Ask Me

Ask Me 94

Maxieplus

In the next four weeks, we hung around with the Italians, they came to our place for dinner we went to theirs. Conner had finished his recordings and now we wait for the right time to release them. He had appeared on the Iris Wilson show live a few times and it was all one big comedy show full of mad mayhem. I also noticed that Iris had become a bit of a drinker, which is the result of Leon and Carlos feeding wine to her. What she didn't know was, she had very little wine, they were giving her mostly non-alcoholic vino but she didn't know that and just a few real ones were making her tipsy. I don't even think Antonio realised it, the boys looked after her like she was their mother hen even though they gave her plenty of `what the?' moments.

It wasn't long after Ted started holidays that Gianni got a call from Italy, he had just become a father again and his little girl had been born. He was in such a panic to get to Italy we decided we would tag along and use one of our long-range cargo planes to get them all there. I didn't want to go at first, but the grandads had to go to London at some stage and Conner was eager to have a family holiday. He had already done what he always did, prerecorded answers to set questions, that were sent out to the news throughout the world, that saves him from sitting in front of a camera all day.

We had a big night for Di's opening of her and Adams Interior shop, and Cons showroom opened a week later, he has already got plenty of stars lined up to make sure he isn't there all the time. It was decided he will only do once a month, and when those shows were listed on the website the bookings flowed in from all over the world once again. His opening night was sensational but he wasn't alone, Carlos Iris and Leon who had released another funny music disk on their show were his backup act. They had also bought the house down along with Con. That night I took the opportunity to check out Nans restaurant it was jammed packed and Geoff was laughing, not from anything funny he was panic laughing they were so busy. Hopefully, this will flow over to the other restaurants in the area, but from Nan's, you could hear the live show for basically a meal.

Anyway we did the trip to Italy for three weeks and it was the most amazing and relaxing holiday Conner and I had ever taken together. We hadn't laughed so much in our lives and many times tears were shed for the sheer joy of being free and being ourselves. We met the new baby, she was so adorable, and we mainly relaxed at John and Ray's villa they had purchased years ago in Rome.

Teddy had Brody to play with because Grant had to come so Dr. Mike tagged along. They found a park where the local kids were playing soccer, so Ted decided that he would teach them Aussie rules, so he was well and truly in his element.

The holiday went so fast, and we did spend some time at Gianni's family winery where we spent most of our time by the pool. We see now why Iris gets so excited when Carlos and Leon are around. I don't think they own a pair of bathers they always swam in the nude, and a few times Antonio and Gianni joined in. I got it, it's the Italian way, there is no shame in their vocabulary, they were as natural as Conner's voice and they didn't see any shame in swimming nude or sitting at the table with almost nothing on. Conner and I, on the other hand, kept ourselves nice, but many times we headed to our room for a "quick nap"

I had become very fond of Antonio's gran, she was a typical Italian nona and she just loved the babies and made sure they were fed and watered, much to John's annoyance.

Thankfully John and Ray had left for London before we went to the winery otherwise there might have been a big standoff, John is very protective of his babies, but to be fair, he adored Gianni's babies also and gran, he only fussed over them when nona wasn't around.

The flight home was dull, even though we had the whole plane to ourselves and I was sort of glad to be back home again. Conner was still hyped and was planning to go back when he found the time, maybe when Ted has holidays again. Our boy had gathered up some email addresses from his Italian mates and I also noticed he knew a lot of the language, something I would love him to pursue, another language.

As I said John and Ray had gone to London to try and entice some investors to come on board with their airline. I still wasn't sure, and Conner, after talking to Gianni was now dead against it. He said the world is shifting and now isn't the time to invest in a big operation where the competition was putting other airlines out of business. They will be home in a week, so I got to do the cooking. I had caught Ted and Con smirking at what I served up to them a couple of times, and I had tried so hard to look like I knew what I was doing but failed miserably, but it only happened twice. We decided after that we would go out for dinner, either to Angelo's restaurant or Nan's. Teddy picked Nans every time, he was over Italian food. A couple of nights we ordered Chinese to be delivered and pizzas were always welcomed at our dinner table.

