Chapter 15

I was up a little before six thirty the next morning. I ate in the kitchen with Gerta and Hans, telling them a little bit about St. Cecelia's, and how my life had been when I still lived there. Gerta waited until I was finished telling them about it before asking me why I wanted to go back, even for a visit? I told her about Marie, sister Clara, and some of the kids that I had gotten along all right with.

"I want to go back so I can tell them how lucky I am now. Not to make them feel bad about how they still live, just to let them know that something good happened to me, and it might happen to them too. Marie will be happy for me. She always treated me nice, and made sure I got plenty to eat."

"Then you ask this Marie to come here to visit Gerta sometime. Tell her I'll make for her something special for being good to you. Did you enjoy the baked lobster last night? It was good, no?"

"Yes, it was very good. I ate all of mine, and most of Bea's. She doesn't like lobster. I liked the oyster stuffing too. Mrs. Parsons said that's your own recipe. She told us she's never eaten better lobster anywhere. Thank you for making it."

"Shatze, for you, it was a pleasure. You are a good boy. Even my Hans likes you, and he doesn't like any young people. He said you helped him with the golf things yesterday, when his back was aching. Am I right, Hans?"

"Ja, he's a goot boy. Even if he does steal the kisses from all the Frauleins in mein car." Hans laughed, winking at me to show he was only kidding.

Mrs. Parsons came downstairs then, and I went into the dining room to keep her company while she ordered her breakfast. She only wanted a single poached egg, and some coffee. When Gerta brought her order, there was a slice of coffee cake alongside the egg. Mrs. Parsons thanked her, and didn't say anything about the coffee cake.

"Kenny, I left an envelope in the library for you last night, did you get it?"

"No, I haven't been in there yet. Should I go get it now?"

"Yes. There's some money in case you wish to purchase some gifts for the other children at your former home. If it should prove insufficient for your needs, ask Bunny to lend you whatever else might be required."

"Thank you. Mr. Chalmers told me he knew a good place to buy what I want to get for them. He said we can stop off on our way." I stood up and excused myself to go to the library. I found the envelope on the table next to the chair I usually sat in when I watched television. My first name was written on the front of it. I opened it up, and there were four fifty dollar bills inside. I took the envelope back to the dining room. "This is too much money. I only want to get a few things for the playground."

"Kenny, you need to get used to handling money. If you have funds left over, keep it to use for other expenses that crop up. A man always has uses for currency. If you go somewhere, it often comes in very handy, and avoids awkward situations. Bunny has discussed with me the need for you to have your own weekly income for any incidental expenses you might incur. Do you think a weekly allowance of twenty five dollars will suffice? If not, we'll talk, and find an amount that is adequate for your needs."

"Thank you. I'm not used to having any money. Mr. Parsons gave me money before, before he knew you had arranged for me to sign for things at the country club."

"Did he? He said nothing about this to me."

"Do you want me to give the money back to him? I still have almost all of it."

"No. Of course not. I was surprised that he would think of doing that, that's all. Keep the money, Kenny. He wouldn't have given it to you if he didn't want you to have it."

Just then, Mr. Chalmers came in the dining room, with Bea following behind him. It was still only seven thirty, so Mr. Chalmers let himself be persuaded to have a large piece of coffee cake and a cup of coffee. Bea ordered some bacon and eggs, with toast and coffee. She said good morning to each of us, individually, first to Mrs. Parsons and then Mr. Chalmers, before finally coming to me.

"So Kenny, did you sleep well? I heard you're off visiting today, and I just wondered if you were too excited to get your rest?"

"Thank you Bea, I did sleep well. That's what's so nice about having a room that's all my own. No one is close by me, waking me up when they cough or snore. At the orphanage, some of the kids used to have bad dreams at night, and they would make noises, waking the other kids up." Bea was trying to get me talking for some reason, but I didn't know why. I was worried that she might say something to make me look bad in front of Mrs. Parsons and Mr. Chalmers.

"Did you have bad dreams too, Kenny? I'm sure it must have been hard, living like you did."

"It was all I ever knew before, Bea. I didn't really know any other way. It would be harder for me now."

"Well, don't sweat it, kid, from what I'm seeing around here, you don't have to worry about having to go back there. Except for visits like today." Bea was looking at me strangely. I wondered what she was trying to tell me.

"Do you want to come with us, Bea? I can show you around the orphanage if you'd like."

"Not my cup of tea, Kenny. I wouldn't mind a ride over to Bolling though, if Mrs. Parsons doesn't need me today? There are some things I need to buy."

"That would be fine Bea, if Bunny doesn't mind having another passenger?"

