Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:27:54 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 8, chapters 21 - 22 The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 21 -- Fitting In. After I sent everyone to their rooms, I went into the guest room to see how Jesse was doing. He and Andrew were sitting naked on the bed, listening to some CD's. "Is everything okay in here?" I asked and received an immediate nod in reply from Jesse. "Do you think you want to stay here and live with us?" I followed up, which caused his face to light up and a big smile to spread across his lips. This time, he nodded even harder. I saw Andrew looking at me, expectantly, as he wondered if I was going to tell Jesse what he wanted to hear. "Well, I guess you'd better start considering this your home and us your family then," I informed Jesse. This caused Andrew to leap to his feet, stand on the bed, and walk toward the edge of the mattress. He reached out and pulled me toward the bed, so he could wrap his arms around my neck. He also gave me a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, daddy. I love you so much!" he exclaimed. While Andrew had been doing this, Jesse must have taken the opportunity to stand up on the bed too, and now I felt another pair of arms wrapping around me and another rather wet smooch being applied to my other cheek. This touched me deeply. "Before you two go to sleep, I think there's another matter we need to clear up," I announced and both of them looked at me puzzled. "Jesse was confused by the difference in your penises, so I thought we should explain it to him," I continued. Andrew looked at me and smiled. "You see, Jesse, when you were born, your penis looked much the same as Andrew's," I explained. "However, you parents decided to have the excess skin removed, so it looks like it does now." Jesse looked puzzled, so I turned toward Andrew. "Would you please pull back your foreskin, to show Jesse what I mean?" I followed. Andrew quickly did as I requested and Jesse's eyes opened as wide as saucers we he saw the transformation. Suddenly, he was using his hands to motion Andrew that he wanted to see it again. After Andrew did this a few more times, Jesse's face broke into a smile and then he stood up and hugged me again, before he bent down and hugged Andrew. I guess his curiosity had been sated and he had enjoyed the lesson. At this point, I informed both boys it was time to sleep. I asked them if they wanted to put on a pair of briefs, pajamas or sleep as they were. Andrew looked at Jesse and he motioned he was okay sleeping as they were, so I gave them both a hug, tucked them into bed and gave them each a kiss on the forehead, before I left their room. On my way out I thought, 'This is going to be quite a pair.' The rest of the night was quiet, since many of the boys and Jake were on the way back to their campuses. This gave me time to reflect upon the past few days. A lot had happened and it didn't revolve around Jesse showing up either. The first of these instances came about when Nick's test results came back, followed by Shannon and Jake's reactions to finding out what they were. Duck had come to visit over the holiday and appeared to fit in quite well. We tried to make him feel as if he was part of the clan and he warmed up very rapidly to being included. He got along well with not only Mark, but enjoyed being with the other boys as well, plus he was a big hit with the extended family. All in all, I'd say it was a very positive visit. During this same period of time, Andrew finally got caught pulling one of his little stunts and received his comeuppance for it. Although the boys weren't really upset with him, they made their point and I'm sure Andrew will cool it, at least for a while. This was followed by all the work the high school boys had done so far, so they could start a gay-straight alliance at school. From what I understood, they're going to start circulating petitions, because they want to get as many signatures as they could before they made their proposal to the principal the following week. They will set an appointment with his secretary tomorrow, so they'll be ready to pitch their idea, just as soon as they reach their target number of signatures. Now, getting back to Jesse, we had made a lot of progress in just the two days he's been here, but there was still soooo much more work ahead of us. He may seem happy and it appears as though he's bonded with Andrew, but I'm sure there is still a great deal of unresolved issues bubbling below the surface. Actually, I'm wondering when any of those will start to surface and come into play. This poor kid has been through a lot. He saw his father murdered, was emotionally abused by his stepfather, abandoned by his mother and left with a group of strangers. Although I do think his mother did a fairly good job in preparing him about coming to live with us, I'm not sure exactly what she told him or how she did it. However, I do attribute his rapid adjustment into our home with what she had done before she left him here, so I do owe her for that. Maybe someday I'll be able to thank her in person and discover what she said or did to get him ready for such an abrupt departure. After tiring myself out