Chapter 3

We slept late, had breakfast and were packing for three days and two nights in Boston. The phone rang while Linda was putting our bags in the car.

“Hello, Stanley speaking.”

“Mr. Rider, this is Maurice Cumberland calling from Burlington. You wife Bonny married my brother, Charles and they moved to Pennsylvania. I’m calling to inform you that they were in an auto accident while returning home after going out with friends. They had dinner at home earlier. Charlie died immediately and Bonny isn’t expected to make it through the night”

“I’m sorry to hear that and I’d like to extend my condolences. Bonny has been out of my life for nearly four years now. Why are you calling me?”

“I’ll try to explain, but first I have to ask, are you married now, or have a female companion?”

“I do. I was married two days ago, but what has to do with Bonny’s possible demise?”

“This will be a surprise to you, but Bonny was pregnant with your child when she married my brother. Seven months after the marriage Bonny gave birth to a boy. There was some doubt who was the biological father so they had tests performed. You proved to be the father.”

“Your brother must have hated that?”

“He did at first, but he loved Bonny very much and came to love Jim as much as if he was the father.”

“I still don’t understand what you are trying to say?”

“What I’m saying is that you as the biological father will be first in line to take the boy into your home if it is felt you can bring yourself to care for him. I’m the one to decide because if Bonny dies it will be me who administers the estate. The child is of the first and most importance to me.”

“What if I won’t take him?”

“I don’t know. I’m not able to provide for him adequately. He most likely would be put up for adoption? To lend a little more weight to you caring for him, you are named as his biological father. If money is a problem, there are some funds in the estate available to give you some help.

“I wouldn’t take the boy just for the money. Can you hold on a minute and let me ask my wife?”

“Take your time. I’ll give you twenty minutes and call back.”

“Thanks.” Linda had come in and was wondering whom I was talking to. I spoke fast. “Linda, I just found out I am the biological father of a three-year-old boy. Bonny was pregnant when she ran off with the man she left me for. Bonny and her husband were in an accident. She is expected to die within hours and her husband is dead already. Would you consider being a mother to the boy?”

“Where would he go if we didn’t take him?”

“Most likely he would be put up for adoption.”

“Stanley, we can’t let him go into an orphanage. We can give him a good home, I know we can.”

“I was hoping you would say that. When Cumberland calls back, we will tell him so.” Ten minutes later, the phone rang.

“My wife agrees that we taking him would be the best thing for the child’s future. We were planning on having children soon, but we can put it off for awhile. How are we going to be able to get him?”

“I have the firm’s jet on standby now. I think the closest airport is Keene NH. Can you get packed and be there within forty-five minutes? We can talk more during the flight.”

“We’ll meet you there. Oh, what is the boy’s full name?

“It is James Rider Cumberland. Bonny named him that with Charli’s agreement. Also, they agreed sometime in the future you would learn you were named as the biological father on the birth certificate. You weren’t to be told until the boy was eighteen, but now under the present circumstances it is compulsory.”

Linda called the Chelsea Royal and informed them of her situation, saying she didn’t know when she would return. For myself, I just informed my assistant I would be gone for a week, explaining that I would return sooner if possible. I wasn’t slated to return until Wednesday anyway. This changed our honeymoon plans. Who knew how this change would impact us? We were waiting on the plane when it touched down in Keene. We bundled into the plane and ten minutes later, we were in the air heading for Pennsylvania.

After greeting, Cumberland said, “This won’t take long. We will land at the nearest airport which is 45 minutes from the home of my brother. I’ve reserved a vehicle to travel from there. Their son is talking and calls me Uncle Maury. I think a lot of him and if conditions were different, I would work to have him with me. If you do take him home with you, I’d like to have the chance to visit often.”

“Of, course you can, Mr. Cumberland.”

“Call me Maury. Charlie and Bonny live in my ancestral home and it will revert to me if Bonny doesn’t survive this.”

“I’m getting mixed signals here. Is there any possibility she will survive?”

“No, not any, but a person can always hope. We should know before we leave the airport. I’ve already made funeral arrangements concerning Charlie for Tuesday morning. Bonny is terrible smashed up. If she passes before tomorrow evening, it will be a double ceremony.

