Cheddars, Chapter 29
About 250 miles to the north, Dan woke up in his bed, naked, with Taylor snuggled against him in the same state of undress. Both were sporting morning wood despite having drained each other of jizz twice the night before.
He was happy. His life was purring along smoothly. His father wasn't on his case as much, and didn't seem to mind that Taylor and he often spent an overnight at one house or the other nearly every week.
The boys wanted to lie back in bed, cuddling and kissing, but that wouldn't have been a safe pastime. Besides, Taylor's dad was picking him up right after breakfast for an activity at the Y. They'd have to put their desires on hold until the following afternoon when they hoped to study together at Tay's house in preparation for a social studies quiz on Monday. Ordinarily, Ralph didn't allow Dan to do school work on the Sabbath, but occasionally made an exception for a Monday morning test.
Dan brushed his teeth, but didn't shower or dress because he wasn't on a time-schedule like Taylor was. Of course, they'd have enjoyed getting clean together, but that wouldn't have turned out well with Dan's parents around!
Ralph seemed preoccupied when they saw him at breakfast. Dan thought it might have something to do with his mother being six months pregnant. She wasn't doing well carrying this child, and her moods were unpredictable.
Yes, that trip abroad without him last spring had led to the prospect of a little brother or sister. So far, the `rents had chosen not to know the sex of the baby. Dan hoped that having a sibling to give his parents grandchildren would take some of the pressure off him. A baby as the center of attention would be a welcome diversion.
Dan was especially horny for Taylor, and feared they might be discovered if he weren't careful. Even so, he surreptitiously fondled Taylor's bulge as they parted at the door. The minute it was closed, Ralph called him into the family room. Dan figured he'd be cleaning out the garage the rest of the day.
Just as Taylor was climbing into his dad's car in the driveway, he remembered leaving his toothbrush in the bathroom across from Dan's bedroom.
"I'd better go get it," he said. "I have the time."
"Why bother? We have spares at home."
"It's my rechargeable one, and I like it best. My check-ups have been a lot better since using it all the time. I'll only be a minute." Taylor insisted as he ran to the front door.
When he got there, he heard yelling, whacking noises, and screams of pain that he recognized as coming from Dan. He rang the bell, and all went quiet inside. After a short time, Dan's mother opened the door a crack and asked what he wanted.
Without answering her, he forced his way into to the foyer. He followed the sounds of a struggle into the family room where he discovered Dan's father holding him in a tight grip with one hand over his mouth.
Taylor's sudden presence distracted Ralph enough to partially lose his grip, and Dan quickly bit the hand that had been silencing him. As Ralph yelped in pain, Dan turned around and kneed him in the groin, but not accurately enough to put him out of commission completely.
"Let's get outta here!" Taylor yelled.
Pushing Dan in front of him to shield him from his father's wrath, Taylor told him not to stop until he was safely in their car with the doors locked.
Jennifer attempted to block their exit, but the boys dodged around her. Just as they made it across the porch, Ralph shoved Taylor in the back, sending him sprawling down the concrete steps.
Seeing his son being mistreated, Todd Cornell was out of his car in a split second. He wrestled Ralph to the ground and got him into a headlock from which there was no escape.
"Call the cops," he yelled to the next-door neighbor, Hal, who had come out to retrieve his morning paper.
Hal ran back inside and emerged seconds later talking on his cell phone.
In the meantime, Jennifer was standing on the porch screaming at Todd to let go of her husband. Taylor's hands were bleeding a little from scrapes he'd received trying to break his fall down the stairs, but he was more concerned with the welfare of his nearly-naked boyfriend who clung to him, crying and shivering in the chill of the frosty morning.
Instead of trying to record a video of the scene, he pulled his sleeping bag out of the car and wrapped Dan and him in it too keep them warm.
"We're gonna get blood on it." Dan protested.
"So what? You're worth more than all the sleeping bags Scheel's has ever sold!" Taylor insisted, before kissing his cheek.
