Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 23:05:13 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 5, chapters 13 - 14

Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 5 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 13 -- Coping With Christmas.

**Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read
this.

It was now almost Christmas, and Vinnie was a bit overwhelmed with all the
activities our family was involved with.  Being an only child, he was not
used to have so many things going on at the same time, so it was sort of a
rough period for him because of it.  Not only that, but this would also be
the first Christmas he spent without his parents, which also took its toll.
As he accompanied us to each of the functions we were involved with, it was
easy to see from his expressions and the sadness in his eyes that this was
difficult for him.  He had many mixed emotions about these activities, as
he was trying to have a good time and make the best of the holidays, yet he
couldn't get past the sadness he felt because his parents weren't there to
celebrate with him.  After watching him struggle like this for several
days, I finally decided it was time to sit down with him and have a chat.

As soon as we got home from our most recent outing, I asked to speak with
him in my room, so he followed me in and we sat down.  "Are you okay?" I
asked him, not quite sure how else to approach this.

He simply looked up at me and I could tell he was either unsure about what
I was asking him or possibly confused about how to respond.  I tried to be
patient and not pressure him into rushing his answer, so I waited until he
felt he was ready to answer.

"I'm sorry," he eventually choked out.  "I didn't mean to cause any
problems."  I was startled by his response.

"Vinnie, you aren't causing problems," I told him, and gently as I could.
"I was just wondering if you were all right.  I can see this time of year
is not easy for you, so I was wondering if there was anything I could do to
help."

Again, he took his time before he replied, but it appeared he was also
fighting back his emotions and a few tears.  "You know, I really miss
them," he finally told me.

"I'd be amazed if you didn't," I tried to reassure him.  "They were your
parents, and from what you've told me, you were all quite close.  I just
want you to know you don't have to hide your feelings from the rest of us.
No one will make fun of you and I'm sure each of us would be willing to try
to help you get through it.  We're all empathetic as to what you must be
going through and many of the other boys have experienced similar rough
times, during their first holidays away from their families.  So you see,
you aren't the only one here who has ever had to go through this.  Trey,
Sammy and Andrew have all lost their parents quite suddenly too, but the
others have been separated from their folks as well.  This may not have
happened in the same way, but they were ripped apart from them,
nonetheless."

"Yes, I know that... I really do," he agreed.  "I've heard some of them
talk about how they came to live here and all, but I just can't stop
thinking about my mom and dad."

"That's because it only happened a few months ago and they're still
foremost in your memory," I suggested.  "The fact that Christmas is rapidly
approaching only helps to magnify your loss, because you keep thinking
about of all of the other Christmases with them."  He looked at me and his
eyes began to grow glassy.

"Will it always hurt this much?" he asked, as the tears began to well up.
I gave him a hug before I answered him.

"You'll always miss them and there will always be a void in your heart
during times like these," I replied, "but the pain will lessen over time,
but it will never totally fade away.  You see, I also know what it's like
to lose people who were very dear to me, so there have been times when I
felt the same way you are feeling now."  When he looked at me this time, I
could tell he was also feeling sorry for me, as he quickly thought about
what I had also gone through.

"Is there anything I can do, so it doesn't hurt so much?" he wanted to
know, after a brief pause.

"I'm afraid not," I answered.  "The best thing you can do is to remember
the good times and cherish those precious moments you spent together, and
that will help to ease the pain slightly.  However, it won't make it go
away completely.  Just remember, your parents will always be with you, both
here and here," I explained, while first touching his forehead and then his
chest.  "They will stay in your heart and in your memories as long as you
think back upon all the great times you've shared, so you'll never, ever
lose them completely.  If you will, I'll try to give you a better
understanding of what I mean."

At that point, I felt it might help if I told him about my own experiences.
Suddenly, I realized it seemed like only yesterday when I was dealing with
a similar situation of my own, when I lost my grandmother.  "I was closer
to my grandmother and grandfather than most children are to their
grandparents, because they had raised me," I began.  "My mother had some
major struggles of her own, so they took me in and I had spent most of my
pre-college life under their roof.  That's why I was so devastated when I
got the call during my freshman year away from home, telling me my
grandmother was no longer with us.  This was totally unexpected, since she
had not been ill, but her family had a history of heart problems, which had
now also claimed her.  It was about 8:00 at night when I received the call
and I think I cried for the next couple of hours.  Oh, I didn't do it in my
dorm room, because I wasn't sure my roommate would understand, so I took a
very long walk around the campus, weeping silently as I took every labored
step.  She had been like a mother to me and I could always count on her
when things went badly, so I had no idea what I would do now.

"When I got back to my dorm room," I continued, "it was after 11:00, so I
slipped into my bed and tried to go to sleep.  However, I couldn't get the
multitude of memories flooding my brain to stop, so after an hour or so, I
got up again.  I went over and sat at my desk, turned on the small lamp and
directed the light toward the wall, hoping the brightness wouldn't bother
my roommate.  Then I grabbed a pen and a notebook and began writing.  I
wrote several poems that night, baring my soul and trying to cope with the
unbelievable emptiness I now felt.  I had to express myself and release the
emotional damn that was building within, before it burst and splattered my
psyche across the universe.

