Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 16:41:40 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 6, chapters 27 - 28

Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW                    
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 27 -- Pearls From the Oysters.               

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

I kicked March off by going to the banquet with Trey, to see him receive
his award.  Not all of us were able to go, however, since only a limited
number of seats are reserved for each recipient.  In this case, it turned
out only three tickets were sent to each winner.  For most families, this
meant a ticket for each parent and one for the honoree, but in our case it
meant we had to make a decision about who was going to attend with Trey.

When I asked for his opinion, Trey told me he wanted me to go with him, but
he also wanted Dion there too, so he could share this special moment with
him.  He asked if I thought Jake would be upset about this, so I told him
I'd speak with Jake about it later, but I doubted he'd be upset about what
Trey wanted.  Trey then stated he would do something special for Jake at
another time, to make it up to him for not being able to go to the banquet
too.  He also wanted Jake to know he was still important and loved, but
Dion and I would get the nod this time.  I agreed with Trey that something
special for Jake would be a nice touch and assured him Jake would probably
appreciate that even more.

After we decided who would go, we also had to make our selection for the
meal we wanted.  The choices were unusually vague and our options were
merely listed as beef, chicken or fish for the main course.  Seeing I love
fish, but seldom fix it at home, I selected that for my meal, but Trey and
Dion both opted for the chicken.  While making their choice, both boys
expressed concern about the meal being prepared in a manner they might not
care for, so I told them not to worry.  If that happened, then we'd stop on
the way home and let them get something more to their liking.  This seemed
to satisfy their apprehensions, so I sent our R.S.V.P. and meal selections
back to the committee.

When the day of the banquet arrived, we left around 3:00 p.m., in plenty of
time to get there early.  Even though the banquet wasn't scheduled to begin
until 7:00, and it would take approximately two hours to drive there, this
would still give us a cushion.  Trey and Dion wanted to allow a little
extra time, in case we had problems along the way.  If not, they concluded
we could find other things to do before the banquet started.

In looking over the brochure about the event, I figured we might be able to
check out some of the artwork and read some of the other entries if we
arrived early, but I also hoped we might even find an opportunity to speak
with some of the other winners and their parents.  Let's face it, this was
going to be a gathering of a very elite and impressive group of young
people and I wanted to take advantage of being there, so I could learn what
motivated the others to rise to this level of achievement.

Seeing we only made one very brief stop along the way, to stretch our legs
and use the toilet, we reached our destination well ahead of schedule.
After weighing our options, I thought it would be best if we went directly
to the banquet hall, rather than doing anything else first.

When we arrived there, we discovered the award winning projects were
displayed throughout the room.  The artwork was hung in various high
visibility locations and the winning writing entries were arranged neatly
across a long table, for others to peruse.  Trey and I read some of the
poems and short stories, before reading the synopsis the committee had
placed on the dramatic scripts, novels and other longer works.  Once we
finished going over everything, we took a quick walk around the hall and
studied the various award-winning artwork.

I was extremely impressed by the high level of achievement exhibited, in
both the written and visual mediums, and concluded the young people who
submitted these projects were very gifted.  They had utilized a variety of
forms and techniques to express their creative side and I began to doubt
many adults could have equaled or surpassed their efforts.

Now that we'd finished perusing everything, we looked for our table and
eventually located our seats.  It was at this point we made another
discovery.  The seating arrangements had been made according to the various
submission categories.  Therefore, we were located at a table with two
others who had written dramatic scripts.

In an effort to get to know them, I started asking questions about their
projects and soon discovered they took very different approaches.  This
might have been due to the fact that the category was far ranging and there
were several subcategories the authors could gear their work toward.  Trey
had done a screenplay meant for a film, but the boy next to us wrote his
script for television, while the girl to the other side of us wrote a play
for the stage.

Before the meal was served, the three authors discussed many areas, but
their main focus was on their reasons for selecting the media format they
had used.  I found the discussion quite interesting and enlightening, as
they explained how difficult it was to select their wording so the readers
would get the nuances of their intended meaning.  That's when I realized
this was not something any of them had just slapped together.  They had
spent many hours writing, proofreading, editing and eventually rewriting,
so their effort alone deserved an award.

Once the authors had finished their discussion, the parents added their
two-cents on the topic.  They were eager to inform us what they did to
support their child's effort.  They had done various things, from offering
suggestions and constructive criticism, to using motivational techniques to
encourage their child to keep going when they became frustrated or suffered
temporarily from writer's block.

