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

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Chapter 40 

Don’t Ruin Christmas

On Sunday morning, I was awakened by the sound of a bell ringing.  I bolted up and the two guys were still asleep.  The bell sounded again and Tanner and Timmy sat up. Louie stuck his head in the bedroom door, “Honestly, guys, if you’re expecting to be served breakfast in bed, it ain’t gonna happen.  You have five minutes to get out here and start eating, while I lay out the proper clothes for you to wear to church and lunch.”

“You can always shower after you eat, so eat, before the food gets cold.  You’re all gentlemen, so eat in your briefs and I can enjoy the scenery.  Uncle Archie and Uncle Will are eating in their briefs.  As soon as you start eating, I need to lay out the proper clothes for church, and the dive where you’ll be eating lunch.  You guys are in for a real treat.”

After Tanner, Timmy and I went to the bathroom, we were indeed eating breakfast fit for a king when Dad walked in, “I guess the three of you won’t be joining us in the dining room, for breakfast.”

Louie grinned, “I was told to take care of them, as if they were members of the royalty. I’m to have their bodies ready to get to the church on time.  Eat up, guys.”

Dad laughed, “Guys, what would your mother say if she knew you were eating in your briefs.”

Timmy giggled, “When you’re a king, you can do anything you want.  If you want to share our breakfast, then you will have to get properly dressed.”

Dad was laughing as he left, “I think I’ll pass, thank you, and have breakfast with Morgan and your mother.”

As were walking into the church, we were joined by Monsieurs Fourcault and Killian and Mick and Toine.  The twelve of us took up two entire pews.  After the service, we drove to the mausoleum where Grandpa Nappy’s ashes were stored, and Timmy, Tanner and I went and knelt.  We heard a voice, “Guys, I appreciate the respect you’re paying me, but you need to concentrate on making life better for the living.”

Timmy looked at Tanner and me, “Grandpa Nappy told to us to go take care of people.  Let’s go.”

Uncle Will suggested, “It would be easier for us to walk to the restaurant from here, than to take the limo.  The limo can pick us up, after we finish our lunch.”

We started to walk down some narrow streets.  Tanner chuckled, “I don’t think the limo could make it down these streets without scratching the paint off.”

We entered a small restaurant that looked as if it had been a house at one time.  We were met by a young man, “Monsieur Benson and party, it is a pleasure to have you visit La Maison de la Bellefonte.  If you will follow me, I’ll show you to your tables.”

Timmy asked, “The name sounds as if it means something.”

Mick chuckled, “Timmy, it means the house or home of the beautiful fountain.”

Timmy looked around, “What kind of fountain?”

Mick shook his head, “Timmy, I’ve never been to this restaurant, so I don’t know.  If we don’t see it, then we can ask the maitre d‘ where it is.”

We didn’t have to ask what the beautiful fountain was, because our table was in the enclosed court yard next to the fountain.  Timmy took one look at the fountain and whispered, “Brian, we should ask for another table.  That man and that woman are almost naked and they have water coming from the man’s penis and the dish the lady is carrying.”

I stopped to think how I should respond to him, “Timmy, people here in Europe are used to seeing things like that.  It doesn’t bother them.  Just pretend that it’s one of my paintings.”

The menu was very simple with only limited choices, which were certainly anything but fancy, compared to where we had been eating.  Uncle Archie commented, “This is one of the busiest restaurants that you guys own.  This is where the local people come to eat, because the prices are right and the food is always very good.”

After we placed our orders, Timmy and Toine were looking out at the street and they were conferring.  Timmy sent a message, “Brian and Tanner, there are two boys standing there, looking between the bars, with sad eyes.  I think they’re hungry.  Go get them and bring them in, so we can get them something to eat. I’ll tell the man to bring two more chairs.”

Tanner and I excused ourselves and went to get the two boys as ordered.  The two boys were so intent on watching what was happening at our table, that they didn’t hear Tanner and I approach them.  I grabbed one of them by the arm, and Tanner grabbed the other.  The boys started to resist, and the older of the two yelled, “Monsieurs, we didn’t do anything.  We was just watching and wishing.  Please let us go and we’ll leave.”

“Sorry, the boss said we were to take you inside.”

Talk about a struggle; they tried everything they could to get away.  I was sure the boy I was pulling was going to try to bite my hand.  We stopped at the bathroom and made them wash their hands and faces.  They stopped resisting when we finally got to the courtyard.

We took them to the table, and Timmy pointed to the two empty chairs.  “Sit.  I’ve already ordered your food for you.  Timmy was finally able to get the two boys to start talking, with help from Mick and Toine, since they didn’t speak English very well.”

