Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:52:07 +0000 From: Jacob Latson Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 16 Disclaimer: This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as a man who has been devastated by divorce and turns it into a new life of wealth. This story will include descriptions of male sex, including M/M, M/T, M/b, T/b and b/b. If stories involving sex between consenting males of all ages, including mainly gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading pleasure. Don't expect constant descriptions of erotic sex in this story. I always want to develop a plot and characters before the hot action starts. There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names, places, and events are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life are coincidental. Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are fictitious. This story will include references to the United States government, the FBI, CIA and other agencies. Any references are purely fictional, and only used to develop the plot and characters. Bill and I are having fun with this story. Are you?? This chapter is another one of my favorites!! Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 16 Family & Friends John woke up the next morning in pain. His ass was on fire, and he wondered if he would be able to walk when he struggled to get out of the bed that he had shared with Mike. He staggered and almost fell before Mike came to his aid. "I hurt you, and I'm sorry," Mike admitted. He helped John get into the bathroom and gently helped John sit down on the toilet. Before Mike left the room to use the other bathroom, he heard the escaping gas and liquid being discharged from John's battered hole. Again he wished that he had a smaller cock. John felt like his insides were falling out of his body when he released the gas and cum from his hole. His moans caused Mike to feel even guiltier about how he had fucked his adult friend, and Mike started crying. "Just fill the tub with hot water so I can take a sits bath," John said. He struggled into the tub and moaned when the hot water hit his battered hole. He wished that he owned a Jacuzzi where the bubbles would help relieve his pain, but he'd have to wait to remodel his bathroom. The hot water worked wonders, and John felt much better when he got out of the tub. He leaned against the bathroom sink while Mike applied a generous coating of Preparation H inside and out of his hole. He limped into the bedroom and sat on the bed to see if he'd be able to go to work. "Call Helen and tell her that we'll be out of the office this morning and will come in after lunch," John said to Mike. "I'm feeling better, but I don't want anyone to see me limping around and having trouble sitting down." Mike still felt guilty, but made the call and brought John a cup of hot coffee. Mike had called the bodyguards and told them that he and John were going to run some errands and didn't need them until later in the day. John took some Advil and started feeling better before he and Mike left the house on Peninsular Drive. Their first stop was at the farmhouse where John showed Mike the room filled with boxes and the old furniture. He explained to Mike that two trucks would be there the next day to haul everything away and told Mike not to ask any questions or open any of the boxes. Mike Mahon knew that John had saved him from a personal disaster, and agreed to everything that John asked of him. He wrote down the security codes for the farmhouse and storage room and hid the codes in his shoe. John loved Mike and wanted to show him the cars that were stored in the pole barn. Once they were inside, John let Mike uncover the vintage cars and watched the reaction. Mike couldn't believe that John owned all these beautiful cars, and was even more surprised when John told him that he could pick any car to drive. He looked at the 1967 Mustang Shelby GT350 and made his choice. The car was identical to the one in the movie, "Gone in 60 Seconds" and Mike called the silver car, Eleanor, just like in the movie. John had decided to leave the Escalade at the farm and picked the 1957 BelAir Convertible to drive. With Mike following in the Mustang, John drove to James Stanton's home on Carriage Hill Boulevard. Mike was shocked by the opulence of the mansion, and marveled at every room that he visited. When he looked at the massive jewelry collection in the master bedroom, he couldn't believe it when John told him that he could take anything that he would wear. "I feel like I'm stealing!" Mike admitted. "I did too, but James Stanton's dead, and everything that he owned is mine now," John said. "This jewelry isn't doing anyone any good just sitting here, so let's see what he had besides watches and tennis bracelets." John and Mike opened several jewelry cabinets and examined the contents. It was obvious that James Stanton loved gold chains and had too many to count. Many of the chains were made of platinum and had pendants that were made of solid gold, silver and platinum. John decided to pack the jewelry in the ornate wood jewelry boxes and asked Mike to take them back to the home that they shared. "I'd like you to collect all of James' clothes and stack them down in the foyer," John said. "Then call Goodwill Industries and have them take the clothes to help the needy." "I wouldn't feel right wearing someone else's clothes," Mike admitted. "Are you sure you don't mind me wearing some of the gold and platinum jewelry?" "We can both look like Mr. T!" John teased, referring to the black movie star who wore several pounds of gold. "What are you gonna do with this mansion?" Mike asked. "Are you gonna move here?" "I love my home on Long Lake, and I never plan to leave it," John replied. "It may sound stupid to you, but I built most of my