"It took a couple of years for me to learn how to deal with her loss," I
explained, "and just about the time I was able to think of her again
without dredging up all of the pain, my grandfather passed away.  Although
he hadn't been sick, I had been expecting it, at least since my grandmother
had left us.  He had taken her passing nearly as badly as I had, and seeing
this made me wonder how long he would last without her.  Now, I had my
answer.

"Fortunately, I didn't have to face anything like this again for quite a
few more years," I added.  "During that time I got married and raised four
wonderful children, but eventually they all grew up and moved away too.
Once that happened, my wife and I thought this meant it was our time to
enjoy being with each other, but those thoughts we rudely shattered when my
wife was diagnosed with advanced non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.  By the time it was
discovered, it had already spread to her lymph nodes, which meant there was
only a limited chance of her beating it.  Even though she did everything
the doctors suggested, it quickly became apparent that nothing was going to
help her or stop its spread.  However, while we were concentrating on her
condition, my mother had a heart attack and died suddenly.

"How could things get any worse?" I mused.  "I was now reeling from this
double whammy of having lost my mother and knowing I was also going to lose
my wife.  As I arranged for my mother's funeral, I also planned my wife's,
so all of those details had been attended to before she actually left us,
but it didn't make her passing any easier.  So thinking back upon these
times, and dealing with the emotional vacuum I've recently gone through
because of losing Brent, I can definitely understand, empathize and
sympathize with your plight."

As I finished, I wasn't sure if this helped him or not, because he didn't
respond after my little speech.  It was obvious he was now thinking about
what I'd told him, so I prayed he would find comfort in my words and
watched to see what he did next.  I was mildly surprised when he didn't
make any sort of move, so I just sat there and watched as he pensively
contemplated everything I had just shared with him.

After a few minutes of silence, he looked up at me and then bent slightly
to one side, so he could rest his head on my shoulder.  Feeling this was
his attempt to let me know he felt closer to me now without having to
actually say so, I put my arm around him and gave him a slight squeeze.
When I did that, he let his body melt against mine, as if he might be
drawing some extra strength from me.  It was obvious he was enjoying this
closeness, so I continued to hold him, until he decided he'd had had
enough.  We sat that way for several more minutes, before he suggested he
felt better now and thought we should go back out and rejoin the others.
When I was sure he was truly ready, we did just that, as he continued to
prove to me just how strong he actually was.

When Christmas Eve arrived, the family gathered at our place for our
traditional Christmas Eve dinner, and after enjoying a wonderful meal, we
left, en masse, to attend the service held at our church.  This was always
a very special time for us and had grown to include the extended family, so
we enthusiastically strode into the church to take part in this wonderful
celebration.  As we moved into the pews, I had Vinnie sit next to me, since
this was his first time with us and I wasn't sure how he was going to react
if memories of his parents overtook him during the service.  Christmas is a
time for family and I was afraid recollections from previous holidays would
suddenly come flooding back to him, so I wanted to be near him and able to
support him, if that happened.

Vinnie seemed very pensive as we first sat down, but to my surprise he
became an active participant in everything that went on.  I also noticed
that he lingered a bit longer during the prayers, as if he was making his
own special requests after the minister had finished his general prayer for
the congregation.  I immediately made a mental notation to inquire about
this later, but wouldn't do so for a couple of days, since I didn't want to
ruin the holiday for him by dredging up painful memories.  However, I felt
it might be a good opportunity to find out a little about what was going on
in his mind while he had been doing it.

After the service, we all went back to our place, and things became
decidedly more interesting once we got there.  As I was getting ready to go
inside, Graham stopped me and asked me to wait with him until the others
had gone indoors.  Once we were alone, Graham told me what was on his mind.
"Dad, I saw Brent again, while we were at the church, and he told me he has
something special for me to do."

I didn't know what to think about this pronouncement, but I wanted to hear
more.  "Did he let you know exactly what he had in mind?" I pressed.

"Not yet, but he told me it would also include some of the others," Graham
admitted.  "Brent told me to make sure that once I made sure everyone was
there, he'd show me everything else I needed to know."  At that point,
Graham went on to list the others who were to be included in whatever it
was that was going to happen next.

"Did he say where he wanted us to meet?" I inquired, bewildered by all this
cloak and dagger theatrics.

"No, but I figured it should probably be someplace where we wouldn't be
interrupted," Graham concluded.

"Okay, I'll tell you what," I replied.  "We'll use the rec room for this
and I'll round up the other boys and meet you there.  Once we're all there,
we'll shut and lock the door, so we'll have complete privacy."

He seemed satisfied with my suggestion and headed back in that direction,
while I went to locate the other boys he had told me about.  They seemed
confused at first, but were willing to cooperate, so before long we were
going in to join Graham.  Most of the boys had a vague idea about what
might happen next, except for Vinnie, so the others quickly brought him up
to speed about Graham's special talent and previous 'visions.'  Now, we all
quietly waited to see what Graham was going to tell us.

"I hope you guys don't think I'm nuts," Graham began, "but I saw Brent at
church again tonight."  Graham hesitated at this point, but everyone
assured him they didn't think he was crazy at all, only that he had a
special ability that none of them possessed and only a few truly
understood.  Graham seemed bolstered by their response and ready to
continue on with what he had been instructed to do.

