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

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Chapter 50

The Wickedest Witch

It was about six o’clock and we were eating tacos since no one was really hungry after the food at Bobby’s birthday party.  As we were eating, Bobby was lamenting, “I don’t understand why everyone brought me a gift when I told them not to.”

Ty looked at Bobby, “Son, that’s probably why they brought you a gift.  The boys’ parents were probably so impressed that you would even tell them not to bring gifts and that’s why the boys brought gifts.  You need to sit down after dinner and write each of the boys a thank you note.”

We had just about finished eating when the front doorbell was being incessantly pushed.  Bart stood, “That has to a child.  I’ll go see who it is.”

We heard a female voice demanding, “Where is the little bastard?  Get out my way you prick, I’m taking him home.”

Mrs. Oleander charged into the kitchen, “Where is he?”

Ty stood, “Excuse me, ma’am, but what right do have to come barging into our house, acting like a wild person.  Who is he?  We’re the only people here.”

“You know damn well whom I talking about.  Where is Horatio and where is the Chris person that supposedly is that queer’s son?”

That was more than Zack could handle, “Bart, please take the children outside until this unpleasant, vulgar woman leaves.  The children don’t need to hear the filth that is spewing out of her mouth.”

As Billy was leaving, he looked at Mrs. Oleander, “You’re even more wicked than Antonio said.”

As soon as the children had departed Zack started,  “Mrs. Oleander, we know that Antonio isn’t your son.  Yes, we know that you changed his name so people wouldn’t know that he was partially Hispanic.”

The conversation was interrupted by the phone.  Ty went to answer,  “This Ty Jefferson. … Oh hi, Phillip. … Oh, so Mrs. Oleander never even passed the bar exam after four tries and bribed someone to certify that she had passed it. …  You’re kidding.  She has two friends she's been taking care of on the side. … You’re kidding. You mean the FBI has been looking into her dealings with some drug rings.”

Everyone was listening and we hadn’t noticed that Mrs. Oleander had started backing out of the kitchen until we heard the front door slam.  I went to the backdoor, “It’s safe for you to come in.  The witch is gone.”

Bart and Ty’s four children entered the kitchen. Becky looked at us, “That lady must be the wickedest witch ever.  No wonder Tio doesn’t like her.”

It was almost nine o’clock when Chris came in with Mr. Oleander and Tio, “Dads, you’re not going to believe this, but Antonio is related to Dr. DoDo.”

I looked at the clock, “You’re late.  I suggest that you get your body up to the apartment and take a shower.  Tio, if you’re spending the night, you’d better do likewise.”

Both boys took off and Zavi looked at us, “It wasn’t the boys’ fault.  The Del Rio’s were having a fiesta.  It seems that your friend DoDo and her husband were celebrating their thirtieth anniversary.   Mrs. Del Rio and Tio’s grandmother are cousins. This was the first time in five years that Antonio has seen his maternal grandparents.”

I went to check on the boys and they were already sound asleep with Farmer Bear between them. When I arrived in the living room, I heard Ty saying, “Zavi, we need to sit down try to figure out how to get you out of this mess with the least the possible damage.  After today, when the wickedest witch ever, as my daughter called her, was  here, I have no idea how she will respond to the information we laid on her.  She may be terribly vindictive or she may pull a Houdini act.  We need to be proactive.  I don’t think you should try to go to the house by yourself.  Where are you going to be staying?”

“I checked into a fleabag hotel because, quite frankly, that’s all I could afford.  I don’t want Antonio anywhere near the place.”

Tip looked at Zavi, “We have a guest bedroom, you’re certainly welcome to stay here.  Mark, do you know if the linens have been changed since Beau and Becca were here?”

Bart had entered the room, “What is the problem here?  This is two nights in a row that you have been sitting here like vultures waiting for me to come home.  In answer to your question, Uncle Tip, the guest room and bathroom have been cleaned since the Bensons went home.”

“Dads, did you know that Tio is related Roddy’s mother?  Roddy said that Chris and Tio and his Dad were at a fiesta celebrating his parents’ thirtieth anniversary.”

Zack was laughing, “Bart you’re beginning to sound like your brother.”

