Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2019 22:31:20 +0000 (UTC) From: jagfantsw Subject: A Kid Named Ryan, Chapter 6 From jagfantsw@yahoo.com A Kind Named Ryan [If you are enjoying this and/or other stories on Nifty, please make sure you make a donation to support them. Thanks. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html] Chapter 6 My cell phone ringing startled me awake from the nap. Ryan wasn't in bed with me, but he brought me the phone. "Thanks," I said as I took it from him. "Mark? It's Jim Braselton." "Oh, hi, Mr. Braselton. You have something for us?" "Yes. And by the way, just call me 'Jim,' please. The judge agreed with the request and has granted you custody of Ryan for two months." I shook my head in disbelief and said into the phone, "What? That's great!" Ryan looked at me and mouthed, "What?" I just put a finger in the air indicating be patient. Jim continued, "Now someone from CFS is going to contact you in order to determine that you can properly care for Ryan and all that. You will have to complete a financial disclosure form to show you can financially support him, too. My suggestion would be for you to get with your father and see if he will be back up for that part of the arrangement. While there's a very good chance Ryan will be set pretty well financially for the future, in the meantime you'll have to prove you can provide for him." "Ok. No problem. Anything else?" "Oh, yes, one thing. We have permission for Ryan to be able to get into his house and retrieve clothes and personal items until the place is no longer considered ... well, you know. An officer from the police department will be calling you to set up a time, more than likely tomorrow." "That's great, Jim. Thank you; thank you very much!" As we said our good-byes, I ended the call and looked at Ryan who was standing in the doorway of my bedroom. I said, "Great news. You're with me for the next 60 days!" The smile on his face was unmatched. He slowly walked over to where I was sitting on the edge of my bed, tears were already filling his eyes. He leaned over, embraced me and, through his tears, mumbled, "Thank you," as best he could. He then sat down next to me with his arms around my waist as I told him the other news about being able to get into his home, probably tomorrow. "So begin thinking what it is you need for the next week or so. Okay?" Our eyes met and I think he wanted to lean in and kiss me. The look between us was, no doubt, longer than necessary. To break the tension, I let out a deep sigh, stood up and said, "Wow. I wasn't expecting that." It was meant both to cover the news about the judge's ruling and that immediate moment on the edge of my bed. As I walked toward the door I said to Ryan, "Come here. Let's talk." I sat on the floor in the living room and motioned for him to sit in front of me. He had yet to put a shirt on so it was still disconcerting for me to have him like this, now sitting, once more, within arm's reach of me. He looked at me and said, "What?" "Ryan, we have to make sure that stuff doesn't happen. I told you earlier that with all that's going on, your emotions are really raw right now. Mine are, too. You're going to want do anything that will reassure you that you're loved and you're not alone. I promise you, both are true. But what just happened in there, that tension I know both you and I felt, we have to do everything to make sure it doesn't lead to anything sexual." "I know," Ryan said as he cast his eyes to the floor. I held out my right hand and said, "Give me your hand." "Why?" "Just do it ... if you trust me." He put his right hand in mine and I then asked him to look at me. "Ryan, I love you and I respect you. As of now, so much has changed. I'm not your parent, but for the time being I've become your guardian for all-intents-and-purposes. Presuming that what you have already indicated - that you want to remain with me for a while - we have to work together to make sure that all this is right. You understand?" "I think so." "You've been able to talk to me about anything and everything. That's why, I believe, you trust me and, in the wake of this tragedy you're going through, you want me to provide some sense of comfort and stability in your life. We'll make this work, but it has to be 'we' - you and me. We're in this together." "Mr. M ...." And I stopped him. "No more 'Mr. M.' Okay? From now on, when we're not at school or anything like that, I'm 'Mark.'" He smiled as he said, "That's what I was going to ask; if I could start calling you by your first name and drop 'Mr. M.'" We both chuckled. I leaned over and gave him a hug, then got him to stand up with me. I put his face between my hands and said, once again looking into his eyes, "I love you." Then I gave him a kiss on the top of his head. He smiled that smile that always made me melt. He finally went in and put on a tee shirt. Later that night, Tim called to find out what was going on, how Ryan was doing and to let me know the rest of the team was back home. "Can we do anything?" "Not that I can think of, but it would probably be good for Ryan to be around some of his peers right now. Maybe we can figure a way to get them together with him tomorrow or Sunday." Tim responded, "Yeh. Let's figure something out." And with that, the first full day after Ryan's parents had died was practically over. The TV was on and Ryan was watching something, but I couldn't tell what it was. As the 10:00 news came on, I told him I was going to bed. "Can I come in with you?" "Ryan, we talked about this." "Just for tonight." I said, "Do you want to sleep with me or do you need to sleep with me?" "What's the difference?" "A 'want' is, more often than not, a selfish request; a 'need' can be, too, but the 'need' can be satisfied without any strings attached," I said. "If this isn't a selfish 'want,' then yes, I'll let you sleep in my bed tonight." He said it wasn't a 'want.' I wasn't sure whether to believe him or not and reluctantly agreed. He smiled as he got up from the sofa and walked with me into my bed room. Somehow, deep inside me, I knew this would come back to haunt me.