We pulled our shorts on then our tank tops and after a few long deep kisses we went to greet our many friends who had miraculously appeared on the porch. I hugged Arras and Aisha and thanked them for coming home, we had missed them. Then I did the same to Rita and the boys.
Ayden had sat next to Horse and was looking much better than he did when we went to the hospital. I kissed his head and he grinned with his mouth full of burger, I guess life goes on in his little world.
Birdy was sitting on Jay's lap and his friend was grinning at me. He put his hand out and said,
"I'm Joe and thank you for looking out for my grandson."
"Pleased to meet you Joe and thank you for coming, it's been a long time since my big son has been this happy."
"I know, I'm a bad grandfather but I'm here now and this is where I will stay for quite a while."
"Den, when did you learn Arabic?" Aisha asked.
"In the hospital, I took a crash course my lovely; how is bubs?" To change the subject at any given time is my second greatest achievement, you can guess my first.
"Kicking away as usual, she needs to be born now, she's got no patience at all." She rubbed her tummy just as Cyn rubbed hers.
"Ayden, quieten this kid down will you?" Cyn demanded.
"Sleep Dabid, bes good," he pleaded as Cyn calmed down.
"Souma yous cants meet your daddy yet, stay calm," he yelled at Aisha's tummy. She quietened down and Aisha was speechless.
"Wife, I think our youngest son just named our little girl."
"It means daughter of the moon, born in the moonlight my husband."
"Are we good to go with that?"
"Yes my man, we are very good to go with it." Poor Aisha she doesn't know it yet but her daughter will be a raving beauty and will break many, many hearts before she finds the one she loves. I have no recollection on how I knew this but I did know, and that bothered me a little.
"What's the matter Den?" Evan was onto it.
"Nothing bub, did they say what was keeping them overactive baby?"
I looked at Ayden who by now had finished his first burger and was starting on mine.
"Too much exciting, want to be born dah, no patience like momma Ashs says." He took another bite.
"God help us," Arras moaned.
"And god help the string of suitors she's going to attract and leave broken hearted in her wake." They all looked at me.
"I'm only guessing guys, that she will be a beauty no man can resist."
"Do you know this for a fact Mr. Curtis?" Aisha was now playing queens.
"No."
"Liars," I heard Ayden say.
I laughed out loud as his burger fell apart and sauce went down the front his fresh t-shirt, his grin was awesome.
Rita hadn't said a word up to this point but I could see she was chomping at the bit to say something.
"What's up my lovely?"
"It's good to have you back, you were flipping magnificent."
"Thank you, I try my best to be as magnificent as I can be." I bowed my head to her and laughed.
Nothing else was said and the conversation turned to Joe and Birdy. I was quite happy to talk Arabic to them both and I found out he was staying in Ali's house with Arras and Aisha. He and Birdy have spent the weeks just catching up and he has even been to watch Birdy play football at the oval a few times. At the moment they are discussing what coloured scooter he wanted to buy so they can go exploring together, Birdy has heaps of stuff to show him.
He wasn't that old, maybe around thirty-eight, maybe forty, I guessed. His eyes were bright grey and I did see small flecks of gold. In his own way he was beautiful to look at and is a strikingly handsome man. He was taught by his father how to do the carvings and when he was in prison he taught Birdy, to save him from the filthy things that were going on during the night. He had shared his room with him and some of the other small kids. He had saved all the young ones by offering himself to the filthy men who had no respect for him, but when the prison curator found out he had the troublesome men shot at once. Not everybody is bad in that country, there are still mountains of good people around.
I hadn't asked him about it because I just knew the answers and allowed a tear to slip when I looked at him and said a silent prayer of gratitude. The boys were tucking into their beers and Tim arrived for a surf, I believe the surf hasn't been used much in the past few weeks. I was settled on the porch each day and they were all talking to me trying to get the old spark going again.
It only took one word from Ayden to get them all moving, they could see I was back to my old self again.
"Hoth, surf now, must practice." He brushed his t-shirt then ran to get his wet suit. The guys were a little slower than him but they eventually sped up when I told them I would come down soon.
