The Michaels' Family: Book One - We Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus

When Hank and I got to the master suite, Hank shut the door and pushed me against the wall, "You prick, this is all your fault.  You have to pay for it."

I pulled him against me, "Listen, buster, you're the one who flashed me and my poor innocent sons. You've ruined us for life.  Now let's go take care of whatever ails you, so we can adjust your attitude."

I adjusted his attitude so well that we needed to take another shower.  Of course, we were so tired that we couldn't even open the dresser drawer to get a clean pair of briefs; we just crawled into bed naked. We paid for our bad decision the next morning when we were awakened by David.

I felt someone touching me, "Poppa, you gotta get up.  I think you need to go to the bathroom. You need to put some clothes on for breakfast.  Hurry, so Ramsey doesn't yell at me.  I gotta wake Grandpa."

As David started to touch Hank, Hank grabbed him, "I'm too tired to get up.  I'm going to stay in bed all day.  Go bother everyone else."

"Grandpa, stop being so mean.  Ramsey and Uncle Jacob are fixing breakfast.  Uncle Kevin and Uncle Chris are in the basement exercising with Mr. Farway and Mr. Phillips.  Please get up."

Hank joined me in the bathroom, "Steve, I'm a little concerned about David.  He has been getting so much attention that he might think he should receive it all the time.  How many six year olds would be permitted to go swimming in the nude with adults as he did last night?"

I hugged Hank, "You worry too much.  David will probably wind up being the biggest women's man of the group.  It's going to be interesting to see what happens to the rest of our group.  We'd better get moving or David will be back pulling us by our penises."

When we got to the kitchen, Ramsey and Jacob were working at the counter, doing something.  Ramsey turned to David, "Davey, please go tell the nuts in the basement that breakfast is ready."

David went to the top of the stairs and yelled, "Breakfast is ready.  If you don't come now, Grandpa and Poppa will eat it all."

We heard four voices coming up the steps and heard Kevin say, "We're coming, boss."

When everyone was seated except Ramsey and Jacob, Ramsey started on us.  "That will be fifteen each before you get served."

Chris started to stand, "I'll be right back.  I have to go get fifteen pieces of toilet tissue and stuff them in Ramsey briefs."

Ramsey was so cool, "I was wondering how you made yourself look so good."

It's a good thing we hadn't started to eat because someone would surely have choked because we were laughing so hard. 

After everyone had been served and we had started to eat, Kevin looked at Chris, "What type of vehicle are you going to look for today?"

Chris shrugged his shoulders, "I haven't any idea, because I know nothing but nothing about cars.  I still don't understand why Chase and I each need a vehicle."

Hank shook his head, "Christopher, you and Chase will probably not be attending classes at the same time.  In fact, you could very well wind up going to two different colleges."

Chris wasn't giving up easy, "Yeah, I'll be going to school at night after work.  I could always use public transportation if Mr. Rodgers would permit me to live here at the house on the hill."

Ramsey spoke right up, "If I can't stay here by myself, then neither can you.  What if you should have an accident?  There wouldn't be anyone around to help you.  Now that I have Lionel to worry about, I won't be staying here, because I wouldn't allow Lionel to be here by himself."

Jeremy and Brett looked at Hank and me and grinned.

Jacob added, "Chris, I think that you should get Kevin and Dad Hank to help you do some research on vehicles, so you know what's available.  Do you have any idea what your grandparents' have in mind?  Are they thinking a new or used vehicle?  It's too bad that Chase isn't here.  He may have an entirely different ideas than what you have.  David, Ramsey and I are going to go pop in and check on our guys.  The rest of you get to do the dishes and clean up since we cooked.  We'll see everyone back at the ranch sometime.  Come on, guys."

As Ramsey was putting on his coat, he pointed at me, "Remember, Poppa, you promised to call Chris and Chase's mother and ask her if she knew, or could find out, anything about Louie and Ella."

Kevin and Chris were doing the dishes and Kevin asked, "Are the dads going to be going with you to look for cars?"

"Which dads."

"Mr. Farway and Mr. Phillips, of course.  Unless you're thinking of adopting Jacob's and my dads."

"I could probably learn to refer to Mr. Farway and MR. Phillips as Dad, but they shouldn't expect to be receiving any Father's Day cards from me, anytime soon."

