The Castaway Hotel - 6 - 3. Chapter 3 - Unresolved Issues

After spending time talking with Vinnie, he had not only answered my question about whether he wanted to be adopted, but had also given me much to think about. Over the course of the next few hours, I tried to come up with an idea that would effectively deal with his conundrum about being related to Kevin, but I couldn’t think of any solutions. Therefore, I decided I would need to wait and talk this over with Steve, to see if maybe he had any suggestions I hadn’t considered. His legal expertise might just afford us some insight I was lacking concerning matters such as this, or at least that’s what I was hoping.

Once Vinnie and I finished our chat, I left his room and Kevin enteed shortly thereafter. Now that they were alone, Vinnie mentioned what I had proposed.

“A little while ago, Pop asked me if I wanted him to adopt me,” Vinnie advised him.

“That’s great!” Kevin exclaimed. “I knew he would bring it up soon. You must be busting now.”

“Not really,” Vinnie confessed. “I told him I wasn’t sure I wanted that.”

“What? Why not?” Kevin shot back, quite confused.

“If Pop adopts me, it would make us brothers,” Vinnie explained, “and then that would make the things we do seem wrong. You know, brothers having sex with each other and being lovers. I mean, think of all the jokes about brothers and sisters or two cousins having sex or getting married. If Pop adopted me, that would include us too.”

“Maybe, but it’s not like we’re actually blood related, so it’s still different,” Kevin reasoned. “It will be all right. You can let Dad adopt you and we can still be as close as we are now.”

“What about if we decide to get married?” Vinnie challenged.

“We can do that too and neither of us would have to change our last name,” Kevin quipped. “I think you’re making too big a deal out of this.”

“Maybe, but I still wouldn’t feel right about it,” Vinnie admitted.

“I think you’re reading too much into this,” Kevin told him. “What did Dad say?”

“He said he’d talk to Uncle Steve, to see if he can figure out a way to avoid the problem, while still making me part of the family.”

“Awesome,” Kevin acknowledged. “Dad will figure something out, I’m sure.”

“I hope so,” Vinnie agreed. “I’d love to be part of this family and still be able to have you as my lover,” he added with a smirk.

“Don’t worry, Dad will come up with something,” Kevin responded, “but let’s not worry about that now. We aren’t brothers yet, at least legally, so we might as well take advantage of it and have some fun. Are you ready to show me how much you love me, big boy?” Vinnie merely grinned and nodded.

It didn’t take either of them long to shed their clothing and lie naked on the bed, beside each other. Slowing down to savor the moment, they began kissing and stroking their partner and the love they felt was evident in each gentle touch and sweet caress. They put everything they had into showing their lover how deeply they truly felt.

After quite a few minutes of doing this, Kevin reached into the nightstand and pulled out the lube and a condom and handed them to Vinnie. Then he spooned back into him, to let him know exactly what he had in mind. It didn’t take Vinnie very long to realize what Kevin was suggesting, so he prepared himself quickly and slid into position. With both boys lying on their sides, they began to make slow, passionate love.

Kevin lifted his upper leg slightly, to make it easier for Vinnie, and then Vinnie began his slow rocking back and forth, as he glided in and out of Kevin’s love canal. The boys were lost in the tidal wave of sensual stimulation and focused solely on the pleasure their partner was giving them.

If you could have seen the expressions on their faces, one thing was clearly evident. Vinnie could make love just as well as anyone else, despite his handicap. Not only was he able to satisfy Kevin with his ability, but he was also able to stimulate his partner in multiple ways. Besides their love making, Vinnie was able to masturbate Kevin at the same time, so they would get off together.

As their pace increased and they moved closer to the brink of their sexual release, both boys became totally absorbed in the raw physical pleasures this was providing. They were totally into each other, while at the same time basking in the pleasurable sensations their lovemaking was providing and enjoying the emotional bonds this experience was creating for them.

A couple of minutes later, both boys were lying exhausted and cuddled up in the other’s arms, satisfied and totally spent from their intense, passionate rhythm of love.

While the boys were reveling in their time together, I spent more time concentrating on Vinnie’s concerns. I was drawing a blank, when I suddenly had an idea. Maybe I could research the situation online. It was a long shot, but possibly someone else had a similar problem and posted information about how they had overcome it on some site. If they had, then hopefully I’ll discover something that will help us.