Conner released his new album and it soared to number one even before it hit the shelves, the pre-ordered downloads were enormous and the website crashed a few times with overloading. Marty spent a day with us he was trying to calm Con down. I laughed a lot because they couldn't believe how Braes music had changed Cons style, not forever, but for now. I know the songs were gentler on his voice, and I have always loved him to sing that way. He did his showroom again a week after we arrived home, the place was so packed I thanked God I had seen the steel girders being installed, and I waited for the floor to bounce but it didn't, so I felt safe in all that was Conners adoring fans dancing around the room.

Adam and Jill had told us the trolling had stopped to a trickle, and there was only a few annoying ratbags bagging Con over being gay. There shouldn't be any, but it is what it is, life goes on. The pool arrived and the kids had something new to play with, we couldn't swim nude at first like the Italians because John and Ray were with us mostly, until they saw the lust in our eyes. We made up a roster, they will take the boys for a sleepover every now and then, so either they or Con and I could swim nude and not be disturbed. Many nights we would take the baby monitor down after Ray and John left and made out in the pool naked. The glamor will fade as we get used to it being there, seducing us to get in. A pool boy was discussed and John said they had the perfect man for the job and he will do it in the nude, but we both resisted, it would be too much of a temptation for us, so we hired the Italian's pool guy, he was nice to look at, and very professional, he sang also but not as good as my man.

The babies weren't in it all that much, they had decided that cartoons were better and Bennys constant barking annoyed them whenever they got in, he was being the lifeguard. After four goes at shutting him up I shooed him inside where he scooted upstairs to Ted's bed.

Being back in the land of Oz I was also back to my boring life, well it had ramped up a bit with the showroom and pool which added some sort of job for me. I had taken to walking down to Di's shop and sitting with her, but even she and Adam were busy, so I don't annoy them too much.

Marty came in with Conner one day and he placed a big folder on the table, Conner smiled at me and made me sit down. He placed a box of Biros on the table and a stamp and pad.

"Now you are working for me again Brent, can you answer some of the fan mail there's too much coming in at the moment,?" That will be his new album doing that.

"I thought Adam and Jill did that?"

"Not anymore they are too busy baby, we need your help." Adam's maybe busy with his new interior shop, but not Jill, she gets to fly with my boys just about every day and the rest of the time she works for Marty.

I thought about it over a coffee, I knew this wasn't right, Marty has office girls and guys to do this sort of job, I don't need to be involved and I miss my old job.

"Be nice when you reply and don't talk about anything gay, even though a lot of these letters are from gay people." Marty smiled.

"So I am only doing the gay ones then?"

"Sort of baby, we need someone that knows the gay business at the moment." Con laughed.

I opened the big folder and dozens of letters fell out, how the hell am I going to answer these?

"If you don't want to help say so, I can find someone else to do it," Marty said.

"I'm not opposed to the idea Marty, let me do a few and I will tell you if I can't cope with them okay?"

"Okay, and thank you."

I suppose I can do it, I have nothing to do during the day except cuddle kids or break up fights, this is right up my alley.

"What's the pay like?" I grinned.

"Standard Brent, two dollars a letter." Conner laughed.

"I'll take five and will start immediately."

"Done, more coffee?"

"Yes please, it's going to be a long night I may not get to bed until two or three in the morning." I yawned.

"Maybe we will get someone else to do it then Marty." Con looked panicked.

I couldn't stop laughing this will be a breeze for me, it's the begging letters I will hate the most, and the ones trying to get into Conners jock.

I got the lowdown over more coffee and the rules of the game so I felt I was more than capable at doing this little job, the pays good also.

I read a few letters and put them aside I will make stacks from better to worse, the worse ones I won't even answer or I will take my time to answer.

"Okay, I will do it." Conner smiled then he kissed me. He went to grab a kid to play with and Marty left, but before he did he went to the front door and dragged in a huge mailbag into the family room, that was the rest of the letters. I screamed at him and he ran for the door laughing.

