Malibu Hearts 10
{Malibu Hearts is partly fictional. As I am writing this story, I am above the age of 21. If you want a story with lots of sex, look elsewhere.
This is a love story. Seeing, as it is a love story, sex is in there, but it is in realistic balance in the characters' lives.
Any similarity to any real events, names, or life events is purely accidental. If you are underage, (according to your state laws, a minor), if this literature is offensive to you or to anyone around your viewing area, or it is illegal for you to view such content where you are reading it, stop reading the story.
This story cannot be distributed in any way; shape or form without the author's expressed written consent.}
Written by Romeo
Edited by Trish
Here is the link to all of my story where you can find future chapters before they're posted on Nifty:
Chapter 10
Monday morning Justin and Timothy were once again up early. They showered and dressed before going downstairs to make breakfast for the family. As They was putting the last item on the table, the boys walked into the kitchen shortly followed by the security guys. They all greeted each other good morning as they took their seats and started filling their plates. When Justin saw the boys taking more food then they had the previous day, an expression of delight came over his face.
When breakfast was over, Timothy assisted Justin with the clean up while the boys went to get their things and the vehicles were brought out front. They then went upstairs to do a little snooping around for some information. Once they gathered what they were looking for, Justin locked up the house then they joined the others outside. They gave each other a lingering kiss before getting into their cars and going their separate ways.
When they arrived at Cramer Agency instead of the mall the boys were surprised. None of them noticed that they left the house earlier than their usual time. They asked Justin about it; so he explained it to them as they walked in the building. When he entered his office his secretary Abigail (Abby) Horton stared at him with surprised because she wasn't expecting him in the office. He and JR greeted her good morning which she returned, then Justin introduced her to the Carson brothers and the greeting was repeated.
"I'm just here for an hour to check my messages and do a little work before visiting hours begins at the hospital. There's a contract or two coming up for renewal soon that I need to review. After that, we'll be out of your hair the rest of the day."
Abigail smiled at Justin's attempt of a joke. She knew the family was going through a difficult time right now and could use a laugh. "Don't worry Justin; I don't think you can get in my way anymore than usual, although I never had that particular problem with your son."
Justin rolled his eyes but was smiling on the inside. The giggles' coming from the boys is what he was hoping for. "Boy is it so hard to find good help these days!" He teased back.
He gave Abigail a thank you smile and wink before going into his office. In the meantime, JR took Danny and Davy to another office to play some video games. Justin had turned it into a rec room for JR when he was little so that his son had something to keep him occupied out of school while Justin was working. Throughout the years JR made it his priority to keep it upgraded with the latest consoles and games including board games.
When Justin came to get them an hour and a half later he found them playing UNO. Happy they were taking some time for themselves just being young boys; he waited until the current game was over before interrupting them. "We need to get going now boys. Visiting hours will be starting soon."
"Okay." They all chorused and started putting everything away. On their way out, they said goodbye to Abby. She returned the sentiment then gave them her best wishes for Mrs. Maria to recover and they thanked her for her sympathy.
Outside of town Timothy had just arrived at the pool hall to accept an early delivery of supplies. As soon as he stepped inside a feeling came over him and he quickly went on immediate alert. Silently he searched around trying to pinpoint what gave him that feeling. It wasn't until he came to the storage room when the feeling was the strongest. Trying not to make any noise, he slowly opened the door to have a look inside. What he saw in there behind some stacked boxes completely froze him in place with shock.
Lying on the floor wrapped in a thin blanket asleep was a preteen boy. His head was laying on a backpacks that was used for camping and beside him in easy reach was an switchblade army knife. After taking a closer look, Timothy could see some nasty bruises on the boy's face. Some looked faded and others looked fresh, but without a doubt they definitely were bruises. Not wanting to scare him, Timothy slowly crept up and crouched down before gently shaking the boy awake. The boy's eyes shot open from fright as he quickly reached for the knife and rolled over as he started bringing it up.
Quicker than lightening the boy found his wrist grasped in Timothy's hand before it reached his throat. When he spoke, it was in a soft gentle voice. "Whoa, easy there little one. I'm not going to hurt you, but I do need to know who you are and why you're hiding in my storage room?"
The boy struggled trying to break free from Timothy's grip but Timothy held on firmed. He could see fear in the boy's eyes so he disarmed him of the knife and let his wrist go. That got the boy even more frightened and he began scooting away from Timothy. "Please don't hurt me! I just wanted a place to sleep for the night. I wasn't going to take anything, I swear!"
The panic in his voice broke Timothy's heart. He could see in the kid's eyes that he really thought Timothy was going to hurt him! He wondered what this child could have gone through to have him so scared. He found himself wanting to help in any way he could to make sure this boy always feel safe and loved. How he was going to do that he didn't know yet, but he will make sure that it happens. Even if he have to...no! He couldn't think like that. He put his hands up in a gesture of safety and friendship to try and calm him.
"I already gave you my word that I will not harm you kid. But you do need to answer some questions for me. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to call Child Protection Services. I won't become a suspect for harboring a runaway or something like that."
Timothy knew he was scaring the boy even more, but he was serious about calling CPS if it was necessary. He was willing to help the kid in any way, but not at the cost of his freedom. He was hoping that being truthful with him will persuade the boy in being truthful with Timothy in return. He silently waited with gentle conviction as the boy weighed his options. After what seemed like an eternity; but was only five minutes, the boy looked at Timothy with eyes full of skepticism and fear.
"My name is Anrícé. I'm thirteen and from the Heights." He then paused and Timothy nodded in understanding. He'd heard of the Heights and had even been there a few times. "I'm just passing through on my way to my uncle's house."
