Published: 11 Aug 2022

From Previous Chapter:

Mark told Mr. Ken he couldn’t wait until his dad was living there with them. The boy was so excited that he had a difficult time staying still talking about it. Mark then asked if that when his dad was there if he would stop talking to him at night. Mr. Ken said he didn’t think he would, unless Mark wanted him to.

Mark said he liked that he did that, and he hoped that when he moved back with his parents, he could get his dad to do it instead of his mom, who did it before the home invasion. The two hugged and then Mr. Ken told the boy to sleep well, and then left the boy to sleep and have pleasant dreams.

It finally rained and boy did it ever. The storm came through during the night and the wind blew hard. There was thunder and lightning and the storm practically came right over The Cove. Mark was so tired from everything he was involved in during the previous day that he never stirred. Chief looked over at her boy during the storm, and since he never stirred, she just went right back to sleep herself.

Mr. Ken loved the smell of that fresh, clean air that Thursday morning when he went out to pick up his morning paper. He was glad that the storm happened over night, as this way it didn’t ruin anyone’s day.

When the boys came down for breakfast, Mr. Ken told Robert, and the twins that as soon as they were done, they were to go get cleaned up and dressed and the four of them were going over to The Mall to buy some new pants and shirts.

As the boys ate, Mark asked Billy if he would help him set up his home plate and pitcher’s rubber, so he could start pitching again. Billy asked Mr. Ken if he had a 100-foot tape measure. The man told him to look through the tool chest.

Kyle then asked his ‘dad’ if they could have another sleepover before they went on their trip, because after they came back school would soon start and they wouldn’t get the chance to do that. Mark quickly spoke up and asked if they did that, if he could have some of his friends come over and do that, too.

Mr. Ken asked the younger twin when he would want to do that. Kyle said maybe Friday or Saturday. Mr. Ken asked if they would serve what they did the last time, or would they change up the menu. Kyle said they’d talk to everyone to see what they’d want. Mr. Ken then told the boys he would think about it and let them know.

Mr. Wayne arrived and heard the last part of that conversation and then told Mr. Ken that Levi Golderson called him to say that he should be released around eleven o’clock. He then told Mark and Charles they should be ready to leave around ten thirty. The Cove would be devoid of boys for a while that morning.

When breakfast was over, Robert and the twins went up to get showered and dressed to go out with their ‘dad’ and get some new clothes to wear for the trial. Mark and Billy went out to the garage and found the tape measure, and then they went outside to find a good spot to place home plate and the pitcher’s rubber.

While the three boys showered, they talked about the sleepover, and what they should serve. Kevin wanted to have breakfast tacos. Robert told him they could have them, but he would have to help cook them. Kevin said he didn’t know how to. The teen told him that until he learned how to cook them then they couldn’t have them. Kevin was disappointed at hearing that.

Mark and Billy found a fairly level spot just outside the Parking Coral where they decided to set up the home plate and the pitcher’s rubber. They measured out the distance and Billy hammered the nails into the ground. But they only had one glove, so Billy got down with Mark’s glove and had Mark pitch to him behind the plate.

Billy told his little ‘brother’ that since he hadn’t thrown for ten days, he should only throw to him, but not hard. The two Covers did that for about ten minutes before Billy said they needed to go in and get cleaned up, so they could go to take his dad to get his clothes and bring him back to The Cove to live for a few weeks. Mark smiled at knowing his dad would be there for at least three weeks.

Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne talked for a few minutes about the possibility of having the sleepover that weekend. Mr. Wayne said that he felt Friday would be better, as Saturday meant that a few of the boys might not be able to attend because of going to church on Sunday. Mr. Ken decided Friday night would be the day of choice.

Mr. Ken then told Mark that he could have up to five of his friends join him for the sleepover, and they could arrive Friday after twelve noon and they would have to leave by six on Saturday, or when their parents came to get them. Mark was ecstatic over hearing that. He couldn’t wait to ask his friends and see if their parents would let them.

