Dante, My Inferno

Dante had sent Daniel, Angel, and Bass to get the other kids. In a few minutes we had everyone on the patio.

 "We've gathered you all here to support Andrew and his grandchildren.," I told them after they had sat down. "And we know you guys will. Andrew."

 "Tony, Lotte," Andrew said walking over to them. Hugging them.

 "What is it grandpa?!" Tony asked him. Tears already running down his cheeks. Andrew hugged them again before answering.  Their cousins joined Andrew hugging Tony and Lotte.

 "Your mother and father were attacked in jail this morning," Andrew told them. "Your mother was killed. Your father was badly injured. But he'll be okay." They cried in his arms as they all comforted them. Jimmy and the kids joining in.

 "We got this Uncle Bill,"  Bass told me.

"Yeah Marshal Billy," Peter added. "Just like everyone helped us. Alice, Antonia, Amelia, and Katy took turns hugging Peter.

 "That's my Little brother," Kevin said swollen with pride.

 "But you hate us," Lotte said, looking at Bass and Amelia. Amelia walked up and hugged Lotte. 

 "No! No we do not!" Amelia told her.

 "Amelia's right," Bass told Lotte. Bass was followed by others agreeing with him and Amelia.

 "We'll help you guys through this," Peter suddenly said. "You see Katy, Kevin and me. Well we recently lost our mother."

"She shot Charlie and tried  to shoot Marshal Billy." 

"Marshal Billy had to shoot her though." Charlie and Daniel walked up and hugged Peter.

"He's like our little brother," Charlie told Lotte. "So don't you worry."

"Yeah! We're all here for you and Tony," Daniel told them The other kids cheered. Earning them each a kiss  from Angel and Alice.

 Ethan and Bob shook hands under the table. Pride in their kids etched on their faces.

 "I think they have this," I whispered in Dante's ear. He smiled and nodded. So we snuck off to our bedroom.

We took our cloths off as we headed for the shower.  We got into the shower and started making up for the three weeks we were apart.

We  came out later to tell Jimmy and Andrew that they and the kids would be staying with us for a while. When we said goodnight to everyone there were more than a few chuckles.

 We were awakened by pounding on the door. I knew that it was locked, fortunately.  I looked over to see that Dante's eyes were still closed. So I kissed him.

 "I'm faking," He said with a smile. But I knew that as he kissed me back.

 "Hickok! Dante!" Linzie bellowed from the hall. "Breakfast is ready and we're waiting for you two!" A thought occurred to me.

 "Tell me you threw the bolt?" I asked him.

 "No," Dante told me. "You don't think.."

 "Go away!" he yelled. But then we heard the lock being picked.

 "SWEATS! Quick!" I yelled, grabbing them off the floor.

But it was too late as the door swung open. In walked Linzie followed by Amelia and Kevin.

 Linzie reached down and tossed  us our jeans. She was wearing a wicked smile I didn't like. Amelia had one of her own.

 "You have five minutes to get dressed and outside,"  she told us. "Or I bring Everyone in."

 "Linzie! You wouldn't?!" Dante asked in total  disbelief.

 "Hurry," She told us. "We have a guest."

"Oh! You have three minutes and thirty-two seconds."

"Then how about getting out so we can dress," I told her. With the door closed we quickly put on our jeans, T shirts and sneakers.

 As we walked out onto the patio. They all cheered and applauded. Dante and I did a few fancy bows. Saying thank you several times. Then we loaded our plates with breakfast. Dante spotted Tony and Lotte so he nudged me.

 "Tony. How did you and Lotte sleep last night?" Dante asked him.

 "I slept great," Tony answered him.  "The guys made me feel so much better."

"How about you Lotte?" Tony asked his sister.

 "The girls did the same for me," Lotte told us. "Especially Amelia and Katy." Who she hugged intern.

 "Dr. Jones. What do you think?" I asked her, having spotted her as well.  

"It sounds like they're getting the help they need," Dr. Jones  said as she fixed her plate. "You've accomplished a lot here."

 "No. I have not doctor," I told her. "WE have accomplished a lot here."

