Regrets and Heartaches

Regrets and Heartaches 27

Chapter 27

Neither Harold nor Helen understood where all this was coming from. They thought everyone was okay with them adopting Fran and Allen, but now they can see at least one of them is having a problem, but why they couldn't put their finger on it. All they could think is that they were getting a slap in the face for helping.

They tried to listen to what Joey was saying, but all they heard was what he said at the beginning, he wants to adopt his sister. Then when he finished, they were lost for words. They could tell that Joey wanted some kind of answer, but neither of the Evans was ready to give him one because they had the wind knocked out of them.

Finally after a few minutes of silence, Harold spoke. "Joey, I don't understand where any of this is coming from. I heard what you said, but that's no reason to undue the adoption. If your sister and Allen want to continue to date that's fine with Helen and me. The only reason we brought them in that day and told them that they had to rethink their dating situation is to protect them from others that may say mean things to them."

"Dad, I know my sister and Allen understand why you did what you did, but they also know how people will react if they don't know the situation here. That's what they are trying to prevent. The only way they can see that happening is by me adopting my sister and you keeping Allen. It really doesn't mean anything or change anything. You guys will still be their parents."

"Oh yes it changes everything!" Helen finally spoke and she wasn't happy. "If we give in here, Allen and Fran may not listen to us when we tell them to do something because they know they can go running to you. Having two sets of parents in one household is a recipe for disaster. With them being as young as they are, they might act foolishly."

Joey looked over at Caleb for help but didn't get any. As he looked back over to Harold and Helen he couldn't help but agree with what both of them were saying. He felt for them because they adopted his sister and Allen without being asked and they did it quickly. Now he is stabbing them in the back by telling them thank you, but no thank you. That's the worst type insult anyone could inflict.

"Every one of you is bringing up good points, but we need to all think about what will make everyone happy in this situation." Caleb spoke up, surprising everyone. "Fran went to Joey here, hesitantly, and asked him for the favor. It took Joey several days to think about it before giving his sister an answer to her question and then another day before coming to you with the situation. I think we all should look at everyone this affects and decide on the right course of action."

Harold was surprised that his son actually spoke up in the mature manner he did. He has never seen this side of his son. He is in control and fully understands the facts of what he is talking about. He couldn't be more proud of his son than he is right now. For the first time he is seeing what kind of man his son is going to become.

"Okay let's talk about what is being proposed here today like my son suggests. Let's make a list of the pros and cons of undoing the adoption of Fran. If at the end it works out more in Fran's benefit of you adopting her Joey, Helen and I will be willing to let that go forward. However, if it's in our favor, you need to go to your sister and explain that it's best that things stay as they are."

Joey agreed with Harold. They got to work making the list of pros and cons. A couple of times they didn't agree with where an issue was being placed, but at the end they didn't have a problem where things ended up on the list. Once they got that out of the way, they started going point by point through the list which took them almost an hour. By the time they were done, they all came to an agreement.

"Okay, it is settled then, everything stays as it is." Harold sat back in his seat. "Joey you have the means to take care of your sister, but not the time. Also you are a teenager that's still learning, growing into the man that you will become. Taking on the responsibilities of being your sister's guardian would make you grow up way too fast. That's not fair to you or to her."

"Yes, I agree with everything you just said, but you left one thing out. You can't tell Fran and Allen that they can't date. Yes you are their adopted parents, but they were dating way before you adopted them. They are not blood or related in anyway. So they shouldn't be asked to stop dating. Agreed?" Reluctantly Harold and Helen agreed.

"Also my sister keeps her last name. Don't ask me why she wants to, but she wants it." Joey started to laugh. "She is going to lose her last name when she gets married and if it is Allen, she will get the Evan's last name. So basically she will be making a complete circle when she gets married as far as names are concerned."

"I don't know if we can change the names now since Fran had no problem taking the Evan's name when we asked her what name she wanted. The paperwork has already been filed in the courts and she is already using the Evan's name at school. But I will check on how we can go about changing her name back. Once I get the information, we will all sit down and make sure that's what she wants, not what she said out of frustration in order to keep dating Allen."

Joey couldn't understand why Harold was trying to explain to him that changing a name was difficult. With what he understood, it was filling out a couple of forms and getting it in front of judge. The hard part is getting a judge to sign off on it, which in Harold's case it shouldn't be hard since he knows several of them that would do it.

Putting his thoughts aside, Joey agreed with Harold. He didn't want to spend more time with the Evans talking about this subject because he can tell is really upsetting them. They are already upset and hurt and more than likely when he goes to his sister, he will have another person upset with him since he folded.

Thanking Harold and Helen, Joey got up to go to his penthouse with Caleb right behind him. Caleb tried to tell Joey what he did was the right thing, but Joey was in no mood to listen. Joey wanted to tell Caleb what was on his mind, but he knew if he did, they would get into a huge argument, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Caleb just drop the damn subject will you please?" Joey snapped at Caleb as they entered into their penthouse. "You are siding with your parents because they are your parents. Now I have to go and tell my sister that I was a pussy and couldn't stand my ground, which will make her angry with me. But who cares, right? Everyone else is angry with my right now! So she can join the club of those hating me."

Before Caleb could try and calm Joey down, the phone rang. Neither of them moved towards the phone for the first couple of rings, but at the third ring Joey picked it up. Caleb stood there waiting for Joey to say his sister's name, but when he heard another name and then Joey's facial expression change, he knew something was up.

"Yes Al, I have a few minutes to talk, what is going on?" Joey nervously sat down in the chair next to the phone in the living room.

"Joey I am so sorry for calling you so late, but I do have some good news to tell you." Al cleared his throat. "As you know the Governor has been working very hard to get your mother turned over to us so she faces American justice. It was looking like that wasn't going to happen, but then it all changed when we started using the back channels.

First, we got your uncle turned over about two weeks ago. He is now locked up and is on his way back to El Paso." Joey stopped Al and asked him why his uncle is being brought to El Paso. "Oh I thought you were kept in the loop on what is going on with your uncle's case." Joey answered in the negative. "Well, Governor Lopez called up the Governor of New Mexico and asked him to turn over jurisdiction of both your uncle and mother's cases to the state of Texas. The Governor of Mexico did and now your uncle is being brought back to El Paso to be prosecuted in the Texas court system.

