Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:08:43 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 7, chapters 15 - 16 The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 15 -- Changes. **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. The next time I spoke with our lawyer, he explained that other than a few motions that might be made and some discovery issues that would have to be addressed, the boys wouldn't be needed until sometime in October. I asked him if it was typical for these types of proceedings to drag out that long and he assured me it was. He said this would be considered being on the fast track, if the trial actually started by then. He said both sides needed to prepare for the trial, which would require time for doing more investigative work, prepping witnesses and so on, but they might not even be able to get it all done by then. I'm not sure if I was upset or relieved to hear this, because I knew the toll it was taking on those involved. Next, I asked him if he would need to prep the boys in advance and he said he would, but he'd conduct those sessions on weekends, so the boys wouldn't have to miss classes. I told him we appreciated his efforts and consideration, and then I advised him that I would contact each college in advance, to let them know what was happening. I wanted to get things squared away with each institution, so it wouldn't affect anyone's class loads or grades. He said that would be a wise precaution to take, as some colleges had a limited number of classes a student could miss or cut and still pass the course. Now, I went back to trying to get everyone ready for the start of the college semester, as Jake and I would be driving the boys to their various campuses the following week. The other boys would be starting school the week after that, which meant I would also be going back to work. I should have returned already, but with the boys' legal woes, I requested to have others cover for me. I felt guilty, but decided I had to put the family first. With that in mind, I felt I should sit down with Jake and discuss the idea of resigning as Superintendent. With everything going on, the boys' situation would require my full attention and I'm not sure I'd be able to concentrate on anything else. If I stayed working, I was certain I'd be taking extra time off, which I didn't think would be fair to the school district. Jake and I talked about this issue at great length and tried to look at it from all the various perspectives. When we completed our evaluation, we both agreed I'd talk to the board president the following day. That night the house was quieter and more subdued than I ever remember it and I was worried this might set the tone for days to come. I knew everyone was concerned, but I didn't want them to spend all their energy on worrying about what might happen, so I decided to call a family meeting to discuss the case and see what we could do to relieve some of the tension and uncertainty. Once everyone was gathered in the living room, I grabbed my pen and portfolio, so I could start taking notes. "Okay, we all know what's been going on here, so I think it's time we started to see what we can discover, to help protect those falsely charged. We know the Hubbard boy was beaten the Thursday before we left, so I want everyone to think back and try to remember what you were doing and when. I also want you to try to remember if you can vouch for any of those charged while you were getting ready for our trip. Now, I don't want you to lie or make anything up, because that would eventually come back to bite us in the butt later. Being caught in a lie would make the boys appear guilty; even when we know they're not. We have to stick to the truth and the facts as we know them, because that will be the best way to get them cleared." Everyone began to think back, to over a month before, which wasn't an easy task, especially considering all we'd done in between. Finally, Vinnie spoke up. "That day Kevin and I finished our packing, and then we got some things out for Mark," he told me, "things we thought he might need on vacation. He wasn't going to be back until the next day, and that would have left him very little time to pack." "Great, and did anyone help you do that?" I asked. "Yeah, Danny and Brandon did some of Mark's laundry," Vinnie explained, "while they were doing their own." "And what time was that?" I pressed. "It was before dinner," Vinnie answered, "cuz Kev and I spent most of that night alone in our room." I wasn't sure, but it almost looked as if Vinnie blushed after he said that. "Okay, that's a start," I told them, jotting that information down on paper. "Anything else?" "Yes, I helped my dad fix dinner that night," Shannon blurted out. "We knew you'd be busy checking on everyone else and making sure they had everything they'd needed, so Dad asked me to give him a hand." "That's right," Jake agreed. "I'd forgotten that." "Did anyone else help you?" I followed. "Sammy and Andrew set the table and got everything ready," Shannon replied. Sammy and Andrew nodded in agreement. "Okay, we're making progress here," I stated. "Who cleaned up after dinner that night?" "It was me and Graham," Cole answered. "We cleared the table and did the dishes that night." "Okay, anything else?" Brandon looked sheepishly at me, like he had something to say, but wasn't sure he wanted to tell me. I just looked at him and waited for him to finally open his mouth. Eventually he felt he had to tell me what was on his mind. "Danny, Frank, and I ran to the store that night, to pick a few things up for the others," he advised me. Instantly, I saw why he had been concerned, because that put two of them out of the house on the night in question. "What time was that and when did you get back?" I wanted to know. "We left just after 8:00," Frankie announced. "I remember, because I finished watching my television program first and that ended at 8:00." "Where did you go, how long were you gone and when did you get back?" I asked him. "Well, we went to CVS first," Danny announced, "cuz we needed lube to take on the trip, and then we went to the grocery store to pick up some snacks." "Anything else?" I wanted to know. "Yeah," Brandon added, "we saw some friends as we came out of the grocery store and stopped to chat with them for a few minutes, but that would mean they could put us in town before it happened." "Were you three together when you meet your friends?" I asked. "No," Frankie responded. "They went out first, cuz