Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 17:41:43 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Boo 6, chapters 21 - 22

Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 21 -- Personal Triumphs.

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

School restarted after the Christmas break and a rash of unexpected
occurrences immediately confronted me.  The first was an unanticipated
surprise that made me quite proud.  I didn't really think much of it at the
time, because I felt I was just a proud parent making more of his child's
accomplishments than was actually called for.  However, I soon discovered
this was not the case and Dion justly deserved the accolades.

It all came about when Dion participated in the holiday concert, before the
start of Christmas break.  He was a member of the high school chorus, but
it turned out he wasn't just part of that group.  He had also been selected
to perform a very difficult and beautiful solo.

Dion had kept this a secret and didn't divulge the honor to any of us in
advance, except for possibly Vinnie.  However, if he had told anyone,
nobody said a word to me.  I was shocked when his name was announced, but
by the time he'd finished, I understood why he had been selected.  I
thought he had done an excellent job and was very impressed with his voice
and presence in front of an audience, but I also wondered if this was just
due to my fatherly pride.  Did Dion actually have that much talent?

Long after the concert ended, I continued to question whether it had been
my imagination or if Dion was really that good.  Although he had confided
to me, on more than one occasion, that he hoped to sing in a group some
day, I thought it was just a part of every kid's fantasy.  Didn't nearly
every child want to grow up and become a rock star or famous pop singer?  I
knew he had a decent voice, but I didn't realize he had the high quality
pipes to actually pull it off.

Once we returned to school, Dion's chorus director came to see me, to share
some phone messages and cards she had received about the concert.  These
had come from friends, faculty members and parents, and I was surprised to
learn that many of the writers had actually mentioned Dion specifically.
Most made very poignant comments about the song he sang and the range and
quality of his voice.  Once I'd finished going over them, his chorus
director assured me the praise was justly deserved.

I asked if I could borrow these items, so I could share them to Dion, and
she happily told me I could.  She said I could return them to her when I'd
finished and even encouraged me to make copies of them, if Dion wanted to
put them in a scrapbook.  Before we parted, I thanked her for the excellent
job she'd done with him and for sharing these items with us.

When I showed them to Dion later, he was flattered, impressed and maybe
even a little embarrassed by the recognition.  Once word got out, the other
boys wanted to see and hear what everyone else had to say and then they
added their own comments about how well they thought Dion had done.  I was
happy to see there was no jealousy rearing its ugly head here.

I thought this would be the end of the attention and excitement, but it
wasn't.  Dion's chorus director approached us again, a few days later, to
inform us that she wanted to feature him in the end of the year concert as
well.  Dion and I were stunned and overwhelmed by the offer and stood
momentarily speechless.  Once Dion recovered, he thanked her for thinking
of him and said he'd consider it.  As an afterthought, he suggested maybe
someone else should have the chance, but she told him solos were reserved
for only the very best.

Before we had a chance to respond to her comment, she sprang another
surprise on us.  She said she had arranged for Dion to receive a
scholarship to take private lessons from a professional voice instructor.
These lessons would be given every other weekend at the University of
Pittsburgh and she even volunteered to drive Dion and a female student
there to participate.  She informed us this would add polish to his natural
talent and help him progress to the next level.

After thanking her for considering Dion for this honor, I told her we'd
have to discuss it first, before we made any commitments.  She said she
understood, but hoped we'd realize what a fantastic opportunity this was
and wouldn't pass it up.  She then told us to get back to her about it as
soon as we were able, because the sessions started in less than a month.

When we got home, Dion and I talked about this in more detail and Dion was
very psyched about participating.  He thought he would be able to improve
his vocal skills to the point where he might even be able to make money
singing professionally.  Although I understood this to mean he was thinking
about being the lead singer in a rock group, I indicated it could also mean
singing popular music or another musical genre, including musicals or
opera.

