Incomparable Lorenzo
Though unaware of his physical appeal, quiet and unassuming Lorenzo attracted attention simply by strolling down the street. Tall, well built, and a true Spanish blond with brown eyes and blond hair, females flocked to his good looks.
However, little Tony failed to assimilate that fact at his first meeting with Lorenzo. He did not instantly idolize Lorenzo for his attractiveness, but he instantaneously idolized the teen because of the patience, protectiveness, and love Lorenzo showered on the tiny boy.
Five year old Tony's introduction to his hero occurred in Campeche. There the preschooler experienced his very first visit to Maria's home village and the place where Jethro would establish their second home. On that occasion Lorenzo visited them at the hotel where Tony, Jethro, and Maria had reservations once they arrived, and Tony spent time with him again when the little boy and Maria stayed overnight with Tia.
Lorenzo had lived all sixteen of his years in Campeche with his mother and his younger sister Veronica.
On a later visit Lorenzo bought Tony his first battery operated car and spent hours racing cars with him, despite the fact that he was eleven years older than the child!
Tony's hero worship of Lorenzo never abated, even as Tony aged, and each time he trekked to Mexico Tony begged to spend time with his cousin.
Lorenzo always proved patient, gentle, and loving to Tony, even when Tony rattled him.
Nevertheless, one summer day when Lorenzo discovered Tony and his friends egging cars Lorenzo lost his temper and yanked Tony into his car. Despite the family ties, Lorenzo believed in Justice. Not only did he reprimand Tony with a blistering lecture, but he promised to tell Tony's father and grandmother if he ever heard of him repeating the behavior.
For a while Tony behaved. Or at least as far as Lorenzo knew, he behaved.
Then to Lorenzo's horror, one day the young college student intercepted a nine year old Tony and his best friend Miguel detained by a policeman.
A much chagrined Tony later sheepishly referred to that particular incident and its aftermath as Lorenzo's Oil.
Apparently the kids had undertaken the terrifying feat of launching themselves from a bridge onto a parked train below them. Furious and horrified, Lorenzo escorted both boys home and apprised Tony that associating himself to that danger constituted a crime significant enough for Lorenzo to report.
Lorenzo ignored all of Tony's pleas to keep the incident secret and compelled his unwilling cousin to confess to Jethro and Maria.
Though Tony took out his indignant and misplaced anger on his cousin, Lorenzo refused to divert from his course. Lorenzo possessed a strong sense of responsibility and a maturity level far more advanced than normally exhibited from others his age.
As a pre- teen Lorenzo sought jobs in his after- school hours and gravitated toward any which fell under the umbrella of the construction trade. Jethro, who had garnered an instant liking to the young man the first time they met, recognized Lorenzo possessed a discerning eye for the field. He encouraged Lorenzo to explore the many levels of the construction world through his own education.
Lorenzo heeded the advice.
Jethro persisted in acting as a mentor for the young man and shared his delight when at fourteen Lorenzo gained an apprenticeship at a small construction firm in Campeche.
In true Lorenzo fashion, the young man performed his work flawlessly, absorbed a plethora of new skills, and managed to graduate from high school at the top of his class.
He entertained the notion of skipping college in lieu of full- time work but Jethro and Tia nixed that idea. Instead, Lorenzo earned a Business degree with minors in both Project Management and Operations Management.
As Lorenzo rushed from his last class to work one afternoon in his senior year he rounded a corner too quickly and bumped into a gorgeous art student named Rita Bondero. Though late for his job Lorenzo refused to leave until she shared her phone number.
Rita penned it on the palm of his hand.
That night he called her and their romance began. Lorenzo and Rita married the autumn after their college graduations.
A little over a year later Lorenzo purchased a small construction firm. He proudly escorted Jethro around the outfit on the Agent's next Mexican visit.
Clients trusted Lorenzo and he always delivered. Because of his integrity his business steadily grew and Lorenzo accepted larger and more complicated jobs.
Lorenzo and Rita settled in the Campeche home he had built for them, one not far from his own mother's and also close to his Tia Maria's. Spacious and airy, the young couple hoped to one day fill it with children.
Two years passed, then Lorenzo expanded his business. Less than twelve months after that he paid off all existing loans to his business, an important milestone Jethro had advised him to undertake the moment he possibly could.
Thus, by the age of thirty Lorenzo operated his own construction empire and employed over a dozen full time physical workers in addition to his office staff.
At thirty five Lorenzo's company expanded into the international arena.
Through his own grit, ethical approach, and hard work Lorenzo's worth had crossed into millionaire status.
True to his nature, however, Lorenzo remained humble and loving regardless of his wealth. His only regret stemmed from his and Rita's inability to have children.
Lorenzo still tended to treat Tony as a younger sibling. In Tony's teen years he indulged his cousin by taking Tony to professional soccer matches and by devoting as much time to him as possible when Tony visited.
As Tony matured, their get together venues evolved, but the two always remained extremely close.
Right after Tony graduated from Ohio State a driver plowed into Maria one morning. It did not appear she would survive, and despite his own love of his aunt, the aftermath of what her death would do to Tony tormented Lorenzo.
Even at Tony's twenty ninth birthday party Lorenzo's protection of Tony couldn't help but surface. Despite Tony's vocal cheerleading about joining his dad at NCIS, Lorenzo needed to ascertain that Tony really wanted NCIS.
Tony's twenty ninth birthday- Tony grinned to himself at the memories of his Lorenzo that had flooded his thoughts. Lorenzo had taken care of his little muchacho for an astounding twenty four years!
"Honestly," Tony admitted to his party guests, "I long ago realized that my primo there- " Tony pointed to his cousin. "That my primo Lorenzo blessed me when he entered my life."
Lorenzo opened his mouth to answer.
But abruptly their conversation paused.
First the opening of the front door, then the tell- tell patter of bare feet winding through the house signaled the birthday guests that a visitor had joined them.
Lorenzo smiled indulgently and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "I believe my son arrives to inform me I have outstayed my welcome here and need to head home to shortly tuck him under the covers."
Tony's heart swelled at his cousin's expression and words. The penultimate most joyful news in their entire family had arrived the past year when Lorenzo and his wife adopted their son. Their very own son! Lorenzo and Rita adored the child and had created a solid family with the ten year old.
A brunette head peeped around the corner of the terrace and blue eyes sparkled mischievously. "Abuela," a young voice announced. "Mama sent me to drag Daddy home at once. Mama me envio a arrestrar a papa a casa."
Tia beckoned delightedly to the young boy. "No, not until you give Grandmother a kiss, mi querido. Come to me!"
Ethan raced into the room and plopped himself onto Tia's lap with such a dramatic flounce that everyone burst into laughter.
Jethro and Maria exchanged pleased conspiratorial glances. Once the takedown of the Black Widow Cartel occurred in Athens, Georgia, Jethro and Maria flew to the States and joined Tony. While the young man concluded the official assignment, closed the house, and effectively shuttered the details of the pseudo- family, Jethro and Maria escorted the children to Campeche.
Tony joined them there as soon as he could.
In the interim, though, the extended Campeche family had embraced the five children as well. However, the exact moment Lorenzo and his wife Rita laid eyes on Ethan Lorenzo confided that a bolt of awareness coursed through him and he knew instantly that the child belonged to them. When he turned to his wife Rita snatched his arm and gestured toward Ethan, "I have found my son, Lorenzo! He stands in our sights right now."
Though Tony had devoted himself to providing stability, love and guidance to the children, he had worried Ethan's age and behavioral background would deprive him of a permanent home. The social workers had already placed Ethan unsuccessfully in five foster homes before he joined Tony in Athens. Once the Black Widow Cartel lay decimated four of the children could join families who had expressed their interest in taking them permanently.
Vivienne, Elijah, Ava, and Levi had others to love and to provide for them.
Ethan had no one.
Jethro and Maria had witnessed the magic of that moment when Lorenzo and Rita first encountered Ethan. So, the older two hurriedly invited Lorenzo and Rita to lend a hand with the care of the children until Tony joined them.
Conveniently, they managed to finagle ways to send Ethan alone on all excursions with Lorenzo and Rita. Maria and Jethro volunteered the feeble excuse that they felt they should channel their focus onto the younger four.
Ethan had also felt a twinge of desire deep inside his heart awaken when he greeted Lorenzo and Rita on that momentous first occasion. A surge of hope sprang, but he hastily quashed it. The little boy held no illusions about his own track record and besides, the couple didn't look like they needed kids.
