All for Acceptance

By: Rod
(© 2010 by the author)

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

Chapter 4

As the phone rang Travis threw his legs over the edge of the bed and reached for the invader of their privacy. 

“Uncle Travis, are you coming to my party today?  Mammy said you would come.  Will you?  Will you?  You gotta be here!  When are you coming?”

“Yes Phillip, I’ll be there with bells on and bringing someone else too for you to meet.”

“Great Uncle Travis, when are you gonna get here?  Mammy says I can’t cut my cake till you get here.”

“Settle down Phillip, my friend and I will be there right around lunch time little guy, I promise.  Now tell Mammy what I said and you be good or I’ll have to give you a harder birthday spanking.”

“Uncle Travis, I don’t want any birthday spanking please don’t do that but you are bringing me something for my birthday ain’t you?

“If you don’t start using proper English I think Mammy will cancel your party, don’t you?”

“Ok Uncle Travis I’ll try real hard but you gotta, I mean you have to come.  You will, won’t you?”

“Of course little munchkin, I’ll be there around noon.  Be good at least till then.  Then if you aren’t I’ll be there to help your Grandpa with a birthday spanking.”

“All right just hurry over here I want to see you so we can play”

“Bye little munchkin.”

“Bye Uncle Travis”

“Who was that?” asked Allan as he had awoken just in time to hear one side of the conversation.

“That is a very special little boy who’s fourth birthday is today and once we can get up dressed and have some breakfast we are going to visit to celebrate his birthday with him.

“I couldn’t help but hear him call you Uncle Travis is he your nephew?” asked Allan.

“Not really but I guess you might as well know.  Up until five years ago I was very much in love with Phillip Samuelson III.  We had been together for several years and at the age of fifteen circumstances allowed us to live under his roof after the loss of my father.  Five years ago Phillip was killed in an auto accident.  His father Phillip II was devastated.  The family controls a major international company and my Phillip was too eventually, as heir to the family fortune, inherit everything from his Father.  Needless to say there is a world of devastation when a father has to bury a son. There was now no heir, no one to pass things on to. A short time after his son’s death he found Phillip and I had donated sperm to a University program for DNA study.  The sperm was still viable and Phillip II arranged for a surrogate mother to be impregnated with his son’s sperm.   Hence, Phillip IV was born just four years ago today.  Where Phillip II had never been around to give the attention to his son and left it to Mammy and Earnest and honestly, me, since Phillip IV was born, his Grandfather has been with him constantly.  I am his Godfather and if Phillip III were still alive would have been his other Dad.  He looks so much like his Father it is uncanny.  I love the boy but realize that with his age, and I am not a pedophile, I love him as a Father should, I try to be there for him as much as possible, but Phillip II is acting as his real Father though he is actually his Grandfather.  Considering that Phillip II was only 46 when Phillip IV was born there is a good possibility that he will be able to take over the reign when his Grandfather is ready to retire. The boy has been a rejuvenating factor in the house and a joy to all who know him, just as his Father was, it is only unfortunate that he never knew his Father but then, it is the job of those of us who remain to teach him what he could not learn otherwise.  Plus, he has the benefit his father never had.  He has Phillip II to love and be with him rather than just be the visitor who brought presents from all over the world as he passed through the house.  No, Phillip IV has the Father his Father didn’t have.”

“Wow, that’s some situation and you are still involved with the family even after the death?”

“Most definitively, after all the dust had settled I was still considered as a son and there was no reason for anyone to feel otherwise.  I have been closer to Phillip II, Mammy and Earnest then anyone else still living.   It was Mammy and Earnest who actually became my guardians when my Father died.  I owe them more that one could imagine.  Now let’s get up and get moving.  We’ve a birthday party to go to!”

“Shall I take a shower first then you afterward so we have a chance of leaving sometime yet today?” laughed Allan with a sly grin on his face.

“Yeah, I think so Romeo, I’ll get some breakfast started, we need to refuel after last night.”

“Tell me about it. No, on second thought don’t, I might not be in any condition to leave if I get that aroused.”

“Get moving you sex fiend, we got places to go, things to do and people to see, and all that jazz!”

“Hi mister!  Who are you?” squealed Phillip IV as Travis and Allan entered the kitchen door of the mansion.

“Hey munchkin, where are your manners?  Is that the proper way to address someone?” asked Travis with a bit of laughter in his voice.  At the same moment putting out his arms as the ball of energy was jumping towards him.

“Well, Uncle Travis who is he, he sure looks a lot like you but I never saw him before,” stated Phillip IV without hesitation.

“Phillip, this is Allan, a new friend of mine who I hope is going to work with me for a long time,” replied Travis.

“Ain’t I gonna get to work with you Uncle Travis? You always said I could!” asked Phillip with a pouty face.

“Sure munchkin, but not for a long, long time, you know they have laws against little guys like you working,” countered Travis.

“Who cares, I still wanna work with you!”

“Someday munchkin, someday, just grow up first.”

“I am growed up! I’m four years old today,” boasted Phillip IV as he held up four fingers of one hand.

“Wow, that’s getting pretty old but can I work with your Uncle for now?  I really need a job and we like working together.  Is that all right with you?” asked Allan.

“I guess so, at least for now. Gee did you bring me a present too since it’s my birthday?” sang Phillip as he smiled brightly enough to light the room.

