Bork to be King I - My Little Gypsy Prince - 10. Chapter 10

Mark and Marrie showed up in our driveway; giggling and pushing each other.
They saw us, sitting on our porch, and raced towards us.
Proudly, they showed off their new clothes and haircuts, by turning around a couple of times.
Both of them looked really nice, and I told them so.

Marrie beamed at the well-deserved compliment, and told us:

"Mom asks you to come over; and we will help you move Harry's stuff to his room."

John showed a sour face, shivering at the thought of having to deal with Eric:

"Is Dad back home?"

"No, not yet, and I hope he will NEVER come back. We are better off without him!"

She looked at little Harry in surprise, and knelt down to have a better look at his leg:

"What is that band-aid on your knee? Are you hurt?"

"Nah, I was kicked off Mark's skateboard by Jason, that big boy that always shouts at me...
"But, John hit him with his skateboard, Thomas kicked his nuts, and Chrissy punched his nose."

"Wow! You really did that?"

Marrie looked at her friends in awe; and they grinned back sheepishly.
Chrissy started to giggle, suddenly jumping up to demonstrate her powerful punching.
She almost hit Mark, but he saw her coming and dived away just in time.
We all started to laugh, and told her to calm down...
She pouted a bit, and mumbled:

"But, I DID hit that nasty boy, on his nose!"

"Yes, you really did. Maybe, some day, you will be a famous kick boxer."

We decided to take off immediately.
The children descended the stairs, and I rose from my chair and went to the front door to close it...

Suddenly, John pushed me out of the way, dived past me, and raced inside the house!
He returned with a smug grin on his face, and proudly handed me my keys.
Dammit! I am really becoming a forgetful old man, as he told me before...
The children started to laugh at my surprised face, while I put the keys away.

Little Harry probed my eyes; to be sure I wouldn't be angry with him if he teased me a bit...
Feeling reassured, he told me, with twinkling eyes:

"You and Jack REALLY could be brothers! Can't you put your keys and wallet on a rope around your neck, like a schoolboy?"

I tried to grab his arm, but he was too fast and escaped, laughing at me and sticking out his tongue.
Well, I will get him later on, after we get back home!
I ruffled John's hair, and told him:

"Thank you! I am thinking about appointing you as my personal secretary."

In procession, we went to John's house, to move little Harry's belongings back to his old room.
Little Harry walked up front with a proud face, and all of us followed our little leader.
Soon, we arrived at John's house, where my boy had lived for the past two months.
John opened the front door; and we followed him to the living room.

Trudy welcomed us, looking sad and furtively trying to hide her puffy eyes.
Obviously, she had been crying again.
I wondered whether she had another fight with Eric, as John told us yesterday.
She rose from her couch, and went to the kitchen to get us a cup of tea.
John helpfully followed her, and we heard them rummaging around and talking softly.
After some time, they returned, carrying a tray with cups and a platter with small pastries.

Everybody sat down on the couch and some chairs, and took a cup of tea and a pastry.
In silence, we sipped and nibbled, putting the empty cups back onto the tray.
Suddenly, Marrie couldn't keep silent any more, and told her mother:

"Harry had a fight with that big boy, Jason; and now he has a wounded knee!"

Of course, Thomas and Chrissy were very eager to tell her everything about their big fight.
They also tried to brag a little bit, about their own very important role in it.
John tried to be more realistic, but he couldn't deny that they really won over a sixteen-year-old and really big boy!
Only little Harry didn't say a word, and just listened to his over-enthusiastic friends...

Trudy seemed to be used to their bragging; and smiled understandingly.
She waited patiently until they had finished their story and calmed down.
Then, she turned towards little Harry, and asked with some concern:

"Let me have a look at your knee. Did it bleed?"

"Not really. I didn't look where I was going, and bumped into Jason. He started to yell at me, and John hit him with his skateboard for calling me an 'alien'.
"Jason tried to hit John back, but Thomas kicked him and Chrissie punched his nose. Then, we ran away and went to Big Harry. It wasn't our fault, and John only tried to help me."

Trudy stared at him, with a sudden realization and amazement in her eyes:

"You were skateboarding outside, in the streets, joining the other children?"

