Published: 19 Feb 2026
From the Previous Chapter:
In his retreat, Ken Thomas was thankful that his girlfriend was there for the Thanksgiving Holiday. After getting ready for bed, he went over something that he had been mulling around in his mind for some time. He told himself that this might be the right time to act on it.
With three adults, eight boys and two resident pets inside the house you would have thought that the house would be overloaded with noise. But that surely wasn’t the case, as before long everyone was fast asleep and The Cove was whisper quiet throughout the night.
Ken Thomas got up earlier than normal for a Saturday. He had company and he wanted to be up washed and dressed when he went out to the Kitchen Nook. Plus, that day was the day of the wedding and the wedding reception and he wanted to be ready for the inevitable problems that were sure to arise.
When the owner of The Cove went out to the Kitchen Nook, Momma Maria was out there already with one of her amigas, Sofia, cooking up a storm and being ready for when everyone was down for breakfast. It was just after eight o’clock, but the women wanted everything prepped, so that they could quickly fix what they had planned for that morning’s breakfast feast.
Mr. Ken had just sat down with his first cup of coffee and Section A of the newspaper when the phone rang. In answering it he learned it was Jules Diamond who had a request.
“Ken … I have a big favor to ask of you,” began Jules Diamond, the man who was getting married at eleven o’clock at The Cove.
“Sure, Jules, whatever I can do. So, what is it?” replied Ken.
“Ken … it’s Eleanor … she forgot that her wedding dress is … well, she would … Ken … can Eleanor use one of your rooms there in the house to get ready for the wedding?” Jules finally got out.
Ken chuckled and said, “Sure, Jules, there are a few rooms off the Great Room that I’m sure she could use. If not, she could us my personal retreat. What time would she like to be over here?” finished answering Ken Thomas.
Jules asked if nine-thirty would be an inconvenience to them. Ken told his friend Jules to have Eleanor and whomever is helping her come to the Main Gate and he’ll have the guards direct them down to the house, and he’ll show them where they can choose to get ready.
Ken then asked who was giving Eleanor away. Jules told him that her son, Drew, would do the honors and his sons, Luke and Toby, will be with him when he arrives at ten-thirty. Ken thanked him for that information and then he asked if there would be someone at the Main Gate who knew everyone and can tell the guards who should be let in for the wedding, etc. That question caught Jules off guard and he hadn’t thought that far in advance.
Ken then asked him if the Police Explorers were going to help with the parking. Jules said that they were. Ken suggested that they should be the ones who let his guests in. Ken then asked the man what will the people do between the wedding and the reception, since the wedding was at eleven and the reception was at one o’clock. Jules, again, had no answer.
Ken suggested that he have his best man ask them politely to return closer to one o’clock, as The Cove wasn’t prepared for them to stay. Ken told Jules that the caterer could still be setting up and they would only be in the way if they hung around, so his best man was the key here.
With those items cleared, Jules asked Ken how many boys were in the band and what were their names. Ken had to think for a few seconds and then told the man that there were nine members and then he gave him all of their names.
“Ken, I hadn’t the chance before, and I know it will be a while before we get back from our trip so, I want to thank you for letting us use your wonderful estate for the wedding and the for reception.
“People have to plan these things five, six, seven months, or even more, in advance and we did it in, what, two, three? Anyway, you saved my butt here and you have an awesome place and I know my, I should say our, guests will be pleased with the surroundings. Thanks again, for everything and I’ll call Eleanor right away to tell her she can stop by at nine-thirty. See you at the wedding,” and then Jules Diamond hung up
Kate had come into the Kitchen Nook while Ken was on the phone and heard some of what he told Jules. But Ken needed to tell her, and Momma and Sophia, what was going to happen at nine-thirty.
“Ladies … Eleanor, the bride and her bridesmaid, will be stopping by at around nine-thirty to use one of our rooms to get ready for the wedding. I offered her a room off the Great Room and if that didn’t work, my personal retreat. Also, at ten-thirty, or so, her son, Drew, and his two boys Luke and Toby, will be here as Drew will be giving his mom away. Stay tuned for more as it happens,” teased Ken.
Edith had come into the Kitchen Nook as Ken was telling the three women what was going to happen that morning and she just smiled at the things that go on before a wedding. The three then sat down at the Nooks table and had some coffee, as they all waited for the boys to arrive for breakfast.