I remembered something I forgot, so I went back to get it. When I came out they were all talking, so I just went over to let them know I was done. "Great, then those friends saw you with Frankie and not Pat and Shannon?" I asked and Brandon's eyes lit up. "Yes, they did," he said, smiling. "And what time was that?" I followed. "Sometime between 8:30 and 9:00," Frankie told me. "I remember that too, because I wanted to call a friend, to ask him if he knew if they'd hired anyone for one of the jobs we'd both applied for. I knew I had to call him before 9:00, since he lives with his parents and they go to bed early. They get really mad if anyone calls after they go to sleep, cuz the phone in their room wakes them up." "Well, that's some good information," I informed them. "Anything else?" We continued to talk things out for over an hour, and when we finished, I had several pages of notes to share with our lawyer. I think the boys felt a little better too, knowing there was some evidence they were in certain places at specific times and with other people than those they had been accused with. Maybe this would help put everyone in a slightly better mood now. Monday, I drove over to where the board President worked, to make an appointment to see him as soon as I could. He happened to be in his reception area when I arrived. He spoke to me as I entered and wanted to know what was up. When I told him I needed to talk to him, in his role as board president, he asked if I could meet him for lunch at one, and I agreed. I said good-bye and told him I'd see him at the restaurant later. Once I left his office, I went to see the lawyer, to share the notes I'd taken during our family meeting. He seemed quite pleased with what I had, and after leaving his office, I considered how I was going to tell the board president about my decision When I arrived at the restaurant, the board president wasn't there yet, so I waited patiently at the bar. He arrived about five minutes later, apologized for being late and then we were seated. After we ordered, he asked me what it was that I needed to speak to him about. "I'm sure you've read in the paper about my boys," I began, and he nodded. "Well, for the next few months I'm going to have to focus on helping them and I will probably need a considerable amount of time off from work. I actually think it would be unfair to the school district for me to do that, so I've decided to resign." I pulled an envelope from my pocket and handed it to him. It was my letter of resignation. "Josh, please don't do this," he urged. "I talked to a couple of board members yesterday, anticipating you might be facing some conflicts, and we decided we'd do whatever it took to free you up for your family. The high school principal can fill in as acting superintendent for a while, and the assistant high school principal can take over the helm at the high school, while his boss covers for you. It will take less than half the school year, and we really don't want to lose you because of this." "That's very kind of you," I responded, "but the start of school and budget time in the spring are the two most demanding and important times of the year, as far as the superintendent's job is concerned. I would feel grossly remiss in my duties, if I were not able to give the job my full attention during either of these times. I really think the district would be better served by accepting my resignation." "You may believe that, Josh, but we don't. No one knows this district as well as you and no one is in tune with what's happening in the community either. I, and those I've already spoken with, all agree we'll do whatever it takes to keep you and give you the time you need to deal with your family problems. I think we proved that to you last year, when you were dealing with Cody's illness." "I know and appreciate everything you did," I agreed, "but with all the problems that keep arising, I don't see how my continued employment would benefit the district in any way." "Josh, we think we'd be better off with you leading the district even part-time, than with an outsider or someone less competent doing it full-time. Please, accept our offer to assist you and you can make it up to us after your boys have been cleared, if you still feel you have to." "I'm still not comfortable with this idea, but if that's what you want, I'll talk it over with my family again," I concurred. "I'll call you back in a day or two, to let you know what we decide." I was grateful the district appreciated the job I had done in the past, but I still wasn't convinced I should stay. I went home that night and talked it over with Jake and the boys, and they finally convinced me I should keep the job, as long as the district was willing to cover for me and let me have the time off I needed. In fact, it was the four boys who were charged with these crimes who were the most vociferous about me not resigning, so I bowed to their judgment. I called the board president at home and informed him that I would stay and he thanked me. He also promised I would have all the time off I needed, so I could be there for my family. After we concluded our family meeting and settled my employment status, the rest of the week seemed to go better for us. In fact, before I realized, it was time to take the boys to their respective colleges. Frankie and Mark had agreed to watch over the house and take care of the others, while Jake and I took the boys off to their various institutions of higher learning. I was taking four in my van, while Jake was taking three of them in the Suburban. Ricky, Pat, and Shannon were all freshmen this year, while Danny, Kevin, and Brandon were sophomores, and Dustin a junior. Even though Dustin hadn't originally planned on going on after getting his two-year degree, others in the HVAC business had told him he should, especially if he wanted to own his own business later. That's what convinced him. If Frank had also chosen to go on after his two-year degree, he would have been a junior as well. However, he decided his two-year degree was all he wanted, and needed, for now. The trip went well and the older boys were looking forward to getting back to college and seeing some of their friends again. The freshmen were also excited, because they were looking forward to starting this experience and being on their own for the first time. I think out of everyone, this was going to be hardest on Jake. This would be the first time he would be apart from Shannon for any length of time since Shannon came