Published: 8 May 2025

From the Previous Chapter:

‘Dad’ Ken then looked over to Phillip and told him to text Easton to tell him that he can go to Fiesta Texas on Saturday, and to be here by eight-thirty. The boy couldn’t get the cell phone out of his pocket fast enough to send that all important text message.

Later, as ‘dad’ Ken said good night to the boys they all doubly thanked him for taking them out to that very special restaurant tonight. Phillip told his ‘dad’ that ever since he’s been living there, he’s been given the chance to experience so many new and exciting things that he couldn’t thank him enough. The boy then hugged the man with all his might.

The Covers slept well that night.

All of the boys were upbeat at the breakfast table that Thursday morning. They all told their ‘dad’ it was due to the three-day weekend, and their upcoming trip to Fiesta Texas that Saturday.

Even Mr. Ken was very buoyant that morning. Even the boys could see it in him and they all chalked it up to Ms. Kate coming later that evening.

Before leaving for the office, Mr. Ken talked to Momma and asked her to come in that weekend. but only in the mornings to fix breakfast for Kate, her boys and the family. Mr. Ken told her that he wasn’t sure if Edith was coming along yet, but that it would be nice if Kate’s mother did come along. Momma told her employer that she would be happy to do so, as she would like to see Kate and her mother if she is there. Mr. Ken smiled at her response.

At the schools that morning, the Cover boys talked to their friends about that coming weekend’s Fiesta Texas trip. They reminded them to be at The Cove by eight thirty Saturday morning, and for them to bring enough money for them to get drinks and snacks during the day. The Covers told their friends that their ‘dad’ would be buying them dinner later that night.

The older Cover teens also reminded their friends that the park was in an old quarry and that at night it could get much cooler, so they might want to bring a light jacket and keep it in the bus, and go out and get it later if they felt they needed it.

It was Billy who then remembered that Phillip wasn’t there last year, and didn’t know about the park getting much cooler at night, so he needed to make sure he and his friends knew about it. The thing was he wouldn’t be able to tell his little ‘brother’ until he saw him back at home later that evening. So, he decided to text Phillip to remind him about needing jackets for the trip.

When Ken Thomas arrived at the office Thursday morning, he told his secretary, Rosemary, that he didn’t plan to come to work the following day, unless there was something pressing that needed his attention. He also told her that Ben would also be gone, as he and his family were going to visit three of the amusement parks over that three-day weekend.

Mr. Ken then walked into his office and took care of some paperwork that was waiting for his attention. It was a little after nine o’clock when Rosemary rang his office to tell him he had a phone call. And when he picked up his receiver, he was pleasantly surprised at who it was.

“Well, good morning to you, too, Kate,” replied a smiling Ken Thomas.

… … …

“Did Edith decide to come?” asked Ken.

… … …

“Oh, so she decided to enjoy four days of peace and quiet. Well, I guess having two growing and rambunctious boys around the house every day is enough for her to want that,” agreed the man, who was really looking forward to Kate coming for the long weekend.

… … …

“So, the boys didn’t want to go to school this morning. They just wanted to go over to the airport and wait for the plane. They would have had a long wait then. … You know, Kate … I am glad, no … I am very happy that you decided to come today. This way it won’t feel so rushed when you are here, and then finally having to leave,” suggested Ken.

The two love birds talked for about twenty minutes, when Mr. Ken’s executive secretary, Rosemary, rang his office to tell him he had an important call from Judy Turner. Ken told Kate that he needed to take this call, and he was looking forward to seeing her and the boys about 6:30 tonight.

The two hung up by sending, “I Love You’s” to one another.

“Yes, Judy, what is so important?” asked Ken, when he picked up the line.

“Ken, Mackenzie … she went to the Free Legal Clinic, and she told them a great big lie. And they in turn … they went and filed for an emergency hearing in Juvenile Court. We have to be at the courthouse at ten o’clock tomorrow morning to answer, and get this … we are to answer why we won’t let Mackenzie Flores see her son,” advised the Director of Children’s Protective Services.