The four Covers left for The Mall ten minutes later than planned, but they had nothing else planned for the day, so there was nothing lost. The boys were happy, though, that they could now plan for the sleepover for tomorrow night.

Mark, Charles and Mr. Wayne headed over to the hospital at the appointed time. When the trio arrived, Levi wasn’t ready, but the process had begun. They introduced Charles to the man who told Wayne that he would have wound care twice a day and he showed the man the name of the company he needed to call to set up the schedule.

Mr. Wayne asked him if he could call for him and get that setup now, so they could have one less thing to worry about later on. The Estate Master said if they get it put on their schedule for the next few days, now, they wouldn’t have to wait around for them later. Levi told him to go ahead as they were doing him a big favor by letting him stay at The Cove

Mark took Charles and they went and visited with his mom, while the men dealt with Levi getting released from the hospital. Mark introduced his ‘brother’ to his mom and told her he was the one who took him out sailing. Miriam was happy to meet another one of her son’s new ‘brothers’.

Mark then told his mom how excited he was to have his dad there living with him for the next few weeks, until they could move back into the house, and then have her back with them.

Mark also told her that Mr. Ken invited his soccer team to use the new soccer pitch. He also told her that he warned the parents not to bring illegal drugs or firearms onto the property. Miriam laughed that the man would say that, but, again, it was his private estate, and they needed to abide by his rules.

Miriam and Charles talked some about The Cove and all of the fun things Mark could do there. The Cover told the woman that if Mark lived there, full time, he’d have him take sailing lessons, so he could take the sailboat out with one of his friends when the weather was nice.

Charles told her about the four games they also had at the Pavilion for the boys to play. He explained how Mr. Ken was having all the boys play them to determine the champion of the individual games and the Grand Champion of the four games.

It was then Mark told his mom that Mr. Ken was going to let them have a sleepover Friday night. He told her that he asked if he could have some of his friends come and he said they could. He told his mom he was looking forward to seeing how they could have sixty boys at a sleepover and feed them like Billy told them they had.

Charles said they’d probably do pizza, and then show a Patio Movie Friday night, when it got dark enough. The teen said they’d do pancakes and crisp bacon for breakfast, although their ‘dad’ was asking they try to add scrambled eggs, too. Charles then told her how they do sub sandwiches for lunch. She was thoroughly impressed.

By twelve noon, Levi finally got his doctor to sign his release papers. The two men then walked over to the Step-Down Unit, so Levi could say goodbye to his wife and they could grab the boys, go out to get something to eat and then drive over to the Golderson’s house and get the man’s clothes and whatever else he thought he might need.

Delta Oxtter met them at the house, since Levi didn’t have his keys. When everyone walked into the house, they saw that the remediation company had ripped out all of the carpet from the entrance hallway all the way through and including the master bedroom, including the master closet.

They all walked through to the master bedroom and it was then the boys saw all the bullet holes. The boys walked over to some of them and touched them like boys would do to see what they were like.

Mark was surprised at what he was seeing. He didn’t get to see what the bedroom looked like when he came to get his clothes. But now that he was seeing the master bedroom bare of the carpet and the bed, and seeing all the bullet holes, he knew that what happened there was very dramatic and scary. They could also see they had wiped down some of the walls as there was staining in certain areas, which probably meant there was blood there.

Mr. Wayne asked Levi which clothes he wanted to take. Levi had Charles pull out the suitcases and set them on the bed frame, since the remediation company took the whole king size mattress set out. The man then asked the teen to put all of his underwear and socks into one suitcase.

Once that was done, the man then looked through his clothes and told the boys which shirts to take. Mr. Wayne told them to take them out to the van and hang them on the clothes bar in the back end. Mr. Golderson also looked through his walking shorts and had the boys put them, hangers and all, into the other suitcase.

