Date: Tue, 22 May 2012 22:07:40 -0700 From: B.E. Kelley Subject: The Keys to the Kingdom 3 This story is a work of FICTION. The events described are my own invention. Any similarities to actual events or persons are strictly coincidental. The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without my explicit authorization. This story contains depictions of consensual sexual acts between teenage males. It is intended for mature audiences only. If you find this type of material offensive or if you are under the legal age to read said material; please proceed no further. It takes a while before there is any sex in this story but I think you'll like it. As always comments are welcome but please, be gentle. Please send your comments to: HailCaesar2011@hotmail.com The Keys to the Kingdom Chapter 3: Baby New Year Thanksgiving and Christmas flew by. We spent the Thanksgiving holiday with our parents, at the cabin Cam's mom and dad had in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. Cam's parents were going out to Seattle to spend Christmas with his sister this year so we decided to have my parents and my brother, Brian's family join us at our house. Unfortunately my younger brother, Jason, couldn't make it. Though we missed those who couldn't be with us we still enjoyed the holiday. Our first Christmas with our son was a great success. On New Year's Eve my parents offered to keep Nicky for us so Cam and I could have some alone time. We ended up heading into Manhattan to enjoy a nice dinner and a night in one of the finer hotels. We had a great time but the next morning we were looking forward to picking up Nicky. It's hard to believe how much he's changed our life in just a few short months but neither of us knows how we got by before without him. The new-year seems full of possibilities and we are eager to meet them all. Allen Wallace was also looking forward to the new-year. He had every reason to suspect that this year would be just as good as the last. Allen had just made vice-president at the investment firm where he worked on Wall Street and his son, Ethan, was doing great in school and making progress in the extracurricular activities he enjoyed such as karate, track and particularly the cello. Allen had raised the boy on his own since the day he'd come into this world. His wife, Olivia, had died giving birth to Ethan and he'd put his heart and soul into raising the child. They'd lived in New York until Ethan was about 6 but then Allen decided to move them out to the Connecticut suburbs. He thought that would be a better environment for his son to go to school and spend his childhood. The only problem was the long commute by train. It was the first Friday after New Year's Day and Allen had been forced to work late. Ethan was with his babysitter, Christina, who lived across the street but Allen was in a hurry to get home, he enjoyed spending time with his son. He made it to the Wall Street Subway Station at the corner of Wall and Broadway just as rush hour was coming to an end. If he was lucky he'd make the 7:00pm train from Grand Central Station back out to the suburbs. He made his way to the front of the platform amid the throng of commuters eager to get home and kick off the weekend. The accident wasn't anyone's fault; it was just one of those tragic things that happened. As the subway train made its way up to the platform someone jostled someone else and in the confusion of twisted limbs Allen fell. The train driver didn't even see him let alone have time to stop. It happened so fast that Allen didn't even feel anything; his last thought was of Ethan. The NYPD quickly identified Allen, and back checked his license to make sure the address was correct. The Connecticut State Police were contacted and a car was sent to his home in an upper middle class suburb of New Haven. Christina answered the door but when'd he'd heard the knock, Ethan had come running up behind her. When he saw the trooper, Ethan seemed to know something was wrong, he could feel it. Sergeant Matthew Douglas looked down on the boy and tried to think how he was going to tell him that his life was about to change forever. He hated this part of his job and no matter how many times he'd been forced to perform this particular duty it never got easier. All he could think about were his own wife and kids and what would happen if one of his brother officers paid a visit to the house one night to tell them that daddy wouldn't be coming home. He shook off the thought and then knelt down on his knee so he'd be at eye level with Ethan when he delivered the bad news. "Son, I have some bad news to share with you. When your dad was coming home this evening..." But that's all Sergeant Douglas could get out before Ethan put his hands over his ears and slammed his eyes shut. "No, no, no, no," Ethan repeated over and over again as if he could block out the news if he wished hard enough. Sergeant Douglas reached out and put his hand on Ethan's shoulder to try and comfort him but Ethan made a break for the open door. Christina called after him as he ran from the