Published: 15 Jun 2023
From The Previous Chapter:
When Mr. Ken came into the Kitchen Nook, he said hello to his employees, then he got a fresh cup of coffee. And before starting any conversations with Wayne and Chris, he called his office to tell Rosemary that he would not be at the office until after he met with Ben and Jackie at Four Corners for lunch.
He told her he had some issues at home he needed to address and that she should only call him if there were ‘world ending’ issues his other businesses couldn’t handle. Rosemary said she understood what he wanted her to do.
Mr. Ken then walked with Collin out to the teen’s car. The two talked some, shared a hug and then Collin drove out the Main Gate. The Easter weekend was over for the Covers and their week had just begun.
“I didn’t know Collin was coming by this weekend,” spoke up Chris, when Mr. Ken came back into the Kitchen Nook.
“Well, it was the Easter weekend, and … well … he didn’t want to be alone this weekend, so … so he came here to be with his ‘family’” answered Mr. Ken.
“Guys, let’s fill up our coffee cups and head to my Study and let’s talk about those issues that need my attention,” announced Mr. Ken, as he went over and filled up his own coffee cup and then walked back towards his Study.
Over at the school, Phillip, as soon as he walked off the school bus, was inundated with questions about what happened at The Cove on Saturday. His classmates wanted to know if he knew that man, Rafael Ruiz, that they arrested at The Cove after the Easter Egg Roll on Saturday, and if he knew that was the man who attacked his mom.
And it just wasn’t his own classmates. Other students, from other grades, were also there asking him questions about Rafael Ruiz and Phillip was being overwhelmed. The Cover’s friends saw what was happening, so Preston hurried and found Charles while Bryson went inside the school to get Mr. Chassen, the acting Principal. Westin stayed with Phillip.
“Hey, leave my ‘brother’ alone. Let him answer one question at a time,” yelled out Charles, as he and his friends quickly came up to the large crowd surrounding the youngest Cover.
“What is it that you want to know?” now demanded Charles.
As the older Cover was asking the question, Bryson and Mr. Chassen came hurrying out to the group, and the man demanded, “What’s going on out here? Why are you badgering Phillip about what happened at Three Finger Cove over the weekend?”
One brave student called out, “Because there has to be more to it than them just arresting those men. Why were they there? And why is Phillip in the foster care system?”
Charles got pissed at the last question and turned in the direction the question came from and said, “Why anyone is in the foster care system is none of YOUR business! And what you saw on the news is exactly what happened.”
“But why was that guy there? And, did he know Phillip?” came back the question from the nosey student.
“That will be enough!” ordered Mr. Chassen, and the students stopped badgering Phillip and stepped aside for the acting principal, as he walked over to the young Cover.
“We all saw what was on the news … and heard what Mr. Thomas said as he responded to the reporter’s questions. Now … if there is any more news to be reported … it will come out if and when those men are prosecuted. Now, break this up, as the first bell is about to ring,” ordered the principal, and the students began walking away.
Just then the first bell did ring, and Phillip yelled out to Charles, as the teen walked away, “Thank you for coming over to help me, Charles!” Charles waved back to his ‘brother’ and continued to walk away with his friends.
Back at The Cove, when the owner of The Cove, with his fresh cup of coffee in hand sat at his desk, he picked up his phone and called Doctor Doug’s office. The receptionist answered and he told her what he needed. The two Estate employees arrived a few moments later with their own cups of fresh hot coffee, and sat down just as their boss was making an appointment for the Friday before The Cove’s Memorial Day Picnic.
“The boys’ antics, or this weekend’s happenings sending you back to see Doctor Doug, are they?” teased Mr. Chris.
When Mr. Ken got off the phone with the receptionist, Mr. Ken told the men about Collin’s surprise arrival at The Cove Friday night and his somewhat fragile state of mind being all alone during a major Holiday and his need to be with ‘family’. He added that the appointment with Doctor Doug was for Collin for when he came back the day before the Memorial Day Picnic.