"Yes, why not? Am I not allowed to play outside?"

"Of course, you are always allowed to go outside and play! Besides, that is no longer for me to decide. From now on, you are living with your Big Friend, and you are his responsibility.
"What I mean to say is that you never played in the streets before; except for, now and then, after dusk..."

"Yes, I know; but I decided to be proud of myself from now on, as Jack always told me. Words and looks cannot harm me, as long as I don't let them."

"Wow! Then, you changed your mind quite a lot since yesterday! I am VERY proud of you; and I am surprised by the healthy influence Big Harry seems to have on you!"

Little Harry beamed, and looked at me with love in his eyes and a smile from ear to ear.
He hopped off the couch, went to me, and crawled onto my lap for a cuddle.
Of course, I happily obliged, and folded my arms around his slender body.
I loved my boy with all my heart, and would do everything I could to make him even happier!

After a moment, little Harry opened my arms and told me:

"Now, I'm going to move my stuff to my room. See you later."

He hopped off my lap, and beckoned his friends to help him gather his belongings.
Again giggling and pushing each other, they left the living room and went upstairs.
For some time, Trudy and I heard them rummaging around, having lots of fun.
Then, they reappeared, carrying a couple of filled cardboard boxes and plastic bags.

Little Harry came up to me, threw his arms around my waist, and chuckled:

"May I have your keys, please? I don't want to 'force' our backdoor."

What a smart boy...
Of course, he didn't want everybody to know where our hidden backdoor key was!
I grinned at his clever antics, and proudly ruffled his hair.
Then, I ceremoniously handed him my keys, performing a deep bow.
In rank, all the children marched off towards our house, carrying little Harry's possessions.
Little Harry himself walked up front like a little soldier, leading the way and proudly carrying our keys.

Trudy stared at me, almost showing reverence in her eyes:

"I am truly amazed! This is the first time in two years that Harry goes outside in plain daylight without hiding his face.
"Is this the same shy little boy, who didn't dare leave our house via the front door in the daytime, and always hid in the backyards?"

"I am very amazed myself. This morning, he suddenly accompanied John and me into a toyshop and a supermarket, just like that."

"I am sure your mutual love has everything to do with it. Whenever you and Harry are together, a powerful love radiates between you. That boy adores you!
"Besides, my oldest son thinks you can walk on water. From the first moment John met you, he hasn't stopped talking about you. He almost drove Eric insane.
"I think that Eric is jealous, because John isn't listening to him anymore and only listens to you...
"Another thing is; we stored Harry's old and rickety desk in our garage. Could you have a look at it, before carrying it to your house and it falls apart?"

Together, we went to the garage, to have a look at little Harry's old desk.
Indeed, the rickety thing looked very worn out, so I decided to dump it and buy him a new one.
Trudy happily agreed, and she would ask John and Mark to chop the old one into pieces and throw it away.
We went back to the living room, and Trudy offered me another cup of tea.

Sipping my tea, I decided to ask her some questions about my new little tenant:

"I have already grown very fond of Harry, but I don't know anything about him. Please, could you tell me some facts? Where does he come from? Does he have any known relatives?"

"Sorry, but I don't know anything about him either. Nobody seems to know where he comes from.
"All the papers were burnt to ashes in that caravan, and the police officers couldn't find anything to identify him.
"At the time of the caravan fire, Harry was only six years old, and he was in severe shock. During the first couple of months in the hospital, he barely remembered his own name and date of birth.
"His last name sounds rather foreign, something like 'Romani'; and his date of birth is March the third; at least, according to him.
"However, these are the only things he seems to be sure of. The authorities tried to track down where the family came from; but, so far, everything has been in vain.
"Nobody seems to recognize their caravan, or to know anything about him or his late parents.
"The only things we know, are that he is a half-breed Gypsy boy, probably has a dark father and a blond mother, and that he spoke some foreign language when Jack found him..."

"Well, that doesn't give us much information. Now, I have a few other questions for you. Does Harry attend a special school, and when will his vacation end?"

