Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 04:43:03 -0700
From: Phantasm
Subject: Jasons-Haven-37

Jason's Haven
by Phantasm

Warning

The following story is purely fictional. Any similarities to real persons or
events is strictly coincidental. This story contains graphic descriptions of
sexual acts between males of varying ages, including minors. If such
material offends you or is illegal in the location from which you are
reading it, please seek your reading enjoyment elsewhere.

This story is copyright protected under the pseudonym of "Phantasm". This
story may not be redistributed in whole, or in part, without the expressed
written consent of the author. This story may not be used by anyone in the
pursuit of monetary gain. The author of this story in no way condones the
physical, mental, or sexual abuse of anyone, particularly minors.

Author's Note

Comments, sent to phantasmic1@hotmail.com, about this story are welcomed.
The new characters of Jim Reynolds and Yuri Andropov who enter the story in
this chapter are on loan from Author Miguel Sanchez. This serves as a
continuation of their story which began in an excellent work called "MAY
DAY" written by Miguel Sanchez. They are used with the author's permission.


Chapter Thirty Seven

Curtis sat on one side of the bed and James sat on the other. Each of them
holding one of their mother's hands. I sat across the room in an easy chair
trying not to intrude on the boys' last moments with their mother. Maggie
had deteriorated badly since we last saw her. She was nothing but skin and
bones. Her eyes were sunken back in her skull and she had that ashen gray
tint to her skin. Her eyes were open and she was coherent. The doctor had
given her high doses of morphine so she was in no pain. No one tried to
pretend it wasn't happening. We were attending a death vigil.

Maggie was not able to speak much but she did manage to have a few brief
conversations with the boys as the early morning hours passed. I heard her
tell the boys how proud she was of them and how happy she was that they had
bright futures ahead of them. Maggie is a very practical woman. She really
does have the best interests of her boys at heart. I admired the courage she
had displayed throughout his whole ordeal. Never once were her thoughts for
herself. Only the welfare of her boys.

The sun had just risen when Maggie asked for me to come over to the bed. I
walked over and leaned in to hear her. "Love my boys for me, Tim." she
whispered while squeezing her boys' hands. I bent down and kissed her cheek
and told her I would love them always. I had just gotten back to my seat
when I heard Maggie take a very labored breath. Just like that, she was
gone. Curtis dropped his head with his forehead touching Maggie's hand. His
whole body shook as he sobbed. James walked around an hugged Curtis tightly.
The two of them just sat there and cried.

I gave the boys a few more minutes with their mother before I wrapped my
arms around them and led them from the room. I motioned for the doctor to go
in and take care of his business. I led the boys downstairs and out onto the
patio. Mihai was on the phone contacting the mortuary to come pick up
Maggie's body. I took a seat and James sat beside me. Curtis sat in my lap
and wrapped his arms around my neck. James wrapped his arms around both of
us and I wrapped my arms around both boys.

"Nothing I can say right now will take away the pain boys. Just know that I
am here for you and I am so very sorry for your loss." I said lovingly. "I
know you want your mother here with you, but she is resting in the arms of
God now. She is not in pain any more. She will always be alive in your
hearts boys. Your mother loved you both very much." I added. The boys were
beyond exhaustion and their hearts had just been crushed. I held them
tightly as they shed their tears.

It took an hour and a half for the mortuary people to show up and remove the
body. I kept the boys out on the patio until the body was gone from the
house. Mihai had called Doctor McKinney and he dropped by and gave the boys
a mild sedative. I took the boys upstairs to the guestroom and put them down
for a rest. They had been thirty six hours without sleep and had just
suffered the loss of their mother. Their bodies desperately needed sleep. I
laid down with them until they drifted of to sleep.  Once the boys were
asleep, I crawled out of bed and left the room.

Mihai was changing out the bed clothes in the master bedroom and putting
Maggie's few belongings in a box. I walked over and gave him a big hug and
wiped away the tears that were flowing from his eyes. "Are you okay Mihai?"
I asked softly.

