From Maine To The Pentagon - 5. Merry Christmas

I woke up on Christmas morning not looking forward to the day. Obviously, I don’t believe in Santa, but even my substitute Santas have no idea where I am. Well, one of them probably doesn’t give a shit where I am. Mom probably thinks I’m still at the Rodeway. I should call her early and update her on my situation.

I dialed her number.

“Kurtis? Is it really you?”

“Yeah. Merry Christmas. How have you been?”

“I’m doing pretty well, considering the circumstances. Where are you? I went to the hotel yesterday to try to invite you out at least for a Christmas Eve dinner.”

“I’m in Green Valley, Virginia. I’m pretty sure I found dad.”

“Oh that’s wonderful. I was hoping you would find him eventually, but you did better than I expected. Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he seems pretty cool. He doesn’t care that I’m gay. I moved in with him last night. So far, so good.”

“That’s good.”

“How are you, really? Is Bernie still hitting you?”

“Don’t you worry about me, I’ll be okay.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. I wish I could still be there. I’d hit back, but I know you won’t, or can’t.”

“You just worry about you. Does Anthony have plans for Christmas?”

“Yes, the Major has his senior staff coming over for dinner at five.”

“A Major? I guess he’s done pretty well for himself.”

“I think so. He’s got a nice three-bedroom house in the suburbs of Alexandria and has a team of twelve, soldiers I’d guess you’d call them, under him.”

“That’s great. I hope you’ll be happy there. Can you give him my number, we’ll have to work out custody details? I’m sure Bernie will give up his rights as a father.”

“He’d better, or I’ll fly up there and shove my boot up his ass.”

“Kurtis, you can’t mean that?”

“Between kicking me out and him beating you, I sure do.”

“Well, I can’t see him wanting anything to do with you. He hasn’t said anything but slurs about you.”

“Well, fuck him. I don’t want to have anything to do with him either.”

“I suppose I can’t blame you. I’m not crazy about the language though.”

“Sorry. So, you doing corned beef and cabbage as usual?”

“Yes, for some reason Bernie insists on it. I guess he thinks he’s Irish.”

“He sure drinks enough to fit the stereotype.”

“I guess.”

“Well, if the asshole lets you, have a good day. But I will give the Major your number. Bye.”

“Goodbye Kurtis. I hope your days will be better now that you’re with Anthony.”

“I’m sure they will be. Bye.”

So the dickhead is still hitting her. I wish I could do something about that. But I guess until the Major officially has custody of me, nothing like that can happen.

“Dusty, wanna go out?”

He did.

We came back inside and I walked through the kitchen and out the door that led to the dining room and living room. The kitchen has two entrances, one that leads to the bedrooms and another that leads to the rest of the house. I was surprised when I got into the living room.

There was a small tree on the coffee table, and presents surrounding it, both on the table and on the floor. I felt a little sad because I knew there’d be nothing there for me.

The Major walked in, “No peeking.”

“What would be the point? You sure do treat your team well.”

“That isn’t all for them. Just the six on the table. The rest are more suitable for, say, a fourteen-year-old boy and his dog.”

“Really? When did you…?”

“Mostly while Lieutenant Collins was driving back with you yesterday.”

“Wow. I wasn’t really expecting anything.”

“Oh, OK, I’ll take them all back tomorrow.”

I looked at him, shocked.

“I’m kidding. If you want to open them now, that’d be cool, right?”

“That would be awesome.”

The first few packages had a few jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. The next was a small box with 5-25-dollar Nintendo eShop cards.

“How did you know?”

“Lieutenant Collins is an amazing investigator. While you slept, she went through your things to get your sizes and likes in games. I hope you don’t mind. I felt it best just to get you some gift cards for your Switch.”

“No, I don’t mind. I’m happy she snooped.”

Pointing, the Major said, “There are four more.”

“That’s already too much.”

“Well one’s a necessity, another, you might not get to use until spring, and the third and fourth, technically you’d say were for Dusty.”

I opened the next package. It was a small box, kind of like something you’d find jewelry in. It wasn’t jewelry.

“A key?”

“I didn’t think you’d want to be stuck in the house while I was at work.”

“Okay, that makes sense.”

The next was another gift card; a visa worth $250.

“Major, this is too much.”

“Probably just enough. Bicycles are pretty expensive these days. I think you can get a good one for that.”

“Wow. And these last two are for Dusty?”

“One for sure, and the large one, in a way.”

I opened the smaller one first. It was a package of rawhide chews.

“Can I give him one now?”

“Go for it.”

I tore open the package, “Come here, Dusty.”

He was nosing around everything anyway, so he didn’t have very far to go. I reached for the last package after handing him a chew.

“A dog door? Cool.”

“I figured we could put that in together, kind of a bonding act.”

“Yeah, that’d be great.”

I stood up and gave the Major a hug, “Thank you. This is my best Christmas ever.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll probably spoil that opinion with the liver and onions I’m serving for dinner.”

I frowned, “Um, I guess that’s okay.”

The Major chuckled, “Got ya. The main course is ham. I can’t stand liver either.”

I figured I’d joke back since he seemed to be the kind of guy who appreciates that, “Um, I’m Jewish. I can’t eat ham.”

My smiling face gave me away though.

He kept the joke going, “Hope you like vegetables. A lot.”

We both started laughing after that.

There would be one more he was hiding. After lunch he sprung another surprise on me.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

He opened a kitchen cabinet and handed me another package.