I'm not sure Dion was interested in considering those extremes, but he did
seem adamant about the vocal lessons, so I agreed it would be a good idea.
It was at this point when Dion made a suggestion of his own.  He asked me
if it would be all right if he asked his chorus director if she'd work with
him on the off weekends, so he could get two points of view and improve
even quicker.  Although I told him there was no rush and I didn't want him
to strain his vocal chords by trying to do too much, too fast, he was
insistent.  Therefore, I gave him permission to broach the idea with her,
to see how she felt.  If she agreed it wouldn't be too much for him, then
I'd go along with it too.  After thanking me several times, and giving me a
tremendous hug, he ran off to tell Vinnie the good news.

The next issue I had to confront wasn't quite as pleasant.  It had to do
with Cole's continuing difficulty with academics.  Although we've had to
deal with his learning problems for a number of years, he had been able to
make adequate adjustments or utilized tutors to get him through the rough
times.  However, as the years progressed, it became more and more difficult
for Cole to keep up with the workload.  Now, he was midway through his
junior year of high school and his grades were either borderline or in dire
distress.  I think we were all beginning to accept the fact that Cole
wasn't college material.

Recognizing the situation, I sat down with Cole and discussed his options,
to see where his interests lay.  I knew he was good with his hands and had
always enjoyed fixing things.  He was the one everyone went to when
something was wrong with his bike, small device or computer, so I knew Cole
was mechanically inclined.  Recently, he had also expressed an interest in
learning how to work on our vehicles.

After discussing this with him at great length, we decided to switch Cole
over to a technical program, where he could take courses in automotive
repair, as well as take advantage of the machine and tool shop.  He seemed
pleased with these choices and relieved that he wouldn't have to continue
struggling with the academic subjects that overwhelmed him.  He thanked me,
repeatedly, for being understanding about his difficulties and giving him a
choice that suited him better.

Seeing how pleased Cole was, I told him it was the least I could do.  I
also confessed that I realized, long ago, that all of my boys had their own
strengths and weaknesses, but it didn't mean any of them were less
important or less worthy than any of the rest.  As our discussion
continued, I explained it was time we began to focus on his strengths and
establish a future for him where he could be successful and prove he was
just as vital a cog to this family as everyone else.  I suggested we would
meet with his guidance counselors to set this up, if this was what he
wanted.  He enthusiastically said it was and then he thanked me yet again
for being so understanding and for helping to do what was best for him.

As the days of January rocketed by, we heard from Ricky several more times.
He was busy making his way around Australia, including taking a quick trip
to New Zealand, but he wasn't so preoccupied that he didn't keep us
informed.  His brothers told him to make sure he took plenty of pictures
and videos of every place he went, so he could share them with us when he
returned.  Ricky promised he would, but his phone calls were merely to let
us know where he was and what he was up to.

During the first call after he went off on his own, Ricky gave us the
low-down on how Kylie reacted during their last few days together.  He told
us she cried, carried on and pleaded with him to just spend the last month
with her, instead on traveling on his own.  He tried to explain this would
most likely be his only chance to do something like this, so he couldn't
pass up such a wonderful opportunity.

Kylie was upset with him after hearing his reasons for going.  She told him
that meant he didn't really love her and then she screamed at him to leave.
After failing to convince her she misunderstood, she told him she never
wanted to see him again.

In a way, I was glad it was over, because I knew their trying to stay
together would only muddy the waters of Ricky's future, but I felt his pain
and told him so.  I commiserated about her rejecting him for nearly an
hour, before he finally summed up his take on the relationship.

"Well, it's over, but it was fun while it lasted," he told me, simply.
Although I thought he was being too cavalier about this, I decided not to
comment on the situation further, so our conversation ended there.

Around mid-month, Mark also came back to live with us.  He was returning to
work at the bank full-time now, while continuing to handle my personal
investments, as well as dealing with parts of the Castaway Foundation's
portfolio.  He had finished all his coursework at college, and for all
intents and purposes was now a college graduate, but his school didn't hold
a December graduation.  If he wanted to attend a graduation ceremony, he
would have to return in May and go through the baccalaureate services with
the entire class.

