Coming Home - Book 4
Copyright© 2026 by Douglas Fox
Chapter 21
Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 21 - Coming Home – Book 4 picks up as the 2032 football season starts and is a continuation of the Coming Home series following Kyle and Penny Martin and their children as they return home to Landenberg, PA when Kyle is hired as the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. You should read Coming Home, Books 1, 2 and 3 before tackling this book.
Caution: This Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa mt/ft Consensual Romantic Gay Heterosexual Fiction School Sports First Oral Sex Pregnancy Safe Sex
Friday, April 1, 2033 – Government Service Building, West Chester, PA
Danny, Nolan and Mason all headed for the cafeteria when they were dismissed from class. Logan headed the opposite way.
“Where are you going?” Danny asked.
“Office, so my mom can pick me up,” Logan replied. “I need to be at the district attorney’s office at 1:00 PM to get ready for Woodrow’s trial next Tuesday. Don’t you need to do that too?”
“Yeah, but my appointment isn’t until 2:00 PM,” Danny said. “I’ll probably catch you leaving as Mom and I arrive.”
“I’ll see you in a bit,” Logan agreed, laughing.
Danny, Mason and Nolan continued down the hall for the cafeteria. “Aren’t you worried about Woodrow?” Mason asked.
“He’s been locked up for violating his bail conditions since the police collected enough evidence of him trying to intimidate us against testifying. I am not worried about him at all.”
“I wouldn’t even want to be in the same room as him,” Mason said. “Guards in the courtroom or not, it just gives me the willies.”
“I understand,” Danny said. “I’ll be fine. Woodrow will NOT prevent me from doing what is right.”
The three teens got in the lunch line. Lunch that day was chicken tenders, broccoli and fruit cup, which wasn’t too bad. The boys’ thoughts turned to sports, rather than the upcoming trial. They headed for algebra class after lunch. Danny had to leave about twenty minutes into the class.
He got a hall pass and headed for the school office. He was surprised to find his dad waiting for him at the front counter.
“I thought Mom was taking me,” Danny noted.
“A sick horse came in,” Kyle explained. “She is in emergency surgery and will be tied up this afternoon. You got me.”
“OK, that’s fine,” Danny agreed. Kyle signed his son out with the secretary at the front desk. The two of them headed for West Chester and the Government Services Building on Westtown Road. They had to go through security at the front door. Signs led them to the district attorney’s office.
“May I help you?” the receptionist at the front desk asked.
“Daniel Martin to see ADA Gibbs,” Kyle stated. The receptionist scanned down her list of appointments.
“You must be Dr. Martin and this is Daniel,” she said.
“Sort of but not really,” Kyle replied. “This is Daniel and I do have a doctorate in history but I do not call myself Dr. Martin. My wife, Dr. Penny Martin, was expected to bring Danny today but she got called into surgery unexpectedly.”
“I see,” the receptionist said. “Mr. Martin, you and Daniel may have a seat. I will let ADA Gibbs know you are here.”
They waited a few minutes until a late-thirties woman dressed in a business suit came out to greet them. She had shoulder length, well styled hair. She wore glasses. Both Danny and Kyle silently noted she looked quite attractive.
“Mr. Martin and Daniel,” ADA Gibbs said as they rose to greet her. “Follow me to one of our conference rooms. We can get to the trial prep. Would either of you like coffee, water or soda?”
“No thank you,” Kyle replied as he followed the ADA to a small conference room. “I’m good too,” Danny confirmed.
Ms. Gibbs spent about five minutes briefing Danny on how the trial would be held. He would not come into the courtroom until it was time for him to testify. Once he finished with testimony and cross examination, he would be free to go.
“Daniel, let’s go over in more detail how your testimony will proceed,” ADA Gibbs said. “When it is time for your testimony, you will be called to the witness box at the front of courtroom. You will be placed under oath or affirmation before being seated. This means you are subject to sanctions for perjury if you fail to testify truthfully. The witness box is to the left of the judge with the jury box to its left. The prosecution and defense tables will be in front of you, with the prosecution table being closest to the jury box. The area where the judge, prosecution and defense tables are located is called ‘the well.’ Should any member of the public wish to observe the proceedings, they will be seated in ‘the gallery” on the other side of the rail behind the prosecution and defense tables. I doubt there will be a large audience for this trial, a fairly routine and not highly publicized crime. Kai Woodrow will be seated at the defense table with his attorney. Will this bother you?”
