New Life

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It was only a few hours later that the sunshine came through the open window. The brutal and noisy entrance of Teresa and Veronica waked us. They jumped literally on the bed and didn't leave us alone till we were fully awake. They both kissed us on the cheeks and said we were expected at the breakfast table in less than fifteen minutes. When they were gone, Jonay snuggled up to me, laying his head on my chest and an arm over my stomach. Hmmm ... I could get used to that very quickly. I just wondered if the two sisters did that wake-up call systematically or if it was just because they knew I was in there.

• If we don't get in the shower fast, the two witches will be back soon.

I laughed at that and squeezed Jonay in my arms a little more. However, we had to get up, not only for breakfast but also for the work that was expecting us. For me it was not really work, because I loved what I was doing. We showered and dressed and went to the kitchen. Maria was standing there, doing her chores, when I noticed that both casts were gone. She said Roberto had helped her removing them, as they were not necessary anymore. She was doing everything she needed as if she had never broken a bone.

Roberto came in and hugged just like he hugged Jonay, his sisters and their Mama. It was all so sudden. Yesterday I was just a client and a kitchen-help and today I was considered as one of the family. My heart beat faster out of pure happiness. I wanted to keep Jonay in my arms, but my education and my former life prevented me from doing so. But Jonay read my mind I think, for he came over to where I was standing and wrapped his arms around me. His Mama was beaming and the sisters giggled all the time.

I hadn't noticed, but the table was set for eight and not for seven people. The sisters' husbands came in and hugged everyone, including me, before sitting down. Before we started to eat, there was a minute of silence and Roberto said a few words, thanking the Universe for all the good things that came their way and welcoming me to the family.

Have you ever been sitting at a table for the first time and having seven people around you talking as if it was Christmas day? Well, that was exactly what was happening and I didn't know how to behave, but that family was so inviting that soon enough I was involved in the conversations. The food was excellent and healthy. Lots of fruit, fresh baked bread, eggs, bacon and so on and on. From time to time I saw Roberto and Maria look at each other and have that tender smile that spoke volumes.

After breakfast I got in the van with Maria and we went to the fresh market. The others had their own tasks to attend to. When we reached the market we crossed paths with Juan. He soon turned around and went in another direction. I didn't know if he avoided Maria or me. Whatever it was, he seemed to have learnt his lesson. I was sure he wouldn't bother us anymore.

Mama bought what she thought we would need and I added a few things to the basket. When she saw what I had added, she smiled and told me I was a quick learner. She was also happy to see that most of the people we were buying from called me by my first name and had happy smiles when we approached them. She congratulated me for having found my way so quickly, but she had that knowing smile on her face. When everything was in the van, instead of getting in, she took me by my hand and dragged me to a little house. She just said she wanted me to meet someone.

She didn't have to ring the bell to get in, as the door was open. We got inside and there was an elderly lady sitting on the floor and surrounded by plants and herbs. Mama introduced me to her just by saying "He is gifted". The woman looked up to me and invited me to sit down in front of her. She took my hands in hers and looked me in the eyes very intensely. I felt a bit awkward, but that feeling left me quite soon. She than burst out laughing,

• You are the one, who took my grandson by his balls, aren't you? You did a damn good job, fellow! It made him come to his senses in only a few minutes where I failed in years raising him!

But she was serious again in no time. She didn't use a lot of words. She rubbed my hands and looked me in the eyes and just nodded. When she released my hands, she grabbed a little bag and gave it to me saying:

• Make an infusion of it and drink it before the full moon is over.

I didn't know what to think or do. Mama tapped on my shoulder and said we were going. I wanted to pay for the herbs, but the old lady said no. I would pay her back in due time.

As soon as we were back at the hotel, Mama made the infusion of the herbs and ordered me to drink it. I asked her what it was all about, but she said she didn't know. Just to follow the older lady's instructions. I drank it. It was horrible! That was the bitterest taste I had ever had in my mouth, but Mama insisted to drink it all. I wanted to rinse my mouth after that, but once again Mama said no. She even said I couldn't drink anything at all for the coming four hours.

