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Email feedback can be sent to trager2275@gmail.com. © 2015 by Eric Trager.
*** I will likely bring this story to a close soon. It's been an adventure. I may, or may not, write a new story. If any readers have suggestions of which character, or characters from this story that they would like to see take the lead roles in a new story, and how they'd like to see that please let me know! Thanks!
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
TEN WEEKS LATER
Sean and Brad were on Interstate 90 headed for the international terminal at Chicago's O'Hare Field. Once again for an O'Hare trip Sean opted for the 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special. He requested well in advance that his staff at the auto museum go the extra mile in preparing the car. The paint was clay-barred, polished, waxed, and buffed to a fare-the-well. The acres of chrome and stainless-steel trim were hand finished with silver polish. The interior was hand- detailed to look like it had just come from the factory. New tires were fitted as well as new shock absorbers. The entire chassis was inspected from stem to stern. The engine and transmission received the fine-toothed-comb treatment.
When the car was presented to Sean he was in awe. He wanted to make an impression and there was no doubt that the old Fleetwood would be more than up to the task.
The five passengers could all fit comfortably on the massive sofa-sized seats, and in the back, there were two extra jump seats as well in case any of the passengers wanted to stretch out.
Brad packed up some thermoses of cocktails, and limeade if someone didn't care for alcohol. Sean had a picnic basket containing fried chicken in case anyone would be hungry. As fastidious as Sean was about neatness, paper plates, wet wipes, napkins, towels, and a trash bag were packed as well.
Arrangements were made beforehand for the Fleetwood to park in an unpermitted area at the curb in front of the terminal while the guests were greeted inside. Sean always marveled at how anyone could do anything from the monumental to the trivial in Chicago simply by making a modest but strategically placed "campaign contribution" to the mayor and a similar "contribution" to the Chicago Police Patrolmen's Association.
Nothing in Chicago was prohibited. It only had its price.
As it had been for Sean, J.R., and Tim, the airline choice was Japan Airlines, and the aircraft was a Boeing 847.
Arriving at the time they'd planned; Sean pulled the Fleetwood up to the pre-arranged specially marked space at the terminal's front door. He was greeted by a uniformed Chicago police officer who let him know that while they were inside he would see to the security of the vehicle. A crowd of people were already gawking at the old Cadillac and taking photos. Sean tipped the officer $500 for his trouble and presented him with a box of a dozen assorted Dunkin donuts and a large coffee, black.
Moving toward the customs area, Sean read on the flight board that JAL flight 062 inbound from Tokyo Narita International had just landed and was arriving at the gate.
Twenty minutes later Sean saw Tanawat and Dollawee emerge from the customs area along with a third person who appeared to be Dollawee's age, but who was much shorter than Dollawee, and who seemed could hardly contain himself. `That has to be Haebom,' Sean thought.
Sean walked briskly up to Tanawat and hugged him. "Welcome to the United States, brother!" He then gave Dollawee a hug. "And who's this other guy over here?" Sean asked Dollawee.
"Uncle Sean, this is my friend Haebom. Haebom, this is grandpa's brother, Uncle Sean."
Haebom stood maybe 5'6" tall and had a mop of hair which at the front just about covered his eyes. He had small almost beady eyes, a somewhat pointy nose, and a rather plain, nondescript face. Neither attractive, nor unattractive.
Sean stuck his hand out and Haebom shook it. "Nice to meet you, Uncah Shaw" he said in English that while proper was heavily accented.
Haebom looked up at Sean who towered over him by about eight inches. He then, with a most serious look on his face, thrust his right arm straight out toward Sean at about a 30º upward angle so it would be even with Sean's eyes, and he had the pinkie stuck out ramrod-straight.
"We have a good time here Uncah Shaw!"
At first Sean didn't know what to make of it but decided that Haebom, with his serious look still fixed dead-on Sean, just wanted to be friendly, and that he also wanted a pinkie promise of friendliness-in-return from Sean. He could understand if the boy might be just a little nervous.
So, Sean pinkie promised. With a smirk.
"Yoo cah me Boom, Uncah Shaw."
"Boom it is then, young man! I want you guys to meet my husband, Bradley. Brad, this is my brother P'Pat, his grandson Dollawee, and Dollawee's friend Boom."
Brad nodded.
"You certainly have a fine-looking husband, Nong Sean," Tanawat said, looking Brad up and down.
Brad smiled and made a Wai to Tanawat as Sean had shown him.
The two boys made a Wai to Brad.
"I got drinks in the car for everyone, and Sean made fried chicken. Bet you guys are tired after sitting on a damn plane for all those hours. You got all your shit? If you do then let's get the hell out of here," Brad said with a smile.
Sean noted the contrast in the two young men. Dollawee was polished, urbane, studied, and always with a smile. Haebom, on the other hand, was a ball of discombobulated energy and non-stop chatter. He looked around, pointing and pondering at everything with knit eyebrows, all the while burbling incessantly to Dollawee in Thai.
But the cherry on the cake making Sean laugh to himself had to be Haebom's demand of a pinkie promise. The pinkie promise had been the most amusing thing he'd seen in quite some time.
Out of the terminal they all went. Sean and Brad stowed the luggage in Fleetwood's immense trunk while the two boys went gaga over the car. Brad got behind the wheel for the return trip with Dollawee riding shotgun.
Sean got in the back with the two boys, Sean and Dollawee outboard and Haebom in the middle.
"Khun Chai! Make me sit middah!" Haebom said to Dollawee and stuck his tongue out.
"What's `Khun Chai?'" Sean asked.
"Boom always calls me that. It means Prince.' It can be an insult, but when friends use it among themselves it means something like poor little rich kid who doesn't know how to do anything for himself,'" Dollawee answered, sticking his lower lip out pretending to have hurt feelings, and elbowing Haebom.
"Khun Chai!" Haebom said again, but this time with a sly smile, elbowing Dollawee back.
"I was a Khun Chai," Sean said to Haebom.
"No way!" Haebom said. "Uncah Pat say you cool shit!"
"OK, I'm a cool Khun Chai shit..." Sean laughed.
"You make fun of me?" Haebom demanded.
"I would never do that..." Sean deadpanned.
"You make fun of me but you cool shit anyway..." This time he smiled.
Sean mussed Haebom's mop of hair. To which Haebom pretended to register a complaint, smoothing his hair back down over his eyes, and then asking where the fried chicken was.
In the front seat Brad asked Tanawat to prepare and pass out the cocktails and the chicken
Sean was agape at Haebom's appetite. While the others each had one piece of chicken, and Brad none as he was driving, Haebom inhaled at least eight pieces of chicken, cleaned right down to the bones. Sean had never seen anything like it.
"Do your parents feed you?" he asked Haebom.
"More chicken?" Haebom asked earnestly, looking up at Sean. "Nah nah nah nah nah!" *
"Ain't got no more," Brad said, reviving his hick speech. "Cool yer jets `til we get home. Got dinner comin' from the restaurant. Didn't know what you guys like. Ordered a whole bunch o' shit."
"Shia!"** Haebom exclaimed. "Starving..."
"You'll live," Brad laughed.
Sean noticed Tanawat snickering to himself.
After a little while the boys fell asleep and Tanawat started to doze off as well.
"I'm just gonna let `em sleep," Sean said to Brad.
"Good idea. That little one's a hellion, hey?" Brad said.
"Dollawee's a really good kid so I bet Boom's just as good. He must be just nervous. Or maybe he's hyper. Or maybe he's both..."
"Your nephew seems like a real sweetheart."
"From what little I know of him, he is."
Sean poured himself another drink. "These drinks are good, Sweetheart..."
"Wait until tonight. I got a new one I'm gonna try out on our guests."
"I don't have a problem with the boys joining us if P'Pat says it's OK..."
"Jock straps?"
"Why not? I mean, the boys are soccer players. They've seen guys in jocks before... Besides, that's our custom at the bar: jockstraps and nuthin' else."
"You think those boys are, you know..."
"I think P'Pat thinks they maybe could be. We'll offer them to share a room or have separate rooms."
