Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:30:54 +0000
From: Jacob Latson <jacob_latson@hotmail.com>
Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 30

Disclaimer:

This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as
a divorced man who has been devastated by the divorce and 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.

Writing a story like this one takes a lot of time.  I hope that you'll
take a few moments and send me email.  Writers don't get paid and the
only encouragement that we get is reader feedback.

Thanks again to Bill for editing for me.

Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 30 December to Remember

John and Mike arrived at the Hidden Harbor Yacht Club and waited outside in
the cold until Bobby Goldman arrived in his Mercedes.  They walked inside
the exclusive club and were welcomed by Mario Genovesi and Michael
Costanza.

"We were hoping that you'd come here today," Mario said while hugging John.
"I know that you're going to leave soon for the holiday season in the Czech
Republic, and our members have gifts that we hope you'll take to your
children.  I contacted Helen Baxter and she gave us the names of children
to sponsor with special gifts."

"During that fantastic fall meeting at your North American Headquarters, we
all saw the pictures of the children at your orphanage and we decided to
help you make this a special Christmas for them," Michael Costanza added.
"The members of this club have wrapped gifts for the children, and we hope
that you'll take them with you when you go there."

"I have some special plans for the children," John began.  "They've never
had a real Christmas with good food and gifts, but this year will change
all of that.  Helen Baxter put out the word that the children deserved a
special holiday season, and associates from across the country have
answered her appeal.  Each child will get gifts selected especially for
them, and I can't wait to play Santa Claus and distribute the gifts.  Of
course I'll take your gifts to the children.  Why don't you join me on the
trip and see how beautiful the orphanage has become."

"We were both hoping for an invitation." Mario admitted.  "When we watched
that video that Philippe made, there wasn't a dry eye in the amphitheater
during our fall meeting!  This will be a great way for our families to see
what Christmas is all about.  It will be our first visit to Prague and then
to the orphanage."

They were walking into the dining room when Jay Masterson ran over and
shook John's hand.  John knew that Jay owned a very exclusive wine shop in
Bloomfield Hills and had been excited when John brought a case of wine from
the Czech Republic to the club.

"Did you hear the wonderful news?" Jay asked excitedly.  "Remember that
wonderful wine from the Czech Republic that you gave to me?  Two weeks ago
we hosted the International Wine Tasting Competition here at the club, and
guess which wine won first place?"

"Oh my God!" John exclaimed.  "Don't tell me that the Ceska Skalisce wine
won first place."

"Wine connoisseurs from all over the world were here, and your wine beat
out wines from Napa Valley in California, France, Germany and Italy!" Jay
beamed. "There were 20 judges, and your wine got 18 first place votes and
two second place votes!  That's the most overwhelming margin of victory in
the history of the International Competition!"

"Jay's been wetting his pants ever since," Michael Costanza teased.
"Everyone in the club has been listening to him brag for the last two
weeks.  Maybe now he'll shut up!"

"One of the men who works for me at the orphanage is Sasha Bednik," John
said to Jay.  "His cousin, Tomas Coza, made that wine and I loved it.
That's why I brought some of it back here for you to taste, but I never
dreamed that you would enter it into competition.  His wine won the gold
medal in the Czech Republic too!"

"All the proceeds from the competition will be used to support Doctors
Without Borders," Jay added.  "Get this!  I had one full case of that wine,
and after it won the competition, we auctioned off the last 6 bottles.  The
highest bid was $10,000!"

"Holy Crap!" John exclaimed.  "Tomas was selling his wine for about one
dollar a liter."

"Now you have to do me a HUGE favor," Jay blurted out.  "I have to get more
of that wine!  I'll make a deal with you.  If you can get me more of the
wine along with exclusive importing rights, I'll donate half of the profits
to any charity that you name.  Customers who want the finest wine in the
world are hounding me.  My phone's been ringing off the hook, and one guy
offered $1,000 a bottle if I can get more of it!"

"Then you'll be pleased when I tell you what I did when I was in the Czech
Republic," John said with a grin.  "Even if you didn't want to buy more of
his wine, I wanted it to be marketed.  Mike helped Tomas design a beautiful
label and a friend in Prague cut through all of the bureaucracy so I could
import the wine to my store in Nassau.  We don't have a beer and wine
license here in the U.S. and I don't intend on applying for one."

"Please don't tell me that you're going to sell that wine to anyone but
me!" Jay pleaded.  "Word has spread around the world about that wine, and
I've got to have it!"

John laughed and said, "Would you believe that Tomas and the other wine
makers dump hundreds of gallons of wine each year because they can't sell
it?"

"Oh my God!" Jay exclaimed.  "They dumped hundreds of gallons of it?"

"They sell what they can, and have to make room in their wooden casks for
the newest vintage," John answered.  "After aging for five years, they
bottle and sell what they can and dump the rest."

Jay Masterson had to sit down before he passed out.  Hearing that the best
wine in the world was being dumped out on the ground was too much for him
to accept.

John laughed again and decided to rescue his friend.  He sat next to Jay
and whispered, "I just happen to have 100 cases of that wine in the
warehouse in Nassau if you can pull the right strings to get it past
U.S. Customs."

"OH MY GOD!" Jay exclaimed with tears in his eyes.  "Are you serious?  How
much do you want for the entire shipment?  I'll pay anything!"

"Tomas only wanted the equivalent of twelve dollars a case," John admitted.
"Instead of paying him $1,200 I paid him $30,000 for the entire shipment.
He's the wealthiest man in his little winemaking community right now, and
I'm expecting the last 50 cases in about a week.  Seeing that you're
donating part of the profits to charity, I'll give you the wine and put a
value of $2500 on the entire shipment or the Customs jerks won't let it
into this country."

Jay was sobbing now.  Hearing that he would have 150 cases of the finest
wine in the world was too much for him to comprehend.  Just thinking about
the advertising impact caused him to feel dizzy, and he struggled to stay
conscious.

"Maybe I should go into the wine business instead of concrete." Mario
teased.  "It sounds like that wine is made out of gold.  I can see the sign
right now.  Genovesi Wine Importers."

John just laughed again and admitted that he had several cases of the
wonderful wine at Proud Les Domo and two cases in his home on Peninsular
Drive.  He knew that Tomas had an entire vintage year of wine ready for
bottling, and the new vintage had also won the gold medal in the Czech
Republic.  He gave Jay the telephone number for Philippe Ducharme, and
promised that Philippe would ship the wine in one of the Sea & Jungle
airplanes.

Jay shook John's hand and then succumbed to his emotions and gave everyone
a hug before running out of the club.  He was already dialing Philippe's
number, and prayed that he could get the wine before the Christmas holiday.


