Simon's Journal

Volume IV

 

Thirteen Summer Days
A New Beginning

 

Written by Danny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter – 13

Wednesday

 

I'm filthy stinking rich! And the worst part is that I don't know just how filthy stinking rich I am... well not exactly. This morning I was awake before anyone else in the house. My first thought was that Video Will which I found stuck in the VCR slot of the small TV in Dad's home office. I figured they had already watched it last night. I turned on the small television and pushed the tape in. It started playing automatically.

"Hello boy! If you are watching this, then my life, which has been very long and prosperous has finally come to an ended. Don't be sad for me; I went because I was ready."

It was Mr. Peterson in the video and he looked exactly like he had when I'd last seen him in his home, only still alive.

He went on to describe the first time the two of us met, there in his house. Even though I was alone in my father's home office I was still embarrassed as he gave details of how I had left a puddle of pee on his floor.

"Oh dear lord!" I moaned with embarrassment.

He then went on to tell me EVERYTHING.

"If you have read the book from the box, then much of this is going to seem like old news, however if you haven't then I have a story to tell you. And I promise every word of it is true."

He went on to confess that he was indeed the very same Captain Mecums who'd originally captained the Banachelli and during a bad storm had marooned her on a small island at the southernmost part of Venice, Louisiana; a stone's throw from the Gulf of Mexico. Legend had it that the captain and crew died of fever; others said they died at the hands of the local natives and still others believed that up until recently, that the residents of Venice, Louisiana were the descendants, of the original crew who had taken native brides and settled the land. Today, no one lives in Venice, Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina washed all traces of any human life, buildings, roads and such, into the Gulf of Mexico. Much of the story he told I knew from before but a lot of it was new to me.

He went on to tell about his efforts to extend his life indefinitely and eventually how he had developed the drug and then he said something that I hadn't known. The drug only worked on males and was completely useless for females.

"I am sorry to say that there were those who took my life's work and used it for their own evil means. However, as one last chance at making things right, I have set into action a plan to make all that right. Since you are now watching this; that means the last living Mecum has died. Thus, there is no one to leave my vast fortunes to. The day I met you, I saw so much potential in your eyes..." he laughed, "And you have sure not disappointed me in that regard. Thus my dear boy, I have left my entire estate to you."

"I have paid my longtime friend and lawyer, Walter Potpal to act as your lawyer and financial advisor. You, of course are welcome to do with your money as you see fit. However, I highly recommend utilizing my dear friend. You couldn't find a more honest and trustworthy person on this planet."

"With that, put my body in the ground and go live a very long and happy life! Goodbye Boy!"

The video went to static and I sat there stunned.

"How much did he leave me?" I asked no one since I thought I was alone.

"Roughly Nineteen billion dollars give or take a few billion?" Dad exclaimed.

I squealed in alarm and spun in dad's office chair to see my father standing there with dark rings under his eyes, his hair a mess, and unshaven.

"Dad you startled me!" I exclaimed.

He looked glum.

"Simon, there's something I need to tell you." Dad began as he squatted before me and placed his hands on my thighs but before he could say more I asked...

"Is Aunt Catherine dead?"

He shook his head, "No, no she isn't. But she is far from alright. Physically she will be fine, but..." he pointed to his head, "She's very sick up here."

"But she'll get better right?" I asked.

He nodded, "With the help of doctors, I believe in time, she'll get better. But that's going to take a good while."

"Why did he do it?" I asked, meaning Mr. Peterson leaving me all that money.

I seemed to have momentarily confused my father but then I pointed to the small television.

"Oh, oh well, I... I just don't know son. We spoke by phone late last night with the gentleman who brought the tape over. We're going to stop in to his office later today but it looks like you are a very, very, rich boy."

I shook my head, "I want to give it all to the Boys of the Banachelli!"

"Son, you have enough money to keep those boys and their children's children very happy for a very long time and still have money to blow your nose and clean your bottom with."

I chuckled at that and so did dad. It was then that Dad noticed that I'd sprung a leak. Actually I hadn't just sprung a leak, the effing dam broke!

"Dad I'm melting!" I exclaimed in fake alarm.

"And all over my chair too!" he teased `cause his chair is that cheap, imitation, vinyl stuff.

 "How about I take you to your room for a quick change?" he asked.

I had to break it to him that it was going to be more than a quick change.

"Uh, I think we're going to have to break out the garden hose again." I told him.

He groaned as he said, "I'm going to have to get a plug for you!"

"Eek!" I grabbed my backside and realized just how bad the leak was, my pants were completely soaked, "That would hurt!"

I'll add that I didn't tell him the thought I had at the same time of having Lowell's penis plugging my butt-hole.

 

________________

 

Cleaned up and in both a dry disposable diaper and dry shorts, dad and I walked out of my bedroom and into the living room. We found BJ was beginning to wake up; well he was sitting up with his feet on the floor but he didn't look all that awake. He had one eye open and was rubbing the sleep out of the other.

"Why are you guys up so early?" he moaned.

"That's what normal people do in the morning." Dad said.

"We watched the video." I told BJ.

He nodded, "I saw it last night when your parents came home."

"You did?" I asked while looking to the recliner Mary had been sleeping in when I got up.

"Where's Mary?" I asked.

"She went home last night." BJ said.

"No she didn't. I saw here right there just a few minutes ago."

BJ yawned and stretched, "You must have been dreaming still `cause she left about one in the morning with her folks."

"Really?" I asked as I turned to dad for confirmation.

"Oh dear lord I need coffee!" dad said while rubbing his face with both hands.

"No really, I swear she was right there!" I said.

"Is Mom, I mean your wife," BJ said to clarify himself, "doing alright? Any word from her?"

"Not since she went back to the hospital." Dad said.

"When did she go back?" I asked.

"Not long after Mary left." BJ answered.

"Oh?" I mumbled.

"Yeah it was about two this morning." BJ confirmed while scratching an itch under one arm.

In another place and another time, I probably would have thought to say something about him resembling some sort of monkey; but that didn't occur to me until this very moment while writing this all out.

Dad turned while pulling the thing of coffee grounds from the cabinet, "And we got some good news on Lowell! He woke up again and was somewhat alert for a while!"

"He did?" BJ asked, "You didn't tell us that last night!"

"Got the call about 5AM this morning." Dad said while turning his attention back to making his morning coffee.

"Can we go to the hospital this morning to see him?" I asked.

I watched the back of my father's head move from right to left and back, "You have a date with the Judge this morning."

"And I'm coming with you to keep you out of trouble!" BJ said.

"More like get me into trouble." I said and in the same breath, "So mom isn't coming?"

Again his head shook, "She wants to stay with her sister."

"What happened?" I asked.

"She tried to hang herself but instead she pulled the whole ceiling down!" BJ said without thinking.

Throwing his hands over his mouth he exclaimed, "I am so very sorry! I just! I didn't think!"

Dad had turned back toward us and was running a hand over his stubble covered face.

"It's alright son." He sighed, addressing BJ, "There has been so much lately and everyone seems to be thinking out loud or saying the wrong thing because they are too tired to think straight."

"How about Jamie and Marsha?" I asked "Any news?"

Dad had turned away from us again, and at hearing my question, suddenly grabbed the counter with both hands, and from his body language I could tell he was crying.

"Dad?" BJ asked, "You alright?"

Dad again shook his head and BJ ran over to him. Dad turned and embraced BJ.

"No! No I'm not alright!" he said in a very broken voice.

Just seeing dad breakdown like that, caused me to start crying too. I ran over and joined in on the hug. 

We had a short but good cry. Then the three of us sat down to breakfast. Well two of us did. BJ was back to being weird and not willing to eat. Dad told him he had to eat something so he had a single piece of toast and a glass of water.

I had a bowl of Honey Smacks cereal with milk and dad had a bowl of Honey Combs cereal.

 

________________

 

It wasn't just BJ and my dad with me at the courthouse downtown. Tom and surprisingly, Fyer were there as well, though I didn't get to talk to them beforehand.

We'd arrived an hour before we were scheduled to be there which turned out to be a good thing because the Judge was about to reschedule the days docket due to needing to be up in Columbus. However, he saw me in the hallway and recognized me right away.

Is that good or bad that a Judge recognized me out of the hundreds and hundreds of people he sees each week. Then again, I guess I am a bit famous and have a face that isn't easy to forget.

"Simon?!" The judge said as he walked up looking very un-Judge like.

Despite his lack of a black robe, something in my brain was triggered at seeing him. I guess I was on some subconscious level remembering my last run-in with him. The second he called my name my heart sped up to ten times its normal speed and a cold, heavy, blackness filled my stomach. At that same instant, both my bladder and bowels released their contents.

"Your Honor." Dad said in greeting while standing and shaking the man's hand.

BJ was behind me so I hadn't seen his reaction to seeing Judge Rosenhaus; else I probably would have been clued in on some minor coming events.

"I am glad you are early. I have a pressing engagement I need to get to up in Columbus. Do you mind if we meet now; in my Chambers?" the Judge asked while stepping back and motioning behind him.

Dad smiled and said, "Absolutely. I hope it isn't anything serious that is taking you up to the Capital?"

