Home Away From Home - 44. Chapter 44

“You seemed to be thinking about something care to share.”

“Every one seems so happy here. There doesn’t appear to be any stigma associated with being gay. I was thinking this morning, this must be unreal, not normal and then I think about last night. Those guys in the pool where really glad to see you. They know you're gay because you act, what I hope someday, will be normal for a gay guy. You're open about your affection for Puppy and the guys really love you both. I didn’t know Puppy was a doctor until Al told me. He thinks the sun rises and sets on you and Puppy. What is it? What do you do to get this level of acceptance?”

“I can’t answer those questions because I don’t know. I have been blessed in so many ways. I have fantastic parents, fantastic in-laws, and a job I really like. As if that isn’t enough, I have a mate that I'd die today, right now, to make sure he's the happiest guy on the face of this earth. That’s all can tell you, there isn’t a secret potion to drink or anything. I’m just myself.”

“The guys from the base treat you like family. How did that happen?”

“Actually Al had a lot to do with that. I’m not sure if Al said anything last night to you or not.”

“No, we talked a little about who I was and how I was related to you. Then he showed me the fish tank. When he saw you just sitting here, he said he was going to ask you for a massage.”

“Al is a very special person, he's an only child. When his mother was in the hospital dying, his Captain asked if I could see my way to use my plane and fly him home, so he could see his mother before she passed on. We did that, he actually got to spend several days with his mother before she passed on. When he came back, he visited us to thank us for what we had done. I told him that we were glad to do it and he should consider this his home. Between you and me, when his time is up, Al will be living here full time. He was the first, then he brought a few of his buddies, and they brought a few of their buddies. Ed and Marcus came from the base, they are part of our security force.”

“That must be part of the secret. Your willingness to help others.”

“That could be plus Puppy is a Doctor at the base hospital. But I think those who make problems for us, are jealous, that we have a devoted person in our lives or, they are gay and afraid to admit it. There are a few who have a poor opinion of themselves and need to be bullies, proving to themselves that they are strong, or covering up for being bullied at home. People are complex, it's hard to figure why they go left rather than right.”

“May I have more coffee?”

“You don’t need to ask in this house, there's the machine, here's the coffee and there's the fridge. If you sit here long enough, you'll get the idea how this kitchen runs. As a side issue, how do you feel about Al?”

“I think he’s a nice guy. He’s soft spoken and I like that. The guys last night liked him.”

Just as I was getting up to go to the office, Sarge came in. “Sarge, if you're going to make coffee, could you show Giovanni how to do it? I don’t intend to wait on him. Gio, Sarge will take care of you. I’ll be in my office if you need me.”

If he and Al do hit it off, as Puppy thinks, and Al decides to stay here, what's Giovanni going to do. Something to think about with Puppy. “Charles, do you have the notes from those meetings with the agents?”

“Yes, I’ll be right in.”

“Larry, do you have a schedule of trips for the next month? And where is Doug?”

“Yes, here is the schedule. I’ll have a portfolio to cover these trips by the end of next week.”

“Looks like we are light over the next two weeks. Doug has a trip to Japan, do you have any particulars on that?”

“Didn’t you talk to him about investing in that hotel?”

“Right, I did. Do you have the figures on that project.”

“I’ll get them for you.”

“Thanks. Charles, what’s the story on Germany.”

“Your dad straighten that out. There was a glitch on a bank transfer.”

“What kind of glitch?”

“I’m not sure. Something about the wrong account number.”

“Charles, I’m not sure what it takes, I want all the information you can get on the wrong and right account numbers. I want to know if it was corrected with a flow back from the wrong number to the new number or if another payment was processed. This project is part of our investment and I want to make sure this error doesn’t show up as a cost.”

“Doug, missed you and Troy last night.”

“We went to visit my folks and stayed there.”

“You have a trip next week to Japan. We talked about investing in the project before I left for Italy. Do you have the financials on that project?”

