Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 12:28:41 PDT From: "Lars M. Culverine" Subject: Kidnapping... part VII KIDNAPPING THROUGH STREAM OF TIME (c) 1998, 1999 by Lars M. Culverine CHAPTER 7. Of Boys and Men I think it's needless to say that since he has found his new buddy, Michael was like in the seventh heaven. I wasn't jealous of the little Jimmy at all, I wished their mutual friendship to both of them, from all my heart. We were heading back home. When we were on our way up the path I challenged Michael who of us would withstand more sitting in the saddle while pedalling up the terrible hill. To be more fair to him I switched the chain of my bike to more heavier gear and we started out. We were doing quite good job at the beginning but after some dozen seconds the Earth gravity as well as the increasing angle of the hill did job of their own. Soon after, we were breathing heavily, trying to control our bikes, sneaking slower and slower up, foot by foot, inch by inch and then we both couldn't go any further! After a while of desperate balancing we stopped and breathed wildly. "This... wasn't... a good... idea!" I wheezed, breathless. "Nonnn... not at all," snorted Michael in answer. We laughed painfully, as much as our tortured lungs allowed us to. No other challenge was needed nor expected, we had had already enough. We dismounted and continued up the hill, chatting happily. After we have reached the top of the dreaded hill, we saddled our bikes again and hit the route back home. When we arrived, I opened the front garage gate for us both to put off our bikes to a place in there. Inside, Michael suddenly spotted my big black truck, whose chrome parts were glittering back there in the far corner of the garage and he was again completely speechless, looking at the truck in a dumbfounded haze. A good while after that I had no chance to stop him talking about the car, I had to promise that we would have a ride with it as soon as possible. I added however that we would have to go for a shower at first (I felt my body asking for a refreshment) and only then that we might take a ride downtown to have some meal. I just hoped we would have returned before three o'clock to be able to meet Jimmy again as we promised to him. My idea made Mikey very happy and he just couldn't wait to hit the road. "Are you gonna take your shower first or should I go first?" I asked. "Um..., we can shower both togetha', can't we?" the boy suggested. "Well, if this is ok with you," I shrugged and a while later we both entered the bathroom... I've been already a bit used to Mikey's breathtaking beauty no matter if he was naked or dressed and therefore I didn't feel like eyeing him again when he was undressing himself. However, just as I was taking my clothes off I suddenly felt as if a pair of curious eyes would aim directly at me. I looked up... and caught little Michael standing undressed in the separate shower, examining my private parts with a wide, impish grin. "Whatcha lookin' at?" I asked, my earlobes slightly red, aware from his special attention. "I thought you'd have a bigger one," he giggled, "PINKY!" he added and burst in another fit of giggles. "Well that's a whole lot of fun, really," I said, my "manhood" somehow in doubt, and I blurted without any thinkabout: "And besides, as you seem to be pretty comfortable in comparing it, how did you know that it SHOULD be any bigger, huh?" Mikey suddenly became silent and lifted his beautiful green eyes to meet mine, his expression slightly hurt. He almost whispered: "You o're'dy know why..." Then he just turned back to the shower and without any other word spoken he grabbed the sponge and ran the water. I should rather bite my own tongue. Stupid me! I stepped closer in an awkward attempt to apologize: "I'm sorry, Mikey, I..." S P L A S H ! ! A thick stream of ice-cold water hit me and ran all over me from head to toe. "'Got you!" he shrieked, laughing at catching me totally off-guard and when he noticed my rather perplexed expression magnified by streams of water dribbling from my body here and there, he laughed even harder. "The Black Avenger says: the revenge is mine!" he burst out. "You little..." I started but wasn't allowed to finish. S P L A S H ! ! ! Another, even bigger load of water followed. I desperately tried to avoid it but I lost balance on the slippery tiles of the bathroom floor and after more wild and hopeless arm-waving I landed on the floor with a loud thud. Michael widened his eyes in surprise but in the next moment he exploded in another cascade of hysterical giggles. "You're dead!" I shouted, faking earnest and - with my feet staggering and sliding - I darted into the separate shower and grabbed Mikey's hardly-eighty-pound body with the lethally serious intention to tickle him dead. I held him tight and started to tickle him furiously, my fingers poking, dugging and prodding here and there, leaving nothing untouched. Soon he was twisting, kicking and giggling hysterically, trying desperately to escape from my grip but I held him tight and continued in my tickling torture until he begged for mercy. "Peace?" I asked, after I let him catch his breath. "Ok, peace," he answered and scowled at me, faking anger at being forced to give up. I stopped the water and after that there came a moment when we looked into each-other's smiling faces, his still a bit reddened from his effort to break free, mine still drenched from the double amount of water... and suddenly there was a great silence, my heart began