Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2011 12:09:27 -0400 From: Chris Johns Subject: Brett and Daniel Pt.1 I have another story in the 'New Love First Love Series' almost complete. While I finish it and edit it I am posting this story which I hope you enjoy. This story is complete and I will post a chapter every few days. A little historical fact. Villages in old England invariably had a major landowner and most of the property in the village would be rented from him. He would be the `Lord of the Manor' and lived in the largest house, (of course), usually called The Manse, or The Hall. In modern times those once great houses have either been knocked down or turned into old people's homes, mostly. Brett's was an exception for the benefit of this story. This is a love story and is total fiction, but, like any love story the people in it have their ups and downs that disappoint one another. In the case of Daniel and Brett the scenarios are more extreme than most relationships achieve. Raunchy this one isn't although there is of course some sex. For really raunchy stories email me for the index to my stories in nifty Prolific Net Authors. Brett and Daniel Chapter 1 Brett held the boy close trying to give him feelings of security. He had done the same for the last few nights, but the boy sobbed as though his heart would break until he fell asleep out of pure exhaustion. During the day he never spoke, but he appeared quite normal apart from that. He followed Brett around like a little pet dog and helped him with chores and with his other work. The best thing for Brett was that the boy had started to eat after the first day and was now looking a lot more together than the scrawny, cowed animal he had been the night he had found him. Age was still a question mark, his identity hadn't been confirmed yet even though the authorities were fairly certain of it. When he had brought the boy home he was disgusting so Brett had stripped him and put him in a hot bath to soak. Scoping him out, Brett had assessed him to be seriously undernourished, and judging by his size only about 11 or 12 years old. The anomaly though was the fact that he had gone through puberty and had a reasonable amount of hair under arms and around his genitals. A whisper of hair on his forearms and lower legs indicated the boy to be mid teens. He was definitely Anglo Saxon so he couldn't use the criteria that attached to many boys of Arab or Indian descent, who tended to get hairy earlier. Working flat out to finish the new altar rails Brett knew he was going to be here in the church until the small hours of the morning. The vicar had called in about eight and left supper for him. "God bless you Brett, I don't know how we would manage without you." "Not a problem Father, I know how important tomorrow is so I'll finish this before I leave. I'll turn all the lights off and lock up. I'm sure I'll miss the early service but I'll try to make matins." "Thank you Brett, you're a good man." Brett was pleased, he was a computer nerd who had made a fortune before he was thirty, had always loved working with wood, and now indulged that love with a fully equipped workshop where he made beautifully crafted wooden artefacts. The church had been the biggest beneficiary of his talent, he had slowly replaced all the wood, the last thing being the beautifully ornamented rails that surrounded the altar. He looked at his watch as the final piece of the jigsaw slipped into place all dowelled and glued. By the time the church opened for the first service it would all be set. He packed his tools and left them in the vestry to be collected the next day. Turning out all the lights he locked the doors as he left and slipped the keys in his pocket for later return. Instead of leaving by the main drive and gate, Brett turned left and made his way through the graveyard. By using the back gate he would save a ten minute walk to his home. He soon learnt the meaning of the expression, `silent as a graveyard'. It was a little eerie, but there was a moon that shed enough light to be able to see. Almost to the gate he heard a noise, off to his right where there was a small copse of trees. He stopped and heard more clearly the sound of someone crying. Moving quietly towards the sound what he saw was a small body, sobbing its heart out scrunched up against a headstone. Moving closer he knelt down close enough to touch it. He spoke quietly as he reached forward and touched a very thin and bony shoulder. The face turned to him in shock was a boy, dirty, shivering, quite small. "Hello youngster, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be home in bed?" The boy clung to the gravestone as though his life depended on it and turning his face away continued