Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 15:16:21 -0800 (PST)
From: John Michaels <mmanlookin@yahoo.com>
Subject: Filipino Love - chapter 40

			       FILIPINO LOVE
				    BY
				    JM


Email:  mmanlookin@yahoo.com

Disclaimers and other info:  see chapter one

This story is my personal intellectual property and may not
be reproduced in any form without my express written permission.

This and all subsequent chapters are dedicated to my own
Filipino Love!


			       CHAPTER FORTY


     As we pulled out of the parking lot, I realized that I'd better call
the house to give Paulo and Mario a heads up in case they were amorously
involved.  I wasn't sure if they felt comfortable answering the phone in
our house, but I could at least leave a message for them that was quite
audible throughout the salla as it recorded.  Hopefully, they'd hear it as
long as they weren't too deeply involved with whatever they were doing.
The phone at the house rang four times before the answering machine kicked
in.

     "Hi, guys," I said.  "This is Phil.  I thought I'd let you know that
we're on our way back to the house to drop off a few things.  We'll see you
in about 10 minutes. Bye."  I hung up and Ronni winked at me, knowing the
real reason behind the call.  I'm not sure if Lorenzo knew, but I know he'd
get a kick out of it if he did.  Sure enough, there was a quiet chuckle
from the front seat.

     We arrived at the house in the time I had stated in the message and
each of us grabbed as much as we could to take into the house.  There were
still a few small packages of software that we just couldn't fit in our
loads, and Lorenzo said he come back for those.  We managed to get the door
open after making enough noise to give the boys a chance to make themselves
either scarce or presentable and placed the larger parcels on the floor and
the smaller ones on the counter.  Lorenzo left to get the remaining stuff,
and I glanced over at the two boys, who were sitting as innocently as they
could manage, on the sofa.  Their hair was still wet from a recent shower,
and both were blushing furiously while pretending to watch TV.  It would
have helped their case if it was turned on!  It was so very obvious that
they had made very good use of their time alone but were trying so hard to
act nonchalant.  It was also very clear that it was a damn good thing I
called first!  Ronni was trying desperately to contain himself over the
situation, but he still had an enormous grin on his face.  I was also
holding back a laugh as the boys looked over at us as if just noticing we
were there.

     "Oh, umm, hi!"  said Mario.  "We didn't hear you come in."  RIGHT!!

     "How'd it go, fellas?" I asked.  "Everything ok while we were gone?"

     "Umm...err...ah...Yeah," Paulo stammered.  "Everything was great!"  At
this, poor Ronni lost it completely and started howling with laughter as he
went over to his two friends, flopping down beside Paulo.

     "I'll bet it was really great, huh!" he said.  Making a big show of
sniffing the air, he leaned into Paulo, and in a stage whisper that could
have been heard in a football stadium, said, "Mmmm.  Smells like sex in
here," while wiggling his eyebrows a la Groucho Marx.  I never knew anyone
could blush as deeply as those two without bursting a blood vessel.  They
both looked horrified that they had been found out, but Ronni quickly
diffused the situation by leaning over and kissing them both on the cheek.
"I'm so very happy for you two," he said sincerely.  "I'm glad you had this
time for just the two of you."  I walked over and knelt in front of the
pair, placing a hand on each knee.

     "I told you that this will always be a safe place for you," I said
gently.  "I'm really happy that the two of you are now able to enjoy that
part of your relationship.  Just take it slow and enjoy each other.  By the
way, did you get my message?"

     "Umm, yeah, ahh, we did," Mario said.  "We did not feel good about
answering your phone, but we heard the message.  We, uhh, had, umm, just
finished...you know," he stammered, "and we, ahh, took a quick shower and,
umm, got dressed."  Just then, Lorenzo came in with the rest of the
packages, and patting both boys reassuringly on the knee, I got up to help
him get things sorted, leaving the three boys to talk quietly among
themselves.

     "Looks like it was a good thing you called, Boss," he said quietly,
nodding toward the boys as I came up to him.

     "Yeah, it was," I said.  "But it was still so obvious what they'd been
up to when we came in, and they're so embarrassed about it.  I really want
them to feel more comfortable about this side of their relationship.  Right
now, they seem so apologetic.  There's nothing to be embarrassed about, and
they certainly don't need to apologize to me or anyone else for it.  It's
all just part of being in love."

     "You're a really understanding and genuinely good guy, Boss," he said.
"And Ronni's certainly no slouch in that department either.  They're really
lucky to have the two of you at this point in their lives."

     "Thanks," I said.  "I really hope you're right.  There's just so much
that could go wrong, not to mention the bigots who try to make the lives of
us gays miserable.  I hope you and the others in our little circle of
friends will help keep an eye on them when I'm away."

     "I can't speak for the others," he said, "but I'll certainly do what I
can to help.  I owe you both so much, and you've become like a second
family to me already.  Ronni is like a younger brother to me, and I will
keep him and his friends safe as best as I can."

     "Thanks, guy," I said, clapping him on the shoulder.  "We feel the
same about you.  Well, we better get going.  We've already kept your cousin
waiting long enough."  Walking over to the boys on the sofa, I caught
Ronni's eye, and he got up and came to where I was waiting.  I wanted to be
able to talk to him without further embarrassing Mario and Paulo.

"What's up?" he asked, with a sly grin and obvious sexual overtones, as he
was staring fixedly at my crotch.

     "Not now, you little horndog," I chided, pulling him into a hug.
"I've got a favor to ask, and I didn't want the others to hear since it's
sort of about them.  Lorenzo and I have to go meet with Josie now, and I
was wondering if you'd be willing to stay here with those two.  I have a
feeling they want to talk to you about this morning, and this would be a
good time to do it without others around."  There was a fleeting look of
disappointment on his face at being separated from me that quickly
disappeared, to be replaced by a knowing grin.

     "I hate being away from you for even one minute, but I see what you're
saying.  And I know they want to talk.  They've been sort of hinting at
it," he said.  "Actually, more than hinting!"

     "I think it will be good for them if they can talk about things with
you," I said, giving him an extra hug for understanding.  "We shouldn't be
gone too long.  Just remember to be careful while I'm gone.  Don't let
anyone into the house that you don't know.  After what happened this
morning, I'm feeling very protective of you, more so than ever."

     "Thanks, Phil," he said.  "I promise to be careful.  I love you!"
With that, we kissed, and, with an extra squeeze, he went back to his
friends, and Lorenzo and I headed off to see Josie.  As we got settled in
the car, Lorenzo looked at me for a long moment.

     "There's more to just having Ronni stay and be a sounding board for
his friends, isn't there?"  he asked, ever observant and already very much
in tune with the vibes of our household.

