There was a lot of rushing around left to do as the final days before Christmas passed by. Even though I have completed the last of the present shopping, there’s a whole lot of food to be prepared and the boys and I were busy fixing the last few items for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals. Many of the side dishes have to be prepared early, because there is just too much to do to get it all done in a single day or at the last minute, so we continued to work on these final few dishes now. Once we were done, they will be refrigerated until they are needed. If it’s a hot dish, it won’t be cooked completely and we’ll take care of doing that before it’s served.
Jake isn’t involved in helping with any of this, because he is spending his time getting his clothes ready and packing the gifts he’ll be taking with him. He will be flying out to spend this holiday with Shannon and Nick in Oklahoma and they’ll all be spending the holiday with Nick’s parents. I’m going to miss him, but I can understand why he wants to spend this time with his son. He’ll be leaving for the airport after he finishes work tonight, so we’ve already said our goodbyes, but I’m looking forward to when he returns home on Monday.
Those coming for the holiday began to show up at the house on Friday, the 23rd. Andrew arrived earlier than most, because he had taken the last of his finals the previous day and his trip back from college wasn’t as long as some of the others had to make. He pulled into the driveway even before Little Ricky got home from work, so it gave us some time to chat alone first. When Little Ricky came in, Andrew and he spent their time together so they could catch up a little before dinner.
Pat arrived next, because he had taken a half-day off from work to drive here from Pittsburgh and arrived well before dinnertime. Ricky, Sammy and Graham were the next to make it. Jay had picked each of them up on his way home from New York City and the boys all chipped in to cover the cost of the gasoline (that’s petro or petrol for non-Americans). When they arrived, Jay didn’t stick around to chat with us. He wanted to get home to see his parents, but he and his family will be coming here for Christmas Dinner.
Our numbers have changed dramatically since we gathered for Thanksgiving, but this was expected. We knew that Michael, Marie, Elizabeth, Mark, Duck, Dustin, Cole, Frankie, Nick and Shannon were all spending time with their spouse’s or partner’s family this holiday, or in Nick’s case his own family.
Since Christmas is on Sunday this year and Monday is the official holiday from work, it means we’ll have the entire weekend to spend together. The boys won’t have to leave until Monday and then they’ll still get home in plenty of time to get some rest before they have to return to work on Tuesday.
The O’Haras were the last to arrive, but they also had the furthest to travel and didn’t get to the house until nearly 10:00. Even though Patrick had left work a few hours early, the combination of the long flight from Texas and the drive from Pittsburgh to our house took its toll. The funny thing was, once they saw their grandsons, son and son-in-law they seemed to get their second wind and the weariness drained from their bodies.
Noah and Elliot were thrilled to see their grandparents again and hugged them both, energetically when they arrived. They also gave their Grandma Brenda a kiss, which only endeared them to her even more, if that is even possible.
Once the boys helped get their grandparents settled into the guest room once again, they sat down to chat with them for a brief time. Danny and Brandon joined them as well, but the rest of us understood they had some catching up to do and gave them some space. Elliot and Noah eagerly told their grandparents about how their Christmas concerts had gone and Brenda and Patrick were more than willing to listen to the boys rant on.
Just before midnight, the O’Haras finally admitted they were exhausted and needed to go to bed. Everyone else was pretty tired too, so most of us went to our rooms to get some sleep. I’m sure not all of the boys turned in immediately and I suspect at least a few of them used this time to relieve a little sexual tension, but that was their prerogative. I was just happy to have so many at home for the holiday.
Saturday was Christmas Eve and there was much to be done. Before getting started, however, we took a couple of hours to spend time with each other. During the course of the morning, a few of the boys realized they’d forgotten a minor detail or two, so there were some last minute trips to various stores to correct these oversights.
The rest of the day was spent doing a number of different things. Some of the boys decided to challenge each other at various games, although they did have to go down to the basement to play table tennis or air hockey, while others watched DVDs or spent their time listening to music. While they were doing that, I was busy getting Christmas Eve dinner ready. As I was working, different people wandered into the kitchen from time to time and offered to help, but I assured them I was doing fine on my own and they should use this time to enjoy themselves. However, my words often fell on deaf ears and my advice went unheeded. Even though I would have done fine without their help, I have to admit that their assistance was greatly appreciated.
