Bart and Chris
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 18

The Subpoenas 

The rest of the day on Thursday was a normal day or as normal it could be around Tip and Ty’s house.  That is, until I picked up the children at school.  Billy asked, “Nano, did you get us enrolled in one of those art classes yet?”

I looked at the children, “I didn’t have time today.  I promise I’ll check tomorrow after I have the playgroup.  I don’t know much about things like that, so maybe we could do some research to see which form of martial arts you would like to be involved in.”

When we got to the house, the teenagers were starting to assemble for the rehearsal,  I handed Bart a large plate of cookies to take downstairs and informed him that he was responsible for taking care of whatever the people wanted to drink.

I had just gotten the young people settled with their snacks and was checking their folders when Tory arrived, “Hi, Nano Mark, I’ll drop the boys off tomorrow night at 5:30 when I come to pick up Bart. Grandma and Mrs. Wareham decided we should be there to play as the guests arrived for cocktails, and then they’re going to feed us some yucky meal.”

I laughed, “Tory, that sounds great.  That means I don’t have to worry about anything fancy.  Wait until I tell Mr. Jefferson and Dr. Washington that they are going to have some yucky meal.”

Tory started to laugh, “Nano Mark, you’re just trying to get me grounded.”

The children had all gotten the spelling words and all of the bonus words correct.  Chris had even written the words that I had added to his list with a note to the teacher.  ‘My Dad thinks I need to work harder.  So he added some words.’

The teacher had written a note, ‘Tell your Dad that I’m too busy to be grading fourth grade words.  It’s a good thing you spelled them correctly.’  There was a huge smiley face that looked as if it was winking.

I had started pot roast in the roaster oven.  I added the vegetables and set it on simmer.  “Let’s go check to see if the Robinson children want to go to the park.”

I was sitting watching the children as the they played, thinking about what happened last evening with the boys’ father.  ‘I hope that creep gets the maximum time possible.  Hopefully, Bart and Chris don’t have to appear at a trial or anything.’

I was watching the time and I whistled; the children responded and we walked back to the house.  The house looked as if it were the airport parking lot because there were so many cars in the driveway.  I noticed that Ty’s car was in the driveway and thought, ‘It’s awfully early for Ty to be home.’

Ty was sitting in the kitchen listening to the music from the band when we walked in.  His children hugged him.  I could tell that he wanted to talk, so I suggested that the children go wash their hands and get ready for dinner.

When the children had departed, he started, “Mark, Phillip found today that Mrs. Winters is back in town and is trying desperately to sell their house and belongings.  She found out that she has never been acknowledged as a co-owner.  Philip suggests that you keep the boys in sight as much as possible after what has already happened.”

He wasn’t done, “It seems that Mrs. Winters not only has a problem with alcohol, but also with drugs.  She has run up a sizeable debt with her suppliers.   There is no telling what she might do.”

I looked at Ty, “Boss, when will this crazy life stop?  Bart and Chris are beginning to blossom.  Why is this happening to us?”

Ty hugged me, “Mark, the two young men are blossoming because of you, as are my four children.  You have to understand that not all children of the world have loving people around them to protect them.  There are far more people out there who would readily exploit them.”

Our conversation was interrupted by the band members coming up the steps.  They were carrying the drum set and the electronic key board and the other instruments.  Andy looked at Ty, “Mr. Jefferson, thanks for talking to my Dad.  He feels much better knowing that he might be able to get some money from the person who shot him and the game reservation for not adhering to proper safety procedures.”

Steve looked at me, “Don’t forget, Nano Mark, we have an appointment to talk to you and Mr. Zack this weekend sometime.”

Ty looked at me.  I shrugged my shoulders, “Ty, don’t even ask?”

It was a good thing that Bart came in and hugged me, “Dad, thanks.  The people in the band think you are the coolest for providing a snack.  They are impressed by me being able to sing like Elvis and Nat King Cole.  They think that Tory and I should mostly sing alone  and only occasionally sing together and then for novelty songs.  Dad, they want us to learn the songs from West Side Story.”

Ty was laughing, “Bart, perhaps you could slow down and breathe.  Do you realize that all of the singers and show were popular before any of us were born?”

Bart answered, “That is what people like to hear and dance to, especially old people like you.”

Ty threw a dish towel at Bart, “Look kid, who are you calling old?”

Chris entered kitchen and picked up the dish towel, “Why is the dish towel on the floor?  Uncle Ty, did you find out what is going to happen to that man who tried to kidnap us last night?  The police still have him don’t they?”

Ty hugged Chris, “Christopher, as far as I know that man will not be out of jail for a long time.  I have not heard what is happening in the case today.  I’ll tell you as soon as I know something new.”

Tip arrived and I looked at Chris, “Go tell the other children that it is time to eat.”

