All rights reserved. Copyright held by the author. If you are underage or are offended by gay fiction, containing graphic sex and explicit language, please exit now.
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"BRIARWOOD"
Copyright Ritchris, 2005
aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
Copyright Ritchris, 2002
Revised Version
A dramatic saga
by
Ritch Christopher
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BOOK THREE
"BRIARWOOD LOST"
Chapter Thirty-Three
"TIME, BE MY FRIEND..."
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"...and if your listening, God,
please, don't make it hard
to know if we should believe
the things that we see.
Tell us, should we run away?
Should we try and stay
or would it be better to let things be?
Just maybe, I can convince
time to slow up...
giving me enough time
in my life to grow up.
Time, be my friend.
Let me begin again."
Charles Smalls
"THE WIZ"
Copyright 1975
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It was Friday afternoon, about an hour before acolyte practice. Cliff was sitting at the desk in his office, putting the finishing touches on Sunday's lesson, making sure his meaning was clear, and checking to see if he had offered one too many opinions...not that it mattered as his parish had become accustomed to his rhetoric over the past year or so. Cliff still had the problem of political correctness and had quite often offended a newer member. He had the CD player lined up with songs by Sue Raney, Linda Bennett, Dawn Upshaw, Teri Thornton, Kathy Keegan, and Shirley Horn who were basically unknown by the average public but were great favorites of jazz aficionados. Shirley was in the middle of one of Johnny Mandel and the Bergman's best songs, 'Where Do You Start' when Cliff was interrupted by a tapping at his door.
"Father Cliff?..Father Cliff?" It was Jeff's voice.
"Come in, Jeff." Cliff answered. "What can I do for you this afternoon, young man?"
"You gotta help me, that's all...you gotta help me." he pleaded.
"Are you in some kind of trouble?"
"Not exactly...well, not 'trouble' trouble, but 'trouble' all the same."
"At home or at school?" Cliff asked.
"At school. Heck! I never have trouble at home any more...not since I took up with you and we became pals."
This remark amused and pleased Cliff. It was a high compliment for him to be included in Jeff's choice of peers. "What's wrong at school? Are you having a difficult time with a subject or a teacher, perhaps?"
"NO! With Chuck Brindley, that's who."
"Brindley? Isn't that the name of the minister at Second Baptist Church?" I inquired.
"The one and the same...only Chuck is his son."
"Oh, I see. Have you been fighting with Chuck?"
"Not physically, but verbally. He got expelled a long time ago for chiding Alex and Ted when they first came out as a couple. I had words with Chuck then and now, we've been going at each other, tooth and nail, for the past two weeks!"
"Over what?"
"Oh, it started when Mr. Bartolli, the principal, gave me permission to start to organize a club for gay high school students."
"Don't you mean, 'high school students who happen to be gay'?"
"Same difference or whatever." he continued. "At any rate me and about 15 other students were meeting down in Ms. MacMillan's room after school. We weren't doing anything wrong. Heck, Ms. Mac had given us permission to use her room. So we were just about ready to nominate people to be club officers when Chuck opened the door with glass panes in it, and stuck his head in and yelled. 'My Dad says that all queers are gonna burn in hell'." Well, I was mad and embarrassed at the same time and almost bust a gut. I warned Chuck to take his remark back or I'd report him to Mr. Bartolli. That's when he called Mr. Bartolli a closet queen...and I think I know, but I'm not exactly sure what a closet queen is."
"Jeff, the way Chuck was using the phrase was an inappropriate way of saying Mr. Bartolli is gay but keeping it a secret by hiding in a closet...not literally...but.."
"Yeah, that's what I thought it meant. I didn't tell Mr. Bartolli what Chuck had said because I was too embarrassed to say anything about it. I don't know if Mr. Bartolli is gay or a closet queen, but, as you've taught me, that's none of my business."
"Jeff, I get more proud of you every day."
