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

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Chapter 24 

Silence Is Scary

As we were leaving the restaurant, Archie announced, “We’re going to take Ricky and Justin and run some errands.  We’ll meet everyone at the house, later.  Timmy, that was a fun lunch.  Thanks for inviting us.”

Tanner helped Grandmother into the car and Timmy was holding his cargo as if it was a precious metal.  When we went into Grandmother’s condo, Timmy asked, “Grandmother, would you like a piece of one of the pies, now?”

“Timmy, could I have a small piece of the egg custard, now?  I’ll save my pieces of the lemon meringue and banana cream for later.  I’ll have one with my dinner and one when I take my night time pills.”

Timmy turned to Tanner, “You talk to Grandmother while Brian and I go get her pie.  I’ll be right back.”

Timmy opened the boxes and took out the egg custard pie, “Here, let me show you how big to cut Grandmother’s pieces.  Get a container to put her other two pieces in.”

I started to laugh, “Yes, boss, whatever you say, boss.  When you take Grandmother her pie, ask her if she would like some tea?”

Timmy returned, “She'd like a cup of decaf Earl Gray tea.”

I had the water ready, so it was only a matter of finding the right box of tea.  I swear Grandmother had more kinds of tea than the grocery store,  I opened the box and it was the last bag of tea in the box.”

I took the tea in to Grandmother, “Grandmother, this is the last of the decaf Earl Gray.”

“Thanks for telling me,  I’ll have to have your Mother pick me up a box.  I need to finish some of the other kinds, too.  Timmy, this pie is really good.  Thank you for getting it.”

Timmy grinned, “Brian put you other two pieces in plastic boxes and put them in the refrigerator.  You get some rest as soon as you finish your tea.  We’ll be back about five o’clock.”

“Timmy, all I need for dinner is some soup or a sandwich.  Tell Becca not to go to too much bother tonight since we had such a big lunch.”

Timmy hugged Grandmother as did Tanner and I.  Timmy went to get his cargo and as soon as we arrived at the house, he went to put the pies in the refrigerator.  Dad and Mother were sitting in the living room reading the paper.  Timmy went and sat down beside Mother, “Mother, Grandmother said you shouldn’t go to too much trouble tonight for dinner since we had such a big lunch.  She already ate her egg custard pie.  She needs a new box of decaf Earl Gray tea, we’ll go get it for her.  Do you need anything else from the store while we’re there?”

“Timmy, we don’t need anything from the store.  I thought we'd have ham and bean soup for dinner.  That’s something that Grandmother really likes.  Maybe you guys could make it and then bake some muffins to take to Grandmother.  There is no sense going to the store for one box of tea.  Grandmother has all kinds that she can use.”

Tanner chuckled, “Never fear, Mother dear, we’ll take care of making the soup and the muffins.  Where is everyone else?”

Dad frowned, “Watch how you speak to my wife.  You’ll spoil her.  We have no idea where Will and Archie took Ricky and Justin and the two sisters are upstairs in their rooms, I assume.”

I asked, “Was anything said about what happened at the restaurant?”

Dad shook his no, “That’s what’s so scary.  Nothing was said at all.”

Timmy looked at me, “Did I do something bad at the restaurant?”

Mother hugged Timmy.  “Son, you did nothing wrong.”

Timmy hopped up and took Tanner’s hand, “Come on, Chef Tanner.  You gotta show me how to make ham and been soup.”

Tanner grabbed Timmy and carried him out of the room toward the kitchen.  I looked at my parents, “I hope and pray that this doesn’t cause Morgan to go off the deep end again.”

Mother shook her head no, “It’s not Morgan I’m concerned about.  She seems so different now that she’s on the medicine regimen.  We just need to make sure she remembers to take it.  Timmy has been very good about making sure she takes it.  She has an appointment Wednesday after school.”

Timmy entered the room, “Mother, Tanner wants to know if you want him to use your recipe for the soup or can he make it like he knows how?”

Mother looked surprised, “Tell him to make it like he knows how.  It will be interesting to see what you guys come up with.”

I stood, “I think I’d better go make sure they don’t create too much havoc in the kitchen.”

When I arrived in the kitchen, Timmy was saying, “Tanner, Mother says you’re to do it any way you want.  Just remember it’s got to be easy for grandmother to eat.”

I never realized that making bean and ham soup could be so complicated.  Tanner had me paring potatoes, peeling an onion and some carrots and cleaning stalks of celery.  The soup was just about finished when Morgan entered the kitchen, “Timmy, could I have a piece of pie to eat while I take my afternoon pills?”

“Of course, which kind do you want?”

“I think I’d like a piece of the banana cream.”

Timmy went and got the box. “How big of a piece do you want, Morgan?”

“A small piece for now, so I don’t spoil my appetite for dinner.  Something smells really good.”

Timmy giggled, “You need to be glad you weren’t here earlier, the two guys really make a mess when they’re cooking.”

Timmy was sitting beside Morgan as she was eating her pie and drinking her milk since she was told that she shouldn’t have sodas with the medicine.  Tanner and I were watching them interact when I heard a cry for help, “Please don’t do that to me Uncle Zack.  NO!”

