Out Of The Past

"Dad?"

"Dad."

"DAAAAD!"

"ummff"

"Daaad, come on!!"

"What..." I mumbled

"Dad, come on, get up!"

"Mmmmmmm"

"Dad"

I realized that I wasn't going to be left alone and I slowly opened one eye, to find my oldest angel lying there, half on top of me, with his head raised and looking at me.

"Hmmm, what?"

Which caused adorable little giggles to escape from his lips, 

"Dad come on, you gotta get up and make breakfast," was the response

"Mmmm you woke me up to cook?" I asked as I turned over, away from him, to go back to sleep once again.

"DAD," he called again.

"Go away," I mumbled, contentedly into my pillow, hoping he would take the rather blatant hint.

The next thing I knew was that he hadn't.

"DAAAAAAAAD, come on!"

"Mmmm"

"Dad you have to get up."

"No I don't." I told him. 

"DAAAAAD PLEEEEEEEEAAASSSSSE," he whined

"Sammy, with all the food that's in the house, you can't tell me you guys couldn't find something to eat." I said rather shortly as I buried my head back underneath the pillow this time.

By the way I am not a morning person, in case you didn't notice.

Then he said the one thing in the world that could have got me out of bed, barring an emergency as he lifted the pillow from me.

"Dad its Peter's first breakfast, and I want you to cook it for him."

Damn.

I turned over and looked at him. 

"Please," he said to me, with his puppy dog eyes at full blast.

"Mmmm,"

Which got another giggle from him.

Sammy always said I sounded like a big ole bear when I made that noise, and it always made him giggle.

I made the noise a lot.

"Please daddy?" he asked piteously. 

"You knew I would get up for that, didn't you?" which got a big grin on his face.

"You don't want his first breakfast in his new house to be frozen waffles, do you?" he replied.

"Mmmmmm" which of course got some more Sammy giggles out of him

"Ok," I said "but you seem full of giggles this morning, little one" which got a couple more to emerge. 

I don't know why, but I had this overwhelming urge to do what I did next, almost as if someone had suggested it to me, so before he could react, I reached out, grabbed him, and started giving him a major tickle attack.

"Dad, no, dad, please!" interspersed between bouts of induced giggling was all that came from him for some time. 

We rolled around on the bed, while I gave him one of the most intense giggling attacks I think I have ever given him.

That is, until he started begging me to stop, because he said he was going to pee himself, which reminded me of something that was suddenly very urgent, as I let him go, and jumped out of bed, heading towards the bathroom.

I heard his comment as I left though. 

"At least something's awake this morning."

"Just remember, I'll be back." I told him, in my best Arnold voice, as I went into the bathroom to relieve this particular emergency.

He said something else, but I didn't catch it, which was probably for the best.

As I finished, I went back in to find the room empty.

"Sammy?" I called. 

"Sammy, where are you?"

The little devil escaped on me.

"You can't hide forever." I told him with an evil cackle.

Which produced my Sammy giggles, which is what I was hoping for, as I asked,

"Now I wonder where Sammy could be?" Which got more giggles, as I started at the farthest point from where the giggles were originating.

"Could he be in the closet?" I asked, as I approached the place in question, pulling open the doors hard and yelling,

"HAH!!!"

"Ummm guess not." I stated, as I heard another fit of giggling going on.

"Now where could he be?" I asked to the room, to more giggles.

"Maybe he is in the CHEST." I said as I went to the big chest at the end of the bed, lifting the lid up.

"Darn not there," I said again, which got more Sammy giggles.

"Lets see.....ummm, maybe the under the window seats," as I walked over there and lifted up the bench, looking inside, while Sammy couldn't help but continue to giggle, almost continuously now.

"I just don't understand this, where could my Sammy be?"

I walked around the room several times, mumbling to myself, before sitting down on the bed, pondering the continuous spate of giggles that wereemanating beneath the bed, I was sitting on. 

"I think I have lost my son." I said, as the giggles broke out into all out laughter.

