Tying Up Loose Ends Part 1

Chapter 208

Tying Up Loose Ends

Part 1

I only had one more thing to do today as I got into the car with my adoptive parents. Eli and the girls went with Knox’s, while Greg and them went with their parents so they could finish their finals. Like me, they would be taking them inside the school library, instead of the classroom with their classmates. Mostly because they all had to be in court today, and the other is my caseworker pulled some strings so we all could be finished for the term, only lacking a couple of days when most students would be taking their finals.

Mom and Dad would drop me off at the school and get me settled before returning home to Heber with Earl’s right behind them; giving their parents time to run errands, before picking up their kids that weren’t staying with me for the rest of the week.

Greg and Chad would ride the bus up to the Knox’s new place, or Tony would swing by and pick them up on the way back after picking me up from American Fork High School. Stating he had some errands to run, not saying what those errands were, while Stringum met with his insurance agent regarding his home and arrange a crew to replace the glass and the clean up before David and Jody come back from their honeymoon, he wanted the place to look nice since he was giving the house as a wedding present. Letting David sell it or rent it out, while he finds someone to take over the store in Santaquin.

He had already decided that David would run things down in this direction since I was already doing most the work anyway. While Stringum helps my Dad and Mr. Vincent open the store in Heber, and in American Fork as well as Salt Lake City and other areas surrounding Heber. He was already overwhelmed as it was with his new housing development in Heber and working with the government in helping to take down the satanic church.

He was good with organizing things, showing me that reason he is able to get some many things done, is by hiring the right people for the job or he would be constantly be pulling his hair out. It was because of him that I learned how to stay organized and manage people, which came in handy in the years to come.

There was no way was I going to end up like my father in a dead-end job for little pay. I had goals, and I worked at them every day. College was number one on my list and good job second. It was these things that set me apart from my family, knowing to them that these goals were not a priority. Sad to say I was the only one that graduated from college besides my mother. But she didn’t use it to get a job to help support her family. Instead, she tossed it all the way and blamed on that it was too hard, having what she calls a nervous break down; which always nearly happens all the time when she doesn’t want to do something.

Aaron works hard and always has because I had taught him the value of work. Being the only role model in the family that he could look up too at the time; Susan and Becky as always expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. Stating college is a waste of time. Aaron tried, but he didn’t stick with it; always finding an excuse that there is always time, then finding out too late that he should have taken the time.

My biggest flaw was I never made time for the other important things like family, and friends. Thinking that there was always time for that, once I got a leg up or that big promotion, I could find the time. Yet in the end, it didn’t matter how many promotions I got or how much money I made. I was never satisfied, always working and never living, afraid if I stopped the nightmares of my past would seep through the cracks. Yet in the end, they seeped through leaving nothing but regrets and nightmares, wanting me to end my life just so they would stop haunting me.

School is one thing I became good at; I never let myself enjoy it, or relax for a single minute. I would remind myself each day to get what I wanted; the school was my vehicle to get there. I study hard and kept my head down, while my classmates went to parties, and dances. I stayed home doing homework, or working building my finical future. If it wasn’t for Stringum I would have worked even more, just so I could earn money to get what I wanted. In some ways, he made things difficult for me, by making me take long breaks by not allowing me to work.

Even Mom and Dad made things difficult by making sure they talked to my teachers. Telling them to not let me earn so much extra credit, they knew why I did it which was for two reasons. Like if I bomb a test, or missed school because my mother wanted to spend time with me. I hated seeing B- on anything, to me that was an “F” which I believed was nothing more than a failure. Susan and Becky were more then happy if they got a D+ or a D- period. They hated the fact I got A’s all the time, but they didn’t want to do the work to get them.

Like today I didn’t know what my grade would be, for the class until the report cards came out. Normally I would know the last day of class when the final test would be hand back to us and we would be called up one at a time to see our final grade and barter by doing some sort of extra credit. I, on the other hand, I had tons of extra credit in all my classes. I had yet to even use my bonus points for winning one of the 5 top spots on the wrestling team at the beginning of the term when the good guys were going up all the bullies in the school and kicked their butts.

I wasn’t close to any of my classmates here, mostly because like me the ones I was close too were moving or had moved near me or are in Heber, because of what Crawford had done to us, and wanting a fresh start. So saying goodbye wasn’t such a big deal. Then again I wasn’t one to make a lot of friend in most cases, for the reason I moved from foster home to foster home, so often that it became pointless. In fact the last three years I had made the most friends because I knew I wasn’t going anywhere.

Yet I didn’t plan on Crawford, or my foster parents adopting me or moving to Heber. Most kids say High School is their life. For me, it was nothing more than getting an education, and learning how to work, either in the cafeteria, library or as a teachers aid. My life didn’t revolve on High School drama. I focused on my classes and making good grades. I kept my head down and pushed my self by working hard.

Today was no exception as I zip through the tests like they were a kid’s game. I had everything at my fingertips, my notes, my books that were marked and indexed, and memorizing key card answers. I only stopped to have lunch as Couch Brady brought it to me inside the library. I was given a small office to work in without any distraction, kicking off my shoes and digging in. I was done by 1 pm and would be almost 3 before Tony would come by and pick me up.

