Juvenile Detention

By: Rick Masters
(© 2015-2016 by the author)

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

masters@tickiestories.us

Chapter 38
The Journey

"Sorry, did you say 'boyfriend', as in romantic mate?"

"Yeah. We got together inside, and I know we have a future together. He gets out in a couple of months. We are going to do what we can to get together as soon as possible after that."

"Okay, I didn't realise that you were gay. You never came across that way to me before. But it is not a problem for us. Show me your boyfriend."

Josh held the photograph out for Karl to look at. "I think I have seen that guy somewhere before. But I am guessing it would have been with hair and clothes. So it is true that they shave your whole body in there?"

"Yes. Every week Jake comes around and shaves you from head to toe. And you have seen Sam before. You delivered him to the Academy that time you saw me."

"I remember now. Joe and I delivered him, and Joe said that he would either become someone's pet or he would get eaten alive in there. I guess he became your pet. So how did you get to be naked in the corridors like that with him?"

"They were short staffed the day you brought Sam in, and Steven had to process him single handed. He asked me to stay with him instead of leaving Sam waiting while he escorted me back from seeing you two guys. Anyway Sam was really stressed, and I offered to get naked with him so he would not be alone. Then Officer Jake had me help him shave Sam. So I stayed naked until Sam was being introduced to the others, then he was put into the same cell as me and we just got on from the start."

"So what about those girls wanting to get you into bed?"

"Well, I was in the female cell block office when one girl was brought in, naked and shaved, and it did not even make me tingle. Don't get me wrong, I did look with interest. I have nothing against girls and like to be friends with them, but there is no sexual attraction at all. It was that event which made me fairly certain I was gay, and then when Sam came along I fell in love even before he had taken his clothes off."

"So how are you about straight guys?"

"No problem. We need straight guys to produce gay guys. The friends I had before I got locked away are all straight as far as I know, and I think I would like to try and get in contact with some of them again once I get my own life a bit better sorted."

"You really are an open and honest person aren't you? You know why I have asked these questions, don't you?"

"You're trying to judge how I might react to Simon. I promise I will try to be a friend to him and accept him how he is. We will just have to wait and see if he'll accept the friendship I offer."

"Thank you. Yes, I don't know if Simon is gay or straight or anything else for that matter. He does not talk freely with either his mother or me. You have been freer with me than he ever has. I am very worried for him. I think there is something that is eating him alive and I can't find out what it is to even try and help him."

"So what if he is gay, or transgender or something? How will you react to him?"

"He is my son. Simon is our only child and we both love him very much. When he was still in nappies I asked Esther how she would feel if our son turned out to be gay. Esther's answer was exactly the same as mine. He is our child and we love him unconditionally. Naturally I would like to see a grandson to carry on our family name, but if that is not to be then so be it. It is more important to us to see Simon happy and getting on in his life, whatever way that goes."

"Are you willing to tell me what sort of trouble he is getting into?"

"I don't know if we know all of it. In fact, I am fairly sure we only know a little bit of it and that he has been lucky not to have been caught with whatever he gets up to. We know that he has skipped school a number of times. We also know that he has been caught shoplifting, because to prevent the shop from prosecuting him he had to bring his parents to the shop and admit in front of us that he had done it. We know that he goes out and has a few drinks some nights and we are fairly sure that when he has a sleepover at a friend's house they both get really drunk and maybe even do some pot. He has also got into some fights at school and has been given detentions for being rude to teachers. But please don't let him know I told you all this. I normally would not have, but I think you need to know it to be able to help him."

"It might help me in some way, but I am not sure yet how. I promise you, Karl, that I will try my best to help him."

"Thank you. That is more than I can really ask. Now there is something else you need to think about. I have talked to the school that Simon goes to and explained your situation without mentioning any names. The school would be willing to take you on at the start of the next term, so you would have the rest of this term and the holidays to get back into life, so to speak, and then you would start school again. The other alternative is that I go and talk to your old school to see what can be done about them taking you back. Don't give me an answer yet. Think about what you would like to do and also see how you get on with Simon, as that might make a difference to what you decide. However, I will need to know in the next couple of weeks to give us enough time to get it all organised before the start of the new term."

"Karl, I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I just don't know what to say. I don't understand why you are doing this for me. Even with your explanation, I can't get my head around it. I only hope that I can someday show my appreciation in a real way. And if I fail in that, please forgive me."

"Josh, you don't have to show me anything more than you already have. Now let's leave that subject alone. I am going to detour into the next town so that we can buy you some things. I don't know the town that well, so we might have to drive around a bit to find the kind of stores we need, but at least we will not be somewhere that either of us might be recognised. I think you need to have the rest of today to settle into our home and meet Esther and Simon. That will probably be a bit of an overload in itself."

