Legal Stuff: I don't know NSYNC or any other celebrity mentioned. While real people are the basis of characters, they are characters here and do not represent the real lives, thoughts, or feelings of the real people. Again, these are characters based on them, not the real people themselves. If you are too young, or live in a location where it is illegal to read stories that include love between men, read no further! Like that would have ever stopped me...
A Phone Call -- Chapter 13
I woke up and realized I didn't know what day it was. That had been happening more and more lately. You know, working an 8 to 5 job five days a week always helped me keep my calendar straight. Now, with the irregular schedule of the entertainment industry, I would wake up wondering what day it was. That didn't matter, because my phone was ringing. You know who it was, he calls me every morning so that his is the first voice I hear every day. Romantic, eh? Believe me, I do appreciate his phone calls.
This was a short one, little more than "Hi! I love you, Bye!" It was enough though. I showered and got dressed in the suit I had packed. That was when I went downstairs and found a short, red-headed teenager in nothing but his underwear, scrambling through the cabinets looking for cereal. I couldn't help but laugh.
He didn't think it was funny. He was hungry.
Okay, I was twice his age, but I remembered what it was like to be fifteen and hungry. Of course, cereal wasn't on the shopping list for the delivery service since Justin never came here, but I managed to have some food ready for him pretty damn quickly. I started him off with toast, and followed it up by eggs and bacon a few minutes later. He ate all of it, and that was when I went back to fix something for myself. Stupid me, forgetting about young appetites. I was just finishing my own meal while Nathan showered and got dressed, when the phone rang again.
It was Stookey (you remember, the lawyer?). He wanted Nathan and I to come by his office at noon to go over what to expect at the hearing. He also wanted to review with Nathan what he might be asked, and find out what Nathan's answers were. As soon as I hung upwith him, the phone rang again. It was Laurie. She still needed to actually interview Nathan, as did a police detective. She thought we could do both at the same time, so was wanting to come over and do it here. It was a little after 8 a.m., so I asked her to come by around 9.
Nathan was happy as he came downstairs in the other set of new clothes I had bought him. His happiness faded as I told him we were about to have visitors. A long hug, and some reassurances later, he was ready to face our visitors, who were due to show anytime. Naturally, they all showed up together and on time.
"Dave, I'd like you to meet Detective Henderson." Laurie said, introducing me to the middle-aged man standing next to her. He was dressed smartly in slacks and a white shirt, his gun and badge on his belt. The early morning heat outside reminded me I was probably going to roast in this suit I was wearing.
I showed them inside, shutting the door on the heat outside, and led them into the living room. They both made nice comments about the house and the furniture, and I asked if they wanted anything to drink. Three coffees later (I wanted one too), we were sitting in the living room with a nervous Nathan tucked tight into me. I asked if they wanted me to leave, and Nathan shouted `No' causing both of them to chuckle. They assured him I could stay. He told them his story in quiet tones, halting often. They listened to his story, and when they didn't react by berating him or show anything by sympathy for him, he started getting more confident. Both of them were taking a lot of notes until he finished by telling them about calling me. He told them all of that from his perspective as well. It was a little different than my version, but still fit perfectly.
"You know, we were able to get the security tapes from the airport." Detective Henderson said, smiling softly. "I'll make you a copy so you can see your face when Nathan rushed up and hugged you. It was priceless!"
"Gee, thanks." I said, mock sarcastically. I was smiling.
"I saw it, too," Laurie said, also smiling. "Nathan was seen on several tapes walking around that place for over two hours. He looked so anxious on some of them and then when you showed up, he spotted you and ran all the way across the building."
"I did not." Nathan exclaimed, blushing a little. "I was only about three-quarters of the way across the building."
Okay, we all laughed. He was feeling better, more stable, and had only cried a little when telling his story. The old saying is true that the more you tell something, the less power it has over you. I was still going to be arranging for him to see a counselor. This time, though, I'd be interviewing them before sending someone to them. I didn't want a repeat of what James went through.
The interview continued on in the form of good natured conversation for a while. I could sense the detective and Laurie were just enjoying the positive company for a while. After a bit, Nathan asked to be excused so he could go to the bathroom. I told him to make his bed while he was at it, and his groan was just perfectly an example of teenage angst. The adults laughed.
"He seems to be adjusting to you pretty well." Laurie said with a smile.
"Just wait until the first time he wants to do something and I tell him no." I said, with a smile. "He'll find out my stubbornness works both ways."
"That should be a fun experience. Have you thought about what you'll use as punishment?"
"Yeah, I'm going to dock his allowance in $5 increments for minor stuff like not doing chores, grounding for more serious stuff. Taking away television privileges and other stuff like that for things in the middle."
"Sounds like a plan. How about a therapist? You know the judge will probably order that he see one."
"I'll have our personal assistant pull up a list in LA. After I interview all of them, Nathan and I will pick one we both like."
"So you are going to include him in the decision-making process?" Laurie asked me.
"Laurie, he's fifteen. He can make a lot of decisions himself. What he needs most right now is a guiding hand telling him if it was the right decision or the wrong decision. He needs praise for making the right ones, and punishment for making the wrong ones. If he learns those lessons now, they'll stay with him forever. He's learning to fly. I'm not going to hobble him to the nest, but I'm not going to just let him fall on his face either."
"I wish more foster parents, and even parents could understand the difference." She said with a smile.
"Usually parents forget their kid is no longer eight and can't adjust to the changes associated with being a teenager."
"Oh, and how are you so familiar with teenagers?" the detective asked with a smile.
