The Castaway Hotel - 5 - 14. Chapter 14 - Happy Holidays

As expected, my grandchildren woke up early Christmas morning, but their parents were able to keep them from disturbing the rest of the household until around 7:00. At that time, they were too excited to be contained any longer, so my oldest son came to wake me and ask if I was ready for the mayhem to begin. After agreeing I was, I called the Spences and invited them and the Yamadas to join us, so they could also watch my sons and grandchildren open their gifts. They arrived at the house about twenty minutes later and the unwrapping began shortly thereafter.

It had been difficult keeping the younger ones from instantly ripping into the presents with their names on them, but the boys were able to distract them long enough until our guests arrived. Of course, the visitors came bearing their own bags of gifts, so the little ones concluded it had been worth the wait. Now that everyone was there, my younger sons and grandchildren were handed their presents, one at a time, and eagerly began to tear them open. Over the course of the next many minutes, they dug into all of the packages meant for them, which included gifts from Santa, their parents, me and anyone else kind enough to bring something for them.

The rest of us watched in awe as the eager recipients carried on in a fashion that reminded me of a shark feeding frenzy. There was wrapping paper, gift tags and ribbons flying in all directions, as each youngster raced to discover what prize was hidden underneath the pretty paper, and it was apparent they were definitely more concerned with doing it quickly, rather than neatly. By the time the frantic activities had ended and all of the presents had been unwrapped, a couple of the older members and I went through the room with large trash bags, collecting reminders of the hours we’d spent tediously wrapping those items.

Everyone had received many gifts, and now they were starting to investigate what they had been given more fully. As had been our habit, the boys all chipped in and pooled their money to buy each brother one special gift, rather than many inexpensive trinkets. This seemed to work out better, and now the boys were complimenting each other on what they had been given. I had purchased a cellular phone for each of them, which also had a special paging feature, so they could contact each other without having to make a call. It was similar in use to two-way radios and reduced the risk they would exceed their allowable minutes. I decided on this gift because it seemed we were constantly heading in so many different directions, with limited vehicles to transport everyone in that I thought the phones would come in handy in keeping us all connected, so no one would ever get abandoned or left behind. It also gave me the peace of mind to know the boys would have a way to reach the rest of us, should something out of the ordinary happen.

Vinnie seemed especially pleased with this gift, as well as with the present his brothers had purchased for him. They had each chipped in, with added contributions from Jake and myself, to buy him his own leg extender, which he could keep in his room to workout with. Vinnie had beamed when he opened this present, knowing that everyone was trying to make his being part of the family easier for him, although he apologized for not having anything as beneficial to give them in return. Without exception, they told him not to worry about it, because they had more than enough to keep them happy. Besides, his name had been included on every present given to every one of the brothers, because each of their names was always included on every gift. They happily explained to him that he was part of the family now and they always took care of each other, so from this time forward he would be included in everything, whether he wanted to be or not. He wasn’t about to argue or complain with what they told him, since he was pleased to discover the others felt this way.

Everyone else had presents to open too, even our visitors, and Sammy and Andrew had also made sure to select special presents for their grandparents. First, they gave their obaasan and ojiisan, the Japanese equivalent of grandmother and grandfather, a photo of themselves, one we had taken at a studio and placed in a very special oriental frame. We had discovered this frame on one of our shopping trips and Sammy and Andrew instantly concluded it would be perfect to put their picture in.

In addition to the photo, they had also made a book for their grandparents, using a rather large photo album to keep it in. The boys had typed out the story of their lives on the computer and then embedded various pictures of themselves from the same time period as that section of the text, which made it a very special keepsake.

The boys started their autobiography by discussing the time they lived with their parents and included a copy of various family pictures they had from that time, and they discussed what it had been like for them after their parents were gone. They then continued with pictures and stories telling about their first meeting with us, coming to live in our home and what life was like for them now. This section also included their various school pictures and copies of photos we took on vacation and when we visited their grandparents in Japan. The pair had spent many hours preparing this special gift, but their effort had paid off. Their grandparents loved it and would treasure this memento, as well as the other gift they had received from their grandsons, because each of those items had come from the heart.

