Published: 19 Dec 2024
From The Previous Chapter:
Collin said that it felt good to talk to her and that he might try to go and see her sometime during the fall but definitely during the Holidays. Big Bro Ken told his ‘little’ brother that he was happy for him and that he should remember that his studies were important but being happy and in love was important, too. The too hugged and went to their own retreats.
Ken Thomas was relieved that the teens were happy with their assessments. He now had to help steer them in the direction they wanted to go. But he knew that wouldn’t be too difficult because they thought the report fit them.
The Cove was quiet that night with seven Covers, one resident pet and seven puppies sleeping and looking forward to tomorrow.
‘Dad’ Ken was up the next morning to see the boys off to school and then he went to the office. Phillip did fix Chief’s bowls with fresh kibble and ice water before he left to catch his school bus.
Collin headed off to visit the house he bought near the college last year to check that the maintenance people had done the painting and other repairs that he had contracted for. He wanted to make sure that the house was ready for him and his roommates next month when classes began.
Mr. Wayne fixed the pups their morning meal and then he plated it in their bowls and as they chowed down, he filled their small water bowls with fresh water. Chief watched over her brood, as they ate, and she kept them in line. Unfortunately, the Estate Master and Estate Manager got the task of cleaning up the seven pups’ messes after they ate. The saving grace was that coming weekend they were going to begin letting the puppies outside for about ten to fifteen minutes at a time, twice a day, to give them some new tactile experiences and extra exercise.
When Matthew and Phillip came home, they reminded Momma that they wanted to have their snack with their ‘brothers’ and they would be back down in an hour. Then when the high school teenagers returned from school the younger Covers came down to the Kitchen Nook and the five boys had their afterschool snack together and they had a fun time sharing about their day.
Momma loved hearing the laughter of the boys together and their stories from school that day. But before they headed up to their rooms to begin their homework, they stopped down in the Great Room to check on the puppies. They all played some with the pups when the young brood saw them. The puppies were full of energy and they needed to let if off somehow and before going up to his room, Billy told Mr. Wayne he thought they should take them out and play with them out there some.
On Friday, ‘Dad’ Ken saw the boys off to school and then he went to work and then Mr. Wayne and Mr. Chris took care of the puppies. Later that afternoon, Mr. Dennis went to the school and took Phillip to see Doctor Powers about his shoulder. The doctor did recommend that the youngster try to do some light strokes with his arms in the water to loosen up his muscles and tendons. The doctor told him that over time the shoulder should loosen up and heal sooner than the twelve weeks the doctors said it would take.
After dinner that night, which Mr. Dennis was invited to attended, he was also asked to help Phillip with his shoulder exercises in the pool, since he heard what the doctor recommended. While those two did that, Mr. Ken and the other boys swam and had some fun in the pool.
Saturday, after breakfast and when Billy had gotten ready for the day. The teenager and Mr. Ken sat down in the Study and they reviewed the safety statistics, fuel economy and repair reliability of all seven vehicles they had considered as the replacement for the Taurus.
When they finished their review, the two Covers had narrowed the replacement vehicle down to the 2014 Kia Soul, the 2014 Kia Optima and the 2014 Toyota Camry. Now they had to decide which one of the three was the best fit for The Cove.
Mr. Ken wanted Bill to tell him which one he preferred and why. The teenager told his foster dad that all three would work for him, but the Camry did have dull handling, but it had a good strong engine, and good fuel economy and a safety rating of 9.6 and a 5-star repair reliability.
As for the Kia Billy told his foster dad that the car had plenty of space for occupants and cargo alike, however, the Soul’s engine was weak and it didn’t have good fuel numbers. The teen added that the safety rating was a 9.8 and it had a 5-star repair reliability.
The teen Cover then told his foster dad that he felt the 2014 Kia Optima had the strongest engine of the three and handled slightly better than the others did. The teen added that the Opima had updated exterior and interior styling and an updated infotainment system, and it had a safety rating of 9.7, but its repair reliability was only 3-stars.
Mr. Ken then asked the teen to delete one of the vehicles. Billy asked the man why he should do it. The foster dad told the teen that he was the primary driver and thus he needed to feel comfortable in driving the vehicle. Billy really didn’t want to do that, but he understood why Mr. Ken was having him do that.
