We Found Each Other Again

I'd like to thank kenjisato, again, for the great editing and my friends for their input. If you find any mistakes, it's probably something I did after editing.

Active sexual activity only involves characters over the age of eighteen. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Names are made up.

WE FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN

It is never too late to make things right.

I am John David Johnson, everyone calls me JJ. Let me introduce my family-- I have a sister, Patty who's an RN; my mom, Bethany Johnson, also an RN, she goes by Beth; my Dad, James Johnson, PhD, or Jim, and Dad won't let me call him 'Papa Doc'.

It was the start of another school year, and I was teaching elementary physical education. This was my fifth year out of college, teaching PE.

I had started out wanting to be a secondary math teacher, but my K-12 physical education second major was what got me hired. PE was fun to teach, especially in the lower grades, but I wouldn't insult other PE teachers because it was more than throwing out an inflated ball and wearing a straw hat to keep the sun off my face. But at times, it may have looked like that.

Most people do not see all the classes you have to take to be a PE teacher-- biology, anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, and the physiology of exercise, to name a few. I still yearned to teach math in maybe middle school or high school. I had taken enough classes to have a double major, and I loved math, but for the last five or so years, there was just not a single math position in my county or nearby cities. So, I decided to tread water (as a PE teacher) and take more courses in education administration to make myself more acceptable to a district.

The love of my life.

In college, Kate Jones was my girlfriend--more than just a girlfriend; we talked about our forever. Kate was an English major getting her bachelor's in secondary education.

Kate was from a very 'conservative' religious family. We kept our romance low key; oh, we made love 'occasionally', but we weren't horny kids, and being in college with roommates, we did not get many chances to actually 'make love'. Even without doing the ultimate sex act very often, we showed our love daily. We went for walks, watched movies, had dinner together, and went to church together. We visited each other's family's home-- very separate sleeping accommodations. When I visited Kate's family, I slept in the RV in the backyard. At my house, my mom put us in separate bedrooms, with my parents' room between our bedrooms.

Kate was my soulmate, we were making plans to get married! We would live happily ever after together. When we had only a month and a half before graduation, our relationship hit a peak. Kate's roommate went home for a weekend, and we had Kate's room to ourselves. Well, the pent-up love and lust overtook us, and we, to use the vernacular, 'fucked like bunnies'. We got so carried away that we (I) ran out of condoms. So we did it coitus interruptus or pulling out, which was about 78 to 80 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, 'if done right.'

Our love life took a hit.

Five and a half weeks later, we walked through graduation. We hugged at the end. Kate hugged me very tightly, and said, "Remember, I love you to the ends of the Earth and always will." She said it with tears in her eyes, but her tone sounded odd.

I heard her father call her in a rather authoritarian voice; Kate turned, got in the family car, and was gone without a single look back.

After my graduation party, I called Kate, and what I heard was, "This number has been disconnected."

I figured she and her family would be home within an hour or so; I waited. When I called, I got the surprise of my life.

Her father answered, and told me, "Kate does not want to see you again, so please do not ever call her again, and if you come here, we will have you arrested for harassment. Goodbye." ***CLICK***

When I was able to hang up, I was in shock. I screamed, "NO!"

Mom, Dad, and Patty came running. If it hadn't been for Mom, I might have jumped out my second-floor window. I repeated what Kate's father said, and both Mom and Patty hugged me tightly. Dad was cursing. Dad had been in the Navy before he became a math professor, so he could hold his own when it came to cussing.

Like Mom, Patty was a nurse, so she was able to get a doctor friend to stop by, and about two hours later, I was in a sedative-induced sleep.

Mom and Patty took turns sleeping in the chair in my room.

A couple of days later, my best friend, Bill, almost got arrested trying to drop off a letter for me. Kate's dad did call the cops, and Bill told the cop that he did not know of my ban, and the cop let him go. Next came a certified letter to me-- it was from Kate's family lawyer. It spelled out that if I even took a breath of air on their street, the full legal system would come "crashing down on my head!"

I had an engagement ring on my dresser. Patty knew of it and hid it.

I was suffering from depression at its worst! It was like a grocery list,

For the next three weeks:

I was persistently sad....√ check!

I did not leave my room....√ check!

I lost my appetite...√ check!

I lost weight...√ check!

I felt apprehensive and "empty" inside....√ check!

I lay in bed with feelings of hopelessness....√ check!

I was annoyed and impatient with everyone....√ check!

I was frustrated with my family, and in my mind, they just didn't care....√ check!

At times, I went outside and chopped wood, not into kindling, but pieces no bigger than toothpicks!...√ check!