At first he said he was just going to skip it, because it wasn't that
important, but I finally convinced him it was a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity and he shouldn't pass it up.  I also reminded him that his
mother might enjoy attending his graduation too and it would probably make
her very proud to see him receive his degree.  After considering my
comments further, he agreed to attend his graduation ceremony, if only for
his mother's sake.  I assured him it was a wise decision and I'd arrange
for the entire family to be there to see it too.  I'd also arrange for his
mother's flight and pay her expenses while she was in Arizona, because I
knew her financial situation was not very good, and he thanked me for all
my help and support.

While we were on the topic of his mother, I suggested it might be wise if
he talked to her about moving here, so they could be together again.
Seeing he was planning on staying in the area to work, he thought it was a
good idea and said he'd bring it up the next time they spoke.

On a totally different front, Cody finished going through the last of his
chemotherapy treatments near the end of the month.  This meant the
oncologist was now ready to re-inject the good cells back into his body.
The doctor had taken these cells from Cody before he began chemotherapy and
then froze them to use at this time.

The doctor assured me that, from what he could tell, the diseased cells in
Cody's body had been totally destroyed.  By reintroducing the good cells at
this point, they should start duplicating and bring Cody back to his
normal, healthy self.  The procedure was scheduled to take place two days
later and everything went smoothly.  Once we were allowed to leave, we were
informed the doctor wanted to see Cody again, in a couple of weeks, to make
sure the cells were doing what they were supposed to.  After thanking him,
we left his office feeling confident that everything was going to be all
right now.

Even though a lot was going on already, I still had two other matters to
occupy my mind.  The first concerned Nick.  He received a letter at the end
of January notifying him that he had been accepted as an exchange student.
It also explained he'd be going to a small village, an hour or so away from
Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Nick was thrilled when he discovered he'd made it, but
he was even more excited to learn he'd be going to Brazil, as he wanted.
The dates given in the letter indicated he would be leaving a couple of
weeks after his own school year ended, which was what had also happened
with Ricky.  This meant Nick would have to forgo his summer vacation, so he
could begin his exchange program, but this didn't seem to be a big deal for
him, especially since we'd talked about this possibility previously.

The second matter concerned Ricky.  He had just finished his month of
independent travel and would be returning home soon.  We were going to have
to drive to New York City again, to pick him up at Kennedy airport.  I
think we were all excited about seeing Ricky again, but we would have to
take two vehicles to pick him up.  That's because the family could no
longer squeeze into just one.  I thought about chartering a bus, but
quickly nixed that idea.  We'd be dropping the college boys off on the way
back, to allow them a chance to welcome Ricky home first, and the bus just
wouldn't work as well.

Jake drove the Suburban and I piloted the van.  We got an early start and
struck out for the Big Apple, to rescue our prodigal son.  Even though I
had received numerous emails from Ricky and spoke with him on the phone
several times, it didn't mean I was any less excited about seeing him
again.  I was also very familiar with what he had done while he was away,
but I was also looking forward to seeing the pictures and videos of his
exploits.  I also had a few surprises for Ricky, as I had made some plans
of my own for his return.

After a long drive, we reached the airport and waited at a location as
close to the baggage claim area as we could get.  When Ricky appeared, he
spotted us immediately and sprinted in our direction.  He honed in on my
location and embraced me in an enormous bear hug, nearly squeezing all the
air from my lungs in the process.  After he relaxed his grip, I kissed his
forehead and welcomed him home and then he performed a similar ritual with
Jake and all of his brothers.

I got a special kick out of his reaction when he came to Cody.  After
giving him the once over, Ricky smiled and announced, "You must be my new
brother."

