Date: Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:09:17 -0500 (EST)
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Next Generation, chapter 18

The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation - by BW
Copyright 2011 by billwstories
Chapter 18 -- A Conscientious Objector.

Soren Hagan was very punctual and arrived right on
schedule -- Friday evening, just as he told us.  He was a
fairly tall man, with a slender build, and looked quite
distinguished.  Although he didn't appear to be extremely
muscular, I doubt anyone would have dared to refer to him
as being wimpy.  He looked to be in good shape, with a
toned body, which was quite remarkable, especially if you
considered he wasn't exactly young.  I would venture to
guess that he would be able to handle himself in a physical
confrontation, if need be.  He was also impressively attired
in his dress uniform and radiated an intimidating stature.
It seemed as though this was going to be a very interesting
encounter.

Mr. Hagen was also carrying a few items with him, tucked
under his arm, and we were certain we would eventually
find out what was in them.  When he spoke, it was difficult
not to notice his accent, but he was still fairly easy to
understand.  It was also quite apparent that Mr. Hagen was
used to being listened to and obeyed, which was a bit
unnerving.  After meeting him, we were now wondering
how Elliot was going to respond to his commanding
presence.

Danny and Brandon had arranged their schedules so they
were home for his initial visit.  Shortly after he arrived,
they took Mr. Hagen to the family room, where they could
discuss things in private.  Danny and Brandon chatted
with him for about thirty minutes, before they went to get
Elliot, so he could join them.

It appeared as if Elliot was a bit overwhelmed and
awestruck, as he approached this tall man in the
impeccably maintained uniform.  Elliot also seemed
daunted by his uncle's commanding presence, even
though Mr. Hagen greeted him warmly and even offered
Elliot his hand.  After they shook, Mr. Hagen told Elliot to
call him Uncle Soren, and after a brief delay, Elliot
eventually agreed.

After the uncle and nephew got acquainted, Danny and
Brandon explained to Elliot that they were going to leave
him and his uncle alone for a while, so they could get to
know each other better.  They assured Elliot they would
just be in the other room, in case he needed anything,
which made Elliot feel better about being alone with this
stranger.  He was still extremely nervous, but no longer
frightened.

After they explained things to him, Brandon and Danny
exited the family room and shut the door behind them.
All they would tell me about their time alone with Mr.
Hagen was that they were questioning him about his
intentions and what he hoped to accomplish today.

"Elliot, I am very sorry about what happened to your
father," Uncle Soren began, "but as I am your closest
living relative, I would like for you to come live with me."

This comment caused Elliot's body to flash an immediate
reaction, which appeared to be mostly reluctance and
concern.  His eye bulged open, his body stiffened and his
fists clenched, which were clear indications this was not a
suggestion he was ready to entertain.  Noticing this, his
Uncle Soren felt he should offer a few more details to
clarify his proposal.

"I've brought some photographs with me, so I could show
you more about my country.  I also have other portraits,
so you'll also be able to see some of the other members of
your family," Uncle Soren explained.  "I felt this would
help you to better appreciate what it is like in Denmark
and let you see what my wife and children look like."

After saying this, Uncle Soren opened one of the large
envelopes he had brought with him.

"This photograph shows me with the Queen of Denmark
and her husband, the Prince Consort," he explained.  "It
was taken at a military banquet we both attended.  I was
allowed to have this photograph taken with the Royal
Couple, because I am a distant relative of the Queen, as
are you."

Uncle Soren looked at Elliot closely, so he could gauge his
reaction to this comment.

"Oh, don't start thinking you're in line to become King or
that we will be going to play tennis or croquet at the
palace," Uncle Soren joked.  "There are hundreds of
relatives in line between us and the throne, but we can
still trace our family line back to her."

Elliot may have been a bit disappointed by this
clarification, but he didn't make a big deal over it.  He
didn't know much about his mother's country, but the
idea of being related to the royal family appealed to his
sense of history.

"Are you a general?" Elliot asked, a bit timidly.

