Finding Family

"Sure boss. No worries boss."

Boss seemed satisfied, at least for the moment.

"Is this a full pay day?"

"Yes."

"Can I spend it tidying the loft and exercising rodent control?"

Colin said belligerently, "Who says my loft is untidy?"

"I've never seen one that isn't," Ryan said, having only ever seen two.

"Ah, well you did say you were experienced. I'll go into town to get some rodent traps and a bed and mattress."

"Make sure the bed is not squeaky. I'd hate to keep Mrs Kingston awake with the sound of me jerking off."

Colin sucked in breath and looked at his new man. And then grinned. "You might be a bit of an asset round here. You think good and take things to the brink, it would seem.

Ryan was then taken on a tour of the yard of Marlow-Kingston, boat-builders. The yard employed ten other men. Old Kevin Marlow drew plans, negotiated contracts, ordered in supplies and look after the coffee machine. If people wanted floors swept or windows cleaned they did it themselves. The placed looked a mess but Colin said, "We custom-build all-weather boats and I and some of the guys are master craftsmen so this yard attracts orders from clients as far as 500 miles away. Smaller commercial fishing boats are our forte in wood, aluminum or GRP (glass reinforced plastic)."

"Jesus, I'd thought a dump like this would only make row boats until I saw that 38-footer."

"This is the paint shop," Colin said, grinning.

An hour later Colin yelled from down below, "Lower the rope."

Ryan, covered in dust, ran to the far end of the loft, opened the double doors, and lowered the rope but freeing the ratchet mechanical of the hand-winch he'd inspected earlier. He looked down and saw Colin on the back of the pickup with a double bed and mattress, tallboy, big mirror and settee. Ryan winched them up and when the last object was hoisted Colin came up the ladder access.

"The stuff was cheap so the more I selected the bigger the discount the dealer gave me. For some fucking reason single beds cost more than this double bed with the heavy frame."

"Those heavy frames are currently unfashionable."

"Is that so. So you're telling me no one wanted it so the dealer was only too pleased to flick it off?"

"Oh, you would be too astute to taken for a ride."

Colin stared at Ryan who said, "Charge this stuff to my account and deduct 20% of the total cost per month against my pay."

"What about truck-running?"

"Oh yes, that too, and your time and you better charge me for the excruciating time it took Mrs Kingston to tell you where to go to get the stuff and then explain how to get there and get yourself back here."

Colin growled, "You're a candidate for a thick ear."

"If you wish to be hospitalized Colin go right ahead."

Colin, who weighed probably 220lbs, staggered around laughing. "God you are priceless," he choked. He then settled down and looked around in admiration.

"I won't deduct your pay. Just leave the stuff her when you go."

"Thank you Colin, very kind. Am I to believe you have a heart?"

Colin sighed. Come down for lunch. Carolyn has brought it over for you and me. Now when I lie to the guys no lip from you, okay?"

"Yes boss."

Ryan listened in astonishment when Colin told his partner and the men that they might notice Ryan getting a big of special treatment, like sleeping in the loft and having meals with Colin and family. "He's my nephew. Anyone wanting to complain should do it now or shut up on this matter for good. Okay who wants to complain?"

Everyone including Kevin Marlow studied what they were eating.

"Okay, welcome to the team Ryan. Do you want to say anything?"

"Just that I don't expect any preferential treatment from you guys. I guess this is a successful business because I didn't see any sunken boats at the end of the slipway."

Everyone stared at him without expression.

"Thank you for not clapping at my joke. Seriously guys, if you can bend a little and give me some pointers when I'm working I'd appreciate it. At present I'm as useless in boat building as a wet fart in a bottle."

The guys roared in laughter and conversations resumed.

After the guys left work for the day Ryan went down to the washroom and shaved and showered, hoping to not look like a misfit in the house. He dusted the new jeans and shirt he'd purchased and wore to his interview with Colin.

Ryan walked over to the house and a boy aged about ten yelled, "He's coming."

Mrs Kingston came to the door brushing her hands on her apron. "Hello and welcome I'm sure. Please call me Carolyn."

"I'll have to pass that by the boss. He might not approve and if he hears me calling you Carolyn he might bop me."

"Then he'd be bopped right back by my frying pan, wouldn't he? In this house I'm boss. You look nervous; Colin told me you have a mountain of character."

"Er, it's a family situation."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Er, I'm a sole orphan."

Carolyn said a little angrily, "That's enough of that stupid talk Ryan."

