Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 10:21:27 +0200
From: Harry Anders <harry@harryanders.com>
Subject: Little Harry-14

Chapter 14. Two detached soul mates are brought together.

After a while Jason washed his face in the kitchen, and we dressed neatly
to go to the orphanage. Jason sat shotgun, and the other boys arranged
their seats around a folded table in the middle. Soon we were on our way,
and the boys started to sing along with the booming music, as usual. Jason
was silent, and obviously more and more nervous.

"Don't panic Jason, everything will turn out for the best, and we all will
be with you."

"I hope so... I haven't seen Carl for two years now. Will he still
recognize me, or perhaps he has found another friend..."

"In a few minutes we will know. He doesn't know you are visiting him, he
only knows that someone wants to meet him. What are you going to do, when
you suddenly see each other?"

"I don't know... what will he do when he sees me? Perhaps he will scream
and run away... Could you meet him first, and ask him if he remembers me?"

"I think that's a good idea. I will meet him first, and ask him about
you. In the meantime you will wait in our car. Okay?"

He looked relieved and nodded with a faint smile.

We rounded a corner and were impressed by a monumental building, surrounded
by an iron fence. We stopped at the gate, and a doorman looked at our car.

"Where are you going sir?"

"I have an appointment with mister John Dragon."

He went to a phone, and softly spoke a few words.

"You may park your car over there sir. Mr Dragon will meet you at the main
entrance."

"It feels like a prison here dad," John frowned and looked around, "No
wonder Jason couldn't find Carl."

I parked the van, and the boys promised to be good boys and not to demolish
the car in my absence.

I went to the main entrance, where a closed wooden door greeted
me. Fortunately they had a bell... I pulled the knob, and a loud clang
reverberated through the corridors. After a while the door opened
majestically, and I was greeted by a sulky looking man about my age,
beckoning me in. He closed the door carefully behind us.

"So you are our foster parent, with perhaps an interest in the boy Carl?
Please follow me..."

He shuffled to an open door and beckoned me to enter the room, shutting the
door behind me. I needed a few moments to adjust my eyes to the
darkness. Then I saw Carl. He looked about the same height as Jason, but
much thinner, with very dark eyes in a pale face, making them stare at you;
and short cut golden brown hair. He fidgeted his fingers, standing near the
window, and silently staring at me without any recognition in his eyes.

"Hello Carl, you don't know me, but my boys always call me Big Harry. Nice
to meet you."

I extended my hand, but he just stared at it. Well, that didn't bring us
much further... how to go on from here?

"Shall we sit down? I think I have to tell you something concerning your
past."

He nodded and slowly went to a nearby chair. I took a chair in front of
him, and looked into his staring eyes. There I saw so much pain and
horror... like a trapped animal, desperately longing to escape. This was a
very damaged boy, and I had to be very careful with him. Mentally I reached
out to Jack, and I could feel him around us, but he didn't say anything. It
was a reassuring feeling, and I thanked him in my mind. I smiled at Carl,
trying to reassure him.

"Today I met a wonderful boy. He is two years older than you are. His name
is Jason..."

Suddenly his face lit up, like the sun beginning to shine through the
clouds. For a moment he let his mask down, and I saw tears in his eyes. Now
I knew enough. He still loved Jason.

"Jason trusted me, and he told me everything about you and him, being
together and loving each other. He also told me that two years ago his
father went berserk and kicked you out of the house. Jason lost all contact
with you. He was desperate and looked for you everywhere, but he couldn't
find you. Until today, when my lawyer discovered you in this... awful
place. Jason still loves you very much, and he desperately wants to see
you..."

Carl's eyes pierced into mine, searching for sincerity. Slowly he shook his
head.

"I don't know... perhaps Jason doesn't love me any more. It's so long
ago... of course he has already found another friend."

"Jason had a very difficult time, just like you. He was very lonely, and he
didn't make any friends at all. He just waited for you."

Again Carl's face lit up, and slowly he got tears in his eyes. Again he
shook his head. "They will never let me go."

"Do you want to see Jason? He is waiting for you."

