The Boy by The Lake - 11. Chapter 11

The first four years passed and the walks took on a new meaning. Now I told Richard all about my boys and how they were doing in school. Now Grad school had to be chosen and for the first time Ron and Toby were separated. Each decided to attend a school that was well known in their field. That summer before they started school, we flew to Holland and Germany. Holland was the first country to recognize gay marriage. Toby and Ron got married there, no surprises for me.

Roberto had graduated from his University and decided to go and get the equivalent of a master’s degree in teaching. He got a scholarship from the University and so Clair’s foundation picked up any other expenses not covered by the University’s scholarship.

We had to make one more trip to Rome over Christmas break, Roberto was getting married. The boys were excited as they were in the wedding party. Now if you have never attended an Italian wedding, you don’t know what you’re missing. One custom involved the men who wanted to dance with the bride, they were to pin money on her dress. Our boys were up for that custom. I saw Toby pin a few hundred dollars followed by Ron. They pinned American money whereas the local people used Euros.

School resumed and although it was hard for Toby and Ron to be separated, Toby said he could study more and wouldn't be distracted by Ron. Ron echoed the same thought.

Roberto’s graduation came long with his first child, So off we went again to Rome. Angelo was the godfather and Chiara the sister of Roberto’s wife, Sofia, was godmother. The baby was named after Robertos’ father, Pietro.

Talk about proud parents, the grandparents on both side were also proud, the question was who was prouder. Watching my boys, I knew they would consider adoption, the love in their eyes was evident to anyone looking as they held the baby.

Back home and life return to some semblance of normality. The boys were back in school, I had my morning walks, although I hadn’t seen Richard for a while. I wondered if something happened to him.

My accounting investment business took up most of my time although I was not replacing any who left me. The few that left me had their estates take over their accounts. That wasn’t a big surprise to me, most of this estates actually cashed in their accounts which added to my funds as well.

Our next trip to Rome was to attend another wedding, Angelo was getting married. He had a job with one of the prominent engineering firms in Italy. The bad side, he would be required to relocate to Venice. Evidently his firm is involved in designing and building walls to prevent the sea water from further erosion of the city. The wedding was a repeat in similar ways to Roberto’s. The boys danced with Angelo’s wife, pinning dollar bills to her gown.

“Uncle, how soon before we have another baptism”

I don’t know but not for a year at least.”

The boys finished school and now were interning close to home. Ron spent most of the time with Toby and myself, now that they were married. We still went to Rome once a year and they visited once a year. According to the boys, we had family in Rome. It did seem like it, Pietro and Maria visited us as much as we visited them.

Life plays a funny games with us humans. It seems when everything appears to fall in place, we are handed a choice, that not taken leads to trouble and if taken, leads to trouble.

The boys practice began to take off Toby was very sensitive to the problems faced by the gay community and was getting more referrals from Child Services. Ron had an established hospital practice and was now on the hospital staff.

We got a letter from Pietro, a sad accident happened in Venice. Angelo and his wife were fine, but a fellow engineers and wife was killed in an accident caused by the failure of an old sea wall. They left behind two children, a boy and girl. Off to Rome we went. From Rome, we went to Venice. We met Angelo, he had the children with him. The girl was about 10 years old, later we found out she was 11, and the boy was 8.

I watched the boy’s faces as they met the children. There were tears in Toby’s eyes and I knew what he was thinking. He looked at me, I nodded my head yes and he was in my arms. Ron finally caught on, he whispered something to Pietro who whispered to Angelo. I stayed in Venice with Angelo while we worked out the details. The boys went back to Rome with Pietro and then went home. I was amazed at the paper work and I wondered if that was the reason Clair didn’t want to adopt.

I was introduced to the children as Nonno, grandfather in Italian. So from that moment on I had one of the children in my lap, mostly the boy called Dante, he was the youngest. The girl was older and more reserve, I made it a point to win her over, her name was Aria. I smiled as Angelo said that was an appropriate name because she liked to sing.

Five months later, we were given the okay to adopt these children, Toby and Ron flew over to fill out papers. They spent the time with the children telling them about America. Angelo put his two cents in saying that he would go and live in America but he had a job to do here. I thanked Toby, he had brought with him several books about living in America.

On the day we were to leave, there were tears in their eyes. “Angelo, can you and Alessia fly over with us, it might help the children.”

The trip home was an eye opened for the children, They sat very still and didn’t say a word until food was placed before them. Dante was on my lap, while Aria sat next to me. The food on the tray was for the children, I’d eat later while they were taking a nap. All of this excitement would have to wear them down and it did. Dante sat on my lap all the way until we had to prep for landing. I think he’s going to be a daddy’s boy.

Ron’s mom met us and she beamed at Aria, I knew she would be the one spoiling her. Later she told us she always wanted a daughter after Ron was born but that wasn’t to be. Now she has one as a granddaughter and that was just as good. I knew that these children would be spoiled by Grace and Al.

Life goes on even if we want to put it in hold. The boys bought a house close to mine so I got to see the children a lot. Sunday dinners were at my home or at Grace and Al’s and always included all of us.

Toby finally took the bullet and went and change his name to my last name, Madison. That signified him breaking all ties with his family. But life likes to play games. Ron came and told him that his father was admitted to the hospital with a serious heart problem. Now Toby had a decision to make. When he went to the hospital, the nurse introduced him as Doctor Madison. His dad didn’t recognize the name or the face, his mother did. She told him to leave. Ron came in and told her if she didn’t calm down she would have to leave. Now she really became agitated. Here was the boy who she accused of turning her son gay, telling her to leave. She started to raise her voice when the monitoring machines went off. Staff nurse rushed in, forced everyone out except Ron, closed the door and began to try and resuscitate Toby’s father.

The door opened and Ron came out. “Toby, I’m sorry but he has died. The noise was too much for him and his heart couldn’t take it.”

Toby looked at his mom, her face was turning red, Ron knew what was going to come out of her mouth next. He nodded to a nurse who gave her an injection that calmed her down. “Toby isn’t responsible for Mr. MacDougal’s death. If anything it was you yelling in his hospital room. Your temper and yelling has cost you a son and now a husband.”

Ron took Toby by the arm and led him away to the visitor lounge. “Ron, I don’t feel anything. I don’t feel I’ll miss him and I don’t feel sorry for my mother.”

“That’s okay, they weren’t much being parents. My mom and dad made comments about how you were being treated and that happened well before you came out.” The obit was in the local newspaper and didn’t mentioned Toby’s name. They would find it difficult, since Toby changed his last name.

One Sunday as we were finishing dinner, “Boys, I want you to do something for me. When my time comes, I want to be buried beside my wife. You remember the lake we went to on our first trip to Rome, in the center of that lake are Clair’s ashes. Everything has been arranged and instructions are in the safe in my office.”

The boys looked at each other as to not want to understand. “Yes, Dad, we’ll do as you request.” No one wants to talk about death but it is reality.