Jeffery Comes Home Chapter 09
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This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to people, living or dead, is entirely a coincidence. As the author, I retain all rights to this story, and it cannot be reproduced or published without explicit consent from me. This work is copyrighted © 2015 by Steven Wells.
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Jeffery Comes Home
Previously
"Unfortunately, we don't have many resources for our lost sheep in this community. We don't have the resources to help young people who are questioning their sexual identity, dealing with drug abuse problems, living with abusive household members, fearing the bullying that takes place in our schools. So, I am excited today to explain a decision this church—this living, breathing community of caring people—has made. We will be spearheading an effort to find resources to help our lost sheep. With a grant from the Thomas and Elaine Washington Family Foundation, we will be leading the effort to attract counselors and mental health professionals devoted to our local lost sheep: our local young people who need guidance and help to find their way in a very, very complex world."
"We will also need volunteers to help with many facets of our project. I urge you to get involved. It can be difficult work. It can be frustrating work. The work will bring you happiness. And, the work will bring you sadness. But, this work will mean we have a place for our lost sheep of this community to find the help they need. Thank you."
When the service was over, my mother and I positioned ourselves near the door to greet the congregation. Philip, Trevor, Rob, Brian, and Sarah were the first to greet us.
Philip pulled me into a hug, "Terrific talk! And, just to let you know, I love you! But, I still think you need to talk about Mabel!"
"Next time," I said to Philip as I returned the hug.
"Great job, Dad!" Trevor told me. "Am I a lost sheep?"
"Not anymore, Trevor. Not anymore!" I told him as we hugged.
"I loved your talk Reverend LeBlanc!" Rob said.
"Thank you, Rob," I said to him. "But, please call me Jeffery. Reverend LeBlanc is my mother!"
"Jeffery!" Sarah Martin grabbed my hand. "That was probably one of the best sermon's I have heard. I also want to be one of your first volunteers!"
"Thank you, Sarah," I told her. "You will not regret helping out with this project. It can be trying, but is also very fulfilling."
"I'm looking forward to working with you," Sarah continued.
"Put her to work," Brian said. "She needs to get out of the house. Besides, she has a Masters in family counseling."
"I will, indeed," I said to Brian. "Would you and your family like to join Philip and me for lunch at the coffee shop?"
"Sarah?" Brian asked.
"Sure," she said. "I think that would be great fun."
Chapter 09: The Next Lost Sheep
"Trevor," Philip began. "Could you sit with us? We have something we want to discuss with you."
Trevor sauntered into the living room and sat down in the chair opposite Philip and me. "Am I in trouble?"
"No," Philip replied with a smile. "You are not in trouble. We just need to discuss something."
"Okay," Trevor said as he made himself comfortable. "Shoot!"
"You turn 16 two weeks from today," I began. "We just thought we should ask you a few questions so we know what you'd like to do. First, do you want to have a birthday party?"
"You mean ice cream and cake?" Trevor asked.
"Well," I replied. "Not exactly. We were wondering if you would want to invite a few friends over for a party by the pool, maybe a few adults, but mostly your friends."
"That would be fun, I guess," Trevor agreed. "I don't really have tons of friends, but I would enjoy having a few people to help celebrate. Like the guys on the swim team... Rob, of course... Maybe a few people from my drama class... But, other than that, I'm pretty much out of friends. The news about my ex-father beating the shit out of me for being gay has placed a limit on me regarding the people I socialize with at school."
"Invite whomever you want," Philip said. "No more than 30, though. Jeffery and I are hip, but we are not certain we could handle more than 30 teenagers. How about a Sunday afternoon pool party? That is your birthday, after all."
"Cool," Trevor said. "I won't have a problem with the limit of 30, trust me!"
"We also thought, if you wanted to do this, Philip and I could take you to the Department of Motor Vehicles so you could take the test for your driver's license on Monday afternoon after your birthday," I explained to Trevor.
"That would be cool, guys!" Trevor excitedly responded. "Do you think I can pass the driving part?"
"Yup," Philip answered. "We think you will do just fine. Then, provided you pass the exam, we would like to take you shopping for a car."
