Shadow of my Father - 52. Chapter 52

Governor Lopez broke the hug and picked up the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen you all had a front row seat to see for the first time my sons performing together. Weren’t they great up here?” The Governor turned to his kids and started to applaud, which got their guests applauding. “Thank you guys I really enjoyed the song. Just look at me and what it did! You are making this tough old guy look not so tough.”

The boys walked up to their father and hugged him once again. The crowd applauded until the Governor and his family took their seats and the DJ started playing music again. Once everyone went back to their own conversations, the Governor asked whose idea it was for them to sing for him. All at once the older Lopez’s boys pointed to Brandon.

“Well son thank you for suggesting it.” Governor Lopez messed up Brandon’s hair. “I will never forget this birthday as long as I live. That song you guys sang hit me hard. Every word of it said it all and I am glad you boys see that. So remember the words because no matter what you do or go, I will always be here for you guys, always!”

One at a time the Lopez boys said that, in one way or another, they knew that. Rose changed the conversation to another topic because she knows her son and her grand children. All the guys in this family don’t like wearing their hearts on their sleeves, this scene of emotions is very rare and they don’t know how to move on.

When their dad got into a conversation with several of his friends, Josh and Cesar left. They went over to get something to drink and eat. While at the table, Josh once again told Cesar he had wished that he was on the stage with them. But Cesar again told Josh what he told him the days before. He didn’t need to be on the stage to feel part of the family. He already feels that way.

With that said, Josh dropped the subject. They hung around the dance floor to watch their father’s friend’s dance. Cesar didn’t notice when Josh reached over and grabbed his hand. His mind was in the clouds thinking about him and Josh dancing out there on the dance floor. He really wanted to pull Josh out there, but knew better. The Governor wouldn’t mind, but some of his guests might.

The party started to break up around two in the morning. Josh and Cesar made their way to their room a little earlier than that. He was exhausted from worry that the song wouldn’t sound right or someone might mess up. When they finished singing, he was able to relax, but the stress had tired him out.

The weekend didn’t go by fast or slow. The only real excitement was Saturday afternoon when the family went out to Home Depot to buy the stuff the boys needed for starting work on Monday. Habitat for Humanity provides all the material to build the house, but if they want their own hand tools, they will have to buy it.

As they shopped, people went up to the Governor and asked him for a autograph or asked him what he plans to do about one thing or another going on in the state. The Governor didn’t want to be rude, so he tried to answer as many questions and sign as many autographs as possible. But it got to the point that he couldn’t shop. So he finally had to ask his security detail to hold them back.

When they got back to the mansion, the Governor sat with Lloyd and the head of security in Austin. Daniel Sr. wasn’t happy that the shoppers were able to get as close as they did. He wanted to make it clear that this could not happen again. In the past he knows he has gone up to the crowd, but he decided to go to a rope line. Today was different. Today anyone was able to walk right up to him and his family.

“Gentlemen we have a big problem and I know you both know what I am talking about.” The Governor looked at both the heads of security. “Today at the store you two allowed people to just walk right up to me and my family. Why did you do that? There is no logical explanation for that and you both know it.”

“Mr. Governor we thought that you wanted to be just like any other person in the store with your family. I have lost count of the times you have told me that you want to be a regular person as possible. Don’t close down stores or put the citizens that are shopping at the store out of their way, you have said. That is exactly what we did here today. We followed your instructions to not disturb the normal routine of the people.”

“Yeah I have said that, but at the same time I have said that I want my family and myself safe. By letting anyone just walk straight up to me and my family was just wrong. It’s even more so at a hardware store where they could pick up something from a shelf that could have been used as a weapon. Come on guys your smarter than that.

I believe where the problem is at is that we have too many chiefs and not enough Indians in this guard detail. Before leaving I heard you two arguing on how to handle the security on this trip. Lloyd here wanted a net thrown up around us, but not to the point that cleared out the store. You sir wanted to have the security detail to just stand back and only react if anything happened. Let me tell you, if anything did happen, there would be nothing you guys would have been able to do and you know that.”

“Sir you need to tell us how you want things to run and that are how we will run it all the time. You keep changing the procedures every day, we don’t know if we are coming or going. Set one set of procedures down and we will follow those procedures.”

Daniel couldn’t believe what he was hearing from his head of security. Not once has he asked them to loosen up on security. In fact he has done the opposite in recent months after the fallout of the Elizabeth issue. So for his head of security to be sitting in his office telling him that he changes procedures everyday is just passing the buck on the screw up today.

“Not once have I ordered you to do this or that with security. Yes, back home with the matters of the security around my kids I have had more to say. I just simply want my kids to have as much of a normal life as humanly possible while I am Governor. After all they didn’t run for the Governorship, I did. So their lives should be as normal as possible, which they know can’t happen now.

The security protocols are set up by you guys. I don’t know what it takes to keep me and my family safe, so I have no right to tell you guys how to do your jobs. Yet, on the other hand I do, and have given suggestions on certain things when it came down to certain matters dealing with my kids. We’ve talked about things like their privacy, how young the person that is securing them should look and so forth, but nothing to handicap you guys from doing your job. If anything I wanted to change that wasn’t doable, you have said no.”

Daniel got up from his desk and walked over to the door of his office. “I am tired of talking to you guys about my family’s security. You know your jobs so do it or I will find someone else that can. This is the last time I am going to talk about this. So set up your security procedures that allow voters to talk with me, but not to the point they can just walk right up to me without being checked like today. Follow your protocols at the same time let me be accessible to the people.”

The Governor opened the door and held it open for the two heads of security to walk out. Once they did, the Governor shut the door and went back to his desk to get some work done. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate, he couldn’t work. So he gave up after an hour and joined his family in front of the TV.

Back in El Paso, Bernice and Patrick were getting to know Immanuel a lot more. After giving him the tour of the high school, they hung around Bernice’s house the rest of the week. They didn’t have money to really have fun to go out to the mall or anything like that. So they decided to hang out at Bernice’s; the only place they all could to keep Patrick’s parents from asking all kinds of questions.

Both Patrick and Bernice assumed that his parents came around checking up on him. Friday afternoon their assumptions were proven out. They were making their way from the side of the house to the front when they saw Patrick’s mom slowly driving down the street. That angered Patrick so much he went chasing after his mother down the street. When she finally stopped, she tried to lie her way out, but he saw through the lie.

“Patrick honey I just came by to make sure you had money to go to the arcade with Bernice.” His mother looked in her review mirror and saw Immanuel for the first time. “Who is that kid with Bernice? He looks like, well you know, like...” his mother looked up and down her son.

