ITALIAN BROTHERS 2 TANO & MASO by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2005 written September 2nd, 1993 translated by the author English text kindly revised by Matt & Dave
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"ITALIAN BROTHERS 2 - TANO & MASO" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
CHAPTER 11 . The guardian angel
They of course decided to set up a common home, but a new one, larger, really theirs. They made themselves pass for cousins who met again after several years. Even if somebody could suspect the real nature of their relationship, nobody showed it. Rome, the centre of Christendom and the seat of the Holy Inquisition, was an open-minded and tolerant city. However not a few Monsignori and Prelates had lovers, women or men according their tastes.
Both of them continued their work, that they loved, but Gaetano, of course, stopped "courting" his clients: he was no longer interested in any of them, now.
Five years after they reunited, Tommaso became head-librarian, with a remarkable increase of his salary and of his prestige, and Gaetano doubled his shop, buying the nearby shop: he had now eight workers and his business was flourishing.
Just that year, Garibaldi's soldiers tried to penetrate in the Holy See land, but after a bloody battle near Villa Glori, they were repelled. Garibaldi hoped that the population would rebel against the pope and give them support as it happened in the Two Sicilies Kingdom in the south, but nobody helped them - people didn't have a bad life under the rule of the Pope-King, as he was called, and didn't need to have a different king.
Gaetano, hearing of the battle, recalled Enrico - who knows if he also participated to that unlucky battle? In reality Enrico took part at that battle, together with his lover and happily both had, adventurously, saved their lives.
Three years later the King of Italy invaded the Pope's territories and conquered Rome without meeting any resistance and practically without striking a blow. The Pope shut himself into the Vatican and declared himself prisoner of the King of Italy, excommunicating him. The following year the King of Italy moved his capital from Florence to Rome and went to live there with all his court.
To Gaetano this was a new boost to his business that, recently, because of all the turmoil, did somewhat slack. He started to tailor the new uniforms, for the ministerial redingote and so on, according to the "Piedmontese" fashion. And at last Gaetano decided to have a new sign on his shop. Written in an elegant English Script in gold and red on a blue field, reading: "Gaetano Lugato - Master Tailor":
The moving of the King of Italy to Rome, and the fact that now also Gaetano and Tommaso were now Italian citizens, gave them a small advantage. As the new authorities started a new Register Office and a new Land Office, they succeeded to have written on their documents that they were cousins, the sons of two sisters. They didn't really need that, but it could prove useful one day. One side this put them under cover from scandal-mongers and from the law - also Piedmontese law, in fact, severely punished two men having a relationship "more uxorio". On the other side, in case of the death of one of them, the other had the right to inherit all the belongings, and they both wanted it that way.
At this point Tommaso was forty years old and Gaetano thirty nine. They were two mature gentlemen, well-off, serious, and respected. The fact they weren't married, at times, arose some question. But they, with a simple "Eh, that's life!" said with a sad voice, solved the problem making the others understand that they didn't feel like talking about that. Therefore the rumor they were widowers, or they had an unhappy love, circulated - they never confirmed nor disavowed that rumor.
Once two elegant gentlemen entered Gaetano's shop and one of them looked at him with a smile, like one does to somebody he knows very well.
Gaetano looked at him a little puzzled, but then his mile opened wide and said: "But you... Aren't you by chance... Enrico Piccin, the Ravenna physician?"
"The other nodded in assent: "The same, in person, Tano. But weren't once addressing to each other more informally?"
The two men shook hands, moved. Enrico introduced him his lover: Raffaele, with whom he was living, since some years, in Naples. They were in Rome just to visit the new capital of united Italy and, passing to see the Fontana di Trevi, Enrico noticed the tailor's shop sign and recognized the name... Gaetano invited them to his home, to tell each other what happened in all those long years, introducing them his Tommaso who was still alive against all hope.
Enrico was happy and moved to hear that and commented, "It has been luck for both of us that you didn't feel like coming with me nor I to remain with you. Evidently somebody was watching over us so that we both could find our men!" The other two assented.
