The Castaway Hotel - 6 - 12. Chapter 12 - Coping

While we were meeting with Cody, Danny and Brandon were having their first encounter with Danny’s mother. From what they told me, it was a very good meeting and things went better than either of them had hoped. I learned Danny’s mother began to cry the minute she saw him and after she calmed down she began to apologize for what had happened in the past.

After they talked for a while, they ordered their food and went to a table to eat. Danny sat next to his mother, so they could continue to talk while they ate. Brandon sat across from them, to give them as much privacy as he could, while still being there for Danny.

Part way through the meal, Mrs. Roma paused and asked Danny if he would rather sit next to his boyfriend. She wasn’t asking this in a mean or degrading way, she was just thinking he might be more comfortable next to Brandon. It was also her way of showing him she could accept his relationship with another boy. Although he was pleased by her offer and it left a valuable impression, Danny declined. He did give her a huge hug in return to show his appreciation, which seemed to mean a great deal to her.

Throughout the afternoon, the two of them healed many old wounds, as they discussed those dark days in great detail. I think both came away with a greater understanding of what the other had gone through, but it was a shame Danny’s father hadn’t come around at the same time.

Danny’s mother made it clear to him that although she was sorry, she couldn’t change what had happened. She also assured him she had no intention of taking him away from me. She was equally insistent that she’d like to spend more time with him, but made it clear she was also willing to include Brandon in these get-togethers. She told Danny she could see how happy they were together and told him they made a lovely couple. It was clearly her attempt to let them know she would accept them, unconditionally.

Her offer not only meant a great deal to both boys, but it also alerted them to the importance of showing her how much they appreciated how far she had come in such a short time. Before they parted, Danny and Brandon each give her a hug, after which Danny gave her a peck on the lips and Brandon kissed her cheek. This was their attempt to show her she was forgiven and loved.

Danny came home very excited and told me I had been right. He was glad he had decided to give his mother a second chance and delirious that she had also accepted Brandon so freely and without conditions. He then assured me I would always be his dad, but his mother would also be part of his life now too. After that, he thanked me for my understanding, especially where his mother was concerned, and for helping him figure out what was best for him.

I can’t fully explain how good our conversation made me feel. It’s always nice to see your boys so happy, but to realize you gave them the right advice and helped make their lives better is more than you could have hoped for. Then, to receive this type of unsolicited gratitude was the icing on the cake. It was what kept me so involved and willing to take on even more responsibility in the future.

Once this situation settled down, Jake and I finished our planning for the weekend. We would be taking the college boys to their respective schools and decided to split the duty up. We would each take part of the boys with us, both those going away to school and the ones just going along for the ride, and we’d do it based solely upon the location of the various campuses. Jake would take one loop, while I took the other, so we’d have time to drop each one off and help get him settled in, before we left.

Although I was slightly chagrined that I wouldn’t be dropping off all of the boys personally, it didn’t turn out to be as difficult for me as I suspected. Although I’d miss each of them, I knew we wouldn’t be separated for very long. First of all, we’d be seeing each boy again on parents’ weekend, which would take place in just a few weeks, and I prayed each institution had selected different weekends to hold these events. I was afraid we’d still be forced to make some difficult choices, but I wanted to be there for as many of these as I could.

Since Dustin and Frankie had been away from home the previous year, this wasn’t as big of a deal for them as the others. They already had friends at school and were used to being away from the rest of us, so they merely took this in stride. The others were a different story.

Kevin was also going into a fairly secure situation, since he was going to be roommates with the boy we had met at the pharmacy scholarship banquet – the one Kevin had switched scholarships with. The two boys had hit it off at the banquet and expressed an interest in being roommates, after they discovered they’d be going to the same college, so I pulled a few strings to make it happen. Due to this fact, I thought Kevin’s transition would be fairly smooth too and he wouldn’t feel alone. Therefore, I let Jake take those three boys with him.

Those riding with me encouraged Cody to sit up front, in the passenger’s seat. I know they did this so we could talk and get to know each other better, but Cody wasn’t ready to make such a dramatic move.

