Beyond Brothers ch 8. If it is unlawful for you to read gay teen fiction please leave. This story is a attempt to show the love that can be between friends and the abuse many gay boys undergo. If you are being abused please contact me vtgfof7@yahoo.com Or Edward Dufresne on facebook. Never consider ending your life, because of what you are going through. I have been there and am so glad I am still here and loving my life.
Ben yelled "Justinnnnnnnnnn," no matter how many time he hollered Justin's name there was no answer. He hung up and tried three more times, but each time Justin's line was busy. Ben ran downstairs in his boxers yelling,
"DAD, DAD you got to help him."
"WHOA, Ben what is the matter?"
"Justin, called and said 'mayflower'. And then nothing, I tried calling him back three times and his line is still busy."
"Ben, what are you talking about?."
"Justin's father has been beating him, Kyle and I arranged for him to use the password Mayflower if his father ever beat him again. He just called and said 'Mayflower' and then nothing but his line is still open."
Jon pickup the phone and called Don. "Don."
"Is that you Jon?'
"Yes Ben just got a call from Justin with some kind of password that he and Kyle set up with Justin. It seems that the General has been physically abusing Justin and he made Kyle and Ben swear not to tell. But, they set up this password thing just in case it happened again Justin's line is still open but we can't get a response from him. You have known the General a lot longer than me, what should we do?
"Hold on let me check with Kyle and see what he has to say." "Ok"
"Kyle, Ben just got a call from Justin and all he said was 'Mayflower' and the line is still open, but Justin won't respond anymore. Does that mean anything to you?"
"That FUCKING BASTARD , oh sorry dad, must have beat him again."
"Have you ever seen any evidence that the General beat Justin or any sign of his being beaten?"
"Yes, last fall I snuck into his house when he hadn't been to school for several days and wouldn't answer my calls or e-mails. I found him badly beaten with a real bad black eye and lots of busies on his body. He made me promise not to tell anyone. After the General slapped him in front of Ben, and he wouldn't tell Ben about it, so we gained up on him, and came up with the idea of the password."
"Jon, I just talked with Kyle and everything Ben told you appears to be true. I'm calling the Provost-Marshall and then 911 for a ambulance and the police. That bastard isn't going to get away with it this time. Meet me there in ten minutes. Peg has already left for work can Betty drive Ben here and pick up Kyle in a few minutes and bring then over there. That will give us enough time to make sure everything is safe for our boys; I think that Justin is going to need Ben and Kyle.
Ben raced down the stairs and headed for the car. "Betty take Ben and pick up Kyle. Don and I are going to the General's house. Don is calling 911 and the Provost-Marshall office. I'm meeting him there in ten minutes. We want to make sure it is safe for the boys before they get there."
"Dad I have to go to Justin."
"Ben your mom will drive you and Kyle, but Don and I want to make sure that it is safe before you arrive."
Jon ran out of the house and jumped into his truck and speed off toward the General's house. When he got there Don had just arrived. The two men walked up to the front door and rang the bell. The General answered the door,
"Captain, Sargent-Major, what's going on is there something wrong at the base?"
"No sir we're here to see your son Justin." answered Captain Russell.
"I'm sorry but he isn't feeling well today and you won't be able to see him." answered the General.
"Sir, your son called my son with a special code word that our sons set up in case you beat him again.
Justin claims that you have been beating him, and he called Ben with the code word and now his line is open, as you are aware in the military code of ethics we are required to report this to Provost-Marshall office. I have also called for an ambulance as well as the police. We aren't leaving until we know he is safe. The CID investigators are on their way as well as the police and a ambulance. So you might as well let us in."
"Who the FUCK do you think you are talking to, I'm your commanding officer and I am ordering to the base and off my property right now."
"I'm sorry sir but we can't leave until we see Justin."
Just then a police came to a screeching halt at the curb. Two officers exited the car and walked up to the front door.
"What is going on here, and who called us?" asked the first officer.
"I called you I believe the General has beaten his son, our sons were told by Justin that his father has beaten him in the past and my son Kyle saw the black eyes, and bruises from a beating that the General gave Justin last fall. A few weeks ago after the General had slapped Justin, our son's made up a code word for Justin to use if his father ever beat him again. He called Jon's son Ben a half hour ago and gave that word then no other sound and his line is still busy." said Don.
"Officer do you know who I am, these men are in my command and they will be disciplined for this false accusation"
Just then Betty arrived with Ben and Kyle, the boys ran up the walk,
"where is he?" they shouted.
The General looked at the boys and shouted at everyone get off my property at once that is an order."
Ben and Kyle both took one look at the General, and then walked back toward the street. Kyle whispered to Ben and then they ran around the house. The patio door was unlocked. The boys slid the door open and crept up the stairs to Justin's room. Justin lay unconscious on the bedroom floor with the telephone still in his hand. He had a large boot shaped bruise on his side and his testicles and penis were swollen many times over and turning black. The two boys grabbed Justin's comforter off of his bed wrapped it around him. Then they picked him up and ran back down stairs with him in their arms. They carried Justin out the patio door and around to the front of the house.
The General was still trying to keep everyone out of his house with threats and orders, when the boys came running around the corner with Justin in their arms.
Ben and Kyle were crying and Ben said, "look what the asshole did to my Justin."
The boys unwrapped Justin who was still naked and unconscious in the comforter.
Jon took one look at Justin and shouted to the General "you sick bastard how could you do that to your own son," if Don hadn't intervened Jon might have attacked the General.
One look at Justin and the police handcuffed the General and dragged him to their car, and took him to the station. By this time both the ambulance and the CID investigators were there. The paramedics loaded Justin into the ambulance and headed for the hospital. Betty and the two boys ran to her van and followed the ambulance. The General's wife stood in the doorway saying over and over again,
"it is all a mistake the General didn't do anything, don't you see that."
