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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 2:21:50 GMT -6
Chapter 60
Gil got up from the breakfast table and was about to head up to the Chamber when the driveway alarm sounded. Gil looked out the window and saw a car, but didn't recognize it. A woman got out and came to the front door. Gil opened the door to greet her. "Good morning,….uh...Mr. Conner?"
"Yes," Gil replied.
"I'm Helen Maker, with Child Services."
"Won't you come in Ms. Maker."
Grace came in and Gil introduced her to Ms. Maker.
"I'm here about Billy Randolph. You have been recommended by many influential people, including the Sheriff and the Chief of Police as Foster Parents for Billy."
"Yes, Ms. Randolph, we'd love to have him here." Grace said.
"If I may, I'd like to inspect the house to ensure it is suitable. I'm sorry, I can already see this is a beautiful home, but I'm required by law."
"It's no problem, Ms. Maker, we understand."
Grace led her through house and Ms. Maker was agreeable to Billy temporarily sleeping on the pull-out.
"Now, about schooling…"
"Ms. Maker, I fully intend to pull him out of public school and home school Billy."
Ms. Maker looked at Grace. "To be honest, I would probably do the very same thing."
Ms. Maker was satisfied with what she had seen and asked they be at the hospital the next day for Billy's release.
As Ms. Maker was driving away, Grace's phone rang.
"Grace, Sheriff Whitaker here. Did Ms. Maker visit you?"
"Yes Sheriff, she just left."
"Good. Billy is being released into your custody tomorrow at 1:00 PM. Ms. Maker will be there for you to sign some paperwork."
"Thank you for your help. I owe you a pecan pie."
"I'm gonna hold you to that Missy. Have a nice day."
Grace squealed and hugged Gil.
"How long do you plan to keep him, Grace?"
"If he's the boy I think he is, the rest of his life." Grace said.
Gil was working on a wall for the second floor addition when Grace and Mollie came in carrying boxes. Gil came down and took the box out of Grace's hands.
"You shouldn't be carrying stuff around."
"That's sweet Gil, but nonsense. I have to exercise and the box is light."
"What are you two doing?"
"Just putting away some things for the kitchen area and the Chamber We've got unbreakable soup plates, porcelain enamel dinnerware sets with insulated mugs, eating utensil sets, including chopsticks, stainless steel pitchers with lids, stainless steel bowls, laundry hand washer with laundry wringer, a Scrusher for you to install next to the tunnel door, boot jacks for next to the door and one for each of the adult's rooms, a large, recycled rubber mat for the entryway, and 6 Petromax pressure lanterns with hanging brackets for outside the doors of the adult bedrooms."
Gil shook his head and unloaded the heavier things, then went back to building the addition.
"You two need to pick out flooring for the kid's and Billy's room!" He shouted down.
He told them the dimensions needed and they took off smiling. More Shopping!
The next day Gil and Grace were at the hospital waiting for the doctor to discharge Billy. They had to rush to get there because Gil had started early that morning trenching to lay the ThermoPEX for the floor heating in the cabin. Jack ran Gil off and told him they'd finish the hook-up and filling the trench.
Gil paid the hospital bill and got to the room as a nurse pushed a wheelchair in. Grace sent Gil out to pull the Jeep up to the front entrance as the nurse came out the door; Billy got out of the wheelchair and hopped into the backseat of the Jeep.
"Gil, a Sheriff's Deputy will meet us at Billy's house for us to pack his things."
Gil nodded and followed Grace's directions the home. Billy and Grace got out and went inside, Gil following in a more sedate manner. Billy got three suitcases out of the attic and was able to pack all his things in the three suitcases and a cardboard box. Loading everything in the back of the Jeep, They headed for Bluff View.
"This is really out in the country!" Billy said.
Gil smiled and turned into the drive. As they came down the west side of the ridge, Billy was in awe of the view that lay before them.
Mollie and Sandy met them on the porch as they unloaded the bags and came in. They took immediately carried Billy's things up to Gil's office where Mollie had the bed pulled out and already made. Grace explained that this was just temporary until Mollie moved into her cabin, then he would have a room of his own. They all went back down to the kitchen where Mollie served a snack of Apple Dumplings and coffee, milk for Billy.
"Billy, don't be going out in these woods by yourself. There are sensors all over the place to keep intruders out. If you want to go out, I'll take you; I can selectively turn them off." Gil explained.
"You won't be going back to Keplar." Grace said."
"ALL RIGHT!" Billy grinned.
"Don't get too excited, I'm going to home school you right here. You will be expected to do your homework and write essay papers."
"I don't mind the school work." Billy said. "The teachers at Keplar made it so easy, so the slower students could learn, it wasn't fun."
"Well, I'll try and challenge you as much as I can."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 2:24:11 GMT -6
Chapter 61
The next morning Billy was up early, made his bed and went downstairs to the kitchen with Gil. "Want to help me today, Billy?"
"Sure!"
"Billy, you are going to see some things here at Bluff View I don't want mentioned to anyone outside this family. It is our business and for our safety that no one else knows about what we have here."
"I won't say anything, I promise."
"Billy, a man's word is his bond. There is no greater honor than being a good man, husband, father and citizen. Always keep your word. If people see you are a man of honor, people with have more respect for you than all the power and money in the world could ever buy you."
"Yes Sir."
They loaded some siding in the Gator and the trailer. Gil put the sensor controller in its holder on the Gator dash and they went up the ridge. As they drew near the shelf, Gil turned off that zone and parked in front of the tunnel door.
"Golly!" Bill said, as Gil unlocked the wooden and blast doors.
They carried the siding inside and stacked it near the new additions.
"What is this place?" Billy asked.
Gil walked Billy around the Chamber an explained to him the purpose.
"This is neat!" Billy said.
"Okay, we need to get busy." Gil said, heading for the ladder.
They finished putting the plywood on the flat roof and began putting up the sheathing on the additions.
Grace was busy online ordering a subscription to Time4Learning, a Tennessee approved home school module. She enhanced it with additional modules in Tennessee state history, science, and math. She would get with Gil for his recommendation on some type of skills book Billy could do his first report on.
After lunch, Gil decided to wait until the next day to put in the sound-deadener and the interior wallboard and work on firewood. He introduced Billy to the LogOX, peavy, log togs, timber carrier and the timberjack. They put the equipment in the Gator, which Billy drove up to where the logs were at the edge of the shelf, while Gil drove the tractor up with the log splitter. Giving Billy a set of sound reducing earmuffs, Gil donned his cutting safety equipment and used the timberjack to lift up a log, cut a 17" length off of it and repeat until the log was cut up. Billy used the LogOX to carry the cut off piece over and made a loose pile of wood next to the log splitter. Once they had a log cut up, Gil would split the wood and Billy stacked the split wood on a wooden pallet. Once it was filled, by Gil's measuring stick, with a half cord of wood, they banded it and moved the pallet over with other banded pallets tarped under the trees. Gil taught Billy how to use the MT-100 to move the filled pallets, which thrilled Billy to no end. Once they had two cords done, the guys stored their equipment in the tunnel, shut everything down and went to the house for dinner.