“Like me, gay? Yes he is mom! We met him at the mall the other day and have been hanging around with him everyday since. I thought you and dad were okay with my being gay, but I can see that you aren’t. You can’t even say the word gay and that alone tells me that you aren’t okay with me.

What, are you hoping that by me hanging around Bernice that I will turn straight mom? If that is what you are hoping for, you don’t know anything about gay people or straight people for that matter. Nothing can change anyone’s preferences for who they fall in love with, straight or gay people. So stop hoping and trying to make me what I am not!”

His mom just looked at him stunned. She didn’t think he would ever stand up to her like he just did. Telling her what is on his mind and what he is feeling shocked her. So to be tongue tied is the least of her problems, and she knows that. The major problem she sees in front of her right now is that she was just caught by her son on her spying on him.

“Let me be honest with you son. I….”

“Can you be honest mom? It seems every time I turn around you are lying through your teeth to me. And don’t say you are lying to protect me, because I don’t need to be protected. All I need is you to love me without judgment on how I am. I can’t change who I am or who I love. You and dad refuse to see that and that really hurts!”

Seeing that she is doing her son more harm than good, she decided not to try and explain why she was there. No matter what she says, she knows her son will see right through it unless it is the truth. That she won’t say because she has already hurt her son too much.

“Why don’t we discuss this at home tonight with your father. That way you can say what’s on your mind to the both of us. I know you are hurting and there is nothing I can say right now that will make you feel any better. So we will talk at home later, get in the car where you friends don’t see you this way. You don’t want them to think less of you.”

“No mom, YOU don’t want them to think less of me. You don’t want them to think that you have a sissy boy as a son. I have no problem letting them see me cry because they have seen me cry before. In fact they have helped me more than you or dad since Frank was killed because they don’t judge me.”

“Get in this car right now Patrick. I am not going to ask you again.” His mother got out of the car and pulled her son by the ear to the passenger side door and opened it before pushing him in. “There is no way we are going to let you continue pulling this family’s good name through the mud like you do by flaunting around with every guy you can get with.” She slammed the door the second he pulled his legs in.

“You may be right that we can’t change who you love, but while you live under our roof you aren’t going to be flaunting around with every guy that looks your direction! Your father and I have had enough of it. Now you are mouthing off, no I won’t put up with that from you. Let’s see what your friends will do once we have your therapist lock you back up in the crazy house.”

Patrick and his mother sped off as Bernice and Immanuel went running towards the car to see if they could find out what is going on. They ran after the car for several blocks, but gave up once the car was out of their sight. Bernice turned around and went running back to her house. As she ran in, she was crying and yelling for her father.

Father Gomez was in the kitchen when he heard his daughter yelling for him. He quickly got up and went running out to the hall to see what was wrong. When she got control of her crying, she told her father what she and Immanuel witnessed. As she told her father what Patrick’s mother did, she could see anger building in her father’s face.

“Bernice you and Immanuel will stay here, do you understand?” she starred at her father. “Do you understand Bernice? I can’t have you running over to Patrick’s house all half cocked. It won’t solve anything. It might even make matters worse. Let me go to him and sit with his mother to try and talk with her. Maybe I can find out what is going on and help fix it.”

Reluctantly Bernice agreed to stay put. Father Gomez asked Immanuel to watch his daughter as he went over to Patrick’s and make sure they don’t go anywhere. Once Immanuel gave Father his word that they won’t go anywhere, he walked out.

When he reached Patrick’s house, he didn’t see his parent’s cars in the driveway. He parked on the street and waited for over an hour, but no one showed up. Trying not to let his imagination get away from him, Father Gomez started to worry. Every passing minute that Patrick or his parents didn’t show up got him even more worried.

After another hour had passed, Father Gomez was about to call it quits when Patrick’s mother drove up. So he didn’t scare Mrs. Petrillo, Father Gomez got out of his car and started walking towards her. Once he shut his door, he called out her name. She turned, glanced over at him, but ignored him and continued walking to her front door.

Father Gomez knows that she recognized him, but is refusing to acknowledge him. He quickly ran across the street to catch her before she got into the house. Once she shuts the door, he knows she won’t open it to him.

“Mrs. Petrillo, ma’am can I speak with you for a few minutes please?” Father Gomez got to the door before she was able to unlock the dead bolt. “I will only take a few minutes of your time ma’am. Please may I speak with you? My daughter saw what happened and she is very worried for her friend, your son.”

“Father Gomez I don’t mean to be rude to you, but there is nothing I want to say to you, nothing sir.” She got her door opened and walked in. “Wait a minute Father Gomez, there is something I would like to say to you. I trusted you with my son and I come to find out you allowed him to be with another boy in your house. What kind of priest are you sir? Aren’t you supposed to be against what my son is?”

“Ma’am so many people are confused with what is written in the Bible. I won’t stand here and try to explain what the Bible is saying, but I will say two things to you. First you are supposed to love your fellow man no matter who they are. Your son is deserves as much love from his fellow man as anyone on this earth.

Secondly, men and women are created in God’s image. If it is a sin to be gay, then why did God make your son and so many like him gay. Let me tell you that the Bible has been taken out of context in so many ways, this being one of the biggest. God created your son, which means he isn’t a sinner. So I am teaching the Bible the way it should ma’am.”

“No sir you aren’t and I will be writing your letters to your superiors until you lose your church. Priests like you shouldn’t be priest because you are mixing up the minds of our youth. Here we God abiding people are trying to teach our kids what is right and wrong and there you are, a man of the cloth, trying to teach our kids that what we are teaching them is wrong. Sir that I won’t have and will make sure you won’t do that to any other kid.”

Mrs. Petrillo went to slam the door in Father Gomez’s face, but he stuck his foot in the door. “Ma’am you may not agree with my teachings, which you have the right not to agree. Still I will keep running my church the way I have been running it. So go ahead and write your letters, nothing will come from it since I am not doing anything wrong in my church. I only have one last question, where is Patrick?”

“I took him back to his therapist and had him committed again. I knew he was released too soon and I told his therapist that. He won’t be released until my husband and I are confident that he is ready to rejoin regular society. We may not be able to stop who he loves, but he won’t bring that in my house while he lives under my roof.”

Before Father Gomez could say a word, she kicked his foot out of the way and slammed the door. He stood there on the door step for a few minutes trying to figure out what is going through her mind. Realizing that there is no way he will ever be able to figure out what Patrick’s mother is thinking, he left.

The minute he walked in the door of his house, Father Gomez was met by Bernice and Immanuel. He explained to the two of them what had happened and where Patrick is as he walked into the living room. Bernice started to cry once again and though her tears she begged her father to do something to get him out of that place.