“I’ve been taking lessons from Chris.  The wickedest witch won’t be back will she?  Dads we’re going to late church, right?  Good night everybody.  Gotta go take my shower before the Dads go to bed,  since I guess I'm sleeping on the sofa again.”

“By the way, Nano Dad, the band people are really excited about the trip to New York.  Tory says Mrs. Sweet volunteered to go as a chaperone, and Roddy thinks the Del Rios might be willing to go to.”

After Bart had departed, Tip looked at Zavi, “Zavi, why don’t we go get you some clean clothes?  You look to be about the same size as me. We can show you to the guest bedroom that supposedly has been sanitized.”

Zack and I watched the three men disappear up the steps.  Zack got up and locked the door and turned out the lights but surprised me when he pushed me on the sofa and started to pull down my shorts and briefs, “I’ve had reports that there are some squiggly things running around down here that are crying to be released.  I intend to help them get away.”

He did such a good job that it didn’t take very long before he caused  hundreds of the little critters be freed from their captivity.  I pulled him up and kissed him. “What’s your problem, buster.”

Zack started to chuckle, “Markie, you’re confused.”

He took my hand and put it on his penis, “This is the problem buster and it’s going to bust your problem in bed.”

“Oh goody, so anytime I need help, all I have to do is call the problem buster?”

Zack started to laugh, “Mark, you’re incorrigible.”

I pushed Zack away and pulled up my clothes, “I’m going to bed.  You hurt my feelings.”

I could almost see the devious look on Zack’s face as he threatened, “You’re going to have more than hurt feelings very shortly.”

When we arrived in the apartment, Bart was already snoring quietly.  He was sprawled on the sofa bed in just his briefs.  I thought to myself, ‘How could anyone want to take advantage of something as beautiful as that?’

After our shower, Zack lived up to his threat, but the hurt he inflicted wasn’t all that bad.  We went to bed as we were, since all three of the guys had seen us naked before.

The next morning, I awoke with the feeling that someone was in the apartment.  Almost no one comes to the apartment especially in the morning.  I climbed out of bed and started toward the bathroom door.  Zavi was standing at the bathroom door looking at me.  I walked past him without saying a word and relieved my bladder. 

I grabbed some clothes and put them on and checked.  Chris and Tio were still sleeping, except they now had their arms around each other.  Zack was still sleeping, and when Zavi followed me into the sitting area Bart was still asleep but he had a definite tent in his briefs.”

When we got to the kitchen, I went on the offensive, “Mr. Oleander, would you care to explain why you were in our apartment?”

“Mark, it’s not what you think at all.  I was awakened by a horrible dream that my wife had done something to hurt Antonio and the rest of you.  Once I was in the apartment and saw that no one was hurt, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of what I saw.  The five of you were so beautiful.  I apologize for acting like a peeping Tom, but the sight of you and Zack naked made me want to find someone who could and would love me like that.”

I had started the coffee and was putting together a breakfast casserole while he was talking and hadn’t responded to his comments.  I think my silence was unnerving him, “Mark, aren’t you going to yell at me or something.”

“Zavi, yelling achieves nothing.  I agree with your assessment that the sights in our apartment were wonderful.  Chris and Tio are a perfect example of innocence.  Bart is a perfect example of a beautiful young man who is maturing.  And yes, my partner is a very stunning person.”

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Chris and Tio.  Chris hugged me, “Good morning, Dad.  I love you.  Do we have time for a run?  Dad Zack is on his way and Bart is still asleep.”

Tio went to Zavi, “Good morning, Dad.”

I was pleased to see Zavi grab Tio, “Good morning, son, I hope you slept well.”

“Dad, I had this funny dream that you were in our bedroom looking at us.”

“Tio, I was in Chris’ bedroom checking on you.  I was awakened by a bad dream that my wife had done something bad to you people, so I went to check.”

That satisfied Tio, but Chris went and put his hands on Zavi’s thigh, “Are you going to run with us Mr. Oleander?”

Zavi hugged Chris, “Chris, I probably couldn’t even run from here to the street without having to crawl back on my hands and knees.  I’ll stay here and watch the breakfast burn since I can’t cook either.”

Tio put his arms around his Dad, “Daddy, we need to learn to cook.  It’s fun to eat at home and just be a family.”

