The Day My Life Began II

A New Beginning – Life With My Two Boys

 by: Miguel Sanchez

© 2005-2008 by the author

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

I walked down and checked on Jimmy and Davey. I opened the door and they were out like a light so I decided to call it a night. I went into my room and shed my sweat pants and went into the bathroom to take a leak before hitting the hay. I crawled into bed, switched off the light. I laid there wondering if this is a dream. I thought I saw something in Bryce's eyes that may complicate things. What?!? What was I thinking!!?? No way, he is a child. You're an adult. Lose those thoughts, Mark!

I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day.

Chapter 2

Another Discovery and Revelation

The sun came into the room and it was nice not to be hit in the bladder. I went into the bathroom and did the usual and grabbed my sweatpants and then went to make my coffee. When I got to the bottom of the steps, I smelled fresh coffee and thought Jimmy must be up. I went into the kitchen and saw Bryce sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

"Man that stuff will stunt your growth," I said rubbing his hair.

"G'day Mark," He said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a rock." I smiled. "How about you?"

"Not bad until my..." he looked at the floor.

"What is it, sport?" I asked with a look of concern on my face. "You can tell me anything and you will not get in trouble."

"You won't like me any more." Bryce said still looking at the floor. "I'm alright. How about I fix you some breakfast?"

“Ok,” I started then.

"Don't try to BS my dad, Bryce." A voice said.

I turned around and saw Jimmy standing in the door with his arms folded looking right at Bryce. "What's with you?"

Jimmy spoke, "Nothing Dad. I know when someone is trying to say something and not say it at the same time. Remember me. I did the same thing. We won't like you if you tell us something? What could you possibly say that we wouldn’t like? Huh? What, you’re gay?"

Bryce almost choked on his coffee. "What did you say? Nick off, mate."

Jimmy fired back. "You heard me. You gay? Don't look so surpassed. I am and proud of it. Davey is my boyfriend also. But if you go ar."

"Chill out, son." I said. "Sit down and cool off. You’re getting ahead of yourself here Bryce. Is there any truth to what Jimmy said? I almost wore your coffee just a minute ago." I reached down and lifted his chin up with my finger and looked into his eyes and saw something I would never have thought possible. Love. LOVE. I saw a love in his eye that was directed towards me and put a rope around my heart and gave it a hard pull. "Bryce, if you are gay, that's fine. Jimmy is right. He and Davey both are and I don't have a problem with that."

He stood and wrapped his arms around my neck and just broke down. "I am too, Mark. I don't want to ever leave here. Please, can I stay?"

"Ssshhh, son," I whispered. "Of course you can stay. Now what woke you up his morning?"

"I'll only tell you," Bryce said.

I whispered to him, "Did someone put something in your butt?"

"No sir not that," He said with me looking in his eyes. "Honest."

"OK son," I said as I hugged him to me and I saw him wince. Jimmy hugged him also and went around Bryce and lifted his shirt before he could do a thing.

"Holy shit," Jimmy gasped "Who, who did"

Jimmy lost it then. I turned him around and looked at him and I almost threw up when I saw his back. He was bruised from his shoulder blades to just below his ribs. "Jimmy, get me my radio and Bryce don't argue with me about this."

Bryce saw my eyes and said "Yes, sir."

"Medic 51 dispatch" I said.

A voice replied "Medic 51."

"Medic 51 respond 10-22 (police) to my home 20 (location) reference a 10-41 juvenile. (Assault on a minor).

The voice replied "10-4 Medic 51, do you need a unit?"

I replied "Negative, dispatch. Not at this time. Medic 51, clear."

I sat down and had Bryce on my lap holding him as if he were no bigger than Jimmy. I felt a hand on my back and it was Jimmy. He handed me a tissue to wipe my eyes. I thought I had seen everything. I was wrong. I felt his ribs and I could not find anything broken but he was one big black and blue mess. "How old is this, son?" I asked him.

"A few days, Mark." Bryce said.

"Why didn't you tell me this yesterday? I would have taken care of that and she would have not laid one finger on you." I asked.

"She didn't do it." He said. "But she knew who did and wouldn't stop him."

Just then there was a knock at the door. The police were here and Jimmy had let them in. When we were talking I heard another gasp and saw Davey running upstairs.

"I'll take care of him, Dad." Jimmy said heading for the stairs. "You take care of Bryce."

"Dan, do you have a camera?" I asked.

Dan went to the door and told his partner to bring the camera in with him. "What do you have, Mark?"

"You better take a deep breath before you see this. It ain't pretty." I said very matter of factly. I saw him close his eyes when he looked at Bryce's back and he put his hand on my shoulder for support. "You OK?" I asked.