“No, that’s fine,” Danny replied. “He has the right to confront witnesses against him. I’ve studied the constitution in school.” Danny chuckled. “Even if I hadn’t heard it in school, Dad has a PHD in history and would make sure I knew that.”
“The court clerk will swear you in,” ADA Gibbs continued.
“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God?” Danny responded. “I think I understand.”
“After you are sworn in, I will start by asking you your name, age, address and where you go to school. Then I will ask you a series of questions regarding the actions you witnessed on October 19, 2032,” ADA Gibbs said. “I will have you answer a few sample questions now so you get the idea of what I may ask you.”
“OK.”
“Daniel, please describe the events you witnessed at approximately 12:35 PM on the day of October 19, 2032.”
“Three of my friends and I left the cafeteria early at the end of lunch,” Danny explained. “Uh ... should I name the friends I was with?”
“That would be best,” ADA Gibbs agreed.
“Logan Robertson, Mason Jones, Nolan Phillips and I left the cafeteria a few minutes early,” Danny explained. “We all had gym class next, so we wanted to get an early start to changing for class. We were about a dozen feet beyond the door when we heard shouting and then Kai Woodrow shoved Oliver Stirling out the door backwards. He landed about a dozen...”
“Hold on Daniel,” ADA Gibbs said. “Did you personally witness Kai Woodrow shove Oliver Stirling out the cafeteria door?”
“Uh, no.”
“Testify only to what you personally witnessed,” ADA Gibbs said.
“OK,” Danny agreed. “We saw Oliver Stirling come flying out the door backwards, followed closely by Kai Woodrow, Abel Leon and his brother Bart Leon. Oliver landed on his back a few feet from my friends and me. Kai Woodrow stood over Oliver and stomped his head with his big, work booted foot. Then he gave Oliver a few kicks in the ribs. Abel and Bart Leon both kicked Oliver as well.”
“I will ask you to identify anyone in the courtroom who was involved in the assault you described,” ADA Gibbs said. “Then I will ask you to point that person out and then to describe his clothing. How do you know Kai Woodrow?”
“Kai Woodrow is notorious at Avon Grove High School,” Danny answered. “Kids know he is trouble and try to avoid him.”
“Let’s shape you answer less pejoratively,” ADA Gibbs said before pausing. “Pejorative, as in slighting or belittling. If the defense counsel starts questioning your ability to identify Kai, you can explain how you recognize him.”
“I know who Kai Woodrow is because we both attend Avon Grove High School,” Danny responded. “Is that better?”
“That answer will work fine,” ADA Gibbs said. “After Mr. Woodrow assaulted Oliver Stirling, did he make any statements or say anything to you and your friends?”
“He looked me personally in the eye and said, ‘Hey, varsity QB boy. Stop staring, this ain’t no fucking business of yours. You are a freshman asshole like this shit here,’” Danny responded. “Am I allowed to say swear words in a courtroom?”
“Yes, it is fine when you are using a direct quote like that,” ADA Gibbs said. “What did you understand Kai Woodrow to mean?”
“I believe he was threatening me.”
“What happened next, Daniel?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“Kai, Abel and Bart walked quickly down the hallway away from the cafeteria,” Danny said. “Mason ran to find a teacher or the principal and the nurse. Logan, Nolan and I began first aid on Oliver. Do you want me to go into detail about that?”
“No, that is not necessary,” ADA Gibbs replied. “Let’s move on and turn our focus to Tuesday, January 17th. Have you ever had occasion to see this image before? How did that occasion arise?”
ADA Gibbs handed Danny a photo of the Instagram post of a dead rat labeled ‘Squealers get this.’
“I received it on my cell phone attached to a text message,” Danny said. He explained how only he, Logan, Mason and Nolan got the text, not the rest of his friends at the lunch table.
“What did you think this image was about?”
“The four of us all agreed that...” Danny began, though he stopped when ADA Gibbs held up her hand to stop him.
“Focus your testimony on what you thought,” ADA Gibbs instructed. “Your friends are able to speak for themselves.
“I thought it was probably from Kai Woodrow,” Danny responded. “I thought he wanted to intimidate me to prevent me from testifying at his trial.”
“Did this Instagram post cause you to reconsider about testifying at this trial?”
“Not really,” Danny said. “I am a serious football player and work out religiously. I can bench 400 pounds. I am one of the tallest kids in my grade and taller than a majority of the teachers in our school. I figured if Woodrow came after me, me and my friends could take care of me. I am the quarterback on our team and have five, very large friends who specialize in protecting me.”
