Date: Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:10:42 -0700 From: Tim P Subject: Jordan's Tale Chapter 13 All rights reserved. Other than downloading one copy for personal enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, except for reviews, without the written permission of the author. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to the author, Tim Price at privatetimm@gmail.com All the usual disclaimers apply. This is a work of pure fiction and a fetid imagination. If it is illegal to read this where you live, don't read it. If you are under legal age where you live, don't read it. This story contains descriptions of consensual sexual contact between males, adult and minor. It is written for the entertainment of mature adults. Passing through Nifty's main page to get here is your way of saying it is legal for you to be reading it. I am back from a great weekend in Los Angeles, spending time with Matt was just great, he is a really mature kid and if I wasn't dating Marco he is definitely someone I'd have my eye on. As it is he is applying to Stanford, Berkeley and USF among a scattering of Ivy League schools with UCLA as his desperation, fall back school so if he winds up here I may be able to set him up. He seems to enjoy the company of slightly older men. Having spent the weekend with him, I saw what got his attention on the pool deck and in restaurants. Here are all these hot guys his age changing on the pool deck and Matt is eyeing the dads and blushes when I catch him at it. He just gives me that, 'it is what it is' shrug. Saturday night in Irvine Matt and I signed on to Stickam and caught Jordan and Frank (together at Jordan's house and shirtless), with Ryan and Jon and all online chatting with each other. Jon is stressing about his father who is pretty involved with the church and it's not so friendly attitude on homosexuality. Jon still isn't sure if he is gay, bi or even straight, but he knows how he feels about Dylan and as the feelings grow stronger so does Jon's stress. Jon's dad is also the chairman of the parent's club for water polo and aquatics and has been pressing to talk to me about a contribution, a sizeable one. Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. Jon's dad, Bill, calls me at the office Monday and wants to meet me for lunch this week to talk about supporting St. Ignatius, I put him off, telling him my schedule is packed all week. Bill persists and walks into my trap and asks about Saturday. I tell him Saturday isn't bad, but I have a stop to make in the morning and I invite him along with me and tell him we can have lunch after and he readily accepts. I hope this works out. Saturday comes and I pick Bill up and head to the corner of Larkin & Sutter. Bill asks where we are going and I just smile and say it is charitable work. We arrive at the Larkin Street Youth Services, the home of gay youth who have been discarded by their families and the system. Bill looks a little surprised, but doesn't say much. "I volunteer and mentor here and do what I can to help these kids," I explain. "Let's meet a few of them." We stop and say hi to Effren Garcia first. Effren is a nice looking Hispanic kid, 17 years old now, pierced ears and an eye brow bar, but not outrageous looking, still fairly conservative and hip. "Hey Effren, how's it goin', this is my friend Bill, I'm kinda showing him the ropes, can you give him the 411 on you?" "Sure Tim, hey Bill," Effren smiles shyly, Bill nods with interest. "I grew up in Selma, I had a happy family, 5 brothers, 3 sisters, a good family. One day between junior high school and high school my father came home early and found me naked with my best friend, Manny, naked and doing things he thought boys shouldn't be doing. He threw Manny out of the house bare assed naked with his clothes right behind him, got a strap and started to beat me. My mother came home and tried to stop him, but he wouldn't until he got tired and stopped, then he left. My mother stopped the bleeding as best she could and sent me to bed. When he came at 11 that night, he stormed into my room pulled me out of bed screaming maricón at me, told me no faggots would live in his house and he threw me out. I was 14 years old, it was 11PM in Selma CA. I had nothing. I slept in the fields that night and the next morning my mother snuck me a back pack with some clothes and gave me $20, that was a lot of money to her and kissed me goodbye and told me she loved me." "I didn't really know if I was a faggot, or whatever, but I knew faggots lived in San Francisco so I went out to Highway 99 to hitch a ride into the city. I found out nothing comes for free. The first trucker that picked me up tried to have sex with me at a rest stop, so I ran away. The next one was pretty cool, he took me as far as Concord and the last guy at least asked if I wanted to have sex with him and was cool when I said no and just brought me all the way in." "What did you do to survive Effren when you got here?" "I did the usual things 14 year olds on the street do to survive, I'm not proud of any of it, I stole, I turned tricks, pan-handled, went home with guys in their thirties, forties or whatever. I luckily got arrested before I got into much trouble and they put me in foster care." I smile a sad smile, "what was the arrest for and how was foster care?" "The arrest was for solicitation, which was too bad, the cop was the cutest guy I'd seen all day," Effren looked down and blushed, "and foster care was the same story you hear about half the time, my foster parents just wanted the money. I was one of five kids they had and they didn't do anything for any of us, they barely fed us so I ran from there and went back to the streets." "Back to hooking and stealing?" I prompt him. "And panhandling, anything I could to make money and survive." "But you never got sick did you?" "You mean HIV?" he makes the sign of the cross, "no the Virgin protected me." "You are Catholic then?" Bill asks. "You still respect the church?" "Yeah, I don't blame the whole church, it was actually Fr. Joseph who got me off the streets and brought me here and squared things with CPS for me." "How long have you been here now Effren? And what does the future hold?" "I've been here about a year, I'm doing independent study and I'll graduate this June and then I am going to go to junior college and try to become a nurse." Bill and I stand to move on, Effren shakes Bill's hand gives me a hug. "You be sure and apply for those scholarships I told you about. I'll write you a letter of recommendation." "Thanks Tim, you've been great already." Next Bill and I meet Mike Thomas, Mike is a bit more out there in the looks department. He is also 17, slender, but he has multiple piercings, some visible tattoos and has that street kid look about him. He is someone you might cross the street to avoid by his looks. Mike's story unfolds in a similar vein. Mike was raised in a Mormon family and came out when he was 14 to his parents; they sent him to counseling with a therapist who believed Mike could change if he just prayed hard enough. Mike believed it too. For a bit at least, until he fell in love with a guy from school. That was when all hell broke loose. His parents caught him kissing his boyfriend. The next day Mike was packed off to Utah to the dreaded Evergreen to be 'fixed'. Mike described the isolation, the torment he underwent, the teaching of things he just knew to be wrong. He stayed at Evergreen one month until he figured out to go along and 'make progress' so he could at least be sent home. Even after he got home he was treated like an outcast at his church and his parents forbid him a social life. He could go to school and church and no more, he couldn't have friends over and couldn't go to anyone's house. "Can you show Bill your wrists Mike," I ask quietly. Mike turned his arms over and there were the ugly scars from when Mike couldn't take his life anymore. "Thank God, someone found