Chapter 2
Jack and his classmates came into their classroom for their health class after lunch. The bell rang for students to be in their classrooms.
Jack looked up to see Mike walking into the classroom. Mr. Zastrow welcomed Mike to the front of the classroom. "Hello all of you," he smiled, signing in ASL. "I'm Mike Hotchner. I'm one of Jack's older brothers," he said, continuing to sign as he spoke.
"And as you can tell from my speech, I'm hearing impaired. My hearing loss is ninety percent. And I've had the same cochlear implant surgery that Tate has had. But I got mine sooner than Tate did. My mom is a doctor. She recognized the signs of my disability. I was mainstreamed in the third grade. With a doctor mother who was highly dedicated to getting me mainstreamed. Don't get me wrong. I hated every night she and my older brother Matt would work with me to improve my vocal skills." Tate, sitting across from Jack looked at him.
Hear him out Tate, Jack signed.
Mike looked at the Jack's classmates. "My mom sat me down. 'Mike, your brother and I are trying to help you. So when you walk into that classroom, your disability doesn't stand out'."
Mike said, "Otherwise known as getting bullied. I bought in. I wanted to be a regular kid. With all of my mom and brother's hard work, I reached my speech goals. But it didn't help. I got bullied. And it was horrible. My only saving grace was my older brother Matt was still in the same elementary school when I was mainstreamed. Instead of playing with his friends, he and his friends protected me at recess time. That is until two of my classmates looked beyond my disability, became my best friends and helped."
"Don't get me wrong," Mike said, continuing to sign as well. "I'll still had my tormentors. Two imparticular: Jay Hobson and Ryan Whistler. I took care of Hobson in middle school, beating him out for the starting outside linebacker position on the football team. Jay and I became teammates and good friends."
Mike shook his head. "Ryan was horrible to me right up to graduation day. 'They're going to let the dummy give the valedictory speech?' he said at commencement practice. Ryan Whistler walked into our gym on graduation day with some bruised ribs. Which I didn't support then and don't support now."
Mike paused, looked down and then looked at the students. "Yes I was the class valedictorian." He smiled. "What made it all the more special was having my brother Jack in the audience," Mike said, still signing. Jack smiled at his brother.
"But gang, here's the thing," Mike said, still signing. "I'm gonna graduate from Georgetown in May with a degree in Chemistry and minor in Bio-Physics. Those degrees have already got my entrance into the FBI stamped. I start at the FBI Academy in Quantico in August to earn my FBI Agent status. Will I be in the field tracking down criminals? No. I'll be in a lab, helping our nation's largest law enforcement service catch bad people. By what I know best - using my skills in chemistry." Mike bore a look at every student. "I will be a credential agent of the FBI; just like Jack's and my dad who is also a credentialed field agent. And like our uncle as well." Mike looked at the class. "Our dad is also a Unit Chief."
Mike smiled. "And you know what gang? My high school class is already planning our fifth graduation reunion. One of those planners is Ryan Whistler." Mike smiled, which Jack immediately recognized as Mike's total snark smile. "I'm going with my fiancée." Mike smiled. "I know Ryan will come after me. Once a bully, always a bully."
Mike smiled. "I'll kindly introduce Andi, my fiancée, listen to his proud accomplishments with a smile and lay in wait."
"Lay in wait for what," a student asked.
Mike winked at Jack. "The chance to tell him I'm a credentialed FBI agent. And if he questions it, I pull out my credentials."
"Boom," another student smiled.
Mike shook his head. "You're missing my point." He burrowed the Hotchner glare into the students. "Who are you going to be at your fifth year reunion? Someone that supported Tate? Or someone like Ryan that Tate kicks your butt about how much he's achieved. Because I guarantee you – he will. Mainstreaming is opening the world to the hearing impaired."
Mike looked at Tate. "You have a friend in my brother," he smiled still signing. "His ASL skills are wonderful; but he can miss some things now and then. I can figure them out because he's my brother," Mike smiled. "If you give him the same leeway with help from your interpreter, he'll be there for you." Mike looked at Tate. "He still sucks on getting potato chips right," Mike said and signed. Tate broadly smiled. "It's chips Jack," Mike smiled, signing slowly. The rest of the class giggled.
I suck at that one Jack signed to Tate. And my 'g' 'h' combo still needs work. Tate's interpreter smiled at Jack along with Tate.
