Published: 17 Apr 2025
From the Previous Chapter:
“Now, Mr. Bindy will be here at nine tomorrow, and your ‘brothers’ … after they eat breakfast said they are going to prepare the lettuce and onions and wash the tomatoes before your classmates arrive. So, when you finish your guitar lesson, try to go up to the Pavilion to see if you can help. Oh, and remember to remind Mr. Bindy that you will not be available during that three-day weekend. OK?” asked a smiling ‘dad’ Ken. Phillip said that he would.
The two shared a hug and then they, and Chief, walked out into the hallway, so Phillip could go down to his bathroom, and Mr. Ken could head down to his own retreat. Out in the hallway, the two met Matthew and Sarge just coming up the stairs, after they had just been outside to allow Sarge to empty his bladder. Chief then walked down the stairs to do the same. Then before long The Cove was peaceful and quiet throughout the night.
Mr. Ken awakened just after eight o’clock that Saturday morning, used his master bathroom suite before getting dressed in his usual nylon running shorts, t-shirt and Crocks, before going outside to grab his morning newspaper.
His coffee was ready and waiting for him when he entered the Kitchen Nook, because he had set the coffeemaker the night before. So, he placed his newspaper on the table, took out his favorite coffee cup, filled it with the hot brew, added a little cream and stirred it, as he walked it over to the table to begin reading about what happened in the world, and his local area overnight.
It wasn’t too long after the owner of The Cove began reading his paper that Phillip and Chief entered the Nook. The foster boy said good morning to his foster dad, and quickly went about getting the resident pet fresh kibble and cold water before grabbing a bowl of cereal for his own breakfast, as he had his guitar lesson at nine o’clock, and he had to get ready for it.
Not long after Phillip began eating his breakfast, he and ‘dad’ Ken heard the clicking of Sarge’s paws on the tile, and then the resident puppy and Matthew came into the Kitchen Nook. The pre-teen said good morning to his ‘dad’ and ‘brother’, and then he too went about fixing the new puppy his first meal of the day along with placing a few ice cubes in his fresh water.
Matthew then went and took three frozen breakfast tacos out, unwrapped them and then placed them in the microwave oven to quickly reheat for his breakfast. ‘Dad’ Ken then asked the boy to take out nine more tacos for his older ‘brothers’, and set them aside, for when they come down for their breakfast. The boy smiled and did that before getting some vanilla milk to drink, while he ate his morning meal.
Before long Mr. Bindy arrived to give Phillip his guitar lesson, and along with the man the guards called down to the house to tell him that there were reporters up at the Main Gate, who wanted to get a statement from him about the lawsuits that were filed yesterday. Mr. Ken told the guards to tell the reporters that he would be up there in a few minutes to answer their questions.
While their ‘dad’ was on the phone, the three older teens had arrived in the Kitchen Nook to eat breakfast before going up to the Pavilion and fixing the onions, cleaning and pat drying the lettuce and washing the tomatoes for the afternoons barbeque, so the setting up for the afternoon’s meal would go quicker with all the boy’s new classmates coming over that day.
The boys were curious about why there were reporters up at the Main Gate, but their ‘dad’ told them that he didn’t have time to explain right then, as he needed to get dressed in order to meet them, and answer their questions. Before long the owner of The Cove was up at the Main Gate.
“Yes, gentlemen, how can I help you?” was how a smiling Ken Thomas greeted the news reporters, when he stepped outside the Main Gate.
Immediately, the reporters called out their questions to the man. “What can you tell us about the lawsuits you filed against the television and radio stations? Under what grounds are you suing the television and radio stations? Are you certain that you can prevail against those juggernauts?”
“Gentlemen, gentlemen … the answers to all of your questions are in the videos and the on-air news reports the television and radio stations did the day of the accident, and the two days following,” offered Mr. Ken.
“Even after the Sheriff’s office showed the dash camera’s footage … and everyone heard the flagger send my foster son through the roadblock … they all continued to denigrate me, castigate and slander my name and say disparaging things about me becoming a foster parent, for a teenager, nonetheless, at such an early age. My lawyers have been in contact with them for the past three months, but they have refused to listen to reason. Thus, the lawsuits.”
The reporters threw more questions out at the businessman, philanthropist and local hero, but Mr. Ken referred them to his lawyers over at Jackson, Jackson and Jackson, and then he went back inside the estate.
