Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:25:27 EDT
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 7, chapters 37 - 38

The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 37 -- Vinnie, Please Call Home.

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

I was confused as to why Vinnie hadn't at least called me to explain what
had happened.  He carried his cell phone with him at all times, so I saw no
reason why he hadn't phoned to either explain what he saw or advise me
about what he was doing.  I even tried to call him, but he didn't answer.
When I was prompted to leave a message, I left word for him to call home
immediately.

Needless to say, I was beginning to panic, even though I had told Kevin not
to.  This wasn't like Vinnie at all, so I was deeply concerned.  I realized
the shock of catching Kevin with someone else, along with the anger he must
have felt as a result of that discovery, might have clouded his judgment.
Therefore, it may have caused him to do something he wouldn't have normally
done, under normal circumstances.

When Jake awoke, I filled him in about the details, as I knew them, and
then explained how worried I was about Vinnie's safety.  After talking it
over, we decided if Vinnie didn't show up by noon, either at home or back
at Kevin's dorm room, we'd go out looking for him.  We realized it would be
futile to call the police at this point, because Vinnie would have to be
missing for forty-eight hours before they'd even consider doing anything.
For that reason, we were technically on our own, for the time being.

For the next few hours, I couldn't even force myself to do anything but
wait for a phone call.  Occasionally, I would also dial Vinnie's cell
number and pray he would answer.  I had to believe he was all right.
Speaking of praying, that's exactly what Jake and I did, as we continued
our vigil.

The minutes seemed to drag on for hours and word spread through the family
faster than a computer virus on a broadband Internet connection.  As the
various boys came downstairs and questioned the worried expressions
chiseled on Jake's and my face, we tried downplaying our fears, but our
attempts weren't exactly successful.  I guess the boys knew us both too
well and saw through our transparent attempt to deceive them.

Without telling them exactly what had happened, we explained that Kevin and
Vinnie had a misunderstanding and Vinnie took off.  I went on to explain
that none of us had heard from Vinnie since and we were just worried that
something might have happened to him.  The boys were equally concerned and
promised to do whatever they could to help.  We thanked them and advised
the boys we'd let them know what they could do.  I'm not sure they were
satisfied with our response, but they left us alone.  Once they were gone,
Jake and I talked about what we might do if no one heard from Vinnie by the
deadline.

Almost precisely at noon the phone rang and I prayed it would be the call
that lifted this veil of apprehension from all of us.  "Hello," I said, as
I picked it up.

"Dad, it's me Kev.  I haven't heard from Vinnie yet.  Have you?"  My heart
sank.

"No, Kevin.  We've heard nothing here either."  I could hear him moan
slightly.

"Dad, this is all my fault and I'm scared something has happened to Vinnie.
I'll never forgive myself if it has," he sobbed into the phone, and I knew
the guilt of his actions was beginning to overwhelm him.

"Look, Jake and I are going to drive to Philadelphia to look for Vinnie and
we'll stop by to see you too," I advised him.  "I'll have my cell phone
with me, so call me if you hear anything."

"I will, Dad, and you call me if you find him," Kevin pleaded.  He was
still choking back his tears but I could tell it wasn't as bad as it had
been a few seconds before.  At least he felt some hope, because we were
going to search for his lover now.

"Kev, I will, and we'll see you in a few hours," I advised him.  "We won't
be rushing, because we'll be looking for signs of Vinnie along the way, but
we will be there before dinnertime.  I'll have the boys call me if they
hear from Vinnie while we're gone and you do the same."

"Okay, Dad," Kevin confirmed.  "See you in a little while then."

After I hung up, Jake and I got a few things together, to take with us on
this trip.  Before we left, we discussed the upcoming Valentine's Day party
with the boys and tried to encourage them to go ahead with their plans.
However, they were adamant that they wanted to wait for Jake and I to
return, so we could join them.

Even though I was impressed with their intentions, I explained we probably
wouldn't be home until very late, so they shouldn't wait for us.  The boys
countered by saying they'd hold the party on Sunday then, so we'd be there
too.  They said they would contact Aunt Susan and tell her what was going
on, so she could adjust her plans accordingly.  Even though Jake and I
tried to convince them not to do this, it was immediately evident we
weren't about to change their minds.  Therefore, we just thanked them and
headed out for the Grand Am.

