sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Great chapters PAc thanks for all your hard work.
Hi, My Name is Tessee
- Thread starter PacNorWest
- Start date
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#4
Wayne swore under his breath, "I wonder if they have anything to do with the Asian dude that we had to shoot?". He stepped to the door and swept his eyes out and about the farm. "I don't like the feeling I'm getting from outside, there's some kind of disturbance in the air. I think we should get to our places and get ready for about anything that might happen." he concluded as he took a firmer grasp on his rifle.
"I thought it was just me," Ben added with a frown, as he moved his hand to the trigger guard, "whatever it is, has me half spooked feeling."
"That's the time to be uber cautious," Mark interjected. "That's the primitive inner man in us all. That's what keeps us alive."
"Yeah, I sure hope so. I hate the thought of not being alive," Ev drawled sarcastically as he squinted into the darkness toward his house.
"I have my Christmas present to myself," Wayne offered a pair of infra red binoculars. "Try them, it's great to see at night. I got to liking Mark's scope so much that I couldn't resist getting these. Just don't look at a source of light."
"They are great," Ev enthused, "why I can see three dark figures sneaking up the driveway on the right side, between the fence and the blackberry hedge." He turned to Mark, "you got your rifle and scope with ya?"
"Sure do, be happy to take out the garbage." Mark replied cheekily. "Better check between the main house and the cafe building, I think that's where Borg started his shooting from."
"No movement," Will swept the glasses in a slow arc. "Do you want all three incoming? or are you gonna share?"
"I'll take all three, I've got ATK's new quiet ammo loaded so I should be able to catch them all. Just be on the alert for other's when these crap heaps go down."
"Roger that," Ben breathed as he strained his eyes into the darkness.
"On the count of three," Mark said quietly and pop, pop, pop sounded in the still night air.
"Two down," Will reported, one still moving to the left of the center drive."
Another pop, and the silence grew close, hemming them in the damp darkness.
There was the sound of an auto starting far in the distance. "Damm, my ammo won't reach that far," Mark whispered angrily.
"Let me," Will said calmly. "I want to try this new load we were just issued." He steaded his shoulder along the barn door frame and drew in a breath. Letting it out halfway, he drew a bead on the sound and fired.
"I sure don't recommend shooting like that, it's way too dangerous for the innocents," Will said as he carefully checked over the area with the binoculars. "I hit the car, but can't be sure of the damage," he reported. "Let's go check on our incoming."
It took an hour to get close enough to see the bodies. Two were silent and still. The third was groaning slightly and twitching as he tried to pull himself away.
"Hello there," Will said conversationally. "I think you made a poor decision, what do you think?" he pushed at the man's leg with his boot.
The resulting spew of abhorrent language in an obviously Asian tongue had Will laughing in genuine amusement. "What do you say we take a little ride Buddy, I've got a fella I want you to meet."
He walked back up to the barn and drove his squad car down to the location where the bodies lay. With Wayne's help. they drug the two dead bodies into the back of the cruiser and threw the half alive one on the top.
"Mark, I'm afraid you have to go back in with me. The Captain sure will be torqued about this one for sure."
Wayne swore under his breath, "I wonder if they have anything to do with the Asian dude that we had to shoot?". He stepped to the door and swept his eyes out and about the farm. "I don't like the feeling I'm getting from outside, there's some kind of disturbance in the air. I think we should get to our places and get ready for about anything that might happen." he concluded as he took a firmer grasp on his rifle.
"I thought it was just me," Ben added with a frown, as he moved his hand to the trigger guard, "whatever it is, has me half spooked feeling."
"That's the time to be uber cautious," Mark interjected. "That's the primitive inner man in us all. That's what keeps us alive."
"Yeah, I sure hope so. I hate the thought of not being alive," Ev drawled sarcastically as he squinted into the darkness toward his house.
"I have my Christmas present to myself," Wayne offered a pair of infra red binoculars. "Try them, it's great to see at night. I got to liking Mark's scope so much that I couldn't resist getting these. Just don't look at a source of light."
"They are great," Ev enthused, "why I can see three dark figures sneaking up the driveway on the right side, between the fence and the blackberry hedge." He turned to Mark, "you got your rifle and scope with ya?"
"Sure do, be happy to take out the garbage." Mark replied cheekily. "Better check between the main house and the cafe building, I think that's where Borg started his shooting from."
"No movement," Will swept the glasses in a slow arc. "Do you want all three incoming? or are you gonna share?"
"I'll take all three, I've got ATK's new quiet ammo loaded so I should be able to catch them all. Just be on the alert for other's when these crap heaps go down."
"Roger that," Ben breathed as he strained his eyes into the darkness.
"On the count of three," Mark said quietly and pop, pop, pop sounded in the still night air.
"Two down," Will reported, one still moving to the left of the center drive."
Another pop, and the silence grew close, hemming them in the damp darkness.
There was the sound of an auto starting far in the distance. "Damm, my ammo won't reach that far," Mark whispered angrily.
"Let me," Will said calmly. "I want to try this new load we were just issued." He steaded his shoulder along the barn door frame and drew in a breath. Letting it out halfway, he drew a bead on the sound and fired.
"I sure don't recommend shooting like that, it's way too dangerous for the innocents," Will said as he carefully checked over the area with the binoculars. "I hit the car, but can't be sure of the damage," he reported. "Let's go check on our incoming."
It took an hour to get close enough to see the bodies. Two were silent and still. The third was groaning slightly and twitching as he tried to pull himself away.
"Hello there," Will said conversationally. "I think you made a poor decision, what do you think?" he pushed at the man's leg with his boot.
The resulting spew of abhorrent language in an obviously Asian tongue had Will laughing in genuine amusement. "What do you say we take a little ride Buddy, I've got a fella I want you to meet."
He walked back up to the barn and drove his squad car down to the location where the bodies lay. With Wayne's help. they drug the two dead bodies into the back of the cruiser and threw the half alive one on the top.
"Mark, I'm afraid you have to go back in with me. The Captain sure will be torqued about this one for sure."
Excellent chapters, Pac! You sure know how to keep us on the edge of our seats! Thanks so much!
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#4b
"Grab their weapons and we'll throw them in the trunk. I hope that idiot doesn't bleed all over the back seat," Will shut the trunk lid and motioned for Mark to get in front. "Don't wait up for us," he said with a grin. "This one is a all nighter for sure. Hey Wayne," he called out, "would you stay with Clora and Milo?"
"Sure, let me grab a couple of things and I'll go right up." Wayne tossed over his shoulder.
"Thanks man," Mark said as he slid in the crowded front seat of the cruiser.
When the gunshots sounded, the ladies did a well practiced sweep and shut off the lamps, closed the curtains and went into lock down.
Ben and Ev rattled off their passwords to get back inside their guarded homes.
Ben shucked off his shoes at the door and hadn't gone three steps before he stepped in a puppy puddle. Battling the red wall of fury that descended instantly, he grumbled about dogs of Inky's lineage. Lainey had agreed to puppy sit while Clora had gone to the funeral, and was feeling the strain with two young children and a recovering puppy to run amok in the house.
Anne and Teddy were sleeping soundly and that blasted dog was somewhere, as long as he was out from underfoot, Ben was thankful.
"What happened out there?" Lainey was quiet as she appeared beside Ben in the kitchen.
"Don't step over there," Ben ordered, "or you're gonna have wet feet."
"Oh dear, I thought I had found them all. I put that little peeing machine in the bathtub for the night," Lainey said tiredly. "That's all I've done today, clean up peeing machines, all three of them."
Ben chuckled as he sat in the kitchen chair and pulled Lainey down to sit on his lap. "Come here sweetheart, I need some cuddling. You won't believe the story but I'm gonna try and explain." Lainey shook her head as Ben outlined what had transpired. "Poor Clora, how awful for her to be in the line of fire, she wasn't hurt?"
"No, according to Mark she had an embarrassing moment, but wasn't hurt." Ben reported with a ha ha.
"If it wasn't so late, I'd go over there right now and give her a hug," Lainey declared forcefully. "She was so good to help me, I feel guilty I'm so tied up here."
"We might get your chance if we have to consolidate the families once again in the main house," Ben said with a sigh, "depends on what Will finds out about our attackers, but you should know that they seem to be of the same Asian type of guys that was killed with Borg. And Lainey," Ben hesitated as he felt in his shirt pocket for a piece of paper, "this was tacked on the front gate. Your Dad wants to see you."
Sweet and gentle Lainey said clearly and distinctly "when pigs fly," with such force that Ben had to laugh. "I think you should read it," he temporized as he put the paper in her hand and folded her fingers over the folded paper.
"Later, much later," she was muttering as she tugged on a stray lock of unruly husband hair. "Anne is going to have curly hair like you, did I tell you that Clora says our next baby will be a boy?"
"No, I'm sure if Clora issued the edict, it must be true," Ben kissed the spot below Lainey's ear and all talking ceased.
The same thing happened at Ev and Cheryl's place, the night's news shared and discussed as they got ready for bed. Christy was taking the first watch, sitting in the shadows of the living room with her shotgun, the front yard in view.
Wayne went to the main house and tapped the code on the door for admittance. Clora had Milo in bed, and was baking cookies. There was rice cooking and beans soaking and it smelled suspiciously like the floor had been recently scrubbed. It was also very apparent that Clora had the coffee pot on.
"Hey, I thought you weren't supposed to be drinking coffee," Wayne scolded, and then ran for his life when Clora advanced on him waving the cookie spatula like a deadly weapon.
"Grab their weapons and we'll throw them in the trunk. I hope that idiot doesn't bleed all over the back seat," Will shut the trunk lid and motioned for Mark to get in front. "Don't wait up for us," he said with a grin. "This one is a all nighter for sure. Hey Wayne," he called out, "would you stay with Clora and Milo?"
"Sure, let me grab a couple of things and I'll go right up." Wayne tossed over his shoulder.
"Thanks man," Mark said as he slid in the crowded front seat of the cruiser.
When the gunshots sounded, the ladies did a well practiced sweep and shut off the lamps, closed the curtains and went into lock down.
Ben and Ev rattled off their passwords to get back inside their guarded homes.
Ben shucked off his shoes at the door and hadn't gone three steps before he stepped in a puppy puddle. Battling the red wall of fury that descended instantly, he grumbled about dogs of Inky's lineage. Lainey had agreed to puppy sit while Clora had gone to the funeral, and was feeling the strain with two young children and a recovering puppy to run amok in the house.
Anne and Teddy were sleeping soundly and that blasted dog was somewhere, as long as he was out from underfoot, Ben was thankful.
"What happened out there?" Lainey was quiet as she appeared beside Ben in the kitchen.
"Don't step over there," Ben ordered, "or you're gonna have wet feet."