Evan didn't go, he sat and we talked for a good half hour before it got the better of him. He kissed me and said he would see me soon then he left to go play with his besties.
Aisha wanted to go to Cyn's to look at the stuff she had gathered for the baby, and to talk motherly things with her. Rita sat and stared at me while Tim was trying to talk to Joe, they communicated quite a bit with Birdy's help. I hadn't seen Tony but I was assured he would be back from Warragul by dinner time. He was doing something on the side and nobody had any idea what it was, not even Horse.
When the guys all left Birdy moved over to my lap and he was watching Tim and Joe talk as I stroked his head. He eventually was lulled off to sleep and I placed him on the beanbag because he was getting too heavy. It didn't dawn on me until I weighed him later on, he has put on several kilos and grown another two inches. Soon he will be too big to be sitting on my knees and I was so happy it was happening at long last. Tiny had told me that maybe my outburst of magic cured him of all his ails, he certainly was looking much healthier now.
Sitting there I stared at Rita, she was still staring at me so I moved to her side.
"I don't know what happened, I just felt the terrible panic then an enormous amount of energy. I really don't know how it came about but in an instant I was beside Birdy's bed. I do know when Evan arrived he gave me more strength to give it one last shot, that's when it all collapsed around me. I had over used my magic, that's why it was splatting everywhere, I had no control over it."
"Well you were magnificent, you had punched a big hole in the car roof and you flew up quite high, your wings were as big as this shack Den. Then you disappeared in a great ball of light, I have to tell you I was worried sick for you. And Den, when you were screaming for help in the back seat I could feel you drawing on my energy, it was awesome and I gladly gave it to you." I stared at her then shook my head.
"Well once again let's not dwell on it, there's too much to take in and I can assure you I was perfectly okay. I felt like that iron man bloke who blasts his way through everything. I also don't know how it happened but I saw butterflies, millions of them helping me."
"Well it was wonderful Den, now I've got Chinese to make for dinner tonight, are you hungry?"
"A little, I'll come up and get a burger in a minute." I kissed her cheek and felt a spark.
Joe had asked if he could see my paintings so I told him to knock himself out, then he went through the shop to our rooms.
I followed a few minutes later because I wanted to do some painting and when I opened the spare room I had to step back, there were more works than I remembered. Three new paintings I had done while I was sick, and each one had an angel in them at different stages of flight. They were of me and I knew straight away they were all of me. Wings that shone like the sun, a sculptured body that was barely covered with a thin gossamer tank top, I was nude and my goods were almost swinging in the wind, but it all blended together. One thing that wasn't me was my hair, it was as long as Evan's and as black as night, I looked bloody awesome. Well I did.
"We sat and watched you paint these and Cynthia wanted to take them but my grandson fought her off." Joe laughed.
"He's a feisty one that boy."
"He sure is Den, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"I didn't do anything Joe, it's you that suffered the most, you put yourself in the line of fire for those kids, and don't deny it, I know you did."
"Well my friend that we will keep to ourselves, and I would do it again in a heartbeat."
As I hugged him tight I patted his back, he was done looking at the works and was very impressed. I took a blank canvas and the first of my angel paintings out to the porch. I placed it on the easel and looked it over, it was unbelievable. I had hidden thousands of folk in the light along with thousands of homes, bridges, and a whole city of fairy buildings I have never seen before. I had to go and get a magnifying glass to have a good look at it, there was so much that I got lost in it all. As I went to put it back I saw a container truck coming up the road. It stopped outside our place then started reversing into the driveway.
Evan must have heard the reversing alarm and he arrived just as the driver was about to unload. It was placed in the allocated spot and the old, now empty one was loaded up. He will go to Tony's and drop the empty one and a full one he also had on board for him. The seal was broken and a few boxes dropped to the ground when the doors opened. Evan whipped the invoice off one of them and I must admit I was excited to see the new stock.
Ayden was jumping up and down to see what had been done, I suppose he was thinking there might be one of his mate Blue, which I might add was Evan's second biggest seller, Ayden's Eyes was the number one.