However, God's fate intervened. As Ethan spent an increasing amount of time with the couple his trust in them blossomed. That burgeoning trust allowed bonding to take root.
Thus, the day after Tony's plane touched down in Campeche Lorenzo and Rita spoke with Tony privately and confided their dream to adopt Ethan.
They nervously requested Tony lay the groundwork for them with the child, genuinely terrified Ethan would reject them.
Tony honored the favor on a walk with Ethan, sharing the news that a professional couple expressed a wish to adopt him but not divulging the couple's names to Ethan.
Once they retraced their footsteps and neared the house once again, Tony pulled Ethan to a halt on the path and pointed ahead to the stone gate five hundred meters ahead. Clearly a familiar man and woman awaited their return with expressions of both hope and trepidation.
Ethan froze momentarily before realization dawned on him that the two he had wanted himself were the very two whom he had hoped wanted him! His little frame whirled to examine Tony for confirmation and he cried out when a sudden mistiness shaded Tony's green eyes and provided his answer.
Skinny legs pumping, Ethan sprinted as fast as he could into his mother's and father's waiting embrace.
So that very next day, Ethan, Rita, and Lorenzo filed the required paperwork to apply for Ethan's legal adoption.
Needless to say, some recognizable government agencies and social workers combined forces to ensure the international adoption took place post haste.
Veronica leaned over Tia to ruffle Ethan's dark hair. "You know we will all watch your game tomorrow and afterward I will treat the kids to a movie at the cinema, ok?"
Ethan grinned, "Gracias, Tia Veronica." He added excitedly, "I can't wait 'til tomorrow gets here."
"Then I know someone who must have a good night's sleep so he will appreciate tomorrow's activities." Lorenzo unwound himself from his chair and stood slowly, stretching leisurely to unkink muscles.
Tony couldn't resist the opportunity to tease Lorenzo. "Ethan, tragically it appears his senior age has bested your poor old dad. He can barely pull himself upright to totter home."
"I believe I spot grey hairs in all that blond," Veronica chimed in with delight. "And are those wrinkles on his forehead? Tsk Tsk."
"I genuinely hope that construction business of his really does bring in household money," Tony shook his head in mock sympathy. "Nursing home time seems inevitable and judging by Lorenzo's disabilities today, he'll require an extended stay. A very extended one."
Veronica warned sadly, "Perhaps with his creeping dementia he will lose that home and business. Poof! Like that it will disappear."
Scowling at Veronica and Tony, Lorenzo motioned to Ethan.
The child planted a kiss onto his grandmother's cheek before sliding from her lap to the floor. "Piggyback, por favor, Daddy," he directed.
His father stooped down and Ethan hurriedly clasped his arms around the strong neck and wrapped his legs securely around Lorenzo's waist.
"Watch and be ready to act. Possibly we will have to spring into action. His back won't hold his own child. His grip will falter." Veronica snickered.
Tony whispered loudly, "Osteoporosis- so sad. I wish Ducky could witness this rapid deterioration."
"Crumbling before our eyes," Veronica commented.
Lorenzo clapped his hands together to deter further comments. "Quiet, Imp One and Imp Two! Your ridiculous barbs no longer serve to entertain me."
"Imp One and Imp Two! That's hilarious, Papi!" Ethan burst into gales of laughter.
The others exploded with laughter as well just witnessing little Ethan's unbridled delight.
Nearly a full minute later they all finally calmed and their amusement diminished.
Tia blew a kiss to Ethan and her eyes twinkled at the picture of her son and of her beautiful, much loved grandchild. She had absorbed her grandson into her life as immediately and as permanently as she had embraced Tony as her nephew all those years prior.
Tilting his head toward his son Lorenzo directed Ethan in a stage whisper, "There, tell them all goodbye until tomorrow- adios- and most especially to those deviants so they no longer disturb our peace or potentially disturb our dreams, Son."
The family called salutations as Lorenzo and Ethan began to disappear from their view within the house. Ethan leaned back as far as he safely could while still clutching Lorenzo to pipe cheerfully, "Goodnight One and All, buenas noches, and a very special happy birthday, feliz cumpleanos to The Godfather!"