The Private Journals of Isaiah Watts
Volume III

By: Nicholas Hall
(© 2022 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

nhall@tickiestories.us

Chapter 4
 

“Gio emerged first from the train. My heart leaped as Mrs. Russo cried out in joy! So splendid looking in his uniform! Behind him came an extremely good-looking young soldier, also in uniform. He couldn’t have been any older than Jimmy or Monty! With him were three adorable young boys. My heart fell when the young soldier, leaned up close to Gio, whispered something, and receiving a warm smile from Gio as he put his arm around the young man, giving him a hug. My god, I just knew Gio abandoned me for another! My heart was crushed. I certainly found out differently that night!”

(The Private Journals of Isaiah Watts) 

“Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.”

Sun Tzu – The Art of War 

The train slowed and stopped at the passenger station in Toledo. Gio peered out the compartment window into the predawn darkness hoping to catch a glimpse of Andy, expected to board here. Andy booked coach passage so he’d have to find a seat there, satisfying any curious conductor, before making his way forward to Gio’s sleeping compartment. Andy was familiar with Gio’s traveling arrangements and location on the train since he, as “Captain Russo’s Military Aide,” was the one making the bookings and arrangements. Andy received a battlefield promotion from Corporal to Sargent and now wore those stripes proudly!

The train lurched forward and back and forward again, as it started to move, causing Vinnie to squirm as if to awaken, but soon settled back down into slumber. Ten minutes later, a very soft tap on the compartment door announced the arrival of Andy. Habits once learned in times of danger are hard to break, as Gio reached for the .38 cal. Pistol on the foldup shelf near his bed.

Vinnie, asleep or not, would most certainly arouse since Gio needed to stand and open the compartment door. He cupped Vinnie’s soft, small butt with one hand, shifted the light-weight lad to his left forearm, settling the sleeping boys ass there, ignoring the twinge of pain in the arm and his left side as he did so, Gio’s right hand picked up the handgun. He approached the door, using his left hand, was able to unlock the door without dropping Vinnie. He sensed Vinnie waking, but the boy remained still, his head resting on Gio’s left shoulder.

Vinnie knew, once Gio began to move, there was a possible danger to all of them, so he feigned sleep, but ready to react by throwing himself from “Poppa’s” arms if a fight ensued. A year and a half with “Poppa”, as well as the oppressions and death set upon his family, prior to and during the German occupation, by both soldiers and the “ga je,” taught him well!

The door opened and Andy quickly stepped inside, carrying his luggage bag and a leather, locked briefcase. Giving a nod to Gio, he shut and locked the door.

“Any problems, Andy?”

“None, whatsoever, Captain. Our couriers were extremely pleased with our generous gifts.”

Vinnie raised his head, swiveled it around, grinned, and said, “Hi, Uncle Andy!”

Andy smiled in return, leaned forward, kissing the lad on the cheek, responded,

“How’s my sweet boy?” Andy responded while reaching forward to take the boy from Gio’s arms.

“Poppa’s still sore so we have to be careful, don’t we?” he continued, looking around to see if anyone else needed his “assistance” in taking a pee.                       

“Well,” Vinnie giggled, “I have to pee and someone has to take me.”

“So do I,” laughed Rico, standing up in bed.

“Me too!” softly echoed Tony, a slight, but sexy smile glowing on his face, while wiggling his hips back and forth making his stiff, uncut cock bounce around. Tony was the most shy of the three around others, preferring to watch, analyze, and then act depending on his decision. Of the three, he was the closest to “Poppa.”

“Well,” commented a smiling Andy when Gio transferred Vinnie to his arms, “we can’t go to the head with this,” cupping Vinnie’s small stiff cock and small, smooth balls in his hand, “sticking out and scaring everyone we meet, can we? Better get a long tee-shirt to conceal this delightful treat.”

He looked at the other two, their stiff boy-cocks protruding from their crotches, “You two better find shirts as well. Right now, you look like two Italian Knights of old heading to battle. Let me check to see how much you’ve grown since I left you.”

Andy put Vinnie down so he could slip a tee-shirt on, reached forward, and with each hand, fondled the stiff cocks and small smooth balls of the other two boys.

