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Life's Illusions The Next Generation - Chapter 29
Pierre's casket sat before the alter as the Priest led them into the service.
Juan gave a stuttering eulogy, telling what everyone already knew, of his pure, and devoted love for Pierre, finally, breaking into sobs, unable to go on.
Surprising everyone, except his brother and sister, it was Berto who went to his Poppas aid, leading him gently back to his seat.
Aly was next.
For a few moments he just looked out at the packed church before him, knowing full well, there were twice as many and more outside, unable to find a place inside, but refusing to be put off.
"It truly humbles me, to know that so many of you loved our beautiful boy so much, that you would give your time to be here today, but I shouldn't be surprised, you all saw what Bo and I saw when we first met Pierre and Piers so many years ago, why we were determined to move heaven and earth to make them our sons, a decision we've thanked the lord so many times for bringing us to".
Aly paused as his voice wavered.
"To be Pierre's Poppa for all these years, I would have struck a deal with the devil, given my soul, in exchange for the love, the joy, he gave to me, and I know the same statement would come from Bo".
"Pierre had an ingrained set of morals, principals, Bo and I didn't give them to him, he already had them, they were rules he lived by all his life, rules he worked out himself for how he wanted to bring up his little brother, and what a truly wonderful job he did, it was nothing short of a miracle, given the hurdles he had to negotiate as a cripple".
Another short pause.
"Pierre saw good in almost every situation, at times he still managed to shock me, like the time he almost lost his life in England, he'd been doing his Pierre thing, solving a problem for someone else, when a stupid accident put him at deaths door, it was the time you all know about, when he and Juan were having troubles".
Another short pause.
"What shocked me, truly shocked me, was finding out that he still had Juan as his next of kin, still had Juan holding power of attorney, he'd given those powers to someone who, at that time, I seriously wanted to harm, instead of us, his family".
This pause was interspersed with an uncomfortable shuffling, no one was quite sure where Aly was going with this, until he went on.
"I should have known better, as Piers explained to me when I asked, ' if Pierre still loves Juan, if he doesn't hate him like we do, why hasn't he forgiven him and got back together?', Piers explained it in simple terms, he said, 'Pierre doesn't hate Juan, he never has, and he never could, he trusts Juan implicitly, but he wasn't quite at the place where he could forgive Juan for what he did, and Pierre didn't do almost, he had to be sure', and you all know, that was typical of Pierre, but it was the wisest decision he ever made, because over time I, we, all witnessed Juan's devotion, he carried Pierre, quite literally, through a period where we had all given up, he alone was responsible for Pierre coming back to us, without Juan's dedication, love, and devotion, we would have been having this day many years ago, so to my son in law I say, thank you, l love you dearly, from the bottom of my heart, for these precious extra years you gave us".
Aly stepped down, returning to his seat.
The Town Mayor stepped up to the Alter, he didn't go to the Dias, he chose to stand by Pierre's casket, his back to the congregation.
"I'm speaking to you Pierre, directly to you, only to you, I want you to know how terribly hurt I am, you're the boy I argued with so many times, the boy I lost arguments to so many times, I'm heartbroken right now Pierre, you truly were a wonderful soul, I always knew I would lose, I made you work for ever victory, but I never doubted, if you were championing a cause, it was a worthy cause, I'm going to miss you my friend, and you were my friend, rest in peace, I pray, one day I'll get to see you again, sleep well, wait for me".
As the Mayor walked back to his seat he was visibly crying.
There were various village committees, each gave a eulogy of how Pierre had vitalised them, spurred them to better things.
The final eulogy came from a clearly nervous, and emotional, Junior, Gabby and Berto.
It was Berto, to everyone's surprise who spoke in a stuttering tongue, often stopping to sob.
"Our Poppa Pierre was, and always will be our idol, he loved us, he was our guide, he taught us right from wrong, he and Poppa Juan were the Parents we always dreamed we would have, we make a solemn promise today to live our lives in a way which would make you proud Poppa".
The service, after prayers and hymns, ended for the locals, it became a family funeral as Pierre's casket, followed by a fleet of limousines, made its way to Chateau Montclair, where Pierre would be laid to rest in the private cemetery.
Juan spent a long time sitting by the open grave after everyone had departed, it was dusk by the time Junior convinced him to leave.
The next day Juan went back.
The grave had been completed, it was now a rectangular mound of earth, lacking it's headstone, but a grave non the less.
He'd sat, just staring.