     "You're right," I sighed.  "What I want to talk to you and Josie about
could possibly get him upset, at least at first, and upsetting him any time
is something I will always fight to avoid.  I know you're probably
wondering what this will all be about, but be a little patient.  It will
all be clear soon."

     "That's ok, Boss," he said with a grin.  "I know you'll tell me when
the time is right."  With that, he started the car, and we headed for
Josie's office, which was a short trip.

     We pulled up to the real estate office, locked the car and went
inside.  Josie was just finishing up her lunch as we approached her desk,
and she stood, coming to us and giving us both a hug.

     "It's always good to see you, Phil, even if it was just yesterday,"
she said.  "And of course it's always good to see my favorite cousin."

     "Hey!" he joked, with a mock look of shock.  "I'm your only cousin!"

     "What can I say?" she said, patting his cheek.  "You're still my
favorite.  Now, what brings you in today?" she asked, directing us to take
a seat while she sat behind her desk.

     "Actually, what started out as one has turned into three things," I
said.  "The first is about that first parcel you showed me.  Is it, by
chance, still for sale?"  She perked up at that question, obviously sensing
another potential sale.

     "It is," she replied.  "I've actually been doing a little research
since we first talked, and it seems that the owners really need the cash.
I haven't been able to find out the reason for the urgency, but anyone
interested in buying could most likely get it at a fairly lower rate than
what I first quoted you.  Why do you ask?"

     "I've been doing a lot of thinking about the nature of the hotels I
had planned to build," I said.  "I definitely want that gay-oriented basis,
for obvious reasons, as well as the family-oriented, and thought there'd be
enough room on the double lots I just purchased to handle both the gay and
family theme.  The more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that
there is still too much societal pressure against gays, and having the two
types of hotels juxtaposed on the same property, no matter how large it is,
could potentially cause problems from both sides.  There are straight
people, especially those with children, who want nothing to do with gays,
and there are gays who can't stand to be surrounded by straights.  This
would most likely limit the clientele at both hotels, and neither would
reach their full potential, financially.  If I bought this other property,
I could separate the two, and both would potentially be much more
profitable, and both groups would each have a place geared just for them."

     "You never cease to amaze me, Mr. James," she said with a smile.
"When you told me of your plans for the two hotels on one property with
separate amenities, I thought you had come up with a perfect solution for
handling both sides.  Now, I can see your concerns for something like that,
and your new plan, I think, is brilliant!  As things look now, you'll be
able to close on the double lots by Thursday at the latest, hopefully even
sooner than that, since your funds are already available at the bank.  If
it truly is your intention to purchase the other lot, I'll get on the phone
with the owners as soon as we're done here and see if I can arrange
something quickly so that we can have everything wrapped up as close to the
same time as possible.  I know now that the owners are most anxious to sell
and will take considerably less than the current asking price.  By asking
them to speed things along, however, we may alert them to the fact that
there is a time factor involved and that the buyer is very eager for the
sale.  This would most likely cause them to try to hold fast to their
original price, or as close to it as possible, for as long as they can."

     "I think by now you know how I `operate'," I said.  "I tend to be a
spur-of-the-moment kind of guy and go with my gut instinct.  This is my
first venture into the world of business, and let's face facts.  I'm not
exactly starting off on a small scale!  My instincts have never let me down
in my life so far, and I hope they won't in this case.  I've already made
up my mind that I want that property, but I also won't be forced into
paying more than I think is a reasonable price.  In my opinion, from what
I've seen around here so far, that property is over-priced, and I won't pay
the amount they're currently asking.  >From what you've told me about the
owners, they'll take a lot less, as long as it's still a fairly reasonable
return on their investment.  I'm willing to make a low-ball offer and see
what happens.  I can afford to wait, and if things start happening quickly,
that's what fax machines are for, if I happen to be back in the US at the
time.  I just need to know as soon as possible if there's a potential deal
so I can alert Marcus Martinez.  As you know, he's my representative for
land purchase since I can't, being a foreigner."

     "For someone who's never been a businessman before, you certainly have
your shit together," she said with a grin.  "Oops!  Sorry, Cuz. That just
slipped out.  Too much time in the US, I guess."  Then turning back to me,
she asked, "So what do you feel should be your first offer?"

     "Given what you've told me about the owners, let's start with a bid of
12 million and see what happens." I replied.  "That will give both sides
some wiggle room."

     "I think that's a good place to start, considering the information I
got from my sources," she said, nodding her head.  "I'll get things started
this afternoon, although since we're now into the weekend, it may take
until sometime Monday before we hear back."

     "That's fine," I said.  "As I said, there's no immediate rush other
than the possibility of someone else getting the land first, but I don't
see that happening."

     "You're right," she agreed.  "It's been on the market for a while now,
and since the initial flurry of interest when it first came on the market,
I haven't seen much activity happening, other than your offer.  Is there
anything else you want to know about the property, or is that all?"

     "That's it for now," I said.  "After your calls this afternoon, I
guess it will be a waiting game.  Now, for the second reason I wanted to
talk to you.  Is it my understanding that I can do anything with my house
as long as there's no land purchase involved?"

     "That's correct," she said.  "Any foreigner can own or build a
building, but they cannot own land.  Why do you ask?"

     "I want to put an addition on the house.  We're already finding that
we need more than the one bedroom, and I was hoping you'd have the name of
a competent contractor who could do the work."

     "Actually, I know of several who have reputations for doing quality
work and on schedule and pretty much on budget as well," she replied.  "How
large of a project do you have in mind?"


          "I want to add two bedrooms, each complete with en suite
bathrooms, along the wall facing you when you come in the door.  I also
want a guest `powder room' placed between the doors to these bedrooms,
backing onto the two en suites, as I want them separating the two bedrooms
for maximum privacy in each, and that will also put all the plumbing in the
same place.  I want to turn the kitchen 90 degrees so that it will be along
the wall where we walk in and with the same configuration.  I like that
layout and find it very easy to use.  The dining area would be moved to
along the current bedroom wall, and the focus of the salla would be toward
the ocean, with that wall pushed out 10 feet and have that wall as floor-to
ceiling, heavy-duty reinforced glass and frames to withstand high winds
during typhoon season and a sliding access door to a new patio on that end.
I would also want all remaining windows and any new ones to have the
highest e-rating with maximum UV protection to help with cooling costs and
privacy.  I would still keep the current entry door as primary access, and
the present bedroom and cr would remain the same, with the exception of new
windows."

     "That would be quite a change to the house, but I like what you
describe," Josie replied, with a low whistle.  "  I can easily envision it,
and it will not only expand your home but, I think, make it more appealing
and welcoming.  How soon would you like to start, and how long are you
willing to wait for a finished product?"