mentally, I decided to go to bed fairly early that evening. I was also physically drained, because it had been a long weekend, with a great deal of activity. Since Jake was gone too, there was nothing else to do, so I slept soundly until I felt Jake getting into bed beside me, sometime later that evening. "Oh, you're home," I mumbled, acknowledging his return. "Yes, it wasn't that bad," he told me, although he sounded beat. "Well, get to sleep," I advised him, "and you can tell me all about it sometime tomorrow." He cuddled up against me and soon we both dozed off. The next morning I got everyone up and ready for school. Jake left early, as he had a big run to make, and I had to take Jesse over to the elementary school, so I could enroll him. As I thought about it, this would be my first son in the elementary school since Andrew had spent a brief time there. Most of the other boys had at least been in the middle school, my old school, when they came to live with me, so this was a rarity. After dropping Andrew off, I took Jesse with me to the elementary school. As we got out of the van, he ran over to where I was and worked his hand in to mine. I guess he felt a little intimidated at this point, so I smiled and tried to reassure him. He seemed to relax a bit after that, but he was still quite tense as I led him to the main office. The secretary greeted me at once. "Good morning, Mr. Currie. We didn't expect you to visit today," she stated, looking a little bewildered. "Oh, this is for personal business, not official," I replied, which only added to her confusion. Therefore, I felt I'd better explain. "I've picked up a new son over the vacation and I need to enroll him. This is Jesse," I told her, while positioning Jesse so she could see him. "Well, hello, Jesse," she greeted him, "and welcome to our school. What grade are you in?" "He's in fourth grade," I quickly told her, "but there's a little problem. Jesse doesn't speak. Hopefully, he will soon, but a traumatic event from his past has left him speechless." I knew this was a little cryptic and evasive, but I didn't think she needed to hear all of his history now and I didn't want to cause Jesse any embarrassment by going into detail. "I understand," she said, soothingly, although I knew she really didn't. It was nice of her to say that, however, and I realized she was doing it more for Jesse's benefit, than anything else. Therefore, I would give her that much credit. "Is your boss in his office?" I followed, in an attempt to discover if the principal was there or somewhere else. "No, Mr. Currie. He's out walking around the school, greeting the children and making sure everything is running smoothly," she advised me. "That's what I suspected," I countered. "Would you mind if I sat here with Jesse and waited for him? There are some things I would like to apprise him about, concerning this placement." I intentionally made this vague, hoping she got the message, but it would go over Jesse's head. "That will be fine," she answered. "He shouldn't be gone for much longer." Her assessment was right on the money and a few minutes later the principal walked through the door. A concerned look spread across his face when he noticed me sitting there and I'm sure he was worried he had forgotten a meeting or something was wrong. "Calm down, Dave," I said, in a friendly tone, in an effort to let him know there was no problem. "I just have a new son, whom I need to enroll here." He appeared to start breathing again. "Josh, congratulations. Another son, huh?" He chuckled. "Oh, yes," I agreed, "but there are some things I need to discuss with you, concerning his placement," I continued. Dave raised his eyebrows slightly, before responding. "Why don't you step into my office and we can continue this there." I nodded in response. "Jesse, would you mind sitting here and waiting for me?" I asked him. I got a frightened, open-eyed glare in return. "You'll be fine waiting here with Mrs. Smith and she will keep you company. All right?" Jesse looked at her and she nodded her head that everything would be okay, so he looked back at me and nodded his agreement. I thanked him and then followed the principal into his office. "Dave, this is not going to be your typical placement," I warned him, once we were both seated. I handed him the folder with Jesse's school records in it and then continued. "As you'll see in there, he is an above average student and not a behavioral problem, but he doesn't talk. He witnessed his father being murdered, before he turned five, and he hasn't spoken since. He should be able to handle the fourth grade curriculum, but he'll need an understanding teacher and class that will be able to accept him for who he is and be able to adapt to his condition." "I know just the classroom," Dave assured me. "I think you're well aware of Mrs. Robinson's credentials and she has an outstanding class this year. I think your newest son will do well in there." "Thank you, Dave, and his name is Jesse," I added. "I'm arranging for him to have a complete physical, as well as eye and dental exams, but I'd also like for you to set up some testing for him with the district's psychologist. I want to see what the psychologist has to say about Jesse, so I'll have a