He hauled from his billfold a newspaper cutting of his father's car after being swept down into a river by a landslide. Ryan's parents and two sisters drowned but miraculously Ryan survived unharmed stated the report.

"Oh Ryan, you poor darling, Carolyn said on the verge of tears, hugging him. I am so sorry."

"It's okay. You weren't to know. Please don't tell anyone, not even Colin because I don't want special treatment from him."

"Well okay," Carolyn sniffed. "But already he's telling me you are special."

"I have a habit of making good first impressions Carolyn and then I tail off."

"Well at least that gives me something to work on. How old are you?"

"Twenty-two."

"That's twenty-six years younger than Colin and me. I thought you looked worldly but very young."

"Thank you. I guess you should be thanked for that."

Carolyn smiled and took him by the arm. The family was sitting at the table.

"Everyone, this is Ryan and he's to call me Carolyn. Colin you already know of course and this is our oldest Annie, who has just turned seventeen."

"Hello Ryan. You look nice. Welcome to the family."

"Thank you Annie. Wonderful hair."

The auburn-hair Annie flushed in embarrassment or possibly delight.

"Here with the grubby face is Paul our youngest. He's ten."

"Hi Paul. Everyone should call me Ryan. I'm twenty-two and come from 1500 miles from here. You were the spotter, weren't you Paul. You gave the alarm I was arriving."

"Yeah, I didn't know what to expect. You look cool."

"And this is our wild one, Shannon. She'd fourteen."

"Wild suggests character and Shannon will sort it all out when she knows what she wants to be. I stayed with a family for eighteen months and the daughter Felicity gave her mother hell but towards the end of my stay a guy took a friendly interest in her and urged her to watch him play soccer. She joined the women's team and only sat on the bench for one game and a bit. She came on ten minutes into the game and was so good she was in the playing side thereafter."

"Why are you reciting this? Is this supposed to be some sort of sermon?"

"Yeah, for your mom actually. Telling me and probably other people you are wild will only irritate you and that's the last thing you need."

"Listen to him Shannon," Annie said.

"Shut up."

"If you were in control of yourself you'd apologize Annie."

Annie looked at Ryan, her nostrils almost flaring. "Just who do you think you are?"

Just a homeless guy who doesn't believe you are a misfit. I've since been told that girl Felicity Stokes is destined to join the national women's soccer squad."

"What's the point? I don't play soccer."

"Well neither did Felicity until that guy pointed the way ahead for her in coming through a difficult period in growing up. It probably won't be soccer but it will be something, I'm prepared to bet on that."

"I've given up on music and only have skiing left as a real interest but I'm no good."

"Perhaps I can coach you."

"Oh, very clever. The season hasn't started and won't for a few weeks."

"Who said you need snow to concentrate on learning the basics and toning up. Do you run?"

"No, I hate it."

"What about swimming and horse-riding."

"Yes to both of them."

"Well we'll have to discuss that with your parents. Thank you everyone for giving Shannon and me time to talk uninterrupted."

"Annie, I apologize for being rude to you."

"Thank you Shannon. Much appreciated. We all ski and Ryan it sounds you ski well enough to coach?"

"At high school I was on the school ski team and after I left school I received advanced coaching. I still ski whenever I can."

"Ryan, I want to thank you for taking an interest in Shannon as these are difficult times for her," Carolyn said. "I think she is responding to you already."

"Thank you but don't read into it what might not be there. Allow Shannon to call the tune."

"Sounds sensible talk to me," Colin said. May we eat? Obviously that's your place next to Paul."

"Tell us about your family, Annie asked.

"I don't really talk about them. We are disconnected."

"Oh that's so sad," Annie said.

Everyone looked at Carolyn who'd sniffed loudly.

"Oh I'm sorry. Something in my eye," she said running from the room.

CHAPTER 2

Ryan's entry into boat building was seamless. He was good with his hands, was intelligent and took instructions and advice in deep concentration and was enthusiastic about almost everything he was asked to do. It didn't take the cabinetmaker to learn he had little to do to knock Ryan into shape. They worked on fitting out at 44-ft GRP boat in a cradle outside on the hard. The wife of the fisherman occasionally went out with her husband and two crew so required higher standard of finish and more amenities than usual.

"Two toilets -- it's a damn waste if you ask me," Paddy the cabinet-maker in charge of the fitting out complained.

