Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2024 03:03:28 +0000 From: beachbum5599 Subject: Helpful Dad - Part 2 Let no one say that I only write unwholesome stories ;) Please donate to nifty to keep this site going. Email me if you like this chapter and want me to continue. Chapter 2 - Helping with your mouth full The day after our clothes shopping trip, I prepared spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. When Jayden came downstairs to help me set the table, I was a bit surprised. "New pants?" I asked him, as he placed the napkins and cutlery on the table. "Uhh, yeah. Mr. Miguel recommended that I buy them. I got a couple of pairs. For wearing around the house." "Okay," I said as I brought the pasta out. "Are they, ahem, are they comfortable?" Jayden's eyes lit up. "Oh yes Dad! They feel so good on me." I nodded. "Well, that's good then. As long they aren't too tight." He shook his head, "No, not at all! They feel like a second skin." I shrugged. "Alright. If you say so." I must have looked skeptical because Jayden said, "Plus, Mr. Miguel said that I can help him better with these pants." "Oh. Oh, okay. If you can be more helpful with it, then that makes sense. I suppose they do let you stretch more than your usual set." Jayden looked pleased. I went up to the stairs and called out, "Miguel! Dinner is ready!" The two of us sat and were serving ourselves when Miguel's footsteps thumped down the stairs. "Yes, please, come and sit," I said, "Tonight we are having- Oh my!" Miguel bounded down the last few steps and took his seat across from me on our small round dining table. He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "What are we having tonight?" he asked with a smile. Jayden immediately got up, grabbed Miguel's napkin, and carefully placed it on his lap. I cleared my throat, unable to think for a second. And then I rallied. "We are having spaghetti with meatballs tonight." "It looks so wonderful!" Miguel said, admiring the food. "And it's not the only thing that looks wonderful." With that he playfully smacked Jayden on the bum. "How are you liking the yoga pants, Jay?" "They fit me really well, Mr. Miguel!" Jayden beamed. "Is your napkin placed correctly?" Miguel chuckled and said, "It was, but it seems to have moved. Could you fix it for me, please?" "Of course, sir." Jayden leaned forward and carefully fixed the napkin on Miguel's lap. "Is that good?" "It is for now. Until it moves again," Miguel said with a wink. "May I take my seat then?" Jayden said, with a slight blush. "Oh, of course!" Miguel said, finally moving his hand away from my son's bum. I suppose it was his cultural custom to give long, caressing pats on the bum to your friends. And Miguel must have considered Jayden to be a close friend, given... umm... given what he was doing. When Jayden sat down, I said grace, and we began eating. But neither Jayden nor I could help from glancing over at Miguel from time to time. Finally, I just had to ask. "Miguel, speaking of pants... why, umm, why didn't you put on the pants... or any of the other clothes for dinner?" Miguel rubbed his hairy pec thoughtfully and said, "For the past two days I have really felt at home here, Simon. You both have been so kind and helpful to me. Jayden here even sets my napkin for me, the wonderful boy that he is. Speaking of, Jayden, sorry to inconvenience you but my napkin seems to have fallen on the floor. Could you, please...?" "Of course, sir!" Jayden hopped up from his seat, popping a meatball in his mouth first, and crawled underneath the table, disappearing into the overhanging table cloth. "So, as I was saying," Miguel said, letting go of his knife with his right hand and snaking that hand under the table cloth, probably helping out Jayden, "that you guys have been so helpful to me, that I feel like this is my home." The more he spoke, the more I saw him get breathless with gratitude. I started to tear up. "Of course, Miguel. This IS your home. That's how we want you to feel here. But what has that got to do with...?" I nodded towards his bare torso. "Well, when I had a home of my own - and it was just a small apartment, not a cozy house like this - I would walk around without clothes. Because it was my home and it was the only place I could do it. You know? And I haven't been able to do it for the last three years." His left hand was holding his fork still as he spoke, though I think his right hand was moving, but it was out of my line of sight. "You guys invited me here," he continued, "You gave me food and shelter, you even gave me your son so he can help me out! Your boy is so amazing, do you know he is ... how did he say it? Oh god." Miguel closed his eyes, his chest heaving slightly. "Yes, as Jay says it, he is able to help me halfway now. He is halfway helping me right now, even as we speak!" Miguel's eyes looked down at his lap and the space between them. He gave an encouraging nod, probably telling Jayden that he was doing a good job with the napkin. Then he looked up at me. "And he said that you were the one