Clarion - 13. Chapter 13

I spent the next 3 hours finishing the reports, making notes in the margin and checking the financial numbers. Wednesday I had to fly to New York for the meeting on Thursday and Friday. I would be home on Saturday.

Putting the reports in my brief case, I decided to go to bed. I checked on the guest room and made sure there were towels in the bathroom, set out a new toothbrush and tooth paste. I left the guest bedroom door open for Andy.

I went to shower, brush my teeth and slipped beneath the light covers of my bed. I fell asleep and didn’t hear Cody come in. I felt the bed dip and felt the kiss on my cheek. “Alan, are you asleep?”

I smiled and turned to face him, “Not quite. Did you have a nice time today?”

“Yes, I felt like a father today and I like that feeling.”

“Andy is a nice kid. I wouldn’t mind adopting a kid if I could be sure he’d be like Andy.”

“I agree, he had a ball driving the ATV. We didn’t look for nuts, he had so much fun I couldn’t make him stop and hunt for nuts.”

“I knew that would happen and it’s ok with me. Wait till he sees his motorbike. We’ll never get rid of him. After the birthdays, we need to invite the family over for a barbecue. Both boys are nice and respectful. Their parents did a good job of raising them.”

“I think it’s time for you to do a good job and raise me.” I just laughed because I knew what he wanted raised.

As I lay in his arms, I knew that this was as close to heaven I’d get on earth. Cody was everything to me and I was sure of his love. I had no jealously nor did I fear he’d ever leave me. I think that a mature love is much more dependable. When you’re young, the temptations to cheat or wander are much more than when you’re older. Being young and carefree may be nice, but I’ll take a mature love any day, it’s more lasting and much deeper.

With that thought, I fell asleep.

My trip to New York was rewarding in that this was the first time since my partial retirement I’ve been back. I had dinner that night with Robert and Brad. They brought me up to date on some issues not covered in the reports. It was good to see Robert and Brad again. In a way, I miss the comradeship we had, but then I think about my home and Cody and realize I’d never change what I have now for the Company.

While I was in New York I wanted to get a gift for Jeff’s birthday. I decided on a nice gold chain and medallion with his name engraved on the back side. I found the perfect medallion at a jeweler who I used when I lived in the city.

The meetings went well and it appeared that the new business was doing well also. The financials were reviewed and were on target. Brad told me my friend in Scotland asked about me and was very pleased to have us on board. His profits have already showed an increase.

Flying home couldn’t have happened fast enough. Cody was going to meet me at the Pittsburgh airport and drive home. I wasn’t surprised to see his side kick. As soon as Cody saw me, he handed my brief case and overnight bag to Andy and crunched me in a hug that knocked the breath out of me.

“Do I take that you’re glad to see me?”

“I’m not the only one,” tilting his head toward Andy. Andy’s face turned red. I looked at him and winked.

On the way home, “Andy, how was your birthday parties?”

For the next 50 minutes, I heard about the birthday party for Jeff and the gifts he got, his girl friend gave him a bracelet and a kiss. Andy got a gift from her as well. Andy’s birthday party was fantastic, his best friends pitched in and got him games for his game boy, his mom and dad got him a tablet computer. He proceeded to tell us about what the tablet could do and how it would help him in school.

“What else did you do when I was gone?”

“I took Cody to my favorite fishing spot, we caught the legal limit for trout. I showed Cody how to clean them. Some of them are in your freezer. We split the fish 50-50.”

“Well, it sounds like I should go away more often. Fresh caught fish and great gifts, no problems at all?”

Andy looking at Cody, “Nope everything was good.”

It was good to get home. I was tired, night flights were not my cup of tea. I much prefer morning flights and that’s what I would have taken, except, I wanted to get home to Cody as fast as possible.

I told everyone I was tired and would see them in the morning. I went and took a long hot shower to relax my muscles. I always felt a hot shower after trip was the best thing since the discovery of coffee. I soon felt a cold draft as a pair of arms went around my waist. “Did you miss me?”

“I missed you when I went back to Philly, but never like I miss you now. I’m not sure, knowing that this is my home and you are a part of it or I’m just falling more in love with you. But sleeping alone is not for me anymore. I really missed you, cuddling with a pillow is not a substitute.”

I gave him a kiss to which he responded, showing me all the love he had for me. I cuddled with him but that didn’t last long as Cody had other ideas. Afterwards, I really fell asleep, albeit I had a smile on my face.

I awoke to the smell of coffee. I was slightly baffled, there was no way I should be able to smell coffee from our bedroom. When I opened my eyes, there was Cody holding a fresh cup of coffee under my nose. What a way to be wakened.

I got up, showered, shaved and brushed my teeth. Dressed I went downstairs, breakfast was on the table. “When did we hire staff?”

“I think we have ‘temporary staff’. At least I had temporary staff while you were gone.”

“Surely not when there were birthday parties.”

“Actually I did, although I had to release temporary staff for special occasions.”

I looked at Andy, “Do you charge for your services, temporary staff?”

He looked at Cody as if he did something wrong, Cody couldn’t keep a straight face and started laughing, that set me off and lastly, Andy started laughing as well. “You obviously have done an excellent job. Don’t you think he should be rewarded for doing such an excellent job?”

“Absolutely, what do you think we should do to reward him?”

“Well, We have that old bike upstairs in the garage that you brought from Philly. Maybe that would be enough. Let’s go and see if we can get it to move. It’s probably rusted to the point we won’t be able to move it.”

Cody took Adam by the hand and led him to the garage. “Cody, I think I put your old bike in front of my car. Andy, could you get it and push it here so we can see it so we can clean it up?”

Andy went to the front of the car, I took my phone ready to take a picture. “There’s no old bike here.”

“Cody, maybe he needs help.”

Cody and I went to the front of the car. “There’s no bike here, just this motorbike.”

“Oh, well maybe that’s your old bike Cody.”

“I don’t think so. There’s a card there. Open it Andy and read it to us.”

Andy took the card and opened it. His eyes went wide and tears started to fall. He ran to Cody, hugged him and then to me. I kissed his cheek, “Happy Birthday, Andy. I hope this’ll help you to visit us whenever you can.”

“Well, let’s not stare at it Andy, push it out to the driveway and let’s see how it rides.”

Andy just kept running his hand all over the bike. It was like he was still stunned and couldn’t believe it. Cody went over and told Andy to sit on the seat. He looked at Cody, and slowly climbed on the bike, Cody pushed it out of the garage.

Once we got it in the drive way, Cody handed Andy the keys to start the motor. As if in a dream, Andy inserted the key and the motor came to life. Cody whispered something in his ear, he released the brake and rode the bike to the end of the drive way, turned around and came back. That’s all it took. From that point on Andy was in control.

It was early in the afternoon, “Andy, why don’t you ride home and show your parents your gift for working as temporary staff.” He just smiled.

Cody told him he should have a helmet when riding, he went to the bedroom and came back with a helmet for Andy.

“Andy, you mean a lot to Alan and I, we want you to be safe. Wear your helmet, watch your speed, watch the traffic, and remember you must watch the speed limit and the red lights. There's a manual, read it and be familiar with the precautions.”

“I think you should follow him in the truck, just in case he has a problem.”

“Andy, I’m going to follow you home in case your parents have any questions, ok?”

Andy just nodded his head in a positive manner and slowly headed down the drive way. Cody got into his truck and began to follow Andy. I went back to the kitchen to clean up and get another cup of coffee.