The Fremont Saga
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 23 

What to Do With Ricky

When Justin and I arrived in the kitchen, Ricky and Tanner were sitting there.  I looked at the three guys, “Men, since we’re going to be living together, we need to be open with each other.  I know what happened to all of you and why you’re here, but you don‘t know the story of each other.”

I took a deep breath.  “Justin, we’ve all seen what your father did to you, so I think Ricky deserves to know what an evil person Mr. Butcher really was.  There is no need for you to try and hide what he did to you, around us.”

Justin explained what had been happening to him in detail and Ricky was sucking air.   After Justin finished, I turned to Ricky, “Ricardo, I think you need to explain in detail what you told me about why you were in the home and what they were threatening to do to you.  And speak in English, please.  I’m the only other person here other than you who can speak Spanish.”

Ricky laughed, “Yeah, and you’d probably go get Timmy if I start to speak Spanish so he could pinch me.”

Ricky explained why he was living with us.  When he was finished, he added, “I have no idea what’s going to happen to me.”

I interrupted, “Guys, as you know, Tanner has been adopted by our parents as has Timmy.  Justin, I'm sorry, but that’s not a possibility with you, because of your age.  Have Uncle Archie and Uncle Will had a chance to speak with you?”

“Just briefly.  They asked me how I would feel about going back to Switzerland with them.”

I was relieved, “Great, what did you tell them?”

“Brian, as you know, I have nothing going for me here.  I've been robbed of my dignity by my father.  It would give me a chance to start a new life.  I hope they can make it happen.  As I told you earlier, I have no idea what my sexuality is, anymore.”

I turned my attention to Ricky, “Ricardo, listening to Justin whine has given me an idea.  How would you feel if you had the opportunity to move to a new place where you would not have a police record?”

Ricky looked confused, “Brian, I’m not sure exactly what you’re asking.”

“I guess what I’m asking is how would you feel if you were to go live with Uncle Archie and Uncle Will in Switzerland?”

“Brian, why would they even consider taking me to Switzerland with them?”

“Because they work for Tanner, Timmy and me.  If we tell them that’s what they’re to do, then they’ll do it?”

Justin stood, “Brian, what have you been smoking.  Mr. Larceveque and Mr. Overmeyer couldn’t possibly work for you three guys.  I thought they worked for your parents.”

Tanner shook his head no, “Brian, you have probably said too much.  Justin, believe me, Uncle Will and Uncle Archie do indeed work for Brian, Timmy and me.  Please don’t ask any more questions, because that’s all we’re free to say at this time.  Guys, we need to go to bed.  Timmy doesn’t take any captives when he wakes up in the morning.

As Tanner and I were walking up the stairs, Tanner stopped, “Brian, you need to think more carefully before you start talking about things like you did tonight.  Justin and Ricky will not believe you, because what you were saying was rather unbelievable.”

“Tanner, if we can make it so that Justin and Ricky can go home with Uncle Will and Uncle Archie, just think how much better their lives would be.  I know I was laying it on a little heavy, but I really didn’t say that much. At least we planted a seed.”

I was awakened by my faithful alarm clock, Timothy.  “Daddy Brian, it’s sorta raining out.  I don’t think we can run this morning.  Why don’t we feed everyone a nice breakfast so they don’t eat so much lunch, and it won’t cost so much?”

I pulled Timmy on top of me, “Timothy James, you worry too much about money.  You’ll have gray hair before you’re ten if you keep worrying about money all the time.  Let’s go see what we can make Tanner fix for us.”

Tanner sat up. “Sure leave it to Slave Tanner to do all the work.  Let’s go to the bathroom, then see what we can find to eat in this place.”

When Timmy, Tanner and I were in the kitchen, Tanner asked, “Timmy, what would you like us to fix.?”

Timmy frowned, “Why don’t we fix a really big breakfast so people won’t eat so much at lunch time?”

Tanner looked at me, “Okay, go get the two guys downstairs.  We’re going to need their help.”

When Timmy was gone, Tanner looked at me, “Why is Timmy so worried about spending money?”

I started to laugh, “Tanner, aren’t you calling the kettle black after the way you, Ricky and Justin acted when Dad took you for jackets and snow gear, yesterday?”

Timmy arrived with Justin and Ricky in tow.  Tanner and Ricky were completely at home in the kitchen so breakfast was a snap.  The rest of us did what we were told to do and Timmy finally aroused everyone and we were eating a big breakfast as prescribed by Doctor Timothy.