The two men looked at one another and didn’t say a word. The both knew that Collin was their employer’s first foster son and that the two had a special bond between them. They also knew that the man would do whatever he could to ensure the teen would continue to have a happy life and a supportive ‘family’, now that all of his real family were gone.
“So, Collin … he’ll be back with us for the Picnic?” asked Wayne.
“Yes, his last sophomore semester will be over by then and … well, he wants to celebrate, you know, and let his hair down with his ‘brothers’. I also talked him into sitting down with Doctor Doug while he is here.
“He needs … well, I think … I think it is essential that he talks to someone, other than me, who understands what he’s been through. Someone who can continue to guide him through the rough times he’s been through, along with what’s happened since, you know, since his Grammy has passed away,” explained Mr. Ken.
The two men nodded in agreement. Mr. Chris then mentioned something about the excitement that happened at The Cove on Saturday, with the arrest of Rafael Ruiz and two of his cohorts after the Easter Egg Roll. He then asked what was their disposition.
Mr. Ken told them that from what he learned from Dan, they would be arraigned that morning and he wouldn’t know until later in the day. The three men then got down to discussing the issues that necessitated Mr. Ken’s presence at The Cove that morning.
“Gentlemen, I think we have a number of issues to discuss this morning, so what say we get to it, huh?” stated Mr.Ken.
“Chris, what did you find out about Bill’s mom? Did you locate where she is and what we need to do in order to deposit money into her prison account?” was the first issue Mr. Ken addressed.
Mr. Chris took out a folder from the briefcase the boys had gotten him two Christmases ago, looked though it and read from his notes. “Mr. Ken … I know where she is housed, as they call it. I have the address and driving directions for you. (Mr. Chris passed a sheet of paper over to his employer.) And since Bill is under eighteen, you will have to accompany him when he meets with his mother. It is required by law, so you will at least get to meet her. (Chris chuckled at what he said.)
“As for depositing money into her, what they call her Trust Fund Account, you first have to establish with her that she knows about it coming. Then, once she is aware of the funds being sent to her, and the amount, then you can send a one-time stipend, or a regular amount. It has to go through the Inmate Trust Fund system located in Huntsville and from there it somehow winds up in the prisoner’s account. I have the details in my folder. Some of the ways you can send money do charge a fee, so we’ll need to sit down and figure out what you want to do, how much you want send and how you want it to happen,” explained Chris Dominions.
“Great work, Chris. Thank you! When Bill and I visit his mom on Sunday, we’ll tell her what we plan to do and then she’ll know about the money. Did you include the visiting hours? And is there a limit to the amount of money we can send, Chris?” asked Mr. Ken.
“Visiting hours where Ms. Dirketson is housed are until 5 p.m. on Sundays, so depending on how long Bill wants to spend with his mom should determine when you want to start driving. As for how much you can send Amelia, well, they would like the inmates to have no more than $120.00 per month sent to them. But they do have a limit of up to $200.00 per month that can be deposited in their Inmate Trust Fund,” responded the Estate Manager.
“I guess that would also go for putting money into Robert’s mom’s account too, then? Can you get her information for me, as well? Robert will probably want to visit her before we go on our trip. OK, what else do you have for me?” was Mr. Ken’s next question for his Estate Manager.
“Well, if you remember from last year, there was a little light hearted discussion about the possibility of extending the 4th of July Carnival to two days. Have you thought any more about doing that? If you want to do that, now is the time to make that decision.
“I’ve already checked with the ride’s operator … he’s told me he has the availability to be here for that extra day. As a matter of fact, he says that would be a perfect fit for him. As for the church groups, a number of them said they’d love to be there and can set up and work both days. A few of the others aren’t sure if they can get enough of their members to work both days seeing both days are at the beginning of the work week and the people must be at their jobs. But at least you’d have food available for both days from some of the churches.
“Another decision you’d have to make is how would you control the distribution of tickets. Would people be able to come both days? And … are you willing to pay for two days of amusement rides and make that big of a donation to the church groups for the two days? The amusements operator said the second day would only cost you 85% and then you probably have to figure at least twice what you usually give to the churches,” finished Mr. Chris.
