Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 17:41:20 -0800 (PST) From: John Michaels Subject: Anna and ASher - Chapter 4 ANNA AND ASHER BY JM email: mmanlookin@yahoo.com Disclaimers and other info: see chapter one Nifty needs your help to keep this free service alive. Please send any amount you're comfortable with to http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html. Thanks!! CHAPTER FOUR Asher had added a pair of aviator to his ensemble, and looked smokin' hot! It was all I could do to keep from ravishing him right then and there. As we walked toward the entrance, I asked him about parking for the residents. He pointed to a building the abutted the property for the apartments that appeared to have an awning-covered walk-way connecting the two. I hadn't noticed the walk-way yesterday when I arrived, my mind simply on getting out of the heat and getting settled in. "It must be a bitch, if you've got a lot of groceries or other things to carry," I observed. "Nah!" he said. "They've got hand carts you can load your stuff on. In some ways, it's even easier, since you can get everything in one trip. Then there's the elevator. The only bitch part is having to return the cart, but it's no big deal, since you've probably saved having to make several trips lugging stuff. And I usually jump on it and coast - kinda like an over-sized skate board, if there's nobody in the way." "I guess I can used to that," I said. "My apartment in Boston had a similar set up, although it was a high-rise with the parking garage underneath." At that point we had arrived at the guard house where Asher introduced me to the security guard, whose name was Jerry. He wasn't the same one as yesterday, but maybe the guy I met worked the afternoon shift. Jerry confirmed this when he told me that there were three shifts: 6AM-2PM (his), 2PM-10PM (Tom, the one I'd met yesterday) and 10PM-6AM (Roger). He said that on weekends there were two 12-hour shifts (6-6) that were covered by part-timers, not always the same pair. He said these were mostly university students wanting to earn some extra money and who were in the criminal justice program there. Just about then our cab arrived, and before hopping in, I asked Jerry if there was any paperwork I needed to fill out for parking my car in the garage. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a form, handing it to me and telling me to just drop it off there later with whoever was on duty and they'd get the info inputted into the system. Taking the form and thanking him, Asher and I hopped in to the cab. Pulling out my smartphone, I brought up the address information for the BMW dealer for the cabbie, and off we went. Asher and his family had been living in town since shortly after Anna was born - almost 10 years, and he knew the place well. He didn't really seem all that excited though and still had a look of disappointed frustration on his face. He had been hoping to be able to tell where we were going, but the road address I gave the driver was the location of quite a few different car dealers, so he really had no more clue now than before. I tried to keep him distracted by getting him to be tour guide and point things out, and it helped a little. He seemed to come out of his funk, and when we finally pulled into the dealership and he saw the large BMW sign, his eyes got huge. "No shit!" he quietly exclaimed. Then turning to me, he said, excitedly, "You're getting a BMW? What kind?" "You'll find out soon enough," I said, patting his thigh. By then the cab had stopped, and, after paying the fare plus tip, we exited the cab and hurried into the showroom to get out of the heat. As with most of these places, when any reasonably presentable adult walks in the door, you're almost immediately inundated with eager salespersons, and this was no exception. Before Asher could even remove his sun glasses, there were four eager beavers bearing down on us from the bank of sales cubicles, plastic smiles firmly in place. Too bad I was going to disappoint them. The sale had already been made. I had already paid for the car in full, including all state and local taxes, it was already insured, since this was an order for a specific vehicle, and, if they did their jobs right here, it should even have the registration plates on it and ready to drive off the lot after proper identification was established. I had the file with me containing all the documentation. Now let's see if they try to play games with me. "Welcome to Saunders BMW," said the first to oil his way up to us. "How may we assist you today?" "I'm here to pick up the car I ordered," I said. "It's a bit complicated, so if you could direct me to your manager, I would be most grateful." The guy was struggling to keep his false smile in place, clearly not liking the fact that I was going to rob him of a potentially lucrative commission. The others had sort of stepped back a bit, scowling at their colleague, who had beaten them to the punch, but hearing what I'd said, were waiting to see what transpired. "I'm sure that I'll be able to assist you with whatever