So, after some soul searching, Billy told his foster dad that he would delete the 2014 Kia Soul. He explained that the weak engine was the deciding factor for him. But added that if that vehicle had a stronger engine, he would have kept it.
Mr. Ken agreed with the teenager’s decision and he told him that. The man then said that they needed to decide which one of the remaining two they should choose. Bill spoke up and told the man that he didn’t want that responsibility. Mr. Ken laughed and said that he wouldn’t put that onto his shoulders.
The foster dad did praise Bill on how he he’d did a great job in identifying the seven vehicles’ pros and cons and then deciding which was the weaker of the three. That made the teenager smile and feel-good inside from the compliment as he’d never gotten them from his step-dad, Jody ‘Greaser’ Franks.
The owner of The Cove told Bill to go and drain his dragon and then the two of them would go out and test drive the two remaining vehicles one last time. The man said that they would then decide which one to buy and then haggle the price down. Billy couldn’t wait to see that part of the buying process.
Phillip and his bandmates played as they usually did. The Cover did tell his friends that the last two days Mr. Dennis worked with him in the indoor pool to help loosen up his shoulder and he could tell that it was working. The Covers friends asked him if he was going swimming with them later, but Phillip told them that he was only going to work on loosening up his shoulder in the indoor pool.
At the used car dealership Mr. Ken and Billy both test drove the 2014 Toyota Camry and the 2014 Kia Optima. Mr. Ken told the salesman that he was going to by one of them and the final test drive would be the deciding factor.
After the test drive Mr. Ken and Bill sat down and talked about the pros and cons of both vehicles. Billy liked the blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert and rear parking sensors on the Kia Optima and with a safety rating of 9.7 he was sold on that vehicle, even though it didn’t have very high repair reliability.
Ken Thomas also like the Optima and it had a lower retail value, so the man called the salesman over and the two talked price. Billy sat back and listened to the two men talk about price and Mr. Ken asking what other benefits the salesman could throw in like oil changes and tune-ups.
The salesman told Mr. Ken that he did have to go to his manager for approval of the added items. The sales manager was reluctant to approve those extra add-ons, but when he learned that this would be a cash purchase, the manager readily agreed to the oil changes, tune-ups and he even added a front-end alignment, if the man bought the car today.
With the purchased price agreed upon, Mr. Ken Thomas wrote a check on the Three Finger Cove account. It was then, and only then, that the salesman knew who the man he was working with was, and when he told his manager that man was happy that he added the extra items now, as he knew it was always good to treat the customer right as it could always mean repeat business.
The dealership told Mr. Ken that they would process the title paper work and he should have the plates, title and registration in about three weeks. In the meantime, the vehicle would have temporary paper plates that would allow him to drive the car anywhere.
It was just after three o’clock when Billy drove the replacement vehicle for the Taurus, the 2014 Kia Optima, into The Cove, followed by Mr. Ken in the F-150 truck. The teenager blew the horn to get the boy’s attention to show off the new car for The Cove, as he drove it to the Parking Coral.
The boys all ran down to see the new, well, new to The Cove, vehicle. They liked the white color and the medium dark interior. They had Billy turn on the stereo, so they could hear what type of sounds he would be able to listen too. All of the boys were impressed. They asked the teen if he could take them for a ride. But the teenager told them he could only take one person at a time, and only one of his ‘brothers’, according to the rules for new drivers.
Mr. Wayne, Mr. Dennis and Collin all liked the new vehicle and asked if they could have the keys in order to get a feel for how The Cove’s new car rode. Billy handed the keys to Mr. Dennis, as he was closest and the Assistant Estate Master got to test ride the new, to The Cove, Kia Optima out first. When the man returned after a quick spin out in the neighborhood, he told Wayne and Collin that they were going to enjoy it more than the Taurus.
When Mr. Wayne returned after his quick test drive of the Kia Optima, handed the car keys to Collin, then went inside to talk to Mr. Ken. In the Study, Wayne told his boss that he felt he made a good decision in buying that car. Mr. Ken reminded the man that it was he and Bill, who went out and test drove the cars, and that, together, they chose the car.
The owner of The Cove added that Bill then researched the seven cars they liked for their safety, fuel economy and reliability factors and then together they whittled them down to the two they test drove again today, with the Optima getting the nod. Mr. Ken told Wayne that was what he’d done with Collin, and will do with Robert and Charles when the time came.
