Mending Wounded Hearts

Friday, Ally and I were up and packed by six. We heard little feet shuffling up and down the hallway. Soft murmurs of conversation drifted in and out as Genevieve and the boys readied themselves for school. The kids had been up early tending to chores with animals or other duties. We all met up in the kitchen and enjoyed a great breakfast with the kids, Avril and Henri.

The time came when the children had to leave to meet the bus and we gave and received hugs and kisses with all of them. The morning was warm for early spring but I wasn't complaining. We watched the kids ride away with Gervais and Edgar riding double with Paul and Robert.

"I really wish we didn't have to go, but we do have to prepare for the journey home," I told Henri and Avril.

"I hope you'll come back with your boys, I'm sure they would love it here and ours would love to meet them face to face," Avril shared.

 

"The reverse is true as well, although you have more logistics to conquer. Bring them all if you can, they'll be welcome," Ally encouraged.

"Our version of child welfare can be rather hard nosed but we've learned who the right people are to talk to," Henri added.

I'll go up to get our bags and get them loaded. Then we can just chat until it's time to go. I'm sure you both have things to do," I put in.

"Not really, we cleared the morning. The eggs are already in and we have plenty of time for everything else," Henri assured us.

"Would you show me your herb garden Avril, we were going to do that yesterday but we got sidetracked?" Ally requested. She and Avril went out the kitchen door leaving Henri and I alone.

"So what's next, back to Paris?" Henri asked.

"Yes, we wrangled a private tour of the Louvre this evening and Louis and Elodie are meeting us," I shared.

"A private tour? That sounds really nice, Ally will be impressed," Henri smiled.

"Well, to be honest, Louis Macron set it up and they're going to join us. Ally has always wanted to see the Da Vinci collection. They also have some very important works by other artists," I informed.

"Yes, Avril and I visited frequently before we moved here. We get her sister to watch the kids occasionally and visit, and there are other museums and attractions also."

We said our final goodbyes for the moment and began our drive back to Paris. As we neared the gate, the recovery team was digging nearer the edge of the road. I stopped long enough to speak with one of the techs and was surprised to discover he was a U.S. airman. He related that a total of four sets of remains had been found, three American and one German. They would excavate the remains and send them to Ramstein AFB for processing. They would reopen the original road and search the bypass area after that.

I thanked him for the information and wished him a good day.

At nearly halfway to Paris we received a call from Louis, our trip to the Louvre was canceled. There was a utility problem that required shutting down the power. The French Federal Police and other agencies would cordon the entire museum in case anyone got any fancy ideas.

"Are we still on for dinner?" I asked.

"Absolutely, we will call for you around eight and the evening can begin," Louis insisted.

"Well then, if anything strikes your fancy on the way, let's stop and have a gander," I told Ally.

"Sounds good Hon, we can see the Louvre when we return with the boys. I hope we can pull that off this year," Ally said hopefully.

"I think it would make for a wonderful spring break, don't you?" I smiled.

"That soon?"

"Why not? I have very little that's pressing and I can send a machine ahead of us and get a jump on Europe," I explained.

"I think once Henri sees that thing in action, he'll be gung ho about it," Ally agreed.

We stopped in a few villages and looked in shops.  A few small items were bought but nothing spectacular. We had gifts for the boys from both England and France. Little mementos were all Ally was looking for.

Once we reached the hotel, I reported in to Avril and we relaxed for the afternoon.

Dinner was excellent and a Cabaret afterwards provided excellent entertainment. Louis and Elodie joined us for drinks in our room before catching their car back home.

Ally and I selected what we needed for the flight home. I went through our customs statements, adding recent purchases and placing the receipts in a stiff envelope. Unless we set off someone's alarm bells there would probably be no delay going through customs. Orley would be a short ride in the morning and we would be on our way by five the next morning.

We made the most of our last night in Paris and only slept a couple of hours.

The airport was a tomb, security was quick and thorough. We sat in the VIP lounge and waited for the boarding call. At six, we were walking to the gate and by seven thirty, we were over the Bay of Biscay. The seats were very cozy and we left instructions with our attendant to wake us around ten Paris time.

We were roused at ten as requested and had a light repast of croissants, tea and a small quiche. It was the perfect amount. The video entertainment was not to my liking but Ally enjoyed it. I read and answered emails that would be sent once it was possible. I listened to an audio book and snoozed. When I sensed a change in angle, I woke to find we were starting our approach to LAX. Our arrival time was scheduled to be just before two a.m. but it was closer to one twenty PST.