I think all of us could identify with nearly everything that was said,
although I added very little to the conversation.  I did get the impression
that some of these parents were very pushy and had possibly forced their
children to succeed, so I wondered if entering this contest was actually
the child's idea or the parents'.

When the banquet finally began, we listened to the opening remarks from the
committee chairperson and then the meal was served.  It was a very nice
sit-down dinner and we soon discovered our concerns about the meal
selections were completely unfounded.  I was served broiled filet of sole,
done in lemon and a small amount of butter, and the boys had a chicken
breast, breaded and prepared with just a touch of seasoning.  We were also
given a small salad and there were rolls and several side dishes placed at
each table.  For dessert we were brought a crème de menthe parfait, which
put a nice finishing touch on dinner.

Once the meal concluded, the keynote speaker was introduced and it turned
out to be the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania.  As he began his
address, he commented on how proud the entire state and educational system
was of the accomplishments of the students represented in the hall.  He
then wished them luck as they moved on to the regional competition and
hinted that some of them might also receive recognition at the national
level.

His speech wasn't as long as any of us had anticipated, and when it was
over, the plaques were handed out.  Each individual received a nice ovation
when he or she stepped up to accept the award and the presenter made a very
detailed comment as to why the committee had chosen that particular piece,
over the other entries.  It was not only enjoyable, but also highly
informative.

When the banquet ended, we said good-bye to those we sat with and exchanged
farewells with others we had become acquainted with during our brief time
there.  Trey, Dion and I then made our way back to the car, where we took a
few moments to admire Trey's plaque.  I told him, once again, how proud I
was of him and that after meeting the other winners, his accomplishments
seemed even more impressive.  That was because he had done it entirely on
his own, without anyone pushing him to achieve.

When we arrived home, everyone else wanted to see the plaque too.  Once it
had made it from one family member to the next, I asked Trey if he would
prefer me to hang it in the family room or if he wanted to keep it in his
own room.  After thinking about it, he told me he thought it would be more
appropriate if he hung it in his room, as it wasn't as if we had a trophy
wall where we hung everyone's awards.  I told him it was entirely up to him
and I'd do whatever he wanted, but he stuck with his decision and took it
upstairs.

On Monday, when I went back to work, I began shuffling through the stack of
paperwork that had accumulated on my desk.  As I made my way through the
multitude of budget requests, personnel evaluations and various other
items, I came across a paper listing the All-State Band and Choir
selections.  Normally, I would have just glanced through the list, to see
how many of students selected I might know, but one name in particular
jumped out at me.  It was almost as if my eyes were drawn to it by some
sort of magnetic force, but right there was the name Dion Currie, under the
tenor section.

Reflexively, I did a double take, to make sure I hadn't misread it, but it
appeared as plain as life.  Suddenly, I had another family member to be
more than a little proud of.  Obviously, his name had been entered and
chosen before he was awarded the vocal scholarship and his music teacher
agreed to also give him private voice lessons.  This, in turn, made me
wonder where his talent would take him, once he'd polished off the rough
edges.

I also began to wonder if either boy would have reached this same level of
recognition, had they not come to live with me.  After thinking about it
for a while, I concluded they probably would have, provided they were
fortunate to have had teachers along the way who encouraged them to use and
refine their talents.  The potential would still have been there, no matter
where they lived, but the only variable would have been whether or not
anyone would have noticed and nurtured that ability.  All they needed was
encouragement and a little guidance to help them develop their incredible
potential, so chances are they still would have blossomed in another
environment.

About an hour later, I received a call from Dion's music teacher, asking if
I had seen the All-State selections.  I later discovered she had just gone
to her school mailbox and retrieved her copy of the same letter, thus
alerting her about Dion's selection for the first time as well.  Although
she had nominated him and sent samples of his singing, a statewide
committee reviewed the nominations and made the final selections, so she
had only limited input into this process.

When I told her I had, she expressed her excitement and said she'd be more
than willing to look up Dion's class schedule and let him know the good
news personally, unless I wished to tell him later, at home.  Since she had
done the most to help him blossom and reach this point, I told her I would
leave that privilege to her.  I also knew Dion would enjoy it more, hearing
the good news from her.

After thanking me several times for allowing her this privilege, she
offered her congratulations.  In response, I thanked her for all of her
hard work with Dion and then she went off to find him.  After we hung up, I
sat back and thought about how my sons continually managed to amaze me.
They have all given me so much to be proud of, yet they still continued to
exceed my expectations.

