Still Another Chance ~ Book Four of Another Chance
Chapter Five: Phoenix and Eric
(A Crossover with Priorities)
by Zarek Dragon
Author’s Note: To avoid unnecessary repetition, the reader will need to read the corresponding chapter in Priorities to get all the interactions between the various characters.
After dinner, Henri, Joe Bolt and Ange were sitting in the kitchen having a chat.
"Joe, I am very impressed with you. You say you have not really any training for the cooking, but you did magnifique! I can see you being a great chef someday very soon. Now, we need to look at what we will need for tomorrow. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner."
Joe smiled at Henri's compliment. "Thanks, Henri. Coming from you that's a huge compliment. We can take my SUV and head to a store to get what you'll need. I'm assuming you'll want to see what they have there before deciding what you would like to make?"
"'Oui, see, you are already thinking like a chef. We can drop Ange off so she can rest. She will be very busy starting at 2 o'clock in the morning on Saturday, and her husband is coming tomorrow so I doubt she'll get much rest then!"
After telling Jim and Zac where they were going in case Eric needed him, Joe led them to his SUV and they took off. Ange was trying to convince Henri that she should help, but he told her to rest.
After dropping off Ange, the two headed toward Walmart. On the way, Henri told Joe of the two Sous-Chefs who would be arriving Thursday evening; two brothers, Francois, who is Ange's husband, and his younger brother, Maurice. Francois had asked Henri to help his brother out by hiring the then nineteen-year-old. The boy had no experience in a kitchen, but now, two years later, Maurice was as good, if not better than, his older brother.
They arrived at the store and each grabbed a cart. They went back to the meat department and Henri said, "Now, by my count we have thirty-four people we will be feeding, so we should plan for fifty. We will need to feed each three meals each day. So, we will need eggs, bacon, cheese, potatoes and fruits for the breakfasts. I will prepare fresh breads, so we will need the ingredients for them as well. Once we have what we will need for the breakfasts, we will pick out something to make for lunches, and then the dinners. I know that one meal will be my Hunter's Stew."
They arrived at the breakfast meats and Henri told Joe to select one hundred pounds of bacon. Joe asked, "If we're planning on fifty people, why a hundred pounds?"
"So, I usually plan about three quarters of a pound per two people. This would be thirty-seven and a half pounds for both days. However, I know there is a young one who likes his bacon, so I added some for that. In addition, I will use some in the preparation of the dinners."
Joe was getting an education in how to buy for a large number of mouths to feed; experience that would serve him well in the future.
When they'd selected all the food they'd need, they proceeded to the checkout stand. The clerk saw the amount of food they were buying and asked, "Is there some disaster coming? Why would you need so much?"
"Ma'am, my name is Joseph Bolt and I run the Another Chance Boys' Home. We are about to open and we have a large group there for a wedding."
"I'd heard about that place. I'm very proud of you, being so young and dedicating your life to those poor boys."
Joe smiled and thanked the woman for her empathy. When she was finished, the total was $3,111.74. She called the manager over and talked to him for a moment. He then approached her register, hit a few buttons and the total dropped down to $2,489.39. He turned to Joe and said, Walmart likes to give back to the communities that support our stores, so I've taken twenty percent off the total. We hope that the Boys' Home will continue to buy their supplies from us."
"Thank you, in addition to food, there will be other needs and you can rest assured that we will consider Walmart for those purchases."
"We appreciate that. My name is Bobby Neal and I'm the night manager. If you contact me, or the overall manager, Bill Story, we'll make sure you get a twenty percent discount on all your purchases, no matter the total." Joe was surprised by the offer and said, "Thank you very much, that is quite generous."
Bobby handed Joe his card and the two shook hands before Bobby had to go take care of another issue.
The pair returned to the Boys' Home at about midnight. By the time they'd put all their purchases away, it was nearly 1:30am.
Henri looked at Joe, "Ok, Joe. Are you going to cook with me for breakfast?"
"Sure, that sounds good," Joe replied.
"Very good, I will see you at 5:00am then."
Joe looked at Henri, then at his watch, he shook his head in disbelief and went up to bed.
Meanwhile, at the Ranch house, Zac took Jim in his arms, "Do you realize that this is the first time we've been alone in over a year?"
Jim slowly shook his head, "We did have the first night when we went to South Dakota."
"No," Zac argued, "we were on the phone with Patrick all night, so we were not alone."
