Burning The Candle At Both Ends Part 1

Chapter 244

Burning The Candle At Both Ends

Part 1

Mom and Dad waited patiently as I read each of Shawn’s letter’s to me, Mom sat on the edge of my chair, looking over my shoulders, smiling. “See I told you he really does want you to be his brother, and he is trying to make it right.”

I gave a tired exasperating sigh, and hand them back to her. I said. “Maybe to you, but not to me Mom, as I have said leopards cannot change his spots. I trust Jeff and if he says he lying, he is lying. I don’t trust the new headmaster. Jeff has said that he is not the man you think he is. Mr. Walens didn’t simply retire after he married his secretary.

“He was murdered in cold blood and Shawn was behind it. They may not have been able to find his body, because it was cremated like the others that have gone missing at the school. Texas is too far away for us to simply fly to and put boots on the ground unnoticed and by the time we get there, it’s too late. We have lost over a dozen men over the last few months. Several times Tony and his team have gone looking for them finding nothing but ashes and nobody to tie the satanic church to it.

“Stringum has given you several new schools to look at, but you have refused to even look at them. Convinced by the new headmaster that Shawn is progressing better then you had hope. When the truth is he is not and is still raping his classmates. Then when we investigate they conveniently disappear or they were found dead by their own hand. Having the headmaster tell you that they couldn’t handle the stress of they are making it without the help of their parents. Tony has asked if he and I could go down there and root them out as we did before. But you refused to let me, saying we are the ones jumping at shadows after being undercover too long.

“Yet more letters like the ones I have just read from Shawn and this new headmaster who you seem to believe and keeps you believing everything is roses. I did what you asked, I read them, but I don’t believe for one second that Shawn has changed. Or there isn’t something wrong down there. We left ourselves wide open down there and now you tell me you told Shawn everything and he wants to help us. More like help us into an early grave.  Do what you like; you always do when it comes to Shawn. Always forgetting that what he has done time and time again, I have been loyal; I have always told you the truth. Yet when Shawn blames me for his crimes or gets me and my brothers into trouble. You take his word for it, punishing me and my brothers for his actions.

“Then when you finally believe the truth you apologize for not believing us. Thinking that it was not a big deal, but each time you do it we remember. We have the scars to remind us, and the nightmares of the punishments you have afflicted on us. We don’t trust you for a very long time each time you do it. We remember how you lied to us, promising us the next time you will believe us. Then when Shawn does it again you go back on your word. Except for when it is writing.

“Pa told me when a man or woman shakes hands and promises you anything and he or she breaks contact first with either his eyes or his hands or both. You should never trust them at their word. Dad and you both have done that, but when you give it in writing then seal it with a handshake. You have something that can’t be broken because it is a reminder that you have given that promise. Which is why I have asked for one because I know you will break the other every time.

“I ask you, has this new headmaster given you that kind of promise where he signs his name to a contract in front of you in person? Or are you believing that his written letters are just as good and Shawn’s? If so, then ask yourself would you lend him a million dollars on his written word without a notary? Or witness? Or you seeing him do it in person? I think not, not even Mr. Tate would do that or Stringum or Mr. Vincent. Not even Bishop Earl would be stupid enough to do so.

“So give me the same curtsy or be warned after I have given you one that if you take no action against Shawn. I will, and Mr. Stringum will, and Tony will, and the list goes on. Knowing they have my back. The question is do you have my back, or are you saying I shouldn’t count on it because Shawn is your flesh and blood and I am not. Yet Jared, Jason, and Jonathon are and you took Shawn word over theirs when they told you he was rapping them and his friends were raping them and the boys you brought into your home were raping them.

“Shane Jody and Kerry told you and you still didn’t believe them. Yet you believed Shawn over them. Are they not your flesh and blood like Shawn? Or is he someone that deserves his loyalty over everyone else’s? How do you think the rest of us feel when you choose his word over ours? A person that lies all the time, knowing you will look the other way and let him get away with it? Yet if we even think of doing the things Shawn has done we get punished for it no questions asked.

“It wasn’t until Dad placed hidden video cameras all over the house and he caught them on tape doing it. Then when I said they had raped Jonathon you believed me, and you believed Jonathan and Jason and Jared, but by that time the damage had been done. You acted too late; again apologizing to us that Shawn will never do so again and you too action making sure that wouldn’t happen. Because you had proof, as he lied right to our face telling you it was all lie.

“Then you showed him the videotape of raping Jared, Jason, and Arthur over and over again, as he laughed thinking how easy it was to lie to your face. Knowing even then you would forgive him and go back on your promise that if he convinced you that he has turned his life around. You would take him back and forgive him. Again I tell you it’s a lie, and remind you that everyone that knows Shawn knows he is lying to you, again the proof is staring right at you, but you and Mom refuse to see it.

“I am sorry, I am sorry Shawn can’t be trusted, but you are asking me and my brothers and friends to do is something we can not give you, which is our trust because you give me your spoken word. That you have broken more times then we can count. I have read the letters, and I am not convinced. The proof is something that means more than written words or spoken words when it comes to promises in regards to Shawn.” I got up and left the room.

Mom said. “Nate, give him a chance. He deserves that.”

I said. “No, I can’t do it, not when there is more than me at stake.” I went inside my room finding Jody, Kerry and my three brothers Jared, Jason and Jonathon. They asked me one question if I believed Shawn if he really means what he says. I shook my head no. they said they knew he was lying. I stated. “I have asked Mom and Dad to give me their word in writing that if Shawn touches us or anyone in that way or harmed us as he did before. They would be held responsible, and Shawn would be gone end of story.”