By the time he got home, Dion was so excited that he was literally bouncing
off the walls.  He had already told all of his brothers about the honor,
having informed many of them when he ran into them at school.  He pounced
on me before I even got in the door and enthusiastically informed me about
his selection.  Once he'd finished, I admitted I'd already seen the letter
at my office and had also received a call from his music teacher.  I also
made it a point to let him know how proud I was of him.  He beamed and then
looked over his shoulder to see if anyone else was around, before he turned
back to me and whispered.

"I guess Trey's not the only one with talent in this family."  I just
smiled at him and nodded, knowing this was extremely important to him, to
prove he didn't have to take a backseat to anyone, especially his lover.

Since I had never been involved with the All State process before, I
contacted Dion's music teacher, to find out what it would entail.  She
informed me that the students on the list would be required to meet with
the group they were selected for, either band or choir, so they could
practice for a special performance.  She then gave me the date for this
statewide concert and said she'd be happy to take him to the rehearsals.
The two students selected from our district were also the two that had won
the vocal scholarships, with her help, so she was already doing a great
deal for them.  After thanking her, she offered to provide me with a list
of dates and times for these sessions, so we could mark them on our
calendar.

On another front, Nick came up to me later and asked if I'd be willing to
help him find a way to learn Portuguese.  He said his Spanish teacher was
only willing to give him a list of programs available that would do this,
since she didn't know Portuguese herself.  Nick asked if I'd order one of
them for him, since he was anxious to get a head start with the language,
so he'd be ready to go to Brazil.

I told him that would be a wise move and I'd be willing to help him check
the programs out, so we went to my room and searched the Internet.  We
looked up each of the programs his teacher had recommended and read the
information provided.  We finally narrowed our selection down to three
choices, and then I looked for reviews about their success.  After doing a
considerable amount of reading, we settled on one particular program and I
ordered it.  It would be delivered to the house in a few days.

As soon as Nick and I had finished, a small group of others approached me.
They had overheard our discussing his preparations to be an exchange
student and felt it was time to get me working on something for them.  They
wanted me to contact Peter's parents, to see if we could bring him from
Australia to live with us as an exchange student.

This group consisted of Ricky, Cole and Sammy, and although none of them
would characterize themselves as being gay, they were still interested in
having me bring Peter over.  Ricky had told them so much about Peter that
they wanted to get to meet him too.  They told me they thought they'd all
get along and learn from each other, and they seemed to be both serious and
adamant.  That's why I agreed that Ricky and I would contact Peter's
parents and discuss the situation with them.  It would be their choice, not
ours, as to whether they wanted their son to do this, so we'd have to abide
by their decision.

Ricky and I waited until later that night to call them.  With the time
change, it would make it early afternoon there.  I let Ricky speak first to
set this up, since he knew them better.  After he had spoken to them for a
few minutes, he announced I had something to discuss with them too and
handed me the phone.  After exchanging the usual pleasantries, I got to the
point of this call.

"Not only did I want to call and thank you for everything you did for
Ricky," I told them, "I also have a proposition for you.  Ricky and some of
my other sons have suggested that we should have Peter come here, as an
exchange student.  Although this wouldn't be arranged by an organization
and done through formal channels, we'd still like to give him this
opportunity.  I'm willing to pay all of his expenses, both travel and while
he is here, and I will give you the option of allowing him to stay with us
for six months to a year.  It's entirely your choice."

"That's a very generous offer, mate," Peter's father finally responded,
after a short pause.  "Would you allow us time to talk about this first,
before we give you our answer?"

"Of course," I told him.  "I didn't expect an immediate response.  Talk
this over as a family and then you may have Peter send us an email, so we
can call you back and discuss this further.  We'd like to do this for him,
after all you did for Ricky."

After assuring me they'd discuss this and get back to me, we ended our
call.  The boys were optimistic after I told them about the conversation
and started making plans for Peter's eventual visit.  I warned them not to
count their chickens before they hatched, but Ricky assured me Peter's
parents would let him do this.  They had even mentioned it might be a good
idea for Peter to experience something like this while Ricky was there, so
he was certain they'd give him permission to do it now.

As it turned out, we had our answer within a week.  Peter's father called
back and asked to speak with me, so he could let me know what they had
decided.

"My wife and I have chatted this over with Peter," he began, "and have
agreed to allow him to do this.  We feel it would be a valuable experience
for him and he is anxious to see Ricky again."  His last statement made me
wonder if he wanted to see Ricky again so he could pay him back for the
skinny-dipping video Ricky hadn't told him about until after he returned
home.