“That bitch!” was the first thing that Ken Thomas said, after hearing what Judy Turner just told him. “I hadn’t planned to work tomorrow, with Kate being in town, but I guess I am now. So, how do we proceed?” now asked Ken.

The two talked about what they would do and how they would counter Mackenzie’s flagrant disregard for the truth. They agreed to meet around 9:30 outside the courthouse and hung up the call.

As soon as Mr. Ken got off the phone with Judy Turner, he immediately called his friend Jules Diamond. When the two talked, Ken Thomas asked Jules if he remembered him asking about the Diamond Security Service conducting a general investigation on one Ms. Mackenzie Flores.

Mr. Diamond told Ken that he did remember their conversation. The security man recounted that he was to have one of his detectives perform an occasional check on that woman’s activities, after he learned of her work schedule; particularly when she had days off and to keep the file for when he might need it one day.

Ken Thomas told Jules that the day had come that he needed the file, and he wondered how fast he could get his hands on it. Mr. Diamond told his Three Finger Cove friend that he could email the file to him within the hour. Ken told him to send it to his office email, and then thanked him for the quick response.

Ken then wondered if he needed legal counsel tomorrow, so he called his lawyer, Bill Jackson. But Mr. Jackson was in court that morning, so Mr. Ken asked if Stewart Russell was available. A few moments later Stewart came on the line.

“Mr. Thomas, how may I help you?” asked the young lawyer, who Ken Thomas had put on retainer, as all of the boy’s legal counsel who lived at The Cove.

“Stew, I may have a problem tomorrow. Mackenzie Flores, Phillip’s mother, she went to the Free Legal Clinic and complained that we, CPS and I, won’t allow her to see her son. That, my friend, is a bold face lie. Anyway, Judy Turner and I have been summoned to Juvenile Court tomorrow at 10 o’clock to answer the question, as to why we won’t let Mackenzie see her son.

“I called Bill to ask if I need legal representation. But since you represent the boys at The Cove, maybe you should be the one who is there to see that justice is done, and that Phillip isn’t taken away from The Cove, and put back into the same environment that he came out of,” expounded Ken Thomas.

Mr. Ken then went on to explain to the lawyer what had transpired between Mackenzie and him over the past two weeks, and what Judy Turner told him about her telephone conversation with the woman. Mr. Ken continued and told Stewart about the investigation he had Diamond Security Services perform on Ms. Flores, and that he would receive the report within the hour.

Stewart Russell asked the foster dad to send him a copy of the report. The lawyer also indicated that he didn’t see a problem in his schedule for tomorrow morning, and he told Mr. Ken that he would meet him at the courthouse before ten o’clock. Mr. Ken thanked the young lawyer and then ended the call.

By lunchtime, Ken Thomas was reading the file on Mackenzie Flores, and he now knew what the woman was doing with her free time. He not only knew what she was doing with her free time; he also knew why she put off not visiting her son last weekend. He then forwarded a copy to Stewart Russell, so he knew what the woman had been doing with her spare time.

After lunch, Ben Walthers stopped by Mr. Ken’s office, in order to get any last-minute instructions for his inspection trip that weekend. The President of Three Finger Entertainment knew why he was visiting all of the amusement parks, he just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything else that hadn’t come up, since the annual meeting that he needed to look out for while he visited each of the parks.

Ken Thomas just reiterated to Ben that he needed to look for cleanliness, especially around the food stands, and that the restrooms not only smelled and looked clean, but they were what he would be happy for his family to use. He also told him to check around the line queues and park entrances for a fairly clean look, as well. The owner of the parks also asked Ben to watch out for stray trash around the parks, as well as tall grass and weeds not being cut anywhere inside or outside the park.

Ken then told Ben that it was up to him whether, or not, he and the operations manager did the inspection together. The park’s owner told his President that he could enter the park and look around first, and then contact the ops manager and the two of them could then talk about what he found. Ken then laughed that while he worked, his family would be out riding the rides and having fun.

Ben laughed and told Ken that his family would be riding and having a good time, while he was working. He then asked his boss if it was OK if he bought them all Fastest Passes, and put it on the expense account, so they could really enjoy the park.

Ken smiled and told him he could get them free if he stopped by the park’s office first, but then his inspections wouldn’t be clandestine, if that was what he wanted to do. Ken then told Ben to do what he felt was fair. The two then had a good laugh.

Later that afternoon, Addison Walthers dropped their new puppy, Daisy, off at The Cove for the Covers to watch, while the family was out visiting three of Mr. Ken amusement parks. Chief and Sarge were anticipating Daisy’s arrival, and when Mrs. Walthers, Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis brought the puppy into the house they were there to greet their daughter and sister.

The three dogs did have an awkward meeting, at first. That was until they each did the standard doggie ‘sniff test’, and then they knew who each other was, and the family reunion began. All three adults laughed at how the three dogs, especially the two puppies, began to play.

Wayne assured Addison that Daisy would be taken care of by their puppy master, Matthew, and she would stay in his room, and he would feed, exercise and try to teach her a few tricks along the way.

The Estate Master also told the woman that they would have two young boys, one who is almost ten, and the other one who just turned eight, there later this evening, and all weekend who would undoubtedly play with Sarge and Daisy, and give them both a good run for their money. Adison was happy that Daisy would have loads of company, and someone to play with her to keep her busy.

Matthew and Phillip were the first Cover boys to arrive home from school, and the first thing they looked for was Daisy, to see if she had arrived. She had and they found her with Sarge playing out back, where they grew up with Chief watching them.

When the two pups saw the two boys, they both went over to them and jumped all over them to greet them. Matthew immediately told Sarge to Sit, which he did. The puppy master then told Daisy to Sit, but she still jumped around the two boys.

Phillip told Matthew that he had his work cut out for him while Daisy was there. The boys laughed, and then went inside to get their Momma Snack, before she came after them with the ‘spoon’. More laughter.

About an hour later the high schoolers came home and just like their younger ‘brothers’ they, too, went looking for Daisy. The three older Cover boys found the three dogs resting down in the Great Room, but as soon as the teenagers walked down the stairs Daisy went looking to see where the noise was coming from, and that caused both Chief and Sarge to stir and go looking, too.

The three teens gave the three dogs a good greeting by scratching behind Chief’s ears and giving both Sarge and Daisy back scratches, which they both loved. And as the teen’s walked up to the Kitchen Nook for their afterschool snack, all three dogs followed.

Billy felt bad that he and his ‘brothers’ were eating their snack, and the dogs were just sitting there watching them. So, the older teen went to where they kept the doggie treats, and he got out one for each of the dogs. Chief and Sarge both sat up and waited for him to give them their treat. But Daisy jumped up trying to get the treat out of Billy’s hand.

Billy recognized that the Walthers’ hadn’t done much training of their puppy, and he wouldn’t give Daisy her treat until she sat and waited, as Chief and Sarge were doing.

“Daisy … sit!” commanded Billy.

But Daisy wouldn’t sit. Billy commanded Daisy. “Sit!” And, again, the young puppy wouldn’t sit.

Chief knew what Billy was trying to do, so she barked with the command that she used with her pups when they were with her, and as soon as she did Daisy sat.

“Thank you, Chief!” offered Billy.

“Daisy … up” asked Billy. Daisy got up.

“Daisy … sit,” now asked Billy, and when the young puppy did the teenager gave the puppy her treat. He then gave Chief her treat and Sarge his. All three dogs then got down and enjoyed their treats, as the teenagers enjoyed theirs.

Mr. Dennis and Mr. Wayne had come into the Kitchen Nook at the end of the training attempt, and saw what had happened. They both smiled at the way Daisy was clueless, and they both wondered if Matthew was up to the challenge of teaching the pup anything, during her stay there at The Cove.

Dennis Florkert was usually gone before Mr. Ken came home, but today the owner of the Cove came home early. Wayne knew that Kate and her boys were arriving later in the evening, and he figured that was why the man was home early.

But when Mr. Ken entered the house, and saw the men in the Kitchen Nook, after saying hello to the boys, he asked the men to come into his Study with him.

“Guys … I asked you to come in here to fill you in with what is … well, what might happen tomorrow,” began Mr. Ken, with a very somber voice.

