Date: Sat, 17 Jul 2010 06:33:39 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 8, chapter The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 15 -- Uneasy Moments. After dinner, the four of us met in the family room and closed the door behind us, before we sat down to talk. Jake spoke first. "I'm deeply concerned about what's happened and the different things Nick has picked up while he was away," he began. "What concerns me most is the fact that he may have contracted more than just those two diseases and we won't know what else he has been exposed to until it is too late." Jake paused to look at all of us, so he could gauge our reactions. Shannon and I were looking at him, but Nick had hung his head, so he was looking at the floor. After a few seconds with no one saying a word, Jake spoke again. "I think it would be best if the two of you stopped going together," he added, which caused Shannon's mouth to drop open and Nick's head to snap upward. "You can't do that," Shannon protested. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions now." "I understand that," Jake conceded, "but I'm hoping you will listen to me on this matter and protect yourself by ending your relationship with Nick. He can't seem to confine his sexual exploits to just one partner, and in doing so, he is exposing you to all the same risks, not just himself. That's why I think it's best if you two break up." "I won't do it," Shannon snapped back. "I love Nick and I won't give him up, for you or anyone else." Jake looked upset and crushed by Shannon's reaction. I think he actually assumed his son would just do as he asked. Even though I had warned him about making an ultimatum, he had basically done it anyway. Now, I was afraid about how he might react to the repercussions arising from his demands. "Uncle Jake," Nick uttered, breaking my train of thought. "I'm sorry about all of this and I know I've been really foolish, but I've learned an awful lot because of it too. I've learned that I really love Shannon and I don't want to lose him." Although Jake seemed to be moved by Nick's sincerity, it didn't look as if he was about to budge from his position. "That's nice," Jake responded, "and you probably do think that, but you have to look at the whole picture. Even though you both think you love each other, you can't seem to confine your sexual activities to just one person and are putting everyone you come in contact with at risk. That's all right if you want to do it to yourself, but you have no right to put others at risk too, especially someone you claim to love." I could tell Shannon was forming a response to his father's comments and getting ready to say something, but Nick spoke first. "You're right," he admitted, "but I won't put him at risk any more." I think all of our mouths dropped open simultaneously. We were all unable to believe that Nick would break up with Shannon that easily. We were all too dumbfounded to respond, but we didn't need to, as Nick continued. "I never thought I could commit myself to only one person, but having seen what can happen and realizing what a fool I've been, I'm ready to do just that," he announced. "If you will allow me, I promise I will love Shannon, and only Shannon, from now on." Nick paused to look at both Shannon and Jake after saying this, and then he continued. "Will you both give me a chance to prove to you I can do just that?" Talk about it being so quiet you could hear a pin drop. We all sat speechless. Well, I take that back. It wasn't that quiet. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest and it seemed so loud that I thought everyone else was probably able to hear it too. As I was pondering this thought, Shannon regained his composure and spoke. "Do you really mean that?" he asked Nick. It seemed he still wasn't certain Nick could live up to this particular promise. "Yes. Absolutely," Nick told him, while looking him straight in the eye. After a few, brief seconds, he turned toward Jake. "Uncle Jake, I really do mean what I say this time," he insisted. "Even though I've been a fool up to now, I don't want to lose Shannon. I love him and I know he loves me too, so I'm more than willing to change, just to keep his love." Jake still seemed a bit startled, but finally responded. "How can you say that?" he wondered, aloud. "You've never been able to contain your sexual appetite before, so what makes you think you can do it now?" "Because now I realize how wrong and foolish I've been and I have more to lose now than I did before," he added, while looking at Shannon as he made his last comment. "Please trust me," he continued, "and I'll prove it to you. I also promise we won't have sex for another month and after that, when we do, it will always be protected. Will that convince you to let us stay together?" Again, Jake didn't respond immediately. "Please, Dad," Shannon begged, putting even more pressure on Jake to give in. "I'll need some time to think about this," Jake informed them both. "I'm not saying no," he added, "but I do need more time to think it over." Both boys seemed satisfied that he'd at least given in that much, so they didn't push him further. Instead, they went back to their room and left Jake and I alone. "Josh, I