Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 09:50:15 -0400
From: Chris Johns <chris-johns@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Street Urchin Pt.3

			     The Street Urchin
				  Part 3

Briefed to bring Chris in to the hospital for psychiatry appointments once
per week, Bill was allowed to take Chris home when he was medically
sound. There had been very little change in the boy's demeanour, he said
little, even to Bill, and definitely had not talked about his experience.

Returning to work meant taking Chris with him initially. He would remain in
the office with Sam, but only if he could see Bill through the window. A
few weeks of this and Bill realised that if the psychiatrist wasn't making
any headway with his little man, he would have to bite the bullet and try
to progress things. Chris needed to be in school, he had already missed way
too much for Bill to be comfortable keeping him out any longer. Weekends he
had tried to get Chris playing with the neighbourhood children but he
invariably slid back into Bill's embrace very quickly.

"Chris, come and sit with me."

That was the opening statement one Saturday afternoon.

Never happier than when he was snuggled in close to Bill, Chris relaxed as
Bill stroked him.

"I need to get you back into school Little Man or the judge is going to
take you away from me when we next go to see her. I will take you in the
mornings and Mrs. Taylor next door will collect you with Lee and Lauren in
the afternoon. When I come home I'll pick you up and I'll have you every
weekend all the time as well. I will make sure that the school is aware of
your situation so that they can keep a special eye on you. Do you think you
can do that for me?"

Chris thought about this. He was frightened. The only time he felt
completely safe was when he was near Bill.

He looked up at Bill searching his face for he knew not what, but he wasn't
stupid. Bill didn't lie to him, at least not that he knew. He definitely
didn't want to be taken away from him so he guessed he was going to have to
control his fear. In a whisper he tried to explain to Bill what he was
feeling.

"I hurt so much when he did that to me. Other boys look at me funny all the
time and I'm frightened they will want to do the same thing. I love you so
much Bill, I want you to love me too but if I've been made to do dirty
things I don't think you will."

"I know it hurt Baby, and I know you didn't want it to happen. Boys and
girls are going to look at you differently because you are such a beautiful
boy. Men are going to as well if they are boy lovers so you are always
going to have to be careful to keep in company when you are away from
me. You must also never go off with anyone you don't know whatever they say
to you. Lee will be in your class I think so if you stick with him until
Mrs. Taylor picks you both up each day you will be ok. While you are in
school, try to never be alone, that way the bigger boys won't be able to do
horrible things to you."

Chris nodded sagely at Bill's advice, and when Bill saw the look, it was
all he could do not to laugh.

"Are you a boy lover Bill?"

Ooh, that was a hot one. Bill thought about it, wondering how to phrase his
answer. He lifted Chris up and held him straddled across his lap so that
they were face to face. He needed to make sure that Chris read the correct
meaning into what he was going to say to him.

"Yes I'm a boy lover, but only this boy sat on my lap. I love you so much,
if you were my own son I couldn't love you more. I am never going to hurt
you and I am never going to do anything to you that you don't like. What
that boy did was truly wicked and he will spend a long time behind bars
paying the price for doing something so evil."

Chris was obviously content with that answer because he fell forward onto
Bill's chest and hugged him.

"I'll try very hard to do what you want, but is it alright to be a bit
scared?"

"Yes Little Man, if you are a little scared you won't forget what I've told
you. Lee is a good boy and you like Mrs. Taylor don't you?"

Chris nodded and Bill knew he had made the right decision even if it did
smack a little of blackmail.

"Ok, I have some yard work to do, are you going to play with Lee now?"

Chris nodded a little uncertainly but he went, that was the important
breakthrough.

Bill wandered across to the Taylor's once he saw Chris playing with Lee in
the yard.

"Hi Dick, hi Pam."

Bill was smiling as he spoke and Pam picked up on it. He had told the
Taylors the problem Chris had and seeing him smiling Pam guessed something
good had happened.

"I'm going to take Chris in to school on Monday to register him. Will you
pick him up daily with Lee and look after him until I come home?"

"Of course I will. I'm so pleased Bill, he is such a lovely little boy, no
one should have to contend with what he is going through."

Bill nodded and his eyes glistened.

"You love him very much don't you?"

"Yes Pam, as much as I would love my own son if I had one."

Sunday night, with Chris asleep in bed, Bill went through everything he
needed to do to make the transition to school boy as smooth as
possible. Lunch made and stowed in a neat new lunch box. Back pack, also
new, loaded with sports gear and a clean pair of pants, just in case of an
accident. Lunch box would go straight from the fridge to that in the
morning. He sorted suitable clothes for Chris to wear and when he had gone
through his own mental check list a dozen times he felt safe going to bed
himself.

