Ring in Mine #3: Nephi & Jerome: Chapter 70
I hope you are still reading my story and haven't given up on me.
This story is reaching its end. As in the first two books this one ends with the same event. I have an outline for the sequel if my readers are interested. My wife wants me to finish editing the book I've put on hold while I wrote the Ring in Mine series.
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Thanks Zach for your editing skills. ------
Chapter 70
Monday Josh helped Adam into the van. He and Jerome started their day at the Tellerson office in Salt Lake City. Jerome had checked with the doctor and Adam was clear to do what would amount to listening and putting in his two-cents-worth. As he progressed with therapy he would be cleared for more activities.
University Business professors in one of the conference rooms. It would be an ongoing distance learning class earning college credit. By having it at Tellerson, supervisors could nominate employees they felt had the potential to move up in the company. Jerome wasn't buying the degrees, but the arrangement was financially beneficial for the school and the hourly adjunct professors. Having others in the class opened the door to sharing new ideas.
Trace could sit in the corner or earn college credit. He had most of the morning to work on his assignments unlike Jerome and Adam who had a busy day and would do their homework after business hours.
The first morning's project, except for the Monday morning briefing, would be local business opportunities. Jerome wanted to sponsor something like Kazoo Days, but have it more formal. They would start with a festival focused on LGBT and teen suicide topics open to students in literature, film, and visual arts with scholarships for outstanding achievement. It was late in the year so they really had to get this moving. They contacted department heads at the colleges and universities looking for nominees to take part. One of the Art professors contacted local school districts looking for gifted high school students.
Jerome booked the Event area much to the distress of Tina, who was looking forward to the prime wedding season. Jerome turned to LGBT community leaders and authors, artists and filmmakers to make up the judging panels. It was important to Jerome and Adam that Tellerson not be selecting the winners.
With school, work and the festival Jerome and Adam's lives were busy, but they made time to be parents and support their boys. Jerry loved his goats, but so did the rest of the family. Adam made efforts to be part of a Jerry's life every day. They spent more than a few hours sitting together on the goat porch
Jerry hadn't returned to calling him dad, but they were getting along. For Jerry's real birthday he and his dads had a camp out in Jerry's place. Hugo and Skip slept in the race cars. The guys pulled a queen mattress out of storage. Jerry slept between his dad and Adam.
In the middle of the night Adam woke. "Jerome, Jerry is missing!"
Jerome stood up. The door into the goat enclosure was ajar. Jerome stepped out expecting to see Jerry with his goats. Jerry stood on the edge of the concrete porch.
"Jerry, where are the twins?" Startled, Jerry turned leaving a wet arc on the concrete.
"Dad, you scared me. The goats are asleep." Jerry tucked his penis into his underwear unwilling to meet his dad's gaze. "Sorry, it's too far to go all the way into the house."
Relieved there was nothing wrong, Jerome disarmed the situation by pulling his tool through his fly and peed off the edge of the porch. "It IS a long way into the house."
"That's not fair. Now I have to go." Jerome helped Adam to the porch. Adam leaned on the post holding up the porch roof as Jerome held Adam's penis. Before they left Hugo and Skip joined them. There was a family hug before everyone returned to their bed.
Samaria Farms grew as more lost souls found their way through the gates. Some for only a few days while social workers found misplaced family members, others had no place else to go. There were more guys than girls joining the family. There were a few that left rather than live within the rules of Samaria. For some it was just too much like church. Adam and Jerome would force no one to stay.
It was not uncommon for Jerome to see a face at the table he didn't have a name for. He was glad that each Samaritan belonged to a family group headed by a pair of adults, even Myles and Garrett. There was always some shuffling around in the beginning until a new Samaritan found the adult, they felt most comfortable with. Oddly enough not all of Myles and Garrett's charges were gay or male. Their first girl had gravitated to the pair because she couldn't deal with mother figures.
Jerry was never selfish with the healing powers of his goats. Many new residents found peace at Jerry's place with an arm around Chewy or Bits. (You had to keep your eyes on them. They would chew anything into little bits.)
They were outgrowing their building. The adults met with a team of architects outlining what the committee felt was important. The architect drew plans to expand the compound, but no amount of legal pressure produced the needed building permits. The moratorium stood. Adam knew something was happening. Jerome wondered if the city was trying to create a hostile environment to encourage Samaria Farms to move. The lawyers reassured the Samaria Farms committee it wasn't just them with planning commission problems.
