The following story is a work of gay fiction. If the subject matter is offensive to you or you are too young, please exit now. This work is the property of the author and may not be reproduced without permission. John Tucker, JETjt@aol.com
SUPER JEFF
Chapter Twenty-six
DR. JEFF RICHARD II'S POV
"Isn't Hepatitis C the one that's incurable?" Osama Bin Laden asked in English.
I was surprised, not realizing that Bin Laden spoke the language. Nevertheless, I hesitated only momentarily before answering.
"Yes," I answered, "but it's controllable and if not too advanced and treated, it may not be deadly, at least in the short term."
"What are my chances for survival?" he asked.
"It's difficult to assess at the moment," I replied. "We'll have to do some more testing before we know for sure. Hep C is a viral disease that directly attacks the liver. A & B do that also but they're curable and there are vaccinations for A & B that we'll need to give you to avoid the complications of you contracting either of those strains."
"How do you know that I have C instead of A or B," he asked.
"When I ordered your blood tests, I ordered a virus detection test which revealed the virus. I also ordered, as a matter of routine, a liver function test which looks for chemicals in the body which are produced when the liver does it's job. On top of that I ordered a complete blood count which can be an indicator of liver damage. Those tests are not quite enough though to determine the progression of the disease. For that we need to do a liver biopsy, where I will insert a needle and extract a small sample of your liver for examination. It is a minor enough procedure that it's difficult to even call it surgery though not without some risk. When we have that information we'll be able to determine how far the disease has progressed and whether it's chronic or not."
"I'm still going to die though, is that not correct?"
"Mr. Bin Laden," I said, "We're all going to die sooner or later. We'd all prefer it to be later. There is at least a good possibility that with proper treatment, you'll not die of this disease. On the other hand, if this disease is left untreated, and barring other risk factors, this virus is fatal. The reason I say `barring other risk factors' is that it's well known that you're in a high-risk occupation."
Bin Laden laughed.
"Yes," he commented with a smile still on his face which barely showed through his mustache and beard, "I guess we could agree on that. What is the treatment?"
"First we have to determine how far the disease has progressed. Once we know that, we'll progress on to the treatment. There are four stages of the disease. In the first stage the liver is inflamed but scarring has not occurred. In the second stage minor scarring has occurred. In the third stage groups of scar tissue unite. In the advanced stage, cirrhosis or advanced scarring has occurred and large portions of the liver may cease to function. We need to determine which stage your condition is in. As for the treatment, there are two drugs available that have been remarkably effective in halting or slowing this disease, and may even reverse some of the damage to the liver that has already occurred. In the meantime, while we're carrying out our evaluation, there are a number of things we need to do to minimize the effects of the disease."
"You're the doctor," Bin Laden said stoically.
"First, avoid alcohol."
Bin Laden laughed again.
"No problem," he said, wondering if I had forgotten that he was Islamic.
"I didn't think it was," I said, reading his thoughts.
"Second, you need to watch your diet and eat healthy foods. Because of your lost appetite, it's easy to not get the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Third, drink plenty of water. Water acts to remove toxins from your body and is essential particularly if your liver is not functioning to capacity. Drinking extra water will also reduce the side effects of the therapy when we get to that stage. Third, cut down on salt. Salt acts as a sponge, causing fluid to build up in the body. A low-salt diet can help reduce that fluid buildup. Finally, as mentioned before, we need to get you vaccinations against Hepatitis A and B. That will prevent the complications of having more than one variety of the disease simultaneously."
"Is the treatment for this condition difficult?" he asked.
"No, it's relatively simple, but you will have numerous side effects during treatment that temporarily will make you feel worse than you currently do. They include nausea, fever, lack of appetite etc. We'll go over those again before we begin treatment."
"One last question about Hepatitis C," Bin Laden queried. "How is Hepatitis contracted?"