A patrol car with two officers arrived soon. One of the policemen had his stun gun drawn because one never knew who might be attacked in a domestic violence situation. Policemen often became victims in such cases.
Dan told the officers the short version of being whipped with his father's belt, while Jennifer tried to talk over him, disputing what he said.
"Ma-am, I see that you're expecting, and I don't know what a high-voltage charge might do to your unborn baby, so I suggest that you calm down and let this boy continue."
"You can't threaten me!" she defied him. "You don't dare zap me! I'll sue!"
"I may not use the Taser on you, but I can handcuff you to prevent you from interfering with an official act, so if you don't want that to happen, you'd better chill!"
When the other officer asked Todd to let Ralph up, Todd did so by quickly springing away to avoid being attacked. Ralph went after him the minute he was released, fists flying, until he found himself on the ground thrashing around from being shocked. The stun gun evidently packed a wallop. The policeman put the cuffs on him before his head cleared enough to resist.
As he regained control of his body, Ralph began to curse Dan and Taylor, calling them faggots and cock-suckers. For a "born-again-Christian," he had a mouth that could blister paint!
"Sir, I have to warn you that your offensive language can lead to your being charged with a hate-crime against the boy you were whipping."
"That's a stupid charge! He's a perverted little prick and so is his boyfriend. They're bound for hell for their sins. He is no longer my son! I never want to see him again!"
"I'll bet that can be arranged when the lady from social services gets involved. She may put him into protective custody to keep him safe from you!" the officer responded. "The EMT team is on the way to treat the injuries these boys have sustained. The social worker will meet us at the station after their wounds have been attended to.
"I'm going to officially Mirandize both you and your wife. You're facing charges of child endangerment, and I suggest you engage legal counsel before you continue to rant."
One of the officers photographed Dan's back as evidence of how his father had mistreated him, but Taylor took pictures too, just before the EMTs began treatment. He wanted to ensure that there was extra proof of what Ralph had done. He knew there was a motion-activated camera or two at the front of the house, so he suspected there would be more photographic evidence if it were needed.
Seated in the living room, Tay held Dan's head on his lap while Dan was being treated. The disinfectant stung, but Dan was bound to "take it like a man." No one, but perhaps his father, would have blamed him for crying, but he didn't want Ralph to have the satisfaction of witnessing his pain!
(Later they would count welts from more than 12 lashes that had been administered in the matter of a few minutes. Dan had been taken completely unaware, and his mother had blocked his escape.)
"You're a tough cookie!" one of the medics praised him.
"Not so much, but I can hold out as long as I know I'm loved," he said as Taylor stroked his hair.
"That's cool!" the man smiled.
After Dan's wounds were dressed, Taylor followed him up to his room to help him get his clothes on.
The scene at the station was chaotic right from the start as Dan's parents tried to blame everyone but themselves for the state of affairs. They were incensed that the authorities didn't believe in the biblical admonition that to spare the rod was to spoil the child.
Eventually, officers interviewed each person separately. At the end, all were assembled in a small room, with a policeman standing on each side of Ralph, who continued to be combative.
Dorothy Erickson, from CPS spoke about what would happen to Dan to provide for his safety and general welfare.
"I've been in touch with the judge who's on-call this weekend, and I think we have a temporary solution since he has no family nearby to take care of him. Ordinarily, we'd let him stay with his mother, but she's being charged as an accessory to the crime.
"There's a shelter in downtown St. Paul, called Lundy House, which takes in people who have nowhere to go. A section of it is set up to provide for gay kids, especially. Reese Payne, a counselor and house father there, will see that he gets the attention he needs.
"That's a viable solution, Dorothy, but I have what I think is a better one because he'd be with people he knows." Todd spoke up. "You know I've been licensed to take in foster kids, and we've had a few over the years. Why don't you sign Dan out to me so he can continue at his school with no interruption? My son, Taylor, and he are best of friends, and we're used to having him around. We already consider him as part of our family."
"That would be perfect! I'll call the judge with the new details. In about a week and a half, we'll schedule a hearing to decide on a more permanent solution."
