Published: 8 Oct 2026

From the Previous Chapter:

After getting himself ready for bed, Ken Thomas sat on the edge of his bed thinking of what has happened over the last number of days with Kate and her family and he wondered what will happen in the days to come.

He lamented that Kate and family would be leaving him on the day they visited Chrystal Lake. He wasn’t looking forward to that date, but what he was looking forward to was the day he would make Kate his wife.

Mr. Ken then turned off the lights in his bedroom, and he then crawled under the covers. It wasn’t long before the sandman visited him and he was soon fast asleep. The rest of The Cove was asleep by the time the owner of The Cove was and with that the house was peaceful and quiet throughout the night.

Ken Thomas woke up refreshed and looking forward to that very important day. He went and got ready for his day before heading out to the Kitchen Nook.

“Good morning, Momma,” offered the owner of The Cove to the woman who was there fixing the residents and their guest breakfast.

Momma upon hearing the man got his favorite coffee cup and the carafe of the hot brew and took them over to him and poured that first cup of the hot liquid. And, as was his habit, after he took that first wonderful sip of the hot deep brown liquid, Ken Thomas raised the cup in salute to Momma for taking such good care of him, his ‘boys’ and their guests.

Mr. Ken then took the morning newspaper out of the protective sleeve, separated it, as was his habit, and then he began reading from Section A, World News.

His fiancée didn’t arrive for quite some time, so he was able to get through a good portion of paper before she came into the Kitchen Nook. Ken stood up and greeted his intended bride and the two exchanged a quick hug and kiss. After Ken sat back down, Kate sat at the chair on the corner of the table next to Ken.

Kate smiled at her husband-to-be, grabbed his hand and squeezed it. Ken, in return, looked back over to her and smiled and then went right back to reading the newspaper.

Edith, Kate’s mother, had come at that moment and saw what just happened. After the older woman sat down, she told her daughter, “That is probably the one thing you’ll never change about him in the morning. The newspaper seems to be more important to him after his coffee.”

“Mother!” called out Kate. “Ken needs to know what is happened out in the world and in the local economy, so he knows how his businesses should be prepared to respond,” argued in defense of the man’s soon-to-be-wife.

As that exchange was going on, Momma brought over a fresh coffee cup and the carafe of the hot brew and poured Edith her first cup of the hot liquid. The older woman blew on the hot drink before taking her first sip. She then thanked Momma for bringing it to her.

Collin arrived by then, too, and Momma brought over a clean cup and the carafe of coffee for him to enjoy.

As the adults talked to one another, the boys slowly began to arrive in the Nook. Then after saying good morning to his mom, Matthew let Jessy take care of Sarge’s first meal of the day and the resident pup thanked the youngster with a few cold doggie kisses, before eating his food.

Jessy smiled and then went to his mother and hugged her telling he how much he would like to have a puppy of his own. Kate looked to Ken and shook her head indicating that he was not to encourage him or promise him a puppy from Chief’s next litter.

As the remaining boys arrived, they said good morning to the adults. Rusty also got a hug and a kiss from his mother, while Phillip also got a hug from his ‘dad’.

When all the boys were there, Momma asked them to all head into the Dining Room where she would serve them their breakfast.

As the group was eating their Momma breakfast, Mr. Ken told everyone that Momma would not be in tomorrow, New Year’s Day morning to fix them their breakfast. He told them they would have to fix Momma’s breakfast tacos, or cereal, or they could try to make something with what’s in the pantry.

He also told them that on Tuesday there would be a breakfast taco ready for them, but they would have to get their own drink to wash it down, before they head out to the airport on their second trip of the Holidays. Mr. Ken told them they would visit Edgewood first before going on to Crystal Lake, where Kate and her family would go home after their park visit.

He also mentioned that if the weather doesn’t cooperate, there is no extra day in the schedule to stay one more day, because he and Darrin had a court hearing on Friday that they had to attend.

The boys kiddingly booed their ‘dad’ after that announcement. Then Darrin spoke up and said that he wouldn’t mind missing that court appearance, causing the boys to start laughing.

