Adam Blake - 108. Chapter 108

“Dad, are we going to the cabin this weekend?”

“Yes, I was planning on it. Does everyone have their homework done?” I knew that those who didn’t would be in the King’s Keep.

“Anton, how did you sleep?” I waited for Gerry to interpret.

“He said he slept well and it was nice having someone in a room with him.”

I saw Hans, “Sir, we are going to be gone for a little while. I’ll be back in time for supper. I’ve made sure we’re covered.”

“I wasn’t sure where he was going, I thought maybe to get someone’s grandmother.

Dinner was a nice time. The boys asked a lot of questions about the college. Lawrence fielded most of them. Then as I looked over the boys, I wondered how many would be ready for college. “James, when we get back to the office, check and see how many seniors will be graduating this spring.”

I stood up as Marcel approached, “Sir, this is Gaston who I’ d like to have work for me in the college kitchen.”

“Marcel, when supper is over, I would like for you, Gaston, and Caleb to come to my office. I want to discuss something with you three.”

“Adam, Uncle and I would like Anton to return to the infirmary. We need to run some tests and take a blood sample in preparation for the operation on Monday.”

“Gerry, please go with the Doctors and help Anton understand what’s happening.” I stood to give Marie a kiss when Evan got in line behind me. Marie looked and laughed, leaned over, and kissed his cheek.

I smiled as I ruffled his hair, “She’s mine”

“James, stay and take notes. Marcel, Gaston, Caleb come in and sit down. Marcel, I want you to be director of food services, Caleb can be the chef in the Academy and, if you approve, Gaston can be the chef in the college. Your job will be to oversee both kitchens. We’ll need to hire help for the college kitchen which you and Gaston can do as soon as the kitchen is ready. You also will be responsible for ordering the food and signing off on the invoices. I think by ordering for both kitchens we should save some money.”

I saw the smiles on the three faces. “I’ll need someone to help keep track of the orders and to do inventories. May I hire two additional people?”

“Of course, you’ll be hiring kitchen staff, maybe the head cook can keep inventories of their kitchen and weekly submit them to your staff. If you need additional people, let me know. I want the food served at the college to be as good as the food served here.” I saw the smile on Caleb’s face. “Are there any problems getting the kitchen equipment?”

“No sir, some of the freezers are arriving next week. The contractors have finished wiring so they can be plugged in as soon as they arrived. It will take about a week for the units to get to temperature. We are trying some new recipes on the workers. I think that is why they are working hard to get the kitchen ready.”

“I look forward to a taste test from your kitchen, Gaston”

His smile said he was happy. I like these chefs, positive and proud of their work and creations. I took forward to some excellent meals.

“Doc, are you planning on fixed times for meals like we do here?”

“Yes, I think that would be appropriate. There is no reason not to do that. Classes can be scheduled to permit that.”

I worked on my weekly updates until James came in to tell me it was Supper time. “James, did someone take a supper over to Anton?”

“He’s back here. Hans brought him over.”

So Hans is back. “Good, let’s go to supper.

Walking to the Dining Hall, I took out a pad and wrote salary. I need to start thinking about salaries, wage increases for both the Academy and the College. I also need to see if a name has been selected. Slipping the notepad into my pocket, I ruffled Anton’s hair as I passed his chair. He was now sitting next to me with Gerry on the other side.”

Looking at me, “Thank you sir” I looked at Gerry, he smiled. I gave a hug to Anton, kissed him on the head as I thanked Gerry.

Hans came to the table, “Sir, the boys want to go to the cabin?”

“Hans, how are we going to take all of these boys to the cabin?”

“Follow me”

When I walked out of the front door, there in the parking lot were 5 buses, painted blue with a knight on a stallion painted on the side. “When did these get here? Dad didn’t tell me they were ready?”

“He called last night. James took the call and was told not to tell you. We went over and picked them up.”

I had to move out of the way, as the boys wanted to see. “Dad, does that mean we all can go?”

“Yes, son, you all can go.”

Then there was a mad rush. In 30 minutes all of the boys were in the dining hall, ready to go. Then James came with a box, “Your dad sent this over when you were gone.”