to live with him after he and his wife had divorced. I know it seems funny hearing it's going to be harder on the parent than the child, but that's exactly how it will be in this situation. As I dropped each boy off, I, and whoever else was with us at the time, helped him carry his things to his dorm room. This helped to speed the process up and help make it easier on him. After that, we would spend some time looking around the campus and helping him settle in, but we obviously spent more time with those who were going away to school for the first time. I dropped two of the boys off the first day and then the remaining two boys and I got a motel room for the night. I delivered the other two to their campuses the next day and then returned home. Jake arrived long before I did and had dinner ready and waiting for me when I showed up. However, the minute I walked in the house, I could tell something was bothering him. I didn't broach the subject immediately and decided it would be best to do it later, in private. The dinner table seemed almost empty tonight, with seven boys off to college, so now there were only ten of us left at home. As I looked around at the seven remaining boys, Mark and Jake, it seemed as if something else was wrong. Suddenly, it all clicked into place when it occurred to me that we were missing Brent and Cody too. I think that's when the old empty nest syndrome started to take hold and I began to acknowledge it wouldn't be much longer before the house would be empty again. Well, that's not entirely true. I'm pretty sure Jake will still be here with me, but next fall Trey, Nick and Vinnie would all be leaving for college too, and possibly Cole, if he decides he wants to give it a try. The year after that Graham and Dion will be leaving, which means the only ones left will be Sammy and Andrew. Seeing my older children have informed me they and my grandchildren wouldn't be coming around any more, I was beginning to think back to what it was like before Sally talked me into taking Ricky, and then Danny, to live with me. I remembered the loneliness and sense of uselessness I felt then, before I started to build my new family, and I wasn't sure I could deal with that again. I suppose I could take in more sons, but with my health issues and advancing age, I wasn't sure if that would be fair to boys who needed a young, energetic father to do things with and for them. After we finished eating, and while the boys were cleaning up and doing the dishes, I asked Jake to accompany me on a walk up the road, just the two of us. He agreed immediately, not suspecting I had an ulterior motive for my request. Slowly, we started making our way up the road. "So what's wrong?" I asked him, as soon as we were a hundred yards or so from the house. "What do you mean?" he countered, playing dumb. "Come on. I could see it in your face the minute I got home and I've been reading it in your body language all evening," I informed him. "Something is bothering you and I want to know what it is." He looked at me for a second, studied my face and then turned to look up the road. We kept walking for a few more steps, before he finally spoke. "It's Shannon," he finally responded. "First of all, I'm worried about this mess he's in, and second I miss him tremendously. We've never been apart for any length of time since he came to live with me and I really want to be with him as much as I can, especially while he's dealing with these charges." "I know, but you have to know when to let go too," I explained. "He's growing up, Jake, and soon he'll be on his own. I know the legal problems are making it more difficult to deal with this, but you're going to have to let him stand on his own two feet. I know that's not easy, and I still have to deal with it every time one of my boys move on, and now that I'm not going to see my older children and grandchildren too, I can really appreciate how you're feeling. You just have to put it out of your mind and find something else to concentrate on instead." "Like what?" he challenged. "What do I use to replace my son?" He kind of snapped at me when he said this, but I could see from the expression on his face that he immediately regretted how he had responded. "Don't worry about it," I tried to reassure him. "I won't take offense to anything you say. I think I, more than anyone, can appreciate what you're going through right now and I'll only tell you what I think is best. In time, you won't feel so bad, but for the time being, this can drive you to drink, if you let it keep eating at you." "I know you're right," he admitted, "but right now my heart is in total control, even though my brain is trying to counter my emotional side. I will attempt to do what you suggest, but I'm not so sure I can. He's been my whole life since his mother walked out on us, well, that is until I hooked up with you, but I also feel responsible for finding a way to get him out of this legal mess too. The problem is, I don't have a clue about what to do and I feel so powerless to help him." "We all feel that way," I confessed. "All we can do is try to remain calm and objective, and try to think of ways to help, like when we held the family meeting and tried to find an alibi for each of them. I think some of the information we came up with will help our lawyer plan his defensive strategy too, so that helped all the boys. We'll continue to try to think of other things as well, so don't give up hope." "I won't, as long as you'll help me," he confided. At that point I gave Jake a hug, even though we were out where anyone could see us, but as far as I know, no one did. We finished our walk, talking all the way as we made our way back home. I think he felt a little better by the time we got there, but I knew he still had a long way to go. That weekend I also had to take a group of boys out to help the Beckers. We had been a little remiss since we got back, with only Frankie going out to give them a hand on a regular basis, seeing the rest of us had other things on our minds. However, we had promised to do this for them, and I wouldn't let anything make us break that promise. During the week, I asked for volunteers to go out to work that weekend and got more than I needed. From that group, I chose four boys and took them out to the farm on Friday afternoon. I didn't stay long, although I did talk to Mr. Becker for about a half hour. He thanked me for our help, told me how his wife and son were doing, before he informed me about his plans for the harvest. As we talked, I