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Subject: {ASSM} Variations on A Theme 2/5 (zoo themed, 'spy kids') TBD
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Date: Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:10:03 -0400
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Variations on A Theme: Part Two of Five
----

I decided to call his office first, and found out Warren was
interviewing a new client, but he'd call me back as soon as he could.
I left a message, that Rachel had been in an accident, and he should
call me back before he made any plans to see her.  Then, with mixed
relief and reluctance, I made sure that when the message was
delivered, it would  have the code phrase we'd agreed on so many years
ago:  'With unusual complications.'

Then I hung up and had to decide what I should do while I waited.

After a quick snack in the cafeteria, I found a secluded bench under
some shade trees and settled to try and avoid any sort of thinking at
all.  Mostly, I succeeded.

Still, it was a relief when he returned my call and admitted he was
done for the day, and would be over as soon as he could make it.

* * *

When he found me I had already spotted him and stood up  I greeted him
with a scowl and an outstretched hand that had a dollar bill in it.
"Here's your damn retainer, scoundrel."

His eyebrows went up, then he took the money and frowned.  "What the
hell is going on?  I thought I was coming here as Rachel's god father
to wish her  a speedy recovery, then you were going to tell me what
the fuck is going on."

I sobered.  "You *did* get the message with the code phrase in it?"

"Code phrase?"

"Yeah.  I made sure your secretary wrote it down exactly, I thought."

He sighed and dug in his breast pocket.  "It just so happens..."

He handed me a post it note.

I read it and sighed.  'Your God daughter is in the hospital after
being in an accident.  Serious complications. Call her father asap.'

"Warren, that's almost right.  I said 'With unusual complications',
and if your recording system was on, it will prove it, and that she
said she'd written it down exactly."

He sighed and reached for his cell phone.  "Hang on, hold that
thought.  I can access it from here and find out before I make a
decision I didn't expect to make so soon."

He put his phone in speakerphone mode and then called his office to
access his system.

After we'd listened to my call, he sighed.  "I had hopes for this
one..."

He called his office again and spoke to his senior secretary.  "Show
Candice the door, gently, then call the temp agency and tell them I'm
tired of being sent incompetents who can't properly take down simple
messages.  You know what to do.  Then shop around for a new temp
agency and get us someone who takes their job seriously.  Cut a final
check to this agency and I'll sign it when I show up in the office
again.  I'm going to be busy for the rest of the day, so you'd better
take messages, and let folks know I'll get back to them as soon as I
can.  Family emergency.  My god daughter's hurt and in trouble."

Interestingly, I heard a gasp, then a muttered curse of some sort
before she spoke angrily into her intercom.  "Get Candice in my
office, NOW."

I smiled ruefully after he hung up.  "Beverly?"

He chuckled.  "Yes.  Don't know how she's put up with me all these
years, especially when I remember the asshole I was before I was
forced out as a gay bottom.  She should have retired by now, but she
insists on sticking it out until I retire completely."

Then we settled on the bench and he sighed.  "So, Tom.  What's going
on?"

"Rachel was in a serious accident on the way to her birthday party
yesterday.  Banged up good, needs a new knee.  Also had some head
trauma, and her memory was gone at first.  She's getting some of it
back already, but it's spotty.  Recovered enough that Dr. Simmons
decided to call the police with her description of the car that caused
the wreck."

I gazed off at the parking lot and sighed.  "I think we're going to
need those notarized documents about her eidetic memory before the
police will take her seriously, because of how little she remembers,
otherwise."

Then I faced him wearily.  "And that's the simple part of it all.  The
rest?  It's not my or Jo's past catching up with us, except in
passing.  No, it's someone's else's future, and we're all smack in the
middle of that problem."

He nodded and reached for his jacket pocket.  "May I record this for
later?"

I snorted at his formality.  "I insist."

His eyebrows went up as he finished reaching and turned on his pocket
recorder.  "Fresh batteries, and blank.  You have six hours."

I laughed.  "Won't take that long to tell it.

"The kid who hit her car broadside did it when he swerved to miss
someone who suddenly turned in front of him at an intersection.
According to Rachel, it was probably a long haired man driving, and
after she described the car we decided it was probably a modified
Isetta.  The kid who hit her agrees, because the two of them are next
to each other in ICU and it took both of them to put all the shared
details together enough for them to figure out what they think really
happened.  He's already had his left leg amputated just above the
knee.

"Now, I know this is going to sound really, really stupid and like a
bad story, but it's the truth, as you'll find out when you go see her.
The kid who nearly killed her is her boyfriend Billy, and he was
headed for the same party she was, because he'd agreed the two of them
would lose their virginity to each other.

"With me so far?"

"Yes.  Wild coincidence, but it happens more often than we like to
admit.  You have the look of a man who was just served a pretty rotten
steak, though, and he's not sure how he should react."

I nodded.  "Good way to put it."

I sighed.  "I'm not sure how to say this, so  I'll just start, and we
can sort it out later."

"Go on."

"Yeah.  Billy's a zoo, has been for years, and Rachel's been covering
for him ever since she put it together after he was the one who showed
them that web site with copies of Jo's films.  She thought she
recognized Sam, Jo confirmed it, and she's been pumping us for info
ever since and passing it on, all without us realizing what she was
doing.

"Billy confessed after the accident for some reason, Dr Simmons got
the task of telling his parents, and instead of being supportive, they
decided he was no longer welcome in their home unless he turned human
exclusive, and signed papers leaving us responsible for him and any
medical decisions.

"I'll give him this much.  Dr. Simmons wasn't expecting that when he
suggested they talk to Jo and I after he showed them her public site.
Jo and I agree that the 'conversation' we had was most likely a set
piece so they could salve their consciences, but we can't prove it, of
course.

"They said they'd take care of his bitch, but Billy is worried sick,
and I need you to take me back to the house so I can put the truck
back together and collect her.  Rachel suggested we get the neighbor
girl to help, since she's helped raise Nibby since she was a puppy."

I sighed again.  "I'm sure I'm leaving a lot out, but I think I've
covered the important stuff for now.  Oh, Rachel convinced Billy to
allow a sedative to be administered so he could get some temporary
relief from his panic.  Jo's still in the room, I imagine, doing
whatever she can."

I found something to smile about.  "Now, I know you're probably going
to tell me one of us should call Billy's parents immediately, and
normally I would agree.  The problem is, Rachel is expecting you to at
least check in before we head out."

He smiled.  "Uh huh.  And what Rachel decides she wants, she usually
gets.  A compromise.  Give me Billy's parent's phone number and I'll
call them right now to make sure they understand the situation.  You
said they made this decision this morning?  I don't think they'd be
likely to decide to do something with the dog just yet, but let's not
take any chances.  I'll assume this neighbor girl's phone number is in
Rachel's phone, so we'll arrange to have her go get the dog until we
get there, then as soon as I pay my respects, you and I will go pick
her up, along with anything else we need and will fit in my car."

He got thoughtful, then shook himself out of his reverie.  "No.  We
can't do it that way.  I'd better call in a favor, on my authority as
your attorney of record.  Technically, as soon as they signed the
papers, Billy became your legal son.  I can use that to get a unit out
there to collect his bitch, or at least stand guard until we get
there.  I should be able to keep animal control at bay until we get a
real evaluation, if Dr Simmons will cooperate by giving his expert
opinion about Billy's zoosexuality.  I assume he's ok with it?"

I nodded.  "No problem.  He's already asked Jo and me if we'd be
willing to become outside consultants he can bring in to give patients
someone like themselves to talk to."

At that his eyebrows went up.  "I see LOTS of potential problems if
that happens."

"Yeah.  So do we.  Let's worry about that after we put out the main
fire."

He chuckled sourly.  "Point."

He reached for his phone again.  "Hang on while I get things started.
Beverly's been itchy for a good case to challenge us again.  It's been
too long for her and she's been telling me how bored she's getting
with all these normal folks we've been dealing with.  I think she
misses the 'good old days' more than I do."

My eyebrows went up when he told the police he wanted Nibby in
protective custody with Samantha as her handler, because the bitch
couldn't be traumatized into not reacting normally, but if it got
things dealt with, I wasn't going to complain, and after I thought
about it , I knew it was true.

When he was done and he'd hung up, he looked at me soberly, then lost
it and grinned.  "Somebody's going to be surprised when they get
pulled over on the way home.  The house has been called, and nobody
answered the phone, so the nearest unit will be staking it out.  Nibby
is still there, and she looks ok.  She even barked at the police when
they checked the yard.  They'll keep calling his parent's cell phone,
and hopefully they'll get an answer and his parents will cooperate
with the inevitable."

I studied him thoughtfully.  "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Of course I am."  Then he sighed.  "If you must know, I still regret
what I did to you, and maybe this will help me sleep better at nights
when I remember that travesty of justice I perpetrated."

I sighed and held out my hand.  "It was over when you agreed to be god
father to our daughter, but if it makes you feel better, I'm not going
to stop you.  Wouldn't anyway.  Thanks."

We shook hands, then he sighed again and stood up.  "All we can do is
wait, and I bought us some time, so let's go see Rachel and let
everyone know what's going on."

"Yeah.  Let's do that, you scoundrel.  Don't overdo the mushy stuff
though.  People might start thinking you have a heart and would have
done this for free if you thought you could get away with it."

He laughed.  "You can buy a lot for a dollar, if you know how to
invest it wisely."

I punched his shoulder lightly.  "I know.  Jo convinced me of that
eighteen years ago when she got us together and ripped us both new
assholes before she told us to settle our differences."

We were both still smiling when we finally got into ICU after the
inevitable delays because I'd been outside and he was a new visitor
who wasn't a family member.

Dr. Simmons was finally called and he solved the problem by putting
Warren's name in the records as our legally hired attorney of record.

