Being it was a Sunday, the Cover lad's friends knew they needed to leave around 5 PM. When the time came, the boys walked up to the Main Gate as a group and there they waited for someone to pick them up. Their friends who rode their bikes to The Cove left right away
The owner of The Cove and his new Estate Master also walked up to the Main Gate. Mr. Ken wanted to introduce Wayne Mitchell to the parents, and explain what his role would be at The Cove to the parents who stopped by so they knew who the man was.
Many of the parents had already met the man at some of the picnics, but some hadn't, so Mr. Ken wanted as many of the moms and dads to meet him as possible while Wayne became a permanent fixture at The Cove.
When Barbara and John Sullivan arrived to pickup their two boys, Mr. Ken made it a point to reintroduce Wayne to them as his Estate Master. They already knew Mr. Wayne would be employed there, but they didn't know what his title would be. Other parents who heard the introduction came over to talk to Mr. Ken and meet Wayne.
After all the introductions were made, Mr. Ken told the gathered parents that as of that day Wayne Mitchell would be a full-time employee at Three Finger Cove. The owner of The Cove told everyone that Wayne was a college graduate, who he's known for a good four years. Mr. Ken also told the moms and dads that the kids would call him, Mr. Wayne, and he would fill in for him whenever any of his boys needed to go to appointments and any other venues he himself wasn't available to take the boys.
The owner of The Cove continued to tell the mothers and fathers that his new employee was vetted by CPS and he had the Director's full approval to hire Wayne. The man continued to tell the parents that Mr. Wayne would have all the authority to have his foster sons in his care whenever he had to travel out of the area. The owner of The Cove also told them that his new hire would eventually be a certified foster parent, too.
Mr. Ken added, besides himself and Mr. Chris, that Mr. Wayne would be an additional adult chaperone for whenever their boys were over at The Cove. He wanted to assure the moms and dads that when he could not be there, due to pressing business issues, the boys would still have adult supervision. The man then asked if anyone had any questions.
Carol and Harry Fletcher, Trevor's and Terran's parents spoke up. They asked about the new boy they saw standing beside him. They wondered if the man had somehow acquired another foster son. That brought a chuckle from the other parents standing nearby.
"Yes, Carol, I have added another lad to my household. His name is Matthew," Mr. Ken said, as he put his hand on the lad's shoulder, "He is ten and came to us, and when I say US I mean Robert, Charles, the twins and myself, as a welcomed member of our home yesterday morning."
"Robert and Charles have taken over the big brother role and Kyle has become Matthew's best friend, I think I am safe to say. I am also happy to say Matthew now has two new friends, Brant Sullivan and Ryan Longger, who will be in the same grade as he is when I register him for school tomorrow."
Another parent, Sophie Fritzer asked, kiddingly, if Mr. Ken had planned any other outings as he had with the Halloween trip to Sea World. Mr. Ken said he hadn't thought about that because he would be extremely busy with getting his home ready for the Holiday parties and probably wouldn't have the time to organize something. Then, he looked over to Mr. Wayne and winked.
As a few of the parents drifted away to their cars, Frank Longger came over to Mr. Ken.
"Mr. Ken," said the man, as he came up to the owner of The Cove, "John called to tell me he brought Ryan and Brant over here to meet your new foster son. I think it is great that Ryan is making so many new friends. He is a lot happier youngster now."
"I also want to thank you for everything you've done for me and my boys. After the Labor Day Picnic and getting that job, after the interview you set up for me, I did some checking around and I found that no one had anything but good things to say about you. I was flabbergasted!"
"People told me how you treated everyone equally after that huge storm a few years back and ...and that you made sure the residents in not so-well-to-do areas were provided vital services sometimes before the other well-established areas. They also couldn't say enough about how you unselfishly took a bullet to save your first foster boy's life and then ran his inherited companies for him for quite some time," said Mr. Longger.
"Mr. Ken, to me ...you are the real deal and someone people should to strive to emulate. Beside those major achievements, you now have five foster sons who you treat more like they are your real sons rather than wards of the state."