realized this was one special guy and I was glad we could help make his life a little more bearable. After driving home, I remembered something else, something that had slipped my mind. This weekend Mark's mother would be arriving from Oregon. She had agreed to move here, so she could be closer to her son, after Mark finally convinced her. He had even made appointments for her to look at some apartments the following day. We had also arranged for her to stay with the Spences until she decided on a place to live and Mark was beside himself with excitement about her arrival. He was thrilled she had agreed to do this, so they could live near each other once again. That morning, Mark went to the airport by himself to pick her up. He figured this would give him a chance to spend some time alone with her first. We were all planning to go out to dinner with them later that evening, after allowing her time to settle in to her room at the Spences. I was at the Spences with Jake when they arrived, so we could welcome her, but we only planned to stay a few minutes. It was nice to see her again, and she seemed very excited about this opportunity, but I think she was especially excited about being with her only son again. "Hi, Susan," I greeted her. "You look wonderful and you seem to have a special glow about you today." She began to blush. "Thank you, Josh, and that's nice of you to say," she replied. "I think the glow you refer to is from my being with my son again. Thank you so much for making this possible." "Susan, I didn't do anything. It was Mark who made this happen," I confirmed. "He wanted it as much, if not more, than you did. He's missed having you around to help him too." "Yes, I know. He's told me all about that," she confessed. "In fact, the last thing he told me, before I agreed to this move, was that he'd like to have me here, so he could help take care of me and I could be there for him. He said that way he'd have both his mother and new father near him for support and guidance." Now, it was my turn to blush and when I looked over at Mark, he was blushing too. "Okay, okay. I admit it," Mark finally announced. "Is it so wrong for a guy to want to have both his mom and dad around to make sure he doesn't mess up too badly?" After saying this, he walked over and gave his mother a kiss and a hug, before he strolled over and wrapped his arms around me, in an exuberant embrace. As I looked over his shoulder, everyone else in the room was glowing, as they watched Mark's spontaneous show of affection for the two people he seemed to love the most. Jake and I took our leave after that, to give Susan time to unpack, rest and get adjusted to the new time zone. We were somewhat experienced with how hard that can be, so we wanted to make it as easy as we could for her. Before we left, we informed her we'd meet at the restaurant at 6:30, as she would be riding with Mark and the Spences. When the dinner hour arrived, Sally and the Shays also joined us, since Mark's work with the Foundation had made him a valued member of our extended family. Throughout the evening, we tried to bring Susan up to speed on the area, by telling her about some of the places that would become a vital part of her new life here. After that, we answered her questions about things she wanted to know. Slowly, she began to feel more comfortable about the big move. During this time, I became aware of the fact that Mark had made sure he sat between his mother and I tonight. This made me realize, that other than at his graduation, this was probably the first time since his youth that he felt he was sitting between his parents and having a real family meal. The rest of the boys understood how he was feeling and were happy to allow him to occupy the majority of my attention tonight. After all, they were used to sharing me, weren't they? After dinner, Susan went back to stay with the Spences. Mark accompanied her and stayed for a while to make sure she was comfortable. Once he felt she was okay, and after she told him she was very tired and needed to get some rest, he came back to the house and we talked for a while. First, he thanked me for helping to make this possible, although I denied I had done very much, and then he told me his plans for the next day. After that, he thanked me for being his new dad and gave me a big hug, which I happily returned. After we broke the embrace, I told him I enjoyed being his dad as much as he did, but he told me I'd never understand how much it meant to him. Rather than argue the point, I just told him I loved him as much as any of the others, and he flashed me another smile, before giving me another hug. The following day, Mark took his mother out to look at several places; some were apartments in apartment complexes, but there were also a couple of apartments in large, older homes. A few of these were half of a duplex and one was a small home for rent. After looking at the various options and discussing it with her son, Susan decided that she liked the small home for rent best. It had two bedrooms, a lovely bath and she felt it would best meet her needs. She'd also have a guest room, in case she ever had visitors. Mark and his mother quickly made the arrangements and signed a lease, so now all we'd have to do was help her furnish the place appropriately. Mark and Susan were both quite excited when they arrived at our house and Mark was eager to tell us all about where she would be living. I knew the place, as friends of my late wife and mine had lived there when they were first married. They actually stayed there five or six years, before moving to a larger home. I remember it was a nice place, although small, but perfect for a single person or couple. I was happy for her, but I could see from her expression and demeanor that she was extremely excited about it too. We had Susan over for dinner that night, to give her a chance to become acquainted with what was left of my brood and allow her to see the animals in their natural habitat. Oh, no, not au naturel, just in their natural environment, where they were most likely to act as they normally would. She seemed to enjoy her time with us and told me later she was glad Mark got to be included in our family. Even though he was older when he joined us, he had told her many times how great it was to be part of such a large and loving home. He also confessed it helped erase some of the pain and sense of longing that still lingered from having grown up with only his mother for support. She then went on to