know what he said, but I just don't believe him," Jake told me. "He just has too much history as a guy with hot pants, so I can't see him cooling off and confining his activities to just Shannon." Jake looked at me and I guess my facial expression told him I wasn't in full agreement with him. That, I believe, is what made him ask me his next question. "What do you think, Josh?" I swallowed hard and tried to mentally form my response, so it would come out as I wished. Once I felt I was ready to tell him what I thought, I took his hand and looked him in his eyes. "A year ago, or even six months ago, I might have agreed with you about Nick," I told him, "but having gone through this with him, seen his reactions and listened to the comments he's made about everything that's happened, I really believe he's growing up and changing the way he thinks. I can't tell you specifically why I feel this way or point to any one item to support my position, but he's just not the same young man now." Jake studied me carefully, while mulling over what I had said. Carefully, he formed his next query. "Isn't there anything you can tell me, to show me why you feel this way?" he almost pleaded. "I'm telling you, Josh, I just don't see it in him." "Is that because it isn't there or due to the fact that you aren't looking for it? It might also be that you just aren't allowing yourself to see it." I replied. Jake recoiled slightly, after hearing my words. "That's kind of a low-blow, isn't it?" he shot back. "I don't think so," I told him, frankly. "You've never liked the idea of Shannon and Nick being together, although I must admit you've been pretty good about allowing it to continue. However, I now think you see exactly what you want to see in him and figure it's your chance to end their relationship. Jake, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure you'd actually be willing to admit you saw a change in Nick's behavior, even if it were obvious." "I haven't seen any change?" Jake barked back at me. "He's screwed just about everyone he could get his hands on while he was away. I don't see any change there." I could tell Jake was getting very emotional about this topic, so I thought maybe I should tell him something more. There was one bit of information I thought might calm him down. "Jake, I know that's how Nick has always been, but look at these facts. We've told the boys they couldn't have sex until this was cleared up and they have BOTH done that. In fact, the other day I went up to talk to Nick and I caught him and Shannon cuddling and making out. They both swore there had been no sex and I believed them, but then Nick told me he never realized how much fun the kissing and hugging could be, even without the sex. For the week he's been back, he and Shannon have not been intimate, he's not been with anyone else for sex and he's been by Shannon's side nearly every minute possible. I think that shows some change. Don't you?" "Okay, maybe he has been a little different since he's been back, but I'm not sure he can keep it up," Jake confessed. "I think he will revert back to his old ways eventually and that's just not good enough." It appeared as if Jake was going to remain resolute in his stance. "Jake, I listened to Nick after he learned about his test results and I know how scared he's been and how badly he feels about putting others at risk. The thing is, up until now he's suffered from the same fate many young people do. They think they're invincible and nothing bad can happen to them. However, Nick has discovered that's not true, at least in his case, and he's really scared that something worse might happen. Besides, I think he's finally realized how much he loves your son and how much Shannon loves him, so I truly believe he's ready to commit to just one person." "So you think I should give them my blessing then?" he followed. I wasn't sure he really wanted my opinion or if he was just asking this rhetorically and using it as a way of working through this situation on his own. Whatever his intent, I felt I had to respond and give him my view on it. "I think you at least owe him the chance to try to prove himself to both you AND Shannon. As long as they use protection, Shannon will be safe, but I think he deserves a chance." Jake didn't say anything for a few seconds, but eventually he did respond. "I think I'll need some more time to think about all of this," he finally admitted. "You've given me a lot to consider and I do know what Shannon wants and that he's committed to Nick. I don't want to break my son's heart, but I don't want to expose him to any unnecessary risks either. I think I need to go for another walk, so I can think this through," he acknowledged. "Would you like some company?" I asked. "No, I think I need to do this alone," he replied. I respected his request and didn't try to lay a guilt trip on him about letting me go. Jake turned and headed for the door and I watched him slowly make his way from the house and head up the road. It was only a few minutes later when Shannon came back downstairs, looking around. "Where did my dad go?" he wondered. "He went for a walk, to think about this situation," I told him, and Shannon began to look worried. "Do