John was pleased when his two aunts invited him, Mike, Johnny, Kirsty and
Little John to their farmhouse for a meal.  The two elderly ladies were
thrilled to have guests, and rolled out the red carpet for everyone.  Of
course they started the evening in the parlor for cocktails.

Johnny and Kirsty were very impressed with the antiques in the farmhouse,
and listened to Betty and Martha praising John for all of the work he did
in their home and the changes in the company.

Before the evening ended, everyone was stuffed with the wonderful food and
had enjoyed the friendly conversations.

John was excited when the day arrived for the High School State
Championship Game for the Class A schools.  His team of officials had been
selected for the game, and he was on the sidelines talking about the last
minute details with his team.  Despite their appeals, John reiterated that
this would be the last game that he would officiate.

Before the ceremonial coin toss, a man walked to the middle of Ford Field
in Detroit and addressed the crowd.  "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your
attention, please!  Please welcome David Parin, President of the Michigan
High School Athletic Association for a special presentation."

David Parin walked out on the field and waved to the sellout crowd before
saying, "I came here tonight to watch two great football teams compete for
the coveted State Championship for Class A schools, but first I want to ask
someone to join me here at the 50-yard line.  Would John Miller, our head
referee for this important game, please come out here?"

John had been talking to his team of officials and didn't hear the request
until Mike Wilbur yelled at him.  "JOHN!  HE WANTS YOU OUT ON THE 50-YARD
LINE RIGHT NOW!"

David Parin repeated his call for John Miller to join him, and waited for
John to run out on the field before saying, "For those of you who don't
recognize this special man, I'll tell you why I'm here tonight to honor
him.  For the past 20 years, this man has donated his time to officiate
high school football games, and he has never taken a cent of pay for his
efforts.  John Miller was a gifted football player, but a knee injury ended
his football career when he was playing for the University of Michigan
Wolverines.  His love of football has never wavered, and even though he's
now the CEO of the World Wide Operations of the Sea & Jungle Imports
Company, John Miller is here tonight with his team of officials.  I've been
told that this is the last game that he'll officiate, and I came here to
give John Miller this plaque of appreciation for his dedicated service.
John, on behalf of all of the athletes in the great state of Michigan, we
thank you for your sacrifices and wish you continued health and prosperity
in the future!"

The crowd stood and cheered for John Miller.  They recognized his name and
face from the magazine, newspaper and television broadcasts, and were
surprised that he was officiating for free.

John accepted the plaque and hugged David Parin.  He accepted the
microphone and wondered what would be appropriate for him to say to the
huge crowd.

"When my knee was torn apart a long time ago I was devastated, but with
every bad event in life comes an important lesson," John began.  "Education
is the key to success in life, and I challenge the players in this game
tonight to finish high school and work to make this a better world.
Whether you go on to college or learn a trade, strive to use every day to
help the less fortunate around the world.  This country's blessed with
prosperity, but right here in the United States we have people who are
homeless.  People who are without hope have turned to lives of crime, and
we need leadership in Michigan and around the world to stop the wars.  Stop
killing and maiming innocent children!  Stop ignoring the less fortunate!
With my new job, I'm dedicated to doing what I can to make this a better
world for everyone.  Thank you for this plaque.  I'll treasure it and the
memories of high school sports for the rest of my life!"

The crowd stood and cheered again for John Miller.  Most of them knew that
John was a billionaire, and they were impressed that he had dedicated 20
years to officiating high school football games.

In the Detroit City Jail, one person wasn't applauding when John Miller
received his recognition plaque.

"Isn't that your ex-husband?" the jailer asked Margaret Miller.

"Turn that fucking television off!" Margaret screamed at the jailer.

"Leave it on!" Tamara Taylor screamed.  "My son's playing in that game and
I'm gonna watch it!"

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR SON!" Margaret screamed at her cellmate!  "That bastard
doesn't deserve any award, and I DEMAND that you change the channel!"

The jailer refused to change the channel, and Margaret lashed out at her
cellmate with her nasty mouth.  "Who gives a shit about your illegitimate
son and a bunch of worthless niggers!"

Tamara Taylor was black, and immediately attacked her cellmate.  Before the
jailer and guards could unlock the cell and get inside, Margaret had been
beaten to a pulp!  Two of her front teeth had been knocked out, her nose
was broken, patches of hair had been torn out of her scalp, and she was
unconscious!  She was transported to the hospital for treatment, with two
police officers making sure she didn't escape.

When the game ended, John hugged all of his officiating buddies and invited
them to have a late meal with him at the yacht club.  During the meal and
drinks, the men talked about the special games that they had officiated
together.  For John's officiating friends, it was a bittersweet moment
because this was the last game that they would be officiating together.
They thanked John for his devotion and wished him luck with his new job.

The next day, John was packing for his trip to the Czech Republic when he
got the call from Bobby Goldman.  He heard about the attack in the City
Jail and listened when Bobby told him about Margaret's injuries.

"It was only a matter of time before someone shut her mouth." John said to
Bobby.  "Is it still okay for me to leave tomorrow or will someone think
that I had a part in her beating?"

"You were on television when she shot off her mouth and got her ass
kicked." Bobby said.  "Now her jaw's wired together, and she might have a
lawsuit that she can win against the city!  Her cellmate made Margaret pay
for her nasty mouth!"

"I'm ashamed that I baited her at the deposition," John admitted.  "When I
saw her, all I could think about was my dog, Barney, and how she butchered
him!  I bragged about the cost of my Ferrari and wanted her to suffer."

"You're my best friend and Godfather to my son," Bobby said.  "She's a
bitch and she treated you like shit for too many years!  She's still in the
hospital, but you're free to leave on your trip whenever you want.  My wife
and son are excited about spending Christmas with you and the children at
the orphanage, and we signed up with Helen to sponsor one of the children
with special gifts."

"I have surprises for everyone." John admitted.  "Wait until you see the
orphanage, the lake and the village!  The area's beautiful and unspoiled,
and I'm gonna make sure it stays that way."

During the flight to Amsterdam, John told Mike why they had to go to
Zurich.  "I want to get some more diamonds from my safety deposit box,"
John said.  "Then we'll go back to Amsterdam so the jewelers can work their
magic again.  I cut a deal with the jewelry designer and he'll get some
flawless diamonds so he can make some special jewelry for his mistress.  He
might even make something for his wife."

Mike laughed and tried to get John to tell him who the special jewelry was
for, but John just laughed and said it would be a surprise.

"Mike, just think about this," John began.  "We now have 132 children at
the orphanage, and they've never had a Christmas Season with fantastic food
and gifts.  Sasha told me that all of the electrical work has been
completed, and this will be a holiday event that we'll remember for the
rest of our lives!  I can't wait to get there and start the decorating!"

"Why won't you tell me what you have planned?" Mike asked.

