The younger Covers had their breakfast and headed up the rise to catch the school bus, well before Billy came down for his own breakfast before heading off to school.
"Good morning, Mr. Ken," offered Billy, with a smile, as he entered the Kitchen Nook and then took care of Chief's needs.
"Good morning, Bill" returned Mr. Ken. "You sure seem to be in a good mood today?"
"Yes, sir, I feel good this morning. Your talking to me about my friends, and telling me I was overthinking the meeting of my old friends on Saturday has me relaxed," responded Billy.
It was then Momma Maria placed Billy's breakfast in front of him. Billy thanked the woman and then dug into his scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, and toast.
Mr. Ken and Billy made small conversation as the teenager ate. They talked some more about the boating course, the hotel's grand opening, and the trip to visit Mr. Ken's amusement parks. Billy sounded enthused about everything he'd get to do, and he told his foster dad that his life was boring until he came to live at The Cove.
At the young Covers' school, Charles accepted a number of congratulations on his adoption, but there were a few naysayers who had unkind comments to say to him. Charles ignored them knowing the source. His friends were with him and helped run interference for him from Leah and her posse.
After the wet blankets left Charles alone, he and his friends talked about the Texas Boater Safety Course they'd all take in two weeks. Charles did remind them they would have to find their own transportation to the training class. He added for them not to expect a sleepover. The Cover's friends said they understood and that they had already talked to their parents about setting that day aside to take them to the course.
The same conversation was held between Matthew and his friends. One different aspect they talked about, was what the cost would be for the sailing lessons. Matthew told them he had no idea and that his 'dad' hadn't mentioned a cost to him, but he figured there had to be. The Cover said he'd ask and let them know when he found out.
When Billy arrived at his high school, his friends met him and they headed to where they usually waited and talked before school began. They talked about the weekend, but Kaden wanted to know more about his friends he met, on Saturday, at The Mall.
Billy freely told Kaden and his other friends what it was like living with his mom and stepdad. The Cover told how his stepdad was killed and his mom was arrested and he was placed into the foster care system. Billy didn't think there was anything wrong with telling his friends that part of his life. When the first bell rang, the high school students headed inside to start their day.
Mr. Wayne arrived at The Cove at his usual time, got his first cup of coffee, and sat down to talk to his employer, Mr. Ken. Mr. Chris arrived soon after and he joined the other two men. Of course, Momma Maria made the two men a short plate of scrambled eggs and bacon and refilled their coffee cups with a smile.
The men talked about getting the remaining Pavilion parts and pieces on order. They discussed the colors and then the quantities and all the time Mr. Chris took copious notes. They also talked about having them installed. Mr. Wayne said he would talk to the construction supervisor after they finished to see if he could accommodate them in that regard.
When the men broke up their meeting, Momma thanked Mr. Ken for having it there in the Kitchen Nook and letting her hear what was happening around The Cove. She said she knew much of what was going on from what the boys talked about at the table, but there were things that she saw, but never knew the why or how.
Mr. Ken apologized to her for not keeping her up to date on things happening around The Cove. But in his defense, he explained his plate has been quite full ever since Matthew arrived and it became even more complicated with Billy and with his new business acquisitions.
Mr. Ken did tell Momma Maria that she should ask him, Wayne, or Chris, if she had any questions about the construction projects, or other happenings around The Cove. He did ask her to please not to inquire about the boys' situations any more than what he already told her.
Mr. Ken told the woman she was a Cover, like it said on her apron, and an integral part of the household, and he would try his best to keep her better informed. Momma Maria thanked her employer for talking to her and then went about doing what she did there at The Cove.
At lunch at the high school, Billy and his friends met. Kaden asked the Cover more questions about his old neighborhood friends and where he lived. He also wanted to know more about his stepdad, but Billy told the teen there was nothing more to know and moved on.
The teens also talked some more about the Trick-or-Treat attack on Billy's 'brothers' and what it might mean for the summer if the trial turns into a lengthy one. All Billy could tell his friends was that if he was at The Cove, they could come over. And, if he wasn't, then they had to wait until he was home.
Gabe asked if his brothers were there if he could also be there when Billy is not there. Billy said he didn't know, as he hasn't been there long enough to know what his foster dad allowed. The Cover added that there weren't that many older/younger brother combinations that he knew of, to begin with. Billy said he'd ask the question, but for them not to expect an answer right away.
They all then turned their attention to the boater safety course and what it would cover. Billy said he had no idea, but they could probably Google it and find out the major topics. Billy then added that it wouldn't really matter what was being taught because they had to pass the course if they wanted to drive the WaveRunners. The other teens agreed with his reasoning.
Mr. Chris did call the coordinator for the Texas Boater Safety Course and told them he had as many as 30 people who wanted to attend the class in two weeks. The coordinator told Chris that it would fill up one entire class and asked if he could spread his group out over a few weekends.
Mr. Chris explained that seven of the boys wanted to take sailing lessons and required the course before they could even start. The Estate Manager further explained that Mr. Thomas needed to have his 'sons', and their friends, trained now as the man had too many irons in the fire to delay it further.
The Boater Safety coordinator tried to get Mr. Chris to release some of the training seats. Mr. Chris asked if the training was 'first come, first served'. Learning it was; Mr. Chris asked the person to give him every one of those seats. The coordinator took Mr. Chris' phone number and told him he would be in contact with him if there were any changes.
Since the person at the Texas Boater Safety Course was a bit testy about Mr. Chris, and thus The Cove taking up a full class, the Estate Manager decided he needed to fill Mr. Ken in on what just transpired. When Mr. Ken learned of the situation, he told Chris to monitor it, but to not release any of the seats unless one of the boys decided not to attend.
The owner of The Cove said he understood what the coordinator was saying, but that each of those boys were individuals and all they were doing was being the coordinator of all thirty seats. Mr. Ken reasoned that instead of there being thirty phone calls to the office there was only one, Mr. Chris.
Mr. Wayne did go out and talk to the skate park construction supervisor. The Estate Master reminded the man about what they did after the storm a few weeks before and politely asked if he could help them out when it came time to install the lockers, bike racks, and trash cans. A handshake sealed the deal.
As the days moved forward, Mr. Ken found himself busier and busier. He knew he couldn't continue to run everything himself and still give the boys the attention they needed. But for now, the man has set his sights on certain priorities and internally, he kept telling himself when he has them accomplished, he'll consolidate his empire and hire someone to do it for him.
It was while Ken Thomas was contemplating his empire's future that his phone rang. It was Chris Dominions telling him Ms. Judy wanted to talk to him.
"Yes, Judy, what can I do for you? I hope it isn't taking in another foster boy," kiddingly asked Ken Thomas.
Mr. Ken quietly listened to what the Director of Children's Protective Services had to say. When the woman was finished, the owner of The Cove asked her what she wanted him to do. After hearing her request, Mr. Ken agreed and told her to let him know where to be and when.
After hanging up from talking to Judy Turner, Mr. Ken told Wayne Mitchell, the man's Estate Master, that Ms. Judy asked him to testify at a hearing that would be held to review Deputy Director of CPS, Athena Washington's, actions last Friday at Charles' adoption hearing and ceremony.
Mr. Ken explained that Ms. Judy told him Judge Richards had phoned the state regulators first thing that morning to describe Ms. Washington's actions on Friday and was sending them a copy of the transcript. Mr. Ken further added Ms. Judy wanted him to give the hearing panel his firsthand account of the proceedings.
Mr. Wayne asked if Ms. Judy had said anything about whether or not she had talked to Ms. Washington about what she'd done on Friday. Mr. Ken said that she had wanted to, but had received a phone call about the special hearing after Judge Richards made his early morning call, and would have to wait until the hearing was over and they made their recommendations.
The two men talked some more about what happened at the courthouse last Friday and how they saw it. They said they couldn't believe the woman would stoop so low as to not only deny Charles' adoption, but also move all of the other boys and recommend that Robert's adoption be annulled. The two men speculated that Deputy Director of CPS, Athena Washington, would not be long in her position after the hearing that had yet to be scheduled.
When the boys came home from school, they all went up to their rooms to start on their homework. They all wanted to have their after-school snack with Billy when he got home. Momma Maria was very happy the boys were doing that, not only because it made it easier on her, but because they all needed to be friends, as well as 'brothers'.
When Billy came home, the teen, instead of going upstairs to get his 'brothers' so they could have their snack together, he went directly to the Study to talk to Mr. Ken. The teen knocked on the doorframe to get the man's attention, as he saw the foster dad was busy talking with Mr. Wayne.
When he was asked to come into the room, Billy took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Ken ... I think I ... I think I messed up. I, ahh, I mentioned Jody to my friends and how ... and how he was killed in that shootout with the Sheriff's Deputies last summer. The thing is ... Kaden ... he asked me to tell him more about it, and he asked me if he was a big drug dealer.
"I told him there was nothing more to say, and I talked to my other friends about other things. The thing is ... Kaden ... he always seems to ask me about my mom or stepdad and where I used to live. I mean, he even did that before I mentioned to my friends about my meeting Austin, Anthony, and Micah, but now he seems to be even more interested in 'Greaser'.
"Kaden is also ... well ... he always seems to be the negative one of all my friends. Sure, he was one of the first people to make friends with me, but ... it's just ... I just don't know what to do, Mr. Ken," finished Billy.
"Bill, thank you for speaking up. I know it is difficult to talk bad about a friend, but ... well, if he is making you feel uncomfortable then ... well, let's take a wait and see for now, if that is OK with you.
"You've identified a problem, so now you can pull him aside and tell him how uncomfortable he is making you feel with all his personal questions, or you can watch him and decide if you still want him as a friend.
"Think about it, Bill, and we can talk about it some more later. Now, go and get your 'brothers' and get your snack before Momma goes on the warpath, as it is getting close to dinnertime," suggested Mr. Ken.
The six boys ate their snacks together and had a good time talking about their day and the things that will happen in the coming days, weeks, and months. Billy was the most enthusiastic of the six, as he never had anything to look forward to. Now, he had the Cove Skate Park, the amusement park trip later in June, and a one-on-one trip with Mr. Ken. He thanked his lucky stars Ms. Judy brought him to The Cove to live.
Dinner was a lively affair, as it usually is. The three younger Covers talked about how they couldn't wait until the skate park was finished and school was out. The three older Cover boys said how they couldn't wait until they got to visit the amusement parks, but especially the new Crystal Lake one.
The Covers retired to the Study to talk some more and let Mr. Ken review the coming week and how he saw the Grand Opening of the hotel that Saturday. 'Dad' Ken also explained to the boys about the many dignitaries who would be there, and he reminded them to be on their best behavior. Mr. Ken also covered which boys would visit Doctor Doug the rest of the week.
'Dad' Ken also told the boys that Mr. Chris had taken all 30 seats in the following Saturday's Texas Boater Safety Course and the boys were to remind their friends they would need $25.00 to attend and it was an all-day affair.
Mr. Ken told his 'boys' to also remind their friends they had to obtain their own transportation, and he would give them the address to the training course next week. The man added that The Cove would be closed for skating and swimming that Saturday.
Both Kevin and Kyle quickly spoke up saying they would be there and wanted to know why their friends couldn't stop by as usual. Mr. Ken had to think that one through. 'Dad' Ken then told the boys that whichever Cover stayed home that day only their friends could come over. Hearing that put a big smile on Kevin and Kyle's faces
After the boys went up to their rooms to relax before bed, Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne went up to Bill's room to talk to him about what he said about Kaden. They were curious as to why Bill would bring that up.
When they asked the teenager about why he mentioned what he did about Kaden, all Billy could say was that Kaden was always saying something off-kilter to whatever he said or mentioned. Billy also said that Kaden wanted to know more about him and his family and when he learned his stepdad was killed in the shootout, he wanted more details.
Billy added that he never thought anything about it until Kaden pressed him about Jody and the shootout that he began to realize that Kaden wasn't like any of his other friends. Billy said he couldn't put his finger on any one thing, but together it didn't add up.
