All for Acceptance II

By: Rod
(© 2010-2011 by the author)

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

Chapter 8 

“Hello,  Bobby.  My name is Jeffrey.  How are you doing man?”

“OK.  I saw you with Paul when he pulled the trick on Mr. Townsend.  That was neat, but not as much as the last trick he pulled,” responded Bobby.

“How old are you Bobby?” asked Jeffrey.

“I’ll be seven and a half next week!” replied Bobby with a highly evident sense of pride.

“Wow, that old all ready! Congratulations, man! From the way you said that, are you planning to celebrate next week?  I think I would if I were you.”

“I’d like to, but I don’t know if I can.  The staff does a big deal for everyone’s birthday, but just their real birthday, not half ones like I’ll be having.  I don’t have a roommate right now so I guess there isn’t anyone to celebrate with.”
 

“From what I hear, Kelley is a good friend of yours.  I bet he would want to celebrate with you.”

“Maybe, but he is always busy with Paul.  I just wish I had a big brother like he does.”

“You know, I need a place to sleep and hang out.  If you don’t have a roommate, do you think I might be able to bunk with you, that is, if you want me too?”

“Want you too?  Gee!  I’d be the luckiest kid here if you would.  Would you really? Please?” said Bobby without taking a single breath, while a look of utter desire could be seen well within his saucer sized eyes as he vaulted from his stool onto Jeffrey’s lap.

“Hold on partner, I don’t think they have me signed up for hazard pay yet.  Careful where you jump with that knee,” declared Jeffrey as he recovered from a knee excitedly landing in the tenderest area of his lap.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you.  Will you still be my roommate?  I promise to be more careful,” replied Bobby dejectedly almost in tears.

“Of course I will.  But just wait till I come up with payback.  Then it will be your turn to wince.”

“Whatever you want, whenever you want, so long as we can be roommates!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll consider your size and age, as for when, it will be when you least suspect it roomy.”

“Roomy! That sounds great! Can I show you where OUR room is?”

“How about a cup of hot chocolate first?  Now that the issue is settled over us staying together, I think I’d like some, how about you?”

“Sure!  With some extra marshmallows, please? I like it better that way.”

“Well, so do I, so I guess we need two hot chocolates with extra marshmallows, don’t we?

“How about we look at the room and we can move my things in as soon as we finish?”

“Sure thing.  I’m so glad I finally have a big brother to room with!”

“Big Brother?  You might find out I snore and want to kick me out of the room after one night!” said Jeffrey with a bit of laughter in his voice.

“I don’t think so; I’ll just ask Kelly for a set of his extra ear plugs.”

“Extra ear plugs?  Why does he need them?”

“Cause Paul snores like a freight train sometimes but who cares, having a big brother is worth all the noise to sleep through in the world!” answered Bobby with a smile from ear to ear.

“Detective Jones, this is Judge Hamilton.”

“Hello, Your Honor.  How may I be of assistance?  I understand that Jeffrey has been found and returned to the Minneapolis area.”

“Yes, he has. That is why I am calling.  I want to get together with you and a few others so that we can get to the bottom of what has happened.  I don’t want this type of thing to ever happen again to one of our wards.”

“I understand sir.  When would you like for me to meet with you, and may I ask who else will be in attendance?”

“How about tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM?  I am planning on the first meeting to include Officer Ted Burke and Ms. Fairbanks from DCFS, along with James Townsend, Bill Murphy, and I would like to see if we can get Rory from the University here as well.”

“May I assist in any of the arrangements?”

“I don’t think that will be needed.  The only problem might be Rory.  I will need to see if there is a way of reaching him and getting him to the meeting without Professor Saunders or his assistant Brad knowing about it.”

“Since I interviewed Rory at one point when we started the investigation, perhaps I could contact him and for now just say that I have a few questions, and due to my schedule he should meet with me in my office.  I could set it for 8:30 then, when he arrives, I could escort him to the meeting.”

“Excellent idea.  By the way, I am planning on having the meeting here in my chambers.  I will contact the others and leave Rory for you to produce.  Thank you for all your assistance.”

“When it’s for our kids nothing I can do is ever enough.  Please feel free to call and ask anytime.  I want this situation taken care of as soon as possible as well.  Good day Your Honor.”

The meeting the following morning exposed a few surprises.  Rory was more than happy to assist when Detective Jones explained the reason for the summons to his office that morning.  Rory was only too relieved to find that due to his assistance and care for Jeffrey, Judge Hamilton was very happy with him and there were no charges to be filed either against him, or his Aunt and Uncle who had taken care of Jeffrey.  The exact details of Jeffrey’s encounters with Professor Saunders and Brad were documented.  It had taken a few extra minutes, but with a stop by Rory’s abode, sufficient evidence was available documenting everything that had occurred.  Rory had been taking copious notes with a miniature recording device masquerading as an MP3, after returning to his abode each days’ notes were transcribed to a file hidden away through his computer on a memory stick.  Quite a few pictures had been taken with a cell phone and these too had been included in the hidden protected files.  There would be little need for Jeffrey to relive the terrible experience in telling the story.  Rory had been quite successful in documenting a detailed accounting of all that had occurred.