"Oh dear, I thought I had found them all. I put that little peeing machine in the bathtub for the night," Lainey said tiredly. "That's all I've done today, clean up peeing machines, all three of them."
Ben chuckled as he sat in the kitchen chair and pulled Lainey down to sit on his lap. "Come here sweetheart, I need some cuddling. You won't believe the story but I'm gonna try and explain." Lainey shook her head as Ben outlined what had transpired. "Poor Clora, how awful for her to be in the line of fire, she wasn't hurt?"
"No, according to Mark she had an embarrassing moment, but wasn't hurt." Ben reported with a ha ha.
"If it wasn't so late, I'd go over there right now and give her a hug," Lainey declared forcefully. "She was so good to help me, I feel guilty I'm so tied up here."
"We might get your chance if we have to consolidate the families once again in the main house," Ben said with a sigh, "depends on what Will finds out about our attackers, but you should know that they seem to be of the same Asian type of guys that was killed with Borg. And Lainey," Ben hesitated as he felt in his shirt pocket for a piece of paper, "this was tacked on the front gate. Your Dad wants to see you."
Sweet and gentle Lainey said clearly and distinctly "when pigs fly," with such force that Ben had to laugh. "I think you should read it," he temporized as he put the paper in her hand and folded her fingers over the folded paper.
"Later, much later," she was muttering as she tugged on a stray lock of unruly husband hair. "Anne is going to have curly hair like you, did I tell you that Clora says our next baby will be a boy?"
"No, I'm sure if Clora issued the edict, it must be true," Ben kissed the spot below Lainey's ear and all talking ceased.
The same thing happened at Ev and Cheryl's place, the night's news shared and discussed as they got ready for bed. Christy was taking the first watch, sitting in the shadows of the living room with her shotgun, the front yard in view.
Wayne went to the main house and tapped the code on the door for admittance. Clora had Milo in bed, and was baking cookies. There was rice cooking and beans soaking and it smelled suspiciously like the floor had been recently scrubbed. It was also very apparent that Clora had the coffee pot on.
"Hey, I thought you weren't supposed to be drinking coffee," Wayne scolded, and then ran for his life when Clora advanced on him waving the cookie spatula like a deadly weapon.
bad_karma00
Underachiever
Wayne just can't keep his mouth shut sometimes, lol.
Great work Pac.
Great work Pac.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#5
"Wayne, I'm about as upset as I can be, don't play health monitor with me. I'm trying to work through a set of problems that are the worst I've ever had." Clora said with clenched teeth, as she lowered the spatula. "I wouldn't really," she apologized.
"Then sit down and tell me about them, for gosh sakes, how many times have you listened to me; bullied me into accepting the right answers, nagging at me till I got it right, never giving up on me when I more than deserved it." Wayne said his piece so reasonably that Clora thought she might hate him.
Clora went to the stove to remove the last sheet of cookies and place them on the wire coolers. "Sit down," she invited Wayne. "It starts off like this. I don't trust one single thing Borg has said or done....ever. He has left information that Mark and I are very distant cousins; that's the first part of the message he left for Mark. Now Mark is all wiggy about how I'm going to react to being related to him and us expecting." Clora said the whole sentence in a rush.
Wayne listened to the fright in Clora's voice, she was really scared and he couldn't help with her feelings, but he could get her to talk . "Cousins that far out aren't really related," he said as a beginning. That was all Clora needed, she opened the floodgates of ill will and hatred for Borg, detailing the contempt she felt for Mark's supposed father.
Wayne let her rant and rave, purging her system of every nasty thought she ever had about Borg. Clora finally stopped long enough to take a sip of coffee. "That was pretty awful, wasn't it." she contemplated what she had said.
"Not really, I'm guessing nobody listens to you." Wayne said sympathetically. "Everybody needs a sounding board now and then, and you know not a word will ever leave this room."
"Thanks," Clora said gratefully. "I'm so mad at the way Mark was treated, that's what has me so upset. Wayne, you wouldn't believe Borg's house. It is beyond comprehension, it makes the farm look like a nester's sod shack." she said sadly as she looked around the darkened kitchen. Suddenly it seemed so shabby.
"Clora, Clora," Wayne chided. "Snap out of your funk. Mark is a big boy, if he had refused to live here...would you have followed him?"
"Of course," Clora said a bit defensively, "would have gone anywhere to be with him."
"Well then, why is he living here?" Wayne used his reasonable voice once again.
"I guess because he wants too," Clora answered her own question.
"Well then, there's your answer. He wants to be here don't you think?"
"I hate it when you're reasonable and probably right, it takes the fun out of a good snit," Clora said laughing. "Thanks for listening Wayne."
"I think I should charge by the cookie," Wayne lifted two more from the cooling rack. "Seriously, there is a bigger problem than where Mark used to live," he finished as he bit deep into the oatmeal goodness.
"Clora, none of the men killed or wounded here tonight fired off a shot. They weren't inside any of the buildings, and hadn't threatened anyone, the only thing they could be accused of is trespassing. Now we have a castle type doctrine here, but we will have to prove they had deadly intent, and dead men don't talk." Wayne sighed deeply. "I think we need a good lawyer on retainer, the way problems happen around here."
"Wayne, I'm about as upset as I can be, don't play health monitor with me. I'm trying to work through a set of problems that are the worst I've ever had." Clora said with clenched teeth, as she lowered the spatula. "I wouldn't really," she apologized.
"Then sit down and tell me about them, for gosh sakes, how many times have you listened to me; bullied me into accepting the right answers, nagging at me till I got it right, never giving up on me when I more than deserved it." Wayne said his piece so reasonably that Clora thought she might hate him.
Clora went to the stove to remove the last sheet of cookies and place them on the wire coolers. "Sit down," she invited Wayne. "It starts off like this. I don't trust one single thing Borg has said or done....ever. He has left information that Mark and I are very distant cousins; that's the first part of the message he left for Mark. Now Mark is all wiggy about how I'm going to react to being related to him and us expecting." Clora said the whole sentence in a rush.
Wayne listened to the fright in Clora's voice, she was really scared and he couldn't help with her feelings, but he could get her to talk . "Cousins that far out aren't really related," he said as a beginning. That was all Clora needed, she opened the floodgates of ill will and hatred for Borg, detailing the contempt she felt for Mark's supposed father.
Wayne let her rant and rave, purging her system of every nasty thought she ever had about Borg. Clora finally stopped long enough to take a sip of coffee. "That was pretty awful, wasn't it." she contemplated what she had said.
"Not really, I'm guessing nobody listens to you." Wayne said sympathetically. "Everybody needs a sounding board now and then, and you know not a word will ever leave this room."
"Thanks," Clora said gratefully. "I'm so mad at the way Mark was treated, that's what has me so upset. Wayne, you wouldn't believe Borg's house. It is beyond comprehension, it makes the farm look like a nester's sod shack." she said sadly as she looked around the darkened kitchen. Suddenly it seemed so shabby.
"Clora, Clora," Wayne chided. "Snap out of your funk. Mark is a big boy, if he had refused to live here...would you have followed him?"
"Of course," Clora said a bit defensively, "would have gone anywhere to be with him."
"Well then, why is he living here?" Wayne used his reasonable voice once again.
"I guess because he wants too," Clora answered her own question.
"Well then, there's your answer. He wants to be here don't you think?"
"I hate it when you're reasonable and probably right, it takes the fun out of a good snit," Clora said laughing. "Thanks for listening Wayne."
"I think I should charge by the cookie," Wayne lifted two more from the cooling rack. "Seriously, there is a bigger problem than where Mark used to live," he finished as he bit deep into the oatmeal goodness.
"Clora, none of the men killed or wounded here tonight fired off a shot. They weren't inside any of the buildings, and hadn't threatened anyone, the only thing they could be accused of is trespassing. Now we have a castle type doctrine here, but we will have to prove they had deadly intent, and dead men don't talk." Wayne sighed deeply. "I think we need a good lawyer on retainer, the way problems happen around here."
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#5b
Mark wasn't home when Clora woke in the morning, it added to her unease and discomfort that all of a sudden she had a raging case of morning sickness. Looking in the mirror at the half lidded misery etched on her face was enough to make Clora look away and go get dressed.
Milo wanted bacon and eggs over easy. The yellow orbs stared back at her, jiggling in their not quite cooked state as she moved them to his plate. As the last egg slid into it's toast bed, Clora had enough and went rushing from the room.
"Whatsa her problem?" Milo was curious and asked Wayne.
"I think it has to do with the baby," Wayne explained gently, not knowing how much Mark and Clora had told the young man, and not wanting to get in over his head discussing a touchy subject.
"Ohhh," Milo nodded wisely, like he understood grownup foibles. "She really gets sick looking, doesn't she?"
"Your breakfast is getting cold," Wayne tried to redirect the youngsters curiosity. Milo gave him a look like he knew exactly what Wayne was attempting to do, then shrugged and attacked his meal.
Wayne grinned at the young man's bowed head, what a firecracker that kid was getting to be. A real handful for Clora and Mark. At least he hoped Mark would be involved, but after last night, it looked pretty iffy.
Ben and Lainey created breakfast for the kids and themselves. Lainey did the pancakes and Ben did the eggs, a compromise they had come up with as Lainey had the same problem as Clora. Teddy put up a fuss that Otis wasn't in the kitchen, but Ben was firm about letting the pup in the kitchen.
"I've been thinking," Lainey stopped with a forkful of pancake headed for Teddy's mouth, the youngster was starving and his mouth was opening and closing and he finally wailed his displeasure at the interruption. Lainey hurriedly deposited the syrup dripping morsel in the spring loaded bear trap as it snapped shut.
"Phew," Lainey tried to get the fork back out, but Teddy's sharp little teeth were clamped tight. Suddenly he giggled and let loose. Laughing at himself, Teddy got so tickled he made Anne laugh, the first she had made. That brought chuckles from the adults and the small house with the steamed over windows vibrated with cheer and good feelings.
Wayne and Milo knocked on the door, stopping by to visit and to let Clora have a moment of calm.
Mark wasn't home when Clora woke in the morning, it added to her unease and discomfort that all of a sudden she had a raging case of morning sickness. Looking in the mirror at the half lidded misery etched on her face was enough to make Clora look away and go get dressed.
Milo wanted bacon and eggs over easy. The yellow orbs stared back at her, jiggling in their not quite cooked state as she moved them to his plate. As the last egg slid into it's toast bed, Clora had enough and went rushing from the room.
"Whatsa her problem?" Milo was curious and asked Wayne.
"I think it has to do with the baby," Wayne explained gently, not knowing how much Mark and Clora had told the young man, and not wanting to get in over his head discussing a touchy subject.
"Ohhh," Milo nodded wisely, like he understood grownup foibles. "She really gets sick looking, doesn't she?"
