Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:53:58 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 7, chapters 29 - 30 The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 29 -- Time With Ted. **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. When the final game ended and it was time to go to bed, Ted grabbed my arm and made me stay behind, until the other boys had left. "I know this is going to sound weird and all, but would you sleep with me tonight?" he begged. "And what made you decide this?" I asked, to clarify his request. "It's just that I've always wanted my father to love me enough to do it, but he never did" he responded. "I was hoping, since you've been so nice to me, you'd do it instead. It would be kind of like you'd be my father for a little while." His eyes were pleading with me, but then he spoke again. "If you don't want to, you don't have to," he added, while looking disappointed. "I'm sure you think I'm really weird just because I asked it." "No, I don't think that at all," I assured him. "I believe each of my boys has slept with me at one time or another," I confirmed, "so it's not an unusual request either. If you don't mind sleeping between Jake and I, I'll check with him to see if he'd have a problem with it." "You mean you and Jake aren't just friends?" Ted asked, having missed such an obvious fact. I don't think this revelation bothered him, but he had apparently been so focused on me that he hadn't noticed anything else. I guess he just wrote off all the time Jake and I spent together as being friends and taking care of the family. He must have also written off my dancing with Jake as just another guy I danced with the previous night. I suppose he was also too busy with the boys to notice the passionate kiss Jake gave me, but I don't think that would have made any difference to him. I don't believe Ted's interest in me is romantic, but more like a temporary father substitute. "Yes, Jake and I are partners," I advised him. "I hope that's not a problem for you?" "Oh, no!" he quickly answered, making sure he didn't upset me. "It's just that I guess I'd never realized it. I don't know why, but that never occurred to me. What do the other boys think of you two being together?" he wondered. "It doesn't bother them," I explained. "They just accept us as a couple and think of us as two dads." He thought about this a few seconds and then nodded. "They're luckier than I thought," he added. "Don't forget, they don't have a mother to dote on them," I added, so he didn't think this was all roses and no thorns. "I know," he concurred, "but I've noticed they have some really neat aunts and uncles too." I agreed with his observation, while trying to explain how each of those people had come into our lives. He absorbed the information like a sponge. "Well, do you want me to ask Jake if he'd mind if you slept between us?" I asked, getting back to his original request. "I guess you could, but I was hoping it would just be the two of us," he replied. He didn't sound thrilled about the choice I gave him. "Well, I could sleep in the middle and you'd still be next to me," I offered. "I know, but it still wouldn't be the same," he admitted, looking forlorn. "Ted, if you're looking for more than that," I told him, "then you might be disappointed." Ted looked confused. "What do you mean?" he challenged. "If you're looking for a sexual encounter, it's not going to happen," I clarified. This drew a shocked response from Ted and his face took on a horrified expression. "No! That's not what I was thinking at all," he corrected. "I just wanted it to be the two of us, but I wasn't thinking of anything more than that." He looked embarrassed that I had even suggested this. "Dad… oh damn, I mean, Mr. Currie… err, uh, Josh…" Ted stammered and I realized he had made the same slip of the tongue earlier, when he also called me dad. I was also surprised by how totally flustered and confused it made him when this happened. I thought he might even bolt from the room, because he was getting so upset, or maybe just embarrassed by his verbal mistake. "Calm down, Ted," I told him, reading the panic in his eyes. "You haven't done or said anything wrong." He still didn't look as if he believed me, and it appeared he might even start to cry. "See, I'm a total idiot," he scolded. "I've been thinking all day about how I'd like to have you for my dad and that's the only reason I wanted to spend the night with you. Like you were really my father and I was still your little boy. I know it sounds dumb, but it's been a dream I've always had, where my father would love me that way." Now, he did start to weep, so I did my best to console him. "Look, give me a minute to talk this over with Jake," I advised him. "I'm sure he'll understand." "No, cuz now you're going to think I'm such a baby," he blurted out, totally embarrassed. Where in the world have I heard that line before? Damn, is it my turn to have to deal with all the boys with emotional issues? It isn't that I don't understand why he's been acting the way he has, seeing he's been robbed of most of his childhood by an overbearing father. All he's ever wanted was a dad who would show his love and make him feel safe. Now he feels as if he's found one, so I didn't want to blunder and ruin this for him too. "I don't think that -- never have and never will," I assured him. "All I see is a young man who wants his father's attention, but his father would never allow himself to let down his manly façade long enough to give it. Now, this poor boy longs for that lost opportunity and feels he's found a substitute. There's nothing wrong with what you want and I'll bet nearly every one of my