What Happened to Baby Cameron?
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 5

Jolly Green Giant

It was almost lunchtime when the six horses and their riders reappeared.  I went to the stable to watch as they groomed the horses.  Chase was helping Cam.  I heard Cam ask, “Where’s Uncle Justin and Uncle Wayne?”

Chase replied, “They left this morning for Chicago to visit their families.  They left poor little ole me here to do all the work.”

“Uncle Chase stop lying.  Where's Uncle Freddie?”

“He ran away.  Actually, he had to go to the vet clinic to get some things for Ricky and Randy’s horses.”

Cam looked at him, “Are you going to have to give them shots?”

“Yes.”

That got Ricky and Randy’s attention.  Ricky asked, “You won’t hurt them, will you?”

“Nah, they wont know what happened to them.  They’ll think it was a mosquito biting them.”

The intercom was activated, “This is the first and final call for lunch.  If you aren’t here in fifteen minutes, everything is going down the disposal.”

We were walking toward the house when Freddie pulled in the pickup.  “Guess lunch must be ready.  Good, because I starved.”

After lunch the three young boys had disappeared and Ramsey had gone back to the Farway spread after I made arrangements to pick him up so he could go with us to get Tad.  I had reminded him and Kevin that the Cowboy wanted them to be at choir practice.  I expected some flak, but got none.  I looked at the two couples, “Why don’t you help Ricky and Randy wrap their gifts while I help Cam?  That way they’ll all be busy at the same time.”

After we had helped Ellie with the dishes, she announced, “I need to run some errands.  Dinner is in the crock pot so everything will be ready and we can eat as soon as the Cowboy gets here since he has choir practice tonight.”

When Cam and I were wrapping Ricky and Randy’s gifts, I’m sure that he didn’t stop talking.  “Dad, we need to get Ricky and Randy their own saddles.  Dad, we need to get them cowboy boots.  Dad, call Daddy tell him what the guys need.”

His last order was the most poignant, “Dad, you gotta make sure that Ricky and Randy can live with us, so we can take care of them. They’re afraid that you’re going to send them away.  Dad, you gotta promise me that you won’t do that.”

I hugged Cam, “Son, we’re going to try very hard to make it so that Ricky and Randy can be your brothers.”

When Cam and I finished wrapping Ricky and Randy’s gifts, he took them and put them under the tree.  He was getting the other gifts he had bought earlier for his brothers and uncles when Kevin and Cyndi appeared with Ricky and his gifts.  Ricky came and sat down beside me, “Daddy, Kevin says it’s okay for me to call you Daddy.”

I hugged Ricky, “Son, you may certainly call me Daddy, if that’s what you would like.”

“Daddy, we hid Cam’s birthday present under Kevin’s bed.  He won’t look there will he?”

I didn’t have time to answer, because Randy came down the stairs with Tim and Denise and put his gifts under the tree.  We were soon joined by Cam who was carrying a shopping bag of gifts that he and I had wrapped earlier.  He looked at Ricky and Randy, “I figured that if I put my gifts under the tree that everyone else would get the idea that they needed to get busy and buy us something.  Come on let’s go play.”

After the three young boys went out the door, I looked at the two couples, “The entire time that Cam and I were wrapping Ricky and Randy’s gift, he was giving me orders on what we had to do.”

Cyndi was laughing, “You think that’s bad.  Ricky was worried that no one would like him because they wouldn’t like their presents.  He’s a very insecure little boy.”

Tim sighed, “Randy was concerned because we spent so much money.”

Kevin stood, “Dad, Cyndi and are I going to have dinner with Cyndi’s parents.  I’ve already informed Miss Ellie.  Tell Dad Hank that I’ll meet him at the church.”

Denise and Tim announced, “We need to run some errands.  We’ll be back in time for dinner.”

After everyone had departed, I went to see what the boys were doing.  They were playing fetch with the dogs.  I went to the stable and was talking to Chase and Freddie when the three guys came in and Cam started, “Dad, we’re kinda of hungry.  Is it okay if we get something to eat?”

“Go see what kind of fruit is in the refrigerator.  I’m sure there must be some apples or something there.  That should keep you from starving to death.”

The three boys returned to the stable eating an apple and the horses started to complain.  Chase chastised the boys, “The horses are upset because they think you are eating their treats.  You'd better go get them one.”

Cam ran to the house to get the bag of apples.  When he returned, he handed one to Ricky and Randy.  “Watch, this is what you need to do.”

He put an apple in his hand and held it so that Riki Tiki could take bites.  With the six of us feeding the horses their snacks, it didn’t take long.  Alhambra started to act up after Cam gave him his snack.  Cam smacked Alhambra on the nose, “Alhambra, you’re just like the rest of the horses, you don’t need more than one apple.  You’re not the boss, I am.  The next time, you won’t get a snack if you don‘t be nice.”

