Starlight Rhapsody - Chapter 9
This story begins in 1946 in Boston, Massachusetts. The author was born in 1953 and never experienced life during the time in which the story takes place.
The concept for Starlight Rhapsody was conceived as I awoke one morning. I rushed to my PC to save the idea in a text file, and wound up staying at the PC for the entire day as the first four chapters literally wrote themselves. This novel is a complete work of fiction and the characters bear no resemblance to any real persons, living or dead. The main character's Christian name was chosen because it was the name of an online friend, but the use of his name is the only characteristic they have in common. I sincerely hope you will enjoy Starlight Rhapsody. It is a story filled with love, affection, friendships, relationships, competition and jubilation, however it was written as a same-sex love story without being pornographic. I guess I was motivated to write this story because there's so little literature available that teens can read that could make a positive impression on those attempting to discover their own identities, if they suspect their attraction is to their own sex. I cannot imagine that I could have written a different story with the same commitment and dedication I have given to this one. Those wishing to communicate with me about Starlight Rhapsody can do so at junkmail01801@gmail.com. If you like this story, be sure to make a donation to http://www.nifty.org so that authors like me continue to have a place to post our work so that you may enjoy them!
"Starlight Rhapsody" – Chapter 9
In the morning, Alex awoke and immediately had to relieve himself and ran into Mike's bathroom to do so. Mike, still slightly groggy, waited for his brother to come out and repeated the process himself. They both hit their respective showers, dressed and went down to breakfast, with Alex retrieving his books and papers first. Their mother greeted them with her usual smile.
"How did my boys sleep last night," she asked.
"Instead of Kyle, I slept in Mike's arms all night," Alex admitted. "I just felt so loved, and it was very comfortable. I felt like nothing could harm me if I stayed where I was."
"I felt quite honored to hold my younger brother in my arms for the night," Mike agreed. "I held Kyle because I felt he needed me to, but I held my brother because I wanted to."
"You gentlemen never hide your affection for one another, and I admire that in you both," their mother said. I am proud that my sons have feelings for each other and for me, but it doesn't stop there. The two of you are open to everyone's feelings, and that makes you both very special."
"Mom, you know I won't be home tonight," Alex stated. "Tonight's the night I stay at Kyle's."
"You will be fine," Krystal said. "You have my confidence in you. You know, sometimes it takes a boy to accomplish something an adult cannot. In this situation, I believe you are that boy."
"Thanks, Mom," Alex said, somewhat sheepishly.
"If anyone can unlock the emotions in the McLaughlin house," Mike began, "you can. Look how far you have come with Kyle. The day you two met, you knew there was something going on with Kyle. You didn't know what, but you knew he needed you. Just look at his family the same way, and you will succeed at your goal."
"If the two of you are that confident in me," Alex said, "then I guess everything will be OK."
Alex hugged and kissed his Mom, hugged his brother, and grabbed his books. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Alex headed out the door to a waiting Kyle.
"Tonight's the big night," Alex said. "I'm staying at your house for the night."
"Yeah, I just hope everything with my parents is civil," Kyle said. "They're making my sister have dinner with us, too."
"The more, the merrier," Alex replied.
They reached the corner where Richie waits for them and saw the boy running down the street to catch up.
"Sorry I'm late, guys," Richie apologized. "I overslept."
"That's OK, we'll get to school on time," Alex countered.
They arrived at school, and immediately a crowd of boys surrounded them, trying to talk to Alex. The boy realized something had to be done about this, but he'd talk to Mike and Krystal when he got home. The boys went into the building and headed for their respective classes. Much of the school day was ordinary, although there was an assembly in the auditorium during one class period about the dangers of jaywalking. After the assembly, classes resumed and finally the school day ended. Alex met up with his friends outside and was immediately swarmed by other boys. Once they began to separate, the five friends headed home. Alex walked past Kyle's house, winking at him, walked up to the corner where Richie turned to go to his house, appeared to be going to his own, then doubled-back to a waiting Kyle.
"Nice play!" Kyle exclaimed.
"We don't want Richie to think he's getting left out of any social situations," Alex replied.
"Well, come on in," Kyle said as he held the door open for his best friend.
The McLaughlin home wasn't an estate like the O'Reilly's home. It was a townhouse, with four levels, a finished basement with a pool table, a jukebox and a fully-stocked bar; above that were the kitchen, dining room and living room; next was two bedrooms, Kyle's parents' room and his sister's room, and a full bathroom; on the top floor was Kyle's room, which was an attic converted into a bedroom. The boys climbed up to Kyle's room where Kyle immediately began removing his school clothes and hung them in his closet. He dropped his undershorts and tossed them in a corner.
"Well, aren't you going to get out of your school clothes?" Kyle asked, handing his guest a hanger.
Alex hung up his school clothes, dropped his undershorts and kicked them aside.
