Home Away From Home - 53. Chapter 53

Tony and I continued to discuss my agent tour. I mentioned that I expanded Matteo’s scope. “We have several small countries that, in and of itself, doesn’t require a full time agent. What I did with Matteo, I'd like to do with several other countries.”

“I never got into those small countries or those that were once part of Russia. But if you could bundle them together, there may be enough business for an agent. So Matteo was glad to take on additional countries.”

“Yes, very and that led me to look at other countries without agents. I was thinking if I had an agent in Poland they could handle the Czech Republic as well. I could do the same thing with other countries, the agent should be able to generate enough business to keep them happy and us as well.”

“That might work. Let me put out some feelers and see if I can offer some names for you to interview.”

“I appreciate that, I have had Charles look into these countries and get as much information as possible on areas where we might have an interest. When he is finished, I’ll send you a summary of his findings.”

“You’re not overworking Charles?”

“No, Charles is one happy camper, remember his partner is Dan. I’m planning on David becoming my administrative assistant which will relieve Charles of some of the work he’s doing now.”

“You’re forming a tight knit group, that’s good.”

“I want to expand Doug’s area to include New Zealand and Australia. He’s doing an excellent job. Our investment portfolio has grown and the number of projects has grown. So I think he can handle a little more.”

“Just keep an eye on him. You don’t want to burn him out. You probably could use a few more like him. Tell me about Giovanni.”

“Giovanni has a degree in civil engineering. He wants to stay here and I think he'll be an asset and possibly be another Doug in the works. He was a great help on the agent tour. I told him to listen and then give me his feedback after the meeting. He actually wrote out reports which I read on the plane. I still have them if your interested.”

“No, I don’t need to read them. I trust your judgement. Once you get your new European agents, I may take you with me on one of my trips to South America.”

Puppy is right, he is grooming me to take over.

“Carlo, do you have time to talk to me now. David said I needed to see you.”

“Yes, Troy come in and have a seat.” He set a cup of tea on my desk for me and took the chair Tony sat in.”

“I think I’m going swimming.”

“Troy, I’m removing David from kitchen duty so he can train Billy. I need someone to oversee the kitchen. Billy will follow every recipe to the T, but I don’t think he has the capability to plan a menu or to ensure that we have all the ingredients necessary for a menu. I need you for that.

You have worked in the kitchen and you’re aware of where everything is stored, you have the knowledge to create menu’s and of course you have extra cooks at your disposal.”

“So I don’t have to cook.”

“Not unless you want to.”

“Ok, I can do that. I know with my background it's hard for you to find a niche for me. I appreciate what you are doing so Doug and I can be together. I do miss the music, but I enjoyed teaching Maria the piano.”

“Maybe we can expand on that. I’m sure there're kids on the base who would want to take music lessons. I’ll have the Colonel post something on the base.”

“That may be a problem if I have a lot of students. I won’t be able to manage the kitchen.”

“Once Billy is trained, you'll have the time. The key is scheduling your time.”

Troy left me office and I knew exactly where he was heading. I wondered how long before Doug would be in my office. Exactly 30 minutes was the answer.

“Carlo, have a minute?”

“Sure, in fact I wanted to see you. Sit down.”

“Troy just came and saw me about him managing the kitchen and then the possibility of giving music lessons.”

“And what was his reaction?”

“He was very pleased particularly about the music lessons.”

“You know how I feel about you and Troy. You both are more than staff, you are like brothers to Puppy and me. However, Troy’s education doesn’t fit well in our business and so I have tried to find positions that would convey to him that he was needed. Involving him in the kitchen with David did that, but I knew he'd need something that would make him feel that he was making a contribution. I watched as he was teaching Maria the piano, there was a smile on his face that wasn’t in the kitchen. I think he'll be happier now, we'll have live music and an organized kitchen. You know organizing a kitchen is like leading an orchestra.”

“Well, he is happier. I know it has been difficult for him to feel like he fits in. He has written several stories about this place, some true and some fiction. I told him to show them to you, but he feels that you don’t have the time. Maybe if you asked to read them, he would feel better about himself and fitting in here.”

“Doug that’s a good idea, I’ll do that. I really want you both to be happy here.”

“You said you wanted to see me.”

“Yes, I think you are doing an excellent job managing your territory. Now I want to expand it more to include New Zealand and Australia. Once the kitchen is back to routine, I want Troy to travel with you and put his writing skills to use. As a writer he should be able to see beyond the spoken word. He may be very useful in that capacity as well.”

I could see the excitement in Doug’s eyes, not the enlarged territory but Troy flying with him.