Timothy raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Then why didn't your parents drive you there, or have him come and pick you up? I'm sure they know how dangerous it could be for someone your age to be walking the streets alone at night."
"I live with my father, but he's on a business trip until Friday. My uncle can't pick me up because of something involving with a suspended license. One of my friend's dad was supposed to take me but he and I got into a fight so I'm on my own with getting there."
"Then tell me where your uncle lives and I'll take you there myself." Timothy offered with no room for arguments or refusal. "There's no way I'm going to let a young kid like you walk these streets by yourself."
If there was ever an expression of `a deer caught in the headlights,' then Timothy was seeing it right now. Anrícé's eyes were bulging, and his mouth was flapping, but there was no sounds coming out of it. Timothy left the boy alone to stew over what he just said while he supervised the unloading hoping that Anrícé will realize he was busted and tell him everything. There's not much Timothy really can do to help until he has the complete story of why Anrícé's was really on the streets. For now he'll keep the teenager with him until he's ready to let him in to help.
Once the supplies were unloaded, Timothy signed the sheet and handed it back to the delivery guy. He then waited on the dock until the rig was gone before going back inside to talk some more with Anrícé. He needed to find out what he was getting himself into before he gets in too deep. After all, he doesn't have the kind of connection that Tyler nor even Justin have to protect himself from any legal consequences which could put him in a long battle to keep Anrícé safe.
While Timothy was trying to help Anrícé, the boys were visiting Mrs. Maria. Justin didn't stay stating he had some important errands to run. Now it was JR who was telling stories to the brothers to pass the time and try to bring his grandmother into consciousness. He told them about when the family which includes his, Tyler, Tyeceonna, and Mrs. Maria along with Manual stayed at his uncle's cottage in Maryland for Christmas a few years ago.
"It's located in the country side and is set off the road. We were there throughout the whole Christmas holidays. Half way through Christmas and New Year there was a big snowstorm leaving two feet of snow on the ground and all of us snowed in. All of a sudden I came down with the flu and a temperature of a hundred and two from playing outside and the electric was out although we had the huge generator we could have gotten by on for a week or two.
Nanna, being the grandmother she is, decided I needed to get to the hospital to be checked out. She got dressed in her best winter clothes including coat, boots, gloves, etc. You name it and she was wearing them. Everyone tried to tell her that we had power from the generator and the cottage was equipped with satellite phones but she was determined to get me to the hospital and wasn't listening to anyone. She started out to see if any of the neighbors had electric where she could use a phone to call for an ambulance but couldn't get very far."
JR starting giggling which increased Danny and Davy's curiosity even more. They were now totally enthralled with the story and wanted to hear the rest. "As soon as she took two steps off the sidewalk into the deep snow she fell face down. We all stood at the greenroom window watching and laughing at her, but that didn't stop her. She got up and began again only to fall over for the second time after taking five steps. Each five steps she took she ended up face down and swearing some kind of retribution. When she got to the bends where she would be partially block from our site by the trees, she gave up and headed back. By the time she got to the cottage she found all of us on the floor laughing our heads off!"
Now all three boys plus the nurse was laughing hardily. They were still laughing when Justin arrived to see them. He smiled at their relaxed demeanor but also gave them a quizzical look. When JR told him what they were laughing at, he shook his head humorously to keep from laughing himself, but it took a while for the boys to stop.
"I'm glad I wasn't here to hear that one! Otherwise I would be rolling on the floor." He giggled. "Alright boys, it's almost lunch time and I brought some sandwiches for everyone. So bring your butts out here and fill those bottomless pits, and I don't want any arguments from any of you, is that clear?"
The boys looked at each other, rolled their eyes, and said in unison. "Yes father." Then they broke out in another bout of laughter.
Justin just smiled and nodded victoriously. He loves hearing them laugh; and right now they could use all the laughter they can get. He didn't even mind Danny and Davy calling him father playfully because he was beginning to think of them as his sons. They could use a proper parent figure in their lives, and Justin was determined to be that parent. They followed him out to have their lunch not noticing the troubled look on someone's face as they was leaving the unit.
Around the same time Timothy also decided to stop for lunch. He called for Anrícé who was helping him stock the storage room and they headed out to get something to eat. While driving around looking for a place, Timothy tried to get more information from Anrícé. He was starting to put the pieces together from what he'd gotten from Anrícé earlier but needed more pieces to complete the puzzle.
"So, Anrícé," Anrícé interrupted and asked Timothy to call him Ricky. "okay, Ricky it is then. How come you haven't told your mom about what your stepdad was doing? Surely she would have done something about it if she had known."
"You would think so!" He said with hostility. "Instead she told me to stop trying to break up her marriage by telling lies. He's got her wrapped around his finger so tight she doesn't even pay me any attention. I'm the black sheep of the family now."
Timothy shook his head in disgust. "I'm sorry it's been so rough for you bud. I'll do what I can to help but I'll need to check on some things. In the meantime, I have a spare room you can use until we come up with a solution."
What Timothy didn't say was that he was going to do everything he can to keep Anrícé with him. No way was he going to let anyone send him back to that house. The kid just drew him in and Timothy likes that feeling. There was a Jerry's Subs up ahead and Anrícé pointed to it. Timothy nodded in acceptance and entered the lot to park the car. Although the place wasn't crowded, there were people in front of them so they had to wait a bit to place their order.
After finding a table to sit, Timothy enquired about his education. Anrícé explained that he wasn't at the top of his class but he did get good grades. He then explained what sport he played and club he's a member of. Timothy was hoping that Anrícé was feeling more comfortable with him now and will continue to speak more openly. He seems like a good kid who had it rough and just wanted someone to care about him. When they were finished eating, they threw their trash away and left the restaurant not noticing the pair of eyes on them.