“Geez, Mr. Ken … you sound like the world is going to fall apart, or something,” spoke up Dennis.

“Dennis … not so much for me, but … but maybe for … for Phillip,” replied Mr. Ken.

“Boss … what happened? What might happen with … or to Phillip? How will it affect us here” now asked Wayne Mitchell.

“Men … Mackenzie … Phillip’s mother … she … well, let me start from the beginning.” And Mr. Ken continued to tell the two men about his trying to get Phillip’s mom to come and visit her son and the resistance he received back. He then told them about Judy’s phone conversation with the woman and then what transpired that morning with the phone call about having to go to the courthouse tomorrow morning for an emergency hearing.

Both men couldn’t believe that Mackenzie Flores would stoop that low after pulling the stunt she did to leave her son there at The Cove and now she was complaining that Mr. Ken wasn’t allowing her to see her son.

Mr. Dennis then frankly asked what might that mean for Phillip, and thus The Cove and his ‘brothers’.

Mr. Ken said that depending on what the judge hears and decides, Phillip could very well be sent home tomorrow and The Cove could have one less boy by tomorrow night. Wayne and Dennis looked back and forth to one another and wondered out loud if that would really happen.

“Men … I have an Ace up my sleeve, which I intend to play, whether Mackenzie Flores likes it or not. Ever since she was released from rehab and started work, I … I have had her watched. I didn’t have her watched 24/7, but I did have her after work activities scrutinized to learn what she was doing with her spare time. I wanted to know if she was going back to her old habits of partying, or was she going to try to make a home for her and her son.

“Well … the verdict is in. Men … she has gone back to her old partying habits and right now … and right now it appears that she has no plans to create a home for her and Phillip. And … when the time comes tomorrow, I intend to tell the judge all of that,” revealed Ken Thomas.

“‘Dad’ you’re home early,” called out Matthew, when he saw ‘dad’ Ken was in his Study.

“Yes, ‘son’, I came home early today. I see you have Chief, Sarge and Daisy with you. What do you have planned to do with them?” asked ‘dad’ Ken.

“Well, … the Walthers’ … it doesn’t look like they’ve done anything to train Daisy to do anything. Billy … he tried earlier to get Daisy to ‘Sit’, in order to give her a treat, and Chief had to bark at her to sit down.

“When Phil and I came home, Daisy … she jumped all over us, and when I told her and Sarge to ‘Sit’, Sarge did, but all she did was continue to jump up on us. So, I guess I’m going to try to train her to do some simple commands like Sit, Stay, Come and Lay Down. All the things that Sarge can do,” answered the pre-teen.

Matthew, Chief, Sarge and Daisy left the Study, and as they did ‘dad’ Ken yelled out to the boy not to forget that dinner will be in a short while. The four then went outside to practice some commands that Daisy needed to learn.

Before dinner time that Thursday evening, Mr. Ken had asked Momma to hold dinner a little while, as he tried to see how far out Kate and her boys were. He reasoned that if they would arrive before 6:30, then they could join them for dinner; otherwise, he would have her go ahead with dinner.

So, Mr. Ken went back to the Study, and he called Kate. He wanted to try to learn where she and the boys were in relation to arriving at The Cove. Kate in turn asked the driver and learned they would be there around six-fifteen. Ken was ecstatic that they would be there that soon, and told her that everyone was waiting for them, and that Momma was holding dinner for them.

Mr. Ken went immediately to the Kitchen Nook and told Momma that Kate indicated that they would be there around 6;15, so he asked her to continue holding dinner. The boys heard what their ‘dad’ said, and they were all happy that Kate and her boys would be there for dinner.

It was 6:20 when the limo entered the Main Gate at The Cove. All the Covers were waiting outside the house, when the limo arrived on the circular drive outside the Front Door. Ken hurried to open the door where Kate was, and as soon as she exited, he hugged her and gave her a big kiss.

‘Dad’ Ken then told the boys to grab all of their bags and take them inside and then hurry to the Dining Room where they would all have dinner together. Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis were also invited to enjoy a Momma Maria dinner.