"Do you want to do homework or just hang out?" Kyle asked his friend.
"It doesn't matter, as long as we get our homework done," was Alex's reply.
"Let's get our homework out of the way," Kyle suggested."
The older teen walked Alex to his bed, telling him to get comfortable and that he would sit on the floor. The boys worked on their homework and when Kyle closed his last book, Alex gave his friend suggestion.
"If you've forgotten, I'm here to do anything I can for you," Alex explained. "I feel for you, and I felt your pain the other night, but if you ever have something else you want to share with me, go ahead."
Kyle nodded as a voice yelled up the stairs announcing dinner was being served. The boys quickly jumped into some casuals and headed down the stairs. Alex swallowed, knowing this would be his first encounter with Kyle's parents. Kyle made the introductions, and Alex sat down to dine with the McLaughlin's.
"Kyle tells me that Krystal O'Reilly is your mother?" Sally McLaughlin asked Alex.
"Yes, she adopted my brother and me at the same time," Alex said, seizing the opportunity to open a door. "None of us are related by blood, but we love each other very intensely, and have no issues giving each other hugs and other physical displays of affection."
"When I'm over there, Alex's family is like that with me, too," Kyle added.
"Really?" Sally inquired.
"We don't do that around here," John McLaughlin stated flatly.
"Why not?" Alex asked Kyle's father. "They're just physical gestures that tell family members they are loved."
"We just never have," John replied.
"Maybe we should, Dad," Kyle suggested. "I know I feel surrounded by love at Alex's house just because the O'Reilly's are as open about expressing their love for each other. It's a great feeling."
"Can I go over to Alex's with you sometime?" Kate McLaughlin, Kyle's sister, asked.
"I don't see why not," Alex answered. "My friends are always welcome in our house. You opened your home to me, so of course you would all be welcome. In fact, why don't I ask my Mom to have you all over for dinner? Would you come?"
Sally looked at her husband who nodded affirmatively.
"We'd love to!" Sally exclaimed over the opportunity to dine with Krystal O'Reilly.
"I need to show you something that is very important to me," Alex said, getting up from his chair. He walked behind Kyle, wrapped his arms around him, announcing, "This is my best friend. I'll be 13 next month and he's a year and eleven months older than me. I love your son enough to protect him with my life, and I'm proud to say it."
John McLaughlin's jaw almost fell to his plate. Sally stared in awe. Kate got up from her seat and hugged Alex.
"I share my love with everyone, especially my friends, Alex began. "Kyle McLaughlin is my friend, so from where I stand, he deserves my love and my friendship. I know that as your son and your brother, you love him too and that he loves you in return. Does it hurt to show acts of kindness to the people we love? Of course not! It helps us to feel secure in the love we have for each other."
Kyle got up from the table, went over to his father, and wrapped his arms around him saying, "I love you, Dad!"
John turned around and hugged Kyle saying, "I love you too, son."
Not to be outdone, Kate went over to her mother and said, "I love you, Mom," followed by Sally telling Kate that she loved her, too.
The process was then repeated between father and daughter and mother and son, and eventually the entire McLaughlin family had hugged Alex.
"You are an amazing boy, Alex," John McLaughlin admitted. "It took guts to come over here and start this conversation, and you have what it takes." The man smiled at the boy, and then said, "Thank you."
After dinner, the boys helped clear the table, and Kyle washed the dishes while Alex dried them and Kate put them away. Alex then saw another opportunity.
"Kate, do you have a boyfriend?" Alex asked.
"No," the girl answered.
"My older brother doesn't have a girlfriend, and I think the two of you just might click," Alex suggested. My Mom said my friends could come over after school tomorrow, and I know my brother will be home. Why don't you come over with Kyle and I'll introduce you to Mike?"
"Oh, I'd be happy to meet him, especially if he's an older version of you," Kate said with enthusiasm.
"He's an older version of me," Alex replied, and although we're not related by blood, we're very much alike.
"Fine, I'll come with Kyle, if he has no objections," Kate answered.
Kyle looked at Kate for the first time in a different light, gave her a hug and told her that of course he had no objections.
When the dishes were done, the boys headed back up to Kyle's room, removed their casuals, and began another conversation.
"I can't believe what you did down there," Kyle stated. "You even got approval from my old man!"
"Kyle, the love was always there," Alex explained. "Your family just didn't know how to show it."
"Why are you fixing Kate up with Mike?" Kyle asked.
"Because like you, your sister is in emotional pain," Alex said. "I could tell that right away, sort of like I did with you. She's not a woman of no virtue. She's a girl who has been looking in the wrong places for the love she felt she wasn't getting here. Tonight was the first step for this family to know there's love in your home, including your sister. Maybe she needs an honest, loving guy like my brother. Maybe he needs a girl who needs him. Maybe they both just need to take a chance on each other and see what comes of it."