As the three drank their coffee, Ken filled the two women in on his phone call with Jules. They sort of laughed at what the man had asked Ken for and the things that Ken had asked Jules about, as these all should have been worked out weeks ago by his best man and maybe with Chris, too. But there was nothing they could do about it but go with the flow.
The boys were all down in the Kitchen Nook by 8:45 and Momma asked everyone to go into the Dining Room where she and Sophia would serve breakfast. That morning the two women had loads of fluffy pancakes along with hot maple syrup, crispy bacon and loads of it, crunchy around the edges hash brown potatoes, scrambled eggs, cold vanilla, chocolate and white milk for the boys, and hot coffee for the adults.
Rusty and Jessy loved it when they visited The Cove, Mr. Ken and their big ‘brothers’, as they always knew that Momma Maria made the best breakfasts and today, she didn’t disappoint them, as here were all the breakfast items they loved.
Phillip had to hurry up and eat something as Mr. Bindy would soon be there for his guitar lesson. And right on time the guitar instructor arrived and the two went down in the Great Room for the regular scheduled lesson.
As they ate, ‘dad’ Ken told the boys about Ms. Whittier arriving at 9:30 to use one of the rooms off the Great Room to get ready for the wedding, so for them to be mindful of who was in the house, and where they may be. He also told them that her son Drew, and his two boys, would be here at 10:30, as he was giving his mom away at the wedding.
Everyone ate as much as they dared that morning and when they were finished, the boys began to clear the table. That was when the ladies brought in the remaining fruit salad from last night. Rusty and Jessy were ready for some, and even Darrin took a small bowl of it, but everyone else passed they were so full from the wonderful Momma and Sophia breakfast.
The boy’s ‘dad’ then asked Bill, Robert and Charles that when, after they got their showers, to get dressed in their light-colored shorts and to put their Three Finger Entertainment polos on. He explained that with as many people that might be attending the wedding, and then the reception, that it would be nice if those three would use the golf carts to convey the people down to the Patio for the wedding and later up to the Pavilion, saying the ladies may have on high-heels and the grass wouldn’t be easy on them.
The boys then talked to one another how fun it might be to race one another back and forth. Edith looked shocked when the teenagers said that. But Billy told her that they wouldn’t do that as there would be cars driving in all the time and they’d have to be careful. The boys laughed some more, but all in good fun.
“Darrin, how about you and Matthew go out and top off the golf carts, while those three go up and get their showers and then dressed in those special shirts. They will look sharp in them as they drive the people to and from the reception,” asked ‘dad Ken.
Around 9:30, Eleanor Whittier came to the Main Gate and the guard directed her down to the house, where Ken Thomas greeted her and her bridesmaid. Mr. Ken apologized to Mr. Bindy for interrupting the lesson, but he told him that this was a wedding emergency and they would be gone in a few minutes.
Mr. Ken showed the women the Great Room and what they could use to get ready and if that didn’t work, he had an alternative. Eleanor thought that the Ladies Restroom ante room was perfect, as it had the great big mirrors and the sinks and everything that they might need for her to get ready.
The two women thanked him profusely for the use of the space and went right to work to get Eleanor ready. Mr. Ken then apologized again for the interruption and then headed up the stairs. Phillip explained to Mr. Bindy that The Cove was being used for a wedding and reception today and it got complicated this morning at eight o’clock. The guitar instructor commented that it seemed so.
Phillip also told his guitar instructor that his band was playing at the reception later today and that tomorrow they would be auditioning to play at the Four Corners Amusement Park. The younger Cover told the man that only four members would eventually be playing at a time, but all nine were auditioning at the same time.
Mr. Bindy was surprised that there were nine members of the band. Phillip explained how that all came about during the summer. Afterwards the man told the Cover that he just needed a few brass instruments and he’d have a real band. Phillip smiled at the thought.
After Phillip got his shower and dressed, he began playing his guitar in his room. He was playing one of the Christmas songs he learned for the audition and Jessy asked him how hard was it to learn to play.
So, Phillip had the younger boy sit on the bed and he placed his acoustic guitar in the boy’s lap and he showed him how to play a few notes. Jessy liked that he could do that so easily. Phillip showed him then how to play a chord and then another and then how to switch between them.
But after a few minutes Jessy’s finger tips began to hurt. The Cover told the boy that it takes a few days to build calluseson the finger tips, but after a while they never hurt.