to pound, our smiles froze on our lips, he lifted his arms and he slowly, very slowly embraced me in a loose hug. Spontaneously I hugged him back and slightly, tenderly I clasped his shivering little body to my soaked chest. Our eyes were aimed each pair to the eyes of the other, sight-to-sight in which an increasing tension was evident as well as an unspoken question of what would come in the next moment. Mikey's glaring emmerald-eyes suddenly narrowed, all his body stiffened, extracting tension filled the damp air, I felt my heart pulse up in my throat and our faces were approaching closer, closer and closer... D R O P ! A single, yet huge drop of water slid slowly from the shower spray and after a short inevitable fall it burst on my nose. Mikey giggled silently. Still half-locked in a loose hug, I lifted my eyes upwards and whispered as if I spoke to the hose: "'Caught you lookin'!" The little one laughed out loud. I smiled back at him and remarked: "Hmmm, it looks as if the shower reminded us of what we really came here for, to take a SHOWER!" "Let's take it, then," the boy replied. "Ok," I grinned and turned on the water again... I must say that everything was quite new for Mikey, and acceptable, too, be it from the fact that he was taking a shower in the cramped space of the separate shower - for him yet unknown bathroom appliance - to the chance of using it, enjoying the free amount of comfortably hot water, inhaling refreshing perfumes of the soap, shower gel and shampoo and of course, to take the shower together with someone who liked him, who was allowed to caress lovingly and carefully his glistening little body with soaped sponge, in a more daring and self-confident way than before, yet still not crossing the "taboo territory". When I sponged his "ticklish" body-parts it always caused a fit of giggles, squirms, wriggles and more splashing all around. He was absolutely relaxed and had a great time as much as I had. When I helped him soap-up his back, he did the same for me in return and it was something truly awesome, something I would never forget. His little boy-palms did their soapy work softly, tenderly, I felt goose-skin all over my body, my knees weakened, my mind was projecting imaginary pictures of how he did his wonderful work on my back, it went even so far that when he finished it and I turned back to him, there was an evident proof of how GOOD he made his work, standing proudly and unashamedly... He smiled first, then he began to smirk and then his face was just one big grin. He was enjoying himself royally at catching me THAT embarrassed! I blushed in the darkest red. "Watch out!" he giggled. "I'm sorry, I just can't help it," I shrugged helplessly back. "I know," the little one smiled, "just jokin', buddy!" Then his face took a more serious expression: "But this also... er... sortta means... that'ya... that'ya like me, right?" "Yes. Yes I do, I really like you. A lot!" I admitted, "you know, when you were helping me soap-up my back, you did it so softly and so tenderly, it felt so wonderful and then my thingy just started to grow because my whole body enjoyed what you did." "Is it s'pposed to be like that?" "Yeah, and it is NOT only at people like me. You see what I mean?" I slightly intimated him of my non-hetero orientation. "I guess so," the boy peeped. Then he looked at me, his eyes widened but it was hard to say whether from joyful expectation or from fear: "Say can I feel it just like you, too?" "I think so," I uttered, "there's no reason why you shouldn't. And by the way, could you?" The boy turned even more serious: "I'll tell'ya later, maybe. Not now, o'rite? I'm just not ready, ok?" "Ok, I won't press you, I promise." "Thanks, buddy. You're really great. And I like you, too, 'specially becuz you're straight with me, becuz you tol' me you love boys and you still haven't started anythin'. It must'a been so 'deefficult' for'ye but I know you're not gonna hurt me!" "Oh, Mikey!" I hugged him fiercely, emotional lump in my throat more and more evident, my eyes watered, my chin trembled. Mikey responded in an even fiercer bear-hug, he rested his head on my chest and we just stood there silently for a while, our locked bodies shivering from cold and emotions, our minds on the verge of crying. "You... you can touch me if you want," A hesitating small voice sounded, a little thicker than usual. I loosened my grip and knelt down in front of him. Then I took each of his hands into my palms, lifted my sight into his marvellous green starlets and said, my voice still a bit broken: "No, Mikey. I'm not ready for that yet, too. But it was so nice of you that you said you'd have allowed me to." "Don't you wanna?" the boy replied, finding that hard to believe. "Oh yes, I do," I admitted, "but even if we both wanted to, we don't need to hurry, do we?" "No, we don't," Mikey whispered seriously. I tenderly ruffled his damp nest of hair: "I'm so glad you're here with me!" "I'm glad I can be here with you, too!" the boy replied in a dreamy voice, his eyes partly closed. Suddenly I realized it was going a bit late. I disentangled from our embrace an swatted playfully Mikey's bare bottom: "All right, let's put on some clothes so that we can hit the road. It's high-time we left for a lunch!" "Should I put on my new clothes again?" Mikey asked. "Sure," I answered, "these aren't that much dirty, anyway. You just put 'em on, then go to the garage and wait there for me, ok? I'm going to find something for myself to change." "Ok," the boy answered, grabbed