As I signed on to my computer, I was instantly distracted. That was because I noticed I had mail. I decided to check that out first, to see if it was anything important, and quickly discovered it was an email from Ricky. It immediately piqued my curiosity, so I opened it and began to read.

Hey Dad,

Thank you sooooo much. Those things arrived and everyone just loved what you sent them, but they told me to tell you it was way too much. I thought they were going to say they couldn’t accept it, but I told them it was okay, especially after all they’d done for me. I guess it must have convinced them, because things are cool now.

My host parents love the television you sent them from Harvey Normans. The screen is much bigger than their old one and the picture is great. It has awesome color and is really clear, so it’s way better than the old one they’ve been using. Right after it arrived, we all sat down and watched a movie on it and they told me it was like going to the pictures. That’s what they say here, instead of going to the movies. Hehehe I’m not into what they usually watch, you know – all that boring old people stuff, but they are really enjoying watching their shows on it.

Oh, you should have seen Peter when he opened the laptop. He was so shocked when he saw what it was that he didn’t know what to do next. First, he looked at it, to make sure it was what he thought it was, and then turned toward his parents, to see what they had to say. After they didn’t tell him he’d have to give it back, he finally looked at me, to see how I was reacting. It was really funny. It was almost as if he thought it was some kind of joke and wasn’t real. I think he was afraid someone was going to tell him it didn’t work or come in and take it away from him. Can you believe he actually thought I’d pull a joke like that on him? lol

Once he realized it wasn’t a prank and was all his, he ran over and hugged me. Then he even gave me a kiss on the cheek, before telling me to thank you too. He also made me give him our home address, so he could write you a letter. I told him he could just send you an email, but his mother said a thank you note should be handwritten, because it means more that way. I thought she was nuts to make him go to all that trouble and told her it would take much longer to get to you that way. I even told them you wouldn’t care, as long as he thanked you, but she said in the end a personal, hand-written note would be appreciated more. I guess that’s the way they do things here. It’s kind of old fashion, but I didn’t want to insult her by saying more.

As soon as he took the laptop back to our room, Peter made me start teaching him everything about it. He began asking me questions about how to do things, almost as soon as he hooked it up. That’s because he’s never worked on a laptop before and it is different using the laptop mouse, compared to the one on his parents’ computer. I’ve got to tell you, you picked out a really nice one and he loves having his own. He told me the best thing about not having to use the family computer is that he can now keep things on it that he wouldn’t dare to leave on the other one.

Oh, yeah, before I forget, I got to take Kylie to some social thing they had here last week. It was just a local celebration of some sort, and at first I wasn’t really interested in going. That changed though, once she agreed to go with me to it. She’s really neat and I like her a lot, but I think Peter is jealous of us. I guess he tried to get her to go out with him before I got here, but she told him they’re more like brother and sister, so she couldn’t see dating him. They’ve known each other since they were babies and only live a few houses apart. Their parents are also friends, so the two families are together all the time.

I mean, Peter’s been cool about Kylie and me going out and all, but I think it’s only because he knows I won’t be here in a few more months. I guess it still hurts him that she kind of likes me, when he wants her to feel that way about him. I feel bad about it, but I really do like her, so I don’t want to just give up on going out with her, just because Peter likes her too. I hope Kylie and I get even closer before I have to leave and maybe we can keep in touch afterward, because I really like her a lot.

So, what’s going on at home? Are any of my brothers taking my place and keeping everyone in line and on their toes? lol Peter keeps telling me I’m ‘a bit loony’ or I’m ‘bonkers’ each time I do something to him, which means he thinks I’m nuts, but I know he kind of likes it too. We’re really cool with each other.

Anybody have a driving accident yet? I hope not, but some of them are a little crazy – like me. Man, I really do miss everyone, even though I’m having a great time here. I guess I didn’t know how much having a family has come to mean to me. I think we all take it for granted sometimes, especially having you there for us whenever anything goes wrong, but I sure began to notice the difference after I left.

Don’t get me wrong, my host parents are great, but I just don’t feel I can go to them with everything, like I can with you. I even miss being able to crawl into your bed once in a while. I’m not sure if you knew I did that, because I tried not to wake you when I did, but I’d come in with you whenever I was feeling a little down. It always made me feel safe and loved, knowing you were there beside me, but then I’d sneak back to my room before you woke up.

