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Blue and Larry spend a nice couple of days together on the farm. Gervais comes out too at times and neither Larry or Blue breath a word of their suspicions.
Chris is enjoying his classes and has made a couple of friends already. He knows at some point he may need to stay in the city a few nights a week but right now coming home to his brother's food and Larry's loving means the world to him.
"I did worry what sort of things you being back in class would trigger." Blue says early one morning as they wait for Ocean's All around competition to start.
"Me too. I was super scared but you and Larry have helped a million and I am finally doing what I wanted to do. I don't know how the program fixed this, I have read so many stories worse than ours. We somehow lucked out big time." Chris says.
"Yeah kids who were born during and not being counted when returning to their old life. Not being given new identities when they were found out. I get the feeling he family firm was in to a whole lot that we will thankfully never know about." Blue says.
"Sometimes I think about going to visit mom. It has played on my mind a lot since we returned. I worry about her, which I know is stupid given everything she did to momma and Bea. But she was a good mom when I was little, to both of us." Chris says.
"I wondered if you or Bea might. It can't have been easy being her. Don't ever feel you need to hide your feelings from me. You've been there for me so much." Blue says.
"I owed you." Chris says.
"Yes you did. Come on, lets go cheer for our boy." Blue says.
"And eat these delicious muffins I spy." Chris says grabbing the cooling rack and taking them in.
"Be careful, the insides are gooey." Blue grins.
"Mmmm plum filling." Gervais grins.
"Mine is apple." Larry says.
"I win, toffee banana." Chris grins.
"That has to be a sign Ocean will do well." Gervais grins.
They cheer for their friend, they cheer when they see Andy, Cheryl, Will and Spence in the crowd.
"Tenth in the world. Our boy is tenth in the world." Blue says crying his eyes out.
"Now who is too gay?" Larry grins wiping his own face.
"I will bring lobsters back tonight, we must celebrate. I best shoot." Chris says glad he didn't have a morning class.
"I'll make some salsa. Larry I was thinking I'd come up and do cornbread and corn fritters for the freezer." Blue says.
"Wow, I really might have to stick around longer." Gervais grins and Larry scowls.
"I need to give Sunny a good run, then I'll be up. Gervais you're more than welcome to help." Blue says.
"I'm going to see Kayden's parents. His dad needs some help with some fencing. Not sure I'll be much good but I can pass nails." Gervais grins.
"I'll come with. We've broken the back of this round and the guys can manage without me. Blue has been feeding them a couple of times a week and it works its usual magic." Larry grins.
"I make a mean corn chowder." Blue smiles.
"Larry that would be awesome." Gervais says.
"Take the rest of the muffins and thank them for the fruit please. Ask if they need any corn or tomatoes too. We ought to reciprocate a bit more." Blue says.
"I know Ocean has finals this weekend but I was thinking of doing a roadside stand for a few days. We have a lot of good stuff. Next year will be better when we can use the hotel but for right now..." Larry tails off.
"I'll do a shift for you, no problem. There are some folding tables in my garage. I've not got as far as sorting it out yet, you're welcome to see if they are any good." Blue says.
"Thanks Blue." Larry smiles.
"Shall we pop by yours to get some veggies to take with us? Think we've both benefitted from the great fruits." Gervais says.
"Sure, I need to get my tools too. Been mending fences since I was knee high, I'll be quicker than both of you with the right tools." Larry says.
"See you both later." Blue says kissing them both goodbye.
Blue puts a call in to his investigator once they are gone, thankful to Larry for keeping an eye on Gervais while he does.
"I'll send the interim report at the end of the day, you need to decide if you want me to go further. Some of these deals go back years, before Abby died." The investigator says.
"She set up some of them you mean?" Blue asks.
"No, not at all. I'll send you everything. I just need you to decide if it is enough or if you want me to go all the way back." The investigator says.
"Is there any way to find out if Abby had other plans for her will. If maybe she planned a trust or someone else to administer until I came back?" Blue asks. "I've started that path but left it as there was so much more. I'll put some next step options in for you and quotes on costs." The investigator says.
"Thanks so much." Blue says saddened and wishing Spence and Andy were here to talk to.
Blue heads up to the farm and as he's cooking puts a call through to Ollie.
"Hey Blue, good to see you. I miss you. If my brothers weren't still in school I'd be up there like a shot." Ollie says.
"You are amazing. I have no idea how you do it." Blue says.
"You helped. We have enough space and they all pitch in. The older ones still come by often and work on the garden. They remember well enough what it was like to be hungry and want to make sure the youngest always have plenty. It's lovely. Just that much harder coordinating the last three's activities without Tad." Ollie says.
