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Email feedback can be sent to trager2275@gmail.com. © 2015 by Eric Trager.
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CHAPTER SIXTY
The Auction was underway. As George suggested, Andy made the first bid and he bid the amount owed. It was really a moot point bid as Andy was the lienholder, and if he won, he'd simply be issued the foreclosure deed on the spot, so the second the auctioneer opened the bidding, Andy raised his card and called out, "five-hundred fifty-nine thousand two-sixty-five."
Of course, Andy's oddball bid amount was a dead giveaway that Andy was either the lienholder, or there to bid on behalf of the lienholder.
About a minute passed and another card went up. "Five seventy-five."
A third card. "Five eighty-five."
Fourth card. "Six hundred."
An impatient looking bidder raised his card, calling out "Six twenty-five."
The third bidder came back with "six thirty-five."
Back and forth it went until the bidding was at six-hundred fifty thousand.
There was a pause.
The impatient man yelled "six fifty-five!"
"Six fifty-six" called out a late bidder who hadn't been heard from before.
"Six sixty!" the third bidder said.
"Six sixty-one!" the impatient one bid, cursing under his breath.
"Six seventy!" the late bidder announced.
No more was heard.
"Six hundred seventy thousand dollars!" the auctioneer called out. "Six hundred seventy thousand! Going once! Going twice!"
BANG! went the auctioneer's gavel. "Sold! Sold! Sold! Sold to bidder number eleven for six hundred seventy thousand dollars! Bidder number eleven, please see the Sheriff Deputy now! Thank y'all for comin' out today!"
Andy followed the winning bidder to the Sheriff's desk, which was in reality a card table with a folding steel chair.
"Excuse me, sir," Andy said.
"Well there, young man! What c'n I do fer ya!" the winning bidder answered, appearing to be an avuncular, middle-aged man.
"Well, sir, I'm the one that foreclosed the mortgage. See, the mortgage came to me after my mom died, and..."
"Yup, I knew this'n was a private mortgage. Anyway, statecher case, sonny!"
"Well, I was just gonna let you know that the guy who lives in the house is my Uncle, and I don't really give a shit about him, but I was wondering if when you get him out if I could go through and see if he might leave behind anything that might have belonged to my mom, you know..."
"Yer gonna hafta make it right quick, there... I know the Sheriff, I'll be paying the balance in cash today and I hope to have the deed tomorrow. Here's my card. You call me tomorrow. Didn't getcher name there..."
"I'm Andy Churchill."
"Pleased to meet ya, Andy. You c'n call me Lad. That's what I go by. You call me tomorrow morning ten o'clock."
"OK, and thanks," Andy replied.
Andy walked back over to Joe.
"Well, Andy, you made over a hundred grand. Not bad, I'd say. And on top of it you don't have anything to do. Some other guy will have the house."
"Yeah, that's why I went over to talk to the high bidder. He says he thinks he'll have the deed tomorrow morning and he can get Uncle Dean out then and I can go through and look to see if he left anything behind that mighta belonged to my mom. Is it OK if we do that?"
"That's fine. I've got a lunch date tomorrow with the GM Regional Head down here anyway. They're gonna send a limo for me, so if you need the rental car, that's fine."
"OK, and I wantcha to know something else. You see that before the auction started there were two guys come out of the house and leave?"
"Yeah, I saw that. Why?"
"Well, one of `em said he thought Uncle Dean was gonna clear out and move to Mexico. I told him to come by the hotel tonight at 9:00 and meet me in the lobby. I wanna see if there's anything I can find out about that..."
"Don't know why you'd really care, Andy. Your dealings with your Uncle would appear to be over. What do you care if he moves to Mexico, or Madagascar once he's out of the house? It's no hair off your ass that I can see..."
"Yeah, I thought about that, too, but it just seemed odd. There's prolly nothing, but who knows. He seemed like a nice enough guy, so maybe we'll just have a beer and that'll be it. I dunno..."
"Alright but use your head. You are not to leave the hotel, and you are to have your phone on you and set for homing. Just in case. I don't want any surprises."
"Yeah, I know."
At precisely 8:55 that evening, Andy rode the elevator down to the hotel lobby. Getting out, he walked over to a large seating area. He thought he spied Billy Dean, so he walked over.
"Well, howdy pardner!" Billy Dean called out, standing up, his smile exhibiting perfectly straight, bright white teeth.
Andy was stunned. He was dressed in tight-fitting, well-faded Levis 501s, cowboy boots, a red rodeo shirt with silver embroidery and a Stetson River Oaks straw cowboy hat. Andy hadn't committed it to memory before, but Billy Dean's hair was chestnut brown with red highlights, eyes amber brown, and his face was clear but still showed the remnants of freckles he must have had as a little boy.
