My free time for writing has dwindled a bit, but here is Part 4. If all goes well I will be able to get at least one part out a week. Many thanks to those of you have emailed me. It is nice to get acquainted with some new people on here. My email address is mikeylikesit80@hotmail.com if you feel inclined to write and let me know what you think or just want to chat.
Now on to the standard disclaimers. I doubt that anything I write will make any difference since if you found this little gathering place on the World Wide Web you're probably going to go ahead and read what's here no matter what anyone says. But here it goes anyway...
If you have a problem reading about guys who like other guys as something more than just friends, you need to go find some other place to poke around. If you are under the legal age to read erotic fiction where you live, you probably wouldn't get in trouble for reading this story, but you really don't belong here. And most importantly, many of the names mentioned in this story have been changed to protect the guilty (or is that supposed to be the innocent?). Under no circumstances will I disclose whether or not I actually know any of The Backstreet Boys or any other celebrity who may make an appearance. Nor do I believe in outing people, so I will not disclose any information about the true sexual orientation of anyone mentioned in this story.
Previously in the story of Nick and the Altos
My father stood and said "Michael, that's enough! Turn around and get out of here, right now! I am in the middle of a very important meeting."
"No, dad, I'm not leaving!"
"Michael, get out! I have two very important visitors and you are making a fool out of yourself. Leave NOW!!!
I started to reply when two men who had been sitting in the chairs facing my father's desk stood up and turned around. For the second time in less than five minutes, I was dumbfounded by what I saw in front of me.
One of the people standing in front of me was my older brother, Jason. No big shock at seeing him really. But standing next to him was my grandfather -- my father's father. I had not seen him since he fled the country 15 years ago, to avoid being arrested, and began living in the Cayman Islands.
"Don't you dare speak back to your father!" my grandfather said angrily.
I brushed past my grandfather, ignoring him, and walked over and got in my father's face and said "I can't believe you are the one behind the kidnapping of The Backstreet Boys! Are you out of your damned mind?" I knew by the look on my father's face I was treading on thin ice, but I wasn't going to back away from what I had started.
"Michael, I didn't have any choice. Angela begged to go to their concert to meet them but the doctors wouldn't approve. I couldn't disappoint her."
"So why didn't you just buy an appearance or something?" I asked. "It's not like you couldn't afford it."
"Believe me, I tried, but their label wouldn't talk to me because of what they think I am. So I did what I had to do."
"Dad, why didn't you call me? Is it that difficult for you to accept that I might be able to do something that you can't. I have enough friends in the entertainment industry that I could have made the arrangements. You are just too damned proud to think little Mikey can do things you can't. But what really pisses me off the most is bringing them here to the house and getting the rest of the family involved. That and letting him come here!" I said looking towards my grandfather.
Suddenly I was grabbed from behind and spun around. I was facing Jason and he started yelling at me. "You self righteous little shit! You grow up enjoying the lifestyle produced by the family's businesses but then you develop this holier than thou attitude and get on your white horse and ride away. How dare you come back here and criticize dad."
I looked up at Jason's face (he is a good five inches taller than me) and was pretty sure he was very close to pounding the shit out of me. Then dad pushed himself between us and yelled "That's enough, you two!"
Jason tried to get around dad to reach me and I did my best to keep my distance. Dad then said "What's done is done. I am willing to suffer the consequences."
"That's great, dad. Get your ass hauled off to jail for something really stupid when Angela only has a little bit of time left. And you still haven't answered my question... What the fuck is grandfather doing here?"
"Mikey, why don't you shut the fuck up and go play with some of your toys!" Jason yelled.
"Fuck you, Jason. Admit it, you'll never get over the fact that I had the balls to go do my own thing and make something of my life instead of taking a ride on dad's coattails like you."
That was probably a bit uncalled for and it turned out to be the last straw for Jason. He lunged towards me and, although I am pretty quick, I wasn't able to get out of the way because my grandfather was blocking my escape route. Jason grabbed the sleeve of my tee shirt, got by dad and then tackled me. He rolled me on my back and punched me in the stomach. I doubled over in pain. I knew I was really in for it when I heard a door slam.
STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" I heard my mother scream. "Jason, if you hit your brother again, the rest of your life will be a living hell."
'Thank you, thank you, mom' I said to myself. I lay on the floor for about a minute before I heard my mother tell my brother that if he knew what was good for himself he would help me up and apologize.
Jason knelt beside me and helped sort of stand up and walk over to the couch. "Sorry, Mikey, you sort of got to me there, but I shouldn't have hit ya."
"I always have been pretty good at pissing you off, haven't I. I always figured that was what little brothers were supposed to do."
"Oh, you are definitely an expert. You'd think I would have learned to ignore you after all these years."
"Yeah, right. No one can ignore me. I'm too cute to be ignored."
"I could always punch you in the face instead of the stomach and then you wouldn't be the cute one any more."
"Ok, enough Kodak moments for the afternoon," my father said. "Mikey, we have business to discuss and I doubt you want to participate. Why don't you and your mother go spend some time with Angela?"
"Dad, there is time for that later. I want to know what grandfather is doing here." I replied.
"Ok, Mikey," my grandfather said, "I guess you deserve to know. I couldn't stand being stuck in the Cayman Islands while your sister is dying. I negotiated a deal with the Justice Department that allows me to spend time here and then, after Angela is gone, we will discuss some matters they are interested in."
"So you are going to admit to your illegal activities, then?" I asked.
"I didn't say I was going to admit to any wrongdoing. We are going to talk."
"I hope you don't think any of this will change the way I feel about what you have done."
"Mikey, I don't expect you to change your opinion of me over night, but I do hope we can salvage our relationship."
"Don't get your hopes up." I bitterly replied. "Oh, and dad, this little kidnapping thing you pulled... It's over right now! I'm going to go upstairs and do everything I can to work things out with them. They are free to go as of right now. I hope you don't have a problem with that."
"Mikey, they have to stay tonight! For Angela's sake."
"No, dad, they don't. They are free to go as of this minute. I'll ask them to please stay, but it is up to them. Oh, and this will probably cost you, a lot." I said as I stood up. I didn't even wait for a reply; I headed towards the door and left the room.
Needless to say I was in a great amount of turmoil at this point. Perhaps it is time to stop and tell you a bit about my family. My great grandparents on my father's side emigrated from England to Canada and then to the United States. The eventually ended up in Los Angeles. During the Prohibition Era, my great grandfather began a liquor smuggling business that was, to put it mildly, a highly profitable endeavor. He became the major supplier in Southern California. As you can imagine, it tended to be a relatively violent business and, based up on stories I heard as a kid, both my great grandfather and my grandfather weren't averse to killing off their competition.
Once Prohibition ended my grandfather took his profits (on which he had never paid any income taxes) and began other business ventures. He started a trucking company and supposedly used enforcement tactics to convince businesses to hire his company. Business boomed and his wealth multiplied over and over. My father eventually became involved in the trucking business. My father met my mother when he was on a vacation in England. They eventually married and she emigrated to the United States. After Jason was born my father bought the property in Montecito and built the house. As far as I know my father has not personally committed any violent acts, but I have to admit that I have never asked him about it. It isn't that I am afraid to ask; it's more that I am afraid of what the answer might be.
After my father took over running the trucking company and started other "legitimate" businesses, my grandfather got bored with "retirement" so he got involved in other activities... investment scams, smuggling diamonds and other jewels and, eventually, drugs. This turned out to be his undoing. When I was eight a long-term government investigation of his business activities led to him fleeing the country to avoid prosecution.
My parents and siblings periodically would travel to the Cayman Islands to visit him, but I always stayed home. I don't know why my fundamental belief structure, or whatever you want to call it, is so different from my parents, Jason and Jennifer, but it is. I just couldn't look past what he had done and all the people he had hurt. I guess my reaction to his life is what shaped me into the person I think I have become.
One of the reasons I was in so much turmoil was that I had believed I would never have to see my grandfather again. I consider myself to be loving, compassionate person but I hate him so totally that it scares me and here I was with him in our home. I guess it was causing me to be a little irrational.