Kyle stood up from his homework and said, "Come here, please."
Alex stood up from his homework and did as his friend requested. Kyle stared into his friend's eyes and said, "Forgive me, because I can't control myself. Now, I know I feel love for my best friend." He pulled Alex into a tight hug, and then released him.
"Now it's your turn." Kyle said. "How do you feel about me?"
The boy stared into Kyle's eyes just as he had done moments ago, hugged his friend, and said, "Does that answer your question?"
Kyle smiled at his friend and whispered, "Yes."
When it came time to hit the hay, Alex found himself in the same position he was in two nights before in Mike's bed, being held in Kyle's arms. They both drifted happily off to sleep relatively quickly. The next morning, Kyle let Alex shower first, then he took a quick shower. They both dressed, grabbed their books and papers, then ran to Alex' house to avoid being spotted by Richie. Upon meeting up with Richie, Alex invited Richie over after school to hang out until shortly before dinner time. Richie was excited to be hanging out at the O'Reilly's again, but had to go home first to let his mother know where he was going to be. When they met up with Danny and Donnie, Alex invited them after school as well. Since no one would be home in their house until after 9:00 that night, they agreed to come as well. The day dragged on like most school days do, and when it was over, the boys convened out in front. They were surrounded by the usual number of "Alex O'Reilly Wanna-be Friends," but the boys just left them behind, crossed the street and headed up the hill. Kyle stopped at his house to collect Kate, and the group headed to Alex's house. Alex let everyone in and directed them to the game room, and then went in search of his brother. Alex figured Mike would be in his common state of undress on his bed reading a book, and sure enough, he was.
"Mike, get dressed," Alex commanded.
"Why?" Mike asked, figuring it was only the guys and he didn't feel compelled to hide himself from them.
"There's someone I want you to meet," Alex said.
"Oh," Mike whined, "I don't feel like meeting anyone. So you've made another friend. Just go have fun."
"Yes," Alex continued, "I have made another friend, but this one is different. It's Kyle's sister Kate, and I think you and Kate will hit it off. Now please, be polite and just go down and I'll introduce you."
"All right, hand me my undershorts," Mike said. The young man got dressed relatively quickly and walked down to the game room with Alex.
"Mike," the boy began, "you've met all the guys before, but this is Kate McLaughlin, Kyle's sister. Kate, this is my brother, Mike O'Reilly."
"I'm pleased to meet you Kate," Mike said. "Would you care to leave this guys to their own resources and take a walk? We could go to the tea room for a cup, if you'd like?"
"Thank you, Mike," Kate replied. I'd like that very much."
Mike escorted Kate through the door and the two disappeared.
"Cheers to Alex!" Kyle shouted.
Kyle was still amazed at what happened at dinner the previous night. The other boys knew nothing, so Kyle looked at Alex, who nodded that it was all right to let the cat out of the bag. He basically spilled his guts to his friends about believing his parents hated him, and that having Alex as a guest turned his family around. That prompted Richie to tell his story about how much better things had gotten with his mother, prompting Danny and Donnie to ask Alex when he'd be able to work some magic in their home.
"You twins have to give me some information," Alex prompted the twins. "Tell me about life in your house."
Donnie began, "Mom and Dad are always busy. We don't know with what, but they leave the house the same time we do in the morning and don't come home until around 9:00 every night. They take off with their friends every weekend, so we almost never see them."
"Who runs your house? Do you have a maid, or a governor, governess or something?" Alex asked
"Nope," Danny replied. "We get to fend for ourselves. There's always a ton of frozen dinners in the freezer, so we heat those up and eat them for dinner."
"If you don't mind, I'll have to bring Mike and Mom in on this one. This is way beyond my comprehension," Alex said. "I'm good at seizing opportunities like I did last night at Kyle's, but I have to find an opening to put my foot in, and since I don't really know what the possibilities are, I don't know what I can do. If you knew of an evening your folks would be home, perhaps you could arrange for me to spend the night.
The twins looked at each other and shrugged.
"Our parents are just never home," Donnie said.
"Then I will just have Mom invite you and your folks to dinner," Alex concluded.
"If there's a kid alive who can get parents and their families to love each other, it's Alex O'Reilly," Kyle said. "Within two minutes, Alex had my parents like putty in his hands, and when I got up from my chair and hugged my dad and told him I loved him, the ice was broken and all the pieces fell into place."
Kyle moved across the room and gave Alex a hug, then Richie followed suit. The twins still didn't know what to make of the situation, but they also hugged their younger friend.
"Shall we play some poker?" Alex offered.
"Why not?" Danny replied.
"Cut for deal," Kyle said. High card deals.