When Matthew finished eating his breakfast, he joined his ‘brothers’ up at the Pavilion. And Phillip hurried up to the Pavilion after his guitar lesson, but just about everything was done by the time he arrived. The youngest Cover did take it upon himself to go ahead and fill up the cutlery holder with more knives, forks and spoons, top off the napkin holders, and he checked the soda machines to see if they also needed to be topped off. They did.
While he was looking in the soda machines his ‘brothers’ came over and saw that they should have done that after they got home from school yesterday, so they all helped their youngest ‘brother’ out by grabbing additional sodas and bottled waters, and filling up both machines. They all figured by the time any of those drinks would be served, they should all be cold. Billy then thanked Phillip for thinking about checking the drink machines, because that was one detail that they’d all forgotten about.
After some pats on his back for ‘saving their butts’, the five ‘brothers’ headed down to the house to get their showers, dressed and ready for their classmates to arrive around twelve, noon.
It was eleven o’clock when Mr. Ken decided he’d better head to his retreat and get ready for the boy’s classmates, too, and as he passed by the Study, he heard the phone ring. He went in and answered it and learned the caller was Kate.
“Well, this is a pleasant surprise,” answered Ken, when he saw on the Caller ID who it was.
“Yes, after we talked yesterday, the boys … they pestered me some more about going to see their ‘big brothers’. And, Amy … she had called to tell me that she had filed paperwork to claim a good portion of Lane’s money that the detectives found, as child support for Jessy. I was surprised that she could do that and she told me that, ‘If you don’t ask the question; you can’t get the answer’.
“She and I got to talking about that and she told me that she needed to do that before the police claimed it for themselves. And since it was identified as Lane’s, and that the judge did award me child support for Jessy, from him, that I should get some of it. Oh, Ken, that would be so awesome if that could happen.
“Even with all that you’ve done for me, with letting me represent your local real estate contracts that money … it will go a long way towards Jessy’s college fund. Also, I got to thinking I … well, I decided … to take you up on your invitation to visit you and the boy’s next weekend. I hope the invite is still open,” answered a smiling Kate Partlunds.
“Yes, yes, the invitation is still wide open. All you have to do is tell me if you want to arrive on Thursday, or Friday,” offered Ken, who was smiling knowing the woman he’d fallen for had finally decided to come to The Cove.
“How can we come on Thursday, Ken? The boys have school,” asked Kate.
“Well, you take them to school on Thursday, but you tell the principal that you will pick them up after lunch, and that they will be gone on Friday for a family trip. If she gives you any guff about it tell her ‘It is what it is’, and leave it at that,” advised a chuckling Ken.
“Ken … you’re no help. But I like the way you think,” chuckled Kate right back. “OK … I’ll do that. So, what time do you want us at the airport?”
“How about three o’clock? And will your mom want to come along?” asked Ken.
“What time will the three o’clock flight get us to your place? And I’ll have to let you know about mom,” Ken.
“Well, Kate, if you leave at three, it is a three-hour flight, but you gain an hour. Then there is the ninety-minute, or so, limo ride to The Cove. So, you should figure you’d arrive between 6:30 and seven o’clock depending on traffic,” offered Ken.
“But what will the boys do on Friday with all of your boys at school?” now asked Kate.
“Well, let me see. Wayne … he’ll be here to play with them and then Dennis … he’ll get here about noon. Oh, and Chief and Sarge … they’ll be here too … and we’re watching Daisy for Ben and his family over the three-day weekend, so the boys will have loads of company to keep them busy,” now teased Ken.
Kate and Ken talked for another few minutes while finalizing the plans for the trip and next weekend. Ken did remind Kate that they would be going to the Grand Opening of the Marina Seafood Wharf & Steak House on Sunday evening, and for her to bring a nice evening dress.
Ken Thomas was walking out of the Study, as the boys were walking down the stairs.
“Dad, it’s getting late, and you’re not even ready,” commented Robert. “And why were the reporters up at the Main Gate?’’
“Yea, dad, why did you have to go up and talk to them?” asked Charles.
“Boys … the short version is that the television and radio stations after Bill’s accident, continued to say the wrong things about me, and they refused to apologize in any shape or form. So … we’re suing them. Bill Jackson, my lawyer, he filed the lawsuits late yesterday afternoon, and they are just getting some comments from me,” briefed ‘dad’ Ken.