Josh's lunch on the other hand didn't go so well. Eric was friendly enough, but Josh could sense his anger. Every time he brought it up, Eric would grunt and quickly switch to a different topic. Josh knew he had to do something to make it up to him, but what? The answer came to him as they were throwing their trash away. "Eric, would you mind coming to my house? We haven't worked on your painting in a while, and I like to finish it now that I have some time."
Eric smiled at him. "No problem Josh. I have nothing to do today anyway. I'm dying to see how you captured me on canvas. What I seen so far looks great and has me anticipating in having it finish as well."
Josh returned Eric's smile. He finally got him in a happier mood and wanted to keep it that way. They left the restaurant and drove over to Josh's house. They saw Jason's car in the driveway and surmised that he was home. Their theory was proven correct when they walked in the house and heard music coming from his room. They stopped in on their way to Josh's studio in the attic to say hello. What they didn't expect, was to find him lying naked on his bed with his eyes close receiving oral sex. They quickly closed the door and continued up to the attic.
"I always thought my brother was sexually active and it looks like I was right. I just hope he uses a condom if he engages in intercourse. I don't think my parents are ready for grandchildren yet, and Jason's probably a little too immature to be a dad right now."
Eric shook his head disagreeing with him. "I think Jason is mature enough to know what he's doing Josh. Besides, it's none of our business and we shouldn't be judging him. Live and let live is a great philosophy of life. Who's to say we wouldn't be engaged in sex sooner or later ourselves if we haven't already."
Josh frowned at Eric's wording but said nothing. He didn't know if Eric was talking about them engaging in sex together or not. He was also wondering if Eric was in some way stating his virginity status. Josh felt like the statement had more than one meaning to it which had him totally confused. When they reached the studio, he decided to put it in the back of his mind and focus on painting. He asked Eric to take off his shirt and sit on the stool while he set everything up.
Once he was ready, he helped Eric pose in the same posture he had used in the beginning before he started painting. They spent all afternoon working on it with occasional breaks here and there for snacks and drinks plus letting Eric stretch his muscles to avoid cramping. It was close to dinner time when Josh ended the day's session. Eric put his shirt back on while he waited for Josh to clean up before going downstairs. When Mrs. Brady heard them, she called them into the kitchen and invited Eric to have dinner with them. Eric said he needed to check with his dad first and stepped into the hallway to make the call. A few minutes later he came back and accepted her invitation.
At the pool hall Timothy and Anrícé was also stopping for the day so they could go home to shower and change. Justin had called Timothy earlier about the dinner party with Manual, Tyler, and the gang. In return, Timothy informed Justin of their extra guess so he wouldn't be surprised when they arrive. After checking on things and informing the night manager of his departure, he and Anrícé left for home to get ready. He wanted to be at Justin's soon to help out with the preparations.
When they got to the house, Timothy showed Anrícé the limning closet and the three spare rooms to make one his own. Anrícé chose one of the two rooms with a connecting bathroom in between then looked at Timothy for approval. Timothy smiled and nodded reassuringly. "Good choice. You can turn the other one into a study/game room if you like." He got an answering nod for that. "Good, we'll take care of the furniture tomorrow. Now we need to shower and change so we can get over to Justin. I need to help out with the preparations for dinner."
With that, Timothy headed for his room and Anrícé headed for his bathroom. Twenty minutes later they met in the foyer ready to go. After making sure the house was locked, they got in the car and left. Timothy turned on the radio then switched it over to a CD player. Anrícé was surprised but smiled when he heard smooth jazz coming from the speakers. Neither man nor boy said anything during the ride; they just relaxed and enjoyed the sultry music.
When Timothy pulled up to the gates for the Cramer mansion and announced their arrival, Anrícé's eyes nearly popped out of his head! He never saw a house so big before. He sputtered as he tried to form a coherence sentence. "Th...Thi...This is where your boyfriend lives?"
The gates opened to allow them access on the property. "Yes." Timothy smirked teasingly. "It may look fancy on the outside but the inside is very modern. Justin and JR doesn't shop by name bran, they buy whatever they like and looks nice. They're not stuck up like many other millionaires are."
They parked in front and got out of the car with Anrícé still looking at the house in amazement that Timothy had to nudge him to get moving. When they reached the door, Justin pulled Timothy into a hug and kiss. Anrícé was shocked by that gesture because he'd never seen two men kissing before. They held the kiss a couple of minutes before separating. Timothy then did the introduction between Anrícé and Justin as they entered the house and finished with the others.
Shortly after Justin excused him and Danny to check on dinner and JR pulled Timothy into the dining room to set the table. They left the two youngest alone to get to know each other better since they hit it off right away. Dinner was half way done when their guests arrived. Timothy was amused to see the surprised faces when he answered the door and escorted them in. From time to time they kept getting questioning looks but waited for the right moment to confess their secrets. That moment came during dinner when Timothy gave Justin the signal.
Justin cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention which they fully gave but continued on eating. "I'm sure you all were surprise to see Timothy here when you had arrived, but that's part of what we have to tell you. You see, Timothy and I had been dating ever since our monthly riding day. We kept the relationship to ourselves until we both was sure we had the same feelings before announcing it to anyone.
We've already told the boys, and now we're telling you guys. Some of you thought I had shut myself off from being happy again but that wasn't the case. I was just waiting to find that special person that I had a connection with. Now that I have found it, I hope this can put your concerns to rest." He was staring directly at Tyler when he spoke the last statement.
