After the boys left for school, Mr. Ken took Momma Maria aside and told her they would be adding to the foster boys, and he would probably be there around lunchtime. The owner of The Cove told the woman what he knew about William, and that he would be a 'work in progress'. Momma said she would treat him as if he'd always been there, unless he turns out to be another Caroline. Then, she laughed. But Mr. Ken knew exactly what she was saying. The man smiled back at the woman.
Mr. Ken waited until Mr. Chris arrived for the day before calling Ms. Judy. He wanted to let the Estate Manager know about the new teenager, so he could put the boy into the database and to plan for him in anything they may do in the future. Ken Thomas also called Wayne Mitchell to let him know the boys had given their OK to accept William as their 'brother', and the teen should be there around lunchtime.
Judy Turner was extremely happy that Ken had decided to accept Billy as a new foster boy. She told the man they should be there around twelve-thirty. Mr. Ken asked her to call as they approached, as the new foster son would not be in the security database. He wanted to simplify their entrance and would get Billy registered later. Judy thanked him for that.
Ken Thomas watched as Judy drove up to the Foyer Door. He excused himself to Mr. Wayne and went to the door to meet the woman and his new foster teen.
"Welcome, William, to Three Finger Cove, or what is otherwise now known as The Cove," announced Mr. Ken, as he held out his hand to shake William's. The teen accepted the hand to shake, and then Mr. Ken led the teenager and Ms. Judy to his Study.
Before they all took a seat, Mr. Wayne had stood as they entered, and Mr. Ken introduced the new foster teen to his Estate Master and then to Chief.
"William, I want you to meet Wayne Mitchell. He is my Estate Master. He helps take care of you boys, gets you to your appointments and fills in for me when I have to be away. He is a licensed foster parent, and has as much authority as I do here at The Cove, when I am gone. You will see him here much of the time, and ... and if he says something to you then you should listen to what he says.
"Chief is also a valued member of The Cove. She will be your responsibility for as long as you remain here at The Cove, or until another foster child comes along. She will be your constant companion who will sleep in your bedroom. You will be responsible to provide her with fresh kibble and water every morning and throughout the day as needed. We never feed her off the table. There are treats for her next to where her kibble is stored, and, at times, we do bring her an ice cream treat from DQ.
"There are two other people who work here full-time during the week. You'll meet them a bit later. There are also a number of different contractors who come and take care of things around The Cove. You more than likely saw the construction going on in the upper field. That will eventually be a skateboard park. Over there is the artist's rendition. Billy took a cursory look over at the easel
"William, I've done all the talking, so far, since we met at the door. Do you have any questions for me?" asked Mr. Ken.
William sat there for a few moments looking as if he had some, but he wasn't sure if he should ask. Mr. Wayne urged him to ask, or say, what was on his mind, as that would help Mr. Ken in directing his overview of The Cove, and what it is all about, and what he'd have to do to get settled.
"Ahhh ... what ... what do I call you?" simply asked William.
"For now, you can call me Mr. Ken. That is until you find something you feel more comfortable with and is OK with me. You will hear the other boys call me 'dad', or even 'Dad Ken'. As for Wayne, here, all the boys call him Mr. Wayne, so that would be appropriate for you as well," answered Mr. Ken.
"How old are all the boys you have here and how many are there?" asked William.
"William, there are five boys living here at The Cove. My son, Robert, who is thirteen. Charles is twelve, and will soon be thirteen. The twins, Kevin and Kyle just turned twelve and Matthew who is eleven," replied Mr. Ken.
"Do we have to share a bedroom?" asked William.
"No, William, there are six bedrooms upstairs, and you'll get to choose from the two vacant ones. The twins share a bedroom, which is why there are two available for you to pick from," answered Mr. Ken.
"Ahhhhh ... ahh why do you keep calling me William when ... when everyone else calls me Billy?" directly asked William.