“Mr. Ken … did Mr. Jackson … did he say anything about Mr. Russell filing any lawsuits against the stations on my behalf?” now asked Billy.
“Bill … we decided to see how I fare first. Then depending on how well I do we’ll go after them for you, then,” relied the foster dad.
“Ok, boys … Kate called and we were talking, so I got behind the power curve. Make sure you boys leave me a golf cart, and I’ll meet you all up at the Main Gate,” responded the teen’s dad.
The boy’s regular friends began arriving before noon, which was okay, and Mr. Ken arrived well before any of the newly invited classmates arrived, which took any pressure off the boys in case any of the fellow students’ parents wanted to talk to their ‘dad’, after they introduced their fellow students to him.
At twelve noon, the boy’s newly invited classmates began to arrive, almost en masse, and the Covers took turns introducing them to their ‘dad’. Some of the parents did come up with their child to thank Mr. Ken for inviting their daughter to The Cove.
Mr. Ken had to remind the parents that it was his sons who made the day possible, and all he got to do was pay for it. That made the parents laugh. The man did remind the parents that they should pick their daughters up around six o’clock.
As everyone was arriving, Mr. Ken noticed that Brett and Gabe, two of Bill’s friends, stopped by. He pulled them aside and asked them how they liked working. The two high schoolers told him that they liked the money they were making, but that they were missing out on all the fun things that they used to do there at The Cove.
The two added that when Billy told them about today’s barbeque with more of their classmates, they changed their schedules, so they could be there. Mr. Ken told them they should try to stop by more often, and then sent them on their way.
Over the fifteen minutes that the classmates arrived, Billy introduced his seven Junior girls who he invited over that Saturday. They were Ruby Smith, Alexa Long, Kendall Reed, London Hall, Kelsey White, Carly Johnson and Mila Peterson.
Robert had to wait to slip in with his classmates, and he introduced Ava Davis, Lynn Jones, Trinity Rogers, Rose Anderson, Sadie Adams, Maci Baker and Luna Carter as his seven classmates. Charles waited until his brother was finished introducing his invitees and then he introduced Autumn Harris, Quinn Taylor, Kennedy Lee, Bryann Moore, Alana Brown, Melody Scott and Ariana Howard as his classmates to his dad.
Matthew and Phillip saw what was happening and they waited until the lines thinned out before they introduced their classmates to their ‘dad’. Matthew went first and he quickly introduced Bailey and Mr. Ken laughed and welcomed her back. The other girls knew that Bailey and Matthew were very good friends, and they weren’t surprised that she was also there. Matthew then introduced Morgan Parker, Ashley Wilson, Kinsley Davis, Wynter Cox, Rylie Miller and Everly Allen to Mr. Ken, who thanked the girls for coming over, and he told them to make sure they tried everything and had fun.
While Matthew was introducing his fellow students, Phillip told his classmates that he didn’t realize that having so many ‘brothers’ and them each inviting seven new classmates over today that it would take this long for them all to be introduced to his ‘dad’. That made them laugh, but they told the Cover they were all happy to be there.
“Mr. Ken … I want to introduce my friends from school. This is Peyton Watson, Ava Patterson, Lake Foster, Morgan Ward and Aubrey Evans. And you said I could also invite two boys, out of the seven, and this is Easton Brooks and Sawyer Wright.
“Welcome to our humble home,” chuckled Mr. Ken. “Now time’s a wasting, so make sure you enjoy the skate park, have some burgers and dogs, later, and I hope you brought your swimsuits and towels, as I do have male and female lifeguards for the indoor pool. Now go have fun!” finished Ken Thomas, as he encouraged Phillip’s classmates to hurry up over to the Pavilion.
A few of the parents stayed around until their child was introduced to the owner of The Cove, and then they asked to talk to him. Mr. Ken invited them in and he apologized that he didn’t have rides for them, but he did tell them they could talk and walk, as they made their way over to the Pavilion.
The parents who did ask to talk to Mr. Ken told him that their children had been to his Holiday parties, and they had heard about the Cove Skate Park and Pavilion, but they had never seen them, other than on the news.