How the hell am I going to get through these, there must be thousands of letters.

Conner sniggered into Curtis's neck and Jack laughed, so I went to pick him up and flopped on the sofa with Con.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure baby, it's not so urgent just plow through them when you get time, my fans don't expect an instant reply. I have done some photos, the box is by the front door with envelopes and a franking machine for stamps. The ink pad stamp is my autograph just stick it at the bottom like I had replied personally." He grinned.

"It will be my pleasure to help out Con, when is payday?"

"On Wednesdays, fortnightly baby." He kissed me.

"Good, and can I get my signing bonus now?'

"Hold on let me get rid of this little guy." He did then went into the music room and dropped his shorts then flopped it out. I like these kinds of bonuses they are delicious and I was hungry today.

Teddy came home with John and Ray they had gone to pick him up today.

"Where were you, dads?"

"We had business to discuss baby, did the training go well?'

"Of course it did daddy, it always goes well."

"Good." He was passed a small cake and John then set about cleaning up to start dinner. I told him not to touch anything on the table I would handle it, he replied that he won't interfere in my work, but could I move it within the hour.

He bloody knew about it, so I looked at Con and said.

"I might work all night tonight."

"Sorry." he dropped his head and rubbed his crotch. John came over and tapped me on the shoulder.

"You can thank me for that, they wanted to give you the email job, there are hundreds of thousands of them."

"Thank you John. Looks like I'm back at work so you will have the boys full time now won't you?" He huffed like Antonio's gran then banged pots in the kitchen a habit he had picked up somewhere in Italy.

I cleaned the table up and shifted everything into Conner's music room, in there he has a chair and desk, I could maybe work there.

"I will need this room baby, don't get too comfortable." I stared at him then grabbed all the letters, went to the kitchen, and tossed them in the bin. My dinner was as always, delicious, even when eating Conner Ray and John didn't wipe that shocked look off their faces. I will have an office by the morning, because when dinner was finished, I walked out the back, dropped my shorts and underwear then dived in the pool, nude, now that little scene will make them move.

Conner was the first outside, he called my name I said for him to come in. He dropped his shorts and he had the biggest stiff, but he was very quick to get in with me.

"Sorry baby, Ray and John are discussing it now."

"I thought they may be."

"You could use the upstairs apartment."

"No, I don't want to be lugging the kids up and down that spiral staircase."

"Okay, maybe I will move my work into their place I can compose in there."

"Or maybe I can move the playpen in there and use their table."

"It's nice in here isn't it?"

"Sure is, hang onto the edge Con." He turned around and I tried to slip him one but it doesn't work without lube, so I got between his legs and humped him.

By the time we dried ourselves and went back inside I had a beautiful antique desk and chair set up behind the sofa so I could watch tv while I did my job. It looked nice and didn't take up a lot of room. John and Ray had bought it years ago I don't think they ever used it, but now they do. I thanked them and smiled then grabbed the folder from the kitchen bin but before I could place it on my new table John threw a small table cloth over it. I will buy a nice pine one when I go up the street again. It was a beautiful desk but pretty overdone with the gold trimmings I think it's french.

The bigger bag I put in Conner's music room behind the sofa so he can't see it. The babies were put to bed then Teddy was settled kissed and loved. Conner was ready to go again and because I didn't cum in the pool, so was I. It was his menu tonight and I was very happy it was, nothing was left out that didn't make me shudder, he had all my basic loves on his list. I was up at one with both babies but managed to settle them down and I waited until they were baby snoring again. I crawled back into bed and Conner said.

"Is it morning yet?"

"No Con, go back to sleep." He moved closer and I felt his manhood try to punch my backside, then he went to sleep.

"Di!" I yelled when I woke up.

"What?"

"Must ring Di today."

"Are you dreaming baby?"

"No I just had a thought, go back to sleep Con." I will ring Di she will find me a nice desk and she knows what kind of furniture we have.

He nudged me again, I told him to hold that thought then I hit the toilet.