Oh, I guess my secret is out now. You probably never realized I did that sometimes while you were asleep, because you only woke up a few times when I was still there. Most of the time I would just lay there for a few minutes, but sometimes I’d stay there for a couple of hours, just to be beside you. I can’t tell you how doing that always made me feel so much better. Just looking at you and knowing you chose me to come live with you and be your son always made me feel better. I’m really glad you did that, cuz I don’t know what I’d have been like now, if you hadn’t. Maybe I’d even be dead, because I might have tried doing drugs, like my mother. I guess you might have even saved my life when you took me in, so thank you.

Well, I better send this off now, cuz Peter wants me to go out and play soccer with him and his mates. They’re all pretty cool. We do all kinds of things with his friends and they’ve all been really great to me. I even think some of my brothers would be interested in a few of them too. I’ve seen most of them in the showers after we play soccer or when they teach me other sports, and they’re not bad looking, for guys. hehehe I was sort of surprised, though. I thought all the guys over here would be natural, like Jay, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s about half and half.

A few of us have even done things together. Not much, but they’re willing to try different things too. In fact, Peter is the most curious about stuff like that. I don’t think he’d ever thought about doing anything with another guy before, so he’s going wild, at least while I’m here to do things with him. His friends are cool with it too, since they know I like Kylie and am basically into girls. They understand I’m just a normal, horny teen that doesn’t mind getting off whenever, or however, I can, and now they’re doing it too. lol

Well, Dad, I’ll send you another email in a few days. Love you all. Please tell all my brothers I said hi and that I miss them. Can’t wait to see you all again.

Love,
Ricky

After drying me eyes, I printed the letter off. I wanted everyone else to read it too. I knew many of the others liked to hear about Ricky’s exploits, but I think Ricky’s confession about how he views the family might help a few of them deal with what’s troubling them. I think they’ll appreciate knowing they’re not the only ones that feel this way and I think it might also make them think a little more about it on their own.

The boys sometimes have their problems, but overall I think they all appreciate having the security of a stable home and many brothers they can count on. I feel it might also be good for Vinnie to read too, since it will help to emphasize that he’s part of this family now, whether I adopt him or not. I think he needs that sort of reassurance, which reminds me of why I got on the computer in the first place.

However, before I could get myself to focus on the task before me, I took another few moments to reflect on something else Ricky had mentioned. It was his comment about coming in and sleeping with me at different times. I did find him in bed with me on a couple of occasions, but I guess from what he just said, he’s done it much more than that. It had to have happened before Jake came into the picture though, because I don’t see how Ricky would manage to sneak in beside me with the two of us already in bed. Then again, maybe he slipped in behind me, while I was cuddling with Jake or slipped in front of me, when Jake was cuddled up against me. I guess it is possible.

Thinking about this led me to follow another train of thought. I’ve always considered Ricky to be strong and independent young man, so it is possible I missed giving him the reassurance it appears he must have needed from time to time. I guess I missed those signs, and maybe that’s what all his little pranks were about. Were they just another way for him to gain the attention he needed, no matter what type it was? Damn, I could kick myself for not recognizing that sooner. I guess I’ll have to make it up to him, once he returns.

Realizing my oversight, I decided I should probably set aside some time to think about the other boys too, to see if I’ve overlooked anything concerning them and their hidden needs. Sometimes, I guess the most obvious signals are the hardest to read. You know, it’s like not being able to see the forest because of the trees. Maybe tonight I’ll sequester myself for a while, so I can think about each of them, to see if I might have missed anything else. However, before I do that, I need to see if I can find anything online that might help Vinnie. Probably not, but I have to try.

When Jake got home, I let him read the letter from Ricky and then discussed a few of my earlier concerns with him, including Ricky’s mention about coming in to sleep beside me at times. I then went on to explain how much it bothered me that I hadn’t noticed Ricky seeking my attention and Jake was very supportive. After I explained I was worried there were others suffering from similar insecurities, he told me he’d help keep an eye open, to see if he could pick up on any hints that anyone else was dealing with such problems.

