Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 08:35:53 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 9, chapters 21 - 22

The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 9 - by BW
Copyright 2010 by billwstories
Chapter 21 -- Wil and Marcos.

We went into the theater, took our seats and then waited for
the performance to begin.  While we sat there, the boys eagerly
looked through the programs, so they could get a feel for what
this show was about.  Wil and Marcos quickly explained they
had never been to a musical before and were looking forward
to the experience.

When the show finally began, I think some of the boys were
confused and wondering if we were in the right place, since
many of the characters were puppets, controlled by people on
stage.  This was highly reminiscent of the 'Sesame Street'
shows on TV and the setting was a rundown street, somewhere
in NYC.  As we later discovered, short animated clips were also
used to highlight portions of the storyline and the live
characters and puppets interacted with each other and sang
throughout the performance.   From the start, it was also
apparent the characters were in their twenties and thirties and
facing adult problems.  This was demonstrated by the use of
profanity and themes such as racism, pornography and
homosexuality, so everyone quickly settled down and began to
enjoy the show.

I soon became obvious that the boys were really getting a kick
out of some of the songs, such as it 'It Sucks to Be Me,' 'The
Internet is for Porn' and 'Everyone's a Little Bit Racist.'  Then
later, when the show displayed puppet nudity and puppet sex,
the boys were totally enthralled, but there was much more to
the show than that.  There were times during the performance
when the boys were also deeply touched and moved by the
scenes.  One of these happened when Nicky reassured Rod he
wouldn't have a problem accepting his sexuality in the song, 'If
You Were Gay,' even though Rod got defensive and denied he
was gay.  I think that struck a chord deep within many of
them.

Overall, it was a wonderful performance and we all got quite a
few good belly laughs out of it.  I had no doubt that each of
them was glad we had attended, since I saw so many happy
and smiling faces as we exited the theater.  I was also barraged
by a chorus of 'thank you for taking us to see it,' so I had no
doubt the stop had been a complete success.  The boys were
still talking about it and trying to remember the lyrics to some
of the tunes as we got on the bus and the driver seemed amused
by the way they were carrying on.  Wil and Marco sat behind
Jake and me, because they wanted to chat with us some more.

The duo then proceeded to tell us, in glowing terms, how much
they had enjoyed the performance and joked that their parents
would have been horrified if they had witnessed the same
show.  After saying this and noting my expression, the brothers
assured me their parents would never know they had seen it
while they were here, so I needn't worry.  They thanked me
several times for the experience and then went on to tell us a
little bit more about themselves and their view of Nick's time
with them.

"Nick was always quite sexy and taught us much," Wil noted.
"I didn't believe him at first, when he told us that you allowed
him, and the rest of your sons, to do things like that.  Nick said
you didn't mind, as long as everyone was willing and they took
precautions, but we had our doubts, until he showed us one of
your emails.  You are an unusual, but wonderful, parent.  At
least my brother and I think so."

"Thank you for the compliment," I told them, "and I do give
the boys some leeway with such things.  However, you should
also know that Nick's not the same young man he was when he
stayed with you in Brazil.  He has changed since his return;
especially after he learned he'd been careless and picked up a
couple of diseases.

"Yes, we know," Marcos agreed.  "We've read his emails and
spoken with him many times and he has told us about that.  It
is hard for us to believe Nick isn't that way any longer, but he
did give us a scare when he first called and told us we needed
to be tested.  Our parents were quite upset, even though we
told them we'd all been with the same girl, because my parents
do not believe in sex before marriage."

"I can see where that would create a problem," I concurred,
"so I hope you didn't get into too much trouble."

"A little, but Wil and I know how to handle our parents,"
Marcos confessed.  "It works most of the time and did this time
as well, except it took two days or more before they began to
calm down."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," I confirmed.  "I'd hate to think
Nick or I had caused problems between you and your parents."
They assured me, once again, that wasn't the case, so we began
talking about other things, until we reached our next stop, a
short time later.

Our next destination was Ellis Island and I quickly explained
to Wil and Marcos how this was the first stop for many of the
immigrants that came to the United States.  They seemed quite
intrigued by that fact and were looking forward to seeing
more.  Surprisingly, all the boys wanted to go with us again, so
we took the short boat ride to get there.

Both boys asked a myriad of questions as we wandered around
and looked at the various photos.  I think they were wondering
what it might have been like if their family had also decided to
move to the U.S. during this same time frame and considered
what their lives might have been like now, if they had.  Due to
our time constraints, it was a whirlwind tour, but I think they
got to see as much as they wanted.  When we finished there and
took the short trip back on the boat, we hopped back on the
bus and set off for home.

