CHAPTER 208: KNOCK, KNOCK... DAD?

The week was spent making fine adjustments to all the programs at the interactive center, and starting on the new entrance immediately. Willie had a complete report of the new transit system for the ranch, when he added in the extra revenue that would be brought in by shuttling people from the new hotel to the ranch, museum, learning center and library it even made it 10 times more cost-effective. Since it was serving a dual purpose it was a win-win for everyone.

Saturday morning rolled around quickly, Vincent and Jeremiah packed when Madison came to pick them up. The desk was notified that the rooms would be available for the next two weeks but they needed to be reserved after that for a day or two unoccupied in case something didn’t work out.

Two very excited young genmen were waiting on their front porch when Madison pulled up. There was no doubt Jeremiah and Vincent were well wanted in that household. Madison excused himself from the celebration as he needed to check on Benjamin since he was getting close to his due date.

The guys were very surprised when they opened the door to the cottage as the whole inside had been redecorated and painted throughout.

William walked up to Eddie and kissed him gently on the lips. William returned the kiss and almost ripped his lips off.

A very gentle Jeremiah walked up behind Eddie and gently wrapped his arms around him, placing his hands up on his stomach. "Hey daddy, how are our boys doing?"

Eddie looked over his shoulder at Jeremiah. "They’re fine and they’re glad their father is here in the same household as them."

Everyone was enjoying a quiet calm moment when no doubt a loud knock came at the door. "Okay grandfather, come on in. I know it’s you. I know your knock," William called out.

Zach stuck his head in. "Would you rather it be me or your dad and all the kids?"

"You definitely, grandfather. So what do you think about the place? A little bit of scrubbing, some rearranging. Don’t worry, we didn’t lift anything—we had help. And granddad, the crew came over to paint the place. They’re coming back as soon as we pick out the outside colors."

"Well it looks more like a home. It served you well Eddie, but it’s time we live in the here and now. It will be what it will be, but we never know what our future brings."

Eddie smiled and walked over and hugged Mr. Zach’s neck. "I’ll give it some more time then I will put the album away, but just a little bit longer and I promise."

Mr. Zach couldn’t help but hug Eddie back. "Don’t worry, he’ll be a great big brother when he finds out."

The next two weeks went fast, faster than anybody thought. Saturday, the last day before the big decision was to be made. Vincent went to talk to Mr. Zach about final arrangements for them all. Willie and Eddie went to the vegetable house to pick up some fresh vegetables for a celebratory meal. Jeremiah told them he would stay home and hold down the fort—he had a few things he wanted to do special for Eddie.

Someone knocked at the door. Jeremiah thought it was one of the guys playing tricks on him and told them to come on in. Again someone knocked lightly at the door. He broke loose from what he was doing and got to the door and pulled it open rapidly.

At the entrance to the cottage was a young genman no more than 18 carrying a small bag, clutching a piece of paper with something scrawled upon it.

"May I help you?" Jeremiah looked at him.

The startled young man spoke. "I’m looking for cottage number 16 and a person by the name of Edward."

"You got cottage 16 right and I guess you’re looking for Eddie, at least that’s what he goes by. I’m sorry but he’s not here right now," Jeremiah responded. The young man looked disappointed. "But he and Willie will be back in a little while after they get through with the vegetable house and a few other places. They’re looking for specialty items for tonight’s supper. Where are my manners? Come on in, sit back down over there by the chair and have a seat. Maybe we can talk about a few things before they get back."

"I’m afraid I made a mistake. I better not come in. I just need to go about my business and leave the past in the past," the young man looked scared.

Jeremiah wasn’t so thickheaded and it hit him like a 2-ton brick wall—this was the visit that Eddie was hoping for but yet dreading at the same moment. "Where are my manners? I’m Jeremiah. I live here with Eddie and unless my intuition is incorrect, you’re looking for your dad. So, what is your name, young man?"

The young man walked in and set down his bag, then took a seat. "My name is Chadwick. I recently discovered my birth papers and even though they were mostly blacked out, I had a friend help me discover that I was born here on the Z1 and my dad’s name was Eddie."

"I didn’t know anything about him until one day when my father was out, one of the Council representatives delivered a letter to me in care of my father. Inside it was my baby picture and a very nice long letter saying that he hoped this reached me since I should now be the age of transition. I had one of my best friends right there with me as I tried to read the letter, but he had to help me as I kept on breaking down. It explained my entire existence and how we became separated shortly after my birth."

Chadwick continued, "I went into my room and packed my bags, put them out in the bushes past the front porch in case father saw them. I waited until he got home. I didn’t cook anything and he got very upset. I placed the card on the table in front of him and asked for an explanation. I showed him my baby picture that had been included in the envelope with a letter. He became totally irate; he became so verbally abusive toward me that the neighbors had to come in and intervene, fearing that I might be hurt. I told my father goodbye and I traveled for two days by transit looking for this place and my dad."

"I don’t want to cause anybody any problems. I just want to see him to know that he’s real."

Jeremiah handed the young man a glass of cool water and told him to follow him to the reading area—he needed to see something that belonged to his dad. "Take a seat at the table while I retrieve Eddie’s journal to his son," Jeremiah told Chadwick.

"In this book your dad has written down every moment, feeling and emotion that he has had ever since he found out he was carrying you. There are others here that can tell you more from an outsider’s aspect, but these are your dad’s words. Every card that he sent you has a duplicate in here, every letter that he wrote you has a duplicate here in this book. This is his heart and his soul and the way he feels about you."

"Here’s your cool water. Now sit here and read it, understand where he was coming from and how very much you mean to him. Now when he arrives here, we need to be a little careful because he has newly conceived and is carrying your twin brothers, our sons."

Chadwick’s mouth fell open when he found out his dad was pregnant with twins. "You mean I’m going to have two baby brothers? You’re kidding me right? You’re just pushing my buttons right?"

"Hey, I’m not going to kid around like that with anyone. You should’ve seen me when he went into conception with the first one. Right after we finished, the second fertilization came about an hour and a half later, so that means he dropped two eggs. You need to read the book."

Chadwick was busy reading the book when a sudden pounding came at the door followed by the door opening. It was Mr. Zach. "Jeremiah, I need to let you know right now there’s a young man here on the ranch and he’s looking for Eddie. I haven’t seen him yet but I bet my boots that it’s his son returned. I don’t know if he’s mad or he has got questions for Eddie, but our number one concern is Eddie’s pregnancy."

Mr. Zach turned about two shades of white when the young man came out of the reading nook holding Eddie’s private journal and memory book. "Excuse me Sir, but I don’t mean my dad anything but good luck and well wishes. I’m not going to create any problems. I just need some answers. So far, the first two passages of this book have already answered most. But I need to do one thing—may I touch your hands? You might be someone from my past that links me to this place. I’m not sure but I feel an attraction to your voice."