After leaving my father's study I ran towards the stairs and sprinted up to the second floor. I looked around and saw Anthony and Mark sitting on a couch outside one of the guest suites. I quickly walked down the hall and, without acknowledging them, unlocked the door and went inside. Even though I am not a fan, I knew who Kevin was. He was pacing back and forth as I walked into the room. He spun around as I came in.
"Who the fuck are you?" Kevin shouted.
The hallway door burst open and Mark ran in, followed by Anthony. Mark yelled "What the fuck do you think you are doing coming in here?"
There were two guys sitting on a couch watching television. While they didn't say anything, they definitely gave me death stares. The door to one of the bedrooms opened and Brian and Nick looked into the main room.
"What's going on?" Brian asked.
I looked over at Mark and replied "This whole thing is over! RIGHT NOW!". Then I turned back towards Kevin and replied "I'm Michael Alto, Jr. I didn't have anything to do with what has happened and definitely don't condone it. Please accept my apology for what has happened."
Suddenly I felt someone grab my shoulder and spin me around. It was Mark. He yelled "Get out, Mikey, you don't belong here!"
Now Mark has never been a member of the Mikey fan club but this was the maddest I had ever seen him. I don't know why he hates me so much, but I assume it is because he is a major closet case. Any other time and I would probably have backed away but in my agitated state, I stood up to him.
"No, Mark, I'm not leaving and I am taking over. They are free to leave."
"That's what you think, you fucking little faggot!" Mark yelled as he swung his fist at me.
Mark is a lot bigger than me. He is like six inches taller and outweighs me by a bunch. Fortunately he is also slower. I ducked and escaped his grasp. That really pissed him off and he came after me. I ran over to the table along the wall and grabbed one of the big candles that was on it. As he closed on me I turned and swung it towards his head, connecting with his nose and mouth. Blood started flying all over the place. He staggered backward a couple of steps and just stared at me for a few seconds.
"I'm going to kill you, you little fuck!" Mark spat out as he lunged towards me. I jumped to the side and he crashed into the cabinet sending the bowl and other candle crashing to the floor. I backed away from where he was as he got back up and turned around.
"That's enough, Mark!" Anthony yelled. "Just calm down."
"No fucking way!" Mark replied as he came after me.
I wasn't really aware of my surroundings at this point. As I was backing away, I ran into a chair and lost my balance for a second. That was all it took for him to catch up and tackle me. I fell backwards knocking over a table and lamp and ended up on the floor with him on top of me. I did my best to curl into a ball but he was too big and strong. He swung his fist into my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me. Then he swung at my face. Now I'm not going to tell you that my life flashed before my eyes at that point, but I do remember thinking 'Oh shit, this is really going to hurt'. At the last possible second Anthony grabbed him, deflecting most of the blow. I definitely felt his fist, though, as it connected with my cheekbone.
Anthony, being even bigger than Mark, pulled him off me and stood between us. I still wasn't able to breathe so I just stayed on the floor trying to recover.
"Now get the hell out of here and let me deal with this!" Anthony said to him.
Mark hesitated for a few seconds and then turned and started towards the door. Before he reached it my parents and Jason came running in. "What the Hell is going on in here?" good old mom yelled. No question who rules around this place, that's for sure.
I was still laying there not able to breathe. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I tried to jerk away, not knowing who it was connected to. Unbeknownst to me, Nick had come into the room and kneeled beside me.
"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you," he said. "Just try shallow breaths until you get your wind back."
I looked up in the direction from which the voice came and saw this beautiful face with a look of great compassion. I continued to lay on the floor and did as he said. In the background I heard my father tell Mark to get out of the house and never show his face around any of the family again. Finally I started to be able to breathe again.
"Are you going to be ok?" Nick asked softly.
"It doesn't matter, my mother is going to kill me." I replied.
"Why's that?"
"That pile of junk over there used to be one of her favorite antique tables and lamps. I'm dead."
Nick grinned at me and said "I'm sure she will be fine."
"You don't know my mother, do you?"
"Nope."
"I'm dead.
"So what happened here?" my mother asked.
I looked up and saw her, my father and Jason were standing on the other side of me. Then my mother kneeled down.
"That guy came after him and he rearranged his face with a big candle." Nick told her.