But Frank Longger was stopped right there when Mr. Ken held up his hands and, with a smile, said, "Frank, remember, I adopted Robert a few weeks back. And with that, I now only have four foster lads to spoil and treat more like they are my sons than anything else."
A round of applause happened right after Mr. Ken's small retort to Frank's misspoken words. He'd forgotten that some moms and dads hadn't left yet, and were still listening to their conversation. All the owner of The Cove could do was blush at their response.
Mr. Longger replied he'd forgotten the man had done that for Robert, but he wanted to say that his actions spoke stronger than words and that his boys, and the people he comes in contact with, are so much better off knowing they have a champion of sorts in their midst.
Frank also told Mr. Ken that due to his persistence for him to get Ryan checked out for delayed growth syndrome they now know that Ryan fit that profile. The man added that Doctor Powers would continue to monitor the boy until he is fourteen. The parent said that if his son doesn't grow at a standard rate, by then, they would look to consider a course of action.
Mr. Ken shook the outstretched hand of the happy father and asked him to just call him Ken, as he was younger than he was. But Frank said that what the owner of The Cove had accomplished and stood for he had earned the title 'Mister'.
Another round of hand clapping was heard from the parents that had stayed around. They all agreed with everything Frank Longger had said and showed it by their rousing response. The parents, who were there, also shook Mr. Ken's hand and then went to their vehicles and drove away.
The seven Covers, as Mr. Wayne was voted in by the boys just last night, walked back to the house and proceeded to head to the Study. This time there were more people than chairs. Mr. Ken sat behind his desk and Robert and Charles took a chair each while the twins shared a chair. Matthew didn't know what to do, but seeing Mr. Wayne was sitting in a chair by himself he went over and sat in his lap.
Mr. Ken decided to talk to Matthew about his dream from last night with all the boys there and Mr. Wayne, too.
"Matthew ...I sort of know what your dream was all about as I heard you talking to Kyle about it. And since Mr. Wayne will be my right-hand man, he needs to know everything that I do. That's so when you, or any of your 'brothers', are with him he can make the right decisions, because he knows and understands you boys and why you are all living here with me."
"Robert, Charles, Kevin, and Kyle I will tell Mr. Wayne what I know about you and sometime in the near future, I would appreciate it if you would pull him aside and tell it to him yourself in case I left something out. If you heard me tell Matthew what I did so now, I want to reiterate to you that Mr. Wayne needs to know your situations and all about you. Again, that is so if he ever needs to make a decision he will have enough information to make an informed one."
"Now Matthew, I know your dream was about your mother's boyfriend, Lincoln, and how he hit you across your back anytime you did something the man didn't like or approve of. That is nothing to be ashamed of as just about everyone has had bad things happen to them at some time or another."
"I do want you to know that Mr. Wayne and I will be there for you anytime you need us. But 'son', for us to help, you have to come to us so we can help. And by the way, your dream wasn't anything like some others I know about. If you continue to have that dream please come and tell one of us so we can make Doctor Doug aware of it so he can address it."
"In the meantime, because of what your mom's boyfriend did to you and all that has happened to you so far, I will make an appointment with my good friend Doctor Doug Jennings. Doctor Doug, as we call him, has worked with all of my foster sons, and he can help you work through all that has occurred to you and help you make sense of it all."
"You can talk to your 'brothers' as they are still working with him, but not as much as they once did. Even Robert still sees Doctor Doug, but only once a month now, and he's been with me since last January."
"Matthew ...do you understand what I just told you?" directly asked 'dad' Ken.
"Yes, sir," replied Matthew.
"Do you have any questions for me?" asked Mr. Ken.
After Matthew shook his head indicating he had no questions, Mr. Ken told his new foster son that he'd drive him to school in the morning to register him and he would take the school bus home with his 'brothers'. The owner of The Cove then asked his other 'boys' if they had any questions themselves.
All the boys, but Kevin, shook their heads. The older twin then told 'Dad Ken' he didn't have a question as much as he wanted to tell Matthew something that he felt was important. Mr. Ken thought he knew what the older twin was referring to, so he told him to go ahead.