"Great question, young man. As I have explained to all of the boys who have come here this ... that this is a chance for them to create a new life for themselves. I told them that virtually no one knows them here and ... and what better way to start their new lives than with a new name.
"All the boys go by their full first name. None of them have reverted to Bobby, Charlie or Matt, or Matty, even. You will hear Kyle call his twin brother Kev, at times, but that is the only other name you'll probably hear."
Mr. Wayne quickly spoke up and reminded his employer that there were at least three other boys who had a nickname. Mr. Ken gave his Estate Master a questioning look and Mr. Wayne reminded his boss about Chuck, Max and Coop. Mr. Ken told William he stood corrected.
"Anyway, I want to give you that same opportunity to begin a new life, thus my calling you William. What I also want you to know is that I've given each and every new foster boy who came to me two weeks to decide if they want to stay here. I figured it would take them that long to decide if this is the type of living, they wanted to be a part of.
"As for being called Billy it to me is ... well, to me it is a young boy's name. You're a teenager now going on to your adult life, soon, and I believe you should be focused on what you will do in three years.
"Since, you'll be in a new high school, your classmates will call you what you tell them to," explained the owner of The Cove. "Choose the name you want to be called when you're thirty, or forty, or older. It could have a bearing on you, and your future."
"Well, I like being called Billy. So, could you and him call me that?" stated William Dirketson.
"I wish you would reconsider your wanting to be called Billy, William. But, to be honest with you, as I already explained, to me, Billy is still a young kid's name. You will find that as you get to know the boy's friends, they don't have nicknames, except Chuck, Max and Coop. But, as a compromise, I will call you Bill. To me that is a much more mature name for you as you grow into adulthood. Is there anything else you want to ask?" finished Mr. Ken.
Billy shook his head no, so Mr. Ken continued.
"Bill, there are a number of rules here at The Cove," started out Mr. Ken, when he was immediately interrupted by Bill.
"What kind of rules? I bet we have a curfew! I bet there is a rule that says we can't leave this place? What about my friends? Can they come over? Do I have to babysit the other boys? And what other lame rules do I have to put up with?" almost screamed William 'Billy' Dirketson.
"Well ... I'm glad you waited to find out what the rules were before jumping in with both feet ... William!" sarcastically replied Mr. Ken.
"Now ... do you want to know the main rules for The Cove, William? ... Or, do you want Ms. Turner to find you another home where you feel you can do what you want, when you want, and how you want? I just had a foster girl that didn't last four days because she thought her shit didn't stink!
"Now, William ... you have a choice. I'll leave you and Ms. Judy to talk it over. But, know this, young man ... if you decide to stay ... and you do not get along with my other boys you will be gone faster than Caroline was," said Mr. Ken, directly looking at William. The owner of The Cove then looked over to Judy Turner, so she got the point. The man then stood, and stormed out of his own Study.
Mr. Wayne followed quickly behind, but stopped short and looked at William and said, "Boy ... you are making a huge mistake. Mr. Thomas can change your life, but if you want to be a nothing the rest of your life ... then have Ms. Turner find you another home!"
As soon as Mr. Wayne had closed the Study door, Ms. Turner looked directly at William and loudly said, "William ... Billy, what are you trying to do?
"Mr. Thomas ... he is a very influential man in this community. If you stay here, he can ensure you'll have a much better life than you've had up to this time. What you need to do is to stop being a self-centered brat, and learn how to get along with your foster parents and abide by the rules they establish. Those rules were put in place back when his first foster son lived with him, four years ago," chastised Judy Turner.
"Parent!" said William.
"See, that's your problem. You look for ways to antagonize people and be the Alpha. That will not work with Mr. Thomas. He may be a young foster 'parent', but he has contacts in the Sheriff's Department, the school board, the local hospital and in the courts," loudly exclaimed Ms. Turner.
"When he finds out about my dad, he'll kick me out, anyway. So, why should I care?" demanded the teenager.