"You've got to be shittin' me!" Jason exclaimed.
"Jason, watch your language!" mom said.
"Mikey's never been in a fight in his life. He's never hit anyone. Not even me when I have pushed him around and dared him to do it. Incredible!" Jason said.
"Michael, are you ok?" mom asked.
"Yeah, sorry about the table and lamp, mom." I replied.
"It's ok, Michael, it can be replaced. When you go visit your grandparents this Fall you just won't be able to come home until you find another one."
"Sure, mom, no prob." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Michael... I'm serious. You know better than to do that."
"Sorry," I said, rolling my eyes again.
She reached over an slapped me sort of lightly on the cheek where Mark had hit me.
"OUCH!"
"Jason, help your brother up," my father said, breaking his silence. "Then you, Mikey and your brother can leave. I want to talk to our guests alone."
Jason reached out his hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me up. My mom and Nick both stood up. It was then that I noticed that Brian, Kevin, Howie and AJ were standing behind Nick. I turned to my father and said "No dad, I'm not leaving, you are. I said I was going to deal with the mess you made and I meant it."
"Mikey, I'll take care of this." my father said.
I continued to stand there, ignoring him.
"Mikey, you heard me, OUT!"
"Ok, you win," I said. I started towards the hallway door and looked back over my shoulder and said "Hey, you guys want to come with me to the patio?"
"Mikey, what do you think you are doing?" my father asked.
"Michael," my mother said to my father, "let him handle it his way. I think maybe we need to trust him to do the right thing."
With that said, Nick looked at the rest of the guys, shrugged his shoulders and started to follow me. Brian started to follow him as the other three stood still.
"I guess it can't hurt." Kevin said to Howie and AJ. The three of them followed Brian out the door.
I led the way down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen. "You guys thirsty or hungry?" I asked.
"I could go for something to drink." Nick said. The rest of the guys nodded their agreement. "There are cold drinks in the refrigerator, help yourself." I said as I walked into the pantry and grabbed a bottle of water off the shelf.
The guys went over and made their selections. As we were starting out through the family room to the patio, I saw Sarah enter.
"Sarah, sorry for the mess upstairs. You prolly should send someone up to do a little cleaning."
"Master Michael, what happened to your face?" she asked.
"I sort of got into it with Mark."
"For your first time you did all right, if that's all the damage he inflicted. Guess you are tougher than everyone thinks. Come into the kitchen and let me fix your cute face up."
"Guys, have a seat while Dr. Sarah does her thing."
I followed Sarah into the kitchen and climbed up onto a stool. She washed the abrasion and put a bandage on the cut. "Thanks, Sarah."
"You're welcome, Master Michael."
"Arrgggg, I wish you would quit calling me that. It makes me feel like I'm still 12 years old."
"Get over it, Mikey." she said, grinning at me.
"Thanks again, Sarah." I said as I got up off the stool and headed into the family room. "Come on, guys, let's go outside."
We walked across the patio and down to the pool and sat down around one of the tables.
"I really want to apologize to you for what's happened. My father had no right to do what he did."
"No Shit!" AJ replied. "We are calling the cops as soon as we get out of here and turn him in. Where the Hell are we anyway?"
"Montecito. My parent's home."
AJ stood up and looked around. "How do we get transportation?"
"Please sit down, AJ. I really want to make this up to you."
"I doubt there is anything you or anyone in your family could do to make what happened ok with us," Kevin said.
"Guys, give him a chance. Look what he went through to help us out." Nick said, a bit angrily.
"Yeah, he really sort of put his life on the line up there. That Mark guy was pretty tough and a lot bigger and he stood up to him," Brian said.
Howie spoke for the first time, "Kev, AJ, I'm willing to hear what he says. What about you guys?"
"Ok, but this had better be good." Kevin replied.
AJ didn't say anything. He just stood there staring at me with this angry look on his face. After about 30 seconds, he walked back over to his chair and sat down.
"I'm really pissed at my father right now, but I can sort of understand why he did what he did. It's just the way he is. My little sister is dying and today will probably be her last birthday. She wanted to go to your concert last night but the doctors wouldn't agree to it. My dad said he contacted your management about a personal visit and when they found out who he was, they said no."
