You Ain't Santa

Dan and I both had a restless night.  We got up early, took showers and dressed for the day.   The two dogs, of course, went to the back yard to take care of their needs, and the two kittens, that were definitely growing, visited their litter boxes.

I woke the boys at six forty five. "What's wrong with you boys?  Do you have sleeping sickness?  It's time to get up and get dressed.  We'll be late for a very important date."

Nate looked up at me, "Uh oh, Daddy got out on the wrong side of the bed again.  I guess we need to get dressed or he'll make us do all the work."

I took Nathan and Evan with me and we followed Dan who had Chase and Ryan.  We didn't stop at the big house as directed.  When we arrived at Abigail's Diner, the three high school student's, Vince and Alex and George and Bruce were already seated at a table.  We were greeted by a middle aged waitress, "Since you people belong to Doctor Thornton, I guess you'll be having the usual."

She called out, "That will be thirteen glasses of orange water, nine large stacks and four small stacks with two slabs of pork on the side and a small side order of burnt potatoes."

Ryan looked at me, "Daddy, why didn't the lady give us a chance to order what we wanted?"

The lady returned with six cups of coffee and started to give Dan a difficult time, "Doctor Thornton, the next time you're going to bring a group this large, do you supposed that you could let us know?  We have to go scrounge the pantry and fridge for enough food to feed all of you.  We ran out of oranges to make your orange water."

She returned with thirteen glasses of just squeezed orange juice.  Nate took a sip, "Dads, this tastes so much better than the orange juice that comes out of the freezer or those bottles."

Dan grinned, "Son, we'll just have to buy a juice maker so you can make us fresh juice."

Nate put his head on the table, "What did I tell Evan and Chase?  Our Dads are trying to turn me and Ryan into slaves."

The waitress scowled, "Doctor Thornton, I think you'd better explain who these people are, before I call the police and report you for child abuse."

Dan stood, "If you insist, Abby.  The gentleman beside me is my partner.  Dr. Kirk Richter.  The young man who has been complaining is our oldest son, Nathan.  The young man to his left is our younger son, Ryan.  The two young men with them are their friends whom they go to school with."

Abby put her hands on the table, "Look, Doc, I wasn't born yesterday.  Where did the two sons come from?  The last time we visited, you didn't have any children.  Doctor Thornton, I want to hear more about what's happening, but I think your food is up."

She and a helper returned with steaming plates of food that included two pancakes for the boys and three for the teenagers and adults, two slices of bacon and a small order of hash browns.  She put four cups with butter on the table as well as four Lazy Susan's that had three kinds of syrup dispensers in them."

The three high school students inhaled their food and excused themselves, since they could walk to school from the diner.  They did thank us before they left, though.

Bruce paid for the breakfast and announced, "Kirk, I'll call you as soon as I can get an appointment to see Judge Smiley.  You need to go make sure the guys aren't contagious."

I went to the hospital with the six guys and signed the paperwork for the youngest four to be tested after Dan had explained what needed to be done.  Vince and Alex could sign for themselves.  The technician entered the waiting room, and announced, "Will the Holiday party please come with me?"

No one moved and Ryan asked, "Mister, did you mean the Holloway party?"

The young man looked at the paperwork, "Gees, I guess I need to get new glasses.  I'm sorry; I did mean the Holloway party."

It was less than fifteen minutes later when the six guys returned.  Alex was complaining, "I probably won't be able to eat for a week.  That hurt so bad that I think I may faint."

Ryan punched Alex, "Uncle Alex, you're being silly.  It didn't hurt at all.  Daddy, when will we find out if we're whatever that big word is, so we won't make the other animals sick?"

I had to think before I answered, "The people who examine the tests will give the results to Dad Dan and he'll probably be able to tell us if you are contagious or not, by tonight."

When I arrived at my office, it was just after nine o'clock.  My receptionist, Sandy, looked at me.  "Dr. Richter, Dean Meyers would like to talk to you in his office."

I went to the Dean's office and his receptionist buzzed on the Intercom, "Dean Meyers, Dr. Richter is here to see you."

I was shown into the Dean's office and offered a seat.  The Dean started, "Kirk, Mr. Straight visited with me and he has the feeling that you don't like him.  He told me that you told him to loose his junior college mentality.  He thinks you're being too critical."

I stood, "Dean Meyers, I tried to be diplomatic and tell Mr. Straight to lighten up.  He was lecturing to the students yesterday as if they were freshmen.  That was not the case at all.  The course is an elective and most of the students are juniors or seniors.  All I was trying to point out to Mr. Straight was that the students weren't going to be willing to be treated like freshmen.  They'll drop the class and take something that will better meet their needs.  Sir, he will be teaching another class in about ten minutes.  Why don't we go and observe what happens.  I'll meet you in room 312 since I have a class in the same room at eleven o'clock."