I was flabbergasted. The previous day I had swallowed the pistil of a flower and now I was drinking an infusion that I hadn't the slightest idea what is was for. But for some strange reason, I trusted Mama. I knew she would never do anything to harm me. After all, for her, I was her new son in law although we had exactly the same age.

I didn't know if it was the power of the flower of the previous day or the infusion I had drunk, but I felt absolutely great. When I arrived on this island I already felt ten years younger, but now I felt like I was almost a teenager again. I was full of energy and thought that nothing could ever stop me doing anything I wanted. I had never done any sports in my life, but I wanted to go and buy a bicycle to not use the van or any car. I even started to run every morning together with Jonay. We would run (not walk) to the Holly Rock and back. I even lost a little weight and burned the few ounce of fat that were there for years. Life was really smiling at me!

One day Mama said to me I had to go and see the elderly woman. She said she would teach me a few things although I was a natural. I didn't understand what she meant, but went anyway. That old lady taught me a lot of things. Some were just common sense to me. Others were totally new. Most of the time Jonay was going with me and with his knowledge of plants and herbs, it seemed all so easy. The old woman advised us to use more herbs in the kitchen. She said it would do a lot of good to many people.

I tried what the old woman had said to me. I didn't know if it was doing any good to anyone, but it sure increased the taste of the dishes. Soon we had double service every night at the restaurant and the word spread rapidly that Mama had a new help in her kitchen and that, even if the food was already very tasty, the dishes were now tasty and healthy.

One night, after we had closed the kitchen and the restaurant, Roberto gathered us all in the family living room. What he had to say was stunning us all. The restaurant was giving so many benefices that he thought of closing the hotel and keep it as accommodation for us. We would have each couple a floor of the hotel that we could refurbish as we wanted. Each and every floor would officially been put in our names. Roberto and Maria would keep the main house to themselves. I could believe and understand him. He would go on as a ma"tre d', Maria would keep in the kitchen with me, Teresa and Veronica serving the clients and Jonay would go on with the garden and the plants. It seemed all so easy and natural. There were no discussions about it. All three children of Roberto and Maria agreed immediately.

I was offered a contract and a salary. At first I refused, having enough money in my bank account, but they insisted. The offer they made was, to the island's standards, very generous. As my expenses were very few, the balance on my account grew, slowly but surely. I just loved the job I was doing. In my previous life I would never have thought of becoming a chef. Here I just slipped into the job.

Jonay was a very patient teacher. There wasn't a plant or an herb in the garden he didn't know of. He knew all the effects this flora had on the human body. He knew how to use them. When I suggested that he could maybe go to the university to achieve a title in that field, he said it was not necessary. He already had a title, not a university one, but for him it was enough. He said he was learning more on the field than in books. He already had a few basic and important books about the plants of the island. He was also a very good drawer and could reproduce most of the plants and flowers with paper and pencils. He showed me a sketchbook of what he had done in the past and I was really impressed. Those drawings were absolutely beautiful.

About a month later, the whole family got together in the living room. The family lawyer was there as well and presented us with the new deeds of the hotel. I was surprised to see all deeds had two names on them. I thought each of the children would have a floor of the hotel, but the last floor had my name on it as well as Jonay's. When I took the deed of our part, I couldn't hold it in my hands. It felt like fire, burning my fingers. I said to Jonay to not sign it. Mama looked at me with a very serious look on her face.

• What's going wrong Blake? Maria asked.

I explained to her what was going on. She immediately took the deed and felt the papers in her hands. She said she couldn't feel anything and started to read the text meticulously. On the third page she just said "Ha" and pointed something to the lawyer. He got crimson red in his face and said he would change it immediately. There seemed to be a mayor error in the deed that would jeopardize the whole contract. The lawyer took out his laptop and opened the appropriate file and made the adjustment. He then connected it to a portable printer and we got the corrected deed in our hands in no time. This time, when I took it, nothing happened and I said to Jonay he could sign it. Mama had her knowing smile back on her face.