“More?”

“These come with a condition.”

“Okay?”

“You can’t use them until you show me your artwork.”

“That’s easy, I was going to anyway since you said you wanted to see it.”

“You can open it first.”

I opened it. It was a nice set of drawing pencils and three sketchbooks.

“Oh, this is just awesome. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. We have some time before we have to start dinner. So, get your laptop, we’ll take a look, and then really start to get to know each other. So far, we’ve only talked about basic, generic things.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

“Back to the living room now.”

“Got it.”

I was a little bit nervous when I turned on my laptop and opened the folder I had scanned my drawings into.

Well, here goes nothing. I opened the first drawing and clicked through the next few.

“Wow, it’s pretty realistic. I like the coloration and shadowing. And the fact that you didn’t make the young men, um, overly endowed.”

“I doubt anyone else will ever see it, but everything I’ve seen, well, kind of makes me feel jealous.”

“I get it. You’re drawing for the average man and boy, not porn stars.”

I chuckled, “Yeah, I guess so.”

“It’s really good, Kurtis. I think that drawing set will be put to good use.”

“It will.”

“So, let’s put that aside and get serious.”

I was a little worried, but agreed anyway.

“As I mentioned last night, if you can make me a list of foods you don’t like, I’ll try my best to avoid them. But I will insist on healthy meals whenever possible.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“I know you’ve had trouble with your step-dad, what was his name again?”

“Bernie West.”

“Okay. What about your mother, has she been a good mother?”

“Yes. About the only complaint I could have is she didn’t always stand up for me against Bernie. But, the few times I know of that she tried, he hit her, so she basically just gave up trying.”

“Has he ever hit you?”

“I started to find it hard to just cave to his demands, so I’ve gotten a few slaps across the face and whacks to the side of my head.”

“Wife beater, child abuser, and child abandonment. That’s three strikes for me. When the dust settles over the exact nature of our relationship, we’ll do something about that.”

“Do you think there’s dust in the way?”

“No. As I told Colonel Gulden, I’m ninety percent positive you’re my son. Soon, I’ll take you for a tour of the Pentagon, or at least some of it. We’ll stop at the medical center and take blood samples from the two of us, and have a DNA test run to confirm it. Then we’ll go after Bernie.”

“With tanks and missiles?”

“Ha. No with the US Attorney’s office.”

“That’ll be like bringing in the big guns.”

“Indeed it will. You may not be able to answer this, but if Bernie goes to jail, where he belongs, would your mom be able to make ends meet?”

“I don’t know. She works too, but with only herself to take care of, maybe. Oh, she asked me to give you her number, in case you need to talk about custody and whatever.”

“We definitely will.”

I gave him her number and he added it to his contacts.

“Now, about school. I imagine at fourteen you’re in ninth grade?”

“Yes.”

“Next week we’ll look into getting you registered at Wakefield High School. That’s where students from Green Valley go. Captain Perez has a son about your age, maybe twelve, but his daughter is a freshman, freshwoman? at Wakefield.”

“Will they be coming later?”

“Yes, he, his wife and two children. Lieutenant Collins is currently unattached, but Lieutenant Temple will be bringing her girlfriend.”

“She’s gay too?”

“Yes. As is Sergeant Washington and one of my privates.”

“I guess that’s the reason you were so tolerant of my gayness.”

“Partially, but you likely being my son would override that as the main reason.”

“So, is Sergeant Washington’s boyfriend coming to dinner as well?”

“He will. Um, you may have to come out to them, I was somewhat of a lady killer at your age. I wouldn’t be surprised if Valentina takes a liking to you.”

“I’ll hold off on that if I’m able. If she does, I’ll say I’m more concerned with settling in here than girls.”

“That might work. She might already have a boyfriend, I don’t know that for sure.”

“Okay.”

“But you have to swear to me that you won’t ever mention their sexual preferences.”

“I swear. I know you’re in the army, but I know that loose lips sink ships.”

“Ships and soldiers. So, are you a good student in school?”

“I guess. A’s in art, B’s in mostly everything else.”

“What’s the exception?”

“History.”

“I should be able to help you out there. I assume you went to Brunswick High School?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll call and get your transcripts forwarded on Monday. That way you can start back up after the first of the year.”

“Gee, thanks.” I said sarcastically.

The Major laughed, “Typical teen. Has to present as if he hates school, even though he doesn’t.”

“True. Just history.”

“Did you play any sports at school?”

“Cross country this fall. I expect to go out for the track team in the spring.”

“Good. I believe Wakefield also has a Indoor Track & Field program during the winter. It may be possible to get you on that.”

“That’d be awesome.”

“Okay. Do you have any questions for me?”

“You said you had a team of twelve reporting to you, what exactly is it you do in the army?”

“We’re all Military Police. We investigate questionable incidents by army personnel. Arrest them if necessary and testify at any trial or court-martial if need be.

“I guess I’d better behave.”

“I’ll be pretty flexible until you’re proven to be my son, but there will be rules. I will expect my orders to be followed.”

“I’ll make every attempt to.”

“First one. Regarding the key. I expect to be notified when you leave the house and when you come back. We’ll leave knowing exactly where you’re going alone for now, unless it becomes an issue.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Okay, I think that’s enough serious talk for now. Let’s head to the kitchen and start working on dinner.”

“Sounds good.”

Next up - "Meeting Part Of The Team”