After the last of the presents had been opened, we all grabbed a quick breakfast, before the younger ones left us to go off and have some fun with their Christmas presents. Some of the older boys decided their time would be best utilized by going back to bed and getting a little more rest, because I suspected more than a few of them hadn’t gone to sleep when they went to their rooms the previous evening. My, my – I do wonder what they had been up to.

Once the boys had taken off, Jake and I sat with our guests and visited for the next couple of hours. The Spences told us about their plans to get away from the cold weather for a while and advised us they’d be leaving for their home in Arizona right after the first of the year and remain there until April. Once they had finished, the Yamadas filled us in on things they had done during the time since we had seen them last, and then they raved about how special their grandsons were. We all agreed with them, and they were beaming with pride as this conversation went on, knowing that their grandchildren still loved and respected them, even though they lived many miles apart.

At this point, I decided to tell them about Graham’s special ability and fill them in on everything he had been part of since he announced we had to find Sammy and Andrew and bring them to live with us. They were somewhat shocked by this revelation, but probably more accepting of otherworldly intervention than most westerners would be.

After I had finished giving them all of those details, I concluded by telling them about our little session last night and the messages from various deceased parents. They listened intently, but the Yamadas gasped when I detailed the revelation about what Graham had said about their son, because they immediately recognized the picture Graham had described. They wondered how he could have possibly known about it, since that very picture was now kept in their home and none of us had ever seen it, except for Sammy and Andrew. The Yamadas currently kept it in a cabinet that sat on a small table, as a sort of shrine to their lost family, and rarely opened it for anyone else, for fear they’d misunderstand its purpose. The Yamadas were pleased to hear their son was begging for everyone’s forgiveness, even though they had already decided to forgive him after many months of grieving, but they weren’t so sure anyone else would be that generous. They were also pleased that Sammy and Andrew had been told about this simple act of contrition, so they would have something positive to remember their father by and not merely focus upon the last act he had committed while he was alive.

After we finished our discussion, it was suggested we should now turn our attention to Christmas dinner, because it wouldn’t be long before the boys would be getting hungry. Therefore, we each went to work on our portion of the meal, since we had all agreed to prepare a dish or two for later. As always, it would be a large and varied feast, which would include special dishes from those near and dear to us. However, those preparing these delights would have to remember to multiply the measurements included in their recipes by a minimum of six-fold, in order to have enough to go around. Not only that, but these items would also need to be split up amongst several serving dishes, since we would be spread around multiple tables, to accommodate this group’s size. No one seemed to mind, however, as they knew the thank yous and other special comments they received after these dishes were devoured would be more than sufficient to make the effort worthwhile.

Before dinner was ready to be served, various boys began wandering about the kitchen and asking how long it would be before we ate. Although most of us understood teenage appetites and knew the boys were never full, at least not for very long, especially when they knew that some of their favorite dishes were being prepared, some of our ‘cooks’ were amused by their exaggerated antics. After watching them act as if they might pass out or starve to death if they didn’t eat soon, our chefs assured them it wouldn’t be much longer before the food would be served. Once they had done that, they gently pushed the boys out of the room, so they could continue their work, but I think the boys merely sent other reinforcements in their place, to ask the same questions and put even more pressure on them to hurry. This was also done so it would deflect our impatience from any particular individual, since it was a rotating stream of boys carrying out this constant questioning, so I guess they assumed we wouldn’t put two and two together and come up with four. However, it did nothing to speed up the process, but their antics did manage to slow it down a bit.

Mercifully, for all of us, dinner was eventually ready and being placed on the tables, as everyone was called in to eat. I had asked Vinnie beforehand if he would be willing to say grace, and he quickly informed me he’d love to do it for us. Once we were all sitting quietly around the collection of tables, Vinnie performed his first official function as part of our family.

“Dear God, we thank you for this wonderful day and why we celebrate it,” he began, “and we thank you for all this great food and all these wonderful people. I’d especially like to thank you for helping me become a part of this wonderful family and for sending us the messages we received last night. Please take care of our loved ones who are no longer with us and please bless and protect those who are still here. Thank you for all the blessings you have given each and every one of us, and thank you for this magnificent meal we are about to enjoy. Amen”

The rest of us added our own, “Amen,” before we began digging into and passing about the various bowls and platters around each table. Most of the adults were gathered around the main dining room table, while the older boys sat at the folding banquet table, which had been set up just for today. The younger ones were then directed to one of two smaller tables, one of which was lower and sized to their stature, which made it easier and more comfortable for them. The only humorous part about the eating arrangements was that Jordan and Nicky had convinced their Uncle Robert to eat with them at the ‘kiddie’ table, even though his knees extended far above the table’s surface. However, Robert didn’t seem to mind and spent the entire time with that pair.