it is," he responded. "Mr. Alger, our manager is a very busy man at the moment, and I'm afraid you'd have to wait a while to see him. I'm sure I'll be able to assist you to your satisfaction." "That may be," I replied, trying to keep my growing irritation under control. "Mr. Alger is the one who handled this deal on your end here, and he has all the information. As a matter of fact, he's actually expecting me today, although we weren't able to set a specific time. So, if you would please direct me to his office, I would very much appreciate it." "If you'd give me your name, sir, I'll call him to see if he's available now," he said, clearly not happy with the way things were turning out. "Thank you," I said, with creating my own plastic smile. "Would you please tell him that Jack Matheson is here to pick up his car." "Certainly, Mr. Matheson," he replied. "Excuse me for a moment." He went over to a phone on a desk near the front door and could be seen talking to someone. He seemed to be quite agitated and his face was getting red. "I think someone is getting his ass chewed out," Asher whispered, leaning into me, accompanied by a giggle. "What an asshole!" "He was beginning to piss me off, too," I said, quietly. "But you have to also remember that in most of these places, the only money they make is their commissions. That's why I didn't jump all over him. Frankly, if I hadn't already bought the car, I would have at least let him try to sell me one." "So what type of BMW are you getting?" he asked. "Patience, Love," I replied. "You'll see it soon enough, I hope." "You gonna let me drive it? I've got my learner's permit and have had the driver's ed. class at school already." "Yep," I said, with a wink and grin. "No shit!!" he exclaimed out loud, drawing quite a bit of attention. "Oops! Sorry. But you really mean it?" "I really mean it," I said, just as the salesman returned. "Mr. Alger will be right with you," he said, clearly not a happy camper. "Thank you," I said, stiffly. "Would you point me in the direction of his office?" "It's the office on the left at the back of the showroom," He replied. "You can't miss it. It's the only one in that area." "Thanks again," I said, and, placing my hand on Asher's shoulder, headed off in that direction. We obviously had to pass several display models, and Asher had to stop at almost every one to check it out. We finally made it to the office just as the door opened, and a rather grandfatherly figure emerged. "You must be Mr. Matheson," he said, with his hand outstretched in greeting. "And who might this young man with you be?" Once a salesman, always a salesman, I guess. He was well aware of the amount of money I paid for the car and was making sure to keep the door open for a potential future customer, even if he was a 15-year old boy, although he could pass for 17. "This is Asher McKay. He's the son of my neighbor," I answered, as the two shook hands. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Alger" said Ash, in a very mature manner. Good parenting, great kids! "Maybe you'll think of us when the time comes for your own car," Alger said, with what must be a patented, business-wide fake smile. Boy, did I have him pegged right! "Let's step into my office and finalize the paperwork, so you can take your new car home." And with that, he ushered into his office, closed the door and directed us to sit in the chairs in front of his desk. Then, we got down to business. The dealer in Boston that I had worked with on buying the car had been very helpful, knowledgeable and competent. Since I also had all of my copies of all the forms and paperwork with me, we managed to get through everything in a half hour. We were all smiling in relief when the last document was signed, and Mr. Alger used his phone, calling the service department and asking that my new car be brought around to the front entrance. Asher still had no idea of the model I'd bought, only that it was a BMW - his dream car. We stood, shook hands, and Mr. Alger handed me the packet containing all the paperwork and a set of keys with the requisite remote/security fob attached. He said that the other set was in the car. With that, we set off to the front of the showroom, just as a sleek, silver, 4-door sedan pulled up. Their service guy was just getting out as we exited the building, Asher's eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. "Whoa!" he exhaled. "I've heard about these and read some stuff on-line, but this is the first real one I've ever seen!" What he was referring to was a 4-door BMW ActiveHybrid 3 with a finish called "Glacier Silver Metallic", and I have to admit that I was extremely happy with the color. When we got to the open door, Ash immediately stuck his head inside to check out the interior. He silently examined everything, then turned back to me, slightly shaking his head. "This is freakin' awesome," he exclaimed. I had to agree whole-heartedly with him, although his comments were about the car. Mine were about him, as I once again took in the sheer beauty and masculinity before me. I had to shake my head