"Easy, I have five overgrown teenagers in and out of my house all the time. I swear, them being on the road so much over the years permanently stunted their emotional development! You have no idea what it is like to come home and find the house has been wrecked, broken pillow fluff floating in the air, toilet paper streamed out all over, and five very messy guys standing there looking guilty!" They were laughing as I went on, my voice rising in pitch.
"Then, to top it all off, you ask them what happened, what started it, and they all shuffle their feet! Finally, one speaks up, points to the other and says `He called me a dufus!' I swear, Nathan's not going to be a problem. What's one more teenager when I got five of them already?"
Okay, they were both laughing loud. Good, strong belly laughs. Well, the story was true. I'd come home to find NSYNC had wrecked the condo all because Joey had called Chris a dufus. You wouldn't think Chris was the same age as me. I wondered if I was going to start acting like that the more I hung around them? Was it a bad thing, to be emotionally young forever? Maybe not. They certainly did know how to have fun.
Okay, I was woolgathering, thinking about the man I loved and his friends. The detective and Laurie finally calmed down and said they were done here. I escorted them to the door, when the detective turned back to talk to me for one more moment.
"Laurie and I are going to a criminal judge directly from here. Based on Nathan's testimony, and the evidence from the hospital, we're pretty sure we'll have a warrant for the arrest of Nathan's uncle. We'll execute it immediately. When the media finds out about this, and Nathan's family name is mentioned, there might be press. If they show up here, call us and we'll assign an officer or two to assist. We're going to try to keep this quiet, but you never know what will happen."
"Thanks, Detective." I said, appreciating his honesty. "The quieter this is handled, the better, in my opinion."
They left in their separate cars and I went back into the house. Nathan was ready, so within a few minutes, we were out the door and heading to the mall. We go there just as most of the stores were opening, and I had fun buying him about fifty outfits, including a suit for later today. A quick drive home, and he was changed into the suit. We stopped for an early lunch on the way to Stookey's office.
We arrived at the lawyer's office on time and were ushered into a conference room. Stookey joined us with a paralegal a few minutes later. We were there for an hour and a half, and Nathan seemed to hold up well as we discussed all the things that could happen. He looked worried at a few points and grabbed my hand for support. Then it was time to go to the courthouse.
We went in the main entrance, and I looked nervously at the two news vans that were parked outside. I don't know why they were there, but it worried me just the same. We waited in the courtroom until our case was called, and Stookey led us into the front area of the chamber. Laurie came in at that point with Detective Henderson and sat down with us. The table on the other side was vacant. Just as the judge was beginning, the court room doors opened, and Nathan stiffened as we turned and saw his Aunt walking in with another woman who looked like an attorney with her suit and briefcase.
Judge Byron (at least that was the name on the nameplate) asked them who they were, and the attorney identified herself and said she was representing the legal guardian of the minor, Nathan Killmer. That was the first inkling of trouble with this hearing, and unfortunately it was a sign of what would prove to be a harsh afternoon. I almost groaned aloud when Stookey leaned over to inform me that the attorney worked for the American Center for Law and Justice, a religious based organization. The gay card was definitely going to be played here, and by them.
The judge reviewed the motion that had been filed by Stookey, requesting temporary guardianship of Nathan by me and then reminded everyone this was an administrative hearing, not a full trial. The ACLJ attorney immediately objected to the motion and proceeded to argue how here client was the legal guardian and should retain custody.
"I have a sworn statement here from Social Services and the Mesa Police Department regarding allegations of sexual abuse within this household." Judge Byron stated.
"Lies," the female lawyer said. Her name was Ashley Collins. "We believe that Mr. Killmer will be acquitted of all charges. They come from the delusions of a sick young man who needs appropriate medical treatment, which my client was preparing to provide."
"I assume you have statements from a medical doctor saying he is ill? What has he been diagnosed with?" the Judge asked patiently.
"It's not a medical illness, but a mental illness." Ashley Collins said, her tone firm. "He's been seduced by the man who is trying to get custody into believing he is a homosexual. It's a deviancy according to many noted psychologists, and my client was intending to send him to an institution which will correct this deviancy and allow him to lead a normal, healthy, and productive life."
"Am I to understand, Ms. Collins, that you are stating that because this young man believes he is a homosexual, he should be locked up in a mental institution?" The Judge asked quietly, his face neutral.
"Yes, your honor. Homosexuality is a mental illness, a deviancy from acceptable behavior, and a sin against God. Nathan, in his deluded, deviant state, ran away from his one hope for salvation."
"I'll leave God and salvation to the priests, Ms. Collins, and I suggest you do the same." He said a little harshly. "I know that the American Psychological Association has not listed Homosexuality as a deviancy since 1972. Individual psychologists may disagree, but this court must be guided by their findings. Based on what you have told me now, and based on the sworn statements of the Social Services and Mesa Police Department, I am terminating the guardianship of Nathan Killmer by Mr. and Mrs. Killmer. Now the only question I have to decide on is whether Mr. Young is a suitable guardian."
"Your honor!" Ms. Collins interjected, her face livid. "You can't possibly be considering giving guardianship to that homosexual! He leads a deviant, decadent lifestyle in a city filled with sin! He is no fit guardian! He only wants Nathan so he can sodomize him!"
"Well, the experts all seem to disagree with you." Judge Byron said forcefully. "I have sworn statements from Social Services, the attending Doctor, and the Mesa Police Department that Mr. Young appears to be interested only in the minor's best interests, and has proven that he is trustworthy. He is financially capable of supporting the minor without assistance from the court and is planning on hiring professional therapists to assist Nathan in recovering from the sexual abuse he suffered in your client's own home. Excuse me, alleged abuse. If the only reason you have to object is his sexuality, I'm afraid that doesn't pass muster in my court."
"You honor!" she was really upset now. "You can't give a minor child to a homosexual! Everyone knows that all homosexuals are pedophiles! You can't give him to a life of fornication and sin!"