Actually, the two boys were so busy eating that they didn’t have time to speak.  As we were getting ready to leave the restaurant, Timmy went to Dad and whispered something.  I didn’t see what happened, but I assumed that Timmy was asking for money.  It turns out I was right.  As we were leaving the restaurant, Timmy handed each of the boys a bill.  The two boys hugged Timmy and disappeared without us seeing where they went.

Timmy looked at Monsieur Fourcault, “Sir, isn’t there anyone here in Paris who can help children like that?”

Monsieur Fourcault answered, “Timmy, I’m guessing that those two boys are part of a gypsy band.  They never stay in one place long enough for the authorities to be able to help them.”

Timmy looked concerned, “Will the other people try to take the money we gave them?”

Monsieur Killian shook his head, “Timmy, those two young men are old enough to realize that if they want to keep their money, they won’t tell anyone they have it.  The gypsies have long memories and when people do something nice for them, they try to repay, unlike the Duchess last night.”

We arrived at a main thoroughfare and our limo was waiting.  Timmy hugged Monsieur Fourcault and his family as we climbed into the limo for the ride to Chateau la Fontaine.  When we arrived at the chateau, Jaime was waiting with the carriage to take us home.  Louie and Armand were waiting to bid us farewell.  Louie handed Timmy a card, “Here’s my email address.  You can let me know when Toine, Mick and I should be at the chalet.  We’ll probably take the train.”

After we thanked Uncle Will, Uncle Archie, Armand and Louie, we climbed into the sky and watched as the Paris skyline disappeared behind us.  When we landed, Jaime helped us into the house with the luggage and we watched him depart.

Morgan followed us up the stairs and into our room, “Okay, you three, I want to know what’s going on.  Whenever you’re around, strange things happen.”

I decided that I'd better give her some sort of plausible answer, as Grandpa Nappy suggested.

“Morgan, when I was in London the first time, I met a special gentleman, Monsieur Napoleon La Fontaine.  For some reason, he took a special interest in me, and subsequently, Timmy and Tanner as well.  When he died, he left us a considerable amount of money and the two places we visited this weekend, plus the chalet.  It was Timmy who decided that we should each have one of the houses and hogged the chalet before Tanner and I had a chance.”

Morgan shook her head, “Brian, that still doesn’t answer my question, as to how you and Tanner can disappear and reappear.”

“Morgan, I'm getting to that.  Somehow, Tanner and I received magical ability to make ourselves disappear and reappear when and if someone is in trouble.  I don’t understand how or why, but we can.”

Morgan asked, “Timmy, can you do what Tanner and Brian do, too?”

“Nope, I guess I’m too young to make myself disappear.   Probably I’m not smart enough.”

Morgan asked, “Do Mother and Dad know about all of this?”

Tanner nodded in the affirmative, “Yep.”

I warned, “Morgan, please don’t discuss what you know with anyone, most especially Lauren.  I’m not sure what she would do if she were to find out what you know.”

Dad interrupted our conversation, “Timmy, Lauren wants to talk to you, on the phone.”

We went downstairs and I pushed the speaker and put my fingers to my lips to indicate that the rest of us should be quiet. 

“This is Timmy.”

“Timmy, it’s Lauren.  Have you decided if my roommate can go skiing with us?”

“Lauren, I don’t know anything about your roommate.   Why would she want to go skiing with us?”

“Timmy, I think you will like her.  She’s seventeen and she has to take medicines like I do.  If she can’t go skiing with us, then she’ll have to stay here at school, because she doesn’t have anyplace to go.”

“Doesn’t she have any family or friends?”

“Her mother and dad are divorced and Meredith doesn’t like either of them very much, because they don’t want her around.  They’re movie stars and afraid Meredith will tarnish their image.”

Timmy took a deep breath, “Okay, she can go, but neither of you better ruin our Christmas, or you’re won’t be going.”

I looked at the parents and they were both holding their breaths as I was.

“Timmy, I promise that Meredith and I won’t ruin our Christmas.”

“Okay, but does she have a passport?”

“She has a passport.  She’s been to more places than I’ve been.”

“Good, Mother wants to talk to you.”

Mother took the phone and Timmy, Tanner, Morgan and I went into the kitchen and Morgan giggled, “Maybe there’s hope for Lauren yet.  I was sure she would blow a gasket when Timmy mentioned that they weren’t to ruin Christmas.”

Timmy shook his head, “I was testing Lauren to see what she would do.”