When Ms. Fairbanks accessed her records and pulled them for both Jeffrey and Paul, she had the benefit of DNA testing that had come into standard procedures within the last two years.  It was funny how Eric Matthews had fought the idea, but when an unknown benefactor stepped forward offering the financing of those tests, with the stipulation that the money could only be used for them, and if the record existed and was filed appropriately certain other funds would be available, he had finally acquiesced and dictated the new policy.  

Ms. Fairbanks could not “read” the test results herself, at least not to compare the two, so she had sent them over to the labs who normally ran them and requested they be compared.  Within an hour of the request and the appropriate person obtaining the results for comparison, she had received a call.  It was indeed believed, with an accuracy of over 98%, that the two boys were related.  Certain markers indicated that they shared, with most certainty, the same father.  Different mothers, but the same father.  This could explain the similarities between the boys in so many aspects.

Judge Hamilton had also invited another good friend and colleague from the psychiatric community.  In fact, the same individual he had recommended to James Townsend to examine Paul.  During the meeting and the presentation of Rory’s information, the question was put forth if Rory would be willing to write a paper about the incident and with this individual’s assistance he could actually complete his doctorate in Psychology. Rory was overjoyed with this suggestion and in further discussion formulated a plan to complete his paper and be in a position to defend it within the next semester.  He had already spent over a year and a half gathering all the data he had and with the final effort, could complete his studies.  All other courses needed had been completed, so this was the final component needed.  James Townsend, on the recommendation of Bill Murphy, offered a position to Rory at the home.  The offer was quickly accepted, however, not to be announced or acted upon until Professor Saunders and Brad were safely locked away for their transgressions.

Professor Saunders and Brad, well they were quite a pair.  It was felt there was more than sufficient evidence for the District Attorney to file charges against both of them.  By the same afternoon, Detective Jones had delivered a copy of the evidence to the DA and, with the recommendation of Judge Hamilton prior to Detective Jones arrival, the DA had already begun the process.  By evening Professor Hamilton and Brad were in custody.  They had contacted a well known attorney and begun their fight.  The DA and the court system, however, were ready for them and for a multitude of reasons bail was denied.  They would stay in jail until their court date.

Judge Hamilton was pleased with the report from James Townsend and Bill Murphy as to Jeffrey’s actions since arriving at the home.  Ms. Fairbanks sang her praises as well.  It only took a matter of having the papers drawn up before Jeffrey was to be permanently assigned to the home.  Before the Judge could sign the papers, however, Bill Murphy and James Townsend presented a different solution. They had, in the process of setting everything up for the home, gone through all the paperwork, examinations, reviews, interviews etc. required by DCFS to each be a foster parent or even adopt.  Their request, with the idea of fostering greater stability for Paul and for Jeffrey, was for Bill to adopt Jeffrey and James to adopt Paul. This, of course, would be subject to the boys’ approval.  With this change, Judge Hamilton requested the proper papers be drawn up and a meeting be scheduled for him to discuss in group and individually with each of the boys just what this would entail.  The only point of contention was that the boys were shown to actually be brothers.  A question was raised over whether it was wise to divide them this way.  Another point brought up was the situation with Bobby and Kelly.  James and Bill bashfully admitted to the group that they had become a couple and were seeking to establish a civil union. They were in great hopes that Minnesota would eventually follow the lead of several other states.  For the time being however, they were working with an attorney to set up all legal documentation establishing equivalent rights.  This information in mind, perhaps it would not be a problem since the boys would, though having different adoptive fathers, be in the same household and could live as brothers.  As for the other two, Bill recognized the importance of the bond that had developed between Paul and Kelly.  He also fully expected that a similar bond would develop between Jeffrey and Bobby.  If the court would see fit, he would recommend that the other two boys be adopted as well, Bobby along with Jeffrey to be adopted by Bill, and Kelly along with Paul to be adopted by James.   It was a unanimous decision by all in attendance that the solution was the best. A meeting was set for the following morning.

The atmosphere was jovial as usual that evening at the home.  Kelly sat next to Paul and Bobby had managed to get positions for Jeffrey and him at the same table.  A luscious meal had been served as usual and the staff was bringing out desert.  Suddenly, Jeffrey clutched his side as he yelped in pain.  The intensity caused him to fall from his chair.  At first, the others thought he was playing some kind of joke, as he had already established himself on par with Paul with a few little tricks through the day played on various people.  He had even managed to play a trick on Bobby; the results of which only endeared Jeffrey closer to Bobby’s heart.  Within moments however, it was very evident this was no joke.  When the reality of the situation hit, Bobby cried out for help.  James and Bill ran from their table to investigate.  Tony had already run to a phone and summoned 911.  Within a matter of minutes an ambulance arrived. Bill accompanied Jeffrey in the ambulance while James drove his car following.  Tony and Phillip IV stayed at the home to keep things under control, but Paul, Bobby and Kelly accompanied James.

In the hospital waiting room, Bobby was inconsolable; he sat, curled in the fetal position, crying constantly.  Paul and Kelly attempted to console him to no avail.  Bill tried to lift him into his lap but he wouldn’t budge. The clock seemed to be the only thing moving as the hours slowly passed.  Suddenly the doors opened and a gowned surgeon with a forlorn look slowly entered the room.

“I’m looking for the family of Jeffrey Adams,” stated the man as he looked around the room.

To be continued...

A special thanks to Jesse Mercer for editing.

Posted: 02/04/11