Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 16:31:12 EDT
From: Djedoric58@aol.com
Subject: The Bull Singer 13

THE BULL SINGER
By DJ
CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  I didn't want to wake him, preferring to watch him in the deep innocent
slumber of a child. But as I planted a gentle kiss on his right cheek, he
stirred and his eyes flickered open to blink up at me. "Mags? I'm sorry."
His words were slurred with sleep. "Don't be angry, please. I had to come."

"Now why would I be angry?"  I slipped my arms under him and lifted him
into a loving hug. He lifted his arms and placed them round my neck, and
sighed against my shoulder. I rubbed my face against his hair, loving the
clean smell of shampoo under my nose.

"I thought..."

"Did you know thinking rots your brains?" I laughed as I laid him back
against the pillows, but he still held me with his arms round my neck. His
eyes filled with tears as he forced my head down till our lips met. His
arms tightened about me as we exchanged a passionate kiss, tongues fighting
for space. I reached under the duvet and found he was still clothed. I
searched for the edge of his T-shirt and slipped my hand under it to caress
him from armpit to the top of his briefs. But I went no further. I had to
stop or thing would have gone too far. I had to tell him first, and let him
make a choice, but I had to have Dad's permission to do so, in fact I
realised it what Dad's job to tell him. I withdrew my wandering hand and
broke the kiss. "Before we do somethin we might regret, there is something
you need to know."

He let me go and frowned up at me. "What?"

"It's for Dad to tell you. Come downstairs with me."

"Is it so important?"

"Yes, I guess it is." I moved off the bed and let him get up to put his
pants back on. Once he had his shoes and socks on and had tidied his hair
up, he slipped a hand into mine and we walked down to the first floor
landing. I knocked on my bedroom door and waited.

 After a few minutes it opened a crack and Dad peered out. He opened it
wide and we stepped in. I noticed he only had his pants on. Pete was in the
bed sleeping. I raised an eyebrow at Dad and he shrugged his bony
shoulders. "The lad just needed a bit of comfort, that's all. Now. What do
you want?"

"It's what Joey wants, not me."

Dad looked at Joey, realised what I meant and nodded. Waving us to the two
bedroom chairs, which I drew together by the bed, he sat down on the foot
of the bed, careful not to wake Pete. "What I'm going to say might cause
you to feel hurt, but it might hopefully please you as well. It all depends
on which way you look at things. The thing is, Joey, Elias Chambers is not
really your Grandfather, not by blood anyway, although he was married to
your Grandmother."

Joey's eyes widened as they flicked back and forth between Dad and
I. "What? No way. He's the only grandfather I've ever known. So who is this
other grandpa I'm supposed to have?" By the tone of his voice I knew he
didn't believe Dad.

"I am," Dad said gently.

Joey stared wide-eyed at Dad before he jumped up out of his seat and strode
away from us. "No. I don't believe you."

"It's true, Joey," I said. "Elias told me himself. Remember me being angry
when I came to tell you I had to leave?  At the time I felt the same way
you do now. I didn't believe it either."

Still not turning to look at me, Joey snapped out, "Why didn't you tell me
then?"

"Because Elias made me promise not to. But I felt I had to tell Dad I knew,
just like I feel now that you should know too and so I could tell you why I
really left Marble House. Because I'm your uncle." Joey shook his head and
started for the door. I stood up and reached for my mobile. "Here, take
this and call Elias. Ask him to tell you himself. Press address book, then
press four for speed dial. Take it upstairs if you want to talk in
private."

Joey snatched the phone and dived out of the room, and I heard his
footsteps as he ran up the attic stairs. I turned back to my Dad who sat
with tears falling unchecked down his cheeks. I went to him and put my arms
round him, holding him close to my chest as he wept quietly. After a bit,
he calmed down enough for him to push me away. "Thanks, son. I'm okay
now. What with trying to cope with Pete's tale and now Joey, I lost it for
a bit."

"Is this for real? You and Pete?"

Dad glanced up at me while he fished for a hanky. "I think so. He said he's
finished with his past life and wants to settle down and be loved." Dad
chuckled. "I said I should look for a toy-boy, and I suppose I've found
one. The thing is, where am I going to put him and keep him safe?"

I sat down in one of the chairs. "I suppose you could use the cottage. It's
just about ready to move into, and you said you'd like to live there. Pete
can drive so you can use my BMW while I'm away with the band. You and Pte
can keep tabs on Joey from there. And I'll need someone with a car to run
Joey to school and back, and to Aunt Millie's."