The CID investigator, Captain Palmer, tried to find out what had gone on between the General and Justin that morning.
Penny said, "I have to help my husband. After the ambulance left Penney Blake called their lawyer and went to the police station to be with her husband. The CID officer had arrived before Justin was taken away and seen the damage to Justin young body.
He took Jon and Don aside and spoke with them.
"Sargent-Major, and Captain I will need to speak with both of you later to determine everything you may know about this. General Sanders is at the base now I am going back to speak with the Provost-Marshall he will inform the General. I assume the two of you will be going to the hospital to be with your sons."
Jon and Don arrived at the hospital emergency room and found Betty and Peg sitting each holding their son's. Both boys were crying softly, when the two men walked in Ben ran to his dad and said, "they won't tell us anything because we aren't family."
"Let me see what I can find out."said Jon. He and Don walked up to the nurse station and tried to find out something. But were told they would have to wait.
A few minutes later two people walked into the emergency room. One was a special investigator with CID who handled child abuse cases, and the other one was Kim from child protective services. As soon as Kyle saw Kim he ran over to her and asked her to find out how Justin was. Because; they were investigating a crime they were allowed to go back to see Justin.
Ten minutes later Kim came back to the waiting room. "Justin has been hurt bad, he has three broken ribs and he has a bad groin injury. His testicles are so swollen that the doctors can't tell if they are ruptured or not. As soon as they are sure that Justin is stable they will take him to have CT scan. The Doctors will put a dye in his blood that will allow them to see how much damage there is to his testicles. If you boys hadn't rescued Justin, he could have permanent damage to his testicles and may even had lost one or both of them."
"Boys , do you know if anything like this has happened before?" asked Kim.
"I saw him once before last fall when his father beat him." said Kyle.
The doctors have taken x-rays of his whole body and it shows a few indications of previous broken ribs. He will be in a room in about a hour and then you can see him. The doctors aren't sure how long before he regains consciousness.
A half hour later Kim took the two boys to Justin's room. He was still unconscious. She spent the next hour asking them a lot of questions about what they knew concerning what Justin's father had been doing to him.
The two boys took turns sitting in the chair next to the bed. At two that afternoon Ben was sitting beside the bed when Justin let out a groan. Ben looked at Justin, and watched as he opened his eyes. Giant tears rolled down his cheeks. Ben spoke softly to Kyle, "he's awake."
Kyle walked to the other side of the bed and looked down at Justin. Both boys wrapped their arms around their wounded friends damaged body and the three cried silent tears of pain at what had happened.
"My balls hurt real bad," Justin whispered.
Ben brushed the hair from Justin's face and kissed him gently on the lips.
"It is going to be alright, I promise you."
"Guys it hurts too much to sit up, could you check and see how I look down there."
"There is an ice pack on your whole groin area." said Kyle
"Life it up and tell me what it looks like down there."
Ben and Kyle lifted the ice pack off of Justin's swollen groin. Both boys grew angry as they looked at Justin's swollen genitals.
"Your ball sack is about the size of a large orange and your dick is swollen a lot to, both are almost black. You sort of look like a real hung black man." giggled Ben
"Justi, what happened?" asked Ben.
"I scalped the General's putting green when I was mowing it yesterday afternoon. Then this morning while I was in the showering doing you know what, he suddenly rips open the curtain and catches me in the middle of doing it. He pulled me naked down the stairs and out to the his putting green.
He shouted, "I had a game with General Sanders this morning and I needed to practice my putting game. But, no you couldn't even do one little thing right' then he pushed me down to the ground, and kicked me in my side knocking me on my back.
He started to walk away and then turned back and said, " I'll teach you to leave that puny excuse for a cock alone."
That's when he took his boot and drove it into my groin," cried Justin.
By this time all three boys were in tears. Somehow as the three clung together they each knew that whatever the future might hold they would always be as one, somehow welded together beyond brothers.
Justin quieted, and lay there looking as if he was in deep thought, and then he said,
"Ben, I know that your dick is a lot bigger than mine, but I always thought that I was a little small for my age, but now after what the General said, I embarrassed about having such a small dick."
"Justin, you goof ball mine's only a little bigger, and I already started in puberty. You haven't even started yet, hell when you start, you might end up bigger than either of us." said Kyle.
"I developed early but I'm only about an inch more than the average size for a full grown man, but I doubt I will get any bigger. Besides I like yours just fine exactly the size it is," said Ben with a giggle.
Ten minutes later Kim and a special agent from CID came in to interview Justin. You boys might just as well go home, this will take the rest of the afternoon," said Kim.
"No, I'm not saying a thing unless they are both here." said Justin.
"Please don't make me stay alone."
"Justin, you are never going to be hurt by your dad again. Right at this moment your father is being arraigned for suspicion of assault, and child abuse. We are going to be placing you in a foster home until this is all worked out, but no matter what you will be safe. Your mom has gotten here, and is waiting to see you. She can't be with you when we question you, but you can see her first. By the way where was she when you were hurt this morning." said Kim.
"She was out for her morning run."answered Justin lying.
"Do you want to see her for a minute before we talk to you?"
Justin thought for a minute and then asked, "can my friends stay while she comes in?"
"Sure, I'll send her in." said Kim.
"I still want Ben and Kyle to be here when you talk to me."
"Did you tell them what happened to you this morning?"
"Yes, they're my best friends we know everything about each other."
"Then they can't be here, we will have to interview them separately. We will call for two more workers who will interview each of them while we are talking with you. Do any of your friends parents know about what your abuse?"
