Chapter 5

The events of that evening changed the boy forever. Beginning the next morning, he seemed to walk taller. His growing self-confidence was noticeable in everything he did, every word he uttered. It was like he'd matured ten years overnight. They didn't talk about it because they didn't need to. They understood innately that something rare and beautiful had passed between them, and they acted accordingly. In some ways, they were now equals.

It was right after breakfast when the lady from Social Services knocked on the door. Annie invited her in and went to the back door to call Caleb in from the garden. They chatted amiably while he went into the bathroom to wipe off the sweat with a cool damp cloth. As soon as he took his place on the couch beside Annie, Mrs. Florence proceeded with her interview.

"Now," she began, "We've already received quite a lot of information from your attorney, Mr. Simpson. Based on what we've learned so far, it goes without saying that Caleb must be removed from the custody of his aunt, Meg Wilson. We've already checked and verified that Caleb's biological mother is no longer living, and that he has no other relatives. There's no record of who his father is."

"Huh?" the boy sat up in surprise. "Did you say Mama's dead?"

Mrs. Florence looked confused. "Did you not know that?"

"No, Ma'am! Nobody ever told me."

The lady looked genuinely distressed. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry to spring it on you like this. She died in a hospital of alcoholic liver disease. Meg Wilson was notified when it happened two years ago and we just assumed she told you."

"Yes," Annie spat out, "Well, I guess you can see by that how she feels about this boy. She's a vicious, self-absorbed woman!"

She hugged Caleb to her side and consoled, "Honey, I'm so sorry you found out this way."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "It's just kind of a surprise, is all. I guess I didn't really know her, but it still feels kinda strange to know your mama died."

Mrs. Florence picked up where she left off. "Yes, well again, you have my condolences, but I must continue. Now, this interview is to determine if you, Annie Jamison, are prepared and capable of serving as Caleb's foster mother."

"Well sure she is!" Caleb interjected. "I don't wanna live no where else 'cept right here with Annie!"

Mrs. Florence reached over and patted his knee. "I understand, Caleb, but we need to follow procedure and complete all the questions. Perhaps you might be more comfortable waiting outside while I talk to Miss Jamison."

"No Ma'am, I'm stayin' right here!"

She sighed, "As you wish. Now, Miss Jamison, let's talk about your resources, your income. Are you financially able to accommodate the needs of a boy Caleb's age?"

Annie was ready with a full accounting of her bank balance and her likely teaching job at Maywood High School.

Mrs. Florence approved, "Yes, well it sounds as though you're in good shape there. And of course, if Caleb is placed with you, you'll receive a monthly subsidy just as his aunt did."

Annie shook her head, "Thank you, but we won't be needing that. I don't ever want this young man to think he's here so I can collect a check. We'll do fine with what we've got."

"Hmm! Well I'll make a note of that, but I don't think anyone has ever turned down the money before."

The interview was extensive and continued for another hour, asking dozens of very personal questions. When it was over, Mrs. Florence stood and offered her hand.

"From what I can determine, Miss Jamison, you seem perfectly suited to be Caleb's foster mother, and that's what I'll recommend to our director. It might be better if you were married, but it's not essential. It's obvious that young Caleb here has already grown very attached to you. Thank you for your time, and good day."

As she drove away, Annie and Caleb laughed, hugged and danced around the living room in relief and pure joy.

A week later, Annie got official notice in the mail that she was Caleb's foster mother. And an allotment check. At first, she was tempted to send it back, but then she had a better idea.

"Caleb," she said, "since this money is intended for your welfare, why don't we start a savings account in your name and deposit all the county money into it. We really have no idea how the adoption plan will go, or even if the checks will continue after it's completed, but at least we can start building something toward your college tuition."

"College?" he gasped in disbelief. "I never thought I'd ever be goin' to college! I don't think I'm smart enough for that, Annie."

Annie spanked him playfully on his butt and said, "Now I don't ever want to hear you say that again. You're plenty smart enough for college. I know for a fact that you have a very good brain, so you may as well just start planning on being an educated man when you grow up."