home, and my dog, Barney, is buried there. Margaret killed Barney, and some day I'll pay that bitch back for what she did to Barney and me!" "You said that James bought another home in Bloomfield Hills," Mike said. "Why would he buy another home when he has this mansion?" "James was a strange person," John said. "I'm trying to understand him, and so far all I can say about him is that he loved to display his wealth. I have bank accounts in the Bahamas, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic that would make Bill Gates envious." "Can I ask for a bigger allowance?" Mike teased. John laughed and knew that Mike was teasing him. With the American Express card and the ATM card for John's account at the Bank of Detroit, Mike would never have to touch his annual salary of $100,000. "I still want you to give me your student loan accounts so I can pay them off," John said to Mike. "I don't want you to worry about anything financial so we can have fun on our hunting and fishing trips." "I feel guilty for what you've already done for me," Mike said softly. "I don't deserve your generosity." "I love you and have always loved you," John replied. "A few months ago, I was flat broke and thought I'd lose my home, and I'll never forget where I came from. Life's full of good and bad events, and I'm going to help others improve their lives and find happiness." "You're a wonderful person and I'm honored that you rescued me," Mike said. "I won't let you down!" John and Mike drove their cars to the second home that James Stanton had purchased, and found a mansion that was even larger than the home on Carriage Hill Boulevard. The furniture had been removed, but the mansion on Hillcrest Drive was spectacular. "I heard from Helen that this home was owned by the Vanderbilt family," John said. "James planned on redecorating and making this the most beautiful home in the State. He had great taste in everything, and has beautiful villas around the world that I haven't had the chance to see. I now own one piece of property in the Czech Republic that's confusing to me." "I've heard that the Czech Republic's a beautiful country," Mike said. "What's confusing about it? Is the property in Prague?" "We have a store in Prague along with a division of Executive Transportation and a large apartment in a hotel, but the confusing property's actually an orphanage," John said. "The orphanage is near Ceska Skalisce, a village a hundred miles from Prague. It's strange because World Wide Investments doesn't own the 10,000 acres of land. James bought the land and built Proud Les Domov, which means, River Forest Home for orphan children. I now own that property that includes a huge lake that's fed by the Mala Upa River. James built the orphanage about ten years ago, and invested a fortune to build roads and a power plant for electricity. I haven't even seen a picture of the orphanage, so I'm very interested in why it was built." "Will you take me there if you go to the Czech Republic?" Mike asked. "I want you to go wherever I go, unless you want to stay here in Michigan," John said. "Next week we'll head for New Zealand to hunt and fish with Timothy Cater and maybe we'll stop in the Bahamas for some very unique entertainment. Tim owns a major real estate business in Dallas, Texas, and he's pushed a lot of business to our stores. I took Tim to South America and we caught some trophy fish before emptying our balls in some cute boys in the Bahamas." "Boys?" Mike asked incredulously. "You mean that you fucked some boys?" "Imagine a little black boy with a dick the size of yours," John began. "Imagine a bunch of boys like that putting on a live sex show where they suck and fuck, and then imagine picking a boy or girl to fuck all night! That's the kind of entertainment that we can have in the Bahamas!" "A black boy or girl on white sheets with their legs in the air!" Mike exclaimed. "My dick's getting hard just thinking about that!" "Your dick's always hard!" John teased. "Just keep that boner away from my ass! I'm just getting back some feeling in my hole after what you did to me last night!" "I'm really sorry about that," Mike apologized again. "Actually, I loved it!" John admitted. "Give me a day or two and I'll be ready for another poke in the ass. I can't believe how huge your dick is! Have you ever measured it when you were hard?" "With a full boner, I have a little over 10 inches," Mike replied with a smile. "It's not easy packing my meat into a Speedo, but the bulge always attracts a lot of attention. I like to eat a pussy once in a while, but my favorite sex is fucking a boy or man. Girls take too much work to get them hot and wet, while a guy will drop his pants and blow his load without much foreplay." "So you like boys for sex?" John asked. "I love all kinds of sex," Mike admitted. "The last boy that I drilled was the younger brother of one of my friends. Cody came to our apartment for a weekend and admitted that he was gay. His brother stormed out of the apartment and told me to kill Cody. I tried to console Cody, but we ended up in my bed with us blowing each other four times before I drove him home. Jason never knew that Cody was my sex bud, and we hooked up a few times for some wild sex. I was shocked that a 12 year old could take all of my cock up his ass, but Cody was a natural bottom. He'd been fucked by his friends and some men, and he was hooked!" "Well, you're going to have to be very careful now that you have a good job and some money in the bank," John advised. "A boy could blackmail you with the threat of prison to get your money. We'll find some ways to indulge in our mutual desires for boy meat without taking any risks." "I was relieved that I didn't have any STD," Mike admitted. "The physical I took before you hired me proved that I'm clean of drugs and diseases." "I saw