Paulo
This is a gentle love story. If you are into hectic sex, this is not for you.
Chapter One:
Having moved to the major city on the west coast, from the biggest city on the east coast, I found myself in a spot of bother one Saturday. I had bought a new home a month earlier, and moved in two weeks before. The power kept on tripping, and I had to have it seen to. Asking around I was told that the man to use was Paul, and was given his number. I phoned Paul, and a voice announcing himself as Paulo answered. Believing I might have the wrong number, Paulo explained that everyone referred to him as Paul, but his name was actually Paulo. He said he would pop by after 12h00 that day.
Let me digress and give you info about my background. I recently completed a degree in finance, and had accepted a job in the new city. My dad wasn't very happy, but understood that I needed some space after twenty-one years of living with my folks. My dad owned two large businesses that sold hardware and buildings supply's. I had a very privileged upbringing, and was able to buy my first home cash from the money that I had in a trust fund. I was also able to fully furnish my home without incurring any debt. In addition, my parents gave me a vehicle as a 21st birthday gift.
My older brother Callum, and sister Siobhan, worked for my dad. Callum was seven years older than me, and Siobhan five years older. My dad's name was Liam, and my mom's Mary. Neither of my siblings had attended college, as both were not academically inclined. I suppose that is why my dad really wanted me in the business. I promised I would review my "away" decision after two years. I had also realized that I was gay, although I had never physically acted upon this conviction. Being an extremely hard worker at school and college, my social life had been nonexistent. It was time for me to change that!
At around twelve on the Saturday in question I made a salad with chicken pieces for lunch. As I was about to sit down to my meal, the doorbell rang. When I opened the door a "vision" asked me if I was Conor. After formally introducing himself I invited Paulo in. Paulo had a dark Mediterranean complexion with the most beautiful brown eyes I had ever seen. His hair was black and he stood 6'2" tall. He had no facial hair, other than sideburns which reached to the bottom of his ears. His features were masculine, and he had the sexiest smile I have ever seen on a man. He was sturdy rather than stocky, and appeared to be fairly fit.
Before long my electrical problem had been fixed. I invited him to join me lunch and he gladly accepted. Fortunately there was enough food for two. He had a beer, and I had a glass of white wine with the meal. We spoke effortlessly while enjoying our food. His grandparents on both sides were Italian, but both his parents had been born locally. He had two older brothers, and an older sister. His dad was in the building trade, and his mom was a housewife. Paulo was twenty eight years old and divorced. At the age of twenty five he had gotten married, but the marriage ended eighteen months later. According to him, it had been a mistake made due to peer pressure. Fortunately he had not sired any kids during that period, so the breakup had been clean and final. All three his siblings were married, and they had two children each.
After lunch we decided to have a swim in my very small plunge pool because of the incredible heat. He did not have a swimming costume and asked if he could do so naked. My pool was very secluded, so that wasn't a problem. I agreed to his request and after disrobing he jumped in the pool. When he took his clothes off my eyes almost leapt out of their sockets. Paulo was definitely in the top one percent of well-endowed men. Goodness knows what that dark uncut appendage looked like when hard, because soft it was at least eight inches long, and extremely thick. I was caught betwixt and between, but not wanting to appear prissy I stripped naked and jumped in with him. My equipment although not puny, looked almost boyish compared to his tackle.
We hung off the side of the pool and continued chatting easily for the next hour before we got onto deckchairs to relax and absorb the sun. He lived fairly nearby, and attended a gym around the corner four times a week. During our chat we arranged to meet there on specific evenings, and to jog together three mornings a week. We were really hitting it off very well, and I almost felt like he was "taking me under his wing". When he left at around 18h00, I was both elated, and somewhat depressed. Much as I had enjoyed his company, I had hooked up with a straight friend. How on earth was I going to get out of the closet with my SBF? (Straight best friend)
Over the next eight weeks were saw a great deal of one another. We would often have dinner together after gym in the evenings and on Saturday afternoons. Paulo had a standing arrangement with his folks. On Wednesday evenings, and Sunday afternoons his entire family always got together at his parents' home. I was invited for lunch one Sunday early on in our friendship, and met the mob. His dad Mario, mom Theresa, his sister Giovanna, and two brothers Francis (Frankie) and Vincent were delightful people. The in-laws and kids were also splendid. They were raucous and fantastic to be with.