“I think,” he said, his eyebrows arching up some, “you, Rico, will be growing a mustache over your willy before long.”

Rico just grinned, hoping it would be sooner than later. After all, he was going to be twelve in four months or so. He couldn’t resist trading tit for tat, so to speak, and reached forward to give Andy’s crotch a squeeze.

“You’re hard, Uncle Andy,” he determined, smiling and squeezing a couple of more times.

“I’m always hard around you good-looking studs,” Andy responded.

Shirts on the trio, Andy led them down the passage way to the restroom at the other end of the rail car.

Laughing softly to himself, amused how Andy treated the boys. Although only a few years their senior, Andy was their big brother, Uncle, and the fussy mother type to the boys. There were times he behaved like a mother hen fussing over her chicks. The boys loved him and he loved them since day one when they first met him.

Using his key, sighing with satisfaction, he opened the leather brief case, and began an inventory of the contents.

As he sorted through the brief case, he wondered how old Andy would be now; maybe sixteen? He’d changed a great deal since becoming associated with the OSS and him. On the outside, first impressions would indicate Andy as a young man, perhaps slightly effeminate, doting, caring for younger brothers or nephews. True, but he was much more, most of it concealed, appearing only when needed or to inform. One might see him as an almost innocent, good-looking, virile young stud!

Andy was so fastidious, which was great, since he had Gio and the three boys to look after and, in his opinion, were messy and needed him to care for them! He was smart as hell, retained everything, it seemed, he absorbed from his prolific reading; a mind like a steel trap! During his time with Gio, he’d picked up, quite easily, a speaking knowledge of Roma and Italian. It was enough he could converse with either group with relative ease. Gio thought he must have a penchant for languages.

He learned more than just language from Gio. He developed a relaxed demeanor, disguising what he felt or what he might do. He was difficult to read by anyone who didn’t know him well. Andy could kill without compunction or hesitation, especially if it meant the preservation of his own life or of those he loved. His best weapons were a pistol or a knife, although he was pretty damned good with a rifle or shotgun. Any aggressor wouldn’t know it was coming until he was falling to his or her death.

Andy could appear unexpectedly, using stealth, distraction, or disguise, all learned from the most ample of teachers, Gio! The young soldier was deeply perceptive, analytical in his decision process, and generally successful.

Most of all, Andy was loyal to a fault to “His Captain” and the boys!

“Yep,” Gio murmured aloud, “I couldn’t have asked for a more loyal or devoted aide. It won’t take Isaiah long to put him under his wing of protection or for Andy to be as loyal and loving to Isaiah as he is to the boys and me!”

“And,” he added with a broad smile, “queer as the rest of us.”

Dressed, under the careful and tactile supervision and assistance from Andy who made it is “duty” to use a wet wash cloth and his delicate, tender fingers and hands to make certain all of the boys’ “special’ parts were clean, in clean clothes (including underwear which they seldom wore), and pronounced fit to meet the public and the members of their new home when they arrived, Andy and Gio trooped the boys to the dining car for breakfast.

After breakfast, the five of them retired to the Observation Lounge car to relax and enjoy the view of the countryside as the train passed by. Train travel was old hat to for the boys, albeit different from the train travel in their homeland, especially during wartime, since they’d been traveling from New England to Washington, D.C. and now to Chicago and then to Rock Island where their journey by train would end.

They were awed by the size of the country they were now going to live in. The United States was much larger than imagined. Coming from a continent where one traveled between countries the size of some the states they traveled through, made it somewhat difficult to conceptualize the amount of land mass of the U.S. True, they’d never traveled China or the Union of Soviet Socialists Republic, but where they were now seemed huge!

The boys’ biggest concern was acceptance by the other boys at this place, this farm, “Poppa” Gio or “don Fiorella” as he was known in and around Porti Sicuro where they were hidden away in a secluded Villa waiting for “Poppa” to heal. Would the other boys and men in the “Ravenwood” like them and be like them? Would there be any of their own kind, Romani, living there or nearby? They’d been assured by “Poppa” there would be.