Standing, he exceeded Andy's six-foot height by about two inches, so Andy judged his height without the boots to be about five feet eleven inches, maybe six feet. He had a slim build but with a nice, round ass and his relatively wide shoulders tapering to a narrow waist capping slim, but beautifully proportioned legs. It was obvious to Andy that Billy Dean was without underwear. Billy Dean was on a scale of ten about an eleven.
"Do you, um, maybe wanna go to the bar and grab a beer?" Andy asked.
"You twenty-one?" Billy Dean replied.
"I'm eighteen," Andy replied.
"Don't matter none. I'm twenty-one. I can buy. These hotel bars don't give a shit..."
The two guys entered the bar and took stools. The bartender came over and Billy Dean smiled saying, "I'll have a Lone Star. Same fer my pardner, here," as he put a hundred-dollar bill on the bar.
Andy pursed his lips thinking that there might be more to Billy Dean than meets the eye.
"So, whatchew really doin' here?" Billy Dean asked, losing none of his folksy manner.
Andy paused for a minute, then he figured `what the hell' and told Billy Dean the story of his Uncle Dean cheating his mom out of the money for the house, her death and Andy ending up as her heir and holding the mortgage.
"You wanna tell me that again..." Billy Dean said, appearing shocked.
"Nah," Andy replied. "You're not dumb. You got it the first time. Besides, someone else won the bidding, so when the Court processes it, I'll get the money. I guess I'd hafta be getting it tomorrow as the bidder said he'd be getting the deed. Maybe I can just go to the Courthouse and pick up the check..."
"Bartender!" Billy Dean called out. "I need another Lone Star, and a double shit o' Bourbon! Another one fer my pardner, here, too..."
"Don't go getting drunk there..." Andy said, a bit confused.
"Nah, don't worry. I won't. It's just that, well, just wait a minute..."
Once the bartender returned, Billy Dean downed his shot and took a hefty swig off his fresh beer.
"Andy, I dunno how to tell you this, so I guess I might as well just come right out and say it..."
Just then, Andy's phone rang. Andy saw that it was Sean. He answered.
"Hey, Blondie! Yeah, the auction happened... No, some guy bid like a hundred grand more... Yeah... Well, I think I'm gonna pick up the check tomorrow and then the new owner's gonna meet me there so I can check to see if there might be any of mom's shit in that house, or anything else... Yeah, no, we won't be back tomorrow unless we fly in at night. I dunno, dad will take care of that, but he has some meeting tomorrow... OK... How are the twins? They miss me? I miss them, too, and I miss you... OK, you better be ready! Bye! Love you!"
Andy turned back to Billy Dean. "That was Sean. He's my husband."
"You guys got twins?"
"Yeah, long story, but we have twin boys. They're almost a year old. Sean's the father. Joey and Lennie. They're the cutest kids..."
"You raisin' `em?" Billy Dean asked.
"Yeah, but we're both Seniors in High School, so we have a Nanny."
"Nanny?"
"Yeah, her name's Mrs. Cheadle. She's English. Tough as old leather. But she's really good, and the boys adore her..."
"Man..." Billy dean said. "Well, anyway, pardner, I said I had somethin' ta tell ya, so I might as well... Wait a minute... Bartender! Another Bourbon, please..."
Once more, Billy Dean downed his shot quickly and took a good draft of his beer. "Another beer!" he called out.
"OK, Andy, I reckon I better stop percrastinatin'... I'm just gonna up n' say er. Yer Uncle Dean? He's my dad..."
"WHAT?" Andy gasped.
"Yeah, `n' there's more..."
"Well, um, you wanna tell me now, or..."
"Might just as well..."
"Yeah... Dad never married my mom. I never really knew her anyway. Always was just told she was nuthin' but a whore who disappeared right before I was two years old. Don't even `member her, but I got a few pictures..."
"Are they in the house?"
"Yeah..."
"Ok, then you meet me at the house at 10:00 tomorrow morning. The new owner is gonna let me in to see if anything of my mom's is there..."
"Never knew I had any relatives," Billy Dean said, a tear in the corner of one eye. "Dad never said..."
"I didn't know either. I mean, I knew about Uncle Dean but not about you. Mom would have told me. She couldn't have known about you..." Andy said.
"He never said he had a sister, and he never said nuthin' `bout you, either..."
"He wanted to bring me to Texas after my mom died. My dad died when I was just little... Anyway, Sean's dad, well I call him `dad,' too, he somehow put a stop to it... See, I wasn't eighteen yet and your dad would be my next of kin. Problem was, I guess, dad, I mean Joe, was my legal guardian. So, it didn't happen. I wouldn't have gone anyway."
