Friends and Family Series
Kip & Kyle
By:
Ron Robbins
(© 2011 by the author)
Editor:
Frank Perry
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Chapter 5
St. Thomas
The taxi dropped them off at their villa. "This is absolutely beautiful, Kyle; you do have good taste."
"Thank you, it is rather nice and has been in the family for years. I had it completely renovated and redecorated after the folks passed away. I'm glad you like it. Why don't we freshen up and head into town to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner. We can sit on the veranda and look down at the entire harbor while we enjoy our dinner."
"That sounds very inviting."
They were sipping an after dinner brandy with their coffee enjoying the view. "Kyle, I'm sorry I was so hard on Karl this afternoon. I should learn to keep my opinions to myself about him."
"That's all right, I'm not upset. I know you meant well. Don't think I haven't asked myself where my relationship is headed with Karl. He was my first lover. I've been very happy with him up to now. I walked into this relationship with my eyes wide open. Most Europeans accept extra marital affairs as a way of life. Karl is not any different from any other European man. When he said he wanted me for his lover, I was in seventh heaven. I believed him when he said that one day we would be together as a couple.
"I was willing to accept that type of arrangement. It worked out well for both of us. I certainly did not intend to move to Germany and he felt the same way about moving to the U.S. We both have businesses to run and that comes first. Maybe we'll never end up together, but for now, I plan to continue our relationship as it is. I happen to be in love him and I know he feels the same for me. If I had been more mature at the time, I probably would never have gotten involved with him in the first place. I let my heart rule my head.
"It was stupid of me to become involved with a junior partner who was running my business overseas. If you think about it, I'm skating of very thin ice. I plan to be very careful in how I handle Karl from this point on. Don't forget he wanted to buy me out three years ago. If push comes to shove, it could become an issue again. Karl has some advantage, but that is not going to happen right now.
"Enough of my love life, it's getting late and I'm bushed, let's head back to the villa. Oh, incidentally, I rented a sailboat for the week. I thought we could do some island hopping and scuba diving. Are you up for that?"
"Sure and for as long as you teach me how to scuba dive and to water ski; I'm a city boy, remember?"
"Don't worry, I'll teach you."
Aboard the Island Princess
"How do you like sailing so far?" Kyle asked.
"It's absolutely fantastic. It's so relaxing and peaceful. To me it's just a delight to the senses. I enjoy the sound that the wind makes through the sails and the gentle rocking of the yacht as she cuts through the water, and the fresh clean smell of the sea. I've never slept better," Kip chuckled, "it would be heavenly if I could do something about your snoring? Oh, well, I think I can put up with it one more night."
"Poor misguided lad that you are, you don't even realize that it's your own loud snoring that woke you up, not mine. Come on, why don't you admit it?"
"That's it, blame it on the kid," Kip said, smiling. "The only reason I didn't wake you up is because you needed your sleep. Come over here and lay down while I rub some more sun block on your back. You look a little pinkish."
Kyle got up from his deck chair and lay face down on the air mattress next to Kip.
"Wow, your neck muscles are in knots. Let me work on your neck and shoulders for a while."
Kip straddled Kyle's hips and began rubbing the oil into Kyle's taut neck muscles.
"You want to talk to me about it? What's bothering you? You should know by now that you can't shock me. Christ, I'm your best friend; now, out with it."
"Do you remember a Dr. Braun who was trying to get in touch with me?"
"Yeah, I remember, he was a persistent guy, as I recall."
"And do you remember me telling you that it was my father's wish to see his grandchildren join the family business before he died?"
"Sure, every father wants that, your father was no exception."
"Well, I'm the last of the Petersens and I've been struggling with this for some time, even before my dad died. I want to see the name carried on. Dr. Braun's organization is in the business of finding surrogate mothers for families that can't have children.
"Two years ago, I hired him to find several women who would be suitable candidates to conceive my children. After months of intensive searching, he found two women who would be ideal mothers. They were a perfect match so I selected both women. They were impregnated with my sperm by artificial insemination six months ago. Both women are doing well and the babies will be born in February. As luck would have it, I have fathered three children, a set of twins, a boy and girl, by one mother, and boy by the other mother."