Mr. Ken laughed at the inference at how they’d seen the two major structures, and he explained how they came about, as they walked past the Cove Skate Park on their way over to the Pavilion. When they arrived there, they all heard some music coming from the garage and the parents asked if he had hired a band for the day. All Mr. Ken told them was for them to go over there and look to see who was playing.
When the parents walked over to the garage, all of the new invitees were standing there listening to Phillip and his band play. The students had heard about the young band, but they never knew how good they were, and they were all amazed at what they were hearing. The parents were now astonished at how well the youngsters played, and to also learn that one of the boys was one of Mr. Ken’s foster sons.
When the boys had finished playing a set, Jeff announced that they only played to let everyone know how well they played, but that today was for their Cover’s friends and their classmates to have fun skating, playing the games, swimming and eating at a great barbeque that the Cover’s put on, and that Phillip’s classmates can’t very well do that if he’s playing with his band. And with that said, the band put up their instruments and joined everyone to either play the Pavilion games, or head out onto the skate park.
Phillip took his friends down to the cove to show them what was down there, and also show them the indoor pool, so they could decide if they wanted to swim after they served lunch. Matthew took his fellow students along with Phillip’s, and Sarge went along with him. The girls just loved the new puppy, and Sarge was eating up all the attention he was getting.
After the parents saw everything there was to see at the Pavilion and the Cove Skate Park, they all walked back to the Main Gate to head on home. They thanked Mr. Ken for the quick tour, and they told him that they’d be back for their child at about six o’clock.
Billy, Robert and Charles’ classmates got right out on the skate park, played the Pavilion games, or they just sat around and talked about what they’d seen. Billy was glad that Brett and Gabe stopped by, as they helped explain things to their classmates and, of course, they helped show the girls how to skate better.
The biggest discussion, though, centered around Phillip’s band, and how well they played. The girls all wished they would have played some more, and that they could have had a dance instead of a get-together to skate, swim and barbeque.
Billy and Robert heard the girl’s comments, and they talked and wondered if they could talk their ‘dad’ into having a late evening dance there one Saturday night, starting about six and ending around ten-thirty or eleven.
Charles heard what they were talking about, and he told them that with their dad’s schedule between now and the Holidays, they would have a difficult time convincing him. The teenager reminded them that Phillip and his band already have gigs booked at the end of October and they wouldn’t be available anyway. Billy and Robert agreed with their ‘brother’ and decided to wait until next Spring to see if ‘dad’ Ken would consider letting them do that. They both smiled at the ‘innocent’ idea.
When it came time to burn the burgers and dogs, the Cover’s friends jumped right in and helped get things ready. The potato salad was already waiting in large serving bowls in the Pavilion’s refrigerator, and the baked beans were already warmed and in crock pots, and just needed to be placed out on the serving area.
Looking at the time, the boys quickly got the tomatoes sliced and plated, then they got them, the lettuce and onions, which were already plated, out onto the serving area along with the utensils, plates, napkins, chips, different cheeses, precooked bacon and pickles.
The classmates were amazed at what they were seeing. They all heard about the barbeques at The Cove and now they were seeing what went into making them. The burgers were being burned and the dogs would soon be placed on the grill, and the bacon was being reheated in the microwave. Before long, Billy called for the girls to grab a plate and fix what they wanted to eat.
While the girls formed two lines on either side of the serving area, Phillip and the two boys who were invited talked. Easton and Sawyer told the Cover that they never thought that they’d ever get a chance to see what the skate park looked like, let alone get the chance to try it out, and see the Pavilion and the games that they could play. They both thanked Phillip for letting them come over that day.
Easton then told Phillip, and the other band members, that he was stunned at how well his band played. He told them that everyone had heard about their band, but only the boys who came over there ever heard them.
Easton then told them that he played the piano and had a small portable electric keyboard that he practiced on at times. He explained that it wasn’t a very good one, but he wondered if he could bring it over and maybe play with them sometime, to see if it made any difference to their sound.
Bryce, Ty and Jeff all looked at one another after hearing that Easton played a keyboard. It was Jeff who then spoke up, knowing that Phillip said that he felt that was what the band needed. The drummer asked the Cover if Mr. Ken might allow Easton to come by tomorrow. Phillip said that he’d ask his ‘dad’, after they ate, but he wasn’t going to promise anything.
