ARROW - 221. Chapter 221

Tommy and Pat arrived early in the morning. He said they were anxious to get home. “Did you have breakfast?”

“We had a coffee.” Checking the time, “If we go to the Home we can have breakfast there before they close the kitchen.”

Angela heard them, asked for a ride and now all three left.

Charles and Pierre were still home.

At 10, I told them to get dressed. “We are going to get your suits.”

Charles had tears in his eyes as he hugged me. Pierre had a peanut he split with Charles. They called each other brother.

Arriving at the tailor’s, he had the suits hanging on the rack. Charles was the first. The tailor showed him the changing room. Someone couldn’t sit still. I put my arm around him to calm him down.

Charles exited the changing room in his new suit, and I knew if the girls saw him, he would be in trouble.

Next was Pierre’s turn. “Dad, come with me to help.”

When Pierre was done, I took out two peanuts, cracked them open, gave one peanut to Charles, one to Pierre and I took one. “This one is for Pop.”

Dressed, we drove to the courthouse. I parked the van, the boys put their jackets on. We crossed the street and entered the courthouse.

We took the elevator to the second floor, I told the guard who we were and we had an appointment with the judge. He opened the door to the waiting room.

“Boy’s. take off your jackets.”

We waited about a half hour when Richie showed up. “Dad, I have to see one of the clerks and then I’ll be right back. The judge isn’t ready for us, so we have time. Making a fuss over how nice the boys looked, he left.

Thirty minutes later he returned and said the judge was ready for us. I reminded the boys about standing when the judge entered the room. What I didn’t tell them our judge was Uncle Henry.

Walking into the courtroom, I showed the boys where to sit. We sat there for what felt like an eternity but wasn’t more than ten minutes. Colin slipped in, initially unnoticed by the boys.

Then the clerk announced the judge. We stood, the boys thought they had whispered but they spoke rather out loud, “Uncle Henry”

I told them to be quiet and that Uncle Henry was the judge.

As I had told the boys, he called Charles in first. Pierre was getting a little nervous. The office door opened and Charles came out with tears running down his cheeks. Colin took his handkerchief and wiped the tears away, hugging Charles as he did.

Richie came out and escorted Pierre into the office. Now the wait. Richie came out and said a phone call had to be made so it may take a little longer. I looked at Richie.

“Dad relaxed. He’s calling Christian to confirm Uncle Arnaud was the last guardian and none have been appointed since the death of Uncle Arnaud.”

Now I needed to worry about what Christian would say.

A half hour passed and the office door remained closed. Then the mental doubts, what did Christian say, is he going to stop the adoption? GG whispered, “Stop it” actually was a little stronger than a whisper.

The door opened, and more than 45 minutes had passed. The look on Pierre’s face told me he was now our son. Holding the Judge’s hand, he approached Colin and me smiling.

Henry went to the bench and announced that Charles Roberts and Pierre Rowe were officially the sons of Colin Roberts and Armand Rowe. Richie would get their new birth certificates.

Leaving the courthouse, we had a hot dog to celebrate. The court clerk game and we paid for his and the judge’s hot dogs.

Ritchie mentioned to Colin he should have hot dogs on the boat. Then I realized Richie, Ivan, and Tommy have never fished with us on Saturday. Ronnie came and helped but not those three. But they would this Saturday. I’ll have Mary and my mom take the girls shopping.

Arriving home, the boys changed into their normal clothes. I made sure they hung their suits up, changed their shoes, and took off the shirts and ties. We were going to the Home. I need to hear about Tommy and Pat’s meeting in Albany. But first, according to Pierre, we needed to stop and see Ivan.

Colin and Richie had gone back to work,

Before stopping at Ivan’s, we went to the farmer’s outlet. I needed more eggs and cornmeal. Then we drove to Ivan’s. Stopping at the house, Elsie said he was back among the trees, She said there were a few trees he wanted to thin out. So with Pierre leading we went to look for Ivan, beside Pierre and Charles, we had a little boy who wanted to see the ducks. We had to see the sheep and the chickens as well, can’t see one without seeing all of them.

We could hear the saw being used among the trees. I told the boys to be careful, “Ivan doesn’t know we are here. I don’t want a tree to fall on you.”

We waited until we didn’t hear the saw, then I yelled his name. He was very close and it was a good thing we waited.

“I had to go and order some eggs and corn meal at the outlet. A couple of boys wanted to stop and see you.”

Ivan knew the boys were adopted and now my sons. “Congratulations brothers. I bet you want some peanuts.”

Pierre smiled, “You have the best peanuts. I bought some at a store and they were very salty.”

“Let’s go and see if we have any in the roaster.”

“Ivan, when do you stop roasting?”

“The last roast is around the end of November. I plant in the Spring and harvest in the fall. If I was down south you could grow peanuts the year round.”

“How is the potato crop? Did you plant the total 20 acres?”

“No, I planted half with potatoes and half with peanuts. Seems family likes peanuts.”

