Chapter 12: Party Time

Cade was a reliable worker, but gradually his coworkers began to realize he had a criminal past. They shied away from him because of that, but there was one man he worked with by the name of Harry Williams who seemed to accept him for who he was and not judge him. Over time, Cade and Harry became friends.

Cade was standing outside smoking a cigarette on his break with Harry, when a man Cade had never seen before, pulled up in an expensive car. "Who's that?"

Harry glanced at Cade sideways, "You don't know?"

"No," Cade answered casually.

"That's Drake Pennington," Harry said, "The richest man in town."

Cade watched as Drake Pennington got out of his car, dressed in an expensive suit. His hair was graying and he walked with confidence. Cade's boss called one of Cade's coworkers over to get started on Mr. Pennington's vehicle right away. Everyone else could wait. Cade wondered why Drake Pennington deserved such special treatment. "Ken always rolls out the red carpet for Drake Pennington." Harry informed him.

Cade nodded, "I can see that."

"Did you know Pennington was about to buy your property before you came back and claimed it?" Harry watched Cade's reaction.

Cade's jaw dropped, "He wanted to buy my grandpa's old farm?"

Harry nodded, "He wants to buy all of the land out there so that he can build some sort of development, but everyone has refused to sell him their property, so he buys what he can get when he can get it, and rumor has it he was unhappy when he couldn't get your land."

Cade thought he was going to be sick. He had no idea he was living on prime real estate that someone named Drake Pennington wanted to purchase. "How many properties does he still need to buy out there to get what he needs?"

"I don't know for sure," Harry said. "All I know is that he was looking forward to buying your farm at a low price."

Cade felt uneasy, "I don't have to sell it to him do I?"

"No," Harry said, "But you might want to watch your back, he's not exactly someone you should trust; that much I know."

Drake Pennington looked to be in his early fifties, and Cade figured his father Dusty would be about the same age about now, if he had lived.

"Are you going to the work Christmas party?" Harry asked, attempting to shift the focus away from Drake Pennington.

"I hadn't planned on it," Cade said.

Harry chuckled, "Ken gets upset when we don't attend these parties he plans." Ken was their boss.

"What would I do with my kids?" Cade asked.

"Bring them along; it's a family party." Harry smiled. "It's being held at the old Presbyterian church near Ken's house, this Saturday after work. I saw where he had assigned you to bring a big salad and a 12 pack of beer. We all have to bring something. Ken buys the ham and maybe a few other things and we furnish everything else."

Ken Boyle had been a good boss to Cade. He had given him a job when it was unlikely that he would find anyone else to hire him, and he had treated Cade fairly. Cade hadn't drunk beer for a very long time and he had discounted going to the party because he still struggled to understand his role in the social world, but after talking to Harry, he realized he better go to the party to please his boss. "I'll be there," Cade sighed.

Harry nodded, "Good."

Cade went home tired and exhausted, with Drake Pennington on his mind. He was grateful that Callie had cooked dinner. He sat at the table looking at Callie and his children, and it made him feel warm inside. "We're going to a Christmas party for my work on Saturday," he announced. Saturday was only a few days away.

Callie thought she was going to drop the pan she was holding, "We're what?"

"We need to bring a large salad and some beer," Cade informed her.

Callie smiled, "An actual party?"

"Well it's a work party in honor of Christmas," Cade said.

Ashley didn't want to go anywhere that would take her away from the safety of the old farm house. She managed to go to school every day, and that was enough for her. Other than school, she didn't want to see anyone. Harley thought the party sounded fun, as did Jessica.

After dinner was over, Cade stretched out on the couch to check the children's homework. Harley was becoming proficient at doing his homework quickly every afternoon, but Cade often feared that Harley might be behind in school. He wondered if he should talk to Harley and Jessica's teachers to find out. He didn't want his two younger children to get as far behind in school as Ashley was.

The school had immediately started Ashley in the resource class, even though she hadn't completely finished all of her testing. Cade checked Ashley's homework and then told her to get one of the books the resource teacher had sent home and bring it over to him. Ashley selected a book from the top of the stack and brought it to Cade who motioned for her to sit beside him on the couch. "You have to read to me for a half-hour every day." He looked at the clock in the living room. Callie had done a nice job of decorating the house and she had recently hung a clock in the living room. Cade wasn't certain where she was finding the decorations, but he liked them, and he was glad she was taking an interest in the house.

Ashley did not want to read out loud; she was embarrassed. She sat in silence for a few minutes as Cade lit a cigarette and waited, "Go ahead."

Ashley swallowed, "I'm not very good a-at reading," she stammered.

Cade nodded, "I know; now start reading before I decide to take you over my knee." He was growing impatient.