Back to what I was saying about the reason I called you here today. I got a call earlier today from the person I have been working with in Mexico to get your mother turned over. Due to what Governor Lopez did when this all started, the Mexican Government finally folded. They have turned over your mother and she is now being processed in at the county jail there in El Paso."

Joey almost dropped the phone. He couldn't believe that this day has finally come. A day he dreamed of, but never thought will come because he thought it was all a political game. All those involved were just making speeches and saying what they were saying in order to look tuff and be the main story of the news cycle. Now he sees how wrong he was. Governor Lopez is a man of his word and gets things done.

"Thank you for the good new grandpa, but I can't believe it." Joey took a deep breath before continuing. "It's not that I thought you are lying, I just never thought that the Governor or any one of that matter would be able to budge the President of Mexico. He sounded like he was willing to let his country go bankrupt before letting anyone tell him what he should or shouldn't do. It goes to show you how wrong I was."

"Well, you weren't the only one there Joey. It didn't look like it was going to happen, but then the back channels worked. Back channels are something no politician will ever go on record saying they use, but they are used all the time. Neither of these two men was willing to blink, but Governor Lopez held his ground and the President of Mexico blinked."

"I'm happy to hear that our side came out on top. Not only did we get my uncle, but now we got my mother as well. It took time, but nowhere near the time that other cases I have read about." Joey stopped abruptly remembering the question he wanted to ask Al when he first got the news. "The only thing I was wondering is when did my mother get turned over if she is now sitting in the county jail downtown?"

"I was promised that it was going to happen two weeks after your uncle was turned over. At least that was the promise that was made to me from the person I was dealing with. Then I got the phone call this early this afternoon that your mother was going to be turned over to us at three p.m. El Paso time. I couldn't believe it at first because it was ahead of schedule, but after talking some more with the Mexican official, I knew it was true."

"Oh, I thought that she has been in American custody for days already and you were barely getting around to telling me." Joey started to laugh. "Anyways I know you are a very busy man there in Austin and you have a lot to do, so I'm going to let you go. But thank you and the Governor for everything you guys did to get my mother and uncle back to face justice. I know it was a lot of work, but you guys never gave up, so again thank you so much for everything."

"Not a problem Joey, not a problem at all. As far as letting you know when your mother was turned over, I wanted to call you as soon as I got the news, but I didn't want to disturb you at school. Then when I knew you were out, I tried to call you several times, but I got no answer until now. But that's neither here nor there. We talked and you heard it from me before hearing it from someone else or worse, the news."

The two said their goodbyes as if they were still family by saying they loved each other, which made Joey feel good. He thought he'd lost that when he left Jacob, but over time things between him and the family were getting back to the way it was before he left. Even Gloria, Jacob's mother has accepted him.

As he sat there thinking how things have changed over the last month or so, another thought came to mind that brought him back to reality. He quickly got up and ran over to his and Caleb's room, went to the closet and opened the safe. Nervously he went through the folders and when he found the one he was looking for, he pulled it out, slammed the safe closed and returned to the living room.

Caleb sat there watching Joey as he rifled through the papers in the folder. He wondered what Joey was looking for, but at same time he didn't want to know because it didn't look good by the look on Joey's face. It was making Joey panicky, something Caleb hasn't seen in Joey since the days after he came back from the camp.

When Joey picked up the phone and dialed the number he had on the card he was holding, Caleb knew he found what he was looking for. He leaned back and just listened, not wanting to interrupt because he didn't want Joey anymore angry with him than he already is. Before whoever Joey was calling answered, Caleb thought about leaving the room to give Joey some privacy, but when he got up, Joey flagged him to sit back down.

"Yes I am sorry to be calling you at this number, I know it was given to me for emergencies, but this is an emergency." Joey spoke nervously into the phone. "My name is Joey Alvarez and I hired your group to go into Mexico to get my mother and bring her back here to the United States. I need to cancel that, please."

"I am sorry Mr. Alvarez but you were informed that once you gave us the okay to carry out the plan, there was no turning back from it. The guys are on the ground as we speak and are about to go in and get your mother. The last report I got from them is that they have confirmed that Mrs. Alvarez is still where we reported she was. If we delay this much longer, we might lose her and never get this chance again."

"Sir, with all due respect, I know you are lying to me." That didn't make the guy on the other end happy at all. He tried to interrupt up Joey but Joey wouldn't let him. "I know for a fact that my mother isn't where you claim she is. I just got a confirmation call from a reliable source that my mother is back in the states and being booked in the county jail here in El Paso as we speak. So stop trying to pull one over on me and just close up shop. My mother is not in Mexico and I don't think you guys ever knew where she was." Joey not only got control of his nerves, but now he was in control of the conversation.

"Mr. Alvarez I don't know who you have been talking to, but whoever it is, is feeding you wrong information. But to be sure of that, let me put you on hold and call the guys in the field to see if they still have eyes on her. I will be right back."

The guy didn't even give Joey a chance to respond, he put him on hold, leaving Joey talking to himself. When Joey realized there was no one other side of the line, he turned his attention to Caleb. He didn't have to explain much to him because Caleb already knew pretty much what was going on and who Joey was talking to.

"I hate to tell you this, but I told you so when you told me what you were doing. That night I told you that you need to call these guys up and end this whole thing. Leave it to the authorities, they will get it done. But oh no, you didn't want to listen to me. Instead you went ahead and did what you wanted and now you're in this spot."

"Damn Caleb I know! I know, there is no need for you to keep rubbing it in. I need you to help me figure a way out of this. This guy that I am talking to doesn't know what he's talking about. I think he is trying to cheat me. I think this group I hired saw a young stupid kid wanting revenge, so they decided to take advantage."

"I agree, but we are not going to let them." Caleb got up from his chair and went over and sat next to Joey. He went through the paperwork that Joey had signed and didn't see a contract anywhere. Seeing that, he explained to Joey that he didn't have to pay them one red cent. At the same time, he couldn't get any of the money back that he already paid them, which was no small amount Caleb knew.

While Joey and Caleb were going over the documents in the file, the guy on the other end was listening in. He knew he was caught and couldn't do a thing about it. These kids were a lot smarter than he gave them credit for and if he didn't watch it, he would be the one ending up in jail for a good percentage of his life. Thinking quickly on his feet, the guy came up with a plan and got back on the line.