"Well, Brent told me to make sure you were all here, as this would have
something to do with each one of you, but I have no idea what he has in
mind," Graham began.  "Now, I just have to wait for him to try to show me
what he wants me to do or say."

At this point, Graham stared off into space for a few seconds, not looking
at anyone or anything in particular, but seemingly focusing on something
none of the rest of us could see.  "Brent is showing me two other people,"
he announced, "a man, and a woman.  They look like they might be Chinese
and they are holding something in their hands.  It's a picture of them, and
the man is holding a small boy, while the woman has a baby in her arms.
They're standing in front of a tall building with several slanting roofs,
but it's strange, because a new roof is jutting out from each level."

"I know that picture," Sammy shouted out.  "It's the picture of my parents
holding me and Andrew, while we they were visiting a Shinto shrine."

"Is that the picture that was on the wall, when we first entered our old
house?" Andrew asked Sammy.

"Yes, that's the one.  Daddy was carrying me, and mommy was holding you,"
Sammy replied.

"Yes, I remember it now," Andrew blurted, excitedly.  "Is it really our
parents that you're seeing, Graham?" he asked, hopefully.

"I guess it is," Graham agreed, "and I think they want me to tell you
something.  The man, your father, is now getting down on his knees, as if
he's begging for something, but I'm not sure what it is.  He's doing it in
front of the woman, but he's also looking at that picture at the same
time."

I thought this might be the time for me to offer an interpretation of my
own.  "I think he might be begging forgiveness from his wife and sons," I
told the boys.  "I think he's asking you to forgive him for the terrible
wrong he did to all of you."  Sammy and Andrew knew what I was referring
to, even if the others did not, meaning that their father was asking their
mother and them to forgive him for having killed her and then himself.  The
two boys were whispering to each other, talking this over, when Sammy spoke
to Graham.

"Can you tell him we forgive him?" he announced, slightly teary eyed.

"I don't think I have to," he announced, "because I think he heard you.
Right now he is holding out a bunch of roses in your direction, which I
think means he loves you and appreciates your understanding."  At this
point several eyes were filled with tears, not only Sammy and Andrew's, but
mine as well, and thoughtfully Graham paused for a few minutes to give us
time to recover.

Once we had composed ourselves again, he went on with his session.  Once
more he stared off into space, before he made his next announcement.

"Brent now has another couple with him, but this couple is white.  The man
is quite tall and dressed in a suit, and the woman is dressed nicely too,
but the top of her head doesn't quite reach the middle of the man's chest.
The woman is holding a stuffed animal, which looks like it might be Winnie
the Pooh, and she is also holding a small blanket, which is a light blue
and has an image of Tigger sewn into the middle of it."

"That's my Pooh bear and my blankie," Trey screamed out.  "I used to carry
them both around with me, all of the time when I was little.  They both got
burned up in the explosion that killed my parents, so it must be them.
What are they saying?"

"Well, I'm getting the feeling they are very proud about something, and I
think it must be you," Graham explained.  "They are each holding on to one
of those items and hugging them as hard as they can, as if they are hugging
you by doing so."  As I looked at Trey, he had a pleased, but pained,
expression on his face when he heard this.  It appeared he was happy to
hear this news, but yet saddened by this same revelation.  "They are now
also holding out a bouquet of roses, so I guess they're sending their love
for you too."  Trey merely nodded, because he was obviously too choked up
to speak at this point.

There was another brief lull, while Graham gazed into the air yet again, as
he searched for his next set of clues.  After a few more moments of this
silence, he began to speak.  "Now Brent is showing me an older black woman.
She's kind of short and is wearing a flowered dress."

"That's my Nana," Dion announced.  "That dress was one of her favorites and
she wore it often.  What's she doing and how does she look?"

"She looks fine, and quite happy," Graham told him.  "She has a big grin on
her face, but now she's showing me someone else.  It's a man, and he's
dressed in a fireman's outfit."

"That must be my dad," Dion informed all of us.  "He died while he was
fighting a big fire.  God, I can't explain how much I've missed both of
them.  Are they trying to tell me anything?"

"Well, the man is showing me a tree house, like the one in the woods behind
the house," Graham replied.

"We didn't have a tree house," Dion began, but then he paused.  "Oh, my
God!  Does that mean he's been seeing what I've been doing there?"  Dion
now looked at Graham for an answer.

"Well, he's smiling and nodding his head, so I guess he has," Graham
informed him.  Dion didn't immediately respond, because he was overwhelmed
by this news, and I began to feel he might be more careful about what he
did in the future and where he did it.  "They are both holding out roses
too," Graham told him, "so I guess this means they are sending you their
love too."  Dion nodded again, and then sat down, deep in thought.

It didn't take long before Graham started again, this time announcing that
Brent was bringing through another couple.  "I see another white man and a
white woman, but they're not very tall.  They aren't holding or carrying
anything, but they are showing me a house.  It's a ranch style house, with
the bottom half of it being brick and the top half done in white siding.
They're taking me into the house, and when we go through the front door,
the living room is to the left and the dining room and kitchen are straight
ahead."

