Love Refound
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 47

Are They Or Aren’t They?

I was trying to go to sleep as I was reviewing everything that happened.  I was apprehensive that the Millers or Mrs. Hayworth might try to cause trouble.

Cole must have sensed my misgivings.  He pulled me close, “Doug, I don’t think we need to worry about the Millers or Mrs. Hayworth.  It’s Mr. Stark who is going to cause us grief, if anyone.  The man is a monster waiting to explode.”

When the alarm went off, I felt as rested as someone who had just finished a marathon race.  I extracted myself from the arms of Cole and made my way to the bathroom.  I was joined by Cole, “Dougie, I feel like I’ve been run over by a two ton truck.  Let’s go for a run.”

We dressed and went for a run along the road that ran between Summerhill and Fairacres.  We had just turned around and started to run back to Summerhill when a vehicle pulled up next to us.  The driver stopped and rolled down his window, “Good morning, Mr. Weaver and Dr. Christiansen.  I’m Josh Lockhart.  You probably don’t recognize me, but I was here yesterday with a television crew when we came to tape Cole’s graduation party.”

“I was unfortunate enough to be sitting beside Mr. Stark on the way back to Atlanta.  I’m willing to bet that the man is mentally deranged.  He is threatening to take all kinds of actions to get even with the two of you, for exposing him for what he is.”

I was disturbed, “Mr. Lockhart, surely you didn’t come the entire way here from Atlanta to tell us this.  You could have made a phone call to tell us this.  Is there a catch?”

Mr. Lockhart laughed, “I didn’t decide until late last night that I should give you a heads up.  It was too late to call.  I’m on vacation this week.  My wife and children are at her parents’ house in Harwood.  We’re leaving this morning, for Disney World.  I wanted to warn you before you went to Atlanta to do the news special.”

“Thank you for the warning, Josh.  I’ll call Mr. Willingham, my lawyer, and talk to him to see what I should do.  Have a good vacation.”

Cole and I ran back to Summerhill and the four boys were in the kitchen eating with the grandparents when we arrived.  Benji looked at us, “You don’t look happy.  What happened?”

I looked at the boys, “Nothing happened.  You boys need to get ready for school.  I need to take a shower, so I can drop Mikey off at school before I go to Atlanta.”

Cole followed me to the bathroom, “Doug, do you want me to go with you?”

I shook my head no, “Cole, I think it might be better for me to go alone.  I’m going to stop at the college and see if Doris wants to accompany me.”

After I was dressed, I called Uncle Howie and told him what happened; he agreed to meet me at the television station at eleven thirty.

I ate a quick breakfast while the two Granddads walked the three oldest boys to the bus stop.  I was to find out later that Cole had told my parents and Autumn’s parents what had happened after I had departed with Mikey.

After I dropped Mikey off, I drove to the college.  When I entered, Clark saw me and came to talk to me, “Doug, do you think there is any way that Larry might be amenable to having a relationship with me?”

“Clark, why would you ask me a question like that?  I’m not a mind reader.  Why don’t you call and make a date with him and his sons?  I'm sure that you would have to accept them as a package deal if you were to be able to connect.”

I started to laugh, “Clark, you sure aren’t taking the loss of Andre too bad.  I guess I need to start worrying about the safety of our male students.”

Clark laughed, “Look, boss, I finally figured out that it takes more than sex to make a relationship last.  Just think, if Larry and I connected, I would have four instant sons.  That’s the only way I will ever have any sons.”

I shook my head, “Clark, make sure that it’s not only the four boys that is drawing you into a relationship with Larry, or it could come back to haunt you.  I’ll talk to you later. I need to talk to Doris before I leave for Atlanta.”

When I walked into the office, Karen informed me, “Dr. C., her highness wants to talk to you.”

Doris called out, “Watch it, Karen, or you’re going to be back scrubbing floors.  Doug, get your butt in here.”

I walked in and saluted, “Doug Christiansen reporting as ordered, ma’am.”

“Doug, sit down.  I’m still overwhelmed by what happened yesterday.  I keep pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.  Did you notice that Logan has already started to bring in heavy equipment?”

“Yes, I noticed as I drove into the parking lot.  Doris, are you going to go with me when I go face the music at the television station at noon.”

She shook her head no, “Nope, I’m going to let you go hang out to dry by yourself.  Did you see the morning news?”

