This is a story involving love between an adult man and a boy. There will be sexually explicit parts in places, though sex is not the central theme. It also explores themes that some may find disturbing. Nobody is forcing you to read anything that you dislike, or to continue reading about matters that upset you. While the story is complete fiction, it is not written in a vacuum.

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By villager@hushmail.me 

Abuse – Part 12

continued from part 11 ...

Don't get up, you pair of drunken sots,” John laughed, “I'll make us all a pot of tea. Oh – I can't see Jake's wheelchair, where did you put it?” he asked.

Oh bugger,” Bill said, “We left it in the pub – it should be safe.”

How did Jake get home?” John asked.

He walked,” Bill replied, “Wi' a wee bit o' help from mesel' o' course.”

Jake stared at Bill, dumbfounded.



____________________

By the time Matthew started his new school term a week later, Jake was pretty much fully recovered, and was giving some much-needed attention to John's back garden while John made them some lunch when the 'phone rang.

John chatted into the instrument for a few minutes and then called out to Jake. “Jake, it's Joan, she'd like to speak with you.”

Joan had promised to take care of a few things for Jake whilst he had been unwell, and with her usual efficiency had sent all the necessary forms that Jake had signed to various organisations, giving her permission to handle his affairs on Jake's behalf.

As I thought, Jake,” she informed him, “Your mortgage company got you to take out a payment protection insurance when you bought your house. You are probably aware that you have been paying for it every month.”

Umm … no, I didn't know that,” Jake admitted, “It all came out my bank account automatically every month, and I don't remember any insurance apart from the house and contents insurance ...”

Well, banks are often a bit underhanded, and probably sneaked it in when you were signing the transfer and other documents,” Joan explained. “Anyway, the upshot is that the insurance covered you for loss of income due to accident or medical disability, and they have agreed that you qualify. They could easily have disputed it because your loss of job was only indirectly related, but that sort of insurance has had a bad press recently, and I suspect they don't want to add to the fire by seeming reluctant to pay out. They have refunded all your mortgage repayments since you became unemployed, and will continue to pay until you're back in work.”

Good grief, that's marvellous,” Jake said, “I thought the house would have been repossessed by now and me bankrupt!”

No,” said Joan, “After the refund you have a fairly reasonable bank balance, though it won't last you forever.”

It won't have to,” Jake assured her, “I've been lazing about living off John for far too long, now I can move back to my place and get back to work. And I'm not going to let John stay out of pocket, either!”

After the call, Jake passed the news to John, and saw that instead of looking as delighted as Jake was, John's shoulders slumped and he became quiet, though he pretended to be pleased.

When Matthew came home from school, Jake told him the good news as well, and suggested they move back home the next day, “I don't want to impose on John's generosity longer than I have to,” he explained.

Jake saw the expression on Matthew's face. “Umm … unless you and John would both prefer for you to live here ...” Jake offered, realising for the first time the strength of the bond they had formed, and the reason for John's less-than-enthusiastic reception of the news. “After all, I'm only just round the corner, so we'd still see each other ...”

Matthew's face lit up and he leapt up at his father, hugging him, “I'll come and see you every day after school,” he promised, “And help you in the house and stuff.”

He had been with Matthew for a mere two weeks, but John had found the thought of living alone once more unimaginable. He clasped Jake's hand, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Dinner at the Oak?” he enquired. Jake nodded his agreement.



____________________

Matthew and Ralph walked together toward the school gates as soon as the last bell had rung. Brett had a free afternoon from college, and the three of them were going to see the latest blockbuster in town. John had taken Jake for a routine hospital checkup, and they had both assured Matthew that there was no point in him accompanying them.

Brett was late as usual, and Matthew and Ralph chatted on the path as they waited. A battered car pulled up beside them, and the driver approached Ralph, ignoring Matthew completely. Ralph immediately cowered back against the school fence. With shock, Matthew recognised the thug he had last seen in the pub with Ralph's mother, and who he now knew had been torturing Ralph before John's intervention.

Pete!” Ralph exclaimed in a frightened voice, “W-what are you doing here?”

Where's your fucking whore mother,” snarled Pete, grabbing the front of Ralph's shirt, “We have some unfinished business.”

Leave him alone!” shouted Matthew.

And who's this little shrimp?” growled Pete, letting go of Ralph and turning menacingly toward Matthew.

Matthew's heart was hammering in his chest. He remembered something John had told him: “Don't let them see that you're scared.”

Piss off!” Matthew hissed at the thug, hoping that his trembling was not obvious and he wouldn't pee himself.

Another car had just pulled up, and Brett, seeing what was going on was hurriedly opening its door.

Pete's fist swung round to give Matthew a vicious punch on the side of his face. Matthew stepped to one side and grabbed his arm in what had become a well-practised movement, and he stepped behind Pete and shoved. Pete was suddenly writhing on the path, holding a disfigured shoulder.

It worked!” cried Matthew in disbelief. Despite the number of times he had persuaded John to show him that particular technique, and John telling him that a previously dislocated shoulder would pop out again quite easily, he had never quite believed that it would work in real life.

Pete was struggling to get up when Brett's foot between his shoulder-blades pushed him back to the ground, making the thug scream in agony. Brett, who had seen the whole thing, was looking at Matthew in amazement as he spoke into his mobile phone. Pete had meanwhile decided that it was far less painful to stay as still as possible. Ralph was still thanking Matthew as a police car drew up.

Whether the testimony of the two boys would be sufficient to get Steve charged with assault was debatable, but as it turned out largely irrelevant, because the quantity of class A drugs the arresting officer found in Pete's car was sufficient to assure him of a lengthy jail sentence whether convicted of the assault or not.

