Robert was able to get Kyle up for school, but had forgotten the added time the lad would need to get ready for school. Kevin had to help his twin get his shower and then he had to hurry up and get cleaned up, himself. Then Kevin had to not only dress himself, but he had to help Kyle get dressed as well.
"Sorry we're running late, 'dad'" offered Robert, as the four Cover lads walked into the Kitchen Nook.
"Yeah, we're sorry, too, 'Dad Ken', said Kevin. "We all forgot that I had to help Kyle get washed and dressed. Tonight, we'll set our clocks back a few minutes to allow for the extra time we need in the morning."
Ken Thomas was glad the lads recognized they needed to do that and had already made plans for tomorrow. The conversation was limited at breakfast that morning since the lads were running behind. As they walked out the door to head up to the Bus Stop, 'Dad Ken' had to yell out to Kevin to help Kyle with his books. The older twin smiled back and waved.
Kyle's 6th grade friends all met him at the bus corral. They all wanted to talk to him but Kevin asked them to let his brother get settled first and to be careful around his busted arm. He told them Kyle's arm was still sore from the break and for them to be careful around him.
Kyle's teacher welcomed him back and later in the day she asked him if he could tell the class how he broke his arm. Those who were there helped him add in the parts he forgot when it came to Logan and the EMTs. Kyle did get tired during the day and the teacher told him he could put his head down to rest. Kevin had to wake him when it was time to catch the bus home.
The lads got their after school snack as usual and Kevin helped his brother with his homework. At dinner, Mr. Ken could tell the lad was awfully tired, so he suggested to the lad that he go to bed even earlier than he had the day before. Kevin told 'Dad Ken' how the teacher let Kyle put his head down on his desk and he had to wake him to get to the bus on time. Kyle smiled at what Kevin said and he agreed he needed to rest more.
Doctor Doug arrived at 5:30 for his Tuesday meeting with the twins. Ken Thomas welcomed the man at the door and invited him in. He told him about Kyle's broken arm and how tired he seemed to be. Mr. Ken asked him if he could talk with Kyle first before dinner, then finish up afterwards. That's what they did.
After a great dinner made by none other than Momma Maria, Doctor Doug talked with Kyle for a few more minutes before he asked Kevin to talk with him in Mr. Ken's Study. It was close to 8 PM when Doug Jennings and Kevin came out of the Study. They were talking and smiling and Doug gave Ken a thumbs up indicating things were going good. The twins said their goodbyes to the doctor and then the man was gone.
The five Covers headed into the Study where 'Dad Ken' let Kyle sit on his lap as the four lads talked about Halloween and if they wanted to go out Trick-Or-Treating. That brought a smile to Kyle as he only remembered doing that once, but no more than three times when he was like five, six and seven. The older boys told Mr. Ken they wanted to think about it and talk to their friends to see what they were doing. The twins said they wanted to go out to see how much candy they could get. They all laughed at that.
When it was 8:30, Mr. Ken walked Kyle up to his room and told him to use the bathroom and meet him back there. When Kyle did, 'Dad Ken' asked the lad if he wanted one of his pills. Kyle said he thought that was what was making him feel so tired. He told 'Dad Ken' he wanted to see what would happen if he didn't take it. 'Dad Ken' agreed to let the lad go to bed without it, but told him to send Chief to get him if his arm began to hurt. Kyle smiled at the man and climbed into his bed.
The lads did what they said they would and they got up ten minutes earlier that Wednesday morning. They were down to breakfast at their usual time and they didn't have to hurry to eat. Kyle was even more awake after a good night's sleep and not taking his pill. He was more animated and engaged at breakfast that morning. Kevin helped Kyle with his books up to the Bus Stop and the day for the lads had begun.
Mr. Ken went to his en suite to get ready for the day. He knew DA Morris and Sheriff Barnes would be by around noon. He asked Bill and Stewart to be there early so they could eat and talk about what may or may not happen when they met with the other two men. Mr. Ken was on the phone with a potential SeaWorld chaperone when his first two guests arrived.
