Chapter 100

Liz was all smiles on Saturday morning. She went to check on our guests while I got dressed for my morning workout.

I appreciated that she offered me the independence to do what I could without assistance. I also appreciated that she returned in time to tie my sneakers for me.

“Your workout partners are waiting for you,” she informed me.

“Ah, hell no,” I said. There was no way I was going to try to keep up with Chris or Matt. Chris still held firm to the Navy training regimen. Matt’s job kept him in good shape.

“It won’t be bad and they want to help,” Liz said as she led me out of the room and down the stairs.

I laughed when I saw Lucas, Brandon and Amber ready and waiting. The boys were dressed almost identically to me: mesh basketball shorts, sleeveless T-shirts, socks, sneakers and a baseball cap. Amber wore a smaller version of Susan’s workout attire: shorts over a pair of leggings, a T-shirt, running shoes and ankle-high socks. She had broken out her “Fighter” T-shirt for the occasion.

“We’ah gonna help!” she informed me.

“Sounds great,” I said. “You know, I usually just walk on the machine. How about if we all take a walk around the house instead? I can show you some of the cool stuff Aunt Liz has.”

I glanced over at Liz for a moment.

“It’ll accomplish the same thing,” I said when I saw her frowning slightly.

“No, that’s fine,” she said. “The therapist said that was an alternative if it got boring in here. I was just wondering when you were going to start thinking of the things here as yours, too.”

“Probably not as soon as you’d like,” I confessed.

“Yeah,” Liz replied. “I’d like it to already be done.”

I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Small steps,” I suggested. We didn’t get to talk about anything else. The youngsters were raring to go.

We were almost to the stables when I saw a familiar vehicle heading down the road. I waved but I doubted Ben or Kim could see me. I was proven wrong when the car reversed its course and pulled along the shoulder.

Kim rolled down her window and smiled at me.

“Wanna couple of spare kids?” she asked.

“More the merrier,” I answered – thinking she was joking with me. I had spent only a little bit of time around her boys and she or Ben were nearby at all times.

Instead, Kim continued driving backward until she reached the entrance to the stables. I saw Stone and Spenser (named after two characters created by Robert B. Parker) scramble out the back of the SUV. A moment later, Kim drove off up the road again, her arm out the window waving at me.

The two boys were right in the middle of the ages. Brandon was the oldest at seven; Stone was six; Lucas was five; Spenser was four and Amber had just turned four.

Despite the fact that Stone and Spenser had raced from the stables to meet us they had no problem with walking back down and looking at the horses. I hadn’t really thought out the trip very well. We were at least a half-hour walk to the main house. It was slightly uphill and completely open to the sun. Amber was already wearing down – and looking a little pink. And I hadn’t brought any water.

Even Brandon and Lucas were starting to show signs of fatigue.

Summer was only in its third day but you couldn’t tell it from the Nashville weather.

The temperature was already in the mid-80s at 10 in the morning. The kids were accustomed to warm weather. They had spent their entire lives in or around San Diego. They were not used to the humidity that came along with warm weather in the Eastern United States.

The stable was closed on Saturdays so the building was locked. We hadn’t brought water with us. I felt like a complete failure when it came to supervising children.

“Uh, guys,” I said, “I think I goofed.”

Sarah’s boys were used to me so they didn’t look too startled at the news. Stone, Spenser and Amber seemed confused by the admission.

“I’m too tired to make it up back to the house,” I said. It wasn’t really true. I could have made it but I would have been pretty worn out. I didn’t think Amber’s tiny little legs were up to the hike – particularly since she might be burned to a crisp by the time we’d gotten there.

I found a small slice of shade and fished my phone out of the pocket of my shorts. I abandoned my first thought pretty quickly. I wasn’t going to admit my stupidity to Liz. I also knew the stables were pretty close to somebody else’s house – and I had two of his kids with me.

“Hey, Ben, I need a favor,” I said when he answered the phone.

“OK,” he said. “Oh, Travis. Shit. I didn’t recognize your voice. What’s up?”

“Um, do you have bottles of water and sunscreen at your house?” I inquired.

I was greeted by silence.

“I took the kids for a walk,” I explained. “We’re at the stables but ... the humidity is ridiculous. I have your boys with me. Kim saw us and dropped them off.”

“I’d have helped you even if you weren’t holding my kids hostage,” Ben said, laughing. “Give me a couple of minutes. Do you just want me to pick you up and drive you back to the house?”

“No,” I said quickly. “I would never hear the end of this from those people.”

“Say no more,” he said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

We passed the time looking at the horses. The kids wanted to ride them and pet them and probably chase them around the pasture. I put my foot down on those ideas. I didn’t know enough about horses to fill a thimble and I couldn’t do anything to help if something when wrong.

