Sean's Angel
By: Hal
(Copyright 2006 - 2007, by the Author)
Editors: Radio Rancher & Str8mayb

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

 

Chapter 16

The trip home with Brandon was entertaining, to say the least. The twins were on each side of him while he was sitting in the back seat. He couldn’t have been any more protected than if he had a bubble around him. Sean and Marty were enjoying the drive, and the boys were talking up a storm. It was kinda funny with one boy in a hospital gown and bathrobe, and the twins fully dressed, sitting in the back seat.

“Hey Dad, why didn’t we get Brandon’s clothes?” Justin asked the obvious.

“Well, I think his were pretty cut up, after the accident, and um…” Sean had overlooked a small detail. He looked over at Marty who just gave him a slight wink.

“I know, we need to go shopping for him, like when you guys took me.” Jared smiled real big, for the shopping trip was fun, at least for him.

“But I already gots clothes at home. I mean, where I used to live.” Brandon was getting flush, for he almost forgot that he now had a new home now. He was starting to get a sad look on his face, remembering what used to happen.

“Cheer up son, that life is the past, now. You are where you belong, with us.” Sean turned in his seat to face the newest member of his family, after he sensed the change in attitude.

“Yeah, li'l bro, you have a new home now, and a new family. You don’t ever need to go back there again, unless you want to. Do you want to go back there, to get anything special?” Justin was picking up on the vibes in the car, and tried his best to diminish the fears.

“Um, I do have some things hidden, that I kinda wanna get.” Brandon said, shyly.

“Well then, it’s settled. Marty, when you get the time, we need to go get Brandon’s things. I think you can get that arranged, can’t you?” Sean turned to look at Marty, and with a simple nod, Marty agreed. He was being unusually quiet this time.

“When can we, um, you know, uh, go and get, um, the stuff, uh, I want?” Brandon was trying to be polite about it, but being an anxious child wanting his favorite toys, was making it difficult.

“Well, I think you need to heal up a little bit first, before we can go out and move around freely. But after a day or so, I think we can do just that. Do you think you can wait until then?” Sean was giving him a warm smile, as he looked at Brandon.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Brandon finally said, after thinking about it.
 

“That’s the spirit, dude.” Justin gave him a quick hug.

“Yeah, we won’t let Dad forget either, will we?” Jared chimed in.

“Oh, I don’t think I could forget this little munchkin.” Sean was smiling warmly.

This of course made Brandon blush, and squeal, once Justin started to tickle him. Jared wasn’t to be left out, of course, so he joined in the tickle fest. This lasted all the rest of the ride, until they got home, and by that time, poor Brandon was about ready to pee his pants. 

Once they got home, of course, the real fun began. The twins were out of the car in a flash, leaving little Brandon alone in the car. Sean looked at the twins with a sad look, for it seemed as if they forgot his leg cast. The boys hadn’t even made it to the top of the stairs in front of the door, when they both froze in their steps, and did a 180. They both had sad looks on their faces as they realized what was wrong.

“Boys, did you forget something? Or Someone?” Sean wasn’t very happy with them at the moment.

“Sorry, Dad.” Came the answer. They both walked slowly back to the car, to help their younger brother out.   Marty had rented a wheel chair, from the hospital. It was smaller and lighter than the one they had to use to leave, and Sean was going to have his hands full with these boys.

The adults managed to get Brandon into the chair, and together they carried him up the three steps to the front door. The twins were patiently waiting in the entry way, for them to get him up the steps.

“Boys, I think you owe someone an apology. And no, its not me either.” Sean was being stern, for it was important that they not forget anyone, especially Brandon.

Instead of using words, they went and gave him hugs from both sides. This worked, quite well, for it brought a big smile from Brandon. Of course, Cecelia was waiting for them to return, and was a little shocked at them returning with another child.

“And who do we have here? What is your name, little one?” She asked gently, as she knelt in front of him. The only thing that Brandon did was look at the twins, and then at Sean, who just nodded his head.

“My name is Brandon, ma’am.” Brandon was turning red with embarrassment, as all the attention was addressed to him.

“I am no ma’am, Honey, it’s Celia to you. That is what Justin has called me since he could talk. And young Brandon, are you going to be living here too?” Cecelia had taken her gaze away for a brief second to look at Sean.

“Yes, ma’-, um Celia. I am the twins new brother, but we were already related.” Brandon said with pride.

“Really. That does come as a surprise. And do you know what we do with surprises around here?” Cecelia was setting him up for this one.

“What?” Brandon answered shyly.

“We give the new boy anything he wants for lunch. How does that sound? You are hungry, aren’t you?” Cecelia was smiling from ear to ear.

“Yes, I am hungry.” Brandon’s eyes lit up.

“Oh that's very good. And what would you like for lunch, then?” Cecelia asked.

“Food.” Brandon was so cute, giving that answer, which threw Cecelia a little.

“Any special kind of food? Do you have a special food you like to eat?” she asked again.

Brandon started to look at the floor, for the memories of what he used to have to do to get food, were coming back. This prompted Sean to jump in, and comfort him.

“I think anything home cooked, from you, would do the trick, Cecelia.  Brandon looks like he wants to see the house, now.” Sean was trying to change the subject.

“Well, I am going to need some help, Justin, Jared? Would either of you like to help me plan lunch. It is getting rather late, and I think all of you are hungry.” Cecelia had noticed the change in the child, and decided it was time to get some things done, and leave him alone for a few minutes.

“Yes, we’ll help.” The twins answered, and started to head for the kitchen.

With a simple smile and a nod, Cecelia went after them. Marty was about to turn and leave, when Sean asked him if he wanted to stay. Sean was getting used to having Marty around, and it gave him someone to drink coffee with. Marty agreed, but only until after lunch. He did have some things to do, even though hanging with the guys, was getting to be one of his favorites things. Marty had gone into the den to rest for a minute, to leave Sean and Brandon to talk alone, in the living room.

“Hey son, are you okay, you seem rather quiet after Cecelia talked with you. Are you feeling okay?” Sean asked, as he pushed him to the couch, so they could talk eye to eye.

“Um, I guess.” Brandon wasn’t looking at his face, but had his head turned to look around the room more.

“Brandon, please look at me. This is really important to me, okay? If there is something bothering you, I promise I will help if I possibly can. And I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong. Do you understand?” Sean had put his hand on Brandon’s shoulder and gave him a brief gentle squeeze.

“Well, um. I guess when she asked if I had any favorite things to eat, it made me remember how things used to be, and um…” Brandon was getting teary eyed. This had Sean up on his feet and hugging the little angel, in nothing flat.

