Date: Sun, 6 Oct 2002 16:34:42 +1300 From: Arthur Subject: The Vision part 12 THE VISION Part Twelve By Arthur THE HEAT IS ON: I knew that from Benny's revelation to me, that there was no way that I could bring myself to take advantage of him in his vulnerable state and so pushed my previous thoughts of a closer, albeit a sexual contact, with him, to the back of my mind at this stage and concentrated on looking for the means to set his mind at rest as far as a future went. This does not mean that all physical contact ceased, in fact it grew as we became used to each other and with our feelings out in the open we also were more comfortable with our many contacts. He was starving for affection and bodily contact, a hug, a caress on his shoulder, or a kiss on top of his head, he took it all and clung to it almost in desperation for the years of loneliness and solitary desires. To be able to look out of the window as I worked to put things together for him, and to create a self sustaining business for us both, watching him running and jumping about on the beach across the road from our home was the tonic I needed to spur me on to great heights. We had discussed the meeting to be held on thursday morning with my friend Max at the DCYFS and what it could mean for us in the future but I needed to stress to him that his sexuality was not to be raised at the meeting as there was only so much Max could do in the atmosphere of beaurocracy and that I was hoping for a fax to answer a question that had been dogging me since I had learned his full name. Thursday, the day or reackoning had arrived, Benny came down the stairs dressed very smartly in the suit that Jim had hand made for him, stunning was not the word for him when I turned and saw him, even the top models in the world would have been overshadowed by his startling good looks and dress sense, let alone the mature way he carried himself, and the determination in his eyes to make sure today was the success he wanted. After breakfast it was almost time to get started, then as I was starting to close the door as we left I heard the fax machine begin to rattle, telling Benny to wait just a moment I went to check on the message. I looked down at the message as it typed out of the machine, tore it off, then placing it in my pocket I went to Benny, unlocked the car and drover to our destiny. "What was the message, dad?" "Uhm well it was an answer to a query I sent out." "Is it good news?" "Well let's put it this way son, you can't call me dad I'm afraid." Just as Benny's jaw dropped and the first tears were beginning to make themselves known another driver cut us off in the lane and after swearing a little (a lot) at her I then became to engrossed in trying to keep us alive on the motorway. "Hey dont worry buddy, (damn idiot driver) I'll explain soon as we are alone,ok?" Benny took a tissue from the dashboard, wiped his eyes and straightened up his suit as I tried to manouver the car down the lane to Max's office and find a parking place that would not result in us being towed away. "I knew this would happen, it always does." "Hey it's ok, it'll all woprk out, now let me park the beast and we'll go see Max, I'll explain it all to you soon, now don't worry everthing will work out, just tell Max what we talked about, ok?" "Ok, John." Damn I wish I had the time to explain but we had to get a move on to the office of bungles and bullshit, we were, due to the traffic, nearly late as it was, I reached out an arm and placed it over his shoulder to comfort him as we were jostled by the people trying to all get into a lift at the same time. Max's office was open plan and he met me as we entered the reception area and I took note of the look in his eye and to me it said 'don't expect to much' as he reached out his hand toward me. "John, long time?" "Hi max, yeah long time." "And this must be Bently?" "Yes, this is Bently, Bently this is Max *****, he's going to try and help us." "Hello Mr. *****." "Hello Bently, how are you?" "Good, thank you." "Well John I need to speak to Bently alone for a bit, do you mind?" "No Max, you two go ahead, but I would like to talk to you afterwards, ok?" "Yeah sure, it wont take long." That look again said ' not long to say no' but I knew I still had a couple of aces left and in a pinch there was always a little blackmail in the wings if needed, I was not going to loose Benny withour a fight and if it meant getting down and dirty then so be it. I had been sitting in the small lounge area adjacent to the reception for about ten minutes, looking out at the panorama of the streets below as the lifes blood of the city hustled and bustled along the sidewalks, in and out of shops and offices when a very distinct loud voice yelled above everything else in the office. "YOU DIRTY OLD MAN, HE'D NEVER DO THAT." The crashing of a chair and a flying figure coming out of the alcove that they were both in told me that this interview was long over for Benny. As Benny came running toward me I reached out my arms and he flew into them sobbing, holding me tighter and tighter by the second, I rubbed his back to calm him down as he let out all the pent up up feelings that this day had brought onto him. I glanced around