Author's Note: So, who do you think this ghost is, about to spook Joel, before Mortimer intervenes? Or for that matter why was he about to do it? Who is the old woman ghost? What Mortimer said was for the benefit of the teens why he could not adopt them, is true, but do you think he will be able to get his hands on this device, if not, him, who then?
Getting Down To It
As soon as they reached the graveyard in sight, "See Mortimer anywhere," Quincy asked.
"Umm, nope, uh but that's his car, for sure, so he's got to be here somewhere."
As they got closer Joel spotted the restrooms, "I'm gonna go wash-up," heading to the men's side already.
"Aside from your clothes a bit, you don't look that dirty to me," George reasoned.
"I feel a bit grungy okay, besides my glasses need rinsing off. Go find him I'll be out in a bit." He was quite fine with his siblings seeing them as of course they already knew and not to say too much about it, least they get snapped at, or worse. It was dark out enough no one should notice and Joel kept his head down if there was anyone walking by so they didn't notice them as they walked by. Strolling into the men's side he heard urinating in the toilet, someone was in here, as he grimaced, his eyes were exposed, as the Local Slob was just finishing up in there. He could stand an empty out while he was in here too, after holding it in for so long, he could feel it; that had a strained bladder, since it was kind of hurting. Now he would probably need to go more frequently for day or two until it settled back down. He was already feeling a bit on the full side, not a very fun price to pay, at all, to hold it in until you're practically wetting yourself. Just for next time, if he had to hold it in for whatever reason, he would not, if it could at all be avoided. For now, all his glasses needed were a quick rinse off as of right now he needed them on, as he had self-esteem issues with people seeing his eyes. Just knowing someone was in the toilet half of the washroom, Joel quickly rinsed his sunglasses off and put them back on no matter if they were still wet and still dirty. Once whoever left, he could give his full attentions to giving them a good proper cleaning. Besides the sound of the water tap was making him need to go worse as he gave his sunglasses a very quick rinse off and two quick shakes and put them back on before the guy walked out of the toilet half of the washroom and saw them. "Huh I wonder if you put it up or leave it down when you go, hmm, probably up. Uh I got a stupid sounding yet, serious, question to ask you. How do you pee standing up, in there?"
"Uh you mean when you use a toilet?"
"Uh-hmm, yeah how do you pee…"
"You're in diapers, still, you don't know how to use a…"
"No! Yes, I'm toilet trained. I know how to use toilet, sitting, only. Sorry, this sounds like a stupid question, I know, but what do you do? This will be my second time going standing up, my first time wasn't at a toilet. So uh, seat up, or seat down? I honestly don't know, I always sat at the toilet for whatever I had to do. I just learned how to go standing up, so wanted want to try it again."
He only raised an eyebrow at him but he answered the question, "Seat up, if so inclined you put it down, when done, or leave it up, like I did, unless you're a prissy boy, or neat freak boy; let's see," and cuts one.
Joel wasn't a neat freak, nor a slob, smack in the middle, for that, yes, he was on the serious side, but not as neat as Kenneth is, so farts were still funny to him. However, he had something to say about how it sounded to him! Joel was a critique of the sounds of farts. He was mostly laughing about just how pathetic of a sound he made, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ohh, oh that was so pathetic, ohh gross, sad really. That was so tuneless and flat, oh my two sisters, fart, with more intensity, and more music in their cheeks. I honestly, must say, your fart, if it sounded anything, minuscule, like music, or an instrument, that came reasonably close to a snare drum being smashed or a stuck horn. I don't know what's worse, that or the smell, get out of here, you stink, and I don't mean just your fart. You know I do know what is, worse, the sound stinks worse than your fart; it was way more offensive than the stink you generated."
Local Slob didn't know if he should be insulted or not, no one commented on how it sounded usually just how bad it stunk! "Guess you're not so much, or a prissy boy in one way, there's hope for you yet, I suppose."
"Oh, gross," holding his nose and gaging a bit, that fart was pretty rank, nothing compared to Kenneth's when he let one rip, after holding it in for a while and secretly letting it go, but at least he wasn't holding his breath only his nose. "Okay I can do this," he told himself stepping up to the toilet putting his glassed up to his head after the air cleared some and looked at the mess. Joel was glad that he was able to do this standing up, as he looked at the toilet and cringed at the sight! That slob left the toilet in a bit of a mess. He went all over the rim it was splattered everywhere, and a bit of a puddle on the floor, by the looks of it he didn't even attempt to aim, or purposely went all over the toilet rim, and, to top it off, he didn't even flush it. "Oh what a pig, oh, that's so gross. Maybe I shouldn't have asked him for help, oh gosh, gross, I'm not that neat, but that's just disgusting." He had to go, but after being so used to sitting at a toilet, he ran into a big problem as he stood there for well over a minute or more relaxing and waiting, still nothing, after bit, he got frustrated, was it supposed to take this long to pee standing up, I think not! If it did, he was sticking to sitting, well at least there was toilet paper here for after he was done finally peeing, if it ever comes out that is! "Come on, get out, out, come out, o-o-u-u-t-t, p-e-e-e-e," and chuckled to himself as he sighed, as he gave it a little while longer to come out on his own, or he would 'force it out' by. "Oh uhh, even pushing it out isn't helping I just can't go. Okay, that isn't working so time for the good old potty pee cue. Guess I'm not used to this standing to pee business, after all, I'm all locked up. Come on Joel go pee already, pssss, pssss, pssss, pssss, pee, go pee, pssss, pssss, pssss, oh hmm, hmm, hmm, pssss, ah oh yes there we go, pee finally, a bit, pssss," slowly very slowly at first trickling away, only about halfway through did it flow a bit normally that he finished. This was just ridiculous having to wait that long to pee, and though he knew he had a hurt bladder, he knew that took way longer than it should have. But he also had to wonder maybe it was just the mess and that fact he didn't have his glasses on. One more try at least he would give this to see if it was an issue with not liking a dirty toilet and or not having his sunglasses on, or something else. Well he would get his chance.
