Published: 18 Apr 2024
From The Previous Chapter:
Collin’s Big Bro told his little brother that he could take all the time he needed and that he could stay with him until he was ready to move back into his new home. Hearing those words made Collin cry with happiness and the two hugged. Even Chief got into the act and joined them.
Ken Thomas went to bed tired, but feeling a lot less stressed out than he was the other night. When he laid down, he didn’t fall right to sleep, but he did allow his tiredness to slowly let his body fall into a deep sleep. The man slept well that night, as did the rest of the Covers, but especially Collin, in the house that night.
The owner of The Cove woke up feeling refreshed that Saturday morning. He used the facilities, dressed in his usual morning attire and then went out and retrieved his morning newspaper.
When the man went into the Kitchen Nook, he placed the newspaper on the table where he usually sat and then took his favorite coffee cup and filled it with the hot brewed coffee. As he sat down, Chief came over to him for some ear scratches, which he gladly gave her. Then he told her that he needed to take her to see the veterinarian in order to make sure she and her ‘babies’ were doing fine. Chief barked in agreement and then headed back up to where Collin was still sleeping.
Phillip arrived before his ‘brothers’ as Mr. Bindy was scheduled to arrive for the nine o’clock guitar lesson. The youngster said good morning to his ‘dad’ and quickly made a bowl of cereal and ate it. He then went to the Foyer Door and waited for his instructor.
The boys began filtering into the Kitchen Nook around 8:45; they said good morning to their ‘dad’ and then they began looking for something to eat. ‘Dad’ Ken reminded them that if they had put some breakfast tacos in the refrigerator last night, they could reheat them quicker than right from the freezer. He also reminded them that they needed to be up at the Main Gate showered and dressed in school clothes before 10 a.m. with the tables set up.
Mr. Ken then started looking over the newspaper and something caught his eye. It was a minor headline above the banner that said:
Food Court Stabbing
See Local News Section
Mr. Ken quickly turned to the Local News Section to see what the article was all about. There he read that Leah Hoalmes, the supposed girlfriend of Nicholas Crown, had been arrested and charged as an accessory before and after the fact in the stabbing of Richard Longger. The article went on to say that even though Leah was only fourteen-years-old, she was being charged as an adult because of the seriousness of the crime.
As the man continued to read his morning newspaper, Chris Dominions arrived to help the boys pass out the wrist bands and food coupons or vouchers and game tickets, otherwise known as the Carnival Gift Package, for the 4th of July Carnival, to the neighbors. He got himself a cup of coffee, sat down at the table and the two men talked. Then Wayne and Dennis arrived and they also got themselves a cup of coffee and with that the pot of coffee was quickly depleted. Mr. Ken found himself having to make another pot.
The men quickly exchanged the reason why Chris was there, on a Saturday no less, and soon the boys were there all dressed and ready to head up to the Main Gate. Before they went up to the Main Gate, Billy asked if he should work on pressure washing the estate walls, or should he help pass out the neighbor’s Carnival Gift Package.
Hearing ‘Carnival Gift Package’ caught the Estate Master off guard and he had to ask what that was all about. Billy gave him the quick explanation. How the term came about.
Mr. Wayne chuckled and then suggested that there were enough boys to pass out the items to the neighbors, and that Billy and Lonnie were way behind on cleaning the walls, but that it was up to Mr. Ken to decide where Bill was to go that morning. Collin quickly volunteered to help, as he didn’t have anything to do right then. The boys cheered that they’d have someone else to help.
“Oh, that’s right, put the onus on me. Make me the bad guy, why don’t you!” teased the owner of The Cove, and the boy’s ‘dad’. Everyone laughed.
“OK, Bill … you go and work on the estate walls. Lonnie … he is probably up there waiting on you, anyway. Robert, Charles, Matthew and Phillip, when he is finished with his guitar lesson … they should be able to handle handing out the wrist bands, food coupons slash vouchers and game tickets or, as the boys are now calling it, the Carnival Gift Package. And, besides, Chris will be up there with them, and my bet is the majority of the neighbors will show up today to make sure they get their stuff before everything is all gone,” chuckled ‘dad’ Ken.
