The Castaway Hotel - 7 - 24. Chapter 24 - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We were now officially in the Christmas season and things always get very hectic for me at this time of year. Not only are there the typical family commitments and church events, but there are also an increased number of school functions and parties, which put an additional strain on my schedule. Even though sometimes it seems as if I wouldn’t be able to survive all these demands on my time, this has always been my favorite holiday, so I wasn’t disappointed the season had arrived.

The first thing we did was to put up our Christmas tree and decorate the house. The boys always love to help with this, so we usually make a big deal of it and begin the weekend after Thanksgiving. We put up an artificial tree, so we wouldn’t have to worry about it drying out or catching fire, and the boys helped put it together. Once that was done, we added the lights next and then the bulbs and other decorations.

This year I let Andrew put the angel on top of the tree and helped him climb our stepstool so he could reach it. It didn’t seem to bother him that he had to use the stepstool, since the rest of us always used it when we put the angel up too, even though we didn’t have to climb up as many of its steps to accomplish the task. However, Andrew was thrilled he got the job this year, as I usually assigned the task to one of the older or taller boys.

Once we were finished, the tree looked fantastic and everyone was pleased with how it turned out. Now, we could focus our attention to the outside of the house. We would put up the outdoor lights next, followed by the additional items, such as a lighted nativity, a huge Santa and a large snowman.

The outdoor lights took time, but putting them up actually went quite smoothly. We ran strings of outdoor bulbs along the roofline, and then around the porch, several windows and the door. After that had been completed, we put up our lawn decorations and stuck a large red bow on our mailbox. Once everything was in place, we looked it over, to see if we were satisfied, but there was an added benefit to doing it this way too. Decorating helped put us in the Christmas spirit and everyone was in a joyous mood by the time we finished and saw the results.

Nick’s parents called that same weekend and explained they were going to fly to Brazil for two weeks over the holidays, so they could spend some time with their son. They would be leaving a few days before Christmas and would be gone until just after the New Year, and they thought I should know. They told me they were also going to do some traveling with Nick, so they could all see more of the country together, and they’d let me know how things went, once they got back.

I asked if I could send a package for them to take to Nick and they said they’d be happy to deliver it for me. Hurriedly, I got a few things together, which included a couple of small Christmas gifts for Nick. I’d heard stories about how employees in foreign postal locations go through the mail, especially packages, and take whatever they want. This is especially true over the holidays, so I felt this was the safest way to make sure he got what I sent him. I shipped the package to Lawrence’s home, so it would arrive in plenty of time before they left, knowing Nick would appreciate the items I included in the package.

The following Monday, Frankie also heard back from the recruiter, who let him know he’d be leaving for Basic Training at the end of March. Frankie thought that wasn’t bad, as winter would technically be over by then, so maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he first expected. Seeing he’d be training there for four months, he’d be in Missouri until late July, so the weather should be fine most of the time. He was told he would only be allowed to bring two sets of civilian clothes with him, not counting what he’d wear when he left, and they suggested he make sure one of those sets was for cooler weather.

Frankie seemed really excited knowing everything was set. He was getting into the field he wanted and would be able to gain some experience, which would make it easier for him to find a job in civilian life, once he got out. He even brought one of his friends home with him, to show him what he’d learned. This guy had also been applying for some of the same jobs Frankie had been submitting resumes to, so Frankie showed him the information online and explained everything to him.

As Frankie described his reasons why he had decided to join the service, his friend seemed quite impressed. He was intrigued by the opportunity, but also amazed with the amount of research Frankie had done before making his decision. Prior to leaving, the young man told Frankie he was going to go talk to the recruiter the next day, to see what his chances were for doing the same thing.

If it worked out, he told Frankie they might be doing this together, which made Frankie even more excited. He liked the idea of one of his friends joining him, so he’d have a partner in crime…well, crime investigation, so Frankie began to encourage his friend to do just that. In fact, he told the young man he’d go to the recruiter’s office with him, so he could make sure they’d be going at exactly the same time. Once that had been agreed upon, his friend went home, almost as excited as Frankie.

A few days later, something else came up. It all began with a phone call from a Ted Beckham, but I wasn’t home at the time. I didn’t recognize the name when I read the message and wondered what it might be about. The boy who answered the phone said the caller sounded like he might be a teen or possibly in his twenties, but that information didn’t help me either. I still had no idea who he might be, but I called the number he left, to see what he wanted.