At home Tommaso met the two lovers and they told each other their course of events. They talked agreeably for a long while and felt very well with each other. Therefore at first Maso and Tano invited them to stay for supper, then also to be their guests: the house was big enough and there was also a nice guest-room. Enrico and Raffaele stayed at their place all the time they remained in the capital and also later the two couples remained in touch by letter.
The physical relationship between Gaetano and Tommaso had possibly slowed down in terms of frequency, but thanks to their deep love, was unchanged about the quality. Their union, surely also because was tried by their numerous vicissitudes, was sound as a rock.
A day Tommaso, back home, told Gaetano: "You know, today I met Pio on the street. Do you remember him? I told you about him, the Trastevere boy. He is now a man. He has three children, now. He told me he is unemployed and is really worried. I told him I would have seen if I could do something to help him and gave him an appointment for tomorrow. I was thinking it would be useful to us having a servant here at home to keep it clean, in order, and preparing our meals. With Pio here we would have no problems, you understand - he would not feel weird knowing we sleep together, after what was between him and me. What do you think?"
"It seems a wonderful idea, really! Why don't you try to propose it to him?" readily Gaetano answered.
On one side, it was true, they never hired any help for the house, notwithstanding they needed one, just not to have the problem of hiding their relationship in their own home. On the other side Gaetano was curious to meet the boy, now a man, who so much fascinated his Tommaso.
So, the following day, Tommaso went to the appointment.
"Listen, Pio, I possibly have a job for you." he told him at once.
"Really do you? I sure would do it! What job is it?"
"You see... I found again the man I was in love with, when we were both boys..."
"You mean that one that the brigands killed?" Pio asked opening wide his eyes.
"Yes, that same one!"
"Oh, blessed be God, then it wasn't true they killed him!"
"Thanks to God, no. He is sound and alive and it was a miracle we met again and I now live with him."
"I'm so happy for you, yes, really happy. You too are happy, aren't you?"
"So very much, you have guessed it!"
"I'm really happy for you!" Pio repeated, his eyes glistening and with a wide smile.
"Now, you see, we would like having a help with our house, but you understand, we never hired one up to now, fearing he or she would not understand about us, could possibly spread gossip. You know that the law is harsh with two men who..."
"Yeah, I've heard that. What bullshit, that law! And why, then? Isn't anybody free to love who wants and the way he wants? You don't steal nothing from anybody, do you? What one does in his bed, the law has not to give a damn, must not to care less, I say!"
"Right. So I thought that... if you would be our house-help, we could live our life without fear. For sure you would not spread gossip on us, considered what we shared some years ago. What do you think?"
"What do I think, you ask? I think that I could not be more grateful to you, that are what I think. And I say you can sleep between two cushions, with Pio in your home! I say that I'll be just happy to be useful to you, and that you deserve all the consideration and respect of this world!"
"Do you accept, then?"
"At once, and in a hurry! When can I start?"
"When you want."
"Then now, how about now, immediately!" Pio answered, and he was glad and grateful.
Tommaso took him home and introduced him to Gaetano.
Thus Pio became the servant of the two men. He was careful, discreet, and efficient. And above all they had no problem. Pio took the habit to bring them the breakfast in bed, a pleasure they appreciated very much. And Pio was not only discreet and faithful servant, but also an affectionate one.
Once he was alone at home with Gaetano, Pio said: "If I can dare, sir..."
"Yes, Pio?"
"Well, I wanted to say... I like you a lot and mister Maso. You are a couple to envy its clear how much you love each other. Well, you for sure know what was between your man and me, when he believed you were in Heaven. Therefore I know how much your man is worth. And I'm so glad you could meet again, because you too are an exceptional man. Forgive me if I tell you such things, but I felt I had to tell you. And... if you feel like, at times... to exchange a kiss, or something like that, don't worry about me, do as if I was not here, 'cause I'm even happy seeing how much you love each other..."
"Thank you, Pio. I too am glad you are here to help us, and I too like you very much. Having you here, for sure makes both of us to feel very good. It has been a wonderful idea hiring you to help in our home. And I'm also grateful for the words you just said."
A few days after this conversation, an afternoon while Pio was doing chores for the house of his masters, one of the shop-keepers who knew him and where he was working, as nobody else was in the shop at that moment, asked Pio, "But... tell me, Pio, your masters... two men without a wife... is it not that, by chance, between them... you understand, don't you?"