After dinner when everything had been cleaned up, I informed Tip and Ty that I was going to take Bart for another driving lesson.  I drove to the high school and Bart was very cool about driving.  We had been driving for approximately half an hour, and we even practiced parallel parking which he handled without a problem.

I nodded, “Bart, I think you’re ready to drive on the streets.  Let’s go home.”

He started home and he was driving very carefully until we got almost to the house and there was a police car in front of the house.  He forgot what he was doing and turned to me, “Dad, what’s wrong?”

I grabbed the steering wheel because we were about to run into the police car.  “Bart, when you’re driving you need to keep you mind on what you’re doing and not worry about anything else.”

Bart refocused and pulled into the driveway, “Dad, I’m sorry, but that police car made me think that something bad had happened.”

I hugged Bart.  “Son, you need to stop if something really is bothering you and collect your thoughts.  The police car can’t be such a bad sign, since there aren’t any sirens and flashing lights.  Let’s go find out what is happening.”

When we walked in, Chris practically flew into my arms.  “Dad, the police have subpoenas for us to be in court next Tuesday.  What does that mean?”

I put him down, “Chris, I have no idea what is happening.  Let’s go find out what the officers want.”

Ty looked at me, “Mark, Officers Tomlinson and Martinez need to talk to you and Bart.”

Officer Tomlinson spoke for the two of them, “Gentlemen, we have a subpoena from the District Attorney’s office requesting that Mark Leavitt, Bartholomew Winters and Christopher Winters be at the courthouse next Tuesday at 2:00p.m. for the trial of Mr. Lawrence Winters.  Mr. Winters is being represented by a public defender.”

I guess I was standing there with my mouth open.  Ty answered for me, “Gentlemen, they’ll be there.  I will be there as their legal counsel.”

I was skeptical, “Officers, isn’t this happening awfully fast.  Isn’t it rather unusual to be having a criminal trial so quickly?”

 

Officer Martinez smiled, “Mr. Leavitt, it is happening very fast.  The District Attorney is concerned because Mr. Winters had been advised that he was not to try to see the two young men.  When he pulled the gun and shot, it made it imperative that the man be put behind bars so he couldn’t inflict any harm on the two young gentlemen.  I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing that is the reason things are moving so fast.”

After the officers had departed and the children had a snack, I sent Bart and Chris to our apartment and instructed them to get ready for bed while  I took Tip and Ty’s children and got them ready for bed.

After the children were settled, I went to talk to Tip and Ty and asked, “Is this fiasco ever going to end.  I don’t know how much more the boys can handle, especially Chris.”

Tip looked at me, “Mark, it’s not the boys I’m worried about.  How much more pressure can you take?  You and Zack need to get away this weekend.  You’ve been doing so much, trying to be everything to everyone.  You need to slow down.”

Our conversation was interrupted by the phone.  I went to answer it, thinking it was Zack.  Wrong again.  “Tip, the call is for you.”

Tip took the call, “I’ll be back as soon as the baby arrives.  There are complications.”

After Tip had departed, Ty left to go to bed and I was left alone to ponder everything that had happened and was happening.  I kept looking at the clock.  Why didn’t Zack call?  Did something happen to him?

Finally the phone rang and I wanted to yell, but I kept my cool. “This is the Jefferson, Washington and Jackson house.”

Mrs. Sweet started to laugh, “Markie, what about the Leavitts.  I’m calling to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime.  Randy has been badgering me to take him and Chris to the farm this weekend.  I’ve decided that we could go down on Sunday morning if that meets with your approval?  Think about it and we’ll discuss it tomorrow.  Goodnight.”

I was sitting on the sofa when Chris appeared wearing pajamas, “Dad, I remembered to wear pajamas as you said I should.”  He climbed on my lap.  “I almost forgot to tell you, because of the policemen being here, that Daddy Zack called while you were driving with Bart.  He said that he would be home tonight about midnight.  He had something he had to do before he could leave school.”

I hugged Chris, “Thanks for telling me.  I was beginning to worry because he usually calls by now.  Now I suggest that you get your little butt to bed or you’ll never get up in time to go to school tomorrow.”

“Daddy, how can I go to sleep when Bart is sitting in the living room singing those silly songs?”

I chuckled, “Christopher, stuff some cotton balls in you ear, and then you won’t be able to hear him.  Come on tiger, I’ll get the cotton balls for you.”

I took him to the downstairs bathroom and got two cotton balls and stuffed them in his ears.  I held his hand as we went to the apartment.  Bart wasn’t in the living room but I could hear him singing.  I tucked Chris in and kissed him goodnight.  Bart was coming out of the shower drying his hair, and I thought to myself, ‘He sure is a good looking young man.’