In there, deep down in the ground, was Pierre, his beloved, Juan's mind was running through so many things, did he really need to be here?, would it matter, would anyone miss him if he was laid next to Pierre?.
As he walked down the winding path from the cemetery, Woody had seen him, he deliberately met him before he could get to his car.
"Juan, can you spare a few minutes?".
Juan didn't want to talk.
"I have to get back, the brood will be home soon".
And in that moment he knew, he'd used Pierre's saying, the one he'd always used when he'd realised it was almost time for their children to be home.
The tears started flooding out, he was shaking as Woody wrapped him into a hug.
"It's okay Juan, every memory is going to do this, let it out, you'll do this for a long time, but I can promise you, this darkness won't last forever, there will be a time when the sun will shine again, a time when you can remember him, with a smile, you'll always get sad moments, but it will get better".
Juan wasn't the only one suffering.
Piers was in a total depression, he went about his business in the days and months following Pierre's funeral, but there was no smile, no happiness, none of the old Piers.
Milo had a plan, which he'd waited patiently to put into action for three months.
Taking an evening walk, Milo was visibly nervous, he'd stopped walking, when Piers turned to face him he'd gone down on one knee, asking Piers to marry him, he'd waited with baited breath for a reply, but nothing could have prepared him for Piers's response.
"No, not now, we've been a so called couple for nearly five years, you could have done this while Pierre was alive, but you didn't, I don't need your sympathy, I don't need you to protect me, that was Pierre's role, no one can fill that role, I'll look after myself from now on".
They'd walked back to The Inn in silence.
Those words had wounded Milo beyond anything he'd ever known, the following morning he drove away from Montclair still reeling, hurt and upset, Piers hadn't even known what he'd done, or noticed that Milo was gone.
For Milo it had seemed Piers was dismissing him, he'd taken a commercial flight back to Torremolinas, when Piers had looked for him before dinner that evening he was nowhere to be found, Piers assumed he was out walking, something Milo loved to do in the country lanes around Montclair.
It had been around six in the evening when Juan took a call from Carry in Torremolinas, what she said sent him into a rage, he stormed out of the house on Avenue Montclair, heading for The Inn.
Piers was eating dinner with his Poppas when Juan literally barrelled in.
"What the fuck have you done?, you've completely shattered Milo".
Piers was dumbstruck, thinking Milo must have gone to Juan's house, but still oblivious to what he'd done, Aly made to object, Juan stopped him with a wave of his hand.
"Shut up Aly, I'm talking to Piers".
His focus was now centred directly on Piers.
"You've broken him, he's running away, why would you hurt him so badly, he worships you, what the hell were you thinking, it's time for you to get a grip Piers, we all, every one of us, lost Pierre, not just you, so it's time to drop this depressing dark cloud you're casting over everyone, if Pierre were here you would be in big trouble, he would have wanted us all to remember him with happiness, we're all trying desperately to move forward, all of us except you, you're determined to wallow in your sorrow, inflicting it on everyone around you".
When he paused Juan was crying, but he went on, seeing Piers looking baffled.
"You don't know what you did do you?".
Piers still looked confused, he shook his head, saying just one word quietly.
"No".
Aly and Bo also looked completely baffled as Juan explained it to Piers.
"He asked you to marry him, you didn't just say no, what you said was as good as saying, 'fuck off, I don't need you', it left him reeling, terribly hurt, he ran, and he's still running, he intends to get as far away from Montclair as possible, he's broken Piers, so let's go back to my question, why Piers, why would you do that?".
That had been the moment when Piers realised what he'd done, he saw the looks from his Poppas, looks which, without words said, you stupid boy.
He could hardly speak, his voice came out as almost a whisper.
"I didn't mean to hurt him, I don't even remember what I said, I don't want to lose Milo, is he at your house?, I'll come and talk to him, I have to apologise, make it right".
Instead of a calm answer, Piers was shocked by the angry response from Juan.
"He's not at my house, you hadn't even missed him had you?, he left Montclair early this morning, he left a note for Carry and Josef, we think he's heading for the US but he could be heading anywhere, even Guardian's experts haven't been able to track him so far, he's gone Piers".
Piers was crying uncontrollably now as Juan hit out again before leaving.
"I don't understand Piers, I lost Pierre, I would give anything, just like your Poppa said, I'd willingly sell my soul to the devil, just to have him back, even for a day, you haven't lost Milo, you threw him away, ripped his heart out and threw him aside, you're a bloody fool".
Juan turned and walked out, slamming the door as he left.
A week after he left Montclair, Milo contacted Carry.
It was an emotional call with both of them crying.
