The Summerhill Stories: Book One - Love Refound

I must have looked like I was going to pass out, because Karen was standing next to me holding my arm.  "Dr. Christiansen, are you okay?  I think you'd better sit down."

I shook my head to clear it, "Thank you, Karen, I'll be fine."

I looked at Mrs. McBride, "Ma'am, why don't we go into my office so we can visit?"

When we settled in my office, I was sitting in a chair facing Mrs. McBride, "Mrs. McBride, you rather blew my mind when you suggested that you might be related to Benji.  Why do you think that Benji might be your great-grandson?"

"Dr. Christiansen, it's a long story.  I don't quite know how to explain it, but perhaps I should start by showing you this picture."

I looked at the picture and it was Benji. "Mrs. McBride, why do you have a picture of Benji?"

"Dr. Christiansen, please calm down.  I'm not going to try to take Benji away from you.  Turn the picture over and read what it says."

I looked at the back of the picture and it said, 'Benny, age six.' and it was dated Oct. 1985.

"I think that the young man in that picture was your Benji's father.  Not only do the two of them look alike, there is some circumstantial evidence that supports that notion as well.  Let me start at the beginning."

"Ben was in his senior year of highschool when he found out that he caused a young woman to become pregnant.  Her parents were distraught by what had happened and the young woman disappeared.  When she returned home, she was no longer pregnant.  However, she would have nothing to do with Ben or his family.  Ben joined the marines after flunking out of college, and was killed in Iraq.  He was an only child and his parents took his death very badly."

"Ben's parents, who are my daughter and her husband, have subsequently moved to Arizona, which you should be thankful for because I have no idea what they would do if they were to see your Benji."

"When the tornado went through when Benji was found, I was traveling in China, so I didn't know of his existence until after the storm last weekend.  Some of the residents of the assisted living facility where I live were talking about how Benji had been found by a Cole Weaver and how he had been adopted by you and your wife, at your wedding."

"I probably wouldn't have even thought anymore about it if you hadn't blasted that man on the nose for touching your sons.  When the paper was published on Wednesday, it showed a picture of you with your four sons and that's why I'm even here."

I started to laugh, "Mrs. McBride, I'm guessing you would like to meet Benji in person.  Am I right?"

She smiled, "Dr. Christiansen, that would make me extremely happy."

I nodded, "First, you need to stop calling me Dr. Christiansen, my name is Doug.  Second, my wife was killed in an automobile accident.  Lastly, the Cole Weaver, who found Benji is now my partner and the four boys refer to him as Dad Cole."

Mrs. McBride giggled, "I already knew all that.  I know a lot more too.  I spent all day yesterday gathering information about you and your family."

"Mrs. McBride, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  My parents and Autumn's parents are going to be at the house for dinner tonight.  They're spending the weekend with us.  Would you like to join us and meet them and the rest of my family, especially Benji?

"Doug, that would make this old lady very happy."

I went to the door, "Karen, please call Patty and tell her that there will be one another person for dinner tonight.  She may have to kill another cow."

Karen was giggling, "I think she said she was fixing frog and escargot for dinner.  I'll make sure there's lots of caviar."

I looked at Mrs. McBride, "How did you get here?"

"I called a taxi."

"Mrs. McBride, why don't I take you back to your residence, so I know where to pick you up this afternoon at four thirty?"

Mrs. McBride stood, "I'm ready if you are."

"On the way to the assisted living facility, I told Mrs. McBride, "Benji and his brothers know that Benji was adopted.  Autumn and I had decided to tell Benji, and it is a good thing that we did, because there was a discussion in school about it after the storm last weekend."

I parked in front of the facility and walked Mrs. McBride to the lobby.  "I'll pick you up at four thirty.  Make sure you wear something comfortable.  We're very casual at home."

The rest of the day was busy, but I did stop to talk to Clark on my way to pick up Mrs. McBride, "Clark, are you okay?"

"Doug, I'm better than okay.  Coach Harder came to talk to me last night and told me that Andre had been sticking his prick in every available hole in town.  No wonder he wasn't interested in having sex with me.  I went to be tested for AIDS, today, since it was evident that Andre hadn't been practicing safe sex, if he did indeed get some broad pregnant."

"Great, see you at your graduation.  Don't forget the picnic on Sunday."