"Both Ben's and Kyle's dads know or suspect a little."
"Ok, one of them could be with you, who would you like?"
"Could Peg Kyle's mom be with me, no offence to your mom Ben, but I have known Peg as long as I have known Kyle."
"I'll ask her and if she agrees, she will come in when we return, will that be all right?"
"Yea."
"We'll send in your mom and be back in about a half hour."
"We are going out and talk to your friends parents, and then we will see what we are going to do."
Kim and Captain Palmer went out to speak with the Justin's mom, the Goshen's and Russell's.
"Justin wants Ben and Kyle to stay with him while you go and see him Mrs Blake. You can go in now."
"How does Justin seem?" asked Peg.
"He is real scared, and wanted Ben and Kyle to be in with him when we interview him, but because he has told them what happened they need to be interviewed alone so that we can compare their stories. Justin told us , 'that he thought John, and Don had suspicions about what has been happening, is that true.'"
"I did see a red mark on his face once when I went to pick up Ben from spending time with Justin. Ben said, 'that the General had slapped him, and I told Betty about it." said Jon.
"Don and Peg how about you, any knowledge before this morning?
"When we went camping a few weeks ago the boys did try to get Justin to talk with me, but he just made excuses for something his dad had done. I informed that if his dad was abusing him he could be in big trouble with the army. But I didn't mention anything to Peg." said Don.
"Good, Peg if you are willing, Justin has agreed to have you with him while we interview him."
Penny Blake walked into her son's room and saw the three boys locked together in a close embrace. She really loved her second son, he was so delicate and beautiful. But after many years of doing and thinking exactly as the General had always commanded her, she didn't even know where or how to start showing love to her son.
"How are you Justin?"
"I'm hurt, he kicked me in the ribs and then again in my privates mother. But, you don't need to worry I told the lady that you were out for your morning run when I got hurt."
"What happened with the General's putting green?"
"I just forgot to disengage the mower deck when I stopped to change my CD, I wasn't tying to be bad again mother honestly." cried Justin.
"Ben, Kyle could you let me sit on the bed and talk with Justin alone for a minute please?"
The two boys looked at Justin, he nodded so his two friends moved to the far side of the room carefully scrutinizing everything that Penny did. Penny bent over Justin and gave him a kiss on the forehead and with tears in her eyes she said "I'm so sorry that he hurt you again. I wish there was something I could do to help you, but you know that I can't. I love you and I know you aren't bad like the General says. He was so hurt when Jeff was killed that it just seemed to take all the love that he ever had for others and drove it so deep that he can't ever find it again. So he won't ever have to feel that kind of loss again. I still believe he loves you and me but he just can't say or show it."
Justin had never heard words like those from either of his parents, and the thought that he might be loved made him groan from deep within his very soul. Tears of joy flowed down his angelic face as he wrapped his arms around his mom for the first time since before Jeff had been killed. The two just hugged and cried for a good five minutes letting all the pent up emotions of the five years wash away.
"Justin, have you told anyone that the General did this to you?" whispered Penny.
"Just Ben and Kyle. Why?"
"If you tell the CID investigator and that lady from Child Protective Services the truth then the General will be kicked out of the Army and might even have to go to jail. If you say you fell in the tub while showering I promise I'll try to make sure that the General doesn't ever hurt you again. But if you tell the truth, you will make him to hate you more, and then I don't know what he will do. So please lie for me, and I promise I will try to am protect you. Will you trust me this one time, and do what I ask please?" whispered Penny.
Justin looked deeply into the his mother's eyes and saw only truth there. "I will change my story, but I know Kyle and Ben will tell just what I told them about today. Kyle came into the house last fall after the General beat me while you were down stairs vacuuming the family room he saw the black eye and bruises, and made me tell the truth when I went back to school and then on the camping trip we told Ben. So I doubt as if my lying will help the General at all."
"If we can delay this investigation for another month your father." whispered Penny.
"HE'S NOT MY FATHER, HE WAS ONLY THE SPERM DONOR." screamed Justin.
"Alright, if I can get the General to agree to quietly retire at the end of next month. And if they put you in a foster home I will see to it that you are provided for and you won't have to deal with him again. Do we have a deal?" whispered Penny.
"I hold that mean bastard's future in my hands, and if he steps the least out of line than it's Court Marshal time as well as a possible regular jail sentence do you hear me mother."answered Justin in a commanding whisper.
Justin looked into his mothers eyes and could see fear there for the first time in his young life. He understood that at the moment he actually was in control and the General's future was in his hands.
"If I lie than both the General and you have to go to get help to get over Jeff's death, and start being real parent to me like Ben's and Kyle's are. I will lie for now, but you have to talk with the General and if he won't give me his word than I will tell the truth. I want to see a appointment with a family counselor or I won't cover for him. My two friends are going to be interviewed and they know the truth and I know that they won't lie. I will try to convince those two investigators that I made it all up; because I was mad at the General for yelling at me for the putting green. I want to hear back by phone this afternoon telling me that he has agreed, and you both have an appointment with a family therapist, if you both don't follow through I WILL TELL THE TRUTH, do I make myself clear."stated Justin with the same commanding voice that the General used with his underlings.
"OK, I will do all I can, and if you don't hear from me by five then you get those people back here, and the General will just have to take his lumps." Penny stated with resolve.
Penny had stayed at the police station refusing to say anything until their lawyer arrived, as soon as he got there she left for the Hospital. The General had spent three hours at the police station being interviewed by Frank Peters. He had refused to say anything until his lawyer Dillard Hatched III had arrived. When Dillard walked into the room he asked "Phillip what is this all about?" "It seems that my worthless piece of shit son is trying to say that I have been abusing him."
