WHILE SOME OF THE EVENTS DESCRIBED IN THIS STORY ARE FICTIONALIZED, SO I CAN RETAIN WHAT'S LEFT OF MY SANITY, MANY OF THE EVENTS HERE ACTUALLY HAPPENED AS DESCRIBED. YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU CONTINUE THAT THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC ACCOUNTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS DRUG USE BY TEENAGERS. IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED OR THIS KIND OF MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL FOR YOU TO READ, PLEASE STOP NOW. IF YOU ARE, OR KNOW OF A CHILD IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! CALL THE POLICE. CALL SOCIAL SERVICES. DO ANYTHING, BUT DO SOMETHING!
Chapter 4
Thursday, August 15th, 1991. That was the day I was finally released from the hospital. As I rode down the elevators, I started to panic a little bit. Ben must have sensed it, because he had his hands on my shoulders instead of the handles of the chair.
He gave a gentle squeeze and said "Everything will be ok, buddy. We're going to take good care of you. Greg can't wait to meet you. He's been moving all his stuff into the spare bedroom and getting your bed and all your stuff set up for you. We're putting you in my room - in your own bed, of course."
I couldn't say anything, once again. These people were constantly rendering me speechless.
Joe noticed, and said "You'll see, kiddo, things are going to be better for you now. I've already got you registered in school. I'm pretty impressed with your transcripts, and they're starting you in tenth grade, so you'll be in the same class as Ben. You've already had visitors at the house. Cody and Kevin, I think were their names. They're very worried about you. There's also some stuff we need to talk about when we get home, as far as your house and belongings go. Your mom's attorney is meeting us at the house at eleven this morning. I won't say a whole lot about it, but it appears that you have some decisions to make about a few things."
On the way back to the Forster house, Ben sat in the back seat with me. We didn't say much, but he could tell I was nervous, and he held my hand the entire way home. Since most of my broken bones had healed while I slept, I was no longer in casts, but I still had a brace on my right arm, and my ribs were still very sore. I found that unless I moved a little bit every few minutes, my whole right side started to cramp up. When we finally got into Lewisville, it was almost nine in the morning. I knew that Joe had said we were meeting an attorney at eleven, but I was starving. "Joe," I asked, "do you think we could stop and get something to eat?"
"Sure thing, kiddo," he replied. "What did you have in mind? You guys want breakfast or burgers?"
"Burgers!" Ben and I said in unison. Joe just laughed and pulled into a burger joint.
After we ate, we headed back through my old neighborhood, with Joe being careful to take the long way around, so I wouldn't have to look at my parent's house. As soon as Joe hit the button for the garage door to open, a boy that I assumed had to be Greg came bounding out of the house. He looked just like Ben and Joe. There was definitely no mistaking that these men were related!
When I finally managed to get out of the car, Greg jumped up and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're finally here!" he exclaimed. "I got your bed and everything all set up for you, and we went to your old house and got all your clothes and your TV and stuff yesterday. I hope I got it all the way you wanted it!"
I couldn't help but laugh. This kid was going to be a handful! I shook his hand and said "thanks, Greg, for getting everything set up for me. I'm not sure if I could have gone back over there yet. I'm sure whatever you have done will be great. Now, the only question I have is, where's the bathroom? I really gotta pee!"
Greg burst out laughing and grabbed my good hand. "Come on, man, I'll show you. Then I'll show you around before your appointment."
As he led me into the house, I couldn't help but notice how warm and inviting their house was. It was clean, and everything looked like it was in its place, but you could tell immediately that there was a lot of love in this house. As I relieved myself, I noticed there was a picture on the bathroom counter of Ben and Greg with a small, frail looking woman. This must have been Jo. After meeting her husband and both of her sons, I could not help but feel slightly sad that I had missed out on meeting this obviously extraordinary woman. After I washed up, when I opened the door, Greg was waiting to continue my tour.
"This is the living room, obviously," he said, still leading me by the hand. "And through here is the kitchen. We keep it pretty well stocked, but if you want anything, there's a list on the cork board. Just add whatever you want to it, and we shop on Sundays. You saw the garage." As we walked back through the living room, he said "Dad's bedroom is on the other side of the house from us. And down the hall here, you and Benny's room is on the right, and mine is on the left. The other door there is an office, where we do all our homework and stuff."
