Hadrian's Lover (24 page)

“No!” Dean demands.

“You have no say in this, Stuttgart!” This is the first time Todd has ever heard Papa Dean's birth name. He's a Stuttgart. Maybe there is hope. The Stuttgart family is a founding family. Surely Papa Dean has some pull. As if sensing what Todd is thinking, Mr. Weller chuckles, shaking his head contemptuously. “Don't get your hopes up, boy; not even a Stuttgart can circumvent the sexual reformation laws.”

He was going to add,
especially one whose father has disowned him
, but a bitter, discontented Dean interjects, “But clearly the girl's mothers can.”

Now, as if addressing children, Mr. Weller speaks slowly, over-emphasizing each word. “The girl committed no crime. The boy did.” In a more menacing tone, he addresses Todd, “You can thank Hadrian and his lover that Ms. Albright and Vice President Stiles aren't charging you with rape!”
Vice President Stiles!
The thought looms in everyone's mind. Todd always knew Crystal's parents were rich, but she never spoke of her mama's founding family status. Mr. Weller gleams at the prospect. He may not be able to marry into her family, but he can most certainly ingratiate himself. Twisting the knife in the jugular, he adds, “Otherwise, you'd be swinging from a rope!” Todd pales.

“You don't have to do this,” Dean pleads. “We are working with him at home.”

“Home?” Mr. Weller shakes his head, “No, no, no. Todd has no home. Not anymore.” Reaching behind him, on the principal's desk, he retrieves a document.

For a brief moment, Mr. Gavin is acknowledged, or rather, the high back of his chair, as he sits frozen, concentrating on his computer screen. He has nothing more to say or do with this issue. The
strai
belongs to the government, and it is in his best interest simply to give them the boy.

Shaking the document Dean's way, Mr. Weller proclaims, “His legal guardian, Michael Fulton, has signed the form. The boy is now my legal ward!”

Dean gasps, mouthing the words, “Not you!”

Weller smiles as he mouths back his response, “Me.”

Todd, oblivious to their silent communication, mutters, “Papa Mike.” As
his chest caves, his shoulders heave with sobs. He feels even more betrayed than when he had been abandoned by the man the day before.

Squatting now, Frank traps his head under his hands and between his knees. He sobs with heart-wrenching abandon as Papa Dean begs, “Don't—don't—don't—”

Mr. Weller ignores him. “Stand up, Todd. We have to go.”

“NO!” Todd shrieks. He darts up from his chair and races for the door. Before he can grab the handle, though, Mr. Weller has retrieved a smart tranquilizer dart from his coat pocket. It's a simple blowgun, and the dart, now sticking out of Todd's shoulder, knocks him out instantly.

Being the closer of the two men, Dean reaches Todd's body first. Although he knows this battle to be lost, he feigns denial, allowing him an opportunity to fumble around the boy's shirt pocket, retrieving Todd's cell phone.

“I always enjoy these episodes where I am able to leave the studio and visit a location live. After our successful interview with Northeast Reeducation Camp’s warden, Mr. Gideon Weller, we have been invited to his reeducation camp to meet with some of the wards and their guardians.

“This camp is beautifully situated on the shore of Hudson Bay. With thick forest to the north, farmlands to the west and south, and the lake to the east, the boys sent here are kept physically active all year round. In the spring, plowing and planting the fields occurs. During the summer months, the boys enjoy fishing, hiking, biking, swimming, canoeing, even singing around the campfire. Come fall, the boys actively participate in the harvest. All the vegetables and grain consumed at the Northeast Camp are grown right here.

“Over here is the nucleus of the entire complex. As you can see, the boys’ cabins encircle the central compound. It is in this main building that the hub of activity occurs. In this one building, all wards and guardians meet to celebrate victories and or discuss difficulties each individual ward may be facing.

“Let’s go inside, shall we? As we go down these stairs and turn right, we enter into the kitchen galley where all the food is prepared, and let me tell you, viewers, it smells really good in here. This next room is the central cafeteria where even Mr. Weller sits down to eat his meals, seven days a week I’ve been told. Mr. Gideon Weller has married himself to reeducation. He lives, eats, and works here. His entire life is dedicated to the welfare of our young men.

“This next room, as we move down the hall, is the central meeting area. Here, I’m told, is where the young men hold dances and parties where they learn to have good clean healthy gay fun! Here in this room, we are going
to meet Little Stephie Chatters and his ward Mattie Molloy.