the office and saw everbody with a startled look on their faces as I continued to try to settle my boy down and as I did the rage began to build, I'm usually pretty easy going and do not fire up to easy unless something really gets my goat, this had got my goat so down and dirty it was going to be. I got Benny into a chair just as a young girl brought over a glass of water for him and as he settled I told him to wait right where he was and I would be back soon, to which he gave a slight nod of his head as the girl sat beside him to help, she obviously had not been hardened by the beaurocrats yet. I looked toward Max's cubicle and could see him standing there with a look of shock, horror and a little fear as he saw me coming toward him. As I got to him I didn't feel like being Mr. nice guy so just barreled in and to hell with the consiquences. "MAX, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" "John, John, please, it's not what you think, please calm down." "CALM DOWN, MY ASS, YOU UPSET THAT BOY, WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY TO HIM?" "John I had to ask him some personal questions, without them there is no hope." By now the whole office could hear us and the silence around the office was almost deafining. "For god's sake calm down John, let me explain.' I took a deep breath and lowered my voice. "This better be good Max, any pissing about and I might remember october 1982 (first ace)" "Now come on John you know there's no need for that." "Then get on with it, I'm waiting." "I had to ask him the usual questions about abuse and all that, it's standard proceedure you know that." "So?" "As soon as I mentioned it he tore into me, you heard him, shit the whole office heard him." "So you got your answer then." "Look John I never had any doubt, I've known you for a long time but I have to do it by the book, otherwise it's a no go, as it is, it's going to be bloody hard to do anything, it's going to take about six to nine months to sort it all out as it is." "Like hell it is, I want a decision by this afternoon." "But I can't these things take time." "That's all the time you got." "John for gods sake I can't do anything that quick, you know how this department works." "Yeah I've seen it on the newscasts." "Now hang on John that sort of thing happens very rarely you know that." "If it happens once it is to often, DCYFS people have sent battered kids back to the same parents again and again only to find them later in the morgue, no Max that boy is coming home with me today signed and sealed by you." "John I can't do it that quick without something more to go on." I reached into my pocket for the fax (yes I could have done it earlier, but when the blood is up and I'm in the mood for a fight, well you get the idea) I handed it over to Max. Max took the fax and began to read, his eyebrows lifted higher and higher as he read on, at last looking up at me. "John, you bloody idiot, why didn't you give this to me before?" "Must have forgot when you upset my boy." "Bullshit, you set me up, just like the other times you've done it." "Well, what are you going to do about it Max?" "I have to check it all out and follow up on Bently's file but can you be back here, the both of you at say,..3.30 this afternoon?" "Uhm. yes we can do that, I'll take Benny for some lunch, I have to tell him about that to, I havn't had a chance yet." "You havn't told him, shit John you can be dense at times, no wonder he went off like he did." "So you think this might be enough then, I didn't want to mention 1987 or 1993." "Don't push it John, that lot was meant to be forgotten." "If the decision is right at 3.30 they will be, permanently, fair enough?" "Ok, stop rubbing it in, now piss off and let me get to work, see you both at 3.30." "Ok, and, ahh, Max?" "Yeah?" "Thanks, thanks from both of us." "Piss off noddy, see you later on." "Ok, later." I went to collect Benny from where he sat with the young girl and then lead him out of the office and over to the lifts, he was still broken up and trying so manfully to hold back the tears so I stopped and turned him around to face me. "Benny I have something important to tell you, I should have done it before but with the traffic and then having to hurry so we wern't late I just didn't have time to do it properly." "What is it John?" "Ok, just the short version now and then while we're having lunch I'll tell you the whole story." "Ok." "Right, the reason I said you you couldn't call me dad was that I've found out that I'm your uncle, I'm your dad's older brother, well only brother I mean." I stood watchiing his face move into a hundred shapes as he took in this new development and when he had it all sorted he looked up to me with a radiant smile, threw his arms around me and reached up to kiss me on the cheek. "Uncle is ok but I still like dad." "And I still like, son." "ready for lunch now?" "Yes, yes, at last it's happening." "Ok son, it's lunch and I'll tell you the rest of it while we eat." The lift arrived and we headed off for the best lunch date I'd ever had and now I knew for sure there was to be no more dark sandy beaches, my little vision was to important to even contemplate on the past anymore. To Be Continued: