A Child's Haven - 71. Chapter 71

The next morning I went to see Pat right away. He was awake and eating scrambled eggs. “How is your throat?”

“I feel ok. It’s not sore anymore.”

I looked at Aaron, “His throat looks good. The redness is gone; I think he can be discharged.”

“How would you like to go on a boat ride Monday? But you have to keep it a secret.”

His eyes lit up as he shook his head, yes. “Since you are feeling better, go and take a shower and we can go to the nursery and see if we can save your trees.”

“Let’s go and get some breakfast, and then I’ll tell you some good news.”

We followed Pat as he pretended to swagger a little like he needed someone to hold on. I grabbed him and pulled him to my side, “Faker.”

He laughed but didn’t move until he had to go to the shower room. Aaron and I got our breakfast. As usual, we sat down among the kids that were there. Some had already eaten and were getting ready for school. As the kids were leaving, I saw Pat talking to Bubba; I motioned them to come over, “You need to go to school, and right after lunch will go to the nursery, ok.”

Murray and O’Shea came in for their breakfast and coffee. Mario knew to keep the grill going until they had their breakfast. I had a coffee as they sat down. I looked at Murray. “Did you hear the fire trucks last night?”

“No, I was sound asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. What happened?”

“There was a church that burned down, a few streets over.”

I looked at Tony as he sat down with his breakfast. He caught on real fast. “Do they know the cause?”

“They think it was arson.”

“Any idea who did it?”

“Nope”

“You know Murray for a cop, you’re really closed mouth. I think you know more than what you are saying. Anything new on the guy who placed the article?”

Murray looked at me, suspiciously. “I got the feeling you are the one being closed mouth. I think you have an idea who was behind the fire and who submitted the article.”

“Murray, I’m here 24-7. Except to run errands for the kids, you and the newspaper are my only source of news. Do you think that this was in retaliation for the article being exposed as untrue?”

“Ok, spill. You have said enough to tell me you know something.”

I laughed, “You cops always have a suspicious attitude.”

“Come on, if you don’t talk, Tony will tell us, right, Tony?”

I really started to laugh, “If I had another cup of coffee, I might recollect what you think I know.” O’Shea was up in a flash and brought us all a cup of coffee. “Ok, I didn’t know about the fire, but I do know why they did it. It seems our old friend, the pastor from hell, was hired to discredit Sanctuary with the expected result that we’d be shut down and the kids would be back on the street. He was spending too much time worshipping the devil he forgot that any paid article in a newspaper is not covered under the Constitution. So we got the name and followed up. He was arrested and came before Dad. Dad told him he had to pay restitution and tell him who paid him to put the article in the paper. It seems that our friends gave him enough money to build a new church in advance once the article was printed. Of course, as a result, the church will not be built as that money is now in Sanctuary, of which half is going into the kids’ trust fund, and the other half will go into rebuilding the boat and adding improvements to the island. That’s all I know, your turn.”

“That’s more than we know. I don’t think the Captain knows that much.”

“Then keep it under your hat, but keep your eye on our friend. You may be able to catch one of our upfront payment guys. I might even see your pictures in the paper.”

Waking back to the office, “I think you primed the pump this morning. Did your dad tell you all that last night?”

“No, but when they told me about the fire, that is the only reason it would be burned down. I think it was a message to the preacher man. We got the money, so it had to come from him. Think of it as a math problem. You’ll see that there are only two possible solutions for the preacher. Neither will be good. And for the men, who prepaid, they have only one solution or so they think. Something is going on at a higher level because they have the men to whom the money was paid, and they have one of the men who paid. I think the FBI is building a case, and we should hear the sonic boom shortly. Maybe we’ll get more money; I might even put you on the payroll.”

I stopped at Beth’s office, “Beth, have you heard from Jeff? Did he say anything about his plans for the summer?”

“No, but I can ask him what they are. Do you have a job for him?”

“Beth, there is always a place for Jeff here. Could you pull together a list of the kids by age, starting with the oldest at the top working down. When we get new kids, we always need to update.”

“I have the current list on the computer; all I need to do is slot in the new kids and then print it for you.”

“That would be great. How do you like the quad?”

“I like it a lot; it makes me feel more independent and more confident.”

“Good”

I called the boatyard to confirm the pickup of the boat on Monday. I asked if they had a secure parking lot as I would ride up with them and drive up the day before to leave my car to come back.

When Beth brought in the list, I asked her to find Adel for me. I started to look over the list and saw several kids in the 16 – 17 age brackets. Most of them were the new kids, but there were a few from the old group. Beth came in. I gave her a list of kids and asked her to leave them a note to come and see me when they had a chance.

I started to make out my list when there was a knock on my door, I looked up, and there was Adam with a big smile on his face. I waved him in and gave him a big hug. “Talk to me.”

“I’ll finish my course this coming year. The restaurant where I work part-time said they would hire me full time when I graduate.”

“That’s good news. I’m so glad for you.”

“Yes, it is, except I’ll need a place to stay. I was talking to Mario, and he said you have apartments in the annex.”

“Yes, he’s right, and of course, you can move in there.”

“He said I would have to pay rent, but it was subsidized.”

“That’s true as well. You remember you paid rent in the quad.”

“Yes, but you gave me that money when I left the quad.”

“Yes, and if you stay in the apartment while in school, that rent will be returned to you, but you are staying in a dorm, so you don’t need an apartment now.”