"Any way, I chased Chuck down the hall and as I drew my fist back to hit him, Coach Jarvis grabbed my arm before I could release my blow. Then he warned Chuck and me that fighting was not the way to settle a dispute. He suggested that we go talk with Mr. Winston, the senior English teacher who also happens to be the faculty sponsor for the school's debate team. Coach Jarvis said the best way to handle any kind of problem was to debate it and get it out of our verbal systems. SOOoooo, Chuck and I went to see Mr. Winston and told him that the coach had sent us to see him...to maybe arrange a debate. That's when Mr. Winston asked us what the topic of our debate would be about. Before I got a chance to answer, Chuck blurted out...'On whether queers are going to hell or not;' My gut impulse was to haul off and slap the shit out of Chuck, but I knew if I did, Mr. Winston would defend him, so I bit my tongue and waited to see what Mr. Winston had to see about a proposed debate. He wanted to know if it would be just between the two of us or did we want to have a four member panel representing opposite points of view on the subject. Dad always told me there was safety in numbers, so I chose to have the panel instead of going one on one with that butt head."
"So you and three members of your club are going to debate Chuck and three of his friends in an open debate about the immortality of gays?"
"I like the way you phrased it, just now. I can use that in my opening comments, if I can quote you."
"Of course you can...but just where do I fit into your picture? I'm much to old to pass myself off as a high school student."
"I..er, rather, 'we' or members of the gay club want you to sponsor and train us in the statistics and logistics of being gay...and what are our chances of going to hell...or heaven, even.
"In other words, you want me to be your debate coach?"
"Exactly. We can meet here at the church as often as you like and you can fill us in on what chapters and verses to quote. if you know what I mean. You know people who are anti-gay always use that Leviticus verse to say we're an abomination. YOU must know other verses that would nullify that one. don't you?"
"There are quite a few, Jeff, but the verses in Leviticus, chapters eighteen and twenty were nullified long before the birth of Christ." Cliff said.
"Is that right?...I mean, SEE? You know these things and we don't...but you could TEACH us!! Whaddya say?"
"Jeff, have I ever refused you before in any way?"
"No, sir."
"Then why would you think I'd turn my back on you now?"
"I knew you wouldn't. I just had to go through the motions to get you to say 'yes'."
"You're always the lovable wheeler-dealer, aren't you?"
"That's what my dad says, any way."
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News about the debate spread across Briarwood faster than Kitty Marsden's gossip used to. The whole town was talking. You'd've thought the IRA had invaded South Ireland or Palestine had invaded Israel from all the talk. What started out to be a menial high school debate had suddenly turned into a full-fledge war between the Baptists and the Anglicans. There was even talk of selling tickets and giving the proceeds to some neutral charity. Cliff would've rather seen it go to the women's pro-choice movement, but that was a worse topic than the one scheduled. Mr. Bartolli called Cliff and asked if he would agree to be on the panel if Reverend Brindley agreed to share the opposite side of the stage which coincidentally represented his viewpoint. The argument between students had progressed to a crossfire of church doctrines. Cliff thought he'd better discuss it with Roger before he agreed to go into battle. After all, Roger had the sounder judgment between the two of them when it came to making this kind of decision. Since the original disagreement was started by Jeff, suddenly his father's legal opinions became involved. Cliff held his breath, wondering when Ted Koppel would call to see if he could televise the affair on ABC's Nightline.
"You're a fool to consider it," was Roger's opening remark.
"I felt the same way. I just needed you to confirm my decision." Cliff replied.
"You know how our parents taught us to let kids fight their own battles without grown-ups getting involved. It was true back then and it's still true today."
"Honestly, babe, I don't know how it got so far out of hand. I told Jeff I would arm and shield him with enough Anglican material to win any debate over the right wingers."
"That's OK. I approve of your helping Jeff behind the scenes, but as far as your taking active participation in a shouting match with a Baptist minister...no dice. Say, by the way, is it true that Pastor Brindley can walk on water? I heard it but I have no proof. The only miracle I've seen that he's performed was apparently raising the dead one night, long enough to get his wife pregnant and have a son named Chuck!"
"Roger, you're terrible! For a moment, I thought you were being serious."
"Oh, sweetheart, the entire town has blown this whole thing out of proportion. Let the kids have their little debate and be done with it."
"I just don't want to see Jeff lose, that's all."
