Someone To Watch Over Me
by Purple Lacey
Part Two
Ezra was pulled reluctantly from sleep by the early morning sun that flooded his hospital room with light. Never a cheerful riser, Ezra grumpily wiped the sleep from his eyes before opening them. He looked around the unfamiliar room in puzzlement before memories of the previous night returned. His head whipped up to look toward the side of the bed where Buck had been sitting the previous night when he had finally succumbed to sleep. The child’s eyes began to fill with tears of disappointment when he found Buck was no longer there.
“You really need to have a little more faith,” a soft voice said from the end of his bed. Ezra swiftly sat up on recognizing the voice.
“Chris! You’re still here!” the child sighed out in relief. Mentally the boy added, “at least.”
Chris shook his head in gentle reproach and said, “He promised you he would stay with you, and Buck never breaks a promise if it is at all possible.”
The angel pointed to the other side of the bed. Ezra turned over to see Buck slouched in the chair, his long legs propped on the bedrail. The man was sound asleep. Ezra relaxed at the sight, and turned back to Chris with a pleased little grin.
Buck had been busy after Ezra had gone to sleep the night before. After getting the okay from Nathan before the doctor and the others left, Buck had pulled out his cell phone and begun making arrangements. His first call had been to Gloria Potter, his administrative assistance, to cancel all his appointments for the next day and clear his schedule for the next two weeks. His next call had been to his housekeeper, Nettie Wells, to let her know what was going on and get her to call in a crew to open up the guest house again and get his things moved back in. Then followed a call to his attorney to spell out the current situation and schedule a meeting with the man to get the ball rolling on obtaining permanent custody of Ezra. Then a call to his stable master, Tiny, to arrange the afternoon ride as he had promised Ezra.
Buck planned to give all his attention to Ezra the next day and didn’t want to be bothered with the task of driving, so he had to phone his driver/mechanic to let him know the car he had used the previous evening would have to be picked up and to let the man know he would be needed the following morning.
Although Buck was usually too down to earth to like being chauffeured around, he knew there were times that he had to make an impression on a business associate or attend a function that required it, so he had a limo that usually sat unused in his huge garage. He decided to use it to the next day as he thought the boy would get a kick out of the gadgets in the huge automobile. He also figured he would need the space in the limo for the things that he would have to take Ezra shopping for tomorrow. The boy would literally be coming to him with nothing but the clothes on his back. He would need everything from clothes and shoes to toys and school supplies.
The thought of school supplies reminded him he would need to put down finding a good school for the child on his list of things to do. Luckily it was the middle of December and most of the area schools would be letting out for the Christmas holidays. Buck and Ezra would have some time to get to know each other properly before the six year old had to begin classes again.
And Christmas was coming. That was a thought that got Buck excited. He had been looking forward to the holiday because JD was coming home to spend it with him, but now he had even more reason to anticipate the holiday. The thought of being able to once again experience the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of a child was exhilarating to Buck. Although he knew he would have to be careful not to spoil the boy rotten, he also knew he wouldn’t be able to resist making this the best Christmas the child had ever had.
For his final call of the evening, Buck had dialed JD to let him know about the new addition to their family. While the phone had been ringing, Buck had mentally rehearsed what he would say. To be honest, he had been acting on instinct ever since he had laid eyes on Ezra. He hadn’t once stopped to think of JD’s response to the new situation. He had suddenly been confronted with the question of how his young cousin would react to having the little boy included in what until now had just been the two of them, and found he had no idea of the answer. JD was a wonderful person, but unpredictable at times. Buck could only hope the boy had grown up enough not to feel threatened by the child’s presence.
“Dunne’s Dungeon of Decadence and Depravity,” JD’s cheerful voice came through the line.
“Is that any way to answer a phone?” the listening Buck scolded lightly. “I thought I taught you better than that.”
The very clear sound of a snort came over the phone and the young man replied, “Who do you think taught it to me, or have you forgotten Wilmington’s Wallow of Wild, Wanton Women?”
Buck laughed softly so as not to disturb the sleeping Ezra.
“You know better than to listen to me. You’re supposed to do as I say, not as I do,” he said with amusement.
“Did you call just to give me a lesson in phone etiquette, or was there another reason you took me away from studying for my Biology and English finals?” JD quipped.