Jerome insisted the Samaria Committee hire someone to cover Sariah's duties. The unborn twins were growing fast and Sariah was miserable. She wished the next month and a half would pass quickly, but knew from experience the last couple of weeks seemed to slow to a dead crawl.
Good Friday Adam returned from the hospital without the casts on his legs. The following day Samaria Farms hosted an Easter Egg Hunt for the community. The youngest children searched the lawn for eggs. Older kids found their eggs hidden throughout the village gardens. The oldest participants had to search through the rows and rows of young Christmas trees.
Hugo insisted there be a place where the physically and mentally challenged could search for eggs without competing with the able bodied. These were `hidden' in the largest greenhouse. The floor was concrete with aisles wide enough to handle wheelchairs. Parents with challenged children came from across the valley. Clarke had borrowed a few animals to fill out the petting zoo area. Jerry had his special friends Chewy and Bits on their leashes spending time with the special-needs children and childlike adults.
The residents of Samaria Farm had filled and hidden over two thousand plastic eggs. The Easter Egg Hunt was free. Beverages and box lunches were available for purchase, the proceeds going to support the Farms charitable works, such as the Easter Egg Hunt. Over three hundred children took part. Rafe lost the toss and dressed up as the Easter Bunny for pictures with the kids. He had a special basket of eggs. He made sure everyone had at least two eggs in their basket.
The family picked up the mess when the event was over. It always amazed the adults the stuff people left behind. Garbage lying next to the trash cans was a mystery.
Jerome's little family joined Marie for Easter Mass. Adam attended using the wheelchair. He sat through Mass. He faced weeks of therapy to regain full strength in his legs. Adam hated therapy as much as Nephi, but Adam knew he would walk again and gave thanks to his Father.
In the Samaritan chapel the following week Clarke taught a lesson from the first chapter of 2nd Nephi from the book of Mormon. That afternoon Jerry started to call Neil's twin, Second Nephi.
"He's the Second Nephi." Jerry offered no other explanation.
The first week of May, Adam and Jerome packed for a return trip to the Palm Springs clinic. Adam felt like a kid on Christmas morning. The casts were coming off his hands. The van pulled away from the compound. Jerry stood in the middle of the drive with his goats.
Jerome got out of the van. "Jerry, I told you last night we have to go to Palm Springs. The doctors are expecting us."
"Dad, they can wait until Monday. You can't go today. You need to be here." It's hard for a six-year-old to stop an adult when they can pick you up and move you out of the way. From the side of the drive Jerome waved the van past.
"Adam, it's important." Jerry tried one last time.
"Stop!" The sliding door on the side of the van opened. "Jerome, please hold the leashes. Come here Jerry." Jerry climbed into the van and onto Adam's lap.
"Can you tell me why it's so important?" Jerry shook his head. "Do you know why it's important?" Jerry shook his head again. "But it is important?" Jerry nodded
"Jerome, I think we need to wait. I'll survive a few more days." Jerome conceded to his lover's suggestion.
Jerry threw his arms around Adam's neck and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Adam."
The week passed without an obvious reason for postponing the trip to Palm Springs. Saturday night Jerome suggested they leave on Sunday. Adam insisted on giving Jerry the whole weekend.
The phone woke Jerome early Sunday morning.
"Sariah is in labor." Clarke announced. "The twins are coming a month early."
"I'll be right there." Jerome hung up the phone. "I'll have Josh get you ready if you want to meet us at the hospital."
"Go, you need to be there. I'll catch up." Adam insisted.
Jerome called Josh then met Sariah, Clarke and Trace at his car. The lawyers explained it was important for Jerome to be at the birth. To eliminate any interference from DFS, birth certificates would list Jerome as the father.
Sariah's other children had been born at home with the help of her sister wives and a midwife from another polygamist family. Twins a month early made a home birth risky. Jerome hadn't finished the admission paperwork before the first baby made its appearance. Who was it, Neil or 2nd Nephi? Only Jerry would know for sure.
Adam arrived with Jerry in tow while Sariah was still in labor. Jerry found Neil in an incubator and on oxygen. "How do you know it's Neil?" Jerome asked.
"Nephi will be second and has brown eyes. Neil has green eyes." Jerry explained. "When can I hold him?"
"He's a month early. He will need special care for a while." A nurse explained.
Adam, and Jerome kept Jerry company in the waiting room. Clarke was supporting his wife.