I went to get my notes and walked into room 312.  Leland was standing behind the podium and he had assigned seats just a he had done the day before.  I went to sit down beside Dean Meyers.  He looked at me with a funny look.

I looked at the students and I knew over half of them from previous classes.  It was about half way through the class when a young man stood up, "Mr. Straight, we didn't come here to be treated like high school students.  We came here to learn something meaningful.  Unless you change the course outline, I'm dropping the class."

About half of the class followed the young man out of the room.  Leland was so shaken that he announced, "Class will resume on Thursday."

Dean Meyers walked up to Leland, "Mr. Straight, I think perhaps that Dr. Richter was very fair in his evaluation of your instructional methods.  That young man who spoke was correct.  You were treating them as if they were high school students.  I know for a fact that many of these young people are juniors and seniors.  I suggest that you visit some of the classes of the other faculty members.  Kirk, didn't you say that you had a class in this room at eleven?"

"Yes sir, I need to get ready."  I rearranged the front so there wasn't a podium.  I put my notes and handouts on the table and went to stand at the door so I could greet the students.

At eleven o'clock I went and sat down on the front edge of the table, "Since this is a course in applied child psychology, I have a real case for you to analyze. There was a gay man who stumbled across a homeless boy who turned out to have a younger brother, and they were living in an abandoned building.  What should the man do?  I'd like for you to form into groups and determine what the man should do to help the two young boys."

A young man raised his hand, "Dr. Richter, since I think I've met the two young boys in question, I would like to be excused from the discussion."

I looked at the young man, "I'd be surprised if you had met them.  Where do you think you met the boys?"

"My name is Larry Smith.  If I were to say furniture and nuggets."

I grinned, "Larry, you do indeed know the two young boys."

Another hand went up, "Dr. Richter, it would help us to know the ages of the two boys."

"They're six and eight."

 As the groups were discussing the case, Dr. Meyers and Mr. Straight walked around and were listening to the discussions."

Larry was talking to me at the table, "Dr. Richter, since I pretty much know what happened from talking to Brandon and Will and Vince and Alex, I'll refrain from participating in the discussion.  I hope you're planning to tell the class the full story.  It will be interesting to see what the reaction is."

I called the class's attention, "What would the group on the left recommend that the gentleman do?"

A young woman had been designated the group spokesperson, "Dr. Richter, the man needs to report the whereabouts of the two boys to the police.  But we have some more questions, we'd like to ask."

I nodded, "I'll take the questions after we see if the other four groups came up with anything different."

The second group suggested that the Child Welfare people should be notified of the boys whereabouts.

After all five groups had a chance to share their thoughts.  The young woman from the first group stood, "Dr. Richter, you indicated when you were talking to Larry that you knew the young boys personally."

I nodded, "I guess that would be a true statement, since they're now my sons."

The young woman looked at me with a look of disbelief, "So then we're to assume that you're gay and you're now the two boys' father."

"Yes, I'm the adopted Dad of the two boys.  Their father is dead."

The young woman frowned, "Dr. Richter, you started this mess, I think you need to start at the beginning.  I find it odd that a gay man would be allowed to adopt two young boys.   Do the boys know that you're gay?"

"Yes, they know about my partner since the boys live with us.  Let me start at the beginning.

Dean Meyers and Mr. Straight had sat down and were listening to the discussion.

I started the story of how I had met the two boys.  The students kept interrupting with good questions.  I looked at the clock and it was twelve forty five. "Class, we need to stop for today.  We're already fifteen minutes overtime.  We'll continue this discussion on Thursday.  I need to rewrite the syllabus since this discussion was not meant to take this long."

A young man stood, "Dr. Richter, take as long as you need because this discussion is providing us with some practical information instead of theoretical crap.  We want to hear the entire story."

I put up my hands, "The story is still unfolding as we speak. I'll keep you advised of the most recent happenings as best as I can."

The students were in no hurry to leave and many of them stopped by to thank me for such an interesting class.  After the last of the students had departed, Leland asked, "Kirk, wasn't it rather risky to let the class know that you're gay?"

Dr. Meyers answered before I could, "Leland, Kirk has not tried to hide the fact that he is gay.  Even the President of the University knows.  Just because he's gay doesn't make him any less of an instructor.  His students didn't make an issue out of it, did they?  Kirk, you mentioned that things are still happening.  What's happening now?"

"I received a court order yesterday telling me that I need to have samples of the boys' DNA taken.  The order gave no reason.  We did have the samples taken this morning.  Bruce Holloway is trying to make an appointment with the judge who signed the order to find out why the order was issued."