Just as playfully, he smacked her on her butt and laughed, "Yes'm! Whatever you say, Ma'am!"

Since his fifteenth birthday was the following Friday, they decided to celebrate that and her foster mother status at the same time with cake and ice cream. She called Bill Simpson at his office and invited him to the party. He said he'd be happy to come and asked if he could bring anything. Annie said he should bring only himself and a good appetite. She sent Caleb over to the Brennan farm to invite them as well.

The next day, when she drove into town to open his savings account at the bank and do some grocery shopping, she bought him a special present. On her way back home, she dropped by Bill Simpson's office to ask if he'd bring it with him to the party. He said he'd be happy to.

As she was leaving his office, he accompanied her to the door and asked, "Annie, are you seeing anyone these days?"

"What? Do you mean socially?"

"Yes. I don't mean to be too forward, but I was hoping to ask you out to dinner sometime. That is, if you're free to do that."

She considered if for a few moments, then smiled and said, "I think I'd like that, Bill. I don't know why, but I always thought you were a married man."

"Well, I was up until a couple of years ago. Didn't work out. So how about the next Friday night after the party? Would that work?"

"I'm looking forward to it. Don't forget to pick up Caleb's present on the way to the party."

"I'll pick it up and put a ribbon on it."

Caleb was so excited about the party, he pestered her constantly. What kind of cake would they have? What flavor ice cream. What else would they have to eat? Did she think Mr. Simpson would bring a present? Was he supposed to dress up?

She told him a dozen times that it would be a casual get-together, nothing fancy, but he still wanted to know every detail. Finally, she said, "Caleb, if there are any surprises, telling you about them would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess it would." He stuck his hands in his pockets and said sheepishly, "OK, Annie, I'll stop askin'. It's just I never had a birthday party before. I don't even know what I'm s'posed to do."

"How about you just enjoy it?"

"Yes'm. I plan to."

"Good!"

The morning of the party, Annie got busy in the kitchen with her preparations. She baked a rich carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. There was already a quart of strawberry ice cream and a quart of chocolate (Caleb's favorite) in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Instead of a sit-down dinner, she would prepare a selection of canapés for them to snack on. She knew she'd have to keep an eye on the boy or he'd be sneaking bites behind her back. She'd have iced tea, lemonade and coffee for beverages.

Mr. and Mrs. Brennan were the first to arrive. Annie had seen them driving up and down the road from time to time, even exchanging waves, but she'd not formally met them. George Brennan was a large man in his late forties or early fifties. His slightly jowly face was still handsome, if weather-worn from his years in the fields. Mildred, his wife, was also large, but not obese, just matronly. They were very pleasant people, and both expressed their delight that young Caleb was going to have a decent home to live in for a change. Mildred made a point of getting Annie aside at the first opportunity to express how she thought it was terrible what the county and the school board had accused her of, and how happy she was that Annie had put them in their place.

As they were ushered into the living room, they presented Caleb with the very first birthday present he could ever remember getting. It was wrapped in blue wrapping paper and tied with a white ribbon.

"Oh, wow!" he gushed when Mrs. Brennan handed it to him. "Can I open it now?"

Annie suggested he wait until later, knowing there'd be at least one more. He laid the gift on the coffee table, but he had a hard time keeping his eyes off of it.

The next time there was a knock on the door, it was Bill Simpson. He handed Caleb a large box wrapped in white paper, and it was laid next to the Brennan's gift. He saw Mr. Simpson look at Annie and wink and cock his head toward the door. He could tell they were up to something but he couldn't guess what.

As everyone got comfortable in their seats, Caleb and Annie brought in the trays of canapés, the iced tea and lemonade. He made it a point to not eat a single thing until everyone else had been served. Annie had taken the time to explain about party etiquette and he intended to be a perfect host.

As the afternoon and the conversation wore on, he grew more and more anxious to open his presents. And while it was childish of him to even be thinking it, he began to wonder if Annie hadn't gotten him a birthday present. Of course, her being made his foster mother was really the best present of all, but he found himself still hoping she might have bought him something. He felt guilty for thinking such selfish thoughts, but he couldn't stop himself.

