Date: Wed, 2 May 2018 15:17:55 +0000
From: Al Peres <al.peres@hotmail.com>
Subject: LOOKING FOR AN HEIR PART FOUR

			LOOKING FOR AN HEIR
			------------------------------

				PART 4
				======

CHAPTER 16
----------------
The days of that week went on, and Margarita's husband entered into a total
unconsciousness.  Alexis, during the week and after returning from school,
he flew to his best friend's house to enjoy the pleasure of their sex,
sometimes shared with Pablo's sister. As promised, on Saturday went to the
rail station's parking lot to meet Alex. The man walked up to the boy that
was distracted talking to a friend, in spite he had been watching the
parking he had missed the man's arrival.

	"Good mornings Tom." Alexis looked surprised at the man for a few
seconds; he did not expect him to be so punctual. He smiled and impulsively
hugged Alex's waist. He turned to his friend.

       "He's my Uncle Alex; I'll spend the day with him. Let's go." He took
Alex's hand and dragged him to the car. They fastened the seat belts and
the luxury "Jaguar" smoothly started.  In those moments Margarita's husband
was entering into a irreversible coma. In silence, Alex drove, and sometime
later they were in the garage. It seemed that the view of the house beamed
in his face. "It is lovely to be here." Alex smiled. When they were in the
large living room, Alex asked the boy:

       "Why did you lie to your friend?" The boy thought for a moment, and
then slowly answered the man.

       "He isn't my friend, but a boy from my grade in the school; and I
did not lie him because in my heart I would like you were, not my uncle,
but my father or better, my grandfather." The man's heart beat hard into
his chest and he did not know why.

       "You have already a grandfather," Alex argued.

       "Yes; but first, he is going to die within hours; that what's Granny
said me this morning, and second, he never behaved like a grandpa, and I
never acted as his grandchild; so we are even. He never scolded or punished
me, but he also never hugged or kissed me as I have seen other grandpas
doing to their grandchildren. On the other hand, most of my friends have
two grandpas. Why couldn't you be one? though you are too young to be a
grandfather." Alex knew he could not refute the intelligent boy's
arguments, however, he could not go into a discussion because that would
mean personal questions, and they had agreed, at least, for the moment, to
avoid them. He grabbed the boy and hugged him and the boy reciprocated.

       "Tom, you can consider me what you like best. I promise I'll never
fail you." The boy grinned pleased as Alex continued. "I guess you are
hungry again."

       "You are right, but I want to be comfortable; therefore, what's
about if we have a good bath in that large round tub that you have? I loved
it last time."

       "I don't mind. You can have the bath while I get ready breakfast."
Smiling the boy answered.

       "The problem is that I want you to soap me, at least on my back,
grandpa. I'll do the same to you." The man chuckled.

       "Okay, Tom. But I want you to remember that we are grandpa and
grandson. Don't try to cheat me." Alexis hugged his new grandpa and smiled
mischievously.

       "Don't worry grandpa; I'll never cheat you, as I never did to my
Granny." He entered the large bathroom and started undressing. Alex came
with a new set of clean underwear for both and could not but to admire the
beautiful cherub he had in front of him. "I wonder why that stupid
grandfather doesn't love this lovely creature." He thought.

       "On the pantry, you have your old clothes duly cleaned and ironed,
in case you want them." The boy smiled.

       "Do I need to take them home?"

       "It is up to you to decide." Then, among jokes and plays, the boy
soaped his new grandpa and the man did the same to the child. None of them
noted any sex effects as the boy played in the large bathtub. After a
pleasant bath, they rinsed, dried, and got dressed in the fresh
underwear. Covered with the thick robe, Alex got ready breakfast and they
ate in silence.

       "I never enjoyed a similar thing, even with my own father." Alex
noticed that the boy was entering into a personal relationship, he warned
the boy with a stare. Alexis ignored it and continued. "My father died when
I was five. He was a sergeant in the Navy; he spent long months without
showing up, and when he came brought me toys that I didn't like. He would
stay three or four weeks, even less than that, and then disappeared
again. Once mom received a cable from the Post Office, then a letter and a
three-cornered folded flag. He was gone. Was he a real father? Or just a
dream?" The boy was not crying or even worried. He was indifferent.  Alex
ruffled his golden hair.

       "Tom, from now on, if your family allow me, the situation will be
different. Please, trust me." The boy sighed. "I'll look after you on every
way."

	"Yes. Grandpa, I have trusted you from the moment you wrapped me in
the blanket.  You know? I feared during the whole week that my other
grandpa might pass away and I could not come to see you. I saw Pablo, my
best friend, and I told him all that we did last week. He envied me."

	"All?" Alexis then turned around and hanged from his new grandpa's
neck kissing him on the cheeks.

	"Well, not all, grandpa. What we did here on the couch is private,
a secret between you and me. On the other hand, if I had told him, he might
have been jealous."

	"Jealous? Why? He is your best friend." The boy grinned
mischievously.

	"Well, I'll tell you sometime. He is a little bit gay and..." The
man interrupted the boy.

	"And he has a crush on you." The boy laughed openly. That made Alex
feel in the heaven. For some seconds, he saw two little dimples and two
plaits laughing in front of him.  Alexis' words broke the spell.

	"You are too smart, grandpa. Don't you know that?"

	"Not as much as you are, my boy. At least, that's what the papers
showed." The boy's eyes sparkled.

	"If that's true, I may win you in a chess match." They were
comfortably seated on the large couch, the boy cross-legged as an Indian,
and the chessboard between them. It was warm inside the house, and after a
huge breakfast, he felt uncomfortable and took off his robe.  Alex again
admired the young boy's features, especially his strange and beautiful
green eyes; immediately the medicine man that was inside him, started
speculating about the young boy.  Yes, he thought, he will be a very
handsome man and as tall as I am. "Come on, grandpa, you are white,
therefore, start moving." The modulate child's voice took him off his
thoughts. He played very well for an eleven y/o child; he could have won
the match but he preferred to end the match draw.

	"You are very good for your age, Tom." He grinned with pride. "Who
taught you so well?"

	"My teacher and my mom, especially my mom. In the school, no one,
except my teacher, can beat me, including boys of secondary schooling." He
paused and then changed the subject. "Grandpa, we are tired, what about if
we go for a walk, I like the coldness on my cheeks whenever I am well
wrapped up."

	"Excellent idea!" They dressed, Alex gave the boy a pair of wool
gloves and another thicker anorak; hand in hand, they started walking,
their face partially covered with a wool scarf.  A few boys and girls,
dressed more or less as they were, played with snow on their gardens.

	"This must be a beautiful place in spring, and summer." In
California rarely we had snow, he thought. Alex's mind went back to those
years of his childhood when Margarita came and they, along with other
children, played there throwing snowballs.

	"Yes. It really is. However, there is nothing as great and
wonderful as real and almost wild Nature. When your family allow us, I'll
take you to a house that I have in Connecticut's countryside, then you will
appreciate the real beauty. All this is only gardening." The boy
smirked. They walked for about thirty minutes and were passing in front of
a large round building; then Alexis looked at it. Alex noted the boy's
stare. "It is a winter swimming pool. What about swimming?" Alexis then
remembered the strong muscles and sighed.

	"I'm not as good swimmer as you are, but I like it. Since we came
to live here, Pablo and I spent the summer months in the local swimming
pool. Let's try, but what about trunks? I don't think they would allow us
to swim skinny." The boy grinned slyly.

	"No, of course not. This is a public pool; there is another one
private, for those persons who like to be nude. Don't worry, we can buy
swimming dresses in there, or hire them. I prefer to purchase them." Hand
in hand they entered and went to a little shop where the institution showed
all kind of swimming items. Alexis chose a pair of glasses, a rubber cap
and speedos that adjusted perfectly to his beautiful and rounded butt
cheeks. Alex chose the same, however, a little bit less adjusted. When they
changed, Alex looked at the beautiful child in front of him.  "You will get
stares from all the girls." The boy grinned pleased with his granddad's
compliments.

	"What's about you? Those muscles will get sick all women, girls and
some men too."  The rascal boy ran to the pool because he knew Alex would
jab him. They jumped into the warm water and Alex showed his grandchild
what "swimming" meant. And as he had foreseen, many eyes were glued to
them. After near two hours of real fun, they decided to come back
home. Then Alex asked the boy. "Do you want to have lunch at home or would
you like to go to a restaurant? Because with so much exercise you must be
starved." The boy smiled because his granddad was right.

	"I like to be at home with you, but that means work for you. Why
don't you ask the restaurant to bring lunch at home?"

	"As usual, you have good ideas. We can order for lunch and some for
an early dinner as you boys like."

	"That's fantastic, grandpa." They walked hand in hand towards the
house, both engulfed in their own thoughts. Alex thought about the lack of
affection experienced by this beautiful boy, first from a father who was
enamoured of the Navy, forgetting he had better persons to whom to
love. Then, a grandpa that, for some reasons that he could not even guess,
ignored the child.

Alexis was thinking about the things he was enjoying now, rarely enjoyed by
any of his friends, except maybe Pablo. Sometimes, he had noticed sadness
on this tall man that even had allowed him to call grandpa. Why was he not
happy? He had mentioned a toddler but he had not seen any baby, even photos
of him. Where was the baby that was not with him? Was he divorced and his
wife held the child? He did not see any woman's photos, only the girl on
the painting, and a big one in black and white of an old couple. Probably
his parents; he thought.

They arrived and Alex called the restaurant, and while they were getting
into lighter clothes the van's horn sounded. Introduced the foods and
Alexis saw how his grandpa gave the man a generous tip. "Goodbye Mr Lorton,
as usual, it is a pleasure to serve you." The driver was a big and fat
colour man that showed his white teeth when he grinned at him. Comfortably
seated near the low table, they enjoyed the lunch. Alexis drank cola and
his grandpa some special wine. They picked up the leftovers and packaging
and dropped to the litter container. They remained on the large sofa;
Alexis' laid his head on the man's thigh.

	"Grandpa, you started the match but we made a draw, so you should
make a question and then I'll do mine.

	"Do you mind if I make personal questions?"

	"Of course I'll mind, but we are grandpa and grandson; I have
promised to trust you.  The man thought how or where to start. This was not
a common child, he was a bright boy, and surely, he would try to catch
him. He smiled and ruffled the boy's curly hair.

	"How old are you, Tom? Where do you come from?" The boy grinned and
was surprised by the simple questions.

	"You made two questions in one, therefore the first will be
accurate and the second more general. I turned eleven on October 15th. I
came from the West, more than three years ago." He paused. "Now it is my
turn. Who's that pretty girl of the portrait and where she is."  Alexis
noticed in his neck how the man's muscles tensed. He then added
quickly. "Grandpa, if it is too embarrassed, I'll make some other
questions; I have a few in my mind."

	"I wouldn't be fair not answering you; however, you must promise me
you won't tell anybody, it is too private. I have never talked to anyone
about her, except to my late parents."  The smart boy understood the
significance of the man's words. He just was telling him he was as his own
parents.

	"You have my word, grandpa, however, you don't need to answer me,
if you don't want it."

	"Never mind." The man paused. "Okay. Have you ever been in love,
Tom?" The boy did not answer. "I guess you have not." Alex paused ordering
his thoughts. "I was ten, near eleven, and she was close to ten when we
fell in love. That day that we discovered our mutual love, I painted her;
well no exactly that colour portrait, that's a good copy that my father
made for me. I did it in black and white, and it is even prettier in that
sketch than in this portrait. I keep it in the house I have in
Connecticut's countryside as she loved the place, I am talking about forty
years ago." He paused. "Where is she? I don't know. She disappeared when I
was at the University studying to be an MD." Gently he moved the boy's
head, stood and walked up to his room. He came back with three old yellow
photos and showed them to the boy. "This one was taken in our school the
day before I painted her, the boy with us is the only real friend I ever
had, her brother Tom. He adored his sister. He was as Pablo is; he felt he
was gay, but, as you do, I didn't mind. His mother and mine were good
friends." He kept the photos and came to sit near the boy.

	"On the pictures, you have shown me you were a very good looking
boy, it wasn't strange she loved you; on the other hand, she has plaits,
did you fake to represent her?" The man smirked for the boy's compliments
and rubbed the boy's hair.

	"Oh no, I did not fake! She came with her beautiful silky brown
hair combed like that and her favourite dress. She was as she used to be on
Sundays because she guessed that day was a special one. I remember her
sitting in front of me with that enigmatic smile. Later she always kept
telling me that she did not smile, "That was your love that saw me like
that." She used to repeat it to tease me." He sighed and kept silence for a
couple of minutes as he added: "I have never loved any girl or woman as I
loved her..." He was to continue but preferred to ask the boy, as it was
his turn.

	"Tom, didn't you have other family, uncles, cousins or
grandparents?"

	"As far as I can remember, no. We never talked about that
subject. Once that Granny and I were alone, she told me she had a brother,
to whom she deeply loved, but he had died many years back. I wonder if she
told me that to prevent me asking more questions or not, but she got very
sad and I wiped a couple of tears from her smooth face. I didn't insist
because I knew I was hurting her, and I love her too much; even more than
to my mom." The boy said these words as speaking to himself. He then
paused.

	"Once all this in respect to your grandpa is over, I would like to
know your family. I need to talk to them about your future. Now it is your
turn."

	"The same question you have done to me."

	"No. My real father abandoned us before I was born because my
mother could not have more babies. She was seriously sick and passed away a
few months later after I painted my girl. Then I came to live with my
foster parents to this house. It was a terrible shock for me, but the love
of my new parents replaced partially hers." The boy kept silence and Alex
then added: "It is getting late, therefore, let's have dinner. I want to
give you something after we finish.  Please let's go to the kitchen."

He had asked for pizza that he knew boys liked. He put it in the microwave
and cooked it. When he placed it on the large dish, the boy opened his
large bright green eyes amazed.

	"As Granny, it seems you are connected with my brains. How did you
know I like the pizza and exactly this one?" Alex ruffled the boy's golden
hair waves."

	"It is not a secret. When I go swimming, ninety percent of the
children ask for this, I thought you were not different." The boy stared at
the man and then pressed his large hand.

	"Forcibly I must love you. You are great, grandpa." As usually,
they ate in silence, and when finished, the man dragged the boy to his
bedroom; he slid one of the large doors and extracted a full dress, pants
and jacket of dark blue marine wool; a white shirt, necktie, and black
leather shoes. The boy was amazed watching the clothes.

	"Are we going to the theatre, grandpa?"

	"No. Eventually, you will go to a funeral, and you must go properly
dressed. Please try them." The boy quickly undressed and tried the
clothes. "Perfect, I wasn't wrong." The man said to himself. "The woman
told me they were too large for a boy of eleven, but I know you and she
doesn't. You look beautiful, my child." The boy was to start undressing,
but Alex stopped him. "I have not finished yet." He went where he kept his
own clothes and extracted a grey thick overcoat with a belt made from the
same fabric, the boy wore it. "Now watch yourself on the large mirror."
Alexis could not believe the image that the mirror was reflecting. He
hugged the man while he murmured.

	"Why did you do this for me? I don't deserve them; I'm not good
enough and..." The man interrupted him.