to get back to the business of the car before my twitching cock decided to inflate. Anyway, the interior was definitely plush, with light gray leather seats, walnut paneling and accents...you name it, this car had it. I had upgraded to every available luxury accessory there was, and it was definitely reflected in the price. All told, I had paid almost 70 grand for the car, but looking at it, the sheer joy on Asher's handsome face and my own boyish delight at being the owner of such a fine vehicle, the cost was well worth it. With a final round of handshakes, Asher and I slid into my new car, and as we were driving off, I noticed the disappointed salesman with a sour look on his face watching from the showroom window as we drove off. Asher had gotten the car's manual out of the glove box and was thumbing through, exclaiming over the car's features. He came to the section about the 8-point power seats and decided he had to try out all positions to the fullest extent. When he discovered that the seat could fully recline, he leered at me. "These seats are as comfortable as my bed," he said, licking his lips suggestively. "We can have sex in the car. And with the privacy glass, no one can see in." "We're not having sex in the car, you little horn dog," I laughed. "I don't want cum stains all over the leather seats." "Keep a blanket in the back, then," he quickly retorted, with a satisfied grin, figuring he had the perfect solution, all the while rubbing his hardening cock. My cock was also tenting my pants most uncomfortably. "Knock it off, you sex pot!" I said, winking. "You keep this shit up, I'm gonna wreck my new car. Besides, you're supposed to be navigating so we can get these errands run then go home and drain your balls." "Oh, God, Jack," he moaned. "I was just kidding around, but the thought of you and me at home alone is getting me so damn horny!" "I'm sorry, Love. I was kidding around, too. Sorta. Let's get our minds back on what we're supposed to be doing," I said, patting his knee in as non-sexual way as I could muster. "Our first stop needs to be someplace where I can get some patio furniture for the space outside my door." He surprised me by taking my hand and rubbing it against his cheek then kissing it. "Have I told you yet just how much I love you?" he asked, with very wet eyes. "And I love you, too, Ash," I replied softly, stroking his cheek. Our little Hallmark moment was rudely interrupted by the blaring of the horn from the car behind us. We had stopped at a red light which was now green, and Asher gave my hand a final kiss, then directed me to a lawn and garden center that would have the type of outdoor furniture I was looking for. We selected 2 wing-back wicker chairs with cushions that also had retracting foot stools, a side good-sized matching side table with ample space for drinks, snacks and maybe a potted plant or two and a 2-seat covered glider. The space in front of my apartment would have ample space for these. From there, he directed me to my next stop, the liquor store, where we decided he would stay in the car experimenting with the gadgets. We figured it would be the easiest thing to do so that we didn't raise any suspicions or concerns about an obviously under-age minor shopping with someone who was going to be spending a goodly amount on booze. Three quarters of an hour and almost $1000 later, I emerged with a very full shopping cart. I had an array of my favorite hard liquors, cordials and wine, which I proceeded to load into the trunk. Getting into the car after returning the cart, I noticed Asher shaking his head. "Shit, man!" he said. "Do you drink a lot? Are you some kind of closet alcoholic or somethin'?"" "Not really," I replied, chuckling. "I like an occasional drink, but mostly, it's for when I'm entertaining business clients or have company over. The cordials are the same. I have one or two favorites, but the rest are for company. I do, however, like to have a glass or two of wine, and they were having a sale on my favorite Australian varieties, so I figured I'd stock up. I guess we'd better make a stop at a furniture or kitchen accessories store so I can get a wine rack." "You don't need that," he said. "That cupboard that looks like a small broom closet at the end of the kitchen counter should be a wine closet, if your place is set up like ours and others I've seen there. I think I heard Dad say that it can hold up to 50 bottles." "OK," I said. "I'll trust you on that one, so, next stop needs to be some place where I can buy beer." "You really are an "alchy", he laughed. "Nah," I said. "If I'm relaxing inside at the end of the day, I usually like a glass of wine. But if I'm outside where it's still warm, I like a cold beer. So where to?" "You can get beer at the grocery store," he replied. "Got any more stops in mind?" "Nope," I said. "I do want to get plants and stuff for the planter in the dining room, but we can do that some other time. Once we're done grocery shopping, it's going to take a good chunk of the afternoon just putting stuff away and getting organized. But I think for the