little better understanding about what I'll have to deal with." "Understood, Josh, and I'll make sure that gets done," Dave assured me. I thanked him and went back out to talk to Jesse. I informed him the principal would take him to his new classroom and introduce him to his teacher. Jesse looked concerned, but I told him he'd do fine and I'd pick him up at the end of the day. He seemed to like that idea and I told him to wait in the office, until I came to get him. He nodded his understanding and then I watched as his principal led him down the hallway, to meet his new teacher and classmates. When I reached my office, I checked in with my secretary, to see what was on my schedule for the day, and then got to work. Later, I gave her the names and phone numbers for the pediatrician, optometrist and dentist we used and asked her to set up appointments for Jesse with them, at their earliest possible convenience. Of course, she wanted to know who this boy was, so I filled her in about his sudden appearance and problems. She knew all of my boys and was very good to them, so I thought I owed her that much, and then she did as I requested. Later in the day, she handed me a slip of paper with the appointments listed on it and I thanked her for her help. I went out to run some errands during my lunch hour and used that time to meet up with the gentleman I knew who owned the local car dealership. I explained to him about my predicament and the types of vehicles I was looking to purchase for my boys. Buying new vehicles would be too expensive, so I explained that I wanted used vehicles, which he quickly informed me were now referred to as 'pre-owned.' I also advised him the vehicles had to be in good shape and have low mileage. He said he would do some searching around and keep his eyes open for such vehicles. Once he found something I might be interested in, he'd call and let me know. I thanked him and went back to my office. After school, I went around to pick up the boys. Generally there is just Andrew from the middle school, unless Sammy walks over to ride home with us, because he doesn't like to be the fifth person squeezed into the 4Runner. This time, however, I decided to pick Jesse up first. I didn't want him to have to wait around for me and I was curious to learn how he made out. He was sitting in the office, waiting for me, as I had asked him to do. He smiled when he saw me enter. "Did you have a good day?" I asked. I received a positive response in return, even though it lacked enthusiasm. "Do you like your teacher?" I followed up. This time I received a little stronger affirmative reply. "Did you make any friends?" I continued. I hoped this would help me discover how he made out with his classmates. This time he gave me a non-committal shrug of the shoulders, in response. I wasn't quite sure how to interpret this, so I decided to delve into it more deeply. "Did you have problems with anyone?" I followed. Jesse immediately shook his head, to make sure I understood that didn't happen. I then began to think that maybe it was too soon for anything to happen or possibly his classmates were still a little uncertain about how to approach him. After all, it was only his first day with them. I'd give them the rest of the week, before I checked in with his teacher, to see if she had picked up on anything. We drove from there to the middle school and Jesse got very excited when he saw Andrew again. It was obvious these two were going to be tight, so I hoped Barry's joining us on our vacation didn't create problems between them. Damn, thinking of the vacation, I'll have to call and make sure I've enough reservations to include Jesse. Once we got home, I sent the boys off to do their homework, while I started dinner. I hoped this would be a nice quiet evening and give all of us a chance to rest and unwind. Things hadn't been very calm for us lately, so I think we all needed to relax a bit. Over the next week, I found out quite a bit more about Jesse's transition in to the local school district. Even though it went without incident, I wouldn't say it went smoothly. Although he was able to handle the work and adored his teacher, his new classmates didn't readily accept him into their midst. His inability to communicate with them kept some of his peers from approaching him; while others thought him odd or were concerned they might catch his condition. Whatever the reason, Jesse felt isolated and lonely at school and couldn't wait to get home each afternoon, so he could spend time with Andrew. I was glad he had that safety valve to comfort him. The two were inseparable. From the minute they arrived home and until they went to bed, they were together. It was almost as if Andrew had a little shadow. Oh, there were some subtle differences between them, but nothing drastic. For example, once they finished taking their showers, Andrew would strut naked from the bathroom to their room, but Jesse would wrap a towel around his waist, before he made that same journey. I guess his first time with us, when he had emerged naked after exiting the upstairs bathroom, was an anomaly. He had just been caught up in the moment from seeing Andrew naked and followed his lead. However, since that time he has been much more modest. The