"That sounds like my house and my parents," Vinnie told us.  "Are they
okay?"

Graham looked at the air for a few seconds and then made his next comment.
"I think they're trying to tell me they didn't feel any pain when it
happened and the man is acting like he is struggling with someone, maybe
even with a couple of people."

"What does that mean?" Vinnie wanted to know.

Again, I thought it was time for me to add my ideas about what he was
trying to say.  "I think it might mean that your father, and possibly
others on that flight, tried to overcome the hijackers before the plane
crashed.  I think he's trying to tell you he did what he had to do, but
neither he nor your mother suffered when the end came."  Vinnie started to
speak, but I think the words suddenly caught in his throat, so he just gave
up trying to comment further.

"Your dad is now showing me our house and giving you a thumbs up.  I think
that means he approves of your coming to live here."  This made Vinnie
smile, and then he turned and gave me a hug.  "Your parents are also
holding a bouquet of roses, so it looks like they are sending you their
love too."

At this point, tears began to stream down Vinnie's cheeks, as he lost his
emotional control for a few minutes.  Graham noticed this and waited for
him to regain his composure, before he continued.  Once Vinnie seemed ready
to hear more, Graham spoke again.  "Now your parents and Brent are both
holding out another bunch of roses, but this time I don't think they're
just for you.  They seem to hold them in front of you for a short time and
then they turn and extend them toward Kevin.  Now, they're holding out half
for you and the other half for him.  I'm not sure what this means, but
that's what they're doing.

As I looked in their direction, Kevin and Vinnie were looking at each
other, seemingly understanding this simple message, and I was pretty sure I
did too.  It seems that both Brent and Vinnie's parents were giving their
approval for the two boys to be together.  Although this did appear very
profound or obviously important to the others, it did seem to have a
significant impact on that pair.  Possibly, it was enough of a signal to
allow them both to go on with their own lives and not have to worry about
what those who had left them might think.

After giving them time to absorb everything he had told them, Graham
announced that was all he had to say.  The boys quickly thanked him for
passing along the messages and each seemed to be a little happier than they
were when they entered, as they made their way out of the room.  As he was
leaving, Vinnie pulled me aside and provided me with a little more
information.  He told me that at church earlier, he had made several
specific prayers.  First, he prayed that his parents were okay and together
in heaven.  Then he asked God to bless everyone in our house, asking him to
put all of our doubts and worries to rest, so we could be as happy as he
was now.  Then he told me that he had made one more request, and that was
to get a sign as to whether he should pursue Kevin, or if Kevin would
always be in love with Brent and not be able to get over him.  He said he
believed all of his prayers had now been answered, before thanking me for
giving him the opportunity to find happiness again.

After I listened to what he had to say, I informed him it wasn't very often
that anyone got his prayers answered so quickly, or so dramatically, and he
nodded his understanding.  I also told him he had Graham to thank for this
remarkable session, since it had been Graham's special abilities that made
it all possible, along with God's help and Brent's otherworldly assistance.
After giving him a few seconds to absorb that information, I told him I was
sure Graham would appreciate it if Vinnie told him whatever he felt was
appropriate to let Graham know he appreciated what he had done.  Vinnie
said he would, so we headed off to rejoin the others.

Later that evening, after the others had left or gone to bed, I sat on the
sleeper-sofa, knowing I still had a few things to take care of.  Even
though most of my boys were older now, my grandchildren were here and that
meant we'd still be getting up early to open gifts, so I wanted to get
everything set up before that happened.  Once I was certain everyone else
was asleep, I snuck the remaining presents under the tree, before slipping
back to my temporary bed.  I then went to sleep looking forward to watching
my sons and grandchildren open the special gifts I had left them.



Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 5 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 14 -- Happy Holidays.

As expected, my grandchildren woke up early Christmas morning, but their
parents were able to keep them from disturbing the rest of the household
until around 7:00.  At that time, they were too excited to be contained any
longer, so my oldest son came to wake me and ask if I was ready for the
mayhem to begin.  After agreeing I was, I called the Spences and invited
them and the Yamadas to join us, so they could also watch my sons and
grandchildren open their gifts.  They arrived at the house about twenty
minutes later and the unwrapping began shortly thereafter.

It had been difficult keeping the younger ones from instantly ripping into
the presents with their names on them, but the boys were able to distract
them long enough until our guests arrived.  Of course, the visitors came
bearing their own bags of gifts, so the little ones concluded it had been
worth the wait.  Now that everyone was there, my younger sons and
grandchildren were handed their presents, one at a time, and eagerly began
to tear them open.  Over the course of the next many minutes, they dug into
all of the packages meant for them, which included gifts from Santa, their
parents, me and anyone else kind enough to bring something for them.

The rest of us watched in awe as the eager recipients carried on in a
fashion that reminded me of a shark feeding frenzy.  There was wrapping
paper, gift tags and ribbons flying in all directions, as each youngster
raced to discover what prize was hidden underneath the pretty paper, and it
was apparent they were definitely more concerned with doing it quickly,
rather than neatly.  By the time the frantic activities had ended and all
of the presents had been unwrapped, a couple of the older members and I
went through the room with large trash bags, collecting reminders of the
hours we'd spent tediously wrapping those items.

