Ian

by Denise Irwin

  Jack asked, “Dad what time will we need to leave for the class?”

  “I was thinking that we’ll leave the house at 1:30 and it’s now 1:00 pm. Why don’t you and Molly walk Vinny now?”

  When Molly, Jack and Vinny returned to the kitchen, Sam said, “Okay, let’s get going to the school.”

  He parked on the school’s lot and saw that they were the first to arrive, so he told his children, “It looks like we’re the first to arrive, so we’ll go in and get the two of you squared away on the bleachers. When they entered the gymnasium, Bob and Ellie were there.

  Sam said, “I didn’t expect to see the two of you here.”

  Bob said, “Amanda said that we could come and watch.”

  “I’m so glad that you came. These are our children, Jack and Molly. Their third class is tomorrow. Kids I want you to meet Mr. Bob and Miss Ellie.”

  Both children responded with, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  The rest of the group wandered in. Leona made the introductions for her parents. Shannon waved to them which meant that the class was about to begin.

  The adults made their way to the floor and lined up to wait and see course lineup. Ellie said, “I heard that the two of you have a class tomorrow?”

  Molly said, “Yes we do and it’s our last class. We’ll work with our dog.”

  “What’s his name?”

  “Vinny and he’s a really cool dog.”

  Jack added, “We rescued him at the ASPCA.”

  Leona, Nancy, Phil and Amanda lined up. Jack said, “Our grandmother is on the second course.”

  They watched from the bleachers as the four students ran the course without a trainer to help them. Jack said, “Mom’s doing really well”

  “So is Grandma.”

  When they completed the course, Sam, Brian, Bill and Stefan stepped into place. They ran the course and the first group stepped in to run it again.

  Each person ran the course three times without the trainer. Ellie asked, “What is the trainer talking to them about?”

  Jack told her, “Miss Shannon is probably talking to them about their last class and I’m not sure how they’re gonna do it because the last class is with your own dog and we’re the only ones with a dog.”

  The adults walked slowly to the bleachers talking about the class. Gregory said, “I believe that Phil and I are up for choosing a place for dinner. I’m gonna vote that we go to the Silver Spring Mining Company on Belair Road since it’s close.”

  Sam said, “Bob, we can either meet you there or you drive with Amanda and Stefan.”

  “Sam, we’ll be okay since I know where it is.”

  Gregory asked the hostess if they could push some tables since they had ten in their party. “Of course, let me find someone to move the furniture around.”

  “Would it be okay, if we did it?”

  “Sure.”

  Sam and Bill pushed tables together while Brian, Bob and Phil gathered up chairs. Amanda said, “We’ll leave the men alone to move everything around. Ellie, what did you think about the class?”

  “It really looked like fun.”

  “Miss Ellie, Jack and I will use our dog tomorrow. Can you come and watch?”

  “Yes, Bob and I will be there.”

  “That’s great.”

  Everyone enjoyed the food, beverages and the comradery. Sam asked for the bill. Gregory grabbed it from the waitress. “This one’s on us.”

  Sam chuckled, “Tomorrow’s bill will be a lot cheaper.”

  “I know that, but I figured that I’d let Nancy and Bill pick that one up.”

  He didn’t realize that they were standing right behind her, until she heard Nancy say, “Thank you Brian but we had planned to pick this one up.”

  “I’m sorry Nancy, but I already gave my credit card to the waitress.”

  She looked at her husband, “Bill, it looks that we’ve been out foxed by the youngsters.”

  Everyone said goodbye and see you tomorrow in the parking lot and then drove home.

  Sam parked the car in the driveway and Jack said, “Dad, Molly and I will feed and walk Vinny.”

  “Okay, Mom and I will be in the kitchen.”

  After feeding the dog, the kids walked him around the house and came in through the back door. Jack asked, “Mom, since we had dinner, can we go into the dining room and play a board game.”

  “Yes.”