Buck got quiet for a second then answered quietly, “Yeah, there’s a reason.”
JD could hear the serious tone in that familiar voice and immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Buck demurred. “Actually, something is very right.”
“Spill it, Buck,” JD said with worried impatience.
“You remember the story Vin told you about how he came to live with Nettie?”
“Sure,” a puzzled JD acknowledged. “Chris came for him and fixed it so he got to stay with Nettie when Vin ran away from that horrible foster home he was living in. That’s how Chris came to be his Angel.”
“Yeah, well,” Buck tried hard to keep from stammering, “Uh, Chris has a new little boy to look after now.”
JD was quiet for a moment as he absorbed this news.
“It was bound to happen sooner or later, Buck” JD said softly. “I knew I was too old to really need him like before. If you were afraid the news would shock me then you can put your mind at ease.”
“Umm, that was surely part of it,” Buck admitted, “But the real news is...this time I’m the one Chris chose to take in the new kid.”
Buck waited with bated breath for the college student to process that one.
“Really!” JD exclaimed. “Chris got you a kid? He’s there? With you right now? Oh man, that’s great news!”
Buck looked a little taken aback at JD’s reaction not having expected him to be so enthusiastic, then shrugged it off and decided to just be happy the man didn’t have a problem with it.
“So what’s he like? Where did he come from? Is he an orphan like Vin?” JD began to fire questions at Buck with lightening speed.
“Whoa! Slow down, pard,” Buck said with a laugh. “I’ll tell you if you just let me get two words in.”
JD laughed then agreeably said, “Sorry. Okay, shoot.”
Buck spent the next fifteen minutes filling in the little of Ezra’s history that he knew from his talks with Chris. JD was almost as angry at the boy’s story as Buck had been when he first heard it. Buck felt proud of the young man he had raised as JD agreed that Ezra belonged out of that abusive situation. JD was so excited to meet his new ‘cousin’ that Buck had a hard time convincing the young man not to blow off his last two exams and catch a plane home that very night. When he hung up a few minutes later it was with the peace of mind that came from knowing JD had already accepted the boy into their little family.
The rest of Buck’s evening was spent quietly discussing Ezra with Chris and just watching the little boy sleep before he had eventually succumbed to his own tiredness and left Chris to watch alone.
Buck shifted position in his sleep and his feet slid off the bedrail. He awoke with a jerk when his feet hit the floor. His head popped up and looked around in confusion for a moment before he reoriented himself. A huge smile filled his face the minute his eyes fell on Ezra.
“Hey! You’re already awake. How are you feeling this morning?” Buck asked him as he climbed to his feet and stretched the kinks out of back muscles gone stiff from a night spent in the uncomfortable hospital chair.
“I feel good,” Ezra assured him bouncing on the bed eagerly. “Can we go to your house now?”
Buck laughed and walked over to ruffle the boy’s hair with one large hand.
“Not until Nathan and Josiah give us the okay,” Buck informed the disappointed child. “And it’s our house now. Yours too, not just mine and JD’s.”
Ezra perked up even more at hearing that. To the little boy that had never had anything of his own , especially not what he could call a real home, the idea of having a place that was his was a thing of wonder. The list of miracles granted by his special star just kept growing.
The idea kept the child cheerful all through the breakfast the nurse brought him a few minutes later. He dug into the scrambled eggs and bacon on his plate with gusto, offering Buck and Chris bites that they refused. He almost inhaled the meal, even eating the cream of wheat on the tray without complaint, his happiness at being with Buck and Chris and being on the verge of starting a wonderful new life giving him a voracious appetite.
After breakfast, Buck got the boy into the shower and dressed in the clothes he had been wearing the day before. Ezra sat on the edge of the bed daggling his legs over the side and listened, fascinated, as Buck described their new home and the hundred acre estate it sat on.
“And I’ll have my very own room that I get to pick out myself, right?” Ezra asked even though Buck had already told him he would.
“Right,” Buck told him again patiently. “There are two empty bedrooms upstairs and you can have whichever one you like the best.”
Buck was beginning to run out of things to tell the child by the time Josiah finally arrived with all the relevant paper work, most importantly the order of temporary custody that would allow Buck the legal right to make decisions for the boy’s welfare. It was a toss up who was grinning the most when Josiah handed the papers over to Buck.