“Who is James staying with now?”

“At home with a lady named, Mrs. Wagner, who sits for them. She has been staying in the house with Jimmy since the accident. He has been told that his father and mother won’t be returning home. He has cried more than half his waking moments. That’ll be the first thing you’ll have to deal with. That is the main reason I asked if you had a female companion. I didn’t think I could deal with my brother’s death and a crying child too. Of course there is Bonny. I loved her like she was my sister.”

“I fully understand.” It didn’t seem long before we were sitting down on the airport runway. We hadn’t tried to keep Maury in conversation. He was feeling terrible about losing his brother. At one point I had seen tears trickling down his cheeks before he turned away. I glanced at Linda. She had seen the tears too and her eyes were moist as well.

Maury stepped out first and called the hospital on his cell phone. He turned to me, “Bonny passed away shortly after we left New Hampshire. I’ll leave you at the house to get acquainted with Jimmy while I see to funeral arrangements for her. I think it will be a double funeral.

“I will introduce you to Mrs. Wagner who has been caring for Jimmy. Maybe she can give you information how better to take over the care of the boy. Linda, have you ever cared for young children before?”

“I spent six months working in an orphanage. Most were older than Jimmy, though, but I think I will be able to handle the situation fairly well.”

“Good, you have some idea what to expect.” Maury drove fast, but conservatively. He retired into his thoughts saying little the rest of the way.

We pulled into the driveway of a large older home. The grounds were immaculately groomed. It looked like it had seven rooms on the ground floor and at least four on the second. It also had a three car garage with a covered breezeway between the two. “How many acres go with the property?”

“Only five now. There used to be more than a hundred. My father sold off most of it, thinking as long we both had made Vermont our home it would be too much care. Father has been dead for several years and the place was getting run down. Charlie brought Bonny here and brought it back to what you see now. It is terrible he isn’t going to enjoy it.” No comment from me was needed.

We went into the house through the rear entrance. Mrs. Wagner met us there. “Hello Maurice. Have you heard about Mrs. Cumberland?”

“Yes, I called as soon as we were on the ground. She passed a short time ago. Where is Jimmy?”

“He is curled up on the couch in the living room. He is asleep, but he whimpers some, not quite waking.”

“Mrs. Wagner, This is Stanley Rider and his wife Linda. Jimmy will be leaving here and living with Stanley and Linda. Actually, Stanley is Jimmy’s biological father so it is natural for him to go with them.”

“What day will that be?”

“Wednesday, if all goes to plan.”

“Oh, the poor dear. He loses his father and mother and is taken from his home as well, all within a week’s time.”

“I know it is unfortunate, but what else is there to do in this situation?”

“True.” She thought about it. “Nothing I guess.”

I went out and brought in our suitcases and Mrs. Wagner put us into a room next to the one Jimmy slept in. Maury was sitting across the room from Jimmy, just staring at him. I knew he wanted to leave to get the arrangements done. “Maury, why don’t you go now before he wakes up? We can tell him you are coming soon. It would be worse if you speak to him and then you leave. He has had enough of the people who love him leave.”

“You’re right, I will.”

“Mrs. Wagner, would you tell me all you can about Jimmy? You know his likes and dislikes and what upsets him. It is going to be so difficult for him.”

“Of course, Mrs. Rider.”

“Oh, please don’t call me Mrs. Rider. I’ve only been married two days. Call me Linda and then I’ll know to whom you are speaking.” Mrs. Wagner’s eyes opened at this, but didn’t comment.

“Linda, Jimmy is really a good little boy and very intelligent. Bonny has done wonderful in teaching him. He knows some of his alphabet and can count up to fifteen already. It won’t be long before he can read some of the simplest of his books. He also loves being read to. It is kind of frustrating because he is always stopping you and asking what a word means.

“He has been taught to mind and seldom gives any problem in that area. He is just a sweet little child.”

“I babysat when I was old enough. When I moved away from home, my first full time job was working as a nanny, but then the husband started bothering me so I left. The child there was about the same age as Jimmy.”

I interjected, “I didn’t know that.”

“Linda, there are some things you don’t know about me. I didn’t think it necessary to dwell on it until now. It was just something many girls do to earn money. Now I find I have a skill that I’m glad I acquired.”