"You mean, you don't want yourself to lose...Huh?"
"Maybe. Dammit! I've fought hard and long for gay rights and the other side always seem to come out on top. For once, I would like to see our side win."
"And you think you will, if YOU join the panel. You think you can beat old Parson Brindley."
"Well, he's got to be ignorant or uneducated to say the things he does."
"Cliff, many scholars with many degrees oppose gay sanctity. Hell, look at half of the U.S. Congress. Most of the Representatives get on the floor and vote against gay legislation every time a bill comes up...and then they take their little pages back to their conservative offices and suck their dicks. I'll bet there are more cocks sucked than pussies fucked by our Congress."
"I wouldn't even take that bet because you're probably right. People that always put up the biggest fuss about an idea, usually have something to hide."
"You mean, me thinks the lady doth protest et cetera?"
"Exactly...I've often wondered why Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and James Kennedy constantly take their texts from Leviticus? Do they honestly believe they can scare gay kids into seeing things their way?...that God takes out all His hatred by punishing homosexuals with incurable diseases and other fatal curses?...and He's saving the lake of fire in hell, just so He can use it keep all the queers in, like a Nazi concentration camp?"
"Cliff, Cliff, Cliff, save your sermon until Sunday morning. Talking about things like this to me is like preaching to the choir. I've heard it all before and I totally agree with you. There's something you must remember. The 'other side', as you call it, has never met gays like you, me, and the boys. They arrive at their concept when they see gay parades where all the guys dress up like women. I know the gays do it in fun...and sometimes as a protest, but in the long run, it does hurt our cause when we try to educate the masses about what it's like to be different. No straight parent wants to see his son cavorting with another boy his age, carrying a purse or wearing lipstick. 'Normal' society isn't geared for that yet. I saw a segment on '60 Minutes' about this camp in Maine that tried an experiment by taking Arab and Israeli kids and putting them together, sharing bunks, meals, ideas, and so on. At the end of the camp, the kids were interviewed to see if they had a better understanding of one another and to see if their opinions had changed. Most of them said that they felt differently about their adversaries, but after each of them went back home to his own environment, each one went back to his old way of thinking. They were enemies again. The same thing would happen if you took a bunch of straight and gay kids, and put them together in a confined situation, they would get along beautifully until they returned to their parents. Maybe the kids' children will see things differently since their immediate parents had been exposed to gay life years earlier. I guess what I'm trying to say is, no debate ever changed a person's thinking for a long period of time. Sure, candidates debate every election, and sometimes people change their minds and vote against their nature...but after the candidate has been elected, the ones on the 'other side' that voted for him are always the first to start criticizing him."
"Whew! Maybe YOU should debate Reverend Brindley!" Cliff said, laughing at Roger, who had turned red in the face. "What do you want for supper? Something cold...to calm your blood pressure?"
"I'll have YOU...on a platter...here and now... with no condiments or condoms!"
"You idiot! I love you."
"And I love you...Just remember, let Jeff do his own debating. Help him all you want because he looks up to you like you're his hero."
"Oh, stop it! I'm not his hero...but I am awfully proud of him."
"And I'm proud of you...awfully."
Roger started toward Cliff to give him his usual hug, but halfway stopped and slightly lost his balance. Roger sank to one knee and he lightly placed his hand on his right temple. Cliff knew Roger wasn't faking, so he ran to catch him.
"Roger! What's the matter?" Cliff asked, almost trembling.
"I don't know. I had this sharp pain hit in the back of my skull and I became dizzy...It's passed. I think I'm all right now."
"Sit down and let me call Jay to take your blood pressure."
"Oh, Cliff, stop it! It's was nothing. Haven't you ever had a sharp pain that vanished after just a moment?"
"Yeah, but I didn't almost fall as you did," Cliff said,
"I told you. It's nothing. Now will you please stop making such a big deal about it? I'm fine. Maybe I'm just hungry and I need a good meal. Whaddya say, we go in the kitchen and sample tonight's cauldrons and see what potion Jay has concocted for supper."
"I will...IF you let him take your blood pressure...DEAL?"
"Deal. Anything to get you to shut up!"