"Really?" Trevor said. "A car? You would let me get a car?"
"No," I told Trevor. "We will get you a car for your birthday present. We thought we could take you to the Chevy dealership and look at Sonics. Would that be okay with you?"
"Dad!" Trevor replied excitedly. "If it has four wheels and an engine, it will be fine with me!"
"We will put you on our insurance, of course, but you will need a summer job to earn money for gas," Philip cautioned him. "For the first few months, we will provide you with ONE tank of gas every other week."
I saw Trevor wipe a tear from his cheek.
"Something wrong, Trevor?" I asked.
"Why are you doing this for me?" Trevor said.
"Because we have grown very fond of you, Trevor," Philip said as he sat beside Trevor. "As a matter of fact, we love you. You are our son! Don't ever forget that, okay?"
"Thanks, Dad," Trevor whispered as he leaned his head on Philip's shoulder. "And, just to continue this sob story, I love you both, too!"
"Can we invite my parents and Rob's parents to the party?" I asked.
"Of course!" Trevor said. "It really wouldn't be a party without them, now, would it?"
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Before we entered the DMV Trevor expressed his concern, "I am nervous as heck, Dads!"
"Just be yourself and do the best you can," Philip advised him as I opened the door.
"You will do just fine!" I told him.
Trevor checked in at the reception desk and then sat beside us while we waited for the examiner. About five minutes later a guy in his thirties called Trevor's name, "Trevor Harris-LeBlanc."
Trevor stood and greeted the guy, "I'm Trevor, sir!"
"I'm Jim Armand, Trevor," the guy announced as he shook Trevor's hand.
Trevor turned to us, "These are my dads, Jeffery and Philip Harris-LeBlanc."
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Jim greeted us. "We should be back shortly. There is coffee in the back of the waiting room."
Trevor and Jim disappeared outside. I whispered to Philip, "I hope this goes well. Otherwise, we will have a very disappointed teenager on our hands."
"Relax, babe!" Philip assured me. "He will do fine!"
"Then, we have a car to buy!" I replied.
"This should be fun, don't you think?" Philip asked.
"My car buying experience went smoothly," I said. "But, I wasn't 16!"
We waited for several more minutes until Trevor and Jim returned. Trevor was beaming. "I did it, dads!" Trevor excitedly announced. "I passed the exam!"
"Congratulations, Trevor!" I said.
"Yea! Trevor! Congratulations!" Philip said as he and Trevor bumped their fists.
"He did an excellent job," Jim announced to us. "I wish all of the teenagers who come in here were as polite as Trevor! Now, Trevor, you need to step over here."
Jim led an excited Trevor to the counter where his picture was taken and his license printed.
Trevor showed his license to us, "I've taken better pictures, but this isn't too bad, do you think?"
"It's great Trevor!" Philip said.
"Mine is worse," I empathized. "Much worse. Now, let's go car shopping."
When we arrived at the dealership, Trevor was like a kid in a candy shop. The salesperson asked Trevor what color he wanted.
"Red," Trevor answered. "Just like my dad's Cruze."
"I have two in stock," Kenneth told us. "Let's go look at them."
We traipsed across the car lot and stood before two red Sonics. "The one on the left is an LT version. The one on the right is an LX version."
"What's the difference?" Trevor asked.
"The LX has a turbocharged engine and a few other feature upgrades," Kenneth explained. "The LT is one feature group above the base model. It has fog lamps, cruise control, and an improved sound system. The LX has the same upgrades as the LT but also a few more. Not only does it have the turbocharged engine, it also has leather heated seats."
"The LT gets better gas mileage, right?" Trevor asked.
"Yup," Kenneth answered. "About 2 miles per gallon better on the highway. Insurance will also be cheaper because the LX is considered more of a sports car."
"Then, it's the LT, right, Dads?" Trevor asked.
"It's your car. Your decision," Philip told Trevor. "Do you want to drive both of them?"
"No," Trevor decided. "Just the LT."