"Mr. Alvarez I am sorry for keeping you on hold as long as I did. I wanted to make sure what I was being told was correct. I got confirmation of the information I am about to tell you from two different sources. According to what has been confirmed to me, you are right about your mother not being in Mexico anymore. She was taken out of Mexico, but when no one really knows. They think it was last night since that was the last time they actually saw her, but they aren't for sure."

"Sir I really don't think you guys know what the hell you are doing. For one, you told me she wasn't in custody of the Mexican authorities, but I come to find out that she was. And second, you were trying to tell me when we first started talking that you guys are looking at her right now, but here you are telling me a different story."

"Mr. Alvarez I am not with the guys on the ground. I was giving you the information that was reported to me the last time they checked in, which was against policy. Now that I got updated information, I am able to give you exactly what is happening right now. Your mother is no longer in Mexico, but where she is, I can't say.

Now as far as the information of where she was from the moment she made it into Mexico, we were right and whoever else you are getting information from is wrong. She wasn't in jail in Mexico, because if she was we would have never taken the job. There is no way we will ever try and break someone out of jail in any country."

"No I think you were trying to milk me as much as you could and then say you lost her." Joey yelled. "Let's not even go there, this is over. Just do whatever you guys do to close off this case with what I have already paid you. I won't pay you one more red cent and if you don't like it, take me to court. I promise you if you do I will win."

The guy wasn't about to anger Joey anymore than he already was. He knows Joey has him by the short hairs and he doesn't want to be neutered. Trying his best, he tried to talk his way out of the conversation still trying to be the one in charge. However, that didn't last very long, so he surrendered.

"Okay Mr. Alvarez I agree with everything you have to say. I will go ahead and close off your case file and end the work we were doing for you as of this moment. As far as the remaining amount that's owed to my company, I'm going to go ahead and waive it because we didn't complete the job and bring Mrs. Alvarez over the border."

"That's exactly what you are going to do and don't make it look like you are doing me a favor. You and I know you were doing wrong and you are now trying to get out of this with your skin." Joey took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I do thank you though sir for teaching me a very important lesson."

The guy wondered what Joey meant and asked which he regretted. "To never trust companies like yours. When it is obvious the law is being broken, don't go along with it. I only did it because I wanted my mother to face justice for what she did, but that's no excuse. Now on I am going to trust in the authorities to get things done."

Joey politely ended the call and hung up the phone. He sat there staring out into the distance, not really looking at anything as he thought about what he had done. Now he sees how wrong it was to hire a group of people to go and get his mother. No matter how much wrong she did, he should have never lowered himself to her level.

Meanwhile back downstairs, Aaron had walked in from school. He didn't come home with the guys because he wanted to spend time with Chris. So he told everyone that he had a project to do in his homeroom in order to bring his grade back up to what he normally gets. Most of them weren't the wiser. Those that started putting things together didn't say a word in front of the others because they didn't want to embarrass Aaron. They decided to keep their mouths shut until later when they catch him alone.

Aaron knew some of his friends were starting to catch on that something was up, but he knew they didn't know what exactly. Still knowing that, he decided to keep his plans to spend time with Chris. The more time he gets with him, the more he is falling for him. However, he doesn't want to let Chris into the fact that he is falling for him, at least not yet.

The time they spent hanging out after school was a lot lighter than the time they spent during lunch. They did talk a little more about Aaron talking with Harold about Bill, but it didn't dominate their conversation like earlier. Most of their time together they talked about each other and loved it because they both want to know everything there is to know about the other. They got there a bit more before having to say their goodbyes, which neither wanted to do.

Aaron was on cloud nine when he walked in, he didn't notice Bill in the restaurant as he walked past on his way to the elevator. Bill on the other hand noticed Aaron and felt like crap when he saw his old friend. He knew that he hurt the guy, and badly but hadn't seen him since he left him in the corner of the quad in a pool of his own blood.

As the elevator door opened, Aaron came crashing back to earth when he saw the very man he knew he had to talk to; Harold. Harold looked up from the folder he was looking and saw the half beaten kid standing there before him, leaning on his crutches. He knew who the kid was and just like Bill, he felt for him.

"Aaron Haynes?" Aaron nodded his head. "I have been meaning to talk with you, but we seem to never run into each other. I know that's no excuse, I should have gone looking for you at your room, but I just have been busy with so many things." Harold closed the folder he was looking at and placed his hand on the elevator door to keep it open.

"Why don't you come on in and join me up in my penthouse so we can talk about a very important subject." Aaron nodded his head and got on the elevator very slowly. He was scared, but that wasn't the only reason he was walking slowly. He was still having difficulty getting around on the crutches.

All the way up to Harold's penthouse, no one said a word. That's something that has become a norm in the elevator at that hotel, no one talks as they ride up or down! It seems as if all of them use the little box as their thinking area.

When the elevator door opened and Aaron got out he couldn't believe how different the penthouse was from the rest of the hotel. It looked like a totally different building. As he looked around, he made his way to the living room, taking everything in. Because he was paying more attention to everything except where he was going, he almost fell a couple times. If it wasn't for Harold catching him each time, he would have fallen face first.

"I brought you up here so we have some privacy, but I must make one thing clear. You are the first I've brought up here from all the kids at this hotel. I don't want you to go to the others and tell them what you see up here, because if I hear rumors about my house, I will know it was started by you." Nervously Aaron nodded his head. "I don't want to scare you with what I am saying, it's just I'm a judge. Some of these kids I sentenced here. I can't be seen getting close to any of them."

"I understand sir, and I promise I won't say a word about your place to anyone."

"Good, I am glad we got through that." Harold helped Aaron sit down before he took his seat. "I know you might have heard a couple of things going around the hotel about me sentencing the kids that hurt you to the probation floor of this hotel." Aaron just looked at Harold. He was trying not to give away he did hear the rumors.

"Well kids, and adults for the matter love to gossip about everything they hear. By the time it gets around to the one they are gossiping about, the story is so far from the truth, it would make a good fiction movie." Harold cracked up laughing, but Aaron didn't even crack a smile. "Anyway, if you heard the rumors, they are not completely true."

Harold moved up to the edge of his chair. "I should have talked with you about this subject days ago, but I just couldn't find the time. Again as I said on the elevator on the way up, that's no excuse, and for that I am sorry. We are here now so I'm going to get right down to it and tell you all that is going on.

The four young men that did that to you..." Harold pointed at Aaron's cast. "Were assigned to my courtroom and I ruled on their cases. I read what happened and really wanted these four young kids to do as much time I could give them by the law. Then I talked with Bill's mother. Have you ever met his mother?"