"Your breakfast is getting cold," Wayne tried to redirect the youngsters curiosity. Milo gave him a look like he knew exactly what Wayne was attempting to do, then shrugged and attacked his meal.
Wayne grinned at the young man's bowed head, what a firecracker that kid was getting to be. A real handful for Clora and Mark. At least he hoped Mark would be involved, but after last night, it looked pretty iffy.
Ben and Lainey created breakfast for the kids and themselves. Lainey did the pancakes and Ben did the eggs, a compromise they had come up with as Lainey had the same problem as Clora. Teddy put up a fuss that Otis wasn't in the kitchen, but Ben was firm about letting the pup in the kitchen.
"I've been thinking," Lainey stopped with a forkful of pancake headed for Teddy's mouth, the youngster was starving and his mouth was opening and closing and he finally wailed his displeasure at the interruption. Lainey hurriedly deposited the syrup dripping morsel in the spring loaded bear trap as it snapped shut.
"Phew," Lainey tried to get the fork back out, but Teddy's sharp little teeth were clamped tight. Suddenly he giggled and let loose. Laughing at himself, Teddy got so tickled he made Anne laugh, the first she had made. That brought chuckles from the adults and the small house with the steamed over windows vibrated with cheer and good feelings.
Wayne and Milo knocked on the door, stopping by to visit and to let Clora have a moment of calm.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Again wonderful chapter, ack morning sickness boy does that bring back memories eeewww.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
All you need is a .338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70mm or 8.58×70mm) with good glass on it and a steady hand to reach out and touch them in a way that is vary final.
Wayne
I've wanted to ask this question since the beginning but I did not because I'm enjoying the "deliciousness" of not knowing.... and speculation of who.... strongly leaning towards that bun in Clora's oven....but since that is so strong, I then think there is no way she would go that way...so it's got to be something else, unless she (she being Pac of course) KNOWS we will think that would be too obvious so then she WOULD.... and yet...
lol! now you know why I did not ask..... SMKTWF!
(SMKTWF = Slap My Knee That Was Funny, just in case someone did not know
)Thank you Pac for the MOAR!!! Love and appreciate ya!!!
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Tessee will be explained in due time. Hee Hee.
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
Thank you so much for the chapters and wishing you all the best in the new year. Abundant health and blessings. Sis
And by the way, wish we lived closer. I would love to sit share a cup of tea or coffee and look at your grandbabies photos and share life stories of hope and making do.
And by the way, wish we lived closer. I would love to sit share a cup of tea or coffee and look at your grandbabies photos and share life stories of hope and making do.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#6
On the way into town, Will stopped near the coolie with the bridge and drove slightly off the road. "Listen up, square man. Shut your eyes so you can't see, and plug your ears so you can't hear," the deputy ordered briskly.
Will took the three guns from the back seat and fired them into the side of the washout. Laying them on the snow to cool, he used the dirty snow to scrub his prints from the stock and trigger.
Without a word he tossed the rifles back on top of the barely alive assailant, dusted his hands off and got back in the squad car and drove toward town.
"Say a word and I'll bust your butt and throw you in jail," he growled as Mark turned questioning eyes toward him.
Mark nodded wordlessly. Will had just put himself on the line for the whole farm.
Clora felt worse and worse as the morning drug on. Finally when she realized her skin hurt and her eyes were burning, Clora knew she had the flu. She lay huddled under a ton of quilts as she alternately shivered violently and sweat profusely.
Mad that the only trip off the farm she had taken in months resulted in getting sick, Clora blamed another severe action on Borg. It had to be his fault that he was stupid enough to die and need a funeral.
Wayne peeked in the back door and listened to the heavy silence. Clora must be in bed, cause that would be the only place that would hold that whirling dervish of a woman.
Tip toeing down the hall, Wayne tapped quietly on Clora's bedroom door. The resulting croak, let him know sick the woman really was.
"Keep Milo away," Clora managed to say as she shivered hard.
"I'll take him to Ev's or Ben's," Wayne offered happily, backing away from the sickroom and stopping to wash his hands before he fled the scene.
Lainey looked terrified at the thought of another energetic child to run after. Ben had gone to milk and she turned huge soulful eyes on Wayne. "We'll take him if Cheryl can't. OK?"
Wayne nodded, stepping into Ev's place just in time to hear Ronnie's full blown temper tantrum. The screaming, wildly kicking, fist beating gyrations happening on the living room floor had Wayne using his finger to beckon Cheryl outside on the porch.
"Clora's desperately sick, like big time flu sick and she doesn't want Milo there." Wayne said as he peeked around Cheryl to stare in amazement at the youngster's hysterics on the floor.
"You'll have to keep Milo for the day, I'll go up and check on Clora in a little bit," Cheryl answered shortly. "I need to put a stop to the display."
On the way into town, Will stopped near the coolie with the bridge and drove slightly off the road. "Listen up, square man. Shut your eyes so you can't see, and plug your ears so you can't hear," the deputy ordered briskly.
Will took the three guns from the back seat and fired them into the side of the washout. Laying them on the snow to cool, he used the dirty snow to scrub his prints from the stock and trigger.
Without a word he tossed the rifles back on top of the barely alive assailant, dusted his hands off and got back in the squad car and drove toward town.
"Say a word and I'll bust your butt and throw you in jail," he growled as Mark turned questioning eyes toward him.
Mark nodded wordlessly. Will had just put himself on the line for the whole farm.
Clora felt worse and worse as the morning drug on. Finally when she realized her skin hurt and her eyes were burning, Clora knew she had the flu. She lay huddled under a ton of quilts as she alternately shivered violently and sweat profusely.
Mad that the only trip off the farm she had taken in months resulted in getting sick, Clora blamed another severe action on Borg. It had to be his fault that he was stupid enough to die and need a funeral.
Wayne peeked in the back door and listened to the heavy silence. Clora must be in bed, cause that would be the only place that would hold that whirling dervish of a woman.
Tip toeing down the hall, Wayne tapped quietly on Clora's bedroom door. The resulting croak, let him know sick the woman really was.
"Keep Milo away," Clora managed to say as she shivered hard.
"I'll take him to Ev's or Ben's," Wayne offered happily, backing away from the sickroom and stopping to wash his hands before he fled the scene.
Lainey looked terrified at the thought of another energetic child to run after. Ben had gone to milk and she turned huge soulful eyes on Wayne. "We'll take him if Cheryl can't. OK?"
Wayne nodded, stepping into Ev's place just in time to hear Ronnie's full blown temper tantrum. The screaming, wildly kicking, fist beating gyrations happening on the living room floor had Wayne using his finger to beckon Cheryl outside on the porch.
"Clora's desperately sick, like big time flu sick and she doesn't want Milo there." Wayne said as he peeked around Cheryl to stare in amazement at the youngster's hysterics on the floor.
"You'll have to keep Milo for the day, I'll go up and check on Clora in a little bit," Cheryl answered shortly. "I need to put a stop to the display."
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Sis,
If you ever take a trip from the dry up into our wet, wet, wet country; I'll have the tea pot ready! And the pictures! Pac.
If you ever take a trip from the dry up into our wet, wet, wet country; I'll have the tea pot ready! And the pictures! Pac.
Siskiyoumom
Veteran Member
Sounds great to me dear Pac!
I keep cruising the real estate ads up your way.
Some pretty good deals compared to California prices.
Thanks for the new chapters tonight : ], Sis
I keep cruising the real estate ads up your way.
Some pretty good deals compared to California prices.
Thanks for the new chapters tonight : ], Sis
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#7
It would have been funny if Wayne could have seen his face when he stared in dismay at Milo. Milo was looking back with the same consternation mirrored on his small elfin face. Neither particularly wanted to be in the company of the other for the whole, long, drawn out day.
All Wayne could think of was the work he needed to do that babysitting would preclude. All Milo could think of was the boring day it was turning out to be.
Gritting his teeth, Wayne started to question Milo. "How old are you now?"
"Past four," Milo scrunched up his nose as he really looked over the tall, scraggly man he was forced to spend the day with. "How old are you? You look really old and it don't look like you clean up very good." Milo was very matter of fact as he delivered the raw, biting truth. Wayne's work bib overalls were dirty and stained, his wool cap jammed over the neat haircut he had received at Christmas.
"Hey! How old I am is not your business," Wayne snapped, really put out by the boy's reply.
Milo shrugged nonchalantly, but his sharp inquiring eyes never left Wayne's face. "My Dad would say you look like a hillbilly, what does that mean?" and by that time Wayne couldn't tell if the little bugger really knew, or if he was just putting him on.
"You know how Mark gets dressed up to go to work?" Wayne tried for an allegory. When Milo nodded, Wayne continued "Well this is what I wear when I go to work. Mark works with his mind and I work with my hands. I don't consider myself a hillbilly, even though I may look like one." they walked toward the shop and at the last moment detoured to Ben's house where they picked up Otis.
Lainey looked suspiciously like she could have kissed him, so Wayne beat a fast retreat with Milo and the first class troublemaker Otis in tow.
They built a fire in the shop stove and while they were waiting for the building to warm, Wayne continued a vital part of Milo's education.
"Sit down on the block of wood Milo, I want to talk to you about hillbillies." Milo wiggled as he plopped down on the solid chunk of red fir, fully expecting for the day to get better, now that he had Otis to play with.
"Hillbillies are very special people with a lot of talent in many areas. They take very good care of their families and work hard doing so." as Wayne extolled the virtues of hard living, hard working lifestyles, Milo kicked the fir round with his heel. Out fell a little white grub that wiggled and squirmed only slightly less than Milo, trapped by Wayne's flow of words.
Completely captivated by the workings of the grub, Milo let Wayne talk on and on as he carefully nudged Otis with his foot, to wake up and look at what they had to play with.
Otis was more delighted than Milo to have an enemy to vanquish. Why that white worm was a vicious predator that might harm the little person who sprang him from the dreadful white walled dungeon. Grateful with all his heart, Otis growled to warn the small person he was in danger...but never fear...Otis was here to save the day.
Right in the middle of Wayne's soliloquy, Otis pounced on the grub with a blood chilling growl. Bowled over by his own pudginess, Otis rolled into the looped hoses hanging from the oxygen and acetylene tank cart. As the pup scrambled to regain his feet, he became entangled in the red and green lines and pushed the bicycle wheeled cart toward Milo where it hit a crack in the old concrete floor and threatened to tip over on the child.
Rescuing the heavy tanks and steadying them, Wayne reached down to pick up Otis and free him from the mess. Otis, in the throws of battling the demons that were threatening him, promptly bit the hand that sometimes fed him.
Sharp puppy teeth sunk themselves into the palm of Ev's hand, and he yelled in surprise and flung Otis off. Milo was yelling as he scrambled to rescue the pup and Otis was yelping puppy indignation at the big man.