Tyler felt Justin's eyes on him and chose his words carefully. "No offense J, but you did kind of shut yourself off from everyone and everything. We could see you were just going through the motion most of the time without putting your heart into anything. None of us wanted you to go through life lonely, and you know Michelle didn't want that for you either.
Yes, I'm happy that you had moved on because you have something that a lot of people in this world would want, and that's a second chance of happiness. We all know you love Michelle; and always will, but there's nothing saying your heart isn't big enough for another love. Give that love to Timothy and be happy now that you allowed yourself the chance to be."
"Here, here." Everyone cheered in agreement. Justin looked at them all before focusing back on Tyler with a smile. "You know it's the big brother who suppose to take care of the little brother, don't you?"
Tyler returned it with his own smile. "That's bullshit and you know it. Brothers take care of each other no matter what. It doesn't matter if it's the big brother or the little brother. They're both family and that's what family do."
"Yeah. Well hold on to that thought, because the next announcement isn't such a pleasant one." Justin nodded at Timothy with encouragement. "Go ahead baby, give us your news."
Timothy swallowed what he was chewing when all eyes turned to him. "I'm sure you all notice that we have an extra guess with us tonight." Everyone nodded in confirmation. "Well, let me introduce you to Anrícé. I found him asleep in the storage room of my pool hall when I'd arrived this morning. He snuck in last night for a place to sleep before he moves on to nowhere.
He has no place to go and doesn't want to go back home. I won't tell you why, because that's his story to tell if he wishes. He'll be staying with me but I need some help with making it legal just in case his parents try to play hardball. I don't know anything about CPS or the ramifications of sheltering a runaway minor."
Everyone let Tyeceonna answer the question since this was her field of expertise. "I'll be happy to help with that, but your best chance is to call Robert Scanner. I know about California laws but he knows more. Plus he has some connection with Department of Social Services that will be a big advantage to your side."
"I agree. He helped Ty get custody of Little Tye when they were young, and he also helped me with getting Danny custody of Davy. I'll give him a call in the morning and get him on the case right away."
Timothy thanked them as he smiled and winked at Anrícé. Anrícé whispered thank you with an expression of safety on his face. Now that the heavy stuff was out of the way they spent the rest of dinner just socializing. Afterwards JR cohorts Danny, Davy, and Annrícé into helping him clear the table while the adults adjourned to the living room. An hour later Justin and Timothy excused themselves to bring out the dessert.
Soon it was getting late and the kids were getting sleepy. Christian and Tyler said they needed to get going so they can put them to bed. Manual echoed that stating that he had to get up early the next morning. They all said goodbye to the children and watched as Jeff approached Anrícé. "You have nothing to worry about Anrícé. Uncle J will fix it so that you can't be taken from Uncle Tim. If he can't, then Daddy Ty can." He then looked at his daddy Ty. "After all, I didn't give him the nickname hurricane Tyler for nothing!"
Tyler blushed with a smile as everyone else roared with laughter. The teasing began about calling him Hurricane Tyler but Tyler just stood there looking embarrassed but proud as he shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I have two nicknames then. I'd always been called superman, and now I'm being called hurricane Tyler."
Everyone looked confused until Tyeceonna admitted to giving him that nickname. They all agreed that both name suited him well so they finished with the goodbyes then Justin and Timothy walked them to the door. The boys was already in the kitchen cleaning up when they came back in so they helped with that then returned to the living room to relax and watch some television. Around eleven o'clock Timothy suggested that he get Anrícé home to bed before he falls asleep. They all wished each other a good night then Justin walked them out and locked up the house.
Tuesday morning had Justin up, showered, dressed, and in the kitchen making breakfast earlier than usual. Now that he once again found a love, sleeping alone just doesn't feel the same anymore. He enjoyed the solitude of being alone with his thoughts as he made breakfast reflecting on the past two or three weeks. He'd just seen Timothy last night but he's already missing him. That surprised him because he didn't think he would be falling for someone so hard and fast since he lost his wife several years ago but he likes the way it makes him feel. When he was finished making breakfast he put them in chafing dishes and had a cup of coffee while waiting for everyone to get up.
At Timothy's house, Justin's love was in the kitchen cooking away also earlier than usual with the same thoughts going through his mind. Although sleeping didn't feel the same to him either, he was up early to make something special for his first breakfast with Anrícé. To that ends he was making a combination of Mexican/American dishes which included sausages, bacon, homemade biscuits and hash browns, and Machacado Con Huevo A la Mexicana made with scrambled eggs mixed with shredded dried beef, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers and a sprinkle of cheese on his homemade flour tortillas. Milk and orange juice was the choice of beverages.
Everything was already set on the table when Anrícé walked in the kitchen. His mouth dropped open seeing the spread and he ran to Timothy to give him a hug. "Oh wow, this looks fantastic. I wasn't expecting such a gourmet meal like this. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Timothy returned the embraced a little misty eyed by the boy's gratitude. "You're welcome Ricky. I was happy to do it because I wanted to make our first breakfast together a special one. Now let's sit down and eat before it all gets cold."
Anrícé gave him one more squeeze before letting go and taking a seat at the table. Once their plates were filled, they began tackling the food with gusto. Timothy turned on the small kitchen TV without missing a bite to catch the news. Anrícé giggled at him but he too didn't miss a bite of food. When they had finished, they found that they were still hungry so they went for seconds. Once their stomachs were full, Timothy put away the leftovers while Anrícé put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
"There's enough in there just in case you get hungry again, or we can have it for breakfast tomorrow, okay?" Anrícé nodded in agreement. "I'll be in my office conducting some business if you need me for anything. Don't forget we need to go buy you some clothes later."