"Yes, she is really a nice woman. Every time I went down to Bill's house, she treated me as one of her own. The other guys started teasing me and Bill that we were brothers because the way she treated me, and I think that's what got Bill started. Whenever he and I were alone, without the others, he was totally a different person."

"I had a chance to speak with Bill outside of his friends and father, and I agree with you, he is very different. When I was sitting there talking with the young man, I couldn't believe he was he same kid that did the horrible things he did to you. He talked with a lot of regret and sorrow and wished that he'd never done what he did. However, you and I know wishing that was too late because he had already done it."

Aaron nodded his head. "The only reason I spoke with him one on one is because I felt for his mother. She came to see me, and no matter how hard I tried to get her to understand I couldn't talk with her without her attorney, she wouldn't leave. So I gave in and listened to her. I couldn't believe the stories she told me. I have had some cases before me with some of what she went through, but never had I had a case before me that one family had it all like Bill and his family had it."

"Your Honor, I saw things in that house when I was there I couldn't believe either. There was one night Bill's father didn't know I was there when he got home. Something went wrong at work and he wasn't happy at all when he got home. Bill and I were playing video games and all of a sudden we heard yelling coming from downstairs. Bill dropped his control and ran out of his room as if the house was on fire.

I didn't know what was going on or what to do. I just sat there for a few minutes and when I heard breaking glass, I couldn't stay put. I got up and slowly walked down to see what was going on. When I got downstairs, Bill was protecting his mother and younger brother from his father. His father was hitting Bill over and over again, I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't believe Bill was able to take those hits without being knocked out.

I didn't know what to do. I froze there at the front door looking at what was unfolding before me. I tried to understand what Bill's father was saying, but his yells were more like grunts than anything else. The bits and pieces I did pick up, he was angry about an investigation that went wrong.

After what seemed like hours but was only minutes, I finally moved. I started to walk towards Bill and his father heard me. He turned around and the anger and hate I saw in his eyes, I almost peed in my pants. He raised his hand to hit me, but he didn't. I don't know why, but he just stood there and then, as if a switch was flipped, his facial expression changed and he lowered his fist.

He turned around and saw what he had done. Reaching down, he picked Bill up from the floor, looking him over before picking up his brother and mother. The only one that got really hurt was Bill and he was the one his mother was tending to. His father kept apologizing as he went up the back stairs."

Harold sat there listening to the story, a story he has heard before, but it still stunned him as if it was the first time he heard it. After talking to Bill's mother and then Bill, he knew things like that happened in that house, but he never thought anyone outside the family witnessed it.

"I didn't know what to do, I just stood there watching Bill's mother rush over to the sink and pull out this big first aid kit. She opened it and patched Bill up as if she has done it a hundred times. The whole time Bill was being worked on by his mother he was worried about her and his brother. Over and over again he asked them if they were okay.

So that day when he and my other friends took me out to the quad and started beating me up, I knew it wasn't Bill. I was afraid and begging them to stop hurting me, but at the same time saw I in Bill's eyes that he didn't want to be hurting me. I knew he was doing what he was doing because that was all he knew to do because of his father.

When I laid there bleeding and crying, I looked up at Bill and I could have sworn I saw tears starting to roll down his cheeks. Even though he was the one hurting me, I actually felt sorry for him. I think he saw me as him and him as his father and that's something he never wanted to become. But because the others were there, he kept up the macho act and kept beating me. I really think if they weren't there, he wouldn't have done what he did, but don't quote me on that."

When Aaron finished talking, the two just sat there in silence. Aaron thought back to the days that he was at Bill's house and knew that something was going on but never stood up and helped his friend. Harold was thinking about the story Aaron just shared with him. He knew he made the right decision even more now than he did the day he made it.

"Aaron with what you just told me, I definitely feel I made the right decision." Aaron looked at Harold with a confused look on his face. "Tyler McCloud, Mathew Coronado and Paublo Carrasco, yours and Bill's friends, I sentenced to house arrest and allowed them to go home with their parents. Bill on the other hand I couldn't send back into a home I knew was the reason he did what he did. So I sentenced him to house arrest as well, but here on the probation floor, also known as the halfway wing."

Harold didn't get the reaction he was expecting to get from Aaron after giving him the news. Aaron sat there in his seat quietly, showing no reaction. Harold didn't know where to go from there since he had no idea how Aaron felt. Then Aaron cocked a half smile, which told Harold he was okay with Bill being there.

"Aaron, I promise you that Bill won't bother you in anyway. It was made very clear to him by me and then again by Mr. Jackson when he got here this afternoon that he was to stay away from you. If he is caught anywhere near you, he will be revoked and be sent back to jail to serve out the term of his sentence.

But after the story you told me here today and after talking with Bill, I know he is not going to make trouble for you or anyone else for that matter. It was his father that made him react as he did, and now his father in a lot of trouble. Now he sees how wrong his father was. He even told me so when I spoke with him one on one before I sentenced him and the others, that he doesn't want to become his father."

"Judge Evans, sir, I know Bill is a totally different person than the person that beat me up that day. Am I afraid? Heck yes, but I think I will be afraid of my own shadow for a very long time. But what is helping me get through all this is this place. I have friends here I never thought I would have. I never thought I could ever be myself or my father would accept me for who I am, but now all that has changed. All of that is because of what Bill and the others did. So in a way I have to thank him for letting me be who I am."

For the second time today Harold was knocked off his feet by what the young kid sitting before him said to him in response on what was being talked about. First his son actually becoming the man he knew he would become, and now Aaron, not only forgiving, but thanking the guy that hurt him. Harold started to wonder if there was something in the water that was getting the kids in this hotel to grow up.

"Aaron , I won't tell you that you have to become friends with Bill. That's all up to you if that ever happens. If it does, it's you that will have to make the first move, not Bill. If he makes the first move, he will be locked up for years as I have said before. He knows that and now you do too. There is no need for you to be worried about anything."

Harold wanted to make sure Aaron was okay that Bill was now sentenced to the hotel and not just putting on an act, so he kept talking to him. After another thirty minutes of talking, Harold was sure that Aaron was okay, not one hundred percent comfortable, but okay with Bill there. Harold got the feeling that as long as Aaron has someone from his group of friends around him that he feels nothing will happen.