“I shouldn’t be the one sitting in front,” he told them, modestly. “One of the college boys should sit there. It’s only right.”

“Brandon and I would rather sit together,” Danny told him. “Besides, we always let the new guy have the best seat to start. It won’t happen very often, so you might as well take advantage of it while you can.”

The other boys chimed in their agreement and Cody looked over at me, to see what I thought. I merely nodded my head, to indicate I felt he should do it too.

This gave Cody and I a chance to talk a little more while I drove. The rest of the boys were doing their own thing behind us in the van and no one was paying attention to our conversation. After Cody realized this, he really opened up and I discovered a lot more about him.

He even mentioned he hoped to go to college some day too, like the older boys, and we talked about what subjects he liked the most. We also discussed his other interests and what he might like to be when he got older. It was a very interesting conversation and only died down as we neared our destination.

As we approached the first campus, the biggest problem I could foresee was when Danny and Brandon had to part from each other. This would be the longest they’d ever been separated, including when Brandon went to visit his parents, so I knew it was going to be rough for them. Although I realized they’d tried to rationalize their decision and attempted to convince me it wouldn’t be a problem for them, I could see this wasn’t the case.

The closer it came to the time when this was going to happen, the more it affected them. As I used the rearview mirror to watch what they were up to, I could see them clinging to each other, kissing and shedding a few tears. They were becoming very emotional about their eventual parting and it would be harder to do than either of them was willing to admit. Concerned, I made a pit stop, so I could talk to them about what they were feeling.

“A penny for your thoughts,” I told them, as the van came to a halt and the other boys had jumped out to use the restroom or purchase snacks.

“Huh?” Danny responded, shooting me a quizzical look. This time I decided to say it in plain English.

“I was just curious as to how the two of you are feeling about going off in different directions?” The boys looked at each other and then back at me.

“We knew this was going to happen,” Brandon began, “but knowing doesn’t make it any easier. I’m sure going to miss him a lot.” He then looked at Danny and gave him the most loving smile I’d ever seen.

“I know I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my studies if Brandon was at school with me,” Danny added, “but I’m not sure I’ll be able to think about anything but him once we’re apart. I just hope I can focus on my class work and not spend all my time thinking about him.”

“Well, I know you’ll miss each other,” I commiserated, “but do you have any other concerns?”

“We’ll survive, Pop, if that’s what you’re asking,” Brandon explained. “We’ll be lonely, but we’ll both do what we have to and then make up for lost time when we’re back for the holidays. My parents already said they’d come to join us at your place, so I won’t have to go to Texas. That means Danny and I will be able to spend some time together too and we’ll make the most of it.”

“You seemed to have worked everything out already,” I replied, “and that’s all I wanted to know. As long as you’re certain you can handle it, I will trust your judgment.”

“Dad, you know us,” Danny interjected. “All of us boys are survivors and we won’t let anything as minor as this ruin our plans for the future.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I confirmed and then gave them both a hug. I also told them how much I loved them and how proud I was, before we took our little break. After emptying and refilling, we got underway.

As I continued driving, and while the boys were busy being affection in the seat behind me, I made another decision. I was going to take the superintendent’s job permanently. Some of the selection committee had been hinting at this for quite some time, but at the time I didn’t think it would be in the family’s best interest. Now, however, I was determined to do it.

First of all, it would be too difficult to bring someone onboard at this time, since most of the qualified candidates had already accepted positions. After coming to this realization, I thought the district should wait until the start of the new year to begin advertising the position again. By that time, another crop of candidates would be available and we’d have time to carry out the process and hire someone before the end of the school year. He or she could then take over the helm either at the end of the school year or during the summer. That way the person would have time to acclimate to the district before having to tackle any tough, or far-reaching, issues.

The recent addition of Cody to the family had made me initially question my choice, but only momentarily. After thinking about it further, I concluded he would be in school most of the time I was working and there would be many others around to help him adjust. Not only would the other boys be there to assist him, but Jake would be available to advise him too. With their help, I was sure we could make his transition smooth. We’d be able to help him cope with anything, regardless of whether the problem arose before he came to live with us or if it was due to something that happened here. I will just have to make sure I spend as much free-time with him as I can, so I can get to know him better and give us an opportunity to bond as father and son.