Mrs. Wagner asked, “How are you going to approach Jimmy with the fact he will be living with you?”

“I’ll play it by ear. Can you tell me what his mother wore for perfume? If I smell the same, then he will feel that he is still connected with her in some small way.”

“I spoke up, “I don’t remember what it was called, but if I saw the bottle I can point out the right one.”

“Mrs. Cumberland keeps her toiletries in the dresser on the left side of the bedroom upstairs. You should be able find it there. Her purse hasn’t come back from the accident yet that I’m aware of, but if she used the bottle long, she should have a spare here in the house.”

“Thank you. Stan, come with me, we’ll check.”

I paused to look around the room. There were several photos scattered about. Many were with Charlie and Bonny with Jimmy’s images beginning when the boy was an infant. There was one hung on the wall of stairs that was professionally done of Bonny and Jimmy. Opposite on the facing wall was one of Jimmy with Charlie done by the same photographer.

Linda paused, “Your Bonny was a very attractive woman.”

“Yes she was. I never said otherwise. Sad that she had to die. It looks like she was very happy here and loved by her husband very much.” I poked through the make-up chest and found two bottles of the scent I remembered her wearing. One was nearly depleted while the other was full. I handed them to Linda who took the cap off and waved it under my nose.

“That’s it.” There was a dress of Bonny’s draped over a hamper. I picked it up and held it to my face. “She still uses the same after all these years. She raved over it when I gave her some on her first birthday after we became engaged.”

“Stan, is it going to bother you if I wear it?”

“No, it won’t, not if you like it yourself. I’ve noticed you don’t wear any and it is important to do everything you can to ease Jimmy’s pain. This may be the tipping point to attract him to you and lessen that pain slightly.”

“I was asking if it would cause you pain for yourself and your association with a different woman who wore the same perfume?”

“No.”

I looked around. You could tell that Bonny and Charlie had planned coming home the afternoon they left. There were a few clothes that hadn’t been put away. It suddenly struck me, everything I had seen and that included the house, spoke of wealth far beyond anything I could have given Bonny. Too bad she didn’t live to enjoy it. More than too bad ... more like so very, very sad! I meant that too.

Linda opened the closets and looked at Bonny’s clothes. All she said was, “Your ex-wife dressed well.” I made no comment. When Bonny left me so suddenly she left everything I bought her hanging in our closet. I bundled everything and sent the clothes and personal items to Hospice to be sold. Linda didn’t open any of the bureau drawers. She looked at me. “Stan, you taught me that it wasn’t nice to poke into things. Do you remember?” I nodded.

We went down stairs where we could hear Mrs. Wagner trying to get Jimmy to say he was hungry. He was sitting on the far side of the kitchen table facing the door when we entered. He stared first at Linda and then at me.

Mrs. Wagner said, “Jimmy, this is Linda and Stanley Rider. They are related to you, just like your uncle Maury is. I told you your mommy and papa got hurt so bad they can’t come home. I think you are going to live with Linda and Stanley. Uncle Maury will be here soon and tell you all about it.”

“I don’t want to live with them, I want my mommy.” He ran for the living room and curled up on the couch in one corner.

Linda, said to us, “Let me go in alone to see if I can make friends with him?”

Mrs. Wagner got me a cup of coffee and began telling me all about Jimmy and his parents. “Mr. Rider, how are you related to Jimmy?”

“I’m his biological father. I was out of Bonny’s life although she was pregnant at the time when she married Charlie. Now that both parents are gone, Maurice contacted me to see if I would take Jimmy and raise him. This is sudden and will change the direction of my life considerably, but I’m excited about doing this for the boy. Linda will make a good mother. I will say this is going to take some getting used to.

“I’ve known Linda’s grandmother most of my life. I haven’t known Linda that long, but I do love her dearly. We are in a position financially so Linda can become a full time mother to Jimmy. I’m employed as a store manager which is less than a quarter mile distant from where my home is located. It is in a very good neighborhood.

“That is wonderful. I know Jimmy will be well cared for.”

“Thank you. This will be a period of adjustment for all of us and we will do everything we can to make Jimmy a happy person. I know this will take some time and I expect that. I think if Linda can bond with him it will be easier. Was Charlie close to Jimmy?”