Then he made it clear he was glad to see Warren, and wanted a private
consultation about the case, after Warren had spoken to Rachel--and
Billy, if Billy was awake and alert.

Rachel spotted us first, since she was facing the door.  "Uncle
Warren!  You made it!"

I let him precede me, and he went over and smiled at her.  "Tom told
me you have problems with your memories, young Lady.  What other lies
did he tell me this time?"

She sobered and held out her arms for a hug.  "None, I bet.  It's the
truth, but mom and I figured out a way to get them back."

I knew my eyebrows shot up, but I managed to stay out of it.

He hugged her.  "Good.  Should I start the paperwork so you can patent
the process or something, and make lots of money?"

She giggled.  "No.  I think it only works so good because I have an
eidetic memory.  All mom has to do is start describing something, and
eventually it's like I'm watching a movie and I can see what she's
talking about.  Once that happens I can usually play it for awhile
before it stops.  Then she restarts it for me.  That's why I remember
so much about you."

She grimaced and looked sideways, at Billy's silent body.  "You gonna
help make sure Nibby is ok?"

Billy didn't open his eyes, and we barely heard his voice.  "What
about Nibby?"

She frowned.  "You aren't supposed to be awake yet."

He sighed.  "I don't think I am, really.  This nightmare keeps waking
me up.  I'm looking for Nibby and I can't find her.  She gonna be ok?
What time is it?  How long have I been asleep?"

Warren bent over and gently used a finger to close Rachel's lips
before she could say anything.  "I'll take care of it.  Ok?"

She nodded and he stood up before he went over to look down at Billy.

"Hello, William.  I'm Warren, and I wish we could meet under other
circumstances."

Billy sighed.  "Yeah.  I've heard a lot about you."

Warren nodded easily.  "I can imagine.  A lot of the bad stuff is
true.  I used to be an asshole before I was forced to reveal my
sexuality.  I'm still something of an asshole, but I like to think I'm
honest about it, now.  I finally grew up when I was forced out, but it
wasn't before I helped fuck up Tom's life.  He's forgiven me, but I
haven't forgiven myself.  That's kind of why I'm here.  Nibby's going
to be ok.  The police should have her in protective custody by now,
and Samantha is going to take care of her until Tom and I can go get
her for you."

He smiled a little sadly and reached for Billy's hand.  Once he had a
good grip he spoke softly.  "Tom told me what she means to you, so as
soon as I knew, I made sure she would be safe."

Billy nodded weakly.  "You sure she'll be ok?  My parents said they'd
take care of her until...  she and I could be together again or she
was at Rachel's, but I don't really trust them any more."

"She's fine.  A unit was close enough to check on her while I was on
the phone, and they said she's still there and barked at them when
they checked the yard.  They have your house staked out, and your
parents aren't going to be able to do anything to her.  Once Samantha
gets home from school, and she collects Nibby and takes her home, your
parents will be allowed back in "

"That's some pretty serious shit going down.  Mom and dad aren't going
to be happy, I bet."

Then he sorta stiffened.  "Is Sam gonna know why she's gotta take care
of
Nibby?"

Warren shook his head a little sadly.  "Your parents might tell her. I
understand they were pretty upset with you this morning."

Billy sighed.  "Yeah, they were.  But you know something?  I'm glad
it's happened, finally.  I hope Rachel remembers enough so that
someday she can help me figure out what I am.  I really fucked up
things when I swerved and hit her."

He sighed.  "Hey.  I'm sorry.  I'm so fucked up I forgot to say
thanks.  Thanks, huh?  Maybe next time I won't be so dopey and I'll be
able to think straight."

Warren smiled again.  "Don't worry about it.  I bet knowing Nibby is
safe is going to get rid of the nightmares, and you'll dream about how
much you love each other, and the ways you prove it to each other."

"Uh!  Yeah!  I hope so.  That's cool, huh?  I think I can go back to
sleep now..."

Warren let go and watched him for awhile, then he sighed and turned
back to us.

"Well, Rachel?  You heard him.  What do you think?"

She was silent a long time, and when she spoke, it was a whisper.  "I
keep thinking we must have loved each other, but maybe we didn't,
because I can't remember if we did or not.  Lots of other things,
though, like when he showed us that web site and I was pretty sure I
recognized Sam.  After I confronted mom, I watched him a lot because I
sorta wondered why he seemed so interested and one day I was watching
him and Nibby after I'd asked mom some stuff and I realized it was
just...  Obvious and I wondered how come I hadn't noticed it before,
so I asked him about it and he confessed, then told me how glad he was
that he could talk about it to someone, finally."

She sighed.  "I remember all my friends freaking out at first when I
finally told them the dog really was Sam and the woman had been my
mother, but now nobody cares, ya know?  I mean ok, it's weird to fuck
a dog like that, but everybody knows that you gotta do stuff you
wouldn't normally do sometimes and it could happen to us someday, so
at least we know ahead of time what it could be like if we made some
choices we might have made if we hadn't known about mom and had a
chance to talk to her and dad."

Warren nodded and spoke easily.  "Well, it looks like you two are
recovering, so I'll stop worrying about you for now, and we'll go take
care of getting Nibby resettled.  Can you think of anything we should
do, or that you want from home?

She blushed.  "I won't need my pills for awhile and I guess I can't
have my cell phone yet but it would be nice to have all the numbers so
I can use the hospital phone to call my friends and let them know what
happened to us if they don't know yet.  Could I have the picture of me
and Sam and Jup?  And get some of Billy's pictures of him and Nibby
together.  I have some on my phone, wherever it is.

"Oh, and get his computer before his parents do anything with it. He's
got some encrypted stuff I know he wants to keep."

Warren nodded.  "That's it?"

"Yes".  Then she corrected herself with a wince.  "It's all I can
remember right now."

"I understand.  I'll call the police and make sure Billy's computer
isn't disturbed."

"Thanks, Uncle Warren."

He smiled and bent down to kiss her.  "My pleasure."

She blushed, then hugged him.  "Love ya lots."

Then she let go and slumped.  "I think I'd better take a nap now. Mom?
Will you stay with us?"

Jo smiled.  "Of course."

Rachel smiled weakly.  "Thanks..."

I sighed when it was obvious she was asleep, then used my head to
motion Warren out the door.

He nodded, walked around the bed to hug Jo, then after I hugged her,
the two of us left.

I was surprised when he slumped against the wall once we were out of
sight of the occupants of ICU.

"You ok?"

"I'm getting too old for this when a sixteen year old girl with holes
in her memory is doped to the eyebrows and able to think circles
around me.  Never seen anything like it.  Maybe I've held off too long
on retiring."

I chuckled tiredly.  "That 'girl' routinely maxes every intelligence
test she takes.  What would scare *me* is if she suddenly quit doing
that."

"You have a point.  Let's get out of here so I can make another phone
call and lock down everything of Billy's, completely, until we get
there.   Maybe by then I'll have a clue about how to deal with this so
I don't screw up his life more than it is."

He looked at me and sighed.  "Oh, hell...  I promised Eugene I'd talk
to him before we leave.  Maybe I can use his phone.  Let's go find
him."

Finding him turned out to be easy, since he'd settled himself at the
ICU monitoring station to wait for us.  He rose when we turned the
corner, and held out his hand to Warren.  "I heard.  And since I have
a little more authority than you do, as the treating therapist for
both of them, I made some calls of my own and processed some paperwork
while I waited for you."

They looked at each other for a long time.  Dr. Simmons wore a smug
smile, while Warren had a wary look on his face, like he'd been
outsmarted somehow, but he wasn't quite sure how it had happened or
what had been done to him.

Eventually he sighed.  "Should we talk about this alone, or should Tom
be there?"

Dr. Simmons frowned, then he looked at me.  "Things were pretty
confusing earlier.  Is Warren actually acting in his capacity of
family attorney, or is he here as a friend of the family?"

I sighed.  "Both, really, but I did pay him the retainer fee he
charges us when we need him to act officially."

Dr. Simmons coughed.  "I don't need to hear how much it is.  That
might complicate things even more than they already are, and I don't
think any of us want to get involved in explanations that would divert
attention from the real issues."

Warren chuckled.  "Then let the record show that the fee paid was
sufficient to assure Tom that I would focus the proper amount of
attention on his case."

Dr. Simmons nodded.  "Good."

He turned to one of the nurse's aides.  "Please tell Mr. Metzler's
wife she should join us for a conference in my office."

I raised my eyebrows at his sudden formality, but said nothing while
thinking I wasn't going to enjoy what we were going to hear.

The aide returned with Jo in tow, and it was obvious she, too, was
wondering what the bad news was, but she was willing to wait to hear
it.

The short trip to his office was made in silence, and I wasn't
surprised when he paused to tell his secretary he wasn't to be
disturbed until he told her otherwise.

We settled while he locked his door, then he sat behind his desk and
sighed.  "Believe it or not, this isn't the messiest situation I've
been involved in.  At least it's solvable, and some of the others
weren't."

Jo and I looked at each other, and she tilted her head slightly in
Warren's direction.  I smiled and nodded back.  "Time to earn your
pay, my friend."

Warren smiled.  "Be glad to."

He leaned back and focused on Dr Simmons.  "It's your show."

He nodded.  "I suppose it is, for now."

He leaned forward slightly.  "Tom.  Jolene.  As of one PM, the
hospital records show that you have been given emergency custody of
William, based on my recommendation that he be removed from his
previous living conditions.  I made this recommendation based on my
evaluation of what needed to be done to reduce the mental trauma he
has suffered for the past three years, due to his freely chosen sexual
preference.

"The custody is currently provisional, pending a routine background
check to determine your financial stability and ability to provide a
nurturing environment while he undergoes any therapy I later determine
to be necessary."