I grabbed both babies because if I didn't the cots will topple over, they were shaking them violently. I have already caught Jack trying to climb out of his. I foiled his plans when he spied me standing in the doorway, then he started giggling flopping back onto the soft mattress. Going downstairs I had to be super careful, John was very quiet when I arrived, so I placed the kids in their pen, and when I saw that desk again in the daylight, it didn't suit my place. I cleared my stuff off it and asked him if he would help me move it back into his place, he was beside me within seconds.

"I will get Di to get me one John, this is too good for in here."

"Cost us a bomb Brent, seventeenth-century very rare only five are known to survive in the world."

"Why the fuck isn't it in a museum?"

"Museums get robbed too Brent, better it stays here with us." He grinned then patted his valuable desk.

Only God knows what they have stashed in their place I don't look at it closely but they do have a couple of nice paintings I had thought were valuable.

Conner bought Teddy down he was being tickled and struggled in his arms then was placed on the floor. He ran over and kissed us then the babies then he went to give Benny his breakfast. He has leftovers today he loves them.

"What happened to the desk?" Conner looked at John.

"I took it back."

"I told you he needs one."

"But not that one Conner, give him yours."

"I need that one."

"Then sue me." I took Conner's arms and kissed him.

"Di will get me one Conner, one that will suit this room."

"When"

"I don't know I haven't rung her yet it's too early."

"I'll ring Grant he can bring one with him."

"No, don't bother him with it, I can get one."

"Leave it to daddy." He grinned.

He picked his phone up pushed a button and waited.

"Grant, it's me, Brent needs a pine desk with a comfortable chair that will suit our décor, can you bring it with you this morning?"

He waited I think Grant was arguing with him on his own.

"Good, thank you very much, so we will expect you and it around nine then."

He hung up and didn't wait for an answer. I laughed because the only place Grant will be able to get something this time of the day would be the goodwill warehouse in the next suburb.

"It will be here soon baby, see I get things done. Johnny thank you for the lend of your nice desk."

"I could brain you sometimes Conner Richards you know what that desk is and how valuable it is. Your just lucky I love you enough to even let you make me lug it in here."

"I get things done Johnny, my fine-looking husband needed a desk and you had a spare one."

"Spare indeed, what would you like for breakfast Brent, Conner make your own." He started laughing, he couldn't hold off any longer, Conner that is.

John did make him a lovely breakfast while I enjoyed some oats today, I felt like some roughage.

Teddy was taken to school by his grandaddies, and Conner and I stared at each other until the front door opened, Grant was walking down the hallway and when he spied Conner he pointed at him.

"You, can help me carry it in."

"That I will do gladly, and thank you." Conner laughed then winked at me.

"See baby Grant always gets it done."

It ended up being a standard pine school desk with drawers down each side, just perfect for what I needed it for. The chair was a black computer one on wheels and when it was set up behind the sofa it looked like a good fit, not too wide and not too high. I will try and think of somewhere else in the room to place it later on. I put my stuff on the top but before I did I placed that small tablecloth over it, John snorted when he saw it, I suppose it's worth a fortune also.

I can afford to go and buy a new one but this one was a gift from Conner he had handed Grant twenty dollars, so I knew he got it from the goodwill.

He was then picked up by Marty and the three of them motored off down the street. I went back to my desk and started sorting mail into the four stacks, I had to read them and will do the easy ones first. There were a lot of photo requests which I will stamp with Cons autograph later on so I will have them at the ready. The babies played in their pen and Ray had gone to Go ship. John sat at the table he was looking through the internet for some recipes and more than once I heard him expel his breath. Normally when it's just me and John we sit together and either play a game of scrabble or talk about things in general. I felt him behind me I was still reading my first stack.

"Want a hand?"

"Don't expect to be paid."

"I won't, Brent I'm bored."

I passed a stack to him and he went back to the table to read them.

I will get through this lot in no time and I must ring Conner and tell him I have hired staff.

We had a coffee and nappy break then started discussing the mail, he was doing what I was, making stacks.