Levi had them take a swimsuit, as he hoped he’d get to swim eventually. Mark told him to take his glove, and an extra baseball, so Billy could catch for him. Levi had them take a few belts and hats to add to what he felt he needed. Levi also made sure he got his house keys while he was there.

Mark asked if he could go up to his room to see if there was anything else up there that he wanted to take. Mr. Wayne told him to go ahead. Charles went with him. They stopped at Billy’s room and saw that his bed was stripped of the bedspread and sheets.

Delta told Levi she had taken all of their expensive jewelry over to their house, so when the repair company came there wasn’t anything there that could go missing. Levi said he needed to sign those contracts, hopefully, tomorrow. He said he needed to call that supervisor and make arrangements and decide where to meet.

When Mark and Charles came back, they didn’t have anything else to take back to The Cove. Mark then asked Mrs. Oxtter if Kieran could attend a sleepover tomorrow night. The youngster told her that Mr. Ken told him he could have up to five of his friends spend the night, and he wanted Kieran to come.

Delta asked him who else he was going to ask. Mark told her, he also wanted to ask Reese, Corey, Tanner and Dana. The boy said that while he was over there, he was going to ask Mr. Wayne if he would stop by their houses, so he could ask them in person. Delta said she didn’t have a problem now that she knew who Mr. Ken was, and where Kieran and Reese would be. Mark thanked her with a hug.

Mr. Wayne did stop and let Mark ask Kimberly Wrockman if Dana could spend the night tomorrow and at Emily Splicer’s home to see if Tanner could also sleepover. He also stopped and let Mark ask Kelly Kypker if Corey could come over tomorrow and spend the night. All five boys could spend the night and Kimberly Wrockman volunteered to drive all five boys over tomorrow around noon time.

Mark told all of his friends to bring their sleeping bag, a pillow, if they wanted, their swimsuit, a towel, their skateboard and new helmet and pads and a change of clothes, if they thought they needed them. Mark couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come. This was going to be the first time he ever had more than one of his friends for such a big sleepover.

When they returned to The Cove, Mr. Ken met Levi Golderson at the Foyer Door. He greeted him and introduced him to Mr. Chris and Momma Maria, who he had waiting there, in the Foyer when he knew they had entered the Main Gate.

Mr. Ken showed him the stairs and the elevator and told him he could use either depending on how strong he felt. They took the elevator, so the man knew how it operated. Mr. Ken asked the boys to bring the man’s clothes up to the guest suite on the right.

Levi was totally surprised at the accommodations he was given upon his arrival. It was more like a small hotel penthouse than a private guest suite. And he couldn’t believe the size of the bathroom itself. Mr. Ken told him that a cleaning company came in on Friday, and all he asked the man to do was strip his bed, if he was able, when he got up. If not, then to ask his son to do it for him.

By then the boys had begun to bring the man’s clothes up to the bedroom and began placing the hanging ones into the closet. Charles placed the suitcase holding the man’s underwear, socks, belts and hats on the bed. He emptied the other suitcase of walking shorts on hangers into the closet, as well.

As that was happening, Mr. Ken told his guest that Momma Maria fixed breakfast by nine every morning. The host then took the man down to the boys’ wing and showed him what his boy’s bedroom looked like. Mark tagged along, so he could show him his room.

Again, Levi Golderson was taken aback by what he saw. Here was one boy staying in a room that had two double beds, a double walk-in closet and two desks, chairs and lamps. Mr. Ken told the man that Mark didn’t have a computer, like the rest of the boys had, and that if he wanted his from home, he just needed to bring it. The men then heard Mark say, “Dang it. I knew there was something I needed to bring!” They all laughed.

The boys went out to catch up with the rest of their friends, while Mr. Ken took Levi around the rest of the house to orient him to where everything was. The guest was totally surprised at the expanse of the house and everything that was there. He couldn’t get over the Theater, the Bar area, the party restrooms, the Great Room and then the indoor pool and Locker Rooms, and that was just on the lower level.

