The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation - 34. Easter Blessings

Shortly before noon on Saturday, the O’Haras arrived to celebrate Easter with us. Since Patrick had realized he’d have to work all day Friday and didn’t want to travel tired, he’d booked a flight for early Saturday morning. Now, they arrived refreshed and ready to spend time with their son’s family.

Danny, Brandon and Elliot were all overjoyed to see them again and greeted them warmly as they came through the door. Brandon also thanked his parents for making this trip, because he knew they were primarily doing this so they could spend more time with their grandson. He was glad they were all getting along so well and marveling at the deep love they already had for Elliot.

Throughout the rest of Easter weekend, the boys showed the blueprints Jay had developed to all of their brothers, and anyone else who was interested. Eagerly, Danny, Brandon and Kevin explained all of the different areas within those plans and described the intricacies of what they wanted to accomplish in each section. The trio did admit they hadn’t been able to put a purchase offer in on the buildings yet, but stated they would, once the school district decided what they were going to do. I just pray things don’t go awry now, because everything is looking super.

The O’Haras were also very interested in this endeavor and pleased that both boys were going to have their own practices. Just think, a doctor and a dentist in the family, along with a wonderful grandson. They didn’t think their lives could get any better.

On Saturday afternoon, Graham came up to me and asked if we could speak alone. I agreed, so we went to my bedroom and shut the door.

“What’s up?” I asked, once we were by ourselves.

“I saw something earlier and wanted to tell you first, to see what you think I should do next,” he began.

From the look on his face, I knew he wasn’t talking about a normal occurrence. I suspected this might have something to do with his gift.

“I take it this must have to do with your special ability?” I asked, to be certain.

He merely nodded his head in response. From the troubled look on his face, I wasn’t sure if this was good news or not, so I listened to what he had to say.

“When I was in the foyer earlier, I saw something,” he explained. “It was nothing bad, but I just don’t know how to handle it, since it has to do with Elliot.”

I was somewhat surprised that he mentioned this had to do with Elliot, but maybe I should have expected it. After all, each of the boys’ families that had passed had managed to make contact with us sooner or later. Why should Elliot’s family react any differently?

“I take it this means you saw one of his family members?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m getting used to seeing loved ones trying to send messages to me or just hanging around in the area, but this one kind of stood out,” Graham confirmed. “I wasn’t sure who the man was, but he kept standing near Elliot, so I, of course, suspected it had something to do with him. That’s why I went up to Elliot’s room, so I could look at the photos he’s got in there. Doing this let me know the guy I am seeing is Elliot’s father.”

Since Graham paused, I tried to urge him to continue his story.

“And what was he doing?” I pressed.

“At first he just stood near Elliot and smiled at him,” Graham told me. “Once in a while he would point at Elliot and give me a ‘thumbs up’ sign. Then a little while later, when Elliot was standing in front of the family photo with Danny, Brandon and him, the guy held out a bouquet of roses. I think he was doing this to show me that he approves of Elliot’s new family.”

“So what’s your problem?” I asked.

“Dad, you know how some people react when I tell them about what I see,” he confessed. “I don’t want to freak Elliot out already, because I don’t really know him that well. I mean, how do you think he’ll react when I tell him I see dead people? What do you think I should do?”

I thought about this for a couple of minutes before I answered him. I thought about Elliot’s situation and how he’d reacted to other situations, before I made up my mind.

“Let me go get Elliot, Danny and Brandon,” I suggested. “I’ll bring them all in here and we’ll tell them together. That way they’ll all know what you’ve seen and Danny and Brandon will be here to help with Elliot, in case he takes this badly. No matter what else we do, I think he has the right to know that you’ve seen his father and he’s giving positive signs. This might even help Elliot a little, if he knows he still has his father’s support.”

After I finished telling Graham this, I went out and found Danny and Brandon first. Once we were alone, I gave them a very brief explanation of what Graham had seen and told them my opinion about what I thought we should do next. I also advised them that this was their decision, but that was how I would handle it. They, in turn, went and found Elliot and brought him to my room, where we were all squeezed in together. Once everyone was inside, Danny shut the door and Elliot looked around at who was in there. Suddenly, his complexion began to lose color and he appeared absolutely terrified.