The look on Brett and Jeremy's faces was priceless.  I was wondering what they might be thinking.

The conversation was interrupted by the phone, I went to answer it since I was the closest person, "This is the Rodgers residence."

"This is Flo Baker.  I understand that most of you are there at the house on the hill.  Put the phone on speaker so everyone can hear the conversation."

"Done."

"This is Flo Baker.  Welcome back Jeremy and Brett.  I just talked to Chase, Justin and Wayne; they are going to be here at the Basket for lunch at 11:30.  Why don't you all meet us here and we can have lunch before the slaughter on my partner begins?  After lunch, the great car hunt can begin?  By the way, Chris, you will get a new vehicle, so don't argue.  You need to do some research between now and then?"

"Steve, why don't you bring your sons along?"

"Mrs. Baker, this is Kevin.  Jacob and I will need to be at the ranch to take care of livestock, since you have everyone committed to something this afternoon.  We need to make sure that Ramsey and David don't get into too much trouble.  Thanks for asking us though."

"Okay, I'll see the rest of you at the Bread Basket at 11:30."  The phone went dead.

Kevin looked at us, "Dads, why don't you go get a newspaper while the rest of us take a shower.  The Saturday paper has a big automotive section.  It might be helpful for the guys to go through it and get some ideas before they actually go looking.  I'm sure that Judge Baker will have some ideas as well."

Hank threw up his hands, "How come everyone is always bossing me around?"

Kevin went over and patted Hank on the head, "That's because you're so sweet and loveable.  Besides that, we love you, Daddy."

Hank turned to me, "I'm afraid that we are going to have one less son before the day is over."

Kevin started to pretend to shake, "I'd better call Jacob and warn him that he's in trouble.  Come on Chris, let's get our shower."

Jeremy and Brett were laughing.  Jeremy laughed, "You two do have your hands full don't you?"

Hank answered before I could, "Everyone should be so lucky.  Come on Stevie, we've been directed to go get a paper."

As we were going to the convenience store down the hill where they sold papers, Hank announced, "Stevie, me boy, I'm taking you back to the mall where you captured me and turning you in for a new model."

I looked at him and realized he was joking, "You mean you're bored with me already?"

"Steve, before you and your sons arrived, I didn't do anything but play video games and play with my horses.  Now I don't even have time to do that.  We need to settle down and smell the roses."

When we walked into the house, Kevin was standing there drying his hair, "Dads, Ramsey called.  He said I was to tell you that Mrs. Graham was at the hospital checking on Lionel, and he told her you wanted to talk to her about finding Louie and Ella.  She said she needed to talk to you and would be here at ten o'clock.  Did you get a paper?"

Hank answered, "Yes, but why are you parading around naked when there is going to be a lady arriving shortly?"

Kevin stuck out his tongue, "I'm trying to act just like you, Daddy."

Hank looked at me, "Stevie, spank him."

The doorbell rang and Kevin quickly disappeared.  Hank went to get the door and Elaine was standing there with her briefcase.  She came in and sat down, as Brent, Jeremy and Chris appeared.  Elaine looked at them, "Hi guys.  Chris, I understand that you're going to go car shopping today."

"It appears so, Mrs. Graham."

"Chris, do you suppose that you could be a little less formal?"

"Ma'am, what would your children think if they heard Chase and me calling you Mother or Mom?"

Elaine nodded, "We've already told the children that you are their half brothers.  While they don't fully comprehend the situation, they won't be blindsided if you should ever find it with in you to refer to me as Mom or Mother.  This is not why I came here this morning.  When I saw Ramsey at the hospital, he said that Mr. Michaels wanted to know if I could find out what happened to Louie and Ella."

"Let me start by telling you that I have been the case worker for the four young people involved since their Mother's death.  I didn't realize until last Sunday, that Ramsey wasn't at the home where he was assigned.  The home has lost its accredidation since they failed to report that he was missing."

"I was at the hospital checking on Lionel and was informed that Mr. Rodgers had indicated that he would be paying to make sure that Lionel would be receiving only the best of care.  Hank, that is totally unnecessary, because Lionel is a ward of the state and the state will pay.  Also, the insurance company for the lady who hit the van has stepped forward and agreed to pay all the costs for the injuries to the children on the van as well as the driver."