Mr. Ken asked Bill if he was still going to be friends with the teen. Billy said he would because the teen hadn't said or done anything wrong, and it wouldn't be right to just drop him. The teen Cover did say he would be more careful around the boy, and would be mindful of what he says and watches how Kaden acts. Mr. Ken agreed with Bill's assessment and plan.
Since the Cover men were upstairs earlier than usual, they made separate visits to the boy's rooms early and stayed a bit longer. The boys enjoyed the individual attention they got from each man, but especially Robert, Charles, and Matthew.
The Covers all slept well that night.
The week was a standard one for the Cover boys. They got up, showered, dressed, ate breakfast, and then walked up to catch their school bus. After school, they all waited to be together to eat their after-school snack and then walked to the Study to talk to Mr. Ken before dinner.
Mr. Ken, on the other hand, found himself busier than ever. The amusement parks were opening up for the season and the park's operation managers were calling with problems, or asking questions they felt Mr. Ken should answer.
These phone calls solidified his previous decision to create a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) that would ultimately run his amusement parks and control all the decisions from rides to foods and everything in-between. He had already decided on who its first president would be, and that he would announce it later that summer, when he brought all of his park operation managers together at the Lakeside Hotel.
On another front, the three county commissioners from nearby the man's Crystal Lake Amusement Park wanted him to come back and talk to them some more about his proposal. Mr. Ken told them he already had too many commitments that week and he would have to see if he could fit it into next week or the following week.
Mr. Ken reminded them they all knew what he was proposing and if they were serious, they needed to contact his local attorney, Amelia Ozarker, and work any counter-proposal through her. The owner of Crystal Lake Amusement Park told the commissioners he would only return if they were serious about building the new highway and they wanted his assistance.
His real estate and properties group, who were attempting to buy additional properties near or around Crystal Lake, were busy writing contracts and coordinating with Mr. Ken on the purchase prices for those properties. The man wanted to build motels his Crystal Lake Amusement Park could use to entice people to visit the Park. But he had to wait until he owned the properties that were now up For Sale and the new highway was being built before he could develop that sort of 'Drive-Stay-Fun' plan.
Mr. Ken was also interested in building fast-food restaurants in the Crystal Lake area in conjunction with the hotels and motels. He knew that when the highway was rebuilt and the amusement park was expanded the people would come and they would want to eat.
Mr. Ken also wanted to build high-end vacation homes around the Crystal Lake area and that would then necessitate high-end restaurants and better hotels for their guests. The entrepreneur could sense the need being there and he was the man with the money who could do it.
Mr. Ken's real estate agents were also in continuous contact with him, as he was very interested in buying the option the original Crystal Lake Amusement Park owners gave up. Mr. Ken had big plans for his new park and that part of the lake and he needed that land in order to expand.
Mr. Ken also had his architect group working on two worthwhile projects. Both of them would be located at or near the Four Corners area and he planned to talk to Judge Barnaby about one of them right after the ribbon cutting on Saturday.
Ken Thomas was beginning to, once again, look to expand his holdings. He wanted to build more stores and create more jobs, and to do so he needed properties and ideas. He still had the list from that first New Year's Day swim back when Collin lived with him.
Many of those stores were already incorporated into the strip mall at Four Corners, but a few stores were still missing and he wanted to add those and maybe a few more. He'd asked his 'boys'' friends for some suggestions back around the Holidays and he was looking to see if he could incorporate some of those ideas as well.
With Charles' adoption behind him and Bill settling down to life at The Cove, Mr. Ken Thomas sensed his mind beginning to work overtime. He had a lot going on before the twins, Matthew and Bill arrived, but now he's added more to his 'empire' and he felt he owed it all to his 'boys'.
If you asked him how it is, he knows the boys are the catalyst, he would tell you; it is the boys who give him purpose and the drive to succeed and that he was doing everything for them. He'd also tell you as a single man he had no one to pass his largess on to, but now he does, even if he doesn't get to adopt the other four foster boys.