He paused and smiled slightly.  "I can assure it you it will be
minimal therapy, and mostly be periodic checks to make sure he's
accepting himself for the person he is, not the person his parents
have tried to pressure him into becoming."

He sighed.  "I still need to talk to William, when he's alert enough
to understand what's going on and either accept or deny the custody
transfer.  I will also point out that either he or his parents can
initiate divorce proceedings, and he can become a legal adult and
responsible to nobody except himself.  I don't  think he should go
that far yet, but I cannot, in good conscience, make my feelings in
the matter more than a suggestion."

He leaned back.  "Now we come to the part you might have problems
with. I'd like to sponsor a dedicated support site, with all of you
folks as the moderators, under my supervision.  That includes Rachel
and William, by the way, because I need people their age available for
peer counseling.  

"It would all be above board, and anyone using it would have to sign a
release form saying they are aware of the fact that while they can
remain anonymous if they desire to do so, what they say will be
tracked and worked into a study that has as its primary goal, a better
understanding of zoos who are comfortable with themselves, so I and
others can help those who aren't.

"That's it."

Warren didn't bother looking at either of us before he steepled his
fingers under his chin, leaned back--and spoke mildly.  "Well, Doctor.
I wish we'd been able to chat before you really fucked things up, but
I think we can salvage the situation."

I glanced at Jo and she was shaking her head in a way that told me she
was holding back gales of laughter, and I knew I wasn't in much better
shape.

Dr. Simmons had stiffened in anger, managed to catch himself before he
could express his outrage, clenched his jaw, and finally settled for a
terse  "Explain."

Warren nodded.  "It's a very pretty plan, if it would have been
allowed to work.   You forgot about Child Protective Services, and
they will certainly be involved now.  You've managed to make sure of
it."

He had the grace to glance at us and wince.  "Screwed up twice in a
little more than 24 hours.  You folks are NOT helping my professional
confidence."

Warren smiled slightly.  "Tom never mentioned the first time.  Should
I know about it?"

There was a long suffering sigh, then he reached into a desk drawer
and took out a case file.  He held it out.  "Here.  I imagine you'll
see it anyway, at some point."

Warren took it gingerly and looked at us.  We both nodded and he
opened it.

When he hit page three he winced, stiffened and stared at Dr Simmons
in shock.  All of his professional poise was gone, consumed by an
anger that couldn't have been faked.  "You...  I've seen some poor
diagnoses over the years, but you did *this* to my god daughter?!
Mister, I OWN you, now."

Dr. Simmons blanched, but managed to recover slightly.  "Next page.  I
retracted it as soon as I knew.  They insisted.  Then I went and
apologized to Rachel, and let her spank me.  It was one of the hardest
professional decisions I've ever made, to let her do that without
knowing exactly what she'd do."

Warren regained some of his poise.  "Damn right they would have
insisted, after what I did to Tom in court."

Then he grinned.  "So.  Instead of learning from that experience, you
went back and did something worse to William.  Gods...  It's idiots
like you that keep assholes like me so busy we don't have time to
spend the money we make."

I decided to break in.  "Warren."

"What?"

"You weren't there.  He witnessed everything when they heard us out,
then dumped Billy and Nibby on us without warning.  You didn't see the
anger when he threw them out after they told Billy they were
abandoning him to us.  It happened fast, and it happened dirty.  I'm
not worried about CPS, we planned for something like this years ago,
as soon as we knew Rachel was going to be born.  Shut up and do your
job instead of playing around."

The two of them winced when Jo clapped softly without saying anything.

Warren sighed.  "Ok, you made your point.  Been saving that for almost
twenty five years, haven't you?"

"Something like that.  Dr. Simmons did what he had to do, under a hell
of a lot of pressure.  We didn't think of CPS, either, and I don't
think they're going to be able to do much, since Billy's already past
sixteen and the papers are signed.  He's also already under treatment,
so they can't remove Dr Simmons, right?"

"Hmm.  Weak points, but we can work with them.  If those idiots are
answerable to anyone before they fuck up lives, I've never learned who
it is.  Nobody has filed a complaint with them yet, right?  Then as
far as they are concerned, because the paperwork is all done, there's
no case for them to investigate, unless they want to reopen one that's
already solved to everyone's satisfaction but theirs, and they
shouldn't be able to justify anything based on 'suspicion' because
while I think he's an idiot, Dr. Simmons is also one of the best
people in the business and once he's signed off on someone as cured,
even I would have a hell of a time getting a case reopened."

He smiled wryly.  "Not saying I couldn't if I really wanted to but I'd
better be pretty certain I had a solid case before I tried."

Dr Simmons finally nodded.  "Not the most enthusiastic endorsement
I've received, but considering the source, I'll treasure it more than
most."

Then he sighed.  "Ok.  It probably wasn't the best decision I could
have made, but I didn't have a lot of choices, either.  At least this
way his zoosexuality is on the record, and I've given my professional
opinion that he doesn't have a problem with it and it doesn't have any
adverse effects on his life."

Warren sighed.  "How much pressure has be been under, to be 'normal'
for his age?"

"He opened up a little, this morning, while we were working with
Rachel.  Based on what he's said so far, I would already be scheduling
a counseling session for his parents, to try and get them to cut back
the pressure they've been applying, even if I hadn't known about him
being a zoo.  It hasn't been as bad ever since Rachel started helping
him hide from them, but he did say it hasn't stopped completely, and
probably wouldn't until he got married and had kids.

"Most of that came out as part of his helping her get her memories
back.  He has a lot of personal incentive to make sure she remembers
all she's done during the last year, before they have sex together."

Warren went right for the critical point.  "How likely is it that CPS
will step in and second guess your decisions, or try to take over?"

Dr Simmons held his hand out and rocked it back and forth.  "Tough
call.  A case could be made for William becoming a zoo because he was
reacting to his parents' pressure, but it's not one I want to make
unless I have to, or I know more about how he got involved.  Lots of
boys are shy at his age, and it could be a phase at this point.
There's no way to know for sure.

"Bottom line is that even if the home situation wasn't abusive, it
would be if he returned home, now.  Truth is, I think CPS would want
to look real hard at Jolene and Tom as 'suitable parents' before
they'd worry about anything else."

Warren smiled grimly.  "Let them try.  I haven't lost a porn industry
custody battle against them, yet, and they know it.  I'd hate to do it
to Rachel, but I bet she'd enjoy putting that memory of hers on
display after she's been told she can open it up completely, for the
record."

I winced and he saw it and laughed at me.  "She'd make a good legal
secretary."

"You say that even after she went through all your law books and then
started pointing out the contradictions in the laws?"

"Yep.  Complete library with cross indexing at my side.  If she was
older, I'd offer her a job, if she could learn to stop laughing when
she makes her points."

I sighed.  "So what do we do about Billy?"

Warren shrugged. "For now, nothing other than what we already had
planned.  If you accept the job offer, he's going to be gainfully
employed and not a burden on society.  If you don't accept it, you
folks can easily take care of him and any extra expenses his living
with you incurs.

"CPS is a law unto themselves, so there's no point in trying to second
guess what they might do if they decide to get involved."

He looked down at the file in his hands before he handed it back.
"Make sure I'm prominently listed in Billy's file as being hired by
Tom and Jolene to make sure his best interests are seen to."

"I'll see to it."

Dr. Simmons looked at us.  "Please consider my suggestion."

Jo nodded.  "We will.  May we make it a discussion topic on our
forum?"

He nodded.  "Please, and if you can, let me know how people feel, and
any suggestions they come up with."

She nodded.  "We'll see."

Then she turned her attention to me.  "Go get Nibby so William can
relax and get some proper sleep."

* * *

Once we were in his car and headed out, I settled back and spoke
quietly.  "That anger wasn't faked, was it?"

Warren winced slightly.  "No, it wasn't. Eugene and I go back quite a
few years.  We've had to work together, and we've been opponents
sometimes.  Friends, in a way.  Got a lot of respect for each other as
professionals."

"Ah.  That explains the quick recovery."

"Yeah.  His misdiagnosis shocked me.  Add it to it being Rachel...  I
lost control, pure and simple.  He almost did, too.  Thank God for all
those courtroom battles we've been through together."

Then he sighed.  "Courtroom.  Damn.  I didn't want to say anything
back there, but I think I'd better call in a marker."

He pulled over and parked before he looked at me.  "You aren't here,
and you never heard anything."

"Should I leave?"

"Probably, but I want some silent support."

"Ok."

He made his call and waited.  I flinched when I recognized the voice
that answered.  "Hello, Warren.  My condolences.  Just read the paper.
How's Rachel?"

"She'll live, Harv.  Needs a new knee and she's putting her memory
back together.  Too soon to tell anything more."

"You ok?"

"We private?"

"Social or business private?"

"Approach the bench."

There was a long silence.

"Approach."

"The parents of the victim have become custodians of the young man who
hit their daughter's car.  New evidence has made it clear he wasn't at
fault, and any possible family complications have been resolved.
However, the young man's sexuality has become an issue and CPS is
likely to involve themselves.  Most likely, they will question the
suitability of the custodians and their fitness as parents.  Dr.
Simmons is the therapist of record for both patients, and I have been
retained to handle any legal aspects as they arise."

He took a deep breath.  "Tom and I are on our way to meet with the
original parents and police to resolve the most pressing problem, and
I foresee no difficulties there."

There was a brief silence.  "I see no reason to inform me of the
situation."

"There isn't one, yet.  Harvey, I'm sticking my neck way out.  If CPS
decides to get involved, I want them stopped, cold.  It is my
professional opinion that there is no need for their presence in this
case. Dr. Simmons agrees, and will go on record as opposing their
involvement.  I can arrange for copies of the case files to be sent by
courier, or better yet, would be if you went to the hospital in
person, as a friend of a friend of the family."