Kate and Edith didn’t understand why the teen said what he did. But they both knew that the Dining Room table wasn’t the place to start that conversation. So, they decided themselves to wait until the boys had gone up to get ready for the day before they would ask Ken for the 411.

There was another reminder to the boys that their friends had to leave by three o’clock and that they needed to rest before the big Holiday party later that night. ‘Dad’ Ken also reminded the boys to wear their green vests tonight, so they can pick them out in the crowd.

‘Dad’ Ken also reminded everyone that the students who worked on the Christmas Decoration Contest would also be in attendance, but that their New Year’s Eve Party would be held out in the garage. He told everyone that the companies would be arriving very soon to decorate the garage and set up the bandstand for their band. He added that with four schools competing they could expect upwards of over 100 students and their dates, as well as their advisor and their date.

In addition to what he already told them, in order Kate Edith and the new boys would know what was going to happen later before the party begins, Mr. Ken mentioned to them that the evenings band would arrive around four o’clock to set up and tune their instruments. He told them that he wanted them to know about that, so when they hear extra loud music, they would know what that was all about.

As all the boys left the table to go and get their showers, Kate called out to her two boys that they needed to let their big ‘brothers’ get their shower first. They both replied, “Yes, mom,” as they continued up the stairs along with their big ‘brothers’.

Jessy knew that he could play his new guitar, that he got for Christmas, while his roommate was getting his shower. Rusty didn’t have anything like that to keep him busy until it was time for him to take his shower, so he went to Jessy’s room to watch him play.

Jessy showed his older brother how easy it was to play the guitar. He even had Rusty pluck on the guitar to see for himself that he could play if he would want to. The younger brother told his older sibling that he was going to take lessons when they finally moved there, and he bet that he could also take them if he was interested in learning to play. Rusty told his younger brother that he’d think about it once they get back home.

The two boys were so engrossed in the guitar that Phillip came looking for them to tell them that they could now get their showers. That surprised the two young boys that the time had gone by so quickly, and their having to wait wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be. The brothers them got their change of clothes and headed to get their shower and dressed for the day.

While the boys were getting their showers and dressed for their day, the adults went to the Study so Momma could clean up the Dining Room. There, Kate and Edith asked Ken about why Darrin wouldn’t want to go to court. They mentioned to him that they understood the obvious that no one wants to have to go to court, but they wanted to know if there was something going on that they didn’t pick up on.

Since Edith didn’t know Darrin’s full story, Ken told her the full story and thus reminding Kate as to why the teen was living at The Cove. Then he told them that a few weeks ago the insurance companies asked the courts to decide who would get the insurance proceeds from Darrin’s parents and his brother’s life insurance policies, and the home insurance, since the house was destroyed by the fire.

Kate’s fiancé told them that the teen’s uncle had made an inquiry about raising his nephew right after the fire, but he didn’t come to claim his nephew because he told Judy that he doesn’t have a lot of extra money with which he could raise a teenager.

Ken told them that the insurance companies brought their totals to the court and the judge asked about Darrin going to be raised by family. He told the women that when the judge learned that the uncle didn’t have a lot of money, he asked that the uncle be investigated, as to his work habits and debts to know if taking in his nephew would be detrimental to raising Darrin in the long run.

The owner of The Cove continued with the story and told them that next Friday the judge was going to decide if the uncle would get any of the insurance money, with which he could use to raise his nephew, and the judge was also going to decide if Darrin had to go with the uncle.

Ken then added that he asked his lawyer to try to have that decision, if Darrin had to go with the uncle who he hadn’t seen since he was very little, brought before the County Juvenile Court, as that is where those decisions are usually made.

The foster dad explained to the women that Darrin doesn’t want to go with the uncle that he does not know and especially if he has money problems that would potentially change the way he was raised by his parents.

The women asked Ken what was his position concerning Darrin. He smiled and told them that Darrin was a quiet teenager and that he hasn’t caused him any trouble. He explained to them that if the court allowed Darrin to remain there at The Cove, he would continue to treat the teen as he has all of the other boys that were bought to him.

Kate then asked her fiancé if the teen would get any of the insurance money. Her future husband told her that he told the judge that he would put any money Darrin received into a Trust Fund that would be available for him to go to college, or a trade school.