“Hello,” the person on the other end answered.

“Hello, may I speak with Ted Beckham, please?” I asked.

“You are,” he replied, rather crudely. “Who’s this?”

“Josh Currie,” I answered. “You called earlier and left a message for me to get in touch with you.”

“Oh, hi, Mr. Currie,” he replied, more enthusiastically. “My aunt told me to call you.” This information didn’t help me either.

“I’m sorry, young man, but I think you’ll have to explain this a little better for me to understand,” I informed him. “Who is your aunt and where do I know her from?”

“Oh, yeah. Well, I’m not sure if you’d remember her name, but she was a nurse who took care of your son, Cody,” he replied. “I’m really sorry about what happened to him.”

It all began to make sense now. He was the gay nephew of the nurse who had been so kind to Cody and Graham. I told her to have him contact me if there was anything the boys or I could do to help, so now he was taking me up on my offer.

“Certainly, Ted, and I’m sorry I didn’t realize who you were sooner,” I apologized.

“How could you?” he wondered, sounding like I was nuts for even suggesting otherwise. “We’ve never met and I don’t think my aunt told you my name, at least she said she didn’t think she did.”

“Thank you for being so understanding.” I added. “So, what may I do for you?” There was a slight hesitation on the other end of the line, before he cleared his throat and spoke again.

“My aunt told me you have some sons who… well, who aren’t… you know, straight, and that maybe they could help me, cuz I’m kinda… not straight either.”

He seemed uncomfortable using the precise terms for what he was or for describing my boys sexual orientation, so I could see this wasn’t going to be easy. I felt the first thing to do was to clearly define what we were talking about.

“Yes, some of my boys are gay and some of the others are bi-sexual, but I do have some sons who are heterosexual as well,” I began. “We’re all very open and accepting, and we do use correct terminology for such things, so what would you like us to do to help?”

Again, there was no immediate response from the other end of the phone, but I knew he was most likely wrestling with what he should say next. After many uncomfortable moments of silence, he finally spoke again.

“Ah, well, I’m not sure,” he admitted. “My mom and dad don’t like what I am and they’re really on my case. Dad says I’m doing this just to piss him off, but I’m not. I’m not sure I want to like boys either, but I just do. I can’t help it.” He almost sounded as if he were ready to cry at this point.

“I certainly understand that,” I told him. “Would you like me to call your father and talk to him about this.”

“No!” he screamed. “He’d be furious if you called and let him know I told you what was going on. He doesn’t want anyone else to know that his son is… you know, one of those.”

Again, he wasn’t willing to use the term, and I took it that was because his father would say things without being able to articulate exactly what he meant either, so I just let it go.

“I won’t if you don’t want me to,” I assured him, “but what WOULD you like for me to do?”

“My aunt said you told her that maybe I could come meet some of your sons sometime,” he suggested. “I’ve really never met anyone like me before and thought I should. I’ve seen a few on TV and such, but I’ve never met any in person, and I thought it might help if I did.”

“Sure, that would be fine, and I know the boys wouldn’t mind,” I told him. “How old are you?”

“I just turned seventeen last month,” he stated.

“I have boys from thirteen to twenty, so you’ll fit right in,” I explained. “When would you like to do this?”

“My aunt suggested maybe after Christmas, while I’m on vacation,” he said, hopefully. “She said she’d arrange the trip and get my parents okay to do it. She told me it would be part of my Christmas present from her and she’d work out the details and transportation, if that time would be good for you.”

“Yes, that would be fine,” I confirmed. “All the boys will be home then and things at work will be slow, so that would be perfect. Would you like me to talk to your aunt and work out the details?”

“Let me talk to her first, so she can talk to my mom and dad and get it okayed first,” he replied. “I’ll call you when I’m sure I can come, if I can. I’m not so sure my dad will let me visit, especially if he knows I’ll be with boys who are, well, light in the loafers, as my father calls them.”

I found that term interesting and hadn’t heard it used in years. However, now I was beginning to understand why this boy was having such a difficult time telling me his situation.

“Okay, you let me know as soon as you can,” I added. “I hope we all get to meet you in person real soon.”

“Thanks, Mr. Currie,” he responded. “You sound really nice, just like my aunt said you were.”

“Thank you, Ted,” I answered, “and I hope the two of you can work everything out, so you can come visit.”

