To Love, Honor and Cherish

  Chapter 16

 

  Throughout the summer, Matt did yard work to earn extra money, and Mary continued babysitting. Betty was teaching Mary to knit, and at Joe’s suggestion, she also taught Joe and the boys. Joe worked with Mary and the boys in the woodshop, always stressing safety. Both Joe and Betty were teaching all of the older children how to cook, and all of them had regular chores to do each day.

  The family took two to three day trips around California during the summer. Some of the trips were camping trips, as the kids loved to camp, hike and fish. They also enjoyed toasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire. They all agreed that Joe told the best ghost stories.

  In July, Joe took Matt, Mark, Luke, John and Paul on a weekend camping trip. Betty had the weekend off and she, Mary and the twins were having a ‘girls-only’ weekend.

  Joe and the boys were hiking up a mountain, when Paul stepped in a hole, fell and fractured his leg.

  They were about three miles from their van, and when Joe tried to call for help, he could not get a signal on his cell phone. Joe found some tree branches, and with some bandages from their first-aid kit, Joe splinted Paul’s leg.

  Paul was almost four years old and he was very frightened. His leg hurt a lot and he was crying. Joe talked calmly to him and the rest of the boys. Then, they started the slow descent down the mountain. Joe carried Paul and Matt led the others down. Paul held onto Joe’s neck very tightly and would not let go of him.

  An hour and a half later, they reached the car. Joe called Betty and told her what happened. He told her to meet them at the emergency room.

  Joe fastened Paul into his car seat, carefully propped up his leg, and as soon as the rest of the boys were buckled in, he started driving to the hospital. Paul fell asleep on the way there. Joe tried to make the ride as smooth as possible.

  Just as they arrived at the hospital, Paul woke up and started crying once more. Joe carried him in to the emergency room, where Betty was waiting for them. Betty tried to take Paul from Joe, but Paul would not let go of him. Paul insisted that Joe stay with him every minute, in the ER, x-ray room and in the cast room.

  When they finally arrived home, Joe carried Paul into the family room and placed him gently on the couch. Paul liked all of the attention that he was getting from his sister and brothers and his mom, but he got very upset if Joe was away from him for too long.

  Later, Betty told Joe that Paul never really knew his father and that Joe was the closest thing to a father that Paul had. Joe told Betty that he loved Paul like a brother and would always be around for him and the rest of the family.

  Over the past year and a half, Joe had noticed a close bond forming between Betty’s children and himself. The twins; Sarah and Becca were now 1 ½ years old and they had known Joe from the minute he delivered them. Joe was the only adult male figure that they knew.

  Joe now considered the Rogers family to be his family. He still missed his parents, but now, he felt like he belonged somewhere.

  July passed quickly and so did August. Soon, it was time for school to start up again. Mary was now a sophomore, Matt was in the 8th grade, Mark was in the 5th grade, Luke in the 3rd grade and John was in 1st grade. Paul started going to pre-school 3 days per week after his cast came off his leg.

  Mary was on the swim team and the tennis team, and was in choir again. Matt was on the middle school basketball team and was editor of the school newspaper. He also sang in the choir.