Chapter Two:
After the initial eight weeks of employment I was asked to spend the week at one of our branches in a neighboring city. I asked Paulo is he would keep an eye on my place while I was gone. He insisted on dropping me at the airport early on the Monday morning of my departure. The week was hectic, and I was elated to be returning home on the Friday. Paulo picked me up from the airport as agreed, but we drove home in an eerie silence which was unusual for him. I wondered if he had had a trying week, hoping like hell that picking me up from the busy airport hadn't annoyed him. When we got to my place he had prearranged our dinner, which he swiftly warmed up before we sat down to eat.
The silence continued for a while. I asked if everything was alright, feeling slightly uncomfortable. The next bit of conversation totally flawed me! Paulo asked me outright if I was gay. After a minute or two, I replied that I didn't know. I told him that I thought I might be, but as I had never had sex with anyone I wasn't sure. I embarked on a diatribe about how I respected that he was straight etc. etc. when he suddenly interrupted me. He told me that he had been turned on by me from the minute he met me. According to him, as he shook my hand at the front door a "spark" had tingled through his entire body. He said he didn't understand why, but he kept getting a hard-on in the pool as we clung off the side while chatting.
Believing that he may have just been very horny that day he put the incident out of his mind. Subsequently however this phenomenon continued occurring on an ever increasing basis when he was in my company. He had also regularly dreamt of having sex with me over several weeks. I was totally flabbergasted by his revelation, and my mind was spinning. He said that he wanted to go to bed with me and satisfy this urge that was driving him crazy. I was totally reluctant and told him so. As flattered as I was, and as attractive as I found him, I was not willing to mess up a friendship over some itch that needed to be scratched. He left soon after with both of us somewhat uncomfortable. Paulo was straight, and this situation could only end up in a disaster.
We did not see each other that Saturday and the following week we were awkward in each other's company at the gym. By Friday things had started to normalize and he told me that he was looking forward to our usual Saturday lunch if still invited. I presumed that we had put the glitch of the previous Friday behind us. He arrived at 12h00 on Saturday, and we appeared to have resumed our former comfortable rapport as the day progressed. I had hired a DVD and as we watched the movie late in the afternoon, I dozed off, and as I awoke Paulo had his arm around me with his head leaning on mine. I was frozen stiff as I grasped the situation. He gently lifted my face and started kissing me. I was completely paralyzed. With the movie still playing, he lifted me off the couch and carried me to the bedroom. My 5'8", 140lbs body presented no challenge to him.
He placed me on the bed, and half leaning on me continued kissing me. With a feeling of hopelessness I begged him not to continue, to which he replied that he simply had no choice. He did not penetrate me on that first evening. We fondled and rubbed up against one another before finally ejaculating. After repeating this performance twice more, we finally fell asleep exhausted. We had a fairly early breakfast on Sunday before he left for his folks at around 10h30. At 17h00 he arrived back at my house. Oddly we were more comfortable in each other's company than I had feared we might be after his return. He told me that he wanted to penetrate me that evening. I then spent twenty minutes in the bathroom preparing myself.
That evening I was anally penetrated for the first time. It was very intense but Paulo was exceptionally gentle. His penis was very large, but he masterfully deployed it. Making love with him was the most extraordinary experience of my life. I made love a further two times that night. At work the following day I reminded of the previous evening constantly as shifted uncomfortably from cheek to cheek. The following week was just as wonderful. Paulo was practically living at my home. With the introduction of sex into our relationship, we got on even better than before and our relationship seemed to deepen over the following weeks. Paulo was incredibly affectionate.
Chapter Three:
I made reservations to visit my folks out west at the request of my folks who paid for the airline ticket. My boss had agreed to let me off work early on the Friday, and as Tuesday was a public holiday I had taken a day's leave on the Monday. Paulo again insisted on dropping me off at the airport. En route he asked me if I would be coming-out to my parents. We had spoken about this in the preceding weeks, and I had mentioned that I wanted to do so sooner rather than later. I shrugged and replied that if the opportunity arose, I would do so. After a three hour flight my mom met me at the airport. A full weekend had been planned, but that evening I would dine alone with my mom and dad. After one of my mom's spectacular meals the three of us moved through to the lounge.
We chatted for a while, and I suddenly felt that the burden I had carried for so long had to be lifted off my shoulders. When they asked about my new life I spilt the beans. I told them that I had always suspected I might be gay etc. etc. My mom became tearful, and my dad became very silent. I told them I had met someone, and was extremely happy. My mom asked if the person was Paulo of whom I had spoken so often during our telephonic conversations, to which I simply nodded yes. We all retired to bed soon after, and although I was very troubled about the distress I had caused, I also felt like an enormous chasm had finally been traversed. The following day my dad I left for the golf course very early. He was an avid golfer, and played twice a week. I was fairly proficient at the game, and had played with dad often while living at home.