Of course, Chief, Sarge and Daisy were outside at the limo with everyone else and as soon as Rusty and Jessy got out of the limousine, the two boys ran to the two smaller dogs and hugged them. Jessy was the most animated with the puppy he had in his hands, and he really didn’t want to leave it alone to go inside to eat.

“Come on Jessy, leave the puppy alone. He will follow you inside,” called out Kate.

And the three dogs did follow everyone inside the house as the boys carried all of the Partlunds’ bags inside and placed them in the Foyer before walking to the Dining room.

Momma Maria had a simple spaghetti and meatballs dinner ready for the Covers and their guests that Thursday night. There was a side salad with four different dressings, loads of buttered garlic bread available for everyone, plus Momma put out extra sauce and meatballs, just in case anyone wanted more of the same. Then once Momma had everything on the table, along with coffee for the adults and different milks for the boys, Mr. Ken had Momma join them.

Conversation was plentiful during dinner that evening. Rusty and Jessy took center stage as they talked about the two puppies, which were right there. Matthew had made sure he had fixed Sarge and Daisy their evening dinner before Kate and the boys arrived, and he kept reminding the younger boys not to feed the dogs from the table.

As they ate, the older boys told Rusty and Jessy that they were taking them to Six Flags Fiesta Texas on Saturday and they would get to see another amusement park. The two youngsters were surprised and quickly asked if Mr. Ken had bought that one, too. Everyone laughed, as Mr. Ken told the boys that he didn’t buy it, but that each year the boys take their friends to either it or SeaWorld to enjoy their Halloween theme.

“Is it going to be scary, mom?” quickly asked Jessy. The older boys snickered upon hearing the question.

“I don’t think so, Jessy,” answered the boy’s mother. “But Mr. Ken and I … we will be with you, so we’ll keep you and your big brother safe.” Kate then smiled at Ken, who smiled back, which didn’t go unnoticed by Momma, Wayne, Dennis, Billy, Robert and Charles.

When everyone was finished eating, the boys helped clear the table, and then bring out dessert. Tonight, Momma had made her own take on Cannoli. Instead of stuffing the tubular shaped crust of fried dough with ricotta cheese and dusted with powdered sugar, she stuffed them with a chilled stiff vanilla pudding, which she had dipped one end in milk chocolate, and then topped them with powdered sugar.

Everyone loved the dessert. It was crisp, sweet and cold, and Momma put extra vanilla pudding on the table for those who wanted more of the filling to enjoy.

Again, when everyone was finished eating, the boys helped Momma with clearing the table and rinsing the plates. They also gave the woman a big hug for fixing such a wonderful meal for them. Even Rusty and Jessy gave Momma Maria a big hug for fixing their favorite dinner.

With dinner over, both Wayne and Dennis said their goodbyes to Kate, and they thanked Momma for the wonderful dinner, and then they told their employer that they’d see him tomorrow.

Rusty and Jessy wanted to play with Sarge and Daisy, so Matthew took them all outside as he wanted to show the boys what tricks Sarge could do. He was also hoping Daisy would get the idea, and also learn the tricks before she left on Sunday or Monday. The rest of the boys went outside to watch how well Sarge could do the tricks, and to see if Daisy would learn something.

As Matthew was working with the two puppies, Kate and Ken sat talking in the soft leather chairs in the Study. As Ken and Kate held hands, Ken told Kate how he had intended to take the day off tomorrow, but how Mackenzie had gone to the Free Legal Clinic, which in turn filed an emergency hearing in Juvenile Court claiming that he and CPS were keeping her from seeing her son, Phillip.

Ken told his girlfriend the whole story, as how that all came about and how he was loaded for bear tomorrow, and that he wasn’t going to hold anything back. He then told Kate what he had amassed on the woman ever since she was released from rehab, and went to work presumably to get herself established, so she and her son could be reunited.

Ken then filled Kate in on the lawsuits he, Bill and Phillip were involved in. He told her that if she read the newspaper, she might come across some tidbits about them, and he wanted to forewarn her about them just in case she began to read the article.

The woman’s boyfriend also told her that he was also suing the local newspapers, but that they hadn’t made a big deal about it in their papers, as of today. He told her that he did expect a frontal attack from them, at some point, just as the television and radio stations had done.

