ARROW - 141. Chapter 141

That evening, lying in bed, I told Colin about Mom and Dad moving into the house next to the gallery. “Makes sense. When are they moving?”

“I’m not sure. Probably after the new year.”

“The boys are growing up. How was Ronnie’s game?”

“They lost but Ronnie scored two touch downs.”

“How did he feel about losing?”

“He was alright, the boys told him they should have won. If the coach had played the Bullet more, they would have won. I think Ronnie has a fan club headed by the boys.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange how four boys have bonded understanding where they came from?”

“I think GG had her hand in it. Although any child going through what they did, would grab on to any stable environment. Experiencing the feeling of losing those close to you, going into an unknown place, scared and hurting, they would grab onto any stable environment. Tommy knew us for a reasonable long time before we adopted him. Richie was hurting, anyone who would try and help him through those times would be close to him, Ronny was like Tommy, he was in the orphanage and like anyone there he would jump at a chance to have a home. Ivan had a home, he knew what it was like and he became a part of the boys. So to move into our lives was a natural.”

“Have you told him we have legally adopted him?”

“No, but I’m sure the boys told him. When we enrolled him in school, I used your last name as his last name. Richie caught it so I’m sure he told him.”

Colin was quiet, I thought he fell asleep.

“When?”

“I thought you were asleep. When what?”

He was quiet, “When are we going to adopt again?”

“Who said we would be adopting again?”

“I have a feeling.”

“Would you be open to increasing our family?”

“I might be. Ask GG what she thinks. We can talk about it.”

A kiss and he was asleep. I couldn’t sleep. If we adopt a child, who or how would we choose. Every child at the Home would want to be adopted. How could we choose? I got up, went to the kitchen for a cup of warm milk. I sat at the table drinking my milk when Marie came into the kitchen.

“I see I’m not the only one who can’t sleep.”

“Colin and I were talking about the possibility of adoption. The boys are getting older, three years of high school and then college. In less than 10 years they will be leaving home, starting their own homes. Colin and I will still be young in our thirties.”

“Would it be a problem if you did adopt more?”

“No, with you here we talked about adopting a girl.”

“Do you have someone in mind if you did adopt a girl?”

Thinking, “Yes, the little girl who was the baby in my painting. She’s older now, but she comes to me when she sees me.”

“How about that young boy who doesn’t talk?”

“Toby”

“Yes, I think that is his name. There is that older girl who carries that stuffed animal who runs to you. She calls you Uncle.”

I chuckled, “She sat with me when we went to the zoo. That was when she first started to call me Uncle.”

I finished my milk, “We should do this more often, a midnight raid. Thanks, Marie.”

I went back to bed. I didn’t sleep well.

In the morning Colin was up getting ready to go to work. He brought me a cup of coffee.

“Hey sleepy-head, here is your coffee. I’m off to work, the boys have eaten breakfast and our getting ready for school.”

“I really overslept. I’m sorry I didn’t have a coffee with you. I’ll check on the boys. Call me when you are ready to come home.”

A kiss and he was gone. I went to the kitchen, Peter was there. He took my cup and filled it handing me a muffin with my cup.

James showed up to take the boys to school and Peter to the club.

Marie came out and looked like she could use a few more winks. Peter fixed her a cup of coffee and sat the rolls on the table. The boys gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek as they left. Soon, we were alone.

“Marie, what are your plans for today?”

“I’m having lunch with your moms and Pat. We need to plan Christmas. What are you going to do?”

“I was planning on working on the frame for Arnaud’s painting.”

“You have finished the painting?”

“Yes, want to see it?”

She nodded yes, taking our coffee we walked to the studio. I don’t know if it was the time of the day or the way the sun hit the painting but it had a special glow to it.

“Armand, it isn’t beautiful, it’s a masterpiece. If he doesn’t reward you properly, he would be a fool.”

I only told Colin my business deal with Arnaud.

We took our coffee cups back to the kitchen. I went to get dressed for the day. I had a frame to make.

I worked on the frame all morning. I went to the club for lunch.

“Marcel, what’s for lunch today?”

He looked at me and started laughing. “You have a home, with a kitchen, and you come here for lunch. Peter told me that there is a lunch for you and Marie in your refrigerator.”

“Marie is having lunch with our mothers, I don’t like to eat alone.”

Marcel isn’t the touchy type, but I did get a swat on my head when he sat a plate of food on the table in front of me.

“I was thinking of Peter moving into my home. Behind the kitchen is a room he could use. As soon as he gets his driving license, he can drive over and James won’t need to pick him up.”

“I think James likes to pick him up. They are about the same age,”

I thought about that. Marcel was right, they did get a long.

After lunch I stopped at the Home. I wanted to measure the space above the front door. I had my next project already in my head.

Walking into the kitchen one of the cooks handed me a cup of coffee. “Armand, we were wondering if we could put in a larger kitchen garden.”

“What is a kitchen garden? You have that garden by the back door.”

“Yes, that garden has mostly herbs and onions. With a larger gardenn, we could grow most of our vegetables. The boys and girls could work it and we could pay them for their vegetables. It would give Pat more money for extras.”

“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll discuss it with Pat.” I’ll also discuss it with Colin.

I took my coffee and headed to the office, I knocked on the door, Lois answered.

“Pat isn’t back from lunch. She said if you dropped by, to give you these.” She handed me a portfolio that contained bios. I remember talking to her about Toby.

“I’ll take these and discuss them with Colin. I came to get some measurements. Do you a copy of the plans of this building?”

“I think so.”

While she looked, I opened the folder. The first bio was Toby’s. Glancing through it, I understood why he attached himself to me. Before I had a chance to look further, Lois had the drawings.

“Lois, I’ll take these home and return them either tonight or tomorrow.”

I drove home. Once I measure the area above the front door, I can plan the painting.

Arriving home, I went back to work on the frame for Arnaud’s painting.

I was so involved, I lost time. The next thing I knew, four boys grabbed me.

“Dad, we called you. Didn’t you hear us?”

“No, I was busy with this frame. Where’s Pop?”

“James said he was at the club.”

“Who brought you home?”

“James. Dad, can we have a snack.”

“Sure, give me a minute to clean up.”

I washed my hands. Drying them we headed to the kitchen.

“Do you want milk or coffee?” “Milk”

I prepared 4 glasses of James’s milk and while I did that the boys made themselves sandwiches. With a cup of coffee, I sat with the boys while they ate.

“Dad, when are we going Christmas shopping?”

I forgot how close we were to Christmas. Colin is right, I cannot keep track of time. “How about going this week-end?”

“Is Pop going to take the kids to see Santa?”

“I think so, we can ask him when he comes home.”

“Ask me what?” Before anyone said anything, the boys were giving Colin a hug.

“Christmas shopping.”

“I forgot to tell you our trip to Santa is this Saturday.”

“Great Pop, we can do our shopping as well.”

Now the week-end was settled. “Richie, can you and Marie pick us a tree?”

“Dad, we should all go and pick a tree.”

“Okay, we all will go.”

“Let’s get a live tree and we can plant it here.”

And so it was decided, we would have a live tree that we all will pick out.

“Colin, do we have enough ornaments.”

“Don’t worry. We'll let the boys worry about that.”

“We have to give the boys money so they can buy gifts.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll bet our parents will give them enough money. You worry about finishing that portrait."