John relented, and told Mike most of the details of the special Christmas
decorations.  He admitted that the computer system that controlled the
outdoor lights needed to be checked out, and was pleased when Mike said he
would handle that detail.

"I've been communicating with David Markov about the computer system to
control the outdoor lights," Mike admitted.  "I wondered when you would
tell me some of your special plans.  I was able to send David some computer
files that he and I are testing to control the outside lights.  Are you
going to make videos of the events at the orphanage?"

"Philippe loves to take videos, but I hired a professional company from
Prague to film the event," John said.  "I want the associates from our
company and the yacht club members to see the children open their gifts,
and hear a personal thank you from each child.  I'm really excited about
seeing Nicky again and getting ready for the holidays!"

It was three days later when John called Kvetka on his cell phone.  "We'll
be there before supper," John told her.  "I'm so excited about seeing you
and the children!"

"Nicklas has been going crazy!" Kvetka said.  "Everyone's excited about you
coming here for the holidays!"

When the brief call ended, Kvetka went out on the snow-covered porch and
blew the air horn one long blast.  Adults and children quickly dressed and
ran to hear the good news.  They knew that one blast on the air horn meant
that John Miller would soon arrive at the home, and everyone was excited.

When the limousine arrived at the front gate of Proud Les Domo, Nicky was
waiting for his lover.  He screamed with joy when the door opened and John
ran to sweep him into his arms.  He sobbed and hugged John tightly, and
covered John's face and lips with kisses.

John wiped away his own tears and then the tears that were flowing down
Nicky's face.  He talked with his little lover in a mixture of English and
Czech, and loved hearing the sweet, high-pitched voice.  Nicky's face was
completely healed and now he was the cutest boy in the world to John.

Other children had run to the front gate and wanted to get inside the
stretch limousine, but it was packed in a matter of seconds.  Those who
wouldn't fit inside ran alongside the beautiful car and the two vehicles
filled with bodyguards.  John had invited his American bodyguards to
celebrate Christmas at the orphanage, but they decided to return to
Michigan.  John was now very comfortable with his Czech bodyguards, and he
had said goodbye to the Americans at the airport in Prague.

Kvetka was waiting on the front porch with all of the adults who worked at
the orphanage.  Everyone celebrated John's arrival and was thrilled that he
had arrived two weeks before Christmas.

After a wonderful supper of fried chicken, potatoes, green beans and apple
pie, John asked all of the adults to meet with him in the conference room.
During the meeting, John listened to reports about the recent arrivals and
the plans for decorating the home.  He was thrilled that everything was
ready, and he thanked everyone for his or her hard work.

"I want this to be a Christmas Season that we will all remember for the
rest of our lives," John said to the adults.  "We'll have a lot of guests,
and it will take some real planning so we can have everyone involved in
showing our children what the holiday season should be like."

Kvetka was in charge, and she reminded everyone that feeding over 250
people would require use of the ovens in all of the villas and apartments,
and that the meals would be served in the main dining room along with both
dormitories.  When the kitchen expansion was completed, the main building
would be able to feed over 300 people.

Nicky was waiting outside the conference room, and was impatient for John
to come out.  He wanted to spend every second with John, and was pacing
back and forth until the door opened.  He jumped into John's arms and gave
his man a passionate kiss on the lips.

"You guys need to get a room." Mike Mahon teased.  He was going to tease
John more, but his teasing was cut short when Lodak Oldrich jumped into his
arms.

"We have a room waiting for us, and I bet that you do too." John teased
back at Mike.  He carried Nicklas up the winding staircase and into the
master bedroom.

"Make love with me!" Nicky pleaded.  "I love you!"

John quickly undressed his young lover and swallowed all five inches of
Nicky's boyhood.  He was gobbling the tender meat when he noticed that
Nicky's dick had grown and he saw several thin red hairs above Nicky's
throbbing cock.  Before John could take inventory of Nicky's entry into
puberty, his mouth was filled with several blasts of boy cum.  John gulped
down the tangy sauce and held the throbbing cock in his mouth until it was
drained and started to soften.  Only then did John remove his own clothes.

Nicklas was in heaven now that his man was back with him.  He had tears of
joy running down his face when he begged John to fuck him.  He didn't have
to wait long for his plea to be answered.

John coated his thick meat with lubricant and saw that Nicky had his legs
in the air.  John didn't waste any time.  He shoved his cock forward and
felt the head pop inside the tight ring of Nicky's ass.  He wanted to wait
for Nicky to adjust, but he felt the boy's legs around his waist, and his
cock slid deep inside.  To John, it felt like his cock was in an oven, and
Nicky's legs pulled him deeper inside the hot oven until his cock unloaded.
He screamed when he felt his body filling Nicky's rectum with a flood of
man juice that never seemed to stop.  He hammered his cock in and out of
the boy's hole and finally collapsed.

Before the two lovers succumbed to sleep, they had each blown three loads
of cum.  They cuddled together and finally fell asleep, with their bodies
entwined.

After showering together in the huge bathroom, John and Nicklas walked
downstairs for breakfast.  They ignored the smiles and snickers of the
other children who knew that Nicklas and John had shared sex, and ate like
they had been starved.

John had another meeting with the adults, and Nicklas was upset that he
wasn't included.  When John left the conference room, Nicklas asked, "Why
can't I be in the meetings with you?"

"I have some secrets that I don't want you or the other children to hear,"
John said.  "Do you trust me?"

"I love you but I want to know the secrets," Nicklas admitted.

"Okay, I'll tell you just one of my secrets," John said with a smile.
"Have you ever flown in a helicopter?"

"You know that I haven't." Nicklas said.  "The only time that I've ever
been in a limousine is when you brought me back here after my surgery."

"Right after lunch, you and I will ride in a helicopter to Prague," John
began.  "Do you remember Pavel Pekar at the Expat Bank?"

"He came to visit us after my surgery," Nicklas replied.

"Pavel called me and said that we can go to the court today if you still
want to become my son," John said with a big smile.

Nicklas broke down in tears.  He couldn't believe that John Miller still
wanted to adopt him, and he was so upset that he wet his pants.

Ignoring the flood of urine, John hugged Nicky and shed his own tears of
joy.  He couldn't wait to have a new son to share his life with, and
carried the boy upstairs and into the bathroom.  They undressed and
showered together before dressing and going into John's office.

"I want you to read about our company," John said.

"OUR company?" Nicklas questioned.

"Yes, OUR company." John insisted.  "My dream is that some day you and my
son, Johnny, will run this company together."

Nicky started crying again.  He still couldn't believe that John would
adopt him and share his wealth.  He had heard the adults at the orphanage
talking, and couldn't comprehend anyone having billions of Czech Crowns.
He was now proficient on a computer, and he had visited the Sea & Jungle
website and struggled to read the English.  He promised himself that he
would learn to read and write English soon.