appointment for Jesse to receive a physical was scheduled at the end of the week, but the only time available was during the school day. Jesse indicated he wanted Andrew to go with us when he went and Andrew let me know that he wanted to be there too. However, I informed them it wouldn't be possible, seeing it would mean Andrew would have to miss classes to do so. Andrew had already mentioned he had a test that day and I felt the test should take priority. I didn't want him to miss it or have to make it up later, for something so trivial. I didn't feel Jesse NEEDED Andrew there, just that he WANTED to have Andrew with him. Neither boy was happy about my decision, so they both argued with me, each in his own way. They continued to try to get me to change my mind, and when I wouldn't, Jesse let me know how displeased he was by stomping out of the room. Seeing this, I was determined to show him that acting like a brat wouldn't get him his own way. It also made me determined not to give in to him now, no matter what else was said or done. Surprisingly, I don't think the fact that I wasn't going to allow Andrew to go with us sunk in with Jesse, at least until I picked him up from school that day. When he saw I was the only one in the vehicle, he got the longest face I'd ever seen and began to pout. I really felt he expected me to relent at the last second, so he would find Andrew in the van, ready to go with us. Instead, he got his first lesson in reality. We made our way to the doctor's office, but I didn't say much to him along the way. I left it up to Jesse to let me know how much he still wanted to do with me. After parking the van, he walked beside me into the waiting room, stood at my side as I announced our arrival, but then he went over to check out the toys, while I took a seat. When his name was called, I stayed put, while he walked toward the nurse. When he reached the door leading to the hallway for the examination rooms, he stopped and turned toward me. When he noticed I hadn't moved, he came back and grabbed my shirtsleeve and tugged on it, to let me know he wanted me to come too. "Are you sure you want me to come with you?" I asked, and he nodded his head. As I stood up to follow him, his lips slowly moved out of the pout and curled into a smile. The nurse weighed and measured him first, before telling Jesse to strip down to his underwear, while we waited for the pediatrician to show up. Jesse seemed a little reluctant to disrobe, and this baffled me, since he didn't have this much trouble at home. He paraded about so nonchalantly that first afternoon with Andrew, and since then he hadn't been embarrassed to be seen in just a towel or his underwear. This wasn't much different than what he did at home, so why was he hesitating now? I began to wonder if Andrew had done or said something to make him this uncomfortable or if Jesse was just using this as payback for my not letting Andrew come with us today. Whichever the case, he eventually gave in and stripped down to his underwear. The doctor wasn't our normal doctor, but one of his new associates. He was a thirty-something oriental male, but he had a warm and friendly demeanor, so I took an instant liking to him. After explaining why we were here and telling him about Jesse's lack of speech, he gave him a very thorough physical. He started off by examining Jesse's eyes, ears, nose and throat, and paid very careful attention to his throat, but Jesse began to stiffen up when the doctor went to remove his briefs. Even though the doctor had tried to reassure him it was only to complete the examination, Jesse wasn't buying it. The doctor glanced at me, as if he expected an explanation for this reaction, but all I could do was shrug my shoulders, because I didn't understand it either. "Jesse, please let the doctor look at the rest of you," I urged him. "The doctor really needs to check you there too," I added. Instead of nodding in agreement, Jesse motioned for me to come to him, which caused the doctor to look at me again. "How long did you say he's been with you?" the doctor asked me. "Just under a week," I explained. "I think he needs your support to do this," the doctor added. "Why don't you pull your chair up behind him and let him lean against you, while I examined him. Maybe he'd feel more comfortable that way." Jesse nodded his head in agreement, and seeing his reaction, I pulled my chair around and placed my hands on Jesse's shoulder, while the doctor finished up. Once the pediatrician had completed the examination process, he told Jessie he could get dressed, while we stepped out into the hall. Jesse didn't want me to leave, but after I convinced him I'd only be on the other side of the door, he let me go. The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 22 -- The Old and the New. Once we were alone, the doctor advised me Jesse seemed to be fine, other than being slightly malnourished. He added that he also wanted to order some blood work and schedule an MRI, to check out Jesse's vocal chords, just to make certain there wasn't any physical basis for his lack of speech. I concurred that would be a wise precaution and agreed to take Jesse whenever he needed to complete those tests. The doctor told me he'd have his