his stuff and dismissed. He's certainly going to get dressed underway, I thought, smiling. After a few moments I quickly put on something new and stepped down to the garage. Mikey has been waiting down there, behaving himself in his typical 'imp-patient' way, he stood leaned and spread-eagled over the glistening surface of the truck, as if it was his very property, with eyes dreamily closed, an ear-to-ear grin in his face evident. I had to laugh. I got into the truck and opened the passenger-door for Mikey. He swung around the truck's front mask and climbed immediately inside. Being a typical young boy he bounced on the seat with his eyes widened, he couldn't get enough of looking around and taking the liberty. It must have been a SOMETHING for him, it wasn't likely he had ever sat in a car before. "Wow, what a height!" he whispered. "It's much higher than in a 'streetcar'!" He was right. The seats of the 4WD trucks are supposed to be slightly higher than usual. I only regretted I didn't have a sports-car, something like Pontiac, Porsche or Corvette, be it because of their smart profile, of seats almost on the ground or - which boys like best - because of their stunning performance. I shut the driver-door. Mikey followed my example... and then he looked at me curiously: "Hey, who's gonna open the door of your garage?" "I am," I smiled knowingly and grabbed the remote controller from the board. "Now look," I aimed the remote controller on the garage gate remote control sensor, "this is another wonder of the science and technology of our times!" After these words I pressed the button. The gate went immediately open and Mikey's reaction was, as usual, wonderful. I won't probably get enough of that, it's always so beautiful when such a cute kid would spontaneously express his sincere, joyful astonishment! I engaged the gear and the truck leaped forward, the boy let out a surprised yelp but we were already on the road. I carefully drove away. Amazed, Mikey looked back and then he turned to me, grinning: "Don't tell me the door can shut 'n lock itself!" "Oh yes, it can!" I showed him the display of the remote controller where the green label "LOCKED" was visible and put it into the glove box. The boy fell down into the seat. He rolled his eyes and burst out: "No way! Too much!" Then he turned to me and, his eyes widened, he blurted eagerly: "I love your times! It's like in the fairy tale, with all that magic'n stuff!" "It is not magic," I said, "it's just that people wanted their dreams to come true. And some of their dreams really come true. There are still things you haven't seen yet. Those were dreams in your times and came true in my times. You know, if you would have to learn about everything that's new for you at once, your head would probably burst from all those news. I must help you with it, you'll have to take it slow, the 70-years difference is too much!" + + + There had followed more lovely events as Michael had gradually learnt about our everyday life. As far as I could judge, he seemed to be most impressed from the - for him - unbelievable number of cars on the road, of cars much smarter and faster than he could ever imagine. After a short 'drive-show' I suggested to visit 'Big Mac' intending to show him from where began the massive 'McDonaldization of the society'. I ordered two Big Macs, mine of course with no spot of ketchup as usual. Mikey enjoyed himself with the straw and ice-cubes in his Coke and had obviously a good meal. Then I got two packs of chewing gum for us, a mint one and orange one. Little Michael seemed to be surprised from the cushion-shape of the Orbit sugar-free 'pepsin-gum' as he called it but the 'yummy-chewy taste' made him forget to worry about it and just enjoy... And then, then it was the time to go home. Michael, with his mind filled by lots of wonderful, surprising events, and me, his 'life-teacher', were returning back. "D'ya think Jimmy will be there o're'dy?" the boy asked. "Sure," I answered, "he promised to come, didn't he?" "Yeah," breathed the little one dreamily. I lifted my eyebrows in surprise and I couldn't get rid of a thought that there was something more than just a pure friendship between Mike and Jimmy. But maybe I am all wrong and there's nothing like that. I wouldn't object to it, anyway, I thought to myself, smiling. When we were already close to our place, not a block away, we overtook a little bike-rider, who pedalled frantically along the side of the road. Mikey's eyes suddenly widened and he exclaimed: "It's Jimmy!" Then he leaned out of the window and waved: "Hello, Jimmy! We're here!" I whipped off the wheel to the left and pulled the handbrake, performing a trial skid, stopping close to the sidewalk. Little Michael struggled with the door for a while and after I have helped him, he opened it and jumped down. "Over here!" he called out and waved once again, full of excitement. I slammed the door on the other side and nudged Jimmy playfully at distance to come over. At first, Jimmy stood there petrified, as if non-believing it was us, then he turned his bike and rode it wildly toward us, not caring he crossed the road and went on the wrong side. "Hi, guys!" said Jimmy, joyful surprise in his voice evident. "I was just goin' to meet you down there!" "We were doing the same, the path is very close to where we live, not a block away," I smiled. "Wow, that's cool! Our place's not a block this way," little Jimmy pointed, "we live pretty close to each-other!" "Yeah, that's really cool! Listen, Jimmy, since