“Oh, my. Brandon, why didn’t you just say something. You should know that if she knew, that she wouldn’t have said anything. I am sure she didn’t realize that you wouldn’t know, and oh gosh. I am so sorry.” Sean was starting to cry too. This didn’t last too long, though, for the twins came running into the room, and seeing their dad and Brandon crying, they joined in on the hug.

“What’s wrong Dad? Why are you guys crying?” Justin was the first to break the tension.

“Tell us what’s wrong, please.” Jared added his say too. "Is there anything we can do?"

“Okay, boys, take five. Let me get my breath back first, that was one heck of a hug.” Sean was trying to change the mood a little, before it went south again.

“What’s up, Dad?” Justin was the first to ask.

“Well, Justin, it appears that Brandon here didn’t have any choices before. Now, we are going to need some help in letting him adjust. That’s what this is all about. Being asked what his favorite food, triggered a memory is all. Everything is going to be alright now, I think.” Sean gave all three boys, one more brief hug, and stood back to watch.

“Brandon, why didn’t you just say something. We would’ve helped you. Are you okay now?” Jared was the first to get in front of the adorable little guy.

“I’m okay now. And thanks you guys. Is lunch done yet?” Brandon was back to almost normal, well normal for a kid anyway, always hungry.

Lunch went by without any hitches. The boys made quick work of the snack foods that Cecelia had made. There was junk food galore, for she had figured out why Brandon got so quiet. She felt a little guilty, and tried to make up for it with food. Goodness gracious did she ever. After the pizza, French fries, hot wings, grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, and chips, were gone, the kids seemed almost full, and the adults couldn’t figure out where the kids had put it all. Must be a hollow leg or something.

“I am so sorry for earlier, Brandon. Can you forgive me?” Cecelia asked, as she was picking up the dishes.

“It’s not your fault, really; there was no way you coulda knowed, so sure I forgive you.” Brandon answered, as he leaned back in his wheel chair, his stomach almost bloated with all the junk food he had consumed. He was looking a little blush, for he did feel bad at his reaction. Cecelia was not the cause of his past, but she did bring up some painful memories that he would rather not have had.

“Thank you, Sweetheart. I will try to be better, and think before I ask anything now.” Cecelia gave him a warm smile, leaned over and kissed him gently on the top of his head.

“You’re welcome, Celia.” Brandon was into full blush mode now.

Cecelia stood there, with a warm motherly smile; her heart was just plain breaking, over what might have happened to this sweet little child. She was not forewarned, as to his being there, but of course, she wasn’t going to complain. Brandon was an angel. He was such a cute kid, she couldn’t even guess as to his past. And the most shocking thing, was that he was somehow related to the twins. He even looked like Justin when he was smaller, but his eyes were a different color. His hair was a shade or two darker, and with light brown eyes, and about 4 feet in height, he was just simply adorable. The tears falling down her cheeks were happy tears, but it caused concern with the boys.

“Are you alright, Celia?” Justin asked, as he got up from the table to help with the dishes.

“Yes, Justin, I'm fine. I am just so happy to see you three boys together, that’s all.” Cecelia replied, wiping the tears away.

“Why wouldn’t we be all together?” Jared asked.

“That’s a good question, Jared, one I don’t want to know the answer to either.” Cecelia had started to smile, for the answer was out of her reach.

Sean was watching the conversation in front of him, smiling knowing that he was doing the right thing. His heart was on the verge of bursting, with the love he felt for his boys.

“Well, thank you so much for the lunch, Cecelia. It was really fattening, but very good. Sean, take care of your sons. If you need me, just give me a call, any time, otherwise, I will be at the office or home.” Marty stood up, to let himself out.

“Hang on a sec, Marty. I’ll walk you to the door.” Sean stood up, and found he was getting light headed for a second.

“Are you okay?” Brandon noticed the look on Sean’s face.

Sean was holding on to his chair, trying to clear the cobwebs out of his head. After a deep breath, he looked back at the concerned faces looking him. The twins were already on their way to his side, and even Marty was looking at him.

“Dad? Dad?” Justin started to move faster around the table. Jared was only a step behind him.

“I am okay, guys. Really. I Just had too much lunch, I guess. I feel better, now, thanks.” Sean was standing up right, and he no longer looked like he was going to pass out.

Brandon looked at him, then at the twins. His only answer was to shrug his shoulders. He didn’t have any solutions, so he didn’t say anything.

“I am fine. Stop looking at me like that. I will talk to Marty for a minute, then we can all go sit down and watch a movie or something. Does that sound good? We can all get comfy in the family room, and relax until dinner time.” Sean was walking towards Marty, as he spoke, he knew they were all concerned, but had no real answers for them. These loss of energy spells were starting to concern him, too. But he really felt fine. It was like something was sucking his energy from him.

The twins looked at each other, then at Brandon. They all shrugged their shoulders, for it wasn’t going to be easy to convince him to rest, for the moment. They would only have to wait for a few minutes, anyway. And Marty was going to be there, so he could yell if anything happened. Cecelia had a very concerned look on her face, but felt helpless over trying to control Sean.

“Marty, what are the chances of me adopting Brandon, too? Be honest now. We know his mom is gone, but what about natural father?” Sean was speaking quietly to Marty, just outside the door.

“Well, I have to be honest with you. You can only be his guardian, for now, until we find out one way or the other, as far as his biological father is concerned. No court, is going to award custody, until they know for certain, that the missing parent isn’t going to show up later. That would get very messy.” Marty spoke openly, and honestly. He knew what might happen if he tried to soften things up, or hide something.

“And with the twins, how soon? I guess it is time to think about last name changes too. Maybe we can discuss that, this afternoon.” Sean was thinking as he asked, and indicated he wanted something to write on.

Marty reached into his shirt pocket, and handed him a small tablet. Once Sean was done writing, Marty looked at it, smiled, and put it back in his pocket.

“Do you think that will work?” Sean asked, with a questioning smile.

“I think you have your head on straight. And yes, I think that will work just fine. I will let you know of any new developments as far as the twins are concerned. Right now, you have three children in there, waiting for you. And I strongly suggest you not make them wait any longer than necessary. And I will take care of this, when the time is right.” Marty replied, patting his shirt where he had placed the paper.

“Thanks Marty. I hope you enjoy the rest of the day. Hopefully we won’t be needing you for the afternoon. But I have my cell phone, so if anything pops up, I will call.” Sean was shaking Marty’s hand, to say goodbye. After the hand shake, he looked for his cell phone, and had misplaced it again. Marty was laughing as he got into is car, wondering how he was going to make it all work. Sean couldn’t even hold onto a cell phone, for a few hours.

Sean shrugged his shoulders, as Marty drove off. He turned around to find Cecelia standing there, with his phone in her hand. She didn’t look very pleased as she stood there.

