I was quite shaken by this. Worth’s face deepened into a frown. He didn’t want to say aloud what we were both thinking. Finally, he sighed and said, “I’m going to have him talk to Tyler for a while. In fact, I think I’ll have him work weekends at the foundation, helping to build. He’s old enough now to learn to use a hammer. There are workmen there who will supervise. Don’t worry, Auggie, it’s just a stage.”
I said a silent prayer that Worth was right. There was no going back at this point. Military school hadn’t worked and even home-schooling didn’t seem to be the right fit for him. I was holding out hope that the school in Oldham County, where he would be among kids like himself, would do the trick. It seemed ironic that the son of a psychologist would be having such problems, but there was no way you could overlook his genetic contribution.
Dad and Margaret were in town, selling the farm. I asked Dad what he thought about it.
“Well, Auggie, there’s always been something a bit different about Ford. I used to think it was because he was an only child and that if he had siblings, he would change. That sounds like it’s not such a good idea after all. He’s spoiled, just as you were spoiled, but then you had core values that carried you through. I think Worth is right. I think it would be good for him to work at the Foundation for a while. Let him see the kids who aren’t as lucky as he is and let him learn to use his hands. Nothing will take the fight out of you faster than a hard day’s labor.”
I had to trust that Worth and Dad knew what they were talking about. The twins were growing daily and I was beginning to feel their weight dragging against my back. I had to sit down more often and had started taking naps every afternoon. My ankles were swelling and the doctor cut down my salt intake and told me to walk more. That was exactly the hardest thing to do.
I passed the time by driving out to Carlos Acres to check on the progress of the building. I was under orders not to walk around the construction site as I was becoming ungainly with my misshapen body. Beverly would come out and talk to me, pointing out different features and bringing me pictures of the interior on her iPad. It was a virtual tour of my new life and I couldn’t help but want to be more involved.
Dad’s farm sold quickly and they picked out a farm they wanted at Carlos Acres before heading back to Florida. Dad assured me that as my due date came closer, they would be up and on hand. I waved goodbye to them at the airport and wished they would stay longer. I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen, but had no idea what it would be.
Worth was extremely busy. He not only had the estate with the foundation to deal with, the new building to supervise and my health to watch over, he still had his clinics. There were now over fifty of them and they’d grown out of his ability to supervise. He put out the word and a buyer approached him. Worth negotiated to sell all but the original clinic in Louisville and the sale went without a hitch. Personally, I was glad he did it. He’d proven himself, the clinics would still carry his name and his brand and now he would have more time for me and our children. I wanted him to spend more time overseeing Ford’s home schooling.
My due date was rapidly approaching. I had given up travelling and spent most of the time in bed with my feet elevated. Worth was no longer leaving town, staying in Louisville in case I needed him.
My water broke on a Friday afternoon. Worth wasn’t taking any chances and called for an ambulance. He called Dad and put Ford in Betsy’s capable hands.
I was in labor for ten hours and it looked as though a Cesarean was imminent but then one of the babies moved and that seemed to clear the canal. Marga and Mark LaViere were born just before midnight and each weighed an identical six pounds. They were healthy and squalling, and I was intensely relieved it was all over.
Worth brought Ford to the hospital to see them through the nursery window. Worth didn’t tell me until later that Ford spat on the window and walked away. Worth caught up to him and spoke to him sternly. Ford ignored him.
I told Dad and Margaret not to bother making the trip. They had just gotten back to Florida and as soon as it was safe for the babies to travel, we would all come down and stay at the condo for the winter. Worth would fly back and forth so he could continue to oversee construction as needed.
I had agreed this once to let Worth design the house’s interior and choose the furnishings. I figured I’d had several shots at it and it was only fair to let him have some input for once. I told myself, I could always change it later.
I didn’t nurse the twins; they were too robust and it wore me down. Worth hired nurses to handle the feedings and their care. It felt so good to be able to sleep again, most especially on my tummy. At six weeks, the doctor gave the green light and we hired a private jet and left for Florida. Ford sat in the tail of the plane, staring out the window the entire time.
When we arrive, there was a great to-do about the babies, which only threw Ford into a darker mood. He refused to hug Margaret or Dad and quickly went to his room and slammed the door. I looked at Worth, who simply shook his head.
I spent a great deal of time walking on the beach. I needed the relaxation and the sunshine to recover. Having the babies had been harder than I’d imagined it would be. Perhaps it was Ford who was truly wearing me down, with worry as well as constant arguments. I didn’t know where my happy, loving son had gone. In his place was a brooding, angry young teen. No matter what I said, he argued and actually threw fits to get his way.
I expressed my concerns to Worth and he took Ford to a variety of psychologists and even a psychiatrist. The last put Ford on a mood stabilizing drug, which had the opposite effect. Ford grew violent and Worth had to actually have him restrained until he calmed down. We constantly feared for the safety of the babies because Ford seemed so intent on harming them.
We put inside locks on the condo doors, but it didn’t matter. Ford figured out how to open them and took off long before anyone was up in the morning. We were getting phone calls from the police. They had picked him up for vandalism, emptying garbage receptacles along the beach and finally, for shoplifting. He had stolen a candy bar from a small grocery and the owner was threatening to press charges.