yard but he didn't seem to hear her, or care. The sergeant swore under his breath, this had not gone well, then he called into his barracks to request support in looking for the boy. It was already near 30 degrees outside and Ethan was only wearing a tee shirt and some thin nylon track pants, the sergeant wasn't even sure if the boy had shoes on. Christina didn't know what to do, she was only 17 and just watched Ethan for Mr. Wallace to make some pocket money. She called her mom who hurried across the street and helped her calm down, then they went through Ethan's cell phone and started calling his friends to ask if they'd seen him. Christina's dad went to every house on the block looking for Ethan and Sergeant Douglas accompanied by 3 other troopers; searched the neighborhood. They found him 2 miles away at a local park, he'd run until his feet had gotten to cold, then he'd sat down on a bench. The trooper who spotted him almost missed him, but heard his sniffles before turning back to the warmth of his cruiser. Ethan was curled up into a little ball of sorrow, his face buried in his knees and his body shaking from a combination of grief and cold. The trooper took off his jacket and wrapped it around the boy who was so cold his bare feet looked almost blue. They took Ethan to the hospital where he was examined for injuries and hypothermia due to his exposure to the cold. Fortunately he hadn't been outside long enough for his core temperature to drop and after some time under warm blankets his color was returning. Ethan appeared to be in shock; though he was alert he hadn't said a word since the trooper had found him in the park. The police questioned Christina and her family; they confirmed that the Wallace's didn't have any other relatives. The boy's mother had died in childbirth and the father had never remarried. They couldn't recall any family ever visiting and Ethan had never mentioned any grandparents, aunts or uncle's to Christina over the 2 years she'd sat for him. With no other options, the police contacted social services so that they could take custody of the boy. As it turned out Molly Nichols was the case worker who had the after-hours duty this weekend. She drove to the hospital and met with the police and then tried to talk to Ethan before she decided what to do with him. "Sweetie do you have any family that I can call so they can come get you?" She asked gently. He didn't answer, he just shook his head. That's when Molly decided to call us. It was almost 6:00am when the phone rang and I reached across Cam to pick up the receiver. "Hello?" I answered groggily. "Brenden?" "Yeah this is Brenden, who is this?" I asked. "It's Molly, Molly Nichols," she replied, "I'm sorry to call you so early but I need your help." "Oh, hey Molly, what's going on?" I asked becoming more alert. "I have an emergency situation and you and Cameron popped into my head, I need your help," she explained. "Hold on a sec Molly, let me wake Cam." It took me a moment to wake Cam and explain the situation then we put the phone on speaker and gave Molly our attention. "I have a boy here whose father was killed in an accident in the city. He doesn't have anyone else to care for him, he was with his babysitter when he got the bad news but the girl is only 17 and she and her parents aren't able to care for the boy. I thought you two might be able to help him out." Cam and I traded a look, we hadn't expected this but we felt obligated to help Molly out. She'd given us Nicky and we didn't want to seem ungrateful, not to mention we felt bad for the boy in question and didn't want him to be alone after just losing his father. "Do you want to bring him by the house Molly?" Cam asked. "Yes, that would be great," Molly said, sounding relieved. "I'll be there within the hour, thanks guys, I appreciate this." Cam and I got up to prepare for our company. We didn't know how long this boy would be with us or anything about him for that matter but we figured the least we could do is make sure he had clean sheets to sleep on. He had to be tired, we didn't know what the situation was exactly but if Molly was calling us this early the boy had probably been up all night. It was just after 7:00 when Molly knocked on our door. We quickly invited her in from the cold and that's when we got our first look at the boy she had brought over. He appeared to be about 12; he had jet black hair, piercing blue eyes and a delicate frame. He wasn't skinny, just built lean, like a runner. He was a cute kid even with his tear stained cheeks and mournful countenance. "Gentlemen this is Ethan. Ethan this is Dr. Clark and Dr. Tucker, the guys I told you about, would you like to say hello?" Molly asked gently. The boy didn't say anything; he looked at us with those sad blue eyes then looked down at his feet. "Come on back to the kitchen and have some coffee Molly," Cam offered, "we can talk there, you look exhausted." Molly and Ethan sat at the kitchen table and Cam and I went about making coffee. As I was putting cream and sugar in Molly's cup, Nicky came bounding into the room