"Billy ... he already knew about your dad, well your step-dad, and ... and he decided to foster you anyway," counseled Ms. Judy.
"He wanted to give you a chance at a new life. Give you a chance to make something of yourself. He's taken his boys on unforgettable trips, like their recent 7-day cruise. He's even hosted his boys and their friends to SeaWorld and Six Flags ... forty of them. He hosts Christmas parties for his neighbors and Easter Egg Rolls for the children and a 4th of July Picnic with rides, food and fireworks and much, much more.
"Now ... when he comes back in here, if you want to remain here in this beautiful home, and enjoy everything he has to offer you, then you will stand up and apologize to the man and you better make it sincere.
"If you don't, there will be no reason to unpack your meager belongings. You will be relegated to a halfway foster home for the night, or maybe longer. It is too late for me to find another foster home for you right now!"
When Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne returned to the Study, Billy Dirketson immediately stood up. The teenager looked directly at the owner of The Cove and began to apologize for his actions.
"Mr. Thomas, I ... I want to apologize for what I said and ... and how I acted earlier with you. Ever since I was placed into the system, I've ... I felt I've had to defend and stand up for myself. My dad, well ... actually my step-dad ...he, ahhh, he was killed in that shootout last summer with the Sheriff's Deputies.
"Right after that they came to our house ... with, you know, a search warrant to search our house and it was then they arrested my mom. They charged her with possession of all kinds of illegal drugs with intent to distribute.
"They also found lots of money and guns with their registration numbers filed off. I knew about the drugs, but ... to be honest with you, I didn't know about the guns. I do hope you'll believe me, I ... I honestly didn't know about the guns.
"Since that day I've ... I've been shoved into and out of four different foster homes. The foster parents there ... they didn't care about what my mom and I were going through. The only thing they cared about was that I wasn't any trouble and they got their check from CPS at the end of every month. The food was always mediocre; they hardly ever bought me new clothes. They were more like hand me downs, or from the thrift stores. And, I had to do more chores than anyone else did in the house.
"I felt abandoned by my caseworker. She'd tell me to shut up anytime I complained about the way I was treated, or mistreated, at the foster houses. Now, after what Ms. Turner told me about living here I ... I know I would be a fool to pass this up. So ... if you'll still have me, I'd ... I'd like to stay," said William 'Billy' Dirketson, with tears running down his cheeks.
Mr. Ken went to the teenager and pulled him into a hug. The boy practically melted into it as he hadn't had an adult male hug since before his real dad left his mom. The teen's tears took a while to stop flowing, and, when they did, he thanked Mr. Ken for what he just did for him.
Mr. Ken motioned for William to have a seat, while the man went to sit behind his desk. Ms. Judy was happy the teen had made a good, sincere apology. Now, all she had to hope for was that William didn't over react to the rules Mr. Ken was going to tell him.
"Bill ... what say we start this introduction and getting to know one another over again? You OK with that?" began Mr. Ken.
"Yea. I mean, yes sir. I would appreciate that," replied William.
Mr. Ken Thomas did start at the beginning. He reintroduced himself and Mr. Wayne and what the man's position was there at The Cove. Of course, he reintroduced Chief and how the teen would be responsible to take care of the resident pet.
Chief quickly got into the picture by going over to the teen and putting her paws up on his lap and placing her head on them. The teen quickly petted the resident pet's head. That sort of helped calm the boy down.
Mr. Ken reminded Bill there were two other people who worked there full-time during the week and he would meet them later. The owner of The Cove explained about inviting his new friends from school over to The Cove.
Mr. Ken told him he had to let him know who they were and give him their full names and home phone numbers before they would be allowed to come over. Mr. Ken further explained that was so he could make sure the parents knew their son was indeed invited to come to The Cove.
Mr. Wayne also jumped in and told Bill about the many contractors who worked around the estate. The Estate Master finished up by telling the new foster son about the construction going on in the upper field. He explained it would eventually be a skateboard park and then again pointed out the artist's rendition.
