Chapter 118 – A Supper Meeting
Once everyone was seated, Gran looked up and right at her husband.
"James." Gran said.
"Lets pray." James said. "Heavenly Father, we come to You with a full table tonight. Please bless all that have joined us. Keep us safe this weekend as we attend the jumping competition and charity banquet. Please with all the young people jumping and keep them safe. Also please allow people's hearts to be open to giving to the worthy cause. Please be with us as we talk about things here around the table and keep us close to You. Help us to have open hearts and give us the words that need to be spoken. Lastly but not least, bless this food to our bodies and the hands that prepared it. Amen."
Several amens rang out. People started passing the food around. Once everyone had food and was eating, John looked at James.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay here." John said. "Sorry that we have to talk business over this lovely meal."
"No problem." James said. "So what did I miss?"
"We had barely gotten started when we were so rudely interrupted by my son." John said. "Then Marcus stopped by to update us on other things. When we realized the time, I asked your wife if we could talk about tomorrow while we ate."
Thomas had huffed at his father's comment which earned him a glare from both his father and Gran. If anyone would have been paying attention, they would have noticed the looks that passed between Jack, Nathan and Chris. Or the one that passed between Doug and Lee. They all knew that Thomas was treading on thin ice. Doug and Lee were also afraid that Thomas was going to continue to push Jack and if that happened, they weren't sure that they could talk him down again. Nathan and Chris were both thinking that they needed to further distance Thomas from Jack. At least everyone seemed to be on the same page about protecting Jack from any more discord from his parents.
"Very well." James said.
"All that had been shared was that Marco will be taking the horses over in the morning." Andrew said. "Also that there is a section reserved for us that will be manned by at least two State Police. Marcus promised that there would be a large police presence at the event. I am going to assume both in uniform and undercover."
"You all know that Nathan will be with me." James said. "We will be down with the horses, JP and Doug."
"Yes." John said. "Elizabeth and Lee will be up in the stands with myself, Margaret and security."
"To that." Gran said. "I have Coal Creek/Thornton Thoroughbred polo shirts for Peter, Andrew, Rob, Chris, Katie and Matthew. They have been washed and pressed."
"Thank you." Chris said.
The others nodded as well.
"I brought mine as well." John said.
"Good." Gran said. "I did have one brought up for you, but I wasn't sure if you needed it or not."
"As long as you don't mind." John said. "I will take the second one."
Gran nodded.
"So there will be six of my security team coming up in the morning." John said. "They will not be identified as being a part of our group. They will mingle with the rest of the crowd and keep an eye on things."
"I have a question." Andrew said.
"Go ahead." John said.
"Since we will be in Coal Creek polo shirts." Andrew said. "How are we supposed to act?"
John nodded understanding the question.
"You are always a security member." John said. "But since you will be sitting with us and basically representing the company, you will be treated like our guests."
Charlotte huffed and Thomas just looked at his father with a look of disdain.
"No fair." Tommy whined. "I want to go, I haven't gotten to do anything while I have been up here. They work for you and I am an owner of Thornton Thoroughbreds, but I can't go. Not fair, I want to go."
"No!" James and Gran said at the same time.
"Absolutely not." John said. "From what I understand, you haven't earned it. If I am correct, you still have chores that you will be doing during the day."
"I have arranged for a special detail to sit with him tomorrow night." Andrew said.
Thomas and Charlotte looked at Andrew.
"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked.
"Just what I said." Andrew said. "You haven't bothered to deal with Tommy's attitude before now, so John is."
Thomas glared at his father, but it didn't seem to bother him. John finished the food that was in his mouth and then leveled his own glare at Thomas.
"Don't look at me like that Thomas John." John said. "You don't think I don't know what is going on. I have talked to Devin, as well as several members of your household staff. Just because you have tried to do something this week, it is too little too late. I have two people coming in who will be in charge of Tommy at least until he leaves for McQuid."
"We are going back to the city on Tuesday." Thomas said. "Tommy is coming with us, he is our son. We will say what happens."
"Not if you want me to continue to pay for anything other than minimum security." John said. "I also have notices from twelve of the household staff that will leave if Tommy is allowed to come back. They don't trust you to continue to discipline him. They are afraid that Tommy is going to hurt them, especially since he has threatened them in the past."