Cliff called Jay to bring in his portable BP gauge and he played Florence Nightingale to the hilt. He stuck a thermometer in Roger's mouth, grabbed Roger's wrist and began taking his pulse. Then he wrapped the cuff around Roger's bicep, pushed the button, and awaited the reading. Jay, having been joined by Troy, looked at Roger, then cut his eyes toward Cliff to see how concerned Cliff was. Jay realized this was no time for one of his jokes as he had a seriousness in his expression. Keeping his right hand out of Roger's view, Jay indicated on his fingers that Roger's pulse rate was 136, way above the norm.
The BP beeped and the reading was not good. It was 172/124. Normally, Roger's fantastic health and physical condition kept his BP around 110/70. Since both the systolic and diastolic numbers were unusually high, Jay tried to resist a frown from forming on his forehead. Troy kept his eyes on Cliff, watching to see if he was disturbed enough to call an EMS or the doctor.
"Roger, your pressure is a little on the high side." Jay told him the numbers. "Cliff, I know Roger won't agree but I think he should have this checked professionally and immediately."
"Hey, Jay," Roger interrupted. "I'm not in the other room. I'm right here in front of you. Why don't you let me make the decision on what I should do?"
"Because all of us know you too well, Roger." Troy chimed in. "If there's nothing wrong, then so be it. But we should hear it from the experts."
"Rog, let me at least call the paramedics and see what they say." Cliff added.
"Would you stop worrying, Scarlet? You're way too young to wear widow weeds." Roger said to Cliff.
"I'll stop worrying when I'm convinced you're all right." Cliff replied.
"OK, let's be reasonable," Roger said. "By the time you call the paramedics and they arrive and whisk me off to the emergency room, we can cut their time in half by just getting in the car and driving me to the hospital. Now...does that suit you?"
"Perfectly." Cliff said.
Without asking if they could go, Jay and Troy went to their bedroom and each got a sweater. Cliff handed Roger a jacket while he donned his own. The four of them got into Roger's new Lexus and off they sped to Briarwood General Hospital.
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Vivien Royer was still out of town visiting with her parents. She had talked to David every night since she left, and two nights ago, the two of them decided on getting an amicable divorce. There was to be no contesting. The terms were fair and agreed on by both parties, so it would take only six weeks to get everything finalized. Another thing being finalized was David's moving in with Walter, as their relationship had grown beyond the platonic stage. David was in love, REALLY in love for the first time in his life...and with a man...Walter.
Alex and Jeff seemed to accept David in stride, for if he made their dad enjoy life, that was good enough for them. In all the years of Walter's and Bruce's relationship, they had never lived together more than two week stretches in hotel rooms on business trips or unplanned vacations. If it weren't for Ted's seeing Alex regularly, Bruce's name was seldom mentioned in the Clayton residence any longer.
Walter and David had begun getting home from the office early so they could delve into the massive collection of cookbooks that Walter's wife had once assembled. The two of them practically turned the kitchen into a playground as they took turns "accidentally" spraying the faucet on one another, splattering flour on their faces, and occasionally popping a hot French fry or a radish into the other one's mouth. They laughed and giggled like two kids or maybe more appropriately, like two newly-weds. Sometimes Alex, Jeff, Ryan, and Kyle would join in the fun which usually wound up in a good old-fashioned food fight. The boys had never seen their father so blissfully happy. Walter reminded Jeff and Alex of the way he used to act when their mother was alive.
Walter had worked on an unusual case at work and he'd asked David to act as his "second chair". A nice gay couple had filed to adopt a twelve year old boy which had all the makings of a landmark decision in Briarwood. Social Services had put up an expected battle with all the usual "unfit parents" arguments. It was a known fact that ALL male couples that wanted to adopt were trying to advance their latent pedophilia. Walter might have lost the case on grounds of the judge's conflict of interest, that is, if the opposition had known that Judge Taylor was a member of the St. Genesius parish. They could have argued that Cliff had brainwashed him with gay liberal ideas, but in the long run, they were afraid to bring religion into litigation, especially since there was so much talk in town about an upcoming gay/anti-gay debate at Briarwood High which was getting national attention.
