Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:56:03 GMT
From: "tedmack@juno.com" <tedmack@juno.com>
Subject: The Wager: Chapter 4

This story is copyright protected and intended for adults only. To
appreciate this story more fully you might want to read about the
Vanderkill family in the: The Vanderkill Legacy.

				 The Wager
				 Chapter 4
			  A Vanderkill Christmas!

After Thanksgiving our heroes went on a whirlwind tour of Buffalo,
Rochester and the small upstate town of Churchville on Jacob Vanderkill's
private jet. It was a particular thrill for the boys who had never been on
an airplane ride before. They were taken on an exploratory visit to the
town from which they were to say they hailed and then the Rochester home of
the great camera company. They were shown farmland in Churchville, the
supposed home od their ancestors and an old house that once belonged to
their Long gone "Aunt Libby" the matriarch of the clan. Jacob left no stone
unturned in authenticating their heritage.They now had papers showing them
as descended from real people. A background that would be hard to
refute. Society friends of Jacob's who had been snubbed br brother James
were prepared to authenticate Jonathon and his son if somehow approached
for information.Now back in their Long Island home they were given a few
days rest before their tutoring was restarted. "Uncle Jacob" added one more
new piece of information much to Johny's delight. His birth certificate had
been altered to give him a new middle name- or rather to reinstate his old
one. He was now Jonathon Frederick Throckmorten. That meant that to avoid
confusion with his father he could now go back to using his real name:
Freddy!

A few nights after their return little Joey woke up in the middle of the
night and called for his brother. When he noticed that Freddy was gone he
broke into a panic and started calling for him. Not receiving an answer, in
a terrified sweat he nervously made his way into the hall and started
banging on Jonathon's door. Startled, Freddy jumped out of his father's bed
and tripped over himself trying to put on his underpants. Jonathon reached
out and gently put a restraining hand on the lad's shoulder. He then put on
a robe to cover himself and went to the door. Jonathon and Freddy had been
trying to keeps their nocturnal trysts a secret from Joey thinking that the
little boy was too young and had undergone too much trauma to understand
about their lovemaking. Jonathon slowly opened the door and tenderly picked
up the panic stricken boy. He held him close and kissed him on the
forehead. He then brought him over to the bed and gently laid him down next
to Freddy. He then went into the bathroom and put on a pair of briefs. Then
he returned to his bed and lad down next to Joey and pulled him into an
embrace.

"I thought you left me. I thought you left me!" Joey kept saying over and
over."

"I will never leave you I promise." Jonathon said quietly in the boy's
ear." And never will Freddy leave you either. Freddy was looking all over
for you do you think he would ever let you go?"

"Yeah," said Freddy quietly into Joey's other ear. "Your our boy forever
now no matter what happens. You can't get rid of us, I promise."

Gradually Joey began to calm down. Soon he was breathing evenly. Then his
eyes closed and he was asleep. Jonathon looked and Freddy and said, "I
think that you are going to bring him in with you when you come from now
on. We will talk to him in the morning and get him to promise not to say
anything. I don't know how much he will understand but it is either that or
we won't be able to make love any more."

So the next morning after breakfast they all went to the pool for a
swim. First they asked Joey if he had any questions and of course he wanted
to know why Freddy kept sneaking off every night and leaving him alone and
terrified. Freddy and answered that he always thought that Joey was asleep
and that he was sorry if they scared him. They ten explained that what they
were doing was very private but since Joey was a part of the family he
would be brought along but Joey must promise not to tell anyone what was
going on. Then Jonathon added that if Joey had any question he was free to
ask and they would answer him as best they could, Just then the bell rang
announcing Adelia Vanderkill's arrival. Freddy put a finger to his lips in
a shushing manner. So did Jonathon and he was followed by Joey who smiled
while making his own shushing gesture.

After their etiquette session Aunt Adelia surprised them by staying to
watch while Thomas tutored them.She then questioned thomas as to how the
sessions were going. Thomas replied that both boys were doing very well and
were actually ready to take their placement exams for Stanton
Academy. After he left Aunt Adelia told the boys that their was one more
area in which they needed tutoring and that to that end a new pool table
was being installed. She added that while her generation did not feel that
playing pool was proper for young gentlemen the once low thought of sport
was for some reason now in vogue and she had heard that her nephew James
was considered quite adept at the "sport" and so with the Christmas Eve
party coming up it was thought best that the boys learn the game. Freddy
was ecstatic! He was a killer with the pool cue and would get to
practice. Bring the "evil" boy on he thought.