	"You are. My parents did it to me and I wasn't better than you
are."

	"But what shall I say to mom and granny?"

	"Just the truth." The boy changed into normal clothes and Alex put
all of them folded neatly into a large bag, plus the ones he wore the
previous week. "Tell your granny to check into each pocket, just in case
there is any label left. In any case, I'll go to the station next Saturday,
if you are not there, don't worry, I will assume your grandpa is dead. I'll
be there every Saturday until you come." They boarded the car and Alex
drove in silence. His heart was telling him he was acting correctly. They
arrived, and before he left, the boy jumped onto his lap and hugged the
man.

	"I love you, grandpa." Alex kissed the boy's head and hugged him
back.

	"I love you, too, Tom. Now go directly home, it is dark and your
mom may scold you."

He saw how the boy pressed the bag under his arm and walked down the
street. Still, the shops were open and there were many people doing their
weekend purchasing. Alexis entered in his home and found it in complete
silence; his sister was on his Granny's lap, the girl jumped out and ran to
her brother.

	"Grandpa is dead; where were you? Mom is in the hospital." He
stared at his granny and he did not see any worry in her eyes; she seemed
straighter as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Alexis
left the bag on a chair and stared tenderly at his dear granny.

	"I love you granny. Is he really gone?"

	"Yes darling, forever; now the time will be for us. No more MD, no
more medicines, no more worries. We'll recover our time going to the park
without caring about him. He was a good man, but he had squeezed us to
death. What do you have in that parcel?" The boy's face beamed.

	"He has bought them for me." Margarita looked at the garments,
especially the thick overcoat. Then the boy added. "He told me you should
look into the pockets just in case a label is left." She did, and instead
of labels, she found a roll of bank notes. The boy and his granny stopped
for a moment and she hugged her grandchild. Little Maria was on the carpet
playing with her doll ignoring the moment. "Granny what's that?" She wiped
out two tears and kissed the boy again.

	"Now Alexis, you are going to tell me what you have talked about."

	"I'm sorry granny, I can tell you what I have said to him, but I'll
never unveil what he said to me; I gave my word for it; I only can tell you
that he is..." He stopped and after a sigh then continued. "He is the best
person I ever knew. He guessed grandpa's death and bought all this for me
to go to the funeral."

	"You are a little man, and men should keep their words."

	"Granny, he guesses my wishes as you do, and I love him. Do you
understand why I cannot disclose what he said to me? Only he wants to know
you and talk to mom regarding my future. He said I would be what I want to
be. He has a beautiful house in Connecticut and talked about it as the best
place in the world." Margarita sighed, now she was more relaxed knowing
that Alex did not know about her existence, thoughts stormed into her mind;
then took both children to the kitchen to prepare dinner. "Granny I had
already dinner."

	"Okay. Since grandpa has died today, the funeral and burial will
take place on Wednesday or Thursday, we have time to buy decent clothes,
otherwise, you will shadow us."  The boy and the girl laughed. "Mom is
arranging everything with grandpa's former company. Ah!  Don't forget that
your mom loved your grandpa, so don't say anything that may hurt her."

	"Yes, granny."

They had dinner while she hanged the boy's clothes in the wardrobe. Ten
minutes later Alexandra arrived; she took off her overcoat and hanged it,
then sat in the armchair. Her mother approached and kissed her daughter
gently. She stared at her mother quizzically.

	"It seems I have lost something."

	"You are tired and hurt, and you see things that nobody sees."

	"Mom, for God's sake! He is your husband!" Margarita then answered
softly:

	"Alexandra, he was my husband, however, he is not anymore. Besides,
I have copied from my daughter."

	"Mom, that was different and..." Margarita interrupted her daughter
as Alexis looked intensely to both.

	"Okay. Now relax, have dinner and a good bath. We need to talk." As
many times before, she gave up; her mom was too intelligent to fight too;
besides, she was really tired and stressed. She bathed and took her little
girl with her. Both got asleep in the warm water. After a while, she woke
up, dried the little girl and herself and called her mother to take the
child to bed.  She put on the pyjama and sat cross-legged on the
couch. Margarita brought fresh coffee and served two cups. Alexis seemed
not worried. Alexandra looked at both and grinned sadly.

	"What a great couple of rascals you make, grandmother and
grandson!" They grinned.  "Now, what do you want to talk about? Grandpa's
funeral and burial will take place next Thursday at 10.00 a.m. at
St. Mitchell's." Then Margarita slowly said:

	"Alexandra, he was not your father, at least your physical father."
Alexis opened his beautiful eyes and mouth in disbelief; however, his
mother seemed not surprised. The boy appreciating the silence asked.

	"Granny, then who is my grandpa? Where's he?" Margarita continued.

	"He was my... let's say, official husband, but not your mother's
father. I guess we have here more than two rascals." The boy looked
confused as Alexandra unhappily watched her family, and then she said:

	"Yes Alexis, she is right. Your real grandpa is Dr Alexander
Lortonoff, and I am her daughter; he's one of the greatest lung-heart
surgeons of this country, my boss at the hospital."  She looked at her
mother sternly. "He was a rich boy and granny a poor girl, probably he
raped her..." That was like a blow on Margarita's smooth face. She
understood that her daughter felt hurt because she loved the dead man as
her own father. Margarita then stood and went to her bedroom; one minute
later, she came with a yellow envelope, and extracted an old photo that
showed a young man dressed in the University classical pullover, he could
perfectly be recognised; and another one when they were children. Alexis
exploded. He had seen those photos just a few hours back. How could his
grandpa be a mean man? Never! The boy stood in front of his mother, his
fists clenched and tears in his lovely green eyes, he shouted to his
mother:

	"You are a big liar! He is not a rapist. He is the best man in the
world!" Alexandra for the first time in her life, raised her hand to strike
the defiant boy, but he stood looking into her blue eyes waiting firmly her
slap. She then slowed her hand, fell on the armchair and started crying
bitterly, covering her face with her palms. She murmured: "We are not fair;
he had been the best of the fathers." She continued sobbing. Alexis did not
move, his granny dragged him to her side and caressed his blond hair with a
hand, while wiped his tears with the other.

	"I love him, granny, right from the beginning my heart told me he
was a part of me. He loved deeply you since that day he painted you; he
showed me that photo. How could he have been a rapist?" The boy started to
sob on his granny's shoulder; she caressed and kissed him as she felt the
convulsions of the boy's chest as he cried.

	"You are right, my child, he was not. Your mom is hurt because we
do not share her pain and her views about your late grandpa; yet, that
doesn't mean we did not respect him and in such a way we loved him, but not
as she did.

Margarita allowed her daughter to cry until she was relaxed. She was sat on
the soft armchair; sometime later she stopped crying and dried her red
eyes. She looked around, fixing her sight on her mother and son that were
sat in front of her. She could observe the flow of love between her most
dear beings; she knew at that moment could lose her family if she persisted
on her attitude about her late father. He had not loved equally the rest of
the family.

	"I'm awfully sorry, my son. I regret what I have said to mom."
Alexis kneeled in front of his mother and placed his head on her lap. "She
doesn't deserve my words."

	"Forget it, mom, I know you didn't mean it." She kissed her son
curly hair and stood; she sat down near her mother and hugged her tenderly.

	"Sorry mom, if I have offended you and him." Margarita dragged her
daughter to her chest and kissed her with all the love she could muster at
that moment.

	"I'm not offended, I love you too much for that, and I'm sure he
wouldn't if he were here unless he has changed drastically. On the other
hand, my daughter, I owe you an explanation that I couldn't give you
before." She paused as Alexis sat on her other side with his little arms
around her waist. Margarita caressed her grandchild back with love.

       "I was not a poor girl; my mother was a Brickfield; daughter of one
of the most powerful men in the North. She was highly educated, and had
studied art in Harvard; there she met Dr Robert Leigh, later Alexander
Lorton's foster father. She had an art gallery in NY. I know she had a high
yearly income, but I wonder where that money went. She kept us living in
the poorest hole of the West, poorly dressed, but better than the most
beautiful and intelligent boy I ever knew, Alexei Lortonoff. Several events
marked that summer of 1960. My brother Tom, Alex's best friend, deserted
us; he had found a father, brother, and lover, all in the same person.  He
left me this letter hidden behind a mirror." Margarita dried her eyes as
she gave the letter to her daughter. She continued. "Alexei's mom died and
he was fostered by Dr Leigh. I don't know why probably remorse made your
grandma change her mind and bought a lovely house near Alex's parents..."
She continued relating her daughter and grandchild all her childhood and
early youth until she ran away with Andrew Perking.

	"But mom, why didn't you ask Dr Leigh's help? Why didn't you say
anything to Alexander Lortonoff? He had rights about me; I was his
daughter. He had the right to know that I existed!"

       "That was my great mistake, Alexandra! I have regretted it during
the past thirty years.  Surely he would have helped me, and Alexei would
have felt the happiest man and father of the world; today you would have
had a few brothers and or sisters, and living within the society to which
you belong. But I was a young girl of seventeen and my mother was dying in
a hospital. I saw all black and terrible, and I panicked. When I could
realise about my mistake, I found myself married and with the most
beautiful baby I could imagine. Alexei was in you. Andrew loved me and
especially, he loved you. I couldn't love him; I told him right from the
beginning that I belonged to Alexei, therefore, our relationship developed
as a friendship. I fulfilled my promise being his wife and he behaving as
your father. As you grew up, he was mad at you, and you were mad at
him. That made me forget partially your real father. Several times I had a
letter ready written to Alexei, but always I thought it was too late. Had
that letter arrived at its destination, he would have removed the world to
get you, and I would have been on his side."  She paused expecting some
comments from her daughter. She then continued. "And what's about you? You
loved Andrew; almost certainly I would have destroyed Andrew and perhaps
you. I loved you too much to even risk it; therefore, I decided to continue
as we were." She sighed.

       "Mother, do you mean you have spent your life near a man that you
didn't love just because you loved me?"

       "That's correct, but you shouldn't forget that Andrew was a human
being and loved you and me deeply. You are a mother now Alexandra, wouldn't
you have done the same for a lovely son like this?" They looked into each
other eyes and the three went into a common hug; then she continued. "When
Alexis was born, I felt the happiest person in the world and thought that
my sacrifice had been worthwhile.

       "It is not strange that Dr Lorton loved you." The young woman
murmured.

       "He might be Dr Lorton, but he is my grandpa, my real grandpa. I
knew it, I knew it!"  Alexis said loudly with pride. Then Margarita
continued.

       "Andrew and I became good partners and friends; we made everything
that was expected from a married couple and he bragged with his friends
about his pretty wife; I felt gratified. The problem arose when the
sergeant came; neither he nor I liked him; however, we stayed aside
respecting your decision since we had brought you up with freedom but
knowing you were mature enough; fortunately, he rarely was at home. When
this beautiful boy was born I forgot everything, however, the stupid man
ignored him, he only had eyes for you and for the Navy." Alexis hugged his
granny, and all kept silent for a few minutes. Alexandra looked into her
mother's eyes tenderly.

       "Now mom, which will be the course of action. What Andrew has
represented for each of us is our internal problem; nevertheless, we have
to face a funeral and a burial. Due to the long sickness, we are almost
ruined; we already owe three payments to the bank, two more and the house
would be auctioned. We need decent clothes for these events." Alexis
grinned; her mother looked at him puzzled. "It seems you are not concerned,
young man."

       "Exactly, I'm not; and you should not, too." He crossed a stare with
his granny. He stood and went to his room; a few minutes later he came down
fully dressed, wearing the clothes his grandfather had purchased for him
for the funeral. Sandra opened wide her blue eyes as she touched the
garments.

       "Where did you get these clothes? We could have obtained decent ones
for all of us only with the cost of them!" Neither the boy nor Margarita
spoke; the boy stood and some moments later, returned dressed in all the
winter clothes. Still, even more confused, she looked at her mom. "Is this
a boy fashion show, mother?"

       "No mom, it isn't. My grandpa bought them for me. You have been so
worried lately that you didn't see me going to school dressed liked
this. Even Pablo envied me." Alexandra looked at them. "Don't worry mom, he
doesn't know anything." She sighed.

       "Your problem is solved, but what about us?" Margarita grinned. She
extracted the roll of bank notes and placed it on her daughter's palm. She
still more confused asked her mother.  "Mom, please, I am not prepared for
more jokes."

       "It is not a joke, Alexandra, but otherwise." The boy then
intervened.

       "Yes, my grandpa advised me to tell granny she should search in
every pocket for the left labels, and that is the label that she
found. Wasn't it granny?" Margarita nodded. She counted the money.

       "Oh my god! There's more than enough money for our current needs!
And now the clever couple, what shall we do in the next future? We must do
something, that's clear."  Margarita took her daughter's hands in hers.

       "I wonder what you will do, Alexandra, but I have a clear picture of
what I'm going to do, and I think Alexis even more than I do. I lost a
train thirty years ago but this time I'll try to catch it. I only need to
think how I'll do it." The boy did not understand about that strange train
that she had lost, he had never heard about it.

       "Granny, what train was that?" She smiled at her grand child's
innocence and kissed him a peck on his smooth cheek.

       "Your grandpa, Alexis. He was my train." The boy chuckled.

       "I have already caught it granny. I'll tell him who really I am. I
want to feel free to speak to him so he can tell me everything about our
family. I know he wants me with him, and... by the way, he plays chess
wonderfully. We had a match and we ended draw; I guess he did it on purpose
just to keep me there." Margarita smirked.

       "At your age, he was a master in chess; not only in his school but
even in secondary."  Alexandra was guessing that grandma and grandchild
were forgetting what they had been talking about.

       "Okay, now we have to decide how "we all", not only you, will do. I
don't think that's the best way. We are a team, and as such, we should work
in coordination, that's what he always says before we start an operation on
a patient. In this instance, he is the patient and we are the doctors."
Alexandra paused. "You Alexis can continue visiting him. You can tell him
that we have agreed to meet him within a few weeks when the mourning time
elapses; this will give me time to explore the patient. Mom, you will do
nothing for the time being; I'll bring you some medicine magazines where
his photo appears in conferences." She paused and Alexis intervened.

       "Granny, you won't have any problem. Watch who has not the big
belly, is tall, has white hair and deep blue eyes, as mom's; that will be
him." The grandmother hugged her child and the boy grinned pleased. Then he
added: "Mom, can I stay overnight if he asks me? The last day went so
quick... Then I'll have the opportunity to know my little uncle Christian."
He smiled. "He's not yet two."

       "Okay son, I leave that to you. If he insists, you can stay,
however, you must phone us before. The boy hugged and kissed his mother
tenderly.

       "I love you, mom." Alexandra hugged her son back.

The following day, the four took the sub into the city to purchase their
clothes. Thursday arrived, clouded and menacing rain; they assisted to the
funeral and burial with grief semblances. At the cemetery, after the priest
prays, a few men shook hands and women kissing women. Little Maria remained
at home with some friends. They returned home, tired and the boy bored. He
would have preferred to go with his grandfather to chat and enjoy
walking. He was anxious for the next Saturday to come. However, something
happened the previous Saturday.