"And I suppose you think they were wrong?" AJ said.
"Look, AJ, I didn't choose my parents. I don't like some of the things my father has done in his life, but I still love him. And I love my little sister and I would do anything to make her last birthday the best one she could possibly have."
"So," Kevin asked, "you would have kidnapped us too?"
"No, Kevin, I wouldn't and I didn't know anything about his involvement until I walked in the gate and saw Nick and Howie on the balcony. I would have called some friends in the entertainment industry and tried to work something out."
"So, you have people who owe you favors," AJ stated.
"No, AJ, it isn't like that. I work for an internet boutique and we have a couple of well known clients in the industry."
"Like who?" AJ replied.
"Sorry, AJ, but we signed non-disclosure agreements. I can't say who because they don't want it known that they outsource some of their content creation."
"Sounds like a fucking fairy tale to me," AJ said.
"So what was it you wanted to talk to us about?" Kevin asked.
"Actually, there are two things. First, I was hoping I could convince you guys to stay for the night so you could be here for Angela's birthday."
"You've got to be shitting me," AJ said. "You don't seriously think we would stick around here one minute longer than necessary!"
"Geez, AJ, chill out." Nick said.
AJ glared back at him and said "Why would you want to hang around, Nick. You have the hots for him or something?"
Nick got this look of complete shock and fear on his face. I noticed that he glanced over at Brian who got this weird look on his face and just shrugged.
"AJ, do you have some problem with me just because I am gay?" I asked.
"That has nothing to do with anything. I just don't want to have anything to do with your or your scumbag family," he replied.
"Listen, AJ, I'm trying to apologize for my father's actions. I'm not trying to get tight with you guys. I feel really badly about what he did and I want to do something to make it up to you. But I love my little sister so much and she's not going to be here much longer and I am going to miss here so damned much that..." I couldn't continue. First I started sniffling and within seconds I was crying in a major way. I wiped at my eyes with the back of my hand, but couldn't stop. After about a minute, I got up and walked away from where they were sitting and went over and sat down on the lawn under a big oak tree. I pulled my feet up towards me and wrapped my arms around my knees and sat their and continued to cry.
Back at the table, Brian said "Way to fucking go, AJ. You can be such an asshole!"
"Guys, we need to decide what we are going to do here," Kevin said. "The guy is obviously pretty emotional right now. It seems like he really is sorry about what happened."
"Yeah, I agree. I'm not saying I'm happy about what has happened in the last 24 hours, but let's give him a chance to make things right," Brian said. "And what the fuck was that shit about Nick having the hots for him all about, AJ?"
"I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just really fucking upset about this." AJ replied.
"AJ, I think you owe Nick one big apology." Howie said.
"Yeah, I know," AJ said as he turned to face Nick. "I'm sorry Nick, I didn't mean it." he said quietly.
Nick didn't reply, he just continued to stare off in the direct of the tree where I was sitting.
"So, are we in agreement, we listen to what he has to say?" Kevin asked.
"Yeah," Brian replied.
"I'll listen," Howie said.
"Nicky, what about you?" Kevin asked.
"Huh, what did you say?" Nick mumbled.
"Earth to Nicky... Are you willing to listen to what he wants to say?" Kevin said.
"Yeah."
"AJ, what about you?" Kevin asked.
"Ok, but I'm still not happy about this."
Kevin got up and walked over to where I was sitting and sobbing and sat down beside me. "Michael, I'm sorry about your sister being sick and all. We've talked it over, and we're willing to listen to what you have to say. Come on back over to the table."
I looked up towards him and wiped my tears away again and said "Thanks, Kevin. And would you please call me Mikey."
"Deal, Mikey," he said as he stood up and reached out his hand.
I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. We walked back over to the table and sat down.
Surprisingly, AJ spoke first and was pretty civil towards me for the first time, "Listen, Michael, I guess I need to apologize for my behavior. You claim you didn't have anything to do with this and pretty much put yourself on the line upstairs."
"Apology accepted with one proviso... no more calling me Michael. Everyone calls me Mikey unless they are mad at me. You prolly noticed my mother uses Michael a lot."
"Yeah, she does."
