The Kids Grow Up, Trish Hanan [books you need to read .txt] 📗

containers you’re going to have to show up for work also, no one gets a free ride,” he told them and they frowned.
“Maybe we don’t want containers, maybe we like the plastic bags,” Max said. Linda slapped his arm.
“If you don’t show up for work, Max, I will because one way or the other, I’m getting some of those metal containers,” she snapped and he rolled his eyes.
“Fine, fine, I’ll dig ore, but we were doing fine with the bags, I don’t see the need to change what was working fine,” he said. Jenna shook her head.
“This new way is going to be so much easier, don’t you want to make it easier for your wife, think of all the extra time she’ll have to spend with you and the kids,” she told him. He sighed.
“Fine, fine, I guess progress is coming whether I like it or not,” he complained. And he and the other men on his farm bitched and complained the whole time they dug which was the rest of the year. Harry had estimated that it would take ten tons of ore to make enough containers for everyone’s basements and that included the two tons they had left over from the pots. They cancelled school which made all the kids happy and the older kids helped with the digging which made their fathers happy and by the time the harvest came they had enough ore and the factory went into overtime producing enough containers for everyone’s basements.
In between all the digging all of Harry’s students who were now sixteen and fifteen came to him and wanted to know if they could have two houses, they wanted a girl’s house and a boy’s house and wanted to move to Farm Four with the rest of the kids.
“Sure, Eric, no problem, let me get my computer,” Harry said and he got it out. He let them select from houses that still had their food so they would get packaged food. And they had already talked with their parents and everyone was cool with them moving out so when they started building the next day there were no shouting matches or arguments or fights. The houses went up in a week and the barn that they would share in another week and the teens were all set. Harry fetched them two green cows and their names were already on the list for the lottery so they just had to wait.
They made the containers in the shape of freezers and put one air-tight door on the top in the center and wheels on the bottom so they could easily be rolled into position and they weren’t very heavy or thick so everyone loved them. Harry and Jake took turns working shifts so one of them could be home with the kids at all times and when they finished everyone got the same number of freezers so no one could whine or complain. There was one left over so Harry took it home and said to hell with anyone who complained but since no one knew he had it, he figured they couldn’t bitch about it. And everyone had enough; no one had to wrap anything so everyone was happy.
“We’re going to make shelves next month, so be prepared for more digging,” Harry informed them at the next town meeting. A few people groaned but most people thought shelves would be so handy and make storing food easier.
“I think shelves would be great, my tomatoes are all bunched together and I don’t like that,” Linda stood up and said. Shelley nodded.
“My apples and peaches are all mixed up,” she told everyone and they smiled.
“If my Queen wants shelves then she gets them,” Dr. George stood up and declared and Max rolled his eyes.
“My Princess wants a box that you can open in the front,” David announced and some of the women looked interested. Jenna stood up.
“That would be handy for the pantry, Harry, can you make a box like that?” she asked. Harry stood up.
“That would be easy, we just need to retool the machine and dig the ore,” he said and all the men grinned. Carl stood up.
“I’m up for that, boss,” he declared. Max snorted.
“You’re just a big Neanderthal aren’t you,” he sneered and Carl shrugged.
“Digging ore and melting it is a real man’s job, what’s the matter, Max, too much of a challenge for you?” he sneered back and everyone laughed.
They all rushed back to the mountain and before the first snow fell everyone had three new metal food boxes in their pantries that opened in the front with shelves and dividers in their food storage boxes in the basements and they were all happy. Now any time of the year they could just reach into a box and pull out an apple or potato and it would be just as they had just picked it off the tree or dug it out of the ground, just as fresh. Once again Harry was everyone’s hero and Violet hated his guts.


“Don’t worry Sean, Ryan will be home after school and you can play with him then,” Jake told his four year-old son as they waved to the five older kids as they rode with Harry to school. Sean nodded and walked with his dad and Danny back into the house. This was the first time he and Ryan would be separated since he had been born and he didn’t like it one little bit. Harry had thought at first to keep Ryan back a year and then send them to kindergarten together, it wouldn’t have hurt anything, but he realized that it was important for them to develop their own personalities and not be so dependant on one another and this was a good first step.
