ARROW - 149. Chapter 149

Arriving Madrid, Carlos was waiting for us. He was surprised to see the boys, they had grown since the last time we were in Spain. The boys took the initiative and introduced the new boys and Louise. Carlos took an interest in Louise and asked to carry her. Colin surrounded her, Carlos went to take her, wasn’t going to happen. She put her face into his shoulder, wasn’t going to have anything to do with Carlos. We laughed but I could see a moment of disappointment in Carlos’s face, In time I knew she would be like the older boys, quiet, watching and eventually warm up to Carlos.

The train ride to the south was the highlight for the young boys. I don’t think Louise knew she was on a train. She was busy watching the boys. We arrived and now we had to walk to Carlos’s restaurant. I checked our luggage through to Barcelona. We would leave Carlos’s after lunch arriving Barcelona in the evening.

Arriving at the restaurant we were greeted by the family. The older boys took the younger boys and Louise to see the lambs. Colin and I visited with Carlos’s family. His dad brought bowls of roasted lamb to the table, I asked Carlos to show the boys where they could wash their hands. They had put together several tables, that took up most of the dining room. We were early so there wasn’t a lot of customers.

Every time I eat here I am reminded of the first time. There is something about the lamb his parents cook that want you to stay and eat and eat. Dinner over, I slipped some money under my plate, and said goodbye but not before setting date when Carlos and his family would visit us in the States. I don’t know how it happened but Colin became a very close friend with Carlos. I was glad for him.

Back on the train we headed for Barcelona.

Arriving at our hotel, the desk clerk invited us back. Again I booked rooms for the boys, one for Colin and I with a cot for Louise.

Checking in to our rooms, the boys wanted to go and check out the pool. “You need trunks?”

“We packed them and we packed our old trunks fro the boys.” Colin went with them, I had Louise to entertain.

When the boys came back, they were laughing. I looked at Colin, he whispered, “I’ll tell you later.”

Colin did tell me when we were in bed, “There was this older man who had too much to drink. He wanted to teach the young boys how to swim. So he was standing at the pool edge, telling them how to float. The older boys helped them float by holding them up. The man told them to leave them alone and they will float. Ronnie left go of Toby, he sunk. The man git excited and fell into the pool. Toby was fine, he swam away under the water until he cleared the area and then came to the surface. He was fine, I guess he took lessons from the life guards at the pool at the Home.”

I went over and helped the man out of the water. A waiter came over with a hot cup of coffee for him. Then I saw a man and woman come and take him away. I assumed they took him to his room. We decided enough, so we came down. They wanted to tell you so act surprise.”

Colin had no sooner had saying that when there was a knock on our door. Colin scooted into the bathroom, I opened the door. The boys were laughing.

“What is so funny?”

“Where is Pop?”

“He’s in the bathroom showering, washing the pool chemicals off of his skin. Have you taken a shower? If you don’t your skin will itch.”

Two of the younger boys left. “We all showered and when it was their turn, we came here.”

“You need to make sure they shower.”

“We will Dad, it is just we wanted to tell you what happened at the pool.”

So I listened again to the man who was drunk and fell into the pool. I laughed, I didn’t want them to know Colin had already told me.

When Colin came out of the bathroom in his pajamas bottom, we sat around the bed and chatted. “Tomorrow you need to see if Grandfather will take you out to sea to fish. You older boys need to keep and eye on the younger boys. Grandfather doesn’t have seats with straps.”

“Are you and Pop coming?”

“Pop needs to close out his business interest, I may come with you.”

“You have to come Dad. Who is going to bait our traps.”

I chased Ronnie to his room, then I had to chase Toby and Louis to their room while Colin chased Anthony and John to their room. Changing boys, we went and tucked them in.

The next morning we had 4 boys in our bed. They woke us saying they were hungry. “Go and get dressed, wake your brothers and we will go for breakfast.”

“Then fishing?”

“Yes, then fishing.”

Colin and I didn’t take long to shower and dress. Knocking on the boys’s door, the young boys were ready but the older boys were still taking their showers. I told them to meet us in the hotel dining room.

I didn’t realize how early we were. There was no one in the dining room, the staff was setting up the buffet when we walked in. One of the waiters recognized Colin and I, so he went and got a pot of coffee. He whispered something to another waiter who went and got a carafe of orange juice. I told the waiter who brought the coffee, there was 4 more coming. I no sooner said that when the older boys showed up. The waiter poured them their coffee.

I saw one of the waiter bringing out a bowl with a clothe covering it.

“Boys. If you want soft boiled eggs you need to get them now. Be careful because they are hot.”

The older boys took the younger boys and they headed to the buffet. I watched as the older boys helped them. They must have asked them how many eggs they wanted, I saw fingers going up. Then the boys put a sausage on their plate along with a piece of toast. I looked at this scenario, “Colin, look at the boys.”

“No one would ever know these boys were adopted. Our older boys have taken the younger boys in hand. Here comes Toby with a plate.”

“Pop, Tommy said this is for Louise.”

Looking at the plate, there was toast with marmalade, an egg and a piece of fruit. I went and got my eggs, sausage and toast. I cut my sausage into small pieces and put some on Louise’s plate. I cracked the egg, and fed that to her. She, using her fingers, ate the sausage and fruit that I had cut into smaller pieces. By the time I ate my egg, it was no longer soft boiled.

Breakfast over, I took Louise back to our room. She needed her face and hands washed.

Coming back down, Colin and the boys were waiting for us. Now our parade walked to the pier where Grandfather’s boat was moored.

The boys went to check if Grandfather’s boat was there, Colin and I went to the office to check on Alesander.