As they waited for the ambulance that would take Pete under police escort to hospital, a second police car arrived, and the police officer who had made the arrest insisted that Matthew demonstrate to the new arrivals what he had done.

Say, I recognise you - you were on the news just after Christmas,” one of the recently arrived officers exclaimed, and shook Matthew's hand warmly. “If only there were more kids like you, I'd be out of a job!” he enthused.

Later, when giving his statement at the police station with John and Jake in attendance, it seemed that every police officer in the station came by to shake Matthew's hand.

Pete pleaded guilty to supplying class A drugs, and in a separate contested trial in which both John and Brett were prosecution witnesses backing up Matthew and Ralph's testimonies, a jury found him guilty of repeated assaults on Ralph and the attempted assault of Matthew. He was sentenced to seven years in jail for the drugs, and three years for the assaults. Additionally, the assaults labelled him as a child abuser amongst the other inmates, lowest of the low in the pecking order.



____________________

Graham Shaw looked at the collection of letters on his doormat despondently. It was the end of January, and most would be bills. His job paid reasonably well, but his family consisting of two primary school boys and a teenager were expensive, and he knew he had used his credit cards far too freely over Christmas. Their ancient washing machine had broken down once again, and Graham didn't know how many more times he would be able to repair it, and to added to that, water had started cascading from his gas boiler the previous night, and there was no way he would be able to afford to replace it for months, though he knew that using electricity for heating and hot water would cost twice as much.

One envelope stood out from the rest, being pale blue and with a handwritten address. Putting off opening the more familiar pile of buff-coloured envelopes, he tore it open and read the handwritten letter inside.



Dear Mr. Shaw,

Sorry for giving you a fright at Wickburn crossing on Christmas day. We're both OK now. Thanks for not telling. Hope you're OK too.

M + J



Graham relived the moment he had watched, horrified, as a young boy had stood up on the tracks in front of his train. He had heard of similar incidents from some of the other drivers, but none involving a child. He had of course reacted immediately, but knew that there was no chance of stopping in time, and that the child would not respond to his warning hooter. Then he had seen a man running toward the boy, and had pounded the console of the cab with his fist, willing the man to get to the child before his train did. As he passed their position he had looked back through the side window of his cab and seen them tumbling down the embankment, not knowing whether he had hit them or not.

Later he saw the man stumbling over the fence with the child in his arms. For some reason he could not fathom, he had impulsively lied and said he had stopped because there were drunks playing the fool near the track. He had wondered every day since then whether the child had been saved or whether the man had been carrying a dead body.

His day was suddenly a lot brighter, Graham had not realised just how much the incident had been preying on his mind. As he started to pop the letter back in the envelope, he noticed another piece of paper inside. His eyes opened wide as he read the figure on the bankers' cheque.

Stop daydreaming or you'll be late for work, honey,” Graham's wife appeared in the room.

Graham smiled up at her and ran his hand gently over her distended tummy. There would soon be another addition to the family, and his other three were all looking forward excitedly to another brother. A girl might have been nice, but he didn't mind another son, and just hoped he would be healthy.

Call Joe and ask him if he can fit a new boiler today,” Graham asked her, “And go online and order a washing machine – that one's had it.”

We can't afford it,” his wife said.

Graham held up the cheque. “We can now,” he replied, and then said, “Goodbye dear, see you tonight,” and kissed her on the cheek. Then he lifted her jumper and kissed her tummy. “Goodbye Bert.”

It's Dave,” laughed his wife.

James”

Henry”

Sod it, we'll call him Matthew.”

Graham was still laughing as he walked to the station, his steps light. “I wonder what made me think of that name?” he wondered idly.

Matthew John Shaw was born three days later, perfectly healthy.



____________________

It had become traditional to meet together at “The Oak” every January 1st since that fateful Christmas. In fact Bill's bagpipes had become a big attraction every year.

I hear you got your degree,” Gareth said.

Yup, I'm back home with John full time now,” replied Matthew.

Now I expect him to work his backside off,” John grinned at Gareth, “I want to retire in a couple of years, and I can't leave the company to Matthew if he's not earned his stripes!”

You can't beat retirement,” Jake observed, having retired himself a few months previously.

How long are you back in the country for?” Gareth asked Brett.

Only until the 12th,” Brett replied, “I can't wait to get back in fact – I can't take the cold any more!”

I'll be going with him this time,” Ralph informed Gareth excitedly, “I got my degree as well, and managed to persuade the company's manager to hire me!”

Matthew and Ralph had remained the best of pals right through University.

How's that overseas operation going, John?” Gareth wanted to know.

Opening a subsidiary in Brazil was the best move the company has made,” John asserted, “The board didn't like my idea to begin with, but they've changed their mind now! Brett did an excellent job as its manager in getting it off the ground so quickly, I hardly had to do any work on it myself. Not only has it opened up a huge market in that region, but you wouldn't believe the amount of tax we are saving by having a South American branch for the bean-counters to play with!”

I can't wait for Ralph to see our house,” Brett said, “I didn't want to be so far away at first, but I am glad I agreed to take the job John offered me. With Ralph at University we wouldn't have seen each other much anyway.”

Bill picked up the bottle of scotch and filled everyone's glasses. Raising his glass, he said, “A toast to Joan!”

They all lifted their glasses.

To Auntie Joan,” said Matthew.

A silent tear fell from John's cheek onto the table as their glasses moved toward the empty chair at the head of the table.

Rest in peace, Auntie Joan, I hope we've made you proud.”

THE END



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