me," Mike continued, "I know now I didn't really want to die, I just wanted my parents to see me. To show me affection again, to call me their son again, but after my suicide attempt things with them got worse not better. That was when I ran away. That was two years ago and they've never bothered to find me or contact me. I think they are just glad the embarrassment is gone from their lives." I thank Mike and give him a hug and then a curious thing happens, as Mike extends his hand to Bill, Bill instead pulls him into a bear hug, Mike grins at me over Bill's shoulder, with a 'whoa, ok' look.. The last kid I am visiting is Devon Sheets and I saved Devon for last on purpose. Devon is a shy, polite 15 year old, 5'8" with a slight build, blonde hair and blue eyes with stunning good looks that he is unaware of. Devon greets me with a hug and I make the introduction to Bill. "How do you do sir?" Devon says as he extends his hand. "Devon can you tell Bill a bit about how you came to be here?" Devon nods and launches into his story, "sure, I was 13 when my father decided I was gay; I wasn't even sure at that age, but the fact that I was small and not all masculine, didn't like football or 'guy' stuff was enough for him. He'd come home from work, or actually the bar after work and decided that there is nothing like a good beating to make a man out of someone. He'd take a double thick yardstick and beat me on my back, butt and upper part of my legs, he was careful to not hit me in the face or any place visible. My mom tried to stop him a couple of times, but he just hit her too. One time he came home really drunk and really in a rage and started his worst beating ever. My mom tried to intervene again, but he beat her really badly too this time. I screamed at him to stop and he slugged me in the face for the first time and I went out. I was kind of awake when the police got there, floating in and out of consciousness, but I really woke up in the hospital. I asked to see my mom, but they said she was in critical condition and couldn't be disturbed. I finally bugged a nurse enough she got a doctor, he looked at me and saw I was pretty determined so he sent for a wheelchair and took me to my mom in the ICU. I couldn't even recognize her. She was this beautiful woman, blonde hair and blue eyes, but now her face was so swollen, it didn't look like her and her blonde hair was shaved off and her head was bandaged. She had wires and tubes every place. I wheeled my chair over and took her hand and told her I loved her. I think I felt her squeeze my hand back. She died two days later, the doctor said the pressure from bleeding in her brain was just too much." Devon has big tears that roll down his cheeks, but he isn't making sounds, he is just telling his story. Bill reached out and places a hand on Devon's back, Devon smiles a little and continues. "So my mother was dead and my father was in jail, CPS placed me in a home and then another and then another. Two summers ago I heard about this place and it actually sounded better than changing schools and families every month so I asked to be placed here." "Where do you go to school?" And how is school going now?" I ask. Devon smiles that shy smile of his again, "you know I go to St. Ignatius Prep Tim, you are paying for it, even though you deny it, I know where the scholarship comes from." Devon looks at Bill and explains, "St. Ignatius is a Jesuit school here." Bill smiles at that, "I've heard of it. How do they treat you there? Do they know you are gay? Are there students who hassle you?" Devon shakes his head, "no, no one hassles me at all and everyone has been pretty cool actually. Everyone knows where I live so they pretty much know I am gay and they just accept it. I know not everyone agrees or understands, but the kids have been cool and my teachers have all let me know if anyone bothers me to tell them, even the head football coach, I have him for health, and he told me if any of his guys gave me a bad time to let him know, he'd take care of it. And to answer your question Tim, I am getting one B right now, but all the rest are A's." "How do you do it Dev," I am choking on my emotions, I often do when I talk to Devon and hear him repeat his story, "how do you keep up your studying with no one to push you, no one to support you?" Now Devon reaches out to comfort me in my emotions, get that, he comforts me, "I just do it, it is what I have to do and it is the only thing that is going to help me. I am smart and school can be my ticket to a normal life one day." "What happened to your father Devon?" Bill asks, "don't you have any other family?" "My father took a deal for life in prison, rather than face the death penalty, he is in Pelican Bay now and no, my mom didn't have any family and if my father did, I never met them." We chat some more and then it is time to go. I give Devon a hug with a reminder to call me if he needs anything. I also arrange to have dinner with him next Friday. As with Mike, Bill doesn't shake his hand, he hugs him, but there is even more emotion in the hug with Devon. I wonder if Bill is going to let him go. When he finally does, Devon is blushing at the emotion Bill showed, but he also seems pleased by it. We get in my car and head to the restaurant, Bill is noticeably quiet. "Where were you planning on doing lunch Tim?" he finally asks. "I was thinking L'Osteria del Forno?" "Can you stop at Sts. Peter and Paul first, I just feel I need a cleansing." He says flatly. Cleansing? That is an interesting word. Does he need cleansing from being around gay kids, cleansing from what? I say sure in any case and head to the church. "I'll just be a moment," Bill tells me. I sit in a pew while Bill goes to where the votive candles are. Bill lights a candle and then kneels and I can see him praying. A minute or so into his prayer, I can see his shoulders moving, I am not close enough to hear, but it has all the appearance of a person sobbing. A few more minutes, his shoulders have stopped moving and he appears to be wiping his face and eyes. He genuflects and then comes over to where I am sitting and nods to me he is ready. Bill doesn't say much until we get into the car. "I get what you were trying to show me today Tim, thanks. I can't believe how blind and foolish I've been. It is one thing to believe church doctrine at the top level, you know, but when it comes to real people.... to children... to your children and their friends it is a whole different story. Devon said you pay for his tuition, how many other kids do you pay for at St. Ignatius?" "Six total, in theory Devon wasn't supposed to know it was me, none of the other five do as far as I know, but when I found out he was smart and had gone to Catholic school before and had an interest in St. Ignatius, but never thought he could afford it. I pushed him to apply for the scholarship, but his self worth was so low he thought he'd never get it. His father's beatings took a bigger toll on him than just physical. I got mad and guaranteed he'd get it, 'just apply damn it' I yelled at him. Well he did get it of course and when he asked me if I was behind it, I couldn't lie to him." "So you give almost $100,000 a year in scholarships to St. Ignatius? I had no idea," Bill smiles weakly, "I guess it is going to be hard to guilt you into a large donation for athletics then." "Not necessarily Bill, it depends on how much you are looking for and if it is for a specific need." Bill and I arrive at L'Osteria del Forno, just a few blocks from Sts. Peter and Paul and have a great lunch and a great talk on a wide range of topics. By the end of lunch I have pledged $100k to the athletic program to be used for the minor sports, meaning not football, baseball or basketball. They have their own boosters and healthy attendance. I drop him at home and he thanks me once again for the day and says as a parting comment, with a twinkle in his eye, 'Tiny Tim will live.' I hope I am reading it the right way. ********************************************************************************************************************** Sunday night on the way back from dinner at the Bisignani's, Marco is driving and my cell phone goes off. The number looks familiar, but it isn't tied to a name, but I answer anyway. "This is Tim." "Oh...... My........ God! What did you say or do to my father yesterday?" I smile, it is Jon, "why, what happened?" "Before we said grace at dinner my father explained his feelings on homosexuality. He said while he understood the church's teachings on it being wrong he hoped none of us ever discriminated against or were mean to anyone gay in our lives. He said the church calls us to love those people as we love all of God's children and if he had ever said anything or done anything to make us think otherwise, he was sorry. I swear Tim he was on the verge of tears, I've never seen my father so emotional." "That's cool, I guess his day got him thinking...." I start, but Jon cuts me off. "But wait, it gets even better, after dinner he pulls me into my room and he was very circumspect in how he was talking, but he told me how much he loved me and respected me and hoped he had never hurt me. Then he asked a bunch of questions on how I felt about gay students and did I have any gay friends, how would I feel about someone in our family being gay and all kinds of stuff. He was going somewhere with it, I just can't figure out where. Now that doesn't mean I am coming out anytime soon because I am not sure if Dylan is a onetime thing or if there will be others, but for now I can relax finally. Whatever you did Tim, thanks a million. I owe you even bigger this time." "I'll collect one day Jon," I laugh. I relay the conversation to Marco who arches an eyebrow, but otherwise has no comment. Thursday Bill calls me and asks if he and Jon can join Devon and me Friday at dinner. I tell him yes and I ask Marco, who was going to join Devon and me to take a rain check. Despite Bill's new found appreciation, I am not willing to expose Marco to the parents at St. Ignatius at large. Marco is in his final semester, since he is graduating mid-year and I don't want any drama in his life. This should be an interesting dinner. I pick up Devon at 6:30, he has a back pack with him and I wonder at it, but don't ask any question about it. We head off to Harris' Restaurant; I decided on Harris' because we can get a quiet booth and let's be honest, I just love a good steak too. Devon is generally a happy kid and that is one of the things I love about him, despite over a year of beatings and the murder of his mother, he is an incredibly positive and upbeat. I often envy him and wish I had his sunny optimism. But he is happy, even for him, he has a grin that is irrepressible. I am tempted to press, but I don't. Jon and Bill arrive and Jon is surprised to see Devon, but greets him with genuine warmth. Bill launches right in, "well Devon should we tell them what we've been talking about all week?" Devon grins even bigger and nods. Bill and Devon have been talking? Jon looks as surprised and confused as me. "Go ahead and tell them Devon," Bill beams. "I... I'm leaving Larkin Street. I'm moving in with the Cruttenden's as my new foster family." What!? Wow! I guess Bill really was affected by our trip last Saturday. Jon looks floored, I can't tell if he is happy or not apparently Devon picks up on it too. "That is okay isn't Jon," Devon asks apprehensively. "Okay?" Jon retorts, "no it isn't ok!" Jon pauses, "It is freaking awesome! I'm not the only boy anymore and you are like the smartest kid in our grade! I'll have a built-in tutor!" Devon blushes at the compliment. Bill speaks up again, "you know this means Devon will have to be in your room until Ashley heads off to college Jon." "It's cool, if he can put up with me, I think I can take him." Devon looks grateful, happy and relieved at Jon's attitude. "Devon is coming home with us tonight and tomorrow we'll get his things from Larkin Street and figure out how to make two beds work in your room." "I have ideas on that Bill, I can show you what we did in my fraternity house to make more room." I talked about how we had built a platform about seven feet off the floor and put our study desks and furniture underneath and so were able to have two queen beds in a room that otherwise would have been all bed and no room to move in or anything. The talk at dinner turns to school, college, St. Ignatius football, water polo, just a wide range of topics that make for a pleasant evening with three very companionable people. Bill has certainly done a great job in raising Jon and I hope things work out with Devon, there is no reason they shouldn't, the chemistry seems perfect. After a great and filling meal Devon retrieves his back pack from my car and I hug him goodbye. "Thanks Tim, I don't think I would have met Bill without you." I kiss his cheek, "make it work, Devon, it is a good family." Jon gives me a hug too and I see a twinkle in his eye that says he wants to talk later. I go to shake Bill's hand and to he pulls me into a bear hug that gets a laugh out of Jon. "Thanks for everything Tim." "No charge Ebenezer," I say and Bill laughs at that as he takes the two boys home. ******************************** Jon told me later about these two conversations that took place that night, one on the way home and then that night with Devon. "Dad, pull over," I told him. So he pulled over, looked at me in the back seat and asked me if I felt sick or something. "No, but I have to tell you this before we get home. I... I... might be gay or bi, I.... I... don't know, but if I am, I don't want you to blame Devon. I don't want you to think he turned me that way or anything." My dad, got a small smile on his face, "if you had told me a week ago Jon, I'd like to think I would have loved you just the same and it wouldn't it have mattered, but now I really know it doesn't matter and I've been reading a lot this week and you are either gay or bi or whatever and you just are, Devon couldn't make you that way. Your mother and I love you and always will. We've always been proud of you and I doubt you'll disappoint us in the future. Do you think you guys will be okay in the same room?" "Hey, I'm a virgin, I've never even kissed a guy," Devon smiled and threw his hands up. My dad looked at him, "really? You took all that abuse and you never had even done anything?" Devon just nodded. I told my dad I was fine too. My dad nodded as well and said he thought we shouldn't tell my mom anything until I was certain what my feelings were and I agreed. We got back to our house and Devon met my mom, Ashley, Nicole and Laura. My mom got some blankets and pillows for Devon to sleep on on my floor and we were all pretty tired so we decided to turn in. My dad came back to my room and gave me a huge hug, 'you know you can always come to me Jon, I'll always love you, no matter what, when you want to talk, I'll be waiting'. Then he gave Devon a hug and told him, 'welcome to the family Devon, the same goes for you, we are here for you.' My dad closed the door and it was just Devon and I. It was kinda awkward at first, but I really like Devon so not too awkward. "Are you really okay with this Jon?" "Yeah Devon, totally okay, I'm serious, it'll be cool to have a brother to break up the female domination here." Devon started to spread the blankets on the floor to get ready for bed. "You don't need to do that Devon, my bed is a queen bed, there is plenty of room for us both." "Really? I mean are you sure, I'm cool on the floor." "I'm not cool with it, we'll be fine sleeping in the same bed and tomorrow we'll build the new one like Tim said, that sounds totally sweet." "Thanks, that's really nice of you." Devon started to strip for bed, I did too and I tried not to watch, but hello I am a horny, curious teen, so I did watch. I guess I gasped pretty loud when Devon took off his shirt. No not at his