Recovery of a Hero Ch. 07

In half an hour we were ready to go, and shortly after that Coach Coulter pulled into the drive way in a van with 3 bench seats in the back, and Erica was right behind her.

I ran up to Erica and asked if she knew what happened, and she said yes. She said that she'd have dinner for us when we got back.

Uncle Dar said, "No. Your coming to. I'll buy dinner for us so you don't need to cook and do your school work too. Besides, after all that work you did for Sally's home coming party, it's only fair you get a break too.

"Ok, you win," she said. "I need a few minutes to get changed, coach. Then I'll be back down.

"Ok," said coach Coulter. "I'll wait. Not long mind you, cause this handsome man here just promised me a free meal, but I'll wait a few minutes."

Erica smiled and took off running. Coach Coulter watched for a second and said, "I sure miss her on the girls track team. She wasn't the fastest, but she never quit. That's more important then speed. Never quit."

"I bet you were happy to get rid of me, though," said Janny.

"Actually, no," said coach Coulter. "I like having a rude spoiled brat now and then. Keeps me on my toes."

She and Janny both laughed at that.

We chatted a bit more before Erica came back down wearing one of her best dresses. She got in saying, "I decided I needed to look my best with all this completion for the only single man here."

We all laughed at that, though I thought that she didn't need to worry. She was much prettier than me, I thought.

We went to Ellen's home first, and she and Janny went in and got what she most needed, then we went to Nancy's home and did the same there.

After that, Coach Coulter asked "Ok, what's next?"

Dar said, "Clothes. Work and dress up both. I want my girls to all be pretty for dinner. Then when we go in, every body will envy George and me."

George said, "I don't think we'd need to worry about that, Dar. We already have some of the prettiest girls in the state with us. And I bet we have the prettiest chauffer in the country to drive us around."

That amazed me. George never talked about other women like that. I bet he never even looked at them after he married Janny. What amazed me even more, though, was that tough as nails Coach Coulter blushed. She turned so red I thought she was having a stroke or something.

She looked in the mirror at George and said, "Still the fast talking charmer, I see. No wonder Janice married you. You bedazzled her out of what brains she had, and then you fast talked her into it. Then I bet you dragged her to a preacher and bribed him to do the ceremony before her parents found out.

We all laughed at George as he blushed. I had already decided that I liked coach Coulter, but I thought that we would be friends now. I really liked her. She might have been gruff on the outside but I thought her heart was the purest gold ever.

When we got to the mall, she parked the van in the disabled bus/van parking and put up a handicap placard. We all got out and got uncle Dar into his chair. The cousin twins each took a handle and held on like their lives were at stake.

I didn't argue as I new how they felt. I may have lost my job at least partly, but they needed it. Besides, I knew now that uncle Dar would always be there if I needed him, and I'd be there for him too. I didn't need to prove it by pushing him around. I realized that he was right when he said that some things can't be paid back.

We all went into the store, and headed for the better clothing stores first. We went into one that specialized in clothing for girls our age and Uncle Dar told Janny, I'm not up on women's clothes, so would you please help them?"

Janny smiled and said, "Of course uncle Dar."

She was calling him uncle now too! The only one left was George, but I didn't think he ever would.

Janny took Ellen and Nancy to the back to have them measured first, and Erica and I grabbed uncle Dar's chair. We looked at each other and smiled and said at the same time, "Coffee".

We pushed uncle Dar to the coffee kiosk and got him a cup. George had followed us with Shelly and Sandra and he got them each a drink too. Erica got a soda for herself and one for me. Then we all went to a bench outside the clothing store and waited for Janny to get the cousin twins outfitted.

When they finally came out, I could hardly recognize them They were gorgeous.

Sandra, Shelly Erica and I ran up to them and started cooing over their dresses.

George pushed uncle Dar up and coach Coulter came over also.

Uncle Dar said, "How much damage did this do me."

Janny said, "None. I used my card for this."

Uncle Dar said, "Poaching on my territory are you wench? We'll see about that."

Janny walked u to him and said, "It isn't you job yet. George and I are their foster parents until you adopt them so you just wait your turn." then she stuck out her tongue and gave him a huge raspberry.

I was shocked! I'd never seen Janny act like that before even when mom and dad were still alive. She was acting like a kid and she was actually teasing someone besides George!

George laughed and said, "Well I guess you deserved that, Dar. After what you spent on gifts, she's determined how to get you back. I'd quit while I was ahead if I were you. If you push too much you'll have 2 more on you.

I glanced at the cousin twins, and saw shocked expressions on their faces.

"Adopt?" asked Ellen. "You want to adopt us?

"Really?" asked Nancy.

"Aw geez, said uncle Dar. Janny, you brat, you told. Shame on you."

Then he looked at the cousin twins and said, "Yes. If I adopt you, you'll legally be sisters and the CPS idiots won't be able to separate you. But it's your choice. If you want me for a father, I'm willing. How bout you?"

