Todd's Christmas Surprise
by Rob Warr
Chapter 5
Jeff didn't know how Dr. Hardesty would react to such news, and the smile filling his face was a complete surprise for him. "I assume you've given this a lot of thought, and you're not just letting your emotions get the best of you. It's one thing to be an uncle from afar, and quite another to be a parent. Once you've made a commitment like this you can't take it back. He's yours for life if you do this. And remember, you'll not only be responsible for providing for him, you'll have to set rules and boundaries and make sure they're followed. It's not all fun and games."
"I know all that, but I won't be alone," Jeff said grinning at Marylin.
"Oh, are you two planning on getting married?" Dr. Hardesty asked, eying both of them with a smile.
"He hasn't asked me..." she said once again.
Jeff laughed, "We're not quite there, yet...but who knows? This is only our second date, maybe on the third I'll propose."
"Second date, and again at a party," Marylin huffed, "You're getting off way too cheap. Next time I expect to be taken to an expensive restaurant."
"Okay, make the reservations, just like always," he said grinning, "and I'll pick you up at the office."
Dr. Hardesty was happy to know the two were getting closer, but he still had concerns about Jeff revealing his true identity to Todd so soon.
"So...what do you think? Do I have your permission to tell Todd what I have in mind?"
"I can't stop you from telling Todd who you are, nor would I stand in the way of your adopting him, but I still have concerns."
"Marylin, what do you think?"
"I think Jeff is right. The sooner Todd knows, the better. That way he won't stress over the fact that Jeff has known all along and kept it from him. And I know Jeff, he'll make a great dad for Todd. But he will need some help, and married or not, I will help him, just as I've been doing for the last five years or so."
"She's right, she's been making sure I dot all the I's and cross all the T's for a long time. She's the best."
"I'd be a fool to argue with that logic. In that case, you have my blessings, but I would suggest you do it in a more private place, why don't you use my office?"
"All right, but would you mind being there when I tell him, you too, Marylin. I think he'll feel better if he knows we're all on his side."
"An excellent idea, let me talk to the other boys then we can go to my office."
It felt a bit cramped in Dr. Hardesty's office, which only added to the anxiety Todd felt. What had he done wrong? he wondered, had he insulted Mr. Miller and his girlfriend somehow. But try as hard as he might he couldn't think of anything. And Mr. Miller had seemed like a nice guy when they'd been on the tour, and especially when he'd joined them at their table for dinner.
"Todd, first of all, you're not in trouble," Dr. Hardesty chuckled, knowing full well that most boys thought that way when summoned to his office, "Mr. Miller has something he wants to tell you and he's asked that we sit in on it," he said referring to himself and Marylin. I want you to know that I am on your side and still here for you as always, and no matter what you decide tonight, I will help you in any way I can. Jeff, the floor is yours now."
"So... Todd, I'm sure you're wondering what this is all about," then seeing Todd nod, he continued, "Well, as you might have noticed when we met, we have a few things in common. Our green eyes for one thing..." Jeff let that sink in, and he could see the wheels in Todd's head turning, and the look of confusion on his face.
Todd knew Jeff couldn't be his dad, for he'd known his dad, and anyway his green eyes had come from his mom's side of the family. Besides, Jeff didn't look old enough to have a 14-year-old son. So, what was he saying?
"Your mother had a brother, has a brother..." Jeff began again, letting that sink in, "but they were never really close. When he was old enough he left home and cut off all contact with his parents...and his sister, which he now regrets. However, he did help her through some difficult financial times when her husband was ill. When he died, she received a rather large settlement and she didn't need his help any longer, and after that they lost touch again."
Todd wasn't stupid, he knew as soon as Jeff had mentioned the financial help and his father's illness that the brother he was talking about was Jeff, and that the sister was his mom. Why then had he never met this man until now? Had his mother kept his existence a secret for some reason? Or had Jeff told her he wanted no part of her family and his nephew?
"You're my...uncle?" Todd said suddenly.