When he saw the Kitchen Nook, Pantry, back stairs, Dining Room, MRS Room, and Study he just couldn’t believe that a man as young as Mr. Ken owned such a beautiful estate. It wasn’t until he was shown the owner’s private retreat that Levi Golderson was totally blown away.

“Mr. Ken, you have such a beautiful home here, I don’t know how I will get my son to ever come home to our small modest home that doesn’t even come close to what he has here,” offered Levi, as the two men sat in the Study.

“Mr. Golderson, Levi, if I may, and please call me Ken, that mister title came from the people I helped after that storm of four years ago, and somehow has stuck, I am sure once your wife, Miriam, is ready to go home, Mark will be more than ready to go home too, and be back with his friends,” offered Ken Thomas.

“Thank you … Ken. Randy and Delta … they told Miriam and me so much about the picnic … and how much fun everyone had and how … and how all the boys called you Mister Ken. They also told us about all the stories the boys told them about what you’ve done for them ever since you allowed them to come to your estate.

“Ken …you are definitely a ‘mover and a shaker’ in this county and someone … someone people should look up to, even if you are so young. You’ve done so much, not only for the county with your largess, but you’ve saved a young boy, twice, and you even saved that Kaden boy the other day.

“I am proud to know you and, hopefully, will be able to call you my friend. I had hoped to meet you one day … and under much better circumstances. Billy … he had told us about your … your wanting to build a Marina and maybe add another slick race car track and some other things to Four Corners.

“Well, as a banker, I … I, ahh, I had put together a consortium of investors that I … that I wanted to present to you to see … if you would consider joining forces to further along those ideas into fruition.

“Billy … he kind of indicated that you were overwhelmed with all of your other projects and … and you didn’t always have the time to focus on everything you had planning in the back of your mind.

“I had hoped to present you with this … this group of investors … who have access to engineering, architectural and construction companies along with their own investment monies that could maybe help you push these projects along and maybe … over the finish line.

“I hope I didn’t overstep my invitation to your wonderful home, by being so forward, Mr. Ken, ahh Ken. I, ahh, I just took the opportunity you presented and … well, went with it,” apologized Levi Golderson.

Ken Thomas sat back in his chair behind his desk and inwardly smiled. He did indeed open the door and let the man step in, and he made his pitch, and a good one at that. He and his lawyer, Bill Jackson, talked about his need to involve other investors, on his endeavors, and let them take on some of the headaches, as long as he was the eventual title holder at the end.

By then, Mr. Chris and Mr. Wayne had come into the Study and they heard some of what Levi had said. So, Mr. Ken asked his two employees what they thought of Levi Golderson’s presentation.

Hearing that question threw Levi for a loop. He, at first, was surprised that Mr. Ken allowed his employees to arrive and sit in while they talked, and, now, he was asking them their opinion on what he thought was a private conversation. He didn’t know what to think.

“Mr. Ken,” began Mr. Chris, “it sure would take a lot off your shoulders, and allow you to focus on your primary interests, while letting you continue to develop some of those ideas you have, such as the Marina.”

“I have to agree with Chris, Mr. Ken,” started out Mr. Wayne. “You’ve been too stressed out as of late, with the amusement parks, the boys, the move to the new office building, and now, the hiring of two new employees. Getting investors involved, would let them take the lead over the projects, then you can take the accolades and the profits.” Now laughed the Estate Master.

Levi Golderson inwardly made a sigh of relief. The men were onboard and after hearing what they had to say, he figured Ken bounced ideas off of them all the time, to get some feedback, to make sure he wasn’t going off the deep end.

“There you have it, Levi. It seems like we have a consensus that the presentation was a good one. What I don’t have right now is the time to sit down and discuss it in depth. As you heard, I am getting ready to do some hiring and I have interviews set up for next Tuesday. Then myself, and three of the boys … we will be gone most of next week, beginning Tuesday night.

