Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 17:49:32 -0500 (EST) From: "Publishing@TomCup.com" <publishing@tomcup.com> Subject: The Innocents: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean Part 4 chapter 13 - A/Y Copyright 2000-2004 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 alternative 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. 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Check it out at http://www.tomcup.com! ********************************************************************** The Paratwa Partnership, Inc. is a publication and marketing agency and is not responsible for the content of the Tom Cup Library, TomCup.com or its affiliate sites, or stories written by Mr. Cup or his associates. ********************************************************************** The Innocents Part 4: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean richard@tomcup.com Chapter 13 Paulo and Beto drove back to the OBK parking lot to exchange the van for `Herbie' before continuing their drive home. As Paulo drove under the protection of the port cochere, Ricardo and Javier came out of the house and waited until they exited Herbie to greet them with hugs, back slapping and bussing of cheeks. With tears streaming down his cheeks, Paulo exclaimed, "It's been too bloody long since we've seen you Ricardo. Please don't make us wait so long in the future. I never imagined it would be so difficult without your direction and input. Beto has been brilliant as usual though." Beto interjected, "I see you've met our Javier. Have you met Carla too?" "I did. I met both of them at the airport. I couldn't have received a better welcome home unless the two of you were there too. You must be tired after working at OBK, eh? Come in, we'll have cafezinho and talk a bit before we get ready to go over to Elena's." elicited Ricardo. "Javiero, will you get some supplies out of `Herbie' and take them up to the computer room for me?" inquired Paulo. "I can't let go of Ricardo." Swinging into action Javier responded, "Of course uncle Paulo. Do you want me to unpack them and put them away too?" "That would be an immense help. Thank you, Javiero. While you're up there you had best take your shower and start getting ready for dinner. Do you mind doing that while we talk a bit with Ricardo. Oh by the way, bring your bathing suit along too. I'd like to join you and Carla in some swimming while we're there waiting for the dinner hour." "Great uncle Paulo. That would be fun." Javier retrieved several boxes of supplies and went upstairs. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Beto in a conspiratorial tone brought Ricardo up-to-date on the events of the day. Beto and Ricardo walked into the library to continue their discussion while Paulo went into the kitchen to prepare cafezinho for the group. He switched on the intercom asked Javier assuming he was in the computer room, "Javiero, do you want cafezinho or something else to drink?" "May I have a Guaraná uncle Paulo and some chips too?" "I don't see why not buddy. Don't make it a habit though while Ricardo is around. He doesn't cotton to any of us eating `junk food' on a regular basis, although I know you teenagers feel it's a requirement." Paulo said smiling. Paulo placed the coffee service on a tray, with crackers, cheese, chips and cookies. He placed the cups, saucers and spoons on a wheeled cart and pushed it into the library where he got wind of the end of the conversation relating to the most recent events. "Paulo," Ricardo protested, "we could have had our snack in the kitchen. You didn't have to go to the trouble like that." "He can't get away from being a waiter Ricardo. You know that " Beto effused. "I don't want any of you to go to the bother because I'm here. This is our home. We don't have to stand on propriety here. That reminds me, since we have children living here, I want to hire a cook/maid to live-in full-time. I don't want those children to come home and find the house empty. We must have someone responsible to be here 24/7, even if we have to hire two people. The cost be damned You have duties and jobs away from here. I'll be here for a month or so only. I have a job to do as soon as summer hiatus is over. There will be no argument about this." Ricardo asserted dictatorially. "Yes Mestre." Paulo grinned. "Oh no, not you too? What is it with this Mestre thing?" Beto enjoined, "It's a title of honor, Ricardo. The Spanish use `Don' to imply head, leader or master. Here we use `Mestre'. Please don't be offended by it, Ricardo. Americanos seem to be uneasy when they are given a title. You should understand our need to honor or show respect to a man by his distinction of place and importance." "I concede to your custom then, my friends. I wasn't aware of it before. I don't think I ever heard anyone referred as Mestre while I was living here. You never called me Mestre before, Paulo. Why?" "I never felt the need when I was sucking your prick, Ricardo." Paulo joked. "Actually, it's not used often. It's a formal term of respect. When I first met you I was your `moço' <waiter> until you learned my name. Once we were on a first name basis there was no need to be formal with each other. For the children's sake, however, I wouldn't advise you to permit them to call you by your given name. They understand that custom would not permit them to call their guardian or parent by their first name. Ever. As time passes and as they get older, certainly by the time of their majority, I expect they will drop the uncle and aunt designations and call us by our first names. In your case, they will always see you as Mestre. They might call you Pae as Toninho did but I doubt it. Do you agree Beto?" "I really don't know, Paulinho. I suspect as they become more familiar and a deeper bond grows they will revert to using `Pae' more often than not. It's really hard to predict. As they did with us, they first called us Senhor. When that became unwieldy, I believe it was Javier who decided to use `uncle'. I was deeply touched by his adoption of that term. It seemed to me reasonable and gave him a more solid way to verbally display his affection for us." "We're getting a bit off topic here men. I thank you for taking the time to educate me about the formal and familiar terminology. Back to