As they had agreed, Alex went to the station to pick the boy up; he was not
there; he waited some more minutes and he assumed his grandfather had
passed away. Sadly, he returned home. He had shown the boy only three
photos, but he had many others. He extracted an old album and started
eyeing them reverently; whenever a photo of Tom appeared he could observe
the strange resemblances to the boy. It was around five months he had seen
his friend for the last time and he sighed. At that moment the phone rang;
he lifted the receiver annoyed because he had been disturbed in his
thoughts.

	"Alex Lorton speaking. Who's calling?" After a few seconds of
silence, he heard how the receiver was being transferred to someone.

	"Did you find my heir, brother?" Alex could not speak; a bump
tightened his throat again as his eyes blurred. As he started to recover,
the voice insisted. "Alex, my brother, are you still there?" He sat down on
a nearby chair as he fully recovered.

	"You fucking devil, have you come from the hells to disturb this
poor human being?  Tom! Tom!" He near shouted. "I won't forgive you. I
called the hospital and they reported me you had passed away."

	"As the Spaniards say "hierba mala nunca muere" (bad weed never
dies). "In all probability, it was a hospital mistake; sometimes it
happens. Now, brother, listen to me; we'll talk over everything. We are
returning to the US. My father has bought a house about two miles from
where you live, so we'll be neighbours. By the way, any news?" Alex did not
know what to say. He did not want to go into hopes without being certain,
yet he was so happy that wanted to share his happiness with his friend, at
least, partially.

	"I think I have found some clue, but I want you and me to discuss
it first."

	"Brother, still I'm not fully recovered, therefore, please keep
this as confidential until I call you again. If you succeed, we'll prepare
a great family feast. Agree?" Alex then thought on telling Alexis. "This is
my old friend and still, after so many years, I love him with all my heart.
Pablo could be the same to you." He smiled.

	"Yes, brother; I do agree." They hang down the receivers."

CHAPTER 17
----------------
Margarita was naked, after a good and relaxing bath; she looked at the
reflected image on the large mirror and she thought it was not bad for a
woman of near fifty y/o. She took care of herself right from the beginning;
the hard work, caring two young children, and lately, a sick man, had
helped. Her own daughter used to tell her many times that she had a better
figure than herself. She never abused abundant food and sex. Andrew had
been a good friend, they fucked each other when they needed and without any
inhibition, until he entered into the last phase of his sickness, five
years back.

She had complied with her word of being a good wife, and he had never
complained. They had enjoyed satisfactory their sex without needing to look
outside for what they had at home; the fact he was sterile helped. However,
she had missed making real love as she did with her Alexei, her true
husband, as she mentally called him. She had missed the lovely bliss they
enjoyed after their bodies were satisfied; those were moments for their
souls. In spite of their youth, Alexei was a master of sex, compared with
Andrew; and they never went into concupiscence. Still, she wondered how he
could get her twice her climax while he reached one. She smiled. She had
watched the man's pictures in the magazines that her daughter brought home,
and she felt more than satisfied. Would he feel the same when we meet? She
thought and kissed the photos as an adolescent did with her favourite star.

On Monday Alexis walked up to his school chatting with his friend Pablo
about the incidences of the last week. Behind them came Rose, Pablo's
sister, and her close friend. Alexis was amused because he watched by the
corner of his eye how the shameless girl had her sight locked on his back
and was chatting with her friend.

	"Clara, I must fuck that boy. Look at her butt cheeks, aren't they
gorgeous!"

	"I don't think you will get your goal. He has eyes only for the
pretty Pablo."

	"Don't be so sure, I positively know he is a real hunk." They
laughed loudly without caring the opinions of girls and boys heading to the
school. Pablo on contrary was furious with his elder sister.

	"She's a little whore, a bitch. She would fuck you right here if
she could." Alexis slowly laughed.

	"Why are you so pissed off with her? You know very well she is like
that." Alexis placed his right arm around his friend's shoulders and that
calmed his anger while Alexis whispered in his ears. "You know very well
where my love is, my beautiful Mexican." Pablo sighed because he knew in
his heart that Alexis was not deceiving him. He then said.

	"You look more as if you have been in a fair than in a funeral,
that's why I haven't expressed you my condolences for your grandpa's
death." Alexis wanted to answer him, but he preferred to keep his mouth
shut. Pablo turned into Spanish and said: "El muerto al hoyo y al vivo el
bollo." (The dead to the hole, and the bread for the alive). They laughed
loudly and started running to the main gate. As they entered, Alexis slowly
whispered in his friend's ear:

	"You better arrange for a sleepover, I'm hot and need to kiss those
red lips and fuck your lovely and smooth butt hole." That made Pablo forget
his anger, and he grinned with a sigh. Alexis continued: "It must be on a
weekday, weekends are for my family."

	"It will be difficult; the little whore is always
there. Nevertheless, I'll see into it."

During the midday break, Pablo dragged Alexis to their secret spot where
they used to pee and sometimes to jerk off. Pablo looked excited.

	"Alexis, let's make our home works before leaving. I overheard my
sister talking with her friend, they are meeting this afternoon; I suppose
the bitch's going to fuck her friend's brother, so we can have some fun in
my home." Alexis looked lovingly at his friend, and watching no one was at
sight, he kissed him a peck on the lips.

	"You are great, Pablo. I'm very hot." Pablo sighed. Alexis had
become very popular and could have other boys as friends, though he chose
him as his best friend. Soon they were leaving the school. As they arrived
home, he told his granny he was to accompany Pablo to solve some math
problems. Margarita kissed her adored grandchild and both boys ran to
Pablo's home. They entered and as they guessed, nobody was there. Quickly
they flew upstairs to Pablo's room; as he entered Alexis placed his arms
around his friend's hips and nibbled his right earlobe. Pablo happily spun
and kissed Alexis on the lips introducing his tongue in his.

	"Let's get naked, we'll be more comfortable." In seconds, they were
nude and Pablo jumped on hid bed followed by Alexis with their cocks harder
than ever. Both were excited and their dicks starting to spit
precum. Alexis straddled his friend and sat on his slender legs; he could
not but to admire the smoothness of his velvety light-brown skin; that was
something that enthralled Alexis. Pablo had started breathing hard and had
his mouth a little bit open. Alexis bent his head and kissed softly his
friend's lips; then the kiss started being passionate, the tongues darted
into each other mouth as they started grinding their hips in ecstasy, their
dicks sliding with their precum. Soon they stopped breathing, and their
young bodies tensed as a wonderful orgasm took them to the stars. Alexis
fell on top of his friend recovering his breath; he felt Pablo's hand
caressing his hair.

	"I love you, Alexis. I have repeated myself many times why you
chose me as your best friend, there are many boys even better than I am."
Alexis rose and caressed his friend's smooth cheeks, then kissed him softly
on the lips, a kiss of pure sweet love. He looked intensely into those deep
black eyes and removed a tuft that had stick to the Mexican forehead.

	"You are wrong, Pablo. There are many boys that want to have you as
the best friend, but you accepted me. Don't you realise you are the
prettiest boy in our school?" Alexis rubbed Pablo's cheeks with the back of
his hand again to feel the velvety smooth sensation; then he kissed his
friend's lips again. "I love you Pablo; no matter what might happen to us
when we grow, you will always have a special place in my heart forever."

	"Please Alexis, fuck me. I want you inside me and enjoy being
together." Alexis smiled and turned around in a sixty-nine position. Both
engulfed each other dick and wetted them.  Alexis returned to his original
position and raised his friend's legs to his chest. "I'm ready, please,
don't lose any second." Pablo was very excited. Alexis spat on the hole,
retracted a little bit his cock's foreskin and pushed hard into his friend
love channel. As other times, in two thrusts his dick was entirely embedded
into his friend's guts.

	"I like the feeling of your butt around my dick." Pablo grinned
satisfied as he moved his inner muscles gripping his friend's dick. Alexis
started fucking his adorable friend, his left hand wondering around his
chest and the right gripped around the Mexican's fat cock; moving up and
down as he fucked him. Pablo rubbed his friend's back while they were
approaching the marvellous dry orgasms. They near yelled in lust when that
great feeling hit their young bodies, taking them to the ninth cloud;
still, Alexis continued thrusting into his friend until he noticed his cock
was getting flaccid. Almost exhausted, Alexis fell on top of Pablo, and
then he slid to his right side, still his dick lodged into his friend's
butt. They remained quiet for a couple of minutes enjoying the bliss of
their lovemaking. They looked into each other's eyes and grinned. Pablo
then kissed a peck on his friend's lips.

	"Alexis, don't you feel hungry?"

	"Hungry? I'm starved with the math exercises." They happily
laughed.

	"Let's go to the kitchen." Alexis motioned to dress but Pablo
smiled. "It is better to remain naked, just in case we want to continue in
the kitchen." They giggled and hand in hand went downstairs. He opened the
fridge and extracted two parcels of cold sandwiches and two orange
juices. In silence, they ate, and after a lovely final lovely belch, they
returned again to his bedroom. Again started petting each other and their
boyhoods were hard as rocks, needing more treatment. Alexis went on top of
Pablo and tenderly rubbed the boy's smooth skin; then he approached and
kissed his red lips.

	"I'll never be fed up with touching your velvety skin." Pablo
attracted his lover and kissed him a long and tender kiss. He was terrible
in love with his friend. Suddenly, Alexis turned around and went into a 69
entirely engulfing his friend's thick cock. He felt how Pablo had taken him
and was following his pace. This time took them longer to reach their
orgasms; their eyes closed enjoying the moment. Soon the point of not
return arrived and the boys groaned as their climaxes hit them. After some
time, Alexis turned to his original position near his friend still
breathing hard. At that moment, the door opened and Rose said:

	"When the cat is not there..." Both raised their head and grinned
at the girl. "You buggers... I want some of the cake." Pablo chuckled
because this time she had arrived too late, but he ignored Alexis'
strength. The blond boy then said, pointing out to his almost erected cock.

	"The cake is still in the oven; but don't worry, in a few minutes
it'll be cooked." Rose rubbed her pussy with lust and mischievously
smiled. She quickly got naked and jumped onto the bed between the
boys. Alexis glued his eyes to the pointing little breasts.

	"C'mon Alexis, get them, they are for you." Alexis did not
hesitate, pushed Rose on her back, and immediately started sucking her
lovely tits. Rose was a hot and intelligent girl and knew she could not
neglect her brother. While Alexis was engaged sucking her little breasts,
she dragged Pablo to her and took his thick cock into her wanting
mouth. The boys were near completed but Rose revived them. "Fuck me Alexis;
fuck my pussy, I'm very hot!" Alexis did not wait for a second command; he
scooted down, and without any more preliminaries, inserted his long dick
into the girl's wet pussy till the hilt. A muffled scream came from Rose as
she felt her vagina full of the blond boy's cock. Alexis was delighted
watching his friend enjoying his sister ministrations. Soon the girl raised
her hips trying to get the maximum of Alexis' cock inside her.  Pablo
yelled in pleasure, as he was the first to reach his climax, followed by
the fucking couple, both at the same time. The three went into a heap
breathing hard. After a few minutes of relaxing, Pablo said:

	"That was fantastic!" Alexis looked at him with love. The girl
separated them and kissed both.

	"Sorry, brother because sometimes I have been so mean to you. You
have a lovely cock to suck, and I'm ready to start again.

	"Sorry Rose," Alexis said. "But I must go; it is getting late, and
I don't want my Granny to get worried.

	"Thanks, boys, I hope we can repeat this some time." Alexis
grinned. The boys had a quick shower and as they were drying, Pablo
grinning said:

	"You enjoyed fucking Rose, didn't you?"

	"Well, the same as you did with your blowjob." Alexis dressed and
left.

The rest of the week went by uneventful and Alexis was anxious for the
weekend to come. On Saturday he got up, had an orange juice, and kissed his
granny with a wink; his mom and little Maria still were asleep. He ran to
the station and a few minutes later, he saw the "Jaguar" entering the
parking. When the car stopped, he did not doubt a second, opened the right
door and sat on Alex's lap, and then tenderly hugged him and covered his
shaved face with kisses, then laid his head on the man's chest.

	"I love you, grandpa." The man kissed the boy's blond hair. "I have
missed you. On Saturday I wanted to come and stay with you."

	"You did it correctly, my child; after all, he was your grandpa."
He was to answer him, but as with Pablo, he kept silence, and after a
couple of minutes, the boy said:

	"Please, speed up this wonderful car, I'm hungry."

	"Do you want the police to take us to jail? There is a speed limit
in this area."

	"I wouldn't mind going to jail if you are with me." Alexis sat on
the other seat and reclined his blond head against his grandfather's
shoulder. Alex smiled and sighed; he thought how this young child had
conquered his heart. He entered in a petrol station and refilled the car,
however, instead of returning to the road he parked near the restaurant.

	"I'm hungry too. I had just time to wash and shave; I have slept
too much." Alexis smirked as they were walking up to the restaurant.

	"Did you have a girl in your bed last night, grandpa?" The boy
laughed as he jabbed his grandpa. Alex tried to jab the boy back, but
Alexis got out of his reach.

	"You are a naughty boy." Alexis returned to his grandpa and placed
his arm around the man's waist. Alex ruffled his grandson's hair as they
went toward the restaurant's door. A waitress that had finished serving a
client observed the tender scene and sighed. They entered and Alex ordered
the woman a huge breakfast for the boy and smaller for him.

	"That is too much for me," Alexis said. Alex did not say anything
but the waitress intervened.

	"Your father is right. You are growing up and your young body needs
a lot of proteins."  Alexis giggled and answered the girl.

	"He's not my father, he's my grandpa. Not many boys of my age can
be as proud as I am having a grandpa as tall and young as mine." The woman
smiled as Alex said.

	"And not many grandfathers have a talkative grandchild as I have."
They smiled and the woman went for the order. They saw heavy
trucks-trailers moving in the compound; Alex then commented: "A vehicle
like those slipped out yesterday evening due to the ice and crashed. A man
died and we transplanted his heart last night into another one; now he has
a chance to survive.

They had breakfast, as usual, in silence. When finished, Alexis put his
hand on his mouth to have a silent belch. Alex watched him with pleasure
for the boy's good and educated manners.  He paid the bill and left a good
tip for the kind woman. As they were boarding the car, the woman commented.

	"Nice and educated people. He must have been a baby when he
married.

They drove smoothly and Alexis leaned his blond head against his grandpa's
right shoulder.  Still, the weather was cold, but not as two weeks
before. The first stems of the trees were springing out and the earliest
birds chirped on the branches looking for their counterparts.  Before his
grandpa parked the vehicle, Alexis said:

	"Please, stop about hundred metres from the house; I want to watch
it carefully." Alex grinned as he stopped. Alexis descended and intensely
looked around that house where his granny had been so happy. His grandpa
looked at him trying to guess the boy's thoughts. He proceeded toward the
garage while the boy explored the buildings.

	"What are you thinking about, son?" Alexis grasped his grandpa's
hand walking up to the main door.

	"I'm trying to imagine you when you were my age, hand in hand with
that beautiful girl."  The boy could see how he had surprised his grandpa
and the sigh that followed. It was very hard for him to keep out not
telling his grandpa he was really his real grandson.

