The Castaway Hotel: Book 1

By the time we had dropped everyone off and returned home after Danny’s party, both boys were still excited, but quite exhausted.  All they could talk about was how much fun they had, how great the baseball game was and how wonderfully Ricky had played.  I think even Ricky amazed himself by how well he had done, and Danny was busy trying to convince him to sign up for summer ball.

“Look,” Danny began, “sign ups are next weekend and you know now that you’ll do great.  Even Brandon is going to play, so you’ve got to.  It will be fun.”

“What if this was just a mistake,” Ricky protested, still not convinced of his ability.  “Maybe I’m not as good as I looked today?”

“But you are good,” Danny shot back, “and all my friends told you so.  I’ve told you that all along, but it’s up to you.  I know you’ll do great, but I’m not going to try to force you, if it’s not what you want to do.  It’s the same as everything else, you don’t have to do anything unless you want to.”  Ricky looked at Danny, trying to understand what he meant.

“So you don’t care if I play or not?” Ricky asked.

“Oh, I care and want you to play,” Danny answered, “but I’m not going to make you.  I’ll be much happier if you play too, but that’s your choice.”  Ricky had listened carefully to what Danny told him, but he took several more minutes, before he said anything else.  Finally, he gave Danny his answer.

“Okay, I’ll give it a try,” Ricky finally confirmed.  “I guess I could do that, seeing you’ve done so much to help me get better.”

“Just one thing,” I interrupted, having overheard the conversation.  “I have one hard and fast rule that you might want to consider first.  If you join up for something, I expect you to stick it out for the entire season and not quit in the middle of it, as that hurts the others on the team.  That means if you do join, you’ll go to all of the practices and all of the games, regardless if you change your mind about liking it later.  My other children were forced to follow that rule and I expect you boys to do the same.”  Ricky thought about it briefly, before answering me.

“I can do that,” he stated, simply, which caused Danny to grin broadly and give him a hug.

“Great!” Danny exclaimed, after releasing Ricky.  “This is going to be a lot of fun.  You just wait and see.”  Both boys seemed truly looking forward to this now and I was glad they were both happy they were going to be teammates.

Things were continuing to go smoothly and school was nearing an end, which made me realize I had been lax about keeping up with the boys’ progress in class.  I decided I’d better check with their teachers, just to make sure they were still doing well, because if they weren’t, there was still enough time to bring their grades up before school ended.  I was almost certain the teachers would have said something to me before this, if either boy was having problems, but I thought it best to be certain.  After talking with the various faculty members, I was happy to learn that both boys were doing fine.

Ricky’s teachers all commented about how much better he was doing since he came to live with me and each one made sure I understood they were having far fewer problems with him in class.  Hearing that pleased me immensely and I knew I’d have to find a way to let Ricky know how thrilled I was that he kept his promise about trying harder, both academically and behaviorally.  I realized that amount of change must have taken more than a little effort on his part, so I had to find a way to show him how much I appreciated what he had done.  I always knew he was truly a good kid, but just the kind who occasionally reacts before he thinks.

Danny’s teachers were also very impressed with him.  They told me that sometimes they wished he wasn’t so quiet and would participate more in class discussions, but his work was excellent and he was very intelligent.  I had some idea that he was a capable student, after scanning his records from his old school, but I didn’t realize that he had been under-performing there.  His teachers were praising his efforts now and they also told me he was making many friends and showing signs of being a natural-born leader.  Dang, did I luck out with these two or what?

Encouraged by these reports, the following weekend I took the boys to sign up for the 13-15 year old baseball league.  While we were there, I spoke to the various league officers about our current situation and they saw no reason why the boys couldn’t play on the same team.  Danny and Ricky were thrilled when I informed them about this and now they eagerly anticipated their first practice.  Once the sign up had been completed, the coaches would get together and select the teams, and they’d call all of their team members to inform them as to when and where they’d be practicing.  I could tell the boys were getting antsy about what team they’d be on, but there was nothing they could do to find out that information until they heard from their coach.

They got their phone call Sunday evening, confirming they were on the same team and getting the information about their first practice.  I happened to know their coach, because he was a member of our church, and I knew he had been coaching summer ball for a number of years.  Learning this made me feel good too, as I now realized they had someone of his caliber to work with them, and it helped to remove some of my concerns as well.  I was worried the wrong coach could destroy what little self-confidence Ricky had gained from working so hard with Danny, but I was now able to put that worry behind me.

