This Story is intended for a mature audience only. Redistribution without permission is forbidden. This is a work of fiction for artistic enjoyment, feedback welcome at vlad885 @ hotmail.com
Keith arrived home after work on Thursday, it was his early day, he'd been at the clinic since 8 in the morning and was glad to be home shortly after 4 in the afternoon. The man was just getting settled on the computer when the phone rang. It was an unknown number but with Brad's current situation he decided to answer anyway.
"Hello", he answered cautiously.
"Dr. Brown you're a hard man to get a hold of" The social worker greeted. It was true, he had been avoiding the messages that she'd left for him.
"Yes well I do have a job" Keith said curtly, he wasn't going to apologize to her.
"I understand you saw Bradley last weekend" She began in an aggressive tone.
"I understand that you moved him to another home, it would have been nice to know about that in advance" Keith challenged.
"Keith I didn't have time to call everyone, this placement came up and I had to move quickly. They don't hold beds open for very long, if I didn't get Brad over there some other boy would have gotten it." She explained.
"Yeah and I guess you didn't get two minutes to leave me a message afterwards or to tell the new home about me" Keith continued sarcastically.
"Well Keith the policy when moving a child is to let them settle in for a month before any visits. You've set a dangerous precedent with Brad by letting him stay over when he wasn't allowed" She challenged.
"He came on his own," Keith protested
"You could have sent him back," She countered
"It was late and I'm not sure he'd have gone back, you know how stubborn he is. The last thing we want is Brad wondering the streets" Keith said softening a little, as he knew they'd broken the rules.
"Well Keith we're not happy about it" She went on the offensive.
"Well I'm not happy that your management of Brad's life seems based on knee jerk reactions and sudden moves and a complete lack of communication" Keith snapped.
"I assure you Dr. Brown, we have a plan for Bradley" She replied in smug tone. "He needs to settle in where he is and then I want him to start seeing his mother"
"His mother?" Keith quizzed, surprised by the new information.
"Yes Keith, in the long run she's more likely to be there for him as he gets older. She's in a stable relationship now and wants to see him" The woman explained
"I'm not sure Brad's going to like that" Keith replied
"Well Brad didn't like you at first. Keith I think you've become over involved with Brad, you were supposed to take him two days a month, not every weekend. The old house allowed it to get rid of him because of his disruptions but now I think we should cut back to give his mother a chance" The social work said.
"Well, I'll have to consider if I want to continue in light of how you've treated me" Keith countered. "I shouldn't be hearing about over involvement now, just because I was convenient."
"Well Keith you can call Brad for now but no visits until we've organised the plan of care" She concluded.
Keith hung up the phone and slumped back in his chair. He expected some fall out from the weekend but this was stunning. He was angry with the worker, she'd been happy to use him as a weekend caretaker for Brad when it was to their benefit but now that she had other plans his importance was discredited. He typed a polite e-mail to his volunteer coordinator, he didn't expect the other social worker to intervene but he made it clear that he wasn't happy and that he thought his assignment might be coming to an end due to them moving Brad further away as well as the expected involvement of his mother. Keith didn't want it end, he wanted it to stay the way it was. He admitted to himself that he needed Brad, he couldn't imagine going back to his lonely weekends but he also realised that his judgement on what was best for the teen might be clouded.
***
As expected Brad called on Friday evening, Keith answered the phone dreading what the boy might say. He knew none of it was his fault but the teen might still vent his anger at him.
"So you coming to pick me up?" Brad began
"You're not allowed, your worker gave me shit for last time," Keith explained.
"So I have take the bus again?" Brad pressed.
"Brad, let's try and work with your worker instead of against her" Keith attempted to reason.
"So I just sit here on the weekend, it's not like anyone's around all the others are gone" Brad lamented.
"Well, I thought you were supposed to spend time with your mother" Keith noted.
"My mother? The worker said that?" Brad asked. "You mean my drug addicted mother, she's shacked up with some guy that's likely her dealer. The only reason he'd want me around is to sell for him"
"Well if there's any suggestion of that then call the police," Keith advised.
"Yeah right, the cops aren't' really my best friends" Brad noted sarcastically
"Well buddy, we just have to ride it out for now" Keith said
"You give up too easily, I'll be over in a couple hours" Brad suggested
"No Brad, I'm working tomorrow" Keith replied
"You never work on a Saturday" Brad said suspiciously.
"I haven't but I used to take one Saturday a month, knowing we weren't allowed to see each other this weekend I said I'd do it" Keith explained.
"This is fucking bullshit," Brad snapped.
"I understand your frustration Brad but ..." Keith began
"You don't understand shit!" Brad interrupted "You ever live in a group home? I don't care what my worker says I'm coming over."
"Brad there's nothing we can do" Keith said holding back his own anger. He knew Brad wasn't upset at him directly but he was in the line of fire and he had hoped that they were beyond this type of behaviour.
"You wouldn't say that if you really did love me," Brad said venomously.
"We can talk when you're calmed down" Keith said more sternly than he wanted but his own emotions were taking over. After all he'd done for the boy he was suddenly the enemy again.
"Right ... so you'll be at the clinic tomorrow?" Brad said disbelievingly.
"From 10 til 3" Keith confirmed
"Ok then" Brad said quietly perhaps realising his anger was misdirected.
"You know I want to see you Brad ... I'll call you tomorrow night," Keith promised.
"Yeah ... later" Brad said before ending the call.