Peter picked up his tablet that was sitting next to him and sent a quick message. He caught the look that Gran and Jack both gave him. He looked at Gran, mouthed 'Sorry' and then put the tablet in his bag at his feet. Gran gave him a nod.
"You can't do that." Thomas said.
"Watch me." John said. "I told you over a year ago that Tommy was out of control and if you didn't do something about it, I would. You have allowed his behavior to continue. You have forced Nathan, Jack and Doug to deal with him when you have been unable. Boys, I am sorry that you were put in that position. Please accept my apologies."
"Thank you, Sir." Doug said.
"Thank you." Jack said.
"It wasn't a problem." Nathan said. "But thank you."
"We will deal with the rest in a bit." Andrew said. "Let's finish the security detail for tomorrow."
"Yes." John said. "Elizabeth."
"Yes, Sir." Elizabeth said.
"When we leave the farm tomorrow and get to the venue." John said. "Please stay close to Lee or Katie. Chris, Rob, Katie and Matthew will be meeting us there. As will Peter and Andrew. They will have two cars. I assume Nathan, Doug, Lee, Jack and you will all be heading over together."
"Yes, Sir." Nathan said.
"Then Nathan." John said. "I am requesting you be armed until other security gets there."
Nathan nodded.
"John." James said. "I was thinking that you could come over with me. I will be leaving about the same time that Nathan and the others will be leaving."
"That will be fine." John said. "Do you know what time?"
"We have to check in by noon." James said. "Marco will take the horses over about ten. That will give them some time after being in the trailer, even though it is a short ride. It is still a new environment and a trailer ride."
"I told Marco to leave at nine." Jack said. "We will go do chores in the morning and then make sure the horses are washed and brushed. After we are done, Marco is going to take them right away. We are only taking Bandit and Ghost."
"Jack." Doug said. "I switched to Aphrodite. Marco knows. Ghost was a little agitated this afternoon. He had rubbed the scab off his cut. I felt it best to let him be."
"Is he okay?" James asked.
"Yes." Doug said. "Carlo has been taking wonderful care of him. We had decreased his chamomile thinking he would be jumping tomorrow. He wasn't bleeding, but I didn't want to chance the cut opening up with him rubbing the scab off. When I called and talked to Marco, he agreed."
"I agree with Doug." Nathan said.
"Very well." James said. "I wasn't going to name horses until we got there. I called Cass and told her that both JP and Doug would be jumping and we would name the horses when we got there. Do you still plan to try and ride him for the Sugar Creek show?"
"Yes." Doug said. "I am just glad that Aphrodite is up to speed."
"You can still take Honey if you want." Jack said.
"How about I call Marco and have him take all three." James said. "It won't hurt Honey to go with us and that way you can see in the morning."
"Already sent him a message." Peter said.
"Thank you." James said.
"What is the plan after the jumping competition?" Andrew asked.
"We will all be coming back here to relax." Gran said. "I will have platters of food to nibble on. You are all welcome to come over here and then get ready for the banquet here as well."
Peter, Andrew, Chris and Rob all looked at John, after they had glanced at Margaret and each other.
"Fine by me, it is Margaret's house." John said. "So after the competition, you can stop at the hotel and get your clothes for the evening. I have arranged for a fifteen passenger luxury bus to be here by seven to take us back for the banquet."
"Everyone have appropriate clothes?" Charlotte scoffed.
"Black dress pants and shoes with cream colored shirts and a nice suit coat." Chris said.
"Same here." Andrew said.
Peter nodded.
"I have a simple black cocktail dress." Katie said.
"What kind of dress is it?" Elizabeth asked.
Charlotte rolled her eyes. An action that didn't go unnoticed by either of her parents, John or Jack.
"It is a simple A-line knee length black cocktail dress." Katie said. "It has ruffles and a half jacket with three quarter lace sleeves."
"Sounds pretty." Elizabeth said.
"Thank you." Katie said.
"So are we all going on the bus?" Chris asked.
"If you wouldn't mind." John said. "I would like at least a couple of you to take a car, just in case."
"Rob and I can do that." Andrew said. "We will take Matthew with us."
"Rob?" John asked.
"Sounds good to me." Rob said.
"Good then that is settled." John said. "Everyone else will be on the bus. You will all sit with us, I have enough tickets for everyone. I have three tables reserved for us. Afterwards, we will all come back here and then you guys can get your stuff and head back to the hotel."