Drew Whittier and his two boys, Luke and Toby, arrived at 10:40. They were late, but they weren’t going to miss the wedding, as Drew was walking his mother down the aisle.
Mr. Ken introduced Drew and his boys to his company and Luke and Rusty hit right off, as they were close in age. Kate wondered where Jessy was and when she called for him and he came down the stairs with Phillip she learned that he was getting a guitar lesson. After meeting Toby, the two younger boys hit it right off, as well.
Drew went down to the Great Room to check on his mother and as he did Jules came to the house. Jules thanked Ken for having his boys give rides to his guests to the Patio area, so they didn’t have to walk so far from the field.
Ken told the man that Drew and his mother were down in the Great Room and that he needed to go outside and walk along the side of the house to the Patio, so he doesn’t see the bride until she walks down the aisle, otherwise it would be bad luck.
The guests for the wedding had filled the seats to overflowing. Many people were standing to the sides. Some had pulled Mr. Ken’s wrought iron patio furniture over so the women had a place to sit. But the weather had cooperated and soon the wedding would begin.
The wedding decorator had provided the music and when they started the wedding march, Drew and his mother walked out of the Great Room and down to the arch where the minister and Jules were waiting.
The ceremony was a simple one where the minister read some words from the Bible and then said some words about a husband and wife becoming one. The two then shared some wedding vows and before everyone knew it the minister pronounced them man and wife. The married couple exchanged a long kiss and the guests threw rice over them, as they walked down the makeshift aisle to the Great Room entrance.
The best man did ask the guests not to remain on the estate, as they were still setting up the reception area. He did tell them that they could return after twelve-thirty, though.
As the wedding guests were leaving the estate, the newlyweds, their best man, bridesmaid and the photographer were taking pictures from every vantage point they could imagine at the back of The Cove. Eleanor loved the way the lake looked off the Patio, but she also wanted some pictures from the dock and at the end of the finger leading out to the water itself.
Drew and his boys went back inside the house where Luke and Toby went looking for Rusty and Jessy. The four boys talked about where they came from, and what they were going to do, like new friendships always get around to doing.
Phillip had gotten dressed in his rental suit and everyone loved the color. They’d seen the bridesmaid dress and they said that it would match perfectly. The young Cover asked his ‘brothers’ to drive him up to the Pavilion, so he could open the garage and get things situated as he waited for the band members to show. The four younger boys wanted to go, but Mr. Ken said that it was best if they waited until more of the guests were there.
The band members began arriving around twelve-thirty. The parents loved the wedding decorations, but they couldn’t stay, as they weren’t invited. Their sons told them that they’d call when it looked like the reception was going to be over. The boys then tuned their instruments and began to play a little to make sure they were all on the same beat.
Phillip saw that more of the guests were beginning to arrive and at about 12:45 he had the band begin to play the music that the newlyweds had given to them. The band leader decided that they wouldn’t sing just yet. He figured that they didn’t need to strain their voices for so few people. The band members agreed.
It was about 1:15 when Phillip decided that they needed to started singing along with the songs they had practiced. By then the married couple were up at the Pavilion, being greeted by their guests, and having the music was appropriate then. The band did not blast the music out. They knew that being inside the garage would amplify the sound and the people wanted to be able hear what they were talking about to one another.
The band had gone through all ten songs that the newlyweds had contracted them to play, so Phillip asked the band to begin playing the extra songs he had them learn, as well.
Eleanor and Jules never paid any attention to the music until the boys began playing something different than what Eleanor had sent over. And when the newly wedded couple heard what was being played, they loved it as it was appropriate for the occasion. That made them want to dance to it. So, they did.
The band played all five songs that were in keeping with the genre that the original songs were mainly in. And the couple were delighted that the young band was able to do that for them.
Eleanor went over to them and asked if they knew other songs. Phillip told them that they played for two Halloween dances and they could play those as well as the Christmas music that they’ve been learning for an audition at Four Corners.
The reception had been going on for an hour and a half by then, so the couple asked the boys that after they took a break that they mixed a few of their other songs with what they’d asked them to play for them. That put a smile on the boys faces and they wholeheartedly agreed to do that.
Out amongst the guests, were Mr. Ken and Kate, and as they mingled with the wedding guests, some of them asked the owner of The Cove if he routinely rented his estate for weddings. They told him that they knew couples that would just love the setting that Jules and Eleanor had that morning, and the wide-open space for parking and setting up for serving food, was absolutely wonderful.