"Matthew ...I need to tell you something that may affect you at school. You see ...ahh ...well after the police arrested your mom and her boyfriend we ...we, ahh, all went to school the next day and told all our friends what we saw. Well ...I ahh ...I got carried away and I ahh ...I sort of told them you had been beaten and your back looked really bad."
"Matthew ...I also told them ...that you hadn't eaten all day the day we found you. I told them when Mr. Ken had gotten Robert to get you a hotdog and coke ...that you ate it down fast. I ...I didn't mean to tell everyone that but ...it just came out as we were telling everyone what we saw that night. I didn't know at the time if you were going to be one of my 'brothers', but ...but I shouldn't have told anyone about your back. I'm sorry!
"Charles heard what I said and then he explained to me what it meant to be in the foster care system and ...and that we shouldn't talk about what we know about our 'brothers' or anyone else because sometimes ...that information could be embarrassing to the kid."
"Please, believe me, Matthew, I didn't really mean to tell everyone and now …and now that you are living with us all the kids will know about you because of what I told them. I'm really, really sorry, I did that. And if you have problems at school tomorrow or at any time its ...it's because ...because I opened my big mouth," finished Kevin, who then broke down and cried because he messed up.
Everyone in the Study sat there stunned at what Kevin just told Matthew. The other boys knew about it because they discussed it with their 'dad' the day it happened, but Mr. Wayne was hearing about this for the first time.
Matthew was stunned at the revelation, but he was thankful for being told. He told Kevin that it would probably be easier now that more people knew about him. He also told the older twin that now he won't have to worry about who will find out and make fun of him. The youngest Cover walked over to a still crying Kevin and hugged him and told him he accepted his apology.
The Covers went out for dinner that night and Mr. Wayne paid the bill. After dinner they went over to the Go-Kart Track and waited in line before getting their turn to drive the karts and race one another.
Matthew and Mr. Wayne went to the back of the row of karts when it was their turn to ride. Matthew didn't hesitate when the Green light was lit, but he still didn't push his gas pedal to the floor. Mr. Wayne stayed with the lad and yelled to him some encouragement and the two rode behind the others. That night, Matthew drove fast enough that he was only passed once by all the others.
The Covers had a lively talk in the new van as they drove back to The Cove. Matthew took center stage as he told everyone how he got up enough nerve to go faster than his first time driving the carts. But Charles spoke up and teased him that he was still passed by everyone. With that said, it immediately got very quiet in the van. The rest of the boys thought their 'dad' would say something, but it was Matthew, who spoke up to defend himself.
"So what? ...That was only my second time driving any kind of go-kart so, for me, I did twice as good as I did my first time last night. I bet you weren't so good your first time, so stop picking on me!" spoke up Matthew.
"Way to go, Matthew," said Robert. "Don't let him tease you like he did."
The rest of the van's occupants all applauded Matthew for sticking up for himself and not going into a shell and brooding about it. Charles just sat there with his mouth open.
When the Covers arrived home, Chief was there waiting for them. He gave them all a few doggie kisses, but then she stayed right next to Matthew. They all then walked over to the Study to talk.
"Guys, let's talk about the coming week. Tomorrow, I'll take Matthew over to the school and get him registered. He'll then come home on the bus with you. I'll also make an appointment with Doctor Rick and get him a physical just like the rest of you've had. And, I'll make an appointment for him with Doctor Doug."
"Since Mr. Wayne is no longer working at the new home sales office, he will be here when he isn't attending school. Charles, Kevin and Kyle, Mr. Wayne will be taking you to your appointments with Doctor Doug this week."
"Kyle, I'll talk to Doctor Rick about getting your cast off permanently, when I take Matthew for his physical. I know you'll want it off before we visit Collin and his grandmother, Grammy, next week. And speaking of next week, we will be traveling to Collin's on Wednesday and returning on Saturday, barring any emergencies.
"Boys ...that means you need to tell your friends that you will be gone for four days next week and they need to plan accordingly. You will also have to pack your suitcases and take appropriate clothing to wear at Collin's. Grammy will serve a semi-formal Thanksgiving Dinner, which means you, will need to wear your best. Do any of you have any questions?" finished 'dad' Ken.
