The Castaway Hotel - 6 - 20. Chapter 20 - Seasons Greetings

It just happened that my biological children had come home for Thanksgiving this year, so they were spending Christmas with their in-laws. We had already made arrangements for us to all get together on the third weekend in January instead, so we could celebrate our Christmas with them at that time. It couldn’t have worked out better.

On Christmas Eve we got a phone call from Ricky, but it was already Christmas day there. He was excited and wanted to wish us all a Merry Christmas, but he also wanted to thank us for our gifts. He had waited until the proper day to open them, not only because he didn’t want to be without presents on Christmas morning, but he also wanted to share his excitement with his family when he unwrapped them. We were happy to hear from Ricky and everyone spoke to him individually.

We also filled him in about our unexpected houseguests. Ricky made some sort of remark that he should have guessed we’d do something like that and then he told me he knew one of the girls. After telling me which one, he asked me to pass along his heartfelt sympathy over their loss. I told him I would and then we said good-bye.

Needless to say, the family was impressed that Ricky had thought of them and offered his sympathy, but the daughter said it sounded just like him. Even though he was a jokester, she said he always had a good heart and was often concerned about others. She told me to thank him the next time we spoke and her parents concurred. I guess my Ricky was more highly regarded than I knew.

Christmas morning was a great deal of fun. I think our guests were shocked that we didn’t really overdo the present thing, since they considered us rich. Their first surprise was when they discovered the boys all chipped in and bought only one gift for each brother. I think they were also amazed to see they had just as many gifts to open, if not more, than we did.

It was wonderful to see the expressions on each of their faces as they opened every gift or commented about something one of my boys had unwrapped. No one was in a big hurry to open his or her presents, so we took our time and enjoyed every moment.

Besides the clothes and a couple of special items each boy had asked for, I included one other present for them. Although I didn’t have these items as of yet, I gave each of them an envelope explaining what their extra gift was.

“In light of recent events in our community,” their letter read, “my last present to you is to keep you safe. Knowing most of your bedrooms are on the second and third floors of our house, I have become suddenly aware of the risks involved, if we were to find our home in flames. Due to this fact, I have purchased chain ladders for each room on the upper two floors, and our carpenter will be building a nice box under the window in each room, where this ladder will be stored and anchored.

“The bedrooms on the first floor will be equipped with an easy to open, swing out emergency window, to make sure no one will get trapped inside, should we ever have a fire. These devices are to be used for emergencies only and aren’t meant to enable you to sneak away for secret sexual encounters or other such activities. This gift is from the heart and because I love each of you. I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing ever happens to any of you, so I hope you accept this gift in the spirit it was given. Love, Dad/Pop”

Although many young people might not have thought this was a suitable gift, my boys realized my intent and thanked me for it. They understood I was doing what I thought best to protect them and provide a way from them to escape in an emergency, if we should experience something similar to what this other family had faced. Although I could probably have done this as other than a gift, I felt it might mean more this way and I think it did.

Our guests were also quite moved when they saw what I had given my sons and the father told me he planned to do the same thing for his family, although he hoped they’d never have to use them. I agreed, but we both knew it was better to be safe than sorry.

After the last of the presents had been opened, we prepared for the big Christmas meal. We knew our extended family would be arriving in just a couple of hours, so Jake and I set about getting everything ready. The mother came in and insisted on helping us, so rather than spend time explaining that we could handle it, we let her do her thing wherever she thought she could help.

When the meal was served, we said grace and thanked God for keeping all of them uninjured in the fire. Then their father asked if he could add his own blessing, and when I agreed, he thanked God for making sure there were people in this world, such as us, who were there to help others in their hour of need. Then he told us personally how much he appreciated what we’d done and emphasized we had helped prevent this from being the worst holiday they had ever experienced.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and talking to everyone. I made it a point to introduce our guests to our extended family and let them get better acquainted. Over time, they got to know the Spences, Shays, Beckers and Sally, as each of them made their own offer of support, to help the family get through the transitional period. The parents thanked them for their thoughtfulness, but told them we had already taken care of nearly everything to make it possible for them to start over.

I could tell the boys also felt really good about helping this family and they spent a great deal of their time entertaining the kids. They played games and watched movies with them until nearly bedtime and it was enjoyable to see. I could tell my boys were pleased we were able to help them, but it was obvious they made it a point to do something on their own. I was very proud of them.

Before we went to bed, Jake, the parents and I set up an action plan for the next day. We all realized there was still a great deal to be accomplished before they’d be on their own again and I didn’t want to forget or overlook anything. After we compiled the list, our guests went to bed. They understood tomorrow would be a long and busy day.

