Richard couldn't believe that his younger brother was missing. He knew how he felt about the way his classmates treated him, but he had no idea his brother's classmates were just as mean. He knew he had to call his dad but he didn't have a phone. He looked to Charles and asked him if he could use his cell phone to call his dad. Charles knew using cell phones was against the rules but he figured that this was an emergency, so he passed him his phone.
Soon, sirens could be heard in the distance, so the 7th and 8th-grade boys knew the Sheriff's department would be there soon, so they doubled their resolve to find Ryan. The boys fanned out and walked in a line looking everywhere but since everything was wide opened they knew the boy wasn't there. It was then James remembered the old football field and the 'snack shack' back in the corner. It was located in a faraway corner of the schoolyard, so the group hurried there.
The older boys called out Ryan's name as they rushed to the area. Ryan wasn't paying much attention since he was still crying. The sirens' were getting closer and the older lads were still headed towards the unused refreshment stand.
When the older lads turned the corner of the shack, they found the crying boy. Robert took out his cell phone and called Charles and told him to get Rich to the far end of the football field and to hurry.
Richard and Charles ran to where they saw all the lads gathered. Rich could see a small lad amongst them and that made him run even faster. When the older brother got to the shack he ran to Ryan and picked him up and hugged him and cried that his brother was found.
After Robert had gotten a hold of Charles and Richard, he then went to the Principal's office to tell them they had found Ryan. Abigail Chadwick, Dan Chassen, and the Sheriff Deputies, who had responded to a missing child report at the school, all quickly headed to the back corner of the old football field. They met the lads as they had started back to the main entrance to the school.
Frank Longger arrived at the school as soon as he could after receiving the call that Ryan went missing. He was relieved to know that his son had only found a good hiding place and was hiding from the boys who teased him and made him feel like he didn't belong.
Principal Chadwick told the happy father that she would hold an assembly to explain to the student body what happened. She told Mr. Longger she would explain to the students that the treatment of any student, especially the way Ryan was treated, would not be tolerated and if she found that was happening again at their school the person or persons would be expelled.
Dan Chassen was glad the boys had come to him for help. He knew if they had gone to some of the female teachers they would have made it sound like the whole world was coming to an end. He knew the women teachers would have somehow called the media and made a spectacle out of the child hiding from his friends. He was relieved that Ryan was found on the school grounds and was just hiding from the kids who verbally bullied him.
Principal Chadwick did call an emergency assembly to be held that afternoon prior to dismissing the students for the three-day weekend. When she got in front of the students she made it abundantly clear that bullying, whether it be physical, verbal or even mental, would not be tolerated at her school. She stressed that new students were to be given an enthusiastic welcome and not treated like they don't exist. The principal went on about being friendly to all students and treating them like they would want to be treated.
When the end of school bell rang, Ken Thomas was outside the school to pick up his boys. Charles and Robert knew he would be there so they headed to the parents' pickup lane and not to their regular bus.
"So, did anything interesting happen at school today?" asked an unknowing 'dad' Ken, while trying to make small talk.
Charles and Robert looked at one another and then burst out laughing. Charles began telling their 'dad' about meeting Brad's brother Brant and why. The lad then told his 'dad' how Brant then went looking for Ryan.
Robert took over the story and explained that no one could find the lad and how their 7th and 8th-grade friends went looking for him and then found him. Charles finished the story by telling Mr. Ken about the Sheriff Deputies being called and then the principal calling an emergency assembly.
'Dad' Ken was mildly concerned about what happened at school, but to him, it sounded like a 'Chinese fire drill'. Mr. Ken asked if anyone got into trouble over the incident but the lads didn't know and probably wouldn't until they arrived at school on Tuesday.
The Cover boys told their 'dad' about how much their friends were looking forward to tomorrow's picnic. They said that their friends were happy their families were included and that it would only be people they liked being around and not some of the stuck-up kids, meaning the girls, they really didn't enjoy being near or close to.