After reaching the ninth of our eighteen holes he put his arm around me and told me that he loved me very much no matter how I chose to live my life. This meant more to me than I could possibly explain. At lunch in the clubhouse my mom joined us, and seemed far more cheery than she had been the previous evening. We had a very light lunch as we would be frequenting a favorite restaurant of mine that evening. On Sunday it was a full family affair. My siblings their entire brood arrived for lunch. My mom asked me before their arrival to allow her and dad to "break the news" after my visit to which I willingly agreed. It was a fun but exhausting day. On Monday I spent the morning at dad's business, after which I shopped with my mom in the afternoon. We had a late brunch on Tuesday as I would be leaving at 15h00. After a hectic few days, Paulo collected me from the airport at 18h00 on Tuesday.
Our trip back from the airport was fairly quiet. He asked me if I had told my parents about him and me. I replied that I had, and that they had taken the news rather well. The rest of the journey was travelled in silence. When we got home he warmed our food and again we ate in silence. After a while he told me that I was very lucky, and that things were not so simple for him. He said that there absolutely was no way he could ever tell his parents that he was in a relationship with a man. The next words I spoke were the ones I had dreaded uttering from the minute we started having a physical relationship. I told him that at some point he would have to face the reality of the situation. Comfortable as it was currently, his dual existence would start to oppress him more and more as time continued, and cause great distress in his life. He would have to make up his mind and decide what he wanted from life.
I feared speaking those words, but knew they had to be said. On the plane earlier I had rationalized this predicament in my mind. Paulo looked at me intently for a minute or two then got up and apologizing told me that he had made a terrible mistake. He simply would not be able to shatter his parent's lives. He left soon after, and I felt like my entire world had been crushed. I wanted to fucking hit him as he left. I sat stunned for about an hour before getting into bed deflated and more depressed than I had ever been. The following few days were a blur, and I did not hear from him during that time.
On Friday that week a "miracle" occurred. I was asked to return to the neighboring city for two weeks on a special assignment. The boss of that branch had been very impressed with me, and had asked for my participation in a very important project that had to be completed within two weeks. I would leave on Sunday afternoon and only return two weeks hence. We would literally be working fourteen solid days. I welcomed this distraction with open arms. The project was hectic, and we worked our arses off. On Thursday of the following week I got an SMS from Paulo asking how I was doing. My reply was a simple; "fine". The project was completed the following Sunday as planned, and I was able to return home late that afternoon. I had hoped that I may frequent a gay bar during my stay, but the work had been so intense, that I collapsed exhausted on my bed upon arrival at the hotel each evening.
Chapter Four:
Thankfully I got the Monday off after my return, and was able to attend to all my household chores. On that Monday I also received another SMS from Paulo asking; "where are you". I would later learn that he had twice visited my home while I was away. My reply was a simple; "away on business". I returned to work on Tuesday and was informed that my pay would be adjusted substantially at the end of that month, as the company was very pleased with my performance. I also started going to gym early mornings rather than late afternoon as I had done with Paulo. On Friday I got a surprise call from Paulo asking me out that evening. I was about to refuse, but he frantically pleaded with me to join him for dinner. Apprehensively I awaited his arrival at 19h00.
When he arrived he was very cheerful and rather upbeat. I was very calm and slightly aloof. The dinner simply made no sense to me at all as I could not get my head around being buddies with him after the trauma that he had caused in my life. We left for "Luigi's" at 19h30. We ordered our food and drank white wine as we waited. Paulo told me that he had spent the previous evening alone with him mom at her request as she wanted to have a serious talk with him. I was reminded that his dad always visited pals on Thursdays to play cards. He related their meeting as follows;
She told him that he had always been her happiest child. Up until his marriage Paulo was the madcap of the family, and joy always surrounded him. Shortly after marrying however, he had become withdrawn and miserable. That melancholy and sadness had persisted up until a few months ago, when the old Paulo returned around the time that he met me. It was like a light had been switched back on and he was his old cheery self again. Strangely in the last few weeks the sad Paulo was back again. She wanted one question answered; "What is your relationship with Conor, and why has it ended"? He said he could not answer her, and just sat dumbfounded and stared at his mother. After a while she asked if we were lovers, who had broken up. He started blubbing and then divulged our entire story.