"If they are, then we'll let them use our upstairs room. Maybe a nice big fat one up the kazoo would calm Shorty down a little bit..."
Sean laughed. "Brilliant! I hadn't thought of that! I gotta hand it to you, hun..."
"How do you think I keep you under control, Khun Chai!" Brad said with an evil grin.
Tanawat began to stir. "I was half asleep, guys. If you think it's fine to include the boys in, shall we say, adult recreation I don't have any problem with it. They're both 17. They're men in all but name. I let them have a bit of alcohol when they come to visit me, but I make them stay the night so they won't get in trouble. Better to know your limits when you're young and supervised than not to know and make a mistake when you're older. I recall more than a few puking pub crawls when I was at Eton... It's part of growing up.
"Haebom, though? He's always like this... But he really is a great kid. He'd give you the shirt off his back if he thought you needed it. If I ever need help around the house or in the yard, I call Haebom and he's there on the spot. He can fix anything. He's an efficient hard worker, he's meticulous, and he won't leave unless he's satisfied that he did a good job. His meticulousness can sometimes seem bratty because he's still a teenager, but he wants everything he does to be perfect. You should hear how he gets on Dollawee at soccer practice, or if Dollawee makes a mistake in a game. In English it would be something like, "Mister Khun fucking Chai, Mister Center fucking Forward, you fucking SUCK!" when the fact of the matter is that they're both excellent players and were both named to the High School All-Star team last year.``
Sean laughed. "Ah, yes, high school sports..."
"Well, Haebom might be small, but on the soccer field he packs quite a punch. He really is a great kid. You'll see. He's the youngest in his family. He's got two older brothers, Haneul and Taesung***, both Korean names like his. Haneul is five years older. He's a Captain in the National Intelligence Directorate which is part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Quite young for a Captain, too, I might add. Taesung is three years older and he's in his second year at med school. Both good lads, too, and his parents are good, solid people. His father is one of the head surgeons at a well-known hospital, and his mother is a math professor at Chulalongkorn University which is like the Harvard of Thailand.
"As a little one, Haebom's intelligence developed quickly because he had older siblings to copy. He always tried mightily to keep up with Haneul and Taesung and it showed. There was just something about him... He could read and write when he started Kindergarten. His parents sometimes didn't know how to keep him occupied. Even now, in school Haebom and Dollawee are both among the top students in their year, but where Dollawee has to put in the time and effort to do that well, if Haebom reads or hears something once he's got it. The boy's got a photographic memory. I think that Haebom doesn't understand that not everyone's as mentally quick as he is, and he can be sharp with Dollawee when they study together, but, you know, Haebom did tell me when they were about 15 years old that Dollawee was his brother' and that he loved Dollawee. So, yes, they are, as you wondered, you know...'"
"Anyway, Boom's not going to forget our pinkie promise is what you're telling me..." Sean quipped.
"No, he won't be forgetting your pinkie promise, trust me. That lad doesn't forget anything," Tanawat laughed. "Anyway, Nong Sean, tell me about this car..."
Sean explained in detail how the 1958 GM models were a one year only body style, how the Fleetwoods were stretched versions of the lesser Series 62 models and were built to show off the best that Cadillac had to offer, how this particular car had a modern chassis and drivetrain complete with a 3-liter straight six turbo diesel engine running on biofuel and how it was only brought out of the museum for road service when Sean wanted to give a guest or a friend the red carpet treatment.
"This car is a piece of Americana," Sean said.
Tanawat smiled.
"I know that you have a car museum, Nong Sean. I think the boys would get a huge kick out of seeing that. I know I would..."
"How did you know I have a car museum?"
"We'll talk later."
"OK, well, I can have maybe a couple of the cars made ready to drive if the boys might like that..."
"I'm sure they would but that's not necessary. Besides, if one of them somehow damaged one of your museum cars that wouldn't be memorable for our visit in a good way..."
"Ah, I'll let `em have some fun," Sean said. "So, you really knew about the museum, huh?"
"I did. Nong Sean, like I said, we'll talk later. It's all good, I promise..."
"My brother is mysterious..." Sean said to Brad.
"I think he's feckin' hot," Brad deadpanned. "We'll talk later, too, P'Pat."
"I'll look forward to that, Bradley..." Tanawat answered Brad.
"Yes, you will..."
Sean was pleased so far. His husband and his brother were easy and friendly with each other. How easy and friendly they might turn out to be he wouldn't trouble himself with. And the two 17-year-olds seemed content even though Haebom was a little bit of a handful.
Sean thought that he couldn't ask for more right out of the box.
"We're just coming up on Rockford now," Brad said. "Better call the restaurant and tell them to pack up the food and get it over to the house!"
"Brett and Dix will have it under control," Sean said.
"Brett's Tim's husband," Brad said. "He was the Governor of Wisconsin. He's a sweetheart and definitely spank bank material..."
"You don't say," Tanawat said with one eyebrow arched.
"I had to get the brother that's a horn dog..." Sean laughed.
"Ya get whatcha bloody get!" Tanawat teased.
Sean laughed. Brad snickered.
"I'm so glad I came to visit you, Nong Sean..."
"So am I. We only had just a little bit of time to get to know each other in Bangkok. We got a lot of years to make up for, P'Pat. I figure you guys will want to rest up tonight and get over your jet lag the best you can, so plan on sleeping in tomorrow. Tomorrow night we're having the entire family in for dinner as well as some of our friends. Once we get that done, we'll figure everything else out."
"Will you need help in the kitchen tomorrow morning?" Tanawat asked.
"I might..."
"Dollawee is a very good cook. You know he works in a restaurant. Actually, his adoptive father owns several higher-end restaurants and Dollawee works in one of them. His usual job is Prep Cook, so if you need help, he's gonna be your guy. And feel free to use Haebom for grunt work if you need to... I already told the boys to be helpful and to honor their uncle's hospitality."
"OK, so what er YOU gonna do ta earn yer keep, Bud..." Brad asked, keeping up his hick-speak.
"Sit here and look pretty, of course," Tanawat answered.
"Yer overdressed fer `at shit," Brad laughed.
"You've a cheeky husband there, Nong Sean!"
"You ain't seen nuthin' yet," Sean laughed.
"Well, then... I guess I have something else to look forward to!" Tanawat replied.
"It's still early enough in the day so you guys can grab a nap when we get back. I asked our housekeeper to prepare the bedrooms and bathrooms for you. Each bedroom has its own bathroom with tub and shower. If you have any clothing that needs cleaning, we'll get it sent out to the cleaners and it'll be back right away. Now, do you think the boys will want separate rooms, or would they like to share a room?"
"That's funny," Tanawat said with a thinking look on his face. "I never thought to ask them. If I had to bet, I'd bet they'll share a room."
"That's fine. All the bedrooms are fitted with King-size beds, and there is plenty of closet space and bureau space in each room, too."
"The boys did ask me if you might know where they could get in a game of soccer, or two, while we're here..."
"That's easy. There's a sports complex a couple miles from my house and they've got soccer fields. There's always pick-up games."
"Excellent. They even brought their school soccer jerseys with them. And their soccer cleats, too."
"They're serious players, aren't they..."
"They are."
Brad guided the big Cadillac off Interstate 90 at the Racine Street exit for Janesville's near east side. The street was pretty in that area, a wide boulevard passing by the hills of Palmer Park on the one side and the manicured Blackhawk Golf Course on the other. At the top of the hill where the road made a bend, Sean pointed out Craig High School to Tanawat.
"That's our high school. A lot of memories in that building..."
"That's a big school," Tanawat said. "This looks like a nice town. I noticed we passed a golf course. Do you guys play?"
"Sean plays but he sucks," Brad said. "I play and I'm not too bad. You play?"
"I do. Learned to play when I lived in England for all those years."
"We'll get in a round or two at the Country Club while you're here then," Brad said. "We'll make an appointment with the pro and have you fitted for a set of clubs. He can do that in the time it would take us to have breakfast."