'Dad' Ken then talked to the boys about how they would meet the twins and what they would tell them. He mentioned that Ms. Judy would definitely be there to introduce them and then they'd have to play it by ear. The boys told their 'dad' they were looking forward to having two more 'brothers' and getting them focused on getting better.
The Covers arrived at the hospital and Judy Turner was waiting in the lobby for them. She told them about the twins and what to expect when they met them. She told the Covers about their mom and dad and what injuries they had so they could talk to the boys about it when necessary.
The twins' doctor also met the residents of The Cove. The doctor explained when they met the twins they'd see the twins had multiple black and blue bumps and bruises, all healing, all over their bodies. The physician continued to describe how they had been covered in wrapped bandages until that morning when they replaced them with plain four by four gauze pads and tape over any significant cuts they had and plain band-aids on the rest.
The doctor explained the twins parents were now down in San Antonio at the BAMC burn unit and would be there for considerable time. He added that Mr. Ken could possibly have the boys until at least the end of the school year. That information caught the lads by surprise but they wanted to help the twins out, so they stayed committed to helping the lads heal and move on with their lives.
When the doctor was finished explaining what he felt was important about the twins to their prospective foster family, he, along with Ms. Turner, took Ken Thomas, Robert Harrison, and Charles Lewis to meet the twins. The twin boys were in the pediatric ward and the group had to be signed in to the ward before they could enter. That endeavor took the group about five minutes to complete and when done they proceeded through the double doors onto the children's ward.
When the group entered the room the twins were eating a snack. The doctor greeted them and then asked them if they could stop eating for a few moments as he wanted to introduce some people to them.
"Kevin, Kyle, (The doctor pointed to each one as he mentioned their names.) I want you to meet Mr. Ken Thomas and his boys Robert Harrison and Charles Lewis," spoke up the doctor. They are your prospective foster family.
Both boys got the look of surprise on their faces. They first looked at one another and then they looked at the three people they were just introduced to. Then they smiled at the three newcomers.
"How can they be his sons if they all have a different last name?" asked Kevin.
Charles looked at Robert who nodded back. Charles took the question and replied, "We're our 'dads' foster sons. That's how!"
Kyle didn't understand how the man could be their dad if they were foster kids, so he asked them.
Charles replied, "Well, when we first went to live with our 'dad' we used to call him Mr. Ken. But, over time, we asked him if we could call him 'dad'. He said yes to our request and said only as long as he could call us 'son'."
"So, why are you introducing us to these people?" asked Kevin of the doctor.
Ms. Judy took that question. "Boys … remember me telling you that you needed to stay with someone … until your parents got well enough to take care of you, again. Well … Mr. Thomas is going to be your foster dad and you'll get to live with him and his two foster sons. I wanted you to meet all of them and also know that the two boys are also foster kids so you know you are going to a good place. Robert is 13 and Charles is 12, so you two should fit right in. Also, Mr. Ken is having a Labor Day Picnic tomorrow, at his house, and there will probably be kids your age there, so you will get to know boys your age who you will be going to school with."
Kyle asked, "Will we meet any girls there?"
"Kyle, all of our good friends are boys," replied Charles. "I just learned today that one of my 'brothers' friends has a younger brother who is 10 and in the 5th grade. None of my friends have sisters, or brothers, that I know of, but I've never really asked them. As for Robert's friends, there are Sam and Terran who are brothers to Chuck and Trevor and are your age, 11.
"They are in the 6th-grade and if you decide to stay with us you'll be going to school with them. You'll meet them tomorrow at the picnic. We didn't purposely invite any girls but they may be there if they are in the families of our friends. I take it by your question you aren't partial to girls?" smirked Charles.
"You got that right!" replied Kyle. "We don't like no girls."
"You know you just used two negatives which negated each other so what you said means you DO like girls," teased Robert.
Kyle looked to Kevin for his take on what Robert just said. Kevin said it sounded right, what Robert said, but he then clarified the fact that they do not like girls. The oldest twin said he hoped that if there are girls there they won't have to hang around them. That got a round of laughs from everyone in the room.