you think he's going to be okay about Nick and me being together?" he wanted to know. "I'm not sure," I replied, honestly. "He is giving it a lot of thought, but he's not going to rush into any decision. I think whatever he decides, he'll do it because he thinks it's right and in your best interest." "I know that, Pop, but I also know I'm not breaking up with Nick, no matter what my dad says," Shannon confirmed. "I love them both and I don't want to have to choose between them, but I also won't let one of them bully me into getting rid of the other. If they don't like my choices, then they'll have to either learn to deal with it or make the choice to no longer be part of my life. I won't be the bad guy here." I could see a lot of his father in him now and could tell he was going to remain adamant in his stance. "Well, don't throw in the towel yet and give your father a chance to come to his own conclusions," I urged. "I know he'll do what he considers to be the right thing, whether you agree with him or not." Shannon merely nodded in response, before he went up to his room again. Jake didn't come back right away and a half hour later there was still no sign of him. I began to worry and wonder if something more was wrong, but I decided not to panic. I figured possibly he just needed more time to work things through in his mind, before he was ready to announce his decision. I was thinking about all of this when someone else approached. I looked up and noticed it was Duck. "If there's a problem, I can leave," he stated. "Oh, no, Duck. I'd never allow that," I told him. "It's just that Jake has a problem with Shannon and Nick being together and now he has to make a choice. Either he accepts them as a couple or he might lose his son." "Man, I'm so sorry to hear that," Duck replied, "but if my being here makes matters worse, then I'll go home and come back some other time." "No, your being here makes no difference at all," I assured him. "We'd be going through the same thing, even if you left. That's why I want you to stay and enjoy yourself. If you're going to be part of the family, you'll see things like this happen from time to time, so maybe you'd better get used to it. The boys and I are happy you are here and I don't want you to worry about this situation." Duck looked relieved, yet still concerned about what was happening. However, he went back to the family room and rejoined the others. I followed him in and spent a few minutes watching what was going on. I was impressed that everyone seemed to be getting along really well and had accepted Duck as part of the family. Well, that is if you can believe minor ribbing and teasing as being accepted into the Currie clan. Eventually, I left them alone and went back to my room. An hour had passed since Jake had wandered off and I began to grow even more concerned. I was just about ready to go out and look for him, when I noticed him in the distance. He was walking slowly toward the house and seeing that made me realize how difficult this must be for him. I also wondered if he had made his decision. When he finally reentered the house, he motioned for me to come with him, as he started up the stairs. I followed, as he made his way to Shannon and Nick's room and knocked on their door. He waited for them to tell him to enter and then we both went in. Shannon and Nick were sitting on the bed and a shocked and worried look came over both of their faces. Jake cleared his throat and then began to speak. "I've given this a lot of thought and listened to what each of you had to say on the matter," he informed them. "After thinking it through, I'm ready to give you my answer." I think Nick and Shannon both held their breath, as they waited to hear what he had to say. "Nick, I know you think I don't like you, but that's not true," he confessed. "I think you're a very interesting and lovable young man, but reckless in your sexual conduct. I love my son and wish to protect him and keep him from harm, just as any father would want to do, yet I also know he's old enough to make up his own mind." Jake paused now, licked his lips and took a deep breath before he continued. I thought both boys might pass out from the uncertainty and suspense, however they both managed to hang in there. "After a great deal of consideration, I've finally decided I'm going to give my blessing to your being together, with one word of warning." Both boys had begun to jump off the bed to celebrate, until they heard Jake's last comment. Immediately, they stifled their enthusiasm and waited to see what else he had to say. "Nick, I'm going to trust you and take you at your word that you're going to commit yourself to just my son," he advised him. This caused both boys to breathe a sigh of relief, but that was only momentary. "However, if I ever learn this isn't the case, then as far as I'm concerned, you'll be history," Jake warned. "Of course, I can't force Shannon into doing that, but I will do everything I can to put pressure on him to end the relationship at that time. So from now on, my continued support will depend entirely upon your actions and whether you can keep your word." At this point, Shannon moved swiftly toward his father, gave him a hug and thanked him