This is a story about consensual love between males. If that is offensive to you or if it is not permissible for you to read it at your age or in the area where you live, proceed at your own risk. This story is fiction. It is entirely the product of the writer's imagination. The author retains all rights to the story.
A special thanks to Tim for his excellent help in editing.
I would be glad to hear from you! Send your comments to the following address: sanasaattaja2003@yahoo.com All emails will be answered, but emails with attachments will not be opened.
Sam, chapter 15
While the doctors were working on Jake, Robert sat in the waiting room sipping a cup of coffee and Mack went to the pay phone over by the entrance and called Marjorie's to talk to Sharon. He wanted to let her know what they had found at Tommy's house and that his little brother Jake was now in the hospital. After talking to his wife he got himself a cup of coffee and sat down beside Robert.
"Sharon said Marge was able to get a hold of that lady she knows that is head of the foster care program here in the city," Mack said. "She's promised to get the ball rolling on investigating these kids' case right away. I must say, that really relieves my mind. And it's not a moment too soon either, is it? Marge seems to have great confidence in this Mrs. Collert, so that's good."
"Yeah, man, it sure helps to know someone who just happens to know the right person to contact, doesn't it? That'll no doubt cut out a lot of the red tape and buck passing and other crap that you always run up against whenever ordinary guys like us try to get the bureaucracy off of its lazy collective ass to do something," Robert said.
Mack stood up saying, "I think I should go talk to that lady at the admissions desk and tell her the little we do know about Jake. She should be told that he is Tommy's brother anyway. Likely she already has some information on Tommy, like his last name for example."
Soon after Mack had come back to where Robert was sitting, a harried looking young doctor came up to the two men and asked if they were the ones who had brought Jake in. "They're taking him up to intensive care now," he said. "He should be OK before too long. He's suffering from hypothermia and he's also dehydrated as well as very malnourished. It's a damned good thing you got him here when you did, I'd say, but I would venture to say he's not in any grave danger now that he's getting care."
Mack said, "That's a relief to hear, Doctor . . ."
"Doland."
"Thanks for letting us know, Doctor Doland," Mack said. "Do you think we'll be able to check in on him a bit later?"
"Well, they don't normally let anyone into ICU except family members. You're not family, are you?"
"Well, no . . ."
"All I can suggest is that you talk with them about it up there and see what you can do. In any case, I would guess the kid will be moved to a regular room in the morning, provided nothing unforeseen happens during the night," the doctor said, and then turning away he added over his shoulder, "Now I've got to run along."
The two men watched him disappear down the corridor and then decided to go up to Jay and Tommy's room.
"We need to let Tommy know what we found over at his house and tell him about his brother," Mack said. "He's going to be frightfully worried when he hears that Jake is sick and in the hospital, but on the other hand the thought of him being left all alone in that hellhole they've been living in is about killing him too."
When they got to the boys' room they found Lee and Jay sitting side by side on Jay's bed with a school book open across their laps, working together on a homework assignment. Sam was still perched on the edge of Tommy's bed, holding his hand and chatting with him. He was gazing up at her worshipfully, like a little puppy almost.
As soon as Sam saw her dad and Robert come into the room she asked, "So what did you find out over at Tommy's house, Dad? How's Jake? Tommy's so worried about him. You found him there didn't you?"
"Yes, Sam, we found him," Mack answered, and then turning to Tommy he told him about how they had found him and brought him to the hospital.
Tommy started to bawl immediately and as soon as they were able to get him calmed down a bit they assured him that the doctor had said he would soon be all right again.
"Maybe you'll be able to see him tomorrow, Tommy," Robert ventured to say, and Tommy's face lit up and he smiled through his tears.
"Do you really think so?" he asked excitedly.
"They've got him sleeping now," Robert continued, "and I'm sure that's just what he needs to get better."
Tommy seemed to realize that he could finally let go of his nagging worry about Jake, or at least most of it anyway. It looked like an enormous weight had just slid off of his back. He looked so relieved. The two men watching him both shuddered inwardly at the thought of such a precious youngster having to carry a weight like that in the first place. They surmised that very likely Tommy had had to shoulder almost single-handedly all responsibility for his little brother ever since he was born, and he was just a little kid himself at that time, no more than six or seven. What an amazing boy he was.