I WAS A FUCKING MESS! √ √ check, check!

This worried my mom and sister. Mom and Patty convinced Dad to use the mental care part of the health insurance, as I was still on his insurance until I turned twenty-two in five months. I saw a shrink, a Dr. Joyce. Dr. Joyce convinced the family that I should be put in a psychiatric facility for a short time, forty-five days, since I had been hit so hard by losing Kate.

While I was there, I came to grips that Kate and I were through for whatever reason. The doctor and my family just called it 'summer camp'. I basically had Kate counseled out of my brain... Or, so I thought.

After my time in the facility, Bill told me I had changed. I was not as happy-go-lucky as I was... but at least I was sane.

I had missed two months of job hunting. That should explain why I was a PE teacher, instead of a math teacher. I got a job in a town that was halfway between my town and Kate's; it just happened that was where the job was, not planned at all. I took the job, well, because I needed to work, make money, and pay for things like insurance, food, housing, and student loans.

New teacher.

During the new-teacher orientation, I felt like a piece of meat. I was young and reasonably good looking (if you count what Mom and Patty say), there were almost a half-dozen young female teachers, and every time I looked at them, it looked like they were licking their lips. I was in no mood for women. I was sane, but still hurting inside.

After six-and-a-half months of teaching, I heard a rumor that people thought I was gay, so I went to a couple of school functions with a female date, a good friend of my sister-- the rumor died a happy death. I found out I was also the recipient of lustful gossip. There were a few single mothers and a couple of cougars in the parent pool. It took about two years for the women to realize I was just not interested in hooking up with fellow teachers, or the few mothers who seemed available.

I plunged into the school functions and made myself 'a vital part of the school machine'. After-school clubs, grade-level parties, Fun Fair, Halloween party, Christmas party, New Year's party, read-a-book party, cherry pie party (Washington's birthday), spring scavenger hunt (Easter egg hunt), April Fools' party-- you name it, I volunteered for it; I got myself closer to my students, it kept me from being alone.

New school.

After three years, I found another teaching position in my hometown, so I moved back to Mom and Dad's neighborhood. I settled in, and after one year, a new school year was upon me.

Here it was, the start of my fifth year teaching; I had finished my master's in education, and living the life of a monk gave me the time to take classes and study. I had started my doctoral program.

I got my class list and cross-referenced the names to the school's picture set. Except for kindergarteners, I had pictures of all of my students. The kids enjoyed it when I could use their names while talking to them on the first day. It did take me some time studying to do it. With kindergarteners, I just studied the names, I would make teams up and take a picture so I could have a first name and a picture, and then have pictures of the teams to post.

One kindergartener's name popped out at me for a second-- Johnny Jones. I thought JJ would be a cute nickname, as that had been my nickname as a kid.

Because I was just trying to remember names, I kept going through my lists.

Kindergarten PE.

On the first day, the kindergarten class was wide-eyed and subdued; it was probably the last time I'd see them that way. To make it easy, I let the primary students just call me 'coach'. It was easy for them.

For a beginning activity, I got out the multicolored parachute; this was always a fun activity. You put the kids around it, with each kid getting a color. And I had the kids shaking the parachute, giving their arms a good workout. I will call out "up," and the kids would have to raise the parachute over their head, it would 'catch air' and fill and stay 'inflated'. I would call a color, and all the kids holding that color on the parachute would have to run in the middle. While the parachute was up in the air, I'd call, "Out," and if the parachute deflated and touched any kids, they had to run around the parachute one time. It was a good activity with lots of cardio in the running underneath, then running around. I'd add a playground ball; if they let the ball fall off the parachute, the two students where it fell off would have to do some silly thing-- hop on two feet, hop on one foot, roll on the floor one time, sit under the parachute 'til the ball fell off again.

Sometimes, I played a quiet game in two circles, while sitting they'd roll a ball to someone on the circle as fast as they could; if you made a noise, you had to run around the circle. Have you ever tried to keep kindergarteners from making noise?

The Friday night before Labor Day was 'Back-to-school night'. I had my kindergarteners demonstrate how we played with the parachute. The first group did great; the last group was a little tired since they had been in the classrooms with parents and teachers. JJ was in this group during the parachute activity. While running around the parachute, JJ fell at my feet. His pride was hurt the most because he had told his mom how he was the 'bestest' player, and then he fell at the feet of his favorite teacher, me.

I scooped him up and gave him 'manly' comfort, "Hey, JJ, that was a great trick! You made it look like you fell by accident! Show me how to do a front roll."