and raced over to hug Molly once he saw her. "Hi Mrs. Nichols," Nicky smiled cheerfully. "Good morning sweetheart, how are you?" Molly replied. "I'm good, what are you doing here?" he asked curiously. "This is Ethan, I brought him over to stay with you and your dads for a while," she explained. Nicky turned and looked at the boy, apparently he hadn't seen him when he'd first come in. "Hi, I'm Nicky," he said, while extending his arm to shake hands. Ethan looked at him but didn't say anything or offer his own hand. That didn't stop Nicky from trying again. "Hey, I said my name's Nicky, it's nice to meet you." Still no response from Ethan. "Doesn't he speak English?" Nicky asked, turning his attention back to Molly. "Of course he does, he just isn't feeling well at the moment," Molly explained. "Nicky why don't you take Ethan into the living room and watch TV, while dad and I talk to Ms. Nichols?" I asked. "Ok. Come on Ethan," Nicky said. Ethan just looked at him again but this time Nicky grabbed his hand and practically dragged him into the living room. A moment later we heard the TV click on and Nicky put on the Saturday morning cartoons. Cam and I just smiled and shook our heads. "He seems to be doing well," Molly smiled. "He's great," both Cam and I agreed. "What's the story with Ethan?" I asked. Molly filled us in on what had happened to his father and how they had so far been unable to find any family that could take the boy. Ethan was 12 and lived just a few miles from our house. "Why isn't he speaking?" Cam asked. "Shock, that's what the doctors at the emergency room said." After hearing the story Cam and I agreed that we would take care of the boy. We had always planned to adopt another child, after Nicky's adoption had been completed but this boy needed our help now. We would look after him while the state tried to find any living relatives and if they couldn't, we'd look into adopting him as well. Before she left, Molly gave me Ethan's address and house keys so that we could get his clothes and then she went off to file the paperwork. When Molly left we joined the boys in the living room. "Has he said anything to you yet?" Cam asked Nicky. "Nope," Nicky answered, engrossed in his show. Cam got his medical bag out and gave Ethan his own quick exam. He checked his eyes to make sure they were responsive, checked his pulse and heart-rate, all seemed normal. Cam concluded that the emergency room doctor had been correct in his diagnosis of shock. When that was done we took the boys into the kitchen for some breakfast. Nicky wolfed his down in typical fashion then started to eye Ethan's. Ethan didn't do much but stare at his food and we concluded he was probably just exhausted from his ordeal. "Not hungry?" I asked Ethan. He just looked at me with those sad blue eyes. "Do you want to go upstairs and get some sleep?" He nodded this time, progress. Cam took Ethan upstairs and got him settled in the guest room while I explained things to Nicky. Once he knew what had happened to Ethan's father, he felt bad for him and offered to do whatever he could to help him feel better. I told Nicky that he'd just have to be patient with Ethan and talk to him a lot. I thought that the more we talked to him, let him know that we were eager to hear from him; that might spark something in him and get him talking. While he was sleeping, I decided to drive over to Ethan's house and get him some clothes, I figured he'd want to shower and change once he woke up. It was a nice house, similar to our own. I looked around briefly and took in the surroundings. I went into Mr. Wallace's study and discovered that the place was a shrine to a fathers love for his son. On the shelves were various trophies Ethan had been awarded for karate and track. That made me smile, I'd been a swimmer in school and I still liked to run, my father had a similar shelf in his study before he and my mother were killed. There were pictures on the wall and judging from them, Ethan had enjoyed a very happy childhood. I began to suspect that his dad might be a fellow Yale Alum, there were several pictures of the pair at the Yale Bowl, our football stadium. In some of the pictures they were with other fathers and sons, all decked out in their Yale gear for the annual game against Harvard. My favorite picture was of a younger Ethan wearing a backwards baseball cap and giggling with delight as Handsome Dan licked his face, that's our mascot, the famous Yale Bulldog. I made my way upstairs and found Ethan's room. It was awfully neat for a 12 year old boy; I hope that rubs off on Nicky. I packed him a bag with a few changes of clothes which I thought would suffice for now and then I had a thought. We'd have to bury his dad in the next few days; he'd need something appropriate to wear. I found lots of nice clothes in the closet and eventually selected a charcoal grey suit and a dark tie. I was about to leave the room when I spotted a rather rough looking teddy bear on one of the bookshelves. The bear was obviously special; I assumed Ethan had probably had it since he was a very little