“Sean, I know you have been very busy, but I think it might be a good idea to try to keep this with you in the future.” She had the most comical look on her face, not mad, but close, almost as if she was happy to be mad.

“Thank you, Cecelia, I was just looking for that, believe it or not. Where did you find it?” Sean asked.

“Right where you were sitting, on the floor. You should really do something about that, you might lose it.” Cecelia replied.

“Thanks. I don’t know what I would do without you, right now. I think I would be totally overwhelmed, and in a short time too.” Sean was grinning, but he was serious.

“Don’t I know that. And while we are chatting, is there anything I need to know about Brandon, so we don’t have a repeat of earlier?” She asked with concern in her voice.

“Well, I guess it is safe to say, he hasn’t had a very good childhood. And as far as that goes, I think we can give him time to adjust a little. I can only guess at the unpleasantness of his upbringing. So, I think all of us need to be a little careful around him. But I think the twins will be the best medicine for him right now.” Sean answered, not wanting to go into details, which should be the biggest clue to her.

“Oh, I see. I will try to be more cautious around him then. I don’t want him to think we are looking out for him. He is such a darling little boy. How couldn’t anyone not just love him? He is such a sweetheart.” Cecelia was getting that motherly look on her face again, which didn’t last very long, for she noticed the change in Sean’s look, which was not good.

“Thanks Cecelia. We all really appreciate what you do around here. I am going to make sure the boys have chores, to help you out some. I don’t want to lose you, and if I can make your job here any easier, let me know. I don’t think the boys helping clear the table, or help put their laundry away, is asking too much from them, do you?” Sean was trying to get his mind off of where it was going, for he could tell that Brandon’s past was very dark indeed.

“I don’t think so, not one bit. But as far as their chores, actually helping me, only time will tell.” Cecelia answered, as she noticed the quick change in Sean’s mood. This was going to take some time to get used to. His changing of moods, like turning off lights. It was odd, to say the least. She was going to make it a plan to sit down with him one day and ask. Maybe over coffee in the morning, before the boys woke up.

“Thanks again. I think I have a date with a couch full of kids right about now, so if you don’t mind?” Sean gave her a brief hug, as he walked by her, on his way to the family room.

The twins were trying to decide what to watch, and Brandon was sitting quietly, by himself. Justin wanted to watch cable, while Jared wanted to watch a DVD. After surveying the room, to find out where everyone was, Sean walked over to Brandon’s chair and rolled him closer to the couch.

“What do you think we should watch, Brandon?” Sean asked him, as he sat on the couch in front of him.

“Dunno?” Brandon answered, shrugging his shoulders.

“If you can make up your mind, I think the others might agree. Why don’t you think about it, for a little bit, okay?” Sean was letting Brandon have the final say, to help him build his esteem a little, and let him know that this was his home too.

The twins sensed what was happening, and quieted down. They were being selfish, and they realized it. Without saying anything else, they walked over to the couch where Sean was sitting facing Brandon.

“Hey bro, wanna watch a movie?” Justin asked.

“Or watch some TV?” Jared was handing the remotes to Brandon.

“Uhhh.” Brandon was speechless. He didn’t know what to say, as he looked at his brothers.

“Boys, I think if you want to make suggestions, Brandon can make up his mind a little better.” Sean was prompting the twins to clarify their questions a little.

With a quick glance at each other, they both headed back to the entertainment center. Justin grabbed a few movies that would be more fitting for a family to watch, and Jared found the TV Guide. With smiles on their faces, they went back to the couch to hand them to Brandon to let him decide. He chose a nice movie, but needed to use the bathroom first. Sean was going to get up to help, but Jared told him to relax, he would call if there was any more help needed.

Justin cued the movie up, and sat down on the couch to wait for his brothers to return. When they did, Sean picked up Brandon to set him on the couch too. So, in order on the couch, were Jared, Brandon, Sean, then Justin. The boys were zoning out on the movie, and never noticed Sean fall asleep.

“Why is he sleeping?” Brandon asked Jared, quietly.

“I don’t know, but let's just let him sleep for a while, at least until the movie is over. I think he needed a nap or something, from the way he looked after he stood up at lunchtime.” Jared answered back, in a barely audible whisper.

Justin looked over at his brothers, and nodded his head in approval. He could sense that the energy they were using when they got all excited, wasn’t always their own, but in fact came in part from Sean. Hopefully, they would be able to figure something out, for this was not good for Sean. He still had a lot of healing to do to get back to his original strength. Their combined energies, in time, would be able to help each other, instead of draining only one.

The twins had let Sean sleep, at least through the movie. Brandon was snuggled up on his left side, and it was hard to disturb them. Brandon was getting antsy though, after the movie was about done, he needed to use the bathroom again, and in a big hurry. The twins were at odds, let Sean sleep, or wake him up to help Brandon.

“Guys, I really need to go. Now.” Brandon was doing his best to hold it, but was on the verge of busting.

“Okay, hang on there for a sec. We can help you.” Justin stood up, and with Jared’s help, they managed to get Brandon into the chair with no problems.

“Hurry guys, please!” Brandon started to whine, holding himself to try to stop the inevitable.

The twins were rushing him across the living room to the nearest bathroom. Once inside, there was another problem that presented itself. How to get him out, of the chair, and help Brandon do his thing  Jared volunteered to help, if Justin would help get him in and out of the chair. They both agreed, and in no time, Brandon was happy to relieve himself without making a mess. But for some unseen reason, he seemed to be able to stand without much help.

Afterwards, the twins wheeled him back into the family room, to find Sean waking up. He was a little shocked to see the twins with Brandon in the wheel chair, but was ultimately very proud of his sons.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? Heck, why did I fall asleep, anyway?” Sean was asking, more of himself than anyone else.

“You were sleeping so good, that we decided to let you rest. It was no big deal, we both helped.” Justin answered.

“Yeah, and Brandon did real good too. He was standing all by himself, too. He was a real good boy.” Jared chimed in.

All that resulted in little Brandon blushing from all the praise he was getting. He was proud of himself, and the others, for helping him.

“Well, it looks like I missed the movie, was it any good?” Sean was trying to stop Brandon from blushing so hard.

“It was pretty good, what do you think, Brandon? You picked it out.” Justin was looking at his little brother, very happy that things had worked out so well, earlier.

“It was okay, I was really comfortable being next to you, so I didn’t pay much attention.” Brandon smiled big. Even though his leg and arm were hurting a little, being next to Sean seemed to help quite a bit..

“Well, it looks like it might be time to get ready for dinner, some time soon. Would you like to go upstairs and see the rest of the house?” Sean was asking Brandon.

