The Fremont Saga
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 18 

What’s Up Doc?

I picked up the phone, “What’s up Doc?”

Derek started to laugh, “I hate to tell you this, Brian.  But nothing is up now that I’m talking to you.”

“Lauren said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Brian, first I want to tell you how proud we were that you stood up to the referees in your last game.  Our coach had nothing but praise for you and Todd.  I want to wish you well in tomorrow’s game.  I’d be there, but we’re playing our nemesis, Creighton Prep, at the same time.”

I chuckled, “Don’t worry, Derek, I’ll make sure that Timmy includes Westside in his prayers, tonight.”

It was really quiet, “Brian, please help Lauren.  I know what she’s going through.  I have been seeing a counselor ever since I was adopted.  Today was the first time she has ever had to go through the experience.  The first time is the worst.  Now I look forward to my visits.  I tried to explain to her that it is for her benefit to talk to a professional about her problems.”

“Derek, she sees me as one of her problems.  I don’t think she’s going to listen to me.”

“That’s exactly why you need to talk to her.  She needs to realize that you aren’t a threat to her.   Brian, just be patient with her.  Everything will work out.  I’ll talk to you later.  I have a big chemistry test in the morning.”

I had hung up and I was sitting thinking about the conversation.  Lauren came into the den, “Brian, I apologize for the way I’ve been behaving.  I had no idea that Derek has been going to counseling.  I felt as if Dad and Mother were treating me like a juvenile delinquent, when they took me to see Dr. Gates.”

“Lauren, that’s so silly.  Our Grandfather Benson was a psychologist before he died.  He didn’t treat us like juvenile delinquents.  Morgan is right, we have been pampered all our lives, unlike Timmy and Tanner.  We take it for granted that Dad and Mother should give us everything we want.  You haven’t heard Tanner or Timmy complaining about anything.”

Timmy came skipping into the den, “Brian, Daddy, Mother, Uncle Archie and Uncle Will are waiting to talk to you in the dining room.  Me and Tanner are going to be in the bedroom.  He’s going to help me with my spelling words.”

“Why aren’t you two going to be at the meeting?”

Timmy put his hand on my knee, “What you’re going to talk about isn’t anything that me and Tanner need to be there for.”

Lauren asked, “Who are Mr. Larceveque and Mr. Overmeyer, anyway and why do they need to talk to Brian and not anyone else?”

 

Timmy put up his hands, “Lauren, they live at the chalet where we’re going skiing, and I guess they need to talk about the arrangements or something, for our trip.”

I went into the dining room and looked at the assembled people, “Lauren is suspicious about what’s going on.  She can’t understand why I’m meeting with you and no one else is.”

Archie grinned, “She’ll get over it.  After tonight, we’ll devote as much time as we can to the other four children so that you’re going to feel like you’re on the outside looking in.  Brian, we’ve looked at the possibilities for the Chateau and this is what we recommend.  The bed and breakfast idea is the most feasible.  That would keep the staff busy during the morning hours.  We have ruled out tours or a restaurant for the reasons your Dad suggested.”

“However, we think it would be an excellent place to have small private parties at lunch time or at dinner.  Again, they would be upscale so the riff raff would not be involved.  We would limit the size of the parties.  We have ruled out wedding receptions since they can sometimes become rowdy.   What do you think?”

I decided to play the devil’s advocate, “I’ve been thinking about Monsieur Fourcault and his partner Jean-Claude and their nine boys.  Maybe they would like to rent the chateau?”

Will started to laugh, “Brian, what Antoine forgot to tell you is that he and Jean-Claude are pimps for the nine boys.  Actually, they already live in a place that is similar to Chateau Lafontaine.”

“Okay, I give up.  Is there anyone on the staff who would be capable of managing an endeavor such as you have described?”

Archie nodded, “Yes, Henri would be able to manage the operation.  He was with Monsieur Lafontaine for more than twenty years.  He is well qualified and your Grampa Nappy trusted him.”