"Actually, I am about to be a Great Grandfather!" the Judge announced joyfully.

"Congratulations!" Dad said cheerily while taking the judges hand again, this time with both hands and shaking it vigorously, "That is fantastic."

BJ, who by the way, looked really good in one of my dad's older suits and tie, leaned forward and whispered to me, "He has his own Chamber of Secrets?"

I know he meant for it to be funny (well I think that was his intent. You see at this point in time I didn't know that BJ and the Judge knew each other.) Anyhow, I was still freaking out just a little bit and elbowed him purely out of reaction.

However, it seemed the Judge heard BJ and gave him an approving wink. Then sounding like a cross between a mad scientist and Dracula he said, "Come into my Parlor said the spider to the fly!"

It was really weird seeing someone as powerful as a Judge acting... well... normal!

BJ stood but I didn't, not right away.

"Simon, come on." Dad said with a hint of edginess.

He then must have read something in my body language `cause he dropped to one knee before me.

"Hey-hey-hey! You alright?" Dad asked as he put a hand over my heart.

He must have felt how fast my heart was racing `cause his eyes got this real concerned look about them.

BJ's hand came to rest on my right shoulder.

I shook my head and before I could say anything the Judge, thinking I was suddenly struck with fear, spoke up.

"There is no need to be scared Simon. I promise this is going to be quick and painless!"

I shook my head and began to tremble when I tried to speak. "Dad I..." I started to say and then lowered my voice to a barely audible level, "had an accident."

Dad sighed with relief and BJ, who must have heard me too, then told the judge in a sort of good-humored manner, "I think they might need to take a short recess."

I guess I was too embarrassed and worked up `cause I completely missed BJ's courtroom joke. Otherwise, I probably would have said something about him watching too much `Court TV' or `Law and Order'.

The Judge must have figured out what I had done `cause he then said in a slightly higher tone, "Oh, by all means!" He then pointed down the hallway and added, "Down that way, then left at the Ten Commandments and the Men's Room is the second door on the left."

Dad stood up and bashfully I rose too while clutching his hand tightly.

"Everything alright?" he asked kind of softly.

My response was to squeeze his hand and pull in closer to him.

Dad then told the Judge, "We'll only be a few minutes."

BJ replaced his hand on my shoulder and asked, "You going to be okay bro?"

I nodded but did not speak.

Before we started to move the Judge placed his hand on the back of BJ's neck and said, "Why don't you come on with me while they are taking care of business?"

BJ shrugged and began to walk away with the Judge, while Dad and I went to take care of my soiled diaper.

"Ah, I'll leave word that you will be coming in momentarily." The Judge called after Dad and me.

 

__________

 

As we were walking Dad tapped my head and asked, "Anything else going on in there?"

I tried to speak but I started stuttering real bad which only made me grow angry with myself. Dad stopped and squatted down before me.

"Hey! Calm down alright?"

My eyes began to water and I really started to shake real bad. He pulled me to him and gave me a big, long hug.

While hugging me he asked, "Are you embarrassed about your accident? Or scared about seeing the Judge?"

I pulled away, shrugged, and wiped at my eyes with my forearms. This time, when I tried to talk, thankfully I wasn't stuttering anymore.

"When I saw him," I jabbed at my heart with a stiff finger, "my heart went so fast."

Dad started to say something but stopped when I gasped and almost broke down. I grabbed my stomach and had to swallow a lump that had become lodged in my throat. Dad squeezed my sides to try and help me hold it together.

"I think, for a second there, everything came back real fast."

He nodded, "That what scared you?"

I nodded too, "Yeah I think so."

"Are you still feeling like that?" he asked.

I rubbed my tummy while shaking my head and then held up two fingers to indicate just a little.

Dad patted both of my hips and then rubbed them, "Tell you what. Let's get you cleaned up and we'll splash some cold water on your face. Then we can see how you are feeling. If you are not up to it, we don't have to do this today. Judge Rosenhaus will understand if we need to reschedule."

For some reason, hearing that did make me feel a little better; I nodded and sheepishly said, "I think it is a messy one."

Dad stood back up, removed my diaper bag from his right shoulder and slung it over mine.

"If we have to, I'll give you a bath in one of the toilets."

I took his hand and held it tightly as we continued looking for the Men's Room.

 

__________

 

Dad and I were on our way into the Judge's chambers when he came walking back out.

"Ah, there you are!" He smiled and said, "Everything sorted?"

I nodded to him and then apologized, "Sorry, I got a little scared for a minute there, but I am okay now."

The Judge held up a hand while making a pouty face, "No need to apologize and I hope you are not scared of me."

Again I held up two fingers to indicate a small amount while nodding and saying, "A little bit."

Dad, who had an arm around me, and was holding tightly to one of my shoulders, gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Judge Rosenhaus frowned a bit and said, "I guess that's a hazard of my job and I'm sorry I scared you."

Dad then explained, "I think it was a little of the past coming back that was the trigger."

"I see." The judge said as he handed a large handful of papers to this needle-nosed lady in a very tight pantsuit who was standing directly behind us. I looked back and wondered where the heck she had come from.

"Please, come on in! We've got a bit of a full house!" The judge said while stepping aside to allow Dad and me to enter before him.

In his chambers things got serious really quick. We walked in to find Tom and Fyer both sitting on a long leather bench type couch with BJ stuck between them.

I didn't get to even say hello to them `cause the Judge got right to business.

"Please make yourselves comfortable." The Judge said while motioning to a couple of matching leather wing backed chairs.

He looked at his watch and made a sound like he'd just remembered something. Moving faster, he went around and sat behind his own desk.

"I've been informed of recent events. Some good, some bad, some I don't know what to think about." He then paused, looked up to Dad and said, "I'm truly sorry to hear about your Sister-in-law."

"Thank you." Dad said glumly.

"I have also been informed as to yesterday's sad events pertaining to your other son, Jamie," he motioned to Tom and Fyer, who both nodded, "and rest assured I'll do what I can to help him."

"Is Jamie okay?" BJ asked and I'm glad he asked so that I didn't have too.

"Jamie is doing fine." Tom answered.

For the sake of time, the Judge then said, "I'm going to be direct here; if I may?"

"Please do!" Tom said to the Judge.

"Simon, you've made some substantial progress since I've last seen you. Not necessarily all of it in a method I would call good; but progress is progress."

Right then the Judge's phone rang on his desk.

"Excuse me a moment." He said as he answered it.

"Yes dear I will be right there." He said into the phone.

Upon hanging up the receiver he announced, "Need to move this along. Simon, I have spoken to your Parole Officer, Mr. Davis, who is equally proud of the progress you have made. However, we both feel you have a lot more progress to make. With that in mind, I am ordering that you remain on probation for up to five years. However, I will review your case in two years and if I am satisfied with what I see," he paused and looked at me with a powerful gaze, "and I expect to see just as much improvement as I'm seeing today!"

I nodded quick and sharp.

"If that is the case, I'll recommend you for early release from probation. In the meantime, you will continue to check in personally with your Probation Officer once a week. I want you to continue to meet with Doctor Elisabeth Hound at least twice a week or however often she feels you need too."

I must have made some sort of nonverbal body language `cause he paused for a split second, "As far as I am concerned, she is the first and last word in your recovery and you will do whatever she says you need to do."

I again nodded fast and sharp as I reassured him, "Yes sir! I like talking with Doctor Lizy!"

That seemed to placate whatever concern I might have unwittingly communicated to him.

He then stood up from his desk, walked over to a large wooden filing cabinet which was built into the wood wall and began to riffle through one of the drawers while he continued to speak, "Furthermore, you will be required to begin attending TEEN-ANON meetings weekly. I believe there is a chapter at your local library, which meets every Saturday afternoon."

He pulled a folder out of the file drawer, and moved back to his desk where he sat again and looked through the folder while still talking.

"While on Probation, you will still not be allowed to leave the state without prior approval from your Probation Officer. Oh and I'm sure he'll have some other requirements you will need to meet. However for the sake of time today I'll let him cover those with you."

"Does that mean Simon has to keep wearing that ankle thing?" BJ asked while pointing to my ankle monitor which was showing `cause the cuff of my pant leg had got stuck above it.

The judge looked to Tom, "What do you think?"

"Would sure make it easier to keep track of the brat." Tom said with a crooked smile.

"Tooooom!" I whined.

"Still got the one inside him?" Fyer asked Tom.

Tom laughed, "Nah, dang thing stopped working ages ago! I just told the brat it still worked to keep him in line!"

"WHAT!?" I shouted but dad grabbed my arm tight.

Fyer busted out laughing and I felt like I was being both betrayed and ganged up on.

"How long?!" I asked with no small amount of anger in my voice.

"Remember that night you were running around town naked?" Tom said and I instantly blushed fiercely!

"That is a definite yes!" Tom laughed.

"Rudolph!" BJ teased me.

I stuck my tongue out at BJ and he smiled smugly.

"It was barely working that night which is why we were having such a difficult time locating you."

Narrowing my eyes I hissed at Tom, "You are an evil, evil, man!"

"I love you too!" Tom teased.

