Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:30:54 +0000 From: Jacob Latson Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 30 Disclaimer: This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as a divorced man who has been devastated by the divorce and into a new life of wealth. This story will include descriptions of male sex, including M/M, M/T, M/b, T/b and b/b. If stories involving sex between consenting males of all ages, including mainly gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading pleasure. Don't expect constant descriptions of erotic sex in this story. I always want to develop a plot and characters before the hot action starts. There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names, places, and events are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life are coincidental. Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are fictitious. This story will include references to the United States government, the FBI, CIA and other agencies. Any references are purely fictional, and only used to develop the plot and characters. Writing a story like this one takes a lot of time. I hope that you'll take a few moments and send me email. Writers don't get paid and the only encouragement that we get is reader feedback. Thanks again to Bill for editing for me. Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 30 December to Remember John and Mike arrived at the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club and waited outside in the cold until Bobby Goldman arrived in his Mercedes. They walked inside the exclusive club and were welcomed by Mario Genovesi and Michael Costanza. "We were hoping that you'd come here today," Mario said while hugging John. "I know that you're going to leave soon for the holiday season in the Czech Republic, and our members have gifts that we hope you'll take to your children. I contacted Helen Baxter and she gave us the names of children to sponsor with special gifts." "During that fantastic fall meeting at your North American Headquarters, we all saw the pictures of the children at your orphanage and we decided to help you make this a special Christmas for them," Michael Costanza added. "The members of this club have wrapped gifts for the children, and we hope that you'll take them with you when you go there." "I have some special plans for the children," John began. "They've never had a real Christmas with good food and gifts, but this year will change all of that. Helen Baxter put out the word that the children deserved a special holiday season, and associates from across the country have answered her appeal. Each child will get gifts selected especially for them, and I can't wait to play Santa Claus and distribute the gifts. Of course I'll take your gifts to the children. Why don't you join me on the trip and see how beautiful the orphanage has become." "We were both hoping for an invitation." Mario admitted. "When we watched that video that Philippe made, there wasn't a dry eye in the amphitheater during our fall meeting! This will be a great way for our families to see what Christmas is all about. It will be our first visit to Prague and then to the orphanage." They were walking into the dining room when Jay Masterson ran over and shook John's hand. John knew that Jay owned a very exclusive wine shop in Bloomfield Hills and had been excited when John brought a case of wine from the Czech Republic to the club. "Did you hear the wonderful news?" Jay asked excitedly. "Remember that wonderful wine from the Czech Republic that you gave to me? Two weeks ago we hosted the International Wine Tasting Competition here at the club, and guess which wine won first place?" "Oh my God!" John exclaimed. "Don't tell me that the Ceska Skalisce wine won first place." "Wine connoisseurs from all over the world were here, and your wine beat out wines from Napa Valley in California, France, Germany and Italy!" Jay beamed. "There were 20 judges, and your wine got 18 first place votes and two second place votes! That's the most overwhelming margin of victory in the history of the International Competition!" "Jay's been wetting his pants ever since," Michael Costanza teased. "Everyone in the club has been listening to him brag for the last two weeks. Maybe now he'll shut up!" "One of the men who works for me at the orphanage is Sasha Bednik," John said to Jay. "His cousin, Tomas Coza, made that wine and I loved it. That's why I brought some of it back here for you to taste, but I never dreamed that you would enter it into competition. His wine won the gold medal in the Czech Republic too!" "All the proceeds from the competition will be used to support Doctors Without Borders," Jay added. "Get this! I had one full case of that wine, and after it won the competition, we auctioned off the last 6 bottles. The highest bid was $10,000!" "Holy Crap!" John exclaimed. "Tomas was selling his wine for about one dollar a liter." "Now you have to do me a HUGE favor," Jay blurted out. "I have to get more of that wine! I'll make a deal with you. If you can get me more of the wine along with exclusive importing rights, I'll donate half of the profits to any charity that you name. Customers who want the finest wine in the world are hounding me. My phone's been ringing off the hook, and one guy offered $1,000 a bottle if I can get more of it!" "Then you'll be pleased when I tell you what I did when I was in the Czech Republic," John said with a grin. "Even if you didn't want to buy more of his wine, I wanted it to be marketed. Mike helped Tomas design a beautiful label and a friend in Prague cut through all of the bureaucracy so I could import the wine to my store in Nassau. We don't have a beer and wine license here in the U.S. and I don't intend on applying for one." "Please don't tell me that you're going to sell that wine to anyone but me!" Jay pleaded. "Word has spread around the world about that wine, and I've got to have it!" John laughed and said, "Would you believe that Tomas and the other wine makers dump hundreds of gallons of wine each year because they can't sell it?" "Oh my God!" Jay exclaimed. "They dumped hundreds of gallons of it?" "They sell what they can, and have to make room in their wooden casks for the newest vintage," John answered. "After aging for five years, they bottle and sell what they can and dump the rest." Jay Masterson had to sit down before he passed out. Hearing that the best wine in the world was being dumped out on the ground was too much for him to accept. John laughed again and decided to rescue his friend. He sat next to Jay and whispered, "I just happen to have 100 cases of that wine in the warehouse in Nassau if you can pull the right strings to get it past U.S. Customs." "OH MY GOD!" Jay exclaimed with tears in his eyes. "Are you serious? How much do you want for the entire shipment? I'll pay anything!" "Tomas only wanted the equivalent of twelve dollars a case," John admitted. "Instead of paying him $1,200 I paid him $30,000 for the entire shipment. He's the wealthiest man in his little winemaking community right now, and I'm expecting the last 50 cases in about a week. Seeing that you're donating part of the profits to charity, I'll give you the wine and put a value of $2500 on the entire shipment or the Customs jerks won't let it into this country." Jay was sobbing now. Hearing that he would have 150 cases of the finest wine in the world was too much for him to comprehend. Just thinking about the advertising impact caused him to feel dizzy, and he struggled to stay conscious. "Maybe I should go into the wine business instead of concrete." Mario teased. "It sounds like that wine is made out of gold. I can see the sign right now. Genovesi Wine Importers." John just laughed again and admitted that he had several cases of the wonderful wine at Proud Les Domo and two cases in his home on Peninsular Drive. He knew that Tomas had an entire vintage year of wine ready for bottling, and the new vintage had also won the gold medal in the Czech Republic. He