ARROW - 134. Chapter 134

Walking to the kitchen door, we were met by Richie. His eyes were wet with tears. “Marie, this is our home. Look”

We watched Richie as he touched everything in the kitchen, as if he needed to touch it to believe it. We followed him as he took Marie’s hand and led us through the house. The dining room with a fireplace, the living room with a fire place. I watched as he touched the furniture.

Walking into the hall with the front door on the left and his dad’s office on the right. He opened his dad’s office, expecting to see his dad, but he wasn’t there. Before he completely broke down, Marie held him.

“The rest of the house is different. Let me show you.” Opening the next door on the same side as the office, “Marie, do you recognize this room?” It was Marie’s room. Richie recognized it, went and sat on the bed.

“What are those doors. They weren’t in my room.”

“The first door leads to a bathroom and the second door leads to a small bedroom. Check them out.”

We watched as she opened the left door which led to a bathroom. Unlike the other bathrooms, this one had a bath tub.

Smiling, she opened the right door and saw a small bedroom. There was a dresser but that was all.

“Welcome home Marie.”

I saw a small tear.

Across from Marie’s room was Richie’s parents bedroom. Opening the door, Armand saw their furniture from the Club. “Our room?” “Yes”

There was another door and then stairs. Opening the other door, it was a bedroom. “Guest bedroom.”

“Follow me as he led them up the steps to a small hall. To the left was a hall leading to two rooms. Opening one of the doors, there were the bunk beds and two desks.

“This is like the dorms at the Orphanage.”

“Yes, these are the boy’s rooms. That is a door to their bathroom and that door is to their closet. There are three rooms like this, one more on this side, one on the other side along with a guest room. Since there are three identical rooms, you boys can pick out your own rooms.”

Leading the group back to the stairs, we went to the next level. Now every one was interested in where those stairs led. At the top of the stairs, Colin flipped a switch and the lights over the roof of the family section lit up, the roof garden complete with the sentinels. The boys walked through that area, touching the flowers, the small trees and the swing and the cabana.

“These rooms are above the garages.” Colin opened one room and it was a duplicate of the boys room, the second was also like the boys room and third room was like a guests room. The last room was a studio with a glass roof allowing maximum light, The room had a small kitchen so Armand could mix his paints, there was a section where canvases could be stored, In the center was his easel.

“Where do those staisr go?

“To your work shop so you can make your frames. It’s behind your garage like you had at the club.”

The boys wanted to sit in the roof garden before going to bed. Marie said she was going to see if Colin had her original mattress.

I was ready to go to bed when the boys wanted us to sit with them for a minute. Colin and I sat in the cabana, Richie sat on Colin’s lap. “Pop, I love you.”

Colin had tears in his eyes as he hugged Richie.

“Dad, did you know about this?”

“No Tommy, this is a surprise for me also. We are lucky to have Pop in our lives.”

“I think we should get to bed. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

“What work?”

“You need to move your clothes and books from the club to your rooms here. Have you picked out your room? I think Alissa should occupy the guest room on the second floor.

You boys need to see that your friends have a place to sleep.”

“Ivan and I will take one of the bedrooms.”

“Tommy and I will take one of the rooms. Pepe can sleep with Tommy.”

“Okay, two of you can sleep in the room next to Alissa. The rest of you can pick a room here on top. Don’t stay up to late, I’m going to bed.”

Going to bed, all of a sudden I became very tired. Walking into our room, I looked around. I liked it. I took a shower, opened my suitcase for my PJ bottoms, and went to bed. I smiled, Colin had brought our bed from the club. It didn’t take long as I snuggled into the covers and I was asleep. But not before saying thanks.

I don’t remember Colin getting in bed but I woke with him and four boys in our bed.

“What are you doing in our bed?”

“We wanted to tell you we love you.”

“Dad, Pop, this is the best thing that has every happened. I love you both.”

What started as a hug ended up as a group hug.

“We need to get dressed and start bringing clothes and other items from the Club here.”

“Pop, when are we going to look for a fishing boat.”

“After we move everything here from the club.”

“And after we go clothes shopping. School will be starting soon and we need more clothes for your friends.”