"They won't let me... they just hate fags."

"Jason is already here. Do you trust me, and do you want to come with me?"

Again his eyes pierced into mine. Then, after a while, he slowly nodded. I
extended my hand. "Come on, let's go to Jason."

Like a miserable and lost little boy, Carl took my hand and let me take him
with me. Fortunately they hadn't locked the doors. We went to the entrance,
and I opened the massive door. We blinked in the sudden sunlight and waited
until we could see again. I had to drag a very unsure Carl with me to our
car. All the time he held my hand as a small frightened boy.

Suddenly, the door of the van opened and a whirlwind stormed at us with a
loud indian shout, "CARLLLLL..." and Jason threw himself at his forlorn
friend, embracing him, kissing him, crying and laughing at the same time.

The clouds slowly began to vanish and the sun started to shine
through. Carl's eyes lit up, his face began to radiate, and a big smile
started to fill his face from ear to ear. Unsure he opened his arms,
"Jase..." and now they both started a heartbreaking cry into each other's
arms.

"It's really Carl..." Nicky whispered, and he looked up at me with tears in
his eyes.

Little Harry ducked under my left arm and took my hand, John leaned into me
on the front, and Davey melted into me on my right side.

Suddenly our friend John Dragon turned up. He looked at both boys with
disdain in his eyes. "Are you taking him with you? You have to sign the
papers first!"

"That's okay, just show me what you want me to sign..."

Without a word he turned around, and I followed him into the building.

"Are you going to adopt him?"

"Yes, that's my intention. What do I have to do?"

"For now, just sign these papers, and your lawyer will do the rest."

"Okay, thank you."

I signed all the papers without reading them, and left without another
word.

"Come on boys, let's go home."

John and Davey rearranged the seats, putting three seats in the front and
two seats together in the back of the van.

"Jason, Carl, you can take the back seats. Please fasten your seat belts."

Hesitantly Carl looked at our golden van, as if he couldn't believe his
eyes. "Am I really going with you? Where are you taking me? Are you taking
me to another home?"

"Yes Carl, I am taking you to another home, to OUR home. You are going to
live with us."

"They will never let me go. They always tell me I have to wait until I am
eighteen..."

"I've already signed the papers, so don't worry too much. You and Jason
will be together from now on."

"They just won't let me. They didn't even let me write a letter to
Jason. They tore it apart. They just hate me too much..."

"From now on things will be different. Come on, let's quickly leave this
place and get something to eat. I'm starved."

Like a forlorn puppy, Carl followed Jason into the van and sat down,
letting Jason fasten his seat belt. Obviously things had happened too fast,
and he just stared into space. For myself I was glad to leave that prison
behind, and hoped I never would have to return.

John, Davey and Nicky took the seats in the front row, while little Harry
sat shotgun this time. With a big smile on his face he searched the radio
until he found some nice background music. "Is Carl really going to live
with us? But how about Jason, and of course Nicky? We have only three
bedrooms."

"Well... you are a clever boy, so think it over for a while. Perhaps you
might come up with a solution?"

"You could buy a bigger house... Yeah, let's look on the Internet when we
are home!"

"You don't think I'm a millionaire, do you?"

"Nah, but you always could pay with your credit card..."

"When I am paying something with my credit card, where do you think the
money comes from?"

Little Harry started to say something, but suddenly he shut his mouth,
frowned, and looked into space. After a while he nodded. "Sorry dad, I've
never thought about that before... Of course that's your own money, from
the bank!"

I ruffled his hair, and he looked at me with love and adoration in his
beautiful deep blue eyes. "But we DON'T have enough bedrooms for
everybody... and now I am hungry. Where are we going to eat?"

We stopped at a fast-food restaurant along the road. My four boys hurried
inside, followed by me, Jason, and a hesitant Carl. I took Carl's hand,
Jason smiled and took his other hand, and together we followed our
bottomless-pit foursome, who had, of course, already found an empty table
and beckoned us.

"Sorry sir, but I don't have any money..." Carl admitted in a low voice,
looking at his feet.