Jeff nodded, "I knew you were an intelligent boy and you'd pick up on things right away. But it's not what you think. I didn't even know you existed till you were around nine or so, just before your dad died. Your mom and I, well, we've never been close, and it was hard for her to ask me for help, but she's blood, family, and I couldn't deny her. I had the money, and it was no big deal. I wanted her and you to be well taken care of, and I'd hoped your father would get well, but we both know how that went.
When he died, I guess she received a large insurance settlement and she saw that as an excuse to cut me out of her life again. I'm not blaming her, I could have tried harder, insisted that I get to meet you, or at least have sent you gifts on your birthday and Christmas, but I was busy building and empire," Jeff laughed bitterly, "and had no time for that sort of thing."
"Mom never told me I had an uncle..." Todd said shakily, still trying to digest all this information.
"I know, and I'm sorry I didn't try to change that, but what's done is done. I just assumed you'd be better off without me, that your mom would take good care of you, and then...the thing with your stepdad happened. I didn't know till your mom finally broke down and called me. She was worried about you, and I guess she thought maybe I could help.
So...I had my people do some investigating, and I learned all about what happened with your stepdad and that you'd wound up here. At first I didn't know what to do, but I finally decided I had to make sure you were okay, and I came to visit. At first I wanted to tell you who I was, and that I was here to help, but Dr. Hardesty convinced me that it might be a shock, and that I should wait till I was sure what my intentions were."
"Your intentions?" Todd said sounding the word out as if it was alien to him, "Like what?"
"Well, you have to remember, I'm a single guy with no experience with kids, at all, and I didn't know exactly what I should do, but I knew I wanted to help. I just didn't know how."
"So, you adopted the home and bought all this Christmas stuff just so your conscience would be clear, is that it?" Todd said acidly.
"No, no, not at all. That was just a side issue. Dr. Hardesty here convinced me almost from the start that I should add the home to my list of charities, and I would have donated money no matter what."
"But you wouldn't have even been here if it hadn't been for me, right?"
"Yes, that's true, but karma is a strange thing. I feel as if I was supposed to wind up here..."
"Well, you found me, you helped all the kids have a great Christmas, and now you can go back to your fancy apartment, or house or whatever and forget about us till you start feeling guilty again," Todd spat out.
"Todd," Dr. Hardesty scolded, "I don't believe you're being fair to your uncle. Please, hear him out."
"Okay, I'm listening," Todd said, arms crossed in the typical sullen teenage boy posture.
"Todd," Jeff said gently, "I'm so sorry that I haven't been a part of your life until now. Seeing what a great person you are I feel cheated that I missed out on the first 14 years of your life. I never had a happy family life, and as I said, your mom and I were never close. But I did love her, still do, even knowing what she did to you, but until now I never really knew what real love felt like. The moment I met you, I knew what was missing in my life, family. I never had that growing up, my mother and father were cold and harsh people who should never have had children in my opinion. So I just assume all families were like that, and I wanted nothing to do with love or romance or family. Something changed when I met you. Something inside me burst or blossomed or whatever you want to call it, and I knew...I knew at that moment that I had to have you in my life. I've wanted to tell you all along who I was, but it wasn't till tonight that I knew exactly how I wanted that to work. Todd, if you'll allow me to, I'd like to adopt you and make a home for you with me, and eventually Marylin, if she'll have me."
"Wait, you're asking if it's okay if you adopt me? Do I have a choice?" Todd said evenly.
Jeff sank into his chair, was Todd going to say, no? "Of course you have a choice. It's your life, but no matter what you decide, I will always be here to help you, emotionally and financially. I'll set up a college fund and..."
"Hold on, hold on. I didn't say no, I'm just asking," then turning to Dr. Hardesty he said, "So...how would that work, Dr. Hardesty?"
"Well, of course your uncle would have to go through all the legal channels, but talking from experience I'd say he will have no problems adopting you. Your mother has already given up her parental rights, and as of right now you are a ward of the state. DHS will of course get involved, but I can tell you that my opinion carries a lot of weight with them, and if this is what you both want, I will be behind you all the way."
"Can I think about it?" Todd said, but the sparkle in his eyes said he was just teasing.
