by C. E. Wilson
“Sam’s a very generous man. He’s my brother in law’s brother’s father in law.”
“Oh, so that’s what it takes to be adopted by Sam. I guess I’ll have to be on my own. I don’t have a brother.”
Link chuckled. “This is one time that I’m glad I do.”
“Are you Cade’s brother?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“He’s a charming guy. I like Cade and Bradley both.”
“Yeah, I do too. You know how big brothers are. He always wanted to follow me around and do everything I did, even if he was two years younger than me.”
“What do you do for a living? It isn’t my business, so you don’t have to answer.”
“I don’t mind. I was supposed to be a fourth-grade teacher, but before I even had any students, I was fired because I’m gay. The principal said I couldn’t be around little boys.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I was fired this morning.”
“Honey, you need to get a lawyer. Maybe Clayton could help you out with this. I know he’s a real estate lawyer, but he might be able to do something.”
“I got it taken care of. Both of my parents are civil rights attorneys. My dad has already filed a suit against them.”
“What school is this?”
“Southside elementary. Do you know it?”
“Yes, you would have been my son’s teacher. If your dad needs any recommendations from parents, I can get all he needs. That’s the biggest bunch of bull I have ever heard.”
“Thank you. I’ll tell him, and if he needs your number, is it all right if I give it to him?”
“Yes, please do. I hope they do something with Simpson. Nobody likes him. He has done some things we didn’t like before, but this is by far his worst. Wait until I tell some of the other parents about this. They are going to flip. Some of them are gay and have children too.”
They talked a little longer, and Link and Alex left to go back to Link’s house. He parked the truck, and they got out, and Alex opened the back door to his car and got out a garment bag and a duffle bag. He walked into the house and went to the spare bedroom. He hung the garment back up in the closet and started putting some clothes in the dresser. He took out a shaving kit and put it in the bathroom off his bedroom.
Link stood in the doorway and watched him. He smiled when Alex looked over at him. “You told me to bring some stuff over, so when I stayed over, I could get ready for work. I did what you said.”
“I’m happy you did, baby. I want you to feel like this is your house too.”
“You know you can stay at my apartment sometimes too. I have an extra one as well.”
“Yeah, let me get back to work so I can help with groceries and all then I will come and stay with you sometimes too. I want us to be together as much as possible.”
“Link I can afford to feed us. I’m not totally without money. I make very good money.”
“I understand that, but right now, until we get this settled with the school, I don’t have an income. I have what I have here because my dad put it all in here. I will feel better when I get some money and can pay my own way. Can’t you understand that?”
“Yeah, babe, I understand perfectly. I just meant until you can get back to work. I didn’t mean I was going to be your sugar daddy.”
Link laughed. “I’m pretty sure we have to have sex before you can become my sugar daddy. Oh, and you have to be a lot older than me. Not younger.”
Alex laughed with Link. “Well, both of them are wrong, so I guess I’ll just be your boyfriend.”
“Your lot more than my boyfriend, baby. You’re the love of my life.”
Link walked over and put his arms around Alex and pulled him close to him, and kissed him a deep passionate kiss. Alex’s arms were around Link, and he leaned into him. They stood like that for a long moment before they went into the living room. They sat down on the couch and started watching a movie and cuddling on the couch. It wasn’t long until both boys were sound asleep, they didn’t wake up until the phone rang the next morning. Both of them jumped up, not knowing where they were.
Link glanced at Alex. “Not how I had planned on us sleeping together, but I guess it happened anyway.”
Alex chuckled and went to get a shower and get ready for his appointments.
Chapter 11
A week later, Link’s father called him. “Link, I need you to come to my office this morning. I need you here as soon as possible.”
“All right, Dad, I’ll be there in just a little bit. I have to change my clothes, and then I’ll leave here.”
“I’ll see you later.”
Link grabbed a quick shower and got some clean clothes on. He started out the front door, and Alex pulled in. He got out of his car, and Link met him in front of the truck. “Dad called and wants me at his office this morning. Do you want to come with me, or did you have work to do?”
“I can come with you if you’re sure your dad won’t mind.”
“He won’t mind. He didn’t tell me not to bring you, so I don’t see where he would complain.”
They got into the truck, and Link drove into town to his dad’s office. The receptionist told them to go on into the office that his dad was expecting him. Link led Alex to the door, he opened it and pulled Alex in behind him. He smiled at his dad. “Dad, you know Alex, don’t you?”
“Yes, Hello Alex. It’s good to see you. Sit down, boys. I have a lot to go over with you, Link. I got a call from the county manager today about the suit against the school. He made you an offer, and I want you to know what it is and see if it will make you happy. First, you start back to school on Monday. He wouldn’t give you forty thousand a year, and I didn’t expect him to. He did offer thirty-two thousand a year, and that’s basically what I was going after. Is that good enough for you? If you want more, we can hold out and let it go to court.”
“No, that sounds good to me. The main thing I want is to get to work before the students show up, and there is no teacher.”