“Did you change your mind in light of what happened on January 27th?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“Maybe a little,” Danny responded. “It did give me something to think about.”
“Please describe the incident that occurred on the afternoon of January 27th.”
“I went over to my girlfriend, Anna Harris’ house to ... to uh, study,” Danny stuttered. ADA Gibbs held her hand up to stop Danny again.
“You need to tell the story without hesitation,” ADA Gibbs instructed. “I am guessing your ‘studying’ did not include any textbooks?” Danny blushed and nodded yes. “Would it be more accurate to say that you went to your girlfriend’s house to spend time together?”
“That would be an accurate and less embarrassing way to characterize it,” Danny said.
“You were with your girlfriend at her house,” ADA Gibbs stated. “Did something remarkable happen while you were there?”
“We head tires squeal outside,” Danny said. “Then we heard something crunch, like metal on metal. The tires squealing and the crunching happened repeatedly. Finally, Anna and I got up to see what was happening outside. We saw a black Jeep repeatedly driving over my crumpled bike in the street.”
“Did you see the driver of the Jeep?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“From inside the house all I could see was the driver was wearing sunglasses and had on a knit cap,” Danny said. “Anna and I ran outside to see better. That is when the Jeep ran over my bike one more time. The driver threw a note out the window and peeled away. I managed to get the first two digits of the license plate. They were ‘PB.’”
“Daniel, I will show you this piece of paper marked as ‘State’s Exhibit #4’ and ask you if you recognize it. After it is introduced as evidence, I will ask you to read it for the jury,” ADA Gibbs explained as she showed him a clear plastic sleeve containing the note the driver had dropped on the road in front of Anna’s house.
Danny read the note back to ADA Gibbs.
“Did the note intimidate you?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“I knew that is what it was meant to do,” Danny replied. “To scare me out of testifying in this case.”
“But you are here.”
“I am here,” Danny answered. “What Kai Woodrow did to Oliver Stirling was wrong and he should be punished for what he did.”
“That will conclude my questions for you,” ADA Gibbs said. “The defense will have a chance to cross exam your testimony. They will ask you questions intended to trip you up or shake your previous testimony. Keep your answers short and direct to the question asked. Simply put, tell the truth.”
“What if the attorney wants more detail about what Anna and I were doing that afternoon when my bike got wrecked?” Danny asked. “Could we get in trouble? We are both under the age of consent.”
“Are you or more than two years different in age?”
“We are both fourteen,” Danny said.
“Does your girlfriend’s parents know you two are sexually active?”
“They do,” Danny responded. “They put Anna on birth control after they found out what we were doing.”
“The DA’s office has no interest in what happens between two consenting teenagers,” ADA Gibbs replied, smiling. “However, if parents were to insist on charges, that may be possible. Since they know, you two are safe from charges. If the defense tries to bring the subject up, I will object. If the judge overturns my objection, you must answer the question. It may be embarrassing but tell the truth.”
“OK,” Danny replied, somewhat dubiously.
ADA Gibbs reviewed the timing of the trial one more time and thanked Danny and Kyle for coming in to prepare for Danny’s testimony. Kyle took Danny back to school. Classes were over by the time they arrived, but it was a workout day for the football team. Danny insisted he needed to be there for his team. His football coach father did not object.
Tuesday, April 5, 2033 – Chester County Courthouse, West Chester, PA
Penny took the day off from work to shuttle Danny from school to West Chester and back, so he could testify at Kai Woodrow’s trial. He managed to cover two periods of classes before Penny showed up to check him out of school. Penny and Danny ran into Logan Robertson and his dad, Matt Robertson, at the office. Two other students were there too, for the same purpose. Andie McMullen was there with her dad, as was Jake Wright with his mom. All four students were heading for the courthouse to testify. Jake and Andie had witnessed the start of the fight in the cafeteria. Danny and Logan had witnessed the conclusion of the fight in the hallway.
Penny followed the directions to the Justice Center parking garage on Market Street. The Justice Center was across the street. After going through security, the receptionist directed Penny and Danny to a witness room near Court Room 4. An investigator from the district attorney’s office told them not discuss the case in front of other witnesses, even after they finished testifying. The rest of the Avon Grove High School contingent of witnesses arrived within a few minutes of Danny and Penny.
