Chapter 20

Heather and I slept late the next morning, missing the boys before they went to school. The house was deserted. Mom and Dad had headed to work. Mom left a note, letting us know that Bob, Deb, Jon, Amy and our nephews Brian and Ben would be joining us for dinner and an evening of tales from our adventures down under.

After breakfast I took Heather over to her apartment. She spent the rest of the day packing her things at her apartment for our move at the end of the week. I worked on packing my things and the boys’ things at my house.

Dad grilled burgers to go with Mom’s picnic-style side dishes. Heather and I told our assembled family all about our three week adventure half way around the world. Jon left briefly to take Brian to Boy Scouts, but otherwise we described our explorations until it was time for the boys’ baths and bedtime. I had downloaded our pictures and I showed them the many beautiful sights from our trip.

Heather and I used the basement bedroom for the remainder of our time in Paradise. Tuesday the two of us drove up to Harrisburg. Heather’s design team took us out to a good-bye lunch. We told them about our adventures too. I knew parting from Street, Nicholson and Segal was bittersweet for Heather. She only worked there for ten months, but they treated her like family.

The week flew by too quickly. Most of time was spent on preparations for moving. I stopped by the school on Thursday and picked up Noah and Connor’s records.

Hunter was quiet as the week wore on. I could see losing his two best friends was hurting my little brother. There was one saving grace. A young family moved into the empty house next door and they had a six-year-old daughter, who ended up in Mrs. Herr’s first grade class with Hunter.

Mom encouraged Hunter to invite the sweet little girl, named Madison, over to play a couple times during the week. She didn’t know anyone at her school and Hunter was going to need a friend soon. Our neighborhood was bereft of young kids. Most of the families here had teenaged or grown children. Except for Noah, Connor, Hunter and now Madison, there weren’t any young kids to play with. Maybe the two could become friends.

I took the kids to school Friday morning before the moving truck arrived. Heather and I met it at her apartment. It didn’t take long to clear all her things out. We left Heather’s car with her parents. She and Jon had already done the title transfer. I drove us back to my place. By mid-afternoon, all my things and the boys’ things were loaded in the truck. We sent it west. We would see it again on Monday morning in Westlake.

I took Heather and the boys down to the Friendly’s by the Walmart outside Parkesburg for dinner. I invited Hunter to join us but Mom said no. It was time for Hunter to be separating from the twins.

Heather and I talked with the boys about the move and what to expect in the next week or two. Noah asked one of his burning questions.

“You’re sure we will be in Cub Scouts out there?” Noah asked. “Scouts is so much fun. I don’t want to miss it.”

“Me, either,” Connor chimed in.

“You two saw me pack my new Cubmaster uniform in its box with my other clothes two nights ago,” I replied. This was about the twentieth time the boys asked me about Scouts. I loved their dedication, but why wouldn’t they take yes for an answer?

I had ordered council strips on-line before the wedding. I picked up the rest of the badges I needed and had Grammy Robinson sewed everything on for me. My new uniform correctly showed I was the Cubmaster of Ventura County Council’s Pack 1172. She did shirts for the boys too.

“Your first pack meeting will be next Thursday night at your new elementary school,” I added. “I promise, you will not miss even a single den meeting.”

“But our den meetings are Tuesday nights and we won’t be there,” Connor commented. “what about that?”

“Your old den meets Tuesday nights,” I responded. “That isn’t your den anymore. Your new den also meets Tuesday nights, except the week when there is a pack meeting, so you won’t miss anything.”

“What about camping?” Noah asked. “Pack 312 is going camping in May.”

“So are the two of you,” I answered. “With Pack 1172. It is the first weekend in May.”

“Oh ... kay...” the twins reluctantly agreed.

“Are Otto and Willis all packed for the trip?” I asked, by way of diverting my boys’ attention to something ... anything else. Otto and Willis were the boys favorite stuffed animals – baby pandas. Reluctantly the boys boxed up Oscar and Tucker, the stuffed koalas that Heather and I had brought home from Australia. Checked luggage wasn’t safe enough for the boys’ new stuffed friends. Carry-on space was too limited for more than one stuffed animal. Otto and Willis would fly with us in the morning while Oscar and Tucker rode the truck west to California.

