Greetings to everyone! I hope that chapter 80 finds you all well and continuing to enjoy the summer. I can't believe how quickly July is flying by. My work schedule has kept me busy the last couple of weeks and has impacted my writing schedule. The remainder of July and August appear to be less busy, so I promise to do my best on continuing to deliver the chapters to all of you. My thanks to everyone for your continued support in this story.
I continue to rewrite, add to and write more chapters of this story and I'm seeking any suggestions, constructive or positive feedback you have about the story. Please send information to cjwilson328@aol.com. For those if you who have already reached out to me - my thanks! I'm working your ideas into future storylines.
Wally and Mack are in shock with what has occurred to them. The circle of friends is very concerned for Wally and hopes he will recover from the shock he's experienced.
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Wally, Mack and I headed for a poolside table out of the way of heavy foot traffic. Jacob heard that something had happened between Mack and Wally and found us sitting at the table. When he reached us his first question was "is everyone okay, and do you need any help?" I smiled at Jacob and said "I believe Mack and Wally are okay Jacob, but they just shared an unbelievable experience together. Mack, do you want me to share with Jacob, or do you want to?" Mack replied "please CJ, go ahead. I'm still processing everything that happened."
I asked Jacob to join us and explained to him what had happened. Jacob appeared stunned and said "are you two both sure that you're okay, and can I get either of you a drink?" Wally was the first to speak up and said "I think I need a bourbon on the rocks if you don't mind Jacob." Mack joined in and said "make it two Jacob. Well Wally, we know of one thing in common, we're both bourbon drinkers." All of us joined in a muffled laugh. I joined in the drink order and asked Jacob to bring me a bourbon on the rocks as well.
A number of people left the party but stopped to make sure that Wally is okay. Wally treated all of them very well saying that he is fine and just received an unexpected surprise tonight.
Jacob returned with four drinks. He apologized for the delay saying "I called Marci, my wife, to let her know that Mack and I are fine and will be home later." Mack said "Jacob, please go ahead and be with Marci. Marci and Jacob are expecting their first child in two months." Wally and I both offered Jacob congratulations and I said "Jacob, please go be with Marci. We can get Mack home later." Jacob said "Marci is fine, and I explained what happened. She said to stay with Mack and make sure he's okay. I switched to ice tea earlier in the evening, and I'd like to be here for Mack in case he needs me?" Mack smiled at him and said "my little brother, always protecting me." The four of us all smiled at each other and took a drink before continuing on.
Wally was the first to break the silence by asking "Mack, let me ask you how old you are? If the age difference between us is four to six years, I think I can offer a possible thread to this story."
Mack looked at Wally and said "I'm 29 Wally, but soon will be turning 30 in December. I'm not quite a Christmas baby, but my birthday is December 15th. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Wally took a sip of his drink, smiled at Mack and said "I turned 35 years old at the end of August. Let me ask you another question though, were you and Jacob raised in or around Marco Island?"
Mack continued on saying "I was born in Marco Island and stayed there for the first five years of my life. My mom worked several jobs to support us, and I was raised by her and her parents. I loved them all, and I loved the island life as a little tyke. Mom met a very nice man when I was four. He asked her to marry him a year after they met. We moved off the island, closer to Naples. Three years later, mom and my step-father were pregnant with Jacob. We all were very happy, and my step-father Stan provided well for the family. Mom and Stan have both passed away, and I'm actually relocating to St Petersburg to be closer to Jacob, Marci and their new bundle of joy. I'm taking a job as a captain in the St Petersburg Fire Department. The pay and benefits are so much better than what I have at Marco Island now. I know it's more information than you wanted to know, but does this help at all to fill in any pieces of the story?"
Wally took a sip of his bourbon, smiled and said "yes it does Mack. Let me share some of my story now to make the connection between you and me." Wally told the three of us about his grandfather, his parents and the construction company. He also expanded on how the company started out in Bradenton, and that his father expanded the company into Pinellas County and the St Petersburg area.
During the story Wally said "just as dad was expanding the business, there was a downturn on housing construction in the state. Having completed the house in Passe a Grille and caring for mom and myself, dad was looking for any means to earn money. Grandpa had enough business for the Bradenton crew, but the interest in new construction was not as present in the St Petersburg area. Dad took a job building several hotels on Marco Island. The pay was wonderful, and he was able to keep income coming in for family support. Dad stayed near the construction sites, and only came home once a month to minimize on expenses. Mom and I missed him dearly, but he was doing what he needed to in order to support his young family. Dad was away for almost a year, until construction at the two hotels was complete. By the time it finished up, demand in St Petersburg for new housing was increasing. All of this occurred when I was four and five years old."
Wally took another sip of his drink and said "later in life, dad and I shared everything between us. We were best friends, but he never disclosed any private details of what he did when he was away building the hotels. He always told me that the days were long, and he rested during the evenings in order to keep his strength up for more long-work days. However, I believe dad may have engaged in extra-curricular activities while he was away. It's highly possible that he met your mom, and they were romantically involved."
At this point, silence fell over the table. Mack finally broke the silence when he said "Wally, I'm sorry for showing you the picture. I was enjoying our conversation and felt comfortable in sharing my past with you. If I'd have known this, I would have never shown you the picture. I did not mean to hurt you or open a can of worms."
Wally smiled at Mack and replied "I know that Mack, and please believe me when I tell you that I'm not upset with you. If anything, I feel anger at my dad for not ever disclosing this to me. I would not have thought any less of him, but it would have opened my eyes to the possibility of other relatives out there for me. I've been lonely in my life, but that has changed significantly this year with CJ entering my life. Now, I find out that I may have had a half-brother roaming around southern Florida. I would have love to known you earlier, and share our experiences together. If you're up for it Mack, I'd love to get to know each other better."