JJ disengaged from my arms and did a cute five-year-old roll with a "Ta-da," and arms raised to finish. It was then I felt a hand on my arm.

"John?"

I had heard that voice a thousand times before. I turned, and it was Kate Jones, the one and only.

So much went through my mind-- do I just say hello? shake her hand? hug her? politely say hello Miss Jones?... I did not have time to think.

Kate hugged me. It was more than a hello-how-do-you-do-kind-of hug. She said into my ear, "I have so much to talk to you about."

Since it was the end of the night, I started to put away the equipment my students had used throughout the night.

JJ said, "Coach, let me help you." You'd think I had given JJ a gold medal, he strutted around putting away all the equipment.

As I worked, I felt a little anger start to bubble inside me-- here was the woman that broke my heart and put me in a fucking psychiatric facility for forty-five days!

Just then, Kate's mother, Rose, almost running, came up to me and hugged the hell out of me. She was there to watch JJ.

When we disengaged, I looked around with a little worry, and asked, "Where is Mr. Jones?"

Mrs. Jones said, "Dead three years! and I divorced him four years ago!"

Losing all formality, Rose asked, "Are you still single?"

Almost before I finished saying, "Yes," she said, "Well, John, you are coming over to our house TONIGHT! For coffee, and I won't take no for an answer! We moved here after the divorce." She gave me a piece of paper, she had printed their address and phone number on it. (It was like she had planned it ahead of time).

Just then, my sister Patty showed up. She had tried to get there before the end, but of course, nurses had to work whenever there was an emergency.

Kate returned from wrangling JJ, and said to Patty, "Hi Patty, I have missed you." If looks could kill, Kate would be dead.

Rose grabbed Patty's hand and said, "We need to talk, and I do mean NEED! Please come over to our house, there is so much that needs to be discussed!"

Patty looked at me, and I said, "We've both had our shots."

I felt bad because as soon as I said it, Kate started to cry.

In thirty minutes, we were sitting at Rose's kitchen table. JJ asked me if I wanted to see his room, and he took my hand and led me to his room. When we entered his room, JJ grabbed a tote with about a million Legos in it, and said, "Want to invent some Lego stuff?"

JJ and I must have spent what seemed like an hour with the wonders of Legos. When JJ let go a yawn, I said, "We need to clean up." JJ sleepwalked, picking up Legos.

He said, "Coach, I need to put on PJs, but would you read me a story?"

"Sure," This WAS the highest form of trust and honor from a five-year-old.

I read an Aesop's fable, 'The Lion and the Mouse'. I remembered it from my days of having stories read to me. As I finished, I could hear a five-year-old snoring.

I walked into the kitchen, and all three women were crying big-ass tears.

Kate said, "Please come with me." We walked into the den. Kate had me sit down in a nice recliner, and she pulled an ottoman over so she could sit close.

"John, please just listen to me before you say anything."

I quietly nodded.

"First, John, I love you."

I was about to say some smart-ass remark, but Kate put up one finger to quiet me.

"Second, which maybe really is the first thing I should have said, Johnny is your son. When I told my father I was pregnant, he blew up, and since he 'held all the cards'-- money, where I lived, paying my school loan, etc. He decreed that I must never see you again, and he kept me emotionally locked up; I had no job, I had no money. He wanted me to ABORT JJ! You know, the great religious man, my father. He told me you had left town. I found out tonight you were in a psychiatric facility. I could not get a hold of you. Dad kept feeding me lies about you leaving the state and finding a new love. MOM almost put me in a psychiatric facility also!

"After I had Johnny, I heard my father brag to his cronies about how he ruled the family and how he got rid of you. When I told Mom, she exploded! She went out and got the meanest bitch-of-a-women's-liberation lawyer she could, and had him kicked out of the house. Her lawyer got experts to testify to the emotional damage that my 'loving' father had done to Mom, JJ, and me.

"To top it off, my mom and my father had a prenup; he had an infidelity clause put in it, thinking she would cheat on him. The lawyer's private investigator found a woman with whom he was having an over-six-year affair, in a town where he would go for business. Mom took him to the cleaners. She got the house, alimony, and a lot of his retirement.

"He threatened both Mom and me in court, and the judge held him over for criminal charges. They, then, later found him guilty of attempted domestic violence. It got plea-bargained down to one year of weekends in jail, imagine that. But he had to cash in his retirement account to pay the fines and mom's alimony. Mom sold the house, and we moved here. Part of the divorce was that he had to have life insurance payable to mom, and well, three years ago, his mean old heart stopped working while he was at his girlfriend's house in bed! Mom is fixed for life. She keeps from using her money by working in one of the district's middle school cafeterias, in our district! I am now a permanent sub for the district, substituting every day in the district, I just haven't been called to your school yet.