Billy could hardly stop talking to Grace and Mollie about what they did that day. After dinner, Grace sat down with Billy and went over the curriculum he would be following. Before Grace could even get the reference books, Billy was online going over the lessons.
"Gil, we need to go into Knoxville to pick up some home school supplies and books from stores recommended by the Home School Co-op. You don't need to go. Mollie and I can take Billy and get what he needs."
"Okay, I'm just going to be installing insulation and hanging bead paneling tomorrow anyway. Oh, while I'm thinking about it. I've ordered new Dell laptops for all of us. Yours and mine are getting a little long in tooth. They should be here by the middle of next week."
"Great! I hope they have larger screens."
"I got 17" screens and 4 terabyte portable hard drives also."
"That will help." Grace said.
"The well driller will be here Thursday. He said it wouldn't take more than a couple of days to get water. I'll go ahead and start trenching and laying pipe after they get here."
"Are you putting Mollie on that well?"
"Yeah, she's just got a temporary connection right now. I'll put in cut-off boxes in to isolate the greenhouse and her house. If need be in the future, we can always cut them back on."
Billy help Gil load and move the paneling and glue to the Chamber before they left to go to Knoxville, even carrying in enough whole sheets to do the kid's rooms. Gil would wait until Billy returned from Knoxville to get the sheets upstairs. He could work on installing the stair support posts.
Gil was drilling the last floor flange holes for the stair supports when Billy came back.
"Did you get everything you needed?" Gil asked.
"I guess. Miss Grace did all the pickin' and buying. She even made me get some new clothes and boots and shoes to wear around here and to church. Do I have to go to church?"
Gil put down the drill and walked Billy over to the fire pit he had lit and sat down in a chair.
"Billy, it isn't a matter of 'having to go to church.' If you are going to worship God, you could do it most anywhere; here in the Chamber, out in the woods, sitting by the river. But, from what I understand from reading the Bible, God wanted us to worship as a group so we could help each other. Then there's other things too. Some of the things Reverend Jim say has set my mind to looking at things closer, and sometimes in a totally different way. I never came away from church with a bad idea. A lot of the time it's about helping someone. Even talking in the church yard before and after the service, you pick up on things. Billy, you'll find out, when you do something that helps someone out in a time of need, and see the look on their face of relief, you'll get a feeling of fulfillment and happiness you can't get anywhere else. When you get that, you'll know you've done the right thing. The Reverend preaches a message that helps us all be better people. He hasn't steered me wrong yet."
"Okay, I'll go. I don't ever want to be the kind of man my Pa was."
"Well, don't fault your pa too much. All kinds of people have all kinds of weaknesses, but unless they want to be helped, there's no way they will fix their problems themselves. That's stupid. Stupid people are doomed to fail and when they do, most of the time they end up hurting, either physically or mentally, the people around them. You need to watch out for stupid people and do the exact opposite of what they do."
"I see what you're saying. I want to be a good person and help people when I can."
Gil clapped Billy on the shoulder and Billy went over to hold the water hose for Gil to finish drilling the holes.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 2:26:45 GMT -6
Chapter 62
The next morning, Billy went back up with Gil to the Chamber. Grace decided to go over the home schooling material and wait until they had the new computers set up before starting the home schooling. Gil decided to finish the second story before continuing with the stairs. Laying sheets of paneling on the forklift blades, Gil lifted the sheets of paneling up to the upper floor level then went up the ladder to start gluing the panels and nailing them to the wall with the brad nailer. Getting the measurements, they went down and cut the last pieces to fit and lifted them up with the MT-100. Stepping back and turning to scan the room, Gil looked at Billy.
"What do you think?"
"A job well done!" Billy grinned.
"Well, not yet. You see the little cracks along the top of some of the panels? We're not going to get fancy, but I want to cover those up. Usually, folks put up a fancy moulding called 'Crown Moulding.' Now, you don't seem like a 'fancy' type of guy so we'll put up a more simple type of moulding called 'Cornice.' It does the same thing. Also we'll add a 1x6 inch baseboard."
Gil took notes of the measurements they needed and went back down to cut the pieces out. Setting up the small compound miter saw, Gil explained to Billy what he was doing, why he was making the cut the way he was, then cut the piece. He instructed Billy on how to splice the pieces together also. When he finished one of the long side pieces, he marked and coded it to where it was to go. Gil had Billy do the next piece. Billy cut the miter wrong his first time, but Gil showed him what he had done wrong and showed him how to correct his mistake. Billy was much more attentive and checked everything twice before cutting this time. When he had the pieces cut out, he marked the back of each one like Gil had done. Gil had Billy cut out the pieces for the short ends of the room, they bundled each side with painter's tape and took them up top. Billy would identify the bundle they needed, Gil would hold the piece in place and Billy would nail it in place using the brad nailer.
"Okay, I'll hold the tape measure and you take the measurements and write them down for the baseboards. We're not using any miter cuts here, just straight cuts from board to board."
"I….I don't have a pen and notebook." Billy said.
"You can use mine. Now, what are you going to bring with you tomorrow?"
"A pen and notebook, for sure!"
Gil Grinned, handing Billy his notebook and pen. Billy took the measurements and wrote them down, making sure to label each measurement as to what wall it went on.
"Are you done?" Gil asked?
"Yes, I have all four walls."
"Come over here. You started here. That measurement will be correct. Where the boards butt up to each other, you need to subtract the thickness of the board you're butted up against or you will be that thickness too long. Billy stood there and stared at the corner then his eyes lit up in understanding. Going back, he retraced this measurements, made his corrections.
"Measure twice, cut once." Billy said, grinning.
"That's the idea." Gil grinned.
When they had finished nailing the baseboards in, they stood examining their work.
"What color are we painting the walls?" Billy asked.
"First, we'll prime the bare moulding and baseboards then paint everything 'Eggshell White.' It will reflect the light better and the room won't be so dark."
They went back down, cleaning up the tools and vacuuming up the sawdust then dumped the scraps and sawdust in the scrap box.
"Let's go eat!" Gil said.
When Billy sat down to the table after washing up, there was a Fisher Space Pen and a new all-weather pocket notebook, like Gil carried, laying in his plate. Billy grinned and slid the notebook and pen in his left breast shirt pocket, just like Gil carried his. Grace watched what was going on and grinned.
Gil made blueberry pancakes, Mollie made a hashbrown casserole, and Grace made bacon and scrambled eggs the next morning. Mollie added a dish of fresh sliced tomatoes from the greenhouse. Mollie had made a pitcher of powdered milk with a tablespoon of butter powder mixed in. Letting it sit in the fridge overnight made it taste like 2% milk right out of the dairy case. Billy drank two glasses as he devoured the breakfast.