"Wow! I didn't know that. He never told me nuthin' `bout nuthin'. I kinda wanted you ta fuck me, ya know... You showed me your fat dick. I'm gay, too..."
"Kinda figured that when you asked me to hook up," Andy said.
"Were you really gonna do that? I mean, fuck me?"
"Nope."
"Nope?"
"Nope. I wasn't gonna because, well, I'm already married and me and Sean didn't even talk about if I could fool around down here, never mind agree to it..."
"So... How come you asked me to meet you here then?"
"I was hunting for dirt on Uncle Dean. I didn't know you were my cousin. I thought you were just some guy. But after what he did to my mom I wanted to know, well, I dunno what I wanted to know... I guess it was stupid... He doesn't owe me anything else that I know of, so why should I care... I got my own life. Maybe I need to grow up a little bit..."
"That's OK, pardner... Can I still go to the house and get my mom's photos?"
"Yeah, I mean, you should have those anyway..."
"Thanks..."
"It's OK. So, um, like...what are you gonna do now? I mean, you lived in that house and now you don't have a home. You got a job?"
"Dunno, now thatcha mention it... Yeah, I mean, I got me a job, well kinda... I'm a waiter part- time at this Eye-talian restaurant... I got another year o' school left t' go after this'n yet fore I get my degree. Dad gave me fifty grand so I can finish it... He said he was leaving for Mexico and shit and that's all I get n' fer me to have a nice life. Only told me that yesterday..."
"So, when we met why did you refer to him as `Mr. DeBoer?' I mean, he's your dad..."
"Dunno how come I said that. I kinda had a feeling somethin' weird was goin' on then and so I just said it. All those people there? I just wanted t' get out o' there... But I knew I wanted t' see YOU later..."
"Well, I should apologize. I was planning on using you. Now that I know we're cousins, I'm glad I didn't. So, you gonna finish school?"
"Well, I got the fifty grand, but that'll only maybe pay my tuition and rent fer me fer a year. Otherwise, I got nuthin' else, so I dunno. Maybe I should go ta work right now `n' finish school when I can..."
"Where do you go to school and what's your major?"
"I go to Rice, n' my major is Architecture. Yeah, I look like a cowboy n' I sound like an idiot, but I ain't..."
"What are your grades?"
"I got a 4.0 so far for three years."
"You're coming home with me to Wisconsin."
"What the hell er you talkin' `bout..."
"We have a huge house. It's old and it's beautiful. I supervised the redecoration. We have way more than enough room for you. We can get you into either UW-Madison, or Milwaukee School of Engineering. You can finish and have no worries. Billy Dean, we have money. More than your dad ever had. We're the only family you got. You're coming back to Wisconsin with me. Well, I guess I better ask dad and Sean-o first, but... He's my husband, he'll be fine with it... I just don't wanna leave you here with nuthin' is all... You got any friends?"
"One er two... I mean, nobody I'd miss too much, really... See, I was always kinda kept at home as much as possible, er at least when I wasn't at boarding school. Dad was never mean to me, er nuthin,' but he didn't pay no attention to me much at all. Long as I didn't get in trouble, I pretty much never saw him. He's always gone a lot... Oh, I got some street smarts only cause I got em on my own, I ain't no dummy though you prolly think I am... But no, I mean, I guess if Sean n' yer dad say it's OK for me to come t' Wisconsin with you I might as well. I'm all alone here... Maybe enough money for a year. I ain't got nuthin' ta lose... What the hell..."
"So, who was that other guy leaving the house when you did?"
"Jus' a Grindr trick..."
Again, Andy noticed Billy Dean had a tear in his eye.
"Billy Dean," Andy said, "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Andrew Leonard Churchill."
"Pleased t' meetcha there, Andrew Leonard Churchill. I'm William Dean DeBoer."
"So, when is your semester over? I mean, you need to finish that before you come to Wisconsin..."
"Got finals in two weeks. Dunno where I'm gonna stay, though `cause I'll be kicked out of the house, too..."
"That's a mere detail," Andy said. "Let's go talk to dad."
"Why don'tcha have him come down here t' the bar?"
"I guess. I mean, he'll have a beer with us..."
Five minutes later, Joe Wyman strode into the bar. "OK, Andrew, glad you invited me down for a beer and all, but I suspect there's a reason for that?"
"Um, yeah..." Andy replied. "Dad, this is Billy Dean DeBoer. Billy Dean, this is my and Sean's dad, Joe Wyman."
"DeBoer?" Joe asked incredulously. "Something tells me I'm about to hear a story. Which one of you wants to go first..."
"I will, sir," Billy Dean said, proceeding to tell Joe all that he'd told Andy. "'N' that's about all she wrote, sir. Andy thinks I should finish up this here semester n' then come to Wisconsin n' stay with you guys `n' finish school up there... Guess that's why he asked ya t' come down t' the bar..."