Gently his mother told him that he needed to embrace happiness. Having finally found what he had been looking for, he needed to grab the opportunity with both hands even if it was with another man. She added that she hoped his stupidity hadn't screwed up things with me for good, and told him to go on his knees and beg my forgiveness. She told him not to attend Sunday lunch, as she would "deal" with the family then. She also advised him to take me out for dinner on Friday and fix his mess. As he left Theresa added that she hoped I would give him another chance.
I was dumbstruck. As the waiter served our food I was in tears. Paulo jokingly mumbled something about sad family news that I had just received, and as I started laughing the poor water looked totally perplexed. We ate giggling like two school kids. When we finished Paulo paid the bill, and as we walked back to my home I finally broke down and started crying. He hugged me and said that he was sorry, and would never hurt me ever again. We didn't have sex that night, but just hugged and cuddled through the night. I had never been so relieved in my life. The next morning he sent his mom an SMS simply stating; "stupid has been given another chance". I had the best weekend of my life, and we made love all weekend long.
Paulo's mom advised him to also give Wednesday dinner a miss that week, as Sunday would be his "inauguration" as a gay family member. He was fairly nervous when he left my home that Sunday morning, and I really felt for him as he drove off. Later that day when he arrived home, he looked like a person who had been found not guilty on a murder charge. He was completely at ease. Apparently the day had gone very well, and he was treated no different to the way he had always been treated in his parent's home. In fact his dad told him that they expected to see me in future at Wednesday and Sunday family gatherings. I was the one now shitting myself!
My first Wednesday went very well despite my enormous apprehension. I was hugged and kissed by one and all. Coming from a Catholic upbringing was also a feather in my cap. I didn't mention that my family practically never attended church, and that I had become an atheist. Theresa, Paulo's mom was particularly attentive towards me. She couldn't stop thanking me for giving her son another chance after his "screw-up". They were a wonderful family, and I really liked them.
Chapter Five:
Two months later Paulo finally got to meet my family. We took a week's leave to visit my part of the world. Paulo had never been there, and was quite nervous despite my best assurances. My mom collected us from the airport, and when we drove up to the Georgian mansion that I had grown up in, Paulo's jaw hit the floor. I don't think he fully realized what a privileged upbringing I had had. I was amused to find that my old room had been totally renovated, and furnished with a king sized bed. It was very strange for me to make love to Paulo in the room I had grown up in during that week. My mom and dad, when he arrived home later, we smitten with Paulo. They got on famously from the get go. Paulo was also assured that he would definitely be introduced to the game of golf during his visit.
We had a fantastic dinner that evening and Paulo settled in seamlessly. My mother thought that Paulo was the most gorgeous creature that she had ever laid her eyes upon. On the first Saturday my dad and I played golf, after which Paulo and my mom joined us at the clubhouse for lunch. That evening Paulo was taken to our favorite family restaurant for dinner, and being a top class Italian restaurant was totally blown away. He confessed that he had never eaten food like that in his entire life. On Sunday our whole family got together for lunch, and my brother and sister took to Paulo immediately. Paulo was a total hit with the entire clan including all the kids. I had come to realize that Paulo absolutely loved children, and they took to him like moths to a flame.
On Monday Paulo spend the morning with the golf club pro for lessons. When we collected him at lunch time, he had really enjoyed himself. The golf pro told us that he had never seen such a powerful swing in his life. After lunch at the club we headed off to one of my dad's businesses, and Paulo's jaw again hit the deck. Being the smaller of the two branches, I could only imagine what his reaction to the larger branch would be the following day. The following morning we visited the original larger branch, and Paulo was in seventh heaven as my brother Callum showed us around. After lunch at the clubhouse again that afternoon, Paulo received his second golf lesson.
That evening we had dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant. The following day Paulo and I spent on our own. I showed him all the sights that I believed he would enjoy, before spending that afternoon relaxing at the beach. The rest of the week went by in the wink of an eye. On Saturday Paulo finally got to play a round of golf, and did really well. As that would be our last evening, we had a full-on family gathering again and my mom pulled out all the stops. We had a late brunch on Sunday, and took-off at 15h00 from the airport. Paulo could not stop raving, and could not understand why I had left to live on the east coast. My answer shut him up; as I simply stated that it was so that I could meet him!
Four months later Paulo asked me to marry him. We had a simple ceremony, and my folks flew west to join in the celebration. Mario, Theresa, Liam and Mary, our parents, got along splendidly. We had a lovely meal at Luigi's, but had decided to put our honeymoon on hold for the time being. A month earlier Paulo and I had bought a property where we wanted to build our new home. Plans for the house were drawn up by an architectural friend I had been to college with. The property had quite a pronounced slope and was therefore fairly tricky. Paulo had sold his home months earlier, and I still had a fair amount in my trust fund. Naturally Mario would build our home.