Mike looked at the class. He shook his head at them. "This is your time," he said, without signing. "Who are you going to be? The supportive classmate that is appreciated more than you will ever know? Or a Ryan?"
Mike got serious. "You all are old enough and smart enough to know about the recent, horrible rash of school shootings. Let me ask you this? Do you enjoy doing active shooter safety drills?" The classroom became silent, as Tate's interpreter signed to him. Tate shook his head at the interpreter, concentrating on hearing Mike's words.
"It's not going to be someone like Tate. He knows what he is facing. I've been through the same program that warns you about a soon to be mainstreamed student. It shouldn't be accepted," Mike said. "It shouldn't even be mentioned to a mainstreamer. But it has to, and that's wrong."
"But gang, it's going to be someone that got bullied about some stupid little thing. Tate knows what he's facing. The silent, hidden kid in the room that is taking too much about how he dresses or how poor or dumb he is going to be your school shooter. Not Tate - he wants to fit in. And will use all his willpower to get it done. Because he's taking the first steps."
"Everyone says we have to do something about our kids getting killed in their schools. I agree." Mike gave them the Hotchner glare. "It starts with all of you because we can't wait on the politicians to act to pass sensible gun control in this country."
"You are our future," Mike said. "Be our future. Rise above it all. And stop the bullying. It starts with all of you."
Mr. Zastrow walked up to him. "Thank you Mike. You spoke truth to power today," he said, shaking his hand. "And with your consent, a video of your talk will be played in all the rest of my classes."
"Thank you Mr. Zastrow for the opportunity. Do you mind if I spend a few minutes with Tate and Jack?"
"Not at all," he smiled. Mike moved the boys to the back of the classroom as Mr. Zastrow got the class talking about what Mike said.
"Thank you bro," Jack said, hugging Mike.
"My pleasure bro," Mike said, hugging Jack back.
Thank you, Tate signed.
Mike shook his head at him. "Tate, you've got to start using your speech. That's what will get you accepted. Signing won't do it. That makes you an outsider." Tate looked at him. "Tate, I wasn't kidding. My mom and my and Jack's older brother worked on that every night. Mom made me read. Out loud. The more I heard my own words with my implants with my mom, an educator, helping me improved my speech. But Tate, it takes hard work and practice. I know you're just starting out. But talk when you sign. Jack and his friends will help you. You've got to start speaking to make it all happen. Once you do that you'll be accepted more."
"Not by all," Tate said, signing as well. Jack looked at Mike. Tate's speech was not the best. "See what I mean," Tate challenged.
"Do you have someone to read to at night?" Mike asked Tate.
Tate shook his head. "Mom and dad busy," he furiously signed saying the words. "They are international bankers," Tate said, signing as well. "My nanny is wonderful." Jack frowned at Mike. Tate's verbal skills were not good. He obviously had no one to help him.
Mike looked at Jack. "You in?"
"Mike?"
"I mean totally in on helping your friend?" Jack smiled and nodded. "Then you talk to mom tonight about how she helped me improve my speech by reading out loud every night. And then, every morning when you two have study hall together, you find a quiet place and spend together with Tate reading to you. Mom will tell you how to help Tate."
Jack lit up. "Hey Tate! Maybe you can come to my house once a week to work with mom." Jack looked at Mike. "You think she'd help?"
Mike smiled, gently punching Jack's forehead. "Bro you knucklehead. Who pushed this all in the first place after you brought it up to your shining star?"
Jack smiled. "Mom; after I talked to mommy." Tate looked at the two brothers. Jack, with Mike's help explained what happened to Haley.
Tate started to sign. Mike shook him off. "Talk to us Tate," he smiled.
"Mary Elizabeth, my nanny wants to help. She doesn't know how."
Mike winked at Jack. "I think," he said, very slowly and clearly looking at Tate so he could understand, "we might have some help for you both," he smiled. Tate broadly smiled.
Mike pulled Jack to him. "I think dad might have some buy in on that as well bro." Jack nodded with a smile.
-00CM00-
Aaron walked into the kitchen with Cait starting dinner. He looked at the nook table and noticed five place settings. "Which one of our older sons and their lady are we feeding tonight?" giving her a kiss.
"Our second son," Cait said. "He wants to talk about his class chat today." Aaron looked at her. "The thing with Tate? Mike has some suggestions and I'm in. It will involve you as well."
"I'm in Doc," Aaron smiled. "But how?"