"Hep A can be easily contracted, such as by eating with utensils that are not clean. It's fairly common and not too difficult to recover from if discovered early. Don't get me wrong though, if it's advanced or untreated, it can also be fatal. B & C are both blood-borne. They can be contracted just like HIV or any other of a variety of blood-borne illnesses. For example, it could be contracted by a non-sterile needle, or by one person's blood being exposed directly to another person's, such as in treating wounds, etc."
"Hepatitis C can be very elusive though," I concluded. "Like HIV it may exist in the body for a long time before any symptoms show themselves. You might have contracted this virus five or more years ago, yet the symptoms are just now surfacing. Do not be deluded just because it started slow, it may be moving fast now. There is no way to tell with a single series of tests. Left untreated, you could die four months from now or four years."
"What about my other condition, the cancer in my stomach?"
"I'm not certain that it's cancer," I stated. "When we're doing the liver biopsy, we'll also do a similar biopsy of your stomach. We should know quickly whether the condition there is malignant or benign. Hopefully if it's malignant we'll find pre-cancer cells instead of fully developed ones. If they are pre-cancerous, the likelihood of their spread is significantly smaller than if they're fully developed. How soon would you be available for the biopsies?" I asked.
"This afternoon would be convenient," he answered.
"You'll need to have an operating room scheduled with a surgical technician and a surgical nurse assisting. I'll need to check out the facilities and equipment too before we fully commit to a time. I'll also need a lab to examine the tissue samples. I'd suggest too that you skip lunch."
"I will assign my translator here to assist you with your needs," he said making sure the man heard and understood. "He will report back to you in an hour about the availability of a surgical suite, the lab facilities, and will arrange for your inspection of the operating room and equipment."
"If the nurse and technician are not fluent in English, I'll need him in surgery for the procedure too."
"Do you need an anesthesiologist?" Bin Laden asked.
"Not for this procedure," I answered. "We'll use local anesthesia which I can administer. I'll check on availability when I examine the room. Afterward we'll schedule a specific time for the procedure."
"I'm grateful for your expertise," Bin Laden said. "I'm surprised that you know so much about Hepatitis C."
"The study of immunology and virology, which includes their affects in cancer, hepatitis, and HIV, as well as on numerous other diseases, shows that these disorders are closely related. For example, failure to treat Hepatitis C may lead to liver cancer. I try to keep up-to-date on the latest treatments and findings. Now, unless you have any other questions, I think we're finished for the time being."
"Thank you Doctor Richards," Osama said as he stood up to exit. "My men will escort you to your room, then Achmed here will see you in an hour or so."
"I'll be waiting," I replied as the tall man and his translator left the room. A moment later the door again swung open and the guards indicated that I should follow them. I complied.
TYLER'S POV
I stood there watching the expression on their faces as I repeated to them what we'd been told by our friends at University Medical Center. I answered their questions as best I could, which were for the most part the same questions I had when the news came in. After we talked about the diagnosis Jeff got right to the point.
"What does this news do to our options?" he asked.
"We're really not sure," I admitted. "I suspect that it means we're running out of time. On the other hand it at least gives us some kind of timetable which we didn't have before. If surgery is involved with the possible cancer, it could happen quickly, but I'm sure there would be a recovery period where they'd be reluctant to do anything harmful to your parents. As far as the Hepatitis C, I'm not sure. It's the big question mark."
"That's not our dad's specialty," Jeff declared.
"We're aware of that," I said. "My office is checking with his office in California to ascertain whether he has enough knowledge to treat the disease."
"I think you'll find that he's more than qualified," Amanda offered. "I know that he prefers surgery and oncology in his practice, but he gave a talk at my high school three years ago about health risks for young people, and of course the subject centered on HIV and other STD's, but included was some discussion of Hepatitis. It seems that everyone had heard of Hepatitis, but most of the kids were unaware of what it really is. `C' is quite deadly though, and can be incurable. It was kind of a scary realization for most of us."
