What Do I Do Now, Mom?
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 5 

Hank's Story

When Randy and I arrived at the trailer, I decided to go clean the stable, "Randy, why don't you rest while I go do some work in the barn?"

Randy followed me to the bedroom, "Hank, I'm confused by what happened in the car as we were getting ready to leave the club.  What if the boys had seen you kiss me?"

"The boys and I have already discussed the fact that it is okay for two men to kiss each other."

Randy stood with his mouth open, "Why would you and the boys be talking about something like that?"

"When I brought you home from the hospital, Blake was here to assist me in getting you settled.  When Kenny arrived, he kissed Blake in front of Billy and Bobby.  Billy wanted to know if it was okay for two men to kiss each other.  I told them yes and kissed them on the lips to prove it.  Now why don't you take off your clothes and rest?  While you're at it, change your diaper, so I can dispose of it without the boys seeing any evidence of what happened."

I was surprised when Randy shed his clothes and the Depends and handed it to me.  I looked at the inside.  "Randy, there is still some traces of blood, so I guess you will need to wear them until you stop bleeding.  They're a far sight cheaper than buying new briefs."

Randy was almost giggling, "Hank, I've decided that you're nothing but a lecherous old man and just want to perve on my body."

"Look, you young punk, that's no way to talk to your elder.  Randy, you haven't had a bowel movement since you were attacked, have you?"

Randy shook his head, no.

"We should probably talk to Dad about that when he gets here.  I'm guessing it's going to be very painful when you do.  Now get some rest."

I was hosing out the milking stable thinking, 'Gees, it's nice to have some other people around, even if they're not right here next to me.  What do you suppose Mom and Dad are doing with the boys?'

I was just about finished when Billy came running in, "Dad, where's Daddy?  Granddad wants to talk to him."

"Billy when I left the trailer, your Daddy was getting ready to rest.  Did you check his bedroom?"

"Dad, I checked your bedroom and the door was open, but he wasn't there and he wasn't in the bathroom."

I turned the water off, "Billy, let's go see if we can find him."

I looked and the car and the truck were still there, "He can't have gone too far.  The car and the truck are here, and I don't think he would leave without you and Bobby.  Let's go check and see if he's in the house.

We went into the kitchen and he wasn't there.  I held up my hand and motioned for Billy to be still.  We heard noises coming from the upstairs.  Billy started to run the steps, "Daddy, where are you?"

Randy appeared at the top of the steps, "What's the matter, Billy?"

"We were worried when you weren't in the trailer.  Dad Hank said you were supposed to be resting.  Granddad wants to talk to you."

Randy put his arm around Billy, "Son, slow down.  I got bored and came to see what work needed to be done, so Mr. Adler can move into the house.  We need to get this house fixed up so he can rent the trailer and make some money."

"But Dad, I thought maybe we could live there so me and Bobby can help him with the farm work."

I intervened, "Guys, we'll discuss living arrangements, later.  Let's go see what Dad wants."

As Billy, Randy and I were walking to the trailer, I asked, "Billy, what did you buy for the picnic?"

"Grandmother decided that the only thing we really needed was some hamburger rolls.  She and Bobby are checking to see if we need anything else."

When we walked into the trailer, Dad looked at Billy, "Billy, I think your Grandmother wants to talk to you."

Billy looked at my Dad, "Why didn't you just say that you want to talk to Daddy and your son without me around?"

Dad laughed, "Billy, I'd like to talk to your Daddy in private, so disappear."

Billy giggled, "That's more like it."

After Billy had disappeared, Dad started, "Randy, have you had a bowel movement since your incident?"

I started to laugh and Dad frowned, "What's so funny, Hank?"

I shrugged, "Randy and I were discussing this very thing earlier today, and I said we needed to check with you when you got here.  I'm rather sure that it's going to be painful since he still has traces of blood oozing from his anus."

Dad nodded, "I figured as much, so I stopped and bought some stool softener for Randy to take.  Randy, you might want to stick close to the bathroom when you take them.  Now, Randy I want to hear the entire story about what happened on Friday."

