Dante, My Inferno

                        

After lunch we headed in separate directions. Jean and Donna took the boys back to school. I gave Andrew my truck so he Jason and Peter could head back to the ranch. Jimmy joined Dante and me as we headed to George and Sherry’s. 

As we got out I heard the front door open. Looking around I saw George hurrying toward us. George was flustered to say the least.

“Am I glad you two are here,” George said grabbing Dante and me by the arm.

Then George ushered us into the house. Pushing me toward Sherry who was smiling at the scene.

“Here he is babe,” George told Sherry. She was sitting on the couch holding the baby.

“George relax,” Sherry told him as there was a knock on the door. “That’s Jean and the boys.” George turned and let them in.

“How did you know?” George asked her. Sherry just held up her phone.

To say that George was a mess was an understatement. Jean and Donna lead the boys in. The boys were happy about missing the afternoon of classes.

“Sherry, George this is Donna and her son Angel Montoya,” Jean said introducing them. “Angel is Daniel’s lovely boyfriend.” Causing Daniel and Angel to turn beet red.

“Well Daniel and Billy would you two step forward please?” Sherry asked as she turned the baby around.

“I would like you all to meet William Daniel McGuire,” Sherry announced.

“Us!?” Daniel asked Sherry and George. “I thought you were going with your Dad's names?”

“They got to arguing again,” George told him. “So Sherry thought of you and Billy, I agreed.”

“So Daniel is for me?” an amazed Daniel asked.

“Yes Daniel,” Sherry told him with a smile. “And William is for Billy.”

 “Dude!” Charlie cheered and high fived his brother. Angel just had to kiss Daniel.

“Angel,” Donna said sternly.

“Momma sometimes you have to congratulate someone properly,” Angel told his mother after kissing Daniel. She wrapped her arms around her son and kissed his forehead.

 “Besides it’s going to happen,” Daniel said with a smile and a kiss of his own.

“Dante we would like to ask you something,” George said changing the subject.

“I think the name is perfect,” Dante told George. Thinking he had it figured out the question.

George looked at Sherry and smiled. Then they both laughed.

“Well that’s not what we wanted to ask you,” George told Dante. Who looked confused.

“We want you to be Little Billy’s Godfather?” George asked him. Dante was stunned.

“What?” Dante asked after a minute.

“They want you, to be little Billy’s, Godfather,” I told him slowly with a kiss.

Dante still didn’t say a word. So I held onto him.

“Well Dante, how about it?” Sherry asked but Dante remained frozen.

“If you’re sure?” Dante croaked out. 

“We are Dante,”  George told him as he held out his hand.

“Yes. I would be honored,” he finally said shaking George’s hand. The boys patted him on the back. And Angel even snuck in a kiss to the cheek. Jimmy gave him a hug as did I with a kiss thrown in.

“Is a kiss all you’re going to do?” Angel asked me sounding disappointed.

“Angel!” Donna scolded him.

“It is for now,” I told him with a grin. “But later…” Bringing a smile to his face.

“Angel,” Daniel now scolded him. But with a smile.

“Well I was looking for ideas to congratulate you later,” Angel told Daniel with an evil grin.

“That's interesting,” both Jean and Donna said.

“Smooth move,” Charlie said. Daniel looked at Charlie.

“What! I’m just saying since mom and Mrs. Montoya noticed,” Charlie told his brother. Several of us laughed. And stares from both mothers.

“Charlie could you help me bring the soup Dante and I made in?” Jimmy asked throwing Charlie a life line.

“Gladly,” Charlie said dashing for the door. Jimmy and I quickly followed to help.

A few minutes later we all came in with two jars of soup each. Angel was giving a tutorial on diaper changing. And Donna was smiling from ear to ear at her son.

“Shouldn’t one of you be doing that?” Jimmy asked Jean and Donna.

“Actually no,” Jean answered him.

“Little Billy likes to squirm,” Donna explained to him. “Angel can handle him easily.”

“Well he’s not squirming,” Charlie pointed out.

“Not now,” Sherry told him as she watched Angel work.

“You should have seen him a few minutes ago,” and amazed Dante told us. “Little Billy was wriggling and crying.”

