Knowing they were getting a new 'brother' that morning, the Cover boys were up and ready by 9 AM. When they entered the Kitchen Nook, they found their 'dad' reading his newspaper and still dressed in his lounging shorts and t-shirt.
"'Dad', you're not dressed yet and are still in your loafing around clothes," called out Kyle. "Hurry up and get ready, we're all eager and itching to go and get our new 'brother."
Ken smiled at their enthusiasm and then reminded the boys he told Ms. Judy they agreed to pick up Matthew after 10 AM. He asked them if he could finish reading the article he was interested in and then he'd go get ready. In the meantime, he asked the boys to call their buddies and tell them what they were doing and they probably wouldn't get back to The Cove until at least 2 PM and possibly later and for them to call before they came over.
"Dad ... ahh do you think I ahh ... that I could maybe stay here ahh while you're picking up Matthew?" tentatively asked Mr. Ken's new son, Robert.
"Well, son if you stay your friends still can't come over as there won't be an adult here, and, besides, I think it would be best if we all go as a 'family' to pick-up Matthew. It will be like a 'family' thing and besides I'll need you to help me buy new clothes and shoes for your new 'brother," replied a smiling Mr. Ken.
"You could call Mr. Wayne and ask him to come over, couldn't you?" asked Robert.
"Son, it is too late to ask Mr. Wayne to change his schedule for this morning and even if he could he'd need time to get ready and drive over. And besides, he still has his weekend job, and he needs to give his employer proper notice that he is leaving for a better job," smiled the teen's new dad.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. It would be best if we all go to the hospital to get our new 'brother'," answered Robert. "Dad ... what does it mean to give proper notice to his employer?"
"Son, boys, proper notice means you give your employer at least two weeks' notice before you leave the job. That is so he has enough time to find someone new to fill your position. Mr. Wayne and I agreed he'd work this weekend and the next one to give his employer ample time to find his replacement. After next weekend, Mr. Wayne will be totally working for me and I can call upon him to help me out when I need him to fill in for me or take you guys to your appointments," fully explained 'dad' Ken.
"Dad ... what will happen to Matthew when we all go to Collin's for Thanksgiving? Will ... will Mr. Wayne keep him here until we get back?" asked Robert, not knowing the rules for trips had changed.
"Ahh, yes, Matthew and Thanksgiving, well ... we're ...we're going to take him with us, anyway," answered a smiling Mr. Ken.
"But, 'dad'," started Charles, "he'll have only been with us for two weeks, not two months. How can you take him and not get into trouble?"
"I guess I wasn't fair there, boys, when I answered Robert's question. You see, boys, the Texas legislature changed the Rules for taking foster kids on trips. Since 1 October, all I need to do is get the caseworker's and a judge's signed permission to take you lads anywhere. So, there shouldn't be a problem as Ms. Judy is going with us to Collin's and she's going to get Judge Adam's signature for me," explained Mr. Ken.
"I wish they had done that before you guys went to visit your amusement parks," lamented Charles. "Then, I could have gone too. Rats!"
Mr. Ken and Robert laughed at what Charles just said and then Charles joined in the laughter knowing you can't change the past.
Robert took the time to explain to the twins what 'dad' Ken meant about the Rules he and Charles had to deal while his dad went back to his suite to get ready to go pickup Matthew.
After the twins said they understood the change in the rules, the older lads then began making phone calls to their friends to tell them what they were doing today. When their older 'brothers' finished calling their friends, the twins used their cell phones to call their friends.
It was 9:45 by the time Mr. Ken called Ms. Judy to tell her they were ready to leave to pick up Matthew. Judy Turner told them they should go right over and she'd meet them there. The Director told Mr. Ken that the doctors knew about his taking custody and the paperwork would be ready for Matthew to be discharged soon after she gave him the papers he needed so he would have legal custody.
Mr. Ken told the boys they were taking the new van and for them to claim their seats. As they entered the garage, Mr. Ken asked that Robert sit up front and then told the others to buckle up in their seat of choice.
Matthew was surprised when he saw the five Covers arrive at his hospital room.
"Why aren't you dressed yet?" asked Kyle, loudly, as the group entered the room.
"Nobody told me I was going anywhere," replied a surprised Matthew Toursten.