“Otto’s ready,” “Willis too,” the twins chimed in.

The boys enjoyed the sundae bar at Friendly’s. Heather and I did too. We took the boys home and got them ready for bed one last time in Paradise. Heather and I talked with my parents for a bit before retiring too. Tomorrow was going to be a long day with a very early start.

The alarm rang at 3:30 AM. I trudged upstairs to wake the boys. Mom and Dad were already stirring. They insisted on driving us to the airport. I went downstairs to dress once I was certain the boys wouldn’t go back to sleep. Heather took over herding the boys once she was dressed.

Thirty minutes later we were all assembled outside, nine people, four carry-on bags, four checked bags, Otto and Willis. Noah and Connor insisted on riding in the minivan with Mom, Dad and Hunter. That left just me and Heather for my old Honda. We could have fit in the mini-van too, but then we would not have room for luggage – so, two vehicles made the trek to Harrisburg.

I pulled up in front of the United Departures gate. Heather and I pulled luggage out of the back of the Honda while the boys debarked from the minivan. Mom and Dad helped get the rest of our luggage. I gave my car keys and house keys to Dad. We exchanged a lot of hugs and kisses before we were forced to depart. More than a few tears were shed too, including by me.

“We’ll see all of you in July,” I promised as my family headed inside to check-in. Check-in went smoothly as did the security line. The wait at security wasn’t too bad. That was one of the advantages of an early morning flight out of a small airport like Harrisburg. We headed down the concourse to our gate. I grabbed some breakfast from the McDonalds while the rest of my family waited at our gate.

They called for all first class passengers and families traveling with small children. Heather, Noah, Connor and I joined the line to board. The lady at the gate looked like she wanted to tell us Noah and Connor weren’t considered small children, at least until we showed her our first class tickets for the four of us. I guess there weren’t very many seven-year-olds traveling first class.

“Wow, we get to sit up front,” Noah marveled as we showed him and Connor their seats. “Cool! was Connor’s response.

I put the boys’ carry-on in the overhead, except for their iPads, Otto and Willis. I gave the boys the two stuffed pandas while I kept the iPads for later. The flight attendant asked if Heather or I wanted champagne or perhaps, mimosas. At 6:30 in the morning. We asked for orange juice instead. The four of us settled in while the rest of the passengers boarded our flight.

The flight took us to Chicago. We had an hour and forty minute layover. That left plenty of time to find our next gate, buy some sandwiches, chips and drinks for the next flight and relax before the next flight.

Our plane was waiting at the gate when we arrived. We boarded forty minutes later, first class again. I didn’t want to jinx things until the flight was in the air, but I had achieved a small miracle in air travel this year. This was the fifteenth flight I had taken in 2017. Every one of the planes departed and arrived on time. This flight put us down on the tarmac at LAX promptly at 12:09 PM, four minutes ahead of schedule.

We gathered our luggage and headed for the car rental place. I had an SUV reserved for a week. That would give Heather a car to drive too, until we could go out and purchase a new car for her. Traffic was heavy on the 405 and the 101 too. It might be Saturday afternoon, but this is LA and traffic is going to be heavy, no matter what. I took the exit ramp off 101 onto Lindero Canyon Road an hour later.

“Wow, that’s big lake!” Connor marveled as West Lake came into view.

“Do we live near it?” Noah added.

“Our house overlooks the lake,” Heather replied, pointing up towards the condo to our home. “The fourth one down from the top of the hill is us.”

“With the tall chimney?” Connor asked. Heather nodded.

“Cool!” both twins agreed together, in their twin way.

I turned onto Ridgestone Drive and then into Westlake Pointe. I drove up the hill as the boys stared at the homes we passed. I followed the street back to the end, pulling into our driveway behind our condo.