The build would take seven months, and my dad was willing to assist financially until my house could be sold. It was an enormous four bedroom home with three bathrooms, two huge lounges, three garages etc. I was concerned it was too big, but Paulo was adamant. We would be saving a fortune because of my dad and his contacts and of course Mario's contribution. It was very modern, which Mario did not fully appreciate, but I let Paulo deal with his dad on that score. After very little stress it was finally completed, and we were over the moon with the house. Paulo had decided that I would take charge of the garden, and thankfully a two week visit by my mother helped me take care of that project.
My house was sold for a fantastic price, and with the new house coming in on budget, I was able to repay my dad with no problem at all. We use all our combined furniture, and had to buy very little extra for the home. Naturally in time we would upgrade and refurbish as required. My dad had also realized that I wouldn't be heading west any time soon. Both Paulo and I had to deal with additional travelling every day because of our new location, but it was well worth it in the long run. Our house warming party was a great success, and we were the envy of Paulo's entire family.
Chapter Six:
On a Sunday visit to Paulo's parents Theresa made a joke about Paulo and I adopting kids. She said that a beautiful home like ours needed the sound of children's laughter. I thought no more of it, but it started to play on Paulo's mind. Unknown to me he made furtive enquiries at the adoption agency in the city. Soon after he "confessed his sins", and asked me to meet Jean, the lady with whom he had been meeting at the agency. Apprehensively I finally met with her. She was a really lovely person and rather straight forward. Apparently there was a huge waiting list, and although homosexuals could now legally adopt, there was still an "unofficial" preference to place children in heterosexual homes. This was music to my ears.
Paulo was thirty years old and I was twenty-two. Fatherhood was not a priority to me at this point, and truthfully I had never even contemplated this as an option. Jean did say however she would keep in touch, and asked if we were willing to undergo psychological evaluation, which was a prerequisite. Paulo of course agreed, and not to be a spoilsport I went along with the requirement. Three very intensive sessions followed, that were grueling and gut-wrenching. Still I was hopeful that nothing would come of this ordeal. Over the next several months Jean did contact us from time to time, but never with any "good news".
One Friday afternoon we got a call from Jean, asking if she could pop in at six that evening. She told us that twin boys had been orphaned after a horrific car accident in which their parents and older sister had been killed. Fortunately they were both unscathed. The boys had just turned two years old. The father of the boys had absolutely no family, and the mother only had a sister abroad who apparently could scarcely look after herself, let alone anyone else. Apparently most people hoping to adopt had a strong preference for new born babies. Twins were difficult to place as it was an absolute policy at the agency that kids from one family had to be placed together.
They had virtually exhausted the list of applications ahead of us, but there were still two couples ahead of us that had to decide whether they wanted the boys. The first couple she was sure would not go ahead with the adoption but the second couple seemed quite keen, and would be meeting the kids the following morning. Paulo could scarcely sleep that night. The following day we got a call from Jean at 11h00. The first couple, as she had expected, had let her know the previous evening that they were not interested, and the second couples meeting with the boys that morning had been a disaster. Apparently they had both howled like crazy when introduced to the prospective couple. Afraid that the traumatic experience the boys had been through might have affected them too adversely, the couple had declined the adoption.
"Did we want to meet the boys?" was Jeans next question. Before I could even formulate a response, Paulo had me in the car, and we were on our way. My mind was spinning as we drove to the agency, with me constantly having to tell Paulo to slow down. This surprise had thrown me a huge curveball. When we arrived Paulo was so excited that Jean had to tell him to take a seat and just calm down for ten minutes. Later we were taken in a room with one-way glass to observe the boys. They were the two most beautiful boys you would ever see. They had angel faces, with curly blond hair. Paulo started weeping uncontrollably, and Jean and I had to comfort him. She told him that he had better go the cloakroom to wash his face and compose himself. If the boys saw him in his present state she would have a second disaster that morning.
When Paulo left I asked Jean what had happened earlier. She said that she was dumbfounded by the earlier incident, as the boys were usually very calm and pleasant. For some inexplicable reason the one boy started howling and wouldn't let the couple near him. Once he got going, the other boy had joined in. The boy wearing the green shirt was Ramsay, and the boy with the blue shirt was Reece. Ramsay was the boisterous one, and Reece the quiet boy. Strangely Reece had caused the scene that morning. Jean asked me how I felt about all of this, and I replied with a happy shrug. She told me that our evaluations had been excellent, and that it was felt that we would make excellent parents. She was particularly keen that we should adopt these boys.