“There isn’t anything I can do to get him out of that place. Since he is still under the age of eighteen, his parents can do whatever they feel they need to do to protect their son as long as they aren’t doing anything that is harming him. If that was the case, which it isn’t, I could have the law step in and take him out of that house.”

“By putting him in that place is doing more harm than good dad.” Bernice wiped away tears from her face. “He was getting better out here with his friends, not in there. Even his doctor said so when we went down and visited him at that place. He was able to deal with a lot better with the loss of Frank after we visited.”

“Even so sweetheart, there is nothing we can do. For now all we can do is play the waiting game. Eventually he is going to be released from that place and when he does, he will come down. Until then we need to keep him in our prayers.” Father Gomez got up to prepare dinner. “In my sermon on Sunday I will ask the members of my church to also keep Patrick in their prayers as well.”

Bernice didn’t like her father’s answer, but knew that is all he was able to do and say. She walked Immanuel to the front door. As they were saying their goodbyes, she asked him to keep coming over, which he promised to do. They both wanted to be there whenever Patrick does get out. He will need to see familiar faces on that day.

Before the sun came up, Bernice and her father got woken up with someone banging on their front door. Father Gomez whispered to her to stay in her room and not to come out until he says it is safe. She nodded her head and walked back in while her father walked over to the door. When he reached it, he looked out the window.

At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, he couldn’t believe who was banging on his door so early in the morning. Turning on the porch light, Father Gomez opened the door to a yelling Mr. and Mrs. Petrillo. They were yelling at the top of their longs, Father Gomez couldn’t understand a word they were saying.

“Mr. and Mrs. Petrillo you guys need to stop yelling in order for me to understand what you are saying. I can’t make out a word you are saying. Please, why don’t you guys come in so we can talk like normal, rational people?” They pushed their way into the house yelling their son’s name out.

“Ma’am, sir you guys can’t just barge in my house this way. I invited you guys to come in, but not to snoop around my house. Your son is not here. According to you Mrs. Petrillo, you had him locked away again. So there is no way he can be here.”

“Where is my son you son-of-a-bitch?” Mr. Petrillo walked right up to Father Gomez and started poking him with his finger. “I demand you tell is where he is or I will call the police and have you arrested. So if you don’t want to lose your daughter sir, you better tell us where our son is and I mean now!”

“Go ahead and call the police Mr. Petrillo. In fact I will call them since you guys just barged into my house and are threatening me.” Father Gomez walked over to his phone and dialed 911. When the operator answered, he explained what was going on. After making the call, Father Gomez said; “The police are on their way, so if I was you, I would leave.”

“We aren’t going anywhere unless you tell us where our son is. I know you went over to the hospital after talking with my wife and got him. Where did you take him after you got him out the hospital you son…..”

“You won’t use those kinds of words in this house with me or anyone around me. Even if you don’t respect me as a man of the cloth, you will respect the cloth and the church. As far as your son is concerned, I didn’t go and get him. There is no way I could have gotten him even if I wanted to since he is under age. If he is missing, you need to look elsewhere for the person that might have sprung him.”

Mr. Petrillo stepped several steps away from Father Gomez and spit on his floor. “This is what I think about your church and you!” He spit several more times. “This isn’t a church and are you no a man of the cloth. If you were you wouldn’t be teaching your followers to go against the teachings of God! The load of crap you fed my wife is just that, crap.”

“Father what is going on here? Why are Patrick’s parents searching our house?” Bernice walked into the living room, rubbing her eyes.

“Sweetheart go back to your room. Patrick’s parents are just leaving.”

“What? You don’t want your daughter to hear what you have been doing.” Mr. Petrillo walked over to Bernice and kneeled in front of her. “Your father isn’t a priest because if he was he would know that my son and everyone like him are sinners. He has been teaching people to go against what is in the Bible, and that makes him the devil, not a priest.”

Father Gomez walked over to Patrick’s father and pulled him up from the ground. Just as he went to swing at the father, several officers walked into the house with their weapons drawn. They demanded Mr. Petrillo and his wife to move to the middle of the room and lay down on their stomachs with their hands over their heads.

As they lay down, Patrick’s father tried to explain why they were there, but the officer didn’t want to hear it. They walked over to them and put them into handcuffs. Once they were secure, the officer pulled them up from the floor and sat them down on the couch in order to find out what was going on.

“Father, who are these people and why was this guy about to hit you when we walked into your house?” One of the officers pointed to Patrick’s father. “To tell you the truth I don’t care what you did father, no one hits a priest. Nothing in this world warrants that kind of treatment to those that wear the cloth.”

Father Gomez explained to the officer why the Petrillo’s were at his house. He explained that they were looking for their son. The officer’s asked if their son was here, and the father answered ‘no’. Then Bernice jumped in and told the officers what Patrick’s mother did when she came down yesterday and picked up her son.

“Ma’am, Mrs. Petrillo, ma’am please look at me when I am talking to you.” One of the officers almost yelled as he walked over to her. “I don’t know if you are aware on how the laws have changed dealing with minors when it came down to discipline. You are no longer allowed to pull your kids by the ears in the way this young lady told us you did yesterday. The only place you can spank your kid now is on the butt with the palm of your hand, nothing more or you will be arrested for child abuse.”

“With all due respect sir, no one is gong to tell me how to discipline my kid. If he steps out of line, which he did yesterday, I will do what I think is necessary to make sure he doesn’t step out of line again.”

“Well then ma’am by the way you are talking, the only way you will know we are serious is by executing the law. You are under arrest for child abuse and whatever else I can tack on to that by the stunt you pulled here this morning.” The officer read Mrs. Petrillo her rights as he pulled her to her feet.

While the officer walked Mrs. Petrillo out to the police cruiser, the other officer pulled Mr. Petrillo up from the couch. “You sir will be arrested for disturbing the peace and trespassing and anything else I can tag on. If I can make out a case for assault and battery, I will be charging you with that as well.”

Once the officers put the Petrillo’s in the cruiser, they walked back over to Father Gomez to make sure he and his daughter was okay. Once they got that out of the way, they asked the father if he would press charges against the Petrillo’s. He had to think about it, but finally answered the officers ‘no’. The officers explained to the father they are still going to charge them with the charges, which confused the father.

“Father Gomez we don’t need a complaining witness to charge anyone that is breaking the law. Don’t get us wrong, we like a complaining witness, but the laws of this state allows us to still charge a person if the witness backs out on pressing charges. They can’t be allowed to get away with what they did here this morning sir. The next time they pull this stunt, we might not get there in time and someone will get hurt or worse, killed.”