"Well, I have a credit card, so today you are allowed to order anything you
want, and I will pay for us. OK?"

Carl nodded. Hesitantly he sat down next to Jason, furtively looking around
as if this was the first time in years he had entered a restaurant. It
probably was.

"What do you want to eat, Carl, or perhaps this time Jason will order for
you?"

Carl looked relieved and followed Jason to the service bar, where the other
boys already huddled together, waiting for their turn. They returned with
overflowing trays of the most delicious junk food and drink, letting me pay
for everything with my inexhaustible credit card.

In no time all trays were emptied, and all boys were stuffed. I took
another cup of coffee, while the boys impatiently waited outside, softly
talking and kicking small pebbles. After a while we continued our journey,
and in no time we were home again. I parked our golden van in the driveway,
where Thomas and Chrissy enthusiastically greeted us, back after their
vacation, both sun tanned and glad to see us. Thomas looked curiously
through the colored side-windows.

"Wow, you have a new car? What a nice one! It's certainly big enough to
take all of us with you, some time..."

I just laughed, and we entered our house. The boys were glad to see their
friends back and hurried to the living room, while Jason and Carl followed
them more hesitantly. John started to tell Thomas and Chrissy everything
about our big adventures, sometimes interrupted by Davey and little Harry
when they thought he forgot something. Nicky just listened, while Jason and
a rather timid Carl both took a chair and looked around, half-listening to
John.  I sat down on the couch and started to think, stirred into action by
the remarks of my little soul mate. A few days ago I was totally alone in
my new home, enjoying my retirement. Suddenly a whole pack of children were
dependent on me, or relied on me. Where was I heading?

Little Harry now lived with me, as my adopted son, and had his own room in
my house.

John was in my custody for a while, until his mother decided to return to
her own house.

Davey lived with his mother, but he called me 'dad' and enjoyed every
moment of being with me.

Nicky lived with his brother and his father for the moment, but his father
already asked me to adopt him.

Jason suddenly entered my life, opened himself up to me, and where would
that end?

Carl suddenly entered my life, as the soul mate of Jason, and I already
proposed to adopt him.

Of course there were Thomas and Chrissy and Mark and Marrie. And a few
other neighborhood boys and girls, who sometimes enjoyed our new swimming
pool in the back yard.

How about the sleeping arrangements for the night? Little Harry and John
both had their own room. Davey was sleeping at home. Nicky was probably
sleeping at home. But what about Jason and Carl? Could I separate them?
Didn't they need each other tonight?

Would little Harry and John be willing to share one room? In that case Carl
could get the other room, and invite Jason for a sleep-over... but that's
not fair to John, who would lose his own room in my house. And what would
happen when Nicky or Davey, or perhaps both, wanted to stay for the
weekend? I couldn't find a satisfactory solution, other than to buy a
bigger house...

After a while the boys went upstairs to change into swimming trunks. They
disappeared into the back yard, even Jason and Carl. I heard them splashing
the water and having lots of fun. Within a minute John hurried back into
the house: "Dad, may I use the water hose? The pool's already half
emptied..."

"Of course you may use the hose, but don't spill too much water."

"OK dad, thanks a lot, and I love you."

He hugged me and went back to the pool, his face beaming and nearly
skipping, leaving me dripping wet. I LOVE that boy!

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully. Now and then one of the boys
showed up for a drink or for a visit to the toilet, offering me a wet hug
and a big smile. Fortunately they didn't urinate in the swimming pool! Only
Carl was a bit shy. "Sir, may I use your toilet, please?"

"What will happen to you if I say 'no'?"

He looked at me with a puzzled look in his eyes. I ruffled his wet
hair. "You're not used to grownups teasing you, I suppose?"

He shook his head, and involuntary his hands went to his groin. Seemingly
he was really in need.

"Hurry up before you wet your dripping swimming pants, and my carpet!"

Gratefully, he used the toilet, and I heard him sigh with relief. When he
returned I threw my arms around him. "You are one of us now Carl. This is
your home now, and you never have to ask for permission to use the
toilet. Do you understand?"