The women were satisfied with what Ken told them and then they headed up to their rooms to get ready for their day.

The Cover boys headed up to the Pavilion to await their friends. Billy reminded his ‘brothers’ to tell their friends about the New Year’s Day Swim at twelve, noon, tomorrow and that they would swim and eat the leftovers from the New Year’s Eve Party,

It was while the boys were waiting for their friends that a company van pulled into the Parking Corral and began setting the garage up for the high school students New Year’s Eve Party. The boys had all looked over the four high school’s entries in to Mr. Ken’s Decorating Contest. They each had their own favorite and they talked amongst themselves about which one they thought would win.

As the Cover’s friends began to arrive, they joined in the conversation over which Gingerbread house they thought would win. And it was while the friends and the Covers were all together that Billy reminded them of tomorrow’s New Year’s Day Swim and for them to stop over at noon, and for them to come down to the house and not go to the Pavilion.

After the announcement and conversation over the Gingerbread Houses, Phillip and his band mates went and warmed up their instruments and they began to play. The music added to the limited fun the group would have that afternoon, since the Cover friends had to leave at three o’clock.

With limited time to spend at the Cove that Sunday, the boys decided to start the barbeque earlier than normal. By one-thirty the grill was turned on, the tomatoes and onions were cut and the lettuce was patted dry after rinsing. The serving line was set up and now all they had to do was wait for the cooks to have someone ring the bell.

Charles went down to the house to tell his dad and the women that the barbeque was almost ready and if they wanted to eat, he was here with the six-seat golf cart to take them up to the Pavilion. The four adults took the teenager up on his offer to drive them up to the Pavilion.

The adults found some of the boys were cooking up a storm, while others were playing the Pavilion Games, or out skating, as they waited for the dinner bell to ring.

When the burgers were nicely ‘burned’ and the hot dogs were put on to grill, Billy had Jessy go over and choose one of the bells to ring to call everyone over to eat. Jessy looked at the two bells Phillip had somehow convinced his ‘dad’ to buy, one of which he never returned.

Jessy saw that there was the triangle where he could use the striker to make the sound to call everyone to the barbeque to eat. Or, he could go over to the rope and ring what everyone could see something like an old school bell outside of the Pavilion, as a way to call everyone to eat.

Jessy chose to pull the rope, as he felt that it made a more distinctive sound and that it was more in what everyone wanted to hear. The youngster pulled on the rope and the bell rung slightly. Hearing the low-level sound, Jessy knew he needed to pull on the rope harder to get the bell to soundly ring.

The boy pulled on the rope a little stronger this time and the bell rang louder, and the more he pulled on the rope the better the bell sounded. Jessy pulled and pulled and the bell rang and rang. The boy was so into ringing the bell that Mr. Ken had to go over to him to get him to stop and eat.

“Jessy, I think everyone heard the bell. Now, I think it is time for you to get what you want to eat. And I want to thank you for ringing the bell. It never sounded as good as the way you did it,” praised Mr. Ken, as he then strongly hugged the boy.

Jessy never had a man hug him like that, ever. And when Mr. Ken hugged him, he not only felt safe, but mostly loved. The boy hugged the man back and as they hugged one another Mr. Ken walked the boy over to his mother.

“Look what I found,” commented Ken to his fiancée, as he let Jessy down.

“You did a wonderful job in ringing the bell, Jessy,” offered the mother to her son. “Now, go over and get yourself a hot dog, or a burger, and something to drink,” continued Kate as she also hugged her son.

As everyone was eating, Ken Thomas took the time to remind the boys about tomorrows’ New Year’s Day Swim and that they would get something to eat that they probably hadn’t had, since his last big outdoor picnic. The boys all cheered.

Ken, Kate, Edith and Collin talked about the party that would happen later that evening. Collin told the two women about the first New Year’s Eve Party that he attended and how Judge Richards got up on the stage and told everyone about the shootout that happened just a short six weeks prior.

Edith was enthralled with the story, as she was now getting the full story from someone who lived it. She couldn’t believe that Ken had somehow wanted to defend his homestead and Collin against the onslaught of almost twenty men. Then, when she heard how Ken had been shot and then taken to the hospital with Collin hanging onto him, she came to understand the closeness the two had with one another. It made her even more proud that the man was marrying her daughter.