During our discussion, Peter's parents agreed to many things.  They were
willing to allow Peter to join us at the end of May, when the first term of
Peter's school year ended.  I had asked them to allow Peter to come then,
so we'd have time to show him some of the local sites and also be able to
include him on our summer vacation plans.  I had already told his parents
what we were planning to do and I thought it would be great for Peter to
see other areas of our great country as well.  They had already cleared
Peter's absence during that time with the local school officials, so it
would not be a problem.

They had also agreed to allow Peter to spend the entire year with us, so
when he returned he'd just pick up where he left off, beginning the second
term of his current academic year.  Of course, he'd lose an entire year in
the process, but they figured there was no rush to have him graduate and
attend University, as they put it.  They felt this would be a valuable
experience and learning tool and more than make up for him being a year
behind his current classmates.

Both of Peter's parents thanked me several times, for giving their son this
wonderful opportunity, and then they put Peter on the phone.

"Blimey, Mr. Currie," he began, "you're even more aces than Ricky said.  I
can't believe you're willing to do so much for me.  You are an alright
bloke and I want you to know I appreciate this."

After telling him I understood and just wanted a chance to treat him as
well as they'd treated Ricky, his demeanor changed.

"Does this mean you and your sons are all going to go bonkers on me and do
things like Ricky did?" he wondered.

"If you mean are we going to pull pranks on you, the answer is no," I
informed him.  "I wasn't referring to those kinds of things, but rather
repaying you for teaching him about Australia and showing him a good time.
That's what I'd like to do for you, while you're here."

"Oh, I'd love to see the States," he confessed.  "Ricky said he'd have me
over some time, but I thought he was just blowing smoke."

"I don't think he was, but I'm certainly not," I reiterated.  "I'm looking
forward to meeting you and showing you a good time.  You might still have
to worry about Ricky pulling his pranks on you, but not the rest of us."
He laughed.

"I can handle him, sir," he assured me.  "Ricky said he'd told you about
the pictures I took of him and I still have them on my computer.  I'll
bring it with me, and if he gets too bonkers, I'll just show them around to
his schoolmates there.  That will teach him."  I roared.

"It certainly will," I agreed, "so I'll tell him to watch his step, because
you're bringing a secret weapon with you.  I won't tell him what it is, but
I'll make sure he thinks twice before he tries anything."

Peter thanked me and we talked a little longer, before we ended our call.
He sounded like a great kid and I was looking forward to meeting him.



Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW                    
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 28 -- Mixed Messages.                       

It seemed like it took forever before the day of his adoption arrived,
mainly because each day Cody would ask me how much longer it was going to
be before he was really my son.  It was kind of like a kid on a trip
repeatedly asking, "Are we there yet?"  I knew it was only because he was
anxious for it to happen, so I couldn't get annoyed or upset with him.
However, I would definitely be relieved when it was official.

The afternoon of the ceremony, I picked Cody up after school, along with
some of my other sons.  The rest the boys were driven to the courthouse by
my high school driver, since no one wanted to miss welcoming his newest
brother into the fold.  Jake also had taken time off from work to attend
and Steve, Mary and Sally were there too.

The judge looked very serious and conducted the ceremony in a very formal
manner.  He took time to question both Cody and I in his chambers first,
before he agreed to do it.  When we went back into the courtroom, the judge
made the official announcement and then handed Cody the documents making it
legal.  It was almost as if he had just handed Cody a check for a billion
dollars.  Cody took the papers and raced around the courtroom, so he could
show them to all of his brothers and Uncle Steve.  He wanted everyone to
know he was now a Currie.

I think the judge was amused watching Cody do this.  A slight grin split
his otherwise stern countenance and his eyes sparkled as his gaze followed
Cody from person to person.  I also saw him give Steve a nod and a wink
when they made eye contact, so I concluded he was as pleased by Cody's
response as the rest of us were.

Once Cody had worked out his excitement, I took everyone out to celebrate,
as was our custom.  However, even I was surprised when we arrived home
later.  Unbeknownst to me, Sally, Mary and Steve had hung a banner from our
porch before they came to the courthouse.  It read, "Welcome to the family,
Cody Currie."

Cody was even more thrilled about this and asked if he'd be able to keep
the banner forever.  I told him he could and then he and some of the others
raced into the house, while I went to collect the mail.  I glanced at the
various letters I'd received, as I walked up the driveway, and then I
noticed one return address in particular.  It was another letter from the
Genelex Corporation.

