THANKSGIVING
by: Will B.
©
2008 by the Author
Encouraged by E Walk
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are
allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
Introduction:
It was April of 1997. Tony Lombardi and his wife Rosa (nee di Napoli) were 26. They had been married for four years. Since we last met them in "Cousins and Pals," Tony had taken instruction in the Catholic faith, and was received into membership. He and Rosa graduated from high school and earned Associate of Arts certificates from Baltimore Junior College. Tony took as many classes in business as he could, as did Rosa.
In 1993 Tony and Rosa were married. Since then they have lived in the Lombardi residence over the store, where Tony is the General Manager. Papa Luigi and Mama Rosa bought a condo in Towson, but almost every day Papa went into Baltimore to help Tony in any way he could.
In truth, Papa was glad to let Tony take on the onerous duties of managing the store. If Tony had some ideas that Papa wasn’t quite sure of, events soon proved that Tony’s instincts were right.
Rosa never did set up her own bake shop, but you’d better believe there was not a parish or school or community event that didn’t see Rosa helping out, often by baking cookies or cupcakes to sell to help raise funds for whatever the project of the day was.
The couple was deeply, passionately, in love. Their bodies responded to each other because their thoughts, feelings, emotions were so much in tune. The physical joys of married life were so much better than Tony’s images of sex during his sessions of teenage tool twiddling had ever been.
There was just one cloud on the horizon of the young Lombardi Family. About two years after their marriage, they had decided they would try to start a family. So far they had had no luck. Tony had had a sperm count, and everything was satisfactory in that department. Rosa had also had an examination, and there were no signs of any problems. At one point, Tony and Rosa had applied to become foster parents through the Division of Social Services. So far, they had not heard back.
“Relax, Tony,” said Papa “A baby will come when the Good Lord wants you to have one.”
“I know, Papa, “ Tony replied, “But Rosa seems to be getting more and more worried about it.”
“I know, Tony,” said Papa, putting his arm around Tony’s shoulder. “You should try to relax.”
“Relax, Rosa,” Mama Lombardi said to her daughter-in-law. “The Blessed Virgin will hear your prayers, and in time, if it is God’s will, you will be with child.”
“Oh, I know, Mama. It’s just that Tony gets this look on his face. I think he somehow blames himself that I’m not pregnant.”
“Oh, these men,” laughed Mama. They feel that if they don’t get their wives pregnant right away, that it’s a reflection on their manhood.”
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with Tony’s ‘manhood,’” said Rosa, with a smile.
“Of course not, my dear. You know that and I know that, but men are so sensitive!”
* * * * *
It was a rainy Sunday afternoon in April. Mark Taylor and his partner, lover, companion, Al Johnson, both now 36 years old have been promoted in the Baltimore Police Department. They had moved into the ‘plain clothes’ branch and investigated crimes … especially crimes where children were the victims, and sometimes were the perpetrators themselves, as was becoming all too common these days.
They had had lunch, taken naps, and now they were waking up, lying in each other’s arms, facing each other; their chests were touching and their cocks were rubbing each other.
Al was rubbing his right thumb in circles around Mark’s nipples, and Mark had his free hand around Al’s waist and was running it up and down Al’s butt crack.
Two rigid rods of sexual pleasure were grinding into each other. Sometimes Al’s cock was attacking the spot under Mark’s penis, just where the ball sack hung down.
At other times, Mark’s pole was rubbing the underside of Al’s ball sack, sending shivers of delight through his lover’s nether regions.
“Uuuummmm! Your cock feels soooo good!” Mark said.
“So does yours, love,” said Al.
“If I made my hand into a letter “C,” I could grasp them both and we could rub along together, dontcha’ think?” asked Mark.
“Yeah! Like one hand beating two meats at the same time. . . . Oh, don’t stop . . . oh . . .
aahhhhh . . . .”
Before long, Al and Mark had decorated each other’s bodies with streams of their man-milk, and then of course, they had the oh-so-difficult job of cleaning up the spilled steaming semen, produced by two such sexy he-men!
After some post-orgasmic cuddling, Al said, “I think we better get up and get ready if we’re going to be on time for dinner at Tony and Rosa’s.
