Over 6,000 words in this chapter to make up for the tiny Prologue.
Silent Water - Chapter 1
I Find My Soul mate.
I could not remember the last time I had been in London's West End at this time of day. I had picked up the first Underground train from my friend's house in the suburbs because I wanted to see London before it became totally congested. I was going to walk up Shaftesbury Avenue from Piccadilly Circus, turn left and end up at my favourite little café near Tottenham Court Road Station, have a full English breakfast, read the paper and be in my Financial Adviser's office sharp at nine.
I had lived abroad since inheriting my great uncles fortune, returning only very occasionally for business, not pleasure. England had just become so depressing. Huge increases in taxation with no discernible improvements in anything except the number of civil servants and the size of politicians bank balances. A measure of the depressing situation in the country was the number of homeless sleeping on the streets in the capital of one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Almost every shop doorway I passed had a bundle of rags in it that represented one of the lost souls of which there were thousands.
By the time I was halfway up the Avenue I had stopped looking at them, until one of them stirred as I approached and poked his head out of the bundle of rags. I thought for one moment it was a she, dirty, of course, unkempt, long black greasy hair, olive complexion, very young. When I realised it was a boy I also realised he was beautiful. The eyes, as always with me were the first things I noticed. They were the most unusual brown, but they were soft and deep surrounded by the longest lashes I had ever seen. I took in his face that although quite angular had a softness about it that stopped the angles making it severe.
I stopped and just looked at him trying to take in every inch of his beauty.
"What are you staring at?"
His question was just that, not at all antagonistic, it made me realise how rude I had been.
"I'm sorry, you surprised me."
He looked along the Avenue and back to me with a quizzical expression.
"Why, there are hundreds of us here.
"I know, I don't know. Please, come and have breakfast with me by way of an apology."
"Where?"
"Just round the corner at Café Real."
"They won't let me in."
"Yes they will if you are with me."
"Ok." Said with such a total lack of concern I was quite taken back.
As he stood and gathered up his bundle of rags to put in an old backpack I noticed that he was quite small and very slim, probably undernourished. His voice had also registered. He was North American, probably part native Indian. What on earth was he doing living rough on the streets of London?
As he fell into step alongside me he looked up at me with those eyes and said, "Why are you doing this?"
"I felt guilty staring at you the way I did. You're American Indian aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm a half caste, my father was American, my mother was full blooded Navajo."
"You say was?"
"They're dead."
"I'm sorry."
He just nodded.
We must have looked a weird sight as we walked into the Café. A six foot Anglo Saxon in business suit and briefcase with a five foot seven inch very dirty and raggedy American Indian.
The owner looked at us as we entered and started to say something in protest before he recognised me and then quite obviously changed what he was going to say.
"Mr. Robert, how nice to see you. It has been a long time."
"Yes it has Alonso. Good to see you too. This young man is very dirty, can he use the restroom to clean up a little?"
"Yes, of course."
When he came back he was still raggedy but at least his face and hands were clean and he had pulled his hair back from his face and secured it in a ponytail. I gasped, he was even more beautiful than I first thought.
He sat opposite me with his bag under the table
"My name is Robert, what are you called?"
"Sam."
"Ok Sam, what would you like for breakfast?"
"Can I have anything I like?"
"Yes, if it's on the menu."
I guess he was hungry. In the time it took me to eat an English breakfast he ate three and about a dozen slices of toast and preserves. Probably a gallon of orange juice and finally he joined me with a coffee.
"Hungry huh."
"Yes, I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be, I guessed you would be. Why are you living on the streets in London, shouldn't you be in America?"
"A friend brought me here from Arizona but he got tired of me and just threw me out. I had no money and was too scared to go to the American Embassy for help. I guess I just got used to living rough."
"How old are you?"
"I'm eighteen."
"Who was this friend that abandoned you?"
Sam looked embarrassed.
"We met in Arizona and he said he would always look after me if I went to London with him. I was living rough after my parents were killed so I agreed."
"How old was he Sam?"
Again the embarrassed look.
"About the same age as you."
He didn't need to say anymore I could guess. I was gay and if I was predatory I would probably have enjoyed this boy's body but I certainly would not have ditched him in the middle of an alien land. What a callous bastard.
"Are you gay Sam?"
I saw steel in his eyes as he sat up straight and looked at me.
"Yes, and I'm proud of it."
