Published: 3 Feb 2022

Drew

 
I first learned what had happened to Tom the day after classes started the year after Tom had been in my 3rd grade class. Apparently a neighbor had had enough of the angry and abusive language the people next door used constantly toward their young son. From what he had heard for the last few months, while home recovering from surgery to help heal a cracked pelvis, the boy was their only child and they treated him as their personal servant. Now that the warmer weather had arrived and windows were open and school was out for the summer, he had heard them ordering the boy around almost the entire day. Well he had heard enough and had called the Department of Children and Family Services and they sent out an investigator. The investigator waited with the neighbor until the verbal haranguing began in the morning, recording the abuse being directed at the boy and then called his office for a caseworker to join him, and then called for a police officer to be in attendance as they removed the child and brought charges of abuse against the so-called parents.

I learned all this from the principal at our school when I asked if he knew what became of Tom. There was just something about Tom that drew me to him. I didn’t have a better explanation than that. I just felt that we could be good for each other. OH, NO, not like that!!! Yes, I do identify as Gay, but I am not attracted to boys. No, the few relationships I have had during my college years had been with men about my own age, and my most recent one was with a man two years older than me. That relationship did not pan out for either of us. He wanted to explore with others, knowing he had a steady lover waiting for him at home. He neglected to tell me this when we were dating, and I did not discover this about him until after I had graduated with my Masters and had gotten hired at the grade school here in Granby.

No, I moved out of our shared apartment in Springfield the same afternoon I learned about his several indiscretions and moved to a furnished efficiency in Granby. I never heard from the jerk again, either by cell or by mail, so I sometimes wondered if he even knew I was gone. It was about two weeks later, about two months until the beginning of the new school year, that I was informed by my family’s lawyer that my now deceased adoptive parent’s estate was cleared in probate court and all accounts, and property were now mine. In cash, and insurance, there was over $700,000.00 and their stocks and bonds at today’s cash value was close to $500,000.00. I did what I always wanted to do and that was to take the home they had brought me home to and make it my own.

While renovations began on the house, I contemplated my future, and I realized that when I envisioned living in a home it was Tom next to me, not my ex. I resolved to make my dreams come through and find the boy, find out how to go about adopting him and make that happen. He was a kid and he deserved a better life and since I had gone through losing my birth parents, and many years later my adoptive parents, I thought I could help Tom, not only that, I felt I should help Tom.

You wouldn’t believe the strange looks I got when I first met Tom’s caseworker. Miss Lyons most likely must have thought I was some kind of pedophile, searching out a specific boy in her care, but I had been thoroughly investigated by her department (that lasted over two months) and then I had to squeeze in fostering classes with all the little jobs around the house, renovations I had agreed with the contractor I could handle on evenings, and weekends either by myself or with a couple of his workers I hired separately to help me when I needed extra hands or extra strength to complete the tasks the contractor deemed could be done on the off hours of the crew assigned to my home.

I cannot tell you how nervous I was before and during my first meeting with Tom during that fateful meet and greet at his dormitory. But I shouldn’t have been, it all went according to plan. I didn’t want there to be any huge surprises down the road, I needed him to know my particulars ahead of the game, before he decided if he even wanted to spend that first weekend with me at the house. I thought it was only fair to Tom, plus it was a promise I had made to Miss Lyons, she had been thinking of Tom’s welfare also.

Not like Tom’s birth parents. I had learned that when the caseworker and the investigator from the DCFS showed up at Tom’s house the mother and father ran out the back door and jumped into their car and sped off even before the police had gotten out of their cruiser. The parents had taken the back roads to the highway, closely followed by the police and made their way toward Springfield (heading God knows where) and they got up on route 291 heading east and five miles later crashed into the south bound traffic on route 91 and both parents perished in the crash. What little insurance they had helped pay the damages they caused to four other vehicles and the injuries they caused to the occupants of those four cars. Their small home had been rented, there were very few assets to be held for when Tom reached an age of majority.

Tom’s and my reunion went very well, if fact it made me even more convinced I was doing the right thing by taking Tom into my life as more than a past teacher for him. Our sad parting after that first weekend visit was tempered by the knowledge that on the very next Friday at noon I would again be picking him up at the dorm for his second weekend with me. He now had both my cell and landline phone numbers and I encouraged him to call whenever he could, even if it was just to say hello, or to give me his ideas on what we should be doing during that next weekend.