"From what I've learned in talking to our doctors," I responded, "Hepatitis C, like HIV and many of the more serious forms of cancer is not an automatic death sentence like it used to be. If those diseases are treated early they can be arrested even if not completely cured. If your dad is treating the condition, it might even buy us more time. In any case, I think we need to get ready to move in for a rescue."
"I agree with that," Jeff said.
"Me too," Mandy seconded.
"My guess is that they're reasonably safe, at least for the next two to three weeks," I assessed. "Since we started the rescue planning early, we should be able to put it into action within that time period. We'll still wait for the Israelis though. I'm sure we'll get an answer from them in the next two or three days."
"I hope you'll keep Rick and I informed after we leave," Amanda requested.
"Of course Amanda," I answered. "We'll have to be careful what we say on the phone though. I'm sure the Feds have tapped your phones and perhaps even ours. It's even possible the `terrorist side' has done like-wise or bugged the house in California. Also I am continuing the security on you until this whole thing is resolved."
"Just make sure the security guards are cute," Mandy said with a wink.
"Hey!" Rick exclaimed.
"Don't worry Sweetie," she said, giving Rick a peck on the cheek, "You have no competition."
Rick blushed as he grinned.
"What time are Frank and Paul coming in tomorrow," Jeff asked.
"One of our planes is picking them up at 7:00 AM, so we'll meet them at the McCarran airport at 9:00," Tyler reported.
"Darn," Jeff said with a woeful look. "Chris and I are playing golf in the morning at 7:00AM and we should be back here before noon. I wanted to be with you when he's picked up."
"Mandy and I could pick them up," Rick said, "We'd need a car though"
"You can take the SUV," I offered, "then pick Jeff and Chris up at the golf course after you get back from the airport. The trip to the airport is easy, but I'll leave you a map since the Executive Jet terminal is not near the main commercial terminals. That will give me uninterrupted time to make sure that everything for the Richards' rescue is progressing properly."
"Sure Tyler," Rick agreed. "We'll meet you in the breakfast room at 6:00 AM to get the keys and map."
"I'll drop Jeff and Chris off at the course on my way in to the office. It's right on my timetable," I said. "I'm sure that Leonard Johnson will want to interview Ben and Jon tomorrow too, but I can have Sterling take them there in the jeep."
"We'd be happy to do that too," Rick offered, "as long as it's in the afternoon."
"Or Chris and I could take them," Jeff interjected. "That way Rick and Mandy would have more time to visit with Frank and Paul."
"That would be very nice of you Jeff," I said. "I'll call you on your cell when I know what time the appointment will be."
"Good then we have a plan," Jeff said smiling. "What time will you know about the appointment?"
"I'm sure that Leonard won't be there that early, so it will probably be after 8 o'clock or so."
"I'll wear my phone while we're playing," Jeff offered.
"If there is any further news about your parents, I'll be in touch too. If it's nothing of pressing importance I'll fill you all in tonight," I concluded turning to Dan. "I've about had it for the day Babe. Are you ready to call it a night?"
"Sure Ty," Dan replied with a smile. "Good night guys."
After exchanging good nights, I took the hand of my handsome man, hoping that we could do a little `sharing' before we fell asleep. From the twinkle in his eyes I was pretty sure of the answer.
JEFF'S POV
We entered the parking lot at the Thornton Center for the boys' 2:00 appointment. The golf game was fun but we were both glad that we'd teed off early since the Weather Channel had predicted that the temperature would reach 110 degrees by mid afternoon. I'm sure that it was close to that now but the Escalade was a cool 76 degrees. Paul and Frank arrived on schedule and Amanda and Rick had picked them up. Chris and I made it back to Tyler's in time for a nice long visit and lunch with them before it was time to take Ben and Jon to Thornton.