“Angel that was marvelous,” Sherry said as he picked little Billy up.

“How did you do that Mi Amour?” Daniel asked Angel. Who turned bright red.

“A trick mi momma showed me,” Angel answered him smiling. “My brother was the same way.”

“So were you mijo,” Donna told us. “So were you.”

“Si momma,” Angel said. “So you have told me.”

“Now Mrs. McGuire you need to change it up so he will stay compliant,” Angel told Sherry. As Angel handed Little Billy to Sherry. She kissed him on the cheek.

Angel turned beet red. But then Daniel kissed him as well.

“Hey Angel. If your mom says it’s okay, do you babysit?” George asked him.

“Well I can if I have some help,” Angel said kissing Daniel. “And I promise we keep it professional.”

George looked at Donna and Jean. They nodded yes. Then little Billy got fussy. Causing Sherry to look at the clock. George went to the kitchen.

“Time for a feeding,” Sherry said. Sherry patted the cushion next to her.

“Dante would you like to give little Billy his bottle?”

Dante paled at the request. And he sputtered as he spoke.

“Come here,” I said and sat him down.

“No! That’s okay,” Dante said as Sherry gave him Little Billy. George came in with the warmed bottle.

“Dante it’s okay,” Sherry told him. “You can do this.”

Angel came over to help him with how to hold little Billy and the bottle. Jimmy and I were grinning. Dante was so nervous it wasn’t funny.

I decided to take a few pictures to show the others and Dante later. I knew Linzie would want to see them. And I remembered when Bass was that age. Then I had a thought.

“When’s the Christening George?” I asked. Dante heard but wasn’t paying attention.

“I’m not sure,” George told me. “I figure in two or three weeks.”

“That’s up to the father.”

“Father?” Dante asked coming out of it. “Your Father?” The boys and I laughed at that.

“George is Catholic,” Sherry told him. “And you will have to be there to stand up for Little Billy.”

“Me! In a Catholic church!” Dante squawked.

“Yes.” Several of us told him.

“Okay,” Dante said after a minute. He was melting under the  mothers glare. “I think he’s done.”

“Jean would you show us that method for burping Billy again?” Sherry asked.

“Sure. So Dante we’re going to put this towel on your shoulder,” Jean said as she draped the towel over his shoulder.

“What! Why? Billy!”

“You got this Dante,” I told him with a kiss. “Charlie, Jimmy let’s get this soup to the refrigerator.

George lead the way into the kitchen. We got the soup put away. George’s stomach growled a little.

“George when was the last time you ate something?” I asked him.

“I had some toast this morning,” he told me. “And before you ask. Sherry had the same thing.”

“Charlie ask Donna in here?” I asked him. He was gone in a flash.

Donna stepped in and I quickly explained. It took us a few minutes. But we soon had some warm soup and sandwiches ready for them.

Jimmy stayed to help. He said,”I guess I'll never have a moment like Dante.” As he got the fixings for sandwiches out.

“Then you need to talk to Jason and Peter,” I told him. “I think they have some ideas in the family area.”

He literally blanched whiter than Dante had. Charlie and Donna laughed at it. Well so did I.

“George has the director been by yet?” I asked knowing the answer.

“She stopped by before going to the Federal Building,” George told me. “She took my leave paperwork in for me.”

“I should have expected it,” I said with a smile.

“Well little Billy is fed. You two are getting fed,” I said. “It’s time we head out.”

“Why?” George asked as we walked into the living room.

“She’s staying out at the ranch,” I told him.

“Oh God,” Dante said hearing me. “I forgot.”

“Now we need to head home,” I told him as he put little Billy down for a nap. “Are you okay to drive?”

Dante didn’t say a word. He just fished his keys out of his pocket and handed them to me. Then he hugged me. Putting his head on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “This is just so much.”

“I was the same way when Linzie and her husband made me Bass’s Godfather,” I told him with a kiss to his cheek. “I wasn’t much better.”

Then Sherry gave Dante a kiss. George gave him a hug followed by the boys.

Then Jimmy and I helped Dante to his Chevy. I put Dante in the passenger seat up front. Then we headed for home.

