Bart and Chris
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 35

Taking Care of Business

Billy had a restless night.  As a result, I got very little sleep.  I was awakened by Chris, “Daddy, is Billy going to be okay?”

I put my finger to my lips and whispered, “Billy is finally sleeping quietly.  Go get dressed and we’ll fix breakfast.”

I was joined in the kitchen by our two boys after they made sure that everyone was up.  We were eating when Billy came into the kitchen, “Nano Mark, I’m hungry.”

I looked at Billy, “What would you like to eat?”

Billy shrugged his shoulders, “I need something that won’t hurt my lip.  It still hurts pretty bad.”

“Billy, I’m going to fix you some oatmeal.  I’ll doctor it so it tastes good and won’t hurt your lip.”

I pulled out some instant oatmeal and made it for Billy and added a little brown sugar to make it go down easier.  Billy looked at us, “I guess a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way like in Mary Poppins.”

Ty took the children to school, so Bart and I took care of the dishes before Mrs. Sweet arrived.  Billy was lying on the sofa in his pajamas.  “Billy, I’m scheduled to meet with some people this morning.  Will you be okay?”

Barbie looked at me, “Nano Mark me and the bears will make sure that he is okay.”

When Mrs. Sweet arrived, I informed her and Bart that I was going to leave to go work with Dr. Delaney.  You have my cell phone number if you need me.

When I arrived at the house at 11:30, Billy and Barbie were playing school and Billy was teaching Barbie how to add, using the touch method.  I thought to myself, ‘We need to get Billy back to school as soon as possible or he’ll be teaching Barbie to write in cursive.’

Billy looked at me, “Nano Mark, I’m really hungry; could I have some good food that I can eat without hurting my lip?”

I fixed us hamburgers and put Billy’s in the blender so it was chopped.  I watched as he ate and he kept it away from his lip and his missing tooth.  After lunch, I took him to his doctor’s appointment.  I was so pleased at how Doctor Bridenbaugh handled Billy.  It was as if he were king of the world.  When we were leaving her office, she pronounced, “Mr. Billy, you can go to school tomorrow, but if you begin to feel bad, you need to go to the nurse, so she can call Mr. Leavitt.  You can not play kickball until the stitches are dissolved.”

Billy started to argue but Doctor Bridenbaugh stopped him, “If you can’t follow the rules, then you can just stay home for the rest of the year and you can repeat first grade again.”

As we were riding, Billy asked, “Could Doctor Bridenbaugh really make me stay in the same grade?”

I started to laugh, “Billy, Doctor Bridenbaugh couldn’t make you stay in stay in the same grade.  When we see her next week, you will have to get even with her.  Maybe we should take Chris with us and he could have Billy Bear talk to her and see what she does.”

Billy started to laugh.  “Yeh, that might be fun.  Nano Mark, when we get home, can I have some of that medicine to help the hurt?  I’m feeling a little tired.”

I gave him some of his pain medicine and he went out like a light.  I carried him to my bedroom, so he wouldn’t be awakened by the other children when they got home.  I had to wake him for dinner.

Billy slept peacefully through the night.  I woke up and went to wake Chris and Bart.  I hugged the two of them and asked them to get dressed and wake the others.  I woke Billy, “Are you sure that you want to go to school?”

He looked at me with his big eyes, “Nano Mark, I really want to go to school.  If I start to feel bad, I’ll call you.  I promise, I’ll take it easy.”

I took the children to school, because I wanted to talk to the nurse.  I went into the school with the children.  I visited with the nurse and explained to her, “Billy has pain medication if he starts to hurt too bad.  Please call me if he should start to complain.  I think he should take the medicine at home, because it tends to make him very sleepy.  I should be home all day.  If for some reason, I should be gone, my son will be there and he can come get Billy.”

As I was leaving the office, Dr. Plummer approached me, “Mark, would you be available to meet with me on Monday to interview the prospective people to assist you with the program next year?”

“Dr. Plummer, I can be available.  What time would you like to meet?

She nodded, “I’ll have the Human Resources people schedule the interviews beginning at nine o’clock.  See you then.”

When I arrived at the house, Bart met me, “Dad, Dad Zack called and said he would be here at about noon.  Mr. Benson called and said that they would be leaving Fremont at five o’clock.  They will be here about ten.”

“Dr. Robinson called and wants us to pick up his grandchildren after school. He is going to be bringing Sarah over after lunch, since David has some appointments this afternoon.  I told him that we would be glad to watch her and take care of the other children.”

“Gee, you are going to be a busy young man, this afternoon.  I thought you knew that I’m scheduled to go into the hospital this afternoon.”