"Boys," now spoke Mr. Ken, "we are here hoping you'll decide to come live with us while your parents recover from their injuries. I have a very big house so you can each have your own bedroom. I have someone who cooks for us and she'll put weight on you if you aren't careful. I also have an indoor pool and right now there are these two huge water toys out in the lagoon, as well as five skateboard ramps. But, boys … if after two weeks … if you are not happy with staying with us … you can ask Ms. Judy to find you another foster family.
"I want you to know that Robert is my second foster kid and he's been with me since last January. Charles is my third foster son and he's only been with me since before the 4th of July. I tell you that so you know that these two lads haven't deserted me yet, so I must be doing something right," chuckled Ken Thomas.
"If they are your second and third foster sons, what happened to the first one?" directly asked Kevin.
"Well, he is now off to college. He was just visiting us and he does stop by from time to time so I am sure you'll get to meet him eventually," answered 'dad' Ken.
"What's his name?" inquired Kyle.
"His name is Collin," answered Ken Thomas.
Again, the twins looked at one another after hearing Collin's name. It was Kevin who asked if he was the boy that someone tried to kill and if Mr. Ken was the man who took a bullet protecting him.
It was the Covers turn to look to one another, but Mr. Ken took the questions and told the twins that Collin was indeed the boy who some people tried to kill and he indeed did get shot during the attack at his house. Mr. Ken then asked the twins how they knew about Collin and his being shot.
Kevin said, "Who doesn't know about the shoot-out at Three Finger Cove? We were eight when all that happened and we watched TV all day long. We saw the video of Collin running out of the house calling out he thought there was someone in the house and then all the cops went running back inside the house. We wished we'd been there. It looked so exciting."
Mr. Ken smiled at what Kevin said. The Cover boys laughed because they had the same thoughts when they saw what was happening on the TV.
It was Kyle who then asked, "Will we be safe there? I hope those men aren't still after Collin."
Charles laughed and told Kyle that was the same question he had posed when he was asked to live at Three Finger Cove.
Then out of the blue, Kevin asked, "Didn't you have some trouble at your house not too long ago? I don't remember what happened but there was a lot on the radio and in the papers. So, will we be truly safe?"
"Kevin, Kyle, I have 24-hour security at The Cove. They check who comes and goes and I have lots of security cameras that help them keep us all safe. … Now … I guess we all need to decide if you two are going to come home with us, or … will Ms. Judy have to find you another place to live.
"We'd like for you to come home tonight with us, but … if you need some time to talk it over, you know, with each other … then we can come get you tomorrow morning. So … what will it be? Do you want to come home with us tonight, so you can get settled and be ready for the picnic tomorrow? Or … do you want us to come and get you tomorrow?"
It got awfully quiet in the hospital room after Mr. Ken asked the last question.
Then out of the blue, Kyle says, "Will we have to call you … 'dad'?"
"Oh, no, Kyle, you already have a dad. You can call me Mr. Ken until you decide on another equally important name to call me," replied Mr. Ken.
"Do you have a wife?" asked Kevin.
"No, Kevin, I am not married," responded Ken Thomas.
"So, we really can ask to live with someone else after two weeks if we don't like living there?" asked Kyle.
Ms. Judy took that question. "Boys … Mr. Thomas has given that same timeframe to both Robert and Charles, but neither of them have taken him up on that. But, if you indeed do not like living with Mr. Ken and his boys … then you can ask me to find another foster family to take you in and I will. That is my job, to find good foster families for children who cannot live with their primary family right then. … Do you have any questions for me?"
The twins looked back and forth to one another, and they both shook their heads that they didn't have any questions. Then, Kevin asked if they could talk alone before making their decision.
The visitors fulfilled the twins request and walked out into the hallway. The five in the hallway speculated about what the twins may or may not be deciding but that all it was, speculation. The boys hoped they twins would agree to live with them, even if it was only for those two weeks. Both lads had been given the same conditions and they both decided well before the two weeks to remain at The Cove.
