SO MUCH had happened in one short month. Josh’s life would be forever changed. His entire life had been about one thing and one thing alone—his career. No, it was more than just a career. It was his passion. His calling.
Despite how much fulfillment his profession provided, he suddenly realized that there could be more in his life. Previously he’d regarded the entire periphery as a series of distractions or obstacles that could stand in his way and possibly divert him from completing his goal. He now understood that a relationship with someone he loved was not a burden but rather an enhancement.
It was all he could think of on the two-hour drive to Covington. He thought of how beautiful the evening before had been, his romantic night with Rex. A huge part of the reason he loved Rex so much was because he was such a down-to-earth guy—an ordinary Joe, a small-town Southern cowboy. But he sure did clean up real nice. Last night Rex had been no hick. He was a hot stud, and he sure did get Josh’s motor going.
And if there were any soul on earth who had lit up Josh’s life more than little Ty, he couldn’t rightly say who that might be. Ty just amazed him, the way he was so smart for his age. He was so direct and honest, and his sincerity made him absolutely precious. Did this sort of purity exist in all little children, or was there something special about this little man?
Covington was on the border, right close to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Josh was going to stop at the big Toys “R” Us store there to get Ty his birthday presents. First, though, he had to go see his folks. He’d called and told them he was on his way. Knowing his mama, she’d have an entire feast prepared for him when he got there. He wondered if she’d have homemade potato salad. It’d been so long since he’d had her potato salad that his mouth watered in anticipation as he thought of it.
Josh had been home on spring break back in April, but he hadn’t had time when school got out in May to go visit his parents. He’d gone straight to Carlisle, and this would be the first he’d seen his folks in about three months.
His mama took care of his pets while he was at school, and by rights they were actually hers now. He wouldn’t dream of taking the dog away from her that’d been in the family for the past eleven years. Her name was Daisy. Josh’s other dog, Dixie, had died before Josh had started college. There also was his big orange tabby named Maurice.
When Josh pulled into the yard, it was Daisy who greeted him first. She was a chocolate Lab. He squatted down to pet her, and when he looked up, Mama was standing on the porch, smiling.
“There he is,” she said, “there’s my baby.”
Josh smiled and stepped quickly over to her. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight bear hug. “Mercy,” she cried, “you’re wasting away! Josh, you’re not eating healthy. You’re skin and bones.”
“Mama, I am eating healthy,” he protested, “which is why I’m slender, not fat.”
“Oh, it’s so good to see you! Your daddy will be back in a few minutes. I sent him down to the store.”
“I hope not on my account,” Josh said.
“No, on my account. I needed some baking soda for my biscuits. I wish you’d give me a little bit more warning before you decide to show up so I can be prepared.”
“That’s why I don’t,” Josh said, “because you’d have this whole house so filled with food by the time I got here that there’d be nothing for me to do but eat.”
“Come on in,” she said, laughing. She still had her arm around him, and slid her hand down to the small of his back, ushering him inside. “I’ll get you some iced tea.”
Josh stepped into the familiar kitchen, and of course nothing had changed. It never changed. If he were to leave and come back ten years from now, it’d be exactly as he remembered it from the day he left. There were two pies on the countertop, and he could smell something delicious cooking in the oven.
“Smells good,” he said.
“Pot roast,” she said. “Have a seat.”
She poured them each a glass of sweet tea and took a seat across from him at the table. “How’s it going in Carlisle? You likin’ it at the clinic?”
Josh nodded. “I love it. I really do, but we’ve been quite busy. I never woulda thought that little town would have such a large pet population. And l really like the two people I work with. The assistant, Dana, is one of my best friends now.”
“Oh?” she said, her voice rising about an octave.
“We’re just friends,” Josh said, laughing.
“Well, how you getting along over at Harold’s?”
“Oh, Uncle Harold is great, but Aunt Kathy… well, that’s another story.”
His mother nodded. “She’s always been a bit uppity, but she’s been good for Harold.”
“Yeah, I think she keeps him organized.”
They chatted for a few minutes while they waited for Josh’s dad to get back. When he did come in, he walked over to Josh’s chair and placed his hand on Josh’s shoulder. Josh stood up, turning toward him, and gave him a half hug. It was the way his daddy was. He gave man hugs, the kind where you just embrace with one arm and pound the palm of your hand firmly against the other guy’s shoulder.
The three of them chatted a bit about the summer weather, about Josh’s new job, and about how he had done in school the previous semester.
When there was a break in the conversation, Josh looked at each of them, took a deep breath, and then plowed forward. “Mama and Daddy, there’s a reason why I drove up here today,” he said. “Something important I gotta talk to you about.”
His father had a serious look on his face. He was in his midfifties, a laborer all his life, and the creases in his forehead were pronounced, more so when he was thoughtful. “What is it, son?” he asked. Josh noticed how his mama and daddy looked at each other first and then directly at him.
Josh sighed. “Well, it’s nothing bad. At least I hope you don’t think of it that way. Truth is, I met someone.”
His father continued to scowl. “You didn’t get some girl in trouble, did ya?”
“William!” his mother said, scolding her husband.
Josh laughed. “No, nothing like that. Oh man, how do I say this?”
“Just say it, dear,” his mother said, placing her hand gently on his forearm.
“Well,” he said, hesitating a beat. “Well, I’m gay.” He’d finally said it!
His mother didn’t remove her hand but instead gently squeezed his arm. “It’s okay, dear. We expected to have this conversation someday.”
Josh looked at his dad, who was staring down at the table in front of him.
“Dad, are you okay?”
His father looked up to make direct eye contact. “Son, nothing will change our love for you.”
“And this young man… your friend that you met… who is he?” his mother asked.
“His name’s Rex,” Josh said, smiling broadly. “Oh, Mama, you’d like him so much. He’s twenty-eight, and he owns his own business. Has his own house. And… well, he has a little boy.”
“So he’s been married?” she asked.
Josh shook his head. “No, he adopted his nephew, Tyler, and Ty is just adorable. He’s six. Gonna be seven on Monday, but we’re having a big party for him tomorrow.”
Josh reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. “Here’s a picture of them,” Josh said. He handed it first to his mother.
“Oh, he’s a little angel,” she said. “And how does he get along with you?”
“Last night I tucked him in and read him his bedtime story, and he told me he loves me. He’s just so adorable. But he can be a little pistol sometimes too.”
“Oh, I bet,” his mother said.
From that point forward, the conversation seemed to be more about Rex and Ty than it was about Josh’s sexual orientation. Josh had feared that they wouldn’t be accepting. He’d envisioned the conversation turning into a debate on religion or morality. Instead it had been beautiful. After a few moments, his father was even asking questions about Rex.
It was interesting to Josh that his dad seemed more concerned about who Rex was, whether or not he was a stand-up guy, while his mom was more interested in little Ty.
Dinner was enormous, as expected. A pot roast with vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade biscuits, and two types of pie for dessert—pecan and strawberry rhubarb. There was no potato salad, but Josh barely noticed. He took a nap in his bedroom after dinner. The room was exactly as he’d left it. That evening his mother rode with him into Cincinnati to shop for Ty’s birthday gifts.
When Josh headed back to Carlisle the next morning, it was with a wind in his sail. He felt so free and unburdened and wished he’d had the courage to come out to his folks a long time ago. Everything was going to work out. Everything was going to be just wonderful.
WHEN JOSH walked into the house, several people he did not know were milling around. Jenny spotted him and rushed over. Taking the gifts he was carrying, she set them on a card table that had been set up in the living room.
“Josh,” she said, “Ty’s been asking about you.”
“Aw, really? Where is he?”
“He’s with the other kids in the backyard, and I think Rex is out there too.”
On the way, Josh stopped to say hi to Emmy and Everet, who were chatting in the kitchen. He glanced over at the kitchen table and noticed a sheet cake decorated with a Transformers theme. He stepped closer to look at it.
“Oh, Ty’s gonna love this. Has he seen it yet?”
“No, Jen just brought it in. She had to wait ’til he was outside to sneak it in from the garage.”
Josh laughed. “Nice.”
There were about ten kids playing in the backyard, and Josh only recognized two of them—Ty and Skylar. Rex was sitting in a chair on the corner of the deck talking to a young woman Josh didn’t know. When Rex saw Josh, he stood up.
“Hey,” he said, smiling broadly. “How was the drive?” Josh had already called him the night before to tell him how everything had gone with his parents.
“It was fine… great, actually.” Josh wanted to kiss him, but instead he stepped beside Rex and brushed his fingers discreetly across Rex’s lower back.
“Josh, this is Taiesha, Skylar’s mom.”
“Hi there,” Josh said as he extended his hand and smiled warmly.
“I’ve heard so much about you already,” she said, “and all good.”
“Oh, really?” Josh asked suspiciously.
“Yes, Tyler talks about you all the time.”
“Oh, okay. I thought maybe this one here was giving up secrets about me.” He thumbed his fist toward Rex.
“Well, he might have said a thing or two,” she said, winking.
Suddenly Tyler spotted him. “Josh! Josh!” he shouted, running across the yard and quickly ascending the two steps that led up to the deck. “You’ve been missing my party. Where have you been?”
“Sorry, Ty. Got here as soon as I could.” He scooped Tyler up in his arms and hugged him affectionately. “Happy birthday!”
“My birthday is tomorrow,” he said, “but today is my party.”
The sliding glass door opened, and Jenny stepped out onto the deck. “Rex, have you got the grill fired up?” she asked. “We’re gonna have a brood of rug rats ready for some burgers and dogs before long.”
“I’m on it,” Rex said. He looked over to Josh.
“I’ll help,” he said.
Skylar was in the yard calling for Ty. “I’ve gotta go,” he said.
“You have fun, kiddo,” Josh said, ruffling his hair affectionately. He followed Jen inside, and she opened the fridge to pull out Tupperware containers, which she handed to him.
“These are the burgers, and here’s the hot dogs. Bring ’em on into the dining room when they’re ready. I’m setting up the rest of the food there. After we eat, we’ll surprise Ty with his cake.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Josh said.
Rex was ready for him when Josh returned with the hot dogs. It was a large two-tiered, stainless steel propane grill. “Wow,” Josh said, “I love your grill.”
“And I love your meat,” Rex replied in a hushed tone.
“I know you do,” Josh said, laughing. He stepped a little closer and glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. “Where do you want me to stick it?”
“Gotta get the hot dog nice and hot before you slide it in the buns.”
“Top or bottom?” Josh continued with the double entendre. He pointed to the racks on the grill.
Rex laughed. “Dogs on top tier and burgers underneath.”
“So did you miss me last night?” Josh whispered as he grabbed a set of tongs and began spreading the hot dogs across the top shelf of the grill.
Rex picked up the container of pre-pressed burgers and got to work. “I managed to get by without you for one night,” he said.
“Are you talking about before or after we had phone sex?”
Rex smiled evilly. “After.”
“Do you guys need any help with anything?” Taiesha volunteered. She had stepped over closer to them.
“Sure,” Rex said, “if you want to go get the buns from inside.”
When they sat down to eat, there wasn’t room at the table for everyone, so some of the guests took their plates outside and ate on the picnic table or sat in chairs on the deck. Josh remained inside, sitting next to Ty, at his insistence. Once it seemed that everyone had pretty much finished eating, Jen rounded everyone up and informed them it was time for the cake, so they all gathered in the dining room around the table.
Ty was now wearing a cone-shaped birthday hat, and of course Rex and Josh had to do the same. When Jen walked in carrying the cake, Josh started singing “Happy Birthday”, and everyone joined it. Tyler beamed as he stared excitedly at the huge cake that was placed in front of him bearing seven lit candles.
“I knew it was a Transformers cake!” he shouted. “I knew it!”
“Make a wish,” Rex said. “Make a wish, but don’t tell anyone, then blow out the candles.”
“I already know my wish,” he said as he looked right at Josh. He then took a deep breath and blew as hard as he could. Everyone cheered as the candles were successfully extinguished.
Ty got a ton of gifts, and he was especially thrilled with the three packages from Josh.
“Bumblebee!” he exclaimed as he unceremoniously tore off the wrapping around the oversized Transformer action figure. Josh smiled, remembering how painstakingly his mom had wrapped it the night before. “He’s my favorite!” Ty said. “How did you know?”
Josh laughed. “I might have heard you say something like that once or twice.”
“Thank you, Uncle Josh!” he said.
The other two gifts were a Digimon video game and a new set of Transformers pajamas. Ty loved them all.
After the gifts, everyone went outside and played Twister on the lawn. Well, almost everyone. All the kids did, and Josh. Rex had other activities set up as well, including an outdoor ring-toss game, kid-safe horseshoes, and even a Slip ’n Slide for the kids who brought their swimsuits.
Jen made sure all the kids got door prize gifts and party favors before they left. The party continued ’til late in the afternoon when gradually the guests began to take off.
Josh and Rex pitched in to help Jen with the cleanup. Taiesha had gone home, but Skylar was still in the backyard playing with Ty. “Jen, it was a great party,” Josh complimented her. The three of them were standing in the kitchen.
“Thanks,” she said. “I hope Ty enjoyed it.”
“He loved it,” Rex assured her. “He absolutely loved every minute of it.”
When Jen stepped out of the room to go to the dining room, Rex grabbed hold of Josh and pulled him into a hug. “I’ve been wanting to get you alone all day,” he said.
“You’ve been wanting to get your hot dog into my buns,” Josh teased.
“That too,” he said. They kissed, slow and sweet. Josh grabbed hold of Rex’s shoulders while Rex cupped Josh’s head in his hands.
As they pulled apart, they heard a voice behind them.
“Are you kissing again?” It was Ty.
Josh didn’t realize that Ty had ever seen them kissing. He looked at Rex, whose arm was now around his waist.
“Yeah,” Rex said, shrugging.
“Jeesh!” Ty said, shaking his head. “You’re always kissing and stuff.”
Rex squatted down to bring himself eye-level with Ty. “Come here,” he said.