A big plastic bag was opened back on the porch and it contained shorts and T-shirts of each pattern. Of course Blue's Poseidon was amongst them, plus Cyn's saddest and happy fairies were in there too, plus one set of Blue, Horse and Ayden, and another of just Ayden and Blue surfing. When I was doing Arras's babies I did one with all of them in it, that one I gave to Arras and Aisha for their Golden Bay house walls.
Evan was so blown away, he had sent the photos to his agent and insisted it be included in his order. I had placed Ayden and Birdie in it as babies. They were sitting behind the other kids on the beach and they were watching a big fairy carnival in the foreground, much the same as I had placed in Evan's nude painting. I had put Arras and Aisha on the carousel along with Tush, Bubble, Rita, Evan, Cyn, I and the surfer boys.
The other one I wanted to look at was Evan's golden knight, he looked awesome and was showing just the right amount of human skin. His bulge and pubes, his well muscled peck's and his long, thick and shapely legs were on display. I had to beg him to do this one because I wanted to wear it all the time. He thought it wouldn't sell but as it turned out it was just as popular if not more popular than the others; I guess sex sells.
Rita was hovering and I knew she was dying to get her hands on some new style frocks, while Aisha was right behind her.
As we unpacked the first box that had an unusual marking on it, the absolute glare that came off the shirts was blinding. Ayden screamed, I thought something had happened until he picked up a plastic bag and started running around in circles with it.
"Mys daddy, mys forevers." He plopped down and tore the packet open, and what fell out even stunned me.
On the shirt was a perfect print of one of the paintings I had just found in the store room, you know the one I did last week or the week before. It was beautiful, me with my enormous wings in full flight, the golden sun shone through the feather like branches, my black hair twisting in the wind, and my almost nude body on show to all and sundry.
"How the hell did you get this done in that short time bub?"
"I didn't Den." He gulped.
"Oh Den, I hope there's a dress in this pattern, I want them all." Rita sighed as she looked closely at my privates which now aren't so private anymore. There had been no references on the invoice for this one pattern and Evan decided to just brush it off, he's not even going to try to explain how it happened. He did say they will sell like hot cakes.
"You don't mind bubs that everyone can almost see my dick?"
"No Den, because everyone that matters around here has probably seen it already, I'm over trying to get you to behave and have some personal dignity."
"You what?" I was stunned.
"I know deep down the painting is beautiful Den, and I want to share it with the world."
"Hey hang on, you're supposed to get upset and jealous."
"No Den, because I have the original and can have the real thing anytime I want it." He grinned.
"Oh you can, can you?"
"Yes." He was adamant about that.
"Well I guess that's fair, I suppose." I laughed.
"Anyway, I didn't order it so there must be a message somewhere because the folk have placed it in the container, I'm sure of that one."
"Ise pa, Ise orders it," Ayden screamed as he tried to put an oversized t-shirt on.
"So you're ordering my stock for me now?" He tried to help him sort out his twisted shirt as Ayden giggled his way through the process, when it was completed he screamed up and down the porch showing everyone his father's dick. He didn't say another word about the ordering bit but I think he did well, it was very tasteful. As it turned out the range was beautiful and as we discovered when we started opening unmarked boxes, suspiciously there were some shirts and shorts of Blue and they all happened to be in Ayden's size, how does that kid do it?
"You should have had some done of you surfing bubby," I suggested to him later as Rita swished a new frock around the porch.
"Coming soons dah." That was the end of it, I didn't inquire again but did hear Evan moan.
Aisha ordered four more container loads and Evan added my forever king paintings to it. She was blown away with the babies one and almost bought all in her size, but Arras made her put a lot back, she didn't need any more frocks.
"But they are so cheap husband."
"You can only wear so many my bride, leave some for Evan's customers please."
"Okay, just this once, but I want to get some for my son's brides. Spud try this one on, you're about their size." Ali laughed out loud because she had handed Spud a dress.
Birdy was wrapped because he got a starring role, he tried shorts and shirts on then Jay went to pay for them, but Evan made him get out of his shop and told him not to come back until he accepts that he can take what he wants for nothing. Poor Jay, he tries and that in itself tells us he's a very honest, caring person. Hulk was the same, he only took one item, so Evan said he could come and have a good look on his own when it all settled down. They were cheap to make but not cheap in the shop and even dearer in Aisha's and Cody's stores.