Anrícé sighed. "Why couldn't you have been straight? Then you could have married my mom and be my stepdad instead of the asshole she married. I think you're a terrific guy and would have made a great dad for some lucky kid."
"We are what we are, but thanks for the compliment." He pulled the teary eyed boy into his arms. "Who knows, if things go the way I expect they will, then I may be your foster dad soon."
Anrícé stepped back a little to look up at Timothy with hopeful eyes. "I hope so because I really would love to have you as a dad and live here but you don't have to buy me anything. I can get by with the clothes I have and the furniture that's already in the rooms."
"Hush now!" Timothy gently scolded with his own tears running. "I want to make those rooms yours. Right now there nothing but guest rooms and that's not what's best for my son. You deserve a room of your own and I'm going to see that you get it."
Now the tears were steadily flowing. "Would you mind if I call you dad?"
That did it for Timothy. He pulled Anrícé back into his arms as the flood gates opened and his voice cracked. "I would love for you to call me dad son. You're a terrific kid Ricky, and I'm happy that you came into my life."
They stood there just holding on to one another. Father and son: forming a bond made by love not blood. Timothy couldn't believe how fast this kid had captured his heart and Anrícé couldn't believe that he finally have a dad again. Slowly their emotions came under control and they let go of the hug, but only after one more affectionate squeeze. Timothy gave Anrícé a fatherly smack on the butt and sent him to watch television then went to make his calls.
After getting acceptance from the boys on cleaning up after breakfast, Justin went to his office to call Scanner. It took two rings then he had Scanner on the line. Justin explained about Anrícé and what Timothy had in mind to help him. He also explained that Tyeceonna's in town to assist him in any way if he should need or want it. "So, is there anything you can do?"
The long silence that intoned was beginning to unease Justin. He didn't want to hear any bad news that he will have to relay to Timothy that will crush him and Anrícé. Justin could see over dinner last night that Timothy already thinks of Anrícé as the son he never had, and losing him will destroy Timothy. That's something Justin couldn't and won't let happen no matter what. Finally Scanner began speaking but Justin wasn't expecting what he heard.
"Right now there's nothing I can do. It doesn't look like Anrícé's mother had reported him as missing or a runaway which still leaves her with custody of him. He'll have to tell his whole story in order to get DSS involved. Only then can custody or parental rights be removed from his mother. I'll give Charlene a call, but you and Timothy will have to convince Anrícé to tell his story."
"I don't think that will be a problem. I'm sure we can convince Anrícé if it will help Tim get custody of him. He and Tim had already formed a strong bond and it's only going to get stronger because their perfect together. There's a man who needs a son to love, and a boy who needs a father to love him. When you put those two combinations together, you'll have a happy family in the makings."
Scanner agreed then asked about the Carson brothers. Justin told him about the fire and that the boys were now living with him and JR. Scanner suggested to Justin to convince Danny in making the arrangement permanent to help with maintaining custody of his brother. Justin said he'll talk with Danny about it at the earliest possible convenience. The two made arrangements to meet at Justin's for Anrícé to talk with Charlene and ended the call. Justin then called Timothy before finding his boys to spend some quality time with them before the meeting.
Eric and Josh were at Josh's house beginning another painting session on Eric's portrait. This time instead of Eric just sitting he decided to bring along his laptop to continue his work for Tyler. Josh had him posing in a position where they both could do their work without hindering the other's progress. To Eric surprise, not only was the position doable, it was also easy on his body. They took a break around midmorning and went downstairs to have a snack. They found Jason who also had the same idea in the kitchen so they joined him.
Back at the Cramer mansion everyone was setting up for the meeting with Scanner and Mrs. Hill. Justin and Danny were preparing an early lunch for everyone while JR and Davy were setting out the plates and silverware. Since it would be only the eight of them Justin decided they will use the breakfast bar instead of the table. The security guys discussed it among themselves and came to a joint decision to run some errands and have lunch out giving the family some privacy for their meeting.
Half way through the preparation footsteps could be heard walking through the house. The boys looked at Justin wondering who it could be since the guys had already left. They got their answer when they saw Timothy and Anrícé walking into the kitchen. Timothy had let himself onto the property with the gate opener Justin had given him the night before. Just Looking at their faces revealed everything to Justin, they had bonded even more which their glowing smiles gave away.
Right on time the doorbell rang preventing any questions from being asked. "Okay guys that should be them. Why don't you boys set out the hors d'oeuvres while Tim and I answer the door."
Timothy gave Anrícé a reassuring hug before following Justin. When the door was opened, two gasp then two names could be heard simultaneously. "Timothy? Charlene?"
Both Scanner and Justin weren't expecting this; and it show when they both asked in unison. "You two know each other?"
"We only know each other by first name. I sometimes stop in at the pool hall on my way home for a beer, bite to eat, a game of pool, ore all of the above. Timothy's always kind enough to let me vent about work and sometimes even gives me suggestions. I don't think I'll have a problem with certifying him, but I do need to talk with the child."
"Well come on in so we can take care of that right now." Justin urged as he and Timothy stepped aside to let them in. "I'll show you to the living room where you can talk while Tim goes and get Anrícé."
Timothy left and returned with a timid teenager tightly clutched to him seeing the two sitting on the sofa. Justin did the introduction then excused himself and Timothy to help with lunch but Anrícé wouldn't let go of Timothy's hand. They all could see that he was scared so Timothy offered to stay with him during the interview. The others agreed with no hesitation so Anrícé will feel more comfortable. He sat on the loveseat and Anrícé sat next to him.