gave Jay the telephone number for Philippe Ducharme, and promised that Philippe would ship the wine in one of the Sea & Jungle airplanes. Jay shook John's hand and then succumbed to his emotions and gave everyone a hug before running out of the club. He was already dialing Philippe's number, and prayed that he could get the wine before the Christmas holiday. John was pleased when his two aunts invited him, Mike, Johnny, Kirsty and Little John to their farmhouse for a meal. The two elderly ladies were thrilled to have guests, and rolled out the red carpet for everyone. Of course they started the evening in the parlor for cocktails. Johnny and Kirsty were very impressed with the antiques in the farmhouse, and listened to Betty and Martha praising John for all of the work he did in their home and the changes in the company. Before the evening ended, everyone was stuffed with the wonderful food and had enjoyed the friendly conversations. John was excited when the day arrived for the High School State Championship Game for the Class A schools. His team of officials had been selected for the game, and he was on the sidelines talking about the last minute details with his team. Despite their appeals, John reiterated that this would be the last game that he would officiate. Before the ceremonial coin toss, a man walked to the middle of Ford Field in Detroit and addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please! Please welcome David Parin, President of the Michigan High School Athletic Association for a special presentation." David Parin walked out on the field and waved to the sellout crowd before saying, "I came here tonight to watch two great football teams compete for the coveted State Championship for Class A schools, but first I want to ask someone to join me here at the 50-yard line. Would John Miller, our head referee for this important game, please come out here?" John had been talking to his team of officials and didn't hear the request until Mike Wilbur yelled at him. "JOHN! HE WANTS YOU OUT ON THE 50-YARD LINE RIGHT NOW!" David Parin repeated his call for John Miller to join him, and waited for John to run out on the field before saying, "For those of you who don't recognize this special man, I'll tell you why I'm here tonight to honor him. For the past 20 years, this man has donated his time to officiate high school football games, and he has never taken a cent of pay for his efforts. John Miller was a gifted football player, but a knee injury ended his football career when he was playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines. His love of football has never wavered, and even though he's now the CEO of the World Wide Operations of the Sea & Jungle Imports Company, John Miller is here tonight with his team of officials. I've been told that this is the last game that he'll officiate, and I came here to give John Miller this plaque of appreciation for his dedicated service. John, on behalf of all of the athletes in the great state of Michigan, we thank you for your sacrifices and wish you continued health and prosperity in the future!" The crowd stood and cheered for John Miller. They recognized his name and face from the magazine, newspaper and television broadcasts, and were surprised that he was officiating for free. John accepted the plaque and hugged David Parin. He accepted the microphone and wondered what would be appropriate for him to say to the huge crowd. "When my knee was torn apart a long time ago I was devastated, but with every bad event in life comes an important lesson," John began. "Education is the key to success in life, and I challenge the players in this game tonight to finish high school and work to make this a better world. Whether you go on to college or learn a trade, strive to use every day to help the less fortunate around the world. This country's blessed with prosperity, but right here in the United States we have people who are homeless. People who are without hope have turned to lives of crime, and we need leadership in Michigan and around the world to stop the wars. Stop killing and maiming innocent children! Stop ignoring the less fortunate! With my new job, I'm dedicated to doing what I can to make this a better world for everyone. Thank you for this plaque. I'll treasure it and the memories of high school sports for the rest of my life!" The crowd stood and cheered again for John Miller. Most of them knew that John was a billionaire, and they were impressed that he had dedicated 20 years to officiating high school football games. In the Detroit City Jail, one person wasn't applauding when John Miller received his recognition plaque. "Isn't that your ex-husband?" the jailer asked Margaret Miller. "Turn that fucking television off!" Margaret screamed at the jailer. "Leave it on!" Tamara Taylor screamed. "My son's playing in that game and I'm gonna watch it!" "FUCK YOU AND YOUR SON!" Margaret screamed at her cellmate! "That bastard doesn't deserve any award, and I DEMAND that you change the channel!" The jailer refused to change the channel, and Margaret lashed out at her cellmate with her nasty mouth. "Who gives a shit about your illegitimate son and a bunch of worthless niggers!" Tamara Taylor was black, and immediately attacked her cellmate. Before the jailer and guards could unlock the cell and get inside, Margaret had been beaten to a pulp! Two of her front teeth had been knocked out, her nose was broken, patches of hair had been torn out of her scalp, and she was unconscious! She was transported to the hospital for treatment, with two police officers making sure she didn't escape. When the game ended, John hugged all of his officiating buddies and invited them to have a late meal with him at the yacht club. During the meal and drinks, the men talked about the special games that they had officiated together. For John's officiating friends, it was a bittersweet moment because this was the last game that they would be officiating together. They thanked John for his devotion and wished him luck with his new job. The next day, John was packing for his trip to the Czech Republic when he got the call from Bobby Goldman. He heard about the attack in the City Jail and listened when Bobby told him about Margaret's injuries. "It was only a matter of time before someone shut her mouth." John said to Bobby. "Is it still okay for me to leave tomorrow or will someone think that I had a part in her beating?" "You were on television when she shot off her mouth and got her ass kicked." Bobby said. "Now her jaw's wired together, and she might have a lawsuit that she can win against the city! Her cellmate made Margaret pay for her nasty mouth!" "I'm ashamed that I baited her at the deposition," John admitted. "When I saw her, all I could think about was my dog, Barney, and how she butchered him! I bragged about the cost of my Ferrari and wanted her to suffer." "You're my best friend and Godfather to my son," Bobby said. "She's a bitch and she treated you like shit for too many years! She's still in the hospital, but you're free to leave on your trip whenever you want. My wife and son are excited about spending Christmas with you and the children at the orphanage, and we signed up with Helen to sponsor one of the children with special gifts." "I have surprises for everyone." John admitted. "Wait until you see the orphanage, the lake and the village! The area's beautiful and unspoiled, and I'm gonna make sure it stays that way." During the flight to Amsterdam, John told Mike why they had to go to Zurich. "I want to get some more diamonds from my safety deposit box," John said. "Then we'll go back to Amsterdam so the jewelers can work their magic again. I cut a deal with the jewelry designer and he'll get some flawless diamonds so he can make some special jewelry for his mistress. He might even make something for his wife." Mike laughed and tried to get John to tell him who the special jewelry was for, but John just laughed and said it would be a surprise. "Mike, just think about this," John began. "We