Tip & Ty
by: E Walk

(Copyright 2007 by the Author)
 

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Author’s Note:  Instead of saying that someone signed something in ASL, I will be using italics to indicate that the words were being signed.  If there is a letter or note that should appear, then it will be so indicated.

Chapter 40
Everyone Gets A Home

This is Mark.

I awoke before the alarm went off.  I was lying there basking in the warmth of being held by Zack.  I turned so I could see his face and he was quietly snoring with a smile on his face.  I hoped he was thinking about me. I leaned over and kissed his ear and whispered, “I’m going to go for a run.  Want to join me?”

He turned away from me so I guess he was telling me no.  I got up and went to relieve my bladder in the bathroom and saw that the door to the adjoining bedroom was open, and then I remembered that David was sleeping in there.  After I finished my business, I was brushing my teeth and I heard a cry, “Please don’t hit me again, you’re hurting me.  No! Please! No!”

I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I had to do something.  I turned on the light in the bedroom and saw David curled up like a fetus, sobbing, “Please don’t hit me again.”

I went over to David and lightly touched him on the shoulder.  He bolted straight up and tried to figure out who I was.  When he realized it was me, he smiled at me and mumbled, “Morning, Nano Mark.”  He started to sign, “I’m surprised to see you in my bedroom.  I thought you and Zack were going to make wild passionate love.  Are you looking for some more wild love?”

I knew he was giving me a hard time, but I was concerned about why he was sobbing and crying out in his sleep and started to sign “For your information, Dude, I was relieving my bladder when I heard you crying out.  It sounded like you were having a nightmare, so I came in to check on you.  You want to tell me about it.”

David nodded his head, yes , “We can talk about it, but first, I need to take care of the morning wood.”

When he stood, David was definitely showing some major wood.  I think he was expecting me to go into the bathroom with him, but I sat on the bed waited for him to return.  When he returned, I told him, “We can talk more later, but I am going for a run before I wake the children and fix breakfast.” 

David surprised me, “May I please join you?  I know we won’t be able to talk or sign, but I just feel safe being close to you, Nano.  In fact, I feel safe with the entire family and I don’t know how to  explain it.  It is like there is love exuding from everyone.”

I put my arm around David and pulled him close, “Put the sweat clothes on that you wore yesterday, and we will see about finding you some other clothes, after breakfast.  I’ll be ready to go in five minutes. Meet me in the kitchen.”

When I got to the kitchen, Tip was already sitting there and the coffee had already been started.  I looked at him, “Is everything okay?” 

“Yep, I was hoping we could go for a short run.   Ty is working on some business things and said he would stay with the children.  What about Zack?”  Tip asked as David came in.

“David will be joining us, but Zack is snoring away.  I think this weekend wore him out.  We will need to get him some vitamins to make sure that he can get his master’s degree in May.”

David was standing there laughing and tried to speak, but he was signing at the same time.  “Well, if we could keep a certain Nano’s hormones under control, Zack would probably have lots of energy.”

That broke both Tip and I up.  I started for the back door and we went to the path around the small lake.  I was pleased that David was able to maintain the same pace that Tip and I had set.  In fact, I was thinking that he probably would have preferred a faster pace, but I wanted him to tell us.

As we were entering the house, David stopped and hugged Tip and then me and whispered, “Thank you for not hating me.”

Tip looked at me and I had no idea what David meant, but I was going to try and find out later.  We went into the kitchen and I gave some orders, “Tip, you make sure your oldest brother is up and that the children are up and getting ready for school.  I have already laid their clothes out.  David, you go tell the lazy graduate student to get his bottom out of bed or…” 

David was almost bent over from laughing, “Or what?  Are you going to pound him into the ground with the measly toy of yours and give him an injection?”

David left to do as he had been told, and Tip turned to me, “Would you like to explain what that was all about?”

When I told him what David had said, Tip left the kitchen laughing and almost spilling some coffee from the two mugs he was carrying.

This is Zack.

I was awakened by a weird feeling.  Someone was lightly running their fingers up and down my thighs.  Thinking it was Mark, I grabbed for them and pulled the person on top of me.  I opened my eyes to see a unfamiliar face and then I remembered that David had stayed with us.

I guess I must have looked surprised, but David seemed unfazed by what I had done.  Instead, he started to giggle, “Nano Mark says that you are to get your fat butt and little toy out of bed now.  Otherwise he will have to come and give you another injection.”

I spoke, forgetting that David was deaf, “I guess I will just have to lay here and wait for the injection.”

David had understood what I said, and glared, “I don’t think you understood what I said.  He is going to inject you with a serum so strong that you won’t be able to walk.  It won’t be coming from the little spigot that he is carrying around between his legs either.  Now get your bottom out of bed.”