"They are mostly okay Brent, just requests for tickets or photos we should make up a standard response instead of doing them individually."

"Yes I thought about that John, maybe we can preprint a few hundred and slip one in with a photo."

"Good idea, let's get started on that after morning tea. I can email it to Helen and she can run off some copies and send them home with Ray."

"Great, I have another idea also."

"What is it?"

"You know the Iris Wilson show hires a team of school-kids to do their fan mail, why don't we approach them to do Cons, only the easy ones, and maybe we could pay them two dollars a letter."

"Good idea once again Mr. Richards." He grinned, he knew I would pass this job on, I can't help myself sometimes. I chuckled then went to grab that big mailbag, we started sorting the letters making piles as we went, then I rang Iris while John played with the kids.

By the time Ray had come home, we were halfway through the bag and our stacks were piled high on my desk, he had a box full of pre copied thank you letters, so that will make our job a lot easier. We had to leave it to go get Ted, and John ran around trying to find things for the picnic basket, we had forgotten all about it because we were having too much fun.

We were late to get to practice and Ted was busy doing his warm-ups, Conner and Grant were already there and I think they were disappointed John only had muffins and biscuits today, no rolls.

"I am now a working man Con and I hired John to be my assistant so he did his work, no extras today."

"He's helping you?"

"Don't be so surprised, I needed an assistant so I hired him." I smiled.

"But I said there was no hurry."

"I know but you also know how fastidious I am and I hate my family room being cluttered with mail."

"It's already cluttered with toys Brent, one more thing isn't going to bring the roof down."

"No clutter, only cooking and baby stuff, I can put up with that for our sons Con." I will hit him with the six school kids later on but first, we have to get some more reply letters copied. My assistant and I will work on them tomorrow, Ray has a small copy machine in his office we can use that.

I also have a meeting with the head school kid and Iris tomorrow at the market I don't think we have to go as far as signing contracts and I pray he's not like Bubby and wants extra money.

It looks like I am back in business, I wonder if there's anyone out there that can use my talents.

John couldn't stop smiling as he banged around in the kitchen getting dinner ready. I tidied my new desk up and then sat with Conner who was reading some of the letters.

"Con if they just have photo requests put one of these and a photo in an envelope will you, I will get the stamps done tomorrow."

He started doing that chore for me then he got Teddy to help, I had to go out the back and play with Ben I couldn't stop laughing.

John came out and asked if I needed him to come with me tomorrow, I said we could go for coffee and an extra hand is always gratefully accepted.

"He's getting into it, when I left even Ray was helping to address envelopes." He laughed with me.

"Swim Brent?"

"By all means, let's take a break, Mr.John." We jumped in the pool it was very nice.

It only took four days to complete most of the mail, the school kids were more than happy to earn some extra cash so I had dropped a lot of it to one kid's house with instructions. John and I decided they can do most of it and we will work through the difficult ones. Anything with gay overtones and offers was swiftly thrown in the bin.

"Snap, triple letter John, fifteen points thank you."

"Crazy, double word Mr. Richards thirty-eight points."

"This is fun, John."

"Yes, but I must get up soon and make some salad rolls."

"Do you want a hand?"

"I got this one Brent, but thank you." We couldn't stop laughing, my house was cleared and tidy again. All I had was a stack of about fifty letters and most of them I will toss in the bin, they are begging letters and gross offers, although some of them, 'offers' I might try on Conner when I get the time. I had saved up the raunchier ones and will read them to Conner at bedtime.

I do know this won't stop the mail coming, but Conner is none the wiser and I get paid for doing virtually nothing. On one of our quiet days, when we had nothing to do, I got John to show me all his treasures. He slowly and proudly showed me about forty items he valued the most, and the numbers he was quoting were enormous until he came to his most valued possession. It was a photo of all of us by his bed. I had the same one and yes it was priceless.