 "It's like the song Daniel and Angel sang last night,"  I explained. "Love can build a bridge."

 "I stand delightfully corrected,"  Dr. Jones said, as she sat down. "But it's all good.  And that's my point."

 "Okay. But one more thing before we say grace,"  I told them all. A few asked what of course.

 "Happy Birthday Tommy!" I promptly announced.

 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMMY!"  everyone roared. Sebastian gave  him a kiss. Getting cheers from the kids and some of us adults.

 "I hope that's only a down payment," Daniel  said, getting a few oohs and ahs.  And one scowl.

 "Daniel Evert Driscoll!"  Jean scolded him.

 "It is only a down payment Jean," Sebastian told her. "Only a mere down payment." And they kissed again.

 "I can make you a cake for lunch Tommy," Amelia told him.

 "Thanks Melly. But we may not be here," Tommy told her. "Billy I was hoping to take Sebastian to meet  my parents after we finish breakfast."

 "That sounds good to me," I told him with a smile.  "Are you spending the night?"

 "Maybe two nights if it's okay,"  he told me with a smile. Then he kissed Sebastian.

"That's fine with us," Dante said, kissing my cheek as I smiled. "We hope your parents are as happy for you as we are." I had to kiss Dante's cheek.

 "So Dr. Jones. Is this a good environment for kids?" Jimmy asked . Trying to take Dr. Jones by surprise.

 "It's definitely a healing environment," she added.

 "With Ethan's permission. How do you think Katy, Kevin, and Peter are doing?" Andrew asked.

 "Please do," Ethan said. Curiosity written across his face.

"Yeah!" Peter echoed. "Please."

 "I think that Katy, Kevin, and Peter are doing very well," Dr. Jones told us. "With the help of this extended family. They are recovering very well"

 "So will you help my grandchildren?" Andrew asked her.

 "I think I would be happy too," Dr. Jones replied. "With  everyone's permission of course. I would love to keep an eye on what happens here and help your grandkids."

 We all nodded our agreement to her request. We finished  and said grace. Stories were told about what happened when we were gone.  Then it was the girls turn to do dishes. We all brought our dishes in to be washed.

 Lotte got kicked out of doing dishes by the girls. She was told to ask Peter to teach her to ride a horse.  Dante and I  suspected a little matchmaking was going on. But Lotte asked Peter who enlisted the help of Tally to pick her out a mount.

"Hey! Before everyone scatters," Dante said,  getting everyone's attention. "We are all on for cowboy karaoke and dinner tomorrow night at the Albuquerque Rodeo Ring."

"I got us a private party room. And Mama Fernandez is bringing the food."

 "Aren't we to young to go there?" Antonia asked him.

 "Well tomorrow is Sunday. And they are open for Family Night," Dante told her.  "Because they can't serve alcohol on Sunday's."

 "We can take our instruments and they'll have a back-up band for us I know," Dante told us all.

 "So I can take my fiddle?" Amelia asked, causing me to furrow my brow.

"Yes and Dad can take his banjo and mandolin," Dante said with a smile.  Also causing Sam to blush and earning a kiss from Diane.

 "So are you boys ready to dance?"  I asked the boys. Obviously they hadn't thought about that part. From the look on their faces. Well almost.

 "What if I've never danced country before?" Peter asked us, looking dejected.

 "I'll teach you Peter," Lotte told him. "It's a thank you for teaching me to ride."

 Her brother and cousins appeared amazed at her statement.

 "Okay. Well let's go get you a horse picked out to learn with," Peter told her.

 "Peter. Can you pick a horse out for Lotte?" Ethan asked his youngest. Peter screwed his face up in thought.

 "Yeah. I think so,"  Peter told his father. "But I'm going to check with Tally though."

"Tally what about that liver mare?" Peter asked drawing a few chuckles.

 "You mean the liver chestnut mare?" Tally asked him. "I think she would be a perfect horse for Lotte."

 "Yeah that one," Peter said turning a little red.

