The Michaels' Family: Book One - We Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus

Chris and I went to the house on the hill and were greeted by a sight.  Ramsey, David and Hank were fixing dinner.  Ramsey was scolding Hank, "Mr. Rodgers, if we're going to be fixing a lot of meals here, we need to plan menus so we have the right things here to make the meals with.  We were lucky tonight, but I am not very good at thinking of new things."

As we were eating, Hank asked, "Stevie, are you going to choir practice with us?"

"Nope, I thought I would take David and Ramsey to see Danny and then take them to the ranch for the night."

Ramsey interrupted, "I'm not spending the night at the ranch.  I need to stay here so I can get to school in the morning."

Hank spoke before I could, "Ramsey, we do not want you to spend the night here by yourself anymore."

"Why not?  I lived here for over two months by myself and was just fine."

Hank was very firm, "Ramsey, I will not have you staying here by yourself anymore.  What if something should happen to you?  There would be no one here to help you.  This is not negotiable.  Get everything you need to go to school in the morning, and do what Mr. Michaels tells you to do."

Ramsey gritted his teeth.  "I still don't understand why, all of a sudden, I can't stay here by myself.  Where am I going to sleep?"

David got out of his chair, "Come on, Ramsey, you gotta do what Grandpa and Poppa tell you to do.  You can sleep in Danny and my room or you can sleep in Uncle Jacob's bed, since he sleeps at the hospital.  That way Uncle Kevin and me can make sure you don't run away."

Everyone was having a difficult time trying to not laugh.  Hank stood, "I'll get you a small suitcase so you can take everything you need and don't forget your toothbrush, because you're not using mine."

Ramsey turned around, "That's okay, I wouldn't be caught in the same room as your toothbrush for fear I would catch your germs.  By the way, someone needs to buy some toothpaste.  I'm using the last tube and it is about empty."

Chris, Kevin and Jacob were not even trying to hide their snickers.  The three older guys were clearing the dishes and taking care of the clean up when Ramsey returned, carrying a sports bag.  He was still complaining, "Mr. Rodgers, you're not listening to me.  I'll be fine here by myself."

"Mr. Watts, I said you weren't staying here, and that's final."

I hugged Jacob, "I'll see you tomorrow, son.  Don't forget you need to get plenty of rest, too."

"Dad, I'm fine."

"We'll see the rest of you as soon as you can drag the Cowboy home."

Ramsey turned around, "Yeah, maybe you could lose him on the way home, so there would be one less person bossing me around."

Hank went to grab Ramsey, but Ramsey skipped away and started yelling, "Help, he's trying to hurt me.  Charge him with child abuse."

"Stevie, get the monster out of here before I spank his butt."

As we were driving to the hospital, Ramsey had all sorts of questions about why Danny was in the hospital.  I tried to explain what had happened.  When we pulled into the parking garage, Ramsey questioned me, "Mr. Michaels, are you sure that it's okay if I'm here.  Black people don't usually come to this hospital.  They usually are taken to County General."

David asked, "What difference does the color of a person's skin make?   That's silly."

I took a very deep breath, "Ramsey, David is correct.  That is silly.  I can assure you that as long as you are living with us, you would come here if you ever needed to go to the hospital.  Now forget about the color of people's skin."

Mimi and Dusty were sitting there when we walked in.  They both had sketch pads and were making drawing.  David hugged them, "Hi Mommy and Daddy.  We brought Ramsey to meet Danny."

David climbed up on the platform, "Danny, I brought Ramsey to talk to you.  He's funny.  He's mad at Grandpa and Poppa for making him go to the ranch to spend the night."

Ramsey waved, "Hi, kid, how you doin?  I hope you're feeling better."

Danny sat up, "Look at me.  Do I look like a goat?  What's your last name?"

Ramsey answered, "You just said my name."

Danny was confused, "David, what's Ramsey's last name."

Ramsey giggled, "You just said it again.  My last is Watts.  It's just spelled differently.  It's like to, two and too."

Danny started to giggle, "Oh, I get it.  You think you're a train but instead of saying to, too, two, you say what's Watts."

Doctor Harrison had been standing there listening and he started to laugh, "Ramsey and David, I think you'd better get out of here before Danny tries to pull his tubes and things out.  You two are better for him than all the medicine we can give him.  If he keeps improving at the current rate, we may move him back to a sterile room where he could actually have visitors in the room with him.  Would you like that, Danny?

"Yep, but I really want to go home."

"Danny, if you keep cooperating and improving at rate you have been, it won't be too much longer."

Danny laid down, "Okay, I'll be good.  David and Ramsey, when you come tomorrow, do you suppose you could bring me some ice cream."

Doctor Harrison laughed, "Danny, I'll make sure that you get some ice cream for lunch tomorrow."

As we were getting ready to leave, Dusty looked at me, "Steve, take Mimi home with you.  I'll stay here until Jacob comes to relieve me."