I had already distributed all my homework and term papers, feeling slightly bad as I walked into classrooms that had already begun, causing the teacher to stop if they were going over something with the class. I did my best to be in and out, yet I would still get the catcalls of brown nosier and the teacher sticking up for me telling that individual that my grade was higher than his, and I hadn’t been in class for the last few weeks having to do all the work and studying on my own.

Giving me a chance to peek, seeing that it was already marked as A or an A-. The teacher would smile and wish me luck in my new school. I would say thanks I could use all the luck I can get. Knowing bad luck always follows me as much as trouble did.

I couldn’t do much other than sit and wait for Tony, I wasn’t allowed to go outside and sit on the lawn by myself and wait, besides it was far too cold to do so without a light jacket. Plus it would be stupid for me to do it because of the high danger I was in the longer I stayed in American Fork completely alone where my enemies like Crawford and friends could get to me with their spies knowing I was here. Going outside was a bad idea, so I was told to stay within the confines inside the school; where my teachers and Coach Brady could keep a close eye on me.

Yet I had a plan B which was to help Coach Brady in the gym packing up his office. Considering he would be starting next week as the new head Couch. Mrs. Hothner too would be starting, As well as Adams Dad Mr. Tomas. Couch was more than happy too let me help, knowing it was also the best way to keep me out of trouble.

It also gave me a chance to say goodbye to each of my couches having them ask if I was planning on competing. I would smile asking if I did would they be worried considering I’d be the one competing against them. They would laugh and pat me on the back, said I was indeed a force to be reckoned with.

I said. “Very doubtful because I wouldn’t have the time.” When the truth was Nate Carrion was in no shape of competing at the moment with his a*s glued to a wheelchair. Knowing my Rothwell name would be leaving here and won’t really exist unless I was visiting my mother.

Tony soon found me as I was carrying the last of the boxes to Coach Brady’s car. He asked me how it went and I shrugged my shoulders that I had a general idea what my grades would be, but some were to early tell.

Coach Brady told me everything would be fine, that I shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Yea right? I always worry until I see them. Mom and Dad still make a big deal of it by giving me 100 dollars per “A” and 50 per “B” or nothing for a “C.”

Which was another reason Susan and Becky hated me because once my adoptive parents see my report card I really rake it in? Whereas they get nothing, it doesn’t help when I tell them I don’t just do it for the money, that I do it so I can go to college. Yet the money doesn’t hurt, but then again college isn’t on there too do list.

Either way, it still made them angry that I was rewarded for my hard work, and given an allowance when they get nothing. The worst part was that I had a job and paid really good, better than my father's job working as church custodian the only job he was capable of doing, because he didn’t go to college, nor strive for something more.

The Knox’s house wasn’t ready yet so and wouldn’t be until long after I was back home in Heber, So I went home with Ben as his mother came by to pick us up there was lots things that still needed to be done, painting and installed the new appliance and the carpets. The house was almost three times the size of their old home, with a full basement with plenty of room for a nice family room, and two bedrooms for the boys and small weight room, place a storage room, wine cellar; plus indoor-outdoor patio which was still in the process of being built.

The top floor had fairly good size living room that was twice the size of the one they had before, with a very nice kitchen that was also twice the size of the old one with a huge walk-in pantry big enough for a small freezer, where there would be a bigger one downstairs in the storage room. There were two guest rooms with a small bathroom; my mother would kill to have. The room made for huge claw foot tub and shower big enough for three easily; plus a master bedroom with a bigger bathroom then the guest rooms.

Instead of two more bedrooms or possibly three, Mrs. Knox had them knock out the walls and redesign the rooms into a bigger massage therapy room which including a small office that she could work out of including a huge tub room as they had at their old home but nicer. It wouldn’t be ready to move in for at least a couple of months or more. Mostly because they needed to add on to the house and also add on an Atrium that included a hot tub; which would have lots of windows so they can have use of the outside lighting during the day.

Which also meant they would need a high fence around the property, too keep out peeping toms. Adding a two car garage on the side as well, something they had both been wanting for a very long time, but never had the money to do it or the room on their existing property, but most of all central air throughout the house, including two fireplaces, one in the living room and one downstairs in the big family room.

You could have 100 person crew working twenty-four hours, but they would be all standing around waiting for concrete to dry, and framework before the electricians and the plumbers could do their jobs, then they would have to wait for the drywall to be put in, before they could paint, carpet and tile and the inside brickwork. Even the outside couldn’t go up any faster as they too waited around for groundskeepers to install sprinklers, flowerbeds, grass, and fencing, plus the outside security. It is easy to bulldoze a house down and wipe the existence of it off in a matter of hours or even a couple of days, but building something from scratch or adding onto the existing plans takes time.

Mr. Knox was taking no chances, Santaquin or not he was installing the best security system that money could buy. With thick bulletproof glass, that would be tinted enough that you couldn’t see anything from the outside, but see clear as day from the inside to prevent people from breaking their windows or burning their house down.