“There it is, kiddo,” Buck said with joyous enthusiasm as he swept the excited little one up in a big hug. “It’s official. You better watch out because I’ve got you now, and I’m not ever gonna let you go!”
Ezra giggled and wrapped both arms and legs around the man who was spinning him around the room in his delight. “Nuh-uh,” he chortled back playfully, “I’ve got YOU, and you’re not getting away!”
Buck stopped and held the boy tightly. With the little head tucked under his chin and Buck’s tilted head nuzzling at the child’s silky hair, he said with deep feeling, “I’ll never even try. I know a good thing when I see it.”
Ezra pushed back far enough to grin at him. This was the scene Nathan walked in on.
Smiling at the happy pair, Nathan said, “Look’s like someone is having a good morning. How are you feeling, Ezra?”
Ezra grinned back at him and assured him, “GRRREEEAATTT!”
The men laughed at the enthusiastic response.
“We’re blowing this popsicle stand, Nathan,” Buck told him firmly. “If you’ve got stuff that needs signing then you better bring it on, ‘cause we’re about to make tracks.”
Nathan shook his head at the other man and then answered with a smirk, “I figured as much. That’s what took me so long. I’ve got the release papers right here. Just give me your John Hancock and you are outta here.”
Buck shifted Ezra to one hip so he could sign the many papers Nathan had clipped to his board. Ezra hung on contentedly as the man took care of this final business. When the last paper was signed, Buck wasted no time in grabbing Ezra’s coat and heading out the door.
Calling over his shoulder, the big man said, “You guys come on over tonight and we’ll celebrate. Let Vin know too, will ya, Josiah?”
Josiah agreed and he and Nathan moved to the door to stare after the rapidly disappearing pair.
“If nothing else, this should definitely be fun to watch,” Josiah said with affectionate amusement. “It will be interesting to see who wraps whom around their finger first.”
“Personally, I wouldn’t want to take any bets,” Larabee said from the behind the pair, making them jump.
They had forgotten for the moment that he was even there. The two men spun around to face him.
With a big, satisfied smirk, Chris tipped his flat brimmed hat...and vanished.
Nathan frowned and wiped at the back of his neck where the hairs were standing at attention, and said, “I really hate it when he does that. Even after all these years, it still creeps me out.”
Josiah patted his shoulder sympathetically.
Downstairs, a rapidly moving Buck Wilmington was just putting away his cell phone. The man had used it to let his driver know they were on the way out and to meet them at the front entrance. Buck was anxious to get his new dependent out of that place, not only because the little boy so disliked being there, but because in the back of his mind he was worried that, even thought he had the custody papers, someone might still come to take Ezra from him. He wouldn’t rest easy until he had the boy on his own turf.
A shiny black stretch limo glided to a stop right in front of them as they reached the sidewalk. Ezra looked the car over curiously as they approached it, but when Buck waved away the driver of the vehicle and opened the back door himself, the little boy’s eyes got big as saucers as he realized that they were going to be riding in it.
“This is really yours?” Ezra said in astonishment.
Buck grinned down at the child as he placed Ezra on the back seat then slid in to join him.
“That it is,” Buck assured him. “You like it?”
Ezra’s eyes were darting everywhere as he tried to take it all in.
“It’s big!” he whispered as he looked down the long body of the car.
The driver had returned to the driver’s seat and looked in the rear view mirror at his boss to ask, “Where to, Boss?”
“I guess our first stop had better be the mall,” Buck instructed. “By the way, this is Bob Unger, Ezra. He takes care of the cars for me and drives me around when I need it. Bob, this is Ezra. He’s going to come live with me so I don’t get lonely anymore.”
The man who turned in the front seat enough to look back at the boy seated beside his boss in the rear of the limo, waiting quietly as the big man buckled him in, was of middle years and large girth. His eyes were chocolate brown and very jolly. His hair was a salt and pepper shade that was beginning to show more salt and less pepper. His large nose had a slightly off center look having been broken several times in his previous career as a professional wrestler.
The driver smiled widely at the little boy saying, “Pleased to meet you, Ezra. The boss could definitely use somebody around that house of his to keep him outta trouble. It’s a good thing you’re doing.”