Kevin, Vinnie and the extended family began to arrive about an hour before dinner, giving us plenty of time to chat first. I could tell Susan was a little disappointed that Mark wasn’t here this year, but it was the only downside to our celebration. Sally, Alice and the Shays were all in the holiday spirit, so I knew the evening would go very well.
When the last of the dishes came out of the oven, I called everyone to the table, so we would partake of this holiday meal. On the way to the dining room, Elliot and Noah asked their grandparents if they could sit with them, and when Patrick and Brenda agreed, the boys took seats between them. Brandon then sat on the other side of his mother and Danny took the remaining chair next to his father-in-law. I could tell the O’Haras were thrilled with this arrangement. Living so far away, Brenda and Patrick miss out on a great many things, so they relish the time they get to spend with their son and his family.
Everyone was in high spirits and eagerly looking forward to both tonight’s and tomorrow’s festivities. This, in turn, meant the conversation was not only upbeat, but also very playful.
“Uncle Ricky,” Noah began innocently enough, “how come everyone says you’re a pain in the butt? You don’t seem so bad to me.”
While the others were snickering about Noah’s comment, Ricky had a different reaction.
“Who told you that?” he demanded, so strongly that it startled Noah.
“Ummm, everybody,” Noah stuttered.
Before Ricky could come up with a rejoinder, a few of the others came to Noah’s rescue.
“We’ve all said it and the only reason Noah doesn’t agree yet is because he’s new and you’ve been taking it easy on him,” Danny answered, before turning toward his son. “I don’t think you’ll be so fortunate now, Noah, since you’ve brought it up.”
“Yeah, you should have seen what Ricky did to Elliot when he joined the family for his first holiday dinner,” Jesse added.
“Yeah, Elliot told me about that,” Noah confirmed. “He said no matter what anyone else tells me, I’m not to let Uncle Ricky put a dog collar on me.”
“But did he tell you about all the things he did to me?” Ricky challenged.
“I don’t think so,” Noah answered, hesitantly.
At this point, Ricky went on to fill Noah in about all the pranks Elliot had pulled on him. As he listened, Noah’s mouth hung agape and his eyes bulged from their sockets, as he turned to look at his brother. Elliot, on the other hand, tried to give his best ‘who me?’ innocent expression, which I don’t believe fooled anyone.
“Well, I think I know several members of this family who will be getting coal, instead of gifts this year,” I teased.
“Hey, he messed with the bull and got the horns,” Elliot laughed. “Besides, that happened last year!”
“And you’ve been a perfect angel ever since?” Brandon challenged.
“Of course I have, Daddy!” Elliot shot back, while tilting his head slightly to one side and offering his best impression of an angelic smile. I think the smile made him look more sinister and conjured up images of Damien, from “The Omen” instead.
This carefree prattle went on throughout the entire meal, as various family members took shots at each other. Brenda and Patrick were totally enjoying the boys’ playful banter, since they live alone and don’t get to be part of something like this very often. However, by the time the meal ended, we were all ready to move on to something different and eagerly retired to the family room, so we could relax for a while. We knew it wouldn’t be long before we’d have to get ready to attend the Christmas Eve service.
When we arrived at the church, I think everyone was eager to see our friends from the congregation again. After visiting with a few of the parishioners before the service began, we went inside and took our seats. It wasn’t very long before we were listening to the typical upbeat sermon about the birth of Christ. We also enjoyed singing the wonderful Christmas hymns, which are such a vital part of this service. Dion sang with the choir and was the featured soloist when they sang ‘Angels We Have Heard On High.” When Dion was singing, I heard Joshie whisper to his brother.
“Wyatt, that’s Daddy singing,” Joshie explained. “He’s a really good singer.”
I couldn’t help but smile when I heard him say this and when I looked in their direction I could see Trey had a huge grin on his face too. I take it this means Joshie’s comment tickled him as well, so I’m certain he’ll fill Dion in about it later.
When the service ended, we said goodbye to many of our friends and wished them a Merry Christmas, before we returned home and prepared to gather in the family room. It was time for me to offer my yearly reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ as we awaited Santa’s appearance.