Jim concurred, "When you put it that way, you're right. So, what would you like to do?" Zac picked Jim up and started for the kitchen. Jim squealed, "No, not the kitchen. The author of one of the stories I read made love to his husband in the kitchen and almost burnt down the house."
"I heard that he claimed he left french-fries cooking," Zac chuckled, "but if it makes you feel better, we can go upstairs."
Jim whispered, "I love you so much."
Once they were upstairs and in the bedroom, Zac placed Jim on the bed. Then he sat beside him and leaned in for a kiss and started unsnapping Jim's shirt. Jim started undressing Zac as well.
Jackson was watching Alex as the boy kept turning his head toward Jacob's house. "Damn, you have it bad for him, don't you?" Jackson quipped.
Alex looked Jackson in the face, "I love him with all my heart, Pop. Is that wrong? I can call you Pop, can't I?"
Jackson smiled, "If it's respectful, you can call me anything that you like. So, you love him with all of your heart?"
"Is that bad?" Alex questioned. "I mean, my loving him with all of my heart. This is our first night not sleeping in the same room since he moved into my room a little more than a year ago."
Jackson had a slight tear in his eye, "No, Alex, there is nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. I would so much rather you be like this than the stories Ryan shared with me that you shared with him."
Alex looked down, "I'm not proud of those stories, but he was talking about adopting me and I didn't want anyone to surprise him by telling him how I used to be,"
Jackson gave the boy a smile, "I'm glad that you were honest and up front about them, but let's forget about them. I only care about how you are now and what we can do to help keep you happy. Like for starters, why don't you run across there, give that boy a hug and a kiss, but don't stay too long. He's getting settled in with his new family, too."
Alex lit up like a Christmas tree, "Thank you so much, Pop! I can't tell you how happy that'll make me… and him."
As Alex ran across the drive, Colt asked Jackson, "Dad, do you think Dad Ryan would get upset if I called him Pop? To me, you have always been Dad, so…"
Jackson smiled, "I don't think he would mind. And thank you for being understanding and willing to help Alex transition into our family easily."
Colt gave Jackson a hug, "Oddly, I already love the kid like a brother. Helping him fit in will bring us closer, I think."
"You're a good boy, Colt Browning." Ryan stated.
"Thanks, Pop," Colt said with a smile.
With a shocked look on his face, Eric walked back to the room he was sharing with Phoenix. Phoenix gave him a puzzled look so Eric explained, "I just saw Roger with Trevor's penis in his mouth. "
Phoenix had an impish grin on his face, "What did you think of it? I accidentally walked in on them at their house and I thought it was hot. "
"I, ummm," Eric started, nervously. "Actually, ummm, seeing it, yeah, it did look kinda hot."
Phoenix whispered, "I've never done that, but would like to, how about you?"
Eric started to cry, "I was going to experiment with my best friend the night I was kicked out of the house my spermy owned. I'm afraid to try it."
"Your spermy?" Phoenix asked.
Through his tears, Eric explained, "Yeah, that's what Dad called his biological father after he was kicked out of his house, so I borrowed the phrase. It's a nickname for a sperm-donor and since the man never truly loved me, that's all he is."
Eric sat on his bed and Phoenix sat beside him. He put his arm around Eric and was getting ready to say something when the door was opened. There stood Trevor and Roger wearing French cut bikini underwear. Roger was looking at Eric and gushed, "Oh, my God, Eric? We're sorry, we should have locked the door!"
Phoenix pulled Eric into his shoulder, "He's not crying from seeing you guys."
"But, then why?" Roger asked, concern heavy in his voice.
Phoenix started rubbing Eric's back. He stated, "It's not my place to say why, but Eric is scared."
Eric mumbled something that Phoenix could barely make out. He added, "Eric said I can tell you. The night he was kicked out of his spermy's house, he and his best friend were getting ready to experiment. They never did anything, but now he's afraid to experiment."
Eric lifted his head and stated, "This feels comforting. I think I'm ready to talk about it. It is why I went to Trevor and Roger's room in the first place. I guess I should have knocked." He shifted so Phoenix still had an arm on his shoulder, but he was looking at Trevor and Roger. "Off the record, I was turned on seeing the two of you. I think that I figured out, I am gay."
Phoenix added, "And seeing you in your skimpy underwear doesn't help. You two are hot."
Trevor heard someone coming up behind him. He turned his head to see Patrick, followed by Scott. Patrick asked, "We heard Eric scream, is he alright?"