"During the first year after the caravan fire, Harry spent most of his time in the hospital. After that, he had major surgery three more times, so he never went to school.
"Luckily, Jack happened to have a valid certificate in tutoring, and Harry was officially allowed to take home lessons. The authorities even paid Jack for his tutoring, a couple of hours a day.
"After Jack's sudden death, we talked a lot about Harry's future; and finally we decided to try to let him attend a normal grammar school.
"His first school day will be approximately five weeks from now."

"Thank you very much, and could you give me their address? Another thing is, John told me that Harry has to revisit a hospital in about a week. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Jack seems to have set a new appointment, and his surgeons will try to give him a slightly better nose and lips.
"I'll let you have their address and phone number, so that you may call them yourself if you wish."

"Thank you very much; and I will keep you informed about everything! I think I'll phone the hospital tomorrow, and ask them about what they are planning to do."

Trudy went to a drawer, took a box, and rummaged in it.
She handed me a piece of paper with the hospital's address and phone number, and a small grammar school booklet.
I thanked her again, and carefully put them away in my pocket.
Trudy looked at me, as if she wanted to ask me something but wasn't sure...
First, she offered me another cup of tea, but I declined politely, already missing my coffee.
Then, she seemed to come to a decision, and asked:

"Now, I would like to ask YOU a question. John told me you have been married; and you have two grown-up daughters?"

"Yes, that is correct..." I confirmed; feeling a bit surprised.

"Jack wasn't allowed to adopt Harry, because he was never married. However, you had a wife and two children. I think that YOU might be able to adopt him!
"Please, think this over if you wish; and I will be happy to recommend you to the authorities, in case you decide to become Harry's new Dad."

Wow! I was very surprised; and, for a moment, I didn't know what to answer...
Without any doubt, I wanted to become little Harry's Dad!
Only, would the authorities really allow me to adopt such a small boy; because I was too old and didn't have a woman in the house?
Maybe, they would listen to Trudy's recommendation, and allow me to hire a female housekeeper...

Suddenly, the children reentered the house, frolicking loudly and having lots of fun.
They bolted into the living room, giggling and pushing each other as usual.
John came up to Trudy and me, and proudly announced:

"We brought everything back to Harry's old room, except for his old desk."

"Well, thank you for all your help. I knew we could count on you."

The children beamed, and crowded around Trudy and me for a quick hug and a pat.
They sat down onto the couch and a few chairs, waiting for what would happen next.
I ruffled little Harry's hair, and decided to tease him a bit:

"I've looked at your old desk, but it seems to be rather rickety. What do you think, shall we ask John and Mark to chop it into pieces and throw it away?"

For a moment, little Harry looked shocked.
Obviously, he was fonder of the old thing than I assumed.
His bright blue eyes pierced into mine; trying to read my intentions...
Or, was he trying to read my mind?
I wasn't sure...

Suddenly, his eyes started to sparkle, and he cheered:

"Really? You plan to buy me a new desk? Then, please, can I have a computer-desk with a couple of cabinets and a sliding shelf in the middle?"

"How do you know what I planned? Are you not only a superb cook, but also a clairvoyant? I thought only Christian was one...
"But, of course, you are right. Let's look for a new desk, tomorrow, after we leave Peter's shop. First, we will get your new mask; and then, we'll look for a computer-desk. Okay?"

"ALRIGHT! Thank you, Dad, and I love you VERY much!"

He offered me a couple of big kisses, and seemed to be very excited.
Maybe, his parents had been rather poor, and he wasn't used to getting many presents?
Well, in that case, he should get used to them fast, because I was already planning to spoil him.
Ultimately, he was my own boy and only little soul mate...

Trudy stared at us, with a puzzled look on her face:

"A new mask? What are you talking about?"

Suddenly, the children perked their ears up and looked at us questioningly...
I chuckled, and started to tell everybody about our strange adventures since this morning.
They sat a bit closer, and listened open-mouthed...

They shrieked with laughter when I told them about the shortsighted old witch who tried to attack little Harry and nearly fell over.
They shivered at the thought of making a mold of their face and sticking breathing straws into their nostrils.
They reacted angrily with the giggling girls who called little Harry a 'freak who landed on the wrong planet'.
They were curious about Christian's pending visit and the contact with our so-called 'spirit guide'.
What was the 'psychic medium' going to tell us tonight?
Would we see any spirits, or eerie ghosts?
Would it be very creepy?