I wasn't expecting to hear from them at this time, so it gave me an eerie
and foreboding feeling.  Without waiting to get inside, I ripped open the
envelope.  I hoped this letter would give me more positive information,
similar to their last correspondence, which revealed the pimp was not
Cody's father.  I began to read it excitedly.

"The samples you provided were run through the Genelex testing procedures
and it has been determined that there is 0% chance that donor A is the
father of donor B.  These results were verified, using a secondary testing
procedure."

It was the same standard form letter they used for all paternity cases, but
this time it wasn't the information I wanted to see.  How could this guy
not be Cody's father?  Cody's mother had only left two names and now we've
discovered neither of these men had turned out to be biologically connected
to her son.  This was a major setback and it also meant there was probably
no way we'd be able to locate a blood- relative who could donate cells to
him.  I couldn't help but wonder what we were going to do next?

I went into the house and told Jake I had to run a quick errand, but I
didn't reveal the contents of the letter to him, not yet.  I grabbed a set
of keys, hopped in the Grand Am and took off.  I raced down to Cody's
oncologist's office, to see what he might suggest we do next.  I told the
receptionist I urgently needed to talk to the doctor, so she asked me to
have a seat, until the doctor was available.  That took about twenty
minutes -- twenty minutes of pure agony for me.  Finally, I was led back to
his office, but I was like a horse in the starting gate, while waiting for
him to join me.

"What's the emergency, Josh?" the doctor asked, as he entered the room.
"Is something wrong with Cody?"  I was somewhat startled by the sound of
his voice, as I had been lost deep in thought and hadn't heard him enter
the room.  I turned toward him now and responded.

"No, but I've received the paternity test results back in the mail," I
informed him, "and neither guy turned out to be Cody's father.  What are we
going to do next?"

He looked at me thoughtfully.  "That is a setback," he confirmed, "but it's
not the end of the world.  We will just check the results of your family's
tests and then go from there.  We still have them and the Donor registry to
fall back on."

I nodded and then thanked him, but my mind was spinning.  I really wished
he had better news for me than that.

When I got home, I went to find Cody and took him aside, so I could explain
everything to him.  I began by telling him that neither of the men his
mother had named were his father, but he couldn't understand how that could
be.

"My mom said it had to be one of them, didn't she?" he asked.  "How could
she have been wrong?  She had to know who my father was, didn't she?"

At this point, I began to think Cody wasn't completely aware of all the
details concerning his mother's past.  That was probably just as well and
might spare him the pain he would feel if he learned his mother was a
prostitute.  Now I had to think quickly, to keep this illusion in place.

"People can make mistakes or forget things over time," I suggested.  "They
might also tell people something they're not sure about, just to make them
feel better.  I'm not sure if your mother did any of these things, but
obviously the information she left you was flawed in some way.  She
probably didn't mean to mislead you and she may have truly believed it
herself.  Anyway, we have to deal with the truth, as we know it now.  Are
you okay with that?"

"Yeah, sure," he agreed.  "I've gone this long without knowing who my
father is, so I guess it really isn't that big of a deal any more.
Besides, I've got you for my dad now, so I don't need anyone else."

At this point he looked up at me and gave me his special grin.  It showed a
mixture of love and appreciation, which touched me deeply.  I'm not sure if
you can possibly realize how it made me feel, but that's why I pulled him
against my chest and hugged him as hard as I dared.

"I'm glad you feel this way," I told him, "because you're definitely loved
here.  I want you to know that every one of your brothers has been tested,
to see if he is a match.  They all want to be able to donate cells to you
and I think that's pretty special in itself.  However, I also want you to
know, it was completely each boy's idea to be included and no one was
forced into doing this.  There was no pressure put on them and they had the
option to say no, but they didn't.  They wanted to do it for you, because
they love you as a brother.  Jake and I love you too and we've also been
tested."

Cody began to tear up.  "What's wrong?" I asked, confused.  He looked at me
with an expression I couldn't quite read.

"It's just that I've never had people who would do so much for me before,"
he confessed.  "It's just so different here and I'm so happy.  I know you
love me and everyone else does too, so sometimes when I think about it, it
just makes me cry."  He paused for a second, before he continued.  "That
doesn't make me a wuss, does it?"

"Heck, no!" I exclaimed.  "It just makes you human -- and a very sensitive
and caring human too."  He looked relieved after hearing my response.