"Wait...did I just hear something?" I asked the room, "Could it be my missing SamSam?"

As the laughter was suddenly muffled by a boy trying to go from all out laughter to quiet, rather unsuccessfully, I might add, as I swooped down under the bed, yelling "maybe he's under the bed," as I grabbed a leg and started pulling, to screams, begging for mercy, in between bouts of laughter.

"Think you can hide from ME?" I cackled in my best evil cackle, as I pulled him out, and down into my lap on the floor and proceeded to tickle him to death, or at least he was beginning to think so.

When I was finally exhausted, I lay back with my arms wrapped around my cuddle puppy, just holding him and listening to what I could swear was contented purring, from his body. 

"You're so silly daddy," was the soft observation from my armful, as he raised his head to look at me, with a smile on his face.

"I know," I softly told him, while smiling back at him.

"We're starving and you're up here playing" I heard from somewhere but pretended not to hear.

"Did you hear something?" I asked Sammy, who said "nope." right on cue.

"Didn't think so." I responded

"Ah come on, we're starving, and I'm not coming over there," was the next comment.

This time, we both pretended not to hear anything, as the voice returned, "I'm not coming over there."

Sammy giggles escaped, as the voice repeated "I'm not."

"Dad, wake me in time for lunch, ok?" Sammy asked me, somehow keeping his voice completely serious. 

"Ok munchkin, sleeping in sounds good this morning." I replied

"No we're hungry." came the voice and it was closer, a lot closer.

"Come on, Uncle Mike, please?"

I was being mean, but I was also having so much fun, now, if he just came a bit closer,

"Uncle Mike?"

Then I almost lost it as Sammy started snoring.

"Uncle Mike," very softly from very, very close. From close enough, as I opened my eyes, to see Randy leaning over us, as I screamed,

"HHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" grabbing onto him, causing him to let out a scream, as I pulled him down and Sammy started tickling him, along with me.

The only problem though was that his scream had brought reinforcements, in the form of Kevin and Danny, with Peter trailing along behind, looking a bit uncertain as to what was happening.

Soon it became a war, with the kids against me, with even Sammy deserting me to join the others. 

And Peter didn't remain uncertain for long. 

He even deserted me for the brats.

Guess who won that one.

Finally, when I acknowledged defeat from the rampaging horde, I was met once again with 5 pitiful faces, and sad eyes proclaiming starvation.

What's a man to do?

I asked what they wanted for breakfast

"Chocolate chip pancakes," chorused from 4 voices while Peter didn't say anything.

"Peter, this is your welcome breakfast; what would you like?" I asked him and was met with a shrug of shoulders.

I pulled him to me and said softly "hey its ok, no one is going to be mad at you, if you don't like that, and want something different." I told him quietly

"Well I don't really know what that is." he said 

"Well you'd have to like chocolate first of all," I told him as I watched his eyes light up.

"I mean really, really super really like chocolate." I went on as I watched the drool start. I said in a very sad voice,

"And I really don't know if you like chocolate, so maybe we should make something else."

As I saw the look change from being lit up with hope, to one of near panic, as the other 4 said either "Uncle Miiiiiiiike or Daaaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!!" respectively.

He couldn't get the words out fast enough as he said "but I like... I mean I love chocolate, please."

"Dad, you're mean." 

"I am not. One has to take into consideration a person's preferences when making..." 

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!" with groans coming from the others, along with the required rolling of the eyes,

That got me and I broke out in laughter, as Peter looked at me as if I was an alien, which only got me laughing harder.

"We're never gonna get to eat" Danny said plaintively, while there were mumbles from the others.

Peter finally said "you were teasing me?"

"Yep!" I told him with a big grin on my face. 

He looked uncertain for a moment, before a wonderful grin broke out on his face, and I just pulled him to me and gave him a big hug.

"So to tell you what it is, it is pancakes with chocolate chips inside them with more chips on top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top of it all."

You think you might like that, because we could have strawberry blintzes or strawberry...?"

