Adam Blake - 73. Chapter 73

The next morning, I took my clothes that were going home and put them into the car. On the way back into the building, “Sir”

“Good morning Johnny”

“Sir, is Billy coming to your home this weekend?” I knew what was behind that question.

“I honestly don’t know, but if he does show up, I’ll have him call you and if you want to come over, he can pick you up.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The day was going well, Henry called and said they would be up on Thursday, the installation of the dish for the satellite was on schedule and the computers had arrived but were still in their boxes. The table was moved to the study, a new table was purchase, and a few comfortable chairs as well. James showed me several types of bookcases, I chose those that were 5 feet high with drawers on the bottom. I also bought two magazine racks and one paper rack. I made sure that Angelo’s mural was the center of attraction no matter where you sat. I had to smooth Ms. Walcott, she thought I was moving her Library. I took the time to calm her.

“Ms. Walcott, this room is not a library, it’s a study room. The only books here will be textbooks, from the past, as well as certain textbooks I want the students to study. Reference material and reading material will still stay in the Library.” I don’t think she believed me, but time will tell. I did ask her to look for books on the genealogy of the families of the boys enrolled in the school. That kept her busy while the study room was finished.

Able brought in the sign for the Dining Hall, and it was perfect. “Abel, you must sign it and I have another sign for you to make. Same style, but it’s for the study room. How about you looking up and seeing what King Arthur called his reading room.”

Before he left, I gave him fifty dollars for his work.

“James, have we heard anything about the scholarship program?”

“No, I know you put it in the last mailing. Should we do it again?”

“No, let’s put that two scholarships will be awarded this spring.”

“Sir”

“Yes, Richard, are you going to tell me your father is coming?”

He smiled, “Yes, sir, I was going to tell you.”

“Richard, your father is welcome anytime. Tell him that.”

“I think he already knows that.”

“I think he does also, it gives him a chance to get hugs from you.”

“James, you know it’s too bad that more parents don’t come to see their children.”

“A lot can’t come. Could you see the king of a country coming to see his son? What an entourage that would be.”

“You’re right, but if my son was here and I was a king, I would find a way. In the next news bulletins, let’s announce the Renaissance Fair as the closing event of the school for the summer. How is Seth coming along with the preparations?”

“Thanks for reminding me, he thinks he has a way to move the horses. He wants to meet.”

“Schedule him and tell him to bring whatever plans he has. I’m going home, so I’ll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend”

“The drive home was getting to be routine. Passing the diner I remember about Billy’s problem and I need to discuss that with Marie.

Pulling into the driveway, I saw my old car which means Billy is here which means Johnny is here or will be coming. Walking into the cabin, Mom comes and hugs me, Dad nods to me and Billy jumps on me. “Easy guy, you are too big to play Scotty.”

“I talked to Johnny he said it was ok for him to come if I pick him up, is that right.”

“Yes, that’s right”

He pulls out his wallet and begins to count his money. “Here’s 30 dollars for gas.” I got a hug and a thank you. He was gone.

Mom looked at me, I sat down next to Dad. “When is Brad coming and do you have someone for accounts payable?”

“Brad will be there in two or three weeks. A secretary could do accounts payables. It generally is a matter of checking against receipts.”

“Hello” I looked and there is Marie, smiling.

“Well, come over and give the boss a kiss.”

She started to laugh and began to back up to me. I know what she was indicating, but when she got close, I grabbed her and pulled her so she sat on my lap. She was laughing and I got my kiss. “How was work today?”

She knew what I meant, “Same ole, same ole. Nothing new, Dad did you know that old man who lives at the southern part of the lake.”

“I knew him but not well enough to talk to, why.”

“He drowned today. We didn’t get there in time. I feel bad when we can’t get somewhere in time.”

“Why couldn’t you get there in time?”

“Our emergency vehicle is a converted bus, one of those small school buses. When they closed the school, we took the bus and converted it to an emergency vehicle. It’s not adequate for these roads”

I looked at Dad, he looked at me, I nodded my head yes. Later that night after I walked Marie to her boat, “You want to do that.”

“Of course, I’d want to do it even if she wasn't my wife.”

“They're expensive”

“Just make sure it's top of the class, if I’m going to spend my money on something as important as that, it has to be first class. Here is a signed check, just don’t spend more than 500 without checking with me.”

Mom pretends she isn’t listening, “Adam 500 won’t even pay for the tires.”

I look at Dad, he laughs and I start to laugh as well. Mom looks at us, “Mom that check isn’t for 500 it’s for 500 thousand. And don’t tell Marie.” Yes, I got a kiss on my cheek, Dad got a fake hit on his head.

I waited up for the boys, they came about 2 in the morning. All smiles until I said, 4:30 warm-ups.”

They looked at each other and began to laugh as I headed to bed. My alarm went off at 4:30 and I started to pound on a few doors. The boys looked sleepy, their eyes pleaded to go back to sleep. I went downstairs and got an orange juice, poured two more glasses as the two boys walked sleepily into the kitchen. “Meet you outside in 5 minutes.” I started my warm-ups.

It was going to be a short run today, but tomorrow we’ll go around the lake. They came out and started their warm-ups, then we began to run at a very slow trot. I picked up the pace, they kept up, I stepped it up again, they kept up I was thinking about stepping it up again but when I looked at the boys, they couldn’t do it. I started to slow down for the cool-down run and continually slow down until we were back at the cabin. “Let’s do our cool-down exercises and then you can get a shower and some more sleep.” That’s exactly what they did.

“Adam, where are the boys?”

“Sleeping, we had a short run this morning. They are tired, came in about 2 this morning.”

“And you still made them run?”

“Discipline Mom, it’s very important.” Dad just chuckled.

After breakfast, Dad and I sat on the porch and just chatted. We hadn’t done that for a while. I looked and saw Mom sitting by the open window. She was listening, I knew because that is what she always did. At home, she’d sit at the kitchen table close to the living room so she could hear what Dad and I talked about.