Chapter 8 ~ Gavin

Before Ethan's birthday arrived, Loretta and I started working on remodeling one of the bigger rooms for him. We decked it out in various blues and put two beds in there just in case he ever wants a friend to stay over.

After we showed him the room and he was finished exploring all his new things he came to speak with me about it. He let us know how much he really liked and appreciated what we did for him. He was very excited to have a big boy room all to himself. 

Ethan had two days before he headed to school and I was just a little worried he would be behind because of us not teaching him all the fundamentals of speech before his birthday. So Loretta and I set a goal to read him as many skill books as we could and work with him over the weekend to catch him up. I think he started to enjoy having us read to him and he seemed to be soaking it all up. He even asked each of us to read him a bedtime story, although he didn't last through all of Loretta's story. 

Since recovering from the virus Loretta and I have become a lot more health conscious. We have been trying to eat right and I even have started to workout with her a lot of the time. She has got a job at the local stadium and is maintaining a high athletic level. She definitely works out more than I do but I have found that I love to climb the new rock wall we bought. If I don't work out with Loretta you can find me on that wall. I find it relaxes the mind and works out all my stress, plus it is awesome to reach the very top. 

Ethan's first day of school was a little hard for him and he had some difficulties doing the work but by the end of the first week he was sitting in the front lawn and doing his homework before he even came in the house. This relieved his mother and I to no end because we were both worried but it has seemed to all work out in the end. 

Ethan has also developed a very healthy creative imagination. He is always playing some kind of make-believe game that involves some kind of wondrous adventure. One day it will be submarine adventures in the tub and the next he is the high king presiding over his royal court. 

Nowadays Ethan is always bringing home a girl from school named Skipper. She is a really nice girl and they often do their homework together before they play. I can see that they are fast becoming the best of friends. If she does not come home with him they can be found chatting away on the phone for hours. Good thing we have unlimited minutes. 

Patches and Nona are still pleasantly getting along and are never far from each other. I think getting Patches a companion was a very smart idea and we don't ever have to worry about a house full of kittens. 

Loretta and I really needed to just cut loose but we didn't want to leave the house and be out all night. So I hit the bar we have out back and made some drinks. We drank and cuddled, talked about Ethan's upcoming birthday and just relaxed. After so many drinks that I actually lost count we ended up in bed and we all know what happens next. 

Before we moved I had went to the graveyard and grabbed my family's remains to bring them with us. I placed them all in our backyard under a very big tree surrounded by some flowers. I mention this because it would seem that something has happened to the family ghost's. They have taken to coming out at all times of the day and night. They play games, get on the computer and my grandfather Jace has taken to sleeping in Ethan's extra bed every night. 

We have set up the backyard for Ethan's birthday party. Of course the only person he wanted to invite was Skipper so she was kind of like the guest of honor. I wonder if once they are both teenagers they will date. Maybe it is a little to soon to be thinking about things like that. We did invite other people to the party though because we thought he would have more fun. Ethan spent the whole time talking to Skipper until it was time to blow out his candles.  

He has grown to be a very handsome man and someone that I can be proud of. After the party was over I talked with him for a bit and asked how he liked his party. 

Then I told him to come out front with me so I could speak to him alone. This confused him very much but he did as told and followed me. When we came around the corner Ethan froze in place and his jaw dropped to the ground. Sitting in our drive way was a brand new muscle car we bought just for him. After a moment of shock he rushed over to it and jumped right in asking if I could teach him to drive right this moment. Of course I said yes and we set out. 

Kids sure do grow up fast and now that my only son is a teenager I think I am ready for another baby. Time to see what Loretta thinks but I am pretty sure that we are both on the same page.