He shook his head and started taking pictures. I showed him the report made yesterday and informed Dan that the woman they are holding in jail is partly responsible for this and knows who hurt the boy. My neighbor is a doctor who works at the Emergency Room and would make a house call for me to save Bryce the embarrassment of going to the hospital. Once he knows that a police report has been made and what the report number is, he can handle the rest of the details at work.

Dan and his partner finished their report and entered it into the computer system from their car. Dan gave me a card with the report number so that any additional information could be added to the report with this number. We walked them to the door then went to see Davey. Bryce hugged me and said what I saw in his eyes, "I love you, Mark."

I looked at him and said "I love you too, son. Let’s go see Davey." We went into the boy’s room and Jimmy was holding Davey. He had been crying hard. When he saw Bryce, he ran and jumped right to him. Bryce caught him in mid air and held him as he sat on the bed.

"Oh, God Bryce, why didn't you tell us?" Davey said through a flood of tears. "Dad will kill that pig that hurt you. So will my Daddy. I'm sorry I was mad at you. I'm sorry."

Bryce whispered softly into Davey's ear, "Ssshh, mate. Don't get your knickers in a twist. You had no way of knowing. I ain't mad at you either. How can I be mad at me little brother?"

Davey's head shot up when he heard that "Little brother?"

Bryce smiled saying, "Yeah, you and Jimmy are my little brothers, aren't you?"

Davey hugged Bryce around the neck and said "You bet we are, bro. Dad, I'm hungry."

"Get dressed and we can go to the Corral for breakfast," I said.

Bryce got some clean clothes and came into my room and we talked while we got dressed. I looked at him and we finished dressing for the restaurant. Jimmy and Davey jumped into the back and let Bryce get in the front. His eyes got big and he said, "Mark this truck is wicked!"

"I kind of like it myself," I said with a smile. "You should see this thing in the snow, pal."

"Snow?" Bryce said.

Jimmy leaned forward and said, "Yeah, bro. We get a lot of snow here and the Ram is great in the snow. Dad puts it in 4 wheel drive and off we go anywhere we want."

"Wicked!" was all Bryce could say. "What's that, Mark?"

"OK," I said. "These two switches are for the red lights in the grill and on the visor. This switch is for the siren, which can only be used in emergencies only and this is like the radio I used at home but it stays in the truck."

"Mark, you will never see me touch these things." Bryce said.

I looked at him and said "I know son, that's why I told you what they were for. Davey and Jimmy never touch them either."

"Hey Dad, there's Daddy!" Davey said.

"Medic 51 to EMS 3" I said.

A voice said "Go ahead Medic 51."

I said, "Switch to channel 3"

The voice said "Gone. EMS 3 to Medic 51."

"Can you take 7 (code for meal break) at the Corral?"

"Stand by one, 10-4 cleared for 7." The voice said.

I pulled into the parking lot and shut the Ram off as Dave pulled in beside me.

Bryce saw Dave's Ram and said "Wicked, Mark. It's just like yours."

"Bryce, this is Davey's father. Mr. Dave Anderson. Dave, this is my new foster son Bryce Moore." They shook hands and we went in and had breakfast while Dave had lunch. Bryce was impressed that Dave and I work together and Mary watches Jimmy when I am at work. Bryce's face fell when I said that until I said that I thought a 15 year old could watch his younger brother. His smile lit up the entire room.

We finished eating and went out to our vehicles when I heard Dave's radio sound off."

The voice said "Rescue 14, Zone 14, Rescue 5, Zone 5, Engine 5, Squad 9, EMS 3, EMS 4, two vehicle 10-50 PI (accident with injuries) confirmed entrapment of two people, Oriole and Lake, Priority 1."

A voice said, "EMS 4 responding 81st and Alwood."

I knew that was 12 miles from the accident so I said, "Medic 51 I can respond with EMS 3, cancel EMS 4 dispatch."

The voice said "10-4 Medic 51, you are cleared to use lights and siren."

I said, "10-4 dispatch, Medic 51 responding."

We got in the Ram and Dave and I headed to the accident. This was the first any of the boys were with me when I was responding Priority 1 and they thought this was cool. It took 7 minutes to arrive and it looked bad. I got into my blue jumpsuit I keep in the Ram and went to the vehicles. There were two victims trapped in one car so I knew I could clear when the other units started arriving.

The first unit to arrive was Squad 9 and Dave had them start getting the car ready to begin removing the patients. I told Dave I would clear when the zone cars arrived and just then they did.

I went to the Ram and called dispatch "Medic 51 dispatch."

The voice said "Medic 51."

"Medic 51 clear, EMS 3 has command."

The voice replied "10-4 Medic 51, time 1159."