Jake and I planned to follow the route we knew Vinnie would have taken,
both to go see Kevin and then to return home.  Even though it would be more
difficult to spot him once we got on the Interstate, we thought we still
might be able to see enough, in case he was stranded somewhere along the
way.  One of us would drive and keep an eye out, while the other would just
sit and scan the entire area for signs of our missing son.  It wasn't much
of a plan, but it was all we could think of doing.

The drive seemed to take forever, and at one point I thought I saw Vinnie's
4Runner going in the opposite direction, so I dialed his cell phone again
to see if it was him.  When I got no answer, I assumed it was just a
similar looking vehicle and we drove on.  Kevin must have been watching for
us, because by the time we pulled into the lot near his dorm, he came
racing out to greet us.

"I'm such an idiot," he announced, as his greeting.  "I was a fucking fool
to do that in the first place, and then have Vinnie see it and hurt him
that way... Dad, what am I going to do?"

"Once we locate Vinnie, you'll apologize and tell him the things you've
told us," I suggested.  "I think that will show him how much you really
care about him."

"I don't think he'll want to listen," Kevin countered, "and I can't blame
him.  I'm not sure I'd listen to him, if I had caught him cheating on me
like that."

Kevin was beginning to cry again, so I suggested we go to his dorm room,
where he wouldn't draw attention to his situation.  I wasn't sure he'd want
to explain to others about what was troubling him.  It was a very personal
matter and there are some things you don't wish to discuss with anyone
else, regardless of how well you know them.

Once we were alone in his room, I just held Kevin and allowed him to let
his pain come out.  Jake and I discovered later that Kevin's roommate just
happened to have gone home that weekend and was one reason why Kevin
invited the other boy to his room for a little fun.  The fact that his
roommate wasn't there also allowed us a chance to spend some private time
with Kevin, during which we tried to reassure him everything would be fine.
Although he wasn't buying in to our arguments, because he truly believed
Vinnie would never forgive him for what he'd done, I think he was letting
go of some of his pain.

About an hour had passed, so I suggested we go out to eat before Jake and I
left.  One reason for doing this was because Kevin had told us he hadn't
eaten anything since he tried to catch Vinnie the previous evening.  I
didn't want him getting physically ill because he wasn't getting any
nourishment, so I made him go out with us for dinner.  I also made him
choose where we'd go, since I figured he'd be more likely to eat if he
liked the place we went to.

Kevin decided he was in the mood for pizza, so we went to a small place not
far from the campus.  It was a local haunt the college students loved to
hang out at and Kevin said the pizza was excellent.  We ordered a large pie
and let Kevin choose what he wanted on it.  I also ordered a side salad and
a drink for each of us.

Although Kevin was still down, he did eat well.  I guess his stomach
finally informed him he had neglected it for far too long, so he ended up
devouring four slices of pizza and his salad, plus several drinks.  It was
good to see him putting something into his system.  Once we finished, I
paid the bill, left a tip and then we took Kevin back to his dorm.

Once we got there, I called the house, to see if there was any word on
Vinnie.  I soon discovered they had heard nothing, which concerned me even
more.  Since I knew I wouldn't rest until we located our prodigal son, I
told Kevin it was time for Jake and I to go.  It was imperative we leave
early, since we were going to be taking our time traveling home.  It would
be a slow and tedious process, as we checked every inch of the highway
looking for signs of Vinnie.  We would get off at every exit ramp and stop
at each rest area, all the way to the house.

After hearing our plans, Kevin begged to go with us, but I told him I
didn't think that would be wise.  We weren't planning to make another trip
back here and I didn't want him to miss any classes.

"Dad, I'm not going to be able to concentrate or do anything until I've
worked things out with Vinnie anyways," he informed me.  "So, can't I go
back with you?  I really need to do this."  His face pleaded with me to
give in to his request, but I just couldn't do that.

"Kevin, I know this is important for you, but you are thinking with your
heart and not your head," I countered.  "You can't afford to take time off
from classes now and if we hear anything or locate Vinnie, we'll let you
know.  In fact, I promise that I'll drive out here with him next weekend,
so you two can patch things up.  Will that help?"

Although Kevin looked slightly relieved, I could see he still didn't
totally agree with my suggestion.  However, he finally relented by saying,
"Okay, as long as you'll make sure Vinnie calls me as soon as you find him,
because I really need to tell him how sorry I am.  Then you have to promise
you'll bring him here next Friday and stay until Sunday afternoon.  I have
a lot of making up to do with him."

