ARROW - 139. Chapter 139

Halloween, the boys and their friends went door to door. About one hour later, they came home. “Are you done?”

“Yes, it isn’t fun. You knock on the door, someone comes and drops candy into your bag, closes the door. No ‘hi’ or ‘goodbye’, we can get all of the candy we want without going door to door.”

That didn’t sound like it was when I went Hallowing. “Keep your costumes on and let’s go to the haunted house with the kids from the Home.” Colin and the dad’s went to bring the kids except for the older kids who were dressed up as clowns and various animals. A few of the older boys had scary custumes but they were told they had to stay on the upper floors. The first floor had the clowns and animals. As the kids entered the haunted house they would be met by a clown who gave them a bag containing a piece of candy and a cookie. A path through the first floor was lighted with flashlights. The kids followed the lit path and every once in a while a clown or animal would put something in their bag. It didn’t take long for the young children to get tired and they were driven back to the Home where they would be given a warm glass of milk to go with their cookies. The staff kept an eye on them and as they got tired, they helped them to bed.

It seemed like a taxi service between the old house and the Home. I thought this would have been fun for them but it wasn’t. They had a better time last year when the adults were dressed as animals and played with the kids on the floor. I’ll need to work on something for next year.

One of the farmers who sold fresh eggs to the Home, mention to Pat that every year they make a maze out of bundles of hay. After Halloween the bundles are moved to the barns. He said they serve apple cider and pumpkin cookies.

When Pat told me that, I thought that would be a great activity. Not so sure about the apple cider, but apple juice would be okay.

Our thoughts turned toward Thanksgiving. The boys took it upon themselves to teach their friends about Thanksgiving. I listened and they did a great job. Their friends asked Nonna if there is such a celebration in Italy. She told them no because there weren’t any pilgrims and Italy was an old country, much older than America. I could see a history lesson coming. The boys had souvenirs from Italy and Barcelona that told them of the Romans. Then their Italian friends told them about Italy and how old Itay was going back to the emperors. I was amazed at how much they knew living in a small village.

For the next few weeks, the subject for the boys and their friends was the history of Italy. Books, that I obtained and they obtained when they were in Italy came off the bookshelves. Colin and I would listen as they discussed a certain emperor or famous Italian. I would slip a famous painter into their discussion. Colin said our library will grow in Italian books. It did, with history, biographies, and of course books on artists, which I annotated for them. Then the time worn question, why didn’t I paint like Picasso or someone else like Dali. I asked them why do you like polenta instead of corn bread. Their answer was polenta had a flavor but corn bread is dry and needs something, like butter or cheese.

“The painting of Dali and Picasso needs something to understand what he is conveying. My painting, like the masters of old, don’t need anything, just like polenta, it is good by itself.” I wasn’t sure that they understood.

We would be celebrating Thanksgiving at the Home. Our parents would join us, I invited Roger to join us also. Nonna, Marcel, James and Peter where at the Home early preparing breakfast, and then a festive dinner with a left-over supper. The Dads, along with the boys had fun in the game room. Colin and I were on the top floor looking out at the back yard of the Home.

“Colin, have they checked the trees for any fruit ?”

“I don’t think so. Let’s do it and check the hot house as well.”

Going back down, we had to say hi to some of the boys, hug some and carry a few from the first floor to the basement rec room. Then as we left the building, we heard, “Where are you going?”

“Outside to check the trees. Want to come along? Get your jackets, it’s chilly outside.” So we waited at first I though there would only be a few, turned out we had almost all of the boys that were in the rec room.

Walking to the trees at the back of the property, there were a few small apples on the tree. Colin picked them. Using his penknife, he cut them into small pieces, giving each kid a piece. I looked at him as to say where is mine. He gave me the core of one. The older kids with us laughed at the face I made.

The other trees didn’t have any signs of fruit. “Let’s check the hot house.”

Walking into he hot house, there were several plants that had flowers. Colin cut a few, giving them to the boys, telling them to take them and give them to Marie. Then we checked the other plants. They looked health but the miniature peach tree didn’t. It didn’t have any fruit but still had leaves. We check the fig plant and it also didn’t have any fruit.

That done, the boys stayed with us. The two girls that were with us decided to return to the house. Next was the playground.

Now we had to push the boys in the swings, help them up the sliding board and catching them as they slid down. I watched Colin, when he caught a boy, he tickled him. The boy would run from him and then go and get in line again. This was the pattern, slide, caught, tickled, repeat.

“Why the tears?”

“They are having a great time with you. It’s a shame they can’t have a great time all the time.”

“Then it was my turn to catch them, as they slid down I pretended I was a monster, I grabbed them and lifted them up, rubbing their stomachs with my head. A kiss and hug they were put back on the ground. Now Colin was laughing.

We heard Ronnie calling us. Looking toward the house, he was waving his arm indicating to come. So we started to chase the boys, if we caught them we would toss them in the air and hug them. We could walk at a slow speed and still catch them all. They wanted to be caught Colin and I obliged them.

Lunch was ready, I hadn’t realized but it was one o’clock. I told the boys we had to wash our hands, so we headed to the laundry room. Holding each boy so he could reach the water, watching as he wished his hands. Colin stood by with a towel to dry their hands. He got a hug for that.

Walking into the dining room, Pat, the Doctor, the nurse where standing at the center of the head table. Lois was standing next to Pat.

Colin’s and my parents were sitting at each end of the table.

The children were standing in front of their place, as they did at the old place. At the end of the tables, the other staff sat. Today, they would be served by Nonna and the club staff. I looked for a seat and I saw one on the other side next to Toby. I thought about that when Colin took one on this side. Our boys and their guests sat in the middle row. I shouldn’t have worried about seating, there were at least 30 vacant seats. The Doctor whispered something to Pat, she nodded yes.