"My rank is on the same level as that of a general," Uncle
Soren explained, "but in the navy I am referred to as an
admiral."

It seemed that Elliot understood the gist of his comment,
even if he didn't comprehend it fully.  For nearly an hour,
Uncle Soren showed Elliot a large collection of photos of
his homeland and explained what each one represented.
He also showed Elliot various snapshots of his family and
identified who they were and how they were related, as
well as sharing a few more intimate details about each
person.  Once they'd finished doing this, Uncle Soren
noticed the piano and began to speak.

"That's a very nice piano," he stated.  "I remember your
mother used to play quite well."  Elliot smiled.

"That's why my dad had me start taking lessons," Elliot
announced.  "He thought I might have her talent."

"And do you?" Uncle Soren followed.

"You tell me," Elliot countered, as he made his way to the
keyboard.

He sat down and played two classical pieces and then
turned toward his uncle.  He hadn't tried to pull the same
stunt on him, that he had on the family, and played each
piece flawlessly.  Uncle Soren was obviously impressed.

"That was very lovely," he told his nephew.  "You have
indeed been blessed with your mother's gift."

"Thank you," Elliot responded, while beaming inside.

"We have an excellent National Symphony," Uncle Soren
announced, since he now knew about Elliot's ability.
"Your aunt and I love to attend their concerts.  Maybe you
would like to join us on one of these occasions or you
might even play with them some day."

Even though Elliot had an appreciation for classical music
and enjoyed playing it, the idea of relocating to Denmark
just so he could go to the symphony with his aunt and
uncle seemed a bit ludicrous and hasty.  He merely smiled
at the suggestion, but didn't say anything, so his Uncle
began speaking again.

"I want you to understand that we also have very good
sports programs in Denmark," Uncle Soren urged.  "It
seems our schools take sports more seriously than here in
the States, so I am certain we could find you an excellent
diving coach, possibly even one who has competed in the
Olympics."

"That does sound very nice," Elliot responded.

It was obvious that Elliot had only said this to be polite.
As he sat there smiling, he was also trying to dig down
deep, to find the courage he would need to say what was
on his mind.  After a few moments, he finally got up the
nerve to speak.

"It all sounds very nice, but I still don't want to move
there," Elliot replied, much to his Uncle Soren's dismay.

After this comment, they sat speechless for a minute or
so, before Uncle Soren spoke again.

"Your Aunt Gretta and my children would love to have you
with us," Uncle Soren pressed forward, breaking the
silence.  "Our family has very deep feelings for each
other."

"But you said your children are grown and don't live close
by and you also told me that Aunt Gretta doesn't speak
English," Elliot objected. "How will I get along when you're
not there?  She won't be able to help me and I'll be
completely alone and bored, because I won't know what's
going on."

"Yes, it is unfortunate that your Aunt Gretta does not
speak English, but she does know French and German,"
Uncle Soren suggested, as possible alternatives to relieve
the situation.  "Do you speak either of those languages?"

"No, I only speak English, although I have learned a little
Spanish in school," Elliot admitted.

"That's too bad and it is a pity my children are living on
their own now and are not close by, since they speak
English too," Uncle Soren added, with a tinge or regret in
his voice.  "However, I am positive you will learn Danish
quite quickly and things will not be so hard for you."

"I'm not so sure about that," Elliot mused.

"You will discover it will not be so bad living in Denmark,
once you are there," Uncle Soren urged.  "Many of the
children you will meet at your school will also speak
English and I'm sure they will be able to understand you
and you them.  This will allow you to make friends while
you are also learning to speak Danish, so you will not feel
so lonely."

"I appreciate that you want to help me and all," Elliot
responded, after a few seconds, "but I really don't want to
live in Denmark.  I wouldn't mind visiting there some
time, but I don't want to live there."

"It is a very nice place and I am sure you will grow to like
living there," Uncle Soren assured him.

"I really don't think that will happen," Elliot replied.
"From what you've told me, it's totally different than what
I'm used to.  I'd have to learn a whole different language
and get used to a new way of doing everything, besides
trying to make new friends.  If you don't mind, I think I'd
rather stay here."