moment, we'd better look for some place for lunch before grocery shopping. I don't know about you, but it's after 12, and I'm getting hungry." As if on cue, his stomach grumbled. "Yeah, me too," he giggled, embarrassedly. "What do you have in mind for lunch?" "Nothing fancy," I said. "And I have to warn you that I'm not a big fan of the usual fast food places. About the only time I'll eat there is if I don't have very much time to eat. What I'd really like is someplace where I can have a nice sit=down meal with my boyfriend." He blushed and grinned widely. "Yeah," he said, quietly. "I'd like that too. Any kind of place in particular?". "I like foods from all over the world," I replied. "Thai, Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Italian. You name it. But since we had your mom's killer lasagna last night, something other than Italian. And since we live in this part of the country, there has to be some decent Mexican restaurants around." "Actually, there's a dynamite Mexican place just across the road from the grocery store," he said, perking up. "Excellent!" I exclaimed, just as both of our stomachs complained of emptiness. "Point the way!" He is an excellent navigator, and less than 10 minutes later, we were pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. The lot was fairly full, but Asher said that he's been here quite a few time with family and friends, and that even though it may look busy, he assured me there would be little or no wait for a table. He was right. We were seated almost immediately, and, after placing our drink orders for iced tea, studied the menu. He'd been there often enough that he was able to critique pretty much the entire menu. Everything appealed to me, and I was having trouble making up my mind. What we finally decided on was a combo platter for two, which, Asher assured me, would be more than enough. The timing of our decision was perfect, as the waitress returned with our drinks. After she left with our order, we sat back and just gazed at one another. I finally smiled and just shook my head. "What?" he asked, with a small, nervous smile. "If anyone had told me 48 hours ago that I would fall deeply in love with a gorgeous 15-year old boy, I'd have bitch-slapped them and told them they were out of their freaking mind," I said, softly. "But here I am, sitting across from a gorgeous 15-year old boy - young man - who I'm deeply in love with. And, that I have his parents' blessing to pursue a relationship with him. I feel that this should all be a fantastic dream, but if it is, I hope I never wake up. I love you, Asher." His eyes were filling up with tears, and his bottom lip was quivering as he put his hand on the table and slid it toward me. I reached out and placed my hand on top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling back. We definitely don't need to send out any PDA red flags in public, and he seemed to understand, as he slid his arm back and wrapped his hand around his drink glass. "I know what you mean," he said, once he got his emotions under control. "I try to come across as cool and confident, but inside I'm scared shitless with everything that's happened so fast. Ever since I realized I was gay, I've always been more attracted to older, athletic guys, and they're the ones that have always fueled my fantasies. You saw that poster across from my bed. Did you notice that he looked about your age? (I nodded.) "There are some pretty hot and buff guys at school, especially some of the athletes that you'd think would be a constant turn-on for me, but the only way they are is when I imagine what they'll look like in 10 years or so. I have no problems showering with them after P.E or practices unless my imagination starts working to make them older. When I first saw you, I almost creamed in my shorts. To me, you look way hotter than my hottest fantasy. You're my ultimate dream man! You're so handsome and have a body to die for. And that you'd even be interested in a kid like me is unreal! It scares the hell out of me, Jack. I'm pretty convinced that even as I get older that it will always be older guys I'm attracted to, and it's you that I want to be with. But what happens when I get older? Will you still feel the same way about me, too? Between that and these incredible feelings I have for you are what scare me. I feel that I'm just a huge puddle of emotions inside, and I don't know how to sort them out. That's what scares me the most. I don't want to screw things up. I love you, Jack!" The tears were freely flowing now, and I wanted nothing more than to take him into my arms and kiss and comfort him. But, given our present locale, I simply handed him a napkin to wipe his face. "Ash," I said softly, "I wish we were home having this conversation and not out in public. I want nothing more right now than to hold you and comfort you. A lot of the emotional side of what you're feeling is caused by those damn adolescent hormone. But they are also very adult emotions, too. I'm scared, too, Ash, by how deeply and quickly I've fallen in love with you, and that I'm going to screw