Matthew raised his hand and asked what he would use for a suitcase, since he didn't even have a bag like the other kids use to bring their swimsuits and towels. The twins then asked the same question. Mr. Ken said he thought he'd gotten Kevin and Kyle their suitcases, but Robert reminded him they were going to, but it got late and his dad said they didn't need them right away.
"OK, then ...it looks like after dinner one night this week we need to go out shopping and get you three some suitcases and carry-on bags. Maybe we can do that as a family thing? Let's wait and see. We can talk about that tomorrow when you get home from school. Are there any other questions?" asked Mr. Ken.
Hearing there were no other questions, 'dad' Ken sent the lads up to their rooms to settle down before going to bed. He told them he'd stop at their rooms in a little while. But before Matthew walked out of the Study Mr. Ken asked him to stay back for a few minutes.
Matthew looked like a deer in the headlights. He had no idea why Mr. Ken would want him to stay but he knew he had to go back into the room. When he walked back in, he sat in one of the comfortable leather chairs. Mr. Ken came out from behind his desk and sat in another of the leather chairs, while Mr. Wayne stayed where he was.
"Matthew," started Mr. Ken, "I wanted to talk to you about something I noticed about you. I want to ask you why is it you decided to focus your attention on Mr. Wayne. I don't see anything wrong with that but I, we both, need to understand.
"That's so we can figure out if there is something wrong, or is it that you don't like something about me or being here at The Cove. I know I put you into a spot by asking you this but ...well, I can't let things get out of hand if there is something I can do to prevent or fix it."
Matthew sat there not knowing what to say. He knew he focused on Mr. Wayne the other night and today in the pool, but he really didn't know why he did it. It just happened that way. The newest Cover knew Mr. Ken wanted him to answer, so he decided to tell him what he was just thinking about.
"Mr. Ken, Mr. Wayne ...I don't know why I did it. It just happened. But, I liked doing it. Mr. Ken my 'brothers' ...they focused on you Saturday night, but Mr. Wayne, well, he talked to me while we were in line and then he helped me get buckled into the kart. Then, when I wouldn't drive very fast he drove with me to give me pointers on what to do. After that, I just went to him when I saw him. Did I do something wrong, Mr. Ken?" finished the young Cover.
"No, Matthew, you didn't do anything wrong. Mr. Wayne will be sitting in for me when I can't be around, so I think it is good you are already comfortable around him and look up to him. Mr. Wayne won't be here 24/7, though, so I hope you will become comfortable around me, too," now smiled 'dad' Ken.
Mr. Ken then told Matthew he was sorry that he didn't get a 3-day weekend to get used to living at The Cove like the twins did, or like Charles did having all summer. Mr. Ken then told his newest foster son when he starts school there might be some kids who will want to be his friend, only because he lives at Three Finger Cove. The man further explained they would want to be his friend, so they can come over and ride the ramps, swim in the pool and play on the water toys
The owner of The Cove suggested that his new foster son try not to mention where he lives, at first. The man explained he wanted his new foster son to just get to know his classmates first before he decides whom he wants for friends. He told the lad that eventually his classmates would find out he lived at The Cove and for him not to worry about it and just tell them you just arrived and you are still getting used to living there.
Mr. Ken reminded him that Brant and Ryan were two great kids to have as friends, but he wasn't going to tell him who he can and can't have for friends. He did mention that if his friends cause trouble while they are here, or do not get along with the other lads, then he would step in and see what he could do to fix the problem.
The owner of The Cove told Matthew that none of his 'brothers'' friends have ever been banned from The Cove and he hoped his friends would be as nice and courteous and helpful as the other lads were. Then Mr. Ken asked Matthew if he had anything he wanted to ask him or tell him.
Matthew sat there thinking. He wanted to ask his foster dad why everyone told him he was lucky to be living at The Cove, but wondered why he didn't feel that way. Everything was happening so fast that maybe, he figured, he just hadn't enough time to understand why people said what they did. Then, Matthew figured he'd wait and see and if he didn't feel that way he'd ask him so he told the man he didn't have anything to say.