boys has felt similar longings, before they came to live with me. " I paused briefly, before continuing, to see how he was responding. "There's something about a large percentage of American men that won't allow them to show another male a little affection, not even his son," I added. "It may be changing slightly now, since you see football players holding hands in the huddle or other athletes hugging and such. However, the mainstay American male is still too homophobic to do that just yet, no matter whom else he sees doing it first. Trust me, Ted, this isn't your problem. The problem belongs to your father." He just looked at me, as if he were trying to read my mind, but I wasn't sure why. I just told him what I thought and felt, so what was there left to read? I didn't have time to figure it out for myself, before he gave me the answer. "I think you're being serious, and if you are, you're the only person who understands how I feel," he informed me, before he began to weep lightly again. "I've spent my whole life trying to please my father, just so he'd love me, but no matter what I did, he only despised me… and now that he suspects I'm gay, he absolutely HATES me. Why does he treat me this way?" I grabbed and hugged him tightly against my body, to show him not all men were like that. "I'd be willing to bet he doesn't hate you," I tried to explain, "it's just that he's been so conditioned to think that any kind of male-to-male affection is wrong. Please, don't give up on him yet. He's not hopeless, but he's not going to change overnight either." "I don't believe that," Ted sobbed on my shoulder. "I know he doesn't love me. In fact, I think he's embarrassed by me. I can't even stand being around him any more. Every time he looks at me, I can see it in his eyes. He's angry because I'm not what he wants me to be." I knew there was no sense in arguing with him, so I just held him tight. I hoped what little love I could show him would help to ease the lingering pain he's kept hidden in his heart. His body was trembling and I could feel the dampness soaking the shoulder of my shirt, as his tears began to seep through the fabric. I could also tell he was getting weak in the knees, so I moved us toward my recliner. When I reached it, I sat down and pulled him onto my lap. Then, I let him release all of his pent up anguish. Hopefully, this catharsis will be productive and allow him an opportunity to put this behind him, although I sincerely doubt it will end so easily. After he began to calm down, I went to talk to Jake, so I could explain the situation to him. He understood immediately and said he'd go tell Shannon he would be spending the night with him. That way, I could bring Ted in with me. That's the great thing about Jake; he's sooooo damn understanding about things like this. Even though he told me he was doing it because he wanted to spend more time with his son, I knew it was for Ted's benefit. It was these special qualities about Jake that convinced me he was worth risking an estrangement with my biological children, even though those same children might not have seen it that way. I went back to get Ted, who appeared to have settled down a little more. I took his hand, pulled him out of the chair and led him back to my bedroom. He was walking in sort of a daze until he hit the bedroom door and then his face began to light up. "Thank you," he said, gratefully. "You don't know how much this means to me." "Oh, I think I have a good idea," I told him, "but I'll bet I'll enjoy it just as much as you will." My comment made Ted smile for the first time in quite a while and then he hugged me. He held me in that embrace for many minutes, and when he finally released me, we stripped down to our underwear and climbed into bed. Once we were under the bedding, Ted slid his body as close to mine as he could possibly get. I could have sworn he was almost purring now, even though I believe it was just the sound of his gentle, even breathing that caused the illusion. However, it let me know how content he was at this moment and I was glad I had made this kind of an impact on him. After turning off the lamp, I rolled on my side and faced him. I then put my arm across his chest and kissed him gently on the cheek. We lay there for a few more minutes, as I watched him enjoy our closeness, but finally I felt it was time to sleep. "Good night, my boy, and sweet dreams," I whispered to him, before closing my eyes. "Night, Dad," he mumbled, already drifting off. "I love you." I wasn't sure if he was actually saying that to me or if he was pretending I was his father and finally treating him as he wished. Either way, he was satisfied and I knew he'd sleep well tonight. When I awoke the next morning, I was still on my side, but Ted was also on his side, facing me. He had his arm draped over my body and one of his legs hooked over both of mine. He was also sporting a morning erection, which was poking into me. Although I was pretty sure this was not created by sexual arousal, just his need to urinate, I didn't want to embarrass him. So, when I saw him beginning to wake, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, so his condition wouldn't be an issue. However, he remained as he was and made no move to go pee. After a few more minutes of this standoff, I opened my eyes and looked directly into his. "Good morning, my boy," I greeted him. "Morning, Dad," he responded, which caused me to worry slightly. Was he making more out of this than he was supposed to? My concern must have registered on my face, because he began to panic a bit, in response. "Does it bother you when I call you Dad?" he asked, alarmed. "If it does, I promise I won't do it