     "I intend for this to be Ronni's and my permanent home, and I want it
to be exactly as we want it," I said.  "I also want there to be no
compromises on quality or detail, even if it means longer until completion.
As to construction dates?  I'd like it to start as soon as I leave here
Friday and finished just as quickly and thoroughly as possible, but I need
to talk to Ronni first.  He doesn't know about this yet since it just
popped into my head this morning after having spent the night with two of
his friends staying over on the sofa bed.  Let's just say, that because of
the current layout of the house, our privacy was accidentally and
unintentionally compromised.  If this is to be our home for years to come,
I don't want the possibility of any repeats."  I think Josie knew what I
meant, as she blushed lightly and was suddenly very busy shuffling papers
on her desk.  Lorenzo was also looking a little embarrassed, and I felt a
little sorry for both of them.  But, as they say, you gotta break some eggs
to make an omelet, right?  Josie finally regained her composure.

     "I'm sorry that circumstances dictated at least part of your desire
for these changes," she said.  "I'll get a list of contractors to you by
the end of the day.  I also think it might be a good idea to have Lorenzo
with you if and when you meet with any of them.  He knows several of them
and, I'm sure, has seen the work of most, if not all, of them around town."

     "That would be great," I said.  "If we could find a quality-oriented
contractor who could start immediately, that would be fantastic!  The
sooner we can get started on this the better.  But I still need to bring
Ronni up to speed, though.  I think he'll be as enthusiastic as I am,
especially being able to have his friends stay over like last night.  I
know he'd really like to do that more often, and giving them a space other
than a sofa-bed in the salla would make everyone happy.  I've already told
him about the remodeling, and he really liked the idea.  I just haven't
told him how extensive it will be. The only downside to all this is that
due to the scope of the project, I'm sure there's no way it all could be
done in the 6 weeks I'll be away.  Ronni and I both love that place, but it
looks as if we'll be needing either a temporary rental home, or, if it
won't be too long to finish when I get back, a hotel suite."

     "If you find that you need a rental, I also happen to be the agent for
the property right next to yours," she said.  "It's smaller and doesn't
have quite as many amenities as your present home, but I think it would be
comfortable enough for you for a short amount of time.  You'd also be able
to easily keep track of the renovations to your own home.  If it's ok with
you, I'll drop by after work with the list of contractors.  I have a few
errands in town before going home, so I'll be driving right by your place.
Maybe by then, you'll have been able to talk with Ronni."

     "I'm sure we'll have had our talk by then," I replied.  "We should be
there until shortly before 7:00.  We're going to his parents to visit for a
while this evening, and now, I'll also be able to tell Marcus about this
other parcel to get him on board."  I wasn't about to divulge the real
reason to them for this meeting with the Martinez'.  I know that at least
Lorenzo knows of the boys' relationship, but I wasn't sure about Josie.
She hasn't met them yet, and unless Lorenzo had said something to her,
which I highly doubt, she only knew them as friends of Ronni.  Their
relationship was strictly among Paulo, Mario, their brothers, Ronni and me,
and, I guess, Lorenzo too.  If, at some later point, the boys wanted to
come out to others, it was all up to them.  Keeping my mouth shut was all
part of giving them a safe place.  Now for the hard part.  Taking a deep
breath I looked at Josie then Lorenzo.

     "The last thing I wanted to talk to both of you about bothers me a
lot," I sighed.  "Lorenzo will understand a lot of this because he was
present when we had a very bad experience at the mall earlier today.  It
was the main reason we were so late getting here to meet with you."

     "Phil, you don't have to say anything," he said, putting a reassuring
hand on my shoulder.  "I know how painful that was for you, `cuz I feel the
same."  This a really good guy right here!  I'm so glad he's become a part
of our extended family.

     "What's wrong?"  asked Josie, with some alarm.  "What happened?"

     "Ronni was sexually assaulted at the mall earlier," I said, barely
able to keep from sobbing at the memory.

     "Jesus, God!!"  Josie cried.  "Is he ok?  Where is he? Why isn't he
here with you?  He never leaves your side!"

     "He's ok," I said, trying to calm her down while struggling with my
own emotions.  And sweet Lorenzo had tears running down his cheeks, which
is probably what alarmed Josie the most.  I reached over and rubbed his arm
soothingly.  "He's at home with his two friends probably trying to figure
out his new computer.  Thankfully, Lorenzo and I were able to stop the
attacker before any physical harm was done.  The bastard is now sitting in
jail awaiting trial, and hopefully, he has a big mean cellmate named
Bubba!"  They both looked quizzically at me, so I explained about `Bubba'.
And although they both chuckled, I could still see the deep concern they
had for Ronni on both their faces. There's and mine, too, were covered in
tear tracks.

     "The mall manager handled everything very professionally, yet
compassionately, and very much to all our satisfaction," I continued.  "I
would appreciate it if both of you don't say anything to Ronni or anyone
else about it unless he brings it up first.  Right now, I know he's trying
to work things out on his own, and even though he says he's ok, I know
there's at least part of him that isn't.  I'm hoping he'll talk to me when
he's ready, because that will mean he's working through the trauma rather
than keeping it inside.  It's possible he may even need trauma counseling
for a while, and I may need your assistance in finding someone like that to
help him.  And this is where you two can also help, especially you,
Lorenzo, since you'll be around him a lot while I'm in the US.  I'm asking
you both to keep an eye on him.  The boy you've come to know this past week
is exactly who he is.  Ronni is a happy, loving, caring, compassionate
young man who doesn't have a mean bone in his body.  If you see anything
out of the ordinary, you're to contact me immediately – and I DO mean
that very minute - no matter day or night, time difference be damned, and
we'll take it from there.  And be sure to listen to whatever his friends
may say about his behavior.  They've all known him for years and will be
sure to pick up on anything unusual."

     "Of course we'll do everything we can for him," said Josie.  "Rest
assured, he'll be in good hands while you're gone."

     "You know it, Cuz," added Lorenzo.  "He's my little bro.  I'll make
sure nothing happens to him, and we'll be sure to let you know the second
we think there might be a problem," he said to me.

     "Thanks," I said, gratefully and somewhat relieved.  "There's actually
a second part to this third topic.  I'm about to embark on a very large
business venture here that is going to bring a lot of focus, some of it
unwanted, on my family and me.  This will be made even more so by the fact
that I'll be looked on as that stereotypical `Rich American'.  Just like
anywhere else in the world, there are nut cases out there who are going to
try to profit from me in any underhanded way they can, either by attacking
me personally or someone close to me.  I don't think I need to tell you how
important Ronni is to me.  I don't want anything to happen to him because
of me, most especially, any repeat of what happened earlier today.  I'd
like to ask both of you if you know of a thoroughly reputable security
company where I can hire a bodyguard for Ronni.  And before either of you
says anything, I need to tell you exactly the type of person I'm looking
for.  He must be a male, no more than 25 years old so he can still relate
to a teen, with at least two years of similar service that was completed
successfully, must be proficient in small arms and extensive training in
martial arts and, above all, must be gay-friendly.  If he himself is gay,
I'd prefer someone who's in a steady and committed relationship.  I don't
want someone who's supposed to be keeping a watch on Ronni being constantly
distracted or cruising others.  And it's also very important that he can
easily relate to someone Ronni's age.  They'll be spending a lot of time
together, and it would be best if they got along well with each other.  I'd
like him to be not just a bodyguard, but a companion to Ronni as well.  Got
anybody like that waiting in the wings?"