Mack smiled at Wally, then turned his head to me. He said "first of all, you don't have to say anymore as I'm connecting the dots and realize that you and CJ are partners. You two don't have to hide it from me or be ashamed of your relationship in front of me. I'm gay as well, and always on the search for my Mr. Right." I was shocked as Mack said this, since my gaydar did not flash any warning signals to me when I first met him.
Mack sipped more on his bourbon and said "Jacob is aware that I'm gay, and is very supportive of me. I love him and Marci very much, for all of the love and support they show me. That's why I want to move closer to them, as we progress through our lives."
Mack continued on and said "Wally, to be fair to your dad, he may not have known that my mom was pregnant. You can ask Jacob, she too was very private about her past prior to Stan entering her life. I never knew about this picture, as well as the others that I found until she had passed away. I found them as Jacob and I were cleaning out her personnel items. The dates on the pictures correspond to the time period we have been discussing, and I now believe that you and I may very well be related. I also am in full agreement with you about getting to know each other better. When I started this weekend away, I was so excited about being closer to the brother I've always known and loved. Now, I hope that through time you and I can develop stronger bonds together. I know we probably should proceed with genetic tests before going too far. If we are related though, nothing will make me happier to call you my brother also in the future."
After Mack finished his comments, Wally and him both stood up and hugged each other. I saw that Alex was watching from the window, and I knew he wanted to make sure everyone is okay. I motioned for him to come out, and he ventured out with Ronny, UD, Trev, Carl, Bailey and Aaron trailing behind him. I had to crack up at all of them saying "I'm surprised you did not bring everyone else along! Ah well, at least you have the most caring of the group with you." Alex smiled at me and replied "Darrell said if we need him, just to get him. He is very concerned as well."
Mack perked up on that and said "is that Darrell Fullinger by any chance?" Alex nodded his head yes, and Mack said "Darrell and I had a nice conversation earlier tonight. I told him I was moving to St Petersburg, and he gave me a couple of local clubs where police officers and fire fighters hang out after their shifts. Is Lucas his partner by any chance?"
I spoke up and said "yes, he and Lucas are together. Once you move to St Petersburg, you'll find that your part of a large group of gay friends if you want to join us. Jacob and Marci are also welcome, and they'll find that they have baby sitters for life!"
I took a drink and began to give introductions. Mack stopped me and said "CJ, I have met everyone here tonight and I believe Jacob has as well?" Jacob confirmed it to Mack and he continued with "everyone has been so nice to us this evening, and I must say I believe I will fit in very well to the St Petersburg community. I even owe UD a visit to Cincinnati at some point to try his barbecue creations."
I explained to the new entrants of the conversation that Mack and Wally may be brothers as it appears that they have the same father. Everyone appeared shocked, but the chief stepped in and said "Mack, welcome to St Petersburg. Have you found a place to live at yet, or are you still looking?" Mack smiled at Alex and said "well, securing a residence begins tomorrow for me. I start work here on December 4th, and I have a number of places lined up to view for tomorrow and early this week." Alex said "Sounds great. If we can help you in any way, just let us know. I'm the property manager here, as well as Wally's assistant VP of everything he doesn't want to do at his company." The chief broke every one up in a hearty round of laughs with his comment.
After the laughter subsided Alex continued on and said "I'm not trying to push this complex on you Mack, but the amenities are great, the residents are very friendly and it's a great value for the beach area. I can check around and see if any units are for sale if you want me to?" Mack smiled at Alex and said "I'd appreciate that, Alex. I'm thinking I want a condo more than a single-family residence now. The realtor I'm working with has a mixture lined up to show me tomorrow and next week." UD shocked the crap out of me when he said "hey chief, look for two condos. The girls and I are thinking about relocating to St Pete Beach as well."
About ten minutes later, Mack said "I hate to break this up everyone, but I'm worn out after the excitement this evening and I want to get Jacob back to Marci. Wally, do you mind if I stop by sometime this week, and we can talk more?" Wally smiled and said "I'd like that, Mack. Let me exchange contact information with you and just give me a call when you want to stop by." I thought about dinner tomorrow night for everyone, but before I could get my thoughts out UD said "hey, let me cook dinner for everyone tomorrow night. I owe all of you for your hospitality this weekend, and Mack can stop by after he finishes with his realtor. Jacob, you and Marci are welcome to join us as well."
Mack liked the idea and accepted the invite. Jacob and Marci already have plans, but Jacob thanked us for the invite. Mack said "Jacob, I'll wait until you and Marci are able to join us." Jacob walked over to Mack and said "no bro, please go ahead and meet up with everyone for dinner. They are all fine people, and you need to immerse yourself into the community." Wally smiled at Mack as he finished entering his contact information into Mack's phone. He said "plan on stopping by when you're finished up tomorrow afternoon. We'll show you around the complex more, and introduce you to the party patio. You'll also get a wonderful taste of UD's creations without visiting Cincinnati."
Mack and Jacob said their farewells as everyone in the group extended hugs to both of them. As Jacob made his way to Ronny, Ronny said "get Wally's contact info from your brother. We will all want to know when the baby arrives, so keep us in the loop." Jacob gave Ronny a big hug as well as responding "I will Ronny, and you keep up the great job on sports. I love your reports and the coverage you have provided on the Bucs this year has been stellar. Keep up the great work!"
The rest of our crew returned to the recreation center to begin the party clean up. Wally and I began to follow, but Aaron stopped us and said "you two have had a hell of a night. Go on up to the patio and chill out together. The rest of us have got this clean up, and with Alex and UD leading the charge, we'll be done in no time." Wally cracked up at Aaron and said "thanks bud, I'm going to take you up on that offer if my soulmate will join me?" I grabbed his hand, gave him a kiss and said "come on big guy, let's go relax on the lounger for a while."