The next few days were kind of hectic. After making sure our college men got settled in, Jake and I made certain the other boys were ready to start their own school year. First, we took them to pick up their schedules and gave Cody a tour of his school. We also introduced him to a few of the teachers who were there preparing their classrooms for opening day and showed him where his classes would be held. What amazed me was that this kid always seems so positive and has such an upbeat slant on everything. It’s almost as if he is unwilling to let anything faze him. In fact, he really seemed to be eagerly looking forward to his first day at school.

Later that night, Sally brought Cody’s things and had me sign some papers, to make everything official. Now, all that was left for me to do was to enroll him in school, which I was unable to do before I got a copy of these documents. Even though I am the superintendent, I still have to follow the law.

Cody was going to be in the seventh grade, so I explained to him that Andrew would be in the seventh grade too. That might even put them in some of the same classes. He seemed to like that idea, so I went on to explain that Andrew would be turning twelve in September. Cody quickly advised me he would be turning thirteen on January fifth, but I think he had more than one motive for disclosing this. I think it was his way of making sure I didn’t miss his birthday, so I went to my office and quickly noted it on my calendar. I wanted to make his first birthday with us a very special one.

The first week of school went very smoothly and everyone was basically satisfied with his classes and teachers. I was glad I had inherited a very professional group, both faculty and support staff, because they made the start of the school year run so smoothly. The biggest problem I had to deal with that first week happened on the first day, when a bus driver forgot to pick-up one of her new kindergarten students. It wasn’t a big problem to begin with and was handled quite simply. Once we were notified, we just sent someone else to pick the child up, but then we tacked a reminder on the bus driver’s window, teasing her about having missed that one stop. All in all, I think someone must be watching over me, so my blood pressure didn’t rise too high that first week.

During the week, I also got a call from Judge Shay. He phoned to advise me he was ready to sit down with Vinnie and I, to discuss Vinnie’s options. I quickly told Steve we’d be willing to do it whenever it was convenient for him, so we set it up for the following evening. Now that our business was concluded, I inquired about his wife, and then thanked him for his help. There was no doubt he was truly a great friend to have around and I appreciated all he did for us.

Later that same evening, Cole and Graham received an unexpected phone call from their mother. She asked about their new classes and wanted to know how things were going. I had to give the lady credit. For someone who had been so messed up just a short time ago, she appeared to have cleaned up her act and was now taking her parental duties more seriously.

Even though the boys still weren’t ready to forget about everything she had put them through when they were younger, they did seem to be willing to give her a chance to make amends and get to know them a little better. I wasn’t sure if they would ever be able to put their past behind them, so I thought maybe I should talk to them about it, now that their conversation with her had ended. I wanted to see if I could detect any underlying tensions or concerns that might cause problems for us down the road.

With that in mind, I asked the boys to join me in my room, so we could discuss some things privately. I knew they were uncertain as to why I had asked to speak to them, but they didn’t seem nervous at all. We sat down and I began to broach the topic.

“You’re not in trouble, so don’t worry,” I began, “but I just wanted to see how things were going for the two of you.”

“You mean how things are going between us and our mom?” Cole guessed, correctly.

“I suppose you could say that,” I confirmed. “Now that you’ve met with her a few times and spoken with her on the phone, I was curious how you were handling it.”

“Okay, I guess,” Graham told me. “She seems to be more like a mother now, than when we were younger, but maybe that’s just because we aren’t living with her any longer.”

I looked at Graham, trying to understand exactly what he meant by his comment. Then I looked at Cole, to gauge his reaction to what his brother had said.

“How about you, Cole? How do you think this is going?”

“I think Graham’s right, in some ways,” he answered, “because she really is different than I remember her, but I don’t think it’s just because we don’t live with her any more. I don’t know, but I kind of think she’s changed. I really do. Maybe she was too young when she had us. I think she was only 17 or 18 when I was born, but she really seems interested in us now and actually seems to care about what we’re doing and how we feel.”

