Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2000 21:30:47 -0500 From: Charlie Subject: David's Christmas Present-5 The following story is total fiction. Any relationship to persons living or dead is purely accidental. This story depicts sexual acts between people of the same sex (male), some of whom are under age. If you find this concept distasteful, or if it is illegal where you live, or if you are underage, please stop reading now. V. Getting Started As David had predicted, the third floor at PowerNet was already a beehive of activity when they arrived shortly before nine. "Get your headset on," Arnie called from his office. "We've got at least ten calls on backlog." Adam noticed with some surprise that Arnie was sitting at his desk, wearing a headset and talking someone through setting up a dial-up modem. Karen and Billy were also there, in their offices and wearing headsets. He was suitably impressed to see and hear them as they also spoke to clients, helping them through whatever problems they were having. David sat in his office and turned on his computer. "Where are all the calls?" Adam asked. David's phone sat sedately on his desk showing no flashing lights, so signs that there was any emergency. "On the computer," David answered as he donned his headset and watched impatiently as the computer went through its bootup process. Adam noticed that the headset was connected to the computer, not the phone. "The HelpDesk phone lines come through voice modems to a server," David explained. "That way they are call queued with the caller's name, and we can answer them in correct order. During busy times when we have full staff, we can categorize calls by problem type so that the best person can reply to the calls." "But... Karen and Billy... they're just kids! How do they know enough to help? Where did they learn so much?" "Same place you will, if you want to. Just watch and learn, Adam. I'll bet before you leave today you'll be taking calls too." Adam went right into panic at that news. He couldn't conceive of fielding calls from PowerNet customers any time soon. His discomfort didn't go unnoticed by David. "Just watch," he instructed. "This isn't nearly as tough as it seems." Adam did watch. He watched as David brought up the screen that showed the queued calls. He watched David click on the first call and speak to the caller. Once he knew the problem, Adam watched in awe as David selected a dialog from a menu, and as if by magic there was a display on the screen that showed exactly the client's problem and what to do about it. He watched and listened as David spoke to the caller, flipped from screen to screen and explained the parameters. Then the call was over and David selected another, then another. Adam wandered into Billy's office. There he saw the same thing happen: the list of calls on the screen, the selection, and then the appropriate dialog appeared and Billy called out the parameters to his client. Before he'd been there an hour, Adam was thinking that maybe, if he stretched a point just a little, he might indeed some day be able to take his place on the Help Desk. Before two hours had elapsed, the backlog was beginning to clear. "I always thought those Help Desk guys were so cool!" Adam exclaimed. "They are," David answered. "Three quarters of the calls are the same old thing: how do I set up my modem, my email client, etc. Those we have automated and almost anyone can do it. But the other twenty-five percent can get real interesting. That's why we have professionals on the Help Desk. The trick is to figure out which ones you can handle and which you have to refer to the next level. But you'll get your chance, if you want to." David explained that he and Arnie had set up the help lines on computer because that way anyone in the building who was on PowerNet's LAN could access the lines and take calls. "We can even take calls at home," he said, "and quite often some of our better employees do just that, if they have to stay home for one reason or another. You might say we're among the pioneers in the work-at-home arena." "That may very well be," Arnie said, "but Ben will be here any minute. Are you guys ready for him?" "What's to be ready for?" Adam questioned. "He can't be all that dangerous." "If you say so," Arnie answered. "Just don't underestimate him." As if on cue, a buzzer sounded that Adam hadn't heard before. "That'll be Mr. Radcliff," David said as he finished the call and went to buzz Ben in. "I'll meet him and bring him in here. Adam, you wait in Billy's office, ok?" Adam still didn't understand what was the big deal, and in fact David had assured him that it wasn't, except that Ben would be asking some pretty pointed questions, possibly even make some accusations; but he had to know as much information as possible to perform the magic he was famous for. Adam was soon once again totally involved as he watched Billy handle call after call, helping adult and child alike solve the various problems with their internet activities. He had been starting to get nervous, but Billy had switched on the speakers so Adam could hear both parts of the conversation, and now Adam was learning far faster than he'd ever thought possible how to be a Help Desk technician. "OK, buddy," David said as he came in. "Your turn. Just answer him honestly and you'll be ok. Ben's a good lawyer, so