the results," John admitted. "Maybe if I practice I'll be able to swallow those 10 inches of yours and take them without having my asshole ripped apart!" "I was hoping that you'd be interested in more sex with me," Mike admitted. "I'm not a boy anymore." "You're still a beautiful boy to me," John said. "You always had a huge dick, but I never dreamed that you would grow to 10 inches!" "Can we go to the club for lunch?" Mike asked. "I packed my new Speedo, and I might get lucky if I spend some time in the pool with those beautiful girls and boys. Is it safe for me to hit on them?" "I've watched some boys blowing each other, and I heard that the girls will put out for the right guy," John replied. "I'm out of commission for a day or two, and then I'd love another poke in the shit chute!" After a light lunch at the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club, John went into the Members' Only Bar to talk to Mario. John drank iced tea and watched the hot action through the glass walls of the pool. "Your buddy's got a whopper!" Mario exclaimed when he saw the bulge in Mike's Speedo. "I'll make a bet with you. I bet he nails one of our boys before you're ready to go to work." "I won't take that bet," John replied. "Mike's horny and will take `surf or turf' if it's offered to him!" It wasn't long before the two adult males watched Mike entertain both a boy and a girl in the private room. Mike ate the girl before he drilled her, and blew the boy at the same time. "He should have a license for that lethal weapon of his!" Mario exclaimed when he saw Mike's huge cock drilling Wendy's tight pussy. Several members watched the hot action and listened to the girl screaming when she climaxed. Mike blew the boy and ate his cum before pulling out and blowing his huge load of cum into the hungry mouths of the boy and girl. The members applauded and shared their desires to get Mike alone for some intimacy of their own with his huge cock. John didn't admit to his friends that he had been drilled by Mike's huge meat, but enjoyed watching his young friend empty his load with the boy and girl. Mike knew that his sex in the special room was being watched, and it excited him to perform for the audience. Normally he would just unload inside the girl or boy, but he made a special performance by pulling out so everyone could see his cum explode out of his cock. He took a quick shower and left the club to drive to the NAO Headquarters. He drove the Mustang to his reserved parking spot next to John's. He loved his new job. It was a routine afternoon for John in his office, and he looked forward to the next day when Mike would supervise the emptying of the farmhouse. When Saturday morning arrived, John was completely recovered from his anal pain and looked forward to more sex with Mike. He had sent Mike on several errands, and one of them was to an adult bookstore where Mike purchased some special anal lubrication and some salve for reducing the pain of anal sex. John had breakfast with Mike and then drove the Cadillac Escalade to pick up his son, daughter-in-law and grandson for the house-hunting trip. "Dad, where did you get this Escalade?" Johnny asked. "I thought that we'd go in our minivan." "I borrowed it," John said honestly. "Let me hold Little John for a few minutes before we leave." To John, he was holding something more valuable than all of the jewelry and money that he now possessed when he held his grandson. He cuddled the little infant and gave Little John several kisses before Kirsty put the baby in the infant seat in the back seat of the Escalade. His grandson had the Miller eyes and everyone had remarked how John, Johnny and Little John had the same expressive blue eyes. Johnny noticed that his father seemed very happy, and he wondered what had caused the drastic change. He had pestered his father to know where John had been for the last few weeks, and didn't get an honest answer. "Papa John, let me see your watch," Kirsty asked. When John took off his watch and handed it to her, she exclaimed, "It looks like a real Rolex Oyster watch! My dad has one, and yours looks identical!" "Sometimes you can't tell the difference between a fake and the real thing," John said with a grin. "Tell me where to drive so we can see the first house." Before long, they had visited three homes that Johnny and Kirsty were considering for their first real home after living in a one-bedroom apartment. John held back his true feelings that all three homes were dumps that would take a lot of work to repair. He acted interested in the small homes and made idle chatter when he drove to Grosse Pointe Farms. "Where are you taking us?" Johnny asked. "I thought that we'd just drive around and see if we find anything interesting," John lied. He was driving to the home where Joyce Adams, a real estate broker and friend of Helen's was waiting for them. When he drove into the driveway of the beautiful home with a For Sale sign in the front yard, Johnny and Kirsty were confused. "Dad, why are we stopping here?" Johnny asked his father. "We couldn't afford the garage in this neighborhood!" "You never can tell what you'll find when you go looking at houses," John teased. "It doesn't cost anything to look." Johnny and Kirsty were disappointed. They had both hoped that John would like one of the three homes that they could afford, and now he was showing them something that was totally out of their price range. John got out of the car and introduced himself to Joyce Adams and then introduced his family. Joyce knew that this appointment was supposed to be a surprise for the young couple, and played her role perfectly. With the depressed economy in Michigan, homes were not selling, and her income had dropped drastically. "Would you like to go inside?" Joyce asked. "Dad, I want to leave!" Johnny whispered to his