"John, I have loved you since I met you back in freshman year in college."

With fear in her voice, she asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No, I have had friends who are girls, but no romance if that is what you are asking. My sister has had friends accompany me whenever I needed a plus-one for something."

With a familiar twinkle in her eyes, she said, "I'd love to be your plus-one if you ever need one."

It then dawned on me... like I just woke up... I asked, "Did you say JJ is my son?!"

"Yes, John, I have had his DNA on file at a local lab; if you want to, you can drop by and give a cheek swab... Please, John, I do want you to do it."

"This is unsettling and disorientating. Please give me time to mentally digest this... Holy shit!"

Patty came into the room, and declared, "John, it is time to go!"

Luckily, we had the next day off, well, the next three days off.

Patty said, "WE need to go see Mom and Dad... no matter how late it is. They will want to know they are grandparents!"

Patty called ahead, and Mom and Dad met us at the kitchen table with coffee and pastries.

Patty made the announcement, "You are grandparents!"

Mom shouted, "WHAT!?"

Dad shouted, "WHAT THE HELL!?"

Patty then, with full orchestration, gave Mom, Dad, and me the full story of Kate's life after graduation. (I didn't have the whole story yet) Mom started to cry, and Dad just muttered, "How do you like that, I am a grandpa!"

Almost together, Mom and Dad said, "What are you going to do? When do we get to see our grandson?"

I called Kate the next day. "We need help with this. I had thought I was over you, and maybe you were over me. Would you go to counseling with me?"

Kate, in words that I had wanted to hear from the first time I ever saw her, said, "John, I will go anywhere and everywhere with you and for you."

On Monday, Kate accompanied me to the lab. When we got the results, it showed that JJ and I share 48.5 percent of our DNA, which was about as high a percentage for a father and son could have, which meant that I WAS JOHNNY'S FATHER!

Counseling.

Dr. Joyce's colleague, Dr. Sally, PsyD took us on.

She started meeting with us the next week. She made a schedule-- I would meet with her on Monday; then with Kate on Tuesday; Wednesday she met with Johnny by himself; Thursday with both of us, Friday was with Kate, Johnny, and me. It was covered by both our medical insurance and a special district grant for mental care for employees, so we could afford it. Occasionally, one of our moms was invited at no charge. And I still had time for doctoral classes!

The first appointments for both of us involved a big supply of tissues. I am not ashamed; I cried at my sessions. Jokingly, Dr. Sally said she had Kleenex in her stock portfolio. After five weeks, Dr. Sally asked us if we wanted to go out on a date.

Dr. Sally set it up, and arranged for both grandmas to babysit Johnny together. She gave us rules-- Hand holding was okay; hugging for no longer than twenty-one seconds; no open-mouth kissing; no parking in secret places... the list went on. Dr. Sally was like an overprotective dad of a teenage girl. The following Monday and Tuesday, we critiqued the date in our appointments. It seemed we both were waiting for the other shoe to drop. Before the date week, when we met together, we sat apart as if we were scared to share the air in the room. After the date, Dr. Sally placed our chairs together, facing each other almost as if tied together.

Dr. Sally got personal with her questions about the date and our feelings.

She asked me if I had gotten 'excited' before, during, or after the date. She asked Kate if she had gotten 'excited' before, during, or after the date.

We knew what she meant by 'excited'. With red faces, we both answered, "Yes."

"Where did the excitement come from?"

Both of us answered, "It was not from sex."

"Would you say it was deeper than sex?"

I was sweating bullets. After one more deeply probing question to Kate, I said sternly, "You need to stop. Kate is having trouble with the questions, and I do not want her hurt in any way."

Eureka! Bingo! Shazam!

I must have said the magic word or words.

Dr. Sally got up and got us Cokes from her office fridge. She wrote on a couple of Post-it notes one question for each of us. My question was, "Why did you want me to stop?"

My spoken answer was, "Because I love her."

Kate's eyes were as big as saucers, and she began to tear up.

Kate's question on her Post-it was, "How do you feel about what John said?"

Her spoken answer was, "Very loved!"

****

When we all met with Johnny, Dr. Sally asked Johnny how he would feel if Coach and his mom were boyfriend and girlfriend. 'Out of the mouth of babes' Johnny said, "I wouldn't like it..."