He stood, “Let’s give thanks.” He proceeded to offer a prayer giving thanks for the food and those who prepared it. I was sitting so I could see the club crew and I saw Bill wipe his eyes. I wanted to know more about him. He would be too old for the Home and he was comfortable being with Marcel. There was a sadness and tears in his eyes, Sitting here brought some memories and there were hurting him. As I watched him, he looked at me. I smiled, he tried to smile but he quickly looked away.

The serving carts appeared with James and Peter pushing them down the aisle. Each cart had a roasted turkey on them. Under the cart where plates that contained sweet potatoes and green beans. The boys removed a plate and starting with Pat asked her which part of the turkey she preferred. With Pat served, they continued with the rest of the head table. Then they moved down back toward the kitchen, asking the boys and girls which part of the turkey they wanted. Now they could choose a baked potato or mashed potato. Halfway done the aisles, they took the carts back to the kitchen, reloaded and continued until every place was served.

Toby smiled at me when I took a little of his potato and pretended to eat it, then I offered it to him. That did it, he moved and sat on my lap. I would give him a bite and then I took a bite. We finished my plate and then started on his plate.

Colin looked at me, he winked but I knew what he was thinking.

The food kept coming, I had enough but Toby wanted more mashed potatoes. I told Peter we will take a small serving. When that was finished, “Toby, do you like pumpkin pie?”

He smiled. I remember from the first time his vocabulary was very limited. I need to check his medical record with Doc.

With the pumpkin pie and an alternative lemon pie were served. When the pie was served it was followed by pumpkin ice cream with a peanut cookie. Toby and I had the pie and some of the ice cream. I left the cookie for him.

I watched the boys and their guests. With their background, they explained to their guests about Thanksgiving and the Home.

I saw that Tommy was sitting between Pepe and Alissa. I also saw some of the other boys offering to help Alissa.

At the end of the meal, we called all of the kitchen help and clapped for them. It didn’t take long for the tables to be cleared.

Colin and I showed my mom and dad the Rec room. Dad had to try out the pin ball machine. It didn’t take long for three of the older boys to get him in a game with them. Mom looked over the toys, games, stuffed animals and the dolls. The girls showed her their favorites when I heard Papa. Looking in the direction of the name, there was a little girl. I went and picked her up. There was something about her I should know. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Pat walked up to me, “Do you remember her?”

“No, should I?”

“Do you remember the party where I gave you a baby to hold and feed.”

I must of had a strange look, “What’s wrong?”

“This can’t be her. She wasn’t a year old then.”

“She was 6 month when you held her bottle. That was two years ago. She’ll be three in February.”

I saw Mary, “Mom, do you recognize this little girl.”

“No, did you paint her?”

“The painting in the Louvre.”

Mary looked a little more, then she called Mom over. “Does she look familiar?”

“No, I have never met her.”

“Armand’s painting in the Louvre.”

“I remember the painting because Armand was very upset. Is this the little girl in the painting?”

“Yes”

“She’s cute. Armand you need a girl in your home. I watched Alissa, the boys treated her like a queen. I’d bet they would treat her like they treat Alissa,”

“I’m not equipped to raise a girl.”

“You have been raising a girl for the last few months. Don’t forget Marie, she can help.”

“Dad, can we go outside?”

“Yes just be sure you have your jackets on. It’s cold outside.”

Leave it to Tommy, “Hey” as he tickled her.

There was no question that Tommy liked her. I need to think about that.

Arriving home, we now had to get our visitors ready to go home with Nonna. One more shopping trip and this time we needed to buy another suitcase for them. It took two days to pack their clothes. Nonna wanted to wash the new clothes so she was busy. Peter took over the kitchen and did a reasonable good job,

The night before Nonna, Colin and the boys were to leave, we had a Nonna dinner at home. I know the boys will miss their friends. I’ll miss Colin, and I always miss Carmella when she leaves.

Their plane leaves in the evening arriving Rome in the morning. That gave us time to stop at the club saying goodbye to Marcel, James and Billy. Uncle Jimmy had a special drink for them, he called it an Italian special. He had ice cream the colors of the Italian flag. He layered the ice cream in a glass, lime ice cream on the bottom, a scope of vanilla topped with a scope of cherry ice cream. He then added grape juice . He said it was his Italian special and would only serve it to people who spoke Italian. The boys thought it was great and our Italian guests said they would make it at home. I told Colin they probably would use wine.

Everyone had to go and see them off, so we took two vans. Colin’s dad drove one and I drove the other. John and I waited until they checked their luggage, then entered the departure gate. We watched them boarding the plane. After take off, we went home.

Arriving home, we sat on the roof. The house was quiet. “Who wants to go to the club for a snack?” By an unanimous vote, we all went to the club.

At the club, two crepe griddles had arrived, Now Jimmy was working on a new dessert. The kitchen made several small crepes, Jimmy put ice cream between two of the crepes. Walking into the kitchen, he showed his crepe-ice cream sandwich to James and Marcel. The boys wanted to see, Jimmy made a mistake, he took one and cut it into fourths, giving each boy a piece. One taste, and now he had to make one for each boy, and of course, each boy wanted one with their special ice cream.

“Marcel, when did the crepe griddles arrive?”

“Two weeks after I returned from France. I was busy getting the kitchen ready for the opening of the club. I have two for the Home, one for you and your parents. I’ll have them delivered for Christmas.”

On the way home, “Marie, do you know how to make crepes?”

“Yes, every French woman knows how.”

“When we get our griddle, will you teach the boys?”

“I think Ritchie knows, unless he forgot. He was quite young when I taught him.”

I spent long hours painting Arnaud’s son. I missed Colin so I spent my time painting. With the boys in school, Marie spent time at the Home, until the boys came home. Our home felt empty.