"I will be fine, Tim. She was in a lot of pain near the end. At least she is
not suffering any more." he said. "She left this for you, Tim." Mihai said,
as he handed me an envelope. I took the envelope and went downstairs. I
poured a cup of coffee and then walked out to the table on the patio. I took
a seat and carefully opened the envelope Maggie had left for me.

"Dear Tim,

I do not have the words to thank you enough for all you have done for me and
my boys. I really enjoyed the brief time we shared together as a family at
Disney World. I hope those memories will bring you joy every time you recall
them. I know they have meant the world to me these past few months. Since
you are reading this letter, I have passed from this lifetime. I am writing
to you to beg for one final request.

I would like to be cremated and my ashes placed in an urn. I would like that
urn to be entombed in a place where I will always be close to my boys. I
know that you will take very good care of my boys. Please don't let them
forget me, or how much I love them. I wish you all a long and happy life
together.

Sincerely,

Maggie Ann Simmons."

I wiped away the tears from my eyes and carefully placed the letter back
inside the envelope. When Mihai finished upstairs and came outside, I told
him to make arrangements with the mortuary to have Maggie cremated and her
ashes placed in an urn. I told him there would be no need for a visitation
other than just before the cremation. I also had him notify the half-way
house of Maggie's passing. I asked Mihai to notify Allen of Maggie's passing
as well.

Franklin arrived with Nicholas and joined me on the patio. Franklin was in
tears as he hugged me tightly. "How are the boys?" he asked with great
concern.

"They are doing as well as you would expect. Doc McKinney sedated them and
they are sleeping right now. Poor boys have been up for over thirty six
hours." I replied. Nicholas bounded into my lap as soon as I sat down.

"Why is everyone crying Uncle Tim?" he asked with a confused look on his
face.

"We lost a very good friend today Nicholas. We are all just a little sad
about it." I replied before kissing his forehead.

"I will help you find your friend!" Nicholas exclaimed. Oh to have the
innocence of a seven year old boy again.

"Thank you Nicholas. But our friend is not missing. She died this morning."
I replied carefully.

"Then she is not lost, Tim. She is in heaven." He replied with a smile.

"You're a very smart boy Nicholas." I replied as I hugged him tightly. Mihai
joined us after making his calls and we all sat and chatted until almost
dinner time. Mihai started to work on dinner and I went upstairs to see if I
could wake the boys. I found the boys cuddled together and still sound
asleep. I bent down and kissed each of them and gently shook James. When he
opened his eyes, I told him to wake Curtis and then be sure that both of
them got a shower before dinner.

When the boys finally made it downstairs, we all sat and ate dinner
together. It was a very quiet affair as the boys sat starring at their food.
I told them they had to try and eat a little something. Both of them managed
to force down a few bites before dinner was over. I expected a very severe
reaction from Curtis, but James really had me worried. He had hardly spoken
two words since Maggie passed. He was not acting like the James I knew. Yes,
this was hard on everyone, but James was in another world.

After dinner, we all sat in the living room and continued the silent vigil.
Curtis was curled up on one side of me and James on the other. I hugged them
and kissed them often. I wish I knew what to say to them, but words were
failing me. Are there any words to sooth the heart of a boy that has just
watched his mother die? If there are, I don't what they are. All I could do
was be there with them and hold them tightly.

As the evening wore on, the telephone rang and I got up to answer it.
"Hello, this is Tim." I answered.

"Tim, It's Michael Pellphrey. How is Curtis doing?" he asked.

"As well as can be expected Michael." I replied.

"I will be in Miami tomorrow morning. I received an email response to our
internet ad for medivac pilots. It sounds pretty promising so I wanted to
interview him right away. Should I stay at a hotel or would you like me
there to be with Curtis?" he asked.

"It might be helpful to Curtis to have you here. You can stay in one of our
guestrooms. Does the applicant know that the job is out of the country?" I
asked.

