ARROW - 208. Chapter 208

It was difficult to get out of bed on Sunday morning. I think being away from home, traveling, The unpleasantness on the boat, and Saturday night at the Home finally caught up with me. I wanted to stay in bed for a couple more hours. Wasn’t going to happen. First, the girls came in, “Dad, Pop said to get up for breakfast.” About twenty minutes later, David brings me a cup of coffee, “Pop said if you want a second cup of coffee, you need to come and get it yourself .” I wonder who would be next.

The door opened and the boys came in singing, get up sleepy head. Colin came in last, sitting on the bed. “What’s wrong? You never slept this late. Are you Ill?”

“No, exhausted more than being ill. Spending all that time in Paris, then coming home, fishing, and the time at the Home. I’m getting old.”

“You aren’t that old. Get up, take a shower then come and have breakfast. No one has eaten waiting for you.”

That did it. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I shower and dressed.”

I did feel better after showering and dressing. Walking into the dining room, the boys all stood. “OK guys, you won now let’s eat.” Marie brought my coffee and egg stuffed crepe. Setting my plate in front of me she checked my forehead.

“Marie, I’m not sick just tired.” Saying that while looking at her I realized that Marie was getting older. Thinking about our age difference she would be in her early sixty’s. How did we get so old? It was like yesterday we were living at the club and we only had the four boys. I realized something else, I need to spend more time with family.

“Marie, sit with us. From now on you will have your meals with us, at this table. And, starting with the oldest child you will teach them how to cook. Besides during the dishes they can learn how to make coffee, crepes, and scrambled eggs.”

You would have thought the boys would have groaned, but they didn’t. They thought it was a good idea. I hadn’t any idea of what Colin paid her but I was sure it probably wasn’t enough. “I think I’m going to ask Marie to teach them how to wash clothes.”

Colin started laughing, “I think they know how to push the start button on the washer.”

“There’s more than that You need to separate the clothes and to know how much soap to add. Maybe you should learn as well.”

He just retreated to his office laughing.

I wasn’t feeling well. You know when something is or will be happening, you can feel it in your bones. My mom used to say that whenever bad news arrived. The morning passed normally but I still had that feeling. I told the boys to get dressed for dinner at the club. They knew paella’s was on the menu. Earlier I had taken Chef Boy to the club. I wanted to visit the roof with our garden. There were a lot of memories created there. Today, I needed those memories.

One half-hour later I went to the kitchen, Nothing helped my mood. Chef Boy was wiping dishes, I whispered to James and let him make soup for dinner. Saying a ‘see you later’ I headed home.

Sitting in the living room, my young fishing crew came and sat beside me. “Dad, are we going fishing this Saturday?”

”Yes, your cousins from Italy will be arriving next Monday so this will be the last Saturday we will fish without them.”

“Then can we ask our friends to go with us?”

“Yes, but ask Julie to design a permission slip for your friends to have their parents sign.” I wonder how many of their friends will go. I hope they aren’t too disappointed. I knew the boys from yesterday’s trip probably won’t be going.

I’ll make sure Charles and his boys are with us.

Carl came and sat with us. “Where have you been?”

“I was making paint. Uncle Charles said he would have the frame ready by Wednesday. Dad, you need to get canvas cloth. It’ll take us several days to get it ready for the paint.”

Colin came in followed by the boys. Little Ivan headed right for me. I picked him up. And gave him a belly rub. He giggled and that perked me up. Soon Colin and I will have three grandchildren, a new generation.

Playing with little Ivan I was feeling better.

As the boys arrived, I told the first one who arrived to go and get the gramps. Marie said she would go with them. Colin got one van and I got the other. “I’m going to make two trips, so if you don’t go with me on the first trip, you will go with me on the second trip, okay?”

Then as I was loading my van, Colin was loading his van. Ronnie took his car for him and Julie. Maria rode with Colin and the boys squeezed together and got 8 boys in the van, four to a row. Pat rode with me, and I had the remainder of the boys. Tommy and Pepe stayed at the Home. I needed to think of a way to have paella at the Home.

Arriving at the club, I went back home to close up. Walking into the living room, “Gerry, you still here. I thought you went with Pop.”

“No, he was too crowded, so I came back here but you already left.”

“I feel lucky. Come on, let’s lock up. Paella is waiting for us.”