The guys helped Evan stack the shelves then we entered everything into the computer, I looked over at Evan and he was smiling from ear to ear. Then I looked at his lips and wondered if he would be using them on me tonight.
"Den!"
"What bub?"
"Go outside and paint."
"No, I actually think I will have a rest, I'm feeling a bit tired."
"No you're not, go out to that porch and paint."
"Okay, don't get your knickers in a knot." I walked out to my table and stared at the blank canvas. I had a feeling I was about to do something really unusual so I picked up my pencils and started in the left hand, bottom corner. My strokes were small and intricate, this painting is going to be a hard slog.
Again I was woken by my son, he had crawled into bed next to me.
"What happened son?"
"You sleeps dah, too much memories."
"You can't stop them baby, I think they want to come back."
"Yes dahs cants stop, too much power now, but you okay; your bubby's got this."
"Good, I'm happy you are on my side kiddo."
"Have wata dah, it's good for soul."
I drank literally the whole bottle and wanted more.
"Too much metals in tap wata dah, freshes bottles wata better for you."
It was then I decided to only drink fresh spring water, it made sense in the end. There is a lot of rubbish added to our drinking water, maybe it's the metals that are blocking everything, maybe we are allergic to it?
"Where's pa?"
"Surf dah, I stays to company you."
"Did you have a nap too?"
"Yes dah, nows mes gets burga, do you want one?"
"No son, you scoot off and get one, I will be out in a minute."
He kissed me then went off to seek out food. I laid there scratching my balls, and maybe too much because my mind moved to Evan's awesome image, then I fought with my stiffie while I dragged my shorts up.
I was instantly hungry when I emerged because the Chinese food wafting from the cafe smelt delicious. I didn't have to say anything as almost immediately Ali brought down a big bowl for me to try.
"Something new Den, eat up."
"Thank you Ali, I am so hungry."
"Ayden's still choosing his burger, he won't be a minute." He giggled and went off.
I looked over at my drawing, it was a complete and an utter mess and nothing made sense, just a stack of squiggled lines.
I stood up and moved to the railing then looked, I thought it might have been a magic picture like Bobby Thompson's, like you squint and the subject appears, but that wasn't the case and it stumped me.
I heard the showers going as I ploughed my way through the food, it was delicious and when I saw Birdy get off the bus at the corner I waved to him. Joe had met him and they slowly walked back chatting to each other. Tony met them outside his shop and walked over with them. I hadn't seen Tony for a few days, he was up to something and I am the man to find out what it is.
"Hi poppa, did you have a good sleep today?"
"Yes son, I had two."
"Good, I told everyone at school you were much better and they send home their congratulations."
"How's your two mates going that were in hospital with you?"
"Very well thank you poppa, they are good."
"That's good, now where's my cuddles?" He got onto my knees and threw his arms around me, I held him and felt that surge of love.
"Why did you draw a map Den, are you trying to map out the bay?" Joe asked.
"What?"
"That's a map you have drawn Den; it looks a bit like this bay."
I looked over at the drawing again but couldn't see it. It looked like a load of lines to me.
The kiss on my neck interrupted my train of thought and I placed my hand on Evan's and said,
"Again, but a little longer this time." He indulged my perversion and kissed me again gently, I felt his puffy lips and they were so soft.
"Den?" He wasn't quite sure if I was having a dirty thought.
"Thank you, that's enough." I blushed.
He sat with me smiling and the guys came out, Nuts, Tim, Pat, Tiny and Trip, no Donk today.
"Where's Donk?"
"He and Kate also got a container yesterday, they are hard at it looking through the gems inside," Tony replied.
"Why aren't we helping?"
"No need Den, Mike's got a couple of his mates working on it, Kate doesn't want too much in her shop. She wants to try and make it last through winter and next summer. She is very grateful to Aisha and it was all cheap as, but she wants to deal it out slowly. She doesn't think it's going to be an ongoing thing Den."
"Oh, and it's not?"