By then the lines had gone down and Phillip, his classmates and friends all got in line to fix their own plates. The five girls who came over that day sat with them and, as they all ate, the girls talked about how wonderful it was to skate on a very smooth skate park, and how fun the Pavilion games were to play, since they were so big. The girls then talked about the band and how good they all thought they played, and then Peyton asked if the band was going to play some more.
To answer Peyton’s question, Phillip said that after they ate, the band usually went swimming, and then afterwards everyone went home. The Cover continued and said that he felt that they all should go swimming, when they finish eating, and enjoy the indoor pool.
The Cover stated that it wasn’t often that outside people got to swim in it, and that they do have male and female locker rooms. Phillip mentioned that there was a jumping ledge, and his ‘dad’ had male and female lifeguards to watch over them.
Mr. Ken did come up to the Pavilion for lunch, and he was happy the boys had gotten the potato salad and baked beans for the barbeque. He realized that every time the boys added something new to the lunches, that it made them all that much better. The last time it was the extra bacon and cheese to make bacon cheeseburgers, and the combination went over big time. He wondered if the potato salad and baked beans would continue to be a part of the barbeque from now on.
The invited girls did stop by where Mr. Ken was eating to thank him for allowing them to come over that Saturday. They told him how much they enjoyed the band, the skating, playing the games and the barbeque, and now they were looking forward to going swimming.
The owner of The Cove told the girls that he was happy that they had the chance to come over and enjoy everything his ‘boys’ had to use and enjoy, and he knew they would have a good time swimming in a few minutes.
Phillip told his friends to go ahead and go swimming, while he waited until after the older girls left his ‘dad’ alone. He told them that after he talks to Mr. Ken about Easton coming over tomorrow, he’d catch up with them. He also told Jeff to explain to Easton and Sawyer how to change without being embarrassed. The other boys laughed. The Cover heard Sawyer and Easton ask what he meant by ‘not be embarrassed’, as they walked down to the house.
When he saw that his ‘dad’ was free of the girls, the youngster went over to his foster dad and offered, “‘Dad’ … we were talking with Easton and … well, he told us that he plays piano and that he has a portable electric keyboard. Well, we sure could use a keyboard player for the band and …”
“And you want to know if he can come over tomorrow to see if he can fit into the band, I take it?” ‘Dad’ Ken finished the sentence for the young Cover.
“Yeah. He says it isn’t the best one available, but with a keyboard, I think it would round out our sound,” answered Phillip.
“‘Son’, don’t you think you’d be growing your band a bit too big by adding another member? You already have seven members, and by adding Easton that would make it eight. You’re not going to make it rich by having lots of band members, ‘son’,” cautioned Mr. Ken.
“I know ‘dad’, but … but with a keyboard member, I think … I think it would add to our overall sound, and make us more salable, if there is such a word,” countered the young Cover.
“Well, Phillip, if you want to invite him back tomorrow, then you need to be up at the Main Gate when his parents stop by to pick him up. You then need to ask them if he can come back tomorrow, and you should explain to them why. And don’t be disappointed if they say, no,” cautioned Mr. Ken.
“Ah, ‘dad’ … will you be up there with me? … Please?” somewhat begged, the youngster.
When Phillip caught up with his classmates, they all complained about having to pass some sort of swim test, and that he should have warned them about it. Phillip asked them if any of them failed. They said they hadn’t, so he asked them what was the big deal. He then told them to go and jump off the ledge, while he went to change into his swimsuit.
The lifeguards had the older girls and boys playing some of the games they had devised, while Phillip and his group jumped off the ledge, and had fun all by themselves. Phillip hadn’t spent much time where he used to live around the girls there, and even though he did talk to them, he didn’t have much interaction with them.
Even now at his present school, he never had much contact with the girls there either, but now with the close association, talking and being around the girls in a different setting, he liked what he was doing.
Even Matthew was having fun that day mingling with all the girls that he invited. Yes, Bailey was there, but just like with Phillip, the pre-teen was experiencing being around the other girls in a different situation, other than being at school.
And with him and his friends talking to them, skating amongst them, playing the Pavilion games against them and now swimming with them, the pre-teen Cover was feeling something amazing within him.