The officers thanked the father and left. As they drove away, Father Gomez walked back into his house and locked the door. He found his daughter waiting for him in the living room. She asked him if he did get Patrick out. Just like he told his parents, he told his daughter, ‘no’ and then made her go back to bed.

The sun started to pierce through the curtains of Josh and Cesar’s room, right into Josh’s face, waking him up. He turned away from the sun and snuggled up to Cesar, wrapping his arms around his sleeping boyfriend. It didn’t take long before he was out once again and didn’t wake up until he felt someone kissing him on his lips.

As Josh opened his eyes, Cesar’s face came into focus; a face he always wants to see first in the morning. Smiling, Josh pulled he down onto him, both of them starting to laugh as their bare chests touched. Josh could feel Cesar was wide awake; his dick is hard as a rock as it pressed against his hardening dick.

They began to roll from one side of the bed to the other, holding tight onto each other, as they held their kiss. Neither of them wanted to be the one to break the kiss, but they knew they would need to come up for some air soon. Even with that worry, they kept their lips connected, their tongues trading places every few seconds in each others mouth as they pushed the blankets and sheets off the bed rolling around.

All of a sudden a knock on the door startled both Josh and Cesar. They broke the kiss for the first time and jumped out of the bed. In a panic they ran around the room trying to find the running pants they were wearing the day before. Right now all they both have on is their underwear, Josh in boxer briefs, his boner very visible and Cesar in boxers, his boner sticking out of the pee slot.

Just as they pulled their running pants on, the door opened and Daniel Sr. walked into the room. “Boys I know it is Sunday and by the looks of you guys were having some alone time. I am sorry for barging in like this, but Josh we have an issue at the front gate.” Josh looked at his father with a confused look on his face as he placed his hands over his front side trying to hide the noticeable boner trying to get free. “A guest from El Paso arrived at the front gate in a taxi that you need to talk with.”

Josh grabbed his shirt from the floor and put it on as he walked to the staircase with his father. Just as they started to go down the stairs, Cesar caught up handing him his shoes to put on. When he reached the bottom, he quickly put on his shoes and then walked out to see who his father was talking about.

Standing there at the entrance of the drive is Patrick between two security agents. Josh was surprised to see him to say the least. He thought that his father was going to have a fight on his hands when it came time to talk with Patrick’s parents about spending a couple weeks at the end of the summer down here. But here he is, not even halfway into the summer, standing at the entrance of the driveway.

Walking up to Patrick, Josh hugged him and then Cesar welcomed him the same way. “What is going on, I thought we decided on you spending time with us at the end of the summer? How did you get your parents to give you permission to come down here without talking with my father or step mother? They seemed set on keeping you away from me.”

Tears started to roll down Patrick’s cheeks, which told him there is something really wrong. Not wanting the press or anyone to see this, he pulled Patrick into the house as fast as he could. Once they were inside, they made their way to the sitting room, which he calls the green room since everything in there is green.

The only ones that followed Josh into the room were his father and Cesar. Those that were awake were in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Josh’s brothers were still sound asleep upstairs in their room. That ensured them privacy as they talked.

“Son I can see that something is wrong here and I need to know what it is.” Daniel Sr. spoke first. “You need to tell me what is going on before I call up your parents and see if they know you are here. Because if they don’t, I am pretty sure they are very worried about you. I would be if one of my kids disappeared on me over night.”

Getting control of himself, Patrick softly spoke with his head down. “They don’t care about me sir, because if they did they wouldn’t have put me back in the hospital for no reason.” Patrick looked up to look the Governor in the eyes. “Yesterday my mom tried to put me back into the hospital because she didn’t like that I was talking to another guy that is gay. I thought they were cool about having a gay son, but now I see they aren’t.”

“You need to tell me exactly what happened Patrick, so I can help you. Since you are a minor, your parents really can do what they want as long as it is accordance by the law. I know that sounds wrong, but that’s how it is. If I am to help you, I need to find something they did that isn’t according to the law.”

Patrick walked the Governor, Josh and Cesar through the events of yesterday. He didn’t leave one detail out from the beginning to the end. When Patrick told the Governor how his mother got him in the car, he squeezed the arms of the chair really hard. Then when Patrick told the Governor how his mother disciplined him in the car, that was it, the Governor heard enough and saw his way in.

“If what you have told me is the absolute truth, your mother did break a few laws when she dealt with you as far as disciplining you.” Patrick got up from his seat and pulled off his shirt. The Governor got up from his seat and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Their were welts all over the front and back side of Patrick’s chest an back that was made by his mom hitting him with a belt when they got home.

“That is enough son, please put back on your shirt. I will make a couple of calls then we will go to the hospital and have you looked at. At the same time I would like to have pictures taken of your back and chest here for us to have. The hospital will take pictures of this as well as the police, but I would like to have our own as well.”

The Governor got up to walk out, but he remembered what Patrick said when he first started talking. He started asking himself if his parents put him back into the hospital, how did he get out. They had to see the marks on this kid’s body and that should have raised a lot of red flags when they were admitting him.

“I have one more question for you son.” The Governor turned around and looked Patrick right in the eyes to see if he is lying. “You told us that your parents put you back into the hospital yesterday. If so, how did you get out? And why didn’t they call the police when they processed you? They had to see the marks we saw just now.”

“Yes sir they did, but my mom lied and explained them away. The doctors believed her, but took pictures anyways. When my therapist got called in and he saw the marks, he saw through the lies my mother gave the nurses when she put me back into the hospital. He started the paperwork, but my dad stopped him when he came and pulled me out.

He got really angry with my therapist for what he was saying or was about to say in his reports he was going to file. As he pulled me out of the office, he fired my therapist and made it clear to him that he can’t talk about what he saw. The therapist tried to explain to my father that he had no other choice but to report it to the police. Lucky for him a nurse walked in at that point because it looked like my father was going to hit him.”

“Okay I know where I need to go in order to get the ball rolling on this, your therapist. It sounds like to me he was going to do the right thing and file the right reports. I really hope he didn’t stop his paperwork since your father fired him and pulled you at of his office. Even though he is no longer being paid by your father or your father’s insurance, he needs to report what he saw to the police. It is the law.”

This time Governor Lopez walked out and didn’t turn back. Once he left, Josh and Cesar asked Patrick if he needed them to do anything. The only request Patrick had was to not talk about what he just said to anyone. He knows eventually he will have to talk about it, but he doesn’t want to talk about it right now. Josh and Cesar agreed and dropped it.