I laughed softly and replied,
"I am too, and I'm proud of it. I don't want you to read anything into this. What I am going to say has no hidden agenda. Would you like to come with me and we will see if we can't sort something out for you? Get you off the streets and put some proper clothes on your back."
I knew he wouldn't believe me but he did have the good grace to not accuse me of wanting his body.
"Why would you do that for me?"
"I don't know really. I guess it is because you looked so out of place."
I still didn't see belief in his eyes. Not surprising really, it didn't sound very convincing to me either.
"Sam, I don't live in England, I am here on business and staying with a friend. I would genuinely like to help you before I go home. No strings attached. I am not going to take you somewhere to use your body or anything like that."
I suppose he thought that anything was better than his present situation. The other man had abused him, not just sexually, I found out later, so I wasn't likely to top that.
"Ok, what do you want me to do?"
"Is there anything in that backpack worth keeping?"
"Only my passport."
"Can we throw it away and start from scratch?"
"Yeah, ok."
I paid Alonso, he threw the backpack out for me and we headed for the tube to take us to my business meeting. We slipped into a man's shop and I kitted Sam out with a basic outfit.
"We just need to make you semi presentable Sam or my Business Associate will freak."
My meeting was uneventful, we moved some of my investments around and Sam and I headed for Harrow and my friend's house.
Mike was at work when we arrived so I gave Sam a towel, showed him the bathroom and told him to go clean himself up and we would talk.
My comment when he walked back into the lounge was, "Oh my God."
He looked shocked, "What's the matter?"
I shook my head,
"Nothing, I'm sorry. You are beautiful."
He blushed and I laughed.
"I'm sorry Sam, you took me completely by surprise but you are beautiful."
"Thank you Robert. Now what?"
The tone of voice made me realise I had fucked up.
"Now nothing. I am not going to take advantage of you. I genuinely want to help you. Come and sit down let's talk."
He sat opposite me with a wary expression on his face.
"Please Sam, I don't know how bad your experiences have been but I promise you I am just out to help you not take advantage of your situation. Now what do you want to do?"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it for months."
"Well let me make a couple of suggestions. You can let me get you a few more clothes and a case for them before I buy you an airline ticket and send you home. You can let me clothe you completely, regularise your situation here with immigration, leave you some money to give you time to sort yourself out. You can stay with me and come back to my home in Spain for as long as you like. Or anything else you think of."
"Why?"
"Because. I don't know I just know I want to."
He started to cry. I was devastated. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to touch him in case I frightened him.
"What is it Sam, please don't cry."
"What do you want from me? Is it really horrible, will you hurt me very much?"
Now I had to. I took him in my arms and said.
"I don't want anything from you and there is no way I am ever going to hurt you. I just think you are beautiful and I want to help. Absolutely no strings attached."
He looked at me through his tears and said, "No one has done anything for me since my parents were killed without wanting something."
"Ok, in that case I'll be the same. I want you to trust me, I want you to believe that all I want to do is help you and I want you to stay with me at least until I go home next week."
I smiled as I said it and he did too. First break through I hoped.
"I don't know Robert. I really don't know."
"Ok, would you let me spend the afternoon spoiling you?"
Again that quizzical look. "What do you mean?"
"I have lots of money. Would you like to see how much of it we can spend on new clothes and accessories for you."
I could see the look.
"Honestly, I'm not mad."
I had fun. The look on his face as we purchased a stack of designer clothes for him and all the male accessories you would expect from basic toiletries to a gold dress watch and a swatch for everyday. The best part for me was being able to throw away the stuff I had bought him that morning and clothe him in really classy clothes. He looked fantastic, he was just a natural clothes horse with his slim stature.
"Is there anything else you would like Sam."
We were outside Bally in New Bond Street where we had just purchased dress shoes for him.
"Yes please, can I show you how much I appreciate this."
"Sure. " I said not realising what he intended.
He threw himself into my arms and kissed me full on the lips. My turn to blush.
"Thank you Sam, that was wonderful, but I would appreciate it if you didn't do that in public too often, you'll get us arrested."
I was laughing as I said it to take the sting out of it.
We took a taxi back to Mike's, we had way too many bags to risk public transport.
Once there Sam wanted another shower so that he could put on clean underwear and dress in another set of new clothes.
"Can I put on a fashion show for you when I am clean?"
"Mmm, I think I would like that."