Just then Judy Turner walked into the room, hearing Matthew's exclamation that he didn't know he was going anywhere, so she told him that he was going to be fostered by Mr. Ken and he'd live with him, his son and foster sons. Hearing that put a great big smile on the ten year old's face.
Kyle searched around for Matthew's clothes and finding them, he lay them on the bed for Matthew to change into. Ms. Judy and Mr. Ken walked out of the room to find the doctor, so they could get Matthew released from the hospital.
When the doctor, Mr. Ken and Ms. Judy walked into the hospital room Matthew was all dressed and had a great big smile on his face.
"I see you're ready to leave us, Matthew," teased the man. "We've enjoyed you're being here, but it is always good to see our patients being discharged and going home. Ms. Judy tells me you're going to live with Mr. Thomas, his son and foster sons. Let me tell you that you couldn't be going to a better place. All I need to do is check your blood pressure and listen to your lungs to make sure you're still living and we can let you leave us," said the doctor, as he smiled at the ten-year-old.
Ms. Judy and the Covers left the room to allow Matthew and the doctor some level of privacy, so the man could do his final exam on the lad. When the man was finished, he came out to the hallway and asked to talk to Mr. Ken.
"Mr. Thomas, Matthew is a sweet lad and we are going to miss him and his infectious smile. I understand you were mainly responsible for finding the people who did this to him and I want to thank you for what you did, but especially for taking Matthew to live with you."
"Now, as for Matthew, his back has responded well to the gel we've been putting on his back three times a day. The redness is hardly noticeable but the light scaring is. In time, I believe he may want to have those scars removed and I think the sooner the better for his self-esteem and not having to answer questions why his back is that way. I'm giving you the tube of gel we've been using and a second one, as well. I'll give you a prescription for you to get more, but I think after that second tube is empty his back will be healed except for the scarring."
"Mr. Thomas ... we all know what you did a few years back that helped this community recover from a very bad storm. Everyone knows what you did for your first foster son, Collin, and how you took a bullet for him and then how you dealt with this hospital after the way they treated him after he'd been attacked."
"Mr. Ken, everyone knows it was you ... who is responsible for making the needed changes this hospital needed to focus more on our patients and having it work much, much better. Knowing the person who you are, I know you'll do whatever is necessary for Matthew to grow and blossom under your care. Thank you again for who you are and what you do to make things right," finished the doctor.
Mr. Ken thanked the doctor for those accolades, but told the man it was the people who were elected that made all those changes and it was they who he needed to applaud. The doctor smiled and then told Mr. Ken he could take Matthew with him, and to stop by the Admin office to sign the boy out. The two men shook hands and the doctor smiled as he walked away.
Ms. Judy then stepped up to her friend and handed him the legal paperwork he'd need to take Matthew and foster him. Ken thanked her for the documents and then reminded her to make sure she got Judge Adam's signature, so he could take Matthew with them when they headed off to Collin's in ten days. She said she would.
"Who's ready to bust out of this joint?" asked a smiling Mr. Ken.
"Me. I'm ready!" called out Matthew.
The Covers walked out of the hospital room with Matthew and Kyle walking side-by-side. But, the nurse stopped them and made Matthew get into a wheelchair. The woman told the youngster that hospital policy meant that all discharged patients get to ride out the front door. Ms. Judy joined the larger group, and they all took the elevator down to the first floor. There, Mr. Ken took Matthew's release papers to the Administration Office, dropped them off and signed Matthew out of the hospital.
"Judy, would you join us for a late breakfast or early lunch?" Mr. Ken asked the woman.
"No, thank you. I think I'll go home and get some things done around the house. But, I really do appreciate the invitation," replied Ms. Judy. The Director of Children's Protective Service then walked away and out the front door of the hospital.
Mr. Ken loaded his growing family into the new van and they headed off to McDonald's' to get everyone something to eat. After they ate, they drove to The Mall where the owner of The Cove proceeded to outfit Matthew in all brand new clothes.
"Mr. Ken you can't buy me all these new clothes," protested Matthew. "I have lots of clothes where we were staying. All we need to do it get them and wash them and I'll be good to go."