“You’re getting awful brash for such a little man, maybe we should give you that Birthday Spanking right now!” threatened Travis in a mock attempt to sound serious, all the while grinning as he saw Phillip II entered the room shaking his head in agreement.

“Maybe Travis, his new friend and I should give you a spanking for your Birthday, the way you are acting,” said Phillip II as he winked at the new arrivals.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be good.  Mammy, Uncle Travis is here now can we cut my Birthday Cake?” asked the little guy.

“I think you better pipe down a little, Uncle Travis and Allan may like to have some lunch with the rest of us before cake.  That’s dessert for good boys who finish their meal,” counseled Mammy while Earnest just shook his head trying not to laugh.

“But Mammy, Grandpa Earnest always says life is too short so you should eat dessert first!”  retorted the little munchkin.

“Not when Mammy’s around little guy!” answered Mammy as she gave Earnest that look.  Earnest turned red but couldn’t help but let out a slight laugh as did the other three men in the room.  As usual Earnest had a comment of his come back to haunt him and what better bearer than a four year old.

Travis swung Phillip IV around in his arms and following Phillip II and nodding to Alan to follow proceeded to leave the kitchen.  Phillip II wanted to visit with them while all knew they should clear the area so Mammy could get things laid out as she wished for lunch.

Seating themselves in the library with Phillip IV tucked between Travis and Allan introductions where made once again this time for the benefit of Phillip II.  Travis relayed the story of what had happened the evening before up to and including the arrival at the hall and then the way Allan had introduced himself and asked for work, the outstanding job he had performed and then the fact that in his predicament stayed with Travis last night.  Phillip II had learnt well how to read Travis and for the first time in a long time saw the look of joy in Travis’s eyes as he told the majority of the story.  Phillip II just wondered how much more wasn’t being said.  But, no matter, if Travis was happy, that was all that mattered, and he looked happier than he had seen him in a long time.

All too soon they were called to the dining room where Mammy had outdone herself.  The lunch was simple, bar-be-que (actually sloppy joe, Phillip IV’s favorite food), several salads including fruit, potato, slaw, then crudities, condiments of several types of pickles, olives, a tray of several types of cheese, and of course potato chips.  Phillip IV couldn’t eat a sandwich, especially his favorite bar-be-que (sloppy joe) without chips. An assortment of beverages at hand and Phillip IV was in his glory.

“Mammy, all the things I really like to eat.  Your realllllllly are special!!!!  I Luvvvv You!” exclaimed Phillip IV as he chomped on a potato chip from one hand while he squeezed a piece of melon with the other.

“Well just show me how much you love me and sit down in the chair and eat right!” instructed Mammy.  Immediately Phillip IV sat down in his chair, took the last bite of the piece of melon, picked up his napkin and wiped his hand and mouth before reaching for another item off of his plate.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could Travis helped to clear the table, Allan jumping up and lending a hand as well.  Moments later they pushed a cart into the dining room with a huge chocolate cake decorated in a circus theme with lions, elephants, tigers and clowns all over the sides of the cake.  Four large candles were lit, sparkling from the top of the tent top covering the top of the cake.   Each of the candles looked as if they were the supporting posts holding up the big top and extending above it.  Travis had begun the chorus of “Happy Birthday” as they entered the room, everyone else joining in as Phillip’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and his smile even wider.  As the song ended he quickly blew out the candles.  Mammy couldn’t get a piece cut fast enough and as soon as the plate was in front of him his fork dug in and a chocolate mess began to form over the biggest part of his face.  The boy did love chocolate and nothing would keep him from it, even if not all heading towards his mouth would be consumed, after all a little boy likes to wear it as much as eat it.  Earnest snapped a few pictures before anyone even had the chance to notice and soon all were enjoying the cake. It had been quite a job for Mammy to keep the cake hidden since Travis had delivered it the other day while Phillip IV was taking his nap.  He had done each year’s birthday cake since Phillip IV had turned one. He had found out Travis had been doing them last year when he turned three.  Before that he really didn’t understand what was really happening, but last year someone had complemented Travis on the beautiful cake and Phillip IV understood for the first time what was going on.  It only made him love Travis and look forward to his visits all the more.

Every time Travis looked at Phillip IV he saw Phillip III the boy’s biological father.  He couldn’t love the boy any more but Phillip IV wasn’t his father and Travis loved him for the little boy he was just as any other father would have.  Sometimes it made the hole in his heart hurt all the more as it reminded him of the boy’s father’s absence.

Gifts were opened and always buying several, Travis had switched the name one special package to read from Allan instead of from him.  The fact that the toy was the MOST Wanted thing Philip IV had hinted at wanted made Allan a very special person in the boy’s eyes and gotten Allan quite a hug and an occupant for his lap for a good while that afternoon as Phillip IV investigated every aspect of the Transformer that once totally extended was as big as he if not bigger.

The activities soon took their toil and Phillip was nodding off to sleep his head resting on Allan’s shoulder.  With Travis leading the way, Allan deposited Phillip IV on his bed for a nap.

The two men decided to say good bye and left to return to Travis’s home, well worn out after spending the time with such a dynamo.  Mammy made Travis promise to come back soon and bring Allan along with.  It seemed that all three adults were well impressed with Allan and even more so with the apparent effect he had on Travis, a good one they felt, and it was nigh time that someone had that effect on Travis again.

To be continued...

A special thanks to Jesse Mercer for editing.

Posted: 09/10/10