"Wait here I will try to find out what is going on."
Dillard went into the main room of the police station and saw Frank Peters sitting at his desk, and walked over.
"Hey Frank do you know what's up with the General?"
"Are you his lawyer?"
"Yes, I'm representing Phillip. What can you tell me about this situation?"
Frank looked at Dillard and said, "we've known each other for a long time and if there ever was a case of child abuse this seems to be it. The boy was found unconscious with bruises on his ribs and his groin. His genitals have been battered and are were very swollen. They took Justin, that is his son's name, to the hospital. Kim Preston, from child protective services is going to call me as soon as she finds out what his condition. The General tried to keep anyone from seeing the boy. But two of his friends snuck around to the back of the house and went in through the patio door and found Justin passed out on his bedroom floor. He had told his friends that his father had been beating for several years and one of them a Kyle Russell said he witnessed the result of a beating that he got last fall. The boys had set up a code word to be used if he was beat again. He called a Ben Goshen and the only word he said was 'Mayflower' which was the code word. Then Justin must have passed out, because his friends found him lying naked on his bedroom floor with the phone still in his hand. The General had told the officers and the two friends father's, who by the way are stationed at the base also, that Justin was sick and couldn't be seen. But when the boy's carried Justin downstairs and around to the front of the house wrapped in a comforter, they laid him on the ground and opened the comforter for everyone to see the damage that had been done to their friend. The officer's put the cuffs on the General and brought him down here where he requested a lawyer. We haven't asked him anything other than if he needed to use the restroom or a drink." answered Frank.
"Let me talk with my client for a few minutes and then we will see about you talking to him." responded Dillard Hatched III.
Dillard walked into the interrogation room and sat at the table across from Phillip Blake. Dillard sat there looking at Phil and debated how to handle this.
"Phil your son was hurt quite bad this morning, the police believe that you did it to him and that you have abused him in the past. One of his friends saw him all beaten and bruised last fall and Justin told him you did it to him. I'm your lawyer and it doesn't matter to me, but from the way you refereed to your son it is obvious that you don't have a good relationship with him. So please tell me what happened this morning?"
"Nothing, he said he wasn't feeling well when I hollered for him to get ready for school. The next thing I know there are two of my men from the base demanding to see my son and then the police and some bitch from Social Services along with a CID investigator show up at my house. The next thing I know his two friends showed up and they must have gone around to the back patio door and gone up to the little pussy's room and found him passed out.
They carried him down and around to the front of the house. When they uncovered him he had a mark on his ribs and his groin was swollen. Hell for all I know the little faggot was probable playing with himself in the shower and slipped and fell."
"Phil if you keep up this attitude towards your son you are going to get convicted. You don't seem to care anything about how he is and that leads me to believe that you were the one who hurt him. As your lawyer I am advising you to change your attitude or you will be in big trouble. When Frank Peters comes in to talk with you, either don't say anything or only answer after I give the OK for you to answer. Do you understand me Phillip."
"I didn't get to be a General by being a dummy I am not about to say anything that might help them make a case against me!" shouted the General.
Dillard stepped out of the room and waved to Frank to come in. When Frank was seated Dillard told him, "my client will answer any question I find acceptable. If you go into any areas I don't approve of we will end this integration. Is that clear Frank."
"Yes, but I need to Mirandize your client before we began, I just heard from Kim Preston she told me that Dr. Manchester found evidence of Justin having been dragged by his hair across a grassy area. Some of his hair had been pulled out by the roots and he has two broken ribs with a bruise that looks like a boot tread. We will need to take your boots to compare them to his bruise General. His testicles have been damaged and they are in very bad shape. We are charging you sir with assault, child endangerment and child abuse. Do you have anything you would like to talk with me about now." stated Frank.
"Under these circumstances my client has nothing to say." stated Dillard Hatched III
The General was arraigned and posted bail after which his lawyer drove him home.
Penny left the room and went to her car. She called home and found out the General was home.
"I'm coming right home, we need to talk, so don't go anywhere."
"Did you just tell me what to do?" asked the General with an air of unbelief in his voice.
"YES, and you damn well better do it if you want to save any of your career you arrogant mean son of a bitch!" Penny ordered in the same tone she had heard the General use so many times.
The General had never heard his wife speak to him like she just did. He wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but decided to go along with Penny for the time being.
"OK, I'll be waiting for you."
Penny arrived home fifteen minutes later and marched into the house. She went straight to the Generals den and poured herself a large whiskey. Drinking it down in just three gulps, she stood staring at the man her husband had become.
"OUR SON YES, our son is in the hospital with three broken ribs and you have injured his testicles so bad he may never be able to have children you mean bastard."
"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK LIKE THAT TO ME." roared the General.
"What you did this morning is you lost all control. If we don't do exactly what Justin says you will be court marshaled and probable go to civilian jail as well. His friend Kyle saw what you did to him last fall and with what you did today you will go down hard do you understand. He will say he fell in the tub and that he made up the truth that he already told his two friends if you and I make an appointment to see a family counselor and work on getting over Jeff's death. You had better tender your resignation with the Army as of today. Because there is no way that this will stay covered up for long and you better hope you can get out before they kick you out."
"Are you crazy? I'm not about to resign or see some namby, pamby counselor."