At twelve noon, the guard at the Main Gate called Mr. Ken and told him he had two visitors. The owner of The Cove told the two lawyers who was up at the gate, and then laughed about the DA and Sheriff having to wait to be allowed to enter the estate.
Mr. Ken waited at the Foyer door for his two new guests. Upon opening the door, Mr. Ken could immediately tell DA George Morris was not in a good mood as he invited him and Sheriff Matthew Barnes into his home. After he closed the door, he asked them if they wanted something to eat or were they in a hurry.
DA Morris didn't say a word but walked over to where he knew the Study was. Sheriff Barnes only smiled a knowing smile behind the man's back as he followed. Mr. Ken showed Sheriff Barnes into the Study where he found Bill Jackson and Stewart Russell were already there.
"So, Mr. DA, can you tell me what Frank Harrison, Robert's dad, had to say about the money his son found in their house?" asked Mr. Ken, knowing the question would probably antagonize the man.
When George Morris didn't readily answer, Mr. Ken asked Sheriff Barnes if he knew what Frank had said about the fifteen thousand dollars Robert found in the Harrison home. Sheriff Barnes smiled and looked to DA Morris to see if he should answer. The DA turned around to look at Mr. Ken and told the man that Frank said it was money he initially hid when he first started having the lad go with the men. George Morris said that with that information he would have to allow the lad to keep the money, since the courts had already decreed the teenager could keep whatever he wanted from the house.
DA Morris then spied the locked fireproof metal box sitting in the middle of Mr. Ken's desk. He also saw the owner of The Cove had set up a video recording system to tape what would be found in it when they opened it. Morris and Barnes already knew what was in it as Frank Harrison had told the two men what they would find when they opened it.
"Can we open the box?" abruptly asked George Morris.
"Sure, did Frank tell you where the key was, or are we going to manhandle the box open," chuckled Ken Thomas.
Bill and Stewart hadn't set anything up at that time, nor had they even been recognized by DA Morris when he entered the Study. The two lawyers decided to remain quiet when Mr. Ken asked how they were to open the locked fireproof metal box. Sheriff Barnes asked if there was a maul or a 20 oz. hammer and maybe a chisel available. Mr. Ken said he already brought them to the Study and pointed them out as they lay on the bookcase counter behind his chair.
Sheriff Barnes went to get the items and then approached the metal box. He asked Bill to hold the box as he used the chisel and hammer to break the lock. Mr. Ken had turned the video camera on when Matthew Barnes walked over to collect the items needed to open the box.
It took Sheriff Barnes a few tries to break the key lock on the fireproof box. When he finally got the lock broken, the lid on the fireproof box opened. All five men looked directly into the opening. Mr. Ken took the video camera off the tripod and focused it on the opened box.
"Yes! There is a gun. It looks like a Glock 26 Gen 3. There is also a separate but loaded magazine. I do not see a round in the chamber," said Sheriff Barnes, as he made the weapon safe to handle. "That is a nice gun. … Oh, Mr. Ken, you know I will have to confiscate the gun and run a ballistics test on it to make sure it wasn't used in a crime," announced Sheriff Barnes, as he laid the gun and loaded magazine on the desk.
Mr. Ken told the Sheriff he understood, but he wanted a receipt so Robert could claim the gun if it was found to actually belong to his father and was never used as the Sheriff suspected. DA Morris's face turned red when he heard the man ask for a receipt. He was going to say something when he saw Bill Jackson produce a piece of paper that just needed to be filled in with the appropriate information. All George Morris did instead was leave off a big sigh of irritation that everyone there knew what he was saying.
"What say we see what else is in there?" asked the Sheriff. "I want to see if what Frank told us was in the box is actually there."
Mr. Ken nodded his head and Matthew Barnes took out an envelope. Upon opening it he found a copy of the mortgage on the house. On further inspection it showed the house was bought and paid for. The Sheriff put the mortgage back into the envelope and placed it next to the gun. He took out another. That envelope contained the bill of sale for a handgun with Frank Harrison's name as the purchaser and the serial number of the gun sitting there on the desk. The next envelope contained old insurance information. The last envelope had a key in it that looked like one used to enter a Safety Deposit Box at a bank or credit union.