Once we reached the condo, we decided to change into comfy clothes and free ball it while enjoying a night cap on the patio. I escorted Wally to the lounger, got him comfortable then went to retrieve two beers for us from the kegerator. We put in a fresh keg of Heineken on Friday, and it's barely been touched.
As I rounded the corner, I found Wally sobbing on the lounger. I quickly set our beers down on the side table, wrapped my arms around him and said "let it out sweetheart. I'm here for you and tell me what you're thinking when you can." He rested his head on my shoulder and said "I'm swimming in my own emotions CJ. I go from anger to extreme happiness and I feel overwhelmed right now."
I wiped the tears from his face, brushed his hair off his forehead and said "let me try and help you through what you're feeling Wally. I'm here for you, through our great times and our sad times. What's angering you the most? If you don't want to go any further with Mack, just let me know and I'll put a stop to the events and talk with him sweetheart."
The tears quickly went to a laugh as Wally said "there you go, my big protector. I'm not angry at Mack and I do want to get to know him better. I'm angry with my dad for cheating on my mom. We always were happy together as a family, and now I find out this information."
I decided to do my best Mama Bette impression and said "Anthony, did your father ever abuse you or your mother?" He looked at me and said "wow, you sure went to a Mama B talk quickly!" I smiled and said "just answer my question, baby." I gave Wally his beer and he took a drink of it. He replied "no, he never abused either of us and like I told you and Mack earlier, he did what he had to in order to support us financially. I know mom and I missed him dearly, but he did return to us."
I got a drink of my beer and said "did he pull a Sally on you two and say he wanted to go on without you in his own life?" Wally shook his head no, and I followed up with "do you still love him now, as much as you did this morning when you woke up?"
I got a smile out of Wally and he said "okay, Dr. Skinner. I know where you are going, and yes, I still love my dad. I just don't understand why he never confided in me about the affair after mom passed away."
At this point, I looked deep into Wally's eyes and said "in the first year after my parent's death, I often wondered what secrets or things they should have told me before they passed away. I remember sharing my feelings with UD on a golf course one Sunday afternoon. That wise man told me "CJ, don't ever look back and feel anger at your parents. Remember the good times, the love and all of the caring they gave you. Let those positive feelings keep the negative vibes under control. He's right Wally, don't let one hidden secret destroy all of your fond memories of your dad, your love for him and your family."
We each took a drink of our beer and Wally asked me "do you often question things CJ, and if so, why haven't you confided in me?" I smiled at him and said "I have confided in you about UD and not dealing with his feelings earlier in life. You helped me with that, and I'm comfortable with supporting UD moving forward. There isn't a day though that I think about: why didn't Sally come clean about her affair; why UD never came clean to her; why Jack has never come clean with his family; and most of all, why did I wait so long to talk to UD about my sexuality? Bottom line Wally is that we're all human, and humans are not perfect. We make choices in our lives thinking we're protecting our loved ones. Many people can get away with the choices, but sometimes the choices can come back and unexpectedly hurt the ones we were trying to protect. I hope this makes sense to you, as I'm probably making this way too simplistic. However, that's where I am at in my life now, and it keeps me grounded on many views I have."
Wally took a final drink of his beer and said "okay, I'll buy that and keep it in my mind when I feel anger towards dad in the near future. Now, you need to explain my extreme happiness feelings to me. Do you know how much I love you, and how grateful I am to have you in my life?" Wally kissed me after saying it, and I replied to him "I do know, and it's as much as I love you and how grateful I am to have you in my life Wally. We're soulmates Wally, and I do believe that the almighty creator introduced us for a number of special reasons."
Wally cracked up at my comment and replied with "Amen to that. Think about it CJ, if you and I had never met, I probably would not have met Mack. Not only have I gained the love of my life, my soulmate, my best friend and one hell of a sexy life partner, but I've also gained a brother I never knew about. We're quite the team CJ, and I look forward to progressing forward with you each day of our life together." I finished up my beer, stood up from the lounger, gave Wally my hand and said "come on stud, let's go make love in the shower then go to bed. It's been a hell of an exciting evening and I know we both need to release some of our built-up energy on each other."
Wally took my hand, rose up, kissed me and said "take me CJ. I need you tonight, and every day of our life moving forward. I love you, my soulmate." I gave him a kiss and replied "I know you do, and please know I love you more every day that we move through this life together."
Sunrise came and went, with Wally and I staying comfortably intertwined in the bed. I started to smell fresh coffee, and heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Wally pulled me closer and whispered "I think UD is having a party out there." We both had a good laugh and Wally asked "how serious do you think he and the girls are about moving here?" I propped myself up and replied "I am not sure Wally. I need to do some soul searching with all of them to figure out if this is a knee jerk reaction, or if they are serious about it." Wally smiled at me and said "okay, you can talk to your family today, while I talk to my new found brother."
I smiled at Wally, lifted his chin and gave him a kiss. I asked "how do you feel about your new found relative?" Wally looked deep into my eyes and said "I'm okay with the topic this morning CJ. I do want to get to know Mack better, and I want to proceed with identity testing if he's in agreement. I do like him, and I can see him fitting in very well with our group here." Just as Wally finished his statement, there was a light knock at the door. I told whomever to come in, and Jimmy opened the door. He came running to the bed and said "UD wants to know if you two want some breakfast? I went with him to the store this morning to get all the supplies we need for today. You two are the last two up, and we're waiting for you."
