Adam Blake - 119. Chapter 119

“Doc, Brad wants you to give him a call when you are back in your office.”

“Make that two cups when you return.”

I called Brad, “I found your accounts payable person, we’ll be right down.”

Have you ever notice our colloquialism, even if we are on the lowest level and need to go up to an office or place, we always say ‘be right down.’

James walked in with the coffees, Brad followed. “Thank you, James. Hello Annie, it’s nice to see you again.” Brad slipped a paper to me, it was a salary recommendation.

“Adam, I think we have found the person for the accounts payable function.”

“Now don’t tell me,” I placed the piece of paper Brad had given to me on my brow as Johnny Carson did on his tonight show, “Yes, I hear a name, the paper is whispering a name, it is Andrea no that isn’t right, it’s coming, it’s you Annie.”

Brad laughed, “Annie, welcome aboard, James, come here please.”

“James, let me introduce you to your new boss”

“You got the job”

She smiled, “Yes and now we can get married.”

James told me later that her salary at the county was minimum wage. They wanted to save enough for a nice wedding and a honeymoon.

“Just remember you two, there are young gentlemen here and no not need a class in making out. Except for Evan, someone already gave him a degree. On-site business, off-site business I don’t want to hear about it. Now git”

“I’ve checked everything and it looks pretty good. There are some invoices which are being paid late but evidently, the suppliers don’t mind. That should be taken care of with Annie on board. With that said, I’m on my way home. My copter will be here shortly.”

“Thanks, Brad, the position is still open. Tell Dad I said thanks as well. I guess we’ll see you in the Spring.”

“Unless you need me. You have some great boys here.”

I called Marie to get the latest update, Anton was doing well and there is a slim chance they will be back this coming Monday.”

Walking into the school, I saw Gerry, putting my arm around him, “come with me”

Sitting down in my office, Gerry made himself comfortable on my lap, “Son, has our country ever had a participant in the Olympics?”

“Yes, in the winter Olympics”

“Have we ever won a gold medal?”

“No, I know we had several bronze medals and I think one silver medal. The next time we go there we can check.”

“At the next summer Olympics, we’re going to win a gold medal.” He looked confused. “Billy is going to run under our flag.”

“He’s a US runner.”

“Not any longer, they kicked him off the team and now we’re going to make them sorry. Maybe we’ll take gold and silver.”

“Where’s he going to train, he’s still in college?”

“He’s going to train here. He’ll use the internet and perhaps a little help from staff if needed. There is something more?”

“Your angel giving you a nudge?”

He placed his hand on my chest and smiled.

“If all goes well this weekend, Anton may be coming home Monday. Let’s have a surprise party for him.”

Anton was released Monday morning, the helicopter brought them all home. When the copter landed, the boys had a big surprise ready and in fact, I was surprised as well. The band welcomes him with music I never heard before, he was all smiles, they all were. It was good to have everyone back. Caleb had fixed a snack, there was a small dish of ice cream with fruit.

I wanted to see a certain doctor, I got a kiss and all of the boys clapped, all except Evan, he was waiting for his kiss as well. I rubbed his head as he ran back to the Dining Hall with the rest of the boys. While they were having their snack, I had a chance to talk to Doc and Marie about moving him to one of the staff rooms with his grandmother.

“Adam, I think he would be better off in the infirmary. We are set up for him and he’ll be more comfortable.”

“Ok, after he has his snack, he can be moved to the infirmary.”

I had a cup of coffee as Doc and Marie went to fix the infirmary. They had brought a sling for his legs, but it had to be set up. “Father”

“Yes, son” “Can I sleep in the infirmary with Anton?”

“That’s a very good idea” I don’t know how I do it but smiles and hugs, we have to check the temperature of our chests.

There were a few more boys than just Gerry that ended up spending time with Anton.

We spent another weekend at the cabin. I smiled as I saw the picnic tables, but what really surprised me were the solar heaters that were installed. The lake temperature had dropped, not too many wanted to go swimming or fishing, a few went out with Abe. The rest of the boys wanted to go and gather apples. They starter to tell the story of Evan falling out of the tree. It was too cold for the boys to use their shirts, some of the older boys went and got a few pails, then it was apple picking time. I saw a berry bush which I hadn’t see before. I only saw it by accident when several birds flew out of the thicket when the boys got close.

I picked a juicy blackberry, “Are they good to eat.”

“I stuck it in his mouth. His eyes got wide as well as his smile. I showed him how to pick some, he had a handful and ran back to the apple pickers. Soon several boys were heading to the berry patch.

Abe came up with a few pails. “I was wondering how long it would take them to find the berry patch. Do you think they could pick a few buckets full for dessert tonight?”

“Let’s ask them, boys, Abe said if we pick a few pails full we can have some for dessert tonight.”

He just held out the pails, I laughed, two in the mouth, one in the pail. “Are there other berry patches?”

“Yes, Jer and I spent a lot of time here and we found a wild strawberry patch. But I think it would be best if Jer and I pick them, there aren’t that many and with the way they are eating those blackberries, you won’t have any for desserts.”

Buckets full of apples, pails full of blackberries we headed back to the cabin. I noticed a few hands dipping into the blackberry pails. If we have half left, it’d be a miracle.