"We'd be happy to make it permanent." Todd offered. "You've heard his parents say they don't want him."
"Yes, but we need to consider other relatives who might like to adopt him. Family usually gets first consideration."
"I know Grandma and Grandpa will take me, but I hate to move from my school and friends," Dan said.
"You've suffered enough trauma. We'll do our best not to mess up your life further," Dorothy assured him.
Several messages had backed up on Dan's phone by the time he got to look at it. At Dan's request, Todd had contacted his grandparents and the young men he'd met in Florida. Of course, everyone was concerned about Dan's condition, and eager to do what they could to help.
Parker and Adam offered him a room in their home in Iowa City. They invited him to attend school at Adam's alma matter and bring Taylor along!
Grandma called to say that Edgar and she were packing, and would be in Edina tomorrow afternoon. She would have texted, but she wanted Dan to hear the sound of her voice, which she hoped would be of comfort. She promised to take care of things! Life, for Dan, was looking up! Many people he cared about were in his corner.
Taylor was afraid if they slept in the same bed, he might bump into Dan's back in the night and cause him more pain. Dan convinced him that he'd take his chances, because he didn't want to sleep alone. He promised to snuggle against Taylor, and not turn on his other side all night, so it would be impossible for Taylor to come in contact with his wounds. If he got tired of that position, he'd sleep on his stomach. Seeing how much Dan needed him, Taylor relented.
Sometime in the wee hours, Dan cried out. Taylor was awake in a split-second. Dan's anguish had come from a bad dream, not from any physical contact. Todd came into the room to check on them, but not in the way Ralph would have done. He joined his son in giving Dan the words of comfort that he needed.
In the morning, Dan woke up first, and lay on his side thinking about how lucky he was. He said a quick prayer for kids like him who were in the rescue mission in St. Paul. He was certain there must be someone with similar problems, but without the extended family he had watching over him.
By the time the elder Forsythe's arrived at the Cornell's late in the afternoon, they had booked a motel room close by and, having done a search by phone while on the road, and had gone to an open house where a decent, though poorly decorated, condo was for rent or sale. It didn't show well, but Ellie could see the potential in it. With new paint and better furniture, it could be dressed up enough to live in, and be flipped at a profit when Dan graduated and they had no further use for it.
Not wanting to waste any more time hunting for a place that wasn't likely to suit them better, Edgar had written a check for $1,000 as earnest money to hold it. The realtor was thrilled, because she was at her wit's end trying to unload it, even at a bargain-basement price. She had urged the heirs to have it staged, but they just wanted whatever they could get out of it and be done. Everything that was in the house would be left. None of Aunt Char's "treasures" meant anything to them. It was sad.
"You did all of that today, and drove a lot of miles as well?" Todd gasped.
"We've been up since 4:00 and both of us have a fairly heavy foot," Edgar grinned. "I guess I'm fudging a little about our long day, because we caught a quick nap after we bought the condo. We also managed to get counsel from a local lawyer, Ben Larson-Brady, on the phone as we were traveling. He was a classmate of our attorney, and comes highly recommended. He'll represent us when we petition to raise Dan as our own. If there's a custody battle, we're confident he can help us come out on top."
"Grandma, you could be the CEO of a big company!" Dan exclaimed, as he hugged her for the umpteenth time. "You really take charge!"
"You'd be surprised what you can do by phone these days. But, it's not just me, Grandpa had a lot of input too. However, we do make a formidable team. When one of us is behind the wheel, the other is making calls.
"Anyway, Mr. Larson-Brady suggested that we'd have a better chance of gaining custody of you if we owned property near your school and could guarantee that your life could continue uninterrupted."
"But, what about your homes in Inverness, and Florida?"
"We'll probably go to Florida on your spring break, and we might celebrate a holiday or two in Illinois. It's not so far that we couldn't go for a weekend, maybe do some shopping at Woodfield Mall. Of course, we'd take Taylor with us if he wanted to go."
Taylor blushed, but he smiled in appreciation of being automatically included.