Momma Maria was holding dinner for her men. It wasn't even close to dinner time but her employer had told her that he may return with two more lads. Mr. Ken also had asked her to fix a little more and be ready for a late dinner if the boys are reluctant to commit that night. She really did hope the twins did want to live at The Cove. She knew that was the best place for kids and then she'd have a few more mouths to feed with her special meals.
The twins talked back and forth about them taking the man and his boys up, on going to live with them. Kyle was enthusiastic about going there because he remembered what the place looked like from the outside and he figured the inside would be awesome. He also liked the idea of the indoor swimming pool. Kevin was a bit reserved about moving in with a single guy. He wondered why a single guy that young was interested in taking in young boys and he told his brother that.
The twins also discussed how often they would be able to visit with their mom and dad. They'd seen them only once and that was through a clear glass because they were told their patents had to be kept in a germ-free room, as much as they could, because they didn't want them to get an infection while they healed. The boys knew they had to ask that question when the man and his boys returned.
It took the twins about ten minutes to discuss their concerns between them before making their decision. When they were ready, Kevin pressed his call button and the doctor, Ms. Judy, and the Covers walked back into the pediatric hospital room.
"Well, boys … have you decided to go live with Mr. Ken and his boys, or do I need to find you another foster family to go live with while your parents recover from their injuries?" asked Ms. Judy.
Kyle looked to Kevin to answer. Kevin that asked, "Will we be able to go visit our mom and dad while we are staying with you, Mr. Ken?"
Ken Thomas had to look to Ms. Judy for the answer. He knew that the foster kid usually can't go anywhere away from their foster home for the first month. He hoped that Ms. Judy could make an exception for these lads who were put into this unusual situation.
Ms. Judy saw the question in Mr. Ken's face to her so she told the boys that she would make it so Mr. Ken could take them to visit their parents as much as they wanted as long as it didn't interfere with his schedule. Kevin smiled at his brother after hearing that. Then, after getting a nod from Kyle, Kevin told everyone they would like to go live with Mr. Ken and Robert and Charles and he then wanted to know when they could get out of there.
Their doctor told the twins that he had already made out the paperwork for them to go that night if they wanted. All he had to do was send the papers to the administration people and they could be gone by six. The twins got big smiles on their faces and asked where their clothes were.
Ms. Judy left the room while Robert and Charles helped the boys get their clothes on. The twins knew how to dress themselves but they had some bandages on and were still sore from being banged around so they appreciated they had someone close to their age to help them. Mr. Ken did look on and just watched as neither twin was embarrassed to be in their underwear.
While the twins dressed, the owner of The Cove called Momma Maria and told her they would be PLUS 2 that evening, but probably wouldn't be there until 6:30 at the earliest. Momma said that would be okay with her and asked her boss to call her when they started down to the car.
It was closer to 6:30 when the Covers and their new guests finally headed down to the car, well actually the Ford F-150 truck. The twins got in back with Charles who let the boys have the windows so they could see the area where they would be living.
The whole way back to the estate the smile on each twin was a mile wide. They took in the scenery and when they passed through the Four Corners area and saw the miniature golf course and the Go-Kart track they asked if they'd be able to try them. Mr. Ken smiled big at the question and knew that those were already two of the things he had planned for them on either Sunday or Monday.
When the vehicle arrived at The Cove, the boys couldn't believe how much bigger the house was than what they remembered seeing on the TV. Of course, what they remembered was from three years ago but even still they were happy they decided to go live with Mr. Ken and his boys.
Mr. Ken stopped at the Main Gate and introduced the twins to the on-duty guard and told the man the two boys would be permanent residents of the estate and to tell his relief about them. The owner of The Cove also told the man he would have the lads up later to get registered into the database. When the twins heard that, they got animated and told their foster dad they couldn't wait until they learned everything about their new home.
Chief heard the garage door open so she knew her men had returned. She didn't know where her boys were because they usually arrive at the same time every day after school. When the door between the garage and Nook opened she was ready to jump up on Charles but instead she saw two new youngsters and didn't know what to do.