"Are we painting today?" Billy asked, wiping his mouth with the napkin.
"We'll do the primer." Gil answered. "UPS will be delivering the computers today and I want you and Grace to sit with me as we set them up and install the software."
"Can I move my information from my old computer to the new one?" Grace asked.
"Not a problem. Mollie, do you need a computer?"
"Not my cup of tea. If I need something from the computer, I'll ask Grace!"
Billy got up and rinsed his dishes and went upstairs.
"How's he doing?" Grace asked.
"Couldn't ask for better." Gil answered, rinsing his plate.
The two males put on their coats and ballcaps and went out the door.
"That boy acts just like the spit outta Gil's mouth." Mollie declared.
Grace watched the two walk to the workshop. "Yeah…."
They were just finishing priming the moulding and the baseboards and were outside washing their brushes out when Gil's radio beeped. "Gil, the computers are here."
"Okay we'll be right down."
Gil and Billy hung the brushes up to dry and shut everything down, locking the doors. Gil let Billy drive the Gator back down to the house. Going inside Grace motioned the boxes were on the front porch. Taking out his boxcutter, Gil opened the first box and got the documents, cord, power supply and computer out and handed it to Billy.
"Take this in and put it on the kitchen table, then go out to the workshop and bring in that roll-up power cord with the built-in receptacles and plug it in in the dining room."
Gil opened the other boxes and to get the contents out, leaving the trash packed back into the big boxes. Taking everything in, they got everything set up on the dining room table, each at their own computer. Gil walked them through their initial setup and customization and began installing the software. Pulling out a flash drive, he had them install additional software for password saving, a file transfer program and a graphics program, then showed them how to set DuckDuckgo as their default search engine. He then began transferring Grace's data to the new computer. Two and a half hours later, they were done.
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Post by papaof2 on Nov 11, 2021 3:28:52 GMT -6
Opioid medications will get you back on your feet! Glad you're back!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 4:02:20 GMT -6
Chapter 63
The next day, Billy was only able to help Gil paint the room a little while toward the end of the day. Grace had him doing schoolwork right after breakfast. She had him reviewing the entire 5th grade first, then the 6th grade. He took tests in all the subjects and made 100s in all but three, and those were 90s. Grace had him go back and see where he had made his mistakes and tell her why his original answer was wrong. The next day he would begin the 7th grade study. Studying for only one grade took much less time, unless the got a wrong answer on the practice test, then he went back and reviewed to find his mistake. There were few.
Gil had finished painting Billy's room and was working on the stair supports, bolting extensions on the landing posts for a sturdy railing on the 5'x5' landing. Billy started helping by bolting the stair footer plate as Gil was cutting out the stringers for the stairs.
"How was study today?" Gil asked.
"Good. "I had some hard spots in the sex education portion though."
Gil coughed on the spittle he tried to swallow.
Billy grinned up at Gil. "Just kidding. There is no sex education portion. I missed one question on a math module but I got it figured out."
"Don't say things like that around your Mo.… around Grace."
"I won't. How do you figure where to cut the notches?"
"They're called 'risers'." Gil explained. "This portion is called the 'run'."
Drawing out a set of stairs on a scrap of wood, Gil labeled each part with its name.
"There is a formula for determining the number of runs and risers and their lengths. Once I have that, I set my framing square stops at those measurements and I can mark the risers and runs quickly without verifying my marks by measuring again. I want you to look up on how to build a set of simple stairs and see if you can explain it to me tomorrow. You can take notes in your notebook to refer to."
Gil finished cutting out the inner and outer stringers and set them aside.
"Let's take a break." Gil said. They walked over to the fire pit were Gil had to coffee pots heating. One had hot water, the other had coffee. He went over to an upper cabinet and took out a canister, two cups and a spoon and brought them over to the fire. Opening the canister, he took out a packet of cocoa mix , opened it, and dumped it in the cup, adding the hot water and the spoon to the cup, then handed it to Billy. Filling the other cup with coffee, Gil took a seat. Billy sat there slowly stirring the cocoa, letting it cool a bit.
"How long do you think they'll let me stay here?" Billy asked, looking down at his cup.
"I have no idea." Gil replied. "Do you want to stay here?"
Billy took a sip of the cocoa. "This is the first time I've ever felt like I belonged to a real family. No cussing and screaming, no fighting, no drugs and whiskey…. " A tear rolled down Billy's cheek.
Gil cleared his throat. "Billy, would you want Grace and I to adopt you, for you to be a permanent member of our family?"
"Yes Sir, more than anything in the world!" Billy cried, more tears running down his cheeks.
"Well, I guess we need to go and ask Grace too then."
They secured their tools and equipment and shut everything down. Billy was still wiping tears out of his eyes so Gil drove back down. Grace and Mollie were setting the table when Gil and Billy walked in. Grace looked up and saw Billy's face.
"What's wrong?"
"Grace, Billy has something to ask you."
Billy stepped closer to Grace. "Wi…Will you adopt me and be my Momma?"
Grace's hands flew to her mouth as she cried out, "YES!"
Mollie gripped the back of a chair and struggled to keep her tears from flowing.
Grace pulled Billy into her arms. "Yes Billy, I would love to call you my son!"
Billy hiccupped and threw his arms around Grace. "I love ya'll so much!"
Mollie wiped her eyes with her apron and moved over to the stove and stirred the beans.
"Ya'll need to wash up. Dinner is almost ready."
Gil and Billy headed to the downstairs bath.
"I didn't see that coming. I thought…."
"Seen it comin' a mile away. Too much like blood flowing. Ya'll might not be blood kin but that don't make no difference."
Grace washed her face with cold water in the sink and had just finished drying it when Gil and Billy returned. Mollie and Grace placed the food on the table and took their seats, followed by Billy and Gil. They all joined hands as Gil said the blessing.
"Lord, we thank you for the bounty you have provided to us and we thank you for the love you have spread across this family. Give us the strength and wisdom as this family grows. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN."
Mollie, Grace and Billy echoed the "AMEN," Billy's the loudest.
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Post by iamnobody on Nov 11, 2021 7:37:07 GMT -6
You need to watch out for stupid people and do the exact opposite of what they do.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
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Post by bluefox2 on Nov 11, 2021 8:02:20 GMT -6
Obviously those opiod meds woke up your muse also. Glad you are back and apparently doing well
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Post by gipsy on Nov 11, 2021 8:19:09 GMT -6
What a great update. Take more of them pills if they keep you writing like this.
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Post by paulk on Nov 11, 2021 9:53:19 GMT -6
Thank you so much. Great to have you back.
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Post by cavsgt on Nov 11, 2021 11:19:42 GMT -6
Thank You
Fantastic addition that wasn't expected today. Love your stories and the way that you get us feeling like we really know the people.
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Post by cutter on Nov 11, 2021 15:55:32 GMT -6
It took a lot of heart to take one day off from surgery and come right back to writing good quality material. You're a better man than I am and I'm grateful for your efforts and talent.