     "Can you be a little more specific in what you're looking for, Boss?"
asked a chuckling Lorenzo.  "I think we'll need to order some parts."

     "I know I was being just a bit overboard on the requirements there," I
said, with a corresponding chuckle.  "Those are all the qualities for what
I feel will be the perfect security guard for Ronni.  I know there's
probably no such thing, but I want to work from that list and try to find
someone with as many of those traits and qualities as possible.  Ronni's
safety is of the utmost importance to me.  It would kill me if anything
happened to him, especially if I could have prevented it."

     "You actually weren't too far off the mark with those requirements,"
Lorenzo said.  "The only one not really necessary is being gay.  Gay
friendly, definitely, `cuz a lot of businesses are looking for security
people who can deal with and relate to all types.  But the good news is
that I think I know of someone who fits all the requirements except the age
thing.  The guy I know is 28, and you said no more than 25.  But everything
else you said, he's got covered.  He's gay and he and his husband have been
together since high school.  They flew to the Netherlands two years ago and
got married.  And he's one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.  He'll
have no trouble relating to Ronni, since he's the nicest kid I've ever met.
This guy, Carl, has a 16-year old brother, and the two of them are best
friends, not just brothers.  Carl adores his younger brother, and the
feelings are mutual.  Even the brother's friends think Carl is great.  He
can really relate to them and always treats them respectfully, never
talking down to them."

      "If he's all you say he is," I said, "I can definitely overlook the
age thing.  But what makes you think he'd be interested in working for me?
Isn't he already working?"

     "Carl loves his job in security, but he feels locked in at the level
he has now," Lorenzo answered.  "And he's unhappy with the fact they've had
no pay raises in over a year and their benefits have been cut.  All
indicators point to the fact that the company may be going under, and he
wants to find something else before he finds himself having to look for a
new job.  He's sticking it out there for now `cuz it's that `devil you
know' thing.  Decent-paying jobs, especially in his field, aren't easy to
find, especially since he and his partner want to stay in the area."

     "Do I know this guy?" asked Josie.  "His name seems familiar somehow."

     "Actually, you have met him once, that I know of," he told her.
"Remember when we were at the mall Christmas shopping last year, and we
stopped in the music store?  His partner, Raymar, runs that shop, and Carl
had stopped by to see if Raymar wanted to go to lunch with him.  I
introduced you to them."

     "That's right," she remembered.  "I recall they both seemed like
really nice people, and they invited us to go to lunch with them, but we
had other plans."

     "How did you happen to meet him?" I asked.  "There's just enough of an
age difference between you that he doesn't seem to be someone you'd
normally hang out with."

     "Even though we all live here," he answered, "we actually met at a
club in Manila on one of my getaways, and they were there `cuz they were in
town for a friend's wedding and wanted to see what the gay night life was
like in the big city.  When we all learned we were from the same place, we
hung together that night and just talked.  That was actually the night I
realized I didn't like the kind of gay life style in those places, and they
had come to the same decision.  The three of us were constantly getting hit
on by some really creepy-looking individuals, and it was the final straw
for all of us.  That's when I decided to not go back to that kind of
environment and stick closer to home.  We get together with other gays here
sometimes just to socialize and stay in touch with the gay community, but
I've spent more time just with the two of them.  They've been really great
as mentors, helping me in my coming out process and in being comfortable
accepting my sexuality."

     "I'd like to meet him if I can to see if he'd be the right candidate
for Ronni," I said.  "Can you arrange that in the next day or so?"

     "I'll call him when we leave here," he said.  "Since this is the
weekend and his job is a Monday-to-Friday deal, maybe he'll have time this
weekend, but they may have other plans."

     "That's fine," I replied, "but it needs to be soon.  If it turns out
he's not interested in the job or I decide he's not exactly the type I'm
looking for, I'll need time to make a search."

     "I understand," he said.  "I know you want to have this set up before
you leave.  But I really think you'll like him, and I think he'll enjoy the
job.  There'd be a lot less stress, and from what I've learned about you,
you pay well for what you want and will make the pay attractive to him."

     "Well," I said," I don't want someone taking the job just because of
the money.  I need someone who will bond with Ronni and be totally focused
on his job so that the pay will become secondary to the job."

     "You won't have any issues with Carl," Lorenzo replied.  "He takes his
job seriously and will give 100% effort.  He's done work as a personal
bodyguard before for a young rock singer, and they parted as friends when
the assignment was over.  They're still in touch through email and chat,
and whenever this guy's in town, he always makes time to see Carl.  And I
know Carl will like Ronni.  What's not to like?  He's a great kid and can
relate to adults much better than any others his age that I've seen.  And
Carl really likes kids.  He and Raymar have been looking into adopting an
older child because they are the ones most in need.  Because of his close
relationship with his brother, Carl knows what teens want and need, which
is mostly love, acceptance and respect."

     "Let's try to get something set up as soon as possible," I said.  "If
I find that he's everything you say he is, and if Ronni likes him, I'll
offer him the job on the spot."  With that, we wrapped up our meeting.
Josie hugged us both, and walked to the door with us, reminding me she'd be
by later with the list of contractors.

     Lorenzo and I were soon back at the house, and when we went in, we saw
the three boys sitting at the counter with Ronni's new laptop in front of
them.  When he saw me, he jumped down from the stool and ran over to me,
jumping into my waiting arms.  I was immediately enfolded in his arms and
legs as he hugged me fiercely.

     "I missed you so much," he said, kissing my cheek and looking deep
into my eyes with love and not a little lust.

     "I missed you, too, Sweetheart," I said, kissing him back.  "I don't
like being away from you for a single minute."  Carrying my love bundle, we
went to the counter across from the boys to see what they'd been doing.
"What's up, guys?"

     "Hi, Phil," said Paulo, as they both raised their eyes from the
screen.  "This is a really nice computer.  It's got a lot of really cool
stuff on it."

     "Yeah," agreed Mario.  "I really like some of the games."

     "Oh, Phil," said Ronni, excitedly.  "We even have internet
connection!"