We all enjoyed a great meal, shared some pleasant conversation and had a few laughs, and we all felt stuffed and blessed when we had finished. We decided to take a short break before we brought out the desserts, to give us time for our stomachs to settle and make room for those sweet delights. Many of us went into the living room so we could watch ‘Scrooge,’ with George C. Scott, on the television. This was also kind of a holiday tradition for us, as well as watching the 1930’s version of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ as they helped to reinforce how fortunate we all were and gave us a reminder about how we should deal with others.

When we were done with those programs, we went back to the dining room to select our choices for dessert, which was not an easy task. We had to choose from pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate cream pie and banana cream pie, not to mention cheesecake with various toppings, a chocolate truffle and numerous types of Christmas cookies. Most people took small portions of several of the abovementioned offerings, and then some would even sneak back to grab a little more, once those first portions were gone. It was definitely a delightful way to finish off a very special day, besides having an opportunity to play with my grandsons and hold my granddaughter.

The next day my grandchildren and their parents left for their own homes and, as always, watching them depart was an extremely emotional time for me. The grandchildren always seemed to want to stay a little longer, so they could play with their uncles, mainly because their uncles tended to spoil them while they were with us. After giving the standard explanations about why they had to go and promising we’d get together again soon, they hesitantly gave in and left with their folks.

Each of these families was taking a great deal home with them, especially when you included all the gifts they had received, and it was comical watching them make sure that nothing was left behind. The little ones would ask if they had this or that, and the parents would have to show them they indeed had it, before either of the boys would accept their assurance, and then they would have to repack everything again, before they could leave. When that finally happened, it was very sad for us to watch them depart.

The rest of the week, the period between Christmas and New Year’s, was filled with many varied activities and events. First of all, Mark flew in to join us to celebrate the New Year, after spending Christmas with his mother. Jake and I drove to the airport to pick him up and then brought him back to stay at the house. Don’t get me wrong, but Mark didn’t do this just to see us. He also had plans for New Year’s Eve with his girlfriend from the bank. Isn’t love wonderful?

After finding this out, the rest of us began discussing what we might do to celebrate this year, but other than the boys who had dates for the big night, no one had any real strong feelings about doing anything in particular. The rest of us finally decided to go out for an early dinner and then to the movies to see the current installment of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, before returning home in time to ring in the New Year. I might even make a little wine punch to make toasts with. If I did, I’d definitely have to make two mixtures of this concoction though, one for the older group and a weaker concoction for the younger boys. This wasn’t due to the fact that I worried about them getting intoxicated, but because they had proven in the past they didn’t especially care for the stronger mix. The batch I whipped up for them would have just enough wine in it to make them feel like it was something special, but diluted and sweet enough so they could still get it down. Theirs would also have a little ice cream in it, so they wouldn’t really care about the lack of wine.

I had already made reservations at a nice restaurant for dinner for our immediate family and their dates, but our extended family was doing their own thing this year, except for the Spences and Yamadas, who would be joining us. Mark had asked to borrow the Grand Am for the night, because he and his date would be doing their own thing, and I told him that would be fine. Shortly after he left, Frankie took off in the Suburban, along with Dustin, Pat, Ricky and Jay, as he was taking them around to pick up their dates and then meeting us at the restaurant. Jake also drove his own vehicle, because he was going to pick up the Spences and the Yamadas, while I loaded everyone else into the van.

We ended up going to a restaurant we hadn’t been to before and I had selected an early time to dine, so we wouldn’t have trouble seating such a large group and still be able to finish up in time to get to the theater. Shortly after we arrived, Frankie and Jake also pulled in, so we all walked in together.

Every individual selected what he wanted to eat and the service was quite good, considering how many people they had to take care of that evening. We all chatted with each other as we enjoyed our meals, and then the boys and their dates took off. Frankie was going to drop the others off at a party they had been invited to, after which he and his date would go off to pursue their more private plans for the evening.