"Then you give me and my son no choice. If he doesn't get a call from me by five p.m. today he will tell the CID investigator and the Child Protective worker the truth and you go down hard. I should have gone to the authorities the first time you hurt him, but I was still grieving for Jeff and I just went along with whatever you said like I always have. For the first time in a very long time I looked at our son today and realized he is a beautiful boy who has spent his whole life being ignored or abused. But, today I saw him through the eyes of his friends and their parents and I'm glad someone has loved our son; because we failed him completely. Even after all the years of neglect and verbal abuse, I have been guilty of, with Justin, all I had to do was ask him to forgive me and he did. He is so much better person than either of us, I don't understand how we could have produced such a wonderful boy. I am going to see that you can never hurt him again and I will find a way to love him if it is the last thing I ever do. Now do we call and make find a family counselor or do you get court marshaled. Shit or get off the pot Phillip."
To say that Phillip was shocked was beyond belief. He slumped in his chair and stared off into space as if he was trying to pretend that it was all a dream. Just as he had in combat in Vietnam he counted his options and came to the conclusion. His career was over, and he had better go along with the little faggot or he might lose everything.
"Make the call."
Penny grabbed the phone book and looked up the number for a family counselor named Bill Yeater. Several of the officers who had family problems and didn't want the military to know used Bill with excellent results.
"Family Counseling Center Jill speaking, how may I help you?"
" This is General Blake's wife Penny I believe we have spoken before when I referred some of our families to Bill Yeater. This time it is my husband and I who need your help. We need and immediate appointment with Bill."
"He is booked up for the next three months I could fit you in with another counselor if you like."
"Just connect me to Bill right now and I don't care who he is with he will speak to me, is that understood."
"Putting you through Ma'am."
"Bill this is Penny Blake the General lost his temper this morning and our son is in the hospital and we both need to find a way to get past our oldest son death five years ago. We need an appointment right away and I can't trust anyone else to be discrete and look out for the Army."
"Friday at five p.m. is the soonest I can see the two of you."
"One last thing Bill I need a special favor, can you call my son Justin at County Hospital room 324 and let him know we have this appointment and then go see him tonight and talk with him after everyone else had left."
"Penny you are asking a lot if your husband abused the boy you know that I have to report it."
"Bill do you remember Kathy Komo."
"Yea?"
"Well I know everything and I am a desperate woman so you better do what I am asking? Do I make myself clear."
There was silence for a long time and then Bill spoke in a quite defeated voice, "I will call Justin and see him tonight."
After hanging up the phone Bill sat at his desk staring at the phone, the Penny Blake he had known for the past ten years had always been classified as the General's "Stepford Wife"in his mind.
But, the woman who had just forced him to do her will sounded more like "The Widow Bishop from the movie 'Where the Corn Grows.'" Five years ago he had been counseling Kathy Komo, who was having marriage problems with her husband, then a Captain at the base. His own marriage was also going through a rough time.
One day Kathy was the last appointment of the day and she had been very upset and tearful. That very morning he and his wife had a big fight before work, so he was also feeling hurt and alone. After the appointment was over he went out to his car to drive home and found Kathy standing by her car crying.
"What's the problem Kathy?" he had asked.
"This damn piece of junk won't start again and Peter is in the field on maneuvers and can't be reached."
"Do you want me to call someone for you?"
"There is no one."
"How about a ride then."
"Only if you let me buy you a cup of coffee if you have the time."
"I probable shouldn't but I really don't want to go home yet so you have a deal."
They had driven to a small dinner that served great coffee, called the Mud Shack. The place was packed with early evening clients. They had to take a booth in the back corner. As they sat there waiting for their coffee, Kathy began to ask questions of Bill. By their second cup he was telling Kathy the story of his own marriage problems. He wanted his wife to stop work and start a family, she wanted no part of it as her own career was just taking off in investment banking. They sat and talked for two hours.
Bill had always been a gentleman so when they got to Kathy and Peter's home he got out and opened the door for her. She had given him a hug out of appreciation that he had misinterpreted and he had kissed her. He had immediately apologized, but he had stepped over the line.
Over the next six months he had managed to help Kathy and Peter to mend their marriage. And his own marriage problem was solved when Susan his wife became pregnant with their triplets and she had taken up motherhood with the same drive that had brought her success in the business world. He hadn't thought that Kathy would ever say anything to anyone, but obviously she had told Penny Blake.
As he sat there thinking he wondered what had driven Penny to use this trump card to get her own way? Well I guess I will fine out when I go and see Justin tonight.
As soon as Penny left the room Kyle and Ben came back to Justin's bedside. Both boys had heard some of Justin's and his mom's conversation and wondered what was up.
"Justin what is going on between you and your mom?" asked Kyle.
"For once I am in control and both of my parents are going to see a family counselor to help them get over Jeff's death, and my mom is going to make sure that the General resigns and never hurts me again."
Ben looked at Justin and asked, "what are you doing to get her to go along with this?" " Nothing." Justin answered but his face blushed and both of his friends knew something was up.
"YOU AREN'T GOING TO LIE ABOUT THIS ARE YOU!" yelled Kyle.
"Just for a few weeks to make sure that the General doesn't get kicked out of the Army and that he goes to the counselor. If I don't get a call by 5 p.m. then all bets are off and the General can burn for all I care. My mom told me she was sorry at how she had been treating me. She told me that she loves me and wants to make up for the past."
Justin whispered with tears streaming down his tortured face. "I told her that both of you would tell the truth."
"What are you going to say happened?" asked Ben.
"I'm going to say the General grounded me for the lawn and when I was taking my shower I slipped and grabbed the curtain and fell out of the tub landing on my private's and then falling sideways into the toilet to hurt my ribs. I will say that I thought both of my parents were gone so I called Ben with the code word to get help. I want you to promise that you won't say anything other than the truth as I told you earlier. If the investigator's think I am lying then I might be left in the General's house and he would kill me for sure. If I ever have to live there again I will tell the whole truth and make sure he suffers for it like I have! This way I'm the one in charge and if the General doesn't go along, he pays."