I went to the assisted living facility and Mrs. McBride was waiting outside, talking to another lady.  I pulled up to the walkway, helped her into the car and put her walker in the trunk."

The ride to Summerhill was an eye opening experience.  Mrs. McBride was telling me that her Grandfather had owned most of the land that we were traversing and had made a fortune when he sold it.  When we passed Fairacres she looked at me.  "That's Fairacres, isn't it?"

I nodded yes, "That's Fairacres."

She continued, "I understand that Leonora might be thinking about selling it, now that the boys are grown and Robbie is living with Mr. Willingham."

I started to laugh, "Mrs. McBride, the grapevine is way off base on that one.  Trent is planning to come home after he graduates next week and gets married. He's going to take over the ranch.  As for Mr. Nixon living with Mr. Willingham, they live on the other side of Summerhill.  Mr. Willingham is my uncle."

As we were riding toward Summerhill, we could see seven horses coming from the lake area.  When they saw us, they started to gallop toward us.  Mrs. McBride complained, "Those four young boys are too young to be doing that."

"Mrs. McBride, our four sons are very accomplished horsemen.  They could probably outride most adults."

I stopped, and Benji arrived first.  I rolled down my window.  "Hi Daddy, we were skinny dipping.  Whose the lady with you?"

"We'll meet you at Summerhill and I'll introduce you to her."

Mrs. McBride started to cry, "Doug, I don't know that I can do this.  He's the splitting image of his father."

"Mrs. McBride, you won't be satisfied until you meet him face to face, and you know it."

When we were pulling into Summerhill, Mrs. McBride was looking around, "Doug, this has to be the biggest home in the county.  It's beautiful."

I parked the car and helped Mrs. McBride out and we walked to the platform where the boys were dismounting.  Benji climbed down and came to greet us and stuck out his hand, "Hi, I'm Benji Christiansen.  The other three young guys are my brothers, Matt, Mark and Mikey.  The gentleman next to Mikey is our Dad Cole.  The two handsome men beside him are our Granddads,  Mr. Christiansen and Mr. Summers."

Mrs. McBride shook Benji's hand, "I'm Emily McBride, it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Benji looked at me, "Daddy, take Ms. McBride to meet our Grandmothers.  We'll be there as soon as we take care of the horses."

As Mrs. McBride and I were walking toward the house, she looked at me, "Doug, maybe this was not a good idea."

I hugged her, "Mrs. McBride, everything willl be fine.  Let's just see what happens."

I introduced Mrs. McBride to my mother, Mrs. Summers, Patty and Karen who she already met.  Mrs. McBride looked at Karen, "Are you Dr. Christiansen's slave or something?  You seem to be everywhere that he is."

Karen started to laugh, "Technically, I don't work for Dr. Christiansen.  I was his secretary, and now I'm his babysitter at work.  He and Mrs. Christiansen hired Patty and we now live in the dungeon in the basement as her pay for being the boys' nanny and the cook and the housekeeper."

Mrs. McBride looked at Karen, "Me thinks thou dost exagerate."

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of my five guys and the two Dads. Benji asked, "Miss Patty, do we need to do anything?"

"Nope, your Grandmothers did all your chores.  I suggest that you wash your hands and get ready for dinner.  It will be ready in ten minutes."

As we were eating dinner of porkloin with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, which the boys loved, Mikey was looking at Mrs. McBride and Benji who were seated beside each other.  He asked, "Daddy, is Mrs. McBride Benji's mother?"

I wasn't sure how to answer, but responded, "Mikey, why did ask that?"

"Daddy, we know that Benji was dopted.  Me, Mark and Matt look like you.  Look at Benji and Mrs. McBride, they look almost alike, except Mrs. McBride is a girl and Benji is a boy."

Cole punched me and whispered, "Mikey is right, so you need to be honest."

"Everyone, Mrs. McBride thinks that she is Benji's great grandmother."

The silence in the room was almost deafening.  I looked at Mrs. McBride, "Do you have the photo you showed me this afternoon?"

"Yes, it's in my purse which is in the family room where I was sitting. Benji, would you please go get my purse?"

Benji excused himself and went to get Mrs. McBride's purse.  When he handed it to her, she took out the picture and handed to Benji.  Benji looked at it, "Mrs. McBride, this looks like me, but I don't have any clothes that look like this."