The rest of the morning was spent reviewing projects and updating files. Agent reports had to be reviewed and I hardly started when Billy came in and said lunch was ready.

“Thanks Billy, do we have chicken soup?”

There was a big smile on his face, “You like my chicken soup?”

“Yes, it's the best. When I was at the university, I had your chicken soup every day.”

Billy had a big smile on his face. “Billy, I think you’re getting a little belly on you. How about you running with me a couple of days a week and then swimming with me? I bet we could get that belly off of you in a month’s time.”

I remember Carlos and now Tony when they were 12. Billy acted just like them. His smiles and enthusiasm made up for any deficiency he may have had. I walked to the kitchen with Billy. He went and got be a bowl of his soup. I sat with Charles and Larry as I ate the soup and my mind wander back to Nick’s cafe.

“How do you guys like the soup?”

“This is great chicken soup. Billy’s cooking isn’t bad , I could eat this every day.”

“I did and you will. It'll be a stable for lunch. If I good get pastrami, we'll have a Nick’s lunch, soup and pastrami sandwiches.”

“Maybe you could get it through the PX.”

“We can try or I might get Nick to order for me and have it shipped here.”

Billy sat down with us and had a bowl of his soup. “Billy, if I get pastrami can you make sandwiches like you did at the cafe?”

“Yes, but you need special bread and pickles.

“Do you think you could make a list of what you need? Then I’ll see about getting it. Maybe you could learn how to make the bread yourself.”

“I know how to make the bread. I made bread at home.”

“Ok, give me a list of what you need and I’ll get it for you.”

Billy was happy but I was happier now to get the pastrami and I’ll have a Nick’s lunch. The rest of the afternoon was reading reports until my eyes grew tired.

Walking to the pool, I sat next to Rita who was sun bathing. “I’m glad you didn’t wear any bikini’s. It was one thing having to tease a bunch of women but with these boys here, they'll stay in the water all day.”

“I did cause a little stir.”

“A little stir. You saw how fast Chet hit on you. He didn’t know you, so you two never met?”

“No, I talked to him over the phone, I knew who he was since he worked at the resort. But he never saw me.”

“That was funny, I think he caught on pretty fast who you were and now look, he is working for you.”

“He’s doing an excellent job and his wife is keeping him in check.”

“Once that baby comes, he or she will keep him in check. Inside Chet is a great guy, he’ll spoil that child like crazy. I was thinking of taking the gang to Hawaii for this years special project. It would be nice to have a secluded spot when we can swim and fish, maybe do some sight seeing. Can you think of any place? I would suggest that we stay at the resort, only with the kids it might spoil it for you guests, and I’m sure the kids won’t enjoy it as much."

“I thought you were talking about a cruise?”

“I thought about it, but then we'd have to rent the whole boat. If we go on a commercial cruise, I'd have a security nightmare. I still walk looking over my back.”

“Maybe you can rent a smaller boat, how many are there now?

“There are 7 of us, plus Joe and Roy and their two, then I know Larry and David will want to come, Billy will have to come, Doug and Troy will feel slighted if they are left out, Giovanni will want to come and Mac will come, we are talking 18 to 20 people without security and pilots which means Charles as well. I'd need a small ocean liner.”

“Let me asked Tony, he may have some ideas.”

“Ok but the pressure will start tonight. This is the kids last day.”

“Mac graduates this year doesn’t he?”

“Yes, and I’m trying to get him to go to our university. He said he had a list, but I don’t know if it's on the list.”

“Why don’t you take him to check it out. You could pick up Joe and Roy and bring them back with you.”

“That's a good idea. I’m going to do that, once I finalized my summer treat.”

That evening in bed, “I need to come up with our summer treat for the kids. Carlos asked about it this morning. Do you have any ideas?”

“Not really, what about the tour of the wonders of the world? You were thinking about that.”

“No, that really wasn’t a good idea. It would take almost all summer to do that and I don’t have that much time. I think Dad is going to give me South America once I have Europe all sorted. There are several countries where we aren’t represented.”

“I think you are beginning to understand that Dad is going to leave the business to you.”

“How many people does Dad have working for him not including me?”

“I don’t know, but I do know he owns an office building that is filled with his people. And you don’t work for Dad.”

“Yes I do.”

“No you don’t, all the territories that you cover is yours, none of it is Dad’s. He has turned that business over to you 100 percent. I bet if you go into his office building, you'll find empty offices waiting for your people. You theoretically could transfer Charles, Doug and yourself there right now.”

“How do you know this when I don’t?”