Wally and I cracked up and I said "thanks bud for waking us. Tell UD we'll be out in a minute and to go ahead and start breakfast." Jimmy went running back to the kitchen and said "UD, they'll be out in a few minutes. They want eggs, sausage, bacon, toast and chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!" UD's thunderous laugh echoed through the room as he said "okay Jimmy, let's get to work. You can add the chocolate chips to the pancake mix for me." Wally and I relieved ourselves, slipped on clothes and went out to the kitchen. UD, the girls and Jimmy were all busy preparing a delicious feast. The remainder of the crew was either at the breakfast bar or out on the patio enjoying coffee. I looked around and said "Geez UD, are you keeping the party going all day today?" He smiled at me and said "yes, I'm repaying everyone for all the kindness they have shown the girls and me. We're going to have a nice breakfast, enjoy the afternoon and then I've got a great menu ready to go for early evening." I smiled at UD and Maddie said "CJ and Wally, can I get you both a cup of coffee?" We both gladly accepted a cup of coffee from her and began mingling with all of our morning guests."
Fred and Toby were at the breakfast bar. Fred said "I'm glad that Jimmy was not too obnoxious with you this morning. I pictured him running to the bed, jumping in with you two and injuring one of you in the process." Toby cracked up and said "don't worry, the chocolate chip pancakes are for him. Fred and I took UD and Jimmy to the store this morning. He told UD he wants chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, so UD is making them for him." Fred looked at Wally and said "you doing okay this morning boss?" Wally cracked up and said "yeah, I am fine but you two missed the excitement early this morning." Toby grabbed Wally's hand and said "it sounds as though you handled everything well. If Fred and I can do anything for you and Mack, just let us know." Jimmy heard the conversation and said "me too Wally! I talked to Mack last night and really like him. Once he gets settled here, he promised me a tour of the fire station and a ride on a fire truck. He's very nice, and I know you two are going to be happy as brothers together."
I'm not sure which group member shared the story with Fred, Toby and Jimmy but I didn't mind as Wally seemed comfortable discussing the subject with them.
I ventured out to the patio to find Ronny, Alex, Denny, Aaron and Bailey listening to some Sunday morning news. Alex was busy at the grill, preparing the breakfast meats for everyone. The smell of bacon, ham and sausage is overwhelming to me. I went over to Alex, gave him a kiss and said "what can I do to help you out this morning?" He looked at me and asked "I'm doing fine CJ. How is Wally doing, and should we be watching him closely for the next few days?" I smiled at Alex, took a piece of bacon off the grill and replied "he's doing well Alex. I know it's still a shock for him, but he's in a better mood this morning. He wants to get to know Mack better, and take identity tests if Mack is also interested." Alex said "okay, sounds good. I'll keep my eye on him though, and if I notice any strange behavior, I'll pass it on to you. I've got news for Mack and UD to share later. There is one condo immediately available and two more will be going up for sale early next year. Maybe they'll be our new neighbors soon."
I went over and joined the others around the television. I sat my coffee down and said "Aaron and Bailey, thank you so much for the party last night. I really enjoyed seeing everyone away from work, and it was such a nice event." Bailey smiled at me and said "good CJ, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have some news from Josh this morning. He figured you may want to spend some more time with UD and the girls before they leave. He's prepared to do all of the morning and noon shows tomorrow if you want him to? I told him to plan on it, unless he hears differently from you today." I smiled at Bailey and said "that's perfect Bailey. Thanks for thinking ahead for me."
Wally overheard the conversation and said "chief, I'm going to take off tomorrow as well to spend one last day with UD and the girls. You're in charge tomorrow." Alex cracked up and said "ah, my work around here is never done!"
My conversation turned to Denny and I said "have you enjoyed yourself this weekend?" He smiled at me and said "I sure have. I wish Anna Maria was closer to St Pete Beach. I love my job there, but the area around here is wonderful with so many activities to enjoy. I can easily see myself living and working here someday." I winked at him and said "were you able to reconnect with someone special?" He grinned and replied "oh yeah, we've spent quite a bit of time together and I know we'll have some more time today."
UD's breakfast was incredible. I remember Sunday breakfasts with him and the family, and it was always a great way to finish off or start a new week. He has always taken pride in his breakfast feasts and makes sure that no one walks away from the table hungry.
The girls and Jimmy cleaned up after we all finished breakfast. Several of the group members have to run errands, but the remainder of us decided to adjourn to the pool to enjoy the rest of a beautiful morning and afternoon. Fred and Toby asked the girls if they will watch Jimmy at the pool, which they all quickly agreed to. I think the girls have found their little brother that they have always wanted. Jimmy is eating up the attention from all of them.
Besides the girls and Jimmy, Wally, UD, Denny and I went to the pool also. UD and Wally mixed up some Sunday special cocktails for the adults, and we also gathered up plenty of beverages for Jimmy and my cousins.
All of us enjoyed the pool, and we got into a great game of water volleyball. Once the first game finished up, Jimmy yelled "one more everyone, except let's switch up the teams!" UD said he's going to rest for a while, and I decided to join him so that I can get the scoop on what he's really feeling.
He and I sat down at a table close to the pool. UD refreshed our drinks and said "cheers son. Thank you so much for a very exciting and refreshing weekend. This has been perfect for the girls and me. I hate to leave tomorrow, but the holidays will be soon upon us and we'll see each other again." I smiled at UD and replied "if everything works out, I plan to take a long weekend in two or three weeks prior to Thanksgiving. I'm going to come back to Cincinnati, and Wally is going to join me. Do you mind if we stay for a few nights at the house?" UD smiled at me and said "you two are more than welcome. Will this be your annual November visit to the cemetery?" I nodded my head and said "do you think my annual trek is strange?" UD took a drink and said "absolutely not. I know I joined you the first two years, and then you continued on by yourself in the remaining years. I always viewed it as a spiritual event for you where you talk open and honestly with them CJ. There's nothing strange about your annual trek, in fact I hope you continue to do it through your life. I'm glad this year you have someone special to attend with you."
We continued on with more chit-chat, and I finally broached the subject of he and the girls moving to St Pete Beach. I asked him "are you serious about the move, or is this just a passing idea that uplifts your spirit? I'd love to have you and the girls close by, so I'm very open to all of you moving here."