"Between them, what are you asking? No, I don't see what you say. What do you mean?" Pio asked, pretending not to understand.
"Yes, I say... perhaps they use just a bed for the two of them, you understand? And I was trying to guess... who knows which one of them buggers and which let him be buggered... It's not easy to guess that..."
"Oh, Master Clemente! What shit are you thinking! Is your brain going rotten or what? My masters? They are both real men, not half women, you need just to look at them to see that. Your head is ill, if it makes you think such bullshit!" Pio exclaimed showing he was totally shocked, opening his eyes wide and making the gesture for "are you crazy?"
"Well, no... it is just that... one never sees a woman entering their home, a girl, a lady... you understand... And then as two and two always makes four..." the shop-keeper said hesitantly.
"And then you have to learn again to count, my dear master Clemente! Because, if you were right, you can guess if I was not the first to be aware, as I do all the chores in their home, I would be the first to see such things! Moreover, do you think I would work in the house of two degenerates? Never in my life! No, no, keep out of your mind such filthy things listen to me. You are totally wrong, but really totally wrong. They are two men as God wants, and I would like there were many in this world like them. They are two cousins they have no more family, no more relatives. It's natural they love each other and help each other, like two good cousins have to do. But what you say... God save us! Don't see evil where there is no evil! They are non promiscuous people, believe me!"
"But without women... how came those so distinguished gentlemen..." insisted, but more hesitantly, the shop-keeper.
"Mister Tommaso had an unfortunate love... Mister Gaetano, instead, his wife died in a terrible accident! He was so in love with her that, after her death he never again wanted somebody near him, you see?" Poi told with the air to reveal him a secret. "But don't tell anybody what I told you, these are reserved matters, and if my masters knew I'm talking about that... you understand, don't you? Be silent as a grave, I beg you!"
The shop-keeper seemed satisfied and Pio, inside himself, was relieved. For sure, if others had had a similar suspicion, master Clemente, a tattler as he was, would have granted that no, there was nothing to suspect on the two gentlemen. Pio said nothing about this conversation to his master, it was not necessary. Anyway he was watching out for them, he thought with affection.
For the tenth anniversary of their finding each other again, on the morning of that day, when they woke up, Tommaso embraced Gaetano and proposed him to buy two golden rings to celebrate the occasion.
But Gaetano didn't agree, "This small iron ring, to me, is a lot more precious than gold, Maso. It is the only thing that remained to me in those twelve years I cried on your death. I would never change it with all of Saint Peter's treasure."
"Do you know how much I love you, Tano? I love you also for this way you have of seeing things. At times, while I'm working there in the library, I think of you and tell myself I am really lucky having met you, having gotten to fall in love with you, having found you again... and simply, having you!"
Gaetano caressed under the blanket the naked body of his lover, with tender affection mixed with desire. Tommaso uncovered their bodies, smiled to him and leaned in to kiss him. They embraced tightly, caressed each other, happy to feel desire awakening in his lover's body.
Pio knocked at the door and called, "May I? Are you awake?"
"Oh, here is our guardian angel!" Gaetano said with a smile.
The two lovers then, covering back up their bodies, but without parting, answered, together, "Come in, Pio, Come in!"
The man entered with the breakfast tray and smiled seeing they were embracing.
"Here is your breakfast. What would you like to eat today for lunch?"
"Today something special, because today it is ten years since we found each other again, Pio."
"Oh, good gracious, a big feast, then! Trust me, and I'll prepare a so special lunch that even the Pope prisoner in the Vatican would lick his fingers and many, many heartfelt greetings for this really special day. By your leave, I'm going to busy myself!" Pio said and went out, closing carefully the door behind him.
"Let's busy ourselves too, then, now. Come here..." Gaetano said with a mischievous smile uncovering once again their bodies and leaning on that of his lover, who welcomed him in his arms with a happy sigh.
THE END (continues in BOOK 3)
In my home page I've put some more of my stories. If someone wants to read them, the URL is http://andrejkoymasky.com If you want to send me feed-back, or desire to help revising my English translations, so that I can put on-line more of my stories in English please e-mail at andrej@andrejkoymasky.com ---------------------------