Plus so Mrs. Knox’s clients could have their privacy and not worry about peeping toms. The girls were out buying things for the home, as Mr. Knox and some of his police buddies helped us make the house ready. They were hoping to move in on Friday or Saturday, even with the constructions going on, but with the changes, it wouldn’t be livable for at least two to 6 months. Stringum had promised them it wouldn’t take more than a month to move in, but construction would be an ongoing thing, which they didn’t really mind because they were in no hurry, so everything they had ever dreamed of would be perfect.

Until then Stringum purchased a large trailer which included the furniture that you would see in showroom trailers and had them put it on the property across from them so they could oversee the work, then when they move into the house, they can either sell the trailer or rent it out for additional income; which is common in here in Santaquin to find trailers on property that are not inside a trailer park, but even that wouldn’t be ready to move in until Friday or even the following Monday or Tuesday; to give time to set up, with all the utilities.

And besides, it came in two sections and would take entire day put it back together and a full day to deliver it from the showroom lot in Salt Lake, not too mention pouring the concert pad for it so they can have something to set it on when it arrives.

Stringum had gotten the idea of doing it from Couch Brady, he liked the idea so much that he purchased three more and was moving them to Heber so our multiple families wouldn’t be so crowded as they waited for their houses to be built, which meant purchasing more land and hiring another large crew to work around the clock to build his own private trailer park, which would also generate income once their homes were built.

However it made things easier by having a staging area for making cement, and place to unload large orders of wood, and other things so they wouldn’t have to waste time going up and down the canyon to replenish everything so often more so when the bad weather hits. He had even arranged several trailers that would house the crew so they wouldn’t have to make the long trips back and forth. Allowing them to work 24/7 in shifts, it looked like a large movable logging camp with large tents that could feed a crew all day and all night.

Stringum spent the rest of the day after the hearing tied up in meetings with large furniture companies like RC Willy and Garnet Furniture. Too arrange a huge deal that would make him even richer, as he buys his way in so when the time comes when his housing developments is built. People will buy their furniture; which made little sense to me at the time because most the people that are waiting for their homes to be built would be working for Stringum incorporated.

It was like he was paying them to buy his furniture at a huge discount. In some ways, it was like they were paying him back plus they were using most the money they had gotten from the sale of their homes to help with the cost of building their own cabin which was more than fair after all the homes would belong to them and not Stringum.

Yet there would be other homes being built that weren’t part of us. Those he would be making a huge profit from the other homes in the development he was building, plus the trailer park and the new stores he was putting in. He would be a silent partner that he would buy into the various companies like furniture stores, clothing stores and so on. He had his fingers in nearly everything; it made my head swim on how he managed it all.

Again it had to do with the people he hired that did most of the work for him. I had lost count on how many companies he was involved in because it always seemed to grow. Then again he didn’t become a billionaire overnight; he liked being involved as a silent partner where he wouldn’t have to be responsible for the day to day operations, any of his companies he was involved in.

I only wish I had that same ability or had the resources to become like him, but I was just an employee, a very good employee learning everything I can from him on how to manage people, which I was told at the time was important if I wanted to be successful and un-replaceable.

In many ways being un-replaceable became my downfall. Because in the end everyone can be replaced, no one is un-replaceable. I had learned that the hard way. Yet I was told several times I was, because I knew how to manage people, and accomplish nearly anything I set my mind too.

Some called me a boss’s dream because I could do anything be placed anywhere and left alone, trusted, to make sure the task was done, where other employee have failed, or aren’t able to work any position or oversee it without having to be supervised.

I learned that I wasn’t Superman. I learned I had limits, and when I did by that time I was burned out. Stringum taught me everything about how to manage people, however, I never learned how to say no when they ask the impossible. Until now. No is a powerful word, more powerful than the word yes.

Yet with no place to live while everyone is doing everything that they needed to do support their families. I had to choose what I and my friends were going to do. We could all go home to Heber or stay and help out here where they needed us the most. Leaving the only place we had a roof over our heads was at the Marriott Hotel or over a friends house.

Normally I could have stayed at my mother’s house, but she wasn’t going to be home during the day. She would be at school and Susan would be going with her considering she was suspended from school for the rest of the week. I don’t have to tell you how my father felt about me staying there. More so alone with my friends while he was at work, not only at the church house, but part-time doing community services to work off all those hours the Judge orders him to do, or spend those hours in jail.

Yet Provo was too far away, for us when Knox’s boys needed to be in school and Mr. Knox needed to oversee his new task force, and his house. So he and his family stayed with his partner Chris Delaney and I and Eli arrange to stay with Ben’s family, considering I would be spending the weekend there anyway with Greg, and Chad and our wives would be joining us on Friday so not too freak them out too much, with a bunch of 16-year-old boys and our two wives.

They weren’t nudist so I had been told, but neither were they LDS. I had promised my friends that I would visit with each of them, before going home to Heber. Mom and Dad told me that this most likely would be the last time I would be spending any time with my Santaquin friends the way things were with my father. The next chance I would get would be Christmas break, but even that was questionable.