Ring in Mine #3: Nephi & Jerome Chapter 14
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For any one that is counting I duplicated a major name from the first book. The name plays an important role in this narrative.
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Ring in Mine #3: Nephi & Jerome: Chapter 14
The next morning Paula hadn't realized how comforting it was hearing the boys in the basement. "One night gone, four more to go." She thought.
Paula had just finished breakfast when her doorbell rang. She opened the door finding a young woman.
"Is this where Jerome Tellerson lives?" The woman asked.
"Yes, but he's not home right now." Paula answered.
"I'm Kathy, one of his old girlfriends. I am just dropping off something of his." Kathy turned to the taxi idling at the curb. "This is the place!"
A young man opened the trunk pulling out two big black garbage bags and carried them into the house.
"This will answer Jerome's questions." The handsome young man handed Paula an oversized envelope.
Paula was paying attention to the envelope, she hadn't notice Kathy appear with a suitcase and a three year old. "Jerry, behave for your daddy."
A shrill horn filled the air. "We will miss our plane if we don't leave now. I will write Jerome when we get an apartment and he can write back." Kathy placed Jerry's little hand in Paula's, with a final kiss for her son.
"Are you my grandma? Mama said I would have a grandma." Tears formed in the boy's blue eyes.
"Could this be Jerome's son?" Paula wondered. She noticed Jerry's blue eyes. Those eyes eliminated any doubts.
"I am Grandma Paula. Would you like to meet your other grandma?" Paula asked.
"I have two grandmas. Do you have cookies? Mama said grandmas have cookies." Jerry asked.
"Breakfast first then you can help me bake cookies. Do you like eggs?" Paula opened the fridge.
"I like bump eggs and toast." Jerry sat at the table looking at the small television on the kitchen wall. "Do you have cartoons?"
Jerry sat at the table eating his eggs watching Sesame Street.
Paula opened the envelope finding Jerry's birth certificate listing Jerome as Jerry's father and notarized guardianship papers naming Jerome as Jerry's guardian.
Paula called Benny, "Benny go get Jerome and Nephi. They need to be here." and then Marie.
"Marie, I have a guest that wants to meet you." Paula paused. "It's a surprise."
Jerry sat on the couch to watch television. Her great grandson captivated Marie. Grover captivated Jerry who was trying to see around his grandmother.
Paula pulled Marie to the table leaving Jerry and his teddy bear on the couch watching the bigger screen.
"His mother told him his grandma would have cookies. Nephi and Jerome cleaned me out." Paula confessed.
Marie picked up the phone. "Bertram, we are having a cookie crisis. I have a great grandson that needs cookies." Marie listened for a moment. "Yes, I said great grandson. Jerome is the father; he doesn't know it yet."
It wasn't long before Marco and Bertram arrived with all kinds of cookies and brownies.
"I have uncles?" Jerry knew about uncles. Uncle Robert brought treats and gifts when he visited his mother. Jerry's attention shifted to the uncles with boxes of the most delicious cookies he had ever seen.
Benny and Luke arrived with a teddy bear as large as its new owner and bad news.
"A major avalanche is completely blocking the canyon. Clearing the road will take days." Benny announced. "Avalanche danger is high. They are shelling the canyon walls."
The uncles had lost out to Mr. Rogers and the cookies. Bertram and Marco promised to return later.
Luke and Benny were moving furniture. Paula's craft room and the office were being moved into the spare rooms on the main floor. The bedroom furniture was moving downstairs. Jerry and his daddies were getting their own bedrooms.
While the men were busy, Jerry and his grandmothers went shopping. Jerry had to pick out sheets for the bed, posters for the walls, and toys. The two ladies enjoyed watching the great grandson they never thought of having playing on the playground at McDonalds. They decided Jerome's father would never have access to this little boy.
The tired threesome returned to the house to find Luke's truck backed up in the driveway. Luke's crew was busy unloading sheet rock and lumber into the basement. Vans lined the street in front of the house. Something was happening beyond moving furniture.
With a knowing nod, Marie confessed she had called Grace. The women could smell sheet rock dust from the basement. The jack hammering was disconcerting.
When Jared appeared after school, he borrowed Marie's car and drove home hoping his father wasn't there. He returned with a huge box of Lego blocks, toys and VHS tapes. Uncle Jared was now Jerry's favorite uncle. The pair disappeared next door away from all the noise. Maria found them on the floor building a city for the trucks and action figures.
Marco had dinner delivered for the workers and family. Jared disappeared into Nephi's apartment. Sworn to secrecy, he returned with the giant bean-bags.
Jared and Jerry fell asleep in the beanbags in front of the TV. Marie covered them with blankets. Paula evacuated to Marie's spare bedroom.