After they turned in, Jake, the boys and I got some supplies together, so we’d be ready to go as early in the morning as possible. We didn’t want to waste time searching for the items we needed at the last minute or discover we had forgotten something.

Once everything was set, I sent the boys to bed too, as I wanted them fresh and ready to go when I woke them. There was going to be a lot for all of us to do before the day was over and I didn’t want them to tire out prematurely. The boys were fairly good-natured about what I asked them to do, but I think that was because they were excited about helping the family too. It was also the major reason I didn’t questioned if they’d be able to pull their own weight when the time came.

The next morning, we all got up early and ate breakfast, before we loaded everyone in either the van or the suburban. We then drove to the house we had rented for them. Seeing it had been vacant for such a long time, it needed a good cleaning, so we pulled out all of our supplies and went inside. Everyone was assigned a room or rooms to clean and the family split up to assist us with the area that was most important to them.

The wife started in the kitchen. After telling each person what she was making them responsible to clean, she went to work on the refrigerator and stove. When the others announced they’d finished, she checked every nook and cranny to be sure it was spotless, before she allowed them to do anything else. Once she was satisfied with everyone’s effort, she directed the placement of the dishes, utensils and appliances.

The husband focused his attention on the living room and dining area, while the kids primarily concerned themselves with the room that would be theirs, once they moved in. The cleaning went quickly and quite smoothly, and the wife was about to check on how well Jake an I had done in the bathroom, before putting away the towels and other linens. She was not quite finished when the delivery truck from the furniture store arrived, but she stopped to direct the unloading of the various furnishings.

The larger, more muscled members of the group went out to help the driver and his assistant. They carried everything in to the house, placed it where the mother directed and also set up the beds, once they were in the appropriate rooms. Soon the furniture store employees left and we finished moving the last of the items into their proper places. Now that everything was done and they were settled in to their new home, we said our good-byes to our new friends. We wished them the best of luck, but I told them I’d be back, so they could tell me what they wanted to do on a permanent basis.

Before we drove away, the family thanked us several times. Not only did they verbalize their gratitude, each of their children also went out of their way to go around and thank each of my boys, Jake, and me separately. They either hugged us or shook our hand and said this was to let us know how much they appreciated all of our help and for how good we were to them. This meant a great deal to each of us, but we told them it was just our chance to practice the true meaning of Christmas, by helping someone less fortunate or in need. Christmas was supposed to be more than just giving your family more things they really didn’t need in the first place.

I suspected that as my sons grew older, they would look back on this experience and tell me, or their spouses and children, that this was the best Christmas they had ever celebrated. It sure makes you feel good inside when you’ve been able to help someone else, especially someone who really needed it at the time.

Over the course of the next week, we checked in on the family a couple more times and they seemed to be doing very well in their new home. They were happy, comfortable and getting used to remembering where they were. Yes, the parents admitted to absentmindedly driving to their old address, once they’d replaced the vehicle that was destroyed in their garage, and it took some time to get used to driving to their new residence.

As the week came to an end, we prepared for our New Year’s Eve celebration, which wasn’t going to be very big or elaborate this year. We did plan to go out to dinner and then to a movie, before we returned home to bring in the New Year together. We’d do that by toasting each other with a little wine, which was a special treat I let the boys partake in each year. The youngest boys would be allowed a half-glass each, while the middle group could have a whole glass and the older boys (still under the drinking age) would be allowed up to two glasses. I had always tied this to their age and level of maturity.

Those who had love interests outside the family were told they could also invite them to join us, but their parents would have to give me written permission if they were willing to allow their children to drink the wine with us. Later, I was informed a couple of their girlfriends would be joining us also, but basically, this would just be a family/extended family gathering.

Ricky called us before noon on New Year’s Eve day, to wish us all a Happy New Year. They had already entered the New Year in Australia, so he was really calling to gloat that he had beat us to it. He asked what we were planning to do and we told him. Then he told us what he had done.

Ricky had gone to a small youth celebration, held by the school he was attending, and he had a good time. That was because he had received a New Year’s kiss from Kylie at midnight. When I asked them if that was all he received, he merely replied, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” and then he giggled. He continued to evade answering my question directly and turned the conversation to talk about his travel plans for January. He also reminded me that he’d be home within a month, but I found it hard to believe the time had gone by so quickly. I told him we all wanted him to have fun, be careful and hurry back. He agreed and that’s how we ended the conversation.