“Oh, and Collin … you should go up there, too, and earn your keep,” teased the young man’s Big Bro. More laughter was heard in the Kitchen Nook, and even Chief got into the act by barking in agreement.
Mr. Chris had the boys carry all of the needed items out to the golf carts and then they all headed up to the Main Gate. Billy quickly went back upstairs to change into his work clothes. Mr. Ken then told Wayne and Dennis that he was thankful they were there, as now he could fill them in on the things that needed to be done.
Both men got up, refilled their coffee cups, then they looked for one of Momma Maria’s famous sweet cakes, but there was none to be had. It had been two weeks and either Chris had eaten them all, or Momma took them with her knowing they would get stale during the time she would be gone.
Once the three men were all seated, Mr. Ken told his men that he needed to have Chief taken in for a check up to see how her puppies and she were doing, and if they needed to do anything different in the meantime. He also said they needed to ask for a good gestation date, so they can watch Chief for when she might start birthing her pups.
Mr. Ken also told the men that when Momma returns next week, he wanted Billy to do all the driving for her, when she needed to go to the store. The man told the men that Bill came to him and asked if he could drive more before he took his driving test next month. The man suggested that since they’d been gone for two weeks Momma will need to refill her pantry, so Bill will get the chance to do the additional driving that he requested. Mr. Ken then told Wayne that Lonnie will just have to continue to work alone, while Bill was helping Momma.
But before Mr. Ken could tell Dennis about the soda machines and either setting them up to vend or shutting them totally off during the carnival, the phone rang.
When Mr. Ken answered the phone call, he learned it was Reynolds and Sylvia Parchsons calling to see when they, their children and the twins, could plan to come for a visit and also, so the boys could go and see their mom.
Mr. Ken asked them when they wanted to visit. They told him the week just before the 4th of July, so that they could then be home for the Holiday. Mr. Ken told them that he would be out of town most of that week, as he and Charles would be going to the Grand Re-Opening of an amusement park that he bought over the winter.
Mr. Ken asked them if they could come for the week of the 4th of July Holiday. He told them that it was during that week that he held his 4th of July Carnival and big fireworks display. He invited the aunt and uncle to ask the twins about the carnival and the fireworks.
Mr. Ken told the Parchsons they could arrive either that Saturday or Sunday and stay for the week and maybe a bit longer, if need be. The owner of The Cove told them that he would put them and their children up in his guest house, which had a master bedroom and a loft where their two children could sleep.
The owner of The Cove added that the twins would probably want to stay in the main house, where he had a vacant bedroom that they could use. Mr. Ken mentioned that the boys would probably want to talk to their ‘brothers’ and get caught up on what has happened to each of them, since they’d last seen one another.
Sylvia asked if the man that worked for him had found out where the boys’ parents were in prison. Mr. Ken told the woman that Chris did know where Parker and Vivian were housed and he would provide them with driving directions and any other information they would need, in order to visit either mom or dad. Mr. Ken did say that they did need to get on the twins’ parents visitors list before they visited, and that he’d have Chris Dominions contact them on Monday to get that process started.
The Parchsons then agreed to arrive Sunday the 2nd of July and drive over and stay at least until the following Sunday, but maybe until Tuesday, since the Holiday would keep them from doing some things they wanted to do with their kids. The Parchsons told their host that the twins definitely wanted to visit their mother, but were unsure if they wanted to go and see their father. They said that he was responsible for everything that has happened to them, and that he really didn’t deserve to ever see them again.
Mr. Ken told them to plan to spend the whole day when they took the boys to see their mom, as he had already done that with one of his sons and knew what they were in for. He mentioned that there was a specific in-process procedure and that they would need to be there during the visit, as the boys were under eighteen. He also told them that they could only take quarters with them if they wanted a soda or snack, while they waited for Vivian to be brought out to the visiting area.