Some of the guests also commented to Mr. Ken and Kate about the band, and they asked him where did he find such a young band that played so well. Ken Thomas did blush some as he told them that the band was one of his foster sons who put together classmates of his, all summer long to form the band. Proudly he told them, that they’ve played at three paying venues already, besides today’s reception, and that they had a big audition tomorrow.
One gentleman came up to Mr. Ken, and asked him if he had the phone number for the contact person for the band. He told him that he’d like to hire the band for a Christmas dance that he was sponsoring, and that he needed a band and that they sounded and played so well, that he knew that he didn’t have to look any further.
Mr. Ken told the man that, that after tomorrow, unfortunately, the band may be booked throughout the Holiday Season. He added that they have an audition that could keep them employed every weekend through the New Year. But Mr. Ken did take the man’s business card and told him that if things didn’t work out for the boys that he’d be sure to have their agent contact him.
After the man walked away, Kate asked Ken if he wasn’t being a bit over dramatic. Ken told her that he was proud of what Phillip has put together, but he wasn’t the person who will hire them tomorrow. He told her that Ben and Nelson will have to decide if the boys will meet what they perceive are the needs of Four Corners Amusement Park for the Holiday music.
Kate asked him if, couldn’t he add some gentle persuasion to get them to hire the band. Ken laughed and told her that his just being their boss was gentle persuasion enough, but he has to defer to them in this matter, as they’ve been running these parks for much longer than he’s owned them.
When the band went back to playing after a fifteen-minute break, they began by playing some of their more current tunes that they played at the Halloween dances. That brought more of the wedding guests out to dance and the reception took on a more festive nature.
Everyone was having a good time and eventually, Jules and Eleanor came over to Ken and Kate, and thanked them for allowing them to use his estate. They relayed how their invited guests told them how wonderful it was to have an outdoor venue with such beautiful surroundings.
The newlyweds also commented that their guests loved the huge parking area, although they would have liked it to have been paved. But that they did like that he did provide shuttle service, via the golf carts, up to the reception area, so they didn’t have to walk.
Ken laughed at the paving part when he told Jules and Eleanor that their guests were parking on a soccer pitch. Jules then remembered seeing the boys playing soccer out there at one of his last picnics and then he began to laugh.
Eleanor then told Ken and Kate that the boy band worked out much better than she had imagined. She told the two that she knew they played well, but that they surprised her by playing more songs than she had sent over and that they had a bigger repertoire of songs than she could have ever predicted. She also thanked Ken for outfitting the boys in matching outfits. She told him that it made the setting that much more authentic for a wedding. She then gave him a kiss.
Before long, the long awaited cutting of the wedding cake was held. Then there was the throwing of the bridal flower bouquet. Kate was amongst the single ladies, and she caught it. Ken smiled at what that might mean for his future.
The food was plentiful and the guests went back for more as it wasn’t a formal sit-down reception. Many of the guests told the newlyweds that they liked the informal setting and that they hoped they could rent that place for their daughter when the time came. All Jules and Eleanor could do was smile internally knowing that this was a one-and-done good thing.
The reception continued on and the newlyweds mingled with their guests as did Ken and Kate. There was lots of dancing, drinking and eating and the soda machines were used quite often, which brought a comment to Ken and Kate from Jules’ Best Man.
He told the couple that he’d never been to a place where they offered such a variety of different sugared and diet drinks, as well as many flavored waters for people to choose from. He went on to say that Jules picked the right place to have his wedding and reception, and that when word gets out about this place, he will be booked for years to come. All Ken and Kate could do was smile at then man’s words, knowing that will never happen again.
It finally came time for the newlyweds to leave the reception. The reception had been going on for over three and a half hours by then, and Jules and Eleanor had made plans for the night and they wanted to get on the road to their wedding night hotel.
The Best Man called for everyone to charge their glasses for one last toast to the wedded couple.
When everyone was ready, and Jules and Eleanor were beside him, the best man gave his final speech.
you marry the person you can’t live without.
Here’s to love, laughter
and happily, ever after.
As Jules and Eleanor start their new life together,
Let’s toast the new husband and wife!”
And the crowd all responded with “Here! Here!” and everyone raised their glasses filled with whatever fluid filled their fancy, and they drank to the happily married couple.
Jules and Eleanor thanked everyone for coming and celebrating their marriage and they told them that they would see them in two weeks. The newlyweds then entered the limousine and the rented car whisked them away.