UD smiled at me and said "good, I'm glad to hear that from you CJ. I'm very serious about the move. It's probably going to be a gradual move, but I do want to secure a condo here for us to use first. We'll start out renting it out for extra income, and use it for vacations when we are able to. Maddie and Josie think they want to finish high school in Ohio, but Laura likes the idea of moving here to start high school. She's interested in obtaining summer jobs at the station, no matter what they are. When she goes off to Maumee for college, she says that she can easily travel from Cincinnati or here."
UD seemed honest in all of his comments, and I asked him one more pointed question about Jack. I said "UD, is this move eventually for you and Jack, or just yourself?" UD took another drink, and paused for several moments before responding. He finally said "it's for me definitely CJ. I'm not sure where Jack and I are going. He's a big part of my life, and if he ever wants to join me here, he is welcome. I told him my idea this past week. He's open to joining me, but does not want to commit to a permanent relationship that will break up his family. I was saddened to hear him say this CJ, but since then I've been thinking that I may have been the one who has been more committed to us, than he has been. I may be surprised and he may join me. If it does not happen though, I want to be in a place where I'm happy and can move forward with plenty of friends and family around me. I'm not trying to invade your life here CJ, but I feel very loved, happy and content here in your surroundings."
After UD said this, some tears formed in his eyes and began dripping down his cheeks. I stood up, pulled UD up and into a hug. I gave him a kiss and said "you and the girls are very welcome to join our community in any way you want to UD. I love the idea of having you close by, and please know that Wally and I welcome you here with an overabundance of love. You take care of what you need to back home, and keep us in the loop of how you want to relocate here. You have our full support in however you want to proceed. We're here for you and the girls UD. Like you said last night, we are family and don't forget it."
Our day continued with everyone enjoying themselves in and around the pool. Ronny, Alex, Bailey and Aaron returned and joined us for the afternoon activities. I think Fred and Toby are making up for some lost time together, but Jimmy doesn't seem to mind them not being around as he has the attention of so many friends. UD went to retrieve a refill, and found an empty cooler. He yelled at Denny and said "will you help me make more drinks for everyone?" Denny smiled at him, jumped out of the pool and said "sure UD. Maybe we should make another cooler or two in case more people drop by later." UD cracked up and said "good idea! CJ, I'm going to have Denny help me make up snacks for everyone to enjoy. If we're not back in 30 minutes, don't worry as we're fine." I gave a smirk to UD knowing damn well that he and Denny were going to enjoy some time alone before returning to us.
The splendid afternoon continued and I took time to talk to each of my cousins asking them what they thought about getting a condo in St Petersburg, and eventually relocating to Florida? All of them are very receptive to the idea. Maddie and Josie expressed their desire to finish high school in Ohio, but Laura is open to moving and starting high school in St Petersburg. She said "I'm going to throw out the idea to Bailey before I leave tomorrow and see if there may be opportunities for me to work at the station in the summers to further expand my knowledge of the television industry." I smiled at her and replied "that's a wonderful idea Laura. Be sure to tell him you're willing to do any job that is available and learn all you can from it." She gave me a hug and said "when we do move here CJ, I'm most looking forward to working with you and learning from you."
Wally did receive a call from Mack who is finished up looking at condos and homes for the day. Wally said "come on over and bring your swim suit if you have one. We're lounging around the pool, and I think Alex has some news to give you on condos which are coming available in our complex soon. UD is planning a feast for everyone tonight, so plan on staying for dinner with us." After Wally finished the call, he told us that Mack will be here in twenty minutes.
UD and Denny eventually returned with Carl and Trev joining them. As they rounded the corner, UD said "We found Carl and Trev while making drinks. They just returned from their busy morning work, and are in need of some drinks and food." I thought to myself "okay, I don't remember Carl and Trev having anything planned for today. My bet is that UD knocked on their door and asked to take Denny into the playroom for a quickie, then told them to get their asses down to the pool." I made my way over to Carl and said "sorry that UD interrupted you two." Carl cracked up and said "it's no problem, you know we love your uncle. The four of us had some fun in the playroom before making some appetizers and more drinks. UD is a wild ass, and Denny sure can take some cock up the ass from him!" I cracked up laughing and recalled UD's statement to me earlier about feeling loved, happy and content here.
While we were waiting on Mack, an unexpected visitor appeared asking "mind if one more joins in the fun?" I looked over to find Detective Darrell by himself. I smiled and went to greet him. I gave him a hug and said "what a wonderful surprise, and you know you're always welcome to join in the fun with us. Is Lucas working today? I wasn't able to talk with him last night at the party." Darrell replied "Lucas and I are no longer together CJ. He went to the party last evening to see some people but left early. He's informed me that he wants to find a younger partner, and it's actually a relief to me. I found out he was recently fired from his job, and is using drugs that I do not appreciate and will not tolerate in my life. I hope he straightens out his life, and finds what he's looking for." I looked at Darrell and said "I'm sorry to hear that my friend. You don't need a drug addict in your life. Let's find you someone who is more responsible and who will appreciate you for the great man you are." Darrell smiled at me and said "thanks CJ. I'm glad I came over today as I need to be around friends. I really enjoyed the party last night, and agree with what you just said about finding a more responsible hunk to have in my life." I cracked up and said "well, believe it or not, you have someone who is interested in you dropping by very soon." Darrell said "who's that?" I smiled at him, walked him over to the drink table and said "you'll see, but I think you'll be very happy about seeing him and I do believe he's interested in getting to know you better."
Darrell and I sat down at a table and continued to chat. I felt as though he needed someone to talk to about the break up. He told me some more about what happened between them, and I listened intently offering him comforting thoughts throughout the conversation. A few minutes later, I saw a smile appear on Darrell's face as he saw Mack entering the pool area. He said "oh good, Mack is here. It will be nice to talk more to him. I really enjoyed our conversation last night. Is everything okay between him and Wally?"
