Chapter 8
Landon arose very early the next morning. With everything he'd done for Rory the past two days, his job had been relegated to the back burner. It was going to suffer if he didn't make good use of every minute he could. He was just getting started on his laptop at the kitchen table when Corbin woke up wanting attention. Since Landon knew Michael needed his rest before being in court on an important case that day, he dropped the work to take care of his son's needs. He had barely gotten the baby changed and his bottle warmed when Rory came up from the basement, looking cute in his sleep shorts and T-shirt, with his unkempt hair and winning smile.
"Can I feed him while you do whatever you were doing?" he asked.
"Certainly! I really need a few minutes to jot my thoughts down before I lose the idea I've started. Thanks a lot!"
"No problem. I used to do this for my brother when he was a baby."
Landon managed to concentrate on his work without distraction because Rory seemed very comfortable and competent in taking care of Corbin – even getting him to burp.
The sight that greeted Marian when she entered to condo to prepare breakfast made her smile with pride. Her grandson was attempting to pull his own weight in the household already. That was as it should be. He needed to earn his way in the world as much as he could because she wouldn't always be around to look out for him.
As soon as Landon was happy with the gist of what he'd put down, he took Corbin back to continue his feeding with a little rice cereal which he got in the midst of nursing.
"Breakfast is ready," Marian called.
Michael hurried out of the bedroom looking like a young executive on his way up the corporate ladder. He stopped to give Landon a kiss before sitting down. Landon caught a glimpse of Rory's face. The boy had turned a bright red seeing the gesture of love, but didn't make any comment.
Marian joined the rest after she put the food on the table.
"I can finish feeding Corbin so you can eat," she offered.
"I'll do it," Landon said, "I can eat at the same time because he's getting good at holding the bottle."
Landon soon found that Corbin wasn't as adept as he'd bragged, and ended up not getting to eat much. Before Marian could offer again, Rory reached for Corbin. He put the blanket over his shoulder and got the little guy to burp up another big air bubble.
"He's gonna be a hit in his frat house someday," Rory joked.
"Just don't encourage him too much when he passes gas!" Landon laughed.
Landon was able to email the rough draft of his latest project to Mr. Bloomberg before going to the high school with Marian and Rory to get the lad enrolled.
They were there only a very short time before being ushered into the counselors' suite.
"Hello, I'm Mrs. O'Grady and I'll be Rory's counselor."
Landon proceeded to make the introductions on their end, and soon they got down to business.
"I see that we're dealing with two different addresses here," she frowned. "Where will Rory be living?"
"He'll be with Mr. Brooks. I live in a retirement complex and I can't keep him there; it's against the rules."
"Okay, since you are his guardian and you don't live in our district, Rory will need to go to Jefferson and not here unless you've filed a petition to be in our open-enrollment program. So many parents want their children here that there's a waiting list which means it would likely be next year before he could attend Washington; that is, unless Mr. Brooks were also to be listed as a guardian."
"With Marian's permission, I'll see to it," Landon smiled. "I have my own personal lawyer from Gladbrook and Day who can take care of that very quickly. If I promise to get it done by the end of the week, can we go ahead and work out a schedule?"
"Of course. That's a prestigious law firm and I'm confident they can deliver in a timely manner. It will be Monday morning before anyone could deal with it anyway.
Well, Rory, let's get everything organized then. I'm very impressed with your transcript. You have excellent grades. If you have to transfer, this is a good time to do it since we're on the trimester system too, and new classes begin on Monday after Thanksgiving break. Assuming I can make a good match with your old schedule, you won't miss a beat. How does that sound?"
"Awesome, ma'am! I was really worried about getting behind."
"From the grades you've earned the past two and a third years, I don't think you'll have a problem keeping up.
Were you in any sports?"
"I was a place-kicker for football this fall, and I was on the swim team, but I'm sure your coach won't want to take on a transfer when they're about to start the season."
"Don't bet on it. Let me shoot Mr. Morgan an email. He's a very fair type of guy. I'm pretty sure he'd at least let you practice with the team and that would keep you from having to enroll in a PE class. Would you like me to try?"
"Yes, please!"
Mrs. O'Grady needed a few minutes alone to complete the work on Rory's schedule. If she had to do some bargaining with teachers to get him a decent schedule, she'd rather do it without anyone else overhearing it.
She started to walk them down to the open commons area which had padded chairs and vending machines where they could get a snack while they waited, when she spied a student who could save her the time and trouble.
"Austin, are you going to be here awhile?" she called.
"Yes, I'm helping my mom redo the big bulletin board in her room."
"Do you think she could spare you long enough to show these people to the commons so they can relax and have a drink or something? I know our visitors would be more comfortable there."
"Sure, I'll text her so she knows I'm not fooling around and avoiding work," he grinned.
As the counselor went back into her office, Austin played the role of school ambassador.
"Hi, I'm Austin, as you just heard," he said, offering his hand to Marian first, Landon next, and his fist to dap with Rory.
