Berto's Roses
By Ben
Part XXIV
Saturday dawned bright and surprisingly mild. The air temperature had dropped during the night and a brisk wind was blowing in from the gulf. After shaving and showering, I strolled out to the garden, hoping to find Berto. I was not disappointed.
He was weeding and pruning. I watched him from a short distance, as I didn't want to disturb him. I knew he would miss doing this next week when he went to school. I made a promise to myself to do all I could to make sure his roses were beautiful and healthy whenever he came home.
I wondered, too, how often that would be. I remembered what the schedule was like when my older son had been in college, but I had no idea what it was like in Mexico. I recalled that Ricky's sister, Carla, had mentioned her spring break, though.
After a bit, I knelt beside Berto and asked, "May I help you?" He turned his face toward me and smiled. "Si, Senor Ben. If you would like to help me." We worked in silence together and just enjoyed one another's company. By the time we had finished, the pinks and golds of sunrise had faded and the sun had begun its climb into the brilliant blue sky.
We walked into the kitchen and cleaned up. Manuella greeted us with hot cups of coffee and we all sat at the table. I watched as Berto put what seemed like half a cup of sugar in his coffee. I was particularly hungry this morning, so Berto and I polished off every bit of food Manuella put in front of us. I found that I had developed a particular liking for cream cheese and fruit wrapped up in soft flour tortillas.
I mentioned the difference in the weather. Manuella told me that it would be like this for the better part of a month and then the rain would start. I expressed my desire to have all of the outside building completed before the rains came. No sooner had I said this than we heard the sound of a large truck pulling up the driveway.
Berto and I walked outside as Manuella cleared away what little was left on the table. The truck was indeed large and loaded with, not only lumber, but plumbing pipe and several boxes. The sign on the truck was in Spanish, of course, but I did recognize the name "Chavez". Ricky really came through for me. He sent a truck from his father's company to be sure it all got here today.
The driver's door opened and I was surprised to see the driver. Ricky hopped down nimbly from the high seat, landing as gracefully as a cat. He ran over to me, jumped on me, wrapped his arms around my neck and his legs around my hips. Ricky gave me a big kiss, opening my lips with his tongue. God, this guy could kiss. His hot mouth and the movement of his hot little ass gave me the beginnings of a hardon.
I finally remembered where I was and pulled Ricky off me. "Hola, amigo!" He said happily. He was so bubbly and pleased with himself for surprising me with his visit that I had to laugh at the little shit.
"Ricky, you are loco. What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to make sure that you had what you needed, and I wanted to see what you were doing. I also missed you my friend."
"Well, I'm glad you are here. Where is Jose?" I had noticed, with some amazement, that no less than seven men, including Ricky had gotten out of the cab of the truck. Jose was not among them.
"Jose is taking lessons to learn to fly Papa's Lear and the helicopter, so he was too busy to come. Too busy for me, too." Ricky put on a sad face with pouty lips and puppy-dog eyes." "Oh, you poor baby. I guess I'll have to make you feel better." I turned toward the house and finally remembered that Berto had been standing there watching and listening to this whole exchange. I blushed a deep crimson and clumsily made introductions.
"Hola, Berto. Que pasa?" said Ricky.
"Buenos Dias, Senor Chavez." Berto politely replied.
"Senor Chavez is my Padre. You must call me Ricky. I am not that much older than you, I am sure. How old are you Berto?"
"I will be nineteen next month, on September 26th."
I was surprised at this for two reasons. First was that Berto had the same birth date as my son and I didn't realize he was almost nineteen. I thought he was younger than that. I was still embarrassed that Berto had seen Ricky kiss me and heard our flirting. I searched his face for any sign of shock or revulsion, but his expression was its usual, friendly smile.
"Show me where you want the supplies, Ben and we will get everything unloaded for you."
"Hmmm, I think at the end of the Carport would be best. This way." We walked around the house and I showed Ricky and the men with him where to put the supplies. I noticed that Berto was looking a bit apprehensive because of the close proximity to the garden.
"Berto, could you please make sure none of this gets too close to the roses? I want to show Ricky around the house and also the plans that we have made." Berto looked relieved and just a bit self-important because I, more or less, left him in charge while Ricky and I went inside.