receptionist set the appointments for us and then let me know when they were scheduled, before we left today. I thought this meant we were done, but then the doctor began to speak again. "Mr. Currie, I have a feeling this boy has been molested," he told me. I wasn't completely shocked. "Why do you say that?" I asked, in order to discover the basis for his comment. "It was the way he stiffened and pulled away from me when I went to remove his underwear," he admitted. "Sure, some children are modest, but I don't get that kind of reaction unless they've been undressed and touched before, against their will. Do you know anything about his background?" "Only a little. I know that his stepfather verbally and emotionally abused him," I informed him. "I've had my own suspicions that part of the reason for the abuse was because Jesse wouldn't give in to some other demands his stepfather made on him." The doctor gave me a curious look. "Do you think you could find anything to support or prove those allegations?" the pediatrician wanted to know. "No, I only have my suspicions, along with yours now, but no hard proof," I acknowledged. "If Jesse could talk, maybe I could question him about it, but in his fragile state, I think it would be better to leave this alone for now." "I think I'd agree with that assessment," the doctor confirmed. Before he left, I thanked him for his concern and help, before he moved on to see his next patient. After watching the doctor walk away, I reentered the examination room, to see how Jessie was doing. He was all dressed, so I took him to the reception desk to check out. After paying our co-payment, the receptionist handed me a card with our appointment dates listed on it, both for the blood work and MRI. I thanked her and we headed back to school, to finish the rest of the day. Later that afternoon, after we picked Andrew up from school, Andrew wanted to know every detail about what had happened. He even insisted on hearing everything the doctor had told us, just as if he was the parent. After filling him in with as much detail as I thought he should know, I sent him and Jesse off to do their homework. Both boys seemed happy now, although I could tell there was still some animosity toward me. I assumed this was due to the fact I had stuck to my guns about not letting Andrew go with us, but I think they'll both be a little less demanding in the future. The weekend was pretty uneventful. I left the boys to their own devices for most of the time, but I did find a chance to chat some more with Jesse. I didn't want to confront him about the possible molestation, but I did want to find out more about his life before he came to live with us. I also asked Andrew to leave us alone while I did this, as I felt there might be some information Jesse wouldn't want to share in front of his idol. Once we were alone, I handed Jesse a small notebook and told him he could jot his answers down in that, because these would be more than just yes or no questions. He seemed confused about what I was up to, but willingly nodded his understanding. "Jesse, what can you tell me about your mother and where you lived?" I began. Jesse immediately started writing in the notebook and then handed it to me when he finished. 'I love my mom. We live in an apartmint,' it read. "What about your stepfather?" I continued. Jesse took the notebook back from me and started to write again. 'I not like him. He mean and nasty.' "Why do you say that?" I asked next. "He mean to me. He bad.' I wasn't going to push him any further on this, because I felt if he wanted to tell me about it, he would have done so then. "What about your father?" I wanted to know. "What can you tell me about him?" 'Don't know him. He not live with us. I use to go with him sumtime. He ded now.' I guess that explains a few things too. "Where did your mother meet your stepfather?" I followed up. 'Not know,' was his simple response. "Okay, I guess that's enough for now," I told him, as I closed the notebook. "Why don't you go out and find Andrew, so you can go off and play together." He flashed me a huge grin and then disappeared. However, I had discovered a little more information about his past. The following Monday I took Jesse for his dental cleaning and exam. He was extremely nervous as we went in and I knew the reason for it. Sunday night I'd tried to prepare him for this, but he let me know he'd heard horror stories from other children about dental exams, so he wasn't thrilled about this visit. Once we got there, I could tell he really didn't want to go in, so I reached out, took his hand and held it tightly. I used it to guide him into the office. Once inside, I announced our arrival and then we took a seat. As we waited patiently to be called, I suggested to Jesse that he could play with the toys or read a book, but he didn't budge. When we had gone to his appointment at the doctor's office, Jesse had gone off and played, but this time he sat in the chair next to mine and leaned against me, as if he thought I would keep him safe. It was nice to see he was beginning to trust me, even if it was only out of necessity right now. When Jesse's name was called to go back to one of the dental rooms, Jesse snaked his hand into mine. His eyes were pleading