Ezra grinned back at the man shyly and said, “Hello, Mr. Bob.”
“Alright then,” Bob told them as he turned around again, “We’re off to the mall.”
While Bob concentrated on traffic, Buck entertained Ezra by showing him the luxury features of the limo. Buck was rather surprised that the boy didn’t show the excitement that Buck had figured he would. Curiously enough, Ezra seemed to get quieter and quieter with every new wonder revealed.
Ezra looked around at all the extravagant accoutrements and felt all his wonderful dreams start to deflate like a balloon with a slow leak. Buck was rich. The car proved it. Ezra had heard his mother rave about one day having her own limousine so had some idea of just how expensive such vehicles were.
If the man were rich enough to afford a car like this then it meant he could have any boy he wanted to come live with him; somebody special just like Mr. Buck was. He wouldn’t want Ezra, at least not for long, because Ezra knew he wasn’t special. He was just a stupid little boy whose own mother didn’t want him. The little boy blinked hard to keep back the tears.
Buck’s head spun around in concern at the tiny sniffle Ezra unconsciously gave.
“Ezra?” he questioned softly, “What’s wrong?”
The little boy shrugged and didn’t look up. Buck leaned over and wrapped an arm around the little boy’s shoulders and pulled him up against his side. He twisted around until his head was on a level with the child’s.
“You have to talk to me, buddy,” Buck said softly. “I’m not like Chris. I can’t tell what you’re thinking. You have to tell me. I can’t help make it better if you don’t let me know what the problem is.”
Ezra looked up at him with troubled eyes and whispered brokenly, “You’re rich.”
Buck gave the child a puzzled look, not understanding how the boy could find that a problem.
“Does that bother you?” he asked carefully.
Ezra swiped at his damp eyes with his sleeve and replied, “You could have anything you want; live with anybody you want to. You’re somebody. You’re special. You won’t want me anymore when you figure out I’m not. Then I’ll have to go away.”
Buck swallowed the anger that filled him at the words, wanting nothing more than to wrap his hands around the necks of those responsible for making the boy have such a low opinion of himself and extract a little old fashioned justice. The big man pulled the child closer and reached over to lift the little chin with one hand, gently compelling the child to look at him.
“You know what, Ezra?” he stated seriously. “You’re right. I am rich. I’m just about the richest man that I know, and do you why that is?”
Buck waited for the boy to shake his head.
“It’s because I’ve got four of the best friends a man could ever have standing beside me when things are good or when they go bad. And it’s because I’ve got a cousin that is smart and funny, and loves me more than anything in the world. And... I’ve got the best little boy in the world coming home with me right now to love me and who’s gonna let me love him. That’s what makes me rich, Ezra, not the money.
Money can fill your house with lots of stuff, but it won’t fill you up; not deep inside yourself where you really live. It takes having somebody to love and be with to do that. Without somebody to love and somebody to love you back, you’re just empty... like a pumpkin that’s had its inside’s scraped out. There’s just a hollow shell left.
So don’t ever think that you’re a nobody, Ezra, because I promise you’re a very important somebody to me. You’re a somebody that helps keep me from being that empty shell. And that’s a pretty special thing to be, let me tell you.”
Buck stared back at the boy sincerely and Ezra realized he really meant everything that he had just said. It was an amazing revelation. Ezra looked at the man in wonder.
“You really mean it,” Ezra stated with awe.
Buck nodded and replied, “Absolutely. You’ll have to learn that I may tell you stories from time to time to joke around, but when it comes to the important stuff I will always tell you the truth. You have my word on it.”
Ezra was so full of emotions he didn’t know how to express them so he grabbed on to the man beside him and hugged for dear life. Buck smiled down tenderly and hugged him back.
“Now, do we have that straight?” he asked. “No more talk about me sending you away. I already told you, we’re in this for the long haul. I meant it. The only way you’re leaving is when you’re old enough to go to college. Until then you just relax and get comfortable because you’re staying right where you belong, got it?”
Ezra looked up at him happily and nodded, replying joyfully, “Got it!”
“Good,” Buck told him with a satisfied nod and settled back more comfortably against the leather cushions of the limo. “I’m glad that’s settled.”