for giving the two of them a second chance. Nick gave the pair a little time alone, before he joined them. He looked Jake directly in the eye, before he spoke. "I will make my promise again, to you, Pop and Shannon that I will be true to my word. I won't have any other sexual partners and I really mean that," he added, thinking Jake had not been totally convinced of his sincerity. "I hope you can do that," Jake responded, "because I'm going to hold you to it." It was obvious there was still a little tension between them, so in an effort to convince Nick he meant what he said, Jake did something else. Jake pulled Nick into the embrace with Shannon and him, to prove he was giving him another chance and his past would not be held against him. Nick's reaction was immediate and the smile that spread across his face expressed how pleased he was by this gesture. It also let me know that Nick felt his 'father-in-law' was finally accepting this relationship. I slipped out of the room and went downstairs, not only because I thought they needed a few quiet moments together, but I also had company I had been ignoring. Duck was still in the family room, watching a movie. They were quite into it, so I didn't interrupt and slipped back out of the room. A few minutes later, Duck, Mark, Vinnie and Kevin came out to find me. "Hey, Josh, aren't you going to join us?" Duck asked. "I just didn't want to bother you boys," I explained. "You all seemed into watching the movie and I figured I had already missed too much." "Then we'll start it over," Duck suggested. "It's a DVD, so it won't be a big problem. I just hope Jake, Shannon and Nick have worked things out and will watch it with us too," he added, looking hopeful. "They have and I think they'll be coming down soon," I assured him. "However, I do apologize for not being a more attentive host." "That's not necessary," Duck stated. "I'm just happy you've let me come spend time with you and your family. I've really gotten to know the rest of your sons and I'm getting along great with everyone. I think I'm going to enjoy my stay here." "I'm glad to hear that and we're all pleased you were willing to join us," I replied. "I want you to promise you'll make yourself at home and let me know if you need anything. Did Kevin and Vinnie show you where you'd be staying?" "Yes, they did, and it's very nice, but you didn't have to go to all of that trouble," he replied. "I could have just slept on the couch." "It's no trouble at all," I informed him. "We added the guest room on for occasions like this and I prefer you to have some privacy while you're here. You may not realize it yet, but once you see this group in action, you're going to be grateful to have a place you can hide and get away from them." He let out a little chuckle. "Awww, come on. They can't be that bad," he replied, playfully. "Oh, you'll see," I warned him, "and you'll be grateful for what little time you can manage to get away from them. Come on, let's go in and watch that movie." The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 16 -- Having Duck for Easter. Saturday morning, most of the boys slept in late, so I was surprised to see Duck wander down early, to join Jake and me in the dining room. "Good morning. Would you like some coffee and a little breakfast?" I greeted him. "Sounds great," he responded, as he sat down beside me. I started to get up to get what he wanted, but Jake put his hand on my arm, to get my attention. "You stay here with Duck and I'll get his breakfast," he offered. I tried to protest and tell him I could do it, since Jake always seems to end up doing most of the cooking anyway, but he was adamant and wouldn't give in. As Jake walked away, he asked Duck, "Do you take anything in your coffee?" "Yes, milk and sugar, please," he replied. "You may have regular milk or French vanilla creamer," Jake offered, "and sugar or Equal. Which would you prefer?" "The French vanilla and sugar would be great," he told Jake, and it wasn't long before he was brought his cup of coffee, with the appropriate items to add to it. "What would you like to go with it?" Jake asked him. "We have eggs, toast, bagels, English muffins, hot and cold cereals, waffles, pancakes, sausage and bacon." "Whatever is easiest would be fine with me," Duck answered, trying not to be too big of an imposition. "Duck, tell me what you want and I'll make it for you," Jake told him. "I'll probably end up doing most of that for the others anyway, so name your poison." I don't think Duck had ever heard that phrase used before and recoiled when Jake said it. "That's only an expression," I told him. "Jake won't actually poison you, at least not intentionally," I added jokingly, which made Jake shoot me a dirty look and caused Duck to giggle. "You guys are funny," he told us, although I wasn't sure if he meant our words, looks or actions. Not wishing to know for sure and possibly suffer a bruised ego, neither of us pinned him down to find out what he meant by his comment. "Okay, I'll take eggs, toast and sausage," he finally responded. "If that's not too much trouble?" "Not at all," Jake replied, "but how would you like your eggs?" "Over easy, if you please," came his reply. "And would you like jelly, jam