Ty stepped over, and Rex put his arm around him. “Did you have a good party?”
Ty quickly nodded. “The best.”
“Does it bother you when you see Daddy kissing Josh?” he asked.
Ty shook his head and made a funny face. “No, not really. I guess you really like him a lot.”
“I do,” Rex agreed. “I love Josh.”
“I love Josh too, and so I don’t care if you kiss him. But I thought boys only kissed girls.”
Rex nodded. “Yeah, well, that’s how it is most of the time, but you know some boys kiss other boys and some girls kiss other girls.”
“Well, I don’t wanna kiss no girls!” Ty said emphatically.
Rex and Josh both laughed. “Maybe someday you will, though. If you do, that’s fine, and if you don’t, that’s fine too. For right now, you can just kiss Daddy.” He leaned in and kissed Ty on the forehead.
IT WAS just the two of them sitting on the porch together. Ty was already in bed, and Josh knew that he’d have to go home soon.
“Don’t go,” Rex said. At first Josh wasn’t sure what he was talking about, if he meant don’t go home or don’t go back to school. “Spend the night,” he whispered, as if to clarify himself.
“I don’t know, Rex. My aunt gets pissed if I don’t make it in by curfew.” He realized how ridiculous that sounded.
“You were gone all weekend.”
“Yeah, and I told them I’d be back tonight. They think I’ve been in Covington the whole time.”
“Why don’t you stay here… until you go back to school?”
“Really?” Josh couldn’t believe Rex was asking him this.
“Really,” he said.
Josh leaned in and kissed him. “Let me go call Uncle Harold and tell him not to expect me,” he whispered. “I can go see him tomorrow and pick up my things.”
“Good,” Rex said.
Their lovemaking was passionate that night. A shared bath followed by mutual back massages served as foreplay, and when Josh came, he buried his head in the pillow to keep from screaming. They both were a bit self-conscious, concerned the noise might disturb Tyler, who was sleeping just down the hall.
Josh set the alarm clock for seven, got up, and attempted to make breakfast for the three of them. He went with something easy—scrambled eggs and toast. Ty was thrilled to wake up and find Josh in the kitchen.
“Are you going to stay the night all the time now?” Ty asked excitedly.
“For a while,” he said, “until I go back to school next month.”
“Yay!” Tyler shouted, raising his hands straight in the air.
A knock on the door surprised the three of them. Rex, who was just coming out of the downstairs bathroom, headed for the front door, and Ty got out of his chair to go see who it was.
Josh was a bit curious himself and stepped over to the archway in the kitchen so that he could glance down the hall to see who was calling at such an early hour. When he saw the police uniform, he was a bit startled.
The officer did not speak but was apparently just accompanying a middle-aged lady wearing a suit and carrying some official-looking papers in her hand.
“Mr. Payton, I am Elizabeth Stuart from the Nichols County Child Protective Services Agency. May we come in?”
“Is something wrong?” Rex asked, his voice sounding shaky.
“We have a court order to remove a Tyler Jacob Payton from this household and place him in protective custody,” she said, very matter-of-fact.
Tyler stood there, confused. He’d moved up to stand behind Rex and was holding on to the back of his leg, shielding himself from the stranger who had just spoken his full name.
“On what grounds?” Rex said, flabbergasted. He shifted his stance, further obstructing Ms. Stuart’s view of the little boy. “This must be a mistake.”
“Allegations of possible physical and sexual abuse have been filed with our office, and it is my duty to remove the child while we investigate the charges.”
“No!” Rex said. “This isn’t right. Tyler has never been abused. Not by me or anyone. He’s my son, and you can’t take him away from me.”
The officer finally spoke. “Mr. Payton, you have no choice. If you fail to relinquish custody, you will force me to arrest you and forcibly remove the child. I suggest you cooperate, for Tyler’s sake.”
Rex turned and looked at Josh, his mouth agape. Josh did not know what to do.
“But this is a mistake!” Rex insisted as he turned back around to face the officer. “Who said I was abusing Ty? I love him, and he’s my son!”
“Mr. Payton, there will be an investigation, and if the charges are deemed false, custody will be reinstated.”
“Where? Where are you going to take him?” There were now tears in Rex’s eyes. Tyler, seeing his father’s emotion, became upset himself and started to cry.
“Don’t let them take me, Daddy!” he cried. “Please!”
Quickly Rex spun around and dropped to his knees, embracing Tyler. “Shh,” he said. “It’s okay. Listen to me, all right? Listen to Daddy. You have to go with this policeman. He’s a nice man, and he won’t let anything bad happen. And Daddy will get everything figured out so they can let you come back home.”
“No!” Tyler screamed, clinging to his father. “Please, Daddy, no!”
Ms. Stuart held the paperwork out, thrusting it in front of Rex’s face. He ignored her as he continued to cling to little Ty, who was now sobbing.
“Can… can I bring him to wherever you need to take him, so he isn’t scared? Can’t you see how frightened he is?”
“That’s not allowed,” she said sternly. “Everything is explained in these documents.”
“How long is this investigation? When will he come home?”
“I don’t know,” she said coldly. “You or your attorney will have to contact the office.”
“Can you at least tell me where you’re taking him?”
“The boy will be placed in a foster home for the duration of the investigation. Mr. Payton, let go of the boy and allow me to take him.”
“No!” Tyler screamed. “Please, Daddy, don’t let her take me!”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rex said to her. “Can’t you see what this is doing to him?”
The social worker stood there, staring down at the boy without showing so much as a hint of emotion. “I shouldn’t have to warn you that using profanity in front of small children can, in and of itself, constitute child abuse.”
“Let me just talk to him first,” Rex pleaded. “Let me calm him down. He’s so frightened.”
“Very well, you have five minutes,” she said. She stood there, just inside the door, and Rex led Tyler over to the sofa.
“Daddy, I don’t wanna go with those people. Please don’t make me,” he whimpered.
“I know you don’t, sweetheart. I don’t want you to go either, but sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do. And you know what? It might be fun. You might meet some other kids to play with, and I’m sure you can take some of your Transformers with you.”
“What about Fred and Frank?”
“I will take care of them. I’ll feed them every day. I promise.”
“And Abby?”
“Yes, and Abby too. And it won’t be for very long. I will come get you just as soon as I can.”
“He can bring one toy with him,” Mrs. Stuart explained. “Any other personal possessions you feel he may need, you can bring to the county office.”
Rex stood up, still holding Ty’s hand. “Oh, I will be at your office. With my attorney.”
“Very well, let’s go,” she said. She stepped over to Tyler and grabbed his wrist.
He screamed and tried to pull away from her. “No!”
“Stop it! You’re hurting him!” Rex yelled. Josh could see Rex’s hand balling into a fist.
The officer stepped over and grabbed hold of Rex’s arm. “Release the boy,” he said. “Let him go, and no one will be hurt.”
Josh quickly grabbed Ty’s Transformer action figure, the Bumblebee character he’d gotten for his birthday. Tyler had left it on the kitchen table when he was eating breakfast. Josh rushed back into the living room and held it out to Ty.
“Josh, don’t let them take me, please,” he said. He tried pulling himself free of the mean lady’s grip, all to no avail. She appeared to simply be getting more irritated.
“Come along,” she said curtly. Josh wanted to smack her himself at that point.
“Can’t you see how upset he is?” Josh said.
“He will be fine after he’s done with his tantrum,” she said.
Josh looked over at Rex, whose arm was still being tightly gripped by the officer. Josh had never seen such fury as there was in Rex’s eyes at that moment.
“He’s not throwing a tantrum. You’re scaring him, you stupid bitch!” Rex shouted.
“Enough!” the officer said. “Get him out of here, now.”
The social worker then tugged at Tyler’s arm, trying to step toward the door. “Come along!” she repeated.
“Please, let me carry him,” Josh offered.
“I want Josh!” Tyler screamed.
“No,” she said. “Come on, now.” She reached down and grabbed hold of him, picking him up off the ground while he squirmed, trying to free himself.
“Daddy, don’t let them take me! Please, Daddy!”
The officer walked over and opened the door for her as she stepped through, carrying Ty out onto the porch. He continued to cry and scream all the way to the car while Rex and Josh stood there helplessly, watching their life being taken from them.
THAT MONDAY was the longest day of Josh’s life. Of course he didn’t go to work that day, not to either of his jobs. When he explained to Dana over the phone what had happened, she was very understanding and urged him to do whatever he needed to do in order to support Rex and Tyler.
Rex was on the phone within seconds of the police car pulling out of the driveway. Straightaway he called the same attorney who had handled the adoption proceedings six years prior, when he’d first started the adoption process. The hoops he’d had to jump through at the time had seemed ridiculous to him, but he’d been patient and had done everything that his attorney had advised.
Although Rex had maintained physical custody of Tyler throughout the adoption proceedings, in all, the process had taken over two years before it was finalized. It definitely had been completed, though, and Rex was the legal parent of Tyler Jacob Payton.
Josh heard Rex on the phone talking to his attorney. “I don’t understand it. How can they come in here and just take him like that? I’ve never abused Ty. You know I never would! And they didn’t even have any proof of their accusations. Poor Ty—he’s terrified!”
When Rex hung up the phone, he started pacing back and forth.
“Rex, what did he say? Please tell me what’s going on.”
“He is calling CPS right now, then he’s going to call me back. I’m probably going to have to go down there.”
Josh stepped over to him, placing his hand on Rex’s shoulder. “What can I do? Please, if there is anything… please let me help you.”
“You can gather up some of Ty’s clothes and toys. I need to take them down to the CPS office so they can give them to him.”
“But how long are they going to have him? Can you get him back today?”
“I don’t fucking know!” Rex screamed. “God dammit!”
It was a look of sheer panic and raw emotion that Josh saw on Rex’s face. Of course he would lash out angrily. What else could he do?
“I’m sorry,” Josh said calmly. “I’m so sorry. I don’t understand this. I don’t know who could have done this to you… or to Tyler.”
Rex turned to him and grabbed hold so tightly that it almost startled Josh, but he returned the hug, embracing Rex fiercely. He felt Rex’s body convulse as he held him, being racked with silent sobs.
“This is nothing but a fucking nightmare,” Josh said. “But it will work out. We’ll get him back because they said they were going to investigate, and of course there is nothing to investigate.”
“He’s never been away from me,” Rex said. “He’s never slept a single night outside of this house unless I was with him. He’s got to be so scared—”
Just then the front door burst open, and Jenny stormed in. “What the fuck is going on?”
Josh had called her from his cell phone while Rex was calling the lawyer.
“They took Ty!” Rex exclaimed.
“Why? Who made these allegations?”
Rex pulled away from Josh and walked over to the coffee table upon which the documents were strewn. He scooped them up and handed them to Jenny. “Someone said I was sexually abusing him.”
“What?” She quickly perused the papers. “It says here the complainant is anonymous!”
“I know, and that is such bullshit!” Rex said. “So someone can just accuse me of something like that and have no evidence. How can I even defend myself?”
“What do we do now?” she asked. “What’d your lawyer say?”
“I’m waiting for him to call back.”
Jenny shook her head as she continued to read through the papers. “Poor Ty. He must be horrified.”
“He is,” Josh said. “He was hysterical when they dragged him out of here.”
She held her hand over her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Josh stepped over to her and placed his arm around her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Rex,” she said. “Obviously this whole thing is bogus. They can’t just take Tyler away from you. You’re his legal parent.”
Rex’s phone rang. He answered it on the first ring.
“Yes… yes,” he said. Josh and Jenny stood there waiting. “Yes, okay. He did, yes… no… all right. I’ll be down there as soon as I can.” He hung up.
“I have to go down to the lawyer’s office, and Josh, can you go with me?”
THE LAW offices of Dean Roberts hardly seemed like an office building at all. The atmosphere was very relaxed, and when Josh followed Rex inside, he felt as if he were entering someone’s home rather than a business.
Mr. Roberts was much older than Josh had expected, perhaps in his late sixties or maybe even seventies. He was adjusting his hearing aid when he ushered them in, motioning for them to have a seat.
“Good morning, gentlemen,” he said. He removed his spectacles, placing them on the desk, and stood to shake their hands.
“Mr. Roberts—” Rex began.
“Dean,” the attorney corrected him.
“Dean, this is my… um, partner… Josh Billings.”
Dean nodded in his direction. “Are you his business partner or his homosexual lover?” Dean asked.
Josh stared at Rex, wide-eyed, not sure how he should respond.
“Josh and I are a couple, a gay couple.”
Dean maintained eye contact and nodded. “Very well,” he said. “My wife, Cindy, is going to be back shortly, and we’ll be going over some questions with you. Would you like a beverage while we wait? Coffee, tea, bottled water.”
Rex shook his head. “No, thank you.”
Dean looked directly at Josh. “No, sir, but thank you.”
“Well, if you’ll forgive me, I’ve got to have my coffee.” He stood up and stepped across the room to a counter on the far wall, which contained a coffeemaker and the appropriate condiments. Without turning around, he continued to speak. “So what happened? Tell me what you know, what you suspect, and absolutely anything you fear may be used against you.”
“Sir, I honestly don’t know anything. I’m completely shocked by what has happened. The police showed up at my house this morning around eight o’clock, and they took Tyler. It was one police officer and a lady from the Child Protective Services agency. She had documents with her that said Ty had been abused.”
Dean nodded as he stirred his coffee. Slowly he turned around but did not head back to the desk right away. “I’m going to ask you some very direct questions. Answer them honestly.”
“Yes… yes, of course.”
“Have you ever sexually molested this boy?”
The look on Rex’s face was that of determination, perhaps rage. He was angry, and he gripped the arms of the chair tightly in his hands. “No! Absolutely not! I would never hurt him. I love him with all my heart. He’s my son.”
“Have you or your partner ever touched the boy’s genitals?” Dean’s expression was blank and utterly dispassionate.
“Of course I have! I’ve had Ty since he was an eight-month-old baby. I’ve changed his diapers, bathed him, dressed him. What kind of a question is that?”