With his fears reassured, the six year old began exploring every gadget within his reach with the enthusiasm that Buck had originally expected. The ride was completed with Ezra occupied flipping switches and turning knobs as Buck looked on with happy indulgence.
It was a toss up who was the most excited as the man took the boy’s hand in his own and led him into the huge shopping mall. Buck had already explained that Ezra could pick out the clothes he liked. Ezra had never gotten to choose his own apparel before. Usually his mother just brought him things to wear and he had to accept them, showing the proper gratitude of course or risk being punished. He had been both thrilled and apprehensive at having to make such decisions for himself.
The pair strolled leisurely as they could in the crowded corridors of the large suburban mall, stopping to look at anything that tickled their fancy. Buck could have headed to the upscale mall closer to his own home, but felt more comfortable here among the hordes of harried middle-class Christmas shoppers.
Going completely against the stereotype of the wealthy businessman, Buck much preferred playing basketball to golf, a good red steak and a beer to a gourmet meal and a fine wine, pick-up trucks to sports cars, and when it came to clothes he went in for casual clothing for everyday wear even in the office. The advantage of being the boss was that he didn’t have to crawl into a suit and tie except on very rare occasions when he absolutely couldn’t avoid it.
And true to his upbringing, Buck knew better than to waste the money that he did have. He had never felt the need to spend a fortune on something just to have a certain name on the label when there was an acceptable alternative at a less expensive price. A brand name was pretty useless if you didn’t have money in the bank. He had learned that lesson at his mother’s knee and still practiced it.
That was not to say that he didn’t occasionally go in for a round of extravagant spending, but it was seldom for himself. The way he figured it, it was never a waste of money to spoil someone you love and make them feel special. That was the best investment he could ever make.
When they had completed one round of the mall Buck decided he needed something to eat since he hadn’t had a chance to get breakfast at the hospital, and he led the child to the food court and purchased cocoa and warm cinnamon rolls for them both. The pair sat at a table for two in the middle of the court and watched people as they snacked. Buck began making up stories about who the people were and what they were doing, introducing Ezra to the game his mother had taught him as a small child. The little boy was surprisingly imaginative once he got into the spirit of the game and Buck found himself laughing out loud in enjoyment of the child’s colorful stories.
When their snack had been consumed, Buck asked, “Did you see anything you liked?”
Ezra looked up hesitantly at first but under Buck’s encouraging smile he relaxed enough to comment on a few things he had seen in the windows that interested him. Buck nodded decisively and stood up. He held a hand out for the little boy and Ezra slipped his in it trustingly.
“Alrighty then,” Buck said coming to attention, hamming it up for the child, “R&R is over. It’s time to return to the front and do some serious, take-no-prisoners shopping. Are you prepared to do battle, sir?”
Ezra giggled then straightened his own shoulders and gave a crisp, if lopsided, salute. “Ready, sir!”
Laughing, the pair bravely dived back into the crowd of holiday shoppers.
To Buck’s surprise, the boy had very eclectic tastes in clothing. His choices ranged from t-shirts with cartoon characters and super heroes and blue jeans, to Dockers and sport shirts. Buck had even gone to so far as to purchase a small blue pin stripe suit, complete with a red clip-on tie, that the child had fallen in love with. Why the boy wanted such a thing was beyond him, but if it made Ezra happy then Buck was more than willing to get it for him.
The boy took every purchase seriously, and Buck had been amused as the child had modeled everything he tried on in front of the three way mirrors in various dressing rooms, twisting this way and that to get the full view of each outfit before deciding to keep it or put it back on the rack. Buck swore he’d seen CEOs put less thought into billion dollar business deals than Ezra gave into his clothing choices. More clothes were put back than were actually bought because they didn’t meet whatever inner standard the child was using to measure them. Shoes were purchased with the same care and attention to detail as the clothing.
One of their first purchases, much to Buck’s amusement, was a new comb for the boy. The child’s new caretaker discovered that Ezra wouldn’t leave the dressing room after trying on clothing without first assuring that his hair was properly combed and tidy, which was curious as the boy didn’t seem to mind when Buck ruffled and mussed his hair any other time. Buck wasn’t really sure if this was a result of his own personal foible or his mother’s training, but the man went along with it patiently since it seemed important to the child.