Cody beamed from ear-to-ear and nodded vigorously, affirming Ricky's
assumption.  That's when Ricky wrapped his arms around Cody, lifted him
into the air and spun him around in a circle.  This made the rest of us
jump back, so we didn't get nailed by Cody's wildly swinging feet and legs.
Cody was enjoying the attention Ricky was giving him, and after Ricky put
him back on the ground, he kissed Cody on the forehead, put his arm around
Cody's shoulders and said, "Hey, little bro, would you like to help me
carry my bags?"

Cody nodded eagerly and it was obvious he was willing to do anything for
this guy he had just met.  It was evident Ricky had endeared himself to
Cody in just a few minutes, much the same way he had wormed his way into
all of our hearts.  No one else could have done it any quicker or with less
effort than he had.

The rest of us merely stood there watching as this took place and willingly
gave the pair all the time they needed to bond.  I had concluded, long
before they met, that Ricky and Cody would hit it off.  They were so much
alike.  The only thing I didn't foresee was that it would happen this
quickly or in such a dramatic way.  It was a pleasure to observe though and
we were all beaming as those two got to know each other even better.

>From that point on, the two of them walked side-by-side.  They each
carried a portion of Ricky's belongings, although Cody had a very small
share, and got to know each other better as they went.  I overheard Ricky
grilling Cody about many areas of his background, including the aspects he
was particularly interested in.  When he asked Cody how he liked it at our
house so far, Cody told him he loved it.  Not only that, but he seemed
truly pleased to answer every one of Ricky's questions.

The longer the two of them kept this up, the more it appeared to bother
Graham.  I could tell he felt he was the one Cody needed right now, but he
wasn't included in their private homecoming.  Guessing what he was going
through, I quickly pulled him aside, so I could speak with him alone.  When
I had his undivided attention, I told him what Cody really needed was to
know everyone in the family was there for him, not just his boyfriend.
Graham looked shocked when I used that term, so I explained it was evident,
at least to me, that was what they were and I think my use of that word
made him feel a little better.  After we discussed this topic in more
detail, he finally gave in and agreed to leave Cody and Ricky alone.  He
made it clear he would continue on, without butting in.

Graham did admit that he'd missed Ricky too, since he'd been one of Ricky's
cohorts in the past.  They had spent a great deal of time together, pulled
pranks as a team and even shared the same bed.  After reasoning it out, he
felt Ricky might be able to spend time with Cody and him together, and
maybe they'd even include Cole.  I told him that was a great idea and he
should mention it to the others, once we returned home.

Ricky and Cody continued their discussion, and when the topic moved to
Cody's illness, Ricky insisted on knowing all about it.  He even wanted to
know if there was anything he could do to help, which only impressed Cody
more.  After thanking Ricky for his offer, Cody told him things were going
very well and he hoped to be completely cured before long.  In response,
Ricky said he was glad to hear it, but also let Cody know he'd be there for
him, just the same.

I think it was obvious to most of us that Cody and Ricky were as much alike
as two peas in a pod.  The only exception was the difference in their ages.
When it was time to leave, Cody asked if he could sit beside Ricky on the
way home, and when he was told he could, he also made sure Graham was
sitting on his other side.

All the way back, Ricky told stories about his time in Australia and showed
his brothers some of the souvenirs he had brought home with him.  These
were things everyone could appreciate and enjoy, beginning with a couple of
boomerangs.  The mere mention of these usual treats seemed to interest more
than just Cody and Graham and I could just imagine these aboriginal weapons
whizzing around our yard, possibly taking out windows or cracking a few
skulls in the process.  I'll have to issue some warnings, before I allow
these little gadgets to be unleashed on the old homestead.

Ricky had also brought home a didjeridu.  It's an aboriginal musical
instrument, which he became familiar with while he was traveling.  Although
he didn't share the details with us, it appeared he had learned how to play
it, somewhere along the line.  He admitted he wasn't very good with it and
it wasn't great sounding, but he'd teach anyone who wanted to learn what he
knew.  A few of the boys seemed interested, especially Cody, so I knew
Ricky was going to have at least one student.