He was in Sydney, Australia, he'd secured a Technical Management role with a large security company, Josef would know the company he'd told Carry.
She'd let the conversation run for a while before addressing the elephant in the room.
"Milo, what about Piers, he's terribly hurt, don't you think this is an overreaction, I don't think he meant to hurt you, from what he told Juan he can't even remember what he said to you that day".
She could tell just the mention of Piers had reduced Milo to tears again, "but he was steadfast in his reply.
"I heard him Carry, his reply was delivered with conviction, and venom, I don't think I'll ever forget his words, nor the way he spat them at me, you can tell everyone where I am, if Piers decides he wants me then he'll know where I am, I won't make any move to contact him, nor will I speak with him unless it's face to face, in the flesh, and I'm not planning on coming back so that limits the options".
Life went on in Montclair.
Aly and Bo had read the riot act to Piers following Milo's departure and Juan's outburst, it seemed to have had an effect, in public Piers was more pleasant with everyone, but away from work he kept himself to himself, retiring to his private space at the end of each working day.
He no longer joined Aly and Bo for meals, preferring to cook for himself in the little top floor kitchen.
He'd become something of a recluse when he wasn't working.
On an overcast Sunday morning Roslyn had an urge to visit Pierre's grave.
She'd asked Cecile if she fancied a walk up the hill to the cemetery, Cecile's reply surprised her.
"That's uncanny, I was going to ask you that very same question, I got this feeling earlier, that it would be good to visit Pierre".
They'd strolled, arm in arm, up the winding path to the cemetery.
As they approached it was easy to make out Piers sitting on the bench under the large oak, approaching from behind, he didn't see them coming.
Getting nearer, it was clear he was sobbing, they'd stopped short, listening to him, between sobs, talking to Pierre.
"I don't know what to do, I'm hurting so much, I love him, I need him, why did you leave Pierre, I'm no good at sorting my problems, he won't talk to me unless it's face to face, and I'm frightened, what if I go all that way and he really doesn't want me anymore, I don't think I'd be able too take that, I'm so sorry I hurt him, he didn't deserve that".
Cecile pulled Roslyn back a few paces before she spoke.
"Now it makes sense, it's payback time, Pierre wants us to help Piers, you have to convince him to travel to Sydney, and you have to go with him, we're only here together today thanks to Pierre, we owe him this, I'll run things here, you go with Piers, bring Milo home".
Roslyn kissed her cheek.
"Pierre really was my favourite cousin, and if this is what he wants, then I'm in, you go back, I'm going to have a heart to heart with Piers".
Roslyn walked to where Piers was sitting on the bench.
"I think someone wanted me to find you here, wanted me to hear what you just said to Pierre, I'm pretty sure my scheming late cousin is asking me to do something for him, and for you".
Piers was baffled, he didn't have a clue what Roslyn was talking about and it showed in his expression.
Roslyn turned and walked the few feet to Pierre's grave, Piers could hear her clearly as she spoke.
"Okay, I understand, you'd do it yourself if you were here, I'll do it, it's a privilege to be able to give something back after everything you did for me, and for Cecile, rest easy Cus, I'll tell him now, we're going as soon as I can make the arrangements, I'll move heaven and earth to put them back together, though it would be much appreciated if you could help with the heaven part".
As Roslyn turned back to a still confused Piers, she gave a little giggle, just as there was a gust of wind which rustled every branch of the oak tree above them, and miraculously, the sun broke through, Roslyn knew then, it was Pierre sending a sign.
Sitting next to Piers she explained.
"Earlier I got the urge to come visit Pierre, Cecile got the same urge, we were surprised that each was asking the other the very same thing, I don't think it was a coincidence, I think Pierre wanted us here at the exact same time you visited, I think he wanted us to overhear you, because he wants us to help you, and I just made him a promise, hence the wind and sun, so cousin, you and I are going to Sydney, just as soon as I can make the arrangements, we're going to put right your wrongs, put you and Milo back together".
Piers fell into her outstretched arms sobbing his thanks.
It took a little over three weeks to get everything arranged, travel documents, visas, flights, Juan and Josef had pulled a multitude of strings to speed everything through.
As Roslyn dialled a number on her cell phone she was decidedly nervous, when it was answered her mouth went dry.
"Milo you little freak, it's Roslyn, we're coming down under, can we meet up?, I miss hugging you and I'm not coming all that way without getting a fix".
Milo was genuinely overjoyed to hear her voice.
