Shadow of My Father

Sophomore Year 38

Written by: J.P.G.

{"The Shadow of My Father" is pure fiction. 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 author's express written consent.}

Story Written by: J.P.G.

Love Scene by "Daddy" Rick

Edited By: "Daddy" Rick

I have a home page for you to see what the characters look like or what the places look like. If you want to walk in their shoes, please go to: http://jacobmillertex.com/

Chapter 38

The Petrillo family hasn't had it easy for years, but the last week has been worse than they ever could imagine. They never thought it was possible for their lives to get worse than the hell they had been living in, but the aftermath of what Patrick's father did, proved them wrong. From the local media continuing to lead off their news hours with what their father had done to the constant police presence, even after the passing of their father. Their father has succeeded in death to continue to torment them making their lives a living hell.

Local police still had several open cases on Patrick's father and they wanted them closed. Cases that none of the family knew were being looked at, more so that he was the main suspect of the investigations. As the days rolled on, they became numb from the news they were getting about Mr. Petrillo. They weren't surprised on what he was being accused of. It matched the man that they grew up knowing and being at the center of his hatred and anger.

Lucia was the only one that defended him at first, but by Monday evening, she was worn out. She knew her husband wasn't anywhere near a saint, but she had no idea what he was involved with while he was supposed to be out working the days that she wasn't with him. Now she wished that she hadn't stayed home and instead went with her husband. Maybe if she had done that he wouldn't have been tempted and none of what he is being accused of would be happening.

However, when she woke up on Tuesday morning she came to the conclusion wishful thinking or what ifs won't change the present. No matter how much she wishes she would have done things differently, she can't turn the hands of time back and do it. The damage has been done and now she has to do what she can to protect herself and her children from getting hurt even more by her late husband and the things he was involved in. Things that can actually rip apart her family even more than it already has been by his ugliness.

No matter how much the realization of what her husband had done to her, her kids and the family as a whole, Lucia couldn't find her way through the darkness. The darkness that has become her life in the last couple of years. The darkness that has become even darker in the last few days since the passing of the man she decided those many years before to spend the rest of her life with. The darkness now that she can't find her way out of which is eating her alive.

The only way out she can see is time. Time she is afraid that she no longer has because her family is too far gone at this point, she doesn't know where to begin to put it back together. By standing on the side lines allowing her husband free rein to do whatever he wanted. It's a lot harder for her to find the start position to heal her family from all the hurt and destruction that happened in their home for years at the hand of her late husband.

Now she has to sit through another interrogation with detectives. Between interrogation after interrogation with detectives and trying to make the arrangements for her late husband's funeral, she is worn out. She is tired of her days revolving around one subject, Martin. At this point she wants it all to be over so she could get out of the shadow of a man that she thought she knew.

However, that doesn't look like it's going to happen any time soon with the faces staring back at her as she opens the door to invite the plain clothes officers in. "Good morning detectives!" Lucia forced a smile as she held the door open. "Your visits are becoming a norm. I don't know what more I can say that will help you guys in your investigations about my late husband."

"Ma'am we know our presence here is not what you need or want." The older detective spoke as he and his partner made their way to the living room. "Not at this time when the only thing you should be answering is questions about the funeral that Mr. Petrillo wanted. But there are so many un-answered questions out there and I'm afraid that you are the only one that can answer them."

"Well like I have said in our last meeting, I don't know what I can answer since the questions you need to know I don't have answers for. I know my husband was an ass, but I had no idea he was that much of an ass. The things you guys are looking at him for I had no idea he was doing until you came to me after he passed away. Even with that said, I'm not a hundred percent sold that he was involved in the things you say he was involved in. Again he was an ass, but I want to believe that he wasn't that big of an ass."

"I'm sorry ma'am that you have had to find out about all this in the manner in which you have, but we have a mountain of evidence that proves that he is guilty. The only..." Lucia interrupted the detective in midsentence. "If you have this so called mountain of evidence like you say you have, why you are bothering me. You don't need anything from me to help you close these open cases or investigations you have on my late husband."

"You right! We have enough to close the investigations on your late husband, but we have questions on your involvement in all your husband's dealings!" Lucia couldn't believe what she just heard. She wanted to smack the detective, but held herself back. "There is no way you could sit there and tell me and my partner you didn't know what your husband was up to. You had to know he was up to doing no good whenever he wasn't here with you."

"Come on, do you know what your wives are doing whenever you're not with them?" The detective tried to answer, but Lucia didn't let him. "There is no way any married couple knows what their spouse is doing whenever they're not together. You trust the one you marry and don't question them unless they give you a reason to do so. That is the only way your marriage will survive the test of time." Lucia said angrily.

It wasn't the detective's intention to anger Lucia. From past experience he has had, angering those he needs corporation from always back fired. Just like it's heading right now. Not only by the tone of her voice, but her body language, the detective knew if he didn't find a way to put out the fire he started, he and his partner was going to be kicked out and never allowed back in.

"I'm sorry ma'am if I have upset you!" The detective spoke in a low reassuring voice. "I promise you it wasn't what I was aiming for here today or in any of our other talks we have had. It's just we don't understand how Mr. Petrillo was able to do what he did and you had no idea he was doing it. Not only you were married to him, lived in the same house, but as well worked together. So there was really no time in the day you guys were apart from each other."

"What are you getting at sir?" What the detective was aiming for didn't happen. Lucia not only didn't settle down, she was angrier than she was before he tried to calm things down. "Since we were married and worked together I was part of the things he did. Well! let me say loud and clear right here and now, I WASN"T! I had no idea he was going to those places and doing the things he was doing. He had all of us fooled!"

Seeing things were getting out of control fast, the other detective who hadn't spoken jumped in to try and bring the tension in the room down. "Mrs. Petrillo, please forgive my partner. As he said he wasn't insinuating that you were involved in the wrong doing that your husband was involved in. It's just there are a few things in the air with a couple of them that just don't make sense."

The detective got up and moved closer to Lucia. "We know about the abuse that went on in this house for many years. The abuse at the hands of your husband. Not only to your kids, but you as well. Your neighbors heard a lot of it, but never stepped in to help, which is a different story altogether. In my neighborhood if a neighbor heard what your neighbors reported to us that they heard, police at least would have been called."

By Lucia's body language, the detective knew he was going where he shouldn't go. "The only reason I mentioned that is because if what we have been told about the abuse did happen, it fills in a lot of the gaps we have. You knew about the things your husband was doing, and maybe you were involved in it to some extent, but because of the years of abuse by his hand. You felt trapped and afraid that you either couldn't report it, stop it or you thought that no would believe you.

Whatever the reason, let me put your mind at rest here and now. We will believe whatever you have to say on what happened in this house. If you were involved and you come clean to us here, I promise you that we can work something out with the DA. But if you lie to us and we find out through our investigation that you were involved with the things that we're looking at your husband for, we will do everything we can to make sure the book is thrown at you. So make it easy for all of us and just put everything on the table."

Lucia couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd just lost the man she loved, had a family with and wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Yes she knew he wasn't a good person and was looking for a way out, but she still couldn't believe what she was hearing. Only a sick person would go along with what he is being accused of and not say a word to the authorities.

