And then there was the matter of the Mark Twain Prom in May. Kai and Dakota were loathe to allow Lance and Ricky to attend such a big event without their protective presence, so when the president of the MTS Student Council Facebook-messaged Lance the prom time and location, he messaged her back and asked if his two friends could also attend.
“Yes,” he’d said in response to her query, “they would attend as a couple.” The girl expressed great excitement that another “boy couple” would be there, which should’ve raised a red flag in his mind, but he just laughed and thanked her. Would society ever stop making such a big deal over two boys in love? He promised Jack he’d try his best to make it so, and hoped this prom would be another positive step in that direction.
Lance also made it a point to spend more time with Chris. He felt too often that he was neglecting his little brother. Sure, Sylvia had been great with him. When she wasn’t shadowing Reyna to glean every one of her planning skills, Sylvia spent much of her time helping Chris with homework or teaching him new tricks with the bow and arrow.
She was now fourteen and a high school freshman, Lance knew, and had become a beautiful teenage girl with silky black hair, those big doe eyes he used to see on baby animal drawings, and an ingratiating smile. Like Chris and the rest of us, Lance sighed inwardly, she’s growing up too fast. Probably have a boyfriend soon, if she doesn’t already. He suddenly felt older than his seventeen years, and wistful. That was the problem with too much knowledge at too young an age, he knew. Life had nothing new to offer, and kids became jaded and indifferent. Along with the paranoia, he determined that would not happen to him. He simply wouldn’t let it.
†††
March flew quickly past for everyone, with no new attacks or threats of any kind. Unfortunately, Techie’s surveillance of the Computer Lab continued to turn up nothing. Bridget and Ariel came over whenever they didn’t have college classes, which for Ariel was weekends only since she lived out in Santa Barbara and had a good two-hour drive each time she visited. Once in awhile she’d take Techie out to the school for a weekend so he could hang out with her college friends and get a feel for the campus. Every time he returned from such a visit, Lance could see the desire written all over his happy face to be part of that life on a permanent basis.
Dakota continued to sleep in Lance’s room and Kai in Ricky’s, with Secret Service agents outside each door throughout the night. Lance could tell the Indians wanted more “alone time,” but there wasn’t much he could do about the situation. Ryan continued to keep the president informed, and the commander-in-chief had also spoken personally with Lance on several occasions, assuring him these protections were necessary and “That was that.”
Edwin and Senator Cairns were regular Skypers with Lance and Ricky. The two always looked happy to speak with the boys. However, as much as the senator pushed, and as much as some of the freshmen representatives tried to keep the CBOR alive in the House, not much was happening. Edwin encouraged the boys not to give up. “Keep hitting up the kids some more. Get them to tighten the thumb screws.”
As April approached with no end to the deadlock in Congress over the CBOR, Lance contacted both the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House and put them up on the large Throne Room flat-screen simultaneously. Both men lamely––in Lance’s estimation––threw up their hands and said they just couldn’t get enough elected officials to take the CBOR seriously.
Lance and Ricky stood side-by-side, Kai and Dakota flanking them. Lance had his arms folded across his chest. “So even though your kids and everyone else’s kids want this to happen, you’re just gonna sit on your hands and claim you can’t do anything?”
Both men affected looks of offense, but Lance could tell it was yet another case of bad acting. He was getting sick of these two.
“You guys have no idea, do you,” Lance went on, his tone sinking into cold callousness, “what the kids of this country can do to screw you over, and you don’t know because you think we’re just powerless pieces of property. Think again. We’re going to make the United States the laughingstock of the world and there’s nothing you can do to stop us. We’re tired of waiting. Goodbye, gentlemen.”
He used the remote to cut the signal and the two astonished faces vanished into cyberspace. Lance eyed Ricky, and the other boy grinned.
“We’re gonna do it, aren’t we?”
“We have no choice.” Then Lance turned to Kai and Dakota. “All the tribes on board too?”
Both of them nodded. The four of them left the Throne Room and retreated to the Computer Lab to unleash the children of the country against the country. Lance knew all of them would relish the opportunity to stick it to the government and the so-called elected representatives who spent all of their time fighting instead of dealing with important issues, like the humanity of their own children.
Both the Speaker and Majority Leader immediately called back, insisting they were doing their best and wanting to know what Lance was up to, but the boy only said, “You’ll see.” Then he hung up on them again.
They’d had their chance. He knew, of course, that no one in Washington, or in any of the state governments, for that matter, would realize what the children had done to the country until August, but somehow that made it all the sweeter. He’d see those smug looks vanish from every elected official who disdained them and their efforts. He’d have the last laugh.
†††
April passed with Lance furiously messaging back and forth with his representatives in public schools across the nation, letting them know to put their previously arranged plan into effect. Kids in every state were more than happy to comply, gleefully so. Also, in preparation for their U.S. tour in June, Lance and Ricky chatted often with Father Mike and Pastor Tom about what to expect from the more evangelical Christian states they’d pass through. They wanted to be prepared with counter arguments to whatever those people might say. Alas, both men of the cloth held little hope that even though Lance was The Boy Who Came Back and had inspired Christians throughout the world, the fact that he’d publicly acknowledged his love for Ricky would likely trump his return from the dead. Being gay in many states and communities was probably worse than being a murderer, and the boys had better be prepared for reactions ranging from indifference to outright hostility.