"Why don't I meet you in front of the show room so we can go for a test drive?" Kenneth suggested. "I will grab the keys and meet you there."
As we were walking to the showroom, Trevor asked, "You are going to drive it, right?"
"Nope," Philip answered.
"Do you think that is fair?" Trevor asked with a little fear in his voice. "What if I am wrong?"
"It will be a learning experience," I told Trevor. "Trust me, Trevor. You will make the right decision. I felt the same way when I bought my car. I never owned a car until I bought this one."
Kenneth pulled up in the red Sonic and handed the keys to Trevor. "Let's go for a ride, Trevor."
As Trevor drove off, Philip whispered to me, "I think he is scared shitless he will make the wrong decision."
"I know," I agreed. "But, he needs to learn his decisions will not always be right, but they will be his decisions."
"Spoken like a true man of the cloth!" Philip whispered into my ear.
When they returned from the test drive, Trevor was in high gear. "Dads! This is a super car! It has a lot of pep!"
"And, it's sporty," I added.
"What do we need to do to make this Trevor's car?" Philip asked Kenneth.
"Fill out some paperwork," Kenneth said. "You said you would be paying cash, Jeffery?"
"Yes," I told him.
"And, I assume you will be putting Trevor on your insurance policy," Kenneth said.
"Yes, again," I told him.
"Why don't I send the car to be detailed and filled with gas while we do the paperwork?" Kenneth asked. "You can wait in my office. I will be there in just a few minutes."
As we settled into Kenneth's office, Trevor was silent. "Is something wrong, Trevor?"
"No," Trevor told us. "Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have found two dads like the two of you!"
"We are the lucky ones Trevor," I told him. "Maybe we are all very, very lucky!"
Kenneth arrived back in his office with a mound of paperwork. Philip and I started reading and signing while Trevor looked on. I gave Kenneth my insurance card, and he called the insurance company. After about an hour, Trevor's car was ready.
"Why don't you go with Trevor, Philip?" I suggested. "I have a stop to make."
"Okay," Philip said. "Let's go Trevor!"
When I arrived home, Trevor was in the living room reading the car manual. Philip was in the kitchen getting dinner ready. "Why don't you join Philip and me in the kitchen, Trevor?"
"Sure thing, dad!" Trevor said as he followed me into the kitchen.
I pulled out the sparkling cider I bought at the grocery store and opened it. "We are going to have a toast, Trevor," I said as I poured three glasses of the fizzing liquid. "Here's to you, Trevor! You came into our lives as a fifteen-year-old boy. And, now you stand here as a sixteen-year-old young man! Congratulations!"
"Thanks, Dad," Trevor said as he hugged me and then Philip.
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The guidance counselor called me at my office on Wednesday morning after Trevor's birthday, "Reverend LeBlanc. I'm Samuel Tremont, a guidance counselor at the high school."
"Good morning, Mr. Tremont," I greeted him. "How can I help you this morning?"
"We have a situation here at the school I think you might be able to help us with," Mr. Tremont explained.
"I'll certainly try," I told him.
"A sophomore boy came to me with an issue," Mr. Tremont began to explain. "His mother left him and his father. His father has been drinking heavily is verbally abusive—maybe even physically, but the boy won't admit that. I will be speaking with DCFS about the situation, but I am uneasy about totally turning the boy over to the officials here."
"Why?" I asked.
"Ahm," Mr. Tremont paused. "He's black."
"Oh!" I said. "That would make him one of the few black kids in high school."
"Try the only kid," Mr. Tremont explained.
"Does he get along with the other kids?" I asked.
"He's sort of a loner," Mr. Tremont explained. "He doesn't socialize with too many of the other students. And, this will probably not be any surprise to you; his only friends appear to be your son Trevor and Rob Martin. I've seen him talking to some of the guys on the swim team from time to time."
I was smiling, "Leave it to Trevor! When are you going to speak with DCFS?"
"I am going to contact them as soon as I finish with my phone call with you, Reverend," Mr. Tremont said.
"What would you like Philip and me to do, Mr. Tremont?" I asked.