father. "We don't belong here!" John choked back his tears at hearing what his son was saying. A few months ago, he would have been excited about any of the three homes that Johnny and Kirsty were considering, but things had changed. He sensed the anxiety in his son and was determined to calm his son down. "It doesn't cost anything to look," John said again. "Just look at the house and imagine that some day you could live here." Johnny felt terrible. He and Kirsty had saved every cent they could, but now his father was showing them a home they could only dream about owning. He reluctantly walked inside the home and was overwhelmed by the beauty. "The owners are going through a difficult divorce and they need to sell this home to finalize their legal issues," Joyce said. "This home was appraised at $570,000 but the market hasn't been good for selling with the economy in Michigan. They originally listed the home at $550,000 but they just reduced the price to $495,000 in the hope that it'll sell." The home had five bedrooms, four bathrooms and a huge family room with a cut marble fireplace. It was a beautiful home that needed some painting and new carpet, but it was a steal at the reduced price. Johnny and Kirsty looked at the beauty of the home and dreamed about the day when they could afford to buy a home like this one. The three homes that they had been interested in were dumps compared to this home, and they were visibly upset. "I want to leave," Johnny said to his father. "This was a mistake. I feel like shit right now for showing you those three homes that we can afford." "Do you like this home?" John asked Johnny and Kirsty. "It's beautiful, but as I told you, we couldn't afford the garage!" Johnny said sheepishly. "We'll take it!" John said to Joyce. "When can we have occupancy?" "Immediately!" Joyce said excitedly. "I can work with your mortgage company to arrange a closing within a month!" "We won't need a mortgage company," John said. "I'll be paying cash with a certified check from the Bank of Detroit!" DAD, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Johnny screamed at his father. "The last time we talked, you didn't have $200 for a clothes dryer!" "I'll explain everything when we have lunch," John said while hugging his son. It was a tearful moment for everyone when John told his son, "I have a new job, and I'm going to buy this home for my family! Just relax and look at your new home." Johnny and Kirsty were convinced that John was losing his mind! They couldn't believe that John Miller had the money to buy the home for them, and they were afraid that John was going to end up in jail when they watched him write a check for the deposit. "Dad, I'm going to be sick!" Johnny said while running out of the house to throw up on the front yard. He knew that his father was in deep emotional trouble, and struggled to compose himself. "Do you like your new home?" John asked his infant grandson who he had been carrying around during the tour. "You get to pick out your own room!" "Papa John, what are you doing?" Kirsty asked. "Are you on drugs?" John laughed and gave Joyce the check for the deposit. He carried his grandson out to the Escalade, and tucked Little John in the car seat. "Thanks Joyce," John said before getting in the Escalade to leave. "Call me at the office with the details of the closing." Johnny and Kirsty were in shock when they left the beautiful neighborhood. Their shock continued when John pulled up to the valet parking at the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club. "Dad, we're going to be arrested for what you just did or for coming here." Johnny said. "Kirsty's dad has tried to join this club, but even with all of his influence he can't get an invitation." "I have some new connections," John said when he got out of the Escalade. "Good afternoon, Mr. Miller," David Wilbur said when he recognized John. "Mr. Genovesi's here in the bar and he asked me to call him if you arrived." "What the fuck is going on?" Johnny demanded. "Let's go inside and I'll tell you everything," John replied to his son. When they walked into the restaurant, Wendy welcomed them. "Good afternoon, Mr. Miller, would you like your usual from the bar?" "Yes, Wendy, that would be fine," John replied. "This is my son, Johnny, his wife, Kirsty, and my grandson, Little John." Johnny had tears running down his face when he confronted his father. He was sure that his dad had started dealing drugs or robbing banks, and demanded to know what was going on. John decided to tell Johnny and Kirsty about his new job, and started by handing each of them one of his business cards. "Is this for real?" Johnny demanded. "It's for real!" John replied. "A few months ago, your old man was penniless, but now I'm in control of the largest privately owned import business in the world! Let me tell you how it happened!" John gave an abbreviated description of how he met Betty Anderson and Martha Jenkins and his new responsibilities. He didn't disclose the value of his bank accounts, but he admitted that his salary from the North American Operations was 20 million dollars a year. "JESUS CHRIST!" Johnny exclaimed when he realized that his father was telling the truth about his new job. "Then that watch is real and so's your new job?" "You didn't notice my pinky ring and tennis bracelet," John teased. "How do you like my chain?" John pulled the platinum chain out from his neck and showed Johnny and Kirsty the gold Krugerrand that was attached. They were both impressed with the weight of the chain and the value of the South African coin in the bezel. Mario Genovesi walked up to the table and wanted to meet John Miller's family. He fussed over Little John and was very gracious when he told Kirsty and Johnny that John was the newest member at the club. "Have you seen his boat?" Mario