"Yes! Now we're getting somewhere," exclaimed DA Morris, as he pulled the key out of the envelope and showed everyone both sides. "And I am NOT giving you a receipt!" laughed the DA.
Mr. Ken smiled at the man as he had the camera pointed at the man as he showed both sides of the key and made his statement. Bill and Stewart laughed at what they just saw. It took Sheriff Barnes a few seconds to understand what the lawyers were laughing about. He began to chuckle, himself.
"I'll get a court order to open this safety deposit box and we'll see what else Frank Harrison has kept from me," exclaimed DA George Morris.
Sheriff Barnes turned the fireproof box upside down to show there wasn't anything else left inside. The man then placed the metal box back on the desk. It was then DA Morris said he had work to do and then he motioned to the sheriff they had to go. Mr. Ken and the two lawyers walked the two men to the Foyer door. As Sheriff Barnes walked out the door, he looked at Mr. Ken and said, "Tell Dan he can have that Saturday off."
As Mr. Ken, Bill and Stewart walked back into the Study, Bill mentioned what a 'piece' DA Morris was. Mr. Ken and Stewart laughed. It was Stewart who asked how Mr. Ken knew what George Morris would do.
"Stew, I've been around that man ever since Collin came to live here with me. The man, in my humble opinion, is a borderline narcissist. He loves what he can get out of a situation to make it benefit him. He is a politician who is looking to become Governor one day, which I hope never happens. Can you see that man as Governor?" explained Ken Thomas
"Hey, Bill … you ready to take a run at the man? You'd be a great District Attorney, if you ask me," spoke up Mr. Ken.
"You have got to be kidding me?" laughed Bill Jackson. "Me … the District Attorney … with no political experience under my belt? I don't think SO!" again laughed Bill Jackson.
"Why NOT?" quickly asked Stewart Russell. "You'd be a great DA. Look at what you've done ethically and morally in the past 3 or 4 years just for Mr. Ken, here. I bet you could use that as a lead in and with Mr. Ken, here, giving you his support I bet you'd garner a good 40 to 45 percent if not more."
"Thank you for that accolade, Stew, but do you really want me as the District Attorney?" replied Bill Jackson.
"Yeah, Bill, I have to agree with theyoung man here. I would love to see you take George on and make him sweat. Even if you were to lose, which I bet you wouldn't, you still have a large, thriving practice going with your brother," encouraged Mr. Ken.
Bill told everyone he had lots of work to get done if he wants to fund a political run. The man then laughed as he held out his hand to shake his host's. Stewart agreed he needed to get back to work, as well. The three men walked out to the cars parked on the front driveway and before long the two lawyers were headed out the Main Gate.
After his guests left, Mr. Ken went and filled up his coffee cup and then got back to work. He still had an office building and a hotel being built and he wanted to get an update on their progress. He was also working on the plans for about 400 apartments to be built on the vacant land he bought over at Four Corners. On top of that, he had his amusement parks calling him, they wanted him to come back and visit them during their fall season as they hosted their Spook-Tac-U-Lairs
At school, Kyle was more attentive during class and when the kids went to Lunch, Kyle's teacher, Charlene Kirklunds asked the lad what caused the difference. All Kyle could tell her was that he didn't take a pain pill last night, and he'd gotten a real good night's sleep. The teacher thanked him for stopping to talk to her and then she shooed him to catch up with his friends.
At lunch, Kyle' and Kevin's friends told the 'broken arm boy' that he sure was a lot more fun that day than he was yesterday. The whole group sitting at the tables all laughed. Even Kyle laughed. After lunch they all went outside to talk.
"Hey, who hasn't called 'Dad Ken' with a Yes or NO for the SeaWorld trip?" asked Kyle. "'Dad' needs to know who is going, so he can buy the tickets and make the bus plans. By the way, remember he's taking us on a motor coach that has air conditioning," announced Kyle.
"And don't forget "Dad Ken' wants you to bring a light jacket in case it gets damp and cooler at night," added Kevin.