Ricky also told them about some of the things he had on video, in
particular the moments he knew they'd all appreciate.  This included some
footage of a short tour he'd taken in the Outback.  He told us that
experience was kind of wild and freaky, but he was sure that aspect of it
would also be apparent when we saw it.  He explained to the others that he
felt a little like Crocodile Dundee on that leg of his trip, although he
didn't really get near any wild creatures or do anything dangerous.  It was
just the feeling he had while he was out there.  This seemed to intrigue
the boys, so they were hardly able to contain themselves, until they got to
see the videos for themselves.



Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 22 -- Welcome Back.

Jake and I were going in different directions after leaving New York City,
so we could drop the college boys off at their various campuses.  They had
to return for the start of classes again, but they gave Ricky some parting
shots, before they left.  Some teased him about having to return to his
normal, boring life again, while others joked that he wasn't going to feel
special or like a celebrity any longer.  He was once again just another
small fish in the large Currie pond.  Ricky took the ribbing in stride, and
even gave back a few shots of his own, but it was all in fun.

We did enjoy a meal together first, but then everyone said their good-byes
and we took off.  After driving a couple of hours, we decided to stop for
the night.  It was already getting late, we were all very tired and it was
just too much driving for one day, so both groups spent the night at a
motel.

After a quick brunch the following morning, we set off again.  Once we
dropped off our college students, we continued our journey, and a few hours
later arrived home.  As we pulled into the driveway, I quickly noted that
Jake had beaten us back, but then I was distracted, when Ricky looked out
the window.  He quickly spotted the huge banner we had hung from the roof
over the porch, welcoming his return, and was eager to comment about it.
As he was doing this, our front door burst open and Jay came charging out
to welcome his best friend home.

Jay had probably missed Ricky as much, if not more, than the rest of us,
just because the pair had always been so close.  Even though Ricky had sent
emails, post cards and spoken to him a few times on the phone, it was being
around Ricky that Jay had missed the most.  Typical of the old Jay, but
most likely caused by his great excitement, he tripped as he raced down the
sidewalk and did a header beside the van, just as Ricky was getting out.

"Still a major klutz, I see," Ricky told him, grinning.

Jay was embarrassed by this seeming regression to his uncoordinated past,
but he knew how to respond.  "I just wanted to make you feel at home and
show you nothing had changed," he retorted, while flashing a toothy grin.

"Well, you knew exactly what to do then," Ricky teased back.  The two boys
laughed and then hugged each other, and now Jay and Cody helped Ricky
gather all his things and take them into the house.

As Ricky entered the old homestead, he got another momentary shock, when
voices screamed out, "Surprise!"  Now, bodies began to flood the room from
all directions, as everyone came out from hiding.  I wasn't sure if Jake
had picked them all up or if they had left their vehicles somewhere else
and walked the rest of the way, but I hadn't noticed any of their vehicles
nearby.

Ricky was amazed, and touched, that so many people were here.  Among his
'greeters' were the Spences, the Shays, Aunt Sally, the Beckers and Mark.
As Ricky was saying hello to everyone, Little Ricky broke out of the pack
and came tearing up to him.  He just had to give his idol a special welcome
home.

In addition to the guests I have already mentioned, several of Ricky's
school friends, including his old girl friend, were also there.  In fact,
she planted a very affectionate welcome back kiss on him and I was worried
he might gag, as she rammed her tongue down his throat.  It was one of the
few times I have actually witnessed Ricky blush.

Once the kiss ended, all of his brothers began to tease him.  Even though
he had just returned, they were unwilling to pass up this opportunity to
give Ricky a bit of his own medicine.  Ricky, however, handled it well,
knowing he had to be able to take it, as well as dish it out.  After
enduring a few minutes of good-natured ribbing, including some mimicking of
the kiss he had just received, Ricky tried to move on.  However, this ended
when Mr. Spence got into the act and teased Ricky that he didn't realize he
was such a lady's man and a good 'smoocher.'  Everyone got a chuckle out of
his comment and Mr. Spence got an elbow in the ribs from his wife, who
thought he had gone a little too far.