Kate and I looked at each other with fear in our eyes, and Dr. Sally asked Johnny, "Why?"

"I want them to be my mommy and daddy."

We looked at each other again, we stood and embraced each other, and Johnny jumped into our hug with vigor.

We started real dating and none of the rules applied. It was just like we were in college, we had weekly dates, we'd meet during the week for coffee, and when she was called to sub at my school, we ate lunch together; when she brought the class, she was subbing in, to PE, she stayed, most subs would head for the teachers' lounge, but not Kate.

Our romance was growing, and my 'Daddy-hood' grew. I took Johnny fishing, to the movies, to the ball game, and out to eat pizza. Hey, I was trying to make up for five years.

Kate and I had five years of love and intimacy to make up for, too.

The first time we were intimate was seven weeks after we had started dating. It was both wonderful and hot as could be. Johnny was at my parents' house. Kate and I went back to my place. As we entered the front door, we embraced and kissed deep-soul kisses. I told my Amazon Alexa to play 'Our Mix'. The mix was all the songs we had fallen in love with each other to. I picked up Kate and carried her to the bedroom, I laid her softly on the bed. I began to remove her clothes with caresses and kisses in the areas I was exposing.

Kate slowly unbuttoned my shirt. As I removed her blouse, my lips found her breasts; they were just about how I remembered them, they were just a little fuller. She smelled so nice; it was the familiar scent, it was the same perfume she had worn the day we graduated. As I kissed and sucked her nipples, they became like pencil erasers.

Kate's breath quickened, and as I lay on her, and I could feel the movement of her pelvis up into my lower chest. I moved up her body my cock was fully erect. As it met her pussy lips, I entered her, and she was tight.

She smiled, and said, "Be slow, I haven't had sex since we made love when we created Johnny!"

I looked at her with a big smile. I had been so down on women, I had lived the life of a monk. "I will not last very long."

"Well, we can do it again and again and again, 'til we get it right!"

We lost count of Kate's orgasms. After I came the first time, we did it again and again and again!

********

The grandparents jumped into Johnny's life.

Mom and Rose had become best friends; it was a very friendly competition for Johnny's attention to our delighted chagrin. Spoiled, ya think?

We married.

Kate and I married on Saturday, June 18th; sis was Kate's maid of honor. We had the cutest ring bearer; he marched down the aisle like he owned the place. Unrehearsed, Johnny placed himself between Kate and me, he took our hands and put them together.

********

We explained to Johnny that I was his daddy! And explained simply what Kate's father had to do with the pain our family had to deal with. We had to explain that some people are just bad. I had always loved him, AND always will.

My dad and mom moved into Johnny's life with such ease. Johnny loved the 'new' grandparents.

We all had five years to make up for.

We bought a house just on the next street from my parents, our backyards backed up to each other with just an alley between us. What sold us on the house was the mother-in-law's apartment, and we moved Grandma Rose in. Rose sold her house, saying she just didn't need that much room. Johnny now had three grandparents at his 'beck and call'. Our home was in the attendance area of the elementary school, middle school, and high school where I had attended.

Our marriage, the house closing, finishing my doctorate in education (with honors), a new job for me, and Kate's new job-- all coincided within the same week.

I was named principal of our high school. I had people in the district who were very much behind me. That night, I came home to tell Kate, I said, "I have great news."

Kate replied, "I have great news."

I said, "Okay, you first."

Kate said, "I am a new English teacher at South High School! Now, what is your news?"

"Well... I have a new job, too; I am the new principal at South High School."

Kate said, while doing a double take, "What did you say...!?"

"I am your new boss. I signed the paperwork this morning. Did you sign your paperwork?"

"Yes, this afternoon."

"Well, I will have an assistant principal. So, I will use her whenever you need an administrator."

We went the next day to the district office, it seemed the paperwork showing that we were husband and wife did not reach HR before we signed our contracts. (The head of HR said they would let it slide until there was a problem.)

*********

Things got exciting at the first faculty meeting. When I introduced myself to my new faculty, I took the time to introduce three of the four new teachers. I saw a couple of teachers look at Kate...

"But before I go on, there is a fourth new teacher I would like to introduce, my lovely wife, and so you know, we have been in love since college. Honey, would you come up here?"

Teachers began to look around.

"Please meet my wife, Ms. Kate Jones-Johnson, she is our fourth new teacher."

We were met with loud applause.

I had a great school year, my fellow administrators helped me when I needed advice to handle school problems; they were surprised that I didn't need more help.

So, the students at school thought it was so cool that a teacher and the principal were married.

Amorous Parents.