"No, his email only said that he could be available on two weeks notice. The
email did mention that the pilot owned his own helicopter so that will be a
plus if we can get this guy." Michael replied.

"Okay, I will have Marcus meet you at the airport in the morning. Can you
get in touch with the candidate and have the interview moved to my
residence? You can hold it in the office. That way I can interview him too."
I stated.

"I will take care of it, Tim. See you tomorrow." Michael responded before
hanging up the phone. I walked back over and sat down with the boys. Curtis
was a little more chipper when I told him that Michael was coming. I
explained that James and Curtis would sleep in the main guestroom and I
would sleep in the master bedroom for the night. We would worry about other
sleeping arrangements tomorrow. I led the boys upstairs and tucked them into
bed. James did kiss me and tell me good night but it was not with his usual
passion.

I walked into the master bedroom and just stared at the bed. I had watched
my father die in that bed and just this morning watched Maggie die in it as
well. I tried to shake off the willies, so I walked in and took a shower.
After I finished in the bathroom, I walked over and forced myself to crawl
into bed. I laid there for almost ten minutes, wrestling with my emotions.
Finally, I surrendered and jumped out of bed. I was not going to be able to
get any sleep in that bed tonight.

I made my way over to the main guestroom and crawled into bed with the boys.
They moved over to let me have the middle and then they both curled up
against my sides. I slid my arms around each of them and held them tightly.
"I love you boys. We will get through this thing together." I stated as I
laid my head back on the pillow. The boys and I cried ourselves to sleep.

The boys started to stir which woke me up at 9:00am. We all went into the
main bathroom and got our showers before dressing for the day. By the time
we made it downstairs, Mihai was busy setting the table. "I was just about
to come wake you guys up. Breakfast is almost ready." he stated as he handed
me a cup of coffee. I took a seat at the dinning room table and the boys sat
with me.

"How are you feeling today, James?" I asked.

"I don't know how I feel. I don't feel anything." James replied somberly.

"How are you feeling, Curtis?" I asked.

"I'm okay I guess. I just feel a little empty inside right now. What time is
Michael coming?" he asked.

"He will be here by noon, Curtis." I replied. I kept my eyes on James, and
he was once again just staring off into space. I was really becoming worried
about his behavior. He was taking this awfully hard, considering the
circumstances of his relationship with Maggie. Even the child who Maggie
raised in her home was not reacting so abnormally to her death.

"Boys, I know this is very hard on both of you. Death is always a hard thing
to accept. It will take some time for the hurt to go away. Some of it will
never go away, but you will be able to make peace with it eventually. Death
is a part of life, boys. Not one of the better parts, but part of life all
the same. I want you both to know that I am right here if you want to talk.
All I can tell you is, it will get better soon." I said, wishing I had wiser
words to impart to them.

When breakfast was finished, I sent the boys in to watch a movie. I thought
it might help take their mind off of their grief for a few brief moments. I
walked out on the patio and took a seat at the table. Mihai came out and sat
with me. "What's wrong Tim?" he asked with concern.

"I am worried about James. People act sad when someone dies, but he is
beyond that. Something is really bothering him." I explained.

"James has seen a lot of pain and sorrow in his young life, Tim. Life on the
streets can take its toll emotionally. Then he saw all that misery in
Romania. Right after that, he finds out he was adopted, and that his real
mother is dying. And now, she has died. It is probably just to much for him
to handle. He is still just a boy, Tim." Mihai stated.

"I know that Mihai. But he has never shown any sign that all of this was
getting to him. He has acted quite normal about all of it. I have talked
with him about all of these things and he never said a word about it being
so hard on him. He never gave me any warning signs that there was a problem,
until now." I replied.

"That is the way it goes when someone is internalizing their pain, Tim. They
won't share it with anyone. You above all people should know that. You need
to get him some counseling, Tim. Don't let him explode with all of the hurt
that is bottled up inside him." Mihai stated, as he put his hand on mine.