“But how? I can’t climb stairs.” Brandon looked at Sean, and couldn’t believe what he was suggesting.

“That’s the easy part, I can carry you. The twins can bring up your chair, so you can move around up there once we get up there.” Sean answered.

“I guess so.” Brandon was getting a bit embarrassed, for no one would be that nice to him before.

“Come on then. Up you go, Son.” Sean stated, as he lifted Brandon from his chair. Brandon was unusually light, even after such a big lunch. He was almost small for his age, but he knew that with Cecelia’s cooking, he would grow like a weed.

The twins followed with the wheel chair, and soon everyone was upstairs. The first order of business, was the game room. They stopped casually in, and then took a tour of the twins' bedrooms. Afterwards, it was back to the game room. They had about an hour until dinner time, and it was video games until then.

After making sure the boys knew that they were not to go by the stairs, with Brandon, Sean went downstairs to check in with Cecelia. She was busy making dinner, and it smelled really great. Not wanting to scare her any, Sean coughed a little before he went in the kitchen. This was, after all, her territory. And he would respect her for that.

“Oh, my. Where are the boys?” She asked first.

“They are upstairs, playing games on the TV. And don’t worry, they know not to go by the stairs.” Sean answered, and also answered the look she gave him.

“Well, if you say so. But I know Justin, and if theres trouble to find, he will find it.” Cecelia stated, before turning back to here cooking.

“Do you need help with anything? If you need anything, just ask. I am no chef, mind you, but I can boil water, and if I am careful, I only burn it half the time. Seriously, if you give me directions, I think I can really manage to be helpful.” Sean was trying to take the seriousness out of the room.

“Oh you silly 'Goos'. Just grab yourself a cup of coffee, and try to stay out of my way. I think I can manage for tonight. The boys really had you wiped out, today. You should try vitamins instead. But you are an adult, so it’s your decision.” Cecelia got out, before she turned around again, to start on the salad she was working on.

“Thank you. But the offer still stands. You know I was kidding about the water, right? I do know how to cook, at least a little bit. Enough to not starve anyway. Some night, I will have to prove it to you.” With saying that, Sean got himself a cup of coffee and headed to the family room, to go sit outside and enjoy the dry weather.

It wasn’t too long, before the calm of the sunset was interrupted.

“Sean, can you go get the boys now? Dinner is almost ready, and by the time they get washed up, it will be on the table. Thank you.” Cecelia spoke quickly, for her roast was ready to come out of the oven.

Sean went in, and set his cup on the counter. He gave Cecelia a quick hug, and left for upstairs. He went into the game room, to find that the twins were taking turns, playing against Brandon. And what was even more surprising, was that they were losing.

“Dad, I think he’s cheating. He has won every game, except one, and that one was only cause he sneezed, and it made him lose.” Justin was really whining hard.

“You’re just a sore loser bro.” Jared smiled, knowing full well, that he had been beaten fair and square.

All Brandon could do was smile. And what a smile it was; so totally full of happiness. He was really starting to accept that this was his home now.

Sean shook his head, and went over to pick up Brandon to carry him down stairs. He told the twins to wash up first, then to please bring the chair down stairs. He would be in the guest bathroom with Brandon, helping him wash up.

After the ritual washing up, everyone was soon at the table in the dining room, this time for dinner. The food looked absolutely delicious, and there wasn’t a dry mouth in the crowd. The boys were anxious to sit down, but Sean held them up for a minute. He made sure that the littlest one was comfortable first, then he allowed the twins to sit down. After Cecelia had joined them, the feast began in earnest. There was another prime rib roast, fresh mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, fresh baked bread, and a very nice salad. The salad seemed like it was a meal in itself, for it not only had the good vegetables, but there were thin sliced meats on top, including crab and shrimp, and there were several containers of Cecelia's special homemade salad dressings. There was blue cheese, Italian oil and vinegar, honey mustard and a wonderful ranch style dressing that was absolutely delicious. Sean was going to regret having to eat his fill, but his appetite was almost as big as the boys' was. But, thankfully, his stomach wasn’t. If you have ever tried to keep pace with a teenager, you would know.

Sean ate a normal size piece of the roast, saving more room for the salad. Brandon was almost inhaling the food, only stopping to breath every so often. The twins, were almost racing, to see who would get finished the fastest, with the most eaten.

While enjoying his after dinner coffee, and watching all three boys still eating, Sean was just smiling big. He hoped that this was going to be an everyday occurrence, with the boys so happy. Of course. only time would tell. Cecelia was eating up the praise that the boys were giving her. She was enjoying the looks on every ones faces, as they ate their fill. The group of boys, was quite the handful, including Sean, She didn't think she would ever be able to tame them, any of them, but they needed to be loved, and fed well. She would make sure they ate well, and she would give them as much love as she could.

“Are you going to save room for dessert?” Cecelia asked them, as she got up and grabbed her and Sean’s plates.

“You mean, there is more to eat? Groan.” Justin was so into racing his brother, he had completely forgoten about dessert.

“Urp'', Jared burped. "You mean there’s more?” Jared was trying to cover his mouth, not only to try to hide his burp, but to signal that he was really full.

“What is for dessert?” Brandon asked, as he sat back up.

Cecelia giggled. “Well, there was a very nice double fudge chocolate chip cake. But I think we can wait a little while, for your brothers, to settle their stomachs just a bit, don't you think?” Cecelia stood there, waiting for Brandon’s reply.

“I guess so. But can I have a big piece, then?” Brandon was losing his shyness around her, and he was smiling really big at her. She was eating up his smile like it was the dessert  She was very happy.

“You got it. When their tummies settle down enough, come and get me, and then you can have dessert. And don’t let me forget, you get the biggest piece, okay?” Cecelia reached around him to get his plate, and messed his hair up a bit.

“Okay I will. Hey, don’t muss up my hair. That’s what my granma did. Before she….” Brandon paused, for it had been a long time since he thought of her. And why now? Was it something that Cecelia did, or acted like?

“Your grandma? Is she still a- with us?” Cecelia caught herself, knowing full well that now is not the time to discuss this.

“Nah, she died a long time ago. Couple a years, I think. Anyway, she used to mess my hair up like that too.” Brandon said simply.

“I am sorry to hear that. Did you love your grandma? Do you miss her?” Cecelia asked, taking a break from clearing the table.

“I liked her a lot.  She was really nice. You woulda liked her. Yeah, I guess I do miss her. But you remind me a lot of her.” Brandon was looking straight into Cecelia's eyes.

"Oh, Sweety, I'm sorry I messed your hair up; let me fix it." She leaned over and smoothed his hair, then leaned just a little farther and kissed him gently on the top of his head. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment then. Thank you little one.” Cecelia got back to clearing the table.