"So you would prefer to live with strangers," Uncle Soren
asked, somewhat bewildered.

"They were strangers when I first came here, but they're
not strangers any longer," Elliot explained.  "They've been
very good to me and have helped a lot.  They were there
for me right after everything happened and comforted me
when I had those terrible nightmares.  They took care of
arranging for my father's funeral and even took me back
to my old house, so I could get what I wanted to bring here
with me.  They've even promised to go with me to the
trial, since I want to be there when those men go to court.
I'm sorry Uncle Soren, but they aren't strangers to me
now.  They are my family."

"And you do not mind having two fathers and no mother?"
Uncle Soren wanted to know next.

"This may sound bad, and maybe even cruel, but I've
never had a mother," Elliot offered.  "You know my
mother died when I was born, so I never got to know her
and wasn't able to spend any time with her.  That's why I
don't feel like it's any different living here, except now I
have two dads, instead of just one.  They've both been
very good to me.  They have helped me get through some
really rough times and I feel very close to them now.
That's why I really want to stay here with them."

Uncle Soren merely stared at Elliot and didn't
immediately respond.  After a few seconds, he finally
spoke again.

"Do they have good jobs and will they be able to provide
you with the things you need?" Uncle Soren pressed.

"Yes, they do," Elliot confirmed.  "Danny is a doctor and
Brandon is a dentist, so I'd say they have great jobs.
Besides, it looks like my dad made a lot of arrangements
for my future in his will, so I'm sure I'll be fine."

Uncle Soren considered Elliot's words briefly, before he
spoke again.

"But are you happy living here?" Soren asked.  "Very
happy?"

"Yes, Uncle Soren.  I'm very happy.  If I wasn't, I wouldn't
want to stay so badly," Elliot stated.  "I've got two dads,
two grandfathers and tons of uncles.  I haven't met them
all yet, but I'm going to meet them soon and they've all
been really nice to me so far.  I don't think I could have
found a better place to live."

Uncle Soren wasn't sure he completely understood how
Elliot could be so happy living with a bunch of people he
wasn't related to, but he could tell his nephew was being
sincere.  Since he felt Elliot was being honest with him, he
did not argue the point further.

Once they finished their private discussion, we invited
Soren to stay and have dinner with the family.  We felt
this would give him a chance to get to know us better and
it might help him understand Elliot's feelings about living
here.  On the way to the dining room, Danny and Brandon
introduced him to the other family members that were
still living at home and explained who each of them was.
They also told him how our family came together, but
didn't bore him with the stories of those who weren't here.
They even gave Soren a chance to speak with everyone, so
he could get to know them a little better.  These
discussions continued while we ate, and by the end of the
meal it appeared as if Soren could see some of the bonds
Elliot had formed with us.

After dinner, Soren spent a little more time chatting with
Danny and Brandon.  During this time, he discussed
Elliot's stance about wanting to stay with them and asked
how they felt about having Elliot live with them.  Danny
and Brandon strongly, and unequivocally, let him know
they were fine with Elliot's decision and were thrilled to
have Elliot as their son.

After Soren asked each of them a myriad of other
questions about themselves, the family and their views on
a variety of subjects, he began to soften a bit.  Since it was
starting to get late, Soren asked if he might be able to
return the next day, so he could take Elliot out for a while,
just the two of them.  Considering Elliot didn't have to go
to school, since tomorrow was Saturday, Danny and
Brandon agreed.  However, they also made it very clear
they would allow this only under certain conditions.

Danny and Brandon explained they would expect Elliot to
be returned home by 6:00 that evening and asked Mr.
Hagen to call if anything out of the ordinary arose during
their time together.  They told him that if he failed to
comply, they would notify the authorities that Elliot had
been abducted and press charges against him.  Mr. Hagen
confirmed the conditions met with his approval and he
would abide by them.  Having reached this arrangement,
Danny and Brandon called Elliot back into the room.  They
then left the pair alone again, so Uncle Soren could ask
Elliot if he was interested in spending tomorrow with him,
so they could do something special.