again." "Ted, it doesn't bother me. In fact, I'm flattered that you feel so comfortable saying it," I stated, so I didn't bruise his already batter ego. "However, I don't want to replace your dad. I think you could still work things out with him, but if you can't, we can discuss this issue again later." "I know, and I'm not using you to replace him," he explained, "it's just that I feel too close to you now to call you Mr. Currie or Josh." "Well, I can give you two other options then. You can call me Uncle Josh, if you'd like…" I stated, and then paused to study his reaction. It wasn't as positive as I'd hoped for, so I continued. "Or you can call me Pop. Some of the other boys do that too, like Brandon and Nick. This is so they didn't confuse me with their own fathers." His face lit up again. "Yeah, I like that… Pop," he said tentatively. It was as if he were trying it out, to see how it felt to him. "Yeah, I like that a lot!" He grinned and squeezed me with the arm he had draped over my side. We stayed this way for a few more minutes, before I thought I should say something more. "Well, do you think it's time we got up?" I asked him. "Do we have to?" he whined. "Can't we stay like this a little longer?" He gave me a pleading look, hoping it would make me give in. "We could, but isn't there something you need to do?" I asked, hoping that would give him the required hint, without causing him any embarrassment. He thought for a minute, as he tried to figure out what I was referring to, and then it dawned on him. "Do you mean my boner?" he asked, pressing it into me a little more firmly, but again, not in a sexual way. "Yes, I thought you might need to use the toilet," I explained. "I do, but I don't want this to end," he reasoned. "Well, go urinate and I'll wait for you to come back. Then, we can cuddle some more, if you still want to," I urged. "We just have to do something about it, because that spear is sticking into me and beginning to get a little uncomfortable." This statement made him chuckle, but he got my point, jumped out of bed and raced to the bathroom. Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then I heard his stream hitting the bowl. He must have really had to go, because it lasted a long time. However, shortly after I heard the toilet flush, he was bounding back into bed, with a big shit-eating grin on his face. "You look happy," I told him, as he scooted back in beside me. "I am. I'm happier than I think I've ever been before," he explained, as he swung his arm and one leg over my body. Once again, he was as close to me as he could possibly get, without crawling inside my skin. Since I wanted to keep him feeling wanted, I slid my arm under his body and reached around behind him, so I could hold him close to me too. I know it was probably just my imagination, but the room seemed to brighten at that moment. It almost appeared as if this small action made him glow and added even more brilliance to the natural lighting. Although I knew this was scientifically impossible, it did make me wonder if his momentary euphoria could actually affect the physical laws of nature. I guess when I did this, it also gave him a boost in confidence, because he kissed me. It wasn't a sensual kiss, but they type a child would give his mother. That simple gesture was so sweet that it brought a tear to my eye, which Ted noticed almost immediately. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you and make you cry." "You didn't," I explained. "That's a tear of happiness." After the meaning of my words sank in, he wiped the tear from my face with his fingertip and placed in his mouth. "Must be why it tastes so sweet," he mused. I let him enjoy our continued closeness for another half hour or so, before I told him we had to get up. However, by then he was so completely satisfied, it wasn't an issue any longer. As we were both slipping on our clothes, he walked over and gave me another hug, while letting the side of his face rest against my chest. "I still wish you could really be my dad," he stated. His love and affection for me were evident in his tone. "So do I," I replied, which surprised him, "but we both know that can't be. I'll continue to be your 'Pop,' if that will suffice, and I'll be here for you, if and when you need me." He hugged me a little harder after I finished my sentence, to show me he approved. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot," he agreed, as he lifted his head. He then gave me another soft, gentle kiss on the cheek. Ted's Aunt Jane arrived around 5:00 Friday evening, to pick him up. She was going to stay overnight this time, so I'd set it up with the Spences to have her sleep there. We'd all be going out to dinner with her first, so it wasn't like we were just pushing her off on our friends. However, the minute we heard her car pull into the driveway, Ted bolted from the house and raced to greet her. He barely let her get out of her car before he was hugging and kissing her on the cheek. "Aunt Jane, Aunt Jane… I love it here." Ted gushed. "I wish I could stay with Pop forever." "Pop?" Jane questioned, while looking from her nephew to me. "Yeah, he lets me call him that, cuz he didn't think it would be right for me to call him Dad, like I wanted to," Ted explained. His words were falling off his tongue so rapidly that we were all surprised she understood a thing he said. "Very interesting," she chuckled, while looking at me again. "I take it you two hit it off then?" "Oh, yes," Ted answered for me, thinking his aunt was speaking to him. "I got along great with everyone. That's Sammy and Graham," he announced, while pointing in their direction. "They're two of my new brothers and also my best