“Next, he fired Mr. Simpson. It seems some of the parents were very upset that you were fired for being gay and was raising all kinds of complaints. How the parents found out I have no idea.”
“That was my fault, Dad. The real estate agent’s son will be in my class, and she doesn’t like Mr. Simpson. It seems there are some gay parents like Clayton and John. I guess she told them.”
“Well, she did you a great service then. It is what prompted his offer. Oh, that teacher was already fired because she refused to do the planner for her classes and get it approved. Anyway, he turned down the two million but did offer a million and a half. I thought they would only give you a million if we went for two. That’s good for you. Those are the terms of the settlement, so what do you say about it all?”
Link nodded his head. “Yeah, Dad, accept it if you think it’s good. You know more about that kind of stuff than I do. What do you think about it?”
“I think you would be crazy to turn it down. I think it’s a generous offer, and you did get your job back, so that’s what you wanted most of all. If you’re in agreement, then I’ll give him a call this afternoon and tell him you accept his offer. I’m going to tell him we’ll expect the million and a half paid within a week. That’ll help you get furniture for your new house. I’m sure you want good furniture for the house and not that stuff that I got you.”
“Actually, Dad, we don’t need any furniture for the house. It is fully furnished, and even the guest house is furnished. It’s excellent furniture too. Expensive stuff. It’s a beautiful home. I can’t wait for you and Mom to see it.”
“When is the closing?”
“I don’t know. The real estate agent said she was going to call Sam that night. She said we should close on it in two to three weeks, depending on how long the title search will take.”
“When you close on the house, let us know when you're going to move, and we will get the gang together and help you
move. What are you going to do with your furniture and Alex’s furniture?”
“I really don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know what Alex wants to do with his, either. I thought since the house is completely furnished that we could leave the furniture you bought in the house for Sam so he could rent it furnished. Maybe get a little more out of it a month. After all, he’s spending a lot of money on us to buy the house.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll call Sam and bring it up to him. I don’t see a problem with that. It’s not really good, but at least it’s practically new.”
Alex said, “I don’t know what to do with mine. I can’t leave it in the apartment. I guess, for now, I could get a storage unit and put it in there. I don’t know what else to do with it. I want to hang on to it for a while and make sure that we work out alright. I would hate to have to buy all that stuff again.”
“We have a big garage, baby, just store it in there. I don’t think my truck and your car will take up that much room. That way, you can keep it.”
Alex thought about it and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a good solution. I’m pretty sure we can make it, but I just want to be sure. I also want the house put in your name only. I don’t want to be on the deed. That way, if things go south, it won’t be a hassle to get my name off it.”
“I’ll agree to that on one condition. If we get married, then we change it to be in both of our names.”
“I’ll agree to that.”
Link looked at his Dad. “Can you tell Sam that when you call him about the furniture?”
“Sure, son, I’ll be sure to tell him that’s what Alex wants to happen.”
“Maybe he’ll have some news about when the house will close. I hope it’s soon. I would love to take a dip in the pool. I guess I better call Cade and ask him who does his pool. I want to get someone lined up for that.”
Mr. Maxwell looked down at his papers. “Oh, one more thing. No one is allowed to fire you except the county manager, and he’ll investigate any allegations against you himself before that happens. So, unless you’re a child molester and I know you aren’t, then you can’t be fired.”
“Not hardly, Dad. I only have one I desire, and he is sitting beside me.”
“If you agree to all the terms, I need you to sign your full name on this line, and I will fax it to the county manager and call him and tell him we expect the check by the end of next week. I’ll call you when the check comes, and you can come and get it and deposit it in your account.”
Link signed his name on the paper, and they got up to leave. Mr. Maxwell asked, “You know school starts Monday. Do you have time to get your planner done?”
“I already have it done, and it’s in my case at the house. I wasn’t going to leave my work there for who they hired to replace me.”
“Ok, it seems we are all set then. Make sure you’re at the school Monday morning to start to work.”
Link smiled. “Yes, Sir, I’ll be there with bells on.”
Monday morning, Link was at the office of the new principal to get his keys for his classroom. The new principal was a woman named Margaret Billings. She invited Link into her office. “Mr. Maxwell, I want to say how sorry I am that the previous principal fired you for the reason he did. You won’t encounter that again here. I’m gay as well, so I understand what you’re going through. It isn’t pleasant to be singled out for something that you are. I have been the victim the same as you. I’ll see that you are treated as the man you are.”
“Thank you, Ms. Billings. It’s good to be here. I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a child.”
“Were you able to complete your planner before when you were here?”
Link nodded and pulled it out of his briefcase and handed it to her. She skimmed through it and smiled. “It looks perfect. I approve of it as well. I won’t stamp it again. I just wanted to make sure that idiot knew what he was supposed to do with it, and it looks the best I have seen so far.”
“Thank you again.”