Mr. Ken began to answer the lad, but Charles who spoke up. "Matthew, Mr. Ken will get reimbursed for what he buys you. I was the same way when he began to buy me new clothes. I know it is difficult to comprehend getting all new things, but you will need them for school and to play afterwards, so just go with the flow. After he gets you these clothes, he'll get you at least two pairs of sneakers and after Thanksgiving he's going to buy us all new suits to wear for his Holiday parties."
Matthew listened to what Charles had to say and when the pre-teen was finished, the ten-year-old had tears streaming down his face. The lad then jumped to Mr. Ken and thanked him over and over for doing that for him. Mr. Ken let the boy go on as Matthew told his foster dad, and his 'brothers', that he hadn't had any new clothes for at least a year.
It was Kevin who walked up to his new 'brother' and told him he and his twin understood what he was saying as their parents didn't buy them many new or current clothes and that he should just appreciate what 'Dad Ken' was doing for him.
After buying Matthew a full set of new school and play clothes, along with underwear and socks, they all headed to the shoe department. The woman who waited on them when Charles and the twins got new shoes came directly over to the group and asked how she could help. Robert spoke up and told her they were there to get their new 'brother' some shoes.
The sales woman smiled and directed the lad to where the different shoes were displayed. Matthew saw all the different designs, and he didn't know which ones to get. Charles told him to pick a color he liked and try a pair on. That's what Matthew did with a great big smile on his face.
After finding a pair of sneakers he liked, the boy was ready to go, but Mr. Ken told him to get another pair that he should try to keep clean and use for school. Matthew ran to the man hugged him and then thanked him for everything. The ten-year-old then went back to choose another pair of sneakers.
With all their purchases stashed behind the last row of the 12-seat Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, Mr. Ken asked his new foster son how good he was on a skateboard. Matthew was surprised at the question and didn't know how to answer. Robert asked his new 'brother' if he ever rode a skateboard and, if so, what could he do on one.
Matthew said he had one before they began moving around, but he hadn't used one since the beginning of the summer as his mom made him leave it where they used to live.
Hearing what Matthew said, Mr. Ken started the motor, told the boys to make sure they were buckled in and then headed to the skateboard store where he'd gotten his other boys their new skateboards. The new Cover didn't know where they were taking him, but he was just happy he was going to live with Kyle and the man who had taken good care of him and his 'brothers'.
They pulled up to the skateboard shop and walked in. Once inside, Mr. Ken told Matthew he could pick out any skateboard he wanted as long as it was fitted to him and his abilities. Matthew got this big look of surprise in his eyes and asked if his foster dad was sure. The man looked at him and said he was and that was why they were there.
The salesperson who waited on The Covers before was working that day, so he quickly walked over to Mr. Ken and asked how he could help him. Mr. Ken told him to outfit Matthew with a new board that would be the right size for him and his ability.
The salesperson and Matthew, along with his 'brothers', walked over to the display board and asked the lad which design he liked. Matthew had just as much of a difficult time choosing his board as his foster 'brothers' had. The four boys kept showing Matthew this board and that board and Mr. Ken saw that it was confusing the lad, so he intervened and asked the boys to go look at the accessories and to leave Matthew to choose the board design for himself.
The salesperson helped Matthew choose a board and then the man suggested different trucks, wheels and bearings. Matthew said he didn't understand what the man was saying and just asked the man to put on what he thought was best.
Matthew was very happy with what the salesperson put together, but he wasn't finished yet. Mr. Ken made him pick out a helmet, elbow and kneepads and then took him over to the accessories and asked him which board rails he wanted to get to make his skateboard stand out from everyone else.
While Matthew was searching the accessories, Robert and Charles asked their 'dad' if he would buy each of them LED skateboard lights to place under their boards. Mr. Ken looked at the lights and asked the lads when they ever rode their boards at night.
The lads were stumped by the question and then said meekly they never had. Mr. Ken smiled and told the two older Covers that they didn't need them then. The boys walked away disappointed, but what Mr. Ken did was make a mental note to buy all five lads the lights as Christmas presents.
Mr. Ken told the boys they had one last stop to make before heading over to DQ for an ice cream. When the man pulled into a corner pharmacy, Robert knew that his dad wanted Matthew to have a new toothbrush, toothpaste, comb and any other toiletries he needed. Robert's dad asked the teenager to take Matthew inside and buy him what he needed. The other three 'brothers' followed behind.