Andy, when asked such questions, was at a loss to answer them since he too, only was aware of what Gio told him; it was a big farm, with lots of room in the house, the boys who lived there and what they liked and how they lived, his love for Isaiah, and how much he missed the place, and they’d be accepted just fine. Andy also hoped he’d have access to young and older cocks as well! Gio assured him, and the boys, everyone at Ravenwood was just as queer as they were and just as discreet.

“What happens or what we do at Ravenwood is nobody else’s business!” he’d declared.

About an hour from Rock Island, Gio announced it was time to return to their compartment, pack up their baggage, and prepare to unboard the train. Andy made a last inspection of the boys, tidied their hair, adjusting shirts, getting their light jackets ready, and making certain which bag which boy would carry.

“I think my beautiful boys look just fine and will dazzle everyone with their handsome face,” he declared proudly. Giving each a quick kiss on the cheek, he delared them the loveliest of the lovely, as he finished gathering up the luggage and checking the closures on each one.

******* 

Isaiah stood, waiting impatiently for the train to stop as it rolled into the station and began unloading it’s passengers onto the platform. Standing nearby were Mr. and Mrs. Russo, his own grandmother, Dorothea Watts (a close friend of the Russo’s for many years), and Freddy Russo, Gio’s Uncle, who drove the older people to the station.

All of them, including Gio and company, would return to Ravenwood where Paul Ramos and the boys were preparing a welcome home feast! It would also give Gio and his entourage the opportunity meet and spend some time with Gio’s grandparetns and others as well as introducing the new comers to the “family” at Ravenwood.

Isaiah was uncertain how to break the news to Gio Conley died just months before, in April. Perhaps Gio would raise the subject of Conley’s absence and Isaiah could tell him. Gio would be sorely sad and miss Conley terribly as did everyone does at Ravenwood. Isaiah also wondered how Gio would take the news he and Isaiah inherited Conley’s estate, sans those provisions of the will bequeathing certain things to other people or organizations.

Inside one of the passenger cars, Gio, Andy, and the boys waited for the signal from the conductor it was safe to leave the train. Gio turned to Andy and the boys,

“I know you’re nervous, but so am I! I want you to meet my grandparents. They reaised me and I love them. I kow they’ll love you, as well. But I must admit, I’m the most anxious to see Isaiah!”

The conductor gave a wave and Gio stepped first from the train car unto the platform, quickly followed by Andy, Rico, Andy, and Vinnie, each carrying a small travel bag, except Andy, who had a bag of his own, Captain Russo’s, and the leather brief case. Andy looked over those gathered on the platform, spotted who he thought might be Isaiah, leaned over to a smiling Gio, asking,

“Is he as hung as he is good looking?”

“You bet!” laughed Gio softly.

Isaiah, the Russo’s, Grandma Dorothea, and Freddy moved toward where Gio and the others stood after disembarking from the train. Isaiah’s eyes were focused on Gio, splendid and so handsome in his officer’s uniform accompanied by the young military aide and the three adorable, young boys with them. His heart soared, seeing and being so close to his beloved after such a long separation.

As anxious as he was to race forward, as if he could with his bum hip, and embrace Gio, he acquiesced, allowing the Russo’s to greet him first! Gio’s grandmother and grandfather hugged him, kissed him, cried in joy, and his grandfather, so overcome by the sight of his grandson, clasped Gio’s face in his hands, and cried, “Mia Bambino” over and over in Italian.

Isaiah thought, when Gio was first embraced, he saw Gio wince, but whatever it was disappeared just as quickly as it seemed to happen. Isaiah did think Gio looked somewhat gaunt, perhaps wane, tired, but he attributed it to travel or just the period of absence Gio experienced before coming home.

Intently focused on Gio’s physical presence, Isaiah failed to notice a train porter set two more larger suitcases down behind the Aide.

Gio stepped back, his face clearly reflecting the joy of the moment, grinning, announced, and with a wave of his hand, announced, “Grandma and Grandpa, Mrs. Watts, and Freddy, I’d like to introduce my military aide, Sargent Andrew Meyers.”

Andy stepped forward, shook hands with Agostino Russo and Freddy and, removing his hat, greeted the ladies.

