Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 05:50:00 -0500 From: C. E. Jordan Subject: THE VILLAGE BOY 8 The Village Boy c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com Copyright c.e. Jordan From last episode: "You don't ever have to ask permission to use anything, or do anything here Jer, just put stuff back when you are finished with it. And if anything breaks lemme know. The kitchen is also open for raiding whenever you want something to eat. Same rule, put things back when you're done with them." "You are the best Charles!" The exotic long black hair fanned out and tried to wrap around me as Jer spun into my arms. I got a brief hug. "Oh, Kevy is gonna be so blown away when he sees all this stuff..." Oh yes....Kevin. I almost forgot. I left Jer to explore the media room and went to check on Eliza. __________________________________________________________ THE VILLAGE BOY - Part 8 "Hi Eliza," Half-awake, she had stirred from her sleep, "how are you doing?" "Okay, I guess....I sleep too much these days." "That's good, I'm glad you are able to rest." "Yeah....but who's gonna take care of my beautiful monster....where is he anyway?" "Jeremy's okay, he's probably shooting some monsters of his own in the media room." "Media-room? Geeze.....that boy's going to be so spoiled....." She sat up placing her small bare feet on the floor. "We might as well talk now while he isn't around." "Well....." I began uncertainly, but she interrupted me. "Look Charles, even before you came into the picture, I suspected my boy was going to be gay. I was ready to deal with that, but an adult lover? I dunno......well, I didn't know until now. But I think I understand you pretty well--even after such a short time." She looked away from me and up toward the skylights. Her fingers absently stroked her neck where the swelling and redness was. I waited for her to continue speaking. "Whatever else you are, I know you are a kind man...and my son needs someone who would be gentle with him. In certain ways he's a very bright, mature kid...and he's a great student...but I guess you can tell that he'll never be tough, like the run-of-the-mill fourteen-year-old boy. He won't survive on his own...he'll be too vulnerable to...all the stuff that's going on out there....." "Eliza, you don't have to worry....." I began, but she interrupted again. "Charles, I want him to live with you if anything happens to me. Don't let anyone take him away...especially anybody from my family. Just don't hurt him....don't ever let anyone hurt him, please." For the first time I could see the beginning of tears in her eyes. I moved to sit next to Eliza and was bold enough to put my arms around her. I tried to comfort her. "Eliza, I am physically and emotionally incapable of hurting Jer...and I promise I definitely won't allow anyone else to inflict harm on him...I do love your son Eliza...I don't know why, but I can't help it." Eliza rested her head quietly on my shoulder for a little while. Suddenly she started shaking in my arms. Alarmed, I pulled away to look at her face. She was silently laughing. I was puzzled, "What?" "It's too bad you don't like women Charley-boy....you'd make a great boyfriend." I was embarrassed, but I couldn't help laughing too. "I guess in this case, it's really my loss." There was one other thing I needed to tell her. "Eliza, I made an appointment for you with my doctor. It's for early tomorrow morning.....there's no need for you to go home. Why not stay here where I can keep an eye on you...it will take the pressure off Jeremy......and off yourself." I took a deep breath and continued, "Actually, Eliza, I was thinking that you and Jer should stay here...permanently....as you can see, there's more than enough space here for us all." She seemed startled, her hands flew up like frightened birds, then clasped together in front of her face. "You want us to live here? With you?" "Yep." She was quiet again for several more minutes looking vague and distracted. But as usual she snapped out of it to say, "As for me living here, let's see what happens after tomorrow....but, I think it makes sense for Jeremy to stay here.....beginning right now. Soon, I won't be able to take care of him. I also think we should make the arrangement official....something like.....guardianship....there has to be some kind of form I can sign or something. It should be done soon." Oh, damn! I thought, we are planning her death. It seemed so unfair...how could she be dying? She's so damned young! Perhaps the tests will say something better than we expect. I felt like bawling. But Eliza had something else to say: "If it's bad..........I don't want to be hanging around making Jer miserable....and don't let them keep me hanging on and on for no good reason, I don't want that....you understand?" "Understood....but let's wait....none of this may be necessary." "Perhaps....but the guardianship thing should be done immediately.....I don't want my relatives taking him away...." Her voice rose, "they'll kill his spirit.....they'll make him feel guilty about his sexuality...don't let them do that, don't let them take him Charles." Her hand gripped my arm. "Promise." I hugged her again,trying to calm her down, "I promise bab....." I almost called her `baby' the same loving way Jer was `baby' to us, "I'll talk to my lawyer first thing tomorrow morning." She agreed to stay the night. We were going to have to tell Jer about our conversation later. I wondered how he'd take it. It was his life and he would have to agree to everything his mom and I had talked about. **** I took Eliza Bell on a little tour of my apartment and she chose a bedroom right next door to mine. It had it's own bathroom and was painted in pale golden tones. The queen-sized bed had plump comfortable pillows and champagne-coloured satin sheets. In addition to the large green fichus tree filtering the light from an open window, I moved flowers from other parts of the house and placed them all over her room. There wasn't much of a view, but she'd be able to see clouds sailing past in the the sky above while lying in bed. Eliza was tired again. I helped her into bed and brought her some fruit and something to drink from the kitchen. She was asleep before I left the bedroom. **** (to be continued)