OH Damn!!!! I forgot to tell you about our dinner out at Angelo’s Restaurant that first Saturday night. It was Tom’s first time in a real restaurant, and he was kind of nervous. I teased him that all he had to do was pick out a meal, or a pizza, from the menu and when the waiter or waitress delivered his meal to the table, eat it. There was no pressure, this wasn’t a super fancy place. He might even see some folks he knew from when he lived in town before, (it was a very popular place and being reasonably priced made it even more popular).

I told him that his school pants, dress shoes, and one of his nice polo shirts would be acceptable, and after we had each showered in our own bathrooms and dressed, we met again downstairs. I really didn’t plan it, you know, but we both wore tan dockers and light green polos with black loafers. I told him he had great taste in clothes, and he told me I looked pretty good myself, we both chuckled as we made our way into the attached garage. It was only a few miles to the restaurant and since it was a Saturday night, I had made reservations for 6:00 pm. We had only stepped up to the host stand when I heard a voice call out. “Tom, where you been? And Mr. Clark, good to see you Sir.” It was Billy Porter, another youth from the year I had Tom in my class for the previous school year. Tom and Billy were chatting away as the host asked if I was Mr. Clark with reservations for 2 at 6:00 and I confirmed I was.

It was when I turned to see what Tom and Billy were doing when I noticed the man standing in the waiting line, next to Billy. He was about 6’2″ and his clothes fit him like a second skin. His real skin seemed to have a healthy tan to it, and he appeared to be about my own age, 26. It was his eyes that held my interest, they were the greenest eyes I thought I had ever seen. He seemed amused by the boys’ reunion and he had a great smile on his handsome face. He had noticed my turn and his eyes seemed to rake up and down my body and they ended up sharing my gaze at him. He stepped forward with his hand out, introducing himself to me. His name was Aaron, Aaron Porter, Billy’s uncle, and guardian. I quickly found my voice and introduced myself, Drew Clark, Tom’s foster father. One look from Tom and I turned to the host and asked if our table for two could be upgraded to a table for 4. I looked back at Aaron and his smile had grown as he nodded his assent. I realized that Billy and Tom were nodding, too.

Our host asked if we minded waiting a few seconds while two place settings were added to our table and of course we had no problem with that. A few moments later we were escorted to a front corner booth which now had 4 place settings and four menus placed on it. Tom and I on one side and Aaron and Billy opposite us. Billy and Tom were still exchanging information about their year and a few months separation. Aaron told me about how his only sister had become a single mother to Billy, and her passing from breast cancer just 6 months ago.

Now that the gist of his story had been shared it was time to place our orders, so we each helped our boy find their perfect meal for their joyous reunion. Once the veal parmigiana special had been agreed upon for the whole table and our orders placed, it was back to swapping our stories. I told Aaron about having the boys in my class and how Tom had stood out for me among all the others, and how I had tracked him down when I did not see him around school this past school year, about how I took the fostering classes, because I just knew we were going to be a family, I knew it in my heart, and I had made preparations for that eventuality.

We made it to our college careers, and how we had both become teachers, and then the surprise, Aaron, after becoming the guardian of Billy, had left his school in Springfield and took a position here in Granby, he would start in August as the new fifth grade teacher at the same school I taught third grade at.

Our meals were great, and Tom told me that I sure picked a great restaurant, and that night I had to agree. We had been in the right place and at the right time. We all wanted to talk more, but it was getting late, so we made plans to get together Sunday afternoon at our house for some pool time. The boys were thrilled they would get to see each other again and to be honest, I so wanted to see Aaron in a swimsuit.

Our ride home was not a silent one, and as soon as we both started it seemed we weren’t going to run out of words anytime soon, including as we went from the garage into the kitchen area and then into the family room. Tom told me how he felt conflicted about seeing Billy again. He didn’t know how much Billy knew about where he had been living since his parent’s deaths, or the situation that had caused their demise. But he told me that Billy wasn’t put off because of where Tom was living now, only that it was 20 miles away and visiting was just about out of the question, but knowing that Tom would be in town for the next two weekends, and permanently after that, well Billy was so glad to have his friend back. Tom was kind of upset about the death of Billy’s mom. Not that he was ever given a chance to know her, but he did know how much Billy had loved her. He was happy for Billy, and that his Uncle had been able to come to town and take over the parenting duties, and provide Billy with good solid support in his life.

