Justin had been looking forward to summer vacation even though he knew the folks wouldn’t take him with them. He loved the summer but the folks wanted to have a babysitter for him. He hated to be treated like a child. He was seventeen after all. Why in the world did the seizures have to come back in full force? Justin had learned to roll with the punches; the bruises that he gave himself were many. He thought he hated the psychomotor the worse because he was awake and watching his body betraying him forcing him to do things he would not do normally. Grand mal seizures he was totally out of it and sometimes he even lost control of bodily functions but embarrassing as that was, the psychomotor were scariest. He could start doing cartwheels for no apparent reason or start stripping in a public place. That was why his parents were going to go to Greece without him for four weeks but wouldn’t let him stay home alone. What if he hurt himself or walked into the street without someone there to stop him or guide him away from danger. He wished his parents would accept him. He didn’t do it on purpose. God knows! Each time was a drain for him. He had learned to live with it with no encouragement from his folks. He saw it as a gift, a blessing. He seemed to connect to something else when he was going in and coming out of them. He sensed things. He didn’t tell his parents that. They saw him as enough of a freak. He longed to be loved the way he should be by them but they couldn’t see past the fact that he was a sickly child, not perfect and never will be.

Craig and Jennifer Taylor were embarrassed by ‘the thing’ returning. They didn’t call it by name. They felt shamed that their son was imperfect and had such violent seizures and some that were… well, how could they be anything but embarrassed by their son. He was their dirty little secret. You never knew what type Justin would have. He was cursed with a variety of types: Grand mal, psychomotor, Jacksonian, and petit mal. Petit mals were like nothing. He just looked like he was daydreaming into space for thirty seconds or so. They just took time from him. People just thought he wasn’t paying attention. He learned to compensate around it. The stigma his parents felt was what was keeping them from taking Justin with them for a summer holiday. They never wanted people to see Justin have one. The Taylors thought that they had finally found the right mix of medications for Justin when he went seizure free for six months but then not only did they return but they returned with a vengeance. It was like the body didn’t have its release so now it was making up for lost time. Justin was getting one form or another more than a few times a day.

Justin had always wanted to go to Greece but he knew he wouldn’t be able to this time. He had made a list of places he would love to see. At least, he still had his art. When he was well he dabbled with his art wanting very much to be a famous artist. He had dreams even if his parents thwarted him at every turn. He knew he could live a good life. He couldn’t wait till he was able to live on his own, but for now, he was going to have to have someone babysit him. He hated that. He felt like a child who couldn’t be alone for a second. Part of him didn’t resent it because maybe he could make a friend without his parents’ interference. At least, he had won part of the battle. He would not have a nurse all day and all night. He would have someone as a companion who was instructed in his needs. He had also asked if he be male.

Jennifer didn’t see a problem with the request. Whoever was the chosen to babysit Justin he had to put his life on hold to be compensated as they promised. He didn’t want Justin out of his sight. Poor Justin had been cloistered in his home most of the time. God forbid he take sick in front of a stranger or a family friend. This would be an employee. Few relatives knew of his condition, they kept it so secret and he was rarely allowed to do things with them because what if…

They knew he was sickly and had to stay home but they didn’t really know that it was just seizures. There were rumors among the cousins. They wanted to know why they have rarely seen him. He was just a name to them. Almost fictional. Jennifer felt guilt about how she treated Justin so she would give him lots of things. Justin took the gifts always wishing for acceptance and love instead. He loved his parents. He just didn’t always like them. Why couldn’t they approve of him? Why couldn’t they approve of him as a human being, him as a son, and him as an artist? His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps. Craig hated his art. Art gave him a way to cope with his problems, a way to release the pain or the joys he might feel on a given day. Art was his life blood, couldn’t they see that? Couldn’t they encourage him in anything?

Soon they would leave for Greece and he would be left home but not alone. He smiled at the thought of that movie. Jennifer and Craig were already interviewing people for the job. They had already seen five people and they weren’t satisfied with any of them. Justin sat in on these but knew he didn’t really have a say. It was expected of him. The doorbell rang again and this time Justin opened the door.

“Yes, may I help you?” In front of Justin was the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He was speechless. “I am Brian Kinney and I am here for an interview.” Brian smirked. He was used to this kind of admiration and adulation. “May I come in?” He looked over the boy as well. He figured he was about 14.

“Where are my manners? Come in. Follow me.” Justin walked Brian into the sitting room where the parents were waiting. Justin sat down again and so did Brian responding to Jennifer’s motion to sit down in the hot seat.

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