"You're asking a lot."

"I know, Harv.  Do this, and you can tell me to retire, or you can
call in the marker."

'Harv' laughed.  "Counselor, by rights I should have the sense to seek
your retirement.  Instead, you'd better call your tailor and tell them
your robe size.  You'll look handsome in black, and at least I won't
have to listen to you question my judgement in public quite as often.
Done, if I have to--and I'm calling in the marker."

The line went dead.

Warren sighed, then he closed his phone and looked at me wearily.
"It's a long, complicated story, and I can't tell it.  I'd like to
think I would have done it for William, anyway, but mostly I have to
admit I'm doing it for you, Jo, and Rachel.  One of my first acts will
be to reopen a 25 year old case so I can correct a miscarriage of
justice.  It's a few months early and the gift is mostly symbolic, but
it will have meaning down the road for others, as similar cases are
re-evaluated."

He sighed and looked away before he whispered some words I never
expected to hear.  "Happy Twenty-Fifth Anniversary, Tom.  In a few
months, your innocence will be official, my friend."

He pulled back into traffic and we rode in silence for several miles,
until we were on the hiway and headed for Billy's old home.

I saw him glance at me before he sighed.  "Is that good silence I'm
hearing?"

"Yeah, mostly.  Thanks.  Jo's gonna appreciate it more than I will.
Tell you the truth, I've been cudgeling my brains over Billy and the
forum thing.  But...  Just like that and it's 'Judge Finley'?"

"Pretty much.  Lots of flash and bang later, but it will mostly be
show.  Nobody who matters is going to deny my competence and
suitability.  They've been after me for years.  Managed to avoid it
when they wanted me as an openly gay judge, so this way is going to be
better for my credibility, in the long run."

I sighed.  "Maybe.  But if you reopen my case, you are also going to
point the media at the porn industry, Jo, and zoos.  What happens
then?  Maybe you better reconsider the wisdom of reopening my case,
and leave it alone.  Talk to Dr. Simmons and Jo at least, before you
do anything with it."

He slumped.  "And I called Gene an idiot.  He'll love this one when he
hears about it."

I shook my head.  "Sure, I'd love to set the record straight, but look
where that fuck up led.  I got lots of regrets, but Jo and Rachel, and
even knowing you, aren't things I'll regret doing because of it.  If
you need to ease your conscience, think about all the gay zoos you've
indirectly helped by making me one against my will."

"When did you learn to be so forgiving and pragmatic?"

"I've always been pragmatic.  That drove my decision to finish the job
by becoming a zoo bottom for so many years."

He chuckled bitterly.  "Gene and I had a long talk about stuff like
that.  I don't think it will come out later, but if anyone has a right
to know, you do.  He helped me understand that the reason I persecuted
anal erotics like you--was to protect myself.  Once I understood that,
it made it a lot easier to admit I am a gay bottom, when I think I
should."

I smiled.  "I won't tell anyone.  We get a lot of that in the zoo
community.  Just something that happens often enough people have to
learn to spot it and take precautions."

He chuckled again.  "Human nature.  Where'd the ability to forgive
come from?"

I shook my head again and smiled.  "A lot of places.  Time to learn
perspective gave me a little of it.  Mostly, though, it's been
Rachel's gift.  You learn a lot about what's important, and what
isn't, when you raise a child.  Learning to forgive is included in the
package called 'Being the best father you can be'.  Eventually it
affects everything you do.  Even fucks up your memories of what was
important in the past by teaching you things about yourself you didn't
really want to know."

He was staring at the road when I finished, then he barely nodded.
"You got a gentle way with that sledge hammer you carry, know that?
Man can't forgive others for being who they are, until he can forgive
himself for being everything he is, right?"

I gazed out the window and saw our shared past before I spoke gently.
"I don't want my case reopened, Your Honor.  Thanks for offering,
though."

Then I chuckled.  "Listen to us.  All wrapped up in the past, when
we're supposed to be worrying about a young man's future.  Shall we
postpone our case until a later date?  Lot of discovery that needs to
be done before Jo and I make any decisions on the forum, and I imagine
you will want to spend some time with Billy so you can help him
forgive himself and come to terms with what's going on, plus help him
figure out his options."

I caught his brief frown.  "Something wrong?"

"Maybe.  You're pretty affable all of a sudden.  I feel like I missed
something important, but damned if I can figure out what it was."

I chortled.  "Not surprised you missed it.  I saw the way you looked
at William.  Well, here's your chance to have the son you've always
wanted.  Don't betray the trust he's invested in you already, ok?"

"A son?  You'd let me be a father for him?"

I smiled and put a hand on his shoulder.  "You've been a good father
to our daughter, why shouldn't you be one for our new son?  Can't have
too many of them around, these days.  It's a hard world, and our kids
need all the good advice they can get.  Be nice to have another good
example of a human being around for William to learn from. Call it
god-father, Uncle, or whatever, but I'd like to have you there for
him, and I'm certain Jo would, too."

"In spite of the mistake I made with you twenty five years ago?"

"Because of it, and all the others you've made over the years."

"Oh.  Mind if I talk to Gene about this?  I think I'll understand it
if he explains it to me."

I shrugged.  "Go ahead, but I think it would be even better if you
talked it over with Billy and Rachel at the same time.  Just be
yourself when you do it, is all I ask."

"You don't ask much, do you?"

"Kids don't always listen to the words, but they do hear the tones and
emotions, damn well.  All your lawyer tricks will do is piss them off,
so don't waste your time trying them.  Hiding is ok, mostly, but lying
isn't.  Rachel's already taught you everything you need to know about
being a father, anyway.  Ask her for help if you need it, or even ask
William."

He sighed.  "Damn it, Tom.  I'm too old for this."

I sighed wearily.  "That, from the man who just agreed to be a judge,
with all the responsibilities involved.  I'll leave you alone, but
also give you a final question, one you better have a solid answer
for, by the time you put that robe on the first time.  'Should there
be any differences between a good parent, and a good judge?' "

He visibly winced, but managed to remain silent.

* * *

When we got closer to home, Warren came out of his silence.  "Ok. just
where are we going?  Do you have an address and directions?"

I laughed.  "Not really.  Don't need them now that I know he was
Samantha's neighbor.  They were holding the party at her house, and
now I know why it *had* to be there.  I'm thinking that was Rachel's
doing, to help Billy hide."

He chuckled.  "What you get for letting her adopt a lawyer as her
uncle.  She's good at the triple think it takes to be successful.  She
decided on a career path yet?"

I shook my head and watched the street signs for the one we needed.
"Nope.  That mercurial curiosity of hers hasn't gone away.  New
interest every week, seems like.  Tell you the truth, we were both
relieved when she got tired of following you around all the time."

His reply was sober.  "So was I.  She has too much empathy to be happy
doing some of the things you have to do to be successful as an
attorney."

I turned to study his profile, then spoke softly.  "Ah.  Jo will be
happy to understand why you encouraged her so much.  We wondered...
Thanks."

He nodded jerkily.

I recognized where we were.  "Turn left in two blocks, then follow the
road around the curve.  I imagine the correct house will be obvious
after that."

He sighed.  "Got it.  Back to reality.  If we can, keep me in the
background, ok?"

I sighed.  "Good guy, bad guy?"

"If they recognize me, fine.  If not, no need to make a bad situation
worse.  'Family friend', if we can get away with it."

"Right."

As we rounded the curve I chuckled at the police cars parked on both
sides of the street, then frowned.  "Warren?  Do you see what I see?"

He sighed.  "Unfortunately, I do.  A big pile of stuff at the end of a
driveway, a couple of officers watching it, a German Shepherd I assume
is female, and a young woman with blonde hair who happens to be
holding the leash attached to the dog."

I slumped.  "It's what I don't see that worries me.  No sign of his
parents.  Open garage, and no sign of a car that might belong here."

"Noted.  I'll introduce us to the police, you introduce yourself to
the Lady and the dog."

I chuckled a bit sourly.  "Lady and bitch, Warren.  No visible
plumbing on the dog.  Pay attention to details."

He laughed.  "I'm not in court."

"Gotcha.  But I bet you're going to get judged as soon as you get out
of the car.  We both are."

He pulled up next to the pile of stuff, parked, and then we both got
out and headed for our targets.

When I was close enough I held out my hand and smiled ruefully.  "Hi,
Samantha.  Rachel and Billy are pretty banged up, but alive, and I
hope you get a chance to see them soon."

She sighed and shook my hand.  "I've already got my parents'
permission to do whatever it takes to settle Nibby at your place.
Sleep over if I have to, until you folks all get home, if you'll allow
it."

I raised my eyebrows and she smiled sightly.  She turned sideways a
little to look at Warren, and casually reached to brush her hair away
from the ear facing me.  She paused long enough for me to realize what
I was seeing, then she dropped her hand and shook her head to put her
hair back in place.

"Nibby's kinda nervous.  Can we take a walk before we go to help her
settle a little?  Billy and she used to run every evening, and I think
she misses that already."

I noted the careful use of the words 'used to', then nodded.  "No
problem."

I raised my voice enough so Warren would hear me.  "Samantha and I are
going to take a walk so Nibby can stretch."

He raised his eyebrows, then turned back to the officers.  They
nodded, and he turned back to me.  "Safe enough,  There's a unit
making sure his parents relax and have dinner at the local restaurant
until we clear the area."

My eyebrows went up a lot, then I just nodded and gestured.  "Let's
go.  You lead."

She nodded.  "Come on, Nibby.  Time for a walk."

I laughed when the well behaved bitch stretched and moved to stand
next to her with quivering eagerness.

Samantha giggled, and then we stepped out briskly.

After we passed her house, she glanced over her shoulder and sighed.
"Keep it secret, ok?  Not many people know I use one."