The boys cut the deck, Richie drew the King of Spades, so he got the first deal. The game continued uneventfully for about an hour and a half, when Mike and Kate returned and Mike told the boys they'd have to go home. None of them wanted to, of course, but they did have school the next day. As Kate and Kyle were getting ready to leave, Kyle gave Alex and Mike hugs, Mike told Kate that she didn't have to leave, but she vowed that she would only stay if her brother did. Alex looked at Mike for permission for Kyle to stay, but Mike told him that the other boys had to go home and it wouldn't be fair if Kyle stayed. Kate looked disappointed, but before leaving, she gave Alex a hug and a kiss, saying "Thank you for everything. You are an angel!"
"I've been telling him that for a long time," Mike said.
Before the two McLaughlin's went out the door, Mike said to Kate, "Can I see you tomorrow?"
"Kate answered with a smile, "Mr. O'Reilly, you may see me anytime!"
"I'll be by early in the afternoon then," Mike told Kate. "We'll find something enjoyable to do, then we'll have dinner somewhere, OK?"
Kate nodded, then she and Kyle walked around the corner and down the street to their house. As soon as their guests were gone, the dinner bell rang, and the two brothers made a dash for the dining room.
"Meatloaf?" Alex said with a tone of disgust.
Mike grabbed a fork and sampled a piece, then told his brother, "Hey, this is pretty good!"
Alex didn't believe him, so he grabbed his own fork, tasted it, and was shocked. "You're right, this is good!"
What the brothers didn't know was that the meatloaf was made from Elena's own family recipe and contained ground lamb and pork, but no beef and no canned soup. They filled their plates and had a brotherly conversation while they ate.
"So, how do you like Kate?" Alex asked.
"I think she's a really nice girl," Mike replied, "but before I get too involved with her, I need to know about your time with the McLaughlin's from you. I already got it from Kate, and she's got you up on a pedestal."
"Sally, that's Kate and Kyle's mother gave me an opening as soon as we sat down to dinner," Alex explained, "then Kyle jumped in as a witness to all the love he sees when he's here, how we hug each other all the time, and how supportive we are of one another. Kyle's dad mumbled, `We don't do that here,' so I asked why they didn't and virtually shamed them. Then, I got up from the table and hugged Kyle, telling his family that he was my friend and that I loved him enough to protect him with my life. Well, you could have heard a pin drop, but then Kyle got up from the table, put his arms around his father and told him that he loved him, making John turn around, hug Kyle back and told Kyle that he loved him, too. Next they all got into hugging each other, finally coming over to hug me. Kyle's father looked me in the eye and told me I had guts to go over there and say what I said, and he thanked me."
"Kid, I knew you had it in you," Mike said, smiling at his brother. "Now what about Kate?"
"Well, I think she's as emotionally damaged as Kyle," Alex said, "because Kyle had thought she was a slut, but that changed last night. I think she was so desperate for love that she kept changing boyfriends hoping to find one she could believe really loved her. I thought you should meet her because if you liked her she might make a good girlfriend for you, and even if you didn't see her that way, you could still help her get over her emotional issues."
"Who told you what a slut was?" Mike asked.
"Kyle, of course, but I bluffed him into telling me," Alex admitted. "When I told him that a slut was a woman of no virtue, he figured I knew, but I really don't."
"Guess what?" Mike said. "You were absolutely correct without knowing it."
"Really?" Alex said with a grin.
"Yeah, but you're still too young to really know about such things," Mike replied.
"How can I go into the world trying to help people if I don't know what I'm talking about?" Alex whined.
"Everything will come in time," Mike said.
"Now, we have another problem," the boy said. "The twins said their parents leave the house every morning at the same time they do, but they don't come home again until at least 9:00 in the evening. They also said their parents take off with their friends every weekend, so those guys never see their folks. What do you think?"
"I don't think this one's for you. This one's for either me or Mom, and I think when we tell her, she'll want to handle this herself."
"Why?" Alex asked. "What do you think could be the problem?"
"I think this one is so complicated that you wouldn't understand it," Mike replied. "It's probably so complicated that even Mom might not be able to help them. I think Danny and Donnie's folks may be more damaged than anyone in Kyle's family, and they don't even know that their damage is damaging their sons.
"What is this damage that could be so bad?" Alex nagged his brother for direct answers and was getting nowhere.
"Their parents may have both psychological and physical problems that may make them unable to help themselves, much less their boys," Mike explained. "These problems may be so severe than only trained professionals can help them, which is why I say if it's the case, Mom can't help them, either. It may require doctors, clinicians, and others to dig them out of the rut they've dug for themselves. Sometimes, we have to admit we're powerless over a situation, walk away, and leave the family in more capable hands."
"Will Danny and Donnie end up in a boys' home? I know they're too old for St. Patrick's," Alex asked.
"Maybe, but if I know your mother, she won't let that happen," Mike assured his brother.
"I have to go do some homework, but later, will you hold me?" Alex asked Mike. "I've had an emotionally exhausting couple of days."