"Elliot, I would still like for us to spend some more time
together, so we can get further acquainted," Uncle Soren
explained.  "Since it is getting late, I have another idea
you might like.  I made some inquiries when I first arrived
and discovered I can rent a small plane for an hour or two.
Since I am a pilot, I thought I could take you out and
possibly give you a flying lesson.  Would you like that?"

"That sounds really cool and I think it would be a lot of
fun, Uncle Soren," Elliot agreed.  "I'd really like to do that,
if that's what you'd like to do too."

Elliot and his uncle quickly discussed what Elliot should
wear and bring with him, and then they set up a time to
meet the next day.  Elliot was extremely excited about the
possibility of learning how to fly and quickly asked Danny
and Brandon if it would be all right with them.

"Can I go with Uncle Soren to do this?" he asked,
excitedly.

He was unconsciously hoping from one foot to the other,
almost as if he had to pee.

"Your uncle already asked permission from us first, so you
MAY go," Danny agreed, while correcting Elliot's
grammatical error.

I was glad to see Danny had picked something up from me
and Elliot was beside himself with excitement.

"Brandon and I have told your uncle that he may take
you," Danny continued, "but we also let him know that he
is to bring you back home by 6:00."

"Thank you.  Thank you so much," Elliot gushed, while
continuing to hop excitedly in place.

We told Soren he was also welcome to stay with us while
he was here, but he explained he had already made a
reservation and had checked into a motel, before coming
to our house.  We told him we were sorry we hadn't
thought of it sooner, but he insisted he was fine and it was
not a problem.  However, he did thank us for our kind
offer.

Now that everything was settled, Elliot said good-bye to
his uncle and walked him out to his rental car.  Once his
uncle had driven off, Elliot bolted back in to the house and
ran to tell Jesse.

"Uncle Soren is going to take me for a flying lesson
tomorrow," Elliot announced, grinning from ear to ear.  "It
sounds really awesome and I'm sooooo excited!"

"You're so lucky and I'd be excited too," Jesse confirmed.
"I wish I could go with you and learn how to fly a plane."

"I'll ask Uncle Soren when he gets here in the morning,"
Elliot suggested, and he meant it.

"No, this is for you to do with your uncle," Jesse replied,
slightly disappointed.  "Maybe I'll get to do it another
time.  I sure hope so."

It was good to see.  Elliot was looking forward to this
outing with his uncle and we were glad he was so happy.  I
had been a little skeptical and wondered if Elliot would
agree to do anything alone with his uncle, while Soren was
here.  I was afraid Elliot might try to insist that at least
one of us go with him, but now I was thankful that had not
happened.

Since he was so excited, we weren't sure how much sleep
Elliot got that night.  We discovered later that he slept
with Jesse again, and he was still smiling broadly and
hopping around joyfully the next morning.  Elliot was
barely able to stand the wait until his uncle arrived, so
when Soren finally showed up, Elliot was eager to get
going.  Elliot bolted out the door even before Soren had a
chance to get out of his rental vehicle, but Soren made
him come back inside.  He wanted to speak with us first,
before they took off.

After reiterating his pledge to abide by the terms of their
agreement, Soren and Elliot went outside and hopped in
the car.  Then, Uncle Soren drove them to the small
airport where he had made tentative arrangements after
he first arrived.  He signed a contract and paid the
appropriate fee to rent a small, two-seat prop plane for
this occasion.  He had already provided the owner with
proof that he was an experienced pilot for both planes and
helicopters, so Elliot and he were able to go out and board
the plane.  Once they were seated inside the craft, Soren
gave his nephew a few, brief safety instructions, and then
radioed the tower for permission to take off.