Satisfied and sated for the time being, Al and Mark got up, showered together, and shaved, dressed, and left for their dinner engagement with their two friends.
* * * * *
About the same time as Al and Mark were waking up from their nap, a burly older man was giving orders to a slender fifteen-year-old boy in a dingy motel room. A six-year-old boy watched them, not saying anything, but looked on with frightened eyes at the other two.
Pedro was five-foot-six, and had smooth olive skin and was beginning to show muscular definition on his chest. His curly black hair set off his handsome face, with brown eyes, and wide smile.
The six-year-old, Taco by name, was three-foot-nine. He had the same olive skin and curly hair as his brother and his brown eyes would have been beautiful if they had not been wide-open with fear.
“Listen to me and listen good, Pedro,” the older man, Zack, said. “We have two rich clients coming tonight. They are going to want to be ‘entertained’ by you, and you’d better do a good job, or by G-d, I’ll take my strap to you, do you understand?”
“Yes, Zack, I understand,” said Pedro.
“If they want you to sit on their laps and ride their rods, you’ll do it.”
“Yes, Zack.”
“If they want you to suck them off, you’ll do it, and you’d better not let them feel your teeth.”
“Yes, Zack.”
“And maybe they’d like you and your dumb brother, Taco, to lie naked on the floor, because the sight of two naked boys might increase their pleasure while they jerk off on you, and you’ll let them do it.”
“No! Zack! Please keep Taco out of this.”
“Shut up, kid. You’ll do as I say.”
<slap>
“Please, Zack, not Taco, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“You’re damn right. Now you stay here with your brother. I’ve got some business to take care, and I’ve locked your shoes up, so you can’t go out. Did you hear what I said?”
<slap>
“Yes, Zack.”
Zack went out the door, and after he had been gone, Pedro said, “Quick Taco, let’s get some clean clothes in a plastic bag and get out of here before he comes back. I don’t care if it’s raining. I’d rather go barefoot and risk catching a cold if I can just get you out of here. Come on, brother.”
In two minutes Pedro and Taco had gotten some clothes in a bag and were out the door. It was raining harder than ever, and it was cold. Little Taco was not scared of the lightning flashes and the thunder. He was with his brother, and he knew everything would be all right.
Pedro wasn’t scared either. He knew that he and Taco would never, NO NEVER, go back to that monster. Pedro would rather take Taco and jump off a bridge and risk death rather than go back to that living death of being Zack’s slut-boy, forced to put up with all kinds of degradation,
Barely looking where they were going, they ran through the dark streets, as fast as they could, until . . . .
* * * * *
Al and Mark were in Al’s car and Al was driving. “I wonder what Rosa is gonna to serve us for dinner, Al?” Mark said.
“I dunno, my sweet, but I. . .”
Just at that point two figures, one taller than the other, ran out of an alley into the street
“Al, look out!” Mark yelled.
<SCREECH!>
Al hit the brakes and saw the two figures fall down in the street, and get up and run to the car. The older one banged on the window.
“Please, misters, help us get away from that man,” Pedro was sobbing. Taco didn’t say anything but looked terrified again.
“All right, son. We’re police officers.” Al showed Pedro his warrant card and police badge. “Get in the back seat and we’ll find some place where we can talk. Mark, call Rosa on your phone and tell her we may be a little late. Tell her we have two young boys we need to help.”
Mark called Rosa, and after explaining the situation, he listened while Rosa gave him some orders. He hung up and turned to Al, and said, “We’d better take the young men to Tony and Rosa’s. Rosa says she has plenty of food, and two more guests won’t be a problem, and oh, yes, she said, we’d better bring them or she would give us ‘what for.’”
Al pulled the car over to the curb and turned the engine off. “OK, guys, tell us what the problem is.”
Pedro quickly told the two police officers about how the man, Zack, was their stepfather. After their mother died, he began traveling around the area, contacting men who ‘got their kicks by’ by doing nasty things to Pedro.
“All right, Pedro, we’ll see that you never have to do anything like that again. But right now, a very nice lady has told Mark and me that we have to bring you and . . Taco, is it? to her house for supper, and if we don’t do it, she will be very, very angry! Would you like to go and get some supper? This lady is a very good cook!”
The only answer Al got was very tight hug around his neck and a voice saying, “Oh yes, please. Thank you.”