"I'm calling someone who wants to talk to you," John said to Nicky when the
boy calmed down.  When John handed Nicky the phone, the boy was shocked to
hear Johnny Miller speaking to him in Czech.

"Hi Nicklas, I hear that we will soon be brothers." Johnny said.

Nicky was speechless, and John finally pushed the button to turn on the
speakerphone.

"What did you say to him?" John asked his son when he realized that Nicky
was overcome with emotions and couldn't talk.

Johnny repeated, "Hi Nicklas, I hear that we will soon be brothers!"

"When did you learn to speak Czech?" John asked his son.

"I'm taking an accelerated course at the International Institute," Johnny
replied in English.

"I can speak English," Nicky insisted when he had regained his composure.

"I will be there with you for Christmas," Johnny said in Czech.  "I can't
wait to hug my new brother."

John listened while the two most important people in his life conversed in
a mixture of Czech and English.  He was proud of both of them for learning
a new language and he couldn't wait for them to meet in person.

When the call ended, John hugged Nicky and asked him, "Now do you believe
that Johnny wants you as his brother?"

Nicky hugged John and was excited about the court date.  He barely ate
anything for lunch, and insisted on getting ready for the helicopter ride.

Everyone at the orphanage was excited when the helicopter landed in the
courtyard, with the fresh snow swirling around the grounds of the
orphanage.  They watched John, Nicklas and the bodyguards climb into the
helicopter and wished that they were aboard.

Before supper was served, everyone heard the sound of the helicopter in the
crisp winter air.  The children and adults ran outside, ignoring the snow
and cold and saw John and Nicklas getting out of the helicopter.

Nicky ran up to Yuri and hugged his friend and said excitedly, "I'm
adopted!  I'm John's son!"  Hearing his own words caused Nicky to break
down in tears of joy.  "Now my name's Nicklas Jacob Zednik-Miller!" he
sobbed.

John listened to his new son talking to the other children, and wanted to
adopt all of the children.  He had suggested that Nicky keep his family
name because that was his only connection to his birth parents.  They had
brought him into the world and he suggested that Nicky keep the connection.

Kvetka and Sasha hugged John and congratulated him on the important event.
Everyone went inside the building for a special celebration meal.  That
night, John and Nicky made love for several hours, and slept together as
father and son.

On December 20th, the guests started arriving at the orphanage.  The
grounds came alive with everyone celebrating the holiday season in the
Czech Republic.  John and Nicky welcomed the guests and made sure that
everyone was taken to their rooms in the mansion or in the villas and
apartments.

For Nicklas, the most important guests arrived in a stretch limousine.  He
was anxious when the doors opened and he saw his new brother for the first
time.  He was still afraid that Johnny Miller would reject him, but when he
saw the handsome man open his arms and yell, "Nicklas!" his fears
evaporated.  He ran and hugged his new brother and cried tears of joy.

John watched the greeting of his two sons and had shed his own tears.  He
watched his sons embrace, and then joined them for a group hug.  He felt a
tug on his pants and looked down and saw his grandson.  He lifted Little
John up so he could join in the family hug.

"PAPA!" the infant cried out.  He hugged his grandfather and gave John
kisses and hugs.

Kirsty pushed her way into the tangle of arms and joined in on the family
event.  She looked into the bright green eyes of the small boy and wished
that he were her brother.  She had seen pictures of Nicklas, but the photos
didn't do justice to what she was seeing with her own eyes.  The freckles
across the nose of the small boy were beautiful, and she loved hearing his
soprano voice.  She was instantly in love with the young boy, and now she
understood why her father-in-law wanted to spend so much time in the Czech
Republic.

When more guests arrived, John let Nicklas lead his new brother and family
into the main building and up to their room.  This was already the best
holiday season of his life, and it was only going to get better.

John was pleased when several trucks arrived.  The trucks were filled with
wrapped gifts for the children, and Sasha took control and stored the
packages out of view.  John was excited and couldn't wait for Christmas Eve
and Christmas Day to arrive.

One special delivery arrived, and John signed for the package and took it
to his office.  He opened the package and was thrilled with the contents.
He put everything in the safe, and couldn't wait to give his presents to
the special people in his life.

On December 22nd John led the children and guests out into the wooded
grounds.  Sasha was driving one of the new tractors, and John had a special
destination in mind.  "That's the one!" he said to Sasha.

The children watched in awe while Sasha used a chainsaw to cut down the
huge fir tree.  Many of the children started crying when they realized that
it would be their first Christmas tree in many years!  For some of the
unfortunate children, it was the very first Christmas tree of their entire
lives!  When the tree crashed to the ground, everyone cheered and
celebrated.

Sasha put a chain around the base of the tree and used the tractor to drag
it back to the main building.  John knew the Czech traditions for the
Christmas Season, and wanted his friends from the United States to join in
the festivities.  When the tree was dragged to the building, everyone
wanted to help get it inside and start decorating.  The special tree stand
was used along with a boom lift, and everyone cheered when they saw the
25-foot tree in the huge living room.

"Now you all have to leave so we can get ready for a special celebration."
John said to the children, adults, and guests.  He didn't want to exclude
his guests from the festivities, so he asked them to go to the dining room
for a special meal that Kvetka had organized.

When everyone left the living room, John organized Sasha and the other men
to start putting on the thousands of miniature lights that had been shipped
from the United States.  Most of the Czech Republic had 220-volt electrical
service, but the entire orphanage had been wired with 110-volt service that
matched the lights from the U.S.

Before Christmas Eve arrived, the living room had been closed off.  No one
was allowed to view the tree, and the lights had only been turned on to
make sure they lit for a few seconds, and that had been done when the
children were asleep.  The children were so excited that they had trouble
sleeping on the night of December 23rd.

John was pleased when Helen Baxter, her husband, Tom, and son Wesley
offered to help organize the huge volume of presents that were stored in
the barns, villas and rooms in the main building.  When the other guests
heard about the need for help, they immediately volunteered.  Mario
Genovesi and his wife, Tom Jeffries, his wife, Judy, son Jamie and Jamie's
boyfriend, Hunter all begged to help.  Instead of trying to do everything
himself, John reverted to organizing and directing the excited guests that
he had brought to the orphanage.  To John, it was wonderful to see all of
the volunteers who wanted to make this Christmas Season a special event for
the orphan children.

With over 250 people to feed on Christmas Eve, the main dining room and the
dormitory dining rooms were filled to capacity.  John and his guests spread
out in all three dining areas, and loved seeing the happy children stuff
themselves with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and
warm apple pie.  While everyone was enjoying the special dessert, John
slipped out of the dining room.  He ran to his room and put on a special
costume and then went back to each dining room with the same announcement.