"Chief … come here and meet Kevin and Kyle," announced Mr. Ken.
"Hey, he's Kevin, I'm Kyle," laughed Kyle.
"I guess I'll need to figure out how to identify you two, but I bet Chief won't have that problem. Chief … this is Kevin and this is Kyle. They are our two newest members of The Cove. Come over here and meet them," called out Mr. Ken.
Chief immediately went to the two new boys who knelt down to hug, pet and scratch her. Chief for her part began licking the lads who giggled at the feeling. It was obvious to 'dad' Ken that the boys had wanted a dog, but they never had one.
Momma Maria watched the greeting Chief gave the new members of The Cove and, after a minute or so, she cleared her throat. Mr. Ken told the boys that dinner was ready and they could play with Chief later.
When the Covers introduced their new house guests to Momma Maria she couldn't help herself and she grabbed the lads into a twin hug. The twins didn't know how to take this older woman whom they just met, but Kyle really got into the hug and hugged her back. When she released them, Momma Maria apologized for doing that, but she knew how badly they had to miss their momma and since they couldn't get a hug from her she decided to give them a hug for her.
Tears came from both twins eyes after hearing Momma Maria's explanation. Kyle then looked to big brother Kevin and they both then grabbed Momma Maria and hugged her tight. As they hugged her their dam burst and they both openly cried into the woman. They hadn't really cried over their predicament but right then, after four days of pain, and not seeing and now missing their mom and dad, came flushing out.
Mr. Ken watched everything unfold in front of him. After seeing how the twins were releasing their frustrations and pain about their parents, he knew he needed to get Doctor Doug involved with them as soon as he could. He made a mental note to call the man and set up the soonest date the doctor had.
Momma Maria held the boys tight and let them cry themselves out. The twins stayed tight to the woman for a good two minutes before Kevin and then Kyle broke out of the hug. The boys wiped their eyes and then apologized to her for doing that. Momma put a hand on each of the boys' shoulders and told them she was happy to sit in for their momma and that anytime they needed a hug she would be happy to help them out.
Kevin and then Kyle thanked her for understanding. They then looked at Mr. Ken and Robert and Charles to see how they reacted to what they'd just had done. Seeing their new family wasn't laughing but looked concerned the twins thanked them for not teasing them for what just happened.
Momma Maria made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner that night, knowing that spaghetti was comfort food for many a boy. But instead of the straight macaroni noodles, she made twists. She also made a small side salad for them and had four different dressings for the five diners to choose from.
When the five Covers finished their salads, Momma Maria served them a plate of noodles and told them to serve how much sauce and meatballs they wanted from the server in the middle of the table. While the twins passed their plates to Mr. Ken to put some sauce and the number of meatballs they wanted on the plate, Momma went and got the hot, toasted garlic bread and placed it on the table.
As the five ate, Charles said, "Now that you are staying with us at Three Finger Cove … you're now a Cover." Charles then smiled at both boys.
"A Cover, what's that?" immediately asked Kyle.
Robert took the question and responded by saying, "When Charles came to live with 'dad' and me, and he called us 'Covers', meaning that we all live here at The Cove. It kinda stuck and we all like the name so we all call ourselves Covers, now."
"Who are the Covers?" asked Kevin.
"All us 'brothers' are Covers," quickly replied Robert.
"No … he means who, like me and you, but they haven't met Collin, Ryan or Eric yet," spoke up Charles.
"Who are those other kids?" asked Kyle.
"Well, Collin was Mr. Ken's first foster kid, so that automatically makes him a Cover. And then there is Ryan. He was the first kid our 'dad' knew and he worked here taking care of the beach and 'dads' dock and small marina. Then, there is Eric. He's Ms. Judy's son. When Collin lived here, Collin and Ryan became best friends. They got to know Eric and they treated him like he was their 'little brother'.