When Al, Mark, Pedro and Taco arrived at the Lombardi house, they got out of the car and went to the door. Taco was holding Pedro’s hand very tightly.
They knocked on the door and it was opened by Rosa. She hugged Al and Mark, and smiled at Pedro and Taco and said, “Hello, I’m Rosa. I’m so glad you could come to my house for supper.” She shook hands with Pedro.
Pedro smiled and said, “Thank you for inviting us. My name is Pedro and this is my brother Taco.”
Pedro turned to Taco, and said, “Shake hands with Rosa, Taco.” Shyly Taco put out his hand, and Rosa took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. She hadn’t missed the scared look on his face.
“Come in, all of you. Tony’s waiting to meet you.”
They went into the living room, where Tony Lombardi stood, waiting to greet his company and meet the two surprise guests. He had a smile on his face, but when he saw Pedro, he got a lump in his throat, ‘My God, he reminds me of me when I was his age.”
Aloud he said, “I’m happy to meet you, Pedro, and Taco. I hope you’ll enjoy dinner. My Rosa is a very good cook.”
Al and Mark both said, “Oh, yeah,” and “She’s the best.”
Rosa noticed the two boys were barefoot and clutching a bag of clean clothes. “Tony,” she said, “Why don’t you, Al, and Mark take our guests upstairs and show them where the bathroom is and help them get out of their wet clothes? And, Tony, I think Mama Lombardi kept some of your clothes from when you first arrived. You might find a pair of shoes for Pedro, and maybe Taco would like to wear my fuzzy bunny bedroom slippers. If you put some tissue in the toes, I think they would stay on his feet.”
The three men, following Rosa’s instructions, took the boys upstairs. When they got to the top, Pedro looked at Tony, and asked, “Are you gonna make us do things to you in order to pay for our supper?”
Tony looked aghast at Al and Mark. He turned and looked at Pedro and said, “No, Pedro, nobody is ever going to make you ‘do things’ to anyone again. I swear!” Tony pulled Pedro and into his arms, and picked Taco up, for a three-way hug. “Nobody . . . ever . . .again!”
All three adults had tears in their eyes, and when they saw Taco hug Tony tightly, well, the tears just flowed a little more freely. Al moved away from the group and made a call on his cell phone. His conversation could not be overheard, except for disjointed phrases such as . . . ,“You will?” “Uh, huh, about 8:00.” “That’ll be great. Thanks.”
Supper that night was delicious. Rosa had baked a ham with a pineapple glaze, with creamed potatoes, green beans. She served a delicious minestrone as an appetizer. For dessert, she had that all-time favorite, apple pie and ice cream.
Al and Mark tried to keep the conversation light, but everybody was wondering what would happen to these two boys: Pedro, who sat there, looking at Tony as if he were Superman, saying very little, but obviously enjoying every bite of food, and Taco, who seemed to have a good appetite, never said a word, and hardly even smiled.
Tony and Rosa were good hosts and the food kept coming, but somehow their minds were not on the conversation. If we could have read their thoughts, we would have known what each of them was thinking, ‘If only . . . .’ and “I wish . . . .’ Al and Mark seemed to sense this, and wisely devoted their attention to the two boys.
Al did try to get Tony to tell him the name of the motel where they had been staying. Tony didn’t know the name of the motel, but he did know that it had an electric neon sign in the shape of a bell. The neon gas was colored blue. ‘Ah ha!’ Al thought to himself ‘I know where that is.’
At 8:30, just as everyone had finished eating, the doorbell rang. Tony went to answer the door, and brought back an attractive woman in her late 40s, carrying some folders. “Why, hello, Alicia, how nice to see you,” Rosa said.
Alicia Cross Heckman, 47, was a high-ranking official at the Department of Social Services. She had risen to her present post by hard work, a deep concern for the people who came to her with problems, a thorough knowledge of the rules and regulations, and the extremely rare good sense to know just when those rules might be ‘bent, ignored, or downright broken.’
“Hello, Rosa, Tony, Al, and Mark. I’m glad I could come on such short notice. And who are these two handsome young men?” She smiled at Pedro and Taco.