She handed him his keys back and sent him to his classroom. He was getting things organized when the first student arrived. It was Jacob. He said, “Hi, Uncle Link. I didn’t know you were my teacher. I’m glad now I don’t have to do my work. You can give me good grades, and I can just play.”
“Hi Jacob, you do know that isn’t going to happen. When we are here in the classroom, I am Mr. Maxwell. Not Uncle Link. You’re going to do the same work as everyone else, so just get ready for it.”
Jacob laughed. “I know my dads already told me that. I wouldn’t do that anyway. I love school. Dad said to make sure the other kids don’t beat me up since I’m going to be smaller than the rest of them. I don’t think they’re going to do that do you?”
“I don’t know Jacob. Sometimes kids can be cruel. If any picks on you, just let me know, and I’ll put a stop to it. Pick out a desk and sit down. I have a lot of books and things to give to you guys.”
Link was relieved that all the books and the papers he needed to pass out were already on his desk, so he didn’t have to get them out. He worried about the first day of school and spending time in the storeroom instead of his classroom.
It wasn’t long until his classroom filled up. He called the roll call, and all his students were there. He smiled at all the fresh-looking faces in his class. He couldn’t wait to start teaching them, but it wouldn’t happen on the first day of school. They had too much to get through with their books and the class supplies they would need to bring in the next few days. He gave each of them a paper with the list of supplies. He went through each one on the list and explained why they needed that. He then got help from a couple of the boys, and they started handing out the books.
He wrote his name on the blackboard and told them that his name was Mr. Maxwell, and that’s what they were to call him. He also explained to them what he would not put up with, and bullying was at the top of his list. He decided when he got home he would print out his list and make copies of them at the school the next morning so they could keep it in their desks and if need be, he could refer back to them letting the kids know that they knew he would not put up with it.
Link asked, “How many of you know how to use a computer?” All of them raised their hands. “In a few days, we will start working on a computer in the computer lab. Each one of you will be assigned a computer to use three times a week when it is our turn in the lab. I’ll be there to help you as will the computer tech that’s over the lab. If you’re not sure what to do, then ask either the tech or myself, and we’ll come to help you.”
He went over some other things, and then it was time for lunch. Jacob came up to him. “Mr. Uncle, my dads, forgot to give me lunch money. Can I get it from you, and I’ll bring it tomorrow to give it back to you?”
Yes, of course, Jacob. He pulled out a couple of dollars and gave it to Jacob. Jacob stuffed into his pocket quickly and followed the others to the lunchroom. Link thought that was odd. It didn’t sound like Clayton or John. When they got to the lunchroom, Link watched Jacob. He went and sat down without getting himself any lunch. Link got his lunch and walked over and sat beside Jacob. “Where is your lunch, Jacob?”
“Oh, I decided that I’m not hungry after all.”
Chapter 12
Link watched him, and Jacob watched a bigger boy that was in the class. He frowned. “Ok well, give me back my two dollars then.”
“You said I could give it back tomorrow. I promise to bring it to you tomorrow.”
“What’s going on, Jacob? You’re afraid of that big boy. Why is that? What has he done to you?”
“I can’t tell you, Uncle Link. He’ll beat me up if I do.”
Link got up and walked over to the big boy that was talking to his friends and snickering. Link got him under his arms and picked him up. The boy glanced back at Link and rolled his eyes. “That little kid is lying. I didn’t do anything to him.”
Link set him down on the floor. He held out his hand. “Give
me back the money you took from Jacob.”
“I didn’t take any money from him.”
Link reached into his pocket and pulled out five and two ones. “Is this your money?”
“Um…no, I was just holding it for Harry. Ask him he’ll tell you I was.”
Harry sat up. “It’s not my money. George took it from Jacob twice. First, the five and then as we were in line, he took the other two.”
George glared at Harry. “I’ll get you for this, Harry.”
Link walked over to Jacob and said, “Eat my lunch, Jacob. I’ll meet you in the classroom. I have to take this bully to the principal’s office and call his parents.”
George glared at Jacob. “I’ll get you too, you little snitch.”
Link said, “Be quiet George, you’re already in big trouble, and these threats are going to make it even worse. I suggest you stop. Jacob didn’t tell on you, and you’re going to beat him up. I don’t think you will.”
“You can’t call my parents.”
“Yes, I can. They need to know how bad you’re behaving.”
“They don’t care how I act. They don’t care about me at all. Just hit me like they do, but it won’t do any good. I’m used to getting hit a lot.”
Link stopped and looked down at him. “Don’t lie to me, George.”
“I’m not lying. Lift my shirt, and you’ll see, I’m telling you the truth.”
Link stepped behind George and lifted his t-shirt, and gasped. “Your parents did this to you?”
“Yeah, this time, it was my mom, and she can’t hit very hard, so it’s not as bad as when my dad hits me.”
Link shook his head and kept going to the principal’s office. When he got there, the principal was in her office, eating a sandwich. “I hate to bother you, Ms. Billings, but we have a few problems.”