"I promise, Kevin, and we'll keep in touch," I confirmed.

Jake and I both hugged and kissed Kevin, to let him know that even though
he made a horrible mistake, we loved him nonetheless.  He walked us out to
the car and didn't go back inside until we disappeared from sight, but I
knew how depressed he still felt.  In fact, he probably wasn't going to
feel any better until Vinnie and he had worked things out.

Jake and I drove under the speed limit all the way home, to ensure we
wouldn't miss anything.  We searched both sides of the highway and looked
for signs of Vinnie and the 4Runner. I feared Vinnie might have been
involved in an accident, which hadn't yet been discovered, and was stranded
somewhere off the beaten path.  However, we saw no signs of anything of
that nature, so I guess my hunch was wrong.

Jake and I got off at each exit and drove a little ways in each direction,
to see if we could find any trace of our missing son or his vehicle.  After
finding nothing to indicate he had been there, we would get back on the
interstate and continue searching.

At each rest area, we would not only stop and look around, but we'd also
try to find anyone who might be on duty there.  We would ask them if they'd
seen a boy on crutches during the past 24-hours, figuring they might
remember that one obvious detail.  Try as we might, the best we did was to
find one guard who said he'd seen several men and boys on crutches over the
past couple of days.  However, he could not give us enough specific
information to allow us to identify Vinnie as being one of them.  Somewhat
disappointed, we continued on like this, until we finally arrived back at
the house.

Some of the boys came running out to greet us and see if we'd found Vinnie,
but when they learned we hadn't, they were as disappointed as we were.
They informed us they hadn't heard from him either, so I was now ready to
push the panic button again.  To prevent that from happening, I decided it
would be wise to seek assistance from law enforcement, but not tonight.  It
was nearly midnight and I knew it would be too dark for them to accomplish
much.  Besides, it hadn't been 48 hours yet, but tomorrow I'd explain none
of us had seen Vinnie since Friday at school.  It wasn't exactly a lie,
since Kevin hadn't really seen him either.

Once I concluded we'd all do better after having a good night's sleep, I
sent everyone to bed.  We'd go to church first, before we did anything
else, so we could pray for Vinnie's safe return, and then I'd call Steve
Shay.  He was legally Vinnie's father, so he should know what had happened,
but I also hoped he'd know someone in a high enough position to help us
with our predicament.

When I went inside, I discovered Ted and his Aunt Jane were there.  I had
totally forgotten they were coming for our party.  Sammy had invited him to
be his date for the Valentine's Day shindig, which thrilled Ted to no end.
He told his Aunt Jane about it, even though I had called and given her a
heads-up before I allowed Sammy to make his call.  Jane took the weekend
off and volunteered to bring her nephew, after she worked things out with
Ted's parents.  Jane and Ted merely told them they were coming to visit us
and never mentioned that Ted had a date for a party.  It was probably a
wise move on their part, even though I hate to lie or deceive parents in
this manner.

The boys had gotten both of them set up in a room, since we had plenty of
space with all the college boys being away.  Ted and Jane would spend
tonight with us and then leave after things finished tomorrow.  Due to
their long drive home, we'd have to have the party earlier than originally
planned.  We would eat at 4:00 and then proceed with the other activities,
so we'd finish up around 7:00.  That way, they could get home by midnight.

Although there were a bunch of protests about not wanting to go to church
the next morning, I was insistent.  In an effort to try to get me to change
my mind, my sons argued someone should stay at the house, just in case
Vinnie called or returned, but I wasn't convinced.  They pressed their case
by stating I didn't allow them to take their cell phones in to church, so
they didn't see how Vinnie could reach us.  To dismiss their argument, I
told them I'd take my cell phone with me, set to vibrate of course, just in
case Vinnie called.  Obviously, they couldn't find any other issues to use
to change my mind, so they gave up and went up to their rooms.

After suffering through a rotten night's sleep, as my concerns about Vinnie
grew, I slowly came to life.  Once I was sufficiently coherent, I went
around and made sure all the boys were up and everyone was getting ready
for church.  Once they were dressed appropriately, we loaded everyone into
our vehicles and headed to our usual place of worship.  After we'd been
there for a few minutes, I think the boys began to be thankful I made them
come.  We all prayed and discovered a renewed sense of hope in doing so.