"That sounds good. Thank you for thinking of that."

"Here we go." Karl steered the car onto an off ramp and took the first left off the roundabout to head towards the town which the sign said was two miles down the road. When they saw a sign directing them to a shopping village, Karl immediately started to follow the directions. "We should be able to get everything we need there." Pulling into the shopping village Karl slowed right down so that they could see where the different shops were and work out which one to go to first. "I think we should get you some clothes first and then look at what toiletries you need."

Karl pulled up in a vacant parking bay outside the TK Maxx shop and the two of them went in. "Right, you need some shirts first." Karl steered Josh towards the men's section and they began to look at shirts. Josh quickly began looking at the prices first and pulled out the cheapest ones. Karl noticed what he was doing and took over. "I don't think that will look so good on you. Here, hold this one against you so we can judge the size." Karl held out a more expensive shirt. As Josh held it across his shoulders to see if it was big enough another teen looked over at them. "Do you think this shirt will suit my boy?" Karl asked.

"Uhh ... Yeah, it's a cool shirt anyway."

"Thank you." Karl took the shirt back from Josh and checked the size. "Okay, that's a size sixteen neck. Let's look for some more in that size and then we can make a choice of which ones to take. What do you normally sleep in? Do you need some shorts and shirts for that?"

"Well, I used to sleep in my boxers, but I'm used to using less than that now," Josh admitted.

"You have your own room so I guess that will work. But you'll need some lounging clothes for when you are out of the room." Karl looked up to see the teen he had asked an opinion of looking on rather curiously. "Josh has come from somewhere else and has had all his clothes taken on the way, so we need to get him enough to get by with until we can sort out the rest."

"Shit, that's too bad. Did they do that while you were inside?" the teen responded.

Josh was embarrassed, but he knew he was going to have to face up to it sometime soon, and a bit of practice would not go amiss. "Yeah, my folks have kind of turned their backs on me, so I can't get anything more than what I had when I went in."

"That is crap. At least my parents stood by me. They were not pleased, but they still helped me as much as they could. What did they do you for?"

"Josh was done by the system on a trumped up charge. He didn't do what he was accused of, and that is why I am helping him. We are going to get his name cleared, and the bastards who did not do their jobs are going to be made to at least admit their wrong."

"Oh. Do you really believe that? Sorry, Josh, but it seems a bit of a tall story. There must have been some evidence to put you away on. I mean in my case I still had the goods in my hands when I was caught and there was CCTV too."

"Actually it is true. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and when my stepfather would not do anything to help me the police didn't either. Karl here has done some research and got some evidence to support me and is helping me. You will read about it in the papers before too long, I hope."

"Whatever; just make sure you pay for the clothes on the way out or you will be going back. I know I am not going to do something to risk going back soon. That is for sure. See you." The teen turned and walked away.

"I guess I am going to have to get used to that sort of reaction. It seems so strange that I got believed by the guys in the Academy and by the officers too, but this guy didn't."

"Yes, I'm afraid you are right there. Too many people will judge you without getting to know you first."

Karl and Josh spent another half hour picking out clothes. Eventually they walked out with four shirts, two pairs of trousers and two pairs of jeans. A five pack of socks and a four pack of boxers, a jersey and a waterproof coat along with a pair of trainers and some lounge clothes made up the full purchase. They dumped that in the boot of the car and then Karl took Josh into the supermarket. "I guess you are going to need a toothbrush and paste and probably a comb too. Come on; let's find the right aisle." A little while later they came out with shaving gear and deodorant in addition to the comb and toothbrush. "Just remember, if there is anything else you need just ask. If I am not prepared to get it for you I will say so. I treat Simon in the same way, so don't go thinking he will feel that I am doing more for you than for him."

When they got back to the car Karl pointed out a suitcase in the boot. "Put all your stuff in the case and it will make it easier to take inside when we get home." Three quarters of an hour later they were heading into their home town.

For the first time that day Josh began to get butterflies in his stomach. The last time he had felt like this was when they pulled up at the Academy six months ago. Once again he was entering a situation where strangers would have a huge influence on his life. As Karl headed towards his home, Josh realised it was not that close to where he lived before he was sentenced. He felt a bit of relief, as it would reduce the possibility of meeting up with some of the guys from his old school until he was more ready to do so.

Josh was startled out of his thoughts by Karl pulling the car into a driveway and stopping. Josh sat in the car for a few moments gathering himself. Karl had opened his door and got out before Josh managed to undo his seat belt. Then he shook his head to clear the wool and got out and moved around to the back. Clutching his parcel from Steven under his arm, he reached into the boot to lift out his suitcase. He refused Karl's offer of help and followed behind him as Karl led him towards the front door.

To be continued...

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Posted: 07/08/16