Getting up from her seat, she started to make her way to the front door. The two detectives just sat there staring at each other before looking at Lucia. When they saw where she was going, they knew they had worn out their welcome. Both of them got up slowly and as they walked over to the front door, they tried to think of a way to keep themselves on the good side of Lucia, but nothing came to mind. It was as if their minds stopped working at that moment.

When they tried to buy themselves time, Lucia stopped them in their tracks. "I now see where you guys are going with your investigation of my late husband. It is taking everything within me from not losing it here and tearing into you. So I think what is best is for you two to leave and not come back. If you have any more questions for me, make an appointment."

"Ma'am please try to understand we're not trying to anger you at all!" The second detective spoke up first. The first detective, the one that started the whole thing, didn't care either way about where this conversation went or if they were going to have any future conversations with her. In his mind, she was guilty and he was going to prove it. "Give us a few more minutes of your time and I promise you this will be the last time you will see us."

"No sir, you and your partner have made yourselves very clear on where you both stand. You are the rudest people I have ever met, him more so." Lucia pointed to the detective that did most of the talking. "I want you guys to leave my house and not come back." Lucia opened the door. "And as I already said, if you have any more questions, call first. I won't sit down and talk with you guys again until I retain legal counsel."

Both detectives looked at each other. Not is shock, but a little surprised. Only a guilty person would stop talking to the police and retain council. The nicer of the two detectives stepped forward pulling out one of his cards. "As my partner and I have said earlier. If you were involved in any way with your husband on the things we are looking at him for, it's best that you come clean to us. It will go a lot easier on you. If you make us spend more time investigating all this and we find out you were involved and you could have helped out, it won't go so well."

That was it! Lucia couldn't hold back any longer. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE! You are fucking worthless pieces of shit." Lucia started to nudge the detectives out the door. "I don't want to ever see you guys around me or my kids again. If I do, I promise you, you will regret it. If you think you can make my life a living hell, just watch what I can do."

The detectives didn't like being pushed. Even in the manner in which she was doing it. "If you keep putting your hands on us, we are going to have no other choice than to arrest you." Finally the first detective spoke since they walked to the door. "What you are doing is assault of a police officer and you can and will be arrested if you keep doing it."

Lucia quickly lowered her hands and stopped nudging the detectives out of her house. "Fine! JUST GET THE FUCK OUT!" She yelled, shooting the detectives daggers with her look. "I don't want to see either of you two again. If you step foot on my property, come around me or my kids once more, you better have a warrant. Other than that, you'd better stay away or you will see how it feels to wear the cuffs that you have on your side and being placed into the back of one of your own police cars."

Stunned that this quiet, grieving woman had found her voice, the detectives turned and walked out of the house. Just as they made it past the foot of the door, they turned to try once again to talk their way back into the house, but Lucia wouldn't have it. The minute they cleared her doorway, she slammed the door in their faces before walking to the living room window that looked out to the street to make sure they were leaving.

As she watched the detectives get into their car and pull out into the street, back at El Paso High Josh had rejoined the guys. None of them had noticed that Rusty had left, not even Josh when he joined into the conversation that was going on. It wasn't until the first bell when they took notice that Rusty was no longer with them.

However, it wasn't Rusty who they were looking for when they noticed he wasn't there, it was Chris. Almost at the same time when Josh and Rusty walked away from the group, Chris left unnoticed as well. He and Aaron made plans to meet in their normal meeting spot the night before and being used to hiding their relationship, they didn't say anything to their friends.

Minutes before the bell rang, almost at the top of the stadium, Rusty and Cody realized that they were shaking each other's hand. If you were looking from a distance, you would assume that they were holding hands because the shaking part had stopped and their hands had folded into one another's. They had no idea that their handshake had moved to holding hands.

Not wanting to let Rusty's hand go, but hating the silence between them, Cody spoke first without letting go of the hand he had wanted to hold since the first day he saw him. "Um, I, um hope you didn't get into trouble when they dragged you away. Some of those stupid rent a cops remind me of the stupid guards that were in the camp my father put me in."

Not sure where to go on what Cody just said, Rusty stayed quiet. He had heard the stories about Cody, the others and the camp they were in. Not knowing what part of the stories were true and which were not, he chose not to take them at face value. Then when he fell head over heels for one of the guys from the camp, he swore to himself not to pry in that area. He was going to let Cody decide when and if he was going to let him into that part of his life. Now that he has opened the door a little, Rusty was speechless.

"Like everyone here, I know you know I was in the camp that got raided." Rusty finally showed some life by nodding his head. "My therapist told me not to keep it in, but to let it out. The less that I hide from what happened to me, the better chance I will be able to move on. So I try and just make light of it by joking about it or comparing things to it like I just did. That makes it easier for me to talk about what happened to me." Cody forced a smile on his face as he reluctantly let go of Rusty's hand. By the look on Rusty's face, he knew he freaked the guy out.

It took a couple of minutes for Rusty to loosen his tongue, but when he did, there was no stopping him. "Don't ever worry about talking about that place with me." He reached out and grabbed a hold of Cody's hand once more. "I want to know everything about you and that includes that part of your life as well. So however you want to let it out, I'm fine with it."

Rusty led Cody over to an empty spot in the stadium where they could sit down. "And no I didn't get into trouble when the guards dragged me away. In fact, the guard that pulled out that stick actually was the one that got into trouble. I'm surprised that you didn't see it on the news that evening. Principal Michaels fired him on the spot for carrying a weapon on school grounds."

Cody did see it on the news, but wasn't going to mention it unless Rusty did. So when Rusty brought it up, he nodded. That evening when he watched the news, he couldn't help but celebrate that the guard got what he deserved. He had been part of too many ugly incidents like that and nothing was done about it that quickly in their favor until that night.

"Principal Michaels came to see me in the nurse's office. He wasn't happy that I didn't listen to the school security, but he was more concerned about my wellbeing." Squeezing Cody's hand a little harder, Rusty looked over at him with a smile on his face. "We have the coolest principal at this school. He will back you when you are right and discipline you when you're wrong. I have never had a principal like him before."

"Neither have I!" Cody matched Rusty's smile. "Every principal I've had have been jerks. They look at us as their property and treat us as if everything that comes out of our mouths is lies. Then if they found out that we are gay, the gloves are off. The principal's I've had in junior high school and my last high school before I was put in the camp treated me and the others like me as if we were carrying the plague or something worse!"

Rusty really couldn't see where Cody was coming from since he hid his true self up until recently, and even now only very few knew about him. Because of that, he hasn't had to go through what Cody and some of his friends have gone through. Don't get him wrong, he has heard stories and seen some awful things, but none of it has been done to him.

"Well I really can't say I have gone through anything like what you have gone through, but some of my friends have." Rusty looked over at Josh and the others. "Those guys are a great group of guys, but each of them has been through some kind of hell. From being treated like shit by their own family members when they were found out even to death, they have been through hell."