The day passed quickly and it was soon time to leave, because we had 6 o’clock dinner reservation at our favorite restaurant. We wanted to get in and out before the rush began and not get caught up in the crowd that would eventually fill the place to overflowing.

Our extended family met us there, since they were looking forward to enjoying this special time with us too. Everyone ordered whatever he or she wanted from the menu, but I ordered several appetizers for us to share first. I also had the kitchen send out several serving bowls of salad, so everyone could have as much as he or she wanted. We not only enjoyed each other’s company, but we had a really great meal. What more could we have asked for?

Once we finished out meal, some of the extended family decided to return to their homes, while the rest of us went to the cinema complex. There, we split up into smaller groups, to see an assortment of different movies. Jake and I went to see the “Two Towers”, the second part of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and some of the boys opted to join us. Cody and Graham immediately let us know they were going with us too and Cody also informed me he was going to sit beside me as well.

We moved up to the last row of the stadium style theater, because if I sit too close to the screen, everything seems to spin. Jake sat to my right and Cody to my left, with Graham on the other side of Cody. Soon the lights dimmed and the previews started. Jake and I were pretty conservative in public and didn’t even hold hands when we were out like this, but I did notice the boys holding hands with each other.

Shortly after the previews began, Cody leaned over against my arm and rested his head on my shoulder. I was touched by this move and determined to be the strong father figure Cody needed right now. Maybe it was just that he hadn’t had one for so long, or maybe it was because of what he was going through with the leukemia, but he seemed to need me more now, than any of the others. I lifted my arm and wrapped it around his shoulders and he looked up at me and smiled, which let me know he approved of what I was doing.

Before long, Cody stood up, moved over and sat on my lap. It seemed he needed more than to just sit beside me and required my attention at the moment, rather than Graham’s. When Graham noticed what Cody had done, he moved into Cody’s former seat, so they could still hold hands, but he wasn’t upset by what had taken place. I believe he understood Cody wasn’t rejecting him, but was in need of something else right now. Maybe Cody looked at me as his protector – the one who made him feel safe and secure. When he needed a lover or someone to bond with on that level, Graham knew he’d be back, so he gave him his space and allowed him to do what he needed. I was very proud of Graham and impressed by his maturity.

The movie was excellent and we all enjoyed it immensely. When it was over, we went to the lobby to meet up with the others. Some of us had to wait for quite some time until the other movies were out, but there were games in the lobby, so the boys amused themselves while they waited. When we were all together again, we headed home, to bring in the New Year.

The girlfriends stayed with too, as they had planned. Once we got home, we turned on the TV and tuned into one of the national celebrations, so we could see what they were doing and coincide our activities with them. I went around and filled up each person’s wine glass as midnight drew near, and when 12:00 hit, we all toasted each other and wished everyone the very best New Year.

We celebrated a little longer and had a little more to drink, and then Jake took our guests home, as we promised their families. After the girls left, I encouraged the boys to head to their rooms, but I knew there would be a little more merry-making once they got there. This was to be expected, considering what day of the year it was. I was young once and could still remember the first sex of the New Year, so I wouldn’t try to discourage them from doing the same thing.

Some of the pairings I expected, like Cody and Graham, Vinnie and Kevin, Danny and Brandon and Trey and Dion, but some of the others came as a mild surprise to me. I really didn’t expect it when I saw Sammy was spending the night with Cole. Andrew had conked out shortly after midnight, as he hadn’t been feeling very well, and I don’t think Sammy wanted to be alone. It appeared he needed some company, and maybe some relief, and obviously Cole had agreed to help out.

Nick and Shannon presented another conundrum for me. Although they had been spending a lot of time together, I kept expecting it to end, due to Nick’s constant need for new sexual partners. However, he was continuing to astound me. Nick willingly spent most of his time with Shannon, although Jake wasn’t entirely thrilled by this arrangement, so I began to wonder if Shannon had found the secret to tame Nick of his wandering ways. Whatever the reason for their spending so much time together, they disappeared and neither of them one complained the following morning.

Although I could probably tell you what happened in every room, I will focus on just a couple of those pairings. The first would be Cody and Graham, because they are so devoted to each other, so cute in their innocence and kind of unusual in their approach. Let me explain what I mean.