Everyone had received many gifts, and now they were starting to investigate
what they had been given more fully.  As had been our habit, the boys all
chipped in and pooled their money to buy each brother one special gift,
rather than many inexpensive trinkets.  This seemed to work out better, and
now the boys were complimenting each other on what they had been given.  I
had purchased a cellular phone for each of them, which also had a special
paging feature, so they could contact each other without having to make a
call.  It was similar in use to two-way radios and reduced the risk they
would exceed their allowable minutes.  I decided on this gift because it
seemed we were constantly heading in so many different directions, with
limited vehicles to transport everyone in that I thought the phones would
come in handy in keeping us all connected, so no one would ever get
abandoned or left behind.  It also gave me the peace of mind to know the
boys would have a way to reach the rest of us, should something out of the
ordinary happen.

Vinnie seemed especially pleased with this gift, as well as with the
present his brothers had purchased for him.  They had each chipped in, with
added contributions from Jake and myself, to buy him his own leg extender,
which he could keep in his room to workout with.  Vinnie had beamed when he
opened this present, knowing that everyone was trying to make his being
part of the family easier for him, although he apologized for not having
anything as beneficial to give them in return.  Without exception, they
told him not to worry about it, because they had more than enough to keep
them happy.  Besides, his name had been included on every present given to
every one of the brothers, because each of their names was always included
on every gift.  They happily explained to him that he was part of the
family now and they always took care of each other, so from this time
forward he would be included in everything, whether he wanted to be or not.
He wasn't about to argue or complain with what they told him, since he was
pleased to discover the others felt this way.

Everyone else had presents to open too, even our visitors, and Sammy and
Andrew had also made sure to select special presents for their
grandparents.  First, they gave their obaasan and ojiisan, the Japanese
equivalent of grandmother and grandfather, a photo of themselves, one we
had taken at a studio and placed in a very special oriental frame.  We had
discovered this frame on one of our shopping trips and Sammy and Andrew
instantly concluded it would be perfect to put their picture in.

In addition to the photo, they had also made a book for their grandparents,
using a rather large photo album to keep it in.  The boys had typed out the
story of their lives on the computer and then embedded various pictures of
themselves from the same time period as that section of the text, which
made it a very special keepsake.

The boys started their autobiography by discussing the time they lived with
their parents and included a copy of various family pictures they had from
that time, and they discussed what it had been like for them after their
parents were gone.  They then continued with pictures and stories telling
about their first meeting with us, coming to live in our home and what life
was like for them now.  This section also included their various school
pictures and copies of photos we took on vacation and when we visited their
grandparents in Japan.  The pair had spent many hours preparing this
special gift, but their effort had paid off.  Their grandparents loved it
and would treasure this memento, as well as the other gift they had
received from their grandsons, because each of those items had come from
the heart.

After the last of the presents had been opened, we all grabbed a quick
breakfast, before the younger ones left us to go off and have some fun with
their Christmas presents.  Some of the older boys decided their time would
be best utilized by going back to bed and getting a little more rest,
because I suspected more than a few of them hadn't gone to sleep when they
went to their rooms the previous evening.  My, my -- I do wonder what they
had been up to.

Once the boys had taken off, Jake and I sat with our guests and visited for
the next couple of hours.  The Spences told us about their plans to get
away from the cold weather for a while and advised us they'd be leaving for
their home in Arizona right after the first of the year and remain there
until April.  Once they had finished, the Yamadas filled us in on things
they had done during the time since we had seen them last, and then they
raved about how special their grandsons were.  We all agreed with them, and
they were beaming with pride as this conversation went on, knowing that
their grandchildren still loved and respected them, even though they lived
many miles apart.

At this point, I decided to tell them about Graham's special ability and
fill them in on everything he had been part of since he announced we had to
find Sammy and Andrew and bring them to live with us.  They were somewhat
shocked by this revelation, but probably more accepting of otherworldly
intervention than most westerners would be.

After I had finished giving them all of those details, I concluded by
telling them about our little session last night and the messages from
various deceased parents.  They listened intently, but the Yamadas gasped
when I detailed the revelation about what Graham had said about their son,
because they immediately recognized the picture Graham had described.  They
wondered how he could have possibly known about it, since that very picture
was now kept in their home and none of us had ever seen it, except for
Sammy and Andrew.  The Yamadas currently kept it in a cabinet that sat on a
small table, as a sort of shrine to their lost family, and rarely opened it
for anyone else, for fear they'd misunderstand its purpose.  The Yamadas
were pleased to hear their son was begging for everyone's forgiveness, even
though they had already decided to forgive him after many months of
grieving, but they weren't so sure anyone else would be that generous.
They were also pleased that Sammy and Andrew had been told about this
simple act of contrition, so they would have something positive to remember
their father by and not merely focus upon the last act he had committed
while he was alive.