The boys were a bundle of nerves for the next couple of days, anticipating their first practice and worrying about who else might be on their team.  As I drove them to the field, neither said a word.  They were both staring intently out the windows, to see if they recognized any of the others there.  We were all shocked to see Brandon there and he came rushing toward our car when he saw us drive up.  “Are you on this team too?” he squealed in delight, already fairly certain as to how my boys were going to respond.

“Yep,” Ricky told him.  “I guess we’re going to be teammates.”  They all took a deep breath after that, as some of their concerns had already been put to rest.

I stayed and watched the practice, intrigued as the coach tried all the boys at the various positions they hoped to play.  Once he had finished doing that, he pitched batting practice to them.  He would follow that same routine over their next two practices, but on Friday he began to let the boys know where they’d most likely be playing.  It turned out that Danny was going to be the shortstop and Ricky would play opposite him, at second base.  Hearing this, I immediately thought about how I had the double-play combination in the family and decided I’d work with them a little on our own, to help them polish those very skills.

Brandon became the centerfielder, as his long legs allowed him to cover a lot of ground, which he did very gracefully.  Besides being fast and having good range, he also had very good instincts and could get a great jump on most fly balls.  He was truly going to be an asset to the team.  The boys seemed pleased about most of their other team members as well and there wasn’t anyone on the team they were unhappy with.  I felt that was important, because at this level, the ability to play as a team is always much easier when you think of everyone else as family or a great friend.  To encourage that feeling, I was planning to invite the whole team over to our place every so often, to give the boys an even greater chance to bond.

There was one kid, however, that I didn’t need to worry about.  Brandon became a very frequent visitor to our house and sometimes I began to wonder if he had just moved in without telling me.  Some nights when the boys had a practice or a game, Brandon would come home with us first and then come with us when we drove to the field.  Once in a while, he would invite my boys to go home with him beforehand, and then his parents would take them instead.

I was pleased to see this, but I was also beginning to notice something else, something that disturbed me greatly.  I was beginning to notice Ricky’s body language and facial expressions when Brandon was around and I could tell something was bothering him.  I decided to confront this head on and not wait for Ricky to explode; so I took Ricky aside for a private chat.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” I asked him, once we were alone.  He looked up at me, with those big expressive eyes and his mouth hanging open.

“What do you mean?” he asked, rather than answered.

“Look, I know something is bothering you,” I explained, while trying to eliminate any denial he might try to make.  “I just don’t know what it is.  However, I think it has something to do with Brandon,” I added, causing Ricky to blush.  “Do you mind filling me in about it?”

It took Ricky a few seconds before he answered me, and I could tell he was very uneasy about sharing this information.  I could have said something to try to ease his discomfort, but I thought it best to let him work it out for himself this time.  Eventually, my little blond scamp began to speak.  “It’s not what you think,” he informed me.

“Oh?  And what do I think?” I asked in return.

“You think that I don’t like Brandon any more,” he stated, assuredly, “but that’s not it.”

“Okay, what is it then?” I demanded.

“It’s just that Danny keeps spending more and more time with him,” Ricky admitted, and then stopped, without adding more.  I thought I understood where this was leading.

“And you think this means Danny likes Brandon more than you?” I asked him, which caused Ricky to turn red and look away from me.

“Maybe,” he responded, without looking in my direction.

“Do you think it’s possible that Danny might like both of you,” I pressed, “but just in different ways?”  Ricky turned toward me again and I could tell this question had confused him.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean,” I began, “that he might love you like a brother and Brandon like a good friend.  That doesn’t mean he likes one of you more than the other, just that he loves you both, but in different ways.”

“Then why does he spend all of his time with Brandon when he’s here?” he fired back.

“I think that’s because he isn’t with him all the time, like he is with you,” I answered him.  “I think if Brandon lived here and you didn’t, then Brandon might have thought the same thing, because it would seem like Danny was spending all his time with you.”  Ricky thought carefully about this and I could tell he was weighing things over in his mind.

“So you think I’m being silly feeling this way?” he finally asked.

“No, not silly at all,” I replied.  “It’s just that you’re not seeing the whole picture.  I’m sure Danny would feel awful if he knew you felt this way.  If he did, he’d probably try his best to show you how much you mean to him, but I think he needs other people in his life too, not just the two of us.”  I paused for a second, to let this sink in.  When I saw him looking back toward me, I continued.  “What if you found another friend?  Would you want Danny to feel bad that you wanted to do things with him too?”

“No,” he replied, without hesitation.

