A Second Chance, Part III -- Life Must Go On
By: Tickie
(© 2007 by the author)
Co-Author & Editor: Radio Rancher
 
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...


Chapter 1

Author's Note: To my loyal readers I want to again say thanks for reading my story. I do want to let you know if you haven't figured it out yet that Part III chapters 1 thru 5 are flashbacks being re-lived to fill you in on Colt and Matt's lives while away from the family. Both before JC and Mike got them and the school years that were brushed over in Part II. Sorry if it confused anyone, please enjoy the rest of the story as it continues.

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Hi. This is Charlie writing. Yes, Charles James Lambert, past CEO of Lambert & Lambert, Inc., and introduced to you in Part I, Chapter 1. Well ... not really "writing," but using Tickie's fingers to do the writing.

You may recall from Part I, Chapter 15, that I released JC from our commitment (even though he refused to go along with it at the time), and suggested that he take Mike as a Life Partner. That was just before I made my transition and joined James, my prior Life Partner, in the ethereal realms, particularly around the pinnacle of Casper Mountain. With our physical ashes scattered there, that has become our "special" retreat.

Tickie has poured his heart out in continuing and sharing our story with you. James and I really appreciate his recounting what we did, how we felt and loved, how the ranch and its business has grown, and how our love has continued, expanded and flourished as each new person has joined our extended family.

And now, Tickie is going to get to sit back, relax, not worry about what to write, and let me use his hands and fingers to write Part III. I'll become the "Omniscient overseer," so to speak, for these last chapters. As the story progresses, it will become self-evident as to why we've decided to do this.

Our friends ... just remember this, please ... hold not to thoughts of malice and anger, and love each other as you've never loved before.

Thanks for your friendship and patronage.

Hugs. We'll see you all sooner or later.

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Charlie

On with the story...

It's so wonderful to be able to speak again; I have so much to tell you. Telling you how much James and I are still in love with each other wouldn't do it justice. Also telling you how much James and I are both in love with JC is impossible.

Firstly, James was the one person in JC's life that he wants JC to remember as a belated uncle who only wished he could have been there for him as he grew up. Secondly, I was JC's first true love, and he was the second love of my life. One might ask how I could love two people the same way; well, to tell you the truth, I don't love them both the same, but they are both so different in some ways, yet again so much alike in others. All I can really say is that I love them both equally.

Moreover, James tells me all the time how hard he tried to get his nephew and me together on that, oh, so wonderful flight to Paris. I guess it's time for James and me to continue the vigilance of watching over the family as best we can, it's been a loving, caring, fulfilling, happy, and at times a very sad experience as the family has grown over the years. I am going to take us back in time for a while and hopefully fill in some of the missing parts in the lives of our extended family. Just bear with me as I reminisce about them.

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Colt leaving his father, after his beating …

It was in Riverton, WY, when Colt ran from the house while his father was drunk and passed out cold from his drunken stupor, after having beaten the boy so badly, with his leather belt, with the heavy cowboy buckle still attached. The poor boy cut deeply, bruised and bleeding. Colt ran from the house toward the nearest local truck stop, where he found and crawled up onto a flatbed truck that was heading anywhere he didn’t care. He wanted to run as far as he could to get away and never look back.

By the time the truck stopped in Casper, Colt was hurting so badly, and was so weak, so scared, and so cold he thought to himself that he needed to get to the train tracks. He wanted to just get on the next train to anywhere -- he didn't care where; he just wanted to run as far and as fast as he could from his so-called father.

I was watching him as he got between the small buildings there by the tracks. Colt was thinking 'I need to rest for a while, then I can take the next train out.' As I approached him, the poor little guy was scared and shaking. I just reached down, picked him up, and told him not to be afraid, I was going to take him to some folks who would love him for who he was. I knew that JC and Mike would love the boy; he was exactly what they had wished for, what they had desired, as they so often talked about the unlikely possibility of their adopting children. I also knew that James and I would make sure that they would have him to love and cherish forever.

On the porch of the Ranch house, I placed Colt on the seat of the old swing where JC and I used to sit and ponder the wonders of life. As I left him there, I rang the old dinner triangle that good old Clyde had christened knowing well that JC and Mike would take good care of that wonderful boy.