What happened with the deed became like a second nature to me. As soon as something was wrong or could harm the family, I immediately received a sign from outer space if I can say so. Looking into things we almost immediately found the error or what could go wrong. Some times the warning was weak, as if the problem was of minor importance. Some times it was really strong when the danger was life threatening. Mama always said I was gifted. I preferred to say I was protected and protecting. One day, as I sat in the old van, my seat was burning hot. I told Mama to get out of the van immediately. We called up the local mechanic who discovered there was a leak in the fuel pipe. The car could have exploded! I decided to buy a new one for the family and the business. Jonay went with me to the dealership. All those vans looked really nice, but when I touched them, I got positive or negative feelings filling my whole body. I followed my intuition and the SUV that gave me the best vibration was the one I bought, although Jonay preferred another one. I just told him to believe me and trust my choice. He looked at me intensely and knew what I meant.

That second nature, receiving signs, was getting stronger by the day. I went to see the elderly woman and when she took my hands, she had a big smile on her face.

• You will soon take my place, she said. You are now prepared and ready. Come back this afternoon with a few boxes so you can take all this stuff with you.

I didn't argue with her and went back the same afternoon as she had said. The following morning Juan came to the hotel and asked specifically for me.

• My grandmother died during the night, but I guess it is not a surprise to you.

• No, it is not. I said. I saw it in my heart when I went to see her yesterday.

Juan fell to his knees sobbing for the loss of his grandmother. I had a vision of him being all alone. I had not known that his parents died years before. He had no brothers or sisters. He was truly alone on this earth, just like I was before I arrived here. I took him in my arms and tried to comfort him as much as I could. I could feel that Juan was considering me as his big brother now. I promised myself to be just that.

The funeral was something I had never seen before. Nobody was wearing black clothes, on the contrary, lots of white and bright colors. Nobody was crying. This funeral was more of a celebration than mourning. Everybody cheered and praised the old woman. Mama explained to me that here, a funeral was a celebration of life. She said that dying means that you accomplished your task on earth and that you were allowed to join the angels. All the present people loudly applauded the accomplishment of her tasks on earth. The funeral ended with a huge banquet and joyful dancing.

During the banquet, a lot of people came over to me, presenting me their respect. They also wanted to be touched by me. The word quickly spread around that I was the old woman's replacement.

Jonay didn't leave my side for a split second and I loved him for it. I met hundreds of people and Jonay was, each time, telling me who they were. It was strange that the following day I remembered all of their faces and names. I felt like I was living here for my whole life and I had arrived only a few months previous. When all the guests were gone, we returned to the hotel. Roberto and Maria gathered us all and announced they would move to the top floor of the hotel and that Jonay and I would live in the main house. There were no arguments at all, as everybody agreed on the spot.

As the sister's husbands were working in a construction company, the refurbishing of the hotel and the main house started very soon and was properly done. We even decided to re-decorate the restaurant. One of the things I suggested was to have Jonay's drawings framed and hung up. Every drawing would have a little note explaining what it was and its properties. The main house was adapted to Jonay's and my needs. The small place behind the kitchen, that Roberto used as a little office, was re-decorated and looked a lot as the house of the old woman. It had a backdoor and a little path so the visitors could come and go as discreetly as they wanted. I wondered how I would know I had visitors, but I didn't have to worry about that. Each and every time I had a visitor, I was attracted to the place like iron to a magnet. With the people that came to see me, I touched hands and instinctively knew how to help them. Jonay was of great help with the plants and the herbs.

Life was wonderful. The night we re-opened the restaurant after the re-decoration works, we had to serve three complete services. All the plates we offered on the card had great success. I had never been so busy and Veronica, Teresa and Jonay ran like crazy to have happy customers. Once everybody was gone, and everything was cleaned up, we all retired to our respective quarters. I took Jonay's hand to cross the garden to our new home. Just to touch his hand gave me an overwhelming sensation of love. He was totally in love with me and the feeling was mutual.

