Chapter 27--Epilogue

So... there's my story of how I ended up going All In with a kid who I thought would drive me nuts. Well, he actually does drive me nuts, but in a good way, a normal teen way. He is finally opening up, feeling secure with his new freedoms. The therapist is helping with that a lot. So is Michael. Especially Michael.

After staying at my father's home for a few months, we moved into a house across town that had enough acreage to build a barn for Serenity so that Devyn didn't have to have to board her at another stable anymore. It was still close enough to Michael that the boys could get together nearly every day.

Brad's estate is still locked up in the courts in probate because he obviously didn't have a will, and it seems like it is going to probably take at least a year for that all to be sorted out totally. Sheriff Marlin said that Devyn would be inheriting the mansion eventually. But it doesn't really matter. Devyn doesn't want anything to do with anything that was Brad's--at least that's what he says right now. Maybe in a couple more years when he's able to put more of it behind him, he might go back to the estate. Maybe when he's ready to be on his own. Who knows? He doesn't have to decide now.

Fortunately for Devyn, his mother and father had set up a trust fund when Devyn was born that was now worth several million dollars which he can access when he turns 18. A little money is allocated from it for his care to his guardian--who knows what Brad did with the money. But I've put part of what they've handed me aside in an account for Devyn to use as spending money and the rest aside for any emergencies--hopefully there won't be any.

So, at least Devyn will be okay, if he decides to move out when he comes of age. I kinda hope he'll stay, though. I'm getting used to having him around.

I suspect that Brad was just waiting for Devyn's 18th birthday to get total control of that money too. It makes me a little uneasy thinking of what might have happened to Devyn after that, especially knowing all that Brad did to get control of his father's money. Somehow, I think he would have had Devyn sign some papers putting him as the new beneficiary on the trust and then ... something might have happened to Devyn. Or maybe he was just keeping Devyn around until his fucking drug dealers tired of him... Just thinking about it makes me want to hit something, well someone... but, anyway...

Sheriff Marlin has kept us informed about the others involved in Brad's drug dealings. They managed to catch two of the dealers--Crantz and Pollinger--who both were charged with drug possession as well as with sexual assault of a minor. The others seem to have disappeared into the wind, the sheriff said. Sam Pratt and Nelson Rainer were charged with murder, aggravated assault, battery of a child, false imprisonment, a bunch of drug charges, accessory to... well you get the picture.

In short, Devyn doesn't have to worry about them anymore.

We did have an issue with Dr. Hembry in the hospital, though. The man tried to come in, claiming to be Devyn's physician to the nurses on duty. Fortunately, the duty nurse didn't allow him in without authorization from Dr. Marks. Devyn finally admitted what the man had done to him--which if I had known before I probably would be facing assault charges myself. Dr. Marks ordered an investigation into Dr. Hembry, and based on complaints by other patients as well as indications that the man had deliberately messed with Devyn's vocal cords during his tonsillectomy, the man was promptly arrested as well.

With Hembry in jail and the rest of Brad's thugs in jail or run off, our lives, especially Devyn's finally settled in. Chris and Trent, unfortunately, were also back in jail for their involvement with Brad and breaking the terms of their parole. But they should be out in a couple years.

Lyle, well, Lyle is another story. Devyn actually likes Lyle (fortunately for me), and he was probably the only other person who actually cared for the kid at all--well, before me ... and Michael, of course. Since Lyle and I are seeing each other practically every night, it's a good thing that Devyn likes him. If he hadn't, then, well, Lyle and I probably wouldn't be together. I just couldn't have done that to Devyn after everything else he'd been through.

So, Devyn's now almost done with his GED courses. It was extremely hard work, but he was fiercely determined. It was one more way to feel he'd taken power back from Brad's hold over his life. He's been looking into colleges, and I think he's really looking into either Art or possibly Biology, so he can do something with horses. I think he's leaning toward Santa Ana College since that's where Michael is going. At the moment, he's wanting to stay here during his first year and commute to the campus. Not sure he feels he's ready to be out on his own yet. His therapist says that I'm his safety net.

That makes me smile.

So I've been trying to make up for some of his 'missed childhood' lately. We've visited several theme parks, gone fishing (which I hadn't done in forever, and I'm just glad we didn't actually catch anything--not sure what we would have done with it), hiking, even tried skiing, but Devyn didn't care for falling down so much. He loves the beach, but now he prefers to go with Michael--alone. Go figure.

Teaching the kid to drive was a whole new experience and nearly took ten years off my life; but it was worth it for the complete look of utter joy on his face when I gave him the keys to his own used car, and he took off in the little sedan for the first time--to see his boyfriend, of course.

So, there you have it. The little deuce got paired up (and, well, so did I!), and I have never regretted going All In with the kid who'd had everyone else in his life fold on him.