"You'll probably like the course, too," Sean said. "It's not the longest course in the world but it's an old course and it has that patina of age. They keep it up beautifully, too. We don't normally get a cart. We hire caddies and walk the course. Do the boys play?"
"No, just soccer and basketball for them."
"Isn't Boom a little short for basketball?" Brad asked.
"He is, but he's a decent player. Not the star of the team, but a good, solid player. And just like with everything else, he gives it his all. He's so short compared to the rest of them, and he's quick, so a lot of times he goes unnoticed until it's too late and he's either stolen the ball or scored. Dollawee, on the other hand, is a very good player. He's not always the team's most accurate shooter from the floor, but he knows how to draw fouls and he almost never misses a free throw. He delivers a dependable number of points in every game."
"He play center?" Sean asked.
"Nope. He plays forward. There's a kid in their class a couple inches taller than Dollawee believe it or not, and a little bit heavier. Dollawee could play center, but the team's better off with him where he is."
Brad turned north on Garfield Avenue, just a few blocks from the Alamo.
"Almost there," Brad said.
Sean woke the boys, which of course garnered a half-asleep protest from Haebom. Dollawee merely yawned and stretched.
Pulling into the Alamo driveway, Brad said, "We're home, gentlemen!"
They were greeted by J.R. and Kathleen's sons Patrick and Bradley. "Hey Uncle Sean, Uncle Brad! So, this is our Thailand family, hey?"
"Nothing gets by you two clowns!" Sean said. "Pat, Brad, this is my brother Tanawat, Tanawat's grandson Dollawee, and Dollawee's friend Haebom. Guys, these two assholes are my nephews Patrick and Bradley. They're J.R.'s sons..."
"Um, so, like what do we call you guys?" Patrick asked.
"Call me Uncle Pat," Tanawat said. "One of my names is also Patrick. I'm your Uncle Sean's half- brother. Dollawee is your cousin once removed. His father, Duean, is my son and your first cousin. Anyway, Dollawee's nickname is Fighter. Shorty over there is Haebom. His nickname is Boom. You guys are older than these two, so you can call them Nong Fighter and Nong Boom. They'll call you guys P'Patrick and P'Bradley.
"Who are you calling Shorty?!?" Haebom demanded, chin jutted out.
Dollawee swatted the back of Haebom's head. "We talked about this crap, and how to behave," Dollawee whispered sharply to Haebom out of the corner of his mouth in Thai.
"I know... I'm sorry..." Haebom whispered back, looking at the ground.
"You can be sorry later," Dollawee winked.
"I'll be as sorry as you want me to be," Haebom said while standing on his tip toes and sticking his tongue in Dollawee's ear, noting that no one seemed to be looking.
"Shia!" Dollawee exclaimed.
"Is something wrong?" Bradley asked.
"No, P'Bradley," Dollawee said. "Boom was just being, um, a douche..."
Haebom looked as if he was going to answer back but an arched eyebrow and a stare from Dollawee gave him pause for thought.
Tanawat had caught all the action between the two boys and smiled slyly. So had Bradley.
"You guys! We'll carry your luggage up if you want to follow us to your rooms!" Patrick said. "Uncle Sean, we checked the rooms and the bathrooms. Ethel did a perfect job. Everything is clean and fresh, and the bathrooms are fully stocked."
"Did you give her the tip money I left?"
"Yes, and she said to thank you for it."
"Anyway, welcome to The Alamo, gentlemen!" Sean said. "Let's go in, shall we? I've lived here since I was 17 years old... I hope you enjoy your stay."
"I'll help Nong Fighter and Nong Boom with their shit, you get Uncle Pat's luggage," Bradley said to Patrick.
Patrick shrugged.
Wizard greeted everyone at the door, meowing loudly a few times, disdainfully checking out the guests while swishing his tail, then returning to his perch in the living room window with a jaded humph.
On reaching the second floor, Bradley said to Dollawee and Haebom, "So, you guys will share a room? Or do you want your own rooms..."
"Share," Haebom said quickly enough as if it had been decided beforehand.
"That's what I thought," Bradley replied.
Haebom and Dollawee both blushed.
"Is it THAT obvious?" Dollawee asked, lowering his head and still beet red.
"It is when Shorty over there's sticking his tongue in your ear..."
"Stop calling me Shorty!" Haebom objected.
"Sorry, bud, it's just kinda cute... We're all gonna be good friends anyway... Wanna know what my friends call me?"
"What..." Haebom said.
"Booger."
"What's that?" both boys asked.
"It's what's on the end of your finger when you pick your nose..."
Haebom and Dollawee broke out laughing.
"Look, guys, it's not that I care if you fuck each other. I couldn't give two shits less how you get your rocks off. This is a big old house, and nobody hears anything, so go ahead and fuck your brains out. You guys need anything like lube and shit, you just let me know. I'll be back for dinner tomorrow night anyway. And here's a tip for ya: Uncle Sean and Uncle Brad have a secret room upstairs they think no one knows about. I discovered it a few years ago when they had me do some work for them. I never told anyone except for you. Maybe they'll let you use it..."
"What are you talking about?" Dollawee asked.
"Not sayin' any more than that," Bradley answered.
"Need lube," Haebom said matter-of-factly.
"OK, lube it is! Don't want you two going back to Thailand with chafed assholes... Blowjobs tonight then, guys!"
"That's crude!" Dollawee said.
"Innit?" Bradley laughed. "Look, I'm not only your cousin, I'm gonna be your friend. I already like you guys. Friends?"
"Friends," Haebom and Dollawee smiled as the three bumped fists.
"You'll like Uncle Sean and Uncle Brad. You'll see... They'll treat you like adults. If they ask you to join them for drinks in the bar trust me that's gonna be a treat. But you'll have to wear jock straps and nuthin' else.
"JOCK STRAPS?!?" Haebom and Dollawee exclaimed.
"Jock straps. Dunno why, but that's just the rule..."
"Um, OK, I guess..." Dollawee said.
"I don't care," Haebom added. "It's not like I've never seen other guys in jock straps before... Booger!"
Bradley laughed. "You're a regular little fireball there ain'tcha, Boom..."
Haebom stuck his tongue out and laughed.
"Maybe if you're nice to me I'll cornhole ya," Bradley joked in return.
"What means `cornhole?'" Haebom asked.
"Look it up," Bradley replied.
Dollawee just winked at Bradley.
"Hey guys," Sean called. "Get your asses down here. We got food!"
In the dining room, Dollawee and Haebom found seats. Patrick and Bradley stayed to eat as well. Tim and Brett were there, having taken delivery from the Orleans Room restaurant. It was a simple meal. Sean ordered a Greek Salad and an assortment of sub sandwiches which the restaurant didn't offer, but which Sean special ordered. There were Italian cold cut sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches, and because Sean knew a lot of shrimp was eaten in Thailand there were also shrimp Po' Boys, New Orleans-style. For dessert there was raspberry-rhubarb cobbler and vanilla ice cream that Sean had made a few days prior.
"Nice to see ya again, Tanawat," Tim said. "This is my husband, Brett Dowling. Brett, this is Sean's half-brother Tanawat Medathanon, his grandson Dollawee, and Dollawee's friend Haebom."
"Pleased to meet you," Brett nodded.
It did not escape Tim's eye or Sean's that Tanawat was slightly slack jawed at meeting Brett.
"Sean tells me that you were the Governor of Wisconsin," Tanawat said.
"I was. And I won't be doing that again!" Brett laughed.
Dollawee and Haebom looked at Brett with awe.
"You might be getting a night in `Bang Cock,' dear," Tim whispered to Brett.
"I just might at that," Brett said.
After the meal was done, people excused themselves in order to let the foreign guests recover from their jet lag.
Tanawat fell asleep almost instantly.
The two boys stripped off all of their clothing and crawled into the massive King Size bed, marveling at the thick, plush mattress, soft freshly scented sheets, the luxurious pillows, and eiderdown comforter.
"This house is like a palace, Khun Chai!" Haebom said. The elegance of The Alamo and its craftsmanship and understated good taste were not lost on the boy.
"It's beautiful," Dollawee said, his boner teasing Haebom's hole.