Trevor explained what had happened and Eric invited everyone into the room. Phoenix was sitting on one bed with Eric while Trevor, Roger, Patrick and Scott sat on the other bed. Eric started, "I had a good friend named Larry Raye, in fact, we consider each other best friends. One afternoon after school, we were in my room and Larry asked me if I had every jacked another boy off. At first, I thought it seemed weird, but then Larry told me some kids at school were talking about how cool it was to have someone else jack you off while you jack them off. He finally talked me into trying it."
"So, what happened next?" Phoenix asked.
Eric continued, "We had just gotten naked and I was about to comment about how good Larry looked being almost fourteen. His birthday is the third of July. We used to party almost all month long, starting on his and ending on mine. That was the first time I even thought there was a chance I was gay. Seeing him, I wanted to do more than jack him off. Anyway, we moved to sit on the bed and my door came open. There was my dad, er… I mean my spermy. As soon as he saw us on the bed naked, he told Larry to grab his clothes. He wouldn't even let him put them on before he grabbed his ear and pulled him to the front door. Next thing I heard was Larry telling me that we were no longer friends and the door slamming. I was staring out the window, watching Larry get dressed when my spermy came back into my room. He grabbed my belt and whipped me until I was bleeding. When he tried to grab my ear, I ducked and grabbed my jeans and a t-shirt."
"Oh man," Patrick let slip.
"Yeah, he tried taking the t-shirt away until it ripped," Eric started crying and Phoenix pulled him in close.
Patrick got up and sat on the other side of Eric. In a calm voice, he said, "I can understand your fears, but you know Uncle Joe and Uncle Buster are gay, right?"
Eric lifted his head and looked at Patrick, "Yes, of course I do. I know, it's silly having these fears, but they exist."
"I know they do," Patrick had a tear in his eye, which made Eric feel a little better. "I'm just saying, even though I can understand your fears, I also know that you needn't fear if you want to experiment. Uncle Joe is a lot like my parents and my dads told me that they know I will experiment. They just asked Scott and me to lock my door." That caused Phoenix to smile at Trevor and Roger.
"WHAT? We're not used to people being over… except for Nigel and Alex, or Robert and Ricky, or..." Trevor started. "Besides, we weren't experimenting, we were doing the nasty."
"Not if you were doing it right," Scott joked. "It's not nasty."
Patrick glared at the three boys before turning back to Eric, "All joking aside, it's up to you, but I think you may want to talk with Uncle Joe and Uncle Buster. I believe they could help ease your fears."
Eric gave a slight smile, "I feel better now, but you are right. I didn't go into detail with them like I did with you, and they both told me that they won't care if I am gay or straight. I guess if I talk to them, they would be understanding and maybe the fear would go away, but knowing that all of you are here to help me feel better does just that. I do feel better."
Patrick got up and said, "I'm glad that you're feeling better. I think we all should head back to our rooms and get some sleep."
As the four boys filed into the hall, Scott commented, "Now that Eric is taken care of, damn, Trevor and Roger, your underwear leaves little to the imagination. You might as well be naked."
"There's a thought," Trevor responded, with a grin. "Actually, I have some that show more... want to see them?"
"I'm good," Scott replied, blushing.
"Except when we're alone," Patrick added, causing Scott to blush even more.
At the bar in the hotel where they are staying, Bobby, Nick and Nate were discussing the upcoming surprise when a well-dressed gentleman approached them. "I am sorry to interrupt you gentlemen, but are you possibly the King family?"
"That we are, and who might you be, Sir," Nate asked, quite formally.
"I am sorry, but I am Brock Radcliffe the Seventh. I wanted to talk to you about my cousin, Brent."
"Please, have a seat. Would you care for a glass of wine?" Nick, always the host, asked.
Brock replied nervously, "Thank you, this conversation may require something to help me relax."
Nick handed him a glass and sat back, "How can we help you, Brock… if I may call you that."
"Of course you may, I understand you have extended an invitation to my son, wife, and I to attend the wedding on Saturday. I am not sure it would be a good idea. See, my cousin Brent and I used to be very close, but there was a bit of nastiness and we have not kept in touch. But quite honestly, I am very surprised he is coming to a gay marriage."
Bobby looked puzzled, "First of all, please call me Bobby, this is my husband, Nick, and my father, Nathan King. But why would Brent have an issue with attending a gay wedding?"
"You see, the nastiness of which I spoke was very simply, Brent had issues with one of my friends in college who happened to be gay. He had some very strong views on the subject; views I could not abide, so we became estranged."