I stood, “Well then, what are you sitting on your butts for?  Let’s do it.  I need to go be a teenager.”

Will looked up, “Brian, I hate to tell you this, but I think you bypassed the teenage years.”

We were going into the family room when the door bell rang.  I went to answer it since I was the closest to the door.  I figured it was probably Ron, so I didn’t check to see who was there.  I opened the door and Mr. Butcher and Justin were standing there.  The only problem was that Mr. Butcher was brandishing a gun.  He yelled at me, “Get out of my way, prick; we’ve come to get Tanner.  We’re taking him and his money and we’re leaving.”

I blocked the door, “First off, creeps, Tanner isn’t here.  I can also assure you that there is very little money in the house.  Whatever money Tanner might have is none of your business.  My parents have taken precautions to make sure that you can’t get your hands on any of his money, so get your sorry asses out of here.”

Mr. Butcher raised the pistol, “I said get out of my way, you little shit.  I’m tired of you people trying to take our money.”

The next thing I knew was that both Mr. Butcher and Justin were being immobilized by Archie and Will from behind but a shot was fired.  Mother came up to me, “Brian, are you okay?”

“Mother, I’m fine.  Is everyone else okay?”

Timmy was sitting on the stair steps, “We’re fine up here.  Where’s Daddy?”

Dad appeared, “Timmy, I’m here.  I was calling the police.”

Justin started to sob, “Sir, please let me go.  I’m bleeding.  My Father just shot me.”

Will let go of Justin and blood was oozing out of Justin’s leg.  Will looked at me, “Brian, go get a towel.  We need to stop this person from bleeding.  Someone call for an ambulance.”

Two police cars had arrived and Mr. Butcher was taken away.  An ambulance arrived and they loaded Justin on a gurney, and he was complaining, “I can’t go to the hospital.  We don’t have any money or insurance.”

Will announced, “I’ll go with this young man to the medical facility, Brian show Archie how to get there.  I’ll meet you in the Emergency Room.”

I shrugged my shoulders, but I was thinking, ’Why me?’

When we arrived at the Emergency Room, Will was waiting for us, “Brian, what do you know about Justin?”

“Sir, I really know very little about Justin.  I assume he is eighteen or nineteen since he graduated with my brother and was attending Cornell until he ran out of money and was prostituting his body.  Tanner said that Mr. Butcher pitched him out because Mr. Butcher caught Justin forcing Tanner to do sexual things with him.”

Will shook his head, “Brian, Mr. Butcher has been using Justin as his own sex machine since Justin turned fifteen.  Justin said that Mr. Butcher has been treating him like a slave ever since they returned from Ithaca.  You should see the bruises on Justin’s body.”

“Sir, I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.  Why didn’t Justin stand up to the creep and tell him to stop.  I hope you’re not suggesting that we take him home to live with us.  I don’t think I could  ever feel safe knowing that Justin might try to do something to Timmy or even me or Tanner.”

Will shook his head no, “Brian, I wasn’t thinking anything like that at all.  I guess I was thinking out loud.  I want to help Justin and I don’t know how to do it, since he is of legal age.  He could be Archie’s and my son, but that‘s not possible.  I just know that we need to get Justin away from his Father.”

A doctor came to talk to us, “Mr. Butcher is resting.  He has lost a lot of blood, but fortunately, his injury is not life threatening.  Could you perhaps shed some light on why there are bruises all over the young man’s body?”

Will nodded, “I just met the young man this evening and I rode with him in the ambulance as we were coming here and he indicated that his Father has been routinely beating him.  Just so you know, his Father is also the person who shot Mr. Butcher.  You might want to tell the law enforcement officials of your findings.  When will we be permitted to see the young man?”