friends," he stated, with equal conviction. "We got along the best, although I really like everyone here." His aunt was looking at him quite oddly and watching him carry on, while listening to his comments. Finally, she interrupted him. "Josh, where is my Teddy?" she asked, playfully. "This can't be the same depressed boy I brought here the day after Christmas." Her teasing caused Ted to look around to see if anyone was going to rag on him about the pet name she used for him. When he saw no one snickering or mocking him, he returned his attention to her. "Oh, Aunt Jane. It's me," he assured her, "but the only difference is, I know I'm loved when I'm here. I wish Dad loved me like Pop does." "He does love you, Teddy, and so does your mother," Jane confirmed. "How can you say that?" she asked, while looking at me, as if I put these ideas in his head. "That's what Pop keeps saying," Ted acknowledged, "but I'm not so sure." "Ted, I told you to give them a chance," I reiterated, for Jane's benefit. "Your dad might begin to soften, over time." "Yes, I know everyone says he loves me, but he never shows me he does," Ted argued. "He looks at me like he's disgusted with what I am. He even avoids me, like I have some sort of contagious disease, and the only time he ever talks to me any more is when he screams and tells me everything he thinks is wrong with me." I think his response convinced Jane I had nothing to do with his attitude. "Teddy," she said, "if you want, I'll talk to your parents when we get back, to see if I can make them understand how you feel." "I doubt it will do any good," he replied, dryly. "Would you at least let me try?" she persisted. "I don't think it will do any harm." "I'm not so sure of that, but you can try if you want," he conceded, even though he still didn't look convinced it was worth the effort. "Okay, then give me a chance to do that," she told him, as she looked hopefully in his direction. "I think they'll make some changes, once they understand this isn't just a teenage rebellion thing." Ted rolled his eyes after his Aunt Jane said this, but he had turned his head so she couldn't see what he did. Since that issue had been settled, at least temporarily, I invited Jane to come inside, so we might have a cup of coffee and chat. The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 30 -- Wishful Thinking. Once we were in the house, Ted led his Aunt Jane to the family room, so he could chat with her in private. Their conversation lasted many minutes, but then she joined Jake and I in the dining room. While Jake went to pour her a cup of coffee, she decided to spill her guts to me. "I had no idea Teddy felt this way or things were so bad for him at home," she admitted. "I thought his problems just stemmed from being gay, but now he tells me it's been bad for years and just got worse when they discovered he was gay. When I asked him why he didn't tell me this before, he said it was because it would have only made things worse for him and he didn't have any other choices. Now, he thinks he can come here and live with you, if his dad throws him out." Of course all kinds of things were going through my mind as she told me this. That's why I thought I had to convince her Ted felt this way when he arrived. I didn't want her to think it was due to anything I had said or done. Jake returned with her coffee and a plate of snacks just then, so I allowed her time to fix her coffee and select a treat before I responded. "Jane," I began, once she was set, "I hope you don't think I tried to turn him against his family?" "Oh, no," she blurted out faster than I expected, but then she began to blush. "Well, maybe a little at first, but not since I've had my little chat with Teddy. I'm not sure if he kept this a secret because he didn't want to put me in the middle or if he thought I'd take his parents side. He might have even believed it was an utterly hopeless situation and there was nothing I could do to change it. Whatever the reason, he did tell me he'd kept quiet intentionally." "I'm glad that's clear," I sighed, feeling relieved. "Josh, I can't tell you how grateful I am for the change I see in Teddy," she added, "and I wasn't joking outside. He IS a totally different young man than I brought here. The day I picked him up, he was moody and upset. Even though I knew he was looking forward to meeting your boys, he hardly spoke to me during the entire trip. In the past hour, he's told me more than he has during all of our conversations over the past couple of years." "Jane, I think just being with my boys and hearing their stories made him realize he wasn't the only one with a problem. Then, when he saw how the boys are now, it helped to get him thinking about his own situation," I told her. "I feel he's working out his own strategy to improve things unilaterally, without discussing it with anyone else." "I understand and I'm not questioning how it happened," she conceded. "It's just that he is so upbeat now. From what he's told me, it's because he has hope and feels loved -- and that came from you. Almost every sentence he spoke during our conversation included something about you. He idolizes you, loves you and wants to stay here with you." "I'm sorry, Jane. I didn't mean for that to happen." I felt I owed her an apology. "Sorry? Are you nuts? That's the miracle I was hoping for!" she exclaimed. "I thought it would be one of your boys who might bring it about, but just because he's fixated on you -- there's nothing wrong with that. He's obviously needed a strong and loving father figure, which he isn't getting at home, so I couldn't be more thrilled that he's bonded with you." "Whew! You had me worried for a minute," I