With the wedded couple now gone, many of the guests began to talk to one another about when they should leave. Some had already begun to head to their cars. The Cover teens were busy driving the couples in the golf carts down to their vehicles with many others waiting to be taken to theirs.
As that was all going on, the band continued to play, but without the singing. The best man did take the time to go over to the boys and asked them to take a quick break.
“Boys,” began the man, “Jules and Eleanor … they want to thank you all for the great job you did today. You amazed them beyond their expectations, especially when you played songs they didn’t expected to hear and then you added the songs you already knew and played at other venues.
“And I … and I especially enjoyed it when you played, Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer. It kind of set the tune for the upcoming Holidays. Anyway, here is your pay for a job well-done. Thank you again, for doing an awesome job for the newlyweds,” finished the man, as he then passed out an envelope to each and every boy.
The boys were going to look inside the envelopes, but Mr. Ken, who was standing behind the man, shook his head for them not to do that just yet. He motioned for them to put it inside their jacket and then to go to back to playing.
The best man then saluted the boys and walked away to his own wife, and they got in line to be driven to their vehicle. Mr. Ken went over to the band and asked them to continue to play until the majority of the guests were gone.
Kate hugged the man she loved. She knew he did the right thing by not having them look inside the envelope. It wasn’t the time yet for them to see their pay for their playing at the reception.
The caterer came over to Mr. Ken and asked him what she should do with all the leftover foods. He was at a loss, as Jules hadn’t left her any instructions, and the best man had just left.
Normally, he would have her leave some for the boys to have for lunch the following day, instead of them burning the burgers and dog. So, that’s what he decided to do, as the boy’s friends would be over to The Cove tomorrow.
He then told her to do what she usually did and that was to drop it off at the homeless shelter, so they could feed those unfortunate souls. That night they would have a feast of a meal with what was left over.
The band did stop playing and the boys started calling their moms and dads. And soon the Cover boys, who’d been driving the golf carts all day, came up to the Pavilion with Darrin and Matthew along with Chief and Sarge.
“‘Dad’, can we open our pay envelopes now?’ asked Phillip.
“Oh, sorry boys. But when he passed those out to you; it really wasn’t the right time to open them in front of him. So, now that he is gone, go ahead and open them. See how much Jules and Eleanor decided to pay you,” encouraged Mr. Ken.
The nine boys reached inside their suit jacket pockets and quickly brought out the pay envelope and ripped it open. All Mr. Ken and Ms. Kate could hear were oohs and aahs.
“‘Dad’, ‘dad’, they … they gave each of us a one-hundred-dollar bill,” exclaimed Phillip. The other band members all spoke up and agreed with their band leader.
Billy, Robert and Charles were also given envelopes by the best man just before he left. He told them that was for their hard work in driving the guests to and from the Patio and the Pavilion. The teens opened their envelopes, too, and they all found crisp one-hundred-dollar bills in them.
Phillip then went over to his ‘dad’, and whispering, he asked him when was he going to tell them about the audition. Mr. Ken told him he wanted the parents there before he told them. The young Cover said that he understood, and he went over to the band and asked them to begin putting everything away as they waited on the parents.
When all the parents were there, Mr. Ken got everyone’s attention. He told them that he had a big announcement about the band’s audition.
“I know you band members have worked hard learning the songs that I assigned so that you could audition to work at my Four Corners Amusement Park during the upcoming Holiday Season. And you knew that you were going to have your audition either tonight, after the reception, or tomorrow, Sunday.
“Well, as you can see, neither Ben Walthers, my President of Three Finger Entertainment, or Nelson Sanders, the operations manager for the Four Corners, Amusement Park are here tonight. So, that means that your audition will be tomorrow.
“Well, tomorrow, your audition … it will be at one o’clock, but the audition … but the audition will actually be at Four Corners. Ben and Nelson … they want you to perform in front of the crowd tomorrow and they are going to let the crowd response be the determining factor if you are hired to perform over the Holiday Season,” finished announcing Mr. Ken.
Upon hearing the announcement, the boys all began talking amongst themselves about what if they screw up or do badly tomorrow and other such things. Mr. Ken had to get their attention and remind them that they did an awesome job today in front of two-hundred and fifty strangers and tomorrow wouldn’t be any different other than the crowd would be much larger.