He also got a feeling that there was something else going on with Aaron. What it was, he couldn't exactly put his finger on, but there was something there behind the scenes giving Aaron strength. It reminded Harold of the time when his son first met Joey and how he didn't say anything at first, but he and Helen knew there was something there. Their son was just happier than he has been for a long time. He also seemed more confident about himself and that's what he is sensing from Aaron.

Not wanting to pry, Harold let Aaron off the hook. Once he was sure the young man didn't have a problem with what he did with Bill, he thanked him as they walked towards the elevator. Harold made sure Aaron got on the elevator without falling. When the door closed, he headed back to the living room to get the file he was working on before heading down to give the file to Sally.

Aaron bypassed his floor and decided to go directly down for dinner. As soon as he walked into the restaurant, several of the guys walked up to him and asked him what really was up with him. Seeing they weren't about to let him go until he came clean, Aaron surrendered and started telling the guys about Chris and what they had done to this point. The guys stood there listening and as Aaron went on with his story, they got a little jealous.

"I can't believe you, man, I just can't believe you!" Deejay kept saying over and over again as he shook his head. "You look like you were run over by a truck, but you've already got a guy hitting on you! Man, you're one lucky son of a bitch!" Everyone started to laugh. "And I have seen the guy you are talking about, and boy let me tell you I wouldn't mind getting a piece of that action! You have to invite him over so we all can stare at that fine piece of ass and then go to our rooms and jerk off."

All the guys that were there, Edmund, Shane and Ray agreed with Deejay. "No way man! I'm not going to bring the guy I want to go out with for you guys to drool all over." Aaron punched Deejay in the arm. "Then knowing that you guys are running upstairs to pound your puds thinking of him; that's gross man, so totally gross!"

The guys cracked up laughing. "We were just fooling with you Aaron." Edmund said between his laughs. "But man, I agree with our pal Deejay here, the guy you are talking about is hot. I have seen him around and I wondered if I had a chance with him. I even tried a couple of times, but he turned me down. Now I see why. He has your cute ass!"

Edmund reached around Aaron and squeezed his ass, making him jump. Aaron pushed Edmund off and then pushed his way through the guys. Before completely walking away, he asked the guys not to say anything to the others. They promised, but they told him if they were able to figure it out, the others are going to do the same. Not liking hearing that, Aaron agreed. He knew he would have to come out to the others about him and Chris, and soon, before they corner him like these guys did today asking questions.

That evening was the last time any of the guys in the hotel were happy.

Early that day, Jacob and his family began the proceedings to welcome in a new family member. Like Al before adopting Tony when he needed a family, Gloria and Andy Sr. have put in the paperwork to adopt Davey. If all goes as planned, that will be confirmed on the following Monday. It was a day of joy for the Hernandez family, and a surprise to many people that knew the old Gloria.

All of them that knew Jacob's mother when he was a freshman wouldn't recognize her today. Any one of them would swear that aliens came down and swapped her with a clone. This clone wasn't created completely like her because of how much she has changed and become more accepting of Jacob and all those like him. She has become so accepting that she has decided to adopt Davey, a gay kid, into her family with open arms.

No one thought that could be over shadowed any time in the near future.

Then Saturday rolled around and everyone from Jacob's group woke up excited about finally going out and getting the car or truck Jacob promised a week ago. None of them expected the day to end up the way it did.

The day was a blur of twisted metal, the smell of burning flesh and blood all over the place for everyone that went out to look at the vehicles. The day started out joyfully with a couple of the guys getting the vehicles they were looking forward to getting, but ended up with several of the guys in the hospital and one of them no one had any idea where he was. All they knew was he was in trouble and they couldn't do a thing to help him, which they hated.

When Joey got to the hospital, he went directly to see Thomas. Since he was a minor, the hospital had already called his parents. Therefore, when Joey walked into Thomas' room, they were already there. Joey half expected them to yell at him and kick him out of the room, but they didn't. Instead they asked him to join them on their wait to see when their son would wake up.

Joey sat down in the last available chair in the room and just starred at Thomas. The more he sat there looking at his friend, the more he felt like crap because if it wasn't for him inviting Thomas to go car shopping, he would be at home enjoying the day, instead of here, in pain from being crushed my an eighteen wheeler.

In a very short time span, Joey went through the full range of human emotions. He was angry at the driver of the truck that did this to his friends. He felt bad that Thomas and all the others that were hurt in this accident. He felt sad for the parents, loved ones and friends for having to sit and wait to see how those that got hurt in this accident will come out, like Thomas' parents are doing right now.

Then his thoughts gradually went from those that got hurt to those that reacted. He couldn't help thinking if it wasn't for Jacob and Alex responding as quickly as they did and not giving up, they wouldn't be sitting there waiting for Thomas to wake up. They might actually be planning a funeral instead.

Joey looked up and thanked the man of above for letting all his friends live. Then he asked the man above for his help. Help for his friends that got hurt to get to the other side as strong, if not stronger than they were before the accident. He prayed that this the last time any of them ever gets hurt. Joey felt they all have endured way too much already in their short life spans. He believes that they have gone through more than many eighty year olds that are still alive have gone through in their entire lives.

While Joey was sitting with Thomas' parents waiting and hoping for Thomas to wake up, Harold was arriving at the court house. His emotions were split. Half of him wanted to be at the hospital with his family and those that got hurt, but the other half wanted to be here to see Beth arraigned finally. This is something he has been waiting and hoping for now going on several months. He started to doubt this day was going to come.

When he walked into Patrick Garcia's courtroom, he sat in the back of the gallery, away from the cameras and reporters. It didn't take long for one of the reporters to spot him in the back of the gallery and alert the others. Before he knew it, he was being chased out of the courtroom and into the hallway leading to the judge's chambers.

Harold didn't want to overshadow or step on Garcia's turf, but if he didn't get out of there, Garcia wouldn't have been able to get the proceedings underway. He tried to sneak out, but the press was all over the place. Just as Harold saw an opening, Garcia walked out of his chambers and saw his fellow judge trying to make a run for it.

"Harold my friend, come on over here." Harold turned around. "Come on, you and I know you are not going to be able to make to the elevator. So why don't you stop trying to figure out a way to get out of here and join me in my chambers."

Reluctantly, Harold made his way down the hall and into Garcia's chambers. Before he was able to sit down, Garcia's secretary asked him if he wanted something to drink. Harold asked for a Coke and a few minutes later she returned with one for him and Patrick. Neither of them spoke a word while she was gone and waited until she left before saying anything, but the minute she closed the door, Patrick started talking.