"I see," Joe said. "Andrew, have you told Sean about this?"
"Haven't had time yet," Andy answered.
"Well, I guess I'm OK with it if Sean is. Now, Billy Dean, I want you to see the Concierge here before you go tonight and get yourself set up in a suite-style hotel for the remainder of your school year. As close to campus as you can find. They give you any shit, have `em call my room. How much stuff are you gonna be bringing with you? Clothes? Furniture? You need to make a plan to get it moved..."
"Prolly not gonna have time fer nonna that," Billy Dean said. "I xpect the dude that bought the house ain't gonna gimme none but a few minutes to get my shit out. Maybe clothes, but that's bout it."
"That's fine. If you end up with us, your room will already be furnished. Pack what you can. Do not leave any electronic devices behind. At all. In the meantime, I'll see about what you need to do to enroll at UW-Madison. With a 4.0 from Rice you should get in no problem. I'm a UW- Madison alumnus and so is my attorney. It's also about half the distance to Madison as it is to Milwaukee, so that'd be the smart place for you to go. I need to be clear about this, though, as long as Sean is on board then it's a go. But, as I say, it's up to him."
"That'll be fine, sir."
"Billy Dean, we should go talk to Sean right now," Andy said, draining his beer. "Come up to my room and we'll do a video chat."
"By the way, Billy Dean," Joe said, "have you two discussed, well, I suppose you have, but we might as well put our cards on the table here, do you have any problem living in a house with gay guys?"
"I'm gay, sir. `S'at gonna be a prollem?" At this point, Billy Dean's eyes had an almost pleading look.
"Not at all. Just wanted to be clear. Alright you guys, go talk to Sean. I'm gonna turn in for the night." With that, Joe slapped a $10 bill on the bar and left.
"Well, let's go, `pardner,'" Andy said with a grin. "Don't worry, it's gonna be fine."
"Hope so. Guess I didn't realize `til now that if'n it ain't, I'm screwed..."
Once in Andy's room, Andy pulled out his iPhone and initiated a video chat call to Sean.
"Shit, he didn't answer. I told him to call back ASAP," Andy said.
"You got any pics of him?"
"Of course!" Andy said, pulling up his Sean folder and handing the phone to Billy Dean.
"Shit!" Billy Dean exclaimed. "That boy's a beauty! Looks like he plays football..."
"Used to. Last year the team won the State Championship and Sean was our winning quarterback. He got a concussion though and couldn't play this year, so he coached. He also just got elected to the City Council in April... I've known Sean since we were just little kids. We grew up together. We've just always been there for each other... I love him."
"I c'n see that."
Just then Andy's phone indicated an incoming video chat request from Sean. He answered it and sat on the corner of the bed.
"Hey, Sean-o. I got a surprise for you.... Hope you're sitting down..."
"Um, OK... Is it bigger than a breadbox?"
"Yeah..."
"OK, well, what is it? Can I see it?"
"Um, it's not an it, it's a him..."
"A what?"
"A him... Here, look!"
Andy motioned Billy Dean to sit down next to him on the bed.
"Sean-o, this is Billy Dean."
Billy Dean sat down next to Andy so Sean could see him. He had no idea what to expect.
"Jethro Bodine?" Sean smirked.
Billy Dean's heart sank seeing the reaction of the almost-too-handsome Sean on the other end of the line.
"Very funny, Sean-o. Listen, I met Billy Dean at the auction. He's got a story to tell and I'm gonna let him tell you. Please don't make fun of him again. Please?"
"Sorry," Sean said nodding his head. "OK, I'm all ears here, Billy Dean..."
After Sean heard Billy Dean's story he sat silent for a few seconds.
"Billy Dean, I'm sorry I poked fun at you. I didn't know that you're Andy's cousin. Please forgive me. Of course you're gonna come and stay with us and finish school. I don't see how there's any other option. You can't stay in Houston and hope for the best. Maybe you'll have enough money to graduate and pay rent, and maybe you won't and then once you graduate maybe you'll get a job right away and maybe you won't. That's no way to live when you've got family who can help you, and we're your family. And you're not asking for anything other than a place to live. If you're Andy's family, you're my family. That's it, Jethro Bodine," Sean ended with a smirk.
Billy Dean started crying. And then he laughed. "Jethro Bodine, huh..." he said laughing through his tears. "OK, then Sean. `N' I guess I oughta thank you..."
"No need. Like I said, we're family. Finish up what you need to do in Houston and get yourself up here safe."
Billy Dean croaked out, "Thank you, Sean."
"Billy Dean, look at me," Sean said, waiting for Billy Dean to look him in the eye. "We're family. In the end that's all that matters."