I'll continue offering prayers for your speedy healing and recovery. Thanks again and more when you feel like it
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Post by udwe on Nov 11, 2021 18:07:54 GMT -6
This is awesome, what a story!
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Post by texican on Nov 11, 2021 18:38:37 GMT -6
N, First post 16 hours ago at 2 am. And four chapters. What dedication. Thank you.
"How long do you plan to keep him, Grace?" "If he's the boy I think he is, the rest of his life." Grace said.
Mommy has spoken.
Billy stepped closer to Grace. "Wi…Will you adopt me and be my Momma?"
Grace's hands flew to her mouth as she cried out, "YES!"And it is official.
Life works out and Gil has a son to teach and train.
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Nov 11, 2021 19:03:29 GMT -6
Thanks for gettin' back to this so quickly. As of now, you got my vote for Comeback Player of the Year. :^)
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 22:28:50 GMT -6
Chapter 64
"I'll go find out what I can." Grace said, wiping the counter. "We'll be working on the stairs. Be safe."
Billy came down stairs an put on his coat, waiting by the door for Gil with his cap in hand. Gil put his coat on grabbed his hat and motioned Billy out the door ahead of him.
"I'm sorry." Billy said.
"For what?"
"For crying yesterday."
"Whoa! Stop right there. You were showing your true feelings. No one should be denied that. I've cried many times. Whether it is for the death of a loved one, a friend, frustration, and sometimes even extreme happiness, you've got to let it out or you will burst, one way or another. Your mind flipped the switch for you and you let 'er rip. Thank YOU for being honest with us and showing us your true feelings. Grace and I, subconsciously I think, have been looking for a way to ask you if we could adopt you. You saved our bacon. Now, jump in the driver's seat. Onward and upward!"
Things seem to go very smoothly. They had no errors in calculations. Billy used the forklift to raise the stringers up expertly for Gil to bolt them on. There weren't even any knots in the threads that plagued them.
"Go up and measure for cap rails, top rails, bottom rails and balusters." Gil told Billy.
Billy looked at Gil sheepishly.
"Oh, right" Gil said. "Come on."
They walked over to the dining table and Gil took the pad of graph paper he had made a habit of keeping there with a ruler and a drafting pencil. Drawing what Billy recognized as a deck rail, Gil added all the parts and labeled them.
"Okay, this is the cap rail, this is the top rail, this is the bottom rail and these are balusters. Measure the balusters from the top of the post to four inches from the deck. Got it?"
"Yes Sir!."
Billy pulled his pen and notebook out of his shirt pocket and went up the stairs.
"Give me the measurement of the baluster first and I can start cutting them."
"Okay. It's thirty eight and a half inches."
"Got it!"
Do you want the corners mitered?"
"Yep."
Billy came back down and began selecting 2x6 boards for the railings.
"Billy, one more thing. Let's go back over to the table."
Gil turned the tablet and drew little corners on the cap rail closest to the stairs.
"Cut 45 degree corners on the ends of the cap rail closest to the stairs. We'll round them off later with the hand belt sander. You won't be snagging pockets and coat tails then."
"Oh…okay."
Gil used the Skill Saw to cut the balusters while Billy used the chop saw on the 2x6s. They took the rails up top and a caulking gun of construction adhesive and put the rails on with the nail gun and glue. The went back down and Gil got a wooden pallet and slipped it on the forklift blades, Loading the balusters, Gil switched nail sizes to a smaller nail, grabbed the adhesive gun and sat on the pallet. Billy raised him up and Gil nailed and glued the balusters around the rail.
"Why do you have to glue the balusters too?" Billy asked.
"Well, you really don't, but over time, changes in temperatures will cause the wood to swell and contract, slowly pulling the nails out if you don't glue them. It might take years for the nails to work out, but it is an irritant to me, so I glue them also.
Gil could see Billy filing that little tad of information in his mental file. They began cleaning up the scraps and sawdust and loading their tools into the Gator. Gil wanted to go down and check on the well driller. After they locked up and went down to the shop and unloaded everything, Billy hopped back into the driver's seat and took Gil down to the drilling site. The driller and his helper were washing off the shafts and cleaning up.
"How far did you go?" Gil asked.
"We hit water at 75', but I took it on down another 50' so you will be fine. It's good limestone filtered water. We were just getting ready to hook the pump up."
"I'll stick around then and make sure I don't have any leaks in the pipe I ran." Gil said.
Billy was closely watching everything the men did, especially the hooking up of the pump, from checking the continuity going to the service panel box in the greenhouse, to priming and pressurizing the pressure tank. They pressurized the waterline and seeing no leaks, Gil began filling the trenches with the front end loader on the tractor. The driller's helper rolled over the fake rock and covered the well. Job complete.
"I'll stop over this afternoon and bring you the cash." Gil said.
"I'll probably be down near Mooresburg this afternoon, just pay up with Margie."
"Will do. Thanks, I appreciate it."
"Hey, you're more than welcome. Some people hem and haw when it comes time to pay the bill."
Gil and Billy went over and turned the valves to switch the water from the new well into the cabin and the greenhouse.
'You'd better get to the house and get started on your studies before the women get back."
"Yes Sir."
"While you're going up that way, How about taking the Rokon up and parking it in the garage for me."
"YES SIR!" Billy yelled as he tore off to the equipment barn. Gil laughed.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 22:29:35 GMT -6
Chapter 65
It was after lunch before Grace and Mollie returned….. smiling. "Well we met with Ms. Maker. We were scheduled to take PATH training, that's 'Parents as Tender Healers' training and also needed to complete the home study process to be approved to adopt. She's coming out here to talk with us together and to talk to Billy to get his feelings. She had our paperwork on her desk and there was adoption papers already signed by a Judge Gilmore."
"Yes!" They heard from the stairway and Billy ran into the kitchen.
"Does that mean I can start calling you 'Momma and Dad'?"
Grace smiled, her eyes glistening. "If you want."
Billy looked at Mollie. Can I call you Grandma Mollie?"
"Mollie reached out and hugged Billy. "You certainly can, young man!"
"Dad, can you help me with a math problem?"
Gil cleared his throat. "I'll be right up.
Gil wiped his nose with his bandana and turned toward the stairs, not looking back.
Mollie grinned at Grace. "I finally get to be a Grandma!"
Gil came back down thirty minutes later. Mollie and Grace were folding dish towels and cloths on the dinette table.
"Oh, Mollie, the water is on in the cabin, you can move in anytime."
"Oh good! I need to get out so your son can have his room! I'll need a little help bringing some furniture from the old house. Once I get everything out, I'll sell everything else or give it to charity."
We'll give you all the help you need." Grace said.
"Says she of the big belly!" Gil chuckled.
"I can supervise!:
"We'll get it done Mollie."