Unfortunately, some parents did not get the memo that we were married. Some of them only knew our names as the students called us. Kate was 'Ms. J', and I was Principal 'Doctor J'. They did not put two and two together. (And I do play a little basketball.)

Kate's amorous parent.

One single father started hitting on Kate during evening parent/teacher conferences. When she asked him to look at his son's schoolwork, he got very close to her; Kate excused herself to 'allegedly' get more of Bobby's work out of the file cabinet. She kept her purse in the drawer, and without Don Juan seeing her, she texted me, "I have a Romeo, could benefit, a visit from you."

Since I was just in her hallway with Johnny, I was at her door in under a minute. When I opened the door, Johnny stepped in and said, "Hi mommy."

The single father was kind of startled, and moved quickly away from Kate. Kate introduced Bobby's dad to me, and he thanked Kate, and said he had to get home.

Kate and I always kept a drawer full of coloring books and puzzles in our desks for Johnny, so he could quietly color, while we did other things when we had him with us. Johnny went straight to Kate's stash, and Kate and I had a good laugh.

My amorous parent.

With amorous mothers, I do have a line of defense-- my school secretary, Barbara Olson, who, along with her husband, had become Kate's and my best friends.

One afternoon, I had Dwayne Martinson and Roger Sells, who I was about to suspend for fighting, in the outer office. I called Dwayne's mother, Ms. Miller, in, and she was sitting across from me in front of my desk. She was a blonde bombshell, a single mom, and had a plunging neckline-- she was dressed for some kind of 'success'. (with me?) As I invited her into my office, I gave Barbara 'The Look.'

Barbara called Kate. Kate's planning period was about to start, so she was able to come to the office (Kate had Dwayne and Roger in her class). When Kate knocked on my door, I said, "Enter."

"Ms. Miller, this is Dwayne's English teacher, Mrs. Jones-Johnson, and she is also my wife."

Ms. Miller's chest seemed to recede a little.

"Kate, this is Dwayne Martinson's mother, Ms. Miller. Dwayne fought today, and maybe you could give me some input."

"I helped coach break it up."

Kate gave me the you-are-a-smart-man look and praised Dwayne's work and behavior in her class.

It seemed that the boy that Dwayne fought with had been giving him a hard time, in and out of class, about having only a mom at home and a missing father. She had sent Dwayne to the guidance counselor a couple of times for help, and talked to the other boy about HIS behavior!

I got a buzz on my phone from Barbara telling me the other boy's mother had arrived, I went to the door and invited Roger's mom, Ms. Sells, in. I left my door open, pointed at the boys, and told them, "Ms. Olson is a black belt!" and I asked Kate, "You want to take care of this?"

"Yes, hon."

"Oh, I am sorry, Ms. Sells. Mrs. Jones-Johnson is the boys' English teacher, and she is also my wife."

Kate moved to the small conference table in my office and invited the moms to sit down.

With my most official-sounding voice, I told the two boys to follow me.

We went to the gym. The PE teacher had the gym set up for wrestling and had one basketball hoop available at the other end of the gym. When he saw me come in, he threw me a ball, which I dribbled once and shot, I only hit iron and turned around and asked the boys, "Why did it not go in?"

Roger said, "You weren't warmed up."

Dwayne said almost in a whisper so the coach couldn't hear him, "It wasn't a good pass."

"You are both right!"

"Okay, here's what I am going to do. You two will play one-on-one. We have twenty minutes 'til the locker-room bell, one time out each. Will we see who gets suspended." I sat down on a chair, took my phone out, and pretended to play with it, but I was recording their play.

After about five minutes, it was evident that Roger was a great outside shooter, and Dwayne could sink shots from the free-throw line with his eyes closed; after a few more minutes, it was hard for me to keep score, but I was not keeping score. The two of them congratulating each other, and giving a high-five as the bell rang.

They turned to me and asked, "How'd we do, Dr. Johnson?"

"I'll be darn, you guys tied!" (Hell, as I said, I was not keeping score) they gave each other another high-five. I took a three-point shot and got 'nothing but net!'

We went back to my office, it was almost time for the passing bell. As we entered my office, there were four moms drinking coffee-- Kate, Barbara, Ms. Sells, and Ms. Miller, with smiles and tears. Kate excused herself, and Barbara gave me the quick lowdown on the girl-talk they had.

I sat the boys down, and said, "Men, I had two boys fight today, what do you think I should do?"

Both boys said, "We tied!"

Both moms looked at me with confusion.