“Hello, Stephie.”

“Hello, Ms. Eagleton. This is so wonderful. Thank you so much for coming here. May I say hi to my fathers?”

“Of course you can.”

“Hi, Daddy. Hi, Papa Steve.”

“Now, Stephie, is it true, were you really a ward here once yourself?”

“Oh, yes. I came when I was twelve. But I’m no longer straight, in any way! I am one hundred percent gay, and I am so happy now. I was so miserable when I thought I was straight. I was always depressed and even thought about killing myself. When I first got here, I begged Papa Gideon—Mr. Weller lets me call him Papa Gideon—to help me be gay. I knew being straight was awful—Papa Gideon calls it abhorrent—but I had no idea how to fix things. This camp saved my life. And now I’m able to help out other wards like Mattie here.”

“So, you must be Mattie. Tell me, what’s it like having a ward like little Stephie? He must be a huge inspiration for you, knowing he too once suffered like you do.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Mattie’s shy, Ms. Eagleton. He’s only been here a couple of months, but he’s come such a long way. When he first got here, he was very angry. He always swore, and he wouldn’t listen to anything anyone had to say. But now he is so demure. I am so proud of him. I just know that he will be cured before the year is up.”

“Well, Mattie, that is such good news. I’m sure you will be so happy when you get released.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Stephie, Mattie, thank you so much for sharing your stories with us. What a great inspiration it is to see success and how a victor is able to turn around and use his experience to help another young man flourish. It truly is awe inspiring and rewarding. So there you have it, folks, the success of the Northeast Camp firsthand!”

Vale!

Geoffrey and Dean are snuggled up tight on the couch, watching a comedy on the wall screen. Dean has been so despondent after Todd’s exposure and transfer to the Northeast Reeducation Camp. Geoffrey is hoping a little humor will help cheer him up. It is not working. Halfway through the vid, Geoffrey gets an incoming call; blinking, he pauses the film. A second blink and then, “Hello?—Hey, Aaron, how are you?” Dean smiles slightly; Aaron Hillier stood up for Geoffrey at their wedding. What Dean doesn’t know is that Aaron had also been a volunteer that summer at the Northeast Reeducation Camp when Dean was being held there. In fact, he ended up studying reeducation psychiatry and now works full-time under Gideon Weller. Geoffrey pulls away from Dean. Dean sees nothing odd in this act, thinking Geoffrey simply needs to focus on his conversation. “Yes, yes, it has been too long…So, how’s Mateo?” Mateo is Aaron’s partner. He, too, unknown to Dean, works in reeducation psychiatry. “Nice. Good to hear. So what’s up? Why the call? Really? Dean and me?”

Dean looks over. “Dean and me what?” Although curious, Dean’s voice holds no excitement.

Geoffrey, hushing Dean, looks straight at the wall as if at Aaron. “Why?” A dark film covers Geoffrey’s eyes. “Are you serious? He can’t do that?”

“What? What? Do what?” Dean asks nervously.

“What?” Geoffrey voice is a mixture of horror and ire.

Dean reaches over and grabs Geoffrey’s shoulder, turning the man to face him. “What is it? Is it Todd? Tell me!”

Geoffrey tries to calm his voice. “We’ve been asked to do an interview for
Salve!
”

This is dumbfounding. Why would an offer to be on TV cause such consternation? Dean shakes his head in dismay. Shivering, he inquires,
“Why?”

“Aaron,” says Geoffrey, focusing once more on the wall, “Dean and I need to talk. I’ll give you our answer tomorrow.” Now it is Geoffrey’s turn to shake his head in dismay. “When?—Fine. I’ll call back in one hour.” Blinking once, he disconnects. After he blinks a second time, the image on the wall screen disappears. Leaning back into the couch, he closes his eyes and purses his lips. Dean’s stare burns deep into his consciousness. “We’ve been asked to participate in an upcoming
Salve!
episode titled ‘Happily Married After Reeducation.’”

Shrinking away, Dean groans, “No!” His head shakes spasmodically. “No!”

Geoffrey smiles sadly at his terror-stricken lover. “I—” He doesn’t want to do the interview any more than Dean does, but he knows better.
How to explain?
Opening his eyes, he can see by the look on Dean’s face no level of understanding is attainable right now in his fragile mind. Even so, the truth must be revealed. “We don’t have much choice.”

Dean’s scrotum turns to ice. “Why not?”

There is no easy way to say this so Geoffrey doesn’t even try. “Weller filed a report against you.”