Nate picked up from this point, "You are aware he has a son, right? Garrett. Also, were you aware that Garrett is gay?"
Brock looked surprised, "I knew he had a son, but I had no idea the boy was gay. We have not had much contact over the last two decades. I only knew of his son through other relatives making mention of it. How did he take it when his son came out to him?"
Nick shook his head, "At first, I'm told, not well at all. There was significant tension between them. It wasn't until another boy from the Academy he attends, and the boy's father, went to visit. They were able to convince Brent that he needed to revise his thinking. Since then, I'm also told, he's been a perfect father for a gay boy, supportive without being judgmental. Now that Garrett has a regular boyfriend he's been even better."
Brock sat back and let out a long breath. "That is truly a relief to hear. I love my cousin, that has never changed. I just could not sit by, not doing anything, tacitly approving of his attitude. With what you have told me, I am looking forward to us renewing ties. I guess maybe I will call him tomorrow some time."
Bobby looked at the man and said, "Why don't you just turn around and tell him yourself. It seems he just arrived."
Brock turned around to see his cousin and with both men having tears in their eyes, they embraced.
After a few moments, the two teary-eyed men sat with the Kings. "Brock, I am proud to present to you my sons. The eldest is Garrett, just a couple months younger than your son. Garrett is gay. Next to him is his boyfriend, Eric Pressman. This young lad is my son, Malcolm. We adopted him right before New Year's."
Brock appraised the boys. "Fine looking men, I must say. Garrett, thank you."
Garrett looked puzzled before asking, "Why would you be thanking me?"
"Well, through no overt action on your part, other than having the courage to tell your father who you truly are, you are ending a two-decades-long estrangement between your father and me. We were nearly as close as brothers until we could not see eye-to-eye on one single topic."
"The gay thing," Garrett stated.
"That's right. When you came out to me, I saw it happening again. I guess I was acting akin to the posterior of an Equine."
Brent grinned as Malcolm said, "The what of a what?"
"He said he was acting like a horse's ass," Garrett laughed. "A pretty good analogy, Dad."
"I think it would be a grand idea if both of our families get together tomorrow. Brock needs to work, but the rest of us can spend the day getting reacquainted," the elder Brock suggested. Then he asked, "You haven't checked into the hotel yet, have you?"
Brent pondered why he may be asking and replied, "Not yet, why?"
"Well, Brock is spending the night at his boyfriend's, and I have a very large estate, with plenty of rooms," Brock offered. "But I must apologize. I used to have one person on staff."
"Used to have?" Brent inquired, "did you have to fire her for some reason?"
Brock chuckled, "No, I married her."
Brent looked confused, "Married her? What happened to Tiffany?"
Brock had a look on his face that Brent recognized from long ago, "When Brock came out to her that he was gay, she packed her bags and left. I filed for divorce immediately."
The two men embraced again. "Do you have a vehicle?"
"No, we planned on renting one today, here at the hotel." Brent replied.
"Nonsense, you can use one of mine. We should split up; I'll call a cab for the boys and we can ride in my car." Brock suggested.
Nathan King stood, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but why don't you all just use my motorcoach? It'll hold up to twenty." He handed the keys to Brock.
"Thank you, Mr. King. Here are the keys to my car, should you need it; it's the 2016 Lamborghini Veneno out front. I wouldn't trust it in just anybody's hands... when do you need it back?"
"We're actually in the hotel for the night. We'll be heading back to the Another Chance Ranch at about 7:00am to meet up with the rest of our group for breakfast."
"Fine, please just take my car and I'll meet you with the coach at that time." Brock replied.
That settled, the Radcliffe clan hopped aboard the King Enterprises motorcoach. Brock was impressed with how the vehicle was appointed and made note to research purchasing one for himself, or for the Boys' Home.
Arriving at the Radcliffe estate, Brock introduced everyone to his wife. She took the boys and showed them to their rooms. Garrett and Eric shared a room and Malcolm was quite happy to have a room to himself.
In his room, Malcolm sent a text message to Trevor.
Malcolm: Trevor, can you let Nigel use your phone?
Trevor: He's not with us. You didn't know? He got adopted, Alex too!
Malcolm: For reals? That's cool! Who adopted them and when?
Trevor: Well… when we got here, a family that's been visiting Nigel adopted him, they live here at the Another Chance Ranch. Alex was adopted by Judge Sprayberry… the man we talked to at my birthday party.