And as Collin was telling his story, Darrin had heard what the older ‘brother’ was doing so he went over and sat near the adults and listened to the story. He, too, was amazed at what he heard. He finally got the full story of the attack at The Cove from someone who was there. The story made the teenager really appreciate who his foster dad was.

But Darrin wasn’t the only person listening along the side. Rusty and Jessy had come over to talk to their mom and when they heard Collin telling their grandmother about the shootout, they quickly found a seat nearby so they could hear the entire story, as well.

It was while Collin’s told his story that he mentioned that Mr. Ken had him go into a secret room to hide from the gunmen. That was the first time either of the three had heard anything about a secret room being inside the house. They also knew that wasn’t the time for them to ask about that secret room, but internally they all wanted to see where Collin had hidden during the attack.

Luckily for Mr. Ken, none of his ‘boys’ friends had heard about the secret room. He really didn’t want it to get out that The Cove had secret hiding rooms, where the residents could hide if someone were to try to attack again, or worse, come and try to hold them hostage.

At three o’clock the Cover’s friends all began to file out of The Cove. Some told their friends to take pictures of the event, so they could show the pictures of what happened to them tomorrow.

Darrin heard what his friends told him and he asked his ‘brothers’ if they had ever taken pictures during the New Year’s Eve Party. None of the Cover boys said that they ever took pictures, because they were too busy talking to all of the invitees and having fun going back-and-forth between the two parties being held, with one in the Great Room and the other out in the garage.

Darrin was now looking forward to the night’s parties and he told himself to make sure his cell phone was charged up, so he could be the first to take the picture’s. So, when he reached his bedroom, he immediately plugged in his cellphone to ensure he’d have enough power to take all the pictures he could.

Before Billy walked up to his bedroom, he stopped at the Study hoping to catch his foster dad there before he went back to his retreat to rest before the Party. When he did find the man there, he asked him if he could invite his friends to the New Year’s Day Swim, if they weren’t working.

Mr. Ken told Bill that it would be OK for them to come to the New Year’s Day Swim. The man said that he hasn’t seen them in such a long time that it would be nice to see and catch up with what they’ve been doing now that they were a part of the working class. The two had a nice laugh over that last statement.

All the boys did go to their rooms to rest. Some fell asleep and had a good respite. Even when the evening’s band came and setup and tested their instruments, they stayed asleep. Although some of the boys were awakened by the loud music that came waffling up through the house.

That night around six o’clock, down in the Study, when Kate arrived to that room, Ken stood up and he went to her.

“You look beautiful tonight my love. And I … I just love that bling you’re wearing,” offered a smiling Ken Thomas, the woman’s fiancé, who then not only hugged her, but also kissed her.

Kate returned the hug and kiss and then went to find a seat, just as her mother, Edith arrived and soon thereafter, Wayne and Dennis came to the Study.

By six-thirty the boys were all up and had taken a second shower of the day before getting dressed for the night’s festivities. Rusty and Jessy did wait for Matthew, Darrin and Phillip to take their showers and they giggled when they saw the older teens walking in the underwear, as they showed a much bigger pouch where their ‘boy parts’ were.

All of the boys put on the green vest that ‘dad’ Ken had bought for them to wear that night, before heading down to the Study at seven o’clock. They all walked into the room at the same time and Ken Thomas smiled at seeing eight brightly clad group all together.

Kate was also there and she loved that it would be really easy to spot her sons out in the crowd that Ken had told her to expect. She had her two sons come over to her so she could hug them and then she took a picture of them. The women then had all eight boys get together so she could get a picture of them all so she had that moment for the future.

Mr. Ken then passed out the radios to the boys who would have them and he reviewed the call signs and the special ‘alert’ words that they were needed elsewhere.

Collin then told another story about the night they had to use those words because word had gotten out about his Big Bro taking a bullet for him during the shootout. The young man told how they all huddled in the Theater trying to figure out how they would handle that revelation. Then he stopped his story.

But the boys were now wanting to know what happened.