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Colt ran away from the ranch ...

Colt was in the hall going to see JC when he heard JC yelling at someone. I tried to plant a thought into Colt's mind, but the boy was still to unsure of what and how his new dads were accepting him.

Colt heard JC asking, “Look, Mike, we will have all the time we need for that when he is at school, for weeks at a time?"

Poor Colt paused, then waited for a little longer and JC spoke again, “Yes, we will have all the time we need then, Ok?” Colt just ran out of the house and back to Star, who loved him. Colt thought ‘Pop and poppa Mike don’t love me anymore.’ He started crying and Star told him, “I love you Colt”. So Colt got on Star and told him they needed to find me, and that they would never come back.

“You're my horse, now," Colt said, and then continued ... "So let’s go find that man, Charlie, up on the mountain.” He could see the mountain and he had his Star. He walked that wonderful horse-friend over to a bale of hay, climbed on top of it, threw his leg over Star's back, grabbed the mane with his right hand, hugged Star's neck with his left, and they just started running for the mountain to find me, as fast as they could. Tears were forming in the corners of Colt's eyes and were starting to run down his cheeks.

Little did the poor boy know that I could no longer become visible to him, so I tried to plant comforting thoughts of good and kindness into the boy's mind. I also guided Star as he moved into the night, warning him of any and all dangers that might befall them. I also planted forgiving thoughts into Colts mind, giving the boy the little push toward his new dads as I tried to comfort JC and Mike.

Later, James was telling me that Mike was in trouble and needed our help and prayers. James held vigil over Mike that night, while I watched Colt and his wonderful horse, Star. Guiding Ginger to them in hopes that she would work her magic on the boy.

Both James and I kept sending our prayers for Mike as he lay there in the hospital, as we sent comforting thoughts to JC and Colt.

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Colt's first week at school in Crazy Horse ...

Mike, Richard, and JC had their hearts broken as Colt ran off with the other boys and girls, even though they all knew that he would adjust better than they would.

I reached out and placed my hand on their hearts to comfort them, as I watched Colt and the other children heading for the assembly.

As he sat there in the assembly listening to the speaker telling them about Crazy Horse, Colt's mind wondered back thinking about his pop and poppa Mike, and also Richard, as they left. He had a few tears in his eyes.

Earl Redland, a boy in his class, was sitting beside him and said, "Why are you crying, Colt?"

Colt replied saying, "I was just adopted a few weeks ago by my two dads and I miss them so much right now." Then Colt thought 'Why did I tell him that? He'll think I'm stupid, having two dads.'

Earl thought to himself, 'How lucky you are to have not one but two dads; I don't even have one,' while at the same time saying to Colt, "Do you really have two dads?"

"I sure do!" Colt replied.

"You are so lucky! All I have is my mom, and she hardly ever has time for me".

As Colt started to reply, the speaker in the assembly looked at the two boys, and gave them a look of silence, or trouble, if they kept on talking. Therefore, Colt didn't say anything more.

Colt checked into all his new classes; the last bell rang for the day. He headed back to the dorm, and to his room. He stood there in the middle of his room and wondered what the school was really going to be like. He thought, 'I like it here, and I want to do my best for my dads.’ Then he got cleaned up for dinner at the mess hall.

There at dinner, Colt met Earl and several other new boys and girls, and they all sat around the large dining table and chatted about all that happened that day and how much fun some of the activities were going to be that year. Some of the second and third year students were telling him about the trips they could take up to the site of the mountain carving and even could see them blasting the rock from the face of Crazy Horse. This excited Colt and he started thinking about what a Great War Chief Crazy Horse was.

After dinner, Earl and he returned to the dorm. Earl headed off to his room saying, “See you in the morning buddy!”

Colt said, “Sure thing my friend!” Then upon entering his room, Colt looked at the phone and wanted to call home, but it was much too early. He had been told to call around eight o'clock. To pass the time, he turned on the CD player, listened to some music, lay on his bed, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

Colt awoke with a start, thinking, 'I over slept, didn't I?' Then he picked up the phone, and called home.