As it was late, we quickly showered and snuggled up to each other between the sheets. I was laying on my back and Jonay was nestled in my arms with his head on my chest. We were talking about the fantastic re-opening of the restaurant but I soon realized I was talking alone, as Jonay had drifted of to sleep. I switched off the light and closed my eyes. Images of my lover came to my mind and I had a happy smile on my face when I started snoring softly.

The following morning, Jonay and I went for our morning run. The temperature was already high despite the early hour. On our way towards the Holly Rock, I took off my T-shirt, as it was soaked with sweat. We climbed on our rock and I immediately took Jonay in my arms. With all the hassle of refurbishing the hotel and re-decorating the restaurant and adapting the main house to our liking, time had gone by and we hadn't given ourselves much physical enjoyment. This morning we had a little bit more time for ourselves. The Holly Rock was our favorite spot to make love, but we had always done it at nighttime. Today was different as the sun was already high in the sky. I looked around but didn't see a single soul. I kissed Jonay on the lips while pulled his T-shirt over his head. The horniness of youth was noticeable as I could see that Jonay's shorts were already tenting out obscenely. I pressed myself on Jonay's body and he responded likewise. I let my hands roam over his body and had once again that overwhelming sensation of love getting to me and entering my bones. Our tongues were dueling for supremacy in our mouth and our cocks were pressed together, only separated by the thin fabric of our shorts.

I pulled Jonay down with me on the flat surface of the rock. I soon had Jonay on top of me, kissing me as if there was no tomorrow. His body was warm and covered in sweat. That made the rubbing even easier. We loved to make out like that. We had an enormous satisfaction in kissing and rubbing our bodies together as it was an expression of love, more than a sexual act. Nonetheless, Jonay broke the kiss and travelled down my chest and stomach. As he reached my nether regions he put his fingers in the waistband of my shorts and pulled them down. I lifted my ass to make it easier for him. I was laying there naked, with only my socks and my sneakers on my feet. Jonay jumped up and got rid of his shorts as well before kneeling between my spread legs. He leaned down and without preliminaries wrapped his lips around my cock-head. That sudden attack on my genitals made me gasp for air. My cock was trapped in his warm and moist mouth and his tongue was doing its magic on my mushroom. He massaged my balls and stretched them to the limit. His mouth soon covered my scrotum while his hands pushed my legs further apart. He didn't stay still as he travelled even more downwards and licked and bit on my tender flesh between my balls and my ass. I loved it when he did that and spread my legs as far as they could go, but Jonay grabbed my ankles and lifted my legs high in the air. Not a second was spilled before he dove in and attacked my rosebud, pushing his tongue on my hole to force it inside. I was pleasantly surprised by his morning energy. He French kissed my hole for what seemed eternity, even I knew it was merely minutes. He put each of my feet on his shoulders and with his hands he spread my buttocks apart and let his fingers join his tongue in pleasing me. He pushed his fingers in me and let them play in the furnace that were my insides. He turned them around till he found my prostate that he touched and massaged with his youthful ardor.

I was squirming beneath him. He got on his knees and pointed his rock-hard cock right on target. His pre-cum was all the natural lube we needed. I was a little bit scared of the initial pain I would feel, but relaxed enough to allow him entry in my love tunnel. Jonay pushed hard to pass my sphincter muscle, but as I was relaxed enough, his thrust brought his cock in me up to the hilt. He seemed as surprised as I was that the entry had been so easy and without pain. I could feel the throbbing of his cock sending jolts of pleasure in places I had forgotten I had. He waited a few seconds before withdrawing and pushing back in. As he did so he rubbed my prostate and I was oozing pre-cum like never before. As his pubes were tickling my ass-cheeks, he leaned down and took my cock-head between his lips. He couldn't move a lot in that position, just enough to rub my prostate. I was in heaven, filled by the most wonderful man and sucked off at the same time. It sent me over the edge and I filled his mouth with my juice. He didn't swallow it. Once I had spent all my semen in him, he came up to me and kissed me, sharing the load I had deposited in his mouth. He started pumping again and increased his speed. I flexed my ass-muscles as to give him his deserved pleasure. My hands roamed over his chest and played with his nipples. As I sensed he was about to reach his orgasm, I pinched them, knowing it would trigger his ejaculation. Jonay pushed himself up on his hands, threw his head back and pushed his hips forwards. I could feel the spasms of his cock on the walls of my ass, as he was climaxing in earnest. After the last spurt, he collapsed on me, locking our lips together once more. We kissed like that till his cock deflated and plopped out of my ass. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist to keep him in place. Our lovemaking was always so powerful and intense that the afterglow lasted more time.

