A Second Chance I
By: Tickie
(© 2006, 2007 by the author)
Editor: Radio Rancher
Re-write Editor: Gerry Young

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

Chapter 16

When I woke the next morning I was looking into the most gorgeous blue eyes that were looking back at me with the most intriguing look. 'Good morning, hon. How was your night?' those eyes were telling me as I was pulled into the warmest of embraces.

JC said, "Good morning; how are you my new partner?" He was so damned adorable, with a wide grin and love in his eyes.

“Great, my love; just great!” I was returning the embrace as we began kissing the most wonderful, passionate kiss, exchanging our tongues in the caves of love. Our hands started to roam and explore our bodies with intent.

I broke our kiss; “I think we need to move this into the shower?” Then I rolled out of bed pulling JC by the hard, fleshy handle that was within my grasp, and we headed off into the shower together.  I started the water to flow and adjusted the temperature to a rather warm setting as JC began to wash my body from back to front, paying much attention to my growing parts, and I was playing with something very, very hard on my lover.

As we finished with the morning ritual we both got dressed and headed into the kitchen where we found Clyde preparing a wonderful breakfast. “Good morning, Clyde; how was your night?” I asked with a smile on my face.

Clyde turned and watched JC and me enter the kitchen, “It was nice, and I got a good night’s sleep. Thanks for asking!” He was cooking some great smelling bacon and eggs.

JC went over to the toaster and began making some toast, “I hope you don’t mind me helping you, Clyde?”

“Not at all,” Clyde chuckled. “About time someone helped me around here,” he joked, still chuckling.

I looked at him with a half frown and joked back, “Don’t say that; I help you all the time. I eat everything you cook and love it; don’t I?” Then I broke into a laugh, which I tried to hold back, but I couldn’t.

JC poked me in the ribs, “I don’t think that’s what he was talkin’ about Charlie?” then he began to laugh.

“Ow, that hurt!” I moaned in a mocking, shocked tone. Then I broke up again, grinning at them both.

Clyde looked at me with a wide smile, “Charlie, you look twenty years younger this morning. I wouldn’t think JC had anything to do with that, now, would he?” He then turned back toward the stove and continued fixing breakfast.

JC glanced at Clyde and then back at me with a longing look of happiness, “God, I hope SO! ’Cause I feel like an old man this morning!” It was obvious that he was a very happy young man.

Sitting there at the kitchen table, hot cup of coffee in hand, sipping it, I said, “Well, I sure don’t feel any younger; he worked the hell out of me last night!” I blushed thinking of what I had just said aloud.

Clyde began to laugh so hard that he broke the eggs. “Stop that, Charlie! You caused me to break the eggs, now I’ll have to scramble them!”

JC was grinning from ear to ear. “And I’ll keep doing that until the day you die, love!”

Well, needless to say, the remainder of that morning was fun, and after finishing breakfast, JC and I started planning our educational program. Teaching him to run the company was going to be loads of fun for the both of us. This would entail a nice relaxing trip to all the company holdings worldwide. I took hold of JC’s hand and lead him into the office, telling him to have a seat.

I picked up the phone and called Richard.

“Hello. Hi, Richard, how are you today?”

“Just fine, Charles, and thank you for asking.”

“Well, I just want to let you know I’m going to call Greg and set up a tour of all the company holdings for JC; you might want to get Cowboy ready for an extended trip.”

“That’s no problem, Charles; when did you plan on leaving, if I may ask?”

“Let’s plan on tomorrow, but if there’s a change, I’ll let Greg inform you.”

“Ok, and thanks for the heads up!”

“No, Richard; I should be the one thanking you; you’re always rip-roaring and ready to go.”

With that said, I hung up the phone and looked at JC with a grin, and then dialed the office in town.

While waiting for me to finish making the call to Greg, “Honey, where in the world are we going?” JC questioned with a big smile, as he rubbed his groin.