Stepping out of the car was like stepping into a blast furnace. It made you appreciate the hardiness of the pioneers and early settlers who braved the heat without the aid of modern refrigeration. From what I'd seen on the History Channel, the workers who constructed Hoover Dam faced the same hardships, only worse, since the temperatures at the river were usually at least 5 degrees hotter than in Las Vegas, sometimes more. Then they had to work with the heat radiating off the rock as well. At night some of the workers who were lucky lived in Boulder City which the government had constructed for them. Many more who were late hires or were out of work, hoping to get hired, lived in a tent city nearby. It's amazing that more people didn't die.
The four of us rushed inside the administration building to get out of the heat. There we were greeted by a receptionist who directed us to Mr. Johnson's office. As we approached his secretary's desk she smiled and asked us to be seated, while she announced our arrival over the phone. Mr. Johnson soon opened the door.
"Good morning men," he said with a smile. "It's good to see you again."
We stood up and exchanged handshakes.
"Jeff, we'll be awhile with Ben and Jon, probably an hour. If you'd like, you and Chris could go over to the rec. building and entertain yourselves. Feel free to use any of the equipment or video games you like. The place should be pretty deserted because the boys that live here are mostly at school or are working."
Ben and Jon looked a little nervous since I'm sure they thought that Chris and I would be with them. Mr. Johnson noticed and smiled at them.
"I think you'll enjoy our little chat this morning," he told the boys, trying to minimize their angst. "We're pretty informal here. You'll get to know some of the staff and particularly the house parents where you'll live, if you decide you really want to stay."
"I guess we'll be over at the recreation building then," I said.
"I'll send Ben and Jon over there when we're done," the director promised.
"Great. We'll be there," I said.
"Come on in boys," Mr. Johnson said to Ben and Jon. "We'll get you a soft drink first and then introduce you around."
He opened the door to his office, beckoning the boys to enter. As they disappeared into the large office, Chris and I said "See ya later" and stepped back out into the hallway where we'd entered. Making our way to the recreation building, we found the place deserted as predicted.
"What would you like to do?" I asked Chris as we looked at the large main room which was set up for basketball.
"Let's look at the video game room before we decide," Chris suggested. "I'm still a little bushed from our round of golf. Besides, I suck at basketball."
"We can fix that," I said, "but I agree with you. Maybe something less energetic would be better for now."
Chris smiled. I could see his mind working.
"I really would like to get better at basketball," he said. "I don't want to embarrass you around your friends if we are invited to play."
"Babe, you never embarrass me," I countered. "I'm always proud to be with you."
"You know what I mean," he said.
"I know Babe," I said accepting his statement. "Let's check out the video games first, then if we want we can work on your basketball skills later. Besides, we'll get pretty sweaty playing round-ball, so lets do that last anyway."
Chris followed as I took off for the hallway leading to the video game room. On entering I saw something I hadn't seen before.
"Hey, it's a Golden Tee golf machine," I said. "Man! It's the new one too. I've only played it a few times because most of the time they're in bars, where we're too young to go."
"More golf?" Chris laughed. "I think you breathe that game."
"Hey, you're no slouch yourself now," I replied. "I can't believe how you've picked up that game. You're hovering round 80 now. There are lots of guys who would kill to play that well. I knew I shouldn't believe you when you said that you were not athletic."
"I never had such a good teacher before," Chris explained.
"Yeah, the guys at the club are good."
"I mean you, silly," he laughed. "You have the patience of Job."
"For you I'd do anything," I said, only half joking. "I just want you to get on the golf team with me this coming year. You're close to good enough already, and we'll have the fall to work on your game before the real competition starts. I think we can both get golf scholarships to college, if we try."
"Heck, you could get one right now," Chris challenged.
"Maybe," I said, "but I'm a ways from being a Tiger Woods. Anyway, let's play Golden Tee. It's kinda hard at first until you get the hang of it, but then it's tons of fun. Maybe if we like it, I can convince my dad, when they get back, to buy us one for the game room at home."
