Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 22:07:17 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: The Castaway Hotel-book 4    chapter 2

Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts.
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.

Don't read this story if:
**You're not 18 or over,
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a
website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's
permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken
against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Ed for his editorial assistance with this
chapter.

If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at
http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive'
comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

            *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Although the boys in these stories have unprotected sex, I strongly urge
all of you out there to be smart and protect yourselves from various
sexually transmitted diseases by using condoms when having intercourse.

                   *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

The Castaway Hotel-Book 4-by BW (Young-Friends).  Copyright 2000 by billwstories
Chapter 2 - A Baltimore surprise.                 February 2001

The week between Christmas and New Year's passed quickly.  The boys were
busy checking out their new presents and they were even checking out some
of their brothers' new presents too, with permission of course.  The
Spences were really getting to know all of the boys, the work of setting up
the charity was almost totally completed, Mr. Spence had made arrangements
for the money to be transferred as soon as we were ready, and Mark was
going to join us for our New Year's celebration as well.  Life was good.

The reporters and photographers came and took their notes and snapped their
pictures, taking some of my family and some of the Spences with the boys.
They both took very detailed notes on the Spences' life histories and the
motivation behind such a large gift.  John and Margaret were very honest
and open and they concluded by saying that they only hoped to allow other
children to enjoy the love and support that my boys had received since
joining me.  Nick even told them about the family from Arizona, and the
reporters were going to contact them, to see if they could interview them
and add this to their story.  Nick was thrilled.  We also got to give our
input on how we would like to see the article slanted (more toward the
charity) and both reporters said they would send us a copy of their story
via email, before submitting it to their editors.  We thanked them and they
were on their way.

Mark flew into Baltimore two days before New Year's, and Danny and Brandon
joined me in the Grand AM to go pick him up.  I don't know why I never
thought of flying in and out of Baltimore, because that wasn't that far
from us either, so now we had another option for future trips.  The
remaining boys were left at home, with the older boys in charge, as I had
promised.  Mark was excited to see us, and he hugged all three of us and
thanked us for thinking of him like this.  I gave credit to the boys,
telling him it was their idea, but he said he also knew that it wouldn't
have happened without my backing.  He also thanked me for supplying him
with the airline ticket, so he could fly out.  I told him that was our
pleasure and we went off to collect his luggage.  There was a delay with
the luggage getting through to the carousel, so we stopped and had a drink
at the snack bar while waiting.  By the time we went back, Mark's suitcase
was coming around again, who knows for what number trip around that
carousel.  Danny grabbed it for him, and we threw it in the trunk, heading
for home.

There were no major highways between Baltimore and our home, unless we
wanted to go the long way around, so we traveled some of the older state
and county roads.  We were tooling along, laughing and having a great time,
when Brandon yelled for me to stop.  I slammed on the brake and then asked
him what was wrong.  He then informed me that he only wanted me to pick up
that young boy who was hitchhiking, the one we had just passed.  I told him
that I had thought about that, but we had a full car and there wasn't
really room for him.  He said the boy could sit in the back with Danny and
him, and they'd squeeze together to give the kid enough space.  I gave in
and started backing up, even though the boy was running in our direction.
We met part way.

The boy was a little on the dirty side, but he was cute.  I imagine that's
why Brandon had decided to scream for me to stop.  I was wondering what
Danny was thinking about that, but I could see him eyeing the boy out of
the rear window, just like his boyfriend.  The kid appeared to be about 5'
7", he had blond hair and blue eyes, and an athlete's build, muscular but
not overly so.  The boy ran up to the car and looked inside.

"I can give you a ride, if you don't mind squeezing into the back seat," I
told him.  He eyed Danny and Brandon and then grinned.

"That would be fine."  He squeezed into the back, choosing his place
between the two older boys.  "I'll sit in the middle, 'cuz I'm smaller," he
said, as if to justify this move.

"Where are you headed?" I asked.

"Oh, as far as you're going," he responded, casually.

"But where are you going?  Maybe we're going farther than that."

"I doubt that," he replied, without being more specific.