I sighed.  "Vanity or an edge?"

She giggled.  "Both."

Then she sobered.  "Nobody knows it, but I saw everything the first
time Billy screwed Nibby.  You're the first person I've ever told.
Guess he needs some seriously loyal friends, huh?  Didn't need my
hearing aid to hear his parents screaming when the bus got here to
drop us off.  Ugly.  Bet most of the neighborhood knows by now.
Everyone on the school bus does, anyway.  Scared most of us at first
when we heard them yelling.  A few guys thought it was kinky but ok,
some girls figured it's kinda yucky, but then someone mentioned that
Billy and Nibby aren't going to be able to run together, and now
everybody's pissed about what happened and feel bad he can't be on the
cross country team any more.  When can we all go see him and let him
know we're all cool about him and Nibby?"

I froze long enough for them to get a couple steps ahead of me, then I
moved to catch up with them.  "For being so well informed, your
education has a mysterious hole in it.  There are people who have
prostheses for BOTH legs, who run marathons.  If he wants to run with
Nibby, he'll be able to, eventually."

She blushed.  "I'm a nerd.  Sports bore me."

"Ok.  Both of them will be in ICU for at least a week, I guess.  I can
make arrangements to get a couple of you in to see them, as long as
you let us know ahead of time.  Keep in mind, there's no privacy in
ICU, so everything you talk about will be recorded."

"K.  I'll call around and find a guy to come with me."  She giggled.
"Should be easy.  I'm kinda like Billy, and guys are always trying to
get me to go out with them."

She looked up quickly and blushed again.  "I'm not a zoo, though. Just
ok with it because I kinda know where his head is at."

Then she took a real deep breath, looked away for a long time while we
walked, then she stopped and faced me after I stopped walking.  "Hi,
Tomsdog.  I'm Laika."

I froze again, and then to give myself some time before I said
something really stupid, I knelt and introduced myself to Miss
Nibbles.  She got in my face real quick with her tongue, then she
turned and groaned happily when I started rubbing her sides while I
thought about what I'd just learned.

'Laika' was the most recent of the young women who moderated our
support forum for teenagers who were non-zoo friends of zoos.

Samantha giggled a little.  "Everyone's used to her being pushy, so
it's ok if you want to rub above the base of her tail.  Everybody does
it 'cause it's so obvious she enjoys it."

My eyebrows went up again.  "It's true, then?  You know I'm gay with
dogs, not het."

"Yeah.  It's true for Nibby, anyway.  As far as I know, Billy never
figured out I knew, and that I've been doing a lot of stuff to help
him hide.  He used to be careless at first, but he's a lot better
about it, now.  It helps that everybody thinks Nibby's a real cool
bitch and super friendly."

I scritched, and Nibby did a little dance on her hind legs and kinked
her tail to one side while she got a happy grin on her face.

I laughed.  "Crazy Bitch.  I bet you and Rachel get along real good."

A hand on my shoulder surprised me with the lightness of its touch.  I
looked up to see a wry grin.  "They do.  Oh, they've never done
anything together and I think Rachel's so straight she could be a
ruler, but I've seen her watch Billy screw Nibby, several times. She's
petted her, too, while Billy was cuddled with Nibby.  You got any idea
why she and Billy haven't done it yet?"

I smiled, gave Nibby a last scritch and then stood.  "Let's continue
that walk."

We got moving again, and I smiled.  "Not 'all informed'?"

She blushed and I laughed.  "Relax.  I thought all their friends knew
they were going to take each other's cherries at your party.  Had the
impression a lot of you girls had made catching him a game, and Rachel
won."

She walked in silence for awhile, then she sighed.  "So *that* was the
special birthday gift he was going to give her.  We all wondered why
he always had this weird smile when we asked what he was getting her
and he evaded answering."

Then she stopped suddenly.  "Damn her!  She knew!"

"Knew what?"

"That I knew about Billy, and that I was watching them a lot in the
evenings when she was over to visit him."

She giggled.  "I got this small telescope, and I like to look at the
stars and stuff.  I also got one of those big ear things because I
record bird calls and other animals when I go on hikes."

I laughed.  "And you have a crush on Billy, and since you're his
neighbor, you spy on him and keep trying to figure out a way to get
his attention."

"Yeah, sorta.  You left out jealous of Rachel and I wanted to find out
how she'd landed him."

I sighed, she noticed, and got serious.  "What's wrong?"

"I just realized you probably don't know what happened to Rachel."

"Bad?"

"Yes.  She needs an artificial knee installed.  That's not the worst,
though.  Can you take time off from school to go be with her for
awhile?  You see, she woke up with all of her memories missing because
of some serious head trauma.  Jo and Billy are helping her remember
things, and she's getting better..."

I slumped and stopped walking.

It wasn't much of a surprise when Samantha hugged me fiercely and
cried.  "I don't need a map.  I'm a nerd.  You want me to help her,
don't you?"

"Yeah, Samantha.  Nothing's been said, but I have this fear that once
we stop trying to help her remember, whatever she has recovered will
be all she ever recovers.  I'll do pretty much anything it takes to
get my daughter back."

"I want her back, too.  I'll help."

Then she got practical.  "What are we gonna do about Nibby if I'm
spending time at the hospital?"

I smiled.  "Relax.  Remember the old shell I have in the back yard? Jo
and I custom designed it so we could safely haul the dogs any time of
year.  Warren is going to help me put it back on the pickup, and we'll
be able to put Nibby in it when we have to.  We'll also stay at motels
that allow dogs.  Probably be best if you could handle her most of the
time, until she's comfortable with Jo and I."

I sighed.  "From what you said earlier, about Billy's parents, I think
we'd better plan on never leaving Nibby alone until Rachel and Billy
are back home, and Jo and I can keep an eye on her all the time.  Any
other suggestions?"

She let go and turned us around so we could head back.  "Damn.  Now I
know why Rachel's so good at being paranoid.  You could give a spook
lessons."

I chuckled.  "You do a pretty good job on the forum.  Don't belittle
your own skills.  Oh, that reminds me.  Dr. Simmons wants to start a
specialty forum for zoos who are comfortable with themselves.  He
wants us to run it for him.  We haven't decided yet, but I think I
could offer you a job working with the young adults, like you do now.
At least this way you'd be getting paid for doing it."

She giggled.  "That was going to be my suggestion.  A job, anyway.  I
was going to suggest you hire me to help out with Billy and Rachel
after they come home."

I snorted and she looked at me.

"Nothing much.  Jo and I were talking about remodeling the den
slightly and giving it to Billy.  Part of that discussion involved the
possibility of adding a new room to hold the stuff coming from the
den.  I'm thinking that room might go in anyway, and become our office
for running the forum.  Be nice to have a secretary, I suppose, and if
she can help with the rehab stuff, why that's a bonus, isn't it?"

She nodded.  "Guess so.  So is that a job offer?"

I sighed.  "Up to you.  You going to be able to fit it in with
schoolwork?"

"What schoolwork?  I've been killing time until I'm old enough to get
a good job.  Got all the credits I need to graduate, but I don't want
to be the youngest in the class if I go to college.  Not a lot
different than Rachel, really, except I don't have her trick memory
and she's an extrovert while I'm an introvert like Billy, just not for
the same reasons he is."

Then she sighed.  "Hey, thanks for agreeing to take custody or
whatever.  They ain't done no physical stuff, but the mental crap has
been pretty intense over the years."

I shook my head wearily.  "We know, now.  Any pressure about things is
going to come from inside.  That's unless you think insisting he be
himself, is pressure."

"Nahh...  That's good.  Mind if I suck some of that up?  Be nice to be
able to talk to folks who practice what they preach.  My parents
aren't as intense as Billy's, but I know they still want me to be as
normal as I can.  Problem is, smart people like me and Rachel can't be
normal, ever, so we hide a lot--all the time."

I stopped, and looked around casually.  When I was facing away from
all the activity in Billy's driveway I spoke quietly.  "Jo and I
aren't the smartest people in the world, but one thing we learned is
that time levels the playing field a lot, if you decide to keep
learning all your life.  People you think are dumb as a kid, often
find ways to outshine the smart ones later, if the smart ones don't
keep pushing themselves."

There was a long silence while she thought about my words.  "So I just
gotta learn to be patient and wait for them to catch up?"

"Maybe.  Sounded like you already figured out you can do some helping,
to make the wait shorter.  You didn't ask, but if you were hinting
you'd like a place to stay while you figure out who you want to be,
without having to feel any pressure to pay your way, you'd be welcome
to take as long a break from it all as you feel you need, with us."

"What about moderating my forum?"

I shrugged.  "Need a break?  Take it or select a replacement, since
that's something you'll have to do soon, anyway.  Nothing is forever,
Samantha.  Obviously, we would appreciate it if you stay and help, but
we understand if you want to move on, even if you don't know where
you're moving to, yet."

I saw her nod thoughtfully, then she glanced towards Billy's stuff.
"The cops be ok with me hauling Nibby to your place, or wherever?
You're not going to fit all of that in his car and get Nibby to fit,
too.  It we add mine, I can carry enough we can get it all in one
trip."

"It's our decision on how this is handled.  We did what we had to, to
make sure they didn't do something they'd regret later.  Some mistakes
aren't reversible, and I don't think they've made any of those, yet.
Do you?"

"Fucked him up pretty bad.  Fucking Nibby isn't something that can't
be undone.  He's gonna live with it the rest of his life."

"True.  Correction noted.  But was it a mistake, really?"

"Nahh...  And it's gonna be nice to tell him I've always felt that
way, finally.  He's gonna freak when he finds out how many girls are
scheming to get him away from Rachel before he fucks her.  A few want
to do it to make him het, but most are jealous, because they all know
he really does love Nibby, and they want to find out what being loved
and fucked at the same time is like."