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!"

"Ok, ok already," I said chuckling.

Peter looked up at me and said, "I want the chocolate chip pancakes."

"Ok you got em munchkin," I told him, "just let me up here for a second."

They all let me go, and I got up and went and found a pair of underwear, and shorts to put on, since I really didn't want to cook with certain things exposed, if you know what I mean.

I had 5 sets of eyes locked on my every movement, as I went around gathering the required items. 

I think they were afraid I was going to disappear before they got to eat or something. 

"Ok, everybody ready?" I asked which got groans from 5 young boys, while it got me smiling.

"I take it that's a yes then, so let's go." 

Which of course got more grins and Sammy saying "Dad, you're weird," accompanied by 5 boy giggles.

"Peter, don't mind them, they act this way all the time, so you'll have to get used to it." I told him which got a couple of six year old giggles, and more groans from the rest of them.

We headed downstairs and I told the boys, "When we get down there you all need to go and get all the stuff we'll need, you know where its at." 

Which comment brought me to a dead halt at the bottom of the stairs, as it had gotten completely silent, with my instructions. 

A word of advice; it is NEVER completely silent with 5 boys in the house, unless they are up to something, and never when they are within hands reach of you, while being awake.

NEVER!

I turned and looked at them and watched as all of them found somewhere else to look besides at me

"yes?"

Which got some "hhhmmm's and aaahhhh's" out of them.

"Is there something you would like to tell me?" I said in a sugar sweet voice.

"Well..." one started, followed by "aaaahhh...." and "we..." and "it's...." 

"Yes?"

Before Sammy said in a rush, "wekindatookeverythingoutforyoualready"

"Oh, ok, thanks guys." and walked off leaving 4 very shocked boys with their mouths hanging open. 

Peter, I don't think, quite got it, as he started walking with me to the kitchen, but I had certainly surprised the other ones with my reaction.

I went, grinning all the way.

They were all left standing there at the bottom of the stairs, and I could hear urgent whispering, as Peter and I walked away. 

They were waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I was going to leave them waiting.

I quietly asked Peter "hey little one how are you doing this morning?" as we entered the kitchen.

He looked up at me and said "ok." 

"Ok?"

He nodded and said "yea." 

Well, I would give him a little space and see what happens, as I pulled him into a hug, and said, "Well I'm glad to hear that; I thought that bunch might have scared you off already,"

Which got a giggle or two out of him and a shy grin as I let him go. 

"Let's see if they remembered everything." I told him as I looked around, only to realize, what I should have known, they wouldn't forget on this; that only applied to homework, and other things they didn't want to remember.

"Ok, looks like everything is here, so I'll get started on your special breakfast, ok?"

"Ok." he said, and scampered off, leaving me alone for the moment.

So with a little peace for the moment, I started getting the batter ready, putting the eggs, milk and mix into the mixing bowl.

Once that was done I went and got the chips, and suddenly, I had five eager helpers appear out of nowhere.

You would have thought Scotty must have beamed them down, the way they materialized out of nowhere.

"Now, what do you all want?" I asked, even though I knew the answer I would get.

"To help," was the chorus of replies.

"Hhhmmmmmmm."

I smiled, and gave in to the inevitable. 

Their idea of helping was helping eat the chocolate chips, so I took the bag, and said, "Hold out your hands and this is it,"

Which got me 10 hands outstretched accompanied by giggles from 5 mouths.

Poor Peter was rapidly being corrupted by the other four; he was definitely fitting in here.

After pouring more than I planned but less than they wanted, into their outstretched hands, I shooed them out, and got back to making breakfast. 

In short order, the first one was done, and I called Peter, who came running in, and gratifyingly came to a sliding halt, with his eyes getting big as saucers when he saw the plate, and what was on it.

"Wow!" was all he could say, as he very carefully took it from me.

"I hope you'll like it, little one," I told him, before calling, "Guys, come pour the milk for everyone, please,"

Which got 4 kids coming running to take care of that task, as Peter went over and sat at the dining room table, to dig in.