Tom looked at me then and asked if I didn’t think that Billy’s Uncle Aaron was a nice guy? He had a big smile on his face as he looked up expectantly at me.
 
 
We woke about the same time in the morning, this was that first Sunday Tom had spent with me. We were expecting Billy and Aaron for a swim and a barbecue dinner. I had to keep in mind that I had to have Tom back to the dormitory at 6:30 pm this evening. I hoped this last bit of time wasn’t too rough on him. I mean I tried to assure him my intention to be his guardian, and then becoming his adopted father was my goal, but who knows what goes on in the minds of adolescents? I did talk to him as we made our breakfast together. He had never had homemade pancakes before, apparently if it was available from a drive through, then that is where his mother got their groceries.

I’d made note of the fact that while doing something, even something like folding laundry, Tom could talk a blue streak. It was one of his qualities I admired in him. This ability he had to sectionalize his brain’s functions, being able to do two totally different and unrelated functions at the same time, both functions needing some degree of concentration. And so it went, as we folded a bunch of beach towels for use at the pool this afternoon. He folded and talked, and asked questions, mostly about what I thought about his childhood friend, Billy. They had met in the school’s kinder class, and were in the same class during 1^st grade, 2^nd grade, and in my 3^rd grade class. They never got to see each other out of school, mostly because of Tom’s parents, and they had really missed each other this past school year when they were separated. Tom was greatly pleased that they would again be attending the same school, and living in the same town again, he said Billy felt the same.

He asked again if I didn’t find Billy’s Uncle Aaron nice, and I admitted that I did, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we were going to become life-long friends. I was trying to be noncommittal about Aaron, at least right now. I admitted that he intrigued me and that I hoped we could leave it at that, at least for now, I didn’t need distractions, I needed to concentrate on making Tom my son.

Yes, our afternoon with the Porter uncle and nephew went very well. Tom just had to show off his bedroom and I was very pleased that Aaron wanted a tour of the first floor, exclaiming how wonderfully the renovation had turned out after I showed him the before, during, and after pictures. Once the grand tours were over it was pool time. It was just about 80 degrees out but with the umbrellas up it did create some shade out on the patio that surrounded the pool. Our guests used the large shower bath off the laundry room and Tom placed the newly folded beach towels out on the closest table to the pool. Tom and Billy had a ball both above and below the surface of the water. They were like a couple of otters in the water. I, on the other hand, spent most of my time swimming laps, sure that the erection I had popped after seeing Aaron coming out of the house was acting like a rudder under me. Aaron came out of the house in one of the tightest pairs of Lycra swim trunks I think I’d ever seen (the man was a walking wet dream).

Once I had myself under control I apologized to Aaron, telling him that I had to get my exercises in, or I’d go to pot. He told me he had enjoyed watching me slicing through the water and I noticed that he had grown a couple of inches in his groin department. We watched the boys frolicking in the water, really enjoying themselves. They seemed to be renewing their friendship beautifully. It really was wonderful to see. Aaron and I went into the kitchen to snag the trays and bowls of snacks I had prepared with Tom before our guests had arrived. I would have liked to have taken in the whole view of Aaron, but he had followed my lead and wrapped one of those big towels around his midsection before we had gone in for the snacks. He was easy to talk to, he seemed interested in what I had to say, he was very complimentary, he genuinely seemed interested in not just me, but in my life, he was seriously attractive to me, what’s not to like?

I had told myself several times in the past fifteen or so hours, since meeting Aaron for the first time, that I shouldn’t get my hopes up, or appear too interested, after all, I was just about to finish my first weekend with Tom, and I really didn’t want to screw up even before being granted permanent guardianship, I mean I needed that to be able to adopt him and there were a ton of interviews yet to get through, that and a few home inspections as well as maybe a surprise inspection, which is something I heard about at the fostering classes. No, for the next month at least I would have to remain celibate. It just wasn’t worth it to screw up everything I wanted to happen regarding Tom’s future.

Of course, with all that running through my mind I had this mostly naked man next to me in my kitchen, helping me put the leftovers of the snacks away while I was getting the hamburger patties formed for our cookout dinner. Aaron would occasionally ask where something went but then went a bit silent. I was about to ask if he needed help with the empty bowls he was holding when he nervously asked if I would be offended if he happened to ask me out sometime. I wanted to hold him and kiss him (with tongue!!) but instead I turned to him and replied that I would like that a lot, but for the next month or so I would have to deny his request. He looked a little surprised with my response, but when I explained why my answer was what it was, he blushed and said he should have thought about that himself, as even with his sister’s documented request that Aaron be appointed Billy’s guardian, he also had to have background checks, a home inspection, and several references checked out.