Ben walked into the shop carrying Teddy on an afternoon outing. "Oh Lordy, he's more like his Grandpa than I would have ever believed," he laughed. "Did I ever tell you about Inky and the skunk?"
It would have been funny if Wayne could have seen his face when he stared in dismay at Milo. Milo was looking back with the same consternation mirrored on his small elfin face. Neither particularly wanted to be in the company of the other for the whole, long, drawn out day.
All Wayne could think of was the work he needed to do that babysitting would preclude. All Milo could think of was the boring day it was turning out to be.
Gritting his teeth, Wayne started to question Milo. "How old are you now?"
"Past four," Milo scrunched up his nose as he really looked over the tall, scraggly man he was forced to spend the day with. "How old are you? You look really old and it don't look like you clean up very good." Milo was very matter of fact as he delivered the raw, biting truth. Wayne's work bib overalls were dirty and stained, his wool cap jammed over the neat haircut he had received at Christmas.
"Hey! How old I am is not your business," Wayne snapped, really put out by the boy's reply.
Milo shrugged nonchalantly, but his sharp inquiring eyes never left Wayne's face. "My Dad would say you look like a hillbilly, what does that mean?" and by that time Wayne couldn't tell if the little bugger really knew, or if he was just putting him on.
"You know how Mark gets dressed up to go to work?" Wayne tried for an allegory. When Milo nodded, Wayne continued "Well this is what I wear when I go to work. Mark works with his mind and I work with my hands. I don't consider myself a hillbilly, even though I may look like one." they walked toward the shop and at the last moment detoured to Ben's house where they picked up Otis.
Lainey looked suspiciously like she could have kissed him, so Wayne beat a fast retreat with Milo and the first class troublemaker Otis in tow.
They built a fire in the shop stove and while they were waiting for the building to warm, Wayne continued a vital part of Milo's education.
"Sit down on the block of wood Milo, I want to talk to you about hillbillies." Milo wiggled as he plopped down on the solid chunk of red fir, fully expecting for the day to get better, now that he had Otis to play with.
"Hillbillies are very special people with a lot of talent in many areas. They take very good care of their families and work hard doing so." as Wayne extolled the virtues of hard living, hard working lifestyles, Milo kicked the fir round with his heel. Out fell a little white grub that wiggled and squirmed only slightly less than Milo, trapped by Wayne's flow of words.
Completely captivated by the workings of the grub, Milo let Wayne talk on and on as he carefully nudged Otis with his foot, to wake up and look at what they had to play with.
Otis was more delighted than Milo to have an enemy to vanquish. Why that white worm was a vicious predator that might harm the little person who sprang him from the dreadful white walled dungeon. Grateful with all his heart, Otis growled to warn the small person he was in danger...but never fear...Otis was here to save the day.
Right in the middle of Wayne's soliloquy, Otis pounced on the grub with a blood chilling growl. Bowled over by his own pudginess, Otis rolled into the looped hoses hanging from the oxygen and acetylene tank cart. As the pup scrambled to regain his feet, he became entangled in the red and green lines and pushed the bicycle wheeled cart toward Milo where it hit a crack in the old concrete floor and threatened to tip over on the child.
Rescuing the heavy tanks and steadying them, Wayne reached down to pick up Otis and free him from the mess. Otis, in the throws of battling the demons that were threatening him, promptly bit the hand that sometimes fed him.
Sharp puppy teeth sunk themselves into the palm of Ev's hand, and he yelled in surprise and flung Otis off. Milo was yelling as he scrambled to rescue the pup and Otis was yelping puppy indignation at the big man.
Ben walked into the shop carrying Teddy on an afternoon outing. "Oh Lordy, he's more like his Grandpa than I would have ever believed," he laughed. "Did I ever tell you about Inky and the skunk?"
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac, I need the entertainment with a sick hubby and daughter and the 4 yr old running around.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Sorry to hear that sswolf, I am dealing with the flu battle myself. We had some dear friends come to visit and they brought the flu with them. I feel like scrambled eggs that have been warmed in the microwave. Not fit for one darn thing.
I sincerely hope your afternoon goes better and the sickies in your house get better immediately.
I sincerely hope your afternoon goes better and the sickies in your house get better immediately.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#7b
Try as she might to be a calm, rational, reasonable adult, Cheryl failed. When she had the chance she picked Ronnie up, turned him over her knee and gave him several wallops with her hand on his deserving bottom.
Ronnie hopped around the room, hands clutched on his smarting fanny hollering and yelling but the tantrum was forgotten. He was a picture of indignant surprise and astonishment as he continued to yell invectives at Cheryl and Ev. As adults they were used to a measure of mean and vile language, but Ronnie topped the charts.
As soon as Ev gathered his wits about him, Ronnie got another paddling for the language he used. "There are consequences for talking like that," Ev warned and Ronnie promptly stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at the disturbed parents. That little display earned him another swat or two on the behind; but Ronnie was young and feeling pretty tough so he spit at Ev.
Ev looked at Cheryl who had a measure of shock on her face, and grabbed Ronnie by the arm and out the door they went. Cheryl jerked every time she heard Ronnie holler as Ev spanked him. Shaking her head in nervous dread, she looked at Christy with tears in her eyes.
"My goodness, I guess I don't have the ability to handle a child like that. I shouldn't have lost my temper. I mean, that's the only kind of life Ronnie has ever known, beatings in reprisal for what grownups didn't like him doing."
Deep into her math book, Christy looked up from her studying and said in an exasperated manner, "Mom! that kid is a little turd and has baited you and Dad at every turn. He's a nasty mean little stinker that gets into my stuff at every opportunity, he goes through you and Dad's stuff and I've caught him stealing money out of the laundry change jar. He's got problems I don't think we are qualified to handle. I know he has a kitchen knife in his room, and nails, a razor blade and forks. Do you think that is what 'nice' kids collect?"
"I wasn't aware," Cheryl said slowly. Making her decision she said to Christy, "come help me search his room, I don't want Ronnie hurting himself or others; and he's going to be plenty resentful after this is over."
"Bet you a dollar to a donut he's not intending to hurt himself," Christy was muttering as she helped her mother remove the amazing stash of potentially harmful contraband from the 6 year olds room. Ronnie had squirreled away an old pocket knife with a broken blade, a paring knife Cheryl was sure she had lost, several of Ev's used razor blades, two forks with tines broken and the pair of old pliers he had accomplished the destruction with. There was rope, a length of old extension cord and a hammer with a cracked handle.
Ronnie had split his mattress and cached the items inside, turning the slit to the wall and carefully keeping the mattress cover over it all.
The items filled a paper sack and a shaken Cheryl and Christy quickly placed the items in the oven when they heard Ev and Ronnie come back in the house.
"You are grounded to your room," Ev said to Ronnie. "I need to cool down and you need to think about what I said. If we have any more problems of this nature, you will get another spanking, do you understand?"
Ronnie looked at the floor, not speaking or acknowledging Ev's admonition. Ev couldn't see the defiant, hard glare Ronnie was hiding, but Ev had been a hard core little boy once upon a time so he was pretty sure what was going on in Ronnie's mind. "listen up mister, and you had better listen carefully. We like you and want you to stay here, but not if you can't get along. Just because we are out of ketchup, doesn't require the temper display you just produced. We men treat our ladies with respect and care, not nasty and mean."
Ronnie just went to his room and shut the door. A final kind of sound in the silent house.
Cheryl stood in the kitchen doorway, silently motioning Ev to join her and Christy in the kitchen. Opening the oven door, Christy put the paper sack on the table and waved her hand indicating her Dad should have a look.
Ev inspected the contents and understood deep in his hurting heart that they had a very troubled youngster on their hands.
Try as she might to be a calm, rational, reasonable adult, Cheryl failed. When she had the chance she picked Ronnie up, turned him over her knee and gave him several wallops with her hand on his deserving bottom.
Ronnie hopped around the room, hands clutched on his smarting fanny hollering and yelling but the tantrum was forgotten. He was a picture of indignant surprise and astonishment as he continued to yell invectives at Cheryl and Ev. As adults they were used to a measure of mean and vile language, but Ronnie topped the charts.
As soon as Ev gathered his wits about him, Ronnie got another paddling for the language he used. "There are consequences for talking like that," Ev warned and Ronnie promptly stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at the disturbed parents. That little display earned him another swat or two on the behind; but Ronnie was young and feeling pretty tough so he spit at Ev.
Ev looked at Cheryl who had a measure of shock on her face, and grabbed Ronnie by the arm and out the door they went. Cheryl jerked every time she heard Ronnie holler as Ev spanked him. Shaking her head in nervous dread, she looked at Christy with tears in her eyes.
"My goodness, I guess I don't have the ability to handle a child like that. I shouldn't have lost my temper. I mean, that's the only kind of life Ronnie has ever known, beatings in reprisal for what grownups didn't like him doing."
Deep into her math book, Christy looked up from her studying and said in an exasperated manner, "Mom! that kid is a little turd and has baited you and Dad at every turn. He's a nasty mean little stinker that gets into my stuff at every opportunity, he goes through you and Dad's stuff and I've caught him stealing money out of the laundry change jar. He's got problems I don't think we are qualified to handle. I know he has a kitchen knife in his room, and nails, a razor blade and forks. Do you think that is what 'nice' kids collect?"
"I wasn't aware," Cheryl said slowly. Making her decision she said to Christy, "come help me search his room, I don't want Ronnie hurting himself or others; and he's going to be plenty resentful after this is over."
"Bet you a dollar to a donut he's not intending to hurt himself," Christy was muttering as she helped her mother remove the amazing stash of potentially harmful contraband from the 6 year olds room. Ronnie had squirreled away an old pocket knife with a broken blade, a paring knife Cheryl was sure she had lost, several of Ev's used razor blades, two forks with tines broken and the pair of old pliers he had accomplished the destruction with. There was rope, a length of old extension cord and a hammer with a cracked handle.
Ronnie had split his mattress and cached the items inside, turning the slit to the wall and carefully keeping the mattress cover over it all.
The items filled a paper sack and a shaken Cheryl and Christy quickly placed the items in the oven when they heard Ev and Ronnie come back in the house.
"You are grounded to your room," Ev said to Ronnie. "I need to cool down and you need to think about what I said. If we have any more problems of this nature, you will get another spanking, do you understand?"
Ronnie looked at the floor, not speaking or acknowledging Ev's admonition. Ev couldn't see the defiant, hard glare Ronnie was hiding, but Ev had been a hard core little boy once upon a time so he was pretty sure what was going on in Ronnie's mind. "listen up mister, and you had better listen carefully. We like you and want you to stay here, but not if you can't get along. Just because we are out of ketchup, doesn't require the temper display you just produced. We men treat our ladies with respect and care, not nasty and mean."