“He was very close. I am very surprised to learn that he isn’t Jimmy’s birth father because Charlie doted on Jimmy and spent most of the time he was home with his son.”

“That pleases me no end to hear that. I certainly will give Jimmy all my attention the same way.”

It was quiet in the living room. We walked in and could see that now Linda was the one curled up in the couch corner. Jimmy was snuggled next to her sucking his thumb. Most children did it at some point in their childhood. Was it any better than running around with a rubber nipple with a ring stuck in his mouth?

Maybe a thumb was more original and a thumb is always available. I was sure Linda would be able to break Jimmy of thumb sucking when it was time. I would guess Jimmy had got over this habit already, but had reverted to something he did to lessen his stress.

She smiled up at us. “Stan, Jimmy said he doesn’t want me to leave him if his mommy isn’t coming back. He is going to talk to his Uncle Maury about it.”

Before I could say anything, Jimmy sat away from Linda. “Mr. Man, are you going to live with Linda and me, too? She said to ask you?”

“My name is Stan, and yes, we will be together. We are going to go on a plane for a long ride and then we are going to get into a car, drive a ways, and then you will see where we live. Your Uncle Maury will be visiting us a whole lot because he really loves you and he is missing your Momma and Papa too. You can sit with him and talk about them. He can tell you stories about when he and your Papa where little like you.”

“Will I see my Grammy too?”

“I think you will. We will ask her to come visit you in your new home.” I knew Bonny’s mother from when I was married to Bonny. I hadn’t seen her since Bonny left me. I assumed she still lived in Vermont near St Johnsbury, but didn’t really know for sure.

Linda spoke, “Jimmy would you sit with Stan while I help Mrs. Wagner get dinner? I think Uncle Maury will be hungry and we need to get some dinner for him.” The thumb popped out of Jimmy’s mouth and I had his full attention.

“Okay, if you don’t leave like my Mommy did.”

“I won’t leave, I promise.”

I sat where Linda was. Jimmy’s hand came searching for me to hold it. It was just looking for a little comfort because the world as he knew it had been turned upside down. I told him about a wonderful lady, named Aunt Mildred who I was sure he would meet someday. “I did little chores for her for years. I started out mowing her grass with a lawn mower and if she needed something out in the barn or up in the attic I would go up and fetch it for her. Sometimes I was scared because it was spooky.”

“I wouldn’t do that, I’d be too afraid.”

“I’ll bet you would have. When someone is nice to you, you do things anyway just because.” I spoke about how my father and mother had a pony for me because I lived on a farm and could have a place to keep it.

“I’d like a pony.

“Jimmy, I’m sorry, but I don’t live where we could have a pony.”

“I could keep it in my room.”

“I don’t think that would work.”

“But I want a pony.”

“No.”

“I hate you.”

“That hurts me, but you can’t have a pony. Go tell Linda and Mrs. Wagner about how mean I am. See what they say.”

Jimmy went running into the kitchen. He soon came back. “Linda said I couldn’t have a pony. She said you might let me have a kitty. She said you have a cat named Porky. Maybe I can have a kitty too. She said she would help me take care of it if you said okay. Can I have a kitty?”

“Yes and if I’m working, you and Linda can go find one a few days after we get home.”

“This many days?” Jimmy held up two fingers.

I held up three fingers. “That’s after we get to your new home. We have to get you settled in your new home first.”

“Okay.”

Maurice Cumberland drove in and slowly entered the house. He didn’t speak at first. Then he couldn’t for Jimmy came screaming into his arms. “Uncle Maury, I’ve missed you so much. Mommy and Papa went away and aren’t coming home.”

Tears sprang from Maury’s eyes and he grasped Jimmy to him hugging him tight. “I know Jimmy, I know. Jimmy you’ll understand why someday, but for now you just have to remember them and not forget them.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Mrs. Wagner hadn’t been home since right after the Thanksgiving dinner. Linda and I finished up in the kitchen so she could go home to her husband. Maurice entertained Jimmy while we did this. Then we went in and sat on the couch. Jimmy got down from his uncle’s lap and came over and sat close enough to Linda so she could put her arm around him.