"I love you, Khun Chai," Haebom said.
"I love you, too..." Dollawee answered as they, too, fell fast asleep.
That night there was a light dinner of Kedgeree which Sean modified by using fresh fish instead of smoked fish and Thai red curry paste instead of the traditional Indian-style curry. Also on the menu were English-style cucumber sandwiches spiced up with watercress, asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, and for drinks there were freshly made pitchers of Arnold Palmers.
"To the bar then, shall we?" Brad asked.
"You ready?" Sean asked.
"I'm ready..." Brad answered.
Sean had seen to a minor remodel of the bar area prior to his family's visit. He had a 90-inch television installed at one end for sports events together with a more manageable and viewable 42-inch set behind the bar. The barstools were repaired and reconditioned, but their aged, homey leather seating surfaces were left intact. The sound system was changed as Sean had his dad's old JBL L300 Summit speakers completely redone and had a special-order McIntosh tube amplifier installed to power them. The pictures on the wall were left alone other than the addition of a photograph of Sean and Brad with King William on the patio at Glen Muick Lodge, and a photograph of the King of Thailand at his coronation, both photos having been redone in classic black-and-white and framed in old-style wood frames matching the rest of the room.
One in the bar Sean pointed to a large, beat-up cardboard box sitting on one of the tables.
"Gentlemen, I direct your attention to the cardboard box. Inside you will find every size, color, and brand of jock strap. Find a jock you like, strip off, and put on the jock. In this room it's jock straps only."
"We brought our own," Brett said.
"Good," Sean replied. "Let's let our guests make their selections. You can fold up your clothing and put it on the sofa."
Brad was already in his jock strap behind the bar mixing cocktails, and he had an assortment of imported-through-channels Thai sticks**** on a crystal plate for further enjoyment.
Tanawat looked a little amused seeing his hosts, Tim, and Brett sitting at the bar in jock straps.
"You didn't know about the jock straps?" Dollawee asked his grandfather.
"Of course I knew! Boys will be boys..." Tanawat laughed.
"We knew, too. P'Bradley told us... We knew all about it! We're fine with it. C'mon, grandpa! Get a move on! Pick a jock!"
"Pull up a barstool, guys!" Brad said. "I'm gonna try out a new drink on you guys tonight. I kinda guessed at a few things, so... Anyway, let me know what you think!"
Seated at the bar, Tanawat couldn't take his eyes off Brad. Which of course Brad noticed and mouthed "later" to Tanawat. Brad noted Tanawat's smooth body, long and lean, and for his age, well-toned. He also noted Tanawat was sporting a healthy basket under his jock.
"Here's the drinks, guys!" Brad said. "I tried to make this a Thai-style drink, but I don't know anything about Thailand so..."
Haebom took a sip through a straw. Brad made straws available as he'd read that Thais drink almost everything through straws.
"This is good, Uncah Brah!"
OK, so tell me what you like about it..."
"Sweet, cold, but I like the hot pepper slices."
"Sure. The hot pepper slices. Of course that's his favorite part of the drink. He's Korean." Dollawee teased.
Haebom fake pouted and stuck his jaw out.
"I bought the peppers special." Brad said. "And I partially pickled them and then after that I candied them. I think it kinda worked. I didn't like your guys' Mekhong Spirit much by itself, but I figured I could work with it so instead of going to a citrus flavor with it, I used cranberry and just a hint of balsamic vinegar, the peppers, and only just enough sugar. Then it's shaken. The garnishes are bruised Thai basil leaves and a sliver of mango wrapped in lime peel. I filled the drink with a standard carbonated sour mixer, but not a strong one. The top of the drink is just dusted with Thai green curry powder. Just barely. And it's not a weak drink as you can probably tell... We're not weaklings, are we?"
"Fuck no!" everyone said.
"Thai sticks, anyone?" Sean said, picking one up and lighting it with a Bernzomatic plumbing torch.
Haebom and Dollawee's eyes got huge.
"Never get stoned, guys?" Sean asked. "And don't bullshit me..."
"Well, um..." Dollawee said, trying to sit tall on his barstool.
Haebom fidgeted.
"So you have, then... That's fine. Partake if you like. If you don't, then that's fine, too..."
Tanawat nodded to the boys.
"We're so glad you're here, guys!" Sean said. "I lost my dad, but I gained a brother and a nephew. I'm just so glad you're here! I'm getting too sappy. I better have another drink. Bourbon this time, sweetheart..."
The boys and the men sat at the bar for hours. Friendships were made and stories exchanged as they all got to know each other. Even Haebom seemed to mellow out a little bit, explaining when asked that after he and Dollawee finished high school next year they'd already decided they were going to go on to college and study electrical engineering. He brought down the house when he said, "We Koreans, we famou' fo' dat shit!" even though he was hamming it up a bit because he knew he'd get his laugh line.
Sean noted as well that neither boy was shy about knocking back his drinks or having a bit of the Thai sticks. Both young men kept up with their elders and appeared none the worse for the wear. Neither were the boys shy about putting their arms around each other's shoulders or stealing a quick kiss when they thought no one was looking.
Presently, Sean winked at Brad, stretched, and said that he was going to bed. He bade the others to stay as late as they wanted to at the bar. His excuse was that he had to run out early in the morning for some fresh baked goods for breakfast which Brad knew was bullshit because Sean had already bought them. Tim and Brett made their exit at the same time pleading something about their son George and his fiancé coming for lunch tomorrow.
"Night, hun," Brad said, giving his husband a hug and a kiss.
"I'm gonna mix another round," Brad said.
"Uncle Brad?" Dollawee said.
"Yes, Nong Fighter?"
"Let me make a round of drinks. I know them all from the bar at the restaurant where I work..."
"Have at it, kiddo!" Brad smiled.
"I won't make it as sweet as we make it in Thailand. Thais like sweet to be really sweet and I'm not sure Americans would like that. I've had American Coke and it's way less sweet than our Thai cola is..."
Dollawee served up a light drink the base of which was golden rum. It contained Angostura Bitters, lime juice, orange peel, triple sec, and carbonated water. He served it in martini glasses each drink garnished with a bruised mint leaf and a cube of pineapple on a toothpick.
Brad was delighted. "What do you call this?" he asked.
"At the restaurant we just call it a rum martini... My dad, he's the owner, he doesn't like weird drinks or weird drink names. We make the classic drinks."
"Very good!" Brad said. "Most of my drinks are classics or variations of them. Some of them I don't even give them names... Anyway, what's the deal with you two young guys? You boyfriends, or what..."
Dollawee blanched at having to answer in front of his grandfather. Haebom did not.
"Uncah Brad," Haebom said, smiling, and continuing in his best, albeit deliberately paced, English. "We know each other since we three years old. Fighter is the most important person to me in my life. So, I guess we're whatever you think we are."
Tanawat was unfazed by Haebom's answer.
"You remind me of your Uncle Sean and Andy when we were your age..." Brad said.
"Who is Andy?" Haebom asked.
Brad had to think on his feet just how far he would go with an answer. He knew these boys were anything but stupid, and they were sophisticated enough to know if he was bullshitting them.
"Guys, Andy was Sean's first husband. He was Sean's sons' other dad. I'm not their dad. I'm just the second husband. You see, Andy died when he and Sean were 30 years old, and it broke Sean's heart. For a lot of years. I knew them both in high school. I wish you guys could have known Andy. There's a reason he was your uncle's husband. Andy was cute, kind, honest, and loyal to his family. He loved your Uncle Sean so very much. Andy helped me when I needed it. He helped me see that I could stand up for myself, he showed me how to be a better person, and that I didn't have to just accept what other people were willing to give me. He made me believe in myself. So, anyway, that's who Andy was... No one who knew him will ever forget him." Brad choked on the last sentence.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Brad," Haebom said, this time properly pronouncing the word `uncle.'
"We didn't know," Dollawee said.
Tanawat nodded.
"Uncle Brad?" Dollawee said.
"What..."
I think Boom and I are gonna go to bed now if that's OK..."
"Sure thing, guys. Follow me."