I told him that I really did want to start dating him, but for now, why didn’t we spend time with the boys on the weekends, and maybe going out for lunch or dinner with Billy and on the next two weekends with Tom in tow also. He brightened up and asked if there was a chance for the two of us eventually, and I responded that as long as it was us two, then yes, but there was also a chance for the four of us to be a family. His smile would have lit up the night sky, if it was dark out.

Tom and I stood in front of the garage and watched our guests leave, waving them goodbye as we did. I thought our friends were pleased with our little get-together and were looking forward to next weekend as much as Tom and I were. Now we had to get ready to take Tom back to his dormitory.

Tom re-dressed in his regular clothes, the ones we bought Saturday he stowed in his bureau in his room and in his closet. Yes, we had squeezed in a little trip to the mall in Hadley where I splurged and bought Tom some new clothes. Well, clothes, shoes, underwear, and some new sneakers, some new dress loafers. He looked great at our dinner out and the next day at our swim party and cookout. He asked if he could leave his new clothes at my house, and I told him that it was our house, and if he didn’t mind, I would take the time during the week to run the new clothing through the laundry for him, so he’d have them to wear next weekend. I did earn a hug for that, one I gladly returned.

We had ice cream cones at a roadside stand on our way out of town. It was a place with a large parking lot and a slew of picnic tables along the top of the parking lot. We were not alone out there, I mean there were at least ten tables lined up along the top of the parking lot and there were families at least three of them, and a couple at another. We had about a half hour to kill before the 20-minute drive to the dorm. Tom was both excited and depressed. I asked what was on his mind and he told me he had had the best weekend ever with me, and he was sad that he couldn’t spend the whole week with me. I reminded him that we would only be apart for four and a half days, and then I would be picking him up again and we would have to repeat that only one more time, and if all went well, he’d be staying here at our home, forever. I reminded him that he was now reunited with his best friend Billy, so I wanted him to think of something we could do next weekend as a group, so he and Billy got to spend some time together also. At that he got excited again and asked if we all could go to Quabbin. He bet that Billy would find it just as much fun as he had. Then he said that he had noticed that there were also those longer canoes that would hold all four of us, as he bet that Aaron and I would like to see each other again also. (Nope, this kid was no dummy, he had me pegged during our first visit!!)

On the drive into Springfield, I explained that at some point during the week Miss Lyons would likely meet with him to see how his weekend went and she might ask some embarrassing questions, but I wanted him to answer her honestly and truthfully. He said he would, and he knew a little about the expected interview from talking with other boys from his dorm after some of their weekend visits with prospective foster parents.

When we arrived at the dorm, I walked him in, for two reasons. One I had to actually sign him in, and two, I wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, even if we were just saying goodbye for a few days. He instigated a hug right there in the lobby, even with other boys saying their goodbyes to their prospective foster parents. I of course returned his hug, but I added a kiss to his forehead. He thanked me for the best weekend of his life, and I reminded him to stay in touch and let me know if he thought of anything else he wanted to do next weekend, besides Quabbin, going out for dinner on Saturday night, and swimming whenever we had time to.

I did get a call on my cell from him on Tuesday afternoon. I was out by the pool, weeding the flower beds that lined the patio surrounding the pool. He told me about his interview with Miss Lyons and that I was right, it was strange when she asked if I had tried to shower or bathe with him, or if I had tried to touch him “down there”, and how she seemed pleased when he told her I hadn’t. She got him to tell all about his weekend and she seemed very pleased about my making it possible for him to reunite with his best friend, and that as far as Tom was concerned, he had found his “forever” Dad and home.

He also asked me kind of an odd question, he asked if it was possible to go by his old home, the one he had shared with his birth parents. I told him we could drive over there on Saturday at some point, but that I knew that there were new tenants living in the little house, I knew that because I had driven over there myself after I learned about his current whereabouts, just out of curiosity, and had seen a young man mowing the lawn and another hanging up laundry on the clothesline out back, but yes, we could go by there on either Saturday or Sunday morning.