we don't have to meet down there already, why don't we load your bike and go to your place, where we can repair it, as we promised? Do you think your mom would mind?" Jimmy stood there thoughtfully for a little while and then he said: "No, mum's great! She sure won't mind, she'll be ok." "All right then," I smiled, "let's go for it!" Sice both boys insisted to help me, with all our powers joined we loaded Jimmy's scarry BMX and jumped swiftly one after another into the truck like three robbers. "Wow, that's a cool truck," Jimmy breathed out when his head peeked inside. "I'm sorry guys this is only a two-seater. You two have to share your seat. Hope you won't mind," I smirked playfully. "Nope, it's ok," Mikey smiled, "Jimmy can sit on my lap, won't you?" "Yeah, I guess," peeped the little one and nimbly sat down, resting comfortably in Mikey's lap. Mikey's arm immediately rested 'protectively' on his shoulder, Jimmy looked up, smiling and Mikey smiled back at him. This simple, spontaneous action filled my heart with love, my emotional lump in my throat grew up some more, I felt so close to both of them! "Are you ready to navigate?" I asked Jimmy playfully and we started off. After a little while we have arrived. It was really close, our places must have been no more than two blocks away! Their place was a nice detached house in a block of other houses of that type, with a slowly descending lawn, with a hedge on both sides and with a large tree, growing up on the left side of the lawn. In front of the garage on the right there stood a red Chevvy Nomad station wagon. "Wait for a sec, I'm gonna tell my mom you're here," said Jimmy and ran home. "I'm glad you've found such little friend like Jimmy," I whispered when Jimmy's tiny figure disappeared behind the front door of the house. "Yeah, me too," Mikey answered in the same manner, as if afraid someone would hear us. A moment later Jimmy appeared at their door again and nudged us to come over. We got out of the car and approached to Jimmy. I felt a bit nervous, what's his mom like, what would she say and stuff like that, you know that feeling. And then his mom appeared herself. An attractive young woman, a little older than myself, maybe in late twenties, maybe older, her hair blonde unlike his son's, otherwise they were both quite alike. When I would look at Jimmy and then at that young woman, I knew immediately she was his mom. "Good afternoon, I'm Jessica Nolan, Jimmy's mother," she said. "Good afternoon, I'm Michael Gieronyme and this is my cousin Michael," I greeted (and Mikey followed my example with a silent, shy "good afternoon"), "we met your son down there on the bicross track. He's a good boy, he made friends with Mike right there," I added. "Oh, I'm glad to hear that," she smiled and then she turned to her little son, "Jimmy, honey, didn't I tell you that you shouldn't rather ride down there? It's quite dangerous!" Jimmy blushed and aimed his sight down. I felt as if he needed a little help, so I added, reassuringly, "Oh, we've been riding our bikes with Michael down there, too and I don't think the track is THAT dangerous. Even for boys who over-estimate their powers so easily, don't they, Michael?" I nodded very knowingly to my little name-sake who apparently didn't catch my small joke as well as Jimmy didn't. Unlike Jessica who smiled, relieved and I felt that the tension from our first contact has just vanished somehow. "We discovered there that Jimmy's bike needed a small repair," I said, "that's basically why we came here for, to help him with it, if you don't mind, of course?" I added with hardly suppressed expectation. "Yes, Jimmy told me, he was pleading all the time to let you come over. Anyway, it would be very kind of you. Jimmy, why don't you go and help your little friend... Michael?... (I nodded, smiling) to unload your bike?" "Yeeeah!!!" two small voices, full of excited joy yelled up in the air as Mikey and Jimmy ran down to my truck to unload Jimmy's bike. "I really appreciate what you do, I mean to help Jimmy repair his bike," said Jessica in a lowered voice, "I'm not sure about myself to make it even though I never realized there was something wrong with the bike. And besides..." she stopped, hesitating. "Jimmy told us about your husband, I'm very sorry about that," I said, my voice lowered as well, "I think he still misses him." "Yeah, you're right, I must admit it was rather painful for both of us but it's over now. The life goes on, there's nothing to do about it," she said with an almost unnoticeable tremor in her voice. "Don't tell me more, it's all right, you're a very brave woman," I admitted sincerely. Both boys approached, Mikey pushing Jimmy's bike, Jimmy running to open the garage gate. A while after he opened it and disappeared in the darkness of the garage, he emerged again, staggering, holding a huge tool-box in both of his hands, he lowered himself and from some inches above he dropped it with relief on the ground with a loud clank. "I hope this could do," he stated, expertly. I chuckled, noticing his serious expression. Our Indy Car box team started with the precise work. The 'Chief', me, always requesting his little 'apprentices' a tool to pass, a place to hold and lots of other things while noticing them what needed to be done so that they would be able to make it on their own next time. Both boys listened, obeyed, observed and manipulated everything eagerly, with eyes sparkling, full of enthusiasm. As if we had already done this before. With handle-bars levelled