"How much are they?" Chris asked, trying to take my mind off my missing parents.
"I heard you could buy a reconditioned older version for about $5000, but I really like the new version better. The graphics are much better."
"Can you even get a new version?" Chris asked.
"Anything is possible if you want it bad enough," I replied. "I got you didn't I?"
I smiled as Chris blushed.
An hour later, Ben and Jon burst into the game room where we were still playing video golf.
"How'd it go?" I asked with interest.
"Man it was great! Ben said, "We get to move in tomorrow. Me and Jon are gonna be roomies, too"
I was surprised that they'd decided so quickly, but glad they were so excited.
"Good on ya!" I said as Chris and I offered some `high fives' and hugs. "I'm really glad for you. We'll have to have a party tonight."
"Yeah, great! Jon said.
"We'll ship the rest of your stuff over when we get home," Chris said.
"Do you know when you're leaving to go back to L.A.?" Ben asked.
"No, probably after the weekend though. I don't want to wear out our welcome," I replied.
"I'll hate to see you go," Ben admitted. "I'd feel a lot better if you were just across town."
"If you need us you can call," I said. "We could probably be here in a couple or three hours if we fly, just over 5 hours if we drive, but you know that you can depend on Tyler and Dan too, or Ron and Matt if Tyler and Dan aren't around."
"Yeah, I know. I don't think I've ever had so many guys that cared about me. I know I didn't when I was living at home," Ben said.
"Well, let's go then," Chris said with a smile, "We have a party to plan."
After we got back to Tyler and Dan's, I called Tyler at the office to make sure that a party would be okay. He thought it was a great idea and talked to Sterling after he told me to coordinate it with him. I waited until after Sterling hung up the phone and then stepped over to him.
"I hope we're not causing you too much trouble," I said apologetically.
"Heck no!" Sterling exclaimed. "I was thinking of a little celebration tonight anyway since Miss Amanda and Mr. Rick will be leaving tomorrow."
"I can make a run to the store if you need some help. I'm sure that Chris would be glad to pitch in too."
"No need unless you want something special or personal," Sterling replied. "We have enough food and party stuff already to host a cast of thousands^Å.. well hundreds, anyway."
"That's an idea," I said. "I'd like to get some gifts. Do you think that Tyler would mind if Chris and I borrowed the Escalade again?"
"Not at all," Sterling said smiling. "The keys are where they always are, on the board by the garage door."
"Thanks Sterling. We'll be leaving in a little while."
"No problem Jeff," Sterling said. "I'll take care of the party preparations. If I need any help I'll yell."
"Great, and thanks again," I said as I left the family room and headed upstairs where Chris was showering.
When I got there, Chris was just entering the bedroom with only a towel around his waist.
"Darn, I'm too slow," I pouted.
Chris grinned.
"It depends on what you want," Chris said with a taunting leer.
I walked over to where Chris was and took him in my arms. Kissing him, I simply said, "You."
"I'm happy to grant that wish," Chris said in a soft but alluring voice.
"Should I shower first?" I asked.
"No," he said. "We're probably going to want to shower afterward anyway."
"Yeah," I said with an evil grin. "I can get my other wish then."
"Pervert!" Chris kidded with a big smile.
"You love it," I countered.
"I live for it," he agreed.
Dinner that night included all the Turners, as well as the eight of us. While it was informal, it was still held in the dining room where there was a table big enough for us all. Sterling had cooked three pot roasts with potatoes, onions, and carrots. It was all in serving dishes as we gathered around the table.
"I'm glad we could all be together again before Amanda, Rick, Ben and Jon leave," Tyler said, standing at the head of the table. "Before I turn the duties of giving thanks over to Ron, I'd like to say to those of you leaving tomorrow, how much we've enjoyed your visit. You are always welcome in our home."
The four named guests all smiled and expressed their gratitude to the Turners for their hospitality.