The children were thrilled when Santa Claus came into the dining room and
said, "HO, HO HO! Veselý Vánoce (Merry Christmas)!"  They screamed with
joy, and knew that Santa was going to make this a special day for them.
"Kdo pot?eby až k vid?t náš Vánoce výzdoba? (Who wants to see our
Christmas decorations?)  John yelled to the children.  In each of the
dining areas, he repeated his invitation and told all of the children to
return to their dormitories for their first Christmas presents.

Many of the guests followed the children into the dormitories, and shared
in the excitement when each child saw wrapped gifts on their beds.
Wrapping paper flew and the children screamed with joy when they found new
snowsuits, boots, gloves and hats for them to wear.  Knowing that children
would be too excited to save the gift tags, Kvetka and her crew of helpers
had pinned the tags to each of the beds so the children would know who gave
them the wonderful winter clothing.

"Most American children don't appreciate getting clothing for Christmas
gifts," John said to his friends and family.  "It's completely different
for these children.  A year ago, they didn't even have a Christmas tree,
and the only gifts that they received were mittens and scarves that were
knitted by women in the village.  They slept in cold dormitories with no
pillows, sheets or blankets.  They already have warm clothing, but right
now they're opening new snowsuits, boots, gloves and hats.  Listen to their
joy!"  Santa Claus was on the porch, waiting for the children to come
outside, and hugged his family and friends.  When all of the children were
finally outside, Santa led everyone down the driveway towards the front
gate.

"Light them up!" Santa (John) yelled to Sasha.

Sasha threw the switch and over 100 pine trees along the long driveway
immediately lit up with a multitude of colored lights.  Each tree had a
different color of miniature lights, and the children screamed with joy
when they saw the red, green, white, blue, gold, pink, and purple lights
glowing through the snowy branches of the trees.  The children ran down the
driveway and gazed at the most beautiful sight that they had ever seen!

John let the children run around before he used the portable amplifier to
say, "Te? , hodinky tato! (Now watch this!).  What happened next shocked
everyone.  The outside of the main building was lit up with thousands of
lights, along with the shrubbery and the fountain.  Loud music started
playing through huge outdoor speakers, and the lights went on and off in
unison with the music.  The computer system that Mike Mahon had developed
with David Markov performed flawlessly.  Even John was awestruck by the
beauty of the lights and the choreographed music.  Three exciting Christmas
songs played before John announced, "Kdo pot?eby až k nechrán?ný jeden
Vánoce dar? (Who wants to open a Christmas present?).  Screams of joy
filled the cold night air, and John had to stand back or the excited
children would have trampled him.

The children ran to the front porch and heard Santa tell them to return to
their dormitories and take off their new snowsuits and meet back in the
living room.

When everyone was waiting outside the living room, John had Sasha and the
other men remove the barricades.  With everyone waiting, John/Santa took
Nicklas by the hand to a switch on the wall of the darkened room.  "Turn it
on." John said to his son.

When Nicklas flipped the switch, over 15,000 miniature lights lit up the 25
foot tall Christmas tree.  Everyone was awestruck by the beauty of the huge
Christmas tree!  No one had ever seen a more beautiful tree in his or her
entire life!  The higher branches were also decorated with gold plated or
hand blown ornaments, and the multicolored lights sparkled against the
special ornaments.

The children saw the wrapped packages under the huge tree, and hoped that
just one of the packages would be theirs to open.

"There are some traditions that I remember from my childhood days with my
grandparents on their farm in Michigan," John said in English and then in
Czech.  "First, I want the youngest child here to help us start this season
by putting the star on the top of the tree."

Nicklas knew that Hans had just arrived at the beginning of the month, and
he hoped that the five year old boy would get at least one gift to open.
He grabbed Hans' hand and led him up to his new father.

"Hans just arrived a few weeks ago, but he's still afraid," Nicklas said to
John.  "He thinks that he's five years old but he can't remember his birth
date."

John choked back his emotions, and knelt down to talk to the tiny boy.
"I'm not really Santa Claus, but I want to be your friend."  John was
speaking softly in Czech because he knew that the tiny boy didn't
understand English.  "Will you put the star on the top of the tree for me?"

Hans was still afraid of being at the orphanage, but for the first time in
his life he was eating wonderful meals and had special friends who were
protecting him.  His parents had died in a fire, and his right hand had
been burned and was deformed and useless.  He wiped away his tears and
nodded that he would put the star on the top of the huge tree.

Sasha used the boom truck to lift both John and Hans up to the top of the
tree.  John helped the physically challenged boy put the star on the top of
the tree and plugged it in.  Everyone in the room cheered when the huge
star lit up, and now the Christmas tree was complete!

After the boom truck was driven out of the living room, John continued
talking to his family and friends.  "Another tradition in Czech families
involves finding a special ornament on the tree.  Only children under the
age of 10 are allowed to search the tree for the hidden pickle."

When John repeated his announcement in Czech, the youngest children ran to
the huge tree and searched for the hidden ornament.  A girl named Marie
screamed with joy when she found the special ornament.  Santa Claus
rewarded her with a gold necklace that she proudly displayed to everyone.
It was the most valuable thing that she had ever owned!

Philippe Ducharme was recording all of the events along with the
professional photographers, and everyone was thrilled with the excitement
of the children.

"This tree has beautiful ornaments, but there's room for more." John said.
"I invite everyone here tonight to select an ornament and add it to this
beautiful tree."

Boxes of gold plated ornaments were brought out, along with hand blown
glass ornaments made in the Czech Republic and some paper ornaments that
the children had made.  Everyone added an ornament to the tree, including
John and his tiny grandson.

"Now it's time for gifts." John announced.  With the help of the adult
employees of the orphanage, each child was given a gift to open.  For most
of the children, it was a stuffed animal, and the living room was filled
with the screams of joy from the happy children.  The teenaged children
were equally excited when they opened a variety of electronic toys that
included video games and music players.  Gifts were presented to the
children of the guests, and they were thrilled to open gifts along with the
other children.

"Children, now its time for us to entertain our new friends," Cil Dreva
announced using the amplifier.

John recognized the young man who was the son of the music storeowner in
Prague, and remembered hiring him and his life partner, Jiri Rybar.  He was
surprised when the children moved around until they were standing in rows
in ascending height.  What he heard next brought tears to his eyes.  While
Cil played the grand piano, the children sang Czech Christmas carols, and
their young voices filled the room with joy.  After singing three Czech
songs, the audience laughed and cheered to hear the children sing "Grandma
Got Run Over by a Reindeer!" in perfect English!

The crowd cheered and applauded when the song ended.  They couldn't believe
that the children had learned the funny Christmas song, and begged for
more.

