Uncle Tran followed us into the locker room. "Carlos you are a very brave and a very foolish boy. You had the chance to explain. I understand you wanted us to believe you." And, turning to me, he said "Carlos needs to tell you why we did not believe him. I will tend to him; Captain Charlie needs his friend."
I turned and went back into the pool area; Charlie was staring out at the ocean. "Charlie, tell me what all that was about." He shook his head indicating that he would not. I walked over to him and grasped his shoulder, "Tell me who you were beating. You weren't here, it wasn't Carlos, that's for sure."
"Leave it be, Billy." he whispered.
"I can't. Do you hate me now that I've had sex with a man; do you hate yourself?"
"Get out, Bill, get out of here." His body stood taller and his shoulders squared; he assumed parade rest. The Marine in him took over.
"Was it Paul?" I asked, "or someone else?" I wanted him to tell me about his son.
"You and your dime store psychology; get your fucking ass out of here before I hurt you!" he shouted. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME NOW!"
Hearing the commotion, Uncle Tran was there immediately. He handed me a tube of ointment similar to the one Charlie had used on me a few days ago. "You need to go, Mr. Bill, go now," I left quickly and took Carlos back to my place. When we arrived, I suggested that Carlos drop his shorts and bend over the table. His ass looked ugly and red; the welts were darker and there was a drop of blood on his ring where one of the lashes had torn that tender flesh. I slowly worked the ointment in; Carlos shivered and then blushed; his boy cock stood erect.
"Pretty good stuff, isn't it." I told him as I then stroked his well-muscled back with the flat of my hand. I was taking great pleasure in having warm, muscled flesh under my hands. "Don't you think it's time to tell me what Tran was talking about?"
"I took something of yours." Carlos began.
"What?"
"A pair of sweaty, stained briefs. Uncle Tran caught me sniffing them back at camp." Carlos' head hung down onto his chest. "I'm sorry Mr. Bill; I had no right. I just wanted to..."
I stopped him. "I'm flattered. If Mike were not due back and if I didn't think I was in love with him; I would show you how flattered I really am. My hands continued exploring boy flesh. I don't really understand the reasons why Charlie and Tran were so angry about a pair of old briefs." My hands, on their own, now stroking his thighs and scrotum. My own cock stood erect. Carlos explained that the taking of anything without express orders was a violation of trust. Carlos pulled away from me saying, "I'll not lead you into temptation, Mr. Bill."
After that, we talked for almost an hour about many things, especially about what his life had been like before meeting Uncle Tran through his nephew. Finally, I suggested, "Why don't you get dressed and then lie down on the couch. I think Mike will be along anytime now and I want to check on Charlie." I met Tran as I walked up to the ridge. He asked if Carlos had told me about his "failure," as Tran called it. Once again, I said that it was insignificant and that it did not merit the beating that Carlos had taken.
"That is not for you to decide, Mr. Bill, not for you.
Charlie is in bed; I gave him something. Please, never again ask him about things in the past. They are best left buried deep. Please. I will take Carlos home if he will come." I followed him back down to my place. Carlos was in the bedroom putting away the things he had chosen for Mike. Bowing to Carlos and looking down at his feet for several moments, Tran then raised his eyes and looking directly at the boy, he offered, "Carlos, I am very sorry. I should have listened with my heart. I care for you and want to do only that which is best for you. Will you accept my apology? I know that Captain Charlie is very sorry for what has happened. He will have great difficulty telling you that, but he will do it I think. It may take some time; he is a too proud man like you. Will you come back with me?"
About that time I heard what had to Father Liam's car stopping outside. Mike came in followed by the Father. Both carried a box and a green trash bag which they unceremoniously dropped on the clean floor.
Carlos clicked his tongue and shook his head; he had a grin on his face. I introduced Tran and Carlos to Mike and Father Liam who then left quickly and quietly. I continued explaining to Mike that they were part of Charlie's business and that Carlos was responsible for some of the great food we had eaten and certainly for our living in a clean place with fresh laundry. Realizing that Carlos must know of our "living arrangements," Mike blushed.
Carlos tried to put him at ease, "Hey brother, anytime you get tired of living with this great Dad, just let me know cause I'll be on my way in as you leave. Come, Uncle Tran, these two want to be alone." He laughed and took Tran's hand, "Uncle, I ask for your forgiveness for my pride." Tran ruffled his hair and led him out. Tran turned to me and said that he would be back later to check on Charlie.