He finally noticed me, “Dad, why were we subpoenaed?”

I shook my head, “Bart, I don’t understand everything that is going on anymore.  We’ll just have to wait and see what is going to happen.  Now I suggest you put your briefs on before a certain part of your body gets cold.  I’m going to take a shower and go wait downstairs for your other Dad to get home tonight.”

Bart looked at me, “Dad, Dad Zack doesn’t usually come home on Thursday night.  Is something wrong?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Bart, I have no idea why he is coming home tonight.  He called while you were making me a nervous wreck and Chris just now remembered to tell me.”

As I was in the shower, my mind was working overtime, ‘Why did Bart have to suggest that there was something wrong that would cause Zack to come home tonight?’

I put on a pair of sweat pants and a sweat shirt, grabbed my computer, went down stairs and connected it to the Internet and started to search for martial arts information.

There was an article that caught my attention. 

Don’t rely on the yellow pages to find a suitable martial school or trainer for your children.  Many of the best schools or training facilities don’t choose to advertise or need to advertise.  The best way to find the correct school is to talk to people and visit the facility, so you can evaluate the environment  o see if it is the correct one for your child?”

I put the laptop on the table and was lying their trying to decide who I could talk to,  ‘I wonder if Bart would benefit from the such training?’

The next thing I remember was that a certain part of my body was having pressure applied and was starting to enlarge.  I tried to sit up but Zack pushed me back down, “Relax, let Daddy take care of this major problem you have.”

When he had solved my major problem, he pulled me up and sat down beside me, “Mark, did anything happen in the soap opera, ‘What Happened In the World of Mark Today’?”

When I told Zack about the things that had happened since the children had arrived home from school that afternoon and the subpoenas, he started to laugh, “Gee, it looks as if everything is normal in Kansas City.  I guess I’ll go back to Lawrence.”

I pulled up my sweat pants, “Before you leave we have some unfinished business to take care of.  We'd better leave the lights on since Tip had to go to the hospital for a delivery.”

Zack looked at me, “Mark, all the cars are in the garage.  He must be home.”

We secured the house and went to the apartment.  After Zack took his shower, we took care of the unfinished business.  We were awakened the next morning by Chris, “Good morning, Dads, I think you overslept.  I guess we won’t have time to run today.  I’ll go start breakfast.”

I pulled Chris into bed with us even though we were both naked, “Watch it, Kid, or we’ll squash you.”

Chris was ready, “Dads, after you make me flat as a pancake, go do the same to Bart to pay him back for squishing me the other night when that man shot at us.”

I crawled out of bed even though I was naked then quickly pulled on a pair of briefs and the same sweat clothes I had worn last night. “Chris, you go get dressed and I’ll go start breakfast.  We need to get ready for Randy, Rickie and Robbie when they come to spend the night.”

That caused Chris to react.  Zack sat up, “Why are the three boys spending the night?”

“Tory thinks that would dispel that weird idea that their parents have that evil and sinister things are happening in this house.  The Sweets are going to the benefit that the band is playing at.  Zack we’ll talk more after things settle down.”

As we were eating breakfast, Chris looked at Zack, “Dad, are you going to come to school this morning while Dad Nano has the play group here?  I really would like you to come.”

Zack looked at me and raised his eyebrows, “I’ll tell you what, Son, I’ll spend an hour in each of your three classrooms today while your other Dad is taking care of the children.  I’ll even take you to school and make sure that you behave properly.”

Billy looked at Zack, “Uncle Zack, please don’t talk like that when you are in my room.  The other kids won’t understand what you’re saying.”

Everyone had departed except for Bart and Barbie.  I went to get ready for the play group.  I had decided that we were going make sugar cookies and decorate them.  While I was waiting for the children to arrive I made sure that everything was ready and Bart was getting his things ready for Mrs. Sweet.

Mrs. Sweet arrived before the other children and she came into the kitchen, “Mark, tell Tip and Ty to pick me up at six tonight.  Bart is ready to take the written part of his driver’s test.  What’s for lunch?’’

Where’s Zack?  I see that his car is in the driveway.  Have you decided about going to the farm on Sunday?”

Fortunately the doorbell rang before I had a chance to start to answer, and the first young person arrived.

Barbie took the young boy to the kitchen Mrs. Sweet went to the dining room with Bart.

I was standing there thinking, ‘It’s only nine fifteen.  How much more can happen today?’

To be continued...

Feedback always welcome:     

Editors Notes: That question seems to be asked rather frequently, doesn't it?  Often, after it is asked, we find out just how much can indeed happen.  This story is pretty action packed, and we never really know what will happen next until the next chapter.  We never found out why Zack left school early, did we?  What is going to happen in court on Tuesday? 

I can hardly wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 01/16/09