"Ms. Collins." Judge Byron said, now openly angry. "You claim that all homosexuals are pedophiles anger me extremely. Before you go into a courtroom, I suggest you do your homework. I do not appreciate a lawyer in my court calling my son a pedophile. Now, I'm going to recess the court and have a conversation with Nathan in my chambers. I will render my judgment immediately after that. Court is recessed for fifteen minutes. Nathan, will you please come with me?"
As the judge left the courtroom, Nathan looked over at me. He had a single tear running down his cheek, which I wiped off immediately. I smiled and motioned for him to follow the judge, and he soon disappeared from sight. I spent the next twenty minutes getting death glares from the women across the aisle. I was touched when Laurie took my hand and squeezed it in a gesture of comfort. This was taking too long. That was when the judge returned with Nathan in front of him. Both of them were still chuckling at something, and Nathan had the biggest grin on his face. We all sat down as the judge took his seat and banged the gavel, returning the court to session.
"Sorry it took me so long, but Nathan was telling the most amusing joke." He said with a smile. "After my conversation with him, I am convinced that Nathan is a normal, healthy young man who has recently been through a lot of trauma. With the proper help, he should be able to overcome the trauma he has recently been subjected to and lead a healthy life. It is also my opinion that Mr. Young in imminently qualified to assume his guardianship until such time as Nathan reaches his legal majority. I therefore declare David Ray Young the legal guardian of Nathan Killmer. This is a permanent order, not a temporary order. Nathan has been through enough and does not need to go through another hearing. Case closed."
"I object!" Ms. Collins interjected.
"Didn't you hear me say case closed?" Judge Byron asked her. "You may leave! Next case!"
Nathan was hugging me, Stookey pounding me on the back, and Laurie smiled. I was stunned. I looked up at the judge and he just smiled as I silently mouthed my thanks. I broke the hug with Nathan and we began to file out. Of course the attorney and his aunt were already gone. As we exited the building, though, my second worst fears were realized (the worst being not getting guardianship).
There, in front of the courthouse and surrounded by twenty or so reporters, was the dear loving Aunt Killmer and her attorney. Just at that moment, the attorney was spouting off on the evils of homosexuals and how this ruling proved that America was going to hell. I swear, I thought she was a preacher, not an attorney. That was when the reporters noticed us. I immediately pushed Nathan behind me as they stampeded us. I had microphones, tape recorders, and cameras pressed in front of me, and I moaned inside. Please do not let this affect James!
"Mr. Young, what do you have to say about the news that the Killmer's will be appealing?"
"Mr. Young, what do you have to say about the allegations that you are a homosexual?"
"Mr. Young, is it true the hospital found your semen..."
"WAIT!" I shouted after the last question. Silence resulted, and I took a deep breath before continuing. I'd actually prepared for this situation. Stookey came up behind me and quietly led Nathan out of the ring of reporters. He was a minor, and they knew they couldn't film him, so only one or two even looked as they walked away. Of course I started speaking as soon as Stookey had led Nathan off so that their attention would hopefully focus on me.
"Listen, please. First off, I want to say that Nathan has been through a lot in the last few weeks and does not need or appreciate all this attention. He's a fifteen year old boy who was traumatized by his father, was further traumatized by the murder of his mother in front of him, the attempt on his life, and seeing his father who had committed those acts, killed in self-defense by a neighbor. None of his family would take him in, except for his aunt and uncle. After two weeks there, he'd been sexually abused by his uncle several times and then found out his aunt planned to send him to a mental institution. That's quite a lot for anyone, much less a fifteen year old to take. I've known him and his mother for years now, and when he called asking for help, I couldn't refuse."
"Mr. Young, what are your plans now?"
"We will be returning to LA as soon as possible. Nathan needs to get adjusted to his new life and it is best to start that as soon as we can."
"Mr. Young, is it true that you are a homosexual?"
"Yes."
"How do you feel about the judge giving custody of a minor to a gay man?"
"I think the judge looked at, and rightly determined, that Nathan would be provided a loving, caring, home where he won't be abused. My sexuality had nothing to do, pro or con, with his decision. That's the way it should be, no special treatment for or against."
"What about the appeal threatened by Mrs. Killmer?"
"Let her appeal. I can afford the lawyers and I'll be hiring the best."
"Mr. Young, are you single?"
"No, and if you'll excuse me, I need to get Nathan. We have a lot of stuff to take care of."
"Mr. Young, what does your partner think about all this? Where is he? What's his name?"
I ignored all the shouted questions and rushed to my rental car. I climbed inside the SUV, and Nathan was already sitting there. He handed back the keys I had slipped to him and I started the vehicle, pulling out onto the street. I couldn't help but notice the camera following us.
Just great, I knew who had tipped off the media, and it had to have been the dear, loving aunt. I wondered exactly what she would do now, and what the damage would be. Nathan distracted me by asking if he would have to go to school. I realized he probably only had a few weeks left before summer break and called his school principal. (Nathan gave me the number.) As it turns out, Nathan was getting good grades in all his classes. We talked for a while about the situation, and he decided that Nathan's grade at this time would be credited to him for the semester. He was going to get summer vacation a few weeks early. His cheering lasted all the way home. Of course, what fifteen year old wouldn't be excited?
I was happy to note that there was no press at the house. We went inside, changed out of our suits into some more relaxed clothing, and sat down in the living room. Nathan turned on the television and tuned in to some show on MTV. I picked up the phone and called Peter. We chatted for a bit, and I informed him of the results of the case. I also asked him to get us two plane tickets tomorrow morning. I wanted to go home as soon as possible. I then called James, got his voicemail so I left a short message telling him we now had a teenager in our home. As I hung up, the phone rang again. It was Tom, from Korvan Studios.