  Sam handed his wife a glass of wine and as she said thank you, she also said, “I was a bit surprised to see Ellie and Bob there. Don’t get me wrong, I was delighted to see them.”

  “Stefan told me that they invited them yesterday when he and Amanda drove them home.”

  “That was a great idea. You did very well on the course today.”

  He chuckled, “Have you ever met a horse who knows his way back to the barn?”

  “Yes I have. I met such a horse on our honeymoon.”

  He laughed aloud, “Yes you did. The dogs that we’re training with know the course very well since they are used to train the people.”

  She joined her husband’s laughter. “Good point. Let’s see how the kids do tomorrow and then try to do the same thing next week. Not to change the subject, but has Brian heard anything from Becca?”

  “I don’t know and if he has, he hasn’t said anything to me. Why did you ask?”

  “I’m not sure, but I wondered if she has a place to go for Christmas?”

  “I’ll ask Brian tomorrow if he knows and if she doesn’t have a place to go, she can come to Sue’s party.”

  “I think that’s a great idea because Sue doesn’t care if we invite another person.”

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  On Sunday afternoon, Sam rounded his family up to go to the school. During the drive, Sam said, “Jack, we’re early, so make sure you take Vinny for a long walk. There are going to be so many other dog smells, he’s gonna want to cover them up which means that he’s gonna pee just a little as he smells the other dogs scents, so just make sure he empty’s his bladder.”

  Sam parked the car, and the kids jumped out to walk the dog. The rest of the group joined them in the parking lot. Gregory asked, “What’s going on? What are the kids doing?”

  Sam chuckled, “They’re letting Vinny read the paper. He’s gonna want to cover the other dogs’ scents, so Molly and Jack will empty his bladder.”

  Brian asked, “Are you serious?”

  “About letting him pee on the other dogs’ scents?”

  “Yes I am. It’s a dog thing.”

  Molly, Jack and Vinny joined the group. Molly said, “Dad, Vinny can’t possibly have any pee left in him, because he peed a whole lot.”

  “In that case, let’s get inside so that you can run the course with him.”

  Jack had the leash when they walked out to the course. Miss Shannon said, “Let me get to know Vinny for just a minute.” Jack handed her the leash. She walked Vinny around the gymnasium in the heel position. She stopped several times and Vinny immediately sat. She returned the leash to Jack and said, “You’re gonna take his leash off and hand it to me. Tell him to heel and he’ll sit next to your ankle when you stop. When I say go, take him onto the course. Just remember to give him the hand signals that we used with my dogs. Okay go!”

  From the table in the middle of the course, Vinny cleared the first hurdle and on to the over the top. Next was through the tire hoop and onto the cat walk around the marker and over the brush jump and then onto the platform where Jack put him into a sit and stay. Vinny weaved through the flags and then did the see-saw. He jumped through the window and ran through the tunnel, jumping onto the stand to sit.

  Molly was next and did just as her brother did and ran through the course.

  Shannon had them each run the course three times. She told them both, “You’re ready to compete. I’ll look at the schedule and call your Mom to let her know when and where the competition events are.”

  Molly screamed all the way to the bleachers, “Miss Sh
annon said that we can compete.”

  Leona asked, “Is Miss Shannon going to call for the next child competition?”

  “She said that she would.”

  Nancy said, “The two of you did great, so we’re going to the pizza place you like.”

  While the group was eating pizza. Leona asked, “Ellie, do you and Bob have holiday plans?”

  “Yes, we’re going to Bob’s parents for dinner.”

  “That sounds wonderful. Have you met his parents?”

  “No, so I’m kinda nervous.”

  “Don’t be. If his parents are at all like their son, you’ll have a great time.”

  “What about you?”

  “We’ve been going to a good friend’s house since before Sam and I were married. She invites anyone and everyone who didn’t have a place to go.”

  “That’s amazing.”

  “It is and the crowd has grown over the years.”