When Collin returned with the Optima, the young man went directly to the Study to hand his Big Bro the keys and to tell him how much he loved the car versus the Taurus. Big Bro Ken told his ‘little brother’ that they didn’t have that model out when they bought the Taurus. The three had a good laugh.
Wayne decided to go and let the puppies out for some exercise. So, he went looking for Billy, who had recommended that they do that, to help him corral them. He also called Dennis to come and help him, too.
The puppies had been out that morning after eating and now after only one outside exploration they were eager to go out again, when Wayne called for them to go out the door. Chief helped corral her brood out the door and, once outside, the seven pups went in seven different directions.
Some of the pups went romping down through the sand at the beach. They tasted the sand and didn’t like and then tasted the water. Others went over to the grassy area to smell it, taste it and even lay in it.
The boys were out swimming in the cove and they all saw the puppies out and they began to swim over to see the puppies. But Mr. Wayne told them to swim back to where they came from, as this was only their second time outside, and that the pups didn’t need all that extra stimulation just yet. The boys were disappointed, but they did get to see the puppies’ colors and watch them from afar, as they played amongst themselves.
At dinner at the Four Corners Diner, the boys talked about the puppies playing outside that afternoon. They said they liked how they tumbled down as they ran through the grass after one another. Billy told everyone he noticed how Chief kept a keen eye on her family and would run after them if they strayed too far away. Phillip asked if they could play with them some every day after school. He told his ‘dad’ that he and his ‘brothers’ did play with the pups some on Friday and that the puppies liked the attention.
‘Dad’ Ken told Phillip, and thus his ‘brothers’, that the puppies did need to have that interaction with people, and if they had the time to play with them then he was all for it. He did ask them not to play favorites as Mr. Price has yet to pick his two and then after that he will pick the pup he will keep for The Cove. Phillip quickly then asked his ‘dad’ which boy will the puppy be assigned too.
Mr. Ken sat back and smiled. He hadn’t thought that far in advance. He didn’t know who should be the puppy ‘master’ and spend time with it and try to train it to do a few of the things that Chief can do. So, he told the boys that they will, as a family. Choose a name for the puppy and then they’ll see who the puppy gravitates to and then maybe that person would be the one who will take care of the new resident pet. The boys thought that was a good plan.
The Covers didn’t ride any of the amusement rides that night, nor did they play any of the games or drive the Go-Karts as they needed to get back and feed the puppies. The boys didn’t mind as they done all those things at Four Corners many times and they all wanted to play with the puppies some after they cleaned up their messes afterwards.
And that’s what the Cover boys did that Saturday night, except after they helped feed the seven puppies, they let the puppies outside before they had the chance to make their messes inside the Great Room. The puppies loved being outside and when the felt the urge to evacuate their bowels or bladders they just did what they always did in the Great Room. They just stopped what they were doing and did their business right there.
They only trouble with the pups doing their business now outside was it would have to be cleaned up by someone eventually, otherwise someone would eventually step in it. But it was nice, right now, not to have to clean up the Great Room.
Boys and puppies had a fun time that evening playing tug with some of the toys that Mr. Wayne had bought for the puppies to chew on. There were also some rubber balls that a few of the pups would chase after and sit down and chew on, but never bring back. The boys and men would smile at the pup’s antics.
Since it was a Saturday, ‘dad’ Ken didn’t hold a meeting after they put the pups to bed. He just sent the boys up to their rooms and told them that he’d be up in a few minutes. The man thanked Wayne and Dennis for being there today and that he’d hold down the fort tomorrow, so they could have the day for themselves.
Wayne asked him if he knew how to make the puppies food. The owner of The Cove honestly told him that he didn’t. So, Wayne told him that he’d be there in the morning and then he’d show him want he needed to do for the next two feedings. Mr. Ken smiled and thanked his friend for the help.
When the man got to his room, Billy thanked his foster dad for teaching him how to by a car. Mr. Ken told him that it was his pleasure and that it was as much fun for him as he was sure it was for him. Bill smiled and hugged the man before he moved onto his other boys.
Both Robert and Charles told their dad that they liked the new car and they hoped when it came time to buy their cars, he would do with them as he’d done with their ‘brother’ Billy. The teenager’s dad told them that they could plan on it.