We returned home and relaxed until dinner. The boys were in the family room playing video games while I watched a football game. I needed to find out from Bryce if he was enrolled in this school so I knew what I was doing in the morning. If Bryce was registered in another school, the social worker would have to get him transferred here and that could take all day. "Bryce, would you some here for a minute?"

Bryce said, "Yes Mark. What's on your mind?"

I asked, "What school are you registered in? Did you get registered when you lived across the street?"

"I don't know the name of the school but I was registered here." He replied.

"Good." I said. "That's all I needed to know."

"Sure thing Mark," Bryce said going back to the boys.

I would have to stop by the school and show them the paperwork from social services so they could change his home address, guardian's name and phone numbers. I was about to start fixing dinner when there was a knock at the door and Dave walked in and spotted his son. "Time to go sport, you got school tomorrow."

Davey wined, "Ah, Dad. Do I have to? I mean, can't I stay here and ride with Jimmy and Bryce?"

Dave stood firm saying, "Davey, not tonight. Besides, we have hardly seen you in the last ten days."

Jimmy cut in "Hey, Davey. Your Dad is right. You have been here all but one or two days and don't go and ask me whose side am I on because you know better. Besides, you said you wanted to talk to your parents about something and now could be a good time to have that chat, OK?"

Davey relented and said, "OK, you win. I just hate to leave everyone especially you."

Jimmy looked and gave him his famous smile and said, "You know what they say about absence, don't you?"

Davey had to giggle about that saying, "Yeah, I remember. It makes the heart grow fonder."

Davey got his coat and the two left. I had to admit, things were a little too quite after that but it was relaxing. After dinner Bryce and Jimmy got ready for their showers and Jimmy heard a knock on his door.

Bryce stuck hid head in and asked, "Hey mate, can we talk?"

"Hey bro," Jimmy said "Sure thing, come on in and sit down. What's up?"

Bryce started slowly at first "Well Jimmy, ah it's kinda wild and I don't know how say it or..."

Jimmy cut in saying "Look, the best way I've learned that when you got something on your mind is to just spit it out."

Bryce looked at Jimmy and took a deep breath and said "Mate, I love your dad."

Jimmy thought he would have a little fun with Bryce. He just figured out Bryce doesn’t know he knows about the two. "Yeah, I know. I love him too."

"Really?" Bryce said. "Wicked"

Jimmy said, "Well yeah, he is my dad."

Bryce continued, "You're not bloody pissed because I love him?"

Jimmy returned, "Why should I be, he is going to be your Dad too. I wouldn't want you for a brother if you didn't love Dad. So, what's the problem?"

Bryce was getting flustered "Jimmy, I don't think you understand what I'm saying here mate. I mean I LOVE your Dad."

Jimmy was finding it harder and harder to keep a straight face "Yeah, I do understand. You’re his new son and you love him."

Bryce was almost ready to shout it at Jimmy "I don't mean like son to father, I mean I bloody well love him like you and Davey."

Jimmy was laughing now and Bryce was getting mad. I had just opened my door when I heard Bryce say "You bloody bastard. How long have you known?"

I opened the door and looked at Jimmy and said "How would you have liked that if I did that to you?" I turned and closed the door behind me.

Jimmy was sitting there with his mouth open and looking for a hole to crawl into. He looked at Bryce and said "Man, I'm sorry. I saw you and Dad earlier and I think he feels something special for you too. He has a special feeling for me but I think it might be different. If you want to start again, I won't be a prick."

Bryce said "Jimmy, you the most important person in his life and if you have a problem with this, he will too. The last thing I want is to mess anything up for any of us. I know what I feel but I'm not sure what to do or how to do anything."

Jimmy looked at Bryce and rubbed his hand and said "Bryce, maybe you should do like Davey and I are. We take things one day at a time and we talk about things when we need to. Can I ask you a personal question?"

Bryce thought for a moment and said "OK."

"Have you ever done anything before?" Jimmy asked.

Bryce hung his head and answered softly "No."

"What do you know about sex, do you jack off?" Jimmy asked.

"Well, yeah. That I do but I haven't had the guts to do anything else." Bryce answered.

Jimmy scooted up to the bed and patted the space next to him. Bryce stood up and stretched his legs before he sat. "Bryce, the rest isn't about having the guts to do it but it's about doing it with the right person. The person you love and care about more that anyone or anything else. Davey and I only recently started having oral sex and we have been together for almost six months. There is nothing wrong with being a virgin or waiting when you are together. To the best of my knowledge, Dad is. Well, he did do it with his wife and they had a daughter but if you and he did something that would be the first time for each of you. Let me tell you this, the first time is special. That's something that once it's done, it's over and you can never get that first time back again."

"Would you hate me if that happened?" Bryce asked.

"Only if you didn't love him all the way and not just for the sex, understand?" Jimmy answered.