After they got to their room, they kissed a little and started to undress each other. Once Graham had removed Cody’s underwear, he raced down the hall to the bathroom, leaving Cody to think he really had to go very badly. When he came back, however, Graham was carrying one of the electric razors we kept for the older boys to use, and Cody kind of blushed when he saw what Graham was holding. Graham plugged it in, turned it on and then had Cody get on the bed, so he could remove what little hair Cody had at this point. Cody’s pubic hair was very blond and hard to see, but Graham seemed determined to remove it anyway. When he was done, you would have guessed Cody to be about two years younger than he actually was.

I’m not sure if it was a turn-on for Graham or not, but he did seem to enjoy shaving Cody’s pubic region and scrotum, and Cody had to show me the next day, so I could see exactly what Graham had done. For some reason, Cody didn’t return the favor and, instead, they began to make out. They kissed and groped for a while, before letting their hands wander all over each other, to check out all of the areas of interest to each of them.

When he couldn’t stand it any longer, Graham slid down and began to run his tongue over the freshly shaved region on Cody’s young body. From there, he moved down to lick Cody’s throbbing, cut rod, and attacked it like a child would savor a lollipop. After giving the entire area a tongue-bath, Graham began to slide the stiff piece of flesh in and out of his mouth, like someone might do with a Popsicle he was enjoying. It was obvious that Cody was really relishing this type of attention, as his young manhood responded quickly and soon gave up its meager supply of thin, watery cum. Once he had experienced his orgasm, he swung his body around, so he could do the same thing to his partner.

Of course, Graham’s body didn’t give in as quickly to Cody’s ministrations, since Graham was a little more experienced at delaying his orgasm. That didn’t seem to be a problem, however, and Cody eagerly continued to work on Graham’s firm sausage. With the enthusiasm of a frisky puppy, Cody bobbed up and down on it with his lips and tongue and soon Graham was sighing and moaning in pleasure. This let Cody know he must be doing it right. He had been worried up to that point, seeing he had never done anything like this before.

Now that Graham was totally into what was happening to him, Cody let his right hand play with Graham’s sac and watery orbs, to stimulate him even more. Cody really had Graham squirming on the bed at this point and Graham’s floodgates opened, with his cream flooding Cody’s mouth and throat. Cody did his best to take it all down, but some did escape his lips and dribbled back onto Graham’s crotch. When they’d finished up their session, they cleaned up and cuddled against each other. When I checked on them later, they looked like two little angels wrapped in each other’s arms.

The other pair I want to focus on is Kevin and Vinnie. Kevin had been hurt many times over the past few years by falling in love with the wrong guy. My goal was to prevent this from happening yet again. Kevin had been hurt deeply by Dustin, when Dustin decided he liked girls more than guys, and he had also been hurt by Nick, when he discovered Nick couldn’t be faithful to just one guy. After that, he fell in love with Brent, who was killed in an automobile accident, so I wanted to keep my eye on this situation. I was hoping Vinnie was looking at this for the long term too and not viewing it as just an experimental fling. I have no idea how Kevin would react if he wound up in another relationship that didn’t work out for him.

Kevin and Vinnie had retired to their room, which was the only other bedroom on the first floor besides the master bedroom. In retrospect, I believe the touch of grapes they had imbibed earlier had made the pair even more affectionate than they normally were, as well as a little giddy. From what I was told, they were both more than a little frisky and very playful.

Vinnie, who can be quite aggressive at times, was more than anxious to take control this evening and Kevin decided not to fight for dominance. Instead, he let Vinnie know he was surrendering himself to him, so to speak, by getting on his back and pulling his legs up to his chest. That pretty much told Vinnie what he was in for and showed him his prize.

Vinnie didn’t need any further invitation and quickly grabbed the lube and greased both of them up, so they were ready for the ultimate act of love. Once the preparations had been completed, Vinnie moved into position and slowly eased himself into his lover. Vinnie was so turned on by what was happening that he ended up mimicking a rabbit in heat and machine-gunned his way to ecstasy.

It was over more quickly than Kevin had hoped, even though Vinnie kept pumping in and out of him even after he had ejaculated. It wasn’t long after that when Vinnie lost his erection, so there was no way for him to continue. After collapsing for a few minutes and giving himself time to recover and savor the moment of sexual relief, Vinnie let Kevin know he’d be able to enjoy the same pleasure, by getting into position to return the favor.

Although he was just as turned on, Kevin went a little slower, using longer and less rapid strokes. He slid in and out of Vinnie for many minutes before his juices began to boil and rise up his shaft. Once he exploded and released his load, the pair cuddled and enjoyed their lingering highs. When the orgasmic bliss began to wear off, they repositioned themselves and prepared to enjoy the rest of the evening, lovingly embraced in each other’s arms.