Steve had enthusiastically volunteered to do this again, so the children wouldn’t notice any of us missing when Santa peeked inside. While the rest of us were making our way into the family room, Danny ducked into my bedroom and made a quick call to Steve and let him know it was just about time for him to show up.
After I finished reading and snapped the book closed, Santa appeared in our picture window and peeked inside, right on cue. Joshie spotted him immediately and squealed out.
“Wyatt, look! It’s Santa Claus,” he squealed. “We gotta hurry and go to bed, so he can leave our presents. Come on. Hurry! If you don’t go to sleep, then Santa won’t leave you anything.”
Everyone got a kick out of Joshie’s antics, because he was acting as if Wyatt could actually get up and do what he told him. I could also tell that Noah was enjoying this as well. Even though he’s too old to still believe in Santa, he encouraged Joshie’s suggestion and went off with him, so he could pretend he was getting ready for bed too. However, once the two little ones were in their rooms, Noah came back downstairs to rejoin the rest of us.
We normally watch one of the many versions of ‘A Christmas Carol’ at this point, and this year it was decided that we’d watch the musical rendition, instead of a purely dramatic presentation of the tale. Therefore, we all got comfortable and settled in to enjoy the rousing songs and familiar themes in “Scrooge,” starring Albert Finney.
Once the DVD finished, nearly everyone went to his room, except for the few of us that still had presents to place under the tree. There were only a couple of items that needed to be assembled this year, so we finished rather quickly and then turned in. We expected Joshie and Noah might wake us up early, since we felt they’d be the most excited to see what presents they got.
In the past my grandchildren have gotten up as early as 4:00 Christmas morning, however it was after 6:30 before I heard anyone moving about in the foyer this year. Of course, it was Joshie who had awakened first, and then he also woke up Noah, Elliot and Jesse. They were the first ones downstairs, but the older boys looked as if they would have rather have had more sleep when I spotted them.
“You can take a quick peek and see what it looks like in the rec room,” I warned them, “but we have to get the others up first, before any presents are opened.”
The younger boys quickly raced out to see what it looked like under the tree, while Elliot and Jesse exchanged morning groans with me, which I translated as “good morning” and “Merry Christmas.” A few seconds later, we were rejoined by Noah and Joshie, when they came back to the kitchen to ask me a question. I was making a pot of coffee when they entered.
“Should we start waking everyone up?” Noah asked, tentatively, so I looked at the clock.
“It’s only a few minutes before 7:00, but I think it will be alright,” I suggested. “Just do it nicely and don’t startle anyone.”
“Does that mean Ricky too?” Elliot asked, with a mischievous grin on his face.
“Yes, that means Ricky too,” I replied.
“I’ll be right back,” Elliot grinned, as he grabbed a couple of pans from a nearby cabinet and headed for the stairs.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I yelled. “You’ll be sorry.”
Elliot didn’t heed my advice and continued up the steps. Before long, I heard a loud clanging, followed by a muffled yelp. A moment later, Ricky came down the stairs with Elliot in a headlock.
“Good morning, Ricky. May I ask what you’re doing?” I wondered, as I gestured toward Elliot.
“Oh, nothing. Just resetting my alarm clock,” Ricky grinned, wickedly.
“Come on, it’s Christmas morning boys,” I admonished my pranksters. “Try behaving yourselves today – for my sake, please.”
Ricky grinned again and reluctantly released Elliot.
Shortly after that, the rest of the bodies began meandering throughout the house, even if some of them reminded me more of zombies than living beings. I think a few of the boys had done a little personal celebrating in their rooms before they went to sleep last night, so they were relying purely on their instincts to go through the motions of moving about.
Once we were all in the rec room, Danny and Brandon started passing out the gifts. When Ricky saw them handing something to Elliot, he spoke up.
“I certainly hope that’s a lump of coal, after what he did to me this morning,” Ricky challenged.
“But I only do it because I love you, Uncle Ricky,” Elliot responded, with mock concern.
“Oh, he’s such a sweet boy,” Brenda remarked, as she walked by and patted Elliot on the head.