he'll know if you're lying. Don't even try it, ok?" "I don't lie!" Adam replied, somewhat offended. "Why would I lie? Aren't you coming in too?" "He wants to see you alone first. I told him all I know, and I guess he wants to get your version." "He doesn't believe you?" "It's not that, Adam. Ben's a lawyer. He wants to get all the different versions and put them all together. Then he forms his own conclusions." "But..." "It'll be all right. Just be honest with him, ok?" Adam walked nervously into David's office. He didn't know what he was expecting, but the tall, good looking young man sitting in David's chair wasn't it. Ben Radcliff couldn't possibly be older than thirty-five. Adam had this foregone conclusion in his mind that all attorneys, at least the good ones, were at least fifty, graying, and at odds with their grown sons. "Adam, isn't it?" the man inquired pleasantly. "Yes, sir," Adam replied. "Adam Rollins." "Ben. Call me Ben. You're full-blooded Cherokee, David tells me. I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound much like an Indian name to me." "It isn't, really. I was adopted at birth by a white couple. I have never lived as an Indian, on a reservation, anything like that." "So Adam Rollins was not your original name?" "It's the only name I've ever known." "So, would I be correct in presuming that you really don't know if you're a Cherokee or not?" "I guess so. That's what Social Services always told me. Is it important?" "I suppose not. I'm just trying to understand the facts." Just tryin' to piss me off, Adam said to himself, and you're doin' it too. He couldn't see what being an Indian or not had to do with the business at hand. But David had said to cooperate and trust this guy, and Adam really could see no alternative, so he grit his teeth and kept his mouth shut. "Can you tell me how you and David met? It was only Thursday evening, wasn't it?" "Yes sir, ...uhhh Ben." Adam went on to explain how he had left his foster home, not planning to return until Sunday, January 3, in time to go back to school. He told how he'd been encouraged to leave from time to time, to make room for visiting relatives. He related how he had simply told them that he had a friend who would put him up, and that vague description of his whereabouts had always been accepted without question. The objective, in Adam's mind, was very clearly to get rid of him, and if he were to take the initiative and get gone, his foster parents were not about to question it. "So there was never a friend, was there?" "No. I just thought..." "So it seems to me that you lied to get out of the house. Why such an aversion to holidays, visitors, celebrations?" "That's not it at all! I guess you had to be there to understand. They made it very clear that I should make myself scarce. So I did. I know how the system works. I know that they needed something to tell the social worker if she asked questions, so I gave them a story." "Didn't it ever occur to you that someone might ask who your friend is, or where he lived?" "I guess I never thought about it. Anyway, no one ever did ask." "Ok, so along comes this perfect stranger. He invites you home with him, and you accept. Was that why you were there, to get picked up by some stranger?" Now Adam was getting really annoyed. "That's not the way it happened," he said. "I told you, David said he wouldn't just let me walk out in the rain. We rode around for a long time before..." "But that was your plan, wasn't it?" "No! I was just... I mean, he was so nice, I just..." "He was so nice you pegged him for an easy mark. You can't tell me you weren't impressed by that Corvette." "I thought it was a nice car, sure. But I didn't... I mean, I just liked David. He was nice to me." "I'll bet he was. You're a pretty good looking guy, Adam. I hope you're not gonna tell me you didn't know that." "I've been told that before." "When did you decide to get naked with him?" "Decide? DECIDE? You think I planned the whole thing?" "You're saying you didn't? That the whole thing was David's idea? So, you're basically calling David a predator, is that right? He lured you to his pretty sports car, then his fabulous house, then he made his move and took advantage of you. Is that your story?" "No one took advantage of anyone! He isn't like that! David wouldn't do that! He's... we're..." "I know what you are," Ben said coldly. "I know what David is. I've known him for several years. How long did you say you've known him?" Adam didn't answer. His insides were boiling, undecided whether to break down crying or lose it and start screaming. But his more rational side refused to do either. You're an Indian, he told himself. Indians don't lose control, don't show emotion. I mustn't let him read my mind! I have to retain my composure, my dignity. In Adam's mind, he was once again all alone pitted against the world; right now "the world" was a very annoying lawyer who was calling him, basically, a piece of dirt. Adam had no idea whether the common belief about Indians having the capacity to control or hide their emotions was true or not; but right now that was all he could hold on to. He had to maintain control, and in his mind his heritage would be the thing that would enable him to do that. But Ben the abusive attorney was still going on. "Let me explain a few things you might not know," Ben said. "You see, my young