Surprise Visitors (78)

Ben got up early and went to the supermarket to get everything he needed to make dinner for Josh.

He had to make his best lasagna ever. He also pick up a good bottle of wine.

He was glad Josh had changed his mind and was giving him a chance. They only talked about work at work and about themself at home. Keeping the two separate.

When he brought back the grocery he found a young man and woman in the apartment.

"Ben this is my younger brother Mikey and his wife Sally. Mikey this is my boyfriend Ben." Josh said.

"Call me Mike please. Only this idiot's calls me Mikey." Mike held out his hand to shake.

Ben shook his hand, "Nice to meet you."

Ben took the food into the kitchen and Josh followed.

"Sorry they just showed up." Josh said helping to put away the food.

"Don't apologize, they are your family. I can cook enough for five it's not s problem." Ben said.

"Five?" Josh was puzzled.

"Mrs. Nell. I promised her some." Ben said.

Josh laughed. "I forgot."

"Let's go visit, I'll start cooking at 3" Ben said pulling Josh out the door.

"Hope we are not intruding. We should of called first but I was hoping you could put us up for the weekend. Our new place will not be ready till Monday." Mike said.

"No problem, he would love to have have you." Ben said when Josh sat there like a scared rabbit.

"We don't want to put you out." Sally said.

"It's not. There are fresh sheets in the guest room. I can just go home for the weekend." Ben said.

"No, you can sleep in my room." Josh said coming out of his shock.

"You sure?" Ben asked.

"You two don't sleep together?" Mike asked.

"We've only been seeing each other a few days. Our relationship is new." Josh said looking down.

They talked about why Mike and Sally were moving here. Mike was going to run the recruitment center here. He wanted to surprise his brother.

Mike asked many questions about the town, Josh's work and about Ben. When noon hit Ben ran down the street to grab burgers and fries for everyone

"Joshy I like this new one. Your ex Ted was a jerk and I always thought you deserved better." Mike said.

"Thanks" was all he could say as he turned red.

At three Ben excused himself to start making dinner. Sally followed askind him if she could help.

"Can you toss a salad?" He asked.

She smiled and got to work cutting up all the ingredients.

She asked about Ben's family and he told her all about them.

"Can I ask you a question?" Sally said.

"Sure." Ben replied.

"Does Josh hate his brother?"

"No, he's just not sure how to rebuild their relationship. We have talked about this a few times." Ben explained.

This made her a little more at ease because she was feeling unwelcome at first.

Dinner was served in a short time and the two brothers were catching up for lost time.

Sally and Ben sat at the table as outsiders.

Sally told Ben she wanted to find a job as soon as possible. He gave her Betty's number along with Cœur Société HR number to try.

Betty was looking for help in her party planning business because she was getting more business than she could handle. And Mary Ann was talking about expanding as well.

When it started to get late the two separated and went to their rooms as the two brothers talked late into the night.

By the time they decided to go to bed Josh was glad his brother had come.

Ben was still waiting up reading when he came to bed.

"So... how was it?" Ben asked.

"It has been a long time since we talked like that. I'm glad they came. Sorry I really spent no time with you tonight." He apologized.

"No sweat. I had a good time talking to Sally." Ben said putting his book down.

Josh climbed into bed and snuggled into Ben embrace and they drifted off to sleep.

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇

Bella and Zane had a full day and were relaxing after dinner with a new story from Bella's book.

◇◇◇♡♡♡◇◇◇THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB

There lived a tailor who had only one son, and he was extremely small, not any larger than your thumb, and so was called Tom Thumb.

However, he was a courageous little fellow, and he told his father, "Father, I am determined to go into the world to seek my fortune."

"Very well, my son," answered the old man, and taking a big darning needle, he made a top to it of sealing wax, and gave it to Tom Thumb, saying: "There is a sword for you to use to defend yourself on your journeyings."

Then the little fellow, desiring to dine once more with his parents, popped into the kitchen to find out what his mother was preparing for his last dinner at home.

All the dishes were ready to be taken in, and they were standing upon the hearth. "What is it you have for dinner, dear mother?" he inquired.

"You can look for yourself," she replied. Then Tom sprang up on to the hob, and peeped into all the dishes, but over one he leant so far, that he was carried up by the steam through the chimney, and then for some distance he floated on the smoke, but after a while he fell upon the ground once more.

Now, at last, Tom Thumb was really out in the wide world, and he went on cheerily, and after a time was engaged by a master tailor; but here the food was not so good as his mother's, and it was not to his taste.

So he said, "Mistress, if you will not give me better things to eat, I shall chalk upon your door, 'Too many potatoes, and not enough meat. Good-bye, potato-mill.'"

"I should like to know what you want, you little grasshopper!" cried the woman very angrily, and she seized a shred of cloth to strike him; however, the tiny tailor popped under a thimble, and from it he peeped, putting out his tongue at the mistress.

So she took up the thimble, meaning to catch him, but Tom Thumb hid himself amongst the shreds of cloth, and when she began to search through those, he slipped into a crack in the table, but put out his head to laugh at her; so she tried again to hit him with the shred, but did not succeed in doing so, for he slipped through the crack into the table drawer.

At last, though, he was caught, and driven out of the house.