reality, however. I think it best I inform the children of the deaths of their mother and family. Perhaps tonight would be the best time while we are all together. I will not tell them the reasons behind the tragedy; only that they died due the fire. I don't want them to deal with the why and wherefore until we can ascertain their psychological profiles or if they persist on knowing details, which I'm certain at some point they will inquire. Do you agree?" Ricardo posited. Paulo and Beto nodded their consensual agreement. Entering the room displaying a bag Javier said, "Okay, I'm ready. I brought along Clara's bathing suit too, uncle Paulo. Good, my soda and chips. I'm a bit hungry" Paulo teased, "When are you not hungry young man?" Javier chuckled as he started munching on his chips. "I hope I'm dressed appropriately. You didn't say, uncle." Again Paulo teased, "You're neat and clean. That's what matters. This isn't a formal dinner engagement unless I've not been informed. Well then, I'm going up and get ready too. I need a shower. It's been a tough day. You coming up, Beto?" Rising up Beto declared, "Right behind you. We'll be back down in a bit. Javier when you're done eating, will you clear up the service and take it into the kitchen?" Ricardo blurted, "We'll take care of that, Beto. We can do that can't we, Javier?" Quickly swallowing, Javier agreed, "We sure can Mestre." Within half an hour they all gathered on the lanai preparing to leave when Javier blurted, "Mestre?" "Yes?" "May I pick a bouquet of flowers to present aunt Elena?" "Javier, I can't think of anything better that you could do for your aunt. Pick all you want; every bloom and blossom if you feel like it. I'm proud that you thought of it." Ricardo beamed as he ruffled Javier's hair. Javier raced into the garden and selected an armful of flowers and blooms of every hue and shade. Look at him. What a wonderful boy, eager to please and respectful too. He has tact and manners. Toninho, he's so much like you. I look at him and I see you. I remember the day you presented me flowers. That was the day I fell in love with you, but couldn't readily admit it to myself. Was it so long ago? It seems like yesterday. You were wearing those ragtag clothes, but your smile brightened the sun. You had attempted to clean your face and arrange your mop of hair. There was no hesitation or embarrassment. You walked straight up to me and presented me your little bouquet. It didn't matter if you paid for them or picked them. You gave them to ME That day and every day after, you gave me reason to breathe, to live, to love as I have never loved before. "I hope she likes them, Mestre." "She'll not like them, Javier. She'll love them because they came from you. She'll look at them and see your heart, my boy. We'll walk over so that you and Paulo have time to spend swimming before dinner. Does Clara also like to swim?" "She used to, Mestre. I don't know about now. She is acting so grown up. I never saw that in her before. I guess it's because of aunt Elena's influence, eh?" "Your perception may be relevant, Javier." Ricardo responded solicitously. "She's at an age when she may act like a little girl one day and the next astound us all by her adult-like mannerisms. Both of you are in the throes of change. She has estrogen and you have testosterone surging through your bodies like liquid cocktails. You'll notice an increase in mood swings and physical changes happening and not understand them. Certainly we'll notice it more often than not. Let me remind you, Javier. If you have any questions about those changes in your body, please ask either one of your uncles or myself to explain it all to you. Life has its mysteries and dilemmas. We know what it is to be young; you don't know what it is to be old. We're here to comfort you and teach you about those mysteries of any kind. Will you do that for me; for us?" With a doubtful look in his eyes, Javier blurted, "Anything? At any time?" Ricardo stopped walking. He turned to face Javier face on. Placing both hands reassuringly on both of his shoulders he responded, "Anything. At any time excluding when we are in mixed company, of course. There will be times when some of your questions are best answered during private moments. Some people call it the story of the `birds and the bees'. A silly name, but everyone knows what it means. You need only mention your question is about the `birds and the bees' and I or one of your uncles or all three of us if you want that, will answer you honestly and as fully as we understand it, at any time or any place." "Oh good," Javier said relieved. "I was a little worried I would have to one day go into the library and see if I could find some answers that have been plaguing me in one of the many books that are in there." "That library is open to you at any time you wish, Javier. I'll make certain to get you several books to help explain and sort out your answers on the subject of maturing, if you'd like." Taking pains not to destroy his bouquet, Javier leaned into Ricardo's body and hugged him with one arm declaring, "I love you, Mestre." Ricardo returned the hug with both arms, "I love you too, son. We'd best catch up to your uncles, they're almost to the front door." They joined Paulo and Beto standing on the front porch as Beto started to reach for the doorbell. "Why don't we simply walk in? Aunt Elena gave us permission to do that." "Javinho, we do it out of respect of their privacy." Paulo answered, "Even though she has given you permission to enter, its good manners to announce your arrival by knocking or ringing the bell before being allowed entry by the homeowner." "Well said Paulo." Ricardo stated approvingly. ********************************************************************** Your comments matter! If you wish to see this story continued, please write to the author! Send comments to: richard@tomcup.com To support this and other stories by the author, join at http://www.tomcup.com. If you like this story, check out Tom Cup's "Calvin: A Coming of Age Story." Available at Barnes and Nobles Bookstores, Amazon.com, your local independent bookseller, or from Tom Cup.com. Tom Cup's "Of Our Teenage Years" is scheduled for publication and release in paperback in the Spring of 2004. Check it out at http://www.tomcup.com!