They agreed to talk once again when their flight arrangements were completed. Mr. Ken asked them to talk to Chris, or Wayne, if he wasn’t available, as he was extremely busy with his new amusement park and three other major projects that were coming on line around the first of July.
With the phone call over, Mr. Ken explained to Dennis about what he wanted him to do about the soda machines up at the Pavilion. Dennis said he’d research what he needed to do and then he’d jack up the price for all those sodas and waters. He chuckled that they should at least make some money, too. Mr. Ken and Wayne both laughed right along with the man.
Then the owner of The Cove told Wayne that he promised to replace the boys’ skateboards that were destroyed during the shootout. He asked the man to coordinate with the boys’ parents and then take them over to where he bought the boys their skateboards and have the boys choose a skateboard that they liked. The man told the Estate Master to use his credit card.
He also asked Wayne to get with their Pavilion and storage garage contractor to see if he knew how they could repair the damage to the walls from the gunshots. Mr. Ken said he knew they could remove and replace individual blocks and if that is the simplest method, then that is what he wants them to do and the sooner the better.
Mr. Ken also asked Wayne to get with Chris to order a replacement set of lockers for the ones behind the Pavilion. He said that once they come in, he’d have the boys build them and then he’d ask his carpenters to come over to supervise the removal and replacement of the lockers so it is done without making it look like that is what they had done.
Mr. Ken then finished up his briefing to the men by covering what was going on with the Four Corners Amusement Park, the car wash, the boat storage lot and the marina. He told them that he and Charles were leaving on 28 June to attend the Grand Re-Opening of Edgewood and that they would return late on the first of July, with Kate and her family.
The owner of The Cove then asked the men to take care of whatever the boys needed, while he is busy for the next two weeks. He told Dennis that, just like last year, he always gets this busy around this time of year, but that after this year’s Carnival, it will be moved to Four Corners.
Mr. Ken then looked at the time and he apologized to the men for having to leave as he had to get ready since he had to meet Rene Vaugh at Four Corners at twelve for an interview. He explained that she would ask him about the carnival’s move over there for next year and he had to hurry to get ready. Wayne and Dennis just chuckled at their boss as he rushed out of the Kitchen Nook.
Wayne then decided to check on how well Billy and Lonnie were doing on power washing the estate’s walls. Dennis, on the other hand, decided to pull out the instruction books on the two soda machines. He also knew that he could look at the YouTube videos for further instruction on how to set up the price for the individual sodas and the flavored and plain waters they loaded into the machines.
The neighbors did begin to arrive at the Main Gate promptly at ten o’clock. Mr. Chris had three sets of printouts for the boys to use to annotate the number of wristbands they gave out. A few of the neighbors had forgotten to bring their cards and the boys told them that they couldn’t give them their families items without them. A few also forgot to bring their children’s I.D. cards and they too were sent home to get them.
Some of the mothers began to argue that they waited in line a long time and now they would have to go back and wait again. Mr. Chris took care of the problem by using a card and pointing out to them that on it that it clearly stated what they were required to bring and that the boys would not issue any wristbands, food coupons/vouchers or game tickets without the invitation card even though they had a printout of which families received the cards.
Those moms went away grumbling, but Mr. Chris had held his ground. The people in line had watched and heard the discussion between the Estate Manager and their neighbors and only smiled at those who had to go back to get the needed items. They inwardly hoped that they learned that Mr. Thomas didn’t ask them for much, but that he did expect them to do their part to get their free carnival wristbands, vouchers and tickets.
When Ken Thomas finally left The Cove to meet up with Rene Vaughn, he was pleased to see the boys and Mr. Chris up at the Main Gate working the long line of neighbors waiting to get their Carnival Gift Packages. What he was most happy to see, though, was that Wayne and Dennis had also jumped in to help with the throng of neighbors that he knew would want to get their promised carnival items before they ran out.