To my surprise, Jake informed me this might include Shannon. He then revealed his suspicions that Shannon might have some abandonment issues, especially after the way he and Jake had been forced to leave their home in the first place. When Jake had been thrown out, Shannon felt as if his father had abandoned him, but after his mother kicked him out too, Shannon began to feel that no one wanted him. That might have been resolved, to some extent, when he went to live with his father, but Jake suspected these issues still lurked far below the surface.

Jake then suggested that maybe the two of us should set aside a couple of nights a week so we could take out one, or possibly even two of the boys at a time, to give them a little extra attention. I told him I thought it was an excellent idea and might be a way to alleviate any problems the boys might be having. If not, it may at least get the boys to open up about anything that might be troubling them, if none of their brothers were around to make light of how they were feeling. It’s not that the boys intentionally tried to mock or hurt each other, but sometimes a comment spoken in jest can be taken the wrong way and still do emotional harm.

Not long after Jake and I made that decision, I received a couple of phone calls. Oh, it wasn’t a coincidence I received them at this time. I learned later that Nick had called Brandon to see if he’d heard from me about their flight arrangements and then he decided they should call me.

It seems Nick was worried about getting back in time to see Nigel’s crew and wanted to make sure I’d taken care of changing their tickets. When Brandon said he hadn’t heard anything, Nick suggested they should call to see what was up. It was too bad they hadn’t spoken with their parents about this first, since I had filled both the Lawrences and the O’Haras in about the new flight schedule a few days prior. I guess they either hadn’t found the time to pass this information along to their sons or felt the boys didn’t need to know the details in advance. If it wasn’t for either of those reasons, then maybe the parents were upset their sons had decided to come back early, but I certainly hope that isn’t the case.

Anyway, I was able to reassure both boys their new arrangements had been made and they would arrive the day before the others got here. This made them happy and they thanked me repeatedly, and then we briefly talked about a few other things, including my recent communiqué from Ricky. That’s when Nick told me we had to start filling out his paperwork to become an exchange student just as soon as Nigel and his boys left. He wanted to make sure he had a decent chance of going somewhere too, and then went on to explain how important this was to him. He said he wanted to learn and experience as much as he could, while having as good a time as Ricky seemed to be having. After I agreed to help him, we ended our call.

Once I hung up, I discussed the idea with Jake that Nick may be one of those who might also need some extra attention. Maybe that’s why he was so promiscuous, because he was looking for attention, and possibly even love, through sex. I soon dismissed that notion though, since Kevin had been willing to give him all of the love and attention he needed and it hadn’t seemed to change Nick’s behavior. Even though that seemed to be the case with Nick and Kevin, however, I knew Nick still had some other issues to resolve. These would stem from the time he believed his parents didn’t care about him and, therefore, might make him a prime candidate for one of our private outings, after our visitors left.

As the time grew closer for their arrival, Mark indicated he wished to talk to me about the plans I’d made for Nigel’s family’s visit. He wanted to select which activities he wanted to be included on, so I gave him a rough idea of what we were going to do. Mark then figured out which outings he would bring his girlfriend along, which ones he might like to try with us alone and, finally, those he’d pass up all together. I understood his reasoning and happily agreed with his decisions, so now I knew where I had to add more to our numbers and alter a few of the reservations.

A couple of days later, I received my thank you note from Peter in the mail. I will share it with you, so you can see how sweet it actually was.

Dear Mr. Currie,

I got Ricky to give me your home address, so I could thank you for your wonderful presents. They were way cool and truly awesome. I thought you went way over the top when Ricky gave me the laptop. I didn’t want you to spend your last dollar to buy it for me, but Ricky said not to worry and that you wouldn’t do it if you didn’t really want to or couldn’t afford it. It’s a real beauty, so I just want to say thank you again.

Thinking about you spending so much money on me reminded me of something else. Australia uses its own dollar, instead of the British pound, which gives us even more in common. I guess Americans and Aussies are more alike than most people think.

I also couldn’t believe all the underpants you sent me, and all different kinds too, but they are all so soft and feel great when I wear them. The one kind you sent me, Ricky says they’re briefs, will support me much better when I play footy and keep my balls from getting crushed. Ricky said I could say things like that to you and you wouldn’t mind. Ricky also said something about getting me a jock, maybe even one with a cup, but I’m not sure what he’s talking about. He just laughs when I ask and says I’ll see.