Once I felt he was ready to continue, we talked about his situation a bit
longer.  We discussed many things, beginning with his medical problems,
before moving on to the rest of our family.  I also went over the types of
things that might happen in the future, so he would be prepared.  Cody was
very attentive and remained quite calm, no matter how serious the situation
seemed, and I was quite impressed by his level of maturity and how he
accepted his lot in life.  He was truly one of a kind.

I had been busily working in my office for most of the day when my
secretary told me I had a call from one of the teachers.  She asked me if I
wished to take it or if I wanted her to take a message, so I could return
the call later.  I told her I could spare a few minutes, so I picked up the
receiver and said 'hello.'

"Mr. Currie, this is Ann Baxter," the voice on the other end stated.  "I'm
the art teacher at the middle school."

"Hello, Ann.  It's nice to hear from you," I replied.  "What may I do for
you?"

"I have something to bring to your attention.  It's school related," she
added, "but it also affects you personally.  That's why I wanted to speak
to you in person first."

"Now that you've piqued my curiosity," I responded, "what is this about?"

"It's about some artwork I'd like to enter in an area competition," she
continued, "and my question concerns a particular piece done by your son,
Andrew."

I was caught off guard by this comment, because Andrew hadn't said anything
about submitting his artwork to be judged.  "I'm surprised to learn this,"
I admitted, because Andrew hasn't mentioned anything about it.  Not only
that, but I can't imagine what the problem is."

"Andrew has completed two pictures that I feel are worthy of being
entered," she told me.  "The first is a watercolor of what I assume to be
your home and the area around it.  However, it's the other one that I felt
I must speak to you about.  After mentioning my intentions to Andrew and
discussing this with him, I realized I needed your express permission
before acting."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not following what you're getting at," I confessed.

"I apologize, but I'll get to the point now," she stated.  "The second work
Andrew completed is a charcoal sketch of one of his brothers, but he told
me he didn't think it would be a good idea to send this one in.  In fact,
he insisted I only enter the first picture, but not the portrait.  He
wouldn't explain his reaction, so I thought I'd call you to discuss this.
I was curious if you had any insight into why he might not want the second
picture entered too."

By now I was even more puzzled than before.  "Do you know which boy the
portrait is of?" I asked her, hoping the information might shed some light
on the matter.

"Yes, he said it was of his brother, Cody," she explained, and suddenly the
pieces of this puzzle began to fall into place.

"I think I understand what the problem is," I began.  "Cody is ill.  He has
leukemia.  I think Andrew might be concerned about Cody's feelings,
especially with everything else he is going through at this point."

"I'm so sorry to hear this," she told me.  "Please accept my sincerest
apology for intruding and my wishes that he gets better soon.  In light of
this information, I won't submit that piece."

"I'm not saying you can't enter it and I'm glad you brought this to my
attention," I countered.  "If I could have the time to talk this over with
Andrew and Cody, which I'll do tonight at home, then I'll call you back
tomorrow, to let you know what we've decided."

"I'd really appreciate that," she responded, "because I truly believe it's
the better of the two pieces.  I'm just sorry this comes at such a bad time
and you have to take time out of your busy schedule to address this.  In
fact, you don't need to notify me personally.  You can just have Andrew
advise me what you're willing to do.  I won't be turning anything over to
the committee for three more days, but I did want to speak with you about
this first.  I really think the portrait has a chance of being awarded a
major prize."

"That's nice to know and I'm really glad you called me," I told her.  "I
want to thank you again for bringing this to my attention and I'll talk it
over with both boys this evening.  One of us will let you know our
decision, as soon as we are able."

After hanging up, I thought about our conversation for a few more minutes.
I had realized prior to this call that Andrew had some artistic talent,
since I'd seen other things he had drawn.  I knew he had some ability, but
I didn't realize his work was that good.  Once again, I thought I was just
being a proud parent making more of a son's accomplishments than was his
due.  Was it possible I had another extremely talented son?

Thinking back, I even remember seeing Andrew studying Cody, although at the
time I thought it was merely curiosity about Cody and his disease.  Now,
with the use of hindsight, I can conclude he was using the time to studying
Cody's features, so he could draw this portrait.  Even though I now
understood what he'd been up to, it didn't tell me why Andrew had selected
Cody as his model, instead of one of the other boys.  I guess I might
discover his reasons later, after I've had an opportunity to speak with him
about this matter.

Before dinner, I had an opportunity to pull Andrew aside and filled him in
concerning what I already knew.  After hearing what I had to say, he looked
surprised that his teacher had called to tell me about his decision.  I
think he probably felt that once he told her not to enter the portrait, it
would be the end of his problem.  Carefully I tried to dig beneath the
surface, to see what was up.

