called their supervisor and questioned
testing children this young, but they were soon told the cells were for a
family member and this had been okayed by the doctor.  Once that had was
settled, I was quietly asked if any of the boys were biologically related.
I guessed they noticed the many differences.  When I confirmed they
weren't, I was informed the chances of finding an acceptable match were
negligible.  I responded by saying I understood the percentages, but I
still wanted everyone tested, since I didn't want to lose a son and the
boys didn't want to lose a brother.  Once that was settled, the staff went
about performing their duties.

The first group of five, which included myself, was taken to separate
areas, divided by curtains, where the blood would be drawn.  When that
group was finished, the next set was led in, until everyone was tested.

Although a couple of the boys reacted slightly to what was being done to
them, no one fainted or asked for the technician to stop.  Before we left,
I was told the boys did as well as most of the people they tested, so the
staff figured we must all really love the person we were doing this for.
When I concurred with that statement, many of the staff members wished us,
and Cody, the very best.

I thanked them for their kindness and efficiency and commented that the
procedure had taken much less time than I had anticipated.  Even though we
had been split up into three groups to donate, everything went smoothly and
we would soon be able to go on with our daily routines.  Before we left, I
was assured the hospital would rush the analysis portion of the matching
process and the doctor would be informed if anyone were a match.  I thanked
them once again and now we just had to wait until we got the results back.
Hopefully, we'd discover at least one of us was eligible to donate to Cody.

Once we got back home, I kept the Grand Am to take on the trip, and let one
of my high school drivers take the van.  After I saw them off, I went to
pick Steve up at his office.  On the ride to the prison, I explained to him
the things I planned to do and say, to get his assessment and advice.  By
the time we reached the prison parking lot, I was pretty sure how I was
going to conduct this interview.

Since this was my first time visiting a secure facility, I was a little
amazed and intimidated by what we had to go through.  Steve told me later
that the procedure we endured was much easier than the normal process
mandated for those entering the prison.  This was because we were
considered legal representatives, so our status made us exempt from certain
searches and other procedures, such as body cavity searches.  Even so, we
had to pass through two separate security stations, where armed guards
watched our every move.  We were patted down and searched for weapons and
other contraband, but other than that, nothing more evasive happened.

Once the guards were satisfied we were clean, they escorted us through a
series of barred doorways.  We had to be buzzed through each one of these
separately, in order to gain access to the areas beyond.  When we reached
our final destination, we were then escorted into a locked room, where we
would be able to sit and talk with the prisoner.  We had to wait for a
couple of minutes before he was led in to the room and he didn't look
pleased about seeing us.  He was restrained, by use of handcuffs and
shackles, with a chain connecting the two items.  This was done for our
protection and a standard way of dealing with those inmates classified as
potentially dangerous.

"Who the hell are you guys and what the fuck do you want with me?" he spat
out, shortly after the guard closed the door behind him.

"My name is Steve Shay and I'm an attorney," Steve began.  "This is my
friend and associate, Josh Currie, and he is the reason we are here.  He
has some questions he would like to ask you?"

"Well, whatever you want, I'm not going to help you," he replied,
venomously.

"You might want to change your mind," I countered, "as there might be
something in it for you."

"Then it's going to cost you big time," he replied smugly.  "I don't give
up nothin' for free and I'm not cheap."

"If you are cooperative," I began, "I will make sure you are properly
reimbursed.  If you are able to help me, I will see that money is added to
your inmate account, but how much I add will depend on how well you
cooperate."

I had done some research and discovered each inmate had such an account and
they are one of their most valuable assets in prison.  Since prisoners are
not allowed to have money on them, any funds they acquire, either from
working various jobs at the prison or money given to them by family or
friends, are recorded in their personal account, which is maintained by the
prison.  The inmates can use this money to buy cigarettes, purchase certain
snacks and drinks, or to secure a limited number of items from the prison
run store.

"So, what is it you want?" he spat back.

"Do you remember Marianne Reynolds?" I asked, looking him squarely in the
eye.

"Hey, man.  I haven't seen that whore in years," he immediately countered,
as a look of concern spread across his face.

"We know that and she's no longer alive," I responded, "but she is part of
the reason we're here."

"Man, if anything happened to that bitch, I had nothing to do with it," he
stated, defiantly.

"No one said you did," I assured him.  "She died of natural causes."

"Then why did you mention her and what does it have to do with me?" he
wanted to know.

"Did you ever have sex with her?" I followed.  Before he answered, he
studied me for a minute, to see if he could determine what I was up to.

"Oh, shit, man!  Did that slut go and die of AIDS?" he nearly screamed.
"And now you're here to tell me she might have passed that shit on to me,
right?"  You could just see the anger in his gaze.

"Well, she did die of AIDS, but that's not why we're here," I explained.
"She had a son and he's been diagnosed with leukemia.  We would like you to
take a DNA test, to see if you are the boy's biological father."

"What the fuck difference would that make?" he shot back.  "There is no way
you can stick me with his bills, make me pay support or have him come live
with me, so what the hell is up?"  He was now eyeing me suspiciously.

"No, that is not why we're here either," I told him, while trying to remain
calm.  "All of his bills are covered and we don't even want him to know you
are his father, if that is the case.  However, if you do turn out to be his
biological father, we are hoping you would also be willing to donate some
blood and bone marrow, to help save his life."