It took an hour to collect our luggage and lug it to customs. They barely gave us a second look. We had managed plenty of rest and didn't look like the rest of the zombies that straggled in. I texted Henri, and Cammy then handed our luggage over to a concierge. I had the car take us back to Compton airport, an underrated field with good facilities. My Mooney was rolled out and I gave the weather one more check before loading the luggage. We had stopped at Rosie's all night café near LAX and picked up a thermos of coffee for Ally and Tea for me. I handed the driver a cup too and he was amazed.

I did my usual preflight and spun her up. The Mooney sprang into the sky like a thoroughbred at the gate. We navigated around all the restricted air and made our way to Santa Paula arriving at eight thirty. With our luggage in the car, we made for home. The school was quiet, all the cars and parents had dropped their kids off and moved on. I eyed the paint marks on the pavement from the CHP investigation. And since no long trip is completely trouble free, I wasn't surprised when a battered pickup emerged from a side road without looking. My Jag is nimble though and I avoided disaster as the truck sped away knowing he'd screwed up. I wrote it off as morning stupidity and kept on to the house.

Cammy greeted us at the kitchen door and hugged us both as if we had been lost for years.

"I have a surprise in the family room for you," she informed us.

On the couch sat Carter looking worried. He started to jump up but grimaced and sat back down.

"Hi Mom, Hi Dad, I kind of sprained my ankle playing soccer, please don't make me quit!" he beseeched us.

"Why would we make you quit?" Sprains are part of playing sports. So what happened?"

"I was running the ball in and stepped on a broken sprinkler. The doctor gave me a brace to wear tomorrow and I have to see him again Friday," Carter related.

"That's fine Son, I'm sure you'll heal up quickly but remember, if you don't let it heal properly it might fail you at the worst possible moment," I stressed.

"That's what the doctor said. Do you want to see it, Mom?"

"Who did you see at the clinic?" Ally asked.

"Dr. Brian, he was funny," Carter chirped.

"Brian Altman is a great doctor, I trust him and if he says it's good I'm fine with that," Ally said, cuddling her son.

"That's pretty much it, we iced him up right away and then switched to half an hour with ice and half without for four hours. There's some ointment here to ease the pain but he hasn't really needed it since the first application," Cammy added.

We sat and talked with Cammy and Carter and thanked her for looking after our boys.

"More like they took care of me. I had to go home to find something to clean. Besides, how many times have you watched after Wade and bandaged his wounds?" Cammy chuckled.

"How do you feel about Paris in spring?" Ally inquired. "Do you think Wade and Dennis would enjoy the trip?"

"Are you kidding? We'd love it. We've actually been talking about England but France would be great, too," Cammy gushed.

"It would probably be both we told her, Burma and Clara extracted a promise to visit their place with the boys in tow. Then we can visit Paris and the Louvre and after that, we'll all go see Henri and his family. If you'd prefer to make other side trips that's fine. Maybe some alone time for you and Dennis would be good," I suggested.

"That sounds so wonderful, and Dennis doesn't get a vote. We're going and that's that," Cammy declared.

"Well let's invite him along just to be polite," Ally snickered.

I sat with Carter a while and we talked about England and France and all the places we'd seen. I told him about Henri's wife and children and how much they enjoyed the phone call.

"Will we really go there?"

"Oh, I think that's already been decided. We'll probably swipe a few extra days with your spring break and do it then. You don't already have plans do you?" I asked.

"No, but I'd like to go to soccer camp this summer, would that be okay?" Carter whispered.

"Unless you turn a one eighty and start getting F's, I don't see why not. You don't plan to join a band of hooligans do you," I began to tickle him and he denied it all with his laughter.

We took a nap together on the couch and never touched the TV. That was good, I was beginning to adjust to American English again and the absence of French in the background. I laid Carter down and went upstairs to unpack. Ally was way ahead of me and had already ransacked my suitcase while leaving the boxes unopened. There was an elegant broach for her in one of them and I had been concerned that I might have to open it at LAX. But since I had declared it and paid the duty, it was no problem at all.