The foster dad and foster son agreed that Mr. Ken and Bill would be the names they called one another, until they agreed on a new name. It was also accepted that Bill could ask his 'brothers' and their and his friends to call him Billy.
Mr. Thomas told Bill again about the five boys living there at The Cove and again mentioned their names and ages. And, since Bill asked about the bedroom situation, The Cove's owner told the teen he'd have his own and could choose between the two that were presently empty.
Mr. Ken also expounded on how he offered all the boys who have come there the same chance for them to create a new life for themselves. Mr. Ken reiterated that virtually no one knew them and what better way to start a new life than by starting with a new name, and thus Bill, or William. After Mr. Ken had reviewed everything they had talked about, up until the teen's outburst, the foster dad began telling Bill about the Rules at The Cove.
"Bill, there are a number of rules here at The Cove. Most of them are self-explanatory, but some need to be stated. I've already explained that you can invite your friends over to The Cove, but only after you've told me who they are and I have their home phone number, NOT their cell phone number. Then, at first, you can only invite one or two the first time around and over time you can add more as long as the first ones behave themselves.
"Right now, my son and my foster sons have about forty friends who come here every weekend. Once your friends are invited over, and they don't make trouble for anyone, they can continue to come over when we're going to be here. And, so you know, none of the boy's friends have ever been told they could not come back. I hope we'll be able to say the same for your new friends.
"Being a freshman, your school starting time is much later that the other boys. That should reduce the crowding in the bathroom every morning. You'll see what I mean when we go upstairs to choose your room.
"Also, Bill ... since your step-dad and mom were involved with drugs ... and you knew they were in the house, there is a distinct chance that you know all about them and may have even used some of them. But, even if you hadn't been exposed to the drugs, you'll still be scheduled, sometime next week, for a full physical with Doctor Powers. Also, just so you know, all of the boys have had one, so you are not being singled out. You can ask them yourself.
"Something else you need to know is that ... I will not tell you why the other boys are living here with me. They may tell you on their own one day, but I will not. Another thing is, they won't bother you about why you are now joining them. Get to know the boys and them you. Robert has been here fourteen months and is now my son. He knows pretty much all about The Cove and if he tells you something about a rule you hadn't heard from me take it as if it came from me.
"Another thing none of us do here is smoke. We don't use cigarettes, cigars or pipes and no snuff. Our friends who do visit us know they can use the back Patio for their habit. There is one other rule that I haven't talked about to the other boys, but will do so after dinner tonight. And that is ... we do not invite anyone over to The Cove ... who is known to use any type of illegal drugs, or ... is suspected of doing so, until it is proven otherwise.
"Bill, with you being in high school you will undoubtedly meet other students who use marijuana or other illicit drugs. I am going to ask you to not make friends with them. You can be cordial and friendly with them, but be aware they can never come over to The Cove. Especially now that I have such young and impressionable foster sons living here.
"Right now, there are only four skateboard ramps that all the boys use, and they've figured out a way to share them, so everyone gets a fair amount of skate time on them. That will be moot when the new skate park is finished, hopefully, by the first of June, or sooner.
"After school, the boys sometimes stop in here, before they go back to the Kitchen Nook for Momma Maria's afterschool snacks. You'll meet her later. We eat as a family at six. You are expected to be there. We have an informal meeting here in this Study afterwards, and then the boys finish any homework they didn't complete earlier. I usually visit with them before they go to bed.
"There are other rules you'll learn as you get settled here. One important one ... is you will treat the other boys as your 'brothers', and as equals. Don't try to boss them around. You maybe be older than they are, but they've been here longer than you. Remember that!
"This Saturday ... I will take you out to get you a full set of new clothes. Whatever you need I will purchase for you. The state will reimburse me, so do not worry about the cost. Do you have any questions?" asked Mr. Ken.
"Not now, but ... but I am sure I will have some, as I get settled in here," answered Bill.