“Then, in a week or so, the boys and I will be going on a nine- or ten-day trip to visit my amusement parks, and I hope to take Mark with us. And you know what? You should consider going along with us. It will give you a well needed break, and time to be with your son, and … it will give me a third adult for the hotel room. Think about it. We won’t leave for about ten days,” finished Mr. Ken.

The soccer team players had begun to arrive and the guards didn’t know anything about them, so they called Mr. Wayne. Luckily, he remembered what his boss told everyone yesterday, so he told Mr. Ken his ‘soccer team’ was at the Main Gate. Mr. Ken laughed as he had forgotten they would be there, so he excused himself and went to go up there.

Levi wanted to go along, and so did Mr. Wayne, because he knew he’d be involved somewhere along the way. The three men arrived at the Main Gate and there was some loud shouting going on outside. Mr. Ken didn’t like what he was hearing, so he went outside.

“Please, please hold it down. I told you I had security guards, and since they don’t know you, they would not let you in. Now … that I am here will the coach please come over. Coach, will you verify who are the players, and their parents, and the guards will allow them into the estate.

“Parents … you can drive your vehicle into the estate and park along the side of the grass and driveway, but do not drive over to the soccer field. Wayne, please call Bill to come over to the driveway and ask him to be the parking attendant,” directed Mr. Ken.

Mr. Ken explained to Levi why there was such a disarray up at the Main Gate. And while they were there, he made sure the man was in the database and then he explained the reason for that. He also introduced him to the guards and explained that he would be an extended guest for at least four weeks and told them to add that piece of information to their report and their relief.

Mark joined his teammates out on the soccer field. They had a full soccer pitch to work on and for that the coach was extremely grateful, even if it had a slight slope. He set out his cones and had them go through their drills and ball handling exercises.

Wyatt, Dominic, Nathan, Grant, Blake and a few other eleven-year-olds watched the team practice. Wyatt then walked over to Mark and asked him if he thought his team might want someone to play against. So, Mark went over to his coach and told him what his friends asked.

The coach thought about that, and then called the older boys over and asked them if they would play against his team, but not overpower them as they were only nine- and ten-year-old’s and they needed to see if their skills were honed enough.

Wyatt got Nicholas, Andrew, Landon, Eli, Noah and Max to join himself, Dominic, Grant, Blake and Nathan to play against Mark’s soccer team. They played so that the Mark’s team could try their plays and see if their ball handling skills were good enough against an unknown opponent.

The coach saw where his team was deficient and was glad the other boys volunteered to play against his team, before their first game that Saturday. He knew he had tomorrow, Friday, to work on their skills and ball passing and some plays.

When practice was over, the boys and girls wanted to go over and look at the Cove Skate Park. But it was six o’clock and they saw all the other kids walking over to the Main Gate and they asked them why. The soccer players learned that was when the Covers ate dinner and they had to leave. The boys and girls were disappointed they didn’t get to look at the Cove Skate Park.

It took a little longer for the team to leave than Mr. Ken expected it would. The coach talked to the parents and a few of the players and then the parents had to drive out of the estate. He told himself he didn’t need to stay there to make sure they left, and that tomorrow he’d just tell the coach to make sure everyone did leave, and not walk around the estate as the guards would stop them and they would not be allowed back.

Dinner was served in the Dining Room because there were now nine people in attendance with the addition of Levi Golderson. Mark made sure he was seated next to his dad.

Momma served one of her famous Mexican dinners and no one came away from the dinner table hungry. She even had one of her wonderful Mexican desserts that was sweet, crispy and full of flavor.

One of the things that surprised Levi was that when dinner was over, the boys helped clean off the dinner table without prompting from any of the adults. Then, the boys set out dessert plates and tableware, while Momma brought in hot coffee and cups for the adults. What also caught Levi as unusual was that Mr. Ken asked Momma to sit and have dessert with them.