“Somewhere we can take care of that, too!” I snickered back at him.

Greg answered his private number, saying, “Hello, Greg speaking.”

“Greg, how are you today?”

“Just great, Charlie, and how did you and JC make out last night?” I could hear him chuckling under his breath, and then he continued, “Sorry that came out wrong, Charlie.”

“Well, in all honesty, JC and I enjoyed both of your implications last night!” I stated with mock stern voice, but then started laughing.

JC looked puzzled, “What’s so funny, honey?” he grinned.

I held my hand over the mouthpiece and said, “Tell you in a bit, hon.”

I then told Greg, “Well, tomorrow morning, I want to take JC, and make the rounds of all our holdings worldwide. Do you have any suggestions on where we should start first? This is going to be a very long trip … of several months, I'm thinking.”

“I think, Charlie, I would go to Munich first and then work your way from there. Do you want me or my wife to join you on the trip?”

“I think I would prefer your company, Greg, if you don’t mind. Also, I’ll be taking Clyde and Carl.”

JC was just smiling at me and you could see he was thinking about how long this trip was going to be. I kept glancing over at him as Greg and I spoke.

“One second, Greg; I need to ask JC something.” I looked over at JC who was smiling at me, as I covered the mouthpiece on the phone. “Honey, I hope you don’t mind me making these plans for us?” I then waited for JC to respond.

“Love, I’d go with you to the end of the earth if you just asked me to!” He got up and came over to me and planted a hot passionate kiss on my lips as I continued to hold my hand over the mouthpiece of the phone.

“Thank you, my man, thank you!” Is all I could say to him.

“Greg, sorry; I’m back with you, now. Yes, I want Clyde and Carl, and anyone else you think we might need on this trip. If anyone can't for some reason stay with us for the full time, we have our other plane and we could shuttle folks if need be, and that includes you, my friend.”

“Okay, Charlie; I’ll get it all laid on for tomorrow morning, if that’s ok? How does 7 AM for departure sound?” Greg stated as he waited for an answer.

Thinking for a bit I replied, “That’s fine, Greg; please have Carl pick us up. Oh! … and have him give us a wakeup call as well. We’ll see you in the morning then, and if you run into any snags, just let me know.”

“Ok, boss; will do!” Greg joked back.

I then hung up the phone, and got up, walked over to JC, and pulled him up into a loving hug. “Let’s go outside; I have something to show you.”

We left the office and headed outside were I showed him where the new bunkhouse and office were going to be built. I told him the contractors would be starting on the project while we were on this extended trip.

JC shook his head, “Charlie, this is going to be wonderful, and I just hope Mike can do the job.” He reached out to take my hand in his.

We started walking around the area hand in hand. “I do, too, hon, ’cause it’s going to be his job, and I like him. I really do like him; you are a good judge of character, so I’m sure everything will be okay.”

The more JC saw of the ranch, the more he seemed to fall in love with the place. But then, as the immensity of everything began to sink into his consciousness, I could see that he had begun to withdraw into himself, and as in most situations, I was always able to pull him out of it.

However … today was different; as lunchtime rolled around, he began to drift off into his own little world again. I looked directly into his eyes as I could see them filling with tears. “What’s the matter ‘Li’l Cowboy?  You don’t seem to be yourself today; is it something I said, or did, honey?”

“Oh, no, Charlie, it’s not like that at all! I’m just overwhelmed at what’s happing in my life. And now, being part of this wonderful place.”  He waved his hand gesturing at the vast open spaces of the ranch.

“Just remember, honey, you own it now, and one day it will all be yours!” I was finding it hard to hold back my own tears of joy.

“Charlie, please don’t say that!  I never want to even think about those days.” He and I continued to walk and talk as we started toward the house.

“I’ll try not to, JC, but life is what it is, and no one can change it, so … like a good little Boy Scout … you have to … “be prepared,” my love, for one day, you will have to take care of this place.” 