“Don’t start telling us about something and then stop before you end it,” argued Phillip. “Come, on. Tell us what you did and how it ended.”

Mr. Ken smiled at Collin and told his ‘little brother’ that he started something and now he needed to tell the rest of the story or his ‘brothers’ would mutiny. So, the young college junior finished telling everyone what happened.

Collin began his story by saying, “OK … I’m going to give you a condensed version of what happened that night. Only myself, Ryan, my Big Bro and his date were there. Oh, Mr. Dan … he was also there, and Judge Adam, oh Judge Adam Richards, … he came in later on.

“Anyway, someone my Big Bro had worked with during that big storm cleanup told his and my Big Bro’s date what happened during the attack and when he was shot. Well, that simple story was heard by a few people nearby and they spread it so fast and to so many that my Big Bro was inundated with well-wishers, and had his hand shaken more times that he could ever remember. He tried to extricate himself from the onslaught of people, but he couldn’t find a way.

“Ryan and I … we heard people talking about a hero and I knew immediately they were talking about Mr. Ken, there. So, we gathered up our dates and went inside to find our Big Bro to ask him what he knew about what was happening outside. So, seeing a large crowd wanting to talk to our Big Bro, who was trying to avoid them, we went over to him and literally drug him back into the Theater area and away from the throng of people.

“Mary Anne, his date, followed us and so did the other two people who were the ones he was talking with. And seeing that the people were looking for Mr. Ken, Ryan decided that we needed security, so he pulled out his radio and called for S1, who was Mr. Dan, to get security to the Theater, and he told him why.

“Then Judge Richards came to the Theater and the two talked. And it was Judge Adam who wanted Mr. Ken to go out and tell the crowd the whole story. But my Big Bro mentioned that the District Attorney … that he had told us that we weren’t supposed to tell our story.

“But Judge Richards … he told Mr. Ken something like that the DA can ask you to do anything, but he can’t stop you from telling our story, only a judge can do that. So, in the end, Judge Adam … he convinced my Big Bro to go out to the bandstand and tell everyone our story of what happened when he was shot.

“So, my Big Bro … he went out and told everyone there, including the high school students who came in after they heard about the ‘hero’, what happened there in Great Room, when he was shot by the FBI agent.” And with that then Collin ended his story.

But it was Phillip who quickly spoke up and said, “Well … what happened after that? You know, after my ‘dad’ … after he was shot””

“Well, Phil,” began Collin, “from what I was told, Chief … she came down in the elevator and she grabbed the man’s gun hand and almost ripped it off. Then the police came in and arrested him and then my Big Bro and I went to the hospital, where they fixed him up.”

The boys who hadn’t known that Chief was the heroine of that story went over to her and gave the resident pet some behind the ear scratches that she loved.

It was close to eight o’clock when Ken, Kate, Collin, Darrin and Phillip formed the receiving line for the incoming guests. The other boys first went out to the garage to check out what that looked like. They saw that it was festively decorated for the New Year and that there were cold drinks, lots of cups and ice. They also saw that caterer had set up a serving line for the high school students, their counselors and all of their dates to enjoy.

Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis were also there that night as they told their employer that they would be and they went out with the boys to check out the garage. What amazed Mr. Dennis was that his employer would do that for the students without a care for the cost.

While the boys and Estate Masters where out in the garage check it out, the guests began to arrive. First to arrive were some of the high school students who were surprised to learn that Mr. Ken was engaged to the woman to his right. They then went out to the garage for their New Year’s Eve Party.

Next to arrive, to Ken’s astonishment, was Archbishop Eduardo Martinez. After Ken introduce Kate to his excellency, he told the man that he was surprised that he would attend such a secular even. The Archbishop told his host that he wanted to be here to support his students and to hope and pray that they would win again this year.

The archbishop then asked Ken when was the happy day, and if he could officiate. Ken told the holy man that he was sorry, but they were going to be married in Kate’s hometown.

Archbishop Martinez then asked Ken if he could bless their marriage once they return home. Kate spoke up and told the holy man that she would be honored if he would do that for them, after they get settled back at The Cove.