Levi Golderson also liked the conversation at the table that night. With nine people there, they all had something to say about their day and in particular what they expected to do with the sleepover tomorrow. Of course, the sleepover was the main topic that evening.

It was while they were getting ready to eat dessert that Mr. Ken’s cell phone rang. It was the security guard telling him there was a man at the Main Gate saying he was there to change Mr. Golderson’s wound dressings. Mr. Ken told him to let the man in.

Mr. Wayne heard what the conversation was about, so he and Levi went to the Foyer Door to meet the man. When the medical technician arrived, the three men went up to Levi’s bedroom to allow the man to change the dressing.

After they finished their dessert, the Covers all retired to the Study where they were going to be short of chairs when Levi joined him after he was finished having his dressings changed. Robert and Charles went out to the MRS Room to get the extra chairs.

When Levi Golderson did join the group, Mr. Ken explained to Levi that virtually every night they come to his Study to talk about their day, and what is in store for the next few days or weeks. He told him to sit back and watch.

Mr. Ken reminded the boys with the sleepover scheduled for tomorrow, they needed to get with Momma first thing in the morning and make the list of things they needed to get and then make sure at least three boys went with her to buy it all. Mr. Wayne quickly spoke up and added he wanted two boys to go with him to get the sodas for the entire weekend.

‘Dad’ Ken asked the boys to choose a movie to show out on the Patio, and to decide if they would show it before or after they swim. He then remembered, because they decided on the sleepover so late, that they hadn’t ordered a cake for tomorrow. He told Wayne to just buy a bunch of different things for the boys to have.

‘Dad’ Ken continued and told the boys that next week he would interview people for the part-time position and that he, Robert, Kevin and Kyle would leave Tuesday evening for Bandera. He told them he hoped to be back Friday night. He added he did not know if they would have to return the following week. He added for them to just stay tuned.

‘Dad’ Ken reminded the boys their trip was still on hold until the trial was over. He also told the boys that when they returned from their trip, he’d take them all out for new school clothes, and also get them their bus schedules and lunch passes. He said he’d try to get those this Monday if they were available. He told Wayne to ask Chris to make that call tomorrow to find out when they could get them.

The man also told the boys that Bill was still recovering from his injuries and he would not be riding any of the roller coasters or rides that would jostle his innards, so for them not to plan on him riding with them. Robert asked if Collin was joining them. All the teen’s dad could tell the boys was that, because of their fluid plans, Collin couldn’t commit until he knew their schedule.

‘Dad’ Ken then asked the boys to figure out how many boys would be at the sleepover tomorrow night. After a few minutes, Bill told Mr. Ken that there would be fifty-one boys spending the night. Levi laughed that the man would let that many boys spend the night.

“Just wait and see how this all comes together, Levi,” said Mr. Ken. “The boys have done this a few times before, so, they almost have it down to a science.”

The boys got to talking about the soccer practice, how Wyatt and the other boys went out there and practiced against them, and that the coach saw he needed to work on some things. Bill told Mr. Ken, that he was working on making the Game Elimination Charts readable and up-to-date, and would have them done by Saturday. Then all the boys added their little tidbit of what happened during the day.

Mark added that his friends would be coming over tomorrow for the sleepover. He told them that Mrs. Wrockman would be bringing Kieran, and his brother Reese, and Corey, Dana and Tanner and he couldn’t wait to see how this huge sleepover works.

Mark said he was looking forward to everything Billy had told him about the sleepover, including the movie night, swimming and having the midnight snack. All the boys laughed at hearing the way Mark was so enthusiastic about the sleepover.

The boys then asked if they could go up and skate under the lights. ‘Dad’ Ken said they could and he would be up there in a little bit to watch them. Mr. Wayne said he’d head on home then, since he would be spending the night tomorrow, and while his boss was gone next week. Mr. Wayne then reminded Levi that the medical technician would be there about 10 a.m. to change his dressings. The Estate Master then said goodbye and left for the night.