Sadly, the boys weren’t surprised, and Lance ran a few of his thoughts by both men. They agreed his ideas were logical and sound, but reminded them that hate and intolerance were seldom logical.
†††
For Mother’s Day, Lance, Ricky, Kai, Dakota, and Chris rose early and descended to the kitchen. Being a Sunday morning, the kitchen staff didn’t arrive until later when a kind of brunch was usually offered to whomever wished to partake. Amid laughs and clanging of pots and pans and skillets, the boys managed to create something resembling food. There were eggs, supposedly scrambled, but some looking rather black and burnt. They’d also attempted blueberry pancakes since it was one of Jenny’s favorites, but none of the pancakes came out round. Mathematically inclined Chris decided they would look better as parallelograms and cut them so. The end results looked diseased more than anything else, but smelled good so the boys high-fived with satisfaction. They put everything onto a tray along with some juice and a card Kai had created, and headed up to Arthur and Jenny’s room to surprise her.
They stopped outside the door to their parents’ bedroom and listened carefully for any sounds inside, giggling like little boys, even though only one of them was.
Lance smirked at the older ones. “Don’t want to interrupt anything,” he said and that set off another round of giggles, even from Chris who must’ve figured out what the older boys found so amusing. Lance took a moment to look at the young boy aghast.
Chris gave him that knowing, all-too-adult expression. “I’m almost ten, Lance,” he said as though that explained everything. Lance shook his head and had to force the wistful sadness back down into his heart. No emo today, h
e decided, and they knocked on the door.
The door opened and Arthur’s smiling, bearded face greeted them. He’d been forewarned and happily pulled the door back with a grin, revealing the five boys to Jenny, who lounged on the king-sized bed wearing a nightgown and robe, her blonde hair loose about her shoulders. Her face lit up with joy at seeing the smiling, grinning boys sweep past Arthur into the room. Lance held the bed tray in his hands, the other boys surrounding him. Chris bounded forward first and threw himself onto the bed to engulf Jenny in a bone-crushing hug.
“Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!” he gushed as he squeezed her neck, causing her to wince slightly and marvel at his increasing strength.
Lance and the others stopped before the bed, grinning broadly. “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom,” he and Ricky said at the same moment, drawing a delighted laugh from her.
Arthur stepped up behind the boys and grinned down at her.
Chris scooted over next to her as Lance set the tray down before Jenny and she quizzically eyed the unusual breakfast before her.
“Blueberry pancakes, Mom,” Lance told her proudly. “Your favorite.”
“And I made ’em into parallelograms cuz that’s cooler,” Chris added with a huge grin of pride.
Jenny looked them all over, her heart in her throat with emotion. She’d gone from a teacher who’d lost her way to a mother who’d found it, all because of these remarkable boys and the man she’d married.
Lance and Ricky saw her beginning to tear up and each reached out a hand to take one of hers, clutching it like a lifeline they never wanted to let go of.
“Don’t cry, Mom,” Lance said softly. “We love you, that’s all.”
“Even if we can’t cook,” Ricky added with a smile.
That broke the emotion clogging Jenny’s throat and she laughed, reaching out to pull both into a hug while Chris pressed himself against the group joyfully. When the boys had stepped back, Jenny eyed Kai and Dakota with a warm smile. The two Indians stood shyly gazing at her.
“I don’t get a hug from my other sons?” she asked.
They smiled and leaned in to hug her together and she held them close for a moment.
During all of this family bonding, Arthur used Jenny’s camera to take pictures. She’d taught him how to use it and he felt proud to be finally mastering some of this astonishing 21st Century technology.
The boys and Arthur sat around on the bed and chatted with Jenny and each other while she ate the food they’d so lovingly and ineptly prepared. Never once did she indicate it wasn’t the best meal she’d ever eaten. In truth, it was the best meal she’d ever eaten because of who’d made it for her.
That joyful and relaxed breakfast was a family moment none of them would ever forget.
†††
With the MTS prom looming, Lance, Ricky, Kai, and Dakota had to get fitted out for their tuxedos. Under heavy guard, Arthur and Jenny accompanied the boys as they visited several tuxedo rental shops. Since Arthur knew little of such matters, he deferred to Jenny’s expertise. She’d had enough experience with high school proms during her seven years at MTS to know good quality tuxedoes when she saw them.
Of course the boys were instantly recognized in every store they entered and the manager of each insisted on helping them personally. It was an honor, they told Lance, to have the boys consider their business, and offered to merely charge a cleaning fee in exchange for the publicity they would garner from having the most famous boys in the world rent from them.
After settling on one such establishment that had a wide selection, Jenny and the boys set about shopping. None of the four boys knew a thing about fashion, and all hated shopping for clothes. So they let her fly from this style to that one, standing each boy up against this brand or that one until finally everyone agreed on what to select.