"If you need anything just call, cars for the oldest at home? College tuition, just ask." Blue says.
"Thanks Blue. Spence has made the same offers, I appreciate it I really do. I've done pretty well out of the sale and have been doing freelance work on the ice-cream a couple of days a week. The soup production is moving but the ice-cream is staying here." Ollie says.
"That's good. I feel bad but it is understandable." Blue says.
"They are going to convert the soup factory to making the vegan ice-cream. They are creating jobs at the bottom and shift supervisor level. It's just the top that have gone. I was offered a lot to stay, I actually make what I did before just doing two days. Robin and Claude told them they needed me or you and I'd be easier to get." Ollie says.
"That's great." Blue says.
"Yeah it is. I'm lucky. Robin screwed himself, he could have stayed and he thought he's make it rich with Gervais. Idiot. Anyway, what did you really call about?" Ollie asks.
"Abby. I am struggling to understand about her will. Why Gervais got it all until I got back. Why it wasn't a trust. Why Gervais and not Will or Spence or You even. Did she ever tell you her plans?" Blue asks.
"She left me some money for the kids and she left some to Freddie too as well as the charity. That was unexpected. I didn't expect anything, no one did. Everyone thought it was right that it mostly go to you. I don't think anyone understood the Gervais arrangement or why there were not trustees to manage the properties. I think maybe it was all part of Abby's secrecy about her wealth and also she didn't want her sister's family contesting. It was easier for Gervais to tell them to fuck off." Ollie suggests.
"So he didn't engineer it? Do you know if he knew before she died?" Blue asks.
"I don't know. I'd try Cheryl or Ocean. Gervais would never have confided in me." Ollie says.
"Thanks. How is Freddie doing? Still baking?" Blue asks.
"Yeah, he loves it. Loves it. His mom manages the bakery and Freddie leads his shift. They bake for so many places now, not just what they sell in house. He still lives with his mom, I don't think he'll ever be fully independent but he can do so much more for himself than any of us ever expected. You and Heidi did something magical." Ollie says.
"Glad to hear it. His party is still my favorite professional moment." Blue says.
"Mine too. None of us could recreate that soy cream you did and no one made vegan marshmallows like you. You should come back and sell that recipe to the ice-cream co because a fun sweet flavour would go down a storm." Ollie says.
"Are you after a new project? DeShawn and spoke a while back about protein cookies. I said he could go ahead and market them but he's not comfortable doing it without me. I've been creating new ones for Ocean, so he had some to take away with him. They go down a storm with his friends. You fancy going in with me and DeShawn on them?" Blue asks.
"Yes. If you consider working with me on those marshmallows." Ollie says.
"Deal. I will put DeShawn in touch with you. It's a project that would fit with Freddie's friends too, which would fit DeShawn's image. Win for all of us. I know you love the creating. We can build you a workshop at home if you like." Blue says.
"Adding on to the apprentice's space would work better, so the charity could use the space too. And that would get me out the house more. Let me think, loop me in with DeShawn and we'll bounce our ideas around. Thanks for bringing this to me. I think it sounds fun. I loved the way you used to push me to refine everything. I miss that." Ollie says.
"Me too. Working with you was the best part. I'm making soup again, couple of lunches a week for Larry's workers. I love it, I love creating again." Blue says.
"You sound like yourself again, bubbling with ideas and the drive to put them out there. It's awesome. I missed you so much." Ollie says.
"I missed you too. I am so sorry about you and Tad. And that Andy and I reconciled and I didn't support you as much as I could have." Blue says.
"Blue you had to take care of yourself. And having Andy around helps you, then that is what you need to do. I wasn't mad at Andy, not the way Spence was mad at Tad. I was just mad at Tad. Stupid fuck, especially with what his dad has gone through." Ollie says.
"How is Mike? Larry wants to have him come and stay for a longer time, but not until Chris is settled in school." Blue says.
"That would be good. He has lost another wife and in such a bullshit way. I feel for him so much but I can't be there for him." Ollie says.
"I get that. It was great to talk to you Ollie." Blue says.
"You too. Take care Blue." Ollie says.
Blue continues his cooking and then calls DeShawn and emails both DeShawn and Ollie with his ideas and DeShawn adds his own, he's excited and really wants to include working with the charity. Blue feels good. Working again on his terms doing what he loves is what he needs.
Blue leaves quickly after dinner, making his usual excuse of needing to give Sunny a run. The pair do run and run. Blue showers and then opens the report from the investigator.