As soon as his grandmother was out of sight, Elliot stuck his tongue out at Ricky. Ricky couldn’t help but laugh, and despite his complaints, I think he likes the idea that his nephew takes after him a bit, at least where the pranks are concerned. If the two of them ever decide to team up and start targeting the rest of us, we’re definitely going to be in big trouble.
After everyone had been given a present to open, the sounds of wrapping paper being torn and exclamations about what the various individuals had received began to fill the room. Most of us tried to see what everyone else had gotten, but we also took time to thank the givers of our gift for their thoughtfulness.
After all of the presents had been opened, everyone began to take their new acquisitions to their rooms. After they began to disappear, a few of us took a few more minutes to clean up the mess that had been left behind. Nearly everyone had thrown the wrapping paper into the trash bags we had placed throughout the room, but there were still small pieces that had fallen onto the floor and were left behind, along with an assortment of used tags, ribbons and bows. Once the mess had been cleaned up, I went out to the kitchen and began fixing breakfast. I knew it wouldn’t be long before the troops would come looking for something to eat, so I wanted to get a head start on the process.
Danny and Brandon came into the kitchen and offered to help me fix the food. While I began cooking the eggs and bacon, Danny set up the waffle irons and began mixing the batter. As he was getting prepared to make waffles, Brandon got busy making oatmeal, English muffins, bagels and toast. Brandon also made many trips to and from the dining room, as he carried the various items in and placed them on the table.
The others began to make their way into the dining room, just as soon as the smell of the food began to waft through the house. Danny, Brandon and I made sure everyone else was fed first and had everything they needed, before we also sat down to eat.
Once everyone’s belly was full, some of us remained in the dining room to chat, while many of the younger family members went to check out their recently acquired treasures. As I chatted with those who had remained behind, I could also hear the muted sounds of music and DVDs being played in the other rooms.
As soon I noticed what time it was, I began urging everyone to get ready to go to church again, since this was both Christmas Day and Sunday. The service was only slightly different from the one we’d attended the night before, but seeing this is such an important religious holiday and we enjoy singing and listening to the Christmas hymns, I don’t think anyone minded.
When we returned home, I immediately began to get things started for Christmas Dinner. I put the hams in the oven first, and after they had been baking for a while, I began to warm up the previously prepared side dishes that needed to be served hot. The extended family members would begin arriving soon and I wanted to have everything going, so we’d be ready to eat shortly after they got here. We could visit with them both while we ate and after we’d finished, but I wanted them to enjoy the food while it was hot.
Susan arrived first, closely followed by Alice, the Shays and Sally. A little while after they got here, Jay and his parents pulled in, followed by Kevin and Vinnie. Jeff wouldn’t be joining us this time, because he had gone back to be with his mother. I think we were all happy that he was able to spend some time with her on this very special holiday.
Since this is a much smaller gathering than we usually have, it means we’ll also have more time to spend with each individual this year, seeing there aren’t so many vying for our attention. I think it worked out rather nicely this way and I enjoyed being able to chat with each of those who were here. It was a wonderful holiday and I know I really enjoyed it, so I just hope the others feel the same way.
After dinner, I called Jake at the Lawrences. I had waited to do this until now, primarily because of the time difference, but I wanted to wish my lover and his son, along with Nicky and his parents, a very Merry Christmas.
Mrs. Lawrence answered the phone, but she quickly summoned everyone else into the room and put us on speaker. I did the same for the crowd here, so it was a very interesting, and sometimes chaotic call. We all had a good time chatting with the others, but we eventually said our goodbyes and then screamed Merry Christmas again, before we hung up.
When we’d finished the call, Danny drove Elliot over to Ian’s house so the new couple could exchange gifts. Danny offered to wait in the car while he did this, so they could do it in private, and I think Elliot appreciated this thoughtful gesture.
When he’d first come out to Elliot, Ian had lamented that he had no one to talk to about his homosexuality and this gave Elliot an idea. Elliot’s gift to Ian was a handsome, leather-bound journal with his initials embossed on the cover. He felt Ian could write his thoughts down in it, so he’d always feel as if he had someone to talk to.