"You bet we can, stay with me, I've got space, you'll both love Sydney, email me your flight details and I'll meet you at the airport, don't bother hiring a car I've got a second one, you can use that, when will you be here?".
Roslyn breathed a sigh of relief, he hadn't asked who she was traveling with, he'd just assumed it was Cecile.
"Setting of the day after tomorrow, so you'll be meeting us on Thursday, I'll drop you the flight details later".
Milo's excitement was clear in his reply.
"That's the best news I've heard in a long time, I'm due some vacation time, I'll see if I can book time off to show you around, it's going to be great to hug you both".
Roslyn was eager to end the call before it got complicated, but in her mind she said, 'Oh it'll be great to see you hug one of us, but it won't be me'.
Out loud to Milo she said.
"Okay my little freak see you in a few days, be ready to dish out hugs aplenty".
When the call was over she turned to a visibly nervous Cecile, giving a great big sigh.
"He thinks you're traveling with me, and I so wish you were, I'm going to miss you terribly".
Aly and Bo paid for their flights, first class on Quantas, flying from Paris to Dubai, then onwards to Sydney, a little more than twenty two hours in total.
They were due to depart Paris Charles de Gaul at nine o'clock Wednesday morning, they'd arrive in Sydney around four o'clock in the afternoon local time on Thursday, Milo had confirmed he would be waiting at the airport to greet them.
Despite being in first class, with full sleeper beds, Piers found it impossible to get any sleep, as they neared Sydney his state of anxiety increased.
Roslyn urged him to go freshen up, he looked terrible, the dark bags under his eyes seeming to age him, but when he returned he didn't look any better.
They'd cleared customs, collected their luggage and were on the point of existing into the arrivals hall when Piers announced.
"I'm going to pee myself, I need to go".
Roslyn sighed, she knew it was just the nerves.
"Get a grip Piers, it's going to be alright, give me your suitcase, I can roll the two, I'll be out in the arrivals hall".
Piers almost ran for the restroom, while Roslyn carried on out into the arrivals hall.
She saw him immediately, he was waving his arms frantically, that lunatic grin beaming at her.
Within seconds she was in his arms getting her first hug, she was so happy to see him she forgot about Piers, until he asked.
"What have you done with Cecile, where is she?".
Roslyn thought about lying, but why?, he was about to learn the truth anyway, if he chose to run, so be it.
"She's in Montclair, she didn't come with me".
Milo looked confused as he asked.
"So who is traveling with....................................".
He didn't say anymore, looking past Roslyn he saw him.
Piers was desperately searching around for Roslyn, when his eyes fell on Milo, he stopped dead in his tracks, the tears started rolling down his face, visible even from where Milo stood.
Piers stood stock still, Milo was there only yards away from him, his legs wouldn't move, he realised he was shaking, tears were streaming down his cheeks, then the world started spinning.
Milo saw him shaking, he actually pushed Roslyn aside, started running, heading towards him, but part way he watched, as if in slow motion, Piers was falling.
Milo covered the few feet left between them in record time, reaching out he caught Piers before he could hit the floor, falling with him he padded Piers landing, Piers was out cold.
It took only seconds before there were airport staff and first aid staff surrounding them, as Piers came round he heard Milo explain, Piers was his partner, he didn't travel very well but he'd be okay after a rest, then he turned back to Piers saying.
"Hello my love, you're in my arms, now that has to be a sign that everything is right with the world, but I'm thinking you could have managed a little less of a dramatic entrance, I'd still have been ecstatic at seeing you, you didn't have to nearly give me a heart attack".
Piers ignored the joviality he knew Milo was trying to inject into the situation.
"I'm sorry Milo, really sorry, I hurt you, I don't know why, I don't even remember saying those things, I love you so much, I need you to be by my side, I can't live without you, can you forgive me, please, I'm begging".
Milo pulled him tighter into his arms.
"Yes Piers, it's all forgotten, now let's get you home, I think I'm going to wet myself I'm so excited, this is the best I've felt for such a long, long time, I might not ever let you go again".
Despite his small stature Milo was incredibly strong, he gathered Piers in his arms and raised them both up, Piers was fretting, insisting he could walk, but Milo was having none of it.
In the arrivals hall a staff member asked if he could get them a wheelchair and within minutes Piers was sitting comfortably as Roslyn pushed him, while Milo dealt with the luggage.
On the drive from the airport both Piers and Roslyn marvelled at the scenery, commenting continually about how neat and clean everywhere looked.
They turned into a gated estate, the transponder in Milo's 4x4 causing the gates to swing open for them.