Everyone arrived at least ten minutes ahead of the 11:00 AM time ADA Gibbs had requested they arrive by. They all sat, waiting until a clerk from the DA’s office came by to let them know the opening of the trial was taking more time than expected. She returned at 11:30 for Andie McMullen. Andie and her dad headed to the court room for her testimony.
Andie and her dad returned about twenty minutes later, accompanied by the clerk.
“Judge Binder has recessed the trial for lunch,” the clerk explained. “It will reconvene at 1:00 PM. All of you are free to go out for some lunch. Please be back promptly, especially you, Jacob. You are first up to testify after lunch.
Penny tried to convince her son to go to the French Baguette shop beside the parking garage. The shop offered “light fare.” Danny, a growing and ravenous teen, held out for a more substantial lunch. Penny agreed to walk the two blocks down the street to the Market Street Grill. Dad had raved about how good their breakfasts were. The Google rating of the restaurant was 4.7, so patrons obviously agreed with his dad.
Danny chowed down on a big Philly cheesesteak with pasta salad on the side. Penny enjoyed a nice chicken Cesear wrap. The two had plenty of time to get back to the waiting area in the courthouse before the trial restarted.
Jake Wright was called to testify right at one o’clock. The bailiff came out for Danny about fifteen minutes later. Penny followed her son into Court Room 4 and took a seat in the gallery while the bailiff escorted Danny up into the well of the court room. A man in his mid-fifties in a black judicial robe sat at the bench. The nameplate in front of him read, “Honorable Brett M. Binder.”
The bailiff had Danny stand in the witness box, place his hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth with his testimony. ADA Gibbs stood and stepped in front of the prosecution’s table and asked, “Please state your name, age, address and school you attend.”
“Daniel J. Martin, fourteen. I live at 254 Mercer’s Mill Road in Landenberg,” Danny said. “I am in ninth grade at the Avon Grove High School.”
“Daniel, at approximately 12:35 PM on October 19, 2032, were you in school?”
“Yes, I was,” Danny responded confidently.
“At that date and time where were you in the school?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“I was in the hallway just outside the cafeteria,” Danny responded confidently.
“Please tell the jury what you witnessed in the at hallway.”
Danny proceeded to explain about how he and his friends saw Oliver Stirling fly out of the cafeteria backwards, followed by Kai Woodrow, Abel Leon and Bart Leon. He described the three beating and kicking Oliver as the ninth grader lay on the hallway floor.
“Do you see any of the assailants in this court room, Daniel?”
“Yes, Kai Woodrow, seated over there at the defense table,” Danny said. Kai glared at Danny as he identified him.
“Please identify him by pointing him out and describing his clothing,” ADA Gibbs asked.
Danny pointed to Kai Woodrow and described his clothing.
“Please let the record reflect that Daniel Martin has identified the defendant by pointing to him with his right forefinger and accurately described his clothing in this trial,” ADA Gibbs said. “Did Kai Woodrow make any statements after the assault?”
“Woodrow said to me, ‘Hey, varsity QB boy. Stop staring, this ain’t no fucking business of yours. You are a freshman asshole like this shit here.’” Danny added “Your honor, please excuse my language, I am just quoting what I heard.”
Kai Woodrow leaned over to his attorney and whispered a protest to his attorney. No one else paid attention to them.
“That is fine, Daniel,” Judge Binder said. “Ms. Gibbs, please continue.”
“Daniel, what did you take this to mean?”
“I considered it a threat,” Danny confirmed. “That I was supposed to keep my mouth shut about what I saw.”
“Did you report what had happened to your principal and later to the state police?”
“I did.”
“Did you receive any further communication you perceived to relate to this same case?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“I received a text on January 17, 2033,” Danny answered. “My friends Logan Robertson, Mason Jones and Nolan Phillips all received the same text.”
“Objection your Honor, hearsay,” the defense attorney interjected.
“If I may, your Honor,” ADA Gibbs responded. “Daniel and the other boys showed each other their phones. Daniel is testifying to what he personally saw.”
“Is that true, Daniel?” Judge Binder asked.
“It is.”
“Objection overruled,” Judge Binder stated. “Please continue, Ms. Gibbs.”
“Permission to approach the witness your Honor,” ADA Gibbs stated.
Upon receiving the judge’s permission, ADA Gibbs walked up to the witness box and showed Danny the digital image marked “State’s Exhibit #4.” “Do you recognize this image, Daniel?” as she showed him the image of the text message.
ADA Gibbs said to the judge, “I would like to introduce this photo as State’s Exhibit #4.” She showed the photo to the judge. He agreed to allow its introduction as evidence.