Mr. Wayne spoke up just then and asked his employer if he thought about the numbers of people who were now coming to the free Carnival. The Estate Master mentioned what happened on Saturday with the added families that came to the Easter Egg Roll and that with the word getting out about the Carnival being free and with free food he should expect an increase there too,
The Estate Master continued and reminded Mr. Ken about what he said about next year’s Easter Egg Roll and maybe limiting it to just local families, and/or lowering the age groups, or maybe moving it to someplace where there was more space and then someone suggested the soccer fields down by Four Corners.
Mr. Ken said he remembered that there were many more people there this year than ever before and that he might have to either reduce who could attend, or find another venue. The owner of The Cove then thanked Wayne for his forward thinking about the 4th of July Carnival. He said he never thought about the added crowds last year and if he extended the Carnival, it would undoubtedly invite more and more people.
Mr. Ken said he created the 4th of July Carnival mainly for the local community and he never thought that it would grow as big as it had. He thought out loud that he might have to start charging a fee for outsiders to attend, or limit it to people with certain addresses. Then he added that it alone could, or would, cause even more problems with checking people at the Main Gate, and maybe more.
The three men brainstormed the pros and cons about the ramifications of adding the second day to the 4th of July Carnival. They discussed, at length, the points Mr. Ken, himself, brought up and in the end, Mr. Ken decided to go ahead and add the second day and see what happens.
Mr. Ken then told his Estate Manager to obtain an up-to-date mailing address list for what he considers are their local communities. The man explained that, thinking outside of the box, they may want to mail them how to get their FREE passes to the 4th of July Carnival, while everyone else would have to pay a nominal fee of something like $10.00 per person to attend.
Mr. Ken told Chris and Wayne that it might reduce the number of people who attend the Carnival, and even if it doesn’t the money will go to the charities the carnival supports. The man added they would also need to start advertising about two weeks before the carnival, so people know they would need to bring the exact amount and nothing over a $20.00 bill to gain admission.
The men brainstormed how they would handle the distribution of the FREE passes and the collection of the money at the Main Gate. They also discussed how they would handle the people using the Cove Skate Park. Mr. Ken decided they would use those colored wrist bands and no one would use the Cove Skate Park without one.
Mr. Ken then told Chris that he had to be there this year, as an observer, so they could compare notes and decide what they should do the following year, if he decided to continue to have the carnival. Both employees looked to one another in surprise.
Mr. Ken, continuing his discussion about the 4th of July Carnival, asked Chris about the fireworks contractor and if there were any problems from that end. The Estate Manager said that the fireworks contractor was already getting the permits for the 4th and reserving the barge. Mr. Chris said the only problem that he could foresee would be if it rained. Mr. Ken told him, “Bite your tongue!” All three men laughed.
The men took a break to fill their coffee cups and get one of Momma’s famous sweet cakes. Mr. Ken also called the office to find out if there was anything pressing while he was gone. All Rosemary did was remind him that Ben and Jackie would meet him at the Four Corners Restaurant at twelve noon for lunch to discuss the train and rides there.
When the three men met back in the Study, the owner of The Cove asked, “Wayne, aren’t the water craft supposed to be picked up this morning to be serviced?”
“Yes, sir, I made the arrangements last week for them to be picked up this morning. And they are supposed to be returned by Friday, all ready to go for the summer,” answered the Estate Master.
“And what about Phillip’s glasses? When will you pick those up?” asked Mr. Ken.
“Well, we ordered them last Thursday. The doctor told me he’d call me if they came in early, but we should expect them by Wednesday,” answered Wayne Mitchell, the Estate Master. “I’ll take Phillip over there after school and have the doctor adjust them for the boy.”
At the school, during the morning break, Phillip not only got the chance to tell his friends about his new cell phone, but he showed it to them as well. He told them that his older ‘brother’ Charles teased him that his phone was better than the one he had. The Cover added that Robert told him that they got their phones well before he did and he just got a later model and that Charles was just having some fun with him.
Phillip then told them that when he went down to the Great Room, to see what the Easter Bunny brought him, that there sat this standard size guitar that Mr. Ken had gotten him. He told them he was totally surprised at the gift and that he never would ever have thought he would get one.
When Phillip told his friends about the guitar, they asked him why Mr. Ken had gotten him that. The Cover then told them that when his mom was attacked the people had trashed their apartment and they also broke his guitar, so his foster dad knew he was disappointed at not having one, so he got one for him.
Phillip then told them that at breakfast that morning Mr. Ken told him that if he wanted to have some guitar lessons that he knew of a man who could come by The Cove after school or on Saturday morning. The Cover told his friends that he said he didn’t care when the man came and that just getting the lessons would be worth it whenever he came. His friends were all happy for him.
Westin then told Phillip that he played the guitar, too, but not all that good, but that maybe he could bring his over sometime and they could try to play together. Phillip said that sounded like it would be fun and they could see if they knew the same songs.
It was then Phillip noticed a new face out in the schoolyard. He asked his friends if they knew who he was. Bryson said the new boy’s name was Jeffrey. He added that he likes to be called Jeff, and that they just moved into the area last week because his dad’s job transferred him to the area.
Phillip said they should go over and talk to him and make him feel welcome. He told them if Mr. Ken hadn’t introduced him to them the night before he came to school, he’d bet he’d feel just like Jeff looks like right now. Phillip walked right over to the new student.
“Hi … my name’s Phillip, most of my friends call me Phil, and I was a new student here about three weeks ago, so I know what you’re probably feeling like right about now. These are my friends Preston and Westin and this is Bryson who is in your class. What’s your name?” asked the Cover.
“Oh, ahh, yea, I am new here at the school. And thanks for coming over. I’m Jeffrey, Jeffrey Jenkins, but I like to be called Jeff,” said the new boy, who held out his hand to shake Phillip’s.
The five boys talked and Phillip told Jeff about his new cell phone and guitar and while he did that, he made sure to put his new friend’s cell numbers into the phone. He even got Jeffrey’s number. But the morning break was over before the five boys got to know very much about one another and they all agreed to meet for lunch.
Back at The Cove, Mr. Ken asked Wayne if he and Dennis had made any progress in finding matching patio furniture for the Pavilion and Cove Skate Park areas. Wayne was honest and said they hadn’t put much effort into that, but that they had gone out and they had looked. Mr. Ken asked him to make it a priority that week and get the new furniture in place for the Memorial Day Picnic.
Mr. Ken also asked him if he had gotten with Robert about getting something to put on the concrete benches out on the Cove Skate Park. Again, Wayne said he hadn’t done that, but when he sees the teenager after school, he will talk to him about it.
As the men continued to discuss what types and how much of the new patio furniture would be bought that spring for the Cove Skate Park and Pavilion areas, Mr. Chris took notes. He wanted to know what the large credit card bill was all about when it came across his desk in the following month.
Mr. Ken then asked his two employees what they thought he should do about hiring managers for the car wash and boat storage facilities and who they should report to.
Both the Estate Manager and Master agreed that they should not be involved with either of those endeavors. They indicated they had their hands full with their responsibilities at The Cove and couldn’t be running back and forth to the car wash or boat storage area every time something went wrong.
The men asked if Ms. Jackie, Jacqueline Kromiere, his Projects Manager, wouldn’t be a good choice to start. They argued that she wasn’t so busy that she didn’t have the time to supervise the projects, as they were brand new facilities and the new hires should be made responsible for learning the ins and outs of their operations and shouldn’t be bothering her unless it was a breakdown of equipment or a financial emergency.
Mr. Ken listened to their arguments and played devil’s advocate against their proposal. He thought that a man should be the supervisor, but he didn’t know who within his organization of businesses would be the best fit. He told them he had a few months to figure that all out and he would bring that question up to his other business managers.