	"Tom, don't try to imagine anything, that's a long past. Now try
yourself to live what I did forty years ago. When you find a girl to whom
you really love, and she loves you, don't waste your time; however, you
must rely on someone who deserves you, not anyone." Alexis pressed his
grandpa's hand and got silence. They entered the welcoming house and
followed the ritual of bathing. Alex, once more, looked at the naked boy
and sighed. He thought he would have given his fortune for having a real
grandson like this boy. They ended the bath, relaxed, changed into clean
underwear and covered their bodies with the white robes. Alex sat on the
large couch and unexpectedly Alexis jumped onto his lap and straddled
him. The boy placed his arms around the man's neck and kissed him softly on
the lips. Alex trembled and his body shuddered; he did not know whether the
boy knew the meaning of his action. Alexis ended his kiss and leaned softly
his head on the man's left shoulder and his arms around his back. Alex
tenderly and slowly caressed and kissed the boy's silky wet hair; then
Alexis tenderly, almost as a prayer, said:

	"Grandpa, I want to tell you something very important." He paused
as if he had doubts.  "But you must promise me you won't make me any
question because I don't want to lie you."  Alexis paused waiting for his
grandpa's answer. Alex felt how his throat tightened.

	"I, I, I promise, son." A silence followed and Alex noticed how the
child inhaled deeply.  After near a minute that seemed an hour for both,
Alexis then said:

	"Grandpa, my name is not just Tom, but Alexander Thomas." He
paused. "Thomas from my disappeared Uncle Tom, and Alexander from
you... but everybody calls me Alexis." Alex's heart was beating hard; he
seemed it would come out from his chest. "I know we had another aunt,
Auntie Brenda, but we don't know anything about her." Alex gripped the boy
to his hard chest kissing the boy's blond hair while a storm of thoughts
and questions came into his mind.  After a couple of minutes, he tenderly
separated the boy and kissed him on the lips, as they used in his
family. Alexis watched tears in his grandpa's eyes and he hugged him even
tighter.  "I love you grandpa; I love you very much." The boy murmured.

They remained united by the moment's emotions. Alexis had offloaded all he
had in his young heart to his grandfather. When Alex tenderly separated the
boy from his chest, Alexis was asleep. He took the boy in his arms and
looked at the painting. He murmured:

	"Why did you do this to me?" He took the boy to his bedroom and
tucked him under the covers, kissing his forehead. When Alex left the room
Alexis sighed; he felt the happiest boy of the world. Now really relieved,
the boy drifted to sleep; he had been awoken most of the previous night,
thinking on these moments.

Alex then took the album of photos and started eyeing the pictures one by
one, recalling those happy moments. He thought about the boy's
revelations. "The boy clearly knew who his ancestors were. Tom had
confessed him he had not any heir, and he had never been with Brenda, out
of that episode when they were children. The conclusion he reached was that
the boy descended from Margarita and himself. However, what happened in
those months after he left for the University? If she had conceived a baby,
why she did not say anything to him, the father? Was it a boy or a girl? On
the other hand, the boy spoke about his mom and granny.  Was she Margarita
or the other possible grandmother? Many questions that he could no force
the child to answer. He would wait; he knew the mystery would be soon
revealed. He then lifted the phone and dialled a French number. When he
heard Tom's voice, without any preliminary, he blurted out:

	"Brother, the clue is confirmed. We are very close to it." He heard
some muffled sobs.

	"As usual, you are great. Please, keep me informed. I love you,
Alex."

	"I love you both, too." They close the communication.

Alexis woke up near at lunchtime, but he felt so good and happy that he did
not want to leave the bed. He heard some steps and saw his grandpa
approaching. He thought at the first moment to appear as he was asleep, but
he could not hide his happiness. He jumped into his grandpa's arms and
dragged him onto the bed. He laughed loudly and then hugged and kissed the
man's lip in a peck.

	"Are you mad at me, grandpa? I'm sorry cannot go further without
betraying my word."

	"I would never ask you that, my son. Now lazy boy, get dressed, I
need to feel the fresh air on my face to clear my mind. See that wardrobe;
all is yours, so take whatever you like to put on, while I changed into a
comfortable fitting. Don't forget to take your swimsuit with you, just in
case you want to race me in the swimming pool." Alexis beamed. Five minutes
later, they were ready and left the house.

	"Grandpa, you were very clever placing the money into the
pocket. Granny near cried; she said she would thank you personally; we were
very short of money. We went on purchasing and bought properly dresses for
them. Little Maria did not need any; she remained at home. I felt very bad
during the whole week because I had to represent what I did not feel. I
liked to be here with you." Suddenly Alexis changed the subject. "Why did
you say all dresses were mine?"

	"Because you are my heir; and from now on, that will be your room,
no matter whether you sleep there or not. In addition, just in case you
bring some friend to sleep over here with you. All you can see here, this
house and the house in Connecticut will be yours sometime, and many other
things that I'll tell you as you grow. You are a very rich boy, Alexis."
The boy heard his real name for the first time in his grandpa's words and
that made him very happy.

	"I don't want anything if you are not near me, Grandpa." The man
pushed the boy to him smirking.

	"Oh don't worry son; you will be fed up with me."

	"And what about my sweet Maria and your other son, Christian? It is
funny grandpa; I have an uncle that is ten years younger than I am."

	"You mentioned your second name is Thomas and it comes from your
Uncle Tom. Well, he was the only real friend I had. Now I want you to
promise me, you will never reveal this conversation to anyone until I tell
you."

	"Don't worry grandpa. If you don't mind, let's come back home,
later we can continue.  I'm hungry."

	"Good idea." They returned, and half an hour later, the van arrived
with the big black man in charge. He offloaded the containers with the
lunch and dinner and left. Some minutes later, they were sat having
lunch. They finished and sat on the couch. Still was chilly outside and
Alexis suggested:

	"What about lighting the fire, grandpa?"

	Why not? From now on, this will be one of your tasks." The boy
grinned; he transported the wood from the annexe and following the man's
instructions he set the fire on. He was happy with doing something
useful. They sat in front of the fire; the flames hypnotised the boy while
his grandfather caressed his silky blond hair.

	"Grandpa, you wanted to talk about Uncle Tom. You said he was the
only real friend you ever had."

	"Yes. I did because you asked me about little Maria and my other
son, the little Christian. When we were children, Uncle Tom was into
hustling and found a real father and lover at the same time; both were gays
as Pablo is. When he was 12 y/o left us without telling us where he
was. Before his departure, he opened a bank savings account and placed me
as his trustee."

	"What does trustee means, grandpa?"

	"A person to whom you trust and rely upon to make something on your
behalf. Before he left, he made me promise eventually I would find his
heir, his sweet sister Margarita, and give her all his money if he couldn't
do it himself or he died. I thought it was a joke and consented since I was
near eleven and he was twelve. A few days later, he disappeared; and nine
years after that day, Margarita, my sweet Margarita, did the same." He
sadly looked at the painting and sighed.

	"Grandpa, what about Uncle Tom's money?"

	"It is there; more than four millions dollar in cash; plus
properties and a fashion company in France that produces excellent
dividends every year. A great fortune that probably will go into you and
little Maria's hands, if I cannot find her." Alexis was fighting against
his will to tell his grandpa that she was alive and only a few miles
away. He knew everything of both parties and couldn't speak.

	"And the little Christian? He is your son, too, and it wouldn't be
fair leaving him aside."  Alex dragged the boy to him and kissed his head.

	"I like you mention him. You will know him next week; he's really a
good-looking red- haired Irish. I cannot explain you the complexity of his
family, and my relationship with them. In summary, he will inherit his
family's fortune and you will enjoy mine, besides Uncle Tom's money. Now
the most important thing is that I have found a clue, after more than
thirty years searching. You are that clue, and I'll wait patiently until
this entire muddle is solved." Alexis wanted to ask more about Uncle Tom
and Aunty Brenda, but he thought his grandpa would have asked more to him
about his mom and granny.

	"Grandpa, I forgot to tell you something. I can stay here tonight
with you if you like." Alex hugged his child.

	"Why didn't you tell me anything before? We could have gone on a
trip to Connecticut."

	"I am happy here; we'll have time for that trip."

Alexis thought he was the key to solve that muddle and he could do it just
with a couple of telephone calls to his mom's cell phone and to granny, but
he liked how things were going; he needed more time. Alex guessed the boy's
thoughts and grinned. He had near all the parts of the puzzle, but still,
he did not know how they fitted in. Obviously, Margarita was the
key. Almost certainly she was pregnant when they separated. Now, was it a
boy or a girl? The boy never mentioned his father. Why? His granny to whom
the boy worshipped, was she Margarita?

They got up a little bit late since they had been playing chess and
chatting until late. About mid- morning, Alexis ran into his grandpa's
arms.

	"Grandpa, what about if we go swimming? I want to be as good as you
are. We can walk up there. I would like to see the neighbourhood better."

	"It isn't a bad idea. Take that bag with the swimming trunks and
the rest of things. I need to do some physical exercises." They walked up
to the swimming installations; as they were passing thru a lovely house,
not as big as theirs, they could observe some builders working in the
house, and an architect outside checking some drawings. Instinctively Alex
stopped and Alexis looked at him.

	"What's up, dad?"

	"This place brings me back the best of my memories."

	"Why grandpa; has it anything to do with us?"

	"A lot, my son. In this house lived the girl of the portrait until
she disappeared. We spent here many sweet moments." He sighed. Then Alexis
approached the technician.

	"Excuse me, sir, who is the owner of this house now?" The man
looked at the boy and man.

	"Sorry sir, but I don't know; we have been contracted thru a lawyer
to reform the house.  We are adding three new bedrooms and installing all
modern water, electrical appliances and air-conditioned; we must get it
ready as soon as possible. Only I know they are Americans returning from
Australia after many years living there." They thanked the man and said
goodbye.

Alexis slept happily until late in the morning of the following day,
recovering from the stress of the past days. He heard some giggles and baby
bubbles; opened the eyes and found in front of him a beautiful red-haired
baby that was a little bit surprised, watching him on the bed. His little
hand touched his face, and Alexis made as if he was going to bite him. The
little boy laughed amused, and Alexis repeated the action; the baby's loud
crystal laugh filled the room, as Alex was enraptured with the scene. Then
he lifted the toddler from the bed.

	"C'mon Christian, let Alexis get dressed." Neither the baby nor the
boy seemed to accept it.

	"Please grandpa, leave him with me. I'll take him with me within a
few minutes when I come down for breakfast."

	"Okay. Please don't be late. It is near 11:00 and Christian will
have his luncheon." Alex left his son on the bed and abandoned the
room. Soon he heard the baby's loud laughs and the boy's giggles as he
descended the stairs. After some time playing, the baby was tired of that
play and, sliding on his belly, he left the bed; but as soon as he touched
the carpeted floor, he put himself on four legs and tried to reach the
door. Alexis was naked and his dick sporting his morning erection. He
jumped from the bed and caught the little imp on his arms. He dropped him
on the bed and started nibbling the baby's belly and chest. Again loud
giggles filled the room. Alexis thought it was enough and took the little
boy out of the bed; however, as he was to start again on four legs on his
knees Alexis caught him back and placed him against the bed.

	"Now little uncle, you are going to start walking stand, you are
not a monkey." The little boy watched Alexis with his intense blue eyes; he
seemed to understand. Alexis placed the little boy against the bed-side
standing, as he kneeled a couple of meters away from the baby and extended
his arms to him. "Now Christian, c'mon Alexis will take care of you." He
thought for a moment and then started walking slowly to him. When he was
half-way, the baby ran into Alexis's arms. That seemed to have fun and the
little boy repeated the action as he was requested. Every time he
succeeded, Alexis prized him with many kisses, and he liked that.  Now
hanging from Alexis' hand he walked easily. They entered the bathroom and
Alexis emptied his bladder; this seemed to surprise the little boy. He
stood and extended his little hand to touch Alexis' penis. Alexis deviated
the baby's hand grinning. "No, my little angel; you are still too young."
He heard his grandpa's voice calling them.

	"Tom, please come down with Christian." Alexis got lightly dressed
with Christian walking near him from his hand. "What's that, my little
Irish?" Alexis smiled. After some moments, Alexis took Christian to his
grandpa; and then told to the little boy:

	"Chris, tell dad how old you are." The little red-haired boy
grinned and immediately raised his little hand and pointed out to the
ceiling with his rounded little forefinger. Alex was enthralled; he then
heard. "That's nothing. C'mon Christian, show dad what you can do!" Alexis
took the boy from his father and left him standing a few metres in front of
Alex. The baby unsteady walked up into his father's arms." Alex received
both of them, kissed the little baby and hugged very tight his
grandchild. "I love you, Tom."

	"Please grandpa, call me Alexis, as everybody does. I want your
name with me." Alex could not resist the temptation and kissed a family
peck on the boy's lips. Alexis hugged very tight his grandpa without words.

The day went by with happiness reflecting on the family's eyes, especially
on Alex's heart. He had not felt so good since he ran in the meadows with
Margarita's hand in his many years back.

CHAPTER 18
----------------
Mr and Mrs Clarkson, Alex's old friends and neighbours, were crying in
Alex's office at the Hospital. Their daughter Helen was in a close
proximity room breathing with difficulty, in spite of being oxygen
assisted. The eleven y/o girl had purple beautiful lips due to a congenital
heart malformation. She had been heart transplanted twice without success;
her body had strongly rejected the new organs. However, her twin brother
was a healthy but autistic boy. The girl adored her handsome brother.

	"I'm sorry Lorna, if we don't receive a compatible heart within the
next forty-eight hours we must attach her permanently to a heart machine to
keep her alive. Her body has rejected two hearts before, and it is very
unlike we find one compatible in this short time." Mrs Clarkson knew very
well what Alex was telling them. Their large fortune did not help at all;
they had explored all possible means and consulted the best specialists
around the world to save her beautiful daughter, however, all of them
converged in Alex's words. Only a miracle could save her, and they did not
believe in miracles. Only one year back, apparently, she was a healthy
girl, however, she was not.

Alex returned home that afternoon feeling very bad after the sweetest
weekend with his grandchild. He felt those parents' impotence to save her
daughter, in spite of their large fortune.  He was powerless to give them
better news, but that also was a part of his profession, the worst; his
heart bled when a child was the subject. He went early to bed, the weekend
had been excited, and his grandson's energy was inextinguishable. He
grinned. At 4:00 am the telephone rang, Mrs Louth clear voice was on the
other end.

	"Alex, half a miracle has occurred; the Clarkson's son is
practically dead due to a road accident. His brains line is flat. Mrs
Clarkson has clearly expressed that you must be in charge of transplanting
her son's heart into her daughter's chest." She paused. "We are getting
ready operation theatre number two. In two hours we will be ready."

	"Mary, I want my team prompt in one hour. Please call Sandra; I
want her at my side."  Mary Louth grinned and sighed. One hour later, Alex
was relaxed and talking to his team.  Mother Nature had granted a gift to
him: to be relaxed on special moments like this. All his assistants were in
front of him. "This is an important case, not because she is a rich girl,
but because she is a child and I want you to put your hearts in it, as
usual. Any question?" All kept a respectful silence. "Okay then, to our
task." Slowly all went to their respective places, acting as a single
body. The patient was introduced in the operation theatre, and doors
closed. More than five hours later, Alex tall figure appeared and Mr and
Mrs Clarkson looked at him; their hearts were broken.

