Cory’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t expected that. What he had expected was that he’d be brought back to Plymouth to his dad, or that he’d be turned over to the state. He didn’t like any of those prospects, but now, this was something new. Cory liked Richard but didn’t know him very well yet. He was skeptical of this man. He felt safe enough when he was with him, but Cory was also a teenager. Teenagers don’t trust adults. He also knew that he didn’t have much of a choice. He needed a place, any place that would keep him away from the abuse that was back in Plymouth.
Richard saw Cory’s smile return and knew that he was going to accept this.
“You’re serious, aren’t you? You want me to stay here?”
“Yeah, I do, if it’s okay with you.”
Cory wasn’t sure of what to do. He knew that he didn’t want to go back to Plymouth, and he also knew that if the state took him, he’d be given to someone who he didn’t know. Here was Richard, and he had gotten to know him, a little anyway, and liked what he’d seen of him so far.
“But, why? Why are you doing this? You don’t even know me,” Cory had to ask.
“Well, you sort of grew on me. That’s the main reason, and I think you need a little help right now.”
Cory sat quietly for a moment, not taking his eyes from Richard. He was thinking about his options. He could run again, but then where would he go? He had no money, had no place to sleep, so that didn’t sound like it was a good option. He’d run away last night without thinking, and the thought of doing that again terrified him.
He could let Child Services take him, but they might just bring him back to Plymouth. To Cory, that was no option at all. He was not going back there. That option also terrified him.
Cory continued looking at Richard. He didn’t know him that well yet, but, for some reason that he didn’t understand but only felt, he didn’t feel threatened by him. Maybe this was his only option, he thought.
“Okay. I guess I feel safe enough here and you’ve done a lot for me already. So, yeah, I’ll stay.”
Richard knew that Cory had just given in and was going to take a chance with him. He also knew that he was taking a huge chance with Cory. He hoped that he wasn’t wrong. He felt that this boy was worth it.
“Okay. That’s settled then. But, there’s some more I have to tell you.”
Cory continued listening.
“Dr. Stone had seen your back and knew what had happened to you. He is bound, not just by the law, but because he cares, to report this. He has to file a report about your abuse. I asked him to hold off for a couple of days so Mark and I could work something out. When I told my attorney what had happened to you, he immediately called Social Services to get you away from your dad. He’s filing an injunction right now to keep your dad away from you. While I was there, he also called the Plymouth police to have criminal charges filed against your dad. He wants to have some pictures taken of your face and back as proof of what has happened. Your dad broke the law. What he did to you should never have happened.”
“I know. Will I have to testify against him or something? I really don’t want to see him again.”
“Maybe not. We’ll have to let Mark decide that or work out what he can. Maybe all you’ll have to do is talk to the prosecutor.”
“I hope that’s all I have to do,” Cory said as he turned his eyes from Richard.
“Anyway, Mark called Dr. Stone and asked him to file his report immediately, and he’s going to do that. Then I asked him to call Social Services again. We were trying to get them to find a place for you to live. This is where I felt a little, ah, unsettled. You see Cory, when all this was happening at Mark’s office, I kept thinking that I didn’t want to see you shuffled off to someone that I didn’t know, or that you didn’t know. Over the hour that I was there, I had made up my mind that I wanted you to stay with me. Well, the thought actually started occurring to me back at the doctor’s office. When Dr. Stone told me what had happened to you, I guess that started me thinking. Like I said Cory, you’ve grown on me. I kind of like you.”
Cory’s face turned slightly pink. He was not used to hearing that someone liked him.
“I’m not certified as a foster parent, so I didn’t think there was much of a chance for you to stay here. I was pretty sure that the state would have to find somewhere else for you to live. But it turns out they don’t have enough certified homes, so we worked out a deal.”
“A deal?”