The rest of us still finished up early enough so we didn’t have to rush to get to the movie, which gave us enough time to buy our tickets, purchase drinks and make our way inside before all the good seats were taken. In fact, we were so early that we had time to sit and talk about other things, and it seemed like it took forever before the previews began. However, once they started playing, things got much better and the boys all began to settle down, eager to watch the film.

The movie was excellent and everyone seemed to really get into it, which made us even more disappointed that we’d have to wait another year before we got to see the next installment. Sammy and Andrew had spent the entire evening sitting beside their grandparents, both at the restaurant and at the movie, so the Yamadas were quite satisfied by the time the movie had ended. I don’t think the movie was something they had wanted to see, but they did it for their grandchildren and enjoyed the time with Andrew switching from one of their laps to the other.

The rest of us left the theater discussing the pros and cons of the movie, which included such topics as actor selection, how they played their roles, how true the film stayed to the book and what parts they might have left out that we thought should have been included. All in all, we reached a consensus that the director had done an excellent job.

After dropping the Yamadas and Spences off at the Spence’s house, the rest of us went back to our place. As soon as we entered, the boys started to get comfortable and Jake and I began passing out the beverages. We turned on television and watched some of the events unfold, as various parts of the world celebrated this special night, but we eventually deferred to our own devices. Before long, the boys began playing a variety of songs and dancing around the house, and they even got Jake and me to dance too. I guess it was actually pretty obvious they weren’t going to let this opportunity slide by.

We were all having a good time, and even the younger ones were following suit, and then I spied Kevin and Vinnie, dancing quietly off to one side, so as not to draw any special notice to themselves. Vinnie seemed to be doing quite well, considering his disability, but Kevin didn’t seem to think anything was out of the ordinary and they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

As it got closer to midnight, we stopped what we were doing for a brief time, so we could watch the countdown on television and get ready to celebrate the New Year in our own way. We counted down the final few seconds with the announcer, with the boys screaming out the numbers, and then we all went around the room wishing each other a happy New Year by giving out hugs and kisses, along with our good wishes. I made sure I got to each and every one there before they disappeared, because some of the boys were already heading to their rooms, although I was pretty sure it wasn’t to sleep.

I noticed Kevin and Vinnie heading up to Kevin’s room, and a few minutes later I was surprised to notice Shannon and Nick heading up the stairs together too. I knew Shannon was interested in Nick, although he had been warned that Nick wasn’t one to commit himself to only one other person, but Shannon must have decided he was willing to take that chance, as long as they were able to share these special times together. If they were both happy with that type of arrangement, who was I to say otherwise.

Once Kevin and Vinnie made their way to Kevin’s room, Kevin began t o undress Vinnie, which included helping him take off his braces. As Vinnie lay on the bed, now clad only in his underwear, Kevin decided to massage his legs, so he left their room momentarily to get some baby oil to use as he did this. With all the love and tenderness he could muster, Kevin gently kneaded his fingers into the skin and muscles of Vinnie’s legs, seemingly trying to get them to work as they were meant to in the first place. It was obvious this was very important for Kevin and more than just a way to attain something more. Vinnie also felt this as well.

As Vinnie enjoyed Kevin’s attention and loving care, he allowed Kevin to do whatever he wanted to him. When it appeared Kevin seemed ready to stop, Vinnie was quick to let Kevin know he could do the rest of his body too. Kevin wasn’t sure what he meant by this, until Vinnie began to remove the rest of his clothing, thus giving Kevin access to the previously hidden parts of his body. He was already sporting an erection, as his 6” uncircumcised penis stood proudly out from his abdomen, and this left Kevin with little doubt about what he wanted. Kevin did study Vinnie’s face, to make certain he hadn’t misinterpreted his actions, but Vinnie’s eyes seemed to be begging him to go ahead and satisfy him. Kevin decided to proceed slowly, so he lay down beside the prone boy and slowly drew the back of his hand across his partner’s chest and lower abdomen.