Ronnie just went to his room and shut the door. A final kind of sound in the silent house.
Cheryl stood in the kitchen doorway, silently motioning Ev to join her and Christy in the kitchen. Opening the oven door, Christy put the paper sack on the table and waved her hand indicating her Dad should have a look.
Ev inspected the contents and understood deep in his hurting heart that they had a very troubled youngster on their hands.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
I know they hoped they could help the boy but t may take more then they can do. Thanks Pac.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#7c
It was as bad as Will feared it would be. Both men were intensely interrogated in separate rooms, and good Captain Archer Martin when he finally calmed down, was rushed to the hospital with a suspected heart attack. The third man lived long enough to be transported to the emergency where he up and unfortunately died.
The men were unknown with no identification carried on their person, just miscellaneous bodies or pawns in the next higher up boss's stable of goons.
"Throw-aways," Will remarked to his next shift replacement, as the man stood listening sympathetically. Curious and eavesdropping as she was supposed to be answering calls coming in on the radio, dispatcher Karen passed cups of coffee to the exhausted men. Running her eyes over Will, she blushed beet red and fled the room when he looked up and caught her giving him the eye.
Stretching his tired back, Will groaned inwardly. Of all the complications to have right now, a girlfriend was something he didn't need.
"It wouldn't hurt you, you know," Greg, his shift opposite said into the quiet.
His mind a million miles away from the current scene, Will said "what?" as he tried to make sense of what the man was talking about.
"She's a nice lady," Greg said softly so Karen couldn't hear. "She's looked out after you more than you know, running interference with the captain and such."
"Oh, I didn't realize," Will said lamely. "I...I've had a million things on my mind all at the same time. I'll be more aware," was all he could promise.
"Yeah, you should do that," Greg repeated more forcefully, leaving Will to look at him in his own curiosity. Shrugging, both men parted ways and Will went to hunt up Mark.
"He's in the can, trying to get ready for work," a new recruit walking by, passed on the news. "He's more upset about not getting to work on time than the fracas you guys had last night."
"Well that's Mark for ya," Will paused by the bathroom door and rapped. "Hurry up gear head, I'll drive you into work."
"Thanks," Mark loped out of the restroom and the two men made tracks for Will's old dilapidated car and chugged out into frosty morning.
Ben and Wayne had a fine morning, as they lined up the short ends of 2x4's and used a carpenter pencil to make a race track for the boy's to use as a car track. Milo and Teddy, as young as he was, never went anywhere with out their hot wheels racers, so the kids played hard on the grimy shop floor.
Wayne showed Ben the almost finished cross he had fashioned for Sandy's grave. "I put it aside to make the driveway gates, and have three more sections of fence to complete before I can get back to it." he said with a sigh. "It's weighing heavy on me," he finally admitted slowly.
"How much more time will it take to finish?" Ben inquired, an idea forming in the back of his mind.
"Couple of hours at least," Wayne said morosely, as he righted a block in the racetrack maze.
"We can get you this afternoon free," Ben laid out his plan. "I see Cheryl's on her way up to help Clora, she can feed Milo lunch and get him down for a nap."
Wayne brightened, it was looking like a reprieve in his gloomy outlook. "Thanks man, I owe ya," he told Ben. "Tell the ladies it was my idea to let the kids play on the floor." The two afore mentioned urchins were grime covered from top to bottom and Teddy smelled suspiciously rank.
"I pooped," Teddy said happily.
"So you did," Ben said seriously. "If you're out with the guys and do a baby thing, then you get cleaned up by the guys the way they clean up to go in the house."
Teddy was scrubbed outside in the cold with a hose and a shop rag. It wasn't pleasant, and his young mind finally made the connection.
"I don't want washed that way," he told Ben as they made their way to the house.
"Then use the bathroom like a big boy," Ben scolded.
"OK," Teddy promised, looking up at his foster parent for some sign that Ben still liked him.
"That is the right way to do," Ben approved by putting him arm around the thin child's shoulder, giving the youngster a quick hug.
Lainey had been watching from the kitchen window, wanting to protest the treatment, but understanding the men's way might be the best.
Cheryl was a little sour as she walked up to the main house with the dirtiest little chatterbox she had ever seen or heard. Fresh from her upset with Ronnie, she wasn't overjoyed to have to deal with another Burton.
Looking in on Clora who was sleeping, Cheryl put water on to heat as she stoked the wood eating stove. Milo ate his sandwich dirty except for his hands, and protested loudly as he was stripped and scrubbed in the kitchen washtub. "Nap time," Cheryl said forcefully and Milo went quietly.
Sitting at the table, Cheryl mapped out a few changes that were going to happen or there would be hell to pay. First of all, there would be underground power installed, to heck with all the inconvenience of doing life the old fashioned way. That reads good in books and magazines, and is a heck of a challenge in real life.
The power company would be money ahead to bury the lines into the farm, she was sure. The generators were busy powering the coolers and the well had a generator of it's own, but they all had immense responsibilities in hand and needed all the help they could get.
Lainey was looking exhausted, caring for a nursing infant and a almost 3 year old, plus running a busy household while pregnant again. Cheryl and Christy went up to help as often as possible, but there were days when the care of Ronnie took both women of the Wilson household plus Ev.
Cheryl took the time in the quiet house to think hard about Ronnie and the problem he presented. The big house was still with the solitude she craved, and it was a time of prayer and introspection. Finally the indisputable facts came to her conclusion. They needed to have Ronnie professionally evaluated. Bowing her head, Cheryl prayed hard she had come to the correct solution.
Making a mild mint tea, Cheryl went to look in on Clora. The woman looked like she was as sick as she was. Cheryl shook her head and helped Clora take a couple of sips, and then Clora had no strength left to hold herself up. "Milo?" she croaked, wanting to know where he was. "Mark?"
"Milo is in his room napping, Mark is at work," Cheryl fudged about Mark, as she had no idea where he was. It was enough for Clora and she snuggled deep under the quilts, lost in flu delirium.
It was as bad as Will feared it would be. Both men were intensely interrogated in separate rooms, and good Captain Archer Martin when he finally calmed down, was rushed to the hospital with a suspected heart attack. The third man lived long enough to be transported to the emergency where he up and unfortunately died.
The men were unknown with no identification carried on their person, just miscellaneous bodies or pawns in the next higher up boss's stable of goons.
"Throw-aways," Will remarked to his next shift replacement, as the man stood listening sympathetically. Curious and eavesdropping as she was supposed to be answering calls coming in on the radio, dispatcher Karen passed cups of coffee to the exhausted men. Running her eyes over Will, she blushed beet red and fled the room when he looked up and caught her giving him the eye.
Stretching his tired back, Will groaned inwardly. Of all the complications to have right now, a girlfriend was something he didn't need.
"It wouldn't hurt you, you know," Greg, his shift opposite said into the quiet.
His mind a million miles away from the current scene, Will said "what?" as he tried to make sense of what the man was talking about.
"She's a nice lady," Greg said softly so Karen couldn't hear. "She's looked out after you more than you know, running interference with the captain and such."
"Oh, I didn't realize," Will said lamely. "I...I've had a million things on my mind all at the same time. I'll be more aware," was all he could promise.
"Yeah, you should do that," Greg repeated more forcefully, leaving Will to look at him in his own curiosity. Shrugging, both men parted ways and Will went to hunt up Mark.
"He's in the can, trying to get ready for work," a new recruit walking by, passed on the news. "He's more upset about not getting to work on time than the fracas you guys had last night."
"Well that's Mark for ya," Will paused by the bathroom door and rapped. "Hurry up gear head, I'll drive you into work."
"Thanks," Mark loped out of the restroom and the two men made tracks for Will's old dilapidated car and chugged out into frosty morning.
Ben and Wayne had a fine morning, as they lined up the short ends of 2x4's and used a carpenter pencil to make a race track for the boy's to use as a car track. Milo and Teddy, as young as he was, never went anywhere with out their hot wheels racers, so the kids played hard on the grimy shop floor.
Wayne showed Ben the almost finished cross he had fashioned for Sandy's grave. "I put it aside to make the driveway gates, and have three more sections of fence to complete before I can get back to it." he said with a sigh. "It's weighing heavy on me," he finally admitted slowly.
"How much more time will it take to finish?" Ben inquired, an idea forming in the back of his mind.
"Couple of hours at least," Wayne said morosely, as he righted a block in the racetrack maze.
"We can get you this afternoon free," Ben laid out his plan. "I see Cheryl's on her way up to help Clora, she can feed Milo lunch and get him down for a nap."
Wayne brightened, it was looking like a reprieve in his gloomy outlook. "Thanks man, I owe ya," he told Ben. "Tell the ladies it was my idea to let the kids play on the floor." The two afore mentioned urchins were grime covered from top to bottom and Teddy smelled suspiciously rank.
"I pooped," Teddy said happily.
"So you did," Ben said seriously. "If you're out with the guys and do a baby thing, then you get cleaned up by the guys the way they clean up to go in the house."
Teddy was scrubbed outside in the cold with a hose and a shop rag. It wasn't pleasant, and his young mind finally made the connection.
"I don't want washed that way," he told Ben as they made their way to the house.
"Then use the bathroom like a big boy," Ben scolded.
"OK," Teddy promised, looking up at his foster parent for some sign that Ben still liked him.
"That is the right way to do," Ben approved by putting him arm around the thin child's shoulder, giving the youngster a quick hug.
Lainey had been watching from the kitchen window, wanting to protest the treatment, but understanding the men's way might be the best.
Cheryl was a little sour as she walked up to the main house with the dirtiest little chatterbox she had ever seen or heard. Fresh from her upset with Ronnie, she wasn't overjoyed to have to deal with another Burton.
Looking in on Clora who was sleeping, Cheryl put water on to heat as she stoked the wood eating stove. Milo ate his sandwich dirty except for his hands, and protested loudly as he was stripped and scrubbed in the kitchen washtub. "Nap time," Cheryl said forcefully and Milo went quietly.
Sitting at the table, Cheryl mapped out a few changes that were going to happen or there would be hell to pay. First of all, there would be underground power installed, to heck with all the inconvenience of doing life the old fashioned way. That reads good in books and magazines, and is a heck of a challenge in real life.
The power company would be money ahead to bury the lines into the farm, she was sure. The generators were busy powering the coolers and the well had a generator of it's own, but they all had immense responsibilities in hand and needed all the help they could get.
Lainey was looking exhausted, caring for a nursing infant and a almost 3 year old, plus running a busy household while pregnant again. Cheryl and Christy went up to help as often as possible, but there were days when the care of Ronnie took both women of the Wilson household plus Ev.