“What is it Brandon, do you have something else to add?” Sean had noticed the look on Brandon’s face, and sensed he wasn’t done asking something.

“Um, yeah. I do have something else.” Brandon was starting to blush.

“Well, ask away little man. If it is something I can do, I will.” Cecelia had stepped right into this one.

“Can I please call you Granma? She was really nice to me, like you are and she was a real good cook, like you. You remind me a lot of her.” Brandon almost spit it all out, but was blushing so hard, it was as if his very existence relied on her answer.

“I would be very honored to have you call me Granma.” Cecelia was starting to cry, this was one of the happiest days in her life.

“Why are you crying, Granma? Are you sad?” Brandon asked, in his cutest voice.

“Because I am so very happy right now. You have just made me so happy, I can’t help it.” Cecelia was not doing too well in controlling herself, for the tears were getting to her.

“Do you need a hug? They always help me.” Brandon was trying to turn around to face her more.

That was all it took. Cecelia was hugging Brandon for all she was worth, and crying all the time. This, display of love, of course, prompted the twins to join in, followed by Sean.

“Can we call you Granma too?” Justin asked, as he was trying to comfort Cecelia.

“Yes, can we? I never had a Granma before.” Jared asked, as he gave her a firm loving squeeze.

“I don’t know about you two, but, what the heck, why not. In for a nickel, in for a dollar.” Cecelia was trying almost too hard to make sense out of it all, but it was the spur of the moment, and it was a very happy moment. She did the best she could, under the circumstances.

“Boys, I think that ‘Granma’ needs to sit down for a minute. I think she might be just a little bit overwhelmed.  Would you two like to go finish your chores of clearing the table now?” Sean finally broke away and asked.

“Yes sir.” The twins answered together. This made Brandon snicker a little, for he hadn’t witnessed this before. His little giggle made everyone smile.

The twins did clean the table and rinsed all the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. And for extra brownie points, they even brought coffee over to the table for Sean and Cecelia.

“Why, thank you, boys. That was very kind and thoughtful of you.” Cecelia was still trying to dry her eyes.

“You are very welcome. Granma.” Justin smiled.

“Yeah, you are welcome.” Jared replied, with a blush.

“What is it Jared? Why that look on your face?” Cecelia asked.

“I uh, I uh, never had a grandma before.” Jared was getting more bashful again.

“I am the same person as before, so there isn’t anything different about me. But, if you want, you can give me a hug so you can find out for sure.” Cecelia turned in her chair, and held her arms out. It was only a brief moment before they were filled with Jared, who was almost crying.

“It’s okay, Jared. I am here. There you go, just let it out.” Cecelia was comforting him, and he needed it a lot, right then.

“What’s wrong with Jared?” Brandon asked, in his little innocent voice.

“Well, Son, I think that Jared has had some tough times in his life, too. So we all need to be good to him. Just like we are to you. Even Justin, needs to be treated nice.” Sean said, as he walked over, and put his arm around Brandon. Then finished, with a slight grin in Justin’s direction.

“Well, you better treat me right. If it wasn’t for me, we all wouldn’t be together, now.” Justin said, jokingly. But it was not taken as such, for everyone started to glare at him.

“Sorry.” He added, as his face went flush, and he started to hang his head.

Sean took that as a cue, and went to go give him a big hug, too. Justin was feeling a little insecure, with the addition of his twin, and now Brandon to the family. Sean automatically sensed the unbalanced emotions in him, as he held Justin to his chest.

“Justin, I love you. I always will, no matter what.” Was all that Sean said, holding the young boy close to him.

“I love you too.” Justin replied, before melting into Sean’s arms.

“You know your brothers love you too, don't you? And so does Cecelia. I think we have enough love here in this family of ours to go around, without anyone needing to get jealous now, don’t you?” Sean was trying to disperse the bad emotions, and replace them with the ones that helped; the ones based on love and understanding.

“I know, Dad, it's just that I have to remember that I am no longer the only kid here. I am sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings, with what I said. I didn’t mean it that way, I promise.  I love all you guys.” Justin was looking around the table, so he could make eye contact with everyone.

“No problem, Bro, I am just really happy to be here and be a part of this family.” Jared replied, as he stood up from his big hug with Cecelia.

“Yeah, booger brain. Get over it. We are all here now, so now you’re stuck with us.” Brandon answered, getting a big smile from everyone.

“Booger brain? I’ll show you.” With that said, Justin went over to Brandon and started to tickle him.

That lasted a few minutes, until Sean decided that everyone was too full to play any more. So, to the loud moans from all the kids, they retired to the family room to watch some TV. This time, it was Jared’s turn to choose, and he chose one of the cartoon channels. They had been watching for an hour or so, when the boys decided it was about time for dessert. Sean let them go back into the kitchen for cake and milk. While they were gone, Sean flipped through the channels, trying to find something better to watch than cartoons. There wasn’t anything worth stopping for, so he gave up. Standing up to go find the boys, and the big mess, all over the kitchen, which was sure to happen, he walked into the kitchen. The twins were behaving, and even Brandon was quite neat with his food. This was a big shock.

“Wow, what a change. You are all behaving. I am so proud of you three.” Sean had a big smile on his face.

“Hehe. Granma said if we messed up her kitchen, it was double chores for a week.” Jared said, spilling the beans, as to why they were behaving so calmly.

“Yeah, thanks Granma, this cake is delicious.” Brandon got out, before stuffing another big bite into his mouth.

“Thank you, Brandon.” Cecelia said, as she walked around the corner of the counter. As she approached Brandon, she stopped, looking him in the eye. After a quick nod from him, she walked over and gave him another big loving hug.

“Thanks. I thought that’s what you wanted.” Brandon said, as he put yet another big bite of cake in his mouth.

“You boys remember what to do with your dishes, don't you?” Cecelia asked, looking at the twins.

“Yes Grandma.” Was the answer, in stereo, as usual.

“That’s really cool, guys. How do you do that? Speak at the same time like that?” Brandon asked, wide eyed, as he swallowed the last of his cake.

The twins looked at each other, and shrugged. Then at the same time, took a bite of cake. Thereby, taking away the ability for either of them to answer.

Sean just looked at them, and with a shake of his head, went back to the family room. He knew he would definitely have his hands full. The twins were on their own frequency, and now with Brandon joining in, his head was going to be full of stuff, forever. He went back to the couch, and turned the TV back on, to wait for the boys to finish. Flipping through the channels, a news story flashed, which made him stop. It was a news story about the death of a movie mogul, and his wife, that had died in a car wreck. The producer, was being investigated for illegal filming, and blackmailing of his clients. There was also another investigation of child porn, that they couldn’t comment on.