During the remainder of the journey, Wil and Marcos sat with
the other boys and got to know them better.  They all shared
stories about their lives and past, and no one seemed inhibited
about relaying even some of the seemingly embarrassing
tidbits.  This might have been because Nick had told Wil and
Marcos so much about us when he was down there, and then
filled our family in about them after he returned.  Regardless
of the reason, they all seemed to be getting along gloriously,
while getting to know each other better.

Once Wil and Marcos had moved back to join the others, Jesse
and Andrew made their way forward to sit with Jake and me.
Jesse squeezed past Jake and climbed on to my lap, while
Andrew wiggled his way onto Jake's.

"Daddy, that show was funny," Jesse told me.  "Rod and Nicky
were like Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street and Trekkie
Monster was like Cookie Monster.  I'm not sure, but I think
Kate Monster was supposed to be like Elmo, but they all said
bad words and did nasty things."

"Yes, they did, Jesse, so I hope you don't start doing that too,"
I offered, which drew a horrified look in return.

"I'd never say those words, Daddy," he assured me, "so you
don't have to worry.  Andrew and I do some things like they
did though, but you said it was okay.  Right?"

"Yes, honey, as long as you only do them with Andrew," I
confirmed.

After that, both boys went on and on about the show, the
Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Jesse apparently had a blast, and this became quite evident
from listening to his rambling dialogue and watching the way
he carried on now.  He was fun to listen to, comical to watch
and it was a pleasure to know he had enjoyed himself so much.
Andrew and Jesse also informed me they had stayed with
Dustin most of the time and he explained things to them, so I
knew I'd have to thank Dustin later for doing that.  This pair
really looked up to Dustin and he seemed to like the
responsibility of taking care of them too.  It was nice to see they
had bonded in this fashion and it took a load off my shoulders,
since I was trying to entertain and inform our guests about the
places we'd visited.

The bus made one brief stop on the way back, so we could grab
dinner, and then the driver went non-stop until we reached the
bus terminal.  After moving Wil and Marcos things from the
bus to our vehicles, Jake and I drove the rest of the way home.

We were in store for another mild surprise when we arrived at
the house, when the boys informed us about the sleeping
arrangements.  Wil asked if it would be all right if he spent the
night with Danny and Brandon, while Marcos asked if I'd
mind if he stayed with Little Ricky.  I had been prepared to
put them up in the guest room, but obviously their hormones
and the conversation on the ride back had produced better
options for them.  I had no problem with this, so I gave their
arrangements my blessing, after reminding my sons about the
rule -- condoms were a must.

We were also amused when the pair strolled downstairs after
their showers and paraded around in the buff.  I guess when
Nick was there he had told him the boys did this nearly every
night, so after the other boys had confirmed Nick's story, Wil
and Marcos must have felt it would be alright to join in the
fun.  Each of the pair was quite well hung and uncut.  Being
uncut didn't come as a surprise to me, since they came from
Brazil, but Nick had forgotten to mention that other asset.  Wil
and Marcos even spent some time chatting with Jake and me in
the family room.  Neither boy seemed to be bothered in the
least that they were naked and we weren't, but eventually they
bid us good night and went upstairs.

Marcos and Little Ricky didn't waste any time getting started,
once the door to their room closed.  It was apparent the boys
had talked this out on the bus and agreed as to what they were
going to do, so they got right to it.  After an initial exploration
of each other's body, they swung around into the sixty-nine
position and were soon nodding up and down on each other's
engorged member.

Little Ricky took great delight in skinning back Marcos
foreskin and teasing his sensitive head with his tongue.  Marcos
also seemed to be enjoying the attention, as he was moaning
quite loudly, whenever he wasn't making little throaty gurgles
and coos.  Little Ricky had done this often enough by now that
he was getting quite good at it and had enough experience with
uncircumcised cocks to know what he needed to do to please
the owner.  He playfully gnawed at the excess foreskin, as he
kept rolling it back and forth in his mouth, and when he finally
swallowed Marcos shaft, he continued to thrill Marcos with his
constant swallowing.  Whenever he did this, it sent little waves
of pleasure radiating through Marcos penis, before causing
shivers to run up and down his spine.

Little Ricky continued the swallowing as he ran his tongue
around the firm mast and soon had Marcos on the brink of
orgasm.  Little Ricky noticed the signs and backed off briefly,
since he didn't want Marcos to cum before Marcos had
brought him to the same point.  During the interim, Little
Ricky slid down and began to nibble on Marcos' scrotum,
before bathing it with his tongue and pulling his watery orbs
into his mouth, so he could suck on them gently.  By the time
Little Ricky had re-swallowed his rod, Marcos was thoroughly
prepared to erupt and it was going to happen soon.