Conner is doing interviews locally today, I think three radio and two tv ones, his album stayed at number one for weeks and wherever I went I heard it being played in shops and markets. I took the time to go visit Di when John and Ray had to go I into work. The kids got excited because they know we will call into Nans cafe, but first Di and Adams showroom. I got the stroller through the auto doors then parked it up the back. The showroom was big and everywhere I looked I saw fabrics, furniture, and wall hangings, these items will change from season to season.

"Hi gorgeous, how's business?"

"Flat chat Brent, I have just completed that apartment building in the city and now I'm starting on another one. Adams around somewhere, time for a coffee break?"

"No thank you I am off to Nans so I will be peeing myself all the way home."

"Depends Brent, I can buy you some, you can piss all day and not get your jeans wet." Adam's voice had arrived.

"No thanks shorty, I'll leave them up to you to wear."

Depends are the adult version of a nappy, some unfortunate adults need them and I don't think Adam should be making a joke out of it.

"Adam there are people out there that rely on them, so don't buy too many."

"I don't, I was only offering to buy some for you."

"Thank you. Coffee would be nice Di and make mine a double."

I smirked then asked if I could use their toilet.

Talking about it had made me want to go.

Jack was getting animated but he settled when he saw the kids, he loves them and gave Hope a big hug then kissed little Brenten.

"No nanny yet Di?"

"No Brent, no need for one they are happy to play here all day while I work."

"Good, you know you can always dump them with us I have plenty of time."

"But you're doing the fan mail aren't you?" Adam asked. I am more than sure he instigated that job for me or had something to do with it.

"All done Adam, easy work."

"What? There were thousands of letters in that bag."

"If you had organised that job better Adam you wouldn't have had to include me, but in any case, they are all cleared except for a fifty or so that I may just chuck out."

"That's impossible Brent, what are you up to?" His eyes narrowed.

"I am good at my job Adam, need a hand with those flats Di?" She giggled and passed me a coffee, Adam was about to blow his stack so I let him have it.

"Next time give me some real work, this was a piece of cake."

"But, but."

"It is what it is Adam, thank you for the work anyway, and the extra money." I sipped my drink and went back to talking to my real friend, she was telling me about the orders she has and she and Adam are now knocking back work they were so busy.

"You should start a training school Di, train up some assistants."

"Good idea Brent, but I don't have the time."

"Do you want me to organise it?"

That's when Adam cracked it, he raved on about my lack of skills, my parenting, and cleaning faults, then he laughed at my duties as a husband to my long-suffering man. That was it he overstepped the mark and I let him have it with both barrels. I am not one to insult my friends but today Adam got an earful of my sarcasm.

"Now girls, I don't like you fighting like this, it upsets me." Di tried to calm us down.

"Get stuffed Di." Adam shouted.

"Yeah get stuffed." I copied him.

"Do you need the toilet again Brent?"

"No thank you, Adam hows Rob?"

Di sat and shut her mouth I think she would have learned her lesson long ago, Adam and I feed off each other and I adore sparring with him over trivial matters.

I grabbed my kids and walked off to Nans, I won't have coffee just cake today. I can feel another pee coming on. I parked the stroller and was helped by Geoff to get them settled into the high chairs, he was busy and the cafe looked gorgeous.

"How's business?"

"Brent, it's got to the stage where I had to put on more staff the kitchen is flat out, the bar is three deep, and Teddy upped my rent." He laughed.

"That's business Geoff, Ted is a good businessman."

My son owns the building, he owns the three buildings including Di's it was part of his inheritance from his nanny.

"I can talk to him if you like."

"No Brent it's okay my coffers are flowing and I have to look at getting rid of some money very soon."

"It won't always be like this mate, but get it in the bank while you can."

"Yes I know, I am running on my nerves at the moment there's so much to do. And opening that entertainment room is a godsend I get so much business from there."

"Well you deserve it, now can I get these fiddle farts some froth, and I will just have orange cake if I may."

"Come on boys you can help me make it, Anne can you help me with them?" He called over his head waitress she grabbed Curtis and he was laughing because she was familiar to him. They will watch their froth being made and the cake being cut. I could hear their giggles and screams from where I sat, it warmed me once more.