Matthew loved the one-on-one time he spent with his ‘dad’. It might not be long, but it was his time and enjoyed every second of it. The two just talked about the new school year and what the boy was looking forward to that coming year.
At Phillip’s room the foster dad asked how the boy’s shoulder was doing. Phillip mentioned that he wasn’t too sure as he’d only swam that one time with Mr. Dennis, but that it did seem to loosen up some as he did some exercises in the water. The foster dad told him to do them every day, if he could, but to make sure he had one at least one of his ‘brothers’ with him.
Phillip also told his ‘dad’ that he loved playing with the puppies, as they were so fluffy and playful, but he hated having to clean up their messes. The boy asked his ‘dad’ if he had a favorite. ‘Dad’ Ken said that it wouldn’t matter as Mr. Price might take that one and then he’d have to think about a new one, so he wasn’t going to focus on any one pup until Mr. Price had taken his two.
Big Bro Ken caught Collin at the top of the stairs, as he’d been prone to do, just as he was going down to his own retreat. Collin thanked his Big Bro for showing him what goes on in a family.
The young man qualified himself by explaining that by him seeing what his ‘brothers’ go through, how the addition of puppies change the dynamic of the home and that the addition of another vehicle also changes things for the older teen, he is beginning to understand that when he has his own family what he has to look forward to.
The young man’s Big Bro laughed and then told Collin that what he isn’t seeing are the babies being changed and diapered and he isn’t hearing their crying and seeing the toddlers beginning to walk and everything in the house having to be placed up high so the kids can’t reach anything and break it.
Big Brother Ken told Collin that all he is seeing at The Cove is the middle of the family unit, and what he is not seeing is what happens in the beginning. Mr. Ken asked Collin not to be in too big of a hurry to start his own family, but to finish his degree and get a handle on his companies.
Collin thought about what his Big Bro just told him and then thanked him for talking with him about the important issues that he just wasn’t exposed to as he was growing up with his mom and dad. The young man hugged his Big Bro and then wished him pleasant dreams and then he went off to his own room.
As he entered his own bedroom, Mr. Ken thought about the simple conversation he and Collin just had at the top of the stairs. He knew the young man had missed out on so much growing up, by not having any siblings or close cousins. He realized it only compounded what Collin knew about growing up in a large family and what was to be expected and could happen within.
The man knew as once being Collin’s foster dad and being more like the Big Bro he became; he has taken on a much bigger role than he ever imagined. But, then, as he thought about it, he was also doing that for the boys he fostered and adopted, too.
The Cove was quiet that night as its inhabitants and resident pet, along with her brood, slept awaiting the start of a new day.
Sunday morning Mr. Ken awoke at his usual weekend time. He took care of his morning ablutions and then went out and got his Sunday newspaper. Upon entering the Kitchen Nook, the man set the newspaper down on the Nook’s table, at the place where he usually sits, and then went and filled his favorite coffee cup with the fresh brew made that morning in the automatic coffee maker. He then he went over and sat at his usual seat and began separating the newspaper as was his habit.
It wasn’t too long after the owner of The Cove began reading the newspaper that Wayne arrived to not only feed the pups, but to show Mr. Ken how to fix their food. The two sat and talked for a few minutes before Wayne suggested that they start the process, as it takes a while to fix seven bowls full of gruel for the pups to eat.
The men went and gathered the puppies’ food and water bowls and brought them up to the Kitchen Nook where they rinsed them clean. Wayne then showed his boss where the puppies’ food was kept and then he proceeded to show Mr. Ken how to soften the puppies kibble so they could more easily eat it. The two men put equal amounts of the gruel in the bowls and then they carried them down to the Great Room where the puppies were eagerly awaiting their first meal of the day.
Wayne then went back up to the Nook to get the bowls of water so the pups had something to help wash their meal down with. Chief watched over her young brood as they ate and then drank some water. She also knew that after they’d finished eating, it wouldn’t be too long before they would evacuate their bowels and bladders, so when she saw they were finished she barked at them to get their attention.
Chief then had them follow her to the doggie door and one by one she made them go through. The first step was higher than the puppies could easily handle as they all stumbled when they walked out. Wayne told himself that he needed to build up that step so the pups wouldn’t hurt themselves when they went outside.