Cody looked over to were Josh, Eric, Bernice and the others were sitting. From each of them he has heard stories about the terrible place, but Josh he heard the most. Mainly because he is one of the governor's sons. Everything they have been through and going through was and still is front page news. So he knows almost everything from what happened between him and his real mother to that shooting when two of his friends died.

"I know it's not the same hearing about it to it happening to you, but want you to know the truth about me." Rusty tapped Cody lightly on his shoulders to get his attention. "Even though I haven't been through what they have been through." Once again he pointed to his friends. "Or what you've been through. I want you to know I'm a good listener. I won't comment on something I don't know anything about, but I will always be here to listen."

Hearing those words come out of Rusty's mouth, made Cody get feelings that he has never felt before. His stomach was in knots and at the same time he felt like he was floating a few feet above the ground. No one has ever made him feel that way in his life until now. Because all this was new to him, he wondered if it meant what he thought it was, love.

Stomach all in knots, feeling as if at any moment he was going to pass out, it was hard for Cody to pay attention to what Rusty was saying. It was if he was in a Charlie Brown cartoon. In the scenes when Charlie Brown is at school in class and his teacher is talking. That is what he is hearing from Rusty, bla, bla, bla! Not meaning to be mean, but he couldn't help it.

The ringing of the bell brought Cody back to the living, but not in time to catch what Rusty was telling him. Not wanting Rusty to know he didn't hear the last things he had said, Cody agreed with whatever he needed confirmed as they got up. He had no idea what he was agreeing to and he didn't care. All he wanted was for the feelings he had at that moment to never go away.

Meanwhile as Rusty and Cody were talking for the first time, across campus Chris and Aaron were doing a little more than talking. Even though they hadn't gone all the way yet with each other, they have done more than just hold hands. At that very moment they were on a side of the school that rarely gets traffic, which gives them the privacy they were looking for.

They sat there not saying much to each other. Just satisfied being in each other's arms without prying eyes staring them down. The side of the school they disappeared to didn't face any part of the city that was really nice. It was one of the side streets that all you had to look at is pavement and houses, nothing fancy, but the two young boys didn't care.

Chris sat against the rock wall of the school with his legs spread open to give enough room for Aaron to sit in the middle of them, which Aaron loved. He sat down leaning against Chris's chest, with Chris's arms tightly around him. The feel of his heartbeat relaxed Aaron as they sat there looking at to the old brick houses across the street in front of them.

When they did break the silence, it wasn't to carry on a huge conversation. It was to either ask the other if they had just seen what they had seen or to whisper how lucky he was to have the other in his life. Other than that they were content just being there in each other's arms. Enjoying the warmth of each other's embrace and feeling each other's body language. That spoke more volumes than actually opening their mouths and holding down a conversation.

The only time they moved more than an inch in any direction was when the first bell of the day rang. At first they refused to move, but after what seemed like a long time, which was only a few seconds, they both reluctantly got up and dusted themselves off before making their way into the building. Once they entered through the double doors, they hated, they parted ways.

Just as Chris joined up with Josh and the others, Rusty walked up. The guys gave both of them the look they gave when they thought you were up to no good before turning their attention back to what they were doing before they arrived. Letting it slide off of their backs, both Chris and Rusty turned their attention to the lockers to get the books they needed for their morning classes.

As the boys were heading to their first period classes, up in Austin the governor had been at work already for almost three hours. That wasn't unusual, what was is how quickly his day got turned upside down. He thought the day before that he had already dealt with the aftermath of what the state senate tried to do when he was out of town, but boy was he wrong. The senator that started it all was not willing to go quietly into the night and let things go.

He was in the midst of a heated discussion with that senator when Al walked in to deliver him much needed good news. Wanting to give the issue Al had just brought to him all of his attention, he let the call go. That didn't sit well with the members of the state senate that he was talking to at the time, but the governor didn't care. He had enough of their crying.

Once he hung up with the senators, he turned his attention to Al. "When did this happen?" Daniel asked as he got up to refill his coffee. "I mean the last I was aware about the bill in California was that it was stuck in community. It looked like if it was going to see the light of day, it wouldn't happen for at least a couple of months."

"Well sir I really don't know what to say than I already have." Al said with a huge grin. "The California state legislators just voted and in a huge landslide passed your gay rights bill. It will be heading to the governor's desk for signature within the hour, which we both know he's going to sign it. Making his state the first to pass sweeping legislation on gay rights."

One part of the governor didn't feel right that another state beat him to the punch with his own bill, but the other part was happy that they did. By them passing the very bill that is stuck in his own senate will give his bill the final push it needs to get an up or down vote on the senate floor, or at least he hopes it does. It might go the other way, but he doesn't think it will. Not in this state that hates to come in second on anything, and more so on something they thought up first.

"Okay, since it just happened, our senate doesn't know about it just yet. Give it fifteen, twenty minutes and it will start to spread in the halls of our senate. Once it does, it will get those that don't like coming in second place to get angry enough to come together. A couple of hours after that, we'll be getting a call to inform us they are going to do everything they can to get is passed. What do you think Al? Do I have the pulse of the senate right?"

Al chuckled as he sat down with his fresh cup of coffee. "Yes sir you've hit the hammer right on the nail. None of those guys down there like to be beaten, more so on something they could have done first." Al took a slow drink of his coffee before continuing. "Not only that, now with California passing our law that we wrote, a good percentage of those that were on the band wagon to kill the bill will jump over to show they are just as understanding as their counterparts in California when it comes down to individual rights of our gay citizens in this state."

Both of them laughed as they pictured how it was going to look like on their state senate floor in a couple of hours. Those that wanted the bill to pass from the beginning will be screaming at the top of their lungs for coming in second to California. The other side will not really be listening to them because they will be hard at work trying to keep everyone they have to kill the bill on board with them, but in the end they won't be able to keep everyone with them.

"This is what we're going to do." The governor broke the silence. "Both of us know it won't be long before what happened in California hits the press. Let's use that in our favor." Bells started going off in Al's head. "Those in the other building are the press whores. They don't like bad press because they feel it will ruin their chances on getting elected. If the press seems to be ganging up on them on why California passed our bill before we did, they will quickly change their tune and pass the bill. Sadly they do what is popular, not what is right. So again let's take advantage of that and call in whoever we need to get it done."

Al started to jolt down what the governor was saying and a few ideas of his own. He liked the idea of using the press to help them get the bill through, but he wanted to go a little further. With senators like Westrick still in their senate, they will always have problems getting any bill through, no matter what the bill is. They need to seize this opportunity and do a lot more than just get the current bill through. They have to get the press to do the final push on removing senators like Westrick and his gang who attempted to remove his boss.

"I agree with using the press for pushing the Stan Dudley Gay Rights Bill through once California's news of the passing of their own gay rights bill hits the air." Al got up and handed the governor his note pad that he was jotting down ideas on. "However, we need to go even further. Take a look at what I just handed you and tell me what you think. Is it going too far?"

Governor Lopez picked up the notepad from his desk, leaned back in his seat and started to read what Al put together. Most of it he liked, but there were a few ideas that might be going too far, but he could live with it. He figured it is high time for them to stop being defensive and start going offensive. Maybe by changing the way they do things, they might be able to turn things around and stop the constant back stabbing going on in both parties of government.