The next morning, Gil hooked the large trailer to the Power Wagon and he and Billy followed Grace and Mollie down to Mollie's old house. Backing the trailer, Gil lined up with the front door. Mollie went in and selected a love seat, which had hardly ever been used, a couple of end tables, a coffee table, 2 lamps, the kitchen table and chairs, 2 full-size beds, nightstands, lamps from those, 2 chests of drawers, 2 stuffed chairs with ottomans. Mollie only took one mattress and would get rid of it as she got the mattress toppers in and got new mattresses. She and Grace loaded boxes with kitchen things and closed them up. They would sort everything out later. They packed the Jeep and trailer and the back of the Power Wagon and still had some stuff left over. They could get it later.
Billy and Gil carried the upstairs things in first and got the bed put together. When they had everything unloaded and placed where Mollie wanted it placed, Gil and Billy beat a hasty retreat. Billy to do his homeschool study and Gil to his computer to look up something he had run across months ago and didn't have a reason for one at that time….an Air Rifle. Not your garden variety Daisy or Red Rider kind, but a compressed air rifle powerful enough to kill a deer, or a man. Gil found and ordered two FX Impact Compact air rifles in .35 caliber with extra barrel liners in .22, and .30 calibers and 2000 pellets of all three calibers, plus ten boxes of hybrid slugs for those calibers. Also to stay away from electrically powered charging devices, he bought two, four-stage turbo hand pumps to charge the pressured air tanks. Billy would get a kick out of the rifle. Not only could he target practice with it, he could use it to hunt and it was much more silent than a conventional gun.
Gil had bought a beef and a pig and had them processed to fill up the freezers. He put as much as he could in the freezers in the Chamber then see where he stood with the 21 cubic foot freezer in the basement. Right now, it was half full of gallon milk jugs of Ice, although they would freeze a lot of vegetables this summer. In another month, he should be able to plow the cover crop under in the garden and get ready to begin planting. Sandy stayed busy chasing the rabbits and deer away from the fence. Gil had killed a buck and a doe this season but was too busy to get the other two. He would next year though. The mineral blocks seem to be working well. It was about time to replace the mineral blocks and would try those sold at Tractor Supply. He had read mixed reviews about them though. Surely, Tractor Supply wouldn't sell something that wasn't good, but he would give them a try. If someone didn't poach them off, he should have some big, healthy deer next season.
Ms. Maker was coming this morning and Gil had to put his foot down when Grace wanted to dress Billy up in slacks and a blazer for her visit.
"Grace, no one dresses up for a social worker's visit unless they are trying to hide something. Let him put on the clothes he normally wears around here. Keep things as normal as possible."
Grace sighed. "I guess you're right. I just want things to go well. I guess it would be better if everyone acted as normal as possible….but I'm nervous."
Billy walked in and heard what Grace had said.
"Momma, don't be scared. Everything will work out all right. "I'll tell them I love you and Dad and they won't stop you from adopting me."
Grace hugged Billy. "You and your Father are my towers of strength."
The driveway alarm sounded and Billy ran to the window. "It's her!"
"Billy, go comb your hair!"
"Grace….."
"Oh-h-h-h, Billy, stay here!
Ms. Maker came to the front door and knocked. Grace opened the door and greeted her.
"Please come in Ms. Maker. Could I offer you something to drink?"
"No, no thank you. Billy, Mr. Conner. Could we all sit down somewhere?"
Grace led them into the Great Room and they all took seats.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 11, 2021 22:30:28 GMT -6
Chapter 66
"I'd like to go over what normally happens during these processes. First, we go over the applications and then run background checks. Then we talk with the prospective parents and the child involved to see what their familial goals are. I've done interviews from people who've been in contact with you two and the constant advice I've been given was…. I'd be a 'damn fool' not to let this go through. Although I don't believe you have had any contact with Judge Gilmore Mr. Conner, he seems to know a lot about you and told me I'd better make sure the adoption goes through and he wants to be the one to sign the final paperwork. Now, the government seems to like the 'cookie cutter' approach to everything, as in required training for the adopting parents. I see nothing they could teach you and you have already exceeded the standards required of adopting parents, so I have written you off on that. I would like to speak to Billy though. Billy would you like to do this in private or here with Mr. and Mrs. Conner?" "We can do it here. I don't want there to be any secrets in our family. Momma and Dad told me to be truthful and not to be afraid."
"Billy, I take it then you'd like to be adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Conner?"
"Yes I would. Since the day I first met them in the hospital, they've been caring and shown me love I've never felt before. I feel more like a member of a real family than I've felt before in my life."
Ms. Maker smiled. "That's all I needed to hear. We have a Family Court date at 10:00 AM on Tuesday. Please be there 15 minutes early. One other thing Billy. Would you like to keep your last name or have it changed to 'Conner'?"
"I want to be a Conner."
"I'll see that the paperwork is included in the Judge's packet. I wish all my cases were this easy. It has been a real pleasure."
"Are you sure we can't offer you something. I can get you coffee….high-test or decaf and maybe a fresh baked blueberry muffin. We also have iced tea."
"A glass of iced tea sounds nice."
"I'll get it for you Ms. Maker!" Billy said, heading for the kitchen.
"So, Mr. Conner, there was no job information on your application but 'retired.' By the looks of this place you are far from that."
"Ms. Conner, Please call me Grace and he is Gil."
"Very well."
"Ms. Conner…"
"Let's skip the formalities with me also. Please call me Angie."
"Angie, I inherited quite a bit from my Grandfather, including this land. When I met Grace, I wanted to live a simple life, but care and prepare for my family as well as I could."
"He may have 'retired' as his occupation, but that man works from dawn to dusk here." Grace said.
"And it shows. How far along are you?"
"Six months, twins, a boy and a girl."
"I can't imagine having twins, but if I ever did, that would be the way I'd want them, one of each."
Billy brought the tea in, laid a coaster on the coffee table, and set the tea on it.
"Has Billy started home schooling yet?"
"Yes, I had him review and take all the tests for the 5th and 6th grades and he's working on the 7th grade modules."
"Are you going to have any problems with the language modules? I know a couple of native speakers who could lend a hand."
"Ich werde ihm mit der deutschen Sprache helfen." Gil said. (I will be helping him with the German language.)
Angie's eyebrows rose. "Du sprichst sehr gut Deutsch. München?" (You speak German very well. Munich?)
"Böblingen, nordwestlich von München. Ich habe dort drei Jahre verbracht") (Böblingen, northwest of Munich. I spent three years there.)
"Three years! You speak better than some of the locals."
"Well, I did study 8 months of German before I went over." Gil said. "Where did you learn German?"
"Military brat. Some of my dad's postings just drifted to different parts of Europe. Well, back to you Billy. I see nothing but a good future for you here Billy. You'll have two wonderful parents and soon a new brother and sister. I'm sure you will be a big help for you Mom and Dad with them."
"They're family. I will help them any way I can and protect my brother and sister."