Dad nodded and glanced toward Pete who was beginning to stir. "Okay,
lad. I'll chew things over with Pete and see what he says. At least
Faring's men won't find him there in a hurry. And Pete can help keep an eye
on Joey. Anyone going to Top Farm would have to go past the cottage,
wouldn't they?"

At this, Pete's head popped up from under the duvet. "Did I hear someone
mention Farings?"

"Crafty little sod." Dad grabbed the duvet and started to put it off his
new lover. "I might have known you weren't sleeping."

"Nah! I did drop off but only for a few minutes." Peter grabbed the duvet
back and sat up grinning. "I thought you were supposed to be giving me a
therapy cuddle, so come on back to bed."

"Not right now, son, much as I would love to." Dad reached for his shirt
and sweater hanging on the foot of the bed. "We have family matters to sort
out. You just might be able to help us out. Why don't you cover that lovely
young body of yours with some clothes and come and join us."

* *

Joey's story Boy, I was so mad!  Why was everyone keeping things from me,
and telling me lies. As I punched number four on Mags's phone, I didn't
know who to believe. I had just got used to having Elias around now, and
him being my doting granddad and Benji being my great uncle. I'd started
phoning them every day and hearing them plan outings for, me and further
visits to Marble House, and now this! While I waited for my call to be
answered I couldn't stay still, and I prowled the attic room, kicking at
things and generally taking my temper out on whatever was to hand. I had
just kicked over a bedside chair when Benji answered me. "Marble House, how
may I help you?"

"Quit the pleasantries, Ben, and put me through to Elias."

"Joey! Is there something wrong?"

"You bet there is, now let me speak to Elias."

"I'm sorry, your grandfather is in conference and can't be disturbed. Can I
help?"

"Like hell he's my grandfather. Now you put me through or I start talking
to Angela."

The phone remained silent for some ten or so seconds before I heard Elias
say, "Joey, who told you I wasn't your grandfather?"

"Mags and his dad. They told me some stupid story about Edward being my
real grandfather. Now you either tell me the truth or I talk to Angela and
land you in the shit."

I heard him sigh then whisper to someone in the room with him. Then he
spoke into the phone with a sob in his voice. "Joey, I'm sorry you found
out this way, I really am. Yes it's true. I'm still your grandfather by
marriage but, yes, Edward is your biological grandfather. He had an affair
with my wife and Angela was the result of that union."

"You lied to me. All those things you said were just a load of lies,
weren't they? What was your intention? Are you some kind of pervert looking
to entice a kid with your big house and your lackeys?"

"No, Joey. I have always loved you and always will, as a grandparent
should, because of your grandmother. It was Angela who kept us apart. If
she had been sensible about things, you would have met your grandmother, a
very sweet woman. She died of a broken heart because we were not allowed to
see our only grandchild and love you as we wanted, so we could only love
you from affair."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"Perhaps if I tell you about my wife's affair with Edward, you might
understand. You see, Joey, I was unable to produce enough sperm to make
your grandmother pregnant. Marian wanted a child so desperately that I
asked Edward if he would help. I knew they were very fond of each other; I
would never have allowed anyone else to be with Marian. So I allowed them
to have an affair till she became pregnant. After that, I asked Edward to
leave with the promise I would tell him about the birth and whether he had
a son or a daughter. Little did either of us know we had bred a monster of
a child till it was too late to help her good side to grow; if she ever had
a good side. I kept Edward posted over the years about your growth and your
progress, through Ben's diligence at finding your where-bouts each time you
moved. Finally. I had to turn to Edward for help when Angela informed me
she was being hunted by several ex-business clients of hers; all of them
capable of doing her businesses a lot of harm, and possibly killing her in
the process. Even though I hate her for what she has done to you, she is
still my kin. So, Joey, now you know the whole truth about your mother's
birth, it is up to you whether you accept us and our help, or destroy us
through your mother, it's up to you. Do you understand me, Joey?"

At first I couldn't speak and I sat down on the bed, looking at the phone
and willing it to disappear, because what I slowly realised was that the
man who had helped me experience my first step in self discovery, was now
my uncle. I put the phone on speaker and said, "Yeah, I understand.
Especially now I know who my uncle is. Thankyou very much." I switched off
the phone and threw it at the nearest wall.

* * *