perfect, gorgeous chest, no not, when he dropped his slacks and he was just in his boxers, no it was when he turned around and I saw the scars on his back. "Oh yeah, I guess you haven't heard the whole story of my life yet, I'll tell you in bed." I crossed over to him and felt the scars, he shivered as I ran my fingers over them. I couldn't believe anyone could do that to someone, especially a kid. "How far down do they go?" "My butt and the top of my legs," Devon told me. I pulled back the waist band of his boxers and looked down. "Whoa," was all I could say. "The scars bad?" Devon asked. "No, your butt is amazing," I giggled Devon giggled too. We turned out the light and crawled into bed and Devon started to tell me his story. Even in the dark I could tell he was crying as the story unfolded, so I pulled him into me and he let me. We spooned until he finished the story telling me about his father in prison and no family. I told him he had a family now and we fell asleep just like we were, me spooning him. ******************************** Everyone thinks I am great for how Bill Cruttenden's attitude on gay people changed and for him taking in Devon Sheets. Jon has brought Devon around our little circle and everyone loves him and me..... except Dylan who wants kill both of us. Jon laughs and thinks Dylan's jealousy is cute and keeps assuring him he only has eyes for him. "I can't believe you got a freakin' hottie like Devon to sleep in my boyfriend's bedroom," Dylan grouses one Saturday at my condo before everyone else arrives, "stay outta dark alleys Price." I laugh and Dylan grins a little, "hey I had no idea Jon's dad was going down that route, but you have nothing to worry about, you are Jon's world, besides, I'm thinking Devon is hankering for a little Chinese food." "What? Chinese food?" Dylan is a natural blonde in case I didn't mention it before. "Tyler Hwang. Jon tells me Tyler has been over three times this week to 'study' and he thinks there is more being studied than AP Chem and English Lit." "Well hallelujah, let's encourage that!" My entry system buzzes, and I buzz up whoever it is. I assume it is Jon and Devon, because that is who is expected. Frank and Jordan had soccer games today so they couldn't make our morning workout. "Hey babe," Jon says and lays a wet one on Dylan, "Hey Tim," and he give me a peck and a hug. Devon gives me a peck and a hug and then hangs by my side. Jon shoots daggers at Dylan, who rolls his eyes and steps forward to hug Devon, but the face is that of a kid eating beets. Devon returns the hug and blushes. "What are we doing today?" Jon wants to know. Dylan looks glum at the 'we'. "I don't know, you and Dylan are on your own for lunch and whatever else you want to do, Devon and I have an errand to run and then we'll grab lunch. We can meet you back here later and swim or watch movies or whatever, Marco is off at 4PM and Frankie and Jordan are coming over for dinner and spending the night." "Uh, how long do you think your errand and lunch will take," Dylan asks casually, but I can see the wheels turning. He might be a natural blonde, but he has some smarts too. "At least an hour and...." I can see Dylan holding two fingers out discretely for only me to see, "no, two, I'd say at least two hours." Dylan nods, grins and coughs and tries to remove his grin, "do you think it would be okay if Jon and I ordered in and just hung out watching TV and stuff." "Oh sure and if you do go anyplace, you know where I keep my spare door and elevator keycards." Devon and I are in the elevator heading down to the parking garage and he looks at me quizzically, "do you think they are going to watch TV?" I look at Devon and with a deadpan face say, "they'll be naked and in my bed before we get to my car." Devon blushes and says "oh", he really is guileless. "So what is the errand we are running?" he wants to know. "Bill mentioned you want to work." "Just a few hours each week, just enough to get some spending money you know? I mean Bill and Sue slip me money and Jon never lets me pay for anything if we are together, but they are doing enough already, I think I should earn my own money." "Yeah, well I don't think you should be working, I think school should be your full time job, so I talked it over with Bill and I am going to give you an allowance of $100 a week. We'll see how that goes and if it isn't enough, I can up it to whatever we need." "I can't let you do that Tim, you do enough for me already too." "Let me ask you something Devon, if you knew of a kid who need a stick of gum a week to get by, just a single stick of gum a week, would you give it to him?" "I mean of course, who wouldn't? It's just a stick a gum after all." "Right and to me $100 a week is a stick of gum more or less." I finish and look at him. Devon shrugs, "ok, but you have to let me earn it somehow." I ponder this. "Okay, how about you tutor Jordan and Frank twice a week, you'll meet them tonight?" "I can do that. What subjects do they need help in?" Now I shrug, "I don't know and it doesn't matter, it might change every week, but I am pretty confident you can handle any 8th grade work they might get." We head to my bank; one of the VP's is going to be waiting for us with the paperwork. I laugh when we get there, the "VP" looks like he is nineteen, which means he is probably twenty-four and drew short straw to work on a Saturday. I had forgotten that branch and private banking VP's are young. Devon fills in the blanks, Bill signed them yesterday as Devon's guardian and now Devon signs them too. He has Devon chose a PIN number and then he burns the ATM card for Devon. "There you go Mr. Sheets, you have an opening balance of $1,500 and every Thursday night you should see a direct deposit of $100 into your account. I'm stapling my card to the paperwork here and if you ever need any assistance, please call. My cell phone is on my card too, call me..... anytime." Oh my God! Is he flirting with Devon? Devon is blushing, "VP" Ryan is blushing and I am grinning like an idiot. Should I invite him to lunch? Can he get away? "Ryan, can you join us for lunch? Do some client servicing?" Oops, did that come out right? Ryan is blushing even more now. "Sorry Mr. Price, I am the only manager here today." He does look sorry. "Ah, well that's too bad. Thanks for your help today," I stand and shake his hand, Devon does too. "But I'll take a rain check sir," Ryan says looking hopeful. "I think we'd like that, wouldn't we Dev?" 'Dev' turns crimson and nods and stammers yes. He is even cuter tongue tied and bashful. There isn't much open in the financial district for lunch on a Saturday, so we slip over to L&L Hawaiian Barbeque for a quick bite since I know they are open on Saturdays. Devon and I power through lunch, I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was. "Damn, forty-five more minutes!" "What?" Devon asks looking up. "We can't go home for forty-five more minutes," I say looking at my watch again, hoping I read it wrong. "Why?" He has forgotten the state Jon and Dylan were in when we left. "Well not unless you want to see your roommate's naked ass doing push-ups on his boyfriend." I tease. Devon blushes slightly, but also gets a lecherous grin I've never seen before on him. "Devon!?" I exclaim looking shocked and teasingly scandalized. Now he REALLY blushes and drops his eyes down shyly. "Hey, just because I'm a virgin doesn't mean I don't have a libido. I am still a horny teen. Do you think Ryan was hitting on me?" Whoa, that was quite a transition. "I think he was flirting with you not hitting on you, there is a difference." He nods, "do you think he is too old for me?" Devon inquires seriously. I hem and haw, "too old, isn't quite the right word, probably too experienced for your first dating experience. I think it would be great to have your first love and have your first experiences with someone similarly inexperienced and discover your bodies together. If I could do my early life over, that