Ashley quickly opened the book and began to read the first page. She read softly at first because she was very self-conscious, and even though the book was quite simple for an eleven-year-old, she struggled. Cade noticed she was trembling and shaking as she read to him and he pulled her close and put his arm around her. When she missed a word, he patiently corrected her. It was a slow first reading session, but by the time it was over, Ashley was much more relaxed. "OK, you can stop there for now," Cade said.

Ashley began to close the book, "Mark your place with something so that we don't forget where we are."

Ashley glanced around the room for something to use as a book marker, but couldn't see anything. Cade stood up, walked into the kitchen, and found an old scrap of paper in one of the drawers and brought it back for her. "Stick this in the book."

Ashley took the scrap of paper and marked her place.

"You'll get better at reading as you go." Cade said and he took out another cigarette, "Now go upstairs and get to bed."

Ashley's eyes filled with tears as she looked at her dad and she thought her heart might burst. "Dad?" She asked quietly.

Cade turned to look at her, "What Ash?"

Ashley threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him, "Thanks," she sniffed as the tears ran down her face.

Cade was a bit surprised. He patted her back and gave her a little peck on the cheek. "Go on and get to bed," he said and watched her bound up the stairs.

Harley was upstairs in his bedroom playing with the toys Cade had recently given him and Jessica was right by his side. Cade sat alone in the living room for awhile after Ashley left and thought about some things. He was glad Ashley was with him now and that she was no longer living with Seth and Annie. He stood up and walked into the kitchen where Callie was doing the dishes and nuzzled her neck, "I'm going to bed now."

"OK," Callie smiled and hugged him. Then she watched him walk up the stairs, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Callie waited for awhile and then she put Jessica and Harley to bed. After she tucked them in, she crept downstairs to the living room and got her book out. She figured Cade was asleep by now and it was safe. She had been counting the minutes. She began to read and became so engrossed in her book that she lost track of the time.

Cade had fallen asleep, but he woke up to find her missing and quietly got out of bed and crept down the stairs to see what she was doing. He peeked inside the living room and saw her sitting on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her, reading her book. "Are you coming to bed?" His voice penetrated the silence.

Callie jumped and quickly shoved the book beneath the couch cushions. Cade strode over, yanked her up by the wrists, and pulled the book out from where it was hidden beneath the couch cushions, "What's this?" He asked and held out the book.

Callie looked down in fear, "I f-found it," she stammered.

Cade looked at her doubtfully, "Found it?"

Callie shifted nervously, "OK, it was in the basement in a box. I was bored and I went looking for something to do, and I stumbled across a box of old books. Please don't be mad at me Cade, that's only the second book I've read."

Cade laughed, "Mad?"

"Well I know you don't want me nosing around in the basement when you aren't here," Callie swallowed.

Cade laughed even harder, "I must be a mean son-of-a-bitch if you can't even tell me about a box of books you found." he dropped the book on top of the couch and picked her up playfully in his arms. "Come on," he said and he carried her up the stairs, "I want to make love to my wife; you can read your book some more tomorrow."

Callie was relieved that he wasn't upset about the book and she melted against him as he carried her upstairs to their bedroom. He threw her down on the bed and turned around and closed and locked the bedroom door. Callie got chills from the way he was treating her. He stripped off her clothes, which didn't take long, and then he fumbled around with his own clothes, making sure he wore a condom. He would be glad when he didn't have to use anymore condoms. He made love to her until they were both exhausted. "No more reading books late at night like that," he said as they both lay there in the darkness catching their breath. "And don't let your reading interfere with your chores around the house."

She snuggled up next to him, "I won't, I promise."

"Good," Cade smiled, "Because you know what will happen if you do."

Callie thought of the strap on the shelf of the pantry; she knew. She was glad it was dark so that he couldn't see the tears in her eyes. She was crying for the same reason Ashley had cried earlier. It wasn't because she was sad, it was because she was happy. She was growing to love Cade more with each passing day.

Ashley soon realized there were several students from her grade that were in resource class with her. Not all of them were from Ms. Ryan's class room; most of them had different sixth grade teachers. Ashley took an instant liking to a couple of the kids in the resource class. One of them was a girl named April Stewart, and the other was a boy named Justin Flanders. They were both quiet and shy like she was and they were her first hope for friendship. They didn't look at her as if she had leprosy like the other students did.

Ashley felt very alone and isolated in her regular classroom, so being in a resource class was a welcome change. Not only did it provide her the much needed one-on-one attention she required, but it took her away from all of the other students in her classroom whom she felt didn't like her. But resource classes didn't last the entire day. The resource classes replaced her Math and English subjects, but the rest of her subjects were taught in Ms. Ryan's classroom with the other students. Those subjects included science, history, and social studies. School was turning out to be a lot of work for Ashley, but she was at least on the right track now.