Cheryl took the time in the quiet house to think hard about Ronnie and the problem he presented. The big house was still with the solitude she craved, and it was a time of prayer and introspection. Finally the indisputable facts came to her conclusion. They needed to have Ronnie professionally evaluated. Bowing her head, Cheryl prayed hard she had come to the correct solution.
Making a mild mint tea, Cheryl went to look in on Clora. The woman looked like she was as sick as she was. Cheryl shook her head and helped Clora take a couple of sips, and then Clora had no strength left to hold herself up. "Milo?" she croaked, wanting to know where he was. "Mark?"
"Milo is in his room napping, Mark is at work," Cheryl fudged about Mark, as she had no idea where he was. It was enough for Clora and she snuggled deep under the quilts, lost in flu delirium.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Another chapter swwweeeett.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Thanks for the chapters Pac. I am always happy to find new reading form you, now if I didn't have to work as much I could keep caught up more often.
Wayne
Wayne
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#8
Ben walked up to the main house, to check on the situation.
"Both asleep," Cheryl replied as she did the dishes and got together the supper meal to reheat later. A task she supposed Mark could handle wen he got back. "As soon as Milo wakes up, I'm going to get Wayne to take him," she laid out her plans. "I don't dare expect Christy to shoulder the care of Ronnie after this morning."
Cheryl let Ben know of the problem and the contraband weapons they had found. "The child is seriously disturbed, and we need to have him evaluated. I frankly don't trust him," Cheryl said flatly. "He has to go back to the hospital tonight."
"Go ahead and go," Ben motioned for his friend and neighbor to take care of her problems. "You all go, I'll milk tonight so Wayne or I will feed and get the eggs. Be safe Cheryl," he added with a small sad smile.
"Thank you Ben, we'll go as soon as I get down there and get things together. Do you know, is Pastor Tom back at work? I was going to go there first."
"If he is, we haven't heard," Ben replied and he looked down the hall as Milo stumbled out of his bedroom. Nap warm, sweet smelling from his bath and tousled haired Milo stood in the kitchen and stared at them.
"Where's Auntie C?" Milo looked around expecting Clora to be in her usual place at the table.
"Still sick in bed," Cheryl said as she put a glass of milk and a cookie on a plate and placed it at Milo's place. "Hungry?"
"I guess so, can I go see?" Milo needed reassured Clora was in the house. He didn't know he had severe separation anxiety, only that his anchors were not with him and he needed them.
Cheryl said, "if you are very quiet, we need to let Clora sleep and we don't want you getting sick. How do you feel? Any problems with your tummy?"
Milo shook his head no and was down the hall, waiting patiently for Cheryl to catch up.
They all looked in on Clora and Milo's chatter had her waving at him and blowing a kiss. "Everything is OK," Ben reassured his sister. "I bet you're like Grandma, she got way sicker with the flu than normal people. Hang in there poodle nose," he finished with the hated nickname, and grinned evilly when Clora thumbed her nose at him.
Laughing, Ben backed out of the room and steered Milo back into the kitchen.
"What's a poodle nose?" Milo wanted to know.
"It's a cute little nose on a girl that happens to be your sister and she hates the name. So you tease her, and she tries to flatten you with a haymaker. And before you ask, a haymaker is a really strong punch in the jaw. And this is your jaw," Ben touched Milo's chin. "Got it?"
"Thank you Ben," Cheryl waved as she went out the door.
"Where's she going?" Milo said around a mouthful of cookie.
"Cheryl and Ev need to run into town in a little while. We need to head down to the house and see if Teddy is up from his nap. Now I expect you to behave and be very good for Aunt Lainey while I go do the chores. Wayne will be by to get you when he gets done with his project. Any questions?"
"Can I take a cookie for Teddy?"
"Sure, get your coat and shoes on first, and we'll put the leather to the road."
"HUH?"
"Get dressed and we'll go." Ben amended as he smiled at Milo's confusion.
Cheryl had the Wilson household jumping as they left the house shortly after she hit the front door, the old Ford pickup belching and sputtering as Ev piloted it down the drive. They drove off into the afternoon, leaving the farm under Ben and Wayne's capable direction.
Ben deposited Milo at his house still grasping the cookie he had brought for Teddy. Teddy was thrilled, Lainey was apprehensive but Ben gave her a wink and said he'd be right back after he got the chores done. Shrugging her shoulders, Lainey said "I never could tell you no," she laughed.
"Oh baby, aren't you glad you couldn't," Ben wagged his eyebrows like Groucho Marx and grabbed the milk pail and ran.
Wayne was buttoning up the shop as the waining daylight made it difficult to see. "Got'er done," he announced with relief. "Now maybe I can concentrate on the rest of my 'to do' list."
"Well, do you want 'to do' the milking or the feeding ?" Ben jested as he opened the side shop door they used for milking and went to let Bossie in from the run. She was hurrying, mooing and her bag swinging as she fixated on the grain can. "That woman has her priorities straight," Wayne forked a leaf of rich alfalfa to the makeshift manger.
"Yeah, just stay out of her way. When we redo the barn, I have a couple of ideas to make our life easier," Wayne scooped up the fresh cow pie that just plopped on the shop floor. "Bossie," he scolded, "behave."
Bossie flipped her tail at the shoveler, so Ben stepped up and added another short can of grain and Bossie settled down, batting her long lashes at her favorite person if she couldn't have Mark.
Mark finished his work shift and took a cab back to Borg's house. There he deactivated the security system, gathered up several files and snagged the keys to Borg's Jeep. Setting the alarm, he drove to the farm, in a hurry to settle in the love and comfort he craved.
Ben walked up to the main house, to check on the situation.
"Both asleep," Cheryl replied as she did the dishes and got together the supper meal to reheat later. A task she supposed Mark could handle wen he got back. "As soon as Milo wakes up, I'm going to get Wayne to take him," she laid out her plans. "I don't dare expect Christy to shoulder the care of Ronnie after this morning."
Cheryl let Ben know of the problem and the contraband weapons they had found. "The child is seriously disturbed, and we need to have him evaluated. I frankly don't trust him," Cheryl said flatly. "He has to go back to the hospital tonight."
"Go ahead and go," Ben motioned for his friend and neighbor to take care of her problems. "You all go, I'll milk tonight so Wayne or I will feed and get the eggs. Be safe Cheryl," he added with a small sad smile.
"Thank you Ben, we'll go as soon as I get down there and get things together. Do you know, is Pastor Tom back at work? I was going to go there first."
"If he is, we haven't heard," Ben replied and he looked down the hall as Milo stumbled out of his bedroom. Nap warm, sweet smelling from his bath and tousled haired Milo stood in the kitchen and stared at them.
"Where's Auntie C?" Milo looked around expecting Clora to be in her usual place at the table.
"Still sick in bed," Cheryl said as she put a glass of milk and a cookie on a plate and placed it at Milo's place. "Hungry?"
"I guess so, can I go see?" Milo needed reassured Clora was in the house. He didn't know he had severe separation anxiety, only that his anchors were not with him and he needed them.
Cheryl said, "if you are very quiet, we need to let Clora sleep and we don't want you getting sick. How do you feel? Any problems with your tummy?"
Milo shook his head no and was down the hall, waiting patiently for Cheryl to catch up.
They all looked in on Clora and Milo's chatter had her waving at him and blowing a kiss. "Everything is OK," Ben reassured his sister. "I bet you're like Grandma, she got way sicker with the flu than normal people. Hang in there poodle nose," he finished with the hated nickname, and grinned evilly when Clora thumbed her nose at him.
Laughing, Ben backed out of the room and steered Milo back into the kitchen.
"What's a poodle nose?" Milo wanted to know.
"It's a cute little nose on a girl that happens to be your sister and she hates the name. So you tease her, and she tries to flatten you with a haymaker. And before you ask, a haymaker is a really strong punch in the jaw. And this is your jaw," Ben touched Milo's chin. "Got it?"
"Thank you Ben," Cheryl waved as she went out the door.
"Where's she going?" Milo said around a mouthful of cookie.
"Cheryl and Ev need to run into town in a little while. We need to head down to the house and see if Teddy is up from his nap. Now I expect you to behave and be very good for Aunt Lainey while I go do the chores. Wayne will be by to get you when he gets done with his project. Any questions?"
"Can I take a cookie for Teddy?"
"Sure, get your coat and shoes on first, and we'll put the leather to the road."
"HUH?"
"Get dressed and we'll go." Ben amended as he smiled at Milo's confusion.
Cheryl had the Wilson household jumping as they left the house shortly after she hit the front door, the old Ford pickup belching and sputtering as Ev piloted it down the drive. They drove off into the afternoon, leaving the farm under Ben and Wayne's capable direction.
Ben deposited Milo at his house still grasping the cookie he had brought for Teddy. Teddy was thrilled, Lainey was apprehensive but Ben gave her a wink and said he'd be right back after he got the chores done. Shrugging her shoulders, Lainey said "I never could tell you no," she laughed.
"Oh baby, aren't you glad you couldn't," Ben wagged his eyebrows like Groucho Marx and grabbed the milk pail and ran.
Wayne was buttoning up the shop as the waining daylight made it difficult to see. "Got'er done," he announced with relief. "Now maybe I can concentrate on the rest of my 'to do' list."
"Well, do you want 'to do' the milking or the feeding ?" Ben jested as he opened the side shop door they used for milking and went to let Bossie in from the run. She was hurrying, mooing and her bag swinging as she fixated on the grain can. "That woman has her priorities straight," Wayne forked a leaf of rich alfalfa to the makeshift manger.
"Yeah, just stay out of her way. When we redo the barn, I have a couple of ideas to make our life easier," Wayne scooped up the fresh cow pie that just plopped on the shop floor. "Bossie," he scolded, "behave."
Bossie flipped her tail at the shoveler, so Ben stepped up and added another short can of grain and Bossie settled down, batting her long lashes at her favorite person if she couldn't have Mark.
Mark finished his work shift and took a cab back to Borg's house. There he deactivated the security system, gathered up several files and snagged the keys to Borg's Jeep. Setting the alarm, he drove to the farm, in a hurry to settle in the love and comfort he craved.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you Pac, nice to find tonight.
stjwelding
Veteran Member
Pac thanks for the chapter great story.
Wayne
Wayne
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#9
Wayne shuffled from the shop to the house, tired from the hunched over welding position he had used to finish Sandy's cross. It was a huge load off his mind to have the ornate three foot cross finished. Wayne wanted to honor Sandy's memory and felt grievous that they had not been able to have a burial for the ashes because of the weather.
So many people had been killed here at the farm, he mused as his footsteps slowly walked around the back of the house. The back door had the small used and forlorn Christmas tree leaning against the porch rail. Wayne felt a lot like that tree; used and unneeded.