The indoor pool enclosure took on a different echo, or resonance, with all the girls voices in the enclosed area. Their high-pitched squeals, shrieks, laughs and screams from being splashed or dunked by the boys was entirely different from when the boys had the other girls over to swim. This skate/barbeque/swim day would be remembered by everyone, because it was so much fun for everyone.
Around five-thirty the guards blew their whistles to let the swimmer know that their parents would soon be there, and they all needed to get out of the water and change. The Covers talked amongst themselves and wondered if their ‘dad’ would let their friends stay another hour because they were all having so much fun.
Robert, Billy and Matthew all quickly dried off and went up to the Study to ask ‘dad’ Ken if he would consider letting their friends remain another hour. They told him how much fun everyone was having, and that their friends could call their parents to come at seven instead of six. The boys almost pleaded with him to allow this to happen.
‘Dad’ Ken had a conundrum on his hands. The boys had never asked if their friends could stay that late, and he had to make the decision quickly because the girls needed to call home to let their moms and dads know to come an hour later.
The man knew the boys never asked for much, and there wasn’t anything pressing for the Covers to do other than to go out to dinner, so he told the boys to have their friends to call home. The boys all hooped and hollowed, as they headed down to the indoor pool
Hearing they could stay another hour, all the girls, the two boys and Cover’s friends headed to the lockers to pull out their cell phones to tell their parents to come back at seven instead of six o’clock. Then with glee in their faces and renewed energy, the thirty-five guests went back into the welcoming waters of The Cove’s indoor pool.
The reverberation of the noise from the renewed energy from the guests found its way up to the Study, and Ken Thomas figured he had made the right decision to allow the boy’s friends to stay another hour.
This was a first, just like the crispy bacon, cheese, potato salad and baked beans, and now he wondered if the boys would want to extend their next classmate invitation to seven o’clock. He smiled to himself and knew he’d let them.
The boys and girls were having fun down in the pool area. The other girls, after playing the lifeguard games all wanted to experience jumping off the rock ledge, too, and that became a game in itself. Their added yells and screams just added to the fun everyone was having. The Cover boys were beside themselves with the new atmosphere of the added time their friends and fellow students could stay, and they liked what they were experiencing.
After a while, Mr. Ken decided that he’d go down and check on the large group. Chief and Sarge had been keeping him company in the Study, and they walked alongside him as he walked down the staircase to the indoor pool. The owner of The Cove held Sarge’s lead in his hand, as Matthew warned him that the resident pup will want to jump into the pool, if he takes the puppy there.
Opening the door to the indoor pool, the man was hit by the noise of the sixty, or so boys and girls frolicking all over the pool area. He could see them splashing one another, as well as some playing horsey, and their shrieks of being dethroned only added to the cacophony of noises emanating throughout the enclosure.
The boys noticed their ‘dad’ and resident pets on the poolside and they all said ‘Hi’ to him and then went back to the fun they were having with their friends. But before long the lifeguards blew their whistles telling the swimmers that it was now six-thirty and they all needed to get changed and head up to the Main Gate to meet up with their parents.
With the girls using their locker room, all the boys needed to use the men’s, which meant that Easton and Sawyer had to change with all of those older boys, as well as their friends. Phillip and his friends went about changing, as they had been doing right in front of the two new guests.
“Come on, you can do what we just did,” encouraged Jeff.
“Yea, just put your shirt on, face the wall, then drop your swimsuit and then put on your underwear,” added Phillip. “Sure, we might see your lily-white butt, but you’ve probably seen ours, as we changed, and we’re all boys and have the same dangly things between our legs,” laughed the Cover, who was joined in by his other friends.
Sawyer asked, “Do you do this all the time? It was as if you don’t care if you see one another’s … you know … your.” And he was interrupted by Ty who added, “Our dicks and balls.” All the boys laughed.
Bryce then explained to Sawyer and Easton that they all have seen each other’s boy parts, and it is no big deal that after you’ve seen one; it’s like you’ve seen them all. And more laughter was heard from their corner.
Billy came by just then and told the boys to hurry up and change, as their parents would be up at the Main Gate waiting for them. The older teenager then added that he heard what they were talking about, and that if they were going to be friends, they shouldn’t be ashamed if they see what they have between their legs. The older Cover then walked out of the Men’s Locker Room.
Preston then told Easton and Sawyer to put their shirt on, then to place their underwear on the bench, then to drop their trunks and then not to hurry putting on their skivvies, or else they might fall over and then they’ll all see their pride and joy.