As Mr. Ken drove towards Four Corners, he took the time to occasionally glance to the right and admire the linear park that he was the main driver behind. He knew that the park next to his estate wall was finished, but he had yet to go out and walk it to see what it actually looked like. He told himself that he needed to make the time and ‘smell the flowers’ and not be so busy all the time that he doesn’t enjoy what he has, including the boys.
Once he was at the Four Corners Amusement Park, he and Rene Vaughn walked around so the news reporter had an understanding of what she was seeing, and what the amusement park would be, once it was finished. The two talked as Nelson was positioning one of the bigger rides. And as he did that, Ms. Vaughn could see that there were a few more rides, big and small, as well as some game booths and food stands out in the parking lot yet to be set into place.
The reason that Rene wanted to talk to Ken Thomas was to get the full story about why his 4th of July Carnival was being moved away from his estate. But first she asked him why he created the 4th of July Carnival in the first place.
“Rene … initially I wanted to thank my neighbors, you know, for putting up with all the noise and the multitude of construction vehicles and workers trucks that came and went over the eighteen months, or so, that it took to build my home.
“So, I had a traveling carnival come in and set up to treat my neighbors to something close by that they didn’t have to travel to. And I also had a pyrotechnic company put on the 4th of July fireworks display out on the lake for the entire county.
“I felt also, in a way, that I could do something to support the local churches in the area, as well. So, I asked them to come in and build their food booths and serve their best foods to the people who would use the coupons I gave them to buy those foods. I, in turn, paid the churches for the number of coupons they collected from the neighbors. And, I continue to do that all these years.
“As for the reason I am moving the carnival away from my estate, well … the truth is that over the past two years … the number of people coming from outside the neighborhood, to my estate for the free carnival, has almost tripled and the estate can no longer handle that many people. And it is not fair to my neighbors to have to deal with the throng of crowds that fill their streets looking for a place to park,” honestly answered the man, who unconditionally provided the carnival for his neighbors.
The two talked about the carnival and Mr. Ken told the news reporter that this year it would cost anyone, who was not from the neighborhood, $10.00 for a 2-day wristband, exact change only, to ride the rides and that they would have to pay for the foods and drinks with cash, as the churches would not accept checks or credit cards. He added that the carnival games would also cost them to play.
Rene asked some more questions about the Four Corners Amusement Park and if the name would remain the same, or if there was a name change in the works. Mr. Ken inwardly smiled at the question, as Ben had already submitted the work order for the new park name banner for them to take with them to Edgewood the following week.
Rene asked Mr. Ken when could the public expect the amusement park to open. He told her that once all the rides were in place, they needed to get them hooked up to the power grid and then they would finish the walkways and landscaping. He added that they then needed to install the ride ticket and game booths, as well as the food stands and then the park benches, trash bins and ride queues, and whatever else that was needed in order to be ready for their opening day.
Rene Vaughn then asked Mr. Ken if it was true that there would be a train installed. The man smiled and said that there would be, and they would be talking to the contractor next week to finalize the particulars. The man added that if everything goes as they hoped, the train installation would begin before the first of September, and be finished by next Spring. Mr. Ken then showed Ms. Vaughn where the train station would be located.
Ken Thomas answered all of Rene Vaughn’s questions about the 4th of July Carnival, its move and the new Four Corners Amusement Park. The news reporter, while she had her friend there, also asked him, off the record, about the marina and when they should expect that to open and any of his other projects that she could report on in the future.
Ken Thomas had always liked the way Rene treated people that she interviewed and he eagerly told her that the car wash and the boat storage would soon have their Grand Opening. He told her how the marina boat slips were ready and all they were waiting on was the bait/scuba shop to be finished, so they could begin renting them out. He did mention that they would eventually offer scuba lessons out of the store, as well. Mr. Ken told Rene that the seafood restaurant was well under way and that they hoped it would eventually open around the first of October.
The interview took longer than Mr. Ken figured it would. But looking back at the time he spent there, it gave him time to reflect on what was happening there at Four Corners and time for his mind to rest after the hectic few days of planning for Edgewood, the carnival, the car wash, the boat storage and everything else that came across his desk at work.