Also, on Tuesday I got in touch with a fellow alumnus of UMASS, Amherst. Becca was a lawyer with her own legal office over in Northampton. She had some years ago taken on a partner in her firm, and she and her partner were now married. Her husband had been a single father with a son about five years older than Tom. She and I had a few mutual friends and we had always gotten along well, so well that I had hired her firm to represent me when I inherited the property I now owned. I filled her in about Tom, and that we had just had our first of three home visits and that I had already decided that I wanted to adopt him. I went over the particulars, about how he had been one of my students, how his parents used him as household staff, not a much-loved son, and about how his parents had died, and Tom’s subsequent placement with the DCFS and how I had tracked him there. She asked some pointed questions, and then assured me that she would be more than happy to help Tom and me become a legal family.
 
 
Noon time Friday couldn’t come fast enough for me, I was missing having Tom in the house with me. Missing having someone to cook dinner with, having his help doing the laundry, and having him folding clothes next to me as he talked about totally irrelevant stuff. I went on Wednesday to see what was in my accounts. Oh, I had a very good idea what was available in my house accounts, the rehab of the property had always been in a separate account and if a project was projected to cost over a certain amount, then a full spreadsheet would be printed out for me, showing my investments from my parent’s inheritances so I could decide which stocks, bonds, or other investments would be pilfered for more money to cover my latest project. I told my investment broker that I needed to set up a trust fund for Tom, one that could be used for his further education after high school, or for training if he decided on a trade, and then I told him about what I would need about ten thousand dollars for, and together we weeded out some investments that were not performing as well as we had hoped and judging by today’s market rates we were able to assure that by tomorrow morning I would have almost twenty-two thousand dollars in a new bank card account.

By Tom’s third and last visit, horses, and dogs, and yes, barn cats, would be on the property. His dreams would come true, it was the least I could do for him.

Thursday Aaron and I spoke on the phone and agreed on Saturday afternoon for an excursion to Quabbin for a picnic lunch and time in a canoe in the water for the four of us. They would then come to our home for swimming before we all went out to Angelo’s for dinner again, and yes, I did remember to make a reservation for the four of us. I then went and cleaned the house a bit. I knew that I still had Friday morning to do housework, but I had to keep busy, since the house reno had been finished the week before Tom’s first visit, only the animals would be the next big addition to the property. Actually, there would have to be another addition, a caretaker for the animals, and for the maintenance of the whole property. I used to have a couple of different services to do this, but my accountant had told me that with what I was paying for field upkeep, a maid service for the house, a pool maintenance company, snow removal, and yard work around the house, that I could afford to have all this, plus a general handyman service, full time on the property. Call it a general manager if you want, but being a schoolteacher didn’t allow me the time to be all those things, and still be a full time father as well, during the summer and vacation times during the school year too.

I was so anxious to see Tom again, to know he was safe, that he was happy, that I drove to Springfield and arrived almost an hour early to pick him up. I parked in the lot, right next to the entry doors and sat for a few moments before getting out of the car and going in the front door. I went to the check-out window and had started to sign Tom out when Miss Lyons appeared beside me. She told me that just between the two of us, she thought that Tom and I were going to make a perfect match. I was so pleased she had shared that with me. She told me also that Tom talked about Drew all the time. No matter who he was talking to, or about what, he always found a way to bring me into the conversation. She told me confidentially that several of the staff were getting quite fed up with it, and wondered if I was fully prepared to have Tom with me permanently from this weekend on.

By now we had moved into the large meeting room off the lobby and were alone. I asked if that was really possible, and she grinned big and held out what she said were the permanent custody papers, all I needed was to sign them, and give her time to run off a few extra copies, a few for her files, and a few for me, along with an original set for my own files. I grabbed the first pen I could find on her desk and began to initial and sign where she indicated, and she began to run off multiple copies as each page was finished with. She set about collating the copies and once they were stapled, she separated my copies from hers and we shook hands, both of us very happy things had worked out so well for Tom. She told me that she’d most likely see me at some point soon as she was on the team to be assigned for a final investigation, should I file for adoption of Tom. I told her I looked forward to that, becoming a legal Dad to Tom. She wished us a happy life and I thanked her and went back to the lobby to get my son.