"Of course," Jeff said pretending to be hurt, "I've waited 14 years to have you in my life, a few more days won't matter."
"I've thought about it," Todd said suddenly, "If you really want me, then, yeah...I'd love to come live with you. But I was wondering, any chance you'd want two boys? I'd sure hate to leave Micky behind."
It was short notice and not technically policy, but Dr. Hardesty allowed Todd to go home with Jeff that night and for him to stay the weekend. Marylin had promised to be there most of the time to help with the transition and that was good enough for Dr. Hardesty. His greatest joy in life was when one of his boys succeeded, and it seemed Todd was going to succeed in a big way. Having one of the richest men in the state as one's guardian was wonderful, but it wasn't just about the money. Dr. Hardesty could see that Jeff genuinely cared for the boy, and most importantly, that Todd cared for the man.
All in all it had been a great day. The boys were happy, well fed, and the gifts they'd received would help to soothe over some of the injustices the world had thrown at them. Dr. Hardesty had been surprised by the two TVs and the gaming system, but when Jeff had told him that Monday new furniture for the rec room would be delivered, he felt tears sting his eyes. He didn't get emotional often, for in his line of work it could be a real detriment, but Jeff's generosity had touched him like nothing else ever had.
At Jeff's apartment, Todd was busy prowling around, checking out the place and trying to convince himself that this was all real. The view was amazing, and the tree and decorations were like something out of a Hallmark movie.
"Where will I be sleeping?" Todd asked when he'd finished his third circuit of the living areas.
"This couch is nice," Jeff teased, "or that recliner...it has heat and massage..."
"Hmm, probably better than a sidewalk, or under a bush in the park," Todd said trying to make Jeff feel bad.
"Stop, I'm kidding, "Jeff said feeling awful now, "come on, bud, I'll show you the guest room."
Todd just grinned and gave Marylin a wink. She winked back and suggested she make hot cocoa while the two checked out the bedroom.
"It's a bit spartan as it is, I've really never had any guests sleep over, but it has everything you'll need. You can hang your stuff in the closet and all the drawers are empty, I believe, so...feel free to put your panties in there," Jeff teased.
"Panties?" Todd said sounding offended, "I don't wear panties. I'm all boy," he smirked, even if I do like boys, and not girls, he didn't add.
"I wouldn't care if you did," Jeff assured him, "I'm an equal opportunity uncle."
Todd processed that. Was Uncle Jeff saying he was okay with him being gay? Was Uncle Jeff gay as well? No, surely not, he had Marylin as a girlfriend, and she was fine, F.I.N.E. So, maybe he was bi, yeah, that could be it, and that would be cool. So if Todd did happen to be gay, well, he wouldn't have to worry about being kicked out. Oh, wait...if Uncle Jeff knew his whole story than he must already know, or suspect that he was gay.
"Uh, Uncle Jeff?"
Jeff smiled, God how he love being called Uncle, "Yeah, Nephew."
"How much do you know about why I was kicked out?"
"Just that your stepdad didn't like your choice of websites," Jeff said grinning, "and I can guess the rest. But, if you're worried that I'd do the same, relax. I don't care what you look at online as long as it's legal and not toxic."
"Oh, okay. But just to be fair, I'm...umm, pretty sure I'm...uh, gay."
"Cool," Jeff said easily, "and I bet you'll be very popular with the gay boys at your new school, which by the way you'll be attending very soon."
Todd smiled sadly, "But there's only one boy I really like right now."
Jeff sat on the bed and patted a spot next to him, "Sit a minute, and let's talk."
Todd sighed as he sat down next to his uncle, and without thinking he leaned into him, feeling his warmth and his muscled chest and sighing contentedly.
Jeff instinctively placed an arm around the boy and kissed the top of his head, "I know you'd like for me to adopt Micky too, but it's not that easy, sport. But...I will promise you this. I will take you to visit him, and if Dr. Hardesty will allow it, he can come sleepover here."