The men also suggested asking Dennis if he knew of any retired military men who might be looking for a job that wouldn’t be too strenuous and not take up too much of their time. They figured, like what Dennis did at The Cove, the car wash and boat storage wouldn’t require them to be there a full eight hours a day.
Their employer told them that it was a good idea as he already used retired men to operate and maintain the go-karts for him. He said that when he built the track, he figured that retired men would be a good fit there as it would give them a place to go, to get out from under the wife’s feet, and earn some money as well. Chris and Wayne smiled at that.
The men then discussed the summer trip that would begin that Saturday after school was over for the year. Mr. Ken did tell the men that Bill would be involved in the trial for Bennett Grafflers and Weston Thrumble, two of the men who invaded the Golderson’s home, which would begin in about two weeks. He told them that he hoped the trial wouldn’t be a protracted one, otherwise the trip would be delayed.
He also said that Kaden Styles would be tried in Juvenile Court and wasn’t sure if Bill would be required to testify there, or not. He told them that his phone call with DA George Morris sort of indicated that he made a deal with Kaden’s mom to have her son tried as a juvenile and that maybe there was an agreed outcome already on the table. But he added he wasn’t sure, and that if Bill had to testify the trip may have to be delayed for that.
At lunchtime at the school, Phillip and his friends made sure to meet up with Jeffrey before they all went through the line. But Jeffrey’s parents, they were in such a hurry to get him registered and off to their jobs, that had forgotten to get him his lunch pass and so he didn’t have enough money on him to pay for lunch.
Phillip told him that Mr. Ken put extra money on his lunch card for times like this, and he could pay for his lunch today. Jeffrey didn’t want Phillip to pay for his lunch. The new student told him he would just go without. But Phillip told him he needed something to eat otherwise he would be distracted in school all afternoon.
Jeffrey reluctantly went through the line with his new friends and the five of them sat together eating their lunch. They talked about what they liked to do and Jeff asked them what there was to do in the area. The boys told him about the large lake and the things that he could do there, the Lakeside Water Park, the Go-Kart Track and Miniature Golf Course, to name a few.
They asked Jeffrey what his parents did that they had to move here. The new boy said his mom was a secretary and was interviewing today for a job and that his dad was a Vice-President of a manufacturing company that produced circuit boards.
“What does your dad do, Phillip?” innocently asked Jeffrey.
Preston, Bryson and Weston all looked at one another and then to Phillip to see how he was going to answer Jeffrey’s question.
“Ahh, Jeff … Mr. Ken … he’s … he’s my foster dad. My mom … she was attacked a few weeks back and … well, I’ve been living with him and my ‘brothers’ ever since,” was how the Cover answered Jeffrey’s question, without revealing the real reason for him living with Mr. Ken.
“Your brothers. How many brothers do you have and are you all living with this Mr. Ken?” now asked Jeffrey.
“I have four ‘brothers’ and yes, we all live with Mr. Ken. Where else would we live?” replied Phillip.
Preston saw how this question-and-answer back-and-forth was going to end up and figured he better step in and straighten it out before Jeffrey got thoroughly confused.
“Jeffrey, Jeff … you see, ahh Phillip … he’s in the foster care system and … ahh, he lives with Mr. Ken at Three Finger Cove and the other boys there … ahh, they call one another ‘brother’. He has no other biological brothers.
“Mr. Ken … you see … he has two sons of his own and there are two other foster boys there; Billy who is sixteen, I think, and Matthew who is twelve. Those are the ‘brothers’ he is talking about.”
“Oh, sorry, Jeff,” began Phillip, “I forgot you don’t know about The Cove and Mr. Ken and … well, my situation.”
“It sounds complicated,” offered Jeffrey. “And, what is this … this Cove you mentioned?”
“Yea, I guess to someone new, like you, it does sound complicated,” apologized Phillip, “but once you get to see everything, you’ll understand.”
“Oh, and it’s The Cove … it’s the name people use as a shortened version of Three Finger Cove. That’s where he lives, Jeff,” answered Preston.