Mack and Robert thought it best to spare him the more gruesome details of what they had seen at his house, like how freezing cold it had been for example.
Tommy asked them, "Did you see my mom? Or Hank?"
"No, son, they were gone," Mack said. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"
Tommy just shrugged and shook his head. "They often just leave and sometimes they're gone for days. They never say where they're goin' or when they'll be back, or where they've been. I'm glad when Hank's gone, really, `cause he's so mean. And mom's usually stoned or somethin', so even when she's there she's sorta like gone anyway . . ."
It got very quiet in the room after Tommy said those things. Everyone was sickened at heart thinking of the horrible nightmare that poor brave little Tommy and his brother had been caught up in—a nightmare that just went on and on, seemingly without end. They all hoped that now, somehow, it would finally be over and that they both would soon just wake up and find themselves in a much happier world.
Robert slipped out of the boys' room after a while and walked down the corridor. He had something on his mind that he wanted to suggest to someone, a bug he wanted to plant in someone's ear. To his immense delight it was Nurse Dennison that he found sitting at the desk working on reports when he approached the nurses' station. He couldn't think of anyone he would rather talk with about what he was thinking, unless it was Nurse Hellvig. But her shift had long since ended for the day and he just couldn't leave this till morning.
Nurse Dennison saw him coming and stood up immediately, holding out his hand in welcome. "Well, if it isn't Uncle Robert himself!" he exclaimed. "Good to see you again, man. How've you been enjoying your stay here in our deepfreeze of a city?"
"I'm glad to see you again too, Nurse Dennison," Robert grinned.
"Please just call me Phil, OK?"
"Sure, thanks, Phil! Now to answer your question, I've been having an amazing time here. Unbelievable, really. So many things have happened already in such a short time, it about takes my breath away," Robert said.
"It's good to see Jay bouncing back so nicely, isn't it, Robert?"
"Oh yes! And it's been sheer pleasure spending time with him, let me tell you. I'm so proud of him, I could burst my buttons," Robert said.
"With good reason, I would say! I've totally fallen for him myself. He's the greatest. I've never seen such a sweet kid," Phil exclaimed.
"I understand he's probably leaving here in the morning," Robert said, causing Phil to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
"Really? I'm almost sorry to hear that," he said, and then quickly added, "But isn't that selfish of me? Chances are I'll never see him again and that thought hurts, let me tell you. So that's why I said that. But of course I'm happy for him, really I am. It'll be so good for him to get home again and back to school and everything."
"You know his roommate, don't you? Tommy?" Robert asked.
"Of course. In fact I was one of the nurses who got him settled in here when they brought him up to the floor last night," Phil replied.
"Well, you might be surprised to learn that his little brother is in the hospital now as well," Robert said.
"What?!" Phil exclaimed. "Really?"
And then Robert told Phil the whole dreadful story while he listened in silence, emotions playing over his face all the while.
When Robert finally finished his tale, Phil exhaled with a loud "Whew!" and just stared at him, his mouth open.
"So can you guess what I've been thinking?" Robert asked quietly, gazing into Phil's big, wide-open brown eyes. Nearly as soon as he asked that, Robert could see in those very eyes the light of understanding dawn.
"Aha! Yeah, I think I can," Phil said quietly. "You're thinking that since Jay is leaving tomorrow it would be good if Tommy's brother – what did you say his name is? Jake...?"
Robert nodded.
"...that Jake could move into Jay's bed in the room with his big brother," Phil said.
Robert just grinned from ear to ear and said nothing.
"You devious bastard, you," Phil whispered, and then, surprising both Robert and himself, he reached out his big gentle hand and pressed his open palm lightly against Robert's cheek.
Immediately, Phil blushed crimson and apologized. "Damn, Robert. I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me . . ." But then, a moment later, he continued, "No, that's not quite right. I do know. But I didn't mean to be so blatant about it. Forgive me?"