I assured them that nothing spooky would happen, and that Christian certainly didn't plan to star in a creepy film.
However, they weren't really convinced, and urged us to eat lots of garlic cloves, to keep off the bad spirits.
Soon, we were chuckling at the thought of a spooky house, full of burning candles and reeking of garlic...

John turned towards his mother, showing her his best puppy dog eyes:

"Mom? Please, may I join Big Harry and little Harry for dinner this evening? Harry is cooking a salmon; and he asks me to help him..."

"That is okay with me; but I want to see you back at eight o'clock on the dot, because you still have to do some chores."

"Thank you, Mom! You are the best, and I will be back in time."

John jumped up and enthusiastically hugged his mother.
Next, little Harry went to Trudy and hugged her.
He thanked her for everything, and promised to visit her often now that he started to live with his new Big Friend...

Trudy took her handkerchief out of her purse and wiped her eyes:

"You are always welcome here, and I love you as if you were my own son. Now, go home with your Big Friend, and have fun."

Little Harry returned to me and determinedly took my hand.
John came up to my other side, and enthusiastically took my other hand.
Working together, they dragged me out of the living room in a sudden hurry.
Obviously, they were very eager to start their cooking!
I smiled apologetically at Trudy, and let them drag me home.

That evening, little Harry and John didn't allow me to enter my own kitchen.
I had to wait outside for at least half an hour, while they were working on our meal...

Faking a bit of anger and mock-moping, I took a cold beer to the porch and counted the minutes.
Inside the house, I heard my boys rattle the pans and deliberate about their cooking.
It was clear that little Harry did all the talking, and John was only agreeing!
Twice, little Harry appeared in the backyard with a grin on his face, to gather some more herbs.
He went back inside without saying a word...

After half an hour, a wonderful aroma started to fill the air, making my stomach rumble aloud.
Little Harry was again performing his cooking magic, this time helped by John.
How long would I have to wait, until they would be ready?

Suddenly, two proudly beaming boys appeared on the porch...
Both of them took a place next to me, and politely invited me into my own house.
Inside, we went straight to the living room, where they had cleverly set up sort of a small restaurant!
I looked around, feeling very impressed...

The boys had put the dinner table in the middle of the room, neatly draped with a white tablecloth.
They had set three china plates and silver cutlery in front of three waiting chairs.
Seven little candles flamed joyfully; one candle in each corner of the table, and one extra with each plate.
Two covered dishes winked at us in the center of the table.
Soft music from my CD-player sounded in the background.

"Wow!" I exclaimed; taking in everything and feeling proud of my boys,
"I feel like a King this evening. What are you doing to me?"

Both boys beamed, and John politely guided me to my chair.
I sat down, and John uncovered one of the dishes and carefully started to ladle out the soup.
I smiled at the funny sight of little Harry, tiptoeing to have his face above the table surface, giving directions to John.
It was obvious that he was our Chief Cook and John was his assistant...

I didn't know what they had put in their greenish soup, but it tasted more than delicious.
I thought I recognized some of the flavor from his scrambled eggs; but, this time, it was even more refined.
Soon, I scraped my plate for the last drops.

The boys took the used bowls and the empty soup tureen to the kitchen, and returned carrying clean plates.
They put them onto the table, and went to the kitchen again.
Now, John entered the room, carrying a steaming platter, filled with mashed potato and decorated with appetizing vegetables.
Little Harry followed him, carrying a platter with a tasty looking and even more aromatic smelling fillet of salmon, decorated with a couple of herbs.
They sat down, smiling from ear to ear, and motioned me to be first.

Carefully, I added some of the mashed potato, a few vegetables, and a piece of salmon to my plate.
The second dish turned out to be filled with tasty fried potatoes, and I took a couple of them as well.
I scooped some of the salmon sauce onto them, again marveling at the exquisite aroma.
Feeling very proud of my little cookie and his helper, I took the first bite...