"Well Aisha said it would be but Kate doesn't want to take advantage." Tony grinned.
"We better have a talk to her again then."
"You do that Den," Tony said.
"Now, I think you and I had better have a talk Tony, where have you been lately?" He nearly choked on his coffee.
"I had business in Warragul Den, then I had to go back yesterday to sign some papers. It's good to see you up again too."
"Oh, anything I can help you with? Oh and yes I'm fine now."
"No."
I waited and waited but he didn't go on and I still don't know what he's up to, maybe Cyn knows?
"Are you closed today Tiny?"
"Yes Den, I have switched the phone through to my mobile, if there's an emergency it will ring. I need to surf some more, I'm missing it." He grinned.
"How's the hospital?"
"A mess as you could well imagine, but it will be rebuilt in no time, I think Horse is going to handle that for the government."
"Sorry." I lifted my eyebrows.
"No need, as far as they are concerned there was a small earthquake in the area. It needed upgrading desperately anyway." He smiled.
"Well if there's something I can do just let me know."
"They have my number Den, but I don't think they need any help. All the patients were moved to Sale hospital. Well what were left of them anyway." He winked.
"What's with the map Den?" Tim asked.
"I don't know Tim; it doesn't look like a map to me."
"It is Den; it looks like an old treasure map."
All eyes were immediately on Tim.
"Explain," Horse said.
"Well the straight lines are roads, the squares are maybe buildings and the waves are the beach. But there is no X marks the spot. So no treasure revelations, just a very old map, but you can see the bushes on the beach, they are more pronounced like that's where your treasure is maybe hidden, in the bushes." He grinned.
I looked at it again and saw what he was talking about but still didn't get it, maybe it's not finished yet?
"Sorry guys, no treasure here." I laughed at their stunned faces.
"There is treasure around these parts, I read an old story about gold being buried in this area but not a hint of where it is."
Tim was onto it and kept staring at the drawing, I looked over at Ayden but he wasn't interested, in fact he was asleep.
If the old story was correct then we might be sitting on a gold mine, but we already have plenty of gold in the safe.
I stored the drawing in the spare room then went to bring in the washing. I saw that glint again in the bushes out of the corner of my eye, just a hint, but I knew somehow that some fairies were now living in it so I didn't want to disturb them. I had a feeling they were waiting for something.
Back at the porch I talked to the guys about going to help Kate and Donk, I was also interested in what she had delivered. There was no need because after a half hour they pulled up out the front.
"These cartons have your name on them Evan, maybe some more sunnies and surf wallets, we didn't look," Donk said as Kate went over to talk to Rita.
The boys helped Evan bring them onto the porch and there were eight in total. He went to get his box cutter and started opening each one. There were a lot of sunnies and caps along with heaps of small boxes with surf pendants in them. Shark teeth, coral starfish, everything that said beach, plus two boxes of fine looking watches. We had fun opening them all then Evan found the invoice, it wasn't a huge amount so he was smiling from ear to ear. I had put aside some clothes for Mike and his dad to mount for me and Evan's walls looked bare so I went to the spare room and looked for more shadow boxes, but they must have sold out because there was nothing there. I had better get Jack onto doing more.
"Did you sell all of my boxes bub?"
"Yes Den, while you were out of it they walked out the door. I have ordered twenty more Den, Jack's doing them now," he smiled at me. I guess I have been made a bit redundant these past few weeks.
Ayden had woken up and Alex again arrived with Andy to play with him so the old walker got a good workout bashing into everything as my boy pushed him around the porch, then they played trucks with the empty cartons.
Blue and Alex sat with us and we talked about the new laundry business.
They handed Evan a cleaning bill for our stays and he went to get them the cash, I suppose they will be making loads of it soon. Blue will always have money, he collected another two hundred grand for his win at Bells and that didn't include the sponsorship money. Alex is another story, but I know Blue would never let him go without, and it didn't seem to worry Alex at all. I overheard him telling Trip he's already got plans to set up a wash, dry and iron business. I couldn't stand doing that all day but he mentioned Samson would be hired to do some of it. I suppose as long as Tony is getting the machine money he wouldn't care, so I looked over and asked Tony if he was making money out of it.