As the week progressed, the boys could sense something was going on with their 'dad'. It was a good thing as they saw Mr. Ken was happy as he was very busy as he worked at his desk. They also noticed their Cover meetings were a bit more direct and not drawn out as they'd been at times.
Robert explained to his 'brothers' that when their 'dad' was busy like that they needed to give him the freedom to work and not smother him and demand his attention. The Cover teen asked the boys to do what they usually do, but not to prolong any meetings.
Robert did tell his 'brothers' that if they had a major problem, they needed to tell Mr. Wayne first. He said they should let their Estate Master try to handle it first, and that if he can't let him elevate it up to their 'dad'.
The teenager said their 'dad' being that busy wouldn't last long, but as long as their 'dad' is focused they needed to let him get it out of his system. Robert told them their 'dad' would explain it to them when he was ready. The boys agreed to abide by Robert's request.
Friday after school, the six boys sat down to their after-school snack, but no Momma Maria. Mr. Wayne filled in for the woman who was given a long weekend to do what she needed to get done. Mr. Wayne told the boys that after their snack they'd go up to their room and pack.
Kevin, Kyle, and Matthew gave the Estate Master a look that said 'What?' The Estate Master explained they were to pack the clothes they'll wear tomorrow morning for the Lakeside Hotel Grand Opening. The man told them to use their small carry-on bags as they should only need their change of clothes, socks, underwear, and toiletries for the morning and whatever else they felt they needed.
As the boys were packing for their overnight stay at the new hotel, their 'dad' came up to them and told them they'd have dinner as soon as they arrived at the hotel. The boys saw and heard the smile and laugh in their 'dad' and knew he was hopefully back to his usual self. They all inwardly laughed at thinking that.
When they were all packed, the Covers loaded into the van and it was Mr. Wayne who drove them over to the new hotel. Along the way, 'dad' Ken explained to the boys what he was doing all week.
The man apologized for not paying very much attention to them as he was working on expanding his 'empire' for them. Hearing that got the boys' attention. Mr. Ken then told them how he was looking to buy properties around Crystal Lake in order to build hotels, motels, fast food, and sit-down restaurants, and eventually vacation homes along the lake.
The dad/foster dad told his 'boys' how he wanted to add more stores to the Four Corners area and was working on two of them. He added he hoped he could get started on them by the time school was out. Mr. Ken also told them how the commissioners near the Crystal Lake Amusement park wanted him to return and for them to know he would probably be gone again either next week or the following one.
The ride to the new hotel was an informative one for the boys. Just as Robert predicted, Ken Thomas told the boys why he was so busy all week, and that he was doing it all for them. He told them that if they weren't a part of The Cove, he'd have no incentive to work so hard. He went on to tell them that now they were a part of The Cove they would eventually participate in what comes from all his hard work.
When the Covers arrived at the hotel, Mr. Ken checked them in. They had the two Presidential Suites with the three youngest staying with him and the three older boys were staying with Mr. Wayne. While the Covers were checking in, Ms. Judy and Eric checked in, too.
They all went to their rooms to drop off their bags and then they headed to the dining room to eat. Everyone in the hotel knew who Mr. Ken was and they were all on pins-and-needles as the man walked around. When he and his entourage walked to the dining room, the Hostess was caught off guard, but she recovered quickly.
Since Mr. Ken needed a table for ten, the Hostess told him it would be a few minutes before they could accommodate him. They gave him an electronic paging device that would buzz when his table was ready. He was not pleased at all with that device, but he didn't say anything. He gave it to Matthew to hold.
He asked his group to stay together as they walked around the interior and looked it over. The boys commented about the size of the foyer and how high the ceilings were. They also looked for the restrooms and when they found them, they used them.
The boys wanted to go outside and look at the pool and see what that area looked like. Ms. Judy reminded her friend Ken that Matthew had the dining pager and he'd tell them if it went off. With that resolved, the ten walked outside.
It had been quite some time since Mr. Ken had visited the hotel, so he was just as impressed with the pool and the outdoor furniture as the boys were. He was also pleased with how the outside dining area looked even though it was too cool to use that night.