I was watching Maurice Cumberland when this happened. A look of relief passed over his face. Maurice had the responsibility of settling his brother’s affairs. Foremost was Jimmy, whom he loved almost as his own. I knew if Charlie’s death had happened when I was in my alcoholic daze, he would have fought letting Jimmy come to me. The hard assets didn’t matter to him, but he wanted to get it right where Jimmy was concerned.

Maury also might have fought me having the care of Jimmy if Linda wasn’t a part of my life, biological father or no. I mean he was not in a position to take Jimmy, having never married. If I wasn’t married, then he would have hesitated, but I was. I’m sure Bonny and Charles had never imagined that they would die so young and had made no provision for Jimmy in that event.

Jimmy had a trying day and he was beginning to nod occasionally. Maurice spoke, “Would you like to go to bed now, Jimmy?”

“Uncle Maury, would you tuck me in?”

“Of course. Do you want Linda to tuck you in too?”

“Yes. Linda, will you lay down with me like Mommy did when I didn’t feel well?”

“Jimmy, I would love to. Stan and I’ll be sleeping down the hall from you. If you need anything in the night, you’ll come in and wake me up won’t you?” Jimmy just nodded, happy at the thought.

We all trooped up stairs and Maury and Linda went in with Jimmy. He got a kiss and hug from Maury before getting undressed. I waved to him from the doorway. Maurice and I went down stairs to discuss what the plans were for the next few days. Maury and I returned to the living room

He went directly across to a wet bar that was located in one corner. “Brandy, or something different?”

“Go ahead pour yourself one. None for me. I had a problem with booze when Bonny left me, so I don’t drink at all now. This was because of a promise I made to my father and has nothing to do with Bonny or your family.”

“A man should honor his promises and especially to ones father. How long has it been?”

“Over four years.”

“Stan, whether you realize it or not, the worst hurdle for me to get over when I learned of my brother’s death was what to do about Jimmy. I’m now satisfied that I made the correct decision in contacting you. Linda seems to have bonded with the boy and both of you will come to love him. So that’s behind me.

“Now for the present. How well do you know Jimmy’s grandmother, Loretta?”

“I knew her quite well at one time. I haven’t spoken to her since Bonny left me and she hasn’t tried to contact me that I am aware of. Why?”

“I’ve sent the plane after her and she’ll be here at lunchtime tomorrow. She wants to be at Bonny’s funeral of course and she wants very much to see her grandson.”

“Yes, Jimmy spoke about her.”

“Loretta spent the summers here with Bonny and Charlie so Jimmy knows her very well and loves her.”

“That’s great. When we get back to Vermont, I’ll ask her to visit Jimmy anytime. When he gets older she can have Jimmy stay with her for a while in the summer.”

“I’m sure she would like that. Now I would like to discuss some other matters. As you probably realize with my being an attorney, I dot I’s and cross T’s. I, being older than my brother, made sure that both Bonny and Charlie had wills. They have come into play in a somewhat unusual way.”

“Unusual in what way?”

“I’ll explain. Bonny, of course named Charlie as her heir and if Jimmy was younger than his majority, then a certain percentage was to go into a trust for him until he reached said age. In Charlie’s will, I and Bonny were named as heirs along with a certain percentage for Jimmy much the same way as in Bonny’s will. I am named as manager in both those trusts and I’m to settle the rest of the estate. That’s pretty cut and dried and I will see that the assets are distributed and the trusts set up to comply.”

“That’s wonderful. That will give him a great start in life.”

“Yes it will, but for you it might be a problem. It will be up to you and Linda as his parents to see that he is mature enough to handle what will turn out to make him a rich young man. Do you think that you can do this?”

I gave this some thought and was silent while I ruminated. “I certainly will try my best. Would you be available for advice? I know I could call on my Aunt Mildred and Mrs. Dinsmore. Both are Jimmy’s grandmothers.”

“Pardon me Stan, Bonny never mentioned any Mildred.”

I laughed. “I’m not surprised. Actually Mildred Eaton is my cousin, but the strange thing is that Linda is my cousin too, and she is a granddaughter of Aunt Mildred. So round and around Jimmy is picking up some great family members when he joins us.”