When Paulo returned he had made a miraculous recovery. He was calm and ready to meet the boys. As we entered the room Jean introduced us to the boys. When Paulo knelt down Ramsay rushed towards him and threw his arms around Paulo. I could see his shoulders gently shake as he embraced the boy. I walked over to Reece and sat on the chair next to him. He observed me for a while before a smile broke out on his face. He got up onto his chair and embraced me. As I held Reece I had to restrain myself from bawling with all my might. We sat and played with the boys for the next hour. When we left the room Paulo and I were heartbroken that we couldn't take them with us.
We could visit them the following day, but could only collect them on Monday after all the papers had been signed by the necessary authorities. This was going to be the longest weekend of our lives. We decided that we wanted the boys to retain their own surname; Wainwright. We did some serious shopping on Sunday morning prior to our hour long visit with the twins. Fortunately we had two single beds in the room nearest ours, so only had to buy "appropriate" linen for the room. We also decided to cancel our lunch with Paulo's family that afternoon, and only tell all the "grandparents" the good news on Monday when everything was signed and sealed.
Chapter Seven:
On Monday I left for work early to meet with my boss and explain my new situation to him. Fortunately I had quite a bit of leave due, and would take that week off from work. I also asked my boss if he would consider allowing me to work from home at times in future, to which he happily agreed as long as my work did not suffer in any way. At 12h00 Paulo and I arrived at the agency. After a tedious hour of paperwork, the boys were finally strapped into their car seats as we headed off for home. The kids were very excited and well behaved during our journey. Once home they immediate started running around and taking over completely. Paulo was like a man who had just won the biggest lottery in history.
Sadly he had to leave home to attend to two jobs that afternoon. We decided that we would break the news to our families that evening. After his return we contacted his mom, who was totally over the moon with the good news. She couldn't wait to meet the boys that Wednesday. During that evening all of Paulo's family phoned at various times to congratulate us and express their delight over the wonderful news. We Skyped my parents at seven, and they got to see their new grandchildren. My mom and dad were beyond excited as the boys sat on our laps and met grandma and grandpa. By the end of our conversation my mother had already made plans for them to visit later that week.
Our first night with the boys went flawlessly. Once they were put to bed, they were asleep within minutes. Paulo got up all through the night to check on the boys, and was in seventh heaven! The kids were extremely well behaved in general, and happily played with the toys we had bought them the on the weekend. Paulo reluctantly left the house during that week when he had work that had to be attended to. We also formulated a schedule that we would follow from the following week onwards. Luckily we had an excellent cr?che very near our home that the boys would attend from the following Monday.
On Wednesday we headed off for our usual dinner with Paulo's parents. You would have thought that a royal family was paying a visit by the reception we received. The boys were hugged, kissed, and cuddled by everyone. The new "cousins" were an enormous hit with all the other kids, and Paulo strutted around like a cat that had just got all the cream. At around 21h00 we headed home with the boys fast asleep. On Friday my parents arrived at for the weekend. My mom and dad were beside themselves with the new grandchildren. Getting the kids to bed at 19h00 proved to be a difficult task that evening.
It was quite strange that from our second meeting with the twins, Paulo and I could easily tell the boys apart. It took the other family members a while to do so. Ramsay was definitely the livelier of the two, but Reece seemed more confident despite his quieter demeanor. When we were together, Ramsay always gravitated towards Paulo and Reece towards me. Meal times were a little messy, but I was eternally grateful that both boys had been potty trained. We had also put mattress protectors on the boy's beds, but these were superfluous as we never had any mishaps.
Paulo and I had to get use to wearing pajama shorts once the boys arrived. We felt this to be appropriate, especially when the "morning invasion" took place in our room on a daily basis. The mayhem that I had to endure with the three rebels in the morning had to be seen, to be believed. Bath time was an event late each afternoon, and Paulo was in charge of that duty. He had to perform this task wearing his swimming trunks, as he would always emerge after the ordeal totally drenched. Early on I had to step in as the disciplinarian as Paulo let the twins get away with murder. It however was more fun that I had ever believed possible, and the boys settled in seamlessly.
My parents left on Sunday, and the following week we settled into our new life in earnest. The routine proved to be easier that I had anticipated. The twins were collected by Paulo in the afternoons, and he always made sure that he arranged his work in accordance with that requirement. Most afternoons when I arrived home, the "water babies" were in full cry in the bathroom, which allowed me to get supper underway. By 19h00 each evening the Ramsay and Reece were in bed, and Paulo and I were able to relax and spend quality time together. Our love life thankfully did not suffer as a result of this new dynamic.