“That’s great,” I agreed, “and I’m glad to hear that. What do you think about what Cole said, Graham?”

“Well, he remembers her better than I do,” he admitted, while squirming in his seat. I could tell he was a little uncomfortable with this topic. “All I remember is how we were always alone and hungry, like she didn’t care. She would go away for days and not even leave us anything to eat, so I still kind of hate her for that.”

I looked at him and could read the pain etched upon his face. “Do you think she did that on purpose or do you think it was because of all the drinking and drugs she was doing at the time?”

“I don’t know for sure,” he admitted, “but it’s just that I sometimes think Cole and I could have died back then and I’m not sure she would have even cared or cried if we had.”

I decided to get the other point of view now. “What do you think about that, Cole? Do you agree with your brother?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe, but I think most of that was because she was always drunk or high with one of her boyfriends,” he conjectured. “I don’t think she wanted to hurt us or that she meant to do anything wrong, I just feel she couldn’t think straight at the time. Maybe it was the booze or the drugs, or maybe she really didn’t care, but I still think she’s changed and wants to try to make up for that now.”

“Do you agree with that, Graham?” I asked the younger brother.

“Yeah, that might be what happened, it’s just that every time I look at her or hear her voice, I just remember how lonely and hungry I used to be when we lived with her.”

“What I need to know is, are you man enough to forgive her and let her try to make up for those mistakes?” I pressed.

“I know I probably should, and I realize you’ve always given us more than one chance when we screwed up, but I just don’t know if I can get my brain to do that. I don’t want to hate her or think those things about her, but it just happens. It’s like my brain won’t let me forget it.”

“Do you think that someday you might be able to get past it or if you even want to try to forgive her?” I followed.

“Yeah, I do,” Graham confirmed. “I think Cole might be right and maybe it wasn’t all her fault, because it does seem to hurt her when I can’t hug her like she thinks I should. I guess it would be good if I could think of her like she is now, rather than remembering all those bad times, so I’m going to try. I think we’ve all hurt for too long because of that, so I’ll do like you and Cole want.”

“Hey, I’m not saying you should do anything,” I corrected him, “I’m just trying to see how you’re feeling about all of this. If you do anything, it should be because it’s what you want and you think it would be best – for all of you.”

“I see what you’re saying and I’ll think about it some more,” he agreed. “I know Cole wants to be close to her again and I really think I do too, if I can just forget about all that other stuff. It has been nice seeing she does seem to care about us now.”

“Well, that’s all any of us can ask of you,” I confirmed. “We just want you to approach this with an open mind. Just remember, you do what you think is best for you and don’t let anyone else make up your mind for you. Do you think that maybe you’d like to talk this over with someone else, someone who isn’t involved in any of this?”

“Like who?” Graham wanted to know.

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a counselor or Aunt Sally,” I suggested.

“I’ll have to think about that too,” he replied. “Maybe I’ll talk to Aunt Sally about this, cuz she knows what it was like for us and she helped bring us to you. I’ll let you know if I want to do that though.”

“Great! I’m glad we had this talk,” I added. “You boys let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”

“Thanks, Dad, we will,” they both echoed, and then they gave me a hug and left the room.

I also received some correspondence that week. The first was a thank you note from Little Ricky, telling me how grateful he was for including him in our plans. It was kind of sweet and it really moved me, and this is what it said.

Dear Uncle Pop,

Thank you for taking me with you on your trip. I had a really good time. I haven’t got to go to many places before, but I learned a whole bunch and had a lot of fun with you and the others. My mom and dad said to thank you too, because they wouldn’t have been able to get away from here long enough to take such a trip with me. They really think you’re the greatest and I do too.

I told my mom and dad about all the things we did and they wanted to know what I thought about being at the nudist camp. I told them I thought it was a lot of fun and kind of neat seeing everyone else without their clothes on, even the girls. I’m not sure my mom liked it when I said that, but my dad laughed.

Anyway, thank you for taking me and I really love you. You’ll always be my Uncle Pop, even when I get to be as old as you. When I get older I’ll do something nice like that for you too. I promise.