Ted and Jane really seemed to enjoy being there with us.  They reveled in
being part of such a large group and had been greeted warmly by the rest of
the congregation when we arrived.  It was obvious they felt a special
connection to our family and eagerly participated in the service.

When the minister finished his sermon, the boys pulled me aside.  They
informed me, in their own way, that they wanted to go home, instead of
having brunch, as we would normally do.  This time I gave in to their
request, since I was eager to get in touch with Steve.  Jake said he and
some of the boys would whip something up instead, to tide us over until our
special dinner.

When we arrived home, I checked the messages on our answering machine, but
there was still no word from Vinnie.  Feeling depressed, I got on the phone
and called Steve.  He picked it up on the third ring.

"Steve, it's Josh," I announced.  "Vinnie has turned up missing and it's
been over 24-hours since any of us last saw him.  Do you know anyone in law
enforcement who might be able to help?"

"What happened?" Steve gasped back.

"It's a long story, but I'll explain in a minute," I said.  "However, do
you know anyone in law enforcement who might be able to assist us?"

"Yes, Josh, I do," he confirmed.  "But please tell me what happened?"

"I let Vinnie go see Kevin, but Kevin happened to be entertaining someone
else at the time," I explained.  "Vinnie walked in and caught them in a
compromising position and freaked out.  He took off and none of us have
seen or heard from him since."

"Damn, Josh.  I hope he's okay," Steve responded.  "Look, I know the
commander of the local State Police barracks, so let me call and explain to
him my adopted son is missing. I'll have him contact you for the details.
Will that be okay?"

"Yes, Steve.  More than okay," I agreed.  "I'm sorry I let this happen."

"Josh, Vinnie's eighteen and a strong-minded young man," Steve admitted.
"He's not easy to rein in, once he's made up his mind, and I know you would
never have allowed him to do anything that might be potentially dangerous.
I'm sure he was hurt because of what he saw, so it's possible he believes
he can't face any of us yet.  Let's hope he's just staying at a motel
somewhere, trying to cool off and regain what's left of his dignity."

"I pray you're right about that, Steve," I concurred, "but Jake and I just
drove the entire length of the route Vinnie would have taken to get to
Temple and then back again.  Unfortunately, we didn't see any trace of him,
so I'm really worried about this.  I've already lost two sons and there's
no way I could handle going through something like that again."

"Don't worry, Josh," Steve suggested.  "I'm willing to bet Vinnie's fine.
Just give it some time and I'm sure he'll return.  I'll make that call now,
so be expecting to hear something shortly.  The State Police will probably
want a picture and a description of what Vinnie was wearing, so see if you
can get that together in the meantime."

"Right, Steve," I agreed.  "I'll do that and thanks for your help."

I hung up and started asking the boys if any of them remembered what Vinnie
was wearing when he left for school on Friday.

"I'm pretty sure he had on his brown corduroys," Graham informed me.

"Yeah, that's what he was wearing," Sammy confirmed.  "He also was wearing
a black sweater.  I remember, because I saw him in the hallway in school,
right after lunch."

"Okay, any idea what shoes he was wearing?" I continued.

"Same ones he almost always wears," Cole informed me.  "His brown, slip-on
Nevados."

"Okay, what about his jacket?" I pressed.

"He was wearing his black Old Navy jacket," Trey added.

"Okay, I think I have enough for when Uncle Steve's friend calls me," I
informed them.  "Thanks, boys.  This will help a lot."

Now, all I had to do was to wait for the phone to ring and that didn't
happen right away.  It was nearly an hour later, before I got the call.



The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 7 - by BW
Copyright 2009 by billwstories
Chapter 38 -- Worries and Diversions.

"Hello, may I speak with Josh Currie, please?" the voice on the other end
of the receiver asked.

"Speaking," I replied, although it was not my usual response.

"This is Captain Charles De Luca," he informed me.  "I'm in charge of the
local State Police barracks and Judge Shay suggested I call you for
information.  Steve said something about his adopted son disappearing and
you'd be able to give me more details."

"Yes, and thank you for getting in touch with me," I told him.  "Steve's my
best friend and Vinnie has been living here with me for quite a while."

"I won't ask why," he stated dryly, "but I'm going to need some
information.  What is the boy's full name and description?"