Ms. Judy commented to Ken on the pool and outside dining area, but what she told the man she really was impressed with, was the architecture and layout. She told Ken she loved the use of nature's natural colors throughout and how the landscape lighting was used to accent important pieces and that it did not blind you as you walked along.
It had been close to fifteen minutes and the pager had yet to buzz, so Mr. Ken and his group walked back to the Hostess to ask what the problem was. The woman said she had sent the signal to his device and was surprised when they hadn't returned. Mr. Ken asked her to send the signal again. When she did a different pager buzzed. The woman's face went ashen.
Mr. Ken asked her to seat his party, which she immediately did while apologizing profusely. But after the second apology, Mr. Ken told her very abruptly to "Stop apologizing!" and have the wine steward stop by along with the wait staff that would be serving them.
The Covers and their guests thoroughly enjoyed their dinner. They each had steaks and the boys commented that they were even better than what Mr. Ed served at Four Corners and his were awesome. Mr. Ken laughed and said he'd have to have Ed Henry come over to learn how to do his better. Everyone laughed.
Mr. Ken asked his tablemates to each order different desserts. He wanted to see how they were presented, what they looked like, and if they tasted as good as they looked. The seven boys eagerly complied.
Ken Thomas thought the presentation of the desserts was OK and that some of them looked great and some were not worthy of being served at his restaurant, because of the way they looked.
When he asked everyone how their dessert tasted, all the boys said they thought they were really good. And, even Mr. Ken thought the taste of his dessert was wonderful. Overall, Mr. Ken felt the restaurant needed some tweaking in a few different areas.
After dinner, the boys were given free rein to walk around and look over the hotel, but not to get in the way or cause trouble. The three adults looked for and found a quiet area where they could talk about what they observed in and around the hotel from the time they arrived until Mr. Ken paid the bill.
They didn't get too far into their discussion when both the hotel and restaurant managers came looking for Mr. Thomas. Both managers had heard what happened when the hotel's owner had arrived for dinner. They both had expected to have been called on the carpet long before then. They wanted to talk to the man to apologize for any missteps, and to see what they could do to make his stay better,
Mr. Ken stood and politely thanked the two managers for seeking him out and recognizing there had been problems that evening. But he also told them that this wasn't the time nor the place for them to talk, as he was with his friends just then. He then sent them on their way to formulate corrective actions that they could discuss at a better time.
Ms. Judy told Ken she was pleasantly surprised at the way he had handled the hostess and then the two managers. She told him she figured he would have been furious with them and be more demanding, but instead he kept his cool and didn't press the issue. Laughingly, Ms. Judy did say she did hear him tell the hostess to 'stop apologizing' and that she agreed that once was enough.
Mr. Wayne wasn't so polite in his assessment. The Estate Master said he didn't feel the use of the pager was appropriate for that high end of a restaurant. The man said the hostess needed more training, or needed to be replaced. Wayne said his steak was awesome, but he felt the way the desserts were brought out were not professional and that some of them looked as if they were an afterthought.
Mr. Ken thanked his two friends for their open opinions. He asked them to continue to look around and not to hesitate to tell him if they see something that seems out of place to them. The three adults then went looking for an adult beverage.
The Grand Opening Ceremony was scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday morning. So, Mr. Ken made sure his 'boys' were in bed by 10:30 p.m. that Friday night. There was no stopping by their bedrooms that night. All 'dad' Ken did was hug the three older boys in the hallway before they went into their suite. He also hugged the three younger boys, who were staying in his suite, before they went to bed.
Before going to bed, the boys were thoroughly enjoying the Presidential Suites. The suites had 82-inch TVs with full HD cable in all three bedrooms that also had adjoining en-suites, or bathrooms. That meant the adult got the bedroom with the king-sized bed and the three boys had to decide who got which of the two queen-sized beds in the other two bedrooms.
Even though 'dad' Ken had the boys in their Suites at a reasonable time that Friday night, the older boys took advantage of the 82-inch LQCD LED TVs and HD cable access. The teenagers' channel hopped until they found something, they all liked. At midnight, though, Mr. Wayne came into both bedrooms, had the boys turn the TVs off, and go to sleep.
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