‘That was odd, why did I stop on that story?’ Sean thought to himself. Then he flipped a few more channels.

“So Dad, what are we going to watch now?” Justin walked in and almost made Sean jump.

“Oh, um, I don’t know. Why don’t we wait for everyone to get in here.” Sean was interrupted by Jared pushing Brandon into the room.

“Can we watch a movie?” Brandon asked.

“Sure, what do you guys want to watch?” Sean looked at the twins, for their reactions.

After a little debate, they chose a nice heartwarming family movie. Another night sitting together, all cuddled up on the couch in front of the tube. It was beginning to feel like it was the only way to spend an evening. Before they started the movie, Cecelia had stopped in to let them know she was heading off to bed, and that the house was all locked up. After getting good nights from everyone, and even nice hugs from the boys, she went upstairs to her room.

Sean and his boys enjoyed the movie, and he even stayed awake through the entire thing. He even watched the credits. It had one of those really catchy themes that stuck in your head for a week after you hear them.. Justin got up, and put the DVD away when it was done.

“Well, I think it’s late enough. Everyone to bed now.” Sean was trying to get up from the couch, but it was really comfortable, and he was quite tired again.

The twins stood up, and looked over at Brandon. They looked at each other, and shrugged their shoulders.

“Oh, darn, how could I forget? I am so sorry, Brandon. Son, where would you like to sleep tonight? Upstairs with your brothers, or you can sleep in my room, if you like. Don’t worry, I have slept on the couch before. It's actually pretty comfortable, so it is no big deal. But with the chair, it might be tougher on you to go upstairs again.” Sean was standing there, looking at him, then at the twins. He had completely forgotten about what Justin had asked him before.

“Can I sleep in your room? It would be easier than going upstairs.” Brandon said, timidly.

“Sure you can, champ. Justin, Jared, time to get ready for bed. Go wash up, and brush your teeth.” Sean looked at the twins, as they wandered upstairs.

Sean helped Brandon back into his chair, and wheeled him into the bedroom. After helping him in the bathroom, he lifted Brandon up and sat him gently on the bed. Then he went and took care of his own bathroom duties, and was going to leave, when he felt that little tug at the back of his head. Turning around, he looked at Brandon with question.

“Um, Sean. Dad, can you sleep here with me? This is all so new, and it's such a big house... and, um…” Brandon was turning red, at admitting he needed to be comforted.

“Sure I will, son. All you have to do is ask. Remember, I told you that before. If you ever want something, just ask, and if I can do it or I can get it done for you, I will. Please believe me when I tell you that from now on we will make sure that you are happy. That goes for all of us here.” Sean went back to the side of the bed and sat down. He looked at the little guy, tucked in the huge bed, and laid down beside him. Trying to make himself comfortable, Brandon let out a little grunt.

“Are you feeling okay? Are you hurting? Do you need something to take away some of the pain?” Sean was looking very concerned, for Brandon hadn’t said anything about being uncomfortable.

“I kinda hurt just a little, but when you are beside me, it feels a lot better. Don’t worry, you can get under the covers and stay warm too.” Brandon was trying to move the comforter away, but couldn’t manage the big blanket with only one good arm.

Sean looked at him and smiled. He lifted the big blanket up, and crawled under the covers. As he was trying to settle in, there was a knock at the door. After looking up, he saw the twins standing there with huge grins on their faces.

“Well, come on in then, you guys. Lucky for us, this is a big bed.” Sean relented, for this was going to be an unusual night. The four of them, in one bed. Not much room to move, but he hoped no one would toss and turn all night.

The twins split up, with Justin going to Sean’s side, and Jared going to Brandon’s side. They pulled up the covers and crawled in, sandwiching the other two, in between. After good nights were exchanged all around, the room went very quiet and everyone slowly drifted off to sleep.

Sean could feel the warmth of the sun on his face, and it made him almost jump. He opened his eyes, and found himself in his beautiful magic field once again. Sitting up, he noticed that all three boys were there as well.

‘Welcome back Sean.’

“I take it, that this is not of my doing, this time?” Sean asked the mystery voice.

‘This little world, is of your making. But you are all here, and not completely of my wishing.’

Brandon was the first to stir, as he tried to hug onto Sean some more. It was like sleeping with a big warm teddy bear, and it moved. He looked up at Sean, and the love was very evident in his eyes. Sitting up, he looked around, to find them in the field again.

“What’s going on, Dad? Why are we here again?” Brandon asked, as he noticed that his casts were gone. With a big smile, he stood up, and jumped up and down. This action woke up the twins.

“Wha- what are we doing here? I was sleeping so good, too.” Justin yawned, as he looked around. Seeing Brandon jumping up and down, brought a smile to his face.

Jared woke up, and looked around. His reaction was to turn almost white, for this was an unusually vivid dream.

‘Now that everyone is awake, more or less, I have something for you.’

The boys were all standing, with Sean in the middle. The field they were all familiar with, shifted. It changed into the field, where they found Jared. At least it looked like the same field.

“Hey, I remember this place. This is where I was, right before you guys found me. But why are we here?” Jared spoke up, not knowing who to ask.

‘This is why I brought you here.’ The voice said, and then a shape started to appear in front of the boys.

“D-d-d-dad?” Justin was in shock. He had never seen Dale in one of his dreams before. Even being his biological dad, he was never close. And that is what was so shocking. He never thought of thinking about his real dad in any dream.

“Um, yeah. Is this real?” Dale looked at Sean, and the twins. Brandon had worked his way to stand behind Sean, as the figure started to appear.

“I think this is as real as you want to make it Dale. But why are you here?” Sean asked him, for this was indeed strange. No one had been able to bridge the gap between the real world, and his dreams, before. That was before Justin.

“Okay. But now for the second answer, why?” Dale said, as he looked around, not believing in what was happening. One moment he was asleep in his own bed, the next he was in this field.

‘I have a special request from someone. Are you ready?’

“Now, I know this is a dream. Who is that voice and where is it coming from. Hey, I know this field, this is where I proposed to your mother, a long time ago.” Dale was looking around, trying to find the source of the voice, and he recognized the field, as it dawned on him where they were.

“You proposed to mother, here?” Justin had venom in his voice, for he disliked the woman he never knew. The only thing he knew for certain, was that she split up him and his brother.

“Justin, your mother was a different woman, when we first met. I am very sorry for the way she did turn out, but I had no control over her. Then, or later.” Dale was sad at admitting that. But he had to get it out, once and for all.

“But you helped her keep us apart, all these years. And you have no idea what she put me through.” Jared was almost yelling, for the emotions started to surface from all the years of verbal abuse that she put him through.