is how I would want it." Devon nods, tilts his head as he thinks it over, sighs and says, "yeah, that makes sense, but it isn't easy in a Jesuit school Tim." And he grins at me. "Not to change topics, but how is it with a totally hot roommate who is also gay and not really available?" Devon gets a wicked grin on his face, "it isn't easy, but Jon is feeling more like a great friend and family than a love interest. Even if he and Dylan weren't dating I don't know if I would let us get involved. I think it would be too complicated in the same house." "C'mon," I jump up and clear the table, "let's head home, if we're lucky we can still catch them in the shower." Devon slides out and tries to adjust himself, but he has that teen boy problem that can't be hidden easily. "Don't hide it honey, be proud, it's quite nice." Devon rolls his eyes, "oh sheesh Tim, you aren't supposed to notice or at least not say you notice, I'm at a delicate time." I just laugh as we walk back to the car. We pull into my garage right at about an hour fifty and head upstairs, I really hope that Dylan and Jon have finished their time together, at least in bed, if not the shower too. We step off the elevator and I yell 'hello' down the hall, but don't hear a response so I head back to my bedroom and the closer I get I can hear the shower in my master bath on so I open the hall door that leads into it and there are Dylan and Jon in the shower. Dylan is behind Jon with his arms wrapped around him and they are luxuriating under the hot water, I just grin at the scene. "Do you want to go swimming Devon?" I say to Devon who is up the hall from me. "Sure, but I didn't bring a suit." "We can find you one, one of Marco's should fit." I whistle loudly and that startles the two in the shower. Dylan opens the shower door and I tell him that Devon and I are going to go swimming and invite them along. Dylan looks at Jon who shrugs and must agree because Dylan gives me a thumbs up. I close the door and wave Devon down the hall to join me and we head into the master bedroom where I dig out a pair of Marco's trunks and throw them to Devon who isn't quite sure what to do, but when I start peeling my clothes Devon gets the idea that he can change here. Devon is down to his boxers when a naked Dylan and Jon join us in the bedroom. "Do you have suits we can use?" Dylan asks. Devon's eyes pop when he sees Dylan's tool, obviously Jon hadn't talked about it so Devon goes into his familiar blush mode, Dylan is unaware of the effect on Devon and Jon looks pleased like 'yeah, that's my play toy'. Jon winks at Devon who would like to look away, but can't. "I am low on baggies that would fit you, but I have lots of jammers and Speedos that would fit you." "Jammers are cool, right Jon?" Dylan looks at Jon. "Umm yeah, jammers are fine." Dylan notices Devon now and his attention to his member and that gets Dylan to blush a little. "How was lunch Devon?" That breaks Devon's spell. "Uh good Dylan, we missed you guys." Dylan smiles and nods and starts to pull on the jammers I tossed him, but he doesn't take his eyes off Devon in his boxers. Devon is aware of the attention, but it is too late and awkward to stop or leave the room so he drops his boxers and steps out of them. Dylan checks him out and I do too of course. Devon has a nice, small patch of blondish pubic hairs above a nice looking dick, that is probably 6" when hard, which it isn't right now, but neither is it completely soft, the stimulation of the moment seems to have affected him. He steps into Marco's swim suit and then has to adjust himself as his awareness of Dylan's and my attention to him seems to have made his 'problem' harder, not less so. I am also aware that I am in boxers still and that Devon is casually watching me with an air of expectation and curiosity so not to disappoint I drop my boxers, but there is nothing hard about me, I've been naked around Dylan and Jon and other guys too much to be much affected by it. I don't hurry to put my suit on because quite frankly I am a bit of an exhibitionist or at least in private. I have no desire to do the nude beach thing and play volleyball naked with things flopping all over, but in a closed environment I am very comfortable showing what I have. But even so I can't delay too much longer, Jon has his jammers on and Devon has seen plenty so I pull on my baggies and lead the way to the hall closet, grab four towels and we head to the roof. I am sitting in the pool with my back to the elevator when I see Devon's eyes get huge and before I can react two forms pass over my head and cannonball into the pool right in front me sending huge sheets of water onto Devon and me. Frank and Jordon come up from underneath the water and grin at me, quite pleased with their selves. "Look at what you did!" I yell at them and everyone stops and looks at me, "you splashed all over this man next me." Jordan and Frank look properly mortified and Devon is trying to suppress a grin. "Weee're sorry, we thought you knew him," they turn to apologize to Devon who can't hold it in any longer and starts laughing. Jordan and Frank, knowing they've been had start splashing me mercilessly. Marco slips in beside me and gives me a kiss and I wrap my arms around him and pull him into me. "Where did you find the trouble twins?" I ask him. "Eh, I thought I'd stop by my mom's and pick them up and save her the trip." "Trouble One and Trouble Two, this is Devon, he lives with Jon's family now and he is going to tutor your reprobate asses a couple of days a week." "I'm Jordan", "and I'm Frank," the boys introduce themselves and Devon shakes both their hands. We play in the pool for another hour or so before heading down to my condo. As the elevator door closes and leaves my condo, Jordan and Frank peel their bathing suits and two tiny bare butts scamper down the hall to Jordan's bathroom. Dylan and Jon just laugh, Marco sighs and shakes his head and poor Devon doesn't know what to make of it. As the other three head down the hall to the master bath I pull Devon back. "Dylan, Jon, Marco and I are going to shower in my bathroom, you are welcome to join us or if that is too much you can use the third bathroom." "All of you...... in one shower.... nude.... showering..... nude.... ?" Devon raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, there is nothing sexual in it and there is plenty of room, we've had six in their comfortably." "What if I ... ummm, you know..." "Pop a boner?" I offer. He nods. "We'll all look at it, you'll blush and sooner or later it will go away." Devon sucks in a breath and I think curiosity or something gets to him because he smiles and walks towards my bathroom and I follow. Dylan, Jon and Marco are already naked and have all the shower heads going. I drop my bathing suit and throw it in the sink to rinse later, Devon does the same and steps into the shower behind me naked. Marco moves to the back of the shower where I join him which puts Devon between Jon and Dylan and me and Marco. Jon hands Devon a bar of soap, "welcome." Devon is hard a rock in forty seconds. Marco, Jon, Dylan and me all look at and smile and even giggle a little and Devon blushes. ******************************** Late November is here and it should be an interesting Thanksgiving for lots of us. I have to be in Los Angeles for the NCAA water polo tournament so Marco is going to join me and my parents are going to meet my seventeen year old boyfriend for the first time. I know they aren't thrilled I am dating someone so young even if he will be 18 in about six weeks. I am more freaked than Marco is, I just want them to like him. Because St. Ignatius is going to the finals in water polo for the CCS Bryce couldn't go with his parents to Boston to see his grandparents so he is staying with Madison for five days. Bryce has met the Buchanan family already, Madison did have him over to dinner, and as Jeff told him, Bryce was welcomed warmly and no one asked any embarrassing