"That's wonderful news, how marvelous. Now I'm going to be an uncle. This is cause for a celebration. Okay, let's have it all, you're holding something back. Surely there must be more to it than just the kids?"
"Yeah, I'm getting to that. I've felt guilty not telling you before this, but the doctor said not to jump the gun until everything was okay. Too many things could go wrong during the first six months of pregnancy according to the doctor. That's why I didn't say anything. However, it was more than that, Kip. I felt badly that I broke my word to you. If you remember, I told you that I would discuss anything that would affect our living arrangements. Certainly, this is one of them.
"I know it's a lot to ask of you, but here's the sticky part. I'll need you to stick by me more than ever. With my upcoming travel schedule, I won't be in the country as much as I had planned. Had I heeded the warning signals on this money market, I wouldn't need to be running around plugging the leaks. You're the only one I would trust to take charge during my absence in case an emergency situation erupts where I can't be reached. You won't have to take care of the babies or anything like that. I plan to hire a full professional staff to take care of them, twenty-four hours a day.
"I know it's a lot to ask, but I intend to pay you well if you will take this on."
"You know I should strangle you right now. You just hurt my feelings big time, buddy. Why would you think I would turn you down on anything this important? My God, you have done so much for me that it will take me a lifetime to pay you back. Listen to me, Kyle, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you and you should know that by now. I'll be happy to do this for you.
"I'm absolutely thrilled that there will be children around the house. Don't take so long the next time to tell me what's troubling you. Forget about paying me; it will be a privilege to take care of your children. Oh, God; you stop that sniveling right now, or as my mother used to say, 'I'll really give you something to cry about'."
Kip smiled and bent down and kissed Kyle on the cheek and whispered, "It's okay; you go ahead and cry, I promise not to spank you."
"I love you, Kip."
"I know," Kip said as he continued massaging Kyle. He could feel him relax under his fingers as the tension faded away. By the time he finished Kyle had fallen asleep. Kip stood up to stretch his cramped legs and lie down on the mattress next to Kyle and then he, too, fell asleep. When he awoke two hours later, the sun was low in the sky. Kyle was lying on his side staring at him.
"Feeling better?" Kip asked.
"Like a new person now that I know everything is okay between us. The Captain wants to know if we want to eat dinner on board or go ashore for dinner tonight. He said that the restaurant at the yacht club on this island is four-star rated. It's up to you."
"Well, I feel like dressing up and stepping out tonight."
"Sounds like a plan," Kyle said. "Let me tell the Captain. Would you like a wine cooler?"
"Hey, that would hit the spot; thanks Kyle. Ask the good Captain how much time we have before we tie up at the yacht club?"
Kyle came back carrying two wine coolers. "We'll be docking in three hours and we're all set for dinner at the club tonight; the Captain has reserved a table for us."
Kyle lay back down on his air mattress and turned on his side to face Kip. "Thanks for what you did before. You don't know what this means to me."
"You realize the apartment is going to be kind of small for three babies and live-in staffs don't you?" Kip said.
"Yes, but I've already taken care of that. I've bought the two penthouse apartments on the top floor of the building. They will be completely renovated into one large penthouse. By the time the babies arrive we should be moved in. You'll go wild over our bedroom suite. It's twice the size of the old one. One wall will have a ceiling to floor glass wall. The apartment is so bright; it will be great for the kids. They'll even have a screened-in outdoor play area. If I had seen those penthouses when I bought the building, I would have bought them back then. I'm really excited how things have turned out."
"There is something I need to talk to you about, Kyle; do you feel up to talking about your brother, Paul?"
"Sure; what would like to know?"
"I invited Sally and Jack Sanford, among my other guests, to my Sunday Brunch last month. I knew they were very close to your family, but I felt there was something in the way Sally reacted toward me that was troubling. Sally kept calling me, Paul. After a while, I stopped correcting her. I asked them to stay after the other guests left. That's when I enquired about Paul. Sally finally admitted that she almost fainted when I walked into the room the day we first met. She thought she was seeing Pauley's ghost.
"Later she admitted that from a distance, I looked like her Pauley, but admitted when we were face-to-face that I was better looking. She did say that many of my mannerisms were identical to Paul's. According to Sally, even my sense of humor and expressions were similar. She told me how close you all were as a family and in particular how close you and Paul were.