Jonay lifted his head and looked me in the eyes. All I saw was the immensity of his love. I could have stayed there on the Holly Rock for the rest of my life with him in my arms. But we had obligations! So we stood up, climbed off the rock and took off our socks and sneakers and dove in the fresh water of the ocean. When we came out of the water, we put on our shorts and sneakers and finished our morning routine to run to the house.

We were just in time for breakfast. Mama was standing at the stove and almost finished the dishes. We ran to our place to have a shower and dress in more appropriate clothing. Breakfast was as enjoyable as ever.

Far too soon, the morning routines kicked in. I took Mama to the fresh market and we ran our errands. We met Juan who came over, kissed mama on the cheek and then hugged me. He told us he had moved in into his grandmother's house and felt her presence all the time. He asked me to come over whenever it suited me. Mama said there is not such a good time as the present and urged me to go with him while she finished her purchases.

As soon as I entered now Juan's house, I could feel his grandmother's presence as well. I immediately sat down in the middle of the space and concentrated on the old woman. Although I had my eyes wide open, I had her face appearing to me. She looked happy and was smiling. I greeted her silently and was stunned when I heard her voice and she said:

• Thank you for all you have done. You have a huge task in front of you but I know you ill do a good job. Take care of Juan; he is a good boy although he is stubborn as a mule. Be happy, that's what you are here for.

And then the vision disappeared. Juan was looking at me. Apparently he had not seen nor heard his grandmother. I told him that she was indeed in the house and would be as long as he needed her. He had problems believing me, but nodded nonetheless.

• I don't think she can help me with the problem I have, he said, but I guess you are right. She has always looked after me even when I put myself in trouble. It as only when I was with her that I felt totally at peace. She gave me so much love and comfort after my parents died. I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't been here. I miss her so much.

Juan sighed. I could feel the pain in his heart. I asked him to lay down on the spot where I had been sitting. He lay flat on his back. I urged him to close his eyes and I just applied my hands on his chest. I didn't know why I was doing this, but something deep inside of me told me to do so. I felt a sudden warmth in my forearms and hands. The warmer it got, the more pressure I applied on his sternum, as this felt like the right place. I learned later that the sternum is an open gate to positive incoming energy. After some time, the warmth faded away. We got up and Juan looked more relaxed.

• You know you can come to me whenever you need it, I said, you don't need an appointment!

Juan smiled and said he would definitely take my word on that. I knew he would.

I went back to where I had parked the SUV and Mama was already there. We got in and I apologized for making her wait. She shrugged her shoulders and said she had not waited very long. She turned to me and observed me for a few minutes.

• She was there, wasn't she?

• Yes Mama, she was. I have seen her and I have heard her. The strange think is that SHE thanked me for all I did, where I had the feeling it was me who had to thank her.

• No Blake, you gave her the possibility to achieve her task here and have her work continued. You actually set her free. She was expecting the right person for quite some time now and when she met you, she knew she could go in peace. That was the most wonderful gift you could gave her and that0s why she thanked you.

