This is a story about a man and a handicapped teenage boy that meet and fall in love. If you are underage or offended by the subject matter, please leave. Up to the point where they talk for quite some time, the story is real for the most part. We did part without ever exchanging anything more than conversation and he was just as beautiful as described. Maybe if I had been more aggressive...who knows? The rest is strictly fiction and wishful thinking on my part. Please send any comments to redfordtodd1_@hotmail.com.
Be kind as this is my first effort. No offense to handicapped persons is intended. I already have additional chapters ready, if you the reader are interested. It may come across as long winded and I don't always get right to the sex. (there is more in later chapters) I wanted the reader to feel like these were real people, and get to know them. I want to give credit to my good friend, Wilson, who has helped me more than he will admit as my editor.
Any similarities between a character and a real person, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Any actions the reader takes as a result of reading this story are not the responsibility of the author. You may not reproduce, post, or distribute this story in any way without the author's expressed written permission. You may print out one copy or save one copy of this story for your own viewing and entertainment. By reading further, you implicitly are agreeing to the above guidelines.
Dear readers, my thanks to all of you, and please do keep in touch.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< TODD'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Todd
Finishing our shower, we got dressed and were talking as we entered the kitchen. Em and Bill didn't even look up from their coffee. My place had been set with a large serving bowl full of Sugar Pops with a ladle resting next to it. Across from it was Gerry's leftover dinner from the night before. Gerry and I looked at each other wide-eyed.
There was a flash as Em took a picture. "Sometimes I do what I have to do to keep my boys happy. I sure do hope that you're both hungry." She had that smirk on her face.
Shaking my head I gave her and Bill a stern look with just a hint of a grin tossed in. Taking Gerry's plate I re-covered it and put it in the fridge. "Gerry, would you like some Pops?"
"Only if you think that you can spare a couple." He said with his smirk.
Picking up the bowl and ladle I carried it to the counter behind him and served it up. As I began to set a bowl down in front of him I pulled it back. "Sorry, that one's mine." I took the other one and set it in front of him. He just stared at the ten or so pieces of cereal that sat in the bottom of it. "Well, you did ask for a `couple' so that's what I gave you."
Looking at me I could see his reaction to the smirk that I knew I had.
He moved so fast that I hardly had anytime to react. Reaching for me he pulled out the waistband of my sweats just enough to dump the contents of his bowl and then let it snap back. "There! How's that for a payback?" He said with a big grin.
My eyes were wide as I stood there feeling those small sticky pieces settle. I could feel my face redden as I looked right at him. "We might have been equal if you hadn't just dumped that inside my shorts!"
Gerry's jaw dropped. "No! I didn't!"
Nodding, I added, "Believe me when I say that I can tell you where just about every one of those little rascals is sticking to me.
I looked around me to see that all of us were suppressing a good case of the giggles. Rolling my eyes and shaking my head I began to laugh and was quickly joined by the rest.
"Just you remember one thing." He had a questioning look on his face. "You won't know when or where, Mr. O'Neil, but I will get even. Now, if you will all excuse me, I think that another shower is in order.
"I really am sorry, mam." Gerry said with as much sincerity as he could muster.
I gave him such a look of despair that it made the three start up again. As I began to walk I could feel those wet sticky things settle around my private parts. My movements were strange at best as some of them were sticking to certain hairs, if you know what I mean. Added to that, I am sure was a very strange expression on my face. They were still laughing as I left the room.
Gerry
I couldn't believe that I had pulled it off. Somehow I had managed to convince Todd that it was an accident. Actually it had given me the chance to talk with Gram and Gramps without him hearing. "Was it ready? Did you get it? Where is it?"
"Whoa, slow down." Gram smiled. "Yes, yes, and right here." She got up and opened a cupboard, then handed me the box. Opening it I looked at the contents. I was speechless. It was everything I had hoped that it would be. My emotions began to wash over me.
Only a few moments passed before I heard Todd call out with worry in his voice. "Gerry, are you okay?"
The `link' definitely worked through walls. "I'm fine; finish your shower."
"I might be a while yet; these things are like superglue!"
Grinning, I shook my head. It was a rotten thing to do but I could imagine Todd's frustration at trying to remove Pops from that area of his body. Chuckling, I turned back to Gram.
"Gerry, that was a mean trick to play on Todd." she said with as admonishing a tone as she could manage.
"I know Gram. But I was desperate to find a way to talk to you without him around. Do you really think that he'll like it?" I looked at his present once more before closing the lid.