"You know I'm here for you whenever you need me," Mike said, smiling. "By the way, from both your account and Kate's, you did well at the McLaughlin's."
Alex grinned, then said, "Thanks big brother."
"You're welcome, little brother." Mike replied.
Alex went up to his room, hung up his clothes, tossed his undershorts in his hamper and tackled his homework. When he had finished, Mike was already on his bed reading his book, and Alex wriggled his way into his brother's arms where he promptly fell asleep.
The next morning, Alex crawled out from the grip Mike had on him and went to his bathroom where he relieved himself and then took a shower. Mike stirred a bit since his brother moved, realized he needed to relieve himself, and headed to his own bathroom. He decided that going back to bed was unnecessary since Alex caused him to fall asleep early, so he climbed into a pair of slacks along with the shirt he had worn the day before, went into Alex's room and found him dressing for school. Once Alex was dressed and had his books and papers under his arm, both brothers went down to the dining room for breakfast. Krystal, a creature of habit, was sipping her tea.
"Good morning!" she exclaimed. "How are my sons today?"
"We're OK," Mike said, and then with a reference to Shakespeare said, "but all is not well in Verona."
"On-oh," Krystal frowned as she said. "Why do I think this is not a good thing?"
Alex recounted the events at the McLaughlin's dinner two nights ago, and how well-received he had been. He mentioned that he wanted Krystal to invite the McLaughlin's to dinner, but also how he introduced Mike to Kate. He then told her about the discussion he and Mike had about the twins' situation. Krystal looked at Mike, who just nodded.
"Alex, you will turn 13 in two weeks," Krystal began. "I will host a dinner party in your honor, when I will invite your friends and their parents. I will also get a list of the other boys in your school and send invitations to their parents and their families. In addition, I will invite several of my friends and associates when both of you boys can meet them and interact, enabling you to use their contacts and services in the future. I will use the event to gauge the families of our guests, particularly Danny and Donnie's parents. Hopefully, they will not decline the invitation."
"Thanks Mom, but what do you think is going on with the twins' parents?" Alex asked.
"It's really hard to say without meeting them," Krystal replied. "Alex, you're running a bit late, so finish your breakfast because Kyle will be here any minute. If you like, invite your friends over tomorrow afternoon."
"OK," Alex said after swallowing his last bite of an English muffin. The boy gave Krystal a hug and a kiss on her cheek, repeated the action with his brother, scooped up his books and papers, and as he headed for the door, yelled back, "I love you!" then closed the door behind himself. Kyle was on his way up the driveway, saw Alex, stopped and waited for him.
"You have to hear this," Kyle said. "Last night at dinner, I asked if I could say a blessing before we ate. My mom looked at my dad, and he nodded. I said a blessing like the ones I've heard you say, and even my sister was amazed. My family isn't religious at all. They never go to church or anything like that, but I guess something I said in the blessing really hit them, because after dinner, my dad wanted to hug us all, including my mom, and I saw something I haven't seen in years. My dad actually kissed my mom in front of Kate and me! Then, he turned to me and said, "I'm glad you thanked God for your friend Alex, because I thank God for him, too."
Alex smiled at his friend and said, "See what happens when you trust me? I'm no miracle worker. I'm just me, but I understand people, and sometimes that's all it takes.
They met Richie at the usual corner, Kyle told him about his family's dinner the previous night, and Alex extended the invitation to hang out the next day. They met Danny and Donnie, and of course, Kyle had to tell them the whole story about last night's dinner, Alex invited them to hang out, then dropped his bombshell.
"My mom is throwing a dinner party for my 13th birthday in two weeks. You guys and your parents will be on the guest list, as well as everyone else who has a son in our school. Mom is also inviting some of her personal friends and contacts for Mike and me to meet who might benefit us in the future. He looked at the twins, asking "Do you think your folks would come?"
"My folks would never turn down an invitation to a party thrown by Krystal O'Reilly!" Donnie exclaimed. "She's like the Grand Dame of Boston! Of course, they will accept the invitation!"
The boys arrived at school, Alex was surrounded by the usual group of hangers-on, but he and his friends made it to their respective classrooms on time.
Meanwhile, back in the O'Reilly dining room, Krystal and Mike had a philosophical conversation.
"OK Mike," Krystal began. "What do you know about the twins' situation?"
"Just that their parents leave them alone all the time," Mike answered, "and that all they seem to eat is frozen dinners."
"What does your intuition tell you about that?" Krystal asked.
"Well, I don't really know, but I have my suspicions." Mike said. "They could be either alcoholics or drug addicts."
"That is my fear as well," Krystal replied, "and if that's the case, the family needs help that we can't provide."
"If the parents went to a rehabilitation facility," Mike asked, "could we do something for the boys?"
