Chapter 9

Peter did nothing to talk his father out of seeking justice on Tom Cooper for what he did to their boy because that was how he was looking at it himself…not as revenge but to have justice served on that old man and with that frame of mind when the truck came to a stop at the Cooper's place, Peter followed his dad to the front door.

"Hello Sally," Mike courteously greeted the granddaughter, "Is your grandfather home?"

"Yes, sir…he's in the den with Dick Stevens, they only just arrived. Do you want me to announce you?"

"No, let me surprise him," Mike said as he walked to the back of the house where Tom's den was located. Peter started to follow him when Sally stopped him.

"Mr. Burke, what's wrong? Does this have anything to do with why Neal called to say he couldn't make our luncheon date?" Sally asked fearfully.

Peter saw Evelyn nearby and made eye contact with her before glancing back at Sally. He didn't want to hurt either of these two ladies. It wasn't their fault that Tom was the way he was but he had to be honest and said, "I'm afraid that it is…I'm sorry…" he broke off when he heard a loud commotion come from the back of the house. "I've got to go," he added as he sprinted through the house to see his dad standing there with a leather strap in his hand.

"Is this what you used on my grandson, Tom?" he asked as he swung it around menacingly.

"Is that what he said?"

"Yes! I wonder how you would like to feel it in the same area as it was felt by Neal," roared Mike as he suddenly let the end fly catching Tom on his lower back.

"OWW! Mike you don't know what you are doing!" shouted Tom as he dodged another lick.

"Why? Did that hurt, Tom?" Mike asked sarcastically.

"Yes, it hurt…have you lost your mind. Dick grab him," ordered Tom as Peter walked in and said,

"I think that Dick and I will sit this one out," as he glared at Dick with his best FBI glare. Dick got the hint and moved back to where he was as Mike approached. Tom once again, swinging the strap and caught the older man a bit lower this time as he put his entire strength behind it causing Tom to shriek with agony especially as the licks continued to fly just as hard. He cornered Tom in the back of the room and laid in to him relentlessly until he had Tom cowering and crying in the back of his den. It was only then that Mike threw the strap down.

"If you ever think of doing this to my Neal again or pay someone to do it I'll be back to finish this and remember this is only your word against mine on how you just got a strapping of your life. Maybe if you had experienced this earlier in your life you would be kinder to those around you now!" Mike said quietly.

"Come on son, let's get back to Neal," Mike added as he walked out pausing only long enough to offer his regrets to Evelyn and Sally.

Thanks to the painkillers and salve Neal was able to rest for the remainder of the

day and was able to move around a bit easier the next day…so much so that when El came up to check on him she found him trying to get dressed.

"Oh no you don't Neal. It is too early for you to get dressed. I figured that you need at least a couple of more days lounging around before you will be able to get dressed…so you just put those pajama pants back on, young man."

"I've got to Mom," pleaded Neal. "I stood Sally up yesterday and I'm not about to do it again today."

El smiled and said, "She knows the reason you didn't make it yesterday and trust me she understands. In fact she is downstairs and she has brought you some of the cookies she made yesterday."

"Sally is here? Won't her grandfather be mad…I don't think I can take making him mad again," Neal said as he hurriedly got back into his pajamas and put his robe and slippers on.

"Your grandfather had a 'talk' with him yesterday and he won't be bothering the two of you again," El explained delicately. She would leave it to Peter to fully explain what happened at a later date.

Neal smiled at that and with El's help gingerly and carefully made it down the stairs to find that a picnic blanket had been set up in the living room with pillows placed strategically around so he would have a soft place to lie.

Sally was just coming out of the kitchen with a plate of cookies followed by Sarah with two glasses of milk. It wasn't long before Neal and Sally were laughing and eating her cookies. "How did you know that I always liked to dunk my chocolate chip cookies in milk before eating them?" asked Neal before dunking another.

"You, too? That's how I like to eat them, too," laughed Sally as she took another bite.

Sally stayed for supper that night and was there for the rest of the week while Neal healed until he was able to reveal the painting he had been working on each night after she left. "That must have been some talk Big Mike had with your grandfather to get him to change his mind about me. I just wished he had it before your grandfather thrashed me," Neal mentioned after walking to her car for the last time. She would be leaving early the next morning to go back home.

Sally looked at Neal curiously. "Talk? Your grandfather didn't have a talk with my granddad, he gave him a strapping with the same strap granddad used on you and threatened him with finishing it if anything like this ever happened to you again. He also told him that if he had been so punished at a younger age, maybe he would be kinder to all around him. He couldn't sit for days and afterwards he has been nicer and even apologized to me for trying to run my life," explained Sally.

"Wow…this has surely been a learning experience for me. I've been accepted by two sets of wonderful grandparents. They have both taught me that love is unconditional in their own separate ways. I never had that sort of love shown to me except by my mother before she died when I was young. It is nice that Peter caught me in the first place or I would never know the love of parents, grandparents and a girlfriend," Neal said before kissing Sally goodbye.

"Maybe I can come and visit you in NYC and you can visit me in Washington," Sally said before driving off.

Neal nodded as he rejoined his parents while they were packing for their journey back home tomorrow. Their first vacation as a family was ending and Neal couldn't wait until the next. "I wonder if I can convince Mom and Dad to visit Washington, DC next time," he thought as he walked back in.

The End