Ms. Kate then told them that she heard them play only once before, and today that they had improved one thousand percent. She continued and told them that they deserved to go out there tomorrow and show the crowd that even though they were a young band, that they are an accomplished band, and deserve to be there playing at Four Corners for the Holidays.
The boys heard her enthusiasm and they all cheered that they could do that. The parents also cheered along with the boys to give them the confidence they needed to go out there tomorrow and succeed.
Jeffrey Jenkins then asked what he would do about his drums. And Easton Brooks quickly spoke up and asked what would he do about his keyboard. Mr. Ken held up his arms asking for them to listen to what he had to say.
“Boys … Parents … Mr. Ben had Mr. Nelson purchase, for my Four Corners Amusement Park, outdoor drums, a keyboard, as well as a sound system to support them. He added that they would have needed them in the future and the future was just hurried up some. That made the boys laugh.
“Boys … just be there by twelve-thirty. Oh, and Nelson … he has a green jacket for you to wear, so wear your white shirt. He got your sizes from the rental shop, where you got your suits for today. And don’t forget to take those back by Tuesday, by the way. Please!” begged Mr. Ken.
“Oh, and you drummers, you need to bring your sticks and you guitar players … you need to bring your guitars, so don’t forget to take them home with you tonight when you leave,” added Mr. Ken, with a smile.
The caterer hadn’t put the foods away yet, and she came over to the large group and asked if anyone wanted something to eat before she packaged them for the homeless shelter. Mr. Ken told everyone to eat-up and this way they didn’t have to worry about dinner.
The parents had brought all their children with them, as they had planned to go out to dinner and this was the perfect thing for all of them. So, another party just broke out at the Pavilion.
Matthew did ask the parents and their small children not to feed the resident pets anything off the tables, as they were not used to fatty foods, and that it could upset their stomachs, and he didn’t want to have to clean up the mess.
Billy went down to the house and brought Edith back up to the Pavilion, telling her that they were eating the leftovers for dinner. When she got there, she was surprised that there were so many adults there as well. Billy apologized for not telling her that the band’s parents were also there helping eat up everything.
After Edith got a plate of food, she sat at the Pavilion tables and instead of sitting with her daughter and Ken, she sat with the band’s parents and got to know a few of them.
There were about forty-five people digging into the leftover reception foods and when they had finished eating and with what the caterer had set aside for to leave at the Pavilion, there really wasn’t all that much left to take to the homeless shelter. She was happy that the food went to worthy people.
It was after seven o’clock when the parents of the band members began getting their families together and began leaving. They thanked Mr. Ken for having them stay for dinner and the impromptu picnic. They told him that they’d see him at Four Corners around twelve-thirty tomorrow.
Before long there were only the Covers and their guests up at the Pavilion, and they began to straighten up the area and before long they were driving people down to the house.
Once everyone was at the house, Ken told Kate that it was such a pretty night and then he asked her if she would like to go for a walk. She asked him kiddingly where they could go. He told her they could take a cart up to the Main Gate and then walk out on the now completed linear park, as they had one time before. Kate smiled and agreed.
The two told Edith where they were going and then they were gone. When boys went looking for their ‘dad’, the elder woman told them that their ‘dad’ and her daughter had gone for a walk and that they’d be back when they were back, in case they wanted to know.
Ken and Kate took a leisurely stroll, hand-in-hand, down the path they once strolled down. They talked about the wedding, how Phillip was trying to teach Jessy to learn the guitar, about Patrick and what Kate should do about letting Rusty see him, and a slew of other things that were on Kate’s mind.
They eventually came to the gazebo and they went inside and they sat down. There they continued to talk about things that seem to be on their minds and before long they both began to laugh. They both told one another that they found it funny that they were talking about their families.
Ken then took Kate’s hand and got serious.
“Kate … I love you. I’ve loved you ever since we met on that first day. And … and ever since that day my love for you has … it has grown day-by-day. I once asked you to marry me, but I understood why you told me that you couldn’t.
“Today, again, … I’m asking you, Kate … will you marry me?” And with that, Ken pulled out a two-carat diamond ring.
Kate was thoroughly surprised at his asking her to marry him. She really didn’t expect him to ask her while she was there for Thanksgiving. But upon hearing the words, she instantly got tears in her eyes and then she looked into her boyfriend’s eyes and saw that he meant every word he spoke.
Kate then threw herself at him and said, “YES, Yes, yes! Oh, Ken, I love you so, so much, too!”
The two lovebirds kissed and kissed. They hugged one another and then they talked about what they would do, now.