Mr. Ken sent the lad up to his room and he and Mr. Wayne talked.
Upstairs, Kyle was waiting for his friend to come up to his bedroom. When he saw Matthew come up the stairs he ran to him and asked him what their 'dad' wanted with him. As the two walked towards the bedrooms, the lad told the youngest twin that Mr. Ken wanted to talk some more since they really didn't have much time to talk all weekend.
Kyle accepted the answer and then asked Matthew if he wanted him to sleep in his room again that night. Matthew thought about it and then said he'd like that. Kyle smiled and said he'd tell Kevin and meet up with him is his bedroom. The two went their separate ways.
Kevin wasn't happy that his twin was going to stay with Matthew again. But, Kyle reminded his twin that Matthew was new and even had a nightmare his first night there and he wanted to be there if he did again. Kevin said he understood, but also told him he missed his twin last night and would tonight. Kyle smiled and told his brother that they will always be twins and brothers and they can't and shouldn't do everything together. The twins hugged before Kyle went over to Matthew's bedroom.
It was then Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne came upstairs to say goodnight to the boys. The men entered Matthew's bedroom last. Mr. Ken reminded the lad he needed to put that gel on his back, so Matthew removed his t-shirt. The boy purred as the cooling gel worked its magic on the lad's back. Kyle watched what his 'dad' did thinking he could do that the next time Matthew needed it done.
"'Dad', do you want me to put that on his back after we shower tomorrow morning?" asked Kyle.
Mr. Ken asked Matthew if that would be OK. The youngest Cover said it would be faster in the morning if Kyle did that, so the decision was made to allow Kyle to put the gel on Matthew's back before he got dressed in the morning.
Mr. Ken kissed both boys on their forehead before leaving them for the night. Mr. Wayne just patted them on their heads and then the two men walked out of the bedroom.
After the men left, Matthew got down to his briefs, and he didn't even flinch that his 'brother' saw him that way. The two then talked some before going to the bathroom and draining their dragons. Matthew asked Kyle why he said that and Kyle told him that their 'dad' tells them that when they are together and not around any girls or women. Matthew laughed at that and when they had drained their dragons they went to the bedroom and climbed into their separate bed.
"Matthew ...do you want me to sleep in your bed as we did last night?" asked Kyle, after the lights were off.
Matthew thought about it and then said he'd like that. Kyle quickly climbed out of his bed and climbed into Matthew's. Chief heard the rustling of the bed covers and then watched as the twin changed beds. Seeing everything look fine to her, she then went to sleep.
Six in the morning comes very early for someone who isn't used to getting up that early. Robert figured Matthew didn't have an alarm clock yet, so he made a point to wake the lad and get him moving for his first school day. When the teen entered the bedroom, after doing the Three-Knock Rule, he was surprised to see Kyle sleeping in the same bed at the newest Cover.
"Hey you two, it is time to get up for school," yelled Robert. "Get out of bed and take your shower and get dressed and then come down for breakfast. Come on you guys get out of bed!"
When the two sleepyheads didn't budge, the teenager went to the two boys and shook them awake. He told them it was getting late and they needed to get up and get ready for school. Kyle said they would and thanked his 'brother' for thinking about them.
"Come on Matthew, we need to get out of bed and get our showers and dressed for school and get downstairs for breakfast," said the younger twin.
Matthew got out of bed and this time he didn't hide his morning pointer. He just smiled, yawned and followed his friend to the bathroom to clean up. The two talked as they took their showers with Kyle asking what happened when he, Brant and Ryan went up to his room to change into their swimsuits.
Matthew just told Kyle that Brant and Ryan told him how they changed with the older boys down in the Men's shower room and they now see their older brothers in their underwear and naked and sometimes with stiffies. Kyle laughed at hearing that and continued to shower.
After their shower, the two Covers hurried to get dressed for school. Kyle stopped at Matthew's bedroom to put the gel on the lad's back before going to his bedroom to get ready for school. They met out in the hallway and were just a few seconds behind their 'brothers' when they entered the Kitchen Nook.