"Will he still have to call when he leaves or returns from and to the house?" Dad asked.

The Judge shook his head, "That won't be necessary since he won't be under twenty-four hour electronic monitoring."

Tom fished into his suit pocket, pulled out a key and tossed it to Fyer who tossed it back.

"Don't need that silly thing." He said as he slid off the sofa and walked over to me.

He pulled off my shoe and sock, put a hand on my right knee and said, "Hold real still, this might hurt a lot."

Of course he was only joking because it didn't hurt in the least. Actually there was a small tug and the device was off.

"How the hell did you do that?" Tom exclaimed.

Fyer smiled real wide and wiggled his fat sausage fingers over his head mystically for us all to see. He then did some hand moves like a magician and then said to Tom with a pointing fat finger, "The boys double jointed at the ankles just like his real father!"

And then lickety-split he slid it back on my ankle. Both actions had been so quick that I didn't even notice how the heck he did it.

"Hey!" I protested at having it back on again.

I still cannot believe how dim-witted I can be! Seriously! I am sometimes the dumbest person on the planet! Okay, you'll understand what I am going on about later, but for now trust me, that there was something big just said up there.

"Point your toes down." Fyer instructed, "Like you are trying to touch your toes to your ankle."

I did and this time moving slower so everyone saw, Fyer slid the device off once more.

BJ made a funny sound, "UUUUUUULLLL! That's gross! How do you do that?"

"Whoa! I didn't know I could do that! Cool!" I exclaimed and quickly began to put my sock back on before Fyer could slide that dang thing back on me again.

"Like some sort of crazy mutant!" The Judge laughed, "Well that solves that mystery!"

Fyer tossed it to Tom who caught it.

"Not entirely." Tom said while examining the still locked monitor, "It shows how he got it off his leg, but not how he managed to unlock it afterward."

That pretty much shut everyone up after that, as they all looked at me with huge question marks hanging above their heads.

"Don't look at me!" I said guiltily.

There was a little more said by the judge, a few questions asked and then I found out why BJ had come today.

The Judge, still looking through that file asked BJ, "Is this correct?"

Since no one knew who he was addressing Dad asked, "What's that?"

"Bartholomew Jordan Otteranski?"

"OH DEAR GOD, KILL ME NOW!" BJ cried out!

"UNCLE JOE!" BJ moaned loudly, "You know that's not my name!"

"Uncle Joe?" Fyer asked.

"Bartholomew?" Tom laughingly asked.

"Wait, you are his Uncle?" I asked the Judge.

The Judge... uh... Uncle Joe, laughed, wadded up a bit of paper and threw it at BJ who of course missed catching it by a mile.

"He's not my, REAL UNCLE!" BJ put a lot of emphasis on that last part.

"Wait! What?" I asked with confusion.

"I married his mother's step-sister," the Judge said.

Still not fully understanding, I had to ask again, "What?" then turning to BJ I slugged him real hard in the arm.

"HEY!" BJ complained.

"That's for not telling me your uncle was my Judge!" I said.

"Simon! What did I tell you about hitting?" Dad asked.

Thinking I was being cute I said, "Don't get caught."

"OH good lord!" Tom said while standing up, "On second thought can you just lock them both away for twenty or thirty years?"

The Judge laughed, "Thirty years hard labor will keep `em out of trouble."

"Not funny!"

"So are you going to come watch my dogs for me today?" The Judge asked BJ.

BJ adopting a British accent asked, "You still going to pay me then Gov'n'r?"

The Judge got a kick out of that and joked with BJ, "As long as you don't eat me out of house and home this time!"

BJ looked at me and asked in that same British accent, "Blimy! You `ear how he talks to `is own flesh and blood-in-law?" he then pointed to the judge, "Left me all alone for three days and expected me not to eat!"

Fyer covered BJ's mouth with his hand and said, "Do shut up!"

"And what about you? Given any thought to what we discussed last week?" The Judge asked of Tom.

"I'm afraid I have and the answer is no. Sorry." Tom said.

The Judge looked displeased and laughed, "I expected that."

"I'm ready for something with a lot less danger and a lot more fishing." Tom said.

"I'd second that!" Fyer said with a laugh and then let out a howl.

Before any of us knew what happened Fyer had muscled BJ right over onto his lap and smacked him really hard, or at least it sounded hard, right on the butt three times.

"Bite me will you!" Fyer spat.

"BJ popped back up laughing, "Serves you right!" he then licked his lips, "Your finger tastes like bacon!"

Fyer laughed as he smelled his finger.

"Hey Tom!" BJ spouted off next with, "Now that Simon's filthy rich, you should go to work for him."

"You find a dollar on the ground?" Fyer asked me while examining the finger BJ had bit.

"Actually, no!" I said with a snort.

Then dad said, "Seems Mr. Peterson has left Simon a rather substantial inheritance."

"Hey that's a great idea BJ!" I said while softly backhanding him

"How much are we talking here?" The Judge asked.

"Well, we have to meet with the Lawyer later today to get all the details. However, as it stands right now; it looks like an estate of approximately nineteen-billion dollars."

"WHAT!" Fyer cried and fell off the leather sofa-bench.

The judge ran a hand through his hair while Tom tried to put his glass eye back in as it had popped right out of his head.

"Dad says that it is enough to help all the boys back on the ship and still lots left over."

"Y-Y-You're going to need legal representation." The Judge said as he sat down on the edge of his desk.

"Apparently, Mr. Peterson has already paid this guy," Dad started then looked at me, "What was his name?"

"Potpal" I answered.

"HENRY POTPAL!" The Judge exclaimed so loud that all of us jumped, "As in the US Supreme Court Judge Henry Potpal?"

Dad stood up and pointed to the Judge, "Hey! You're right! I hadn't realized but that is who he is!"

Judge Rosenhaus clapped his hands together and said with a lot of flabergastity in his voice. "He keeps an office here, but I honestly never knew of him to use it!"

"A US Supreme Court Judge handling something as trivial as an estate?" Fyer asked with disbelief.

"Mr. Peterson seems to have had many friends in high places it seems." Tom suggested.

"Yeah and apparently just as many in low places!" I thought to myself.

"I'd say you are quite well represented." Judge Rosenhaus said smartly to me.

"So what do you say Tom? Want a job? You could be like the Administrator or something and make sure the Banachelli is made into like a safe place for boys that have no real home."

Then Fyer started in on him, "Ooooh Tommy! You'd love that! Working with the children day in and day out!"

It was funny `cause Fyer was poking Tom with a fat finger and Tom was shooing him away like he was a fly.

"I'll even buy you a nice bowtie!" I joked.

"And a red fez!" BJ added.

Apparently Fyer and BJ were hitting it off `cause they were really messing with each other.

"Ouch!" BJ exclaimed and bounced as he turned back to Fyer.

"Keep it up little man and I'll... I'll... I'll sit on you!" BJ laughed.

Fyer stuck his tongue out at BJ and BJ returned the gesture.

 

________________

 

While leaving BJ with the Judge... I mean his Uncle Joe; Fyer, Dad, and I almost literally but not entirely so, drug Tom from the Court House and headed over to Mr. Potpal's office. We'd received directions from Judge Rosenhaus on how to find the office without getting lost.

Tom and Dad decided to leave their cars since apparently Mr. Potpal's Riverside office was only a few city blocks away.

"How are you feeling today?" Dad asked Tom.

Fyer answered for him, "Silly Oaf needed a babysitter and someone to drive him around due to all the medications he's taking."

Tom chuckled at Fyer's comment.

"Tom, are you alright?" I asked with genuine concern.

"I'm fine! I'm just fine! No need to worry about me; just a couple broken ribs, and my nose of course." Tom said.

Fyer put an arm around my neck, "So, you are stinking rich?"

"Yep!" I said as I threw an arm around behind him and hugged him a bit.

"Man it is so good to get to hang out with you again!" I told him.

"Are you feeling better now that we got this morning over with?" Dad asked.

"Oh so much better!" I said.

"Simon?" someone called from behind us, "Simon Leonard!"

All four of us stopped and turned to see Mr. Potpal sitting at a table outside a small hole-in-the-wall bagel shop having coffee. As I was the only one in our group who'd actually met him in person, the others instantly went into protective mode. Fyer had stepped so that he was standing between me and the old man while my father had reached down and grabbed my upper arm.

"It's okay! That's Mr. Potpal!" I announced.

The old man stood and waved us over to him.

Introductions were made all around.

"I wasn't sure that was you at first." Mr. Potpal told me while shaking my hand, "You look so grown up in that suit and tie. Nothing like I saw you yesterday evening."

I smiled, chuckled, and blushed a bit at the idea of how he'd seen me the previous evening, wearing my father's white T-shirt over top a diaper. Of course he couldn't see the diaper, but what mattered at the time, was that I knew it was there, under the bulky, long shirt.

Dad was standing behind me holding me by the shoulders and I tilted my head back and shared, "I was wearing one of your T-shirts when I answered the door yesterday."

"Aah!" Dad said thoughtfully.