"Wow, Greg," I said. "Thanks for the tour! Now, since you have my bed and stuff set up, you think it would be OK if I lay down for a little while? I'm still kind of tired."
As it happened, my nap would have to wait. The attorney showed up a little early, and Joe was showing him in as I was headed to the garage to get my stuff out of the car.
"You must be Jeremy," he said, holding out his hand. "I'm Jim Carter, and I have a few things to go over with you, if you feel you're up to it."
"Well, Jim," I said slowly, "even if I'm not, I guess we need to get this over with. I don't know what you could possibly have to tell me, though. Tom had other kids, and I have an older brother out there somewhere that I guess would be more entitled to anything they left. And I'm honestly not sure that I want anything that came from either of them. But, let's get down to it, I guess."
Jim looked at me for a moment, and said "I have to say, you are a remarkable young man. If I had been through half of what I've been told you've dealt with, I think I'd be in a rubber room," he laughed. First, there is the matter of the life insurance. Between your mother and Tom, there is just over a hundred thousand dollars in an escrow account in your name. Tom's children from his previous marriages have already been given their share, and as for your brother, well, we have his name and contact information if you want it, but there were no provisions in the wills for him." He paused for another second, and continued. "The house is yours, free and clear. They had insurance to pay it off in the event of their deaths, and in your mothers will, it was left to you. Now, should you decide to sell it," he paused again, "and I completely understand if you do, then you will be responsible for removing all the personal property that remains. Your grandparents and your mother's siblings have all said that they would help with that part if you need them, but they are reluctant to come back to Texas. Tom's family has agreed to just stay out of the whole process and let you decide if and when you want to talk to them."
Without noticing that Greg was still in the room, I blurted out "Fuck them. All of them. They knew what he was doing to me for eight years, and they never once stood up for me. Not one of them ever told the cops, or the social workers, what they saw or heard in that fucking house. And they were all asked, many times. This is not the first time he put me in the hospital, you know. They gave up the right to speak to me the second the signed the guardianship papers for Joe." With that, I broke down a little bit, and then saw that Greg was sitting on the chair next to me, with his mouth hanging open. "Greg, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk like that with you here. I forgot that you were in the room." When he ran out of the room, I thought he was crying.
When he found Joe, I heard him say "Daddy, why would someone do that? How can someone hurt their own family that way?"
Of course, I felt terrible. I turned back to Jim, and said "Look, Jim, I understand I'll have to clean out the house, but I am definitely selling it. I don't ever want to set foot in that place again. I don't think I can." Let me know what needs to be done so I can get rid of it, and move on, if I can."
He simply stared for a moment, and replied, "I thought you might feel that way, son. I've already had the title transferred to your name, and I have a realtor that will take care of the sale for you. We just need to get you up the whatever bank you decide to use, so we can transfer the insurance money to your account, and then I will let you and Joe decide what to do about the personal effects still in the house."
Fourteen signatures later, and Jim was gone. When I finally sat back on the sofa, Greg poked his head around the corner, and asked me "Are you ok?"
I smiled at him, patted the cushion next to me, and said "I'm not right now, shortstack, but I will be soon. I promise. I'm sorry you had to hear that, and I'm sorry it upset you."
He smiled at me again and answered, "I'm NOT short! I'm just not as tall as Benny or Dad yet. And Benny said the "f" word all the time before you got here. I've never seen him so mad. I just don't understand why your Dad would be so mean to you."
"Well, little buddy," I answered, "he wasn't my real Dad, and he never liked me very much. I never knew why, and I guess now I never will. You and Ben are very lucky to have Joe. You're what, eleven?" I asked.
"Yep, I'll be twelve in February." He answered proudly.
"Well, buddy," I continued, "by the time I was your age, I had already been in the hospital a few times, and had already had several broken bones. I'm glad you don't know what that's like. I hope you never have to find out, but I don't think you have to worry about it. Your Dad is a stand up guy."
"What does that mean?" he asked. "What is a stand up guy? Is that like a comedian?"