"I love him now." Bryce started. "The other stuff I want but, I'm a little scared."

Jimmy took his hand and said, "I know my Dad. When the time is right for the both of you, you will both know it. Then you will only do what each of you feels is right."

Bryce looked at Jimmy with a newer and deeper understanding to his little brother. "Thanks Jimmy. You make things seem so clear and easy to understand."

Jimmy said "I had two good teachers. My mom; God rest her soul, and my Dad."

Bryce put his arm around Jimmy's shoulder and said "They did a great job. I wish I had the honor to meet your mum. She sounds like a real special lady." Then he leaned over and kissed his brother on the cheek.

Jimmy kissed him back and said "You would have loved her and her you. Let's get cleaned up so we can watch TV."

Jimmy went into his shower and I saw Bryce come into my room and ask "Mark, can I use your shower?"

"If you make a mess, clean it up. Otherwise, OK." I said. I turned around and saw a god before me. I had to lower my head to see his eyes, but they were perfect. I'm not the tallest person around, 5' 9" and Bryce is about 5' 2" and he looks like he weighs about 105 lbs. His skin is lightly tanned and his hair is slightly bleached from the sun otherwise it's blond. His eyes are the softest blue you would ever want to see. I thought Sean had soft eyes but this kid's got him beat. They are like watching the sky. A person could get lost in those eyes. He put his arms around my waist and I rested mine on his shoulders. We stood there for what seemed like hours but it was only about thirty seconds. I leaned down and gently kissed him. Not a passion kiss. A soft, sensuous one without tongue. I looked into those eyes again and saw even more love than I did this morning, if that was possible.

I came to my senses and led him to the shower, started the water and before I did something I wasn't quite ready for, I went back down stairs. For the first time in more than six months, I had a drink. I had some Irish cream on the rocks.

I sat in my recliner and Jimmy came down in shorts and a t-shirt. He sat beside me and said "Happy, Dad?"

I was but I was scared too. If I took my own advice I'd given to the boys, this could work. "Yeah, sport. I am happy."

"You really love him don't you? Not like you do me but sort of like how you loved Momma M." Jimmy asked.

"Yeah" I said. "I really do." Just then Bryce came down in his boxers and t-shirt. Jimmy slid over on to my lap as Bryce sat next to me. Jimmy spun his legs around and laid them in Bryce’s lap. I looked down at Jimmy and said "Comfy?"

Jimmy looked up and said, "Yep"

We watched some TV until 9:30 then I told the boys it was time for bed. Jimmy went upstairs and Bryce looked at me and asked "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

I thought about it for a second and said "Any other time I would jump at the chance but you need to get some sleep because you have got to go to school. How about this weekend?"

"Deal." he said kissing me on the cheek. He went upstairs and I went to kiss Jimmy good night.

I went into Jimmy's room and saw him lying alone in the bed. I sat on the edge and said "Get some sleep, son. You got a full day tomorrow and help Bryce if he needs it, OK?"

"Sure thing Dad," Jimmy said "I'm happy for you."

I leaned down and kissed him good night and said "Love you, son."

I went to check on Bryce and he was already in bed. I sat beside him and said "Hey guy, you need your sleep too. You have a big day tomorrow. I asked Jimmy to help you out tomorrow if you need, OK?"

"Sure thing, Mark" Bryce said. "I always hate first day. It takes me at least a week to learn the school. At least with Jimmy and Davey there I shouldn't have too many problems. Good night, Dad."

"I heard that." I said as I kissed him. "Good night son, love you."

"Love you too, Dad." Bryce said as I turned out the light and closed his door. I watched a little more TV then decided I needed some sleep. I had the rest of the week off but I thought about saving the time in case something came up with Bryce. The Captain left me with 10 sick days and 14 vacation days in my bank but I could always use three more.

I turned off the TV, checked the doors to be sure they were locked then headed to bed. First stop, check on the boys. Jimmy was sawing logs but Bryce was waiting for me.

"Dad," Bryce said.

"Hey son," I said as I sat down. "You’re supposed to be asleep."

"I know." he said. "I forgot to do something."

"Oh?" I said "What was that?"

"This." he said as he leaned up and kissed me. "Don't ever let me forget to do that, OK?"

"Deal," I said as I kissed him back. "Now, get some sleep."

"Night, Dad." He said and he rolled over and closed his eyes. I closed the door and went into my room. I did my nightly ministrations and crawled into bed. I wondered how this new revelation would affect this house. Jimmy seems fine with Bryce and I but how will Davey? Davey should be alright I thought. He has Jimmy and he and Bryce are comfortable being brothers so there shouldn't be a problem. Take things one day at a time.

To be continued...

Posted: 07/18/08