"Where are you coming from?" Brandon asked him.

"Baltimore."

"Really, us too.  We just picked our friend up at the airport there."  The
kid didn't respond.

"What's your name?" Mark inquired.

"Brent."

"How old are you, Brent?" Mark continued.  The boy hesitated before he
answered.

"14.  Why?"

"Just wondering," Mark replied, "I didn't mean anything by it."

Danny summed up the situation quickly and decided to tell the kid about us.
First he introduced us all, and then he gave him the short version of how
we became a family.  The boy instantly became interested in what he heard,
and he started asking questions.

"You adopted all those boys?" he asked me.  "Why would you want to do
that?"

"Because they needed someplace to go where it was safe and stable, and I
could provide that.  Besides, I knew that I would enjoy the company too."
He took a few minutes to think about my response.

"Are you still adopting boys?" he asked, quite bluntly.

"I don't think I've ever thought about that directly," I told him.  "I
guess I'd never turn a needy boy down, but we have also just started a fund
to help those same types of children find other homes or to help their
parents provide for them."

He thought about what I had just told him, and I knew that he was
considering something more.  "What if it were me?" he asked, after a few
minutes of thought.

"I can't answer that without knowing more about you and your family
situation.  I always have plenty of facts to base my decisions on, not just
whether I like the boy or not.  I don't mind helping boys who need the
help, it just that I'm not here to make it easy for boys who have just had
a quarrel with their parents or are just rebellious."

He hung his head and thought about it some more.  "I'm not like that and
I'll tell you all about me, if you're gonna help me.  But I don't want to
tell you all that if you're just gonna say no."

"I'd never just say no and, even if I should decide that I can't help you
myself, I'd try to find other ways to help you instead."

"But I'm not sure I'd want those other choices.  I think I'd like to see
what it's like at your place."

"Well, why don't you tell us about yourself, while I drive home."

A strange look came over Brent's face, a look of fear and uncertainty.  He
looked at the reflection of my face in the rear-view mirror, deciding on
his next course of action.  Finally he made up his mind and spoke.  "I
don't think I can tell everyone, but I'll tell you, if we can find a way to
talk alone."

I gave him a reassuring smile.  "I'll tell you what.  We could all probably
use something to eat, so what if I stopped somewhere, then you and I could
sit alone and discuss this?"

Brent looked suddenly relieved, like he finally found someone who
understood how he felt, and he gave a small grin and answered.  "Yeah, that
sounds fine."

We drove a little farther before I found some place that looked acceptable,
a small diner that looked clean and not too busy, and we pulled in and
unloaded.  I had the other boys sit in one booth, while Brent and I went to
another booth farther down.  We sat down, decided what we wanted to eat,
gave the waitress our order, and then I spoke first.  "Are you ready to
tell me now?"

"Are you sure you won't hate me because of what I tell you?"

"Believe me, I've heard almost everything imaginable from my sons, about
the way they were treated before they came to live with me.  I won't hate
you because of what others have done to you."

Brent thought for a minute.  "But what if it's something about me,
something that you don't like?"

"Maybe I can reassure you here.  I don't dislike people for who or what
they are.  My boys are from different races, different religions, different
backgrounds, and different sexual interests.  I love them all equally."

He seemed to pick up on something I had said.  "Do you mean some of your
sons are gay?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yes, some of them like boys, others like girls, and some like both."

"And that doesn't.well.um.bother you?"

"No!  Should it?"

"I don't think it should, but it does bother most people.  They don't think
boys should like other boys that way."

"I know some people feel that way, but I know that you don't have a choice
in who you are or what sex you're attracted to.  Is that why you ran away?"

"I didn't tell you that I ran away."

"I think that was pretty obvious.  Now do you want to tell me why you ran
away?"

Brent looked a little embarrassed by being found out and he let his head
tilt forward.  After a few seconds he spoke.  "My mom and dad found out I
was gay and they tried to change me.  When they couldn't do that, they told
me to leave.  They said they wouldn't have any fairies living under their
roof."  He hung his head again and I could see the tears streaking down his
cheeks.  I tried to reassure him.