Once back home at the Alamo in Janesville, Andy asked Sean to grab a couple of drinks and meet him on the patio.
"OK, Sean-o, so about Billy Dean..."
"What about him?"
"Well, I mean, when he gets here, how much do we tell him?"
"We tell him nothing."
"That's what I figured you were gonna say and I agree. Maybe somewhere down the road, maybe not. I mean, he's family and all, but we only agreed to do him a favor so he can finish school next year and have a home base so he can find himself a job and all..."
"Oh, we'll get him a job, that's not gonna be difficult."
"Whadya mean?"
"Well, as part of the agreement I made with Tom Trager, we're buying his business here in town which consists actually of two separate businesses. The first part is a design-engineer-build for commercial and industrial properties, and the second part is architectural. We park Billy Dean's ass there. He won't have anywhere else to go, and I doubt if he's planning on hightailing it back to Texas. Besides, I was thinking of having him live out at Trager's house after he graduates and the dust settled so the house won't sit empty. As you know, we're buying that, too. I'll want him to live there for a while because I'm going to be giving him some ideas I want for a remodeling. We'll be using that location as out business headquarters."
"Why THERE?"
"Well, it's out of town and it's in an area where people don't see other people come and go. Oh, sure, we'll have an office downtown just for show, but the really important things will be done out of that location. I've never been a hundred percent comfortable about how the Country Club's used for that sort of thing. Too many people can see you."
"Ginny made it work all these years, Sean-o..."
"Yeah, she did. But she had a real good office set up in her own house that masqueraded as a real estate office. And she lived there alone. Plus, George Dickson lived just across the street. We can't expect dad to let us run a business out of this house. I mean, it's his house... Plus, Ginny had her accounting and tax stuff done overseas and we're going to bring it back here. We need to have everything at our fingertips. We'll have kids to raise where she didn't, and we can't just be traveling at the drop of a hat like she does. She spends most of every Winter either in London, or Miami and we can't do that. At least not for twenty years, or more..."
"OK, well, I guess that all makes sense. So, we're just gonna tell Billy Dean what he needs to know, then..."
"Maybe sometime in the future, but for now, we tell him nothing. I'm sure he's a good guy, Brown Eyes, but we don't know him from a hole in the wall, and don't forget he's your Uncle's son."
"I know. He seems really sincere, though."
"I'm sure he is, but remember what George Dickson says: loose lips sink ships. We tell him nothing."
"I agree."
"There's also one other thing I'm gonna tell everyone."
"What's that?"
"Alright, I decided that none of us are to have social media accounts anymore. None."
"How come?"
"Well, you never did social media, so it wouldn't affect you, but I decided on that because anything a person puts out there the whole world can see. And I already checked with Charlie Ditmar. He used my account as a trial run. He's got it figured out and he says that he will take all the other accounts down and as each account is taken down he will be able to locate any shared items and posts as well as any screenshots that other people might have saved and things like that. He can go through the internet and capture and delete everything. There will be no social media trace on any of us. And we are not to create dummy accounts, either. I already discussed it with Ginny. She thought it was a smart idea."
"Actually, I do, too. What about everyone else? Do they know?"
"Yeah, I called Dix yesterday and told him. I told the Bambino and Kathleen, too."
"OK, but what about, like, Brad and Kevin?"
"Yeah, I thought about those two. I asked Brad. He says he only has a Grindr account. He can keep that, I don't care. He's not on the inside with us anyway. I told him no face shot profile pic, though. He showed me his profile and it's not a face shot anyway. Kevin says he never had any social media accounts. Didn't surprise me he said that... Anyway, as of tomorrow at midnight, there will be no social media trace left to find of any of us on the internet. At all. Any Google references are gonna be scrubbed, too. Google photos can stay as all they are, are football pics of me, Dix and Dowls, stuff like that... There was nuthin' on anyone else."
"OK, so what if Billy Dean has social media?"
"We'll have a talk with him once he gets here and figure out what to do. We're also gonna get him a new phone. When we do that, I'm gonna have Ditmar run background checks on everyone on his contact lists."
"Not takin' any chances, hey?"
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, hun... Plus, Ginny told me to do what I thought I needed to do. What I think we need to do is to keep a low profile. At least for now. And I decided, too, that we're not gonna get into that marijuana distribution rights stuff. Too much government oversight. We'll just have to figure out something else that makes us the same money."
"Think we can?"
"I think we can try..."
"How do you feel having the CEO shit put on you?"