I laughed gently.  "Hearing aid on high gain?"

She giggled.  "Always is.  Girl can't be too careful.  So who you
gonna ride home with.  Him--or me and Nibby?"

I chuckled.  "Who said you were going to haul Nibby to my place?  Cops
are here, and it isn't that far.  I could use Warren's car and go get
my pickup."

She actually laughed.  "You gotta have me along if you don't want to
risk Nibby being screwed up, right?  Cops talk, and I asked them what
was going on.  It wasn't like they could avoid telling me after his
parents blew up.  I had to go dig her out of one of her hiding places
way in back, because she makes herself scarce when they get loud and
Billy's not here."

At that reminder I sighed.  "Right.  I'll ride with you and Nibby, if
she'll let me."

"She will.  Rides with anyone except Billy's mom and dad, as long as
the car is moving."

"Samantha?  Except?  Is there something I should know?..."

She sighed.  "Guess so, huh?.  They've never hit her or threatened
her, as far as I know.  She hasn't cared for them for years because
they yell at Billy, and when she got older she started letting them
know she didn't like it.  Sort of a truce ever since, I guess, but
most of the time she keeps herself away from them unless he's around.
Started while she was still a puppy, long before the sex, not after."

"Any idea why they didn't get rid of her when it started?"

"Sorta.  They never made it a secret that they got her because they
wanted a guard dog to protect Billy and the yard.  They're sorta proud
of her for standing up to them because they figure if she'll do that,
she'll confront anyone.  She doesn't snarl or anything, just does this
sort of real intent focus with her eyes and body, ya know?"

"Oh, yes, I *do* know.  Jupiter was a trained guard dog, and Sam was
just as protective of Jo."

"Yeah.  I forgot about that.  You've written about that in your bios."

I smiled.  "How about we help load things, then we can visit on the
way home?  Welcome to stay and take care of the place later, but I
think we'd better figure on spending the next week or so living in a
dog friendly motel.  Plan accordingly when you grab things of your
own."

She giggled again.  "I was hoping you'd say that.  After I helped move
everything out, I spent time thinking about what I'd need.  All I have
to do is pack and load."

She brought her car over after she loaded her belongings, we loaded
Nibby's essentials in it, and then we put the rest in Warren's car. It
was close, but we did get it all loaded and it was with lots of sighs
of relief that we pulled out and headed back to my place.

After we went around the curve she sighed and looked at me.  "Lot
different than hearing about it on the forum, isn't it?  Do you really
think they'll ever get back together?"

"Yes, it's a lot different.  Maybe they'll get back together. Probably
be a lot of years before they do."

Then I got back to something  she'd said right after I arrived. "Would
you explain that comment about ALL of you kids 'being cool' about
Billy being a zoo?"

"I thought you'd missed it, since you didn't say anything."

I chuckled.  "That was what made me freeze.  Got a lot of things on my
mind, and as intrigued as I am, it had to wait in line."

"Yeah.  Ok.  I can see what you mean.  Guess I'll take credit for some
of that acceptance.  Been working on everybody, doing the little
things like people suggest, sometimes, to see if they'll work.  I
don't know how closely you follow our discussions, and there's a lot
talked about in private, but we all do stuff and let everyone know
what's going on."

I thought about it and finally nodded.  "Thanks.  That's what we've
been hoping people would do.  Little stuff over generations instead of
demanding it all at once."

"Uh huh.  I'm shy, but everyone knows how smart I am and how much I
read and wander the net, so nobody thinks it weird or strange when I
*talk* about sexuality.  Makes sense to them that I'd be curious even
though I don't do anything, yet."

She frowned a little, then continued.  "I guess it was about six
months after he fucked Nibby that I stumbled on Jo's web site and her
movies.  I gotta admit I never knew it was her until after Billy found
it and Rachel recognized Sam.  By then I was moderating your forum, so
I was kinda keeping track of what Billy was doing at home and watching
the discussions to pick up clues so I could help him.

"Hey...  Is Rachel on there?  I've never seen anyone I've thought was
her."

I had to laugh at that, because I'd always wondered why she had
apparently never used the link and created an account.  "She never
created an account even though she knows the link.  After all, she can
ask us directly about anything she wants to know.  We never did figure
out she was helping someone and that was the reason she didn't join."

"Duh!  It was weird.  I knew she was getting the info from you folks,
because she told him where it was coming from.  Probably explains why
he never joined either, and I figured he would, someday.

"Anyway, when people started wondering if Billy was going to be a pedo
or something weird like that, I kinda acted disgusted and said how
most of us had known him for years, and while he'd hidden from us, who
was gonna get real upset about that because we all had secrets that
could fuck up our lives if people knew, right?  Besides, I bet them
that he couldn't be abusing her, because she was everybody's fav bitch
and we all knew abused dogs and they were nothing like she was."

She giggled.  "Then I decided to use the big one, just to see what
would happen.  'He ain't changed because we know, right?  You gonna
chill him because he fucks a bitch instead of you guys, or you just
jealous she had what it takes to be a woman to his man?  I wonder what
it would be like to be fucked by someone who has that much love, that
he'd pick her instead of me?'

"I got teased a little and called jealous, so I admitted it.  Then a
few wondered why I hadn't known and I managed to divert them by
pointing out my bedroom was on the wrong side of the house."

I laughed.  "Like I said, you have some skill of your own."

"Yeah, but I was never so scared about getting discovered, and I
wasn't the one doing it!"

"Point.  So everybody distracted themselves into ways of coming to
terms with it?"

"Uh huh.  Probably be some who have problems later, but Billy's cool
and pretty popular in spite of being shy.  Bus driver wasn't worried
that nobody wanted to get off right away after the police said it was
ok, since this is her last stop and she usually gets something to eat
before she takes the bus home for the night.    So, eventually we all
took a vow that we'd support him no matter what we thought about it.
He wasn't hurting anyone, and sex is your own business unless you tell
someone, and it sucked that he didn't have a chance to decide who
knew."

I smiled.  "You have anything to do with that?"

"Nahhh.  It was Mrs. Yarborough, the driver."

I raised my eyebrows.  "Isn't she the one a lot of kids call a
straight-laced prude?"

"Uh huh.  She likes it that way.  Makes it easier for her to maintain
control when we get too wild on field trips.  Mostly it's the guys who
think she's that way, and in a way she is.  She's easy to talk to
though and she doesn't judge people, so sometimes a few of us will
stay on and go eat dinner with her.  I kinda think she was pretty wild
when she was our age, then something mellowed her a lot, since."

I chuckled.  "Feminine intuition?"

"Nope.  The way she can make us blush!"

"Any examples you can share?"

"Not really...  Oh wait, yeah, couple years ago we were all talking
about sex and stuff and kinda wondering what we'd like or not, and she
told us something about things can get pretty kinky and go over the
top real fast, so everyone involved needs to have an escape word or
phrase to make it all stop, instantly.  Gotta be something we wouldn't
say normally, but it should make kinda sense if you had to say it.
Then she laughed and said. 'Maybe something like "My mascara is
running.'  Then she told us that was something we should pass around
to all our friends.

"See what I mean?"

I must have frozen too long, because she noticed my distraction.  "You
ok?"

I winced.  "Damn.  No.  How long ago did she do that?"

"Couple years, I think."

"Right.  Ok.  Was Rachel on the bus with you?"

"I gotta think about that a minute....  Probably.  I think it was
before they split the route and your area was given its own bus.  Not
sure though.  Rachel would...  Oh, yeah.  You said her memory is
screwed up.  Something bad wrong?"

I sighed.  "Nothing is wrong.  At least I don't think so, if she
hasn't said anything like that since."

"Kay.  Can you tell me anything?"

I laughed.  "If I didn't, you'd probably hear me and Jo talking about
it with Rachel, right?"

She blushed and didn't rise to my bait.

I smiled.  "Relax. I think I can confirm her wild past for you, if she
used that phrase during a sexual situation."

"I'm pretty sure that was the exact phrase.  We were definitely
talking about sex at the time.  It's not the sort of thing you're
likely to forget."

I nodded.  "And that's the point.  What you heard was someone using a
recognition phrase that was current back when Jo was in The Industry.
Jo's going to want to know more, and she'll probably ask Rachel what
she remembers about that day, so once I mention it to her, you can
'forget' about it, and let us deal with the situation, if there is one
to deal with.  My guess is that she's someone Jo worked with at some
point.  Don't bother asking me what she's doing driving a school bus
now, because I don't know.  Stranger things have happened to porn
stars over the years."

"Ok.  Thanks.  Sounds like it's one of those things I'll wish I didn't
know, anyway."

"Maybe.  We'll let you know what happens."

We spent the rest of the trip in silence since we were almost at my
place anyway.

She parked, I opened the house up, told her to make herself at home
since she knew the place anyway, then grabbed the keys to the truck
and pulled it around so Warren and I could empty it and put the shell
back on after we unloaded both cars into the den.

I was hosing the shell down when I realized I had a better source of
information than Jo handy if I wanted to start exploring *that*
potential problem.

"Hey.  You know a Mrs. Yarborough?  Samantha and Billy's school bus
driver, if that helps."

He frowned and finally shook his head.  "Doesn't ring a bell.  Should
I call Bev and have her check our records?"

"Not sure.  Maybe I should talk to Jo and Rachel, first."

"You're being mysterious."

"Sorry.  Too many distractions and then this one popped up."

"Tell me about it?"

"Not much to tell.  Samantha says that a couple years back, the kids
were talking about sex and fetishes, and this woman mentioned having
an 'out' word or phrase to stop things.  Then she suggested something
like 'My mascara is running'."

"Sensible...  Woman.  Oh.  Forgive the word, but 'crap' comes to
mind."