Love you always,
Hugs and kisses,

Little Ricky

Needless to say, that made my day. It was just so sweet and a perfect example of the gratitude this sweet young man felt whenever anyone did anything for him. I had witnessed it personally before, including when I watched Little Ricky with his adoptive parents. I’d also seen it from him with the other boys, whenever they included him in what they were doing. He always showed his gratitude whenever the boys did something special for him or gave him anything. He was certainly a very appreciative young man.

The other correspondence was an email from the other Ricky, as he kept us informed about his exploits down under.

Hey Dad,

I think you were right. I shouldn’t have tried to get even with Peter for doing those things to me, cuz a lot more has happened since I last wrote you. I guess it kind of started when I thought I had a chance to get even the other day. We were at school playing soccer and we decided to take showers before we left. We had our towels wrapped around us while we went to the shower area, but on the way we had to walk past one of the emergency exits that led from the locker area to outdoors.

As we were going by, I had an idea and acted quickly. I wasn’t really thinking about what I was doing, but I pushed Peter out the door. I also grabbed his towel from him when he tried to catch his balance and then I held the door shut for a few minutes, before I let him back in.

He wasn’t really mad, but he was kind of embarrassed. I guess there were some girls out there too, plus he said he thought one of their mothers was with them, so he was worried she might cause a fuss about it. He didn’t say or do anything after that, at least not while I was ready for him.

When he struck, I didn’t even realize it. I didn’t know he had done anything until some of our friends began to make jokes about certain things – things I didn’t see how they could know about. I guess what Peter did was to take my camcorder and set it up to film me, but I never saw him doing it. The problem was – he filmed me taking a dump in the toilet and then he filmed me getting in and out of the shower. Worse than that, he also filmed me jerking off in the bedroom. I don’t know how he did it, but he showed the video to all of our friends, both the guys and girls – even Kylie saw it. Man, he got me back good, so now I’m sorry I did that to him.

I apologized and tried to call a truce with him, but even though he said he would, I’m not sure if I can trust him any longer. Man, you told me some day this would happen, but why did he have to show Kylie those things? I could have dealt with the rest of them seeing the video, but I like Kylie a lot and don’t know what she’ll think of me now. I almost want to be mad at Peter about this, but I know I started it, so I can’t. Damn it, why am I such an idiot and why didn’t I listen to you?

I’m going to have to find a way to make up with him now and then find a way to smooth things over with Kylie. Please write me back and let me know if you have any suggestions that might help. BTW, don’t show this to my brothers, cuz I’m sure they’d never let me live this one down, especially after all the things I’ve done to them too.

Love ya,
Ricky

Well, what do you know? My little prankster has met his match. Well, maybe not his match, but someone who got the better of him. I thought about how I might respond, to help get him out of this mess, but I’m not sure I have any words of wisdom to share this time. I did finally get my thoughts together, so I could respond to his plea for help.

Ricky,

I tried to warn you, but you can be stubborn sometimes. My suggestion would be that it’s time for you to do something nice for Peter, to make up for your earlier pranks. Then maybe both of you can put this behind you. As far as Kylie goes, maybe you should just sit down and explain to her about the pranks, so she can see why Peter did this to you. I don’t think she’ll think any less of you and maybe seeing more of you will even help to pique her interest. I’m sure she knows that most teen boys masturbate to relieve frustration, so I don’t think she’ll hold that against you.

In the future, however, think before you leap. Always make sure you have solid ground on the other side of the fence, before you jump over it. It’s terrible when that fence turns out to be the barrier to stop someone from falling off the side of the mountain.

I filled the rest of the email out by telling him about our trip and about Nigel’s visit, as I knew he would be interested. I also informed him that I had taken the superintendent’s job for the next year. I even gave him a little info about Cody and let him know his brothers sent their love, which they told me to do after his last email. I closed by telling him to call me, if he needed to talk.

Once I sent my message, I deleted his email, so no one else would chance upon it. I did it to honor Ricky’s desire to keep his brothers from learning about this embarrassing episode. I hope he is able to work everything out with Peter and not let this escalate any further.