Chase and Freddie were standing there laughing.  Cam looked at them, “What’s so funny?”

Chase answered, “You reminded us of your brother, Kevin.  He was the only person other than your Daddy who could make Alhambra behave, when I first got here.”

Cam grinned, “Come on guys, we need to put the rest of the apples back in the refrigerator.  Dad, where are Danny, David, Lionel and Louie.  They should be here by now.”

“Cam, they’re probably shopping or doing something, since they didn’t have school today.  I haven’t seen Lindsey and Tammy either.”

The three boys and I were walking toward the house when Danny and David arrived.  Danny asked, “Is Jacob home yet?”

I shook my head no, “He won’t be here until the day after tomorrow. Duke is playing in a tournament.  They have a game tonight and another tomorrow since they’re in the semifinals.  Where are Lionel and Louie?”

David answered, “Their Dads were going to take them so they could buy their Christmas presents.  Danny and me have already bought ours.  We thought we'd come see what was going on here at your place since the quads are bouncing off the wall waiting for Santa to come.”

Danny and David left and Ricky asked, “What did he mean by quads?”

Cam took a deep breath, “Remember the two boys and two girls you saw this morning when we were riding and went to Danny and David’s house.  They’re quad …  Dad, why don’t you splain what David was talking about?”

“Randy and Ricky, when David was talking about quads, he was talking about their four year old brothers and sisters.  They are quadruplets which means that they were born at almost the same time.  All four of them have the same birthday.”

Ricky commented, “That’s even worser than having a birthday on Christmas, like Cam.  They would have to share their birthday.”

Randy added, “It would cost a lot of money to have to buy four birthday presents at the same time.”

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Ellie, “Cam, please take Ricky and Randy and get the things out of my trunk while I check on dinner and don’t look at anything, because there’s nothing for you guys in the bags or boxes.”

After the boys went to get the things, I looked at Ellie, “You know you were challenging the boys, especially Cam.”

Ellie was so nonchalant, “They can look all they want because there is nothing in the packages for them.  Their gifts are going to be delivered while you are picking up Tad.”

“Ellie what did you get them?”

Ellie shrugged her shoulders, “I figured that every boy needed a bicycle.  Don’t yell at me, I stopped and cleared it with Cowboy before I bought them.”

“But Cam has a bicycle.”

“Yes, but he doesn’t ride it anymore.  He got it when he was three years old and it‘s too little for him.”

The three boys came in with the bags.  Cam looked at Ellie, “Grandma, where do you want us to put these things?”

“Please put them in my bedroom and then you need to set the table.”

Cam bowed, “Yes Madam, we’ll do whatever you want us to do.”

Ellie looked at me after the three boys went up the stairs, “I wish they could be this age forever.”

The three boys came running down the stairs, and Cam looked at me, “Dad, Grandma Ellie didn’t make her bed this morning.  Everything is all over the place.”

Ellie took exception, “I know I made my bed because I changed the sheets.”

Cam started to get things to set the table, “Well, then there’s gotta be a mean troll living under your bed.”

Ellie and I went to check her bedroom and it was a mess.  I looked at her, “I’ll take care of this.”

When we got back to the kitchen, I yelled, “Fee Fie Fo Fum, I smell the blood of three boys that better go straighten their Grandmother’s room or they’re going to be going to bed without any dinner.”

Cam put his hands on his hips, “Oh great, now Dad’s pretending to be the Jolly Green Giant.  Let’s go clean that mess that Grandmother made.  It will probably take us three days.”

The boys were running up the steps and Ellie started to laugh, “Steve, I swear that Cam has aged ten years since you brought Ricky and Randy home.  He has a mind like his Dad’s.  I can’t imagine what he will be able to do when he gets older.  In fact all of our boys are super in their own ways.  It’s just too bad that they’re spread all over the country.”

Dinner was a hurried affair, since Hank had choir practice.  Cam did manage to tell Hank that Grandma Ellie’s bedroom was disaster area when they delivered the things she had bought.

Hank didn’t comment because I shook my head no.

Tim, Denise and the three young guys were doing the dishes and I was reading the mail when Cam plopped down on my lap, “Dad, Tim and Denise want to take us to see the new Christmas movie.  Can I have some money to buy our tickets and some snacks?”

I pulled out my wallet, “Cam, I don’t have any cash.”

“Oh, okay, I’ll go rob my piggy bank.  Dad, you need to give Ricky and Randy an allowance so they have some money.  They keep saying they don’t have any money.”