ADA Gibbs returned the image to Danny and asked, “Please describe the picture and the caption.”
“This is the Instagram post the link in the text message on my phone led me to that afternoon,” Danny stated.
“Please describe the picture and read the caption.”
“It is a picture of a dead rat,” Danny stated evenly. “It says ‘Squealers get this.’”
“Did you take this as a threat?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“I did once my friends and I realized the only four people who received the text were the four of us who witnessed Kai Woodrow assaulting Oliver Stirling.”
“Objection you Honor, hearsay!” the defense attorney protested.
“Daniel, please limit your testimony to what you personally saw and felt,” Judge Binder stated. “The others can testify as to their state of mind.”
“I did take the Instagram post as a threat to me,” Danny said. “That I should not be here today to testify against Kai Woodrow.”
“Did you receive any other treats you perceived as relating to this case?”
“There was an incident on January 27th,” Danny responded.
“Please describe the incident that occurred on the afternoon of January 27th, Daniel,” ADA Gibbs asked.
“I rode my bike over to Anna Harris’ house,” Danny explained. “She’s my girlfriend. We wanted to spend some time ... uh, together.”
“Where did you park your bike?”
“I parked it on the walkway to the house,” Danny responded.
“Approximately how far is the walk from the street?”
“Probably forty or fifty feet.”
“There is no way a car could accidently run over your bike where you parked it?”
“No way,” Danny said.
“Please relate what happened while you were at your girlfriend’s house that afternoon.”
“About twenty or thirty minutes after I arrived, Anna and I heard a car squealing its tires right in front of her house,” Danny explained. “Then we heard a crunch, like metal grinding on metal. The crunching happened repeatedly. After a few times, Anna and I hurried out to see what was happening. Someone in a black, cloth-top, four-wheel-drive Jeep was repeatedly driving over and backing up over my bike.”
“Could you recognize the driver?” ADA Gibbs asked.
“No, he wore a knit cap down low over his head and he had dark sunglasses on,” Danny explained. “He tossed a note out the window before he peeled off and disappeared.”
“May I approach your Honor?” ADA Gibbs asked. “I would like to tender the note in question as State’s Exhibit #5.” The judge agreed.
“Do you recognize this piece of paper, Daniel?”
“It’s the note the driver threw out of the window of the Jeep,” Danny answered after glancing at the note.
“Please read the note to the Jury, Daniel,” ADA Gibbs instructed.
“It says, ‘This is you next time QB boy, if you testify.’”
“Daniel, did you consider this incident and note as threat?”
“I very clearly saw this as a threat that I should not testify today,” Danny answered.
“Thank you, Daniel,” ADA Gibbs said. “I have no further questions for this witness.”
“Mr. Foard, do you have any questions for this witness?” the judge asked. Andrew Foard as the defendant’s attorney.
“Daniel, you stated that you recognized my client,” Mr. Foard asked. “Where do you recognize him from?”
“We are ... uh, or were both students at the Avon Grove High School.”
“Your high school, it has over a thousand students, does it not?” Mr. Foard asked, clearly skeptical of Danny’s ID. “Do you have any classes with my client?”
“He’s a senior and I am a freshman,” Danny responded. “We do not have any classes together.”
“I am puzzled, Daniel,” Mr. Foard stated. “How can you positively ID my client if he is just one of over a thousand students at your school, who you have little to no contact with.”
“When I started at the high school last fall, some of my varsity teammates pointed out who Kai Woodrow was and warned me to stay away from him.”
“You know who he is based on some unsubstantiated rumors?”
“It isn’t just unsubstantiated rumors,” Danny retorted. “My sister and her boyfriend were at a party about a year ago that Kai Woodrow crashed. He caused a commotion that caused the police to shut down the party. I knew my teammates’ advice was good, that being around Kai Woodrow was trouble.”
“Objection, your Honor,” Mr. Foard growled. “Prior bad acts are inadmissible. I ask you to instruct the jury to disregard the witness’ last statement.”
“You opened the door with your question, Mr. Foard,” Judge Binder replied. “Objection overruled. The jury MAY consider this prior bad act by the defendant for purposes of identification.”
“No further questions for this witness,” Mr. Foard said. His earlier aggressive stance had softened.
“Ms. Gibbs, any redirect?” the judge asked.
“Just one, you Honor,” ADA Gibbs said. “Daniel, are you certain you recognize the defendant, Kai Woodrow, as the person who assaulted Oliver Stirling outside the cafeteria at your school?”