“I would guess that the young man will not be able to talk to you until sometime tomorrow.  We have him rather heavily sedated so he can rest.  You do realize that our hands are tied as far as releasing any information to the authorities because of the privacy acts.  The young man will need to take care of that when he feels up to it.”

When we arrived at the house, Dad pointed to the stairs.  I went to the steps and Timmy was sitting there in his briefs with his elbows on his knees holding his face.  “Timmy, you should be in bed.”

“Brian, I couldn’t go to bed, because I was too worried about you.  How is the person who got shot?”

“Timmy, he’s resting.  The doctors gave him some medicine so he could sleep.  Come on, I need to take a shower and get some sleep. I don’t think we’ll be running in the morning.”

I was getting ready to turn out the light on the night stand when there was a knock on the bathroom door.  Timmy called out, “Come in, the door is unlocked.”

Will opened the door wearing only his briefs.  He started to laugh, “Hey, Archie, you gotta see this.  The three bears are all sleeping in one bed.”

Timmy giggled, “Yep, I gotta make sure that the big guys don’t get scared.”

Archie chuckled, “Good thinking, Timmy.  Guys, could you tell us where we can find some towels, so we can take a shower?”

Timmy crawled over me, “I’ll show you where they are.  Tanner and me checked to make sure you had lots of towels this morning.”

I watched as Timmy took their hands and went through the bathroom to Ben’s room.  Tanner leaned on his elbows and chuckled, “That was some prime beef.”

I nodded, “I wonder if they’d pose for a painting, before they leave.”

Tanner smirked, “Maybe you could call it the second kiss.  It’s going to be hard hiding what they’re packing, though.”

Timmy reappeared, “You’re welcome.  We’ll see you tomorrow.”

On Thursday morning, I was awake before anyone else and was brushing my teeth when Will entered the bathroom and started to relieve his bladder.  “Uncle Will, you probably should be prepared to be joined by a little visitor.  He has no respect for privacy when he has to go to the bathroom.”

That was the cue for Timmy to make his entrance, “Good morning, Uncle Will, move over.  I gotta go to the bathroom really bad.”

I was downstairs before anyone else, so I started the coffee.  I figured that Tanner and I needed a big breakfast since we were to take a sack lunch to eat on the bus.  Timmy came down the stairs with Uncle Will and Uncle Archie, and he talking a mile a minute.

Lauren appeared in her cheerleading outfit, so I assumed that the parents had given her permission to go to the game.  After breakfast, I announced, “I need to make a lunch for Tanner and me to eat on the bus.  Lauren, do you want me to pack one for you, as well?”

Dad answered before Lauren could, “I’ll stop by the Subway shop and get you people sandwiches and drop them off at the office.  Timmy and Morgan, we’ll be picking you up at noon, so don’t eat at school.”

The ride to school was almost enjoyable.  Lauren even walked with us to the entrance.  As Tanner and I were walking by the office, he nodded  “Brian, since my last class this morning is near the office, I’ll stop and pick up our food that the parents bring us.”

When I met Tanner at the loading zone, he handed me a sack, “This weighs a ton.  The parents must have thought we’d been starving to death.” 

I looked in the bag and handed it back to John and Todd who were seated behind us, “Enjoy guys, Tanner and I are going to share his lunch, otherwise we won’t be able to move.”

As we were going off the field after warm-ups, I looked around the stands to see if I could spot the parents and Timmy.  Timmy was standing waving, and what I saw caught my attention.  Timmy was standing between Archie and Justin Butcher.  I got Tanner’s attention, “What the heck is happening.  Why is Justin sitting next to Timmy?”

Tanner shrugged his shoulders, “Beats me.  But we know that Uncle Will and Uncle Archie aren’t about to let anything happen to Timmy, so relax.”

When we returned from the locker room, the stands were full of fans.  The Fremont fans equaled those of Lincoln Southeast.

Fremont won the coin toss and Todd elected to receive the opening kickoff.  Coach Henderson pointed at me, “Brian, you need to be the kick returner today. Randy hurt his arm.”