"Could DCFS place the boy with you if they decided they need to get him out of his father's house?" Mr. Tremont asked.
"Of course!" I said. "I will need to speak with Philip before I officially agree, but I know Philip will want to help. You might want to ask for Ms. D'Angelo. She was involved in Trevor's placement."
"Thank you, Reverend," Mr. Tremont said. "I think you and Philip are really two great assets to the community!"
"Thank you Mr. Tremont," I said to him as we ended the call.
I decided I needed to call Philip to warn him of the impending situation. "Hello, Philip. How has your day been?"
"Jeffery," Philip began. "It is only 10:30 in the morning. What's happening now?"
"A situation is unfolding and I thought I should warn you," I told him. "And, don't worry it is not a situation with Trevor. A kid's mother left him and his father who has recently been drinking heavily. The father is suspected of verbal if not physical abuse. Mr. Tremont, the guidance counselor at the school, called me a few minutes ago. He is getting DCFS involved. Mr. Tremont asked if we might be willing to care for the boy until the issue is resolved."
"And, of course, you said yes," Philip said. I knew he was smiling by the tone of his voice.
"Exactly," I admitted.
"Why us?" Philip asked.
"He's black," I told him. "The only black kid in the high school;and, our son seems to be one of his few friends."
"I think we need to give Trevor a big hug when he comes home tonight!" Philip adds. "Of course, we will help!"
"Thank you Philip," I told him. "I thought you would say that, but I needed to ask before I committed us."
"Keep me posted, babe," Philip said as we ended our call.
I looked up and my mother was standing in the doorway of my office. "I'm sorry I was listening to your private conversation with Philip, but I am very, very proud of all three of you! I just wanted you to know that."
"Thanks, Mom!" I said. "What is wrong with this picture? There is one—I repeat one—black kid in the entire high school. Out of 1,600 students, there is only one kid who is black! Doesn't that strike you as odd, Mom?"
"Jeffery," my mother began. "Even though this is 2015, there are still people in this town who are bigoted racists! I know that. You know that. Why do you think Sam Williamson will never be living in this town, Jeffery? It's not because he is gay as much as it is that his husband is black!"
"You are right, mother," I said. "It makes me angry, though!"
"Me, too!" my mother agreed. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to work on my talk for Sunday."
I was focusing on the task of marketing the drop in center for troubled teens when my phone rang. It was Trevor, "What's up, Trevor?"
"Dad!" Trevor said. He sounded worried. "I was talking to a friend of mine during lunch. He started to shake. I managed to get him to talk. His father has threatened to hurt him. What can I do, Dad?"
"Has he talked with Mr. Tremont?" I asked.
"Yes," Trevor said. "He spoke with him this morning, but my friend is worried he might get the shit beat out of him if he goes home tonight. His father was drunk when he left for school this morning!"
"Invite him to our house after school, Trevor," I told him. "Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone he is going home with you. Do you understand me, Trevor?"
"Yes, Dad!" Trevor answered. "I understand completely. I'm sorry to bother you, but I didn't know what to do."
"Trevor," I explained. "This is what I am called to do. I am here to help people like your friend. You are not bothering me!"
"You're the greatest, Dad!" Trevor told me.
"Trevor," I said. "YOU are the greatest kid a guy could have as his son! I will see you when you get home."
I decided I needed to be home when Trevor returned from school, so I left early. As I pulled into the driveway, I saw Trevor and his friend walking down the sidewalk.
"Hello, Trevor," I said and turning to the other young man. "I'm Jeffery Harris-LeBlanc, one of Trevor's dads."
"Hello, sir," the boy said. "I'm Johnathan Harmon. I hope I am not imposing on you?"
"Not at all, Johnathan," I told him. "You are always welcome here,even if this big lug isn't around!"
"You know, Johnathan," Trevor said to his friend. "Both of my dads are good listeners. So, if you ever want to talk to someone about what is happening with you, don't be afraid to speak up."
"He's right, Johnathan," I said. "Philip and I are willing to listen anytime you want to discuss something."
"Thank you, sir!" Johnathan replied. "I appreciate that. You know, my Dad was not always like he is now. He never drank until he lost his job."