asked. "Everyone's jealous of it!" "You have a boat?" Johnny asked. He remembered the repaired aluminum boat that he and Kirsty had given John as a gift, and wondered what Mario was talking about. "I have some possessions that you'll see before long," John said cautiously. He didn't want to flaunt his new wealth, but also wanted his family to enjoy life. "I've heard that your father has a beautiful office in the most beautiful building in the world." Mario said. "James Stanton never took me there, but I'd love to see the building." John decided to take his son and daughter-in-law for a quick tour of the NAO Headquarters, and invited Mario to join them. When they arrived at the building, John took them into the jungle so they could see the beauty. Inside the glass enclosure, John saw a young boy feeding the parrots and walked up to him. "Hi there," John said. "I'm John Miller." "I'm sorry, sir," the boy said. "My mom's upstairs and I just wanted to feed the parrots." "Who is your mother?" John asked. "Helen Baxter," Wesley Baxter replied. "She said it was okay if I fed the birds." "Your mother's a wonderful person," John said. He looked at the handsome boy and guessed that Wesley was about 12 years old. He introduced his family and Mario and wondered why Helen was in the building on Saturday. "I can't believe this place!" Johnny said to his father. "How can a place like this exist in Detroit without anyone knowing about it?" "This is spectacular!" Mario exclaimed. "I agree with Johnny; I never dreamed that Detroit had anything like this!" John let his guests enjoy the beauty of the waterfall and jungle, and cuddled his little grandson. He carried Little John around inside the jungle area and talked to the infant like he was an adult, showing him the different plants, birds and monkeys. "Let's go upstairs to my office," John suggested. He led the group to the glass elevator, with Wesley Baxter asking if he could go with them. When they arrived at the 12th floor, John led the group to Helen's office and introduced everyone. "Why are you here today?" John asked Helen. "I just had some small things to take care of," Helen lied. She had been working weekends for several months, but didn't want to admit it to her boss. "I hope that you're not upset that I brought Wesley with me today, but Tom's out fishing with his friends and I didn't want to leave my son at home alone." John decided to leave Helen alone and have another talk with her about cutting back on her hours on Monday. He led his guests down the hall to his office and led them inside. "Oh my God!" Kirsty exclaimed when she recognized the original oil paintings and the precious Ming vases. Mario recognized the value of the furnishings and marveled at the huge aquarium and the exotic fish. The guests walked around John's office and kept asking him about the expensive furnishings. He tried to remain humble, but he was still in awe of his office and the NAO Headquarters. "The food in our cafeteria rivals that of the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club," John began, "And we have an amphitheater that can seat 400 for company meetings." "Do you ever rent out the building?" Mario asked. "We'll have our fall meeting at the end of October, and I'd give anything to hold it here!" "James Stanton kept this building out of the public eye, but I don't know why," John replied. "I'll check my schedule, and if I'm here in Michigan at that time, I'd be happy to host the membership meeting with no rental fee. Mike isn't here, but he'll know what's planned." "Who's Mike?" Johnny asked. "Do you remember Mike Mahon?" John asked. "You mean that little blonde kid who always hung around our house?" Johnny asked. "That little boy's now six feet two inches tall and graduated from college," John began. "I hired him to be my personal travel assistant, and he's living with me now." "HOLY CRAP!" Johnny exclaimed. "Mike's had some hard times, but he's got his life straightened out," John said. "His father disowned him and he was living in his car before I hired him." "Who else knows about your new job?" Kirsty asked. "Can we tell my parents?" "I'd rather have any announcement wait for a while," John said. "Christina's planning a big event on the Sea & Jungle IV, and you'll all be invited when that happens." "Christina?" Johnny asked. "Yes, Christina the beautiful swimsuit model," John replied. "I hired her as my Public Relations advisor, and she's coming up with some fantastic new ideas to improve the image of the company." Mario laughed and admitted that he had always lusted after the beautiful model, and was surprised that John had hired her. He and Johnny compared their memories of favorite poses of Christina on the pages of Sports Illustrated, and John sensed that Kirsty was feeling inferior. "Christina has a degree in Public Relations and speaks several different languages," John interjected. "She's more than a sex symbol, she's brilliant!" "So my dad goes from bankruptcy to a life of luxury in the most beautiful office in the world!" Johnny exclaimed. "This is too much for me to comprehend!" Johnny hugged his dad and noticed a hard bulge under John's jacket. He pulled away and felt the bulge and asked, "What's under your jacket?" John opened his jacket and showed his son the Beretta. "I checked this at the front door of the club, but my bodyguards insist that I carry it when I go anywhere without them," John said. "I'm making some enemies with some of the changes that I'm making with this company, and I need to be very careful." Johnny and Kirsty didn't like to hear that John was in danger; they wanted him to be safe. They were still in shock at the wealth that John had with his new job, and hoped that he would never have to use the hidden weapon. "You have to understand that some people don't obey the law and