He was not playing poker, watching TV, or reading a book in that room, or wandering around, so that left the far room, ah yes there he was finishing grilling up a batch of hamburgers. "Ohh wow that smells so yummy," he was practically drooling already, that was the first decent smelling food he smelled in a long time. "If even half of the food you cook smells as good as that, I'll be happy living in your place, finally, a decent meal, for once, in a long time."
Quickly finishing them up Mortimer plated up the burgers and set them on the table and didn't know if he should dare try to hug the teen, or not. But went with the flow George told him what was acceptable with him right about now, obviously business before pleasure, as he got the formalities over with first, before getting down to business and more importantly eating. "George you made it and these must be your brothers and sisters. So uh…"
"Okay in age order, this is Rebecca, she's the oldest," the Asian looking looped hair girl almost did a curtsey as she shook hands with Mortimer.
"It's very nice to meet you, young lady."
"A pleasure," she smiled.
"Second is Kathy, she loves hats as you can see."
"I'm always looking for a new one, pleasure to meet you."
"Ha, ha, and they look good on you, the pleasure is all mine my dear."
"Joel is the oldest boy but uhh…"
Looking around, then panicking, "Oh no, he, where is he?"
"He's in the bathroom right now."
Well that was a relief, he was worried there for a second, that something bad happened to him, then realized, bathroom, oh no, he didn't, "He held it all the way here? Yikes, no wonder why he's in the bathroom, oh my."
"Ha, ha, ha, no, he peed long before we left, and praise God got over his acrophobia with it and learned how to pee standing up for the first time, as well."
"That's wonderful to hear! So, he's going again then, maybe? I can imagine his bladder might be a bit upset for a day or two if it got a bit on the strained side, if he was extremely desperate."
"He said he wanted to get wash-up, guess he got a little dirty working through a few things, but yeah he might be going again, you might be right about that, he was very desperate, mostly he needed to get his glasses washed off."
"Ah yes of course, have to keep those clean."
Well he would find out shortly, they weren't vision or sight problem glasses, just cool shades, type sunglasses, "Anyhow I'm the next oldest boy, Quincy is the second to last."
"A pleasure," happy to meet him, and quickly catching onto his fist tap handshake, "oh like this, ha, ha. So, this young fellow is?"
"He's our baby brother, Kenneth," George told Mortimer who was already greeting him with a firm handshake and a warm smile.
"My goodness, nice to meet you all, well I'll see Joel in a minute or two. My, you are all very cute and handsome."
Blushing a bit, "Well so is Joel too, but uhh, he's busy, but yeah he's cute too, we're all cute," George squeak pitches. A bit embarrassed he mostly covered his nose and he shook his head smiling.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, oh great, just think, in a few years I'm going to be looking forward to that," Kenneth chucked, waving his hand down laughing about it some more, now that he saw how silly he had been, and had nothing, not a thing, to worry about, as far as that went or was concerned.
"You and me both little bro, I think we all need a little birds and the bees chat pretty quickly here though, regardless, how much we know, or rather don't know."
"Actually, I meant to have that talk with my son and our supposed new arrival so yes, we'll get to that either tonight or sometime tomorrow, the next day at the latest. Oh yes; I remember those days. Well. Acne, growth spurts, sudden voice pitches and changes, hair, in unusual places."
"I wished someone warned me about that, I thought something was terribly wrong with me, and my uh…it has a mind of its own, and at night don't go there."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, I'm afraid that's a lifelong problem, my boy, you're going have to deal with like girls have to deal with their menstrual cycle boys have to deal with their own set of problems, such as you speak of."
"Menstrual cycle, what's that?"
"He really is too cute when he doesn't know," Kathy chuckles. "About once each month we bleed a bit, it's just part of being a woman."
Quite horrified sounding, "You, bleed, oh no, where?! Does it hurt; are you okay, when it does happen to you?"
Kathy was cherishing his innocence and concern, "Just fine, sometimes a little cramping but it's nothing worrisome, oh you're so cute when you're all worried," kissing his head while hug squeezing him a bit.
"I hate being a Pleasure Aspiration, I feel so stupid, at times, with this Aspiration. It makes me feel dumber the longer I have it."
"Another thing we all have to deal with I guess. We all wound up getting stuck with it, with the Pleasure Aspiration, sigh, most days it's okay but like Kenneth said, not always pleasurable to have," Quincy sighed again.
"Well at least we can deal with it as a family," Kathy sighed a bit.
"Well I'm glad to see you seem to be getting back to your old loving selves, George mentioned you weren't really able to show much affection before, while you were in the orphanage, you have to keep it to, secret kisses, and private hugs, usually at night."
"Yeah, it was so lonely, we were so tight, but through this, we all recaptured that love, we're all working on tightening and strengthening the bonds again," Kathy nodded.
"Well I hope so." He was going to mention it but that could be done any time, he was getting a bit concerned. "Why don't you start on those burgers, you all look a little more than hungry practically drooling while I go check on Joel. I have to grab another pack of buns and patties from my car anyhow in case any of you want seconds. After you've eaten we can get right down to it."