with me, which definitely indicated he wanted me to go with him. Of course, this touched me, so I asked if I could join him. I was told I could, so he walked, hand-in-hand, with me to the examination room. Jesse also let me know he wanted me to continue to hold his left hand, even after he was seated in the dental chair and had the bib placed around his neck. Jesse squeezed my hand quite forcefully and his grip got even tighter when the hygienist asked him to open his mouth. It also happened every time she used one of the various instruments to loosen and remove the plaque from one of his teeth. Just when I thought Jesse might be starting to relax, the hygienist picked up the drill, equipped with the special fitting to apply the fluoride coating to his teeth. When Jesse heard the whirring sound and the hygienist made a sudden movement toward his mouth, he almost leaped out of the chair. If I hadn't been holding his hand, he might have tried to run for it. I believe he did this because he thought something painful was about to happen next. After I reassured him that nothing of that nature was going to happen, he began to relax, but only slightly, and leaned back in the chair. Although he still wasn't totally relaxed, Jesse did let the hygienist continue. Once she had finished cleaning his teeth, the dentist came in to conduct his part of the examination. As he checked Jesse's teeth, he called off the problems that he noted, so the hygienist could jot them down on the chart. Once he had completed this process, I was informed that Jesse had several cavities that would need to be taken care of. The dentist told me it appeared as if Jesse had no previous dental care, his diet had been lacking and he obviously had not been taught proper brushing techniques. I assured him we'd work on that and then we set up appointments to take care of his cavities. Before we left the room, the hygienist gave Jesse a new toothbrush and quickly demonstrated how he should use it, on a model. Jesse promised he would do that from now on, so she kissed him on the cheek before he left. That was the first time I saw Jesse blush. That afternoon, after we got home from school, the high school boys told me they had met with their principal about the gay-straight alliance and thought things went well. They asked if I wanted to see copies of what they gave him, but I explained it would be best if they didn't show me those items yet. This way I would be able to listen to the principal's recommendation without getting bored or jumping ahead of him. They were disappointed that I didn't want to see it yet, but said they understood, so we left it at that. The next day was April 10th, and I woke up feeling very depressed. It wasn't a surprise and I knew why I felt this way. I'd been dreading this day for a while, because it was Nicky's ninth birthday. I had been missing my grandchildren more and more every week, and although Jordan's birthday had been hard for me to endure, because this was the second grandchild's birthday I'd missed, it was even worse. Prior to my older children delivering their ultimatum, I had never failed to at least talk to my grandchildren on their birthdays. However, since that time, there had been no contact with them - at all! I couldn't explain the pain I felt, since I'd been cut completely out of their lives, but until my older children change their stance about my lifestyle and sexual preference, I'll have to live with it. Actually, my older children are probably counting on the fact that I won't be able to endure being separated from them and my grandchildren. I'll bet they think I'll give Jake up, rather than face that possibility for any length of time. The thing is, I have to be happy too, and that won't be with my older children dictating whom I can be with or having them trying to change anything else about me that they disagree with. On the other end of the spectrum, April 27th, would be Dustin's twenty-first birthday and I really wanted to make a big deal over it. However, that wasn't to be. Seeing he was away at college, we wouldn't be able to celebrate his birthday as a family on that day, but I would call him to see what he would like to do. No matter what he tells me, I will call and speak with him the weekend before his birthday, and again on Tuesday evening, so I can at least wish him a very happy birthday. Since this was a 'milestone' birthday for Dustin (you don't become 'totally legal' every year), I wanted to have a big party for him after he came home for the summer. I would invite the entire family to attend and we would turn it into a big celebration. I just wish I could do similar things for my grandchildren, or at least attend the parties that WERE held for them. Later that week, I took Jesse for his eye exam. Once again, he was a little nervous about doing something he'd never done before, but since nothing bad had happened to him on his other appointments, he trusted me again. I had been surprised to learn that Jesse had never had his eyes checked, except for possibly reading the eye chart during his school physical, so this would be a novelty for him. Jesse seemed immediately intrigued when the optometrist positioned the machine with the lenses in front of his eyes. He looked