to sob his heart out. Brett couldn't leave him there, and despite spending a lot of time during the last ten years sat at a computer consul, he was tall and well built. Regular spells in the gym had ensured his body was as good as his mind. He picked the boy up in his arms, and still speaking gently to him told him the score. "I can't leave you out here all night. I'm going to take you to my home and we'll think about what to do with you in the morning." Two things immediately became apparent to Brett as he continued his walk home. The boy was as light as a feather and he stank. He also appeared to have a bottomless well of tears. When they arrived home Brett went straight up the stairs to his bathroom, before puting the boy down. Stood in the light of the bathroom Brett slowly undressed him telling him what was going to happen. "I'm going to bath you, find you some sleep wear and take you to bed. In the morning we'll talk, ok?" The boy nodded but continued to cry. He was so undernourished he hardly had the strength to stand. Brett checked the temperature of the water running into the bath before lifting the boy in and letting him soak. The picture presented to him was a boy seriously undernourished, no, more than undernourished, the boy looked starved, about five feet tall with huge soulful hazel eyes. The shock of hair was filthy and tangled. The face made Brett gasp. It was angelic, the child was beautiful, in his eyes. He was like putty in Brett's hands as he made him stand to be washed all over, not showing any signs of embarrassment when his genitals and bottom were washed. Brett used the shower head to wash the boy's hair revealing the true colour, a rich almost blond curly mop. It hung to his shoulders and it was as soft as silk. Leaving the boy to soak, Brett stripped and showered before lifting the boy out and drying him. He found a new toothbrush and watched the boy clean his teeth while Brett brushed his hair. The sleep shorts Brett found were, of course, to big, but they had a waist tie so they would stay on. Brett put his own shorts on before carrying the boy to his bed and climbing in alongside him. "Sleep now boy. We'll talk in the morning." The boy snuggled in close to Brett and finally cried himself to sleep. The next morning, Brett washed the boy again and took him through to the kitchen where he asked him what he would like for breakfast. No answer. He put a glass of orange juice in front of him and he drank, but cereals, eggs, toast, each plate in turn was ignored. Brett ate and watched. The boy never let his eyes move from Brett's. "You have to eat boy. Is there nothing you want?" The boy just continued to watch. "My name is Brett, do you have a name?" The boy nodded but that was as far as Brett got. He settled the boy in the lounge in front of the TV while he washed the clothes that the boy had worn. They were hardly worth the effort. They were only fit for the rag bag really, but there were no others. The boy's trainer's were falling apart and he had no socks. When he pulled the clothes out of the washing machine an hour later he was at a loss. They had simply disintegrated. "I have to go out to buy you some new clothes. Will you promise to stay here until I get back?" The boy looked at Brett for ages before eventually nodding his head. Brett knew he should get someone else to watch the lad or do the shopping, but he somehow felt that the boy needed to get to know him first. He risked it. He measured the boy for foot size and clothing, adding a little in anticipation of him filling out once he had got him to eat. He made a detour to the graveyard again and found that the headstone the boy had hung onto was a Maria Duncan, who had died two years ago at the age of 28. Next stop was the vicar. "Father, what can you tell me about Maria Duncan. She died about two years ago and is buried in the graveyard?" "Ah Brett, a sad case that. You were away at the time and missed all of the action. The mother died quite suddenly leaving a thirteen year old boy and a husband. The day after the funeral the husband and boy disappeared. The house was just left for the owner to sort. The next day the husband was found in the woods. He had hung himself, we assumed out of grief. Of the boy there was no sign, and never has been since. There was a major search for him, but nothing, no trace was ever found. The difficulty was that he had been home schooled so no one knew him, or would recognise him even if he were found. Why do you ask?" "I think I may have found him last night on my way home. He was clinging to the gravestone and sobbing. It doesn't look as though his clothes have been washed in years, they just disintegrated when I put them in the machine. He is also very undernourished to the