He opened the box and pulled out a blue backpack with a picture of a knight on it. Under the Knight, there was a white stripe. I wondered what the stripe was for when Able came over with a black ink pen. As each boy was given a backpack, he wrote their name on the white strip. He passed it to James, who used a hair blower to dry the name. Even Anton had one.

When all of the boys had one, “Able, make one for Caleb, Gaston, Joe, and yourself. You boys are coming as well. The cooks can prepare meals for the staff.”

Then there was a mad rush back to the rooms, where suitcases were emptied into the backpacks. The boys lined up, Hans directed the loading showing the boys where to put their backpacks. The last bus had extra room, so I asked the cooks to load some food for breakfast and dinners. Suppers would be fish. “Gerry, if you want you and Anton can ride the bus with the rest of the boys.”

“I got a smile as Hans lifted Anton on the bus. I boarded each bus before it pulled out, “Everyone, please make sure you have your seat belts on.”

Then I followed as Hans and his men, drove the bus to the cabin. I was hoping that all of the chalets were finished because we’d need them. “I think maybe Anton should sleep in the cabin, what do you think?”

“I think he should sleep with the boys.”

“You know I’m going to need your boat tomorrow for fishing.”

“All the boys will want to go fishing, we don’t have enough boats.”

“Suppose we give them a time limit, say one hour or until one of them catches a fish.”

“You’ll be fishing all day.”

“That would be ok.” I got a kiss on the cheek for that.

3 hours later we passed the diner. We’d be home soon. “You know I’ll have to stay at the cabin. Mom and Dad would want that.”

She laughed. “You’re not going to tease your mom again.”

“Ok, I won’t, but don’t be surprised when she looks at your tummy.”

The buses pulled into the cabin, I saw where Dad had enlarged the parking area.”

As the bus doors opened 110 kids descended and looked around. Gerry led them to the chalets while I hugged Mom and Dad. Hans had Anton in his arms. “Hans, ask him if he wants to sleep in the cabin or chalet.”

I grabbed Caleb and Gaston, pointed to my mom, “Tell her you both are here to help prepare a snack for the boys.”

Mom was surprised when Caleb told her what they wanted to do. “Adam, I don’t have that much food.”

Caleb smiled, as Hans helped them to unload the food. Marie and I walked up to the chalets to see the boys and make sure they were all settled in. They had a fire started in the fire pit, some of the boys had snacks from the snack machine, I told them to put that away, snacks are coming. As we all sat around the fire, I asked how many were going to be running with me tomorrow morning. Of course, Johnny and the school runners said they would. I told them to be up at 4:30. I wonder how many would be up. “Sir, we don’t have alarm clocks.”

“Don’t worry. There is an old moose that roams these hills and he usually roars at 4:30.”

I watched as Carlos and Gaston brought up trays of cookies with glasses of milk. Mom followed with coffee. Dad looked at the boys, “How do you like your buses.”

There was a loud hoorah. “I think they liked them very much. I was surprised that you had them. The paint job is fantastic.”

“The guys liked doing them. I think they are going to make more but with different pictures, I told them it wouldn't be a problem. What’s with the little guy?”

“He was in a car accident that took his parents. He was living with his pensioned grandmother. Monday he’s going for an operation to repair his legs. He’s a nice kid. He doesn’t know it but his grandmother is arriving Sunday. I think Hans will bring her here in a helicopter.”

“Mom and I have told you many times, you continually amaze us.”

“I’m only doing what’s right. Working with children that are looked upon because they are perceived to be on a lower level is wrong. It’s my belief, that all children can be at the top if they are given the chance which means, in some cases, deviating from the norm. I have 110 students here, they are all smart but they all need a different approach. I can’t turn a child away without helping them in some way. Sorry, that’s the way I was raised.” I smiled as I said that.

Yes, I got a hug from Dad, he went and said something to Mom, then I got another hug and a kiss on my cheek. Marie came over, “What did you do now?”

“I told Mom you were still a virgin.”

She slapped me on the arm, “Ouch, you hit hard."