Zack and Bart arrived and Chris looked at Bart, “I thought you were still asleep.”

Bart frowned, “I was until I heard two little monsters giggling about the tent in my briefs.  Let’s get going, we don’t have all morning.”

Zavi walked with us as we went to the park.  He sat on a park bench and was watching as we started to run.  Tio was getting the hang of it and was breathing much easier.  We were just about to bench where Zavi was sitting when Ty came running towards us.  He looked at Zavi, “Zavi, did you leave the house last night?”

We were all confused, but Zavi answered, “No.”

Bart volunteered, “Uncle Ty, he couldn’t have gone anywhere because I had to block his car in after I arrived home last night.”

“There are two police officers at the house saying that Mrs. Oleander is claiming that you set your house and office on fire.”

Bart asked a good question, “Why would they come to where we live to find Mr. Oleander and Tio?  This is scary.  That woman is really the wickedest witch.”

Chris took charge, “Let’s go talk to the police officers.  Tio’s Dad has been with us since the birthday party and I know that he didn’t set any fires while I was with him.”

When we arrived at the house, the two policemen were waiting.  When Chris saw who it was, he took off running toward them and hugged the two of them.  Zavi and Tio weren’t sure what was happening. 

As we approached, I realized who the two officers were.  When we got closer, I heard Chris ask, “Officer Lacy and  Officer Nelson, when did the fires start?  We were with Mr. Oleander and Tio almost all day.”

Officer Dan Nelson answered, “The arson investigators estimate that the fire at the residence started at seven o’clock last evening and that the fire at the law office started about eleven.”

Chris threw up his hands, “Officer Lacey and Office Nelson, Mr. Oleander, Tio and me were at a fiesta from five until after eight o‘clock last night.  There were a whole bunch of people who saw us.  We didn’t leave until almost eight thirty and I got home late and I know we didn’t set any fires.”

Zack added, “Once Mr. Oleander brought Chris home, we spent the evening with him until we went to bed which wasn’t until after eleven o’clock after our wayward son got home.”

“Officers Nelson and Officer Lacey, don’t believe my Dad.  I was home early.  The driveway was full so I had to block Mr. Oleander’s car in.  Unless his car can fly like a helicopter, it is probably still in the same position as it was when I got home at 10:59 last evening.”

The two officers were laughing when Billie came to the door, “Nano Mark, the timer on the stove just dinged.”

I looked at the two officers, “Gentlemen, we have plenty if you would like to have some breakfast.”
 

Officer Nelson, shook his head no, “We need to get back to the station and file our report.  I don’t think we’ve heard the last of this case yet.”

After we finished breakfast, we got ready for church.  Ty recommended that Mr. Oleander and Tio go with us just in case.  It’s a good thing he did.  Both of the Oleanders were not familiar with church and we were to find out that they hadn’t been to church since Tio was baptized. 

After the church service Ty suggested that we go to the country club for lunch so we don’t have to worry about lunch or a big  dinner.    Zavi complained, “Ty, we’ve been banned from the club because we couldn’t pay our bills there.”

Ty wasn’t to be denied, “If you’re our guest, they can’t turn you away.  If anything is said, we’ll sue for defamation of character.”

After an uneventful lunch, Tio came from the table where he and the other children had been sitting with Bart, “Mr. Jefferson, I never knew that eating out could actually be fun.  No one was reminding us to sit up straight and act like ladies and gentlemen.  No one even cared if we were giggling.”

I waited to see what Ty would say and was pleased with his answer, “Tio, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.  When you’re young you need to have fun.  There will be time to be serious when you get old like us.”

Tio came back, “Then I don’t want to get old like you.”

Ty paid the bill with a card and Chris came and asked, “Uncle Ty, do we need to leave a tip?”

“Chris, I already took care of it.”

“Okay, I’ll pay you back when we get home since I put all the money I had with me in the church offering plate.”

Zavi looked at the adults after Chris had gone back to get the other children, “Chris has to be one of a kind.”

We were to find out how true that statement was when we got back to house.

To be continued...

Editor's Notes: That was certainly a very sneaky way to end a chapter.

That witch person is certainly not very nice.    It looks like Zavi is turning out to be a good guy, after all. 

I, for one, am ready for the next chapter. Please hurry.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 09/18/09