The couple walked the Archbishop down the stairs and out to where he could get some of the evenings catered food. The man then asked where all the students were. Ken radioed both Bill and Robert and asked them to meet him at the buffet, as he had a special job for them.

Upon the teenager’s arrival, Ken reintroduced them to his excellency and then asked them to escort the man out to where the students were enjoying their New Year’s Eve Party after he had something to eat.

Some of the night’s guests had been to other New Year’s Eve , and they had also attended the Saturday night Holiday Party, so they knew who Kate was, and they were glad to see Collin was there, as well.

The receiving line stayed at the Foyer entrance for about thirty minutes before they went and mingled with the crowd. Ken made sure that he and his wife-to-be got bite to eat as he knew from past New Year’s Eve that they will be busy talking with some very important people most of the night.

Close to nine o’clock, Ken received a radio call telling him that one of his special invited guests had just arrived. So, he and Kate went up to the Foyer to greet them when they came to the door.

Ken greeted the Texas State Attorney General Leo Henderson and he introduced him to his fiancée. The Attorney General was surprised at the announcement and told Ken so, and that he’d be sure to tell the Governor when he saw him during the week.

Ken and Kate walked the attorney general down to the Great Room and showed him where he could get an adult drink, which he immediately did, and then where the evenings food was being served from.

Ken did ask Kate to get something, while they were there, as the evening will get busy and then they won’t find the time. So, the two grabbed plate of food and then sat at one of the tables that were outside on the Patio.

It wasn’t too long after the attorney general arrived that one of the two State of Texas Senators arrived. Ken and Kate hurried up to the Foyer to greet their next important VIP.

Ken and Kate greeted Texas Senator Marco Garcia the same way they did the attorney general. They showed him where he could grab an adult drink, which he did, and then the couple showed him where the evenings food was being served.

The attorney general, seeing the newcomer, came over to the senator and they shook hands and made some small talk. It was while Ken had both VIPs together that he mentioned to them that tonight they would announce the winner of the Gingerbread decorating contest. He then had to explain why there were the four different Gingerbread houses out on the driveway.

Ken then asked them if they would present the trophies to the high school students who were having their own New Year’s Eve Party out in the garage. The two men agreed to do that saying it would be fun to meet the young teenagers who did such a great job on their decoration.

The soon-to-be married couple made the rounds of as many guests as they could as the evening moved on. They even went out to the garage to speak to the students to thank them for all of the hard work in preparing their Gingerbread House for display.

The students thank them for inviting them to that wonderful New Year’s Eve Party that they won’t ever forget. They even told them that the attorney general and Senator Garcia had come out to visit with them and tell them what an awesome job they’d done in creating their entr into the display contest.

While the guests were enjoying themselves with visiting the open bar and buffet foods, others took the opportunity to approach the attorney general and state senator to try to sway them to a position that they held on a certain issue concerning the State.

Also, The Cove’s Estate Manager, Chris Dominions, had arrived and had counted the night’s votes and added them with those from the previous weekend. He double checked his math and then he went looking for his boss, Ken Thomas.

Upon the two’s meeting, Ken smiled knowing that Chris had the winner’s identified and their certificates, trophies and scholarships at the ready and now all Ken Thomas had to do was make the announcement when the band took its ten-fifteen break.

And when the band did take its break at the agreed upon time, Ken gathered the attorney general and the senator and the three went up on the bandstand stage where Ken would announce the Gingerbread House Contest winners, with the two VIPs handing the students their prizes.

With the three men on the stage, the evening’s host took the microphone and used it to get everyone’s attention. While Mr. Ken did that, Mr. Chris went out to the garage to invite the students, their teachers and their dates into the main portion of the house.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as many of you know, this is the third year that I am sponsoring a contest for the vocational students at the nearby high schools to compete against one another at building a Christmas decoration of my choosing.

“The first year I asked them to build a Toy Soldier, and last year I asked them to build a Christmas present. And, as you all had seen and had the opportunity to vote on this year’s decoration that I chose being the Gingerbread House.

“And now it is time that I announce the winner of the Gingerbread House competition that I sponsored this year. But before I announce the winners, how about we give all of these talented high school students a round of applause for their hard work and wonderful creations.

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

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