Timmy looked at Uncle Will and Uncle Archie, “Uncle Will and Uncle Archie, I had this strange dream last night that you were taking Justin and Ricky to live with you in my house in Swissland.”

Tanner looked at me and frowned.  I held my breath hoping no one had picked up on what Timmy had said.  But that was not too be.

Morgan put down her fork, “Timmy, how come you own a house in Switzerland?”

Timmy didn’t even look up, “Morgan, I said I was dreaming.  I guess I was dreaming that I owned the chalet in Swissland where Uncle Archie and Uncle Will live.  Uncle Will and Uncle Archie are you going to take the two guys home with you?”

Will answered, “We had thought about taking Justin with us, but we hadn’t considered that Ricky might like to go.”

“Well talk to him while the rest of us are taking care of the dishes and see what he thinks.  He doesn’t have a family and you don’t have any children so it would seem to make sense that you would be good for each other.  Daddy and Mother already have enough people that they have to take care of.”

As we were doing the cleanup, Dad came and motioned for me to join him and mother.  ‘What did I do this time?’

We went into the office and Dad shut the door.  “Brian, did you plant any of these ideas in Timmy’s head.”

“Dad, I haven’t talked about such a thing happening around Timmy.  Something happened last night, and Justin, Tanner, Ricky and I were talking in the kitchen and I suggested the possibility that perhaps Uncle Archie and Uncle Will might consider taking Ricky with them as well as Justin.  Timmy was asleep, or at least I think he was while we were talking.”

Mother asked, “Don’t you think it would have been advisable to talk to Will and Archie before such a thing might have been discussed?  They may not be interested in having two teenagers living with them.”

“Mother, neither Timmy nor I promised anything.  I know that I haven’t the right to tell Uncle Will and Uncle Archie how to conduct their personal life.  I just want things to be better for the guys.  Timmy is right, you and Dad don’t need much more stress right now than you already have with the two girls and Grandmother.  Where would we be if something were to happen to either of you?  Quite frankly, if something were to happen to either of you, the other would be devastated, and then where would that leave us?”

There was a knock on the door.  I shook my head, “That’s not a Timmy knock.  Something must be wrong.”

I went to answer the door and Uncle Will and Uncle Archie were standing there.  Uncle Archie asked, “Can we come in?  We have a few questions?”

I looked at them, “You can come in if you can navigate by yourselves.  You’re much too big for any of us to carry.”

After the two were seated, Dad asked, “Guys, I take it that this is not a social call.  Why don’t you tell us what’s on your mind?  I have a feeling that perhaps it is concerning the same subject that we have been discussing.”

Uncle Archie started, “Timmy broached an interesting idea that we hadn’t considered when he suggested that we take both Justin and Ricky back to Switzerland with us.  We assumed that you might be adopting Ricky as you did Tanner.”

Dad stood and started to pace, “Guys, we considered that, and there are obstacles that would probably preclude that from happening in light of the current climate in the United States.  First, Ricky is a foreign national and would be very unlikely to be able to become a naturalized citizen, because of his police record.  Quite frankly, it might be the best thing for Ricky to be able to go live with you.  He looks enough like Archie that he could be related to him.”

I started to laugh, “That sounds like a him and him situation.  Ricky could be related to Uncle Archie, and Justin could be related to Uncle Will.  Sirs, I think both guys will make you proud, if you were to give them a second chance.”

Archie frowned, “Of course you realize that this would call for us to renegotiate our compensation packages if we were to all of a sudden have two starving teenagers thrust upon us.”

I sniffed, “It should be us who is revaluating your compensation packages, because you will have gofers to do all your work for you.”

There was a knock on the door and it was definitely a Timmy knock.  Dad opened the door since he was standing right there. “Good morning, Master Timothy, what can we do for you this fine day?”

“Daddy, you’re being silly.  Tell your son, Brian, that he needs to get ready to go pick up Grandmother.”

“Aye, Aye, sir.  Benson, you need to hightail it if you’re going to be on time to pick up Grandmother Gleason, according to Commander Timmy.”

Tanner, Timmy and I went to get Grandmother.  I didn’t really expect Uncle Will, Uncle Archie, Tanner and Ricky to show up at church, but they did.  We were joined by the parents, but Lauren and Morgan disappeared to sit with the some friends.  John and Robbie joined us as well.  

Timmy asked, “Where are Jason and Jeremy?”

John answered, “They left this morning to visit our Grandparents in Des Moines.”