Suddenly his eyes filled with tears, and he clung to me like a frightened
child. "I don't know... I'm afraid that this is only a beautiful
dream. After a while I will wake up in the orphanage, and then I will be
sadder than ever..."

I held him close until his sobs lessened and he reluctantly lessened his
death grip. I offered him a tissue, and he dried his eyes. I slapped his
wet bum.

"You are one of MY boys now, and I will never let you go. Just trust me!
And now go back to the rest of our family, and have fun!"

At six o'clock, Davey went home, promising to be back the next day. Jason
and Nicky went home at the same time, making the same promise. Thomas and
Chrissy went home, giggling and still having lots of fun. Little Harry,
John, and Carl helped me in the kitchen. Together we prepared a healthy
meal, after all that junk stuff. Of course little Harry took over, his head
just above the kitchen table, giving directions like a chief cook, looking
very critically at everything we did.

"No dad, don't slice those potatoes too thin, but make fat slices. And
Carl, don't smash that lettuce too much, be more careful. John, now you can
put the butter into the saucepan, but not too much, and add a little bit of
salt. In the meantime I will get us some herbs from my garden."

He went into the back yard and returned with a handful of herbs. He washed
them carefully and sliced them into small pieces. "John, will you get me
the olive oil, from the left cabinet above the sideboard? And bring the
pepper with you. Oh, and I forgot the hot curry."

He climbed onto a chair and put everything together into the saucepan,
where it sputtered and steamed, while a wonderful aroma filled the
kitchen. "Dad, will you hand me the potatoes?"

After ten minutes the steamed potatoes were ready. Little Harry draped them
carefully around the readied lettuce on the platters, while Carl proudly
added frittered onions, mayonnaise, and a bit of grated cheese. We all sat
down in awe. Our little gypsy friend was really an excellent cook!

The simple and healthy meal tasted more than delicious. Soon we were all
stuffed and again complimented our proudly beaming cook.

"Thank you! Next time I will try to use more garlic. And dad, do you
remember that Chinese food we ate in that beautiful palace? Where can we
buy that greenish snot?"

Carl looked at us, rather confused. "You ate greenish snot?"

We all sniggered, and John roared with laughter. He nearly fell off his
chair. "Yeah, I think they milked that from a green dragon with the flu."

"Yuck!" Carl uttered from the bottom of his heart. "I will never eat
Chinese food for the rest of my life."

We washed the dishes, tidied the kitchen, and went to the living room. I
sat down on our couch, with little Harry on my lap, John leaning into me on
my left side, and Carl on my right side, obviously not knowing what to
do. I smiled at him and draped my arm around him. With a deep sigh he let
himself go and melted into me.

"I hope this beautiful dream will never end..."

"I hope you will join us for a very long time!"

Carl smiled contently and melted into me even further, closing his eyes and
dreaming away.

After a while little Harry turned around on my lap, directly facing
me. "Dad... I've been thinking. I am just a little boy, so perhaps you and
I could share your room for the time we don't have a bigger house. That way
Carl can use my room, sleep in my bed and even use my desk. And John can
keep his own room. Is that okay with you?"

He threw his arms around my neck and snuggled even closer. I LOVE my little
gypsy boy with his big heart!

"Thank you, my dear soul mate, that could be a wonderful solution."

Carl tried to completely disappear into me. Obviously he missed a real
father in his life, and he was still a bit too shy.  Little Harry poked him
in the ribs. "Come on, let's go upstairs and prepare your new room for the
night."

"But I don't have any clothes... I borrowed my swimming trunks from
John. All my clothes are still home... eh... there."

"Tomorrow we will all go downtown, together with Jason, and I will buy you
new clothes and everything else you need. Okay?"

He nodded and started to sob. "Am I REALLY going to live with you?"

"Yes Carl, now you belong to our family, and Jason and you can visit each
other every day."

We went upstairs, and little Harry tenderly took Carl's hand, leading him
to his new room.

"You will have to sleep in the nude here, as we all do. We all are
naturists, even our dad!"