Ben and Kyle looked at each other and then Kyle said, "We'll go along as long as they don't send you back there. If they do we will tell the truth no matter what. What are you going to say when the investigator's ask you about our different stories."
"I will say that I was mad at my father for grounding me and decided to get even with him for the way he has treated me in the past."
Kyle said, "I doubt as if that will work, but if you want to try as long as you are safe and that bastard can't get his hands on you."
The three friends shook hands on their deal. Just then Peg, Kim and Captain Palmer came back into the room with two other people.
"Kyle this Captain Shepherd from the CID office he is going to interview you please go with him. Ben this is Ray Decker who works as an investigator from our child protective office and he will interview you please go with him." said Kim. Justin's interview:
"Justin, Captain Palmer and I are going to tape this interview so that we both can have a copy of everything that was said. We are both investigating the same incident but we have to look at it from different perspectives. The Captain must look at charges that might lead to possible court-marshal. Do you understand everything I have said Justin?"
"Yes."
"OK please tell us everything that happened to you yesterday and today that lead to you being hurt."
"Yesterday when I got home from Ben's house there was a note telling me to mow the lawn and be sure not to scalp the General's putting green. I fueled the riding mower and got my cd player out and grabbed two cd's and put it in my waist pack. Everything was fine until I had to stop on the putting green to change cd's. I forgot to disengage the mower deck, and while I changed the cd the blade made a mark on the green. I was already mowing it at the lowest setting so I couldn't fix it. I was hoping that by tomorrow afternoon when I got home from school the grass would have grown enough that I could remow it and the General might not even notice. This morning the General had a golf game with another General and the worse part of his game is putting. He went out early and saw what I had done. He was real mad and came into my room before I was even awake and shouted at me and told me I was grounded for the next two weeks from all privileges. Then I guess he went down stairs. I got up to take my shower, and do I have to tell everything?"
"Yes, Justin we need to know all the details."
"OK, but this is embarrassing, I was kind of playing with myself and all of sudden I slipped in the tub and grabbed at the curtain as I did I fell and landed with my legs straddling the sides of the tub and I fell to my side and hurt my ribs too. I hurt real bad so I crawled to the hall and hollered down stairs but got no answer. I thought that the General had already gone to the base and my mom was on her morning run. I was hurting so bad that I grabbed my phone and hit speed dial and called Ben and used our password if my dad ever beat me again. The next thing I know I'm waking up in the hospital, and that is all there is to tell."
"Justin are you trying to tell us that your father didn't do this to you?"
"That's what I said isn't it."
"Justin, Dr. Manchester said, 'they found evidence of grass clippings in your hair and that it appeared as though you had been dragged by your hair. Some of it had been pulled out by the roots and the bruise on your side almost matches a boot print. How do explain those things?"
"I don't know what to say, I told you how this happened."
"Justin, you told us that the code word was for use if your father ever beat you again. So you are saying that you set up the code word with Ben, or also with Kyle if your father ever beat you again, is that correct?" asked Kim.
"The code word was Kyle's idea. Last fall after my dad beat me real bad and I hadn't been in school for several days, Kyle came over and my mom was down stairs vacuuming so he came up to my room and saw me with black eyes and bruises all over my body. He wanted to tell his dad, but I wouldn't let him. The General hasn't beat me again since then until... I mean it hasn't happened again. When Ben and I went on a camping trip with Kyle's family we met some girls, and had fun at first with them. We rowed to an island, and the girls had planed to break us up into pairs. What we didn't know was that two of the girls were going to try to get Ben and I to have sex with them. We are both virgins and they scared us. The girl with Ben practically raped him. He was very upset Kyle, Ben, and I rowed one of the canoe's back to the dock then we found a picnic table in the dark and we told each other what had happened. I also told about the General beating me. That's when Kyle told us about what had happened with Jamie the previous Sunday. We convinced Kyle to tell his dad about that. Kyle came up with the idea of a code word that could be used if the General beat me again. It was agreed that I would let one of them know and they would tell their parents and get me help. Kyle thought if the General beat me again he might kill me."
"Can you tell us about what happened last fall when you say your father beat you." asked Captain Palmer.
Justin told them the whole story leaving out no details.
"Why did you think that if Kyle told his father that his dad and family would be in trouble?" asked Captain Palmer.
"You work at the base you must know that if anyone crosses the General they are disciplined and sent to a bad base so that he doesn't have to deal with them anymore."
"Justin, the Army has a code of ethics that all even Generals have to follow. No one is allowed to abuse their family. If you had let Kyle tell his dad last fall you wouldn't be in the hospital now, and Kyle's dad wouldn't have been in trouble at all. Do you understand that the only person in trouble is your dad. What he did to you this morning is criminal. I don't believe your story for a minute, I want you to know that trying to protect him will only prolong the situation. If Kyle verifies what you said about last fall we will build a case against your dad and it might take a little longer, but we will nail the General." Captain Palmer spoke with vehemence.
"Justin you told us earlier that you had told both Ben and Kyle what had happened. Is their story going to be the same as yours?" asked Kim.
Justin blushed beet red and stammered, "I don't know, you will have to ask them."
Kim made a sideward motion with her head and walked to the far corner of the room. "I think he is lying to us also, why don't we see what the other boys have to say and then proceed from there?"
"I think that is the best idea, also we don't want Justin to distrust , or fear us, he has been through enough. We need to help Justin to learn that there are adults that he can trust who won't hurt or disappoint him if he is ever going to tell the truth." said Captain Palmer.
"Ok, why don't you go see if either of the other boys are through with their interviews. If one is done have him come in here so I can leave." said Kim.