"Her ladyship will require to sit her white ass on a seat not covered in fish gut and scales," Ryan said. Paddy laughed and said Ryan was all right. "You're not the boss's nephew because Kevin Marlow says Colin only has nieces."

Ryan thought the others had kept this quiet from Colin and him. "Paddy, keep this quiet will you. I'm the illegitimate son of one of his brothers."

"Colin only has one brother."

"Er, keep this very quiet. Colin will have your balls for pencil sharpeners if this gets out. I meant the son of his illegitimate brother that none of the family talks about."

"Hell, now I can understand your position -- the illegitimate son of an illegitimate son. That's really deep."

One evening after work Paul asked Ryan to come down to the riverside park to kick a ball around with him.

"How many soccer balls do you have?"

"Two. Well get them. I'll ask Shannon to come with us."

"She won't come."

"Get the balls champ."

Ryan found Shannon watching TV.

"Why aren't you doing homework?"

"Homework tonight is math. We circulate the answers as soon as we get to school in the morning. The agreement is we all make at least three errors."

Ryan grinned and said he used to be part of a similar Homework Mafia. "Come down and play ball."

"Nuh."

"How good is that program you're watching?"

"It's crap."

"Come down and play ball."

"Oh, all right."

Paul greeted them pragmatically. "How much did Ryan pay to get you down here?"

"Nothing, so shut your mouth."

"He's obvious a candidate for the Homework Mafia."

Shannon laughed and told Ryan he was funny.

"Right you two. Tonight we work on dribbling."

"I'm not playing soccer."

"Of course you're not. This ball work will teach you eye and foot coordination and get your feet working in unison to develop power and flexibility through repetitive action."

"What, for skiing? Fuck me, I wouldn't have thought that."

Paul said, "Don't let mom hear you using that word."

"Shut up."

"Shannon, apologize."

"Yeah, sorry for being rude Paul."

"It's okay. Morons speak like that."

Ryan turned away to hide his grin.

"He's only ten and already is a know-all little asshole."

"Weren't we all at that age?"

"Thank you. It's nice to know I am not the only person with a deficiency."

Ryan got Shannon underway and she was only just managing. She really had little idea, until Paul went by dribbling at almost full pace.

"That little asshole is showing me up."

"Well you've got a challenge on your hands. Go to it kid."

Forty minutes later when Ryan told them to pack it in, Shannon was holding back so Paul could keep up and believing she was performing flat out.

"God, Paul's almost run with off my feet and now look at him, dribbling up the hill at a run."

"He's fit and you're not. Want to have another think about indoor swimming?"

"Yes, yet I'd really like that. We'll take Paul and mom because the both like swimming."

They began swimming Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. Annie joined them from the next Saturday and the Thursday after that Colin, feeling left out, completed the Kingston swim team and they'd end up have a game of something that resembled water polo.

Carolyn couldn't believe what was happening to her family. Instead of going in all directions they seemed to be as one in the SUV going to the pool and at the dinner table with no one in a hurry to leave the table. It was all driven by Ryan. He never seemed to run out of conversation and had everyone interested in even Paul's day at school because he had the knack of drawing Paul out, just as he was doing with Shannon.

Initially Carolyn had been anxious at the pool with Annie in that skin-tight black swimsuit she wore. Ryan noticed, oh he noticed all right, but his behavior didn't change one iota and even when disputing possession of the ball Ryan avoided body contact with Annie but fought aggressively against her. Carolyn thought she ought to assist Ryan become involved with women his age

Over the following month five solo women called on Carolyn late afternoon and were invited to stay for dinner. Each time the guest sat next to Ryan and for a young guy he was extremely courteous and yet without displaying a flicker of interest.

In bed the night of the fifth guest Carolyn found it necessary to advise Colin about her failed mission. He laughed.

"What's funny?"

"For starters Ryan will be a hot pussy guy and probably likes big handfuls of tit."

"Don't be so revolting."

"Then don't consult me. If you want to see reaction invite Sophie to dinner."

"Oh god no. She's my sister and she's married."

"But not adverse at putting it about, so I've heard."

"The liars, that's slander. Give me names!"

"The brotherhood forbids sharing such confidential information with women."

"What brotherhood, that's absolute bullshit," said the aroused Carolyn, switching her bedside light back on.

"Whatever you say dear."

"But why Sophie?"

"Even I'm interested in Sophie and you know I don't play around."

Carolyn said fiercely, "Do I?"

"Darling, turn the light off and go to sleep. When he's ready he'll pounce."