	"How is she?" The girl's father asked in anguish.

	"She is in the emergency room recovering, with the most beautiful
pink lips I ever watched in my life. You will see and talk to her in 24
hours. By now, please, keep her ignoring about her brother's accident." The
woman started to cry on her husband's chest; when Alex was ready to leave,
the aggrieved father retained him.

	"Please, Alex I want to ask you for a further favour." Alex looked
at him as he ignored what he could do for those afflicted parents.

	"If it is on my hands, you can count on it beforehand." The woman
stared at Alex pleading for her husband.

	"I know it is absolutely necessary to carry out the autopsy on our
son's corpse; however I know that sometimes they near destroy the
corpses. The Judge, a friend of mine, has granted us this can be performed
in the hospital, and not in the morgue; he has taken the necessary steps
and will provide the related documentation." Alex tenderly stopped him.

	"Legally we are not allowed to do that; post-mortem autopsy must be
carried out by a judicial pathologist since the boy died due to a car
accident. That will determine the driver's responsibility if any."

	"We know that, and that will be the procedure; we don't want to
break the law; however, I want you or your people to be present to prevent
unnecessary damage to our son's body; especially on his beautiful face. The
Judge has agreed to it."

	"In that case, don't worry. If I can, I'll be personally present,
if not, two of my best men will be there; you can rely on us." Alex hugged
the couple. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He left them with a nurse just in case needed any assistance. As usual, he
reunited his team and thanked them for their cooperation; however, this
time he explained the Clarkson's wishes.

	"If you don't mind, please, Justine and Carl, you will attend to
the autopsy. In the end, you must raise a minute of the operation, or
obtain a copy from the pathologist's report." When they were leaving he
lightly retained Alexandra.

	"Mrs Camp, please, come to my office, it will only be one minute.

	"We are very tired Dr Lorton, however, you look as if you came from
the shower after a large sleeping night." He grinned.

	"Alexandra, I am not flirting at all; but tomorrow, if the girl is
okay, I would like to talk to you." She grinned at her father.

	"What's about that lunch you promised me?"

	"Tomorrow will be a perfect day after we see our patients."

	"I'll see you then. Have a nice rest."

	"The same to you."

The following day, while Mr and Mrs Clarkson were engaged in their son's
funeral's preparation, the hospital personnel lifted the girl to a sunny
room facing the park. Still, she was connected to some hanging plastic bags
but did not need even oxygen, though two small tubes were placed on her
turned up lovely nose. Alex and Alexandra entered the room and the guarding
nurse left.  They already knew the wonderful situation, but he wanted to
share the girl's happiness for a few minutes.

	"How is the most beautiful patient I ever had?" Helen grinned and
extended her little hand to him. Alex pressed it tenderly. "I see you don't
need to speak."

	"Today is the happiest day of my life. I want to see my parents to
thanks them."

	"You'll have them with you at the visiting time. Now you must rest,
recover, and think about your future. Will you promise me?" The girl
smiled.

	"I will if you order me." At the door, when they were leaving, he
took apart the guarding nurse. "I suppose you have been duly
instructed. The girl should never know who her heart's donor is, or that
her brother is dead."

	"As usual sir."

	"Yes, as usual. Thanks and good guarding." They walked up to his
office; he charged with fresh coffee the machine, and after a few minutes
poured some into Alexandra's cup and his.

	"It is a pleasure to smell this coffee."

	"Sandra, today is a great day, I feel happy and want to have
friends with whom to share my happiness. I have been a lonely man, at least
for the past thirty years." Sandra extended her hand and pressed his
father's arm encouraging him to continue. "You may not believe it; I only
have had one real friend, and that was when I was a boy of ten." He
paused. "Yes, we were best friends. Now I have not a boyfriend, but friend
boy. A beautiful and intelligent boy that I found a cold morning in the
streets. I'll explain you later how. Now I want to talk to his family, and
the next school year I will sponsor him." He continued explaining the
circumstances and visits we already know.

	"What about that first friend. Are you still in connection with
him?

	"Thomas Lopez-Barrio, a real pure breed Mediterranean boy; large
black eyes, black waving hair, world record eyelashes, and the whitish and
flawless skin I had ever seen; only his younger sister, Margarita, was like
he was. He attracted for equal men and women." Sandra was trembling because
the moment was approaching and she did not know how her father would
react. He narrated the circumstances of Tom being ignored by his mother and
going away with that man that Tom considered his father and his
lover. "Some months ago I received a call from Paris..." He told her about
him being a trustee for Tom's fortune; however, he did not mention his
daughter that Tom was alive. She then asked.

	"Do you mean that Margarita is a rich woman and she doesn't know
anything about it?"

	"I wonder whether she knows it or not." Sadly, he added. "Or even
if she's still alive or not." Sandra could not bear the situation and his
father's sadness. She introduced her hand into her pocket and extracted the
jewel that Alex gave to Margarita when they separated. She doubted for a
few seconds, but finally, she decided to end up with that situation. She
looked intensely into his father's blue eyes as she said:

	"I think I have something for you." She placed the jewel in her
father's hand. Alex looked hypnotised at the object as his eyes started
blurring. After some seconds and without raising his head, he asked.

	"Where... is... she buried? I want to go there right now."

	"Why do you assume she is dead?"

	"Because she wouldn't have given this cross to anyone, except..."
She interrupted him.

	"To her son or daughter." The man could not answer. His throat had
tightened, and his head bent looking intensely the jewel as he
nodded. Alexandra rose from her seat and hugged the man from behind. "My
mother is not dead, father." Alex slowly rose and tenderly hugged back the
young woman. He silently started crying. After a few minutes, he calmed
down.

	"Alexandra, my daughter Alexandra! Three years near me and I did
not recognise you!"  He kissed her on the hair. He separated and watched
her carefully. "How have I been so stupid and blind when you are the living
picture of my mother?" At that moment, Mary Louth opened the door and
guessed something. Alex wiped his eyes.

	"Please Mary, come in." This was the first time that Dr Lorton had
named her like that being a third person present. "Let me introduce you my
daughter Alexandra." The women kissed on the cheeks and hugged.

	"I have questioned myself many times, how two persons could be so
equal like both of you without having the same kinship. I guess you have
many things to talk about. Thanks for trusting me. I won't say a single
word until you decide otherwise." She left.

	"I would like to see her." Sandra grinned and pressed her father's
hand."

	"Shall I remind you we have a lunch waiting for us?" Alex hugged
his daughter.

	"I guess if I have waited thirty years, I can wait a few hours
more."

	"Firstly, I suppose you want to know what happened." She paused
waiting for her father comments. "When my dad died, my mother explained us
everything; in those moments, I felt very hurt. She and my son looked
almost indifferently, however, for me that man had been my father and dad;
yet I must admit that only for me. Nevertheless, she had endured that
situation for thirty long years, caring and going to bed with a good man,
as she called him, without loving him always longing her real husband that
she had lost a long time ago. On the other hand, my son strongly supported
her; to the point that, if he had to choose, I am sure he would have gone
with her." Then she told him all her story and the relationship with the
sergeant.

"My children had a father but not a dad, on the contrary of me: I had a dad
but not a father.  Andrew ignored them, and when mom told us all this, in
my pain, I accused you as a rich boy that possibly had raped a poor
girl. My son Alexis raised himself full of anger and defiantly called me
"big liar." Sandra stopped, as the waiter approached telling them the lunch
was ready.  Once in the table, she continued. "You seem not surprised that
the boy you picked up on the streets is my son."

	"To be honest Alexandra, he did not disclose you were his mother,
but he told me I was his grandfather, so as you admitted being my daughter,
the ring had been closed. I love Alexis with all my heart, and these few
weeks have been the happiest of my life. Except for his blond hair, and
green eyes, he has a lot of resemblances to your Uncle Tom and your
mother." He paused and then changed the subject to the previous
conversation. "Why did you say I was a rapist?" She blushed ashamed and
grinned.

	"As I told you, I felt very hurt, abandoned in my sorrow by my own
family; they even felt happy that Andrew had passed away. Well, they had
their own reasons; the poor Andrew had ruined us; had not been for your
hidden money we had no decent clothes to wear for the funeral. However,
Alexis had a complete and expensive set to wear. I have never raised a hand
to punish my children, but that day I did. I saw my son bravely and defiant
waiting for my slap on his beautiful face, fortunately, I did not complete
my action." They ate lunch in silence and when finished, Alex said.

	"Alexandra, let's go home, I'll show you something." As he saw his
daughter's surprise, he added. "The home to which you belong; where you
should have lived and grown, had not been for that unfortunate mistake,
that I hope, your mother will forgive me."

	"Forgive you? With or without motivation, she abandoned you!" She
almost shouted.

	"No Alexandra; we were in love and I went to study at a prestigious
University many miles away, leaving her alone with a baby growing in her
cores. She was only seventeen, a mad sister, and a mother dying in a
hospital. What would you have done in her place? There is no room for
reproaches, at least from me." She admired the man more and more as minutes
passed; she thought it was not strange that these two human beings loved
each other after so many years; they were twin souls. They boarded the
luxury "Jaguar" and Alex drove smoothly to New Jersey. He parked in the
garage and entered thru the main door. She watched the white front of the
house and admired the well-cared garden. "Mom would have enjoyed designing
it."  She thought.

They entered the large living room where Alexis liked to remain.

	"Alexandra, please do not feel as a stranger, this is your home,
the home you deserved." She did not make any comment, but fixed her sight
on the oil painting over the fireplace, she immediately recognised it.

	"She was really a pretty girl; it was not strange that you loved
her in spite of being so young." She stepped to the old easel and raised
the first sheet; she wide-opened her eyes astonished watching her son's
sleeping sketch. Tears came to her eyes, as she thought the motivations her
child had to go into hustling; fortunately, his grandpa had found him,
otherwise...  She did not understand much about art, let alone about black
and white sketches, but she knew that was a masterwork. She placed her
fingers on the sleeping figure and kissed them. "Thanks, dad for doing it."
For the first time, she had called dad his father.

	"It was a sudden inspiration, my daughter. All the love I had in my
heart went thru my mind to my hands. I had experienced the same sensation
only once before; the day I painted the sketch that originated that
oil-painting."

	"Do you mean you did not make this painting?"

	"No, Alexandra. I was too young to have learnt the technique of
colour mixing. That is a copy of my black and white sketch; my father did
it for me. I keep the original in my bedroom in Connecticut. As per the
authorised opinion from your grandmother, it is even better than the oil
painting. Your mother liked it there; she said, to prevent me going into
temptation with another girl." Alex grinned recalling those
moments. "Alexandra, those days were marvellous. How could I have any
temptation?" Alex stood and went to a sideboard, opened one of the drawers
and extracted a photo album. "I have never shown this to anyone, only my
father knew its existence; in fact, he made part of the pictures; we made
the rest using the automatic shutter." Alexandra went thru the pages
without making any comment. The last page included two other persons.

	"Were they your foster parents?"

	"Yes. I had a special connection with my father, the same I have
with you. He loved deeply your mother; to the point that he consented our
sexual relationship long time before your grandmother did it. He was in the
secret and guided me." She seemed surprised.

	"How old were you then, father?" He chuckled.

	"I don't exactly remember, but we both were preteen; that means
around twelve." She smiled.

	"You didn't lose your time. Did you?"

	"No, we didn't," Alex smirked remembering those days. "As soon as
we ended our school home works, we rushed to our net; sometimes she was
even more anxious than I was, dragging me upstairs; we called it after
school fun. It is difficult to understand now, but I remember we couldn't
stop, it was something above us and not only sex; when our bodies were
satisfied then came the best part of our moment, we remain a lot of time in
silence, just watching and petting each other. I don't have words to
explain it."

	"You don't need it, dad. I never felt like that with anybody
including my husband; you really were special." She paused, thinking of
these human beings. "Did you do it in this house, dad?"

	"Yes; why not? We didn't fear about my father catching us; we had
only to be sure my mother was at work. It was easy." Alexandra
laughed. "The loft was an excellent place here; in Connecticut, there were
even more opportunities."

	"I think I have lost many things, brothers and sisters,
opportunities, career, and having naughty parents like you were." She
grinned.

	"What do you mean when you mention your career?"

	"Well, I had obtained a good scholarship; I wanted to be a Medicine
good professional, as you are, though I preferred Neurology; the
scholarship covered all expenses except my daily living. Mom encouraged me
to go ahead, she would work for me; however, in those moments Andrew had
the accident in the nuclear plant. I was eighteen and my world crashed
abruptly.  She again raised me; if I could not be a doctor, at least I
could be a good nurse. With many economic difficulties, I started; and as
per my teachers, I was good; even better than any of my colleagues. During
my second year, I topped with the sergeant; as mom and Andrew called him;
before I could realise I was married and waiting for a baby. Most of the
time he was out, so I could finish my studies just close to Alexis was
born. From time to time, he sent me small amounts of money that helped,
however, it was not enough; Andrew consumed everything. I thought to
divorce him, but he did not disturb us. Occasionally, he came with a couple
of weeks' holidays and returned with his love: the Navy; he was an amused
man. Fortunately, I had my mother with me; she looked after Alexis while I
worked and studied during the night to reach a better qualification in my
job." She paused.

	"Why your mother didn't try to contact me? I could have solved many
of your problems."

	"She has explained me why. I was in love with Andrew, on contrary
than my son and her; she feared you would have done anything possible to
recover me, and as she said, she would have helped you. You might have
destroyed Andrew and my life."

	"I would have never done anything against your will, however, she
knew me very well, she was right.

	"We continued living in a tight economy. When Alexis was five, the
sergeant came with a whole month of vacation. He brought fresh money and I
thought we deserved a little distraction and have good times. I asked for
some holidays in the hospital and we went to the night dances and
clubs. Near the end of his stay, he asked Alexis for a warship toy he had
brought to him.

	"Hey junior, where's the ship I brought you?" Alexis looked at his
father sternly.

	"It is not a ship. I can't see her sails, and don't call me
junior."

	"She is a war-ship and has powerful engines. She doesn't need
sails. I'll show them to you, Junior." Alexis was near to explode, I had
never seen him so upset and with his white milk teeth gritted.

	"I have told you no to call me junior; my name is Alexander, Alex
or Alexis, but not junior like a dog!"

	"Why not, junior?" I think his progenitor did it on purpose
believing he could humiliate the child." Alexis exploded; took the toy and
threw it to the floor near the sergeant's legs.

	"Neither have I liked you nor your stupid war-ship!" He
shouted. His progenitor raised his hand to slap the little boy that was red
o anger and defiantly in front of him. However, at that moment, my mother
jumped like a tigress interposing between the boy and the sergeant.

	"You won't dare to punish an innocent five-years-old child in my
presence and in my house; let alone my grandchild! You are not welcomed
here, therefore, you have fifteen minutes to pick your things up and leave
this house; otherwise, I'll call your captain so he sends the Navy's police
to pick you up." I think he panicked and knew had lost his battle; my dad
was grinning with satisfaction because he did not like him, too. He did not
need fifteen minutes; in ten, he was leaving the house. I felt amused; I
knew my marriage with the sergeant was over. I hugged my brave boy and he
kissed me without dropping a single tear. Three months later, the Navy
reported his death, as I felt a new being in my cores."