Jeff had gone to the library and checked out every book he could carry home to support his argument. Even Alex had thrown in a statistic or two about 30% of all teen suicides were gay related where the victim had been denied acceptance by his parents or peers. Once again, Walter found a reason to be proud of Jeff. He's always wanted Jeff to follow in his steps and take over his firm one day, due to Jeff's penchant for arguing. He usually won because Jeff only argued when he was 100% sure he was correct.
When Walter first learned of Jeff's intention to become a priest, he thought about the difference of a priest's salary compared to that of a lawyer. But since Walter's firm had gotten all of Roger's business and had made Walter a multimillionaire, he knew that Jeff and Alex would be set for life with the inheritance he would leave them.
At any rate, Walter and David had won the adoption case for the gay couple and had set a precedent in the state. This would make it easier for all gays and Lesbians to adopt now that the barrier was broken. Walter was certain that Chuck Brindley would use this incident in his debate with Jeff...but so much the better! Jeff had the law on his side with this issue.
The debate was all that Jeff could talk about at home, especially at the dinner table. Walter, Ryan, and Kyle had been gay much longer than Jeff and Jeff was rattling off statistics that even raised their eyebrows.
"Dad, that Leviticus "abomination" bullshit was one of 614 laws that made up the Jewish Holiness Code...well, all those laws were thrown out the window when the Temple was destroyed and none of the Christians obeyed them." Jeff said.
"Jeff, are you going to use that kind of rhetoric while you're debating?" Walter asked. "I somehow think you'll lose your point if you refer to things as 'bullshit'!"
"Nah, I just say that so that you guys will know what I'm talkin' about," Jeff replied. "You know that in the book of Ruth, it talks about a deeply intimate relationship between Ruth and Naomi? And in First Samuel, it makes you think that David and Jonathan were lovers."
"No, son, I didn't know that," Walter said, winking at the other guys at the table.
"What were some of the other 614 laws they threw out," Alex asked, as if he were rehearsing Jeff.
"Well, if you eat shell fish, you're going to hell and if a man has sex with his wife while she's having her period, that's grounds for being stoned to death. It's all there, except the only part of Leviticus they ever quote is that homosexuals, and it doesn't even use that word, are going to hell. No one ever reads the other taboos out loud. There's a bunch of 'em. You oughta read it, Alex. It makes you think that everyone or NO ONE is goin' to hell."
"What else have you learned, Jeff?" David asked.
"Well, there's only one time in the whole New Testament that Jesus refers to sex. That's when he met the whore and told her to 'go and sin no more'. But that's all. The rest of the time he just told everyone to love one another. So, see, Christ didn't condemn homosexuality."
"I think Chuck and his old man are gonna bust a gut by the time Jeff gets through with them!" Ryan said.
"We can hope they do, anyway." Kyle added and everyone laughed.
The lecture and the meal went on and on until almost everybody at the table was well-versed enough to join the debate panel. Walter went into the kitchen to bring out the dessert he and David had prepared. He returned with a huge chafing dish filled with bananas and a bottle of brandy to pour over them to set afire. Before pouring the brandy over the dish, Walter went around the table and poured about an ounce of Brandy for each of his four boys and David. When he got back to his place at the head of the table, Walter proposed a toast to his four "sons". He wanted to thank them for taking David into their household and making him a part of their family. Not one of them was reticent about welcoming David. David had become one of them and his and Walter's relationship reminded them of Father Cliff's and Roger's.
Their acceptance of him had made David happier than he'd been in his whole life. Sometimes when he was alone, he never felt sorry about divorcing Vivien. In some remote way, he would always have a place in his heart for her. He felt no guilt over his new relationship, but then he knew Vivien would never know the joy of a relationship such as the one he had found with Walter. David watched with envy as he assisted Walter with the gay couple adopting a son. That was the only thing that Vivien could have given him, but his life would still not've been complete with her. He longed to be a father and even though Jeff and Alex were in their mid to late teens, he doubted that either of them would ever accept him as their adoptive parent. Maybe if he and Walter could find a baby or a prepubescent youngster, they could raise him like their own. Yes, David knew for sure that he was in love with Walter.