I took a drink before answering and said "yes, everything is fine and I'm glad you're sitting down when I tell you the highlights of what happened last night. Mack is most likely Wally's brother, but I'll let them share the story with you. I also found out that Mack is gay, and wants to get to know you better." Darrell smiled at me and said "well let's go refill our drinks, and join the crowd."
Wally greeted Mack with a hug, then made any introductions that were needed. Mack had met most of Sunday group at the party with the exception of Carl and Trev. Wally gave Mack a rundown on the available drink selection, with Mack choosing a sunset pleasure. He took off his shirt, and jumped into the pool. Wally brought his drink to the poolside and said to everyone "in case you have not heard the story, Mack and I are most likely brothers. We probably have the same father, which explains our handsome, rugged, twin-like looks." Everyone erupted in a hearty laugh after Wally's comments. I'm happy to see Wally handing this well today. Before I knew it, Darrell took his shirt off, and joined Mack in the pool shaking his hand. Mack looked at Darrell and said "come on fellow brother civil servant, I need more than a handshake from you!" Upon hearing this, Darrell gave Mack a big hug, followed by a kiss on his cheek.
The afternoon party continued on and eventually Fred and Toby re-joined the group. Jimmy saw both of them approaching us and said "come on you two, jump in and enjoy all the fun. You've missed so much already, but we're all building our appetites for UD's great dinner that we helped him with this morning."
All of us engaged in another game of water volleyball. Jimmy and Mack quickly teamed up with Mack putting Jimmy on his shoulders. Jimmy was able to spike the ball so much, and I have not heard him laugh as hard as he is now. As I looked around at everyone in the pool, I reflected upon how we have all come together. I'm not going to take all of the credit in creating this tightly knit group, but I'm damned proud to be part of it enjoying all of the love, caring and camaraderie that we share together.
UD got out of the pool first and said "I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starting to get hungry! I'm going to head up and start dinner now for everyone. If I need more kitchen space, can I use your place Carl and Trev?" Trev replied "sure UD. I think I locked the door. Let me come up and help you with everything." Denny and I joined in helping as well. Wally started to get out of the pool and I said "stay down here for a while sweetheart. Enjoy some time with Mack, and make sure the chief gets the housing information on the table for him." Wally smiled at me and replied "okay babe. Hey chief, did you find any available condos here that we may want to look at after dinner?" Alex took the cue, and went into his sales pitch for Mack. Before we left the pool area, Alex said "don't worry UD, I'll show you the units that are available after dinner along with Mack."
My cousins joined the dinner preparation group, while Wally and the rest of the Sunday gang continued to enjoy the pool. Wally asked Mack "did your search go okay today, and did you find anyplace which immediately screamed pick me to you?" Mack replied "honestly, no. I looked at three houses, all of which need way too much work that I'm not sure I want to put my time into. My realtor also showed me four condos, and I found the HOA fees too pricey for the amenities being offered. I hope I can find something this week, as I have to return to Marco Island next Saturday for two weeks of work. After that, I'm planning to get settled in here someplace prior to my December 4th start at work."
Alex heard all of Mack's comments and said "Mack, if you don't mind me asking what amenities are you looking for, and what's a comfortable HOA fee for you?" Mack said "I want a nice pool area with hot tubs. I'd also like a weight room, and tennis or pickleball courts. If any utilities are included in the fee, that's definitely a plus. I really don't want to pay over $400 a month on HOA fees." Alex smiled at him and said "Mack, today is your lucky day. There is one unit which is available immediately. It's on the opposite end of the fourth floor from CJ, Wally, Ronny and myself. It's a three bedroom, two bath unit with a huge patio. You'll see the similar layout at our place when we go up for dinner. You've seen the recreation center and the pool area. Let's go check out the weight room and courts before we go up to dinner." Mack said "I'm liking what I hear so far Alex, you lead the way!"
UD had all of us working double time in the kitchen and on the patio. Before I knew it, he had chicken breasts and pork chops cooking on the grill, with shrimp and scallops to follow. He whipped up a couple of his special side dishes, as well as having some prepared salads from Publix. I knew by the looks of everything, he is going to satisfy everyone's appetite this evening.
The remainder of the crew made their way into the condo after showing Mack around the complex. As they entered the kitchen, UD said "give me ten more minutes everyone. Go ahead and refresh your drinks, or grab a beer and there is ice tea and lemonade available on the patio table." Trev and I were setting up the patio table and I suggested that Wally to give Mack a tour of our condo while we finished up.
Mack was very impressed with the size of the condo and told Wally "This condo beats the ones I saw today. Alex, is the unit that is available finished anywhere close to this, or does it need some touch up?" Alex said "the unit needs some work Mack, but it's been well taken care of. We can help you put some finishing touches on it, and create a place that will suit your needs. If you like the bathrooms in here, we can put you in touch with some of our contractors to set you up with enhanced shower in the unit as well." The last stop on the tour was the patio and Mack commented "holy crap! This is huge. I love all of the room where you can set up multiple seating areas." Alex said "follow me around to the pub side Mack, you're going to love it as well."
Once again UD exceeded everyone's expectations with his dinner feast. I could not believe how much everyone ate, including myself. The pool day had obviously built up everyone's appetite. After everyone finished, UD said "sorry everyone, I did not fix any dessert tonight." Toby chimed in and said "we took care of it for you UD. Fred and I picked up a cheese cake and carrot cake for all to enjoy this evening. Alex, why don't you show the available condo units to Mack while the remainder of us clean up and get dessert ready?"