The boys shrugged and followed Brad into the Library. Opening a hidden drawer in an old desk Brad withdrew a skeleton key.
"When you get upstairs, go all the way down and open the door at the end of the hallway. You'll see a set of stairs going up that appear to go nowhere. Use this key to open the door at the top of the stairs. When you're done, lock the door when you leave. Got it?"
"Um... OK..." Dollawee said. "I guess we find out what it is when we get there..."
"Yes. Yes, you will. Enjoy."
"You're a kind host, Brad," Tanawat said as Brad returned to the library. "I think it's hard for those two to find safe places to have sex, and I'm pretty sure they've had sex with each other since the time they hit puberty. Neither one of them has ever dated a girl, or even mentioned a girl to me."
"How'd you know that's what it was about?" Brad asked. "I can tell they're a long-time couple. And as rambunctious as Boom is, he listens to Fighter."
"Just a lucky guess on my part," Tanawat said. "Yes, Haebom does listen to Dollawee. Another drink?" Tanawat said.
"Sure, and after that how about we get it on. You been looking me up and down all night. Besides, you're hot. Top, or bottom?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Good because earlier tonight Sean told me I should rail you good," Brad said while he poured Tanawat a drink and rubbed his now hard dick through his revealing jock strap.
Tanawat then removed his jock strap and set it on the bar. Brad noted that he had a massive, uncut cock. Tanawat sipped his drink, slowly stroking his boner a few times.
"I just noticed," Tanawat said, "is that a photo of you, Sean, and King William over there?"
"It is. The King visited us one summer when his grandson, Prince Philip, came to stay for a while to visit our grandson, Tommy, and his boyfriend. They met before that in England at Windsor Castle when Sean's son, T.J., got a knighthood from the King. And over there next to that is a photo of your King at his coronation. We put that up hoping that it would help to make you guys feel welcome and at home."
"So, what's King William like?"
"Well, he's very tall, but everyone knows that... He's down to earth. When you meet him, you have no doubt that you've met a person of substance, but at the same time he's undemanding. Not at all hard to talk to. He actually sat across the dinner table from Wizard and thought it was funny. Said he'd never had dinner with a cat. I told him Wizard never ate with a King. His grandson, Prince Philip, is a nice boy. Mouth on him like a sailor, though, so more down to earth than his grandfather but he's still got that effortless touch of class. Neither one of them were the least bit stuffy. What's your King like? I heard you worked for him..."
"I did work for him. I've known him since he was a boy. He's a serious man, but he can cut loose when he wants to. Unusually for a Thai, he enjoys American Football, and when he watches he insists on having ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon. He has simple tastes. He was a good man to work for. He calls me `Uncle.' He's exceeded the hopes of those of us who had some hand in his formative years. Anyway, are we gonna fuck?"
"Let's go!" Brad said, whipping his jock off revealing a fully erect penis. "Follow me..."
Brad led Tanawat through the garage and out to the patio. In the garage, Brad grabbed a blanket, some towels, poppers, and lube.
"You're prepared," Tanawat laughed.
"Of course I'm prepared! Sean showed me some photos of you when he got back from Thailand, and I was like `He's feckin' hot!' So... I asked Sean if we got along if he'd mind if you and I had a roll in the hay. He told me to do whatever I felt like..."
"I like my brother..."
"So do I," Brad said, grabbing Tanawat's hard cock. "You look good enough to eat!"
"So, eat me..."
"You clean?"
"I cleaned it..."
"So, I guess you prepared, too..."
"Well, Sean showed me a few photos of you when he was in Bangkok, and it made me want you."
Brad got on his knees and sucked Tanawat's cock. He grabbed Tanawat's buttocks, teasing his hole lightly with his index finger.
"Shit, Brad!" Tanawat gasped. He then bent over picking Brad up by the armpits. He kissed Brad furiously, wrapping his hand around Brad's throbbing cock. Brad continued to tease Tanawat's hole causing Tanawat to squeeze his ass cheeks together, his hole to puckering.
Brad withdrew his hand, licked his index finger and thrust it fully into Tanawat's ass finding his prostate. He got down on his knees again continuing to massage Tanawat's prostate which was yielding an impressive flow of precum. Brad lapped up every drop, swirling his tongue around the engorged cockhead. Tanawat's knees were shaking. Brad decided the time was now.
He stood up and guided Tanawat to an area under the patio's pergola. He undid a rope from its stay and lowered down a sling. "Get in!" Brad said. "I brought lube but now I don't see it, so spit and your precum will have to do the job..."
"Just shove it in!" Tanawat panted. "Fuck me!"
Brad spat on his hard cock and scooped up Tanawat's prostate juice, lubricating his hole with it. Brad took aim and impaled Tanawat with a single stroke.
Tanawat gasped.
"You said `shove it in,' dude..."
Tanawat shifted his hips to give Brad a straight shot for his dick to ravage his asshole. Brad took advantage of it, fucking Tanawat as if he were a rag doll, with Tanawat forcefully and raggedly pushing back to meet Brad's thrusts. Tanawat could feel Brad's erection throbbing inside him which made him even hotter. He felt the rising of an orgasm within his loins but willed himself not to cum until Brad was ready. He grabbed Brad's shoulders and pulled him into an electric kiss.
Brad bucked, his body stiffening. He furiously kissed Tanawat back. Brad could see Tanawat's abdomen rhythmically contracting and knew he was nearing orgasm.
Brad pulled out.
"Make me cum, Brad!" Tanawat rasped.
"Not yet. You'll cum when I let you." Brad got on his knees and ate Tanawat's quivering hole.
"FUUUUUUUUUCK!" Tanawat gasped. He began furiously masturbating but Brad batted his hand away.
"Not until I say so!" Brad growled.
"Fuck you!" Tanawat replied as Brad again batted his hand away when he attempted to masturbate his penis.
"Not yet..." Brad whispered.
Brad then spit on two fingers and rammed them into Tanawat's ass. He used both of them to massage Tanawat's prostate.
"Oh God! Oh God" Tanawat begged as his legs spasmed in the sling.
Brad stood back up and rammed his hard cock into Tanawat's ass, fucking him for all he was worth. Tanawat hissed and writhed under Brad's thrusts.
Brad withdrew again.
"Stand up and cum on my face!" Brad demanded.
Tanawat bolted out of the sling, jerking his dick like there was no tomorrow. He squatted low on his knees, his shoulders back, his belly contracting. He pounded his dick until he unleashed a torrent of creamy white sperm splattering Brad's cheeks, mouth, hair and chest. He gasped, went wobbly on his legs while eating his own sperm that caught on his fingers, and collapsed into Brad's arms as Brad unleashed his load between their bodies.
Brad snickered. "Had enough, didja?"
Tanawat recovered his breathing. "You're an exquisite lover, Brad."
"Trick."
"As you wish. So, tell me of my brother and Andy... And could I have another drink?"
Brad obliged with the drink, and he did tell Tanawat of Sean and Andy, at least as he had known them since they moved to Janesville.
"So, you see, they were soulmates," Brad said after going through the whole story.
"When Andy died, half of Sean's life died, too, never mind that they'd drifted apart somewhat. That didn't matter. They were as much part of each other as the sun and the moon. As for me? Like I said at the bar, I'm not the soulmate. I'm the second husband. My job is to love Sean and to be his companion. And I do love him. And we're good companions for each other. But soulmate? I'm afraid I could never compare. It would be pointless for me to try to get into that space in Sean's heart. I told him as much before we were married.
"You didn't know me before. Sean outclasses me in every way. I was born poor, white trash. He was born to what was then an upper middle-class family. I came from a family where no one had any ambition. Enough self-confidence to get through another day in a dead-end job, maybe buy a few beers after work, and go home to your shitty meal was all you needed. And you never even thought to reach any higher. What for? Because a shit job was what you got. And a shit education was enough. And you lived in a shit house in a shit neighborhood. The hell of it was, I didn't know any better. If other people brought it up, I thought they had three heads. To me they were just nosey. And stuck up. I was happy enough to be left alone.