point of starvation, and he looks about 12 years old." "Well, it may not be the same boy, this one would be fifteen." Brett thought about that and realised this boy could easily be 15 judging by his physical development. "Father, I'm going to slip into town to buy him some clothes. Do you think you could contact social services and the police. When I come back we'll try to discover who he is and what to do with him. He won't speak, by the way, and he wouldn't eat either." Brett did as he had planned. The boy looked much better when Brett had dressed him. "There we are boy, now you look so good shall we try to find out who you are?" A look of fear was the only response Brett got for that. He walked the boy through to the lounge and sat down with him on his knee. "We have to let people in authority know you are here and try to find out who you are. If I were to keep you without their knowledge I would be in trouble." Response to that was the boy clinging to Brett like a limpet and starting to sob again. Brett stood up, the boy on his hip as he walked to the telephone. "Father, I'm back at the house, can you bring the people over." A few minutes later a male and a female police officer were on the doorstep with the vicar and a woman who was introduced as Ms Willis from social services. Brett repeated his story to them while he gently stroked the boy trying to calm him. "We'll take him into care Mr. Salmon, the police can take a DNA sample and get it compared to both parents. We should be able to confirm his identity then. He'll need a full medical and psychological assessment before we can decide his future." "That all sounds very cold Ms. Willis. If he is who you think he is won't he need someone with him that he feels comfortable with initially?" "Well, that's not possible Mr. Salmon, we don't have those kind of resources." "That sounds more than a little uncaring. Aren't you supposed be helping him, not driving him deeper into himself?" "I don't have time for this. The police officers will take the boy now." The police woman reached for the boy only to be almost blasted out of the room by the power of his scream, at the same time he almost choked Brett he was gripping him so hard. Holding him close Brett talked softly to him explaining what needed to happen, but all he got was a shake of the head and more tears. Ms. Willis and the police woman tried to prize the boy from Brett only to be fought by a demon. Brett couldn't stand this so he moved away from them and looked appealingly at the vicar. "Please, Father, the boy feels safe with me. I have nothing pressing to do can't I remain with him while all the medical stuff is done. He can stay with me indefinitely if it helps him." "Out of the question. You're a young, single male. It's more than my job's worth to leave the boy with you." "And your job will be perfectly safe if you traumatise this boy beyond any hopes of recovery, is that it?" The argument flowed back and forth with Ms. Willis digging her heels in even harder and hinting at paedophilia until the police constable stepped in. "Ms. Willis, I have young children of my own and I don't see your attitude and stance as being helpful to this boy. I don't know Mr. Salmon, but I can see the boy has bonded with him. I'm sure that if his medical is fine, and the vicar will vouch for Mr. Salmon that it would be more beneficial to the boy to remain here." Ms. Willis was astounded and after further argument the constable talked to his boss and wonder of wonders, it was arranged to take this to a magistrate for a decision. "Don't be stupid constable, this is Sunday." "Yes and there is a magistrate on call 24/7. We are going to see her now." Brett's heart sank. Another woman, there was no chance he would get any more understanding from her than he had from this social worker. He could not have been more wrong. The magistrate was very conscious of the boy's fragile state. After grilling Brett and the vicar she made a decision that floored the social worker. "I think the boy should be given into Mr. Salmon's care while everything is done to find out who he is, and then let the boy see a psychiatrist. Mr. Salmon, I expect you to return here in one month with the boy showing signs of improvement that would allow me to continue the temporary custody order." Looking down at the boy, she spoke in a soft caressing voice. "Is that what you want to happen little one?" The boy looked up at her and stopped crying for the first time in hours before nodding his head. It was all worked out with telephone calls that Brett would take the boy to the hospital on the Monday for a full medical and blood tests and in the afternoon they would see a child psychiatrist. At home once again, Brett decided a little blackmail