His idea of a fashion show was to start at the underwear and swimwear and work up. When he walked out of the bathroom with just a tiny pair of CK briefs on I nearly died. He was gorgeous. He looked about fourteen except the bits covered by the briefs. Well barely covered by the briefs. He was better than well endowed and he had the cutest slimmest butt I had ever seen when he turned round.
"Oh Jesus Sam, go and put something else on or I will find it difficult to keep my word."
He looked frightened.
"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you. But you are gorgeous and if you don't cover some of it up I will want to make love to you forever."
He grinned and put some shorts and a T-shirt on.
"The guy that threw you out has to be totally insane. You are the most beautiful young man I have ever seen. If you were mine I would treasure you forever."
He looked, no that is inadequate. He stared with his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
"Do you mean that?"
"Absolutely."
He looked in the mirror turning left and right, puting his tongue out, smiling, posing. I was in fits by the time he had finished and was facing me again.
"What."
He had his legs astride hands on hips head tilted and I was creased up.
"What was all that about?"
"I wanted to see what you were seeing. I'm not beautiful, I'm not even sure I'm handsome."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Sam and believe me in my eyes you are stunning."
Realising I was deadly serious he blushed and dropped his eyes.
"Thank you Robert," said so softly I barely heard him.
I had obviously embarrassed him because he was glowing. I needed to change the atmosphere.
"Get yourself dressed Sam ready to go out. When Mike gets home I'll take you both out to dinner."
I think by the time dinner was finished he believed me. Mike had also made the comment that Sam was a beautiful young man. Then, after being so careful all day I put my big foot in it.
"Yeah, I guess ready to be multiply raped tonight."
Oh fuck how could I have been so stupid? The look on his face made me want to cry.
"Sam, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. It was just an expression to emphasise how drop dead gorgeous you are. I promise neither of us is going to touch you."
He wasn't convinced.
"Would you like me to book you into a hotel tonight and we'll continue tomorrow."
"You'd do that for me."
"Yes, I was stupid to frighten you like that, it's the least I can do."
He searched my eyes, analysed my tone of voice and decided I was still ok.
"No, that's ok I'll come with you and Mike."
Thank God Mike had another spare bedroom. We sent Sam off to bed for a good night's sleep only to have him return to the lounge a few minutes later.
"We didn't buy me any P Js."
"Shit, sorry Sam, I don't wear them so I never thought. You'll have to sleep naked tonight and we'll get you some tomorrow."
He looked very apprehensive.
"You're ok. If I intended molesting you tonight pyjamas wouldn't have stopped me. I promise you are safe."
Mike looked at me after he had gone.
"What are you going to do with him Robert, he really is beautiful?"
"I know, I could eat him he is so adorable but in answer to your query. I haven't a clue. He has no one in the States. My guess is that he didn't complete his High School Certificate and he will get prejudice from all sides, so his future prospects are not great. I doubt his Indian relatives, if he has any will want him, he's half-caste, and the whites won't accept him for the same reason. I look like the best bet he has, but the last white man he trusted abandoned him penniless in an alien environment. How do I overcome that? He'll take years to trust me and be miserable every time I say one word wrong. I'm ten years older than him and no great catch apart from my money."
"Don't undersell yourself. You are a well put together guy. You keep in shape, you have all your own teeth and your own hair. You are also a loving and compassionate man. You would be a great catch even with no money."
We both laughed at that and I heard a little snigger coming from outside the lounge door. I jumped up quickly and caught Sam just creeping back to his bedroom. He had obviously heard everything we said.
"Come in here young man, I think we need to talk."
He really did think he had blown it judging by the look on his face. Terror would describe it very well. I took him in my arms and felt the terror and the tension.
"It is very rude to listen to other peoples conversations uninvited. I think I am going to have to punish you quite severely," I paused before completing the sentence, "By only letting you have one breakfast in the morning instead of three."
I was sniggering as I said it and could feel him relaxing a little as he looked up into my eyes. They were laughing eyes and he relaxed some more.
"I'm sorry Robert, you won't hurt me will you?"
"You dope, you heard me say all I want to do is eat you, of course I am not going to hurt you, ever, whatever you do. Come and sit down for a few minutes."
He did, looking very contrite and embarrassed because he was nearly naked.