Tanner and I looked at each other and Timmy sent a message, “Go take care of the problem.  I’ll stay here.”

Tanner and I went into the garage and we were in the park near where I had found Timmy.  A man was trying to take advantage of struggling teenage girl.  “No, Uncle Zack, please don’t do that.  You’re drunk.”

Tanner grabbed the man and pulled him away from the young woman, “You slime ball, what do you think your doing?  The young lady said she didn’t want you to do what you were doing.”

The man tried to twist away, “Listen, you do-gooders, it‘s none of your business what we were doing.  The little bitch has been asking to get laid, and I was going to show her what a real man could do for her.

Fortunately Dad arrived with two policemen.  The lead officer asked, “Would someone care to explain what's going on here?”

Tanner spoke,  “When we arrived, that man was trying to penetrate the young woman who was resisting.”

The officer looked at the young woman, “How old are you young lady, what was the man trying to do with you and why were you with him in the first place?”

The young woman stood after getting properly dressed.  “I’m seventeen and he was trying to rape me, and he’s my uncle.  He was going to take me to look at a car that my parents are thinking about buying me.  He’s a mechanic, but he had more on his mind than shocks and sparks, today.  Tanner and Brian, thanks for arriving to stop the asshole from having his way with me.”

As we were walking back to the house, I asked, “Dad, how did you know where we were?”

“Timmy came to me and told me where you were and that you needed me to bring the police.  He said there was a man trying to hurt a lady.”

All of a sudden, there was a loud clap of thunder in what had been a bright blue cloudless sky. Some clouds appeared in the sky that said, Well done my men.  You’re doing fine.

When we walked in the door, Timmy was waiting for us, “Is the girl going to be okay?”

Dad answered, “Yes, she’s going to be fine.”

Timmy took Tanner’s hand, “Come on, we need to make sure everything is ready to take to Grandmother.  We still need to make the muffins.”

Mother looked at me, “It is apparent who the hierarchy in Timmy’s chain is.  Grandmother, stands out there by herself.  The rest of us are all pawns to take care of her.”

Dad commented, “I’m amazed that he doesn’t think in terms of me like some others in this house.”

I was going to make a crude remark but decided better of it.  Timmy came into the room, “Brian, come on, we need your help.  Me and Tanner can’t find any cupcake or muffin paper cups.”

Mother laughed, “Timmy, they should be on the top shelf of the cabinet on the left side of the sink.  It’s a little early to make all the muffins.”

“We’re only going to make one kind now so we can take some to Grandmother.”

“She likes the blueberry kind the best.  She doesn’t like the banana nut kind because the nuts get stuck in her dentures, and she doesn’t really like the cranberry kind.”

“Oops, I’m glad you said that, because that was the kind we were going to make.”

I went into the kitchen and Timmy was putting the cupcake papers into the pans.  Timmy was asking, “Tanner, did you know the girl you and Brian helped today?”

“Timmy, I know who she is and she’s in my class at school.  I’ve talked to her, but I don’t know very much about her.  Why did you ask?”

“I was just wondering.  Is Ron coming over tonight?”

“I don’t think so.  He and his family were going to go visit his grandparents.”

Timmy looked up and saw me, “Brian, please go get the small picnic basket so we can take the things to Grandmother.  They're going to be too hot to carry.”

“Yes, boss.”

As soon as the muffins were done, Timmy supervised getting the things ready to take to Grandmother.  As we were leaving, he looked at Mother, “Someone needs to start the cranberry muffins and the banana nut muffins, in case we’re not back in time.”

When we arrived at Grandmother’s condo, Timmy escorted her to the dining room so she could eat her dinner.  When Tanner put her soup in front of her she commented, “This smells different.”

Tanner was watching as she took her first bite.  She didn’t stop there; she kept taking bites.  Grandmother looked up, “Becca didn’t make this soup.  This tastes like the bean soup that my Mother and Grandmother used to make.  Who made it?”

Both Timmy and I turned and pointed to Tanner.

Grandmother frowned, “Okay, Mister Tanner, where did you learn to cook?”

“Grandmother, I taught myself.  I kept trying things until I found something that tasted good to me and usually other people liked the same things I did.”

Grandmother looked up, “Is there any more of this wonderful soup.”

I jumped up, “Yep, I’ll go get it for you.  Timmy, you make sure she eats her muffin while I’m gone.”

Grandmother finished the second bowl of soup and belched, “If you have any of the soup left over, tell Becca that’s what I want for lunch.”

On the way home, Timmy was giving Tanner a hard time, “I told you Grandmother wouldn’t like all them healthy vegetables in her soup.  You won that case but let’s see what everyone else has to say.”

When we walked into the house, Timmy started to give Mother a hard time, “Grandmother wants to know why you can’t make ham and bean soup like her Mother and Grandmother did?”

Mother looked at Timmy, “What are you talking about?”

“Grandmother said that Tanner’s soup tasted like the ham and bean soup that her Mother and Grandmother used to make.  I was sure that no one would like it.  She says that if there’s any leftover that’s what she wants you to take it for her lunch tomorrow.  Come on guys, we gotta make the rest of the muffins.  Where is everyone else?”