"Here is where I am at, guys. The school board's rule is fighting is a one- to five-day suspension. If I give you more than one day, I have to fill out a form and send it to the board, and you guys will get a record with the board. I don't think you want that.

"Guys, you know I can't let you off the hook easily after all the other students saw you fight; what do YOU think I should do? Think about how you felt shooting baskets with each other..."

Roger turned to Dwayne, and said, "Dwayne, Dr. Johnson is doing us a solid, I am sorry, I gave you shit-- OOPS, sorry, Mom, Dr. Johnson... Dwayne, we need to do him a solid back!"

Dwayne said, "Look, Dr. Johnson, if we shake hands and apologize to everyone, our moms, you, the teachers who had to break us up, and tell the other students we patched our disagreement up, how about a one-day suspension and a couple days' detention? Then you don't have to write the report."

I replied, "I won't have to write a report...?! Cool!" I had a big Cheshire cat grin.

Roger said, "I was in a bad mood since my dad had canceled his weekend again with me."

"Okay, men, I have a question for you. Have you two thought about trying out for the basketball team this year?"

"Do you know I was a basketball coach before I became the principal?"

After a pause, Dwayne said, "You missed the first shot, Dr. Johnson?"

Roger said, "You did!"

They both said, "HEY! You missed that first shot on purpose!"

I answered, "I refuse to answer because I may incriminate myself."

"Okay, Moms, here is what I am going to do. I like their idea of an apology TOUR. Boys, that detention starts today! I like the two days' of detention. And I expect the boys to try out for the team AND make it! I will talk to the coach about forgetting to break up their fight. Now, I expect Mrs. Jones-Johnson will want a written apology after all; she is their English teacher, and since she is my wife, boys, I know she likes something from the heart," I said, ending with a wink.

"Now, get your butts up and apologize to your mothers!"

Both boys hugged crying moms. I had to wipe some dust out of my eyes, too.

"Gentlemen, your suspension is tomorrow. ONE DAY. Your detention starts today and when you finish the day you come back. Today, you will pick up all the work your teachers will have for you."

Dwayne said, "Dr. Johnson, you have a first-grade son, right...? Well, we both live close to your house, do you think we could help him with basketball, we have seen his lowered backboard, we both are the only child our moms have, it would be like having a little brother."

"Let me talk to his mom."

When moms and boys left, Barbara handed me a request for maternity leave to start in about six months.

"Barbara! Congratulations!"

She thanked me with a big smile... it was a really big smile.

When I got home, both Roger and Dwayne were waiting in my driveway. Kate and JJ came out when they saw me pull in, and talk to Roger and Dwayne.

"Did you ask Mrs. J?"

"Kate, the boys want to help JJ with his basketball shooting."

A wide-eyed JJ moved from behind his mother.

Both boys asked Kate to please wait, and they ran back to their bikes and came back holding a written apology and a hand behind their backs. "Here, Mrs. J," and they handed her their papers.

After Kate read them, the boys pulled a flower each from behind their backs and said, "We're sorry," in unison.

Kate said to JJ, "Well, get your ball."

The boys gave JJ all their attention, and even took turns lifting JJ so he could dunk! They each even got on all fours and let him stand on their backs and shoot.

Kate said, "I think Roger and Dwayne will be friends from now on, and it looks like you have some JJ's hero competition."

The boys left after about ninety minutes. After dinner, JJ went straight to bed. The boys had tuckered him out.

Kate and I sat in the den after tucking in JJ. Kate said, "Oh, boss, I need to give you something." Kate handed me an envelope.

When I opened it, it was a request for maternity leave to start in about six months. "No way! I love you so much!"

Believe it or not, Roger and Dwayne both made the team as starters! They were elected co-captains the next year. JJ did not miss a home game, and we went to a few away games so JJ could see his heroes. JJ lived and died with the team. The whole team adopted JJ as an unofficial mascot.

Another fantastic thing happened-- both boys had good-looking, successful, working, single uncles who got introduced to the boys' mothers, and by senior year, Roger and Dwayne were cousins.

I had an opening for a school nurse, and mom was looking to slow down a little, and yes, we had another Johnson on staff. The Johnson family got a little ink in the local paper, by having the principal, a teacher, the school nurse, and the unofficial mascot at our school all in one family; it made a nice story.

After Kate came back from maternity leave, we settled into being a perfect family. Little Bethany Rose fit right in.

Our lovemaking was, in our minds, epic.

Mom would watch the kids on our date nights.

My sister and her employer sponsored a program to help our students become certified nursing assistants (CNA) and childcare workers. We set it up in cooperation with the local Health Care Group and our local college. We created a CNA and child care program with facilities. Many of the district teachers used our onsite 'daycare', and we did have a few teenage mothers use it, too.