"Man, it's is a three ring circus out there right now." Harold nodded his head. "I know if you could, you would preside over this case, but you can't because to are too close to the case. However, I would like your opinion on it since you are familiar with the facts. I researched if that was possible and it is. We won't be breaking any laws by talking about the case, as long as I don't make up my mind and you just give me facts."

"I have no problem giving you the facts. In fact whenever you need something cleared up about the case, I will be more than happy to help you out, just call on me."

"Good, thank you Harold." Garcia took a long drink of his soda before continuing. "One of the things I'm not clear about doing is the bail. These two did some very bad things, but everything they did isn't big enough to deny them bail. If this was your case, what would you do? Would you give them bail, or would you hold them without bail?"

"You are right about the crimes they committed and as judges we have to give them bail. However, they have shown they are a flight risk. Knowing what you know about them running to Mexico, putting our leaders at odds with each other, I wouldn't give them bail. There is no doubt in my mind they will run back over the border if given the chance.

Putting that aside for one minute, Dominic Alvarez was already out on bail and he jumped bond. Although it was in another state, you can actually cite that as another reason to deny him bail. The guy has shown that he doesn't have any respect for the law, so in return we shouldn't give him any more chances either."

Patrick agreed with everything Harold said, but he was still unsure on where he was going to end up on bail. He wants to look tuff and not give them bail, at the same time he knows the law tells him what he has to do. Even knowing what he knows about the two that are about to appear before him, he has to follow the letter of the law.

"Well I think I will play the wait and see game." Harold understood where Patrick was going with that because he has done the same many times in his rulings. "If they come into my courtroom as if the world owes them something, I will throw the book at them. If they come in showing remorse, I will think about setting a reasonable bail for them to reach."

"Just keep in mind all the hard work that was put in to get these two back to the states. If you give them bail that they can make, they will flip you the bird as they go running over the border to Mexico. Again both of them have shown that they have no respect for this country or its laws. Therefore we need to make them understand that they can't break the laws in this country and then go running back to their native country to hide."

Once again Patrick agreed with Harold and was leaning more towards not giving bail no matter how the two come in acting. They kept talking about the facts of the case all the way up to when they had to go. As they made their way down the hall to the judge's entrance to the court room, Patrick gave Harold permission to sit with the prosecutor. He accepted and went into the courtroom before Patrick.

All that Harold saw was flashes when he walked in. The press started taking pictures of him from the moment he walked through the doors and didn't stop until Judge Garcia walked in. Garcia didn't like the photographers taking pictures with their flashes going in his courtroom and he ordered them to turn them off before doing anything else.

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, before I call the first case, I want to set some ground rules here. At no time may any of you talk. If you do, you will be removed from my courtroom. The flashes on the cameras turn them off. If you have beepers, turn those off as well. If either of those items goes off even once, you will be removed from my courtroom. I don't care what news agency you are from.

Now, when the two defendants are brought in, I don't want to hear a peep from anyone in the gallery. If I do, I will clear the courtroom and only allow those parties that have business before this court to stay. I'm not in any mood for games today."

Patrick looked out into the gallery and saw they were are listening to him. He turned to his bailiff and asked him to bring in the first defendant. The courtroom was so quiet when Dominic was brought in that you could hear the clicking sounds coming from the cameras as the still photographers took pictures.

Dominic walked over to the defense table and sat down next to his attorney. Before he was able to get comfortable, the door opened again and this time Beth Alvarez walked into the courtroom. This time the press in the gallery didn't stay quiet. They all got up and started taking pictures and talking among themselves.

Patrick looked over at his bailiff to start kicking out those that broke the rules that he'd just laid out for them to follow. He walked over with several officers and started to pull out the reporters that were talking. Some of them yelled as they were being pulled out, and some of them begged to be given one more chance. Neither the ones yelling or begging were allowed to return to their seats.

Once the first group was removed from the courtroom, the other reporters remained seated and quiet. "I meant what I said. If you break the rules of this courtroom, you will be removed from this courtroom and not allowed to come back in. So if you want to get the story on what is going on in here, follow the rules."

Patrick looked over at Dominic. "Mr. Dominic Alvarez, would you please stand up and come before me with your attorney." Dominic did as he was asked. As soon as he was standing in front of Patrick, the bailiff went down the list of charges. Dominic's attorney stopped the bailiff halfway down, waived the reading but not the plea. On every charge that Dominic was being charged with, he pleaded not guilty.

"Your honor I am asking this court to look at my client as a first offender since he has never broken a law in Texas. By doing so, I ask you to release my client on ROR or at least set bail in an amount that he can make."

"Mr. Alvarez has shown the courts when given bail that he can raise, he runs. What assurances can you and your client give this court that he won't do the same if I would grant him bail that he could make? It is very hard for this court to ignore what he has done then give him bail where he can make a run for the border again."

"For one your honor, the case you are talking about wasn't in the courts of Texas. You can't use those cases against my client. And secondly, my client is innocent of all the charges he is being charged with. He wants his day in court to prove that." Dominic's attorney quickly came back in defense of his client.

"You are wrong as far as me being able to consider what he has done in the past whenever he has been given bail. If he has as record of not appearing in court after being given bail, I have to take that under consideration. No matter if it was in my courtroom, another in this building or another in this country, he has a record of jumping bail."

Dominic's attorney tried to object, but the judge wouldn't let him. "The courts of New Mexico held your client over for trial without bail, and I am going to do the same. Mr. Alvarez you have shown this court that you don't deserve bail and I'm not about to give it you so you can try and make a run for it like you have in the past."

Garcia looked over at the sheriffs. "Take the Mr. Alvarez into the custody and back to the county lockup where he will remain until the end of his trial." The sheriffs walked over to Dominic, handcuffed him before escorting him out of the courtroom. He looked at Beth, but didn't hold the glance for fear it might hurt her chances to get bail.

Garcia quickly moved the cases along. He called Beth before him and like before, his bailiff started to read off the charges. Since Beth hadn't had a chance to get an attorney, Dominic's attorney stepped in and represented her. He waived the reading, but not the plea and just like Dominic, he had Beth plead not guilty to all the charges.