"You know my dilemma now so you have something to think about. I have had another thought if you are worried about trusting me. If you decide you would like to try living with me, no strings. I will deposit enough money in a bank in your name to buy you a ticket anywhere in the world, plus a bit of spending money. If I throw you out you won't be destitute again and will be able to go home. How does that sound?"
"Why, why would you do that for me?"
"Because I would like to spend a lot of my future looking at you."
He looked bemused.
"Go to bed Sam, we'll talk in the morning."
I knocked on his door in the morning and got no reply so I opened it and looked at the bed. He was lying curled up like a forest fawn. He looked delightful. He had pushed his bedclothes down to his waist and I could see his lovely rounded butt under the cotton sheet and the sleek lines of his body. The feeling in my groin reminded me how much I wanted this boy. I closed the door again and went back to the kitchen to finish my coffee.
When he surfaced about ten minutes later he wandered into the kitchen in a long T-shirt and his little briefs. I nearly died. His lovely hairless legs nicely muscled and with a beautiful tan that no sun could have given him were to die for and the bulge in his briefs that pushed his T out told me he still had a partial morning wood. How I would have liked to get rid of it for him.
"Morning Robert, am I very late?"
"No you're fine, what would you like for breakfast?"
"Can I have the same as yesterday only maybe not quite as much."
We looked at each other and both dissolved with laughter.
"I think I might be able to manage that." I spluttered, "go and get washed and dressed."
After he had eaten enough for two men I asked him if he would like to go out into the country for the day.
"We can have lunch by the Thames, you can even go swimming if you want to. I know some nice places on the river."
"Oh yes I'd like that."
"Sam, I'd also like to book you in with my doctor for a full medical, would you mind?"
"Why." That wary look back, damn it.
I touched his cheek gently as I replied.
"You have been living on the street. I would like to make sure you haven't caught anything nasty."
"Like what, AIDS for instance."
I blushed.
"Not just that Sam, everything. Whatever you decide you are going to do it will make me happier if I know you are healthy."
He wasn't sure how to take me.
"Ok I guess, it won't hurt will it?"
I laughed, "Oh but it will my doctor is a sadist, he will do terrible things to you."
More laughter, we were fine again. I hired a car and we drove down into the Thames Valley ending up at a riverside restaurant near Bourne End, but on the other side of the river. I had sailed there as a boy at the Upper Thames Sailing Club. It was a beautiful day so lunch on the terrace was perfect. Being mid week it was almost empty which pleased me. More and more I wanted this boy to myself.
"Let's get over the other side of the river Sam and I know a quiet spot where we can let lunch settle and then go for a swim."
An hour later with the car parked close to us on the riverbank he changed into the new swim briefs I had bought for him in town and plonked himself down on the travel rug next to me. I changed in the car and joined him. He looked me up and down when I stretched out and it made me laugh because I could see he was trying to look at me without me seeing it.
"Ok, nosy, how about you look at me all you want for a few minutes and then you lay down and let me do the same to you."
He blushed and I sat up and gave him a hug. Lying down again I watched his eyes scan me paying particular attention to my groin area.
"Ok, want me to turn over?"
He blushed again and I wanted to eat him he looked so delightful. It was difficult to believe he was eighteen.
"Yes please." He said. So I rolled over onto my tummy for a few minutes.
"Ok, my turn."
I examined him minutely, he was almost perfect. When he turned onto his tummy I noticed below his waist and disappearing into his costume what looked like bruising in strips. I touched one and he jumped.
"What are these Sam?"
"Nothing," he replied in a very strangled voice.
"They aren't nothing, what are they?"
He turned over and looked at me with that awful fearful look that I hated.
"I'm sorry Sam. I want to know what they are."
I think I must have had a premonition to have been so insistent.
He rolled back over and just pulled his trunks below his butt cheeks. They were a mass of fading striped bruises. I touched them and could feel the ridges. I gasped. I knew what they were without asking. He had been beaten so hard it had ridged the muscles.
"How long ago did this other man throw you out Sam?"
He had started to cry. "Three months ago I think."
"And has anyone mistreated you since?"
"No"
"Pull your trunks up Sam and turn over."
He did but wouldn't look at me. I took him in my arms.
"He ought to be horse whipped for doing that to you. I can't even begin to imagine the pain of taking that level of caning. It was a cane wasn't it?"
I felt his head nod.
"What else did he used to do to you?"
He didn't say anything.