	"That demonstrates the strength of his mind when he thinks there is
an injustice; however, firstly he gives the opportunity to rectify."

	"Yes, in that he is a real copy of his granny. I know I will never
be able to fight mom. It would be a lost battle beforehand."

	"Nevertheless, going back into the subject of your career,
Alexandra, you are a youth from my perspective. I won't force you on
one-way or another, but you are still in time to recover your lost time in
Medicine. You have a large and extensive experience. There is a
bridge-course in the University for persons like you. In two years more,
you could be an MD with a large experience in surgery, any hospital would
welcome you, including ours." She sighed and placed her hand on top of her
father's one.

	"Are you serious, father? Do you think I could make my dreams come
true?

	"Very serious. I believe strongly in your capacity and
determination. It's in your blood from both sides."

	"What about my children? I would be separated from them."

	"Why? There is a good University in New York, with an excellent
department of neurology surgery. I have gone a few times to impart
conferences. You may need a good car and a lot of willpower, nothing
else. We can live here altogether; there is more than enough space." She
grinned pointing out with her finger up.

	"Including the attic." Alex smiled.

       "Yes, including the attic. Don't forget that Alexis and Maria are
growing and unfortunately, they won't be children forever. Come with me."
He took his daughter's hand and showed her Alexis' room. "He has already
taken possession of this room. There are three more like this on this
floor, one of them used to be your mom's room when she slept over
here. I'll show you." They walked a few metres and opened a spacious
room. She entered and slid one of the wardrobe's doors. Alexandra was
dumbfounded watching so many girl dresses and shoes of all kind for girls
from ten and over. She stopped on one dress, took it out, and touched it
with reverence. It was made from fine light blue velvety, with long white
stripes running from its shoulders down to the bottom, and a bluer belt to
adjust the waist.

	"It is beautiful, dad. I guess she looked like a princess."

	"That was exactly the word, my daughter. She wore it on her
twelve-birthday party. That night we consummated our love." Alex flushed as
a child. "She was already a woman while I still had to wait two months to
be a real man. She teased me, because being younger than me, she was ahead,
but that was part of our daily fun."

	"Dad, you could have been an exceptional couple, and probably, with
exceptional children."

	"You are the proof of it." She hugged her father.

	"Dad, let have a cup of coffee and go back home, to meet your
Madame."

	"Alexandra, I'm as a teenager during his first date. On the other
hand, you should be considering this house as your home." At that moment
they heard a child voice that was running to them."

	"Mammy, Daddy!" Behind came a middle-aged woman that could not
catch the little boy. He could not speak yet but he knew his father, but
strangely he went to Alexandra and she opened her arms to him. The little
red-haired boy extended his little arms and Alexandra lifted him to her
chest, kissing him. The little boy grinned satisfied.

	"Sorry, he's so quick!" The woman said in her bad
English. Alexandra turned into Spanish.

	"Don't worry Rosa; I'm not his mom but his sister, but soon he will
see his mom." The woman looked surprised but was happy that someone could
speak in her mother language.  "From now on, we'll see each other
frequently. Please, dad, take my brother while I explain Rosa about future
changes." Alexandra then repeated the same message to his father in
English. After a while, they kissed the little boy and left him with his
nanny.

	"She is a very good woman and takes care of him since his mother
died. That is another reason to bring here your children, Alexandra. Alexis
loves the little boy and enjoys playing with him; I suppose little Maria
will be the same."

	"I'm sure she will."

CHAPTER 19
-----------------
	"Well father, the moment has arrived." She grinned. He drove
slowly; he perfectly knew the routing since he had come to pick Alexis
up. She signalled a little house not very far from the rail station. "I
chose this place because it is well connected with the hospital." He parked
and descended from the car; Alex was trembling. Alexis was upstairs in his
room finishing his school homework, and Margarita had just placed a dish on
the kitchen table with cooked vegetables and an omelette for the little
Maria. She heard the door being open, however, as usual, she continued with
her task. Alex then looked the back of his old great love; a tight bump
prevented him to speak; after near half a minute finally he could say in a
breaking voice:

	"Where's my princess?" Margarita did not expect him; she knew the
moment would arrive but not so soon; those words were magical, it was the
first time she heard them after more than thirty long years. She slowly
spun saying:

	"Waiting for her king!" As two liberated springs, they launched
into each other arms and their mouths met in a long and wet kiss. Tears ran
along both faces mixing with their lips. After a while, they separated a
little and again went into another long kiss and hug. Alex caressed
tenderly her hair and rubbed her back, as she could not stop sobbing. When
she calmed, they separated and Alex raised her lovely chin.

	"I love you, my wife. I have missed this beautiful face every
moment of this long time."  She was to say something but he closed her
mouth with a love and passionate kiss. For the first time after their
separation, their tongues danced inside for a few seconds savouring
together their love; she never allowed this to anyone before, except her
real husband, her Alexei.

	"I love you, my Alexei. Sorry for what I did." He took her hand and
dragged her to the couch. Again, he kissed her and she placed her head on
her husband's shoulder still sobbing.  He murmured:

	"Please, never again blame yourself. We are together; that's what
matters. Past is past and we cannot amend it." Alexis had heard some noise
downstairs, he thought it might be little Maria; so he finished his
homework, placed the books into his backpack and stepped down.  When he saw
his grandpa, he launched into his arms and started kissing those beings
that he loved so deeply.

	"Grandpa, grandpa; you have come! I'm so happy that you have met. I
couldn't resist anymore my secrets." The boy extended his arms around them
and again kissed his ancestors.  Little Maria and her mom were watching the
scene paralysed for different reasons. Alexandra felt a pang in her stomach
watching her son enjoying his grandparents; she still was united to the
memory of the man that had signified everything for her. Little Maria did
not understand who was that tall man that her dear granny kissed and loved
as she had never seen before; moreover, her own brother was doing the same.

	"Mom, who is this gentleman that granny and my brother seem to love
a lot?" Alexandra thought for a moment how to explain to a near six y/o
little girl the complexity of that situation; but the solution, as
sometimes happens, came from the little girl. "Is he my other grandpa? Most
of my friends have two grandpas, but I had only one."

	"Yes honey, he is your other grandpa." The little girl did not
doubt a moment; she joined the group and kissed her granny. Alex extended
his arm and grabbed her together with Alexis.  He put off lovingly a tuft
of brown hair from her little face and kissed her on the nose. The child
smiled and kissed him back.

	"You know grandpa? Grandpa Andrew never kissed me, let alone on my
nose."  Margarita and Alex smiled, and Alexandra felt a twinge in the pit
of her stomach.

	"Don't worry my little princess; I'll kiss you as many times as you
want, so you can recover those kisses that he didn't give you. What do you
think?" The little child smiled openly.

	"But if you kiss me all those kisses together I think I could not
go to bed."

	"Oh, don't worry. I'll do when you are sleeping, so you can go to
bed when you like."

	"Yes, that's a good idea. Your kisses will go to me and I'll have
nice dreams. I like you, grandpa."

As Alexandra watched the scene, she thought she was the only remnant of the
previous situation that they had, and she was sad. In those moments, she
felt alone, but as she was thinking, her son stood, turned, hugged and
kissed her.

	"Why are you sad, mom?" She feared her son, she knew could read her
thoughts and he did, but tenderly. "Mom, you liked Andrew because he loved
you. Can you remember how many times he hugged or kissed Maria or me? It is
true that he never had a hard word or scolded us. Were we so mean and
unpleasant that we didn't deserve his hugs?" As usual, she had not the
right answer for her intelligent son. Then came what she feared
most. Margarita asked her husband with a tender kiss.

	"Alexei, my king, what shall we do now? Alexis and little Maria
grinned when she called him "my king".

	"Well, I suppose this is a decision to take by all together. You
know our home; it is just ready to receive us. Alexis has his room
there. Your old one, with all your dresses, could be for little Maria; and
mine for us. Still, there are ready two more spare rooms; Alexandra can
choose what she likes best." The father looked to his daughter; he knew she
felt alone with her thoughts; so he stood and went where she was, and
hugged her gently. "Alexandra, this is only my idea; still there are four
persons in this house to express their opinion." Alexis did not need
anything else.

	"Grandpa, if granny goes with you I'll go, too. I want to play with
little Uncle Christian" The little girl looked at her brother.

	"I'll go with you, Alexis. I want to see my room and my new uncle."
Alexis laughed.

	"He is not a traditional uncle; you are even older than he is. He
isn't yet two." She seemed a little bit disappointed.

	"Never mind, I'll tell my friends he is my little brother."
Alexandra thought that the battled had been lost. She felt alone and
surrounded by her family; still, she argued.

	"What about the school and your friends?" Alexis was prompt to
reply.

	"You are concerned now about my friends, but as I told you in San
Francisco, new school new friends. I don't mind to leave them here, except
for Pablo. I'll invite him to sleep over there; grandpa told me I could do
that." Alexandra was trapped. Still, she asked her mom.

	"Mom, what do you think?" Margarita grinned, pressed her man's arm
and kissed him a peck on his face.

	"I have been waiting for this moment for more than thirty years and
I won't spoil a single minute. You can do whatever you like best, but
tonight I'll go with my husband." She then looked to her father asking for
help, but Alex was with his wife.

	"Alexandra, it is near the same way, only we have to make a little
detour to leave Alexis and Maria in their school. When we come back, we can
do the same way. If they come out before we arrived, they can wait for us
in this house." Alexandra thought for a moment what Napoleon said: "If you
cannot defeat your enemy you must join it."

	"Okay, you win. Now, what shall we take?"

	"Only a few things for you and little Maria. Tomorrow you can
purchase anything you might need." Then Margarita asked?

	"Alexei, do you still keep my clothes?" Alex did not
reply. Alexandra did it.

	"He kept all your clothes since you were ten, including that
beautiful velvety dress."  Margarita sighed and kissed her man.

They discussed minor things, but after an hour, all five drove into the
"Jaguar" and soon they were at the new home. Both, little Maria and her
granny were greatly surprised: Margarita watched her own portrait there,
and so many things that reminded her lost past. Little Maria could not
believe she had a large room only for herself. Suddenly, Alexis appeared
with little Uncle Christian in his arms. Margarita looked at the child and
raised him to the ceiling; the child laughed bubbling; she took him to her
chest and kissed him.

	"Alexei, from tomorrow on, I want his cot in our room. He needs a
mother and he will have it." As the nanny approached she spoke in Spanish
to Alexandra, but Margarita answered her in her own language.

	"Rosa, you won't need to sleep with him anymore. I'll take care of
him and you can go with your own family during the night. My daughter and I
will take care of this little beautiful imp."

That night was one of the happiest nights for Alexis and of course for
Margarita and Alex. After having dinner and watch some TV, he felt tired
with so many emotions; little Maria was almost asleep; they kissed
everybody good nights and hand in hand brother and sister went upstairs to
their respective rooms. Alexis tacked his sister in the bed and kissed her
goodnights; the little girl cuddled under the covers and in a few minutes,
she was happily asleep. Alexis heard how his mom closed her room and all
lights went off. He was aware his mother was the only one not happy. He
stripped naked and went under the covers; he was tired but his eyes were
wide open.

The moonlight was glowing in full thru the large window; it was not
necessary any light see, and the room was warm. He reeled back all the
events, especially when his dear granny met his grandpa. He remembered how
they kissed, better than in the movies. He had never seen his granny so
happy and he liked it; she seemed younger. He felt his dick was hard and
started rubbing it softly. He left the bed, went to the large window, and
watched his white dick; he mocked to the moon and started masturbating
until the nice feeling came and he fell on his knees on the soft carpet
breathing hard. He was stepping to the bed, but he stopped for a while;
opened the door and approached his grandparent's room. He heard the muffled
giggles inside and he knew the goddess of happiness was with them. He
giggled, too and then returned to his room. He felt very, very good.

Alexandra had had nightmares; she got asleep very late. She heard her son
door to open during the early night; she was tempted to call him and cuddle
him with her, as she had done many times in the past. Nevertheless, she
realised the boy had grown a lot lately; he was not that little boy
anymore, and especially after finding his grandpa he had drastically
changed. His confidences now were for him, not for her. She felt bad, very
bad; she missed her late father; she had lost and they had won! That was
the real situation. Part of her called to be practical and face facts as
they were; some other part even suggested her to take her children away and
to build a new life together, somewhere; however, her mind reacted: "How
could she be so selfish and egoist after her mother sacrifices?" She
trembled only to think that idea. At that moment she heard low knocks on
the door; a beautiful naked tall boy appeared, smiled and ran to her
bed. He kissed his mom and snuggled near her.

	"I love you, mom; I love you heaps." She hugged her naked son and
felt the boy near her body. "He is very tall for his age; he will be as his
grandfather and not short as his progenitor." She thought. She could not
stop some tears trickling along her cheeks. Alexis had not noticed she had
been crying.

	"I love you, too; my angel." She kissed softly her son. Alexis
turned around looking her mother. He tenderly wiped her tears and kissed
her a peck on the lips.

	"You aren't happy, mom. Why?" Didn't you see little Christian and
Maria? What's about granny and grandpa?" I never felt so good before, as
when I watched granny and grandpa kissing. They looked so happy..." And
then near as a reflection, the boy added: "I'll be near them forever, no
matter what they do to me because I know they love me as much as I love
them, even more. Don't you think the same, mom?" Alexandra for an answer
pulled her son to her and kissed him on the head. She knew could never take
away her son from her parents; if she wanted a different life, she should
build it again, but her children, and especially, her son, would never
support her on that.

The following weekend the family drove to Connecticut in the new Range
Rover. Alexis could not believe the beauty of the place. It was chilly but
the child wanted to run and play with his grandpa; he realised his grandpa
wanted to be with his granny, but Margarita chose to come along with
them. Not many things had changed; the same mountains, snow and cattle
scattered on the meadows. However, the villages had increased in size and
the road improved significantly; but still, that was a place to dream
about. Alexis thought about Pablo being together there; running and
climbing to the trees and finally, swim naked in the little river or in the
lagoon as his grandpa and granny did in the past when they were his age.

In the hospital, the news related to Dr Lorton and Alexandra being father
and daughter was rapidly spread and known among those who knew them. Young
Helen Clarkson was talking with Mary Louth about this; the woman liked the
girl and whenever she had free time, spent it talking with
her. Surprisingly she was improving so quickly that even Alex was
astonished. The stitches would be removed the following week and then, only
a week more in the hospital, she could go home; still, she had to take a
daily pill during the rest of her life to prevent rejection.  She was
telling Mary:

	"When I grow, I will marry soon; I want to have a grandchild as Dr
Lorton has; someone told me he is of my age."

	"You are right Helen. He'll be twelve in October."

	"Great, I'll be in November! How is he, Mary?" Mary looked not
surprised; it was normal that type of questions for a girl of her age, near
an adolescent.