explain she had tried her best for him, but didn't realize how much a boy needed a father and possibly even siblings to feel complete. I told her she had no reason to feel bad, as she had done a fine job with him, otherwise he wouldn't have grown into the terrific young man he was today. That was due to her love and care. Then I reminded her that many kids have regrets about their youth, but that was the nature of the beast and something to be expected. I reiterated she had nothing to be sorry about and had done her best with the cards she was dealt. I informed her Mark never had a bad word to say about the way she raised him and he loved her dearly, so she should not be second-guessing herself. She thanked me for what I said and then I took her on a tour of the nuthouse. After we dropped Susan at the Spences later, Mark proved he was more enthused about everything than even his mother had been. He told me about the house and how it was perfect for her, and then he thanked me for suggesting he ask her to come live here. Mark was so excited about this change in circumstance, that he began to act almost like a little kid again and I was very pleased he was so happy. I told him I'd have the Spences take his mother around to pick out some furniture for her new place on Monday. We had talked things over with her before she moved and decided it would be easier and better if she sold her old stuff before she left, rather than trying to move it across country. Now that she had a place, it was time to fill it with things suited to fit comfortably. This news made Mark even giddier and I marveled at how his and his mother's happiness paralleled each other. I guess that comes from only having one other person around most of your life, so you become more in tune with what they are feeling and what pleases them the most. The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 16 -- Making Adjustments. The following day, Mark took his mother out to look at several places; some were apartments in apartment complexes, but there were also a couple of apartments in large, older homes. A few of these were half of a duplex and one was a small home for rent. After looking at the various options and discussing it with her son, Susan decided that she liked the small home for rent best. It had two bedrooms, a lovely bath and she felt it would best meet her needs. She'd also have a guest room, in case she ever had visitors. Mark and his mother quickly made the arrangements and signed a lease, so now all we'd have to do was help her furnish the place appropriately. Mark and Susan were both quite excited when they arrived at our house and Mark was eager to tell us all about where she would be living. I knew the place, as friends of my late wife and mine had lived there when they were first married. They actually stayed there five or six years, before moving to a larger home. I remember it was a nice place, although small, but perfect for a single person or couple. I was happy for her, but I could see from her expression and demeanor that she was extremely excited about it too. We had Susan over for dinner that night, to give her a chance to become acquainted with what was left of my brood and allow her to see the animals in their natural habitat. Oh, no, not au naturel, just in their natural environment, where they were most likely to act as they normally would. She seemed to enjoy her time with us and told me later she was glad Mark got to be included in our family. Even though he was older when he joined us, he had told her many times how great it was to be part of such a large and loving home. He also confessed it helped erase some of the pain and sense of longing that still lingered from having grown up with only his mother for support. She then went on to explain she had tried her best for him, but didn't realize how much a boy needed a father and possibly even siblings to feel complete. I told her she had no reason to feel bad, as she had done a fine job with him, otherwise he wouldn't have grown into the terrific young man he was today. That was due to her love and care. Then I reminded her that many kids have regrets about their youth, but that was the nature of the beast and something to be expected. I reiterated she had nothing to be sorry about and had done her best with the cards she was dealt. I informed her Mark never had a bad word to say about the way she raised him and he loved her dearly, so she should not be second-guessing herself. She thanked me for what I said and then I took her on a tour of the nuthouse. After we dropped Susan at the Spences later, Mark proved he was more enthused about everything than even his mother had been. He told me about the house and how it was perfect for her, and then he thanked me for suggesting he ask her to come live here. Mark was so excited about this change in circumstance, that he began to act almost like a little kid again and I was very pleased he was so happy. I told him I'd have the Spences take his mother around to pick out some furniture for her new place on Monday. We had talked things over with her before she moved and decided it would be easier and better if she sold her old stuff before she left, rather than trying to move it across country. Now that she had a place, it was time to fill it with things suited to fit comfortably. This news made Mark even giddier and I marveled at how his and his mother's happiness paralleled each other. I guess that comes from only having one other person around most of your life, so you become more in tune with what they are feeling and what pleases them the most. Sunday started off as usual, with all of us going to church, and Susan joined us. She sat next to Mark and his girlfriend during the service and after the sermon had concluded, we introduced her to a few members of the congregation. We felt if she made some contacts and established herself in her new home, it would help her feel part of the community faster. I thought everything went quite well and Susan and one particular lady seemed to hit it off really well, so maybe she had even found a new friend. The woman even offered to come over and help Susan clean up her new place before moving things in, an offer that Susan graciously accepted, after a few mild protestations. We went out for brunch after that, as was our custom after church, and had another enjoyable time. Susan was getting to know some of my boys, but this also gave her a chance to get to know Mark's girlfriend better, as well. After a few tense moments, where