When Little Ricky felt Marcos' penis begin to stiffen even
more, he knew Marcos was ready to cum, so he shoved a finger
into Marco's rectum and quickly massaged his prostate.  This
caused Marcos to explode in a powerful climax and flood Little
Ricky's mouth with his boy cream.  Little Ricky had been
prepared for this to happen and swallowed the juices eagerly,
since he was never offended when offered this sweet nectar as a
reward for his efforts.

When Little Ricky had first taken Marcos into his mouth,
Marcos did the same to him.  Even though Nick had possessed
the first circumcised penis Marcos had ever seen, he was no
longer preoccupied with exploring the differences and merely
went to work on his partner.  After licking Little Ricky's
marvelous pole and nut-sack with his tongue, Marcos
swallowed Little Ricky's dick and began bobbing up and down
on it.  While he did so, he also massaged Little Ricky's balls,
which Little Ricky appreciated.  Marcos was doing an
admirable, although not quite excellent, job of orally
stimulating Little Ricky and it would elicit the desired results.

Marcos did his best to apply pressure with his lips and as much
suction as he could generate, as he worked on Little Ricky's
boyhood.  He was going at quite a quick pace and his efforts
were working well on Little Ricky.  His concentration was
broken only once, when he gave in to the body shaking orgasm
he enjoyed due to Little Ricky's efforts, and then he returned
to concentrate on what he was doing, until he brought Little
Ricky off as well.  Little Ricky's orgasm wasn't quite as
explosive as the one Marcos had experienced, but it was
nonetheless enjoyable and both boys were more than satisfied
when it was over.

In the room down the hall, Danny was the one to break the ice,
once they were inside.  "Okay, it's your choice," he informed
Wil.  "What would you like to do?"

"What if I get in the middle and one of you can get behind me
and the other in front," he suggested.  "Then tomorrow night
you two can switch places and we can do the same thing."

"Ah, a little monkey in the middle," Danny observed, but this
confused Wil, so Danny had to explain to him what he meant
by that statement.  Once this had been accomplished, Wil got
on all fours, with Danny behind him and Brandon in front.

Expertly and slowly, Danny slipped his sheathed shaft into Wil,
until Wil's rectum was completely stuffed.  After giving him a
short time to adapt to it, Danny began gradually rocking
backward, as he slowly slipped in and out of Wil's warm, moist
tunnel.  Over the next couple of minutes gradually worked into
a nice, steady rhythm, and once he was satisfied with how he
was doing, Danny looked over at Brandon, to see what was
going on at the other end.

Danny quickly noted that Brandon had knelt down in front of
Wil, so Wil could begin working on his dangling penis, an
appendage Danny knew very well.  Tenderly, Wil had licked
the sleeping beast until it awoke and sprang to life.  Once he
had its full attention, he let it slowly enter his warm oral
cavern, until he swallowed it down to the root.  Then, as Danny
thrust and withdrew from behind, Wil matched Danny's
rhythm and pace, as he slid up and down Brandon's firm and
glorious member.

Together, the trio worked its way through a slow ascent, like a
rocket blasting off and slowly lifting to reach the heavens, until
Danny ignited the afterburners and propelled them into a
mighty and wondrous explosion of sexual delight.  Danny and
Brandon each saw stars, as they climbed higher and higher,
until the lights blurred and faded, as they came down from
their sexual release.

Once both boys had sufficiently recovered from this delightful
journey, the noticed that Wil remained as wooden as ever,
since he had not enjoyed a similar release.  In order to correct
the situation, Brandon slipped a condom over Wil's leaking
spigot, got on his back and pulled his legs tightly against his
chest, so Wil could take him.  As Wil was gracefully sliding
into position and tenderly pushing against Brandon's resilient,
but yielding ring, Danny slid beside his lover and began to kiss
him and explore his upper body.

Together, the pair worked Brandon into another exquisite
high, as Wil slowly catapulted to his own explosive climax.
After Wil launched his creamy projectiles and sent them
shattering against the walls of the prophylactic, it was obvious
the fortress had been successfully breached and his mission
accomplished, Wil then withdrew and left Brandon panting,
satisfied and fulfilled.  Brandon happily told Wil he had been
totally pleased with his effort and the three boys agreed they
were also looking forward to repeating this performance the
following evening.

Completely satisfied, the trio settled in for some rest.  Wil
wanted an outside position, so Brandon agreed to sleep
between his lover and the young man that had just given him
so much satisfaction and pure bliss.  They slept well until the
following morning, when they sauntered downstairs to
replenish their empty fuel tanks.