     "That's not surprising," said Lorenzo, walking over to join us.  "The
computer has built-in WiFi, and there are a lot of hot spots in this area
where you can pick up a signal, although it may speed up or slow down,
depending on how many others are getting the same signal."

     "That is so neat!" Ronni enthused.  "I thought we'd have to wait to
get our own connection."

     "We still need to set up our own Internet account," I told him,
placing his butt on the counter while keeping our physical contact.  "We'll
also have a wireless router so you can use the laptop anywhere in the house
and around the yard outside.  I guess we'll also be providing our
contribution to free WiFi too."  Suddenly, Ronni got a serious expression
on his face.

     "Where did you and Lorenzo go?" he asked.  "I really missed you!"

     "And I missed you, to, Love," I said, giving him a quick kiss on the
lips.  "Lorenzo and I met with Josie to talk over some things that I felt
you would be upset about when we first talked about them, and I wanted to
make sure that what I had in mind was going to work before talking to you.
I figured you've had enough drama in your day, and I didn't want to add any
more.  Besides, I thought you, Mario and Paulo would have a lot to talk
about that they might not want me to hear."

     "You're right," he said.  "We had a good talk, didn't we?" he tossed
over his shoulder to Mario and Paulo, who were both blushing and nodding
their heads.  "But I still missed you," he added, hugging me tightly for
emphasis and putting his head on my shoulder.  "Tell you later," he
whispered, before kissing my neck, running his tongue up my neck and gently
bit my ear lobe.  "I REALLY missed you!!" he growled softly.  I couldn't
help it.  I let out a moan, and my cock was immediately hard.  Thank God my
crotch was below counter level!!  The two boys across from me giggled and
blushed when they heard and saw what Ronni had just done, and Lorenzo was
chuckling.  I was trying desperately to will my cock down, made even more
difficult with the fact he was pressed tightly against me. Fat Wal-Mart
grannies in spandex!  Fat Wal-Mart grannies in spandex!!!

     "I need to talk to Ronni for a bit," I said to the others.  "You're
welcome to join in, but you can stay on the computer if you want."

     "Why don't I stay here with them and show them some of the bells and
whistles," Lorenzo offered, sensing why I needed to talk to Ronni.  "Is
that ok with you two?"  The boys grinned and nodded.

     "Ok, then would anyone like something to drink?" I asked.  Everyone
put in their order, and, with a final squeeze for my love, I let him jump
down, and we proceeded to get the drinks.  Thankfully, my cock was now just
below half mast and, I hoped, not too noticeable.  Ronni did notice,
however, and groped me as he went past toward the ref.  This thankfully
went unnoticed by the others, as they were all focused on the laptop as
Lorenzo pointed out some of the features but it brought me immediately back
to fully hard.  Stepping up behind him at the ref and putting myself
between him and a line of vision from the others, I cupped my hand on his
left butt check and squeezed gently.  He wasn't expecting this, and let out
a soft yelp.  He turned toward me, grinning, with a look of lust in his
eyes.

     "I want you in me so much right now," he said, quietly, so the others
couldn't hear.  "I got so horny listening to what Paulo and Mario told me.
My insides right now are squeezing like it does when you have your cock in
me, and I can't stop it!  God, I want you so much!!"  He grabbed me tightly
and planted his mouth on mine, our tongues rapidly beginning to caress and
probe.  I instantly and totally forgot we weren't alone until I heard
Lorenzo laughing.

     "Get a room, you two," he chuckled.  Mario and Paulo were also
grinning at us, and I couldn't help chuckling myself.  Ronni can turn me
from a rational human being into a lust-crazed sex slave with just a look,
and frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way!  Even though we had an
audience, they all know how deeply in love Ronni and I are, and they now
took our antics in stride.  But I certainly didn't want to become live
entertainment!  I feel we provided a lifetime's worth last night!  So with
a final kiss, I released him, and we went about getting the drinks for
everyone.  We were both very obviously hard, but the others had turned
their attention to the computer screen, and by the time we placed the
drinks on the counter, both Ronni and I had things under control...sort of.
Taking our own drinks with us, he and I went into the salla and sat down on
the sofa, Ronni taking his usual spot on my lap after putting our drinks
down.

     "Ok, Love," I began, after a deep kiss.  "Here's what went on at
Josie's."  I started by telling him about the new land purchase and my
reasons for doing it.  He was very enthusiastic and thought it was a great
idea, although I had to reassure him when he brought up concerns about the
added cost.  I then went on to tell him about my expansion plans for the
house, and he really liked that idea.  He talked excitedly about being able
to have family and friends overnight, and he especially liked the idea of
the new patio.  He thought that would be a great place to entertain (my
word), especially for people we would need to help get our new business up
and running.  He also reminded me that we could get all the new things we'd
need for our new and improved home using the debit card we were given. I
chuckled when he said this, I asked him if he was sure he was only 14, and
he laughed.  He reminded me that he would be 15 soon, and that using the
debit card was just common sense.  He also said that he knew about that
entertaining thing because of his mother's cooking for others who were
having a party when entertaining important business contacts.  He said he's
even gone along to a few of them to help serve and actually got paid for
his time.  I told him I'd show him a basic plan of what I thought we could
add onto the house but that he certainly would be allowed to add his input
and ideas.  He got very excited about this and gave me a grand hug and kiss
for including him in the plans.  I reminded him that we were a team, and we
worked together as one, making any decisions, whether for our personal
lives or for the business, together.  Then it was time for the serious
topic of his safety.

     "Ronni," I began, "the most important thing we talked about today was
about your safety.  I don't ever want to have a repeat of what happened
today or anything else that would harm you in any way.  You are the most
precious part of my life, and it would kill me if anything happened to you,
especially if it could have been prevented.  Neither one of us thought that
anything like that could happen in such a busy and public place, but it
did.  Thank God it wasn't any worse than it was, but it shows me that we
can't expect life to always be as safe as we want it.  Add to that the fact
that you and I are soon going to be very high-profile figures around here
when we get going on the hotels, and especially, once they're up and
running.  There are too many people out there who are going to be extremely
jealous of our good fortune and are going to want a piece of it, no matter
how they go about getting it."  Taking a deep breath, I got to point.  "For
those reasons, I'm hiring someone who will be your personal body guard."  I
waited with apprehension for the pending explosion that I was sure was
coming.  And I waited.  And waited.  It never came.  What I got instead
were Ronni's hands gently cupping my face, tears running down his cheeks
and a look of such love in his eyes that it took my breath away.