"When I began to live here Collin and Ryan called me their 'little brother', too. With each of us calling one another 'brother' we continue to treat each other as 'brothers' and with you here now, you're not only a Cover, because you live here at Three Finger Cove, but that also makes you our 'brother', too," fully explained Robert.
'Dad' Ken listened with interest at Robert's explanation. What he heard made sense to the teen and overall it made perfect sense to him, as well. The boys have moved forward to calling each other as 'brother' because they didn't have a real brother to call. He loved the fact that the lads had gone that extra mile and he was happy his two 'sons' were looking to bring the twins into their special relationship.
Mr. Ken's 'sons' hogged the conversation at the dinner table but occasionally one of the twins would either ask another question or make a comment. The twins did tell Momma Maria how good everything was and that they loved spaghetti, and it was nice to have something different than straight noodles all the time.
When dinner was finished, Robert and Charles got up and went over to Momma Maria and hugged her. They also thanked her for making dinner for them. The twins watched their new 'brothers' and what they did. Kyle looked at Kevin who made a subtle nod back. The twins then got out of their chairs and went over to Momma Maria and hugged her and thanked her for making a real good dinner for them.
"'Dad', we're going to take our new 'brothers' upstairs and let them pick out their bedrooms," announced Charles.
The four boys walked out of the Kitchen Nook and before they got too far, 'dad' Ken yelled, "And don't run up the stairs!"
"How'd he know we'd run up the stairs?" asked Kyle.
"He has cameras everywhere," teased Robert.
"No he doesn't," countered Charles. "'Dad' just knows what boys do and he calls them as he sees, well, in this case, knows them. Wait until he tells you to wash your hands."
With that said both Robert and Charles began to laugh as the four walked up the stairs.
The Foyer Door opened as the four lads were beginning up the stairs. Robert and Charles saw who it was so they decided to introduce Mr. Dan to their new 'brothers'.
"Mr. Dan, you missed dinner and, ohh … we have two new 'brothers'" smiled a happy Charles.
"This is Kevin," said Charles, as he put his hand on the lad's shoulder.
"And, this is Kyle," said Robert as he did the same to the boy in front of him.
"Hey, I'm Kevin and he's Kyle," smiled Kevin as he spoke up.
"Hello, boys, I am a guest here at The Cove, as well, but I will be leaving after this weekend. Have the boys told you very much about me?" asked Dan Fischer.
Both twins shook their heads. Mr. Dan smiled and said, "I'm Dan Fischer. I am a Sheriff's Deputy who was injured a few weeks back. Mr. Ken and I go way back and he asked me to stay here as I recovered. So, you're new here. I know you'll enjoy this place. I know I sure have."
Kyle looked to the man and said, "Our mom and dad were injured in that big crash the other day. They are down in San Antonio getting better. We're going to stay here until our parents get better and come back to get us."
"Well, you've been brought to the best place ever for you. You guys run along and I am sure we'll see you tomorrow at the picnic," said Mr. Dan, and then walked towards the Kitchen Nook.
Charles and Robert told the twins a little more about Mr. Dan as they walked up the stairs. They learned about his new promotion and that the man had taken Charles to two amusement parks while Robert and Mr. Ken were away. The twins listened and had lots of questions but their older 'brothers' told them they'll learn more the longer they stayed.
When they reached the hallway, Charles said, "You get to pick from the four remaining bedrooms."
The four boys walked into all four remaining bedrooms and looked them over. The twins then asked to see what Robert and Charles's bedroom looked like. They said they wanted to know what they could do to their room. The use of the singular instead of plural, when the twins said 'room', didn't register on either of the two older lads. The four boys first looked at Robert's bedroom and then they looked at Charles's.
"So, why did you guys pick these rooms," asked Kyle.
Robert told the twins that it had the best view of the lake and surrounding area. Charles said he'd have picked that room but his 'brother' already had it, so he chose the second best view of the lake and the surrounding area.
Kyle then looked to Kevin and it was Kevin who told their older 'brothers' they'd take the third best view of the lake and surrounding area. Charles then asked Kyle which room he was going to pick.