Once the boys had finished eating, I asked Wil and Marcos if
they wanted to join us for church, since I knew they were
Roman Catholic.  Without hesitation, they said they would love
to, so we all got ready and drove down to our local house of
worship.  The college boys were all greeted back warmly by the
other parishioners and then we introduced Wil and Marcos to
everyone that came over to see us.

When we took our seats for the service, we managed to take up
two whole pews in the process.  Marcos and Wil kept kneeling
and crossing themselves, to our amusement, although they
tried valiantly to break themselves of those habits.  It was
difficult for either young man to end years of ingrained habit,
but no one said anything to either and we all listened carefully
to the sermon.

After the final benediction, I took everyone out to brunch, as
usual, and by the time we got home, the boys took Wil and
Marcos around to see the rest of our small community.  A little
later, the boys returned and ask Jake and I to join them for
what they wanted to do next.  They intended to go down to the
high school soccer field and play a pickup game, so Jake and I
agreed to go and be the goalies.  This meant the score would be
very high, since neither Jake nor I had the reflexes to compare
with their ability, but the boys loved the idea that we were
going to play too.

We placed Wil and Marcos on opposite teams and then divided
up the others, according to their ability level.  As soon as the
game started, it quickly became clear that Wil and Marcos
were quite good, at least as far as we were concerned.  They
later told us they were only average, or slightly above, when
compared to others their age in Brazil, but it didn't really
matter.  All of the boys were continually racing up and down
the field dribbling, passing and shooting, and the final score
ended up seven to six, with Marcos team winning.  Regardless
of the score, we all had a great time.

Before I went to bed that night, I check my email and
discovered I had received something new from Frankie.  I
opened it immediately.

Dad,

Wow, I am still learning a lot from the new guy and things are
really so much better now.  I'm glad you're okay with me
staying here longer, because I'm really learning a lot from him.
He really thinks more like I do and I know I'm going to learn
even more from him, as long as we're working together.

How's everything at home?  I can't believe Dion got a girl
pregnant, but I'm glad you're going to help them keep the
baby.  How is Uncle Jake?  I hope he's feeling better now and
I'm glad the doctors could help him take care of his problem.  I
miss all of you so very much and can't wait to see you again.
Please write and let me know what's going on there, because I
know you're all probably staying very busy.

Anyway, I don't have much else to say this time, so I'll end this
here.  Just wanted to let you know things were so much better
here, because I know my earlier emails had you concerned
about what was going on.  Don't worry about me, because
things are fine now.

Take care and I love you all,
Frank


That was truly a more upbeat email and I wrote him back
immediately and filled him in about everything that had gone
on since I had last written.  Hopefully, he'll get a kick out of
some of it.

Over the course of the next week, the boys entertained the
brothers and took them around various places in the local
area, including a couple of state parks.  Everyone was getting
along really well and spending nearly all of their time as one
large pack.  Sometime, Nick and Wil would take turns playing
Nick's guitar and the rest of the boys would sing along with the
tune they were playing.  That was unless Wil was playing a
Brazilian song, and then only Nick, Marcos and he would sing,
because it would be in Portuguese.  The songs were still quite
catchy and those three tried to teach the others some of the
lyrics, with varying success.  Even Andrew and Jesse seemed to
enjoy hanging around the older boys and no one said anything
about them joining in on any of the fun.  I think they were also
turning into a couple of tough little shits during this period,
because of the playful abuse their brothers would dish out to
them.

I had asked Wil and Marcos where they'd like for us to go on
our next outing, while we were traveling home from NY City.  I
gave them the choice between Philadelphia and Washington,
D.C. and both boys agreed they'd prefer to go to D.C.
Therefore, I made all the appropriate arrangements and we
planned to go there this coming weekend.  Nick's parents were
flying in to join us, so they could see Nick's host brothers
again.  They had met Wil and Marcos on their trip to Brazil,
and would land in Pittsburgh on Thursday night to join us.
They would then rent a car and drive to our place and stay in
our guest room, since it was unused at this time.  Wil and
Marcos were staying upstairs with the boys, occasionally
moving from one room to another, as the spirit and the sexual
urges moved them.

I think everyone was getting excited about this trip and I was
once again surprised that all the boys were excited about going
with us.  Most of them had visited D.C. on previous trips, and
some of them had even been there twice, but it didn't seem to
dampen their desire or enthusiasm about going again.  Jesse
was the only one of my family that had never been there
before, and possibly Little Ricky.  I'm not sure if he went on
that second trip with us either.  I think the fact that the others
wanted to do this had just as much to do with whom they'd be
going with, as where they'd be going.