Mr. Ken told Bill he'd take him to meet the other full-time employees and for him to follow along. As Mr. Ken walked out of the Study, Ms. Judy went next, and as Bill got out of his chair to follow along, Mr. Wayne stopped the teenager.
"Bill, if you have any drugs in your bag I ... I suggest you flush them down the toilet the first chance you get. If you don't, and they are found, the Sheriff's Office will be called and that will be the end of your stay here at Three Finger Cove.
"If you, or any of your friends, bring any sort of illegal drugs here and you, or they, are found out, be forewarned, the Sheriff's Office will be notified and you all will be sent to juvie.
"Don't mess this up, Bill! You have a great opportunity here to have a good life and a future you could never consider in your dreams," sternly advised Mr. Wayne. The man quickly walked to catch up with his employer. He was quickly followed by Bill Dirketson and Chief.
Mr. Ken introduced Bill to Momma Maria and explained her role there at The Cove. Mr. Chris was next and the owner of The Cove gave Bill an overview of that man's responsibilities. The three made some small talk before Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne took Bill upstairs for him to choose which of the remaining bedrooms he wanted.
After Bill took the vacant bedroom closer to the back stairs, Mr. Ken showed the teen the boys' bathroom. Bill was super surprised to see two porcelain gods, or urinals, as he walked in. That put a smile on his face.
The foster dad showed Bill the other bathroom. He explained the boys all took their showers together, but added the younger boys may use that one until they get used to him being around. Mr. Wayne added that the teen should give the boys time to get used to him being around them.
Mr. Ken asked Wayne to give the teenager the twenty-five-cent tour while he and Ms. Turner went back to the Study to talk. As Mr. Thomas and the CPS Director headed downstairs, Mr. Wayne told Bill he should use the time to divest himself of any excess fluids, and while he was at it to flush any drugs he may possess. The Estate Master told Bill he'd meet him at the top of the main stairs.
Down in the Study, Mr. Ken told Ms. Judy he felt Bill was going to be a challenge. He added the teen had a quick temper, and was fast to assert himself. He added he hoped the tears were genuine, because if his apology wasn't sincere, she should have another foster home in mind for the boy until he passed his two-week trial period.
Ms. Judy knew not to argue with her friend. She knew he was doing her a great favor by taking in an older teenager, and she needed Bill to succeed on his own. She did tell Mr. Ken she would have a foster home ready to take Bill in if, and when, the time ever came for the teen to be moved along.
Mr. Wayne never mentioned the illegal drugs to Bill when they met up at the top of the stairs. The Estate Master started the tour with the MRS Room, and the rest of the main floor. When the Estate Master took the teen to show him the Pantry and the Kitchen Nook, again, the teen got to experience the wonderful aromas that came from what Momma Maria was preparing for that night's evening meal. He also saw where to find Chief's kibble and treats.
Wayne Mitchell started the Great Room floor tour at the back where the half-bath was located. The teen was amazed at seeing the Home Theater, the wine cellar, the Party Bar and large party restrooms.
Mr. Wayne explained the reason for the Great Room and how it was used and then took him to the indoor pool. Bill Dirketson's eyes almost jumped out of his head when he saw one of the benefits of living at The Cove.
Estate Master Wayne Mitchell showed the new foster teen the two locker rooms and where the industrial washer and dryer were. The man explained the boys sometimes washed everyone's bathing suit after they swam, but that they always dried them, so they wouldn't get moldy. Mr. Wayne then mentioned to Bill there were a few other things the boys did for their friends.
The item that caught Bill by surprise was the barbeque. He learned the boys had done that ever since Collin lived there starting four years ago. To finish his tour, Mr. Wayne showed Bill the beach, the Commander, personal watercraft and the water toys out in the cove. Bill couldn't believe how lucky he was to have been brought there.
The Cover boys arrived home at their usual time. But, instead of stopping by the Kitchen Nook, for their afterschool snack, they all headed to the Study to see if their new 'brother' had arrived. Learning he was with Mr. Wayne, they headed back to see Momma Maria.