"My mom and dad died in a car crash when I was 18. I was still in high school. What the hell would I want with nosey people...
"I met Sean in school when a couple o' thugs were after me for money which they had been for a while. I paid `em from money I earned at my shit job, but I didn't have any that day and they were gonna beat me up. Sean appeared out of nowhere and rescued me. I didn't know if I should be more afraid of the two goons, or of Sean. But whatever was gonna happen I'd just take it... I was THAT pathetic back then..."
"I'm so sorry, Brad..." Tanawat said.
"Nah, it's fine," Brad answered. "At first, I thought all those guys were weird. Especially Sean. He was cockier than fuck. Or at least I thought he was... Mister Fucking Quarterback `n' all that shit. And then there was Tim. All business. And I wasn't used to that. Brett was friendly enough, and I liked him. But Andy was the one who really took me under his wing. He showed me I could be better. But I have to say, if you want to know the truth, even though Andy was the one who showed me that I could be better, in the end it was Sean who made me be better... He was the one who really pushed me. Anyway, that's Andy and Sean... They were the lucky ones while it lasted... And that's why Andy's death crippled Sean for so long."
Tanawat sat speechless for a moment.
"I think my brother loves deeply."
"He does. And it really took a lot for him to marry me. It took a lot for me to marry him, too. I thought by that point Sean was ready to move on, and he as much as asked me to be his husband, but he had fallen so far. I didn't know if I should do it. I didn't know if I could make a success of it. If we failed it would have been very bad for both of us. But I did it. It was Sean's boys who made me do it. They were right when I wasn't sure..."
"I'm thankful for fate finally bringing my brother and I together. I know now that he didn't know of my existence until our dad died. I did know of his. I followed him in the local newspaper for years. I never reached out, though. I was hesitant. Besides, life happens, and the end result was that I didn't do what I probably should have done. I came close a couple of times but then I chickened out. I'd also liked to have known my father."
"Your father was a good man. Anyway, we better get to bed. Sean will be up early to make breakfast. He's always up at the crack of dawn."
"Yes. You tired me out, Brad!"
"Good. You needed it."
"Still cheeky."
"Always. I'll walk you up to your room."
Sean was up at 5:30 the next morning. Instead of his usual silk Japanese dragon robe he donned gym shorts and a t-shirt. Making his way to the kitchen he flipped the coffee pot on and went out on the patio to have a smoke.
Once back in the kitchen, Sean poured himself a mug of coffee and set to work fetching the mixing bowls and pans he would need for breakfast. Originally, Sean thought about making eggs benedict but after having observed Boom's appetite he didn't think it would be wise to produce that many servings of a dish containing somewhat fussy soft-poached eggs and equally fussy Hollandaise sauce. Instead, Sean would serve creamy scrambled eggs with cheese on toasted English muffins and sausage patties from some bulk breakfast sausage he made himself a couple days beforehand. Along with that there would be sliced cantaloupe and plenty of his favorite breakfast coffee made from Dunkin Donuts beans. Again, judging by Boom's appetite and that he would have four other people to feed including himself, Sean would scramble two dozen eggs, toast one dozen muffins, and fry up two pounds of sausage.
Just then, Sean heard the padding of feet coming toward the kitchen. He looked up to see Dollawee.
"Good morning, Dollawee!" Sean said. "Coffee?"
"Yes, please," Dollawee answered. "You can call me Fighter, Uncle Sean."
"OK. So, you wanna help me with breakfast? P'Pat says you work in a restaurant kitchen..."
"Just tell me what to do and where everything is. This is an awesome kitchen! Anyway, I have something to talk to you."*****
"Go ahead..."
"Do you like Boom, or no?" Dollawee looked at Sean quite earnestly.
"I think he's very amusing, and yes, I like him. Why do you ask?"
"Well, he's very important to me..."
"I could tell."
"Are we that obvious?"
"To me you are, but that's only because I'm a lot older than you. So, you two are a couple then..."
"I love him more than anything."
"Your grandfather says you guys have known each other since you were small."
"We have, yeah, but there's something I think you don't know. When I was twelve years old, I came down with rheumatic fever. No one knows how I got it. The disease isn't common in Thailand and almost unknown in Bangkok. Anyway, my parents and I thought it was just a cold at first, or maybe the flu. But when I didn't get better and my joints swelled up, they took me to see a doctor who put me in the hospital right away.
"I was in the hospital for more than a week. Boom stayed with me the whole time. He never left my side except to go to school. At night he slept with me in the hospital bed. The nurses told him he couldn't do that, but he told them all to go to hell. His dad is a surgeon at the hospital, so they let it go...
"After they sent me home, I was so weak I didn't go back to school for a month. Boom came to my house every day after school to bring me my homework and he always stayed until we finished every bit of it. Then he took it to school with him every morning and turned it in so I wouldn't fall behind. He's really smart, you know, and he taught me everything, probably better than the teachers would have."
"He's a good friend," Sean said."
"Well, there's more..."
"Go on, I'm listening..."
"I was told there might be some heart damage, but they wouldn't know right away. And some muscle damage, too. They said I could never play soccer again or do taekwondo again... I cried my eyes out. Even at that age, Boom and I were soccer players. We were really good for our age, too. And we went to taekwondo together twice a week. We still do."
Dollawee wiped away a tear. Sean tousled his hair.
"C'mon, Fighter, let's cook breakfast. Here's a fork. Turn the oven on 250º, split the muffins and put them in the oven once it's heated up, center rack no pan. Time them for ten minutes, and then turn them over for another five minutes. Then I'll have you make the eggs, how's that?"
"Excellent! I love this kitchen!"
"You can finish telling me your story while you cook, you know..."
"OK... Anyway, when I told Boom I might not be able to do soccer or taekwondo anymore he said we would always do those things together because we were meant to. He came up with an exercise program for me and we did it together, every day. He never missed a day, and so neither did I. I was really weak at first, but I got stronger and after about six months I felt normal again. My muscles came back, and my stamina. The doctors said there was nothing they could tell that was wrong with my heart. They said I was lucky, but I still have to go for heart checkups...
"So now you see why I love him. Anyone else wouldn't have done that. Wouldn't have helped me or stuck with me. Not like that, anyway..."
"He's a good guy, Fighter."
"When we got a little older, maybe around 14, Boom confessed his love to me. Up until that point I never really thought about anything like that. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking Boom isn't tall like me, he isn't handsome like me, and that he's a hothead... But when the doctors told me I'd have to live the life of a shut-in he said no. And he was right. So, I accepted his love. Of course I did. I realized that I loved him, too. I love him more than anything."
"I think you made the right choice."
"We told our parents right away. They all said that they always knew we would end up together. And Boom's brothers call me Nong Fighter. We told all of our friends at school, too. They didn't care... Well, maybe a couple of them did but when they saw no one else cared they came around. I really, really do love him, Uncle Sean... Maybe you think I could do better, but Boom is the best for me."
"That's all that matters," Sean said. "You two are still very young, but it seems like you know your own hearts. Always go with your heart. And if you ever need to, you can always talk to me. That goes for Boom, too."
Dollawee looked up with his eyes full.
"I love you, Uncle Sean."
"Come here, you!" Sean said with his arms open. He scooped Dollawee into a hug. "You're a good kid."
"You're the only uncle I have..."
Dollawee let go of Sean and smiled wide at his great uncle. "Thank you for listening to me," Dollawee said with a bow.
"I'll always listen, son. Anyway, let's get cracking on this breakfast. You know how to do scrambled eggs?"
"Yup, and I see what you have out to put in them. They'll be perfect, don't worry. You want them creamy, or in curds?"
"Creamy."
"OK. So, what are we gonna do today?"
"I'm taking you guys to my car museum. Then we're gonna meet Tommy and Aaron for lunch. They have a special trip for you for tomorrow."
"Really? Cool! Where are we going to go with them?"
"I'll let them tell you about that."
"I liked them. I guess Tommy is sort of my cousin..."
"Yes he is. And Aaron is his boyfriend. And they're not that much older than you are, so, you see..."