"You have a very special gift for seeing inside of people Mihai. I feel like
I am wasting your talents having you work as a housekeeper." I replied,
before leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"You already knew all of this Tim. You are just to close to him to be able
to see it." Mihai replied. I thanked Mihai and walked back into the media
room. I sat down next to James and wrapped my arms around him. I told him
how much I loved him. We sat together in an embrace as we watched the movie
the boys had chosen. When the movie was just about over, the doorbell rang.
I walked to the front door and opened it. Michael was standing on the other
side.

"Hello Michael. Please come in." I stated. "Curtis, Michael is here!" I
shouted. I heard Curtis thunder down the hallway and then he flew into
Michael's arms. He wrapped himself around Michael's neck and began sobbing.
The two kissed, and I told them I would leave them to a few minutes of
privacy. I walked back into the media room and sat back down with James to
finish the movie. When we finished the movie, James and I joined Curtis and
Michael in the living room.

"Michael, can I speak with you in my office please?" I asked.

"Sure, Tim." he replied as he followed me back to the office. I had Michael
take a seat and closed the door. I explained to Michael about how James had
been behaving, as well as Mihai's observations. I asked Michael to have a
look at James to make sure he was alright. He agreed, so I walked out and
called James into the office. I left the two of them alone and closed the
door.

Michael and James were in the office for about twenty minutes before they
came back out to join us in the living room. I asked the boys to go get
washed up for lunch and they did. Michael told me that James appeared to be
physically okay. But he said that he too thought James was acting out of the
normal even for someone who just lost their mother. He told me he had
suggested James speak with one of our therapists when we returned to Jason's
Haven and James agreed to do so.

The boys came downstairs and we sat to eat lunch. Curtis seemed to be in
better spirits now that Michael was here, but James was still in a daze.
After lunch was over, we had a few minutes before Michael's interview so I
ask James to take a walk with me. We strolled down to the end of the street
and back. I held James hand every step of the way. "I am sorry you have had
so much laid on you so rapidly James. I love you and I have not done enough
to protect you. I let you down when you needed me the most." I cried.

"How can you say you have let me down, my love?" James asked. "You did not
throw me out into the streets. You did not abandon anyone to live in the
sewers and die unloved. You did not cause my mother to die. These things
just happened, Tim. I am just having a hard time accepting all of it. I just
want to shut the world off for a minute so that I can catch my breath."
James replied.

"I know, my angel. I wish that too sometimes. But we both have to remember
how much good we have in our lives and focus on that during the bad times.
Life is not always as happy as we want it to be. But the good times far
outnumber the bad times James. Just remember that you can not reach the
mountain top without going through the valley. And never forget that when
you are walking through the valley, I am there holding your hand." I replied
before kissing him lovingly.

We made our way back to the house and James went off to play video games
with Curtis. He was still very glum, but not so spacey. Michael was back in
the office and I grabbed a soda from the fridge. Just as I started towards
the office, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and saw a tall gentleman
standing there with a teen boy beside him.

"Hello, my name is Jim Reynolds and I have an appointment with a Michael
Pellphrey." The man stated. "This is my son Yuri."

"Please come in. Doctor Pellphrey is expecting you." I replied as I shook
both of their hands. I escorted them back to the office and poked my head
into the game room. "Curtis, could you step out here for a moment please?" I
asked. Curtis came out into the hall and I asked him if he would mind
showing Yuri the arcade room while Jim did his interview. Yuri went off with
Curtis, and I escorted Jim into the office. Michael was behind the desk and
shook Jim's hand. Michael offered Jim a seat and I took the seat right next
to him.

"How long have you been flying helicopters Jim?" Michael asked.

"I've been flying for about 15 years and I've been with the Colorado State
Police for more than 10" Jim replied.

"Very impressive. And you are aware that this is a medivac position. There
is no police work involved." Michael stated.

"Yes, that's the main reason I applied for it. I'm just burnt out from doing
police work." Jim replied.