"Ask the boys Den, it's their business now, I gifted it to them as a welcome Andy present." He grinned while I looked at Alex and moaned.
"So you own the whole business then?"
"Yes Den, thanks to Tony's generosity." He smiled,
typical Tony, he has got a heart of gold.
They also told me they were going to go ahead and build four stays on their allotment, there's plenty of room for them. I needn't worry about the boys but if they ever needed something I was the man to get it for them.
There was Chinese tonight, and plenty of it, and beer. The boys had started early and the crowd was noisy. Rita was pretty busy and when Evan opened his shop he got a crowd in too. For some unknown reason the customers knew he had new stock and that's what was walking out the door mostly. We didn't put the sunnies and watches out, we thought Evan would do some internet surfing on prices before they were displayed.
After we ate I decided to get busy and give bubs a bath in Rita's tub. He played with his ducks and boats while I washed his hair, then I wanted to talk to him about something.
"Have you seen the shining coming from the bushes out back baby?" He nodded his head yes.
"Are they the folk?" Again he nodded.
"What are they looking for baby, tell dads."
"They want to go homes dah, Ayden's helps."
"So they are waiting for you to send them home?"
"Yes dahs, I helps, already send lots home."
"I thought it was only the statues you sent home."
"No dah, plenties of fairy too."
"Okay, but don't tire yourself out."
"I wonts dah, do in sleeps."
"But I meant get some sleep too."
"I do dah, mes not tireds."
Oh yes you are, I could tell he was ready for a sleep because his eye lids were getting heavy.
"Okay, can I help?"
"No dah, not hard to do, you needs rest too."
"Well if it gets too much you call me won't you?"
"Yes dahs."
He went back to his boats and was playing pirates again, maybe he's looking for that sea chest full or treasure on the bottom of the ocean?
I dried him and gave him loads of cuddles and kisses and he was almost asleep in my arms by the time I placed him in his bed. I noticed there were some butterflies in his room hovering around his painting, and as soon as his eyes closed they made a popping sound and disappeared. They were his fairy folk and he's sending them home. According to Spudley that home is in my head.
I went back to the party after securing the back door and pulling his blinds down. Sitting in my spot was Tim, he had moved next to Evan so I sat next to Nuts, he had been watching him again.
"So have you caught up with the whole family again Nuts?"
"Yes Den, I have spent some time with them and remembered what a great bunch of people they were."
"I believe they are, from what Tim tells me."
"Den, how did you know you were bi, I mean when did it happen for you?" I thought I had better be careful because I don't actually remember when I fell in love with Evan.
"I remember always being attracted to Evan, no one else but him. After he went to England I missed him so badly and decided if I wanted him in my life, I had to do the gay dance with him, and tell him I loved him. It has been smooth sailing ever since then. Nuts, before that I never even thought about other guys, it was only Evan I was attracted to, why?"
"I don't know; I was just thinking about it, that's all."
"Well he's a great guy and a good catch. In my world he would be considered an absolute hunk."
"Who?" He looked at me.
"Tim," I didn't say anymore, I could see Nuts was deep in thought again, but he did say something else before Tim came back.
"The family, I'm so scared they will not understand."
I patted his shoulder and whispered,
"They don't matter my friend, happiness is paramount and love is absolute, and your family and friends will understand, and for a start that's a big plus."
I yawned and also had a boner thinking about Tim and Nuts dancing in the nude. Evan had nudged me several times so I put my thoughts aside and went to get ready for bed.
He came in later on when I had just about given up on him and was trying to go to sleep. He slipped in next to me and whispered goodnight then added,
"I would much rather be with Horse Den." He giggled.
"Sorry bub, goodnight." He stayed in the same position looking at me until I said,
"Oh god, pass the lube will ya?" He was happy again and we danced long into the night. Before I went to sleep I washed up then checked on Ayden, he was sleeping peacefully and there was no sign of butterflies in his room, but I did see a stack of small gold coins on his floor.
I crawled back into bed and Evan groaned as he backed up to me. I thought about it for a second and realised I still had one more shot in me, I just can't resist him.