wouldn't hurt at all. "If I am going to be allowed to keep you I must show that you have improved in my care. For that to happen you have to look much better than you do now. That means you have to eat. Will you do that for me?" The boy looked at Brett and gently nodded his head. "Come along then, let's see what we can find in the kitchen." Brett then went through the kitchen pointing at food articles. "If you like it let me know." After a series of nods and some head shaking Brett had a pile of food on the work surface, which in short order, he had turned into a meal, of sorts. The important thing for Brett was that the boy ate a good quantity of nutritious food. "I'm going to be in trouble with the vicar Boy, I haven't been to church today. Would you come with me to Evensong?" A very doubtful look came over the boy's face but then he nodded shyly and moved in close to hug Brett. The hug brought tears to Brett's eyes, he so wished the boy would talk to him. He couldn't even begin to imagine what he had been going through if he had been living rough and incommunicado for the last two years. He must have stolen food when he could and not spoken to anyone in that time. Maybe that was why he wouldn't speak now. They went to Evensong, much to the pleasure of the vicar, but the boy never let go of Brett's hand, even for a minute. Back at the house Brett made a light supper of Farmhouse soup with chunks of warm crusty bread. The boy ate the lot and drank another glass of juice. All cleared away and Brett sat the boy down and knelt in front of him. "I like having you here with me. I'd like it even more if I had a name to call you, Boy isn't very personal. Do you know your name?" The boy nodded. "Will you tell me then?" The anguish on the boy's face made Brett gasp and grab hold of the boy in an all encompassing cuddle. "It's not important, don't worry about it. We'll be fine as we are." He felt the boy relax, and then sigh, "Daniel", said so softly Brett hardly heard it. Holding Daniel's shoulders and moving him back far enough to look in his eyes Brett smiled a warm and understanding smile. "Daniel?" And the boy nodded. "That's a very special name, and I bet you haven't said it in a long time, have you?" He shook his head. Brett put out his hand, and with a huge smile on his face said, "I'm Brett and I'm very pleased to meet you Daniel." Daniel took the proffered hand and smiled. Brett wanted to die. The smile lit up the whole room. "I bought you some pyjamas today Daniel, so tonight, two choices. You can sleep in your own bedroom or you can snuggle up with me again." Brett's thinking was that the boy would be feeling very insecure, still, so he didn't want to exacerbate that feeling by pushing him away. For the second night Daniel snuggled up close to Brett, but he still cried himself to sleep. The next day Brett took Daniel to the hospital. Apart from the undernourished state of the boy, everything else appeared to be ok. The results of the blood tests wouldn't be known for a few days though. Next stop was the child psychiatrist who obviously had some problems because Daniel wouldn't talk. "Don't worry about it Doc. He told me his name, we'll explore who he is using that as a start and I'm sure he will talk to me eventually, won't you Daniel?" Daniel looked hard at Brett before nodding his head and then dropping his eyes. Brett hugged the boy. "We're going to be ok Doc. I'll talk to you again when Daniel and I are conversing." Another squeeze of Daniel's shoulder and the boy looked up at Brett again and smiled. Brett smiled back and thought, `we'll get there kiddo, believe me'. Nothing changed very much for the next few days. Daniel spoke no more but continued to eat healthily. Brett was delighted, the scrawny look disappeared and the boy looked more relaxed but he still cried himself to sleep every night cuddled up to Brett. During those few days, Daniel helped Brett in his workshop, soon learning how to use a wood lathe and some of the other wood working tools. Brett noticed how happy he appeared to be doing things. The next big step Brett decided to take on his own. He took Daniel back to the grave, carrying with him a basket of flowers and a small trowel and fork to tidy it up. "Daniel, is this your mother?" The boy looked up at Brett and with tears streaming down his face nodded and said, very quietly, "Yes." Brett wanted to cry as well. Now he had some idea of the trauma this boy had been faced with two years ago. What he did do was kneel beside the boy, take him in his arms and speak. "I am so sorry for your loss. Now though, do you think your mum would like her grave to have flowers on it and look neat and tidy?" Daniel nodded and Brett told him what they were going to do. "I'll bring some