Cam left and was back shortly, “Dad, is this enough for us to go to the movies?”

He handed me $40.00.  “Cam, that should be more than enough.  Tell Tim I’d like to speak with him.”

Tim came into the den where I was sitting, “What do you need, Dad Steve?”

“Cam has forty dollars and is worried about it being enough to pay for the movie.  Do you need money?”

“Dad, I have my debit card, and Dad Hank makes sure it never gets below a certain balance.  I don’t understand why Cam all of a sudden thinks that he needs to pay his and Ricky and Randy’s way.  I’ll let him buy the snacks.”

I was sitting listening to Christmas music on the radio and Ellie was wrapping presents and putting them under the tree.   I must have dosed off in the recliner because I was awakened by some one tapping me, “Dad, we’re home.  We had a great time.  That was the first movie that Ricky and Randy have ever been to.”

Tim came in, “Come on, little brother, we need to get you into bed.”

“Dad, did you hear that.  Tim called me little.  Just because he’s the oldest brother, he thinks he’s the boss.  Come on guys, let’s take a quick shower before he whips us.”

The boys dashed up the steps.  Tim, Denise and Ellie were laughing and Denise commented, “It’s certainly never boring around here.”

Tim started up the stairs, “I’ll make sure they don’t flood the house.”

Hank and Kevin arrived and were talking about something that had to do with choir practice when Tim came down the stairs, “Their royal highnesses request your presence in Master Cam’s bedroom immediately so that you can say goodnight to them and tuck them in.   It’s as if they are high on something.”

Hank, Kevin and I went up to say goodnight to three boys.  When we walked in, the three boys were sitting on Cam’s bed with their legs and arms crossed.  Cam looked at us, “What took you so long?”

Hank started to bow, “Sorry, your royal highnesses, we’ll try to do better next time.  Now get your little butts over here and give us a hug and a kiss.  You’re younger than we are.”

As we were leaving after hugging and tucking the boys in, I heard Cam say, “Guys, let’s say a prayer and ask God to make it so you can live with us forever.”

When we got downstairs, Kevin started, “Dads, you need to expedite the adoption procedures for Ricky and Randy.  It’s apparent that they need us, and you need them.”

Tim added his two cents, “Dads, I agree with Kevin.  Is there any way that you can make it happen sooner than after the new year?  What a perfect birthday present it would make for Cam if he were to be given two more brothers for his birthday.”

Hank shook his head no, “Guys, I honestly doubt that we can expedite what’s happening anymore than we already have.  We need to be positive in dealing with the boys.  I, like Steve, am reluctant to tell them what is going to happen, in case something should surface to preclude him from adopting Ricky and Randy.”

“Steve, let’s go to bed.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day.  I’m scheduled to work from nine until five.  It’s probably going to be the busiest day of the holiday season.”

After I repaid Hank for abusing my body, Hank was lying with his head on my shoulder, “I think that Tim and Kevin are becoming very attached to Ricky and Randy.”

“Hank, I agree with you.  It will be interesting to see how our other two sons respond to them.”

The next morning I went downstairs and was going to start the coffee.  Cam looked up at me, “Dad, go back to bed.  We were just getting ready to bring you and Daddy some coffee.”

“I’ll tell you what, I'll take your Daddy’s coffee to him.”

Cam started to laugh, “I guess that means Daddy doesn’t have any clothes on.”

I took the tray with the coffee up the steps and started to play with Hank’s private parts.  He bolted up, “What are you, a sex fiend or something?”

“No, I’m the slave whose delivering your coffee.”

Hank looked at me, “What time is it?”

“It’s seven thirty and the gang is in the kitchen fixing breakfast, so get up.  I’ll go make sure they don’t burn the house down.”

When Hank surfaced, everyone was eating and Cam looked at his Dad, “Daddy, you’ll have to fix your own breakfast, we’ve already eaten everything.  We’re paying you back for ordering our butts around last night.”

Cam jumped out of his chair, “Get your big butt in that chair and I’ll see what I can find for you to eat.  I’m sure we have some stale bread.”  Cam went to the warmer and carried a plate to his Dad with a hot pad.  “Be careful Daddy the plate is warm.”

Cam hugged and kissed Hank, “Love you, Dad.”

I walked Hank to his vehicle as he was leaving for the mall, and he sighed,  “Our little Cam is growing up.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  I would have to agree that Cam is growing up.  He is quite the mature young man. I sure hope that the new guys get to stay. 

I remember how frustrating it was to have a birthday in early January.  I always got told that certain presents that I got at Christmas were also my birthday presents, so I can definitely sympathize on that score. It must really be hard for a youngster to have his birthday right on Christmas.

I can hardly wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio rancher

Posted: 09/18/09