"I'm sure you will. Well, I must be going. I want to go over all this paperwork and make sure that every 'i' is dotted and every 't' is crossed."
"Thank you for coming by Angie. When you aren't busy, stop by and we can just talk."
"Thanks, Grace. I think I will."
They stood on the porch and watched Angie drive off. They all went back in and Grace let out a big sigh of relief.
"See Momma, I told you there was nothing to worry about. If you don't have anything for me to do, I'm going up and finish my module."
"No, you go and finish your studies. I'll fix lunch in a little while."
"Okay Momma."
Grace watched as Billy went up the stairs, then turned to Gil.
"Gil, we need to get Billy a desk for his room."
"Okay, got any ideas?"
"Yes. The used office furniture place in Kingsport has used oak desks. I called and they're holding one for me."
"Then I guess we'd better go pick it up."
"What about Billy?"
He'll be all right with 'Grandma Mollie' around. He can be working on his home schooling while we are gone. Chances are that the desk is going to need restoring. I want to spend some time teaching him to do that."
"Okay. They open at 8:00."
"Then we can leave right after breakfast."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 12, 2021 1:16:45 GMT -6
Chapter 67
The next morning, it was overcast so Gil hooked the 20' trailer to the truck and he and Grace headed to Kingsport. When they entered the store, Grace introduced herself and the salesman showed her the desk. Gil groaned inside. It looked like it had been pulled out of a cheap motel, plus, it was made of oak veneer. Gil looked around and saw an oak paneled executive office desk. It was more expensive, probably because it was made of quarter sawn wood and probably that was the original finish. "Is this one for sale?" Gil asked the salesman."
"Yes Sir!"
We'll take this one. What about oak chairs?"
"Over this way, Sir."
Gil picked out a chair that matched it. The leather pads on the seat, back and headrest needed replacing, but there was a furniture upholsterer in Rogersville he could take it to once it was refinished. The mechanism was in excellent condition.
"I'll take this chair also."
Grace picked out two leather backed library chairs and a Banker's Desk Lamp. Before Gil could pay for anything, Grace spied a 5 section stacked oak bookcase with leaded glass doors she wanted to get also. The bookcase cost almost as the desk. Once the store people had wrapped everything in padded paper and loaded it, they headed back home with Gil making a stop at Lowe's to pick up some shop rags, fine steel wool, and a couple of big bottles of Rejuvenate furniture and cabinet restorer. When they arrived at home, Gil left everything in the trailer until Billy finished his home schooling.
Gil got in the Gator and went up to the Chamber. Turning on the lights, he check the fire pit and finding no live coals, got the shop vac out and vacuumed all the ashes out. After dumping them, he went back in to put the vacuum under the stairs. He stood there looking and was designing in his head a closet under the stairs to store cleaning equipment. He began measuring and making notes in his notebook. He went over to the dining table and started working up a materials list for a utility closet.
Brad walked out of the Cracker Barrel, picking the tiny pieces of chicken fried steak out from between his teeth. He needed that meal. He had all intentions of just stopping for some bags of Horehound candy, but his stomach reminded him of how good that steak was. He headed for his Suburban and glanced next door to the Kenjo Market convenience store and saw a woman searching through her purse and the front seats of her car for something. Curious, he walked over to see if he could help.
"Ma'am, is something wrong? Can I help?"
She looked as though she was about to cry.
"My credit, debit cards and cash. He took them all!"
Brad quickly looked around. "Who?"
"My ex-husband!"
She leaned up against the old Honda and started shaking. "What am I going to do?"
"How can I help?" Brad asked.
"There's nothing you can do. The radiator is shot, it's Sunday, I have no money and I'm 2 hours from my aunt's."
"Where are you going?
"Rogersville."
"Well, I'm headed to Greeneville. Rogersville is just up the road from there. I can give you a ride."
She look at him suspiciously. "Look, I'm not trying to hit on you are anything. Look, here's my driver's license and my military retirement I.D. Take pictures of both and send them to your aunt. That way, if something happens, which won't, then the police will know the last person you were with and they'll lock my ass in jail. Believe me, that's the last thing I want to do is sleep on a 2 inch mattress, on an iron cot, with a big cellmate that thinks he's in love with me."
He almost saw her face crinkle with a smile. She took his IDs and took pictures and sent them to Aunt Mollie. Then she called her.
"Aunt Mollie? It's Allie. I'm stuck in Newport. Jerry stole my money and my cards and my radiator is blown. No, it's Sunday and nobody is open. Listen, I'm getting a ride there. I just sent you some pictures of his ID cards so if anything happens to me, track him down and castrate him. Okay, I'll see you in 2 or 3 hours. Bye."
Brad winced when she said something about castrating him.
"I need to get my things out of my car. Where is your vehicle?"
Brad pointed his thumb over his right shoulder. "I need to go get it. I need to fill up too. I'll pull up next to the pumps on the other side and you can load your things."
Brad went and got his truck and Oliver Legacy Elite 2 trailer and pulled the up opposite her at the tanks. He started pumping his diesel and she was taking suitcases out of her trunk and the back seat and loading them into the back of the Suburban. Brad finished pumping and went into the store. He told the clerk what had happened and asked if they could leave the car overnight in a parking space next to the building and have someone come pick it up in the morning to be fixed. The clerk had no problem with that. Brad asked for a reputable mechanic and the clerk told Brad there was a Honda Dealer in town. He got the number from the clerk to call the dealership in the morning. Brad went back to the Suburban.
"We need to move your car over into a parking space beside the building. You get in and steer and I'll push."
They got the car parked in a parking space and she locked it up.
"My name is Brad Palmer. I've been medically discharged from the Army and am on my way to Greeneville."
"My name is Alison Benton and I'm on my way to Rogersville, or just outside of Rogersville."
"Hm-m-m, she no doubt has a story, but isn't telling it."
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Post by bluefox2 on Nov 12, 2021 7:57:30 GMT -6
Looks like Gil and Grace may be picking up some help for the home place.
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Post by gipsy on Nov 12, 2021 8:02:35 GMT -6
Thanks for another fine update. You adding some new faces to the crew?
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Post by ydderf on Nov 12, 2021 9:27:46 GMT -6
So, will we hear Alison's story soon?
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 12, 2021 16:21:28 GMT -6
Chapter 68
They were just about to cross Douglas Lake on I-40 before she spoke. You said you had been medically discharged from the Army …. what for?"
"I was running out of lives." Brad said, watching the upcoming merger onto I-81.
Brad pushed the On-Star phone button and said "Jimmy", and you could hear the phone ringing.
"This is Jimmy."
"Jimmy, Brad. I'm a little behind schedule. I need to run a friend up to Rogersville, but I'll be back ASAP."
"Okay. Buddy, keep it between the lines."
"I heard that!" Brad disconnected the call.
"Are you from around here?" Allison asked.
"Yeah, about a million years ago, it seems." Brad answered.