I got everyone else served, and made one for myself, before heading over to the table, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it, you guys go on and eat," I told them, not that they looked like they were moving to get up anyway. 

When I got there, I should have known. 

The man had to be psychic or something, at least when it came to food. He was worse than a kid.

"Eric, I should have known." I said as I opened the door.

"What?"

"It's on the table." I said chuckling softly, as he smiled and headed towards the dining room.

I entered the kitchen to make myself another one as I heard, "DAAAD!" from 3 excited voices. 

Once I had it, I went back in and joined the group.

"Hey dad can we go the mall?" came from Sammy, followed by "Can we, please?" from the others.

I looked at Eric, and he nodded, as I said "sure, what you guys got planned?"

"I don't know, hang out, maybe go to a movie or something," Sammy said.

"Ok, sure, I'll drop you off when I head to work; make sure you have your cells, ok?"

"Ok, thanks dad," along with yells of yeah from the others.

We finished up and I told everyone to get showers, and I headed up to take my own, so I could get ready for work.

I was glad Sammy came up with this idea, as it would give all the kids some time with each other, to get to know one another better, plus I could have Sammy pick up some clothes for Peter, while they were there. 

I got in the shower, and wasn't too surprised when the door opened a couple of minutes later, to find Sammy entering quickly.

One thing about the boys, they all loved to shower or bathe with someone else, and I usually had company from one or another of them.

We washed each other, and since all of us had something to do, it was a rather quick shower today, but still very enjoyable. 

After getting out, we headed to various rooms to get dressed, and when I was done, I went downstairs to find everyone waiting for me, and Randy said,

"We thought you were never going to come down."

"Well, I could go back up for a while, and relax since I don't have to be on for about 30 minutes," which got groans and moans from the boys.

I just smiled.

"Ok, lets go, you all got money?" which got surprised looks from everyone. 

"Didn't think so, here," and I started handing out some money to each boy. I knew they would want to eat, drink and play at the arcade, not to mention the movies, so I made sure each of them had plenty.

"SamSam, use the credit card and get Peter some clothes, before the end of the day, ok? It doesn't have to be a lot, since we'll do the major shopping in a couple of days, but get him a couple or three of everything, and don't forget underwear and shoes, ok?" I told him.

"Ok dad, and thanks," with his patented sweet smile.

"You're welcome." I told him, as I gave him a hug.

We headed out to the Suburban, and got everyone loaded up, and Eric got in his unit as well, and we were off.

I got them to the mall and told them, "ok guys, here we are, don't leave the mall and try not to destroy it," which got 'Daads' and 'Uncle Miiiiiiiikes' from the boys as I continued, "have fun, and call me when you're finished, ok?"

Everyone said ok and all of them gave me kisses, and the best hugs they could, considering we were in a car, before jumping out. 

Poor mall.

I grabbed the microphone, and advised "Sam 41, 10-8" and it began. 

The first call being a loud music complaint. I headed over that way. Sadly, no one could just go over to their neighbors' house anymore, and simply ask for them to turn it down. They had to call the police to do it for them. Sometimes, of course, the neighbors were jerks, but most of the time, they didn't even realize they were bothering anybody. Then other times, their music wasn't actually that loud, and the neighbors just wanted something to complain about. Ether way, we spent a lot of time on BS calls, and this turned into another one.

Sadly, it was a woman who had too much time on her hands, and didn't really like much of anything in her life. 

After telling her that the music wasn't all that loud, and there was nothing I could do about it, I advised dispatch that I was finished, and they promptly gave me another call, this time a domestic, involving a mother and son.

When I got there, it was a 9 year old boy, who was not listening and a mother who didn't know how to cope with it.

I suggested a belt might work, to the mother, and told the boy to knock it the hell off, or I would be back to help mommy, which got my point across, by the look on his face. 

Now, I could only hope that it had some positive effect. 