They didn't say anything, but the tears started again. It was different this time though. These were happy tears. They ran up to uncle Dar and said, "Oh yes. We'll make you the best daughters you could ever have."

The hugged each other, and then the 2 grabbed the wheelchair handles and said, "What's next?"

Coach Coulter said, "Well, I for one am hungry. Someone interrupted my breakfast this morning and I want to eat."

Uncle Dar said, "I agree. I didn't get any of those sandwiches at home and I'm starved. Where's a real nice restaurant where George and I can show off our bevy of beautiful women? Since you drove, you pick."

"I know a little place. It isn't fancy, but the foods good. My husband and I used to go there when we came here to the mall. I hope you've got lots of cash though, cause it isn't cheap and you said you were buying for all of us. I for one intend to eat like a horse and I don't eat cheap."

Uncle Dar laughed and said, "I never thought of you as cheap. A bit trail worn maybe, but not cheap."

Couch Coulter glowered at him for a moment, then smiled and said, "You asked for it. Trail worn indeed." She walked up to him, bent over and gave him a big wet kiss on his cheek. Then she said, "If you want better, loose the beard."

Even Janny and George were shocked over that. They'd know her from high school, and she'd surprised them too. I really liked this woman. She could make George blush and shock him and Janny and embarrass uncle Dar. Now that was some woman!

She then looked at the cousin twins and said, "You better watch this one real close, or I'm gonna steal him from ya. He's a keeper, he is."

They looked at her for a second, and then Nancy said "Well I guess we'll have to take extra special care of him, won't we, Ellen?

Ellen nodded agreement.

After all this, we went to a real nice looking little restaurant and got a big table.

After we ordered, uncle Dar asked, "What next? Work clothes or goodies?"

We all said, "Goodies!"

"Ok, first we need 2 computers and a couple of T.V.s, and maybe a radio. That outa do for me. Now, I think Janny might need a new dolly or 2 and Erica looks like she needs a few bibs."

Janny threw a French fry at him, and Erica choked on her drink for a second.

Looking at the cousin twins, uncle Dar asked them what they wanted.

Neither said a word so I said, "How bout a puter like mine for both of them? Then get a big desk so we can set them up in the den. Then all 4 of us can play games together and stuff.

Uncle Dar said, "Oh I don't know. Do you think I should trust 3 juvenile delinquents with puters? I'll have to think about that while we're looking around."

The waiter came up and put the check on the table. Uncle Dar and George had a bit of a race to see who got it first. It was close, but uncle Dar won. He didn't even pick it up. Just put his credit card on it and handed it back to the waiter and said, add 20 for yourself and bring back the receipt to so I can sign it.

The waiter said, "Yes sir, and thank you sir."

Uncle Dar said, "You earned it feeding this pack. Thank you for excellent service and a very good meal." Then he looked at Coach Coulter and said, "You were right. Very good food here."

Coach Coulter said, "I know. I'm a teacher and track coach, so I'm entitled to being right all the time. Even when I'm wrong, I'm right."

"I don't know about the rest of that," said George, "but that was an excellent meal."

Janny said, "Uncle Dar, are you sure you want to spend that much money today?"

He said, "When I was working in Iraq, I was making almost $!50,000 a year. I spent very little of it during the 2 years I was there. Since I got back, I've been making $5,000 a month with my disability and such. I haven't even touched the interest yet, and I want to. If you have a problem with that, consider this. I'm bigger than you and I'm a bully."

"Yea, right," Janny said. "A bully. Almost kill yourself pulling a drowning kid of a pool and you're a bully. Offer to adopt 2 orphans so they can stay together and you're a bully. Buy over $10,000 in computers for people you hardly know and you're a bully. Fine. Pick on me some more."

I laughed at that. So did the others. I could feature uncle Dar as a lot of things, but not a bully.

After we finished lunch and the rest of our shopping expedition, we went home. Coach Coulter dropped us off and said she'd be by tomorrow to check and see how things were and then she left.

We went inside and headed to the Den. It had been a long day with a lot of stress, but Ellen and Nancy seemed a bit better. I whispered to Janny that I was going to set up the couch for them to sleep down here tonight and she said that was a good idea. That way they wouldn't be alone.

When I told Uncle Dar this he said, "Well you'd better invite Shelly and Sandra too or they might feel left out. Boy, I'm sure glad I got my bed walled of too. Won't have to listen to you brats tonight." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek and said, "I bet you're out with us helping us get them puters set up and working. I also bet that we'll have to drag you to bed later and tuck you in."

"Nope, he said. "Ain't gonna happen. George is putting them things together. He felt left out cause he didn't get a chance to get much for any of you girls. Janny and I had all the fun today, so he's going to set them up. I really need to lie down for awhile though. I'm a bit tired. I think you should to. You ain't all fixed yet, so get some rest."

With that, he had Ellen and Nancy push him to his little room.

This ends Chapter 7. Chapter 8 will be Eldarin telling his story.