"Everything on the list I have no problem with." Daniel leaned back forward on his desk and handed back to Al his note pad. "Just don't try and get it all done yourself. Bring in whoever you need to get it done. We have a small window here and we can't miss it. At the same time we can't misuse it either. If we do this wrong in any way, we will be the ones coming off looking like bullies. Trust me when I say this, I don't want that title."

Al agreed, he didn't want that either. He knows if they misword anything or go at it the wrong way in the wrong tone, they will come off looking bad. If that happens, that will empower Westrick and his group to do what they want and handicap his boss. At that point, his boss would be a joke and will not win reelection and his political career is dead. That not only will be a disservice in his mind to this state, but to the nation in a whole.

"I suggest you partner up with Rich on this as well. He has made several good friends in both state houses that we can use. With their help, we won't come off looking bad. In fact, if we use them as our voice..." Daniel started to hit his desk lightly with his fist. "Yes that's it! Damn why didn't I think of this earlier. Let's use them as our voice. Feed them what we want to say and trust me they will go out to the press and rattle their cages. By them doing that, we can just stand back and watch things unfold. If it starts to veer off course or it's going too slow, we can lightly go out and push it back in the right direction or speed it up."

"No objection here!" Al said as he got up from his seat. "I will get with Rich before the day is over to get his help on this. It will help if you put in a call to him to let him know you fully support this so time isn't wasted on him trying to confirm this is the direction you want to go." Governor Lopez nodded. "Then if there is nothing else, I will take my leave and get started on this."

Just as the last word left Al's mouth, Daniel's phone rang. At first Daniel wasn't going to answer it, but he picked it up after a few rings. He was about to yell at his secretary, but stopped when she told him why she was interrupting his meeting. With a big smile on his face, he told her to put the call through as he waved Al back over. Before he answered the call, he informed Al that it was Governor Wilson on the other end.

Putting the phone on speaker, Governor Lopez picked it up after the third ring. "Good morning Governor, how are you doing this morning?" In a joyful tone, Governor Wilson answered fine and asked the same question. "I'm doing well." Governor Lopez said as he leaned back in his chair. "So you know, I have you on speaker so Al, my chief of staff, could be part of this conversation." He got no objection from Governor Wilson. "I hear that you had a bit of good luck this morning. Your state house delivered you a win."

"Yes they did! When I heard the news, I made my staff reconfirm it several times before I let myself believe it. I thought it was going to be an uphill battle to get it passed, but my state houses surprised me. They not only got it out of committee, but they passed it in both chambers in a landslide. Both parties came together, put their differences aside and got it done."

Al could tell by the look on Daniel's face that he didn't like where the conversation was heading. Just like him, he was sure that his boss felt that the only reason that Governor Wilson called was to rub in their face's that he had done something that they haven't been able to get done in a very short period of time. Don't get Al wrong! He was glad that the bill was passed, but he didn't like being told he is a failure at his job on not getting it through his state houses yet.

"I understand that you guys ran into a hiccup down there this past weekend. One huge hiccup." Daniel politely interrupted the governor California before he went any further. "Yes we ran into a small problem down here, but nothing that will keep us from making our gay rights bill being signed into law. If it doesn't happen in our state houses, it will be put on ballot for the citizens of this state to vote on. There is no doubt in my mind, one way or another I will sign it into law."

"I'm sure you will Governor Lopez, I'm sure you will. But I hope you don't end up spending all your political capital on this one bill. I know why you are pushing so hard on getting this bill through, but you need to keep your wits about this one and its chances on passing. Those good old boys in your state houses are going to do everything they can to keep it from becoming law. Even if that means losing their seats on getting it done they will do it. In their twisted way of thinking, they believe they are protecting the citizens from a huge evil. The evil of gays!"

Not meaning to, Governor Lopez chuckled at the last thing Governor Wilson said, but he was right about those in his state houses. They go wherever the political wind is blowing, and right now it is still against gay rights. Rights that they enjoy and take for granted, but will not give to a good portion of their citizenship in their districts.

"Governor Wilson you're right, but don't count me out on this just yet. We had a few problems since we sent the bill down to the senate. And yes it looks dead already, but nothing is dead until its six feet under. The Stan Dudley Gay Rights Bill will become law in this state even if that means I won't get a second term." Surprising everyone, Governor Lopez's voice in a split of a second got very serious and his facial expression, well let's just say you didn't want to see it.

"I have said it many times before and I will say it here again. I'm not your typical politician who only does things that are popular to get another term. I do what is right without wondering if I will be in this seat for another term. So if those down in the state houses think I will be backed into a corner on the fear of not getting another term, they are sadly mistaken."

"Please don't get me wrong here on what I said." The joyfulness in Governor Wilson's voice was gone. "It's just I have been doing this for a very long time already and this is your first time at the rodeo as they say down there in Texas. Those politicians in your state houses play dirty and will do whatever they have to do in order to protect their way of life. You are a threat to that because you think like the people, not like them, the privileged."

Once again Governor Wilson got a chuckle out of his counterpart in Texas, Governor Lopez. "I know what you were trying to do and trust me I don't shoot the messenger whenever I get news I don't like. I appreciate that you took time out of your busy schedule to call me up to give me some of your wisdom and keeping me appraised on the going on with the gay rights bill down there. Believe it or not by your state passing The Stan Dudley Gay Rights Bill down there first, it will help me get it through both of my state houses here a lot easier."

Governor Wilson still felt he over stepped the mark with Governor Lopez and didn't know how to fix it. So instead of making the hole he started to become deeper, he decided to call it quits while he was somewhat ahead. Quickly he moved the subject away from the law makers in each of their states and kept it on the Stan Dudley Gay Rights Bill, which seemed to get rid of the tension that he created in the conversation by going where he knew not to.

"I agree with you that the bill should be enacted immediately without breaking into phases, but at the same time I need to think about those that might be offended by the bill. They need to be given time to get used to the fact that this bill is the law now. The only way I see that happening and no one getting hurt is enacting this bill in phases over a year or so time frame."

"Look I agree that you are going to get some kick back on this bill from those that just won't accept giving equal rights to their fellow gay citizens, but who cares. I mean it will be a lot easier to put it into effect all at once than in parts because it won't give false hope to those citizens that want to stop this bill from becoming law. By going down the road on cutting the bill into phases, they will think they still have a chance of killing the phases that are not law, if not the entire bill."

Both of the governors were at odds with each other on how the gay rights bill would go into effect. Both of them thought their way of doing it was the right way and that is how they left it when they ended their call. However, neither of them liked how the other was going to put the bill into effect in their individual states and they made it clear to their staff members exactly that.

Governor Lopez truly believed if the bill was cut into phases, some of the phases may never go into effect. Those that were against the bill from the get go would hold other bills to ransom to keep the phases that haven't gone into effect from going in order to get their vote on the bill they are holding for ransom. It's dirty politics, but that's how it's always been done and will always be done in the future unless someone stands up to the old government.

On the other side of this argument stood Governor Wilson who believed phases was the right way to go in order to keep peace within his state. Governor Lopez didn't believe that. He believed if the bill was passed by the majority, those that hated it will have to learn to live with it. They can't be catered to for the fear of angering them even more. That boat had sailed.