“It’s the kind of question they will be asking during their investigation. Don’t worry, you gave the right answer. What about you, Mr. Billings? Have you ever molested the boy or touched his genitals?”
Josh shook his head. “No, sir. Never. I swear.”
“Ty loves Josh. He even calls him ‘Uncle Josh’, and Josh would never hurt him.”
Dean stepped back over to his desk and took a seat. “Have either of you allowed, suggested, or forced the boy to touch you in your genital region?”
“No! Hell no!” Rex was getting pissed.
Dean held up his hand, remaining very calm. “Simmer down. I’m making no accusations here. I’m just asking questions.”
“Well, I don’t like these kinds of questions,” Rex said, scowling.
“I’m sure you don’t, but it is important that I ask them, and we’re just getting started.”
“Is this what they are saying? They think I have sexually abused my own son?”
Dean nodded. “They’ve begun an investigation to determine that very thing.”
“I can’t fucking believe this!”
“Rex, take a deep breath. Calm down for a minute. I’m on your side here, and I’m sorry I have to ask these kinds of questions.”
“This is just crazy! Ty is scared right now. He was pulled out of his home and taken from his family without any warning. He was still wearing his pajamas, for God’s sake! He doesn’t know these people, and he’s terrified, and we are sitting here wasting time by talking about this bullshit! We need to get him back! I need to get my son back… now!”
Josh slid forward in his chair, placing his hand on Rex’s forearm, holding it gently. He felt as if he were going to throw up. He felt so powerless and didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know what to say.
“Rex,” Dean continued, “I wish I could tell you that I can get your little boy back home today, but I can’t. At the very least, it’s going to be several days, if not weeks.”
“Who is doing this to us?” Rex asked. “Why are they punishing a defenseless little boy?”
“There’s a lot of hate in the world,” Dean said. “And if you’ll pardon the expression, a lot of these people are just fucking idiots.”
Josh was shocked to hear him use language like that. He stared at the lawyer, his mouth agape.
“Anyway, I do have to ask you a lot more questions. Don’t take them personally, and don’t think they are in any way accusatory, but you must answer them honestly.”
Rex nodded.
“Do you have any adult or pornographic movies in your home?”
Rex stared at him for a moment, a very solemn expression on his face. Slowly, he nodded. He’d been single for six years, Josh thought. Of course he’d looked at porn.
“Do any of these movies feature or portray actors or models under the legal age of eighteen?”
“No,” Rex said. “Definitely not.”
“Has Tyler ever been exposed to these videos?”
“Never,” Rex said quietly. “I’m very, very careful. The adult stuff is on my personal computer in my bedroom, and Ty doesn’t even know how to use it.”
Just then the office door opened and an attractive middle-aged woman entered. She was all smiles, and her voice was very cheerful. “Hi there! I’m so sorry I’m late.” She was holding a stack of file folders, which she set down on the counter before stepping over to greet Rex and Josh.
“This is my wife, Cindy,” Dean said.
“It’s so nice to meet you both,” she said warmly, “though I wish it’d been under nicer circumstances.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Rex said as he stood to shake her hand.
“This is Rex”—Dean motioned toward him with his hand—“and this is his partner, Josh.”
“Nice to meet you both,” she said. “Do you want some tea or coffee?”
They both shook their heads.
Cindy grabbed a chair and slid it over, sitting next to Dean’s desk, facing the guys. She had a legal pad and a pen, which she placed on the desktop. She crossed her legs and rested her elbow on the desk beside her. “Okay, I have a question,” she said cheerfully. “When you said you were partners, do you mean you’re gay partners?”
Rex nodded. “Yes, ma’am, that’s what we mean.”
“Oh, you’re an absolutely adorable couple,” she said, smiling broadly. “I’m so sorry this has happened to you. We’re gonna do everything we can to help you, though. I promise.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Roberts.”
“Oh, just call me Cindy, please.”
Dean cleared his throat, then looked over at his wife. “Well, it seems someone has filed a complaint with Child Protective Services, alleging possible sexual abuse. The county picked up the minor child this morning and transferred him into the custody of a foster home.”
Cindy shook her head. “The whole thing is nothing but a racket,” she said. “The system has gotten so corrupt.”
“What do you mean?” Josh asked.
“Child Protective Services can remove a child from a home for just about any reason. They then place these children in the homes of foster parents who are paid by the state. They receive a monthly check for each child in their care plus a host of benefits.”
Rex nodded. “Yes, technically I was a foster parent of Ty until the adoption was finalized.”
“Many adoptive parents start out as foster parents. There are no requirements for being a foster parent. There is a parenting class that they take, and that is it. The biggest problem with the system is that it is fraught with nepotism and cronyism. Everything is supposed to be done in the best interest of the child, but often foster parents are chosen based upon the friendship they have with people inside the agency.”
“So if someone in the agency has a friend who needs money, they can just go take children out of their homes and place them with these friends of theirs because they are so-called ‘foster parents’?” Josh asked incredulously.
“Unfortunately, we’ve seen this happen,” Cindy said.
Rex shook his head in disbelief. “Do you know who the foster parent is?”
Cindy smiled and nodded. “That’s why I was late,” she said. She reached over to the desk and picked up one of the files she had brought in with her. “I was at CPS and got some information. Let’s see here.” She perused the document that she was holding, scanning it quickly. “Ah, here it is. Yvonne Westfield.”
“Oh my God!” Rex exclaimed. “That’s Ty’s biological grandmother. She’s the mother of his—”
“Of his biological father?” Dean asked.
“Yes! About two years ago, she came and asked me for visitation rights. Ty was only four at the time, and I was nervous, so I agreed to supervised visitation. She never followed through, though, and I never heard from her since.”
“She goes to my church,” Josh said, “or actually it’s my uncle’s church.”
“Which church is that?” Cindy asked. She was taking notes on the legal pad.
“The Gospel Baptist Church here in Carlisle. My Uncle Harold is the pastor.”
“And what is his last name?” Cindy asked.
“Bradford,” Josh said.
She looked at him, perplexed, and set down her legal pad. She opened the folder up again and said, “Wait, there is a Katherine Bradford listed here as the complainant.”
“That’s my aunt!” Josh shouted.
Dean spoke. “Are your aunt and uncle aware of your relationship to Rex?”
“Just that we’re friends, as far as I know. I actually had planned to go talk to Uncle Harold today after work. I was going to come out to him and tell him that I was moving in with Rex. I have been living with them while I completed an internship here for the summer.”
“I wouldn’t advise that you move in together just yet,” Dean said.
Josh glanced over at Rex. All he could think about was Rex being in that house alone with Ty gone. And now they were suggesting that he not stay there with him?
“Have you ever discussed the topic of homosexuality with your uncle and aunt?” Dean asked.
Josh shook his head. “No, they are very conservative. I never really discussed it with anyone, though. I just came out to my parents over the weekend. They live up in Covington.”
“How’d they take it?” Cindy asked.
“They were very supportive, and they can’t wait to meet Rex and Ty.” He smiled weakly at Rex.
“Rex, you own the Happy Trails Tavern,” Dean said. “Were there people there who know about your relationship?”
“Sure,” Rex said. “I think my employees all pretty much knew, and there were a handful of friends that we’d told. And I have cousins and other family members that either know or suspect. I’m a pretty private person, though.”
“Just how active is this Mrs. Westfield in your church, Josh?” Cindy asked. “Does she seem like she is quite religious, or does she just attend services occasionally?”
“She’s active,” Josh said. “About a month or so ago, she was elected to some position with the women’s group.”
“Like a church guild or something?” Cindy asked.
“Yeah, that was it, I think.”
“Okay, so Yvonne Westfield probably has ties to this pastor’s wife.”
“Kathy,” Josh said. “Kathy Bradford. Yes, I’m sure they are close friends. I’ve seen them together, and Aunt Kathy also is a member of that guild thing.”
“It sounds to me as if someone in your church may have started this. Maybe they outed you to your aunt or to Tyler’s biological grandmother,” Dean said.
“But they are saying I sexually abused Ty,” Rex said. “That makes no sense. Why would they say something like that?”
“Some people are so prejudiced that they equate homosexuality with pedophilia,” Cindy said. “They think that because someone is gay, they must automatically be a child molester.”
“You also said that Westfield had said she wanted visitation. She may be doing this as a way to try to gain permanent custody,” Dean suggested.
“Well, she’s succeeded!” Rex said angrily. “She has custody right now!”
“What about the biological father?” Cindy asked. “Maybe this is the grandmother’s way of trying to reestablish custody rights for him.”
“I haven’t seen Jimmy Westfield in years,” Rex said. “He signed over custody of Ty without a second thought. He wanted twenty thousand dollars.”
“And you paid him?” Cindy asked.
“It was worth it to get him out of there. I did it for Ty.”
“Well, he relinquished his parental rights,” Dean said, “and he may now be back, trying to reestablish them.”
“Can he do that?” Josh asked.
Dean shook his head. “No, but if his mother is Tyler’s foster parent, he will be able to see the boy that way.”
“Can’t you just tell the court about this?” Rex asked. “It’s so obvious what they’re doing.”
“I do plan to petition the court, but it’s not that simple. Since sexual abuse allegations were made, they still have to investigate them. What we are going to do immediately is try to speed things up. We want this investigation completed as quickly as possible.”
“And when can I see Ty? Will I at least get to see him?” Rex said in a very pleading voice.
“We are going to request visitation. Due to the nature of the allegations, I’m sure it will be supervised visits, though.”
Rex sighed and shook his head. He rubbed his face with his palms. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I’m sorry, Rex,” Cindy said.
Josh sat there, wanting to go to him and wrap his arms around Rex, but he was not sure what to do in the situation. He again reached over, taking Rex’s hand in his own, and squeezed it affectionately.
“Let me ask you a few more questions,” Dean said. “We can get this part over. We are also going to have you both see a psychologist for evaluation, and we are going to have an independent childcare service come in to evaluate your home. Any problems with this?”
Both Rex and Josh shook their heads.
“Are you willing to take lie-detector tests if required?”
“I am,” Rex said, “definitely.”
Josh nodded. “Yes, I’ll take one.”
“Okay, good. Now, how affectionate were you and Josh with each other in front of Tyler?”
“We were always very careful,” Rex said. “We didn’t ever even kiss each other or anything, but yesterday was Ty’s birthday party. Oh my God! Today is his birthday, and they took him on his birthday!” It was apparently something that had just occurred to Rex. His eyes filled with tears.
Dean gave him a moment, and Cindy reached over to the desk and retrieved a box of tissue, which she offered him.
“I’m sorry,” Rex said, trying to compose himself. “Anyway, last night after the party, Ty saw Josh and me kissing. He said something about it.”
“He was very cute,” Josh said. Cindy smiled.
“He said we were always kissing and stuff like that.”
“Aww,” Cindy said.
“He said that we must really like each other a lot,” Josh said.
“I explained to Ty that when two people love each other, they sometimes kissed, and I said sometimes it could be two boys or two girls instead of a boy and a girl. He said he didn’t want to kiss any girls, and I said that was okay, he might change his mind in a few years.”
Cindy laughed and smiled at them.
“But we never did anything together in the house while Ty was there. Last night was the very first time that Josh ever spent the night.”
Dean looked at Josh. “Have you ever undressed in front of Tyler?”
“No, other than to take my shirt off, no.”
“Has he ever been in the bathroom with you while you were relieving yourself?”
“No,” Josh said, shaking his head.
“Dozens of times,” Rex said. “I’m his father.”
Cindy laughed.
“Do you have any idea what they’re like when they are toddlers? You give up your right to pee in private.”
Dean smirked. “Okay, let me go over some things with you. First of all, it is very important that you make no attempt to try to see Tyler. Don’t go anywhere near the Westfield household, no matter how much you may want to.”
Rex nodded.
“Secondly, we are going to do everything we can to get this investigation underway as quickly as possible. When they contact you, be cooperative. Allow them in your home or meet with them when they request it.
“Thirdly, we will request as much visitation as possible and as soon as possible.”
“Good!”
“Fourthly, we will contact you about the psych tests.”
“Okay,” Rex said.
“Now I have to explain one more thing to you. I am certain that when they picked Tyler up from your home this morning, the very first place that they likely took him was to the hospital.”
“Why?” Rex asked. “What on earth for?”
“It’s part of the examination. Sexual abuse was alleged, and they had to examine his body.”
“Those bastards!” Rex said. “He was already so frightened.”
“Well, I know what you’re saying, but they are very professional and usually very good when it comes to small children. Still, I’m sure it was very traumatic for him.
“Cindy is going to work with you on some other things. I think I want her to do some digging into this Westfield woman. See what she can find.”
“Their family doesn’t have a good reputation,” Josh said.
“That’s probably a good thing,” Dean said. “Might not be so good for Tyler at the moment, but in the long run we may be able to use this. If we can find some kind of smoking gun which shows she is dishonest or unscrupulous, we may be able to expose this whole thing as a scheme.”
“Well, that’s what it is,” Rex said. “And you don’t think Josh should stay with me?”
“Not because I think there is anything wrong with it, and not even because I think the court will frown on it. It won’t look good, though, for you to move your boyfriend in with you on the very day that your son is taken from your home.”
“Oh, right.”
“He can stay with you, but I wouldn’t advise that he officially take up residence.”
“I’m only going to be here for another month,” Josh said. “Then I have to go back to Lexington to finish my last year of school.”
“And this may be hard to accept,” Dean said, “but it is not likely this whole thing will be resolved that quickly.”
“No, you can’t be serious,” Rex objected.
“Well, we will certainly try to do everything we can to speed it up.”
Josh couldn’t believe everything he’d heard. The whole thing was a nightmare, and he worried that Rex would eventually start to think it was Josh’s fault. Had he not come into Rex’s life, there’d have been no connection with his Aunt Kathy. He knew one thing for sure, though. He was going to confront her and get to the bottom of it.