When Brandon, Kelly and Wade arrived, we were inundated with hugs and questions. Not one of them asked what we brought for them. We had chosen very specific presents for each boy from Britain and France. A replica of an early farm engine for Brandon. For Kelly a pair of draught horses hitched to a beer wagon. They were bronze and quite old. Later Brandon showed me a photo of the steam engine that had inspired his model. 

Carter received a replica of the English football cup. He was beside himself but celebrated carefully. From France each boy received a medallion depicting the Eiffel Tower, Arch de Triumph, the Louvre and Versailles. They were expertly engraved. Wade had gone home with Cammy and Dennis so I would give him his Bronze Arabian with an Arabian saddle the next day along with his medallion.

Things began to settle down and we returned to our routine. We conversed with Henri, Avril and the kids by computer. The voices weren't as I remembered them but it was quite a distance.

I received an email from Hubert about a week after our return. He requested that I call him.

I worked it out so that it was around one p.m. his time and gave him a call.

"I have some news; we have tracked down and arrested this Cedric insect. Sadly we have learned the fate of little Edgar's mother. The swab I collected helped us find her corpse in storage in Marseilles. She apparently died from a drug overdose when a balloon she swallowed had burst. It was very quick I'm told. Edgar has no remaining relatives and his father is not in the database. I have communicated this to Henri and child welfare so that adoption can proceed. I'm sorry I couldn't give you better news but you know how this business works, eh?"

We chatted a while longer and I told him we would be back in April and he should make time for me to buy him a cognac.

I passed the news to Ally and while she was sad that his mother was dead, she was glad that Edgar would have a happy home.

We worked out the wrinkles for the quickly approaching trip. Kelly and Brandon's passports arrived in plenty of time, Carter had his from a previous trip to Montreal.

Cammie, Dennis and Wade all received their passports in time and pretty much everything was ready. This time I would fly us to Hawthorne airport since they had a hangar suitable for my Twin Commander. 

It was all in place, the flights, hotels and cars or in this case, vans were booked.

Time seemed to go into overdrive and soon we were only days away from the trip. I had booked the adults in luxury class and the boys were in executive. Executive is roughly the same as first class on say American. Comfier chairs, extra room and better food selection.

The boys, Cammy and Dennis were each handed a phone that would work in England and France with everybody's number preprogrammed. I told everyone to select a pin code that was not a birthday and set up their phones.

The flight to Hawthorne was a little dramatic, a student helicopter pilot veered over the runway while we were on approach. Brandon photoed his number and I reported him. He wasn't listening to the Unicom and never even excused himself. My second attempt was successful and we were safely on the ground and taxiing to the hangar.

The mini bus was there to take us all to LAX and begin our excursion. 

We had lucked out with the Virgin Air flight which turned out to be one quick stop for fuel at Dulles and then on to Heathrow.

Another van met us for the trip back to Claridge's. They welcomed us back and our suite was perfect for two families. Four adults and four kids had our assigned maid and butler wondering if they could cope. But the boys were well behaved and we required very little of them except extra towels.

We had a day cleared out for the British museum, an afternoon at the London Eye, and a cruise on the Thames. London was pretty well unplanned, I thought riding in Hyde Park might be attractive but we'd let the boys decide. It was only four days in London and then on to Kent. Clara and Burma had followed our travel plans with considerable interest.

Dennis and Cammy made plans for some romantic sightseeing and we would fold Wade into our number. We had expected to anyway so it had also been planned.

Everything was a hit with the boys except the food. Kidneys and livers weren't something they had experience of, but they liked steak and also found pork pies to be very good. With chips and salad in the mix, they wouldn't starve. They also discovered Kebab and loved them. 

Our first meal consisted of fish and chips with malt vinegar. They became an instant hit. I checked with the concierge about a ride in Hyde Park and he called back in fifteen minutes with our reservation.

Luck was again with us and we drew the same stable hands as the first time, and they recognized us.

While we were looking over the mounts, Cammie found a problem with hers. 

"She's got a cracked shoe and her hoof is damaged, I think there may be something in there. Do you have a knife?" Cammie asked.

Krissa produced a hoof knife and Cammie cleared out the hoof and found a wedge of stone lodged between the shoe and the quick.

"A little topical antibiotic should take care of that inflammation while she heals but she's out of rotation for a couple of days. You'll know when she's ready," Cammie pronounced.

"Are you a vet ma'am?" Krissa asked.

"No, but I pay attention and we've run a riding stable for years in California," Cammie answered cheerfully.