Alex said "that sounds good. UD, do you and the girls want to look at the available units also? Ken Blake texted me today and said his unit will also be available next year. He's accepting a promotion within his firm and will be relocating to New York next March." Maddie said "wow dad, Ken's unit is very nice and tastefully decorated. That will be a nice condo for us to buy and use for our vacations and a rental until we permanently relocate here." Josie and Laura agreed with Maddie and UD said "let's go take a look at the available units, and Alex we can take Mack through Ken's unit to give him more ideas on the available unit right above Ken's." Darrell asked "does anyone mind if I tag along? I've been thinking about making a change and switching to a condo versus my ranch house." Mack smiled at Darrell and said "come on big guy, the more the merrier! You can be my tour guest." Denny chimed in as well saying "I'd like to see the available units also. I'm beginning to enjoy St Pete Beach much better than Ana Maria Island."
Jimmy got the rest of us motivated to clean up and get ready for dessert. He said "I'm going to have a piece of cheesecake and a piece of carrot cake. I love them both, and can't decide which sounds better tonight. Before we eat, let's play a game of darts guys. I think I can beat you all tonight."
Ronny, Bailey and Carl took Jimmy to the pub area and began a game of darts with him. The rest of us cleaned up the dinner dishes, loaded the dishwasher and fixed a pot of coffee. Fred and Toby retrieved the cakes from their place, and soon we were ready for dessert once the condo tours have finished up.
Once we returned to the patio, Fred and Toby joined the dart game in progress, while Aaron, Trev and I turned on the television to catch some local news. All of the local newscasts were not being shown due to football games and other sporting events running over their allocated time. Aaron turned the volume down and said "Wally seems very good today, CJ. You did wonders with him last night." I smiled and replied "it was not that difficult Aaron. Once Wally accepted that his father was human and capable of making mistakes he turned around for me. He does not blame Mack, and wants to get to know him. I can't believe how quickly everything is moving, and now Mack may be moving into our complex." Trev chimed in and said "yeah, it's moving very quickly but I think that's due to Mack's job change and his quickly approaching move to St Petersburg. CJ, I noticed you talking to Darrell today. Is everything okay with him and Lucas? I saw that Lucas left the party very early last night." I said "Darrell and Lucas have broken up. I'll let Darrell share the specifics with you, but I don't believe we'll be seeing too much of Lucas in the future at our group events."
It took over an hour for Alex to get everyone through the condos. Once they got back, several of us retrieved the cakes, plates, silverware and coffee from the kitchen. Wally and Alex were continuing to show Mack the updates we have made in the kitchen area. Mack also took a closer look at our showers before returning to the patio for dessert.
Once everyone was settled into a seat and enjoying their dessert, Mack announced "well everyone, thank you for a beautiful day, a wonderful dinner and excellent company. I cannot tell you how good I feel about making a move to St Petersburg and if no one has objections, I plan to write up an offer on the empty fourth floor unit tomorrow morning with my realtor. I love the condo layout, the size of the patio, and the great views of the gulf and beach. Wally and Alex have given me a number of inexpensive updates which can be made easily with their help. I'm going to enjoy getting to know all of you better, and most of all getting to know my brother Wally." Once Mack finished his comments, everyone cheered for him and welcomed him with very warm wishes. UD then chimed in and said "I also want to let all of you know that the girls and I are serious about purchasing Ken's condo. We're looking forward to being Mack's neighbor one floor down, as well as joining all of you in this wonderful environment. I've got Ken's contact information from Alex, and will be discussing the purchase with him this week."
The patio erupted in cheers, plenty of hugs and a jovial mood spread amongst everyone.
After the round of announcements finished, Mack walked over to Wally and said "I sincerely mean it when I say I want to get to know you as my brother. Let's plan on getting our genetic makeup tested soon, so we can make it official." Wally smiled at him, pulled him in for a hug and said "that sounds great to me Mack. I welcome you to the complex, the town and into our circle of friends. Most of all, I welcome you as my brother and hope that we will become just as close as you and Jacob are."
Jimmy was the first one to succumb to yawns and exhaustion. Fred noticed him getting worn down and said "are you ready to go to bed and be ready for school tomorrow?" Jimmy went to him, gave him a hug and said "yeah daddy, I am. I hate to leave everyone, but I know we'll be together again for the holidays." Jimmy, Fred and Toby made their way around the group with Jimmy giving hugs to everyone. When he got to UD, he said "I have extra days off at Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you are here during either holiday, I'll go shopping with you if you want me to?" UD cracked up and said "of course I want you to go shopping with me, because you're such a big help. I think right now, we'll be back for Christmas with everyone. Maybe you and I can go shopping for Christmas presents for everyone?" Jimmy got a big smile on his face and said "that sounds good UD. I've been saving up my allowance for a present for daddy and Toby. It will help me out big time if you and I pick it up together?" UD pulled Jimmy in for another hug and said "we'll do it Jimmy. You also practice up on singing, and we'll go singing at Mel's also."
After Fred, Toby and Jimmy left, Bailey and Aaron made their exit with Bailey saying "who ever thought that 7:00 am Monday meetings are a good thing needs their head examined." Everyone cracked up at him, and Laura said "before you go Mr. Stauffer, can I speak privately to you? I promise it won't take more than five minutes." Bailey gave her a big smile and said "sure my young star! Let's go into the living room."
UD and I knew what Laura is going to ask Bailey. I'm proud of her for discussing future opportunities with him. I know he will receive the conversation well, and I bet Laura will have a job next summer if she wants it.
Laura and Bailey came back out on the patio. Bailey said "UD, if you have the condo by next summer, I'd like to have Laura start working at the tv station for more experience. Are you open to that idea?" UD jumped up, went to Bailey, gave him a hug and said "you bet I am! We'll get her to the station each morning for whatever you may have lined up for her." Bailey smiled and said "we're always in need of extra help during the summer. I plan on having her work behind the scenes first to learn the industry as much as she can. Eventually, we'll work her into some reporting assignments. She'll get so much experience that she'll fly through James's curriculum at Maumee in an expedited timeline." Laura was smiling through the entire conversation and said "thanks Mr. Stauffer, I'm going to do the best job I can for you."
