Bedtime Story - One

[Daisuke]

- [COLOR=#800080]Prologue[/COLOR]
- One
- [COLOR=#0066cc]Two[/COLOR]
- [COLOR=#0066cc]Three[/COLOR]
- [COLOR=#800080]Four[/COLOR]
- [COLOR=#800080]Five[/COLOR]
- [COLOR=#800080]Six[/COLOR]


Note: Prologue is important, so please read if you haven't.

This part is mostly Cameron's background. We see a lot of Spencer in the next chapter, and soon... more growth! yes!

One

I remember our house so well. I wish our parents had let me know they planned to sell it—I would have taken it off their hands.

It was modest: two stories, four bedrooms, forest green shutters on the windows that matched the front door. The Heatons owned properties all over the world, and this little picture book house barely registered in our portfolio.

Patrick and Natasha Heaton loved it on sight. I think they had this idea that a picture book house would lead to a picture book family. They’d both been raised by the finest boarding schools in the world, and they both felt they’d been robbed of a good old fashioned American childhood.

Crystal Springs had one of the top public school systems in the country and, well, they’d never been to Oregon before.

They had every intention of painting a Norman Rockwell life, I know that. But they had no idea how to raise a child, and their real lives called to them. In less than a year after I was born, they had reclaimed their lives as Heatons, and rarely had the time to grace Crystal Springs.

Me? I was left home with the nanny, Mrs. Poole. She was nice enough, but she was over sixty. Basic needs were all she could provide, so I didn’t play very much, not like a normal child, anyway.

I would lay on the grass and watch the stars. I taught myself to count that way, too innocent to know I’d never be done. I felt closer to them than I did to my own parents. Understandable, I suppose.

After all, the stars would never abandon me.

As I grew older, I began to realize that I was different from the other kids my age. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was bigger, taller, stronger. I tried to participate in playground games, but I could never keep up.

I was alone a lot. That was alright.

Then, a few months after my sixth birthday, Mrs. Poole told me that my parents had called, and that they were coming home.

I didn’t even look up from my homework. “When?” Not that it mattered. They stopped by every four to six months for a few days, then breezed out again.

“Friday, and they have quite a surprise.”

“They always bring gifts, Mrs. Poole. That’s hardly a surprise.”

I could actually feel her frown. Like a hot brand of disapproval on my back. “Young man, you are far too grown up for your own good.”

My teachers said the same thing. But I knew enough to realize it wasn’t my fault, so I didn’t feel guilty about it.

Mrs. Poole clucked her tongue when I didn’t answer, but I was generally a good child and she didn’t have the energy to lecture me, so she left me to my homework.

*****

“So... you were always like that?”

I looked over Spencer’s body, curled into a ball of muscle on the floor of the barn.

Was he in pain?

“Like what?” I asked.

Muscles all over his body twitched.

Still unstable, then.

“You know...”

“Cold?”

He frowned. “You weren’t cold with me. Not when we were kids, anyway. But I remember how you were always in control, even with adults.”

“Ah. I suppose I was.” I hesitated, then decided to risk it. “How are you feeling? Ready to leave this place?”

His face hardened and the twitching intensified. “No. The story hasn’t gotten to me yet.”

I sighed and continued telling it.

*****

I hardly noticed when Friday arrived. It wasn’t until I heard the front door open that I remembered.

“Cam!” called my father.

Being that I was comfortably sprawled on the carpet in the den and engrossed in coloring, I chose not to answer.

No, that’s not entirely honest.

I didn’t answer because I didn’t feel we were close enough for him to shorten my name that way.

Mrs. Poole bustled into the dim room. “Don’t you hear your father calling?”

I glanced up briefly before returning my attention to my picture. “I’m waiting for something.”

“What on earth are you waiting for?” She bent over, took my sunglasses and handed them to me. “Put them on. You know how your parents often forget about your condition.”

I humored her and put them on. Absently I noted I was out of midnight blue. Again. And the silver could barely be called a nub.

How could I draw shiny stars without silver? Would white work?

Mrs. Poole slipped her hands around my waist—no doubt preparing to drag me into the foyer—when I heard it.

“Cameron? You here, buddy?”

I casually rose to my feet. “Coming, Father.”

Since she was bent over anyway, Mrs. Poole grabbed my picture. “You should show this to your parents.”

Shrugging, I walked into the foyer. “Hello, Father. Hello, Mother. How was your...” My voice trailed when I got my first good look at my mother.

She was... well she was huge. One thing about Natasha Heaton: she’d always prided herself on her slender figure.

“Aren’t you going to give your mother a hug?” she asked, stretching her arms toward me.

“You look different,” I said bluntly.

Her arms fell to her sides. I don’t know why she expected an embrace anyway. Although my parents were open about their affection for each other, their relationship with their only son had always been somewhat cool. I thought I knew why, but I had enough tact not to bring it up in conversation, at least.

She didn’t speak again until Patrick looped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m pregnant, Cameron. That means I’m going to have a baby.” She ran her palms over her swollen stomach.

I was silent a moment, absorbing the news. “There’s a baby?” I took a step forward and lifted my hand, almost—but not quite—touching her. “In there?”

My father grinned down at me. “You’re going to have a little brother, Cameron. What do you think of that?”

A little brother? The concept was hard to grasp, and I really didn’t know how I felt about it. “Why are you having him?”

My parents looked at each other, then at me. “We didn’t want you to be alone anymore.”

I believed him. I believed this baby was meant solely as a gift for me, like the bicycle they’d given me during their last visit.

Tentatively, I placed a hand on my mother’s stomach. Entranced, I laid my head against her as well. I thought for sure I could hear him moving around in there. “When will he come out?”

Natasha’s hand awkwardly stroked my hair. It would be one of the few tender moments I could remember sharing with her. “He’s due in two weeks.”

I glanced up. “You’re staying for two weeks?” They’d never stayed so long.

“We’re going to do a lot better than that,” said my father. “We’re going to stay for good.”

Ah, so they meant to give the family thing another try.

I touched my mother’s belly again. A little brother was in there, and suddenly I was willing to try, too.

[TheMM]

Well, this definately has some serious possibility.

[JockStudBoy]

Wow, I just wanted to say thanks for two great installments so far. For some reason I missed the Prologue and just read them both now. I have to say this storyline is very interesting and I am looking forward to future installments. Thanks for your contibutution!

[bribear1042]

I like Brother stories. It reminds me of my life as my younger brother is bigger than me. I like your technique, the flashback technique adds a little mystery to the story. Previously, someone commented that this story was very "Rowanesque" and I would like to say that I can see some similarities, but you have a great story line here. I cannot wait for it to continue.

[greedycigarson]

VERY interesting! Look forward to more..

[sexiscriptor]

Originally Posted by Daisuke

After all, the stars would never abandon me.

mmm....this made me think of one of my favorite poems - W.H. Auden's "The More Loving One."
It's simply gorgeous, the poem and this installment
keep it up man, you got us beggin' for it....
~SS

[muscl4life]

Excellent work. I hope you're having fun doing this....

[arpeejay]

Great start! I look forward to reading the rest!

xoxo

Richard

[Daisuke]

Thanks. Just posted chapter 2.

[Jace]

Wow...that's good.

[touchmejudgeme]

Is the nanny's name a Jane Eyre reference?

[Daisuke]

Originally Posted by touchmejudgeme

Is the nanny's name a Jane Eyre reference?

Actually it's a really warped Annie reference. I was an adult before I realized that "Mrs. Poole" was actually "Mrs. Pugh." I still hear "Mrs. Poole" when I hear the "You'll really like it here" song.