I grimaced, "Dad, why don't you and Randy talk over at the picnic table while I go make sure that mother isn't taking over the universe.  The boys should not hear what their Dad is telling you."

I went into the kitchen and there were hamburger rolls stacked on the counter, "Mom, how many people are coming, tomorrow?  It looks as if you're planning to feed an army."

Mom flipped back, "I figure that there will be about forty people here.  Everyone wants to meet our two new Grandsons.  Boys, why don't you get me four dozen eggs and we'll hard boil them so we can make deviled eggs after dinner.  Hank, go get ten pounds of hamburger out of the freezer.  We don't have time to kill enough chickens to fry chicken, so why don't you get a ham out of the smoke house and I'll bake it?"

I bowed, "Yes, Your Highness, is there anything else we can do for you?  Come on, boys; let's get out of here before her majesty has something else for us to do."

As the boys and I were walking to the house, Bobby asked, "Dad, does that mean you kill some of the animals and eat them?"

I realized that it was going to be a difficult conversation. I knelt down, "Look, guys, it’s much cheaper to raise your own food than to buy everything in the supermarket.  Bobby, I don't usually kill the animals myself.  I take them to a place where they slaughter them and prepare the meat for me.  I can handle a chicken or two, but I've never actually slaughtered a steer or a pig."

Bobby had tears in his eyes, "But Mr. Adler, isn't that like eating a pet?"

"Bobby, if we, or I, didn't eat them, I would sell them and then someone else will buy them in a grocery store and eat them.  That's why I have a garden which we need to check.  It saves money if you take the time to do it.  Does it bother you to eat something that is growing in the ground or on bushes?  They're living things just like the animals.  That's why we don't give the animals names except for a few."

We arrived at the house and got the eggs out of refrigerator and boys took them to Mother, while I pulled ten pounds of hamburger out of the freezer.  I was just walking out of the house when Billy returned, "Dad, I'll take those while you get the ham."

When I arrived with the smoked ham, Bobby and Mother were working at the stove.  Mom turned to me, "Hank, you really do need to get the house finished.  It's going to get very crowded with the four of you guys living in this trailer."

Billy giggled, "Grandma, Daddy was looking to see what needed to be done, so Mr. Adler could live in the house.  Let's just hope that we can stay here with your son.  We don't know if Daddy and him even like each other."

I decided to diffuse the situation, "Guys, it's time to take care of the animals.  Bobby, why don't you stay and help Mother, and Billy can help me."

Bobby jumped down, "Nope, I gotta help too.  Billy doesn't know how to feed the cows or pigs.  That's my job."

The boys and I were walking to the barn, and I saw that Dad was still talking to Randy.

The boys had it figured out and they didn't even ask any questions. We were working like a well oiled machine.  Both boys had gone to do other chores when I went to the milk house to clean and sterilize the milking machines.  I was just about finished with the task when Dad and Randy came in.  Dad asked, "Where are the boys?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Dad, I'm not sure exactly, but they went to do their chores.  Bobby is probably taking care of the pigs and Billy is gathering the eggs and feeding the chickens."

Dad laughed, "It sure didn't take them long to get settled in.  Hank, I think that Randy should sue the creep, Leonard, for what he did."

I put up my hands, "Dad, I hope it doesn't come to that.  I think we should try to keep the case out of the courts, so Billy and Bobby don't find out what really happened.  Is Uncle Mark coming to the picnic, tomorrow?"

"I have no idea who your Mother has invited.  You know how she is.  To her, more is better.  I'm guessing Mark is invited."

I rubbed my hands together, "Why don't we discuss what happened to Randy with him and he can suggest how best to proceed, so that Billy and Bobby don't have to hear the gory details."

We were interrupted by Bobby, "Dad, the animals have been fed.  Me and Billy are going to go clean the eggs and put them in the refrigerator.  Do you need us to do anything else?"

"Nope, take your Daddy and Granddad to the trailer and see if you can help Grandma with dinner.  I'll be there shortly."