"His proper name is Alvin Mitchell Rydell-Shay.  The last name is
hyphenated and he likes to be called Vinnie," I told him.

"And he is Judge Shay's adopted son?"  I knew why he was confused.

"Legally, he is, although Vinnie decided to keep his biological parents'
surname and hyphenate it with Judge Shay's," I explained.  "His mother and
father were in one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center
on September eleventh and he thought he should honor them by keeping their
name too.  Steve understood and agreed."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that and now I understand," he apologized.
"Please forgive me, if I sounded cold and unfeeling earlier."  It was
amazing how tying this to September eleventh had given him an instant
attitude adjustment and made him more sensitive to our plight.

"It's not a problem, but let's get back to Vinnie," I urged.  "He's
eighteen, five foot- six inches tall, has brown hair and brown eyes, and
uses metal crutches.  He was born with cerebral palsy and can't get around
well without them."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that too," he offered, sincerely.  "Do you have a
picture of him?"

"Yes, I do, and I'll drop it off wherever you wish," I told him.

"That won't be necessary," he informed me.  "I'll have a car drop by and
pick it up.  Can you tell me when and where he was last seen?"

"Yes.  He left for Temple University after he finished his last class on
Friday, so he could visit one of my sons," I began.  "No one has seen or
heard from Vinnie since.  We are all beside ourselves with worry and afraid
something has happened to him.  A couple of us have driven the route Vinnie
would have taken to and from Philadelphia, but we saw no sign of him.
There was some indication he got to Philadelphia, but then left before he
spent any time with my son."

"We'll probably need to talk to your son," he informed me, "to see if he
can provide us with any other clues."

"I know, but can that wait a bit," I wondered, "because my son is really
taking this very hard.  Yesterday, we drove to and from Temple University
and my son wanted to leave school and come with us, so he could help look
too.  I had all I could do to make him stay there, so I don't want him to
feel the situation is dire."

"We'll do our best to keep that from happening," he agreed, "but we will
need to get any information he might be able to provide and learn what he
noticed to make him think the young man had arrived and then left.  It
would help if we could find anyone who might have seen what direction the
young man was going when he left."

"I understand," I acknowledged.

"What kind of vehicle was he driving?" De Luca asked.

"He was in a 1998 Silver Toyota 4Runner, Limited 4 X 4, with Pennsylvania
D.A.R.E. license plates, number DA 978."

"Great!  I have all the information I need," he confirmed.  "I'll fill out
a report and get this information out to the field as quickly as I can.
Let me give you my home and work numbers, so you'll be able to call me if
you hear anything from him in the meantime."

I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the information he gave me and
then thanked him for his help.  After I hung up, I informed everyone about
what he told me he was going to do and then we began to prepare for our
delayed Valentine's Day party.

I felt bad the boys had to put this off until today, because we planned
this for them, not for Jake and I.  I did understand why they wanted us to
be part of it too, but it did mess up some of their plans.  Fortunately,
all of their dates understood and still agreed to attend, but I wasn't sure
it was going to be the same.  Just the same, I sent the boys up to set out
what they were planning to wear.

Before we went to change, Jake and I took the time to make sure everything
was set up as we had planned.  We knew Susan would be arriving shortly, to
begin preparing the meal, and I didn't want her to contend with other
distractions.  Once we finished doing that, Jake and I sat down to discuss
what options we might have concerning Vinnie.

Susan arrived a few minutes later and announced she had brought a great
many items with her.  She told us she had begun her preparations at home
and that's why she had so much to carry in.  All she planned to do here was
to use our ovens to cook the meal and then, she'd serve it, after filling
everyone's drink order.  Jake and I quickly volunteered to help her bring
everything inside, and then we left Susan to work her magic in the kitchen.

Before Jake and I went to our room to get ready, a patrol car showed up to
pick up Vinnie's photo.  After they left, Jake and I went to change, while
the finishing touches were added to the food.  When we came back out, all
the boys were starting to come downstairs, probably because the smell of
the food had lured them.  They were hoping they might even be given samples
first, but that didn't happen.  I had to admit it did smell wonderful.

I was also impressed when I saw the boys.  Some of them were dressed in
suits or sport coats, while the others were dressed in nice sweaters and
slacks.  They all looked very handsome.