They were out of sight for less than a second when Mike's arms were around me, hugging me tight to him. "Dad, I don't think I'll ever get tired of you." He kissed me. I kissed him back. "Let's go to bed!" he said in a boy voice. I asked if he wanted to tell me how it had all gone and he indicated no saying, "Later, I've thought about nothing else but doing this since we came over the bridge." By then we were standing next to the bed and I began to take off my clothes. "No Dad, let me, please?" At that point, Mike could have done anything to me that he wanted; I was putty in his strong, lean hands. In seconds we were naked with hands, legs and tongues entwined and our bodies thrusting hard into each others flesh. Mike fell back onto the bed, pulling me with him. He took both cocks in hand and began a gentle stroking of our combined flesh. My tongue probed his mouth and my hands grabbed his shoulders, pulling us together as tightly as possible and leaving space for the magic his fingers were working on both throbbing cocks. There was little finesse, there was little patience; both of us were driven to complete the act. It was sex; it was passion; it was part love. I don't think it took very long and we let go of our pent-up love at just about the same time. There were grunts, groans, love words, and finally sounds of release. "Ahh Dad, you can't believe how much I needed that; you've made an addict of me." I asked what he thought he had done to me and then after several moments of soft, gentle kissing, hugging and playing with boy and man juice, I asked him to tell me what had gone on. In just a few sentences, Mike told me that he was no longer a seminarian; that it had been difficult but not ugly and that he was happy. I accepted that. He then asked about Charlie. I told him about the events of the day leaving out the most graphic parts regarding the brutal spanking and Charlie's ugly words. "Bill, there's more to this than what you're telling me. I can see you are very upset." I shook my head and Mike knew I could not say more. "It's OK Dad, when you are ready. Well, I guess I'm here to stay with all my worldly possessions. Maybe I should put the stuff away; I don't want to upset Carlos or give him any reasons to try and get rid of me." He laughed. I thought about how little Mike had. I told him I had cleared some space in the closet and in the dresser. When Mike opened the door to the closet the new clothes were immediately obvious and I told him there was more stuff in "his drawers." He was like a kid at Christmas; there were tears in his eyes. "Nobody has ever done anything like this before for me." He began to cry.
"Don't boy, don't. It's just clothes." I tried to comfort him.
"It's not the things; it's the idea of thinking enough about me to do something like this." I explained that I had help from Carlos and Mike, cheering up and with that devilish gleam in his eye that was becoming increasingly more apparent, answered "Maybe I'll have to think of a special way to say thanks."
"If you collect anymore friend like Paul, I'll not have room in my bed for you." I could tease too.
By then, Mike had finished and fallen back down onto the bed. "Want to do it again, sweet old man?" I joined him, closed my eyes and pretended to snore. I fell asleep. It was dark when I woke; there was a scratching and yelping at the door. It was Charlie's dog. I opened the door but he would not come in. Instead, he tossed his head and started off the deck. When I did not follow, Felix came back and continued yelping and pointing back to Charlie's with his nose and paw. Hearing Mike on the keyboard, I yelled to him that I was on my way to Charlie's and that I would be back shortly. He told me that he had lots of work to do and laughing, also that I need not hurry; we would have plenty of time later to pick up where I had fallen asleep on him.
I had difficulty keeping up with the dog. Felix was an older Shepherd and usually did not move too quickly; I sensed that something was wrong. I followed Felix into the house and then he started upstairs. In the 18 months I known Charlie, I had never entered this part of his home; there had been no reason to and I had not asked or been invited. I followed Felix through a large bedroom that had been trashed. We went into a space difficult to imagine. It was, I figured, over the 3 bay garage. Bizarre to say the least, it looked exactly like a military tent with canvas stretched to rafters and beams. There were 6 cots, footlockers, lanterns and other Corps things. Then I saw Charlie's naked body. It looked as if he had tripped over a locker or perhaps a rifle, and had fallen with or on an empty whiskey bottle that had broken open. His head also was gashed, but his arm was badly cut and there was blood everywhere. He had been able to fashion a tourniquet of sorts with his Speedo but his strength must have eroded and he was barely conscious. "Sorry to bother you Billy; Felix you did well." The dog howled. I grabbed a knife that on the locker and used it to twist the bathing suit tighter on his arm. "Push the red button on the wall phone there; it will bring help." he whispered to me. Stretching as far as I could, I could just reach the communications box. I did or tried anyway to follow orders; not noticing I had pushed the wrong button.
"Major Paul Allen," was the sound I herd.
"Paul, It's Bill. Charlie's hurt..."
He interrupted, "This is not a secure line, Sir. If you will push the red button, please." and the line disconnected. I pushed the red one.
"Tran is on line too, Bill. What are you doing in the barracks?" Paul asked. I quickly explained that Felix had come to get me and what I had found. Tran asked a few questions and said he would get his nephew, the doctor, and be there immediately. I said something about an ambulance and Tran said, "Not necessary, Mr. Bill. Please don't leave him. We will be there immediately." Paul asked a moment or two later, "Bill, are you there?" I could hardly talk, I nodded.
"Bill, talk to me!' Paul ordered, again sounding like a Major. I told him then what the day had been like. "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Paul said. Neither Paul or Charlie used words like that. "I'll be there as soon as I can get out of here." I asked Paul if he could contact Mike and tell him I would be a while and to please not come looking for me. "Will do! Dad, thanks for being there and I'll see you later tonight." The sound of a line closing echoed in the vast space. I was alone with Charlie and frightened.
It must have been no more than five minutes later when I heard Mike calling my name. "Dad, Paul sent me and told me to tell you he made the decision." I told him to follow my voice. He gasped when he entered the tent. "Wow, this looks like a movie set." Then he saw Charlie. "Sweet Jesus, help him." That's what Mike prayed. I joined him.