Indian friend, (Oh, how Adam wanted to point out that they were NOT friends! But he didn't.) in the eyes of the law you are a child. A CHILD, Adam. David is an adult. That makes him legally in a position of control over you. He is bigger and stronger, and according to the law, more developed mentally. In the eyes of the law, if David gets involved sexually with a child like you, he is a child molester! That is a felony in this state, Adam! David could go to prison for a long, long time!" "I know that, Ben," Adam replied. "But..." "But nothing! Just let me finish. Now, we have David in a very compromising position. Unfortunately the law doesn't stop to consider it isn't you at all who is the victim! When a man like David gets the come-on from a good looking young kid like you, he's putty in your hands! But then you already know all that, don't you?" "I'm sorry," Adam said, using every fiber of self control he could summon, "you don't know what you're talking about! It's not..." "Uh-uh, I'm not finished yet. Just shut up and listen. Now we add to all the above the fact that he is very wealthy. Loaded, to use language you're probably more familiar with. Now, David is well aware of what I have just told you, as I'm sure are you. What he doesn't seem to be aware of is what a young punk like you can do with that information. I'm sure it must have crossed your mind that a man in David's position would be willing to pay a large amount of money to avoid the embarrassment of all the nasty legal proceedings that would result from certain information becoming public. And he would certainly be willing to pay handsomely to avoid prison. I assume you know what happens to child molesters in prison?" David sat glued to his chair, staring at Ben Radcliff. "Well," Ben demanded, "do you?" "You've asked me a question?" Adam asked. "Does that mean you're finished?" "No, Ben replied. "I'm not anywhere near finished. I'm only getting started. But I did ask you a question, and I would appreciate your doing me the courtesy of answering it." "Fine," Adam said. "If I have the floor, I'll answer your question. The way I see it you've asked about ten. I'll answer them all if that's ok." He had felt a shot of adrenalin from somewhere, nowhere. From deep inside himself he felt a strength, an anger. Who the hell was this self righteous freak anyway? What was he trying to do? He very obviously thought of Adam as nothing but a common street punk; a male prostitute who had used his body to get into David's home, his life, his heart. He made what Adam had thought to be so beautiful seem ugly and demented. Adam was beginning to wonder himself. Was Ben right? Could he possibly have these motives and not even know it himself? But no! Never! In the first place the thought of sex had never entered his mind! Well, at least not at first. But those feelings! He couldn't possibly feel so good, so great, so fulfilled, if what they'd done had been anything but love. "Mr. Radcliff," Adam said evenly after he'd cleared his throat and taken several deep breaths. "Ben," Ben said. "I prefer you call me Ben." "I'm sorry, sir, but you are an adult and I am a child. I might be nothing but an orphan Indian kid but that doesn't mean I don't know enough to respect my elders. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to answer your question. We're not in a court room, Mr. Radcliff. We're in David Saunders' office. I was hoping that some day soon I'd be able to say we're in my dad's office; but for now, it's just David Saunders' office, not yours, not a courtroom. That means we don't play by your rules, we play by David's. I'm not gonna let you question me like some kinda accused criminal any more, unless David is here. In fact I think I want David to come in now, to hear my answer to all your questions." "I can't allow that. That's not the way I work. We'll have him in and we can all talk when you and I are through." "We're through now," Adam said defiantly. "Do you call him in, or do I?" "I've gotta give you credit," Ben said when David came back, "this kid certainly has self control. He is one cold fish!" "All depends on your perspective, I guess," David answered. "I have certainly found him anything but a cold fish." He wrapped his arms around Adam as he spoke, to give him a hug. Adam shook himself free. His entire body was trembling now. "Please, David," he pleaded, "just let me answer Mr. Radcliff's questions before I lose it completely." "What's wrong, Adam?" "Just listen, ok? Mr. Radcliff started playin' trial lawyer with me. He asked a bunch of questions and accused me of all sorts of things, but he wouldn't let me answer. Now it's my turn. I wanted you to hear the answers. "Mr. Radcliff thinks this whole thing, I mean meeting the way we did, you taking me home, wanting to adopt me, and especially the sex part, has all been a game. He thinks I got you to mess around with me so I could blackmail you. Oh yeah, Mr. Radcliff, I know that word. I've heard it lots of times, and I even know kids who have done it with their foster parents, teachers, older kids. Sometimes they use sex, sometimes other kinds of abuse. Sometimes it's true, most often it isn't true at all. But they get what they want just 'cause everyone is so paranoid about those things these days. I'm not like those kids whether you want to believe it or not. And for your information, sir, I