“Well, I’m sure Danny feels the same way,” I assured him.  “Do you think I should feel bad because you boys want to spend more time with each other or with Brandon, than with me?”  Ricky’s eyes bulged from their sockets, as he thought about the implications of my query. 

“No,” he almost screamed, “we both love you a whole bunch.”

“And I love both of you and Danny loves you too,” I assured him.  “Do you see what I’m trying to tell you?”  He considered my words for many seconds, before he finally answered.

“Yeah, I guess I do,” he admitted, a little sheepishly.  “You’re saying you don’t love us less because we spend time with each other or with Brandon, and I shouldn’t be mad cuz Danny spends time with Brandon either.”

“That sounds about right,” I responded, causing Ricky to roll his eyes a bit.

“I guess I’ve been kind of dumb, huh?” he asked me.

“I wouldn’t say dumb, just confused,” I assured him, which caused him to smile weakly.  “Maybe you should go find Danny and Brandon and see what they’re up to?”  Ricky nodded and ran off.  It didn’t take long before he found them in the family room, playing ping-pong.  They immediately invited him to take on the winner, which only confirmed what I had just told him.  He now realized Danny and Brandon weren’t ignoring him, just that he’d have to learn to share the time he got to spend with them.  For the next hour or so, the three of them played table tennis together, rotating in and out, with the odd man challenging the winner.  I was happy to see them having such a good time and Ricky’s jealousy toward Brandon seemed to fade.

The boys had several baseball games during the remainder of May and Brandon would stay over on Friday or Saturday nights with my boys, occasionally spending both nights at our home.  When he wasn’t staying with us, Danny and Ricky would sometimes spend the night at his place, so they were all becoming very close.  Once the issue of ‘whom Danny liked more’ had been put to rest, they were actually able to enjoy each other on their own level.

The first weekend in June, I kept my promise and we had a sleepover for Danny’s old friends.  Danny also invited Brandon, seeing he had met these boys before and they all seemed to get along so well.  I picked everyone up Friday afternoon, as we were going to make this a weekend get together.  School was officially over, so there was nothing to keep this from happening, and the boys all wanted to have as much time to spend together as they could finagle.

My friend had loaned me his van again, so I picked Brandon up first, and he rode with us to get the others.  All the boys were excited, had all of their things with them and were ready to go.  I had suggested they bring several changes of clothing, appropriate for the various types of activities we might do, a sleeping bag and possibly a pillow or whatever else they thought they might want.  I had also spoken to each of their parents in advance, to make sure they had no allergies, medical conditions or food dislikes that I should know about.  Armed with all of this information, I had planned the weekend out with my sons.

The first thing we did after getting to our place was to take everything into the house and get the boys settled in.  I made sure they all got a detailed tour of the place, making certain they also knew where all three bathrooms were located, meaning the one on the first floor, the second floor, and the bathroom off the master bedroom.  That way they’d know what their options were, in case someone was occupying one of the toilets when they needed to use it.  Once that was accomplished, I had them grab a few specific items, loaded everyone back up into the van and then drove them to the high school baseball field.  I let them play a game until dinnertime and I caught for both teams again.  The boys told me it was neat that I’d play with them too, as none of their parents ever did that.  They had another very good game and seemed to really enjoy themselves.  On the way home, I stopped to pick up the sheet pizzas I had ordered before we left the house.

Once we were in the van, I wondered if the pizzas were going to make it until we reached our place, as all of the boys seemed to be drooling and getting hungrier by the second.  It was a good thing it wasn’t a very long ride.  I carried the pizza inside, brought out some bags of chips, soda, vegetables and dip, a green salad that I had quickly thrown together and some dressings.  The boys devoured everything in sight and I had to hustle to make sure I got something to eat before it all disappeared.  There’s nothing like watching the feeding frenzy of growing boys.

After our meal, Danny and Ricky asked me if I’d take them all for a hike in the woods, as they wanted everyone to see how much land we had.  I knew their primary purpose was to allow his friends see the ravine I had shown them when we took Brandon out there, but I happily agreed.  I told everyone to change into something appropriate for the hike and when they all returned, we exited through the back door.  It was a lovely afternoon and the woods just seemed to dance in sunlight and shadows, which gave it a very relaxing feeling.  The boys eagerly followed me, while Danny and Ricky filled them in about many of the things we passed.  When we got to the ravine, the other boys hesitantly edged forward, so they could look down the dirt and rock strewn drop off.  I could tell it had precisely the effect Danny and Ricky had desired.  It not only impressed this group, but it threw a little panic into them as well.