John stepped up and said, "Another tradition that I always loved was ending
Christmas Eve with a very special song.  I know that Cil can play this
tune, and I invite all of my American friends to sing the first verse in
English, and then our Czech friends will sing the same verse in Czech.
This will end our evening together, but we'll have more wonderful food and
gifts tomorrow on Christmas Day."

For everyone at Proud Les Domo, the true meaning of Christmas became
apparent when the Americans sang "Silent Night" in English, followed by the
same song in Czech.  The only light in the main building came from the huge
Christmas tree, and everyone loved the special setting.  There wasn't a dry
eye among the adults when the bright voices of the children overpowered the
Czech adults in singing the beautiful song.  Everyone was hugging and
kissing before the party broke up and then they headed for bed.

Both John and Nicklas were exhausted from the exciting day and they fell
asleep immediately when they got to their bed.  Sex was important to both
of them, but it didn't control their lives.

The next morning, John woke up and gazed down at the beautiful boy beside
him.  The rising sun that was now streaming through the bedroom window
highlighted the red hair and freckles.  John heard the sounds of children
running down the hallway, and he knew that they wanted him to get up so
they could open more presents.  He left Nicklas in the bed and tiptoed to
the door and listened to the excited children.

"Do you think that he's awake?" an immature voice asked.

"Be quiet!" another voice said.  "Kvetka said we couldn't wake him."

"I'm already awake," John said when he opened the door.  Three children
almost fell into the room, and it was obvious to John that they had been
listening at the door.  He was greeted with hugs and kisses and told the
children that he and Nicklas would soon be ready for breakfast.  When they
were leaving the master bedroom, they saw Christina coming out of her room
with a beautiful young girl holding her hand.  John said good morning to
them and knew that Christina had been teaching a new girl the pleasures of
lesbian sex.

John and Nicky decided to eat breakfast in the boys' dormitory along with
some of the American visitors.  John saw little Hans trying to fill his
plate with the wonderful food, so he decided to help the little tyke.

"Will Santa come here again today?" Hans asked.

"The real Santa Claus came last night and left more gifts for everyone,"
John replied.  "After the first and second breakfasts, I'm sure that you
will have something to open."

Hans was thrilled.  He still couldn't believe that he was living in the
beautiful orphanage and was eating fantastic food.  "I wish that my parents
were here," Hans admitted softly to John.

"Your parents are up in heaven watching over you," John insisted.  "When
you want to talk to them, pray, and your prayers will be answered."

The buildings came alive when everyone ate breakfast and talked about the
beautiful tree, the unbelievable outdoor decorations, and the entertainment
from the previous night.  John was enjoying breakfast with Helen Baxter,
her husband, Tom, and Wesley and his boyfriend.  He thanked Helen again for
organizing the gifts for the children and said, "Another Czech tradition
stretches out the gift opening for several days.  With so many children
here, it's hard to see each of them open a gift."

John noticed that many of the children were carrying their stuffed toys
around the mansion, and he loved it.  When he heard the bell ring, he knew
it was time for the children to open another gift.  With Philippe filming
the activities, the American visitors distributed the gifts to the
children.  John had let the professional photographers leave to spend
Christmas with their families, and knew that Philippe, Tom Baxter and Mario
Genovesi were using their personal video cameras to capture the exciting
action.

The children screamed with joy when they opened another gift and saw what
was inside.  Helen had organized the tags on the gifts with a number for
the sequence to be opened, and knew that this round of gifts was primarily
warm clothing.

John knew that the children would appreciate the winter clothing, and
wasn't surprised when the children immediately put on the new sweatshirts
and sweaters.  The excitement was repeated several times when more gifts
were presented to the excited children during the day.

After a hectic lunch, the adults relaxed in the game room and made good use
of the generous supply of alcoholic beverages.  John wanted to take a trip
into Ceska Skalisce, and of course, Nicklas wanted to ride along.  John
wanted to take a ride around the village, and was surprised to see several
stores that were open for business.  He knew that Sasha Bednik's brother,
Tomas, owned the butcher shop, and John longed for the special Christmas
sausages that his grandparents always made.  He was thrilled when he saw
the sausages hanging above the meat counter, and bought 10 kilos to share
with his American friends.

Nicklas was surprised when several villagers came up to John and thanked
him for his generosity.  He was confused, and wanted to know what had
happened.  The village was alive with happy people, but Nicklas still
didn't understand why everyone was coming up to John and thanking him.

John deflected the questions from his new son, and finally decided to be
honest.  "You and I own the power company that supplies electricity to
Proud Les Domo and the entire village," John began.  "I found out that our
power company was charging the villagers for the electricity, but I stopped
all of the bills.  Now everyone gets free electricity, and the extra power
is sent back through the power lines to other parts of the country."

"You're giving everyone free electricity?" Nicklas questioned.

"WE are giving everyone free electricity." John insisted.  "Now that you're
my son, you own the power company too.  I never knew that James Stanton was
charging the villagers until I got the financial statement.  You and I have
a lot of money, and we don't need to take money from the villagers when
they are struggling to have a decent standard of living."

"I'm proud of you for doing that." Nicky said to John.  "Now I know why so
many people are thanking you."  He hugged John and wanted to go inside a
store to buy ribbon candy to take back to the other children.

John decided to smoke a cigar and look at the Christmas decorations on the
stores and homes, and walked with his two bodyguards down the street.  Two
young boys approached him and were begging for money, and the bodyguards
shooed them away.  John looked at the two boys and was sad that they were
out on the streets on Christmas Day and begging.  They were wearing rags
and looked like they hadn't had a decent meal in a long time.

Nicklas came out of the store and ran up to John and said, "I know them!
That's the corner where I used to beg for money and find men for sex!"

"IT'S HIM!" one of the boys screamed.  "RUN!"

"Who are they?" John asked his new son.

"Their father was one of the men who I had sex with and he wouldn't pay
me!" Nicky screamed.  "Instead of paying me after I sucked him, he hit me!"

John saw the two young boys running away from his bodyguards and suddenly
realized why the boys were begging on the streets.  He felt sick, and had
to sit down on a bench to compose himself.  Johan Delat, the warden of the
Kraje (region) had identified the men who had abused Nicklas, and the men
and their families were punished by not being allowed to work for the
lumber company or furniture factory.  Now John saw first hand the results
of his animosity, and he felt sick.

"I've done something terrible." John admitted to Nicklas and his
bodyguards.  "I wanted to punish the men who hurt you, but I never thought
about the impact on their families."  John saw Johan Delat walking down the
street, and called the man over.  "Please tell me about those two boys that
just ran away." John insisted.

"Their father used Nicklas and hit him instead of paying for the sex,"
Johan said.  "Josef Pani is a master craftsman who used to work at the
furniture factory.  He helped Sasha Bednik make the furniture in the dining
room at the orphanage."