"Of course!" Robert chuckled. "What's to forgive?" He paused a bit and then said, "Uh, Phil, would you do that again? Your hand felt so good there. You've got just the right touch. No wonder you're such a damned fine nurse, man."
"I'd love to do that again, Robert, believe me. But I better not do it here. Can I take a rain check?"
"Sure thing, Phil!" Robert said. "I hope we can get together sometime soon, OK? I really like you, man."
Still blushing slightly, but grinning broadly, Phil scribbled down his phone number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Robert. Robert took it, and looking Phil right in the eye, he lifted it to his lips and then slipped it into his shirt pocket. Nothing more was said about that matter verbally, but a fair bit more was spoken with their eyes.
Phil assumed a more formal pose again and said to Robert, "I'll see what I can do to arrange for Tommy's brother to be put into the room with him tomorrow, sir. But we'll let it be our little secret for now, OK?"
"Absolutely!" Robert agreed, delighted. "Thank you, Nurse Dennison, thank you so much. I knew I could count on you." Then he winked at Phil and turned on his heels and walked quickly back to Jay's room.
Nurse Dennison's big brown eyes were glued to his broad back, his beautiful firm butt, his long muscular legs, until finally he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
Just as he had more or less been promised, Jay was released from the hospital the next day after the doctor had seen him and his mother on morning rounds. Irene had brought a bag with her containing clothes for him to change into, and over her arm she carried the blue parka he had been wearing when he came home on Friday afternoon and walked headfirst into his father's fury.
"Sam took all these things home with her after she had been here to see you on Saturday, honey," Irene told Jay as they sat on his bed together after the doctor had left the room. "You'd thrown up all over them and they needed to be cleaned so she asked a nurse for them when she was here and then took them home and washed them for you. Wasn't that sweet of her? Then Sharon gave them to me later and explained about how you had gotten the parka. Honestly, I just broke down and bawled, Jay. I had felt so miserable about not being able to buy you and Jenna decent winter coats and things when it turned so cold, but your dad wouldn't give me the money for it, as you know."
Irene wiped tears from her cheeks and continued, "Sweetheart, I've thanked God countless times these past three days that you ever became friends with Sam and Lee at school, and then through them we've gotten to know Sharon and Mack and Marjorie too. I – we – would never have gotten through these past few days without them, and now I couldn't imagine going through the rest of my life without them either. But I won't have to, Jay. Isn't that wonderful? I know in my heart that they're going to be our friends forever. Actually, it's more like they're our family now, don't you think?"
Jay nodded in agreement, his eyes glistening.
"Mom, this isn't really where or how I meant to talk about it, but you know, don't you, that Lee and I are boyfriends?" Jay asked, so quietly that Irene could barely hear him.
Irene put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him tight against her side. "Yes, Jay, honey, I know that already. Uncle Robert and I talked about it the other night. I really like Lee too, sweetheart, and I'm so happy for you both. You're a lucky boy to have him, Jay. You couldn't have found a better one. Now, we'll talk lots more about this another time, all right? I'll step out and see if I can find Nurse Hellvig for a minute while you change into your clothes and then we'll be ready to go. I wanted so bad to see that sweetheart Tommy once more before we leave, but he's gone for x-rays, you say? Oh well, we'll just have to come back up and see him later sometime, won't we?"
After Jay had changed into his own clothes he waited in the room for a few minutes for the orderly Nurse Hellvig had told him would be coming with a wheelchair to take him to the front entrance of the hospital. He had been incredulous when he heard it – a wheelchair, of all things! What did he need to be taken in a wheelchair for? But she had explained that it was simply the rule. All patients being dismissed from the hospital had to be taken to the front door in a wheelchair, whether they liked it or not, and whether they needed it or not.
The orderly who appeared a minute later was a big tall black guy with a shaved head and a big silver hoop in one ear. At first glance Jay was quite intimidated, but the fellow immediately put him at ease with his warm, friendly, joshing manner. "You must be Mr. Jay, sir?" he asked with a dignified little bow. When Jay nodded, he continued, "Well, I'm Jeremiah. Ya all set to roll?"