I shook my head no, “Doris, it has been a rather strange morning so far.  We didn’t have the television on this morning.”

“Mr. Caster called right at eight and talked to me since you weren’t here. The station news director saw the tape of what happened and showed excerpts of the tapes on the late news last night.  Mr. Stark went to the station brandishing a gun.  He was subdued by a security guard and is now in jail.   Mr. Caster wanted to warn you about what was happening.”

I slumped back in the chair, “I so hope that the four boys aren’t drawn into this mess.  I get the feeling that this Stark person is going to try to take revenge on Cole, the boys, me and who knows who else.”

I looked at the clock, “Doris, I need to be leaving for Atlanta if I’m going to be on time.  I’m meeting Uncle Howie at 11:30.  I’ll try to get back before quitting time, but I have no idea what to expect.”

As I was driving to Atlanta, my mind was working overtime.  It’s a wonder that I didn’t have an accident.  When I arrived at the television station, there were three police cars in front of the main entrance.  I should have realized I was in trouble.

As I entered the building, Mr. Stark was yelling, “Officers, arrest that man.  He and his nigger friend tried to defile my body.”

I looked at Mr. Stark, “After what I saw of your body yesterday, I cannot fathom someone wanting to defile your body.  Officers, that man needs to be arrested for indecent exposure in front of twelve preadolescent boys.  He was pleasuring himself sexually in front of the twelve young boys.  He not only did it once but twice.  Mr. Weaver and I happened to see what he was doing the second time and relieved him of his clothes.  In fact we have his shorts with the semen stain on them to prove that he did indeed ejaculate in front of the boys.”

“He’s the person who needs to be arrested, not me.  I have done nothing wrong.  He got caught and is striking out.”

Uncle Howie interrupted, “Officers, Mr. Stark’s wife has filed for a divorce as a result of this unfortunate incident.  He’s fighting for his life.  There is no reason to arrest my client based on this man’s blabbering.  He’s the person who should be arrested.”

Mr. Stark started toward Uncle Howie, “Listen you nigger lover liberal.  I’ll have your license for this.”

Uncle Howie laughed, “Mr. Stark, after the divorce you aren’t even going to be able to go to the bathroom in a pay toilet.  You probably go to the free facilities, anyway, so you can enjoy the scenery.”

The officers restrained Mr. Stark.  The lead officer who happened to be an African America spoke, “Mr. Stark, I suggest you leave now, before we have to arrest you for physically abusing someone.  You’ve obviously been caught with your hands in your pants, so you need to pay the consequences.  We’re not arresting anyone.”

Mr. Stark started to yell, “You’re just like all the other niggers.  You should be put back in the fields where you belong.  You probably can’t even write your name.”

I thought to myself, ‘This man has really flipped out.’

A young female African American officer pulled out her night stick and pointed it at Mr. Stark, “Listen to me, Mr. White Supremacist, all of the officers who are here have college degrees which is probably more than you can claim.  We’ll have you in court for maligning us.”

The lead officer intervened, “Jocelyn, back off.  Everyone can easily see that the man is an imbecile.  Let him make a fool of himself.  Mr. Christiansen, we’ll be glad to testify in your defense should the man decide to sue.”

The officers departed leaving Mr. Stark standing there looking confused.  Mr. Caster looked at the clock, “Dr. Christiansen, we need to go get ready for the show.  Mr. Willingham, why don’t you join us?”

We started to leave and Mr. Stark started to follow us.  Mr. Caster wheeled around, “Mr. Stark, you weren’t invited.”

Mr. Stark began to yell obscenities, “I have every right to defend myself.”

Mr. Caster turned and put his finger on Stark’s chest, “You have no right to even think that you have any right to talk about what is happening at the Harwood Community College, so go home and lick your wounds.”

The show went great and it was strictly about the donations for the new facilities at the college.  Mr. Caster asked, “Dr. Christiansen, did you have any idea that something like we witnessed might have happened?”

“Mr. Caster, I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined that something like that was going to happen.  Believe me, sir, I’m sure that it was brought about partly by my eldest son.  He’s the one who got the ball rolling.”

Mr. Caster closed the interview, “Dr. Christiansen, you must be very proud of your sons.”

“Mr. Caster, I’m very proud of the boys.  I’m going to have my hands full trying to keep them from being spoiled, now that they have four sets of grandparents.”