Just then Sean was cut off by the `Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!' of authoritative steps coming down the hall toward the kitchen.
Into the kitchen rolled a disheveled Haebom, his hair a mess and rubbing his eyes.
"Hi Uncle Sean..." Haebom yawned.
"Well, if it isn't the young Master himself!" Sean smiled.
"Fighter is the Kuhn Chai... Coffee? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah..."
"Coffee and mugs are over there," Sean pointed as he grabbed a box of pop tarts out of the cupboard, handed them to Haebom, and said "You know how to use a toaster, right? Fighter's gonna help me cook breakfast but you look hungry NOW!"
"Thank you!" Haebom jumped up and down. "Where is the toaster?"
"It's that big chrome thing over there. Set it for 2 minutes!" Sean said, pointing to a four-slot Dualit classic toaster. "Here's some butter! And a plate!"
Haebom somehow managed to fit all six Pop Tarts into the four-slot toaster, and when they were done, he inhaled them just as fast as he had done with the fried chicken on the way from Chicago.
"Jesus Christ!" Sean exclaimed.
"What?!?" Haebom said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Fighter, you got those eggs and muffins under control?" Sean asked.
"Yes, Uncle Sean. I have one of the ovens set to hold them warm if we need to."
"Excellent! Boom, come with me. I need you to help me bring some stuff from the garage."
"OK, Uncle Sean..." Haebom said as he dutifully followed Sean toward the garage. Sean noticed this time Haebom wasn't stomping.
In the garage, Sean took containers of frozen orange juice and frozen grape juice from the deep freeze. He put them in a plastic bag and handed them to Haebom.
"That's it," Sean said.
Haebom looked somewhat perplexed. "You didn't need me for this..." he said expectantly.
"No, I didn't need your help for this. But I wanted to talk to you alone. Is that OK?"
"Yes."
"Boom, Fighter told me the whole story about your relationship. I trust you with my nephew even though I don't think I have any right to judge you guys. He told me what you did for him when he was really sick. He told me that you stuck by him. That you believed in him. And you helped him to be what he should be. Is that right?"
"Y... Y'yess..." Haebom stammered, looking petrified.
"There was no need for you to be apprehensive in your answer. I admire you, Boom. You're this huge bunch of energy and willpower. You don't take crap from anyone. And my nephew loves you. He told me so. And he told me why. He loves you probably more than you know. I want you to feel that you're part of my family, too."
"I am?"
"Yup. Promise me one thing, will you..."
"Um, OK..."
"Take good care of Fighter."
"I always take care of Kuhn Chai. I love him. He knows. Do you know why I call him Kuhn Chai?"
"I'm afraid I have no idea..."
"When Fighter got sick his real dad came from Chiang Mai. I didn't know he was adopted. I don't think he knew. So, they say he can go to Chiang Mai with them if he want. He didn't want. He accepts his real dad, but his mom and dad who he live with raise him from baby. He told me he would never turn his back on them. They're kind people. When I found out Fighter is a Na Chianagmai, that's when I call him Kuhn Chai. Just to tease. I would have died if he moved to Chiang Mai. That mean I lose him forever... He's really not a Kuhn Chai... It's just a tease."
"So, you promise you'll take good care of him?"
"I promise!"
Sean stuck his pinkie out, demanding of Haebom a pinkie promise.
Haebom pinkie promised back, looking up at Sean quite seriously. "I promise, Uncle Sean."
Sean pulled Haebom into a hug. "You're a fine young man, Boom."
"Can you be my real Uncle?"
"If you want me to be."
"I want."
"Then I will need to meet your parents and have them say so. I would like to meet your brothers, too."
"OK. You meet my family. You fly back with us. Uncle Brad, too. Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah..."
"Deal."
"For real? Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah..."
"For real. And Uncle Brad, too. But first you gotta call your parents and make sure it's OK if I visit. Brad and I can't just show up you know..."
"OK, I call." Haebom said, still serious.
"Well, you better grab the stuff so it looks legit and we better get back inside. I bet Brad and P'Pat are already waiting to eat."
"OK, Uncle Sean. You're smart!"
"I'm just older..." Sean said, ruffling Haebom's hair, bringing with it the expected protest. "You got moxie, kid."
"What means `moxie?'"
"It means balls. Stones. Cajones. Sack. Testicular fortitude..." Sean said with a smirk, grabbing his crotch to demonstrate.
Haebom burst out laughing. "Hungry!"
"Of course you are..." Sean eyerolled.
Sean predicted correctly. In the kitchen when they returned were Dollawee, still cooking, and Tanawat and Brad.
"I could eat a horse!" Brad said.
Dollawee and Haebom looked at him, shocked.
"Not a real horse, it's just a saying. Jeez..." Brad laughed.
"The food is almost ready, Uncle Sean," Dollawee said.
"OK, then have Boom help you bring it into the dining room. Me and Brad'll get the plates and stuff. P'Pat, you supervise!"
In the butler's pantry, Brad and Sean gathered plates, silverware, and mugs.
"Get to know my brother a little bit last night, didja?" Sean smiled.
"He's a sweetheart, Sean. And yes, we `got to know' each other..."
"Was it hot?"
"Sean, it was totally fucking hot... Why don't you have a roll in the hay with him?"
"He's my brother..."
"Half-brother."
"That's still..."
"Still what?!? I mean, there's Joey and Lennie..."
"Maybe you got me there, but you know I never really stuck my nose into that..."
"Well, he really cares about you. He's a real brother."
"I care about him, too. And those two boys."
"Well, let's let them look through the car museum and then Tommy and Aaron can work their magic... And then maybe I'll arrange to have drinks at the Club with Tim and Brett, just me and them, and then, you can, you know..."
"You're evil."
"No. I'm your husband."
"Woll..."
"Just do whatcha need to do..."
"OK," Sean shrugged. "I know when to give in, Bradley..."
"I knew you'd see it my way," Brad said as he kissed Sean on the cheek.
"You really do love me, don't you..." Sean said, misty-eyed.
"I do. And I always will," Brad smiled, kissing Sean on the cheek again.
"Sorry for being a sap..." Sean said with a half-smirk.
"You're only a sap when you know I'm right. It'll be fine. You need a night to yourself to start to really get to know your brother. Because you two don't really know each other yet, and you both need to. And you deserve to. So, a few hours without me is what the doctor ordered."
Dollawee and Haebom drooled when they toured Sean's car museum. Neither boy had ever seen anything like the cars Sean had on display in photographs never mind in person.
Their favorite car was the 1963 Corvette Split-Window Coupe.
Sean had the Corvette readied once both boys demonstrated to him that they were proficient driving a stick shift. The boys would take the Corvette to the soccer fields once they stopped back at the Alamo to change into their playing gear. They'd brought their Assumption College Red Eagles uniforms and cleats with them. Dollawee's jersey number was 9 indicating Center Forward, while Haebom carried number 7 for a Midfielder.
The two boys cut fine figures with their red and white jerseys, white shorts, and calf-length white socks. Sean noted both wore Adidas Predator Freak+ cleats. Dollawee, long and lean with a runner's build and Haebom, compact and well-muscled. Sean thought that while Haebom lacked Dollawee's beauty, dressed as he was for athletics, he was not unattractive. He could see a lot of what Dollawee saw in him, especially given Haebom's obvious intelligence and steadfastness.
Haebom went to the driver's side of the car, motioning Dollawee to get in the passenger seat. "I drive!" Haebom said. The ever-cheerful Dollawee shrugged and got in the passenger's side without complaint.
Four hours later Sean began to wonder why Dollawee and Haebom had not returned to the Alamo. He asked Tanawat to call them. There was no answer. "They must still be playing," he told Sean.
Once Tanawat put down his phone he said, "Nong Sean, I told Brad a little bit about this last night, and I promised you that I would tell you, but do you want to know how I knew that I had a half-brother before I met you?"
"I do. I mean, I didn't know anything... So how did you know about me? And what did you know?"
"Well, you know that when I was twelve my mom gave me dad's dog tag. At the time I didn't think anything of it but when I was about fifteen or so I thought I'd try to google the name on the dog tag and see what I found... To see if I could find my father...