“Hello?”

“Is that you, pop?”

“You bet it is!” JC was holding back tears at just hearing Colt's voice, saying, "I'm glad I had the house calls forwarded to my cell."

Mike saw that, and knew it was Colt on the other end. "Tell him we'll call him back; I want us on the speaker phone with him, JC. Please?” Mike was like a kid wanting to talk to his Colt.

“Son, I'm on the cell phone; hang up and we'll call you right back, OK?”

Colt hung the phone up and waited for the return call, thinking, 'Hurry up and ring, phone!' wanting so much to talk to his dads. Just then, the phone rang. “Hello, is that you, pop?”

“It’s me, Mike; your pop is on the speaker phone now, too. So both of us are here with you, son.” Mike was tearing up, too, at that point.

“I miss you both, but it was fun today. I got to meet a lot of new friends. And they're all Indians or part-Indian like me. But it’s funny, too, some of the part-Indians look almost like full-blooded ones, and I don’t, but that’s ok, though, 'cause they treat me real nice and stuff,” Colt replied.

Mike said, “That sounds great, son, so you’re feeling better about the school now?”

“Yep, poppa Mike, its kind'a cool being in my own room, with a phone, too.” JC and Mike could tell by his voice he seemed happy. This, in turn, was helping them unwind and come to the realization that he was growing up.

“That's good, son. I'm happy that you're happy. That’s all that counts. So, do you like the room?” JC asked.

“Oh, yes, pop, I can see the mountain-carving all the time, and I saw them blow up some dynamite this afternoon, and that was so cool!” His voice told them so much and they knew that he was happy and excited.

“That’s great; you can keep us up to date on it, then.” Mike replied.

“Oh, yes, poppa Mike, I can do that, for sure.” You could just hear the excitement he was feeling, and both dads were so happy now, just to hear that in his voice.

Mike told him, “Ok, son, you be a good boy, now, and remember ... we're taking you out to dinner tomorrow night. If you happen to find a friend that you might want to take with us, you can, but only one this time, OK?”

JC thought, 'Where did that come from?' giving Mike an evil grin, and then shrugged and laughed.

“Thanks, poppa Mike, but right now, I don’t want anyone but you and pop, Ok? Oh, and Richard, too, please?”

JC wished he could have just reached through that phone and hugged him.

Mike said, “Ok, son, I wish I could tuck you into bed, but you're a big guy now, so remember we love you very, very much.” Mike had tears welling up in his eyes again.

JC told Colt, “Son, I love you, too, very much; and you be a good boy. We'll see you tomorrow. Good night and sweet dreams.”

Just before he hung up the phone, Mike added, “I love you; sweet dreams, my son.” Then he was gone. Both JC and Mike stood up and hugged each other for a long time.

The next day all Colt really thought about was both his dads and Richard coming up for dinner. The day passed slowly for Colt, he had no problem tending to his schoolwork but always in the back of his mind, he was excited about later that night.

After a wonderful dinner with JC, Mike, and Richard, Colt was happy to get to fly Little Colt again. Taking them all for a wonderful flight around the mountain carving, and even on to Mount Rushmore and the famous carving of the four presidents. Finally, they took Colt back to the dorm and said their goodbyes, and then some tears were shed, but not in front of Colt.

For the rest of the week, Colt was really getting into school life. He and Earl seemed to have several classes together and very quickly became quite good friends. They seemed to hang out a lot, but Earl was not so happy that Colt would never be there for the weekends, and he told Colt so, many times. Colt tried to explain to him that he was not only going home on the weekends but he was also learning to fly a plane at the same time. This seemed to give Earl some sense of relief that Colt was not just trying to ditch him. But that there was a real reason for him not to be there on the weekends.

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James and I, rescued Mathew...

James and I were watching Mathew Nighthorse, as his foster father was starting to scream, “You are just a fucking faggot, and I will beat that shit out of you ... or kill you, trying!"

