Salvation - 39. Chapter 38

As usual, landing, clearing customs, and there was Peter with the limo. Daniel’s eyes opened extra-wide, we got in the back, and I was surprised to see Stephen there waiting for us. I introduced Daniel to him, and then I sat back and listened to them. Stephen was telling all about the other boys. Stephen and Daniel were friends by the time we got home. Sal’s eyes popped open when we arrived to be greeted by all of the boys and six dogs. I laughed as the boys descended on the car. Alex got a hug, Stephen was busy introducing Daniel. I stood back with Sal.

“I didn’t expect this.”

“It’s hard to realize that these boys were placed on the street by adults, who should have been there to love them and see that they had a chance to live a happy life. I try to make up for those lost times.”

Charles and Vasily were heading in my direction. “Dad, we missed you”

I picked them up, one on each arm. Sal looked at them. The thing that amazed him was the age.

The boys led us into the house. I introduced Sal to Maria and the boys. “David, show Sal to the guest room. Alex can find his way. Sal, tomorrow we’ll give you a tour. Right now, I’d like a cup of coffee and perhaps a sandwich. Care to join me?”

I didn’t need to ask Alex his answer. He was the first in the kitchen.

I introduced Sal to Maria and explained that he was here to advise us on security issues.

I sat at the breakfast bar, surrounded by my sons. I had to hug and kiss each one and to hear about the dogs. “Dad, we have names for the dogs.”

“Good, how do you tell them apart?

“There are differences, we’ll show you, come on.”

I had to go and check on the dogs. The boys open the cage; the dogs rushed out and started to jump all over them. Their tails were wagging so hard their back end was moving side to side.

I stooped down, and now I had dogs jumping on me. The boys were laughing as the dogs tried to give me kisses.

“Dad, this is Rascal” and then they named all of the other five dogs.” I knew a trip to the pet store would solve the problem. A collar with a name tag was the answer.

After scratching the dogs behind their ears, I went back to the kitchen and my coffee. The boys stayed and played with the dogs. I noticed Daniel wanted to stay and didn’t know if it was okay until Stephen told him to stay and play with the dogs as well.

I had my lap warmers as soon as I sat down. I drank my coffee, but I had help with my sandwich. I just smiled as they looked at me with those devil eyes.

The boys came in from the garage, “Stephen, show Daniel to his room. Make sure he has towels and toothpaste in the bathroom. When he unpacks his suitcase, if he doesn’t have sweats, see if one of the boys can loan him a pair. Tomorrow you can show him his chores, the schoolhouse, the conservatory, and the fruit orchard.”

“Okay Dad.” Stephen never said no to anything I asked of him. He has been a good influence on the boys, and I’ll miss him when he goes to college.

“Well, gentlemen and sons, it’s time for me to go to bed. Tomorrow we have a lot of work to do.”

I carried Charlie and Vasily to their bed, I helped them put on their sweats, tucked them in, and they wanted a story.

I had to think of a story that wasn’t too gross. Then I remember the story of the ugly ducking. “Once on a farm there were all kinds of animals, and in the spring they had babies. Mrs. Duck had laid her eggs and sat on them to wait until they hatched. When they hatched, there were seven little ducklings, but one was very ugly. The other ducklings didn’t like her and called her names, and when the mother duck wasn’t looking, they would hit the ugly duck.

Now every morning, the ducklings lined up behind their mother and followed her to the pond. Of course, the last in the line was our ugly duckling. The ducks entered the water and began to swim behind their mother. The poor duckling could not keep up. This continued all summer.

Also in the pond were these beautiful swans. Elegant with their long necks and brilliant white feathers. The ugly duckling watched the swans and wished she was like them. They were so beautiful. As time passed, one day, one of the swans swam over to the ugly duckling, “Why are you following that duck?”

“She’s my mother”

“Look into the lake”

When the ugly duckling looked into the lake, she saw a beautiful swan looking back at her. She wasn’t a duck. She was a beautiful swan.

They smiled. I kissed them on the head, “Go to sleep, my beautiful swans.”

I had to get a book of tales to read to those two boys, they aren’t the youngest, but for some reason, they have attached themselves to me in a way the others haven’t. I love all of my sons. They all get a hug and kiss good night, even Jon, Although he asked instead of a kiss, how about a handshake. He still gets the hug.

I was tired. I knew I needed to start working on my paper for the UN. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

In the morning, I showered, shaved, and got dressed for the day. I headed to the kitchen for my morning coffee. Jon was there starting breakfast. “Jon, with you leaving, you need to select one of the boys to help in the kitchen. Maybe Daniel would like to help.”

I believe that Alex can smell food. I took a sip of my coffee, and there he was. Jon sat a cup of coffee in front of him. The boys started to come in, and then everything began. One boy making toast, one boy filling glasses of juice, one start to fry sausages, out came the cereal boxes, bottles of milk placed on the bar. Jon had the eggs cooking. Sal looked when he came into the kitchen; he just looked around, “Want some coffee.”

Overseeing all of this was Maria. She was like a general commanding her army.

I just smiled, and sure enough, I had two boys on my lap. “Well, well, it’s my ugly ducklings.”

“No, Dad, we’re swans.”

“Yes, you are definitely swans.” I gave them a hug and a kiss on their head. Alex looked at me. I mouthed last night’s story.

“Peter, we need to go back to the pet store. It seems I promised some boys name tags for the dogs. We also have to go shopping for Daniel. Maria, do you need anything for the kitchen?”