The following morning as Paula and Marie finished breakfast the doorbell rang. As Marie opened the door she wondered what new surprise waited on her doorstep.
"Thank you for the call yesterday. I had given up on having great-grandchildren." Grace invited herself through the door. "I should have asked permission before I threw you into the mess of a renovation. Benny's been a great resource. He found the contractor. They get a bonus if they finish tomorrow."
"Jerry is eating breakfast. Would you like to meet your great-grandson?" Marie held the door open for her guest.
Jerry was busy spooning bright colored balls of breakfast cereal into his mouth.
"May I have a bowl of cereal?" Jared reached for the box.
Jerry moved the box out of Jared's reach. "You're silly Uncle Jared. Trix are for kids." Jared put on a pouty face. Jerry relented and poured a small bowl for his uncle.
"Grandma Grace!" Jared jumped up and hugged Grace. "Jerry, meet your Great-Grandma Grace."
"I have..." Jerry stopped to count the women in the room. "One, two, three. I have three grandmas. Grandma, do you have cookies?"
"I don't have cookies but I have presents." Grace handed Jerry a wrapped package. Wrapping paper flew everywhere.
"Grandma Grace has cars. Jared will you play cars with me?" Jerry headed to the family room.
"Let's finish our Trix." Jared helped Jerry put the Hot Wheels box on the table. "Tell Grandma Grace thank you."
Jerry jumped down from the table and hugged Grace. "Thank you for the race cars grandma. I like race cars."
"You are welcome." Grace could have hugged this young man for hours, but Jerry had Trix to eat and new cars. The three grandmothers sat at the kitchen table planning their grandson's life. Grace's lawyer had set up an educational trust before she had stepped foot on the plane in Florida.
"I think we should take him to the mall and visit Santa Claus." Marie suggested. The ladies agreed only to find Jerry and Jared were AWOL. Jared walked through the front door without Jerry.
"Where have you misplaced our grandson? We are taking him to the mall to see Santa." Paula announced.
"I wish you had said something. Donny has a new puppy. Santa may need to reschedule" Jared informed his grandmothers. Paula explained that Donny lived across the street and was the same age as Jerry.
The grandmothers had to settle for tagging along as Jerry and his new best friend went to McDonalds for lunch. Jared suggested they take this free time for Christmas shopping. The women's eyes sparkled almost as much as Donny's and Jerry's.
When they arrived home Jerry, Donny and Donny's mother were waiting for them. "Uncle Marco brought spaghetti. Donny and his mom love spaghetti." Jerry's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Paula looked at the surprised young mother. "I know your husband is out of town again. Why don't you both stay for dinner?"
Over dinner Jerry had another idea. "Donny says he loves sleepovers with the big boys. Can we have a sleepover with Uncle Jared? He's a big boy."
"I guess that's the only way we to spend time with our grandson tonight." Marie answered. After dinner Jerry and Donny shared the same bean-bag watching Disney movies. They insisted Jared take the other bean-bag so it would be a sleepover with the big boys. They fell asleep somewhere in the middle of Snow White. Jared woke the next morning to find himself the middle of a three year old sandwich.
Late the next morning, the workmen's vans and trucks disappeared from the street. Luke's van was the only one left. Paula tried sneaking in for a peek. A pair of painters denied her access to the remodeled apartment. Resigned to waiting for the big reveal she returned to Marie's for breakfast.
They were starting lunch when Benny and the ranger arrived carrying a box of Bertram's fritters.
"Benny has a full box of fritters and he brought reinforcements." Paula was staring at Benny. Benny refused to meet her gaze. "Out with it!"
The ranger ended the silence. "Last night another avalanche buried most of the road equipment. It may be a week yet before they can get the road clear."
The ranger hadn't gotten very far into his explanation when Grace pulled Benny and Luke aside. The pair disappeared before the ranger finished his long speech. "I won't be able to get to the station and they won't be getting out."
"That is being taken care of." Graced joined the conversation. "Pack up what you will need for the next week."
Paula reassured the ranger not to worry about food. Nephi had taken enough for a small army. For one person it would last quite a while and the cabin had power.
Grace was not giving any hints about this thorny dilemma's solution. Benny returned giving Grace a thumbs up. Benny succumbed to the pressure of his sister-in-law and her best friend.
"Grace suggested we get Search-and-Rescue to fly the ranger in and the boys out." Benny avoided looking at Grace.
Jared had an idea. "Luke is that water-heater box still in the backyard?" Jared shared his idea and everyone. Little Jerry thought it was a great plan.
"Too make this work Jerome and Nephi can't know about their little boy." Jared made everyone promise.