"Even if I said `no,'" Krystal answered, "would either of my sons accept that as an answer?"
Mike grinned, saying "You know we wouldn't! Alex would sleep on his floor or in my bed before he'd accept the twins going to a boys' home. They're his friends, and you know how committed to his friends my brother is."
"I knew that's what you would say," she said with a smile. "We can't do anything until we meet the parents for Alex's birthday dinner, so for now all we can do is be supportive of the boys. Incidentally, how do you like Kate McLaughlin?" Krystal asked, changing the subject.
"She seems very nice, but I think she may be emotionally damaged, just like Kyle," Mike answered. "I'm meeting her this afternoon to do a few fun things, then taking her to dinner at the Union Oyster House. I think it would be very nice for the girl to be treated like a lady."
"You are an amazing young man," Krystal commended her son. "Both you and Alex are so sensitive to the feelings of others, and you always put others ahead of yourselves. The two of you make me proud that you have become my sons. If I had given my late husband two sons, I couldn't imagine they would be as selfless as you two."
"Mom, part of who we are is from your own influence," Mike said. "Kindness doesn't go unrewarded, and when you extended yourself to us, what you have seen since then is your reward."
Mike got up from his seat, walked around the table to Krystal, gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then looked her in the eyes, said "Thank you."
Krystal stared back into her son's eyes and said, "No, thank you!"
"I have to call the printer to get the invitations for Alex's birthday dinner printed, and call The Boston Academy to get a list of students' parents and their addresses, so the printer can mail them all out for me," Krystal said. "Would you excuse me?"
"Of course," her son answered.
Krystal went into her office and Mike retreated to his room, removed his shirt and slacks, flopped on his bed and began reading his book. Early in the afternoon, he showered, chose some dress clothes, said goodbye to Krystal, and headed to the McLaughlin's to meet Kate. She answered the door and invited Mike in to meet her mother.
"Mom, this is Mike O'Reilly, Alex's brother," she said. Mike, this my mother, Sally McLaughlin,"
Mike took the woman's hand, kissed it as a gentleman would, gave her a light hug, and said, "Mrs. McLaughlin, I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Sally giggled, and said, "It's nice to meet you too, Mike. Your brother mentioned that you were an older version of him, and his description was no exaggeration!"
"My mother and I are very proud of Alex," Mike replied. "The boy has nothing but love in his heart, and he spreads it wherever he goes."
"Mike, time is wasting. You young folks run off and have a good time now," Sally suggested.
"Thank you, Mrs. McLaughlin," Mike said.
"Sally," she said. "Everyone calls me Sally. Mrs. McLaughlin was my deceased mother-in-law."
"OK, Sally," Mike said with a grin.
Mike and Kate headed for the door, with Mike insisting on opening them and holding them for Kate, who wasn't used to dating gentlemen and just giggled. The headed downtown and walked through the various departments at Filene's, Gilchrist's and Jordan Marsh. Kate discovered a rather expensive perfume fragrance she liked and was going to leave the counter only to have Mike pull out a $50.00 bill and buy it for her. Even though she had dated other guys whose families had money, she admitted to Mike that none of them had ever bought her such a gift. He smiled, and they walked up Washington Street toward State Street. Mike looked at his watch and decided it was dinner time, so they cut through Faneuil Hall to Union Street and entered the Union Oyster House. They were escorted to the second floor and seated in a corner booth and presented with menus. After scanning the menu for a few minutes, Mike smiled at Kate and asked, "Do you see anything that might please your palate?"
"I see a lot of things I think I like, but there's a lot I don't even recognize," Kate answered.
"Would you like me to order for both of us?" Mike asked.
"Please," Kate answered with a grin. "Surprise me!"
When the waitress came to take their order, Mike ordered six cherrystone clams on the half-shell, a half-dozen raw oysters, two bowls of clam chowder, and a pair of seafood trios, consisting of baked stuffed shrimp, broiled haddock and broiled salmon.
"Where am I supposed to put all that food?" Kate asked with a laugh.
Mike pointed to her stomach saying, "Right in there!"
Mike totally forgot about the fact that Kate was Kyle's sister. He found himself enjoying her company far more than he had anticipated and was glad his brother introduced them. He thought Kate was funny, not emotionally fractured as he had suspected, and hoped this would only be the first of many dates. Kate, on the other hand, found Mike to be unlike any guy she had ever dated. He treated her the way a gentleman should treat a lady, bought her a bottle of perfume, and took her out for a nice seafood dinner. She too, hoped this would not turn out to be their last date. Mike grabbed a cherrystone with his fork, dipped it in cocktail sauce and fed it to Kate across the table, a move that so humored the girl that she laughed, almost causing it to fall out of her mouth! They enjoyed their meal, or as much as they could eat of it, when Mike suggested they go over to the Esplanade to walk along the Charles River. Kate was in no hurry to leave this charming man's company and readily agreed. As they walked and approached the Hatch Shell, Mike paused, turned to Kate and looked deeply into her eyes. No longer being able to restrain himself, he kissed her, then said, "Thank God for my brother Alex. If it wasn't for him, I might have missed out on what has been one of the most enjoyable days of my life. I hope this will only be the first of many days we can spend like this."