boy. I grabbed the bear and decided to take it with me; I thought maybe it might make him feel a little more comfortable in our home. As I was locking the front door a teenage girl came running across the street and then entered the yard. "Excuse me," she said, "but who are you?" "My names Brenden Clark, I'm Ethan Wallace's guardian," I replied. "Is he ok?" she asked, "I'm his babysitter, Christina and I haven't seen him since he ran out last night." "Well, he's not hurt or anything but he's not talking," I informed her. "Not talking, how come?" "He's in shock, he'll come around. It's going to be hard on him but he's going to be ok." "Thank God," Christina said, "Would you just tell him that I'm sorry and I hope he feels better soon?" "I'd be happy to, anything else you'd like me to tell him?" I offered. "I don't know, I just feel so bad for him but I don't know what else to say," Christina said, tearing up. "It's ok, you're young and haven't had to deal with death, don't feel bad because you can't find the words, I'm sure Ethan knows how you feel," I offered. I gave Christina my number and told her she could come see Ethan if she wanted to express her condolences in person. She thanked me and said she'd think about it. Once she went back to her house, I loaded up the car and headed home. I brought Ethan's things inside and Cam shared an interesting call he'd had while I was gone. The president of the investment firm that Mr. Wallace had worked for had been informed of his death earlier this morning. His first thought had been to try and locate Ethan. When there was no answer at the house he had called the police who had referred him to Molly who then gave him our number. Cam said the gentleman, a Mr. Winterbourne, was very distraught, that he and Ethan's dad had been friends for years and he was horrified about what had happened. He had initially asked to speak to Ethan but Cam told him that might have to wait given his current condition. The gentleman understood and informed Cam that the company would pay for and take care of arranging the funeral service, it was the least he could do for his old friend. Cam had also questioned him to find out if he knew of any relatives who might be able to take Ethan. He said that Mr. Wallace father had died when Ethan was about 3 and that was the only family Allen had ever mentioned. Cam went on to ask him if, as a friend of the family, he would be interested in taking the boy. Mr. Winterbourne explained that he was in no position to raise the boy but that he would do whatever he could to help us watch over the boy's inheritance. That brought back memories for me of my own parent's death. When they're plane had gone down, my father's business partners had been left responsible for my parents estate and the settlement money I got from the airline. Over the years they made sure it was invested wisely and when I became of age and became responsible for the money myself, I continued to rely on their advice. The funny thing is I hadn't spent hardly any of the money. It paid for my education, bought my car and paid for our home but my only extravagances were an expensive baby grand piano and a sailboat. I'd bought the piano to feel close to my mother, she'd been a concert pianist and started me on lessons when I was 6. I bought the boat because my father had taught me to sail at a young age and we'd taken many trips together that left me with some of my fondest memories of him. When Cam finished telling me about the phone call, I filled him in about my trip to the house and my run in with Christina. We then took Ethan's bags up to the guest room where he was still asleep. We were about to leave the room when I remembered the teddy bear. I pulled it out of the bag I'd placed it in then pulled back the covers so I could stick it in bed with Ethan. Ethan opened his eyes and focused on the bear, I offered it to him and as he took it from me his expression seemed to be one of thanks. He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep so I tucked him in once more and came downstairs. The rest of the day passed in somewhat of a blur. Nicky went off to play with Josh for a while, Cam and I caught a nap on the couch and at dinner time we checked on Ethan. He had been asleep for several hours so we decided to wake him up and try to feed him some dinner. He sipped a few spoonfuls of his soup but that was it. When we asked him if he wanted to go back to sleep he nodded his head and we took him back to his room. I don't know if he was just that exhausted or if part of him hoped that if he slept long enough, he'd be able to wake up from this nightmare. Mr. Winterbourne also called again that night. He wanted to see how Ethan was doing and to inform us that he'd been busy throughout the day, making arrangements for the service which would be held Thursday at 1:00 in New Haven. We thanked him for taking care of those things, it was a huge burden lifted from our shoulders. Cam and I had never had to organize a funeral before and we didn't want to risk screwing this up for Ethan. By Sunday morning we'd spoken to our parents and let them know about our houseguest, by Sunday afternoon they had all come to visit and share their sympathies with Ethan. He had no idea who they were but our parents understood that depending on how things worked out, he could be their grandson one day and they wanted him to remember that they had cared for him from the very beginning. Our mom's had also been cooking up a storm and stocked our fridge and freezer. Ethan still wasn't talking. He would acknowledge our questions with a look or a nod or shake of the head but that was about it. I thought he must have also been tuning a lot of things out or Nicky would have driven him nuts. Nicky had taken my suggestion, about talking to Ethan, to heart and barely gave him a moment's peace. If he was taking it all in, then by Sunday night Ethan knew where Nicky had been born, how he came to live with us, how he'd found Debbie, what his favorite subjects where in school and a wide range of the adventures he and Josh had shared around the neighborhood. I also called my department chairman on Sunday night. Given Ethan's condition, we couldn't leave him alone and it was easier for me to take the week off then it would be for Cam. Dr. Ryan is a family man himself and although his children are now my age or older, he was sympathetic to my situation and told me he'd make sure my classes were covered. He can be a real old sourpuss at times but I've always known he was a good man and I am proud to work under him. Throughout the week I stayed with Ethan and tried to get him to talk to no avail. We asked him questions, and he continued with his nonverbal responses. We didn't get to hear his voice until Thursday, the day of his father's funeral. It was a cold January day and Nicky had asked me to make him some hot coco, than insisted I make some for Ethan as well. Cam and I had gone back and forth about this but had finally decided to keep Nicky home from school today so he could attend the service with us. We weren't sure how he'd react to it given his age, but if we were going to be Ethan's family that meant we needed to be there for him, all of us. When the coco was ready, I let it cool a bit then allowed Nicky to take the cups into the living room, where he had left Ethan. It wasn't even a minute before I heard him shout. "Dad, daddy, come here quick, hurry!" he yelled. Both Cam and I dropped what we were doing and raced into the living room. "Nicky what is it, what's the matter?" Cam asked breathlessly. "It's Ethan, he just said thank you, I brought him the coco and he said thank you," Nicky stated excitedly. "Ethan, did you want to say something?" I asked gently. "I, I want my dad," Ethan muttered pitifully, before he started to cry. Cam and I sat next to him and hugged him between us. When the tears stopped, we asked him why he hadn't been speaking. He said he'd wanted to talk; to express how he felt but the words just wouldn't come out. We reminded him that we would be going to his father's funeral service today and tried to make sure he was ready for it. He knew that it would be hard but he had to get through it, he wanted to say goodbye properly. He didn't say much more that morning, he seemed to be concentrating but we weren't sure on what. Eventually I had the boys shower and we got ready to leave for the service. I had to help Nicky with his tie but Ethan managed to get ready all on his own. His suit and tie were arranged neatly and his hair was combed without a hair out of place. His appearance reminded me of his room at his old house, neat and organized. When we arrived at the church, we found Cam's parents waiting for us and my parents arrived shortly thereafter. The grandparents reintroduced themselves to Ethan and he thanked them for being there to support him. I noticed that the church parking lot was full and a number of people were filtering, in so we made our way inside and to the front pew. As soon as we took our places, mourners came up to Ethan to offer him their condolences. Most of them hugged him or shook his hand and all of them had a kind word about his father. Mr. Winterbourne and his wife each hugged Ethan and asked him how he was doing, they seemed eager to make sure he was ok. The service began and 6 pallbearers, friends and co-workers of Allen Wallace, brought the casket down the aisle and placed it on the stand in front of the congregation. I had to choke back tears as the casket came past us and I heard Ethan whimper, "daddy." Cam and I each placed a hand on his shoulder to offer comfort and support. The minister gave a touching eulogy celebrating the life of Allen Wallace. He spoke about a man that had been a star athlete at Yale, a loyal and loving husband and a beloved father. When he was finished he invited anyone who wanted to come forward and share a memory of Allen to step to the podium. Several members of the congregation stood and shared anecdotes ranging from the funny to the touching. When everyone had their say, Ethan got up and moved to the front of the room. We didn't know what he was planning to say, though I now