As Robert and Matthew walked around the store, the teen explained to his new 'brother' what his dad wanted him to do. The youngster said he understood, so they headed over to the section that had what they needed. When Matthew picked up an inexpensive manual toothbrush, Robert told him he needed to select a battery-operated one. Their next stop was the toothpaste. The ten-year-old picked up the cheapest he found, but his older 'brother' told him he needed to select a better named brand and suggested picking what his new 'brothers' used. The boy did.
As oldest and youngest Cover shopped, Charles, and the twins walked around the store looking at all the Christmas decorations that were already on display. Mr. Ken walked up to the boys and asked them if they liked what they saw. The twins said their parents stopped putting up a Christmas tree when they were seven and they didn't decorate the outside no matter how much they argued how nice it would look.
The two shoppers stopped at the combs and brushes next and Matthew picked out a matching set. Robert then led the ten-year-old to the deodorants.
"But I don't use deodorant," exclaimed Matthew.
"You do now," smiled Robert. "You need to get used to putting it on every day, Matthew. We all use it. You can use an unscented one or open the tops and smell them to find the one you like."
When the two shoppers finished at that aisle. Robert took his youngest 'brother' over to the manicure sets. The teenager chose a reasonably priced kit and placed it into their shopping basket.
"Robert ... I don't know how to use that. My mom always cut my finger and toenails for me," spoke up the youngest Cover. "Who's going to teach me?"
"Well, Mr. Ken might teach you, or he might ask me or Charles to show you since we'll all be up on the second floor where our bedrooms are. Anyway, it isn't all that hard to use once you get the hang of it," replied Robert.
As the other Covers were looking at the Christmas decorations, Kyle asked, "'Dad', do you put up a Christmas tree and decorate the house inside and out?"
"Yes, Kyle, I put up a huge Christmas tree in the Great Room and I have The Cove decorated inside an out, as well. You'll just have to wait until after Thanksgiving before the company will come out and start putting it all up."
"This year I am also sponsoring a building competition between the local high schools. They each are going to build an 8 to 10 foot toy soldier and use the light poles out front to support their creations and possibly electrify them to some extent. I am really looking forward to see what the boys and girls build," was how Mr. Ken answered Kyle's question.
The Covers met up front at the cash registers where Mr. Ken paid for the things Robert picked out for Matthew. Since they finished all their shopping, the Covers headed over to DQ for an ice cream sundae to celebrate Matthew's arrival before heading back to The Cove. On the way home, the boys called their friends to tell them they'd soon be home and they could come over in an hour.
The lads helped carry all the shopping bags into the house where they dropped them off down in the laundry room. Mr. Ken told Matthew that he'd get all his clothes cleaned and then they would all help take them up to his bedroom. After that, he asked the boys to take their new 'brother' up to the bedrooms so he could pick the one he wanted.
"I get to choose which bedroom I want?" asked an incredulous Matthew, as the group of boys walked up the stairs.
"Yes, you do," answered Kevin. "When we got here, we were given that same choice, and we decided to share a room since we've always done that," finished Kevin.
"How many bedrooms are there?" then asked Matthew.
"There are six bedrooms," answered Robert, "but there are only three that aren't used, so you get to pick from them."
When they arrived upstairs, Robert showed Matthew the three available bedrooms. When the new Cover saw the rooms, he could pick from he asked to see his 'brothers' bedrooms. He said he wanted to see what they'd done to decorate their personal spaces.
"Why'd you guys pick those rooms?" asked Matthew.
"Well, my room has the best view of the lake," said a chuckling Robert.
"And my room has the second best view of the lake," replied a smiling Charles.
"And we picked the third best view of the lake, because the other two rooms were already picked," answered a laughing Kyle.
"Then, which one should I pick?" asked Matthew.
The four lads looked around at one another and Kyle who spoke up and said, "If I hadn't decided to share the third best view with my twin, I'd have picked the one across from us. It is the furthest from the stairs so it will be quieter in the long run."
"But aren't there stairs at that end too?" asked Matthew.
"Yes there are, Matthew, but we hardly ever use them, so there really won't be any noise to deal with," explained Robert. "And besides, I have the room closest to the front stairs and I don't hear any noise, so if you pick that one you should have a fairly quiet room."