could try to hurt others in important positions," Mario said. "I carry a weapon too when I'm not with my bodyguards. I left my gun at the club, and I'll bet that my bodyguards chew me out when I get back there." John knew that his son loved to go fishing, but had never taken an interest in hunting or shooting. He hoped that Johnny and Kirsty wouldn't be upset with him, and was relieved when they both said that they understood the need to carry a weapon. The group left the NAO Headquarters, with Mario driving back to the club, and John taking his family back to their apartment. He carried Little John inside the apartment and fed him while he talked to Johnny and Kirsty. "You can tell your parents about your new home, but please don't tell them about my job," John said to Kirsty. "Your new home needs some painting, and I have connections with Prestige Painting to make that happen. If you need any help picking out paint colors or furnishings, I can ask Marcel to give you some advice. Of course, I'll provide all of the furnishings from our Bloomfield Hills store or from anywhere that you name." "Not THE Marcel!" Kirsty exclaimed. "He's the interior decorator that my parents used when they redecorated their family room from the Sea & Jungle store in Bloomfield Hills!" "He's a flaming gay man, but he has exquisite taste in furnishings," John said. "He's going to redecorate my home while I'm in New Zealand hunting." "New Zealand?" Johnny asked. "When are you leaving?" "Next Wednesday," John replied. "Mike and I'll be gone about three weeks with one of our important customers. One part of my new job that I love is taking trips around the world to hunt and fish with customers. That's where I was for the three weeks that you were asking me about. I was in Texas, Mexico and South America, and then stopped in Nassau where I have a beautiful home." "JESUS!" Johnny exclaimed. "What will Margaret say when she hears about your new job?" John noticed that Johnny called his mother, Margaret, instead of Mom. He knew that his son was still upset that Margaret had formally disowned him after the contested divorce, and didn't know what to say. "I hired Bobby to head up the Legal Department for S&JI, and he says that she can't touch my new wealth," John said. "I've been hiring and firing people to clean up the shitheads who have tried to destroy my company." "You hired Uncle Bobby?" Johnny asked. "I can't believe that he would quit working for Grandpa Abe!" "I had to offer him a lot of money and a new house," John teased. "Actually, his entire team of attorneys will work for me, including Papa Abe." "Cool!" Johnny exclaimed. "Is Uncle Bobby's new house as nice as the one you just bought for us?" "Uncle Bobby's new home's a mansion, and he'll earn it by protecting me and my company," John replied. "Wait until you see it!" "Dad, I'm thrilled that this has happened to you," Johnny said. "I always knew that you deserved a better life than living with `Super Bitch'!" "Bobby's going to file a Personal Protection Order with the court to keep Margaret and her sisters from bothering you," John said. "I just want the best for you two and this little guy! Let me know when you want to take a vacation, and I'll fly you anywhere in the world. Think about a cruise around the Caribbean on a huge luxury yacht and some time in a villa in the Bahamas!" "This is a dream come true!" Johnny exclaimed. "I'm overwhelmed!" "If you decide to vacation in the Bahamas, think about taking Kirsty's parents and some friends with you," John offered. "The Sea & Jungle IV is 240 feet long and can easily accommodate 400 passengers in unbelievable luxury! I have Lear Jets, Gulfstream jets and 737s available at any time for transportation." John kissed his son, daughter-in-law and grandson before he left them at their tiny apartment. He was elated to have spent the wonderful time with them, and loved sharing his success with them. He drove home and told Mike all about the wonderful time with his family. When John woke up on Sunday morning, he extricated his nude body from the embrace of his new lover. He and Mike had traded blowjobs several times during the night, and he looked at his handsome roommate and marveled at the size of Mike's erect penis. He still couldn't believe that he had taken that huge pole up his ass; he wanted to learn how to relax his body to prevent another painful experience. John showered and decided to go to church to thank God for the blessings of his new career. He dressed casually and kissed Mike before leaving the home in his Ferrari. He had extra time before the 8 o'clock service, and drove past Taylor Paint & Wallpaper to reflect on the changes in his life. He was surprised to see several trucks in front of the paint store, with several men milling around outside. He knew that Jim Taylor's store was open seven days a week, and that many painting contractors depended on Jim to have the store open early on the weekends. John made a "U" turn and drove into the parking lot where the men were drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. He knew that something was wrong! "What's happening?" John asked the men when he got out of the beautiful car. "John, I thought you quit working here!" Tony said while shaking John's hand. "We're all waiting for Jim to open the doors so we can get our supplies! He's never late, and we're all worried about him! Where the fuck did you get that awesome car?" John recognized many of the painters, and used his key to open the store. He turned on the lights and went to work! He worked hard to fill the orders of the anxious painting crews and wondered where Jim Taylor was. Instead of going to church, he worked for two hours before he had the time to call Jim on his cell phone. "Hello," a female voice said. "This is John Miller and I'm worried about Jim and why he