Kate looked at Mike, smiled, and said, "I was thinking the exact same thing while we were having dinner."
"Can I see you again tomorrow?" Mike asked.
"Just tell me when, and I'll be ready," Kate answered.
"How about noon? We can take in a movie and have dinner afterward, if you like, Mike suggested.
"I like," was the girl's reply.
The young couple walked the rest of the way down the Charles River to the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, and then turned around and walked back. Sometimes, Mike had his arm around Kate, and at other times, they held hands. All he knew was that the young lady fascinated him; she was just as fascinated with him. When they had returned to Cambridge Street, they walked up the hill toward Belgrade Avenue, took a right, walked halfway up and had reached the McLaughlin residence. The couple gazed into each other's eyes, couldn't contain themselves, and kissed in front of Kate's front door.
"You must come in to meet my father," Kate insisted. Mike protested, but his protests fell of deaf ears.
He held the doors for Kate as she led the way, brought the young man into the living room and said, "Dad, this is Alex's brother Mike; Mike, this is my father, John McLaughlin."
"I'm pleased to meet you, sir," Mike said, extending his hand to John.
"I'm pleased to meet you, son," John replied, shaking Mike's hand, "but my name is John."
"Your brother is quite a boy," John said. "He came over here one night with some guts and turned this family right around. Don't tell him this, because I wouldn't want the boy to get a swelled head, but I really respect him because he's not afraid of anyone, and speaks his mind. That boy will go far."
"My mother and I are very proud of Alex. He has a very big heart and it seems he's very gifted with people for someone of his age."
"Are you like him?" John asked Mike.
"Very much," Mike replied. "Alex and I talk about everything. Whenever he has questions about anything, he comes to me first, and if I can't give him a suitable answer, he goes to Mom. In fact, we both do that. Sometimes, I will talk with him first, and if he can't suggest a good answer, then I go to Mom. We're very tight, Alex and I are."
"Alex told us the three of you O'Reilly's never tire of showing love and affection for one another," John said.
"That is true, John," Mike answered. "Love is a very big thing in our house, but we don't limit it to just our family. We hug our friends, guests and anyone else we may see who may need one. I hug Alex's friends and so does Mom, and they hug us back. It makes people feel welcome and comfortable when they visit."
"You folks may really have something there," John replied. Since Alex was here, my son, daughter, wife and I have been hugging each other constantly. For the longest time, I thought my son was lost to us, but in about two minutes a dinner the other night, Alex changed all that."
"All I can tell you about what led up to that was that Alex felt Kyle's pain," Mike said. "I don't know how he does it, but it doesn't matter. In our house, we believe that angels are sent to those who need them, and that sometimes one of us is chosen to be an angel to someone else. In Kyle's case, that angel was Alex."
"You O'Reilly's are into that God stuff, huh?" John asked, somewhat curious.
"Not exactly. We aren't religious people, but we do believe in faith. That's the relationship between a person and God. Religion is full of politics, none of which is really from God," Mike explained. "Think about it. If we pray to God, thank Him for our blessings and ask Him for what we know we need and sometimes what we want," He listens and gives us His answers in His time, which may or not be in our time. We must understand that God answers prayers according to His will."
"My son offered a blessing at dinner last night, and he was thankful for things I never thought of thanking God for," John said.
"You can either thank or blame Alex for that," Mike told John. "That's the way he is. John, it was nice to meet you, but I must go home and chase four boys out of our house, one of whom is Kyle, unless it's OK with you if he spends the night."
"Mike, Kyle may stay at your house anytime the O'Reilly's are willing to tolerate him," John said. "It's not like we want to get rid of him, you understand. It's just that I now know he's in good hands when he's there, and I see that you, Alex and Krystal are a good influence on him."
"I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that we appreciate your confidence. Have a good evening, John. I'm glad we met and had a little time to chat," Mike said, extending his hand to the man once again.
John shook Mike's hand again, and Kate walked him to the door.
"I think your father and I will get along just fine," Mike said.
"I think you and I will, too," Kate said before hugging Mike and giving him a goodnight kiss.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Mike asked.
`You bet," Kate replied with a smile.
Mike walked the rest of the way up the hill as though he was walking on a cloud. Kate McLaughlin was quite a girl! He felt he really owed his brother for making the introduction to Kate, because he finally felt he had discovered what was missing in his life. He entered the house, expecting the boys to be somewhere on the first floor, but they were nowhere to be found and the house was quiet. He went upstairs to his room, opened the door and heard voices coming from Alex's room. There, he found five boys sitting on Alex's floor in their usual state of undress, quietly chatting about teen boy stuff.