“Okay … THEN! But again, I was thinking about my Uncle James as we were walking around, I thought about how many of the same footprints I just stepped in that he took, and what it was like to be around him.” I looked into his beautiful eyes, and there were tears still flowing in them, he was missing his uncle as much as I had over the many years of being alone.

“All I can say, honey, is … you remind me so much of him I have to pinch myself every now and then just to make sure I’m not dreamin’.  I know you never knew him, but I can assure you that you are a spittin’ image of him. You even act and sound like him at times.

As we got closer to the house I lead him to the picnic table where we both sat down on the same side, still holding each other’s hands. “I didn’t know you had become so attached to your uncle, JC?”

“It’s only been since you and I met that I’ve started feeling this way.” He was sincere about it, I could tell by his demeanor, and I saw that the tears in his eyes were real enough.

“I’m sorry if meeting me has brought back bad memories. I sure didn’t want that to happen, JC.” I was pulling him closer to me as I spoke.

“Charlie, please, love, don… don’t say that; I love you too much for you to think that.” He then hugged me so tight it hurt. “Yesterday was the best day of my life, Charlie, and you’re the one that did it for me. So don’t ever blame yourself for what I’m feeling. Please!”

“Okay! Okay, I won’t; I love you so much, and it’s not because you look like him. It’s for you … and only you!!”

We sat there until Clyde came out and spotted us at the picnic table. “If you guys want some food,” he yelled from the back door, “lunch is on the table.”

“We’ll be right there, Clyde; just need a couple more minutes here alone,” I shouted back at him.

“You ready to go eat? I think we need it, and you need a break.”

“Sure, love, let’s go!” JC got up, pulled me to my feet, and we walked up the path to the house.

As we entered the kitchen, we found Clyde putting the wonderful lunch of roast beef sandwiches on the table along with a nice garden salad and, of course, hot coffee. “Clyde, will you join us, please?”

“Sure, Charlie, if you want me to!” Clyde pulled up a chair and sat down with us.

“Clyde, do you need to have some time to pack this afternoon? This is gonna be a long, long trip, of several months, at least. We’re planning on a complete tour of all the company holdings.” He was looking, first at me, and then at JC, all the while with a smile.

“Yes, I could use a little time if you don’t mind? The length of the trip don't bother me at all, boss.” He asked with a pause.

“Why don't you just take off the rest of the day?  JC and I can eat out tonight.” I then paused and looked at JC; he, too, was smiling, which made me very happy that he seemed to be out of the dumps again.

“Thanks, Charlie! I can sure use the time before we leave tomorrow.” Clyde responded with a grin. Then he continued, “I have a few things on my mind and want to make sure everything aboard Cowboy will be the way you like it.”

“I know you too well, Clyde; Cowboy will be shipshape when you’re aboard.” I chuckled as I looked at him. 

JC was grinning as well, “You know what, Clyde? If I hadn’t already seen you in action, I would think you were worried about your job?”

“One can never be sure of anything in this world,” Clyde snickered back at us both.

I grinned back at him, “You’ll never have that problem, Clyde, as long as I’m alive and kickin’.”

“As long as I’m alive, too, Clyde!” JC grinned back.

“Thank you both for the kind words; now I need to get the hell out of here so I can have everything ready for tomorrow, or you’ll both be eating those words of praise you pass out so freely!” Clyde picked up the dirty dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, then soon departed the ranch.

The rest of the afternoon JC and I spent talking about company business, and what it’ll be like for him as he starts running the company as a full partner. He seemed to be nervous about it but took it in stride. I assured him that he would be a natural at it. He was so wonderful about the whole thing, and we had fun planning our trip as well as we thought about all the extra time we would be sharing with each other now that we were a couple. Oh, YES! We were truly a couple in all the aspects of it.