JJ started playing basketball in middle school. He was a starter for the eighth-grade team one night, and he was having a bad game-- an if-he'd-fallen-out-of-a-boat-he'd-miss-the-water-kind-of game.

At halftime, I gave him a couple of words of encouragement as he walked out of the locker room. JJ was so down. All of a sudden, two voices came from two college students, both wearing Copper State University basketball jerseys under their jackets. It was the 'flying cousins', as the sportswriters were calling them. Both Roger and Dwayne gave him a bro hug.

Roger said, "Johnny, you have been forgetting to breathe when you take a shot."

Dwayne added, "Stop looking at the guy you are passing to, you know where he is, he knows where you are going to pass it, he'll be there!"

They gave him some more tips, and both said, "Now go win the game!"

Roger and Dwayne, in true college-student fashion, both hooted and hollered every time Johnny passed or shot the ball. And would you believe it, with the winning shot on the line, Johnny, instead of shooting, passed the ball to one of our team's little-used subs, Bobby, who sank a five-foot shot when the other team collapsed on Johnny. Johnny was one of the first to pat Bobby on the back.

Roger and Dwayne ran out on the floor and told Johnny what a great play and pass it was. The biggest surprise was the hug Johnny got from his sister, she was so proud of her big brother.

When JJ entered high school, he made the junior varsity basketball team as a freshman. He got the usual grief for being the principal's son, along with being a teacher's son. At one practice, he was challenged-- a player said he was only on the team because of his parents.

He answered the challenge with one of his own, "Okay, let's go one-on-one, you and me." He picked the player who had challenged him, a junior, Justin Kimball, who was about to be moved up to varsity. The playground rule that a made basket or missed shot that hit the rim or backboard had to be brought out past the free-throw line was in effect. When they started to play, the practice stopped. All the players from the three teams, varsity, junior varsity, and freshman team, became spectators and the coaches too.

After ten minutes, Justin was up by four points. One of the coaches called, "Halftime."

As expected, the upperclassmen gave Justin pats on the back. The freshmen and some of the junior varsity players were giving JJ encouragement.

By this time, word had reached Kate and me, and we met at the gym door; no one saw us enter.

One of the coaches was the arbitrator of all the self-called fouls. They flipped a coin as to who would have the ball to start again. Justin took a long shot, but it was nothing but an airball. JJ jumped and caught the ball and did a fingertip roll into the basket. Then, he was only down by two.

Justin was frustrated and embarrassed and dribbled off his foot. JJ took a shot from almost the same spot as Justin's shot and got nothing but net! Tied up. The audience started to give Justin grief, as young guys will do. JJ stole the ball when Justin was distracted by a catcall. And drove to the basket for a layup. From that point, JJ took off, and when the coach called it, JJ was up by six.

JJ, not knowing he was leading, immediately walked up to Justin and gave him a bro hug, and told him, "Good game!"

Both boys were bent over with hands on their knees, breathing deeply. Both boys asked, almost breathlessly, "Who won?"

The JV team shouted, "JJ!"

Justin shook JJ's hand.

JJ, with all honesty, said, "You belong on varsity!"

When JJ saw us, he came over to us. I hugged him, but when he turned to his mom, she said, "NOT until you shower!" While JJ was showering and changing, Kate picked up Beth. JJ got his hug as he left the locker room from both mom and Beth.

The next game, Justin was on varsity, and JJ was now a starter on junior varsity.

By the end of the season, JJ moved on to the varsity basketball team.

Kate became Beth's Daisy Girl Scout leader. She was one hell of a leader.

JJ went on to Arizona State University to become an education major.

Beth started playing softball in grade school, and by the time she was in high school, she was a star pitcher. She received a partial sports scholarship to ASU, but also had an academic scholarship to ASU. Beth followed her dad, mom, and big brother and became an education major.

By the time we celebrated our twenty-second wedding anniversary, JJ had started to teach at my school. And became my basketball coach. My mom had retired, and my sister took over the nurse's position. We made the newspaper-- the Johnson family was again newsworthy, having the principal, two teachers (wife and son), and the school nurse (sister) all from the same family. Seven years later, Beth joined the faculty as a science teacher and softball coach. And yes, we made the paper again.

We still made up for the lost five years every year, we lovingly reenacted coming back together.

Kate and I are now grandparents and we are very much into spoiling our grandchildren to the chagrin of our children.

The best way to combat evil is to live a good life.

The end.