"Nicky, we have to do something for the Pani family." John insisted.
"Josef Pani hurt you, but I never thought about the impact on his family
when I insisted that the men who hurt you would never be hired by our
companies.  Josef's family is paying for what he did to you, and that's not
right."

"I hate him!" Nicklas exclaimed.

"Hate is dangerous," John said to his son.  "Josef Pani hurt you and he and
his family have been suffering ever since!  This is my fault!  I never
thought about his children!  Those two boys look like they are starving,
and I can't let this continue!  Can you find it in your heart to forgive
him?"

"NO!" Nicky exclaimed.

"Do you remember when you were begging on this corner?" John asked.  "You
were starving and trading your body to get food!  Everyone makes mistakes
in their lives, and we all want God to forgive us!  Why should God forgive
us if we don't forgive others who have hurt us?"

Nicklas thought about his time on the streets.  He had been starving and
had slept under a bridge or outside the back of a store when the weather
turned cold.  Seeing the two boys begging on what had been his corner
brought back terrible memories for him.  He listened to John and realized
that the boys were living the same life that he had lived, and it sickened
him.

"It's Christmas Day and they were here begging to get money to buy food!"
John insisted.  "What if that was you!"

Nicklas sobbed and hugged John for comfort.  He thought about the wonderful
food at the orphanage, the decorations, and the beautifully wrapped gifts.
He choked back his tears and said, "I can forgive him."

John had never been more proud of Nicklas than at that very moment!  He
hugged his son and praised him for his forgiveness and then said, "What do
you want to do now?"

"Can we give them some money?" Nicky asked.

"We could do that, but would you consider going to their home and talking
to Josef?"  John asked.  "You need to face him and see if he apologizes to
you.  If he does, you can tell him that you forgive him."

When Nicklas, John and the bodyguards arrived at the Pani home, a woman saw
them and stepped outside.  "Please leave!" she said.  "We don't want any
more trouble!"

"We aren't here to cause trouble," John said.  "My son would like to talk
to your husband."

Josef Pani was listening at the door, and stepped outside to face the boy
that he had abused.  He was shocked to see the changes in the face of the
red haired boy, and started sobbing.  "I did a terrible thing!  I'm so
sorry for what I did to you!  Please forgive me!"

"I forgive you," Nicky replied.  "You hurt me, but my father told me that
God forgives us if we forgive others."

John heard the sincerity in the exchange between Josef and Nicklas, and he
was relieved and proud of Nicky.  It was time for him to step in.  He said,
"I know that you have been unable to find work in the village because of
what happened, but my son just forgave you, and now I want to do something
for you and your family.  You made a mistake and have suffered for it, but
it's time for you to get another chance to support your family."

"Your son?" Josef asked.  "I thought Nicklas was an orphan."

"About two weeks ago, I adopted him," John replied.  "My son and I would
like you and your family to join us for Christmas supper at Proud Les
Domo."

"We can't go there," Josef said.  "Everyone there knows what I did, and
they all hate me!"

"It's Christmas, and a time for joy, not hatred," John said.  "I know that
your family needs help, and I'll hire you to work in the furniture factory.
Please join us!"

Josef knew that his family would only have some beef broth for their
Christmas meal, and he wanted to feed his family, but he was afraid.

"I'll talk to Sasha and Kvetka and tell them that Nicklas and I invited you
and your family to join us," John said.  "This is a time of forgiveness and
joy, and people will judge you by how you act from now on.  We can't live
in the past!"

"They don't have a car," one of the bodyguards whispered to John.

"I'll call Sasha and ask him to bring a van to pick them up," John said.
He turned to Josef and asked, "Can you be ready in about an hour?  A van
from the home will come here to pick you up."

Nicklas saw that Simon and Petr were peeking around the door.  He called to
them and said that they would be his guests for supper.  The boys were
afraid, but wanted to believe the handsome man that they would share
Christmas supper at the orphanage, and that their father would have a new
job.

After they left the Pani home, John used his cell phone to call Sasha and
Kvetka.  At first they didn't believe that John was serious in inviting the
Pani family to the orphanage, but after John told them how Nicklas had
forgiven Josef, they both understood.  Sasha admitted that Josef had been
his friend and talented assistant, but the abuse of Nicklas ruined their
friendship.  He agreed that it was time for him and the other people in the
village to forgive Josef.

When the van arrived, John and Nicklas greeted their guests and welcomed
them inside.  Josef and his wife were uneasy in the beautiful mansion, and
were still afraid of the adult staff at the home.  Their fears were
extinguished when Kvetka and Sasha welcomed them and invited them to go
into the living room to see the huge tree.

Simon and Petr hid behind their parents until Nicklas came up to them and
said, "This is my nephew.  We call him Little John!"  He was holding the
toddler, but gave Little John to his father, Johnny, so he could be with
his guests.  He saw that Simon and Petr were wearing worn clothes that had
been patched, and he felt sad for them.  He whispered to Kvetka, and she
smiled and nodded.

Josef and Rose Pani saw their sons leave with Nicklas and Kvetka, and
wondered where they were going.  John had offered them a glass of wine, and
they accepted his gracious offer.  While they were drinking their glasses
of wine, they toured the main building of the orphanage and were astounded!
They had never been inside the home, and were in awe of the expensive
furnishings!  Everywhere they went, they saw happy children running around
and having fun.  All of the children were wearing new clothes and it was
obvious that the children were living in a wonderful home!

When the boys returned to the living room, Josef and Rose were shocked to
see that their sons were wearing new clothes.  Their sons were beaming with
joy when they said that they had wrapped gifts that they had opened to find
the new clothes.

John smiled at Kvetka and Helen, and realized that the two women had worked
their magic to find gifts for the two boys to open.  He knew that many
extra gifts had been sent to the orphanage in case new children had
arrived, and he loved seeing the excited faces of the two Pani boys.

When it was time for the Christmas Day meal, John explained to his American
friends that it was a tradition to serve roasted goose along with
sauerkraut and dumplings.  During the wonderful meal, John and Nicklas
spent time in the main dining room and the dining rooms in the two
dormitories.  They were the perfect hosts in sharing time with everyone
during the wonderful meal.  After dessert was finished, everyone went to
the living room for more gifts.

Each child had three more gifts to open, and the living room was filled
with screams of joy from the children.  Simon and Petr Pani had tears of
joy flowing down their faces when they were presented three more gifts each
to open.  This was the best Christmas of their lives, and they sobbed when
they found their stuffed toys and electronic games.

Josef and Rose Pani also had gifts to open.  Josef opened a warm winter
jacket, leather gloves and a watch, while his wife opened a winter coat,
leather gloves and a warm robe.  They had never expected any gifts for
their family, and they sobbed their thanks to everyone.