  Later that evening, after the kids went to bed, Sam and Leona were in the kitchen for a nightcap. Sam handed his wife a glass of wine as he said, “Leona, the dog classes really were a great way to forget about the upcoming sentencing. I haven’t heard anyone talk about the case.”

  “It worked for us, but I really don’t know about anyone else.”

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  During breakfast on Monday morning during breakfast, Molly said, “I can’t wait to tell everyone that our dog trainer said that Jack and I are good enough to compete.”

  Leona said, “I’m sure that they’ll be happy for you.”

  “I hope so Mom. Maybe they can come and watch.”

  “They probably can, but let’s wait just a bit hear from Miss Shannon with a date and location.”

  “That’s a good idea Mom.”

  After the kids left for school, Leona and Sam sat in the kitchen for another cup of coffee. “Sam, I sure hope that we don’t look stupid in our next dog training class.”

  “I hear what you’re saying. Our kids would never let us live it down.”

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  Delven called the Baltimore City Jail to let them know that she wanted to see Mark Thompson in an interview room at 10:00 this morning.

  She arrived at the jail at 9:45 am and logged in. She wanted to be in the interview room before her client. He was brought in by one of the jail’s guards who locked them in the room.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  “Making sure that you’re still alive. There are a number of reported deaths in prison and more that are not reported. I wanted to make sure that you will be at sentencing.”

  “Isn’t that just fucking sweet.”

  “I think that it is.”

  “You think that because you’re stupid.”

  “You might just be right. I’m going to wish you a Merry Christmas and then I’m leaving. I will see you next at sentencing.”

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  During dinner, Jack asked, “Are you planning to decorate the house. It’s getting close to Christmas and I don’t see any decorations.”

  Sam laughed, “Don’t worry. We’ll look great by Christmas. Will the two of you help?”

  Molly looked at her father, “Of course we’ll help.”

  “I’m sure glad to hear that.”

  After the kids went to bed, their parents met in the kitchen for a nightcap. As Sam handed his wife a glass of wine, he asked, “Do you think that we should wait until the weekend for the tree? We can let the kids pick one out and then help decorate it.”

  “That’s a great idea. Can you pull the decorations out of the attic tomorrow and we can start decorating inside. Don’t you have decorations for the yard in the garage?”

  “I think I do, so I’ll see what we have.”

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  Since Thompson was still in solitary confine, there just wasn’t much he could do other than create a plan and make it a goal to kill that inmate, whose name he doesn’t know, and the fat short woman who pretends to be an attorney

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  After the kids left for school on Tuesday morning, Sam went up to the attic to bring the interior decorations down. He yelled to his wife, “Lee, where do you want me to put the boxes.”

  She had to think about that, but when Sam called down a second time, she quickly said, “Put them in the dining room.”

  After he brought them down, he went into the kitchen to say, “All of the boxes are in the dining room ready for your inspection.”

  She grabbed a cup of coffee and brought it with her into the dining room. She opened the first box and pulled out the Christmas tree ornaments. She started to cry, because every ornament held a memory. She laid them carefully on the table and then moved onto the next box.

  It contained the lights for the tree, so she pushed it aside. The next box contained everything to decorate the house. She pulled everything out and wondered where she’d put everything last year. She hoped that either Sam or the kids remembered.”

  Sam called to her, “Take a break and eat some lunch.”

  He set her plate in front of her along with a glass of iced tea.

  “Thank you so much for making lunch. Do you remember where all the decorations go?”

  “No ma’am, I do not.”

  “Maybe the kids will, but if they don’t, we’ll just wing it.”

  Molly and Jack came through the front door and went upstairs to change their clothes. When they came into the kitchen, Jack said, “You pulled all of the decorations out of the attic.”

  “Yes we did, but I’m gonna need your help with where they all go.”

  Molly said, “We’ll help, but where’s the tree?”

  Sam said, “We’ll go out this weekend and pick one out.”