Two and a half hours later, the pair emerged, victorious, from the mall loaded down with shopping bags. The patient Bob was waiting for them. They stowed the many purchases in the limo’s trunk and them climbed inside once more. When Buck announced that their next destination was a well known toy store chain, it was only his mother’s strict training that stopped Ezra from whooping out loud in glee.
On arrival, Buck secured one of the last shopping carts by the door and lifted Ezra to sit in the basket saying, “It’s a real busy place we’re going into. Wouldn’t want you to get lost.”
Ezra had started to protest being treated like a baby until he got a look at the crowded aisles of the store. He realized this was one time when he didn’t mind being treated like a baby. The store was positively teeming with people. It would be too easy to get lost among the pushing, shoving hoards. So Ezra sat, without comment, in the bottom of the basket facing his new guardian and Buck pushed the basket into the throng of shoppers.
“Sing out if you see something you like,” Buck told him, his voice raised to be heard over the din.
Ezra acknowledged him with a nod but his eyes were fixed on the fascinating array of toys and games that could be seen in every direction. The child had never seen anything like it in his life. Buck watched those sea green eyes get big in wonder as each turn down a new aisle in the store brought new treasures to be looked at. Buck had eventually decided the child was just too overwhelmed with choices to make a decision so stepped in to help.
Stopping in front of the shelves with pegs full of Matchbox cars, Buck asked him, “How about a few of these? Every boy needs some cars to play with. It’s almost un-American not to.” Buck grinned.
With Buck’s help the child chose a handful of the miniature vehicles, a race track set, and carrying case to hold the cars before the pair headed up the aisle again. The first purchase seemed to break the ice for Ezra and he began to get into the spirit of the occasion very quickly. Action figures were next and Ezra had a hard time deciding between the Spiderman figures, the Transformers, or the Star Wars characters. To the little boy’s absolute delight, Buck solved his problem by telling him he could chose four from each set.
Soon Ezra was happily buried underneath an X-wing fighter and a Millennium Falcon replica, half a dozen Lego sets, an electronic video game deck with an assortment of accompanying games, a Tonka dump truck, some books, and a couple of board games. Eventually Buck had to dig the child out and leave the basket with the gleeful store manager and accept the new basket the manager was more than happy to acquire for them so they could continue their shopping spree.
More than once Buck felt an invisible hand come down on his shoulder and a familiar voice whisper in his ear when he was in danger of going completely overboard in indulging the little boy that had seemed to have been given so little in the past. He knew his old friend was right to rein him in, but he had such a difficult time in refusing the child anything that took his fancy. This little boy had been through so much that Buck just wanted to wipe it all away from the boy’s mind by giving him something better to replace those bad memories.
Some time later, an exhausted man with an excitement-tired little boy in his arms emerged from the store accompanied by three stock boys pushing their baskets of purchases for them. Buck was more than happy to leave supervision of the unloading in Bob’s capable hands. He climbed into the limo and collapsed with Ezra on the back seat.
Buck leaned back after buckling in the child and huffed out a tired breath before turning to look at the little boy again and saying, “I don’t know about you, little buddy, but I think I’ve had enough shopping for one day. What do you say to us heading home and seeing what Nettie has come up with for a late lunch? I think I’ve walked off my cinnamon rolls and I need to refuel.”
Ezra looked up at him and grinned, too tired to be more than mildly excited about finally seeing his new home.
“And then we can go riding, right?”
“Yep,” Buck assured him. “After lunch and a bit of a rest, we’ll head on down to the stables.”
“Alright!” Ezra said with as much enthusiasm as his tired little body was capable of at the moment.
When the final package was stowed and Bob returned to the driver’s seat, Buck instructed him to take them home. Ezra was asleep, leaning against Buck’s side in a relaxed slump, before they had gone three blocks. Buck lasted for six.
As he maneuvered the big car expertly through the heavy holiday traffic, Bob kept casting glances at the sleeping duo in the rear view mirror and smiling.
“Yep, I do believe you’re gonna be just what the boss needs,” Bob whispered happily to the little boy. Then leaving his two passengers to their nap, he began humming Christmas carols softly to himself as he drove.