Kyle replied, "The third best view of the lake." Then he smiled.
"But your brother already picked that room," argued Charles.
"Well … we share a room at home, so … we're going to share the third best view room here too," smiled a responding Kyle.
Charles and Robert smiled at what Kyle said and the four went to the third bedroom on the lake side of the house. The twins went to look in the large closet and when they came out Kevin asked, "Where are our clothes? What will we wear? The only clothes we have are the ones we have on."
The four Covers hurried down to the Study to talk to Mr. Ken.
"'Dad', we have a problem," blurted out Charles.
"Oh, so what is this problem?" asked 'dad' Ken, as Dan Fischer looked on.
"We have NO clothes," shouted out Kyle. "The only clothes we have are what we have on and they already smell from the accident if you haven't noticed!" Kyle then looked to his brother for help.
"Mr. Ken … could you take us to our home so we can get some more clothes? We thought that since that lady decided we'd be living with you she would have gotten our clothes from the car and brought them over here," spoke up the twins' leader, Kevin.
"Oh," was all Mr. Ken could come up with.
"Boys … it is getting late and I don't even know where you live," said Ken Thomas. "Would it be OK for me to take you clothes shopping tonight and then at a later date, Sunday or Monday, take you over to your house and gather up the things you want to have here with you?"
"But what will we get," spoke up Kyle, but he'd directed his question to his twin instead of Mr. Ken.
Ken Thomas took the question, though and offered, "I'll get you a few changes of underwear, some shorts, long pants, polo shirts, t-shirts, socks, and sneakers. Did I miss anything?"
"We need toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, floss, nail clippers … you know the standard stuff us boys need," replied Kevin.
"Alright, boys' get your shoes on, go pee and meet me at the Kitchen Nook in less than ten minutes. We'll take the truck," directed 'dad' Ken.
The five Covers met as directed and before long they were headed to The Mall. Mr. Ken parked and they walked into JC Penney's and headed to the boy's section. The woman who helped Charles a few months back was working and when she saw Mr. Ken with four lads she hurried to meet him. She offered her assistance in anything the man may need.
Mr. Ken told her he needed to lightly outfit the twins with shirts, shorts, the works, but for only a few days. The lady asked the boys to follow her and that they did. The saleslady showed the twins what was left of the summer clearance rack and told them that that was all they had of shorts and summer colors. She then pointed out the fall clothing that included long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Charles told the twins to look through the clearance rack to see if they could find shorts they could wear. He told them to try things on to make sure they fit. After finding shorts that fit, the twins looked for some t-shirts and polos. They both found one of each. They also picked out two swimsuits to wear. 'Dad' Ken then pointed the lads towards the fall clothes and told them to find two pair of pants and a few shirts.
"Mr. Ken … aren't you buying us too much stuff?" asked Kevin.
"Not really. You two are going to be with me for quite some time so … getting you these clothes now will mean I won't have to later. I wonder though… did your parents take you school clothes shopping before the start of school?" Mr. Ken wondered out loud.
Kevin looked to Kyle and they both lowered their heads. Kyle then went to his twin and they hugged. Charles and Robert first looked at the twins and then at their 'dad'. 'Dad' Ken figured by the way the boys reacted their parents probably hadn't.
"Lads, look … we're going to outfit you with what you need to play and go to school," announced Mr. Ken. "I don't want you to worry about the cost. We live in that huge house so please believe me that I can afford it. Also, know that CPS reimburses me for what I buy. Both Robert and Charles know what sort of clothes to buy so please follow their lead and pick the things you need. After we get your clothes from home we'll add a few more to them, if need be, so that you have nice clothes to wear to school and when you play outside at The Cove.
"Boys, when we finish getting the twins some nice clothes for school we'll head to a pharmacy for their toiletries. When we're there, we'll get you two anything you may need," added 'dad' Ken, speaking to Charles and Robert.
The Covers spent almost three hours buying new clothes for the twins. After they got their shorts and pants and shirts they can use with them, they headed to buy them new underwear. Kyle went directly to the tighty whities section and picked a package of five off the shelf. Kevin started after his brother but stopped when Charles asked if they'd ever thought about trying boxer briefs.