It went non-stop like that, until I finally broke for lunch at about 3, with the most serious call, being a missing child, who, when I got there, along with about 4 other units, proceeded to walk up to his mother, and me, and ask,

"Mommy, what's all the policemans here for?"

End of call. 

He had been with the little boy next door, playing. The funniest thing was, after his mother got done almost hugging him to death, and then screaming at him, the boy simply said 

"But mommy, I asked you," to which she promptly replied, "You did not."

Which got the little boy indignant, and I could tell he was telling the truth, so I stepped in, and asked when he had asked her, 

He told me, "when she was in bed,"

Of course, mom had mumbled ok. Whatever, while still asleep, and I told her she would have to have a little talk with the angel about making sure she was actually awake, before asking permission to do things. 

It was very hard not to laugh, as Sammy had pulled the same thing on me a few times, including one very similar to this one, where I had called Eric in a panic, because the little devil was gone, only to find out that he and the UT were happily playing together, at Eric's house. Of course he had come in and asked my asleep self, and I had mumbled something along the lines he wanted to hear, in an effort to be left alone, and he had gone. Once I had my pulse and respiration somewhat back near normal, I had the same talk with him that I advised her to have with her son. Hopefully, he wouldn't find it as amusing as Sammy had, that he had scared me half to death. 

As I sat down to lunch, I saw a young boy with a man, eating across the restaurant, and the boy looked so much like Sammy, of a few years ago, that I was captivated by him, sitting there. They could have been brothers, I was thinking, when he turned suddenly, looking right at me and a big smile appeared on his face. With that look, a spark seemed to leap between us, and I was shocked for a moment, but quickly smiled back, but it caused memories to suddenly cascade over me, with that look from him.

******************Flashback*********************

As I sat there looking at the child who had, with a simple look and a kiss, which was definitely not simple, entered my mind and heart, I realized that this moment had been the most powerful in my entire life. 

It was all because of a seven year old boy.

I just continued to look at him, in wonder and almost befuddlement, as I wondered how it had happened. 

My brain wanted to put some type of explanation on the events which had transpired, but so far, I wasn't having much luck with it. 

I just met a young boy, and within a very short amount of time, that boy had stolen my heart completely, and it felt as if he had been apart of my life forever. I just didn't understand it, or how it happened. 

Finally, he raised his head and said "I'm eight not seven," matter of factly.

"Oh, ok." 

How had he known that I was thinking that?

Then he looked at me again with those deep pools, and I suddenly realized that none of it mattered. 

I didn't need to understand, and more importantly, I didn't want to any longer.

I was happy, for the first time in a very long time, and something which I didn't even know was empty, was now filled. 

How, it happened, simply didn't matter, just that it was.

"Well little one, I think it's about time I made some calls, and got the ball rolling."

"Ok" and he got up, and turned on the Satellite TV, flipping through the channels. 

It was amazing to me, to see the complete trust, in those eyes when he said that one word. 

Amazing, and it was scary too. 

This small life was now my complete responsibility, and that realization was overwhelming, as I finally realized what that truly meant. 

As if he could sense I was thinking about him, he suddenly turned and looked at me, and gave me a big smile, before returning to his program.

That smile filled my heart, and I knew that I would do anything for him, anything at all.

I have heard for years that when you have a child, your world changes in an instant, and that child becomes the most important thing in your entire world, in your entire existence. 

But it was at that moment, with that look, that I finally truly understood it.

With a deep breath, I went into my office, and picked up the phone, calling the one person I trusted more than anyone else in the world.

"Hello," I heard

"Hey munchkin how ya doin?"

"UNNNNNNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Was the scream that removed a fair portion of my hearing, before I could say,

"umm yea, it's uncle Mike." as I heard the other terrors clamoring for the phone, until I finally heard Eric's voice saying,

"PHONE, NOW!"

And "Yes daddy." if only they were that well trained, the rest of the time.

I just smiled, knowing that he wasn't really mad at them.

"Bye Uncle Mike," 

But before I could say anything, Eric was on the phone saying,

"Mike, everything ok?"