While Governor Lopez was explaining his stance on how the bill should be enacted with Al, back in El Paso Barbara was arriving at her lunch meeting with Ivan, Josh's manager, and Jonathan, Josh's head of security. This meeting was put on the books the minute Ivan was informed that his client Josh appointed his step mother his business manager. He didn't hide the fact he wasn't happy about that decision, but said he will go along with it since his client made it.

So when he saw Barbara walking in, he had to put on a fake smile, which Barbara knew was fake the minute she saw him stand up and wave her over to the table. She had no ill will against Ivan, but until he accepts that she is now her son's business manager she knew she was going to have to count him as an enemy. Something she hated doing to anyone.

"Good afternoon Ivan how are you doing?" Barbara spoke in her comforting voice as she kissed Ivan on the cheek before taking her seat. "I see Jonathan hasn't arrived yet, which is weird since he left the house a little before I did." Just as she said that, Jonathan walked in. "Forget I even said that, here he is." She got up and greeted Jonathan with a kiss on the cheek like she did Ivan.

For the first couple of minutes they made small talk, but it didn't take Ivan long to move the conversation from small talk to why they were there. "First let me make clear that I don't agree with Josh making you his business manager." Ivan looked over at Barbara. "It has nothing to do with you Mrs. Lopez. It has everything to do with what I have seen and been through when one of my young clients appoints one of their parents, if not both of them, their business managers."

Ivan paused for a few minutes to gather his thoughts. "Ninety nine point nine percent of the time the parents end up screwing their child. They are in charge of the child's money and instead of putting it away for the child, they spend it on themselves. So by the time the child is of age to spend his or her own money there is nothing to spend. Again I'm not saying you are going to do that, it's just what I have seen and I try to protect my clients from."

Barbara tried to jump in, but Ivan wouldn't let her. "Please let me finish before you say anything Mrs. Lopez." Reluctantly Barbara shook her head and leaned back in her seat. "Let's be honest here. We don't know how long this is going to last for Josh. Hopefully it will be his career and that is all he is going to do, but we don't know. A lot can happen from his voice giving out to something worse that I don't want to even think of. Since we don't know how long this can last, I want to make sure Josh is secure for whatever the future holds for him. I hope you understand!"

"Not only do I understand, but I'm right on board with you on securing my sons future." Barbara spoke not in her normal calm voice, but the voice that only Daniel Sr. has heard, commanding. "I want to make sure every red cent my son makes is put into a trust fund that only he can touch when he comes of age and I already got the ball rolling on that yesterday. On Wednesday the paperwork will be done and all of my son's money will be moved into a trust fund."

The news of the trust fund knocked Ivan off of his feet. He had no idea that Barbara had started the ball rolling on it and more so that it will be completed as quickly as Wednesday. Like her, he felt the only way too safe guard his client's money was by putting it into a trust fund, but never was able to sit with the governor and talk with him about that very topic.

"So as you can see the thing you are worried about me being my son's business manager shouldn't have even crossed your radar." Ivan just shook his head. "To put your mind even more at rest, I even went a step further with the setting up my son's trust fund. Until he comes of age to pull from it, it will take two signatures alongside his to get any money out of that account. And no the two signatures isn't mine and his fathers. It is either mine or his fathers along with Father Gomez's."

That satisfied Ivan. "I see you have everything well in hand dealing with your son's money and his future. From this moment on I will no longer worry about that because it is in your capable hands." Ivan was interrupted by the waitress bringing them their drinks and taking their orders. Once she left, he picked right up from where he left off at. "With that out of the way let's move onto why we are here, the tour we about to begin."

"Yes let's talk about that." Barbara right away interjected. "I have been looking through the contract Josh signed dealing with this tour and nowhere in the contract does it state how much he will be making per show. And there hasn't been any amendments done to the contract about the extra shows that have been added to the tour. I need the amendments pages and how much he is going to make off each show before and after everything is paid."

"Sure I see no problem with any of those requests." Ivan grabbed his briefcase from the floor and placed it on the table. It didn't take him long to find the files he was looking for before putting the briefcase back on the floor. "Okay let me see here Josh is going to make per show five hundred thousand dollars, and after paying his band he will be taking home between two hundred and fifty thousand to three hundred thousand dollars. As far as the amendments I have them here if you want to see them, but as far as you getting copies you are going to have to wait until I get back to my office to run them off. Once I do that I will messenger them over to you."

"No I don't think so!" Barbara turned and waved over their waitress. "You've had plenty of time to give Josh copies for his own file, which you haven't." The waitress interrupted. "Yes ma'am how can I help you." Barbara turned and looked up at the waitress. "I was wondering if you people had a copier back there somewhere." The waitress nodded her head. "Good if you don't mind can I run off a copy of these forms please? I will pay for the paper I use."

The waitress looked at what Barbara was holding. "Well I need to go and ask my manager if I can let you do that. I will be right back!" The waitress turned and walked away. While she was gone, no said a word. Ivan wasn't happy being talked to the way Barbara was talking to him, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. When the waitress returned, she had her manager at her side. "Ma'am I'm sorry, but..." Once the manager looked at who he was talking to, he recognized her. "Forgive me Mrs. Lopez; of course you can use the copier in my office."

Not wanting the only copies he had of those documents out of his sight, Ivan asked if he could go along. Not liking, but agreeing to it, the manager said yes before asking Ivan to follow him to his office. A few minutes later, Ivan returned and not only handed Barbara her copies, but the originals as well. He wanted to make sure there was no doubt left that she has every piece of paperwork that she wanted concerning Josh's first tour.

"While Barbara looks over the paperwork you just handed her I would like to move this meeting along and talk about my main concern, security." Jonathan jumped in. "There are four sites that need to be secured, which means a lot of man power. Man power that I really don't have to begin with and man power that I don't feel Josh should have to pay for."

"Well to a point I agree and to a point I don't." Ivan pulled out a couple sheets of paper and handed them to Jonathan. "What I just handed you are security plans for each arena where Josh is going to perform at. Each arena has its own security which is being offered at no additional cost. So I recommend that you vet them and once they are clear take advantage of them."

Jonathan couldn't believe that Ivan actually said what he had just said. It isn't as easy as he thinks to vet security. Not only it's time consuming to vet one person, but more so an entire staff in four locations that's impossible. Simply put time is not on their side and even if they somehow were able to vet all the staff at all four venues and they all passed the process; it still wouldn't be enough security in each location. Leaving them with the original problem of not enough security staff.

"Why don't you just have local police help out?" Barbara rejoined the conversation. "It's free for events like the ones Josh is doing is what I understand." Ivan looked over at Jonathan with a confused look on his face. "I could be wrong, but even if I am you still can use the local police for more security since Josh is the son of a current sitting governor. I'm sure I'm right on this one."

Both Ivan and Jonathan wrote down what Barbara just said. They were not certain if she was right or wrong, so they were going to check on it as soon as they get back in their offices. "It doesn't make sense for several of us doing the same thing." Jonathan looked over at Ivan knowing that he was going to make the same calls that he was going to make as soon as he got to his office. "Since I'm in charge of Josh's security it should be me making the calls. I will keep you and Mrs. Lopez in the loop on everything, but I will be making the calls."