questions, even still five days is different than meal. And in one of the more interesting developments, Ryan the banker is having Thanksgiving with the Cruttenden family. About a month after we opened the account for Devon Ryan called to follow-up with Devon to see if the deposits were hitting okay, which Ryan could have known just by checking the account, but that wasn't the point of course; in any event they wound up talking and Devon impulsively asked Ryan to lunch and Ryan accepted. After the lunch Devon came to me and said he'd had a really good time, what did I think? I bravely threw it back to Bill's court by telling Devon he should talk things over with Bill. In the mean time I did some checking on Ryan with a senior banker and found out Ryan was well thought of in the bank, had gone to Jesuit High in Sacrament, USF and was going back to USF for his MBA in the fall. All in all it was a good report. Bill called me after Devon talked to him about it and I gave him my two cents on why the dating rules were slightly different in the gay community, than the straight; smaller dating pool, why younger guys liked the stability of older guys and all that, but in the end I suggested he talk to Teresa Bisignani to get her take on it all. It must have been a good talk because Ryan the banker is having Thanksgiving dinner at the Cruttenden's. The last interesting Thanksgiving meal will be the Bisignani's because not only will the Felix's be there again, but the Best family as well with young Mike as he and David have become best buds. I am still curious about Frank and Jordan's relationship and I thinking maybe Marco and I will corner the two of them when we get back from L.A. to see what is going on, we never did get around to our previous 'sanity check', but both seem happy. They are both doing very well in school, the tutoring from Devon has been great and both Marianna and Teresa are madly in love with Devon. I know they stuff him with food and shower him with affection when he goes over to tutor. It is nice to see Devon catching some breaks after a rough start. Marco and I leave for Los Angeles right after school Wednesday. I decided not to stay at my parents, that might create just too much tension if things don't go well meeting Marco so I booked us a suite at the Ritz-Carlton, but we are meeting my parents at Monte's for dinner. It has me so stressed that I have dressed Marco for the occasion, a sport coat and tie so he'll look older and glasses and he doesn't even wear glasses, but I picked them up because they make him look more mature. He has been very good and patient with me and allowed me these indulgences. I keep picking and fussing at him and finally he has had enough. "So what if they hate me." That stops me cold. What if they do? I think for a bit. "Nothing I guess," is the best I can come up with. "I mean we aren't breaking up, they can't disinherit me, they can't send me to my room. I want them to like you, I love them and want them in my life, but nothing will change between us if they don't like you." "Precisely," he leans into me and places his lips softly on mine. I should be relaxing and enjoying this time away with Marco, it is our first trip out of town. But being a stressed out idiot, I pull away, "I know, I know, I know, but these are my parents and I feel twelve again." Marco smiles and bites my nose. I love when he does that. I sigh and we head off to Monte's. My parents aren't there when we arrive so Marco and I seated and I throw back a quick scotch hoping it will quell my nerves a little. My parents arrive and my stress hits levels I haven't felt for years, they are smiling and looking happy as they cross the dining room to join us. Introductions are made and they seem to go okay, I am watching them for a flicker of disapproval and I don't see anything, but I also know years in Pasadena and San Marino society has enabled my parents to do happy masks with the best of them. The waiter brings the menus and the wine list and I order a second scotch which gets an eyebrow raise out of Marco since he has seldom seen me have two scotches. I know there is conversation going on, but I am having a hard time focusing and following, my throat feels dry. My father gets my attention and dives into a business conversation, is he trying to distract me while mom gives Marco the third degree? Her clutch bag was too small for a rubber hose so I am grateful for that. I try to keep an ear open on Mom and Marco's conversation, but I can't and really answer my father's questions so I have to concentrate on that. Suddenly my mom asks me a question and now dad is chatting up Marco. Oh these two are good. I start to wonder of my parents aren't really a crack CIA interrogation team. Thank God the waiter brings the wine my father ordered so I have a chance to relax and regroup, I see the rear exit. If I grab Marco's hand now and we run I think we can make it, my mom's not that fast in heels. And.... "Timothy...." My mother is speaking, "you are a million miles away. I was asking what time do you and Marco want dinner tomorrow?" "Who all is coming?" I had forgotten the rest of the family. "The usual holiday crew, your sister, Martin and the kids, Granma Bonnie and Grandpa John, my brother and Jill, Blake, Brett and Brant and their families...." "Jesus, Mary and Joseph Mom, did you invite all of San Marino!?" My mom smiles indulgently, "honey, it's who is always there except this year we have you and Marco too." Can I get the waiter to stop pouring wine and send him for a third scotch? Okay, good man, he pours Marco a glass of wine without blinking, Dad lifts his glass, "Happy Thanksgiving everyone, especially you Marco we are so happy to meet you." "Yes, Happy Thanksgiving Marco we are looking forward to meeting your family one day." Run Marco! Run now! Here take the keys, run, you're faster the car started! "Happy Thanksgiving Mr. and Mrs. Price," Marco smiles at them. Sigh, "Happy Thanksgiving Mom, Dad, Marco..." Maybe the waiter can bring scotches three and four at once. "Marco, call us Addison and Glenna please," sure mom, get him relaxed before you bore in again with the questions. Didn't I order a fifth scotch? Where is that waiter? We order our meal and everyone looks too relaxed and too casual, am I the only one who notices that this place is beastly hot? What does the waiter mean, do I want dessert? Have we eaten yet? Geeze I guess I did, that cute bus boy is taking plates away from in front of me.... hey hey, cute bus boy stop talking to my boyfriend... oh wait, I guess you just asked is he finished. We are walking towards the front of the restaurant, wait, did I pay for dinner? Did Dad? My mom pulls me back as Marco and 'Addison' weave their way across the dining room. "Would you relax, you don't need to dress Marco in a suit tomorrow to try and make him look older, everyone will love him tomorrow, he is a charming young man and if you love him, that will be enough for everyone." Mom plants a kiss on my cheek. What?? ******************************** The short drive back to the Ritz is pretty quiet other than Marco saying how much he loved my parents. As we get to our hotel room door Marco has removed his jacket. We step inside the suite and Marco starts to speak. "You've been pretty...." "Shut the fuck up!" I rip the sport coat out of Marco's hand, throw it on the floor and attack the knot in his tie. My lips find his and he takes my face with both his hands. My tongue slips past his teeth as the knot gives way and I drag the tie through his collar and discard to towards his coat as I start in on the buttons of his shirt. I am also walking him backwards through the suite, into the bedroom until he hits the bed and falls back onto it. His shirt is undone so I start tugging at the buckle on his belt while Marco kicks off his loafers and starts to unknot my tie. He has gone completely hard and I am matching him. His slacks are undone and I pull them and the