All Piers could say was.
"Wow".
The first few houses looked magnificent, palatial, sitting well back from the road, with manicured gardens.
Milo slowed slightly, swinging into the driveway of a house that looked to be even bigger than the ones which had elicited a 'wow' from Piers, as they came to a stop under a covered car port Milo said.
"Welcome to my home, I hope you'll like it".
Before them stood a detached garage, as big as some of the village houses back home in Montclair, to the side between the garage and the house was a privacy fence with a door which Piers presumed would lead to the back yard.
Milo opened the door by punching a pass code, saying as he did.
"The code is the same on all entrances, six digits, you shouldn't have any problem remembering it Piers, it's your birth date, day, month, year.
Piers smiled shyly, the significance not lost on him.
If Piers had expected a 'back yard', he was visibly stunned by what greeted them.
They entered into a net screened pool and patio area, the pool, in Piers estimation, had to be almost Olympic size, it was surrounded by patio decks on several levels with groups of shaded seating and potted plants.
Milo led them off to the left into a covered patio area where the house roof pitched down to provide shade, this area was an outside kitchen/dining room, it had a full kitchen built in and a dinning table capable of seating twenty or more comfortably.
Milo took out his cell phone and with a couple of presses, the complete wall of glass before them slid slowly back to reveal the inside of the house.
It was unbelievable, the style, furnishings and decoration exactly as you'd expect to see in a plush magazine layout.
Piers couldn't help it, he blurted out.
"Wow, you were really lucky to find something like this to rent".
Piers didn't see Milo's expression, Roslyn caught it, and it immediately worried her.
Milo showed them the bedrooms on the ground floor, telling Roslyn which one he'd set aside for her, it was really a suite, having a massive bathroom and separate dressing room.
Leaving Roslyn to unpack, Milo led Piers to the massive master suite, with twin bathrooms and twin dressing rooms.
"This is my bedroom, I was thinking, well actually I was wondering, if, err, maybe................".
Piers put his finger to Milo's lips, effectively stopping him from going further.
"If you've forgiven me, if you want me, then it's our bedroom, does that answer your stuttering, almost question?".
Milo grinned.
"Oh yes, it certainly does, this is most definitely our bedroom".
Milo pulled him into a hug and cried.
"You have to know, the hardest thing I ever had to do was walk away from Montclair, from you, it felt like my heart wouldn't survive, I never want to be parted from you again, you are my future, I don't want to replace Pierre, I couldn't, he's my hero, my idol too, he raised you, he kept you safe until we met, for me, he couldn't ever be bettered, I'll spend the rest of my life giving thanks to him, come with me I want to show you something".
He led Piers out through the double doors in the bedroom onto the patio, past the pool to a door out, into the beautifully manicured garden, across the lawn to a perfectly planted rose garden, in the centre was a plaque, Piers read it and his breath caught in his throat.
'This garden of beautiful roses is dedicated to my dear departed friend Pierre, I love your brother, but I love you as well, you kept him safe for me, you raised him, loved him, I'll always keep you in my heart, until the end of my days, when God willing, we will all meet again, RIP my dear friend'.
Piers was genuinely moved.
"It's beautiful, truly beautiful".
Milo had arranged ten days off work, he wasn't due back in the office until a week from the next Monday.
At dinner that evening, sitting on an outdoor balcony of a restaurant, looking out over Sydney harbour and the Opera House, Milo outlined the plans he had for visits, and they were excited, well Piers was excited, Roslyn was excited and apprehensive, she could see it, as plain as day, there was a bloody big, massive, elephant in the room problem looming, and she didn't know what to do about it.
On the third day when they returned from a day of sightseeing, Milo and Piers retired for a nap, (read that as mind blowing sex) not that Roslyn was fooled, the moans and screams of pleasure coming from their bedroom suite ensuring that.
Roslyn took the opportunity to call Josef and Juan, it was five o'clock in the evening Sydney time, eight in the morning in Spain and France when she conference face timed them.
"There's a problem looming and I don't know what to do, I can't predict what Piers will do when he finds out".
Juan was first to answer.
"Paul always said you talked in riddles, what is this supposed problem?".
Roslyn explained, she was fairly certain, the house Piers thought Milo rented, wasn't a rental property, Milo owned it, he was taking them to a penthouse apartment on the Gold Coast for a few days, and Roslyn was fairly certain he owned that property too, if she was reading the situation right, Milo had no intention of leaving Australia, he was working hard, desperately trying to sell it to Piers.