Lance and Ricky favored white over black and a long coat over the standard, while Kai and Dakota chose black and the standard jacket length. Lance and Ricky ended up in white outfits with an old-world feel to the long jackets that trailed past their pants pockets, and the open no-button style. Lance chose green for his tie and vest and Ricky red, the usual colors they wore on their tunics.
Dakota and Kai decided on black tuxes, with Dakota sporting a dark blue vest, tie, and handkerchief for the front jacket pocket and Kai selecting sky blue for his accoutrements. The boys laughingly decided each color reflected the individual’s personality.
Lance and Ricky agreed, and then Ricky gave Lance a shove. “In that case your emo ass should have black everything. Ha!”
Lance grinned and shoved him back. “Fool.”
And so the boys were measured and fitted out with shoes, and suddenly everything was arranged. Again, in the interest of the publicity the store would garner, the manager promised to personally deliver the tuxes to New Camelot the day before prom and make certain the fit was perfect.
Arthur, Jenny and the boys thanked the man and left to return home. Though the adults didn’t say it, both felt melancholy at this moment, knowing the two boys who not so long ago had been fourteen were suddenly going to prom and about to graduate high school. The time went too fast, they silently told each other with a look. There was still Chris, but neither spoke it aloud for they both knew that considering the younger boy’s future would only engender a deeper sadness. And they didn’t have the courage to think about that.
†††
The prom was to be held at Santa Anita Race Track out in Arcadia and, at least online, the venue looked appealing with lots of areas to roam and talk and eat dinner. The four boys nervously discussed how they might be received by the other prom-goers. Sure, the Student Council president was “thrilled” they were coming, but Lance was savvy enough to know it would, as with the tuxedo shop, grant MTS a lot of positive publicity by having the most famous boys in the world attend their prom.
When he thought about it in that light, Lance would instantly regret his decision to attend. His emo side would erupt with fears and uncertainties. But then Ricky would take his hand and whisper words of comfort and strength and love.
“We’re seniors, Lance,” he kept saying in the days leading up to the event. “And this is our senior prom. And I wanna share that moment with you, the boy I love. If anybody there has a problem with us, fuck ’em.”
Lance would always laugh, they would kiss long and deeply, and then Lance would be fine until the next wave of jitters overcame him. Of course, Ricky also assured him that there would be Secret Service agents hovering about and their presence would likely “Scare the shit out of any assholes that might mess with us. Especially with Brooks there.” Lance laughed at that, as well, and loved Ricky all the more for his rock-solid strength and unflagging optimism.
Finally, the day arrived. The tuxedo store manager had been as good as his word and delivered the tuxes the day before. Jenny and Reyna both insisted the boys try them on, but Lance and Ricky were not to see each other so attired until the next evening, and neither could Kai and Dakota. So each boy changed in his own room, and then Jenny, Reyna, and the manager inspected each in turn, proclaiming them “perfect.”
On prom night, Jenny insisted on Ricky and Kai dressing first and waiting in the lobby at the base of the main staircase. She wanted pictures of their reactions, and those of Lance and Dakota as the other two descended to join their dates. She wanted to photograph every second of this seminal event, and Arthur continually laughed at her nervous hovering as they awaited the boys in the lobby. They had been joined by an equally excited Reyna, Esteban, Chris, and Ryan who, as usual, shuffled his feet nervously, like he always did when anything emotional was pending.
As Ricky and Kai appeared at the top of the stairs, they grinned at each other in wonder. And why not? Neither had ever looked so good. Ricky wore the gold circlet Lance had given him around his thick, flowing hair that now dropped to his waist. The white, Old London-style jacket and matching pleated pants capped with the bright red vest and tie made the boy look,
to Jenny’s wide and love-filled yes, incredibly beautiful. Kai had restrained his own hair into a single long ponytail adorned with feathers, and he looked strikingly handsome with his black jacket and sky-blue accents.
The boys descended the stairs side by side to near constant clicking of Jenny’s camera. Reyna engulfed each in turn in a hug and then stood back to check them over with her always-appraising eye for detail.
“Not bad,” she said with a wink that made Ricky laugh.
Then Jenny gasped, and everyone turned to look up toward the second floor. Lance and Dakota stood on the landing gazing down at them. When Reyna turned, her mouth fell open comically. Both she and Jenny would later agree that Lance had never looked more stunning, more beautiful, and more perfect than he did that night.
His luxurious, remarkable hair trailed around his shoulders and down past his buttocks, almost aglow with shimmering luster, held back from his face by the small crown circling his brow. The green jewels in that simple crown set off Lance’s eyes, and while on some, such a headpiece might have looked ostentatious, on Lance it looked exactly right and proper. His green vest and tie also complemented his eyes, which had locked onto Ricky and saw no one else.
Dakota looked almost as stunning with his own fantastic hair that seemed to have a life of its own restrained by a tribal headband and adorned with scattered feathers. The dark blue of the vest seemed to compliment the nervous, tenuous look on his face. Like Lance, his eyes found only one person––Kai.
And The Children Shall Lead Page 40