at me, to see my reaction first, and then he looked into the eyepieces. Watching his reaction, I think he might have thought he'd possibly see a movie or something through them. The optometrist did have to change how he normally did things, due to Jesse's inability to speak, so he informed Jesse that he would have to hold up one or two fingers, to indicate whether the first or second image looked clearer to him. After a short trial period, when he gave Jesse the opportunity to practice what was expected of him, the examination began in earnest. I could tell that Jesse was trying very hard to do what was asked of him. I wasn't sure if he was doing this because he thought he had to or if he was trying to please the optometrist or even me. Whatever the case, he did an admirable job and everything went quite smoothly, even after the optometrist added the drops to his eyes. Once the process was completed, Jesse and I were told that his eyes were fine and he would not need glasses. Jesse seemed relieved to hear this news and was in a very good mood as we made our way home. Once we were in the van, he continually looked over at me and smiled, although I wasn't sure what he was thinking at the time. When we reached home, he raced off to find his sidekick, Andrew. Later that evening, I was sitting in my chair in the living room, watching television, when my two little imps entered the room. They walked straight up to me and wiggled their way onto my lap, one on each side. I wasn't sure what they were up to, but I was fairly certain Andrew was orchestrating what was going on. "Jesse thinks you're really nice, daddy," Andrew announced, out of nowhere. I looked him in the face, and then turned to face Jesse, while wondering where this was heading. "Even after I wouldn't let you go with us to his appointments?" I wondered aloud, which caused Andrew to giggle and Jesse to turn red. "You probably know he was mad at you at first," he informed me. "Yes, I think the stomping around and the dirty looks gave that away," I responded, which caused Andrew to giggle again and Jesse to turn a darker shade of red. "Well, he was really mad at you then," Andrew admitted, "but now he says you're a really nice guy. Much nicer than his stepfather." I was wondering if I should follow up on that, but I didn't think this was the right time, so I let it slide. If he was beginning to feel comfortable with me, I didn't want to risk losing that advantage by dredging up what could be some very painful memories. No, I decided to gain his confidence and love first, and then we'd try to heal the emotional and psychological scars sometime down the road. Those issues didn't seem to be as urgent now, seeing he no longer had any contact with his stepfather. "Well, I'm glad Jesse feels that way," I finally responded, "because I love having him as a member of our family." That's all it took to cause Jesse to spin in my lap, throw his arms around my neck and begin to hug me. This showed me he loved being part of our family too. Before I had time to respond, Andrew was wrapped around both of us and I heard him whisper into my ear. "Thank you, daddy. I... we love you so much." How could it get any better than this? Later in the week, I had a meeting with the high school principal. It was our regularly scheduled meeting, which we held once every other week, so he could inform me about whatever was happening at his school. I guess that's why I never gave it any special importance, because it was just our typical meeting, until he mentioned he had received a petition to start a gay-straight alliance. He advised me that after going over the relevant information, he was passing along his recommendation. "I think you probably knew about this in advance," he added, coyly, "but I've been impressed with the effort your sons have put into it and the work they've done. They've gathered enough support and have developed a viable plan, so I am recommending it be approved." "I am glad you're pleased with their effort," I told him, "but I have had nothing to do with it. I've asked them not to tell or show me anything, so I could judge this solely on its merits and your recommendation, rather than be persuaded by my sympathies as a father." "So, you haven't seen their proposal?" he asked, incredulously. "No, nothing," I confirmed. "Then let me show it to you," he offered. "I'm sure you will be as impressed by it as I was." He reached into a manila folder he was carrying and then handed a batch of papers across to me. I took them and began to look everything over. Proposal for Forming a Gay-Straight Alliance Club. Mission statement: This club is being formed to increase awareness about sexuality issues in the high school and provide a social, emotional and educational support group for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning students. Another goal is to bring a greater understanding between those groups and the straight population. This group will also act as an educational liaison for providing materials and leading discussions to increase the awareness on issues concerning the various populations. Vision statement: We envision a community that accepts, affirms and supports all people, without regards to their race, religion, socio-economic