and chain straightened we turned our attention to the most difficult part of our repair - to the bearings. At first, it seemed rather hopeless, I caught myself thinking there would be the only help: to change the whole disc, or better to buy a new wheels for although adjusted the wheels still hitched. But then we discovererd the true cause of all this. It was so ridiculously simple as only such things usually used to be. Murphy's Law, you know. After a dozen of minutes of a playful struggle with the mechanical parts we finally succeeded and the Jimmy's bike seemed to be all right again. I tested it... Hmmm, chain strong and tight, handle-bars' diagonal angle about zero and what's with the bearings... I stood the bike upside-down and spinned both wheels... Yeah! Both revolved easily, whirling like hell. There was nothing left what would cause them to hitch again. "Well, guys... It's done! We made it!" I said. "YEAHHH!" exclaimed both boys and jumped on each-other in almost animal joy, in a pure outburst of pleasure that only boys their age can express in a way like that, sincerely, without a shame. They hugged each-other tightly and then Jimmy, with his eyes glaring and his sunny smile flashing, lifted his hand in an evident attempt of a 'gimme-five'. "C'mon Mike, gimme five," he pleaded. My eyes shrieked in alarm as I realized the approaching blunder in a second. "Hey, what about me?" I asked playfully, trying desperately to turn Jimmy's attention to me, away from Michael, who stood there amazed, having obviously no idea what he was expected to do when he should 'gimme-five'. "Yeah, sure," Jimmy replied and we smacked our hands together. Mikey got it immediately and demanded: "Now me!" and after that he did his very first 'gimme-five' in his entire life as his and Jimmy's palms touched in a brief clasp of a fraternal gesture. I reached out and finished the 'triple-chain' of gimme-fives with Michael. 'Pooh, that was close,' I thought for myself. 'One can be never careful enough. There are so many things Mikey has to learn about yet.' "Thank you so much guys for my bike and all," Jimmy said, enormous amount of pleasure in his voice evident. "Aw, that was nothing," I replied, pleased from his reaction as well, "we were glad to help you with it, weren't we, Mike?" "Uh-huh," the little one peeped. "Can't you stay at our place a bit longer?" Jimmy pleaded, "my mom sure won't mind, I know she won't. And I have a Nintendo at home, we can play games!" ('Wow, that would be a something for Mikey!') "Really?" I said eagerly, "that would be great, I mean... (I stopped for a brief second) Mike has never played any console or computer game before! What kind of Nintendo do you have? SNES?" "Nope, N64!" grinned Jimmy triumphantly. "Hey, that's cool! 'You have a lot of games?" "Well, 6 game-paks actu'lly: Star Wars, Waverace, Mario Karts, Mortal Kombat Trilogy, Pilotwings and Mario 64." "Don't you have Turok?" "Uh-uh, I wanted it but my mom said it was too spooky for me and that I was too young to play such games." "Hmmm, what a shame! Turok's prob'ly the best game ever. But never mind, the other games are cool, too!" "'You know them?" "Yeah, I saw them many times in the shops and played some of them!" "Jimmy's eyes widened and he asked eagerly: "And... do you know some cheats? You know, I can't find the last star in the 5th level of 'Mario'!" "Heh, that's easy! You won't need any cheat to help with that. I'll show you! I only hope you saved your 5th level game..." When talking experts, using a slang that would common people hardly understand, Mikey observed our conversation sort of disinterested, having obviously not any slightest idea, what was that all about. And then Jessica appeared at the door. "Hello, guys, are you finished?" she asked, slightly amazed. "Yes, it's all finished now," I answered, "I wouldn't have made it that quickly if only I hadn't these two skilful engineers," I added with a smile, having two beaming, smiling little faces behind. Jessica laughed. "Glad to hear that," she said, "there are still things Jimmy has to learn to master and this one is certainly one of them. And like I said, I really appreciate you were so kind and helped." Jimmy jumped to his mom, hugged her and pleaded, with his eyes full of joyful expectation: "Mom, mommy, please, can they come in, I'll show my Nintendo to Mike, we'll play it and we'll be good, they can come in, can't they, please, say they can!" Under his pleading look it was unable to resist. I would give up right there. I think everybody would, anyway, and Jessica wasn't any exception. "Oh, all right, then," she said and she was immediately interrupted by another 'yeeeah!', "but... but you promise that you'll behave in there and that your room won't be a disaster after you've finished." I don't think Jimmy could hear her last words properly because after he nudged his new buddy: "C'mon, Mike, let's go!", he darted inside the house like sling-shot, followed by Mikey, who apparently wondered what was that fuss and rush all about. After both boys had left I stood there with Jessica completely alone. "Well," I started, having no idea what would I say. "May I invite you for a coffee?" she suggested all of a sudden, a bit hesitantly, though. "That's very kind of you, thanks," I said awkwardly and very formally. I felt rather uncomfortable for this was, believe or not, my first invitation from a woman to come over 'for a cuppa'. And since I was totally unexperienced in that area of human actions, it felt even more uncomfortable. I