The two new boys did what they were asked, with the other boys standing behind them or putting on their shoes and not really watching, and before long the two guests had put on their underwear, then their shorts and were sitting down to put on their shoes.
“Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” asked Bryson. “I know it was scary the first time I did it, too. But after a time or three, it comes naturally,” encouraged the fellow student.
The nine boys walked up to the Main Gate where Ken Thomas was there talking to some of the parents. Easton and Sawyer’s parents were there, as well, and they all greeted their boys as they approached.
Phillip went to his ‘dad’ and asked him to come over with him as he asked Mr. and Mrs. Brooks if Easton could come over tomorrow, and bring his portable keyboard and jam with them.
Mr. Ken smiled and walked with the young Cover over to where the Brooks’ where standing.
“Mr. and Mrs. Brooks … Easton … he told me, well, us that he plays piano and that he has a portable electric keyboard. So … I was wondering if … if Easton could come over again tomorrow and … and bring his electric keyboard and jam with us?” finally got out Phillip.
Mrs. Brooks quickly got out, “Why would he want to do that? Do you play something, young man?” asked the woman not knowing about the band called Pavilion.
“Yes, mam, we have a band and it’s called Pavilion. And we are looking for a keyboard player, and we would like to see if Easton can fit in with us,” explained the young Cover.
Mr. Brooks asked, “How many are in this band of yours and have you ever played anywhere?”
“Well, sir,” began Phillip, “there are seven of us. There are four guitars, one is a bass, a drummer and two singers, but we all sing, depending on the song. And we did one gig already, and we have two booked for the end of October. It’s too bad you didn’t get to hear us earlier when we played for everyone.”
Mr. Ken spoke up just then and told the Brooks that the boys have been practicing all summer and that they have played at one gathering already and they would be playing at two Halloween events, at the end of October.
The parents looked to their son and asked him if he wanted to come over tomorrow and play with this so-called band. Easton quickly told his mom and dad that he would love to. He told them that he heard them play earlier, and that they were awesome, and it would give him a chance to see if he was good enough to even play with someone else.
Mom and dad hemmed and hawed over the question, but in the end, they told their son that it would be a good experience for him. The parents then asked Mr. Ken when they should bring their son over. Phillip quickly spoke up to answer and told them to bring Easton over at noon, and that he’ll sign him in. That brought up another explanation over the reason for their son to be signed in.
After all the parents had gone, ‘dad’ Ken asked the boys if they wanted to go out to dinner, or eat the leftover potato salad and baked beans. The boys were tired and they would have to change if they went out, so they decided to burn some burgers and eat the leftovers.
The three teens got the grill going, while Matthew and Phillip got out the rest of the serving items, such as the utensils, plates, chips, pickles, bacon and cheese. Matthew then had to go down to the house and get Sarge his evening meal, too, and he brought it up to the Pavilion so the resident pup could eat it there with all of the Covers.
They talked, while they ate, about how the day went. Billy was the first to speak up, and he told Mr. Ken that this by far was the best of all of them ever asking their fellow students over. Robert agreed with his older ‘brother’, and so did Charles. Then Matthew spoke up and told everyone that he had a great time today. Hearing that caused everyone to stop and focus on the pre-teen.
“Do tell us more,” chuckled ‘dad’ Ken.
“Well …” stammered Matthew, “today … it was sort of different than before. We all skated some and the girls … they grabbed onto me for me to hold them up. And we … we sort of laughed and … I don’t know … it was different, somehow.
“We all played the Pavilion games together, and we laughed and talked and when we ate, we all sat together, my friends and the girls, and we talked some more about how good Phillip’s band plays. And when we swam, the girls jumped all over us, and they played the lifeguard games with us, and then also wanted to jump off the ledge.”
“What about Bailey?’ What did she think about the way you were cavorting with the other six girls?” now asked Charles, with a smirk on his face.
“Well, she was part of all that, too. She grabbed onto me, as did the other girls who were shaking, and she played the games against me, and the other boys and when we ate, she didn’t sit next to me. She sat with Brant and Ryan. And when we swam, she played the games on the other teams, and she didn’t always want to be with me,” finished Matthew.
“And how was your day, Phillip?” asked Billy.