"While you were away, I finally was able to sort through the clothes that I was going to keep from Paul's dressing room. During the process, I accidentally found the hidden compartment in the back wall of his wardrobe. The compartment contained all sorts of gay paraphernalia including porno video tapes, dildos, leather thongs and a whole series of nude photographs of both you and Paul.
"In addition, I also discovered several shoe boxes filled with love letters you had written to Paul. I had not intended to read them, but once I began, I could not stop. The letters were so tender and beautiful. I felt I could almost visualize Paul through your letters. I've often wondered how gay men made love to each other, and now I know. Those tapes answered any questions I had. I disagree with Sally; Paul was indeed a handsome young man. He had a well developed physique and you made a handsome couple."
Kyle turned red as he chuckled, "Thanks; it's true; Paul and I were lovers. I never knew that Paul had saved all my letters. He did say he saved a few and reread them when he was down. I'm sorry you had to find them. I had completely forgotten about Paul's hidden compartment. Even had I remembered, I don't think I would have the inclination to get rid of his things. It wasn't until last year that I had the courage to sift through my families' personal effects. Too many memories come flooding back each time I began to go through their possessions.
"You know, Sally was not alone in her praises of Paul. Everyone loved Paul; he was just a wonderful person. He was a charming and friendly young stud who really liked people. I never heard him utter a bad word about anyone. He always found something nice to say about a person. Paul had a charismatic personality that drew people to him. He was an extraordinary individual and excelled at everything he turned his mind to.
"Paul was an outstanding athlete and an honor student as well. It's true, he did have a beautiful body and I loved every inch of him. He was my lover and best friend. We spent hours planning our future together. Like how we would eventually come out to the folks. We never thought of ourselves as your typical gay couple. We keep our orientation well hidden. We still dated and carried on a normal life to family and friends alike. We never had sex with other males. I love Karl, but our relationship has never reached the depth, or the intensity that Paul and I shared."
"Kyle, you don't have to answer this question, but I'll ask it anyway; do you feel for me the same way you felt about Paul?"
"In the beginning I felt that way, but not any longer. It's true; I was attracted to you because you bore a striking resemblance to Paul. I was already into a relationship with Karl when we met. I liked the idea of the brotherly relationship and the companionship we developed. Naturally, I was curious about you. You were a loner and looked like a lost soul. Your handsome good looks, your disposition, and your friendly manner reminded me so much of Paul.
"Of course, what you lacked in athletics you made up for in other areas. You are self-disciplined and know exactly what you want out of life. You're street-smart and not afraid of any man. You have experienced more of life than Paul ever did. You were your own man at fifteen, and you have matured well beyond your years. Today you are sophisticated, intelligent and charming, besides being a caring person.
"Paul was a gentle person, who lived his life in a sheltered existence; he was never exposed to the harsh realities of life. In time, he would have matured and would have taken his place in the family business.
"Sometimes, I feel that you are the older brother. You have a way of cutting through the chaff and getting right to core of things. Over the years that I've known you, we have become close friends. I treasure that above everything else. I trust you and rely on your sound judgment. I enjoy your championship and I treasure the hours we spend together. I know that in time you will make your mark in the world. Yes, one day will you find the woman of you dreams and start your own family. But, until that day I will continue to enjoy your company. Remember, no matter what happens in the future, I will continue to consider you as my brother and I will always love you, and take care of you, no matter what."
"Wow, you sure know how make a guy feel good," Kip said. "I'm glad that you see me for who I am, and not as Paul, as wonderful as he was. I'm flattered that you regard me so highly. That's quite an accomplishment. I've never thought of myself as being handsome. I've always considered myself as average in the looks department. But, as we know, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and if you think I'm handsome, I'll accept that premise and I won't let it go to my head. Now, I think we had better go below and get ready for dinner. I'm sure they will frown on the way we are dressed now, no matter how beautiful and sexy we are."
Two Years Later
Kip opened the door to the nursery. Kay, the children's nurse, was sitting in the lounge chair reading her book. Kip whispered, "How is Chris doing?"
"I finally got him back to sleep again. The doctor thinks it's just colic. All we can do is keep his stomach warm and give him liquid Tylenol every four hours," Kay said.