tried my best not to give out that I was just a rookie, acting as nonchalantly as I could. Sitting behind the table and sipping our coffees, we opened our, let's say a little hesitant, 'introductory' conversation. "I'm very glad to meet you, Mr... Michael," Jessica spoke. "Me too... Mrs... Ms... Jessica," I stammered in the same manner and we both laughed at that. "Let's just call each other by first names, then," I suggested, smiling. "Ok," Jessica smiled back in agreement. "I must admit, I'd like to know more about you, if you don't mind of course?" she asked carefully a moment later. "Sure, just go on," I answered reassuringly. "You know, since my husband left us I wasn't having much chances to invite someone for a coffee..." she started, "...and to tell the truth, it was my fault because I myself didn't want that to. I actually isolated myself from the surrounding world and I focused my attention, care and love only to my son... You are the only man so far who - after so many years - crossed the threshold of our house... How old are you, anyway?" (I felt very uncomfortable, as if it was more an interrogation than just a conversation. Jessica herself however, was radiating piece, interest - maybe even affection! - and a little embarrass, too, therefore nothing that would cause to highlight the warning signal inside of me. I'm paranoid, I thought to myself.) "Uh... I'm 21," I answered briefly, after I caught myself in deep thoughts. "Oh!" Jessica lifted his eyebrows, "Well, when I saw your little, er... name-sake I expected you being a little older. I thought you were his father!" "No, like I said I'm his cousin. He lost his mother during childbirth and then he was educated in an orphanage. My parents struggled a lot to become his step-parents. They supposed they owed that to aunt Rosie, Michael's mother. Finally they succeded and Michael became part of our family. We made a deal that he would stay at my place so that I can prove I'll be able to take care of him properly. It's a challenge, I must say." (Oh my God, I'm such a liar! But what could I do? To tell her the true? To tell her that Mikey comes from another world, from a different time-space zone? She'd certainly think I lost my mind, if not worse!) "You are not married, are you?" Jessica asked (and I could spot a little tension in her voice as if my answer should be somehow important). "No, I'm not," I answered honestly (and noticed as if a sign of relief appeared on Jessica's expression). "Have you ever thought of, let's say, deeper relationship?" Jessica asked, very carefully observing my reaction. "Well, to tell the truth, not really. You know, I'm just one of those young bachelors, whose don't know anything else but their work and their home. I actually balance on having enough time for Michael to take care of him properly. Like I said, it's a challenge. And since I work for the DynaCom..." Jessica's eyes widened: "You have a job at DYNACOM?!" "Yes, I work as just a regular computer specialist in a very specific research area. Er... well... this is amazing... can you tell me, what makes DynaCom that particularly interesting? Lots of people usualy look very surprised when I tell them I work for DynaCom." "You know, my husband WORKED for DynaCom too, until... until... the... accident..." "Oh," I breathed out, "the accident was... what happened to your husband?" "Yes," said Jessica in a lowered voice, "he died in a car accident. Maybe you knew him... Frederick Nolan..." No way! N O W A Y ! ! ! "When did it happen, I mean, the accident?" I asked with my voice trembling and with my heart thumping wildly in my throat. "About three years ago," Jessica replied. Beats me! What was that supposed to mean? Is someone teasing me, or what? Or am I being watched? A cold hand of horror squished my heart. I immediately remembered my first meeting at DynaCom, with my future boss, the day when I was just a regular job applicant: 'Your predecessor, Fred Nolan, reached unbelievable results in that area. He was professional in every meaning of that word. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident, not a week ago. It was a rather ugly case. We miss him. Our department really needs an expert like him. And since you seem to have the best reccomendation, although you still are so young...' Did I become Jessica's husband SUCCESSOR?!? "What's wrong?" a woman voice tore the flow of my thoughts. "Er... nothing... I just... I think I knew your husband... Or rather... I learnt what happened to him... Let's forget it, ok? I think it's just a sore topic to choose for talking about." "You're right. We'd better stop that. It only causes to open the already healed wounds." "Allright, then," I said, "let's change the topic. Perhaps if you would just tell me something about where do YOU work..." "Right," Jessica smiled, "it's no secret of course. I work as a teacher in the 17th Jefferson Elementary School." "That's great!" I said, astonished. "I mean, Michael is supposed to choose a school he's going to attend in this town after vacation. You might become his teacher!" "Oh, really? Which class is he in?" Jessica asked with eyebrows raised. "Um... he has already finished his fifth class," I answered... and then I just relized what else must be done so that Michael could attend a school with no questions asked! School reports, birth certificate, health insurance, together with all those documents concerning step-parental stuff... oh my God! Where do I get all that? I suddenly spotted Jessica looking thoughtfully