The two boys looked into each other's eyes, and the charge of electricity from their meeting was so powerful for Rory that he could scarcely get his mouth to work. To cover the awkwardness he was feeling, Rory gently took Corbin from Landon and introduced him as well.
"This is my little bud, Lord Corbin," he kidded.
"Is that really his given name?" Austin asked, suspecting it was a joke.
"Actually his full name is Corbin Michael Landon Brooks, but he thinks he's lord of the universe," Landon grinned.
"Lord Corbin," Austin bowed, "I advise you to rule with an iron fist and keep your loyal subjects firmly in your control. Never let them get the upper hand!"
Corbin responded by waving his arms and babbling. Apparently, he was impressed with Austin too.
The two boys sat a little ways apart from the adults as Austin told Rory some details about the school that he thought would be helpful. Rory was thrilled that he'd already made the acquaintance of a kid his own age who seemed genuinely friendly. That would help make the transition to the new school a little less stressful, if he could keep from making a fool of himself by hitting on Austin.
When Mrs. O'Grady called them back to her office over the speaker system a few minutes later, she requested that Austin come with them.
"Your schedule worked out amazingly well, Rory. A student who had been preregistered for most of the same classes recently moved to Missouri so I didn't overload anyone's class when I added you. It's always good when I don't have to call in too many favors."
"Was that Tyson Barker?" Austin asked, with a hint of sadness or some other emotion that Rory couldn't quite read.
"Yes it was."
"He was in almost all of my classes, so you and I should be together too!" Austin's mood changing as he grinned at Rory.
"That's why this is a perfect schedule for Rory," Mrs. O'Grady smiled. "I thought it would be a good idea if you could show him around the building so he won't be lost next week. I called your mother to let her know."
"Cool, can we do that now?" Rory asked.
"Actually, we should go home and feed Corbin so I can put him down for his nap," Landon said.
"I could walk home." Rory suggested.
"I suppose, but I'd hate to have you mess up your lunch schedule," Landon said.
"Can you wait right here for a minute and I'll run and ask Mom if we can take you to lunch after our tour and then drop you off at home later." Austin blurted out rapidly as he sped off before anyone had a chance to react.
He could have sent her a text, but he knew he could get what he wanted more easily in person. She could never refuse him when he did his puppy-dog eye routine.
"He's one of the nicest and brightest juniors in the school. I'd let Rory go with them if he were my son," the counselor advised.
"If his mother is okay with that, I think it's fine, don't you agree Marian?"
"Absolutely."
Landon took $20 out of his billfold and stuffed it in Rory's shirt pocket before Austin returned.
After their short tour of the building, the boys went to Mrs. Banks' classroom. They put up the border around the bulletin board so that it was all finished before they went to lunch.
Jennifer Banks was pleased that the new transfer student was polite and helpful. She smiled as she observed how well the boys worked together. She could tell how excited her son was to be around him, though he was trying to hide it. She hoped he wouldn't make a big mistake and get his heart broken again.
Rory studied the menu at Granite City with a bit of a frown. The prices were a lot steeper than McDonald's. He was glad that Landon had slipped him money before leaving. He'd be thrifty, but at least he wouldn't have to be embarrassed by ordering the cheapest item on the menu.
"Rory, please order anything you like," Jennifer said, as if reading his mind. "This is my treat."
"No, that's okay, Landon gave me lunch money. Austin's been so nice to show me around that I should be buying his lunch."
"Really, Rory, I want to treat. You may buy his lunch some other time if you wish, but we invited you and this is my welcome to Washington High. Now don't go ordering something you don't like just because you're hesitant to spend my money!"
"Thank you, ma'am. I guess I'll have what Austin's having then."
Rory may have been concerned about the prices, but he was favorably impressed by the quality and quantity of the food. The thin shoestring potatoes were crisp and tasty. He had always thought McDonald's fries were the best, but he was rapidly changing his mind.
With Marian's approval, Michael asked Brandon Day draw up a document which listed Landon and him, along with Marian, as Rory's legal guardians. It was a relief for Marian to know that if anything happened to her, he would be taken care of. She could tell that both men already thought of him as a younger brother, almost as a son, although that would have been impossible unless they had fathered him when in middle school.
Michael faxed a copy to Ms. O'Grady, and printed a spare one for Rory to take to school on Monday when the new term began, just in case something went awry with the technology. The firm of Gladbrook and Day had delivered, as Landon had promised, despite its being Thanksgiving week. Of course it helped if one of the lawyers involved also shared your bed.
Landon and Michael had invited Mildred Langston to have Thanksgiving dinner with them when they found out that Terry and his wife, Marie, were going to be out of town. At first, Mildred started to beg off, saying she would eat at the country club, but she finally accepted when she sensed that their invitation was genuine and not a mercy date.
Michael went to pick her up on Thursday in time to enjoy a glass of wine before dinner.