Ken and Kate walked into the house and they went immediately to Edith, who was enjoying the MRS Room. Kate then showed her mother the ring and told her that they just got engaged.
Edith hugged her daughter and then Ken and welcomed him to the family. She then asked when they intended to get married. Kate told her mom that they hadn’t set a date, but they hoped they could, while she was there that week.
Ken then called Robert and asked him to bring all the boys to the Study.
When everyone, including Chief and Sarge, was in the Study, ‘dad’ Ken told the boys that he had something to tell them. “Boys … I just asked Kate to marry me, and she said, yes!”
The boys looked around at one another and then Robert and Charles went up to their dad and hugged and congratulated him. Billy was next, and then came Matthew and Phillip. Darrin stood there looking a little perplexed and Mr. Ken asked him what was wrong. The new foster asked him what would happen to him now that he was getting married.
“Oh, Darrin, nothing will happen to you. You will stay here with us until a family member decides to come and raise you, as the twin’s aunt and uncle did. And if they don’t then … well, then this will be your forever home,” spoke Mr. Ken.
That was all Darrin needed to hear and he went to his foster dad and hugged and congratulated him, as well.
Rusty and Jessy went to their mom and hugged and congratulated her and when their big ‘brothers’ were finished hugging Mr. Ken, they went over to him and hugged him, too.
The large group went down to the Great Room and there they talked about what this will mean now that Mr. Ken and Kate had decided to get married. The younger boys first question was where would everyone live. Kate answered that by telling them that she and her boys would move to The Cove, as her new husband’s businesses are located there.
“But what about your job, mom?” asked Jessy.
Kate looked at her youngest son, and pulled him to her and told him, “Son, I can move my real estate license here and work here, too.”
“But what about our friends?” further asked the young boy.
“You’ll make new friends here, Jessy. Like Toby and other boys when you start your new school,” Kate lovingly told her son.
“And when will we move here?” was Jessy’s next question.
“Jessy, that’s the question that we will have to figure out this week, hopefully,” answered Kate.
And the questions like that went on and on until it was late when Mr. Ken told the boys they all needed to get to bed, as they all needed to be at Four Corners by twelve-thirty to hear Phillip and his band, Pavilion, play Holiday songs.
Ken, Kate and Edith sat in the Great Room talking, while giving the boys time to get themselves ready for bed. Edith did ask if they had intended to get married back east, or there. Ken told the woman that it was up to Kate to decide.
Ken added that if they get married back east his local friends will want to have a belated wedding reception of sorts there, and that the archbishop may want to give them a special blessing on their marriage. Hearing all that put a smile on Edith that did not go unnoticed by the newly engaged couple.
Ken told Edith and Kate that there was a mountain of things that will need to be ironed out before they get married, such as Kate’s involvement in the fostering of the boys. Will she, too, get a foster license, as Wayne had. And what will be his legal authority concerning Jessy and Rusty, just as a start.
Edith and Kate said that they hadn’t thought about those issues, but now that he’s mentioned them, they did need to be addressed before the nuptials. Kate said that this week they could maybe work out some of those, or at least identify more of them to be worked out.
When the three adults went up the stairs, Edith went to her room, while Mr. Ken went to Bill’s room to start saying goodnight to the boys as he always did. Kate did not go with him as she knew that this was a special time between man and teens/boys.
All of the boys hugged him and they congratulated him again on his engagement and they all wished him well in his upcoming marriage to Kate. They told him that they all loved her and they knew that she would add a lot to the ‘family’.
Rusty and Jessy told Mr. Ken how much they were now looking forward to having him as their new full-time dad and their big ‘brothers’ at home all the time. They hugged him and they, too, kissed him.
Kate was there for that interaction and then Ken walked Kate to her room. The two kissed and hugged some more before Kate went into her room for the night.
Ken went down to his retreat wishing he could have taken Kate there with him. But he knew that wouldn’t sit well, with her mother there in the house. He told himself that he’d waited this long and another bunch of months would go by fast after they set a date.
The owner of The Cove, and newly engaged man, got himself ready for bed, and as he sat on the side of his bed, he thought about what the future will hold for him, Kate and the boys, both hers and his and the fosters.
After turning off the lights, Ken Thomas didn’t stay awake very long, as he was tired from the very long day that he’d just had, but also from the wonderful thing had just entered his life – Kate. The Cove was full of love that 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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