I was going to ask for some cozzies instead [translation: swimsuits], but Ricky says we won’t need them. He says he goes starkers [translation: short for stark naked] at home and wants me to try it with him instead. Since I bathe with my mates sometimes and we’ve all seen each other’s tackle before, I figure why not? As long as Ricky doesn’t perve on us too much, that is. Sometimes he can be a bit screw loose [translation: he can be crazy or insane].

My mum and dad love the telly you sent them too. Now, they can watch their favorite programs and not miss so much. They liked Ricky even before you gave it too them, but now they treat him better than me. They’re even going to do a special barbie for him [translation: have a barbecue].

The first time Ricky pulled one of his tricks on me, I wanted to dong him on the head, but he’s not a bad bloke. We’ve become mates and have good times together. All my other mates like him too. He’s actually becoming dinky-di Aussie [translation: a true Australian]. I think he really likes this girl I know and has the hots for her. She really seems to turn him on, even if that doesn’t take very much, if you know what I mean. He can be a bit of a wanker at times.

Ricky’s told me what a fine bloke you are, so I hope I can come and meet you some time. Ricky has said that would be cool, so I hope we can work it out. I think it would be fantastic and would love to get to know you. I hope it can really happen.

Cheerz,
Your mate,
Peter

I showed Peter’s letter around too and everyone found it very amusing. Most of them wanted me to start talking to Peter’s parents, to see if there was a way we could bring him over here for a year or so with us. I guess this exchange program is expanding and we were forming our own private chapter – with young men going to and from – but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I also received a thank you note from Peter’s parents too. It said many of the same things, but was more formal and less amusing than his, so I won’t share that one with you.

The time was going by quickly and when the middle of July neared, I started planning for Brandon and Nick’s return. As I thought about picking them up from the airport, I realized I should kick myself for not having more foresight. I had them flying into Pittsburgh on Friday and then Nigel and his boys were arriving in Philadelphia the following day. If I had been smarter, I would have had Brandon and Nick fly in to the same airport as Nigel, and on the same day, so we could pick them all up together. So much for the boys’ trusting me to think ahead and simplifying things, so they always worked out for the best.

Since it was my blunder and a mess I’d created, I was adamant that I’d be the one to drive to Pittsburgh to pick Brandon and Nick up. Jake had to work anyway, and I didn’t want him to have to use up another vacation day to do something so mundane, but Jake wasn’t happy with the idea of me making that drive alone. He was insistent I take someone with me, so I wasn’t surprised when Shannon informed me he wanted to ride along. I thought Jake had put him up to doing that, but it didn’t really matter, since Danny told me the same thing a few minutes later.

Although I had sort of anticipated Danny’s request, Shannon’s offer came as a surprise. Although I did suspect Jake had played a part in this, I later began to question that hasty assumption. It had been fairly obvious that Nick and Shannon had begun to get close before he left, but I felt their affection for each other might have cooled off a bit, since Nick hadn’t been around for a few weeks. It now appeared that assumption was wrong too. There must still have been a spark lingering somewhere in the ashes, because it now appeared that Shannon had offered to ride along so he could welcome Nick back.

After acceding to both boys’ requests, we made our plans accordingly. I got them up early Friday morning, so we could avoid the worst traffic. Although we were there on time, it didn’t matter. Nick and Brandon’s flight was delayed and didn’t land for another couple of hours. It finally touched down just before noon.

Both Brandon and Nick appeared to be excited to be back and raced in our direction just as soon as they saw us. However, I quickly learned they weren’t running to greet me. Brandon zoomed off to one side and quickly wrapped his arms around Danny, while Nick flew by on the other side and ended up in Shannon’s embrace. I merely kept my place and stood a few feet away watching their exuberant reunion.

Eventually, both pairs released each other and then Brandon and Nick came over to hug me too. I understood their priorities and made no additional comment, other than to welcome them back. I was once young too, although it is getting harder to remember that far back.

Anyway, as soon as we retrieved their luggage, we rode home with each of the boys telling us about his time with his parents. From what each said and how he said it, I concluded both of them had an enjoyable time and were very glad they went, although they were happy to be back in time to participate in the next round of activities.

As soon as we returned home and entered the house, the other boys let them know they were happy they were back too, as I expected they would. However, I left them alone, as I still had a lot to do between then and the following morning, when we’d be off again. This time though, we’d all be going; headed in the other direction to reunite with Nigel and his brood.