I looked at David, “You understood what I said?”

David nodded, “Zack, I can read lips as long as people aren’t talking too fast.  Now, please get up before Nano Mark gets upset with me.”

I pulled David close and held him, “David, I think that Mark and Ty will make sure that you come out of this mess, standing ten feet tall.”

“Zack, please let me go.  I am starting to get some wood and I know that is not what you want.”  David leaned down and gave me a light kiss on the lips, “Zack, I am beginning to think of you and Mark as brothers.  Now get your ass out of bed.”

I released my hold on David and he left.  I hope I didn’t upset him.  He is a wonderful young man and I can only imagine what might have happened to him.  I quickly took a shower and dressed for the day.  I had everything I needed since Mark had done my laundry.  Gee whilikers,  I love that man.

When I arrived in the kitchen, everyone was there except Billy and David.  When they came in, David was carrying Billy, Billy was holding David’s face, “Uncle David, will you come to school with Nano tomorrow and you can be my show and tell.  Maybe you could teach the class some of the things that you are saying with your hands.”

David put Billy down and they sat down at the table and it was like everyone knew that David was to sit across from Mark so he could sign to David and let him know if there was something he should know.

David didn’t see any urgency in eating this morning, and was watching what everyone was saying.  His ears and eyes perked when he saw Tip say, “Guys, I’ll bring my nurse and we will be home for lunch.  I will give David a complete physical then, before I have to go back to the office.”

David started to frantically sign, “Doctor Washington, why do I need a physical?” 

“David, you saw what Mr. Burns recommended last night, so that’s what I am going to do, so that we have a record of your condition when you arrived here.”

This is Mark. 

I had been signing to David the entire time we were eating and so I had to quickly finish my food.  I looked at the three elementary school children and asked them to go brush their teeth and get their backpacks.  I looked at David, “I am going to take the children to school.  Would you please clear the table and take care of the dishes while I am gone.  I will take you to get some clothes when I return.”

I left with the four children since Barbie insisted she had to go to school too. 

When I got home, the kitchen was spotless and Zack was waiting for me.  He pulled me into a big hug and whispered, “Don’t fall in love with David!  You belong to me and me alone!  Do you understand?”

I backed away from Zack and started to sign as I spoke, “Dear Zackie, I can’t believe you just told me that I should fall in love big Davey.  It’s all I can do to accommodate your monster.  He would kill me with that instrument of his.  Besides we agreed that we would be faithful to each other  at least until you found someone more  interesting.”

David was standing there watching and we heard him giggling.  “Guys, I already think of you two as the brothers that I never had and besides, I am more attracted to older men.”

Zack looked at him, “David, you aren’t serious, are you?”

David spoke very slowly, “Guys, I am very serious.  I think you two are beautiful as are Doctor Washington and Mr. Jefferson, but I am looking for someone who would be a Grandfather for me and really take care of me and I mean in all ways.”

Zack looked at David, “David, you’re scaring me.  Please talk to Mark and he can tell me more tonight when I call.”  Zack looked at me, “We need to find a way that I can IM you so we don’t spend so much time tying up the phone.  I have to go so I can get to Lawrence in time for my classes.”

Zack hugged David and then came and hugged me and gave me a long kiss.  I walked Zack to his car which he had already loaded.  I hugged him again, “I’ll miss you and your jealous eyes.”

I watched as he pulled away and said a quick prayer asking that nothing bad would happen to Zack this week and that he would return safely.

When I returned to the kitchen, David was writing at the computer, “Nano, what do you want me to wear today?  I don’t have any clothes and I sure can’t wear your clothes or Zack’s.  I certainly can’t wear Doctor Washington’s or Mr. Jefferson’s clothes.”

I smiled at David, thinking that he was a typical teenager.  He was worried about what he was going to wear.  I got his attention, “David, let’s go check on Barbie and then we can get our showers and I’ll try to find some clothes that you can wear so we can go shopping.  Where would like to go?”

 I couldn’t believe his answer, “Wal-Mart will be fine.  That’s where the home got our clothes.”

I practically dragged David to check on Barbie and she was lying on the couch watching Sesame Street.  I picked her up, “Barbie, we are going to get dressed.  Will you be okay?”

She looked at me with a funny look, “Nano Mark, I’ll be good.”

I took David to the garage apartment and looked to see if we had any clothes that would fit him.  Fortunately, I had an old pair of jeans and an old tee shirt that I had picked up at a rock concert that fit fairly well.  I handed him another pair of bikini briefs and was amazed when he stepped out of the clothes that he was wearing and left for the shower.

I had the feeling that this was not your normal teenager at all.  I started to think and all I could come up with was that because he was deaf, no one had ever told him that it could be dangerous to get naked in front of other people.  I decided I needed to talk to him about this.