The four of us joined Mr. Potpal there outside the bistro. We all had coffee except for me; I had a large chocolate malt from one of those food carts just down the street from where we were sitting. Fyer had got it for me. He also bought me a package of gummy worms which he slid to me under the table as I'd asked for `em but dad had said I didn't need candy.

I sneakily slipped the package into my pants pocket while trying not to make the cellophane crinkle too much.

We told Mr. Potpal that we'd watched the Video Will. However, since Fyer and Tom hadn't, Mr. Potpal went over basically everything Mr. Peterson had put into the video as well as a bunch of other information; some of which I understood but most of it was legal mumbo-jumbo that went right over my head.

At one point I had covered my face with both hands. Everyone thought I had broken down crying.

Dad put an arm around me and asked, "You okay?"

I shook my head, "BRAIN FREEZE!"

Fyer laughed at realizing I wasn't crying and then instructed me, "Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth. It will make it pass quicker." And it did too.

"Better?" Dad asked when I began to show signs of thawing again.

"Oh that was a good one!" I moaned as I reached for my Malt again.

"Drink slower this time!" Dad warned.

"But then I won't get another brain freeze!" I laughed, which made the others laugh.

Mr. Potpal confirmed that he was in fact a US Supreme Court Judge, but he still had a handful of clients who he continues to take care of from his days practicing law.

I really, really, really like Mr. Potpal. He's old as dirt but extremely lively and doesn't talk to me like I am a kid. However he also can dumb down all that legal stuff so that I can understand the parts that I need to know about.

I learned that much of the inheritance was tied up in investments that Mr. Peterson had made. However, there was about four-billion-dollars that were in what he called a `Liquid State'. That basically means it is in bank accounts.

I shared with Mr. Potpal my ideas for the Banachelli and he loved them all. Actually he got really excited about the whole idea of it and gave loads more suggestions. Even though Tom had never officially said he would take me up on my offer; every one of us assumed he was. Even Mr. Potpal talked as though Tom was going to be the one in charge of the day-to-day business of the boy's home.

There was loads more we talked about but the above stuff is the most important things.

Near the end of our conversation Fyer asked Mr. Potpal, "Would you like to see the Banachelli?"

"I thought you would never ask!" Mr. Potpal said with a big smile.

"OH NO!" I exclaimed!

"What's the matter?" Dad and Tom said as one.

"I forgot to ask Judge Rosenhaus if I am allowed near the ship now!"

Tom, reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cell phone, stood up and walked away from us as he made a quick call.

"Good news! Mr. Davis will meet us there." Tom said.

"Shall we take my car?" Mr. Potpal asked.

"Can we all fit?" Dad asked.

"Easily!" Mr. Potpal laughed as he pulled out the smallest cell phone I have ever seen in my life and made a quick call.

Two minutes later, an extremely long, black limo pulled up right beside where we were sitting.

Tom took care of the bill and the five of us climbed into the limo.

"WOW! I need to get me one of these!" I joked.

 

________________

 

It didn't take long at all to get to the ship as Fyer had hidden it next to that same park where Madam-M and Runt had been arrested that night we boys had tried to run away. Geez that seems like a long time ago!

Surprisingly, when we arrived, Mr. Davis was already there, leaning against his car and looking pissed off, which was his normal look. He was in his full uniform like I'd seen him that first time he came to my house.

Tom and Mr. Davis didn't just shake hands but hugged like two longtime friends. Introductions were made again for, Mr. Davis, Fyer, and Mr. Potpal.

"Sorry about Agent Morris." Mr. Davis said to Tom.

"Yeah, he was a good man." Tom said while shaking his head.

"OH! I just had an idea!" I said to Mr. Potpal, "Can we do something for all the families of the officers that were hurt or killed yesterday?"

We were far enough away from the others that they hadn't heard me.

"Wonderful idea!" Mr. Potpal said while moving us up closer to the others.

Mr. Davis stepped up to me, grabbed my hand and said, "Sorry I missed your hearing today. I was tied up across town."

Dad then explained how Judge Rosenhaus met with us early due to needing to get to Columbus for the birth of his grandchild.

"Yes, we spoke very early this morning." Mr. Davis said.

Once introductions were completed, Mr. Potpal asked me, "So where's this ship of yours that I have heard so much about?"

I turned to Fyer and Tom as I asked, "Do we need to keep it hid?"

"Keeps the Jehovah Witness from coming around!" Fyer laughed.

Fyer then thrust two fingers into the corners of his mouth and let out an ear splitting whistle.

"Yeah-Yeah! We see ya!" Came a familiar voice, "Hold your horses!"

"Was that Trey?" I asked amusedly.

Fyer rubbed his nose with his stubby sausage fingers, "Yes it was and," he then raised his voice to a very loud shout so that Trey was sure to hear him, "He's going to find my shoe in his ass in about two minutes!"

I could hear giggles emanating from where I knew the ship to be and from the sound of it, Trey wasn't the only one laughing.

Suddenly overcome with my old Pirate Captain self, and momentarily forgetting my present company, I barked out loud and sternly, "OY! THIS IS CAPTAIN SIMON! GET OFF YOUR OVERLY PADDED BACKSIDES AND SHOW US THE SHIP OR SO HELP ME, I WILL KICK EVERY LAST ONE OF YOUR DIAPERED BUTTS FROM ONE END OF THE SHIP TO THE OTHER!"

A collective cheer could be heard growing within the ship and less than a minute later the ship could be seen by all. It was so cool watching Mr. Potpal, Dad, and Mr. Davis's reaction at seeing the ship for the first time.

I glanced to Fyer who gave me a wink of approval.

"Oh my! I had no idea it was so... so..." Dad started.

Mr. Potpal then said, "Enormous!"

Mr. Davis surprised the heck out of me when he said, "A Prison Ship!"

"How'd you know that?" I asked.

I knew that in its former life it had been a ship whose purpose was to never make port and housed the worst of the worst when it came to criminals of the old world.

I nearly laughed myself silly when Mr. Davis, who hadn't taken his eyes off the Banachelli, jabbed a finger at his head and said, "Kidneys!"

"It's majestic!" Mr. Potpal exclaimed.

"She could use a bit of spit and polish on the outside but we call it home." I said.

Laughing Fyer said, "Yeah, she's something but wait'll you see inside."

Upon boarding the Banachelli, we were greeted by Sister Sarafina and Cho, followed by the mob of boys who called the ship home.

"Alright boys! Back to your studies!" Sister Sarafina snapped after a while and like obedient dogs every last one of them raced away but not before giving me a few more slaps on the back, high fives, and knuckle bumps.

One boy whose face I didn't remember right off turned and said, "Glad to have you back Captain Simon!" His voice should have given him away as I'd just heard him a couple minutes before.

When he skipped down the hallway I turned to Fyer and asked, "Who was that?"

"Trey," he said, "Which reminds me, I owe him a kick in the backside!"

"Are you kidding me?! That was Trey?!" I exclaimed, "He's so tall now!"

The last time I saw Trey he was actually an inch or two shorter than I was.

"Yeah, but Trey isn't too big to get his butt whipped if he doesn't stop being such a pain!" Fyer said loud enough for Trey to hear.

Trey turned, looked right at Fyer and was smart enough to appear scared. I'm sure if he hadn't, Fyer would have taken off after him.

"Not me!" I thought to myself.

Fyer gave us all the full tour and I was beside myself with wonder at seeing the ship again. It was both exactly as I remembered it and nothing like I remember it had been. Every single inch of the interior had been cleaned, painted, and polished. It filled me with a plethora of emotions to be aboard again; both good and bad emotions.

When I made a comment about how nice everything looked Fyer said, "What do you think we've been doing all this time?"

 

________________

 

Mr. Potpal, Tom, and Fyer stayed aboard the Banachelli to continue talking about the future. However, before Dad and I left, Mr. Potpal had me and Dad sign some papers. He explained it gave him authority to act on my behalf concerning my inheritance. I'll add that I have absolutely zero worry when it comes to that. I know that Mr. Potpal, Tom, and Fyer will do what is best for the Banachelli boys, my ship, and me for that matter.

Dad and I walked Mr. Davis to his car. The two of them talked for a bit before Mr. Davis shook my hand and told me he'd be seeing me soon.

Mr. Potpal had his driver take dad and I back downtown to our car which was so cool. I kept saying how much I wanted to have my own limo and driver.

Back in our own car, we first went to the hospital across town where we met up with Mom. Even though I begged, I didn't get to see Aunt Catherine. However, Mom assured me that she was doing a lot better today. Dad and I shared everything that had happened this morning both with Judge Rosenhaus and Mr. Potpal.

Mom wanted to stay with Aunt Catherine but said she would be home sometime after lunch. So Dad and I left and drove all the way over to Riverside Hospital to see Lowell `cause we'd got a call from Reverend Vandoan while we were visiting with Mom and he said that Lowell was awake and had been asking for me.

Amazingly, as we were pulling into the parking lot, Dad's cell phone rang again. This time it was Tom calling.

"Oh, okay. Yes he's right here beside me. Yes! Let me put this on Speaker-Phone so you can tell him yourself."

"It's Tom and he has some good news." Dad told me as he pressed the Speaker key on his phone.