have nothing on David! Nothing!" "Nothing? Adam, you have both admitted to me..." "We admitted that we love each other. If that's a crime, then EXCUSE ME! But David has never abused me! He wouldn't do that! David hasn't known me two full days yet, and already he's spoiling me rotten! "I also happen to know that what actually happened or didn't happen really doesn't make that much difference. Like you said, I'm legally a child, and I could put David in jail right now. I think he knows that. I also think he knows I wouldn't do that, even if I didn't love him. So you go ahead, Mr. Radcliff. You go right ahead and report what you THINK you know. I'll deny that David ever did anything to me because he didn't! We made love, Mr. Radcliff! No one did anything to anyone! You'll probably screw up the adoption with your stories, but I guess I've already done that by trying to be honest with you." Finally Adam lost it. "I'm sorry, David," he said as the tears came in a flood. "I love you so much, but Mr. Radcliff is right. It's just too risky for you. I mean, if anyone finds out..." "You're sorry?" David questioned. "Sorry about what? What have you done? Or what do you think you've done?" "Mr. Radcliff thinks I'm just tryin' to get your money. I dunno, maybe I am. But I can't... I mean we can't... It's just too fantastic!" "So you're giving up? That easily? I thought this was important to you!" "It is, David. But how can we hope to get anywhere without a lawyer? I mean, He's talking of you goin' to jail, me goin' into youth detention... he's not gonna help us, David! He's gonna report you, and whether you go to jail or not, Social Services will never go for it if they hear of even a hint of sex!" David put his arms around Adam again, this time refusing to allow them to be shrugged off. Adam's whole body was shaking now... shaking with his sobs. "I warned you," he said into Adam's ear. "Ben can be a bastard sometimes, but he's a good lawyer. He'll help us, or we'll get somebody else." "Don't be so sure of yourself, David," Ben said haughtily. "I think you've gone completely off your fucking rocker. Damn, David! The kid's fourteen! And a street kid, and a ward of the state at that! Do you realize..." "I realize only one thing," David said angrily. "You have upset Adam pretty bad. I should've known you would. I just had him calmed down and beginning to trust a little... beginning to realize that there were actually people in the world who care for him, and you had to go and do this. Now, Ben, it's decision time. You've been my attorney for as long as I've needed one, and you've been PowerNet's as well. You've always done a good job, and I was hoping you'd take this one on. Whether you do or not, Adam is NOT going back to that foster home, and he is NOT going back to Social Services! I thought you'd like to see justice done. I thought justice was important to you. I thought..." "Dammit, David," Ben said in frustration, "I don't appreciate being backed into a corner. You sound as if you're Adam's savior from Heaven, taking this... this CHILD to bed and doing God knows what! Then you harp to me about justice!" "That just goes to show how fucking little you understand, Ben! This is not about sex! I thought you'd be able to see that." "So are you telling me that if we go through with this, that there will be no more sex?" David felt Adam's body stiffen. "I'm not telling you boo-all," David replied. "What goes on in my bedroom, from this moment forward, will remain in my bedroom. I made a mistake by telling you what I did. I won't make the same mistake again. Oh, and there is no IF we go through with it. We ARE going through with it! I'd really love to have you along for the ride, but with or without you, with or without the cooperation of Social Services, with or without the law, Adam is my son as of this moment! They have fucked him around for too long, and they won't do it any more!" "Do me a favor?" Ben said weakly. "That last statement you just made... let's just keep that one to ourselves too, ok? You've got to give me a fighting chance here." After everyone had calmed down, Ben said of course he'd take the case, but that he had to understand where everyone was coming from. David and Adam both made it clear that did not give him the right to third-degree anyone. Ignoring their reprimand, Ben set about getting all the information about what Adam had gone through: the times he'd been put out of his foster home to make room for visiting relative; the refused hormone treatments; the denial of his school's recommendations to provide Adam with counseling to help with his grades. He called Mrs. Morrison, Adam's current social worker. He outlined the information he'd been given and made if forcefully but politely clear that a lawsuit was not beyond possibility. David and Adam sat listening to Ben as he obviously bullied Mrs. Morrison in the phone. So what did he want and why was he calling her on a Saturday, she had evidently asked. Because this was an emergency, Ben had answered in a tone that said he couldn't believe he even had to spell it out. A young boy had been turned out in the streets in the middle of a blizzard (well, perhaps not a blizzard, but for a southern boy like Adam it might as well be). He would be calling the emergency Family Court judge and merely wanted to forewarn her that there could be a terrible