Gram took it from me and put it away. She sat back down. "Honestly?" She said.
I nodded, trying to keep my anxiety under control. I couldn't have Todd `sense' that.
She looked at me with her special smile. "Baby, he'll love it. But, it could be a rabbit's foot or a chocolate bar for all of the difference it would make to Todd. It's something from your heart, and that's the only important thing to him. There is just one thing though; he might get upset over the money that you've spent on him. You haven't told him about your financial situation yet, have you?"
Shrugging my shoulders, I said, "I never thought that it was important. It just never came up." She gave me a cross look. "Okay, so I've been afraid to tell him. I just don't know for sure how he'll take it. Do you really think that it`s an issue?"
"Well, for what I know of Todd, when he sees his birthday present from you it will be. If he believes for one minute that he has caused you to burden yourself for him, well, I don't even want to think about it. We've seen the results today of what happens when he thinks that he's hurt you in any way. We don't want to see a repeat, do we?" I shook my head. "Talk to him about it. Make him understand that you want to help too."
She gave me a look that said she better hear the right answers from me as she continued. "Gerry, have you told him that you are starting your university classes at the end of next month?" I shook my head, feeling a bit ashamed. I could see the spark in her eyes. "Do you mean to tell me that he doesn't have a clue that you are all set to move in with him? You have your student visa all set and you have a new physical therapist near the university there. Everything you have planned for the last month you have done without talking to Todd about it? When did you and he last discuss living together?"
I cringed knowing what the answer was. She was going to have me skinned alive for this. I lowered my head and mumbled my reply.
"Nice try, Gerald William, now I want an answer that I can hear."
I took a deep breath. "We last talked about it the first night we met."
Boy, was she ever pissed. The look on her face told me I wouldn't have to wait for being skinned she was going to strangle me on the spot.
"Gerald William O'Neil!" She had never gone past using my first two names before in my life. I was in deeper than I ever thought possible.
Gramps stood up, almost knocking over his chair. "Boy, I have never had cause to give you a proper beating! This comes as close to it as I've ever known you to be! If you were any younger your behind would be hotter than hellfire!"
You have to understand that Gramps doesn't say much. When he does you listen. When he doesn't stutter or stammer then you are really in for it.
I nodded. `You're both right. I deserve that and worse. I need to let him know. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't tell him."
"Tell who know what?" Todd asked as he came into the kitchen with a big grin.
"I think that you two have a lot to discuss. Bill, let's you and I go for a nice long walk." Gram gave me a hug and whispered in my ear. "You tell him, or so help me, I'll take that razor strap to that scrawny little ass of yours!"
I flinched as I looked across the kitchen. Hanging on a peg was the old razor strap she had always used to sharpen her kitchen knives with. There was no doubt that it could inflict a lot of damage to my rear end.
Gramps crossed to the door. "Well, um, I guess that we'll be back in a little while." The look he gave me said that Gram would have to fight him for the right to the strap and he wasn't about to loose.
They left me red-faced with a very puzzled Todd. Where should I start to tell him all I hadn't said?
Todd
I had a mild sense of apprehension as I watched Em and Bill leave. "What's going on, Gerry?"
"Please, sit down. Gram is right, we do have a lot to talk about. But certain things need to be said first."
I could feel that he was having a difficult time with this. I reached out and took his hand. "You have my undivided attention. Talk to me."
He had an exasperated look about him. "I don't really know where to start, but here goes. Have you ever wondered certain things about me?"
I had no idea where this was leading to. "What things are we discussing?"
Gerry took a deep breath. "We aren't poor."
I looked around at the modest room in the small modest house. "I never thought that you were."
He shook his head. "No, I mean we aren't even middle class."
I was becoming very confused. "Gerry, just spit it out. Whatever it is we can manage. I make a pretty good living."
He chuckled. "We can use that for our spending money if we need to."
My confusion hadn't lessened any. "Gerry, just tell me whatever it is that you're trying to say."
"Okay." He took another deep breath. "My mum and dad took care of me very well. It's as if they knew ahead of time that something was going to happen to them. They had a lot of money tied up in insurance policies. When they died, a small part was left to Gram and Gramps, the rest was set up for me in a special trust. Anytime I ever wanted something, the money was always there. That's how I got the car and always had money in my pocket."
"So, we're talking enough money to put you through med school or something?"