As evening approached, I asked, “What time would you like to eat?”  Then, without giving him time to answer, I continued excitedly, “I think we can drive ourselves tonight; right? Don’t you think so, hon.?” I was about ready to go change into something a little more appropriate for dinner.

“Sure! I can drive us.” He stood up and headed into the bedroom to change. “We can leave anytime now, if you’re ready.”

I followed him into the bedroom and we both began to undress ourselves, but as I looked at JC, he smiled back, walked up, took me in a huge hug, and began passionately kissing me all over, from head to neck, and then he started down my chest.  He stopped at my nipples, paying close attention to them each, one at a time.

I pushed him off, “Whoa, Li’l Cowboy, can we hold off on that until after dinner? I’m afraid if we do that now, I won't be able to later.” Oh, how I wanted to go on, but I really felt what I said was correct.

“Not really," he said with a small frown, and then continued, "but if you want me to, I will.” JC still kept kissing me, our mouths met and our tongues played the dance of love. But he did finally pull back and began to help me dress as I helped him. As soon as we were both dressed for dinner, JC went out and got one of the pickups, and pulled up in front of the house. 

We left for the Corral; his driving was great. I had never notice little things like that about him, but I was really starting to see into his heart and soul, and loved every little nook and cranny of it.

After dinner, we took a drive up Casper Mountain Road.  We stopped at our special place just long enough for us to get out and walk hand in hand into the woods until we came to James’ tree.

We hadn’t been here since the first time JC kissed me, and it felt wonderful having him with me in this sacred place. I just felt so close to James here, and I could see JC was feeling similar feelings from the expressions on his handsome face and in his adorable eyes.

JC was holding my hand when he said, “I just feel so close to him in this spot, love, don’t you?” He was also looking at the tree with the partial initials still visible after all those years since we (James and I) carved them there.

I couldn’t help from forming tears, “I always do, JC; I always do … It’s almost as if we’re still one, and still together, here in this special place.” I paused for a few minutes without saying a word, and neither did JC. “I want you to know something, honey … when I die … I want to be cremated … and I want my ashes scattered here with his. Please promise me that you’ll do that.”

“Charlie, stop talking like that, PLEASE!” JC pulled me into a tight hug and whispered into my ear, “I will honor your every wish, my love, but please, please, please stop saying those words. I just want us to be together forever; and, yes, I know it’s going to happen one day. But I just don’t want to hear it anymore; PLEASE?”

I hugged him back and kissed his ear, then whispered, “Okay, my man; I’ll not talk about it again.” Then we both sat there at one of the picnic tables for a while, just chatting about nothing special; we just talked about what was going to happen in the morning and the things we wanted to do.

Soon, we both got up without saying a word and headed back down the trail toward the pickup. Like a gentleman, JC opened the door for me and I got in with a grin on my face. God, I was so in love with that man. He walked around, got in, and then drove us home.

It was getting late by the time we arrived back on the ranch, so we locked up the house and off to the bedroom and the Jacuzzi we headed. Li’l Cowboy started filling it, while I was in the office making my last minute calls to Greg and Richard. JC even poured a little Bubble Bath into the surging water, for a softer, silkier, more sensual bit of erotic fun.

When I finished the calls, and entered the bedroom, JC was standing there in all his glory. God, he was gorgeous, and of course, in my eyes, he was the only man in the world for me. He walked up and started removing my shirt ever so slowly. He worked his hands down my chest, stopping at my nipples and twisting them just a little. Was that ever pushing all the right buttons on this old man?!?!

Of course, his being naked and sporting a beautiful hard pole standing up in front of him didn’t hurt my libido a bit. By the time he had me undressed and ready for the Jacuzzi, I was also as hard as a rock; that, alone, was fun for me. He then led me into the bathroom where we got into the bubbles and relaxed for a while just enjoying each other’s company.

As we carefully helped each other into the hot, foamy, bubbling water, I held my finger up to my lips, silently signifying that nothing was to be said, ‘for the time being, at least,’ I thought to myself. 