“My pleasure!” he said politely.

With another wave of his hand, Gio then proceeded to introduce the boys. As he did so, Isaiah noticed Meyers step behind Gio, placing a hand on his back as if assisting him or being available should something occur.

The three boys were introduced; “Enrico Villar, Antonio Pereiro, and Vincenzo Margoli, ages almost twelve, ten, and eight respectively,” Gio announced, pointing at each one as his name was spoken.

The boys stepped forward, made short bows, and responded with a simple “Hello” in English.

Gio seemed to “flag” a bit, unnoticed by the others, but clearly seen by Isaiah. Meyers leaned over to Enrico, and said something in Roma, giving a nod toward one of the larger suitcases. Isaiah’s eyes darted quickly to see what might be referred to. There was a wooden cane attached to the handle of the suitcase.

Isaiah knew then Gio was not well! Perhaps suffering from and injury?

He also heard Gio say, quite softly, “No” bringing the middle boy, Antonio, stepping forward and standing casually by Gio’s right side where Gio, appearing nonchalant to most observers, placed his right hand on the lad’s shoulder as if it were a natural thing to do; perhaps to reassure the boy all was well in an unfamiliar environment.

Dorothea heard the request for the cane spoken in Roma, since she was closer, and heard Gio’s refusal, but made no comments to Isaiah. She took a closer look at Gio, much in the same way Isaiah did and came to similar conclusions.

Gio stepped over to Isaiah, enveloped Isaiah in his arms, and kissed him passionately on the lips. Their tongues met, engaged increasing the passion the men felt, before Gio pulled back ever so slightly, and in a emotion choked voice, said,

“I’ve missed you so much, my love! It was you and my love for you that kept me alive, focused on what I had to do, and brought me home. I love you so, so much!” and lay his head on Isaiah’s shoulder.

They stood, arms around each other, Gio’s head resting, and Isaiah felt Gio’s body begin to shake as he quietly sobbed his relief, his intense love for Isaiah, the absence his heart felt for his lover, and was now filled with joy and his good fortune!

Isaiah felt a small body lean up against the two of them, almost but not quite trying to insert it between the two of them. He looked down and saw Vinnie looking up, tears in the boy’s eyes, concerned for the welfare of Gio.

“Let’s go to the car,” suggested Isaiah, struggling with his own emotions.

Gio’s right arm settled around Isaiah’s neck and shoulder for support, while Vinnie slipped to the left side, just in case. He wasn’t about to let Gio get too far from him. Enrico quickly picked up Vinnie’s travel bag, while Freddy helped Meyers with the rest of the luggage.

“Your hip?” Gio asked as they walked toward the car. “You seem to be limping more than I recall.”

“Hurts like hell right now,” Isaiah acknowledged, “but once we get home and now you’re back, it’ll get a lot better.”

Isaiah put Gio in the front seat with Antonio in between them. He noticed, as Gio slipped into the seat, he squirmed, made some adjustments in his uniform jacket, and finally settled into the seat.

“If that pistol hooked to your belt on your back is too uncomfortable, take it off!” Isaiah advised.

“Notice, did you?”

“Yeah, when we hugged!”

That was not the real object bothering Gio, other than the stiffness in his side and left leg, but the cockstand he’d developed when he hugged Isaiah on the train station platform. He swore he hadn’t had that big and stiff of a cockstand since he left Isaiah before he left for overseas. Perhaps a good couple of fucks would help ease the distress!

He responded, instead, “Think I’ll just leave it there for now. Andy has one as well.”

“There’s another in the glove compartment,” Isaiah explained, “along with a .410 ga. pistol under the seat.”

“Expecting trouble?”

“Just precautionary!”

Gio turned slightly, gave a nod to Andy, who made certain the leather brief case was on his left side and his right-hand side was free to grab his own pistol if needed. He also thought to change the subject, asking,

“How’s Conley doing? Just as horny as ever?”

Isaiah didn’t respond immediately, instead drove a couple of miles, swallowing hard to stem a sob, answered, “He died in April; heart failure the doctor said.”