I gave Ricky the "grand tour" of the lower two floors, showing him the plans I had made for the bathrooms, then took him out to the patio and discussed the opening of the fireplace, the Jacuzzi and the sunroom. I also mentioned the carport expansion and my studio. He was impressed with my drawings and with the plans themselves. He promised to send the mason who built the central fireplace in his house to do the work here.
I took him into the kitchen to meet Manuella. She acted shy and demure, but very excited to meet him. It was like watching a schoolgirl and I laughed to myself. Ricky flirted shamelessly with her, and she was in heaven.
When we made our exit, Manuella pulled me aside and told me that my friend was "muy lindo". I smiled at her and nodded my agreement. "And I think he has his eye on you, too." She blushed and said, "Do not tease me, Senor Ben. I am too old and too grande for him." I could tell she enjoyed it though.
We walked back out to where the men were stacking the lumber. It had warmed up just a bit and they all had removed their shirts. Berto, also shirtless, was not only supervising, but was helping to carry the wood as well. Ricky and I began unloading the piping and the boxes. The latter contained nails, tools, and plumbing hardware. It seemed that Ricky had anticipated every need.
When everything was unloaded. I asked Berto to let his cousin, Carlos, know that the supplies were here. As he left, I told Ricky that Berto would be going to school in San Augustin. "He will be going there with Carla. I will tell her to show him around and make him feel welcome. It will be good for him to make friends right away."
"Thanks, Ricky. How thoughtful of you. I know Manuella will feel much better if he knows somebody there. She's going to miss him terribly." I said with sadness in my voice.
"She is not the only one who will miss him, no?" Ricky said and looked at me sympathetically. He had me dead to rights. "Yeah, I'll miss him too. We have gotten pretty close. I have been learning to care for the rose garden so I can do it while he is away. He's sharp as a tack and I really enjoy his company, and..."
"And he's hot, too!" Ricky laughed and pinched me on the ass.
"Ouch! Yeah, and he's hot, too. But I haven't laid a hand on him. I didn't know until you asked him how old he was. I thought he was younger than nineteen. Besides, his mother would castrate me and I don't know if he would be interested anyway."
I am completely without "gaydar". I have met men that I suspected of being gay, but I never know for sure, unless they are effeminate. That type of guy just isn't attractive to me, so I don't pursue relationships with them.
I don't have the first idea how to cruise, so most of my hook-ups have been on the Internet, or in an all male environment such as the Parliament House in Augusta, Georgia or the Southeastern Meet Company in Atlanta. While it's true that I met Ricky at a pool at a hotel, it was he that made all the initial moves.
"Well, you will have to come to San Augustin and visit him...and me. When will he be coming?"
"I am driving him up there on Tuesday. It will be on my way to San Diego to pick up a friend at the Naval Base."
"Ah, is it your pilot friend in the Navy? What was his name, James? Jerry?...
"Jake, and yes it's him. He has taken a month of leave to come see me. I'm going to put him to work while he is here."
"I'll bet you will!" Said Ricky, with a wicked laugh.
"Shut up!" I said and it was my turn to pinch HIM on the butt. Of course, he didn't yelp or jump away. He pushed his ass against my hand and said "Mo-o-r-r-e..."
"God, what a slut. You remind me of ...me!" I gave him a noisy, wet kiss on the cheek as I tweaked both his nipples through his polo shirt. "C'mon, let's see how the unloading is going."
They were down to the last several 2 x 4's so Ricky and I helped them finish. Berto was nowhere in sight. Neither was Bob's pickup, so I assumed Berto had gone to get Carlos. The last of the lumber was neatly stacked and I asked Ricky how much I owed him for the materials and delivery.
"When you have finished with the work. Jose and I will be your first guests."
"Oh, no, Ricky that is much too generous of you. You have to let me pay you. I insist."
" Oh, believe me. Jose and I will take it out in trade, my friend. " This time Ricky grabbed my cock through my jeans.
"Hey, man. Not in front of the whole world, okay?" Several of Ricky's men started laughing. I blushed and poked Ricky in the ribs. He was so ticklish. I had him begging for mercy in no time. I had him pinned against the stack of wood laughing hysterically. "Say `uncle'." I told him. Ricky's forehead knotted up and I could tell he didn't understand."
"Uncle? Tio? What does this mean? You want to be called `Uncle Ben'?"
I let him up and laughed at his question. "No I don't want to be called "Uncle Ben'. It's just an American expression for when you surrender. Uncle, I give up, you win...uncle."