The two men went outside to help Chief supervise the puppies who were already romping in the cool morning grass and playing with one another. Wayne went and got the rubber toys for the pups to also chew on and play with as they enjoyed their time outside.
Chief also watched and she nudged them to go ‘potty’ and they all did right there in the grass. Then the seven pups went right back to exploring or playing, whichever was their fancy.
The boys had begun to get up for the day and when they arrived in the Kitchen Nook, they were surprised that ‘dad’ Ken wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Charles had hoped to convince his dad to take them out to breakfast, but first they had to find him.
It was Phillip who found his ‘dad’ and Mr. Wayne were outside with the pups when he went to refresh Chief’s bowls with new kibble and water. He told his ‘brothers’ where Mr. Ken was and the boys all went outside to talk to them and play with the puppies some. The puppies welcomed the new faces and the playing they gave them with the rubber toys and balls.
The puppies had been outside about forty minutes when Mr. Wayne said that it was time for the pups go to back inside. The man began to round up the puppies and Chief helped by barking at them to round them up. Chief also barked and nudged their backsides to pee before going inside. Mr. Ken liked that Chief did that, as it would be one less mess to clean up inside.
Once all of the Covers were up in the Kitchen Nook, Mr. Ken mentioned to Wayne that they probably should buy seven doggie crates. But the Estate Master told his boss that it was probably too early to start that type of training. The two then talked about when to get the puppies their first shots. Mr. Wayne said that six weeks was the suggested timeframe for their first shots which would be just before Labor Day.
As the men were talking, Robert asked his dad how long the puppies would be with them. Wayne answered by telling the teenager that the pup should remain with them for at least eight weeks, so they could learn as much as Chief can teach them. He mentioned that she was already teaching them to use the doggie door and hopefully to pee before coming inside the house.
‘Dad’ Ken added that with as much as Chief knows and has the instincts for, he would hope that she would instill some of that on her young family before the new owners take them home. Charles asked if Mr. Price would want to wait that long. The teen’s dad told his son that the man will have to wait until he is ready to give them up, and he will not give them up a day sooner than is necessary.
The boys still hadn’t eaten and it was going on ten o’clock, so Mr. Ken told them all to get cleaned up and he’d take them down to Four Corners for Brunch. He mentioned their friends know to just wait on them if they are late getting back.
At Brunch, the Covers talked some more about the puppies and what they should expected of them as they grow. Mr. Wayne told the boys that the pups will mostly want to play and socialize with their fellow puppies, and that they will enjoy playing with them, too. The Estate Master told the boys that the pups were too young to learn commands, but they can learn when to go outside and to pee and that Chief was beginning to start that process.
While they talked and ate, ‘dad’ Ken told the boys that the Labor Day Picnic will be as the ones in the past with all his friends and business associates being invited, as well as their friend’s families. He told them it would be that Saturday of the three-day weekend and they should tell their friends to ask their parents to put it on their calendars. He also asked the boys to tell their friends that Monday would be a ‘family’ day and their friends would have to find a way to keep themselves occupied on that day.
‘Dad’ Ken also told the boys that he and his partners in building the Marina were also planning a Grand Opening of the Marina over the Labor Day Weekend. He told them that he’d take them over there on Sunday so they could see what that was all about. He did mention that the seafood restaurant, which he hadn’t named yet, that he was also building wouldn’t be ready until about the first of October, though.
Changing the subject, ‘Dad’ Ken also told them that he will have to go back east sometime around Labor Day. He added that he hoped it would be after the Holiday, but only time would tell. This time he told them that it had to deal with Ms. Kate and the trouble Lane had started back when he didn’t want her and the boys to visit at the 4th of July.
The boy’s ‘dad’ told them that he really likes Kate and he was doing everything he could to help her get from under Lane’s thumb and in order to show his support he wants to be there for her and with her when she needs him the most. He told them that he wanted them to know that so when he had to leave, they understood that it was for Kate and her boy’s sake.
The Covers returned to The Cove around twelve-thirty that Sunday afternoon, and their friends were milling around under the Pavilion waiting for them. The cooking team started getting the barbeque ready by cleaning the lettuce and cutting the tomatoes and onions.