now have 132 children at the orphanage, and they've never had a Christmas Season with fantastic food and gifts. Sasha told me that all of the electrical work has been completed, and this will be a holiday event that we'll remember for the rest of our lives! I can't wait to get there and start the decorating!" "Why won't you tell me what you have planned?" Mike asked. John relented, and told Mike most of the details of the special Christmas decorations. He admitted that the computer system that controlled the outdoor lights needed to be checked out, and was pleased when Mike said he would handle that detail. "I've been communicating with David Markov about the computer system to control the outdoor lights," Mike admitted. "I wondered when you would tell me some of your special plans. I was able to send David some computer files that he and I are testing to control the outside lights. Are you going to make videos of the events at the orphanage?" "Philippe loves to take videos, but I hired a professional company from Prague to film the event," John said. "I want the associates from our company and the yacht club members to see the children open their gifts, and hear a personal thank you from each child. I'm really excited about seeing Nicky again and getting ready for the holidays!" It was three days later when John called Kvetka on his cell phone. "We'll be there before supper," John told her. "I'm so excited about seeing you and the children!" "Nicklas has been going crazy!" Kvetka said. "Everyone's excited about you coming here for the holidays!" When the brief call ended, Kvetka went out on the snow-covered porch and blew the air horn one long blast. Adults and children quickly dressed and ran to hear the good news. They knew that one blast on the air horn meant that John Miller would soon arrive at the home, and everyone was excited. When the limousine arrived at the front gate of Proud Les Domo, Nicky was waiting for his lover. He screamed with joy when the door opened and John ran to sweep him into his arms. He sobbed and hugged John tightly, and covered John's face and lips with kisses. John wiped away his own tears and then the tears that were flowing down Nicky's face. He talked with his little lover in a mixture of English and Czech, and loved hearing the sweet, high-pitched voice. Nicky's face was completely healed and now he was the cutest boy in the world to John. Other children had run to the front gate and wanted to get inside the stretch limousine, but it was packed in a matter of seconds. Those who wouldn't fit inside ran alongside the beautiful car and the two vehicles filled with bodyguards. John had invited his American bodyguards to celebrate Christmas at the orphanage, but they decided to return to Michigan. John was now very comfortable with his Czech bodyguards, and he had said goodbye to the Americans at the airport in Prague. Kvetka was waiting on the front porch with all of the adults who worked at the orphanage. Everyone celebrated John's arrival and was thrilled that he had arrived two weeks before Christmas. After a wonderful supper of fried chicken, potatoes, green beans and apple pie, John asked all of the adults to meet with him in the conference room. During the meeting, John listened to reports about the recent arrivals and the plans for decorating the home. He was thrilled that everything was ready, and he thanked everyone for his or her hard work. "I want this to be a Christmas Season that we will all remember for the rest of our lives," John said to the adults. "We'll have a lot of guests, and it will take some real planning so we can have everyone involved in showing our children what the holiday season should be like." Kvetka was in charge, and she reminded everyone that feeding over 250 people would require use of the ovens in all of the villas and apartments, and that the meals would be served in the main dining room along with both dormitories. When the kitchen expansion was completed, the main building would be able to feed over 300 people. Nicky was waiting outside the conference room, and was impatient for John to come out. He wanted to spend every second with John, and was pacing back and forth until the door opened. He jumped into John's arms and gave his man a passionate kiss on the lips. "You guys need to get a room." Mike Mahon teased. He was going to tease John more, but his teasing was cut short when Lodak Oldrich jumped into his arms. "We have a room waiting for us, and I bet that you do too." John teased back at Mike. He carried Nicklas up the winding staircase and into the master bedroom. "Make love with me!" Nicky pleaded. "I love you!" John quickly undressed his young lover and swallowed all five inches of Nicky's boyhood. He was gobbling the tender meat when he noticed that Nicky's dick had grown and he saw several thin red hairs above Nicky's throbbing cock. Before John could take inventory of Nicky's entry into puberty, his mouth was filled with several blasts of boy cum. John gulped down the tangy sauce and held the throbbing cock in his mouth until it was drained and started to soften. Only then did John remove his own clothes. Nicklas was in heaven now that his man was back with him. He had tears of joy running down his face when he begged John to fuck him. He didn't have to wait long for his plea to be answered. John coated his thick meat with lubricant and saw that Nicky had his legs in the air. John didn't waste any time. He shoved his cock forward and felt the head pop inside the tight ring of Nicky's ass. He wanted to wait for Nicky to adjust, but he felt the boy's legs around his waist, and his cock slid deep inside. To John, it felt like his cock was in an oven, and Nicky's legs pulled him deeper inside the hot oven until his cock unloaded. He screamed when he felt his body filling Nicky's rectum with a flood of man juice that never seemed to stop. He hammered his cock in and out of the boy's hole and finally collapsed. Before the two lovers succumbed to sleep, they had each blown three loads of cum. They cuddled together and finally fell asleep, with their bodies entwined. After showering together in the huge bathroom, John and Nicklas walked downstairs for breakfast. They ignored the smiles and snickers of the other children who knew that Nicklas and John had shared sex, and ate like they had been starved. John had another meeting with the adults, and Nicklas was upset that he wasn't included. When John left the conference room, Nicklas asked, "Why can't I be in the meetings with you?" "I have some secrets that I don't want you or the other children to hear," John said. "Do you trust me?" "I love you but I want to know the secrets," Nicklas admitted. "Okay, I'll tell you just one of my secrets," John said with a smile. "Have you ever flown in a helicopter?" "You know that I haven't." Nicklas said. "The only time that I've ever been in a limousine is when you brought me back here after my surgery." "Right after lunch, you and I will ride in a helicopter to Prague," John began. "Do you remember Pavel Pekar at the Expat Bank?" "He came to visit us after my surgery," Nicklas replied. "Pavel called me and said that we can go to the court today if you still want to become my son," John said with a big smile. Nicklas broke down in tears. He couldn't believe that John Miller still wanted to adopt him, and he was so upset that he wet his pants. Ignoring the flood of urine, John hugged Nicky and shed his own tears of joy. He couldn't wait to have a new son to share his life with, and carried the boy upstairs and into the bathroom. They undressed and showered together before dressing and going into John's office. "I want you to read about our company," John said. "OUR company?" Nicklas questioned. "Yes, OUR company." John insisted. "My dream is that some day you and my son, Johnny, will run this company together." Nicky started crying again. He still couldn't believe that John would adopt him and share his wealth. He had heard the adults at the orphanage talking, and couldn't comprehend