Timmy leaned over and whispered, “Don’t you like your grandparents?”

John chuckled, “Timmy, I love my Grandparents, but I have an important meeting this afternoon to make plans for the Homecoming Dance next Saturday, and the parents aren’t planning to return until late tonight.”

After church, we went to the new Village Inn restaurant near the house.  As we were entering, Timmy looked around, “They’re kinda busy.  I hope we don’t have to wait too long.”

The host approached us and Timmy announced, “We have a party of twelve, please.”

The young man motioned to some benches, “If you’ll have a seat, we’ll have a table ready as soon as Denny can put them together.  What is the name of your party, sir?”

Timmy answered, “Timmy Benson.”

It was less than five minutes when a young man appeared and picked up some menus, “Will the T. Benson party of twelve, please  follow me?”

When we were seated, the young man said, “I’m Denny and I'll be your server today.”

He started to put down menus in front of people, starting with Grandmother Gleason and Timmy.  Timmy handed him six coupons, “Sir, these coupons say that if we buy one meal at regular price, the second meal of equal of less value is half priced.”

Denny looked at the coupon, “Sir, the coupon says that only one can be used per check.”

Timmy put up his hands, “Then we’ll have six separate checks.  I’ll pay for Grandmother’s lunch.  Brian can pay for Tanner.  Uncle Will can pay for Justin.  Uncle Archie can pay Ricky.  Daddy can pay for Morgan and Mother can pay for Lauren.”

Denny started to argue, “But sir, we were instructed to accept only one per table.”

Timmy stood, “There is nothing on the coupons that said only allowed per table.  Maybe we should go some place else to eat.  We can eat at home for less.”

Grandmother was enjoying the encounter, as was everyone else.  She spoke to the waiter, “Young man, I suggest that you get your manager and have him come and take care of this problem.”

Denny returned with an older man, “What seems to be the problem, Mr. Benson?”

Timmy handed  the man a coupon, “Denny is trying to make it so we can use only one of these coupons.  I’ve told him that we wanted six separate checks since the coupons say only one per check.  Now he’s telling us that the manager said that there could only be one used per table.  It doesn’t say that on the coupon, or your sign outside.  We probably should go someplace else to eat.”

The manager took a deep breath, “Denny, do as Mr. Benson has requested.  I need to talk to the owner about fixing this glitch.”

Denny looked confused, “But sir, you are the owner.”

The man laughed, “Well I guess I need to go talk to me and get this problem fixed.”

After a fun meal, Denny handed us six checks with the discount.  Timmy pulled a five dollar bill out of his pocket, “Grandma, will this be a enough tip to leave Denny.  This is all the money I brought with me.”

Grandmother nodded, “That should be enough for the two of us.  The rest can tip for themselves.”

Timmy looked at Dad, “Daddy, may I have my card so I can pay for Grandmother’s and my food?”

Dad pulled out his wallet and handed Timmy his debit card, “Timmy, do you remember your pin number.”

“Yep, I remember it.”

When we arrived at the counter so we could pay, Timmy looked at Grandmother, “Grandma, what kind of pie would you like?”

Grandmother looked at the pies in the case, “Timmy, they all look so good.  The egg custard pie looks really good, but so does the lemon meringue and the banana cream pie.”

Timmy took the bull by the horns.  He looked at the manager who was managing the cash register, “We’ll take one of each of those kinds of pies and I’ll pay for them with my bill.”

The manager looked at Dad and Dad nodded yes, and the man boxed the three pies.  He tallied Timmy’s bill and everyone was watching to see what would happen.  Timmy slid his card through the machine and put in his pin number.   The screen asked if he wanted any cash back.  He pressed no, and then he pressed that the amount was correct.  I think that the man was surprised that the transaction cleared so quickly. 

Timmy handed his card to Dad, “Daddy, you need to take care of this for me.  I might loose it. 

Dad whispered to me as we were going to our cars, “I think your Mother and I are in for some hard questions from your two green eyed sisters.  It was inevitable that they would find out that Timmy has his own debit card.  It will be interesting to see what comes out in the wash.” 

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  I do believe that jealousy will rear its ugly head, in the near future.  

The two female siblings are not going to take kindly to the fact that Timmy has his own card, and they don't have one.

I hope things can be worked out without any more hard feelings than necessary.

I do hope that Ricky and Justin will be able to go to Switzerland with Will and Archie.

I am ready for another chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 05/14/10