neither of them was quite sure how to proceed, they found a common ground. This happened when they were talking about Mark and soon each started to warm up to the other. This seemed to please Mark immensely and I could tell there would be no problem between the two women or any struggles over his affection. After we got back to the house, Cole cornered me and asked if I'd go with him someplace, although he wasn't being very open about where. All he would say was there was something he wanted to show me, and it wouldn't take very long. Knowing he seldom asked for much, I agreed. I realized it must be important to him or he wouldn't have bothered me about it. He wanted to drive, so we took the Grand Am, and soon I found myself staring at a thirty-year old Mustang GT Fastback, in need of a lot of work. "Dad, I want to buy this and fix it up," he told me. "Cole, if you think we need another car for the family, fine, I will consider getting one, but I don't think this is it." "No, Dad. You don't understand. I want THIS car, so I can work on it," he emphasized. "Do you realize how much work this is going to need?" I asked, completely amazed he would even consider this. "The body alone is going to take a tremendous amount of work, but I'm sure it's also going to need the engine repaired, as well." "I know, Dad, but I really want to do it," he pleaded. "I'm taking classes on body work and engine repair, and I really want a chance to try something like this on my own. I'll use my own money, but I just wanted you to say you understand and that it's okay with you." He looked at me and waited anxiously for my approval. "Do you realize it's probably going to take a lot of money to fix it up," I warned, "even with you doing all of the work?" "Yes, but I really want to do it. Okay?" he pleaded, again. "And where will you do this work?" I challenged. "My automotive teacher said I could work on it as part of a project for class, so I can use the school facilities for now," he informed me. "He'll get what I need, when I need it, and I'll just pay him back as we go along. What do you think?" I thought about it for a minute or so, before I responded. "Well, it seems like you've done your homework and know what you're getting into," I began, "so if this is what you really want to do, it's okay with me." Cole started dancing around and I began to picture him as he was shortly after he came to live with me. Once again, he was a young boy who was eager to please and even the most insignificant gestures I made meant so much to him. He had been so deprived growing up that even the simplest things seemed like a big deal to him, such as his being overjoyed because I was going to let him buy a junk car. About that time the owner came out of his house to see what we wanted, so I explained the situation to him and negotiated a deal. I think he tried to take advantage of us, after noticing how excited Cole was about wanting the car, but I got him down to what I thought was a fair and reasonable price. I gave him a down payment, got a receipt in return and then told him we'd be back the following afternoon with the rest of his money. I explained we'd tow the car away at that time, although he assured us we could drive it away, if we wanted to. In response, I informed him we wouldn't be licensing it until Cole had completed his repairs, so we would tow it away for now. He said he understood and everything was set. Cole was nearly bouncing in his seat as we drove back home and bolted from the car as soon as it stopped. He then raced inside, to tell his brothers about his good fortune. I was pleased he was so excited about this, especially since it was something he could do as part of his class load. Cole's learning problems had often made school a place he'd rather not be, so maybe this would turn things around for him. Getting him into the vocational program was designed to give him a chance to be successful, do something he was interested in and would benefit him in the future, so it was nice to see him so energized by something that was school related. We both acknowledged he would probably be one of the few, if not the only one, who wouldn't be going off to college after graduation, so if this gave him a leg up on finding his niche in life, I was more than happy to support him. I wish everything were this easy to deal with. It was the middle of the first full week of school when I received a call from the State Police, so I figured it must have something to do with the boys and the assault case. However, as I began to speak with the person at the other end, I soon learned this was not the case and he wasn't even from our area. "Mr. Currie, this is Captain Brain Foster of the Minnesota State Police," he began, making me wonder what any of us could have done while we were in Minnesota to get the State Police to call me at home. "We understand you were the one who reported two very suspicious campers on a lake in northern Minnesota. Is this true?" I hesitated momentarily, before I responded, because I was curious as to what all this was about. "Yes, I did," I confirmed. "I gave the information to a forest ranger as we were about to leave. Why, did something happen?" "You might say that," he replied. "After talking to those men, the rangers kept them under surveillance afterward and called us in for assistance. They did this because they noticed a stash of weapons in one of their tents and determined it would be best if they had armed assistance before they did anything more, since none of them carry guns. When a few of my men went to confront the campers, we arrested them on weapons charges and fingerprinted them. When we ran the prints, we were astounded to discover it connected them to a series of unsolved crimes in three states." "Wow, I knew they gave me a creepy feeling," I exclaimed, "and my whole family was worried they might try to follow us, but it's always interesting to learn they were actually wanted." "More than wanted, Mr. Currie," he replied. "Law enforcement agencies in three states were conducting intensive manhunts for them. They turned out to be the interstate killers we had been looking for, for several months, and without your help we wouldn't have caught them." "Murderers?" I gasped. This drew the attention of Jake and some of the boys, so they came over to listen in on what was going on. "Yes. They had committed multiple homicides," he confirmed. "They would kidnap their victim, which included both young males and females, and then sexually assault them