"Please Sam. If he beat your bottom that hard I don't believe he left the rest of you alone."
In a whisper he told me.
"He used to string me up naked in the basement and use me as a punch bag. Sometimes he would use me to practice his Karate kicks. He had huge dildos and butt plugs that he would leave in me all day while he was at work. I would be tied up and left in a cupboard until he was ready to punish me again."
He was sobbing so hard he could hardly speak and I was dying at each new revelation. He must have been terrified.
"How long did this go on for?"
"I don't know, months I think. He started almost as soon as we arrived here in England. He was so nice to me in Arizona I trusted him."
I cuddled him and almost cried with him.
"I swear I will never hurt you Sam as God is my witness. All I want to do is make you happy and see you smiling all the time."
He looked up at me and through his tears I could see him looking for the lie in my eyes.
He snuggled back into my chest so I guess he saw what he wanted.
We swam and played in the water like a couple of kids. I felt my heart constrict every time I looked at him laughing. His long black hair covered his face half the time but the laughter rang out along the river.
The drive home was what I would call companionable. We both felt it unnecessary to keep chatting. I knew Mike was away for two days now and told Sam we had the house to ourselves. Would he like me to hire a first run movie and order in food.
"We can watch the movie and slum it eating in front of the TV. "
"Yeah, that sounds like fun."
We did, it was fun. We sat on the floor surrounded by half a dozen Chinese dishes which we picked at and drank a pleasant dry white wine.
Bed about eleven and I was quickly into the land of nod after a happy day. I couldn't have been in a deep sleep though because I heard the door open and Sam knelt beside my bed.
"Can I sleep with you Robert?"
What do you think I said?
"Of course Sam hop in."
I didn't expect him to be naked, but he was, we still hadn't bought him pyjamas. He snuggled into me with his head tucked under my chin, one leg thrown over mine with the thigh resting across my groin and his arm across my chest. He must have been able to feel my almost instant erection but I could feel no tension in him. I wrapped both of my arms round him and heard the gentle sigh as he adjusted his position to get completely comfortable. I could feel the tears pricking the back of my eyes. I realised I was happy and then I slept.
I woke the next morning and realised neither of us had moved but I never slept well on my back. I guess I would have to re-evaluate that one. I was still rock hard but a lot of that was my morning pee hard. I needed to go but I didn't want to disturb Sam. I never wanted to disturb Sam. Wrapped in my arms the way he was I was in heaven.
I heard the little voice that said into my chest.
"I gotta go."
I laughed. "I gotta go too."
He lifted his head, kissed me on the nose and was out of bed like a shot. I followed him and we sword fenced with our pee. He must have been comfortable with me that was such a personal thing to do. We both scoped each other out and laughed together when we realised.
"That is one very impressive and very beautiful boy cock you have there Sam."
He blushed and I kissed him on the forehead.
"Want to share a shower with me or you can go first."
"Can we share?" He wouldn't look at me as he said it. How cute was that?
"Of course. I'll even wash your back if you like."
"Will you wash all of me Robert?"
I looked into those beautiful brown eyes through the slightly closed lashes, they were like liquid pools of desire.
"Of course I will but are you sure?"
"Mmm, I trust you to be gentle with me."
I gasped, I couldn't believe what this boy was suggesting only about forty eight hours after I had first picked him up.
"Are you sure Sam?"
He nodded and I followed him into the shower. I gently sponge washed him all over. He had a fully erect penis almost the second I touched him. He was both turned on and very horny I guess because without really meaning to I made him cum. I had only stroked him a couple of times with my bare hand and played with his balls with the other one. It was an amazing package. I had heard that American Indians were well rigged but never really believed it, Sam changed that. I was pretty proud of my package but it paled into insignificance against his. When we had cleaned him up he turned round and saw my eyes watering, I guess I was getting close to an emotional overload, this boy was incredible.
"What is it Robert, what have I done?"
"You have made me so happy Baby that's what you've done."
He kissed me full on the lips and that was it. I hugged him so hard I must have nearly broken his ribs.
"I'm falling in love with you Sam, I can't believe it."
"Thank you Robert, I truly feel safe with you."
I guess that was better than a declaration of undying love from this abused boy.
Big breakfast again. I didn't know where he put it all.
"Sam I have to start making plans to go home. I have some business in Madrid I have to attend to and then home to Mojacar,(pronounced mo-hac-a). Have you any idea what you would like to do?"