Kate was surprised at the extent of the lawsuits, and why they had been initiated. But she agreed with Ken that if the construction company was negligent then it should be held accountable and that Bill and Phillip should be compensated for what happened to them.

While the two were talking, the boys came into the Study, as it was getting late, and they asked if they were going to have their regular meeting. Mr. Ken told them to come in, and they’d go over what was supposed to happen that weekend.

The boys took their regular seats, and with Kevin, Kyle and Mark now gone, there were enough chairs for everyone to be seated. Sarge jumped up into Matthew’s lap, as that’s where he usually was during the evening meetings, while Chief laid down near Phillip’s chair. But Daisy was the odd puppy out, and she didn’t know where to go, so Jessy offered his lap for her to jump up into, which she gleefully did.

It was funny when the growing puppy jumped up into the eight-year-olds lap. But the two of them made room for one another and when they were settled, and the laughs and snickers subsided, the meeting began.

“OK, tomorrow all of you Cover boys … you have school,” began ‘dad’ Ken, who got boos and hisses from his ‘sons’ and then laughed. Rusty and Jessy had big question marks on their faces, when they heard what their ‘big brothers’ had done. Their mom quickly told them that their big ‘brothers’ were only kidding their ‘dad’, which was why they were also laughing.

“They better be kidding, because I know where the ‘spoon’ is,” now laughed ‘dad’ Ken.

The mentioning of the ‘spoon’ caused the two youngest boys to again put questions on their faces. Kate had no idea of what ‘knowing where the spoon was, so she looked to Ken for the answer.

Ken knew a show and tell was a better way to explain it than him telling the story about the ‘spoon’, so he asked Robert to go and get the aforementioned item, so he, or his son could tell all about it.

A few moments later, the teenager came back to the Study with the oversized spoon, and his dad asked his son to tell a condensed version of what the ’spoon’ means, and why it is now considered a joke between them.

“Rusty, Jessy … when I first came to live here … my dad … he had a lady who worked here, who didn’t like me very much. One day, when I came home from school, she attacked me and she used this spoon. Chief heard my cries and came to my defense. She was arrested and, of course, she no longer works here.

“So, you see the size of this spoon? Everybody … they know my story, so … when they want to make a joke about not listening to dad, or not doing what we’re supposed to, or like when we just booed and hissed our dad, they mention something about getting the ‘spoon’ after us. So, you see, getting out the ‘spoon’ means they’ll get this monstrous mixing spoon out after us, or you, or whomever they upset. And, it is all in good fun,” finished a laughing Robert.

Rusty and Jessy had big smiles on their faces from the story and they looked to their mom for confirmation that the story was true. And once she smiled back and nodded that it was true, they then smiled at Mr. Ken, who smiled back.

“Now don’t ever make me have to get the ‘spoon’ out after you,” laughed Mr. Ken, while getting big smiles back from the two younger Partlunds boys.

“While you Cover boys are in school, Rusty and Jessy … they will get to play with Chief, Sarge and Daisy. I have a special meeting I have to attend in the morning, and hopefully I’ll be back by lunchtime. Then tomorrow night … we’ll all go out for dinner, and then we can stop by Four Corners, and maybe ride some rides and play some games, and then end the night with some ice cream from my famous store, Mr. Ken’s Kreamy Kone Ice Kream Store.

“Dad”, began a smiling Charles, “when did your store ever become famous?”

“It became famous the day it opened, son. Now where is that darn spoon?” laughed the teen’s dad. The room erupted in laughter.

A still smiling ‘dad’ Ken continued. “Then on Saturday … we’ll all get up early for a renowned Momma Maria breakfast. The charter bus is due to arrive at The Cove sometime around eight o’clock, and the boys’ friends are supposed to be here by eight-thirty. Boys … make sure to remind your friends about bringing enough money for their drink needs, and snacks before dinner, which we’ll do between five and six o’clock at Sangerfest Halle.

“The bus will leave The Cove around nine o’clock, and arrive at Fiesta Texas about ninety minutes, or so, later. We’ll then spend the next ten hours at the park having fun riding the rides, and then we’ll get on the bus for the ninety-minute, depending on traffic, ride back to The Cove.

