“Mr. Hester, so nice to meet you, Steven James,” the red-headed giant said.

“Dan Hester, the pleasure is mine.  You wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes, I hear you have an extraordinary brother.  I was wondering if you can tell me anything that I need to know before meeting him.  I know the psychiatrist has been out to see him and according to the reports I have, it says that Brad is intelligent yet very childlike.  Is there anything you can tell me about Brad’s life before his change,” Steve said, looking at the dirty blond haired man.

“Well Mr. James, Brad has lived a very sad life.  I grew up in a family of privilege and Brad didn’t fit into their mold of the perfect son.  My selfish parents had him put in a home where one of the aides abused him daily.  Of course Brad would act like nothing was wrong on the very few occasions we would go to visit, but I always suspected something was off.  He always had bruises and bumps.  Mom would tell him to quit being so clumsy all the time.  When I got my driver’s license, I would visit him every weekend.  The home was a good two hours away from where we lived.  Then when I went to law school, I called him every weekend.  I really bonded with Brad.  I even tried to get our parents to pull him out of that horrid place, but they wouldn’t hear it.  Brad was the Hester family’s dirty little secret.

Five years ago, my parents died in a car accident.  According to the will, I was the sole benefactor of their estate and Brad’s legal guardian.  I had just bought the farm then, because Leah and I like horseback riding, although we never did get around to purchasing horses, a good thing now that I think about it.  We both had a long discussion about Brad because I knew that Leah wanted kids.  We both agreed that the home was no good for him and I brought him to come live with us.  The doctors always told me that Brad should be in a facility and that Leah and I can’t take care of him and a child, but we refused to listen.  The nightmares were awful that first year, but Brad fell into a routine and loved living out at the farm.  He was never a handful and never acted up like the home said he always did.

Then came our son, Josh.  We prepared for the worst but Brad loved that baby.  He was never jealous of him.  He was a little curious at first of course, but never jealous.  Brad kind of grew up with my son.  He has made a lot of progress in the last five years, but socially it’s a different story.  Brad is always afraid that people don’t like him and now that he is as close to normal as he will ever be, he still has that same mindset,” Dan explained.  While Dan spoke, pictures of Dan’s past played through Steve’s head like that of a home movie.  Steve even had a mental picture of the aide Dan suspected was abusing Brad.

Dan noticed that the giant before him was weeping.  Dan knew about the telepathy.  He suspected that the giant known as Steven James was feeling his every emotion.   Steve pulled out what looked like a bed sheet and wiped the tears from his eyes.  Dan just stood there in silence until the giant put himself to rights.

“Your telepathy is strong,” Dan commented.

“Yes it is.  The bigger we grow, the more magnified everything becomes.  We each have a talent that is stronger than any of the others.  Mine happens to be telepathy just as Brad is telekinetic which happens to be an ability that no other giant possess.  Brad is very unique,” Steve said.

“He also has a playful streak.  Allison told him to practice his ability, which he does.  One day, my neighbor caught Brad levitating his cows.  It’s a good thing that I’m best friends with the guy because he got a kick out of it too, but I had to punish Brad for it.  Do you know how hard it is disciplining someone over twice your height and intelligence?  Brad took it like the kind soul he is.  Right now, my best friend and I are coming up with a coalition for giant rights.  He’s been touched by Brad, like everyone else who gets to know him.  If my parents could see their black sheep now.  Leah and I call him our swan,” Dan said.  Steve felt the love that Dan spoke of.

“How do you think he’ll take me?” Steve asks.

“I hear that you are a bit of a shy one yourself, Mr. James.  I’ve heard that you were a white coat in your ‘past life.’   Now you take care of being the giants advocate even though your anxieties are still there.  I think Brad will look to you as a kindred soul even though you were never like him in your ‘past life.’  Brad will be backwards at first, he always is, but if you show him one ounce of kindness, he’ll give you a ton.  He doesn’t really look at differences; he never has, even well before the change.  Brad has a way of looking into your soul,” Dan said, giving Steve a warm smile.  Dan, Leah, and Josh Hester were the first humans who treated Steve normal upon first meeting him.  Steve now understood why.

Allison Hayes comes into Steve’s office as if reading his mind.  She gently held Brad’s hand as they entered.  The curly blond giant with the angelic face hung his head low and slouched.  Hello Brad.  Do you know who I am?  Steve transmitted to him.

That very big giant Josh told me about.  Your name is Steven.  Brad transmitted back.  His voice sounded shy in Steve’s thought.  Steve smiled when he heard.  I hope he likes me.

“Brad, I could never hate you.  None of us here could ever hate you.  You are with friends here,” Steve said in a warm tone.  Brad looked up and smiled.  He held a square package under his arm.  He put it on Steve’s desk.

“I made you a present.  I hope you like it,” Brad said shyly.  Brad looked up at Steve.  He didn’t see Steven James’ newfound beauty but that of what Dan told Steve, a kindred soul who was shy like him and afraid of people like him.  Steve opened the wrapping to find a picture of a giantess.  “It’s Rhea, the mother of all gods.  I hope you like it.”

“It’s perfect, Brad.  I’ll hang it in my office,” Steve said, studying the painting that could put the great masters to shame.  Each brush stroke rendered perfect on the porcelain skin of the dark haired goddess.

“It’s hard painting when you’re growing.  Leah had to get me bigger paint brushes.  I had to paint it with brushes used to paint walls and then the canvas got smaller every day.  Everything gets smaller every day, even Dan.  He used to be bigger than me and now I’m way bigger than him,” Brad said, showing signs of that man child he once was.  His I.Q. has grown, but not who he is.  “Will I ever stop getting bigger?”