Dean screams, “They can’t send me back there! They can’t! We’re married! We’re married!” Geoffrey moves closer to his lover, but Dean rejects any physical contact. Leaping off the couch, he begins pacing the living room like a caged tiger.

“Apparently, you said something today, something Weller says indicates you might still be straight.”

Dean’s voice becomes shrill. “What? What? What did I say? I didn’t say anything. I just tried to help Todd. I was just trying to help Todd.”

“In his report, Weller said you claim there are still ones and zeros inside Hadrian. And,” he adds hesitantly, “that it is impossible to tame them.”

Dean’s body jerks as if hit with an electric shock. Doe-eyed, anticipating the bullet, Dean turns to Geoffrey. “I never said that!” Words become disjointed as Dean’s breath turns sporadic. “I swear I never said that!” No longer pacing, standing now on the other side of the room, Dean wraps his arms around his shoulders, rocking his upper body.

Crossing over, Geoffrey places his hands on Dean’s (still clasped tight around his shoulders). “He says…” He turns Dean to face him. “He said you declared yourself a zero when you were inside the camp…” closing his
eyes to avoid showing Dean the dread he feels, Geoffrey adds, “And that today’s statement suggests that might be true.” Dean shrieks. Geoffrey pulls him in tight. As much as it pains him, Geoffrey needs to finish telling Dean everything that was said about him. “Weller has recommended you be re-assessed by his reeducation psych team.” Dean starts to scream wildly, shaking inside Geoffrey’s grip. “That’s how Aaron found out. He works in assessment under Weller.” Trying not to grimace, Geoffrey continues, “He said Weller wants you back inside the camp so they can determine whether or not…” He closes his eyes, fear beginning to shake his resolve. “Whether or not you should be exiled.”

Suddenly, Dean is seventeen again—desperate and willing to do anything to avoid further punishment. He drops to his knees and begins undoing Geoffrey’s pants. It is Pavlov’s dog all over again. Blowing Weller was the only sure way of avoiding punishment.

“No! NO! Dean, stop it!” Geoffrey kneels down so he and Dean can be on the same level. “I promised you then and I’m keeping that promise now. It will never be like that between us! This is your fear acting, not love.” Dean collapses into his lover’s arms. Both men shed tears. Recovering his voice, Geoffrey tries to offer up some hope. “Aaron believes if we go on
Salve!
and talk about our lives, it will exonerate you.” Dean nods. He is broken, beaten the way he was back in the camp. He really is willing to do anything right now. “We’ll just answer a few questions. Tell Hadrian we’re in love—only say what’s true.” The ceaseless nodding of Dean’s head against his chest discombobulates Geoffrey. “I won’t let them take you back there. I won’t let them exile you. I swear to you, on the soul of Hadrian’s lover, I will fight them like a grizzly protecting her cub.” Geoffrey slides into a seated position on the floor, and Dean falls helplessly into his lap. Holding Dean tightly, Geoffrey tries desperately to reassure him with gentle strokes and soft cooing noises.

Melissa Eagleton is even more beautiful in person than she is on the camera. They say the camera adds a good ten pounds, and Melissa would not lose weight to look normal so when one first encounters the real life woman, the first reaction is always how much slimmer she appears. She is also a lot shorter than most would expect. One seldom sees Melissa standing 
when she gives one of her broadcasts. Her dimples seem just a little deeper and her smile a little wider too. No one is quite sure why, but instead of doing the woman’s beauty justice, the camera actually diminishes her. Perhaps it is because she refuses to wear extreme amounts of makeup. She does comply with the need for makeup for the camera, but she never lets the cosmetics team do more than make her look healthy and normal. Off camera, the light makeup proves to be very stylish. Her blue eyes twinkle in such a way that the interviewee is immediately put at ease. Well, almost every interviewee. Nothing, not even Melissa’s sweet demeanor and perky smile, can help ease Dean’s tension. In fact, her feminine beauty has the exact opposite effect. For Dean, being in close proximity to such an attractive woman sets off a series of residual electric shocks that shake his body in a series of disjointed jerks—akin to Pavlov’s dog—destroying any potential attraction or emotion he might have felt for her. Having been attached to electrodes, with high voltage shocks tearing throughout his nervous system every time his body responded erotically to a beautiful woman, has proven to be a lifelong lasting and very effective deterrent. Although Dean remains attracted to women, his body has been successfully conditioned, and his brain sets off the memory of the shock so strongly that he feels the very currents as if they were still ripping through him. This, now natural reaction, is why Dean avoids women as much as humanly possible. Regrettably, the shock waves he now feels remind Dean not only of past horrors, but they also bring to mind what Todd is going through this very moment inside that camp.