"You Gringos are muy loco." Said Ricky while twirling his finger beside his ear.
Just then, Berto drove the pickup into the yard at full speed, skidding to a stop just two feet from the big stack of lumber. Nobody even noticed except for me. Berto and Carlos jumped out of the cab, and were chattering away in Spanish. I was going to have to take lessons or something. I could catch the odd word that I understood, from time to time, but they were talking so fast that I missed almost everything.
Carlos was gesturing toward the lumber and seemed excited. "Is there something wrong, Berto?"
"Oh, no, Senor Ben. He just has not seen this much wood of fine quality in one place before. He is very happy to be able to work with it." Berto put his hand up by his mouth so Carlos couldn't see what he was saying. "I think it gives him a woody."
Ricky and I, and the few of Ricky's men who understood English, howled at Berto's pun. Poor Carlos just stood there with a confused look on his face.
Carlos looked anxious to get started. He walked to the pickup and pulled out a big, battered wooden toolbox. He carried it to the patio and put it down. He walked back to the lumber pile and threw four 2 x 4's on his shoulder and walked back to his tool box. He then got four ancient sawhorses from the truck. I showed him where the boxes of tools were as well as the hardware. He thanked me and took several boxes of nails, but didn't touch the new tools.
We heard Manuella scream for Berto. He returned a few seconds later and told us that she had lunch ready for everybody in the garden. There wasn't enough room in the kitchen for everybody, and Bob and Mack were in the dining room. "They are waiting for you and Senior Chavez." She told me.
I looked at Ricky and he nodded. "Please tell Bob to go ahead. Ricky and I will be eating out here." This pleased Manuella and the others. We had a great time talking and getting to know each other. We laughed and teased and the company was wonderful. Manuella was in her glory. She was in the middle of almost a dozen men, each telling her how much they enjoyed the meal.
Ricky flirted with her without stopping. He asked Berto a question and Berto smiled and nodded. Ricky walked to a bush of bright red roses and carefully picked a huge bloom. He used his pocketknife to trim away the thorns and when Manuella returned from the kitchen with yet more food, Rick put the rose in his teeth and took Manuella in his arms.
All the others immediately started singing a lively tune in Spanish, even Berto. They really sounded good, even without accompaniment. Ricky danced Manuella around, her shirt and apron twirling. She was surprisingly light on her feet. Her short, rotund body jiggled as she stepped and hopped.
At the end of the dance, Ricky bent her over into a very low dip. One of her chubby legs came up and I was sure they were going to end up on the flagstones of the patio. It didn't happen. They gracefully returned upright and now Manuella had the rose in her teeth. We all laughed and said "Bravo".
Ricky bowed deeply to Manuella and said, "Gracias, Senora." Manuella executed a very dainty curtsey, spreading her brightly colored skirt. Ricky took her hand and kissed it, and Manuella fairly floated back inside. Ricky was a charmer, all right. I'm sure Manuella hadn't had this much attention in a very long time.
"You are such a nice guy, Ricky." I said. "You made that woman very happy. You'll have anything you want any time you come here, you know?" Rick laughed and told me that's why he had done it. I knew better.
Ricky told me that it was time for him to get back home. I hugged him and thanked him for coming and for all of his help. He just waved it off. He also spoke to Berto and suggested that Berto come to his father's house instead of directly to the university. That way he could meet Carla and she could show him around. Berto was all for it.
We said our good-byes and everybody piled into the big truck. Ricky blew a kiss to Manuella. "Adios, Amiga." He said to her. She giggled and we waved to them as they drove away. Manuella said. "It is time for siesta. Carlos you go to Berto's room with him. You will start your work as soon as you awake."
Carlos started to object but a stern look from his aunt was all it took to quiet him. He followed Berto up the stairs. "It was wonderful watching you dance with Ricky. You were very good, Manuella."
"Thank you, Senor Ben. Your friend is very handsome and charming. You gay men are very sweet. " I was a bit taken aback by her comment. I guess her gaydar worked better than mine. I stood and watched as she skipped up the stairs to her room, humming the tune that the men had sung. Finally I just shook my head and headed for my room. Uncharacteristically, I lay down and was asleep in a very short time.
Thanks for your continued messages. They really mean a lot to me. ben_sc@hotmail.com. If you haven't read any of my other stories, check them out under the "Authors" link. Look for "Lyle Benton".