UNCLE HAROLD wasn’t home when Josh arrived. After packing his suitcase, he carried it downstairs and placed it by the front door. He found his Aunt Kathy in the kitchen. When Josh had called the evening before, he’d spoken to his uncle, informing him that he would not be home until the next day. Uncle Harold had said it was no problem and thanked him for calling.
Aunt Kathy was not so forgiving. “I thought we had this discussion already,” she said, “about you staying out all night.”
“Hello, Aunt Kathy,” Josh said soberly, with a trace of sarcasm.
“If you cannot abide by our rules, perhaps you need to find another place to stay.”
“I agree,” he said. “I’ve found one, and I’m only here to pick up my things.”
She pursed her lips tightly. “Very well,” she said. “I should have expected as much.”
“Yes, you should have,” he said.
She turned around to face him directly. “Young man, I will not tolerate your insolence, certainly not in my own household.”
Josh ignored her reprimand. “What you did to Rex Payton is unbelievable. Actually,” he said, “it’s unforgivable.”
“I have a clear conscience,” she replied smugly, staring Josh directly in the eye, “and I will not be the one standing before the Lord begging forgiveness.”
“Rex is a good man,” Josh said. “He’s more than that. He’s a wonderful man and a devoted father. He was only twenty-two—same age that I am now—when he took on the responsibility of raising his nephew. Not only that, but he saved his daddy’s business and kept it in the family when there was no one else left to do it.”
“It’s a beer garden, and it would have been a blessing to this community if it had closed. What he’s been doing to that little child is disgusting—exposing that precious young soul to such a sinful, heathen lifestyle. Rex Payton is on a path that leads straight to hell, and you, young man, are headed right there with him.”
Josh could feel his face redden. He couldn’t remember ever being so angry in his life. “How dare you!” he replied. “I don’t care if you are my aunt. You’re nothing but a selfish, sanctimonious, self-righteous bitch!”
Her mouth flew open in shock as she immediately pointed to the door. “Get out of my house!”
“With pleasure!” he said as he turned to head back toward the front door.
“And I will be calling your parents,” she threatened. “And I will be telling them of the sinful homosexual lifestyle you have been living, and of the vulgarity you used towards me.”
“Better be careful, Aunt Kathy,” he said as he opened the front door. “My daddy just might tell ya to go fuck yourself.” He snatched up his suitcase and slammed the door.
“I REALLY appreciate you letting me stay here,” Josh said.
“Oh, honey, it’s my pleasure,” Dana said as she brushed her fingertips up the side of his arm. “It’s the least I can do.”
“I just wish I could be with him,” Josh said. “I can’t imagine how hard it must be for him to be in that house by himself.”
“That’s why he’s staying busy,” Dana reminded him. In spite of Josh’s pleading, Rex had gone into work that night. He’d said there was nothing more he could do about Tyler, and sitting around at home being depressed wasn’t going to help matters any.
“I think we should go down there and check on him, though. At least I’m going to,” Josh said, looking at his watch. “Emmy can handle the bar, and he doesn’t usually work late on Mondays anyway. Maybe I can talk him into taking the rest of the night off.”
“Well, if you want me to go with you, hon, I’d be happy to go.”
“Do you mind if I grab a shower first?” Josh asked.
“Oh sure,” she said. “Here, let me show you where everything is. The towel closet is in the hall. I’m sorry ’bout all my stuff being everywhere in the bathroom. I’m not used to house guests.”
Josh followed her down the hall. “Like I said, I really appreciate it. Rex’s attorney doesn’t think it’d be a great idea for us to move in together right now. It sucks, really, because I think now is the time he needs me most.”
“You know, you can still be there for him even if you aren’t officially living together.”
Josh sighed. “I know, but twenty-four hours ago, I thought everything was perfect. We were curled up together in a bath tub, and I thought I had died and gone to Heaven.” He shook his head. “Now look at where we are. Ty is gone, and Rex will barely talk to me.”
“Josh, give him some space. Think about it. His kid was taken away just this morning.”
“I know,” Josh agreed. “And poor Tyler. I can’t imagine what that little boy is going through right now. It tears me up.”
“Yes, and imagine what it does to Rex,” Dana said. “If he sits at home, all he is gonna do is think about it. Even if you’re with him, it’ll still be terrible because he’ll look around that house and keep seeing all the places Ty should be.”
Josh felt himself becoming overwhelmed with emotion again. This was, like, the bazillionth time he’d cried since it had happened. He wondered where all the tears were coming from and if he was going to just eventually run out of them. It was such a horrible feeling, an ache in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t ever felt grief like this before. The closest he’d ever been to feeling this empty was when Dixie had died four years ago.
“Oh, baby, don’t cry,” Dana said, taking him in her arms. “Everything is going to work out, and you’ll have little Ty back home. I just know it will. You’ve gotta have faith.”
“Twice today I thought Rex was going to lose it. When I held him and felt his whole body convulse, it was like he was crying on the inside. He started to cry a little at the lawyer’s office too. He’s a strong man, trying to hold it together, but he’s losing it.”
Josh held on to Dana, wishing there was something he could do, praying for a miracle.
IF ANYONE in Carlisle knew about miracles, it was Yvonne Westfield. She couldn’t believe how the Lord had blessed her life in so many ways these past months. It certainly had not been easy getting to this point, though. She’d had her share of hardships.
Now at the age of fifty-four, things were finally starting to look up for her. She was at last settled in a home after having moved around from one rental to the next for most of her adult life. Darry had been her common-law husband until they’d finally decided to make it official after the birth of her second child. Darry had never been one to keep a job, and it was hard to make ends meet on her salary alone. Often they’d stay in a house or apartment as long as they could without paying rent and then eventually move when the eviction was final.
Her three kids hadn’t been much help either. The oldest, Tommy, had his share of problems. He’d been in and out of jail, had no job or driver’s license, and had dropped out of high school in the tenth grade. It wasn’t so bad when he was still a teenager because she received food stamps and AFDC welfare checks, but when at the age of nineteen he got a sixteen-year-old girl pregnant, things went drastically downhill. Instead of it being just her lazy son lying around the house all day playing video games, she now had his girlfriend and their tiny baby as well.
Jimmy, her middle child, followed in his older brother’s footsteps, but the one good thing about that situation was that he didn’t bring the pregnant girlfriend home with him. He had no interest in fatherhood, so he made himself scarce. The girl who’d gotten him in trouble was the daughter of Dell Payton, the owner of Happy Trails Tavern, and she was nothing but a little whore. Yvonne and Darry had been in that bar on numerous occasions, and that tramp was always running around in there wearing some skimpy outfit—Daisy Dukes and a halter top—just asking for trouble.
When she found out that Jimmy had gotten the girl pregnant, Yvonne laid the law down. “You ain’t bringing home another kid for me to raise!” she’d said.
“It ain’t even my kid,” he’d insisted. “She’s nothing but a fuckin’ slut, and that kid could be anyone’s.”
When the baby’s mother was killed in a car wreck eight months after that baby was born, Yvonne was worried they were gonna try to make him take responsibility for the child and raise it. She wasn’t about to stand for that. “There is some test ya can get,” she told him, “to prove you ain’t that kid’s daddy.”
“I ain’t got no money for no DNA test!” he objected. “You wanna pay for it?”
Of course it was only a few days later that the girl’s brother contacted Jimmy, offering him a shitload of cash to sign off his parental rights.
“Dammit, Jimmy, you take the money,” she told him.
He laughed. “Shit, that’s a no-brainer,” he said. “It ain’t even my kid. I don’t care who raises it.”
And that’s when Jimmy really did take off. She didn’t see him for almost a year. Eventually he came back, though, and the money was gone. By this time, Tommy and his girlfriend had moved out—well, sort of. They moved down the street into another mobile home.
Nikki was Yvonne’s only daughter, and of the three kids, she was the one who had the most potential. She stuck around until she was eighteen and then got out on her own. Yvonne had actually tried to get her to stay because Nikki was the only one in the family besides herself who could keep a steady job. Nikki worked down at the local Dairy Queen.
It wasn’t until Yvonne started attending the Gospel Baptist Church that things started to change for her. As if by the grace of God, Darry was finally approved for Social Security Disability payments. He had filed a claim three years prior because of his bad back, and it had been denied four times. Finally, on appeal, it went through. Tommy and his girlfriend seemed to be more or less making it on their own, and Jimmy came and went. She usually saw him when he needed a place to crash.
Yvonne was not at first very well received in the church, but she was determined that she was going to turn her life around. She started showing up every Sunday for morning worship, and before long, she caught the attention of the pastor’s wife, Kathy Bradford.
Kathy sort of took Yvonne under her wing. She’d told Yvonne that she was the perfect example of how God worked in mysterious and amazing ways. Kathy really made Yvonne feel good about herself. She made her feel important, and when Kathy suggested that Yvonne step up and take over as president of the women’s guild, Yvonne was truly flattered. She didn’t think she could even do it, to be honest. She didn’t know anything about being a president, but Kathy had assured her that she’d be right there to help her. And Kathy made good on her promise. Kathy handled everything.
Carlisle wasn’t a big town, and everybody pretty much knew everybody else. It didn’t take long for word to get around that Yvonne Westfield was president of the women’s guild at the Gospel Baptist Church. Of course there were some who snickered behind her back and made their snide little comments, but Yvonne didn’t care. Finally she was not just a nobody. She had accomplished something.
“Kathy, why didn’t you just take the position?” Yvonne asked.
“Oh, I certainly would have,” she said, “but Harold didn’t think it would be appropriate for the pastor’s wife to lead in that role.”
Yvonne looked at her, confused. “Why not?”
“Well, because as the pastor’s wife, I already am in a leadership role,” she said. “He suggested that someone else be given the opportunity to participate. Besides, I have been the women’s guild president for several years, in absence of any other volunteers, and now it is your turn.”
“I see,” said Yvonne. “Well I appreciate the vote of confidence. I just ain’t sure what I’m s’pose to do.”
Kathy reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded and then refolded. “I figured you might be a bit unsure of yourself to start, so I’ve taken the liberty of preparing a list of suggestions for you—agenda items, if you will.”
“Oh, how thoughtful,” Yvonne said as she unfolded the list and read through the suggestions. “But Kathy, we haven’t even had the vote yet. I might not even win the election.”
“Trust me,” Kathy said, “you’ll win.”
And of course, Kathy had been correct.
Yvonne didn’t know exactly what to do as president of the guild, but under Kathy’s direction, she didn’t have too many problems. The group met once a week at the homes of the guild members. They had a schedule that was assigned on rotation, and therefore each woman had the opportunity to play hostess to the group every few weeks. When it was Yvonne’s turn to host the group at her home, she was concerned. Darry was such a slob, and he pretty much just sat around chain smoking his cigarettes and watching television on high volume. Since they lived in a house trailer, it wasn’t really possible for the group to just go into another room. The living room space would be her only option.
Yvonne asked Kathy if she thought it would be all right to have her name removed from the rotation schedule, but Kathy insisted that if she were going to be president, she really would have to figure something out. So Yvonne talked to Darry and asked him if he could disappear for a few hours that Monday afternoon. Reluctantly, he agreed and got a ride down to the Happy Trails Tavern.
It was a very productive meeting that June afternoon, and the women worked on a project making posters for their upcoming bake sale. After completing this craft project, they had their usual discussion group followed by a Bible study and then a brief prayer session. Kathy lingered behind after the others in the group had dispersed, and the two of them had a conversation about how things were going.
“Sometimes I just feel a little self-conscious,” Yvonne confessed. “Unsure of myself.”
“Oh, you’re doing just fine, my dear,” Kathy assured her.
“Can I get you another cup of coffee?” Yvonne offered.
“Well, I really think I should get going. I have to get home and start dinner for Harold.” It was already after five o’clock.
Just then the door opened, and in walked Darry, a cigarette hanging from his lips. Kathy looked at him suspiciously, an expression of undisguised disapproval on her face. Darry didn’t seem to notice, though. He grunted and walked past them into the kitchen.
Behind Darry was Yvonne’s son Jimmy. He had apparently picked his father up from the bar and given him a ride home.
“Kathy, have you met my son Jimmy? He’s my middle child.”
Kathy nodded toward him. “Pleasure,” she said tersely.
“Nice ta meet ya, ma’am,” he said.
Turning to his mother, he said, “Ma, yer not gonna believe what I saw just a few minutes ago.”
Kathy felt her face flush. Jimmy’s lack of manners could be embarrassing at times. “Oh, um, what was that?” she asked, trying to sound genuinely interested.
“Two faggots was kissing in the parking lot down at the bar.”
Kathy’s mouth flew open in shock. “What? Right here in Carlisle?”
Jimmy started laughing. “I know. Disgustin’, ain’t it?”
“I just can’t believe what the world is coming to,” Kathy said. “Right here in our little town. Homosexuals flaunting their filth publicly like that.”
“And ya know who it was?” he asked.
Yvonne shook her head, genuinely curious at this point.
“Rex Payton hisself.”
“Rex Payton?” Yvonne said, shocked. “The one who owns the bar?”
“Yeah, the one who owns the bar and is raisin’ my kid.”
Kathy grabbed hold of Yvonne’s wrist as her mouth flew open. “Whatever are you talking about? You mean to tell me Rex Payton, the same man who owns that sinful beer garden, is a homosexual, and he is raising your child?”
Jimmy shrugged. He plopped himself down in a chair across from where the ladies were sitting on the sofa. “Well, I don’t rightly know if that boy really is my son. They said he was, but his mother was nothing but a tramp.”
“Jimmy, don’t speak ill of the dead,” his mother scolded him.
“No, he’s fine,” Kathy said. “Lord knows there are times the truth simply needs to be spoken. So, Jimmy, if this boy is actually your child, why didn’t you take him and raise him after his mama was killed?”
Jimmy fidgeted a bit, wringing his hands together. “Dunno, I just wasn’t ready to be a father at that point. Plus, like I said, I didn’t even know for sure the kid was mine.”