I had to laugh at this, even though he was completely serious. "No, bud, what I mean by that is that your Dad is a good guy. He does the right thing, even if it isn't the easy thing to do, and he stands up for people who can't help themselves. People like me."
He seemed to think about that for a minute, and said "OK, I'm going outside to ride my bike now."
After he left to go play, I made my way down the hall to what was my new room, I guess, and as I opened the door, Ben grabbed me and hugged me tight. "I heard everything you just said to him." He said. "Thank you for trying to explain all of this in a way that he would understand, and so that he wouldn't be scared of something happening to him. He worries a lot since Mom died. Now, if you still need to lie down for a while, this is your bed on the left, and mine is on the right. Dad wants to talk to you later about the house and stuff, but he can wait as long as you need. Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"
I couldn't turn that down. "I would like that very much," I replied. "I'm probably going to need help getting out of this shirt, anyway. I'm gonna have to get some button downs until my ribs quit hurting so bad." As he helped me undress, I couldn't help but get aroused. Here was this gorgeous boy, the one I had wanted since I first saw him, helping me take my clothes off! And he definitely noticed what a state he was putting me in! As I lowered my jeans, my boxers betrayed me, and my cock sprang up like a board, smacking my stomach. Ben, hot as he was, giggled.
"Been a while, huh, mister?" He laughed. "Well, after you get a nap and a shower, we'll have dinner, and then if you want, we can just lay around back here for a bit, unless you, uh, want to take care of that now." And then he leaned in and kissed me. I'm not talking about a friendly kiss here, either. I'm talking, toe curling, foot lifting, full on passionate kiss here. I was dazed afterward, and had to sit down.
"Ben, it HAS been two months since I even jerked off, you know. I'm sure if you find me a rag to clean up with, I can have this taken care of in just a minute," I said, blushing furiously.
"No, sir," he said. "No boyfriend of mine is gonna have to rub one out by himself if he doesn't want to. I'll go get something to clean up with. Don't start without me!"
As he left the room, I couldn't help but notice the tent in his cargo shorts. He was definitely carrying some cargo in there! It then occurred to me that I had never seen Ben when he wasn't fully dressed. I had jerked off a couple of times with my friends Cody and Kevin, but we had never touched each other. I had never touched anyone except for myself in that way, and now I had this beautiful green eyed boy running to get a cum rag! I couldn't help but laugh, even though it hurt my side terribly. When Ben came back into the room, I was still laughing hysterically, and soon had him rolling around as well. As I tried to explain just what was so funny, I grabbed him and pulled him onto the bed with me. As we curled up on the bed, he gave me another one of those knock your lights out kisses, and I snuggled up close to him. After we broke our kiss, I laid my head on his chest, and before I knew it, I was being shaken awake! So much for first times, huh!
"Jer," Ben said as he shook me, "wake up, buddy, it's time to eat. You've been asleep about 6 hours!"
"What?" I said, slowly sitting up. "What time is it?"
"Dude, it's almost seven," was the reply.
"No shit? Wow, no wonder I'm so hungry. What time did we eat this morning, like nine?"
"Yeah, man, it was pretty early," he said. "You slept through lunch. After we eat, Dad wants to talk to you for a while, if you're up to it."
"I need a shower before I should be allowed anywhere that people are going to be eating," I said. "I smell like hospital and cheeseburger."
"Yeah," he agreed, "it's not as sexy as you might think, either." I nailed him in the back with a pillow as he ran out the room.
Fortunately, our room had its own attached bathroom, so I didn't have to go far to find a shower. I was surprised when I walked in how much space there was. They had gotten rid of the tub to make room for a stand up shower that looked like it would hold three people. There were three shower heads in the ceiling and multiple body sprays in the wall. I would have to remember to ask about this later. As I dried myself off afterward, I almost had to call for help. It hurt to bend over and dry my legs, and I was having a hard time turning to dry my sides effectively. In the end, I gave up on getting completely dry, pulled on some boxers and sweats, and found a t-shirt that I could maneuver into in reasonable time. As I looked in the mirror, I couldn't help but think about my scars and how terrible they looked. As I turned off the lights, I sighed and headed down the hall to join the Forster men for dinner.