"Really? Isn't that... I don't know..."

"The first time it feels perhaps a bit strange, but after a while you get
used to it and you never want to wear anything in bed again."

"But... if you have to go to the toilet? Or if you... you
know... sometimes... get a woody?"

"We all have stiffies from time to time, and we all look the same, except
for some hairs. Just always be proud of yourself. Come on, let's take a
shower. That's the best place to get used to being naked."

Little Harry quickly undressed, followed by John. Hesitantly Carl looked at
them.

"Come on, don't spoil the fun! Shall we help you?"

Carl looked at me for approval and I nodded. Slowly he started to undress,
looking with big eyes at an already naked Harry.

"Sorry... I didn't know you were THAT burnt. It's all over your body..."

"Don't sweat it. It isn't how I look but who I am that's important. Come
on, let's hit the shower."

The doorbell rang, so I went downstairs to open the front door. Two younger
persons tried to hide themselves behind a really BIG third person. I
decided to partake in the game.

"Come in BJ, it's nice to see you again. You are all alone I see?"

Big Jason entered the hallway, and I tried to close the door, pretending
not to see Jason and Nicky.

"Hey!" Nicky shouted, desperately trying to keep the door open.

"Sorry, I didn't see you. Now you are too late, our house is already
crowded."

"You're silly!" Nicky decided as he slipped past me, followed by a grinning
Jason, bumping into me on purpose.

We went to the living room, still laughing. Jason looked around, went to
the kitchen, and returned with a worried expression on his face. "Where's
Carl?"

"He's upstairs, having a shower with little Harry and John. Want to join
them? Just go upstairs..."

"OKAY!" Nicky shouted and stormed the stairs, hesitantly followed by Jason.

We sat down in silence. After a while BJ looked at me with tears in his
eyes.

"Thank you, thank you so much! You gave me my boys back. I am so
grateful... We talked, all three of us, for the first time in all those
years. At first, opening up was difficult; but after a while Jason told me
everything about Carl and himself. He explained to me how they loved each
other, and how they always were afraid of being discovered. Until I ruined
his and Carl's life..."

BJ started to sob. This time I threw my arms around his huge shoulders
without hesitancy. He now really started to cry, holding onto my arms with
his big hands and nearly bruising them.

Gasping, he told me: "I have my boys back. They embraced me both and kissed
me, and that felt soo good. I have been so blind... I never thought that
love between two males could be more than a sexual aberration. But now I
can see Jason really LOVES his friend. I messed up everything in those two
years... but I promise them I will do everything I can to make it up to
them in the future. I hope they will forgive me..."

He let go of my arms, and with some relief I got him a tissue to wipe his
eyes.

We talked for a long time. I told him my vision about love, sex,
intergenerational love, love between two males or two females, and the bad
side of forced sex without mutual consent. He nodded and sighed. "I have
been so shortsighted... Of course, love will always be love... How can I
ever make this up to Jason?"

"Just let him be himself, and love him, that's all you have to do."

"Is his ...boyfriend, Carl, is he with you now? Should I see him?"

"Of course you should see him, he's upstairs with the other boys. I think
they are still under the shower. Shall we have a look?"

BJ nodded, and we went upstairs. BJ walked with some difficulty; obviously
he had a rather painful spine.

John had attached the shower head to a corner of the stall, pointing
upwards, so the water drops formed a rain shower. All boys sat down in a
circle, softly talking. Little Harry and Nicky had their arms around each
other, bumping shoulders. Jason and Carl were totally entangled, arms
around each others waists and their legs crossed. John looked totally
content with the love and happiness of his friends, and smiled from ear to
ear.

Carl detected us, standing in the door opening, and immediately
panicked. He tried to untangle himself and nearly threw Jason against the
wall, trying get away with all his force.

"Don't hit me! I'm sorry!" he shouted while he tried to pass us, his hands
protectively in front of his head.

I wrapped my arms around him and held him close, preventing his escape.

"It's OK Carl, you are not in trouble. Just relax and listen to me. You did
nothing wrong. Do you trust me?"