confessed, "but I'm glad to hear you feel this way." "Josh, if I could, I'd leave him here until the situation improves for him at home," she admitted, "but I know his father would go ballistic if I did that. I did promise Teddy I would help him with this though. If talking to his parents doesn't work, I'll see what I can do to have him come live with me, or live with you, if you'd be agreeable to that?" I was stunned. I didn't see this coming at all. "Jane, I would never turn my back on Ted, and I've told him that," I admitted, "but I'd rather see him work things out at home." "And so would I," she cut in, quickly, "but if that doesn't happen, I know he'd prefer to be here with you, rather than me." "Just see what you can do," I suggested, "but if that time comes, call me and we'll work something out." "Thanks, Josh," she replied. "You don't know what this means to both of us." Our conversation about Ted's situation ended for now, but I knew it would most likely come up again. Jane was spending the night with the Spences, but they were all going to be joining us for dinner, so there would be plenty of opportunity to broach this subject further. A little while later, I took her over to meet John and Margaret, so she'd have a chance to get acquainted. It would also give her an opportunity to settle in, get cleaned up and changed, before we went out to eat. Prior to leaving her there, I told Jane I'd see her at the restaurant, since she would be riding with the Spences. When I returned home, I walked in the door and was immediately leaped upon by one excited kid. "Aunt Jane's going to help me talk to my parents," he rattled off, "and if they don't want me any more, maybe I can come back here and live with you!" He said this in one breath and seemed more like an excited twelve-year old, rather than someone who was seventeen. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves again," I cautioned him. "There are many factors involved and many other options to be considered. Coming here to live is near the bottom of that long list, so let's wait and see what happens." His joyful face suddenly soured. "You mean you don't want me now?" he pouted. "Ted, that's not what I said or meant," I corrected, while hugging him against my body. "I want what's best for you and I truly believe that means patching things up with your parents. If that doesn't work, well, there are still other options, but I'd bring you here in the blink of an eye, if I was convinced that would be best." His face started to brighten again. "Okay, I understand," he informed me. "I was just scared you'd changed your mind." I gave him a squeeze, just to prove I hadn't. "How could I not want to keep you, if I got the chance?" I asked. Ted gave me a very special grin, which instantly melted my heart and made me want to keep him, regardless of any other issues. However, I knew I still had to do what I thought was best for him. "Ted, or do you prefer Teddy?" I joked. He just gave me a very threatening look, which silently warned me never to ask him that again. "Ted, I was only teasing," I confirmed, "but not about being willing to take you in, if that's what's needed." Suddenly, he began to get playful again. "I know, Pop, and I really do love you," he countered. "I can talk to you, come to you for help, tease you about things and that's just so far, but I could never do any of those things with my dad. I know I'd be so much happier if I could come live with you." He gave me that pleading look of his again, as if he thought it was the way to get to me. "But if things improve at home, maybe you'll feel differently about that too," I suggested. "Maybe, but I doubt it," he shot back. "Just don't count your parents out yet," I urged. "They may love you so much they might even surprise you." After convincing Ted that I'd never abandon him, I sent him off to shower and change, while I filled Jake in on everything that had happened over the past twenty- four hours. Jake let me know he was aware of how Ted felt about me and admitted he was worried Ted was falling IN love with me, not just loving me as a father. I told Jake I was sure that wasn't the case, as Ted had never even hinted at anything sexual. I even told Jake I'd even brought the issue up, since I was also worried about this, but Ted confirmed it wasn't the case. Even though I tried to convince Jake he didn't have to worry about this, I'm not sure I was successful. Realizing this, I would watch for any signs of that nature from Ted, just to be sure. I took this opportunity to let the other boys know they should be getting ready too, if they planned to go out to eat with us. Once they had all been apprised, Jake and I started cleaning up as well. I had arranged for a fairly extravagant affair at one of the better establishments, to repay Jane for all she had done for Cody and Graham during the final few days of Cody's life. I told the Spences this too, so they could dress appropriately and make sure Jane did as well, but it's harder to get the boys in their good clothes. They generally prefer the more casual look, but I had warned them they wouldn't be allowed to go, if they weren't dressed to my standards. I even had one of them lend Ted an outfit, since he didn't have anything I would deem appropriate. As it neared the time to leave, I held my inspection and corrected the few problems I found, but everyone had basically done as they were told. Sammy and Graham had even gone to special lengths. They did something different to their hair and even used their best colognes. I also suspected they must have taken great pains in selecting what they thought would be the most appealing combinations of garments. I immediately