The other kids who were standing close by heard the twins talking about going to SeaWorld, so they spoke up and asked when they were going. Kevin told them the Saturday during the 3-day Columbus Day Holiday weekend. The nosey kids also wanted to know who else was going along. That brought out a laugh by most of the boys.
After Kyle and Kevin listed the names of the boys who were invited to go to SeaWorld with 'Dad Ken', the nosey kids shut up. As they walked away, a few were heard to be pissed they weren't going or even invited to go or even worse never getting to go over to Three Finger Cove to ride the ramps and swim.
Kyle felt bad for those who hadn't been invited over to his home, but he was new there and many hadn't even tried to become friends with him and his brother, especially the girls, which he really didn't care if they ever would become friends.
In the upper grades, both Robert and Charles made sure their friends had replied to their 'dads' email about the SeaWorld trip. They all indicated they were all going. Then the Cover lads asked their friends if any of their parents were thinking of volunteering to be the last needed chaperone.
Dan Chassen overheard the lads talking about their upcoming SeaWorld trip, so he walked over to them. The teacher would normally be concerned when a large group of lads got together, especially if they were from two different grades. But he knew something they didn't which was why he walked over to them. The group said Hello to the man as he approached their group.
"Boys, I couldn't help but overhear you all talking about going to SeaWorld. It sounds like it is going to be a great time with so many friends all going at the same time. And what's this all about you needing one more chaperone?" asked the teacher.
Robert took the question and explained to Mr. Chassen that Mr. Ken was looking for one more adult to go along with the group and he and Charles were trying to get one of their friends to convince one of their parents to go along. Dan laughed at the explanation and then said he knew for a fact that Mr. Ken found his last chaperone.
"Who is it Mr. Chassen?" asked Charles.
All the lads looked back and forth to one another and then back to the man. They all had their mouths wide open at the announcement.
"Me!" smiled the teacher. "Mr. Ken called me at the beginning of the lunch period and I accepted. I think it would be great to go and enjoy the animals and watching you all run from the ghosts and goblins and scary characters they'll have there."
"Well, are you going to just stand there or are you going to say something?" asked Dan Chassen.
"That's great!" announced Logan. "I'd been bugging my mom to go, since Mr. Ken has done so much for me. Now I can call her and tell her the good news."
That was the sentiment from all the 7th and 8th grade friends of the Cover boys.
After school, the Cover lads headed directly to the Study to thank Dad Ken for asking Mr. Chassen to be the last chaperone. The owner of The Cove was surprised the lads found out so quickly, but they told him the teacher came over to them when he heard them trying to convince one of their friends' parents to be the last adult to volunteer.
'Dad' Ken told his 'boys' to get their snack before Momma Maria came looking for them. The kids had pudding, cookies and milk for their snack and afterwards they all headed up to their rooms to start their homework.
Upstairs, the twins went to Robert's room to ask him about Dan Chassen. They wanted to know why they were happy a teacher was going along. Charles came in just then and listened to his older 'brother' tell the twins how Mr. Chassen helped him and his friends when he first came to that school. He also told them how the man helped Logan after he was hit by an apple thrown by a girl.
Even Charles told the twins how the man was part of the group out looking for Ryan when he went missing, and, after Rickard was just recently attacked, the man was the person who Locked Down the school. The twins thought about what their older 'brothers' told them and they came to realize that Robert and Charles had a good handle on what was happening at their school and they could trust their judgement. All four lads then went back to doing their school work.
At dinner that night, the conversation began to center around the lads having a sleepover. Charles told his 'dad' he hadn't had someone spend the night, like, forever, and then complained Robert had Eric spend the night last weekend, and he then asked if he could have three or four guys stay over either Friday or Saturday night.
'Dad Ken' didn't say yes or no, but he wanted to know what the twins would have to say about a sleepover. The owner of The Cove knew the dinner table wasn't the place to have that type of discussion, so he asked the boys to finish eating and recommended they could continue their talk in the Study. The lads agreed to wait until then to talk about the sleepover
About ten minutes later the five Covers were all seated in the Study. It was then Mr. Ken said, "Kevin, Kyle … what do you have to say about having a sleepover for some of your friends?" directly asked Mr. Ken.