When Mr. Ken returned home to The Cove, it was close to 4 p.m. and the line at the Main Gate had disappeared. He drove down to the house and then went into the house and to his Study. It wasn’t too long thereafter that his three employees came into his Study and sat down, looking worn out and ready for a cold drink.
“By the looks on your faces, you have either something bad to tell me, or … or something that I don’t want to hear. So, what is it?” asked the men’s employer.
“Boss … I don’t know how the boys feel after the day we just had, but they deserve a medal!” spoke up Dennis. “Those people are … well, some of them are … they feel so entitled,” finished an exasperated Dennis Faulkner.
“So, tell us how you really feel,” chuckled Wayne.
“Mr. Ken … most of the neighbors … they brought their invitation cards, as I had asked,” started Chris. “But a number of them didn’t and then they argued that since I had the computer printout … that I should just use that as proof that they got the letter and just give them their Carnival Gift Package. And boss, I wouldn’t! I told them to go back home and get it as was specified in the letter,” fully explained Chris Dominions.
Just then Charles came to the Study door and knocked on the frame to see if he could talk to his dad.
“Yes, Charles?” asked the teen’s dad, with a smile still on his face from hearing what Chris had just told him.
‘Dad … do you think that you could take me over to visit Rich?” quickly asked the teenager.
“Let me call Mr. Longger to make sure it will be OK, first. Alright?” offered the dad in response to the question.
Charles waited as his dad called Frank Longger. He heard his dad’s side of the conversation, which essentially said that it would be alright for Charles to stop by and visit with his friend. That put a smile on the teen’s face.
“I take it you heard that you can go and see Richard. Let me finish talking with the men first and then we’ll head over to the hospital. Will that be OK with you?” asked the teen’s dad.
As Charles walked away from the Study’s doorway, Wayne told his employer that some of the neighbors were also upset that Robert told them, when they asked, that the Cove Skate Park would have half-hour skate sessions this year, so many more people could have a chance to try it out. He told his boss that he wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t been there and heard it.
Mr. Ken thanked the men for being there all day with the boys. He told them that if the boys had been up there alone, they would have had a difficult time fending off those adults acting as they had. He added that he was glad that Robert decided that the Cove Skate Park would have half-hour skate sessions, because, if he remembered correctly, there were a large number of children and adults who tried it out last year.
The owner of The Cove then told the men that Charles has been chomping at the bit to go and see Richard, and he needed to drive his son over to the hospital. He told them that he’d see them when he saw them and he hoped that one of them would be there with the boys tomorrow. Mr. Ken then got up and went looking for Charles.
Charles was all smiles when he walked into the hospital room and he saw Richard was sitting up and talking to his dad and brother. He went over to his friend and not only shook his hand but leaned over and gave him a quick hug.
“Damn, Rich, you scared me that I’d lose you, when I heard what happened to you. I knew I’d never get those lunches back,” teased Charles.
Rich smiled back at his friend and told him that he’s never getting those lunches back. Ryan, Richards’ younger brother, knew what they were talking about and, so he smiled right along with the two teenagers.
The two dads decided they’d let the boys talk, so they walked out of the room to talk about what the last week was like for Frank.
Of course, Charles wanted to know all about the fight, and what happened the night that Rich was stabbed, so he had his friend tell him everything he remembered. Richard told the Cover that he and David were just taking a whiz when Nicholas and his friends came into the restroom and stood behind them.
Rich told Charles that Nicholas told him that he’d get back at him one day and that today was that day, and then he began beating on him for ratting on him after that day in the school yard.
Richard told his friend that David tried to sneak out, but that he was blocked by one of the older teens and they told him he wasn’t going anywhere to tell on what they were going to do to. Rich said by then he was being punched by Nicholas, and he didn’t see what was happening to David.