“Do you have any other close family left?”

“I have a married sister, Betty living out in California and my mother, Susan lives out there close to her. How all this talk of cousins comes in, is that Mildred’s grandmother and my great-grandmother were sisters. My cousin Wendy is daughter to Mildred, and Linda is Wendy’s daughter.”

“This Wendy, then is a grandmother to Jimmy as well?”

“Yes, but she isn’t close to either her mother or Linda. I doubt she will be a presence.”

“Understood. You’re probably wondering how large Jimmy’s trust funds will be. I can’t give you the amount. You see, Jimmy’s trust fund that comes from Charlie is easy to figure, but it gets complicated in settling Bonny’s. That’s because she outlived Charlie by a few hours and she inherits everything of Charlie’s after the other of Charlie’s heirs are distributed. That’s the procedure in the willing of percentages. Charlie’s will has to be probated and then what Bonny received from him is included, the percentage is increased exponentially.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to figure it out. I can see where it could change daily.”

“It won’t be too bad. The laws are clear and I have a lot of leeway as to the distribution. As administrator, I’m going to name you his guardian. You are going to have the total care of Jimmy who inherits from his mother. This is separate from the trust funds that will be set aside before the final distribution.”

“I don’t see how I should come into any money and I am certainly not asking to share. I think Linda and I can give Jimmy a good life and he won’t be denied anything that he should have either.”

“Forget the money for a moment. Jimmy, as an infant, needs care for several years. It is in my power as administrator to find someone to fill the position of guardian. As biological father you are the most likely person and the court will agree. There are some things of a more personal nature that aren’t found in either will that will tell me this is the right way to proceed.”

“I’m confused. Please explain.”

“I have to tell you about some things that Bonny and I have discussed over the years. The one thing that made her unhappy on occasion was the way she left the marriage she had with you. She bore a lot of guilt over her actions. She never regretted marrying Charlie, but she did think about you at times. Often she would ask about your whereabouts or how you were doing.

“When she deduced that it was you who sired Jimmy, it was almost more than she could bear. Also she felt guilt thinking that she came to Charlie under false pretenses. So you see it was a terrible time for you, but for her as well. I know Bonny would approve if I distributed some of the wealth she inherited from Charlie to you. This is as long as the main portion eventually goes to Jimmy when he comes of age.”

“This isn’t necessary. How would Charlie look at this? You should consider his probable wishes in the matter like he was still alive.”

“Charlie loved Jimmy as much as if it were he who sired him. As long as Jimmy will receive all the money that his will denotes at the time of his death, I feel that Charlie would agree with my naming you guardian and with the way I manage the distribution. What I’m saying is that Jimmy receives all the assets from his parents at the time of their death according to the will as written.

“What I’m doing is making note of that amount named in the trusts and the remainder to be used for his care through naming a guardian. The two trust funds can’t be distributed to anyone other than Jimmy.

I thought this through while Maury waited for me to say something. “Maury, I don’t have much for investments, but I have studied investing in depth. Frankly having a great amount of money under my control scares the hell out of me. I’ll need a lot of expert advice. I never contemplated receiving money from Bonny, and especially now, because on her death. Some of this goes back to some talks and advice my father gave me before he died.”

“Your father must have been a remarkable man. As far as advice in investing, I’ll find some firm in your locality that can help you. That shouldn’t be a problem,”

“Father was and I’m becoming more aware of just how smart a man he was.”

“Different subject than the will’s liquid assets. The property here comes to me and I do get a percentage of Charlie’s estate. Most of the furniture here will stay because there again it originally belonged to my parents. I’m going to have all of Bonny’s personal property sent up to you and Linda. This will include all of Jimmy’s toys and such. You might want to engage a storage container while you sort it out.”

“I’ll be glad to get off this subject and I do thank you for explaining so fully how Jimmy is to be cared for.”

“Listen, I have two years to settle this estate, but I’ll start as soon as the funerals are over working on settling the wills. I’ll give you a check when we get off the plane in Keene. You’ll be losing Linda’s income while you are getting Jimmy acclimated to living in Vermont. It should last you three months. If you need more, I’ll get you more. This is all in anticipation of what is coming to you.”