"Your teacher said the likeness was of one of your brothers," I told him.
"Would you mind sharing which one?"

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, but didn't look at me
directly.  "It's Cody," he said, dryly.

"Ah, and why did you happen to choose him?" I wondered.

He looked toward his feet at this point, which I took to mean that he
didn't want to answer my question.  I thought I might need to reassure him,
before he answered.

"Andrew, I'm not going to be upset or anything like that," I stated.  "I
just want to know why you chose to draw a picture of Cody.  That's all."

"But the reason might make you mad," he admitted, in a frightened and
concerned tone.

"No, it won't," I responded.  "I just was curious to learn why you chose
Cody.  I'm sure you had a good reason and I just want to know what it was."

He didn't respond immediately and I could tell he was thinking about what
he should do.  Finally, he relented and told me.  "It's because Cody's
sick," he blurted out, succinctly.

"Okay, I think I'm beginning to see now," I confessed.  "You chose him
because of his illness, and I can understand that, but was there any other
reason?"

"Kind of," he hedged, but his head was still hanging down.  I couldn't
figure out why he was being so guarded with his answers.

"And what else made you decide to use Cody as your model?" I pressed, but
once again he hesitated.  Seeing how nervous he was about explaining this
to me, I tried to reassure him a little more.  "Andrew, you can be honest
with me.  You should know that by now."

"I do," he agreed, "but even I might get upset, if someone else said this."

"Well, I won't get upset, so please tell me," I urged.

"It's because if Cody gets worse and his looks change, or if something
worse happens to him, I would always be able to remember what he looked
like now."  He began to cry when he finished telling me this.

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and hugged him
against my chest.

"There's nothing wrong with that reason, and I think it's a very good one,"
I told him, as delicately and convincingly as I could.

"But it's like I'm saying Cody's not going to get better," he whimpered.
"I don't want anyone to think I'm saying something bad is going to happen
to him and I want him to get better, I really do.  It's just that I'm
afraid he won't."

"That's okay, Andrew" I said, while squeezing him again.  "I think we're
all worried about that and it was a wonderful gesture on your part to draw
a picture of him."

He looked up at me with those big, brown, tear-filled eyes and seeing him
in such distress nearly broke my heart.  Automatically, I reached out and
brushed some of the moisture from his cheeks.

"I just don't want it to be like it was with Brent," Andrew continued,
before burying his face in my chest.  "It's just that most of the time I
can't remember what Brent looked like," he continued, but his voice was
slightly muffled from being against my shirt, "and I don't want the same
thing to happen with Cody."

There it was - the final piece of the mystery.  Andrew was afraid something
bad was going to happen to Cody and he didn't want to forget him, the way
his memory had faded concerning Brent.

"I think that was excellent reasoning and a wonderful idea on your part," I
assured him.  "I also think you should let your teacher enter the picture
in the art fair, so others can see and appreciate him too."

He looked up at me and his expression suggested he still didn't think I was
right.  "Daddy, don't you think Cody will figure out why I drew his
picture, if it gets entered in the art fair?" he whimpered.

"What if we sit down and explain it to him first," I offered.  "You can
tell him you drew a picture of him, so you'd always remember what he looked
like now, and we don't have to say anything more.  I don't think that will
upset him or be a problem."

"Are you sure?" he wondered, still not convinced.

"Yes, I am," I replied, with as much conviction as I could drum up.

"Will you do this with me… help me tell him, that is?" he pleaded.

"Of course I will," I agreed.  "Do you want me to get him or will you?"

"I'll go get him, but you wait here," he told me, nervously.  After
assuring him I would, Andrew rushed off to find Cody.

Before long he returned, dragging Cody with him.  He held Cody's hand and
led him to where I was waiting, so I could help him get through this
awkward moment.  Cody looked completely confused about what was happening
and had no idea why Andrew had brought him to me.  Andrew had only told
Cody he needed to come with him, before he pulled him to my location.
Reading the surprise and concern on his face, I decided to get directly to
the point.

"Cody, Andrew drew a picture of you," I began, "and his art teacher wants
to enter it in the area art fair.  The problem is Andrew is afraid you
might have a problem with him doing that.  Would you?"

Cody's apprehension now turned to surprise.  "He drew a picture of me?" he
asked, astonished.  I nodded my head, and Andrew looked a bit sheepish, as
Cody stared at him.