Once we got back to the house, the boys amused themselves for a while indoors, before going outside to play hide-and-go-seek, after it got dark.  Danny, Ricky and Brandon had a distinct advantage, as they knew the area better than the others, but I think everyone had a good time.  When they came in for the evening, I had everyone take a shower, because they had all played very hard throughout the day.  It went quickly with the three bathrooms, and once they were done, we all went to the family room to watch a video I had Danny and Ricky pick out Friday morning.  It was a horror film, but it wasn’t overly violent, and everyone seemed to get into it.  While they were watching the movie, I went out to the kitchen to make popcorn.  When I returned, I was lugging not only the popcorn, but also some bags of chips, dip and drinks for everyone.  That seemed to tide them over until bedtime.

When the movie ended, the boys let me know they all wanted to sleep in the same place, instead of being split up among the various bedrooms.  I had no problem with that, so I had them lay out their sleeping bags in the family room, as I had my boys do when Brandon stayed over that first time.  Being the prankster that I am, I grabbed a few items and sneaked outside, to see what type of excitement I might be able to stir-up.  I peeked through the large family room window at the boys, and once they were settled in, I went into action.  I put my face against the window, flicked on the flashlight I held under my chin, and made the worst face I could think of, while emitting some very loud moaning and groaning sounds.  I added that touch to make sure I got everyone’s attention at about the same time.  I heard some screams and saw some of the boys bolt from the family room and race for other parts of the house, until Danny and Ricky explained I was the one scaring them.  Once the boys realized I, and not some monster, had been peering through the window at them, they started to calm down.  However, someone decided that what I had done deserved payback, so he whipped the others into a revolt, and they all shot out the door after me.

I gave them a run for their money, but they eventually caught me.  Once they got a hold of me, they playfully swatted my shoulders and backside, as if they were punishing me for what I had done.  You see, after their initial fright, I think they all enjoyed my little diversion and it helped make them feel a little closer to me too.  When I got them settled down again, I ushered everyone back inside.  I led them into the family room, had them slip inside their sleeping bags and then advised them to get some sleep.  Before I left, however, the boys made me promise I wouldn’t try to scare them again.  After assuring them I wouldn’t, they began to settle down.

I’m not sure what time the boys actually fell asleep or how much rest they were able to get that night, but they did sleep in late the next morning.  By the time they started getting up and moving into the other parts of the house, it was nearly noon.  I began giving them their options for breakfast – cereal, eggs, toast, English muffins, French toast, sausage, bacon or even a breakfast sandwich, and then fixed whatever they wanted.  While I was preparing their food, I also set cartons of various types of juice on the table and had Danny and Ricky set out dishes, glasses and silverware for them to use.  It took a while to get everyone fed, but then I let them chill out for a bit, before I explained what I had planned next.

“Okay, guys.  Everyone go get your swimsuits and we’ll head to the state park for at least part of the day,” I announced, receiving a loud cheer in reply.  I also made sure each of them took a towel from my ample linen closet, before shepherding the group toward the van.

The state park wasn’t that close to the house, but it had an awesome swimming area at one end of the lake.  After parking the van, I had them grab their things and led them to the men’s bathhouse, where they began to change out of their street clothes and into their trunks.  This proved to be a very interesting time.  All the boys were a little hesitant about changing in front of their buddies, so Danny, Ricky and Brandon decided to set the tone.  They quickly stripped out of their clothing and actually took some time playing with their swimsuits before putting them on.  The others watched them closely, including checking out their bodies, but seeing those three acting so nonchalantly about what they were doing, the others quickly began to follow suit.  As I was changing, I watched them all checking each other out, and it was actually quite amusing.  Some were still a little bashful about showing off their body, especially the one boy who wasn’t quite as physically mature as the others, but one of the others seemed to relish letting the others have a good look at his wares.  I know this pleased Danny, Ricky and Brandon immensely.

When everyone was ready, I locked all their belongings up with mine, but I had them wait for me, before they went out to swim.  Once everything was secure, I followed them out to the water, so I could evaluate their abilities.  After watching them for nearly twenty minutes, I began to relax enough to get in the water and enjoy myself too.