Once again Ivan was put in a corner he didn't like being put in. He is used to him and his office doing all the work for his clients, not sharing the work. However, he has never had a client like Josh before whose father is a sitting governor. So he knows he has to get used to things being different than they normally are. In return, he reluctantly agreed with Jonathan's request.

"Well then that is settled. I will contact the local police departments in the cities that Josh is going to be at to see if they do offer that kind of security. If by any chance they don't, all three of us will sit down again and put our heads together to come up with a solution to this problem. I know we all agree that Josh needs security and we will do anything to get it for him."

"That's no lie!" Barbara jumped in. "Put aside the fact that he is the one of the sons of the governor of Texas. I know that's hard because there are nuts out there that will try and hurt Josh for that fact alone. Also put aside that he is now a singer that is about to go on his first tour as the headliner. Again there are nuts out there that would try and hurt him for that reason to get their fifteen minutes of fame. What I fear the most that will bring the idiots out of the woodwork to try and hurt him is because of who he is and who he loves. We have seen it right here at home in the family."

Both Ivan and Jonathan nodded their heads in agreement. Neither of them disagreed with anything Barbara just said. Furthermore they feared the same thing Barbara feared about all the nuts out there. The fact that Josh is gay and it's well known that that he is all over the nation will bring out the worst idiots and fanatics. The hating kind that do more damage than any of the rest of the nuts out there.

"Okay then I think we can move on now to how the tour will hopefully unfold." Ivan broke the uncomfortable silence at the table. As you all know the first stop on the tour is Saturday in Dallas at the Texas Stadium. It is sold out like all the rest of the shows. Then on Tuesday Dollywood is next. It's the smallest of the four stops, but we are going to treat it like the other three."

Before Ivan was able to continue, Barbara interrupted him. "I'm sorry Ivan there is a change on the Dollywood stop." Ivan looked at Barbara with a confused look. "I know this should have gone through you, but Dolly and I have gotten to be real good friends since Daniel and my wedding. We have been talking ever since that day and recently the conversation has been about Josh' concert down there in Dollywood. She asked if she could join Josh on stage and do a couple of numbers with him. Before I said yes, I talked it over with Josh and he has no problem with it. So I went ahead and told Dolly that Josh would be honored to have her perform a couple of numbers with him."

"Well I don't know what to really say!" Ivan looked back and forth from Barbara and Jonathan a couple of times before continuing. "I wish I was brought into the loop on this when the subject was first raised, not after it was all settled. Since that is neither here or there now it's best to let it go and look at the bright side which is Dolly performing with Josh. A singer of her stature wanting to sing with a brand new artist speaks volumes. So I say it's a great idea!"

Seeing that Ivan not only didn't object to the idea or really get mad at her for making it happen without him involved, Barbara felt a little better. But what surprised her most of all was that he went in the opposite direction of where she though he was going to go. He loved having an old veteran like Dolly Patron getting on stage singing a couple of songs with Josh. It made the tour more legit.

"Now before I go on are there any more things out there I don't know about but should." Ivan looked over at Jonathan for a few seconds and when he got no response he looked over at Barbara. She answered his question with a simple no, letting Ivan go on. "Okay then let's talk about the first stop in Dallas. As you all know Josh is going to be presented with something by none other than George Strait. My question to you guys is, has Josh caught on yet?" Once again he looked at Barbara and Jonathan who were shaking their heads. "Good let's try and keep it that way. I know we all want it to be a surprise and it is up to us to make sure it is."

Just then the waitress walked up with their order. They stopped talking as she placed their food in front of them and before leaving she asked if they needed anything else. Once all three of them looked over their food and saw on the table the normal things that they put on their food, one by one said they had everything they needed followed by a thank you. As soon as she got an answer from everyone at the table left them to enjoy their meal in peace.

"Where was I? Ivan said as he cut a piece of his steak and put it in his mouth. "The last two stops on the tour are in Denver at the Coliseum on Thursday and Disneyland on Saturday. And due to the huge demand for more concert tickets these last two stops on the tour have two shows that I cleared with Josh and the governor. One in the early evening and the regular scheduled one, both are sold out. That winds up his first tour and hopefully it will be a successful one."

"Yes we all hope this tour is successful." Barbara interjected. "On paper it looks successful already, but a lot can change once he gets out there and that is what worries me and Daniel." Ivan looked up from his plate a little confused. He thought Barbara was there as his business manager, not a parent, but that comment she just made is one that a parent would say. "I know what you are thinking Ivan." Barbara smiled as she pretended to poke him with her fork in the air. "I have been around plenty of people that held positions like yours and I got good at reading facial expressions."

"Well ma'am I understand your concern, but..." Barbara stopped Ivan in mid-sentence. "But what Ivan I can't be a parent at the same time a business manager?" The facial expression on Ivan's face changed from confused to offended. "I don't mean to be so blunt and I know a lot of things that I have said or done here today have appeared that way. If what I have said or done has come across that way to you please take my apology. I never meant for any of it to come off that way."

Ivan just stared at Barbara not saying a word. He knew that she never meant to be rude or come off ugly and he didn't take anything she has said so far or done that way. Yes he was not happy that she was hired as Josh's business manager for reasons he has already made clear to her, but after hearing her out he sees why Josh picked her. Even more he likes it when people are blunt. Those are the ones he likes working with the most since he knows where they stand and where he stands with them. So there is no reason for her to apologize for anything.

"However there are going to be times the mother part of me will come out and there is nothing I can do about it since its instinct. I will try my best to prevent it happening, but if something arises that kicks the mother in me to full throttle it will happen and whoever is in the line of fire had better watch out." That got a smile from the guys at the table. "And I know you guys know what I mean."

By the look Barbara was getting back from Ivan and Jonathan she knew they knew where she was coming from. There was no need for her to go into any further explanation so she just let the subject drop and allow the conversation to move on. By the time they all were done eating, they had gone over everything that was on each of their agendas. So as they said their goodbyes to each other in the parking lot, they were satisfied on how their first meeting went.

Once everything was said and done and Barbara was able to get into her car. She had just enough time to pick up the twins from her parents in order to get back to her house just as the boys arrived. With their help, supper was on the table at its regular time, giving the boys their normal evening to do what they usually do once they finish their chores.

Daniel Jr. went into the study with Mercedes, his girlfriend to do his homework. However they ended up doing more than just homework that evening. They did go in intending to do just that, but as the evening unfolded and they cuddled up closer to each other, their teenage hormones took over. It started out with accidental brushes against each other, which led to kissing and more.

Daniel understood his assignments and was making straight A's, but he wanted to spend more time with Mercedes. Like so many other teenage boys, he used the homework angle to be able to do just that. Mercedes wasn't a dumb person either. When Daniel asked her to come down to help him with his homework, she knew that wasn't the reason why he invited her down, which she had no problem with since she wanted to spend as much time with him as he does with her.