things up. I've been in relationships in the past but none of them have ever affected me as deeply as now. I don't want what we've started to ever stop, but to get bigger and stronger. And that's what has me the most excited and nervous. You are the very first guy I've ever truly and totally fallen in love with. I always hoped that I would find my Mr. Right among the guys I went out with, but it was a 15-year old boy that claimed that distinction. I fell in love with you the moment I first set eyes on you, Ash, and it really surprised me. And the thing that really excites me is the fact that I'll be by your side as you grow into an adult, and become the terrific adult I know is inside you. But that's just it. I want you to grow, not jump, into adulthood just because you're already in an adult-type relationship. What we do behind closed doors is very much part of the adult world, but outside, I want you to enjoy being a kid, maturing as nature intended. I'm really looking forward to watching you, and as you grow, so will my feelings for you, and THAT'S what scares me. I'm so very much in love with you right now, that anything bigger than what I'm feeling now boggles my mind! I never knew that love could be this deep, this strong, this wonderful, and the fact that it's only going to get better blows my mind! And I confess, I have the same worry as you. Will you still feel the same way about me 10 or 20 years from now when age starts to take its toll? I always knew that when I did find the right guy, that it would be for the rest of my life - that there would never be anyone else. But will you be there with me to the end? That's my biggest fear." "Jack," he replied, still wiping his eyes, "I've grown up around people who have been committed to and have loved one another all their lives: my folks, my grandparents and others. Yeah, I know a lot of kids at school come from broken homes, but I've been lucky to be surrounded by the very best examples of love of the "'til death do us part" kind. And, like you, I knew that when I found that one special person, that it would be forever, and I've found him. You! And it surprised me just as much as it did you. It's just trying to deal all these new feelings and emotions that's made me kind of a mental case, and I know I'm gonna need help sorting through them. Now I can understand why Mom wanted us to take things slowly. Help me, please, Jack. Help me to love you as I want to and need to and to give you the full love you deserve! There's no doubt in my mind that I've been so damn lucky to find you as young as I am, and it really excites me, 'cuz that means that I have more of my life to love you. But it scares me, too." "This is a pretty damn heavy conversation to be having over lunch in a restaurant," I said. "Ash, do you trust me?" "With my heart and my life," he said without hesitation. "OK," I replied. "I want to sit down with BOTH of your parents when your dad gets back, and recount everything we've just said here. There are three positive things that will come out of that. One: It will show them that we are taking time to work out the truly important issues in a relationship like ours, not only as being gay, but the inter-generational side of it, too. Two: It will reassure them that we really are in love and willing to do the work needed to make our relationship work. And three: It will show them that we trust and respect them enough to be able to talk about it. Right now, your mom is our biggest supporter, and, from what she told me, your dad could very well be, also. And we're going to need all the support we can get. And then, there's Anna. We'll need to talk to your folks to see just how much information we give her. It's going to be very clear to her that we have something going on between us, if she doesn't suspect already." "Umm...she already pretty much knows," he said, squirming uncomfortably. "It's something I was gonna tell you, but it would be better if we waitied 'til we got home." "OK, " I said, wondering why he seemed as nervous as he did. Just then, the waitress brought our meal, effectively shutting down conversation. The platter with array of Mexican delicacies looked large enough to feed a good-sized family. There were a variety of savory fillings, as well as dishes of salsa, guacamole, sour cream, chopped onions, lettuce and tomatoes. There was also a separate covered dish containing a large stack of warm, soft tortilla shells completing the food items for a make-your-own feast. When the waitress had finally unloaded everything from her tray onto the table, there was just enough room left for our plates. After asking if there was anything else we needed and getting a negative reply, she left, and we began putting together our tacos. I guess we had both silently agreed to keep conversation lighter for now, so we talked about personal things that helped to us to better know one another. It was a comfortable time, talking about his school, sports, his friends, some of the tales of their antics interrupting our meal with laughter. I told him some of about my growing up in