When we got home, Mimi excused herself and went to her and Dusty's room.  David took charge of Ramsey, "Come on, we'll put your things in Kevin and Jacob's room.  Then you can help me get ready for bed."

I grinned, "I'll be in our bedroom if you need me."

I had just sat down and was getting ready to read some mail that had arrived, when David came running into the room, "Poppa, tell Ramsey that it's okay for him to take a shower with me.  He says he's too big to be showering with a young person like me."

I stood up and started to take off my clothes.  I looked at the two guys, "Get with it, unless you're going to take a shower with your clothes on."

Danny was undressed in no time, but Ramsey was reluctant to undress.  I took off my briefs started to go toward Ramsey, "Get those clothes off or your going in the shower like that."

He finally shed his clothes and I took them into the bathroom and when Ramsey saw the shower, he started to laugh.  "This shower is almost big as the place where I have been living.  No wonder you all take a shower together.  Just think of the water you must save by taking showers together."

I made sure David's hair was shampooed and that he was clean.  I had him get out and dried him off.  I wrapped him in a towel and told him to go get on some briefs and shorts and a tee shirt so we could go get some dessert.

After David had departed, I looked at Ramsey and winked, "Take your time and do what most teenagers do to relieve their tension.  I'll go get your clothes and you can meet us in the kitchen."

Ramsey giggled, "Poppa Michaels, that's no way to talk to a thirteen year old boy."

"Ramsey, lest you forget, I do have two teenage sons, so I wasn't born yesterday.  Now have a good time and don't take too long."

David and I were in the kitchen and Rosa or someone had made some cupcakes and David was having one when Chase joined us.  "Good, I was getting hungry, I guess the rest of them are mine, right David."

David looked up and started to talk with his mouth full, "Nawht eggzlactly.  You gotta save some for Ramsey, Chris and Kevin."

We were joined by Ramsey wearing a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

The guys had just finished eating when Hank and Chris arrived.  Hank smiled "Kevin went to the hospital, he is going to stay with Danny until Jacob relieves him.  He said that would give him time to do his homework." 

Tim and Tad arrived shortly after Cowboy and Chris.  Tim  started,  "We were at the library doing research.  We both have papers due next week.  We asked Uncle Wayne and Uncle Justin for permission to go, since no one else was here and we weren't sure where you were."

Cowboy frowned, "Guys, you don't need to ask permission to do something like that.  All we ask is that you tell us where you are going and approximately what time you will be home.  Seat yourselves and have some dessert.  David, it's time for you to get to bed."

David pulled Ramsey's arm, "Come on What's Watts, you heard Grandpa."

After Ramsey and David were out of sight, Hank looked at me, "I don't suppose that you would care to tell me what that was all about would you?"

I told the assembled group about what happened at the hospital, and since we had got home.  Chris looked at me, "Boss, you're making this up aren't you."

"Nope, I'm afraid not."

Tim chuckled, "No one can ever say that it's dull around here.  That's for sure."

The guys took care of the dishes, and Hank and I started toward our bedroom.  We checked to see how Ramsey and David were doing and David was sleeping in Ramsey's arms.  Ramsey looked at us with a sheepish smile on his face and whispered, "David decided that he had better sleep with me, so I wouldn't be afraid, since I would be sleeping in a new house for the first time.  I swear he fell asleep talking."

I leaned down and kissed both boys on the cheek and Cowboy did likewise.  Ramsey tried to sit up.  We could see tears in his eyes. "Now see what you're making me do.  I'm too old to cry.  Do you know how long it has been since someone has kissed me?"

I leaned down kissed him again, only on the lips this time, "I guess we'll just have to practice until you get it right, then."

Ramsey had managed to sit up, "Mr. Michaels, please don't make fun of me.  Take me back to the house on the hill, please."

Cowboy hugged him, "Son, he's not making fun of you.  He's just telling you that he loves you and cares about you.  We're not going to let you stay at the house on the hill by yourself anymore and that's final."

"Then I'll runaway and find someplace else to live."

I sat down beside him, "Ramsey, you do that and the next time you're caught, Mrs. Graham and her people will have you back in another home so fast that you will think you're on a torpedo.  Now go to sleep, if you would rather that we not kiss you, then we won't."

Hank and I walked to our bedroom,  I brushed my teeth while he took a shower.  I was lying in bed naked, of course, trying to make sense of this last encounter with Ramsey, when Hank crawled into bed, he held me.  "I guess we blew that encounter.  I just hope and pray that Ramsey doesn't do what he threatened to do.  I would like to get him and put him in bed with us to make sure he doesn't runaway."

"Hank, if we did that he would hate us for sure.  We just need to give him a little space and not force him to do most things that he does not want to do, as long as his safety isn't jeopardized.  Now let's go to sleep.  We've both had a busy day and I can't see the next two days getting any easier."