At that point, Cole and Mark left to pick up their girlfriends, and Jake
went to pick up Peter's date.  Yes, at nearly the last minute, Peter had
invited a young girl he'd met at school and she accepted.

Andrew's friend's parents had dropped him off the previous evening and he
had spent the night, so he was already with us.  In fact, his parents had
no qualms when he advised them the party had been postponed until this
afternoon, so he wouldn't be home until Sunday night.  As I told you, they
are very liberal and open-minded.

It wasn't long before the four of them were returning, with their dates on
their arms.  After exchanging greetings with the three girls, I apologized
for having postponed this event until today.  They each said they
understood and it was no problem.

I did notice that all of the girls were sporting a nice corsage, which I
suspected they had been given by their date.  Mark's girlfriend had her
corsage fastened to her lovely dress, while Cole and Peter had given their
dates wrist corsages.  I was just about to suggest that we should go in and
be seated when Frankie came downstairs.  Wow!  I was in for another
surprise.

Even though I knew he wanted to make this a formal affair, I hadn't
expected him to rent a tux just to wait on tables, but he had.  Boy, did he
look awesome.  I think the girls noticed him, as well.  Frankie led us to
our places, in pairs, and seated us.  He had everything set up in advance.

There were four card tables, arranged where our large dining room table
would normally have been, and each was covered with a nice tablecloth.
They also had a candle placed in the center, for atmosphere.  The
silverware was laid out in its appropriate place and the napkin was folded
so it stood up where the plate would eventually be set.

Jake and I were seated with Mark and his date.  The next table had Sammy,
Ted, Graham and Little Ricky, so that Sammy and Graham were on either side
of Ted.  The next table was for Trey, Dion, Andrew and his little friend.
The last table was for Cole, Peter and their dates, so it all worked out
quite nicely.

Once we were seated, Frankie lit the candles and Susan took our drink
orders.  There was wine, beer and mixed drinks for those of age and soft
drinks for those who were not.  While she went to fetch our desired
beverage, Frankie asked us which dressing we would like on our salad.
Before long we were starting on the first course, but still managed to talk
in between bites.

Even though none of us was really in the mood to celebrate, we realized how
much work Susan had put in to do this for us.  Therefore, we did all we
could so we didn't disappoint her.

When all the salads had been consumed, Frankie collected our salad bowls,
before he returned with the main course, dished out appetizingly on our
best dinnerware.  The Duck L'Orange was moist and had a marvelous flavor.
Although I wasn't sure how everyone would take to the asparagus soufflé,
they all seemed to enjoy it.  The creamed potatoes were wonderfully done as
well, so everything was perfect.

I had told Susan, in advance, that everyone would be allowed one glass of
wine with their meal, which they all took advantage of.  I had checked with
their parents first, to make certain this wouldn't be a problem, and they
all agreed it would be fine.  When Susan refilled my glass, I happily
passed my compliments concerning the wonderful meal.

Once those dishes were cleared, we were asked what topping we would like on
our cheesecake and then they were delivered to the table.  The girls cooed
seeing the little heart-shaped treats with the red foil Hershey's kisses
lined around it, and it was the lightest cheesecake I think I've ever
eaten.  All in all, it was at least a four- star meal.

Once the dishes were cleared and we were finishing our drinks, I began to
hear music filtering out of the rec room and noticed some of the boys
taking their dates back to dance.  Jake and I got up to join them and
walked into a dimly lit room, with romantic music setting the mood.
Although I wouldn't remember every tune they played that evening, there was
a nice variety of old and new songs.  However, there were three songs that
particularly caught my attention.

The first was "Valentine", by Martina McBride.  At first, I was surprised
to hear a country song, but quickly learned Cole had taken a liking to this
genre of music during our vacation.  Unbeknownst to me, he had been
listening to it when he was alone and had become quite a connoisseur.  It
was he who had requested this particular number and the lyrics went like
this.

If there were no words, no way to speak I would still hear you If there
were no tears, no way to feel inside I'd still feel for you And even if the
sun refused to shine Even if romance ran out of rhyme You would still have
my heart Until the end of time You're all I need, my love My Valentine

All of my life I've been waiting for all you give to me You've opened my
eyes And showed me how to love unselfishly

I've dreamed of this a thousand times Before, but in my dreams, I couldn't
love you more I will give you my heart until the end of time You're all I
need, my love My Valentine

And even if the sun refused to shine Even if romance ran out of rhyme You
would still have my heart Until the end of time Cause all I need is you My
Valentine You're all I need, my love My Valentine


I found those words to be hauntingly beautiful and very appropriate for the
occasion.  I also noticed it led to some serious cuddling and kissing while
it was playing.  In fact, I think that song was played three or four times
during the remainder of this get together, as the couples seemed to take a
special fancy to it too.