Nick was excited that his parents would be joining us too and
both of his host brothers were eager to see Mr. and Mrs.
Lawrence again.  In fact, all of my family was looking forward
to seeing Mike and Julie as well and I was eager to introduce
them to Jesse.  I'm sure they're going to get a kick out of
watching him too, since everything we do is a new adventure
for him.  He was so damn enthusiastic and excitable when we
went to NYC and a total joy to watch.  Seeing him like that
certainly brought back many memories of the other boys and
how they had also reacted, each time we went someplace new.

Mike and Julie Lawrence arrived at our house around
dinnertime Thursday night, which worked out perfectly.  I had
made reservations at our favorite restaurant again and we
drove everyone down there to eat.  It was a lovely gathering
filled with great conversation.  The Lawrence sat across from
Jake and I, with Nick on one side of them and the Brazilian
brothers on the other.  Jake and I were sandwiched between
our two young bookends, Andrew and Jesse, again, but it
worked out quite well.

After the meal, we went back to the house and I explained to
the Lawrences what we had planned.  We'd be leaving very
early Saturday morning for the nation's capital, so they would
have the entire next day to rest up and spend time with Nick,
Wil and Marcos.  The Lawrences seemed pleased with our
plans and admitted they had never been to Washington before,
but had always wanted to see it in person.  I told them that
would work out fine and we'd take them to all the major
attractions, which excited them.

The rest of the night was very calm and we spent a great deal
of time listening to Nick and Wil play the guitar, while the rest
of us sang along.  It seemed to be a favorite pastime for the
boys right now and we were happy to join in the fun.

We let the Lawrences spend most of Friday with Nick and his
host brothers, although we did do some things together from
time to time.  Overall, though, it was their time to spend with
the boys, without any interruptions or interference.  I know
they appreciated it, since Mike and Julie each went out of their
way to tell us so later in the evening.  I merely explained they
went out of their way to get here, so it was the least we could
do.  After all, the rest of us would have many other days to
spend with them.

As Friday drew to a close, I warned everyone that we'd be
leaving the house by 4:00 the next morning, so we could get to
the terminal and board our bus.  Even though they'd still be
able to sleep on the bus, I suggested they might want to get as
much sleep as they could tonight as well, so they wouldn't be
tired out as we walked around all the various monuments.  I
think nearly everyone heeded my advice, because the house
grew very quiet over the next twenty or thirty minutes and I
didn't hear many sounds, until my alarm went off at 3:30.



The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 9 - by BW
Copyright 2010 by billwstories
Chapter 22 -- Saying Good-bye.

We boarded the bus a little after four and I could tell most of
the boys were tired.  I told them to find seats and get
comfortable and then they could go back to sleep for most of
the three plus hours it would take us to get there.  They seemed
happy with that suggestion, so the ride to Washington was very
quiet.

The Lawrences, Jake and I dozed off too, but one of us stayed
awake at all times to keep the driver company.  We stopped for
breakfast before we reached D.C., and it seemed their mood
improved in direct proportion to their tummies filling up.  As
we drew nearer to our final destination, the excitement level
began to increase, especially for the Brazilian brothers, the
Lawrences and Jesse.

Our first stop was the White House, but I won't go into detail
about what we saw and did there, because I'm certain I must
have told you about that on one of our previous visits.  It was
basically the same, except I let the boys fill Wil, Marcos and
the Lawrences in about different trivia concerning what we
were seeing.  I was quite impressed by how much they
remembered from our previous trips and was delighted to
listen to them share this knowledge with the others.  Oh, I did
jump in to insert a few trivial details from time to time, but the
boys did most of the work as tour guides.

After we left the White House, we took everyone to see the
Capitol Building, and then followed that up with lunch.  After
we finished this brief rest and refueling stop, we took them to
the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, before we went inside
the Washington Monument.  The view from the top was
spectacular and breathtaking, but once we came down, we
went to look at the Viet Nam Memorial and then the World
War II Memorial.  I think everyone was impressed and
enjoyed the sights, although we seemed to be rushing them
around from one location to another.

After we had a lovely dinner, we went back to see the various
Memorials again.  The Lawrences had said they'd heard all of
these places looked much different at night, so we made sure to
give them the chance to check that out for themselves.  When
they did, they were even more impressed than they had been
during the day, as the numerous spotlights gave everything a
totally different appearance and aura.  All in all, it was a very
enjoyable day.

The next morning, we got up, had breakfast and made some
quick trips.  After a brief stop at Arlington National Cemetery,
where we visited the graves of President and Mrs. Kennedy
and saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, we got back on
the bus.  Our next stop was to Mount Vernon, to see the home
of George Washington, and then we went to Monticello, to see
Thomas Jefferson's estate.  I think the Lawrences appreciated
all those stops as well, because I knew Wil, Marcos and Jesse
certainly did.