"Hello again Tom! We are going to go see Lowell!" I said a little too loudly.

"Give him my love!" Tom said.

"Will do!" I answered back.

"Dad said you have some good news?" I asked.

"Yes I certainly do!" Tom sounded happier than I think I have heard him in a long time.

"There will be no charges filed against your brother. He and his mother are being escorted home as we speak."

"YEAH!" I cheered.

"How'd you do that?" Dad asked.

"Who is escorting them home?" I asked.

"I didn't do anything, I assure you. Wiser heads prevailed and agreed that the shooting was both accidental as well as a case of Temporary Insanity." Tom answered Dad first.

"You sound like a lawyer!" I laughed.

"Well, I may have asked a particular gentleman who we all know has a great deal of legal experience to make a phone call or two."

"Tom you are incredible!" I sang.

"And don't you forget it!" Tom laughed, "I asked Sister Sarafina to look in on them as I am sure Jamie is going to need some help getting over this."

"So who is escorting `em home?" I asked again.

"I arranged for a Police Officer and Sister Sarafina to make sure Marsha and Jamie get home safe. Actually, Jamie was asking for Sister Sarafina."

"Tom, I don't mean to cut this short, but we're about to drive through the Washington Historic District and my phone always drops calls down here." Dad said.

"That's fine! Please let me know how Lowell is doing after you see him. And if you get a chance, let him and his parents know I will be by later."

"Will do and thank you again Tom! You've gone above and beyond once again!" Dad said.

"Bye Tommy!" I said with a laugh.

 

__________

 

We checked in at the Nurse's Station and this sort of overweight but semi-attractive woman sat behind a computer screen typing away. She looked a bit upset, however when she looked from the screen to Dad and myself she smiled real big and said, "Oh I bet you two are here to see Lowell Vandoan?"

Though it wasn't spoken, we both knew she had recognized me at once. I guess that my famously scarred face has some perks after all.

She went on to explain that normally children are not allowed in however both of Lowell's parents had given explicit instructions to take me right back to see Lowell the second I arrived.

Dad and I had to put on these paper jump suits over our clothes, paper booties over our shoes and put on a paper hat; and of course, a mask to cover our mouths and noses before we were even allowed to go in.

Dad and I were walking into the private ICU room where Lowell lay, listening to his mother telling him some story about him which I had never heard before.

"Do you remember the time you went to school with Macaroni and cheese in your diaper?" Mrs. Vandoan had asked.

"I brought someone to see you." The nurse, who'd been escorting us to Lowell announced.

"Lowell? Lowell baby; you have a visitor." Mrs. Vandoan said as she placed a hand on Lowell's right arm which was taped to the side bedrail apparently to keep him from moving it too much and pulling out his IV.

I nearly began to sob when he turned his head toward us and I saw that he had a breathing tube down his throat, another one up his nose and wires everywhere.

"OH LOWELL!" I gasped and dad placed a hand on my shoulder to transfer some of his strength into me.

I knew Lowell was happy to see me `cause that machine that goes BOOP BOOP BOOP in rhythm with his heart started to really speed up!

His eyes opened wider and sparkled as he attempted to reach his left hand out to me. That is actually when I noticed his right wrist had been taped to the bed rail. Ignoring the tape, I took hold of his right hand and he weakly squeezed mine.

I tell you that weak hand squeeze felt like the warmest and lovingest hug ever.

Just feeling his hand in mine was almost more than I could take and if I hadn't cracked a joke, I would have begun sobbing.

"Hey dork! You sure had me scared!" I said to him.

He shrugged one shoulder, blinked and then smiled, despite this breathing tube.

"Gee-Whiz! I could get used to this! Lowell not talking! I think it is a first!"

Though he couldn't make noise, it was clear he was laughing just by the look in his eyes and the way he squeezed them partially shut.

"Do you hurt any?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Are they giving you some super good drugs?" I asked.

I had no idea that Dad and Mrs. Vandoan had left Lowell and I alone until Lowell pointed it out by moving his eyes.

I turned my head and saw we were alone.

"Hey we're alone!" I declared and Lowell rolled his eyes as if to say, "No kidding Sherlock!"

Lowell got this look in his eyes and I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Oh my goodness Lowell! You are an animal!" I laughed and he laughed too.

His other arm rose up on the other side of the bed as he pointed to something on that rolling bed table thing, hospitals have for you to eat off of. I recognized right away an e-journal just like mine.

"Hey! You have an e-journal like mine!"

Lowell pointed again.

Trying to be funny I began to speak to him as if he were a dog, "What's that boy? Do you want your e-journal? Is that what you want boy?"

His eyes narrowed and he squeezed my hand just a little harder than he had the first time.

I laughed loudly while he lay there firing daggers out of is eyes.

I started to move, but he hadn't let go of my hand.

"Uh, Lowell, I sort of need my hand if you want me to get it for you." I said jovially but then I saw the tears in his eyes and knew what he was thinking.

"HEY! HEY! It's okay! I'm not going to leave you I promise! You are going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me! I love you so much Lowell!" I confessed.

It was clear from his eyes that he didn't want to let go, but after another squeeze he released my hand. I quickly went around the foot of the bed, grabbed the e-journal and tried to hand it to him but instead he pointed to me as if to ask, "Can you turn it on?"

I pressed the power button and then told him, "Here, let me hold it and then you can use your left hand to operate it."

His eyes appeared to be asking another question and after a second or two I asked, "Do you want to write something?"

He nodded.

"Ah! Okay!" I said and then being funny I added, "I am seriously loving this `Quiet Lowell'!"

Again he narrowed his eyes which made me giggle as I opened the writing program for him. I also activated the handwriting converter tab so his handwriting would be changed to editable text. I then handed him the small pen so he could write on the screen.

"I love you more!" That was the first thing he wrote.

My eyes filled with happy tears as I leaned over and softly kissed his cheek through the paper mask I was wearing.

I then whispered to him, "I am sorry to tell you this, but it isn't possible for you to love me more than I love you!"

His eyes sparkled as he smiled despite that dang breathing tube.

He then wrote, "What are you wearing?"

I looked down at my paper jump suit.

"They made us wear this. I guess to keep us from germ-ifying you."

"No the tie." He wrote.

I had to contort my neck a bit to be able to see that part of my crisp white shirt and neck tie could be seen, "Yeah, I had to go to court today."

He then wrote, "I don't like that shirt! Take it off!"

We both laughed.

I noticed that the sheet over his... you know what... was beginning to form a tent and I knew that he was sporting a woody within the thin, hospital style diaper.

"Well at least that still works!" I joked.

He smirked as he wrote, "I think you need to give it mouth-to-mouth!"

Laughing I said, "Yeah right, I get you all worked up, and that machine (I pointed to the heart monitor, which was already beeping more than it was when I came in) will be going off like a fire alarm!"

Boy, we both laughed so much; me out loud and him silently.

"But seriously, it sort of." He wrote.

Wrinkling my nose in confusion I said, "I don't understand."

"My diaper is too tight and is bending it." Lowell wrote.

"OOOOH!" I hummed as I realized what he was saying and though I still had my doubts, I did it anyway.

I laid the e-journal down, looked toward the open door and then lifted the covers as I slowly snaked my hand under. The bed was fairly large, so I was on my tiptoes and stretching as far as I could without actually climbing onto the bed and under the covers. I found the diaper and when my hand pressed the front of his diaper that dang heart monitor began going nuts. I looked at it and shushed it which made Lowell silently laugh. I could feel his belly bouncing from his laughter. Thank God he had those good drugs pouring in via his IV; else I'm sure all the laughing would be too much to bear.

Laughing too I said to him, "Calm down or every nurse in the hospital will come in and catch us!"

He shook his head as if to tell me he couldn't help it.

"At least keep an eye on the door!" I said, "If you see or hear someone coming let me know. Alright?"

He nodded, reached up with his left hand and patted my head. I got the idea that it would be his signal, if someone was coming in.

I had no choice but to duck under the covers so I could properly reach. It was so dark under there that I couldn't see what I was doing and had to feel my way around. I lifted my left knee up to the bed so I could better reach too and though I couldn't see, I was sure my face wasn't far from his groin. With a bit more fumbling, my fingers found the waist band of his diaper and easily slipped in. To my relief he was dry. Then I remembered when dad and I were walking toward the room I'd seen a nurse walking out of his room wheeling one of those diaper carts. With a bit of effort, my hand went deeper into his diaper. My fingers soon found what they were looking for and wrapped around his hard shaft. I then felt his hand on my head; it wasn't a pat but a gentle pressure and somehow I knew what he was trying to tell me. I reached up with my other hand, unfastened one side of his diaper. Man it made a lot of noise! I pulled it down to expose his very hard penis. He applied more pressure to the back of my head, which surprisingly didn't hurt at all. I obeyed. First I hooked a finger under my mask and pulled it down to my chin, and then leaning down, I sucked his hard penis into my mouth.

Thankfully, the hospital had not used any diaper cream or powder. That would have been... uh... unpleasant!

No sooner had my lips sealed around his shaft then his hot love rod began to pulse in my mouth.