After we finished our discussion, it was suggested we should now turn our
attention to Christmas dinner, because it wouldn't be long before the boys
would be getting hungry.  Therefore, we each went to work on our portion of
the meal, since we had all agreed to prepare a dish or two for later.  As
always, it would be a large and varied feast, which would include special
dishes from those near and dear to us.  However, those preparing these
delights would have to remember to multiply the measurements included in
their recipes by a minimum of six-fold, in order to have enough to go
around.  Not only that, but these items would also need to be split up
amongst several serving dishes, since we would be spread around multiple
tables, to accommodate this group's size.  No one seemed to mind, however,
as they knew the thank yous and other special comments they received after
these dishes were devoured would be more than sufficient to make the effort
worthwhile.

Before dinner was ready to be served, various boys began wandering about
the kitchen and asking how long it would be before we ate.  Although most
of us understood teenage appetites and knew the boys were never full, at
least not for very long, especially when they knew that some of their
favorite dishes were being prepared, some of our 'cooks' were amused by
their exaggerated antics.  After watching them act as if they might pass
out or starve to death if they didn't eat soon, our chefs assured them it
wouldn't be much longer before the food would be served.  Once they had
done that, they gently pushed the boys out of the room, so they could
continue their work, but I think the boys merely sent other reinforcements
in their place, to ask the same questions and put even more pressure on
them to hurry.  This was also done so it would deflect our impatience from
any particular individual, since it was a rotating stream of boys carrying
out this constant questioning, so I guess they assumed we wouldn't put two
and two together and come up with four.  However, it did nothing to speed
up the process, but their antics did manage to slow it down a bit.

Mercifully, for all of us, dinner was eventually ready and being placed on
the tables, as everyone was called in to eat.  I had asked Vinnie
beforehand if he would be willing to say grace, and he quickly informed me
he'd love to do it for us.  Once we were all sitting quietly around the
collection of tables, Vinnie performed his first official function as part
of our family.

"Dear God, we thank you for this wonderful day and why we celebrate it," he
began, "and we thank you for all this great food and all these wonderful
people.  I'd especially like to thank you for helping me become a part of
this wonderful family and for sending us the messages we received last
night.  Please take care of our loved ones who are no longer with us and
please bless and protect those who are still here.  Thank you for all the
blessings you have given each and every one of us, and thank you for this
magnificent meal we are about to enjoy.  Amen"

The rest of us added our own, "Amen," before we began digging into and
passing about the various bowls and platters around each table.  Most of
the adults were gathered around the main dining room table, while the older
boys sat at the folding banquet table, which had been set up just for
today.  The younger ones were then directed to one of two smaller tables,
one of which was lower and sized to their stature, which made it easier and
more comfortable for them.  The only humorous part about the eating
arrangements was that Jordan and Nicky had convinced their Uncle Robert to
eat with them at the 'kiddie' table, even though his knees extended far
above the table's surface.  However, Robert didn't seem to mind and spent
the entire time with that pair.

We all enjoyed a great meal, shared some pleasant conversation and had a
few laughs, and we all felt stuffed and blessed when we had finished.  We
decided to take a short break before we brought out the desserts, to give
us time for our stomachs to settle and make room for those sweet delights.
Many of us went into the living room so we could watch 'Scrooge,' with
George C. Scott, on the television.  This was also kind of a holiday
tradition for us, as well as watching the 1930's version of 'A Christmas
Carol,' as they helped to reinforce how fortunate we all were and gave us a
reminder about how we should deal with others.

When we were done with those programs, we went back to the dining room to
select our choices for dessert, which was not an easy task.  We had to
choose from pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate cream pie and banana cream
pie, not to mention cheesecake with various toppings, a chocolate truffle
and numerous types of Christmas cookies.  Most people took small portions
of several of the abovementioned offerings, and then some would even sneak
back to grab a little more, once those first portions were gone.  It was
definitely a delightful way to finish off a very special day, besides
having an opportunity to play with my grandsons and hold my granddaughter.

The next day my grandchildren and their parents left for their own homes
and, as always, watching them depart was an extremely emotional time for
me.  The grandchildren always seemed to want to stay a little longer, so
they could play with their uncles, mainly because their uncles tended to
spoil them while they were with us.  After giving the standard explanations
about why they had to go and promising we'd get together again soon, they
hesitantly gave in and left with their folks.

Each of these families was taking a great deal home with them, especially
when you included all the gifts they had received, and it was comical
watching them make sure that nothing was left behind.  The little ones
would ask if they had this or that, and the parents would have to show them
they indeed had it, before either of the boys would accept their assurance,
and then they would have to repack everything again, before they could
leave.  When that finally happened, it was very sad for us to watch them
depart.

The rest of the week, the period between Christmas and New Year's, was
filled with many varied activities and events.  First of all, Mark flew in
to join us to celebrate the New Year, after spending Christmas with his
mother.  Jake and I drove to the airport to pick him up and then brought
him back to stay at the house.  Don't get me wrong, but Mark didn't do this
just to see us.  He also had plans for New Year's Eve with his girlfriend
from the bank.  Isn't love wonderful?

After finding this out, the rest of us began discussing what we might do to
celebrate this year, but other than the boys who had dates for the big
night, no one had any real strong feelings about doing anything in
particular.  The rest of us finally decided to go out for an early dinner
and then to the movies to see the current installment of 'The Lord of the
Rings', before returning home in time to ring in the New Year.  I might
even make a little wine punch to make toasts with.  If I did, I'd
definitely have to make two mixtures of this concoction though, one for the
older group and a weaker concoction for the younger boys.  This wasn't due
to the fact that I worried about them getting intoxicated, but because they
had proven in the past they didn't especially care for the stronger mix.
The batch I whipped up for them would have just enough wine in it to make
them feel like it was something special, but diluted and sweet enough so
they could still get it down.  Theirs would also have a little ice cream in
it, so they wouldn't really care about the lack of wine.