	"Well, I have seen him a few times, and I must tell you that he is
a very handsome boy, I would say he's very cute." She grinned and the girl
flushed; she continued. "He has wavy golden hair as his grandpa, large
strange bright green eyes and larger eyelashes. The rest of his face is
from his grandmother's family, pure Latin; he has a lovely dimple on his
chin. Taller than normal for his age and what is the most important, he is
not just intelligent, he is bright; I would say he is a whiz kid, his
grandfather finds difficult to win him playing chess."

	"I would like to play with him; I don't think he can beat me. I was
the best of my school before I came into the hospital."

	"Don't forget his ancestors are Russians; they are especially
gifted on chess. Why don't you ask Dr Lorton to bring him along during
visiting time? Let's say a Saturday or any other day that your parents
don't come."

	"Lovely idea, Mary. I'll tell him. He loves me; we are neighbours
and we have known each other for a long time; my parents trust him."

That Monday, while Alex and his daughter Alexandra were checking on the
girl performance, Helen smiled sweetly at Alex and the man melted into the
young girl's grin. Everybody liked her, but for Alex, she was something
more than a simple patient; probably to have known her family since she was
a little baby was part of it.

	"Dr Lorton, I would like to ask you for a favour." She paused as
Alexandra and her father looked at each other, in case she needed to leave
them alone; however, the girl guessed it. "It might affect you, too, Mrs
Camp." She paused again. "I think I'm good on chess and I have learnt that
Alexis, your grandchild, is also good at it. I would like to know him since
we are going to be pals in the same school within a few months." Alex
grinned; he thought Alexis could beat the girl even with his eyes blinded;
on the other hand, that could be a good therapy for the bored girl. To his
mind came those visits that he used to make with his father to the
children's ward when he was a boy.

	"Well, we can tell him; next Wednesday is a school holiday, maybe
we can bring him with us after lunch. I have to come to solve a few
things. I'll tell you tomorrow."

	"I knew you would help me." She kissed the man on the
cheek. "Thanks, Dr Lorton."  They left the room; Alexandra smiled at her
father while they walked up through the corridor.

	"She is a sweet girl as little Maria is. I have a predilection for
them; however, Alexis overrides all of them." They separated. Alexandra
felt happier as days were passing, however, still the shadow of her father
Andrew interfered into her thoughts. She sighed and headed to the
cafeteria; she had come earlier today in order to return home as soon as
possible; she was preparing herself for the examination that would allow
her to enter into the Medicine College.  She eagerly wanted June to
come. She took something to eat and a cup of tea and went to a corner.

	"May I seat near the most beautiful blonde I've ever seen?" She
raised her head and found the broad smile from Manuel; he was standing in
front of her. She did not know why, but her young body shuddered; perhaps
it was due to the significance that Manuel's work had had in her life. She
glanced at him.

	"Are you expecting to grow even more? Please sit down." He
smirked. He sipped his coffee and left the cup on the table. He was not
aware of the changes produced in the woman's life. He went directly to the
point.

	"Was of any help the information I provided you? A quick shadow of
sadness crossed her mind. She then turned into Spanish; she did not want
anyone to enter into her private life; however, Manuel was not anyone.

	"A lot, Manuel. More than I thought when I read your note."

	"I guessed it." He paused. "I made the test three times in order to
be hundred percent sure; however, rarely I have to repeat it; I have a long
experience, but I knew you could be affected."

	"You were not wrong. At least, that has made my mother and my
children the happiest beings of the world; especially to my mother and my
son." He was to ask her, but preferred she continued. "She has found the
husband that had lost thirty years ago; and my son, the grandpa that he
never had and wanted badly. It is a long and sad story with a happy end."
He wanted fervently to ask her about herself, but she guessed his
thoughts. "About me? Well, maybe I'll tell you some time, but now I need to
return to my work." Manuel placed lightly his hand on hers; she tenderly
separated it and stood. When they were to leave, she added: "Ah! From now
on, I'm not Mrs Camp anymore, but Alexandra Lorton, or Lortonoff; as you
prefer."

	"Thanks, Alexandra Lorton for the information. I hope you won't
mind if I try to invite you to something and continue our chat in a more
relaxed place... as friends." She understood he did not want to appear as
an intruder into her life. That encounter made them look for each other to
coincide on the cafeteria more often.

Days now had increased light hours and it was a pity to remain inside the
house when the spring invited otherwise. Margarita was engulfed in the
garden; she had hired the service of nanny's husband to help her in the
gardening. Little Christian was all time around his mammy trying to
help. The contact with other children, as little Maria, had increased the
little red-haired boy happiness. Alex loved to watch his wife and his son
together. It would be very difficult to take the little boy to Ireland for
holidays when he grew a little bit more, as agreed with the little boy's
family. He was as attached to her as Alexis was. A hug from behind took him
out of his thoughts. Without turning, he guessed who was hugging him.

	"Yes, my young devil; have you broken many hearts today?"

	"Not as many as you did at my age." He ruffled the boy's golden
hair. "Grandpa I have invited Pablo to come with us next weekend; you know
I like him and we are best friends. I expect mom had not an argument
against it."

	"I told you all of this will be yours, therefore, my beautiful
prince, you can do whatever you believe is correct; I agree with it." He
paused remembering Helen's request. "However, I want to ask you for a
favour in exchange; partially it is part of our therapy to Helen Clarkson.
She wants to play chess with you."

	"Is she good at it, grandpa?"

	"Well, she thinks so. It is good to take her down a peg, though
she's not the kind of girl that enjoys humiliating people. I must tell you
a professional secret about this girl, the heart she carries into her chest
is from her adored twin brother, and she does not know it yet. I suppose
her parents must say it to her when she returns home in a couple of
weeks. We never disclose the donor to a patient, but in this instance, I
suppose she will ask for her deeply autistic brother.  Now she assumes he
cannot come to see her due to his mental situation." Alexis kept silence
and then asked.

	"Grandpa, were they really twins?"

	"Well, they were born with a difference of three minutes; had
different placentas and have different sex. They are as twins as little
Maria and you. The only link is their birth time and their strange great
resemblance; nevertheless, she is improving so fast and good that we might
think they were real twins."

	"How do you know they weren't? I know two girls in the school; they
are real twins; however, one behaves as a boy and the other as the sweetest
girl you can imagine. I suppose that was an accident occurred after the
first steps in the evolution of their mother's cell."

	"Yes I suppose, too; but real twins have the same sex, since they
come from the same egg, but in this case they are different."

	"Okay grandpa; I'll be with you the day after tomorrow to test that
girl's chess knowledge." At that moment Alexis saw his little uncle running
thru the garden and he went to play with him; little Maria joined and the
three started playing soccer with a light globe that made the little imp to
scream happily.

However, Alexis' words had dawned into his grandpa raising a reasonable
doubt in Alex's mind.  They had not yet received the result from the
autopsy. He went into his well-provided library and started searching for
comparable cases. He could not find similar patient evolution, except in
real twins.

On Monday, after a lung operation, and as usual, when the team was heaving
the ritual cup of coffee. He said:

	"Please, doctors remain here, unless you have an urgent task to
make; I want to make you some consultations." That was not normal and
intrigued the men and women that remained in the room. They were five,
three men and two women. "Colleagues, you know very well the patient Helen
Clarkson's evolution. It has surprised all of us; today talking with my
near twelve y/o grandchild, he has raised a reasonable doubt." He paused as
the silence filled the room. "In summary, he asked if we were absolutely
sure that the donor and patient were not real twins.  Are we?" One of them
said:

	"Well, everything pointed out they weren't. Sex, placenta..." A
woman raised her hand.

	"What's about an accident in the DNA chain after the first
division? Have we checked the boy's fingerprints or their DNA? We have
worked on the assumption they were brothers and with the same blood
group. But that doesn't explain the girl evolution." Applause came from the
rest of her colleagues and she smiled. "Thank you, but the boy might be
right."

	"Good, I'm proud of our team and that demonstrates we are only
one. Please take your time; let's do some investigations; I suppose we have
material archived from the donor; the difficulty will lie on the
fingerprints. Please decide for yourselves how to work and keep this as
confidential. I'll try to obtain from the girl her fingerprints without
raising any suspicions. We will meet again in four weeks time, or before,
if we had completed our respective tasks, however..."  Alex paused and
addressed to a young doctor. "Doctor, have you received the autopsy
report?"  The young man flushed for his negligence.

	"I'm sorry sir, I forgot about it. It must be in my mailbox. I have
not opened it because I have been a few days off. I'll come back in one
minute." They continued sipping their coffees as the man left; a few
minutes later he returned with a yellow paper on his hands. "I, I think we
have the answer here." All present looked at him as he added. "When we left
the room the autopsy was practically over; however, they still found
something." A dead silence fell in the room. "The boy was not a boy, but a
girl!"

	"That's impossible!" One of the MD girls said. "When we extracted
his heart and kidneys, apparently we didn't see anything abnormal." The
young male doctor argued:

	"Yes, that's the key word, apparently." He paused and Alex then
said:

	"Doctor, since you have started, please, can you inform this
assembly of what you have found?" The young man looked around while all
others were expectant. He then continued.

	"One of the pathologists observed that the boy's testicles were
missing, in spite of he had the sack. He opened the abdomen and found the
boy had not any testicles but atrophied ovaries and vagina. Clearly, he had
suffered from Morris' Syndrome." He kept silence, and then Alex spoke as
for himself.

	"That would explain the extreme beauty of the boy." He
paused. "Well ladies and gentlemen; for us, he was a boy, that means it is
a medical secret and we cannot release a single word about it. I'll tell
his parents in due course. Thank you, girls and boys, for your
cooperation." As they exited, one of them commented to his colleagues:

	"I wish we had many doctors like him."

On Wednesday Alex, her daughter and Alexis parked in the large building's
basement parking, on a place reserved for Dr Lorton. It was a lovely spring
sunny morning. In the first floor, Alexandra separated from them and they
continued to the fourth floor. Alexis was carrying his magnetic mini-chess
set; a security guard inspected the parcel as they entered the passageway
to the patients' area. He sat down in a comfortable armchair in a large
room facing a park. The river Hudson and docks were far away. Suddenly a
well-modulated child voice greeted him.

	"Good morning, Alexis. Thanks for coming to see a sick girl." He
was taken aback; he expected a silly and stupid whim rich girl; he hated
those girls and boys. He had accepted to come because he enjoyed pleasing
his grandpa; however, it was the opposite. She continued: "I know you'll
win me, even with your lovely eyes blinded, but I wanted to know you."
Alexis deeply flushed with the girls' compliments.

	"Well, to be honest, I expected a whim girl riding in a wheelchair
pushed by a nurse and covered her legs with a Scottish blanket. I'm glad I
was wrong." Both laughed and that broke the ice between them. She sat down
in front of him, separated by a small table where Alexis had placed the
chessboard. She was dressed with a pyjama as little Maria had, nothing
extraordinary. It was open on the front side and he could see the bandages
covering the girl's chest and the beginning of one of her little
breasts. His dick started to grow inside the confined underwear. He blushed
again, and she noticed his embarrassment.

	"I expect your grandpa remove the stitches next week; then an ugly
scar will be left there for the rest of my life." Boy and girl kept an
embarrassing silence. Then Alex said:

	"Why will it be an ugly scar? If I were you, I would be very proud
of it. Think that, thanks to that scar, you have saved your life, and
that's the most precious jewel you can have." Helen sighed in silence; yes,
Mary Louth was right; Alexis was an exceptional boy and she liked
exceptional boys. He pushed the board and they started to play.

	"White for you, Madame." She looked intensely into the boy's
strange bright green eyes, as his eyelashes closed on them when he moved a
piece on the chessboard. She couldn't stop watching furtively the boy's red
lips and his face smooth white skin; she blushed when in her mind she
imagined the boy's lips kissing hers. Her new heart was beating hard and
she thought that was not good for her; so she tried to rub those images
from her mind. At that moment, a nurse entered carrying a tray with some
biscuits and tea.

	"Sorry Alexis, I chose tea and perhaps you don't like it; but your
grandpa doesn't allow me to drink coffee till everything is gone." Again,
that image of the boy's beautiful dimple came to her mind and once more,
she tried to rub off from her mind.

	"Don't worry; as my grandpa says, coffee in this country is tainted
water." Girl and boy started laughing. They couldn't remember if the match
was finished at all.

	"Next September I will resume school, I suppose I'll see you
there."

	"Yes, we have already been registered; in the meantime, we'll
continue in our old school at Maxville. I have good friends there, but if
all the students of the new school are like you, I think I would like to
change just now, and not waiting until then." She blushed at the boy's
words.

	"Well, I don't know many of them; only a few and there are for all
tastes; from stupid to great souls, as the one who has given his life to
me." She got serious. "It is a pity I won't be able to know who he was;
only I know he was a boy of our age." Alexis placed his hand on hers trying
to encourage the girl; she did not withdraw hers as an electric current
went thru her body and deeply blushed. Far away, Alexis heard his own
voice.

	"I envy him; he must have been very happy..." She was taken aback
by the boy's words.  She looked intensely at Alexis on the eyes.

	"Why Alexis? He's dead and I'm alive. How could you envy him?"

	"Well... we must die sometime; however, he has assured himself to
be with you forever.  He's into your chest with you. Is there any place
better than there?" She was to answer that strange and handsome boy, as two
tears dribbled down her red cheeks as they heard a voice from the door.

	"Visit time's over, Alexis. Please say goodbye to Helen, we are
leaving in a couple of minutes. She must rest as much as possible." She
stood and walked up to the large glassed window facing the park, trying to
conceal her tears. Alexis approached her from behind and extended his hand.

	"Sorry Helen; sometimes I am very stupid, especially when a pretty
girl is near me; but, but I don't regret what I have said. Goodbye Helen."
She then spun; she had her eyes red, still tears running down her lovely
pink cheeks.

	"Alexis, I liked it very much. Nothing had comforted me more than
your words, I can't say now why, but we will see each other soon. I'll miss
you." She then turned again to face the window as she heard the door
closing. She started to cry bitterly. Her heart was telling her that this
boy was right; she felt very happy and at the same time, very sad thinking
in the heart she had into her chest.

When they were driving toward home, his grandpa observed the quietness of
his grandchild; Alexandra had remained in the hospital in her job until
late afternoon.

	"It seems she has impacted you, son." He turned to his grandpa and
pressed his right hand.

	"She is a great girl, grandpa; I think she knows that her brother's
heart is inside her chest."

	"That's impossible Alexis. Only a few persons know the donor,
though she might have guessed her brother's death."

	"Grandpa, she's not silly at all. I only flirted a little and
instead of starting to joke in happiness she cried in silence facing the
window, so no one could see her. She is an educated girl, however, she
didn't shake my hand when I offered it to her; not because she didn't like
it, but because she could not stop her tears and did not want anyone to
see. She is a beautiful and brave girl."

	"You reach quick conclusions, but you might be right."

	"I'm sure, grandpa. Time will clarify it. She wants to meet me
again as soon as we can, but I don't like that place where we can be
interrupted when she really needed otherwise. If she asks you again, tell
her any excuse, except accepting her invitation; for example that I feel
depressed into a hospital."

	"But that's not true and you always like the truth."