"I'm really sorry.  I don't understand how parents can treat their children
that way.  How did they find out you were gay?  Did they catch you with
another boy?"

"No, nothing like that.  I had just got off the computer before they got
home and my dad clicked on some of the things in the history file.  He
found that I'd been at Nifty, reading gay stories, and then he found that I
had been to a gay site, looking at pictures of nude teens doing things with
each other.  He started screaming at me and swearing, telling me I was sick
and disgusting, and then he started whipping me.  I think he might have
killed me if I hadn't have run away.  He followed me out the front door and
kept screaming at me, telling me that I was never welcomed there again."

"That sounds absolutely awful, but maybe he's calmed down since then and
changed his mind."

"No way.  I called him the next night, to see if I could go back home, and
he told me that he no longer had a son and that he never wanted to hear
from me again.  I cried all night after he told me that."

"What about your mother?  Does she feel the same way?"

"Uh huh.  I called her where she worked the next day and she told me never
to call her again.  She said that she was ashamed to have a fag for a son
and that she'd help my dad beat me if they ever saw me again."  He was
really sobbing now, so I led him back to the men's room, to wash his face
and calm down.  I said everything I could think of to calm him down and
reassure him, but it took some time before he was ready to go back out.  By
the time we returned to the booth, our food was already there.  I told him
to eat first, as this would give him some time to calm down more.  He had
only taken a few bites before he started telling me the rest of his story.

"I waited a week, sleeping wherever I could and eating what my friends
could sneak out to me, and then I tried to slip back into my house and get
my things.  I had already decided to run away and I wanted some of my
things to take with me.  I was almost done loading up my backpack and
duffel bag, when my mom passed the room and saw me.  I hadn't heard her
come home early.  She was heading for her own room to rest, having come
home sick.  She started screaming at me and slapping me, then she ran to
her room to phone the police.  She told them she wanted me arrested for
breaking and entering and for stealing things from them.  I grabbed my
things and ran out of there and hid out for two more days.  I started
walking and hitchhiking yesterday, but I haven't gotten very far.'

"Did you have any place in particular in mind?"

"Not really.  I just took the first road I could get a ride on."

"Wasn't that person suspicious, when you didn't tell him where you were
going?"

"But I did.  I told him I was heading to the next town to visit my
grandparents.  He dropped me off there, in front of some house that I
pointed out, and I pretended to go up to the house as he drove off.  As
soon as he was out of sight, I was back on the road walking and hitching
again."

"That's quite a story and I'm sorry you had to go through that.  Don't
worry.  I won't leave you on your own.  Would you like to go home with us
and then we'll see what we can do to help you?"

"Would you really do that?" he asked, excitedly.

"Of course I would, if that's what you want.  I won't make any promises
other than we'll make sure you're well taken care of and safe."

"That would be great.  I won't need much.  I can sleep on the couch or even
on the floor.  I won't eat much and I'll take care of myself.  I'll help
with the chores and I won't cause any problems for you."

"Whoa, slow down there, champ.  Why don't you just enjoy your meal and
we'll talk about the rest later."

"Will I have to tell the others about all of this?"

"Not if you don't want to, but they've all been in very similar situations.
I know they'd understand and not think badly of you because of that, but
it's your decision."

"You really think they'd be okay if they knew all of that?"

"I do, but I'll let you get to know them and then you can decide that for
yourself."

"They're not going to be upset that I wouldn't tell them what I told you,
will they?"

"No, they understand that everyone needs privacy and that there are some
things that they don't feel comfortable talking over with everyone else.
They won't even give it a second thought."  He nodded his head in
understanding and went back to his meal.  Now he attacked it like he hadn't
eaten in a while.  When we were finished, I paid both bills and we got back
in the car.

Brent started talking to Danny and Brandon after we left the restaurant,
and the boys were telling him more about our family.  They also told him
how we had met Mark and why he had come to visit.  Mark also joined into
this conversation, adding his slant on our family, telling Brent that we
took him with us to the Grand Canyon, and he explained how we were helping
him out.  I guess that gave Brent some confidence because, the next thing I
knew, he was telling them the whole story about what happened with his
parents.  Danny and Brandon both hugged him and tried to comfort him, and I
could see that Brent was enjoying the contact on more than on just an
emotional level.  The boys continued to joke and talk the rest of the way
home and it was late when we pulled into the old homestead.