“Well, that is easy enough to determine,” Kathy said. “There are tests for that.”
“That boy is Jimmy’s,” Yvonne said. “I knew it the moment I laid eyes on him. Spittin’ image of Jimmy when he was that age.”
“Well, we have to get that child out of that corrupt environment,” Kathy said. “And we have to do it right away.”
“It ain’t that simple, ma’am,” Jimmy said. “I already signed over my parental rights. After the accident, Rex talked me into signing off custody to him.”
“He’s a snake,” Kathy said, shaking her head. “Obviously he deceived you.”
“He paid Jimmy off,” Yvonne explained.
“It doesn’t surprise me that he’d do something like that. And you know exactly where he got that money, don’t you? From that evil beer garden of his,” Kathy said. Yvonne knew for a fact that the money had come from a life insurance policy, but she didn’t correct her friend.
“Yvonne, we have to do something about this,” Kathy said. “We have to get that precious little boy out of the hands of those homosexuals. They’re child molesters, you know.”
“They are?” Yvonne asked naively.
“Think about it! Two men having sexual intercourse with one another, and that child is also male. I don’t even want to think about what they might be doing to that little angel. Jimmy, do you know who this other man was that Rex was… um… engaged in this activity with?”
“You mean who he was kissin’?” Jimmy asked. Kathy nodded. “Yeah, it was that new vet guy who works down at the animal clinic.”
Again Kathy’s mouth fell open. “Josh?” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, that’s it. Josh. Real faggot too. He makes me sick.”
Kathy had turned white and looked as if she might pass out. Either that or throw up. “Kathy, you all right?” Yvonne asked.
“I need some water,” she said.
WELL, THAT was how it all had started. The next day Kathy was back with a well-thought-out action plan. “Yvonne, you are that child’s grandmother, and it’s your responsibility to rescue him from that terrible environment.
“I don’t know, Kathy,” Yvonne said. “I already raised my children, and I don’t really want to take on the responsibility of another young’n. Besides, I tried to get visitation rights a while back, and Rex told me it would have to be supervised visits.”
Kathy shook her head and leaned across the table as she spoke. They were sitting in Yvonne’s kitchen having coffee. “You pay no mind to anything Rex tells you. You are the child’s grandmother. He’s just an uncle.”
Yvonne nodded. “Oh, I know, but see, I think that legally he is the father now.”
“It doesn’t matter!” Kathy said. “He has no right to keep you from seeing your grandchild. ’Sides that, he is abusing that child. We need to rescue that poor little boy and get him away from that… that child molester.”
Yvonne leaned back in her seat and sighed. “I just don’t see it that way, Kathy. I think, from what I’ve seen and heard, that Rex is a very good father to that boy. And Lord knows, he can provide for the kid much better than I could. I barely get by on my salary. Now that Darry’s getting the disability checks, that helps, but still it’s a struggle.”
“Yvonne!” Kathy said. “When you get custody of the boy, not only will you be paid by the state for his care, but Rex will also have to pay you child support.”
“Really?” Yvonne asked.
“Yes, of course. You said he was the legal father, right?”
“Well yes, but isn’t that kind of a contradiction? I mean you just said that he shouldn’t have custody because he isn’t the real father, but now you’re saying he has to pay child support because he is.”
Kathy sighed exasperatedly. “Yvonne, you’re missing the whole point. We have to rescue this boy and get him out of that wretched environment. I’m just telling you that if you have concerns as to how you will be able to support the child financially, there are resources available to you.”
Yvonne did not at first respond, thinking on what Kathy had said to her. Finally she spoke. “I know I’m not the brightest person, and I might be completely wrong about this, but I just wonder if God really cares one way or another if a person is a homosexual. I think maybe He cares more about that person’s heart.
“I don’t usually have a lot of money, but when I do get a little extra spending cash, I like to go over to Lexington and get my hair done. There’s a little salon there that is so nice. They always treat me real good in there, and the person who always does my hair is this young man named Jason. He is just the sweetest young man you’d ever meet, and he told me one time that he is one of these homosexuals. He doesn’t seem evil or corrupt or wretched to me. He seems like a really good person—”
“Yvonne, stop right there!” Kathy interrupted her. “I am not the one who is calling homosexuality evil. It is the Bible—God’s Word—which condemns it as an abomination. It’s right there in the scripture. We aren’t talking here about a person’s social skills. Obviously there are homosexuals out there who look and talk and act just like everyone else. What matters is not what they do in public but rather what they do privately, the sexual perversions that they engage in.
“God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sin of homosexuality. It is disgusting and reprehensible to Him. If your grandson is being raised in an environment where he is constantly exposed to this kind of debauchery, he surely will grow up to become one of them. Is that what you want?”
Yvonne was at this point very upset. She didn’t know what to think. Everything Kathy was saying made sense. She knew about those scriptures in the Bible. She’d read them herself, and it was true. The Bible did say that homosexuality was an abomination. She also felt a twinge of guilt because of what she had previously done, how she’d told Jimmy to take the money from Rex and sign over his custodial rights. She shouldn’t have done that. Jimmy should have stepped up at the time and at the very least started to become involved in the baby’s life. Maybe what Kathy was proposing might be a way for her to rectify a past wrong.
What Kathy had said about the money was also tempting. She would have to find out more about it, though. Exactly how much money did they pay these foster parents? Was she even qualified to be one? What would Darry say about all of this?
“Kathy, I just want to do what’s best for the little boy.”
“Getting him out of that home is what is best,” Kathy insisted.
“And I have to speak to my husband about all this.”
Kathy nodded. “By all means.”
“And I need more information about the foster parent program. I need to know how much it pays and what the requirements are to get signed up.”
“I have some information for you right here,” Kathy said. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t you read over these papers. Go over them with your husband, and of course pray about it. Seek the Lord’s guidance. Then you call me when you’re ready, and I will get you enrolled in the foster parent program. Once you start that process, I take the necessary steps to get you custody of your grandson.”
“That’s very generous of you,” Yvonne said. “I sure appreciate all you’ve done.”
“Sweetie, it’s truly my pleasure.”
THREE WEEKS later, Yvonne started her foster parenting classes. They weren’t that difficult, really. The entirety of the training was only sixteen hours. Upon completion, she received a license, meaning she was legally permitted to take in foster children.
Within a week of becoming licensed, Yvonne received a call from Child Protective Services indicating that a seven-year-old child would be placed in her care the following morning. The boy, Tyler Jacob Payton, was an alleged victim of child sexual abuse and would need special care and attention. She assured the social worker that she was ready and that she and her husband would surely shower the poor little guy with all of their love and devotion. It was around ten o’clock the following morning that her new foster child arrived.
IT SHOULD have been a great day for Rex Payton, one of the best in his life. It was his son’s seventh birthday. It was the day his boyfriend was to move in with him. He had big plans for the evening. Having already covered the shifts at his bar, he was going to take the night off and surprise both Josh and Ty. First he’d load Ty in the car and pick Josh up at work. They’d drive into Lexington and have dinner at Ty’s favorite restaurant, Chuck E. Cheese’s. Then it’d be miniature golf. The three of them would have such a good time, just like they always did, and afterward, Ty would be tired but would want to stay up late. Because it was his birthday, Rex would be lenient and let him stay up an hour past his bedtime.
Once Ty was sleeping soundly, he’d take Josh by the hand and lead him into the bedroom, where they’d make passionate love. He was planning to make a proposal that night, for he couldn’t bear the thought of having to endure their upcoming separation when Josh was to go back to school. It would just be an idea, just to see how Josh reacted. He’d rent an apartment in Lexington for Josh to stay in while in school. He could drive up to see him at least a couple of times per week. On the weekends Ty could go with him. Rex was ready to cut back on his hours at the bar. Emmy could handle it, and if everything went according to plan, someday soon he’d be able to sell the bar to her and start his own business.
What Josh had said to him right after they met, when they’d talked about their dreams, it had had an impact on Rex. He had finally decided that it was time to start living his life by seizing every day and doing the things he knew would make him and Tyler happy. And now it wasn’t just the two of them. Now they had Josh, and he wanted them to be a family.
That was Rex’s plan for the day, but straightaway that morning the plan had gotten derailed. Everything had been right on track, but suddenly there’d been a train wreck, and his entire world had crashed down around him.
Certainly Rex knew that there were those in Carlisle who did not particularly like him. You couldn’t have a job like his and expect to have no enemies. He thought of the numerous people he’d thrown out of his bar over the years. He thought about the religious folk who didn’t particularly like any bar and who believed that those who owned these establishments were servants of the Devil. He thought about the various young women in town who’d made passes at him from time to time who might have felt jilted or rejected when he didn’t return their interest.
But in spite of all the potential enemies Rex knew he could possibly have, he never in a million years would have thought they’d take away his boy. Taking away Ty was akin to cutting his heart right out of his chest. He didn’t know how to even go on. He didn’t know how to function.
It was no wonder, Rex thought, that Daddy died after Mama and Mel were killed. After thirty-four years of marriage, his father did not know how to live without his life partner. This was how Rex felt about losing Tyler. And as if to add insult to injury, not only had Ty been taken from him, he was also losing Josh.
How could Rex expect Josh to stand by him now? They’d only been together for a month. Who knew how this would all turn out or how long it would take. Who knew what it was going to do not only to Tyler but to Rex as well? And the attorney had very clearly advised them not to move in together. Even if Josh did continue a relationship with him, it would probably just hurt his chances of getting Tyler back and reinstating his custodial rights.
It was too much to expect of Josh anyway. He had his education to focus upon, and he was living with his uncle, who was a Baptist minister. It was actually Josh’s aunt that had filed the charges against Rex and had gotten Ty removed from his home. How would Josh be able to reconcile these two polar opposite parts of his life? How could he be Rex’s partner and continue to live in that household?
He told Josh to go that afternoon. “Go back to your uncle’s house. Talk to him and work things out. I want to go in to work.”
“Rex, how can you even think of working on a day like this?”
“How can I not? What do you expect me to do, sit around here all night when Ty is God only knows where? I have to work. I have to do something to keep busy. I’ll have my cell phone in case the lawyer calls.”
It was after Josh left that Rex stood there in the middle of the kitchen and sobbed. He completely lost it, falling to his knees and crying like a baby. He cried and screamed. He got up from the floor and, in a state of emotional confusion, was not even able to focus upon the objects in front of him. He angrily kicked a kitchen chair across the room, and then he picked it up and hurled it into his mama’s china cabinet, shattering the glass and destroying half the contents.
He staggered across the room as if drunk and again dropped to his knees, landing atop the shards of glass. He barely felt it as he hung his head and wept.
It was thirty minutes later when he limped into the tavern. Emmy immediately rushed over to him. “Oh baby, what are you doing here?” she asked. “What’d you do to yourself?”
“Gimme a whiskey,” he said. “Jack Daniels, straight up.”
WHEN JOSH and Dana pulled into the parking lot, Josh thought the guy stumbling through the front entrance looked a lot like Rex. “God, is that Rex?” he said.
“Whoever it is, looks like he’s already three sheets to the wind.”
Josh quickly parked the car and hurried inside, Dana hurrying behind him to catch up. When he walked through the door and saw Rex hoisting himself up on a barstool, blood all over his knees, shins, and hands, he let out a gasp and rushed to the bar.
“Oh my God, Rex, what happened?”
Rex looked at him, bewildered, then turned away to speak to Emmy, who was now standing on the other side of the bar. “Jack Daniels,” he repeated, “straight up.”
“No, Rex, please,” Josh said. “Don’t do this… it won’t help.”
Rex did not turn to face Josh but stared straight ahead at Emmy.
“Boss, in all the years I’ve worked for you, I’ve never questioned your authority, but I can’t follow your orders this time. Sorry, I love you too much.”
He scowled at her but didn’t immediately speak. “Fine,” he said quietly. “I’ll get it myself.”
When he made to stand up, Josh grabbed him by the shoulders and held him down in his chair. Surprisingly, Rex didn’t seem to have the strength to resist.
“Rex, I’m taking you home and getting you cleaned up,” he said assertively. “And if you need stitches, I’m taking you to the hospital. Emmy, do you have some clean rags?”
She quickly dashed into the storage room entrance behind the bar and seconds later returned with a stack of clean white bar towels. “Here,” she said.
Josh swiveled Rex’s chair and squatted down. “Dammit, Rex, you did a number on yourself. This is worse than I thought. How’d this happen?” Rex didn’t answer. “Huh? Please, baby, talk to me.”
Rex shook his head, apparently too choked up to speak.
“You have shards of glass embedded in your skin. Dana, can you help me? He’s still bleeding here, and I just need to get this tied off before he bleeds to death. Good God!”
“I’m not going to the ER,” Rex muttered.
“Fine, I’ll take you down to the clinic and stitch you up myself. If I can stitch up a heifer, I sure as hell can sew your hide together.” Josh ripped one of the towels so that he was holding a strip of cloth about two inches wide. Quickly he wrapped it around Rex’s thigh and tied it. “Hold your finger right here,” he said to Dana.
When Josh was satisfied that Rex wasn’t going to bleed to death, he said to Emmy, “He’s got blood all over the floor here.”
“It’s okay, hon,” she said. “I’ll take care of it. Just go get him fixed up and then call me.”
“I will. Promise. Hey, gimme that fifth of Jack after all. I think he might end up needing it.” She grimaced and handed him the bottle.
Josh hauled Rex out of the chair and told him to wrap his arm around Josh’s shoulder. “Dana, get on the other side of him. I don’t know how the fuck you even walked in here. I bet you got blood all over the inside of your truck too.”
“I don’t give a fuck about that truck,” Rex grumbled.
“Yeah, I know, babe. You don’t give a fuck about anything right now, and I totally understand. But you might feel differently tomorrow.”
“I don’t care about nothin’,” he said. “Nothin’ but getting Ty back.”