Carl shivered and looked at BJ with fear in his eyes. BJ coughed and
hesitantly offered him an enormous hand.

"I am so sorry Carl, for not understanding you all those years. Please
forgive me! I want us to be friends again..."

Carl looked like a trapped animal and winced at the sight of that big hand,
but fortunately he stopped fighting. Hesitantly he looked at me.

"Listen to him ,Carl. Jason's father was wrong two years ago, and he wants
to make it up to you. He now approves of you and Jason being together as
boyfriends. Everything is all right now. Just try to trust us and give BJ a
new chance, OK?"

Carl had a very difficult time, and he was still shivering. After a while
he nodded, nearly invisibly. I beckoned Jason. Tenderly he took his friend
into his arms, looking askew at his father with still a lot of fear in his
eyes. He held his friend very close, helping him to relax.

Carl started to sob on his shoulder. "I was soo afraid my beautiful dream
had ended now, and that your father would chase me away again, like two
years ago..."

BJ and I went downstairs to offer the boys some space. Both of us had tears
in our eyes, and again BJ started to sob.

"Now I can see how wrong I was... that poor boy! I'm so ashamed of
myself..."

We went to the kitchen and I brewed a pot of very strong and hot
coffee. After a while all the boys quietly descended the stairs, still
impressed by what had happened. Little Harry and Nicky nestled themselves
onto my lap, both fighting for the best place and with their arms around
each other. Nicky looked at his dad for approval, still a bit afraid. BJ
grinned, despite the tears in his eyes, and winked at Nicky. Nicky winked
back at his father, now grinning from ear to ear.

John occupied his usual place on my left side, leaning into me; and Carl
leaned into my right side, with Jason leaning into Carl, throwing his arms
around him. BJ coughed.

"Jason, Carl, again I want to tell you how totally wrong I was, two years
ago. Now I see that you two really love each other, and I wish I could undo
the damage I caused. Will you please forgive me for everything? Please..."

BJ started to cry, and suddenly Jason threw himself at his dad, desperately
embracing him. "Daddy, I love you soo much..."

BJ beckoned Carl to come over and share the cuddle. Hesitantly, Carl neared
him, ready to fly. But BJ took him into his arms, together with his own
son. "I want you to be my third son. Welcome into my family, and I want you
to be the boyfriend of my son."

We cuddled and talked for a long time, until BJ had to go home. He left
Jason and Nicky with us, to spend the night here. We all were tired, and
soon we decided to call it a day.

Of course Jason and Carl wanted to sleep together in Carl's new room. With
a wink, I offered them a box of tissues, to take with them. Both of them
blushed fiercely.

"Please don't sound like a wounded elephant," little Harry teased them,
with a naughty smile on his face.

"That's none of your business!" Jason bitched back.

"It's my business when you wake me up in the middle of the night, like
John..."

John blushed fiercely, and poked Harry in the ribs. "That's personal AND
private!"

"Sorry, I was just teasing you."

Little Harry and Nicky wanted to sleep together in John's room, and John
wanted to sleep in my waterbed. We went upstairs, undressed, and went to
bed after a couple of warm hugs. Little Harry and Nicky disappeared into
John's room with their arms around each other, Jason and Carl blushed and
carried the precious box of tissues with them.  John threw his arms around
me, and that was the last thing I remembered until the next morning; when
the sun shining through a crack in the curtains woke me up.

I opened my eyes and looked at my little friend next to me, his arm draped
around my waist, softly snoring, with an expression of bliss on his
face. God, I love that boy with all my heart! Carefully I put my nose in
his hair and inhaled the so well-known scent of my dear friend.

The door opened a little bit, and two pairs of mischievous eyes peeked
through the crack. When they saw I was awake they stormed in.

"Attack of the creepy gypsy invaders!"

"Attack of the nickering dragon knights!"

John opened his eyes, groaned, and disappeared beneath my arm under the
blankets. Little Harry and Nicky pulled the blankets away, and both nestled
onto my stomach, giggling and fighting for the best place. I got a big
smack on my left cheek, and a wet kiss on my right cheek, with two pairs of
small arms trying to suffocate me.