Not long after they dropped the subject, Rose and Barbara started calling the boys and Daniel Sr. to breakfast. When Rose saw Patrick walk out of the green room, she was surprised to see, but happy at the same time. She walked over to him and gave him a big hug. Although the hug was hurting Patrick because Rose’s hands were touching the welts, he didn’t say anything. In fact he didn’t want her to let him go for any reason.

When Josh’s brothers got down to the table, they were surprised as well to see Patrick at the table. They teased him that he couldn’t stay away from his friend Josh before changing the subject to their first day of work. Patrick just listened as they talked about how excited they are about building a house, even Josh was excited.

At first it didn’t dawn on them that Patrick wasn’t signed up and really had no idea what they were talking about. About mid ways through the conversation, Brandon was the one that stop the conversation and explained to Patrick what they were talking about. He liked the idea of what they were about to do and asked if he could join them.

“I don’t see why not.” Josh answered as he looked at his brothers. “When we report to work tomorrow we will let the foreman know that we have another volunteer that wants to work with us on the project. I don’t see why the foreman will reject you since you will give us an extra pair of hands to get the job done.”

“But first Josh we need to see what is going to happen with what we talked about earlier. If things go south, Patrick might have to go home to El Paso. There is nothing I can do about that if that’s what is determined.”

Daniel Jr., Carlos and Brandon looked at their father, over to Josh and then over to Patrick with confused looks on their faces. When they didn’t get an answer from them, they looked at Rose and Barbara, but they saw they had the same confused looks on their faces. None of them had any idea of what their father was talking about to Josh. Whatever it is, they are keeping the cards close to the vest, not letting anyone in on it.

Just as they were finishing breakfast, the phone started to ring. The Governor got up from the table and walked out of the dining room. Once again those that weren’t in the conversation earlier had a confused look on their faces. Quickly Josh spoke up and asked what they are going to do today. That got the confused look off his brother’s faces and them talking about something else.

The Governor picked up the phone as he sat down at his desk. “Good morning, this is Governor Lopez, who am I speaking to?” The Governor said in a commanding, but yet soothing voice. A voice that always got through to a person he was talking with no matter what the situation was that he was talking about.

“Governor Lopez I am Patrick Petrillo’s therapist, Mr. Quane. Or should I say I was his therapist. I was in a therapy session when you first called, sorry about that. When your office called the second time I made sure that my nurse got me because I know you are a busy man. Sorry for going on like this, how can I help you sir?”

“Mr. Quane I didn’t mean to have you pulled out of a therapy session. I thought that since it was Sunday you didn’t have any sessions. That is what I get for assuming, I made an, well you know.” The Governor started to chuckle. “I know you can’t tell me much if anything about Patrick, but I am going to try. Did you have a chance to see Patrick yesterday, and if you did, did you see his body?”

Mr. Quane cleared his throat. “Yes sir I did see Patrick yesterday, but I can’t discuss with you what we talked about. If I do I will lose my license sir.”

“I understand that Mr. Quane and I am not asking you what was discussed. What I am asking you is if you saw all the marks on his back. If you did, did you follow the law and report what you saw? That sir you can discuss with me without breaking the law or doctor patient privilege.”

“Sir when I was called in last night by the evening staff, I walked into a very explosive situation dealing with Patrick. Once he settled down I saw a lot of marks on his back and chest. I immediately had a nurse come in and take pictures of him for several reasons. One of course I didn’t want later on his parents to come at us with a lawsuit that we harmed their child. And the other reason is to me it looked like a major case of child abuse. Without going into specifics of the conversation, I have no doubt Patrick was abused by one or both of his parents.”

“Okay did you file a report with the police department down there?”

“Yes sir I did do what I had to do according to the law. But sir we have a problem down here, Patrick is missing. After he went home with his father, he packed a few things and ran away. I am worried about him because when I saw him last, he wasn’t in a very good place. Those he trusted and thought believed in him just informed him earlier in the day that every thing he thought was true was nothing but lies.”

“I understand your concern Mr. Quane, but you don’t have to worry about Patrick. He showed up here earlier this morning and told me and Josh what happened. After he showed me the marks on his body, I needed to confirm his story, which you did. The only thing I am worried about now is his parents. I have no other choice but to call them and let them know where Patrick is at. Without a doubt in my mind, they will take the first flight up here and get their son.”

“No Governor they won’t because right now they are sitting in the county jail. They made a scene at Father Gomez’s house before the sun came up this morning. When the police showed up and walked into the father’s house, they stopped Mr. Petrillo from hitting the father. The officers placed them under arrest at that moment.”

“That is very good news to hear. I hope they are able to keep them locked up or at least away from their son until the court can determine where Patrick should go. Don’t get me wrong here Mr. Quane, I don’t want Patrick in foster care, but at the same time I don’t want him with his parents if they are going to abuse him.”

“Maybe with a call from you sir or someone from your office, they will temporarily take Patrick out of his parents care and put him in your care or a foster home for his safety. He has no other family to go to and I think that is why he stayed in an abusive home.”

“To be completely truthful with you Mr. Quane I don’t use this office power for anything personal in my life. I will call who I need to all down there in El Paso to let them know first Patrick is safe and here with me. Then I will try, as a regular citizen, to talk with the courts or who ever I need to in order to have Patrick removed from his house as you recommended. I don’t know if I am going to get anywhere, but I will try.”

The Governor spoke a few more minute with Mr. Quane. Before hanging up with the therapist, the Governor asked him to copy him on any reports that he has, and will file with the police. He also wanted a copy of the pictures he had taken of Patrick to add to the pictures he will be taking of the young man.

After hanging up the phone with the therapist, he pulled in his mother and wife to let them in on what is going on. Once he informed them, they were as angry, if not more so than the Governor was when he first heard the news. Rose and Barbara volunteered to take Patrick to the hospital to get looked at. The Governor agreed because he didn’t want Patrick’s personal life to become the lead story for the news channels. If he takes him that’s what would happen.

Neither Josh nor Cesar were able to go with Rose and Barbara when they took Patrick to the hospital. The more that went, the more attention they would draw from the press. Barbara and Rose already know the press is going to be watching and following them, but not all of them. Since it is only them leaving the house, maybe only one or two members of the press will follow them, if even that. The majority of the press wants the big story and to them the big story is the Governor and his kids.

Reluctantly Josh agreed with his stepmother and grandmother. He pulled Patrick to the side before he left and made sure he was okay with what was going on. For being where he is at right now, Patrick consoled Josh, not the other way around. He explained to him that he had no problem with his father’s request and understood why his father wanted documentation of what his parents did.

As soon as Father Gomez finished his Sunday morning sermon, he met with a few members of his church before he went back to his house. When he walked through the door, he found Bernice on the phone. She looked up and told who ever was on the other line to hold on her father just walked in and then handed the father the phone.