"No, Todd, not even close. This isn't easy for me to talk about. You're the first person that I've ever told." I could feel such mixed emotions from him. I squeezed his hand as he continued. "According to Gram about two months before the accident was when my mum and dad started. They began by selling everything of value that they had and borrowed every dime that they could. They even convinced Gram and Gramps to do the same. Tens of thousands of dollars went to buy life insurance for my mum and dad. When it did happen, because it was considered `accidental death' and the policies paid off double. Gram and Gramps got over four million."
I choked on the coffee I was sipping. "Dollars?" I was stunned.
"Yes, dollars. Mum and dad had a separate policy for them from the money that Gram and Gramps provided. They are the trustees on the money left me until I turn twenty-one. Then if you add to that the settlement from the construction company that was to blame in the accident, we're not in too bad of shape financially."
"It sounds to me, Gerry, like your parents definitely made sure that the three of you were well taken care of."
"Todd, don't you even want to know how much I'm talking about?"
"Look, it really isn't any of my business. I make enough money to look after us both." I could feel myself becoming defensive.
"Todd, don't get yourself worked up over this. I want you to take a deep breath and calm down."
I had forgotten how the `link' could work. I was taking it the wrong way.
"Before I go on, Todd, there's something else that you need to know."
I could sense the seriousness. "What is it, baby?"
"I can't go in depth on this, as I promised Gram. This morning you and I had negative feelings develop. You can only remember a part of what happened, and I will never tell you the rest. The whole thing went totally out of control. We call it our link' and Gram calls it our gift'. Whatever name you want to give it we have to very careful about it. Any negative emotions it will take and feed upon them. It has the capacity to destroy us both if we aren't careful. There's more to it then you could ever imagine."
I wanted to know. "Tell me what you can." I pleaded.
At that he told me all that he knew about the `gift' that Em and both of his parents had. When he told me about our blood connection a shiver ran through me. I closed my eyes as visions began to manifest themselves. When I opened my eyes again, Gerry had hold of both of my hands and was staring deep into my soul.
"It's been almost twenty minutes, Todd, tell me what you saw."
I did my best to recount all that I had learned about my great-grandmother, Talks-to-the-wind'. She was beautiful and very gifted'. When she fell in love with a white man and left the tribe, her father laid a curse on all her and all of her descendants. That curse had made itself fully manifest with Gerry and my both being of her blood. Any negative energies between us will expand and take over our souls. We would have to be on guard the rest of our lives. Only the depth of our love could provide us with any protection.
When I was finished Gerry just looked at me. We were silent for several minutes, when I saw a slight grin form on his face.
"Todd, when you talked to my principal, what relation did you tell him you were to me?"
"I told him I was your cousin. How about the night that we first met? What did you tell the police officer?"
Gerry shook his head with a smile. "I told him that you were my cousin. It just came so naturally, who would have ever guessed we were both right?"
Emotions welled up in me. "I suppose that some people would say that we're guilty of incest. I don't see it that way."
"Neither do I, mam. Now, we do have a few other things to talk about."
"Such as?"
"Well, as I recall, we have touched on the subject of my moving in with you.
How about that one?" He looked at me with such a timid expression.
Wow! It hadn't been mentioned in so long, I had almost stopped dreaming about it. "It's a big decision to make. I can't help you on that one. Just as long as you know that I'd welcome you anytime you choose."
He still had that timid look. "I've already enrolled at Wayne State University in Detroit and have all of the papers processed for my student visa. I even have a new therapist lined up. Classes start at the end of next month. I'd have to make the move in the next few weeks. You do still want this, don't you?"
I felt like floating on air. Just the thought of us being together all of the time made me euphoric. "More than you could ever imagine. Baby, I'll start looking around for a bigger place on Monday."
"You're talking about what kind of place?"
"Well, I know of some nice apartments in some really good areas."
"Todd, I don't want to live with people above me, below me and on either side. I want a house." He was no longer looking timid, he appeared determined.
"Baby, that sounds fine, but I think that for our first place together, we need to start out modestly."
He had a smirk on his face. "How about if the both of us sit down and design one and then have it built?"
I choked on that one. "Honey, do you have any idea of how much that could cost?"
He had a strange look on his face. "That's the first time you've called my by anything but baby. I like it. We have the money, it's no big deal."
My eyes went wide. "No big deal? Sure, I get paid well, but you are talking probably close to a hundred thousand or more."
His smirk got bigger. "Is that all? We can do it with no problem at all. I was thinking more along the lines of about three or four hundred thousand."
He could see the look of complete shock on my face. "Gerry, I think you are loosing it, big time."