Everyone hopped out of the SUV. “Welcome, this is our home.” I announced. The boys looked over the outside while I unlocked to door. I invited the boys in. Heather and I followed them inside. They dashed down the hallway and stopped when they saw the great room.

“Wow, Daddy, this is a nice place,” Noah remarked.

“It’s newer and bigger than our home ... uh, Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop’s home,” Connor added. The boys dashed through the great room and out onto the balcony.

“Look ... I can see the lake from here,” Noah gushed. “Cool!”

“What’s under the cover over here?” Connor asked, pointing at our jacuzzi.

“It’s the jacuzzi,” I replied. The twins looked at me quizzically. “A hot tub where you can soak, and it has jets that the make the water all bubbly. You’ll like it.”

Heather and I showed the boys the kitchen, which was less interesting to them. I checked. Jay had turned the refrigerator on for us. We led the boys upstairs.

“This is the master suite where Heather and I sleep,” I said at the top of the steps. “Your bathroom is in front of us.”

“Our bathroom?” Connor asked. “We don’t have to share it?”

“Just for the two of you unless we have guests,” I said. “Your rooms are...” I gestured towards the two back bedrooms.

“Our room!” the two squealed together. You couldn’t put anything past my boys. The open doors revealed two desks and some workout equipment in one room. The other, larger bedroom had the bunkbeds. The boys dashed into the room and looked around.

“Dibs on top,” Noah called out.

“No fair!” Connor protested. “It is my turn back home ... uh, back with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop to have the top bunk.”

“You two will take turns for the top bunk,” I stated. “Just like in Pennsylvania. Connor has the top bunk until May, then it will be your turn, Noah.”

“What do you boys think of your room?” Heather asked.

“Cool!” both twins agreed.

“You guys hungry?” I asked. It had been almost four hours since we ate the sandwiches and chips on the flight west. Our bodies felt like it was 5:15 in the evening, though the local time was only 2:15PM. “We can go out and get some tacos. The twins were delighted with that idea, at least they were until I suggested they try fish tacos.

“Fish?” Noah asked skeptically. “Fish in a taco?”

“Yuck!” Connor agreed.

“Try them,” Heather added. “I wasn’t sure I would like them when your dad suggested them my first time. They are really good. You’ll see.”

Otto and Willis checked out the beds while I took my family out for a mid-afternoon meal. Normally my boys were not finicky about food. They tried to fish tacos and decided they were good.

The four of us headed to the grocery store after our mid-afternoon meal. The condo had been stripped bare of any food when Heather and I were there in February. We had the cart loaded high with all the groceries a family of four needed. My phone rang.

“Hey, Jay, what’s up?” I asked when I answered the call from my friend, Jay Nicholson.

“You guys made it to LA OK?” Jay asked.

“Everything went smoothly,” I said. “Heather, the boys and I are at the grocery store now, stocking up.”

“I know most of your things are on the moving truck,” Jay said. “Allison and I wanted to invite you, Heather and the boys down the hill for a cookout. We can grill up some burgers and catch up with you and Heather.”

“Jay and Allison are inviting us to a cookout tonight,” I commented to Heather. She smiled and nodded yes.

“Cookout?” Noah grinned.

“Hot dogs?” Connor asked, also grinning.

“We would be delighted to come over,” I agreed. “I’ll grab some hot dogs and buns here at the store. Noah and Connor love grilled hot dogs.”

“Excellent!” Jay replied. “We’ll see you around six.”

Heather, the boys and I walked down the hill past the community pool and around the hillside over to Jay and Allison’s condo. They had a smaller version of our condo, but without the lake view. Allison welcomed us. We. trooped through their house to the front deck. Jay was there, with the grill already fired up. I gave my friend the bag of hot dogs and rolls. We found seats.

“How is married life, Heather?” Allison asked. Jay put the burgers and dogs on the grill.

“Good ... very good,” Heather answered. “It is different. I am getting used to living with my guy.”

