Salvation - 57. Chapter 56

Life returned to normal, as normal as it gets with forty-two children. I said I would stop at 30, but how can you turn them away? I can’t. As long as we have room, we will continue to take them in. I have staff now to help as well. Besides the older boys, I have Sal, Mo, Alex, Maria, and the Half Brothers. Sal said they are here for as long as I need them.

I was still concerned about the Sultan. If he thinks that his son is here, he will try anything to get him. I wasn’t naive enough to assume that he’d send someone to the gate. He could go two ways, pay someone who is working for me now or plant someone in Alex’s dad’s organization who would be able to recommend someone to work for me like the five Half Brothers.

I made a conference call to Alex’s dad with Alex, Sal, and Mo in attendance. I told him about the Sultan’s visit and his comments when he left. “I’m concerned he’ll try two approaches, one to buy intelligence from people already here or try to slip an informant into my organization or even yours. We need to increase our surveillance on this man.”

“I already have a man in his organization. That’s how I knew he was going to come and see you.”

“That’s helpful to know which we’ll forget here and now. Thanks for the chat. All is well here, and Alex wants to talk to you.”

We left and let Alex talk to his dad. “Coffee, anyone?”

“Cookies also?”

“Sure, come on.”

“You feeling better?”

“Yes, I thought the meeting went well, and I’m glad I called Alex’s dad.”

They smiled, “He was crafty. Tries a few tricks, I almost broke out laughing his son was serving him tea, and he didn’t even recognize him.”

“I wondered if he would if he wasn’t in disguise. How close are these men to their children.”

“Not that close. I was close to my father because he had only one wife and one son. The rest of my siblings are sisters.”

“Maria, these gentlemen are mad because the Sultan ate all of your cookies.”

“Don’t worry, those cookies were the ones that didn’t turn out well, try one of these.”

I watched as they ate the cookie, “You’d never have gotten rid of him with these cookies. They are great Maria, good job.”

“Not I, David, made those cookies. He deserves the flowers.”

I smiled and winked at David. Mo went and grabbed him into a hug, but I saw Mo’s hand reached for another cookie. Sal did as well and began to laugh. “What’s funny?”

“While you were enjoying Mo’s hug, he sneaked another cookie.”

“Well, I guess you two get another to even things up.”

“Have the boys tried these?”

“No”

“Then try and save them for supper tonight. Are you and Jon cooking?” A yes nod, “Be sure to cook plenty besides the guards at the gate, we have ten half brothers, and if they eat as they look, we have ten Mo’s to feed.”

Maria looked at David and laughed, “I’ll help”

I still think and worry a little about the Sultan. “Michael, I’ll need your help with this.” It’s a habit now. I speak to his photo, and someone will think I’m insane if they ever heard me. But doing this helps me to have clarity of thought. Strange but true, for me at least.

I watched the boys in the pool and hot tub for a while. The brothers were there teaching and swimming as well. I didn’t need swimming instructors and probably not lifeguards.

I went and sat in the movie theater. We were ready to show our first CD. It was a Disney film. I had bought the total collection of Disney movies on CDs. It was nice sitting there, it was cool, quiet and the seats were comfortable. Good Job, Boss. I patted myself on my back.

Saturday night, instead of reading, I asked each boy to take a seat, get a pail of popcorn. We were going to watch a movie. The adults filled the back row. I started the CD, the sound was perfect, and the boys were very quiet.

Well, that was until one of the characters did something funny, a small giggle, then everyone laughed. Some of the old Mickey Mouse movies were funny.

When it was over, I kissed each boy on the head and said I’d be up to tuck them in. One of the older boys said as I kissed him on his head, “Yea, I know you’ll be up to tuck us in” I went to swat him on his backside when he took off running and laughing.

And so life settled into something of a routine. The boys were anxious to get their chores done, which was their laundry and keeping their rooms and bathrooms clean. School was divided into two sessions, still focusing on GED’s. Then they had time to play with their dogs, work in the conservatory, in the orchard, swimming or lying in the hot tub, and reading books in the library. There was always something for them to do, and still, the Brothers put up a basketball net and taught the kids how to play. I was waiting for football and baseball being played. It came at four-week intervals. The theater included reruns of the sports broadcasts.

The office building was finished and we moved in, the spare offices was leased to a doctor, we had to make a few adjustments to provide special services for oxygen, increase electrical wiring to handle x-ray machines. I was glad with all of the boys, we had a doctor close to us.

My staff, that is what I call my cohorts Sal, Mo, Alex and the brothers became a vital part of my goal in saving children.

Jon graduated college, he has opened an office in my building providing counseling, I knew he would be good at that, once in a while he still cooks. David turned out to be the cook, he hasn’t made up his mind if he wants to stay on as a cook or go and find a job in a restaurant. He’s young, he has time. The older boys are either in college or are working for me. Daniel has his teaching degree and now is the head teacher at our school.

The younger boys, those that were under 12 when I found them, are still home with me, doing what we always did. Jon started a trend, the boys attending college stay at home. I guess the rent is cheap, the food is good and the company is excellent, that is what Alex tells me.

Maria is looking at retiring. I told her she can stay with us and not be concerned about cooking, she can go on trips which I’d pay for or if she wants to relocate to someplace warm, I’d buy her a place. She is planning on a cruise next week, a retirement bonus from me.

The one thing that hasn’t change, there are still boys being put out on the street. No matter how you look at it, they aren’t deciding themselves, they are pushed out of homes, so called loving homes, on to the street.

If I’m doing anything, I’m showing the world that these boys have worth, self esteem and given the chance they will contribute to making our world a better, safe place for us all.

“Oh excuse me, there is someone at the gate with an abandoned child, that needs me and my staff.”