"I see. Do you have any problems with performing your duties outside of the
United States?" Michael asked.

"Not at all. Yuri's father just passed away and to be honest, we're both
looking for a change of scenery." Jim responded.

"Well Jim, I think we can cover that base sufficiently. Can you tell me what
your sexual preference is?" Michael asked carefully.

"What?" Jim asked indignantly. "What does my sexual preference have to do
with me flying a helicopter?"

"Well, nothing directly. The position we have available is in a place called
Jason's Haven. It is a south Caribbean island, and it is a gay only
community." Michael explained.

"We would not want you feeling uncomfortable in your work environment." I
added.

"Oh, I see. I have a confession to make gentlemen. I'm gay too."

"Do you have any preconceived notions about cross-generational
relationships?" I asked cautiously.

"You know the young man I came in with, Tim? He's my lover and partner
besides my being his legal guardian." Jim replied.

"Well then, the concept of Jason's Haven will not be a shock to you. The
boys playing with your son are my fifteen year old life partner and my
twelve year old son. My son also happens to be Doctor Pellphrey's
boyfriend." I replied with a chuckle. I explained the whole Jason's Haven /
Angels Cove concept to Jim and asked him if he would like to be a part of
our team.

"I think I can speak for Yuri as well as myself. We would love to become a
part of your team. It's great to see a place for gay youth where they can
live free of hate and prejudice." Jim replied. I welcomed him to the team.

"By the way. Just so you know, Yuri is also a licensed pilot." Jim added.

"I see, the team you will be leading will eventually require two pilots.
Perhaps you would allow Yuri to fill the second spot. The new island will
not be online for a couple of years." I explained.

"I think he would love to be a part of this. He would make a great asset
too." Jim replied.

"The position pays one hundred and ten thousand a year, housing and food
provided. We would only be able to pay Yuri fifty thousand a year until he
is able to solo. You would also be living in an apartment in staff housing.
Perhaps better accommodations will be available when the new island comes
online." I responded.

"That sounds wonderful. That's more than I'm currently making. Since Yuri
still has two years of schooling left, his salary is more than sufficient."
Jim stated.

"Wonderful. Of course I would like to hear his acceptance from his own mouth
since he will be an employee too." I replied. I buzzed the Arcade Room on
the intercom and asked James to escort Yuri to the office. "Just so you
know, Jim. We have a top notch certified school on the island as well as a
business college. The new island will have a law college and a medical
college. As an employee, Yuri's tuition would be free."

"I don't know what to say. This place is truly a dream come true. I feel
proud to be a part of it. Thank you very much." Jim replied. James escorted
Yuri into the office and then closed the door before he left. I introduced
myself and Michael to Yuri before giving him my seat. I walked over to stand
next to Michael. Jim explained the situation to Yuri and he listened with
keen interest. He asked Yuri if this was all acceptable and if he accepted
the position.

"Dah, I like to work with Jim. I accept." Yuri answered. "Can I bring dirt
bike?"

"Of course you can son. So, everything is settled. You said you needed two
weeks to give notice. Since Thanksgiving is coming up in two and a half
weeks, how about you start on the first of December? I will have two seats
waiting for you in Miami on one of my customer flights. My office will get
you the details. I must stress that discretion is our motto, so the less you
say to your old employer, the better." I replied.

"I will just tender my resignation due to personal reasons and let it go at
that." Jim stated before leaning over and kissing Yuri.

"Great, I will make arrangements to have my cargo ship at the pier in Miami
the day before your flight. We can transport your chopper and Yuri's dirt
bike that way. I assure you, they will be in the most capable of hands. I
hire only the finest crews for my fleet. Welcome aboard guys." I replied, as
I shook each of their hands.

"Thank you very much. I'll make arrangements to get the chopper to Miami. I
guess we will see you in a few weeks then." Jim replied. I escorted the pair
to the front door and wished then a pleasant holiday.

To be continued...