"Certainly, Bea, you are very welcome to come along. Where would you like us to drop you?"

"Anywhere downtown, Mr. Chalmers. I'm just going to do a little shopping and maybe take in a movie, and have some lunch. When will you be coming back here?"

"I'm not really sure. I have business at the courthouse, and I need to see about something at the county clerk's office. I think I'll be done by noon at the latest. I'm afraid that doesn't leave too much time for all that you might have wanted to do."

"We might go to the club and play some golf, if we get back in time. Maybe you could take your swim suit, and see if Carol is at the pool today?"

"I'd need some time to get my things together. Can you wait ten more minutes?" Bea was finishing off her breakfast. When she finished and stood up, both Mr. Chalmers and I stood up too. When Bea left, we both sat down again.

"Bunny, you be careful. You know what I'm alluding to." Mrs. Parsons said that, and waited for Mr. Chalmers to acknowledge having heard her.

"I'm not a child, Bertie, and I'm certainly not someone who needs to be warned about the obvious. We'll all be careful, won't we, Kenny?"

"Yes sir. Careful of what?" I looked over at Mrs. Parsons, since she was the first one to bring up being careful."

"Driving, Kenny. I just wanted him to make sure he didn't take any unnecessary risks on the drive over or back. It isn't that long a drive, but I feel so much better knowing that Bunny is aware of the need for caution." Mrs. Parsons hadn't taken her eyes off of her brother this whole time. It looked to me that he didn't like being told to drive carefully. I'd driven with him before, and he seemed careful enough to me. I'd say he was a good driver.

"Perhaps you'd like to come along with us, Bertie? That way you'd be certain that I'd observed all of the rules of the road."

"Bunny, I'm not really that fearful. It's natural for me to be a little bit worried. Let me enjoy a mother's concern."

We all got up from the dining table, Mr. Chalmers and I moving to the front door. Mrs. Parsons came over and gave me a tight hug, and told me to enjoy my visit with my friends. She kissed her brother on the cheek, and said something to him that I couldn't quite make out. He said something back to her, and she laughed, and patted him on his chest. Bea was ready by then, and came out to the front door too. Mrs. Parsons didn't say anything to her, or give her a hug either.

Once we were all in the car, Bea and Mr. Chalmers in front, and me in the back seat, Bea started talking to Mr. Chalmers. She asked him if her court hearing was still scheduled for the same date, and when he told her it was, she asked him if there were any possibility of being released a little bit early. She told him she was thinking about going out to California as soon as she was released by the court, and wondered if he knew anyone there that might help her to find a new place to live.

"I really don't know anyone out there, Bea. I've had some business dealings with law firms out that way, but no one that I know well enough to ask for that kind of favor."

"You know I'm willing to pay for any help. I'm not looking for any free rides here. Something along the same lines as the bargain I made with that other lawyer. You know, do a favor, get a favor? Kenny reminded me yesterday that I still owed you for the big favor you did me by bringing me out to your sister's house. If you want, I can pay you back today?"

"Kenny, tell me that you aren't a party to anything as sordid as what she's proposing." Mr. Chalmers was all embarrassed. His face was red, and his way of talking seemed hurried, with the words coming out a lot faster than he normally spoke.

I didn't know what to answer him. I had talked to her about it. I guess that meant I was a party to it. I didn't mean to make him embarrassed, or to have him get mad at the both of us. I saw the way he had stared at her butt before. It wasn't like he hadn't liked what he was seeing. I wondered what made it sordid? It seemed to me that it was a fair deal for both of them. Bea was very nice looking, and she really liked sex. To me, Bea was a perfect example of that sweet, sweet candy that Mr. Chalmers said he looked at in the candy store window. Why wasn't he happy instead of being upset?

"She wants to say thank you, and this is the way she does that. Remember that tool you were telling me about, money? This is Bea's tool. I don't think it's sordid at all. What would be sordid, would be for you to make her feel bad about offering to be nice to you."

"What makes it sordid, Kenny, isn't the offer, it is the relationship, how I became involved with Bea in the first place. I am an officer of the court. I assumed a role with Bea, similar to the role I accepted with you. If I were to avail myself of her very generous offer, I would be guilty of victimizing her, in exactly the same way that those others did. Bea is under the umbrella of my protection, and I won't do anything that might harm her in that regard."

"Too bad for you then, Bea is very good. I bet she would be the best you ever found for sex. She really likes it."

"You should listen to the kid, big guy, because today could be your lucky day. Since he and I discussed this yesterday, I've been seeing you in a whole new light. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but now I'm looking forward to expressing my gratitude to you. Also, I'm very horny right now. Kenny cut me off a few days ago, and I'd be doing this partly for myself. You have to admit, what I have to offer is better than the usual fare you might get a chance at. You won't be sorry, I guarantee it."