Mr. Caster was laughing, “Yep, you do have a problem there.  Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today’s show.”

As we were walking out of the studio, Mr. Caster snickered, “Doug, you opened yourself for a whole lot of questions when you mentioned your sons had four sets of grandparents.  I would love to be able to do a special on your four boys when you get the results of the DNA tests back and if indeed Benji is related to Mrs. Stark, Mrs. Hayworth, the Millers and Mrs. McBride.  He already has made it very clear that he’s not leaving you and his brothers.”

As we walked out of the studio, Mr. Stark was talking to a gentleman.  We walked past but the gentleman stopped us, “Gentlemen, I’m Rash Lumbaugh, I believe you owe my friend here an apology.”

I looked at Mr. Lumbaugh, “Excuse me, sir, I know who you are.  I will not apologize to Mr. Stark, or you. I cannot believe that you would be involved with a pedophile such as him, since you claim to be the person who knows everything about everything.  You and your kind are nothing but a divisive influence on the poor unsuspecting people trying to get everything to go as you believe they should go.”

The man was beginning to shake, “Christiansen, I’m about to take you and your friends down.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re going to take some my fake thesis papers as you did the President’s and try to discredit me.  Mr. Lumbaugh, if you go after me and my sons, I’ll use all my resources to discredit you.  If you’re involved with the likes of Mr. Stark, then I’m sure that you have a lot of dirty underwear in your closets.”

Uncle Howie pulled me away, “Doug, you’re out of control.  Let’s go home.  Let’s let the courts handle this.”

As I was driving back to the college, I was seething.  After I parked my car.  I walked across the street to where Logan was standing.  When he saw me, “Doug, if you’re going to be around checking on us, then you need a safety helmet.  Let’s go to the office and get you outfitted.”

When I exited the headquarters trailer, I had a personalized helmet that I had to wear whenever I visited the construction sites.  Logan walked me around, “Doug, we’ve run into a few problems today.  I wish Jack could be here so we could discuss them.  We’re working around them right now.  I think the city’s building inspector is going to be a thorn in our side.  I think that he is going to expect an under the counter payment to approve what is happening here.”

I was thinking, ‘Gee, thanks, Logan; I needed something else to worry about.’

When I walked into the office, Karen looked at me, “Do you suppose you could be here to take your phone calls?  My hand is tired from taking messages.”

I took the messages Karen handed me and went into my office and looked at them.  I didn’t recognize any of the callers except one.  It was from Mrs. Stark and read, “Dr. Christiansen, please call me.  I have found some interesting evidence that might be useful.  I understand that Charlie and that Lumbaugh person are going to file a suit against you.”

I called the number that was on the memo and Mrs. Stark answered immediately, “This is Sarah Stark, how may I help you?”

“Mrs. Stark, this is Doug Christiansen.  You asked me to call.”

“Doug, thanks for calling back.  I just wanted to tell you that I was packing Charlie’s things today and I found that he had a library of C.D.’s that had to do with young boys.  There were also some pictures of him playing with young boys.  There is man in many of the pictures who looks like Rash Lumbaugh, the self proclaimed savior of the American way.”

I didn’t know how to respond, “Ms Stark, please don’t tell anyone else about the materials and move them to a safe place.  When I left Mr. Stark this afternoon, he was in an extremely hateful mood.”

I wanted to throw the other messages away, but decided to call the people.  Three of the calls were from people who had seen the show and wanted to donate money and get their names on one the buildings.  I suggested that we would be amenable to having their names on one of the housing units in Willingham Village.”

I made the last call and it shook me.  I identified myself, and the voice announced, “This is Rash Lumbaugh, I’m going to charge with every possible crime because you caused Mr. Charles Stark to commit suicide.”

The man didn’t even give me a chance to respond before he hung up.

I thought to myself, ‘Mr. Lumbaugh isn’t that stupid.  This has got to be a hoax.’

I looked at the clock at it was almost 5:30.  When I exited my office, there was no one around, so I made my way to my car and headed home not knowing what to expect.

To be continued...

Editor's Notes: Well, I rather expect that Lumbaugh is going to do whatever he can to cause trouble. I also think that he is going to fall flat on his pompous bottom.

I am ready and waiting for more, as soon as possible!

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 11/06/09