One Monday night, David had gone to the guest house to watch the football game with Ryan and Kyle. During the half time of the game, they had filled David in on all that they knew about Walter's and Bruce's break-up. They were convinced that Bruce had been the only man in Walter's life and they had related to David how lonely he had been over the past several months. After the game as David walked back to the main house, he made a vow to try to fill any void or emptiness in Walter's life to the best of his ability to do so. He only hoped that Walter felt the same toward him. Later that night after Walter and David had made love, David spoke to his lover to see how he actually felt.
"Walt, I realize my move into your home was merely a means to give me comfort and temporary housing during my divorce, but now that it's final and I've agreed to let Vivien keep the house, am I rushing things by asking if it's too early for us to discuss some kind of commitment?" David asked.
"No," Walter replied, "this is something we should have talked about sooner. I knew that your acceptance of a new lifestyle might put you in a quandary and I didn't want to force you to make a decision, either about me or our relationship."
"Do I have to tell you that this is what I want?" David offered.
"Are you sure?"
"Totally. In the past few weeks I've felt loved as I never have been before, by you and your boys. I also found a stash of love that I've been holding to give to someone and I feel like you are the one to give it to. Isn't it obvious that I'm in love with you."
"Yes, I've been aware of it. I was hoping that YOU would become aware of it and tell me without my asking. You see, David, I've needed someone to love for so long. I'm sure you've heard about me and Bruce and how we got derailed...but the thing of it is, Bruce and I could never have lived together as a couple, at least not as long as his wife was alive. When my wife died, Bruce stepped forward to fill the void she'd left, as best he could. I loved him...I will always love him. We were close even before my boys were born. BUT, as I said, it wasn't meant to be a one on one relationship. I'd given up hope of ever finding someone until I met you, and once again, my idea of teaming up with a partner was handicapped because you were married and secondly, you'd never experienced being gay before. Now that you are free and want some kind of commitment from me...I...I guess all I can say is 'yes'. 'Yes' to everything. Do I love you?...Yes! Do I want you?...Definitely. yes...Do I want you to live with me as my partner in life forever?...Without a doubt!!"
"My God, just hearing you say that makes me tremble because I love you the same way. I love Alex and Jeff as if they were my own sons and I love Ryan and Kyle, the same way you do. It's so wonderful to become a part of a large family all at once...But it happened. I did find you and I AM a part of your life as you are a part of mine. I've never been happier." David said, with tears in his eyes."
"I'm really pleased by the way the boys treat you...but it goes both ways, I love the way you've 'adopted' them." Walter stopped long enough to kiss David. "Now I guess we're supposed to go out and pick out furniture, as all new couples do."
"I know you're kidding because your place is a showcase. I wouldn't change or add a thing. It's furnished and decorated the way you and the boys wanted it...and since I'm part of the family now...it's just the way I want it too."
"You're more than just a 'part' of it, David. I want you to know that."
"You know today, when the gay couple adopted the boy, I was envious of them."
"Why?"
"Because...I wished it were you and me."
"You want US to adopt a child?"
"I would like it, but for now, could we maybe get a puppy? You know, one that we pick out together and make it ours?"
"No wonder I fell in love with you. You have heart!...And I like it!!"
"Walt? Do I make you happy?"
"One hundred per cent. Wanna see if I can get Cliff to perform a private wedding ceremony just for us?"
"Oh my God! Do you think he would?"
"If we ask him."
"Let's do it! That is, if you're agreeable."
"Of course, I am. Why do you think I brought it up? Oh God, Jay is gonna want to cater a reception. He LOVES things like that!"
"Then let him! Anything that makes anyone happy...I'm all for it."
"Wanna have a go at some premarital sex?"
"And spoil my virginity for my wedding night?" David kidded.
Walter put his arms around David to pull him closer. At the same time, Alex tapped at their bedroom door.
"Yes?" Walter called out.
"Dad?" Alex replied.
"Come on in, Alex,"
Alex cracked the door and stuck his head in.
"Dad, I'm sorry to interrupt but Troy is on the phone. He wants to talk to you. He says it's extremely important."