"You go on to bed and I'll take care of Chris if he wakes up again. I'll activate my monitor. I'm working on a project I must finish up tonight anyway. I'll switch it back to your monitor when I turn in for the night. Kyle said he would be arriving in the wee hours of the morning. I'll leave a note for him to give Chris his medication when it's due again."
"His next medication is due at one-AM," Kay said. "The liquid Tylenol and his spoon are on his bureau. One spoonful only and he can only have diluted Gator-Aid at room temperature. If he does wake up again, lay him on his stomach across your chest, or lay him on the heating pad. Your body heat will keep him warm and he'll fall back to sleep."
"Got it, try to get some sleep."
Kip was still working on his laptop when he heard Chris crying. He walked across to the nursery and took him back to his room.
"What's the matter little fellow?" He kissed him and felt his diaper. "Let's change that diaper and get you a bottle." Kip changed him, picked up his blanket and carried him back to his sitting room. He fed Chris his bottle. Chris was still fussing and couldn't seem to get comfortable. Kip gave him his dose of Tylenol and washed it down with more of his bottle. He sat down on his lounge chair and laid Chris face down on his chest and covered him with the blanket. He rubbed his back until Chris fell asleep.
"You smell so good, my sweet angel."
Kip kissed him on the neck. His little curly head and face were under Kip's chin. Kip picked up the report he was working and began to read.
Kyle walked into the den at 2 AM. He smiled when he saw Chris wrapped in Kip's arms, both sleeping soundly. He walked over to Kip and gently shook his arm. Kip opened his eyes and smiled.
"It's about time you got home, your partying too much these days."
"God, I wish that were the case. What's wrong with Chris? Where's Kay?"
"Don't get yourself in a tizzy. Kay has been up with him for the last two nights so I decided to take care of him while she got a good night's sleep. Anyway I enjoy my time with him, he such an angel. He is perfectly content lying on his uncle's chest. Do you have a problem with that?"
Kyle smiled, "Not at all. You two look so good together, I hated to wake you. God, I'm beat. I'm going straight to bed. I've got a lot to tell you tomorrow."
"Okay, sleep well; I'm going to put Chris back to bed with a hot pad on it lowest setting, that should keep him quiet."
Kip took Chris back to his crib and decided not to leave the hot pad under him after all. He was afraid Chris could become entangled in the cord. He sat with him for ten minutes then left for his own room where he turned off his computer and headed for bed.
Two hours later Chris woke up again. Kip changed him again, gave him another bottle and sat in his lounge chair with him on his chest. They were still asleep the next morning when Kyle walked into the sitting room. Kyle picked up his camera and snapped several pictures. Kyle lifted Chris out of Kip's arms and took him back to the nursery and handed him to Kay.
"He slept with Kip last night," Kyle said. "Kip claims Chris is only content when he sleeps on his chest."
"Those two are like peas in a pod," Kay said. "Chris loves his Uncle Kip, no question about that. Are we still leaving at ten-thirty for the manor, Mr. Petersen?"
"Yes, and I'd better wake Kip, we don't have much time to waste."
Kip was gone by the time Kyle returned to their suite. He went into his bedroom, finished dressing and headed for the morning room for breakfast.
Kip walked in a few minutes later. "Good morning, you don't look well at all. Are you alright?" Kyle asked.
"I'm not running a temp, but I do feel tired. I understand we're leaving for Old Greenwich in half an hour?"
"Would you rather stay here?"
"No, Greenwich is fine. We need to talk and it doesn't make any difference where we are.
"Sit tight, I'll be back in a minute, ask cook to fix me eggs and toast."
Kip was back in ten minutes. "Sorry about that, I had to order another limo for the trip. You, Chris and I will ride together. My little person is still under the weather and I want him to ride with me. The twins can ride in the other limo with Kay and Carol."
"You didn't have to do that, Kip."
"Be a good boy and eat your breakfast, or I'll send you to your room."
Kyle smiled, "Thanks, Kip; what would I do without you?"
"By the way you don't look well yourself. If it would make you feel any better I could take a week off and we can run down to St. Thomas and do some sailing. What do you say?"