And they adjusted. Sean played with Danny who was a year younger and the two developed a special bond. But, of course, the minute Ryan came home; Sean dropped Danny like a hot brick and rushed to his older brother. Danny never seemed to mind though because he’d rather spend time with his dad and followed Harry around which Harry never minded because he loved the company and always made time for all of his kids. He and Jake made a special point to spend time and do special things with just two or one of them just by themselves, like take the two girls skating or the two older boys to the race track. It was important not to show favorites and to spend time with them individually also.
For Halloween Harry dressed all of his kids in cute little homemade costumes that were a cross between a fairy and a gnome and had both Jake and Fran guessing as to what they were. Neither one could come up with the correct answer as the seven grinned and looked at them. Finally the two gave up and looked at Harry who giggled.
“I give up, babe, what are they?” Jake asked and Harry nodded to Sean who walked out cute as hell and waved his hand under his chin and in a perfect imitation of Max Tyler sneered.
“We’re fishy freak fagola’s, Dad,” he sneered and Jake’s mouth opened wide and his eyes went wide and all the kids laughed. Fran giggled.
“Oh, my God, he sounded just like Max,” she declared and Harry giggled.
“Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen,” he gushed and Jake threw back his head and laughed and hugged them.
“Oh, my God, babe, old Max is going to pee himself when Sean does his impression, I’ve got to get the video camera for this,” he said and Harry nodded. They couldn’t wait to get to the Center for the party.
When they walked in wearing the same costume everyone exclaimed as usual and said they were giving up, there was no beating Harry and his magic sewing fingers.
“What on Earth are you guys?” Linda asked. Harry giggled and Sean stepped forward.
“Hey, Harry, get your little fishy freak fagolas out of here,” he said exactly like her husband Max and she looked shocked and then burst into laughter.
“Oh, my God, he sounds just like Max, hey, Max, get over here and hear this,” she yelled and Max came over. He laughed at the costumes.
“What the hell are you supposed to be?” he sneered. Sean giggled.
“Hey, Max, don’t you recognize a fishy freak fagola when you see one?” he sneered exactly like him. Max gasped and then burst into laughter.
“Oh, my God,” he exclaimed.
“Oh, my God,” Sean exclaimed, copying the older man exactly. Everyone around them laughed.
“The kid’s got you down pat, Max,” Carl remarked and Max laughed so hard he wiped tears from his eyes.
“What the hell are you, Harry?” he asked. Harry grinned.
“We’re fishy freak fagolas, Max,” he announced and everyone laughed.
All night Max kept coming back to their table to get Sean to do his impression and every time he would break into laughter and pat the boy on his shoulder.
“Harry, you’re raising one little terrific kid here,” he would gush and walk away laughing. Harry would roll his eyes and smirk and wink at his children who would all giggle. When it came time to announce best costume Harry and his children won and Sean got up on stage to accept the award and Max couldn’t help making him do his impression for the crowd who ate it up. Everyone cheered and clapped and Sean took a bow and Max wiped tears from his eyes.
The turkey hunt came and Jake took Jackson with him since he was seven and a big boy and Harry thought that was a good idea as long as he stayed close to his dad and obeyed him. Jackson promised and Harry told Adam he could go next year when he turned seven.
“I hate being the younger brother,” Adam protested. Harry sighed and hugged him.
“I know, darling, but that’s one of the benefits of being older, but look at it this way, you get to do things before Sean, Ryan and Danny,” he consoled him. Adam grinned.
“That’s true, poor Danny will be the last for everything, that sucks,” he declared. Harry nodded. Poor Danny just grinned; he had no idea what they were talking about. Harry took all the kids outside to pick up leaves in the yard and they had a good time. All the dogs had gone hunting with Jake and Jackson.
When the hunters came home, Jackson was grinning with excitement.
“Oh, wow, you should have seen all the turkeys flying in the air and Dad was shooting them down, it was so cool and Bo and Gertie chased them and brought them back,” he told his brothers and sisters. “All the dogs were running in the woods and bringing birds back and having the best time, it was so cool, I love hunting, Dad says when I’m ten I can have my own rifle and shoot turkeys.” Harry looked at Jake who shrugged.
“Max said that was the age Steve was when he got his first gun,” he told him. Harry nodded.
“Well, he’s the expert bird hunter so he would know,” he said. Jackson looked at him.
“Does that mean I get a rifle when I’m ten?” he asked with hope in his eyes. Harry nodded.
“If you want to hunt turkeys you have to have a