"Congratulations on getting custody." He told me. I wondered how he knew already. It had been less than two hours!
"Thanks, but how did you hear?" I asked him.
"You near a t.v.?" He asked me.
"Yeah."
"Turn it to CNN. They ran the story in the entertainment section. It will come on again in a half hour on Headline News." He said, sounding smug.
"WHAT?" I yelled, getting Nathan's attention. He looked scared. I continued in a calmer voice. "What do you mean it was on CNN?"
"CNN picked up the story." Tom explained. I swear I could hear him grinning. "We issued a press release this morning announcing that "Ganymede" was starting filming next week. There's been a lot of buzz on the internet, as you well know, and we thought we'd capitalize on that. Your court case was beamed to the network by their local affiliate who had gotten a copy of the press release. They were already going to run a story on it since you're from the area. They even called before your case to schedule an interview for next week. Peter should be telling you the time when you get back."
"Shit." I said. The studio was convinced at this point that any press coverage would be good. They'd responded to my concerns about the reaction from middle America by pointing out that rednecks still went to see Clive Barker movies, and he was openly gay. Nathan was upset when I told him to turn the channel, but he did. I hung up from Tom a few minutes later as the news spieled through the usual. War, murder, outrage, and politics. I was about to tell Nathan he could turn it back when the story ran. It actually was pretty good. About half of my comments made it onto the television, and they showed my rental driving away. They also mentioned my show and called me the `creator' of it. All in all, I felt it was as decent a story as could be expected. Nathan turned it back to MTV and I got up to get some water. As I walked back to the couch, my cell phone started ringing and the doorbell rang. That was when I realized all hell had broken loose.
You want to know something about gated communities? They don't keep the press out. That's why I found five reporters on my doorstep. I had no comment for them and asked them to leave us alone. Stookey was on the phone and he was being bombarded by many requests for interviews. I told him to refer them Korvan Studios (I didn't want to use Peter because that would provide a direct connection James). He also told me there was some paperwork I needed to sign from the court and that I could leave with Nathan any time after I'd signed them. I took his hint and told Nathan to pack all of his clothes in a suitcase James had left here. By the time we were packed and ready to go, the number of media had grown to include three news vans. I ignored them as we loaded the SUV in the late afternoon heat and drove off. I think I pissed a few of the reporters off, but enough was enough.
Stookey's office at least wasn't surrounded. We went inside, I signed the paperwork, and left with the legal papers proving I was now Nathan's guardian. As we drove to the airport, I called Peter and had him change our flights. The next flight to LA wasn't for two and a half hours, so we had plenty of time to check our baggage at the counter. We were relaxing in the gate area, eating some ice cream when the television broadcast our story again. I immediately slouched in my seat, hoping no one would notice me. Nathan reached into his carry-on and pulled out a hat and sunglasses. He handed them to me with a smile.
"Here, NSYNC uses the same thing as disguises all the time" He told me with his big grin.
"I'm not a celebrity!" I hissed as I put them on.
"More like notorious!" he said, laughing a little.
"Oh, my, such a big word for a high school sophomore!" I teased him. We finished our ice cream and were lounging around. We still had a few minutes before first class boarding when my phone rang.
"Dave, it looks like we have a problem" James said softly.
"Heya, love." I said, still cheerful despite his negative news. "What's the problem?"
"We won't be able to be out there until Sunday." He said quietly. I could tell he was upset. "I'm sorry, but we have to do some re-takes on this damn special and..."
"James." I said softly. "Don't worry. We'll see you Sunday."
"But I want to be there for..."
"You will be, I know it, he knows it, so don't worry." I told him softly. We talked for a few minutes until they called first class boarding. I hung up and headed to the gate with Nathan having to scramble to catch up.
"Hey, they only called First Class" Nathan said sharply.
"Look at your ticket, spud." I told him. "We are in first class."
"Oh, I've never flown first class before." He said softly.
"Trust me, it's worth it." I said with a smile as we handed the attendant my ID, ticket, his ticket, ID, and court papers. She looked through them, smiled and welcomed us aboard the flight. I gave Nathan the window seat and he marveled at the nice upholstery and good amount of room we had around us. He chattered incessantly while the plane was loaded and I began to realize something. Having a teenager around on a visit was one thing. Nathan would not be leaving us for three years so this was a lot more permanent. Having someone depend on you like he was going to depend on me 24/7 was a little frightening. Fortunately, I didn't have time to worry about it as the plane began rolling away from the terminal. Nathan grabbed onto my arm and would not let go. It was then that he admitted to never having flow before...ever.
We got to LA just fine. Nathan actually jumped when the plane landed on the tarmac. I laughed. I couldn't help it. Both he and the female flight attendant gave me dirty looks for that little gaff. Too bad for them I didn't really care. We got my car out of pawn (or at least I paid enough for having parked it there for a few days) and headed home. I stopped at a fast food restaurant for dinner. Nathan ordered a ton of stuff that we took home. He ran into the condo as soon as I opened the door, food totally forgotten. I had to remind him to sit and eat. He found Justin's PS2 and Game Cube immediately and wanted to try them out. I made him eat first after a small argument. Teenagers.. I was never that bad. Okay, I was worse.
Later that night, we sat in the living room having our first real discussion about his life now. I told him of my plans for a therapist. He initially balked until I told him it wasn't negotiable. The court had ordered it and if I wanted him to stay, I'd have to make him go. He finally agreed, insisting on being there when I interviewed the therapists. Then we talked about privacy. I knew the media was not going to give up on this story, so I talked about the people he would likely meet, and how to figure out what was okay to talk about and what wasn't okay.