I knew who in family was. Looking at Pierre he had a big smile on his face.

“What about your neighbor, any progress there?”

“We are still 5000 dollars apart. His place will need a lot of work. He uses fertilizer, the soil will need to be idle until that fertilizer decays. If I buy the farm now, I couldn’t plow the land for two years.”

“Did you tell him that?”

“Yes, but he thinks I’m crazy for not using fertilizer.”

“He also sprays his crops, I won’t do that. So my apples have a brown spot, cut it out and enjoy the taste of apple rather than the taste of insecticide”

“Is it going to take that long before you can use the land?”

“It took a while on this farm.”

By this time, Pierre had a small sack and was filling it with peanuts. I took one, cracked it, and gave the nut to Lil Ivan.

“Are you going to stop at the Home?”

“Yes, I want to know how his meeting went in Albany.”

“James was here and picked up 6 sacks of peanuts. He said that will last him until spring. I have 4 sacks for the home and one sack for Pierre. That pretty well cleans out the storage shed. I’ll harvest the last few plants but it won’t be much. I’ll use them to plant next spring.”

“I thought you plant all season.”

“I do but you need to start.”

We carried the five sacks to the van. I checked with Elsie to see how much corn meal she had. I took her tin with me when I went to get my eggs and cornmeal.

We drove to the outlet, they helped to load the eggs and corn meal. Pierre gave the young boy who operated the grinder his bags of peanuts. Loaded, we stopped at Ivan’s to give Elsie her cornmeal. The next stop would be the Home.

Pierre opened the gate, then locked it. I set the 4 sacks of peanuts outside of the van while Pierre and Charles went to tell their friends they had peanuts. I was waiting by the van when I saw a gang of boys heading my way. It took three boys to carry a sack. Really two boys could have handled it, but someone needed to hold the middle. I chuckled as they struggled to walk to the kitchen.

With the peanuts delivered, the boys took a handful and headed to the game room. Now everyone came up for their share. One sack was emptied and the second sack had a few in the bottom. I carried the other two sacks to the basement where they were put into the cupboard.

I stuck my head in the game room, two girls saw me and headed towards me. I dashed upstairs, I wanted to see Tommy. I heard Dad, as I was leaving. I yelled, “I’ll be back” and headed for the office.

Didn’t make it. Pat hugged me. She had a smile but tears in her eyes. She was home and I had to see her apartment. Sitting in her sunroom, I had to have a coffee, so she said.

“I remember the first day you walked into my office. You had Tommy by the hand, he was smiling. Somehow, I knew you would be my friend and you were. The quality of the children’s food improved, I remember the first Thanksgiving we had. The chefs from the club came and we had Turkey.”

As she spoke, there were tears in her eyes. Remembering the past and the problems of the past and how they were overcome, brought tears to her eyes and mine as well. Sitting there we relived those days. The zoo, the mule baseball team, the Halloween party, the Weiner roast, and best of all the bunk beds.

We talked about the City Council losing the property and the rental fee they charged.

“When I saw this building for the first time I couldn’t believe it, the day we moved in, the children were wide-eyed as if this was a dream. Sometimes I wake up, believing I’m back in the old building. When I open my eyes, I see what is around me and I know it was a dream. This is all because you and Colin took an interest in one child. Now, they all call you Dad and Colin Pop even if they aren’t adopted. It seems thanks isn’t enough.”

“Pat, Colin, and I look upon these children as if they are our children. We try to provide activities for them that a lot of children living with their parents don’t experience. Golfing, fishing, Christmas shopping, ball games, and going to the zoo. It was you that allowed us to do those things.”

“So here you are?”

“Sorry, Tommy. Pat tackled me. Sit down and tell me how the meeting went in Albany.”

Between Pat and Tommy, I got the sense that Dr. Hamlin was very receptive. He had some corporate heads in the afternoon. I knew what his plan was, if the Home could have sponsors then why couldn’t he? “Did you feel that these corporate heads were open to what Hamlin was asking of them?”

“I don’t know. They seemed interested and I think Dr. Hamlin is organizing a trip here so they can see for themselves.”

“Any idea when?”

“No”

“We are always ready. Let me know and I’ll be here.”

“Ivan sent over the last of the peanuts. I think the children are eating some in the game room. I’m going to round up my two and head home. The kids will be coming home from school pretty soon. Pat, welcome home.”

Driving home, “Did you guys have fun?”

“Dad, are we going fishing on Saturday?”

“As far as I know why?”

“The guys were asking.”

The guys, I caught that. Pierre and Charles fit right in.

Arriving home, “Pierre, Charles what are you going to do with the peanuts.”

“We are going to put some in plastic bags and Charles and I are going to put some in our room.”

“Then you better get going, your brothers and sister will be home soon. Charles, you will probably go to the club with Peter. We may drop over for dinner.”

They headed to the kitchen, where they had plastic bags to fill.