"Let's go inside," I told the boys. "I might even find all of us a snack if I'm lucky!"
Once we were settled around the kitchen island, I decided to go further with the discussion. "What did your father do for work, Johnathan?"
"He was a physician's assistant," Jonathan replied. "That's why we moved here from Chicago. My dad and mom thought this would be a nice place to live:quiet, rural, and safe. That changed after we were here for about a year. The hospital started making things up about my father. They said lots of things that weren't true. Finally, he was let go."
"What were they saying about him?" I asked.
"That he was selling drugs to kids," Johnathan told me. "He would never do that. I know him. He was so against drugs that it was almost his mission to make certain kids he saw in his practice knew about the dangers of drugs."
"That's interesting, Johnathan," I said. "I think I need to speak with some other people about your father's situation."
Philip returned home from work as we were ending our brief discussion. "Philip! We have a guest I would like to introduce you to! Jonathan, this is Philip Harris-LeBlanc, my husband and Trevor's other dad. Philip, this is Trevor's friend, Johnathan Harmon."
"Hello, Johnathan," Philip said. "It's nice to meet you!"
"It's nice to meet you, too, sir!" Johnathan politely replied. "Thanks for letting me hang out with Trevor. He and Rob are about the only friends I have here."
"You are always welcome here, Johnathan," Philip added. "I'll start something for dinner. Do you guys have homework you need to get done?"
"I do, sir," Johnathan told us.
"So do I," Trevor added. "Let's go into the family room and try to get some of this out of the way."
"Good idea, Trevor," Philip said as he started looking into the fridge.
Once the boys were out of the room, I started to brief Philip. "I need to call Ms. D'Angelo and tell her Johnathan is here with us."
I called the number I had for Ms. D'Angelo. She answered on the second ring. "Ms. D'Angelo. This is Jeffery LeBlanc."
"Jeffery!" Ms. D'Angelo responded. "What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to let you know Johnathan Harmon is at our house at the moment," I told her. "Our son Trevor invited him over to study with him."
"Thank god he didn't go home," Ms. D'Angelo announced. "His father tried to commit suicide. He's in the hospital. We found him unconscious when we went to inspect the home. He had slit his wrists."
"Shit!" I said. "Sorry, Ms. D'Angelo."
"Don't worry," Ms. D'Angelo announced. "I said the same thing when we found him in the living room. He was taken to the emergency room and has been stabilized. Do you want me to tell the boy?"
"No," I told her. "We can take care of that. Do you know why?"
"Not exactly," Ms. D'Angelo told me. "I can't give you the details just yet, but there might be an underlying reason."
"Please keep us posted," I told her. "Should we try to take Johnathan in to see his father?"
"Not tonight," Ms. D'Angelo decided. "He is in intensive care. The doctors will not allow visitors until he is stabilized."
"But we need to tell him, right?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "I'm afraid so. I'm glad he is with you two."
"Thank you, Ms. D'Angelo," I said. "Please call us anytime if you have any further information."
"What's wrong, Jeffery?" Philip asked when I ended the call with Ms. D'Angelo.
I moved to where Philip was standing and put my head on his shoulders. He put his arms around me. "Philip," I whispered. "Johnathan's father tried to commit suicide this afternoon."
"Why?" Philip whispered back as he held on to me more tightly.
"No one knows yet," I told Philip. "We need to tell Johnathan the news."
Philip released me from his grip and took my hand in his. He led the way into the family room. "Johnathan," I began as Philip and I sat on the sofa next to the boy. "We need to speak with you for a moment."
Johnathan looked at Philip and me. "Something is wrong, isn't it?" he whispered.
"I just got off the phone with Ms. D'Angelo from DCFS," I quietly began. "She and her team visited your home this afternoon after you had a talk with Mr. Tremont. Your father tried to commit suicide, Johnathan. He's in intensive care at the hospital."
"Is he going to be okay?" Johnathan quietly asked.
"The doctors are trying to stabilize him," I told him. "He can't have visitors yet, or we would take you to see him. We will need to wait until tomorrow."