When David came out of the shower, I got his attention, “David, what your are doing could cause some people to get the wrong idea.  They might  interpret your actions as suggesting that you would be willing to be involved in some sexual activity.”

He came up and poked me in the chest even though he was still naked.  He had tears in his eyes, “Nano Mark, I wouldn’t do this in front just anyone.  I feel completely safe with you and Zack and besides, I know you are committed to each other, so why would you be interested in a used piece of trash like me.  Don’t you understand, I already think of you as older brother.” 

He reached up and gave me a kiss, “Nano Mark, get your shower and I’ll go check on Barbie.”

When I got out of the shower, I got dressed and went to look for David and Barbie.  They were in the living room and Barbie was sitting on David’s lap; they were reading and an ABC book that Barbie loved.  I watched as Barbie looked up at David and said, “Uncle David, I love you.  I’m glad that you came to live with us.  You are beautiful.”

I interrupted them, “Barbie, you need to go to the bathroom and then we are going to go the Build a Bear store and you can get a bear before we take your Uncle David to get some new clothes.”

That caused a  reaction and Barbie went to the bathroom and came back with her jacket.  We went to the mall and the first stop was the Build a Bear Store.  Barbie walked around and was deciding which bear she wanted.  She finally made up her mind and the sales attendant helped her stuff the bear and she was cuddling it as we left the store.  She looked up at David and me and said, “His name is David.”

I looked at David and I thought he was going to lose it, but instead he reached down and asked, “Barbie, may I please hold David for a minute?”

Barbie handed the bear to David and he hugged it, “He surely is a fine bear.  I think he is going to need a lot of love.”

“Don’t worry Uncle David, you and me can give him a lot of love.”

David looked at me with a questioning look and we arrived at the Dillard’s store.  When we walked in, I took David and Barbie to the men’s department and there was a chair where I could watch Barbie as she combed her bear.   I thought David was going to choke when I started pulling things for him to try on.  We were assisted by a young man and he was thrilled that we were buying so many things.  By the time we left the store, both David and I were loaded down with bags.  We had even given a package to Barbie to carry.

When we arrived at the house, I had David start to take the tags off of the clothes so we could wash them as I gave Barbie a snack and started to fix lunch, since Tip and his nurse were going to be coming to check on David.

I showed David how to start the washer and he was visibly upset, “Nano, I don’t need all of these things.  I have never had clothes this nice.  Even my parents used to buy my clothes at Target or K-Mart.  Can we please take some of them back?”

I looked at him, “Nope, I’m doing what my bosses told me to do and I already threw away the receipts, so there is no way we can take them back.  Now get in here and set the table for five.”

It was shortly after that when Tip and his nurse arrived.  Tip started, “David, we would like to do the examination before you eat.  That way we will have better picture of your actual health.  Guys, this is my nurse Andre White. He will be assisting me.”

Both David and I shook hands with the hunk and I noticed he was wearing a wedding band.  Tip didn’t waste anytime, “Mark, I think you should accompany us, so you can sign for us since neither of us knows how to talk to someone like David.”

I looked at David, “Tip wants me to come with you while you are getting your physical.  Do you have a problem with that?”  

 David looked at me, “I have no problem with that, but who is going to take care of Barbie while we are all gone?”

 

I looked at Tip, “David is right.  We shouldn’t leave Barbie here by herself.  David can read your lips if you speak clearly and distinctly.  I think I had better stay here and take care of Barbie.”

Tip, Andre and David left for the garage apartment where they were going to do the exam and I brought Barbie into the kitchen with me and she was still playing with her new bear, David. 

The doorbell rang and Mrs. Quinn was standing there, “Mark, is something wrong?  Why is Tip here?  I just saw him this morning when we closed on the house, and he didn’t say anything about anyone being sick.”

That was just what I needed, I had forgotten that Ty and Tip were going to be closing on the house today.  I started to laugh, “Grandma Quinn, I guess I'm getting senile because I forgot all about the closing this morning.  Tip is giving our newest arrival a complete physical.  Why don’t you stay for lunch and you can meet him.  If you will keep Barbie and her friend David company, I'll go check to see how the physical is going.”

As I was going up the stairs to the garage apartment, I was thinking to myself, “What else have I forgotten?  I feel like I am caught in the Bermuda triangle and am going around and around.

To be continued... 
 

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Editor's Notes:

What an interesting new addition to the family we have. I already have fallen madly in love with David. I love bears. Oh yes and I love David the teenager too.  I want to thank E Walk for the kind and natural portrayal of David.  I know that David will be happy with the way he is going to be treated by the family. 

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 05/02/08