"Now for the joke you've all been waiting for," Ron said to a chorus of groans and remarks. He ignored the taunts and just grinned.
"A Koala bear went into a diner and ordered dinner," he began. After he had eaten, he pulled out a gun and started shooting the place up, then stood up and walked out. The following night, the same thing happened. He came in, had his meal, then shot off his gun and departed. The third night he came in and sat down. The manager recognized him immediately and came over to his table."
"'I don't know what you're doing here, but I want to make sure we don't have any trouble,' the man said."
"`I'm just being myself,' the Koala bear said."
"I guess I don't understand," the Manager said, Explain."
"`Well, you know what I am, don't you?' The small animal asked.
"`Sure, You're a Koala bear,' the manager replied."
"`Then that explains it," the Koala bear declared.
"`Now I'm really confused,' the manager stated. "What does being a Koala bear have to do with your actions here the last two nights."
"The Koala bear pulled a dictionary out of his pocket and handed it to the manager."
"Look up the definition of a Koala bear,' the bear' ordered."
"The manager opened the book to the appropriate heading and began to read. `Koala Bear: a brownish grey furry marsupial that lives in trees and is native to Australia and New Zealand. Eats shoots and leaves.'" ! A loud groan arose from the table as well as more than a few giggles.
"Now let us pray," Ron invited when the hubbub had died down.
"Lord, we thank You for our many blessings, for the blessings of family and the blessings of friendship. It is the gift of love that binds us together. It is the love for our families, our partners and our friends that is a true reflection of Your divinity. It is the same love, the same giving, that You have demonstrated as the highest expression of your grace. We ask that You fill our hearts with that love so that we may do Your will here on Earth. Finally we ask that You watch over our friends, Amanda, Rick, Ben and Jon. Let Your hand guide them as they venture through life. Now we thank you for the food that has been given and for the hands that have prepared it for our use in Your service. This we pray in Your Holy Name. Amen."
The party afterward was fun. We all, including the older guys, all swam and played with the younger guys in the pool. After about an hour of horsing around, the older guys joined Frank and Paul in the hot tub since Frank had to avoid the strenuous activity due to his condition. . Finally tiring we all dried off and went inside where we gathered in the family room as directed by Sterling. He wheeled in a large cake and a huge bowl of homemade ice cream. On the cake was lettered, "Our home is your home." I don't know how the rest of our guys felt, but I was more than grateful to our new friends."
"I'd like to say something," Ron said, followed by a chorus of "No!" by every one else. Then everyone broke up laughing.
Ron pretended to be hurt, but the twinkle in his eyes revealed how much he liked it, as he finally broke out in laughter.
"I was only gonna say, `Dig in'," he explained.
He didn't have to ask twice. The dessert was wonderful and was quickly consumed by the crowd until there was not a morsel left of the cake, nor a drop left of the ice cream. The party moved into the game room where everyone chose teams for cards, pool, or video games.
Chris and I asked Amanda, Rick, Ben and Jon, to forego the first round of competition and to join us in the family room for a moment.
"What's up?" Amanda asked as we sat down in a grouping of sofas and chairs.
"Chris and I wanted to express our appreciation for you all," I began. "We chose some gifts for you."
"First Amanda," I said as Chris handed her the small gift. She held it as I continued. "I know we have not always gotten along, and for that I'm sorry. I never imagined that it might take the trauma of our folks' disappearance to bring us together. If that's the case, then at least some good has come of it. I've come to appreciate you more than I ever dreamed possible. We hope you'll like your gift from both Chris and me."
She opened the gift of a beautiful but plain cross on a chain and smiled at the two of us, as she showed it to the others.
"Thanks brothers," she said. "Jeff, I'm as happy as you about our new relationship. I too regret the many years that we've been estranged. I can only promise, on my part, that I'll do my best to make it up to you in the coming years. I love you both."