Bart got a very serious look, “Sorry, Dad, I plum forgot that you were going to go have facial surgery.  Do you think you will look any prettier after they’re done?  Does Chris know what’s happening?”

I grabbed Bart, “You just wait, son.  The payback will be twice as bad.”

He reached up and kissed me. “Yes Daddy, I’ll be good, Daddy.”

“Bart, I think Mrs. Sweet is arriving.  Where’s Barbie?”

“She’s in the family room with the teddy bears.  What’s she going to do when the other children are here during the day?”

Mrs. Sweet and Bart disappeared into the dining room.  I went to tell Barbie that I would be upstairs if she needed me. 

“Nano Mark, are we going to wrap Uncle Zack’s bear?  Do you think Uncle Zack will let me play with his bear?  When’s Sarah coming?”

“Barbie, I’m sure that Uncle Zack will let you play with his bear.  We’ll buy some wrapping paper and wrap Uncle Zack’s bear later, when he’s busy.  Sarah will be here when it’s time to eat lunch.”

I made sure the guest bedroom was ready for Beau and Becca.  I checked the rest of the rooms and everything seemed to be in order.  I went to the kitchen to see what I could find for lunch and dinner.  I realized that we needed to go the grocery store, since we were having  company and I had no idea what anyone was going to be doing this weekend.  I didn’t even know for sure how long Beau and Becca would be staying.”

I fixed sandwiches for lunch, just in case Mrs. Sweet was staying.  I had finished making the ham salad sandwiches and had them in a container.  We had some left over potato salad, so I figured we were set. 

I was setting the table when the phone rang; I froze thinking it was the school calling about Billy.  “This is the Jefferson and Washington household; how may I help you?”

A voice was laughing, “Why can’t you answer the phone like a normal person.  Yo, Mark here, what’s  up?”

I started to laugh, “Steve, I’m sure you didn’t call to give me a lesson on how to answer the phone. How can I help you?”

“Nano Mark, I wanted to make sure it would be okay if we practiced today after school, for the shows this weekend and the thing at the television station tomorrow?”

“Of course it’s fine.”

“We were just concerned that your company might be offended.”

“Steve, the Bensons aren’t coming in until late  tonight, and Zack won’t mind.  While I have you on the phone, why don’t you and Andy plan to come to Zack’s surprise graduation party on Sunday at two o’clock.  I also need you to do me a favor, if you will?”

“Of course, Nano Mark.  What do you need?”

“I ordered a cake for the party, I was wondering if you might be able to pick it up for me on Saturday and bring to the party on Sunday, so Zack won’t see it beforehand.”

“We can do that.  See you about three thirty.”

We had just finished lunch when Zack arrived.  Fortunately I had made some extra food, thinking he would be hungry when he arrived.  As he was eating, Dr. Robinson arrived with Sarah.  “Thanks for taking care of Sarah this afternoon.  She has already eaten.  The children’s father will be picking them up about four.  See you later.”

Barbie and Sarah took off and Bart started to do the dishes.  Zack asked, “Is it always this chaotic around here?”

Bart turned around, “Dad, this is quiet.  Just wait until about three fifteen when the fun begins.  Dad Nano, I see you have a grocery list; me and Dad Zack will stay here and unload his car and take care of the two girls.  If you aren’t back in time, I can pick the children up from school.”

I responded, “We’ll take the girls with us and you can make sure that Dad Zack’s car gets unloaded and that the snacks are ready for the children and the band members when they get here.”

Bart went and put his arms around Zack, “Daddy, see how he treats me?  If it weren’t for me, nothing would ever get done around here.  Where do you want me to put your things?  Of course you realize that it is going to cost you big time.  A new Ferrari sounds fine.”

“Never mind my little one, I’ll do it myself.  You’ll probably steal all of the porn magazines I have.”

“Daddy, porn magazines don’t do anything for me.  I like to watch it on the computer.  I hope you have some hot CDs or DVDs like my old dad did.”

Zack was laughing, “Sorry son, I could never afford to buy any of them things.  I just had Technicolor dreams about them.”

I went and got Barbie and Sarah, “Would you two ladies like to go to the grocery store with us, or would rather stay here and take care of Bart?”

Barbie didn’t hesitate, “Nano Mark, we’ll stay here and take care of Bart.”

Bart looked at me and stuck out his tongue.

Zack and I went to the grocery store and he had an eye opening experience when he saw what the total of the bill was.  We took the two carts to the van and loaded it.  When we got to the house, Zack and Bart unloaded the van and I started to put the things away.