Ian, in turn, gave Elliot a framed picture of the two of them, taken on the night of our haunted house. Ian had brought his camera with him that evening and had asked Jesse to take a picture of them together, before they got dressed up to scare the others. Elliot and Ian weren’t a couple back then, but even a blind man could see there was more going on between the two of them then met the eye.
When Elliot came back out later, Danny was surprised to see Ian with him. It turned out that the holiday festivities at Ian’s house had ended earlier, and since the boys were on vacation from school, Ian’s parents had agreed to let him spend the night. When Elliot asked his dad if this was okay with him, Danny quickly agreed and the boys got in the car with him.
We definitely had more than enough room for Ian at the house, but I doubt he’ll be sleeping in Noah’s room this time. Since the night of the Christmas concert, Elliot and Ian have been more open with the family about their relationship, so no one was surprised to see Ian when he walked through the door. I’m also happy that Ian has been able to bring Elliot out of his shell. Elliot is no longer afraid to hold hands with Ian or hug him in front of the rest of us now, and I know this was a big step for him. Despite his bravado, he is basically a fairly shy boy.
I also noticed that Noah pulled Elliot aside later that evening. I knew it wasn’t because he was surprised that Ian and Elliot were boyfriends, but I eventually discovered Noah merely wanted to let his brother know he was happy for him and that he approved of Elliot’s choice.
When we sat down to dinner, we merely snacked on the leftovers and then served up the desserts. Once everyone was full again, we returned to the family room to watch a DVD one of the boys had received as a present. When that ended, the extended family said their farewells and returned to their own homes, and then the rest of the boys disappeared to do their own thing.
After going to Elliot’s bedroom, Elliot and Ian stared at each other nervously as they put on their pajamas. They were used to seeing each other in Speedos or naked in the locker room, so this wasn’t the reason for this awkward moment. Instead, they were feeling shy about sharing a bed for the first time.
“Are you nervous?” Elliot finally asked.
“A little,” Ian confessed. “I’ve never slept with another guy before, especially someone I like as much as you.”
Elliot grinned and then turned back the covers, before he made his way over to where Ian was still standing like a statue. He took Ian’s hand and gently guided him to the bed. After encouraging him to slide under the warm blankets, he slowly slid in behind him. After a few moments, Ian began to get comfortable and started to relax.
“I love you, Elliot,” Ian almost whispered, surprising Elliot.
Elliot had been spending his time trying to determine how he could help Ian adjust to the situation. Now, he could just speak to him honestly.
“Having you here with me is the best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten,” Elliot replied, as he leaned in for a quick kiss.
That was all they did that night, other than to snuggle closely as they drifted off to sleep.
A short time later, I realized I was also getting tired and decided to make my final tour of the house. I always did this to make certain all of the doors were locked and everything was in order. When I passed by the dining room, I noticed a solitary figure sitting alone in the dark. Concerned, I went in to investigate and see if anything was wrong. When I got closer, I noticed it was Graham who was alone at the table.
“Why are you sitting in here all by yourself?” I asked. “I thought everyone had gone to bed.”
“I’m sure everyone else has,” he responded, “but I just wanted to be alone for a few minutes before hitting the sack.”
“Is anything wrong?” I wondered aloud.
“Not really,” he replied. “I just had a bunch of stuff I wanted to sort out. I couldn’t do it earlier, because there were just too many people around. It seemed that the others wanted to chat, so I wasn’t able to find any time to concentrate on other things.”
“Yes, I love it when everyone is home and the house is full again,” I mused.
“Dad, you don’t know how full it was,” Graham countered, with a slight chuckle.
I paused momentarily, as I thought about his comment. I suspected I knew what he was talking about.
“Are you telling me we weren’t alone?” I inquired, and Graham laughed again.
“Yeah, you might say that,” he answered. “I think they’re around most of the time, but I have a feeling they only show themselves when they want us to know something is on their minds. I guess this year must have had some special significance, because I think I saw nearly everyone today, at one time or another.”
“I hope you’re only talking about our missing family members and not just a whole bunch of spirits mulling around,” I countered, and Graham laughed again.
“No, I don’t see generations of spirits moving about,” he confessed. “I think that once the deceased’s loved ones are also gone, they must crossover or something like that. They only seem to hang around while they still have ties to this world.”