Kyle looked to Kevin and the two seemed to talk without saying a thing. After a few seconds, Kevin said, "'Dad Ken', we can't ever remember when we even had a friend spend the night at our old house. We think it would be fun, but … but what can Kyle do now that he has a broken arm? He can't skate or swim with us, so he won't be able to have as much fun as the rest of us."
"Hmmm. Let me think. Well, you could play some other games, so he can participate. We could also show a movie outside if it isn't too cold. We did that once and I think the boys had a good time. And, if it is too cool, or rainy, maybe we can show the movie in the Great Room," suggested 'dad Ken'.
"Maybe we could do a swim-in movie too, and Kyle can make the popcorn and operate the machine," added Charles.
"Charles, that sounds like a good idea, but you know electricity and water do not mix, so … I would not want to even think about doing something like that. But … you know, that sounds like it would be fun, though. Maybe I can look into doing something like that later, but for now I have to nix that idea. You all understand, don't you?" queried Mr. Ken.
All the lads said they did and then for the next fifteen minutes the four lads talked about what Kyle could do if he invited some friends over. It was Kyle who asked how many kids they could each ask over. That started another round of discussions. In the end 'Dad Ken' sent the lads away with two questions for them to think about. The first was to try to figure out what Kyle could do if he has friends over. Then, number two was to decide what would be a fair number of friends each boy could invite to a sleepover.
After the lads had been out of the Study for about five minutes, Robert came back and knocked on the doorframe to get his 'dad's' attention.
"Come on in 'son'," said Mr. Ken.
"'Dad' … I was wondering ... I see you have a camera on a tripod setup over in the corner. Do you think that maybe Kyle could use that and … well, I was thinking … if you think he can use it maybe he can video tape us on the ramps and then we can watch it later that night? Then, while we are swimming, he could maybe record that too and we could see what is funny, there too," said Robert, as he was thinking out loud.
"Robert ... you make a couple of good suggestions. The problem might be … would Kyle think that would be a fun thing to do? But we shouldn't put all our money on one or two reasonable ideas. What say we keep these ideas to ourselves and see what the other three boys come up with? Now … have you thought of what other things Kyle could possibly do? And … how many friends do you think each of you should invite?" finished a smiling 'dad' Ken.
"'Dad' I'll talk that one over with my 'brothers'. I'll try to convince them that ten each would be a good number," smiled Robert.
"Just remember, 'son', I have the final decision," laughed 'dad Ken.
The two got up and hugged each other and Robert went off to join his 'brothers'. When he found them, he asked if they could talk about the two questions their 'dad' gave them. Kevin said he still had no ideas what Kyle could do to have fun, but he did tell Robert that he thought four friends each would be a good number. Charles only snickered at the number. He remembered when he and Robert alone had over 20 lads at one sleepover.
"Well, the number, right now, isn't important unless we can come up with viable suggestions for 'dad'," said Robert. "Now, come on, think hard. Kyle … what do you think you can do?"
Kyle said he was thinking, but he had to keep his arm in the sling until Sunday, and then he could start leaving it out until it began to hurt. The younger twin said they could play some games, but he didn't know what games 'Dad Ken' had. Kevin said they brought some games back with them, but they were mostly for two players.
Charles broke into the conversation and conceded it was an impossible task 'dad' had given them. The twelve-year-old then told the twins about the time he had his surgery. He explained how he couldn't do anything for two weeks, but watch everybody have fun on the ramps and out on the water toys. Charles revealed to everyone he was disappointed he couldn't do what the other kids were doing.
Charles also admitted he knew, when he agreed to the surgery, that there would be some things he would not be able to do. He told Kyle that what he did was support his friends when they skated or swam. He also told Kyle he got the grill out,d set up the barbeque a few times and he helped cook the burgers and dogs.