He looked at me a little shocked.
"I don't know, I guess I thought you were going to be here for longer."
"It isn't urgent unless you would like to remain in England. We would need to sort out your visa status and I will rent an apartment for you if you would like me to."
"What would I have to do if you rent an apartment for me?"
The tone made me want to weep. He still thought I had an angle to work even though he had said he trusted me.
"You would have to call me once a week and let me know how you were getting on and whether you needed anything."
I don't think he believed me.
"I'll think about it." And then he disappeared into his bedroom.
I did some business over the telephone, managed to get a box at the theatre to see Anything Goes, latest musical from Broadway, I loved Cole Porter's music so this was heaven for me, and I talked to someone at the American Embassy who would straighten out Sam's visa status if I needed him to.
Sam came in to see me about eleven and asked if I wanted a coffee.
"Yes please Sam, black two sugars."
He sat down with me when he brought my coffee.
"What's Mojacar like Robert?"
"It's a village in the Sierra Cabrerras in Southern Spain, but only a couple of kilometres from the sea. I think it is beautiful. I bought the Castillo that sits at the top of the village. I renovated it had the gardens all landscaped and put in state of the art communications equipment so that I could manage my money properly and still live away from places like Wall Street and the City of London.
"What do you do out there besides look after your money?"
"Oh, I swim in the pool, read a lot. Sometimes I drive down to Marbella for a few days or up to Barcelona and Citges if I want some action. I take my yacht to France and Italy if I want to or Morocco. I don't know, I just do what I feel like. I am really only now getting used to having so much money that I can do what I like."
"What would I do if I came with you?"
"Whatever you like as well. We could do things together or I would let you go where you wanted to."
"Wouldn't I have to do things for you?"
"What sort of things are you thinking of?"
"You know sex things and all that."
"Sam, I'm going to be 100% honest with you because I don't want any confusion later. I am falling in love with you, much too fast for it to make any kind of sense. I want you to come with me to Spain. I mean I really want you to come with me to Spain. When we are there I hope we will become friends. When we have got to that state I hope we will become lovers. I want to make love to you already and it hurts every time I look at you. However, I promise on my Mother's grave that I will never abuse you. I promise that I will never do anything to you that you are unhappy with. I will love you and cherish you for as long as you live with me. Whatever you want, I will honour it. Please, just come home with me."
The tears were screaming to get out from behind my eyes. How could I love this boy so much so quickly? There were a million beautiful boys in the world. I was immensely rich, I could have any of them. Why did I want this retched little street boy so much? I answered my own question, because his beauty came from inside. He could have looked like the hunch back of Notre Dame and I would still have loved him.
"Robert, I am frightened, you can't love me in such a short time."
"Yes I can. Stand where I am and tell me that. Have you no idea at all about your psyche?"
"No."
"Well I have. Even when I was poor I never begged for anything. Now I am fabulously wealthy and I am begging. Please come home with me Sam, you can set any conditions you like but please let me look after you."
He was quite obviously shocked. No one had ever loved him like I did.
"Please Robert, I don't know. I can't ingest all this it's too overpowering."
"I know baby. Go and have a lie down and think about it. Do whatever you like, talk to whoever you like. Whatever you want Sam, if I can give it to you I will."
Wrong thing to do. I was overloading an eighteen year old abused and abandoned boy with choices. He freaked. I had finished all my business when he burst into the lounge and fell into my lap pummelling my chest.
"You aren't being fair. You are offering me the world which ever option I take."
I cuddled him until he calmed down.
"Ok, I am going to take away all of the options bar one. You can come with me to Spain or you can go back on the street and risk abuse from any man that fancies you. The choice is yours."
His look of shock made me cringe.
"You don't mean that."
The accusation was like a bullet in my heart.
"Yes I do. Come with me or do the other thing."
He thought for a minute, obviously weighing up the options. How much worse could I possibly make it from what he had already tolerated? I guess he thought not much.
"I want to come with you."
Overload, my gut twisted up making me gasp, unbelievable. I certainly couldn't speak.
"I love you, I trust you. I know you won't hurt me. Please take me with you."
So I did, after we had completed his medical and a million tests. He was fine. Clean bill of health. Well nearly. He had a small amount of bruising to his kidneys and liver where Stephen had kicked him and used him as a punch bag but it was all healing ok.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Loads of loving in the next chapter