grouping, political affiliation, sexual preference or gender identity. Proposed list of activities: *Presentations from professionals explaining the nature of sexual preferences. *Presentations from law enforcement professionals about sexually oriented hate crimes and how to prevent them. *Discussions about the extension of marriage rights. *Discussion concerning AIDS -- prevention, awareness and impact on the world's population, not just the gay community. *Arrange for confidential and free AIDS testing for any interested students. *Hold social events where students may come and participate, without having to pretend to be other than who they are or be afraid for their personal safety while in attendance. *Discuss current events relating to issues of sexual identity, sexual orientation, sexual health or sexually related crimes. Behind this page were five pages of student signatures, in support of starting such a club. He was right, it was a remarkable presentation and I was even more impressed that my boys had been the ones to do the work. "It looks fine to me," I advised him, "so if it has your support, then it also has mine. I will present it to the school board at their next meeting, for their formal approval. By the way, I'll let you inform the boys that this will be presented to the school board. I haven't helped them with it so far, so I don't think I should be the one to give them this news either." The principal just grinned and nodded. He understood what I meant, and since we had covered everything else, he left. I was happy he believed the gay-straight alliance had merit and was willing to support its formation. When I arrived home, later that evening, the high school boys were all excited because the principal had informed them their proposal would be presented at the next school board meeting for approval. "Thanks, Pop," Nick told me. "We knew you'd come through for us," he added. "Hey, I had very little to do with this," I advised him. "If your principal hadn't recommended it on its own merits, I wouldn't be presenting it to the school board. You boys did the work and made the presentation, and I must admit I was very impressed when I saw it. You did an excellent job." Nick blushed, and it was one of the few times I'd ever seen him do that. "Thanks, Pop," Nick finally mumbled. "That means a lot to me." We went on to discuss the proposal and he explained to me in detail about how he and the others had developed their plan. After doing some research on the Internet and looking at sites of other gay-alliance groups, they combined ideas and came up with their own unique proposal. They did the same with the proposed activities, by modifying or adding to various events they saw suggested on those other sites. No matter how they came up with their information, they had done their homework and will be the ones to reap the rewards, once the gay-straight alliance is formally approved. That Sunday, I called Dustin, just as I had planned. "Hello." "Hi, Dustin. It's Dad." "Hi, Dad. What's up?" "I was calling about your birthday," I told him. "I was wondering if you'd like me to come up and take you out to dinner that night?" I explained. "Gee, Dad, that would be awfully nice of you, but it's too far for you to drive in one night, just to take me out to dinner. Maybe we could do it on the weekend instead." "Yes, we could do that," I told him. "That way I could even bring your brothers along, if you can stand to have them around." Dustin laughed. "Oh, I think I can handle that," he added. "Okay, what do you say we come up next Saturday, go out to dinner together Saturday night and then we'll go to church and brunch Sunday morning, before I drive the rest of us back." "That sounds nice, Dad, but won't it cost too much for you to all stay up here overnight?" "Nah, it won't be that bad," I advised him. "There aren't many boys home any more, so there will only be a handful coming with Jake and me. I'm sure they'll enjoy it and we probably can get away with only three rooms now." I heard Dustin laugh again. "Yeah, that's not bad," he added, "for a team or a scout troop." "Well, if you and the other college boys were with us, I'd have to add double that number," I teased back, indicating that eight of the others wouldn't be there this time." "Okay, that sounds good, I'll see you Saturday then," he agreed. "Great. By the way, how's the Suburban? Put any dents in it yet?" I teased. "Oh, come on, Dad. You know I'm a better driver than that," he whined. "I know, but I just have to be sure. You know, it's a father's job to worry about his boys... and his vehicles," I added. "I know and you do a good job of it," he joked back. "But don't worry, it's in the same shape as when you gave it to me." "I was sure it would be, but it didn't hurt to ask," I kidded again. "Dustin, I'll see you next Saturday, so prepare whomever you have to about your brothers being with me." He laughed again. "Good idea, and I will. Dad, thanks for doing this. I'm so glad I got to come live with you," he said. "Me too," I countered. "You've always been a great son and you've always been a pleasure to be around. See you this weekend then. Bye and I love you." "Bye, Dad, and I love you too," Dustin stated, before we ended the call.