Malcolm: Well, that's cool. We can talk to them tomorrow. We're here, by the way, in Cody.
Trevor: Cool, come join us for breakfast tomorrow if you can at about 7:30.
Malcolm: I think that's the plan. We'll see you tomorrow!
Malcolm smiled and started to undress for bed.
Eric and Garrett were already cuddled in their bed. They truly enjoyed their closeness almost as much as their sex.
"You know, I think what's going to happen Saturday is cool as hell. Roger and Trevor being married. Makes me wonder about us. I want to be with you the rest of my life," Eric said quietly.
"I have loved you ever since we met, Eric," Garrett got out of bed and naked, he took a knee. Seemingly out of nowhere he produced a small box. "Eric Pressman, would you do me the honor of being my husband?"
Eric looked at the ring Garrett had just placed on his finger and with a tear running down his cheek he replied, "Garrett, I wish I'd known your feelings long before I did. I truly love you, and it would be my pleasure to be your husband."
The two embraced and shared a tender and loving kiss. They made love and went to sleep in each other's arms.
As he was pulling into the ranch, Nate King, who was driving Brock's car with Bobby and Nick on Bobby's lap in the passenger seat, saw a young man running toward them.
"That's Brock's son, Dad," Nick stated.
As he parked, Brock VIII came up and before he saw who was driving said, "Dad, can I talk to you about the plan for the wedding?"
He was surprised to see that the vehicle was being driven by someone other than his father. "Excuse me, but, where's my Dad?"
"We exchanged vehicles last night so he could take his cousin Brent's family to his estate.
Brock shook his head saying, "Geesh, He won't let ME drive that car... you do know it costs about $4.5M, right? I'm stuck driving the cheap Viper."
Trevor, who was standing nearby said, "The Viper is still a $200k car, right?"
"Man, he won't even let me drive that," Brock stated, shaking his head before his eyes widened and he said, "Wait a minute, did you say he took his cousin Brent to the estate? When I went home to get some things so I could spend the night with Jared, he said he didn't have any desire to see his cousin."
"They talked at the hotel last night when your father came to talk to us. Brock found out the basis for their estrangement was no longer valid." Nate explained to the younger Brock who had an increasing smile.
In the morning, the Radcliffe clan boarded the motorcoach and made their way to the Another Chance Ranch. Eric was still staring at, and showing off his ring, Brent couldn't be happier for his son.
As they arrived, Brock let out a sigh when he saw his pride and joy parked next to the barn, and Nathan King standing there with a polishing cloth, caressing the fenders.
He parked the coach near his Lamborghini. He stepped off and went over to Nate. "I am very happy to see someone who knows how to treat a vehicle as it should be.
"I have a Maserati at home, so yes, I know how to care for a car that costs several million dollars," replied Nate.
The two men started talking and by the time they were all called in for breakfast, they had laid the groundwork for a very good friendship. One that each would come to treasure.
As they were talking, Garrett saw the younger Brock and approached him, along with Eric. "You must be Brock the Eighth. I'm Garrett and this is my fiancé, Eric Pressman."
Brock was stunned, "Did you say, fiancé?"
"He proposed last night. We have no intention of marrying until after we finish school," Eric related.
"That's great, congratulations," Brock stated, but it was easy to tell he had something on his mind.
Seating in the party barn ended up being: The King family, except for Nate, was sitting at a table with the Bolts. Scott, Patrick Henry, and Patrick Bolt were sitting with them, but slightly separated so they could talk. The Radcliffes, Sprayberrys and Dylans shared another table with a slight separation; Garrett, Eric, Jared and Brock VIII were having a conversation.
Joe was looking out into the party barn when he saw his son, Eric and Phoenix coming in. He called them over and asked, "Do you two mind helping us bring food out to the buffet table?
"No Dad, we'd be happy to help," was the response Eric gave and Phoenix agreed. They followed Joe into the kitchen and saw a myriad of foods in serving trays. Joe directed them as to where things were supposed to go and within ten minutes, everything was ready to open the buffet.
As they were placing things, Jake Bolt, who had been watching them bring out the food, saw the tray of bacon and his mouth watered. Since nobody was around, he grabbed a plate, piling it high with about two pounds of Bacon. He carried it back to where Jim and Zac were sitting with the rest and sat down.
Jim saw the plate with at least 30 strips of bacon on it, Zac had his camera app on his phone ready and snapped a picture while trying to stifle his laughter. Jim however turned to his son and said, "Jake, first of all, I am not mad, ok? But, who gave you permission to grab that much bacon? We haven't started the buffet line yet."