northern New England, my job and some of the wackier clients I'd dealt with over the years, causing more interruptions for laughing. We had a great time and learned a lot more about one another, but under the surface, I knew we were both still feeling the emotions of the earlier conversation. We both finally had to call a halt to eating, having stuffed ourselves silly. He had been correct when he said this place had great food. There was precious little left on the platter when I finally caught the waitress' attention. Declining the offer of dessert with a mutual groan, I paid the check, which was very reasonable, I thought, for the amount of food, got into the car and drove across for to the grocery store. Grocery shopping with Asher was a trip! His mischievous teen side emerged, and I was constantly having to keep an eye on what he was throwing into the cart. I had given him my phone, that had my shopping list on it, and since he knew the layout of the store, I let him lead the way. I was frequently putting odd items definitely not on my list back on the shelves that he had tossed in. I finally had to call a halt to his antics as I replaced 2 boxes of Kotex. He was laughing hysterically as this was witnessed by a rather overly-large woman behind us, and I simply shrugged and smiled at her as she harrumphed her way past us. But he did calm down and behave himself, although there were intermittent giggles as we'd pass items that would caused some embarrassment at check-out. Since I was stocking my pantry, refrigerator and freezer from the ground up, we eventually had to get a second cart . The only other problematic moment was when he reached into the cooler to grab a case of beer. I quickly reminded him of the age requirement, and it was a good thing, too, as I had just reached into the cooler myself when one of the managers walked past. We would have been busted for sure! We finally reached the end of the list and pushed our two full carts to the check-out. Asher gasped when the final total came to a little over $600, but I knew this would be an expensive trip, since I needed everything from the ground up, including all the cleaning supplies. As we exited the store, I began to get a little nervous, wondering if we'd be able to fit everything into the car. After a lot of reshuffling and double stacking, we managed, although Asher ended up with 2 bags on the floor between his feet and one on his lap. The trip home was fairly quiet, and I could tell he was probably thinking of what it was he wanted to tell me once we got there. When we arrived, I pulled into my designated space, and Asher went to get a cart to carry our purchases on. He returned, pushing a trolley with handles on both ends, similar to what you see in places like Home Depot but a little shorter. I made sure all the liquor and beer were included on it, and we soon had it loaded with still more in the car. He went and got another one, and we soon had the car unloaded and headed to the elevator. The trolley wouldn't fit in the elevator, so I unloaded the hootch and as many bags as would fit, leaving room for myself, dreading the many trips it would take from the elevator the apartment. Asher told me that there was a trolley on each floor, and I gave a huge sigh of relief. I told him I'd send the elevator back down, and he could load it for the next trip while I got the first batch into the apartment. With the amount of purchases, it was going to take at least three, if not four, trips, since the elevator had a weight limit and could only hold so much. When I got to our floor, I noticed the trolley he had mentioned against the wall to the left. I got everything loaded and sent the elevator back down for the next load, and headed for my apartment. I got everything unloaded, putting the liquor on the dining table to be stored in the hutch, and took everything else into the kitchen, putting it onto the counters. I went back out, took the trolley and loaded it with the next batch Asher had sent up. I was just going past the McKay's apartment when Anna poked her head out to see what the commotion was all about. "Hi, Jack," she beamed, stepping out, wearing that bathing suit she had on yesterday, causing a reprise of the same reaction from down below. "Looks like you did a lot of shopping. Need any help?" "Anna! Come, go out, but shut the door," said her clearly frustrated mother, as she came to the door. "Oh, hi, Jack. Looks like you boys bought out the store." "Boys?" asked Anna, looking from her mother to me. "Was Ash with you?" "Yep. He was my navigator this morning," I said, with, what I hoped, was a warm smile. "How come I couldn't go with you," she pouted, clearly upset that I took her brother instead of her. "Anna Louise McKay!" said Alicia, sternly. "First of all, young lady, you had your gymnastics class this morning. And secondly, I told you that Asher and Jack needed time alone to talk about things. Now, apologize for your rudeness!" Any child knows that when a parent uses their full name, they're in deep shit, and Anna quickly realized that was the case now. "I'm