I chuckled.  "Yeah, thought it might.  Samantha says there's been
nothing since."

"Good sign.  Only a recognition phrase, but it does make me wonder why
she'd use it to a bunch of kids."

"It was two years ago they split the route.  Rachel was probably on
that bus."

He winced.  "Still doesn't make sense.  She could have found an excuse
and spoken to either of you privately.  Jo might have recognized her,
*if* it was a deliberate use of the phrase and not a coincidence."

He sighed.  "You might as well talk it over with Jo and let me know
anything you come up with.  I'll talk to Bev tomorrow.  Got any more
surprises for me?"

"Lot of them, but I'll save all but one for later."

He studied me thoughtfully.  "You look like you want to grin."

"Well, yes, I do.  Turns out Samantha found our private forums years
ago, and has been a member ever since.  You can be thinking about that
while we get this thing bolted down again."

He sighed.  "If I ever get a chance to time travel, I'm going to go
back and tell that woman to get her head out of her cunt, and then
defend *you*."

I didn't try to hide my laughter while I backed the truck under the
rack so we could lower the shell into place and then bolt it down.

By the time we'd bolted it down and I had the wiring harness plugged
in so I could check the cooling and heating systems, Samantha came
from the front yard to join us, with Nibby drifting away and back
while she explored.

"I closed the main gates and we walked the fence line.   Everything's
good, and she doesn't dig, anyway."

Warren glanced at me and then nodded.  "Glad to hear it.  Did you
check all the locks, too?"

"On the gates that had them.  Couple small gates were unlocked, so I
closed them and made sure they locked.  Don't have a key, so I didn't
do anything about the front gates."

Then she sighed.  "Maybe I should give you the keys I have to Billy's
yard?"

Warren shook his head.  "Not yet.  You were trusted with them, so
you'd better keep them until we get to my office and I can give you a
notarized receipt for them."

She sighed.   "That sucks."

Warren matched her sigh.  "Inelegant, but true.  Some other statements
I need from you, and some questions I'd appreciate answers to, but you
don't have to answer any of them if you don't want to.  I want you to
be *our* witness before Protective Services gets involved, if they
decide to."

She looked at Nibby, and then at the yard before she studied me
thoughtfully.  "Wouldn't surprise me if they decide to change the
locks, anyway.  They were the ones who decided what went and what
stayed.  One of the things they made sure I packed was his original
birth cert."

I winced.  "Shit.  That's her polite way of saying she doesn't think
there's going to a reconciliation.  In all the years we've run the
forum, when the break was that complete, and made by the parents,
there's never been a resolution that we've heard about.  First born or
only heirs have been written out of wills, too."

Warren shook his head wearily.  "Nothing I haven't heard before, many
times.  I've seen it happen to hets who made an 'unsuitable match'.
Had to change a few wills, too."

He sighed and the two of them watched while I finished checking
things, then I smiled.  "Load her up, and let's see what she thinks
while I take us for a short ride."

Samantha giggled without moving.  "Nibby!  In the back!"

She forgot about what she was doing and ran over to launch herself at
the back of the truck from about five feet out.  She skidded a couple
feet, then turned around to come back and lick my face
enthusiastically.

I praised her, then closed it up to the sounds of happy barking.

I took us to the front gate, got out and opened it, then we hit the
road.  By then Samantha had opened the back window so Nibby could keep
us company if she wanted to.

I chuckled once we were on the road.  "Had any dinner, yet?"

"Fed Nibby, and she's gone to the bathroom, so she's good for awhile.
Didn't know if it was ok for me to raid, so I waited."

"No problem.  Rules haven't changed, so you could have grabbed
something, like always."

"Thanks.  Wasn't really hungry yet, ya know?"

"Too much thinking?"

"Uh huh."

"Pick a place, and order enough for all of us.  I'll worry about Jo
when I see her."

"Chinese ok?"

"Sure."

"The one by Domino's.  I can let Karen know about things, and she'll
pass it on.  Lot of us hang there if we don't have any other plans.
Her boss likes it because we pay, and it makes the place look busy so
more folks come in."

I raised my eyebrows.  "He doesn't lose business because of you kids?"

She laughed.  "Some of the impulsive people probably avoid the place
while we're there, but he makes it up because we usually have a big
party there every couple weeks, and we're ok with him charging extra
for it.  Even help clean up before we leave.  Plus, we have a sorta
unwritten rule.  Unless we're really broke, we don't eat at the buffet
section unless he lets us know it's ok, first.  Most of the time,
whoever's there when he closes gets to eat what he would have tossed,
if we want it."

She sighed.  "Been a few times it was all some kids and their families
had to eat the next day.  Nobody says anything, 'cause it's a private
thing we never abuse and we want to keep it available if one of us
needs it."

Then she reached to touch Nibby's nose.  "Miss Nibbles, didn't, when
Billy had her with him  She loves it."

I laughed.  "Only reason she's not round, is the daily runs?"

"Yep!"

She went in, got the food after I gave her enough cash to pay for it,
then we headed home.

I got to see how dainty 'Miss Nibbles' was, when Sam put bits of food
in her mouth and offered them.  Each item was delicately picked free,
then swallowed.

It was an impressive display for such a previously bouncy bitch, and I
said so.

We ate dinner on the porch, with Nibby accepting any handouts she
could get, then Warren stretched and sighed.  "I'd better get home.
Might be tomorrow afternoon or the next day before I see you again,
unless you call me in.  Got a lot to deal with, and it's not all for
you folks."

He studied Sam thoughtfully, then he smiled and held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you Samantha, and learn you've been on the forums. Sorry
about the conditions that forced you to admit it, but... Thanks."

She blushed, they shook hands, and he left.

We let the silence build after he left, then she sighed a little and
lifted her hand to look at it.  "I want to hate you for telling him
I'm on the forums, but I can't.  I feel too good."

It was my turn to sigh.  "I couldn't see that I had any choice.  ICU
is recorded, and I don't think you'll be able to hide and still help
Rachel and Billy.  Best I can do is ask that you trust me to have had
all our best interests in mind when I made the decision.  He and I
have an agreement.  Once I've paid his retainer, nothing he hears gets
written down or told to others until specific permission is given.
Makes our lives simpler, to do it that way.  I didn't tell him you are
'Laika'.  The only other thing I mentioned was Mrs. Yarborough's use
of the recognition phrase."

She finally nodded slowly.  "What do you think about telling the
others?"

"Wait until we know we have privacy.  Just tell Billy you support him.
Personally, I'd appreciate you being open about admitting you've
listened and watched them, but you'll have to decide how much you want
to reveal, and when."

"Yeah.  My privacy against Rachel's memory.  I gotta think about it,
hard."

Then she surprised me by giggling.  "They both know about the hearing
aid.  I guess I had my old one turned up too much and Nibby heard it
one night and tried to pull it out of my ear.  Maybe she thought it
didn't belong there, since she'd never seen one before, that I know
of.  We had to teach her to only lick one of my ears when she decided
she needed to do it."

I chuckled.  "Dogs seem to have their own ideas about what belongs on
a human.  Jupiter was the same way.  One time I cut myself while
trimming trees, so I wrapped my arm in a bandage.  Woke up during the
night because he was tugging me off the bed while trying to remove it
so he could lick the wound."

She laughed, then shook her head while she smiled a little sadly.  "Ya
know...  I been thinking.  Is it going to be right if they fuck each
other?"

I raised my eyebrows.  "Right?"

"Yeah.  They care a lot for each other, but it's gonna be pretty
mechanical.  I mean Rachel knows that, and they've talked about it,
But as much as it means to her, is it fair to him?"

I sighed.  "Means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

"Uh huh."

I chuckled and pointed at Nibby.  "Be a bitch.  Tell him.  Flag him,
if you have to.  Speak the language he understands, not the one he
fears."

She blushed.  "I'm still a virgin."

"So?  Rachel is too, even though she broke her hymen.  Let him make
the choice for his first time.  Fucking, or making love."

"You'd do that to them, after all they had planned?"

I sighed.  "Honey, Rachel is...  Rachel.  She cares a hell of a lot
for people, but there's something else, something she knows about,
because we talked it over while she was trying to decide.  She has a
sense of duty that we're proud of and she knows it, and eventually she
came to terms with the idea it was that more than her feelings that
let her make the offer.  If she ever remembers, she'll understand, so
figure out a way to do what's right for all three of you.  Follow me?"

"Sorta."

"If it helps, earlier today she said she keeps thinking they loved
each other, but she can't remember, so maybe they didn't.  She didn't
dwell on it, and changed the subject."

She frowned and petted Nibby for awhile.  "That's really weird.  I
can't remember her *ever* letting go of something when she's worried
about it.  I mean...

"Yeah.  Something makes sense, now, and it didn't, before.  She was
always pestering Billy about making sure he loved Nibby, the real
kind, not just because she was a good lay.  It was like she wasn't
worried about his answer,  and it wasn't very long before she offered
him her virginity so he could find out if it was really love, or if he
fucked Nibby because the sex felt good."

I smiled.  "Thank you, Samantha.  Know anyone with a crush on Rachel
that would see her while she's in ICU?"

She giggled.  "Lots of them.  Some girls, too.  But they all hang back
because they think she and Billy are a couple, or they're scared by
her brains, like they are of me."

"But you have one in mind?"

"Yep.  'Glasses' MacPherson.  MaxiGeek, himself.  Makes me look
extroverted."

I thought about the name and then shrugged.  Don't think I've seen him
or met him."

"You have.  Once, very briefly.  Not social, he and a few of the
supersmart keep to themselves, mostly.  But I know he's got it bad for
Rachel."

I chuckled.  "Miss Hi-Gain at work?"