Matthew thought about what was said by both boys and in the end he told his new 'brothers' he decided to take the middle room. He told them that this way he wouldn't have to deal with either of the stairs. The boys all laughed at his reasoning.
"But where is the bathroom?" asked Matthew. "You didn't show me where it is."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to show you that," replied Robert. "Come on let me show you."
Robert showed Matthew which door to use to get to the bathroom and then led him inside. The other boys followed along. The teen showed the new Cover the urinals and told him how they made going to the bathroom very easy in the mornings. Robert then showed the youngster the two enclosed toilets with their handrails. He then explained there were four sinks and four showerheads.
"Do you all, you know, take a shower ... together?" asked Matthew, with a lump in his throat.
"Yes, we do. We're all boys and we have the same equipment, so there isn't anything to be ashamed of," replied Charles.
"The same ...equipment?" said Matthew.
"Yes, you know, your ... ahh ... your dick and balls," smiled Charles.
"Oh," was all the youngster said.
The five lads then headed down the stairs to go out to the ramps, but Mr. Ken heard them coming down the stairs and asked Matthew to step inside his Study to talk with him. The man told his other 'sons' that Matthew, and Chief, would catch up with them in a little while.
Mr. Ken led the lad into his Study and had him sit in one of the leather chairs. He then took the one next to the boy.
"Matthew, all of this has to be very strange to you and you may feel overwhelmed with everything that's happened to you since we took you to the hospital. I want you to know that you can ask me or talk to me about anything, and I will do my best to answer your concerns."
"I've had essentially the same talk with the other four boys when they first arrived here, and over time ... they all got settled into The Cove just as I know you will, too. One thing you need to decide on, in short order is what you want to call me. You can call me Mr. Ken, or 'Dad Ken' as the twins mainly do."
"Or, you could call me 'dad' as you'll hear Charles say and you already know that I adopted Robert and he of course calls me dad. You can think about it for a few days and when you decide what term you want to call me, let me know. As long as it isn't derogatory there shouldn't be a problem."
"Now, as for Chief, here, she will now be your responsibility. She'll sleep in your room and every day you will need to set out fresh water and kibble for her. You'll also have to help give her a bath when we can get her into the shower. Maybe you'll have better luck than we've had. Chief has been a part of The Cove from the beginning and even I have a difficult time getting her to get clean," laughed Mr. Ken.
"Matthew, there are many rules you'll have to abide by while you live here, but I don't expect you to know all of them right away, but you will get to know them over time. One of the most important things I must ask of you ... is not to disclose anything you may hear about your 'brothers'. Just like you, they are foster lads because of circumstance beyond their control. I won't tell you why each of the boys are living with me, but I'll let them tell you when they've gotten to know you much better."
"One thing I'll also ask of you is to be polite to everyone. I want you to use 'Yes, ma'am or No, ma'am or Yes, sir or No, sir, and Yes, please and No thank you, etcetera. I believe you know what I am talking about. I understand your mom taught you many of those good manners as you were growing up."
"Another thing about living here at The Cove is that we host many parties and as a member of The Cove you'll represent it and the people who live here. I'm not sure how much you know about Three Finger Cove, but we always put our best foot forward and we try to set the example."
"When it comes to school, I won't expect you to be an, A student or even an A/B student. What I will expect from you is that you do your BEST, always! If you have difficulty with a subject let me know and I'll see about getting you the needed help, so you can comprehend the information. After school, the boys get a snack when they return and then they usually stop in here and we talk about their day and then I send them up to start their homework."
"We eat dinner at 6 PM unless it is a weekend, like today. Momma Maria cooks all our meals for us and you'll meet her Monday morning at Breakfast. And speaking of Breakfast, the boys get up at about 6 AM, take their shower, brush their teeth, comb their hair, get dressed and are down in the Kitchen Nook in time to eat a good breakfast. I do believe they catch the school bus by 7:10 and the Bus Stop is at the top of the rise just outside of the Main Gate."
"On Monday I'll take you to your school and get you registered. Then, I'll also schedule a complete physical for you. That way I'll have a baseline of your health in case something goes wrong. Then, I'll know if it was something you already had or if it happened while you lived with me. You saw Kyle had a broken arm, which he didn't have when he came to live with me," chuckled Mr. Ken.