"The young woman who was driving the other vehicle was distracted by one of her small children, but fortunately, they weren't badly injured because their airbags inflated.   Unfortunately, Lionel was seated where he received the brunt of the blow from the impact.  He is the young person who was most severely injured in the crash."

Enough about that subject.  Louie and Ella had been adopted by fine upstanding families.  Ella got lucky; she is a beautiful little lady with loving parents.  Louie ran into a problem.  The couple who adopted him went through a bitter divorce, and he subsequently landed back in the welfare system a year ago.  He is a very angry, confused young man.  The couple who adopted him was Caucasian and that exacerbated the problem.  He now does not trust any Caucasian persons."

Hank took a deep breath, "Elaine, is there any way that you could arrange for us to meet Mr. Louie.  Maybe we can help him to learn to trust some of us.  We would like for you to make it possible for the three Watts boys to be able to live with us until Jeremy and Brent can adopt them."

Elaine looked stunned, "Hank, what are you suggesting.  You know as well as I do that the adoption of young people by two gay men would never be approved in this state.  The fact that Brent and Jeremy live outside the state makes it even more unlikely to happen."

Kevin had been standing in the doorway, "Mrs. Graham, what if we had Mr. Farway and Mr. Phillips moved here and had Mr. Phillips get married for as long as it took for him and his wife to adopt the three boys.  After the adoption was finalized, they suddenly had the marriage annuled and the young lady involved wanted nothing more to do with the young boys.  What would happen then?"

Elaine stood, "Steve, your son has a devious mind.  I'll tell you what I'll do.  I'll bring Louie so you can meet him and then you can decide if you even want to deal with him."

Hank laughed, "Elaine, why don't you bring your family to the ranch tomorrow, so they can see the horses.  We'll arrange a picnic meal in the late afternoon since the young people have school on Monday.  Bring your Mother and her husband and we'll see how things play out."

After Elaine left, Jeremy looked at Kevin, "How did you know that we were thinking of relocating here and making this the base for our business operations.  We're tired of the smog on the west coast.  Hank, what can we do to help for the picnic?"

Kevin grinned, "I'll take care of the meal since I have nothing better to do with Cyndi out of town.  I think we'll have some of those hot sausage thingies.  I'll stop by the Stoyover's  Meat Market on my way home and take care of things, while you all go have a decadent lunch and get fat.  Dads, I'll take care of everything but the booze; that's your problem."

Kevin departed to do whatever he was going to do.  Hank handed the newspaper to Chris, "Here, look through the automotive section and see what type of vehicle you might like."

Chris was looking through the ads; he finally put the paper down, "I have no idea what any of this means.  Why don't we just stop at the first car dealership we see and look at what's available that would be economical but reliable?"

Hank shook his head, "Chris, you can't go to buy a vehicle with the attitude.  The salesman will pick up on your indecisiveness and fleece you to the graveyard and back.  You and Chase need to stick together.  If the two of you could decide on a vehicle from the same dealership then you would probably be able to get a better deal."

I looked at the clock, "Guys, we need to leave now if we are to be on time for our luncheon engagement."

As we were driving to the Bread Basket, Hank turned to Chris, "It seems silly for all of us to go on the vehicle shopping excursion.  I suggest that you take your boss, and your Dad with you, Chase and Judge Baker.  That way Jeremy and I can help Wayne and Justin if they need any help.  If they don't need any help, we'll go back to the ranch and check on everyone else."

Chris resignedly responded, "I guess that's okay, but I don't understand why we can't all go."

Hank turned around, "Chris, I only suggested that because you and Chase might rely on us to make your decisions for you.  This is a big event in your life and one that you may have to live with for years.  I think it is important that the two of you make the decisions for yourselves."

I couldn't turn around because I was driving, "Chris, let's see what your grandparents recommend and we'll go from there.  I agree with Cowboy, you and Chase should have the final say as to what vehicles you buy."

It was almost exactly 11:30 when we pulled up at the Bread Basket.  After Chris exited the car, I looked at Hank, "I can't believe it isn't even noon yet.  What else can happen today?

Editor's Notes:

Why is it that when the words, "What else can happen today" appear before me, I start to get very nervous? 

It would seem that the three Watts boys have a good chance of becoming the sons of two very nice parents, who will finally show them the love and understanding they have been missing for so long.  Well, maybe, anyway.  I can't wait for the next chapter, but then I guess I have to, cause I don't have it yet.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher