Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 1

shown to the victim , the judge noted, for his sadistic reign of terror and savagery perpetrated on him . Jim told me she cried during her delivery of her findings and announcement of her verdict.
    He discovered the prick owned two rental houses in a rural town, and a sizeable bank account comprising the rent and the wage money he stole from me. Jim took on all my criminal claims and associated matters as a personal campaign. He won a court order to freeze the bank account, and lodged compensation claims against him. The court awarded the lot to me. I insisted Jim charge his fees, however he never did, only the expenses, neither did Harry who arranged the sale of the houses. Although they seemed a reasonable investment to keep, I didn't want the stench of that bastard's name smearing anything of mine, besides, I had my own house to build and finance. Drew and I nutted out a design we liked and Harry arranged for a local architect client to draw the plans, working to a budget Albert figured appropriate. Once finalised and council approved, Harry arranged a trusted builder client to construct it, while Sunny appointed herself to select our wish list of furnishings. When finished, I hung the pictures of my dad and grandfathers and displayed other memorabilia Dad had entrusted to Harry. They take pride of place in my office.
    Harry mentioned my mother divorced The Rat , as I’d come to call my ex-step-bastard-father, and sought assistance for mental trauma she claimed he caused by pointing rifles to her head and threatening to kill her and forcing her to take drugs and alcohol to keep her mouth shut. I'll never understand her, she had opportunities to walk out and take me with her and report him to the cops and seek protection until they arrested him. She never did. While there's probably some truth in her claims of fear and brainwashing, she took the easy, sick way out by accepting him raping me and lying to people about my wellbeing. Fortunately, she's never contacted me.
    Jim rattled the state's education and health departments and kicked the arses of a few welfare agencies with his claims of negligence and irresponsibility, the matters becoming embarrassing headline news. The departments couldn't refute his assertions for the chief offenders confessed after being condemned by a furious local community and shocked fellow staff. Two resigned and the rest sacked, their replacements charged with the task of introducing a proper service culture , the local newspaper wrote. Both departments quickly agreed to Jim's compensation demands.
    Because I was underage when the rape offenses commenced, the law required suppression of my name from all public exposure in court and the media. A few locals, however, joined the dots and visited me to express their feelings, also commenting on the house construction activity and renovations to the old home. I'd decided not to demolish the place after meeting Brad on Angie's dinner night, throwing his plans around in my head and adding a few ideas of my own. In the process, I realised the house would be ideally suitable for the program, my bad vibes being replaced by a warm glow of future happiness and achievement.
    Brad oversaw the renovations and extensions, including wheelchair ramps, disabled facilities, extra bathroom and kitchen amenities, plus installation of required safety systems. He secured government funding for the work after Harry obtained municipal council's approval to turn the house into a rest and rehabilitation retreat for lonely, abused and disabled gay and straight guys. The project has become a mission, an opportunity to help other victims who have suffered like Brad and me. We see the retreat as a place for guests to meet and make friends, share their minds, erase the past if possible or at least come to terms with their pains and emotions, and move on in life. Word soon spread through Brad's disability contacts and by alerting the gay community, many of the early enquiries coming from mums and dads desperate to help their sons, and now from referrals. The Retreat , as we simply call it, is proving popular.
    Additionally, guests can meet new people and earn good bucks during harvest seasons and working in the potting shed, the socialising facet of the work being part of the healing and friendship-forming processes. Brad emphasised the importance of this aspect, one of the methods to build self-esteem and feelings of worthiness in society , he quoted from his study