"I see some confusion in your face from everything I just told you, but I know you'll learn the rules as the days go by. Now, is there anything you'd like to ask me?" finished Mr. Ken.
"Oh, one last thing. We'll call you Matthew unless there is another name you'd prefer us to call you. And that goes for the other boys and your friends. If you like Matt or Matty, or even Hey You, just let us know and we'll use that to identify you," chuckled Mr. Ken.
Hearing Mr. Ken say they could call him "Hey You" put a smile on Matthew's face and he began to relax. He couldn't think of anything that he could ask his foster dad right then, but then it hit him.
"Ahh, Mr. Ken, ahhh ... can I ask you about ... taking a shower in the morning. Will it be okay for me to take mine, you know, before I go to bed? Or, will I have to take my shower with the other boys in that big bathroom in the morning?" asked the new Cover, with a look of hope on his face.
Mr. Ken heard some concern in the lad's voice about having to take a shower with all the boys, so he decided to take the lad upstairs and show him the other bathroom.
"Matthew, let's go upstairs and let me show you something. OK?" announced Mr. Ken.
The foster dad and foster son walked up the stairs and as they walked up Mr. Ken told Matthew that he shouldn't run up or down the stairs even though he knows that boys will do that. Matthew heard the fun in the way his foster dad said that about boys running on the stairs and that put a smile on his face. It was while he was thinking about that that Mr. Ken then ruffled his hair and pulled him into a simple side hug.
As they walked down the hallway, Mr. Ken asked the lad if his new 'brothers' showed him the other bathroom. Learning they hadn't, Mr. Ken took the boy to what the boys call the girls' bathroom.
"This is much different from the other bathroom. Can I ask why it is?" said Matthew.
Mr. Ken smiled at the question and then said, "When I built Three Finger Cove, I set it up so that there would be both boys and girls bathrooms. This one is different because girls like more privacy than boys do, so I had two separate enclosed shower stalls installed as well as a soaking tub and shower that is also somewhat private. But there are two toilet stalls with handrails and four sinks just like the boys' bathroom," explained Mr. Ken.
"But why are there handrails in the toilet stalls?" asked Matthew.
"Well, I decided to have them installed in case one of the children gets a broken leg or foot, even. Or, what if one of the kids gets sick and needs the support, so they can use the toilet without someone having to help them all the time. Does that make sense?" asked the owner of The Cove. Matthew just shook his head indicating he understood
"Ahh, Matthew ... have you ever taken a shower ... with other lads?" asked Mr. Ken.
"No, sir, I never have," meekly announced the new Cover.
"I take it you are a bit concerned about taking your showers with the other boys then, aren't you?" followed up Mr. Ken.
Matthew just lowered his head and shook his head in an up and down manner. Then, he looked up and asked, "Do you think that ... that maybe I could use this bathroom until I get used to being around the other boys?" asked an anxious Matthew.
Mr. Ken saw the hope in the lad's eyes and heard the plea in his voice and he knew then that the boy was going to be embarrassed to shower with the other boys. The new Cover was only 10 or 10 ½ while the other lads were older and bigger and not just in height.
Mr. Ken then decided to allow the lad to use that bathroom to get ready in the morning. He told Matthew that he would mention it to the other boys later. The man then told the lad that if his new 'brothers' give him a hard time about not showering with them he was to let him know. Matthew thanked the owner of the Cove with a hug.
It was while the two Covers were hugging that Kyle came upstairs looking for Matthew.
"So there you are," announced Kyle. "Come on ... the other boys want to meet you and you need to try out your new skateboard. Can he come with me 'dad'?" finished Kyle.
"Yes, I suppose I kept him long enough. Matthew, there are many things for you to know and learn about The Cove, but don't try to learn it all in one day. None of the other boys did. Most of the things I told you are obvious and as time goes on I know you'll fit right in. OK, now, go with Kyle and have fun meeting the lads," laughed Mr. Ken.
Kyle tugged on Matthew's hand and began pulling him towards the top of the stairs. It was while they began hurrying down that Mr. Ken yelled out, "And don't run down the stairs!"
The man heard some giggles as the boys slowed down and hurried out the Foyer door.
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