"Any different voice he hears improves his speech. Dave read to Mike once a week back in the day." Cait smiled. "Actually, Dave was tougher on him than I was. He'd read a paragraph to Mike and then have Mike read it back to him. And Dave would correct his speech, getting Mike to concentrate more on the pronunciations."
"And Tate needs that Doc?"
"According to Mike, big time." Aaron looked at her. "His parents are international bankers. They are barely around. However, the nanny has full buy in and wants to help Tate." Cait looked at Aaron. "The more different voices he hears, the more he'll learn and his speech will grow."
"Damnit," Aaron growled. "They don't support him?" Cait shook her head.
"That's why Mike wants to talk to us. Apparently, he volunteered Jack at their shared study hall to have Tate read to him." Aaron looked at her. "That's how I improved Mike's speech." Aaron smiled. "Jack is totally in. But Mike wants Tate to work with me once a week as well. And if we can get the nanny involved to do it every night?" Cait smiled at Aaron. "She can learn from me what she needs to do. I like Tate's chances of being successfully mainstreamed and a regular kid like Mike." They both looked as Bella bounded to the garage door. Mike and Andi walked into the kitchen a minute later, each of them holding a beer they pulled from the fridge in the garage.
Mike looked at his dad. "Mom filling you in?" he smiled as Aaron took a drink of his beer.
"Yes she is son," Aaron smiled back. Jack came down the steps.
"Homework done buddy?" Cait smiled at him.
"Yup, it is," he smiled back. "But can I be in on this convo?"
"Jack," Aaron said, rubbing his back, "I think you have every right to be on this."
Mike pushed his head. "Bro, I think you passed the squirt stage today," Mike smiled.
Andi pulled Jack into a hug. "You stepped up big time Jack. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks Andi," Jack smiled, hugging her back. Bella barked at the garage door opening again and ran to it.
Aaron smiled at Jack. "I think we can get Uncle Dave on this as well."
Mike rubbed his dad's shoulder. "He was my bomb," Mike smiled. "A pain in the ass bomb," he laughed. "But he made me work." Mike and Jack shared a high five.
"I heard that Michael," Dave growled. They all heard a garage door go up.
"Down Bella," all in the nook area heard Matt say as Dave greeted the rest. "Mom has chili cooking. We're crashing the party too." Cait smiled at Aaron.
Lauren walked into the nook and looked at Jack. "Bro, you totally rock," she smiled.
Matt looked at his parents. "Mike and Andi filled us in. This teacher," he nodded at Lauren, "has full buy-in," he smiled, uncapping his beer bottle, handing one to Dave.
Aaron looked around. "Your mom and I are going to start making you interlopers come in the front door. You four are living on your own but you raid our beer fridge?" Everyone laughed.
-00CM00-
It was nearing the end of the school year. In Jack and Tate's shared class of English, all the students had to read out loud their final essay for the year.
Tate's was wonderful, outlining the progress he had made into getting mainstreamed. "Jack's mom is the bomb," he smiled. "She taught me how to improve my speech. And she taught my Irish nanny, Mary Elizabeth, how to help me as well, even with her accent. Between Mary Elizabeth working with me every night, and I mean every night, along with all the Hotchner family, I'm not afraid to do this," he said looking at his fellow classmates. All his classmates could see the confidence he had built in his speech.
Tate smiled. "I told you all at the beginning my theme like Mrs. Harding taught us. I go back to that theme: learning and tough love. The Hotchner family taught me how to learn. Mary Elizabeth learned as well. And Jack's Uncle Dave was the tough love." Tate shyly smiled. "He kicked my butt, just like Mike, Jack's brother warned me. But I learned so much from him," Tate smiled.
"It takes a village someone once said." Tate beamed. "I got my village. And why I can stand in front of you all; speaking in my own voice." The applause Tate got from his classmates echoed down the halls of the second floor of Lincoln Middle School. As Tate walked to his desk, all his classmates waved their hands in the air, the universal hearing impaired version of applause. Tate widely smiled, sharing a high five with Jack.
But the youngest Hotchner had his own essay. It was the last one that day in class. He had the class rolling with laughter on his take, with his Cait and Uncle Dave learned snark, about preparing for his big brother's wedding.
Jack walked back to his desk with him and Tate sharing another high five.
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A/N: ASL is American Sign Language.
The story is entitled Family Dynamics. I had this thought about Tate and ran with it. But it's now back on point to a wedding. :D
Thank you all for the opening reviews and favorites.