He frowned at me and opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, and I raised my finger once again to my lips as I stepped to the center of the Jacuzzi and sank to my knees in the soapy water which quickly rose to my neck.

Raising just my hands above the bubbling water, I slowly, silently motioned for him to come closer.  Still with a quizzical expression on his beautiful face, he carefully inched his way toward me, and when he was close enough, I put my hands on the sides of his waist and gently guided him to his knees in front of me.  My hands slid on around and rested on top of his luscious bubble-butt.  I was tempted to linger and toy with his ass-crack, but knew that that would happen later, and so, I pulled us together until our torsos were just barely touching.  It felt as if arcs of electricity were dancing between our nipples, and even though they were beneath the sudsy surface, I could feel that mine were fully protruding tittie-hardons when they lightly touched his.

Our cocks were no longer “hard as rocks;” they were, at the moment, “cocks of steel,” doing battle with each other in the hot, bubbling, slippery water.  I managed to rise up just enough until I felt his sword of flesh slip under my balls and between the tops of my thighs.  As I relaxed back down, I moved my knees together and thrust my hips slowly toward him. 

A loving grin crept across his face, and then I felt one of his hands guide my pulsing rod beneath his balls and between his thighs, and then I felt the tightening. In that split second, an ever-so-slight bit of pain hit my balls, caused, I was sure, by the pressure of JC’s hardness against them, combined with our pressing into each other.  I was also sure that he was feeling the same thing, from the slight grimace that quickly passed across his gorgeous face. God, how I loved that face! But I was also positive that the little pains only added to the great pleasure we were both experiencing.

“Ummmmmmm,” I let escape from my throat; “Ohhhhhhh,” he let escape through his lips, as we both VERY slowly began to thrust and then retreat from the sensual torture I’d long dreamed of but had never experienced.

We kissed, and as our lips touched, our tongues began to do battle with each other, seeking conquest as well as refuge within the confines of each other’s mouth.  Another simultaneous, passionate moan escaped from both of us, and I knew that if we continued, I wouldn’t be able to hold back from the first of many surrenders.

I quickly withdrew, letting my fingers slide back up to his armpits, and my thumbs tantalizing his hard little nipples.  As I stood up, I raised JC with me; we were both dripping with white, slick, sudsy bubbles.  Carefully, I walked him backwards to the side of the Jacuzzi, and sat him up on the edge so that only his calves and feet were still in the frothy water, his legs spread, exposing his cock and balls.

With heavy breathing, I crossed to the opposite side and likewise sat on the edge facing my love.  Stretching my arms behind me, and resting my hands on the coping of the Jacuzzi, I leaned back a little, completely opening myself to his gaze.

I looked across the water and into his beautiful … oh, so beautiful … eyes; he was looking into mine, smiling, lips slightly parted, and it was then that I realized that we were breathing in unison, with our chests rising and falling at the same times.

There was no talking. We just … emotionally drooled over each other, with looks and smiles and the wink of an eye and the puckering of blown kisses now and then.

If he had not already been in the nude, my eyes would have stripped his youthful body completely naked as they traveled down his god-like body until they rested upon his pulsing phallus. At seeing the jerky rise and fall of his pleasure-tool, my own jumped in response.

JC grinned, and I knew another “battle royal” was on!  His cock jerked.  Mine jerked.  His jerked again.  Mine followed.  Again and again.  But that didn’t last too long, for I was about to lose it just watching and responding to my Li’l Cowboy.

We broke into laughter and slipped back into the hot, bubbling water.  It wasn’t long before we finally slid closer to each other and began to stroke each other’s erections, JC moaned and so did I. “Li’l Cowboy, how about us taking this to the bed?”