Dorothy had been correct in her assumption. Nine days later, all interested parties were assembled in a conference room in the courthouse with Judge David Hoyt presiding.
Ellie was troubled that Dan's other set of grandparents were in attendance because she assumed they might try to take him south to live with them. But she forced herself to stay calm, figuring that as soon as they opened their mouths, they'd probably say something bizarre and get themselves disqualified as unfit to be his foster parents.
The judge flipped a coin, and asked the Forsythe's to make their case first. They relied on Ben Larson-Brady to make the presentation.
"Your honor, my clients have just purchased a furnished condo within walking distance of the high school Dan attends, so he won't have to change schools. He can move into his own room the minute you give the word. They have the financial means to provide a stable home and college education for him, as they've done for their older grandson. Dan will have all the advantages money can buy, plus all the love they can give."
"Very good. Dan, how would you feel about that arrangement? Would you like to live with them?" the judge asked
"It would be AWESOME!"
"I take that as a `yes,' he grinned.
"Now I see that Mr. and Mrs. Lindstrom also wish to become Dan's guardians. Please inform the court why you feel you're qualified."
Dan shook his head in disbelief. He supposed that his mother had contacted them to try to take custody of him. He was about to protest, but Ellie patted his arm, and cautioned him not to interrupt.
"His other grandparents may be richer and have the means to buy a place near his school. They'll give him a luxury car like they did for their other grandson, but there are other matters which are more important. We would guard his soul," Beth Lindstrom proclaimed, as dramatically as a TV evangelist.
"And how, exactly, do you plan to do that?" Judge Hoyt frowned in thought.
"First, we'd move him away from the evil influence of the boy his father caught naked in bed with him. Then, we'd send him to a place where he can be cured."
"I'm sorry, what illness does he have? Mayo Clinic is nearby, if it's serious," the judge acted as if he didn't get her meaning.
"His illness is a spiritual one; he's been duped into thinking he's gay. Surely you know there are programs to change that."
"Are you referring to reparative therapy? Five states already have laws against subjecting minors to those institutions, and the movement is growing."
"We live in Missouri and it's legal there."
"Okay, um, does anyone else have anything to contribute to this matter?"
Dan raised his hand and waited for the judge to call upon him.
"Sir, I hope my feelings will be taken into consideration. I want to live with Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe. I love them very much, and they love me. I was with them at Christmas and all of spring break."
"What about your other grandparents?"
"I hardly know them, and I wouldn't thrive in their house. I'd be lucky to survive! They might be worse than my parents about my orientation. I didn't ask to be gay, but I am. I'm not going to second-guess God's plan."
"Thank you, Daniel, your point is taken. Now, I need time to write up my ruling, and have a bite to eat. We'll reconvene in this room at 1:30."
In the nearby deli, Dan picked at his food. The possibility that the Lindstrom's might become his guardians, unlikely as it seemed, scared him to death!
"Young man, you need to keep up your strength!" Ben nudged him. "I know Judge Hoyt quite well. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. The minute your other grandmother mentioned reparative therapy, she lost any credibility with him."
"I hope you're right."
"Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."
When the hearing reconvened, the judge asked Dan to stand and face him.
"Daniel Forsythe, your safety and happiness are of the greatest concern to this court. You have expressed the desire to live with your paternal grandparents, and I will so order it. They will remain in full custody until your reach majority age, unless you have a change of heart in the future and ask that this order be revisited.
"This hearing is adjourned."
"Thank you, Sir!"
Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe were the first to receive hugs, but Ben got one also. Dan wanted to hug the judge, but felt it might be considered inappropriate. He was walking on air. His back was still sore from the whipping he'd received, but it was worth it. He'd go through it again to be free of his father.
The first thing he did was to text Taylor, and then Parker and Adam together. They all answered quickly. Parker said that they needed to get together to celebrate soon.
There was another hearing a few days later to determine the extent of the Ralph's malfeasance. In attempting to rationalize the harsh disciplining of his son, Ralph wanted the court to understand the nature of the boy's offense. He assumed that someone would be sympathetic and reduce the charge from a hate crime involving child abuse to a simple misdemeanor of child endangerment.