“Yea, that does sound complicated. It sounds like he lives in a … I don’t know … like in a group home or maybe a big mansion or estate, since you say it’s on the lake,” added a still confused Jeffrey.
The five friends went outside to talk and help clear up Jeffrey’s idea of where Phillip lives and while they were out there Charles came by to see if anybody was bothering his ‘brother’ anymore about Rafael Ruiz.
“Charles, I want you to meet my new friend, Jeffrey. He’s a new student. He just came here this morning. Jeff, this is, Charles. He’s one of my ‘brothers’ at The Cove. He’s one of Mr. Ken’s sons,” was how the young Cover introduced the two boys to one another.
“Ahh, Charles … I ahh, I have a sister here in the eighth grade. Her name is Jordyn. Have you met her yet?” asked Jeffrey.
“No, I haven’t, Jeff, but I’ll look around for her, now that I know she is new here. Thanks,” responded the Cover teenager as he walked away.
As Charles walked away, Jeffrey asked Phillip, “Phil … ahh, what does your Mr. Ken do for a living?”
“Well, he owns the Go-Kart Track, Miniature Golf Course and an apartment complex at Four Corners and he is building the new car wash, a boat storage lot and the marina at Four Corners,” proudly stated the young Cover.
“Yea, and he also owns the hotel and the eight-story office building out at the far end of the lake,” piped up Preston.
“And doesn’t he also own some … I mean a few amusement parks?” asked Bryson.
“Yea, he does. He owns four amusement parks,” replied Phillip, “and we’re going to be visiting them once school is over.”
As the boys talked, Phillip told his friends that Mr. Ken took them out to the shooting range and he got to shoot a .22LR pistol. He also told them that Mr. Dan, who is a Sheriff’s Lieutenant was also there and he gave him some instruction on how better to handle and aim the gun.
The Cover’s friends asked him what it was like shooting the gun, and Phillip told them all about his sending one hundred rounds down range. After telling them about that, he then told them about Mr. Ken taking them to see his three on-going projects, so they knew what he was presently building.
Just as the boys were asking the young Cover questions about what he did on Sunday, the bell rang signaling that their lunch period was over and they all had to file back into the school and their homerooms. They said they’d all catch up with one another tomorrow.
Mr. Ken met with Ben Walthers, his Three Finger Entertainment, LLC, President and Jackie Kromiere, his Projects Manager, for lunch at the Four Corners Restaurant. They sat in Mr. Ken’s corner that his restaurant manager, Mr. Ed, had reserved for him.
The three talked about Ken Thomas’ plans with the open space he had between the Go-Kart Track and the Miniature Golf Course. The owner of the area was disappointed that he wouldn’t get the train installed that summer, but he was interested in what family and children’s rides Ben had contracted for and where he had planned to install them.
The three also talked about the electrical and plumbing needs, the permitting process and what type of employees they would need to staff the rides and food kiosks they also planned to place in the area. It was a very productive meeting. Mr. Ken picked up the tab and gratuity.
As the three walked around the area where Mr. Ken mentioned that he wanted at least a 70-passenger 15- or 16-inch gauge miniature train to go around the Go-Kart Track and Miniature Golf Course. Ms. Jackie, the Projects Manager, pointed out where she would like to position the train station, a tunnel, a turn-out service line for when they needed to perform maintenance on the trains and rolling stock, and a few other interesting items for the passengers to look at as they rode the train around the area.
As the three walked around the entire complex that would encompass the entire layout of the track, Mr. Ken began to envision other aspects he wanted to include. He told Jackie to get with the Construction Group and have the surveyors come out and plan the layout and determine if any place required a bridge, and if so, have them design and plan its installation or get with a company that does that type of work.
Mr. Ken also had a few other aspects he wanted to have added to the scenery as the train traveled around the track. Ms. Jackie smiled as she wrote them all down. She was extremely happy he added them, as she had been afraid to add too much because of the cost. Now she knew the Four Corners miniature train would be a top-notch amusement ride that rivaled many when it was completed by late next spring.