     "How can I ever find words big enough to tell you how much I love
you," he said, as he gently caressed my right cheek.  "Once I knew how big
your plans were, I thought about what you said about others wanting what we
have.  I have seen and heard news about others who suffered `cuz of bad
people wanting what they had, and I know that what you plan here is going
to be very big.  I was sort of afraid that I might be the way others could
get to you, but I also know you are my Phil, and you will always take care
of me.  You show me that now by what you said about having someone to watch
out for me when you are not around.  I know once the hotels are open, and
even before, that you will be very busy, and I also have my school and
football, and I will still want to spend time with my friends, so we will
not always be together during the day.  And I also think of today.  Both
you and Lorenzo were right there, and we were in a busy mall, but that
bastard still tried to get me."  He shuddered at that thought, and I pulled
him closer, kissing his tear-stained face.

     "You are wise way beyond your years to figure all that out," I said to
him.  "You've managed to understand at least a part of what our lives are
going to be soon.  That's why I want to hire someone who will help keep you
safe.  Lorenzo knows someone that he thinks will be the right person.
Hopefully, we'll get to meet him sometime this weekend."  I then told him
all I knew about Carl based on what Lorenzo had described, including that
he was gay and about his partner/husband and the music store.  Ronni lit up
at that information.

     "I know that guy," he said, enthusiastically.  "I go into that store a
lot when I am at the mall.  I can't always buy something, but I like to see
what's new and listen to some of the demo cd's.  The manager is very nice,
and he doesn't mind if I'm not there to buy but just to look, `cuz he knows
I buy sometimes.  And if he has time, he sometimes talked to me about some
of the new songs and bands.  A few times, I see a guy who is not a
customer, talking to him, and they seem to be very close friends.  Now I
know how close!" he said with a giggle.  "And sometimes, this other guy has
a uniform from a security company, so he must be the one Lorenzo talks
about, and he has talked to me sometimes when the manager was talking to me
about music.  He also seems very nice.  And very handsome, too, but not as
handsome or as sexy as my Phil!" he said, kissing me deeply to drive home
his point.  I responded just as enthusiastically, since who am I to argue
with teen logic – especially Ronni's!  At this point, Lorenzo, sensing
that things were going ok, left Paulo and Mario, who were busy playing a
game on the computer, and came over to us.

     "It looks like everything is going ok here," he said with a grin.

     "Everything's going much better than I hoped," I replied, emphasizing
it by kissing Ronni on the cheek.  "As it turns out, he's already met Carl
and his partner at the music store and thinks they're both pretty good
guys."

     "That's great!"  he said.  "You probably didn't notice, but while you
two were talking and once I got those two over there into a game, I went
outside and called Carl.  I gave him the basics, and he said he'll be able
to stop by late tomorrow morning to talk to you."

     "Good job, Fella," I said, reaching up with my right hand for a `high
five'.  "Call him back and ask him if he could drop by around 11:00.  I
think tonight's meeting with Ronni's parents is going to be very emotional,
and I'm sure everyone will want to sleep in.  Tell you what.  Why don't you
tell him to bring his husband along, and we'll have a cook out and swim
after we meet.  It will be a good way to get to know one another socially,
and I'm actually kind of curious to see the reactions they both have when
they see Ronni.  I hope they remember him."

     "That's a great idea!" Lorenzo responded.  "I know he and Raymar
really look forward to their weekend time together, and I'm willing to bet
the reason he wanted a late morning meeting is so that he'd have an excuse
to leave at lunch time, especially not really knowing what to expect from
your offer.  I just gave him the basics, figuring it was your job to fill
in the details.  I know he's really anxious to get a better job, which is
the only reason he agreed for even that time."

     "Ok," I said.  "Why don't you call him back now and explain about
lunch and a swim, although let him know that part is optional but that it's
also definitely going to be a family time and no business.  I may have to
have you make a quick shopping trip for me though.  I hope you don't mind."

     "I don't mind at all, Boss," he said, grinning.  "I was with Josie
when we bought the supplies for you in the first place, so I already know
pretty much what to get and where to get it.  No problem!"

     "Thanks," I said sincerely.  "You've become a good friend, and we
really appreciate all you do for us.  Let me go see what we need, and I'll
give you a list."  Giving Ronni a peck on the nose, he and I got up, and he
went straight to Lorenzo, putting his arms around him.

     "Thank you for being my big brother," he said.  Lorenzo lost it!  He
pulled Ronni tighter to him, the tears starting to run down his cheeks.

     "No, thank YOU!!"  he said.  "Thank both of you!!  And thank God for
bringing you into my life.  You have been like a cool drink of water in the
desert of my life.  (My God!  The guy's a poet too!) In such a short time,
you have become like a family to me and have given me a place where I can
relax and be myself.  And the loving relationship the two of you have has
given me hope that I can find the same, but you sure know how to set the
bar high!  But after seeing what you have, I will settle for nothing less.
Thank you for being my friends and my family."  At this, I joined them in a
group hug then left the two of them talking quietly while I went to see
what we needed from the store.  I was about halfway through my inventory
when I felt a pair of arms around me and a kiss on my neck.

     "Lorenzo is such a great guy," he said softly, and we both glanced
affectionately at Lorenzo, who was back showing Paulo and Mario some more
features.  "I really do feel like he's an older brother.  I always envy
Mario and Paulo for having older brothers, and now I have one too.  He's
always watching out for me, he talks to me like a brother, and I can tell
he loves me like one, too.  We really have some great friends, huh?"

     "I totally agree with you, Love," I said.  "We're very lucky.  But we
really need to get this list together so Lorenzo can get to the store and
back before we need to leave for your folks' later, and we also need to eat
dinner, too.  Why don't you look over the list I have so far while I check
the ref.  That's the last place I need to check."  While Ronni scanned the
list I had so far, I took inventory of the contents of the ref and realized
that we were running low on just about everything.  Even the freezer was
severely depleted, so it looked like Lorenzo had his work cut out for him.
What I thought was going to be a quick trip to the store has turned into a
major shopping expedition!  I felt guilty sending him off on his own, but
time was running short, and I really needed to talk to the boys to get our
strategies together for tonight.  I hope he's going to be ok with this
added shopping burden.  I took the list from Ronni and added the
refrigerated items, handing it back to him to scan for any omissions.  He
already had a few from the first half and, after looking over what I had
put down for the ref, he had a few more suggestions, which I quickly added.
I then went into the bedroom where I had a hidden stack of cash that only
Ronni and I knew about and counted out 20 1000 peso notes.  Returning to
the salla, I handed Lorenzo the cash and Ronni handed him the list.  When
he saw the amount of money, his eyebrows shot up into his forehead in
shock.

     "Why so much, Boss," he asked, astounded at an amount of money that
was more than most locals would see for a month of work.