sorry, Jack," she said, very embarrassed to be caught out and dressed down in front of me. "That was my "mouth before mind" thing again. But it seems you like Ash more than me, 'cuz your always spending more time with him." Alicia flashed me an "oh, shit!" look. "It's OK, Honey," she said, pulling Anna into a hug. "I know Jack likes you, too. It's just that Ash and he are guys, and sometimes they want to spend time together doing "guy" things. There are things I need to talk to you about, now that you're growing up, but I want to wait until your dad gets home so he can be there, too. Will you just be patient and go along with things until then? I'm sure you'll be able to spend time with Jack, too." I could see Anna blush, as she darted her eyes to me and back to her mother. In that quick exchange, something told me that she was a lot more savvy than her mother realized. "OK, Mom," she finally said. "Well," I said, "you can spend some time with me now. You can help me try to figure out where to put all this stuff we bought." This seemed to perk her up a bit. "OK," she replied. "Where's Ash?" "He's still loading the elevator," I said. "There's a lot of stuff." As if on cue, the elevator rattled to a stop with the next load. "Oops! I'm slacking here. Help me unload this, then, if you want, you can start putting things away while I get the next load. Try to get all the frozen stuff put away first. I think I managed to get most of it on the first trip." "Why don't I give you a hand," said Alicia, clearly relieved that the moment seemed to have passed. "I can reach the cupboards Anna can't." "I really appreciate the offer," I said. "That will help things go faster." I pushed the trolley to my door, and we quickly got it unloaded. The females got busy, putting things away while I went back for the next load. It took two more trips before Asher finally arrived on the elevator, just as I was returning the trolley to it's staging are. "Your mom and Anna are helping put things away," I told him, giving him a quick hug. "I'm glad we're getting some help," he sighed, but I really wanted to talk to you." "We can talk once we're finished putting stuff away," I said. "Your mom will definitely understand, and she'll deal with Anna." It took more than an hour to find the proper home for everything, but we eventually had everything put away. We all gratefully collapsed ion the living room with beverages of choice, and Asher was glancing longingly at my beer while he drank his iced tea, as we sat around the dining table, recounting our shopping trip and Anna filling us in on her gymnastics class. We'd been chatting for about half an hour, when there was a knock at the door. It was the delivery guys with my new patio furniture, and as they were getting it set up on the walk-way, Rachel showed up, looking for Anna, who was supposed to have met her at the pool an hour ago. Anna reluctantly said good-bye, then, giving me a quick hug, scooted off with her little friend, as the clatter of their sandals and their giggling chatter diminished. Alicia gathered up the drink glasses and took them into the kitchen with Asher on her heels. I could hear them talking quietly for a minute, before they came back, arms around each other. "Well," she said, "I'll leave you two to talk. I think I might even join the girls at the pool." "Thanks so much for all your help," I said, giving her a hug. "I'd probably still be at it. By the way, why don't you let me show my appreciation with dinner tonight. It won't be the gourmet meal you provided last night, but I think I can manage something edible." "That would be wonderful," she replied. "I hadn't planned anything for dinner yet, and a chance to the fruits of someone else's labors would be a nice change of pace. We can celebrate with the first meal in your new home." "Great!" I exclaimed. "Why don't we set the same times as yesterday: drinks at 6 and dinner at 7-ish." "Sounds perfect," she said, hugging both her son and me. "Anna and I will see you then." It wasn't lost on either of us that she implied Asher would be remaining with me, and, as she got to the door, she paused, turned back, and lovingly cupped her son's face in her hands. She looked at him wistfully, then kissed his forehead. "I love you so much, my precious son." Then they were in a tight embrace as tears slowly ran down Asher's cheeks. "I love you too, Mom," he said. Stepping back, she gently brushed the tears from his cheeks before turning and hugging me. "Take good care of my baby," she whispered in my ear. "Always," I whispered back. Kissing my cheek, she turned and went out the door, which I shut behind her. Asher was immediately in my arms, hugging me fiercely. "I have got to be the luckiest kid in the world to have the people that mean the most to me love me like they do," he said, "especially you." Then he kissed me - not an open-mouth, tongue-ravishing kiss, but closed-mouth, which still managed to convey the depth of his love, which I returned in equal measure. Breaking the kiss, he rested his head on my shoulder and sighed heavily. "We gotta talk, Jack."