"Just let me check again that I've got all my things," Jay said. After a final hurried look around the room, Jay picked up the little bag he had stashed his few personal things in and said, "Yeah, I'm ready."
"OK, babe! Park yer cute little butt up here on this seat and let's go for a ride!"
With scarcely time for a backward glance, they were on their way down the corridor toward the nurses' station. There he found his mother deep in conversation with Nurse Hellvig. When the two ladies saw him approaching, Nurse Hellvig said, "Come here, love, and give me a big hug. I'm going to miss you up here, let me tell you."
"I'm going to miss you too, Nurse Hellvig," Jay murmured as he stood up from the chair, threw his arms around her and was enfolded in hers. "You've been so nice to me. Thank you for everything." Tears began to spill down his cheeks.
"Remember what I said, honey, about coming to visit sometime and meeting my grandson Adam? You and Lee. I've just been talking with your mother about that now. I'll call you one of these days soon to agree on a time," Nurse Hellvig promised.
"I'm look forward to it, for sure, Nurse Hellvig," Jay said, and then the orderly wheeled him around toward the elevators where his mother was already waiting.
Later that day, just after Jay and his mother and Uncle Robert had finished eating lunch, the phone rang. It was someone calling from St. John's to see about setting a time for Eugene Evans' burial. Irene told them that she had made arrangements for her husband's remains to be cremated and that she just wanted a brief and simple ceremony at the cemetery where the urn of ashes would be buried. She and Robert had thought that Thursday would work out fine from their viewpoint so she asked them if that was convenient for them at St. John's. They promised that a priest would be available on Thursday and the time was agreed upon – 3:30 in the afternoon.
At two o'clock when visiting hours officially started at Good Samaritan, Uncle Robert took Jay and Irene to the hospital to visit Tommy. Robert was anxious to find out if Jake might really have been moved into Tommy's room too, but he didn't say anything about that to the others. He had confessed to Mack and Sharon the evening before about his little conversation with Nurse Dennison (at least a rather well edited version of it!) and they had agreed with him that it was an excellent idea. Mack and Robert had gone to ICU before they left the hospital that evening to see if they could see Jake, or at least get a report on how he was doing. They were told that he was sleeping deeply and were assured that he seemed to be responding very well to treatment, so they were content to let it go at that and to wait till the next day to see him again.
Jay was the first one to enter his old room with his mother and uncle following close behind, and the sight that greeted them was of Tommy half-way sitting up against the partially elevated head end of his bed with a sleeping Jake curled up against his legs, his little head lying in his big brother's lap. Tommy was running his fingers through Jake's hair and gazing down at him with tear-glistening eyes. He neither saw nor heard the three who entered the room and when Jay spoke his name he gave a startled little jerk and cried out, "Oh shit, ya scared me!"
Immediately realizing what had slipped out of his mouth, his face turned crimson and he said, "Er... I'm sorry," as he looked up at his visitors.
Jay and Irene had never seen Jake before, of course, and they didn't know who he was, so they were a bit surprised to see Tommy being so intimate with his new little roommate. He didn't really resemble Tommy at all. Tommy was a jug-eared and freckle-faced carrot-top with very pale skin, while Jake had nearly black hair and a much darker complexion than his brother. (They were only half brothers, after all, with different fathers.)
"Tommy, is that your new roommate?" Jay asked. "When did he come?"
"This is my brother Jake!" Tommy replied. "I'd just gotten back from x-rays when they brought him in here and I almost keeled over, I was so surprised to see him."
"Oh Tommy, isn't that cool, you two get to be in the same room!" Jay said.
Tommy, of course, agreed whole-heartedly.
After they had chatted awhile, Tommy informed his visitors that they were going to operate on his broken arm the next morning. "They told me the x-ray showed it's not set right. It's broke bad, I guess, right here where I bend it." (He pointed to his wrist inside the cast.)
Jay's eyes and mouth opened wide at Tommy's news and Irene said, "Oh sweetheart, I'm so sorry. But it's good they are going to get it right, isn't it, so you won't have lots of problem with it later on."