"Hi Eric, how's it going?" I asked him.

"Fine, now what's wrong?" he asked me.

Eric knew me better than I knew myself sometimes, and he knew something was up.

"Well, I have sort of got myself into something and..."

"What do you need, Mike?" he interrupted.

That was Mike, no questions just how can he help

"Well, I don't quite know how to say this Eric, but..."

"Try English, it works" he said gruffly.

"Ok, I found a young boy, and I love him, and I want to keep him, and..."

"WHAT?!?!?!?!"

"Well you said to try English, didn't you understand me?" I asked sarcastically..

"Encontré un chico y tengo amor para el chico y quiero guardarlo y necesito ayuda" I told him.

"Very funny, now start at the beginning and do it in English," Eric told me, and the time for joking was over, as I started from the beginning, and told Sammy's story, or at least what I knew of it up until now.

When I was finished, there was silence for a while, until I almost said something, but Eric beat me to it.

"Ok, there are things that need to be done, and to start with, I need his full name."

"Ok, hold on a sec," I told him, not believing that I had decided to keep a child with me, and didn't even know his full name. 

I put the phone down, and headed back towards Sammy, when he met me in the hall. He said, 

"Samuel Patrick Campbell"

"Huh?" was my very intelligent response.

This of course got a Sammy giggle from him, before he said, 

"My name, its Samuel Patrick Campbell"

"Oh, umm, ok, uhhh thanks." I said rather stupidly. How did he know what I was going to ask.

He shot me a grin then turned on his heel heading back to the other room. Then stopped suddenly looking back at me and said,

"I'm from Dallas," and went on his way.

"Okaaaaaaaay!"

This was odd, but I didn't have time to think about it, as I went back to the phone, where Eric was waiting, and relayed the information to him.

"Ok Mike, start heading back towards Dallas, and let me make some calls and I'll get back to you." he told me

"Ok thanks Eric, I really appreciate this, and tell the terrors that I miss em and love them."

"Ok, I will, and since you miss them you can have them when you get home." he said laughing, as he hung up, before I could reply that I would love it.

I wanted to introduce Sammy to my triple threat. 

*******************End Flashback*************************

"Excuse me." I heard, as I looked up and saw the man with the boy standing in front of me.

"I'm sorry just spacing out for a moment," I told them. 

"It's ok, I just noticed you staring at Matthew here, and was wondering if something was wrong?" the man asked me.

"Uh no, I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just he looks a great deal like my son, when he was younger, is all." I told him, embarrassed that I had been doing that.

"Oh its not a problem, Matt just wanted to say hi." the man told us

"We're going to see Yellowstone." the young boy said, with excitement in his voice.

"Well its really beautiful up there, and I hope you have fun," I told him, sincerely, and got a big smile for my reward as he asked,

"Do I really look like your son?"

"You sure do kiddo," I told him.

"Cool." he said.

"We're on vacation up here, before we have to go home," the man said 

"Well this is really beautiful country up here, I think you'll enjoy it."

I don't know why I did what I did next, but I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out a business card, and handed it to the man saying,

"If you guys get back through this way, maybe you can give me a call and you, little one, can meet my boy, and see for yourself." I said.

This got a big grin from Matt, as he said, "cool, that'd be really cool." 

I couldn't help ruffle his hair and said "well, you have fun, ok, and be good for your dad." as I stood up to leave

Matt gave his father a strange look, but didn't say anything so I didn't pay it any attention, as we said our goodbyes.

I got out to the car at the same time they got to theirs, and the little one turned back around and gave me a big grin, and waved to me, so I waved back as I got into the suburban. He was a cute one, just like Sammy was at that age, down to that special smile.

There was just something about him, but I couldn't place it.

The radio chose that moment to advise me that there was a problem at the mall involving some kids, and to meet the complaining party at the Penny's there.

I acknowledged the transmission and headed on over to see what was going on, now hoping it wasn't the terrors.