After we hung up, I told the boys about the phone call and right away Sammy and Graham wanted to know what the boy looked like. I explained I had never seen him or asked for that information, so I had no way of knowing how he appeared, but this didn’t seem to discourage their interest. I had a feeling those two might end up fighting over his attention during his visit, if his parents let him come stay with us for a while.

Over the next few days, we began rushing around to various Christmas concerts, Christmas parties and trying to get in a little Christmas shopping. This was an extremely hectic period for us.

I heard from Albert too and he told me Arlene’s care was to begin the following Monday, which seemed to please him. He told me it would take a big load off his mind, just knowing someone would be there to watch over his wife. Even though they weren’t exactly medical professionals, they would be able to do things for her, make sure she didn’t do anything she wasn’t supposed to do and would also relieve Albert’s concerns that she might wander off again. That was all they needed for now and it would give Albert and Richard some peace of mind knowing Arlene was being taken care of.

It wasn’t long before I received another phone call, which also proved quite interesting. “Hello, Mr. Currie?”

“Yes, this is he.”

“Hi, it’s Ted Beckham again.”

“Oh, hi, Ted,” I replied, pleased to hear his voice once more. “I apologize that I didn’t know who it was, after I heard your speak.”

“Nah, that’s okay,” he told me. “I wouldn’t expect you to recognize it yet.”

“Thanks for being so understanding,” I replied. “What may I do for you, Ted?”

“Well, my Aunt Jane talked my parents into letting me come visit, if that’s still all right with you?” Although this was positive information, he still sounded nervous and concerned I might have changed my mind.

“Absolutely,” I reassured him. “When would you like to come?” I heard a rush of air hit the receiver and realized he had just breathed a sigh of relief.

“Dad said I could leave the day after Christmas,” he informed me, “and when I come back will be up to you. Dad said I can come back as late as the Saturday after New Year’s, but it’s your choice as to how long you will allow me to stay.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the Saturday after New Year’s will be more than all right with me,” I confirmed, “and I’m sure the boys will be glad to hear that too.”

“They know I’m coming?” He sounded excited.

“Of course they do and two of the boys seem especially interested in your visit,” I added, thinking that might please him. “Would you like to speak with them, so you can get to know them better?”

“Yeah, that would be cool!” he bubbled.

I called Sammy and Graham to the phone and handed it to the first one that arrived. I also warned them to share the time and not to fight, and after glaring at each other, they finally agreed. I left them alone, because I wanted to give them time to get to know their new friend better, and I didn’t think they could do that with me listening in. I hoped that by giving them this opportunity before he arrived would make Ted feel more comfortable while he was with us.

The boys talked to Ted for a long time and I could tell both of mine were developing a connection with him, possibly even a crush. Seeing what was happening, I began to realize this might be the beginning of a love triangle. However, I doubted it would go that far, seeing Ted didn’t live locally and they’d only be together for a very limited amount of time. However, with them hitting it off so quickly and so well, I knew it would make Ted feel more at home during his stay.

Christmas was almost here now, and we still had a few more concerts and plays to attend, as well as some last minute shopping to take care of. The shopping was mostly at the boys’ behest, because they needed to pick up a few last minute items. I had all my gifts purchased by the middle of the month, so I didn’t need to go with them, but Jake and I did have some grocery shopping to complete. We still needed to pick up various foods for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals.

Jake and I had decided we were going to have both of these meals at home this year, rather than going to a restaurant on Christmas Eve. Part of our reasoning was due to the fact that we were worried about how Arlene would respond out in public. If she was having a good day, everything would be fine, but if she wasn’t, then we were concerned how she would react and what might happen. By having both meals at home, we’d have more control over the situation and wouldn’t have to worry about Albert and Richard dealing with one of her outbursts in front of a bunch of strangers, who might not understand her actions were due to an illness.

As Christmas Eve arrived, we finished our final dinner preparations, so all we had to do was wait for our guests to arrive. Once they started coming in, things really began to get festive, as everyone began to dip into the Christmas cheer. We were having drinks, mostly eggnog, and chatting, while we waited for the final few guests to arrive. Once everyone was here, we planned on sitting down to eat.

Albert, Arlene and Richard were the last to arrive and the first thing I noticed was that Arlene seemed to be doing well tonight. As they entered, she said hello to several of us and seemed to know where she was and it was for a Christmas celebration. However, Albert looked tired and worn out, which concerned me greatly. Immediately, I had to find out what was wrong.

“Albert, you look as if you haven’t sleep for days,” I told him. “What’s the matter?”