He offered, as evidence, pictures he'd covertly taken with his cell phone very early on the morning of the day he'd whipped Dan. He said that he'd been suspicious that the two were engaged in immoral behavior, so he'd sneaked into his son's room and carefully pulled back the bed clothes to get the proof he needed.
"I'm sure any caring father can empathize with my emotions on that morning. Seeing them naked, and with erections, was quite a shock!"
"So, these are photos of your son and his buddy on that day."
"Yes, you can see the date and location attached to them."
"How old are the lads?"
"Both are still 14, Dan's a few months older than Taylor."
"Which means these sexually explicit pictures of underage boys constitute child pornography. I will direct the charges to be amended to include that," the district attorney stated.
"You can't do that! This is evidence of a grievous homosexual sin my son and that boy were involved in. It's my defense as to why I disciplined him. I didn't take them for unwholesome reasons."
"Your motive may have been innocent, but it cannot be proven or disproven on the basis of your say-so. You are, to coin a phrase, in deep doo-doo!"
One of Ellie's first actions as Dan's guardian had been to sign him up for counseling with a good psychiatrist, Dr. Goodlove, recommended by Dorothy Erickson. Her second was to take him to a dermatologist to see what could be done to minimize the scarring on his back. She had purchased the vitamin E ointment which was recommended and highly advertised. She had read the research data which promised almost miraculous results, but wondered if it would live up to the hype.
Never-the-less, she knew that total belief in something could have a placebo effect. Therefore, she passed on the positive expectations to Dan without questioning its claims.
Taylor was pleased to be the first one Dan enlisted to apply the ointment to his scars before they went to bed when he stayed over on the weekend. Dan sensed the love in Taylor's touch, and began to bone-up in the process.
"Do you think this will actually help?" Dan asked.
"Yes, I saw the before and after pictures on the `net. So, I'm sure it will all go away. But if for some reason it doesn't, the marks will be like the stigmata of Christ, the evidence of your suffering."
"But I'm not Jesus, and I won't be saving anyone," Dan protested.
"Perhaps your misery will be turned into something good for other gay boys in the future. We never know where things will lead."
"I like that thought. I think I'll donate some of my allowance to that place in St. Paul where the social worker was going to send me. Maybe I can make a small difference."
"Speaking of differences, I think the ointment is having an effect we didn't plan on," Taylor grinned, as he cupped the front of Dan's underwear.
"I don't think it was the stuff, but the way it was applied."
"Since I'm sleeping over, maybe I could practice my application skills when we go to bed."
"Please do! Practice makes perfect!"
At bedtime, Taylor stripped and propped up against the pillows in Dan's bed so he was almost in a sitting position. He asked Dan to lie across his body with their dicks nestled together so he could massage his butt. Both of them reacted to the position in a very positive way.
"Is this okay?" Taylor asked as he slipped is middle finger into the cleft between Dan's cheeks. "I don't want to spook you like that old fart on the beach."
"It feels really great when it's you, and not some old pervert!"
The more Taylor played, the more Dan moaned in pleasure. Soon, they turned around, face to crotch so Dan could do the same to Taylor. The time from that point, until they exploded in each other's mouth, was very short indeed.
Author's notes:
I don't mean to bash Christians in general. Unfortunately, there are some who can't accept anyone whose life-style or orientation is different from their own. I know some loving parents who modify their views when their own children come out as gay. I wish that could be the norm. But, I fear we will always have our Ralph's and Jennifer's.
The following readers responded this past week: Ott H, Tony C, Walt Sz, Jim M, Joe W, JLF, Mendy D, Bill T, Tom A, John L, Wayne, Avid R, Michael B, Skip M, Frank K, Al B, Bill K, Randy McM, Geoff S, Hotrod, Walt S, Jeremy R, John M, Steve M, John W, Bill DeW, John D, and Paul F.
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Love and Peace,
David