anyone having billions of Czech Crowns. He was now proficient on a computer, and he had visited the Sea & Jungle website and struggled to read the English. He promised himself that he would learn to read and write English soon. "I'm calling someone who wants to talk to you," John said to Nicky when the boy calmed down. When John handed Nicky the phone, the boy was shocked to hear Johnny Miller speaking to him in Czech. "Hi Nicklas, I hear that we will soon be brothers." Johnny said. Nicky was speechless, and John finally pushed the button to turn on the speakerphone. "What did you say to him?" John asked his son when he realized that Nicky was overcome with emotions and couldn't talk. Johnny repeated, "Hi Nicklas, I hear that we will soon be brothers!" "When did you learn to speak Czech?" John asked his son. "I'm taking an accelerated course at the International Institute," Johnny replied in English. "I can speak English," Nicky insisted when he had regained his composure. "I will be there with you for Christmas," Johnny said in Czech. "I can't wait to hug my new brother." John listened while the two most important people in his life conversed in a mixture of Czech and English. He was proud of both of them for learning a new language and he couldn't wait for them to meet in person. When the call ended, John hugged Nicky and asked him, "Now do you believe that Johnny wants you as his brother?" Nicky hugged John and was excited about the court date. He barely ate anything for lunch, and insisted on getting ready for the helicopter ride. Everyone at the orphanage was excited when the helicopter landed in the courtyard, with the fresh snow swirling around the grounds of the orphanage. They watched John, Nicklas and the bodyguards climb into the helicopter and wished that they were aboard. Before supper was served, everyone heard the sound of the helicopter in the crisp winter air. The children and adults ran outside, ignoring the snow and cold and saw John and Nicklas getting out of the helicopter. Nicky ran up to Yuri and hugged his friend and said excitedly, "I'm adopted! I'm John's son!" Hearing his own words caused Nicky to break down in tears of joy. "Now my name's Nicklas Jacob Zednik-Miller!" he sobbed. John listened to his new son talking to the other children, and wanted to adopt all of the children. He had suggested that Nicky keep his family name because that was his only connection to his birth parents. They had brought him into the world and he suggested that Nicky keep the connection. Kvetka and Sasha hugged John and congratulated him on the important event. Everyone went inside the building for a special celebration meal. That night, John and Nicky made love for several hours, and slept together as father and son. On December 20th, the guests started arriving at the orphanage. The grounds came alive with everyone celebrating the holiday season in the Czech Republic. John and Nicky welcomed the guests and made sure that everyone was taken to their rooms in the mansion or in the villas and apartments. For Nicklas, the most important guests arrived in a stretch limousine. He was anxious when the doors opened and he saw his new brother for the first time. He was still afraid that Johnny Miller would reject him, but when he saw the handsome man open his arms and yell, "Nicklas!" his fears evaporated. He ran and hugged his new brother and cried tears of joy. John watched the greeting of his two sons and had shed his own tears. He watched his sons embrace, and then joined them for a group hug. He felt a tug on his pants and looked down and saw his grandson. He lifted Little John up so he could join in the family hug. "PAPA!" the infant cried out. He hugged his grandfather and gave John kisses and hugs. Kirsty pushed her way into the tangle of arms and joined in on the family event. She looked into the bright green eyes of the small boy and wished that he were her brother. She had seen pictures of Nicklas, but the photos didn't do justice to what she was seeing with her own eyes. The freckles across the nose of the small boy were beautiful, and she loved hearing his soprano voice. She was instantly in love with the young boy, and now she understood why her father-in-law wanted to spend so much time in the Czech Republic. When more guests arrived, John let Nicklas lead his new brother and family into the main building and up to their room. This was already the best holiday season of his life, and it was only going to get better. John was pleased when several trucks arrived. The trucks were filled with wrapped gifts for the children, and Sasha took control and stored the packages out of view. John was excited and couldn't wait for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to arrive. One special delivery arrived, and John signed for the package and took it to his office. He opened the package and was thrilled with the contents. He put everything in the safe, and couldn't wait to give his presents to the special people in his life. On December 22nd John led the children and guests out into the wooded grounds. Sasha was driving one of the new tractors, and John had a special destination in mind. "That's the one!" he said to Sasha. The children watched in awe while Sasha used a chainsaw to cut down the huge fir tree. Many of the children started crying when they realized that it would be their first Christmas tree in many years! For some of the unfortunate children, it was the very first Christmas tree of their entire lives! When the tree crashed to the ground, everyone cheered and celebrated. Sasha put a chain around the base of the tree and used the tractor to drag it back to the main building. John knew the Czech traditions for the Christmas Season, and wanted his friends from the United States to join in the festivities. When the tree was dragged to the building, everyone wanted to help get it inside and start decorating. The special tree stand was used along with a boom lift, and everyone cheered when they saw the 25-foot tree in the huge living room. "Now you all have to leave so we can get ready for a special celebration." John said to the children, adults, and guests. He didn't want to exclude his guests from the festivities, so he asked them to go to the dining room for a special meal that Kvetka had organized. When everyone left the living room, John organized Sasha and the other men to start putting on the thousands of miniature lights that had been shipped from the United States. Most of the Czech Republic had 220-volt electrical service, but the entire orphanage had been wired with 110-volt service that matched the lights from the U.S. Before Christmas Eve arrived, the living room had been closed off. No one was allowed to view the tree, and the lights had only been turned on to make sure they lit for a few seconds, and that had been done when the children were asleep. The children were so excited that they had trouble sleeping on the night of December 23rd. John was pleased when Helen Baxter, her husband, Tom, and son Wesley offered to help organize the huge volume of presents that were stored in the barns, villas and rooms in the main building. When the other guests heard about the need for help, they immediately volunteered. Mario Genovesi and his wife, Tom Jeffries, his wife, Judy, son Jamie and Jamie's boyfriend, Hunter all begged to help. Instead of trying to do everything himself, John reverted to organizing and directing the excited guests that he had brought to the orphanage. To John, it was wonderful to see all of the volunteers who wanted to make this Christmas Season a special event for the orphan children. With over 250 people to feed on Christmas Eve, the main dining room and the dormitory dining rooms were filled to capacity. John and his guests spread out in all three dining areas, and loved seeing the happy children stuff themselves with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and warm apple pie. While everyone was enjoying the special dessert, John slipped out of the dining room. He ran to