     "Well," I began, apologetically, "we're just about out of everything.
I'm sorry to ask you to do this now, since it won't be such a quick trip.
I'd either go with you or send the boys along, but we really need to talk
about tonight. Will that be ok with you?"  He nodded, still speechless at
the amount of money in his hand.  "As for the amount of money, that's a
pretty big list we gave you.  Also, I expect the best when it comes to most
things, and food is no exception, and since I can afford it, why not?
Besides, if you were with Josie the first time she shopped for me, I'm sure
she spent even more than that."

     "Yeah, well...but," he stammered.  Then, taking a deep breath, he
squared his shoulders and looked at Ronni and me.  "You're right!  I guess
if I'm going to be working for you, I'd better get used to things like
this."

     "I'll turn you into a rabid capitalist yet," I ginned, clapping him on
the shoulder, and he laughed.  "I'm really and truly sorry that I'm going
to have to ask you to make the trip alone.  The boys and I have so much to
discuss before meeting with the Martinez' later this evening.  I hope
that's ok."

     "Of course it's ok.  I will always do everything I can for my family,"
he said with a serious and sincere expression on his face.  Then, his face
broke out in a sly grin.  "Besides, I have to do whatever my boss tells me
if I want to earn my pay."  We all laughed at this, and after saying his
`goodbyes', Lorenzo headed out.  Getting the boys' attention, I asked them
to shut down the computer and take a seat in the salla.  The light-hearted
mood of just a few minutes ago vanished, as they realized what was coming.

     Everyone took a seat, with Mario on Paulo's lap, both boys wanting the
security of the close contact, and with Ronni in his usual spot on mine, we
got down to planning our strategies.  I started off by asking each boy to
individually tell us what he personally felt about the upcoming meeting.
As each gave voice to his own fears and hopes, Ronni and I answered them,
offering positive suggestions and encouragement.  There were occasional
tears and some laughter during our talk, although the laughs were
definitely in much shorter supply.  I'm not sure how much time passed, but
eventually, I could see Mario and Paulo begin to relax and could detect a
note of confidence in their voices that was definitely lacking in the
beginning.  We must have been at it for much longer than I thought as we
heard Lorenzo at the door, struggling with a load of grocery bags.  We all
jumped up to help him, and, at his suggestion, I stayed behind to put
things away while he and the boys unloaded the car.  As I emptied the bags
and put stuff away, the four of them made two more trips before declaring
`that's all'.  The counters were loaded down with bags, and there were even
a few on the floor for lack of room.  How he managed to get all that in,
what seemed to me, a relatively short time amazed me until I looked at the
clock and realized he'd been gone for almost two hours!  We had all been so
intently focused on our planning session, that I hadn't realized how much
time had actually passed.  With everyone's help, all the food was soon put
away, neatly and correctly.  Lorenzo reached in his pocket, and pulled out
some money, which he handed to me.  Taking a quick count, I realized has
was handing back almost 5000 pesos.  I looked at him in amazement.

     "How in the world did you manage to get all this and have so much left
over?" I asked.

     "Guess us gay boys just know how to shop," he said with a grin and a
shrug.  Peeling off a 1000 peso note, I put the rest I my pocket and handed
the note to him.  He put his hands up in a defensive position and
vigorously shook his head.  "I can't take that, Boss.  You're already
giving me too much, especially with that computer."  Managing to get around
his arms, which were still up, I stuffed the money in his shirt pocket.

     "You WILL take it," I said a bit sternly.  "You've more than earned
it, especially after all you've done for us today.  The first rule you need
to learn working for me is, the boss is always right!"

     "Ok, you win, boss man," he said with a shy grin.  "But that doesn't
mean I have to always like it.  But thank you.  By the way, something
occurred to me as we were carrying in the groceries.  Since you'll be
having all that work done on the house, you should consider expanding the
gate and making an access in the wall so you can pull your car in and maybe
have some covered place to park close to the house.  You'll really
appreciate that during the rainy typhoon season. You can also have a
security gate installed in the opening.  It's ok leaving your car on the
street during the day, but it's not a good idea to keep it there over night
all the time.  You're already taking steps for your security.  This is just
the next logical one"

     "Thanks.  I like that idea, since, when I come back, it will my own
car we'll be driving.  And remember my rule about the boss." I replied,
with a grin and wink.  At that point, I realized we had to get our
collective acts together to be ready for the meeting.  Ronni and I had to
take our shower (together, of course) and we had to get dinner going.
Because of time constraints, I opted to have flounder with a
butter/lemon/parsley sauce with rice and broccoli.  I was very grateful to
Lorenzo for being able to have this menu choice, since we had none of these
items until he returned from his shopping trip.  None of these took a lot
of time and effort and certainly sounded good to me and the others, when I
told them what we'd have.  Lorenzo was the only holdout.

     "Sorry, Boss," he said with regret.  "I really wish I could stay and
eat with you, `cuz that all sounds so good.  But when I called Carl back to
tell him what time to be here tomorrow, he invited me to have dinner with
him and Raymar.  I'm sure he'll be pumping me for information about you
guys, but rest easy.  He doesn't need to know everything, at least not yet.
All he'll learn from me about your relationship is that you're Ronni's
guardian and that he's living with you. Oh, and by the way, he liked the
idea of getting together after the interview, so they'll definitely stay.
He was actually pretty excited about it.  He thought it was a great way to
get to see if everyone would be able to get along, especially Ronni and
him."

     "We appreciate that, Lorenzo," I said.  "There will be time enough to
fill him in completely if he's the one I hire."  So, with a round of hugs,
Lorenzo was out the door, with a promise to be here about 10:30 the next
morning.  Turning to the boys, I told them that they could go back to the
computer or watch TV while Ronni and I got the dinner prepped and took a
shower.  Ronni's eyes lit up at the mention of the shower, but the other
two were anxious enough to go back to the computer that they didn't notice.

     The only things I planned to get ready now were the rice and broccoli.
I asked Ronni to get the rice going in the automatic cooker while I got the
broccoli from the ref.  I cut the buds from the main stalk into
serving-sized pieces, rinsed them and placed them in the small colander
over a pot of water for steaming later.  I'd turn that on while I cooked
the fish.  And even though the rice would most likely be done before we
were done with our shower, the cooker had a warming setting that came on
automatically when the rice was done, so it should be hot when it was time
to serve it later.  We both had our assigned tasks done, and telling the
boys we'd be back shortly, went into the bedroom, shutting the door behind
us.

     The second the door was shut, Ronni was immediately in my arms,
kissing me wildly.  We were both desperately needing one another, and we
were practically tearing each other's clothes off as our tongues dueled
inside each other's mouths.  We were both finally naked, and Ronni jumped
into my arms, wrapping his arms and his legs around me in a vice-like grip,
grinding his super-hard cock against mine, both of us so incredibly turned
on that we were both already leaking pre-cum by the bucket-full.  Carrying
him into the cr, I managed to turn on the shower and stepped in, our mouths
and cocks grinding furiously against each other.  Ronni broke the kiss and
literally attacked my neck with his mouth, kissing, licking and even
biting, deep in the throes of a sexual frenzy.