“Well! Let me see. I had a phone call from a certain police officer reporting two possible cases of children in need. Of course I’ll have to go through a long procedure with paper, but right now, my first concern is to see that the children are safe and well cared for. Tony and Rosa, is there some place where I can talk to these two young men? Maybe Officer Al or Mark could be with them.”
“Sure, Alicia. Why don’t you all go into my office?” Tony said.
As Alicia and Al got up to take Pedro and Taco into the office, Pedro went to Tony and put his arms around him. “Don’t make us leave, Mr. Tony.”
“It’s all right, Pedro, Miss Alicia just wants to talk to you for a few minutes, and maybe when you come back, Rosa will have some hot chocolate ready.”
The promise of hot chocolate made Pedro feel a little better. He took Taco by the hand and went into the office with Al and Alicia. Alicia had Al close the door.
Seeing Tony and Rosa’s nervousness, Mark smiled at them and said, “You know, folks, I have a good feeling about this. . . . Say, how about I start to put the dishes in the dish washer, and you two can have a few minutes alone.”
Oh, Mark, you’re a guest, you shouldn’t be doing the dishes,” Rosa objected.
Putting on a comic ‘Steppin Fetchit’ pose, Mark replied, “Now missy, my people done been washing dishes for your people for many years. Now you go on and have some private time with your man. I won’t break any dishes. I promise.”
Mark was so droll that Tony and Rosa both laughed, and let him go into the kitchen. They flew into each other’s arms and held each other tightly.
“Do you think . . .?” Tony started.
“Oh, I don’t know, but I hope . . .,” Rosa said.
They just stood in each other’s arms, hoping, wondering, praying, and wishing.
Approximately twenty minutes later, the office door opened and Alicia and Al came out with the two boys. Mark came out of the kitchen.
“Well, now I think we all need to have a little chat,” Alicia began. “But first, did I hear someone mention hot chocolate?”
“Coming right up, ma’am,” said Mark, and he came out with a tray of cups and saucers, and a plate of cookies. He went back into the kitchen and returned with a large pitcher of hot chocolate.
When they were all seated around the table, Alicia started. “Tony and Rosa, I have talked to the boys, and they have told me enough about their stepfather that I am placing them in temporary custody of Social Services.”
Al spoke up, “Tomorrow, Mark and I will go to this Blue Bell Motel and have a few words with this Zack. We’ll come by here in the afternoon and let you know what we found.”
“But what about tonight? Couldn’t the boys stay here?” Rosa asked.
“Well, it’s certainly too late to take them to a Juvenile Residence Center,” Alicia said (pretending to be uncertain). “Why, I have it! I just happened to have your application to become foster parents in my folder, and I see that your home had been approved, and . . . I think . . . I know that it would be in the best interests of the boys to assign them to you as their foster parents.”
Rosa had tears in her eyes, but she asked Pedro, “Would you and Taco like to stay with Tony and me? We have a nice bed for you two to sleep in, and it would make us very happy to have you . . .”
She couldn’t say any more because Pedro got up and gave her the tightest bear hug she had ever gotten. “Thank you, Miss Rosa. We would like that so much.”
Taco didn’t say anything but he understood what was being said, and again he had a big smile on his face. “Taco, we’re going to be together in this nice house. Would you like that?” Pedro asked.
Taco smiled, and got up, and went to Rosa and Tony and gave them each a smile, and then he did give them a hug, too.
Alicia had Tony and Rosa sign some papers, and she gave each of the boys a hug, smiled and said good-bye and was out the door.
“Tony, how did Alicia know to bring just the right papers?” Rosa asked.
“I’ve no clue,’ said Tony. Al just looked at the ceiling with a most angelic look on his face. He had no clue either, did he! Yeah, right!
Al and Mark said good-bye to Pedro and Taco, and high-fived Pedro. They shook hands with Tony and got a big hug from Rosa. “I think maybe you’re my two angels,” she said.
When Al and Mark had left, Tony looked at Pedro and saw that he was yawning. Taco had put his head down on the table and had fallen asleep.
“Rosa, I think it’s time we got our . . . our boys! to bed!” Tony said. Tony helped Pedro stand and had Pedro put his arm around Tony’s neck and Tony put his arm around Pedro’s waist. Rosa picked up the Taco, and the happy couple took their charges up the stairs to bed.