Mrs. McBride hugged Benji, "That is your Father as he looked when he was your age, 22 years ago."

Benji started to cry, "Dads, they aren't going to take me away, are they?"

Mrs. McBride spoke before I could, "Benjamin, I have no intention of trying to take you away from your brothers and Dads.  Your Father is dead.  He was killed in Iraq.  I can see that you need to be here at Summerhill to keep your brothers and Dads in line."

After everyone finished eating, Benji stood, "Come on guys, we need to clear the table.  We can do that much."

When the boys had taken the dishes to kitchen, Benji came back into the dining room, "Grandma McBride what was my Father like?  Was he a nice person and why did Dad Cole find me in a field?"

Mrs. McBride was not ready for those questions.  She took a deep breath, "Benny, was a good young man, but he didn't like to study very much.  All he wanted to do was play sports and date young ladies.  I'm sure that your Dad Cole might have known when Benny was in high school."

Cole shook his head no, "The only Ben I knew when I was in high school was Ben Miller.  He was Mr. Macho and the last I heard he went to Notre Dame."

"He did go to Notre Dame, but he spent more time playing around than he did studying and wound up being expelled."

Benji asked another very poignant questions, "If my Father is dead, what happened to my Mother?"

Mrs, McBride looked at me, but answered, "Benji, I don't know what happened to you birth Mother.  Her family left town and I never heard where they moved.  Doug, I need to get back to the facility before they lock the doors.  I didn't bring my keys with me."

Benji went to get Mrs. McBride's walker, "Come on  Dad, we'll take Grandmother home before she turns into a pumpkin."

It's a good thing that no one else went with us because Benji had a myriad of questions.

We walked Mrs. McBride to the front entrance of the facility.  When Benji kissed his Great Grandmother good night, the damn burst.  Mrs. McBride turned away and disappeared into the facility. Benji and I returned to the car.  Benji was sitting in the backseat and he started to talk as soon as I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Dad, we forgot to tell Grandma about the picnic on Sunday.  Dad, please invite her.  You heard her say that she wasn't going to take me away from you, Dad Cole and the brothers.  Dad, I think she's very lonely."

It went quiet and I Iooked in the rearview mirror and Benji's head was nodding.  When I pulled up to Summerhill, he was sound asleep and was quietly snoring, I unbuckled his seatbelt and carried him to his bedroom.  I didn't even try to undress him.  I just took off his shoes and socks and put him into bed.

I was totally unprepared for the tongue lashing I was about to receive when I went downstairs.  My mother started on me, "Doug, how could you bring Mrs. McBride here and expose the boys to what might have happened?"

"Mom, your grandsons will be fine.  Would it be so bad if the boys were to have three or four sets of grandparents?  I would not have brought Mrs. McBride here if I thought she would do anything to harm the boys."

Cole sided with me, "Mom Christiansen, I have been afraid that something like this might happen ever since I found Benji.  I'm relieved that we finally know something about Benji's background.  I am of the opinion that something good may come of this.  Doug, how did you meet Mrs. McBride."

Karen and Patty were standing and listening.  Karen spoke before I could, "Mrs. McBride showed up at our office this morning and I thought Dr. Christiansen was going to faint when she told him that she thought Benji might be her great-grandson."

I summarized what Mrs. McBride had told me in the office and when I finished, my Dad started to laugh, "How many times must I tell you that the use of force will bring nothing but bad luck?"

Karen was laughing, "Yep and Dr. Christiansen almost got arrested for decking the man.  I must tell you, it certainly is never dull working around Dr. Christiansen."

I stood, "Since everyone is picking on me, I'm going to bed.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day.  Clark asked me to be at his  graduation ceremony when he receives his doctorate degree tomorrow at 10:00.  Why don't I meet the rest of you at the Timbercreek Restaurant at 11:30 for lunch.  That should give us plenty of time to get to Cole's graduation ceremony."

Editor's Notes:

I have a good feeling about Grandmother McBride.  She reminds me of someone else.  I'll let you figure out whom I mean.  I don't think it will hurt one little bit for Benji, and his brothers to have another nice grandmother.  I can tell that Benji has already become very fond or her. I think she will be a GREAT Grandmother.

I want more!!!!