“Well, picking a fight with a plate glass window is not likely to help ya get your son back, is it?”
“It was a china cabinet,” Rex corrected him.
“Oh, Rex, you didn’t? That was your mama’s good china!”
Rex just scowled, staring straight ahead.
“I got him, Dana. Can you get the door?”
Josh managed to maneuver Rex into the front passenger seat of his car, and Dana ran around and crawled into the backseat. He was glad he had Dana with him. She was the one person who could assist him with the stitches.
IT TOOK Josh over an hour to get all the glass dug out of Rex’s shins and knees. There was only one really big cut that required stitches. Josh used some local anesthesia, but Rex still took several slugs of the whiskey. Maybe it’s for the best, Josh thought. He needs to just numb himself. He’s so emotionally drained right now.
“I’m not leaving him alone tonight,” Josh whispered to Dana. They were back at Rex’s house, in the kitchen, and they had Rex in the living room sprawled out on the sofa.
“Well, I’ll stay here and help you get this mess cleaned up,” she said.
“No, hon,” Josh said. “I can get it. You’ve done so much already. I hope Doc won’t be mad that we used the clinic tonight.”
“Oh, of course not,” she assured him. “He’ll probably bitch about the fact that we didn’t call him in to help.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have let him drink that whiskey,” Josh said, referring to Rex. “I think he really is drunk now.”
“You’re fine,” she said. “I think he needed something. Just watch him, and don’t leave him alone.”
“Look how fucked up he is. I just have to wonder how little Ty is doing. Dana, if you’d seen him today, it’d have broke your heart. He was so scared.”
“Aww, this whole thing is such bullshit. Ty’s a strong kid, though. He’s gonna be okay, and Rex has himself a good lawyer. There’s no way they can take that kid away from him. He’s legally Tyler’s father.”
Dana stepped over to Josh and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly against her body. Josh allowed himself to relax and rested his head on her shoulder.
“He’s got to blame me for all this,” Josh said, “at least on some level.”
“No, babe,” she said. “Listen to yourself. What’re you sayin’?”
“I’m saying that if I hadn’t come into Rex’s life, none of this would have happened. “
“None of what?” she asked, pushing him back so that she could look him in the eye. She continued to hold firmly to his shoulders. “None of him meeting the man of his dreams and falling in love? None of Tyler having a second parent in his life that he loves with all his heart?”
“But it was my aunt who did it! She got Ty taken away because she hates me.”
“She got Ty taken away because she is a small-minded bigot and a stupid, selfish bitch. Josh, you didn’t cause anything. Do you think if you hadn’t come along that Rex would have gone his whole life without ever loving anyone? At some point this issue would have come up. At some point those homophobes would have come out of the woodwork and attacked him. And as for the Westfield clan, they’re nothing but lowlifes. They’re trash, and everyone knows it.”
“Well, I don’t know if it is really Yvonne Westfield’s fault, to be honest. My guess is that she just wanted to see her grandson, and my aunt used her as a pawn.”
“Whatever the case may be, Tyler belongs here with his Uncle Rex. He’s the one who’s raised him. Rex is the one he calls Daddy.”
“Somehow I’ve got to get Rex to see that this is not the time for giving up. This is the time he has to stand up and fight. I think he just feels like he’s been kicked in the nuts right now,” Josh said.
“And that’s what you’re here for, baby. Rex has taken a real beating, but you’ve got to convince him to fight back. What you two have is something that might only come around once in a lifetime. Don’t let it slip away.”
Josh pulled her into himself again for one more hug, holding her for a minute before releasing her. “You know how we met, right?”
“At his bar that first night you came into town.”
“Yeah, and I’d accidentally left my phone on the table. I came back after closing to get it, and he was the only one there. He was sweeping the floor.”
“And it was love at first sight?” she asked, smiling.
“It was amazing,” Josh said, nodding. “There was a slow song on the jukebox, and as we got to talking, just all of a sudden we were dancing with one another. His arms were wrapped around me, and he was holding me tight, and I didn’t want him to ever let go.”
“That’s so romantic,” she said. “It was the beginning of your dance with each other.”
“We danced… like no one else has ever danced before.”
“And then…?”
“And then he kissed me. After that, I couldn’t stop thinking of him, and I asked you the next day where he lived. I came here and tracked him down.”
“Josh, you two were destined to be together. Don’t let this bump in the road ruin what you have. Rex is going to get Tyler back, and when he does, you will be a family.”
“God, Dana, I pray you’re right.”
WHEN REX awakened around seven the next morning, he wasn’t exactly sure how he’d ended up in his bed. He vaguely remembered starting to doze off on the living room sofa. Josh must’ve gotten him into the bedroom somehow. He sat up slightly in the bed and looked around the room, wishing momentarily that the previous day had all been a dream—just a horrendous nightmare—and that today everything was back to normal, the way it should be.
As he tried to move his leg, he realized it hadn’t been a dream. Goddamn, did it hurt! Rex looked down and saw the bandage wrapped around the upper part of his calf, just below the knee, and remembered how Josh had stitched it the night before. Maybe he should have listened to Josh and gone to the ER after all. At least then he’d have been given some pain medication.
Before he made a second attempt at moving his leg and sitting up in the bed, the bedroom door opened.
“Good morning,” a quiet voice greeted him. It was Josh. He was carrying a tray containing breakfast. “My first attempt at pancakes,” Josh said, “and ya know, they turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.”
“What are you still doing here?” Rex asked.
“Well, it’s good to see you too,” Josh said sarcastically. He stood there at the foot of the bed for a moment, smiling down at Rex. “How’d you sleep?”
“I dunno,” Rex said. “I don’t even remember how I got here.”
“I’m not surprised. How’s your head?”
“My head?” Rex asked. “It ain’t my head that hurts. It’s my damn leg.”
“Give it time,” Josh said. “Once you realize how bad your hangover is, the pain in your leg will be all but forgotten. You drank damn near a fifth of Jack Daniels.”
Now that Josh mentioned it, Rex’s head did hurt too.
“Anyway, I helped you upstairs last night and put you to bed, and you’ll be relieved to know that I did not take advantage of you in your confused and weakened state.”
Rex stared at him, unamused.
“And I brought you some aspirin,” Josh said, “and a tall glass of tomato juice, and your breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry,” Rex said, “and why are you still here?”
“Well, the least you could do is try to eat a little,” Josh said, “after the trouble I took to make you breakfast.”
“I didn’t ask you to make me breakfast, and I didn’t expect you to stay here all night. Why didn’t you just go home?”
Josh set the tray on the bedside stand and sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it was because you were hurt and drunk and I was worried about you. Maybe it was because I’m in love with you and I’m not about to leave you when you may need me.”
Rex turned away and stared at the wall on the opposite side of the room. “I don’t want your sympathy, Josh. I just want my son back.”
Josh sighed audibly. “Okay, then,” he said. He felt the mattress shift as he stood up. “Rex, if you want me to go, I’ll go, but I want to tell you something first.”
Rex continued to stare at the wall.
“Dammit, will you at least look at me?”
Reluctantly, Rex turned toward him. There were tears streaming down Josh’s cheeks.
“I won’t pretend to understand what you’re feeling. I’ve never lost anyone that I loved… well, not until now. You’ve suffered a lot of hardship in your life. You’ve gone through more shit than any person should ever have to, and I don’t know why. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
“But I do know how strong you are. After you lost your mama and sister, you did what you had to do. You were grieving, but you didn’t let it stop you. Then when your daddy passed, you had to go through it all again. I don’t know how a man could possibly have that kind of strength. You’re an amazingly strong person, Rex Payton.”
“I was strong for Ty.”
“And you need to be strong for him again! Rex, God dammit, Ty isn’t dead! He’s very much alive, and you’re gonna get him back.”
“You don’t know that! You don’t know that I’m going to get him back. I might never get him back.”
“I know you won’t get him back if you give up,” Josh said.
Rex felt a wave of emotion sweep over him, and suddenly the tears came again. This time they fell silently. “Josh, it feels the same,” he whispered. “It feels exactly the same as when Mama died… and Mel. It feels so damned empty, this ache in the pit of my stomach that won’t go away.”
Josh sat back down on the mattress and grabbed hold of Rex’s hand. “I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered. “I know it feels the same. It’s grief, but you have to remind yourself that this is not the same. Ty is not gone forever. He hasn’t died, and he needs you now more than ever. He needs you to fight for him because he’s just a little boy and he can’t fight for himself. And Rex….” Josh used his free hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. “Rex, I need you too.”
“I love you,” Rex said, his voice but a whisper. “I was planning to surprise you last night.”
“Oh?”
“Ty and I were gonna pick you up from work and go out to celebrate his birthday, just the three of us.”
“Oh, that’d have been so special,” Josh said, obviously still emotional.
“And I was going to tell you I couldn’t stand the thought of you leaving and going back to school. I was going to rent you an apartment in Lexington where I could come see you during the week.”
“You were?”
“I was.”
“Oh, Rex!”
“But now—”
“But now, everything is on hold,” Josh said.
“Yes.”
“Only on hold, babe,” Josh repeated. “We’ve got to focus on getting Ty back first, and then….”
Rex’s phone, which was sitting on the bedside stand, began to go off. Josh picked it up and handed it to Rex.
“Hello?” he said. “Oh, Cindy, yes… yes, of course. Can you give me about a half hour? Oh okay, ten o’clock. We’ll see you there.”
Rex hung up the phone and turned to Josh. “Do you have to work?”
He shook his head. “Not if you need me.”
“It was Cindy, and she needs to talk to us. She has some information.”
“Of course,” Josh said. “Let me call Dana; then I’ll help you into the shower.”
“I can manage,” Rex said. Stubbornly he swung his leg over the side of the bed, wincing as the pain shot through his calf. “Damn!” he moaned.
“Take your aspirin and eat your breakfast,” Josh said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It’s not even seven thirty. You have time.”
“Yes, sir,” Rex said sarcastically as he picked up his fork.
“OH MY goodness,” Cindy said as Rex and Josh entered the office. “Did you hurt yourself?”
“Minor injury,” Rex said, brushing off her concern. “I fell on some glass.”
“Oh dear, are you all right?”
“Yes, thank you. I’m fine.” He quickly sat down in the same seat he’d used the day before, this time without waiting for an invitation.
“Good morning, Josh. How are you, honey?”
Josh rolled his eyes. “I’m good,” he said. “Been quite the night, though.”
“Aw, I can imagine,” she said sympathetically. “But I do have some good news for you. Lots of it, actually.”
“Am I getting Ty back?” Rex asked eagerly, leaning forward in the chair.
Cindy smiled at him and motioned for Josh to sit down. “Well, we hope so… sooner than we at first thought, anyway.”
“How soon?” Rex asked. “I need to see him.”
“Well, it will all depend on how quickly they complete their investigation. The real good news is that we already have a report from the hospital. There were of course no physical signs of abuse.”
“So that proves I’m not abusing him,” Rex said. “So why can’t he come home now?”
“The next phase is to have independent counselors interview you, Tyler, and Josh. Sometimes they don’t operate on the schedule we’d like. Sometimes it takes days or even weeks.”
“Weeks?” Rex said, pounding his fist against the arm of the chair.
“Don’t go breaking your hand now,” Josh said.
Rex shot him an annoyed look.
“What we’d like is for you to meet with our own psychologists right away. Today if you can. Then we’ll get those findings in the hands of the judge and try to get him to either pressure CPS to speed up their investigation or to simply render a decision right away.”
“Yes, yes of course we’ll do it. We’ll see the doctors right now if you want us to.”
“Rex, are you sure you even want to talk to a psychologist right now?”
“What do you mean?” Rex said. Josh was starting to piss him off.
“I mean after last night, and now this morning… you’re still very upset.”
“Being upset is very normal,” Cindy said. “I think the psychologist would be more concerned if Rex were not upset. You didn’t go out and get in a fight or anything, did you?” she asked. “You didn’t hurt someone, right?”
“No, he just hurt himself,” Josh answered for him.
“It was an accident,” Rex said. “I just got so… emotional, or something. I picked up a chair and threw it into a cabinet.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Josh said.
“Well, I can get you in for the testing this afternoon if you’re both available.”
“Yes!” Rex said. Josh nodded.
“Okay, good. Now the second thing—Dean already filed a motion requesting visitation with Tyler. Hopefully this won’t even be a concern if all goes as planned and we get this whole mess thrown out. Just in case, though, we’re requesting unsupervised visits three times per week.”
“Oh, thank God,” Rex said.
“Well, don’t get too excited. They almost never give everything we ask for. Maybe if we are lucky, you will get visits twice a week, and they usually always begin with supervised visitation.”
“I’ll take anything I can get,” Rex said. Although it was bullshit that he had to have someone supervise his visits with Ty, he simply wanted to see him.
“We probably will have an answer by Friday on the visitation, and if we are lucky, we may be able to persuade the judge to simply throw this case out. I think it’s going to be obvious that there is no abuse here.”
“But what’s it doing to Tyler in the meantime?” Rex asked.
“Well, not to alarm you, but I do have some legitimate concerns about that very thing.”
Rex felt his heart sink as a wave of panic washed over him. “What do you mean?” he demanded.
“I mean I found out some information about this Westfield family, and none of it is good.”
“Then why would they take Ty and place him there?” Rex asked.
Cindy shook her head. “This just really pisses me off. It’s like what I was telling you yesterday. The system is flawed. This foster mother, Yvonne Westfield, she met all the state’s requirements. She completed their training class and received her license.”
“Well, what is this information you have about her?” Josh asked.
Cindy opened a folder that was sitting on the desk in front of her. “Wow, where do I begin? Her husband, Daryl, has numerous misdemeanors on his record, including a DUI, a drunk-and-disorderly charge, and he was charged with assault and battery back in 1998, though that charge was later dismissed. Both of her sons have had numerous complaints and convictions. Yvonne herself has an abysmal credit record and a very spotty employment history. Sixteen years ago she was convicted of shoplifting.”