"Thanks, that will help, but I worry about him. He has nowhere to go. His folks don't want him, his aunt and uncle were abusive, and then they got killed, and the home was his last chance. He's doing good there, but I worry what will happen to him once I'm gone for good."
"I'm sorry, but I'm sure he'll be fine."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, it's been a long day. I'd like to take a shower and go to bed, if that's okay."
"Of course, grab your stuff and I'll get you some towels and a washcloth and show you where the bathroom is."
When Jeff had Todd situated, he returned to find Marylin staring out the sliding glass door of his balcony at the snow.
"It's really coming down. I don't know if I'll be able to get home or not," she said suggestively.
"Hmm, I wonder what the good doctor would say to our exposing my nephew to having my girlfriend sleeping over."
She laughed, "Well, what he doesn't know can't hurt him."
"True, anyway, Todd said he was tired and going to bed after his shower, so chances are he won't be aware you're still here. Well, not until morning anyway."
"Hmm, isn't the snow pretty though? I've always loved snow at Christmas."
"I can't say I ever cared one way or another as a kid, but I'm beginning to appreciate it now. It's really coming down. Maybe I should have bought sleds for the boys at the home," he joked.
"I'm sure they'd have appreciated that, but the gifts you gave them were not only thoughtful but just what they needed," she sighed then, "I just thought of something, your gifts are still in my car. Will you go down to the parking garage with me to get them later? I hate going into those places alone."
"Sure, we'll go in a while. Your gifts are safely under my tree," he said grinning.
"I can wait if you can," she said grinning.
"Seems like I don't have a choice," he teased, "but technically, it's not Christmas for another hour."
They were interrupted then by Todd, who came down the hallway dressed in pajama pants and a tee shirt. His hair was still slightly damp and he seemed to glow with vitality.
"I was promised some hot cocoa," he said grinning.
"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I may have to reheat it, but I can use the microwave. Just take a minute."
While Marylin tended to the cocoa, Todd took her place at the door looking out onto the snow covered balcony.
"Wow, it's snowing like crazy. I might not be able to get back to the home by Monday," he said grinning.
"That would be awful for you, wouldn't it?" Jeff teased.
"Yeah, just awful, but somehow I'd make it work," Todd said grinning.
"Here you go, guys, hot cocoa with little marshmallows. Enjoy," Marylin said handing each a mug of steaming cocoa.
"Hot," Todd said sipping a bit of the thick rich liquid.
"Careful, the roads are bad and we couldn't get you to the emergency room if you burnt your lips off."
"Ha, hey, that's right. It's too slick to travel, so...are you trapped here with us?" Todd asked of Marylin.
"Well, we were just discussing that when you came in," Jeff interjected, "but we don't want you to get the wrong idea. We just don't have any choice in this case."
"So, what's the big deal? You're boyfriend and girlfriend, right? I bet she's spent the night lots of times."
Marylin laughed, "Would you be surprised to know I've only slept over once?"
"Well, I thought Uncle Jeff was slow, but that's ridiculous," Todd teased.
"Hey, we only just figured out that we're more than friends,: Jeff said defensively, "besides, how do you know she didn't sleep in the guest room?"
Todd rolled his eyes, "If she did, you're even slower than I thought."
Marylin laughed, "He's already got your number, Jeff. You can't pull anything over on this one."
After they'd finished their hot cocoa, Jeff told them he and Marylin needed to go down to her car to retrieve some things. At first Todd protested, not wanting to be left alone, then he reconsidered when they said they'd only be gone ten minutes, tops.
"Okay, I'll watch TV till you get back," Todd said as the two adults got ready to go.
"The remote's over there. Do you need me to show you how it works?"
"Please, Uncle Jeff, I'm a teenager, trust me, I know how to work anything electronic, it's what we do."
Both of the adults laughed, "He's got you there," Marylin said, "come on, lover, let's go get the loot."
They were actually gone about fifteen minutes, but Todd wasn't keeping time. He was absorbed in one of those shoot em up car chase movies and munching on the candy in the dishes on the coffee table.
However, when the two came in carrying brightly wrapped packages they had his full attention.
"We ran into Santa in the parking garage," Jeff teased.