understood why they did this, even though I knew neither boy considered himself to be gay, although possibly bi. Unfortunately for them, I'm sure Ted was totally oblivious to the fact their efforts were for him. Dashing their hopeful spirits, Ted announced he was going to sit between his Aunt Jane and me, if I didn't mind. I told him that would be fine, which I think he took to mean he would be my shadow for the rest of the evening. He was right beside me, no matter what I was doing, and he even climbed into the front passenger seat of the van, when I went to drive my share of the family to our destination. At the restaurant, the rest of our extended family joined us, because I wanted them to meet Jane too. Ted was clinging to my arm, almost like a date, but I determined it was because he didn't want us to get separated. He might have also had some slight trepidation about being in such a fancy establishment, since I doubted he'd ever been anyplace so nice before. Whatever the reason, I didn't make a big fuss about it and none of the boys did either. When we sat down to eat, Ted sat on my left and Jake took the seat to my right. Ted also made sure his Aunt Jane was where he wanted. I could read the disappointment on Sammy and Graham's faces, as they watched Ted throughout the entire meal. I could also tell they were each scheming to find a way to correct this perceived wrong. Jane had gotten along very well with the Spences, so they sat on the other side of her. From the start, I spent much of my time thanking her for all she had done for Cody and explained to everyone else how special she was. I believe Ted was most impressed listening to what I had to say. Even though he had been close to his aunt, I think this made him begin to see her in an even better light. Before we left the restaurant, everyone made sure they either thanked her or made some other appropriate comment about what she had done. When we got ready to leave, Graham announced he was going to accompany Jane to the Spence's vehicle. He even rode with her and the Spences back to our house, since I had invited everyone to come there for dessert. Once our guests arrived, I set out the cake I'd ordered earlier, so people could read the message I had the decorator place on it. It read, 'Our special thanks to our living angel, Nurse Jane.' She hadn't seen it, until I asked her to make the first cut, and then she paused after reading those few words. She then took a few seconds to deal with her emotional response to our sincerest appreciation, before continuing. Eventually, she began to cut the cake and we passed around the pieces, but while everyone was eating, she made a secretive comment to me. "Josh, we're even," she told me. "Whatever you think I did for Cody, you've more than made up for with Teddy. You don't need to do any more." I understood what she meant and knew she realized how we felt, so I just nodded, to let her know I agreed. Throughout the evening, Jane got acquainted with our extended family. She got along very well with each of them, and by the time things were breaking up and everyone was heading home, I think she'd had a chance to speak with every one of them. When it came time for her to go back to the Spences, she stopped to talk to me one more time before she left. "Josh, I can't believe how much support you have from all of these wonderful people," she gushed. "If I was impressed before, I'm ten times more impressed now. How in the world did you bring all of this together?" "Luck. Blind luck," I told her. "Some of these wonderful people were friends before I began to take the boys in, but the rest happened to find us, more than we found them, and it was a good thing they did. They have been invaluable and each has helped in so many different ways. Every one of them has taken a personal responsibility for various boys, should anything ever happen to me, and I don't know what I'd do without Jake." "Yes, I can tell you two are very close," she added, with a wink. "I hope that doesn't bother you," I told her, with a touch of concern. Although she had been so open-minded about the boys, I wasn't sure if that same level of acceptance would apply to Jake and me. However, I soon discovered my fears were unfounded. "Josh, I think it's wonderful you've found someone, especially someone as caring and loving as Jake appears to be. You both set fine examples for the boys and Teddy told me if he came to live here, he'd have two dads." She let out a little chuckle after saying this, but then read the questioning look on my face. "Don't worry. We've talked more, since I first arrived, and he's explained to me that you feel he has to try to work things out first," she admitted. "Just the same, I'm warning you, if I don't see things improving for him, I'll let you know. As much as I love my nephew, I have to admit he'd be better off with you, than with me. As much as I adore him and want to protect him, he needs a man's influence and love. I could never give him that. We won't force you to take him to live here, but I do hope you'd at least seriously consider it, if things don't work out for him. I see how much you love your boys and I know you'd learn to love Teddy the same way." "I have no doubt about that, for I already do love him and would eagerly take him in," I admitted. "I just want him to try his hardest to see if he can mend things with his father first. I truly believe that's what he really needs." "I know you do, Josh, and thank you for caring about him like you do," she informed me. "I can see how much he loves you too, because it just pours from his eyes when he looks at you and radiates from his whole being when he's around you." "That may be another