UNDERCOVER AND IN LOVE

CHAPTER 36: THE HANSON KIDS

TIME JUMP  18 YEARS LATER

It's hard to believe, time has gone so fast.  I wish sometimes I could just slow it down.

Our kids keep us busy for sure. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

We stay busy, the bowling alley is packed 7 days a week, although Tom and I don't go in each day. He has a couple of guys who have been with us from the start, and they are manager and assistant manager.

A little bit about our family.

Thomas will soon be 18.  I did home school him but he really wanted to go to real school as he called it back then, with his friends.

  Tom's idea of having a nursery at the bowling alley was a big hit, and our bowling alley got even busier, more bowlers, more parties.  We were able to hire several great ladies to work the nursery, and people just feel better knowing they can have a day off from their kids, but not have to worry about them or pay for a babysitter. We don't charge, the only time we do charge, is if they are actually not bowling, but need a nursery for their kids. If they are eating in our restaurant and paying, or they pay to bowl, its free childcare, and you can't beat that.

Thomas ended up making lots of new friends after we opened the nursery.  Several of them he is still best friends with today.

Tom still worries about our safety, but we have had no threats, no danger, no troubles, so while we won't ever really not worry about it, or let down our guard, we do feel safe, and we do relax.

Thomas is very handsome, and loves to work out. He loves sports, and is an all star running back, and defensive back, wrestler, and plays baseball.  Of course he loves to bowl like his dad. He works at the bowling alley to make his money. And he loves to bowl with Tom. He was thrilled last year, when Tom had an opening on Tom's bowling team, and asked if Thomas wanted to become a full time part of the team. Actually a couple of times, Thomas actually beat Tom in bowling. Now if you talk to Tom about it, he tells me that he let him win. But Thomas was so excited. He's taller than Tom and towers over me.

Thomas has all the girls wanting to date him, and the younger boys wanting to be him. One of the girls who is crushing on Thomas, is one of his best friends, and I so wish he would be with her. She's so sweet. She's become almost like family to us,

 Judy and I are great friends with her mom, and Tom and Dennis are friends with her dad.  We actually met her parents when they came to bowl, they were newly married, and didn't have much money to be able to afford a baby sitter, so when they saw that we were going to have a free nursery, they joined a bowling league.

 Her name is Mariah and she was Thomas's first friend.  They were so cute playing together, and Thomas was so sweet to her, giving hugs and sharing his toys, and snacks.

Since they were struggling to make ends meet, they were worrying and her mom, Carol, thought that she needed to find a job, but her husband Dean didn't think that they could afford childcare. Well we ended up helping them out. 

For one, Judy ended up getting her a job at the station, as a receptionist. To answer calls, take messages, and do typing, and filing.  And I told Carol that since we have the nursery, if she wanted she could leave Mariah every day with us. That usually Tom and I are there with Thomas, but we have excellent ladies who take good care of the kids there during the day and night.

Her parents have since divorced, and her father has a new girl, her mom is still in love with Dean, but he didn't want to be married any more, and then he ended up meeting a younger woman, needless to say I don't like her very much.

Mariah is so sweet, and she has had a crush on Thomas, I think ever since they met. Carol and I are always wishing and praying and hoping that they end up together.