his room and put on a special costume and then went back to each dining room with the same announcement. The children were thrilled when Santa Claus came into the dining room and said, "HO, HO HO! Veselý Vánoce (Merry Christmas)!" They screamed with joy, and knew that Santa was going to make this a special day for them. "Kdo pot?eby až k vid?t náš Vánoce výzdoba? (Who wants to see our Christmas decorations?) John yelled to the children. In each of the dining areas, he repeated his invitation and told all of the children to return to their dormitories for their first Christmas presents. Many of the guests followed the children into the dormitories, and shared in the excitement when each child saw wrapped gifts on their beds. Wrapping paper flew and the children screamed with joy when they found new snowsuits, boots, gloves and hats for them to wear. Knowing that children would be too excited to save the gift tags, Kvetka and her crew of helpers had pinned the tags to each of the beds so the children would know who gave them the wonderful winter clothing. "Most American children don't appreciate getting clothing for Christmas gifts," John said to his friends and family. "It's completely different for these children. A year ago, they didn't even have a Christmas tree, and the only gifts that they received were mittens and scarves that were knitted by women in the village. They slept in cold dormitories with no pillows, sheets or blankets. They already have warm clothing, but right now they're opening new snowsuits, boots, gloves and hats. Listen to their joy!" Santa Claus was on the porch, waiting for the children to come outside, and hugged his family and friends. When all of the children were finally outside, Santa led everyone down the driveway towards the front gate. "Light them up!" Santa (John) yelled to Sasha. Sasha threw the switch and over 100 pine trees along the long driveway immediately lit up with a multitude of colored lights. Each tree had a different color of miniature lights, and the children screamed with joy when they saw the red, green, white, blue, gold, pink, and purple lights glowing through the snowy branches of the trees. The children ran down the driveway and gazed at the most beautiful sight that they had ever seen! John let the children run around before he used the portable amplifier to say, "Te? , hodinky tato! (Now watch this!). What happened next shocked everyone. The outside of the main building was lit up with thousands of lights, along with the shrubbery and the fountain. Loud music started playing through huge outdoor speakers, and the lights went on and off in unison with the music. The computer system that Mike Mahon had developed with David Markov performed flawlessly. Even John was awestruck by the beauty of the lights and the choreographed music. Three exciting Christmas songs played before John announced, "Kdo pot?eby až k nechrán?ný jeden Vánoce dar? (Who wants to open a Christmas present?). Screams of joy filled the cold night air, and John had to stand back or the excited children would have trampled him. The children ran to the front porch and heard Santa tell them to return to their dormitories and take off their new snowsuits and meet back in the living room. When everyone was waiting outside the living room, John had Sasha and the other men remove the barricades. With everyone waiting, John/Santa took Nicklas by the hand to a switch on the wall of the darkened room. "Turn it on." John said to his son. When Nicklas flipped the switch, over 15,000 miniature lights lit up the 25 foot tall Christmas tree. Everyone was awestruck by the beauty of the huge Christmas tree! No one had ever seen a more beautiful tree in his or her entire life! The higher branches were also decorated with gold plated or hand blown ornaments, and the multicolored lights sparkled against the special ornaments. The children saw the wrapped packages under the huge tree, and hoped that just one of the packages would be theirs to open. "There are some traditions that I remember from my childhood days with my grandparents on their farm in Michigan," John said in English and then in Czech. "First, I want the youngest child here to help us start this season by putting the star on the top of the tree." Nicklas knew that Hans had just arrived at the beginning of the month, and he hoped that the five year old boy would get at least one gift to open. He grabbed Hans' hand and led him up to his new father. "Hans just arrived a few weeks ago, but he's still afraid," Nicklas said to John. "He thinks that he's five years old but he can't remember his birth date." John choked back his emotions, and knelt down to talk to the tiny boy. "I'm not really Santa Claus, but I want to be your friend." John was speaking softly in Czech because he knew that the tiny boy didn't understand English. "Will you put the star on the top of the tree for me?" Hans was still afraid of being at the orphanage, but for the first time in his life he was eating wonderful meals and had special friends who were protecting him. His parents had died in a fire, and his right hand had been burned and was deformed and useless. He wiped away his tears and nodded that he would put the star on the top of the huge tree. Sasha used the boom truck to lift both John and Hans up to the top of the tree. John helped the physically challenged boy put the star on the top of the tree and plugged it in. Everyone in the room cheered when the huge star lit up, and now the Christmas tree was complete! After the boom truck was driven out of the living room, John continued talking to his family and friends. "Another tradition in Czech families involves finding a special ornament on the tree. Only children under the age of 10 are allowed to search the tree for the hidden pickle." When John repeated his announcement in Czech, the youngest children ran to the huge tree and searched for the hidden ornament. A girl named Marie screamed with joy when she found the special ornament. Santa Claus rewarded her with a gold necklace that she proudly displayed to everyone. It was the most valuable thing that she had ever owned! Philippe Ducharme was recording all of the events along with the professional photographers, and everyone was thrilled with the excitement of the children. "This tree has beautiful ornaments, but there's room for more." John said. "I invite everyone here tonight to select an ornament and add it to this beautiful tree." Boxes of gold plated ornaments were brought out, along with hand blown glass ornaments made in the Czech Republic and some paper ornaments that the children had made. Everyone added an ornament to the tree, including John and his tiny grandson. "Now it's time for gifts." John announced. With the help of the adult employees of the orphanage, each child was given a gift to open. For most of the children, it was a stuffed animal, and the living room was filled with the screams of joy from the happy children. The teenaged children were equally excited when they opened a variety of electronic toys that included video games and music players. Gifts were presented to the children of the guests, and they were thrilled to open gifts along with the other children. "Children, now its time for us to entertain our new friends," Cil Dreva announced using the amplifier. John recognized the young man who was the son of the music storeowner in Prague, and remembered hiring him and his life partner, Jiri Rybar. He was surprised when the children moved around until they were standing in rows in ascending height. What he heard next brought tears to his eyes. While Cil played the grand piano, the children sang Czech Christmas carols, and their young voices filled the room with joy. After singing three Czech songs, the audience laughed and cheered to hear the children sing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer!" in perfect English! The crowd cheered and applauded when the song ended. They couldn't believe that the children had learned the funny Christmas song, and begged for