Keith was suddenly sad, he'd done the right thing but it felt wrong. How was he supposed to explain that he needed to follow protocol to a teen that didn't recognize any? Brad was so used to the staff caving in to his demands that he thought that's the way it should work. Keith felt trapped, by his desires and his obligations. He needed to find a way to make things right but no options seemed open to him.
***
It felt strange working on a Saturday for Keith, traffic was light so he got in early and prepared for his first procedure. The day went quickly as he buried himself in the work, ever the professional.
He got a slight tap on the shoulder during his last appointment of the day and paused to talk to the receptionist.
"Sorry Doctor, there's a boy in the lobby without an appointment but he was hoping you'd see him" The woman suggested.
Keith's thoughts went immediately to the cute blond that he'd put implants in. Sometimes the caps needed adjustments after being inserted.
"Is he in pain?" Keith asked
"He didn't mention it" The woman replied.
"Put him in chair 3 and I'll be in when I'm done." Keith ordered.
After finishing with his patient Keith went off to see the boy. He paused as he entered the cube to see that the teen in the chair wasn't blond after all. Keith needed just a glance to recognize his boy. He picked up a drill and started it as he sat down on his stool.
"Ok, let's get started" Keith said as he moved the drill toward Brad's face. There was no bit in the drill but the boy didn't know that.
"You look stupid in that mask" Brad replied, unfazed by the drill.
Keith turned the tool off and pulled his mask down. "You're getting us in trouble again" he commented.
"You know me" Brad said unconcerned. "Kiss me"
"This is my office Brad, I don't kiss patients" Keith replied.
"Tell them I'm your nephew" Brad countered.
"Men don't kiss their fifteen year old nephews" Keith suggested.
"In some cultures they do" Brad protested.
"Well we're not that enlightened" Keith lamented. "Come on I'll take you back"
Keith changed out of his working clothes and was ready to take the reluctant boy back to the group home. He left with Brad in tow and went down to the car, as they got in he asked,
"You want to get something to eat?" Keith wanted to extend their time together, Brad had only just arrived after all and he wanted to get some mileage out of the trouble they'd be in.
"Yeah I guess" Brad said softly.
"So what was the point of coming to the clinic?" Keith asked as he drove away.
"I just wanted to see you" Brad said disinterestedly. Keith figured it was as close to an apology for what the boy said on the phone last night, as he was likely to get.
Keith drove them to the local burger shack for an early fast food dinner. The boy ordered the big burger and fries while Keith got chicken on a bun. They sat to consume the meal and the man took the opportunity to talk to his wayward boy.
"So is the house that bad?" he asked
"I guess it's ok, less kids and I get my own room" Brad replied
"What about the staff?" Keith continued.
"They're alright" Brad reported, which was as close to an endorsement as any group home staff were likely to get from the angry boy.
"So I take it you're not big on seeing your mother?" Keith got to the point.
"No, she ditched me why would I want to get back with her?" Brad spat clearly unhappy with the chosen topic of dinner conversation.
"Well ... would you feel like telling me about her? It might help me understand where you're coming from and to deal with your worker on the issue. I think she figures I'm in the way of that reunion." Keith asked softly, hoping the boy would open up.
"My mother ... she got knocked up by some alcoholic looser, then once we left him she had a bunch of boyfriends. She'd use them for anything she needed, rent money, drugs whatever and then move on." Brad began
"And what about ditching you?" Keith pressed.
"I guess her boyfriend back then didn't want a kid around" Brad reasoned.
"Why do you think she wants you now?" Keith asked.
"I dunno, I guess she figures I can baby-sit for her or something," Brad snapped
"What about the new boyfriend?" Keith continued.
"He seemed like a jerk, when they came over to the old house, I told my mom what I thought about her ditching me and he tried the whole, `don't talk to your mother that way' bullshit" Brad explained. Keith knew that Brad was likely being rude at the time but he got the point about the new man trying to tell him what to do.
As they finished eating Keith pulled out his wallet and extended two twenties to the teen. He figured the kid would need some spending money especially now that he was taking unauthorized trips around the city to see him. Brad snatched one of the twenties,
"Thanks, one's enough," he said quietly.
"I'm not sure when I'll see you next" Keith said, thinking it could be a very long time if the social worker cut him off.
Brad looked at the remaining bill and snatched it as well.
They left the fast food place and headed for the group home.
"We have time to go back to your place" Brad suggested.
"I think we're in enough trouble" Keith replied as he drove.
"You're missing out on a great blow job," Brad said lustily as he squeezed the man's thigh.
"Brad, please I'm driving the car here," Keith admonished.
"Come on " Brad pleaded.
"I can't and you know it" Keith snapped.
"You mean you won't" Brad pouted.
They drove the rest of the way in silence, until they approached his street.
"Stop here" Brad ordered.
"I was going to go in and talk to them this time," Keith said. The last time he'd just dropped him at the curb as per the boy's demands.
"They won't miss me yet, they think I'm at the mall" Brad advised.
Keith stopped the car and turned to his boy. Before he could say anything the young moist lips met his. Keith pulled back after a couple of seconds of tongue passion, lest anyone see them. Brad opened the door to leave as Keith stopped him,
"Hey, I love you" He said.
"Yeah me too" Brad replied and then closed the car door.
Keith drove away feeling strangely happy with their encounter. He couldn't support the teen's disobedience but he was really happy to have seen him especially after what the social worker had said. It seemed that Brad was not going to allow their relationship to be interrupted.
Next chapter in about a week.