Chapter Eight:
During the following year my dad and I discussed opening a third branch of the hardware and supplies business at a location near to where Paulo and I lived. A suitable property was found, and shortly construction got underway. Naturally Mario was contracted to build the establishment for us. I would finally take charge of the financial side of all three branches, and Paulo would manage the local business. We decided to call the business "Wainwright's Hardware & Supply". It was an arduous undertaking, but was completed and running ten months later. The twins would soon be four years old, and as I could work from home, I did most of the fetching and carrying.
Fortunately we had a fantastic business model to follow, that had been tried and tested over decades. The business took off wonderfully, and soon was holding its own with the other two branches. Paulo proved to be a fantastic manager, and the customers and staff loved him. He was an incredible people's person, and thrived in his new environment. A great spin-off of this new project was that Mario's business also got a real boost. The job he had done was very impressive, and he acquired a lot of new projects as a result.
The twins loved spending Saturday mornings with Paulo at the business. This gave me time to catch up on housework and do general bits and pieces at the house. For the twins fourth birthday we had a party at our home, and the entire family arrived en masse. It was a wonderful afternoon, but Reece unfortunately overindulged somewhat, and when all the people left was feeling under the weather. I was quite concerned, and sat on his bed stroking his back as he moaned and groaned. He fell asleep restlessly a while later. Ramsay had a concerned look on his face as he observed us.
Once Reece was asleep Ramsay got off his bed and hugged me. He surprised me by asking me if I loved Reece more than him. I assured that that was not the case, and that both Paulo and I loved them equally. I placed him back on his bed and kissed him assuring him that his brother was going to be fine. I had quite a restless night, and was very relieved when Reece appeared to be normal the following morning. I told Paulo about the incident the previous evening, and we agreed that we should be more careful in our "distribution" of affection in future.
Six months later my perfect world took a blow to the stomach. I arrived at the business on Wednesday somewhat unexpectedly and walked into Paulo's office. He and a young employee called Sean we standing very close together. There was a look of shock on Sean's face, and one of bewilderment on Paulo's. I observed them for twenty seconds as Sean awkwardly moved backwards. I turned and left immediately. Within a minute my mobile phone rang, and I simply switched it off. I had never been angrier in my entire life as I drove home that day.
That evening when Paulo arrived home I remained as calm as I could prior to the boys going to bed. Paulo tried his best to assure me that nothing happened, and that Sean was a little flirtatious at times. I completely ignored Paulo, and when he got into bed I warned him not to even think of touching me. That night I made a decision to join my brother on his upcoming trip to Hong Kong on Sunday. He was attending one of two trade shows that he visited annually. I told Paulo of my decision the following morning and when he asked; "what about the boys", I told him he could arrange for Sean to look after them. Paulo finally got to see a part of my character he had never seen before. Before he left for work I told him that when I got back from my trip, Sean had better be history.
I arranged to fly to Hong Kong on Sunday, where I would join my brother from Monday till Wednesday. After that I was going to fly to Phuket for a few days of relaxation, before returning the following Sunday. I knew that Paulo would possibly arrange something with his mom during my absence, and that the kids would be safe. >From Thursday till Sunday I barely spoke to Paulo at all. I left midday on Sunday having arranged transport to and from the airport. I kissed and hugged both boys before leaving, and as the transport vehicle reversed out of our driveway, Paulo stood on our patio with a forlorn look on his face.
Chapter Nine:
I had done quite a bit of preparation prior to my trip, so that I would not be totally useless while meeting suppliers on the trip with Callum. He was extremely comfortable with the buying routine having done so over many years. I played a backseat role during our visit, but was able to make a few suggestions due to my thorough preparation. I departed from Hong Kong to Phuket early afternoon on Wednesday and I arrived in Phuket on Wednesday evening. Dead tired I was in bed and asleep before long. Upon phoning home each evening during that week I spoke to both boys, prior to switching off before the phone was handed back to Paulo. Each time he phoned I simply ignored the call.
I had a relaxing breakfast the following morning before embarking on a long sightseeing walk. I enjoyed a very light lunch before making my way to the beach. After an hour of swimming and relaxing, I observed a rather tall lanky man approaching my direction. He was moderately hairy with a short hairstyle and neatly cropped beard. I gauged him to be around thirty years old. He wasn't devastatingly good looking, buy fairly sexy. As he passed, he engaged me in conversation. He had a thick southern English accent, and had been on holiday in the far-east for a week and a half thus far. His name was Justin and was spending that week in Phuket, before leaving back home on Sunday. Before long he placed his towel next to mine and we continued to chat.