I thought about this for several seconds and reflected upon how Graham’s comment made sense. Of course, the spirit world would tend to move on once their loved ones were gone. They might watch their descendants for a short time, but seeing they’d have no real connection to them, other than the blood ties, I think they’d eventually grow tired of doing that and then move on. I concluded Graham’s observation was both enlightening and probably quite accurate.
“So how many of our loved ones did you see today?” I followed.
“You might say I saw them all,” Graham responded. “It started with Cody. I tend to see him around quite often, probably because we were boyfriends before he died, but today he was here with Brent. For some reason, the two of them seemed to be hanging around Danny and Brandon. I know Brent was close to that pair, but I didn’t know Cody felt such a strong connection to them.”
“Were they just hanging around Danny and Brandon or was there something more to it?” I wondered. “You know Elliot and Noah are around the same ages that Brent and Cody were when they lived here.”
“Well, when Cody noticed that I knew he was here, he acted as if he was patting them on the back,” Graham explained. “Once he did that, Brent started doing it too.”
“Hmmm. Brent and Cody might have been showing their approval for what Danny and Brandon have been doing,” I suggested. “They might be saying they’re happy that Danny and Brandon have started their own family and are continuing the tradition of the Castaway Hotel, or maybe they’re showing their approval for the work they’ve done creating the Children’s Health Center. I wonder which it is?”
“It might be both,” Graham confessed. “They’ve been hanging around that pair all day, so I think by staying so close to them they’re trying to tell me it’s about more than just one of those things.”
“You might be right,” I agreed, “and you said you saw most of the others as well?”
“I did,” Graham confirmed. “I saw a man and a woman hanging out beside Noah, so I figured they must be his parents. I also noticed Elliot’s parents hovering near him again and I saw a man hanging around Jesse. I’ve never noticed him before, so I’m not sure if this was the first time he’s come around. He may have been here before but kept his presence hidden from me, or it might be that I just didn’t pay attention to him, seeing I didn’t know who he was. I now think he must be Jesse’s father.”
“You’re probably right,” I concurred. “Jesse had been with him when he was murdered.”
“Yeah, I remember how Jesse reacted and how he stopped talking after when he witnessed his father’s death,” Graham confirmed. “I also saw John and Margaret Spence. They were moving around a lot and not following anyone in particular, but I did see them pointing at Frankie’s picture a few times. I’m not sure what that was about though.”
“Well, the Spences did feel as if they were grandparents to all of you boys,” I announced, “so they might have shown up just to express their love for all of you. When they pointed at Frankie’s picture, it might have been their way of showing pride for what Frankie did earlier this year. If what the authorities have told us is accurate, then Frankie prevented a lot of souls from crossing over to the other side.”
“Yeah, that’s probably it,” Graham agreed. “I also saw the Beckers hanging around Little Ricky.”
“They’re probably pleased that he graduated with his M.S.W. degree this year and is working for Sally now,” I suggested. “So is that it?”
“Hardly,” Graham replied, “there were plenty more. I saw Dion’s grandmother and his father too, along with Trey’s parents. They were staying close to that pair and seemed very pleased that Dion and Trey have such a strong relationship. I think they were also quite enamored with Joshie and Wyatt.”
“I’m sure you’re right about that as well,” I agreed.
“I also saw your wife and the other parents who have passed on,” Graham continued. “Your wife made her rounds and I saw her near everyone, at one time or another, but she spent a lot of time beside you too. I also saw Ricky’s mother, so I guess she must still love him and is sorry for ruining their life together because of her addiction to drugs and alcohol. I saw Vinnie’s mom and dad too, and they seem pleased their son is doing so well and that he’s so happy being with Kevin. Sammy and Andrew’s mother and farther were here as well, but their father still acts as if he’s ashamed about having killed his wife and himself.”
“I wonder if he’ll ever be able to forgive himself for doing that?” I pondered.
“I don’t know, but I also saw Andrew and Sammy’s grandparents. I recognized them from when they came here and when we went to Japan to visit them, but they seemed okay being here with their son and his wife.”