Rich then said that when he was punched to the floor he quickly reached into his pocket and squeezed his coin, and had hoped that the signal would get through all the walls. The boy who had been stabbed recalled that David had also been smacked down to the floor, and that he saw he also reached into his pocket, and he figured he squeezed his coin, too.
Richard said it wasn’t too long after the older high school juniors began beating him and David up that Tyler, Dylan and Cooper came into the Men’s Restroom and the last thing he remembered was Cooper jumping on one of the older boys and then Tyler and Dylan also jumping on one, too.
Richard said that it was while his friends were causing the three older teens to focus on them that he was still on the floor trying to keep from being trampled on that he felt a sharp pain and then he sort of passed out.
Rich continued and told Charles that the next thing he remembered was that the Sheriff Deputy was checking him and then telling someone to call for an ambulance, and before long he was being wheeled into the Emergency Room and stripped naked. Rich said he never felt so embarrassed being naked in front of all those nurses, but there was nothing he could do.
Charles just chuckled at his friend, as he knew what it was like to be in the hospital, and having to wear one of those gowns. He then asked Rich if he had a catheter. Rich said that he had and that a female nurse was the one who came in and took it out. He said he was so embarrassed again to have her grab his junk and pull that long plastic line out of him.
Ryan, Rich’s younger brother, knew his older brother had a urine collection bag, but he didn’t know about the catheter that was inserted through his penis and up into his bladder to allow the urine to leave his body. So, Ryan asked what a catheter was and if it was true that the nurse had to touch his boyhood. Richard said it was true and his younger brother better hope he never had to have one.
Rich added that while they were checking him out in the ER his dad and brother were brought in to see him. He then mentioned that he kind of remembered them telling his dad that they needed to do surgery and before long he was wheeled into a very cold room and he was put to sleep and when he woke up, he was in the Intensive Care Unit.
Ryan sat there during the entire story telling, and even though he’d heard it before, he was curious to know if the story ever changed. He wanted to know if his older brother would add something new. But the older brother really hadn’t changed what he initially told the Sheriff Deputies, and he never added anything new.
Charles was glad he had the opportunity to talk to his friend. He thought he had lost him when he had heard that he’d been stabbed during the fight in the Men’s Restroom at The Mall. He told Rich that he had Tyler, Dylan and Cooper tell everyone at The Cove, when he came back from his trip, about what happened in the Men’s Restroom when they went looking for him and David.
Charles also told Rich that David’s parents wouldn’t let him out of the house because of the fight, and probably because of what had happened to him when they were almost kidnapped, while they were out Trick-or-Treating. But the Cover added that his dad called David’s parents and since then their friend has been able to come over to The Cove, and that everyone couldn’t wait until he came back, too.
The two men came back into the hospital room and asked the boys if they had a good talk. Richard told his dad that it was fun to finally talk to one of his best friends again. The teen’s dad then asked him if Charles told him about the additional arrest that was made in his stabbing.
Richard and Charles were both surprised that another person was arrested and they asked him who it was. Mr. Ken asked Charles if his friends didn’t tell him that Leah Hoalmes was also arrested.
Charles told his dad that he was at the Main Gate all day and that none of his friends came by to talk to him, as they were that busy. And the teen added that when they put the table and chairs up, he went right down to the Study to ask about coming over to visit Rich.
So, since both teens, and Ryan, hadn’t heard about Leah’s arrest, and being charged as an adult, even though she was only fourteen-years-old, Mr. Ken told the three boys all about what he read in the morning’s newspaper. He told them that she had been charged as an accessory before and after the fact in the planned attack.
The boys said that they still didn’t understand, so Mr. Ken told them that a person doesn’t have to be present when the crime itself is committed, but that she, in this case, because it is believed that she had knowledge of the crime before it happened and/or knew about it after it did.
The boys said they were still unsure of how Leah could be charged along with Nicholas for stabbing Richard, when she wasn’t even there. So, Mr. Ken gave them a few more examples.