Mr. Wayne and Bill stopped by the Study when the tour was finished. Ms. Judy had already departed The Cove, so Mr. Ken suggested they all proceed to the Kitchen Nook to meet up with the other boys and share their afterschool snacks with them.
"Boys ... I want you to meet Bill Dirketson. He's our newest member here at The Cove," announced the boys' dad'.
"We came to share your snack and introduce you to your new 'brother', Bill. He likes to be called Billy, though, but you will hear Mr. Wayne and me call him Bill. His story is as secret as yours all are, so don't bug him about why he is now living here at The Cove. He will share his story when he is comfortable around all of you, but even then, the secrecy rules still apply.
"And again, you never share with any of your friends unless he says you can. The same applies to him. If you tell him why you are living here, he is not to tell anyone your story. You all have special reasons why you are living here, none of which are your fault. But still, the why is not to be shared with anyone.
"I, Mr. Wayne and Ms. Judy all know your secrets. Mr. Chris and Momma do not except what you asked me to tell them. No one else needs to know and ... if you've shared with any of your friends you need to remind them not to tell anyone else. Agreed? Now, let's eat," finished Mr. Ken with a smile.
Matthew then got out of his chair and headed to 'dad' Ken and gave him a hug. The youngster then gave Mr. Wayne a hug, as well. Bill was surprised at the action and knew he had to learn as much about the boys, and The Cove, as fast as he could.
After they finished their snack, they all headed to The Study. But first, Bill saw all of the boys go to Momma Maria and give the woman a hug and thank her for making such a good snack for them. That really surprised the teen. He knew he needed to find out why.
Once back at the Study, Mr. Ken explained to Bill that was what the boys usually did to give them a chance to share what may have happened at school that day. None of the boys had anything specific to share that day, so Mr. Ken sent them up to their rooms to get started on their homework.
After the boys left to go to their bedrooms to do their homework, Mr. Ken further explained the day. He told Bill that Momma Maria would have an afterschool snack waiting for him after he returned from school. The man told the teenager he should then join the other boys in the Study to share his day.
The Cove's owner told the teen he'd be expected to work on his homework some before dinner and join in their after-dinner discussions, then finish up any assignments he had to do. Then, as an afterthought, Mr. Ken told Bill he'd register him at the high school the next day and get him a school lunch pass for the remainder of the school year.
Mr. Ken then told Bill that, besides his physical with Doctor Powers next week, he would be scheduled to visit with Doctor Doug Jennings, a Child Psychologist. That got Bill's attention.
The new foster dad explained that it would give Bill a chance to speak and clear his mind about anything he needed to get off his chest. Mr. Ken told the teenager that nothing he told the doctor would ever be shared with him unless he gave Doctor Jennings his permission.
Bill wasn't happy about seeing a 'shrink', but he figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to someone who could maybe help him understand what happened to him and, most of all, why. The teenager also figured he'd have to play along if he wanted to stay there.
Bill remembered the aromas in the kitchen from earlier when he returned to have dinner. He saw what was on the table and couldn't believe what he would be eating that evening. He never had anything like it, even when he lived with his mom. He figured if he was going to eat like this he needed to stay focused, and out of trouble by keeping his big mouth shut.
When dinner was over, Bill watched his new 'brothers' hug Momma Maria before everyone headed to the Study. There was one leather chair still empty after everyone had taken their seats. Mr. Ken was now glad he had Mr. Chris buy the two extra leather chairs.
"Bill, after dinner we finish talking about our day and then we discuss what's coming up around The Cove. Since you're new here, you probably won't have much, if anything, to say. I just hope, as time passes on, you will participate with us. Also, as I mentioned to you earlier today, and what I will remind the boys, now, is that I would like all of you boys to treat one another as 'brothers'.