stink. "Yes, ma'am," he said finally. "If two o'clock is convenient for you, that will be fine. I shall see that both Adam and his proposed new guardian are there. Thank you, ma'am." "What was that last all about?" David demanded as Ben hung up. "She wants to meet you both, in your home, David. She told me that she is duty bound to get Adam into an emergency foster home immediately, but if your home is satisfactory, he has the power to designate your home as such a place. Of course I'll be there, but between now and then I have to get in touch with a lawyer who handles these things. I can bully and coerce with the best of them, but we need someone who specializes in family matters to fine tune the arrangements. I'll go back to my office and make some calls. David, you get Adam out to buy some clothes. When that woman shows up at your house this afternoon, I want Adam to look as if he's suddenly inherited the throne of England!" "I feel as if I have," Adam said with a grin. "This'll be the first time I ever saw a social worker without being in some kinda trouble." "It isn't over yet," Ben assured them. "I'm trying to intimidate without coming right out and making threats, but to be perfectly honest I'm not sure that woman even realized I was threatening her. But we'll see. Just be there at two, and Adam, I want you to look good enough to eat!" "He always does," David quipped. If he saw the humor, Ben did not acknowledge it. Mrs. Morrison was definitely not prepared for what she found as she drove up the circular driveway of the address Ben had given her. She wasn't prepared for the splendor of the neighborhood, nor was she even close to being ready for the incredibly handsome young man who answered the door when she'd run the bell. "A-Adam?" she questioned. He was standing there holding the door, dressed in a dark blue blazer, tan pants, light blue silk shirt. His long black hair, shining as usual, cascaded over his broad shoulders as if painted there, every strand in place. Around his neck was a heavy gold chain, borrowed from David. His shoes, black leather loafers, were very obviously new, yet comfortable (read that EXPENSIVE). But what caught Mrs. Morrison's attention more than anything else was those eyes: those deep brown liquid eyes that had so captivated David. She had looked into those eyes dozens of times, but they had never glittered and gleamed as they did now! They were the eyes of a very handsome, contented, happy boy! Mrs. Morrison had been a social worker long enough to know that this was where Adam wanted to be. "Yes, ma'am, it's me," Adam answered. "It's good to see you, Mrs. Morrison. Please come in, we've been expecting you." "I hope you drink coffee," David said after Adam had introduced Mrs. Morrison to everyone. "I've given the entire staff the weekend off, and I'm afraid coffee's all I dare attempt on my own. And as talented as Adam appears to be, his cooking skills don't seem to be any better than mine." "Coffee is fine," Mrs. Morrison said as she struggled to recover. "This shouldn't take long anyway. I just wanted to see for myself what Adam's gotten himself into this time. I must say I'm pleasantly surprised." "This time?" David questioned as Adam, Ben, Arnie and Valerie all looked on. "Adam has 'gotten himself into' situations like this before?" "Oh, no," she said. "Actually, Adam has been very little trouble for me. He is a very resourceful young man." "I should say so," David exclaimed. "It appears that he is so resourceful that he has been literally kicked out of his home repeatedly, and has somehow managed without your even knowing about it!" Ben was scribbling furiously. He had noticed that, even thought she readily admitted that Adam had caused her very little trouble, she still referred to his new situation as something he'd "gotten himself into." A negative comment at best, and one that Ben was sure he could use some time in the future. There followed a half hour of jousting and positioning, each party trying to read the other. Finally in total frustration, while Adam was out of the room making a fresh pot of coffee, Mrs. Morrison let down her guard totally. "Mr. Saunders," she pleaded. "David," he corrected. "David," she repeated, "can we talk plainly, openly? May I ask you to arrange for us to talk alone? I mean, just you and I? "Consider it done," Arnie said as he and Valerie got up. Arnie gave Ben a very hard look until finally he too got up. "We'll be in the kitchen helping Adam with that coffee," Arnie said as they all left the room, closing the door behind them. "Thank you," Mrs. Morrison said when they were alone. "I have some things to say that I could simply not say with all those witnesses present. I am, after all, employed by the Department of Child Welfare, and I have certain mandated loyalties to them. But I also have loyalties to my charges, and Adam is one of those charges." "I understand that," David said. "Unfortunately my concern is for Adam, and if I have to step on you, or anyone else for that matter, to do what needs to be done for Adam, I'll do it." "I'm pleased to hear that," she answered. "I have nothing to hide, nothing to fear, except what I'm about to tell you. I have known for some time about Adam's situation in that foster home. I was told to look the other way. I protested, and I was told that there really wasn't a choice unless I was