The father was surprised to find that the person on the other end was Mr. Quane. He called to inform the father and Bernice that Patrick was okay and that he was in Austin with Josh. When the father heard the news, he was able to relax a little.

It was great news to hear that he is safe and with the Governor, but that might be a short trip for Patrick. His parents will get bail. Both Bernice’s father and Mr. Quane know that. Once they do, they will go and get him, which means he will be right back in the same horror he ran away from.

Mr. Quane explained to the father that the Governor is going to do what he can, but he isn’t going to use his position. That grabbed Father Gomez’s attention causing him to ask why not. Mr. Quane tried to answer the question, but really couldn’t. All he could say is what the Governor told him in their conversation earlier.

Just as they were ending their call, Father Gomez’s call waiting was ringing. He let Mr. Quane go so he could answer the other line, which was another shocker. The voice on the other end confirmed who he was and asked him to hold for the Governor. A few minutes later the Governor came on the line, but he was still talking with someone on his side.

“Father Gomez, good afternoon, this is Governor Lopez, how are you sir?”

“I am fine sir, how about you?”

“Not that good to tell you the truth. I don’t know if you know yet that my family had an unexpected guest arrive at our door step.” Father Gomez stayed quiet. “Patrick arrived at the mansion this morning and told me and my son Josh a story that blew my mind. At first I didn’t believe him, but he showed me the marks.”

“You lost me sir! I just found out that Patrick is up there with you and your family, but I have no idea what you are talking about as far as marks. The last time I saw Patrick, which was yesterday, he was okay until his mother came and picked him up. My daughter witnessed Mrs. Petrillo grabbing Patrick by the ear and forcing him into the car.”

“That I didn’t even know about, father. It seems the more people I talk with, the more things I am finding out here. After talking with Patrick this morning, I talked with his therapist before sending Patrick to the hospital to be looked at. He just got back and I am looking at the exam results.

According to the emergency room doctor, the beating Patrick got yesterday wasn’t his first. Looking at his ex-rays and body scans, they can see that Patrick has been hit to the point that he received broken ribs, collar bone, arm and the list goes on. They are one hundred percent sure the injuries were caused by abuse because they were never reported. Simply put, they didn’t heal right and that is how they know it was never reported.”

Father Gomez couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew that things weren’t going good for Patrick because he showed all the signs that something wasn’t right in his life, but he thought Patrick was withdrawn because of losing Frank. Now he is hearing that there is a lot more to the story of he has been going through.

“Governor Lopez to say I am stunned is an understatement. Patrick and his parents seemed to be a normal family. I would have never have even thought that he was being abused, but all the signs were there. We as the other adults in his life let him down because we ignored the signals he was giving us.”

“There is no need to be critical of yourself, Father. None of us really could have seen this because Patrick got good on hiding it. The little signs that you are talking about I saw and I just put them off as a teenager being a teenager. Remember how we were at his age, all the new emotions that we were going through and didn’t understand.

Anyways I am not a happy camper that this was happening under my nose. At first I wasn’t going to use the power of my office to get things done, but I need to step in here and get Patrick out of that house. There is no way I can let him go back to a house where I know that he will continue getting beaten.

So what I have done is pull the District Attorney of El Paso County from his home and had him put in an emergency injunction in place. What this does is temporally remove Patrick out of that house and put him in the care of the state until a judge can hear the case. That will more than likely happen within a week or two. I am pretty sure after the judge hears the testimony of the doctor here, the removal will become permanent.”

“Okay I like what I am hearing sir, but what is going to happen to Patrick in the mean time? By taking him out of his house that means he will go into foster care. This kid has gone through a lot. It wouldn’t be right to put him in foster care on top of what he has already gone through. I truly believe that will be the breaking point for Patrick.”

“That I agree with and that is why I had the District Attorney place Patrick into my care for the mean time. I can’t live with myself if I am the one that takes him out of one hell hole and put him into a worse one. He needs some kind of normalcy in his life. That’s the only way he is going to be able to properly heal from everything he has gone through.”

The Governor spoke with Father Gomez for a few more minutes before hanging up with him. He got the father’s assurance that he will do what he can on his side to help out. That meant pressing charges against Patrick’s parents. That’s something that the father really wasn’t comfortable with, but knew it was the right thing to do in this situation.

The rest of the day was quiet, nothing more exciting happened. Still Daniel Jr., Carlos, and Brandon had no idea what was going on. They knew something was up by all the closed door talks and Patrick appearing out of the blue. Still, they didn’t ask questions. They figured if they need to know what is going on, their father will bring them in and tell them.

Since they have to get up early in the morning, the boys called it an early night. Every thing was going so fast, no one thought where Patrick was going to sleep until everyone started heading to bed. The Governor couldn’t help but chuckle that they forgot the one thing that was the easiest to do.

“Patrick don’t worry, there is plenty of room for you.” Governor Lopez got up and pulled Patrick to his feet. “You will have the room that Cesar and Chris slept in when they were down here during my inauguration. Make the room yours because you will be with us for awhile.”

“I hope you can sleep with all the weird noises this house makes.” Josh added with a smirk. “There are times I am sound asleep and all of a sudden I am jolted awake by a noise or someone touching me. And trust me it isn’t Cesar touching me because I felt that the last time we were here and Cesar and I weren’t sharing a room.”

“Josh, enough with those stories.” The Governor looked at his son with a serious look on his face. “This house is old and has already been rebuilt once years ago when it was fire bombed. So it is going to make noises, but it’s just the wood settling in for night, nothing more than that. So don’t let your imagination get away from you.”

Josh looked at Patrick and shook his in the negative to what his father was saying. Patrick couldn’t help but laugh at the way he and his father are with each other. He never thought that Josh had this close relationship with his father. All he knew about the Governor is just that, he is the Governor and before that a general; a serious, down to business type of guy. Not this guy that fools around with his kids like a normal parent does.

Once everyone said their goodnights, Patrick tried to settle in, but couldn’t. His head was swarming with everything that he has gone through in the last couple days, he couldn’t fall asleep. His mind kept going in all different directions, it wouldn’t settle down. Eventually his mind tired itself out and he fell asleep. He didn’t wake up again until he heard the knock on his bedroom door and then Josh calling out his name.

“I am up, give me a few minutes and I will be right down.” he got up, but his body was telling him no way. Every inch of his body was hurting him. Even in areas that he wasn’t hit, his body was hurting. He didn’t let the pain stop him. He forced himself out of bed and got dressed, working through the pain.