"Hello Anrícé, my name is Charlene Hill and I'm with the Department of Social Services. With me is Robert Scanner attorney at law. He's here to represent you as your guardian ad litem so everything we do here is completely on the up and up." She smiled putting him more at ease. "Now just relax and tell me your story so I'll know the best way to help you."
Anrícé looked at Timothy for guidance and Timothy nodded reassuringly. He put his arm around Anrícé's shoulders in support and pulled him close. With that gestured, Anrícé turned back to Charlene. "It's like this..."
In the meantime, Justin and the boys were in the kitchen waiting impatiently as they prepared lunch. Every now and then one of the boys would try to sneak out to eavesdrop but would be stopped by Justin's fatherly command to stay in the kitchen. It was an hour later when the four entered the kitchen just as Danny was laying the lasagna out and Justin was putting the second one in a chafing dish. The Shrimp Salad, mashed potatoes, and green beans with mushroom sauce was already set out. JR and Davy were carrying the ice tea, both sweetened and unsweetened to the breakfast bar.
"Ah, just in time for lunch. Have a seat." Justin announced. "How did it all go? Is Tim now Anrícé's foster parent?"
Timothy and Anrícé's broad smile answered that question. Justin and the boys congratulated them with a hug before having a seat at the table. Justin thanked Scanner and Charlene for their help and enquired about the next move.
"This afternoon I'm taking Anrícé shopping for some clothes. Then we're going furniture shopping to make one of the rooms his own, and the one across from his a study/game room for him to use. Tomorrow I'll have to go and register him for school and have his transcript faxed over so we won't have to worry about that when school begins."
"Why don't the boys and I join you on your exertion? I think Anrícé will enjoy having kids of his own age to shop with, and you'll appreciate having another parent there to sympathize with you for when you get the bill."
Timothy's groaned had everyone but Anrícé laughing. His expression was one of concern. "I'm not an expensive shopper and we don't have to get a lot. In fact, I can get by with what I have now."
Realizing he played the wrong joke, Justin tried to rectify his mistake but Timothy raised a hand stopping him. "I want you to shop till your heart's contempt. I'm not as rich as Justin, but I'm not poor either. You don't have enough time in this lifespan to drain my bank accounts." Anrícé wasn't convinced so Timothy tried the parental voice. "For the rest of the day I don't want you doing anything except being a teenager, understand? Leave the worrying and everything else to your dad where it belongs."
The parental voice worked perfectly. Anrícé couldn't think of any more arguments so he nodded in acceptance and went back to eating his lunch. Some snickers came from the boys but a glare from Justin ended that quickly. He then mouthed `nice job to Timothy and Timothy smiled and mouthed back `thank you. When they had finished eating, the boys did the clean up while the adults chatted in the living room. Thirty minutes later Scanner and Charlene headed back to their offices while Timothy and Justin gathered their boys and security then left for their shopping spree.
Their first stop was to the Lucky Shop for clothes. Before they started shopping, Justin told his three to pick out some clothes for themselves as well. Danny and Davy tried to declined but Justin's parental look closed their mouths. This time it was Anrícé who snickered until Timothy gave him the same glare that Justin gave the others earlier ended it. All four boys groaned as they started browsing the racks and shelves muttering to themselves leaving the two dads smiling.
When it came time to pay, Danny stepped behind a closed registered to ring up their purchases. That surprised Anrícé so he asked Danny if he worked there. Danny told him that he was the manager which surprised him even more. Once the merchandise was totaled, Danny used his employee discount to lower the price which Justin allowed so Danny wouldn't feel like he was taking advantage of their generosity. He knew how Danny felt about supporting himself and his brother since he's been doing it for so long. He completed the transaction, bagged the items, and closed the registered back up before coming around grabbing some bags and leaving with his family.
They then went to an electronic store where the boys help Anrícé pick out an entertainment system, stereo, TV, VCR/DVD player, and a home theater system. Next stop was for a computer system and laptop. Finally they finished at the furniture store where they brought enough furniture to turn two guess rooms into one bedroom and one study room complete with everything needed. By the time they'd finished with the shopping it was almost six o'clock.
Although they had enjoyed the outing they were exhausted. No one was in the mood to cook so they stopped at Pizza Hut on the way back to the house. The boys with the help of the security took their bags up to their rooms while Justin and Timothy took the food to the kitchen. The shopping left them with ravenous appetites so it didn't take long for them to devour several large pizzas including wings plus several liters of sodas. For the rest of the evening everyone just relaxed until one by one they started heading to bed.
The next morning everyone except JR and Danny slept in a little later than usual. They were up on time and in the kitchen making breakfast when Justin and Timothy walked in. "Have a seat you two and let your two oldest make the breakfast this morning."
Timothy walked over to the coffee maker as Justin questioned his son. "Don't tell me you and Danny got up early to make breakfast. Tim and I could have done that while you boys got caught up on your sleep. I know you guys haven't been sleeping well lately."
"No, I set the alarm for our normal wake up time. Danny and I just decided to make breakfast to thank you both for yesterday. We all enjoyed it immensely feeling like a family having a family outing. We're not going to have much time for that with school starting soon and nanna..."
Suddenly JR's throat closed up and he lowered his head as a tear ran down his cheek. Timothy took over helping Danny with the cooking as Justin wrapped his son in a hug and rubbed his back whispering soothing words in his ear. They kept an eye on them both just in case; but otherwise didn't interfere with the father and son moment. Justin held JR until his emotions was under control and kissed him on the forehead before letting him go. He didn't say anything because there wasn't anything he could say that would ease their fears. That could only happen when or if Mrs. Maria wakes up.