I am absolutely unable to put the right words to what I experienced.
Never before did any dinner caress my palate and tongue like this!
Every new mouthful I savored, and it tasted even better than the previous one!
Little Harry turned out to be a VERY talented cook, in spite of his young age.
John only assisted him; and my little cookie was giving all the directions, as befits a real chef.
I felt astonished, delighted, and PROUD.

During our meal, we were silent, as we were way too busy with eating and savoring.
The only sounds were the ticking of the cutlery on the plates, and the soft music from the CD player.
Now and then, one of us took another tasty helping, and went on feasting.
At last, we licked our fingers and scraped our empty plates for the last crumbs.
Wow, they had done a very good job!

Then, the boys disappeared into the kitchen again.
They returned, carrying three small homemade sorbets to fill the last empty holes.
Now, we were absolutely stuffed...
Heaving a deep sigh and demonstratively rubbing my stomach, I told little Harry:

"Never before have I enjoyed a dinner so much! Harry, you are an excellent cook, and I am sure you will make a good living from it."

Little Harry looked at me with a sudden frown, and slowly shook his head:

"Sorry, Dad, but I am sure I will NOT become a cook. I love cooking, and I think I will always love it; but, when I am old enough, I'm going to help my own people.
"That medium, Christian, told me the same thing this afternoon, and I am sure he is right. Inside my heart, I can feel I have a task to fulfill in my life.
"Only, I don’t know what my task is. I can sense that it has to do with my own people and being sort of a leader, but I don't even know where to find them..."

He fell silent, heaved a couple of sighs, and stared into space.
Slowly, his eyes filled with tears; while he tried to suppress his sobbing...
Suddenly, he blurted out:

"Why can't I remember who I am? I am sure my own people love me and miss me, but I can't even remember their names or their faces.
"I only remember our mountains, with snow-clad tops, glowing in the sunlight. Somewhere around is a waterfall, and I am roasting small animals over our campfire.
"Vaguely, I remember my Dad, a huge man with a dark skin and an enormous mustache; and I'm sure I look like my Mom, with my blue eyes and blond hair...
"Sometimes, I dream about my life as a Gypsy. My Dad is our King, and I am a Prince. My friends and I stroll in our woods, set traps, and swim in our lake.
"We are always naked, except for in the winter when I wear a beautiful fur coat, from an animal with a white stripe on its back.
"I caught the animal myself, with the help of my best friend who is a bit older...
"But, of course, this is only a beautiful dream. Every time I wake up, I know where I am now, and it almost chokes me! I miss my mountains, my friends, my free life, and my Mom and Dad..."

Little Harry started to cry loudly, left his chair, and clambered onto my lap to be held.
He clamped onto my chest with all his might, as if I would be able to help him.
What could I do?
Reality WAS very harsh to this little orphan, living in a strange country, having a terribly burnt face.
Lord, please, show me a way...

I started to sob myself, lifted my crying boy into my arms, and carried him to our couch.
On the way, I snatched a couple of tissues from the table, to dry his and my face and let him blow his nose.
Sitting down, I continued to cradle him and whisper soothing words into his ear.
What else could I do?

John sat next to us, and tenderly put his arms around his little brother from the other side.
He too had tears in his eyes, but he started to whisper encouraging words into little Harry's other ear.
After a moment, I fell silent, listening in surprise to what John had to say...

John told his little brother that it was okay to miss his mountains, his friends, and his parents.
Life didn't always give us what we wanted; but he was sure that, one day, everything would turn out for the best.
After some time, little Harry would go back to his own people, and proudly tell them everything about all his adventures...
John also assured little Harry that, today, he had started a completely new life, including a new Dad and maybe even a couple of new friends.
Only, his new friends didn't stroll around in their birthday suits, catching beautiful white-striped animals to roast them over a campfire and wear their furs...

That caused a feeble smile to appear on little Harry's face.
He stopped his sobbing, sat more upright, and straightened his back...
Suddenly, I sensed what he did.
He was forcefully willing his mental strength to return into his body!
Wow! That was almost the same technique I taught myself after Joshie died, trying to will down my unwanted emotions.
Only, I had been fifteen years old when I started; and needed more than ten years before I finally succeeded...
This boy was only eight years old, and he already mastered it.
Wow, what a boy!