“Calm down, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Brandon immediately told him, after noticing his reaction. “It’s just that Graham has something to tell you and we wanted to be here with you when it happened. You know Graham. Right?”

Elliot nodded, but was nervously glancing from one face to another. He wasn’t sure what was up, but he obviously had a feeling it wasn’t good.

“Elliot, has anyone told you about my special ability?” Graham asked him next.

“You mean that you can sometimes tell when something bad is going to happen,” Elliot stated. “Jesse told me a little about that.”

“That’s a part of it,” Graham confirmed, “but I can also see things that the rest of you can’t.”

“Like what?” Elliot demanded.

“This may sound very strange to you,” Graham continued, “but I can often see people who have died. In the past, I’ve been able to see some of my brothers’ parents who were no longer alive and Dad’s wife. They appeared to me so I could tell their sons that they were happy about their current situation and would continue to look out for them. They gave me small signs that they were grateful their sons had a new home and were pleased with how their lives were turning out.”

Elliot was starting to go pale again, so Brandon had him sit on the bed. After a few seconds, the color began to return to his face and he looked up at Graham again.

“Does this mean you’ve seen my dad?” he wanted to know.

After a very slight pause, Graham answered.

“Yes, I’ve seen him a couple of times today,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure who he was at first, so I went up to your room to look at your photos. Once I’d done that, I was convinced it was your father.”

“What did he want?” Elliot demanded. “What did he tell you?”

“When I first saw him, he was standing behind you in the foyer,” Graham explained. “He had a huge smile on his face and was giving you a ‘thumbs up’ sign. This means he’s pleased with what he’s seeing and he’s very happy for you.”

Elliot looked relieved and glanced at his fathers quickly. Once he’d done that, he turned back and looked at Graham.

“So he knows I’m living here and he’s okay with it?” Elliot pressed.

“I would say that’s what he wanted me to let you know,” Graham confirmed.

“And he’s okay that I have gay parents now?” Elliot continued.

“I would have to say he is,” Graham answered. “The second time I saw him, you were standing by your family portrait in the foyer. Your dad was standing next to you, looking up at that photo and holding out a bouquet of red roses. This would indicate that he fully supports your new family and is very happy for you.”

Suddenly, Elliot slumped forward. We thought he was about to fall off the bed, so Danny and Brandon grabbed a hold of his arms and sat down beside him on the bed. Elliot, however, was merely leaning forward, so he could rest his elbows on his knees. Then, he placed his hands on his face and began to weep, very softly.

We decided not to interfere and allowed him to do this. We merely observed his actions and waited a few minutes for him to regain control of his emotions. None of us said a word during this time, although Danny and Brandon maintained physical contact with him. They did this to let him know he wasn’t alone, while they allowed him to work things out for himself. They continued to rub his back and stroke his arm, while we waited for him to speak to us again.

“So he’s really okay with this?” Elliot asked again, seeking confirmation.

“It certainly appears that way,” Graham agreed. “He seems to be pleased with your new situation, but he is also very proud of you. I could tell by the way he was looking at you and how his chest seemed to be puffed out with pride.”

This news caused Elliot to sob again and this continued for a few more seconds. Once again, we didn’t interfere and gave him time to absorb this information.

“I’m so glad you saw him,” Elliot agreed. “I know he loved me and wanted what was best for me, so I figured he’d be satisfied that I was here, along as I was happy. It’s just nice to know he really does approve and is proud of me.”

“I think he’s more than proud of you,” Graham concurred, “and thrilled that you’re doing so well. He also seems very happy that you were able to get everything that was important to you from the house. When I went up to your room to check out the photos, he went with me. He swept his arms around the room, which I felt indicated to me that he was pleased you’d kept your bedroom set. He also pointed to a picture of you at your piano, which I think meant he is also glad you kept the piano as well. He even pointed at a picture of Uncle Mark in the foyer and gave a two thumbs up signal, so I think this was meant to indicate that he’s also very pleased with how Mark is taking care of the money he left you.”