"Fuck, if the kid's anything like me or his old lady, then he's probably
better off dead," he quipped.  This comment caused my blood to boil and I
totally lost it at that point.

"You selfish son-of-a-bitch," I screamed at him.  "He happens to be a great
kid and I'm planning on adopting him, once we clear up the paternity issue.
We were just hoping you might do the fatherly thing and help save him, if
he is your son."

He thought for a moment, before he responded.  "Well, I guess if you are
willing to put enough cash into my account, I might be willing to help the
kid out," he reasoned.

"I assumed you'd say something like that eventually, so here's the offer,"
I countered.  "Listen carefully, because I'm only making it once and it's
non- negotiable.  If you don't agree with my terms, then we'll just go to
the national donor registry, to find another match."  I was trying to take
away any thoughts he might have of trying to blackmail me into giving him
more money.

"I'll give you $500, if you'll take the DNA test and another $1,000, if you
end up donating blood and bone-marrow cells to the boy," I advised him.
"I'll even double that to $2,000, if you also turn out to be his biological
father. The extra thousand will be for your signing away any claim you
might have to him.  Is that a deal?"

"Well, it doesn't sound like much..." but I cut him off.

"I told you this was non-negotiable and a one-time offer," I reminded him.
"It's a take it or leave it proposition, so is your answer 'yes', or 'no'?"

He eyed me suspiciously, like he knew I had him by the proverbial balls.  I
realized he wanted to try to get more out of me, but he was afraid of
losing what I'd already offered.  Finally, he relented.

"Okay, it's just a little blood and nothing I haven't done before."  I knew
he meant being stuck with a needle, when he used to do drugs.

"Fine.  We'll arrange for a certified technician to come by and work with
the prison doctor to take the DNA sample.  I'll give the technician a check
to leave for your account, once he has the genetic sample, and then I'll
contact you, to let you know if there will be any further transactions
required."

He merely nodded and Steve quickly wrote up an agreement for him to sign,
stating what we had already agreed to.  He even had a guard step inside, to
witness the signing, so it was all totally legal.  Once we had everything
we'd agreed to in writing, we left the prison.  I can't tell you how happy
I was to be free of that constrictive environment.

Once we were out of the prison, in the car and on our way home, Steve
turned to me and spoke.

"You would have made one hell of a lawyer or contract negotiator," he
teased, before chuckling.  "I don't know anyone who could have handled that
situation any better.  You offered him the carrot, and before he had time
to figure out how to get two, you threatened him with none.  Nicely
played."

"Well, I have represented the school district in contract negotiations
before, but could you believe the attitude of that arrogant bastard.  Here
we've got a kid's life on the line and all he can think about is what he's
going to get out of the deal."

"Well, that's primarily the way he's conducted his whole life," Steve
reminded me.  "It's most likely also a contributing factor as to why he's
where he is today."

"Yes, you're probably right, but you don't know how close I came to wanting
to literally attack and beat the crap out of him.  I saw red and wanted to
rip his balls off for making those disgusting comments."

"I'm glad you kept your cool or I might have been coming here to visit you
next."  After saying this, he looked at me and burst out laughing.

"Very funny, but you probably would find that comical," I countered,
sarcastically.

"Not really," he replied, looking serious, "because then I'd have to find a
way to take care of all my nephews.  I'm glad you've put them first in your
priorities, before you attacked that piece of shit."

"Well, actually the boys didn't cross my mind at that point," I admitted.
"The biggest reason I hesitated was because the guy was in chains.  I've
always been an advocate of fair fights and that wouldn't have been fair."

"You're right, because he'd probably have tried biting, kneeing or gouging
your eyes out.  Hell, he might have even used the chains to strangle you,
if a fight had started," Steve pointed out.  "If he had been infected with
the AIDS virus by Cody's mother, then you would have been exposed to it
too."

"I guess I'd never considered that," I admitted.  "It's a good thing I have
such high standards then."  We both chuckled after I said this.

"Well, at least he agreed to the deal," Steve said, after a few more
moments of levity, "so now we're halfway home."

"Yes, but I truly hope that slime ball isn't Cody's father," I emphasized.
"I don't know if I'd be able to contain my contempt, if I had to tell Cody
this is the case."

"We should know the results of the test quite soon," Steve informed me, "so
you won't have very long to contemplate how you'll break the news to Cody,
if this guy is his father."

I knew Steve was right, so I began to think about how I would tell Cody, if
this were truly the situation.  I think Steve knew what I was doing, so he
didn't bother me the rest of the way, but I did notice him writing on a
legal pad as I drove.  When I stopped to drop him off at his office, he
told me he'd take care of getting the tech to the prison, so I could
concentrate on Cody.  I thanked him and then turned my thoughts to the next
problem.

How was I going to deal with the other guy, once we located him?  Would he
be as bad as the first guy or would he turn out to be a decent chap?  Would
I have to threaten or cajole him, or would he offer to help, once he
learned how important his cooperation was?  These thought continued to fill
my mind as I drove back to my office.

The rest of the day and evening was pretty quiet for me, as I expected it
would be.  I continued going over various scenarios in my mind, dealing
with both potential fathers, but none of them turned out exactly as I
hoped.  Something always seemed to go awry and Cody ended up the major
loser each and every time.


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