The crowd continued to dwindle after Bailey and Aaron left. My cousins announced that they were all getting tired and want to watch a movie tonight. Another round of hugs began, but everyone was happy knowing we'll be together for one of the holidays. UD said "I love you all girls. Go ahead and lock Ken's front door as I have the other key. Don't worry if I don't come down until much later because I want to play some darts and drink a few more beers with the guys before I turn in." The girls all acknowledged UD telling him to have fun, but get some sleep before tomorrow's trip.
Once the coast was clear, UD gave a wink to Denny and said "what do you feel like doing tonight, Denny? Darts or playroom?" Denny smirked at UD and said "let's grab a pitcher of beer, and head for the playroom." Ronny, Alex, Carl and Trev all looked at each other, with Ronny saying "UD do you and Denny mind a crowd in the playroom tonight?" UD smirked and said "hell no, my boy and I are up to raise some hell tonight. Come on everyone." With that, UD and the crew filled up several beer pitchers and headed to the playroom for a night of crazy sex.
Mack looked at Wally and said "what's the playroom and is it available to all the residents?" Darrell, Wally and I cracked up laughing. Darrell whispered in Mack's ear and a huge grin appeared on Mack's face. He looked back at Wally and me and said "okay, I think I'll visit the playroom once I'm an official resident of the complex." We all had another good laugh on Mack's statement and he said "if you three want to go ahead, please do so. I'll eventually feel comfortable in attending, but tonight's not the right time for me." I grabbed Wally's hand, looked him in the face, gave him a kiss and said "maybe the four of us can use the playroom for a smaller more intimate group sometime. I think the idea of two handsome brothers taking advantage of a television weatherman and a police detective is a hot scene that needs just a foursome."
Mack cracked up and said "thanks guys, I like that idea. I definitely want to get to know Darrell better, and I feel like us three still have so much to learn about each other." Wally smiled at Mack and said "it's still early this evening and it's a beautiful night. How about the four of us go around to the pub, have some beers and get more acquainted over some dart games? Mack, do you enjoy an occasional evening cigar?" Mack's smile grew even bigger as he said "oh hell yeah bro. Nothing better than spending a beautiful evening together with sexy men, drinking beer and smoking cigars. Let me call Jacob and tell him I'm going to be later than I expected. I don't want to get too crazy tonight, as I want to secure the condo tomorrow morning and get my St Pete Beach life started." Darrell smiled at him, put his hand on Mack's chin and pulled him in for a kiss. After Darrell finished the kiss, he said "don't worry Mack, I won't let you get too crazy tonight. There will be plenty of time once you move here for us to go crazy together."
Mack made his call, Wally got beer glasses for us and I retrieved the humidor from the office. Mack also called his realtor and gave her the information on the condo saying "I want to meet you tomorrow morning, go through it with you one more time and then write an offer on it." He ended the call with "perfect, I'll see you at 9:00 am in the condo complex."
I turned some music on and soon the four of us were enjoying cigars, beer and darts in the pub area. Mack asked "who did the work on the patio here? I'll be bringing a lot of furniture from my place at Marco Island, along with a pinball and Pacman games. I want to work with your designer to come up with another killer patio on the other end of the floor."
Wally stepped over to Mack and said "it's been a collaborative effort between Alex, Ronny, CJ and myself. We'll all be more than happy to assist you in the creation of your pad." Darrell spoke up and said "hey, don't forget about me. I'll be happy to help you out also stud!"
Mack cracked up laughing, took a puff of his cigar and said "I'm going to love living here. CJ, just think if you and I had not met a few weeks ago? Tonight, probably would not be occurring for the four of us. I'm so glad we did meet, and I want to hear all about UD, your cousins and what the Skinner story is. Thanks for the call and inviting me into your world this weekend. I'll never be able to repay you for everything you have given me, especially my long-lost brother." Mack approached Wally and said "you've got yourself a good man, Wally. I hope to find my man now, and enjoy this fine community."
I stepped up to throw my darts, smiled at Mack and said "no repayment necessary Mack. I cannot believe what all has transpired in the last several weeks for me. I'm so glad that you checked on me and my friends at the Marco Island Inn. The almighty one was certainly looking out for the two of us on that day."
Wally interjected and said "well CJ, there is one thing that Mack can do to pay you back. He needs to find a date and be at our wedding the first weekend of June 2024." Mack broke into a big smile and said "no shit, you two are tying the knot together." Wally and I both smiled and Wally said "yes, I found my soulmate and I hope you also find your soulmate brother."
Mack went to Darrell and said "what are you doing the first weekend in June, Darrell?" Darrell gave Mack a kiss and said "hopefully, I'll be at Bradenton Beach with you enjoying the nuptials of CJ and Wally." Mack smiled back at him, gave Darrell a kiss and said "perfect, add my name to the guest list Wally along with the name of my hot detective stud here." Darrell and Mack went into a longer kiss after Mack's statement.
Wally left them alone and came over to me. He whispered in my ear "what the hell is going on here, and where is Lucas in this? I'm going to fire Alex tomorrow for not keeping me in the loop on relationships going astray in our circle of friends!" I whispered back to him "Lucas is being replaced by Mack and Alex doesn't know about it yet. I'll fill you in later tonight before you make passionate love to me." Wally cracked up and began a long kiss on me while Mack and Darrell were still enjoying their kiss together.
What a weekend! The last several weeks have been mind-blowing for me. Gradually, the pieces are falling into positions that I did not expect when October started. The holidays are going to be fun, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with all of my family and loved-ones. My long-range forecast is on the right track and I'm seeing plenty of sunny skies in the future.