"LOWELL!" I thought when I heard the loud, incredibly rapid beeping of his heart monitor machine.

I felt him ejaculating into my mouth and the thought to pull my mouth off never occurred to me. Instead I sank all the way down so that my face was pressed against his body while his boy juices shot toward the back of my mouth and throat. When I was sure he was done, I pulled my head back and allowed his penis to slip from my mouth. I then reached up, wrapped my hand around his still hard penis and stroked it several times. His body went hard and despite his injuries he arched just a little as he came for the second time, in like a twenty second period of time. I knew he was coming again because I could feel his hot, sticky, boy juice all over my hand. I didn't let go until I was sure he'd fired his last bit of cum. Before removing my hand, I positioned his still very hard rod so that it was pointing up, and as I was about to tape his diaper back in place I got the most inappropriate and out of place evil thought.

Quick as I could I fished the package of gummy worms out of my pocket, ripped it open with my teeth and dumped the entire contents onto Lowell's crotch before I taped the diaper closed again.

As I came out from under the covers I was sure to cover my mouth again with the mask both to keep my germs to myself and to hide my wicked grin.

I then said, "Someone needed that!"

Lowell was eyeing me suspiciously. Not knowing where to wipe my hand off I decided to thrust it in my pant pocket and that did the trick. Lowell made a funny expression as if to say, "Eeeeew!"

I then picked up the e-journal and held it for him to write again.

He instead wiggled a finger at me as if to say, "Come here!"

Knowing he wanted a kiss I leaned over and kissed his cheek. I guess he'd momentarily forgot about his breathing tube `cause when I kissed his check I could read the disappointment in his eyes.

"Well, get better super-fast so I can give you a real kiss! Alright?" I said all the while trying to suppress the thought that I'd dumped a whole package of gummy worms into Lowell's diaper.

He nodded as his eyes smiled.

I then picked up his e-journal again and held it for him to write.

"You lost your hat!" he wrote.

"Oh dang!" I exclaimed as I laid the e-journal back down and ducked under the covered once more in search of my paper hat. I found it and the cellophane package. I slipped my hat back on and stuffed the package into my pocket. It made a lot of noise too.

"How's that?" I asked while again holding his e-journal for him to use.

"You look like a doctor." He said and I was glad he hadn't asked about the crinkling sound.

I chuckled and he then wrote, "I never did that twice so fast before!"

I winked at him.

He then wrote, "You swallowed it!"

I smiled, "Tasted good too.

"What'd it taste like?"

I shrugged, "Like Candy." I had to stifle a laugh, "Sort of salty and sweet at the same time."

"I remember back on the ship, when you could shoot; yours tasted like that too and a little like apples." he wrote.

"Really? I eat a lot of apples." I confessed.

"I know! You are like an apple eating machine!" he wrote.

I smiled real wide and asked, "Do I have sperm in my teeth?"

His bed bounced from how hard he laughed.

When he stopped laughing he then wrote, "I am still hard!"

"Really?" I asked in disbelief and then added in a whisper, "Yeah and now I am too!"

His eyes went wide and I could tell he was trying to figure out how he could help me with that but then I told him, "You know; if your dad finds out what I just did he'll skin me alive!"

"No he won't!" he wrote, "I already told him and mom that we are boyfriends!"

"You did?!" I asked.

"Yep!"

"What did they say?"

"They already knew." He wrote.

I was about to tell him what his father had said to me at the end of our canoe and camping trip about not having sex until we were older but then he wrote on the screen.

"How is Jamie?"

"I talked to Tom on Dad's cell phone on the way over here. Tom said Jamie was going home and wasn't going to be charged with a crime." I said.

Lowell then wrote, "Good! I told Tom if he didn't get Jamie out of trouble I would kick his butt."

I laughed.

"Well you don't need to worry about kicking Tom's butt anymore." I laughed.

"Good!" Lowell wrote and then wrote, "How'd he do it?"

"Who? Tom?" I asked.

Lowell nodded.

"He had Mr. Potpal take care of it."

"Who?" Lowell asked.

"OH MAN! I exclaimed. "I completely forgot! You don't know!"

Lowell looked perplexed.

So I told him everything that had happened. About the Video Will, about Mr. Potpal, the money, what my judge said about my probation and stuff like that.

Lowell's response to all this news was simply, "WOW!"

"WOW?" I asked, "After all that, and all you can say is Wow?"

Lowell began to laugh so hard that his whole body was quaking and making the bed shake again.

When he calmed down he wrote, "That felt good."

"What did?" I asked.

"To laugh!"

"It didn't hurt?" I asked with concern.

"Like you said. Good drugs! HA HA HA!" he wrote.

Mrs. Vandoan poked her head in to check on us and asked, "Everyone okay in here?"

I looked to Lowell and waited for him to answer first, which he did with a nod and then I answered, "Super Duper!"

"Simon, your father is right outside here. I'm going to run home and take a shower. Would you mind keeping Lowell company? I mean only until I return?" she asked.

"Oh sure! I don't mind babysitting the little monster! And if he gets out of line, I'll make him stand in the corner!" I said and again Lowell laughed hard.

She came over, gave Lowell a kiss on the forehead and then gave me one on my cheek.

"The doctor doesn't want him moving around too much or getting too excited. Okay?" she said almost like she was insinuating something else.

As she was walking out I remembered what I had heard her say when we walked in. "What was that about macaroni and cheese in his diaper?"

Mrs. Vandoan laughed so hard and when I looked to Lowell he was blushing a brilliant shade of crimson.

"I'll let Lowell tell you about that himself." She said and then left.

"Glad she left!" Lowell wrote.

"Why's that?"

"`Cause I want to show you something." He wrote.

"Oh my God Lowell! You just came twice!" I laughed which made him laugh.

It took a while for him to calm down enough to be able to write on his e-journal screen again.

"I didn't mean that!"

"OOOOH SURE YOU DIDN'T!" I scoffed and he laughed again.

While he was still laughing I warned him, "If you pull your wiener out, I will spank it soooo bad!"

He wiggled his eyebrows and wrote, "Promise?"

Laughing I said, "You are such a little pervert!"

"I get it from you!" he wrote.

"Oh no! You come by it naturally!" I laughed.

"You boys alright in here?" Dad asked while popping in to check on us.

"Yep!" I said, "I'm babysitting!"

Glancing back to Lowell, I saw that he was scowling at me which only made me laugh.

Dad chuckled, "Alright, I'm right out here if you need me."

Once dad was gone Lowell started to open a file browser on his e-journal but I stopped him

"Don't think for a minute I forgot about the macaroni! Now spill it or so help me I will tickle you sooooo much!"

Lowell again blushed.

"Please! It is so embarrassing!" he wrote.

"Fine I'll just have your mom tell me about it when she gets back." I said snubbly which I knew would make him tell me.

"You are so mean!" he wrote.

"I get it from you!"

"I was seven and I wanted to take macaroni and cheese to school for lunch but Mom wouldn't let me. So I snuck into the fridge when she wasn't looking and got some."

"Nooo! Your mom said you put it in your diaper!"

He blushed even more as he wrote, "I didn't have anything to put it in so I put it inside my diaper!"

I began to laugh and couldn't speak for nearly a full minute. When I could finally get words to come out of my mouth I asked, "You were honestly going to eat macaroni and cheese out of your diaper?"

"Shut up!" he wrote.

"My teacher was so mad that she took me to the school office, called my mom and made her come back to the school."

I was beside myself with laughter as Lowell went on to tell me the rest.

"My teacher asked my mother why she would send me to school with macaroni and cheese in my diaper? Mom of course didn't know anything about it. But my teacher made mom take me home and give me a bath before she would let me come back to school."

I had to lay the e-journal down as I was laughing so hard. Lowell too had got over his embarrassment and was laughing too.

"That has got to be the funniest thing I have ever heard about you!" I said, "I'm going to have to tell BJ about that!"

He was stabbing the air with the e-journal pen and looking angry. I knew full well what he wanted to write too.

"Oh no! This is too good not to share!" I told him through my laughter.

I mistakenly let my hand get too close to him and he stabbed me with the e-journal pen. It didn't hurt but it did make me laugh harder.

"Mac and Cheese!" I snorted.

Once I was able to get control of myself again and was able to hold the e-journal still. He made me swear that I would never tell a single soul about it. I did but I had two fingers crossed behind my back.

Once he was satisfied his story was a secret again, and I watched as wrote on the screen, "Before you made me tell you about THAT!"

I sniggered again.

"I was going to show you something."

He then opened a folder titled `Titanic'.

He switched back to the writing program so he could write a message to me.

"Online diaper friend heard I was in hospital. He sent me an email and told me where he was posting all the new chapters he had been writing."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, "Where was that?"

"It is on this one story website for adult babies. It is called ABDL story forum."

"Dot com?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"No it is .info," he wrote.

"That's a new one on me." I said.

"Yeah," he wrote.

"So I'm guessing if it was on a website for adult babies then it must be a diaper story?" I asked.

Lowell nodded.

"I kind of remember a diaper story called Titanic, but it wasn't about adult babies. Wasn't it about guys our age? That wet and stuff? And I don't think it was ever finished." I told him, "That was a shame `cause as I recall it was a really good story too!"