"Boxer briefs?" asked Kyle, when he heard Charles mention them.
"Sure, look they fit tight like those white things you have in your hands, but they also feel so awesome to have them on. I strongly suggest we buy you one package for you to try. Then, if you like the way they feel we'll talk our 'dad' into buying you more. After I tried them I went totally to them," explained Charles, as he told them about his changeover to boxer briefs.
Kyle put the briefs he had in his hands back on the shelf and he and his twin went over to the boxer brief area and looked for their size. After finding them, they both chose two packages as there were only three pieces per package as compared to five of the others. They then started to go over and look at pajamas but the twins looked at one another and Charles noticed it and asked them if they wore PJ's. Mr. Ken heard their short conversation and asked the boys if they wanted PJs, and hearing they didn't they walked over to look at sneakers.
But before they got too far, it was then Robert spoke up and asked his 'dad' if they should get them some walking around shorts and a few sleeping shirts like they both used. 'Dad' Ken then explained to the twins that they both slept in a nice loose sports shirt that when worn with some sports shorts in the morning they could walk around the house. Then Charles told them that there were women at the house many mornings, so they couldn't walk around the house in their underwear.
Hearing that, Kyle looked to Kevin for his take on what was just said. The older lad told their foster dad that they wore something like at night but their parents didn't mind them wearing only their briefs around the house in the mornings. Kyle then spoke up and explained their sleep shirts hung well below their boy parts. That made the group laugh. Mr. Ken then directed the twins over to the sports clothes for them to get some new sleeping wear.
Their next stop was shoes. Charles found the lady who helped him back in July and explained what his new 'brothers' needed. The woman showed the lads the fall colors and designs. The twins were hesitant to even look at such expensive sneakers and it was Mr. Ken who saw it.
"Boys … please try on the sneakers. If they fit well and look good then we're going to get them. You two have been through a lot and I intend to help you get back on your feet and I know having nice things always helps a person with their self-esteem. If you don't believe me talk to Charles; he was in the same position back in July. Now … go on and try the sneakers on. We're going to get you two pair. … Charles tell them; help them," finished Ken Thomas.
When all the shopping was done and the toiletries were gotten, the five Covers headed to the older lad's favorite place, Dairy Queen. The twins were reluctant to get a banana split, so they ordered a small cone. 'Dad' Ken heard what they ordered, so he got the attention of the person behind the counter and had her make five banana splits. When they were delivered the twins eyes went wide open. Mr. Ken told them he can't give them back and for the boys to dig in and boy did they ever. Ken Thomas saw the huge smiles on the twins' faces as they ate their concoction.
The shoppers arrived back at The Cove close to 10 PM. Chief was there waiting for her men and when they entered through the Kitchen Nook she went around in circles she was so happy. She didn't know which person to go to so she went to Mr. Ken, first. It was then the man pulled out a dish of ice cream from behind his back and gave it to his dog. Chief lapped it up clean in less than two minutes and she didn't even get a brain freeze.
"Boys … it's been a long day for you. I suggest you head up to bed and get into it. We have about 100 guests arriving from twelve noon on, tomorrow, so it would be good for you to get a good night's sleep. I know you four will talk when you get up there, so Robert … I want you to ensure you all are in bed by 11.
"Kevin, Kyle, why don't you each take a clean pair of boxer briefs with you so you can put them on after you take your shower in the morning. In the meantime, I'm going to wash some of your new clothes, so you'll have something nice and clean for tomorrow. They might not be pressed but they will be presentable enough for you to wear. You going to be okay with that?" smiled Mr. Ken.
"Yes, sir … and thank you for all you've done for us, already. We both really do appreciate it," replied Kevin.
The four lads then headed up the stairs to bed. Chief followed right behind them. The question Mr. Ken had in his mind as he watched the gaggle go up to bed was, 'Who would Chief sleep with tonight?'
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