“Kai Woodrow was less than a dozen feet from me when he beat up Oliver,” Danny answered. “He looked me directly in the eye after he did it and warned me to keep my mouth shut.”
“Thank you, Daniel,” ADA Gibbs said. “No further questions for this witness.”
“Thank you, Daniel,” Judge Binder said. “You are dismissed.”
Danny stood and walked out of the court room, followed by the scowls and glares from Kai Woodrow. Penny followed her son outside. Danny finally noticed Oliver Stirling and his parents in the audience. Oliver gave him a smile and a wave. Danny nodded in acknowledgement.
“You did well, Danny,” Penny said. She gave her son a hug. “You stood up to a bully and told the truth. Nicely done.”
The two of them headed for the waiting area to retrieve their coats. Matt and Logan Robertson, as well as the clerk, passed them, heading to the court room. It was Logan’s turn to testify.
“How was it?” Logan asked as they passed.
“Just tell the truth,” Danny responded. “It wasn’t too bad.”
Jon Caffrey stuck his head in Kyle’s office in the afternoon. “Hey Coach, got a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up, Jon?”
“Our sons got this idea of a sleepover this weekend,” Jon said.
“Robbie and Aiden, I assume?” Kyle commented. Aiden was Jon’s younger, seven-year-old son. Robbie and Aiden had gotten to be good friends since the Caffreys moved to Chester County in February. They were in the same class in school and in Rosa Fritz’s Cub Scout den too.
“Actually, Justin Fritz too,” Jon replied. “And this is a little more than just a sleepover. The three boys cooked up this idea when they found out Beth and I planned to take our boys to Hershey Park on Saturday. I am quite willing to take your son along, if you have no objections, Coach.”
“No, I don’t think Penny or I will have any objections,” Kyle responded. “Of course, I will cover Robbie’s expenses at the park. I wouldn’t expect you to put up with my kid and pay for him too.”
“This would need to be a two-night sleepover,” Jon said. “Beth and I want to get a fast start Saturday morning, so the boys will need to sleep over both Friday and Saturday nights.”
“I don’t see any issue with that,” Kyle smirked, “if you can put up with three seven-year-olds for a whole weekend. Does Ed and Rosa know about this plan yet?”
“Not yet,” Jon said. “I am going to talk with him right after you say this is OK.”
“Why don’t we make this easy for you?” Kyle laughed. He pressed the intercom button and called out, “Ed, can you join Jon and me in my office?”
Ed showed up half a minute later. Jon and Kyle filled him in on what the young boys were planning. Ed had no objection. Ed and Kyle promised to drop their sons off at the Caffreys around 7:30 PM Friday night. Jon headed back to his work area. Ed stuck around with Kyle.
“Now if I could get rid of the older one too,” Ed laughed. “Rosa and I could really enjoy the weekend.”
“Not a bad idea,” Kyle commented, smiling. “Not a bad idea at all. Penny and I were just commenting that it was time for us to have another parents-only weekend. We missed our chance when the NFL Combine conflicted with the Maxwell Dinnner. We usually make a weekend of it down in Atlantic City. What if we took our wives to one of those spas up in the Poconos? They’d enjoy that.”
“And EJ?””
“Could your mom take him?” Kyle asked.
“Mom and her sister going antiquing in Vermont this weekend,” Ed said. “Anyway, EJ would have a fit. My young lothario has another double date with Dylan Reynolds and their girlfriends.”
“So? See if Ryan and Mary Ann would look after EJ for the weekend.”
“Rosa would enjoy a kid-free weekend at a spa,” Ed commented. “I’ll go talk to Ryan and see if he would look after EJ this weekend.”
“Let me know what he says,” Kyle replied. “I’ll check into what’s available while you see if you can ditch EJ.”
Kyle searched online while Ed conferred with Ryan Reynolds. Ryan was willing to look after Ed’s older son, especially after he found out it would give his boss a chance to take his wife to a spa. Promising to return the favor some weekend for Mary Ann and Ryan just sweetened the pot. Ed popped into Kyle’s office.
“I’ve ditched the kids,” Ed announced, smiling widely. “What did you find?”
“How does the French Manor Inn and Spa sound?” Kyle asked. “Salt pool, sauna, massages, facials for the girls, get their nails done, does that sound good?”
“Sounds great,” Ed said. “Rosa would love it. Does this place have openings for this weekend?”