We had a very good time swimming and lying on the beach sunning ourselves, so we ended up spending the entire afternoon there.  I bought the boys little things to eat to tide them over along the way, but as evening approached and their stomachs began to rumble, I decided it was time to leave.  We all went back to the bathhouse to change into our clothes, with the boys urging me to move a little faster than I was going.  When I completed my efforts, they nearly dragged me out to the van, because I had mistakenly mentioned it was time for dinner.  There was no way I was going to be able to fix anything quickly enough to satisfy them, so I took them to a family buffet-style restaurant, which I discovered on the way back.  As I walked in and looked at the prices they were charging, I almost felt as if I was cheating the owners by paying so little for these eating machines. However, that was all I was required to do, but I would leave a nice tip for whoever had to remove the stacks of dishes these boys would go through.

I watched in awe as the boys moved between the various food stations, like a pack of wolves moving in for the kill, and by the time they loaded up their plates and made their way back to our table, not much remained.  I gawked at the serving pans after they strolled away and it was like looking at the skeletal remains of an animal, after the vultures had finished with it.  As I walked back to take my place beside them at the table, I saw the panicked staff begin to race about, as they tried to refill all the empty containers for their other customers.

The boys went through that first plateful like fire through a drought stricken forest, and it wasn’t long before they were headed back for seconds.  The staff just watched, with open mouths, as the boys roamed from station to station, helping themselves to more.  It wasn’t long before they returned to the table, to finish off their most recent selections.  Some of the boys even went back for thirds, but most moved on to the dessert bar, returning with anywhere from two to five different items.  I hoped they were eating enough to last them through the night, because I think my cupboards were running a little bare, after all they had already consumed.

After everyone had finished eating, I suggested we could go see a movie next.  They all responded positively to that idea, and once they reached an agreement on what they wanted to see, we drove to the theater complex.  I was a little surprised when they turned down my offer to purchase snacks for them, so maybe they didn’t have two hollow legs after all, and I merely ended up buying them drinks.  I didn’t find the movie that enjoyable, but the boys did, and that’s all that mattered.  When the movie ended, we went back home, but I had another little surprise in store for them.

Once we got to our house, I disappeared, but soon came back lugging two bundles under my arms.  They were two family sized tents I still had from the old days, when my family would go out camping and bring along a few friends.  I asked the boys to help me set the tents up in the yard, explaining that I’d let them camp outside tonight if they gave me a hand, so they eagerly agreed.  We got everything under the glare of the spotlights I had focused upon that section of lawn, but instead of setting up a campfire, I brought out the old charcoal grill, so I could light a small wood fire in it.  I did this so the boys could roast marshmallows later and make Smores.  I had purchased everything they would need before they arrived, anticipating this opportunity.

We had to split the boys into two groups, with half in each tent, and then I had them bring their sleeping bags and pillows out and get them arranged.  Once they were set up, I turned off the spotlights and the boys made and ate their Smores over the little fire.  For those of you who have never gone to camp, that’s a Graham cracker with a chocolate bar placed on top of it, and then you put a toasted marshmallow or two on top of the chocolate, before topping it off with a second Graham cracker.  While the boys savored their treats, we sat around and talked, so I could get to know them even better.  When the conversation began to wane, Danny and Ricky asked me to tell them another ghost story, which the others eagerly approved of.

It was a good thing I know so many spooky tales, ones I had learned during scout outings with my children, school campouts, and the camp I worked at as a counselor during high school and college.  I thought hard to come up with one that would be appropriate and finally remembered something I had heard a very long time ago.  Quickly, I figured out how to adapt it, to make it work here.

“I don’t know if you realize this,” I told the boys, “but the state park we were at earlier today used to be the location of a large Native American village.  The Indians built their huts along the banks of the lake and part of the area farther away from the water, was very sacred ground for them.  That’s where they held various ceremonies and buried their dead.

“When the settlers first appeared and started moving into this area, some of the things the white men did were confusing to the Indians.  You see, Native Americans believe in only taking what they need to survive and they use everything they can from any animals they kill.  Naturally, they didn’t understand why the trappers killed so many animals and then only took their pelts, leaving the meat and everything else to waste.  In addition to that, they began to feel threatened, because those same men also appeared to want to drive them away from their ancestral lands.

“As the white men moved farther and farther west, that fear became a reality.  The trappers and settlers kept driving the Indians from the lands of their forefathers, but not all of the tribes were willing to go peacefully.  Some decided they would rather stay and fight, to defend what was theirs.  The tribe that lived where the state park is now avoided war by allowing these outsiders to do as they wish, but they also let it be known that they did not want to leave these sacred lands.  Their ancestors had dwelt on the banks of that lake for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and they weren’t going to be forced to move.