Gio, the impact of Conley’s loss deeply affecting him, commented, “Well, Shit!”

A few silent miles rolled by until Gio finally was able to say, “I’ll miss him terribly!”

“We all do; especially the little boys!”

“Ravenwood?” Gio asked.

“You and I are the heirs to his estate, at least that part, a considerable part at that, except those bequeaths he made to others or organizations. More about that for another time, okay?”

The large tent Isaiah had set up in the yard to serve as a shelter in case of rain, was well furnished in folding tables and chairs and a long serving table. It would accommodate the large number of people Isaiah anticipated coming to the homecoming. In case they did run out of room, there were wooden picnic tables scattered about the yard as well.

“What’s that smell? Rico asked in Roma, leaning over the front seat before they got out of the car.

“Roast pork!” Isaiah answered in Roma causing all three of the boys to drop their jaws and then smile. They were among their own people, as Poppa Gio promised.

“We have a whole hog on a spit over a fire pit roasting. Been cooking all night!” Isaiah continued in English.

He’d stopped in front of the house, so when he climbed out and invited the others to do the same, announcing,

“We’ll get you unloaded and into your rooms after I get some help!”

Isaiah gave a whistle and two older young men emerged from the tent and two younger Asian boys hustled right behind them, the smallest of the two pulling up his pants.

“Rico, Tony, and Vinnie,” Gio said with a laugh understanding what had been taking place, “meet Jimmy, Monty, Andres, and Carlito, they all live here.”

Rico, not certain of how the four would react to the three of them, slipped in front of Vinnie. If there was a problem, Tony knew he had to get Vinnie out of there fast, while Rico fought the others off.

“Uncle Gio,” the two younger boys squealed, launching themselves toward Gio. Before Isaiah could caution the boys to take it easy, Andy stepped in front of Gio, to lessen the welcoming attack. It gave Gio the chance to say, “Easy boys, I’m a bit sore from all the travel and my experiences overseas.”

They still gave him a hug, albeit a light one, while Jimmy and Monty shook his hand, followed by a small hug and a kiss.

Gio then introduced Andy and the boys, mentioning, “I think Tony and Vinnie might be close in age to you two,” pointing at Andres and Carlito, “and Rico close to Cordell and Eddie in ages. I’ll let you guys sort it all out, along with names and everything else.”

“This soldier standing next me,” Gio continued, “is Sargent Andy Meyers, my military aide, and he’ll be living here as well. I’m certain he’ll fit in with all of us.”

Isaiah decided, after receiving Gio’s telegram on the number coming to live, to put Meyers and the three boys in their old bedroom, moving Carlito and Andres to Eddie and Cordell’s room, temporary until the boys sorted themselves out and the “Italian Roma’s” felt more comfortable. Gio and he would occupy his bedroom, the one Conley used downstairs until his death. Isaiah referred to it as the “master bedroom.”

It didn’t take long for the luggage to be carted upstairs to the bedroom, with Carlito and Andres leading the way and Jimmy and Monty carrying the heavier pieces. Isaiah was about to reach for Gio’s bags but was stopped by Andy Meyers.

“I can handle my Captain’s luggage, Mr. Watts.”

“Ah, yes you can. It would save my leg,” Isaiah said, deciding he’d let Andy do what Andy did, take care of Gio, his “Captain.”

The three of them walked into the kitchen where Paul Ramos and Tommy were busy putting the finishing touches on the side dishes and desserts. Ramos gave a big grin, hollered out “Welcome home!” while Tommy whooped with joy, ran over to Gio, but gave him a half-hearted hug since he held a wooden spoon in one hand and a whisk in the other. He made certain he received a kiss from Gio in return!

“Where’s St. James?” Gio asked, curious where the older man might be.

“Taking care of the hog,” Ramos answered.

“Cordell and Eddie?”

“Should be showering now,” Isaiah said, “they did all of the chores early so the others could work on the party.”

Through the dining room, extra chairs and another leaf in the big table, through the living room, past the office and Ramos’ bedroom, to the master bedroom. Andy looked it over carefully, assessing where Gio would be sleeping permanently, and decided, in his own mind, it was adequate. He really didn’t like the big window overlooking the back yard however. Andy thought it might make access to his Captain too easy. He made no comment however.