	"You are right, grandpa. Now I understand when you said that
sometimes it is preferable a pious lie than the truth." At that moment they
entered the garage, their conversation ended and the subject dropped.

On Friday afternoon, little Maria, Alexis, and Pablo were happily walking
up to the rail station to meet her grandpa. They were a little bit early;
Alexis liked to be punctual and his grandpa thanked him. They sat down on a
bench near the parking lot, where they overview it. Pablo was thinking
about his friend when he felt Alexis' hand o top of his; Alexis rubbed it
and Pablo turned to see his friend. Their eyes met and Pablo felt a warm
sensation creeping from his groins to his face. He blushed.

	"I like you Pablo; I like you heaps." Pablo bent his lovely head
and sighed. His brains were storming. He loved deeply his friend and he
could not understand why this beautiful straight boy could love him. Almost
certainly, Alexis was one of the cutest boys in the school.  Many boys and
girls contended to obtain his friendship; and more now that he came dressed
in those lovely clothes; however, he chose him, a gay boy, while he knew
positively that Alexis was straight. Why? He looked at Alexis again and he
felt his throat tighten. He was to argue, but at that moment Alex sounded
the vehicle's klaxon to advise the boys and girl his presence.  Alexis
beamed, took his friend's hand, and dragged him to the car. Pablo had never
met Alex, so Alexis made the introductions. "Grandpa, this is Pablo; my
best friend. Pablo, this is the greatest grandpa in the world." Pablo was
to extend his hand when Alex hugged him tenderly.

	"My grandchild's friend is part of our family, Pablo. Glad to meet
you." The Mexican boy blushed.

	"Thank you sir; I have told Alexis many times that I don't deserve
to be his best friend; there are hundreds of boys in the town and in the
school better than I am."

	"I guess he has his own reasons to do so; believe me, he isn't
silly." Alexis intervened to end the conversation.

	"Let's go; we have many things to do for tomorrow's trip." They
entered the back seat and fastened their seatbelts and little Maria on her
special chair: Alex drove out of the parking and into the road net.

	"You didn't tell me anything regarding a trip for tomorrow," Pablo
said.

	"I forgot it; besides it is a surprise." They laughed and the car
increased its speed. In close proximity to their home, Alexis blinded
Pablo's eyes with his hands. Please keep your eyes closed." He held his
eyes shut until Alexis ordered: "Open them." They were in front of the
house. Margarita was arranging some pots, and as usual, little Christian
near her, playing with her garden tools. Pablo wide-opened his mouth
astonished.

       "Alexis, this is a beautiful place!"

       "Really, do you like it?" He looked into his best friend's eyes
tenderly.

       "You deserved it, Alexis. I'm glad you found your grandpa." Alexis
sighed. Pablo greeted and kissed Margarita as Alexis said:

       "Please, come with me." He dragged the boy into the house and showed
him the living room. Pablo fixed his sight on the oil painting and on two
other sketches that had been framed and placed under it. One was Tom's old
drawing that Margarita had secretly kept; the other one was Alexis
sleeping. He still was holding Pablo's hand. "Do you recognise them?" Pablo
smiled.

       "I will recognise you even if you were with a mask on, and
sleeping." Alexis pressed his friend's hand. "The other boy has many
resemblances to you, and especially with the young girl of the oil
painting; so I suppose he is her brother... and is very handsome." Pablo
blushed. "Who is he?"

       "He's Uncle Tom; he died only a few months ago without us knowing he
existed. He and grandpa were as we are; best friends. I'll tell you later
about him and the rest of us." For a few seconds, Alexis fixed his sight on
his friend eyes as he added. "I want to demonstrate you during this weekend
how much I like you, Pablo." The Mexican boy was in the heaven. He had
intimated with Alexis, he had fucked him and her sister, but this was
different. He pulled from his friend's hand and showed him most of the
house. In the kitchen, they met Rosa, and to her surprise, the boys started
greeting her in Spanish. She was from Puerto Rico. Alexis left his room for
the last moment; then he asked him: "Please close your eyes." He did, and
he opened the door and closed it with his butt. "Open them."

       "Is this your room? Seven boys could be logged here!" Alexis turned
Pablo to him; he observed those large deep black eyes; the two nice dimples
that the Mexican had on his cheeks when smiled; his abundant silky lank
black hair that covered his ears and those lovely lips that he couldn't
stop kissing. Alexis placed his hands on the Mexican smooth cheeks and
started a long kiss that the Mexican boy wouldn't ever forget. They
separated for a while.

	"It will be our room while you are here Pablo. I love you my
Mexican." Pablo could not stop his tears and Alexis hugged him very tight
to his chest. They sat on the couch and again the tender scene
repeated. Alexis kissed lovingly his best friend on the lips.

	"Why this now, Alexis? We have... you have fucked me and we made
love many times."

	"Because then I thought it was just sex; but now I have found out
that love can exist between two boys, as it exists between a boy and girl,
without being necessary the sex. My grandpa and Uncle Tom loved each other
until he died from AIDS. He was gay, but not that kind that many people,
and especially the sensationalist press, have created. He was a normal boy
and later a normal man who had his lover. He didn't like women, never went
raping little boys as the press presents them. He loved boys, too. He
raised a large fortune working in the fashion industry and entrusted my
grandpa with the task to find us and give the product of his hard work;
however..." Alexis continued telling him the entire story about their
family.

	"In hustling, I heard about the strange man that took boys home,
cleaned, fed and sometimes dressed; but did nothing else with them. As you
will understand, and as our poetry teacher said, it sounds epic."

	"But true, my friend." He kissed Pablo softly again on the
lips. "Except with his family, Me." Pablo deep black eyes widened in
astonishment."

	"I, I can't believe it! That's impossible, Alexis! He loves you as
I suppose he won't love anyone else!"

	"This is our secret Pablo. I want you to keep it within your heart
for the rest of your life.  I'm telling you because I love you with all my
heart." Pablo couldn't resist the demonstrative love from his best friend
as two tears dribbled and wetted his smooth cheeks.

	"You don't need to tell me anything else, Alexis."

	"Yes, I need because I don't want that my best friend has an
erroneous idea about the person to whom I love most. It was my stubbornness
about meeting the terms of our deal; besides I ignored he was my
grandpa. He did not want or liked to have any sex with me. Firstly I tried
seducing him, but without success. I was hot near that tall and muscular
man; he remained flaccid all the time. I observed how interested he was on
me, even he had painted me; however, I discovered this later. I threatened
him with not coming anymore; that was his Waterloo. He made me promise that
sex would be forgotten in future encounters; he was not into boys. I
accepted. He rejected the idea of me sucking him, however, I got him to
suck my pecker; he resulted being a real master at it, near as a
professional. He had had a good teacher, his best friend, my Uncle Tom."
They laughed with happiness.

	"Sorry Alexis, but with your story, my dick has got hard."

	"We don't have much time available; dinner will be ready soon;
however, a good sixty- nine doesn't take much time." In seconds they were
naked; Alexis dragged his friend to the large bathroom and tenderly pushed
him down. Their mouths met and their tongues swirled inside desperately
wanting a release. A couple of minutes later, Alexis turned over dragging
Pablo with him that now was on top. He went to the other side between his
best friend legs and engulfed his long and thick dick. Only a short time
sucking each other was necessary to reach their glorious and memorable
quick climax. After recovering his breathing, Pablo returned to his
original position and tenderly kissed his best friend.

	"Thank you, Alexis, for all what you have said. You know I love you
since we met that morning three years back when even we did not know each
other's name. Nevertheless, my heart jumped with joy when you asked me
where your class was. I suppose we will have time to speak during this
weekend because you have raised many doubts in my heart and I want you to
help me to sort them out."

	"I'll do with pleasure. Now let have a quick shower before granny
come and catch us here. I'm sure she wouldn't say anything, but I don't
want it." They showered and Alexis gave him one of his pyjamas to
wear. Alexis pointed out to it. "It is yours if you like it."

	"Yes, I like it because it comes from you." That night the two
friends enjoyed freely their sex and their friendship, but they had to get
up early for the trip to Connecticut's countryside.  Alex wanted to drive
early when roads were empty and they could enjoy the trip. Alexandra drove
the "Jaguar" with her mother on the front seats, and little Christian and
sweet Maria on their special seats in the back, always following up the
large and new Range Rover. Alex, the boys and many packages for the baby
use stacked in the large off-road car. They stopped midway in that
restaurant they did the first time; the lady recognised them and
immediately served the large family.

Pablo could not believe what he was living; it seemed a dream, let alone
when they arrived; the mountains, the large forests, the wild nature and
finally the large countryside house and the barn. Alexis was explaining his
friend every detail he wanted to know about. They offloaded the Rover and
parked both vehicles into the restored barn's ground floor. They always
contracted a lady and her husband that Alex had helped when their young son
had an accident while driving a tractor. They kept the house clean and
tidy; she also cooked for the family. They loved the little red-haired
baby. As the morning went by, the weather was warmer and invited to
walk. The boys and Alex went for a long hike, like the first time. Soon
Alexis got naked and Pablo followed him. Near the lagoon, they stopped;
still, they needed to climb some metres before reaching the plateau level
where the lagoon was. Again Alexis said:

	"Please Pablo, close your eyes and don't open them until I tell
you." Pablo did and Alexis took his hand as they walked uphill. Alex
sighed; he seemed watching Margarita forty years back. They reached the
lagoon's level. "Open them." Pablo placed his hand on his mouth opening
wide his large black eyes.

	"It, it is beautiful, Alexis! I couldn't imagine there was such a
beauty. Am I right, Mr Lorton?" Alex grinned and hugged both boys. He
thought that if he had met that boy in the streets, he was sure he would
have taken him for his project. Suddenly Alexis jumped into the water;
however, Pablo still was fascinated with the beauty and magic of the
place. He doubted.

	"Chicken if you don't jump!" Alexis shouted from the water. The
Mexican boy jumped into the cold water. He did not expect it so cold, but
he swam fast in order to keep his body warmness. They started splashing
water and playing. Alex professional deviation started studying the boy's
features. Pablo seemed stronger than his child; wider chest and thicker
legs ready for the big spurt within a couple of years. He would not be as
tall as Alexis would, but fairly tall for his race. His skin shone as a
mirror as he was wet; not a single hair was present on the beautiful
Apollo's body. They were in the best part of their youth. He knew what
would happen, so he had brought within each backpack a large towel for each
boy. As they emerged from the water, he could observe their penises had
fully retracted into the young abdomens. He laughed.

	"Where's your dick gone? Pablo asked laughing. Alexis looked at his
abdomen and then to his friend.

	"I think it's gone with yours, they are good pals." With this, some
other jokes and mischief they spent the morning. Near lunchtime, they
arrived back home. Little Christian saw his nephew and ran into his
arms. That word was difficult for a young little boy that had just started
to speak and he did not understand the meaning; he called him "Axis" and
Maria "Mia".  They were very pleased. After lunch, the two rascals
disappeared into the woods to play, as two boys of their age would
do. Finally, they climbed onto the upper part of the barn; still, there
were some clean straw bales, and they sat between three of them that made
like a cave. It was warm inside, and soon their conversation turned to sex.

	"Pablo, have you ever tried to fuck a girl?"

	"No. I find them stupid; however, I must admit that sometimes had
the curiosity to try, especially when I watched you doing it to my
sister. You seemed to enjoy it; however, I must be honest with you, I felt
a pang of jealousy in my chest." Pablo deeply flushed about his confession,
but he did not regret it. Alexis stared at him and tenderly took a tuft of
his air from the Mexican's face. Pablo understood that his friend did not
mind because they loved each other.

	"I really did, Pablo. The problem is that to enjoy fucking someone,
you must really love your counterpart; and that's near impossible with your
sister Rose. I like having sex with her as surely I would have with other
girls, but I don't love her. When I love a person, besides sex, I make
love; that's why I enjoy it with you." Pablo could see the tent forming on
his friend's pants and laughed.

	"Tonight I want you to fuck me until you are totally spent. I want
you to remember this hike forever. I have not done it since we did last
time." They were close to each other and did not need anything
else. Undressed and soon Pablo was sucking his friend. But Alexis also
enjoyed sucking Pablo's thick cock; he did not feel like Pablo did, but he
loved him profoundly and enjoyed his company. Soon their bodies tensed and
exploded in a wonderful climax. They remained quiet on their sides facing
each other on the bliss of their orgasms.

	"I love you, Pablo. If you ever need me, don't hesitate to contact
me." They kept silence for some minutes; then Alexis added. "Pablo I would
like to ask you for a great favour." The Mexican's deep black eyes fixed on
his friend's green pearls.

	"Alexis, I feel happy that you ask me for something because I'll
put my heart on it." He bent his lovely head and sighed. Alex touched his
friend's smooth skin and placed a kiss on his chest. He loved those lovely
brown nipples. Then he said.

	"I don't know, perhaps it is a stupid intuition from me. I had a
dream last night; well, in fact, it was a nightmare. You were abducted and
a mean man was to rape you. You fought hard and your eyes, as a few minutes
ago, looked at me asking for help. When the mean man consummated his
bestiality I shouted like a wounded wolf. I woke up; I was sweating, my
heart beating and I was breathing hard. I put on the nightstand's light and
I found you near me peacefully sleeping. I sighed released and kissed you a
peck on your lovely nose." Pablo smiled warmly at his loved boyfriend.

	"I can't see what you want from me, except you had a nightmare,
probably because you are worried about me."

	"Yes, I am very worried about what may happen to you in the plaza."
He extended his hand and placed it into Pablo's palms; he then pressed it
tenderly. "I would like you to leave hustling and never return to it. If
you need something, I have a good monthly assignation; I can share it with
you." Pablo's eyes blurred and hugged his friend very tight.

	"Thank you, Alexis. You will never know how great is to have a
friend like you. Well...  you have arrived too late. I abandoned it when
you told me had found your grandpa, and now I promise you I'll never return
to it. You have my word." They hugged. "Let's go, I am hungry and we need
to have a good bath before dinner." He jabbed his friend and Alexis jabbed
back. Half an hour later they were sat on the couch playing chess, waiting
for dinner. Pablo had learnt a lot from his friend and Alexis found
sometimes difficult to beat him.

The night was not cold so they did not need to set up the fire. Little
Christian was already in bed and the sweet Maria was yawning. Margarita had
her man near her, and was caressing his now white hair; and from time to
time, she kissed his forehead. She then said:

	"Pablo, do you like here?" She knew the boy very well and loved him
since the first day that the two boys came together from the school; she
also guessed his relationship with her grandchild.

	"Yes, a lot. Not only because there are lovely valleys and
mountains, but also because you all are with me and I feel as part of this
family. I don't think I'll ever find a friend like Alexis and a family like
yours." He paused. "There is a similar place down in New Mexico; I refer to
this house..." Alexis interrupted him.

	"You never told me anything about it."

	"Well, you never asked me about my family. It is my grandpa's
house. An old hacienda, however, I have not seen it since I was like Maria
is." Alexis intervened to stop the poetry as he used to say.

	"It is late; let's go to bed, Pablo. The lovers need to be alone
after so many years of separation." He said that intentionally referring to
his grandparents. They stood, kissed good nights the adults and ran
upstairs to their room.

End of Part 4