“When we were in Mr. Thomas’s office, didn’t you notice the heading of those pages?”

“No, all I saw were numbers and zero’s.”

“If you worked for Dad, they would have had Dad’s name at the top of the pages you looked at. Your name was there, not Dad’s. You own the business you're running.”

“Puppy, that can’t be. I don’t feel confident to run that business. I still need Dad. He’s my crutch.”

“And he always will be there for you. But he trusts you and he loves you, but just you know, I love you more.”

“You know we'll have to move one day, probably back to the States.”

“Yes, I’ve always known that. But we'll leave a crew here to maintain our home away from home.”

“Yes, I’m not ever going to sell this place. And I know who I’ll put in charge when we move back home, Al.”

“What do you think about Al being in charge? Puppy?” He was asleep as usual.

I woke in the morning with a head on my chest, I looked at that man and became over whelmed. I loved this man so much I don’t think I could live without him. Showered, dressed and headed for the kitchen. Without looking at the clock I knew it was 5:30 and I could expect the kitchen to be empty. It was 5:30 but the kitchen wasn’t empty. There was David and Billy preparing breakfast.

“Good morning guys. Looks like you both beat me up this morning. You even made tea for me.”

I got a wink from David and a head nod toward Billy. “Billy, did you make tea for me?”

“Yes, David said you don’t like coffee but like tea.”

“You are right, I prefer tea. So what's for breakfast.”

“I’m making breakfast like I do for my dad.”

I looked at David, he smiled so I knew it would be ok. I sat at the table with my tea, Billy brought a plate with two eggs, sausage and toast. “Thank you Billy, this looks very good.”

As I was eating, Billy would glance my way. I knew he was trying to see if I enjoyed his breakfast. I wasn’t half finished when Nick and the kids came in. Billy looked at his dad and I saw the biggest smile. Nick sat on one side of me and Carlos and the kids on the other side. Billy brought a plate to his dad, kissed him on his cheek and smiled.

“Thank you Billy, this looks delicious, just like home.”

You couldn’t have given Billy anything more. Those words from his dad were priceless and I’ll bet those words were said to him often. I looked at the kids, David had poured them their orange juice, but Billy started to bring their plates to them. I watched the kids, kids always surprise you and mine did also. When Billy set a plate in front of Carlos, he smiled and hugged Billy thanking him, each of the kids did the same thing and Maria gave him a kiss on the cheek. Nick had tears in his eyes and had to leave for a minute. When he came back, Billy looked at him, he said he had to use the bathroom. I couldn’t have been more proud of the kids.

Puppy came in with Mom and Dad. Rita sat next to me and I watched Billy, he sat coffee before Tony and tea before Rita. She looked at me, I shrugged my shoulders, then Billy brought over their breakfast. Rita and Tony both said thank you. As they began to eat Mom and Dad came in followed by a couple of boys. The table was becoming full, Billy kept right up, coffee and plates. I guess working in the cafe he was able to keep up with the food orders. But looking at Billy he was in his element. This he knew how to do and he did it well. The boys made a big fuss over him.

I was happy I found a place for Billy and Nick was happy as well.

When you're busy, time moves on but you never notice it. Mac did go to our university in Wyoming and in fact all three kids went. Mac and Carlos now work for me, Tony followed in Puppy’s footsteps and now is in med school. I’ll arrange for him to do his internship at the base, he'll stay at the house. Maria got married after graduating to Manolo. They are expecting their first child, which will make Puppy and I grandparents.

Joe and Roy did adopt the twins, Aidan and Aldric, and they also went to our university. They pretty much followed Roy, being an accountant. and now work in Roy’s firm.

Larry and David found another child on the island and adopted him, later they adopted a girl from Serbia. Both still work for me.

Doug and Troy had two children by surrogate. Troy now has an orchestra and they are quite successful, we go to all of their concerts. Doug still works for me and has about 1/4 of the agents reporting to him.

Doug and Vic each had one more child, that was number 4 for Doug and Clair said no more. Vic had another boy and Nancy said no more. Ed did marry Victoria and is now in the States. He's part of my staff in charge of security. Ed was replaced with a base guy, Arron, who now is part of our security force which has grown to 12.

Tony retired and now I had the total business and had to make a decision about moving to the States. Puppy told me that I didn’t have to make a decision, it was made for me. He was right, we did move back. But I kept the Guam house, Al was put in charge.

Giovanni found a partner and he's very happy. He also moved to the States and that is were he found his partner. Puppy said I helped because his partner is an engineer who works for me, after I took over the business.