"Seconds," they all asked confused, that was pretty much a brand-new word for them all, Joel included if he had heard it.
"Yeah, you don't know what seconds are, a second helping, you know; if you're still hungry, you can get another helping of whatever, food, if you're still hungry."
"We're lucky if we got more than one or two meals a day, let alone a decent one. Uh the only decent meals we got were in school," Quincy points out, as they all started grabbing a plate of food and made sure to set the last one aside for Joel.
"Oh my, well eat up, you must all be starving, I'll throw another batch on the grill." Mortimer was horrified to hear that they were always nearly starving, that was evidence enough just hearing that, as he headed off towards the restroom and his car. On the way he spotted a ghost just coming out and haunt wandering the grounds. He wandered partly off in that direction but still headed to his car and the restroom to see what was keeping Joel. "I can't believe what Social Services do to those kids," he said as a man waked by him overhearing him as he headed to where he was smelling the wafting odder of yummy food coming from.
Joel in addition to washing his sunglasses off properly with soap and warm water washed up his hands thoroughly after using the toilet. He then ran a sponge under his sweaty pits, but not taking a full sponge bath. Before exiting the restroom, with hot water he re-rinsed his glasses, to make sure he got all the soap off noticing the streaks or small scratches. In the daytime, he would have to check that to see for sure if they were scratches and if so if he needed to get new sunglasses now. Like the others, he was quite hungry but he was used to it by now, never having enough to eat, or at least proper meals. He would have done what he normally did when he got very hungry and no meal coming, drink back at least 2 glasses of water, or like he had, 4 of them, before that mess of being stuck with a full bladder, so his belly felt full, so hence why he got into that big bathroom emergency situation in the first place. "Oh, I'm starving," he sighed not wanting to upset his bladder, again, by drinking so much water, and skipping it altogether. Headed out the bathroom door, he wandered off glancing down, as he shook his glasses a bit and got some of the water droplets off them. Using his clean undershirt bottom to dry off the rest, as he shuffled off, pausing slightly on and off, not seeing where he was going, or worse, what was approaching him.
Mortimer did, however, see it, he knew that had to be Joel, and by the looks of things, he was going to be in big trouble if he didn't intervene, trouble was coming toward him full steam. Knowing they were all or had all been forced to take Pleasure, that meant one thing. Even when he ran over there and Joel slipped on his glasses he still didn't see it coming, mainly because it had gone invisible and he was about to strike his victim, so Mortimer intervened! "Look out, get out of the way, Joel!" He ran over and pushed him slightly to get him out of the way and screamed loudly, "God, don't let him do it, tell him, me, not him, tell him to get me, spook me, not him, aahaa! Ohh thank you, you spooked me not him, ohh, thank You God, wow that was so close."
"What just happened, why did you push me down like that, there was nothing in my way, was there," he asked a bit confused and he was given a hand to stand up.
"A ghost, I think he was going to spook you, he was going right towards you. Your sibling uh, Quincy, mentioned you are all Pleasure Aspirations, that would have given you a bad memory if that ghost spooked you. Besides, honestly, I had the want to see a ghost."
Joel knew not only recognizing his voice but mostly his kindness, "Mortimer, thanks, ha, ha, yes I would have, gotten a bad memory for that, true, but I don't see the ghost you speak of, where is he?"
"Believe me I have loads of experience with ghosts, I have lots in my backyard, my parents and my long-lost wife's parents. Anyhow, you can't see him now, as soon as a ghost gets ready to spook, they go fully invisible, and after spook revealing themselves, they stay invisible for a time, before they partly reappear again. If you do make them out and not all can, but if you can, you will see them just floating around. Mostly you sense it, before you really see it. Some are more sensitive and can pick it up better or quicker than others, some, not at all, until it's too late."
"Oh thanks so much, you must be a Knowledge Aspiration then, so I guess that jumped your Aspiration up some."
"Quite, yes, and yes I am, and I just rerolled the same want, which is fortunate, there's another one out, a female elder," spotting her coming out of the tombstone and pointed to it. "There she is, she just came out of her gravestone now, over there," pointing over to where the very nicely decorated and gated sectioned off spot was. "Watch the gate, she's going out of it, I think, do you see her?"
Lifting up his glasses, it was harder to make her out with them on, but it was eerie watching the gate open up and close seemingly by itself but he did see her once she wasn't against the lamp light, she was a little easier to spot. "Shouldn't be wearing my shades at night I guess, but yeah I do, I wonder who she is. She seems, so sad. I wonder if…couldn't be, can it, maybe…" Of course, he knew daddy was resting here, they all knew, but he wondered at times, who the rest are, or were.
"Well, whoever she is, she seems to be heading off in this direction too, so maybe uhh, go get something to eat, if there's a plate left, I made hamburgers. Go on, before she decides to make you her spook victim."
"Oooh food," Joel took right off, didn't have to tell him twice!
"Joel," they all chorused as soon as he ran in.
"Saved you a plate, chow down man," Quincy said handing over the plate he had saved from an upset man, wanting a hamburger.
"Saved me a plate, thanks," he said walking over about to take it.
"Yeah saved it from him, he wanted it, bad, but we told him there was a starving teenager who needed it way more than he did."
"Is that true," the brown-haired brown-eyed man asked folding his arms over, very suspicious, especially after overhearing what Mortimer had said about these kids, "are you really starving, or just saying that, I think I need to know, are you?"
"Yes, very much so," as if on cue his stomach growled loudly again, as Joel put his hand there "see no joke, give me that," taking the plate his brother kept safe or rather saved for him, and plopped down on the couch and ravenously started devouring it.