The drive was a quiet one. We left Dante alone to absorb what had happened to him. He asked Jimmy and me both if he truly was a Godfather.  Jimmy got him talking about their classes starting next week.

As we pulled into the yard I saw an old International Scout from the motorpool. Linzie loved the old beast. We used it for undercover work. Then Andrew stepped out onto the porch.

“Jimmy texted me,” he said to my unasked question as I helped Dante out of his truck.

“So what have you all been doing?” I asked him.

“Well Peter and Jason have dinner cooking on the grill,” Andrew told us. “And Linzie has been telling us stories about her son’s Godfather.”

“Linzie!”

“What?” she asked walking up from the corral. A glass of bourbon in her hand. And she didn’t usually drink.

“We! Will talk later,” I told her. And of course she just smiled at me.

 “Do you have any pictures of George and Sherry’s baby?” she asked taking a sip of her bourbon.

“We do,” I told her.

“Here,” I said giving her my phone.

“There are some special ones in there,” Jimmy said as Andrew and her looked at the pictures. While I sat Dante down at the kitchen table.

“Look at Dante here,” Linzie said with that pleased smile of her’s. It made me happy to see it again.

“Did you ask to hold the baby Dante?” Linzie asked a still dazed Dante.

“No ma’am,” he answered her after a moment. “Mrs. .. Sherry asked me to.”

“And George asked me to be little Billy’s Godfather,” he paused.

“And I said yes,” Dante croaked out.

“I said yes?” Dante asked me. “Didn't I?”

“You did my love,” I told him with a kiss.

“Is Dante okay?” Jason asked as he worked at the counter.

“Nothing a good bracer won’t help,” I told him.

“Remind you of anyone Linzie?” I asked her with a sly smile.

I poured Dante and myself two fingers of good bourbon each. then pushed the bottle and tray of glasses to Andrew. 

“A toast,” I said holding my glass up for Dante to see. “To William Daniel McGuire and his Godfather. Dante Green.”

“Dante Green,” the others said raising their glasses. And we tapped glasses.

Dante smiled at me and took a sip. He coughed just a little. Then took another sip.

“Dante are you okay?” Linzie asked him.

“I will be ma’am,” he said getting on her nerves. But she knew he didn’t mean anything by it.

“Billy!” Dante said.

“Yes my love?” I asked him.

“In a few years can we have some children?” he asked me. Smiling at the thought.

To be honest. I was expecting him to say something. I took a sip of my bourbon. Everyone was watching me with baited breath.

“I think that’s  a good idea my love,” I told him. “As soon as you have graduated.”

“Whatever you say my love,” Dante said with a smile.

“And I want to be involved in little Billy’s life as much as possible.”

“That is being a good Godfather,” Linzie told him. “Like Billy was for Bass.” 

“How is Bass?” I asked her. Answering Dante’s unasked question.

“Bass is your son?” Dante asked Linzie. “And Billy’s Godson.”

“Yes to both questions,” Linzies told him. “And, he and Amelia are both mad you didn’t call them about Dante.”

“Amelia?” Dante asked. I guess I winced a little. 

“My Goddaughter,” I told him.

“How mad is she?” I asked Linzie. Who looked over her glass at me.

“That mad huh?”

“Exactly,” Linzie replied looking very serious.

“Is that bad?” Jimmy asked us.

We were quiet for a few moments. Peter stepped in to make an announcement. But seeing we were all quiet waited a moment.

“The food is ready if Jason has the salad ready,” Peter told us.

 “Ha Ha,” Jason said. “And yes the salad is ready.”

“What are we having for dinner?” Dante asked him

“Steaks, baked potatoes, grilled squash,” Peter told us.

“Oh! And I baked some fresh bread,” Peter added.

“Now what did I miss?” Peter asked us.

“Dante is a Godfather,” Jason told him. “There are pictures.”

“Oh! Can we see them?” Peter asked causing Jimmy to turn a little paler. Which concerned Andrew. But I signaled him I would tell him later.

“Let’s eat first,” I said indicating Dante as I helped him up. He hadn’t finished his two fingers. He was drunk, but he had earned it.

We all went out onto the patio. The food smelled fantastic. Especially the bread. And I let Dante finish his bourbon.