special cleaner next time and we'll make the headstone look like new. I have some spare turf in the yard, we'll cover your mum with that and leave a hole near the middle for an urn so that we can put fresh flowers in whenever we need to. Would you like that?" Daniel nodded again, then he threw his arms around Brett and kissed him on the lips. Brett wanted to die with happiness, the boy was a wonder and his lips were so soft and inviting. "Thank you Daniel, that was the best kiss I've ever had." There were tears in his eyes as he said it and Daniel used a thumb to brush them away before smiling that beautiful angelic smile that Brett had only seen a couple of times. They tidied up the grave that day and when they were back at the house Brett told Daniel what they were going to do. "I'm going to `phone that nice constable who helped me to keep you, and tell him who you are. Then we are going into town to find a beautiful vase for your mum's flowers, sound good so far?" Daniel smiled and nodded. "Can you use a computer Daniel?" Again Brett got a nod. "Ok, we are also going to buy you a computer with all the software we need for you to start your education again. Ok?" Daniel nodded again. Stooping down so that he was eye to eye with Daniel, Brett said, "I'm sure you haven't been doing much talking this last couple of years, but will you try again now? We can keep it a secret until you are talking easily. I promise not to tell anyone until you say I can." The boy smiled and said quite clearly, "Ok Brett." Brett did the kissing this time. "I think I'm going to love having you around Little Man, I hope they will let you stay with me." Daniel smiled again and hugged Brett. Brett couldn't remember ever being so happy. He realised he had been almost as lonely as Daniel these last few years. Daniel felt safe and comfortable with this man so it was easier for him to begin talking The vase they bought was very beautiful so Brett also picked up a small bag of concrete mix. "This is so nice I think we had better concrete it into the ground or it will get stolen." Daniel agreed. It happened in stages, but by the time old nosy, Ms. Willis, came round to check on them Daniel was speaking easily again. He wouldn't say anything in front of her but while she was away with Brett checking his living conditions he chatted happily to the constable who had attended with her, the same one who had helped Brett keep him, swearing him to secrecy. Blood tests were clear, DNA had confirmed his lineage, it was time to go back to the magistrate. Ms. Willis was floored when Daniel fluently expressed his desire to remain with Brett. "Mr. Salmon has bought me a computer and spent hours every day progressing my education in various subjects. I'm sure that when I go to school I will be one year behind my peers but I wish to remain with Mr. Salmon when that happens." The magistrate grinned at Daniel. "When are you sixteen Daniel?" Daniel returned the grin. "In three more months Ma'am, on November 16th so it would be pointless to take me away from Brett for that time because when I am sixteen I would return to him any way." She looked very serious as she scanned a diary. "Hmm, this is not something I can rule on so I am going to schedule this case to be heard before a Circuit Judge on the 17th. November. In the meantime you can remain in your present location." Daniel grinned as he looked with a mutual conspiratorial air at the magistrate. His birthday was the 16th. He now knew he was going to be with Brett forever. He threw himself into Brett's arms and whispered, "I love you". Brett teared up and looked at the magistrate who smiled at him and nodded. Ms. Willis was furious and the police constable was so pleased he forgot himself and hugged the two young men as well. Brett wasn't prepared for what happened when they closed the door of his house. Daniel threw himself into his arms, again, and reiterated his courtroom statement. "I really do love you Brett. I never expected this much happiness in my life again after my mother died." Brett couldn't hold it all together. This small bundle of boy had brought more joy into his life than he could imagine. The tears were testament to those feelings, but they shocked Daniel. "I'm sorry Brett, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." "Oh God, Daniel, you have no idea do you? I have loved you since I first washed all the grunge off you in the bath that first night. You are so beautiful, I would give my life to keep you with me forever." Daniel beamed. "Does that mean I can stay here forever?" Brett laughed through his tears. "Yes my lovely boy, until eternity and beyond." Other forces were at work though to make sure that was not to happen. Love and Trauma repeat themselves in part 2.