Once we'd had a chance to see those places and grabbed a
quick bite to eat, we began the long ride home.  I would have
tried to do more, but the Lawrences still had to drive to
Pittsburgh and catch their flight home.  Since I didn't want to
put them in a position where they would have to rush or risk
missing their flight, I made sure we would get back early
enough, so they could take it easy on the way to the airport.

Once we collected our things at the bus terminal and drove
home, we bid the Lawrences good-bye.  While we were doing
that, Nick had transferred their belongings from our vehicles
to their rental car and then he went up to say good-bye to his
parents.  Mike and Julie thanked us over and over for the
wonderful time and then took, off, leaving Nick behind.  He
was going to stay with us for a while longer, so he could spend
more time with his host brothers and then join us on our
summer vacation, after Wil and Marcos had returned home.

During the last week of their stay with us, I allowed the boys to
take Wil and Marcos wherever they wanted, so they showed
our guests a little more of the area.  Dustin and Danny drove
all of the boys to Hershey Park one day, which has a nice
amusement park.  It was a pretty long drive, but I trusted them
as drivers, and all of the boys said they'd stick together in
fairly large groups and promised to watch out for my two
youngest.

>From what I understand, they all had a great time and Wil and
Marcos loved going on the rides.  I think both boys were also
starting to become a little sad that they would be returning
home in a couple more days, since their school would be
restarting after a lengthy winter break.  Since we could see
how this was affecting them, Jake and I spent some time with
them too, hoping we could make them feel a little better.  We
assured them they were welcome to come back whenever they
wanted and told them we might even come to Brazil one year,
for our vacation.  That seemed to perk them up a little,
especially since the boys were also doing all they could to make
the Brazilian boys' final days with us memorable.

I had also planned ahead for their return trip and was going to
take them to see another musical before they left.  Their flight
wasn't until late Saturday night, so I scheduled us to attend
another matinee.  I never mentioned this to anyone, but they
suddenly got the idea when the bus pulled up in front of one of
the theaters.  This time, I was taking them to see the 'Lion
King.'

Once again, I think most of the boys wondered if this was going
to be age appropriate for them, because I saw many of them
flash questioning looks to one of the others as we entered the
theater.  However, once the production began, I think all of
their doubts vanished.  It was a masterful production, with the
actors either wearing headpieces to represent their character
or by donning very colorful and exquisite costumes.  Some
even carried a representation of their character with them, but
some of the more elaborate costumes included a pair of very
tall giraffes and an extremely large elephant that strolled down
the center aisle of the theater and then up a ramp, before going
on to the stage.  The music was fantastic (the same Sir Elton
John score as for the movie) and was well delivered.  The
actors and actresses were energetic and passionate about their
roles and the overall performance was absolutely magnificent.

I didn't hear anything but raves afterward from my group and
they all continued talking about the production throughout
dinner.  Wil and Marcos each thanked Jake and I several times
for making their stay so wonderful, and I was almost to the
point where I wanted to keep these two wonderful young men
here with us for a while longer.  Unfortunately, I realized that
couldn't happen, so after the meal, we took the boys to the
airport to catch their return flight.

After all Wil and Marcos had done to let us know how much
they had enjoyed their stay and their time with us, it was very
difficult for us to say good-bye.  When it came time to catch
their flight out, there were more than a few tears shed, so I
reiterated my promise that they could come back whenever
they wished and we would try to go to Brazil for one of our
vacations.  I think that eased their apprehensions a bit and
made having to leave a little more bearable, since they felt they
would see us all again some day.  Once they had cleared
security and disappeared from sight, I led everyone else back
to the bus and settled inside for the long ride home.

While the boys dozed off, Jake and I tried to stay awake, so we
could keep the driver company.  We certainly didn't want him
falling asleep during the long, and sometimes monotonous,
drive back and I think he appreciated us doing that for him.  It
also made the trip a little easier and more enjoyable for him as
well, because he didn't have to endure it in monotonous
silence.  I think we were all happy and relieved when he finally
pulled in to the bus terminal, and after transferring everyone
to our vehicles yet again, I let Dustin and Danny drive the rest
of the way.  They had been able to sleep during the ride back,
while Jake and I had not, so we thought they were in better
shape to do this than we were.

Once we got in the door, the boys immediately went to their
rooms.  Even though they had slept a little on the bus, they
were still tired and eager to get to bed.  That was fine with me,
since Jake and I were going to do the same, but now we had
only a couple of weeks left until we went on vacation.  Damn, it
seems like things never slow down for us.