We exchange stories over the next few hours. He was a carpenter, gay, but not involved. He was as I had guessed thirty years old. He was staying at a hotel a block away from mine, and as we walked back to our hotels later asked me out to dinner. I agreed, and we met in my lobby at around 20h00. I was rather taken aback when we met in the lobby, because it smelt like he had pickled himself in cologne. I grew up in a family where the men simply did not use deodorant or cologne. My father and brother showered every day and sometimes gave off a very manly smell, but I had always enjoyed the naturel masculine odour. Paulo's family was exactly the same as mine, and I loved the funky smell that Paulo often exuded at day end. In fact I was very turned-on by it.
After dinner he asked me to his room for a nightcap. When he invited me to stay the night I declined saying that I would think it over if he would join me for dinner the following evening. Upon leaving I asked him please not to wear the cologne the following evening, giving him a quick philosophy of my feelings on the subject. He smiled then laughed, telling me that he also never wore cologne, but had bought a bottle upon his return to the hotel that afternoon to impress me. We both burst out laughing, as he told me that at least he now had a present for his younger brother upon his return to England. The following afternoon we once again met at the beach, and he assured me he had scrubbed himself thoroughly the previous evening, to rid himself of the "dreaded" perfume.
That evening we had supper together, and later ended up in my hotel room. I had thought about having sex with him during the day, and took the plunge that night. Why? Who knows? Possibly it was my anger with Paulo, or the regret that I had never had sex with any person other than Paulo. He brought protection, and for the first time in my life I got to penetrate another man as we flip-flopped through the night. He was quite well endowed, but not in Paulo's league. He was a great lover, and we had a very good time. We had breakfast together the following day, and spent all Saturday together before his departure that evening. We also had to buy additional condoms.
I had finally made up for my years of abstinence, and it was almost cathartic. As he was leaving Justin asked what would happen when I returned home. My reply was very succinct; "make-up, and move on". I spent Sunday morning at the beach, and as I relaxed I felt an enormous weight lift off my shoulders. I knew that Paulo was the one for me, and that we would spend our lives together. My tryst with Justin had been no more than a momentary distraction, born of a silly need to "scratch an itch". I arrived home on late on Sunday long after the boys had been put to bed.
As I walked in I could see a look of total apprehension on Paulo face. I dropped my bags rushed into his arms. I could physically feel the tension drain from his body. We wept, laughed and made love that night as never before. The following morning our room was invaded by our blond barbarians. Their gifts were frantically unwrapped and instantly played with. Paulo also loved the very expensive watch that I had purchased for him. Life was back to normal.
Chapter Ten: (epilogue)
Five years after building the first branch, my dad talked us into opening a second branch on the east coast. We pulled out all the stops with this business, and it became our most successful branch of all four. A very dynamic cousin of Paulo's was appointed as the manager, and did an unbelievable job. Paulo preferred to remain at the initial branch because it was close to our home. My dad had several offers to buy the entire business over the years, but declined as we all loved the purpose that it gave us to lead meaningful and busy lives.
The boys did very well at school. Ramsay was a good student, but Reece was well above average. They grew into the most wonderful teenagers, and ultimately men. Jean often visited us and was continually elated by the incredible family dynamic that Paulo and I had created. She always told us that we were the "shining lights" of all the placements that she had ever had the privilege of initiating. In truth, she became another "family" member, and the boys loved her.
Both Mario and Liam retired in time, and Callum did a wonderful job with the two west coast branches. Mario's second eldest son Vincent took over from his dad and their business went from strength to strength. Poor old Frankie, Paulo's eldest brother was one of those people that had to be "carried" in life, always bemoaning the fact that no one ever believed in him. Some people just belong to the "glass half empty" society.
My relationship with Paulo also grew stronger year by year. He was definitely my soulmate. We had no more mishaps along the way. With every passing year, he just seemed to become more and more gorgeous. I often thought back to our first meeting and marveled at the fantastic life that I had had with him. Some people were just meant to be together, and he was definitely the one for me.
I did meet Justin one more time. Nothing happened, but I spent a wonderful afternoon in his company. Remembering what I had told him about my life, he looked me up when visiting our part of the world. He had finally found a suitable partner, and they were extremely happy together. His business was also doing very well, and he appeared to be extremely content with his existence.
Goodness knows what happened to Sean. I didn't much care in any case?