Walking out with my arm around him, he smiled.

We arrived at the club, I parked in a parking lot close to the club. Walking to the club, I had my arm around Gerry’s shoulders. Approaching the club, Carl stopped us, “You need to be a member to enter this club.”

“Well, Gerry I guess two people don’t want any paella.”

David came over a swatted Carl on the head. That set Gerry off laughing. “I’ll call you guys when it’s ready,”

Colin was smart he knew sometimes a little favor was always appreciated by staff. He puts a lot of value on loyalty. He said it works both ways.

Walking into the club's main room, “Go sit at the bar with Uncle Jimmy while I say hello to some people.” I waited until he was at the bar when I started to make my rounds. I nodded to Henry and Ann in the direction of the kitchen.

They always asked if there were any surprises on the menu. I told them there was a special soup that they would get to taste if they were still here in a half hour. I knew Chef Boy was making his soup. Opening the kitchen door I could smell the soup. “Chef Boy, is your soup ready?”

He turned and smiled, handing me a cup. It was hot so I had to blow on it to cool the spoonful I was going to taste. Slowly, I sipped a little. I looked at Chef Boy., he was waiting for my verdict. I put the cup down and then grabbed him in a hug. I don’t think he stopped smiling the rest of the night. The kitchen staff gave everyone a small cup, and the pot was put on a stand and rolled out to the Sunday luncheon guests. Small cups were filled as the waiters handed them out. The remaining soup was taken out to our two policemen along with a loaf of fresh baked bread.

James knew a little about Chef Boy but not everything. In his earlier time in Paris, he did what he had to do to live. What he did no one needs to know. And as soon as he learns English, he will be one of Colin’s and my sons.

Dinner was extraordinaire. Those of us who ate paella in Barcelona rated James’s paella as the best ever. He was crowned the emperor of paella. He just smiled, looking at Richie I heard him whisper in his ear, emperor. Ritchie stood up and bowed to him. We were laughing at their antics. Dinner over, Jimmy came in with his ice cream surprised, He had helpers all of the young boys, carried bowls, spoons, and napkins. As they sat a bowl down in front of someone, Jimmy placed a large scoop of ice cream in the bowl, One of the other boys poured some thick sauce over it and another boy added a cherry. Jimmy had organized a dessert finale to equal our dinner.

As the boys finished their dessert, they began to carry dishes and silverware to the dishwasher station.

Now to relax with a cup of coffee. Henry came over and sat next to me. “Tell me about the new boy.”

I was uncomfortable with that question even if he was my friend. I thought for a moment, "Carl and I accepted a commission in Paris. While there Carl checked out the art program at one of the universities. Chef Boy was working there as a model for the students. They became friends. Since the boy was alone Carl asked him to stay with us. That was when he became Chef Boy. When it was time to return home he came with us. I don’t intend to return him to Paris. As soon as he learns English, Colin and I will adopt him.”

“Does he have family?”

“No, his dad is dead and he started to live on the streets when his mother died. From what I knew his mother taught him how to cook. His specialty is soup.”

“Armand, I have been asked to fill in at the court when they are overloaded or there is a vacancy due to vacation or some emergencies. It isn’t full time but if and when you decide to finalize the adoption, let me know.”

I just smiled and hugged him. I read between the lines, he didn’t need to become fluent in English.

As the quests left, the kitchen needed to be cleaned, and the boys and families left leaving Gerry and I. I told Colin, that I’ll be home when the kitchen is cleaned, “I told Gerry and Chef Boy I’ll wait for them to finish and then take them home with me. I was proud of Gerry rather than sit with me, he went and helped to clean up the kitchen.

When James said it was time to turn out the lights, we left. Gerry sat in front and Chef Boy sat behind me, I could see him in the rearview mirror. He was smiling, “You did good tonight, Charles.” Calling him by his name always brought a smile.

Arriving home, Colin was waiting for me. The feeling I had earlier in the day hit me hard. “What?” I knew whatever it was, it wasn’t good news.

“Roger called, we need to fly to Paris. I have booked a flight to Paris for tomorrow with a return on Wednesday. I haven’t told the boys or girls.”

“We can tell them tonight when we tucked them in.” Now I knew what that unease feeling I had this morning. I just got home and now I need to leave again.