Captain Palmer and Peg left the room and Kim came and sat by Justin's bed.
"Justin I am so sorry that you have been hurt not just time but for all the other times. You know I am working on Kyle's case with Jamie and that Kyle trusts me so I need you to try to trust me even though I am an adult. Captain Palmer went to see if one of your friends are thru with their interviews yet, if so they will come in and stay with you."
"Do you think my friends at least one of them can stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone."
Just then the phone rang Kim picked up the phone and said, "hello Justin Blake's room, who is speaking please."
"This is Penny Blake, I need to speak with my son please."
"It's your mom, do you want to speak to her?"
Justin nodded his head and took the phone from Kim. "Hello mother, do you have an answer for me?"
"I've talked with the General, and he has agreed to all of your demands a counselor named Bill Yeater, he will come and see you tonight, I want you to tell him everything let him know about all that has been done to you. Don't worry he won't be reporting it, and we both see him on Friday. Do we have a deal Justin?"
"Yes mother."
Justin handed the phone back to Kim. As she hung the phone up she was thinking about the strange conversation that she had just overheard.
"Justin what did your mother say to you?"
"She told me that both her and the General are going to be seeing a counselor named Bill Yeater and he is coming to see me tonight."
Just then Ben came into the room. "Captain Palmer would like to see you in the waiting room."
"Can you stay with Justin?"
"Yes Ma'am" answered Ben.
"Ben are your and Kyle's parents still here?" asked Kim.
"Mom said something about going to the coffee shop for something to eat."
"Thanks, I will try to catch b up with them there." Kim said as she left Justin's room.
"While you were with Justin I had a talk with the Dr. Manchester he told me that he is worried that Justin may loose his testicles. The CT scan showed the left testicle is ruptured and may have to be removed. Until the swelling goes down they won't be able to tell for sure. He thinks at the least that the left one will have to be surgically repaired if possible, they won't know about the right one until the swelling has gone down." said captain Palmer.
"Oh my God I hope not, that would be absolutely terrible. If he should loose both of them he won't be able to go through puberty without hormone therapy, never mind ever having children." answered Kim.
"Ray Decker was in the waiting room when I came out, he had finished interviewing Ben. Ben told him, 'Justin told him and Kyle that the General dragged him out of the shower where he caught him masturbating and dragged him outside naked to the putting green where he kicked him in the ribs for scalping his green, and kicked him in the groin to teach him not to play with himself. Then dragged him by the hair back into the house where he passed out. His mom came home and found him passed out on the stairs. The general wouldn't let her help him up to his room so he had to crawl. When he got there he grabbed the phone and hit speed dial for Ben and said their code word Mayflower and then he must of passed out again; because he doesn't remember anything until he woke up in the hospital this afternoon." said Captain Palmer.
"I've known General Blake for more than ten years and I was on the base when Jeff was killed by the drunk driver. He is known as a hard, but fair commander. That's what is so difficult to understand, the death of their older son should have caused them to hold closer to Justin, instead it looks as though he totally rejected him."
Just then Kyle and Captain Shepherd came into the waiting room.
"Can I go and see Justin now?" asked Kyle.
"Yes, Ben is with him now." answered Kim.
As soon as Kyle left the room Kim and Captain Palmer quizzed Captain Shepherd about what Kyle had said in his interview. Captain Shepherd told them what Kyle had said. Everything Ben had told Ray Decker was confirmed by Kyle as well as the story that Justin had told them about the beating last fall.
"Why do you think Justin is trying to cover up for the General this time, and yet he told us about the beating last fall?" asked Captain Palmer.
"While I was waiting with Justin his mom called and they had a strange conversation. When he hung up he said, 'that she called to say that Bill Yeater was going to come by this evening and see him and that the General, and her were going to see him on Friday. That alone seems strange I know Bill he is a very good family counselor and is always booked up weeks in advance. So I guess the General must have pulled some strings to get in so fast." said Kim.
Captain Palmer, and Kim filled Captain Shepherd in on what Justin had told them, as well as their suspicions why Justin was lying about what had really happened.
"It is obvious that we will have to talk to all three boys again. Why don't you go back to the base, and let the Provost-Marshal know all that we have found out so far. I will be back at the base in a hour. We are going to talk with the parents for a few minutes and arrange to interview both Sargent-Major Goshen and Captain Russell." said Captain Palmer.
Kim and Captain Palmer found the two couples drinking coffee and eating sandwiches.
"We have a few questions to ask the four of you. But, what I am most concerned about is where Justin is going to live at the moment we don't have any foster homes open. Our only choice is to send him to the boys home in Atlanta. They are a very good place for boys, but in light of everything that has happened I wish we could keep him local so as to be the least disruptive to him."
Jon asked, "can the four of us have a few minutes to talk alone?"
"Betty and I will gladly take Justin in, but since we have only known him for a few months I doubt we would be allowed to be his foster parents. Do you think you and Peg would be willing to take Justin we would be willing to pay half of his expenses."
"I think that is the best idea, and that way he won't be sent to strangers." said Peg.
"Kim we have talked it over and if you will agree we would like Justin to come and live with us for as long as he needs to." said Don
"I think that can be done, because of Kyle's problem with Jamie we have checked out your family quite well, and I will recommend to my supervisor that you be approved as temporary foster parents. If that happens, tomorrow morning I will go before Judge Foster, and have Justin placed in your care. His parents will have to pay child support to you through social services. When he gets out of the hospital I will arrange for him to pick up all his things at home. I will send a police officer with you so that are no problems. He will be allowed to take anything of his he wants " said Kim.
Kim went to arrange with the staff for one of Justin's friends to spend the night with him. Captain Palmer told both of his fellow officers that he would need to see them as soon as they got to the base.