prepared to place Adam in an orphanage, and I knew Adam didn't want that. I also tried to fight the system concerning Adam's medical treatment, but I was told very clearly that there simply wasn't money in the budget for treating situations that were not life threatening. We have doctors on staff who will state that Adam's condition will resolve itself in time, and so it is considered elective at best." David sat and listened to this lady as she went on about her disagreements with her superiors. "So far," he observed, "you really haven't told me anything that I didn't already know, except that you seem to be on Adam's side. I certainly didn't know that." "I don't know what has gone on between you and Adam," Mrs. Morrison said, "but it's very obvious that some sort of a chord has been struck. The very fact that he's told you as much as he has is something of a miracle. Adam is not one to open up easily. I don't know what you've done with him, David, but whatever it is, you've very obviously touched him. And you've touched me! I wish I could say publicly what I've just told you, but I can't. I still need this job!" "I understand that, Mrs. Morrison. I also suspect that you know that I could make it possible for you to NOT need your job, but I suspect you would not accept such a proposal, so I won't make it. I appreciate your telling me what you did, and in return I will tell you that I mean to do whatever it takes to make Adam my son. My attorney says considering that I am a single male that could get difficult, but, well, it's not the first difficulty I've encountered." David summoned the rest of the group; they showed Mrs. Morrison Adam's bedroom, which was now adorned with a few clothes he and David had bought, the new bedspread that Valerie bought him, with an American Indian theme, and of course his new computer which was now fully operational. The room was still rather bare, but David assured her that as quickly as possible it would be the bedroom of a happy teen, not the spare room it had been two days ago. They showed her the rest of the house, which Adam was already beginning to call home. At the pool, Adam announced proudly that he had decided to swim at least thirty laps every single day, increasing until he could match David's one hundred. Mrs. Morrison assured them that she would support their motion for immediate adoption on Monday morning, but she cautioned them that her supervisor would probably have something to say about it. No matter, David assured her, his main goal was to be sure that she knew that they were working for Adam's best interest and nothing else. "Tomorrow," Ben said after Mrs. Morrison had left, "you guys get ready for that ski trip. I'm calling Judge Bennet right now, and I'm gonna be pushing for a Monday morning hearing. Adam, you show up in that courtroom looking as good as you did today and I'll adopt you myself!" "I already told you," David said with a wide grin..." "I know what you told me," Ben said without trying to hide his disgust. "Don't bother repeating. You just be ready Monday morning. Oh, and get Adam in to see the doctor ASAP. If at all possible, before court on Monday." "Doctor?" Adam questioned. "Social Services," Ben explained. "They'll want a full physical before any change in custody. We might as well second guess them wherever we can." "Not a problem," David said. "My doc is a PowerNet customer, and he owes me. We'll get it done tomorrow." "I'm scared," Adam said as he cuddled close to David in bed. "There's so much happening... it's just all too good to be true. It's kinda like a dream, ya know? Only in dreams you wake up and then everything's back the way it was." "Not gonna happen, Adam," David said as he hugged him. "I'm not fooling myself into thinking that everything's gonna go as smoothly as it has so far, but whatever happens, you're stuck with me." "David," Adam said as he idly, gently caressed David's genitals, "what if the judge says no? I mean, all he's gotta do is say no and it's all over. What if he does?" "We've just gotta make sure that doesn't happen," David answered. He was starting to return the favor and fondle Adam's own intimate parts, but Adam pulled away suddenly and sat upright in bed. "But what if he does? I mean, what if we do all we can and the answer is still no?" "I don't even want to think about it, Adam. But you are not going back to that foster home, or any other for that matter, unless you can convince me you want to. As long as you want to stay with me, you're gonna stay with me. Now please, let's just chill out, ok? It's gonna be fine!" "David?" Adam said when they were once more settled in bed, once more roaming their hands idly over each other's bodies. "Yeah, Adam?" "Can we... I mean... is it ok if we don't do anything? I mean, if we just lie here like this and... I mean... would it be ok if you just hold me like this and we go to sleep?" "Is it ok!" David repeated, astounded. "Adam, it's so much more than ok! It's wonderful! As long as I can hold you, make you feel warm and safe, I'm satisfied. Just snuggle in a little closer, if that's possible." "I love you, David." "Go to sleep, beautiful. You've got another busy day tomorrow." * * * I sincerely hope you enjoy my writing efforts. If you do, or for that matter if you don't, I would appreciate if you would write to me. My email address is charlieje@mindspring.com.