Phillip’s friends were anxious to begin playing and couldn’t wait until he came up to the garage and opened it so they could plug everything in, tune up their guitars and start playing their songs. The seven boys had become good friends over the summer and their music was getting better the more they played together.
With the Covers back from their Brunch, their friends went about enjoying The Cove and the hot summer August day. Many went swimming, and those who could ride the PWCs did so and anyone who could sail took the sailboats out on the lake to enjoy that amenity that Mr. Ken had gotten them last year.
Of course, the water toys were there for the remaining friends to go out and climb all over and play King of the Raft, while Jordan took the Sea-Doo and drove it with the three-person water tube out on the lake and dumped its riders into the cool lake waters.
That Sunday had a party atmosphere at The Cove. The boys just started school that week and they were celebrating the weekend off, knowing they would have two full weeks of school before their next Holiday break for the three-day Labor Day weekend.
All of the Cover boys made sure they told their friends about the Labor Day Picnic that Saturday of the three-day weekend. They also told their friends that the Monday of the three-day weekend would be a ‘family’ day for them and they wouldn’t be allowed to come over to The Cove. Phillip’s friends asked him about it, but Phillip wasn’t there last year so he had no idea what the Picnic as all about, nor why that Monday was a ‘family’ day.
But Preston and Bryson were at last year’s Labor Day Picnic, so they told the rest of their friends what the day was all about. They explained that everyone was to bring lawn chairs for their family, and towels if they intended to swim. The two friends told of the special foods Mr. Ken had catered and the many dignitaries who were there. Bryson then mentioned that he heard that Mr. Ken had invited around 300 people to the Picnic and when he looked around there had to be at least that many.
The barbeque was a lively affair that Sunday. The boys were talking about school and their new subjects and that Mr. Ken was having his Labor Day Picnic again. They all agreed it was a fun event. Matthew then mentioned that his ‘dad was also having a Grand Opening of the Marina that weekend too. The boys all wondered what that would be like. Matthew told them that his ‘dad’ didn’t tell them any more than that, but there probably will be announcements and ads prior to that time.
Since it was a Sunday, and the boy’s had school tomorrow, that meant that everyone had to leave The Cove by five o’clock. It was going to be different that first Sunday that everyone was having to leave, as they hadn’t had to do that all summer. But the summer was over now and they would all have to get used to leaving The Cove when there was school the following day.
When all of the Cover’s friends had left for the day, the Covers went out for diner. But instead of going to Four Corners, they went to a place they hadn’t been to, because it wasn’t too close by, Texas Roadhouse.
They had a long wait as they wanted a table for seven, as Mr. Wayne had gone back to his apartment after they fed the puppies that morning. The boys were surprised that there were peanuts at the table for them to eat as they sat there waiting for their salads. They all had ordered a steak of one kind or another along with a loaded baked potato. And when their meal was served, they all enjoyed a very scrumptious and juicy meal.
The Covers came away from the Texas Roadhouse happy with the experience even though it was quite aways from where they would normally go out to eat. They talked in the van on their return to The Cove and they all agreed that going there was a good decision and even though they wouldn’t want to go there all the time because of the drive they wouldn’t mind going once in a while.
Once back home, ‘dad’ Ken told the boys they needed to feed the puppies. He told them that Mr. Wayne showed him this morning how to make the pups food, and they all needed to get the bowls, so he could mix their gruel.
Twenty minutes later, the Covers took the puppies evening meal and fresh water down to the great room for the puppies to eat. They all watched the pups chow down like there was no tomorrow, and so did Chief. When momma Chief saw that her brood were finished eating, she barked at them to follow her and out the dogie door they all went outside.
The Covers watched as Chief directed her family to the grass where the pups made their messes and then began to play. Billy went back inside to get the rubber play toys for the puppies to play with and chew on as their teeth were coming in and, for now, the pups did a lot of chewing and anything they could get in their mouths.
The boys played with the puppies some and, in doing so, they gave then young puppies some additional socialization with humans, which they would eventually need as at least five of them were going to loving homes, one of which was The Cove itself.
When it was time, Chief barked out a command and the puppies came running to her. She nudged them to pee before going through the doggie door, which made the boys smile. Then once inside the pups played some more, but the resident pet barked at them to settled them down, and they all laid down together and took a nap.