"Are you planning on sticking around or are you moving on?"
Brad glanced over at her and said, "Ma'am, you sure are full of questions for a woman who only gives out her name and destination."
Allison sat quietly for a few minutes. "My name is Allison Benton. My friends call me Allie. I've been living in Charlotte for the last few years until my now ex got into meth and I kicked him out. I finally got tired of him stealing from me every time I turned around and needed to get away where he couldn't reach me anymore. I guess he got the last laugh."
"Well, if you don't toss that phone, he'll probably find you again if you don't toss that phone. He'll probably use a phone tracking app to find you."
"Oh God-d-d-d-! What am I going to do?"
"First, you turn the phone off. Pull the battery out if you can. First chance you get, ditch the phone and get a new one and a new number. If you can do it with the carrier you use, select a new number from a state as far away as you can."
"Well, that's going to be a while. It will have to wait until I get my cards straightened out."
"Hmrph. I've been dying for a strawberry milkshake for the longest. There's a Dairy Queen up ahead where we get off I-81 and head up 11E. You feel like one?"
"I guess."
"Hmrph."
Brad eased off I-81 at exit 23 and turned left onto 11E. After crossing over I-81 he turned into a Dairy Queen.
"What flavor do you want? Lets see. They have Chocolate, Strawberry , Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Banana, Caramel, Hot Fudge, hell, pick your poison."
"Chocolate."
Brad ordered a large Chocolate and a large Strawberry milkshake. After receiving them, he pulled over to the side of the lot and peeled the paper off the straw and stuck it in the milkshake. Taking a big suck on the straw, it collapsed.
"Dammit! These small-assed straws!"
Allie took a sip of hers and her straw collapsed also.
Brad slammed the truck into park and got out, going to the back of the Suburban. Opening up the back, he took out a backpack and dug around….coming up with a gray zippered case. He dropped the backpack back into the rear and returned to the driver's seat. Opening the case up, there was a knife, fork, spoon, a set of chopsticks and two metal straws. Taking one out he stuck in the milkshake and took a big pull.
"That's more like it! Here." He said, handing her the other straw. She was hesitant about taking it."
When she started to take it Brad said, "No one's licked this straw but me in the last few days."
Allie quickly jerked her hand back and Brad started laughing.
"Just kidding. See? I have this little brush I run I run through the straw to clean them. I can't afford to be sick."
Allie took the straw and put it in her milkshake, sighing at the taste.
Brad turned right out of the parking lot onto 11E.
"Yeah when I'm traveling and want to wash my straws, I just pull into a truckstop, go to the restroom, swish them a couple of times in the toilet bowl, run the brush through them, then give them a final rinse."
Allie reached over and slapped his arm, even though she knew he was joking.
"If you get back down this way, make sure you stop over there at Yoder's Market. They have good chow. We're less than 30 minutes away from Rogersville."
"I have the address here." Allie said.
"Go ahead and enter it into the GPS in the dash."
Once the GPS had locked onto the satellites, Brad looked at the route.
"Easy-Peasy. We'll be there in no time."
They turned off 11E to 113, then to 344 and in a few minutes the GPS told them they had reached their destination….but no one was home. The place looked deserted. Allie started to turn her phone on then hesitated.
"Do you know your aunt's number by heart?" Brad asked.
"Yes."
"Press this button here, say "dial' then say the telephone number."
Allie did what he said and Mollie answered.
"Aunt Mollie, where are you living now? Nobody's at the house!"
"Oh, child, I forgot. See that driveway next to the house headed toward the ridge?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Follow it until you see a greenhouse. There will be a log cabin off to the right. That's where I'll be."
Brad put the truck into drive and followed the directions. They topped the ridge and started going downhill and finally came out of the forest, seeing the greenhouse and the cabin. Brad pulled up to the cabin and Allie jumped out, Brad slowly following her.
They heard a door slam shut behind them and turned toward the noise. A man, an older woman and a pregnant lady had come out of the greenhouse.
"Aunt Mollie!" Allie, yelled, walking fast toward the older woman, Brad coming to a stop when he recognized the man.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 12, 2021 16:29:57 GMT -6
Chapter 69
"Brad? Is that you?" Brad took a closer look at the man. "Gil!"
The two men embraced each other tightly.
"Hello Brother." Brad said. "It's good to see you!"
"Back at ya, Brother. How in the hell did you find me here?"
"Weird story, tell ya later."
Allie and Mollie stepped up to the two men. "Brad, This is my Great Aunt Mollie. Aunt Mollie this is Brad….."
"Palmer, Ma'am. Brad Palmer. Pleased to meet you."
"Brad, this is my wife Grace."
"Pleased to meet you Ma'am."
"Well, let's all go in and get something to drink." Mollie said.
"Uh, I need to get going. I was stopped in Newport on my way to see Jimmy Knight in Greeneville when this lady kidnapped me and made me bring her here."
"I DID NOT!" Allie said, her neck turning pink."
"Well, maybe that wasn't quite the story. The lady was stranded and I offered to drop her off."
"Now that is more believable, however, I don't think you would have fought very hard if she had kidnapped you." Gil grinned.
Both Brad AND Allie blushed.
"Come on in Brad, you can at least have a cup of coffee before you go for bringing Allie to me."
"Oh, that was no problem. I had to come up and see Gil anyway."
Allie whirled to face Brad. "Wait! You didn't even know he live here."
"Well, lady, I guess you misunderstood what I thought I said. I thought I said I would have driven here if I knew Gil was up here."
Allie squinted her eyes at Brad and huffed, going into the cabin.
Gil grinned. "You always could get 'em riled up. How did you know I lived here? Did Jimmy tell you?"
"No, he didn't, although I figure he woulda told me sooner or later."
"So……"
"I stopped at the Cracker Barrel in Newport to get some Horehound candy and ended eating a late lunch. Anyway, I came out to my truck and saw Allie searching around frantically in her car and in her purse. Her car was steaming….busted radiator and she had no money, no credit cards, and not much hope, it being Sunday. So I offered her a lift since I was headed to Greeneville anyway. I had no idea you lived anywhere around here."
"I guess stranger things have happened." Gil said.
Allie came out the door with two cups of coffee and handed them to Gil and Brad.
"Thank you Allie." Brad said.
Allie blushed again. "You're welcome."
"So, what is the deal with the medical? I've never seen you not pull through something."
"Gil, I could have made it through this one too if I could have had more time in physical therapy. They are pushing medical boards on certain people because we were calling for accountability for their inane leadership styles. I finally said, 'To hell with it!' I and took the board and got a 60%. It's bullshit! I can run a 6-minute mile right now. Well, bless my dear old Grandmother and her intensive investment portfolio. I bought the Suburban and got a steal from a SP4 trying to sell more trailer than he had sense, got my walking papers and walked. The End. So what is your story?"