I was speechless. I repeated the words Mama had just said to me in my head. They made sense. What didn't make sense to me was that they all believed I was gifted. If I was really gifted, why was it I hadn't felt it before? Why did I have to go through a dull life for more than forty years and misusing my time and my so-called gift? It was as if Mama could read my mind as she went on:

• Nothing happens without a purpose. You haven't discovered your gift till you reached this place. You think you chose this place haphazardly? No Blake, it is Destiny that brought you here. Destiny works in very mysterious ways and most of the time we don't understand the how or the why of things. As long as you were not ready to face what you will have to face in the future, Destiny didn't allow you to come here. You have not lost your time till you arrived here. You unconsciously prepared yourself for this big step. If you hadn't been bored to death where you came form, do you think you would have stayed here? You needed the right state of mind to leave everything behind and start it all over.

Everything she said seemed just common sense. I didn't know where she had fetched such wisdom. After all, she was my age. I felt such a novice in all I discovered. She had convinced me I had a gift, or better said a power. She had seen it and I didn't even know I had it. I knew my intuition was stronger than ever. I knew I was in the right place. I knew I felt like I was born again. My former I was gone and the new one was discovering a whole new world. I had even had to wait for more than forty years to discover what real love was. Jonay was part of me now and I couldn't possibly imagine a life or a world without him. I discovered the real sense of family. Don't misunderstand me! My parents were loving people and gave me everything I needed, but I was a lonely child in an adult world.

We reached the restaurant and unloaded the SUV. Jonay came over to me, wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me passionately. When he broke the kiss he just said he missed me and was on his way to his tasks. Mama smiled at this. She had known from the start that her son and me were made for each other and she was happy we had discovered it as well.

Jonay's birthday was soon there. On the morning of that day, Roberto came into our room although he had never done that.

• OK guys, just put on good walking sneakers and come down. After breakfast you will have an important journey to make.

Jonay and I looked quizzically at each other. We dressed in our running shorts, T-shirts and sneakers and went down. Surprisingly, no one was there. We had a light breakfast and then Roberto said to follow him. We got in the SUV, but it was Roberto who sat at the wheel. We left the little town and he drove towards the mountains. We could feel the air getting fresher and in a certain way invigorating. When Roberto stopped, he said to get out of the car. He then ordered us to take off all of our clothes except the socks and sneakers. I was reluctant at first but as I saw that Jonay was obeying his father, I followed his lead. When we were both naked, except for our shoes, Roberto said:

• Get as high as you can on this mountain. Find the sacred place and let the Universe submerge you. Get all the energy you can. When you feel you are ready, come down again and I'll be here. It is possible you are back in four or five hours, just like it can take four or five days.

Then he looked at his son and said:

• Today you are eighteen. You are supposed to be a man. Behave like one.

Then he turned to me and said:

• We will consider today as a re-birth for you. It is the first day of a whole new life. Be conscious of it.

He then turned around, got in the SUV and drove away. He had just left us both a bottle of water, nothing else. Our clothes were in the car.

We had no choice and started walking up the mountain. The sun was high in the sky and we were both sweating. We thought we were lucky Roberto had left us a bottle of water each. We walked for several hours, not knowing what we had to look for. At a little mountain river we re-filled our bottles, as they were empty very soon. We walked on and on. We didn't meet a soul. We hold hands the entire time and unconsciously were giving energy to each other. The closer we got to the top, the more we could feel the air was cleaner and filling our lungs. The higher we got, the more the temperature dropped, but the sun was keeping us warm, as well as the efforts we made with our walking. Although we were both naked, there was no sexual urge at all. What we felt with each and every step, was that we were one with nature. Just like that first time I was on Holly Rock, I had the sensation that the colors around us got brighter and more intense. The trees and the plants were dancing in the light breeze that blew over the mountain. At one point an eagle accompanied us. Although that mighty bird is known as a predator, he didn't look dangerous to us. He flew around us and actually was showing us the way to follow. When we decided to turn left on a smaller path, the eagle started to call out and didn't stop before we regressed to the original path.