By the time he got downstairs, he was used to the pain. Still not used to the Governor’s mansion, he got lost looking for the kitchen. Somehow on his way back to the staircase, he made the wrong turn and walked into the dining room. Everyone turned and smiled and then went back to eating.

Governor Lopez had breakfast with his boys. He wanted to make sure they were still okay and wanting to work. Being a normal father, he worried. None of them had ever worked a job this physical. He wanted them to volunteer some of their summer and give back, but he thought they would have picked a desk job, not something like this.

Once he saw his kids were okay, the Governor wished them luck. On his way out, he pulled Lloyd to the side. He went over what they discussed before about the working environment. Lloyd understood what the Governor was asking and promised him once again if anything was unsafe, he will make sure his sons don’t do it. If the site is unsafe, he will bring the kids home. After hearing that, the Governor was a little more comfortable and headed off to work.

When the boys finished breakfast, they headed out to the work site. As they drove up, they saw the foreman and several other guys already there. Before letting Josh and his brothers out, the security detail went and made sure that everyone there were cleared. The forward team informed Russ that they were clear, which is all Russ needed to hear.

The first thing Josh did when he got out of the car is go and talk with the boss of the site, the site foreman. It wasn’t the guy that they talked with when they signed up for the job. It was someone he hadn’t met before. A big husky guy, in his early forties, at least. He looked like he had worked hard labor all his life.

“Hello my name is Josh Lopez, are you the one we are to report to?” The guy nodded his head. “We have another person with us that didn’t sign up the day we volunteered. He wants to help out and work in our group, so I was wondering if that was okay.”

“Josh, my name is Herbert Owens, it’s nice to meet you.” He extended his hand and he shook it. “Now as far as your question I have no problem with another pair of hands in the mix. It’s just we can’t have him start working until we have all the paperwork signed. It’s nothing against you or the person that wants to work. We just need to cover ourselves insurance wise. We can be sued if he gets hurt on the job site and we don’t have the proper paperwork signed.”

He pulled out and handed Mr. Owens the paperwork that he needed already signed. “Here you go sir, all signed and delivered.” He took the paperwork from Josh and went over it before saying anything. Once he saw that everything was signed, he put the paper in his truck.

“Okay he can start working with you guys this morning. First though we need to take care of a few things.” They walked back over to his brothers, Cesar and Patrick. “Okay it is tradition that before we start working on a site, we meet the family that the house belongs to. Sometimes the family joins in, but they aren’t required to.”

He asked the boys to follow him. They walked into the house where the family was sitting in what looks like the living room. At first glance they couldn’t tell what room this was since the room was already missing several walls and part of the roof. Not to embarrass the people that live in the house, the boys stopped looking around.

The family stood as Mr. Owens did the introductions. When everyone shook hands and greeted each other, he pulled the boys back outside. While he went back to his truck, the boys looked around. They really couldn’t see anything since the sun still hasn’t come up yet.

“Gentlemen I want you guys to take a hard look at the house and the neighborhood around you. Every town in this country has an area like this. Many people call it the poor side of the town. At the same time since they refer to it as the poor side of town, they pretty much have given up on it and the people that live in these neighborhoods.

Please look around and see what I am talking about. I know it is still dark and you pretty much can’t see your hand in front of you, but try and look. Through the days and weeks ahead that you work on this project, get to know the people in this neighborhood. That way when you leave here, you won’t only know how to build a house, but as well you will take with you the knowledge that not everyone is well off in this country.

Some of the people I know don’t try to better themselves, but many do. Those are the ones that we are here to help. That’s where organizations like this one comes into play. You will work along side me and several guys that build houses and buildings for a living. Together we will rebuild this house from the ground up. When we are done, we can see the results of the hard work we have done.”

While he walked over to his truck to grab his clip board, Josh talked with his brothers, Cesar and Patrick. His brothers agreed with him that he was wrong on saying what he said about learning a lesson about poverty in this nation. They know full well there is poverty in this nation. They don’t need to learn that. That part of his speech really angered Josh. By the way he spoke; he thinks that they are spoiled rich kids. How far from the truth he is.

When he returned with his clipboard, the boys stopped talking. He handed out the assignments for the day. They are pretty much going to take a sledge hammer to this house and tear it down to its foundation. He made it clear to the boys that he would like to have the house torn down by the end of the day.

So the boys went over to the truck and picked up a sledge hammer each before walking to their side of the house they were assigned. As they worked, they fooled around, which didn’t make Mr. Owen happy. Josh and the guys though figured they would have fun while they work. They weren’t doing anything that would hurt anyone as they were having fun taking a sledge hammer to the walls inside the house.

By lunch, all the walls in the house were torn down. While the boys ate, the foreman and the other certified builders started up the bulldozer and brought the shell of the house down. Josh look in disbelief as bulldozer, in minutes, demolished the house. Wondering to himself why they didn’t bulldoze the house down from the beginning. It would have saved them a morning worth of work.

Keeping his thoughts to himself, he finished his sandwich and chips. Once he was done, Josh got up and walked out to the sidewalk. He looked up and down the street to see that all the houses on this block is pretty much in the same condition, if not worse, than the one they are working on.

About five houses down Josh spotted another work crew working on a house. They have already pretty much cleared the old house away. That brings him back to his original thoughts on why didn’t Mr. Owen simply bulldoze the house first thing in the morning. Even if they had to wait for the bulldozer, they still will be further along than they are.

“I know you and I know what you are thinking, the same thing I am.” Josh turned to see Patrick standing to his right. “I don’t understand why the foreman had us knockout the walls if they were going to bulldoze the house anyways. They should have done that and save us the aches and pains that we are going to feel tonight.”

“That is no lie! I am already feeling the aches and pains.” Josh grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand and started running it. “I would ask Cesar to rub my aches an pains away, if you get my drift, but I know he will be feeling the same aches and pains I am, trust me.” Patrick started laughing as he imagined what he meant.

“Unless one of us asks him why he asked us to do what we did this morning, we will never get the answer. To be honest with you I don’t think I want to know the answer. He already thinks that we have a silver spoon in our mouths. That alone I think is why he actually made us do what we did this morning.”

“That is true, very true! If only he knew that we weren’t what he thinks we are, spoiled rich kids. Yeah, my father is Governor, but we are nowhere near rich. Who I see as a rich person is that guy that won a lawsuit against the school district and city of El Paso that goes to our school, Jacob. Now he is rich since he now has millions of dollars.”

“That is true, but he seems down to earth to me. You and Chris know him a lot better than any of us do. I am pretty sure if he wasn’t down to earth, you wouldn’t have gotten to know him, or your father asking his grandfather to be part of his administration. Your family is simple and far from being spoiled.”