"Now Rick," I addressed him as Chris handed out the second gift. "From Chris and I is a small token of our admiration for your foolhardiness. Yikes!" I kidded. "You sure know how to pick `em! I bet when you agreed to come home with Mandy you never expected what you got: bedlam and chaos! You're a brave man and we love ya, bud."
Rick laughed as he opened his gift. Inside the wrapping we had placed a small case with a very nice watch we'd selected for him. After admiring it, thanking us and showing it around, he said. "Guys, I'm really touched. When I decided to come with Mandy to your home, I was filled with worry and trepidation. I knew how difficult it must be for you all with your parents' fate in doubt. What I found though, was more than I ever hoped. I found two brave young men who while facing adversity, had taken in two more who had family problems in spite of their own. I also found hearts filled with love and caring and a brother and sister who had, at long last reunited. In spite of the attacks and the problems with your parents' abduction, I found two guys who are facing the challenges united in their love for each other. In all honesty, I never really believed that two guys could have that kind of devotion to each other. Once I found it with you, we came here to the Turners and I've seen it again and again. It has changed my whole perspective about gays. Thank you for having me and accepting me into your family. I hope that Mandy will someday be mine permanently, but be that as it may, I want you to know how much I love and respect you all."
"Thanks Rick," I said gratefully. "Now we come to Ben and Jon. Our gifts to you," I went on as Chris handed them two identical boxes," are a small expression of our love for you and our caring. You can open your gifts now."
The boys dug into the wrappings finding inside two identical cellular phones.
Their eyes lit up and they thanked us profusely.
"We wanted you to have those," I explained so that you can keep in touch, not only with each other, but also with us. We'd like to hear from you now and then and we'll come and visit you too. We've prepaid for the first two years of calls, then afterward they are yours to do with as you'd like. Please realize that they are not toys though. If you lose them they are gone. We hope you won't though since it will make it easy for you to keep in touch. We love you both."
"Thanks Jeff and Chris," Ben said. "We should be the ones givin' you presents. You've taken us in and made us feel welcome. We preciate it more than we can say. We hope ya don' think that cause we decided to live at that Thornton place that we don' love ya and respect ya. It's jes' that, for us, it's comf'table to be around a bunch of guys like us. We hope ya don' think bad of us for doin' it. Anyways, thanks for the phones. We'll be takin' real good care of `em, and will be callin' now and ag'in to let ya know how we' doin'. We love ya too and hope we'll always be your little brothers."
"You will," I assured them. "Now let's join the others and kick some butt."
They laughed as we got up and went to join the Turners in the game room.
It was sad to see Rick and Amanda leave. For the first time that I remember, I really missed her, almost before their plane left the ground. We made plans to talk to each other daily at least until the situation regarding mom and dad is resolved. We all hoped that it would be over soon, but were prepared to wait patiently rather than push for a hasty ill-conceived rescue plan. I was surprised too that not only did Tyler and Dan accompany us to the airport where their jet awaited, but Ron and Matt did too. I'm sure Rick and Mandy appreciated it.
Unlike in the regular terminal, we were able to stay with the couple until they were ready to board, then watch as the plane was towed out from the hangar onto the asphalt, where its engines were started. We waved one last time as the plane began to move, finally taking my sister and her boyfriend out of sight. As we watched the white plane move down the taxiway, we turned and headed for our cars. Ben and Jon had accompanied us, but you could tell that their minds were on Thornton, not on Mandy and Rick. After a trip back to Tyler's we'd all have lunch then take Ben and Jon to Thornton. As much as I loved those guys, I was happy for them that they had found a place where they could be happy together and grow up without the pressure that their former poverty would have deterred them from their future. To be honest, I was a bit relieved too. Even though I would have done it, taking care of two younger guys was a responsibility I wasn't really ready for yet. I'm sure Chris felt the same way. Now I just had one person to take care of and that was no problem since I loved him so. Now I could give all my personal attention to my lover, my Chris.