“Coach, I’ve never returned a kickoff in my life.”

Everyone looked at me, “Brian, just do it.”

Of course, I was creamed, but that set the tone for the entire game.  I played every play of the first half because of injuries.  The score was 0-0 with five seconds to play and a player came in from the bench, “Brian, Coach Henderson wants you to try to kick a field goal.”

“Say what!”  I turned to the referees and put up a time out signal and went to talk to Coach.

“Coach Henderson, I’m not a field goal kicker.  The ball is forty yards away from the goal post.  There’s no way I can kick it that far.”

Coach Henderson pointed at me, “Brian, please just try.  If you don’t make it, we’ll go into the locker room tied.”

I ran onto the field; I had forgotten that Tanner was the holder for field goals and the extra points.  I looked at him, “It’s up to you and me, kid.”

I watched as the center threw the ball to Tanner and he placed it on the ground: I approached the ball and kicked it with everything I had.  I never saw what happened because two of the Lincoln Southeast players tackled me after I had kicked the ball.

When I was finally able to sit up I heard a lot of screaming, but I didn’t know if it was the Fremont  or Lincoln Southeast fans.  More importantly, I saw two yellow flags on the field.  The announcer came on the PA, “Lincoln Southeast has just been penalized fifteen yards on the second half kick off for unnecessary roughness and roughing the kicker.  The field goal is good.”

Tanner helped me up, but I was feeling a little dizzy as I walked off the field.”

As we were getting ready to go back to the field for the start of the second half, Coach Henderson came up to me, “Brian, you’re the quarterback.  John isn’t going to be able to play.  He sprained his wrist.  It looks as if you’ll be playing both offense and defense.  Brian, I want to surprise the other team.  I want you to try an on-side kick.  If it doesn’t work, they will still have to go a long way for a touchdown.”

The on-side kick worked with Chris recovering the ball.  Lincoln Southeast looked stunned, and Tanner scored on the first play. So the score was 10-0 in favor of Fremont.  The game settled down into a defensive struggle until late in fourth quarter when Todd intercepted a pass and took it seventy yards for a touchdown.  The Fremont fans started to chant, goose eggs, goose eggs.

On the last play of the game, I made a strategic mistake.  I intercepted a pass instead of knocking it down.  I was immediately leveled by two opposing players and I fell on the ball knocking the breath out of me.

I was surrounded by the team, “Guys, I’m fine.  I just need to catch my breath.”

A small body appeared and knelt beside me, “Brian, are you okay?”

“Timmy, I’m fine.”

“Then get up, so I can see if you’re fine.”

I did as I was told and Timmy took my hand as the crowd cheered.  He looked up at me, “Brian, are you sure that you’re okay?”

“Timmy, I promise, I’m fine.”

“Okay, we gotta go home so we can check on Grandmother.  Justin is going to be spending the night at our house.”

Tanner and I both stopped.  I looked at Timmy, “Why is he going to spend the night at our house and where is he going to sleep?”

“He doesn’t have anyplace to sleep, and Uncle Will and Uncle Archie are going to take him home with them.  Tonight, he’s going to sleep in the basement where we’ll be sleeping next week when Vicky and her friends are here.  I’ll tell Daddy and Mother that you’re okay.  I’ll talk to you when you get home.”

I watched as Timmy took off toward the parents, who waved.  Tanner chuckled, “Any other questions, Mr. Benson.”

“Yes, Mr. Tailor, why are Uncle Will and Uncle Archie taking Justin home with them?”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes; My answer to that question would most likely be, because Justin is not a bad person.  He got himself into a bad situation, and needs help to get himself straightened out. That Jackass, mister Butcher was abusing him and treating him terribly.  Uncle Will and Uncle Archie are just the people that can help him get his act together.  Once again, it looks as if we will have to wait for another chapter to find out what will happen next.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher 

Posted: 04/09/10