"I'm sorry, Bea. I simply cannot be a party to it. It violates almost everything I believe in."

"Given the nature of this conversation, do you think it's all right if I call you Bunny?" Mr. Chalmers nodded to her that it was. "Okay Bunny, this only violates anything if that is how you choose to look at it. I've got something here that I know you've looked at, thought about, and wished for. Why not make your wish come true? You aren't going to hurt my little moneymaker, bigger men than you have tried. When are you ever going to get another chance at someone who looks like I do? Never. We both know that. It would be different if you were like those other creeps, making me do this in order to stay out of prison, but you aren't. This is me offering it to you freely. Not to be crass, but I'm actually dripping right now in anticipation. C'mon, big guy, be a sport. Give a girl a taste. What do you say?"

"Thank you. I really appreciate your kind offer. I must refuse however, Thank you though."

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of this sporting goods store, and Mr. Chalmers and I went in. Bea wanted to stay in the car, and Mr. Chalmers left the keys in so that she could listen to the car radio. We went inside, and I saw Mr. Chalmers go over and talk to this man for a minute, They shook hands and they talked for a few seconds before Mr. Chalmers signaled me with his hand to come over to him.

"Kenny, this is Mr. Kiner. He owns this fine establishment. I told him why we have come here, and who will benefit from your generosity today, and he has been kind enough to agree to sell you whatever you choose to purchase at his own cost. What do you think of that?"

"Hello Mr. Kiner. Nice to meet you. This is a great store. Thank you for what you are doing. We just want to buy some balls for the playground at St. Cecelia's."

"Nice meeting you too son. Pick out anything you want to, and then bring it over to me, I'll ring it through for you. If you need anything else, you come back and see me. Any friend of Bunny's is always welcome here."

It only took us about ten minutes. Every time I put one of something in the cart, Mr. Chalmers put another one or two of them in there. I bought some baseball gloves, and he bought some left handers too, plus he threw in two catcher's mitts and a chest protector and face mask. He bought six bats too. Before long we had a lot more stuff than I had wanted to get originally. I had about two hundred and fifty dollars, but I didn't think that would be enough.

When we took the cart over to Mr. Kiner, he had got some things on his own, telling us it was old stock that he was tired of having to keep in the back. None of it looked old to me. It was mostly kids clothes, shirts and pants and shorts. There were about fifteen pairs of tennis shoes too, good ones. He looked over everything, but he didn't write anything down. He just put it all in about seven bags for us, telling me it came to one hundred forty six dollars. That didn't seem like a fair price, and it probably was way less than it all had cost him. Mr. Chalmers tried to pay for it, but I made Mr. Kiner take the money that Mrs. Parsons had given to me. While he went to get our change, Mr. Chalmers reminded me to thank him for being so generous. I would have anyway.

We got everything loaded in the trunk and part of the back seat. We got in the car and drove over to the orphanage. When he had parked the car, right in the front again, Mr. Chalmers told Bea we'd only be a few minutes with Mother Superior. He told her we'd be back, then he'd help me unload, before taking her downtown to drop her off.

I think Mother Superior was surprised to see me again. She didn't look that happy about it either. When Mr. Chalmers told her that I was doing well in my new home, letting her know also that we had bought her some new playground and baseball equipment, she got more friendly, and seemed very interested in finding out about what we'd brought. All three of us were on our way out to Mr. Chalmers car when sister Clara met us in the hallway by the refectory door. I surprised her by walking over and giving her a big hug. She had tried to be nice to me, and when I left before, I hadn't thanked her for packing my things, or for giving me the new toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Kenny Masters, what brought that on? I've never known you to do anything like that before?"

"I'm sorry, sister, I was just happy to see you again."

"No, Kenny, don't ever be sorry for showing affection. I know that our Lord must have placed you in a good home if you've changed this much already. I've had you in my prayers since you left."

I didn't know what to say to her, so I just stood there, smiling at her. Mr. Chalmers looked at his watch and told Mother Superior he had to be at the court house before ten o'clock. We went out, and with all four of us, we managed to bring in all of the gifts I'd brought. When she saw how much stuff there was, Mother Superior touched her big cross, and started her lips moving in a silent prayer. I guess it was her giving thanks for all of the stuff that we'd brought there.

After everything was unloaded, Mr. Chalmers and I walked out to the car. He told me that he'd be back to get me sometime after twelve, telling me to stay out of trouble and have a good visit. Bea winked at me and smiled.

"See you kid, be good."