"I dunno... I mean, some part of me says maybe it'd have been easier and, like, more normal and stuff if I just graduated high school, went to college, got a job and was a regular guy. And...some part of me says this was the hand I was dealt and it's my job to play it the best I can. I guess after the last two years I'm used to playing the hand I'm dealt. So, I'll suck it up and do it. I mean, you're the Treasurer anyway, so, I mean, how do YOU feel about THAT? Especially when you're gonna be taking college classes and I'm not..."
"No, but you'll be spending more time with the boys."
"Thank God for Mrs. Cheadle..."
"You can say that again... I mean, she thinks she's like Montgomery running Rommel out of Africa..."
"More like Margaret Thatcher if you ask me..."
"It's good we got all this shit sorted out," Andy said, "ya know Billy Dean's gonna be here in two weeks..."
TWO WEEKS LATER
"Brown-Eyes! You ready?" Sean called out.
"Yup. Billy Dean called me about half an hour ago. Said he was just a little bit south of Rockford."
"OK, well, he should be here in just a little but then..."
Twenty minutes later, the front gate bell rang. Andy ran to the monitor screen and sure enough it was Billy Dean. Just like the last time Andy saw him at the hotel bar, he was dressed in faded 501's, cowboy boots, and his Stetson. The only difference this time was that he was wearing a red flannel shirt.
"And," Sean said, "might as well be you that answers the door. If he parked in the street have him pull in the driveway behind my spot in the garage. I'll be in the bar."
Andy bounded to the front door and flung it open. "Billy Dean!" Andy yelled drawing his Texan cousin into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you made it!"
"Well, howdy, cuz! Jesus Christ, where am I, the Alamo?"
"Funny you should say that because, well you saw, this is a small town compared to Houston and around town our house IS known as the Alamo... C'mon in. I want you to meet Sean. He wants to meet you, too."
"You think I ought be nervous?"
"Not at all... C'mon!"
Billy Dean followed Andy back to the bar.
"Billy Dean, this is my husband Sean. Sean, Billy Dean."
Sean sensed that Billy Dean was nervous. And truth be told, he found the Texas cowboy's looks endearing. To Sean, he looked a lot like Andy. Same basic build, same nose, same cut to his jaw. Sean stood down off his barstool, taller in his bare feet than Billy Dean was in his boots, ignored Billy Dean's outstretched hand and drew him into a hug, inadvertently knocking the Stetson off Billy Dean's head.
Bending over instantly, Sean retrieved the hat and handed it to Billy Dean.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to knock your hat off. I only meant to welcome you to the family and to your new home. I'm glad you're here, Billy Dean. Let's get you something to eat and then we can help you unload. You gotta take a dump, or anything?"
"I could see a man about a horse, yeah. Wanna point me the right way?" Billy Dean replied. "'N' thank you pardner Sean fer welcomin' me. I ain't gonna git in yer way none. I'll only be here til I graduate n' I'll be gone..."
Sean thought Billy Dean sincere yet a little bit wistful.
"Billy Dean, we want you to make our home your home. This isn't a hotel, it's your home. We're going to help you because we're family. And after that, we'll talk about how long you're gonna be here. Andy's your cousin and he's my husband. I guess that makes you my cousin-in law, or whatever even if there is such a thing... Anyway, this is your home now. Go take your dump..."
"Much obliged, Sean," Billy Dean said, tipping his hat.
"We invited some friends for dinner," Sean continued. "They're gonna be your friends, too."
"Yeah," Andy said, "We had the cook put up some Tex-Mex for tonight. And I got some Lone Star for ya, too!"
"I don't want you guys goin' to no trouble..." Billy Dean said.
Just then, John and Kathleen walked in.
"Hey, you two!" Sean said. "We told you about Andy's cousin. Here he is, you knew he was coming today... Anyway, Billy Dean, this is my little brother John and his girlfriend Kathleen. J.R., Kath, this is Andy's cousin, Billy Dean."
Billy Dean tipped his Stetson to Kathleen and shook John's hand. "Mighty pleased ta meetcha both," he said. "Can you `scuse me for a minute?"
"C'mon!" Andy said once Billy Dean returned from the bathroom, "We want you to meet the twins!"
The whole gang bounded up the stairs, Sean in the lead. Once at the head of the hall leading to the nursery, Sean paused.
"Billy Dean," Sean said, "I wanna play a joke on Mrs. Cheadle, she's our nanny. Go down the end of the hall, last door on the left and just walk in. Don't take your hat off. Say something in Texan to her when you walk in..."
"Woll, I reckon I c'n do that," Billy Dean replied, turning to amble down the hallway.
A few seconds later, Mrs. Cheadle's voice came roaring down the hall. "Bloody ell! You touch a air on those little boys' eads and I'll shove your bollocks down your throat! Bloody security system me arse!" Then came a stout whack' and Billy Dean responding with a clear "ouch!"