"Same story!" He wrote.

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded and then wrote, "It wasn't."

"What wasn't?" I asked.

"Finnish." He wrote.

"I don't speak Finnish." I told him, knowing full well that he had meant to write `Finished' but his e-journal misunderstood what he was scribbling on the screen.

His face gave away nothing as he wrote, "Do you want me to kick your butt again?"

"Again?" I laughed, "When did you do it the first time?"

He then laid the e-journal pen on his tummy and wiggled a finger for me to come closer.

"Hey! I'm pretty sure I would have a fair chance of taking you so if you want some of this..." I puffed out my chest and thumped it for good measure, "...bring it on Loverboy!"

I could tell from his eyes and the way his whole bed was shaking that he was laughing really hard.

He picked up the e-journal pen and motioned for me to hold the journal so he could write something else but we were both laughing so hard that I couldn't hold it steady enough for him to write and he was shaking so hard that his e-journal didn't have a clue what on earth he was writing.

As we were laughing I felt a warmness cover my boyhood parts and knew I'd laughed myself to the point I peed. For some really odd reason, this struck me as doubly funny.

I could see the question in his laughing eyes.

It was all I could do to form the words, "I peed!"

I know why it was so funny but I don't think Lowell knew why I thought it was so much funnier than he did as he had not yet realized he had gummy worms inside his diaper. Nonetheless, the two of us were beside ourselves for like ten minutes. Just when I would stop laughing I would look at him and I'd lose it again. Or I would make him start laughing all over.

Finally I was able to hold the e-journal still enough for him to write.

"What did you put in my diaper?" he wrote.

I again lost it as I laughed uncontrollably.

Finally I got out, "GUMMY WORMS!"

It was all I could do to hold his e-journal steady enough that he could write four words.

"You are an ass!"

I busted out laughing again but when I saw him crying I stopped.

"Are you okay? Are you in pain?" I asked.

He shook his head.

"Well why are you crying?"

He wrote, "Happy!"

"Are you sure?" I asked, "You're not mad about the worms?"

He shook his head and then wrote, "Can you fix this?"

He was pointing to a tube that was coming out of his left nostril which had been taped to his cheek and then hooked behind his ear. During his fit of laughter and shaking his head back and forth, the tube came out from behind his ear and became untaped.

Setting the e-journal down I walked around the bed and had to stand on my tip-toes to be able to reach.

"How's that?" I asked.

He nodded and the tape came off again.

"I think you need new tape." I told him as I pressed the tape firmly but tenderly to make it stick.

"Now lay still and stop being a dork!" I told him.

His eyes opened wide with accusations.

"Oh shut-up!" I laughed and wiped the tears from his face.

"Too bad I don't have a small bottle handy! I could bottle these and sell `em!" I said and jokingly licked his tears from my fingers.

"So what were we talking about before we lost it?" I asked after returning to the other side of the bed and propping his e-journal up for him to write again.

"We were talking about you taking off all your clothes and..."

I stopped him before he could finish!

"HEY! Behave or I will tickle you!"

"You better not!" he wrote.

"Seriously now! Oh! That Titanic story!"

"Oh yeah! I nearly forgot!" he wrote and then added, "I was going to tell you that he has Finnish it now!"

I knew he meant `finished' but his e-journal had translated his scribbling's into `Finnish'.

"OOOOH OKAY! What's that whole Finnish thing about?" I joked.

He wrote, "Finished! Finished! Finished!"

"OH! So it's finished then?" I teased.

He pretended to stab me in the eye with the e-journal pen.

"Well I am glad he finished it `cause I remember that what I had read, was really good!" I told him.

"Yep!" he wrote.

"Awesome!" I exclaimed.

"Can you read it to me?" he wrote.

"Here?" I asked with a hint of panic evident in my voice.

"Please?" he wrote.

"But what if someone comes in?" I asked.

He narrowed his eyes like he was upset or something.

"What?" I asked.

He then wrote, "I double dog dare you to read it..."

My eyes widened as I continued to read what he was scribbling on the screen.

"Out loud! To me! Right now!"

"You can't double-dog-dare me `cause there was no single-dog-dare for you to double-dog-dare."

Lowell squinted his eyes and shook his head. I knew I had confused his medicated brain a bit.

"Sorry!" I said while patting his leg.

"Alright, I'll do it! But you better keep an eye on that door so we don't get caught!" I said threateningly.

He nodded.

However, then I had a thought, "Hey, wait! You are the one that is supposed to read stories to me for practice!"

For some reason that struck him as very funny.

He kept trying to write something on the screen but couldn't hold his hand steady enough for it to understand what it was he was trying to spell out.

"What? Speak up! I can't hear you!" I laughed!

He adopted those begging, puppy-dog eyes.

"Stop with the eyes! They burn!" I joked while shielding myself from his gaze.

Again he laughed hard and I surrendered.

"I love watching you laugh and not able to make so much as a peep!" I said.

He drew a colon followed by the letter P. I knew this emoticon quite well. He was sticking his tongue out at me.

Right then a nurse walked in. She was young and looked very tired.

"Sorry, need to take some blood sweetie!" she told Lowell.

"Well hello there!" she said as she looked up and saw me on the far side of the bed.

"Want me to come back?" I asked.

"No, this will only take a minute." She said.

Lowell wrote something on his e-journal. "Tell her I have no blood left to give."

I chuckled, "He said he thinks you are really pretty!"

"Oh I have been hearing about you! Flirting with every nurse that comes in here!" the nurse teased him as she worked.

I had taken the e-journal out of Lowell's reach so he couldn't write anything that she would be able to see. So he couldn't tell her that he hadn't said she was pretty.

True to her word, it took like maybe one or two minutes to fill three small vials with blood from the IV in his right arm. Before she left she asked if he needed anything.

Again on the e-journal he wrote a message. "I think I need changed."

I nearly busted out laughing as I shared the message. The nurse promised she'd send someone in right away.

"The tape on his cheek," I pointed to it, "Keeps coming off too."

"Oh I can take care of that for you." She said as she put two more strips of medical tape on his face to hold that tube in place.

After she left, the two of us waited before starting the story until after his changing. In the meantime, the two of us continued to talk a bit more.

"So have you had a lot of visitors?" I asked.

Instead of answering my question he wrote, "You are lucky I love you!"

"Why is that?" I asked with a laugh.

"You told her I thought she was pretty."

I laughed out loud, "Did I?"

Again his eyes opened wide with disbelief at what I had said.

"Know something?" I asked.

His eyes expressed his nonverbal, "WHAT?"

"I guess I never really noticed until right now, but you really do have the most beautiful eyes!"

He motioned again that he wanted to write something, "Flattery isn't an apology!"

I laughed, "Alright, I'm sorry! But I meant it!"

"I wish I didn't have this tube!" he wrote.

"The breathing one?" I asked and he nodded and I already knew what he was thinking.

"You want a real kiss don't you?" I asked.

He then wrote, "No!"

"NO!" I complained.

"I want a million kisses!"

I chuckled.

"Tell you what... I'll make you a hard, fast, deal! You get better really fast and get out of this dang hospital and you can have all the kisses you want, anytime you want! I'll kiss you so much your lips will go numb and your tongue will get tired!"

His eyes smiled and then wrote on the screen, "You said `HARD'!" and then began to laugh.

"Pervert!" I laughed with him.

It had taken about ten minutes or so before someone else came in. However it wasn't someone to change him but another nurse who'd come to change one of his IV bags and to put some other medicines into him via the IV.

I asked if someone was going to come in to change him and she said, "Oh, sweet-heart, I can do that for you."

I had to reprimand Lowell as he was silently laughing really hard, "Lowell stop or she'll suspect something!"

She walked out and came back in no time with the diapering cart.

Now I hadn't been prepared for what I saw next and it was all I could do not to break down crying right on the spot. I forgot all about the worms as she pulled Lowell's covers all the way down to the foot of his bed, leaving him completely exposed. That is when I saw the enormous bandage that covered his chest and the tubes and wires that were coming out from under the bandage. Had I any idea, I never would have done what I had done earlier. I also wouldn't have been joking around and making him laugh like I had. I felt so bad and so mad at the same time. God help me, I had a split-second hateful thought toward my brother for having put my sweet Lowell in this situation!

I probably would have lost the battle with my emotions had the nurse not asked me a question. I guess she recognized me `cause as she was tending to Lowell she asked, "How about you? How's your diaper holding up?"

I shook my head, "Thanks, but my dad took care of me before we came to see my friend here."

Lowell knew I had wet and probably needed changed so he was pointing an accusing finger at me. His eyes were screaming, "LIER! LIER! PANTS ON FIRE!"

Turning her attention to changing Lowell she removed first the tape I had removed earlier, then the tape on his left side.

I had a split second glance at Lowell whose eyes betrayed his anticipation.

Sure enough, when she pulled back the diaper she let out a squeal that could be heard throughout the entire ICU.

Dad came rushing in, as did two other nurses. I was holding Lowell's left hand as the two of us laughed hysterically.