"Yes, I would like that. Good; it's settled. You can arrange for everything. We should be able to leave Sunday afternoon. We'll leave the kids at the Manor while we are gone. Let them get some fresh air into their lungs."
They finished breakfast and returned to their suite for their briefcases and laptops. Kip told George of their change in plans as they headed for the nursery.
"Time to go, Chris." Kay had packed a traveling bag for Chris with his medication and change of clothes. "What's the matter, sweetheart; do you want Uncle Kip to carry you?"
Chris smiled and nodded his head. With that, Kip stooped down, took him in his arms, and carried him downstairs and out into the waiting limo. After they settled in Kip said, "Chris would you like to lie down between Daddy and me and rest your head on my lap? There, that's much better." Kip covered him with a blanket and gently rubbed his back until he fell asleep.
"I'm concerned about this recurring stomach problem. I'm going to take him to The Children's Hospital for a complete work-up when we get back. I don't buy the crap his pediatrician keeps giving us. The twins aren't having the same problem."
"By all means, he should be tested, but I also feel that we should take all three children in to see the psychologist for testing," Kyle said. "I have the feeling that this little sweetheart feels like an outsider. I've noticed that the twins tend to stick together and take sides against him. The twins get along just fine, but Chris is the odd man out. He is really a sweet child and he tries so hard to be accepted. I think that may be the cause of his stomach problems. I'm glad you have taken him under your wing."
"I love all three children, but I must confess that Chris has stolen my heart. I love him so much. I try not to let the twins see that I favor Chris over them."
"Don't think Chris doesn't know that. I only hope that he will be strong enough to accept it when you leave. God knows, I'm dreading that day."
"Will you stop this depressing conversation. I'm years away from that point. I still have three years to go on my contract with you. By that time, the children will be in grade school. Now, what did you want to talk about?"
"First of all, Dr. Braun called me yesterday to let me know that everything looks good for the birthing of the three new babies. He said he would be calling you in two weeks to see if you've come up with a name yet? I've decided to name my two girls April and Laura."
"I'm going to name my son Paul after your brother," Kip said.
"That's very thoughtful of you Kip, he would have liked that."
Kyle turned his head to look out the window. When he turned back, he had tears in his eyes.
"Karl has cancer. Do you remember me telling you about those backaches he was experiencing? Well it turned out that they were caused by a cancerous growth on one of his kidneys. They could not save the kidney at all. They started him on chemotherapy two days ago. It is very difficult to visit him for any length of time. He has so many friends and relatives visiting him that it is impossible to be alone with him. His wife and children are always around, it is so frustrating. The only time we can talk is when visiting hours are over in the evening. I'm sick with worry.
"This could not have happened at a worse time. Everything is on hold until Karl returns. Last week his Executive VP, Peter Hess, who is running the show, came into my office for my approval on a one-million dollar payment to one of our suppliers. Before I signed off, I asked Peter why he and the VP of Finance did not sign the check. I almost fell off my chair when he told me that Karl had to sign every check over $50,000.
"I've never really gotten involved in Karl's operation of the business as long as he continued to show a profit. But, I'm finding out that Karl is an autocratic manager who surrounds himself with competent 'yes' men. Not only that, but most of his VPs are in their sixties. Not one junior executive is under fifty-five years old.
"Before I left yesterday, I sat down with Peter to review every executive in the firm. There was not one senior executive that I could promote to run this company. I told Peter we must hire a recruiter to find a man who could run the company. We wrote up a profile before I left yesterday. Karl will not be able to spring back that fast after his chemo treatments. When he does return, he will not be strong enough to put in a full schedule. I don't have the time to run that division. I have larger issues on my plate. If you were ready I'd send you over there tomorrow.
"I'm completely drained both mentally and physically and I don't like spending so much time away from home. I'm homesick, I miss you and the kids and it is not fair to you. Kip, I'm thinking seriously of putting the whole overseas operation on the block. I have a lover in the hospital that I have to share with the damn world. What kind of life is that? If anything happens to Karl I'm going to hire a strong manager and the let the company go co-op."
"You're upset right now, Kyle. Try to put everything out of your mind for the moment. We can discuss this next week and decide what to do. Don't worry about the kids and me, we're doing just fine. But, you will need to spend more time with them in the future. The more love you shower on them, the more you will receive in return. They are the ones who will comfort you in the future."