Vinnie moaned some encouragement to him as he did this, so Kevin became slightly more aggressive. Slowly, Kevin bent forward and placed his head above Vinnie’s closest breast, so he could let his tongue dart out and play with the nipple. This made Vinnie twitch and squirm slightly, but then he got back into position so Kevin could do it some more. This time Kevin ran his tongue all around the aureole, wetting it completely before he took the tiny nub into his mouth. He began suctioning on it, like a greedy calf, which made Vinnie groan in delight.

At that point, Kevin let his free hand wander down to Vinnie’s groin, so he could fondle his scrotum. With great tenderness, Kevin began to stroke the sensitive sac, lightly rolling the watery orbs between his fingers as he did so, and this elicited a very distinctive groan of appreciation. Vinnie had never felt sensations like these before and he certainly didn’t want them to stop. Vinnie’s mouth hung open while Kevin pleasured him and his mind was floating, as the result of all the wonderful feelings coursing through his body.

By this point, Kevin decided that Vinnie would have stopped him if this wasn’t something he wanted to have happen, so he leaned lower and began teasing Vinnie’s penis with his tongue. Slowly, he used his oral muscle to encircle the head of Vinnie’s cock, before teasing the slit and spongy portion that was peering through the foreskin. After he had done this for a while, Kevin then pulled the hood back and exposed the entire head for the first time. Vinnie was somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of stimulation he was now feeling, as this very sensitive area of his body was fully probed, and he was nearing his orgasm almost before Kevin’s lips slid down his pole. Within seconds, Kevin began to bob on it in earnest and swallowed his entire organ, and Vinnie began to thrust his hips up, in rhythm to Kevin’s actions. It was only a minute or so later before Vinnie stiffened, his back arching up and off of the bed, and he released his load down Kevin’s waiting gullet.

Kevin was pleased that Vinnie had seemed to enjoy his effort, although he wished it had taken him a little longer before he released his reward. Undaunted by this fact, Kevin continued to tease the juices from the tiny opening, until he had received the last drop of his sweet nectar. Once he felt Vinnie had been completely drained, Kevin moved up beside Vinnie, looked into his face and waited for him to open his eyes. When he did, the first thing Vinnie saw was Kevin’s smiling face, before he heard him ask if he had enjoyed what they had just done. Vinnie immediately let him know he had, and that he also wished to return the favor, but Kevin convinced him to just lie back and enjoy the moment. While Vinnie lingered in his post-orgasmic bliss, Kevin kissed his face and stroked various other areas of his body, to let him know that this was more than just sex. It was an act of love, and possibly the first of many.

Once Vinnie had time to come down from his sexual high, he helped to remove the rest of Kevin’s clothing and then began to do to Kevin exactly what Kevin had done for him. Even though his technique was a bit rough, he more than made up for it with enthusiasm. Kevin thought Vinnie was mildly, yet pleasantly, surprised that he was uncut too, and Vinnie made sure he explored Kevin’s entire body with his eyes, hands and tongue, before he brought him to his sexual brink. Kevin had more staying power than his partner, since he had more experience with these types of encounters, so it gave Vinnie more time to practice his newly discovered skills. Although Kevin was afraid Vinnie might get frustrated by how long it took to get him off, Vinnie proved to be a trooper and seemed to enjoy both sides of this coin.

Eventually, Kevin began to feel the rumblings in his loins, as the pressure built from his impending release, and he made sure to warn Vinnie that he was close. That way, Vinnie could decide how he wanted to finish this up and what he was ready to do. To Kevin’s surprise, Vinnie never eased up on his sucking and continued nodding up and down on Kevin’s firm mast, so before long he also received his first taste of boy seed. Either he liked it or it happened so quickly that he didn’t take time to explore the flavor, but he eagerly swallowed as much of it as he could and only let a very small amount escape from the corners of his lips.

Eventually, Kevin had to pry Vinnie off of his organ and stop him from over-stimulating his supersensitive head, which caused Vinnie to look up at him, thinking he had done something wrong. Kevin quickly assured him that everything had been fantastic, except it was getting to the point where it was beginning to hurt a bit, and Vinnie nodded his understanding.

Now that they were both satisfied, Kevin reached out and pulled Vinnie up against him, cuddling him close to his side. Enjoying this new closeness, Vinnie merely reached down and pulled the blankets up over their bodies, just to keep them warm. They stayed that way until morning, enjoying the warmth and touch of each other’s skin, as a special bond began to grow between them, one that I hoped would last.