He had been watching all the teens devouring the hamburgers, not normally, like hollow legged teens, like to gobble down the food, but this looked like they hadn't actually eaten or seen food in quite some time, this was intense, like hungry dogs, after a raw bone or meat, but civilized, quite civilized. It confirmed, pretty much in his mind, what he overheard Mortimer say, and what he suspected; now he just needed a confession out of one of them. "I think I would like to know why you are all so hungry, like you are."
George suddenly got suspiciously defensive, "It's none of your business, especially if you're a male Social Worker, now, beat it."
"No, but I am a cop, name's John Burb, and I would like to know why you were all so hungry; you look like you haven't eaten, or at least not properly in days." The room fell silent, dead silent. "I see, so that is the case. Do the Social Workers do that to you, starve you, or not feed you properly?" The siblings looked at each other, making eye contact only, questioning each other, if it was okay with them, and the others, to tell him, to let him know. "I would like an answer please."
"Show me your badge first, if you got one," George knew a forgery when he seen one, usually.
John had no problem with that, and he gladly handed over his badge, and watched as George thoroughly examined it, as Mortimer returned, with more burger patties, as well as hotdogs, and buns. "Well he seems legit, he's not a higher up cop yet, but he is in the precinct, we were gonna have to call the cops or get the police involved anyhow. I guess you'll do, for now," giving him back his badge.
"Did you want a hamburger, or hotdog?"
"Yes, a hamburger, please, they're my favorite."
"Can it wait; I was going to put on a batch of hotdogs for the kids, so they can try both and then another batch of burgers, if they were still hungry," already getting the hotdogs sizzling on the grill.
"I can wait, yeah, but I can't wait for the answer, now do you mind telling me?"
"In a word, yes, if you need the evidence, we got it, lots of it," George admitted.
"Unbelievable," he said, but he did believe them, despite what he had said, "God-forbid if I ever lose Lucy or any other child to them, if that's what happens to them. I'm already trying to get my wife Jennifer, to agree to have another child."
That name rang a bell, but it had been so long, "Hmm aren't you related to the Pleasant's?"
"Yes, I'm Angela and Lilith's uncle, Daniel Pleasant is my wife's older brother."
"Ah yes, I remember now, right, back in Old Town, I knew I knew you from somewhere, so uh, little Johnny Burb right?"
"Oh I haven't been called that in ages, even my wife doesn't call me that, just John now." John, already giggling about hearing his old nickname, busted out in a belly laugh when George belched four times in a row. "What was that about?"
"That's disgusting."
"Hey, in some places, they consider that a compliment," George tried to excuse his burps, aside from what he was actually trying to do.
"Yeah where I come from, so my," belching out a long burp, Rebecca smiled, "to the cook."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, okay, thank you, I'll take that as a compliment, you really liked the food."
"I almost got it, though didn't I, did I get it?"
Joel nodded, "Pretty close, yup, little more wind and you can get the whole thing, pretty good though, not bad for an amateur. Like this," perfectly belching out the tune that George was trying to do. He even managed to extend it to the next line in the song. Maybe all that breath holding had done him some good; he had great control over his windpipes, or rather his belching.
"Nice!" Even the other siblings applauded his belching even neat freak Kenneth was impressed.
Mortimer was shocked; he recognized that tune, "Joel, was that…Beethoven?" trying hard not to laugh at the gassy teen, but that was some talent he had.
"Yes it was; I love the classics. I only heard it a couple times, but I loved it, what I heard."
"Remember back when we were tots, when we used to get the chance to go to the park and go into town we always asked daddy, please, please can we have some beans can you get us some beans?"
"Oh yeah, how could I forget, that's how I developed my musical farting abilities."
They all chorused in, "Beans, beans, they're good for your heart, the more you eat the more you fart, the more you fart, the better you feel, so let's have beans for every meal! So please, daddy, buy us some beans for our next meal!"
"Always worked," George reminisced, "we always got our beans."
"Oh as much as I hated the aftereffect, the cramping and farting, I have to admit it, Joel can toot musically, you should hear him, how well he can fart out Beethoven's 5th Symphony; it's really quite something." As much as Kenneth hated burps, and farts, and thought that, they were so disgusting, and really didn't have any place especially at the dinner table. However, this, was the only thing that made him change his tune about them, he couldn't say anything bad about it, his brother's musical farting and belching abilities, that really was impressive, especially that he could, fart, Beethoven's 5th.
Getting up, "Want me to…"
"No, no, I believe you, maybe later, when we're not eating you can demonstrate that."
A bit disappointed he couldn't show it off, "I'll save them up for later and put on a concert."
"I think you found your talent there though for sure," John said watching as the hotdogs finished plumping and were plated up. He was still waiting for the hamburgers to be cooked, but those sure did smell good. Mortimer put the burger patties on the grill, and let the hotdogs cool off some, before he served them to the teens while they all finished up eating the last few bites of their burgers.
"My talent, what, my farting abilities, what about them, that's no talent. I fart, everyone farts, even Kenneth who is total neat freak, farts; he's just more secretive about it, when he does it, or doesn't usually do it around us, when he lets one rip. But when he lets them go, whoo, boy, they nearly knock you out. Do us a solid, fart when you got to, we don't mind, it's funny. Better out than holding it in," lifting his butt up a bit and tooting the famous tune the first bit, the da-da-da da-a-a bit! "Excuse me, but that was from the heart, and came out as a fart. See, sorry, couldn't hold that in, had to give you a little concert from my horn section," seeking a bit of approval, and also trying his best to make a good impression and win over Mortimer, if this was something he might like or enjoy or even find funny. Mortimer did smile and laugh about it, so it was a good start he figured.