“Yes, let me get their folder.”

The rest of the morning we tore apart their proposal looking for ways to lower their costs and increase our share of the buy in. Essentially, we'd buy in and then offset that buy in with the fees we charged. Another way of saying, we'd do the work free, for a share of the project. We had to be careful of the project cost because if the cost escalated our share would drop on the other hand, if the cost decreased our share would be larger. I called Larry in and had him project scenarios, likely over runs and likely under runs. This would define the box with which we could assess probabilities.

I looked at my watch, it was 1 o’clock. Walking pass the offices, lunch time guys.

Walking into the kitchen, I gave Troy a hug. “Thanks for holding the kitchen while we were gone. We really appreciated it.”

I looked around the group, we had the boys from this morning plus a few from yesterday. I didn’t see Mom, Dad or Aunty. “Where is Mom, Dad and my aunt? Have they eaten already?”

“They fixed a plate and went outside to eat. Check the tables at the pool.”

I started to laugh. “What's so funny? I hope the guys aren’t swimming au natural.”

I took a plate, made myself a sandwich and a small salad. Took a bottle of water and went outside to sit with Mom, Dad and Aunty. “Carlo, the fish tank looks great.”

“Thanks Aunty. One of our security guys had a degree in marine biology. When we were building the pool, he suggested that and he made it happen. I think it’s a great idea. The kids have names for each of those fish.”

“Carlo, while you were gone a teacher from one of the kid’s school called about bringing her class to see the fish tank.”

“What did you say?”

“I told her you were out of town and for her to call back when you were here.”

“I have some concerns about that. To see the fish you have to be in the water. Kids in water could be disaster. I’ll listen but I’m not enthusiastic about it. What are my cooks planning on for dinner tonight?”

“Annetta and I will cook tonight.”

“Good, you need to check and make sure you have everything in case a run to the PX is necessary. Where's Dad and has he eaten?”

“He’s in his garden. Been gone for a while, I think one of the base guys are with him.”

“Ok as long as he has eaten. Where is Gio?”

“You mean Giovanni?”

“Yes, since this morning I have dubbed him Gio.”

“I’m not sure where he is. He might be in his room or out on the balcony.”

“That isn’t a balcony, that's a Captain’s Walk. It runs all around the third floor. He could leave his room and walk to any room, without coming inside. The view up there is fantastic. If you feel like climbing to the third floor, I can show you.”

When I finished my lunch, I headed back to my office. Just before entering my office I see Gio coming into the living room. “I didn’t see you for lunch. I expected to see you in the pool.”

“I was on that balcony outside my room. Did you know it goes all around the third floor?”

“Yes, it’s called a Captain’s Walk. If you were a ship’s captain with a telescope, you could look out to the ocean and see if any ships are coming in. That concept is used more in the Atlantic where trade was common between the Americas and Western Europe. But I like the concept and enjoy walking there sometimes. Joe has sat there and painted.”

“I noticed several paintings around on the walls and in my bedroom. Did he do all of these?”

“Why don’t you ask him he's right behind you.”

Joe had a big smile on his face. “I’ll tell you, only if you tell me first what you think of them.”

“That large one on the wall looks like the front door is going to open and someone is going to walkout . The one in my room looks like a print of some underwater place.”

“Well, you'll see two types of pictures, the prints are photographic prints made from the negatives of Mario's camera. The painted ones are mine.”

“Who is Mario?”

“Mario was one of the security people who protected Carlo and Doc. He has a degree in marine biology and evidently the reef off of Guam is special. So all these photos are from just out there. Mario also designed the fish tank. He's a friend of ours, which we don’t see too often.”

“So did you guys have lunch?”

“Roy and I just finish. I think Roy is going swimming and I’m going to work on some of sketches from Italy and Greece. See you all later.”