“Everybody that has evolved, changes in different ways, Brad.  We have determined you stop growing when you are five times originally what you were, but in your case, we can’t tell,” Steve said, feeling his pain.  The people and giants of Gaea House nicknamed Steve the reluctant giant.  Even his best friend Alex jokes with him about it.  Now Steve can see that he is not the only reluctant giant.

“It’s because of the Downs,” Brad said, not making it a question.

“Yes, your growth was stunted as all people with Downs are.  For all we know, you might be bigger than even Steve,” Ally said.

“That makes sense, but what if I don’t want to be big?” Brad asks.

“I’ll be here to help you, Brad.  You can come to Gaea House anytime you like.  We can talk,” Steve said, looking down at Brad with a sympathetic smile.  “You’ll find it isn’t so bad being big.”

“You would know,” Brad said with a playful smile.  Brad felt that he made a new friend that day.

Steve went back to Alpha Two hangar with a smile on his face.  He did find a kindred soul in Brad.  Extremely smart yet very childlike describes Bradley Hester.  To Steve, Brad was like one of his blank canvases, it was a good thing that he ended up having Dan and Leah to care for him.  Who knows what Brad would have ended up being if he evolved in the abusive environment her grew up in.

When Steve walked in, he was attacked by Tommy who is now the size of the average eight year old boy, still mouse sized to Steve.

“Daddy!  I’m getting bigger and smarter,” Tommy said in a clear voice.

“That’s great son,” Steve said as he scooped up his boy.

“Mommy said I don’t feel so small,” Tommy announced.  All the Gaea House children are developing as they should.  Tommy still looked like he was four but almost twice as big. 

Little did the James family know that Tommy has been being watched.  Franklin Morgan has watched the tot from a safe distance.  Franklin learned how to block out his thoughts.  It was only a matter of time for Franklin to catch Tommy outside alone.  With the serum working its magic, Franklin knew his widow of opportunity is short.  The growth is happening quicker than expected and Franklin didn’t want to fight with a tot his own height.  Surely Harper would send out his assassins on him if he failed this mission.

If only Franklin knew about Brad and his disorder, but Franklin will never find out.  He’s too involved with unlocking the secrets of the serum.  That crazy old goat Calvin Harper probably plans on using it on himself…

“I’m glad that Mr. James liked you, Brad,” Leah said to her oversized brother-in-law.  Leah came out to the barn to make sure Brad was getting feed.  She knew he could take care of himself, but Leah still felt responsible for him.  She made him two roast and steamed vegetables.  Leah didn’t mind cooking for two large families to feed her favorite brother-in-law.

Dan worked at the oversized kitchen table.  He sorted through papers and was in the middle of reading the new laws on giants that congress was trying to pass.  Dan had been to Washington to join the protestors.  The registration laws seemed very unconstitutional to Dan.  They wouldn’t allow his brother his freedom and worst of all; he wouldn’t be allowed to live on the farm.

“I need to call Carl,” Dan mumbled to himself and picked up his cell.

I’m not going to allow those assholes to tear my family apart.  Brad belongs here with us.  He’s going through ‘treatment.’  Brad can function better than most adults.  Brad overheard his brother’s thoughts.  Dan jumped off the oversized chair and walked out of the barn.

“He’s working too hard,” Brad said with a sigh.  “I should get a job so that I can help.”

“You have a job, Brad.  Carl says you have been a big help with taking care of his cows,” Leah said.

“I need to do more.  Carl pays me what he can and I’m grateful he has kept me on even if I’m a monster now,” Brad said with tears in his eyes.

“You’re not a monster.  You’re big, but you’re not a monster.  You’re my swan,” Leah said.  “I am not going to allow you to talk nonsense, you hear me.  Dan and I love you.  Josh loves you.  Don’t you ever call yourself a monster,” Leah said, wishing Brad was huggable size again.  It was very hard to soothe a giant almost three times your size.

Brad sat down at the table and wept.  Leah patted his knee.  “I am so big and only getting bigger.  I hate that they don’t know how big I’m going to get,” Brad sobbed.  Leah handed Brad a clean bath towel which he used to wash and dry his dishes.  Brad took it from his child sized sister-in-law and wiped the tears.  “I don’t want to outgrow my home.”

“We won’t let you, Brad.  You’ll always be welcomed to stay here and you know it,” Leah said and then Brad did something unexpected.  He picked Leah up like she was a toddler and gave her a hug.  Leah felt helpless for a moment until she realized that Brad wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.  He may have been big, but he was very gentle.

“Thank you,” he whispered as he still held Leah close.  Leah patted his shoulder.

“You’re my little brother too, Brad.  You know that Dan and I won’t let anyone harm you in any way,” Leah said, giving Brad a warm smile.  “No matter how big you get, we’ll always protect you.”

Brad looked at her with those soulful blue eyes of his.  Leah stood on his lap.  Brad may have been three times taller and bigger than he once was, but he was still the same person inside.  His face now had structure to it.  Normal shaped eyes and mouth.  Brad now had a cleft chin and high cheekbones.  Masculine yet boyish face that you would see in magazine ads.  A perfect face hid under the round and deformed face caused from the Downs, but that five foot two little man still lived somewhere in this perfect creature and he lingered in Brad’s gaze and personality.  No, Leah could never hate Brad.  Even the perfect godlike Brad.