Charles said his friends appreciated what he did, and they thanked him for doing it. He further told Kyle that as he got better he did more and more and that all Kyle could do now was to deal with it and not let his disability keep his friends from having fun.
The other three Cover lads were speechless after hearing what Charles had to say. Then they went up to him and hugged him for doing what he could do when he was laid up. The last person to hug Charles was Kyle.
"Charles ... thank you for making me see … that even though I have a broken arm I can still have fun. I can watch all my friends fall down when they are skating and when they get thrown off the top of the rafts. I thought I would feel sorry for myself but after hearing what you said I know my injury shouldn't keep my friends from having fun," honestly said Kyle. The younger twin then hugged Charles and he had tears flowing down his cheeks. Charles just hugged the younger boy back and rubbed his back like 'dad' Ken would do.
When the lads went to sleep that night they all felt good about their talk. They still got up ten minutes earlier, so Kyle could get ready for school, but none of them complained they lost those ten minutes.
At breakfast, Kyle told 'Dad Ken' that he wanted their friends to be able to sleep over and it didn't matter to him if he couldn't join in when they skated or swam. The younger twin explained that their friends shouldn't be kept from having fun because he was hurt. The lad then went back to eating his breakfast.
Kevin helped Kyle with his books as they walked up to the Bus Stop. 'Dad Ken' watched the four lads walk up the slight incline like they were the best buddies he knew them to be. He then thought back at what Kyle said something like, 'their friends shouldn't miss out from having fun because he was hurt'. Mr. Ken just shook his head at the maturity Kyle showed just then.
At school, Robert and Charles told their friends that their 'dad' was thinking about letting them have a sleepover that weekend, so they should talk to their parents that night. The older Covers also told their friends they had to figure out what Kyle could do to join in any fun. Then the last thing they told their friends was that they didn't know how many friends they each could have stay over and they were sorry if someone didn't get invited over.
The twins went to all their friends and told them essentially the same thing. Even during lunch, the group sat together and raked their collective brains to try to figure out what, if anything, could Kyle join in on and not hurt his injured arm. They agreed there probably wasn't anything Kyle could do to join in with them. It was just before the end of lunch bell rang that Kyle told them all it would be OK. He told them he would tell his 'dad not to worry about him, and that he'd figure out something when they're there.
Sheriff Barnes called Mr. Ken that afternoon. He called to tell the man the gun they took out of the fireproof box was not used in any locally related crimes, but the National Crime Information Center was going to check the gun through the FBI. The Sheriff then thanked Mr. Ken for his hospitality the previous day and told him he wished DA Morris wasn't such a jerk at times. The two talked about George Morris and his proclivities to want to be the center of attention and the one-and-only go to person. They both had a good laugh.
Sheriff Barnes finished their conversation by telling Mr. Ken that if the gun checked out to not have been involved in any crime, then he and Robert could claim the gun, but that it could take up to three months before the FBI is completed with their tests. Ken Thomas thanked the sheriff for the information and the two hung up the call.
After school the Cover lads all got their after-school snack and before they went upstairs to start their homework, Mr. Ken called the boys into his Study. He took the opened fireproof box off the bookcase counter and showed them it opened.
"'Dad' what did you find in it?" asked Robert, seeing the box was his.
"Robert' I talked to Dan and Bill and they both recommended that I open it in front of reliable people. Sheriff Barnes and DA Morris were over here yesterday, and we opened it. I did take a video, which was why the camera and tripod were set up in my office. Suffice to say, we only found a copy of the paid off mortgage on the house, some old insurance information, and the bill of sale for a handgun with your dad's name as the purchaser. We also found … the gun," laughed Mr. Ken.
"Robert, boys, the gun looks like it is a Glock 26 Gen 3. There was also a loaded 10 round magazine next to it in the box. There was one last thing in the box. There was an envelope that had a key in it. It looked like the kind that is used to enter a Safety Deposit Box at a bank or credit union. Robert, the Sheriff had to confiscate the gun, and have it tested … to see if it had ever been used in any other crimes." That last statement got all the boys wondering what Robert's dad needed a gun for.