with her eyes dreamily focused to nowhere, she was evidently thinking of something. "What are you thinking of, Jessica?" I asked (rather curiously I must say). "Well I just... I'm sorry, I just... it was just a brief thought... I could imagine, well, myself and my son Jimmy living under the same roof... with you and Michael. I wish I had never thought of that! I'm sorry!" "Oh!" I breathed out. This sincere confession left me completely stunned in awe. After a very brief while I recovered and added reassuringly: "You don't need to apologize, Jessica. It's ok. And about your thought, it would be great if THAT worked. But I don't feel myself to be mature enough to fit into this role, you know, to be a partner, a husband and a father. To be the head of the family. And besides, I'm not sure whether Mike - or Jimmy for that matter - would get used to call me 'dad'. I terribly hate to disappoint you, Jessica but... I just don't want you to worry about false hopes. On the other hand, I'll be very happy if our relationship could develop at the level of a close friendship. I'm not sure about... you know... something closer, deeper, like, let's say... marriage... but I'll be very glad if I'd be allowed helping both of you here and there, now and then. And since Jimmy seems to be very affected to both Michael and me as well as we both, especially Michael like him, there's only one person left who can accept or reject, who can say yes or no. It's you, Jessica." I let my mind carry away during such a long monologue being at least sincere with her and that's why I didn't notice Jessica's expression changing otherwise it would surely startle me. After I finished, Jessica nodded and then she looked directly into my eyes, once again expressing her thoughts very carefully: "Michael, please, don't get upset but I must know... Er... the fact of you being still a bachelor... it... it isn't just a coincidence, is it?" "W... what do you mean?" I stammered, with my heart pulsing wildly, a bile of discomfort rose up in my throat again. "You... you are a boy-lover, are you?" said Jessica silently. My heart was about to explode. I caught myself thinking it rather DID explode so that I'd die on the spot and didn't have to answer! I was so consterned from her question however that I only blurted a stammered "Y-yes..." and then, after I realized what I've just confessed to, then I just flagged my head and expected the merciless charge of an execution. There was an awfuly long pause after that, a great silence, only a sound of cheery little voices coming from the children's room as Mikey and Jimmy were obviously having a great time together. I noticed a change in Jessica's expression, she again looked a bit relieved although my confession must have hurt a lot. "Do... do your parents know?" she asked, her voice calm and clear again. "No." I aswered silently. "And... Michael? Does he know? Did you ever told him?" "Yes," I breathed out, "yes, I told him." "Oh," she answered, her eyebrows again slightly raised, "you were straight to him at least," she added. I gulped. "I thought he would understand..." I said silently, "...and he DID! No adult would understand what I was feeling! Only him! When we were talking about it, he was so relaxed and he had so much understanding... I think that no adult would be able to cope up with such a fact the way Michael did. Believe me or not, no matter who I am, he invited me to his wonderful world of boyhood and I had become a part of it. I had become his friend... Please, don't destroy that world. It would ruin him!" After these words I felt my eyes watering with tears, I found myself to be very close to an uncontrollable outburst. I felt a slight touch. Jessica placed her hands on mine and looked into my eyes: "You love your little name-sake, don't you?" Bitting my lips so as not to let out a cry, I could only nod. "You were afraid you'd loose him if anyone got known about you, right?" "Y-yes," I stammered through the sob, trying to breathe deeply. "You were afraid that your parents will prevent you in meeting him, right?" Her expression was so sincere, I could even spot a little care in her voice, I was unable to lie again. "No, Jessica. There's more..." I paused. "What do you mean?" she asked, her expression growing stone-cold again. "I... I can't... you're so sincere, you're so straight with me, I can't tell you a lie. You see, my parents never struggled to become his step-parents. My parents have never seen him. They don't know he even exists! I'm sorry I lied but the truth is so unbelievable that I myself still cannot belive it and you would surely think I lost my mind! I'm sure you think less of me because I seem to bury the truth by telling a very nonsence story to you. That's why I lied about Michael and my parents because that seemed to be the only acceptable story..." "And... what is the true story, then?" Jessica asked after another long pause, I could spot a slight tone of irony in her voice and I felt myself as if I was a pupil who commited a misconduct, with she being my teacher, scolding me. Now I had to reveal the truth but that also meant to open those healed wounds concerning her husband. I only hoped she won't take it to her hear wrong. "Er... has your husband ever told you what was his job at DynaCom? Or about what particular research area he was working in?" Jessica's eyes widened and I got a feeling as if she startled of something. But this vanished so quickly that I let it be. "You know, it was a very special research area..." I breathed