Clarke emerged from the delivery room. "Nephi, is here, but he isn't doing well. They don't think he'll make it." He looked at Jerry. "I know you've been waiting for him. I'll try to let you see him before he passes."
"Dad, we need to pray." He kneeled there in the waiting room. Jerome and Adam kneeled next to their boy. "Nephi isn't doing well. The doctor says he's dying. That's not what you promised. I did what you asked. Do something, now. Amen."
Jerome was about to reprimand his son when two middle-aged men in white shirts and ties wearing the iconic black missionary badges interrupted him. "We've come to bless and name the babies."
"It's about time. Nephi is first." Jerry informed the men.
"Jerry, they are here to help. Be polite." Jerome insisted.
"Sorry." The fire in Jerry's eyes contradicted his apology.
"Gabriel, would you do the anointing?"
"Yes Michael."
Michael followed the anointing with a blessing. Looking at Jerry, he called the child by name, "Michael Nephi Tellerson."
Jerome placed his hand on Jerry's shoulder. "They are the answer to your prayer. Don't argue."
The missionaries reversed roles with Neil.
Jerome thanked the gentlemen. "Jerry, what do you have to say?"
"Thank you for keeping the promise, I know you are very busy. I will call him Nephi."
Michael chuckled. "I would expect nothing else, my little warrior. Be brave and strong. You have many battles still to face."
"Since you're here. Will you give Adam a blessing too?" Jerry asked. Jerome looked at his son.
"Please give Adam a blessing." Jerry corrected himself.
Michael kneeled down looking Jerry in the eye. "You still aren't calling him dad?"
"No, he's not my dad." Jerry answered. "But I still love him." Adam smiled. It was nice to know Jerry loved him.
Michael rested his hands-on Adam's head, Michael called him by name and reassured him he would regain the use of his hands with therapy. "No matter the obstacle, don't give up. The Lord needs your hands to do his work."
Adam looked into the star filled depths of Michael's eyes and recognized him.
"As Jerry said, we are very busy. We will take our leave. It is his faith that will accomplish miracles."
Little Nephi improved throughout the day. Jerome was never far from his new boys. Sariah recovered quickly with Clarke by her side.
"Sariah, is it hard giving them to Jerome and Adam?" Clarke asked.
"It's not like I won't see them again. It will be easier with them staying in Intensive Care for a few weeks. Look at the bright side, now we can start our family."
"We already have Micah and Almania." Clarke answered. "I love them both."
"The next child will be yours. You've shown me how good a father you can be."
Trace had taken Jerry home. Adam stayed with his partner and their newest sons. He faced a dilemma. How could he ask Jerome to leave the babies at the hospital and fly with him to Palm Springs? Adam didn't want to go alone.
"Adam, I called your home. They told me you were at the hospital."
Adam and Jerome turned, finding Adam's surgeon at the door.
"I'm glad I caught you before you left for Palm Springs. One of my colleagues came down with the flu. He asked if I would present his paper at a symposium held at the University Hospital. If I can pull you from your new arrivals for an hour, I can take those casts off now."
An hour later Adam returned to the intensive care nursery. Even without the casts, he still had to be careful.
"Perfect timing. We get to feed the boys." Jerome glowed with excitement. The men dressed in gowns and washed. A nurse coached the fathers through their first opportunity to feed the babies.
With the babies back in their incubators, Jerome sang to the boys until they fell asleep.
"Adam, thank you for believing in Jerry. I wouldn't have wanted to miss this."
"Jerry seems to be the one with the clout on the other side. Who else do I know that can call angels from heaven?" Adam's comment puzzled Jerome for a moment but it was soon forgotten.
The days became hectic. Jerome appreciated that the festival in June was now in the hands of the judges and Tina. There was little spare time. Jerome started the day with chores with the boys. Adam's morning chore was physical therapy. He wasn't sure who worked harder for the hour. Then it was to the hospital hoping to arrive in time to feed the boys, who were improving.
They spent two hours at the Tellerson office working. Neither Jerome nor Adam wanted to be far from the babies. Rather than flying to meet with division heads, the division heads flew to Salt Lake. The smaller, more fuel-efficient jet saved money. Jerome scheduled the next board meeting Salt Lake.
Jerome and Adam squeezed in baby-care classes two days a week. They wanted to be ready when the boys came home. They would always have plenty of help, but they wanted to be good fathers.