It was six o'clock when Annie brought in the cake with fifteen little candles already lit. Caleb's thin face was hardly wide enough to contain the grin plastered on it as everybody stood and sang 'Happy Birthday'. He got kisses from Annie and Mrs. Brennan, pats on the back from Mr. Simpson and Mr. Brennan.

Then he got to open his presents. The Brennans (at Annie's suggestion) gave him a three-volume set of Jack London books, some of his best adventure stories. Caleb was delighted and said he was going to start the first one, "The Call of the Wild", that very night when he went to bed.

The second present, the one Bill Simpson brought was amazing! It was a wooden model of the USS Constitution that had hundreds of pieces to it. Caleb thought it might take him weeks to put it together.

He looked around to see if another gift was being snuck in behind his back, but no one was moving and no one said anything. He hoped the disappointment he felt in his chest wasn't showing on his face. That would be so ungrateful.

As Annie was cutting the cake and scooping the ice cream, Bill Simpson took a sip of his coffee and said, "Oh, by the way, Annie, I hope you don't mind, but I brought out some more papers for you to sign. I think I left them in the front seat of my car." Turning to Caleb, he asked, "Would you mind running out and bringing them in?"

"Sure, Mr. Simpson. I'll be right back."

Mere seconds after the front door closed, they heard, "Oh jeez! Wow!"

He stuck his face inside the door and practically shouted, "Mr. Simpson, is this for me?"

Annie said, "Come on everybody, let's go take a look."

They followed her out the door and saw Caleb standing on the porch holding the handlebars of a red and white Schwinn Challenger bicycle with whitewall tires. Bill walked over and ran his hand over the fender, saying, "I'd say your new mom really knows her bicycles, wouldn't you?"

There was just too much emotion for him to contain. Caleb lumbered over to Annie, dropped onto his knees and threw his arms around her legs, pressing his face against her tummy. He could barely control his emotions as he rasped out, "Annie, you're the nicest person I ever knew! Don't ever let nobody take me away from you!"

Annie kissed the top of his head and reassured him, "That's never going to happen, Caleb. We're family now."

Then she pulled him up onto his feet and announced, "OK, back to the cake and ice cream!"

The party broke up a little after seven. Together, Caleb and Annie cleared the dishes and straightened up the living room. The books and the model kit were on his desk and the bike was just inside the door, leaning on its kickstand. She said she'd indulge that wish for one night only.

During the festivities, Caleb had stuffed himself with canapés before downing a large chunk of carrot cake and at least a pint of the chocolate ice cream, so for the first time he could remember, he felt like he'd eaten too much.

He dried the last dish and put it away in the cabinet, folded the tea towel and draped it over the metal rack inside the cabinet door under the sink. He looked adoringly at his new mom and said, "I don't hardly know what to say, Annie, 'cept this has been just the best day I ever had in my whole life. I don't wanna even think about what woulda happened if I hadn't stopped to help you fix the porch that day. I'd still be livin' with ol' Aunt Nag and wishin' I had some place to run off to.

"You know what I think, young man?" Annie asked as she slipped her arms around his slim waist. "I think that was a lucky day for both of us. I never realized how lonely I was until I had someone here to fill up that hole. Sometimes, things just work out for the best don't they? Now why don't you go get your bath and brush your teeth while I finish up here in the kitchen."

She squeezed him tight, but broke when she felt the bump growing against her belly. They both laughed as she pushed him away. "You do struggle with that, don't you?"

"Sorry. You're just so pretty and nice, I can't help myself. But that's OK," he added as he headed for the bathroom, "I know how to fix it."

As the bathroom door closed, Annie thought, Now, that's progress! A week ago, there's no way in hell he could have kidded about something like that.

At bedtime, he pushed his new Schwinn into his bedroom so it would be the first thing he saw when he woke up. He intended to be out riding it as soon as the sun was up.