He looked at me for a few moments before he acknowledged my comment, but all he did was hang his head and not speak. Richard did that for him, though I don’t think Albert was happy with what he told me.

“Dad HASN’T slept much,” Richard said defiantly, glaring at his father. “He spends most nights awake, keeping an eye on mom.”

Albert gave his son a very stern look, almost as if he was threatening Richard against giving away family secrets, but Arlene broke his concentration.

“He doesn’t have to watch over me, dear,” she told Richard, confused as to why he had said that. “Why in the world would you think he was staying up watching me?” She seemed confused, and Richard seemed embarrassed he had said it in front of her, especially when she was coherent. However, once he dealt with his embarrassment, he turned back to me.

“He fired the overnight person,” Richard continued, almost in a whisper, “because he said we didn’t need her, but now he’s up almost all night long, worrying about what might happen.”

Albert was really glaring at his son now. It was obvious he was upset that Richard didn’t respond to his previous nonverbal warning, but Richard wasn’t about to be intimidated at this point.

“Is that true, Albert?” I asked.

“We didn’t need someone to sit up while we were sleeping,” he said, adamantly. “We don’t need to waste money for a person to stay downstairs trying to entertain themselves all night long.”

“Obviously, we do,” I corrected him, “or otherwise you wouldn’t be awake all night, doing the job they were hired to do.”

“But I don’t stay awake all night,” he protested.

“Then why do you look so haggard and worn out?” I challenged.

“Well, I might not allow myself to sleep as deeply now, as I used to,” he admitted, “but I do sleep. I don’t just sit up all evening.”

“Albert, there was no need to get rid of the overnight person just to save money,” I said firmly, but in a helpful tone. “That was all taken care of and wasn’t an issue. I’m going to call and see how soon I can get that shift reestablished.” I saw he was about to protest, but I stopped him short.

“No arguments on this,” I stated, as forcefully as I dared without hurting his feelings. “Richard needs you and you’re not going to be any good to him if you’re as worn out as you look now. What will you do when spring and summer comes, and your workload on the farm increases? You won’t be able to do all that hard work, looking like you do now.”

Albert was going to argue the point, but then stopped. I wasn’t sure if it was because he finally agreed with me or just didn’t want to start an argument on Christmas Eve. Regardless of his reasoning, I took it one step further.

“Albert, just consider it our Christmas gift to your family. We want to do this for you, to give you peace of mind and allow you to survive, without having to sacrifice your sleep or health. Will you please accept our gift this time?” I had backed him into a corner now, by making it a Christmas present, so he meekly looked up and gave a slight nod.

“Okay, you win,” he told me, “and I really appreciate this. I guess I didn’t realize how tough it would be on me, once I got rid of that person. I wanted to save you the money, but you’re right, it is becoming more than I can handle. I will pay you back someday though,” he promised. I knew it was his pride speaking for him again, because he didn’t like to accept anything he couldn’t pay for himself.

“Whatever, my friend,” I assured him, “but let me do what I can to help, at least until things get a little better for you.” Albert reached out, grasped my hand and shook it firmly, to acknowledge the sincerity of his appreciation.

“I’m not sure how long it will take to get someone back in your home,” I advised him, “so if you want, the boys and I will help out until that happens.”

“No, Josh. It’s my fault, so I’ll cover until you can get the aide back with us,” he replied. “Just know that I do appreciate your offer.”

“Come on, Albert. Will you quit being so stubborn?” I pressed. “Just let us do this for you. It shouldn’t be for very long. It’s just that I won’t even be able to get a hold of anyone until the day after Christmas.”

“Josh, we’ll be fine. I can last until they come back,” he insisted.

I didn’t believe this, but I didn’t want to continue arguing with him on this festive day. Instead, I decided I would approach him about it again, before he went home or tomorrow. For now, we’d just enjoy the day.

The rest of the evening went well and we had a very enjoyable dinner. The discussion that accompanied the meal was just as wonderful and the time passed quickly. The only negative thing that happened throughout the entire evening was Arlene’s occasional lapses with reality, but they didn’t seem to last long, so no one was greatly affected by it. Before we knew it, it was getting late and everyone realized it was time to be going home and getting to bed.

Normally, we would have exchanged gifts with the extended family before they went home, but because everyone was returning for Christmas dinner tomorrow, we decided to wait and open our gifts then. Therefore, we all said our farewells and everyone headed home, ready to rest up for the big day.