“Shall I unpack for you, Captain?” Andy asked.

“Nah, leave it! I’ll get it later.”

“Captain,” Andy said respectfully, “why don’t I help, later. You know how you just toss things in drawers and then wonder where they are.”

Rather than discuss it, Gio grinned and said, “Okay!”

“How about this?” Andy asked holding up the leather brief case.

“Leave it! I’ll lock it up in the office safe. In the meantime, why don’t you go upstairs and help the boys get organized and things put away. Sort out your own sleeping arrangements while there. I’ll see you after, near the tent.”

Isaiah and Gio walked outside, joining the Russo’s, Dorothea, Freddy, and now, Isaiah’s parents, already seated in chairs in the tent. Monty and Jimmy, after leaving the bedrooms when Andy appeared, made certain they all received their favorite mixed drinks. Isaiah and Gio barely had time to get their own drinks, settle down in chairs, until the clamoring noises of little boys, followed by the deeper laughs of Cordell and Eddie, erupted from the door and they all tumbled out onto the porch and into the yard. Andy walked out behind them, a big grin on his face as well.

“Don’t think they’ll have any problems adjusting to this life,” Gio commented.

The whole hog, roasted and served with side dishes and desserts, was a huge hit with the large crowd of friends, family, and members of the community of Decker’s Corner. After it appeared the crowd reached its peak and all were served, Gio stood, raised his hand for silence, and thanked the crowd for being there and welcoming him home. In the process, he introduced Andy, Rico, Tony, and Vinnie as new members of the growing household at Ravenwood and Decker’s Corner.

Isaiah watched and listened as he specifically thanked those who prepared the meal, his grandparents, and Isaiah, realizing Gio spoke with the confidence and authority of someone who had commanded others, made decisions affecting lives, yet, in a manner befitting a leader who could inspire, reassure, was compassionate, exhibited appropriate humility, and cause action to occur by those who would follow him.

By eight o’clock, the guests began departing for home and the boys of Ravenwood helped Ramos and Tommy put away the leftovers in the huge refrigerator in the kitchen, while Isaiah’s brothers, cousins, and aunts and uncles folded tables, chairs, moved picnic tables for ease of loading in the morning, and hauled garbage away to be disposed of.

Thanking and waving to last ones to leave, Gio turned to Isaiah and said simply,

“Thanks for one hell of a party!”

On the way to the house, doing a quick survey of what was left to do, such as taking the tent down in the morning and taking it to storage at Decker’s Store where it could be used by anyone in the community, Andy stopped the two of them, saying,

“Captain, I’m taking our boys up for showers and bed. They’re just about ready to drop.”

Gio nodded, asking they come back down stairs for a goodnight hug and kiss before crawling into bed.

Isaiah and Gio settled on the couch in the living room and enjoyed a nightcap while waiting for the boys. Andy brought Rico, Tony, and Vinnie, all clad only in their underwear, down stairs, where they each received a big hug and kiss from Gio, along with expressions of his love for them, and did accept a hug from Isaiah. They just weren’t certain what their status would be with him or whether or not they accepted him.

“Better show them where I sleep, Andy,” Gio advised, “in case one of them needs to find me.”

The rest of the boys and young men, made their appearances before heading up to bed. Each expressed how relieved and happy Gio was home while telling him how much they loved him and Isaiah. Hugs and kisses were exchanged all around, just as it was before Gio went into the army.

The house settled down. Gio looked longingly at Isaiah, hugged him, as best he could, saying, “Take me to bed, my love and love me as I longed to be loved!”

Walking to their bedroom, Isaiah thought of Gio addressing the friends and family who came to welcome him home. Gio was no longer the boy with a slingshot killing pheasants or pigeons, or telling tales concerning rattlesnakes biting sensitive parts of a body. Underneath the quiet, confident demeanor Gio exhibited before the crowd, he was a deadly and efficient killer; a berserker who was dark as the night, silent as a mist, deadly as an asp at the breast, now a chameleon come home!

To be continued...

Posted: 07/22/2022