Normally before operating on a child the hospital would have to have the consent of his parents or guardian, but by that time Good Samaritan had understood that Tommy and Jake were now wards of the state. Wilma Collert had been on the ball and a preliminary investigation revealed that the boy's mother had indeed disappeared (for the time being at least) and that no other relatives could be tracked down. When the boys were able to be released from the hospital they would have to be put into a foster home.
Mrs. Collert had listened intently to every detail that Marjorie had learned from Mack and Sharon and then relayed to her. Later in the evening she had even called the McMillans herself and talked with Mack directly. The boys' story, sadly, was all too familiar, and even though she had heard variations of the same thing countless times through the years, she was just as appalled each new time as if she had never heard such horrors before. She genuinely had only the children's best interests at heart and was determined to make sure that each child brought under the jurisdiction of her department would be given the best care possible.
Mack told her on the phone that he and Sharon had had a couple foster children for a few months four years previously. They had done it to help an invalid neighbor lady find a temporary solution for her grandchildren, and it had been a very positive experience for them and their family at the time. He told Mrs. Collert that Sharon and he both felt very strongly that they would like to take Tommy and Jake into their home as if they were their own children and become their parents. They still had a valid certification to be foster parents, so Mrs. Collert had assured them that there shouldn't be any problem to arrange for them to become Tommy and Jake's legal guardians.
Nurse Hellvig came into the boys' room to check on her patients while Jay and his mom and uncle were there and Jay flew up from where he was sitting to give her a hug. He had only said goodbye to her a few hours before but he was overjoyed to see her again.
"Oh my, love, haven't you had enough of this place yet?" she teased him. "I'm afraid we don't have a bed for you now though since this little tyke has moved into your room."
She didn't give any hint of being surprised to see Jake curled up asleep on Tommy's bed. She just looked down at him tenderly, a little smile playing on her lips.
"Aren't you a lucky one, Tommy, to get to have your own brother with you like this?" she said, ruffling his unruly mop of hair. She gave Robert a wink as she said that, and then in an aside to him she said quietly, "Nurse Dennison told me when I got here this morning about your little chat and that he had passed your suggestion along to the right ears. Ya did good, man!" She gave him a pat on the shoulder as she walked out.
Robert just grinned.
Jay tugged at his uncle's hand as soon as Nurse Hellvig was gone and asked him, "What was that about, Uncle Robert?"
Robert just shrugged and said, "Nothing, punkin," which gained him a little scowl from his nephew.
But Irene had quickly realized what it meant and she was beaming happily.
A half hour later Irene and Robert consented to leave Jay there for a longer visit with his buddy Tommy and the still-sleeping Jake while they left to pick up Jenna from school and then do some grocery shopping.
A short time later the three McMillans came into the room. Jake was awake and sitting up by that time and they were pleased to see that he was there with his brother, seemingly recovering well from his narrow escape the day before.
Tommy was very excited to see them and he immediately wanted Sam to come and sit beside him again like she had done the day before. With Jake also on the bed, she could only perch on the very edge of it. He wanted to hold her hand, so she gladly obliged, and also gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose which made him beam with pleasure. "Who's this scamp here," she asked Tommy while playfully ruffling Jakes curly black hair? "I haven't seen him before." Jake was staring up at her with eyes as big as saucers.
"This is Jake," he said. "Remember? My brother."
"Oh yes, of course! I should've known," Sam said, slapping herself on the forehead, but at the same time winking at Tommy.
"A-h-h-h, you rat! You knew it already, didn't ya?" Tommy said, and he slugged her on the shoulder with his left fist.
Sharon went over to Jake, holding out her arms to him, and without a moment's hesitation he threw up his own scrawny little arms toward her and let himself be picked up and hugged against her bosom. Just like that, the two of them bonded, and little Jake found the mother he never had had before. Tears were streaming down Sharon's cheeks and a beaming Jake was grinning from ear to ear with his curly little head tucked up under her chin. Mack hurried over to the two of them and threw his arms around them both, trying in vain to keep the tears from spilling out of his eyes as well.