"Melody, Cricket needs to stand down a few days and we need the vet to follow up with her hoof. We'll need the farrier too, the shoe is cracked," Krissa called.

We all mounted up and rode through the park without incident. The girls were amazed that Carter could handle a full sized horse. He'd learned a lot in his time with the boys and me.

"I don't like this helmet Daddy," Carter complained.

"Sorry lads, it's a law here. We don't want a ticket on our day out," I explained. It was a warm day but not sticky; spring had arrived in earnest and it was quite mild.

After the park, we visited Covent Garden with a stop at the hotel to freshen up a bit. I made sure that none of the boys smelled of horse before we started for the mall.

I told them that where we were going, there were street musicians that performed in the atrium. 

"If you want to be the center of attention, try to make a call on your phone. It won't hurt," I promised.

Both Kelly and Wade had twinkles in their eyes as they contemplated what I had told them.

We made the rounds of the shops while other people were still working or at school. We relaxed in the lower atrium and watched the musicians. I handed Carter a £20 note and asked him to take it to the box and ask for a CD. Yes, I still buy CD's.

They circled him and played in a squat as he snatched a CD from the hand holding it out. He was giggling with surprise and merriment.

I saw Wade elbow Kelly and nod at the performers. Kelly retaliated but ultimately it was he that dug out his phone and dialed. The lead violinist saw him and they pounced. The group formed a semi-circle around them and played so loudly that they could hear nothing else.

Kelly dropped ten £'s in the box and he and Wade ascended the stairs grinning.

Cammie and Dennis were really enjoying the experience and sat upstairs enjoying tea and cakes.

Cammie opted out of the Eye the next day, she and heights were not a good match and they weren't Dennis' favorite either. She and Dennis walked along the river while we took in London from the air. The view was spectacular, we had booked two revolutions in our capsule and spent roughly an hour-and-a-half in total on board. The boys raved about the ride and we went in search of restrooms.

The ride on the Thames was interesting as the guide pointed out the Mud Larkers in the tidal flats. They were people who dug in the flats to retrieve artifacts of historic value. Many of the Mud Larkers were academics or students. The guide announced the number of the bus and the stop we would need to see them working up close. The London skyline was impressive from the river and the boys took it all in.

With the first day completed, we made our way back to the hotel for dinner and some rest. 

Dennis and Cammie had decided to take in a few clubs and the rest of us settled in and ordered room service. The boys all showered and we followed.

Ally asked our attendants if there were laundry machines available causing our "maid" to giggle with mirth at the suggestion. 

"You need only empty any contents from the clothes and place them in the bags provided in your linen closet and we'll tag them and you'll have them back in the morning. You'll find a pink bag for delicate fabrics with the others, Ma'am."

Ally bridled at the "Ma'am" remark but I explained that it was their standard way of addressing guests. "When I stay here I just get a valet but he usually has little to do from me," I chuckled. I've had Sullivan the last two times I stayed by myself. You didn't seem to have any difficulty with the last maid a month ago."

"I was a newlywed last time, they could have marched the entire Scots Guard through the suite and I wouldn't have noticed," Ally giggled back.

I introduced the boys to British television with QI and a few other programs. It wasn't their first exposure but they really liked the paucity of commercial breaks during the shows. I often stream British content from a number of sources at home.

We tramped through the British Museum the next day and made half a day of it. It was the last structured activity we had planned for London. 

We went to Jack's American Café for a tasty lunch and the boys acted as if they had been in withdrawal.

"Rob! Ally! So good to see you in here again so soon," Jack greeted us. "And who are these fine gentlemen?"

I made introductions and Wade informed him that I was his uncle.

Many of the other patrons looked surprised; with the prices, it was rare to see kids in the place except as a special treat.

The waiter showed up to take our order once we had all returned from washing our hands.

Kelly apologized and returned to the restroom to pee. I noticed a man get up from his table and follow my son to the lavatory. I knew Kelly would tell me if anything was up so I watched the door carefully until he emerged.

"Kelly, did the man that was in the bathroom seem interested in you?" I asked quietly.

"Not really, but he just stood there with his penis out and didn't pee, but he never said anything. It was kind of creepy Dad, do you think he's a perv?"

"Possibly, he may only have a bad prostate which can give a man trouble," I explained. All the same, I asked the waiter to take me to Jack so I could discuss it with him.