The second song that struck me was an N Sync tune, called "God Must Have
Spent A Little More Time On You."  I'm not sure why it caught my attention,
because I'm not a big fan of most of those boy groups, except to gawk at
them.  They seem to be more about putting on a show, rather than focusing
on the music, but I still seemed to enjoy this particular number.  This is
how its lyrics went.


Can this be true, tell me can this be real How can I put into words what I
feel?  My life was complete.  I thought it was whole.  Why do I feel like
I'm losing control?

I never thought that love could feel like this Then you changed my world
with just one kiss How can it be that right here with me There's an angel.
It's a miracle.

Your love is like a river Peaceful and deep Your soul is like a secret that
I never could keep When I look into your eyes I know that it's true God
must have spent a little more time on you Oh, a little more time, yes he
did, baby

In all of creation, all things great and small You are the one that
surpasses them all More precious than any diamond or pearl They broke the
mold when you came in this world

And I'm trying hard to figure out Just how I ever did without The warmth of
your smile.  The heart of a child.  That's deep inside and leaves me
purified

Your love is like a river Peaceful and deep Your soul is like a secret that
I never could keep When I look into your eyes I know that it's true God
must have spent a little more time on you Oh, you... yes he did, baby

I never thought that love could feel like this Then you changed my world
with just one kiss How can it be that right here with me There is an angel.
It's a miracle.

Your love is like a river Peaceful and deep Your soul is like a secret that
I never could keep When I look into your eyes I know that it's true God
must have spent a little more time on you

On you...  God must have spent a little more time on you A little more time
on you, oh.


The last of the three songs that made me take notice was another country
song, which was once again selected by Cole.  Once more, it suited the
event to a tee and was very well received.  It was "Breathe", by Faith
Hill.  These are the lyrics.

I can feel the magic floating in the air Being with you gets me that way I
watch the sunlight dance across your face and I've Never been this swept
away

All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze When I'm lying wrapped up
in your arms The whole world just fades away The only thing I hear Is the
beating of your heart

'Cause I can feel you breathe It's washing over me Suddenly I'm melting
into you There's nothing left to prove Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch The slow and steady rush Baby, isn't that the way
that love's supposed to be I can feel you breathe Just breathe

In a way I know my heart is waking up As all the walls come tumbling down
I'm closer than I've ever felt before And I know And you know There's no
need for words right now

'Cause I can feel you breathe It's washing over me Suddenly I'm melting
into you There's nothing left to prove Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch The slow and steady rush Baby, isn't that the way
that love's supposed to be I can feel you breathe Just breathe

Caught up in the touch The slow and steady rush Baby, isn't that the way
that love's supposed to be I can feel you breathe Just breathe

I can feel the magic floating in the air Being with you gets me that way


Everyone had been dancing very closely together the whole evening, which
included Jake and I.  However, no one stared at anyone else or made any
comments, as they were too caught up in paying attention to their own
partner.  I did let my eyes wander around the room from time to time, so I
could check on all of my children.  That's when I noticed Frankie dancing
with Susan one time and then with Jane at another.  It was nice to see them
enjoying themselves too and I think Mark got an extraordinary delight out
of seeing his mother having a good time.  I know Mark thanked Frankie after
everyone else went home and I thanked Frankie too, for spending time with
both women.

I got a particular thrill out of watching Ted dancing with Sammy, as this
was his first real date since he learned how to dance on New Year's Eve.
He was a little hesitant at first, but warmed up quickly as the evening
wore on.  I was glad his Aunt Jane had stayed out of the rec room until
after he had gotten started.  She, along with Susan and Frankie, had
enjoyed the same meal we had, but they waited until after we were dancing
before they sat down to eat.  By the time Jane came back to watch her
nephew and dance with Frankie, he had lost all of his inhibitions.

Over the course of the next few hours, Frankie, Jake and I all took turns
dancing with her, as well as with Susan.  It was our way of thanking them
for everything they had done to help out.  Although dancing with them was
very nice, Jake and I spent most of our time together.