Kerry stated that Mom and Dad wouldn’t do it. I shrugged my shoulders and said. “Then it’s out of my hands. I know Stringum, and I know Mr. Vincent and Bishop Earl and everyone here on our mountain that knows Shawn personally, will make sure that if Shawn does and Mom and Dad do nothing. They will.” Everyone nodded and left my room.

I sat at my desk typing out my promises, and when I finished I printed it. Make sure I had a copy of it for each of them. Then gathered all of us kids and handed it to Mom and Dad as we signed our names to it in front of them. Stating that none of us Shawn or them when it comes to their promises that aren’t in writing.

Jared and Jason carried a copy to each of the houses getting them to sign it. It was nearly an hour before we had everyone’s signature that was here. All we needed was Stringum, and Tony’s, while we still waited for Mom and Dads. Mom and Dad cringed when they saw all our names attached to my written promise. Yet we still hadn’t seen theirs. Nor did they sign mine. We left them with our signed statements and took our copies and put them all in a safe place where we put all our valuables. I didn’t need much as repacked mine things since Rhoda was ready to go we even packed our Sunday clothes, even though we weren’t planning on going if Mom and they weren’t going we weren’t.

Landan and Lucy got into the limo with us and their three boys. Telling our driver to take us to their house and wait outside telling him they won’t be long. Their cabin was half the size as ours and nice and quiet compared to mine, even with the men working on the pool area as they worked putting up the roof and the metal frames that would be fitted for the heavy glass. The pool was half the size as ours and Bishop Earls, but the house was completely finished and it looked comfortable.

Landan quickly disabled the alarm and gave me and a card that had the alarm code on it, state that will be our alarm code so they could keep track of who enters the house and leaves the house. We had already spotted several cameras outside, along the corners of the house and the driveway that held a two car garage, his and hers. The limo was usually parked in one of Stringum bays he had built on our mountain, that contained small living quarters, and mechanic tools as well things to maintain the limos to their pristine conditions.

Rhoda and I removed our shoes at the door in the small entryway and hung up our coats in the closet by the door since we weren’t going anywhere now that we had arrived. Landan and the boys gave us the grand tour then after the tour Landan and their mother would repack their clothes and putting the others into the wash. The living room was spacious with two couches and four overstuffed chairs. With a large fireplace behind them with the entertainment center that had everything, anyone could ever want.

Landan reminding us that homework and chores must be done first before TV, or games. They had large cork-board on the fridge showing which boy was responsible for which chores. They didn’t have a maid or a private Chef, Which meant Rhoda and I would be responsible for most of the cooking and helping the boys with the cleaning and other light duties. The boys put our dinner on the kitchen counter and placed their school backpacks by the couch for now and went back out to collect our suitcases.

The Kitchen was basic and smaller compared to ours, but it had everything on a smaller scale. Lucy opened all the cupboards and drawers showing me and Rhoda were everything was. Everything was orderly and neat with little labels on the shelves where she likes to put her things. She noted that there was plenty of food in the house, and with tonight’s meal already taken care of thanks to Mrs. Earl we wouldn’t have to cook anything just warm it up and serve. Each of the boys had their own room. There were two guests rooms, but neither of them had a master bathroom.

Instead, they had one big bathroom. With a big claw foot tub and walk-in shower big enough for two people and a double sink counter and mirror; for the boys and their guests to share or in there case where their new brother and sister would be sleeping, something that they had recently talked about and the boys all agreed that they wanted and they were to arrive sometime Sunday night or Monday afternoon depending how soon the paperwork went through the proper channels. 

The master bedroom was half the size or a little bit less than mine or anyone else’s. With a huge King size bed and walk-in closet; plus the master bathroom with a floor Jacuzzi tub big enough for four adults and shower with double his and her sink. Lucy said. “This will be your room while we're gone overnight or over a weekend.”  Having the boys set our suitcases on the bed for now.

There were two rooms which had the wow factor to them was the small gym room. And the other was the tub room that was filled with potted plants and flowers, With a large overhead sunroof, that could be opened and closed by pressing a button, Landan stated that when the snows heavy or they are expecting a storm or they aren’t home they keep it closed. He showed me and Rhoda how it worked then closed it because we were expecting another heavy snow storm tonight. The other rooms were a laundry room and storage rooms.

The pool doors were covered with some sort of mirror-like glass like a two-way window, where you could look out to the pool but they couldn’t look in. Plus it was extra thick, but for now, they are covered with plastic and a wood frame to keep the heat in the house from escaping while the men worked on the pool area. Plus it gave them their privacy. Once the tour was over and they reestablished the rules.

They both wished us luck reminding the boys we were in charge now, and they had to do everything we say, that if they didn’t the can be sure to be punished or grounded. Rhoda gave a heavy sigh and reset the alarm, using our alarm code; hearing locks and bolts the door.

She said.” I thought they would never leave, so what should we do first boys, lifting off her shirt as the boy’s eyes and mouth watered seeing her in her bra and pair of jeans. She said. “Why don’t you boys go unpack? While I warm up our supper, so we can have some fun and not worry about our clothes getting wrinkled the longer they sit in those suitcases, but don’t dare take anything off until we can go over our house rules, not your parents house rules, what they don’t know isn’t going to hurt them as long we keep a clean house and the chores get done.” We quickly nodded and they obeyed.