The man told them that a person is called an accessory when they take actions to help plan the attack and/or protect the perpetrator after the crime is committed. Mr. Ken said that she did that when Nicholas visited her after he left The Mall. Mr. Ken explained that Nicholas’ stop at her house could be construed as her hindering his apprehension, even though he did leave the house.
The five people talked for a little while longer, but soon Mr. Ken told the Longgers’ that he and Charles needed to head home, as they and his other boys all needed to be fed. They all shook hands and Richard thanked the two Covers for coming over to visit him.
When Mr. Ken and Charles returned home, Charles got the chance to talk to a few of his friends as they were just leaving The Cove as it was six o’clock. The boys were all happy to hear that Rich was well on his way to getting better, but would probably be in the hospital for at least another four or five days. Charles told them to try to go over and visit him.
The Covers did go out to the Four Corners Restaurant for dinner that Saturday evening. Mr. Ken wanted them to have a well-balanced meal after eating all that pizza the night before. As they waited for the meals to be brought to the table, Charles did tell his ‘brothers’ how Rich was doing and then he told them that Leah Hoalmes was also arrested. That revelation surprised all of the boys, as it had him.
Mr. Ken took the time to explain to his ‘boys’ why Leah Hoalmes was arrested, and how she was considered as an accessory before and after the fact in Richard’s stabbing. He had to use the same explanations he employed at the hospital to finally get the boys to understand that Leah was in a world of hurt if she is found guilty for what happened to Richard.
After the Covers finished eating, the boys wanted to go and drive the Go-Karts. But ‘dad’ Ken had something else in mind for them to do that evening, and he wanted to do it while there was still some light left in the sky. So, he had Billy drive them all back to The Cove.
When Billy was about to drive though the Main Gate, Mr. Ken told him to drive into the new parking area next to it. When the teenager stopped the van, ‘dad’ Ken told the boys that none of them have walked the new linear park that abuts the estate, and he wanted them to do it.
So, everyone alighted from the van and they all began walking along the meandering pathway. They walked along and they were all surprised at what they were seeing. The walkway wasn’t straight and it wasn’t all made from the same material.
The Covers found there were benches they could sit on, if they were tired, or just wanted to sit and enjoy the scenery. They came up to a small gazebo that could seat about ten people and would also protect them from the rain if they found themselves in the park when it did rain.
The boys also found that the park had river stone formed into a faux river stream that meandered down towards the lake. It gave the appearance of a stream, but there was no actual water in it. The boys thought that it was ‘neat’.
As the Covers walked through the park, the pole lamps came on as did the landscaping lighting, which made walking through the park at night a wonderful experience, and safe, due to the large number of lights. The one thing that the boys didn’t know about, but that Mr. Ken had the contractor install, were cameras in the pole lamps that were monitored in the Guard House at the Main Gate.
The Covers walked through the linear park for over an hour and it was close to nine o’clock when they all walked into the Study to talk about their day.
“Boys … I want to thank you for your hard work up at the Main Gate today,” began ‘dad’ Ken. “Mr. Chris, Mr. Wayne and especially Mr. Dennis … they all told me about the ‘entitled’ mothers, as Mr. Dennis called them, who wanted Mr. Chris to just use the computer printouts to certify their receiving the wristbands and food vouchers. I hear that Mr. Chris held to his guns and made the moms go back and get the cards and I.D.’s”
The boys agreed that some of the neighbors were a pain in their butts, but that Mr. Chris kept them in line. They also told their ‘dad’ that they were happy that Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis came up there to help them, as they figured at least more than half of the local residents came out today to get their carnival supplies.
Mr. Ken also told Robert he was happy that he told the local residents that they were going to limit the Cove Skate Park sessions to thirty minutes, so that more people could enjoy The Cove’s Skate Park.
That was the first time that Billy was hearing the new session time and he agreed with the new time limit. He felt that the one-hour sessions last year were too long, and it didn’t give enough people the opportunity to experience the new Cove Skate Park.
Mr. Ken then asked Billy how he and Lonnie were coming along in their power washing the estate walls. The older teen told his foster dad that he felt that they were doing well, and that as they continue to do it more and more, they will have worked out a more efficient way to get the whole job done.