didn't open his store," John said. "John!" Karen Taylor exclaimed. "Jim's had a car accident! He's in the Emergency Room with a broken arm, and he's going crazy about leaving to open his store! He's going to be fine, but he's determined to leave here and he's driving me and the nurses crazy!" "Tell my buddy to relax," John said. "I still have my key and I opened the store and I'm taking care of the painters!" "I'll be right there!" Jim Taylor insisted after he grabbed the phone from his wife. "You stay where you are!" John demanded. "I'm taking care of the customers and shorting the till like I always did!" Jim Taylor laughed and cussed at John in a friendly manner. He knew that his favorite employee would never steal from him, and was relieved that the customers were being taken care of. "Karen called Justin and asked him to run the store for me today," Jim admitted. "He'll be there in about an hour, and I can't thank you enough for coming to my rescue. Some shithead ran a stop sign and totaled my truck, but I'll be fine! I'll pay you for taking care of the store today for me." John smiled, and realized that Jim didn't know about his new wealth. The income from Taylor Paint & Wallpaper had saved him from bankruptcy, but he could now buy the store without putting a dent in his bank account. "Don't worry about coming to work today," John said to his friend. "I'll stay here until Justin comes in." "I have some great news too," Jim said. "I landed the biggest painting contractor in Michigan to buy Sherwin Williams Paint!" John acted surprised, but knew that Ken Kallen, owner of Prestige Painting was the new customer. He congratulated Jim on the success of his new franchise and hung up to take care of another customer. It was noon before John left the store, and he decided to have a quick snack at MacDonald's before driving to the Jeffries' cottage. He drove up the winding driveway to the luxury cottage and saw a multitude of people enjoying the summer day. "Is that your car?" Jamie asked when he saw John get out of the Ferrari. "It's awesome!" John hugged his young friend and thought about the intimacy that they had shared at the beautiful cottage and during deer hunting. He saw a cute boy hanging back and was excited when Jamie said, "This is my boyfriend, Hunter!" "Your boyfriend?" John asked. "Yup!" Jamie said with glee. "I came out to my parents and they didn't freak out on me! Hunter and I've been boyfriends for two months!" John was shocked that Jamie had announced his homosexuality, and wondered how Tom and Judy were accepting the shock of knowing that their only child was gay. "You picked a real cutie!" John said when Jamie introduced him to Hunter. He felt a pang of jealousy when he realized that his intimate times with Jamie might be at an end with the boy having a young boyfriend, but he was happy for Jamie. Tom Jeffries saw John arrive and put down his cell phone to hug his special friend. "I see that you met Hunter," Tom said. "It was a shock to find out that my son's gay, but Judy and I have accepted the facts of life. We've realized that our son's growing up, and we're trying to spend more time with Jamie and Hunter to understand their love for each other." John was surprised to hear that Tom and Judy were giving Jamie more attention. He had always been critical of his friends for ignoring their son, and he loved seeing Tom hug both Jamie and Hunter. Tom's cell phone rang and he walked away to take the call. John heard only bits and pieces of the phone call, but could tell that Tom was very upset. He knew that Tom was in the middle of a huge shopping mall project, and could tell that things weren't going right for his friend. When Tom came back to talk to John, it was obvious that he was very upset. "I'm in deep shit!" Tom admitted. "I stretched my resources too thin, and I'm about to lose everything! I have big loans with Chase Bank and Citicorp for the new shopping center, and my concrete contractor just pulled out of the deal! The banks are raising my interest rates because the project's going in the ditch, and I'm about to be wiped out. I used everything for collateral, including our home, this cottage, our cars and even the apartment buildings and the strip mall that I built. The only thing that I haven't touched is Jamie's college fund." John could tell that Tom was being honest with him, and started thinking about how he could help his friend. "I've always worried about your risks in developing properties in Michigan," John admitted. "What will happen if this deal falls through?" "I'll lose everything!" Tom admitted. "We'll probably end up in bankruptcy court and living with Judy's parents. This was going to be my last deal, and could still work if I can just make the interest payments and find a new concrete contractor who'll work with me. Right now, I'm flat broke!" "I'll see what I can do for you," John said. Tom Jeffries loved his friend, but knew that John was broke and barely able to make his mortgage payments after the protracted divorce from Margaret. He thanked John for offering to help him, but knew that there was nothing that his friend could do. John walked around the yard and watched the children swimming in the cold water and taking turns on the jet skis. Hunter had just beached his machine and heard Tom announce that the hamburgers were ready. Hunter ran along with the other children to get in line for the picnic. John saw Jamie driving the Jet Ski around the lake, and noticed that Jamie's life jacket wasn't fastened. He planned on chewing Jamie out for not following the safety rules, but he never had the chance. He watched in shock when Jamie raced towards the dock and lost control of the Jet Ski. A sickening crunch echoed around the lake when Jamie's body was launched through the air to crash against the side of the aluminum