"Guys, it's time to pack it in, Mike said. Richie, Donnie and Danny, you guys have to go home now. I'll walk Kyle home in a while, because I need to talk to him."
The three boys being evicted groaned, but Mike was firm. They didn't have permission to stay, and The O'Reilly's didn't want to get in Dutch with their parents. Mike did tell them they were welcome to return the following day, so they brightened up. Once they were dressed, Alex walked his guest to the door, totally forgetting his stated of undress, but upon realizing it, didn't care. Turning around, he discovered Kyle had followed in the same state of undress. They looked at each other, shrugged, and headed back to Alex's room, then into Mike's room. Mike was now in the same state of undress, on his bed with his book.
"How did it go with Kate?" Alex asked.
"Very well. We made another date for tomorrow," Mike replied. "Kyle, I find your sister to be a very nice girl."
"Really!" Kyle exclaimed.
"Yes, and she's nothing like you thought she might be," Mike told him. "Kyle, you need to talk with your sister more, because she's really nice, kind, and considerate. Maybe what you thought you saw in your sister was just her being choosy about finding the right guy for her. From what we did today, I may have found the right girl for me."
"Are you serious?" Kyle asked. "You like my sister?"
"Very much, Kyle." Mike answered. "When was the last time you actually talked with Kate?"
"I don't remember," Kyle said. "It was probably years ago."
"Talk with her," Mike advised. "You'll be surprised what you will learn about her when you do. By the way, I just met your father, we talked, and you're spending the night here."
Kyle brightened up and thanked Mike. Upon hearing that, Alex jumped up onto Mike's bed and wormed his way into his brother's arms, then patted Mike's mattress as an invitation for Kyle to climb up and find his way into his. This was the first occasion Alex chose to hold Kyle, but the older boy offered no resistance.
"Mike, what will you do if you find you love Kate and she loves you?" Alex asked, knowing his answer would also be of interest to Kyle.
"Little brother, we just had our first date, and it's too soon to tell," Mike answered, "but whatever happens between Kate and me, I will always be here for you."
"Does that include me, too?" Kyle asked.
"Yes Kyle, it includes you too," Mike replied. "None of us "O'Reilly's could ever turn our backs on friends who need us."
"You got that right, big brother," Alex chimed in.
"Can I ask you a question, Mike?" Kyle asked.
"You just did, but I assume you have another, so go ahead," Mike answered.
"Do you ever get horny?" Kyle asked without reserve.
"I'm only human, Kyle. Of course I do," Mike replied.
"What's that?" Alex wanted to know.
"That's one of those things I'm not going to discuss with you because you're still underdeveloped.
"Aw. It seems there's a lot I will need to know, and I won't be prepared for it when the time comes," Alex whined.
"Look, you will be 14 in two weeks. You'll probably develop quite a bit this year, and maybe when you're 13 ½, you'll be developed enough that you'll need to know," Mike told his brother.
"Kyle, why did you ask me that question?" Mike inquired.
"Because I do all the time," Kyle replied.
"Well, I'm sure you know what you can do about it," Mike said.
"Yes, and I do, several times a day," Kyle complained.
"Kyle, that is the standard order of business with most guys until they find a partner and fall in love," Mike said.
"I'm feeling left out of this conversation," Alex complained.
"Conversations like these shouldn't be had in front of Alex," Mike said. "My poor brother's getting impatient about his maturity."
"OK. I won't bring this stuff up in front of him," Kyle agreed.
"You two are bastards!" Alex yelled.
"Alex!" Mike exclaimed. "Where did you hear that, and since when do we use such language to each other?"
"I heard one boy yell it to a group of others outside school," Alex confessed. "What are bastards?"
"You used a word you didn't know what it meant?" Mike asked.
"Yeah," Alex admitted. "Are you going to tell me what it means?|
"If you must know," Mike began, "a bastard is the child of parents who are not married."
"You mean like you were?" the boy asked, now sorry he ever used the term.
"Yes, Alex." Mike said. "It's why I agreed to let our mother adopt me when she adopted you, because now I have a family, and I'm proud to have her as my mother and you as my brother."
Kyle kept pushing himself further into Alex, feeling more secure in his friend's arms than he did in Mike's a few nights before. Alex realized what he was doing and held him tighter, and Mike's grip around him was about as tight has it could get. As it grew late, Alex wriggled his way out of Mike's arms, grabbed Kyle's hand and led him into his own room. They resumed the same positions, but Alex was glad to have more room to move. They drifted off to sleep and Mike pretended to read his book but could only think of Kate McLaughlin. His intuition told him that although he hadn't dated any other girls, Kate was the one for him, and he fell asleep with her on his mind.
(to be continued)