"Todd, I don't want anything too fancy. Maybe about five or six thousand square feet, a couple two or three fireplaces and an indoor pool. And at least a four car garage."
My eyes went so wide that I thought they would pop right out. That's when he began to laugh.
Looking at him I shook my head, "I should have known that this would be another `gotcha'."
"No, Todd, I am serious. We can take our time and make sure it's exactly what we want. We never finished our talk about my inheritance."
"But, Gerry, you don't want to tie it all up in one place."
"I talked to Gram and Gramps about this. They said that we could have as much as half of this year's interest from my trust to get us both off to a good start."
"Gerry, that will be fine for the down payment, but we'd still have the monthly mortgage."
"My awesome man, no, we won't. You have no idea of how much money I'm talking about, do you? How does about two million strike you?"
I swallowed hard as I thought about that much money. "You mean we'd have about a hundred thousand to do the house with?"
He shook his head. "My trust is somewhere around forty million plus these days. The two million would be our starting out money. Of course, that's Canadian dollars."
Any other thoughts I may have had on anything came to a grinding halt as I tried to absorb what my baby had just said. But it was his money; he couldn't spend it on me like that. Just as I was about to launch into my protest, he stopped me.
"Don't you dare say a single word against this, Theodore!" His use of the `T' word got my attention. "Just a few minutes ago you were more than willing to support the both of us on your income alone. If we're in this relationship together, than I would like to, no, I will contribute too!"
I could feel his determination as he continued. "Either you accept me and what I can contribute to our lives together, or I'll help you pack your things right now."
The intensity of his look told me he was totally serious. What choice did I possibly have? If I didn't put my damnable pride behind me, I would have no Gerry. And without Gerry, I would have no life. I sat and shook my head.
Hearing the tension in his voice, I could also feel his fear. "Is that a no?"
I smiled and let my love pour out to him and could feel his as well. "That's a no to the no. Since the very first time I saw you I was accepting of everything about you. It would be beyond foolish of me to stop now."
Smiling at me, he asked, "Do you have any vacation time left?"
"Well, I do have a few weeks, yet. Why?"
"How about if I come down next weekend to Detroit and we go house hunting. We'll need a place to live in until `our' house is built."
This was happening so fast. "Only on one condition." I told him.
"And what would that be?"
"Gerry, I think it would only be right if you brought Em and Bill along to help us out. I don't know the first thing about picking out a home."
He grinned. "Of course, that only makes good sense. I'm sure they will be thrilled to help out."
"Baby, I am curious as to why you chose this point in time to tell me all of this."
"Let me show you." I could feel the full force of his love for me as he got up and slowly made his way across the kitchen. He took something out of a cupboard and came back to stand by me.
Gerry held out a small box for me. "Happy birthday to my awesome man." He said.
I was feeling entirely overwhelmed as I took the small box and slowly opened it. Inside was the most incredible ring I had ever seen.
He looked deep into my eyes. "I hope that you like it. I know a jeweler that made it custom to my design. It's based on an old Irish design. It's called..."
The tears were to running down my face. "It's called a Claddagh. I know all about it. It's absolutely magnificent."
(The standard Claddagh is a special design from seventeenth century Ireland.
The ring has two hands holding a heart in the middle and a crown on top. The hands symbolize the friendship, the heart stands for the love and the crown for the loyalty and fidelity. Worn in the right hand with the crown facing out means that a person's heart is open. Turned around means the heart is closed and that the person is spoken for. Worn on the left hand it is the traditional wedding band of Ireland.)
I looked at the four full cut diamonds in the crown and the ruby in the center of the heart set in bright white metal. This was a very valuable piece of jewelry. He took it from the box. As he reached for my left hand, I stopped him. "Not yet, my love. Before you put it on me, I have something to ask. There are a few places in this world where such a thing can be done between us." I dropped to one knee. "Gerald William O'Neil." I took hold of his hands and looked up into his wonderful face. He began to nod before I voiced my question. "Will you marry me?" I whispered.
Tears were now running down both of our faces. "For now it belongs here." He reached for my right hand and slid the ring in place. "Todd, you name the place and time; I'm already yours. You know that the only answer is yes. If you want I will state my commitment to you a million times before God and everyone."
"Gerry, this is only a symbol, but since we first met my heart, as the wearing of this ring shows, has been closed to all others. You will always be the other half of my soul, my heart and my life." I rose to my feet and slowly took him into my arms as our lips met. Time stood still until we heard Tattoo begin to bark outside. We pulled away just as there was a loud knocking on the back door.