‘Dad’ Ken then told the boys about his phone call with Reynolds and Sylvia Parchsons today and their decision to arrive Sunday the 2nd of July, and stay until, at least, the following Sunday. He told the boys that he’ll put the man and woman and their two children in the guest house, and that he figured the twins would want to stay in the house and be close to them, so they could all talk and get caught up.
The boys asked him about his interview with Rene Vaughn. Mr. Ken told them that he thought it went well. He explained how they walked around the new amusement park and he told her about the park opening around the 14th of July. He also mentioned that they talked about the new car wash, the boat storage lot and the marina and all he can do now is hope that she puts it all together and makes a good report.
It was getting late, so ‘dad’ Ken asked the boys to go up to their rooms and relax before getting in bed. He told them that he’d be up in a few minutes to say goodnight.
But Robert asked if they couldn’t stay up and watch the ten o’clock news to see how Rene Vaughn reported his interview. ‘Dad’ Ken said OK, but that they had to get right to bed, as they had to be up at the Main Gate by ten o’clock to pass out the Carnival Gift Packages. The boys all agreed.
The ten o’clock news went on for about ten minutes before Ren Vaughn’s interview with Ken Thomas was introduced. The boys watched as the news reporter asked her questions and their ‘dad’ told her why he instituted the carnival for his neighbors. When they heard his answer, it was something that they really didn’t know and were now glad that they had watched the interview.
The boys then heard why the carnival was being moved to the Four Corner’s Amusement Park the following and subsequent years and that this year anyone not living in the neighborhood would have to pay $10.00 for a two-day wristband to enjoy the rides, and that they would also have to pay for the foods offered by the church groups.
During the interview they saw scenes from the amusement park and the new operations manager siting one of the new rides and that a train that would start to be installed by the first of September and be finished by the Spring. They also learned that the park would hopefully open on the 14th of July.
When the TV interview was over, the boys asked their ‘dad’ if what he said about why he established the carnival was true. He told them that it was and that they could ask Ryan the next time they see him and ask him about all the construction trucks that came and went during the building of their home.
‘Dad’ Ken reminded them that he had hired Ryan to take pictures and videos of the building of the house and told them that he was here almost every day and that he would know how disruptive all of the comings and goings of the workers and building materials actually were.
‘Dad’ Ken then told the boys to hurry up to their rooms and to get ready for bed and that he’d be up to say goodnight to them in a minute or two.
‘Dad’ Ken visited all the boys, including Collin, but it was his son Charles who told him something that made him take a step back and think about what the teen had to say.
When the man stopped at Charles’ room, the teenager thanked his dad for taking him to see Rich. He told his dad that after talking to his friend he felt better now that he knew not only what happened to him, but how.
Then the teen mentioned to his dad that if he was the one who was out and about like Rich, he very well might have been the one who could have been stabbed. Charles added that Rich just happened to be a target of opportunity for Nicholas. The man then added that he’d also bet that Leah had egged Nicholas on over the past two years to do something to either or both of them.
After Ken Thomas left his son’s room and was walking down to his own retreat, he thanked his lucky stars that he was able to keep his ‘boys’ busy and together and not let them be out and about, as Rich and his friends were the night the boy was attacked.
The dad knew that what Charles had said about Rich being a target of opportunity struck true to him. And, with that on his mind, he told himself that he needed to keep his ‘boys’ as safe as he could.
Yes, he reminded himself that Robert had been attacked at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, by one of the boys who had attacked him and Logan at the Lakeside Water Park, and that the boys were almost kidnapped, and for as much as he’d tried to protect his ‘boys’ things had happened to them. He knew he just had to try to protect them as best he could, while letting them have as much fun as they could stand.
The Covers all slept well that night, including Ken Thomas who told himself not to stress over what happened to Richard, but to continue giving his ‘boys’ what he had set out to do and that was to give them what they were missing by not being with their original families.
The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com
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