Wayne felt horrible that Lily and her girls had been killed in the night raid. Why, was a big question that there was no answer that came to mind. It was so needless, unnecessary and useless for them to have been killed and it weighed heavy on his mind.
The house was almost dark, cool and empty feeling, just like him. Mark came in the front door to find Wayne sitting in the dark, silently weeping.
As Mark shut the front door, his spidy senses went to tingling and he stopped instantly still. "Wayne, is that you?" he questioned softly as his hand went to his jacket pocket.
There was a snuffing sniff and Wayne said "yes" with a hiccuping slur.
"Where's Clora?" Mark probed anxiously, not at all comfortable with a brother sitting in his house, in the dark and sobbing and his wife no where to be found. Hesitantly, Mark slowly and with no quick moves removed his Glock from his suit pocket. He didn't like the feeling he was getting from Wayne, had the strange and unwell man finally flipped and gone round the bend.
"She's in bed, sick with the flu," Wayne finally drawled, his misery almost drowning out his words.
If Wayne had taken one more second to reply, Mark was ready to pull the gun and shoot him. He booked no dawdling when it came to Clora's welfare. "It's a good thing you finally answered," Mark growled, as he re holstered his weapon, "you don't know how close you came to getting a hole blown in you."
Wayne was so deep in his own misery he barely heard, and didn't comprehend, what Mark had spoken. Mark was gone, his long strides rounding the corner and down the hall to their bedroom. The door opened and Clora stood clinging to the door frame. "Mark, honey is that you? I need to get to the bathroom, help me please."
Mark dropped his briefcase and rushed to support Clora. His wife was close to delirious, and wobbled as he guided her to the washroom. Out of habit, he reached for the light switch and flipped it, cursing when nothing happened. Now he had a problem. He didn't dare leave Clora, she didn't have the strength to sit upright. It was frickin dark inside the bathroom, and he couldn't see to help her.
"WAYNE!" the bellow was louder than Ev's prized bull and finally broke through the depressed man's reverie. "Get a lamp lit and get it in here!"
Wayne shuffled from the shop to the house, tired from the hunched over welding position he had used to finish Sandy's cross. It was a huge load off his mind to have the ornate three foot cross finished. Wayne wanted to honor Sandy's memory and felt grievous that they had not been able to have a burial for the ashes because of the weather.
So many people had been killed here at the farm, he mused as his footsteps slowly walked around the back of the house. The back door had the small used and forlorn Christmas tree leaning against the porch rail. Wayne felt a lot like that tree; used and unneeded.
Wayne felt horrible that Lily and her girls had been killed in the night raid. Why, was a big question that there was no answer that came to mind. It was so needless, unnecessary and useless for them to have been killed and it weighed heavy on his mind.
The house was almost dark, cool and empty feeling, just like him. Mark came in the front door to find Wayne sitting in the dark, silently weeping.
As Mark shut the front door, his spidy senses went to tingling and he stopped instantly still. "Wayne, is that you?" he questioned softly as his hand went to his jacket pocket.
There was a snuffing sniff and Wayne said "yes" with a hiccuping slur.
"Where's Clora?" Mark probed anxiously, not at all comfortable with a brother sitting in his house, in the dark and sobbing and his wife no where to be found. Hesitantly, Mark slowly and with no quick moves removed his Glock from his suit pocket. He didn't like the feeling he was getting from Wayne, had the strange and unwell man finally flipped and gone round the bend.
"She's in bed, sick with the flu," Wayne finally drawled, his misery almost drowning out his words.
If Wayne had taken one more second to reply, Mark was ready to pull the gun and shoot him. He booked no dawdling when it came to Clora's welfare. "It's a good thing you finally answered," Mark growled, as he re holstered his weapon, "you don't know how close you came to getting a hole blown in you."
Wayne was so deep in his own misery he barely heard, and didn't comprehend, what Mark had spoken. Mark was gone, his long strides rounding the corner and down the hall to their bedroom. The door opened and Clora stood clinging to the door frame. "Mark, honey is that you? I need to get to the bathroom, help me please."
Mark dropped his briefcase and rushed to support Clora. His wife was close to delirious, and wobbled as he guided her to the washroom. Out of habit, he reached for the light switch and flipped it, cursing when nothing happened. Now he had a problem. He didn't dare leave Clora, she didn't have the strength to sit upright. It was frickin dark inside the bathroom, and he couldn't see to help her.
"WAYNE!" the bellow was louder than Ev's prized bull and finally broke through the depressed man's reverie. "Get a lamp lit and get it in here!"
bad_karma00
Underachiever
Hmm. I find Mark's behavior there a little troubling. Why would Wayne's misery and sorrow make Mark want to shoot him? If anything it's Mark who might still need to prove himself to the family, rather than Wayne, IMO. Wayne has always been there, doing the dirty work for the rest of them.
Or I may owe Mark an apology. . .
Nice update Pac. I hope you and Mister are doing well. And Happy New Year.
Bad
Or I may owe Mark an apology. . .
Nice update Pac. I hope you and Mister are doing well. And Happy New Year.
Bad
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#9b
Ev drove in silence, the cab finally warming enough so chattering teeth weren't louder than the creaking and rumbling of the old pickup. Christy had her book and paper as she studied hard, making notations of pertant facts. She looked up once when Ev had to stomp on the brakes to avoid a obvious drunk that lurched off the sidewalk. Shaking his head at the foolishness of the man, Ev let the weaving gent stumble back between two parked cars and regain the sidewalk.
"Good reflexes Dad," Christy approved. "I sure wish you would get a smaller car so I could learn to drive."
Terror struck deep into Ev's heart. His baby, ready to drive, oh say it isn't so; he sputtered in alarm. Cheryl took one look at his astonished face and laughed. "Be tough Daddy," she counseled in amusement. "Remember how important it was to you, to learn to drive?"
It was a tough scene in Pastor Tom's office. Christy and Ronnie sat in the waiting room as Ev and Cheryl explained the problem to Tom.
Tom sat deep in his chair, fingers tented under his chin as he listened to the distraught couple tell him about the problem with Ronnie.
Finally, when Cheryl was done, he got up to stare out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "Ronnie definitely needs help, I must say I'm surprised it is him. I fully expected the middle child to be the one back here, out of options. I am going to recommend that Ronnie be placed in the children's ward secure unit."
Ev snorted, "Clora has Milo under her thumb, and no, she can't take Ronnie. Ronnie tries to hurt Milo, so they have to be kept apart. We thought about changing children, but Milo has bonded so completely with Clora and Mark that he won't leave them. He is doing so well, that nobody wants to cause any changes."
"What about the youngest one?" Pastor Tom inquired.
"Lainey is frankly struggling with Teddy, but they love him and are working hard to bring him on board," Cheryl was clear in her assessment of the youngest and his foster family.
"Thank you, I had picked up the same information, but it is nice to have that info validated," Tom replied. "Let's go out into the waiting room and I'll bring Ronnie back in my office and then I want you to leave."
Cheryl started wringing her hands, a sure sign to Ev she was dithering and about to change her mind about leaving Ronnie. Then the youngster did one of his disgusting tricks. Tom had Ronnie walking into the room before him and Ronnie turned and smiled a huge loving smile at Cheryl and then spit at her.
It was like a wash of icy water. Cheryl simply turned and walked out without looking back. Ev helped Christy gather up her books and they followed a few steps behind. Back in the pickup the silence was deafening. The late afternoon sun was sinking rapidly when Ev pulled into the parking lot of a pizza restaurant.
The small family enjoyed the rare treat, but Ronnie was never far from their minds. "I feel like such a failure," Cheryl said into the noise of the rattling cab as they drove for the farm. "I have always completed any project, respected people and worked hard. It was so frustrating not to be able to reach Ronnie. Did I ever tell you the night that idiot broke into the house, Ronnie went running to him and kicked me when I tried to stop him."
"No, and it's a good thing I didn't," Ev was mad. "This intervention would have happen right then, had I known."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't say anything," Cheryl admitted slowly. "Part of it was my foolish pride, not willing to have other's know about my failure with Ronnie. Still, I should have been able to find the one spark that would have clicked between us, and it will haunt me for the rest of my life that we had to turn him back."
Ev slowed down and he and Cheryl talked as they moseyed along the secondary highway.
"Hey, hurry up Dad. I've got a ton of work to do and the test is day after tomorrow. Don't forget you need to drive me into the college on Friday and I need to be there at 7:15." Christy complained after a while. "Kick this old bucket of bolts in the accelerator, please."
"Between you and your Mother," Ev pretended to be affronted, "I wish you wouldn't hurt this old pickup's feelings, she's a good old girl."
Christy snorted in the back seat. "That's what we call old Bossie too, as a matter of fact this pickup and that old cow really remind me of each other."
The light hearted banter helped Cheryl regain her perspective, and she joined in talking trash about the old pickup. Ev pulled up to the shut gates and Cheryl got out to open the right side and let the pickup pass through. There, clothes pinned to the wrought iron bar just above the gate handle was an envelope addressed to Lainey.
Cheryl removed it and jumped back in the cab. "This is for Lainey," she reported. "Drive me up there please."
"Dad, stop and let me off at the house please. I've just got to study more," Christy implored. Ev stopped at their place and he got out to check the house before he would let Christy go in. "Lock up," he ordered as he shut the door. "Be careful with the oil lamp."
Lainey and Ben both made a terrible face when Cheryl handed her the letter. "I take it you must know who it is from?' Cheryl guessed accurately.
"My father, he is having an attack of conscience...so he says. I think he just wants to find out if we have any more diamonds," Lainey said with a sour look. "I'm just not ready to kiss and make up. Maybe someday, but not yet."
Milo looked up from his coloring book. "Mr Ev, would you take me home? It's getting dark and I know Auntie Clora is getting worried where I am" he carefully slid the green crayon back into the box. "Thank you Auntie Lainey for supper," Milo remembered his manners. "Good night Uncle Ben, may I have my coat please?"
Ev opened the door and the trio trudged out to the still warm pickup.
The main house only had one lamp lit, and Cheryl frowned as they climbed the stairs. Knocking twice, the Wilson's and Milo opened the door to find Wayne huddled in a chair whimpering and Mark shouting orders from the hallway.
Cheryl grabbed the lamp and went rushing into the bathroom, where Mark was trying to get Wayne to bring in the light. "Cheryl, thank you," Mark snapped as he tried to support the woozy Clora.
"Let's get her back in bed." Cheryl suggested, and helped Mark steer the rubber legged woman down the hall. Covering Clora up as she was shivering violently, Mark stared at his wife. "I'm gonna kick that Wayne in the ass," he announced. "I've been trying to get him to help for an hour, and he just sits in there blubbering. She really got cold, and damn she's sick."
"I think Wayne is down and out for the count," Cheryl practically pushed Mark out of the bedroom. "I want you to go out the back door and go down and get Ben. He usually has the most success dealing with Wayne." she ordered.