"There's my wayward 'sons'," teased Mr. Ken.
"Good morning, 'dad'" said Kyle, who then sat down and waited for Momma Maria.
"Good morning, Mr. Ken," said Matthew, who then followed Kyle over to the table, but stopped when Mr. Ken said he needed to introduce him to someone.
"Momma Maria...I want to introduce you to my, no our, new foster son, Matthew. He arrived Saturday and will be staying with us for the foreseeable future," said Mr. Ken.
Then, looking at his new foster son, Mr. Ken said, "Matthew, this is Momma Maria. She cooks all of our meals and is one of us Covers. She'll have an after-school snack waiting for you when you come home from school, so please don't come looking for me unless there is something important I need to know."
"Ohhss mi muchacho, Iss welcomes youse to mees kitchens," offered Momma Maria, who then grabbed the boy into a hug. Matthew was a bit embarrassed because he thought his 'brothers; would laugh at him because of the hug, but when he left the hug his 'brothers' were all smiling at him.
"Nows goods mornings my el ninos. Whats dose youse wants fors breekfests thees times?" asked Momma Maria
Robert spoke up and said she could make them whatever she wanted since there were now five boys she needed to cook for and they didn't have lots of time and that they were running a bit late.
Momma Maria had eggs cracked and mixed to make scrambled eggs and the bacon was already cooked, too. The pancake batter was also ready, so the woman got down to work. In no time, the woman had dollar-sized pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon on platters for all the boys. Then she prepared a larger breakfast platter for her boss, Mr. Ken.
The Covers ate in virtual silence while Momma Maria smiled and looked on. She paid special attention to Matthew and wondered what the muchachos would like for their after-school snack.
Then she was brought out of her daydreaming as the lads made noise as they got up from the table and came over to her and hugged and thanked her for making a wonderful breakfast for them. That is everyone but Matthew.
Mr. Ken saw what was happening and was going to tell the lad what that was all about but it was Robert who went to his newest 'brother' and told him why they hugged Momma.
"You mean you ALWAYS hug her for cooking for you?" said Matthew.
"Yes, we always do, Matthew. She is the only woman we have closest to our moms and we like to show her our appreciation for what she does for us. That is the only way, the only thing we can do to show how much we enjoy and love what she does for us. Now, you don't have to hug her, but if you don't then please ...please find a way to show her you're thankful for what she does for you," explained the teenager.
Then Charles spoke up and told his newest 'brother' that all their friends hug Momma Maria when she cooks or makes something special for all of them. All Matthew could do was stand there with his mouth wide open after hearing what he was just told.
"Boys ...you're going to be late for the school bus, so get a move on. I'll head over to the school with Matthew about 9 AM. I'll get him a lunch pass and I hope you will show him what to do and how to use the lunch card. And remember ...he'll come home with you on the bus so don't forget him. Now go wash your hands and face and get up to the Bus Stop," announced Mr. Ken.
All five lads went to the restroom, located off the Study, and washed up. They then told Matthew how Mr. Ken would tell them to wash their hands all the way up to their elbows. Matthew was a bit perplexed at what he just heard. Kyle saw the look on his face, so he told the newest Cover that all their friends think it's funny and fun to be told to wash up the way Mr. Ken says it.
Robert called to his 'brothers' and told them to hurry up or they'd miss the bus. All four lads hurried to put their jackets on, grab their books and hurry out the Foyer door. Matthew just wondered if every morning was like that.
"Well, sport ...what do you think about the way your 'brothers' get up and ready for school?" teased Mr. Ken.
"Is it always this hectic in the morning?" asked Matthew.
"Well, at the beginning of the school year it was kind of hectic and then when Kyle broke his arm it changed the routine some. So, I guess now that we've added you to the mix there will be some growing pains. I give it until Thursday before things begin to settle out," replied 'dad' Ken.
"Mr. Ken ...you know I haven't been to school yet this year and I know ...I know I will be far behind the other kids. What ...what if I can't catch up? What if ...what if I fail this grade? I don't want to have to repeat 5th grade," added a now teary-eyed Matthew.