or marmalade for your toast?" Jake followed. "Ah, jelly will be fine, thank you." "Strawberry, Raspberry or Grape?" Jake grinned, knowing Duck was not used to all these choices. "Raspberry, please," he told him, before adding, "you guys sure make this interesting. It's almost like I'm ordering at a restaurant or something." Duck giggled again. "Oh, we're not done yet," Jake advised him. "Sausage links or patties?" This caused Duck to laugh even harder. "Links, please," he stated, and then Jake disappeared into the kitchen. It was only a few minutes later before Jake returned with Duck's breakfast, but he had also fixed a little something extra for the two of us. We were eating and chatting when Mark and some of the other boys began to filter downstairs, still groggy but hungry. To my surprise, and horror, everyone except Mark had come downstairs in their birthday suits. Duck looked up and a shocked look came over his face. "Hey, you guys, we have company," I chastised them. "I don't think Duck is ready to see the nudie parade quite yet." "Oh, come on, I'm sure he's seen a dick or two before," Danny shot back. "I have," Duck responded, to my surprise, "but not so many or such fine looking specimens," he added, with a giggle. "Duck, I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I should have warned you the boys think this is a nudist colony." "It's okay," Duck responded. "Vinnie did tell me you guys did things like that here, but I didn't think they'd put on a special show in my honor," he added, tongue in cheek. "I must say it's very nice and extremely thoughtful of them." Here I was worried about how he might react and he seemed to be enjoying the show. "Hey, if you're all right with this, then I take back what I told them, about giving you a break." "Thanks," Duck replied. "I like being here more every minute." This time he laughed out loud. Once things settled down, Jake told the others to wait a few minutes, until he finished his meal, and then he'd fix them something too or they could do it for themselves, whichever they wanted. Mark went out and got his own breakfast together, but most of the others decided they could wait. What a bunch of lazy bums! Once everyone was fed and sated, we sent a group of them to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen, while we directed everyone else to get ready to go to the park. I had some things planned for today, special types of activities to do while Duck was here with us. I remembered him telling me how much he missed having a family, so I thought we could do some things he might have done with his family. I hoped this might put an end to some of his regrets. It was an early spring day, a little on the cool side, but the sun was shining. I told everyone to wear jeans or sweatpants, with a flannel or sweatshirt to go with it, and athletic shoes. What they didn't know was what I planned on doing. Jake and I then loaded them all into the vehicles, drove to the park and had them get out. It was then that I did something to announce we were going to have a touch football game. I grabbed the football out of the van and tossed it to Duck. Once the others figured out my wordless message, I handed Vinnie a whistle. He would be our referee. Jake and I had made a list and divided the boys into teams before we came down to the park. We tried to make them as even as possible, so Jake and I were also on opposite sides, so no team would have two anchors. We had put a lot of thought into splitting the boys up according to their abilities, although we weren't sure how good Duck might be. As I read off the names of who would be on which team, the boys came to stand beside either Jake or myself. Duck ended up on my team, along with Mark, and everyone seemed excited about playing, except Peter. "This isn't like Aussie football," he told us, "so I'm not sure what to do." "You'll catch on quickly," Ricky told him, "and we'll help you out, by telling you what you need to know." That seemed to suffice and Peter happily joined in the game. These games always turn out to be a lot of fun, even if they aren't technically well played. We quickly got things under way and the game turned out to be very competitive. Everyone was taking turns playing the various positions, so no one would feel slighted or left out. Jake and I started out as the center for our team and then moved to a lineman position for most of the game, but we also ran a few plays at both receiver and quarterback. One thing we didn't try was running back, since we knew we could never outrun the boys. The teams were swapping touchdowns and the score was growing quickly, since the boys were more interested in scoring than anything else. I guess most boys are the same way off the field too, interested in scoring, so to speak. However, not everything went smoothly and there were a few disputed plays. Of course our referee, Vinnie, had to step in and settle these disputes and his word was final, although it didn't mean everyone always agreed with him. There was the usual ribbing about his abilities, such as someone offering him a pair of glasses or asking him if he needed a rulebook. It was all done good-naturedly, however, so no one was offended. There was one time, when