The Covers met up in the Study for Mr. Ken’s regular meeting. He reminded which boy had appointments that coming week and for what reason. He also asked the boys to tell their friends to ask their parents to bring lawn chairs for their family as there aren’t enough lounge chairs at The Cove for everyone.
‘Dad’ Ken also told the boys that the Marina will have a ‘soft’ opening the following week, but will also start renting slips and gas and will slowly spin up to speed, as a business, before the Labor Day weekend.
The boy’s ‘dad’ told them that he hoped that things will slow down for him, at least in his business interests, until after the Holidays. He told them that he was truly ready to settle down and relax and once the Labor Day Picnic was over, he hoped he could actually do that.
It was then that Billy, Robert and Charles asked their dad if they would be able to go to the football games next Friday. The man wondered when that question would come up, as both Bill and Robert attended them last year. ‘Dad’ Ken told the boys that during the week they needed to decide if they needed a ride and if not who they would be going with, so he knew who they would be going with. The boys said they knew what he wanted.
Collin spoke up and told his ‘brothers’ that he would be going off to college soon and would only be home for special days like Thanksgiving and Christmas. He told everyone that he went and visited the house his Big Bro help him buy last year, so he knew that it is now clean and ready for him and his roommates.
The young man’s ‘brothers’ told him that they would miss him and would be happy when he comes home, again. Hearing that put a tear in Collin’s eyes as he never had that sentiment offered to him ever before.
With their meeting over, the boys went up to their rooms, while Mr. Ken and Collin stayed back for a few minutes. The two talked about when Collin would leave for school and then they too went up the stairs.
Mr. Ken stopped at Bill’s room first, as he usually did. Bill didn’t have anything to say other than to thank his foster dad buying the Optima as a replacement vehicle.
In Robert’s room, the man’s son was happy that they would get to go to the home football games again, as they did last year. The teen did ask his dad if he would help him buy his car next year when he turns sixteen. The dad smiled and told his son that when it come times to buy his car, they would go through the same motions that he and Bill just did to replace the Taurus. That put a smile on the teenager’s face.
Charles told his dad, as a freshman, that he had been looking forward going to go to the home football games and now he would be getting to go. The teen told his dad that he and his friends have already made plans for next Friday an he’ll fill him in when they have then finalized. The two hugged and the man moved onto Matthew’s room.
Matthew hugged the man as soon as he entered the room. The pre-teen then asked his ‘dad’ if he had chosen which puppy he was going to keep for The Cove, because he knew which of the pups, he hoped he would keep. ‘Dad’ Ken had to remind the boy that he wasn’t going to get attached with any of the pups until Mr. Price takes his two agreed upon puppies for using Sully, as the sire, for making the pups. Matthew said he understood, but had hoped that Mr. Price got the last two not the first two. The two had a good laugh and then they hugged before ‘dad’ Ken moved onto Phillip’s room.
In Phillip’s room, ‘dad’ Ken asked the youngest Cover how his shoulder was doing. The boy told the man that he could tell that it was getting better every day, but not as fast as he wished it did. ‘Dad’ Ken smiled at the telling.
‘Dad’ Ken then asked him how his guitar lesson went on Saturday. With a smile, he said him and Bill were busy buying a vehicle. Phillip told his ‘dad’ that he thought it went well. He said that with his shoulder loosening up he was able to strum his guitar better and play the chords he was to practice. The youngster added that he likes it when he and Mr. Bindy play together using all of the chords he knows and shows him how to change between them to make a song.
‘Dad’ Ken thanked the boy for his good work on his guitar and he told the boy to practice for his next lesson. The two then hugged and Mr. Ken reminded the boy to drain his dragon before going to bed. That made the boy smile and then Mr. Ken was out the door.
Collin was at the top of the stairs waiting for his Big Bro. But all he wanted was a goodnight hug as his ‘brothers’ all received. The two shared a hug and a smile and then the two parted and went to their own rooms.
After Mr. Ken got to his retreat, and got ready for bed, he sat on his bad and looked back at the weekend. The weekends, he told himself, were getting busier and busier, and his life was that way, too. He truly believed what he told the boys earlier that he would try to relax beginning after Labor Day and up and through and until after the Holidays.
It had been a busy weekend at The Cove and everyone was well. A new week was upon them after they all had a good night’s sleep.
The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com
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