The younger boys were already in bed, but I did introduce Brent to the
others when we came in.  The next thing I had to do was to figure out what
to do with Brent for tonight.  Pat had previously agreed to give Mark his
room, the Japanese grandparents were in one room, and some of my older
children would be back tomorrow.  The boys were tripling and quadrupling up
in the other rooms, but all the other rooms were pretty full now.  I was
talking to some of the boys, trying to decide how to handle this, and we
were discussing various possibilities.  It was then that Brent came up
behind us, having overheard our conversation, and he couldn't understand
the fuss.

"No.  I'm not going to take someone else's bed and you don't have to move
anyone around.  I can sleep on the couch or on the floor."

"There is no need for that.  We can figure something out," I informed him,
"it's just that we need to do some rearranging to make room for you.  I've
been sleeping on the couch, but I can move some of the boys to there, and
we can free up a bed for you."

"I don't want anyone to have to give up their room for me."  He hesitated,
and then spoke again.  "What if I just slept in with you on the couch," he
said casually, "if you don't mind."  He didn't look at any of us when he
said this, glancing off to the side and down at the floor.

"Whatever you'd be most comfortable with," I told him.  "I'm sure the
others wouldn't mind making room for you, but it's up to you.  We do things
like that all the time and they did it when we had company for Christmas
and we'll do it for our New Year's guests."

"No, I'll either sleep on the couch with you or on the floor," he stated,
emphatically.  "Which should I do?"

"You're not sleeping on the floor on your first night here, so that option
is out."

"Why?  It's more than I had the past few weeks.  Thank goodness this has
been a warm winter so far."

That's when it hit me.  I never realized it before that moment.  Brent was
kicked out of his house before Christmas and he had spent the holiday on
his own.  Now I felt even worse about his situation.  Danny went upstairs
and brought down two pillows, two sheets, and two blankets, then he and
Brandon made the couch into a bed.  The boys gave him a quick tour of the
house, showing him the important things, like where the toilet was, and
then they brought him back to the living room.  I sent Brent in to shower
before he went to sleep and I had the boys pass the word around that there
would be no running around naked for a while.  When he finished his shower,
I gave him a quick once over and noticed that he hadn't done all that good
a job in there.  I sent him back in to try again, and I told him if he
needed any help to just let us know.  He wasn't all that happy about this,
but he went back in and this time came out clean.  Next I had him get his
dirty clothes and we began washing them.  He didn't have many items that
needed to be washed, so I just took it that he hadn't changed or cleaned up
much during the time he was on his own.  I asked him what he felt
comfortable sleeping in and he told me that he slept in his underwear at
home, so that's what he would do here.  I tucked him in and said good
night, after all the others had gone to bed themselves.  I went back and
took his clothes out of the washer and put them in the dryer, so they'd be
ready for him in the morning.  Then I went to the dining room and thought
about what I was going to do with this kid.  A little later he came walking
into the dining room, not caring that he was only in his underwear and he
spoke to me.

"Aren't you coming to bed?"

"Yeah, I was just sitting here doing some thinking.  Are you having trouble
sleeping?"

"Kind of.  This place is strange, but it's not that.  It's just that I keep
thinking about my parents.  I guess talking about them tonight has really
gotten to me."

I got up and walked over to him, put my arm over his shoulder, and we
walked back to the living room.  I shut the door behind us, and then I
walked over and sat on the couch, pulled the covers back on the side
closest to him, indicating that he could get in.  He flashed me a grin and
sat down next to me.  I quickly shed my pants and shirt, staying just in my
underwear, then I slid my arm around him and squeezed his body into mine,
letting him know that he was safe and everything would be fine.  He turned
his head into my chest and started crying.  "Why can't my parents love me
like this?  Am I so awful that they can't love me any more?"