"What is going to happen to me tonight?" Johnathan asked.
"You are going to stay with us for tonight at least," I told him.
As Johnathan started to sob, Trevor sat next to him and put his arm around his shoulders. "You are going to be okay, John. My dads' will make certain of that."
Through the sobs, Johnathan started to almost scream, "Those bastards... They did this... to him!"
"Who did this to him, Johnathan?" Philip quietly asked.
"The people... at the... hospital...," Johnathan spit out. "They fired... him... because... they are... racist bigots!"
"What people at the hospital?" Philip asked.
"People in charge... They made up... lies... about my... father!" Johnathan explained through his sobs.
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Before I woke Trevor and Johnathan Thursday morning, I called Ms. D'Angelo. "Good morning, Ms. D'Angelo. This is Jeffery LeBlanc. I'm sorry to call you so early."
"I was just about to call you, Jeffery," Ms. D'Angelo announced. "I am at the hospital. Johnathan's father didn't make it through the night."
"Oh God!" I whispered into the phone. "What do we do now?"
"Has Philip left for work yet?" Ms. D'Angelo asked.
"No, why?" I answered.
"I have paperwork for the two of you to sign if you are willing to care for Johnathan for the time being," Ms. D'Angelo said.
"We will be here," I told her. "How do we tell Johnathan?"
"This isn't going to be easy," Ms. D'Angelo told me. "This is the part of this job I hate the most."
"Philip and I will tell him as soon as we get the boys out of bed," I told her.
"Okay," Ms. D'Angelo said. "I will be at your home in an hour or so with the paperwork."
"Thank you Ms. D'Angelo," I whispered as I ended the phone call.
"Tell who what?" Philip asked as he came into the kitchen.
"Johnathan's father didn't make it through the night," I told Philip. "We need to break the news to him."
"Oh shit!" Philip whispered. He grabbed my hand as we went to find Johnathan.
We found Johnathan in bed with Trevor. Johnathan had his back to Trevor. Trevor had his arm around his friend as they spooned together.
"Boys," Philip said to awaken the two. "Boys! We need to talk."
Trevor opened his eyes first. "Dad! It's not like it looks. John couldn't sleep. So..."
Johnathan looked scared.
"We know, Trev," I added. "Why don't you guys put on some clothes and meet us in the kitchen? Okay?"
"Sure, Dad," Trevor replied.
As Philip and I headed back to the kitchen, Philip whispered to me, "I know Trevor sleeps naked. I suspect they both do."
"You are probably right, babe," I whispered back. We both smiled at each other.
Trevor and Johnathan sheepishly arrived in the kitchen dressed in shorts and tank tops. "I gave Johnathan something to wear this morning until we go to school."
"Very thoughtful of you, Trevor," I began. "Now, please sit down. Can we get you some orange juice?"
"That would be great, Dad," Trevor replied.
When the four of us had our juice, I began to explain the situation. "Johnathan, there is no easy way to say this, so I am just going to say it."
"My dad didn't make it, did he?" Johnathan said quietly.
"No," I replied. "He didn't. I just talked to Ms. D'Angelo from DCFS. She was at the hospital. She will be here shortly. And, you need to make a decision, Johnathan. We hope you will stay with us until we have things settled, which could be several months. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, sir," Johnathan said in a quiet voice. "I would like that. But, I don't want to be a bother."
Philip went to Johnathan's side and put his arm around him, "You will NOT be a bother to us. Jeffery, Trevor, and I want you to feel like this is your home. You are not a guest, but you are part of our family. Okay?"
"Yes, sir," Johnathan told us as he wiped away a tear.
To be continued...
I hope you liked the direction `Jeffery Comes Home' is taking. I would enjoy hearing your comments about this story. You can write to me at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.
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Sam and Chris in the `College' section
John's Journey Forward in the `Beginnings' section
Life With Tom in the authoritarian section (Please note, this story is not for everyone because there are several scenes depicting Master/slave and BDSM relationships. So, if you are not interested in this activity, please, please do not read this story.)
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