The plane had identical controls on both sides of the
cockpit, and once they were airborne, Uncle Soren
explained to Elliot what he would need to do to take over
flying the plane.  Uncle Soren then let Elliot try his hand
at piloting it solo for a while and Elliot loved every second
of it.  Even though Elliot wasn't sure if he was in complete
control of the plane, he didn't let that small detail bother
him.  He was having fun and believed he was in control of
where they were going, so he definitely felt as free as a
bird and forgot about nearly everything else.

They soared above the ground in the plane for many
minutes and Elliot was actually doing a fairly good job at
the controls.  At least, that's what his Uncle Soren told us
later.  Elliot was having a blast flying over the houses,
barns and other buildings, as well as enjoying the view
when looking down at them.  He also got a kick out of
seeing the cows, horses, pigs, chickens and other animals
roaming along the ground, as he soared above them.
Although it was quiet windy and he had to fight against
the gusts as they buffeted the plane, it was a truly
exhilarating and memorable experience.

After his uncle landed the plane, Elliot thanked his Uncle
Soren and told him what a great time he'd had.  Then they
got back into the rental car and began the trip back.

"Since you have been so nice to me," Elliot told his uncle
on the ride home, "I'd like to show you more of where I'm
living now."

"I would like that very much," Uncle Soren confirmed.

Once they reached the outskirts of our little community,
Elliot proceeded to give his uncle directions as to where
he should go.  Elliot took his uncle around and pointed
out many of the local places that were already important
to him.  He showed Uncle Soren around the downtown
area, as well as some of the places he liked to hang out
with Jesse or his fathers.  Then, he took his uncle over to
see the school he was now attending.

Elliot was more upbeat and talkative now, than he had
been when his uncle first arrived.  It seemed as if the brief
flying lesson had been successful in forming a bond
between them and Elliot had enjoyed the time he had
spent with his Uncle Soren.  This didn't mean that Elliot
was ready to agree to go live with him, but it appeared
now that they would part on friendly terms and Elliot
might even agree to go to Demark and visit his family
sometime in the future.

Their time together was also good for Uncle Soren.  He was
able to see that Elliot was a happy and fairly well adjusted
boy who did like living with us.  Since Soren still wasn't
certain he understood this connection, he felt he would
give it one final attempt to see if Elliot had changed his
mind.

"Do you still feel that you prefer to stay here, where you
are living now?" Uncle Soren asked.

"I do, Uncle Soren," Elliot replied.  "I've had fun with you
and would love to come see you in Denmark when I'm a
little older, but I really do want to stay where I am now."

"If you are happy and this is what you desire," his Uncle
responded, "then I will honor your wishes.  You are old
enough to be able to decide this for yourself, so I will not
try to influence you further or force you to change your
mind."

Elliot beamed when he heard his uncle say this.

"Thank you, Uncle Soren.  That means a lot to me," Elliot
assured him, as they began the final leg of their journey.

When they reached the house, Soren came inside and
listened as Elliot told us about his day.  Then we invited
Soren to join us for dinner again, but this time we were
going to take him out to our favorite restaurant.  At first
he was reticent to do this, since he didn't want us to incur
the expense, but we convinced him it would not be a
hardship, so he finally gave in.

We had a wonderful meal and Elliot made sure he was
seated between his Uncle Soren and his two fathers.  It
was really cute watching him talk to one, and then the
other.  Elliot took turns telling Danny and Brandon more
about his day and his uncle more about his life, both
before and with us, plus what happened when his father
was murdered.  I think that part of his tale shocked Soren,
but he was grateful that Elliot had survived and
recuperated so well, after experiencing such a traumatic
event.

During the meal, Soren also explained that he had reached
an understanding with Elliot and would no longer seek
custody.  He stated that he could see Elliot was happy,
well taken care of and loved, so he was satisfied that his
nephew would be fine remaining in our care.  We thanked
him for his confidence and for deciding in our favor, and
then Soren explained that he only did this because it was
what Elliot wanted and he thought it would be in his
nephew's best interest.

After we finished eating, we drove back to the house and I
invited Soren in for coffee or an after dinner drink.  He
chose the later, so we adults enjoyed a drink together,
while the younger ones enjoyed a soda.