  Everyone was happy with that idea. They worked on the interior decorations after school each day until Saturday.

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  During breakfast on Saturday morning, Sam asked, “Do you want to buy a tree from the Boy Scouts lot or do you want to chop one down?”

  “Dad, can Molly and I go into the living room to discuss it?”

  “Sure, but don’t be long or your breakfast will get cold.”

  Leona looked at her husband, but said nothing.

  Molly and Jack returned to the table, and Jack said, “Molly and I talked about it and decided that we’ll buy one from the Boy Scouts, since it is already chopped down and the money goes to a good cause.”

  “Jack, I think that’s an excellent idea. Finish your breakfast and then go upstairs to put some warm clothes on.”

  Molly asked, “Dad, why do we need to dress warmly since we’re gonna buy a tree from the Scouts?”

  “Miss Molly by Golly, its cold outside and you and Jack will need to agree on a tree.”

  Jack asked, “Mom are you coming with us?”

  “No, this is an outing with your Dad.”

  They went out the door bundled up as if they lived in Nome, Alaska. Leona watched as Molly waddled like a duck to the car. She then went back into the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee.

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  Sam parked the car and then helped his little Eskimos out of the car. “The two of you are on your own to pick out a tree. When you find one that you both agree on, send Jack to find me.”

  One of the Troop Leaders came over with a hot cup of coffee, “Sam take this because your kids are gonna take forever.”

  “Thanks Les.”

  “Not a problem. Jack looks like he would do well in cub scouts.”

  “I’ll ask him when we get home.”

  Sam was getting cold just standing still. He move closer to the fire in the fifty gallon drum container. It warmed his hands and body, but did nothing for his feet. He stomped them on the ground to keep the circulation going.

  He was sure that his toes were frostbitten, but he hung in there for his children. Jack found him at the fire. “Dad, we found the tree that we want.”

  Sam was about to break out in song; however, he followed his son to the chosen tree. He saw his daughter, waving to
him as she said, “Dad, this is the one we want.”

  Sam reached his gloved hand into the tree and stood it up. “Take a good look at it and make sure it’s the one you want.”

  He stood still and watched as his children walked around it. “That’s the one Dad.”

  “Jack, I’ll wait here with Molly and the tree while you go get Mr. Les.”

  When they came to the tree, Les asked, “Sam do you want me to put it through the shaker and wrap it up.”

  “That would be great. I’ll go get Molly and Jack some hot chocolate to thaw them out a bit.”

  Molly was shivering when he handed her the cup of hot chocolate, “Be careful because it’s really hot.”

  The children finished their hot chocolates just as Les came over to say, “Sam, let me help you get the tree onto the roof of your car.”

  “Thanks Les.”

  When Sam parked the car, his children ran into the house yelling that they had a Christmas tree. Leona came out of the house to see the tree on top of the car. “After lunch, we’ll get it off the roof and get it into the house so that we can put it in the stand.”

  Leona and Sam worked together to get the tree off the car roof and into the house. They set it in the stand in front of the window. “Sam, before you cut the netting away, let me put some water in the stand.”

  The children watched every move they made anxious to start decorating their tree. When the netting was cut away, Molly asked, “Can we start decorating it today?”

  Sam told his daughter, “We need to let the boughs fall before we can decorate it. We might be able to start tomorrow.”

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  On Sunday morning, Molly and Jack checked the status of the tree before coming into the kitchen. Jack asked, “Dad what do you think? Can we decorate the tree today?”

  “Well, after breakfast, we’ll go look to see if it’s ready.”

  The kids ate everything on their breakfast plates and put their plates in the dishwasher. Sam said, “Well, let’s go see.”

  The tree was in the formal living room and after Sam inspected it, he said, “It looks a little naked without decorations.” He moved the tree decorations closer to the tree and then told his wife, “I’ll decorate outside while you work with the kids on the tree. If you need help with the lights for the tree, just give me a holler.”