Josh didn’t know that Patrick thought that of him and his family. The few times he has spoken with Jacob, he is down to earth. He doesn’t act like a millionaire. In fact, to Josh it looks like Jacob doesn’t want the money, not the way it came to him. That alone is the reason he really likes Jacob, besides being the person that paved the way for him to have it easier at school being gay.

When the lunch hour was over, the boys went to work clearing the yard. Little by little they put what was once a house, but is now a pile of ruble, into huge metal dumpsters. By the time four o’clock rolled around, they could barely raise their arms. All they wanted to do is get home and soak in the hottest water they could stand.

When they left the job site, Mr. Owens made a sly remark to the boys as he said goodbye. He made it clear to them that he thinks they aren’t going to come back tomorrow. Not needing anymore motivation as it is, the boys were more determined than before to show this guy they aren’t who and what he thinks they are. Not only they are going to be here first thing in the morning, they are going to do whatever he throws at them without complaining or questioning why he is asking them to do it.

TO BE CONTINUED………………..

WRITER’S CORNER:

{Welcome back one and all to another chapter of “Shadow of My Father”. In this chapter I threw in so many twists and turns, you guys have to be dizzy. As I keep warning you, don’t get use to one plot going one direction, because I will mix it up some. That is the only way I can keep you guessing on what is in store for each character.

The chapter picked right up where chapter fifty-one left off with Daniel thanking his sons for giving him the best birthday present he has ever received. The party went on into early hours of the morning, which shouldn’t have been a surprise. That is the main reason they didn’t have the birthday party during the week on his actual birthday.

Then we jumped over to El Paso to see what was going on with Bernice, Patrick and the new guy Immanuel. Now the only reason the others aren’t in this chapter or the last few chapters is because they are off with family out of state. In the next couple of chapters we will touch base with each of them as they are on their summer vacation.

Now back to El Paso, with a question for you readers. Was it a big surprise to you guys when Patrick caught his mother spying on him? It shouldn’t have been a big surprise, not after what she and her husband did at Josh’s house. Come on, how many of us honestly thought that Patrick’s parents actually weren’t spying on their son?

This time though Mrs. Petrillo got caught by her son and tried at first to lie her way out of it. When her son didn’t allow her to lie to him, she tried to not say anything, but that didn’t last long. When she opened her mouth, she showed her true colors as well as Mr. Petrillo’s. It is sad all this is happening to Patrick. He doesn’t deserve it.

Many people in this world are two faced. I am pretty sure each of us has known someone that has said one thing to our faces, but said or meant something else behind our back to another person. I hope none of us are two faced. Take it from one that has learned his lesson; it will always catch up to you just like it did to Patrick’s parents.

I’m glad that Patrick confronted his mother when he caught her spying, but I’m not glad with how it turned out. Not only she told him what she and her husband really felt about him being gay, she showed Bernice, Immanuel and Father Gomez how she treats him. She actually pulled him by the ear and didn’t let go until he was inside the car on the passenger side. What’s wrong with that woman?

Later we found out that this isn’t the first time he has been abused by his parents. It is sad, but it happens way too often now days that kids are being abused by someone in their immediate family. They have no idea they could do something about it, so they take the abuse and learn how live with it and hide it. That is what Patrick did, so when it came out, not one could believe it.

Just like Father Gomez told the Governor when the Governor called him, they seemed like a normal family. No one really knows what is happening in our neighbor’s house unless it really gets out of control. Once again Patrick got used to what was happening to him and hid it from everyone. The signs were there, but so subtle that no one really thought anything about it. They all thought it was Patrick being a teenager, nothing more than that.

The Governor and Josh got a big surprise on Sunday morning when Patrick showed up on the door step, and further with what Patrick said. I am glad how fast the Governor reacted and got him to the hospital although he was given bad news from the exam that the beatings have been going on for a while now.

The Governor tires so hard to stay above it all by not wanting to use his position as Governor, but there are times that he has no other choice. What is happening to Patrick is one of those times. If anyone tries to make it look like he is doing wrong here, it will backfire. The Governor pulled a kid out of a very abusive situation and the voters won’t hold anything against him for doing what he did.

Let’s talk a little about the ending of the chapter. I am glad that the boys still went to work on helping to rebuild a house for Habitat for Humanity. What I don’t like is the foreman here. He really doesn’t know the boys. If he did, he would know that they aren’t spoiled little rich kids. I see a plot here that will keep you as readers wondering what is going to happen next. Is the foreman going to realize how wrong he is? Or is he going to make each and every day a living hell for the boys?

I could stay here all day long, with all the open plots already in this story, but I won’t. I warn you though! Don’t skip a chapter, or you will be lost. There is a so much to answer in the chapters to come. Keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy! Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacobmillertex@aol.com, Thanks!}

EDITOR’S CORNER:

Greetings one and all! It’s a wonderful spring Saturday morning as I am writing you.

Yes, it was a sad revelation that Patrick’s parents are homophobes and haters under it all. What troubles me is that Patrick has been suffering from physical abuse for some time. It seems from what I am able to figure, abuse that was going on even before they knew he is gay. As a parent myself, I will never be able to get my head around how anyone can abuse their offspring. I will never understand.

Fr. Gomez, Bernice and Immanuel are continuing to prove they are loyal and trustworthy friends to Patrick. Fr. Gomez even relented and has agreed to press charges against Patrick’s parents, not for any form of vengeance, but to add assuredness to them not being able to get their abusive hands on Patrick again. Fr. Gomez. With the way that Patrick has been around the rectory so much and with the interaction between Patrick and the good Father, I’d not be surprised if Fr. Gomez becomes Patrick’s foster parent.

Just for the record regarding that last statement, I have no prior knowledge of where JPG is taking this plot.

The Governor is so careful, and rightly so, to not use his office for personal matters. In this case, he had no choice in that the law mandates anyone that is aware of abuse to report it to the authorities. Had he not acted, Daniel could have been held responsible for not reporting. He did the right thing morally, ethically and legally.

The crew going out to do a Habitat for Humanity project is, as I said before, awesome. Now, they have a foreman that thinks he’s got some spoiled rich kids and he’s going to make them pay their dues! Somehow I suspect Josh is going to give the man a new perspective. I’m waiting for Josh to pull him off to the side after a few days and give him an earful that will alter his attitudes. I don’t think this one will recognize the realities without someone making the point and shocking him into reality.

Josh is fast gaining strength of character and he doesn’t have much patience for those that act with a lack of sensitivity or those that sell him, or those he loves, short. It will be most interesting to see how he handles this man who has a solid mindset.

Until next time,
“Daddy” Rick