"Ehh-h-h-h you know. They don't want all-around soldiers any more. They want social warriors and 'yes' men. I finally got sick of it and cleared Carson and came straight here. My Grandfather owned, at one time, 2800 acres along the river and lake. Developers hounded him night and day to sale and I think he got tired of it all too. He had his lawyers set it up so that on his death, the land would be sold to a conservation group who was willing to match the price of the developers, except the developers were offering $16000 an acre, he cut a deal with the conservation group for $15000 an acre. He set aside this 400 acre patch here and the rest went to the conservation group. So, here I am, working my ass off because I don't have to work. This is my little island of sanity and safety from the world and I aim to keep it."
"So, where did you meet you wife? You were never one to play the field."
"Talk about serendipitous! One night, around 2:00 AM, not too long after I got here, I heard some noises down around the bend of the river. I went down to check on it and found Grace struggling with a canoe the she had hit a log with. She had been running from her brother-in-law. Well, she ended up staying around, I got used to having her around, and we got married. We're steadily improving our foxhole around here, if you know what I mean."
"You've really got it made here. Peaceful, being on this side of that ridge shuts you out from the rest of what they are now calling 'civilization'."
Why don't you park your trailer and rest up for a while; days, months, years, makes no difference. Besides, looks like Allie might be staying for a while according to what Mollie said.
"Yeah, what is with her? I couldn't get her to talk on the way here."
"From what Mollie told us, her husband, now ex-husband, got hooked on drugs. Ruined them financially. Allie divorced him but he is friends with the apartment complex manager and every time she had enough money saved up to get the hell out of Charlotte, he'd find a way to rob her blind, putting her right back in the hole."
"Son-of-a bi…"
"Anyway, Mollie loves her to death and asked us if Allie could come out here to live."
"So, is Mollie related to you or Grace?"
"No, she's just our adopted Mother and Grandmother. So, whaddaya say, want in on this redoubt for a while?"
Brad grinned. "I guess I could hang around a while and keep the MZBs off your back."
"Well come on, I'll show you where you can park the trailer so you have some solitude. How self-contained is that thing?"
"Composting toilet, solar power. Got a full tank of water….."
"We can run a water line from the greenhouse later. Follow me."
Gil got in the Gator and headed further south next to the hay field, with Brad following. When Allie heard the Suburban's diesel engine turn over she jumped up and ran to the door.
"He has my things!"
Mollie got up and stood next to Allie at the door, watching the truck, trailer and Gator travel down the edge of the hay field.
"I wouldn't worry about it. I've got a feelin' those two are like peas in a pod."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Nov 12, 2021 16:38:23 GMT -6
Chapter 70
Brad got the trailer parked, leveled, the awning out and his rug down in a matter of minutes. Pulling out two chairs and a small table, his "patio" was complete. "I've got a problem Gil."
"What's that?"
"We left Allie's car parked at that convenience store. I'm going to call the Honda dealership in the morning and have them repair the car, but we'll have to pick it up when they're done with it."
"So what is the problem?"
"Well, I'll have to drive Allie back down and…. I guess there isn't a problem."
"Look Brad, you're no longer in the military. You don't have to worry about getting involved with someone only to get deployed and come back months later having to sing that Righteous Brother's song 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling.' Sit back, relax, and build me a decent firing range."
Brad looked at Gil. "You want a firing range? I'll give you a firing range, Buddy."
"Brad, I want to tell you a story, a true story. I can count the people on one hand in the State of Tennessee I trust with this information. You are one of them."
Gil then told Brad everything that had happened and what he had done since the first day he'd rolled onto the property. He didn't put any of the emotional things in, they would have served no purpose. When he finished, Brad sat there staring at Gil.
"You're telling the truth, aren't you? Damn Gil, everywhere you go things seem to happen. What did you do with the gold and guns?"
"Most of the gold is in my safe; I laundry it into charities when I can. The guns were mostly given away to trusted friends or sold off as part of my Grandfather's estate. I've got a set hanging over my fireplace."
"Well Buddy, one thing I can say about you is that the dull moments, when you are around, are few and far between."
Gil chuckled. "Yeah, for some reason things have a way of start poppin' at times."
"Oh crap! I've got to get Allie's things to her." Brad said.
Gil got up. "I'll follow you up."
Gil pulled out and over to the side and let Brad go on, and pulled out his phone.
"Jimmy, Gil. Look, I'm keeping Brad up here for a while. Let's meet down at Yoder's Saturday morning at 0900 for breakfast."
"Thanks for calling Gil. When Brad got his medical, I told him to come to see me. He seemed out of sorts and I wanted to catch him before he fell. You can probably do more for him than I can. Okay, then. Breakfast at Yoder's. I'll see you then."
Gil sat there for a minute. Yeah, they had been able to get to Brad, but so many had fallen through the cracks. Gil slipped his phone back into his right breast pocket, cranked the Gator, and headed for Mollie's. As he pulled up, everyone was coming out on the porch.
"We're going up to the house to make dinner." Grace said.
Grace got in with Gil, Mollie got in her Ranger, Allie got in the Suburban with Brad and they convoyed up the ridge.
"This is beautiful!" Allie exclaimed as they walked into the house.
"Mollie, why don't you give Allie the tour and tell Billy to come down here please." Grace said.
Mollie led Allie upstairs and Billy quickly came down and went into the kitchen.
"Yes Momma?"
"Billy, could you peel and dice potatoes for me for a German potato salad?"
"Sure!"
Grace pulled out everything to bread the schnitzel that had been thawing all day in the fridge. Gil came in, got to beers out of the fridge and he and Brad went into the Great Room.
"To fallen comrades," they both said as they tapped bottle necks.
"So, these are the guns?" Brad said, looking up at the guns above the mantel."
"That's them." Replied Gil. I'll take you up to the Chamber where I found them tomorrow. It just doesn't look the same now as when I found it."
"So, what are your overall plans for this place?" Brad asked.
"Long term refuge. If the SHTF, I want to be able to maintain our lifestyle right here. No running, no begging for assistance, we help where we can and keep what we have. Fight if necessary."
"Gotcha."
"I'll go over with you what we've done so far and see if you can come up with any other ideas."
Mollie and Allie came downstairs on their tour and walked through the Great Room.
"Gil, ya'll have a beautiful place here." Allie said.
"You can tell Grace that. She made it a home."
Brad grinned. "You really are in the 'kick-back' mode aren't you?"
"It may seem that way, but I've worked hard on this place. You don't get calluses on your hands like this just standing around scratching you butt, watching the frogs mate."
"That was delicious!" Brad said.
"Everything was grown in the greenhouse, except of course the pork for the schnitzel." Mollie said with pride.
"I'll definitely sleep good tonight." Brad grinned.
Everyone got up, rinsed their dishes and set them in the sink. Allie had a little half-smile as she watched Brad do his dishes.
Smiling, Mollie watched it all.
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Post by gipsy on Nov 12, 2021 17:13:39 GMT -6
The crew is coming together for sure. Thanks for the update.
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