While saying that, he began to beat Mathew with a cutoff broom handle over and over again until the poor boy was wincing and cowing trying to hide behind the sofa. His stepfather kneed the cushions as he reached over the back of the sofa and began to hit Mathew again about the head and neck, still screaming, “I’m not going to have a fucking faggot living in my house.”

His mother was yelling, “You're such a little queer boy, you need to have the devil beaten out of you”.

James, with my help, charged in and grabbed the stepfather’s arm and pulled him from the sofa. Then James in one powerful swing of his fist, hit and knocked him out cold onto the floor. Then James reached over the sofa and had to pull the boy up and over the back of the sofa; once he could get a proper hold on Mathew, he lifted him, held him tightly, then turned, and we both started for the door.

His stepmother screamed, “You put that boy down right now, or I will call the police and have you arrested for kidnapping.”

James just looked back over his shoulder and said, “Lady, I don’t answer to you or your kind; I only answer to a much higher authority.” Then he opened the door with Mathew in his arms and left, closing it behind him. Matt was thinking, 'Who is this kind man?' Then the poor boy passed out from the loss of blood.

James, with my help took the boy and headed for the ranch.

I told James, "Colt and Mathew have a very rare blood type and you will need to make sure that JC or Mike knows this." The boy was so near death that we needed to hurry.

As we entered the barn we saw Colt and a big smile came upon James’s face. James was thinking about how wonderful it was that his nephew and Mike had him for their son.

Colt spoke up, saying, “Hey, pop, what ya' doin' out here? Who’s that boy?"

James spoke saying, “Colt, please go get your pop for me, son.”

While Colt ran for JC or Mike, I took James into my arms, hugged and kissed him telling him, "Colt thinks you are JC, that's so cute".

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The boys became brothers and more.

After the stay in the hospital both Colt and Matt became closer each time, they were awake together. By the time Matt was ready to leave and go to the Judges office for the adoption both Colt and Matt were very close. Both James and I were helping them, of course it was not hard to do. Both boys shared a great deal of pain and hurt in their past.

The first night the boys spent in their new room at the ranch was strange neither boy wanted to say what they really felt. Therefore, Colt broke the ice so to speak.

Colt said, “Matt would you like to sleep with me in this big bed? I would like you to. So we can talk and not wake up our pops.”

“Sure would, I am so scared and I feel we are really blood brothers now.” Matt giggled.

“What’s so funny?” Colt whispered.

“Nothing, I just feel like you are now part of me. And it makes me all tingly inside.” Matt spoke as he thought ‘I think I love him, but why?’

Colt was thinking, ‘Should I tell him I am gay too, why not, he is gay, that’s why his old father beat him so bad.’ Colt said, “Matt you do know I am gay too, and that’s why I was beaten so badly when Charlie helped me find my way here to pop and poppa Mike’s.”

“I thought you might be from the way pop and poppa Mike spoke.” Matt replied.

Colt sheepishly asked, “Have you ever messed around with another boy?”

Matt coldly said, “Yes that’s what got me in trouble at my old place.”

“Would you like to mess around with me?”

“Not yet bro!” Matt was thinking ‘Yes I would but not now, I still hurt too much and need more time.’ “I still hurt too much to mess around yet.” Matt said in a soft whisper.

“You still want to sleep with me. Right?” Colt was scared of the answer, ‘not wanting it to be No.’

“I will always want to sleep with you; you are part of me, and I like that very much.” Matt replied.

The boys got into the big bed, cuddled up together, being so tired, they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.

James said, “You know, those two are going to be lovers forever, don’t you?”

“I know, my love, it’s their destiny!” I replied.

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Ohhhhh, I can just hear some of you readers thinking, 'How can Charlie know what someone else is thinking?’ heeheehee. Well ... on this side of reality, we not only can see and hear what happens on your side of reality, but we can also hear your thoughts. That's why I can write what Colt and Matt and others actually think.

To be continued…

Editor's Note:

Thanks once again, Tickie.

You have once again brought us a heartwarming chapter of a wonderful story. We have learned more about the boys, and I am sure we will learn even more as the story continues. I for one can hardly wait. I am all ready to read each and every new chapter, and I know I won't be disappointed.
Please keep up the excellent work.

Darryl
Radio Rancher.