There was also a bit of a surprise for me too, since the ladies had whipped
up a big meal for us to enjoy together.  Someone had borrowed a few banquet
tables, I suspect from the courthouse, and set one of them to butt up to
our dining room table.  A couple of others had been set up in the rec room,
so the younger crowd could enjoy some privacy as they welcomed Ricky back.
After eating the food our friends had prepared, we ended up by cutting into
the humongous cake I had ordered prior to going to pick Ricky up.  All in
all, it was a nice finishing touch to an enjoyable meal.

I guess I should have suspected our extended family wouldn't pass up an
opportunity to do something special like this and it was a wonderful
gesture.  Ricky made sure to acknowledge his appreciation in his own,
inimitable fashion, by giving the women a kiss and the men 'Dutch rubs.' A
Dutch rub is where you wraps one arm around the victim's neck and then rub
the knuckles of your other hand across the top of the guy's head and
through his hair, if he has any.  It may sound cruel, and it does simulate
a rug burn, but it was all done in fun.

In fact, everyone seemed to accept it as being part of Ricky's unique
style, although I'm not so sure they would have been so gracious if anyone
else had done the same thing to them.  It's just that they all knew Ricky
so well and realized it was his way of showing he cared about someone.
Since no one was hurt, they laughed it off and told him it was nice to have
him back.

Once that was over, Ricky asked one of his brothers to put on some music.
None of us understood why and wondered what he was up to, but once the
first notes filled the air, it became clear.  Ricky immediately began
asking each of the women to dance with him, as another way of thanking them
for all of their effort and hard work.  After he finished cutting the rug
with the older ladies, Ricky ended up doing a very sensuous slow dance with
his old girlfriend.

Once the music ended, Ricky interacted with our guests for a couple more
hours, but spent much of that time paying particular attention to Little
Ricky and Cody.  After that, he asked if he could take off with his friends
for a while and I told him he could, since I'd figured there might be a
certain young lady he wanted to spend more time with.  I thought it might
help him get over having to leave Kylie behind and hoped it would make him
forget about their less than harmonious separation.

I told him to just go and I'd explain his departure to everyone else and
apologize for his sudden disappearance.  Liking this idea, he gave me a hug
and kissed me on the cheek, even in front of his friends.  I think each of
them understood we were very close and this was just part of Ricky's
nature.  They all thanked me as they left, with the girls giving me a peck
on the cheek and the guys shaking my hand before they took off.  Once they
were gone, I told the others that Ricky had some catching up to do and I
think they all got my drift.  No one made any negative comments about his
leaving and we stayed together a little longer, before they went home too.

I understand Ricky and his friends only stayed together for less than an
hour, before Ricky and his old girlfriend went off on their own.  I think
the others suspected something like this was going to happen, even Jay, so
they didn't make a big deal about it either.

Ricky used the time to inform his old girlfriend about Kylie.  It might not
have been the wisest or most diplomatic move, but he needed to get their
breakup off his chest.  He was eager to verbalize how difficult it had been
for him to leave and how she had reacted.  Surprisingly, the girl was
sympathetic and comforting concerning Ricky's pain, but maybe it was merely
to use this opening to get back together with him again.

As Ricky relived those painful memories, she wrapped him in her arms, in an
effort to console him.  At first she was only concerned with making him
feel better, but soon it evolved into something more.  Before long, they
were involved in a very passionate kiss, complete with probing tongues
again.  That led to them aggressively making out, like they had done in the
past, although it never escalated into sex.  I think that, night she helped
Ricky put Kylie completely behind him, so now he was ready to move on with
his life.

The next day, Sunday, was reserved as a 'family only' day, but of course
Jay was included.  He had spent the night with us, but hey, he's family
too.  The first thing we did was to go to church together, something we did
on a fairly regular basis.  Today we would acknowledge our sincere thanks
for Ricky's safe return, for Nick's being selected as an exchange student
and for Cody's medical progress, thus far.  Of course there was much more
that we were also thankful for, but these were the items currently at the
top of our list and, therefore, the ones that seemed to take priority.