When Dennis Florkert, the Cove’s part-time employee, and Assistant Estate Manager, arrived for work that Monday, Wayne sat down with him and told him that Mr. Ken wanted them to make it a priority and get working on purchasing the additional patio furniture and umbrellas for the Pavilion and Cove Skate Park areas.
The Estate Master added that they had to have it there for the Memorial Day Picnic and they should plan to go out today, but no later than tomorrow and try to match what they already had, but to also not buy too much.
Mr. Dennis heard what Wayne had to say, but he wanted to talk about what happened at The Cove on Saturday. Wayne told him it was a non-issue as the man, Rafael Ruiz, somehow learned that was where Philip was living and showed up. Wayne continued and told Dennis that when they learned he was there, the security guards rounded up his associates, and when the Sheriff’s Deputies arrived the two groups rounded up Rafael and took him away.
Dennis asked if the man’s presence interrupted the Easter Egg Roll and if the parents and children were in any danger. Wayne told him they didn’t even know what was happening until they saw Rafael being arrested. The Estate Master told Dennis that was where all the video came from as the Easter Egg Roll was over and the children were checking their eggs when they saw the Deputies and security guards taking an apprehended Ruiz up to the Main Gate.
Wayne then reminded Dennis that Phillip would see Doctor Doug tomorrow and Bill on Thursday, and he would be taking Phillip to get his glasses when they came in that week. He also said he thought Phillip had a dental appointment that week, but would have to check with Mr. Ken on that.
The two men then decided to head out and start looking at the patio furniture as the rest of the week sounded full for them and that was the best day to get that project finished if they could.
When the three finished their inspection of the Four Corners area for the new amusement train and family and children’s rides, Mr. Ken called Rosemary to find out what was happening at the office and if there was anything he needed to come in for. She told him there wasn’t anything pressing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
Rosemary did tell him that one of his marina investors, Jasper Bentson, made an appointment to see him at ten o’clock tomorrow. Mr. Ken thanked her for that piece of information and told her he would be in first thing in the morning. Mr. Ken then decided to head back home.
The boys were thrilled that their ‘dad’ was there when they got home from school. They talked with him some, but they then headed up to their rooms to start their homework, as they waited for their older ‘brothers’ to get home from high school.
Mr. Ken joined the five boys as they ate their after-school snack. Momma Maria was thrilled to have the man there with the boys, as she also missed having her boss there ever since he began working out of his office at his new office building out at the lake.
While the Covers were all there, she told them that she was watching the weather and when the air was warm enough to eat outside, she was going to enlist Bill’s help and she was going try to, during the week, to have an occasional meal up at the Pavilion. Mr. Ken and the boys thought that was a great idea as they all enjoyed what Bill and her did last year when Bill suggested it after returning from living with the Golderson’s.
After dinner, ‘dad’ Ken met with the boys and Mr. Wayne in his Study. He reminded Phillip that he had an appointment with Doctor Doug tomorrow and Bill had one on Thursday. He also told Phillip that after he saw Doctor Doug, he was supposed to go to the dentist to have a cavity filled. He also told the boy that his glasses were due in sometime that week.
Mr. Ken also told the boys with the Memorial Day Picnic four weeks away, they needed to plan on power washing the Pavilion tables, floor, serving and cooking areas, so they were clean for the picnic. He told Robert that he and Eric needed to make sure the field was cut and looking good.
Mr. Ken then looked at Wayne and asked him if he had planned to have the area mulched, the roses trimmed and flowers planted in time for the picnic. The Estate Master said he’d already contacted the landscapers and they would be in next week to take care of that.
Wayne then told Robert that they needed to get together and talk about getting some sort of seating on the concrete benches on the Cove Skate Park. Robert said he had done some research to do that, but had forgotten all about it. Mr. Wayne said after the meeting to get it, so he could look at it and try to get the seating done for the picnic.
Bill asked Mr. Ken what he found out about his mom. Mr. Ken told him that Mr. Chris had given him the address of where his mom is housed and what it takes to deposit money into her Trust Fund Account. The man said it would be about a three-hour drive for them on Sunday and that visiting hours were until 5 p.m. Bill was all smiles after hearing that.