problem," I admitted. "Jake thinks Teddy is IN love with me, not just loves me like a father." She thought about that for a few seconds, before she responded. "That may be true, but I can't say for certain," she confessed. Jane looked thoughtful, but nonplussed by this idea. "I don't think that would be a problem, though, because he's also told me about a couple of your boys too, boys he thinks might like him a lot. So, even if he does have a teen crush on you, he is considering other options. He hasn't mentioned you in that same way and just talks about 'Pop' and how much he'd love to be your son." Her words gave me some comfort, by letting me know I wouldn't have to deal with possibly breaking Ted's heart. Hopefully, things were under control. We talked a little longer, before she left with the Spences, but by that time, I think we had a pretty good understanding of each other and what we expected or wanted for Ted. Without my knowledge, Jake and Ted had agreed to let Ted stay with me again tonight, but it was Jake who informed me of this fact. "Josh, I'm going to stay with Shannon again, so Ted can spend his final evening with you," he announced. "It seems to be very important to him and I didn't think you'd mind, so I told him it was fine with me. He said he came to me first, to make sure I understood and wouldn't be jealous, and I think I misread the boy. From all he's said, you're just a father figure to him and nothing more. I hope you don't mind that I agreed to this, without checking with you first. He really needs you and this will be his last chance, unless his parents allow him to come visit again." "I know, Jake," I said soothingly, "and I don't mind. In fact, I appreciate your being so understanding. I think it's very big of you to have even considered it, knowing you thought Ted's intentions might be more than they appeared. I love you, Jake, and thanks for being such a fantastic guy." I gave him a huge hug and a very passionate kiss for his caring attitude. As we finished cleaning up after everyone left, I kept turning around and bumping into Ted, who was voluntarily giving us a hand. He would grin at me each time I looked at him and was always doing some sort of task close to where I was working. I knew Jake was right and Ted did need this final opportunity to spend time with me, so I would do my best for him. Once everything was finished, Ted followed me to my bedroom, but didn't seem certain if I knew he was supposed to spend the night with me. "Is it all right for me to stay with you again?" he asked, timidly. "Yes, Ted," I confirmed. "Jake told me about your conversation with him, so you're more than welcome here." He began to relax and lighten up. "Okay, I just wasn't sure," he admitted. "I didn't want you to be mad that I didn't ask you first." He looked a little apprehensive again. "No, not mad, but I do hope you will come to me first, in the future," I suggested, and he nodded in agreement. "So, shall we go to bed then?" Ted didn't respond immediately. "I don't want you to think I'm weird or anything, but could I ask you a big favor?" He looked worried that I wouldn't agree to this and I had no idea what he might ask, but it did seem to be very important to him. "You may ask me anything and I'll listen to what you have to say, but that doesn't mean I'll always do what you want," I explained. "If it is reasonable, I may do as you ask, but if I see any problems or illegalities in your request, then I'll tell you that too. So, what did you want to ask me?" He didn't look very confident now, but did manage to gather up enough courage to pose his question. "Would you mind if we didn't go to sleep right away? It's just that I enjoy being alone with you like this and don't want it to end so quickly, by going to sleep." I could tell by the look on his face how important this was to him, but his body posture told me he was still nervous that I wouldn't agree with his request. "Sure, if that's what you want to do, but I'm not sure I understand what you might want to do, other than sleep." I looked at Ted, to see if he might respond. "I'm not sure I know either," he confessed, "but last night you made me feel good, like I was really your son, but it ended way too soon. I want that feeling to last longer tonight, that's all." His eyes were pleading with me, like he thought I'd think he was nuts and not go along with his suggestion. "Okay, that sounds fine to me," I began, "I'm in no hurry to go to sleep either. So, do you want to take your shower tonight or in the morning?" "Can I wait 'til morning?" he asked. "Sure, I have no problem with that," I agreed. "Why don't you get ready for bed then, while I turn down the covers?" "Okay," he responded. He then proceeded to take off his clothes, until he was just in his underwear. While, he was doing that, I pulled the covers back and got it ready for him to slide in. Once he had stripped down, I gave him his next instruction. "Hop into bed," I advised him, while lifting the sheet and quilt for him to crawl underneath. Once he was in place, I tucked the covers in around him and kissed him on the forehead. He looked at me, bewildered. "Aren't you going to sleep with me?" he wondered. "Eventually, but you said you didn't want this to end too soon," I advised him, "so, we'll do something a little different tonight." He looked confused. I crawled onto the bed beside him, on top of the quilt and began to stroke his face and hair. After I had done this for a few seconds, I began to tell him a story. "Long ago, in a far away land, where kings and queens still ruled, there was a lonely young man who longed to have a family of his own. He had been taken during a battle, when a neighboring