 "Well she'll need a saddle,"  I pointed out. "So Peter. Why don't you take her up to the barn an pick a saddle?"

 "Thanks Marshall Billy. Come on Lotte,"  Peter said as he headed for the barn.

 "Can we see the foal too?" Lotte asked taking off after Peter.

"Him and his mother are in the upper corral," Peter told her. "If you stay by the gate I'll bring her down with the foal."

"She's gotten a little protective, and she doesn't know you."

 "I'll tag along. Lil Billy loves her," George said getting up.

"Oh boys. Sherry would like some help bringing a few things  in," George told the older boys.

 "Let's go guys," Bass said following Sherry out front.

"I gave George and Sherry the big bedroom next to Bob and Jean," Dante told me as I finished my coffee. "That way they would have a bathroom for lil Bill if they needed it."

 "I guess we need to get them a small fridge and a microwave,"  I said. But Dante just grinned at me.

 "I bought them last week," Dante said with a chuckle. "I also got them for the bunk house. Along with washers and dryers. "

"Now let's go help the boys," he said.

 "We got it all Dante,"  Daniel said, having come to tell us. "George had to come back."

 "Why?" Dante asked worried.

 "Lil Billy needed changed and washed,"  Angel laughed. "He spit up breakfast all over George."

"But Sherry said we could take Lil Billy out for a ride," Angel added , as the girls came out on the patio.

The girls all squealed upon seeing Lil Billy.

"No! No! No! ladies," Angel told them.

"Sorry ladies," Daniel told them. "But Lil Billy's ours today." I had to laugh.

We all walked down to the lower corral.  Where Daniel quickly saddled both his and Angel's  horses. Peter was leading  Hermosa and the liver chestnut mare around the training corral. Lotte was sitting up on the liver chestnut excited to go riding. 

 Angel needed help mounting up as he had Lil Billy strapped to his chest.  But as they rode off you could see Lil Billy's arms flapping like bird's wings.

 "Are the boys always so  helpful with the baby?" Dr. Jones asked us.

 "Yes. As the girls," Sherry told Dr. Jones as George came out of the house with new cloths on.

 "Lil Billy is loved by them all," George told her.  "And let's not forget his godfather."  George smiled at me and Dante.

 "How about everyone call me Barbara please," she told us.

"I guess your the godfather Marshal Hickok?" Barbara asked me.

 "No," I said kissing Dante. "Dante is his godfather."  Dante smiled at what we told Dr. Jones.

 "Good," Barbara said with a smile of her own. "Just so you all know. CPS has asked me to evaluate Billy and Dante as possible foster parents."

 Dante and I were speechless. But then Dante broke into a huge smile, and I knew something was up.

 "Dante?" I asked him. "Did you  know about this?"

 "Well I asked about us becoming foster parents," Dante told me. "But I thought they would take longer to get to us."

"I mean I talked to Mary's friend Shannon. And she said it would take a month or more right now."

 "So why are we being checked on so fast?" I asked Barbara. Who just smiled at us.

 "Well the director of CPS heard Shannon mention your name Marshal Hickok. So she asked me to do an evaluation," Barbara told us.

 "She knows that I'm only 17 and we're not married yet?" Dante asked her.

 "She does," Barbara told him. "She thinks it would be okay with some of the family court judges until you two get married."

 "But we're not getting married until next spring," Dante  told her.

 "Well that is up to you both," Barbara  told us. "But what if a child needs you two specifically to be their foster parents?"

There it was. Dante looked pleading into my eyes. Asking me the question without a word.

 "So they have a child they need to place?" I asked Barbara. Barbara just nodded yes.

 Dante looked from Barbara, to me, to his parents. Then he looked back at me longingly. I nodded at him in answer to another question.

 "Would you tell us about him?" Dante asked Barbara.

 "Well I really can't. But we could call Shannon and she could," Barbara told us. "Besides. She knows more than I do on this."

"Well how about you call Shannon," I told her.

 While she called Shannon. I took the opportunity to call Judge Avelos. I asked him and Troy to come out for lunch. I also  told him what was up with CPS. Judge Avelos just laughed.