Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 16:13:26 -0500 From: Tom Cup <tom_cup@hotmail.com> Subject: The Innocents by Richard Dean - Part 2 Chapter 1 Gay - A/Y Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by the Paratwa Partnership: A Colorado Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, except in the case of reviews, without written permission from the Paratwa Partnership, Inc, 354 Plateau Drive, Florissant, CO 80816 This is a fictional story involving alternality sexual relationships. If this type of material offends you, please do not read any further. This material is intended for mature adult audiences. Names, characters, locations and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. ************************************************************************ The Innocents By Richard Dean Part 2 Chapter 1 Good New "Herbie" served us well on our return trip to Rio de Janeiro, a 2,000 mile drive which lasted 1-1/2 weeks, as we stopped to visit places and sights of interest along the way. We did spend 1-1/2 day in Recife/Olinda to tour and take time from our hot, dusty journey to refresh ourselves amongst the reefs and beaches before continuing our sojourn. We talked, jostled, sang songs somewhat off key and hummed the words for which we could not remember, we joked and teased each other about everything physical, even Toninho had a great laugh over the "Great, Amazing Sock Caper", of which my two detectives could never resolve nor solve. They each told me the story from their particular point of view. Isn't it odd, how the facts become somewhat distorted with each retelling? At any rate we arrived home, tired, but closer in familial responsiveness than we had been before. Paulo had called Beto in Fortaleza to let him know of our safe arrival. I noticed Paulo was talking with Beto for longer than what I had surmised would only be a short call. He may have talked with him for 45 minutes. After they said their goodbyes, he replaced the handset on the receiver, and motioned for me to come over to him. As I neared him, he whispered to me: "Shhh, Ricardo, don't let on to Toninho, but Beto thinks a friend of his has located Senhora d'Sousa in Porto Alegre." "Why shouldn't I tell Toninho this. This is good news, Paulo. Thank you! You have all of the details on her address and how we can meet with her?" "Yes. Number one, Toninho is adamant about his refusal to live with his Granny. It took every bit of my convincing him to go with me to try to find her from his neighbors. Number two, it simply kills me to see him cry, upset or pouting whenever we make mention of her. I will not be a party to suffer from his suffering any longer. Number three, we've got to see her without Toninho and convince her that he needs her in his life. Maybe by not living with her, but if she will allow Toninho to live here with us, he'll not feel abandoned again. And finally Number four, uh ummm, umm, ah, Fuck it I can't remember. To hell with number four." Pulling Paulo to me in a grand sweeping hug so that he wouldn't get away, I kissed him fully on his lips with resounding gratitude. As we separated Paulo said, "You looney bird, what in hell was that for?" "For admitting that you love him as much as I do. For not wanting to get him upset. And for working out in advance how we can resolve this problem between the Gran and Ton. But most of all because I love you so damned much. I could live the rest of my life in contentment with only you and Toninho as my companions. Senhor Dickhead you're brilliant!" "Thanks a lot, Miss Tutti Frutti," he said smiling widely with that Milton Berle smile. "One thing, Paulo. Please stand by me during this. I must tell Toninho all about this. I have to be open and honest with him, as I must do with you. To do less would be a disservice to you both, OK?" Taking a deep breath, he nodded his assent. "Toninho^Å.Toninho, where are you? "Yes, Pae, what is it?" he yelled. "May Paulo and I interrupt you for a few minutes?" "Okay, Pae, but it better be good, because I'm cogitating verbs." We looked at each other and immediately burst in outrageous laughter, as we walked into the office where Toninho looked at us with displeasure as if we were laughing at him. We walked up to him and equally pulled from his seat and into our arms as we wrapped each other round with arms in a huge hug and embrace. Paulo said "Ton, close but it doesn't count. Cogitate means to think about. Conjugate means to wed, marry, or join together." "That's what I'm doing^Å.both of those things." His reply forced us into group laughter, in which even Toninho joined not fully understanding why we were laughing, but wanted to enjoy our mirth and gaiety for the moment's pleasure. He could get away from his chore of studying English. Holding our stomachs, sides while wiping tears of glee from our eyes, I said: "We have some great news, Ton. Paulo's friend Beto (I looked at Paulo and gave him a wink of understatement) has located your Gran through friends of his. We need to have a conference on how we're going to handle this situation. There must be a unanimous decision on something as important as this!" Toninho leapt to his feet and took a solid and defiant stance as he angrily replied, "Pae, I WILL NOT live with her. You can't make me! If you do, I'll run away. I'll return here as often as you send me back. I WILL NOT LIVE WITH HER!!!" Shocked in stunned silence we gazed at his fiery defiant stance of determination. What seemed an indeterminate amount of time, I looked to Paulo and said, "Paulo, if Mohammed will not go to the mountain, we must bring the mountain to Mohammed." "How do you propose we move the mountain to Mohammed, Ricardo?" "We go to the mountain, kneel down and pray. All of us." "Pae, I don't understand what you say in English. Paulo got up and spoke to Toninho, held him tightly and said in Portuguese: "Shhhhh, my little man, your Pae and I will never abandon you. This I swear to you on my life. I want you to go and wash and wax "Herbie", while your Pae and I pack for our trip to Porto Alegre. I assure you, we will be on our way by morning, by the determination I see in your Pae's face. Go now, we have much to do." Toninho looked from Paulo's face to mine. I nodded in agreement. Smiling and with a purposeful stride, Toninho exited to his assigned task. "Paulo if you weren't my best friend, I would strip you naked and make love to every pore on your body, to every orifice, to each hair and nail." "If you weren't my best friend, I' d say `Go for it, big boy!' " That night with