He had a long summer ahead of him, and I asked him what he wanted to do with the time. That was when I learned what career he wanted in life. He wanted to be a director. Since my show was about to start shooting, I knew we would have a visitor on the set almost every day. He also wanted to go to Disneyworld. He still remembered his trip to Disneyland a few months ago and wanted to go see its big brother in Florida. I smiled and promised him I'd do my best to get a few days off in a month or two. Then we discussed, or should I say haggled, over curfew. I knew there were a few other teenagers in this condo complex and he'd probably make friends with them. We finally settled on the official, legal curfew for someone his age. There was also stuff about calling when he was going to be late (and I had to remember to get him a cell phone) and allowances. We'd start off with $50 a week and see how it went from there. I even gave him his first week's allowance immediately. Then it was time to pick a bedroom. He ended up choosing the one Manuel and Josh had used when they lived with us. It was at that moment that Manuel's voice boomed out from the entrance, announcing his presence.
Although they had never met before, Nathan took an instant liking to my gruff friend. Manuel lived in a different world most of the time and never watched T.V., so Nathan got to inform him of everything that had been going on. Poor Manuel, I'd forgotten to tell him that I was going to Phoenix. He had been looking for me since Josh was out of town. By 11:00, Nathan was passed out in his new room and Manuel was heading home. I'd missed calling James, but decided to go ahead and call even though it was 2:00 a.m. there. Would you be surprised he was still awake? I wasn't. Our calls were our religion and he couldn't sleep without my nightly call. He got his revenge though. He called me at 7:00 a.m. -- HIS TIME. I loved him anyway.
Saturday, I decided that Nathan should be able to decorate his room the way he wanted. We spent the day at various shopping malls looking at furniture, decorations, posters, you name it, we looked. He decided the current furniture in the room was very much to his liking, so we didn't buy any of that. He did stock up on about thirty posters though, telling me he planned on rotating them. We also bought a computer (I had to buy a larger hub for our in-home network as well). As we were unloading, Christina came over. Poor Nathan just stared at her muttering "It's Christina Applegate." She smiled and soon he was acting like he'd known her all his life.
That night, we ate out at a restaurant, then visited a FunWorks type place. Five rounds of laser tag, three go-cart rides, and a hundred video games later, we made our way home. It was an exhausted teenager, and an even more exhausted man who climbed into bed and went to sleep that night. Luckily, I'd called James on the way home so he shouldn't be calling me too early in the morning. It was around 3 a.m. that I felt someone crawling into bed with me. Nathan had tears running down his face. He fell asleep as I held him, never noticing the tears running down my own face.
It was at that moment that I truly understood what it meant to be a parent, and felt the heavy burden I'd assumed. I also realized that I wouldn't trade that for anything else in the world. I slept fitfully that night, constantly waking up to check on Nathan. He slept peacefully and I felt a rush of emotions when he woke up smiling.
NSYNC's flight landed around noon, and they were at the condo by one. The place became a zoo as all five of them tried to `get to know' their new little brother at the same time. Nathan was overwhelmed, but grinning like crazy. James finally suggested that everyone go to Magic Mountain, which got Nathan jumping up and down in excitement. When I started to join them, James looked at me and reminded me I had script revisions to complete. I almost cussed him out, but Nathan was there. I did get a goodbye kiss as they left, though.
They didn't return until midnight. I had actually finished the revisions an hour earlier and was watching my Babylon 5 DVD when they came in. Josh was carrying a sleeping Nathan carefully and put him to bed. James came over, hugged me and turned off the television. The look of lust in his eyes swept away any argument I might have had. Josh left for his own condo, and Manuel, waiting for him in bed, while Chris and Joey returned to the apartment they shared. Their ladies were waiting for them as well. Justin went into the room he was staying at in our condo while James led me into our bedroom.
We didn't talk that night, or in the morning when we woke up. We hadn't seen each other in too long and our passion wouldn't allow us to take the time to talk. When we finished that morning, we luxuriated in the shower together, finally getting dressed. We emerged to find Justin and Nathan eating cereal and arguing over who had won some game or other. It was 5:00 a.m. and I had to be at the soundstage by 6:00 a.m. I stopped by the home office while James got me breakfast and printed off my revisions. I then faxed them to the studio where an intern was supposed to photocopy them for the day's shoot.
Breakfast was a rapid affair. James and Justin were supposed to be at the studio by 10:00, but had planned on stopping by the set with me. They wanted to be able to say they were there on the first day of shooting. Nathan was going with me and spending all day on the set as well. We finished our food, did all those little last minute preparations (including grabbing the print out of the script for me), and walked out the door.
Only to be met by bright lights destroying the pre-dawn stillness. The press had arrived.
I don't know who was more shocked. Us, because they had gotten inside the secure complex, or the press because I was flanked by two members of NSYNC. Next door, I could see Josh and Manuel leaving their condo, and someone in the press noticed Josh because they started calling his name out as well. They sauntered over as we headed for my car and James' SUV. The silence lasted for about five seconds before bedlam broke out.
"Mr. Bass! Mr. Timberlake! What are you doing here? Are you friends with Mr. Young? What do you think about his custody case? Mr. Chasez! How do you know Mr. Young?"
Those were just some of the questions they asked as we piled into our cars. It was then that we noticed one of the vans was blocking our exit. They weren't moving it, and were still peppering us with questions. It was finally James who spoke. I was way to flustered to open my mouth right now. Poor Nathan was cringing down in his seat, squeezing my hand hard.
"Please, PLEASE!" James shouted, quieting the crowd of reporters, at least temporarily.