When the parents went to see Justin in his room, both boys were in the room with Justin.
"What is going to happen to me now, where am I going to live?" asked Justin.
"That is going to be decided tomorrow in Judge Foster's court. But, you don't need to even think about that right now. Kim is working on trying to get the hospital to let one of you boys spend the night." said Jon.
"Justin is there anything you want to eat right now I don't think any of you have eaten today." asked Don.
"Do you think I could have a Big Mac and fries?" asked Justin.
"Sure Honey anything you want we will get you." answered Betty.
"Do you boys want the same thing?" asked Peg.
"I want a Big and Tasty with cheese medium size." said Ben.
"Can I have a double quarter pounder with cheese medium also." said Kyle.
Don and Jon went to get the food for the boys.
Peg called to Kyle, "Kyle can I talk to you in the hall for a minute?"
"Kyle we are going to try and get temporary custody of Justin, If we don't do that he will be sent to a boys home in Atlanta, and no one wants that. You will have to share your room with Justin for quite a while, I'm not sure how long it will be, is that ok with you?"
"I love Justin just as if he were my brother I would do anything for him. Can I tell him about it? asked Kyle.
"Not yet we are going to court tomorrow and we should have an answer by tomorrow night. Do you want to stay or will Ben tonight?" asked Peg.
"I think Ben should stay tonight even though we have been best friends for years. Because he can comfort Justin in a way I never could. If he is still there tomorrow night I will stay then."
Peg looked at Kyle trying to understand what he had meant by Ben being able to comfort Justin better than he could.
"Why can Ben comfort Justin better than you?" asked Peg with a look of confusion on her face.
Without thinking said, "because they're ahhhh, he just can OK please don't ask me to say anymore."
All of sudden Peg realized that Ben and Justin must be boyfriends.
"They are boyfriends is what you're trying not to say isn't that right?"
"Please mom don't ask."
"Kyle it won't make any difference to your father and I but we need to know who else knows so that we can protect Justin better."
"I will talk with Justin and Ben after we find out if Justin can live with us."
Peg, and Kyle saw Kim walking down the hall towards them and the three of them went back into Justin's room.
Kim said, "one of you can stay each night, but you will have to sleep on a cot beside Justin's bed. Which one will stay tonight?" asked Kim.
"Ben can stay tonight, and I will stay tomorrow night." said Kyle.
"Ok, that should work,"said Kim.
" Betty, after Jon gets back why don't you take Ben home for a while and we will let Kyle stay until 9 p.m., then you can bring Ben back for the night. We will come and pick Kyle up at nine." said Peg.
After the men returned with food for everyone they all ate in Justin's room. Then Jon, Betty and Ben went home to get some rest.
Kyle asked his mom, "can you bring my walkman and gameboy with several games for Justin to play. Oh, please bring some underwear and a few of my T-shirts for Justin to wear he doesn't have any clothes at all.".
Don drove Peg home and then went to the base to deal with whatever the fallout of that mornings happen might be. Peg gathered Kyle's walkman and his gameboy throwing a bunch of cd's and game cartridges in the bag. She then placed a call to Penny Blake and asked her, "can you put up a bag of Justin's boxers and T-shirts as well as his personal toilet items. Kyle is staying with Justin until 9p.m. and then Ben will spend the night. If I come by in fifteen minutes can you have those things ready?"
"Yes, I will have it ready, has anyone told you what happened to Justin this morning?"
"Justin didn't want to be alone with the investigators and asked if I could be in the room with him while they spoke with him. I will tell you one thing I don't think they believed for one minute that he told them the truth. They as much as said so. Why do you ask?"
"Ahhhhh, just wondering, I'll have everything ready for you when you get here."
Peg drove to the General's house and Penny brought out a bag of things for Justin.
"Please tell him I love him and everything is going to be all right."
"I'm sorry if it seems I am being blunt, but why aren't you at his side right now?"
"Right now the General needs me more than Justin does and I have every confidence in the staff to deal with his bruises."
Peg drove back to the hospital and walked to Justin's room. When she entered Kyle put a finger up to his lips motioning for her to be quiet because Justin was asleep.
Peg whispered, "Kyle come over to corner please. What did Justin tell you happened this morning, I know what he told the investigators, but I want to know the truth and why Justin is lying and I want to know right now young man."
Kyle knew that tone of voice well, it was his mother's I mean business kind of voice. He looked at Justin and then back at his mom, seeing her determined look he knew he would have to tell her the truth.
"What did he tell the Kim and the Captain?"asked Kyle.
Kim told Kyle everything that Justin had told Kim and Captain Palmer.
"Now tell me what he told you really happened."
" Please mom I promised Justin I wouldn't tell." "You told me earlier that you loved Justin like he was your brother is that still true."
"Yes."
"Then you need to tell me everything right now, Justin must be protected and lying about what actually happened will only delay or prevent him from being protected."
"OK," and then Kyle proceeded to tell his mom everything that Justin had told him and Ben earlier that day."
"Why is he lying then?" asked Peg.
"His mom came by, and played the loving concerned mom. She convinced him that the General would never be hurt him again. They made some kind of a deal, he would lie, and she would make sure both her and the General would start seeing a counselor."
"Kyle, do you understand that means that his mom knew that her husband did this to Justin? I am going to call Kim and let her know what is really going on with Justin. I will be back at nine to pick you up after Ben gets here."
So that is it for ch 8 my readers. Do you think Justin will keep his balls? Will the General change? Where will Justin live. All these and so many more. One reader asked if Brenden the clerk from the swim shop is going to reappear, well the answer is yes, and he is going to hook up with ________ .