out and continued, uncovering the secret shared so far only by the circle of dedicated in our lab, "it was an area researching the time travel possibilities..." Oh my God, that sounds weak, even if it is true! I lamented. But as I looked into her eyes, I could spot anything, anything else in her expression but disbelief. Does she really believe me?! "...and as it appears now, I seem to became your husband's successor," I added and told her everything. From the dialogue between me and my future boss to the day where I found Michael's tombstone, and all what had happened since then. When I was finished, I was expecting a hysterical wave of accusing, screams of liar and pervert and psycho or whatever else for to hear all this was so much out of reality! I felt so vulnerable after that, I would do everything she told me to do. Nothing like that however. She covered her face into her palms and I startled. She's going to cry, oh please, don't! But she didn't start crying. Instead, she breathed out and whispered almost inaudibly: "Old wounds... old wounds would never heal..." It was as if she wasn't listening what I had been telling her all the time. After a pause she looked at me, aware of myself sitting there and spoke: "Now... it's my turn... to tell you the truth..." My face went pale again. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know 'another truth'. But Jessica was determined. "You... you were not the first one, who travelled in time..." she started and I stunned in my chair like struck by lightning! "When our Jimmy was five, he fell ill. The doctors later discovered he had a lymphosarcoma. A cancer-based adenitis! Although they were telling us they'd do their best, me and Fred knew the true: our little son was going to die!" She swallowed heavily, breathed out and continued: "We were desperate, we didn't know what to do. It was terrrible! And then Fred told me about the time-travel research at DynaCom and about that he had a plan. He planned to travel to the future and find a medicine for our son. I didn't want to let him do it, you see, if that failed, I would lost them both. Fred and Jimmy. Then my life would be over. Futile. But... but he did it anyway..." "Oh my God," I whispered. "Since there was no hope for our son, we kept Jimmy at home to spent every minute with him till the... till the end... And then, it was unbelievable, Fred returned back from the future and brought a vaccination that caused to stop the growth of the cancerized cells! Jimmy's status improved so quickly! We were both crying from happiness. But not a week after Jimmy had recovered, there was the accident!" She paused and added after a while: "The cops told me Fred drove his car under the influence of an yet unknown drug and that he lost control over it. I have never believed that! I suppose they discovered that he travelled into the future and they wanted him to remain silent forever..." "Oh dear," I breathed out. "I'm afraid you are in the same danger," Jessica said silently, "are you sure nobody noticed that you have travelled in time?" "I can say I was really careful, you know. Being a little paranoid, I like to arrange things as solicitously as possible. I tried to remove every suspicious spot not in the present but also in the past. Just ask Mikey..." Jessica laughed in relief, remembering my 'quest'. "I really appreciate how you got up with everything I told you about," I said honestly, "I can't believe that you, a teacher in fact, have found so much understanding for me and for who I am, for what I've done..." "You know, I am not just a regular teacher," Jessica explained, "I also work as a specialist at the crisis-centre for children. I am more experienced that many people, you know, in the area of child abuse, children's criminal behaviour and stuff like that. Unlike lots of other people, I am able to see the difference between a boy-lover and a child-molester. Therefore, I don't believe your intentions are nearly as so devious. You seem to love your little friend and that's what only true boy-lovers do. And since you wanted to save his life using every aid possible, not caring of your OWN life, this doesn't need any further argument." I blushed in the darkest red and felt a flattering wave of joy inside of me. But Jessica continued. "There's another problem, however. There is a boy, a supposed six-grader, whose name is identical with yours and whose stats very knowingly resemble your own! A boy without any official record. As if he never existed. And from what you told me, he comes from a completely different culture. >From the very past! It's going to be a hard work to help him adapt for the life in the present time. As well as to help him join the society." "You're right, Jessica. I've just begun with it and there'll be always something he'd have to learn, to cope up with, to understand, or whatever else. It was my fault, I never thought about any consequences. Stupid me! But there's already not much to do about it. Even if it is possible to go back in time now, I'm sure this would be the worst of the wrong solutions." "It's a challenge, huh?" "Oh yes, it is a challenge. But since I have initiated all this, I'll have to get up with it alone." "Well, now you are no more alone," Jessica said and I shivered from what I heard, "I'll remain on your side!" "Oh!" I breathed out in a dumbfounded haze. Then I turned to Jessica and asked, still not believing it was true: "You... you mean it?" "Absolutely," she answered and smiled at me reassuringly. End of Chapter 7