"We don't get a lot of kids in here Rob, but that does sound like strange behavior. If any of your boys need the loo, send them in pairs. I'll make a call and get back to you," Jack advised.

I had already told the boys that nobody goes to the bathroom alone as a precaution before I left the table. Fifteen minutes later Jack nodded at me and I excused myself from the table. In his office, he introduced me to Detective Sergeant Benson who worked with the children's protection service. 

"Nice to meet you Sir, do I understand correctly that you suspect a pedophile is targeting your children?"

"I believe so, I'm with a sheriff's department back in the U.S. and I recognize certain behaviors." I explained the circumstances of Kelly's encounter and noted that the man had looked directly at Kelly from his own table. "In order to do that he had to change position in his chair so the glances weren't casual in my opinion."

We chatted a bit and devised a plan. The D.S. would make his way to the lavatory by way of the kitchen and then in ten minutes I would send two of our boys to relieve themselves. If the man followed, I would wait until he was out of sight and follow along.

I sent Kelly and Wade because I suspected Brandon would have put our suspect off. But the sight of two youngsters tromping to the restroom was too much for him and he followed.

Once he was out of sight, I followed knowing that the D.S. would be in a stall listening while I entered the room quietly.

Once again, the man exposed himself and leered at the two boys. Wade looked over and shrugged. "My dad and my uncle are both bigger than that."

I nearly busted a gut trying not to laugh, I could see his face through a panel joint and he looked dejected. The D.S. waited for the boys to zip up and walk to the sink. Once safely out of harm's way he introduced himself to the man who almost fainted when he saw the warrant card held up in front of his eyes. The man was escorted into the kitchen and Jack's office and that's where uniformed officers collected him.

"I'm very sorry that this incident ruined your evening Sir, but I thank you for your vigilance. Most parents don't really pay attention to who might be watching their children. The Crown courts have instituted video testimony for foreign travelers. Will you be willing to participate?" Benson asked.

"Don't give it a thought, I'm Rob by the way. Heightened vigilance is a habit with me. We'd be pleased to take part in any sort of proceeding that keeps this man away from children," I agreed.

He handed me a card with his name and number. I made sure he had all my particulars and we were done. "Thanks Michael, it was nice meeting you." I thanked Jack and made my way back to our table.

We ordered dessert and chatted about what we had seen that day. Carter needed to pee so I took him and relieved myself at the same time.

We flagged a cab and went back to the hotel. It was just one o'clock but Carter was done. He needed an hour to sleep off lunch.

All the boys idled and snoozed a bit for an hour and then Kelly and Wade asked if we could check out the Mud Larkers by the river. I looked at my phone to see when low tide was and we had an hour. Carter had woken rejuvenated and Brandon was agreeable. I told our driver which bus stop we were looking for and he dropped us right next to it.

"Do they still have double decker buses here?" Carter inquired.

"I think they've all been retired. But they do have a few that belong to tour companies. I could check if you're seriously interested," I told him.

"Can I think about it?" Carter asked.

"Certainly," I grinned at him. "Tomorrow is our last day in London, then we head for Kent," I informed.

We met two of the regular archeologists amongst the Mud Larkers and they were quite pleased to explain what they did and show off a few finds.

"The most common object we find are old pipes. The type used to smoke tobacco. Some are carved bone and some are porcelain, while others are wood in construction. We find quite a bit of crockery and occasionally jewelry," a woman named Lucy explained.

The boys asked what they had found that day and she showed them bits of fine China in addition to half a dozen nearly complete pipes.

"Coins are another item that crops up in our baskets. The oldest I've ever found was a Roman sesterce which was a common coin of medium value. That's no guarantee that a Roman lost it hundreds of years ago. It could have been lost in more recent times. Most of what we find is from Elizabethan to Victorian times and up to the present. There are a fair number of shopping trolleys in the mud," Lucy chuckled.

We spent a solid two hours while the boys tried their luck with the spade and basket. They found plenty but nothing earth shatteringly important.

Sunday was quiet, the boys wanted to do some shopping and so did I. Ally and Cammie decided the spa was the place to be and Dennis joined us for a stroll and a cab ride to a few places. Many of the curio shops were run by people for whom Sunday is just another day. While interesting, the boys were all keyed up about meeting Clara and Burma's boys.

I was looking forward to the next phase too.