Over the next couple of weeks, I was very busy helping to
interview the candidates for the high school principal position,
and then we finally hired someone.  I was also involved in
hiring several new teachers, before I officially retired from the
district.  The new superintendent, my secretary, the other
principals and the teachers and staff, along with the board of
education, threw me a party on my last day.  It developed into
a very emotional parting, although I'd hoped I could do this
quietly and without so much fanfare.  I was only leaving them
as a working colleague, but would still see them around from
time to time, so I didn't really see the need for all of this
drama.  However, I did appreciate what they did and made
sure to let them know that as well.  During the gathering, they
also presented me with a plaque, for my many years of service
to the school district, and gave me a few personal presents as
well.  I also agreed to be available as a consultant, should they
ever need me, and then I left my office for the final time.

I don't think it actually sank in that I would no longer be going
back there, until I got home.  Yes, I knew well in advance I was
doing this and had made a conscious choice to see it through,
but the reality, and finality, didn't set in until that final hour.
Once I removed the remaining personal items from my desk
and counter tops and carried them home, it suddenly struck
me that I no longer had to get up and go in to work every day.
My getting up mornings and rushing off to the job were no
longer required and I had just closed the final chapter on a
long career with the school system.  I had started out as a
teacher, moved up to become principal and then eventually
became superintendent.  It was not going to be easy to put all
of that behind me, without some sense of regret, no matter my
reason for doing so.

Don't get me wrong.  I didn't wish I'd made a different
decision and I was still looking forward to having more time to
spend with Jake and the boys at home.  I was also thrilled and
excited about taking care of a baby again, especially since it
would be the youngest of my grandchildren, but no matter how
great it was going to be, there were still the drawbacks.  I'd
once again have to put up with the crying, the smelly diapers
and getting up at all hours of the night for feedings, even
though none of that had ever bothered me when I did it with
my own children.  Then came the realization that I'd also miss
my job, because I loved what I did and the people I worked
with.  Now, I'd also have to cope with withdrawal from no
longer seeing them on a daily basis and my days would no
longer be consumed with school matters.

I'm trying to stay focused on the positive aspects of this
change, such as cuddling with a helpless newborn and having
him fall asleep on my chest, with his head over my heart.  I will
try to relish every smile I'll receive from the baby when I read
him a story or sing a song, as well as cherish his joyous
laughter when I play peek-a-boo or some other silly game with
him.  Yes, I was definitely looking forward to doing those
things with him, since it would also stir up many pleasant
memories from when I did those same things with my
biological children and grandchildren too.

In addition to that, I would also be able to be there for Jesse
and Andrew through the difficult adolescent years they still
had ahead of them, and I'd be able to help guide Sammy and
Little Ricky through their final year of high school.  I think by
concentrating on these things, it will more than make up for
what I am losing by retiring.

The rest of the family also sensed my uneasy truce with the
idea of being retired, because they tried their best to distract
me in a number of different ways.  Jake would ask me to go on
walks with him or get playful and drag me off to our room
earlier than normal.  The older boys would ask for my help or
advice, while at other times they'd try to drag me outside or to
the athletic fields to participate in one of their activities with
them.  Jesse and Andrew were constantly asking me to go on
bike rides and I must admit all of those things did help, at least
until the baby arrived to take up my additional free time.  I
was extremely appreciative everyone cared so much and went
out of his way to help make this easier for me, so I happily
drifted along on the currents of their love.

Fortunately, getting ready for vacation also helped keep me
busy and took my mind off of my other concerns.  As I had
promised Peter, we were going to Australia this year, to visit
him and his family.  Peter and Ricky had been spending a lot
of time on the webcam together planning some of the activities
we'd be doing once we arrived.  Peter had also arranged for
some of his mates, whom Ricky had hung out with as well, to
be there to meet us at one point, and this included Kylie.
Damn, that's why that name sounded so familiar when Marie
told me about the baby.  I knew I liked the name and had
heard it before, but I never put the two things together.  I
wonder if Marie got the idea from hearing Ricky talking about
her, although I can't think of any specific time when that
might have happened.  Still, it was possible or was it merely a
coincidence that she just happened to pick it out at random.
Either way, I'm surprised Ricky never pointed this glaring
coincidence out to me.

I did corner Ricky the following afternoon and mentioned the
irony of the situation.  He just smiled at me, before he spoke.

"You know, I thought about that when you told me what
Marie was naming the baby and all," he began, "but I thought
you had already put the two things together.  That's why I
didn't say anything about it."

"Well, did you ever mention your Kylie to Marie?" I followed,
wishing to ease my curiosity.