Dean Meyers shook his head in disbelief, "Kirk, your life is even more complicated than the soap operas.  How are the two sons handling what's been happening?"

"They're apprehensive about what's happening because of what happened last Monday night.  They don't know why they were having samples taken.  We had four other persons tested at the same time, under the guise that they were being checked to see if they were contagious, because the boys' animals had fleas."

Both Dean Meyers and Leland were laughing. 

When I finally arrived at the office, Sandy looked at me, "Dr. Richter, Mr. Holloway called and said you were to meet him in Judge Smiley's office at one forty five."

"I'll be back as soon as I can.  Hold down the fort."

I finally made it to Judge Smiley's office and Bruce and George were sitting waiting for me.  As soon as I walked in, the judge's secretary picked up the phone, "Judge Smiley, the Holloway party is here."

"Thank you, Shirley.  Show them in."

An older gentleman came around the desk and shook Bruce's hand, "It's good to see you again, Bruce.  I thought you were going to spend the winter in Phoenix?"

Bruce pointed to me, "Sir, I'd like to introduce, the adopted Dad of my two nephews, Dr. Kirk Richter.  It's because of his sons that I am here in the area, and they are also the reason we requested to see you."

The judge motioned for me to be seated.  Once we were seated, Bruce started.  "Judge Smiley, just so you understand, why we're concerned is that Dr. Richter's two sons were the victims of the attempted kidnapping last Monday night.  Somehow the press has found out that the boys had a surrogate mother and there has already been one attempt by a woman claiming to be the boys' mother.  Yesterday, Dr. Richter received a court order which you signed stating that his two sons were to have samples of their DNA taken before Wednesday." 

The Judge stood up, "Bruce, I know nothing about what's going on, and I don't remember signing such a court order.  Do you have the court order with you?"

Bruce handed the judge a piece of paper, "I have a copy of the original."

The judge looked at the paper, "This certainly is my signature and my stamp, but I haven't any idea why I would have signed it."

He picked up the phone, "Shirley, could you please come in here for a minute."

The judge's secretary came in, he handed the letter to her, "Shirley, why did I sign this?"

Shirley looked at the date, "Judge Smiley, the court order is dated yesterday.  I wasn't here, yesterday.  I was at my brother's funeral in Wheaton."

The Judge smacked his head with his palm, "I must be getting old.  Shirley, get in touch with the young lady who filled in for you, and ask her to come to my office."

The Judge and Bruce were talking about some things that had happened in the past when Shirley returned with a young woman, "Judge Smiley, this is Cassandra Wilkins, she was the person who filled in for me yesterday."

"Thank you, Shirley.  Cassie, I have a question about something I signed yesterday.  Can you tell me why I signed this?"

She looked at the paper the Judge handed her, yes, sir.  I put it on your desk to sign when you were in court with some other papers you had asked for.  A young man from the County Attorney's office brought it to me and said that you had asked that he deliver it so you could sign it.  He left his phone number and asked that I call him as soon as you had signed it."

Cassie continued, "You signed it after lunch and I called the young man.  He answered the phone County Attorney's office Deputy Attorney James speaking.  He arrived almost immediately to pick up the court order."

The Judge stood, "Thank you, Cassie."

After the young woman had departed, Bruce frowned, "Thank you for your help, Judge Smiley.  I think we shouldn't bother you or involve you any more at this point in time, since you could be very well be involved in the case and asked to make a ruling."

"Bruce, you're probably right.  I hope I was able to be of some assistance."

After we had left Judge Smiley's office, Bruce looked at me, "While we're here, why don't we visit the County Attorney's office and see if we can talk to Mr. James and the young woman who served you the court order?"

When we walked into the County Attorney's office, I looked at the receptionist, "Ms, we'd like to speak to Deputy Attorney James and Deputy Attorney Wayne."

The young woman looked up, "Sir, are you sure that you have the right names.  We have no one here by those names.  Can someone else help you?"

Talk about the bottom falling out of my stomach, it just did I looked at Bruce and I think he was feeling the same way.

Bruce looked at me, "This might explain why the couple was at the house last night wanting to speak to Ryan and Nathan.  I'm going to go make some phone calls.  I'll see you when you get home tonight.  Call Dan and tell him that the information on the boys' testing is to be released to no one."

Editor's Notes: 

I smelled a rat quite some time back.  Something just didn't ring true.  What kind of shenanigans are going on?  Who are these imposters?  What kind of shady stuff is going on? These questions and maybe a few more may or may not be answered in the next exciting chapter of this very interesting story.