"Nobody, I just saw the bacon and grabbed some," Jake replied.
"Some? That's a lot," Jim remarked, "You can't just grab things without asking. Remember what I told you when Papa and I were picking out our rings? Besides, that much bacon isn't healthy for you and I want you to be around for a very long time."
Jake looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I just saw it and wanted some."
Jim picked him up and gave him a hug, "It's okay, Jake, we love you." He put his son down and moved the plate of bacon into the middle so it could be shared, he handed Jake a few pieces 'to tide him over until they started' and told the boy he'd go with him to get his breakfast once they opened the buffet.
Jared and Brock VIII were sitting off a bit from the rest of the family, with Garrett and Eric. "That's a beautiful ring, Eric," Jared was looking intently at it as Brock continued what he was saying, all the while looking at his boyfriend. "Jared and I haven't really touched on the subject, but from the looks of how he's drooling over the ring, maybe we should talk about it." Jared smiled before turning to Eric Pressman talking, while the two cousins chatted, getting to know one another.
Meanwhile, Nigel, Alex and Malcolm were chatting. "It's so cool, sitting here like we did at the orphanage, but in the 'real world' and with all three of us having parents. You've got to tell me all about your parents, and I'll do the same." Malcolm enthused.
"I'm literally still in shock over it. Alex and I had no idea until Judge Sprayberry told me," Nigel said.
Alex added, "I was kinda depressed when they told me that Nigel was being adopted, then Judge Sprayberry… Dad… told me I was being adopted and we'd be living here and I almost started crying. It was a cool surprise and my brother and Pop are cool too." The three former roommates continued to discuss how their lives have, and will change.
At the Bolt's table, Scott and Patrick Bolt were discussing the events of the previous night. they talked about Eric walking into Trevor and Roger's room and seeing Roger sucking on Trevor.
Patrick Henry's face scrunched up and he exclaimed, "Ewww, he saw them doing that?"
Patrick looked at his friend, hoping that wasn't an indication that he was going to have problems with hanging around gay couples. "I guess it could sound gross, but it's not really."
"You've done that? It sounds totally gross to me."
Patrick looked at Scott and nodded, so Scott continued, "Patrick, for a gay boy it doesn't seem gross. It's one way we can show each other how much we love each other. Besides it feels really good. And when you get a girlfriend..."
Patrick Henry looked at the pair, his expression was unreadable. Scott and Patrick's eyes connected and as if communicating without words changed the subject, "So, this wedding is going to be great. I heard that there were over 500 people coming."
Nick King turned to his two young charges, Jacques and Robert. "You two must be happy your father is coming today."
Jacques was excited when he was reminded that his Papa was coming, but Robert had been in a funk ever since they left Rapid City because Ricky couldn't come with them. Roger put his arm over Robert's shoulder and said, "He'll be here tomorrow when his parents arrive. You have to learn how to put up with separation. Trevor and I had the same feelings you have when he was living in his new home and I was still in the orphanage. Just focus on the thought that you'll be back together soon."
Robert looked like he wanted to cry, "But I miss him so much it hurts."
Roger just held him and tried to comfort him.
Henri, Joe, Phoenix and Eric had finished setting up the buffet. Henri told the boys and Joe to go sit, he'd watch to see if anything needed to be refilled.
Phoenix and Eric went to sit by themselves as Joe joined Buster and the rest of the family.
Phoenix looked at Eric and asked, "Are you feeling better than you did last night?"
"A whole lot better. You holding me as we slept really helped, but I still need to talk to my dads. I am still scared about one thing, though."
"I think I know what that one thing is, and you don't have to be scared; I've got your back."
Brock VII and Nate King were arguing back and forth about investments. The two were going at it when Brock's wife had had enough.
"Will you two stop acting like adolescent boys trying to figure out who has the biggest dick. You're both studs in the financial arena."
The two men looked at each other and laughed. "Brock, my man, I see you and I are going to be close friends."
After everyone had eaten breakfast, Zac stood up and said, "You've seen most of the Boys' Home. The boys have slept in the dorm; it wouldn't surprise me if they utilized the common area a little."
"No, Papa," Patrick interrupted. "We just slept in the rooms. At Eric's suggestion, he and I wanted to wait until you and Dad gave the tour before we allowed them to see it."