At the very pinnacle of the list, however, were our prayers asking God to
continue to watch over Cody and guide his future recovery.  This was
definitely the most important issue and the one that concerned us most
deeply.  Even though his treatment had started off well, the doctor had
indicated there were many more hurdles for him to overcome and we didn't
want him to experience any setbacks.  To that end, we were going to do our
best to ensure he made it through this horrific ordeal.

During the service, I noticed Cody was sitting between Ricky and Graham
again, but I knew his fascination with Ricky would probably be short lived.
Once Ricky got into his classes and was back together with his friends, I
knew the age difference would limit the amount of time he wanted to spend
with Cody.  It's not that Cody was that much younger, but Ricky's tastes
included more mature activities.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't think Ricky will totally ignore Cody, but I
believe he will dole out the time he spends with him to coincide with when
he isn't involved in pursuits he enjoys more.  Besides, once Cody's current
infatuation with the older version of himself eventually lessens, Cody will
focus more on those closer to his own age, especially the one he is
romantically attracted to.  From that point on, they'd each go their
separate way, but neither would be any the worse for the time they spent
with each other.

In the end, I figured it would be Cody and Graham who would most likely end
up together and depend on one another.  They were closer in age, had a
physical attraction to each other and had already shown a strong bond.
Ricky was only a temporary distraction, or the 'novelty de jour,' but those
types of attractions never seem to last for very long.

The church service was fairly short, at least when you considered how long
they generally last, and afterward we were barraged by people who wanted to
speak with Ricky or were curious to discover how Cody was making out with
his treatments.  They knew about Cody's situation because the pastor had
asked the congregation to pray for him when he first began the procedure
and this made me realize how nice it is to be part of a larger family too,
like your church or the community, in general.

After we left the church, I took everyone out to brunch, which gave us more
time to talk and enjoy each other's company.  Going out to eat like this is
one of my favorite activities on Sunday.  I just love to have the family
together and I'm always extremely proud of my boys, but that feeling is
only magnified when we're out in public.  This isn't just because they are
such a great group, but I also never have to worry about them doing
anything seriously wrong or inappropriate.  There is an added bonus too, in
that I never tire hearing compliments from total strangers about their
manners and how well they conduct themselves.  Whenever that happens, it
always makes me feel exceptionally proud that they're my sons.

The boys spent the remainder of Sunday afternoon playing games and then
after dinner we got our first look at some of the videos Ricky had taken on
his trip.  The first video showed Ricky's host family, their home and the
school he had attended.  We even got our first glimpse of Kylie and it was
easy to see why Ricky was so taken with her.  She was quite a looker and
had a very infectious smile and personality.  Watching how he looked at her
on the screen and listening to the comments he made about her to his
brothers, I could tell Ricky still had very deep feelings for her.  Not
only could I see he was still smitten, but I could sense a touch of remorse
over the way their relationship had ended.

Even though I realized there probably wasn't anything I could do to make
this situation any easier for him, I still felt his pain.  I know what it's
like to love someone so strongly, but find you're unable to be with him.
That happened before I admitted to myself who I really was and I've
regretted that lost opportunity ever since.  Regardless of how desperately
I wanted to console him, I kept my mouth shut and refused to broach this
topic, until I could get him alone later.

The second video was of Ricky, his host brother, Peter, and some of their
friends playing soccer.  I was told Kylie taped all of this and it was
quite jerky and focused almost entirely on Ricky, but the remainder of the
tape included one of the day trips he had taken with his host family.