"I thought it was only two." Thomas said.
"I said three." John said, sharply. "I know what I said and I meant what I said."
"Thank you." Chris said. "That sounds good. So what is the plan for Sunday?"
"Bill and Abigail Avery are coming over with their children." Gran said. "Father Mark is also coming after Church. We are going to have a nice meal and then several will be going on a trail ride. I assume that there will be music at some point. Abigail said that they were planning to be here most of the day. I haven't spoken to Father Mark specifically about it, but I would assume he would be here most of the day as well. I know that he was looking forward to spending time with JP and his friends and I know that he will want to ride as well."
"What time is Church?" Peter asked.
"Nine." Gran said. "You all are more than welcome to join us. There is plenty of food if you want to come over in the afternoon as well."
Charlotte and Thomas both huffed.
"Margaret." James said. "With the Classic they moved Church to ten. So it is seven and ten at St Peter and eight-thirty and ten-thirty at St Clement's."
"That is right." Gran said.
"Or Chris," John said. "You six can go to a restaurant of your choice, my treat. If you want to ride, you can come back here later."
Gran picked up her phone and texted Abigail about the time change so that she knew.
"Can we let you know tomorrow?" Chris asked.
"That is fine." John said. "Is there anything else that we need to know for tomorrow."
"What about us?" Thomas asked.
"What about it?" John said.
"You have made all these plans and didn't bother to ask us what we are doing." Thomas said.
"You are the ones that are acting like spoiled children." John said. "I was assuming that you had made your own arrangements. You have been acting like you are better then everyone else since the moment I got here."
"You are more than welcome to join us." Gran said. "As long as you can behave and from what I have seen today, I am not sure. I told you I will not have any more discord in this house. I am not going to put up with your negativity all day tomorrow. Not only have you been warned, but there will also be other guests sitting with us. I have invited a few friends and I am sure that John has done the same. Especially when Cass called and confirmed that we needed an area for at least twenty people."
"Yes, thank you." John said. "I invited a few business associates. This was before I knew that JP was jumping. JP, are you okay with that? Anything else?"
"They are more than welcome to join." Jack said. "As long as they can follow Gran's rules. Also I don't want either Ma or Dad near me until after we are done jumping. I can't and won't deal with the nitpicking and drama. Once I leave here in the morning, I don't want them near me until after the competition. There will also be no pictures other than official event photos. I don't want Ma sharing my photo and activities with all of her snobby friends. I have more or less stepped back from social media and even though I am jumping, I am not willing to put myself out there any more than I absolutely have to. I am an adult and if those rules can't be followed then well …."
"I have a right to post whatever I want on social media." Charlotte interrupted. "You can't stop me. I have a right to brag about my son."
John looked over at Peter, who reached down and pulled a folder out of his bag.
"Before we get into that." Gran said. "Tommy dishes. Doug and Lee, can you please clear the table."
"Yes, ma'am." Doug said.
"Yes, ma'am." Lee said.
Doug and Lee got up and started clearing the food. Tommy just sat there with his arms crossed.
"Tommy." Gran said. "I told you to go do the dishes."
"You aren't the boss of me." Tommy yelled. "I am not doing another thing until I get my phone back and I am allowed to go tomorrow. It isn't fair that JP gets to do whatever he wants."
"Tommy." Thomas said. "You were told to do something. Now, go do it."
"No!" Tommy yelled.
While Tommy was throwing his fit, Jack and Nathan got up and helped clear the table. Elizabeth got up to make sure that the after dinner coffee was ready for those who wanted it.
"Thomas." John said. "Are you going to deal with your son or am I?"
"I am trying." Thomas said. "Tommy, go now. I mean it. You already lost your phone and all your clothes. Do you really want me to send you to New Mexico?"
"New Mexico?" Charlotte asked. "We never talked about New Mexico. What is in New Mexico?"
"Not now, Charlotte." Thomas said. "Tommy, do what your Grandmother asked."
"NO!" Tommy yelled and then stuck out his tongue.
Everyone else was sitting watching this, wondering what was going on. They were wondering what they should do, but then one look at John and they knew that they needed to remain quiet. Charlotte and Thomas started arguing back and forth. John was trying to talk to them.