The American visitors were surprised when the furniture was pushed to the
walls of the living room to expose the polished wood floor.  John just
smiled and announced that it was time for some special dancing.  "Children,
are you ready?" he shouted.  He pushed the button on a boom box, and the
adults were shocked when they heard the familiar music and saw the children
start dancing!

"YOU TAUGHT THEM THE HUSSLE!" Johnny screamed at his father.  He was
thrilled when he watched the Czech children dancing the familiar dance from
American wedding celebrations.

John just laughed and grabbed Christina to join the children on the dance
floor.  The Americans joined in and the mansion rocked with the excitement
of everyone!  After the second song finished, everyone cheered and
applauded the Czech children.

"Now watch this!" John announced excitedly.

The Americans cheered excitedly when the Czech children started dancing to
"YMCA" another favorite song and dance that was playing on the boom box.

Helen Baxter wiped away her tears of joy and prayed that her husband was
recording the festivities on his video camera.  She couldn't wait to show
the video to the associates back in Michigan and across the United States!

The next dance that John had taught the children was the "Chicken Dance"
where the children hooked their hands under their armpits and flapped their
arms like chickens!  The Americans and Czech adults cheered and laughed at
the way the children danced the special song perfectly!

When Cil put in a new CD of music, John asked Christina to dance again.
The beautiful sounds of an orchestra filled the room, and John and
Christina danced the waltz.  Some of the children joined the dancing, but
most of them stood in awe at how John and Christina were floating around
the dance floor.

"Your father's an excellent dancer!" Mario said to Johnny Miller.

"I've never seen him so happy!" Johnny replied.  "I've heard that they do a
special dance when they're alone!"

Mario just laughed and led his wife out on the floor to dance with her.
Even Josef and Rose Pani danced together and celebrated the best Christmas
day of their lives!

After several dances, Jiri Rybar blew a whistle to organize the children.
During the dancing, several residents of Ceska Skalisce came up the long
winding driveway to view the beautiful lighted trees and the exciting music
and light show.  Adults who worked at the orphanage took turns outside in
the cold to invite the visitors inside for dancing and Christmas spirits.
Most of the villagers had never seen the inside of the main building and
were awestruck by the beautiful building and the exotic furnishings.  Now
everyone watched the children get organized for singing Christmas carols.
The crystal clear voices of the children filled the building with the Czech
songs that were enjoyed by everyone.

John was watching the entertainment and was moved to tears by the beautiful
singing.  Hiring Cil and Jiri was paying great dividends with the quality
of the performance.  When the last song finished, everyone cheered and
applauded.  John thought that the performance was over, but he was in for a
big shock!

Jiri nodded to Nicklas, and the boy retrieved a small drum and walked in
front of the other children.  When Jiri motioned to the other children,
they started singing acappella (without musical accompaniment) "rum pum pum
pum, rum pum pum pum "

Nicklas started singing the beautiful Christmas song and gently used the
drum sticks to sound the drum at the proper times, with the other children
singing the background music.

"Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see, pa rum pum
pum pum Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the
King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum I
have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum That's fit to give the King, pa
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum
pum I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum I played my best for Him,
pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum Me and my drum."

John had never heard anything so beautiful!  The crystal clear voice of his
son was so beautiful that tears flowed down his face!  Gone was the raspy
voice of the battered boy.  The soprano voice brought chills to everyone
who was listening, and when Nicklas finished, the building erupted with
cheering and applause.

John wiped away his tears and ran to lift his son into the air to accept
the applause of the crowd.  It was a "Kodak Moment" and the video cameras
had captured the event perfectly.

"Our associates will go crazy when they see the videos!" Helen said to John
and Nicklas.  "This is the best Christmas of my entire life!"

The children and guests circulated around the main building and enjoyed
visiting.  John saw many of the children showing off their gifts to the
visitors.  The huge smiles on the faces of the children made the holiday
complete for everyone.

John noticed that several boys were sneaking glasses of wine or beer, and
he just laughed when Kvetka chased after the boys.  Boys will be boys!

At midnight, the villagers left and the children were sent to their
dormitories for the night.  John let Nicklas stay with him and went to his
room to retrieve the gifts for his American friends and the adult staff
members of the orphanage.

"I have a special gift for you," John said to his son.  "I hope that you
like what I picked out for you."

Nicklas had opened many gifts and didn't expect another gift.  He had
already opened more gifts than he had received in his entire life, but he
wondered what John had for him.  He unwrapped the small package and found a
jewelry box.  Inside the box were two gold chains, each with a pendant.  He
immediately saw that the each pendant was part of a heart.  The jagged
pieces fit together perfectly and formed a perfect heart of platinum.  One
piece had "John" engraved in the precious metal, and the other was
engraved, "Nicklas".

"The chain is 18 carat gold and the charms are solid platinum," John
explained.  He put the smaller necklace on his son and let Nicky put the
longer chain around his neck.  "I wanted to give you something to show how
much you mean to me.  I'm only whole when I'm with you!"

Nicky couldn't believe the beauty of the gold chain and the meaning behind
the pendants.  He hugged John and shed tears of joy.  When he finally
composed himself, he retrieved a package and presented it to John.

"I didn't have any money to buy you an expensive gift, so I carved
something for you," Nicky apologized.  "It's nothing compared to what you
gave me."

John opened the wrappings and found a shoebox.  Inside the shoebox was a
carved boat with a man and boy fishing.  The detail was flawless, and he
shed tears of joy when he realized that his son had carved images of them
when they fished together on the lake.  It was hard for him to believe that
Nicky had carved the gift without any help, but he listened to his son
describe the tools that he had used.

"I'll keep this with me forever!" John said while hugging the small boy.
"I love this more than any gift that I've ever received!"

When the two lovers had composed themselves, they carried the gifts down to
the living room where the adults were waiting.

John showed everyone the beautiful carving and listened to the compliments
from his adult friends.

Nicklas showed everyone his chain and pendant, and demonstrated how the
pieces fit together.

John let Nicklas distribute the gifts and watched while his friends
unwrapped their gifts.  Most of the men received expensive Rolex watches,
while the women received beautiful gold chains that had been made in Italy.
Johnny opened a jewelry box that contained a heavy gold chain with a bezel
and one ounce Krugerrand.  Mike Mahon received a similar chain with a
different gold coin in the bezel.

Kirsty, Christina and Helen all received gold tennis bracelets that were
studded with flawless diamonds.  They were all shocked with the beauty of
their new jewelry, and thanked John profusely.

Everyone mingled in the living room to have another drink and compare his
or her special gifts from John Miller.  They all knew that the holiday
season had been the best in their lives, mainly because of the excitement
of the orphan children, and they thanked John for organizing the special
event.  Most of the American guests were leaving within the next few days,
but John was going to stay until after New Year's Day.

Stay tuned!!!

Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com