At that, Andy led the rest of the group down to the nursery. "Mrs. Cheadle!" Andy called out. "I see you met my cousin..."
"Cousin?" Mrs. Cheadle asked, clearly angry. "I'll cousin you, alright, Master Andrew! Almost gave me a bleedin' eart attack e did!"
I'm sorry..." Andy said. "Anyway, Mrs. Cheadle, this is Billy Dean DeBoer. Billy Dean, this is Mrs. Cheadle, the boys' nanny. Billy Dean's gonna be living here for the next year, or so, Mrs. Cheadle... That is if you don't kill him."
"Blimy! You little shites ad this planned all along!" Mrs. Cheadle attempted to scold while simultaneously and not altogether successfully stifling a laugh. "You'll ave me going barmy!"
"Anyway, Billy Dean," Sean said, "let's have you meet the twins. They're Joey and Lennie. This one's Joey, and the other one's Lennie," Sean said pointing to the two little boys seated on the floor. "Boys!" Sean called out, "Come here. This is Billy Dean!"
The two tow-headed toddlers ran to Billy Dean who by now was sitting on the floor and hugged him. "Beeeeeeeen!" Lennie gurgled. "Bun!" Joey giggled.
Billy Dean for his part hugged the little boys back and tickled them until they laughed, waving their arms and crinkling their fingers. The twins kept hugging Billy Dean, pulling on his Stetson and laughing as if they'd found a new toy.
"Them two are cute kids, you guys," Billy Dean said. "I could get used to playin' with `em some if'n you say it's OK..."
"You'll have to compete with Brad for that," Andy said. "He's a friend of ours. You'll meet him at dinner tonight. Anyway, let's get your car unloaded and get you squared away."
That evening at dinner Billy Dean was overwhelmed. Other than the Wyman clan, guests included Danny, Jim Nolan, George, Peggy and Tim Dickson, Herb, Marilyn and Brett Dowling, Kevin Masterson, Scott Branson, Brad, Kathleen Kennedy, and Eric and Tory Trager.
The weather that evening was a nice, about 80? with a light breeze and as such dinner was taken out on the rear patio, the west-facing patio allowing the waning sunset to shine through the branches of the trees in the ravine that were to Billy Dean's eye probably older than the Alamo itself. Before dinner, Billy Dean was given the grand tour of the Alamo and was astonished that Andy was responsible for the entire interior décor and furnishings. He said he'd never seen anything like it, and he hadn't. He was also astonished at the feast laid on by his hosts. The food was as good as any he'd ever had in Texas. Inside, he didn't know what to think. He was a virtual stranger to all these people, yet they'd taken him in and made him feel at home. All the people he met at dinner that night were so nice and seemed genuinely interested in him. Tim nicknamed him "Tex," and while he found Peggy Dickson difficult to understand he could tell she was everyone's mom.
It didn't go unnoticed by Sean, Andy, Tim and Brett that Billy Dean ogled Eric Trager through the meal, Eric ogled Brad and Brad ogled no one. Billy Dean was pretty sure Eric was unattached. Eric said even less during the meal than Brad, which didn't give Billy Dean much hope.
The talk went on after dinner and at some point, Billy Dean asked if he could use the bathroom.
"No need to ask, son," Joe said. "You remember where it is, don'tcha? Across the hall from the bar?"
"Yes sir," Billy Dean replied.
"Billy Dean, call me Uncle Joe. You're gonna be living here with us, and like we all told you, you're family."
"We'll show ya," Tim said. "Me and Wymo both need beers, so we'll bring another twelve-pack out from the bar. C'mon, follow us! Wymo?"
"Sure," Sean said. "Let's go..."
The three young men ambled through the kitchen and down the main hallway, Sean pointing out the bathroom. Tim and Sean entered the bar where Sean retrieved their last twelve-pack of Lone Star.
"Hey, let's do a shot of tequila," Tim said. "It's great to be back in town, Wymo. College is good, but I miss this old town. We don't get out much up in Madison. It's all business so we can finish up as quick as we can. I'll be glad when it's all done and we can come back here and settle down..."
"Well, you get to move away for a little bit. I don't..."
"You ain't missin' nuthin'... Hey, so if Tex there is gonna be gonna finish up his school in Madison how come he's gonna live here? I mean, we got a three-bedroom house. Why doesn't he just live with us until he's done?"
"Never thought of that... It's a good idea, though. Why don't you bring it up when we get back to the patio?"
"Fine, I will. Brett won't mind, I know he won't. Hey, how much does he know about us?"
"Whadya mean?"
"You know, how much does he know about the story behind the story around here..."
Just then, Billy Dean exited the bathroom and heard Sean and Tim talking in the bar. He was pretty sure they were talking about him, so he stopped to listen.