"Dave is a friend of the entire group and a client of mine through FreeLance." James said as soon as it was quiet. "NSYNC is in town working on our next album, and he was nice enough to invite us to the first day of shooting for his show. Yes, we are aware of his recent custody case in Phoenix and we all support him and Nathan fully. Now, we ask that you stop blocking our exit so that we can proceed about our business."
"Why are you staying here with Mr. Young?" One reporter shouted.
"Actually, I live here when I'm in LA as well." James answered. "Dave rents a room from me because we're friends and I wanted somebody here when I was out of town."
At that time, the van blocking us was moved, and we ignored the shouted questions as we pulled out. I was so glad that he had been the one to speak up. All of them were so much better than me at handling the media. I mean, c'mon, they had years of practice. Compared to them, I was a rank amateur.
"Is it always going to be like this?" Nathan asked as we drove to the soundstage.
"For a little while." I told him. "It'll die down after a while. Then it will probably pick up again before my show premieres. It is all part of being in Hollywood."
"Oh man, it's going to take some getting use to." He said softly. The rest of our trip was in silence, except for the CD I was playing. Yes, we listened to NSYNC as we drove to the soundstage. I got Nathan his pass at the gate, and the rest of the guys in James' car were on my guest list, so we had no problems getting in to the lot. I parked in my reserved spot (YES I have a reserved parking space!) and Nathan was practically hugging my leg as we walked in. The guys and Manuel were not far behind as well.
Rupert wasn't happy with my pop star guests, but then again he wasn't happy about much at that moment. Do you want to know what chaos is? Try being on the set of a show that is using new technology (digital cameras), with a cast who was relatively inexperienced, and a writer who sent revisions in at the last minute. Fortunately, today was just a read through. We were doing camera blocking, and reading through scenes, but the actors didn't have to read from memory. James kissed me goodbye (we were in an alcove where no one could see) as he and the guys left for the studio. Manuel left with them since he had to get into work. He was working on the opening sequence today, which was eight minutes of nothing but special effects and voice-overs.
Nathan left my side and was soon glued to Rupert. Rupert had smiled at him and asked him if he was interested in being a director. Nathan's enthusiastic `yes!' brought a smile to his face. For the rest of the day, Nathan never left his side, and Rupert never stopped explaining what he was doing, and why. I don't know about Nathan, but I learned a lot that day.
I also got the biggest headache I could have possibly imagined. I use to hear jokes about actors asking questions like What's my motivation here?' or Wouldn't it be better to say...' To say that I was getting frustrated was an understatement. Which didn't mean that they didn't have some good ideas or points. They sometimes did, which is why I had to make sure that I listened to them with an open mind. It wasn't easy, and I almost blew up a couple of times. When Rupert called an end to the day's work, I sighed with relief.
The angry director of the morning was gone. He was replaced by a smiling, almost beaming man. That was when JMS, Luke, and Tom came in. Rupert rushed over to them absolutely ecstatic.
"This show is going to be absolutely perfect!" he nearly shouted.
"That good, eh?" JMS asked with a chuckle.
"The actors are motivated and they have the talent we need. The script is good and keeps getting better. He even listens and CONSIDERS what people are suggesting. We work as a team!" Rupert said in a rush. "His son even has been very helpful! He is welcome on my set any day!"
"I will hold you to that Rupert," I said with a laugh.
"Good, good. He is a natural!"
Nathan was blushing, but beamed really bright. Tom was also smiling. It looked like his gamble just might pay off. We talked schedules for a while and then went our separate ways. I drove home with Nathan, and we both sighed with relief as we found no reporters.
That relief was short lived when I checked the messages on our home phone. My first reaction was to scream. My second was to pick up the phone and call James. He was out with Justin and Josh doing some shopping. Shopping for what, I had no clue, but it seemed like they were always shopping. Maybe it was their past time. As he answered the phone, I told him about the message and he too became depressed.
That wonderful lady, Ms. Collins from the ACLJ had managed to file an appeal already and won an injunction against the custody order from the lower court. Nathan and I had to return to Arizona immediately. If you thought we took it bad, you should have seen Nathan. It was only my harsh statement that if we didn't go, his Aunt would win by default that got him to get his bags packed. I called Peter who had already heard from James. There were tickets waiting for us at the airport.
I was surprised as we reached the boarding gate to find all five members of NSYNC there. Josh's first words were to apologize that Manuel couldn't go with us since his work was at a crucial point. That was when I realized all five of them were going with Nathan and I. We had a group hug as tears came to my eyes and I realized I wasn't alone in this fight. On the plane, James sat next to me while Nathan sat next to Justin in animated discussion. We got off the plane in Phoenix and was walking out as a group when I noticed the two police officers standing there with a lady in a dark suit.
"David Ray Young?" one of the officers asked, stepping up to me.
"Yes?" I said as Nathan shot over from Justin's side to mine.
"You are under arrest for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 15, sir." The officer said. His partner moved to handcuff me as Nathan screamed at them. The lady in the suit came over, grabbed him and informed him that she was taking him home. The officer handcuffing me had to stop as Nathan broke free of the woman and started to run. My shout stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Nathan!" I yelled. There were people staring at us all over. "Listen to me. I want you to cooperate with them. Do you hear me? Be responsible, and every thing will work out just fine. Please."
He nodded, then rushed back to me, evading the lady and wrapping me in a hug. The officer who had handcuffed me pushed him back towards the lady, and Nathan gave him a very nasty look. Behind me, I heard all the guys talking on their cell phone and James was crying. I smiled as the officer led me away, praying everything would be okay. My last sight was James staring at me. We both mouthed `I love you' at the same time.