Some days, Hugo, Jerry and Skip met their dads at the hospital after school. The nurses wouldn't let them stay long. Jerome and Adam reluctantly let them take turns with the bottle feedings. The small family often stopped at Bertram's or Mario's after the hospital. Jerome wanted the boys to feel they were as important as the babies. The three boys had moved into Jerry's barn. Their old room would become the nursery. They didn't want to hear crying babies all night.
If the Planning Commission wouldn't allow any renovations of the existing compound, Jerome concentrated on new construction. The adults met with an architect as the group tried to come to a consensus on what would make an ideal home for the Samaria Foundation.
The county wasn't issuing permits for new builds in the area either. Tellerson legal team put pressure on the chairman of the Planning Committee. They suggested the moratorium was the county's attempt to shut down Samaria Farms. If that was the case, they could take the case to the courts or the media. The lawyers asked to meet with Jerome the first week in June to share what they had learned.
The twins coming home put renovations on the back burner. Jerome and Adam brought the pair home on a Friday afternoon. They would have the full weekend to adapt to their new responsibilities.
The night time feedings were the hardest to get used to. Sariah and Rebecca had always used cloth diapers. The hospital sent home disposable diapers with the boys. While at first reluctant, Sariah and Rebecca converted to the advantages of disposable diapers and bottle liners.
Jerome found time to meet with the lawyers. The lawyers had agreed to wait until the official announcement before releasing what they had learned. Adam and Jerome discussed their options while feeding the boys late at night. Unsure what to do Jerome found himself on his knees often.
The week of the festival arrived. Sean and his crews had planted most of the plants from the largest greenhouse. They transferred the remaining stock to the smaller units. Soon the greenhouse overflowed with artwork. Film screenings and performances would fill the evenings. The last night would be an awards banquet highlighting the winners.
Jerome hadn't found the time to walk through the art exhibits. It seemed every time he set aside time to visit the exhibition someone needed him.
On the third night of the festival, little Michael wouldn't settle. Not wanting to wake Neil or Adam, Jerome put the baby in the carrier on his chest. Michael only settled while Jerome kept moving. He visited the art exhibit. He threw the master switch lighting the greenhouse.
Jerome wandered up and down the aisles. John's paintings filled the far end of the first row. The images struck him like a bolt of lightning bringing lost memories from the hidden corners of his subconscious. It was a relapse much like the one in New York. Pain triggered through every scar. How could he live through this again?
Feeling Jerome's anxiety, Michael cried out. `I have the baby. I can't fall apart. What am I going to do?' Paying attention to Michael's needs, Jerome brought the anxiety down to a barely manageable level.
Neil must have felt his brother's distress and cried, waking Adam. Adam picked up the baby and changed his diaper. Neil was still crying. `Where was Jerome and Michael?'
When Adam couldn't find Jerome in the house, he carried the baby to the office. Most of the screens were dark. In contrast, the screens of the big greenhouse lit the room. Baby in tow, Adam took another golf cart to the event area.
Adam and the other adults had kept Jerome away from the art exhibition. He already knew Jerome would have difficulty handling John's. Adam had visions of Jerome on the concrete floor in spasms surrounded by the paintings. Adam had done some digging. The dates coincided with Jerome's abduction. Adam had hoped Margaret would be with Jerome when he saw the pictures.
Jerome wasn't in the greenhouse and the event barn was dark. The gas lamps were lit around the pond. Adam found Jerome singing to Michael in Nephi's sanctuary.
"If a picture paints a thousand words..."
Why was Jerome singing Nephi's song to Michael? Jerry still called his little brother Second Nephi. The words had settled both Jerome and the baby.
Neil settled as Adam stepped into the clearing hearing Jerome's song.
"How?" Adam asked.
"Every time the anxiety grew, Michael brought me back to the real world just like his father did. Maybe he is the Second Nephi." Jerome looked at his partner. "I know why everyone kept me away from John's paintings. He was one of the four."
"What do you remember?" Adam asked.
"I remember everything. It was horrible."
Adam followed Jerome and Michael back to the exhibition. He talked Adam through each image. When Jerome would falter, he would stop and talk to the child on his chest.
The pictures made it real for Adam as the tears dropped from his chin.
"It's time to go home. Someone can retrieve the other cart tomorrow." Jerome announced.
With the twins changed, fed and back in bed. Adam made oral love to his man. Jerome fell asleep with his head lying on Adam's chest.
The night before the awards banquet, Adam arranged for a private showing of one of the award-winning films in the media room. Jerome knew the content of the film. Adam didn't want Jerome's first viewing at the awards banquet. Margaret was on standby just in case Jerome had a meltdown.
