Andy - 2. Chapter 2

In the morning, after a restless night, I started breakfast. The coffee was just finished percolating when Andy showed up. “Good morning, Andy. Ready for breakfast?”

“I don’t feel like eating. Do you think I should call Mom and tell her where I am?”

“No, I talked to your mom last night. I told her not to call me any more. Andy, I don’t approve of what they did. In my opinion, there isn’t anything that you could have done that would cause them to toss you away. We have spent several summers together, I got to know you and I can’t think of anything you’d do that would cause you to be asked to leave your home. But from now on, this is your home, as soon as I can, I’ll adopt you as my son.”

“If I tell you why they asked me to leave, you might tell me to leave as well.”

“No, this is your home and we’re family.” He started to cry. “Don’t cry.”

“I told my mom I’m gay. My dad heard and told me to leave.”

“That’s why they threw you out?”

“Yes, and now you can throw me out.”

“What! I’d never throw you out and I don’t care if you’re gay, straight, bi or transgender. You’re my nephew and soon will be my son.”

Before I could move, I had a fourteen year old boy in my arms hugging me. Tears were running down his cheeks, “You better sit down or your eggs will be over cooked”

I served us breakfast, he just kept looking at me, tears still running down his cheeks. I looked at him and smiled thinking about what he has gone through, but I knew he probably wasn’t the only young person who came out to their parents. He probably wasn’t the only young man that's tossed out on the street because of his sexual preference.

“As soon as I gather the eggs, we can go shopping. You need more clothes and I need to stock the larder.”

“I’ll help you gather the eggs.”

Walking to the chicken coop reminded me of the summers he spent with me, this was an every morning routine. I smiled as I put my arm around his shoulder as we walked to the chicken coop. We gathered the eggs, filled the food trough with cracked corn and flushed the water trough, filling it with fresh water. Watching Andy, I thought that this will be his job from now on.

He put the eggs in the refrigerator, washed his hands, I watched, this is summer all over again. “Let’s go. First stop, will be to get you some more clothes. You can pick out what ever style you want, I also want you to get a suit or something like that. Ok?” He just smiled.

We went to a store that specialized in young men clothes. I sat in a chair and watched as he selected his clothes. He would hold it up so I could see it, I’d nod yes or shake my head no. He was smiling, this was fun and he started to get into it. He’d hold up some ridiculous piece of clothing and I’d nod yes, he’d laugh and toss it back. We were there about two hours, he did end up with a jacket-slack outfit that looked nice on him. I paid for everything, he took it to the car.

“Our next stop will be the sport shop. You’ll need some workout clothing. Do you remember how we worked out in the summer? We’re going to do it again, ok?” He just smiled. We got some workout clothes and several pairs of sweats, I bought a few for myself as well. Next stop was the electronic store.

Every kid needs a computer and phone. I bought the works, computer, printer and a phone. His eyes just popped open as he saw me pick out these items for him. “Do you want some games?” His head bopped up and down like one of those souvenirs you get in a party shop. I was really enjoying this.

Next we went to the grocery store. He took the cart and I walked behind him. He’d pick up a package and look at me, if I nodded yes it went into the cart, if I nodded no, he’d put it back, if he wanted it and I nodded no, he would look at me with those eyes and nod yes, then I’d let him have it. Shopping was fun, a chore I hated but with him it was fun. He’d pick up something that no man would need and play like he wanted it, I’d nod yes and then we’d laugh. I watched him carefully, he was having fun and for that, I was grateful. He needed the relief from what he had gone through. This was good medicine, but I knew deep down, he was still hurting.

Shopping finished, “You hungry?” You never need to ask a teenager if he was hungry, the answer is always yes. “There’s a pizza shop that serves a good pizza, want to go there?”

“Yes, do they make pizza’s with anchovies?”

“I’m sure they do, they have quite a selection.” While we waited for our pizza, I called my accountant and left a message for him to call me on Monday. Then I called a family attorney, I knew, he was home, I explained what I wanted and he said he’d get the paper work underway Monday morning.

The pizza was good, he really like it and I enjoyed myself as well. I thought about the summers we spent together. They were good times for me. I never married, came close, but an accident settled that issue for me. On the way to my wedding, my bride got killed in an automobile accident. For me that was it, no more girls for me. From that time on I was a loner, and now I have a young teenager in my life. In all truth, I couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Uncle Scott, I’m going to need to get enrolled in school.”

“We’ll stop at the school in the morning and get you enrolled. Do you remember the address of your school, they will have to send a transcript to the school?”

“Yes, I have some of the information in my back pack. I think, I may have my last report card. Mom signed it for me to return it to school in the morning, but that was when they told me to get out.”

“Don’t cry Andy, I know it’s hard to accept, it’s their fault, not yours. I’m happy you are here.” I smiled at him as I said that.

In the morning after Andy gathered the eggs, we had breakfast and then we drove to my office. “We’ll stop at the school when we go for lunch.”

Arriving at my office, Anna my secretary, gave Andy a hug, “Welcome back Andy, I didn’t expect to see you until summer.”

“Andy will be staying with me from now on. His parents are having some troubles and they thought it’d be better for him to stray with me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that but I know your uncle is very glad you’re here. If one didn't know better, you’d think you’re his son.” I smiled.

I let Andy use my computer while I reviewed some contracts. I looked over once in a while, he was conversing with a few friends. I wonder what he was telling them, I didn’t have to wonder long. “I told my friends that I’m now living with you.”

“ok”

“They wanted to know why, so I told them.” I just looked at him and smiled. “I decided if they didn’t like it, it was their problem not mine.”

I give him thumbs up. “Let’s go and get some lunch and stop at the school.” That’s what we did. School was actually no problem, but I needed to get some legal documents.

The next morning I called a law office in Arizona that I knew from several conferences I had attended. Networking was about to pay off. I explained the situation and they assigned one of their attorneys to help me. As luck would have it, the attorney they assigned was one of the men I met at the Denver conference last Fall. After spending a few minutes catching up, I explained what I wanted done. We agreed on the wording which included a monthly fee to cover Andy’s support. I didn’t need the money, so this would go into his college fund. It wasn’t about the money, but they needed to understand there’s a monetary cost to tossing your son away.

With that done I waited for the phone call. Two days later my phone rang, I didn’t answer. At work the next day, the phone rang. Anna answered, I had prepped her. I could hear her side of the conversation, “I’m sorry but he isn’t here, may I take a message?… Yes, I’ll tell him as soon as he arrives.”

“Was that my sister?”

“Yes, she wants you to call her. She said it was very important.”

I called my lawyer to find out what happened. “I delivered the papers and told her we would prorate the first month but the seven hundred dollars would be due at the first of every month. Penalties will be applied for each five day period the money is not paid. She started to say this was ridiculous and you could afford to keep him. I told her if she was smart, she should pay. Otherwise, she could be held for endangering the life of a minor. I made her understand that the police would be involved.”

I left the office with the phone ringing. Anna shooed me out of the office. I stood at the closed door listening to the conversation from Anna’s side. “I’m sorry Mrs. Logan, he isn’t here…I’ll tell him as soon as he comes in.” I walked back into the office, “She sounded desperate. Are you sure you don’t want to talk to her?”

“Yes, I want nothing to do with her or her husband. Wait until she see the papers to sign relinquishing their rights to Andy.”