“Yeah, they’re going to let you stay here on an emergency basis until they finish the certification process. They’re going to rush it through and it should take no more than a few months. I need to be interviewed, the house needs to be inspected, that sort of thing. They need to check me out. They weren’t going to go for it right away, but they agreed to the emergency home if I could file two character references. Mark and Dr. Stone agreed to do that for me. So when they fax their letters to Social Services, and they agree, then it’ll be up to a judge to rule on it. Then it’ll become official.”
“So this is really real? I mean, I have a home?”
“Yup, Cory, you have a home. Well, you will when the judge signs off on it.”
Richard had just crossed his Rubicon. There was no turning back.
“Hey, how about that lunch and a little clothes shopping?”
“Sure, but one thing though.”
“What?”
“Just, well, thanks. You’re taking a chance with me, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I am. And I think you’re taking a chance with me too, aren’t you?”
Cory looked down to the floor for a moment, but his eyes returned to Richard.
“Yeah.”
An understanding had just been made between the two. They were going to get to know each other.
“Come on Cory. Let’s get in the car and celebrate at the mall.”
“I’m already outta here.”
Six
The Mall
As they headed towards the mall, Cory’s mind played with his new arrangement. He felt comfortable. That’s all he knew. He thought back to his home in Plymouth and was wondering how his new life was going to play out. That was uncomfortable, but that was the future. But then that comfortable feeling returned. He felt okay with Richard. That was new.
“I was wondering how long this tee was going to last.” Cory said, finally breaking the silence. “Most of the clothes I have are getting worn out, and maybe going back home to get my other stuff isn’t such a good idea right now. But I do have a picture of my mom and one of Mike that I’d like to have though. And yeah, I could eat a horse and his barn too about now.”
“Don’t worry Cory. We’ll eventually get the things that you’ll need.” Richard turned to Cory sitting next to him. “But tell me one thing. Why is it that teenagers have to eat 148 times a day?” Richard grinned.
Cory blushed.
Cory said he would like to eat after shopping so they walked into A&F first. Richard let him pick out his own clothes as he was better acquainted with teenage styles than himself. Cory looked at shirts, pants, shoes, jackets, socks, shirts, pants, underwear and then shirts again and even a brightly colored pair of racing swim trunks. He picked out two more pairs of pants other than jeans and headed for the changing room.
When they finished buying the clothes Cory needed (Cory didn’t get the swim trunks as he had an old pair in his sports bag), they headed for the burger place located at the center of the mall.
It was around 3:00 PM when they finally sat down to eat. Most of the lunch crowd was gone by then, and they were seated by themselves at a window booth looking into the mall’s interior.
Cory was watching Richard as they ate in silence. Every time Richard looked up he could see Cory’s eyes move away from him.
“Are you staring at me, Cory?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that, that you’ve done more for me in the last 18 hours than my dad ever did in the last three years. Where do people like you come from?”
“Cory, I don’t know all of what you’ve been through, but I hope that I can make it different for you. There are a lot of good people out there. Most people are naturally good.. Some are a little different than others, but generally good inside.”
“But some people still don’t like someone like me. It makes me sad to think that there might be someone out there that wants to hurt me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I’m different. Because I’m gay.”
“You’ve never really told me that before, that you’re gay.”
“I thought you knew,” Cory questioned.
“You’ve never actually used the word ‘gay’ before, but your dad sure wasn’t bashful.”
“He’s the one who told you?”
“No. I figured it out before I talked to him, but he sure used a few choice words.”
“And you’re still willing to let me live with you?”
“Well, of course. It doesn’t make any difference. Why should it?”
“I hear the way the other kids talk about people like me, and I know some people will hate me. I’m glad you don’t.”
“You’re right, Cory. Not everyone will like you. But most of the people you meet will. You’re no different than anyone else. But understand that everyone is a little different. Some people have black hair while others have blond hair. Some people are short while others are tall. Some people are straight while others are gay. That’s all. But these differences between people are what make them human.
Cory had to lean back after listening to Richard, hearing him talk. This man was talking to him, talking to him like he was a real person, talking to him like maybe he mattered. His dad never did that.
Cory then smiled, “I think I’m going to like you.”
“Thanks, I think I’m going to like you too. But Cory, can we talk about some rules.”