     "Please, Phil, please!!" he begged.  "I need your cock in me now.  It
feels like I have a strong itch deep inside that only your cock can
scratch.  Please!! I need you now!!"  Not one to deny my love such a
request, or anything, for that matter, I reached over and grabbed a bottle
of conditioner.  Using soap or shampoo can dry out too quickly, but the
conditioner stayed fairly liquid.  Squirting some on my hand, I reached
behind him and slathered it liberally around his already-pulsating hole
before pushing as much inside as I could.  When my fingers breached his
hole, Ronni let out a deep groan of pleasure and pushed himself down on my
invading fingers.  I gently finger-fucked him for a minute to loosen him
up, but the level of his arousal made it so that my fingers quickly found
very little resistance.  Pouring some conditioner over my cock, I dropped
the bottle on the floor (Thank God for plastic!), not even willing to take
the time to put it back on the shelf.  Stroking my cock to spread our
makeshift lube. I lifted him slightly so I could get my cock into position.
Ronni reached behind himself and grabbed my hard cock, placing it at the
entrance to his quivering anus and pushed himself down so that I was
immediately buried to the hilt in his hot, tight teen rectum.  He let out a
groan followed by a huge sigh of satisfaction and began immediately
gyrating his hips as I began to thrust into him.  This position didn't
allow for maximum penetration, but it was certainly deep enough for us.
Ronni was moaning and groaning in lust as our hips performed the ultimate
dance of love, and it was evident by the glazed, contented look on his face
that Ronni was getting that itch scratched really well!  We were both so
incredibly hot for each other that I knew neither of us was going to last
long.  I could already feel my cum-bloated balls rising in their sack, and
from the strong pulsations of his rectum on my cock, I could tell he was
also very close.  His incredibly hard young cock was rubbing on my lower
abdomen with each thrust, and suddenly, with a deep groan that was almost a
growl, I could feel his cock pulsing against me as his potent teen sperm
gushed almost as far as my neck as his hips continued thrusting against me.
The intense spasms of his rectum squeezed my cock to the point that I could
barely make my thrusts, but they also stimulated me to the point that I
began shooting my cum deep into my teen lover's bowels.  Neither of us
wanted these incredibly pleasurable feelings to end, but we both finally
came down to earth, both of us gasping from not only the physical
exertions, but from our passion as well.  Ronni pulled his head back from
my shoulder and looked deep into my soul with such love.

     "Thank you my love," he said, with a satisfied smile.  "I really
needed your love, and boy, did you deliver!"

     "Did we manage to satisfy that itch?" I asked grinning.

     "For now.  Maybe," he said winking and kissing my check.  "I might
need a lot more scratching later tonight."  I laughed and kissed his
forehead.

     "It looks like I've got the itch scratcher you need, but he needs a
bit of recharging first," I said, as my softening cock slipped out of hole
with an audible plop.  We both groaned at the loss of our connection, then
with a kiss, Ronni got down and headed toward the toilet.

     "Guess I'd better get this part out of the way," he said, as he sat on
the john.  The room was soon filled with sounds of air expulsion and
liquid, although, since this had really been a quickie by our standards,
the sounds weren't as loud nor did they last as long.  He was soon done and
back in the shower with me, where we gently and loving washed each other.
He particularly liked it when I washed his hair.  He positively purred with
pleasure as my fingers massaged his scalp.  We finished up, dried each
other off and returned to the bedroom to get dressed.  Before we did,
though, we met in a deep, long hug.  It looks like we were both sexually
satisfied for now, at least, since neither of us got hard, although we both
plumped up a bit, and it was simply a loving embrace.  We were soon dressed
and went into the salla on our way to the kitchen.  Paulo and Mario turned
toward us when they heard the bedroom door open, and both had shit-eating
grins.

     "Took you long enough," said Paulo, with a smirk while Mario giggled.

     "Not nearly long enough," retorted Ronni, cuffing his friends lightly
and affectionately behind their heads.

     "Since the computer's set up on the counter, why don't you set the
table tonight while I finish up dinner," I said to Ronni.

     "Ok," he said cheerfully.  Giving each of his friends a pinch on the
butt that elicited yelps from both of them, giggling, he went about his
task while I took care of the rest of the cooking.

     In less than 10 minutes, everything was ready and on the table, and,
after saying grace, we all dug in ravenously.  The meal was delicious, and
Paulo and Mario spent almost as much time telling me how good it was and
thanking me as they did in actual eating.  It was a little after 6:00 when
we finished, and I sent the two boys back to play some more on the computer
while Ronni and I did the clean-up.  They protested, saying it was only
fair that they do the cleanup, but I insisted, telling them that they
should spend some more time on the computer since they wouldn't always have
the chance.  They finally – and with genuine reluctance – agreed.  I
felt that getting them involved with the computer would help take their
minds off the pending meeting.  By the time we had the kitchen cleaned, it
was almost 6:30 and time to head out.  Paulo and Mario were really involved
in their game and seemed to be having a good time.  I hated to break the
mood, but I knew that this was going to be the right thing to do to help
them in their relationship, not only between themselves, but their
families, too.  Walking over behind them, I placed a gentle hand on each of
their shoulders.

     "It's time to go, guys," I said, softly.  They both stiffened in their
seats, and I could literally feel the immediate tension in them.  "Remember
what you told Ronni and me last night?  This is something you need to do to
be able to have the quality time together you both want and to move forward
in your relationship.  You told us that there was no way either of you
could be apart from each other.  When you want something as much as you two
do, you need to take the steps to make it happen.  Everything is going to
be ok. You'll see.  I strongly feel that this is one of those times when
the fear of something is much greater than the reality."  Both boys seemed
to relax a little.

     "We know what you say is true," said Mario, "but it still does not
make it any easier."

     "None of the best things in life ever come easily," I said.  "It seems
that those things always take the most work.  Just remember that neither of
you is going to do this alone.  You already have Ronni, Lola Sanie, your
brothers and me on your side.  That's a pretty good support team.  We'll
all be there to help you as much as you need us to."

     "Everything Phil says is true," Ronni said, moving between his two
friends and putting arms around each of their shoulders.  "Let's go do this
and get it behind you.  You will see that there is no need to fear.
Everything will be ok."  The two boys each turned at the same time and
kissed Ronni on the cheek.

     "You are the best friends anyone could ever ask for," Paulo said.
Squaring his young shoulders, Paolo looked at me.

     "Let's go!" he said, emphatically.

     "Yes, let's go," agreed Mario, finding the steel in his own spine.
The boys stood up, and taking each other's hand, led the way out of the
house.


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