kingdom raided his village. Since that time, he had been forced to live as a slave and work for a wealthy family. "He hated his life, not only because he was a slave, but mostly due to the fact that he had no family and no one to love him. He would watch his master's children and the children of other wealthy families, and noticed how they were loved and adored. This caused him to long to be loved and cared for as they were. "He couldn't even play with the other children, because he was only a slave and that wasn't allowed. This caused him to become even more depressed than he already was. He couldn't figure out why the deities had relegated him to such a life and why he had been taken from his old home. Then one night another slave tried to explain the situation to him. "'The Gods have plans for us all and even though we sometimes cannot see the reasons for their actions, a larger power is at work here.' This didn't seem to help the boy either and only befuddled him more, so nothing changed. "Months later, the king had a dream, but no one could tell him what it meant. The king promised great wealth and power to anyone who could explain the meaning of his dream, but still no one could provide him with the answers he sought. Finally, the king issued a proclamation, which was read aloud in every village and told the details of his dream. He did this to see if anyone could advise him as to the meaning of his vision. No one could, until the news reached the village where this young boy was a slave. As soon as the boy heard the dream, he understood what it foretold and advised the herald who had read it aloud. The boy was immediately taken back to the castle, so he could share his explanation with the king. "When the boy was brought before him, the king looked skeptical and doubted such a young man could do something even his most powerful advisors could not. With grave reservations, he decided to listen to what the lad had to say. 'So you can tell me the significance of my dream?' the king asked. The boy nodded. 'Then give me this information now and you shall have whatever you desire.' "The boy looked at the king, swallowed hard, and then began to tell him the gist of his vision. 'Sire, is it not true that you saw a giant snake coming out of the water and it sneaked up behind a bear and then devour it?' The king nodded his head in agreement. 'Then this is what I think it means. Your crest has a bear on it, to symbolize the strength of your line, so I believe the bear in your dream represents your kingdom. The serpent that slithers out of the water and devours the bear represents an invading army, which shall cross the ocean and defeat your warriors, if you are not prepared.' "The king thought about what the boy had told him and saw it might be true. He then advised his generals to prepare for such a threat. When this attack did happen, the king and his army were able to defeat the invaders and save the kingdom. The king was so ecstatic about this that he advised the boy he would come to live in the castle as his reward. He would be raised as the King's own son and be next in line for the throne. However, this was not what the boy wanted. "After considering his options, he finally spoke to the king. 'Sire, although I am honored by your offer, you did promise I could have whatever I wanted, didn't you?' The king nodded. 'Then, there is another reward I would much prefer.' "The king told him he wasn't quite sure he understood why he would turn down his offer, but asked what he wanted instead. 'I wish to be reunited with my own family,' the young man replied. "After asking the boy's parents' names and where they lived, the king sent some of his soldiers out to locate them. After a couple of weeks of searching, the warriors returned with the boy's mother and father and they were reunited. The king also made the boy one of his advisors and gave his family a wonderful home to live in. The boy finally had what he wanted. He was loved and doted on, from that day forward." After I finished the story, Ted thought about it for a while before he looked up at me and spoke. "Are you trying to tell me that will happen for me too?" "In a way," I admitted, "but I was also telling you there are many things about life we don't understand and maybe we're not meant to. There might be a hidden purpose for the way your life turned out and possibly there isn't, but there may be other issues we haven't considered yet. As you saw, even though the king offered to love and care for the boy, the boy preferred the love of his parents instead." "So, you told me this story so I'd try to work things out with my parents?" he wondered. "I told you this story to point out that there is more than one option to any problem, so it's not always wise to choose the most obvious. It may not be what's best for you. The boy could have been happy being the son of the king, but he knew there was more that he wanted. I hope you will also take the time to determine what you really want and do what's best for you." Ted nodded, before lying back and getting comfortable. I continued to lie beside him for several more minutes, to give him time to think about what I had just told him. Eventually, I got up, undressed and climbed into bed beside him. I lay on my back next to him and Ted rolled over and put his head on my chest. I reached my arm under his body and drew him tightly against me, as if I were protecting a small child. He gave me a squeeze and then relaxed completely. It wasn't long before he contently slipped into a deep slumber. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com - but please put the story title in the subject line, so it doesn't get deleted as junk mail.