Mark looked like he wanted to argue, so Cheryl shook her finger at him and he shrugged and headed for the door. Milo saw him go between the hall and kitchen and lit out at a run. "Wait for me," he was yelling, battling Ev as the man tried to way lay the boy.
"Co'mon then," Mark grabbed him up and out the door they went.
Cheryl went around lighting lamps and stoking the stove. Her supper was untouched on the counter so she put it on to heat. Ben and Ev helped Wayne down the stairs and down to his house. They put him in bed and did the chores like building a fire and placing a flashlight next to the bed, not trusting the man with a lit oil lamp.
"I'll check on him before I go to bed," Ev offered, "I know I'm up later than you guys."
"Thanks," Ben accepted gladly. "Sleep is a scarce commodity in our house. Lord I can't remember when we had a full night's sleep."
"Anne's old enough she should be sleeping through the night, ask Cheryl how she trained Christy," Ev mentioned it, cause Ben really did have some dark circles under his eyes.
"First thing tomorrow," Ben laughed a little. "First thing."
Mark sat at the table eating his supper. Milo was eating a cookie and drifting off to sleep as he sat there. Picking up the youngster, Mark packed him into the bedroom and took off his shoes. Tucking him into bed, Mark gave Milo a kiss on the forehead. Milo smiled in his sleep.
When Mark got back to the kitchen, Will was coming in. The lawman looked like he had been drug through a knot hole backwards. Without a word he got a plate and helped himself to the skillet contents. Grabbing a fork, he sat down and started shoveling in the beef and rice casserole.
Mark and Will cleaned the pan. Mark nosed around and opened a quart of peaches and put the plate of cookies on the table between them. Leaning back after supper, Will used a toothpick and said, " The FBI will be here tomorrow. Some of those Dudes were part of the Chinese Ambassador's team. We're in deep doo doo."
Ev drove in silence, the cab finally warming enough so chattering teeth weren't louder than the creaking and rumbling of the old pickup. Christy had her book and paper as she studied hard, making notations of pertant facts. She looked up once when Ev had to stomp on the brakes to avoid a obvious drunk that lurched off the sidewalk. Shaking his head at the foolishness of the man, Ev let the weaving gent stumble back between two parked cars and regain the sidewalk.
"Good reflexes Dad," Christy approved. "I sure wish you would get a smaller car so I could learn to drive."
Terror struck deep into Ev's heart. His baby, ready to drive, oh say it isn't so; he sputtered in alarm. Cheryl took one look at his astonished face and laughed. "Be tough Daddy," she counseled in amusement. "Remember how important it was to you, to learn to drive?"
It was a tough scene in Pastor Tom's office. Christy and Ronnie sat in the waiting room as Ev and Cheryl explained the problem to Tom.
Tom sat deep in his chair, fingers tented under his chin as he listened to the distraught couple tell him about the problem with Ronnie.
Finally, when Cheryl was done, he got up to stare out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "Ronnie definitely needs help, I must say I'm surprised it is him. I fully expected the middle child to be the one back here, out of options. I am going to recommend that Ronnie be placed in the children's ward secure unit."
Ev snorted, "Clora has Milo under her thumb, and no, she can't take Ronnie. Ronnie tries to hurt Milo, so they have to be kept apart. We thought about changing children, but Milo has bonded so completely with Clora and Mark that he won't leave them. He is doing so well, that nobody wants to cause any changes."
"What about the youngest one?" Pastor Tom inquired.
"Lainey is frankly struggling with Teddy, but they love him and are working hard to bring him on board," Cheryl was clear in her assessment of the youngest and his foster family.
"Thank you, I had picked up the same information, but it is nice to have that info validated," Tom replied. "Let's go out into the waiting room and I'll bring Ronnie back in my office and then I want you to leave."
Cheryl started wringing her hands, a sure sign to Ev she was dithering and about to change her mind about leaving Ronnie. Then the youngster did one of his disgusting tricks. Tom had Ronnie walking into the room before him and Ronnie turned and smiled a huge loving smile at Cheryl and then spit at her.
It was like a wash of icy water. Cheryl simply turned and walked out without looking back. Ev helped Christy gather up her books and they followed a few steps behind. Back in the pickup the silence was deafening. The late afternoon sun was sinking rapidly when Ev pulled into the parking lot of a pizza restaurant.
The small family enjoyed the rare treat, but Ronnie was never far from their minds. "I feel like such a failure," Cheryl said into the noise of the rattling cab as they drove for the farm. "I have always completed any project, respected people and worked hard. It was so frustrating not to be able to reach Ronnie. Did I ever tell you the night that idiot broke into the house, Ronnie went running to him and kicked me when I tried to stop him."
"No, and it's a good thing I didn't," Ev was mad. "This intervention would have happen right then, had I known."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I didn't say anything," Cheryl admitted slowly. "Part of it was my foolish pride, not willing to have other's know about my failure with Ronnie. Still, I should have been able to find the one spark that would have clicked between us, and it will haunt me for the rest of my life that we had to turn him back."
Ev slowed down and he and Cheryl talked as they moseyed along the secondary highway.
"Hey, hurry up Dad. I've got a ton of work to do and the test is day after tomorrow. Don't forget you need to drive me into the college on Friday and I need to be there at 7:15." Christy complained after a while. "Kick this old bucket of bolts in the accelerator, please."
"Between you and your Mother," Ev pretended to be affronted, "I wish you wouldn't hurt this old pickup's feelings, she's a good old girl."
Christy snorted in the back seat. "That's what we call old Bossie too, as a matter of fact this pickup and that old cow really remind me of each other."
The light hearted banter helped Cheryl regain her perspective, and she joined in talking trash about the old pickup. Ev pulled up to the shut gates and Cheryl got out to open the right side and let the pickup pass through. There, clothes pinned to the wrought iron bar just above the gate handle was an envelope addressed to Lainey.
Cheryl removed it and jumped back in the cab. "This is for Lainey," she reported. "Drive me up there please."
"Dad, stop and let me off at the house please. I've just got to study more," Christy implored. Ev stopped at their place and he got out to check the house before he would let Christy go in. "Lock up," he ordered as he shut the door. "Be careful with the oil lamp."
Lainey and Ben both made a terrible face when Cheryl handed her the letter. "I take it you must know who it is from?' Cheryl guessed accurately.
"My father, he is having an attack of conscience...so he says. I think he just wants to find out if we have any more diamonds," Lainey said with a sour look. "I'm just not ready to kiss and make up. Maybe someday, but not yet."
Milo looked up from his coloring book. "Mr Ev, would you take me home? It's getting dark and I know Auntie Clora is getting worried where I am" he carefully slid the green crayon back into the box. "Thank you Auntie Lainey for supper," Milo remembered his manners. "Good night Uncle Ben, may I have my coat please?"
Ev opened the door and the trio trudged out to the still warm pickup.
The main house only had one lamp lit, and Cheryl frowned as they climbed the stairs. Knocking twice, the Wilson's and Milo opened the door to find Wayne huddled in a chair whimpering and Mark shouting orders from the hallway.
Cheryl grabbed the lamp and went rushing into the bathroom, where Mark was trying to get Wayne to bring in the light. "Cheryl, thank you," Mark snapped as he tried to support the woozy Clora.
"Let's get her back in bed." Cheryl suggested, and helped Mark steer the rubber legged woman down the hall. Covering Clora up as she was shivering violently, Mark stared at his wife. "I'm gonna kick that Wayne in the ass," he announced. "I've been trying to get him to help for an hour, and he just sits in there blubbering. She really got cold, and damn she's sick."
"I think Wayne is down and out for the count," Cheryl practically pushed Mark out of the bedroom. "I want you to go out the back door and go down and get Ben. He usually has the most success dealing with Wayne." she ordered.
Mark looked like he wanted to argue, so Cheryl shook her finger at him and he shrugged and headed for the door. Milo saw him go between the hall and kitchen and lit out at a run. "Wait for me," he was yelling, battling Ev as the man tried to way lay the boy.
"Co'mon then," Mark grabbed him up and out the door they went.
Cheryl went around lighting lamps and stoking the stove. Her supper was untouched on the counter so she put it on to heat. Ben and Ev helped Wayne down the stairs and down to his house. They put him in bed and did the chores like building a fire and placing a flashlight next to the bed, not trusting the man with a lit oil lamp.
"I'll check on him before I go to bed," Ev offered, "I know I'm up later than you guys."
"Thanks," Ben accepted gladly. "Sleep is a scarce commodity in our house. Lord I can't remember when we had a full night's sleep."
"Anne's old enough she should be sleeping through the night, ask Cheryl how she trained Christy," Ev mentioned it, cause Ben really did have some dark circles under his eyes.
"First thing tomorrow," Ben laughed a little. "First thing."
Mark sat at the table eating his supper. Milo was eating a cookie and drifting off to sleep as he sat there. Picking up the youngster, Mark packed him into the bedroom and took off his shoes. Tucking him into bed, Mark gave Milo a kiss on the forehead. Milo smiled in his sleep.
When Mark got back to the kitchen, Will was coming in. The lawman looked like he had been drug through a knot hole backwards. Without a word he got a plate and helped himself to the skillet contents. Grabbing a fork, he sat down and started shoveling in the beef and rice casserole.
Mark and Will cleaned the pan. Mark nosed around and opened a quart of peaches and put the plate of cookies on the table between them. Leaning back after supper, Will used a toothpick and said, " The FBI will be here tomorrow. Some of those Dudes were part of the Chinese Ambassador's team. We're in deep doo doo."
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank ye kind lass.
PacNorWest
Veteran Member
Bad....
I must not have explained the interaction between Mark and Wayne well enough. Mark, ever since he has been there, has always heard how 'disturbed' Wayne actually is; but had never 'seen' onr of his reactiona. Now that Wayne is deep in the grip of a depressive episode, Mark had no patience with his lagging replies because Clora's welfare was at stake..Mark was entirely focused on Clora, Wayne on his misery.
When you get right down to it; there is not much difference between Mark's PTSD episodes and the severe depression attacks Wayne is falling into.
Both alter the individual's perception of reality and spacial time, causing reactions that are not normal to the situation.
I must not have explained the interaction between Mark and Wayne well enough. Mark, ever since he has been there, has always heard how 'disturbed' Wayne actually is; but had never 'seen' onr of his reactiona. Now that Wayne is deep in the grip of a depressive episode, Mark had no patience with his lagging replies because Clora's welfare was at stake..Mark was entirely focused on Clora, Wayne on his misery.
When you get right down to it; there is not much difference between Mark's PTSD episodes and the severe depression attacks Wayne is falling into.
Both alter the individual's perception of reality and spacial time, causing reactions that are not normal to the situation.