“Jared, I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am that I allowed that to happen. But I truly am. I can’t control people. They are who they want to be. Your mother, didn’t want to be in a family, and that was that.” Dale finished, with his head hanging down. He could feel the venom in his boys' words, and it hurt, it hurt like hell.

Sean could sense the boys' hatred, and decided to try to calm them. He walked up to them and wrapped an arm around each one. This helped a little, for they were no longer wanting to wring Dale's neck.

‘Thank you Sean. I knew you could do it. You have the power to help others. There is one more person to join us here. The information that will come forth is important, so I hope you can handle the situation.’

Another figure appeared before them. This one was taking on the shape of a woman. It was Mary, the boys’ mother. After she had taken on a full form, she looked at who was there, and immediately recognized the twins. Then Brandon peaked his head around from behind Sean, and she knew immediately who he was. She broke down in tears, instantly.

Dale, oddly, didn’t recognize her at first, but after doing a double take, it finally dawned on him. This was the woman he had married, not the one he divorced. Dale was upset over her death, but had taken it in stride. She had really become the devil's advocate in her past few years alive. But because he really did love her, once upon a time, he went over to comfort her.

“That’s just like, so not right. You shouldn’t even be touching her, father.” Justin was not very happy at the scene in front of him.

Sean was speechless. This started out being his dream world, after all, and now it has turned out to be something else entirely. And there was a live person, and a ghost in it. He didn’t know what to do or say. Except he knew to keep the twins calm, or as calm as he could. He knew that something was going to happen, and it would center on being balanced. For the sake of all the boys, he mustered up enough energy to keep them calm. He was hugging the twins, and Brandon was wrapped around his side, still trying to hide.

“Justin, you don’t understand. This is the woman, I married. The one that died in the car wreck, wasn’t. Can you, please, just give me the benefit of the doubt?” Dale was disappointed that his son would have such hatred in him. It was strange, maybe even strange for the situation, in fact, but Dale could actually feel the emotions of the others; all of them.

‘IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE NICE, for you all to listen. She is the reason we are all here.’ The voice said, loudly, to get their attention, then it sounded calm, again.

Mary stood up, and wiped away her tears. She couldn’t believe that she was being given a second chance, to do good and do the right thing before she passed on to the final stage. She had to make this work, for the choices here, were eternal. She couldn’t get over the fact, that all three of her children were here, with a stranger. She looked at Sean, and tried to place his face.  Oddly, somehow, he looked familiar.

“Hi, my name is Sean. I am going to be the boys’ new Dad. You must be Mary. I am sorry we couldn’t meet under better circumstances, but there must be a reason for all this?” Sean tried to break the ice, for it seemed like no one wanted to start talking. He wouldn’t relax his grip on the boys, though, for they were way too tense.

“Hello, my name is Mary. And I was the boys’ mother. All three of them. But in a delusional state, I had forgotten that.” Mary looked at the boys, with tears still falling down her cheeks.

“Mary, why are you here?” Dale went up, and stood beside her, as he looked her in the eyes.

“I have been given a rare opportunity. I am being given a second chance at eternity. I have to make amends somehow, for the terrible wrongs I have caused my children. If they can forgive me of their own free will, I can spend the rest of time, in bliss. If I cannot convince them to do so, then, well…” Mary’s face had dropped, for she didn’t have much hope at doing her simple little task.

“Why should we forgive you, mother!” The twins were once again speaking together, and if looks could harm her, she would be in pain for a very long time.

“BOYS! Please! Can we just hear her out I am sure she has something we need to hear. This is important.” Sean had raised his voice, and he didn’t want to lose any more control than that. This startled the twins, who immediately looked at Sean. They almost seemed scared at his outburst.

“Sorry Dad. But you can’t imagine the hurt she caused us, by splitting us up like that. We would have been a family all these years.” Justin was about to break down in tears, not only from the pain of heartbreak, but the hurt feelings, that he was actually exposed to having Sean raise his voice.

“Yeah, you have no idea what she put me through every day that I lived with her. She hated my guts. How dare she ask for forgiveness. All she ever did was hurt me with her words, and she never paid me any attention, unless she was yelling at me.” Jared was barely able to get that last part out, before he started to cry.

“Sons, come here, please.  I am so very sorry for raising my voice. But this is very important. This trip was not my doing. We are all here, because it is so important. So please, listen? I promise that if, after you hear what she has to say, you still feel the same way, I won't do or say anything else to try to influence you, in any way. Is that fair enough?” Sean was feeling all the pain from the twins, and Brandon was still hiding behind him, and was starting to whimper, himself. This was a very dramatic moment for all of them.

Dale felt the tension building, so he did the only thing he felt safe doing. He went over and hugged Mary. With her in his arms, she continued to cry with full force. Seeing this, the twins were actually in shock. There stood their father, holding their mother like nothing had happened.

“Father? But why?” The twins asked.

“Well, I loved your mother very much, and I still do. We didn’t get along for awhile, and we went our separate ways, but I was way too pig headed to realize that of course, it wasn’t all her fault. I still love her, and I guess I always will.  I wished so hard, that things would have worked out better.” Dale was starting to sob, himself.  This was the last time he would ever see the only woman he had ever truly loved. He knew that this was no chance meeting, but rather a miracle that this meeting could actually take place.

“You’re my mom?” Brandon finally worked his way out of hiding, well almost. He was still clinging to Sean, as if his life depended on it.

“Yes Brandon. I might have split the twins up, but you, my little angel, I traded for things, that I know now, were only a crutch for what was really wrong with me.”  Mary was trying hard to pull back a little from Dale, so she could face the boys head on.

“You traded me?” Brandon asked, not believing his ears.

“Yes, my son. I was so self centered, I traded you. And I am so sorry for doing so. If I had even the slightest idea of what they really wanted to do with you, I wouldn’t have. I am sorry for all the pain you had to suffer. If I could take it all away, I would. But you have Sean now, and he is a very good man. He loves all of you.  He will protect you from all the things I couldn’t. Or wouldn’t. I can only tell you I was a very sick person. One that doesn’t deserve this chance. But I had lots of time to think about it, before now. If I could only go back and do things over, life would be different. But I can’t. The only thing I can do, is help make your future a better place. Do you believe me?” Mary was trying to keep her composure, but it was difficult. She had to find peace within, in order to have the eternal life she wanted.

“I guess so. I have Sean as my Daddy, now. He makes me feel safe. And loved. And I have two brothers, now, who are so funny.” Brandon was holding onto Sean, but smiling at his brothers.

“You’re just a sell out Brandon. How could you?” Justin was hurt by the simple gesture of forgiving.