"Thanks, Kip, I'd be lost without you. You are the one stable factor in my life. I always feel better after talking to you." How is Cindy? Will she be joining us for brunch on Sunday?"
"I'm afraid not; we broke up months ago. Mary Howell is the flavor of the month now and she will not be joining us for brunch. She is more your basic barbecue girl. Cute as a button, but doesn't know the first thing about the care and feeding of a baby. But she does have other talents that I'm sure she would consider sharing with you if you're so inclined?"
Kyle gave Kip a dirty look, "I'll take your word for it, I'm not so inclined, thank you anyway."
"How are you ever going to know you don't like it unless you've tried it, Bro?"
"As a mater of fact, I did try for several years. I realized two things. I could only get hard if I closed my eyes and pretended that I was making love to Paul. I like men much more. Paul was the one who insisted that I make it with a woman."
"What about Paul," Kip asked. "Did he ever make it with a female?"
"Yes, he did, several times as a matter of fact. I really tried to encourage him to get more involved with women. But, he said he loved me and had no intentions of getting involved in a relationship with a woman. For the last few years, we dated an attractive lesbian couple that we double dated. It worked out perfectly. We even leased a two-bedroom apartment and had a ball. We became good friends and still keep in touch after all these years."
"Your brother knew what he wanted out of life and knew what your parents wanted. If he were alive, I'm sure it would have worked out," Kip said.
"What about you, other than that time in high school, have you ever had sex with another male?" Kyle asked.
"Only the usual teenage sex when I was in private school in Boston."
"Did you like it?"
"Sure, I liked having sex, like any other teenager. Most of the guys masturbated and thought nothing of it. It wasn't an emotional thing. We never kissed, or anything like that. We did the usual thing teenage boys do at that age, but I never allowed anyone in the back door. I was always a top and I enjoyed it. I didn't discover pussy until my senior year in high school and that's all she wrote."
Chris started to stir on his lap. Kip rubbed his back, "Do you want to sit up and talk to Daddy and me, my pet?"
Chris started to raise himself and Kip picked him up and sat him on his lap. Chris rested his head against Kip's chest and turned toward his father and smiled. Kyle leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Would you like to sit on Daddy's lap for a while and let Uncle Kip stretch his legs?"
Chris reached for his father, so Kyle took him from Kip and sat him on his lap. Kyle kissed him on the head and cheek.
"Are you feeling a little better now, sweetheart?"
Chris nodded yes.
"Would you like some apple juice?"
Chris nodded again.
Kip reached into his carryall and pulled out the plastic cup and screwed on the special lid so the juice could not spill. He handed the cup to Chris.
"How long will you be staying in New York this trip?" Kip asked Kyle.
"For at least a couple of months, that is unless some unforeseen emergency crops up at Garbler Industries. I almost feel guilty leaving the children next week, but I need the rest."
"You are going, end of discussion," Kip said. "The kids will be fine. They have a competent professional staff taking care of them and a pediatrician not ten minutes from the house."
"You're right, I had better make arrangements to charter an aircraft and lease a yacht." Kyle said. With that, he picked up the phone and made the calls.
"Well, Kip, do you think you've learned enough from our management training program to be moved into one of the groups? How do you feel about the operation now that you've been working there two years?"
"I really like what I've been doing so far. The executive training program is super. All the managers I've worked for so far have been very helpful." Kip smiled, "I wonder if it's because they know I'm you're fair-haired boy?"
Kyle chuckled, "Maybe yes, maybe no. It's academic at this point, because you are my fair-haired boy and I happen to think you are an extremely intelligent, hard working young executive. Anyway, I'm the boss and they will do what I want. While I think of it, Kip, you'll be graduating in two months and I plan to give you a graduation party. I would like you to prepare a list of the people you would like to invite. Don't forget your professors as well. Actually I planning two parties one at the Waldorf and the other in Greenwich."
"You're kidding," Kip said. "Thanks, Kyle. This will be a real treat, I've never have had a party given in my honor. You're really a super guy, in case I've never mentioned it."
To be continued...
Posted: 08/17/12