“Next time we’ll bring Liz with us,” I proposed. “These are hers and I don’t know which ones we can ride and which are just for ... show.”

I didn’t want to explain the entire breeding process to a group of children. Belle and Stardust seemed amused at the new gawkers. They both came to the fence and let the kids get a close look at them.

“So pwetty,” Amber proposed. I had taken off my baseball cap and perched it on top of her head. It dwarfed her little head but it kept the sun off her face.

I was thankful when Ben pulled up and tugged out an ice chest filled with water. By the time we had hydrated and slathered the kids with sunscreen, everybody was well rested.

“I owe you,” I said.

Ben just waved a hand.

“Consider it payment for looking after these two,” he said, ruffling the hair of his two boys. “See you later.”

He got back in his car and headed homeward. We had made it almost to within sight of the house when my phone buzzed.

“Where are you?” Liz asked urgently.

“About 10 minutes from the house,” I replied, estimating the distance and adding in rest stops. Amber and Spenser were doing their best to keep up with the bigger kids but their legs were far shorter.

“You said you were just going to walk around the house!” Liz said. “Are you OK?”

“We’re fine,” I said. “A little tired but we’re hanging in there. We’re stopping for breaks when we need them.”

“Which direction are you in?” Liz wondered.

“Uh...” I stammered. I couldn’t actually place it on a compass. I thought we were slightly southeast but I wouldn’t bet on it.

“The stables or the back fence?” Liz cut in.

“The stables,” I said. “I took the kids down to see the horses.”

Again, no response came across the phone lines.

“You walked all the way to the stables?” she asked with a slight edge to her voice.

“Yeah,” I said.

“With the kids?” she asked.

“No,” I said. “I just turned them loose and let them run. Of course the kids are with me. Actually, I picked up a couple of strays along the way.”

I heard a sigh from Liz.

“I’m on the way down in the golf cart,” she said.

“What good is that going to do?” I asked. “Only one of the kids can ride in the cart.”

“You’re going to ride in the cart,” Liz informed.

“No, I’m not,” I answered. “Amber or Spenser might want a ride but I do not.”

“Spenser?” Liz asked. “Ben’s son?”

“That’s the only one I know,” I said.

“What’s he ... where did he come from?” Liz asked.

“Hold on,” I said. There was a gazebo off to the side and I thought some shade and more water would be perfect. I pointed and we veered off in that direction.

“Look, I need my hand for carrying my water,” I said. “We’re fine and we’ll be back in a few minutes.”

We were all laughing and splashing each other with water when Liz pulled up on the golf cart. I saw her dip her chin and shake her head – and got water in my face thanks to my inattention.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You wandered off with the kids an hour ago,” she noted.

“Yeah, so?” I inquired.

“I thought you were just going to walk around the house,” Liz said. “If I had known that you were going on a cross-country hike someone would have gone with you.”

“Why?” I tried.

“What would you have done if you’d tripped and fallen or something?” Liz asked in return.

“And having someone with me would have stopped that?” I shot back. “Brandon knows how to use a phone. Hell, I bet Amber knows how to use a phone. We’re fine.”

Liz looked hard at me but let it go.

“Where did you get water?” she asked.

“Ben brought it over,” I admitted.

“And left his boys with you,” she said.

“I had the boys before that,” I said, laughing slightly. “Kim saw us and dumped them along the highway. That’s how I knew Ben was home alone.”

Liz shook her head again.

“Look, I’m not an idiot,” I said. “I know what I can do and what I can’t. I was there when they told me. We walked down to the stables and then rested a bit. I called Ben and he brought over some water and some sunscreen. We took breaks when one of us got tired. We’re only a few minutes from the house so we decided to have a little water battle. It’s all good. Stop worrying about me so much.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Liz declared. “Why don’t you ride back to the house?”

“And just leave the kids here?” I wondered.

“No,” Liz said. “I’ll walk back with them.”

I shook my head.

“Amber is bushed,” I confessed. “You can take her back to the house. The boys and I will be along in a few minutes.”

Liz looked over to where the little redhead cutie was still holding her own. It was still evident to both of us that she was getting tired and hot.

“Just promise me you’ll take it easy,” Liz said.

“I’ll take it easy,” I replied with a sigh. “It’s a straight shot from here. We’ll be back in a little while.”

The four boys and I were pretty happy to plop our bottoms on the shaded porch at Liz’s house. I could feel sweat trapped beneath the neoprene sling. I could see it dripping off my fingertips.

“OK, guys,” I said. “I’m going to pass you off to the folks inside and then I gotta get a shower.”