knew what he'd been concentrating on all morning. Cam and I were nervous, given his fragile state, but this was his one chance to say goodbye. "I miss my dad," he began, "every night he used to come into my room and tuck me in, even after I told him I was too big for that. He told me he knew, but he did it because he wanted one last chance to see me each day before he went to bed. I miss the smell of his cologne when he'd hug me, I miss helping him pick out a tie before work, I miss his corny jokes and all the things we used to do together. I never appreciated how special they were until now. I never knew my mom but my dad said she would always watch over us. I hope he's with her now and that they're watching over me together. I miss my dad so much that my heart hurts. I just want to see him one more time and tell him how much he meant to me and that I'll never forget him. I wish that the last time he hugged me when he dropped me off for school; that I'd held on just a little longer. I love you daddy, I'll always love you." I felt tears streaming down my face and as I looked around I didn't see a dry eye in the house. Ethan was sobbing heavily so Cam walked up to guide him back to his seat. The service ended with a song, not a hymn but a more contemporary selection, by Phil Collins, that had been one of Allen's favorites and reflected his close relationship with his son. Come stop your crying It will be all right Just take my hand, Hold it tight I will protect you from all around you I will be here Don't you cry For one so small, you seem so strong My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm This bond between us Can't be broken I will be here Don't you cry 'Cause you'll be in my heart Yes, you'll be in my heart From this day on Now and forever more Once the Service ended we headed over to the private, graveside ceremony. The minister spoke a few words and then the casket was lowered into the ground. Allen was reunited with his wife, who lie in the grave next to his. Ethan dropped a single rose into the grave and broke down into uncontrollable sobs. The best thing we could do for him now would be to take him home and put this day behind him. When we got home Ethan was emotionally drained. He put on his pajama's and went straight to bed. When I checked on him before turning in myself, he was clutching his bear as if he was desperately clinging to every last memory he could conjure up. I looked in on Nicky next, he'd put on his pajama's and was waiting for Cam and I to tuck him in. When we leaned down to kiss him goodnight, he surprised us by grabbing us in a bear hug and almost pulling us down on top of he and Debbie. "What was that all about kiddo?" Cam asked. "I was just thinking about what Ethan said, about holding on to his dad just a little longer. I love you guys," said Nicky. Cam and I each gave him a long hard squeeze. "We love you to Nicky, and we'll always be here for you," I told him. "Sweet dreams little man," Cam added. Nicky wasn't the only one that had been touched by Ethan's speech. When we got to our room I hugged Cam tight and lingered over our goodnight kiss. "Are you ok?" Cam asked. "Yeah, I was just moved by Ethan's speech too," I answered, "don't you dare let anything happen to yourself, these boys and I need you." "Ditto Hun, I need you just as much," said Cam, "let's get some sleep and put this tragedy behind us." I couldn't agree more, said a small voice in the back of my mind. I'd like to tell you that Ethan woke up the next morning completely recovered from his ordeal and ready to move on with his life, but that wouldn't be true. Life is hard and you don't just put the tragedy of losing your parents behind you with a quick snap of the fingers, it takes time. Time is a powerful thing and having experienced my own tragedy at about the same age, I knew that Ethan would eventually get better. Though dark times may come, one thing is always certain, tomorrow is another day. The sun will rise again and though we always carry those we've lost in our hearts, we learn to go on without them. We owe it to them to be strong and not let sorrow defeat us. Ethan was on the path out of the darkness and we would be there to guide him along the way. Friday morning Ethan got up while Cam and Nicky were getting ready to leave. I was still on leave and wouldn't be enrolling Ethan in school until Monday. Now that Ethan was talking, I was looking forward to spending the day alone with him so I could learn a little more about him and see what we could do to help him adjust to his new surroundings. He seemed interested in Nicky and closely watched his morning routine. He thought it was pretty funny when Nicky tossed his socks and underwear in the dryer before taking his shower, just so that they'd be warm when he left for school. Nicky, in typical Nicky fashion, enjoyed the attention and when he and Cam were heading out the door he asked Ethan to look after Debbie for him. Once they had left it seemed more like Debbie was looking after Ethan for Nicky, she followed him everywhere and would entertain him by