Hayden & Todd, Zack & Rene Co-written By Mel and Jodie: Flying High

Written by Mel

in memory of Steve Walker

Well known Canadian Artist Steve Walker passed away yesterday (02/09/2012) at the very young age of 50. I have always been very taken with his art and have used it to illustrate stories in the past. You can see many of his beautiful paintings on his web site: http://stevewalkerartist.com/

Hayden looked at the birthday card, ‘To Our Son on His 30^th Birthday’.

Where had the years gone? Wasn’t it only yesterday that their boy was three? Hayden’s mind traveled back to that third birthday at the beach, with Zack releasing balloons into the sky.

“I’m going to fly up high when I get big!” The young voice had declared.

Todd had already signed the card, Hayden simply added ‘Dad’ beside Todd’s ‘Love Papa’. He smiled and tucked the certificate for the hot air balloon trip over wine country into the card, put it into the envelope and sealed it.

The End

About our Characters:

Hayden Joel Pierce was the first born of four children to Canadian soldier, Zachary Pierce and his English war bride Francis (Coles) Pierce. He grew up in a working class neighbourhood of Vancouver. His father worked in a lumber mill after the war and his mother was a full time homemaker. Zachary was a good husband and father. Hayden learned first hand from him the concept of a home run with a strict but fair head of household to whom the family looked for guidance and direction. He would carry that ideal through to his own home life when he was grown.

He shared a room with his two younger brothers, Ronny and Paul. His parents instilled in him a sense of responsibility and protectiveness over them and their youngest sibling, Susan. He was a hard-working kid and excelled in school. Throughout high school, he held down two jobs and still managed to maintain the grades needed to get a full scholarship to U.B.C. He went on to law school and graduated in the top ten of his class.

During high school he’d dated a few girls knowing that was what was expected of a good looking guy like him, but he knew deep down inside that he wasn’t attracted to women. It was during his first year of law school that Hayden met a fellow student who helped him realize there was another world where men could love other men. Being gay in the sixties was not easy, but despite this he managed to develop a healthy attitude about his sexuality while maintaining the secrecy that was needed to succeed in his chosen career.

One day he met a flamboyant colourful man, who immediately found his way into Hayden’s heart. Within months of meeting they were living together. To Hayden’s family and most of the world, Todd was his roommate; just two young soon-to-be professional men about to begin building their prospective careers. However, as time went on they came to know they wanted to be a real family, so they had a commitment ceremony in a gay friendly church and Todd legally had his last name changed to Pierce. Very early on they established a discipline relationship with Hayden taking the role of the firm but fair head of house just like his father before him.

It was when they built their own home that Hayden finally came out to his family. He was overwhelmed by their love and acceptance of Todd and their lifestyle. When a lesbian friend offered to be a surrogate and carry their child, they jumped at the chance and young Zack was born in June 1980. Though biologically Hayden’s child, Zack was raised knowing Todd was as much his parent as Hayden.

In 2003, Canada finally legalized same-sex marriage. Hayden and Todd held a huge wedding with all their friends and family. Todd was in his glory planning and arranging every detail.

After thirty-five years together, Todd developed some health issues that had Hayden rethink their stressful lives. He made the decision to sell his share in his law firm and insisted that Todd sell his dental practice. It was a difficult time for Todd, but with Hayden’s loving guidance, he knew they would adjust.

Hayden is straight-forward and honest. He certainly has it together. He is loving, protective, and quite sports-minded.

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Todd William Rogers was the third child and only son of middle-income parents living in the suburbs of Toronto. He realized early on that he was somewhat different to the vast majority of his schoolmates, but wasn’t at all bothered by the fact. Accepting he was gay proved very difficult for his family. Try as his parents might, they never quite came to grips with their son’s homosexuality and his Mother had passed away still believing it was some how her fault. Sadly, his sisters shunned him for the most part and the last time the three siblings had laid eyes on each other was at their Mother’s funeral.

Overall, however, Todd would be the first one to tell you he’s had a marvellous life. He had filled his goal to become a dentist and set up his own practice in Vancouver, a location that put distance between him and his past. At the age of twenty-five he had met the love of his life; his very own Knight in Shining Armour. Hayden Joel Pierce loved him enough to over-look his little idiosyncrasies and his sometimes rather volatile emotional behaviour. Hayden loved him enough to court him and eventually marry him, changing his name to Pierce. Together they had purchased their own home and settled down to raise a family.

One of the brightest spots in Todd’s life was Zachary, the child Todd always dreamed of having. Zack was biologically Hayden’s, thanks to the help of a surrogate mother, but he was both Hayden and Todd’s son.

Now at the age of sixty, a major change was about to take place and Todd was not in the least bit happy. In fact, he was furious as until recently the last thing on his mind was retirement and he had no intentions of calmly going along with Hayden’s plans.

Todd is inclined to be mischievous, fun-loving and very cuddly. He is a heart-on-his-sleeve type of guy and emotionally capricious. Although he loves to get lost in a good book, he had kept himself physically fit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Zachary was born in Vancouver, BC. He has never met his surrogate mother as he was raised by his biological father, Hayden, and his father’s life partner, Todd. His father was a lawyer and Todd a dentist. Zack’s sexual preference was obviously no big deal to his parent. It was only in his teens that Zack came to fully understand his parents’ lifestyle…….Hayden was the head of the house, period.

Zack grew up in an organized, structure home with two caring, loving fathers. He enjoyed school and graduated with a scholarship to UBC. It was with a fellow student with whom he was having an affair, that he first visited Jade Heights. He knew immediately that this was where he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

He is well aware of being a Top like his father before him, and is more than ready to settle down with the right man.

Zack is laid back and has good sense of humour, sometimes bordering on droll. He is very patient but firm when needed; is logical and organized. He may have a tendency to be over-protective.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Albert Rene Wilson Jr. is the only son of Marjorie and Albert Rene Wilson Sr. He has an older sister Dorothy. His father has very grudgingly accepted that his son is gay but is still ashamed to admit this to friends and relatives. His mother adores her only son, having doted on him all his life, but she will follow her husband’s lead about discussing Rene Jr.’s homosexuality with anyone outside of the immediate family.

Rene has a degree in Fine Arts from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and is an extremely talented artist. He is trying to make a living from selling his paintings. He arrived in Jade Heights searching for new subjects for his art. He was living out of and driving a barely running 1987 K-car, packed with all his possessions including his precious paints and canvases.

He has only had one other lover while in university; the man killed himself when his family rejected him after he came out. This has left Rene in need of someone who can constantly remind him that he is loved and won’t be left alone.

Rene is high strung but still sweet. He needs a firm Top to help him focus while giving him the space to do his art.

Flying High

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