"You said a while ago that there were two things you wanted to talk to us about. What was the other thing besides hanging around for your sister's party?" Kevin asked.
"Ok, I know how upset you guys are with my father and what happened and, believe me, I think you are totally justified in feeling that way. I almost want to have him thrown in jail myself. But you have to realize he is pretty upset about my sister and just wasn't thinking right. I don't think he meant any of you any harm. Was anyone hurt in any way?" I asked.
"No, not that we are aware of anyways," Brian responded.
"That's good. He really would have let you go, too. So here's what is bouncing around in my head... my father has more money than he will ever need. Now Brian, I read somewhere that you established some kind of charitable organization for kids with heart problems."
"Yeah. The Healthy Heart Fund for Kids."
"I assume you guys do other things too, don't you?"
"Sure, Howie started a Lupus fund and we do stuff for the American Cancer Society too," Nick said.
"Ok, how about if you start a charitable organization and promote fund raising efforts for it. I will get my company to do all the web site development and host the site at no charge."
"Wait a minute. This is all well and good but having a web site and stuff is nothing, first we would have to come up with a bunch of money," AJ said.
"I hadn't gotten to that part yet. What about if I arranged for my father to donate $20 million in your names to the fund to get things started?"
"Whoa, $20 million would be a great start!" Nick said.
"Actually, I meant $20 million in each of your names..."
"Holy shit!" Nick said.
"I don't know if it would be a real good idea to have your father involved in this thing. It might make it difficult to get other people involved," Kevin said.
"Ok, how about if the donations are anonymous?" I asked.
"Well, I guess that would work," Kevin replied.
"Just a minute, here. People will figure out you're involved. How do we know you aren't as much a crook as your father?" Howie asked.
"I guess I can't expect you to trust me on that one, so let's go back upstairs. I want you to talk to someone and then you are free to call your management and have them investigate me if you want."
We all got up and headed back inside. We refreshed our drinks and went back up to the room where I had recently had the crap beat out of me. I went over to the entertainment console cabinet and started up the PC that was housed inside and changed the input source on the projection television to pick up a feed from the computer. Then I went over to the phone, which had no dial tone. I punched a series of symbols and numbers and replaced the handset. I picked it up a few seconds later and dialed my attorneys, Jeff and Karen. As I waited for an answer I turned around and saw the guys staring at me wondering how I did all that so quickly, I guess.
"Good afternoon, Adams and Jackson. How can I help you?"
"Hi, Jeri. It's Mikey. I need to talk to Jeff right away."
"Oh... Hi, Mikey. They are in with a client right now, but I think they should be though in about five minutes. Can he call you back?"
"Ok, but tell him it is urgent. My direct line is 805-555-4532. Thanks, Jeri."
"Not a problem, Mikey, I'll make sure he calls as soon as the client leaves."
I hung up the phone and went over to where the guys were standing. "As soon as I tell him what is going on, we will do a video teleconference. As soon as that is all set up, I'm going to leave you alone and go see my sister. If she finds out how long I have been here and haven't said hello she'll be the one calling me Michael. Oh, and you guys are welcome to ask Jeff anything you want. I'll tell him it's open season."
Nick and Brian took seats on one of the couches. Howie and Kevin sat on the other one. AJ wandered over to the windows and looked out into the yard. I sat in one of the chairs.
"Guys, you haven't said whether you are willing to stay for Angela's party tonight. Have you decided?" I asked.
There was silence for about 30 seconds. Finally Howie spoke up, "We haven't talked about it yet. Shit, things have happened pretty fast here in the past 12 hours. Hell, we don't even have any clean clothes."
"Clean clothes? You mean we don't have anything other than what we are wearing right now," Brian said.
"What???" I said.
"Yep, when we were kidnapped we were all asleep. They didn't let us get anything other than what we had taken off when we went to bed," Kevin said.
I got up and walked over to the table with the phone and got a pen and pad out of the drawer and walked back over to the guys. "Here, write your sizes down for me and a few ideas for what colors and stuff you like."
Each of the guys made some notes on the pad and Howie jotted down information for AJ. I went back over to the phone and called Nordstrom (in our house it is a speed dial button). I asked for the general manager. After a couple of minutes he picked up the phone.