"Thanks, son, I'll take the call here."
Walter reached over to the bedside table and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Walter, this is Troy."
"Hi, Troy, what can I do for you?"
"Well, sir, it's about Roger."
"What's wrong?" Walter became more concerned.
"Cliff wanted me to call you. It's that...well...earlier this evening Roger had a dizzy spell at the house. Jay took his vitals and they were rather high."
"And?"
"Well, Cliff thought it would be wise if we took Roger to a hospital to find out if anything serious was wrong."
"And was there?"
"Yessir."
"Come on, boy, take your time and tell me. This news is making me nervous."
"Well, Jay, Cliff, and I drove Roger to the hospital because Roger absolutely refused our calling an ambulance. Anyway...we'd gone about six or eight blocks and suddenly Roger started convulsing...Jay and I had to hold him down while Cliff drove the car. By the time we got to the emergency room, Roger had quieted down but he was unconscious."
"My God!!" Walter exclaimed. Jeff, Kyle, Ryan, and Ted had joined Alex by coming into Walter's bedroom. They all stood by listening to Walter talking to Troy, in horror. "And then what happened."
"A team of doctors and nurses put Roger on a stretcher. They checked his vitals and sent him up to be x-rayed or have a brain scan or something."
"Troy, did the doctors find out what was wrong?"
"Yessir, they told Cliff that Roger had had an aneurysm and needed to be operated on at once. They've been in surgery almost four hours now."
"Good God! Let me get dressed and I'll be there ASAP. Which hospital?"
"Briarwood General."
"Well, just hold on, son, and don't worry. Tell Cliff I'm on my way."
"I will, sir...and thank you."
"Thank you for calling, Troy."
Walter jumped out of bed and began dressing in a hurry. He related the entire conversation to David and the five boys while he dressed. Each of them ran to their rooms to get dressed as they wanted to go to the hospital with Walter. Exactly three minute later, all seven of them were dressed and were in Walter's car headed for the hospital. No one said a word inside the car. Some of them were praying silently while the others all remained deep in thought. Walter ran every stop sign and red light that might have deterred him from arriving at the destination. When they arrived, Walter asked Alex to park the car while he ran on ahead to the emergency room.
Once inside, Walter was met by Troy and Jay who gave him a big hug and thanked him for coming. Walter looked around the waiting room for Cliff. Walter's family joined him with Troy and Jay and they all exchanged greetings, hugs, and condolences. It was strange but they were the only ones in the waiting room. It was almost like having a private affair. They all sat and waited. The fear and tension in the room was insurmountable as everyone was finding it difficult to breathe. Jeff pulled a rosary out of his pockets and began praying over each bead. Walter saw this and smiled with contentment.
When Walter arrived he had looked at his watch. It was 11:10 PM. It was now 1:50 AM and everyone of the concerned party had paired off and were catnapping...Troy and Jay, Kyle and Ryan. Alex had been sitting next to Ted. Ted had put his arm around Alex and Alex had fallen asleep on Ted's shoulder. Walter was sitting alone on a couch. He looked at David and then at Ted and Alex looking like two Norman Rockwell subjects. The only person awake besides Walter and David was Jeff. Jeff knelt in front of a chair to use it as a make-believe altar. He had prayed incessantly ever since he'd arrived.
It was shortly after 2:00AM when Cliff came through the double doors which led to the 'no visitors' area. Walter and Jeff arose to meet him, without disturbing any of the others. Walter had difficulty reading the expression on Cliff's face. It was sombre but quite natural. When he got near, Walter reached out and embraced Cliff...his lips were next to Cliff's ear as he whispered.
"How is he?"
"It's bad." Cliff managed to say.
"How bad, Cliff?" Walter asked in disbelief.
"Excuse me, Walter, but I have to go outside and bargain with God." Cliff whispered.
Jeff overheard the words of Cliff, dropped his rosary and ran outside into Autumn's crisp morning air.
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(To be continued in "Briarwood"--BOOK THREE-"Briarwood Lost" chapter-thirty-four).
Copyright Ritchris, 2005.