JR smiled as he thanked his father then retook his place with the cooking telling them again to have a seat. Justin and Timothy did what they were told after grabbing their coffee. The four talked as the boys finished cooking and set the table. It was just as the last platter was being set out when the other boys walked in followed by the security men. Everyone's mouth watered when they saw the array of sausages, bacon, ham, hash brown, scrambled eggs, and French toast. Milk, orange juice, and coffee was their choice of beverages.
"Well don't just stand there, sit down and dig in." Justin teased as he, Timothy, Danny, and JR began filling their plates. The others quickly followed once they snapped out of it.
This time it was the security guys who volunteered to clear the table. No one had a problem since Justin and Timothy wanted to talk to the boys. They headed into the living room to get out of their way. Once they all had found a seat, the boys gave Timothy and Justin their attention.
"We just wanted you to know what we'll be doing today." Justin said and nodded at Timothy. "While you guys are visiting with Mrs. Maria, Anrícé and I will be at home getting started on removing all the furniture from the two rooms. We should have one of the rooms half way empty by the time you get there and start loading them onto the truck. Hopefully we can get it all done before the new furniture gets delivered."
Justin then took over. "Tim will call me once he has the truck ordered. We'll stop by the U-Haul and pick it up on our way to his house. Once the truck is loaded, you guys will stay at Tim's while me and some of the security guys delivered the furniture to the salvation army to be donated and return the truck. I'll call Tim once we get there to have someone come and pick us up."
Timothy finished the rest. "If there's time before the furniture is delivered then we'll have lunch. If not, then we'll wait until the deliverers leave. Either way we'll get something to eat before we start setting up the rooms, any objections?"
There were none so they got ready to leave while the vehicles were being brought out front. Once the house was locked up, the two dads gave each other a prolong kiss while their boys made kissing sounds in the background, they got into their vehicles and went their separate ways.
When Timothy and Anrícé got home they went straight to work with removing the furniture. As Timothy predicted they were half way finished with one of the rooms when Justin and the boys arrived. They helped with the removing while the security loaded the truck. It took the rest of the morning to have both rooms empty and the truck loaded to deliver the donations. In the meantime, Timothy vacuumed the carpet in both rooms and joined the boys in the living room to await Justin's call. When it came, Timothy went to pick them up leaving the boys there with the rest of the security to entertain themselves.
They returned loaded with bags filled with sandwiches, chips, and drinks from Subway and they all sat at the kitchen table to eat. When Anrícé unwrapped his, he smiled big and thanked Timothy for getting his favorite one. "You're welcome. I wasn't sure if I had remembered it right so I just took a guess and hoped it was."
"In a way you did but its okay." Timothy raised a questioning eyebrow. "You got it with pickles which I sometimes get, but other times I get it with hot peppers."
He nodded and filed that away for future references. They'd just finish eating when the furniture arrived. The adults helped with bringing it in while the boys threw away their trash from lunch before starting on the set up with Anrícé directing them on where he wanted things to go. It didn't take long with all the help and in a little over two hours later the two rooms were completed. After taking a quick look around, Anrícé confirmed that it was how he wanted it. They each had something cold to drink after all that heavy lifting to cool off before heading back to Justin's house.
They quickly showered and changed before leaving out again but this time it was to the school to enroll Anrícé for the fall semester. Timothy filled out the enrollment papers with assistance from Anrícé and turned them in then sat back down. Shortly after a well built middle aged man came out and introduced himself as Principle Neuman and asked them to follow him to his office. Once the door was closed and they had taken a seat, he asked what he could do for them.
"We're here to enroll Anrícé who had just become my foster son for school." Timothy said. Principle Neuman asked for the guardianship papers and Anrícé's transcript to make copies to have on file. "Here are the guardianship papers but I was told you could get his transcript faxed over."
The principle took the papers that were handed to him. "Yes, that's true. We just need to know what school Anrícé previously attended in order to have that done." He turned at Anrícé who gave him the name. "Okay, wait here and I'll be right back."
He stepped out and returned five minutes later. "Alright, I had my secretary give them a call and their faxing the transcript for his records. We should have them before you meet with a counselor to register him for classes. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Timothy said there wasn't and thanked the principle for his time. He and Anrícé then left his office and joined the others before going to the guidance office. Only this time their wait was longer because the counselor was with another student. Fifteen minutes later he came out and called Anrícé's name. Anrícé started to pull on his father's arm silently requesting that he come with him but JR offered to go since they have the same counselor. Timothy thanked him and gave his son a reassuring nod. That silent gestured was all Anrícé needed for a confirmation. He walked over to JR and together they followed the man to his office.
Once they were seated, the counselor introduced himself as Mr. Riley. "I understand you're here to register for classes, is that right?"
"Yes sir, I am." Anrícé answered. "I'd just enrolled here not long ago and was told to come here next. Principle Neuman said you would have my transcript by now so I can register for my classes."
The counselor searched his desk until he found it. "Yes, here it is." He took a moment to look over the form. "I see that you have been in the honor classes for the past three years. I'm glad to have a bright young man as one of my students. It should be no problems in registering you."
Before Mr. Riley could begin, JR quickly interrupted. "If I may sir?" He stared at JR for a moment before nodding for him to continue. "I think I know where you're going with this but that will be too much for Anrícé. He should have a schedule like mine where he's taking half regular and half advance classes. That way he can make friends in his advance classes who can help him with school work if he needs it, and help the ones in his regular classes as well."
The counselor thought about it for a minute or two. "That's fine with me but will your father be agreeable to that?" Both boys assured him that Timothy will be fine with it. "Then let's get you register so you can start with your friends."