“And these are the people they’ve chosen as foster parents?” Rex asked, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Well, technically Yvonne is the foster parent,” Cindy explained. “And the judge may not even take into consideration this stuff from so many years ago. In fact, he most likely will not.”
Rex sighed exasperatedly. “Forgive me, but what is the point of all this if it doesn’t even matter to the judge?”
“The point is that I think the argument Mrs. Westfield is going to make is that she has changed. She’s going to say that she got religion and has been completely reformed. I doubt that it’s true, though. My guess is that she is motivated more by the money she is going to receive as a foster care provider, and I honestly think she is under the influence of this church.”
“Yes, I think so too,” Josh said. “I think it’s my Aunt Kathy.”
“If there is a way for us to prove this, it will be more ammunition. If there were a way we could get into that house—or mobile home—and record what is going on….”
“You mean like with a camera or tape recorder?” Rex asked.
Cindy opened the desk drawer and pulled out an electronic device. “This is a transmitter,” she said. “If there were some way we could get it planted outside that trailer….”
Rex looked over at Josh and thought he saw Josh’s eyes light up. “Hey, I have an idea.”
Rex and Cindy looked at him expectantly.
“Dana!” he said.
“Who’s Dana?” Cindy asked.
“She’s my friend, and she works with me. She’s known the Westfields for years. Can’t stand them.”
“Hm, well, I don’t see how she would be able to gain access to their house if they can’t stand each other,” Cindy said.
“Oh, you just don’t know Dana. I bet if there is anyone who can worm her way in, it’d be her. Plus if she gets in there, she can check on Ty.”
“Well, if she can get near the house, all she has to do is drop it somewhere near a window, preferably one that’s open,” Cindy said. “We don’t care if they eventually find it. It’s just a transmitter, and we just need to see if we can hear any conversations that would prove our theory about the Westfields.”
This whole thing sounded crazy to Rex, like some kind of bad movie. “So you’re suggesting that we have someone sneak into this house and tape-record them? Is that even legal?”
“It would not be legal to use a recording in court, but this is not a criminal defense case. We are simply trying to persuade a judge by presenting him or her with evidence about one of the parties involved,” Cindy explained. “We’re doing this more for our own benefit. Hopefully we’ll hear something that will give us insight about Yvonne’s motivation.”
“Maybe you could just go talk to Yvonne. Maybe she’d tell you everything you need to know,” Rex said.
Cindy shook her head. “She’d be on her best behavior. She would never tell me anything, and she probably won’t say anything to Dana that we could use. We have to hear what she says when she doesn’t know anyone is listening.”
“I’ve got to be honest,” Rex confessed, “this all sounds nuts. If Dana makes it into the house, why can’t she just drop the transmitter in a corner? We might not even be able to hear anything from outside, especially if they close the window.”
“The law is kind of weird,” Cindy explained. “You’re allowed to listen in on conversations that can be overheard through a wall, window, or heating duct. And you’re allowed to record conversations if at least one party is aware of the recording device.”
“You’re right.” Josh said, “This is absolutely crazy, but it just might be crazy enough to work.”
“DON’T YOU wanna come out in the living room and watch TV?” Yvonne said in the sweetest voice she could manage.
Tyler sat on the edge of the bed, holding his Bumblebee Transformer doll. He shook his head. “No, thank you,” he answered, his voice barely a whisper.
“Well, you are just the politest little thing,” she said, sighing. “I sure wish my three would’ve had half the manners that you do.”
“Can you take me to see my daddy?” Tyler asked.
Oh dear, she hoped he wasn’t going to start crying again. She stepped inside the room and sat down on the bed next to him. “You know what? Tomorrow we have to go to see a man down at the courthouse. He’s a judge. Do you know what that is?”
“Like on People’s Court?”
“Yes, just like that. You sure are a smart one,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Well, that’s what we gotta see him about. He’s gonna tell us when you can see your Uncle Rex again.”
“So I can see him tomorrow?” Ty asked hopefully.
“Well, I don’t know just yet, but maybe.”
“I want to see Josh too,” he said.
She pursed her lips, not knowing exactly how to respond. “Is Josh your Uncle Rex’s friend?” she asked.
“He’s my friend too,” Ty explained. “He gave me Bumblebee for my birthday.” He held the doll up for her inspection.
“Well, you don’t have to sit here in this room all day. You can come out to the kitchen and keep me company.”
“Do you have books?” Tyler asked. “I like to read books.”
She shook her head sadly. None of her children wanted to read, and she had never even thought about getting the little boy books to look at. “Oh wait, I know!” she said. “That nice lady that was here Tuesday—what was her name? Dana, I think. Yes, she left a book. An Avon book. You can look at that. It has some real nice pictures in it.”
“I know all the words to Green Eggs and Ham,” Tyler said proudly.
“Green eggs and ham?” she asked. “Now that sounds quite peculiar. Who’d ever want to eat such a thing?”
“Sam,” Ty said. “Sam I am.”
She looked at him strangely and shook her head. “You’re a silly willy,” she said and then laughed. “I’ll go get you that book to look at.”
JOSH AND Rex were huddled up together in the back of Everet’s van. Dana and Everet were in the front seats, and they were parked about a block down the road from the entrance of Pinecrest Mobile Home Estates. They’d been parking in this same location for three nights, and this was their last chance. The judge was going to be reviewing the visitation request the following morning. If they didn’t have some evidence to present to him, they’d probably have to wait at least another month until the official investigation had concluded.
For the most part, all they heard was the blare of the television. Occasionally Yvonne and Darry would say something to each other, but they certainly were not big conversationalists. Josh was nervous. He wanted it to be over, and after two nights of absolutely nothing, he was almost ready to suggest to Rex that they just throw in the towel. The idea of a stakeout sounded fun in the abstract, but when you had to sit there for hours on end just waiting, it became very tedious.
As Josh looked over at Rex, he grabbed hold of his hand and whispered, “I love you.”
Rex gave him a half smile and returned the sentiment. “I love you too. I feel kind of silly, though, sitting here in this parking lot hiding in the back of a van.”
“But you sure do look damn sexy,” Josh replied.
Rex leaned in and kissed him.
“Hey, knock it off back there!” Dana said.
Josh was about to throw something at her when a voice came through over the receiver.
“Dammit, Darry, you know you ain’t suppose to be smoking in here when we got that kid.”
Josh motioned for Everet to hit the record button. They were recording the conversations in order to play them back for Dean and Cindy, although they wouldn’t be able to use the actual recordings in court. The three of them sat there silently, waiting with bated breath to hear the response.
There was a pause of about ten seconds, and then Darry spoke.
“Don’t tell me I can’t smoke in my own house!”
“But you know what they said. They said if we smoke in the house when the child is here, that can be considered abuse.”
“Oh, bullshit,” he responded. “I raised three kids and smoked around them every day, and they turned out just fine.”
“Please, just take it outside like you said you would,” she pleaded.
“Ain’t no one gonna know, so what difference does it make?”
“They’ll know if they come over here. They’ll be able to smell it, and they’ll smell it on the little boy’s clothes tomorrow when we go to court!”
“They ain’t gonna be worried about cigarette smoke on that kid’s clothes. They gonna be a lot more worried about his daddy bein’ a faggot.”
“His daddy is your son, in case you forgot!” Yvonne shouted.
“Well, his uncle, then. You know what the fuck I mean.”
“Daryl, if you’re not gonna cooperate, I’m just going to tell them to take him back. I never wanted this anyway! I done raised my kids already, and I don’t want this responsibility. The only reason I’m doing it is because you’re too God-damned lazy to get a fucking job!”
All of a sudden they heard a loud slap. Oh God, Josh thought, did he just smack her? Then she was crying.
“Oh my God,” Rex said. “And Ty is in that house!”
“Call 911 and report a domestic dispute,” Josh said to Dana. “I’m calling Dean and Cindy!”
Rex had the sliding door of the van open and was on his way out when Josh reached over and grabbed his arm. “No, Rex! You can’t!”
“My son’s in there, dammit!”
“If you get there before the police, they’re going to arrest you. You have to wait!”
“But Tyler!”
“He’ll be okay. We’ll keep listening. Please wait—I know it’s hard.”
Josh pressed the speed dial on his phone and waited for Cindy to answer.
“Cops are on their way!” Dana shouted.
As soon as Cindy answered, Josh told her what was going on. She told them not to move, that she and Dean would be there in minutes. It was only about two minutes until they saw the police fly by them, but it seemed like an eternity.
“Why didn’t they have their lights and sirens on?” Everet asked.
“They don’t usually do that for domestic calls,” Dana explained.
The four of them sat in the van, listening intently through the receiver. They heard the police pounding on the door, then nothing.
“What’s going on?” Rex asked.
Josh shook his head and shrugged.
The pounding continued. Apparently no one was answering the door. Then suddenly it stopped and they could hear the voice of one of the officers. He was speaking very calmly, though. “Hi there. Don’t be afraid. I’m here to help you.”
There was no response.
“Ty must’ve answered the door!” Rex whispered. “Oh my God, remember what happened to him the last time a policeman was at the door.”
“Is your mama here?”
“I don’t have a mama. I only have a daddy, but he doesn’t live here.”
“Can you tell us who does live here?”
“Mrs. Westfield,” Ty said. “She is in the bedroom, and she won’t stop crying.”
“THE LAST time I wore this suit was my Daddy’s funeral,” Rex said as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.
“You look very nice,” Josh assured him.
Rex looked over at his boyfriend. God, he was so fortunate to have Josh in his life. “You do too,” Rex said. He stepped over and took Josh in his arms, kissing him gently on the lips. “I’m sorry for being such an asshole lately.”
“Are you crazy?” Josh asked. “I don’t even know how you’ve kept yourself together.”
“I’m scared, Josh,” he admitted. “What if the judge doesn’t give him back? What if he places Ty in another foster home?”
“They don’t think he’ll do that. You’ve got to have faith.”
“I want to,” Rex said. “I was just so freaked out last night when even after all that had happened, they still didn’t bring him back home.”
“We knew that already, though,” Josh said. “Even if the CPS worker had wanted to give you custody, she couldn’t have done it without the judge dismissing the case.”
“So he had to spend one more night in a strange home,” Rex said, shaking his head in disgust.
“Hopefully the last,” Josh said. He reached down and grabbed hold of Rex’s hands, holding them in his own. “Rex, you’re an amazing father, and I think you’re going to be an even more amazing husband.”
“I never thought I could love someone as much as I love Ty,” Rex said. “And then I met you.”
REX WAS surprised by the fact that the proceedings were so informal. The judge had requested that all the parties meet him in his chambers. The first person he wanted to speak with was Tyler, and Rex was not allowed to see him beforehand.
Rex and Josh sat in the hallway, waiting on a bench. Dean and Cindy arrived about ten minutes before the scheduled meeting time, and they each hugged both Rex and Josh.
“We spoke with the CPS caseworker last night over at the mobile home,” Dean said. “Like I told you, I think she’s just going to drop the whole thing.”
“If she does that, will Tyler be coming home with us?” Rex asked.
“Absolutely,” Dean said.
“Oh God, I hope you’re right. I really just want this to be over.” He was finding it difficult to stand still and took a few steps down the hallway, turned, and walked back. A couple of moments later he did the same thing but in the opposite direction.
“You’re pacing,” Josh said.
“Sorry. I’m just nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous,” Josh said. “Everything’s going to be just fine.” Just as he said this, his mouth dropped open as he stared down the hall.
“What?” Rex said. “What’s wrong?”
“That’s my Aunt Kathy, and she’s with the social worker and Yvonne!”
THE JUDGE finally called all of the parties into his chambers. Dean, Cindy, Rex, and Josh entered together, taking seats next to one another on the right side of the room. The social worker, Yvonne Westfield, and Kathy Bradford took seats opposite them, to their left. Yvonne’s face was terribly swollen and purple. Rex winced when he glanced over at her.
The judge nodded to each of them as they entered. When they were all seated, he took a deep breath.
“Good morning,” he said. “I understand it was an interesting night last night.” He looked directly at Yvonne.
“Yes, Your Honor,” the social worker responded. “Indeed it was.”
“Well, I had an interesting visit this morning with a remarkable young man. We’ll get to that in a minute, though. As you all know, I’m Judge Bryant, but unfortunately I don’t yet know who all of you are. So let’s start over here.” He pointed to Rex. “Tell me your name and what your relationship is to the minor child.”
Rex cleared his throat and started to stand up.
“That’s fine, you can remain seated,” the judge said, smiling and motioning him down with a wave of his hand. “Let’s keep this as informal as possible.”
Rex nodded and smiled, trying to remain calm. “Sir, I’m Rex Payton, and I’m the father of Tyler Jacob Payton.” Kathy coughed loudly as he introduced himself.
“You’re the adoptive father, correct?”
“Yes, sir,” Rex said. “I am Tyler’s biological uncle, but I adopted him when he was eight months old.”
“I read the file, and I’ve got to say I’m very impressed with the way you stepped up and took on a parental role for this infant. You’ve done an amazing job with him too. He’s an incredibly bright, well-mannered young man, and frankly he seems wise beyond his years.”
“Thank you so much for saying that, sir. It means a lot to me, and I love Ty with all my heart.”
“And I can see how much he loves you. And you?” the judge said, pointing to Josh. “Who are you and why are you here?”
“Josh Billings, sir.”
“And your relationship?”
“I am the… um….” Josh paused and took a deep breath. “I’m the partner of Mr. Payton.”
“The life partner?” the judge asked.
Josh nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“And how long have you two been together?” the judge asked.
Josh shifted a bit in his chair. “For about six weeks, sir. We just met at the beginning of summer.”
“And yet you refer to each other as partners? Do you think this maybe is a bit presumptuous? You haven’t been together for all that long.”
“I appreciate what you’re saying, sir, but I knew almost immediately when I met Rex that he was the one I wanted to spend my life with.”
“And how do you feel about Tyler? Would you say that you’ve developed a relationship with him?”