“Damn, he let you know all that?” Elliot remarked, surprised. “I guess I’m really glad you have this gift, because now I’m not so worried that I couldn’t keep all of his other things. I was afraid he might be sad about that, but I guess he’s not.”

“No, I think he’s extremely pleased by everything he’s learned and seen so far,” Graham confirmed.

Once we ended this little session, the rest of the day went pretty smoothly. After we left my room, Elliot went to share the good news with Jesse, but Danny and Brandon were never far from his side. One or the other was always somewhere nearby, in case Elliot suddenly had trouble dealing with this information again, but that didn’t happen. I guess in a way, it was a relief for him to know that his father saw and approved of his new life and was satisfied with the decisions he had made up to this point. Graham’s revelation had also helped to validate the things Danny and Brandon had told him about what his father would have wanted for him. It also let him know that he didn’t have to worry about his father being disappointed that he hadn’t been able to keep everything. I think that has remained one of Elliot’s major concerns.

Elliot also shared this news with the O’Haras, since he was eager to tell them that his dad approved of his new life. I think this made Patrick and Brenda breathe a sigh of relief as well, since this meant that Elliot had absolutely no qualms about being part of their family.

After having a very relaxing afternoon and evening, Elliot and Jesse slept together that night and we found out the next morning that he’d slept very well. I think Graham’s visions had helped to take another big load off Elliot’s mind.

On Sunday, we all gathered together and went to church as a family. Once we returned home, Jake and I put the finishing touches on a huge Easter meal, with two large hams, and then enjoyed being together with the family once again.

Jay and his parents joined us as well and everyone was eager to tell Jay and the Curtises how remarkable his blueprints were. They wanted to be certain that his parents were aware of what a terrific job he had done. The Curtises were nearly bursting with pride as they listened to everyone’s comments and assured us they were well aware of what an amazing son they had.

As we were about to sit down, Ricky asked if he might speak. I was a little surprised by his request, since he hadn’t mentioned wanting to do this before, but I allowed him to have the floor. Slowly, he rose from his chair.

“I’d like to apologize to all of you for the way I acted back at Christmas,” he began. “Someone pulled a few jokes on me and I responded like a jackass. I guess I really deserved what was done to me, after all of the things I’ve done to the rest of you over the years.”

His brothers were all nodding their heads vigorously in agreement. Ricky merely smiled at their antics.

“Anyway, whoever pulled that crap on me was really inventive, and maybe even a genius,” Ricky added. “I know I never thought of pranks that were anywhere near as good as those. I have to admit, I first suspected Andrew, after what he did the last time, but now I don’t think he was the one who did it. Whoever it was though, my hat is off to you and I hope you accept my apology for acting so crazy.”

Ricky bowed slightly and imitated taking off a hat. I think the other boys were slightly surprised at this new Ricky and maybe even wondered if he was only trying to find out whom it was, so he could get back at him. However, I think his obvious sincerity convinced them this was not the case.

As we ate our meal, we had a good time recalling the pranks Ricky had just mentioned. After all, Jay and his parents hadn’t been with us during that time and we didn’t want them to feel we were leaving them in the dark about this. In the end, we all had another good laugh at Ricky’s expense.

Once dinner was over, Jake and I asked everyone to remain seated for a moment, while we went to get something. When we returned, we were carrying two cakes, one with a ‘3’ and ‘0’ lit on top, while the other had a ‘3’ and ‘4’ with flames attached.

“Happy belated birthday, Mark, and happy early birthday, Duck,” we shouted, as we set the appropriate cake in front of each individual. Mark had turned 30 on April 2^nd and Duck would be turning 34 on May 3^rd. I think both boys were amazed we had remembered this and thanked us for the surprise. We then sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to them and passed out the cake. It was a nice way to complete the meal.

Shortly after we finished dinner, some of the others began to return to their homes. Many of the boys still had to make long drives back to where they lived, because they were required to work the next day. Understanding their circumstance, we bid them farewell and sent them on their way, after they promised to drive safely. It had truly been a fantastic day.