Zac smiled and said, "Excellent! As you know, this Home will be a place for boys needing a safe place to live. Most will be gay, but not necessarily all of them. Many will have been kicked out of their homes for some reason. Most will also be available for adoption, and some will just be here for however long we have the privilege of taking care of them. None will have as special of a place in our hearts as Phoenix does, though. Shall we head to their dining room?"
As they headed to the dining room, Phoenix put his arm around Zac. "Did you really mean that?"
"About you having a special place in our hearts? Yeah," Zac answered. "You are as much our son as Patrick and Jake are. I wouldn't mind if we adopted you, but as close as we are in age, it might be pushing it for us to adopt you, especially since we already have two adopted boys. Never forget, Jim and I will always love you."
Phoenix asked, "Can I call you Dad?"
Zac smiled, "If you want, but Patrick and Jake call me Papa and Jim is Dad."
"OK, Papa," Phoenix tried it out and Zac kissed his forehead.
Zac whispered, "If anyone ever adopts you away from us, I will be happy for you, but miss you."
Phoenix looked sad, "Will I have any say in whether I get adopted or not?"
"Of course you will, but I hope you keep an open mind about it. We won't let just anybody try. You have to feel comfortable with them and we will make sure they will be good for you before they can even apply," Zac assured. "But let's not talk about that for now. You are here for as long as you want."
Looking happier, Phoenix cooed, "Thanks, Papa."
Zarek and Tucker were at the home waiting for them. Zac introduced Phoenix to them, "Zarek, Tuck, I would like for you to meet Phoenix. He's the first resident of the Home. Phoenix, Tuck will be the teacher for the Home. Zarek is Jim's cousin."
Tucker shook Phoenix's hand, "I may be the teacher, but I also want to be friends with all of the boys that live here. But know that being friends doesn't mean you can do whatever. You seem like a bright young man, and I hope to help you learn."
Phoenix smiled, "I think I would like being friends, and I want to learn."
Tucker gave Phoenix a hug. "Good, I will be here every day, except on Saturdays and Sundays, it will be for pleasure. Until classes start, I will be setting up the curriculum on the laptops that every boy will get."
"Does that mean I will get one?" Phoenix asked.
Zac responded, "Yes, when we have your orientation, you will."
Tuck asked, "Should I be at this orientation?"
"That's up to you, but it might be a good idea for you to sit in on them," Joe suggested.
As they walked into the dining area, Jim stated, "As you know, this is where the boys will eat their lunches. Until we have enough students that it becomes a chore, Joe will be cooking most of the meals, but we are looking to maybe hire someone since Joe is taking classes, too. This is also where the boys will be attending classes, as well, which is why all their curriculum will be on laptops instead of desktop computers. Thanks to Brock Radcliffe VII utilizing my cousin, Zarek Bolt, who is in the computer business, we have two hundred fifty laptops donated. If Henri doesn't mind, you can peek into the kitchen, but it IS his decision. I will not go against what my husband said to him."
Henri spoke up, "At this time, I do not mind, but once the food comes and preparations are under way…" Everyone peeked into the kitchen. Those that have seen Henri's kitchen marveled at the similarity.
Once everyone had a chance to view the kitchen, they headed for the dorms. They peeked at a few of the rooms that the boys were not using. They looked in on the showers and toilets. The showers were still damp from the boys utilizing them earlier.
Moving on, they went through a snack room with six tables, having four chairs each, vending machines, microwaves, and trash bins. A few comments were made about the vending machines, some of which were about the prices. Joe explained, "The boys will have opportunities to make money. Some will work at the ranch, some the Horse Rescue, and others may seek employment elsewhere. Those that work at the rescue will be given an allowance since they aren't paid. The vending machines were not placed as a means of making money. We are only charging the boys what it cost us to make or purchase. We thought about making everything free, but didn't think that would be good for the boys."
The next leg of the tour included the common area. It was broken down into four main areas with a television in each and then several smaller rooms with game consoles. "These smaller rooms will also act as conference rooms for anyone wanting to talk with any of the boys, possibly for adoption. Or if Joe, Buster or Tuck feel a need to talk with them one-on-one," Zac explained. They concluded the tour, stating that another building was already being constructed on the Rescue's portion of the land. At this time, they didn't know what it would be used for, but Jacob and Brock were the ones who had discussed the construction of it.