I was playing quarterback and had just thrown a pass to one of my teammates, when Danny tackled me, not roughly, but I went down. Before I knew it, I had several boys piled on top of me, including my little devil Andrew, who was on MY team. When I complained about no call, referee Vinnie ended up throwing himself on top of the pile. We were all laughing and I started tickling whomever I could reach, and that's when I saw Duck come into view. He leaped on the pile with everyone else, so I guess he was feeling like part of the family too. After order was restored, and that took many minutes to accomplish, we went back to playing the game, which my team eventually won by a touchdown. I think the boys decided to call it quits there, so Duck would be on the winning side. I hoped he realized and appreciated this fact, because the boys were probably not going to be as generous during his future visits. Duck acted as if he really enjoyed himself and talked about the game and how much fun he had all the way home. I was glad he was pleased with what we had done for him. Once we returned to the house, I sent all the boys to clean up and change, because I told them that after lunch we were all going to the movies. I let the boys choose what we would see, after asking them privately to make sure Duck had some input into the decision making process. I even told them we could split up between a couple of different movies, if they couldn't all agree on one. Saying they understood, the boys went off to check out what was playing online, before they cleaned up. Once the boys decided what they wanted to see, they went to hit the showers. A few minutes later, I noticed Duck walking naked toward the stairs, before he climbed them. I was certain the others were going to like what they saw, because Duck was not only very cute, but he was also fairly well built. He wasn't very hairy and his cut dick flopped from side to side, as he went up the steps, so I knew someone would probably hit on him. As it turned out, Danny and Brandon ask him to join them later and I was told Duck agreed. After Jake and I cleaned up too, we set about preparing pizzas for lunch. We knew the boys would like that, and with this crew it would take several pizzas to fill them up. We took out the appropriate number of frozen pizzas, with a rather large selection of toppings. I felt everyone should find something he liked and there would be plenty to fill him up. We put two pizzas in the oven and two more in the wall oven, and we planned on telling the boys to go easy on them, until everyone had some, while the next bunch was cooking. I also prepared a large salad to go along with the pizza, seeing most of the boys liked that too. I put the lettuce in one bowl, and then set out smaller bowls containing cucumbers, carrot strips, bacon bits, croutons, onions and tomatoes. That way everyone could take what they wanted and not end up with anything they didn't like. I also lined up several different salad dressings, because there were also a wide variety of tastes to accommodate. Once everything was ready, I called all the boys to the dining room and made sure I got what I wanted first, before I watched them literally inhale the rest of it. Duck just gawked in amazement, as he watched all of the food disappear, and his only comment was, "How can you afford to feed these guys?" I just winked at him and shrugged my shoulders, which caused him to grin and giggle. Once the first four pizzas were gone, Jake and I took the final four out of the ovens and placed them on the table, figuring that should be enough to satisfy all of them. Once the last of the pizza and salad was gone, I pulled out several half gallons of ice cream for dessert. We went around the table asking what flavor or flavors each boy would like, and if he wanted two or three scoops. We tried not to overdo it with desserts, but we all liked something sweet to top off the meal. After passing the various bowls around, everyone quickly downed their ice cream. When they'd finished their dessert, I asked what movie they had decided on seeing. I was surprised to learn they had all agreed on going to the same movie, something that rarely ever happens any more, so I told Duck he should feel special. He said he understood, after hearing the give and take going on while they were deciding what to see, but admitted it was fun to be part of the process. At this point, the boys split into groups to take care of the drudgery, so we could get going. Some put away the salad dressings and leftover ice cream, while others took the dishes out to the sink and rinsed them off, before putting them in the dishwasher. The final group wiped down the table and swept the floor, so there wouldn't be anything lying around to attract bugs. Once that was done, we got ready to leave. I did get some strange looks in the ticket line, as I ordered four adult and seventeen student tickets for 'Taking Lives.' The cashier did ask to see the student I.D.'s of some of my older boys and, fortunately, everyone had remembered to bring those items with them. It was a matinee showing, which I prefer to go to, because it does save a little money. After getting the tickets, I told the boys they were on their