"Morning dad! I love you!"

"Morning pop! What's for breakfast?"

John growled and turned around, showing us his back. Desperately he tried
to get some more sleep.

Again the door opened a little bit. Two pairs of hesitant eyes peeked
through the crack. When they saw I had company, they hesitantly entered the
room, trying to cover their nakedness with their hands. "What are you boys
doing here? May we come in too?"

"Of course you can come in! Help us to attack dad, for he has to fetch us
breakfast in bed today."

Jason and Carl neared the bed, still unsure what to do. I winked at them,
trying to look desperate.

"Jason, Carl, please help me to fight those creepy dragon invaders and
gypsy knights. They tried to suffocate me."

Jason jumped onto the bed and tried to pull Nicky off me. "Come on Nicker,
leave that poor man alone! I think he's too old to fight you off himself."

"WHAT? I'll prove you that I'm certainly not too old to fight all of
you. You asked for it..."

I shoved little Harry and Nicky from my stomach, pulled Jason over, and
mercilessly tickled him until he nearly wet the bed.

"Stop! Carl, do SOMETHING! You are my best friend, so you have to help
me. Rape!"

Carl jumped on top of me and started to tickle my ribs. That was too much
for my old body. I surrendered. "Ok, this time I give up. You are too
strong for poor old me."

Carl stopped tickling, but didn't leave my stomach. He just let himself
collapse on top of me. I threw my arms around him, and he melted into me,
his face beaming. "I wish you were my real dad..."

A few moments later I was buried beneath a pile of five cuddling boys
trying to melt into me. What a lovely way of passing away...

We cuddled and talked for a long time, until little Harry's stomach
protested with a loud sound and John answered: "Yes, I agree. I'm hungry
too!"

John, Nicky, and little Harry went to the shower, grinning and pushing each
other. Jason and Carl both wavered around my bed...

"Pop, we made... may I call you 'pop', please, just like Nicky?"

"Of course you may call me 'pop', Jason. What's the trouble?"

"Well, I hope you aren't too mad at us... but... you see, we made a mess of
the sheets. We tried to be careful, but..."

He looked at me with a hint of fear in his eyes. Carl blushed fiercely and
looked at his feet.

"Boys, look at me... you NEVER have to be afraid of me. Do you understand?
Never. And why should I be mad at you for something I do myself sometimes?"

"You mean, you and Harry? Or you and John? Really?"

"Well... First, that's none of your business. And second, I was talking
about me and my right hand."

Carl sniggered and looked relieved, while this time Jason blushed fiercely.

"Please put the sheets in the hamper, and get yourself clean sheets from
the hallway cabinet."

"Thanks pop, I love you. Come on, Jason, let's join the shower before
they've used all the hot water."

Little Harry and John cooked, and again we enjoyed a delicious meal. After
a while Nicky and Jason went home, accompanied by Carl, to help their
father with some chores. They promised to be back in the afternoon to start
the tree house. Little Harry and John went into the back yard to have a
look at the pile of wood, and to sort things out in advance.

"Do you have a tape measure ,dad? And a piece of paper, please? We want to
make a provisional design of our new tree house."

The rest of the morning they were busy, deliberating and drawing all sorts
of designs, soon accompanied by an enthusiastic Davey. Thomas showed up,
but he went away after a while to play with a few new friends he had met
the other day. He wasn't interested in building things...

At noon three hungry boys entered the house. "Do you have something to eat
dad? We are starved... and now we have a really good design. We can't wait
until Jason and Carl show up!"

In no time, the pile of sandwiches was gone. They marched off to BJ's
house, to get Jason, Carl, and Nicky. Half an hour later they rushed back,
breathing heavily.

"Dad, we helped Jason's dad to clean up the garage and put the garbage
away. He wants to sell the house, but we convinced him to wait for a while,
until Jason is eighteen years old. Perhaps Jason wants to live there,
together with Carl; and Jason's father promised them he would think it
over!"


Harry AnderS, alternative writer.


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