Mr. Ken continued. "The good news is … Sheriff Barnes called me this afternoon to tell me that gun wasn't found to be used in any local crimes in our county, but … he is sending it down to the FBI for further testing. He told me today it could take up to three months before he knows anything from them. He also told me that if the gun is found to be clean, then you can file a claim for it."
"But what about that envelope with a key in it 'dad'?" asked Robert.
"Oh, yes, the key … well, DA Morris took that to get a court order to open the Safety Deposit Box. Since your dad was involved in a felony, the DA needs to see if he'd hidden anything in there that could shed light on, you know, the investigation into what he'd done. DA Morris will have court appointed people there to watch the opening and record what, if anything is found. If there are things in there that are of personal in nature, he will return them to you. But, if he finds anything that … well, I think you understand," finished 'dad' Ken.
Robert hugged the man and thanked him for doing what he'd done for him. It was then 'dad' Ken told the teenager that all the money, the fifteen thousand dollars he found, was his to keep. That put a big smile on the teen who hugged his 'dad' even more.
Mr. Ken then told the lad he would deposit it with the rest of his monies, and he would have a nice college fund ready for him when he goes off to college. The lads talked about the money as they walked up the stairs to go to their rooms.
After dinner, Kyle asked 'Dad Ken' if he could talk to him. The two walked into the Study and sat down. It was then Kyle told the man he wanted his friends to have a sleepover and that even though he couldn't skate or swim he'd still have fun being around them and getting to know them better. 'Dad Ken' smiled at the lad and told him as long he was fine with that arrangement he'd be OK with it too.
Mr. Ken then called the rest of the lads into his study. He asked them if they had decided on the number of lads they each were going to invite over to sleep. The three hemmed and hawed but it was Charles who spoke up and told his dad that they would like to invite at least six each. That took the twins by surprise because they figured they only had four friends each that they could invite over. Robert agreed with Charles telling their 'dad' that they each had a large number of friends and it would be too difficult not inviting some of them.
"Yeah, 'dad', Robert has at least nine good friends and I have at least ten. The twins only just got here but they already have twelve friends when you include Sam, Terran, Wyatt and Dominic and I'll bet that pretty soon they'll each have a bigger number of friends, too. So, since the twins have twelve, that is six each and I bet Robert and I can decide on which six to invite. We'll just have to make it up to our other friends when we have another sleepover," explained Charles.
After a discussion between all five Covers, it was decided to have six friend's sleepover per lad. The next question was when this sleepover was going to happen, tomorrow night, Friday, or Saturday night. Robert suggested if they wanted to do it tomorrow night they had to call their friends tonight, so the kids can plan it with their parents. Otherwise they should go with Saturday night.
It was then Mr. Ken thought about what that weekend was.
"Kevin, Kyle … I am very sorry about this but … well, with everything going on I didn't think to ask you if you wanted to go to BAMC to visit your parents this weekend. We didn't go last weekend because we went to Robert's old home, and, well, Kyle broke his arm. Boys … if you want to go, I'll call Mr. Wayne and see if he is available to come over and keep the other boys from burning the house down," laughed 'dad Ken'.
"But … but if we go then our friends, they … they won't be able to sleep over," said an almost tearful Kyle.
Kevin went over to his brother and hugged him and the two 'twin talked'. After a few moments, Kevin spoke up and said, "'Dad Ken', with what our dad did … maybe we should … maybe we should go visit them next weekend. Maybe we can go next Sunday or Monday during the Holiday weekend. And maybe by then the Sheriff or Mr. Dan can tell us what they are going to do to our real dad."
"Kyle … do you agree with your brother?" simply asked 'Dad Ken'.
Kyle said he did and he added he was also looking forward to the sleepover since he can't ever remember having one. One of the twins then asked what everyone uses to sleep in. Robert told the twins their friends are asked to bring their sleeping bag, if they have one, a pillow, a change of clothes, their swimsuits and skateboards. It was Charles who told the twins that their 'dad' had a number of extra sleeping bags for those who don't have one, but he didn't know any of his friends who didn't.
"Friday, or Saturday?" asked 'dad Ken.
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