running around in circles before stopping to look up at him, every time he got up. We had a quiet breakfast together and then moved into the living room. I sat down with some paperwork and Ethan clicked on the TV, I was eager to talk with him but I wanted to let him make the first move so he wouldn't feel pressured. "Your son seems like a real happy kid," Ethan pointed out. "He's always been like that," I agreed, "I don't know how he does it, he's been through some tough times, just like you, but he doesn't let it get him down." "Really, like what kind of things has he been through?" Ethan wanted to know. "His parents were killed in a car accident about 8 months ago and shortly after their deaths his grandparents had to give him up because they couldn't take care of him," I explained. "Wait, you mean he's not your real son?" Ethan asked, surprised. "No, Mrs. Nichols, from social services, placed him with us," I said. "Oh, the way he talks about you guys I thought for sure one of you was his real dad," Ethan explained. "No that wouldn't be possible I'm afraid, Cam and I are gay." "Yeah, I picked up on that," Ethan said, giving me an impish grin. "How do you feel about that?" I inquired. "I think it's kind of neat to be honest," Ethan said, "I think I might be gay." "Really?" I asked, surprised. "Yeah, I'm not 100% sure and I've never told anyone before, could that be just our secret for now?" he asked. "I won't tell anyone, that's your secret and it's up to you to share it with people when you feel comfortable with it. I only mentioned our relationship to you because I want to make sure you're comfortable living here with us," I explained. "Its fine with me, besides, it's not like anyone else wants me," he said glumly. "I'm sure that's not true," I said, trying to comfort him. "Cam and I just got lucky and got you first is all." "Do you really mean that or are you just trying to be nice?" Ethan asked bluntly. "I mean every word of it. We're very sorry about what happened to your father but if you can't be with him then we want you to be with us. I think you're a remarkable boy and we would be very happy to have you as part of our family." "So does that mean you'd adopt me too?" he asked. "After you've had some time to adjust to living here and you feel you're ready for that, than yes, we would be proud to adopt you," I confirmed. "That's cool," Ethan smiled. After that, Ethan got up to use the restroom with Debbie following behind and waiting outside the door. When he came back he had a questioning look on his face. "Did you have something you wanted to ask Ethan?" I said. "Well, I was wondering if maybe we could go by my house, I'd really like to get my cello," he explained. "I didn't know you played," I said when he'd finished his request. "Yeah, I've been playing for a few years now," he explained. "All right then, let's go get your instrument, we don't want you getting rusty," I said. Ethan smiled and thanked me, I could tell his cello must have meant a lot to him. We put on our coats and headed to his old house. On the drive over, Ethan told me his father had started him on lessens when he'd been about 8. He opened up a little more, telling me about how he liked karate and to go running, evidently he also liked to sail. I explained that we shared interests in these activities and he seemed glad to know that living here wouldn't mean he'd have to give them up. When I pulled into the driveway, Ethan tensed up and started to get teary eyed. "You don't have to go in if you aren't ready yet, I can get the cello for you," I offered. "You don't mind?" he asked. "Not at all, is there, anything else you need?" He gave me a list of a few items he wanted then told me I'd find his cello in the hall closet. It seemed like an awfully big instrument for a boy his size and it was hard to imagine him playing it at 8. I popped into Ethan's room to grab the items on his list and I also filled another bag with his clothes, I'd send Cam by later to get the rest. When I came back out to the car Ethan whipped his eyes, I loaded the bulky cello into the trunk then got into the driver's seat and we headed home. Later when Nicky got back from school the boys took off to play together, it was nice to see Ethan smile a bit. He's really a cute boy and the frown and sad eye's he's had since we met him, didn't seem as natural as his bright, happy smile. On Monday we enrolled Ethan in school and like Nicky, he quickly found boys that shared his interests and he made some good friends. Soon we were back into the full swing of family life. If we weren't busy running Nicky to wrestling practice or a cub scout meeting then we were going out to run with Ethan or attending one of his cello recitals. Our parents grew closer to the boys as well and they were always there to be part of their cheering section or to watch them for us so that Cam and I could get some time alone. Time was passing by quickly and Cam and I tried to savor every moment of it. The boys are growing up fast but I believe the best is yet to come for all of us now that we had found each other.