"Mr. Parker you can't be attorney of record for both of these defendants. There is no way you can give them both the defense they deserve." Garcia looked down at Dominic's attorney astonished that he was trying to pull this stunt in his courtroom.

"I know I can't be attorney of record for both of the defendants in the trial, but for this proceeding I can since we are just dealing with bail." Mr. Parker looked at Beth and back at the judge. "When Mrs. Alvarez appears before you again, she will have her own attorney, but for now I will represent her through this proceeding."

Not liking it, Garcia let it go because Mr. Parker was right. "Fine, let's move on shall we. Mrs. Alvarez you have really made a mess of things out there by running to Mexico before you were able to be arrested in New Mexico. Because of those actions, I'm having a hard time even thinking about giving you bail on any of your charges. This is your chance to plead your case as to why I should consider bail in your case."

"Your honor, unlike Mr. Alvarez, Mrs. Alvarez has never been arrested before. She has no record in this state, in the state of New Mexico or any state for that matter. She is a mother of two and wants to get back to her kids as soon as possible. We are asking the court to give her give ROR and let her make amends with her kids while awaiting trial."

"As far as what you have told this court, you are right! Mrs. Alvarez has never been arrested in this state or anywhere in the United States. However, she, just like Mr. Alvarez, has shown the world that they feel they don't have to obey the laws of this country. When they knew they were going to be arrested, they took off across the border, causing an international incident. A lot of lives were affected by their actions."

"Sir with all due respect, you are assuming facts that are not in evidence. Neither the prosecution in New Mexico nor here in El Paso could prove to this court or any court for that matter that was the reason they went to Mexico. I can prove that they went over to visit family and not what you are assuming. Unless you have evidence to say otherwise, you can't use their trip to Mexico as an excuse to not give my client bail."

"Mr. Parker let's say I were to accept your vision of the truth, why didn't they return when they heard they were wanted for questioning. No sir, you can't sell this court that load of bull. Your clients ran across the border in hopes they could escape prosecution and they almost got away with it. If it wasn't for the Governor of Texas standing up to the Mexican Government, they would have. That theory is shot down. Do you want to try another?"

"Your honor you are not partial in this case. Beside the way you have ruled already on my clients, you held a meeting with Harold Evans before this hearing, a person that has a personal stake in this matter. Because of your rulings you have already made shows that you are biased in this case and with your meeting with Harold Evans, you must step down."

"Let me first clear something up. Whenever you talk about a district judge in my courtroom or any courtroom you better address that judge either by `your honor' or Judge Evans. If you don't show him that respect, I will hold you contempt of court. Have I made myself clear on that matter?" Mr. Parker nodded his head.

"As far as me stepping down, I won't. Yes I held a meeting with Judge Evans, but it was to talk about the facts of the case, nothing more. We didn't talk about anything else. If you don't believe me, appeal my rulings. There I will present a recording of the meeting he and I had to prove all that was discussed was the facts of the case. No personal agendas or feeling were discussed in that conversation at any time."

"Your honor I didn't mean to offend you, but your rulings and the manner in which you are talking about my clients, you have shown bias against them. I am asking you, sir, to reconsider you position as judge of record because I feel you are too close to some of those that are involved in this case. The emotions of those friendships are showing."

"Once again I deny your motion and if you make it once more, I will hold you contempt of court. Once I make a ruling, it is a closed matter. If you feel the ruling is wrong, take it up in appeals court. As far as this court is concerned, the ruling is a matter of record and it will stand. Is that understood?" Mr. Parker answered in the positive.

"As far as bail for your client I feel I have given you plenty of the court's time to argue your reasons on giving her bail, but you threw away that time. Since you are unable to give this court anything to go on to give Mrs. Alvarez bail, I am going to deny her bail. She is remanded to the custody of the sheriff's department until the end of her trial or she takes plea if the district attorney offers her one."

Just like Dominic, the sheriffs that brought Beth in for the bail hearing walked over to her and placed her back into handcuffs and then escorted her out the same way she came in. Once she was taken out of the courtroom, Judge Garcia adjourned his court until Monday and stepped down from the bench. The press immediately surrounded Mr. Parker and started asking him question after question, which he was more than happy to answer.

The one person that no one noticed sitting in the back of the courtroom was Joey. He had walked in when Judge Garcia just finished ruling on his uncle's bail hearing. He wanted to see his mother in person in handcuffs, and when he did, his heart went out to her. Not once in his life has he ever seen his mother looking as bad as she looked at that moment.

She looked worn out and it didn't look like it was just physical exhaustion. She looked stressed out and worried. It didn't surprise Joey. In fact it worried him. His heart wanted to help her but his brain was holding him back reminding him about what she has done to him. He was trying to explain it off that it was his uncle that made his mother do what she did, but his brain wasn't buying it and won over.

When he couldn't see his mother or Harold anymore, he made his way out of the courtroom. Not wanting to get caught up in the press circus, he used the stairs to get to the first floor and then quickly made his way out of the building. When he made it to his car, he couldn't believe that no one saw him. He actually made it out of the courtroom without the press cornering him and asking him millions different ways on how he was feeling about the rulings that came down on his mother and uncle.

All the way back to the hospital and through the night, Joey couldn't get his mother's face out his mind. Several times he came close to going to Harold and asking him to do what he could to get his mother bail. However, each time he got close on getting up, his brain made him remember everything she had done.

The couple of times that he ignored what he knew was right, Caleb was there to hold him back. He kept him in his seat and talked to him. Caleb reminded him that if he would go out on a limb for his mother, it will come back to bite him on the butt. Joey tried to argue with Caleb that wasn't going to happen, but in the end, he saw how right Caleb was and decided to leave things alone.

None of the boys left the hospital all day Sunday. They were playing musical chairs between the rooms. Whenever they weren't in a room with one of the ones that were hurt, they were either downstairs in the cafeteria getting something to eat or grabbing a meal from Burger King or Taco Bell across the street.

By the time the evening rolled around, those that weren't in a bed, wanted to be in one. Joey went from room to room and gathered everyone that needed to get back to the hotel to be ready for school the next day. As he made his rounds, he checked in on his friends and promised them that he will be back with the others after school tomorrow.

As they were leaving out the ER doors, Alex was being rushed in. Joey tried to get information on what was going on, but no one was saying anything. The only good thing he saw that settled his nerves was Drs. Whitmore and Mitchell. They were there at the door and started working on Alex as soon as he was rolled in the doors.