"Ha, ha, ha, well being able to fart Beethoven's 5th is very impressive, but I meant your natural talent, you have, it's probably that, Music, we all have one, mines Nature, I loved it since I was a boy, only now recently since we got hobbies to pursue, have I discovered that's why."
"You mean you like being outdoors a lot," George asked, a tad ignorant as they all were on this whole hobby business and their One True Hobby. Being sheltered if you could even call it that living in the orphanage, they weren't able to discover their One True Hobby or really knew what it was, so they were all completely naive on this, in the way they perceived the conversation.
"Love it, can't get enough of it, and can't keep me cooped up for long I have to get outside and be in the fresh air."
"Ah a fellow Nature lover, my son, and I, both share the same hobby. I do so love digging out in the garden, and tending the trees, the fresh fruit, and vegetables."
"Oh me too, I'm just like that too! Oh, I love fresh fruit, and vegetables, I grew up on that, I'm practically a vegetarian. So do you like popping a squat out in nature too?" Still not getting this whole hobby business John was hint guessing the two brothers hobbies.
"What?"
"You know, going in nature, going the natural way."
"What?"
"He means going caca outside squatting, you know, like going in a bush or in a hole you dig or something," Joel explained.
"Uh, I haven't tried it, but, really, I mean, unless it's an emergency…I mean if I'm out on a case I suppose if I have to go, and there's not toilet nearby I'll wee in a bush but you don't mean…actually."
"Yes, the other end too. No just go when you have to go, just dig a little hole and squat over it, and go in it, burry it, or find a bush or lots of leaves, but cover it up after you go, so there's no mess."
"Uhh, ugh, I don't know about that, that sounds like that's just going be a big mess to clean or rather wipe up."
Joel got right in this discussion as well, "Wipe nothing, you don't even need to wipe more than once if at all, all the times I've did that I never had to worry about it, if it's really messy or squishy one, maybe, but I sit on the toilet if I get the runs, but no, normal caca, it just slides right out, clean as can be, you usually don't ever need to wipe. If you sit on a toilet and do that then yes you have to wipe."
John was still disbelieving this was a good idea to do, "So, it slides right out, huh, cleanly?"
"Yes, that's the way we were meant to do it, it's scientifically sound, you look at your anatomy, the way you were made; you're meant to poo in the squatting position. Joel is right it easily comes out right out with little to no effort on your part," even Kenneth was getting in on it from his perspective.
"Squatting huh, well, I guess I can consider it fertilizer, I can pop a new bush into the hole that I made, after I'm done, if try that, I can put a bush overtop of, it, I mean fertilizer is just…"
"Great idea," George sequel screeched out, "yes, giving back to nature, it's your duty to make doodie and help the plants grow. Our daddy used to tell us to do that all the time, caca, and pee-pee by or on the fruit trees to help them grow, it's food for them, in turn, they will give you food back. So that is exactly what we did, the fruit trees were our potties, we squat by them and go. Or daddy would dig a hole by the tree and let us fill it up before it was covered up with dirt. The tress did give us back lots of apples, we all love apples, and there was oranges, yummy, and lemons, we even planted fruits, and veggies, in the ground, and we got them to all grow very fast for us, when we uh, you know, to help them grow."
Mortimer chuckled; my, they must all have some stories to tell. He had to wonder why even at their age why did they still call him daddy, oh sure it was not unheard of that teenagers would call their father daddy, usually out of affection and love. Usually though, it was the daughters, who kept it up mostly, not usually sons. Mortimer had to wonder about that. It could be that they were just all a tad on the immature side both mentally and somewhat physically. "We used to sometimes use chamber pots back in my day, yes, I must say compared to sitting on the toilet the times that I did get away with squatting over one I did find it was quiet easy to defecate. I might have to try that out. Now if you can all manage to eat anything more after all this, bathroom talk, give me your plates if you're all done, and you can all have a hotdog," one by one they got their empty plates replaced with a full one, a hotdog to eat, and soon were all having seconds. Yes, for once in all their lives all of them had a second helping. Finally, since they had been taken back by Social Services, they were actually, nice and full, or getting there, as they ate their hotdogs. Mortimer and John grabbed a hamburger each, leaving the rest for the teens if they wanted/needed thirds or anyone else who wanted them. "After we all finish eating we can get down to business here, I'm sure you can help, and you'll probably be in a position for a promotion I'm sure after all this."
"Oh yes, sounds great, just what I need a promotion or two. Jennifer wanted to make sure we were financially stable before we get down to even thinking about having another baby, but I just can't wait that long you know. It was the whole reason why I moved to Pleasantview to make a good home for my child and future children. Only Jennifer doesn't seem too keen on the idea, at all, all she wants to do is make money, not stop to have another child."
"Well, there might be a compromise then for you here, however with warning caution not to get too attached. I can't imagine that it will be 100% for sure, that you will be able to keep it, but there is a good chance you will be able to have a baby, toddler, a child, or even teenager, by the end of the night, or by tomorrow, to look after. Also, if you're willing to adopt, that would be great. However, I must say I wouldn't recommend you do make it official, there is a very strong possibility that they will find their real homes once I make my discovery, if not before then, if they weren't drugged. But for all the ones who don't find their real home, or never really had one to begin with, they will need a good home, a forever home."