"Well this is what this is all about. I don't want him to pounce on Annie. God, she's only seventeen."

"What!" Colin said, switching on his light and sitting up wide-eyed. "Is he sniffing around Annie?"

"I don't think so, in fact I rather think not. But you must admit the potential is there."

"If he so much as..."

"Stop it Colin. You'll get yourself all excited, won't be able to go to sleep and will want to have sex all night. Wednesday is Sophie's free night as Gary baby-sits because he goes out Thursday night."

Colin turned his light off and yawned. "Well done. It will allow you to see the type of women you need to rope in to grab our boy's attention."

"Our boy?"

Colin yawned and said just a figure of speech. He and Ryan were relating so well.

Always one for the last word, Carolyn said, "I really can't see anything different happening. What has Sophie got that I haven't got."

"Your sister has more of it and is 10 year's younger, remember."

"Trust you to bring in age and big breasts."

Colin knew not to answer.

* * *

Wednesday was an unusually warm evening and Colin and Carolyn were on the front porch with their dinner guest having drinks. They saw Peter come around the corner first dribbling the soccer ball with considerable skill up the steep path.

"Peter is exhibiting good skills. He could scarcely kick the ball when I last saw him,"

Colin told Sophie that Peter was being coached at school but the big influence was Ryan.

"Oh yes, this orphan kid that Carolyn told me about."

Colin struck like a snake. "Orphan?"

"Oh Sophie," Carolyn said weakly.

"Ooops. Sorry sis. Big tits big mouth."

Carolyn told Colin about the family tragedy and Colin looked confused and said, "Why didn't he confide in me?"

"He told me on that first night he was here. I accidentally levered it out of him. He asked me not to tell you because he didn't want any more preferential treatment. Please don't let on you know otherwise he'll not trust me. I should not have told Sophie.

"Sorry darling. Oh here they come. Oh I say, those bumps on my niece's chest have grown."

"Quite a lot. She's actually in a sports bra."

"But Shannon is averse to sport."

"Well not now."

"And I can see why. Oh god guys, hold me down."

"Behave yourself Sophie," Colin smiled.

"Look, she's leaning on his shoulder."

"To fix the back of her sneaker," Carolyn said. "You'd do that if standing beside someone you knew, wouldn't you."

"I guess so."

They watched the two walking up the pathway and said hello to Peter who was told to shower and dress neatly.

"I must admit Shannon is interacting with him normally, very much like a buddy rather than, well, you know what teenage crushes are about."

Shannon's parents looked closely and saw nothing to give them concern.

"Ryan has her dribbling a soccer ball for more than half an hour, at speed and changing direction abruptly and to finish us they do four circuits of the field."

"You are talking about Shannon?"

Carolyn said yes of course. "It's to build Shannon up for the ski season. He's going to coach her."

"By dribbling a soccer ball?"

"I asked the same thing," Colin said. Ryan explained it sharpens Shannon's eye to leg coordination and will strengthen her ankles."

As the two came closer the women stared at the definite outline of Ryan's abs under his sweat-soaked top."

"Oh guys, I want him. Please let me have him."

Carolyn was sitting very close to Sophie and though she could feel her sister heating up.

"God, I bet he has such a sweet ass."

Carolyn swallowed as if expected her bile to rise. She looked at Colin who winked. Well her sister was providing to be an outright slut; at least Ryan would act with propriety.

"Hi guys, Ryan this is my sister Sophie who is married with two little children." Carolyn felt an idiot adding the married with children piece but had felt morally obliged to do so.

"Hi Auntie Sophie."

"Hi Shannon," Sophie said, standing up and thrusting her front forward.

"Hi -- oh sweet Jesus," Ryan said, tripped and feel on to his face, Shannon acting incredibly swiftly just manage to pull back on his sleeveless top to break his fall.

Shannon asked sounding puzzled as she helped Ryan to his feet, "What did you trip on?"

"My own feet. My feet were going forward and I was turning to take another look at your aunt."

"What was the attraction?"

"Er, I best race over and have a shower and dress appropriately."

"Oh don't fuss about dressing for me honey," Sophie purred.

The coin dropped for Shannon and she said angrily, "You leave Ryan alone Aunt Sophie. You're married."

"Shannon!" Ryan said curtly.

She ran to him and her put an arm over her shoulder. As they walked away her parents and Sophie heard him say, "You failed to react appropriately -- that was the old Shannon. What were you supposed to do when feeling your aggression rising?"