I finished and went to make sure the boys had done what they said.  They did and all of the animals were fine and well taken care of.  I thought to myself, 'I'm going to have to start paying them, if they are going to stay here with me.  Heck, I'll probably go broke paying them for the work their doing and what their dad does in the house.  It will be interesting to hear what he has planned, after his inspection, today."

When I walked into the trailer, the table was ready for dinner.  It was going to be a little crowded with six of us around the small table.  Mother started on me, "Henry, you need to get the plumbing fixed in the house as soon as possible.  There is no way the four of you will be able to survive in this little trailer."

Bobby took exception, "Grandma, this is a mansion compared to the hotel where we were living."

After we finished the light dinner, the two boys cleared the table without being asked.  Mother arched her eyebrows, "Are you sure they're real?"

Randy smiled, "Mrs. Adler, you don't know how much the boys and I appreciate your son taking us in.  I have no idea what's going to happen when we need to leave."

Bobby heard what his Dad had said, "Daddy, why do we gotta leave?  We like it here."

After my Mother had given me instructions as to what needed to be done, she and Dad departed.  I thought to myself, 'When is Mother going to realize that I'm not a little boy?'

The boys were watching a show on television and Randy went to take the laxative pills that Dad had brought.  I decided to sit at the kitchen table and finish the report cards.  I was having a difficult time concentrating on them, but I finally finished and looked at the clock and the boys were lying on the floor.  Bobby was nearly asleep; I picked him up and carried him to the bathroom and had him go to the bathroom and brush his teeth.

Billy had followed us and did likewise, Billy looked at me, "Dad Hank, please make it so we can stay here with you."

"Billy, that's up to your Daddy.  Let's worry about getting him better first, and then worry about where you're going to live.  It's getting late so why don't you boys go to bed.  You can take a shower after we do the chores in the morning."

The boys were wearing only their briefs when they climbed into bed.  I kissed them goodnight.  Bobby put his arms around my neck, "Dad, please make Daddy like you, so we can stay here with you."

I looked at the two boys as I turned out the light, 'Shit, if only they could be my sons.'

When I walked into the living room, if you could call it that, Randy was sitting there on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table.  I sat down beside him, "Mr. Taylor, your youngest son gave me an edict.  I'm supposed to make you like me, so they can stay here.  Now, what do I gotta do to make it happen?"

"Hank, I was sitting here wondering what it would be like to love another man.  I ain't had any experience in this area.  What did you and your former lover do?   Who was your former partner, anyway?"

I laid my head back on the sofa, "Ron was an architect.  He's the person who designed all the changes we made in the house.  It was a dilapidated building when we first moved here six years ago.  We weren't exactly rolling in dough, so we decided to do the remodeling work by ourselves.  Ron was the same age as me.  We met in college and we connected."

"Ron was invited to attend a conference in Saint Louis.  He went, but on the way home, his plane crashed and all passengers perished.  Fortunately, we had taken out insurance on both of us so the farm was free of any encumbrances, after his death.  I hadn't felt any urgency about moving back into the house, because it always brought back many pleasant memories."

Randy put his arm around me and pulled me close, "Why couldn't I have been strong like you and continued on?  I wallowed in my wife's death to the point that I was jeopardizing Billy and Bobby.  I probably needed that wake up call that the Mayor gave me.  It is as if we were sent here for you and your parents to take over our lives."

I kissed Randy again, "Why don't you go to bed, so I can go to bed?"

Randy kissed me in return, "I know when I've been told to disappear."

I watched as Randy walked to the bedroom.  'Gees, I hope we can work out a deal so he and the boys will stay.'

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  I don't know for sure, but things are looking really promising as to whether Randy and the boys stay with Hank.  I think they all really need each other.  As someone once said, "Sometimes bad things happen so good things can." 

Isn't it an interesting thing that Hank needed someone to help him fix up his house, in fact, needed a plumber, and then, for some reason, a man with two sons, and who needs someplace to live, just happens into Hank's life, and he happens to be a plumber?    Well I guess we will just have to wait for the next chapter, to see what will happen.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 02/12/10