‘Here it comes,’ Cory thought. “Rules? I suppose I had to expect that.”
“My rules are just like those that any parent sets up for their kids.”
Cory instantly became lost in time and space. He was sitting across from Richard but his mind went elsewhere.
Richard could see the uncertainty returning to Cory’s eyes and remained quiet, trying to figure out where he had just gone.
Cory had heard the word ‘parent’ and stopped hearing anything after that. He was wondering if he had heard it correctly, and then he started remembering his mom and how she used to take care of him. Richard wasn’t his mom and Cory didn’t think that he could ever replace her. But, Richard seemed to be giving him a chance to be 15 again, to be trusted to follow his guidance. Cory felt a little silly for pondering on that one word, but deep down inside of him, he knew that one word meant a lot to him.
The smile returned to Cory, but this time there was no pain, only pure joy and maybe a sense of freedom. The smile was a mile long across his face.
Cory had just then joined Richard across the Rubicon.
“Where’d you just go?” Richard asked.
“Ah, nowhere. I’m right here. I was just thinking of my mom.”
Richard smiled and continued.
“Okay. There are three basic rules. First, no drugs, second, no alcohol, and third, you’ve got to go back to school. Oh, there’s a fourth, too.”
Cory looked questioningly at Richard. “You need to watch your mouth around me and other people. You swear too much,” Richard said with an almost imperceptible grin.
“Oh, hell.”
“Cory?”
“Okay, okay, sorry.”
“Those will be the basic rules,” Richard added.
Cory agreed with the rules set down for him.
“I’ve seen what alcohol does to my dad. I’ll probably never touch the stuff. I don’t smoke, regularly. I mean I’ve tried it a couple of times. I didn’t like it. And, and what’s wrong with swearing? My dad never said anything to me about it.” “
I guess your dad didn’t do much for you, did he?” Richard said, paused and then continued. “Cory? One thing about rules is that we need to trust each other so that we would know they won’t be broken.”
“I guess I know that.”
“Actually, it’s a lot more than that.”
Cory looked puzzled.
“Cory, you don’t know me yet and I know very little about you. We will, it’ll happen, but over time. And as we get to know each other, something great is going to happen.”
“What’s that?”
“That’s when the trust will start. As we get to know how the other thinks, a trust will build. But for that trust to be real, we can’t lie to each other. Do you understand?”
“I’m not a liar, you know?” Cory shot back.
“I didn’t say you were. I’m just setting ground rules here. I won’t lie to you and for right now, I’ll start the trust between us by knowing that you haven’t yet or won’t lie to me in the future. How’s that sound?”
“Yeah, I guess we are starting fresh, aren’t we?”
The two sat quietly for a moment, each looking at the other. Richard, feeling that his point had been made, turned to a different topic letting the moment go.
“Okay, that’s done with. Now, what school did you go to?”
“Plymouth High. I actually like school, but my grades may not show it.”
“Do you have many friends there?”
“Not anymore. Mike was my best friend. I told you about him last night, but he moved away. I guess I really don’t have any close friends left.”
“I’m sure it won’t take you long,” Richard smiled.
As Cory and Richard left the mall, Richard noticed more spring in Cory’s walk. Cory seemed truly at peace with himself. However, Richard needed to talk to him more about school, and he decided to open the conversation in the car. As they pulled out of the parking lot, he went straight to the subject.
“Well, Cory, I guess there is no better time like the present to talk about school. So what classes in school are your favorites?”
“I guess I like science and math the most. Even English is good, too. I’ve always liked to read. I’ve never cared for any of the shop courses though, except I was taking drafting last year, and I really liked that. “
“Grades ok?”
“Well not really. I like most of the things I’m taking, but I’m a little behind.”
“Not doing enough homework?” Richard asked.
“My dad was usually asleep when I was home at night. I tried to finish my work, but sometimes I just didn’t. Sometimes I just didn’t want to do it. Sometimes I just forgot. Dad never cared whether I did my homework or not.”