I tried to calm him down and reassure him.  "It's not you," I said
soothingly, "it's them.  They can't deal with things that are different and
they are just displaying the hatred that has been taught to them by others.
It's not your fault and you shouldn't blame yourself for their stupidity
and prejudices.  Don't dwell on the past, but think about the present.
You're here, safe, and loved, and we won't turn you out into the cold."

His body shook as he cried into my chest, and I wrapped both arms around
him and squeezed him tightly.  We stayed that way until he calmed down,
then we lay back, but I still held on to him and let him know that he was
not alone.  He moved his body tightly against mine, relaxed, and soon fell
asleep.  I continued to hold on to him, kissed his forehead, and then I too
drifted off.  We must have spent the whole night that way, because he was
still in my arms the next morning when I awoke.  I woke up first and I just
lay there and watched him, until I saw his eyes flutter open.  He was
startled when he first looked around, not remembering where he was, then he
looked at me, smiled, and relaxed.

"I was almost afraid that this was all just a dream," he said, after a
minute or so.  "I think that's the best I've slept in a very long time."

"Me too," I told him, even though I hadn't really slept very long.  "Are
you hungry?"

"Yeah, but I rather stay like this for a while longer, if it's okay with
you."

"Of course it is."  I watched him for a while, wondering what was going
through his mind.  "A penny for your thoughts," I told him.

"What?" he responded, either not hearing me or having never heard that
expression before.

"A penny for your thoughts," I repeated.

"What does that mean?" he asked, looking me straight in the eye.

"It means that I was wondering what you were thinking about."

He kind of blushed, but then he answered.  "I was thinking about how lucky
I was that you picked me up yesterday." he hesitated.  "And I was thinking
how I liked lying here with you like this," he added, blushing even more.

"Hey, I'm enjoying it too," I told him.  "My boys like to sleep with me
like this from time to time, just to know that I still care about them and
to know that I'm there for them.

"My dad would never have done this with me.  He would have told me it was
queer or that I was a fag if I'd even suggested it."

"Well, it's different here, so don't worry about it."

"Yeah, it is different here and I like it this way.  Am I going to be able
to stay here?"

"I can't give you a definite answer, but today we'll contact a friend of
mine and get the ball rolling to get you squared away."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, she's a good friend of mine and she's a social worker.  She'll
know what to do to get custody of you legally and she may even start legal
proceedings against your parents for child abandonment."

He looked at me after I said that, and I could see the wheels turning in
his head.  Finally, he spoke what was on his mind.  "Do you think we should
do that?  I don't want to have to face them again, like in court or
anything.  They always make people think that everything's my fault.  And I
don't want them telling everyone that I'm a rotten, cock-sucking fag.  My
dad will do that, you know."

"She knows how to handle things and how to make it easy on you.  Usually
she just makes a few threats and they do whatever she tells them.  I'll
work with her, so you won't have to face your parents again, if you don't
want to.  Most likely we can work that out, but there is still a slim
chance that this will go to court and the judge will want you there.  We'll
do everything we can to prevent that, though."

"Yeah, please.  I don't know if I could handle seeing them again.  They
really scare me now."

"I'll do everything I can to prevent that but, like I said, there will
always be that slim chance."

"Okay, I trust you.  Just do what you have to do so I don't have to go back
there or be near them on my own.  I think they'd kill me, especially if
they think I caused them to get into trouble."

"I'll make sure the judge knows that too, if it should get that far.  For
right now, however, I don't want you to worry about that.  Come on.  Let's
get up and go get something to eat.  I can even hear your stomach
growling."

He laughed at that.  "Yeah, I wondered if you heard that too.  Okay, let's
go eat then.  I want to get to know the other boys too."  He got up and
walked toward my door, as I got out of the other side of the bed.  As I
started to walk around toward the door, he walked back to me and threw his
arms around my middle-age paunch.  He put he head against my chest and
hugged me for all he was worth.  I bent forward and kissed the top of his
head.  "Thank you for everything," he said at last.  "I think I'm really
going to like it here."

                  *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at
http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section.
E-mails may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.