I had already made reservations at a nice restaurant for dinner for our
immediate family and their dates, but our extended family was doing their
own thing this year, except for the Spences and Yamadas, who would be
joining us.  Mark had asked to borrow the Grand Am for the night, because
he and his date would be doing their own thing, and I told him that would
be fine.  Shortly after he left, Frankie took off in the Suburban, along
with Dustin, Pat, Ricky and Jay, as he was taking them around to pick up
their dates and then meeting us at the restaurant.  Jake also drove his own
vehicle, because he was going to pick up the Spences and the Yamadas, while
I loaded everyone else into the van.

We ended up going to a restaurant we hadn't been to before and I had
selected an early time to dine, so we wouldn't have trouble seating such a
large group and still be able to finish up in time to get to the theater.
Shortly after we arrived, Frankie and Jake also pulled in, so we all walked
in together.

Every individual selected what he wanted to eat and the service was quite
good, considering how many people they had to take care of that evening.
We all chatted with each other as we enjoyed our meals, and then the boys
and their dates took off.  Frankie was going to drop the others off at a
party they had been invited to, after which he and his date would go off to
pursue their more private plans for the evening.

The rest of us still finished up early enough so we didn't have to rush to
get to the movie, which gave us enough time to buy our tickets, purchase
drinks and make our way inside before all the good seats were taken.  In
fact, we were so early that we had time to sit and talk about other things,
and it seemed like it took forever before the previews began.  However,
once they started playing, things got much better and the boys all began to
settle down, eager to watch the film.

The movie was excellent and everyone seemed to really get into it, which
made us even more disappointed that we'd have to wait another year before
we got to see the next installment.  Sammy and Andrew had spent the entire
evening sitting beside their grandparents, both at the restaurant and at
the movie, so the Yamadas were quite satisfied by the time the movie had
ended.  I don't think the movie was something they had wanted to see, but
they did it for their grandchildren and enjoyed the time with Andrew
switching from one of their laps to the other.

The rest of us left the theater discussing the pros and cons of the movie,
which included such topics as actor selection, how they played their roles,
how true the film stayed to the book and what parts they might have left
out that we thought should have been included.  All in all, we reached a
consensus that the director had done an excellent job.

After dropping the Yamadas and Spences off at the Spence's house, the rest
of us went back to our place.  As soon as we entered, the boys started to
get comfortable and Jake and I began passing out the beverages.  We turned
on television and watched some of the events unfold, as various parts of
the world celebrated this special night, but we eventually deferred to our
own devices.  Before long, the boys began playing a variety of songs and
dancing around the house, and they even got Jake and me to dance too.  I
guess it was actually pretty obvious they weren't going to let this
opportunity slide by.

We were all having a good time, and even the younger ones were following
suit, and then I spied Kevin and Vinnie, dancing quietly off to one side,
so as not to draw any special notice to themselves.  Vinnie seemed to be
doing quite well, considering his disability, but Kevin didn't seem to
think anything was out of the ordinary and they seemed to be enjoying
themselves immensely.

As it got closer to midnight, we stopped what we were doing for a brief
time, so we could watch the countdown on television and get ready to
celebrate the New Year in our own way.  We counted down the final few
seconds with the announcer, with the boys screaming out the numbers, and
then we all went around the room wishing each other a happy New Year by
giving out hugs and kisses, along with our good wishes.  I made sure I got
to each and every one there before they disappeared, because some of the
boys were already heading to their rooms, although I was pretty sure it
wasn't to sleep.

I noticed Kevin and Vinnie heading up to Kevin's room, and a few minutes
later I was surprised to notice Shannon and Nick heading up the stairs
together too.  I knew Shannon was interested in Nick, although he had been
warned that Nick wasn't one to commit himself to only one other person, but
Shannon must have decided he was willing to take that chance, as long as
they were able to share these special times together.  If they were both
happy with that type of arrangement, who was I to say otherwise.

Once Kevin and Vinnie made their way to Kevin's room, Kevin began t o
undress Vinnie, which included helping him take off his braces.  As Vinnie
lay on the bed, now clad only in his underwear, Kevin decided to massage
his legs, so he left their room momentarily to get some baby oil to use as
he did this.  With all the love and tenderness he could muster, Kevin
gently kneaded his fingers into the skin and muscles of Vinnie's legs,
seemingly trying to get them to work as they were meant to in the first
place.  It was obvious this was very important for Kevin and more than just
a way to attain something more.  Vinnie also felt this as well.