The ride to the police station was quiet. I wish I could say the officers were rude, rough, or downright mean, but they were coolly professional. There were so many things running through my head that I had to force myself to calm down. Sunset was just happening as we pulled into the downtown jail, and I was rushed inside. Of course the place was crawling with press. I could see the headline now "HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR ARRESTED FOR MOLESTING BOY!"
I was booked, fingerprinted, had my picture taken and everything. Great, I wondered how long until The Smoking Gun website would be posting this. After all that, I was led into an interrogation room complete with a mirror along the wall. I wasn't surprised when two officers walked in, their faces scowling. They were scowling even more when I refused to talk without my lawyer present. They left a few minutes later, and I sat there in silence. It was now after 9 p.m. and I was getting tired.
That was when the door opened again, and Stookey walked in with the two detectives from earlier. He greeted me warmly as they all sat down. They protested when he removed a tape recorder from his bag, protesting that they were recording everything, but he insisted.
"Right, now why don't you give us the specifics of the charges my client faces?" he asked them after the issue of the recorder had been settled.
"Mr. Young is an avowed homosexual who has been charged with molesting Nathan Killmer over a two-period." One detective stated, his voice showing anger.
"Who has made these accusations?" my lawyer asked calmly.
"That's not relevant." The second detective answered quickly. "We have some questions for him that must be answered."
"I'll let it go for now," Stookey said, his voice angry. "Please be aware though, that my client has a constitutional right to face his accuser. If it's determined that your refusal to answer violates his rights, you are jeopardizing your case."
"It's the boy's legal guardian, Mrs. Killmer." The first detective said angrily.
"You mean former legal guardian." Stookey corrected him calmly.
"Now it's our turn for questions." The second detective snarled. They then proceeded to question me about my contacts with Nathan over the years. They grew more and more frustrated as my answers revealed that I'd never been alone with Nathan except in public until the court had granted me custody. They asked me questions over and over again, trying to trip me up on wording. They finally started to ask me about things since I had been given custody of Nathan.
"Has he shared a room with you at any time?" the first detective asked.
"Yes." I answered shortly. Stookey frowned at me, but nodded for me to continue. "There's been a time or two where he was extremely upset and came to me looking for comfort. He came into my room after waking up and asked to sleep with me. There was no sexual contact."
"You expect us to believe a faggot had a boy in bed and didn't fuck him?" the second detective asked, only to be silenced by his partner immediately. Everyone in the room immediately looked at Stookey's recorder, which he put into his pocket.
"Gentlemen, this interview is over." He said shortly. "I expect my client will be put in a isolation area due to his celebrity status. Dave, I will see you first thing in the morning."
The three of them left, and I was alone in the room again. I wanted to cry, but wouldn't while there was a possibility of being taped. Another officer soon came in and led me to a solitary cell where I found a small cot to lie down on. I missed my nightly call with James and eventually cried myself to sleep.
The next morning, breakfast was delivered. I ate the crappy food in silence. Phoenix prides itself on spending very little money on prisoners, especially on their food. It was an hour later that an officer came and escorted me to a private interview room. I knew it was video taped, but there was no audio to break lawyer/client privilege.
"Dave, I won't lie to you." Stookey told me, his voice tired. He'd probably been a busy man. "The charges the DA is filing are serious, and it has been leaked to the press. They are all over this. I talked with the studio and they are considering halting shooting, but will continue for now. The press are playing holy murder on you, and Nathan's Aunt has been on all the talk shows that will have her. Nathan is being held incommunicado by Social Services, and Laurie Mann has been suspended. I need to know, right here, right now, has anything inappropriate happened between you and Nathan that can be proven by a doctor or anyone else?"
"No." I said firmly, looking him in the eyes.
"Okay, I'm going to insist on an immediate physical examination of Nathan and release of any results of physical examination that Social Services may have already done. We have a preliminary hearing in about an hour. I've arranged for a suit to be ready for you before the hearing, please wear it. Also, James sends his love." That last was said with a smile. It helped, just hearing that.
"Is he doing okay?" I asked him.
"He's worried about you, as are all the guys. Your friend Manuel has even flown out. He arrived early this morning. They will all be on my list of witnesses seeing as how they are constantly around you and Nathan."
He left then, but I wasn't moved from the room. I sat there, staring at the plain walls, so many scenarios running through my head. This was not what I had been expecting to happen once I got custody. We were supposed to live happily ever after. I had no idea how long I sat there before an officer brought a suit and dress shoes in for me. I got dressed under his watchful eye (remember, I was in the Navy. Changing in front of other people does not bother me). I was then shackled and led across the building to a courtroom. I was in a small waiting room under guard until my case was called.
As I entered the courtroom, I was pleased to see NSYNC sitting behind Stookey in the front row. Manuel was with them as well and gave me an encouraging smile. To my surprise, JMS, Luke, Chad, and Tom were all there as well. They each gave me a thumbs up or a smile and I felt a load lift off of my shoulders.
The judge called my case number, and read the charges against me. He was interrupted by the assistant DA who coughed politely before the judge could ask for my plea. The judge, an older woman, turned to him and recognized him in a cold voice.
"Your honor.' The assistant DA said in a shaky voice. "The County would like to withdraw all charges at this time. Our charges were based on reports from witnesses we believed to be credible and supporting circumstantial evidence. After looking at evidence accumulated since last night, we find no support for the charges and are dismissing them at this time."
"Excuse me?" she said, her tone sharp. "Do you mean to tell me that you had this man arrested, subjected to a media circus, and his reputation irreparably tarnished with only circumstantial evidence?"
"We believed that the information we were being given was accurate and true so we took immediate action." He said, his tone weak.
"You didn't bother to investigate these claims?" she demanded.
"We did investigate and have found the information to be unreliable." He said, trying to maintain his dignity.