"To continue on, let's see. Tomorrow, I will take Bill to the high school and get him registered and his school lunch pass. Boys, because Bill is in high school he'll catch a later bus in the morning and will return home later than you do. So, please don't eat all of Momma Maria's afterschool snacks," laughed 'dad' Ken.
"Kyle, tomorrow, it is your turn to go to Doctor Doug's. Next week, Bill will have his physical with Doctor Rick and then be scheduled to meet Doctor Doug, sometime later in the week. One of you who has a later in the week appointment may have it changed, so Bill can get in to meet Doctor Jennings.
"Why not invite Doctor Doug over for dinner one night, like you did with us?" spoke up Kevin. "I'll bet Doctor Doug would love to eat another one of Momma Maria's fantastic meals," finished a smirking Kevin.
"You know, Kevin ... that's not a bad idea. Thank you for suggesting that," replied 'dad' Ken.
"OK. Getting back on track, Matthew will still have his Monday appointment and Kevin is scheduled for Wednesday and Kyle will have his appointment on Friday. Stay tuned. Things could change as I call Doctor Doug's office for available times. But my bet is Doctor Jennings will readily accept an invitation to come to dinner and meet your new 'brother'.
"Bill you are now a part of The Cove and, as such, you need to be involved in all the aspects of everything we do around The Cove. The Easter Egg Roll is something The Cove hosts every year, and the neighborhood kids look forward to it. Just like they do the Christmas Party and the 4th of July Picnic that we also host.
"And boys, this is an all afternoon project that will take us from about 12 noon until around 4 or 5 p.m. So, Robert and Charles ... talk to your friends tomorrow and ask them if they want to be involved. If they do, just tell them when they come over on Saturday to be prepared to work and not skate until the job is done.
"Boys ... I do want it all completed on Saturday. Easter is the following weekend, if you didn't realize it, which is why the rush. Then, we'll do the Easter Egg Roll the following Saturday," added Mr. Ken.
"Any more questions?" asked Mr. Ken. "You will all see and learn what this is all about come Saturday, and then any questions still lingering in your mind may be answered.
"Ohh, and one last thing. There is one Rule that I should have talked to you about, much, much sooner than today. Matter of fact, back when you first arrived here at The Cove I should have told you this. "But I have been remiss in doing so, until now.
"Boys ... I am not a fan ... of illegal drugs, period! Whether it is marijuana or prescription drugs I do not want to see you use them, nor abuse prescription drugs, nor do I want any of your friends to do so.
"What I am getting at is this. I do not want you to invite anyone ... over to The Cove ... who is known to use any type of illegal drugs, or ...or is suspected of doing so, or even abuses prescription drugs. If you suspect or know someone who does ... then do not invite them over here. That is until it is proven otherwise.
"Boys, as you get older and meet and make new friends, some of them may be using illegal drugs, and I do not want them here at The Cove. And, I sure do not want you using them. They can and in many cases will ruin your lives, and make you ultimately dependent on them. I'm sure you all understand. Any questions? ... OK, now go to your rooms and relax before bed."
As the boys headed up to the bedrooms, Mr. Ken asked Bill to stay back for a few minutes.
Upstairs, the boys quickly gathered in Robert's room and asked him if he knew why their 'dad' told them about illegal drugs and inviting someone over who uses them or we know uses them. All Robert could surmise is that with Billy in high school, he would probably meet kids there that are using them and 'dad' wants him to know that drugs are not allowed here at The Cove.
"But we could meet kids in our school who use drugs, too, couldn't we?" asked Kevin.
"Yes, I guess we could. But if someone our age is using illegal drugs there are probably kids who will know and will talk about them and their drug use and you will hear about that. We all need to understand that drugs could be anywhere.
"So, my advice to all of you is to casually mention to all your friends what our 'dad' told us tonight-about illegal drugs, and people that use them will not be allowed to come over here. You might get some push-back, but just tell them you are just the messenger and if they use drugs, they better not bring them to The Cove," said Robert.
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