John was ecstatic, adoption was way better than having their own child, right about now, what with Jennifer not too keen on stopping working to bother birthing another child of their own, this would be the perfect solution to the want he had of having another child! "I don't care; I would love to adopt or even foster a child or yes a few children, until they find their real home or families or in the case of real orphans, a forever home, to make mine theirs. Yes! It would give me no greater pleasure or joy to do that! So what's going on?"
"It's the Social Services they drug kids and well the kids here got me all the evidence you will need to press charges and make arrests. The place will need to be raided."
"Is it that bad," George nodded his head, and the others too nodded it was that bad worse even.
"What," Mortimer asked, as George stuck out his pinky, then realized.
Pinkies entwined, "Pinkie promise made and pinky promise kept, we got you everything, the memory erasing drug or potion and the recipe how to make it, and some other drug, and lots and lots of evidence of the cruelty of the Social Services and Workers do to the kids in their so-called care. Now your half of the bargain; we all get a forever home with you, we keep our memories intact, and we get you as our new dad, maybe a mom too."
"Whoa, uhh about that, that last bit, wasn't part of the promise, I never promised you that, that I would adopt you, if that's what you mean or are asking me, I can't, I won't."
The pinkie grip became a death grip, and his voice went angrily low, "But you, you, promised, me and my siblings…are you, breaking your pinky promise to me, to my siblings, how dare you! If I'm, or we're just a pawn in this game of yours, you will be sorry, very sorry, you promised us…"
"Yes I promised you all a home with me, as long as I live or you wanted it for or for that matter need it for. Considering I'm assuming will you all go to College, you'll only need it until you become Young Adults. But I can't, I wouldn't, and did not promise you, I would adopt you, I can't. I can be like your adoptive dad, I can care for you, look after you all, be your spiritual father, be like the daddy you need, in all those senses, I can be your father, but on paper as far as a legal adoption goes, no, I'm sorry, I can't adopt you, that's the one thing I just can't do."
Joel was absolutely furious with him, as he stood up quickly, "I can't believe you! Is there not enough room, is that the problem, is that why can't take us all in? Or don't you love us? We'll grow on you, I'm sure of it. We have our problems yes but we're not bad kids, you need to give us a chance, to prove that to you, we only need a chance!" he said sharply, sadly, another big disappointment, again, he put himself out there, and what did it get him; hurt, again.
"You know, I'm sure, that 8 in a household rule, has been outlawed, for quite some time now, especially considering the crowded orphanages, no, it has nothing to do with that, or any lack of love. On the contrary, it is the love that makes this imposable for me to do. When George told me you had an adoptive daddy, I knew, no matter how I helped you out, I would not be able to do it, adopt you at all, I can't do it. Like Cindy, you belong to and with your adopted daddy wherever and whoever he is. Is he just in jail maybe? Maybe John can help him get out of jail, if the charges aren't bad."
"You can, adopt us, he's not in jail, he's right here, he's here, he's dead," George squeaked out nearly crying. "Why do you think I or we wanted to meet up here with you? He rests here. Jonathan, or Jon Smith Tricou, rests here. I think along with the rest of his family. Possibly ours as well, he did tell us a few times we had other family waiting to meet us, when it was safe to go back home with him to our physical building home."
"I'm so sorry, but even still, I can't I won't do it." He said the only wise thing he could think of at the time, "I can't and won't breakup your family tree like that, it's not right, you've all been through enough in your lifetime without me adding to it, more unneeded complications to it. I love you all, in my heart, to know this is what's for the best, what's right, for you all, it has to be this way. I'm sorry if it hurts you, I never intended to hurt you like this, to get your hopes up and dash them, but I'm sure you will see, it is for the best, it stays this way."
Joel looked about ready to throw a fit of anger and cry, but tearing over George only shook his head, "No, don't be upset, he's right, he didn't, he never did promise me or us that, just a home. I just assumed the adoption was part of the package. It was my bad, for getting our hopes up, we would all be adopted, not his. Isn't that what you wanted, though, a home, a place to go home to; a safe home to go home to?"
"Yeah, but I also want a family too," Joel whined a bit, as he sniffled a bit pouting about it.
"You're always got, and are, stuck with us."
Joel brightened up and chuckled, letting his disappointment go, "That I'm grateful for."
"So, no hard feelings I get to keep my pinkie?"
"Yeah no hard feelings you never did promise us that, a home a safe home, good food, clothing, shelter, guidance, a unofficial dad, or better yet a spiritual one and most importantly, all our memories intact. It's more than we can ask for right now," releasing his grip on his pinkie. Digging in his pocket, he gave back Mortimer's cell phone. "Here is your cell phone back."
"Thanks, and honestly, George, if that had come up if you had mentioned it, adoption, I would have flat out told you what I did, no; I can't do it. However, I can do something much better, than me adopting you all, I might be able to help bring him back for you."
"Pfffft, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, you're crazy, that's crazy talk; you can't bring someone back from the dead, can you?"
"Well God did raise Jesus from the dead, and Jesus did raise Lazarus from the dead, along with many others, nothing is imposable for God. I have heard of a device, which can do just that, to resurrect a Sim from the dead. I have no idea what is called, but can look into it, to try get it."
"You're going to need it for more than a few Sims, besides just these kids, if you do find one of these so-called resurrection devices."
"Oh yes, I would bring my and Bella's family back, in fact if Bella is dead I can bring her back. I also know that Darren Dreamer's wife, my daughter's best friend lost his wife, so I'm sure he and his son would be more than apperceive I help them out to bring her back. I just hope Cassie will forgive me. I think if things don't work out with Don, I know she will go running to him as soon as things fall apart. I do not mean to speak ill will but this is just what I see, and well Dina will get her husband back too. This works out for all of us, if I can somehow get my hands on that device."