"Hmm, he sure gets around, doesn't he?" Todd smirked.
"Yeah, and he even had a gift for you," Marylin said grinning, "but he said not to open it till tomorrow."
"Same for the ones under the tree," Jeff said. When he'd bought those gifts for Todd, he wasn't even sure he'd be hosting him here, but he was glad now that he'd been impulsive and bought them.
"More gifts," Todd frowned, "are you trying to kill me with kindness?"
"I have several years of gifts to make up for," Jeff said blushing, "so indulge me, please."
"Okay, how can I refuse your kindness, Uncle Jeff?" Todd said grinning, "and...Aunt Marylin."
Marylin smiled, "I like the sound of that. Aunt Marylin, I could really get to like that."
"I thought you were aiming for something a bit more serious, like mom," Jeff teased.
"Oh, well...I adapt easily to all situations, so if that position become available I'd be up for it."
Jeff laughed, "So much has happened in such a short time. My head is spinning, but I'm like old Ebeneezer Scrooge, I've discovered that...I like life, and life likes me."
Todd chose that moment to yawn widely, "Oh, sorry...it's way past my bedtime, and I guess I'm beginning to show it. Can I be excused to bed?"
"Sure, kiddo, can we come tuck you in, or is that a thing?"
Marylin laughed, "It's a thing, but usually not for teenagers."
"I don't mind," Todd said quickly, "I've missed a few years of that, and I need to get caught up."
In the guest room, Todd quickly climbed in bed and pulled the covers part way up his body. For a young teen he was well built, but his face still had that childlike quality about it that endeared most everyone who met him. With his sparkling green eyes, he was indeed a handsome boy, but he was neither arrogant or self absorbed as some teen boys were.
"Goodnight bud," Jeff said pulling the covers up to Todd's neck. Then bending low, he kissed the boy on the forehead and quickly moved aside to let Marylin have her turn.
"Goodnight, Todd, she said smoothing back his long unruly hair, "You look so much like your uncle. I'll bet if we had a picture of Jeff at your age you'd look like twins."
"I noticed his eyes right away," Todd said, "but I didn't think too much about the rest. I mean, I'm not the only person in the world with green eyes."
"Marylin is right," Jeff offered, "when I first saw you I saw myself at that age. Only you seemed much smarter, more sure of yourself, and a lot nicer than I was. But there was no denying we were kin, that was for sure."
"I look like mom," Todd said sounding sad, "Uncle Jeff, why doesn't she love me anymore?"
Jeff felt as if he'd been physically struck when he heard Todd's desperate cry for understanding.
"I don't know, buddy," Jeff said, his voice thick with emotion, "my sister was never really a very loving person, but then neither were our folks, or me, for that matter. But I can't imagine giving birth to a wonderful child like you and choosing some man over you. I'm sorry, but I can't forgive her for that, but I do hope to forget it and move on, and I hope you can, too."
"I miss my dad, a lot. He was great. But after he died, mom changed. I think when he died he took a little part of her with him. I tried to help her, but she just shut me out, and for a long time I just sort of drifted through my life and took care of myself. Then she met Graylen, and well...at first I hoped he'd be a good guy, and we'd be happy again, but he hated me from the start."
"I'm sorry, kiddo. I wish I'd been there for you, but I messed up. But I hope I can make up for that in the future. From now on, you'll be surrounded by people who love you and care for you, and who will help you grow up to be the best you can be."
Todd yawned again and his eyes closed, "Goodnight," he said softly, "I can't stay awake any longer," and suddenly he drifted off to sleep.
Marylin smiled at Jeff, took his hand and led him to the living room, "He's quite a boy. I can see why you became attached to him so quickly. I already love him and I only met him a few hours ago."
"He has that effect on people," Jeff chuckled, "Speaking of sleeping, I'm ready for bed if you are."
"Sure, but I don't have anything to sleep in," she teased.
"Hmm...I think your birthday suit will be just fine. I'll keep you warm."
"Only if you wear the same."
"You can count on that," Jeff chuckled as he led her off to his bedroom.
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