“Come on I’ll get you something to eat, but from now on you have to help yourself. Everything in the kitchen is up for grabs. Except, if it's in a covered bowl with a name on it. What do you feel like, sandwich, salad, something hot?”

“I think a sandwich with a small salad would be ok.”

“Great, come and get it. Gio, there's no protocol here. Except for what I said about bowls with names on them, everything is available. I want people to think of this place as home.”

I waited while he fixed himself a sandwich, I smiled at him nodded my head as if to say good. I just reached my office when one of the base guys came into the office, ”Colonel Haskins is here to see you.”

“Sharky, could you show him in.”

“No need soldier, I know my way.”

“Good afternoon, Colonel how may i help you today.”

“First, I want to thank you for my son being here all summer. He had a very good time.”

“The pleasure was ours Colonel. He was a well behave young man, and speaking for my family, he's welcome back anytime.”

“I’m very glad to hear that because that's what brought me here today.”

“Excuse me Colonel, Charles could you bring the Colonel a cup of coffee and a cup of tea for me. Thanks. I’m sorry to interrupt you but I thought you may like a coffee.”

“Thanks, I'd like some coffee. I have another problem, my ex’s new husband doesn’t like Douglas. He claims he’s too sissified to be a son of his. So again, they want to send him to military school. I want him to come here.”

“Colonel, let me put your mind at ease. We'd love to have Douglas here as our guest. He’s a well manner boy, someone you should be very proud of.”

“I don’t know how to thank you. The men on the base that come here calls this place home away from home. I hear it all the time. “Where are you going? Home away from Home.”

“Here's your coffee and it looks like my mom and aunt are in the kitchen, those are called biscotti and are delicious with coffee.”

I watched as the Colonel took a bite of the biscotti, I waited and then the smile. “These are very good.”

“When can we expect young Douglas M. Haskins?”

“That's the second favor, could you fly and pick him up. I know that this is irregular but he needs to get away from there.”

“Colonel, that's no problem. I can have the plane ready tomorrow morning, just tell us the airport and we'll be there.”

“I have a 3 day leave which I can take anytime, may I go with you.”

“Get your bag packed, and be at the plane tomorrow morning at 9 am. Haskins rescue mission is on the schedule. Come into the kitchen, you need to meet my mom and aunt. My mom and dad live here now.”

Walking into the kitchen with the Colonel is something else. You never know who is there and it was no different. At the breakfast table sat sarge and two of the men that came with him last night. I soon as they saw the Colonel, they jumped to attention. “At ease men. Sarge, I didn’t know you came here?”

“Yes, sir, this is like a home away from home.”=

That did it for me. I couldn’t help myself, I started to laugh. “Mom, Aunt Annetta, this is Colonel Haskins from the base. We had the honor of housing his son this summer. Colonel, this is my mom who taught me to be a gentleman and my Aunt Annetta who we haven’t seen for a long time. I'd introduce to my dad but he's out puttering around in his garden. Mom, the Colonel would like to know if you have a few more biscotti so he could have them with his morning coffee.”

“So you like Italian cooking. Here take these," as Aunty handed Mom a small bag.

I don’t think the Colonel knew what to say. “Colonel. 9 am at the plane.”

“Yes, and thank you for the biscotti.”

“I don’t think there's any better hospitality then what my mom offers. You will see, before your son leaves here he'll be making those biscotti because you like them. Does he have grandmothers?”

“No, my parents have passed on and so have my ex’s.”

“Well, he will now. I don’t know how long my aunt is staying, but my mom will smother him with love. He may not want to ever leave.”

I was smiling when I said that. “I think you have met Dan before. He’ll meet you at the plane tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks Carlo, you are a blessing.”

I walked back into the kitchen knowing I was going to get the third degree. And I did, I told them to sit down and I’ll tell them about the Colonel. I fixed myself a cup of tea, took a couple of biscotti and told them the story. I looked at Mom as I told the story and I could see her emotions come to the surface. I knew that Douglas was going to be a part of our family.