"I don't know if I can do it. I know this is a movie with actors." Jerome debated backing out and skipping the banquet rather than watching the film now or then.
Jerome heard Jerry in the hall. "Has anyone seen my dad?"
Jerome hoped Jerry had a crisis that would postpone the inevitable.
"Dad, I found you." Jerry got all serious. He was having one of his moments. "You can't watch the film alone."
"Adam will watch it with me." Jerome answered.
"That's not good enough." Jerry countered.
"Margaret is here."
"That still isn't good enough." Jerry shook his head. He handed his dad his book of illustrated Bible stories. Jerome opened the book to Jerry's bookmark. The picture was of Christ holding a lamb. Jerome was a little slow. He kneeled down and hugged his boy.
"Thank you. I will try it." Jerome answered. The conversation puzzled Adam.
"No dad, if you only try it won't work. Know he will help." Jerry reclaimed his book and left his dad and Adam.
"What was that all about? When he gets like that, I don't understand him half the time." Adam asked. "How is Jesus holding a lamb supposed to help?"
"The lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He leads me to green pastures. He restores my soul. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil, for thou are with me. Jerry is reminding me to ask for comfort before we watch the film." Jerome explained.
"You don't get mysterious missionaries?"
"If that is a joke, it isn't funny." Jerome kneeled next to the chair in the media room. "We don't always need miracles. Even if we seem to get more than our fair share."
Jerry had reminded him he had to believe if he expected help. As Jerome stood, Sariah arrived with a fussy baby. "I hope Michael will settle down for you."
Jerome cradled the baby in his arms. Adam had a quick vision of Jerome holding a goat instead of a lamb. He wrapped his arm around Jerome's shoulders.
Adam could sense waves of anxiety as the emotional storm threatened to overcome his man. Just as at the art exhibition, every time the anxiety built, the baby drew Jerome's attention to the here and now. Adam remembered an image from the Sunday School of Christ walking upon the water calming the storm.
"I hope this film touches the hearts of many people." Jerome stated calmly. "I am overriding the judge's decision on the film and on John's exhibition. Let someone else receive the $5,000 scholarship." Adam was worried and puzzled. What was Jerome thinking?
"I just created the Tellerson award for outstanding achievement. It comes with a full ride scholarship. They don't need both." Adam now understood. Jerome couldn't erase that hateful weekend, but he could take care of those that shared his torment.
Jerome presented the scholarships to the dozen winners congratulating them on their efforts helping others understand being different. John, Bobby and his brother Jerry seemed disturbed they had been passed over.
"I have three individuals that have earned the most prestigious award of the festival, the Tellerson Award." Jerome announced. The lights dimmed and Bobby's film began.
Jerome made it through the film with baby Michael's help. Sariah had suggested it was a bit much for a baby. Jerome understood Jerry's need for his goats in times of crisis.
"The Tellerson Award is accompanied with a full ride scholarship in your chosen field. I hope this makes it easier to create more art and films with this level of impact."
Standing on the podium with Jerome and John, Bobby and his brother realized Jerome was the fourth victim. No not a victim, but a survivor of that terrible weekend.
"Thank you all for coming. We hope to see everyone again next year. Sadly, it won't be in this facility. Samaria Farms and the Foundation is looking for a new home. Next year this will all be gone, and the year after that a new six-lane highway will link the west side of the valley." The audience was in turmoil.
"You should fight it!" Someone from the back shouted and many agreed.
Jerome held his hands for silence. "Samaria Farms is about making the world better. This side of the valley is growing and will need the new highway sooner than later. We don't know where we will be, but Samaria Farms and its work will live on. We are bursting at the seams. This is an opportunity to rebuild." Jerome stopped for the applause.
"Do not forget, we are all our brother's keeper." Jerome spread his hands palm up in supplication.
"Samaritans go forth and do good." Jerome bowed his head in benediction.
The audience stood one after another until everyone stood sharing their applause.
The noise woke the baby Jerry was holding. "Nephi, the people are clapping for dad. It's almost over."
"Jerry, everyone else calls him Michael. Why do you call him Nephi?" John, the artist asked.
Jerry turned the baby. Jerry seemed much older for a moment. "Look into his eyes."
John was lost within in the depths of the infant's deep brown eyes and understood.
Jerry handed Michael to his father. John grew quiet, trying to remember something important.
"Dad, I think Michael needs changing." Jerry loved Second Nephi, but he drew the line at stinky diapers.