boxers down and off in one motion, Marco's newly freed erection snaps back and slaps his stomach. I lift his t-shirt and dress shirt off next and they are gone with the rest of Marco's clothes, dispatched to the floor. He is completely naked now except for the dress socks and I'll get to them, but not now, I just need to feel my baby under me. I lie on top and find his mouth again, while my right hand grasps his cock. Marco gasps at my firm grip and tugging while my tongue is equally aggressive in his mouth. He momentarily stops trying to undress me and just shoves my slacks and boxers down enough to free my cock so he can get at it. My cock is blazing hard and I am thinking I am glad the waiter never did bring the third, fourth and fifth scotches I never ordered, because I wouldn't be this hard if he did. Marco pulls my hand away from his cock and rolls me to my back and grinds his hardness down into me and I arch up my hips to meet his thrusts. Now he pushes my t-shirt and shirt up and consigns them to the growing mountain of clothes on the floor, he pushes up to pinch and tweak my nipples while continuing to grind away. I roll Marco back to his back and remove my slacks and boxers the rest of the way along with my socks and then Marco's socks. We are both finally fully naked. We probably could have done it faster it we had calmly removed everything, but calm wasn't what was on my mind on the drive back to the hotel. I attack Marco's neck, but I am careful not to leave any marks, he still has more family to meet. I kiss and lick down to his nipples that are at full attention and torture them with my teeth, he moans and writhes and my right hand is encircled on his cock, engaging in a slow, firm stroking, spreading his pre-cum with my palm all around his purple head. I lower my mouth on his dick and take all seven plus inches at once, Marco pushes his hips up, but he is as deep as he can go, I start a slow journey up his shaft before plunging down deep again and I repeat it until I am bobbing on him at a rapid pace, he rocks side to side, as I feel him building to a climax, I back off and move down to his balls and perineum. Marco lifts his legs because he likes where this is heading. As his hole shows, my tongue traces around the ring. Marco whimpers as my tongue starts to push inside the pink ring, I ram it as deep as I can and flick it around inside, 'oh Timmy, Timmy' is Marco's soft whimper. I go to the night stand where I put supplies earlier in the day and pull the bottle of lube. I push Marco's hips up and hold him up with my left hand while I lube my middle finger, enter him and quickly find his prostate. When my digit hits it, Marco's cock jumps and Marco's moans a loud 'oh fuck, it's been too long'. I work my finger in and around and start banging regularly on his spot. I add a second finger and Marco pushes back into my fingers trying to get them as deep as he can. A few moments with two fingers and I can feel Marco's hole loosening up so I add the third. The third is barely in when Marco speaks his first intelligible sentence in 20 minutes. "I'm ready Tim, just do it, I don't know why we've waited so long, it's been at least three weeks since you've been in me. I want you now." I don't see a need to contradict him, so I lube my cock and pour a generous dollop on his hole and work it around and in with my fingers. My head presses at his entrance and before I can push forward, Marco surges back, impaling himself on me, we gasp at the same time; me out of surprise and him at his discomfort of my invading cock. But Marco doesn't wait to adjust either, he pushes back again driving me all the way in. Now he is taking deep breaths, adjusting. "Are you ready babe?" Marco nods and I start my motion, slow and steady. I marvel at the wonderfulness of the feel of being inside Marco, I feel more complete when he is in me, but even so this connection is so special. Marco tightens on me and I gasp, he is tight after three weeks of no anal, but it is still familiar and comfortable. My speed and rhythm builds and Marco pushes back to match me. I lift his legs a little higher and bend forward to kiss him, my mouth finds his. He is moaning and gasping into my mouth as my thrusts become faster and more insistent. I am building to a large climax and I know it is soon, 'soon' I say quietly and Marco clamps down on me and that is all it takes, the first shot is out and Marco groans and breaks off the kiss as him own cock starts shooting streams of cum up his stomach and chest. I pump several more times until I am spent, but I don't pull out of Marco. I leave my softening cock in him as I kiss him again, not the aggressive, needy kisses of earlier, but soft and tender. "I love you Marco." "I love you too Timothy," he grins using my mother's name for me. I don't know how you can look sweet and innocent with a guy's cock in your ass, but Marco does. "Do you want to shower?" he asks. "No." is my flat response. A questioning eye brow goes up. "You can clean up, but we aren't showering until after you fuck me." A lecherous grin spreads across his face. There is my bad boy. ******************************** It is 6AM and I untangle myself from Marco who is sleeping soundly. I grab my running gear and dress in the front room of the suite. I pick up Marco's sport coat off the floor and go to hang it up before I go out on my run. I sniff the jacket and get Marco's scent; I go back into the bedroom and kiss the sleeping Marco, 'love you' I whisper and at some level there is awareness because he smiles, but doesn't stir. I head out the hotel up Lake Ave. into Pasadena and stop at Peet's coffee to grab a quick coffee and read the newspaper. I skim the highlights in the paper, read the important stuff and run back to the hotel after taking a detour to make sure I get a good workout in. Marco is up and on the phone when I get in. "Great, sounds good, we'll see you at 9 or so then... uh hunh... un hunh, ok thanks Glenna," and he hangs up Thanks Glenna? "That was my mom?" Why do I feel a slight panic again. "Yeah, I am trying to get your stress level back up if last night was an example of what it is like after you are stressed." I smile, fair enough, last night was pretty intense. "And where are we meeting them at 9AM?" "At Julienne's for breakfast, your mom said they are fixing all the appetizers for dinner tonight, some of the side dishes and the breads and rolls as well so she has to be there anyway." "Cool, so we have time," I say trying to sound casual. Marco starts to speak, "time for wha..... " when he sees my expression. "I like you when you travel, you don't have that office crap distracting you." An hour and a half later, a sweaty and exhausted Marco finally withdraws from me, lies his head on my chest and sighs, "Do you think your mom will be able to tell you've been fucking when she sees you?" Oh that little brat, he just had to go there. I slap his bottom, he yelps and I know it is going to leave an imprint. "I dunno, do you think she'll know there is hand print on your ass?" He gives me a quick evil eye before returning to cuddly mode. We lie there five more minutes before getting up to shower, getting dressed and heading off to meet my parents. Breakfast is actually quite fun, more relaxing than dinner, but it is my mom who is in stress mode now although I don't know why, Bristol Farms cooked the turkeys and pies, Julienne's is doing most of the sides and others are bringing food too, but she worries if the house is clean enough and will there be enough food and will the birds dry out and no amount of my father and I telling her this is family, no one cares about those things, she still stresses. After breakfast I take Marco on a three hour, whirlwind tour of Los Angeles, showing him my old haunts including my old high school, Hollywood, the Burbank studios and Old Town Pasadena before heading over to my parent's house on Shenandoah Road. We are going to swim a bit before every one shows