Not wanting to get caught, they did do their homework first and once they knew they were not going to get disturbed, they swept their books to the side and started cuddling up to each other. Like the times before, it started with just arms around each other, kissing, looking deep into each other's eyes and caressing each other's arms and face. However, this night when they got into their normal routine, there were shocks between them that they couldn't stop or control.

As they lay there at each other's side on the floor, gazing into the other's eyes, the want to do more than cuddle overtook them. It was Mercedes first to take it to the next step and Daniel didn't even try to put up a fight. She leant in and kissed him on his lips, not out of the ordinary, but when she started to kiss him down the neck and then his chest over his shirt that was.

Gently Daniel put his right hand under Mercedes chin and lifted her face so he could look her straight in the eyes when he spoke. "Are sure you want to do this?" Mercedes smiled as she nodded her head. "I don't want you to do this if you think this is what I want. Don't get me wrong, I want it, but I want you at my side more than having this."

Mercedes didn't say a word, she just went back to what she was doing before Daniel interrupted her. As she started getting further down his chest, to his stomach, he didn't know what to do. So he just laid back and handed control over to her with no more objections. Mercedes kissed every inch of Daniel's chest and then stomach before turning her attention to his belt. Just when he thought she was going to start undoing his belt, she turned her attention back to his chest, but this time she pushed up his shirt and t-shirt so she could kiss his flesh.

Sending goose bumps up and down Daniel's body as her lips touched his flesh, moans escaped his lips. She liked hearing the moans and wanted to hear more. So she started to tease with her tongue his already sensitive nipples, sending him into a land that he has never before been. Knowing that would do the trick, she got the moans that she wanted out of him.

Daniel had no idea his moans were starting to get louder and louder, but Mercedes did. She didn't want to get caught or want this to end yet, so she stopped teasing him. Letting go the sensitive nipple she had in her mouth, she started to kiss every inch down her boyfriend's chest and stomach. When she reached his treasure trail, she spent a little more time there licking up and down it. Every time she would reach his belly button, she would playfully lick around it, driving Daniel crazy.

Every so often as she teased his bellybutton, she would look down and see the outline of his dick through the denim of his jeans. It was getting bigger and bigger; leaving her with no doubt what she had imagined was true. Her boyfriend was well packed and she wanted to see it for herself once and for all. Bring her dreams from dreams to reality.

When she noticed a wet spot starting to form at the tip of her boyfriend's dick, she knew it was just a matter of time before he exploded. She surely didn't want him to do it in his pants or the minute she pulled it out. So reluctantly she stopped playfully teasing his belly button and let him catch his breath before she went for what she really wanted.

It took a little longer for him to settle down than she thought it would, but when she saw his dick starting to go down and his heavy breathing calming down to his normal breathing, she went for the prize land. Slowly undoing his belt and then the button of his jeans. Once she had both undone, she slowly started to pull down his zipper, but when she got a quarter way down, she started to have problems. He was hard again, making his pants very tight around that area.

After a few gentle tugs, she got the zipper over the first troubled area, but ran into a few more before she was able to get the zipper completely down. Once she did, she reached in with her left hand and touched his hard dick for the first time, feeling his pulse. Not wanting to waste any more time, see found the opening in his boxers and slipped her hand in touching flesh. The flesh she dreamed of and has wanted to touch from almost the moment they started going out.

As she went up and down his dick with her hand, it once again sent shivers up and down Daniel's body, sending him to heaven. Ignoring his shivering, she kept sliding her hand slowly from the bottom of his dick to the tip and playfully playing with head. Each time she reached the tip of his dick, she felt this gooey stuff leaking out that she had no doubt what it was, pre-cum.

Knowing it was just a matter of time by the amount of pre-cum coming out before he exploded she stopped playing with him. She gently pulled out her hand with his dick in it. It was hard since he was hard, but she got it out. Looking down at the hard member in her hand, she was stunned at the size of it. It wasn't enormous, but it was far from being small as well. Now she knows why Cesar always has a smile on his face after being with her boyfriend's younger brother. The Lopez boys were given a gift, a gift to satisfy the one they are with.

Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned down to take in what she has been dreaming of. As she reached the tip, she stuck her tongue out, licking up some of the pre-cum that was leaking out. Surprisingly it didn't taste like she thought it would. It was sweet. Wanting more of the sweet nectar, she went back down on him and licked up every dropped that was leaking out.

Just as she smelt the musky scent of Daniel's pubic hairs when she got his dick completely in her mouth, the doors to the study flew open. The high pitch scream coming from Barbara made her accidently bite down, causing Daniel to jump up, trying to wiggle free. Every curse word in the book came out Daniel's mouth as he tried to pry his dick out of the bear trap of his girlfriend's mouth. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she was doing before she let go.

"Damn it, it fucking..." Daniel screamed as he jumped to his feet looking down at his dick to see if he was bleeding. "Why did you go and do that for." Mercedes had no idea how to answer that question. All she could do is look at Barbara who was standing there at the entrance of the study trying not to look at her step son whose jeans and boxers were around his ankles. "You didn't need to bite down on me the way you did. I mean man, it hurts!"

As he spoke the last words it dawned on him that he and his girlfriend were not alone in the study anymore. He was in so much pain all he was paying attention to was where the pain was coming from, not who walked in on them. However, when he was able to look further than his pain that is when he saw his step mother standing there. He quickly pulled up his pants, causing to give himself a wedgie with his boxers. Both Mercedes and Barbara knew he did something to himself when he pulled up his pants by the facial expression, but what, they didn't know.

"Um, I, um..." Barbara had looked away when Daniel jumped up from the floor, but didn't budge from where she was standing when she walked in on them. She had no idea what to say at that moment on what she caught Daniel Jr. doing. So many thoughts were going through her head the room started to spin. "Please fix yourselves up before coming out of here!" Barbara was able to get out as she walked out and closed the study doors behind her.

Daniel and Mercedes stood there in silence at first staring at nothing in particular and then after a several minutes they turned and looked at each other. Not saying a word, they did what they were told. Daniel unbuttoned his pants and dropped them to his knees so where he could pull his boxers out of his butt and get them on right. Once he readjusted his boxers, he pulled up his pants, pushing in his t-shirt before buttoning them and putting on his belt. Both of them took turns looking in the mirror making sure everything was close to the way it was when they walked in before heading out to what they believed was going to be the firing squad.

As they made their way to the front door, Barbara was nowhere to be seen, which gave both of them a moment of relief. They knew they were going to get a mouth full, but was thankful that Barbara was giving them time to get their thoughts together. Just as they stepped out onto the front steps, Mercedes dad was pulling up. Neither of them knew what to do at that moment.

Not wanting her dad to start asking questions, they snapped out of it. They walked over to the car holding hands as they normally do. When they reached the car, Daniel opened the car door and placed Mercedes bag on the floor before leaning in giving her a goodnight kiss. As she climbed into the car, Daniel looked in and greeted her father like he normally does and then closed the door once Mercedes was completely in. He took a couple steps back and waved at his girlfriend as she and her father drove down the driveway and out of site.