Then we smelled the coffee. That seemed to get every one moving.

Colin put on a robe and left me with the boys only now instead of the village kids standing by the bed watching, they joined our boys. I couldn’t get up even if I tried.

“Sir, do you think we could get beds like those in Italy?”

“I don’t know. Do you have room for a bed like that?”

“My room is small and my bed takes up most of the room. I share my bed with my older brother. I like the bed here, it would give me more room.”

“Why don’t you send a photo of the bed to Geno and ask him if they make a bed like that in Italy.”

They thought that would be a good idea.

Colin came in, with a cup of coffee for me, “Coffee is ready. Better get some before Armand drinks it all.”

The fact I was still in bed either hadn’t been noticed, or It was unimportant as the boys headed for the kitchen.

“Better get up before they all come back.”

I got up, getting ready for the day.

Dressed walking into the kitchen, I noticed Alissa wasn’t here. Reheatting my coffee, I headed to her room to be sure she was awake. Never made it, her and Marie met me in the living room on their way to the kitchen.

“Colin, coffee is okay but the boys need more than coffee.”

“Get dressed and we will go out for breakfast.” I looked around, Colin and I were alone.

Colin went and got the van, pulled it up in front of the kitchen door, and waited.

The morning was a little chilly and you could smell winter in the air. The boys came out and rushed to the van.

“Colin, after breakfast I want to take our guests shopping. They need warmer clothes.”

All on board, I told Marie after breakfast we would be going clothes shopping.

There were several places that served breakfast, Colin passed up a few. “I’m looking for a place that has safe parking .”

He found one on Whalley Avenue. Walking in, all sixteen of us, the look on the waitress’s face had me laughing. “Colin, we should all order the same thing. Otherwise we will be here all morning.

The waitress came, “We are going to order the same thing for all of us. Coffee for the adults, the boys will have milk, chocolate. pancakes with sausage. The young lady will have the same.”

Now the wait, the waitress brought our coffee. Another prepared a tray of chocolate milk. (In Italian) “After breakfast, we are going clothes shopping. You need a little warmer clothes. The mornings are going to be cold.” That cause the boys talking about what clothes they needed and what clothes they had. Pepe just sat there and listened. Tommy leaned over and whispered something to him he smiled and nodded yes.

The other diners, looked when they heard the boys. The waitress came back to refill our coffee cups. “Are you all from Italy?”

“No, just some of us.”

When she left, “I wonder what she would think if we spoke French or Spanish.” Our four heard us and I bet I could predict what they would do.

Sure enough, when she brought the plates of pancakes with sausage, they thanked her in Spanish. Then she brought small pitchers of pancake syrup, they thanked her in French. I looked at them. They laughed, “Dad, we were just having fun.”

I went to pay the check, Richie and Ivan came with me. The cashier asked if we were American. “Yes, but one of us is from France and some of the boys are from Italy.” The cook must have been Italian, leaning on the pass through window, he asked the boys if they liked the pancakes. He said that in Italian, Richie, in French, said it was good but crepes are better. Ivan said he liked American pancakes, he said that in Italian.

Leaving the boys said thank-you in different languages. I just looked at Colin, mouthed the word, hams.

We went to the clothing store we used for our boys. So we started, underwear, undershirts, then pullovers, pants, socks and shoes. Finally caps and coats. Marie took Alissa and bought her warmer clothes including slacks. I told her if she needed anything with colder weather coming, to go ahead and buy it.Tommy reminded me that they needed shoes, that meant warm socks as well.

“Colin, I’m not sure their suitcases will hold all of their clothes.”

“Some of these clothes will be too warm for them. I’m sure they will be back. We can pack the clothes they will wear at home and the rest we can leave here. They will be back next year.”

I looked at him. “How do you know they will be back next year?”

“Listen to them. They are talking about our boys visiting them and returning with them.”

“Did you invite Geno and Angela over for a visit?”

“Yes, but it’ll be next year. I’ll see him when I go over and check on Alesander. I might go back with Nonna.”

Now with our packages loaded in the van we headed home. There were no room for the clothes from the club.