Before he left, we invited Soren to come back the
following day, since he wasn't scheduled to leave until
Monday.  He very happily accepted our offer, so we asked
him if he'd like to go to church with us or meet us after
the service was over.

"I doubt your service will be similar to anything that I'm
used to," Uncle Soren began, "but I would love to join you
and partake in this new experience."

Since he was agreeable, we told him what time to come
back in the morning and then bid him goodnight.  He then
drove to the motel he was staying at, to get a little rest.

The next morning, we were just finishing getting ready for
church when Uncle Soren pulled in.  He came inside for a
couple of minutes and then rode with us to the church.  It
was a short, yet stimulating sermon, and Soren said he
enjoyed the experience, once the service ended.

We then took him out for brunch with us afterward.  It
actually worked out quite well, since he said he was up
and had eaten breakfast by 6:00 a.m.  I don't think Elliot
could fathom why anyone would get up that early on the
weekend.

>From there, we returned to the house and discussed
several more items with Soren, including the upcoming
trial.  Soren wanted to know more about the men who had
murdered Elliot's father and why they had done such a
thing.  He also wondered what the severity of their
sentences would be, once they were convicted.  I could
only answer his queries in very general terms, since we
didn't know the exact charges or the types of evidence the
police were able to gather against them.  We gave Soren
our best guess about what might happen, so I hope we
came close to what will eventually take place.

Jake and Soren also hit it off fairly well and Jake told him
about his situation and son.  It was obvious Soren didn't
understand how we'd both been married and then ended
up together, but he was very non-judgmental and willing
to acknowledge that we loved each other and were a
committed couple.  Apparently Denmark is a bit more
progressive than America, in terms of same sex
relationships.

We invited Soren to have dinner with us again, but this
time we were fixing the meal ourselves.  We had planned a
ham dinner for the occasion and Soren was happy to break
bread with us again.  By the time Soren was ready to
depart for the final time, he very eloquently summed up
his stay.

"I know my wife and children will be disappointed and
have a difficult time understanding why I decided to honor
Elliot's wishes to live here with you," Soren announced,
"but I am convinced it is the right thing to do.  I will keep
in contact, to see how he is doing and will gladly arrange
for him to visit us sometime in the future, if he is willing.
Thank you very much for taking such fine care of him and
for giving him a loving home."

Danny and Brandon thanked him in return and wished
him a safe journey back to Denmark.  Soren then said his
final good-bye to his nephew.

"Elliot, I must be going now, but I am very glad that I
finally got to meet you, although I wish it had been under
better circumstances," Soren began.  "I would be happy if
you were returning with me, but I understand your desire
to remain here and I am at peace with your decision.  I do,
however, still look forward to you visiting my family in the
near future."

He then hugged Elliot, before reaching into his pocket and
pulling out a sheet of paper.

"This has all the information you will need to contact
me," Soren explained, as he handed Elliot the paper.  "It
has my home address and telephone number, so I hope
you will keep in touch with me.  Please let me know
immediately if you change your mind and wish to come
live with us or even if it's just for a visit.  We will welcome
you either way."

"Thank you, Uncle Soren, and I will write and call.  I
promise," Elliot agreed.  "I'd like to come visit you in
Copenhagen someday.  Maybe you can introduce me to the
Queen," he added, with a wink.

Uncle Soren laughed at his nephew's joke.

"You will be welcome whenever you decide to come,"
Soren agreed, and then they said their final farewell,
before Soren got back into his rental vehicle and started
the engine.  Once he'd pulled out of the driveway and
headed away from the house, Elliot turned and spoke to
Danny and Brandon.

"He is very nice and I like him a lot, but I told him I didn't
want to live with him," Elliot explained.  "I told him I
liked it here and wanted to stay with you.  I hope that was
all right."

"It was more than all right and what we wanted to happen
too," Danny explained.  "Now, let's go inside and see what
we want to do for the rest of the evening."

Having heard him say this, Elliot hugged both Danny and
Brandon, before joining them in the family room for a
little quality time together.