Sitting by himself on Jake's bed and watching the touching little drama unfold, Jay said, "Jeez, I wish I had a camera!" This brought a laugh from Mack and sort of broke the spell.
Sam then said to Tommy, "Since I'm really sorta like too old to be your girlfriend, how would ya like to be my brother instead?"
Tommy shouted, "Really? Ya mean it? Could I really? I mean, how?"
"Of course I mean it, sweetie," Sam assured him, and then turning to Mack she said, "Isn't that right, Dad? I get to have Tommy and Jake for my little brothers, don't I?"
Listening to her, Tommy's eyes were nearly bugging out of his head and his mouth was hanging open.
Mack and Sharon and Sam had been talking on the way up to the hospital about how and when to broach the subject with the boys of them becoming their foster children. They hadn't really reached a consensus, but now Sam had just up and done it, as easy as that. Her parents were quick to take advantage of the opening she'd made for them, and they explained to the two boys that they were indeed going to be their mommy and daddy from now on and that they would be coming to live with them.
Jake just kept clinging to Sharon as before, and Tommy lifted up his arms toward Mack who came and squatted down beside him to give him a big long hug. Tommy started to sob and Mack just held him tight, patting and rubbing his thin, bony back and crooning to him under his breath.
Jay held out his arms toward Sam, so she walked over to him and they hugged too. "This is so neat, Sam!" Jay said. "I'm so glad for Tommy and Jake. I've been so worried about them, and wondering what would happen to them when they had to go home again where no one loves them or cares about them or anything. And that bastard Hank is even mean to `em."
"Well no one's gonna be mean to `em anymore. They're my brothers now," Sam stated emphatically. And Jay was inclined to believe she would keep her word, too.
After Tommy had calmed down again and everyone was sitting quietly, Jay asked, "Did you tell your mom and dad that you're gonna have an operation tomorrow, Tommy?"
"My mom and da...? Tommy started to ask, looking puzzled, and then suddenly he remembered and his face lit up again. He turned toward Mack and Sharon and said, "Yeah, that's right. They told me they hafta operate on my arm in the morning. It's not right yet. They took x-rays this morning."
Sharon, who by then was sitting beside Tommy on his bed, said, "Oh you poor sweetheart, I'm so sorry to hear that. But we'll be here for you, honey. We'll be right here with you till they take you to the operating room and then as soon as you get back to your room again. You'll be OK..."
Tommy didn't answer, he just nodded his head and then shifted himself up onto her knee, put his free left arm around her neck and gave her a kiss right on the lips.
After awhile Jay said to the McMillans, "Did my mom or Uncle Robert tell you yet that my dad's burial is gonna be on Thursday?"
"Oh really? No they didn't," Sharon said. "But if they've tried to call us we've been gone all afternoon."
"Yeah, they called this noon from the church and arranged the time and stuff. It's Thursday afternoon at 2 or 2:30 or something. I can't remember for sure," Jay explained.
"Oh my goodness, Jay, that's just the day after tomorrow, isn't it!" Sharon said. "Oh honey, that'll be so difficult for you, and for Jenna and your mother too. But it'll be good to have it over too, won't it?"
Jay nodded in agreement but didn't say anything.
About that time Irene and Robert and Jenna came into the room.
"Jay was just telling us about the time being set for the burial, Irene," Sharon said. So the two ladies talked for a couple minutes about that.
The new arrivals soon got informed of the big news that Tommy and Jake were going to become the foster children of Mack and Sharon, too, so there was a lot of lively and happy conversation about that.
Jay was missing Lee terribly, since he hadn't seen him all day. He asked Sam finally, "Do you know what Lee was gonna do after school today?"
"Oh sweetie, I was supposed to tell you! He had to go to the dentist today at four o'clock. He had totally forgotten about that appointment in all the excitement of the last few days, but of course his mom had it written down. Moms never forget stuff like that, do they?" Sam said, wrinkling up her nose in semi-mock disgust, and then she continued, "But he asked me to tell ya that he was gonna see if he could come over to your house this evening after supper." She then leaned over and whispered in Jay's ear, "He's missin' his little sweetheart too, don't worry!"
Jay blushed and smiled broadly.