swim float! John saw the life jacket fly through the air, and knew that Jamie was in danger! John screamed for help and ran out on the dock and dove into the water. The guests at the picnic heard the crash and saw the smoking Jet Ski that had crumpled against the side of the wooden dock. Everyone ran to the shoreline and started screaming when they couldn't find Jamie. They saw John swimming towards the swim float, and thought that he was going in the wrong direction. Several people ran out on the dock and started searching the lake for the boy, but couldn't find him. Tom Jeffries dove into the water next to the dock and began a frantic search for his son. The water was murky, and the visibility was very poor, but he was determined to find his son. John swam to where he had seen Jamie's body crash against the swim float, and dove under the surface. He searched through the weeds and was terrified that he couldn't find Jamie. He surfaced to get air and screamed for Tom to help him! The shoreline was pure bedlam, with everyone screaming and running around to look for Jamie. People dove into the water and began a frantic search, but only John knew where Jamie had landed after hitting the dock and swim float. John dove down again and ripped through the weeds until he saw Jamie's unconscious body on the bottom of the lake. He grabbed the boy and struggled to get out of the weeds and up to the surface of the lake. He inhaled lake water before he got to the surface, and wondered if he would drown before he could get Jamie to shallow water. Two men jumped into the lake when they saw John struggling to get Jamie to safety. They quickly helped John drag Jamie's unconscious body to the shoreline and screamed for someone to dial 9-1-1! John vomited and coughed out the lake water, and immediately began doing CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) on the lifeless boy. He ignored the large gash on Jamie's head from the impact with the swim float and cleared the weeds out of Jamie's mouth. He covered Jamie's mouth with his own and blew hard to fill the boy's lungs. A flood of lake water gushed out, and John felt Jamie's neck to see if there was a pulse. His training in CPR was now being used to try and save the life of a wonderful boy, and John begged for help. Tom and Judy Jeffries looked at the lifeless body of their son and prayed to God that Jamie would be spared. Hunter Harwood collapsed in the arms of his father when he thought that Jamie was dead. "I'm a paramedic!" Cathy Miller yelled at John. "Let me do the chest compressions while you breathe for him!" The crowd of people stood in terror while they watched John and Cathy working over Jamie, and everyone was terrified that the boy was dead. John was dizzy from his efforts to revive Jamie, but refused to let anyone take over for him. He had been working with Cathy for several minutes, and he heard the siren of the ambulance coming down to the shoreline. His emotions soared when Jamie coughed and struggled to get up! "WE'VE GOT HIM BACK!" Cathy screamed. "Get some towels to cover him up to get his body temperature up! Where's the ambulance?" John collapsed when the paramedics took over and put the oxygen mask on Jamie's face. He sobbed uncontrollably, and feared that Jamie would die or have permanent brain damage from the terrible accident. He watched the paramedics load Jamie on the gurney and prayed that the boy would survive. A second team of paramedics arrived at the scene and began treating John Miller. He had passed out, and they loaded him in a second ambulance to transport him to the nearest hospital. It was two hours later when John regained consciousness. He was disoriented, and tried to clear his mind. He coughed up more of the lake water and tasted blood. "You inhaled some lake water," a voice said. "As a precaution, we put you on antibiotics." "Is Jamie alive?" John choked out. "He's in a coma," Johnny said while holding his father's hand. "Dr. Brodsky's taking care of you and Dr. Washington's taking care of Jamie. Just relax and try to calm down." John sobbed and prayed for the life of the young boy. He felt worthless for collapsing at the lake and wanted to get out of the bed to be with Tom and Judy to hear about Jamie's condition. "Jamie's head hit something very hard, and we're concerned about brain damage," Dr. Brodsky said to John. "No one really knows what happened at the lake, but without your fast actions, the boy would be dead right now. Can you tell us what happened?" John choked back his emotions to describe how Jamie was showing off on the Jet Ski and had hit the side of the dock at a high rate of speed. He described how the life jacket flew off while Jamie was airborne, and how the boy hit the side of the swim float before disappearing. "Everyone thought that Jamie was under the dock," Johnny said. "You were the only one who knew where he landed, and I'm proud of what you did to save his life." "I'll go to Jamie's room and tell Tom and Judy that you're awake," Kirsty said. "I'll see if they have any news about Jamie's condition and come back here and tell you." Word of the tragic accident spread quickly, and the local television stations gave sketchy details of the accident and said that Jamie Jeffries was listed in critical condition. The news bulletins credited John Miller for rescuing the boy and said that John Miller had been hospitalized. Helen Baxter was watching television with her husband and son, and screamed in terror when she heard John's name. She ran out of the house and into the garage, with her son and husband following closely behind. Phone lines were burning up with people calling their friends and associates to report that John Miller was in the hospital. It was an agonizing event for everyone!! Stay tuned!!! Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com