up. Or we thought we were going to, but my cousins had the same idea so Blake and Brett are there already and their crumb crunchers are splashing around in the pool, the kids come over screaming 'Uncle Tim' and they meet Marco and Marco meets everyone else too and then we go into the pool house to change. Once in the pool the kids are all over us and wanting to play. Within a couple of hours the rest of the guests have all arrived and Marco and I go up to my old room to shower and change before coming back down. Marco loves rummaging through my old room, seeing the pictures of me from high school, the memories and the trinkets. Marco is remarkably comfortable with my family and the women all just love him. I wander off to get a beer and join the men watching football, a family tradition. I wander back out to the kitchen and Marco is on the phone at the opposite end of the kitchen and then hands the phone to my mom. That's odd. Marco wanders over to me. "Who's on the phone?" curiosity gets the better of me. "My mom," Marco says casually. His mother?!, MY mother is talking to HIS mother? Oh she is really, really good, I just had no idea how good. I am back to rethinking that CIA possibility again. ******************************** Thanksgiving was actually a great time for me, I couldn't have asked for a better outcome on my end. The Cruttendens all loved Ryan, Dylan really likes him because he'll feel better if Devon is in a relationship too. Bryce had a great time with the Buchanan's and he is part of the family now, they've even nicknamed him 'Linc' for Lincoln so he has a president's first name too like all the kids in the family. Teresa loved talking to my mom and thought it was thoughtful of my mom to have Marco call home, yeah.... ha ha that's my mom, thoughtful and sneaky, but she loved talking to Teresa too and it really can only help me I guess. The Best's and Felix's had a great time with the Bisignani's and last but most importantly, Devon had his first Thanksgiving in a loving environment in a long time, maybe ever. We are now rushing headlong towards Christmas and two other momentous occasions, Marco's high school graduation and his 18th birthday. I know what I want to get Marco for a combo gift of all three, but it is a biggie so I need Teresa's buy-in and as a result we are having lunch today at Sotto Mare. We are meeting at the Green St. eatery because it is just two blocks from Sts. Peter and Paul School, where Teresa is volunteering today and because it might be the best, casual Italian eatery this side of Tuscany. I greet Teresa and we sit in the tiny restaurant. "Tim, buon giorno, sono così lieto se i vostri genitori si uniscono a noi per Natale", Teresa tells me. (Tim, good day, I am so happy your parents are joining us for Christmas). Yeah, me too Teresa, thrilled, can't you see the enthusiasm I have. "Anche a me, io sono entusiasta," (me too, I am thrilled). I answer her, but she see right through me. Teresa laughs and continues in Italian, as our whole lunch conversation will be, but I'll translate to English, it is just easier, "oh Tim, I know you are nervous about your parent's approval about Marco, but your mom's and my conversations have been great. She is actually jealous of the time I get to spend with the two of you and she really did love meeting Marco. She understands more than you think." "Well I hope you are as understanding after this conversation." Teresa looks concerned, "you and Marco aren't breaking up are you? I know Marco thinks things are going great, aren't they?" I smile, "they are going great, but I do want to send him away." I pause because I do love drama. Teresa sits back and motions me to continue. "The Italian Culinary Institute has a three month program in Calabria that hits the highlights of Italian cuisine including breads, wines, cheese making, gelato and general cooking. It isn't an intensive chefing experience, but it is a solid overview and I thought being in Calabria it might be special to Marco." "And you want to send Marco? Does he know?" "No, before I broached it with him, I wanted your approval. He would have to leave the Monday after his last class in January and he would be finished right about Easter in April." Teresa sits back and contemplates all that I have said. "I don't know the details," she starts slowly, "but I think he would enjoy it and it would give him something to do before school in the fall. If he likes the idea, I'm fine with it too. I think it would be great for him to spend time in the land of his forefathers." "That's wonderful, I was thinking of surprising him for Christmas, but I think there are too many arrangements to be made and too much buying of clothes and other things to do to only allow him fifteen days." "I agree, you should tell him as soon as you can. Will you survive three months without him?" Her eyes twinkle as she asks. I blush, "I would send him with a laptop and cell phone so we can see and talk to him any time." "Aren't you scared he might meet an Italian Antonio Banderas?" she teases me. I smile, "I am going to hire bodyguards to keep away all cute men." We both laugh and finish out a terrific lunch chatting about Frank, Jordan, Michael, David and all that is going on with the rest of the famiglia Bisignani. When I present the idea of the ICI school in Calabria, Marco loves the idea and wants to see if Bambino will give him a leave so he can return there to work for spring and summer. Oh and we had great 'gratitude' sex afterward. ******************************** I offered to pick my parents up at the airport, but my dad is a constant business traveler including a lot of trips to the Bay area so he prefers to just get a car at the airport and get themselves checked-in to the Four Seasons, he thinks it will be easier and quicker. Today is the 23rd and I am having dinner with my parents at Fleur de Lys, Marco begged off to do some last minute shopping. Dinner is great and when I get home, Marco is in the Jacuzzi with a bottle of champagne waiting for me. Knowing we have barely three weeks until he leaves for Italy for three months we are trying to make the most of our time together. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year so we put off going to mass until tonight. I do however drop my mom off at the Bisignani house since she is going to help in the cooking of the traditional Christmas Eve meal, Feast of the Seven Fishes, and we pick up Joe Jr., Anthony, Frank, Jordan and David to go meet my father for a day out. All the men have been banished while the women cook. We have been instructed to not appear back before 3PM so we decide to take a drive over to Berkeley and spend the morning walking around and grab a light lunch. We stop and grab the wine for the evening too. And the wait for the meal was well worth it. We start the Feast of the Seven Fishes with Vongole Origanate (clams with oregano and bread crumbs) and Alici Marinati (marinated fresh anchovies), next come the pastas, Linguine con le Vongole (linguine with clams) and Spaghetti con le Cozze (spaghetti with mussels). The main courses, served on heaping platters include Baccalà alla Vesuviana (salt cod with tomatoes and capers), you have to have the salt cod in the Feast, Gamberoni Casalinga Siciliana (jumbo shrimp Marsala house-wife style), Anguilla Livernese (eel with olives, chiles, and capers) and Broccoli Saltati nel Wino e Aglio (broccoli sautéed in wine and garlic). Dessert is traditional Struffoli (Christmas honey fritters) and Cannoli with ricotta. I am so stuffed I can barely move, but what a great evening, surrounded by the warmth and love of the people I hold dearest. When Marco snuggles into me on the couch, it doesn't even occur to me that my parents are there until my mom is telling us to smile as she snaps our picture. Marco smiles big and my mother's big grin gets a genuine smile out of me. I guess that is why I kissed him in front of my parents for the first time. End of Chapter 13.