"I'm really sorry about that, P'Pat," Sean said. "I didn't know! If I did, I'd have called you flat out!"
"I know, Nong. So, I got a lot of hits in the US for Joseph Wyman. I narrowed down the age to what I thought was about right. By the dog tag I knew dad was in the military, so I had that to go on, too. It took me a while, but I got a hit on dad when he worked for the S.C. Johnson company. It was a bio of sorts and it mentioned that he'd been a Marine so I thought it had to be right. Or I hoped...
"Anyway, I was a 15-year-old and curious, so I started a notebook where I'd write down whatever I found. I looked up the address where he lived. Whatever else I could find. I even got a few photos of him. I didn't know about you yet, but I knew dad was married, so I prayed that someday I might have a brother."
"Well, you do..."
"I followed all the time, but there wasn't a lot, I mean not about dad. So, I didn't look as much after a while. Until when you would have been in high school."
"ME?!?" Sean exclaimed.
"I followed your newspaper. The first time I saw your name was when you had to take over the team when your senior was injured. I remember reading that. And it's in a scrapbook somewhere in my house...
"I guess I should say that I noticed the name. Wyman. But I wasn't sure of anything until a few days later when I established that dad was also your dad. I can tell you, that when I saw your football pictures in the newspaper, I thought you might not be my brother. We don't look anything alike.
"I thought you might not be my brother and that I might have spent a lot of time on nothing...
"But by then I was an employee of the Royal Household, and I asked a favor which was granted..."
"What was that?" Sean asked.
"I asked the intelligence service to find out whether or not you were dad's son. That's all. I asked nothing else. It took them two days to get back to me that you were. I broke down and cried. My prayers of all my life had been answered. I had a brother!"
"Why didn't you try to make contact with us?"
"That's a long story. My mother, who is still alive by the way and who you will meet when we go back to Thailand, when she heard of my discovery she sat me down and told me the story. The story of how when she was pregnant with me my grandfather threatened his life if he ever made contact with the family. And at that time my grandfather was still alive. She told me I could do whatever I wanted to do with the information I had, but that it might bring dad into danger and you, too. She said that she knew well enough of my grandfather's dealings to know that he meant what he said."
"Wow..."
"Yes, so you see why I decided not to contact you."
"Yeah, I guess..."
"But I did follow you. I knew that you won your championship the next year. And that you'd moved. I remember looking at the newspaper photos of my handsome brother. I cried again, and I prayed that someday we would meet.
"I never did see anything about your mom, though..."
"She died when I was thirteen."
"I'm so sorry, Nong Sean. Tell me about her..."
"Her name was Valerie. Everyone called her Val. I look like her side of the family. So that's probably why we don't look anything alike... Anyway, my mom was a kind person. She always helped me to do my best. She was pretty, and smart even though she never went to college. Neither did I for that matter... Dad was always all business and could make a deal with anyone, but mom was the more social. She put everyone at ease. She'd arrange parties that were perfect. Like I said, she put everyone at their ease and then dad would make deals. I saw them operate together like that more times than I can remember.
"When I was old enough, mom would take me around and introduce me to the guests. She'd make sure I was dressed nice, and then she'd tell me just to shake hands and be myself. I actually didn't mind. I mean, I'm not shy and later she'd always tell me everyone said what a nice boy I was, and she'd tell me that I had a way with people.
"My mom had a lot of confidence and I guess it rubbed off on me. She just had that way about her."
"What happened? I mean, how did she die?" Tanawat asked.
"Cancer. It came and moved quick. It seems like one day I found out she was sick, and the next day in the hospital room she was saying goodbye to me..." Sean said, wiping an eye.
"I'm so sorry, Nong Sean... I would have liked to have known her. She lives on in you, though. You know that, right?"
"I've thought about that. I'm not as outgoing as she was. I mean, like I said, I'm not shy but I usually like to take things in a little bit, I dunno... I like to size people up. My dad did that, too. I guess I like to create an atmosphere, though, like my mom did. When we have people over, the last thing I want them to be thinking is that they're in someone else's home. They'd feel uptight."
"We don't feel uptight in your home. You've made us feel like family."
"You ARE family!" Sean smirked.
"We do share the smirk," Tanawat said. "By the way, I also knew about Andy. I'm so sorry, Nong Sean."
"I loved him so," Sean said, a tear running down his cheek. "He was everything to me. "No one else can ever..." and then Sean went silent, staring at the floor.
Taking a deep breath Sean continued. "It's been a long time ago now. I hurt myself and everyone around me for so many years after that... I thank God for Brad. He saved me, you know..."
"Brad loves you. He told me so."
"So, anyway, if you knew all that, why didn't you try to make contact?"
"Well, I guess it was a matter of `Life Happens.' You see, when I came back to Thailand from England my grandfather put me to work in the Royal Household. He hated my guts, but he used me to be close to the King. Not the King we have now, but the insane one, the present King's grandfather. Then after my grandfather died the family coerced me into getting married and having a son. The family that didn't want me. I don't regret having Duean for a moment. He was a good boy and I'm proud of him. Anyway, a little while after that once the insane King died, I was given the job of supervising the Crown Prince's education. It was a full-time thing. The Princess Regent was a hard taskmaster. But she was fair and I was well taken care of, but I was also let to know that a lot was expected of me. So, I guess I didn't have much time for it.
"Oh, I still collected things and put them in my scrapbooks, but I just kept putting off our inevitable meeting. And then there was the apprehension. By that time I knew that you were a rich and powerful man. What if I showed up one day out of the blue and you thought I was some kind of a con artist? Plus, I couldn't be sure of dad's safety even while my grandfather's brother was the head of the family. I thought that maybe one of my grandfather's goons might try to kill dad, or something. Or maybe hurt you. So, I guess for all those reasons it just didn't happen. In hindsight, I should have but I didn't..."
"Well, P'Pat fate finally brought us together."
"I never heard from dad, either. At least not directly. When I was 15 years old my mom told me that there was a bank account in my name that I didn't know about. It was at a bank in the United States. A small private bank in Milwaukee. She told me that at the time $75,000 had been deposited into that account because every year on my birthday an anonymous person deposited $5,000. So there was that plus interest and it came to over $200,000. That was a lot of money back then, especially in Thailand.
No one ever told me who did that, but it had to be dad. It couldn't have been anyone else. I still have that account."
"Wow!" Sean said. He never told me about that. He never told me about you. I wish he had. Why didn't he..."
"He was protecting you."
"I wonder if my mom knew..."
"That's something I guess we'll never know..."
Just then Sean's phone rang. Sean looked to see who the caller was. It was Wendell Washington, the Chief of Police.
"I better take this. It's the Chief of Police. That's Aaron's dad..."
"Chief!" Sean said into the phone. "Don't tell me my grandson got himself in trouble now!"
"No, of course not. Tommy and Aaron are doing whatever it is that they do as far as I know. But I do have two kids down here. Asian kids. One of them speaks pretty good English and says you're his uncle. I know that sounds preposterous, but..."
"Is his name Dollawee? Goes by Fighter? The other kid is Haebom? Boom?"
"That's them, alright. So they're legit?"
"Well, yeah, but... I mean, like what are they doing at the cop shop? They didn't get in an accident with my Corvette you're not gonna tell me..."
"No, the car's fine. But it seems they got into a little fight."
"Are they alright?"
"They're fine. They're not hurt but the other guys are..."
END CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
- "Nah" is Thai for "please."
** "Shia!" is a common Thai exclamation. It can mean anything from "Wow!" to "Shit!" to "Jesus Christ!"
*** The brothers' names are pronounced as follows: Haneul "hah-NOOL." Taesung "tay- SOONG." Haebom "hay-BOOM." Dollawee's name is pronounced "DOH-luh-wee." It is pronounced quickly.
**** Thai stick: https://weedmaps.com/learn/cannabis-and-its-evolution/thai-stick
***** "I have something to talk to you" is a translation of Thai into English. The preposition "about" would not be used.