Toninho between us, we as a family, consummated our marriage. It may have been the sloppiest most intense night of passion I had ever experienced in my long life. It may never happen again. It may. We are unashamed of this union. Daddy and Son exist. Daddy and Friend exist. Son and Daddy and Friend exist. Within two days "Herbie" transported us to the domicile of the avó of Toninho. Tentatively we exited our gallant and trustworthy vehicle looking at the poor condition of her home. Paulo walked to the front door and knocked, while we two waited next to "Herbie". We would not move from this spot until Paulo beckoned us, after he had made his introduction to the lady and explain the purpose of our visit. Standing behind Toninho, I held him in the customary arms crossed over his chest pulling him tightly to my body. Thus, he was assured I was there for him regardless the situation. We noticed Paulo talking to the lady and sweeping his arm back toward us to indicate that there were two more potential guests asking audience with her. She stepped back into the interior indicating to Paulo that entry was permitted. He nodded to us, and we tentatively followed him inside of the house. At all times my hand or arm was in contact with Toninho. I hadn't the foggiest notion of what I was going to say to this lady, but resolved that accommodation would somehow be made for the best interests of my boy without causing him more heartache, more pain than what he had already endured. Paulo made introductions to her. "Come here neto, give your avó your proper greeting," she said with generosity and strength in her voice. Toninho looked up into my face and saw the smile that generated back to him. He walked up to his Gran and kissed her on both cheeks, "I remember seeing you, Gran, but I could not picture what you looked like." "You were so young since I saw you last neto, I can hardly believe that you are the same child I saw then, to see how you have grown and how handsome, strong and healthy you've become. You were wearing rags then, but you look very proper now. Do my old eyes deceive?" "No Grandmother, your vision is clear. My Pae, Senhor Dean sees to that, my education; my language lessons come from Senhor Paulo, his best friend, and my brother. They protect me and love me, Grandmother." "Neto, Senhor Dean is not your father. How can you believe that?" "No disrespect Grandmother, he is the father that my true father should have been. He does not abuse me; he treats me with respect and generous love. He IS my father!" Toninho started crying with his head bent to her lap, after dropping to his knees. Stroking his head she replied, "Ahhh neto! Yes. Yes, he is your father. Please Senhor Paulinho would you escort my neto to the kitchen so he can have a glass of water? I should like a few moments with Toninho's father." Paulo nodded deferentially to her and gently pulled Toninho to his feet escorting him to the other room. "Madam?" "Senhor Dean, what is going on here? Why are you here in delegation? A letter could not have sufficed?" "True enough, dear lady. I believe Toninho needs to have a piece of his history revealed to him. He needs to know of his relatives. He needs to know his Grandmother. He needs to have you involved in his life. He needs your love and acceptance. Two grown men are not enough. He is bright and intelligent. He was thrown out of his home by his mother and, um, ahem, father to make his own way through life. They may have drug or alcohol problems, but it is, was unfair to this innocent child. No child should have to suffer the indignities of mankind because they, the family are poor, uneducated, and under-employed. The father could have found work doing something, anything to put food on the table for his family, instead he took the cowardly way out with his wife's permission, its too sad to report, and tossed this young man to the wolves to fend for himself. Its outrageous!" "I agree with you, Senhor Ricardo. One moment please. Oh Paulinho, Toninho, come in here please." They both entered the room looking from Gran to me, with back and forth motions of their eyes, wondering what had happened or what was about to happen. I had no clue. So could signal nothing to my compatriots. "Young men, the Senhor and I need to have a private discussion for an hour or so. Would you mind excusing yourselves and see some of the sights of the city, while we have a tete à tete. An hour or two would suffice I think, do you agree Senhor? I nodded in agreement to her question. Paulo, ever the gentleman said, "Please excuse our departure, Madame, with your permission we should like to absent ourselves for a short walk or drive perhaps to see some of the sights of your city." Gran's eyes lit up with Paulo's courtly manner, sat up with a straightened back and acceded to his request. They took leave, with Toninho following Paulo, somewhat dismayed and fully confused. "That young man has class, Senhor. Good breeding and education, I assume." "He has all three, Madame, as will Toninho one of these months. Paulo is an excellent role model for him." "As are you, I see. Lets drop the formality here, please. I find it a bit uncomfortable as I progress in age. May I speak to you as Ricardo? You may call me Gran or Flávia, as you prefer." "I'm pleased that you address me at all. In the presence of Toninho I'll address you as Gran. Between the two of us, I would prefer to call you Miss Flávia. Is that acceptable to you?" "It is. Now, why are you here?" ************************************************************************ News: Name Change: Beginning March 1, 2002 access to the Tom Cup Library can be gained by going to http://www.tomcup.com. Access to the site will also remain available through http://tomcup.iscool.net. Calvin in Paperback We are pleased to announce the pre-ordering sale of Tom Cup's Calvin. This is one of the fans of Tom Cup's writing favorite stories. Being released in paperback, this story has been newly edited with new additions to the story. For more details visit http://tomcup.iscool.net or http://www.tomcup.com New sites, New Stories, Old Favorites added to the Tom Cup Library: If you haven't visited the Tom Cup Library in a while, you're in for a treat. Calvin - Book 2 is in production, Kevin is back (as well as Antonio) in Kevin Part 3 - Donna, along with other new stories and sites. Check it out! All my best, Tom Cup "Why is it that the words we write for ourselves are so much better than the words we write for others?" Sean Connery as William Forrester in the film "Finding Forrester."