We had to have a cup of coffee with him. I left Colin to conclude any open business issues he had with Alesander, I went to look for the boys.

They were sitting on Grandfather’s boat chatting as if they were old friends. I walked to the boat, “Dad, Grandfather said he would take us out.”

I boarded, Grandfather tooted his horn, then we went for fuel.

The older boys took one of the younger boys in hand, they gave them a fishing rod, baited it for them, and watched as they dropped their live over the edge of the boat. I watched carefully, these boys weren’t strapped in as they are on our boat at home.

I shouldn’t had to worry, behind each of these boys, one of the older boys were sitting.

Then the first fish was a caught. Now traps were baited and dropped over hoard.

I was concerned if they hooked a large tuna, I didn’t need to worry. Where we were fishing was too close to the shore. The largest fish they caught was about 12 inches. Size wasn’t a problem for them, they were fishing and catching fish. That is all that counts.

We fished for 6 hours, Grandfather’s hold wasn’t even close to being full but there was enough for the boys. Heading back in, we pulled the traps. We had plenty of shrimp but I didn’t see any lobster until we pulled the last trap. There we had three lobsters. The older boys took one and offered it to the smaller boys. John wanted to keep it as a pet. The boys added it to the shrimp and lobster hold.

Grandfather, left the boys fishing as we headed back in. The boys didn’t catch anything, but in their mind they were fishing.

Arriving at the dock, Grandfather blew his whistle. Two boys came out and helped to empty the holds. Colin and Alesander met the boys, “Did you catch some fish?”

Then the boys started to speak all at once. I took Louise from Colin and showed her the fish. She wasn’t interested in the fish but more interested in Grandfather’s beard.

Colin bought the lobsters. “We are going to Marko’s for dinner. I’ll take these as a peace offering. Alesander, why don’t you come with us?”

“I’d like to but we are now serving dinners as well as lunch. I’m needed here.”

“Tomorrow we are leaving in the evening for Rome. We are going to do a little site seeing and we will be here for an early dinner.”

“Colin, we are going back to the hotel. I have some clothes that smell like fish. I’ll get the hotel to wash them.”

I heard the boys say they had time for a swim.

I thought if the boys are going to the pool, I’m going to let Louise have a nap so she will be awake tonight.

“I’ll go and check on the boys. I’m not going swimming but I can sit there and watch them.”

Louise was ready for her nap, so I took a nap as well. I’m not sure how long we slept but I awoke when Colin came into the bedroom and kissed me.

“What time is it?”

“Time to get ready for our walk to Marko’s. We should get there a little early.”

I showered, Colin had a wash cloth and was washing Louise’s face, I wished we had Marie with us. She could have given Louise a bath.

Dressed, we knocked on the boys’s doors and soon we were walking to Marko’s. Louise walked a little, before the boys picked her up and carried her. I think they were hungry and Louise walked a pace a snail could have beaten her. I knew she was still tired, the nap wasn’t long enough.

When we arrived at Marko’s he met us at the door, “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How did you know we were coming?”

“Alesander told me when he brought the lobster. But, he didn’t tell me how many were coming. Give me a minute to add a table.”

Ronnie went to help Marko’s brother.

I think Ronnie joined us when Marko said our table was ready. As we walked toward the large table, Ronnie was placing a small table at the end.

Dinner at Marko’s never has disappointed us. The paella was the best I have ever eaten. It didn’t take long for the older boys telling the younger boys that they were in for a treat. When he told them the lobster was what they caught this morning, it seemed that the paella was extra good. Then the question I knew would be coming. “Dad, can we have this at home?”

“Yes, when you catch lobsters I’ll have Marcel make it.”

Now I knew they would fish all day Saturday until they had enough lobsters for Marcel to make paella.

I watched the boys as they ate and drank their wine. I thought it was strange, young people were permitted to drink wine at meals when in the US they had to be much older. The young boys had a half glass, where as the rest of us had a full glass.

I knew what would happen, walking back to the hotel, the older boys pretended they were drunk. Bumping into the younger boys telling them they needed help walking. Colin and I laughed at them, Louise was asleep on Colin’s shoulders.

All tucked in for the night, I fell asleep before Colin. He politely told me no more wine for me on this trip. Obviously he had something else on his mind when we went to bed.

In the morning, after I dressed Louise, Colin went to take a shower. Ronnie, knocked on our door.

“I’ll take Louise down for breakfast. You still look tired Dad.”

I quickly went to the bathroom to take my shower, I was lucky, Colin was rinsing off when I step in the shower next to him. I made sure what he missed last night was less than what he got in the shower this morning. He was smiling and for me that was a job well done.

With the boys and Louise, I didn’t want Colin to feel left out. I needed him and I wanted to make sure he knew that. This morning I did.

Dressed we went down for breakfast. “After that dinner last night, I think I’ll settle for just coffee and toast.”

The boys were sitting and enjoying their breakfast, eggs, sausage, toast and coffee. The younger boys had tea with milk and I suspect sugar.

After breakfast and the boys taking a pit stop, we decided to take a walk to the old town. I listened to the older boys tell the younger about the old town. In particular, the underground road. Louise walked a little before she wanted to be carried. I picked her up, and soon she was passed to one of the older boys.

We spent the morning in the old town, had lunch at a tapa bar in the center of the town. Then we visited the museum, and the underground road. They looked for coins but they didn’t find any. Colin gave them a coin he bought at the museum. Along with the coin there was a pamphlet explaining about the coins.

The older boys had to show them the geese, Louise was afraid. I noticed the younger boys holding the hands of an older boy.

Walking back to the Hotel, “Boys, you will need to pack. We have an afternoon flight to Rome.”

That was all I needed to say, they knew who and what awaited them in Rome.