Jared looked at Brandon, then at Sean. Brandon's face contorted a little, as he was trying to put the pieces together. In all the confusion, Sean was so  unusually calm. 'This was not right,' he thought. Something was not put out into the open.

“Is something wrong Jared? I get the sense that you don’t get it, or don’t want to.” Sean asked, looking him in the eye.

“Sean, you are a good man. Take care of my children. Love them, like I cannot. My time is getting short here, and I need to be on my way.” Mary looked at him, then at Dale. Dale was still teary eyed, and didn’t want to let go.

“Dad, I am confused. What are we supposed to do?” Jared asked, as his eyes started to water up.

“I hope you do the right thing. This isn’t my decision. It’s yours. Yours and your brothers'.” Sean answered him. Not the one Jared wanted, but it was an answer.

“Jared, Justin, I know you don’t want to listen to me. But listen to your heart, instead. I know you are both good boys. This isn’t a decision you can change later, so follow your heart.” Dale tried to stay calm, but was falling apart quickly. He was not the unfeeling monster that Justin thought he was. This caused the twins to look to Sean for more guidance.

“Okay guys. I can only put the facts, as I know them, in front of you. Okay?” Sean started, for Mary was starting to fade out, slightly. He knew that there wasn’t much time left, and for a decision that would last for all eternity, he had to act quickly.

“Okay, we’re listening.” The twins answered. Once they were paying full attention, Sean continued.

“Okay, you guys think your mom really hurt you, right? Well she might have, but you have to look at the good she has done too. If it wasn’t for her and Dale’s separation, we would not have met Justin. Jared, if it wasn’t for her treating you badly, you wouldn’t have run away from home. Again, we wouldn’t have met. And, if she didn’t cause that accident on the freeway, Brandon wouldn’t be here either. So, overall, she is the real reason we are all together right now. As tragic as it sounds, or whatever. She is the real reason we are together, and with Dale’s blessing, we will stay that way forever.” Sean was trying to say it as calmly as he could, under the circumstances. He knew what would happen if the boys made the wrong decision. The only other thing he could think of, was to keep hugging his boys. Brandon was getting a little squished being in the center though.

In a short time, the twins pulled back. They gave Sean a smile, then looked at each other. Turning around, they faced their mom.

“Mother,”

“We will try”

“To forgive you.”

“On the condition,”

“That you try”

“To make up for”

“All your sins.” They finished together.

Mary was happy, she was being forgiven by her children. As she continued to fade, she promised to do her final deed.

“Dale, there is an envelope in the mail for you. Bring it to Sean, and have Marty accompany you. Open it in front of them, all of them. That is all I can say. And for you my sons, please remember that I love you. I always have, and always will, even if I didn't show you before.” With that said, she disappeared from sight. The last time she will ever be seen, in either world.

“Nooooo. Don’t go. There is so much I need to ask you, and I want to talk with you!” Dale found himself starting to disappear, and it was an odd sensation. He looked down at his feet as he began to fade.

“Take good care of them, Sean. I guess we will all see each other soon.” And Dale was gone.

The field they were in, transformed back to Sean’s regular dream world. He couldn’t believe what had just happened.

‘You are everything I have hoped for Sean. Thank you for being there. Take care of the children, and they will do the same for you. You are a man of good heart. Don’t forget that. Thank you, all four of you. You deserve a big congratulations. You have all done well. Keep that love in your heart, and you will go far. All of you take care of each other. Remember, I will be keeping my eye on you.’

“You’re welcome.” Sean said, knowing that his reply would go unanswered.

“What now, Dad?” Justin asked, as he turned around, confused as much as he was before.

“I guess we can go back to sleep? Or, I suppose, it might be time to wake up now? I don’t really know. But we will find out together, as a family.” Sean gave each of his sons a kiss on the forehead, as they started to walk through the magical field of his dreams. He had a really good feeling about the future. He knew things would work out alright. "All you need is a little faith. And lots of love." He thought. "And it seems that we have plenty of both."

"Yeah, we do!" all three of the boys said out loud, in unison.

Sean felt the sudden urges of a full bladder. Then he noticed all the arms and legs that he was tangled in. He looked around, to find the boys still sleeping, and he was in the middle of them all. He tried to move gently, so he wouldn’t wake any of them up. But nature was calling, and he needed to move a little more swiftly.  Kids, being kids, sleep like logs, so he didn’t need to worry too much about waking them up.

After finishing in the bathroom, he stood there looking at his bed and its occupants. How he loved those boys. In no time, he went from being a nobody, to having an instant family. He was blessed. He knew those boys would always be there for him, and he would be there for them. No matter what. He wasn’t going to question anything, for it wouldn’t do any good. He took them all being together on faith, pure unadulterated faith.

As he stood there gazing at the sheer innocence of youth, the aroma of coffee was wafting through the house. He figured it would be another long day, and coffee was going to be needed to help him get through it. Might as well get an early start. Dale was due to stop by, and the boys would be up as soon, as breakfast was cooking. Boys, always thinking with their stomachs. Time for some coffee, to help get ready to face another day.

To be continued...

Feedback always welcome:     

Editor's Notes:

My goodness. This chapter seems to have made a few things clear. It looks like Dale might have made peace with the boys. And now they have forgiven their mom. What is it that Dale is going to receive?  It was nice to see how Cecelia became Grandma or in some cases Granma. Hmmmmm. Kids don't always spell correctly. I think I used up a box of Kleenex while I edited this chapter.  Hal you are really doing a wonderful job with this story. I know there is still a lot to tell, but we finally have begun to heal the wounds that were placed on the family, and hopefully, some, if not all of them can eventually be repaired.

Am I the only one that has noticed that Sean gets tired when he hugs the boys? And that the boys seem to have a lot more energy after they have cuddled with Sean?

I think it would be a good idea if they can work that information out among themselves so they can share things a little more evenly. The boys are a lot younger than Sean. It isn't fair that he is feeding them energy at his own expense all the time. They have more than he does already, so they should be helping him a little. He needs to get fully back to health before he can easily supply them with the energy they want from him. Just a thought on my part. Remember I am not the one writing the story. I am only the editor.

Another Editor's Notes:
 

Another great chapter from Hal.  I agree with Radio Rancher, and I need to go resupply my Kleenex stash.

Sean and the boys are on the right track now.  I hope whatever Mary has sent will help clear things up so he can be secure with Sean and his brothers.  Sean really needs to call Joy.  That should get his energy up (and other things). {Hal slaps Str8mayb up side the head.}  Oh, was I giving something away?  Sorry, I didn't know, I just make stuff up.
 

We're ready for more.

 Str8mayb

Posted: 4/21/07