Mr. Ken drove Levi up to the Cove Skate Park to give him a firsthand look at it and the Pavilion. The man had seen the pictures Billy showed him, but seeing the actual thing was so much better for him. The man walked all around the skate course and commented that it was so much better than what the boys had near them.

When the guest saw the Pavilion, he couldn’t believe its size and then he realized that with all the boys he saw using the Cove Skate Park when he arrived, he knew that was what they needed to house them all if it rained and when they cooked the burgers and dogs as Billy called them.

Billy came over to his former foster dad and asked him if he had any questions. Mr. Ken let the teenager show the man around, while he went out and watched the other boys do their tricks on the obstacles in the Cove Skate Park.

Levi let Billy show him everything about the Pavilion including the restrooms, closet and storage room. Billy told the man about the huge TV up in the rafters and the new soda vending machine that Mark suggested they get instead of icing down the sodas every day.

About nine o’clock, Mr. Ken told the boys to turn off the lights, head on down to the house and up to their bedrooms. He told them he would be up to talk to them soon.

On the golf cart drive down to the house, Levi told him how Billy looked forward to his evening one-on-one talks. Mr. Ken said he knew the boys liked it, as it gave them some special time with him apart from their ‘brothers’. Mr. Ken told him that even the twins go out of the room while the other one talks with him, because they cherish that special time.

Levi asked his host if he thought that nine o’clock was too early for the boys to be made to go to bed. But Mr. Ken told his guest that he doesn’t make them go to bed, he just asks them to start relaxing, so when they do decide to lie down, they are ready to fall asleep.

Mr. Ken started at Bill’s room that evening. They talked about what Doctor Powers said about his internal injuries and how long it would take before he would be back to normal. Billy was optimistic about his recovery, while Mr. Ken told him not to rush it.

Robert, Charles, Kevin, Kyle and then Matthew were visited in order. Mark was last that night.

When Mr. Ken entered Mark’s room, the boy had hoped his dad would be with the man. The youngster told his foster dad that he had hoped that when they go back to living together that he could get his dad to talk to him at night instead of his mom. He explained that she came up to see him every night, but he liked what he did here, and he hoped his dad would continue it when he goes home.

Mr. Ken told Mark that he needed to talk to his dad and tell him what he liked about the one-on-one talks, and that he wanted his dad to do that with him and not his mom. Mr. Ken did warn him that in The Cove, there were no moms, and so his mom may still want to have that special time with him, too.

Mark said he never looked at it that way, but that he liked what his ‘big brother’ told him about the talks he had with him before bed, and it felt so special and personal. Mark said he’d talk to his dad while they were there. Mark then hugged Mr. Ken and then told him goodnight.

When Mr. Ken went out into the hallway, he was surprised that Levi was out there. The man had been listening to their ‘private’ talk, and asked him to go to his room and talk to him about it.

Levi told Ken that Billy told them about the talks and he wanted to know what he said to the boys, which was why he listened into his talk with his son and not to other boys. Mr. Ken told his guest that there was no secret to what he did.

The owner of The Cove said he wanted to give each boy some time alone with him to talk about anything that might be on their mind that they might not want the other boys to hear or know about. He wanted each boy to know he cared about them even if they were one of six other boys in the ‘family’.

Mr. Ken told Levi that if he heard what his son said, then he knew he needed to make an effort to establish what he has with his ‘boys’. He told his guest there was no magic to what he does. That all Levi needed to do was just talk to Mark and let the conversation take them where they wanted it to.

Mr. Ken wished the man a good night’s sleep and told him that breakfast was by nine and to strip his bed before he came down, or to ask Mark to do it for him. Mr. Ken then walked out of the room and went down to his own private retreat to go to bed.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhound at CastleRoland dot Net

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