Finally we reached the top of the mountain. The eagle circled various times above our heads before he disappeared. We looked around and were amazed with the beauty of the place. If the colors had gone more intense while we were climbing, here, at the top, it was absolutely magnificent. Jonay stood in front of me and I wrapped my arms around his chest. My chest was pressed against his back and his hands rested on my arms. The sight we had from up there was incredible in beauty and vastness. We could see miles and miles around us. If this was not a sacred place, it sure could be one. We were surrounded by hundreds of flowers and even Jonay admitted he didn't know them. There was a puddle at our feet and the more we looked at it, the more it grew. After about ten minutes we had to step aside if we didn't want to wet our sneakers. Our eyes were fixed on the growing puddle. I kneeled down and put my hand in the water. It was neither cold nor warm. I took some water in my hands and rubbed it over my face, my head and my neck. It was giving me new energy. I knew right then and there that we had reached a sacred place like Roberto had mentioned it.

The puddle kept growing. It reached the size of a hot tub. I took off my sneakers and socks and got into the water. Jonay followed me and resumed his place in my arms, with his back against my chest. It all felt so right! The water was crystal clear and reached the size of a really big hot tub. The water up to our necks covered both our bodies. I million little bubbles were coming form the plants submerged by the water. I couldn't help thinking the bubbles were cleaning our bodies. They felt like a thousand little needles on our skin. Jonay turned around and kissed me. That kiss was the most intense one we had ever had. We were both absorbed by the kiss and the tingling of the water over our bodies. We felt so united.

We made love in that little pond. Slowly, lovingly, caring for the other. No rush at all. We pleased each other to a point it was almost surreal. I entered my lover and deposited my load and after that Jonay did the same to me. We were one. Our love was getting stronger and stronger. It was indeed a sacred space that we would never have found if it wasn't for Roberto. We looked in each other's eyes and without uttering a word, we vowed to be together for the rest of our lives. As soon as those vows went to each other's heart the water seemed to disappear. We got out of it and let the sun dry our bodies. At that moment the eagle was back but not alone. There were two of them and they circled around us for what seemed hours. They called out once again before disappearing.

Jonay and I looked at each other and we decided to go down the mountain. Being up there had made us stronger together. We knew that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives and we were more than happy with it. We were each other's light. If one of us died, the other one would be lost in darkness.

We put on our socks and sneakers and started our way down. Once again we were holding hands and constantly smiling at the other. When we reached the point where Roberto had left us, the SUV was there. Roberto looked really happy.

Mama insisted on me coming over already. I was not so sure, but as you know Mama has it always right.

He handed us our clothing. Not the shorts and T-shirt we had on that morning, but slacks and button down shirts. Also socks and dress shoes. We were wondering why he had brought that kind of clothing with him. Roberto handed me the keys and said I could drive, as I now knew the way. We reached the house in a short time and were surprised by the amount of light was coming from the place. There were quite some cars parked in front of the house. We went in and quite a crowd greeted Jonay and me. Family, friends, neighbors and some very good clients were all standing there with a glass in their hands and shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" in unison. We shook hands and kissed and hugged and it was a warm feeling to be received like that. Mama had overdone herself in the kitchen and Veronica and Teresa, with their husbands, were going around with all kind of delicious snacks. Jonay and I were not allowed to work that night.

There was a table at the entrance of the restaurant that was literally covered with presents. The people who knew Jonay well, gave him books about his greatest interest: plants and flowers. Others knew we had just moved into the main house and brought some items of decoration. From his parents and his sisters he got a really nice watch he had desired for a long time. Even Juan was there and gave him a very rare plant. He said it was his grandmother's idea.

All in all, the party was a huge success. I waited till we were in the intimacy of our bedroom to give him his present. Yes, indeed, it was a little red box with two identical rings in it. I shoved one on his finger and he did the same to me.

To be continued? Maybe yes, maybe no É depends on you guys. If you tell that you like by sending me an e-mail, there will be more chapters. If not, the story ends here.

Messages are welcome at amahy1957@gmail.com