"Nahh...  Not this time.  Windy day, and one of the jocks was fucking
with him and tossed his books into the wind.  I helped pick things up,
and saw some sketches and a poem.  Didn't say anything though. Thought
it was seriously nice."

She sighed.  "Wish someone would write a poem like that about me."

"Billy?"

"Yeah."

"You ever write any?"

"Nope."

"I see.  Makes it harder, but not that much."

"What?"

"I was going to suggest you write one for Billy, but it wouldn't
work."

She was watching me oddly and I smiled again.  "You're a healthy young
woman, I think, and healthy young women aren't much different than
healthy young men, really.  This is only a suggestion, but I think Jo
and I will need to have a private talk to catch each other up when we
see each other again.  You'd be alone, and it wouldn't be
inappropriate if you sorta forgot yourself and decided to live one of
your non sexual fantasies, would it?"

She blushed.  "In front of Rachel?"

"Didn't you say she knew?  Think you could get this guy to be with
you, and get him to distract her, just because?..."  I left it
hanging.

"Uh!  Yeah.  I did, didn't I?  What if he just stands there and stares
at her."

"Prime the pump.  She hides it, but she's hooked on writing sappy
poetry.  You know the kind I'm talking about.  Mushy.  Tear-jerking
stuff about unrequited love."

"Really?  How come you know about it?"

"Yes.  Really.  She shows it to us."

"I gotta think about this."

I chortled.  "Use the phone in the den.  I wasn't planning on going
back until morning.  I need to get some sleep after I check in."

I stood and stretched.  "Welcome to use the hide-a-bed here, or you
can use the spare bedroom.  Some other stuff we need to do, but it can
wait until tomorrow."

Then I winced.  "Samantha?  Don't let Nibby out of your sight, unless
I have her on a leash.  Not even if one of your friends comes over. If
that happens, I hate to do this, but keep her on a leash while anyone
else is here or you and she are in the enclosed area with the gates
locked."

By the time I finished her eyes were wide and she looked scared. "It's
happened, hasn't it.?"

"Yes.  I don't expect anything to happen right away if it happens,
but...  Let's be ready.  Carry your phone or one of our cordless ones,
all the time.  Keys to the gates are on a hook in the kitchen.  I'll
go lock the gates."

I frowned thoughtfully, then made a decision I hadn't made since
Rachel had been born.  "Change in plans.  Unless Jo or I is here with
you, keep to this area and don't go outside it.  I'm going to activate
the perimeter alarm system.  Access code is Rachel's birthday plus the
year."

I smiled.  "We'll change it in the morning, just in case it comes up
in a conversation while they are rebuilding her memories."

She actually giggled and that surprised me, until she explained.

"You like dates, huh?  I can give you a good one once I access my
diary.  The date and time Billy first fucked Nibby.  Bet even he
doesn't remember it."

I laughed.  "I like your sense of the appropriate."

Then I suddenly yawned.  "See you in the morning, unless there's an
emergency.  Don't be afraid to wake me up for any reason, though.
Better safe, right now."

"Yeah.  Sleep good, huh?  I don't think I'm going to be able to, yet."

"I shall.  Get whatever rest you can."

I pointed at Nibby.  "Got a good therapist next to you.  Consult with
her."

She giggled again, but didn't say anything.

I locked the gates, then took the time to clean up the kitchen before
I headed off to our bedroom to call Jo before I went to bed.

After our usual greetings, she got serious.  "Honey?  What happened
out there this afternoon?  Warren said all you did was show up and
collect Nibby and Billy's stuff, then go home like we talked about. We
compared notes and you were still on the road when the Ralstons called
me and told me they wanted to be reimbursed for what they've spent on
Nibby.  Food, training, even a daily fee for the loss of her guard dog
services until they replace her.  I told them to call his office, that
he was handling things for us."

She laughed maliciously.  "Apparently they got Beverly and went off on
her.  She's out for blood, now.  Legally, of course.  I had the
impression they made something about this personal with her.  She
wouldn't say over the phone."

The she sighed.  "Not one word about Billy, unless you count her
bitching that he ruined Nibby and made all that money and time they
spent, wasted effort."

I sighed after she finished.  "Odd.  Samantha told me they're proud of
Nibby, because she's willing to stand up to them, so they figured
she'll confront anyone.  Nibby makes herself scarce when they get loud
and Billy's not there.  Sam had to go dig her out of one of her hiding
places in the back yard."

Jo spoke thoughtfully.  "That's not the story I got on the phone, and
Sam's story agrees with what Rachel remembers so far.  Which reminds
me.  It's looking like she'll get all her memories back  Getting
easier each time for her to jump around in them, anyway, and the
'replays' are lasting longer before she blanks."

I slumped with relief.  "Good!  I'll pass that on to Samantha before I
go to bed.  Speaking of memories, when you see her again, ask her if I
can open the envelope to get the password to her computers.  I'd like
to mirror the files from the desktop to her laptop, then bring her
that so she can use it to help her remember."

"I'll do that.  Remember the hotel we used for the local wedding
reception?  That's where I'm at.  Got us adjoining rooms with a
connecting door, for two weeks, and paid all the pet fees in advance.
Dr Simmons knows and has the numbers.  Says he'll let security know
about Nibby, and that as long as we pick up after her, we can walk her
on the grounds.  He's working to get permission so you can bring her
to the area ICU overlooks.  Routine for families to make arrangements
for friends that can't be allowed into ICU, so he doesn't think he'll
have any problems.  Might have to arrange it so no other people are
there, because of the possibility of allergies and people being afraid
of dogs, but that's it."

"Good to hear."

"Uh huh.  Got some other news.  Most good, a little that's uncertain
until they do more tests."

"Oh?"

"They hauled Billy out for more surgery.  Going to clean up his leg
the rest of the way, and recheck bone alignment and his spine.  He'll
probably be in and out over the next few days while they monitor his
healing."

I sighed.  "Sounds like he almost died."

She matched my sigh.  "Paramedics managed to restart his heart before
they pried him out of the wreckage.  It stopped just after they hooked
him up to the monitors."

I winced.  "Did his parents know that?"

"They did."

"Ouch.  What about Billy?  Does he know yet?"

"Yes.  Rachel remembered all the frantic activity because it happened
while they were checking on her.  Lots of yelling and stuff.  The two
of them worked out what must have happened and confronted Dr. Simmons
the next time he showed up."

I sighed.  "Why can't those two relax and just concentrate on getting
better, for now?"

She laughed.  "You wouldn't have it any other way.  You hate people
who are passive, remember?"

I chuckled.  "Yeah, right.  Mr. crawl-in-his-hole-and-hide, is upset
when his daughter does exactly what he wishes he had done."

"You had company, Love."

I sobered.  "Yeah, I did.  Thanks for searching for your dream."

"Ours."

Then she went on carefully.  "Rachel will be getting her new knee
tomorrow."

I winced, then sighed.  "Good, but..."

"I know.  There's something else."

I steeled myself.  "Figured there might be.  Wish we were together
instead of apart."

"Uh huh.  They said it's routine in accidents like hers.  'Nerve
shock'.  Circulation in her legs looks fine, but she doesn't have fine
control of her toes right now.  Once they get the physical stuff
repaired and replaced, they want to do a suite of  tests on her back
and head.  Just in case."

"You ok?"

She sighed.  "No."

I took a deep breath and shivered before I collected my thoughts.

The decision was a no brainer.  "Truck's ready and we already know
Nibby loves to ride in it.  I'll collect the basics, and be there as
soon as I can.  We'll worry about the other stuff after they both get
out of surgery.  I can send Samantha back to the house with
instructions, later.  I think she's going to be living with us for
awhile, and not just because we need her for Nibby.  We'll tell you
when we get there."

I could hear the relief in her voice.  "Thanks.  Room 207."

"Got it.  Kisses and hugs."

"Smooches, Honey."

I hung up, sat there in silence for a couple minutes, sighed, and
headed for the porch to see if Samantha was still there.

She was, and looked up when I slid the door open to stand and stare at
the darkness and my memories.

After I sighed and resettled in the chair I had been using, she
sighed.  "That sigh didn't sound good."

I nodded, more to myself than her.  "It wasn't.  Another change in
plans.  Jo's changed hotels, and paid the fees for two weeks.  We'll
load what we need for now in the truck, then if you don't mind, we'll
put your car in the garage, and go back tonight."

"What happened?"

"Billy's ok, all things considered."

"Yeah.  Right.  Rachel, huh?"

"Yes.  Jo says it's probably 'nerve shock' and it will be ok.  Rachel
doesn't have fine control of her toes, and once they get the other
repairs done tomorrow, they want to run a full set of tests on her
after she's had a couple days for her body to recover.  Jo needs me.
Can you drive?  I'm out of it completely, now.  Running on nerves, and
not many of those."

She laughed softly.  "I'm a teenager and a loner.  The night is my
friend.  In way, I guess it's been a lover of sorts.  Don't worry
about me and Nibby."

I sighed with relief.  "Did you hear any of my conversation with Jo,
by chance?"

Even in the dimness of moonlight I could see her blush.  "No.  I
tried, though.  Too many new noises for me to be able to sort it out
from the background."

I laughed wearily and stood up.  "You'll have to ask Jo when we get
there.  I don't want to go through it again.  Oh, there is some good
news.  It looks like Rachel will get all her memories back."

I dug in my pocket and fished out my keys.  "Here.  Appreciate it if
you at least unlock it while I get what I need.  Hope you don't mind
using your own judgement about what to take.  I might be asleep in the
passenger seat by the time you're ready to leave.  Valley Inn.  Room
207."

I tossed them at her and she managed to catch them.  "Valley Inn, 207.
Got it."

I turned and went back to grab a few things, then headed for the truck
and some very needed oblivion.
---------

End: Part Two of Five

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