* * * * *
The next morning about ten o’clock, Al and Mark arrived at the Blue Bell Motel and asked the manager if he had a resident named Zack. They didn’t know the last name.
“Yeah, we did, but he checked out early this morning. Funny thing I was sure he had two kids with him but he was definitely by himself when he left. And he sure pulled out of here in a hurry, almost as if the . . . (a bulb went off in the manager’s head), and you two ARE police officers, aren’t you?”
“We are,” said Mark, as he showed the manager his warrant card and police badge. “Do you think we might see the room he had? He may be a ‘person of interest’ in a case we are working on.”
“Sure. It’s Room 11 on the first floor. Just bring the key back, please.”
As they walked to the room, Mark said, “In a way I’m glad he’s vanished. If he were here I don’t know what I’d have done to him.”
“I know how you feel, Love, because after you finished with him, I’d feel like taking him through some ‘attitude adjustment’ too.”
When the two handsome police officers, partners on the job and life partners as well, arrived at the room, they were appalled at the squalor. They found some porno magazines and some videos of kiddy porn. Al took pictures and made a list of what he found. Mark found some children’s clothes, including some worn shoes that probably belonged to Pedro and Taco.
“We’ll take these to Tony and Rosa’s for the boys,” Mark said.
“Good, but I’ll bet that Tony and Rosa and their parents will soon have all new clothes for those boys.
* * * * *
In the meantime, Rosa had called their friend, Dr. Buddy Mason, and asked him if he could possibly find the time to stop by for a cup of coffee before his regular office hours and take a quick look at Pedro and Taco.
He agreed, and arrived at the house at 9:00, just as the family had finished breakfast. Tony told him about the boys and how they had arrived last night.
“We’ll gladly bring them to the office for a regular check up but we thought maybe their first experience with a doctor should be in familiar surroundings,” Tony explained.
“Good idea,” said Dr. Mason. He talked to Pedro and checked his heart and blood pressure, and did the same for Taco. He asked Taco if he hurt anywhere, and Taco shook his head no.
“His hearing seems to be normal, and he understands questions. Although I’d like to give him a more thorough examination, I have a feeling that this failure to speak is due more to psychological than physical causes. One day, he may decide to talk,” their old friend, Buddy Mason said.
He shook Pedro’s hand and held out his hand to Taco. Taco took it and shook it with all the solemnity of a six-year-old who is not quite sure of what is going on, but who knows he is happier than he has been for a long time.
* * * * *
Months went by. The boys were adjusting to their new home and their new foster parents. Tony and Rosa were happier than they had been for some time. Although taking care of two boys took a lot of time and energy, they loved it. They still found time to be with each other and their lovemaking increased in intensity.
Tony and Rosa were able to adopt Pedro and Taco.
Rosa planned a wonderful family dinner for Thanksgiving. The grandparents would be coming, and Rosa had invited her ‘two angels’ also. Al and Mark said they would bring ice cream. Mama Lombardi was making two apple pies, and two pumpkin pies.
Tony knew that Rosa went about singing as she did her daily routine, but Mama Lombardi noticed that Rosa had a new air about her an aura of . . . well, serenity might describe it. She wasn’t sure, but she had her suspicions.
The Thanksgiving dinner went as planned. Pedro’s job was to take the guests’ coats and put them in the bedroom. Tony had helped Rosa set the table with the best china and silver ware. The turkey came out of the oven golden-brown, and all the vegetables were done at the right time. Everyone had plenty to eat.
At the end of the meal, Rosa stood and said, “I’d like to say that this has been the happiest Thanksgiving I have ever known. Tony and I have been blessed with these two sons to love and take care of . . and we just love them so much.”
“I love you, Mama, and Papa, too,” said Pedro.
Taco stood up, and . . . . said, “I love you, too, Mama and Papa.”
His first spoken words.. . . . and they brought tears to the eyes of all those at the table.
Suddenly Rosa winced.
“Are you Okay, Rosa?” asked Tony.
“Oh, yes, Tony, but I think our THIRD CHILD has just told me he loves us too.”
The End.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers.
Feedback always welcome.
Encourager’s Comments: If this story doesn’t make you believe in Turkey day then nothing will. E
Posted: 11/21/08