JC stood up and helped me out of the tub and we dried each other off and headed for the bed. We lay down in a sixty-nine position and we began caressing each other in all the right places, with fingers exploring cute butts, and the cute little rosebuds. It sure didn’t take long until we were both about ready to unload our nectar into each other’s mouths. “Oh my…” I muttered as I shot my hot nectar into JC’s waiting mouth. He gulped every drop of it down as he began unloading his own love juice into my mouth.

“Oh, God, this feeeeeeeels … so wonder…ful!” I shouted as I came in JC’s mouth; he swallowed it without loosing a drop. He turned around on the bed and we were now face to face and passionately kissing and exchanging our love nectar and enjoying every last drop of it.

Totally spent we cuddled up in a spoon position; JC pulled me into his chest, and rested his manhood in the crack of my ass. God, did that ever feel good; we each in our own turn drifted into a deep restful sleep, only to be woken by a phone call in the morning.

JC heard it first and jumped out of bed and headed into the office to answer it. He returned with a smile and a roaring hardon. “That was Carl; he’s on the way.” He came up to the side of the bed and leaned down and kissed me. Then he continued, “I think we’d better get a move on; we can take care of these later.”

“Okay… give me your hand!” He held out his hand and helped me to my feet and we both took care of the morning ablutions. Then we dressed in a hurry, heading for the kitchen and our first cup of coffee. Thank God for automatic coffee makers; with Clyde already aboard Cowboy, there was no one to fix breakfast. “Love, I think we’re gonna eat on board this morning.”

“Sounds like fun to me!” JC smiled back as he poured us both a cup of coffee.

We hardly had any time at all to finish our coffee, when Carl pulled into the drive. We grabbed our brief cases and other personal items and left with Carl for the Casper Airport.

With the contractors going to start on the new construction, I was thinking of who we could leave at the ranch to watch over the place while we were gone. “You know that young man Mike told us about? I think it was Ben Macks, or something like that, wasn’t it?”

“I think you’re right. What about him?” JC grinned back.

“Well, we need someone to watch over the construction while we’re gone, and Greg would have done it, but he’s gonna be with us. I think we need to have Carrie call him and hire him if he wants the job.”

“He’s pretty young; I think he’s only nineteen now; are you sure you want him?” JC looked concerned but was somewhat agreeing with me; I could tell by his actions more then by what he was saying.

“I think if Mike recommended him we should give him a chance, and what can he do. There are only a few horses and that shouldn’t keep him too busy.” I looked at JC and gave him the ‘go ahead’ and said, “You call Carrie and tell her to hire him. Then tell her to have him move into the guest room of the house until we return. By then, the bunkhouse should be finished, and he can move in there.”

“Sounds like you’ve already decided on hiring him, honey, so why do you want me to call Carrie?” JC was asking with a strange but wonderful expression on his face.

“Because you are now an equal partner, my love, and it’s time you started running things,” I chuckled back at him, taking his hand and squeezing it gently.

He grinned back, “Charlie, you’re gonna get the best of me, aren’t you. I guess I can call her. When do you think he should start?”

“That’s up to you, you’re the BOSS now!” I smiled back at him.

JC pulled out his new cell phone, “You know, hon, this is the first outgoing call I’ve made on this thing since you got it for me the other day.” He then paused and started looking through the stored phone numbers. Finding it he pressed the button and waited for the answer.

“Hello, Carrie, this is JC.”

“Hi, JC, what can I do for you this morning?” Carrie responded.

“Well, this guy named Charlie just told me to hire someone named Ben Macks; as far as I know, he lives in Casper somewhere. If you need more information on him, you can call Mike Hendricks. We want him to move out to the ranch and stay in the guest room until the bunkhouse is finished.”

“Ok, JC, I see Charlie has you working already,” she laughed. “What do you know about him?”

“I only know that Mike recommended him, and that he’s a Native American, and that he’s nineteen or twenty, now. But if Mike recommended him, I want him if at all possible. Be sure to let me know if he accepts. Also … tell him that he’s to start as soon as possible, and the move is permanent if he wants the job.” He was so firm and authoritative in his manner with her, he almost scared me. But God, I loved him so, and he was now showing me that I had made the right choice.