more. John stepped up and said, "Another tradition that I always loved was ending Christmas Eve with a very special song. I know that Cil can play this tune, and I invite all of my American friends to sing the first verse in English, and then our Czech friends will sing the same verse in Czech. This will end our evening together, but we'll have more wonderful food and gifts tomorrow on Christmas Day." For everyone at Proud Les Domo, the true meaning of Christmas became apparent when the Americans sang "Silent Night" in English, followed by the same song in Czech. The only light in the main building came from the huge Christmas tree, and everyone loved the special setting. There wasn't a dry eye among the adults when the bright voices of the children overpowered the Czech adults in singing the beautiful song. Everyone was hugging and kissing before the party broke up and then they headed for bed. Both John and Nicklas were exhausted from the exciting day and they fell asleep immediately when they got to their bed. Sex was important to both of them, but it didn't control their lives. The next morning, John woke up and gazed down at the beautiful boy beside him. The rising sun that was now streaming through the bedroom window highlighted the red hair and freckles. John heard the sounds of children running down the hallway, and he knew that they wanted him to get up so they could open more presents. He left Nicklas in the bed and tiptoed to the door and listened to the excited children. "Do you think that he's awake?" an immature voice asked. "Be quiet!" another voice said. "Kvetka said we couldn't wake him." "I'm already awake," John said when he opened the door. Three children almost fell into the room, and it was obvious to John that they had been listening at the door. He was greeted with hugs and kisses and told the children that he and Nicklas would soon be ready for breakfast. When they were leaving the master bedroom, they saw Christina coming out of her room with a beautiful young girl holding her hand. John said good morning to them and knew that Christina had been teaching a new girl the pleasures of lesbian sex. John and Nicky decided to eat breakfast in the boys' dormitory along with some of the American visitors. John saw little Hans trying to fill his plate with the wonderful food, so he decided to help the little tyke. "Will Santa come here again today?" Hans asked. "The real Santa Claus came last night and left more gifts for everyone," John replied. "After the first and second breakfasts, I'm sure that you will have something to open." Hans was thrilled. He still couldn't believe that he was living in the beautiful orphanage and was eating fantastic food. "I wish that my parents were here," Hans admitted softly to John. "Your parents are up in heaven watching over you," John insisted. "When you want to talk to them, pray, and your prayers will be answered." The buildings came alive when everyone ate breakfast and talked about the beautiful tree, the unbelievable outdoor decorations, and the entertainment from the previous night. John was enjoying breakfast with Helen Baxter, her husband, Tom, and Wesley and his boyfriend. He thanked Helen again for organizing the gifts for the children and said, "Another Czech tradition stretches out the gift opening for several days. With so many children here, it's hard to see each of them open a gift." John noticed that many of the children were carrying their stuffed toys around the mansion, and he loved it. When he heard the bell ring, he knew it was time for the children to open another gift. With Philippe filming the activities, the American visitors distributed the gifts to the children. John had let the professional photographers leave to spend Christmas with their families, and knew that Philippe, Tom Baxter and Mario Genovesi were using their personal video cameras to capture the exciting action. The children screamed with joy when they opened another gift and saw what was inside. Helen had organized the tags on the gifts with a number for the sequence to be opened, and knew that this round of gifts was primarily warm clothing. John knew that the children would appreciate the winter clothing, and wasn't surprised when the children immediately put on the new sweatshirts and sweaters. The excitement was repeated several times when more gifts were presented to the excited children during the day. After a hectic lunch, the adults relaxed in the game room and made good use of the generous supply of alcoholic beverages. John wanted to take a trip into Ceska Skalisce, and of course, Nicklas wanted to ride along. John wanted to take a ride around the village, and was surprised to see several stores that were open for business. He knew that Sasha Bednik's brother, Tomas, owned the butcher shop, and John longed for the special Christmas sausages that his grandparents always made. He was thrilled when he saw the sausages hanging above the meat counter, and bought 10 kilos to share with his American friends. Nicklas was surprised when several villagers came up to John and thanked him for his generosity. He was confused, and wanted to know what had happened. The village was alive with happy people, but Nicklas still didn't understand why everyone was coming up to John and thanking him. John deflected the questions from his new son, and finally decided to be honest. "You and I own the power company that supplies electricity to Proud Les Domo and the entire village," John began. "I found out that our power company was charging the villagers for the electricity, but I stopped all of the bills. Now everyone gets free electricity, and the extra power is sent back through the power lines to other parts of the country." "You're giving everyone free electricity?" Nicklas questioned. "WE are giving everyone free electricity." John insisted. "Now that you're my son, you own the power company too. I never knew that James Stanton was charging the villagers until I got the financial statement. You and I have a lot of money, and we don't need to take money from the villagers when they are struggling to have a decent standard of living." "I'm proud of you for doing that." Nicky said to John. "Now I know why so many people are thanking you." He hugged John and wanted to go inside a store to buy ribbon candy to take back to the other children. John decided to smoke a cigar and look at the Christmas decorations on the stores and homes, and walked with his two bodyguards down the street. Two young boys approached him and were begging for money, and the bodyguards shooed them away. John looked at the two boys and was sad that they were out on the streets on Christmas Day and begging. They were wearing rags and looked like they hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. Nicklas came out of the store and ran up to John and said, "I know them! That's the corner where I used to beg for money and find men for sex!" "IT'S HIM!" one of the boys screamed. "RUN!" "Who are they?" John asked his new son. "Their father was one of the men who I had sex with and he wouldn't pay me!" Nicky screamed. "Instead of paying me after I sucked him, he hit me!" John saw the two young boys running away from his bodyguards and suddenly realized why the boys were begging on the streets. He felt sick, and had to sit down on a bench to compose himself. Johan Delat, the warden of the Kraje (region) had identified the men who had abused Nicklas, and the men and their families were punished by not being allowed to work for the lumber company or furniture factory. Now John saw first hand the results of his animosity, and he felt sick. "I've done something terrible." John admitted to Nicklas and his bodyguards. "I wanted to punish the men who hurt you, but I never thought about the impact on their families." John saw Johan Delat walking down the street, and called the man over. "Please tell me about those two boys that just ran away." John insisted. "Their father used Nicklas and hit him instead of paying for the sex," Johan said. "Josef