“The dorm is too noisy, and my dorm partner is a slob. If I could stay here, I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll make a deal with you; I need a quad leader, Andy’s old job. You can stay there until you graduate, and then I’ll have an apartment for you. How does that sound?” Adam didn’t know his share of the trust fund was significant enough to buy his own restaurant. When Andy completes his schooling and gets his first job, he will also get his trust fund share.

Adam was a nice guy, quiet and well-liked by the boys. When he left, Adel came in. “Adel, do you remember the terrible boat that brought you and the other kids to America? He shook his head yes, that boat now belongs to Sanctuary. On Monday, the boat will go to a dry dock where it will be refurbished, painted, and Christened as Sanctuary II. I was planning on those kids whose birthday is this month to take them with me when the boat goes to dry dock. How do you think the kids that came with you are going to react? Would they want to come along for the ride or not?”

“I’m not sure. I wouldn’t want ever to board that boat as it is. Maybe after you have refurbished it and it doesn’t look the same, I might. We have horrible memories aboard that boat.”

“Thank you, Adel. I’m sure if I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way. Now come with me. I want to show you something.”

I took Adel to 3-2, “You remember on the tour I showed you these quads. Well, now it’s time for you to move here. I open the door to quad 3-21. You have roommates. Just as we entered, Greg came out of the room.

“Hey Adel, you moving in?”

Adel looked at me and shook his head, yes. Greg wasted no time; he grabbed him in a hug and pulled him into the bedroom. I stood in the door as he pointed out where he slept and where Bill slept. This left the top bunk open. I was about to say that he could have one of the other rooms of the quad when he said, “Great, I always preferred the top bunk.” And with that, he hopped up to the top bunk.

“Adel, you need to turn in your key to your cocoon to Beth, and she’ll give you a key to this quad. Then you can move your belongings here, and I’m sure Greg can help you get settled in. Be sure to strip the cocoon, putting the sheets, blankets, and pillowcases in the laundry cart. After you move in here, come and see me, and I’ll open the cocoon so you can clean it for the next kid.”

Now I need to go and tell Beth and then look at the next kid on the list. Sitting down with the list, there were possibly four more boys and three girls by the end of the year. I didn’t need the cocoons, but I could free up seven quickly if I did need them. “Beth, can I see that birthday calendar again? What I need you to do is to make a tickle file. Record the birthday and the age, when someone has a birthday, increase the age by one, and when a person reaches 16, please give me the name and birthday. I‘ll mark it on my calendar, and then I’ll know who to move to the quad. I move Adel today. He’ll come for the key.” I wonder how old Clair is.

I walked up to Tony’s office, “Do you think we have enough money to have a special dinner for everyone tonight?”

“You know how much money we have. Why do you ask.”

“For some reason, I’m in a good mood today. Of course, this could be the calm before the storm. I called Abe, and he has the design for the island. I told him to build it. I still think we should go before too long, maybe when he gets the shelter done. Are you going on the boat ride on Monday?”

“Sure, I’ll go along. What kids are you taking besides Pat and Bubba?”

“I asked Adel how he thought the kids would feel about going. He said he wanted nothing to do with that boat. It must have horrible memories for him and the other barrel kids. So I’ll do a renovation starting with the hull and the decks. When that boat pulls into the docks here, no one will recognize it.”

“Are you going to take some kids with you?”

“That’s a good question. If the kids hate it so much, then I think I shouldn’t take any of them. I’ll deal with Pat. I haven’t told anyone else.”

That evening, “Pat, come walk with me.”

We left Sanctuary and started to walk toward the ice cream shop. “Pat, do you remember me asking you if you wanted to go on a boat ride? Well, I think maybe you shouldn’t go, and this is the reason why. I asked Adel how the kids would feel about going on the trip to the dry dock. He said he wouldn’t go and never wanted to be on that boat again. I got the impression that it was a horrible trip for them. I don’t want any of you exposed to that boat as it is. At dry dock, I’m going to have them strip everything and rebuild it. When it pulls into the dock here, no one will recognize it except you because you know what I’m going to do. So do you mind not going?”

“No, I don’t, Dad. If it was that horrible for them, I don’t want to share that experience. But I want to be with you when you bring the boat back.”

“It’s a deal. Let’s get some ice cream.”

Walking back, I put my arm around Pat’s shoulder. “Dad, did you mean what you said about adopting me?”

“Yes, Pat, I did, but it’s difficult. There are over 300 kids here who need someone to look after them and to love them. If I adopted you, it would hurt them. I can’t hurt them any more than they already have been hurt. I wish it were different, but I have dedicated my life to you and those kids. I have no life outside of Sanctuary. I love you like a son, Pat, and I’m afraid that is all I can offer right now. Maybe when you grow older, things may change. I hope they do. Are you ok with that?”

He shook his head, yes. I knew he was hurting a little. He had to be because I was hurting a little, telling him that. Before we entered Sanctuary, I knelt in front of him and gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek. I could taste the tears. When he entered the dining hall, I quickly went to my office. I felt like shit. I hurt a little boy who I would give my right arm to call my son.

Tony must have seen me coming back, walking into my office, “Are you ok?”

“No, I told Pat he couldn’t come with us on Monday. I think I broke his heart. He was crying.”

“Are you sure that was why he was crying?”

“What else could it be? I’m going to bed. Sunday we have to drive a car to the boatyard. If we ride up with the boat, we’ll need a way back.”