“I had fun, is all I can say. It was always fun to have my friends over. But with the girls over today it … well, it sure was different,” started out the youngest Cover. “You know I see them every day at school, but seeing them here, you know, outside of school and doing something with them like skating, playing the games and then swimming was all so different. So, yea, I had a good time being around the girls and so did my friends.
“At my old house … I didn’t get involved with the girls too much, and even at this school I didn’t. But with them here at The Cove and doing something different with them was something new to me, and what we did today was fun for me,” finished Phillip.
While Mr. Ken had all the boys together at the Pavilion, he decided to hold his usual evening meeting up there. He told them that Kate and her boys would be there next weekend, and they might get there Thursday night.
Billy asked what Rusty and Jessy would do when they are there on Friday and all of them are at school. Mr. Ken told them that Mr. Wayne would be there, and so would Chief, Sarge and Daisy. That was when ‘dad’ Ken reminded the boys that they, well actually Matthew, would be dog sitting the Walther’s new puppy, Daisy, for the three-day weekend.
‘Dad’ Ken then reminded the boys that next weekend was the Fiesta Texas trip, and that the bus would leave at nine o’clock, and would return sometime to The Cove between ten and ten-thirty at night. He asked the boys to have their friends over at The Cove before eight-thirty for a head count, and for them to remind their parents about when the bus would be back at The Cove.
The man then told the boys that he plans to take them over to the Marina Seafood Wharf & Steak House on Wednesday for dinner. He added that he would also be taking Momma Maria, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis, so that everyone would have an opportunity to see what the new restaurant was all about. He then told them that he and Kate would be attending the Grand Opening on Sunday night, and that they would have to fend for themselves that night.
Robert laughed and told his dad that with Kate and her boys there he’d probably have Momma cook something for them to reheat that night, while he and Kate were out on a date. All the boys laughed at the date part.
‘Dad’ Ken laughed right along with the boys, and then he told them that he might be gone around the 16th to the 18th of October, and that Bill and Robert would be visiting their mothers on the 21st. Continuing, the man told the boys that Phillip had a gig between 5 and 8 p.m. on the 22nd and between 7 and 10 p.m. on the 28th.
Lastly, Mr. Ken told the boys that he and Phillip would take a three-day trip between the 4th and 6th of November, and that Phillip better know before then where he wants to go so he can have Mr. Chris make the arrangements.
The man then asked Phillip if he remembered to tell Mr. Bindy he wouldn’t be available next Saturday. Phillip said that he thought he did, but he was busy thinking about his friends coming over that he doesn’t remember. Mr. Ken smiled and told the boy that he’d leave a note for Mr. Wayne to call the man to make sure he doesn’t waste his time stopping by.
When the meeting was over, Matthew told everyone he wanted to show them the tricks that Sarge could do. The pre-teen showed his ‘brothers’ and ‘dad’ Ken how Sarge could sit, stay, lay down and shake hands. He told everyone that he was working on other tricks, but he couldn’t show them just yet, as Sarge was still working on those.
With the meeting over, the Covers made sure the Pavilion was cleaned up and then they turned off the lights. They all loaded into one of the three golf carts and headed down to the house. Once inside, the boys headed up to their rooms to relax some before going to bed.
Mr. Ken did go up and talk to each of the boys before going to bed himself. It was in Phillip’s room that he told the boy that he hadn’t heard anything more about his mother coming over tomorrow to visit him. He did tell the boy to make sure that when he got up to get showered and dressed, and be ready for his mother’s arrival.
Phillip asked about Easton coming over and his getting registered into the database. ‘Dad’ Ken told him that his ‘brothers’ can handle that if he is busy with his mom, and then the other band members can show him around and get him ready to play some with them.
Phillip said that he understood and the two then hugged, and they each went their separate ways. Out in the hallway, ‘dad’ Ken met up with Matthew and Sarge, as they came up the stairs from being outside. Chief was now headed down the stairs with Mr. Ken to go outside to empty her bladder, as she would be soon resting in Phillip’s room.
Mr. Ken looked back at the day, as he got ready for bed. He thanked his lucky stars for the five great boys that he had living with him. He was also happy that the boys had a good time with their fellow students to share with them what they had. Before long the man laid down and soon The Cove was peaceful and quiet the whole night through.
The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com
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