Pani is a master craftsman who used to work at the furniture factory. He helped Sasha Bednik make the furniture in the dining room at the orphanage." "Nicky, we have to do something for the Pani family." John insisted. "Josef Pani hurt you, but I never thought about the impact on his family when I insisted that the men who hurt you would never be hired by our companies. Josef's family is paying for what he did to you, and that's not right." "I hate him!" Nicklas exclaimed. "Hate is dangerous," John said to his son. "Josef Pani hurt you and he and his family have been suffering ever since! This is my fault! I never thought about his children! Those two boys look like they are starving, and I can't let this continue! Can you find it in your heart to forgive him?" "NO!" Nicky exclaimed. "Do you remember when you were begging on this corner?" John asked. "You were starving and trading your body to get food! Everyone makes mistakes in their lives, and we all want God to forgive us! Why should God forgive us if we don't forgive others who have hurt us?" Nicklas thought about his time on the streets. He had been starving and had slept under a bridge or outside the back of a store when the weather turned cold. Seeing the two boys begging on what had been his corner brought back terrible memories for him. He listened to John and realized that the boys were living the same life that he had lived, and it sickened him. "It's Christmas Day and they were here begging to get money to buy food!" John insisted. "What if that was you!" Nicklas sobbed and hugged John for comfort. He thought about the wonderful food at the orphanage, the decorations, and the beautifully wrapped gifts. He choked back his tears and said, "I can forgive him." John had never been more proud of Nicklas than at that very moment! He hugged his son and praised him for his forgiveness and then said, "What do you want to do now?" "Can we give them some money?" Nicky asked. "We could do that, but would you consider going to their home and talking to Josef?" John asked. "You need to face him and see if he apologizes to you. If he does, you can tell him that you forgive him." When Nicklas, John and the bodyguards arrived at the Pani home, a woman saw them and stepped outside. "Please leave!" she said. "We don't want any more trouble!" "We aren't here to cause trouble," John said. "My son would like to talk to your husband." Josef Pani was listening at the door, and stepped outside to face the boy that he had abused. He was shocked to see the changes in the face of the red haired boy, and started sobbing. "I did a terrible thing! I'm so sorry for what I did to you! Please forgive me!" "I forgive you," Nicky replied. "You hurt me, but my father told me that God forgives us if we forgive others." John heard the sincerity in the exchange between Josef and Nicklas, and he was relieved and proud of Nicky. It was time for him to step in. He said, "I know that you have been unable to find work in the village because of what happened, but my son just forgave you, and now I want to do something for you and your family. You made a mistake and have suffered for it, but it's time for you to get another chance to support your family." "Your son?" Josef asked. "I thought Nicklas was an orphan." "About two weeks ago, I adopted him," John replied. "My son and I would like you and your family to join us for Christmas supper at Proud Les Domo." "We can't go there," Josef said. "Everyone there knows what I did, and they all hate me!" "It's Christmas, and a time for joy, not hatred," John said. "I know that your family needs help, and I'll hire you to work in the furniture factory. Please join us!" Josef knew that his family would only have some beef broth for their Christmas meal, and he wanted to feed his family, but he was afraid. "I'll talk to Sasha and Kvetka and tell them that Nicklas and I invited you and your family to join us," John said. "This is a time of forgiveness and joy, and people will judge you by how you act from now on. We can't live in the past!" "They don't have a car," one of the bodyguards whispered to John. "I'll call Sasha and ask him to bring a van to pick them up," John said. He turned to Josef and asked, "Can you be ready in about an hour? A van from the home will come here to pick you up." Nicklas saw that Simon and Petr were peeking around the door. He called to them and said that they would be his guests for supper. The boys were afraid, but wanted to believe the handsome man that they would share Christmas supper at the orphanage, and that their father would have a new job. After they left the Pani home, John used his cell phone to call Sasha and Kvetka. At first they didn't believe that John was serious in inviting the Pani family to the orphanage, but after John told them how Nicklas had forgiven Josef, they both understood. Sasha admitted that Josef had been his friend and talented assistant, but the abuse of Nicklas ruined their friendship. He agreed that it was time for him and the other people in the village to forgive Josef. When the van arrived, John and Nicklas greeted their guests and welcomed them inside. Josef and his wife were uneasy in the beautiful mansion, and were still afraid of the adult staff at the home. Their fears were extinguished when Kvetka and Sasha welcomed them and invited them to go into the living room to see the huge tree. Simon and Petr hid behind their parents until Nicklas came up to them and said, "This is my nephew. We call him Little John!" He was holding the toddler, but gave Little John to his father, Johnny, so he could be with his guests. He saw that Simon and Petr were wearing worn clothes that had been patched, and he felt sad for them. He whispered to Kvetka, and she smiled and nodded. Josef and Rose Pani saw their sons leave with Nicklas and Kvetka, and wondered where they were going. John had offered them a glass of wine, and they accepted his gracious offer. While they were drinking their glasses of wine, they toured the main building of the orphanage and were astounded! They had never been inside the home, and were in awe of the expensive furnishings! Everywhere they went, they saw happy children running around and having fun. All of the children were wearing new clothes and it was obvious that the children were living in a wonderful home! When the boys returned to the living room, Josef and Rose were shocked to see that their sons were wearing new clothes. Their sons were beaming with joy when they said that they had wrapped gifts that they had opened to find the new clothes. John smiled at Kvetka and Helen, and realized that the two women had worked their magic to find gifts for the two boys to open. He knew that many extra gifts had been sent to the orphanage in case new children had arrived, and he loved seeing the excited faces of the two Pani boys. When it was time for the Christmas Day meal, John explained to his American friends that it was a tradition to serve roasted goose along with sauerkraut and dumplings. During the wonderful meal, John and Nicklas spent time in the main dining room and the dining rooms in the two dormitories. They were the perfect hosts in sharing time with everyone during the wonderful meal. After dessert was finished, everyone went to the living room for more gifts. Each child had three more gifts to open, and the living room was filled with screams of joy from the children. Simon and Petr Pani had tears of joy flowing down their faces when they were presented three more gifts each to open. This was the best Christmas of their lives, and they sobbed when they found their stuffed toys and electronic games. Josef and Rose Pani also had gifts to open. Josef opened a warm winter jacket, leather gloves and a watch, while his wife opened a winter coat, leather gloves and a warm robe. They had never expected any gifts for their family, and they sobbed their thanks to everyone. The American visitors were surprised when the furniture was pushed to the walls of the living room to expose the polished wood