for a period of time, before they killed them and dumped their bodies. Most were dumped in rivers, ponds or lakes along lonely back roads, so the corpses weren't discovered until weeks afterward. By then, the water and decomposition erased most of the evidence, so we didn't have much to go on. We're afraid there might still be other bodies out there we haven't discovered yet." "How were you able to tie them to the crimes then, if the water got rid of most of the evidence?" I wondered. I had to be certain they had the right men. "There were several factors which helped us determine their guilt," he replied. "Some of these have been reported to the press, so I can also divulge them to you. We recovered a roll of nylon rope at their campsite, which precisely matched the chords used to tie up the victims. We were also able to match hairs found on undergarments of the victims to one or both of the men and we even lifted their fingerprints off of the victims' belts, purses and shoes. We were also able to get a ballistic match on bullets recovered from some of the bodies and the weapons we seized. "The final, and probably most damning evidence," he continued, "came when we found various victims' DNA in extra sleeping bags the pair had in their possession. Those two are going away for a long time, at the very least, and you have earned the reward that was offered. Who do you want me to have them make the check out to and where do you want it sent?" I was dumbfounded by this news and it took me a few seconds to regain my composure and respond. "Mr. Currie, are you alright," the officer asked, when I didn't answer in a reasonable amount of time. "Oh, yes, I'm sorry," I finally told him. "It's just that I wasn't expecting anything like this." "I understand, but several law enforcement groups and independent organizations had set up a reward for information leading to their capture and conviction," he explained, "and there's no doubt you deserve it." "But they haven't been convicted yet," I protested. "I'm sorry, there is more that I haven't told you," he apologized. "The murders began in Illinois and then spread through Wisconsin, before moving to Minnesota. I understand the men have consented to a plea agreement with the Minnesota State prosecutor's office and will plead guilty to the three homicides that occurred in our jurisdiction. They will serve three life sentences each, without the possibility of parole, which will run consecutively, so they'll never see freedom again. They were willing to accept the deal, if we agreed not to extradite them to Illinois, which is the only one of the three states that has the death penalty." After discussing this with him in more detail, I directed the check be made out to The Castaway Foundation, as I felt the reward should be used to help others who had been victimized by society. This baffled the Captain for a few minutes, until I explained the situation to him, and then he told me the check would be in the mail within a week. I thanked him, but he also thanked my family and me in return. After I hung up, I explained to the others what the call was about. The check arrived about twelve days later and I turned it over to Mark, who made sure it was deposited with our other investments. That was pretty much the extent of the excitement until September 12th, which was when Andrew, my youngest, celebrated his thirteenth birthday. I really wanted to have a big party for him and invite all his friends, but he told me he didn't want that. I had a good idea why, but honored his wishes by having a very small party for him, with only family attending. I figured at least part of his reasoning for not wanting a party was that he still felt his lack of physical maturity indicated he was a baby. I think he felt the idea of a large birthday party with friends invited would only reinforce that concept of himself. Therefore, to keep from aggravating the situation further, I shelved the idea of a large party and only planned a special dinner for the occasion. I invited the extended family to join us, like I do for everyone's birthday, so he wouldn't feel we were treating him differently. Now that Mark's mother was living in the area, we included her as well, but I didn't have the opportunity to spend much time with her or our other guests. Shortly after everyone arrived, I realized I had a young man who needed my attention more. The problem started when Andrew raced off and hid in his room, to avoid his guests. I went to find him, to see if I could rectify the situation. "Hey, little man," I said, after I opened the door to his room, "you've got people looking for you. They want to wish you a happy birthday." "I'm no little man," he snapped back, not even looking at me. "I'm the baby of the family and that doesn't just mean the youngest." "Hey, I thought we settled this before," I objected. "You know that's not true and you're the only one who thinks that way." I moved closer, to give him a hug, but he pulled away. "You don't have to hug the baby to make him feel better," he told me. His biting tone put a stinging edge on his comment. "Andrew, you know I hug all my boys, even Mark," I reminded him. "Do you think any of them are babies?" "No, but they've got more than a baby size dick and they have hair over it too!" he spat back, defiantly. "And you think that's what it takes to become a man?" I challenged, and then I just stared at him and awaited his response. "It's not the only thing, but it's a start," he concurred. "So you think someone who hasn't reached puberty can't be a man?" I wanted to know. He merely looked at me and tried to figure out if I was setting a trap for him. "That's right," he agreed, "and I know it's true." "And how do you know that?" I pressed. "I just do," he blurted out, as the tears started rolling down his cheeks. After waiting a few more seconds, he continued. "I'm tired of the other guys in my class staring at me in the locker room and making fun of my tiny dick," he confessed. "It's bad enough that I'm different because I'm not cut, like most of them are, but having a baby dick makes it worse." Hearing this, I felt horrible. I knew how cruel kids could be and it seems they were targeting Andrew because of his lack of physical maturity. I searched my brain for a way to help him. "Okay, what if I set up an appointment with the doctor, to make sure there's no medical reason for this?" I offered. "Would that make you feel better?" "It might," he relented, "but I won't feel better until I get some hair down there