The purchase of the Willit property had not gone well. Homer Willit had left his entire estate to some obscure organization for the preservation of Druid chants and Mariel was contesting. There was no chance that she could prevail but her avarice did delay probate of the will and the sale of the property. That may have worked in Henry's favor. By the time Mariel had become convinced further litigation would avail her nothing, the attorneys for the estate were so fed-up, they took Henry's first offer. It was a fair price but on the low end of fair.
The house was well appointed. Henry was surprised. With Mariel doing the decorating, he assumed it would be gaudy and crass. But it was tasteful and practical. Very little would have to be done to make it practical and enjoyable for children. Henry asked Sarah Collin's advice as to the necessary changes and additional furnishings.
Stevie had been after Sarah to allow another visit to Grünfelder. Sarah brought the boy when she came to look over the Willit place.
Stevie was much more stable but far from "cured". He was allowed to go with Marty to the barn to watch the milking. Uncle Reind had taken the boy back to Sarah within a half-hour. His rude analogies about teats going into teat cups and the possible benefits those suction devices would have for a portion of the male anatomy - and his offer to make his mouth available to that same anatomical structure for a price (It wasn't queer, you know, if you got paid for it.) embarrassed even the sometimes crude young herdsmen. And, Stevie's behavior made Marty and Larry furious. It was like being back on Dort Street for Marty or being a foster kid for Larry. Reind made it plain that Stevie would never again be welcome, neither in his barn nor around his son.
Stevie was amazingly subdued and well behaved around Sarah. Sarah had, however, found that what she thought to be the case was indeed the case. Stevie was simply pleasing her. He liked her but felt sure that she was the only person in the world who thought as she did. He had learned what it took to please her and was proud when he made her happy. But, he still held the values of his sub-culture - the world he knew. Stevie was confused and hurt. Most of the young guys he had known would have taken advantage of his offer or at least thought him funny. But he had made them mad. What kind of people were these?
Sarah had several, rather simple suggestions regarding making the house child worthy. They could be quickly accomplished and Henry thought "Martin House" could be ready for the Troller gang within two weeks. Henry had decided on the name as soon as he had the deed and abstract in his hand.
Sarah had another suggestion that at first surprised Henry and then excited him. "Dr. Schmidt, forgive me but I'm going to be rather forward. I have learned that you are a very wealthy man. I have also observed and have been told by Marty that you are a very loving man, that you love children. You have a beautiful property here, one with many possibilities. I'm asking that you consider expanding your group home to include a treatment facility in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin.
"Jefferson County does not have large numbers of court ward children. The state of Wisconsin and the surrounding states have many children in crisis and a facility that would provide both a home and treatment possibilities is very much needed and, if I may be so bold, an excellent use for your money."
Henry thought for only a few seconds. "That is a wonderful idea. What do we need to do?"
"I have already spoken with my staff and the University President. The President is willing to provide university support, both financial and professional and my staff people have already started the dreaming and planning. We need to organize and get some legal matters, such as use of the land, who actually owns the facility, that sort of thing cleared up. The President has insisted that you be on both the planning committee and the board of directors when the facility is up and running."
"I can assure you that the legal matters will resolve themselves smoothly and I agree to serve as you have suggested. I have only one suggestion. Actually, it's a demand. Whatever this facility becomes, it will be called, Martin House. None of this would be happening if it were not for Marty Tolliver."
Almost as much as had Marty, developing the Martin House complex gave new meaning to the life of Henry Schmidt. Well, not really almost as much. Nothing, absolutely nothing other than Annie had ever giving meaning and vitality to Henry Schmidt's life as had Marty Tolliver, his Little Bird.
The group home, that institutional sounding name, was gone and with it went the institutional mentality with the move to the Martin House. Myrt was elated. The house was big and clean and - well, she had never imagined living is such a mansion. Ces had proven to be meticulous in his work and Reind had made him overseer of the cleaning and sterilization of the machines and tubing that took the milk from the cow to the large cooling tanks. The tanks also had to be sterilized daily after the milk had been pumped into the tanker trucks.
Foreign bacteria anywhere in the system could cause hundreds of pounds of milk to be rejected. Ces had chosen his men carefully and while he was not a tyrant, he was demanding. Government inspectors had never mentioned a concern since Ces took over that operation.
Ces amazed himself. He had considered himself stupid but he had learned quickly and had earned Reind's trust and Henry's respect. For a youngen raised in a piney woods shack who hadn't worn britches around the shack until he was thirteen and showing fuzz, he'd done all right. That wasn't unusual in them woods for boys. In fact, it wasn't unusual in much of the rural south but it had always embarrassed him. Even other piney woods youngens got to wear britches all the time after they were big enough to go to school, about eight or nine. But he was the oldest and them britches had to last through four more boys. When your daddy can't even get you a pair of britches, you can't be worth a whole lot. He grew up thinking that he was inferior. He didn't learn differently until he was thirty-five and it was a comfort to know he wasn't what he'd always thought he was.
But the real change was in the children. Marty, of course, "lived" at Martin House but now that was his pretend house. Why stay there when your real house was right across the road? He ate some meals at Martin House and he caught the bus with the other kids but he was finally where he belonged, in his and Uncle Henry's house.
The twins perhaps made the biggest change. They had learned to love Grünfelder and the freedom country living allowed - a lot more room, no busy streets, no bogeyman to grab you, and Fritz, and Corky, and Ferdinand and Scout and Midnight and, most important, a much more relaxed and happy Aunt Myrt and Uncle Ces. Even Sarah Collins was pleased and hopeful.
It was hard to tell about Freddy. He wasn't there that much. He was either at school or in Green Bay. Ted Fulmore had three girls, ages three, six and eight. He was as smart as his twin but academics bored him. He went into the "trucking" business with a very used pickup as soon as he got his driver's license. Now at age thirty-two he owned a fleet of twelve semis. He had a lovely wife, a beautiful home, healthy kids, everything he wanted - except a son.
The girls love Freddy, Sue loved Freddy, and, damn, if he didn't love the boy too. The kid was a little insecure. He needed a lot of love and reassurance but he tried hard to please and, by god, he did. He and Sue hadn't completely made up their minds but when you drive 40 miles out of the way when you're deadheading back to Green Bay from Milwaukee to pick the kid up so you could be with him for the weekend, well, that should tell you something. Sue and Ted were deciding how soon they ought to talk to Fred.
Linda was the only one whom the move didn't seem to brighten. She wasn't sullen or impudent - just kind of sad and resigned. Marty decided that he knew the reason and took it upon himself to resolve it. He told the school secretary that he needed an appointment with Mr. Brainard.
Marty didn't mince words. "You know what? Linda loves you and you got room. All your kids are gone and you aren't as old as Uncle Henry and Uncle Henry's got me so you could have Linda. She's sad and she needs a home."
The Brainards had been talking about it. Did they - actually, did he - want to do the adolescent thing again? They'd done it three times. Steve knew that Irene wanted to at least foster the girl. He had kids all day. He'd come to enjoy the "empty house" syndrome. Marty was a smart, brazen little shit and in the back of his mind, Steve knew the boy was right. He wasn't ready to admit that yet. Since the Brainards had become part of the Grünfelder circle, Steve had come to love Marty. He just wished the kid hadn't been so damn forward and honest about this Linda thing.