"Yes I'm sure it will, in fact I too know of one family who has a dead father and husband, still don't know to this day how Skip was killed. It's been a mystery around all the police officers, working to try figure it out, how or why he died, or who killed him. But if he's raised he can tell us who killed him, or if it was just an unfortunate accident, which ended his life."
Kenneth knew that name, his 'friend' really more than an acquaintance he was right now, but he did desire they do become friends, had mentioned his dad when, "Broke, you mean Skip Broke?" John nodded, "I know Dustin, yeah he's my uh, partner in crime," he said quietly.
"Coworker or…"
"No I mean that literally. It wasn't intentional though. I had to get a job; the Social Workers had forced us all to get a job, when we grew up. So when I became a teenager, I had to get myself a job, or I wasn't allowed back in, I had to sleep outside and no food. So I looked through the want ads, there was this ad for easy work, good pay, and adventure along the way. Sounded good, so I phoned the number and the guy met with me and said I was just what he was looking for, so he hired me on the spot, not telling me what my new job was or what I was in for. Gordon picked me up the next day and I found out. I was not thrilled with the idea, to say the least. Likewise Dustin wasn't happy either he said even if his dad Skip was a criminal he could never be one, he wouldn't, he couldn't do it. He was not raised that way to deify God and be evil like Gordon is, and rob people. He told Gordon right then and there I quit, go find yourself another lackey, he wouldn't do it. That's when I realized that I wasn't getting out of this job, and to keep my mouth, shut, otherwise, I would face the same thing, he did."
"Which was?"
"Watch the tape, what the Social Worker did to that little boy was pretty much what was done to Dustin, he wanted to quit, but he couldn't, he didn't, he was made to comply, or next time, it would be worse. I kept my mouth shut and did my job, as much as I disliked it, I did it, I picked locks, broke into things, I do bad things, but I don't want to do it. I just don't want to get, beaten, like he did," he groaned at himself that he blurted that out.
"Oh God," Joel whimpers. "If you had got beaten by him, I would have found and gotten that gun and shot him for that! I'm furious!"
"Joel, it was my mistake, okay, you didn't make it, I made it, it was me, I did it; I made it, the mistake, not you. Don't get angry at me for that. I should have asked what I would be doing for work. Likewise I think Dustin was the same, he didn't know or ask, let alone find out until it was too late to get out of it. Only he paid the price."
"It doesn't make it right though! It's child abuse! I don't care if you're a teenager or not it's still child abuse! I'm not angry at all with you, for making that mistake; Lord knows; I've done my share of bad and stupid things too! I'm ticked off at the fact he would actually beat up a child, teen or not! I can only imagine what their family must be dealing with right now, let alone if they even know."
"I will look right into that; in a case like this, I think police protective services are needed."
"You mean they have to move?"
"Yes, to a new safe home until the danger has passed. In a case of child abuse and your brother is right it is no different if it is a teenager involved in it, or a young child, it is still child abuse, the child, or family is taken to a safe home, and monitored for their protection, until arrests and charges can be laid on the guilty parties. Don't feel badly, you made a mistake, but you did the right thing, by telling someone, and you can very well be saving one or more lives, by admitting that. Now they will get all the protection they need. It could have very well been Gordon who killed Skip Broke, if he killed him; then he could easily go after the rest of them, if he had a grudge against them. You did the right thing."
"I suppose so, I suppose I did, I just hope he doesn't get into trouble for it, because of me."
"Why would he be in trouble for that, because of you?"
"Oh you know; his mother might be quite angry with him for being a criminal and for doing bad things, that he got that job and that I told you about this. I'm sure he won't be happy with me for this, and I wanted to try being his friend, now I don't think that will happen."
"Well no you did the right thing, I'm sure she will be, grateful, to you, that you stepped up and said something for someone who, maybe couldn't say anything, or more likely was too afraid to is what I mean. Besides, as you said, if it wasn't intentional, in Dustin's case as is yours, then she shouldn't be upset with him, really at all or not much. In the end, I'm sure that Dustin might even appreciate that you stepped up and stepped in where he couldn't or was too afraid to go. Doesn't look like you brother is too upset with you, and likewise I don't think Dustin or his mother will be upset at all with you, for doing the right thing and admitting this, you'll see."
"Nope, I'm just ticked off at this Gordon goon, for messing with my family, not happy. I won't put up with it. I want him behind bars. Not just for our family, but more for Dustin and their family, and maybe bring some peace to his family and their dead dad."
Now Mortimer had to ask, "So I notice you all seem to refer to your father as daddy, why is that, you seem to be well past the age by now that it should just be dad you call him, but you seem to call other Sim's parents dad, mom, or mother, father, but your own parent, daddy."
Kathy laughed, "He's our daddy, what's more to say.
"Yeah we love our daddy," Kenneth nodded.
"Respect, yo, and besides he told us to call him that," Quincy explained. "When some of us were children, we started calling him, dad, once in a while. He said, 'no, no, no, don't you dare make me an old man, your old man, an old fuddy-duddy, you call me daddy'. He sat us right down all of us, and told us flat out to call him daddy. He said you know you should always try to obey and try to pay honor and respect your parents, yes, we answer. He told us what to do, well the best way you can all honor me is to not call me dad or father for there is only One Father, now I get that part, but told us, to call him daddy. He told us I love being called daddy; it shows me that you truly love me when you call me that, so please, call me daddy. So I know how much you all love me, and in return can show you all how much I love you kids, and he gave us all lots of hugs and kisses. So we still do it, to this day to honor him and our memories of him, call him daddy, he was, is, our daddy… just not legally."