“Men ... they can make things uh, interesting,” Allison laughed. “They can be loud, smelly and pretty clueless at times. But they do have their uses.”

“Like grilling meat?” Jay teased.

“Yes, honey, I married you for your meat,” Allison laughed. “Speaking of meat, how was the honeymoon?” Thankfully, that double entendre whizzed right over the heads of my boys.

“Amazing,” Heather said. “We actually got out of our hotel rooms occasionally to see the sights.”

“Tell us all about your trip,” Allison said. “I’ve always wanted to go down under. It must have been fascinating.”

Heather and I talked about our three weeks in Australia and New Zealand while Jay grilled our dinner and while we ate. The food was simple; burgers, hot dogs, macaroni salad and chips. Allison served a fresh cut fruit salad for dessert. Noah and Connor were on their best behavior, even though they had heard our honeymoon stories already.

As Allison was clearing the dishes away, I commented, “Thanks for looking after our house and my car, buddy.”

“No problem,” Jay replied. “No problem at all. I had your car out for a drive every other week to make sure it was in good shape. The last drive was a week ago. I filled it with gas, checked the air pressure in the tires, and checked the oil. You should be all set to go.”

“Thank you so much for your help,” I said. “I truly appreciate it.”

“I am just returning the favor,” Jay said. “You took me and Allison in last fall when I found myself needing a home in LA.”

The boys were winding down, so we thanked Jay and Allison for their hospitality and headed for home. The boys stayed awake for their baths. The boys had me read the story when it was bedtime. I did not make it to page 3 before the boys were asleep.

Dylan Harris called about half an hour after the boys went to sleep. “Dinner with Dylan and Beth tomorrow?” I asked when my friend extended an invitation.

“Sure, why not?” Heather agreed. I conveyed our acceptance to Dylan and got the details. “Are we ever going to cook in our kitchen?” Heather laughed when I finished the call.

“I am sure we will,” I replied. “No one invited us to breakfast tomorrow. We will christen the kitchen then.”

“What about church?” Heather asked. “Do we find one or just relax and be heathens for a Sunday?”

“It is Palm Sunday,” I replied. “I think we should start our church visits tomorrow.”

“OK, I will google and see what Presbyterian churches are around here.” I wish I could say I had been to church out here in LA, but I hadn’t. When I was in LA, I had other things to keep me busy on Sundays. Like catching footballs and winning games.

Westminster Presbyterian Church was about a mile and a half from our home. I started breakfast Sunday morning, but Heather had a different idea.

“I’m not a guest here,” Heather remarked. “I’ll do breakfast. You can do the dishes this morning. I think we need figure out how to divide up the work in our family.”

“Quite right,” I agreed. I relaxed on the deck while Heather prepared our meal. The boys joined me on the deck while we waited. Heather called us for our meal about fifteen minutes later. The food was tasty, as I knew it would be. I had eaten Heather’s cooking many times, going the whole way back to Venturers when we were fourteen. I did the dishes while Heather made sure the boys got ready for church. Having a life partner was going to be nice.

The church service was well done. We needed to check out some of the other churches in our area, but Westminster would stay on the list of prospective churches when we decided which to join.

After lunch, all of us loaded up in the SUV and headed for the coast. The boys needed to see the ocean and beach, if they were going to become true California boys. I took them to the El Pescador State Beach. It was convenient. The boys insisted on taking off their shoes so they could wade in the water. It was only 63 degrees, but that felt balmy to two boys who had endured the winter back in Pennsylvania.

Dinner at Dylan and Beth’s was good. Beth, six months along in her pregnancy most definitely was showing. The boys knew enough about procreation to understand why her belly was so big. On the way home, Connor asked, “Mommy, are you going to make a baby with Daddy?”

“That’s what mommies and daddies do when they get married,” Noah added helpfully.

“That’s too personal,” I insisted. “You can’t ask Mommy a question like that.”

“It’s OK, Andy,” Heather said. “We are a family. Adding a baby to our family will involve them. Yes, your father and I do plan on a baby ... someday but not soon.”