“On Sunday, we’ll wake up to a Momma breakfast, and we’ll play that day as it comes. Later that evening, Kate and I … we will attend the Grand Opening of the Marina Seafood Wharf & Steak House at six o’clock. You boys will be on your own for dinner.

“Monday, again another wonderful Momma Maria breakfast. Then late that morning Kate and the boys will head on home. I’ll be riding with them to the airport, while you boys stay out of trouble. Any questions?” finished ‘dad’ Ken.

“Yes, ‘dad’,” started Phillip, “will you be giving us money for drinks and snacks before dinner at the park on Saturday?”

‘Dad’ Ken snickered at the question, because, as he usually did, he forgot about getting money for the boys for the park.

“Yes, ‘son’, I’ll make sure that I get each and every one of you some money for the park, so you can get some drinks and snacks at the park on Saturday. Will ten dollars do? Any other questions?” again asked ‘dad’ Ken, as he made a note for himself to get the money as he came home from the courthouse.

Robert was the first one to speak up at the mention of him and his ‘brothers’ only having ten dollars to spend at Fiesta Texas. “Daaaad … you’re only giving each of us ten-dollars? We need at least twenty, or maybe thirty, don’t we Billy, Charles?”

“OK, I hear you. I’ll see what the banker will let me have tomorrow, when I stop by. Maybe he’ll give me good loan terms,” laughed ‘dad’ Ken.

“Daaaad,” was heard from all five boys. Then more laughter from the room.

With the meeting over, it was decided that Jessy would sleep in Phillip’s room, and Rusty would again bunk in with Matthew. And with that decided all of the boys headed up the stairs. Rusty and Jessy headed to Kate’s room to get into their pajamas, and use her bathroom before going over to their assigned bedrooms. Kate walked her boys there to make sure they would be OK.

In the meantime, Ken had already arrived upstairs and began talking to the boys. The man was in Charles’ room when Kate and Rusty passed by and heard them talking. Matthew’s room was next.

Kate waited in Matthew’s room until Ken came in to talk to the boy. She watched as her boyfriend, and the pre-teen talked. Rusty sat and watched too. There wasn’t anything special about what the two talked about, but it made an impression on Rusty that Mr. Ken spent some ‘special’ time, with his big ‘brother’, before he went to bed.

Mr. Ken then talked to Rusty about his flight there today, and how he enjoyed the flight and food. The man also asked him about playing with Sarge and Daisy, and the young boy felt something good inside of him, because the man was paying him special attention, like he did his big ‘brother’. The man then gave the youngster a kiss on his forehead, before heading to Phillip’s room.

Kate walked along with Ken to Phillip’s room, and she observed the same interaction she’d seen in Matthew’s room. Then, when her boyfriend was finished talking with the older boy, Ken talked with Jessy, just as he had with his older brother, Rusty.

Ken made it personal for Jessy, as well, for him to answer about the airplane flight and how he liked playing with the puppies, and what he planned to do tomorrow, while his big ‘brothers’ were at school. Then, before he left the room, Ken gave Jessy a kiss on his forehead, which made the young boy blush a little.

Ken walked Kate to her suite where they talked. Kate thanked her man for what he did with her boys, telling him that she knew it was very special for them. The two shared a few hugs and kisses before Ken excused himself telling his girlfriend that he did have to get up and see his ‘boys’ off for school, and then he had to be at the courthouse by nine-thirty.

As Mr. Ken was walking down the stairs, he met Matthew and three dogs coming up them. He thanked the pre-teen for doing his puppy master duties, and he hoped that Daisy would be good through the night, as Sarge seems to be.

In his bedroom, Ken Thomas felt something good inside of him. He chalked it up to having the woman he wants to marry in the house with him. He only wished that she had already accepted his proposal. But he figured that once the issue with Rusty and his real father is settled, he would again propose to her with the hopes that she would accept this time.

When Ken Thomas finally laid down that Thursday evening, he was very relaxed, and he was looking forward to that weekend with Kate. The Cove was peaceful and quiet the entire night, and everyone slept well.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

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