“Alright, JC, it’s as good as done, then. You and Charlie have a wonderful trip; I hope you all have fun,” she answered with a warm tone in her voice.

“Thanks, Carrie, you’re a sweetheart, honey. Take care of yourself while we’re gone, and I’ll keep an eye on your other half as well,” he chuckled with a cute grin as he stared at me.

“You’d better, and keep a close eye on your other half, too!” She was laughing so loud I could hear it.

“You can bet I will, sweetie! I have to run; stay in touch!” JC then closed his cell phone and turned toward me, “Ok, BOSS, I hired him!” He had a big grin on his face.

About the time he finished the call, we were pulling up beside Cowboy; like always, he was shining in the morning sunlight. I was always in awe of how beautiful he was. Richard was under him doing his pre-flight inspections, as he always did. Carl pulled up next to the stairs. JC and I got out and took our personal items aboard while Carl parked the vehicle and returned to the aircraft.

Once everyone was aboard, Richard came in, “Ok, you all buckle up; soon as we’re airborne, Clyde will serve breakfast. Won’t you Clyde?” He was pointing at Clyde who was seated next to the galley.

“Of course I will; in fact, it’s all ready now, but you won’t let me serve it until we’re off the GROUND, now … will ya, huh?  Will ya?” He was laughing at Richard, and Richard shook his finger back at Clyde.

Richard left the lounge and headed to the flight deck, and it wasn’t long before we were taxing out onto the runway. The thrust of the engines sent us on our way. Once we were at ‘cruising’ altitude, Richard turned off the ‘Fasten Seat Belt’ lights, and came back into the lounge where Clyde had already begun to serve breakfast.

 JC, Carl, Greg, Richard and Clyde were all seated at the conference table and waiting for me to come in. When I arrived, I began, “Hi, everyone; I know you already know what this trip is all about, but one thing is for sure … it’s going to be a while before we again arrive back in Casper. I want you all to enjoy this trip as much as JC and I are planning on enjoying it. I would think we will be traveling for the next three or four months, so, if anyone needs to get back home before the end of the trip let me or JC know. Remember we also have Buckaroo that can meet us and change personnel if need be.” I looked at JC and motioned for him to speak if he wanted to.

JC stood up as I sat down at the other end of the table. “I really don’t know where to start, except to say ‘thank you’ for putting up with Charlie and me. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m new at this game, this trip wouldn’t be necessary, but I AM new at it, and I’ll need help from each and every one of you. I also want to thank my man there for sharing his life with me. I’m so looking forward to this vacation; yes, it’s a vacation for me, and I hope it’s one for all of you as well.” He sat down and finished his breakfast.

Greg said, “Alright, now it’s my turn to talk.” He chuckled then continued, “Charlie, I am so happy for you and JC; your commitment the other day was wonderful, and something … Charlie … that you’ve needed for a long, long time. Now that you two have found each other, I only hope you have many years of happiness ahead of you.” He was grinning from ear to ear as he sat back down.

Richard then got up and walked over and put his hand on JC’s shoulder, “This guy right here is someone that I am sure will help our Boss. (He was looking directly at me with a grin on his face.) I just want to tell you, JC, that you are a wonderful man, and you have brought our boss out of the dumps; he looks twenty years younger now that the two of you are together. Just keep up the good work.” He, too, sat back down and continued to eat his breakfast.

The trip continued for the next several months, and JC was fast taking the reins in his capable hands running the company and learning the ropes. He was also fast beginning to understand me as well, and the way I ran the company. We were getting so in tune with each other, that we even began to think alike. It was scary at times how we just knew what the other was doing and enjoyed it.

It was in England on our way home after four months of travel that we got the call about Mike…

To be continued...

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Posted: 05/18/07