"You investigated AFTER you arrested an innocent man!" okay she was shouting now. "You arrested him based on wrong information and subjected him to public exposure for something he was not guilty of doing! I am dismissing the charges and I am ordering an investigation into the County DA office's handling of this matter. Further, I expect to see charges filed against the individuals filing this report, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am" he said, his head hanging down.
"Good, now Mr. Young. I am dismissing all charges against you. Further, it was this court that revoked your custody based on these charges, so I am reversing that order. Social Services will return Nathan Killmer to your custody. I want to apologize to you for this gross miscarriage of justice. You have been a victim of overzealous prosecution. Is there anything you would like to say or request?"
"Yes, ma'am. I thank you for your apology, and accept it although you are not responsible for this." I said, rising to my feet. I had tears in my eyes. "I would like to hear what evidence the DA's office has that refutes the charges against me, and I would like to hear that evidence on the steps of this courthouse in front of the cameras outside."
"It is so ordered." She said smiling. The assistant DA started to protest but shut up when she threatened him with a contempt of court charge. He came to me and started to apologize, but I waived him towards the front door. The room was in pandemonium as reporters in the audience scrambled outside, and my friends surrounded me. Tom was smiling the broadest of all, probably seeing our project saved from certain doom. I wasn't sure yet if the reaction of potential viewers would be good or bad.
Sure enough, the press was camped out front. There were literally over a hundred of them, and they all started shouting as I walked out of the building with the Assistant DA on my left, and Stookey on my right. They went silent as the DA held up his hand.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, I'm here right now to announce a resolution in the case of the People vs David Young. Based on evidence collected within the last 24 hours, the DA's office has requested, and received, the dismissal of all charges against Mr. Young. We have found the original charges to be circumstantial and totally refuted by evidence we have now collected since Mr. Young's arrest.
"His arrest, and the removal of his charge from his custody was done under false pretenses. The police department, in an overzealous attempt to enforce the law, arrested Mr. Young before proper investigations were completed. Social Services conducted immediate mental, physical, and psychological assessments of the minor when they took him into custody last night. They found no evidence of wrongdoing by Mr. Young either in the recent past, or over the past few years as alleged by the person making these allegations.
"We further discovered that the allegations were made by the minor's Aunt, who had recently lost a custody battle with Mr. Young after it was revealed her husband had been sexually abusing the minor. Her claims were backed up by his older sister also in her custody. The older sister has admitted that she fabricated her claims based on a desire for causing her brother pain. She blames him for the death of their parents and was seeking revenge for that. We also believe the officers involved were overzealous in their investigation and wrote their reports in such a manner as to increase the likelihood of charges based on too little evidence. We also have evidence that one of them may have based their actions on a prejudice in violation of department policy. This has been forwarded to the Police Department for an investigation and disciplinary action, if warranted. I apologize again to Mr. Young on behalf of the District Attorney."
"Mr. Young!" A reporter shouted. "How do you feel about all that's happened?"
"I'm angry." I told them honestly, and heard a few gasps. "I'm angry at the officers who acted first without really investigating the matter. I'm angry at whoever had me arrested at the airport. I'm angry at the woman who brought these charges in order to hurt me and to hurt my charge just because of her prejudices. I'm pissed off that all of us are having to be here talking about something that never happened. Most of all, I'm pissed that I'm here instead of working where I belong."
"How will this affect your show?" a reporter asked, her voice meek.
"Very little." Tom said, speaking up from behind me. "The studio fully supports Mr. Young and we are glad to see these ridiculous charges dismissed. He's a natural parent and very good with his adopted son. Filming progressed on schedule today, and there's a ton of stuff for Dave to take care of when he returns."
"Now, if you'll excuse us," Stookey broke in, right on cue. "We have a young man to reunite with."
We left the courthouse and headed for the parking garage. Soon, James and I were in the back seat of an SUV as Justin and Josh followed Stookey's car. Chris and Joey were driving another rental car behind us. I spent the entire drive to Stookey's office crying into James' shoulder. He held me, and comforted me so wonderfully that by the time we got there, my tears were tears of joy at being with him. He kissed my forehead as we opened the door and rushed into the cool confines of the lawyer's office.
To my immediate joy, I was suddenly encumbered by a fifteen-year old young man who leaped into my arms. He reached out and drew James into the hug, making me smile even more. He was crying, and that set me off again.
"You told me everything was going to be okay if I cooperated with them, and you were right." He said after a while. I couldn't help but smile.
"You ready to go home?" I asked him.
"Please?" He asked me softly. James was smiling over at me and lifted his arm to drag my head towards him. I didn't resist and he kissed me there, inside the foyer of the lawyer's office building. Luckily, everyone was around us, blocking the view of the receptionist.
"I love you." He said quietly. "I didn't believe the charges for a moment."
How did he know I was worried about that? How did he know that I was worried he might think I actually had actually had sex with a young kid? Maybe he just knew me really well. I couldn't help but smile at him.
"Let's go home." I said. "I want to be with my lover and son."
The next morning, I woke in the arms of the man I loved, with a teenager curled up on the other side of me. Nathan had come into the room at 3:00 a.m. and crawled into bed. Luckily, James and I had already had our reunion in the shower so he didn't see us doing anything too bad. Of course, we were both nude, but he had his boxers on. I stretched there in bed trying to decide if I had to go to the bathroom enough to warrant leaving James' arms. That question was answered for me when the phone rang.
I answered it as James and Nathan both stirred awake. I stood there, nude at the dresser where the phone was, and realized that today was going to be a bad day again. I looked over at James, and tears came to my eyes. Why couldn't we just be happy together without people causing us problems?
To be Continued
Yeah, folks, two more chapters to go with this storyline!