Daniel expected the minute he walked back into the house to find Barbara standing there waiting for him, but she wasn't. For the rest of the evening he waited for her to call him down to the very room where he and his girlfriend were caught, but once again it didn't happen. When he woke up in the morning and joined his brothers at the breakfast table he expected to be pulled aside there or when he and his brothers were leaving to school, but again it never happened.

He went through the whole day wondering what was going on. Wondering why she didn't pull him to the side and give him the third degree. The more he thought of it, the more nervous he got. He wanted her to say something. Yell at him, punish him, but get it over with, but he didn't get what he wanted. In return his mind was running rampant by the time he walked to the cafeteria for lunch and the one thing he feared the most of all the things he was thinking of was his father. That was what was in forefront of his mind and thought she did, call his father to talk to him.

So when he and his brothers got home after school, he half expected to be ushered into the study for the dreaded talk with his father, but that didn't happen. Barbara was in the living room with the twins playing with them. When she saw the boys walking in, she greeted them like she always had before turning her attention back to the twins.

The rest of the week was like that for Daniel. He was living in his own personal hell. Having no idea when the hammer was going to come down, but it never did. By Thursday he had enough of wondering when he was going to be pulled in and talked to that he went to Barbara when his brothers were off doing their thing to get his punishment.

"Look Daniel I was young once! You guys seem to forget that." Barbara spoke softly as she continued to prepare dinner. "You are a teenage boy who has teenage hormones. Your father and I knew this day was going to come, but I just wish I wasn't the one that I walked in on that day on you and Mercedes. Since I did, I have to deal with it and the way I decided to deal with it is to blame it on teenage hormones and leave it at that." Barbara stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Daniel. She wanted to look him straight into his eyes for what she was about to say so he could see how serious she was.

"I know you are a smart guy and I have no need to say this, but I'm going to say it anyway. If you and Mercedes are ready to take that next step, make sure you both love each other. I don't mean the kind of love that last a life time. No, I mean make sure it's love not lust. And if its love and you both decide to take it to that level, please use protection. Your father and I want the world for you boys and if you make that common mistake that a lot of kids your age make, a lot of doors are going to close on you. Doors that your father wants you boys to have that he didn't."

"I know mom and I promise you that Mercedes and I are not ready or even thinking about going that far. Who knows if we ever will be ready, but for now all we were ready..." Daniel stopped in mid-sentence a little embarrassed on what he was talking about. "Um, well you know what you saw when you walked in on us. That is as far as we are ready to go."

"Good then that is all that needs to be said about that subject." Barbara turned her attention back to the food on the stove. "Dinner is going to be ready in about thirty minutes. So can you do me a favor and let your brothers know that and check in on the twins. I haven't heard a peep from them since we started talking and that means they are up to no good."

Daniel Jr. laughed as he walked off to check on his little brother and sister. He knew exactly what his mother meant when she said they were probably up to no good now that they have learned to crawl. They have been getting into everything and being stealthy about it, which made it hard for the one that was taking care of them at the time they were causing havoc.

Meanwhile on the other side of the house, Josh and his band were getting in their last practice before they had to pack up their equipment. Tomorrow as soon as he gets out of school, he and his brothers will only have time to get home change and grab their bags before being rushed out to the airport to catch their flight to Austin. Even though his first concert was the next day in Dallas, he, his brothers, Barbara and his uncle were going to spend the evening and most of Saturday morning with Daniel Sr. before taking the short flight to Dallas. Josh couldn't wait for Spring Break to start.

TO BE CONTINUED...

WRITER'S CORNER:

"Welcome back one and all to another filled chapter of `Shadow of My Father.' I have been getting a huge demand for more chapters of this saga and the other three lately. I'm doing my best to get the chapters out to you as fast as I can and I'm thankful for your patience while I do so. I promise you your wait won't be in vain for the new installments.

This chapter touched on so many characters. That hasn't happened in a while and I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. Some of the plots in this chapter were continuing plots that were already there and some of them were new. Those new plots were put into the chapter because of you the readers. I read your comments and take your suggestions in. When I can, I will write your suggestions into the sagas if they fit the timeline and the characters.

With that said, let's talk a little but about this chapter. It started off with Patrick's mother and a couple of dick detectives. How many of you think they were dicks like me? Man this poor woman just lost her husband. Even though he was an asshole to the first degree, she didn't deserve what she was getting from the detectives. I wonder if they will be back. If they do come back, are they going to deliver her good news or bad? The only way you all will find out is by popping back in.

From there we went over to the cliff hanger from the last chapter. It didn't turn out so bad, what do you guys think? It looks like Rusty and Cody are going to be a good couple. Let's just hope that they don't allow their skeletons in their closets to destroy what could be a promising relationship for the both of them. A relationship that they both need.

We also got a glimpse into Chris and Aaron and where their relationship was at. Even though they didn't say much verbally, they said a lot with body language. It finally looks like Chris has found his Cesar. Hopefully not only he doesn't destroy this growing relationship, but what he did before getting with Aaron doesn't come back to haunt him and destroy the relationship.

I know there are a couple other relationships developing and not written about in this chapter, but trust me when I say things are going on in those relationships. Because I'm not writing about them doesn't mean those relationships have cooled down. So come on back in the next installments to see what is going on with Rich and his new love interest as well Isaac and his new lover.

We got to see in this chapter the state of California passed the Stan Dudley Gay Rights Bill. Governor Lopez is happy that it happened, but at the same time it lit a fire under him to want this bill to get through his state houses even more. Do you guys think it will happen? Or do you think it is going to be put on the ballot for the people to vote on. As always, tune in and find out.

I know, I know the ending of the chapter wasn't what you expected. I've been getting a lot of request for a straight love scene. Since I'm not straight and never had straight sex, I really can't write out a scene like that, but I was able to write out a scene like I did with Daniel Jr. and Mercedes. I hope a wetted the beaks enough of those that wanted a scene like that.

Plus it was good to see Daniel Jr. again. Not a lot is written about him or the other two brothers of Josh. We barely know them and hopefully I can fix that in the chapters to come because you are going to see a lot more of them. Plus Cesar, poor guy we haven't seen him for a while. That is going to change as well now that we are about to start Spring Break.

We are finally there you guys, Spring Break and the concert. This chapter ended on Thursday, a day before they are going to leave. I hope you guys are as excited as I am about this because we are going to see the boys have a lot of fun and get into a little bit of trouble over the week. Plus there are Josh's friends that are going to be there. So come on back and see what happens over the week of Spring Break with the boys out on the road.

So many plots out there and not enough paper to write them up in one chapter! If I missed anything in this chapter in my corner, Daddy Rick will cover it in his corner I hope. With that said, don't ever think a plot line is going one direction, because I have been known to do a one eighty and change where the plot was going. Never think a character is one hundred percent good, or one hundred percent bad, because I have been known on changing them as well. A character is never gone in a saga unless the character is killed. So if you haven't seen them for a while, don't write them off. I love to keep you all guessing in each of my chapters.

I could stay here all day long, with all the open plots already in this story, but I will not. I warn you though! Do not skip a chapter, or you will be lost. There is a so much to answer in the chapters to come. Keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy! Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacobmillertex@aol.com, Thanks!}