Every night Bill's going to bed routine had been the same since Chris
appeared on the scene. He would go and clean his teeth but on the way back
he would check on Chris. The door was always left ajar and there was a
small night light. Into his own bedroom, and once again the door was left
ajar. If Chris had a bad dream he would end up in Bill's bed snuggled in so
close Bill nearly suffocated.

Gradually Bill had got used to another being in his house at night, but
initially Chris only had to turn over in bed for Bill to be wide awake and
checking on him.

There were some interesting thoughts in the minds of mostly Mums the next
morning when a 6 foot 4 inch broad shouldered giant walked into school
holding the hand of a little blond boy who barely came to the man's waist.

The headmaster was expecting this new boy and had been appraised of the
damage that had been done to a young mind. Bill let the head know who would
be picking Chris up at the end of school and that if there was any bullying
or sexual abuse of his little angel he would not be responsible for his
actions. There was absolutely no doubt in the head's mind what Bill was
implying. This was one man he didn't want to cross. He determined that all
of his staff should be aware that Mr. Stevens was likely to spoil the life
of any staff member that neglected Chris.

The new system worked. Chris still saw a psychiatrist once per week, but he
wouldn't discuss his assault, he just appeared to bury it deeper and
deeper. No one liked this but without being blunt and possibly traumatising
the boy there didn't appear to be any choice but to just keep jogging him a
little each time the subject came up.

Bill was reasonably happy, Chris was settling in nicely, he had obviously
taken to Lee who although a year younger was considerably bigger than
Chris. Lee obviously felt the same about Chris and became his
protector. They played well together and even at weekends when Bill was
there all the time, Chris would run next door to play.

Three months and it was back to court. The judge had the psychiatric report
which she discussed before allowing Chris into the court room.

"This is not encouraging Mr. Stevens is it?"

"No your honour, but like the doctor, I feel it would be very dangerous to
hit Chris head on with it. I think he should be allowed to grow up a little
more, gain some more self confidence and be surer of his place in his
society. We have started him on a self defence programme and when we are
sure he is confident in that perhaps the doctor and I together can get him
to open up."

"Perhaps it would be better to put him into care again in a controlled
environment."

The judge had no intention of doing any such thing, but she wanted to see
the reaction from Bill before calling Chris in.

Bill was incredulous, he barely managed to control his anger at that
suggestion. Through gritted teeth he spoke.

"That is the worst scenario I can think of your honour. I'm convinced that
would totally destroy him. I love that little boy more than I would my own
son if I had one, and he loves me as well. I give him the love and
stability he needs, you can't take that away from him."

The judge just grunted and called Chris. He immediately sat down next to
Bill and grabbed his hand. He looked up at Bill before looking at the
judge. She immediately saw the love that he had for this gentle giant.

"Chris, come and sit next to me."

A high chair was brought and Chris grinned at Bill over the top of the
judge's bench.

"Now young man we have to decide what to do with you long term."

The look of horror that she saw on his face almost made the rest of the
hearing academic. She realised there was no possibility of separating him
from the man mountain almost crushing the arm of his chair as he waited for
her verdict.

"Doctor Marchment tells me you aren't helping him find out your feelings
about your nasty experience, and we thought if you were in care again where
he can see you every day it might help."

"Oh no, I want to stay with Bill, I love him so much and he looks after
me."

"Well, if I allow that, will you try to talk to the doctor for me?"

Chris nodded but couldn't speak, tears were tumbling down his face in a
torrent.

"Alright, back to your seat while I think about this."

He was off the high chair and in Bill's arms almost faster than the speed
of light. Bill was trying to calm him at the same time as he was trying to
stop his own tears falling. He couldn't even begin to imagine having to
give up this boy. He looked up at the judge and what she saw convinced her
that the decision she was going to hand down was the right one.

"Miss Wiley, if I recommend that Mr. Stevens be allowed to adopt this boy
rather than just foster him, can that be done with the minimum of fuss and
disruption to their lives?"

Janet was dumbfounded, in all her time she had never heard a judge hand
down this kind of judgement.

"Yes, I think so your honour, with your signature on the documents."

"Good, bring them to my chambers as soon as you have them made out. Let's
get this family sorted so that they can get on with their
lives. Mr. Stevens, as the boy's father I will expect you to make sound
decisions on his future counselling. The local authority is picking up the
bill so you make sure you use Dr. Marchment's services to the full."

Bill could hardly speak as he lost the battle with the tears. No one in the
court room could believe the sight before them, a man mountain and a little
blond angel clinging to each other for grim death and both crying their
eyes out.

Janet was delighted. Her gut feeling about Bill Stevens had proved correct,
he really was a good and unusual man.
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