“I hope it’s a boy,” Noah said. “Having a little brother would be cool.”

“It does not work that way, guys,” I said. “We don’t get to pick. You’ll have to accept a little sister or brother, whichever we get.”

We let the boys try the hot tub before bed. Heather and I used it once they were asleep. It was a relaxing way to get in the mood for some fun upstairs in our bedroom. Thankfully, the twins were sound sleepers. We weren’t too worried about getting caught in the act.

I did breakfast for everyone Monday morning. Heather had to leave at 7:15 for her new job. I got the boys ready and drove them over to the White Oak Elementary School, arriving half an hour ahead of the 8:05 AM start of classes. The school building was one story and spread out. It was vaguely Spanish in style, built of tan brick and with a red clay tile roof. I led the boys inside to the office.

Mrs. Hack, a secretary manning the front desk at the office, showed us straight in to see Mrs. Sandoval, the principal. She reviewed the school’s schedule with the boys. An 8:05 AM start was almost an hour earlier than the boys were used to back in Pennsylvania. But the other side of the coin was that they got out of school earlier. I would pick them up at 2:38 PM.

Mrs. Sandoval assigned Connor to Mrs. Lopez’s class. Noah would be with Mrs. Greer. Mrs. Sandoval assured me both were experienced teachers who would take good care of my boys. A teacher’s aide took my sons off to meet their new teachers.

“Do you have a moment for a couple things, Mrs. Sandoval?” I asked politely.

“Certainly, Mr. Martin,” she replied.

“I was active in the PTO back in Pennsylvania,” I said. “I would like to be active here too.”

“PTO?”

“Parent-Teacher Organization,” I replied.

“Oh ... we call it the PFC,” Mrs. Sandoval chuckled. “Parent-Faculty Club. We would be happy to have you join.”

“The second question has to do with Cub Scouts,” I explained. “I understand the local pack meets here at the school. I want...”

“I can get you contact information for the cubmaster,” Mrs. Sandoval said immediately. “Matt Sanchez is the cubmaster. I have his phone number. I am sure he can help you get Noah and Connor signed up for Cubs.”

“Actually, Matt is stepping down as cubmaster at Thursday night’s meeting,” I chuckled. “I am the new cubmaster. I was wondering where the pack meets and what sort of room it is, so I have a better idea of what we will be able to do at meetings.”

Mrs. Sandoval laughed. “I knew our pack was well organized, but this is something. Your boys attended school last Friday at Paradise Elementary in Pennsylvania, so you have not been in Westlake Village more than a couple days. That is some fast recruiting.”

“I’ve been in Westlake Village for the past year,” I answered. “My parents have been looking after the twins while I had football. I play for the Rams.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow football,” Mrs. Sandoval replied. “My husband does. He is a big Rams fan. Would he know who you are?”

“If he is a Rams fan, he probably has heard of me,” I allowed. “I married my middle school sweetheart last month. With her help, I can look after my sons on my own. That prompted us to move our whole family west.”

“Welcome to Westlake Village and our school, Mr. Martin,” Mrs. Sandoval said. “As to your original question, the pack meets in the cafeteria. The tables are on wheels. You will be able to rearrange things as needed, as long as they get returned to their proper position at the end of your meeting.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” I said. “It has been a pleasure meeting you. I look forward to getting to know you and this school better.”

I headed back home. I beat the moving truck back by about fifteen minutes. They showed up at 9:00 AM, exactly as scheduled. It did not take the movers long to bring in all our boxes. I directed traffic, sending the boxes to their appropriate rooms.

I gave Coach Tolbert a call after lunch, to let him know my family and I had arrived safely in LA. I would be in next week for the Phase I OTAs.

“I hope lightning doesn’t strike the Ram Center,” Coach joked. I was notorious for skipping the Phase I OTAs in the past. Why should I fly out to LA to work out two or three hours a day, three days a week when I could train just as well in Pennsylvania and spend the rest of the day with my boys?