Deferring to the transcript, Mr. Riley began typing. Five minutes later Anrícé was being handed his schedule and was told to report to his homeroom on the first day of school. Anrícé shook hand with Mr. Riley and he and JR rejoined the others in the waiting room with JR shaking his head in astonishment.
Timothy saw it and asked what the problem was. "Nothing, I'm just a little shocked is all. You never told us that Anrícé is an intelligent kid who's been on the honor role for three years now. Shame on you."
JR finished with a smirk as Timothy's mouth fell open. He stared at Anrícé with his own astonishment. "Because not even I knew that, but I'm proud to hear it. Why didn't you tell me son?"
Anrícé shrugged. "I didn't see it as a big deal. I may not be the smartest person in the world but I know there's a lot of people who's not as smart as me so I don't flaunt it. I just want to be treated like a happy normal kid."
"I can understand that Anrícé but you shouldn't hide it either." JR sympathized with him. "Anyone who can't handle you being intelligent is probably somebody you don't want to be friends with. Look at me, I don't flaunt my intelligence either but I also don't hide it."
"I may not be as smart as JR but I don't hide my intelligence either Anrícé." Danny contributed to the discussion. "I'm a jock but I'm probably also in the top fifteen percent of my class and I make sure Davy gets good grades as well. Anyone who wants to be friends with you will accept everything about you including how smart you are."
Timothy stood and put his arm around Anrícé. "Listen to them son. They know what they're talking about and probably had been through it already. You don't have to hide your intelligence from us nor do I want you to. Just be yourself and screw anyone who doesn't like it."
Anrícé gave his dad a hug. "Thanks dad, and thanks Danny and JR. I always had to play the jock and the bookworm role separately depending on who I was with and always hated it. I'm glad I don't have to do that with you guys and can just be myself."
They all joined in a group hug assuring him that he could. They then left the guidance office leaving a misty eyed secretary behind. She never seen a closeness family like that before and it brought tears to her eyes. It was very obvious they weren't all blood related and that made the display even more loving to her. It made her think of what she could do to try and bring her own family closer together like the one that just left. She knows they love each other but they only show affection in private never in public.
This time the gang had dinner at Timothy's house since he couldn't stay over at Justin's. While he and Justin worked on making the dinner, JR was fixing the salad, Danny making the dessert, which left Anrícé and Davy setting the table. An hour, hour and a half later, everything was ready and they sat down to eat. Talk around the table was about mundane things like if JR and Danny could have any kind of vehicle they wanted, what kind it would be. Both were turning sixteen in three or four months and would be getting their licenses. They already have their permits. Justin was listening closely because he had a plan in mind.
"That's just wishful thinking though." Danny murmured. "I can't afford to buy another car and continue to pay insurance on the one I already have plus another one. It took me six months to save up for that one and I got it from an auction. It's only a year or two old."
"Don't worry about it for now." Justin discretely suggested. "You never know what will happen between now and your birthday. Maybe something will come up."
Timothy gave Justin a questioning eyebrow reading between the lines of his statement. Justin slightly nodded in perceptively giving Timothy the answer to his silent question. Timothy returned it while also mouthing the word `I'll help. After that the conversations were casual just for enjoyment of one another company although from time to time Timothy did pick up on some details about Anrícé he needed to keep in mind.
When dinner was over the boys went up to Anrícé's new study/play room to play some video games while Justin and Timothy cleared the table. Around ten o'clock Justin called his boys down so they could go home. Anrícé came down with them to say goodbye to everyone as well. When they were gone, father and son curled up on the sofa to watch some television before going up to bed.
To Be Continued...
Writer's Corner:
Welcome back one and all to another chapter of Malibu Hearts. I hope you had enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. Now let's get to the summary of this chapter, shall we?
Instead of going straight to the hospital Justin wanted to start the boys day off easy and left earlier than usual to take them to his office. There we found out more about JR's childhood. Justin turned one of the empty offices into a game room for him in his younger years while he was working.
Timothy got an unexpected surprised when he arrived at the pool hall to accept his delivery. I've been meaning to give him a son for some time now but just didn't know how to write it in. I thought that was a good place to do it. What do you guys think?
We found out the reason for the dinner invitation from Justin with an extra guess being thrown in. We also found out who helped Tyler get custody of his sister as well. I said it before, and I'll say it again. Robert Scanner is a force to be reckoned with in the legal business.
The acquaintances between Timothy and Charlene made it easier for him to become Anrícé's foster dad. That came as a big surprise to me. I didn't know about that until I wrote it.
I bet you're all cussing me out for not writing Anrícé's life story in this chapter. That will come in time but I need more time to think it over. I love to hear your suggestions on that. We did find out that he's very intelligent but kept it hidden. I hope the boys can help bring it out of him.
Timothy brought a lot of stuff to turn Anrícé's rooms into how he wanted them to be. Do you think he went overboard with that?
The new father and son are already finding out they have a lot in common. Who would have thought of a teenager liking smooth jazz?
What is Justin thinking of doing for JR and Danny's birthday and how does Timothy fit into that?
Don't forget to read my other stories. Best Friends located in the Gay/High School section and Where My Heart Belongs located in the gay/relationship section of Nifty.
If I had missed anything in my corner, I hope my editor will catch it in her corner. I need to get started on writing the next chapter for you guys to enjoy reading.
So much is going on and not enough time to write it all out! New plots are going to open and some will close. Keep reading the future chapters and enjoy! Please let me know how I'm doing. I look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions at {romeo1.jacobmillertex@gmail.com} thanks.
Editor's Corner:
I think Romeo covered everything a lot is going on. What could Aanrícé's story be? Could he come from a wealthy family just like Justin??
I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
Trish