When Mr. Ken asked the boys if they had anything to bring up, Phillip immediately told him about the new boy in his class. He told him the boy’s name was Jeffrey Jenkins and his dad was a vice-President of some manufacturing company that made circuit boards and that his mom was a secretary. Phillip than asked if he could invite him over that Saturday and that he had his phone number. But when Mr. Ken asked if he had his home phone number, the young Cover said he didn’t and then Mr. Ken asked him to get that and then he’d see.
Charles quickly spoke up and said he met Jeff’s sister, Jordyn. He said she was a very pretty looking girl and he’d like to invite her over, as well, but that if he did that, he’d need to invite at least one or two other girls, too, so she’d have someone to talk with, other than us boys. The other boys all laughed.
Mr. Ken then told Phillip that a Mr. James Bindy, the guitar teacher, said he’d like to stop by on Thursday, at 4 p.m., to meet the boy and evaluate how far along he was in his playing. The owner of The Cove said the man would then decide how much he would be able to help Phillip develop his skills and then set up a teaching schedule. Now Phillip had a big smile on his face.
Mr. Ken also reminded Bill that the DA, or the ADA, would be there on Saturday, at nine, to prepare him for the trial for Bennett Grafflers and Weston Thrumble. He added that the trial would begin sometime after the first of May and that he definitely would be called to testify, so he should work hard with the them and be ready for the trial.
When the meeting broke up, Robert asked Mr. Wayne to go up to his room with him, so he could show him what he found for possible coverings for the concrete benches at the Cove Skate Park.
Bill stayed back to ask Mr. Ken about how much money he could add to his mom’s account and how soon he could do it. Mr. Ken told him that they wouldn’t be able to do that until after they talked to her, so she knows to watch for it. Bill then asked if he was also going to visit with his mom.
The foster dad told Bill that Mr. Chris found out that since Bill was under eighteen a parent or guardian had to be present when the under-aged person met the inmate. Mr. Ken then asked Bill if he didn’t think it would be good idea for his mom to know with whom he was living and what kind of man he was. Bill thought about that for a few moments and smiling agreed that it would be nice for his mom to know that he had great foster home who treated him like ‘family’. The teen then hugged Mr. Ken.
Robert showed Mr. Wayne what sort of cushions he thought they should put on the five concrete benches that were around the Cove Skate Park. Robert suggested they used Naugahyde, which was a faux leather vinyl upholstery fabric material that allows you to have the appeal of leather without the hassle of maintenance. Mr. Wayne said he’d call a few fabricators tomorrow to see if they agreed, and if they could have them made in time for the Memorial Day Picnic.
Since Mr. Wayne was already upstairs, he stopped by each of the boy’s rooms and said a quick goodnight to each of them. He then left The Cove for his own apartment.
Mr. Ken came upstairs, not too long after Wayne left, to talk to the boys, as he usually did before they went to bed. They talked about the weekend and what was in store for them in the coming weeks.
In Phillip’s room, the boy again asked if he could invite Jeffrey over on Saturday. The boy told how Jeff looked like he would have if his foster dad hadn’t introduced him to Preston and Bryson the night before he went to the new school. Phillip continued and told how he and his friends went over to him and introduced themselves and became friends. Mr. Ken reminded him to get the boy’s home phone number and he should know hopefully by Thursday.
Phillip again thanked Mr. Ken for getting him his cell phone and especially for the guitar and a teacher to come and help him be a better player. The boy hugged the man for all he was worth. Mr. Ken returned the hug, ruffled the boy’s hair and then told him to go drain his dragon before getting into bed.
Mr. Ken then headed down to his own private retreat. As he walked down the stairs, he passed by Chief who was going up to sleep in Phillip’s room. The owner of The Cove thought about the busy day he’d had and that the boys made everything worth every minute of it.
The Cove was quiet throughout the night.
The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com
74,997 views