"I might have said something about Kylie in the emails I sent
her too," he confessed, "but I just don't remember.  It was a
long time ago, but it is a very pretty name.  I actually think of
the Kylie in Australia, every time someone talks about the
baby, and then I remember some of the great times we had
together while I was there."

"Have you kept in contact with her?" I pressed, since I wasn't
certain if they had remained in touch.

"Nah, she was mad when I left and I didn't want to fight with
her about it any more, so I just kind of let it go," he admitted.
"I was hoping she might write or email me one day, but so far
she hasn't.  I was kind of surprised when Peter told me she
wanted him to let her know if we came over, because she'd like
to see me again.  I'm not sure if it's so she can smack me with a
boomerang, feed me to the crocs or if she really wants to spend
time with me.  I guess I'll find out when we get there."

That ended my curiosity about the subject, at least for the time
being.  I still want to ask Marie how she came up with Kylie's
name, and I'll do it the next time I see her, especially since
neither Ricky nor I are sure if Ricky ever mentioned the other
Kylie to her.  I know it sounds petty and dumb, but I'd just
like to know.  I'm not sure why, other than to fulfill some
morbid curiosity I have about it, but I'd like to settle this issue
once and for all.

The first week of June, Jake and I took a long weekend, so we
could fly up to Canada and get married.  I made sure everyone
understood Dustin was in charge while we were gone and then
we left Thursday night, after Jake got off of work, and flew to
Toronto.  After we landed, I rented a car and we drove to our
hotel.  It was near downtown and after cleaning up, we went
out to eat.  It was a nice restaurant, located in a renovated
warehouse, along with three or four other restaurants, but
each had their own theme.  We had selected the Italian
restaurant tonight.

After we finished our meal and a bottle of wine, we went back
to our hotel and turned in for the evening.  We would be
getting up early to take care of everything we needed to do, so
we could have the ceremony performed.  It was just a simple
civil ceremony, but we did get a marriage license as a result, so
we could now say we were married.  I was just sorry the entire
family hadn't been here with us, but they had been to our
commitment ceremony and that, to us, was more important.

Once we had been pronounced man and husband, we went out
to celebrate.  It was still early afternoon, so we stopped for a
late lunch and I ordered a bottle of champagne.  After we'd
toasted each other several times and finished our meal, we
returned to our hotel, where we made love.  The only
difference this time was that we could call this our honeymoon,
and maybe we did feel a little closer connection because of it,
but we always loved one another and always would.

After cleaning up and taking a short nap, we went out for a
late dinner, and I took Jake to the revolving restaurant and the
top of the CN Tower.  At night, with the city and the airport lit
up, it was very dazzling in deed.  We were seated at a table
next to one of the huge windows and had a great view of the
scenery as we revolved around.

Jake and I discussed many things while we ate and drank, but
it was mostly about the family.  We each expressed our feelings
about what we thought should happen, if anything happened to
either one of us, and how best to take care of the boys, at least
until they could take care of themselves.  Since most of them
already could do that, it only left a few for us to worry about,
but we did reach an agreement on how things should be
handled, if that unfortunate scenario came to pass.  I think
Jake and I both considered we had beaten death once, so this
idea was not an unlikely scenario, but rather a grim reality
that we might be called upon one day to endure.

Once we had reached an agreement on those items, we went
barhopping for a bit, just to get a different flavor of this
beautiful city and celebrate our new status a little more.  We
didn't turn in until after 3:00, and by that time we were both
exhausted.  We did have enough reserve strength left to make
love one more time before we went to sleep, but we collapsed
after that and didn't wake up until nearly noon.

Even though we got a late start, we spent Saturday getting to
see more of the sights this magnificent place had to offer, but
I'm not sure I can recount what we saw.  I was too focused on
Jake and the fact that we were now married, at least here in
Canada, but we'd have to face the reality that it was not valid
in the US, once we returned home.  However, another thing we
had discussed was how that piece of paper was nice, but it
didn't really change our true relationship or affect the way we
felt about each other.  No matter what either country or our
state said, we were still a committed partnership and the head
of a loving and close-knit family.  No one could ever take that
away from us.

We did continue to party most of Saturday night and then
after making love one more time we went to sleep, knowing
we'd be leaving for home in the morning.  It was a blissful
slumber, which we spent in each other's loving and reassuring
embrace.

Sunday, we returned to the airport, turned in the rental car
and boarded our flight home.  When we got back, we picked
up our own vehicle and drove home.  The boys had put up the
same sign they had used after our commitment ceremony at
Easter to congratulate us, but each of them did so personally as
well.  It was definitely nice to feel the love they had to offer and
they seemed as sincerely happy about our nuptials as Jake and
I were.  However, now it was time to turn our attention to
other matters.