We went to unpack our bags and when I was finished, I went to talk to Dad and Mother.  Mother pointed to a chair, “Good, just the person we wanted to see.  Your Dad and I will be leaving on Wednesday to pick up Lauren and Meredith.  We’ll spend the night in Minneapolis and leave first thing on Thursday morning.  Will you and the others be okay?”

“Why wouldn’t we be okay?  We’ll probably be safer then than we will after Lauren gets here.  I’m bothered that she seems to have changed so much in a short time.  After the way Timmy talked to her and how she didn‘t react, I have no idea what to expect.”

Dad nodded, “Brian, you need to be optimistic and think that perhaps Lauren’s medicines are finally helping her.  Let’s hope so.”

Mother changed subjects and went to an entirely new area, “Brian, we’re at a loss as to what to get you three guys for Christmas.  Do you have any suggestions, since it is going to be Timmy’s first real Christmas?”

I shook my head, no, “I really don’t have any ideas.  Maybe when Timmy, Tanner and I go shopping, I’ll get some ideas.  I agree that we need to make Christmas special for both Timmy and Tanner, but we need to not do too much because of how Lauren might react.”

After dinner, I finally booted my computer to see what messages might be on it.  I looked at the first one and started to laugh, “Tanner, go call Ron.  He thinks you’re mad at him.”

The second was from Kelly, “More junk please.”

There was one from Ben and Grant.  “Brian, Tell the parents that Timmy’s Christmas is to be delivered on Monday morning.  We got him a bicycle.   Hopefully, no one else got him one.  The rest of our gifts should be arriving via UPS either Monday or Tuesday.  Hope you guys had a blast this weekend.  I’m sure with Timmy around you did.  We’ll see you at the chalet on the 27^th.  J. R.’s dads are going to spend the week with him while Grant, Jack, Maria and Inga and I are gone.  They’re looking forward to the trip.  See you on the 27^th.  Ben”

I closed the computer and decided to take a shower and Timmy joined me.  “Brian, can you read me a Christmas story?”

I went to my bookshelf and looked through the books and pulled out a book that had been one of my favorite Christmas stories when I was growing up, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg.  When I finished reading, Timmy hugged me, “Thanks Brian.  That was a really neat story.”

Tanner had been listening while I was reading, “Timmy, I had forgotten what a neat story that was.”

When Tanner and I arrived at the house after school on Monday, Mother met us, “Timmy is visiting Carmody.  His present from Ben and Grant arrived this morning.  You need to hide it, so he won’t see it until Christmas morning.  Did you know that they were going to get him a bike?”

I answered, “Not until I received an email from Ben, last night, and I couldn’t say anything because Timmy was always within earshot.”

“That’s what your Dad and I were going to give him.  Now what do you suggest.”

“Mom, I haven’t the vaguest idea.  Tanner and I are in a quandary as well.”

Our conversation was interrupted by a voice, “Thanks for bringing me home, Mrs. Jameson.  Carmody, I’ll see you tomorrow.  Have a good doctor’s appointment.”

Timmy came into the kitchen, “What’s that big box in the hallway.”

Mother grinned, “It just arrived a short time ago.  It’s from Ben and Grant.  Why don’t you open it and see what’s in it?”

Tanner went to help Timmy while I hid Timmy’s bicycle in the utility room behind a large piece of plywood. 

Tanner was walking into the garage with the empty box and packing, as I was finishing, “Brian, Timmy didn’t say anything, but he looked at the name on each package as he took it out of the box.  I’m sure he’s wondering why there wasn’t a package for him from Ben and Grant.”

“We can take care of that.  We can wrap a box for Timmy with a note in it and put it under the tree and say it’s from Ben and Grant.”

We could, but the problem is that their gifts are all wrapped in the same paper.  We’d probably never be able to find the same kind of paper.”

“Tanner, why does everyone have to make our lives so complicated?”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Complicated lives come with the territory when it comes to having small brothers and sisters. 

That is most likely especially true when there is magic involved.

It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Timmy already has a pretty good idea as to what is going on, even if he doesn't know that he is getting a new bicycle, I am sure that he is considering the possibility that he is getting something special that came in a separate package. Knowing him, he is most likely mentally going through all sorts of possibilities, and narrowing it down, one by one.

It was nice to see that Lauren is actually showing concern toward her friend at school.  Maybe, just maybe, she is finally getting a handle on her issues and is trying to improve her outlook on life. I certainly hope so.

Christmas is getting closer and closer.  I wonder if we will get to Christmas by the next chapter; I somehow suspect not yet.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 09/24/10