Tom was just settling onto the bench when I came out of the office’s corridor, and I saw that he had his duffle bag packed and ready to go. I greeted him with a big hug and told him that I had just gotten some real good news. I had him sit on the bench and let him begin to read the document I had just signed in Miss Lyons’ office. He got about ¾ of the way down the first sheet and just sat there staring at me, tears starting down his cheeks, a huge smile on his face and we both started chuckling, our laughter bringing Miss Lyons out of her office, and about six others from the office area. Just then a janitor with a loaded cart came through the dormitory doors and asked Tom where he wanted his belongings put.

Tom was by that time hugging everyone. He had started with me, then Miss Lyons, then the other staff members, then the lady in the sign in/sign out booth and he had gotten to the janitor when he asked Tom where he wanted his belongings. Tom was still laughing and crying, but he told the janitor that he wanted his things in Granby. We all chuckled, and I escorted the janitor to my car, which we loaded up while Tom was still saying his thanks and goodbyes.

Once back inside, we found out that Tom had run back upstairs to say farewell to some of the other boys, but he was back shortly. During that time the others all congratulated me, telling me what a great lad I had moving in with me. I didn’t say much to any of them, but while out in the parking lot my cell had dinged, announcing a text message. The text had been sent by Becca, my lawyer friend. It said, “Happy Father’s Day Drew!!!”.

Tom and I stopped for milkshakes on the way home, our own private celebration. Once home Tom grabbed his duffle and one of the seven boxes and I grabbed three of the boxes and after I unlocked the front door, we placed the bag and boxes on the staircase and went back for the rest. Those we carted up to Tom’s bedroom and then returned for the other items. While he began to unload his belongings in his room, I took a few minutes to call Becca.

She was in her office and could take my call and before I could even get out a complete “Thank You”, she was explaining that her future mother-in-law was the senior judge in our county’s family court and had most likely had a talk with Miss Lyons’ boss the other day, and she, the judge, wanted to know if we wanted Tom’s adoption done before the new school year started at the end of August. I stuttered out that if it was at all possible, then yes, that would be just fine with us. She laughed again and told me to have a great weekend with my new son to be.

I then went upstairs to help Tom get settled in. He explained that some of the books and clothes were items brought to him from his old home, some of the items were clothing from the donation room the boys were able to choose from the many donations on their birthdays and holidays and the return to school week at the end of summer. Some items went into his bureau, some items were hung on hangers, and his books went into the bookcase. By the time we were finished it was almost 4:30 and another surprise was arriving about 5:00, so I took him down to the kitchen for a snack.

I wanted to keep him occupied and the pool would have let him possibly see his next surprise arriving, so I had him eat his snack in the kitchen and had him help picking out what to have for our dinner until I heard the big horse trailer pull up to the barn on the paddock side. At that point there wasn’t any reason to hide his surprise, so we went out to the barn. Standing in the doorway to the barn was Oliver Harris. He was a retired custodian from the elementary school I taught in. He had agreed to be my property manager and barn manager for the summer, before he moved to Florida for his retirement years. He had kept horses at his property for over 40 years and he said he could operate a riding mower, so the grounds would look good all summer. What he was now supervising was the unloading of the livestock, which included four horses, 4 good sized ponies, two barn dogs and two barn cats. The hay, oats, and the dog and cat food had all been delivered yesterday, so Oliver had set up the stalls and sleeping pads for the cats and dogs this morning and I would assume, this afternoon. If his house sold soon, he would be able to use the studio apartment at the loft level in the barn until he moved to Florida, or if he was just too tired to drive home in the evening after the dinner feedings were done.

So, first I pointed out Oliver to Tom, and then, while Oliver was talking to the driver and his wrangler helper, I explained to Tom that Oliver was our Summer help to teach us about taking care of the horses and ponies, and to take care of the dogs and cats until we were both comfortable doing some of his chores ourselves. Oliver would take care of the lawn mowing and the little repairs around the house and barn. Oliver was also prepared to teach Tom as much as he could about horseback riding, but I was an experienced rider myself and I would also be teaching him what I already had learned. But that wouldn’t start to happen until the equines settled in after their transport from a horse farm out near Albany.

First out were the ponies, and Tom asked if those were young horses and I told him they were actually mature ponies, just the right size for Tom to learn on, then came the horses followed by the dogs on leashes and the cats in a carrier. The dogs worked as security in the barn, the cats took care of the mice, or other vermin, that the hay and feed bales attracted. Tom then asked if Oliver was going to live in the apartment in the barn and I explained that sometimes he would be staying over, but that he did have his own small farm, not too far away, that was currently for sale and that he would be moving to Florida in a few months, about when we both returned to school.