and my dick starts to get bigger." This time he let me give him a hug when I tried. "Well, that's the best I can do for now," I explained. "Tomorrow, I'll call and make an appointment for you, but in the meantime I want you to come down and try to have some fun. Okay?" He nodded, although barely, so I put my arm around his shoulder and walked him downstairs. Sammy immediately sensed there was a problem and came to ask me what was wrong. I quickly explained what had just transpired and Sammy became upset that his brother's birthday was starting out so poorly. I tried to reassure him that I thought Andrew would snap out of it shortly, so we went in to eat. The meal went well, although Andrew was still brooding about being an immature teen. He was chatting with the others, even though his conversations were not as enthusiastically conducted, as I would have hoped. No one else seemed to pick up on his mood, other than his brother and I, so no one treated him any differently. After we ate, we waited a little while before we had the cake and ice cream and then we gave Andrew his presents. Prior to the party, I had discretely suggested that everyone should choose their gifts for Andrew carefully this year and was pleased with the results. The extended family bought him designer label clothes and items that were really big with older teens, a fact that was not missed by Andrew. He even went and tried some of them on and modeled them for us, and he looked really good in them too. The Shay's also bought him a small diamond stud earring, with my prior approval of course, which had special significance to Andrew. This was because I had been telling him I wanted to wait until he was a little older before he got any piercings, so this was another sign to him that we considered he was growing up. Although the boys gave him some CD's during the extended family portion of the party, they had some other gifts for him to open after everyone else left. His brothers had chipped in and purchased three DVD's -- one gay, one bi and one straight sex, because no one knew for sure yet what his preference was going to be. They also bought him a couple of starter dildos in progressive sizes, and a box of flavored condoms. Andrew was thrilled when he saw those items, because it confirmed his brothers didn't think of him as a little boy any more either. When it came time to give him my gift, I had to take him outside, where he found a dirt bike, with a big red bow on it, leaning up against a tree. I had Mark go out and move it there while Andrew was modeling his clothes, so it would be in place for the big moment. Now, you might be wondering why I chose this particular gift for him, and there is a very simple explanation. Andrew had been teasing for a dirt bike for some time now, and once again I told him I'd let him know when I thought he was ready to handle that responsibility. I decided this was the ideal time to give my youngest his wings, or in this case his wheels. When he saw it, he started racing around the dirt bike, like it was a maypole, and then he jumped on it and asked if he could start it up. I told him he could, instructed him on what he would be required to do and then guided him through a little test spin on the lawn. Once I was confident he could handle it on his own, I let him take it out in the field for a quick spin around our property. The glow that radiated from him, and the smile chiseled on his face, let me know the meaning of this gift was not lost on him. After prying him from the seat, we went back inside until the others left, and then I let him go back out for another ride. Other than his slow physical development, I think we put an end to Andrew's fears that we still considered him a little boy. A few days later, I took him to see the doctor, who asked Andrew all kinds of questions about himself and what he knew about his biological family. Once the doctor finished making his notes and giving Andrew a very thorough examination, he ordered a series of blood tests, which would check for thyroid, pituitary, chromosomal, and other problems. The doctor also ordered a 'bone age' x-ray, to see if his bones were developing normally. We had to go to the hospital a couple of days later to have these tests done, and then we waited a few more days for the results to come back. I knew this was going to be a tough wait for my little man, until we learned if there were any medical reasons for his delayed start. Even though we might have healed some of his psychological wounds at the party, he wasn't over this yet. Hopefully, his physical concerns would be history, once we knew the results of these tests. In the interim, we went out to help the Beckers harvest some of their crops and do other chores around the farm. The harvest would eventually take most of the month to complete, seeing we only worked on the weekends, but the boys were actually reveling in seeing some of the fruits of their labor (please excuse the pun). In fact, many of the meals we ate at the farm during our time there consisted of items gathered from the Beckers' garden. The boys thought it was neat that they had actually helped to grow what was now helping to fill their bottomless pits. Besides, it always seems more satisfying when the food you eat is the result of your own effort. We did a great deal of work while we were there and came home Sunday evening tired out from the effort. We had put in a weekend's worth of hard labor, which drained us, but it was a good type of exhaustion. We all felt proud about what we were doing. The fact that we were helping the Beckers cope with the situations they were currently dealing with made it even more rewarding. It may not have eliminated the Beckers' problems, but I did feel it would help to make it easier for them to get through the days, weeks and months ahead. While we were at the farm, the boys also brought their books and homework with them. They did their assignments after dark, when the work on the farm was done for the day, and were basically pretty good about keeping up with everything. Even though they sometimes found it hard to concentrate that late at night, due to their physical exhaustion, they didn't let it get them down. I tried very hard to be understanding about it too, but there were a couple of times when I had to get after one or more of the boys and make him do what was expected. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com - but please put the story title in the subject line, so it doesn't get deleted as junk mail.