“It’s alright. Alec isn’t self-conscious about them anymore. It’s his, um, front side I didn’t want you to see,” she said with a blush.
“Ah. Yes, he does look as though he might be rather, um, substantial,” smirked the woman.
“Honey, I’m right here,” said Graham.
“It-it’s warm,” they heard their son whisper. They both turned around to see Alec still holding their son. Then his head lifted and he looked around at all the people. “It’s really warm and-and comforting.”
“You should be able to let go of me now,” said Alec. He gently released the young man, seeing the ashy-gray color of his skin turn to a flushed pink.
“Look at his coloring,” whispered Tina.
“He’s healing,” gasped Graham.
“The waters have healing properties that we don’t fully understand. It’s one of the many secrets that we will ask you to keep to yourself. Without those waters, your son had a zero percent chance of survival. Beyond the fact that his blood type is unusual, he had other antibodies that would have made a transplant nearly impossible.”
“We had no idea. Didn’t the doctors in Wisconsin know?” asked Graham.
“They did,” nodded Ajei. “It was in his medical records but we think the doctor’s didn’t want to tell you. They should have. But, well, it doesn’t matter now. In about five minutes, you’re going to have your son back.”
While everyone turned their backs, Alec stepped out of the warm pool and dried off, putting his clothing back on.
“Thank you, Uncle Alec,” said Ajei, kissing his cheek.
“Always a pleasure honey. He’s pretty heavy even with all this weight loss. I hope he’s fine now.” He nodded at the boy’s parents and left them to see their son.
“Mom! Dad! I’m swimming. I’m swimming and I’m not in pain and I feel amazing!” he yelled from the pond.
“I don’t know who you people are but I know that there is nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you for saving my son.” Graham hugged his wife, laughing uncontrollably.
Their son got out of the pond, wrapping himself in the thick, plush towel. He jumped up and down, then looked at the crying faces of his parents.
“It’s okay. Mom. Dad, it’s okay. I’m okay,” he smiled. Turning to Ajei and Virginia, he smiled. “Thank you. Whatever you just did to me, thank you!”
“Well, you’re not done young man,” said Virginia. “We want to take a look at all the bloodwork that we took from you on the chopper. I also want to see everything that was done in Wisconsin. Whatever he pumped into you was not like anything we’ve seen before.”
“He kept telling me to double the doses but I just couldn’t. I knew it was making me crazy, making me feel horrible. The other guys, they have to be suffering if he’s not there any longer to give them the shots and pills.”
“He gave you shots and pills?” asked Virginia.
“Shots, pills, drinks, bars, everything. The drugs were in it all,” said Julius.
“You knew?” whispered his mother.
“I’m sorry, Mom. Yes, I knew. Coach Williams was pretty convincing and then when we all started to figure out what he was doing, he was threatening to us. Said he’d expose all of us to the university and we’d never play ball again.”
“Son, I wish you would have told me,” said Graham.
“Me too, Dad. Me too.”
CHAPTER SIX
“Where are we at?” he asked the five women standing around the table.
“We’re moving as quickly as we can without compromising the product,” said one of the women. “We should have a full batch ready for you by tomorrow.”
“Good. That’s good. Then I need you to double production. Hire more people if you have to. I’ve got a lot of interest in this shit,” he smirked.
“You know, Butch, if you weren’t my brother I’d tell you what a piece of garbage you are. But since you are my brother, and you’re making me a rich woman, I won’t say that,” she smirked.