Once unloaded the horse van was driven off, and we went over to Oliver so he and Tom could get acquainted, and we could meet our new livestock. Oliver had each stall labeled with its occupant’s name, and I noticed the dogs and cats munching on some treats Oliver had given them, but the dogs came right over to sniff us and of course, Tom got his first doggie hugs and scratches in. The dogs were a mix, I had been told, of Shepard and Retriever, a male and female couple. Tom then went right up to Oliver, saying “Hi Ollie, it’s good to see you again”. Oliver looked at Tom and got a big grin on his weathered face and told Tom it was good to see him as well. Oliver explained to me that Tom and a friend of his often had helped him move desks out of the way in classrooms he had to clean the floors in. They chatted for a few minutes, Tom explaining why he wasn’t at our school last year, and Oliver telling Tom he had been lucky to have me find him. Tom totally agreed, he told Oliver it was the greatest thing that ever happened to him when I walked into the boy’s dorm that night just a short time ago.

Oliver then got busy teaching Tom about the tack that had arrived yesterday. Each horse or pony had their own set of tack and Ollie showed Tom and me how each set was labeled with the horse or pony’s name that that gear was already adjusted for. Storage bins were by each stall in the barn, and we helped him get the right gear in the right storage box, some items like reigns and saddle rugs were left on that equine’s stall pegs. Once that was done, he showed us the dietary printouts that had come with the feed delivery so we knew exactly the diet that each was supposed to be fed. During all this the two dogs sat at Tom’s side, and they actually looked like they were taking all this in, just like Tom and I were.

We invited Ollie to dine with us, but he had made other plans for dinner, but he did think he was going to come back to spend the night, as it was the first night for all the animals in the barn. Tom and I said our goodbyes for today, but not before Tom (and I) said good night to each of the new residents of the barn.

I got a cheek kiss from Tom when I went to tuck him in that night and I think he had called Billy and told him that after our trip to Quabbin tomorrow, we would be getting a riding lesson from Ollie. It was a very contented boy I tucked in.

We got up in the morning and made up a picnic lunch of cold cut sandwiches, chips, bottles of ginger ale, and cookies for afters. We picked up Billy and Aaron at their little house about a mile away from us and we drove out to Quabbin. We rented one of the longer canoes this time and rented life jackets for all of us. We had our lunch on one of the islands, all of us having a chance to water a tree while there. The boys talked about the underwater sights, and the riding lessons awaiting them at our place later in the day. Aaron was happy that I had received permanent custody of Tom already and we both thought that with careful planning we just might move up a bit in our relationship development, as we only anticipated a home visit from the DCFS about once a month until the adoption was finalized.

Aaron seemed quite pleased at this, but said he’d follow my lead in all this, he didn’t want to seem overeager about this, but he hoped I wouldn’t make him wait too long. God, he was so handsome, it was all I could do to not drag him to my bedroom right then and there, but I did grasp his shoulders gently and drew him in for a kiss, no, not a deep throated heat of passion kiss, but an exploration of love kiss and that just might have evolved into outright flames (it was so hot!!!) if the boys hadn’t returned from Tom’s room in their swimsuits, ready for some time in the pool.

We disentangled and went to get our swimsuits on and ten minutes later we four went out to the pool and had a great time out there. We spent two hours there and then we dried off and went to change into jeans and T shirts, with our sneakers on and eager for our first lesson with Ollie in the barn. The technical stuff was involved, but we all could see the necessity of it all. Surprisingly it was Billy and Tom who took notes about all Ollie was telling us, which turned out to be a good thing when we went to apply all Ollie had shared with us. We each started on our own chosen mounts, but we all were soon double checking ourselves, using the boy’s notes.

Then we moved out to the paddock, where Ollie instructed us in mounting our rides. And once in the saddles he taught us hand control of the reins and the proper leg prompts to use and when to use them. One at a time he had us “perform” for him all the different signals we had been taught to give our mounts for different directions, different gaits, and of course, stopping and starting. It was a lot more fun with the four of us doing this together, than if each of us had separate lessons. Ollie seemed to be quite pleased with us all and after an hour of us walking and trotting around the paddock, he instructed us on how to remove the tack and care for the equines after they had been ridden. It was a bit more than just combing a dog, but the horses and ponies were very appreciative of all we did, right down to us helping Ollie with the evening’s feedings. Sunday we all would have another adventure.

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