“So, gentlemen…” Melissa’s voice is melodious. “Come sit down next to me.” Geoffrey, understanding Dean’s dilemma, takes the chair closest to Melissa Eagleton. Waving to her camera crew, signaling them to wait just one minute, she begins instructions. “I’ll just start bombarding you with questions. Answer them honestly, and after ten or fifteen minutes, we’ll wrap it up. We won’t use all of the tape. My edit team will pick out the best bits.” Smiling, she says, “I am so excited. I have been waiting to do a piece about this for years. I never could understand why reeducation was always stalling me. Then suddenly last night, out of the blue, Aaron Hillier calls me, saying they have the perfect couple, you two!” She leans forward to clasp each man’s hands as she expresses her gratitude. “Thank you!” After leaning back in her chair, she swivels to face the cameraman. She gives him the “one more minute” finger and then asks her guests, “Are
we ready?” Both men nod. “All right then.” Smiling to the cameraman, she nods her assent.

The cameraman begins calling out, “Five, four,” gesturing at the same time with the fingers of his right hand. He is silent for “three, two, one,” merely mouthing the words while continuing to gesture. Then after mouthing the word “one,” he flicks with his index finger to indicate they are now filming.

“Well, good evening, Hadrian. Tonight’s show is a very special event. With us today are Geoffrey and Dean Hunter! This couple met at the Northeast Reeducation Camp.” She turns now to face the men. Geoffrey is holding Dean’s hands in his. This image makes Melissa smile; it couldn’t be any more perfect. “Geoffrey, can you tell my viewers about the first time you met Dean.”

“I, ah, I got a job helping out at the Northeast Camp…um, trying to make some money to help pay for my tuition. I, ah, well, um, I wanted to do something to help. I thought this might…was…ah, a good thing.”

Melissa smiles. “That’s really good,” she says encouragingly. “But what my viewers really want to know is how the two of you met.”

Dean stares at his hands. He remembers exactly how he and Geoffrey met. Weller had decided it was time for Dean to have sex, and this time he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Geoffrey walked in on them by accident. If it hadn’t been for Geoffrey Hunter, Gideon Weller would have raped Dean.

Geoffrey answers for them both. “The first time I saw Dean, he was standing in line at the camp cafeteria. I watched him fill up his tray; he sure could eat a lot back then! And the way he walked over to his table really captured my attention. Something about Dean reminded me of a Bengali tiger. His brown curly hair had been left unattended, and I hate to say it, but that unruly look really suited him. I was instantly attracted to the man.”

“How romantic.”

“Dean, when did you discover that you loved Geoffrey?”

Speaking into his hands, Dean says, “When he said he would never—never force me—and—and I—I—knew I could trust him—that he wouldn’t—make me.”

“Oh, my,” Melissa expresses concern. “You’re crying.”

“It’s a very emotional experience for both of us,” Geoffrey explains.

“I see.” Tilting her head slightly, hoping to make eye contact with Dean, Melissa presses him with another question. “So, Dean, you must be very grateful to the Northeast Reeducation Camp since it brought you and your husband together.”

Dean shudders, his shoulders heave. “I can’t do this…” His head shakes. Geoffrey releases Dean’s hands and wraps him in an embrace. “It’s all right, Dean; everything’s all right.”

“I can’t, Geoffrey…I can’t…I can’t say I’m grateful to those bastards for anything! Not even for you. I love you…but I can’t.”

Geoffrey continues to soothe Dean as he sobs. At one point, the two men kiss—a spontaneous act for which Melissa Eagleton is grateful. There is very little of this interview she can use. Pondering the situation, she realizes this will not be a
Salve! Interview Special
. It will have to be a regular
Salve!
, but with a twist. Her mind works quickly to redesign the show meant to air that very evening.
I’ll have the wall screen showing excerpts of their interview
. Considering her options,
At least there’s the bit where Geoffrey Hunter explains why he got a job there, his first impression of Dean and their kiss. No wait
, she remembers,
Dean does say “I love you.”
With a little creative editing, she realizes they can use that, too. The rest she will simply have to invent. Turning to face her camera crew, Melissa Eagleton signals for them to stop filming.