"We were supposed to be," Rebecca concluded. "He said one day he would make it all official on paper. But paper didn't matter to him, he loved us all so much," she sniffled. "Daddy said he didn't need a government signed piece of paper to say we were his children, he bore us all through his heart, birthing us through his heart; we were his kids. We didn't need to be legally adopted, we were already adopted to him in his heart, and likewise, us, to him, we didn't need it, that piece of paper to know that. His love for us, showed us that plain as day. We knew we all knew, one day though, it would happen, he said he would make it official on paper, when we were out of danger, make it all official like. He just never got a chance to do that, before he died."
Sniffing, "That's beautiful, that's a heart of a true parent, when you adopt, that's how I pretty much feel, I love kids so much, I can't imagine my life without them they are a blessing from God they truly are every last one of them. From the problem children to the perfectionists I don't make mistakes you can't prove I did a thing wrong. Sounds like to me that your daddy was a real special guy, your kids' daddy, and a Family Aspiration."
"Yeah he was, we were his pride and joy," Kathy nodded, "I wish I could have been like daddy in that sense to be a Family Aspiration."
"Popularity or Knowledge for me, I'm always so lonely I need friends, yeah Popularity, but I'm serious enough to be a Knowledge Aspiration too." Joel had not put too much thought in it as some of the others, he had plainly accepted his Aspiration, but since the topic came up, he was open to the chat.
"Knowledge for sure, I would have taken it for sure, if I wasn't forced against my will to take Pleasure like the rest of us."
"Uh Kenneth right," he nodded, "what do you mean against you will?" Mortimer asked before John could. "It was mentioned earlier you were forced to take it."
"They literally threatened our lives, they said they had a gun, they would use it and kill us if we didn't take Pleasure; they needed some further testing. It was that or Grilled Cheese, and since I never heard of that one, I figured Pleasure wouldn't be so bad, it sounded pleasurable, maybe. Not right what they did, though, not right at all."
"I'll say. Like I said about this jerk Gordon, I would have found that gun and used it on him. I guess I shouldn't say such things, but I'm so angry."
"You wouldn't actually kill the guy would you?"
"No! I would shoot the creep, in the arms and legs, and save the last bullet to go right between his Simhood, BANG! That will teach him to stop abusing kids when he can't use his arms or legs let alone to procreate any more or take a…."
John stopped him there, "I get the picture."
"Course I'm just ticked off and venting in a constructive manner, if I pulled a gun on the creep I would be no better than him, I suppose. Vengeance in my mind what I think the guy deserves. I've been hurt a lot so I tend to lash out a lot before I think, but I usually never mean it, or I'm sorry later after I said it, let alone follow-through with the stupid things I say like that."
"Vengeance and venting in your mind is a fine thing but leave it in your mind, and let God take care of the rest, it's His job to avenge and dole out the vengeance not you. The best thing you can do is pray he gets caught and punished and I mean already I'm sure God's avenging vengeance is already on him, you don't even have to pray it on him, I don't think. But if you have to, you can, in a nice way." Joel nodded, after witnessing that death and damnation of the evil Social Worker, Joel like the rest all knew the end cause, and it would be the goon's fault in the end not his.
"Yeah in the end if they don't repent they go straight to Hell just like that evil Social Worker did," pulling out the small camera from his pants pocket, "but you need to see this. She was the worst, and got exactly what was coming to her and deserved, but the other 2 are just about as bad as she was. I'm sure in a few other orphanages, and with a few other Social Workers this might be the norm, what we filmed. You should have seen what happened to her though 2 lightning bolts nailed her and through and because of it George got over his fear of thunder and lightning."
"I see it now as what it really is, Hand of God, so I'm not afraid of it now, God loves me, so I don't have to be afraid of thunder and lightning anymore, now I can enjoy being in the outdoors."
"Oh my, I know it was very stormy when I got here, but it cleared on by very quickly. Well that's a wonderful thing to be freed of your fear George. My goodness, so she's down there now, one less to worry about I suppose then, but the others are just as bad you say?"
"Uh-huh, uh you can probably watch that on the view screen like we did but probably better on a TV and you will need a computer to see or rather hear her confession. The same one the tape beating up Heath is the same one on the audio confession on here, and burning in Hell," holding up his 'comb' and took off the cap to show John what it really was.
"Oh I can take that to the station and look at it there, and bring it back to you after it's looked at and possibly copied. I'll need a few other cops on this besides just me; this case sounds like this will be a big one. But I can take that now."
Pulling it away from John, "No way, this is my baby; no way you get your grubby little hands on it, without my consent or say so, uh-uh. Look, I'm a hacker, I have a virus on this thing, you touch one wrong keystroke and," making a farting sound, "your whole computer is gonna be fried," snapping his finger, "like that, so I have to work it. I made this program, so I know exactly how it operates and works inside and out, and how to reverse it before the damage is done, and even for the most part fix it, after it is unleashed, if you had screwed up and stupidly fried your computer."
"Seriously, gee, sounds you're well suited to work for the Sim CIA, with skills like that, and at such a young age yet."
"There is such a thing?"
"Absolutely, in fact there's even a teen internship program, if that's something you're interested in, doing. With skills like yours, they would love to hire you."
"I always wanted to be a spy! I just thought it was something police officers do in their line of work, you know, detective spy work."
"A little bit but nothing like the Sim CIA, if you're looking to become an actual, spy, then you are better suited to work for them."