I was just about asleep when there was a timid knock on the door.  I figured it was Kevin checking in, but boy was I wrong.  I called out, for the person to come in and we heard a quiet voice say, "Mr. Rodgers and Mr. Michaels, I came to apologize for my behavior.   I know that you want only the best for me.  But no one has cared about me for so long that I don't know how to handle people being kind to me, very well."

I turned on the light and Ramsey had indeed been crying.  Cowboy reacted, "Ramsey, please just get in bed and we'll discuss this in the morning.  We all need to get some sleep."

Hank motioned for him to get in bed.  When Ramsey realized that we were naked, he reacted, "But you two are naked.  I can't sleep in bed with two naked men."

I laughed, "Ramsey, you were in the shower with me and we were naked.  What's so different about being naked in bed.  Besides, you have briefs on."

Ramsey crawled into bed and we put him in the middle and we were just about asleep again when the door burst open.  Kevin was standing there, "Dads, Ramsey's gone and David is just about in hysterics, because he is afraid that Ramsey has run away.  We checked the other empty bedrooms and Tim and Tad haven't seen him.  You need to come talk to David."

I sat up, "Son, relax Ramsey is okay.  He's right here between us.  Ramsey, get your butt back to where David is and let know that you are safe." 

Ramsey climbed over Cowboy and kissed him on the lips.  He came around to me and did likewise.  He was laughing as he was leaving.  "It's sure a lot of fun getting even.  We still need to talk, tomorrow."

Kevin looked at us, "Dads, I don't suppose you would care to explain what has been happening?"

I looked at Kevin, "Son, please sit down and we'll explain as best we can.  It has been quite an eventful night since I last saw you."

After I finished my story, Kevin started to laugh, "Just think, this is all happening because Dad Hank flashed us in the mall."

He kissed us and was still laughing as he was leaving the room.  "Never fear, Super Kevin will make sure that the convicts don't escape.  I can hardly wait to tell Jacob what he's been missing."

I woke up the next morning wondering what lay in store for the day.  I reached over to touch Cowboy, and surprise of surprises, he wasn't there.  After I stopped in the bathroom, I went straight to his office.  He turned with a jerk as my arms made their way to the target I was searching for.  The Cowboy looked at me with his innocent look, "Mistah, you do realize you be playing with fire."

I leaned down and kissed him,  "Just keep the home fires burning until tonight.  Let's surprise everyone and get breakfast started."

Hank and I were working away when a young boy appeared leading an older boy.  "See, I told you someone was up.  Hi Grandpa and Poppa, what's for breakfast?"

Hank turned to answer, "How about pancakes and sausage?  How does that sound?  You might go tell everyone it's time to get up."

David answered, "That sounds great to me.  Everyone is on their way. I'll go check on Uncle Wayne, Uncle Justin, Uncle Chris and Uncle Chase.  Ramsey, you can set the table while I'm gone.  I really like blueberry syrup better than maple syrup."

Hank started to eat before everyone else.  He announced, "I need to go relieve Jacob so he has time to eat, before he goes to school."  He opened his wallet and handed Tim, Tad and Ramsey a twenty dollar bill each.  Kevin waved him off.  Hank took his laptop computer and was out the door

The next to leave were Kevin with his passengers, David and Ramsey.  Tim and Tad were right behind them.  Chase looked around, Uncle Justin, it looks as if you and me are going to get stuck with the dishes again."

Mimi laughed, "Never fear, that's the least I can do to repay you people for what everyone is doing for Danny and David."

Dusty and Wayne left in Dusty's car.  When Chris and I went to my company car, I had Chris get in the driver's seat.  He was shaking, "Mr. Michaels, I have no idea how to drive a car."

"Chris, believe me, it's easier than riding a bicycle."

Chris looked at me, "Mr. Michaels, I have never ridden a bicycle, so I guess I'll never know."

It was a little shakey at the beginning. By the time we were approaching the city, though, Chris was starting to feel more comfortable.  He didn't even look at me as he spoke, "Mr. Michaels, please don't make me drive in the city until I have had more opportunities to practice."

"Chris, pull over to the side of the road and I'll take over for today.  We can't do this everyday, or you will never feel secure about driving in the city.  The testing officer will pick up your insecure feelings and you will fail your driving test.  We need you to be able to drive, especially when you start going to college.  We can't be driving you back and forth all the time."

Chris sighed, "Mr. Michaels, please be patient with me.  So many new things have happened since you yanked my bottom out of the Human Resources offices.  I'm still overwhelmed by the fact that now I have a brother, a mother and a father that I didn't know I had.

I hugged Chris, "I'm sure you are.  Now, let's go see what her royal highness has in store for us today."

 Editor's Notes:

I think that just maybe, Ramsey is starting to trust people.  He might just break out of his shell, yet. 

It looks more and more like Danny is going to get well.  I sure hope he does.  David and Danny are just the right people to help Ramsey realize that he has found a loving family that will watch out for him and love him.

I notice that, to some degree, Cowboy is starting to let up on trying to control everyone and everything.  I think that he is finally realizing that being the head of a family doesn't mean he has to be a dictator.