“Knowing the Indians wouldn’t leave peacefully, one unscrupulous trapper made plans of his own.  He sought to get rid of the Indians his own way, so he could claim the land for himself.  That way he could trap and hunt all of the animals that lived there, not just the small quantities the Indians allowed him to take.  His motive was greed, because he realized he could become very wealthy if he controlled this area.  Many animals lived around the lake, especially beaver, whose fur was very valuable.  To accomplish his goal, he organized a group of his friends to help him make the Indians disappear.  They all knew there was only way to do this, and that was to kill all of the Indians, but that didn’t seem to bother any of them.  One night, the trapper and the others crept into the camp and literally massacred all of the inhabitants.

“Word of these murders spread quickly and another tribe, who were distant relatives of those killed, went to avenge their deaths.  They hunted down all of the trappers, and one by one, they made them pay for what they had done.  These men did not go quickly or painlessly, because the Indians tortured them first, causing them as much agony as they could.  The braves made sure these men died a slow death, so they could feel the life as it drained from them.  The Indians also punctured the white men’s eardrums and gouged out their eyes, so they could not hear or see in the next world.  They even scalped the trappers before they had taken their final breath, as the ultimate act of retribution.  Without their scalp, their spirit would escape through the opening in the top of their head, thus keeping them from finding eternal peace.  Since that time, the ghosts of all those killed, both the Indians and trappers alike, have haunted this area.  Even though it’s hard to see them in the bright daylight, I did see them in the bathhouse while we were changing.  They were watching us very carefully, to see what we were up to.”

“You really saw them?” one of the boys asked, his mouth hanging open and his body very tense.

“Oh, yes,” I answered.  “They were behind you the whole time, observing everything you were doing.  I just hope none of them followed us into the van and rode home with us, or they might be looking over your shoulders even now.”

Suddenly, I saw heads begin to swivel back and forth, as the boys looked for any signs of these ghostly figures.  This time, Danny and Ricky realized my story wasn’t true, so they were the only ones unaffected by it.  Even Brandon was concerned that ghosts might have accompanied us home, so he also scanned the area, to see if he could see any signs of one.  A short time later, after I told the boys I was going back in the house for the night, some of Danny’s friends begged me not to leave. 

 “Mr. Currie, can’t you stay out here with us tonight?” one of them asked.

“Yeah, maybe you could sleep out here too,” another suggested.

“Not that we’re scared or anything,” a third offered, “but it might be fun if you camped out with us too.”  I don’t think anyone doubted any of these boys’ motives, but many of the others were nodding in agreement.

“The tents are already pretty crowded, just with you boys in them,” I countered, which caused them to start looking around.

“Uh, we can make room,” one of them offered, getting two or three of the others to agree with him.

Danny and Ricky even helped the boys decide how they could make this work.  They’d sleep in one tent, with the boys who were least effected by my story, and I could sleep in the other tent with those who seemed to be the most frightened, which appeared to include Brandon.  I guess maybe I should give up telling ghost stories, if I was going to get paid back like this after each occurrence.  I was actually looking forward to spending a peaceful night sleeping in my bed.

I finally gave in and agreed to sleep out with them, but explained that I would have to go get some bedding for myself first.  As I got up to leave, I wasn’t surprised to see a few of the more scared boys follow me into the house, making excuses that they needed to pee, get a drink or do other things inside.  After collecting what I needed, I went back out to fulfill my promise, with my scared little ducklings trailing close behind.  After spreading out my bedding, I was surprised to see Brandon make sure he was closest to me, as he slid tightly against my right side.   Even though I had previously noted he had been affected by my story, I thought he might choose to stay in the other tent, between Danny and Ricky.  In addition to that, I didn’t expect him to be so gullible or that easily spooked.  I had also assumed my sons would assure him I had made the whole thing up and he would have laughed it off by now.  However, I guess I had misjudged the situation.  After many minutes of trying to get everyone settled in and quieted down, I managed to get comfortable and make it through the remainder of an uneventful evening.

In the morning, I woke everyone up and fed them, and then I had my boys dress for church, so we could attend services after we took the others home.  Brandon asked if we’d drop him off first this time, so he could get ready to go to church with us.  He made sure we promised to pick him up when we returned, because he wanted to go too.  After loading everything in the van and setting out, I did as he requested.

As I dropped the other boys off at their homes, they thanked me and told us they had a great time, even the boys I had scared so badly the night before.  After saying good-bye to each of them, we drove back into town, picked Brandon up at his place and went to church.  After the service, we returned Brandon to his parents and then went home to clean up the mess and put things away, before we began to prepare for the week ahead.