Never the less he was as nervous as the others as the great day
approached. On the one hand he and Joey were excited as a real Christmas
approached. Freddy had had some great Christmases before his parents had
died but joey could never remember ever getting anything from Santa
Clause. Their real Christmas would have to wait however. First they had
work to do. That work entailed their first meeting with the James
Vanderkill family. This was the sole purpose of their sudden rise from
poverty to wealth. If they were to have a bright future they would need to
get through this night unscathed. They approached the door with false
confidence. They got through the introductions unscathed. Jacob's son Jesse
who had befriended them on Thanksgiving took them in hand. While Jonathon
was lead off to the Lion's den Jesse took the boys into the hornets
nest. As expected "Daniel" greeted them coldly and tried his best to ignore
them. Daniel's younger brother Jeffery on the other hand seemed to take to
the new boys right away. In the big play room were three pool tables Daniel
seemed to be holding some kind of a tournament. He and a friend were taking
on partners of their choice. No one seemed able to beat them. Freddy went
over to the third table and joined Joey and Jeffrey. He played with them
quietly while keeping an eye on the first table. Daniel and his partner had
just defeated Jesse and the British boy Sydney and were looking for a fresh
team to conquer.

Freddie looked at Jeffrey who appeared to look left out and said "Let's
take them on' in a loud voice."

"No way!" said Daniel. We only take on qualified players.

Sydney responded "What are you afraid that the new boy will beat you?"

"Are you crazy," daniel responded. "He doesn't even belong here. He is not
part of our set."

Jesse shot back, " he is my friend and Sydney's friend and his father is a
close friend and associate of my father's so if you won't play him and your
younger brother- who you just called a nobody- Sydney and I will play them
and you can go play a game with two boys you already defeated but I doubt
that they will play you again so you two can keep playing each other and we
will have our own tournament on another table."

Gradually the other boys wore Daniel down and he reluctantly agreed to play
Freddie and Jeffery. The game was on!

Daniel took the first shot and rattled the balls around. A striped ball
fell in the side pocket. Daniel was over anxious on his next shot however
and and nothing went down. Freddie let Jeffery go next and the nervous boy
scratched. Daniel's partner managed to get two more striped balls in the
pocket and then he scratched so Freddie took over and take over he
did. Carefully walking around the table he looked the balls over. He had
what seemed to be an impossible shot before him. Three striped balls sat
between the cue ball and all of the solids that were still on the
table. Finally he settled down to shoot saying as he did so" You know eight
ball is all right for amateurs but real pool players play Rotation. I tell
you what. I'll make a friendly wager with you. If you two win Jeffery and I
will go to another table and not bother you again. But if we win then you
Daniel must agree to play me in a game of rotation."

Looking at the table and seeing that he and his partner were sure to win
Daniel haughtily agreed. As soon as Daniel nodded his head Freddy leaned in
and cleaned off the table making seemingly impossible shot after impossible
shot. Looking on and cheering were Jeffery, Joey and Sydney with his
brother Thomas. Daniel slammed down his pool table ready to stalk out of
the room only to find his father standing in the doorway. Now James
Vanderkill may have been a snob but unlike his wife and older son he was a
fair man and he had seen the whole thing.

"And just where do you think you are going young man?"

"This nobody just cheated. I don't even know what he is doing here!" daniel
pouted as he walked right into his father.

"In the first place the lad is your guest and while we do not know him his
father is a friend of your uncle Jacob and you will treat him with courtesy
in this house. Now I think that you agreed to play a game of rotation so I
expect you to do so politely and without making an unseemly scene in your
own house. Do you understand." then turning to Freddy he said, " I am James
Vanderkill welcome to my home and Merry Christmas to you."

"Thank you sir, I am Jonathon Frederick Throckmorton. I am pleased to meet
you. They call me Freddie so as not to confuse me with my father."

And so James watched as Freddie cleaned off the table again. He then went
to shake Daniel's hand and with his father watching daniel reluctantly
responded. "I am going to have to keep my eye on this boy whoever he is "
Daniel thought.

Freddy had similar thoughts. "I am going to have to be careful with this
one. I shouldn't have made him my enemy, but it was worth it and at least I
know I have Jeffrey on my side. Going to school with them will be
difficult- but fun. Uncle Jacob said that it will not be easy and it
won't."

After refreshments were served every one said "Merry Christmas" to each
other. Every one but Daniel and Freddy. They just avoided each other.Soon
Jonathon and his boys were on their way to their limo. Uncle Jacob went
with the.

"That went better than I expected." he said. You may have gotten Daniel a
little angry but that is nothing new. You won't have to face him again
until after the New Year but then I believe that you will be in the same
class with him and Jesse. I have spoken to the Head of school and he told
me that you both passed your tests. You particularly Frederick. He was
talking about skipping you ahead one class but I talked him out of it. I
told him that you have friends in the fifth grade and that is where you
would be happiest. It might have ruined every thing if he had put you
ahead. Well you have a Merry Christmas and we will see you tomorrow for
dinner at three P.M."

With that our trio happy but tired headed home. Joey was determined to stay
up to see Santa Claus but he was asleep before they arrived at home.