As Vinnie enjoyed Kevin's attention and loving care, he allowed Kevin to do
whatever he wanted to him.  When it appeared Kevin seemed ready to stop,
Vinnie was quick to let Kevin know he could do the rest of his body too.
Kevin wasn't sure what he meant by this, until Vinnie began to remove the
rest of his clothing, thus giving Kevin access to the previously hidden
parts of his body.  He was already sporting an erection, as his 6"
uncircumcised penis stood proudly out from his abdomen, and this left Kevin
with little doubt about what he wanted.  Kevin did study Vinnie's face, to
make certain he hadn't misinterpreted his actions, but Vinnie's eyes seemed
to be begging him to go ahead and satisfy him.  Kevin decided to proceed
slowly, so he lay down beside the prone boy and slowly drew the back of his
hand across his partner's chest and lower abdomen.

Vinnie moaned some encouragement to him as he did this, so Kevin became
slightly more aggressive.  Slowly, Kevin bent forward and placed his head
above Vinnie's closest breast, so he could let his tongue dart out and play
with the nipple.  This made Vinnie twitch and squirm slightly, but then he
got back into position so Kevin could do it some more.  This time Kevin ran
his tongue all around the aureole, wetting it completely before he took the
tiny nub into his mouth.  He began suctioning on it, like a greedy calf,
which made Vinnie groan in delight.

At that point, Kevin let his free hand wander down to Vinnie's groin, so he
could fondle his scrotum.  With great tenderness, Kevin began to stroke the
sensitive sac, lightly rolling the watery orbs between his fingers as he
did so, and this elicited a very distinctive groan of appreciation.  Vinnie
had never felt sensations like these before and he certainly didn't want
them to stop.  Vinnie's mouth hung open while Kevin pleasured him and his
mind was floating, as the result of all the wonderful feelings coursing
through his body.

By this point, Kevin decided that Vinnie would have stopped him if this
wasn't something he wanted to have happen, so he leaned lower and began
teasing Vinnie's penis with his tongue.  Slowly, he used his oral muscle to
encircle the head of Vinnie's cock, before teasing the slit and spongy
portion that was peering through the foreskin.  After he had done this for
a while, Kevin then pulled the hood back and exposed the entire head for
the first time.  Vinnie was somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of
stimulation he was now feeling, as this very sensitive area of his body was
fully probed, and he was nearing his orgasm almost before Kevin's lips slid
down his pole.  Within seconds, Kevin began to bob on it in earnest and
swallowed his entire organ, and Vinnie began to thrust his hips up, in
rhythm to Kevin's actions.  It was only a minute or so later before Vinnie
stiffened, his back arching up and off of the bed, and he released his load
down Kevin's waiting gullet.

Kevin was pleased that Vinnie had seemed to enjoy his effort, although he
wished it had taken him a little longer before he released his reward.
Undaunted by this fact, Kevin continued to tease the juices from the tiny
opening, until he had received the last drop of his sweet nectar.  Once he
felt Vinnie had been completely drained, Kevin moved up beside Vinnie,
looked into his face and waited for him to open his eyes.  When he did, the
first thing Vinnie saw was Kevin's smiling face, before he heard him ask if
he had enjoyed what they had just done.  Vinnie immediately let him know he
had, and that he also wished to return the favor, but Kevin convinced him
to just lie back and enjoy the moment.  While Vinnie lingered in his
post-orgasmic bliss, Kevin kissed his face and stroked various other areas
of his body, to let him know that this was more than just sex.  It was an
act of love, and possibly the first of many.

Once Vinnie had time to come down from his sexual high, he helped to remove
the rest of Kevin's clothing and then began to do to Kevin exactly what
Kevin had done for him.  Even though his technique was a bit rough, he more
than made up for it with enthusiasm.  Kevin thought Vinnie was mildly, yet
pleasantly, surprised that he was uncut too, and Vinnie made sure he
explored Kevin's entire body with his eyes, hands and tongue, before he
brought him to his sexual brink.  Kevin had more staying power than his
partner, since he had more experience with these types of encounters, so it
gave Vinnie more time to practice his newly discovered skills.  Although
Kevin was afraid Vinnie might get frustrated by how long it took to get him
off, Vinnie proved to be a trooper and seemed to enjoy both sides of this
coin.

Eventually, Kevin began to feel the rumblings in his loins, as the pressure
built from his impending release, and he made sure to warn Vinnie that he
was close.  That way, Vinnie could decide how he wanted to finish this up
and what he was ready to do.  To Kevin's surprise, Vinnie never eased up on
his sucking and continued nodding up and down on Kevin's firm mast, so
before long he also received his first taste of boy seed.  Either he liked
it or it happened so quickly that he didn't take time to explore the
flavor, but he eagerly swallowed as much of it as he could and only let a
very small amount escape from the corners of his lips.

Eventually, Kevin had to pry Vinnie off of his organ and stop him from
over-stimulating his supersensitive head, which caused Vinnie to look up at
him, thinking he had done something wrong.  Kevin quickly assured him that
everything had been fantastic, except it was getting to the point where it
was beginning to hurt a bit, and Vinnie nodded his understanding.

Now that they were both satisfied, Kevin reached out and pulled Vinnie up
against him, cuddling him close to his side.  Enjoying this new closeness,
Vinnie merely reached down and pulled the blankets up over their bodies,
just to keep them warm.  They stayed that way until morning, enjoying the
warmth and touch of each other's skin, as a special bond began to grow
between them, one that I hoped would last.


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