The next tape was of another trip they had taken together, but the end of
that video contained a lengthy view of Ricky and Peter skinny-dipping in
the host family's pool.  Ricky quickly explained that this took place in
December, between Christmas and New Year's, which is summertime in
Australia.  He told us only the two of them were home at the time and he
had talked Peter into trying this with him.  Ricky had placed the camcorder
on the patio table and managed to flick it on when Peter wasn't looking.
Therefore, no one actually took these shots, which explained why the boys
kept disappearing out of the frame.

Ricky seemed amused that Peter had no idea he had done this or that he had
pictures of Peter's tackle.  Then, about halfway through viewing their
escapades, Ricky informed us he was planning on sending Peter an email
later, to inform him about the tape.  He felt it was safe to let Peter know
what he had done, now that he was back home.

Ricky said he was pretty sure Peter wouldn't mind that he had done this,
but he wanted to make sure we all got to 'see' the real Peter, as he knew
some of his brothers would be particularly interested in this cute guy.  He
was right on that point, because there were numerous comments about Peter's
body and vital areas, and I could see the wheels spinning in some of my
boys' heads, as they ogled this young hunk.  Before the video ended, a few
even began to seriously lobby me about bringing Peter to our home, as an
exchange student.

The next video contained the visual record of the first portion of Ricky's
solo trip.  It gave us some great shots of a variety of Australia's native
inhabitants, both animal and human, and we were amazed by what we saw.
Ricky had zoomed in on some kangaroos hopping nonchalantly in the Outback
and we also got a really good view of a pack of dingoes (wild dogs).  He
even had some close-ups of a group crocodiles sunning themselves on a bank,
while a bunch of other crocs we lurking just below the surface of the
water.  It was a real eye-opener as to how close he must have been to them
at that point, although Ricky emphasized there was a still a considerable
distance between them.

Ricky also insisted he had never placed himself in any danger on the trip,
or at any other time, and it was the zoom lens that made it appear as if he
were closer than he actually was.  I told him I was glad to hear that, but
his brothers thought he had taken more chances than he was willing to
admit, so they started calling him Mick.  If you don't remember, that was
Crocodile Dundee's first name.

On that same video, there was also a short segment that showed Ricky with
some Bushmen.  It wasn't what you might think though.  This was an unusual
group of Bushmen and they didn't cling solely to the old ways.  These
people made money allowing themselves to be photographed with tourists,
which enabled them to purchase things they would not otherwise have access
to.

This group also covered more areas of their body than we might normally
have expected, but this was probably done to avoid offending the
sensibilities of the tourists.  They were still an interesting group and
willingly performed a couple of traditional ceremonies, which were unique
to their kind.  They also eagerly demonstrated a few ancient survival
skills, which had been passed down from one generation to the next,
throughout the ages.  It was quite enlightening and everyone seemed to
enjoy sharing some of Ricky's fascination with the 'land down under.'

We decided to finish with that video and leave the rest for another day.
Besides, I knew some of the boys still had homework to finish and the rest
had other things to do, in order to be ready for their classes on Monday.
Ricky would be rejoining his class at that time and I could tell he was
looking forward to it, or maybe just looking forward to seeing a certain
young lady again.  Whatever the reason, he was in high spirits and looking
ahead to the next day.

Ricky's mood was also more upbeat because he and Jay were back together
again, plus the fact that he was bonding quickly with his newest brother.
However, that last combination had me concerned, since Ricky was also
trying to lure Cody into pulling some pranks with him.  Cody was a little
timid about doing such things, but given time I knew Ricky would win out.
Despite that small detail, I'd say it had been a very successful
homecoming.

Ricky's adjustment with returning to school went smoothly and he was glad
to be back for the end of his senior year.  He understood it meant he'd be
able to attend the prom, enjoy the end of year parties and participate in
the graduation ceremony.  This didn't mean it would be all fun and games
though.  Ricky would still have to finish up the last couple of credits he
needed to graduate and he'd be taking double sessions in some subjects, to
make up for the semester he had already missed.  We both knew it wasn't
going to be easy, but Ricky had opted to do it this way and I trusted he'd
hold up his end of the bargain.


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