own if they wanted any snacks, seeing we had just finished eating. Only a few of them went to get anything, but I knew they all had money, so it wasn't a problem. After everyone had what he wanted, we went in to take our seats. With these smaller theaters and the way my eyes are getting, as I grow older, I have to sit in the back of the theater. Most of the time, Jake and I will sit in the back alone, because the boys prefer to sit in other areas. However, when Duck and Mark decided to sit with Jake and I, the rest of the boys followed suit. We took up most of the back two rows of the theater. The movie was quite interesting, about an FBI agent who's tracking down a serial killer. The odd twist was that the serial killer took on the identity of his victims, after he murdered them. Most of it was tastefully done, without the excessive blood and gore, and I think everyone enjoyed it, overall. After we got back from the movie, I let the boys entertain Duck, because I figured he'd enjoy playing video and other games with them, instead of hanging with Jake and me. The boys were always good about doing such things with visitors, but I knew Vinnie and Kevin would want to be a big part of this. I realized they would have been more than happy to entertain Duck on their own after all he had done to help Vinnie out, during the post-Valentine's Day fiasco, but they also realized Duck would probably prefer interaction with the others as well. A few hours later, I advised everyone they had about an hour before we'd be going out to dinner. I had made reservations at one of our favorite restaurants and since they could dress casually for this establishment, I concluded most of them would just wear what they wore to the movies. However, a few of them went to change into something else, since they didn't feel what they had on was appropriate. When the hour was up, we piled back into the vehicles and headed out to eat. I did not invite the extended family to join us this time, primarily because Duck needed a little more time to get to know the older boys first. Most of the extended family would be joining us for Easter dinner tomorrow anyway, so he could meet them then, and I felt it best to leave it that way. The restaurant had set up two long tables for us, since one would get too unmanageable for this large of a party. Duck sat between Mark and I, with Vinnie and Kevin on the other side of Mark. After we ordered our drinks and our meals, Duck decided to share some observations about his visit. "This has been really great," he told us. "I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed being here with y'all." "Duck, do I detect a bit of southerner in you?" I teased, referring to his use of the word y'all. He grinned. "Not really," he answered, still grinning. "Two of the guys I work with are from the south and I guess I've picked it up from talking to them so much." "Oh, I see," I told him. "So rather than teaching them proper English, you've decided to just assume their southern slang and drawl." He grinned some more. "It wasn't intentional, but they say it so much, I guess I just kind of added it to my vocabulary too," he admitted. "Ah, yes. I know from raising so many boys that bad habits can be picked up more easily than good ones." He laughed at my observation. "I guess so, at least it is with me," he conceded, and we all agreed that was probably the case with most of us. "So, what do you think of my insane asylum?" I asked, changing the topic. "I think it's fantastic," he beamed. "I've had so much fun and everyone has been great to me." "Well, enjoy it while it lasts," I advised him, "because I'm sure that will change." Duck flashed me a puzzled look, so I thought it best to explain. "Right now they're on their best behavior, seeing you're new to our family, but once you're just another family member, all bets are off in the nice department." This elicited another laugh from him. "Oh, so I'm getting special treatment right now?" he joked. "You might say that," I advised him, briefly. "Once you're a long-standing family member, they'll treat you like crap, just like they do the rest of us." This brought some mild protests from some of the boys, as they complained they didn't do things like that. However, I don't think it thoroughly convinced Duck they were being sincere. During dinner, I told Duck what I had planned for the next day, and he seemed to be fine with the agenda. I followed that by asking him what time he planned on leaving to return home. "No later than 7:00," he advised me. "I have to work the following day, so I don't want to get back too late. I still have a few things I need to do when I get home." I told him that would work out fine and he might even be able to leave a little earlier than that, if he felt he needed to. That news seemed to please him. It was about then that our food arrived and our conversation tapered off, so we could enjoy the meal. The food was good and some of the boys did continue to talk to Duck throughout the meal. I was glad to see they were all enjoying this give and take and getting along so well. After we finished our desserts, I took everyone out for another round of competition, but this time it was at the local bowling alley.