"Before he got here, me and talked and we decided not to tell him anything. I mean, there's no reason to and besides we don't know him. How do we even know if we can trust him or not? I mean, it seems like maybe we can, but you know what your dad always says..."
"I know, I know... Loose lips sink ships. You think he's a nice guy anyway?"
"Seems nice enough to me, but like I said we don't really know him from dogshit and after And's uncle, well... That's why I said we say nothing."
Billy Dean's heart sank. He had no idea what Tim and Sean were talking about, but the whole evening he had been led to believe that he had a new home after he'd lost the only home he ever knew, and now eleven hundred miles from there his new host and from what it looked like to him, his new host's best friend were talking about him in a negative way behind his back. He didn't know what to do. Should he pretend nothing happened? Should he pack his car and leave? What?
Even though he dressed like a cowboy and spoke like a country Texas hick, Billy Dean was an intelligent and sensitive young man. All his life he'd had no mother, and a father who virtually ignored him. He'd been shuffled between boarding schools for as many years as he could remember. Some people might react one way, and other people another way, but it made Billy Dean the type of person who regarded his highest purpose in life as pleasing others and measuring up to their expectations. And his outward bearing notwithstanding, it had made him shy of making friends. Now it seemed he hadn't pleased his new hosts and that they thought, even though Billy Dean didn't know exactly why, that he was untrustworthy.
He returned to the bathroom, shut the door, sat down on the toilet and before he knew it tears were streaming down his face. Billy Dean felt absolutely lost.
A few seconds later the reality of his situation dawned on him. He had nowhere else to go. No house, no apartment, and all of his worldly possessions fit into the cargo space of a Mini. What real choice did he have? He had to finish school, that he knew, and it was only going to be a year out of his life anyway so what real difference did it make?
The tears stopped, Billy Dean took a deep breath and decided that since it appeared he had literally nothing to lose other than what his Mini could hold he should just tackle the matter head-on. He ripped some toilet paper off the roll, dried his eyes, went to the sink to splash his face with the coldest water he could get to come out of the tap, toweled his face off, straightened himself up in the mirror and once more exited the bathroom.
As luck would have it, Tim and Sean were still in the bar and even though Billy Dean could hear them talking this time he chose not to listen or to see if he could decipher what they were saying. And that was even though he was so nervous that he flushed the toilet again right before opening the bathroom door hoping it would let Tim and Sean know he was in the hallway. He reckoned whether they did or didn't to be pointless. He strode into the bar ready to find out where he stood, although not un-nervous, because he was...
"Hey!" Sean said. "We were just gonna go back out..."
"I reckon that's fine," Billy Dean said, "but first I got somethin' t' ask you guys..."
"Go right ahead," Tim said, smiling, left had extended with palm up.
"Woll, I'm not for sure how ta say this so I might just as well say it. I heard you guys talking about me. Not sure if I should be here or if I oughta be goin' back to Texas..."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Sean asked, dumbfounded.
"OK, you guys were saying' not to tell me anything because you don't know if you can trust me cause you don't know me n' `cause of my dad. Dunno if I should stay here..."
"Um, so..." Tim stumbled, "so like you heard, um, us say that?"
"I did."
"You handle this one, Wymo," Tim said.
"Um, OK..." Sean said. "Take a bar stool, Billy Dean. I'll make this short and sweet. First of all, I'm sorry you heard what you heard. It's got nothing to do with you. You see, Andy and Tim and me and Brett and J.R. and Kathleen, we've got, shall we say, interests. We're not old hands at these things and it's kind of involved. I don't wanna make it sound like it's really a bunch of cloak and dagger shit, but for now we gotta kinda keep it under wraps and I said as much as I can say. I know you're not gonna understand what I just said and I wouldn't if I were you either, so don't try. Just accept it. As for the rest of it, I meant it when I said that if you're And's family you're my family. I meant it a hundred percent. And you're not going anywhere. This is your home now, or at least for the next year anyway. I want you to treat it like it's your home. We all need a home. This is your home. You remind me of And in a lot of ways and I hope you stick around once you're done with school..."
"Really?" Billy Dean asked, a bit confused.
"Really," Tim said. "If Wymo tells you something, then you can trust what he said. Other than Andy, I know the dude better than anyone. Just trust, OK?"
"Don't see as I have no choice right now," Billy Dean said still a bit dejected.
Sensing this, and not wanting to create any problems for Andy, Sean stood up, went over to Billy Dean's stool and wrapped his arms around him. Stroking his hair and back, Sean leaned in and whispered in Billy Dean's ear, "Trust me. Come to our room tonight."
"Um, OK."
"And tomorrow, I'll give you a call," Tim said. "Me and Brett might have an idea for you."
END CHAPTER SIXTY.