And Along Came Jake (27 page)

"That sounds too familiar." Jake said under his breath.

"Excuse me sir? I didn't hear you."

"Nothin' kid. Why don't we go back to my house, and get you something to eat? You can tell us the whole story, would you like that?"

"Oh boy! Yes indeed, I'm starving!" he said.

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Madison was in the living room, with the children folding clothes, waiting for Jake to come back, so they could eat dinner. She was surprised when Jake walked in with a young boy. The look on her husband's face told her she'd have an extra guest for dinner this evening.

"Let me put another set on the table." Madison said as she smiled.

"Honey—children "Jake said. "This here is—I'm sorry kid, I don't even know your name."

"My names Arnold sir— Arnold Beven." He said as he stuck out his hand, smiling.

"Your last name's Beven?" Jake asked, shaking the boys' hand, looking at Madison in disbelief."

"It's Beven?" Madison asked, as she set a plate on the table and walked back into the living room.

"Yes ma'am!" The boy said, about to tell them more when his stomach made the loudest growl any of them had ever heard.

"Oh my—you must be starving!" Madison said. "Come on, let's sit and eat, you can tell us all about it over dinner."

As they began to eat, Arnold Beven told them the entire story. He said he lived in an orphanage located in Nelson Missouri; a small town five miles away from Blackwater. He'd been in and out of foster homes his entire life. He brought up the fact that he was almost a teenager, and his chances of ever being adopted were slim to none. He couldn't stand being at the orphanage any longer, and didn't want to stay there until he turned eighteen. So he ran away and wanted to start a new life in Blackwater. He told the Patterson's he never knew his parents, or any relatives for that matter; the orphanage's director said his parents dropped him off when he was born.

"Do you know anything about your parents or your family?" Madison asked curiously.

"Umm" Arnold said looking up towards the ceiling and thought for a moment. "The only thing I remember the director telling me, is that my great-great-great grandfather came to Missouri from Wales, or somewhere like that, way back in the eighteen hundreds. She told me the Beven family has lived around this area of Missouri ever since then. That's about all I know, doesn't matter to me anyway. I've never seen or came across any other Beven my whole life."

As they were finishing up dinner, Jake and Madison were in total awe. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. It almost didn't seem real, for the great-great-great grandson of Todd Beven to be sitting in their home having dinner with them.

Everyone went to the living room, but Jake excused himself and went to his bedroom. He returned, carrying a small wooden box, and sat down next to young Arnold Beven.

"Arnold, I think you'll find the things in this box very interesting." Jake said as he opened it and pulled out pictures and articles.

As he read the articles and looked through the pictures, Arnold Beven couldn't believe that after all this time, he was finally able to see and know something about his family history.

He didn't cry then, nor when he was taken to his great-great-great grandfather's grave, just behind the new house. It wasn't until later that night, when he broke down, as he lay on his new bed at the newly built house, clutching onto the old wooden box containing the pictures and articles of Blackwater's hero, and his great-great-great grandfather, Todd Beven, great-great-great grandmother Phyllis Beven, and their child, his great-great grandfather Arnold Beven, who he was most likely named after.

After Jake and Madison put their children to bed, they went to the living room and pulled out an old photo album, containing pictures from when Jake first moved into the old barn when he was only twelve years old. They went picture by picture, discussing what they remembered at that particular time.

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Day by day, month by month, season by season, and year after year, time steadily marched on. It almost seemed, that each new year was sweeter than the one before. Jake and Madison eventually contacted the orphanage in Nelson Missouri, and made arrangements to adopt Arnold Beven, giving him the option to keep his last name.

A lot went on in the small town of Blackwater through the years. To any traveler, it's probably nothing more than a tiny dot on a map, a place to ask for directions, or a quick stop to find a public restroom. Then, with no thought of the possible treasures this small, insignificant town may hold, people would quickly get back in their vehicles, and continue on with their journey.

But as for the residents of Blackwater, there was always something exciting happening, never a dull moment, and a friend could always be found at any given time. Blackwater was a place like no other, where a simple handshake meant much more than the agreement itself.

Buildings, houses, scenery and people would occasionally change, and those who left Blackwater, for whatever reason, would eventually make it back, if only to visit. While some things slowly faded with time, there is one old tree in particular that has lasted through the years.

To this day, this old tree stands strong and tall, directly in front of a little house, built in place of the old barn. It's located near a small gravesite where two of Blackwater's greatest heroes are laid to rest. This tree still holds the old faded carving, from an adventurous twelve year old boy, who skillfully used his father's pocketknife, back in the summer of 1935 to etch the letters J-A-K-E.

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Author's Notes

I hope you enjoyed reading "And Along Came Jake." I didn't always have a passion for writing, I had no idea it would be so much fun. Actually, my love of writing was somewhat accidental. May sound odd I realize, and if interested, I go into more detail on my website:

http://ChrisVacaBooks.com
.

While you're there, you can also check out my blog, FAQ's, and get firsthand information on new and upcoming books. If you have time, I would be very grateful if you would rate and review this book on Amazon.com.

Thank you for your time and support,

-Chris-