Dad looked upset but I told him, "I didn't do it!" and pointing to Lowell I added, "It was him!"

Thankfully Lowell had the tube and couldn't tell him the truth.

Once she got over the initial shock the nurse got a real good laugh out of it. Actually everyone got a good laugh, including a couple more nurses and a doctor who'd come to see what the commotion was all about.

The doctor laughed and smacked Dad on the back, "That's what we need down here! More laughter! Does the body good!"

I guess the doctor and dad had met already `cause the two of them started talking and walked away together.

The other nurses left as Lowell's nurse reached down and picked up the wet and sticky pile of gummy worms.

"This is a first!" she laughed as she dropped them in a trash thing on the diapering cart.

It took several wipes to get all the stickiness off Lowell's penis and boy-jewels. The entire time Lowell was still laughing madly.

She finished and smiled kind of coy like as she covered Lowell back up; made sure he was comfortable, and then left us.

"That was the funniest thing ever!" he wrote.

"I thought my dad was going to kill me!" I said.

"Me too!" he wrote.

He then scribbled out another message, "You should have let her change you too."

"Why?" I asked.

"I think she likes you."

"Oh give me that!" I said pulling the e-journal out of his hands.

I pulled up a chair beside the bed and took the e-journal pen from him too. I settled down and started to read the story to him as he lay there listening eagerly.

I only managed to read through the equivalent of a couple pages before noticing that Lowell was no longer listening.

I softly touched his hand and spoke, "Lowell? Are you sleeping?"

He didn't as much as twitch.

Sure that he'd gone back to sleep, I made sure the folder was closed on his e-journal and also made sure his conversation with me was not saved or recorded in the history before shutting the e-journal down. I left it on the table where Lowell could reach it if he wanted it and then turned to walk out of the room.

Now, Lowell and I both knew that I'd told a fib earlier when the nurse had asked if I needed changed. I knew I was wet and in need of a dry diaper, but at some point I had also soiled myself. That wasn't a big surprise `cause I'd been laughing pretty hard. I also knew when she gave Lowell the medicines that he'd not last long at all. So I had humored Lowell by reading the little that I had so that the drugs could take effect and knock him out. I knew that once he was out, he'd be out for a while, maybe the rest of the day. So I'd have plenty of time to go find dad and ask him to get me cleaned up. Even though I knew Lowell was probably going to be sleeping for hours, I wanted to get it done quickly so that I could get back to him. I didn't want him waking up and seeing he was alone. However, things didn't exactly work out that way.

 

__________

 

When I turned, standing in the doorway was Special Agent Morris dressed like a doctor. However it wasn't his attire that had stunned me, it was the fact that he was supposed to be dead! I was utterly taken aback by his presence and almost forgot that Lowell was asleep.

"You..." I quickly caught myself and dropped my voice, "You are supposed to be dead!"

He tightened his lips and shook his head.

"That is what everyone is supposed to believe."

"Does Tom know you are alive?"

He shook his head to indicate that not even Tom was privy, to what somehow I was being made aware of.

He looked over to Lowell and saw that he was asleep.

The voice that came out of me next can only be described as purely demonic, "Take one step near him and you will be dead!"

I guess my tone took him by surprise because he actually studied me for several seconds before speaking again.

"Relax; I'm not here for him."

I read between the lines and knew he had come either to talk to me, or take me somewhere. Both of which I wasn't interested in.

"Believe me, I don't want to be here anymore then you want me here. There is no secret that you and I don't like one another. But there is a situation and though I tried to convince them otherwise..."

"Who's `THEM'?" I asked.

As though I didn't say anything he continued, "If you tell me no, then I will go away."

"NO! Now go away!" I snapped.

He turned like he was actually going to leave.

Damn my curiosity!

"No to what?" I asked.

He turned back around and said, "There is a situation at Holdington Academy."

Now he knew full well that up until recently I had an interest in that school as I was going to be attending there.

"We need you to stick to the plan to attend there."

"We?" I asked.

Morris suddenly appeared more than uncomfortable as he broke into a sweat. He squatted down, wiped sweat from his forehead, and sighed hard as he said, "They were going to approach you after you were enrolled and get you to look into the situation but..."

"But `THEY' have heard that I don't intend to go there anymore." I finished for him and he nodded his head.

I became aware of my body posture, I was standing with both hands balled into tight fists and they were raised in fighting fashion.

Dropping my fists to my side I told him, "I don't know what sort of game you and the FBI are playing. And I don't care who `THEY' are and I don't care what is going on at Holdington Academy. Not only am I not going to Holdington, now that I know that you and the FBI want me to go, there isn't a force on this or any other planet that could get me to go there! I am not interested in playing your games! So take your lying ass and disappear. If I ever see or hear from you again, I'll tell Tom and anyone I can that you are not dead!"

Morris stood, produced a business card from out of his doctors coat pocket and said, "Alright, I told them you would say that. You have my word that you won't ever see or hear from me again. I would like to say that right now, my life is in your hands. You tell anyone you saw or spoke to me, and I'll be dead within minutes."

He again looked at Lowell and added, "And for what it's worth, I'm glad that you and your friends are alright now. I might not like you, but I do admire you for being so strong after everything you have gone through. I hope you, your friends and loved ones have a long, happy life!"

"Is that some kind of threat?" I asked.

But I didn't get an answer. He simply handed me the business card, turned, and walked out of the hospital room. I looked down at the card and saw it was blank so I flipped it over and there was a number with a local area code and below that it was...

 

If you change your mind, call.

 

Only God knows why I didn't toss it into the trash right then and there.

 

__________

 

Stepping out of the room I looked to the left, the direction Morris had turned when he left Lowell's room, but I didn't see him anywhere. I then looked to my right and saw dad standing with his back to me about twenty or more feet from Lowell's room. He was talking on his cell phone.

"I know what you are saying Tom, but I'm telling you that Simon completely missed what Fyer said!"

"No!"

"No he didn't!"

"Tom! Tom! You are getting all worked up for nothing! As far as Simon and Ian know, they are biologically father and son!"

"What?"

"No! No! I am not going to do that."

"I'm sorry Tom, but I am not comfortable with that."

"No! Given everything that has happened in recent days, I do not feel that it would be in Simon's best interest to know that you are his biological father."

"Yes, but can you honestly say that even with your retirement from the FBI that there are not people who would take advantage of it, if they learned you had fathered a son with a prostitute?"

"Tom! Tom, please stop!"

"I'm telling you, he doesn't need to know that about you and Catherine at this point. Maybe when he is older but..."

Dad had turned around and saw me standing there with tears flowing down my face. His mouth fell open as he realized I had heard everything he'd just said.

I guess he was paralyzed with shock `cause he didn't move as I started to back away. Granted I wasn't moving very fast. First I took one slow step away from him, then another. On the third step I pivoted and began running as fast as my feet would take me. I ran right out of ICU. Out of the hospital still wearing my paper outfit and ran, and ran, and ran.

When I stopped running I was so far away from the hospital, that I couldn't even see it anymore. I found myself leaning on one of those large, green trash dumpsters behind some Washington Historic District bar while trying desperately to catch my breath between sobs.

"Hey." Someone said.

I turned toward the voice and saw what I assumed was a prostitute.

"You alright?" she asked.

I shook my head and panted for breath.

She then asked, "What are you wearing?"

Realizing I was still clutching that business card in my tightly closed fist, I turned to her and while shaking my head I asked, "Do you have a cell phone so I can call someone?"

 

The End!

 

Author Note: I'd like to say a big thanks to my good friend JD who has been helping me edit these chapters. He is also the author of the wonderful story Titanic which is a real story. If you'd like to read his story, you can find it here.

And another big thank you to all of you wonderful fans, who've been writing and encouraging over all these years to keep this story going. It is because of you that I found the desire to finish writing this series.

 

If you have enjoyed this series, you may also enjoy some of my other novels...

Goodbye Normal Jeans – Meet Nevada, the middle child of a country families seven children. Nevada, prematurely born, lives the life of a simple country boy. His biggest concerns in life are dealing with his physical inadequacies related to his early birth, and making sure the pigs don't get loose. All of that changes when it is discovered that Nevada is exceptionally intelligent and is awarded a scholarship to a prestigious school for gifted young minds. There he must learn new ways of coping with his bodies limitations while trying to cope with life back on the farm.

(http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/young-friends/goodbye-normal-jeans/)

 

Alvin Ever After A four part novel series chronicling the life changing events of a young California surfer boy named Alvin who has been uprooted and transplanted clear across the country to Maine?

In the first novel you will journey with Alvin and his parents as they travel east, encountering many adventures and people along their way.

The second novel tells of Alvin's new life in Maine as he and his parents struggle to make a new life for themselves.

The third novel tells the tale of a terrible tragedy which rocks Alvin and his family at its core. Friends and loved ones will flock to Alvin and his family's side as everyone struggles to come to grips.

The final novel in the series will see Alvin making a life changing decision and sets out on a new adventure across the country as he attempts to return to California again.

(http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/young-friends/alvin-ever-after/)

 

And be sure to keep a watchful eye for `Close Encounters' coming soon!