Timmy and Tanner went into the kitchen and Mother looked at me, “Brian, would you care to tell us what Timmy was talking about.”

“Mother, Timmy pretty much said what happened.  Grandmother practically inhaled her soup.  She ate two bowls and two muffins without anyone having to remind her to eat.”

Mother pouted, “I’ve been supplanted by a sixteen year old as the head chef.  I guess I’ll need to get me a job.”

I started to laugh, “Mother, you were supplanted for a day.  Wait until we eat before you turn in your resignation.  The others may have something different to say than Grandmother.”

It was almost five forty five when we heard the door open, so I assumed that it was going to be Uncle Archie and his gang.  They came in through the garage door.  Timmy was watching the timer on the stove.  He turned around, “Uncle Archie and Uncle Will, why didn’t you tell us you were bringing guests for dinner?  We probably won’t have enough food now.  Who are those two guys with you?
 

Ricky sniffled, “What’s the matter?  Haven’t you ever seen anyone so good looking before.”

Timmy put his hands on hips, “I’m afraid that you're going to scare our sisters, because you look like someone painted you.  I guess they found you on the Ghost Parade or something.  Brian, go tell our sisters and our parents that dinner is going to be ready in five minutes.  Since you two played hooky all day, you get to do the dishes.”

Everyone was seated except Timmy, Morgan, Ricky, Tanner and me.  Tanner was dishing up the soup and Ricky and I were delivering it while Timmy and Morgan were putting the muffins on the table.  We had no more than sat down, than Lauren started, “Is this all we’re having for dinner.  This isn’t even fit for pigs.”

Morgan looked at Lauren, “If you don’t want to eat, then be quiet and let the others of us enjoy our food.  I didn’t see you do anything to help the guys fix dinner.  All you have done since we got home from
The Village Inn is complain because Timmy has a debit card and you don’t.  If you had one, you would spend everything in the account and probably overspend so you would have to pay fees.  You need to visit the Nut Ward to realize how good we have had it.  There are a bunch people who would love to have a hot meal like this.  Grandmother liked it so much that she had two bowls and wants more for lunch, tomorrow.”

I decided to add to what Morgan had said, “Lauren, Dad and Mother have not provided any funds for the accounts that Tanner, Timmy and I have.  I earned the money from my paintings which you think are pieces of trash.  I have chosen to share some of the funds with Timmy and Tanner.”

Lauren lashed out, “Why would you share with them?  They’re not even related to us.  Why wouldn’t you share some of your money with me and Morgan instead of them?”

Morgan answered, “Probably because the two guys have not asked for anything.  All we did since Timmy came home was complain.  It’s time for you to realize that maybe you aren’t the richest girl in town, anymore.  The way you spend money, you never will be.”

Dad stood, “Morgan, that’s enough.  I agree with what you're saying, but this is not the time or place to be discussing something like this.”

Timmy stood, “Come on, Morgan.  Let’s clear the table and then we can serve dessert.”

The explosion came when Timmy was serving dessert.  Timmy pushed a serving cart with the pie on to where Morgan was seated, “Miss, which kind of pie would you like.”

Morgan giggled, “I really like the banana crème pie.  Might I have another piece.”

“Coming right up.”

He moved to Mother, “Which kind of pie strikes your fancy?”

Timmy was a work of art.  He served everyone a piece of pie and took one for himself and went Lauren, “I guess you will have to eat lemon meringue pie if you want any, since you didn’t eat anything else.  Everyone is tired of you complaining.”

No one was prepared for what happened, Lauren swung around and slapped Timmy on the face.

Dad, Mother and I were out of our seats immediately.  Dad grabbed Lauren, “You have been grounded indefinitely.  You won’t even be going to school, until you can get your emotions in check.  Timmy was laying it on you and rightfully so.  You’re confined to your room until further notice.  There will be no telephone or television access until you can act like a responsible adult.  If we have to lock you in your room, then we will do so. Now go to your room.”

Dad went to the garage and when he returned, he apologized.  “I’m sorry that this had to happen while you all were here.”

Timmy was crying, “Daddy, do you want me to leave?  It seems as if ever since I came here bad things have been happening.”

Dad picked Timmy up, “Son, you really had nothing to do with what is happening.  You have made many more good things happen than bad.  Why don’t you go help Morgan with the dishes while I talk to the rest of the people for a few minutes.”

Timmy wiggled down, “Come on, Morgan, they want to talk about things they don’t want me to hear.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes: Poor Timmy, he got the worst of it, this time, and he felt really bad, and thought it was his fault.  What is it with girls, thinking they are so special?

Parents do often seem to think kids should be kept from hearing all the really interesting stuff, don't they? 

Lauren seems to be quite the little bitch, doesn't she?  She has no concept that her attitude is what is causing most of her problems. 

Morgan seems to have gotten herself together, and is acting pretty nicely toward everyone, now.

I wonder what is going to happen to that girl that Brian and Tanner saved from her uncle.

I notice that Beau is acting a bit more like the way he used to, when he was younger.  He isn't jumping all over Brian, now. Things are getting better.  I am ready for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 05/21/10