The final chapter.
I didn't have a funeral for my son as I don't like them. Instead, I had a memorial at my home. I was really surprised at the number of people that showed up. Especially, the parents of the kids from Lawrence' school.
Cheryl and her family were of course there as was shy Steve and his parents.
I was glad it was over, both the illness and the memorial. Afterward, I carried my son' ashes to my bedroom and placed them next to his father'. I couldn't stay in the house, so I packed a bag and went to a motel.
I didn't return home for three days and found Steve mowing my lawn. Finding Steve mowing my lawn, blew me away, it was totally unexpected and nice. I tried to pay him but he refused and said he would be back to help with anything else I might need, and so started a new phase in my life.
Steve came by every three or so days to do something I needed and would pester me until I gave him something to do, without pay, all while working a full time job.
Cheryl also came by often, to talk or help with whatever I was doing. A couple of weeks after my son' death, she told me why she wanted to be alone with him that night. She was pregnant and wanted to tell him, but she didn't have the nerve with me there. She told me she wanted to have the baby and asked what I thought. I told her that it was entirely her decision and I was delighted to be a Grandmother. That's when she dropped the bombshell that her parents wanted her to have an abortion. I asked her not to have an abortion and told her that if she didn't want the baby, I would adopt it, no questions asked.
"My God! Of course I want the baby! I Love Lawrence!" She sobbed.
I held her and let her cry it out.
The next day she showed up after her mother had kicked her in the stomach and I told her to move in with me, she was after all old enough to live on her own.
I went with her to her house for her things and her mother started to get out of hand so I told her, "Cheryl has a nice bruise from your foot on her stomach so you're lucky she doesn't make an assault charge. It would be best for you to shut up and let her get her things. Otherwise, I'll call the cops and let them decide what happens." Pam didn't say another thing, she got in her car and left. We then loaded Cheryl' computer, clothes, and some other things in my car and left, as it turned out, for good.
Since Steve worked nights and Cheryl worked days they never ran into each other at my house, until the day after Cheryl moved in with me.
Cheryl came home early because she had a Dr. appointment that day. Steve had been here mulching my flower beds. And as he had done many times, was using my shower to get ready for work.
Cheryl heard the shower, and looking at me with a very quizzical look, asked, "Who's that?"
"That's Steve." I answered.
"Steve! I didn't know you had a boyfriend!" She exclaimed.
"Boyfriend," I chuckled, "He's not my boyfriend. He went to school with you and Lawrence."
Her eyebrows scrunched, and she said, "You mean Stephen, the quiet kid Larry liked?"
"Larry!? Uh, yes, I guess. Larry? You called him Larry?" Completely confused, I answered. You see, Cheryl always called my son Lawrence around me, and I had never heard Steve called Stephen, and Steve had never told me his name was Stephen.
"Does, me calling him Larry bother you?" She said kind of apologetic.
"No, not really, it's just to me he is Lawrence, like his father. If Larry is what you want to call him, then you call him Larry." I said as reassuring as possible. There were several seconds of silence as we looked at each other.
"Stephen, his name is Stephen, Stephanie." Cheryl said, breaking the silence.
"What does he like to be called?" I asked.
"Gee, I don't know, I never thought about it, we all called him Steve or Stevie, at school." She said looking deep in thought.
Steve came out of the bathroom, combing his hair, and turned beet red when he saw us sitting on the couch.
"Uh, Steve, which would you rather be called, Steve, Stephen or something else?" I asked.
He gave me a great big smile, and said, "You're the first one that's ever asked. Actually, I like Stephen better than Steve. But, I understand that it's easier for people to just say Steve."
"Well, Stephen it is." I said.
"Cheryl has moved in with me, due to some family problems, so she'll be here now too." I said.
He looked down and with a sad voice said, "Does that mean you don't want me coming around?"
"Oh my no, I love having you around." I said reassuring and took his hand. "You are welcome here anytime."
He smiled, and said, "Oh, wow, good, cause I like being here." He quickly looked at his watch, and said, "I gotta get to work." And he hurried out.
Cheryl looked at me with a 'Cheshire Cat' grin, and said, "You're in love with him. You are! You're in love with him aren't you?"
I was flabbergasted, I knew I had feelings for him, but didn't think about love.
"You're blushing. And, you are in love with him. And, you know what else, I watched and listened to him and he's in love with you too." She said, softly and firmly.
"This is too much; I'm going to start supper." I said as I got up. Cheryl didn't say anything more about it; she would just smile at me all evening. I couldn't stop thinking about it, getting more turned on with every thought. That night was very restless with all of the thoughts going through my head. At first I thought that I was just trying to replace my son with another boy. That I had sank to being a pedophile and needed help. I told myself that I could not use Stephen to replace my son and would have to control myself.
When morning came, the realization of it being Saturday and Stephen would surely be here all weekend, I became very nervous about myself. Fortunately, Cheryl corralled Stephen all day helping her with her things and taking her shopping. I didn't know it but Cheryl questioned Stephen about things, and after thinking about it started encouraging him to be with me.
My boss helped me break the law after I told him about Cheryl and Lawrence. He knew a Judge that would marry them even though Lawrence was deceased. "The only thing is, he said, "The Judge insists that he actually marry two people. So, someone has to stand with Cheryl, before the Judge. And, you and Cheryl will have to tell the Judge your story. If he accepts your story he will marry them and post the date before Lawrence died."
When I asked Stephen to pose as my son for Cheryl, he didn't even hesitate before saying, yes.
My boss set up the appointment, and we all went to talk to the Judge. He listened first to Cheryl, then me, and then asked Stephen if he were sure about his role as 'Proxy.' The Judge asked me for a date and I chose my son' birthday. He checked and said that was acceptable, and since it was so close it would be easier to get the record slipped in.
He had Cheryl and Stephen stand as he went through the vows; he ended with, "You don't have to kiss the bride. But, for doing this, I'd say she owes you one."
Cheryl smiled and laid a big one on Stephen. The Judge said it would be a few minutes and he called his clerk in to get the papers. After she left, I asked the Judge why he did this. He said, "There are a lot of people out there in similar circumstances, being hung out to dry by the law, denied benefits and help. In your particular case they surely would have gotten married if he hadn't been taken so suddenly by something he couldn't control. My job is to help people by doing what is right, and since the law doesn't make allowance for this, I do what I can."
I asked the Judge about the fee, and he said, "It's the normal marriage fee. I don't charge extra for helping people." And, so, now Cheryl had my son' name.
Time went on and they both started school, Cheryl attended the private college on the other side of the city and Stephen attended the University I worked for. Since we were going to the same place, we started riding together and he would drop by between classes or for lunch.
My tattooed coworker became very interested in 'my relationship' with 'my young man.' She was really beginning to annoy me and that caused me to back away from Stephen for a while. But, good old Cheryl was right there to maneuver us back together.
To keep some of my impulses in check, I was using my penis quite a bit and Cheryl caught me at it one night. I guess I was moaning a little too loud and she came to check on me. I had strapped it to a chair and was lying with my ass on the edge of the bed as I fucked myself with it.
She had watched me for a while, before coming in and whispering, "Having fun?"