Josh smiled broadly. “Oh yes, sir. I adore Ty. In fact, I love him very much.”
“And if by the grace of God your relationship with Rex were to last, how do you envision your relationship with Tyler evolving? Do you consider yourself to be a parental influence on him? A friend? More like a big brother or uncle? Tell me in your own words.”
“Well, to be honest, I consider myself to be all of those things to Ty. At times I am like an uncle to him, and he even took it upon himself to start calling me ‘Uncle Josh.’ I think that’s because he sometimes calls his father ‘Uncle Rex’ because, well, Rex actually is his uncle. But Ty does think of me as a friend. He thinks I’m fun, and he likes to spend time with me. Truthfully, I love that kind of relationship, and I can see it being a lot like a big brother.
“But the bottom line is that a parent is all of these things to their kids. A good parent is a teacher, a friend, a coach, a mentor. Rex is all these things to Ty, and I pray to God that I can one day become at least half the dad that he’s always been to Tyler.”
Josh looked over at Rex, smiling sheepishly. Rex returned the smile and nodded.
“Good answer,” the judge said, also nodding. “And good attitude. Okay, and I know Mr. Roberts. You’re serving as Mr. Payton’s counsel, and who is your lovely assistant?”
Dean laughed. “Judge Bryant, this is my wife, Cindy.”
The judge then turned his attention to the other side of the room. “And over here.” He pointed to Yvonne. “Your name and relationship to the child.”
“Yvonne Westfield. I am the foster parent, Your Honor.”
“Mrs. Westfield, are you all right this morning?”
She nodded, looking down at her lap.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“Well, I want to tell you that I’ve reviewed all of the documentation. I’ve read all the statements about the incident that occurred in your home last night, and I’ve reviewed the police reports.”
“Yes, sir,” she said quietly.
“And your husband was arrested, and he’s still in police custody.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I trust that the police victims’ rights department will put you in touch with some resources that you obviously need. Nobody should be subjected to physical abuse. Unfortunately, my job here today does not include addressing this issue. This doesn’t mean, however, that I’m not sensitive to your situation.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“I’m here to talk about Tyler Jacob Payton, and I need you to tell me everything you know about him.”
“I’m his grandmother,” she said.
He nodded. “Yes, I’m aware of this. Is that why you enrolled in the foster parent program? You thought it would be a way to get custody of your biological grandson?”
“Well, yes… partially.”
“Partially?” he repeated. “Elaborate, please.”
“Well, I wanted to do what was best for that little boy,” she said. “And I was afraid he was in danger.”
“And what is it that led you to believe Tyler was in any kind of danger?” the judge asked.
Yvonne looked over at Kathy and then back at the judge. “Sir, I’m a God-fearing woman, and I believe the Bible is the Word of God. The Good Book talks about sinfulness, and it condemns certain things, calls them abominations. I believe homosexuality is one of those sinful behaviors, and I was afraid of what that kind of environment would do to my grandson. What’s going to happen to him when he gets older? Is he going to grow up to become one of those homosexuals? When he gets to be a teenager, who’s to say that one of those homosexual men who have raised him will not try to do something with him?”
“Mrs. Westfield, are you aware that the vast majority of convicted pedophiles are heterosexual?” the judge asked.
Yvonne shook her head. “No, sir, I did not know that.”
“Did you have any specific reason to believe that Tyler was being molested by either Mr. Payton or Mr. Billings?”
“No, sir. I didn’t even know them.”
“Let’s move on to what happened last night. In the reports, witnesses overheard you say that you did not really even want to raise this child. You allegedly stated that you had only become a foster parent because your husband was too lazy to hold a job. Is this what you said?”
“I think that might be what I said,” she acknowledged.
“Can you explain what you meant by that?”
“Your Honor, I’m not a young woman. I’m in my fifties, and I’ve already raised my children. I never wanted to take on the responsibility of raising another one, but I felt it was my duty. I did it to try to save Tyler, to protect him.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Mrs. Westfield,” the judge said.
“Well… um,” she stammered.
“Did you become a foster parent because you needed the money?”
“We do need the money, yes, sir, but I became a foster mother because I wanted to protect my grandchild.”
The judge then turned to Kathy Bradford. “And ma’am, you are the complainant?”
Kathy straightened her posture and nodded. “Yes, sir, I am Mrs. Harold Bradford, wife of Reverend Bradford of the Gospel Baptist Church.”
“I just have two very specific questions for you, Mrs. Bradford.”
“Very well,” she said.
“Have you personally witnessed or do you know of anyone who has personally witnessed Rex Payton or Joshua Billings physically, emotionally, or sexually abusing Tyler Jacob Payton.”
Confidently, she nodded. “Yes sir, I do know of someone who has personally witnessed this.”
“Please explain. Who is the person to whom you are referring, and what exactly did he or she witness?”
“The person is James Westfield, Yvonne’s son, and he witnessed the two men in a public display of affection.”
“Wait,” the judge said. “Please be more specific. What exactly were they doing?”
“From what James reported, they were kissing each other, the way a man would kiss a woman.”
The judge was now holding his chin in his hands as he rested his elbows on his desk. “And how was it that you interpreted this to be abusive to the child? Was the child present?”
“I don’t believe the child was present on that occasion, sir,” she said, “but if they would do such a thing in a public parking lot, surely they are doing much worse behind closed doors.”
The judge shook his head. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “Okay. Now, my second question: when you filed this complaint alleging sexual abuse, did you do so in an attempt to retaliate in any way against your nephew, Joshua Billings.”
Kathy’s face reddened, and Rex wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or anger. She pursed her lips tightly before speaking and then finally answered. “No, sir. In fact, I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“Well, then, that leaves only you, Ms. Stuart. For the record, state your name and who you represent.”
“Thank you, Your Honor. I am Elizabeth Stuart of the Nichols County Child Protective Services Agency, and I represent the State of Kentucky and the minor child, Tyler Jacob Payton.”
“Thank you, Ms. Stuart. Please share with us the status of your investigation. Have there been any findings to support the charges of alleged abuse, be they physical, emotional, or sexual?”
“Sir, we have yet to complete our investigation. The initial physical examination of the boy did not reveal any signs of sexual abuse, but this is often the case. Unless we examine the child immediately following an incident, there may be no physical signs. Furthermore, there are many forms of sexual contact which would not necessarily leave any physical evidence.”
“Of course,” he said. “I’m well aware of this. Go on.”
“The psychologist who interviewed the boy did not find any evidence of sexual abuse. He did state, however, that the boy had witnessed displays of affection between the two adult males in the home, one of them being the child’s father.”
“Do you feel there is any evidence that the boy has been sexually abused or that he is at risk for sexual abuse in the future?”
Ms. Stuart looked over at Kathy momentarily and then turned back to the judge. “No, Your Honor. I have no evidence to support any charges of sexual abuse.”
“But your investigation is still ongoing?” he asked. “I don’t understand.”
“We have not yet interviewed the child’s parent, nor have we visited the home.”
The judge leaned back in his chair. “Okay, then, I think I’ve heard enough, and I’m ready to render a ruling.” He looked over at Rex.
“Mr. Payton, I’d first like to commend you on the fine job you’ve done thus far raising your son. When I chatted with Tyler a few minutes ago, he was quite articulate for a seven-year-old. He spoke very highly of both you and Mr. Billings, and he desperately wishes to return to your custody as soon as possible. I’m going to grant him his wish and reinstate full custody to his legal parent, Mr. Rex Payton, effective immediately.”
A wave of relief swept over Rex, and he immediately buried his face in his hands, leaning forward in his chair. Tears of joy and relief began to flow. “Thank you, sir. Oh thank you, so much!”
The judge held up his hand to silence Rex before continuing.
“Mr. Payton and Mr. Billings, I should not need to caution you that we do not live in a perfect world. Ideally if two consenting adults love one another, they should be able to feel comfortable in modestly displaying their affection towards each other. Unfortunately, when you live in a rural area like Carlisle, Kentucky, this is not always the case. I would caution you to be prudent in the future… at least until we have gotten to the point as a society where we can begin to tolerate our differences.
“This is a clear case of blatant prejudice. Tyler Payton never was and is not now in danger of abuse from his father. It does sadden me, however, to realize that he has had to witness this kind of bigotry and hatred at such a young age. What he’s been put through this past week is utterly tragic.
“Mrs. Westfield, last evening when your husband struck you, it was little Tyler who came to your rescue. He rushed out to the living room when he heard you crying, took your hand, and led you to his bedroom, where he sat with you until the police came.”
Yvonne sat there, staring down at the carpeting, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She nodded silently.
“You stated that your objective was to rescue your grandson. It appears to me that he was the one who ended up rescuing you. I sincerely hope that you can get beyond your preconceived and prejudiced notions about sexual orientation so that you can be a part of your biological grandson’s life. I cannot force Mr. Payton to grant you visitation of his son, but I think it may be in the best interest of the child to build a relationship with you. I do not, however, feel you are in the right mental or emotional state at this time to continue in your role as a foster parent, and I am recommending that your license be suspended.”
The judge then turned again to Kathy Bradford. “Mrs. Bradford,” he began, “I have the utmost respect for your firm religious convictions. It is not the role of the court, however, to impose the belief system of one particular faith onto others. You clearly believe homosexuality is immoral, and I would not try to convince you otherwise, but I cannot allow your religious beliefs to influence my decision as to what is in the best interest of this child.
“Personally, I think the situation that you are in with your nephew, Mr. Billings, is rather sad. He seems to be a very bright and accomplished young man with a promising future. I read through the psychological assessments provided to me by Mr. Payton’s counselor, and it appears that Josh is very much morally centered. I hope you can find it in your heart to look beyond your own prejudice to try to heal the relationship that you have with him. If you are unable to do so, though, I would suggest to Mr. Billings that he simply cut his losses and move on.”
The judge then turned to face Ms. Stuart and Mr. Roberts. “Thank you for the time and effort you devoted to this case, but in light of the evidence, I hereby dismiss the charges in their entirety on the basis that they are unfounded.
“Mr. Payton, I will have a bailiff escort you to your son, who is in a waiting room down the hall. Don’t worry, we keep the room stocked with plenty of toys, video games, and books, and there is an adult present at all times.”
“Thank you, judge. Thank you so much,” Rex said. He rose to shake the judge’s hand before turning to hug Dean and Cindy.
IT WAS all that Rex could do not to run down the hallway, but he had to keep pace with the bailiff, who did not appear to be in too much of a hurry. It felt like the longest twenty yards of his life, but they finally were there, standing at the doorway. The bailiff opened the door, and Rex stepped in. Josh was right behind him.
Tyler was sitting on a small sofa, his legs straight out in front of him with his feet hanging over the edge, and he had a book in his lap. He looked up to see who had entered the room, and when he saw it was Rex, he immediately tossed the book aside.
“Daddy!” he screamed, scurrying quickly to get off the couch and onto his feet. He ran towards his father, and Rex scooped him up in his arms, pulling the boy close to his chest.
When Rex felt Tyler wrap his short arms around his neck, he laughed right out loud. “Daddy,” Tyler said, “I thought you were never gonna get here!”
“Oh, baby, I got here as fast as I could. I’m so sorry,” he said, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Rex hugged Ty, squeezing him against his body, but not too tightly. “I love you so much,” he said. “I missed you. I missed you so bad.”
“Josh!” Ty squealed when he looked over Rex’s shoulder and saw Josh standing there. Josh quickly wrapped his arms around both of them. The three of them held on to one another, a crazy mixture of laughter and tears overwhelming them. Josh pressed his face against the little guy’s cheek, kissing it affectionately.
“Josh, wait ’til I tell you what happened. You’re not gonna believe it,” Ty said excitedly, his father now holding him with one arm.
“I heard you had a scary night last night,” Josh said seriously.
“That lady, Mrs. Westfield—the one I had to stay with—some mean man hit her.”
“I know, baby,” Rex said. “I’m so sorry. You were very brave, though, and I’m proud of you.”
“Then I had to go to some other place, and I had oatmeal for breakfast.”
“But you like oatmeal, don’t you?” Rex said.
“Yes, but I don’t like that place. Do I have to go back there?”
“No, Ty. No, no, no! You don’t have to go back there! You’re going home where you belong!”
“Right now?”
“Right now,” Rex said.
“And Josh is coming home too?”
“And Josh is coming home too,” Rex said.
“Yay!” Tyler said, pumping his fists gleefully in the air.
THE BAR was empty, and Rex was sweeping up the floor when he heard a rap against the front door. He set down the broom and walked over to the door, peering through the glass. When he saw who it was, he unlocked the door, opening it just a crack. “I’m sorry, but we’re closed.”
“But I forgot something when I was in here earlier,” the young man said.
“Your cell phone?” Rex asked.
“No, this,” Josh replied, wrapping his arms around the cowboy’s neck and planting a passionate kiss squarely on his lips.
“Oh, that,” Rex said, smiling. “Well, it’s a good thing you remembered, because this is my last night here. After this, the bar belongs to Emmy.”
“And you’ll have your own business, the one you always dreamed about.”
“And then you’ll be married to a grease monkey,” Rex said jokingly.
“We aren’t married yet,” Josh said as he nuzzled his nose into Rex’s neck. “Everet and Dana got married before we did.”
“Funny how that worked out,” Rex said. “After the stakeout, they were literally inseparable.”
“And now I’m a vet, and we have two more dogs,” Josh said, laughing.
“And two more cats,” Rex added.
“And an animal hospital.”
“And a wonderful nine-year-old boy who’s too smart for his own britches.”
“But that we love with all our hearts,” Josh said.
The jukebox was playing another slow ballad, perhaps the same one that had played the night they first met. “Will you marry me?” Rex whispered as he pulled a ring from his pocket and gently slid it onto Josh’s finger.
Josh then took hold of Rex’s hand. “I’ll marry you, cowboy, but only on one condition.” He nodded towards the dance floor.
And they danced.