There was a silence before Roslyn told them they had to help, somehow, think of something, because she didn't think she would be able to cope with a heartbroken Piers if he had to fly home alone.
Josef told her to leave it with them, his mind was already working overtime.
Things came to a head on Saturday, two days before Milo was due to go back to work.
It had been a casual remark made by the concierge at the Gold Coast apartment, 'For our guests we do everything we can, but for our residents we always go the extra mile', it had been niggling in Piers mind ever since.
On that Saturday evening they'd decided have a Barbecue.
Milo was cooking on the BBQ, when Piers randomly said.
"This house, it's not a rental property is it?, and the Gold Coast Apartment, that's not a rental property either, is it?, when were you going to tell me you had no intention of returning to Europe?, the day I was due to board my flight?, I'm trying to be rational here, not let anything get out of proportion, because I can't believe you would let me believe we were together again, that you loved me, just to score a point and hurt me, so you must have another agenda that I'm not understanding".
Milo wasn't fazed, he took Piers comments, thought about them, before answering.
"I think I actually feel relieved, you've finally worked it out, yes, I own this house, and I own the apartment on the Gold Coast, and you're correct, I have absolutely no intention of returning to Europe.".
Milo tossed the parties and steaks before he carried on.
"You have to admit Piers, this is a wonderful place to live, I haven't lied to you, I've spent the last eight days selling Australia to you, it's extraordinary, I desperately want to stay here, I want you to stay here as well, I want to marry you, it's been my dream since the first day we met, you are my soul mate, you don't just complete me, you allow me to function, without you I'm seriously dysfunctional, think very seriously Piers, we only have two days left, don't hurt me again".
Piers had listened, he was thinking, but a couple of seats away sat Roslyn, absolutely terrified Piers would make the wrong decision.
She'd slipped away, calling Josef and Juan, irritated and completely unable to understand why the call was being rerouted and taking so long to connect.
In the end she'd texted.
"It's fucking d.day boys, they've actually called each other out, both of them have their cards laid out on the table, Piers knows the score, Milo is not intending to leave Australia, help me out here, I'm shitting bricks".
Juan's text reply shocked her.
"Relax cousin, we're airborne, it's why you had to wait to connect with us, expect a family invasion for breakfast, my plane should land around five in the morning, Josef's plane is about thirty minutes behind us, transport is already arranged, we'll be with you at Milo's house around six thirty or seven o'clock, you might want to discreetly warn the staff, we're bringing an armada, trust us, this will be resolved in the best interest of Piers and Milo".
Piers and Milo had retired that night, both with questions hanging in the air, but they'd agreed, they were in love, so nothing else mattered".
Roslyn spoke to the housekeeper, telling her, if her estimates were right, there would be around twenty family members arriving within a few hours.
Next morning there was an invasion, an unbelievable number of family arrived.
Milo stretched out, the morning sunshine telling him a new day was starting, and then his memory kicked in, Piers was here, in his arms, and he started crying, it had been a wonderful few days, but he still didn't know if he was going to lose everything again, he pulled Piers in closer, whispering to him whilst Piers slept.
"You probably have no idea how much I love you, Pierre knew, he told me, he said I became a wimp where you were concerned, I can't deny it, he was right, but then I can't envision a life without you, I wish I had the courage to tell you, but when I'm with you I just lose my confidence, I want to sit, just looking up, worshipping you, I love you so much, I'm praying I've done enough to convince you to stay here with me, but the thought I might not have, it really frightens me".
Thinking Piers was still asleep, Milo kissed him on the cheek.
Piers had heard every word.
When they finally stirred, still not discussing the previous nights revelations, showered and went for breakfast, they were completely shocked, there were seventeen members of the family already seated.
In the early hours they'd arrived.
Josef, Carry, little Paulette, Juan, with his children, Junior, Gabby and Berto, Rick, Sofia, and their children, Joseph and John, Aly, Bo, Woody, Jacqueline, Cecile, Paul, and Daniel.
This was going to be a family sales pitch.
Roslyn greeting them.
"Good morning guys, I make no apologies, I was worried, you two are extremely efficient decision makers in business, but in private you're prone to making seriously wrong decisions, so I alerted the closest interested parties, be grateful, I only alerted close family, but be warned, Chicago is perched , and ready for take off, all I need to do is say the word".
She'd stopped to look directly at them.
"Be very clear, we love you, we need to know you're going to reach the right decision".
TBC ARB Allan
Comments are welcome to Allan at : cfgw2000@aol.com.
Thank you for giving me your time, enjoy.