floor. John just smiled and announced that it was time for some special dancing. "Children, are you ready?" he shouted. He pushed the button on a boom box, and the adults were shocked when they heard the familiar music and saw the children start dancing! "YOU TAUGHT THEM THE HUSSLE!" Johnny screamed at his father. He was thrilled when he watched the Czech children dancing the familiar dance from American wedding celebrations. John just laughed and grabbed Christina to join the children on the dance floor. The Americans joined in and the mansion rocked with the excitement of everyone! After the second song finished, everyone cheered and applauded the Czech children. "Now watch this!" John announced excitedly. The Americans cheered excitedly when the Czech children started dancing to "YMCA" another favorite song and dance that was playing on the boom box. Helen Baxter wiped away her tears of joy and prayed that her husband was recording the festivities on his video camera. She couldn't wait to show the video to the associates back in Michigan and across the United States! The next dance that John had taught the children was the "Chicken Dance" where the children hooked their hands under their armpits and flapped their arms like chickens! The Americans and Czech adults cheered and laughed at the way the children danced the special song perfectly! When Cil put in a new CD of music, John asked Christina to dance again. The beautiful sounds of an orchestra filled the room, and John and Christina danced the waltz. Some of the children joined the dancing, but most of them stood in awe at how John and Christina were floating around the dance floor. "Your father's an excellent dancer!" Mario said to Johnny Miller. "I've never seen him so happy!" Johnny replied. "I've heard that they do a special dance when they're alone!" Mario just laughed and led his wife out on the floor to dance with her. Even Josef and Rose Pani danced together and celebrated the best Christmas day of their lives! After several dances, Jiri Rybar blew a whistle to organize the children. During the dancing, several residents of Ceska Skalisce came up the long winding driveway to view the beautiful lighted trees and the exciting music and light show. Adults who worked at the orphanage took turns outside in the cold to invite the visitors inside for dancing and Christmas spirits. Most of the villagers had never seen the inside of the main building and were awestruck by the beautiful building and the exotic furnishings. Now everyone watched the children get organized for singing Christmas carols. The crystal clear voices of the children filled the building with the Czech songs that were enjoyed by everyone. John was watching the entertainment and was moved to tears by the beautiful singing. Hiring Cil and Jiri was paying great dividends with the quality of the performance. When the last song finished, everyone cheered and applauded. John thought that the performance was over, but he was in for a big shock! Jiri nodded to Nicklas, and the boy retrieved a small drum and walked in front of the other children. When Jiri motioned to the other children, they started singing acappella (without musical accompaniment) "rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum " Nicklas started singing the beautiful Christmas song and gently used the drum sticks to sound the drum at the proper times, with the other children singing the background music. "Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, When we come. Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum? Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum Me and my drum." John had never heard anything so beautiful! The crystal clear voice of his son was so beautiful that tears flowed down his face! Gone was the raspy voice of the battered boy. The soprano voice brought chills to everyone who was listening, and when Nicklas finished, the building erupted with cheering and applause. John wiped away his tears and ran to lift his son into the air to accept the applause of the crowd. It was a "Kodak Moment" and the video cameras had captured the event perfectly. "Our associates will go crazy when they see the videos!" Helen said to John and Nicklas. "This is the best Christmas of my entire life!" The children and guests circulated around the main building and enjoyed visiting. John saw many of the children showing off their gifts to the visitors. The huge smiles on the faces of the children made the holiday complete for everyone. John noticed that several boys were sneaking glasses of wine or beer, and he just laughed when Kvetka chased after the boys. Boys will be boys! At midnight, the villagers left and the children were sent to their dormitories for the night. John let Nicklas stay with him and went to his room to retrieve the gifts for his American friends and the adult staff members of the orphanage. "I have a special gift for you," John said to his son. "I hope that you like what I picked out for you." Nicklas had opened many gifts and didn't expect another gift. He had already opened more gifts than he had received in his entire life, but he wondered what John had for him. He unwrapped the small package and found a jewelry box. Inside the box were two gold chains, each with a pendant. He immediately saw that the each pendant was part of a heart. The jagged pieces fit together perfectly and formed a perfect heart of platinum. One piece had "John" engraved in the precious metal, and the other was engraved, "Nicklas". "The chain is 18 carat gold and the charms are solid platinum," John explained. He put the smaller necklace on his son and let Nicky put the longer chain around his neck. "I wanted to give you something to show how much you mean to me. I'm only whole when I'm with you!" Nicky couldn't believe the beauty of the gold chain and the meaning behind the pendants. He hugged John and shed tears of joy. When he finally composed himself, he retrieved a package and presented it to John. "I didn't have any money to buy you an expensive gift, so I carved something for you," Nicky apologized. "It's nothing compared to what you gave me." John opened the wrappings and found a shoebox. Inside the shoebox was a carved boat with a man and boy fishing. The detail was flawless, and he shed tears of joy when he realized that his son had carved images of them when they fished together on the lake. It was hard for him to believe that Nicky had carved the gift without any help, but he listened to his son describe the tools that he had used. "I'll keep this with me forever!" John said while hugging the small boy. "I love this more than any gift that I've ever received!" When the two lovers had composed themselves, they carried the gifts down to the living room where the adults were waiting. John showed everyone the beautiful carving and listened to the compliments from his adult friends. Nicklas showed everyone his chain and pendant, and demonstrated how the pieces fit together. John let Nicklas distribute the gifts and watched while his friends unwrapped their gifts. Most of the men received expensive Rolex watches, while the women received beautiful gold chains that had been made in Italy. Johnny opened a jewelry box that contained a heavy gold chain with a bezel and one ounce Krugerrand. Mike Mahon received a similar chain with a different gold coin in the bezel. Kirsty, Christina and Helen all received gold tennis bracelets that were studded with flawless diamonds. They were all shocked with the beauty of their new jewelry, and thanked John profusely. Everyone mingled in the living room to have another drink and compare his or her special gifts from John Miller. They all knew that the holiday season had been the best in their lives, mainly because of the excitement of the orphan children, and they thanked John for organizing the special event. Most of the American guests were leaving within the next few days, but John was going to stay until after New Year's Day. Stay tuned!!! Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com