As many as could fit climbed into the motorcoach, and the rest followed in cars. Joe, Buster, Eric and Phoenix were in Joe's SUV. Eric spoke up and went into as much detail about what had happened with his sperm donor as he did the night before with the boys. Buster turned so he could look at Eric and saw the tears and fear on his face. He spoke calmly, trying to assure his son, "You'll be fourteen in less than a week; it is only natural that you experiment. I would rather not see you doing it, but we won't get upset if we do by accident. I understand your fear, but know, with us, you needn't worry."
Joe added, "And if you ever have any questions, don't be afraid to ask. We are here for you, not you for us. We love you unconditionally."
Eric felt a lot better, and he smiled, "Thank you both, you don't know much better I feel."
"That's part of the job description of being a dad," Buster chuckled.
Eric mumbled under his breath, "Tell that to my spermy, but then again, I wouldn't have you two if he was."
Joe chirped, "I read a character named Fleet Admiral Mirah tell another admiral, 'Anyone can be a father, but it takes work to be a dad.'"
Aunt Sallie met them as they were parking. She remarked, "Wow, we have a large group… Mr. Radcliffe, I am happy to see you again. Have you put any thought into what we talked about?"
"I have, and Jacob Dylan and I have a building being constructed on the Rescue's land," the older Brock stated. "I am seriously considering making the Group Home a private facility, but I would like to move the boys out there and use this building for the girls. I think each would feel more privacy that way. Also, I would ask you to hire someone to run each facility, but you be over all of them."
Sallie asked, "What about the Boys' Home that will be opening?"
Joe looked at her, "I wouldn't mind running it with you in charge of all three. That wouldn't be any different than what we will be doing until I get my degree, anyway."
"Then I can make arrangements for you to take ownership?" Aunt Sallie suggested more than asked.
Brock agreed, "On one condition, that is, if certain young men don't mind, I would like to move the two group homes under the same umbrella as the Boys' Home, calling this one, The Another Chance Group Home for Girls."
Zac looked at Jim, Joe and Chris before saying, "We think that would be a great idea."
Aunt Sallie looked at Joe, "You don't have your degree yet, and you will mainly be at the Boys' Home, but I have grown to like you very much. I would like for you to be directly under me, taking over when I take vacation."
"You don't know how honored that makes me feel," Joe stated.
Sallie gave a tour, her staff made sure that all the children were properly attired before everyone went through. As they concluded, she led Jim, Joe, Zac, Tuck and Phoenix into a conference room. Phoenix looked nervous. Sallie attempted to ease his mind, "Just so you know, there is really only one rule, and that is to be respectful. If you do that, everything else is simple."
Joe added, "This orientation is just so you know what to expect from us and what we expect from you. Rules are as simple as if we were your dad. In a way, we all are, except Aunt Sallie would be like an aunt who visits often."
Phoenix smiled, "I like that feeling. It means that I should definitely feel loved."
Jim remarked, "That you will. You are loved."
Tuck said, "Buster and I will be teaching the boys at the Home, and unless you are too sick to attend, you will be expected to be in your seat during the school period. Here is the laptop that we told you about. It has all the curriculum until you graduate and it is yours. While it is mainly for schoolwork, it does have Skype on it, and a few other things that you may enjoy."
Zac spoke finally, "I have already added Trevor and Roger, Patrick, Joe and Buster, Eric, Jim and myself to the contacts. Plus, here is a wallet with twenty $5 bills in it. This is meant to help tide you over until you start getting paid. Have you put any thought into whether you would like to work at the ranch or not?"
"I have and I would," Phoenix replied, "but I don't need the fives. Trevor gave me a gift card."
Jim nodded his head, "Yes you will. If you want something to snack on out of the vending machine, it won't accept the gift card. Do you have any questions for us?"
"Then thank you," Phoenix accepted the wallet. "Not at this time."
Aunt Sallie concluded the meeting, "If you come up with any, feel free to ask any of these men, or me when you see me. We are here for you and want you to know that."
Phoenix laughed, "That's almost like what Joe told Eric."
Aunt Sallie admitted, "I got that from him telling me that he wanted all the boys to know and feel that. We want you to know that we all care very much about you."
With a smile and a tear, Phoenix stated, "And I do feel that."
I hope you enjoy the story and that it draws you in, wanting more. If you have any suggestions or concerns, don’t hesitate to email me. Thoughts and suggestions are always welcomed and may or may not be implemented. Concerns will be considered and addressed as much as possible.
Also, I have created a mailing list. If you would like to be added to it to be informed of new submission, please contact me at Zarek Dragon... Please let me know that you read it on The Story Lovers' Website.