I also enjoyed watching Andrew dance with his little friend, who also took
a while to warm up to the action.  At one point, I even saw them give each
other a kiss, which was tentative at first, but soon turned into a very
energetic exchange.  I learned later the boy was hesitant to do this in
front of the others, but once he saw everyone else doing it too, he relaxed
and went with the flow.

I even saw Peter and Cole dancing with their dates.  I knew each of the
girls, because they had attended my middle school when I was principal
there, and all of them seemed to be fine with the boys that were with other
boys.  They danced a lot together and I did notice them kissing as well, or
snogging, as Peter would say, so they seemed to be getting along fine.

In the middle of our dancing, the phone rang, so I raced to answer it.  I
thought it might be Vinnie calling or news about him.  However, it was just
Kevin, calling in to see if we had heard anything.  I could tell he'd been
crying again, possibly for most of the day, although he wouldn't confirm
it.  I knew I'd have a major problem on my hands, if something did happen
to Vinnie, and not just with getting Vinnie well again.  Kevin would be
inconsolable and never forgive himself, if something like that were to
happen.  Therefore, I could only pray for both of my boys.

After going back to the party, I continued to have a good time, until
calling an end to the festivities around 7:00.  Ted and his Aunt Jane had
to leave and the rest of us all had school the next day.  I hated to call a
halt to such a wonderful time, but I had to put my role as parent first and
my wanting to continue spending time with my lover after that.

I did get more than a few mild protests, but Jane helped to end the
uprising by saying they really did have to go and they would appreciate
help carrying their things out to the car.  Of course, Sammy and Graham
bolted to assist them, with Little Ricky in hot pursuit, so my being a
miserable ogre was momentarily forgotten.  Mark and Cole volunteered to
drop Peter and Andrew's dates off as well, and those boys accompanied them
when they did so.

Once everyone returned, I was able to learn that the previous evening
hadn't been an entire loss, at least as far as some of the boys were
concerned.  Although they were also worried about Vinnie, their raging
hormones helped them forget, at least temporarily, about Vinnie's plight.

Sammy made certain that Ted spent the night with him, while Graham and
Little Ricky shared a room.  Ted was eager to have another sexual
experience with Sammy, while Little Ricky and Graham did the same.  The
boys had also been wise enough to put Jane in Vinnie and Kevin's room, on
the first floor, so she wouldn't hinder their fun.

Andrew also got more than he expected, when his friend spent the night.
After noticing some of the other boys going to take a shower together,
Andrew's friend suggested they could do the same.  Andrew was ecstatic at
the idea and eagerly agreed.  Once they stripped down, Andrew noticed the
boy was circumcised and had a few scattered hairs above his penis, but it
wasn't much larger than his own.  Suddenly, he felt more confident than he
otherwise might have.

While the boys showered, they even agreed to touch each other and do a
little mutual exploration.  Andrew didn't have to explain about being
uncircumcised, since the boy's parents must have told him about the
differences at some point.  This meant they could focus on each other,
without having to ask or answer questions.

During this exploratory process, both boys got boners, but decided to wait
until they got back to Andrew's room before taking care of them.  Andrew
was a little disappointed, but that didn't last for long.  Once they were
alone in his room, the boy offered to masturbate Andrew, if he would do the
same for him.  Andrew immediately agreed and they jumped on the bed
together.

Andrew's friend quickly stroked him to his dry orgasm and then Andrew
returned the favor.  The boy took a little longer to get off, but when he
did, he produced a small amount of immature ejaculate.  The boy admitted it
was only the second or third time it had happened, so once again it didn't
make Andrew feel too bad.

Once the boy cleaned up, Andrew asked him if he'd ever had a blowjob and
the boy said no.  Andrew asked if he wanted to try, and after thinking
about it for a few minutes, he agreed he did.  Hesitantly, he let Andrew
position him so they could suck each other off, even though they had both
climaxed just a short time before.

Once he began to feel how good this felt, the boy enthusiastically took
part in both the giving and receiving of oral sex.  Although neither of
them had another orgasm, they both enjoyed what they had done.  From what
Andrew told me, he thought they'd be getting together again in the future,
so they could try more things together.

Now, other than Jake, the only thing that occupied my thoughts was Vinnie.
'Where the hell are you and why haven't you called?' I wondered.


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