who told him to keep helping me. To keep practicing until he could help me all the way-" I had to cut him off at this point. This was unacceptable. "Miguel, listen to me," I leaned forward as seriously as I could. "It is Jayden's duty to help you out all the way. It has been three days and if he is only able to help you halfway right now, then that is not acceptable." Miguel also got a serious look on his face and he said to me, "You are being too hard on him. No one in my life has been able to help me all the way, not even my old girlfriends. Simon, you cannot understand how hard it is, how... long and thick it is. Jayden has come the farthest in the shortest amount of time, and I cannot allow you to push him any further. He has to be ready to help more, and he has been trying his very best. Even right now, with his mouth full, he is trying to help even more." "Well," I said, "You should tell him to swallow the meat in his mouth, so he can help you properly." I heard a muffled moan of protest from under the table. Jayden was being really rude by trying to help with his mouth full. Miguel leaned back and looked at his lap, saying, "It's okay Jayden. You don't have to cry. You are a really helpful boy. And you should really just finish it up with your hands so you can eat your dinner before it gets cold." I frowned and muttered, "It shouldn't take him this long to place a napkin. He should be better, faster at helping you out." I must have hit a nerve that angered Miguel, because he just leaned back, closed his eyes and breathed faster and faster, clutching his fork with a tight fist. Even I was afraid for a few seconds - was this homeless man going to go berserk and wreck our home? But then he grunted a couple of times as if he was realizing something. And then he brought his right hand out from under the table and opened his eyes. He took a deep breath. And smiled. "I'm sorry, Simon, what were you saying?" Jayden crawled out from under the table, wiping his eyes and mouth, his hair messy, his face looking flushed. I knew then what Miguel was doing. He was giving me a chance to take back my unkind words. My words which had so angered Miguel and ashamed Jayden that they were both red in the face. I thanked the Lord that we found someone as kind as Miguel, instead of picking up some unhinged lunatic from the streets. "I'm sorry too, Miguel," I said. "And I'm sorry to you too, Jayden. I know you are trying your best son." I reached forward and fixed his hair a little. "Just keep trying and it will all work out!" They both smiled at me and continued eating their meal. I made a note to myself to add less butter to the spaghetti next time. I could see some dripping down one corner of Jayden's lips. --- Three days later, when I came back home from work, an excited Jayden came running down the stairs, followed by a more languid Miguel. "I did it!" Jayden exclaimed. "I did it, dad! I was finally- no, I AM finally able to help Mr. Miguel all the way!" Jayden was wearing nothing but his yoga pants. I could see two, large upside-down handprints, one on each of his pecs. Miguel, naked as always, came up behind Jayden and gave him a hug. "You should have seen him, Simon. You would have been so proud." I beamed at them. "I am proud. But I have to ask. How did you help him? You keep talking about helping him halfway and all the way, but I want to know the specifics." Jayden looked at his feet shyly. Miguel patted him on the bum and said, "Jayden is too polite to talk specifics, but I can tell you if you want." "Yes, please do," I said, putting down my work case and heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I didn't want to pry, but I was curious about how my son was helping our guest. Miguel cleared his throat and said, "So, our little Jayden has been practicing every day after school for an hour. Every day, he would change, come into my room and kneel-" "Ah!" I said with a big smile. "I understand now. You don't have to say anymore." He was such a good, god-fearing boy, of course he was leading our guest to his faith and salvation by showing him to kneel in prayer. Now it made sense about halfway and all the way. "So, Miguel, will you be coming with us to church this Sunday?" I asked. Miguel looked confused. "Uhh... maybe. If you guys want me to. Hold on, I haven't even told you the best part about how we finally got all the way through today. You see, Jayden had the brilliant idea of laying on the edge of the bed, and with his head tilted back, and-" I burst out laughing, "It's okay, Miguel. I don't need to know the specifics anymore. I'm just glad he got you where you needed to go, no matter what unique techniques he used." I walked over to Jayden and gave him a big hug. I was wrong about what I thought yesterday - I could get used to my boy walking around shirtless in the house as long as his morality and virtue were in the right place. I whispered to Jayden, "You did a really good deed, son. You saved a soul today." "I did?" he asked me eagerly. I patted his head and said, "Yes, my boy, you did."