"This is John Ericson, Mr. Alto."
"Actually John, this is Michael Alto, Jr. I need a selection of clothes and a sales associate sent over to our house as quickly as possible."
"That won't be a problem, Michael. Do you have a list of what you need?"
"Yes, sizes, types of clothing and color preferences. Oh, and whoever comes over must keep everything completely confidential."
"I understand, sir. I assure you that won't be a problem. Do you want the clothing charged to your account, Michael?"
"That will be fine, John. Wait, instead of my account, charge it to my parents. Give me your fax number and I will send over the list."
"The fax number is 555-7310, Michael. We will have someone there with the clothing within an hour after receiving the fax."
"Thanks, John. Nice dealing with you. Bye."
"Bye, Michael. Call any time you need anything."
I hung up the phone and walked over to entertainment cabinet and opened another door. I slid out the shelf on which the fax machine was located. I put the sheet of paper with the information on it in the feeder, dialed the phone number and pushed the start button. As the fax machine was dialing, the phone on the table began ringing.
I walked over to the phone and pressed the speaker button and said "Hi, Jeff."
"Hey, Mikey, what's so big of a rush that Jeri wouldn't even let me go pee before calling you back."
"Jeff, did you see on the news today about the kidnapping of The Backstreet Boys?"
"Yeah, who could miss it. Blows my mind the way those has been teenage girl idols are getting so much press coverage. It's probably just a publicity stunt."
"Uh, Jeff, it wasn't a publicity stunt. My father was the person behind it and you are on the speakerphone with The Backstreet Boys in the room."
"Oh, shit! Sorry about that..."
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure they have heard it a few times before. I'll tell you the long version the next time I see you, but I put an end to the situation when I got here. I am trying to put together a major apology from my father. I proposed that the guys start a charitable organization funded with an anonymous contribution from my father. I offered to do up a web site and host it for them. They are concerned about my integrity so I am going to put you all together on a video conference and then go see Angela. Answer any questions they ask. I don't have anything to hide from them."
"Jeez, Mikey. How's your father coping with your intervening?"
"Well, he's not exactly happy right now, but he is busy dealing with my grandfather right now."
"What the Hell does he want?"
"I don't know, but if you really are curious, I'll go downstairs and ask him."
"Holy Shit! He's back in the country?"
"Yeah, hard to believe isn't it. He claims to be working a deal with the Feds. As you know I have absolutely no interest in ever seeing him again, so I didn't wait for him to explain."
"Man, that's unbelievable!"
"That's a major understatement, Jeff. Listen, I need to see Angie. Let me turn on the camera. You set at your end?"
"Yeah."
I turned on the camera and the microphone on the coffee table. Jeff came into view on the television. "Can you hear me okay, Jeff?"
"Yeah, reception is fine at this end."
"Ok, cool. I'm off to see my sister. You guys ask anything you want and Jeff, tell them the truth." I said as I walked over to the hallway door and left the room.
I walked back down the hall, but instead of going down the stairs, I continued towards the bedroom wing. At the end of the main hallway I turned down the one that led towards my rooms and those of my brother and sisters. I opened the door to my room, walked through the sitting room to my bedroom and went over and sit down on the bed. After a minute I lay down and stared up at the ceiling. I guess in some ways I was almost in shock over everything that had happened in the hour since I had arrived home.
In one lousy hour I had a major confrontation with my father, a fairly big one with my mother, a fight with my older brother, I hit someone for the first time in my life and hurt them, I had my body pounded and my sister was dying. I rolled over on my side and pulled one of my pillows up to me and hugged it like I was never going to let go. Tears started flowing slowly at first and then increased in intensity and wouldn't stop. I don't remember the last time I cried so hard.
I don't know how long I lay there crying, but it was quite a while. Then, I heard someone knocking at the door to my rooms.
Well, that's it for Part 4 of Nick and the Altos. Hope you are enjoying the story as much as I am writing it. I have more written, but this seemed like a good place to break the story. Any comments, suggestions or whatever, email me at mikeylikesit80@hotmail.com.
Thanks for reading... Mikey