"Wow, that's really neat!" Cody exclaimed.  "And your teacher wants to
enter it in the art fair?  That's awesome.  Hey, maybe my picture will win
you a prize," he continued, much to Andrew's surprise and delight.  "I know
I'm really handsome," he teased, "so I'll bet you'll win first prize."

Now, the two boys were looking at each other and both were beaming from ear
to ear.  I thought Andrew's fears had been laid to rest, until he spoke.

"So you don't mind?" he asked, to be sure.

"Mind?  No way.  This is excellent," Cody shouted.  "I might even become
famous, like Mona Lisa."  After saying this, Cody hesitated for a second,
before adding an afterthought.  "And you would too," he added, almost
apologetically for leaving Andrew out.  "You drew it, so you'd be the
famous artist, and then we'd both be famous.  I'd really like to see it, if
it's all right."

"It's at school, in the art room," Andrew explained.  "But I'll show it to
you tomorrow, if you want.  You can go with me when I tell the teacher she
can use it for the art fair."

"Awesome.  I can't wait," Cody shot back, excitedly.

Now that everything was out in the open, the two boys took off,
side-by-side.  Cody was eager to go tell everyone else what Andrew had done
and how they were both going to be famous now.  I chuckled to myself as I
considered how another crisis had been averted.  However, this did give me
more insight into Andrew, as well, so I'll make it a point to look for a
picture of Brent for him, one that he can keep.

I've always understood and taken it for granted that Andrew was a caring
and sensitive young man, but I'd forgotten how the same qualities can
manifest themselves in other ways.  In Andrew's case, those traits evolved
into a deep concern for Cody's welfare and remorse over forgetting what
Brent looked like.  I guess I'll have to stay a little more in tune with
his, and everyone else's, feelings in the future.

The teacher was thrilled when Cody and Andrew showed up to tell her the
news and Cody was awestruck when he saw the portrait.

"You did that?" he asked, amazed.  "That is totally awesome.  Did you have
a picture of me when you drew it?"

"No," Andrew admitted, sheepishly.  "I just watched you and then remembered
what you looked like."

"Oh, man," Cody sighed.  "You really are good.  It's like looking in a
mirror, except it's in black and white and doesn't have any color."  After
saying that, Cody giggled.

"I guess I haven't had much color since I started the chemotherapy," he
continued, while smiling, so Andrew could see he wasn't upset.  "I love it
and want to thank you for picking me for this."

That comment made Andrew's day and things settled down afterward.  Well,
not exactly.  For the rest of the night and the next day, Cody went around
bragging about the portrait and how he was going to make Andrew rich and
famous.  It was really great to see him so upbeat, even when I knew he
wasn't feeling very well.

While the euphoria was still evident, I heard back from the doctor.  He
called me at school, to bring me up to date.

"Josh, the lab has sent me the test results," he began, "and I'm sorry to
tell you that neither you or any of the boys is a match with Cody."

"Damn, I was hoping that at least one of us would be," I responded,
disappointed.  "What do we do now?"

"I'm still waiting to hear back from the national registry," he informed
me, "and I expect to get word from them soon.  Chances are good they'll
have a match."

"I certainly hope so, because we're running out of options," I commented,
stating the obvious.

"Josh, this is not the time to give up hope," he emphasized.  "A donor will
turn up.  I'm sure of that.  In the meantime, just keep positive and try
not to let Cody read any disappointment in your expression or demeanor."

"I'll try to do my best, Doc," I agreed, "and thanks for calling.  Even
though it wasn't what I wanted to hear, I needed to know the results."

Now, I had to inform the rest of the family about this news.  After
thinking about what I was going to say, I called everyone together, so I
could do it at one time.

"Boys, I just talked to the doctor," I began, "and the test results are in.
Unfortunately, none of us is a match with Cody."  I saw everyone's face
drop, everyone's except Cody.  He was still flashing us that cute little
grin of his.

"That's okay," he told us, reading our disappointment.  "The doctor will
come up with someone, but thanks for trying to help."  Seeing his reaction,
I began to wonder if anything would ever get this kid down.  Bringing my
attention back to the situation at hand, I decided it best to support his
position, as strongly as I could.

"Cody's right about this," I concurred.  "The doctor has already sent
Cody's file to the national registry and we should be hearing back from
them shortly.  There are many people who have registered with them and I'm
sure there will be multiple matches.  I suspect they're probably just
trying to make sure which match is the best to use.  I expect we'll get
word from them just as soon as they figure out which donor is the closest
match.  I wouldn't even be surprised to hear from them at any second."

Just as I said this, the phone rang.


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