Mr. Ken went to the lad and pulled him into a hug as he'd done countless times to the other boys. He hoped he could calm the lad down so they could talk about his situation and what he can do for the boy if he has a difficult time catching up. When the lad finally did calm down some, he asked the boy to follow him to the Study.
They each took a seat in one of the comfortable leather chairs and then Mr. Ken faced the lad and said, "Matthew ...I bet you are a very bright boy who can, over time, catch up quickly with your classmates. I want you to try your best, OK? I know it will be a daunting thing to try but ...I want you to try. Will you do that for me ...and yourself?"
Matthew knew what the man was asking him to do and he knew that was the right thing to do, so he told him he would. Then, the lad asked his foster dad what would happen if he had a hard time catching up to his classmates.
"Matthew, when Collin came to me it was the night of that really bad storm. You were probably about six then. Well, he had many injuries that wouldn't allow him to attend school right away. Anyway, while he recovered from his injuries enough, I hired a tutor to come here for six days a week to help him get ready to enter the 10th grade. It was hard work, but he passed all the tests from the first three grading periods and started school right after the Holidays.
"Matthew ...if you have a difficult time grasping the information and neither I nor your brothers can help you ...then I will take you out of school and hire a tutor for you. He, or she, will work with you until you are equal to your cohorts in the 5thgrade. I promise you that. But ...well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, OK? I want you to promise me ...you will do everything to can to catch up and be the best kid you can. Agreed?" smiled Mr. Ken.
Matthew listened to how his foster dad helped his other foster son get ready for school and he saw the hope in the man's eyes wanting him to try. Matthew then said he would do his best and if he had a problem he'll ask his 'brothers' for help as they've all been through the 5th grade.
Hearing what the lad had to say, the owner of The Cove then asked the boy, with a great big smile, if he thought he'd been through the 5th grade yet, too. Matthew saw the mischief in the man's eyes and heard it also in his voice, so he smiled and said he knew his new 'dad' had been through the 5th grade, but he had a lot of responsibility, so he'd ask his 'brothers' for help first and then come to him if he needed more.
Mr. Ken smiled and grabbed the lad into a hug. Matthew let himself be taken into it and he relished the feeling of safety and what he thought and hoped was 'love'. They stayed that way for a few moments before Mr. Ken let go of the lad and then told him to go get ready for school. As the lad walked out of the Study, Mr. Ken yelled to him to wash his face and then added for him to wash his hands up to his elbows.
When Matthew heard what the man said, he thought it was funny that he was to wash his hands up to his elbows. And then he remembered what Kyle told him just a while ago about how all his 'brothers' friends thought it was funny and liked the way Mr. Ken made it fun to get them to get cleaned up.
Matthew headed to the restroom just off the Study and proceeded to wash his hands. Then he figured he see what it was like to wash up to his elbows. As he did that, he realized that it was funny to do that and by doing so his hands got much cleaner.
The foster dad and foster son met in the Kitchen Nook with their coats in hand. They said so long to Momma Maria who proceeded to grab Matthew into another hug. She then told the new Cover that anytime he needed a motherly hug she was always ready to help him out.
Matthew thanked her for her hug and then he smiled. As Mr. Ken and Matthew began walking towards the garage door, Matthew looked back over his shoulder. He saw the 'love' in Momma Maria's eyes so he ran back to her and this time he hugged her. The woman hugged him back and thanked him, this time, for the hug. He smiled back at her and he hurried up to catch up to Mr. Ken who as waiting at the opened door.
They took the Ford F-150 truck, as there were only the two of them. They talked as they rode over to the school and Mr. Ken reminded Matthew that he didn't have to be an A student or even an A/B student as long as he did his best. Matthew said he would try hard, but knew he'd missed two months of school and it might be too hard to make the up what he missed.
Mr. Ken reached over and rustled the boy's hair and said he had complete confidence in him. Matthew smiled at what the man said and then looked out the front of the truck. The two then rode the rest of the way in silence.
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