"This is so wonderful," Mildred enthused as she entered the front door and sniffed the aromas in the air. "I must see if there's anything I may do to help Marian."
"You're welcome to come and see what's going on in the kitchen, but I believe Landon and she have things pretty well under control. I have both Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio chilled and open. Which would you prefer?"
"The Pinot Grigio sounds perfectly delightful, thank you."
As Michael poured the wine, he was pleased to see that Rory came to greet their guest, carrying Corbin.
"Aunt Mildred, this is Rory, Marian's grandson. He's the latest addition to our family."
"Oh, what a charming pair of boys you have," she remarked. "I love seeing young men who aren't afraid to look after babies."
"Thank you, ma'am," Rory said. "It's no problem helping with Corbin; he's a perfect little guy, even when he's cutting teeth."
"Even when he has a messy diaper?" she grinned.
"Yes, ma'am, then as well."
"Rory, everyone calls me Aunt Mildred, and you must too. All of this `ma'am' stuff shows that you have manners, but it makes me feel ancient and you know a gentleman would never do that to a lady," she teased.
"Thanks, I can always use an aunt to round out my family," he smiled. "As you can see, I have a grandma and two older brothers who are almost like dads, and a baby brother."
"Well, that all works out fine then because I consider Landon and Michael to be the sons I never had, so you have the option of being my youngest son or my older grandson."
As soon as everything was ready, Marian and Landon carried the food into the dining area. They all stood around the table holding hands as Landon said grace. Then, Michael seated Mildred while Landon did the same for Marian.
It was a typical American Thanksgiving feast with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, corn bread, and a variety of salads and condiments. Marian had outdone herself and received high praise for her labors.
"I can't take all the credit," she demurred. "My boys all pitched in."
"We played sous chefs, but she was the planner, organizer, and chef par excellence," Landon insisted.
Their conversation revolved around world and church affairs in the beginning, but got down to how Corbin was developing. Mildred asked Rory about his school plans, but was careful not to say anything to remind him of why his move had been necessary.
Everyone, including Mildred, helped carry the leftovers into the kitchen after they were finished while Marian organized the storage of them. Several containers were taken out to the garage since there wasn't enough room in the refrigerator and the temperature in the garage was as cold.
At the men's insistence, Mildred was to take home a package of leftovers to warm up for dinner the next day.
They decided to hold off on dessert until later because they all felt too stuffed to eat it at present.
Rory changed Corbin and put him down for his nap and then excused himself to watch TV in the basement family room. The adults remained up in the living room to visit.
"I absolutely love this condo," Mildred said. "It's very well laid out and convenient."
"We like it a lot too, but I'm afraid we're outgrowing it. We really need a bigger place for our growing family," Landon sighed.
"And I really need a smaller one; something like this one," Mildred thought aloud. "Would you men consider trading houses?"
"That would be wonderful!" Michael spoke up. "You have such a lovely place. Are you certain that you'd want to give it up?"
"It's way too large for me to keep up since Franklin passed, and I would be very pleased to know that it would be occupied by someone who would appreciate it. Sadly, I've outlived my only daughter and have no one to leave it to. Terry and Marie certainly don't need it."
"I know it's worth a lot more than our house," Landon observed. "If you're serious, we could find out the market value of both homes and we could pay you the difference. I recently received a raise and Michael will become a full partner in the firm as of December, so it's definitely doable."
"I know that we could save a lot of money on commissions if we handled it among ourselves and didn't involve a realtor." Mildred suggested. "Michael could draw up the papers and we could sign them before a notary."
"I'd want someone else to do that because it would look like a conflict of interest if I were involved in that way," Michael said. "Or, if you have someone to represent your interests, I could represent ours."
"Let's talk about it more. Could you come over to take a tour of everything tomorrow? My schedule is never very heavy these days, so we could do it next week instead, if you like."
The men looked at each other and nodded. Neither of them had a conflict on Friday. They were taking the day off and weren't about to get involved with early Christmas shopping.
Author's notes: As you can see, a lot of people sent emails this week. Yes, I have more than one Nick and several Michaels. Here is the list:
Swiss Nick, Jim W, Paul R, Chandra B, Barry J, Wayne, Jim H, Douglas and Lawrence, Bill T, Darryl, Dave F, Michael, Tom A, Mike D, Dick M, Jae B, Tony W, Geoff, Burke C, Hotrod, Michael B, Mendy D, Ott H, Trish R, Epoy S, Tony F, Jake C, Peter M, James F, Harry T, Zero, Tom A, Keith S (Metamorphosis), Doug T, Desert D, and Walt S.
Hey Jake C, I tried to replay to your email and it again came back as undeliverable. I think something is wrong with your email!
If anyone wrote this week and didn't get a reply, I apologize! The way Hotmail stacks things together, I have a difficult time keeping track of whom I have answered and whom I have not! Please know it was an oversight and not a snub! I try to respond to everyone.
David