“It makes me wonder if these spirits are always around?” I pondered. “I’d sort of expect them to show up around the holidays, but I’d like to know if they’re here the rest of the time too?”
“I’ve seen most of them on the various holidays before, but usually not all of them,” Graham replied, matter-of-factly. “Other than that, I don’t usually see them when I’m home, so I’m not sure if they’re here the rest of the time or not. It’s also possible they only show themselves when they want me to pass along a message to their loved ones or during the holidays when the feelings of love are so intense. Whatever the reason, this year they all just decided to show up.”
“I wonder what made this holiday so different then?” I mused, more to myself than to Graham, but he responded nonetheless.
“I’m not sure,” he countered. “Even though not everyone came home this Christmas, I think nearly everyone they came to see was here. I’ll admit I was finding the house to be pretty crowded, especially when you add the family to the spirits of our dearly departed. It was definitely a full house.
“I think your wife would have liked to have seen your biological children and grandchildren here and maybe the Spence’s would have preferred it if Frankie had showed up too. Otherwise, everyone else was present that the spirits came to see. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, but it certainly made it an interesting day for me. That’s why I needed to take a few minutes to think things through before I went to bed. I’m glad you stopped by though, because you helped me sort out a few things.”
“I’m glad I did too,” I agreed, “although I’m not sure I did much of anything.”
“It really helps to have someone to bounce my thoughts off of,” Graham confessed, “and I’m glad I have you to talk to about ‘my gift.’ Outside of the family, I don’t let many others know about my ability.”
“I can understand that,” I admitted. “I’m sure there are others who would be happy to belittle you or make light of your claims.”
“To put it mildly,” Graham countered.
Graham didn’t seem to have any more to say, so I hugged him goodnight, kissed him on the forehead and left him to his pondering.
While getting read for bed, I took a little more time to reflect upon what Graham had said, but more importantly to consider what the coming year will bring. Jesse will be graduating from high school in a few short months and then he’ll turn eighteen three months after that. This combination of events will mean that I have fulfilled the last of the promises I’d made to the boys I adopted. I’ve done my best to give them the love, support and guidance they needed, while making certain they learned the skills they’ll need to lead a productive, and hopefully happy, life.
As far as Jesse is concerned, I’m sure he’ll do fine. He has more than enough money in the account that I set up for him to cover his college expenses while he works on his degree in radiology. Once he has that, he’ll be ready to either take a job working for Danny or someone else, but he’ll still have some money left over to tide him over for emergencies. He’ll also have the skills necessary to make him an individual capable of running his own life.
When I took time to consider everything that Graham had told me, I tried to put it all into perspective. It’s been quite a few years since I took my first tentative steps down this long path, starting with Ricky and then with Danny. Now it is Danny, along with his wonderful partner, who are willingly taking over the reigns from me.
Danny and Brandon now have two sons of their own and I’m certain there will be more as they continue the tradition of the Castaway Hotel. They aren’t the only ones, however, because Dion and Trey are also playing a significant role. Not only are they raising Dion’s biological son, but they have also assumed responsibility for another youngster. Joshie and Wyatt may have started out life under less than favorable circumstances, but I’m confident their fathers will see to it that they have everything they need while they are in their care. Of course, there will be the typical ups and downs, because that’s a part of life, but Dion and Trey will teach both boys how to survive those rough spots and make the most of them.
No matter what happens to me now, I know I can rest assured that my boys are all grown up. I took them in as children, but now they are strong, confident men, and a few of them have also become loving fathers. I’m convinced that Wyatt, Joshie, Noah and Elliot are safe and will do well in the capable hands of the boys I raised. I’m honored that the boys are continuing the tradition I began. My wish for them this Christmas is for God to always watch over them and to continue to bless them with much love and happiness.
Before I feel asleep, however, I noticed a light come on in the other room, so I got up to see what was going on. As I peeked through the slight crack I’d created when opening my bedroom door, I spotted Ricky carrying a container of Saran Wrap, along with my backup roll, upstairs. It appears as if Elliot is about to get paid back for how he woke Ricky up this morning, but unfortunately this means Ian is also going to suffer the consequences. If my hunch is correct, that pair is going to wake up securely Saran wrapped to Elliot’s bed. Some things never change.
THE END