However, before Ricky left, Elliot approached him. Jesse was standing behind him, as backup and for support. After summoning the courage, Elliot spoke.

“I was the one who pulled those pranks on you,” he admitted.

“You? No way!” Ricky exclaimed.

“It was me,” Elliot confirmed, “although I did need Jesse’s help with some of the stuff. Otherwise, it would have taken too long to do it before you woke up. Besides, I wouldn’t have been able to find the things I needed to pull it off, unless Jesse showed me where that stuff was kept. Jesse can confirm my story, if you don’t believe me.”

Jesse was nodding his head vigorously, in support of what Elliot was saying.

“Why?” was all Ricky responded.

“To get even with you for what you did to me at Thanksgiving,” Elliot admitted and Ricky grinned.

“Then I did have it coming,” Ricky agreed. “But how did you come up with those pranks? They were simply genius.”

“All of those things were pranks some of the other guys at my old boarding school had pulled on some of the others,” Elliot confessed. “I thought they were good, so I just kind of borrowed them.”

“Well, I’ll admit I was impressed, but at least now I know who to watch out for in the future,” Ricky teased.

The boys had a good laugh and then they rejoined the rest of us. Over the next hour, most of our remaining guests left. After Ricky, Jay, Graham and Sammy pulled out of the driveway, Jesse and Elliot went upstairs to their rooms. It had truly been a fantastic day, but now they wanted some time alone.

April was now nearly over and we wondered if the month held anything more in store for us. That question was answered on the Wednesday after Easter. It just happened to be Dustin’s birthday, April 27^th and we had just gotten back from taking Dustin out for his birthday. A short time after we arrived at the house, Danny got a call from the superintendent of the school district he had been in contact with about the possible sale of the building.

“Dr. Currie, I am calling to tell you that our school district will be selling the property you were inquiring about,” he began. “The school board ratified the consolidation plan last evening and also established a price for the building and grounds. Are you still interested?”

“I am,” Danny assured him.

Once Danny heard the amount, he reaffirmed his intent. That’s when the Superintendent told him that the board was willing to accept his offer, if he agreed to their price. They said they’d rather sell the property for his endeavor, since his proposal would benefit children and continue the legacy the school had started. They would rather do this than have the property used for other purposes. Danny thanked him for their consideration and expressed his desire to proceed in a way to substantiate their trust.

Danny then quickly negotiated a slight reduction in the asking price, which would be equivalent to half of the percentage a realtor would charge, if the district had to list the property for sale. This way the district would actually end up with slightly more money, but Danny would end up paying less. After thinking about it, the superintendent told him he thought that was a fair offer, but he’d have to get the board’s approval on it first. He then advised Danny that he’d call him back to confirm the sale, once he secured the board’s approval.

After Danny got off the phone, he called Kevin and told him that it looked as if the deal was a go. If the district didn’t accept his initial proposal, Danny was willing to increase his offer to the full asking price, so he would finalize this deal, one way or the other. Therefore, he advised Kevin to start negotiations on the property he was interested in and then they could go to the bank together to arrange for mortgages on both places. Needless to say, Danny, Brandon and Kevin were walking on Cloud Nine for the rest of the evening. It looked as if things were still moving in the right direction.

That night, Jake and I were watching the late night news and noticed that the south was being hit by a wave of tornados. The storms touched down in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, caused a great deal of damage and had taken many lives. Suddenly, we began to worry about Nick and Shannon. They live in a suburb of Atlanta and we were concerned that they might be in the path of these storms. Jake called to warn them and make sure they were all right, but he couldn’t get through. We didn’t know if the phone service had been interrupted or if too many other people were trying to reach loved ones and had temporarily overwhelmed the system. Either way, we had to go to bed without hearing from them.

Since Jake leaves for work so early, I told him I’d call the boys and then let him know the minute I reached them. I finally got an answer, a little after 7:00.

“Damn, I was really worried about you guys,” I told Shannon. “Did you get hit by those tornados?”