I looked at the clock, “Zack, you need to go get the children.  Remember, you need to have all seven of them when you return.”

When Zack arrived with the children, Chris was asking, “Dad, are you going to be picking us up from now on.  Dad, I think Billy needs some pain medicine.”

Billy came up to me, “Nano Mark, please can I have some of my pain medicine.  My lip has been hurting bad ever since lunch.  I tried to eat a sandwich and it really hurt.  Can I please take some soup or something like that to school tomorrow?  They’re serving nachos.”

I gave Billy his medicine and I took him to his bedroom.  He looked up at me from his bed, “Nano Mark, is it going to always hurt this bad?”

I hugged him, “Billy, when it starts to heal, it is probably going to itch more than hurt and you will want that feeling to go away too.  I’m sure that by the time you go back to school on Monday, you will feel better.”

When I returned to the first floor, the band members were starting to arrive.  I went to make sure the other children were okay, and they were eating the snack that Bart had made.

Zack came and stood beside me, “Mark, is it like this everyday?  How do you keep track of everything.”

I grinned, “My handsome prince, I don’t even try to keep track of everything anymore.  I figure, if something big happens then I’ll step in.  Why don’t you take the young people to the park, so I can start dinner.  I have no idea what time the Robinson children’s parents will be here.”

Mr. Robinson arrived and I answered the door, “Mark, thanks for taking care of the children today.  I hope it wasn’t too much of an imposition.” 

“Sir, it was no problem at all.  Zack has the children at the park.  It looks as if they must have seen you and are on their way back.”

“Mark, could we ask a favor of you?  Would you be willing to keep Sarah next week while Dad and David are in D. C.?  We thought we had someone lined up to take care of her.  The person called me this afternoon and had an emergency and needs to leave town.”

“Mr. Robinson, between me and my son, we will make sure that nothing happens to your children.”

“Mark, I assume that you are talking about Bart.  Where is he?”

“He’s downstairs practicing with the band.  They’re rehearsing for a television show tomorrow, and then they are working tomorrow night.”

Mr. Robinson had the funniest look on his face, “Your son is the young man who has been receiving a lot of press lately, isn’t he?  By the way, the pictures of you and Zack doing the Bunny Hop were hilarious.”

The Robinson children went into the house and retrieved their backpacks. 

After the Robinsons had departed, Zack looked at me, “Nano Mark, me thinks these other young people need to do some work.  We’re going to go pick up the trash that we saw in the park.  Have you any trash bags, sir?” 

I went and got five tall kitchen bags and handed them to Zack.  He gave one to each of the children and was left with one and asked, “What’s this bag for?”

Chris answered before I could, “If we have to get our hands dirty, so do you.  Now let’s go before it’s dinner time.” 

 

I watched as part of my family was walking toward the park.  I thought to myself, ‘Chris is certainly becoming an A type personality.’

When the band was leaving, I handed the receipt for the cake to Steve.  Steve looked at the receipt and saw the address.  He started to laugh, “I hope Aunt Marty didn’t soak you an arm and leg for this garbage.  She’ll probably be sending a cake that she made ten years ago and hasn’t been able to get rid of.  See you Sunday, Nano Mark.”

As the band was leaving, I watched as the my man and the children came walking up the street carrying full kitchen trash bags.  Bobby started to run when he saw me, “Nano Mark, we’re going to be on television.  When we were picking up trash, this guy stopped and asked what we were doing.  Chris told him that we were picking up the litter that people had thrown away.  The man asked why we were doing it and Chris told him, ‘Mister, we want to make this a safer and cleaner place for people to play.’”  

“Uncle Zack, you tell Nano Mark what else happened.  Come on let’s take these bags to the garbage can.  Uncle Zack, I’ll take yours so you can talk to Dad Nano.”

The four young people left and Zack leaned against me. “Mark, if we do this again, we need to get gloves for everyone to wear.  Chris picked up a used condom and wanted to know what it was, and I told him it was like a water balloon.  He didn’t ask any more questions, but I’m sure he didn’t believe me.”

We walked into the house and I looked at Zack, “Zack, make sure the children wash their hands with antibacterial soap, while I finish fixing dinner.”

Zack went to get the four children and I heard, “Nano Mark, I need your help. 

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  I have to wonder a couple of things: Who was calling to Nano Mark, and what did they want?  I always get a little nervous when someone calls for help.   It looks as if Billy is slowly getting better.  I sure hope he heals quickly. I am so proud of the way the children take responsibility.  They are indeed very good children.

I can hardly wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 06/05/09