Joey held the guys back as he watched Alex disappear behind the double doors. Just as he turned to leave, he ran right into Franseca. He and the guys stayed with her until Matt arrived, and then left. Before leaving them, he told them to call him at the hotel if they needed anything. He didn't care the time or what the item they needed was, he made it clear he was there for them.

Matt thanked Joey and Caleb for that and promised to call them if anything comes up. After shaking hands, Joey and Caleb started to walk out when they ran right into the officers that were being brought in. They got out of the way to let them through and then continued on their way to the SUV where the others were waiting.

All the way to the hotel, Joey went over the past week's events. Besides the rollercoaster ride that he and Jacob were on when he got shot and then was diagnosed with cancer, this week has been the craziest in his life. It started last weekend with Jacob's house burning down, everything in between from transferring schools, the beating of Aaron, and so much more before ending up this weekend with the car accident. Joey couldn't help but wonder what else he and his friends could take being thrown at them.

TO BE COTINUED...

I have a home page for you to see what the characters look like or what the places look like. If you want to walk in their shoes, please go to: http://jacobmillertex.com/

WRITER'S CORNER:

{Welcome back one and all to another filled chapter of `Regrets and Heartaches'. A lot happened in this chapter, and there is still a lot to come. If you are a little confused on some of the plots in this chapter, especially the ones at the beginning, you are not reading "Shadow of My Father". They were started there in chapter two of sophomore year. So please if you are confused and haven't read that chapter, go on back and do so.

For the first time since I started writing my four stories, all of them are running on the same time line. "Jacob Finding His Way" and "Beneath the Mask" are both on March the second, Monday. "Shadow of my Father" and "Regrets and Heartaches" are on March the first, Sunday. Never before have I had all four stories just a day apart like they are now.

I know you guys are a little confused by the time line and I, with the help with my staff here, are working on putting together a time line. However it is going to take some time since so much has gone on in all four stories. You should take a look at the timeline as far as this last week with all four stories. You won't believe everything that has happened with these guys. An interesting bit of trivia; Ed, who keeps the facts straight and the characters list, just noted this week that between the four stories there is over three hundred characters that have been introduced. Try and remember all those as you write out the stories! LOL.

Anyway, enough with that, let's get to the summation of the chapter. I picked up where I left off in the last chapter with the adoption discussion. The only reason I brought this plot in was because of some of you readers telling me that it was incest between Fran and Allen now that they are adopted by the same parents. I wanted to clear that up and hopefully I did. They may have the same last name, but they are not biologically related in anyway. The two being together doesn't constitute incest.

From that plot I jumped over to the two plots I opened in "Shadow of My Father". The first was Al calling and informing Joey about what was going on with his mother. Joey didn't believe it at first, but then Al has never misled him in anyway. They talked awhile and at the end, Joey was thankful for what Al and the Governor did.

As soon as he got off the phone, he called up the group he hired to kidnap his mother and bring her back. What a scam they were running on Joey if you ask me. I am glad that Caleb was there to help Joey through that and his talk with Evans. Caleb has been showing in the last couple of chapters on how much he complaints Joey. They are stronger together than alone. I really hope their love for each other continues to grow.

Aaron finally got his talk with Harold and he surprised me to a point. He went down memory lane and told Harold an incident he witnessed at Bill's house. Knowing that, I understand why he was accepting of what Harold did. There is no question he is going to be worried and scared for awhile, but with his friends and Chris around, he will get stronger and stop being afraid of Bill and the others that hurt him.

Talking about Chris, there are fireworks there. I don't see this relationship coming together as quickly as the others in my story because these two are scared individuals. However, if they stick with it, they might actually get together and be stronger by being careful and taking it slowly.

After reading in "Shadow of My Father" that Beth was brought back to El Paso, you guys should have known there was going to be a court hearing in the near future. What did you think about the hearing? Did Judge Garcia over step his position by denying bail? Or do you guys think he had the right mixture and did the right thing?

Now about the accident I really didn't go into a lot of detail about it in this chapter since two of my other stories covered it in detail. There was no need to put you guys through it again in complete detail. Joey and the guys were there, so this story had to have it in it. I hope I found the right tone to tie it in. The number are getting better by the week and I am trying to make the story something that you guys are happy to see when a new chapter is posted and you come in and read it.

There is so much going on in this saga. I can keep writing, but I won't. You guys are going to need to tune in to the next chapter to see what is going on. More plots are going to open and old ones will be closed. This story, like my others, will keep you on your toes. Don't miss what is coming up in the chapters to come.

I don't want to say too much more and spoil the future chapters to come, so I won't. I warn you though! Don't skip a chapter, or you will be lost. There is a so much to answer in the chapters to come. Keep reading the future chapters, and enjoy! Please email me and let me know how I am doing at jacob@jacobmillertex.com, Thanks!}

"DADDY" RICK'S EDITOR'S CORNER:

Joey sure has his plate full. Just in this chapter alone, he's been emotionally pulled so hard from so many directions. I don't know if I were Joey if I'd have been able to keep it all going without losing my sanity. Joey is also still struggling with the traumas he's endured. The painful memories do serve him keeping his emotional responses toward his mom in check. At his young age he's handling many responsibilities most adults would be incapable of dealing with. He has great backing in the Evans and Caleb in specific. Jacob is always there too.

Aaron sure gave Harold a time. Harold just couldn't get a handle on the boy's thoughts or feelings. Aaron was being wise making sure of where he stood. He was careful about what he said and what he revealed. He kept things about himself to himself, yet he was very candid and open about Billy's situation at home. He's also wrestling with how much to say and to whom about his interest in Chris. It's funny that both Aaron and Chris are having the same concerns about how much to say, when, and to whom. Both guys are getting scrutinized by those close to them and they all sense something's going on, but haven't nailed it down...yet...

I hope that Fran won't be too hard on Joey since he didn't get things just the way she wants. I know she will be disappointed, but I hope she will know that her brother did the best he could. I hope that Caleb and Allen are around to help smooth the troubled waters should a storm pop up. If there is upset, Joey shouldn't have to deal with it solo.

Like JPG, I could go on and on, but I'll not do that to you! All of us on the JPG team truly appreciate each and every one of our loyal readers. E-mails to any or all of us are greatly appreciated. Remember those e-mails are the only `pay' we get for all the hard work.

Until Next Time,

"Daddy" Rick

daddyrick@jacobmillertex.com