“No. Luckily, they were to the north and west of us,” he told me. “We’ve seen some reports on the news and there has been considerable damage where they touched down, but we didn’t get hit.”

“I’m glad to hear that and your father will be too,” I told him.

We talked for a couple more minutes, but then he had to leave to go to work. As soon as we hung up, I called Jake and let him know the boys were fine. He was very relieved.

That evening, we watched the news and saw how devastating those storms were, so I’m glad they didn’t go near where the boys live. This was one time that God was on our side.

The following Monday night, I was still up when the President made an announcement that Osama bin Laden had been killed by U.S. forces. I immediately ran around the house and told the others who were still up and I would fill in the rest in the morning. We were all happy and excited that he had been made to pay for his crimes, even if it took nearly ten years to do that, and I knew that much more news would be coming out about this the next day. I wanted to see the proof, but I don’t think they’d have announced this if they weren’t positive they’d gotten the right man.

Two days later, on Wednesday, Danny heard from the superintendent of schools again. The board of education had agreed to accept his offer on the school. After giving Danny the good news, he also told him the district would not need a month to move everything out, as they first anticipated. He said it would probably only take a week to ten days after school was out before Danny could take possession, since the teachers and staff were packing and moving a lot of items already. Danny thanked him for the information and told him that would help out a lot.

Before he hung up, the Superintendent also gave Danny the name and phone number of a general contractor the district often used. He assured Danny that the contractor’s rates were reasonable and his work was excellent. The Superintendent also informed him that the contractor has also done renovations at hospitals and other medical facilities, so he is already familiar with the requirements Danny would have, in order to make this happen. This information sounded great, so Danny thanked him again and told the Superintendent he’d bring the contracts to be signed and advise him about a closing date, just as soon as he’d secured the financing.

Danny now called Kevin again, once his call with the Superintendent ended, but this time he explained to his brother that this was now a done deal. He would be having Uncle Steve draw up the appropriate papers, so he and the school officials could sign them. He suggested that Kevin should now do the same thing with the bank building. They also agreed to go to the bank’s main office the following week, once Kevin’s offer was accepted and Danny had the signed purchase agreement in his hand, so they could start the paperwork for the mortgages.

Once he finished talking to Kevin, Danny then called the general contractor whose name the Superintendent had given him. Danny explained what was happening and what he would need. He also told him the location of the property and the time frame for when the work would most likely begin.

“You’re in luck,” the contractor replied. “I recently prepared my crew for another job, but I just got word that the project has temporarily been put on hold. The company hiring me to renovate one of its manufacturing facilities has run into some financial problems, due to the slow economic recovery. The company says they may still go ahead with their plan, but if they do they’ll have to postpone it until early next year. They admitted that there is also a chance that they may be forced to consolidate plants and close the location I was going to work on, rather than renovate it, but they’re trying hard to avoid that option.

“I was just bemoaning the situation with my wife,” the contractor continued, “but this will work out perfectly for both of us. I’ll be able to do your job and I won’t have to lay off my crew. I was really worried about that, so I think your timing is ideal for each of us.”

Danny also told him about the pharmacy and agreed to meet him, so he could give him the plans for both places. Then, the contractor could give them an estimate on the cost. If they agreed on a price, then the contractor said he could begin work just as soon as Danny and Kevin had the deeds. The contractor also said he’d have estimates for the work on both places within a few days after he received the blueprints and then Danny could decide if he wanted to hire his company.

Danny also talked to some of his contacts about the other possible funding sources. Danny was looking for ways to get equipment for the laboratory, as well as for the diagnostic and imaging center. Danny had decided he wanted to personally set up both facilities, staff them and then oversee the operation, so he could profit from their work as well. That would be an additional source of income to help make certain this venture was sustainable.

His contacts also agreed to help him file the necessary forms for the appropriate grants and the other funding sources to help make this possible. They would get everything together and then meet with him to help fill the forms out, so he could sign each one and send them in. Much of this funding was what some would refer to as ‘free money,’ which was offered by the government and other organizations to entice individuals to set up health related businesses in non-metropolitan areas. What could be better than that?