Suddenly, little Harry's eyes lit up, and he shouted:

"It was Misha! I remember his name. He killed my badger for me, because I was too small to do it myself and the animal had razor sharp teeth and was too dangerous.
"I also remember my Mom and my Grandma, working together to make a warm coat out of its fur. They also made me a pair of boots, from a fox I caught at the same time...
"Now, I am sure that my beautiful dream has to be real! Suddenly, I remember more and more of our camp, even several names.
"My Dad's name is Janov, and my Mom's is Maria. She is from another country, called Sweden, and my Dad brought her to our mountains to marry her.
"Dad, I think that my memories are coming back!"

He started to cry again; but, this time, his tears clearly were tears of joy.

John and I were stunned, and didn't know what to say.
Was our sobbing little friend really remembering several things about his early youth, all of a sudden?
Maybe, now, we would be able to trace down where he came from...

Both of us reached for the packet of tissues, to help little Harry dry his eyes.
Looking grateful, little Harry blew his nose, helped by me and using John's tissues.
Again, he pulled himself together, using the same technique of willing his strength to come back.
It was as if he flipped an inner switch, immediately causing his aura of aristocracy to show up...

He started to smile, hopped off my lap, and playfully punched John's ribs:

"I am such a crybaby. Come on, let's wash the dishes and put everything away."

Both boys disappeared into the kitchen, with their arms around each other.
I heard them rummaging with the cutlery, having lots of fun again.
In the meantime, I cleaned the table, and stowed away the candles and the tablecloth.
Soon, the boys returned from the kitchen, and helpfully rearranged the living room.
Next, I brewed myself a cup of coffee and poured my boys two glasses of cola.

We sat down on our couch, next to each other, sipping our drinks and enjoying each other's company.
Both boys leaned into me, and I put my arms around them and held them close.
We all could feel our love and happiness radiating between us and warming our souls.

Now and then, we had some small talk, wondering about Christian's pending visit.
Would he really show up?
What would he tell us?
Would he go into some 'trance' and speak with a different voice, like in those spooky haunting films?
Or, would we see 'spirits'; and maybe even get 'possessed' by them...
Would it really help to eat some garlic cloves?
We surely hoped the evening wouldn't be too creepy...

Unnoticed, time went by; and, a few minutes before eight o'clock, John had to go home.
Reluctantly, he left our couch, yawned, and stretched out at full length.
Both little Harry and I offered him a big kiss, and we had another quick cuddle.
John smiled from ear to ear, and told us:

"See you tomorrow; and I want you to tell me everything about that medium and what he has to say. Be sure to have some garlic ready..."

"We will; and greet your mother, sister and brother for us."

John put his shoes on and went home; after promising to be back early in the morning.

Now, we only had to wait for our 'psychic medium', Christian...
We put on a couple of cozy twilight lamps, and little Harry lit a few candles and some incense to create a nice and welcoming environment.
Chuckling at the thought, we decided not to eat any garlic cloves, yet...

Slowly, the atmosphere in our room started to change, feeling quiet and peaceful.
Little Harry stretched out on our couch, with his arms alongside his body and his head on my lap.
I draped an arm around my little buddy; softly tickling his stomach with one hand, and tenderly stroking his hair with the other.
A couple of times, he heaved a deep sigh of utmost content, showing a peaceful smile on his face.
Now and then, I had a strong feeling of recollection, as if we had been laying together like this many, many times before...
Maybe, he had really been my little son, in one of our 'past lives'?

Gradually, the room went more and more silent, as if all sounds were muted.
The atmosphere started to feel even more peaceful, making both of us feel totally at ease.
Now and then, I even thought I noticed the subtle fragrance of wild flowers, in addition to the incense scent...
In my reverie, a huge cathedral surrounded us, and I could almost hear a celestial chorus, singing beautiful songs in the background.
I savored the wonderful feelings, even though I was not a religious person and didn't believe in any 'supreme being'...

Slowly, the clock crept towards eight o'clock in the evening.