The Adventures of John, James and Jack: Book One

The Adventures of John, James and Jack:

Book One - Humble Beginnings

Copyright 2015 Janice Elliott-Howard

Published by Janice Elliott-Howard at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Apple Blossom Lane

Apple Blossom Trail

Apple Blossom Road

Getting to Know You

Practice Makes Perfect

Keep His Secret

Time to Tell

About Janice Elliott-Howard

Other books by Janice Elliott-Howard

Connect with Janice Elliott-Howard

Book Two - Choices Preview

Acknowledgements

The motivation for this series comes from the times and challenges that we as parent endure when raising our children. I only wish that as my children embark on the road to parenthood, they recognize that sometimes it is just hard to be a kid growing up. Acceptance is important to every individual at any stage of maturity, and we should all try hard to be open to all people.

Apple Blossom Lane

July 2005 a moving truck pulls up in a neighborhood. All the neighbors are out on their porches trying to see who is moving in. The Treeburn family is moving in at 831 Apple Blossom Lane in Buford, Georgia. The family consists of a mother with two boys. They moved from Los Angeles, California. She wants a quieter existence for her children. The family trailed behind the moving truck as it parked in front of the house. The boys exit the vehicle and give each other a high five once they see the new place that they will call home. The two children can’t wait for their mother to unlock the front door so that they can check out the new digs. Both of them run upstairs as soon as their mom turns the key in the door. Each child claims his space with the approval of their mom. The movers begin to unload the truck as the onlookers hold their position. The kids are moving closer as if to get a good seat at the local theater. They don’t offer to help. They line up along the opposite curb and sit down with elbows on knees and palms holding faces. The movers continue to do their job and pass by the audience with one piece of heavy furniture. The kids are very excited as this would be their first time living in a home of their own. The family always rented apartments prior, so the children never experienced what it was like to have their yard. The mother notices the uninvited attention, but she continues to direct the movers on where to place each item. Occasionally, the mom hears in the distance Oh, that’s nice, I could use something like that. She smiles to herself because she knows it will be only a matter of time before the welcome wagon comes along to get a closer look at her belongings and how she has set up her home. It took nearly two hours for the movers to finish.

Rosalie Treeburn is a divorced mother who decided to move to this town as a way of finding a new start for her family. Rosalie prides herself on being able to run a business and her household. She is independent, reserved and no nonsense. Rosalie is a little strict in her parenting of her two boys. Rosalie Treeburn is a successful candle-maker. She makes scented candles and sells them online. Rosalie once worked in the corporate business sector but got laid off about two years ago when she was going through the ending of her 15-year marriage. She needed to reinvent herself so that she could help support her family as well as be her own boss. She spent a fortune buying scented candles until one day her ex-husband suggested that with the amount of money she spent on purchasing the product it would be cheaper and more satisfying if she made her own. Now her relationship was rocky, but Rosalie recognized a good idea when she heard one. She started looking into the process, and it became a hobby that she indulges in on the weekends in between John’s sporting events. Rosalie actually would make up a batch of scented candles one week, and the next week she would take a few samples to the office to entice her colleagues. The scented candles became a big hit. She soon receives orders from people in her organization as well as outside. She set up a website to start taking additional orders. Her husband was quite pleased to see that his suggestion turned into a profitable situation for them as a family. Rosalie’s success began to overshadow her husband. He soon felt like he was no longer necessary or even wanted. The two began drifting apart. Eventually, the strain of Rosalie’s success destroys the relationship.

The boys were not happy about their parents getting divorced. Every time Rosalie brought up the issue of moving John would huff and puff like he was the big bad wolf. Rosalie would ignore his antics as she knew he would adjust to the new place and not miss his dad so much after they got settled. Neither of the kids spent much time with their dad as he worked what seemed like morning, noon, and night. They see him at dinner, and they see him before their Saturday activities schedule begin. He never really interacts with them more than to ask is everything going okay at school and wish them good luck at their games. It was almost like they were short visits even though he lived in the home with them up until two years before the move. When the couple realized that the relationship could not be saved, Julius and John’s dad moved out. Shortly after that, Rosalie filed for divorce. The process took about a year. The kids are shaken by the whole event. Rosalie gave them a choice to stay with their dad but Mr. Treeburn was not interested in taking on the responsibility of the children full-time nor did he complain about visitation.

Julius is the older of the two boys. He and his brother are three years apart in age. Julius is a little sneaky, but he is the one who is the most obedient. Julius is a good looking young man with his big brown eyes, curly hair, and deep dimpled cheeks. He attracts attention from the little girls in the neighborhood the moment he steps foot outside of the station wagon. Julius is 16 years old and about to be a senior in high school. He was troubled to have to leave California and not graduate with his friends. All the friends that he made are kids that he knew his whole life. Rosalie felt that moving was the best thing for the children after her breakup with their dad. Julius is such a likable young man. His mother believes he can handle the transition to a new state. Julius was a loaner and kept his circle very closed. He never participated in sleepovers, did not like going to the other kid parties, and got lost in his television programming. Often Rosalie would have to coax him to be social and get involved in activities in the neighborhood as well as at school. Julius spent most of his free time with his little brother John. They have a unique bond that will forever keep them close. Most of the things that Julius enjoyed required just one other person and John was his go-to guy for video games, jumping on the trampoline, shooting hoops, playing a trick on his mom, and sampling new foods. Julius got the bigger bedroom because he is the oldest. Rosalie had the movers load the truck the way that she wanted it unloaded as not to have to waste time with arranging furniture. Julius’ room was the first room unloaded.

John Treeburn is aged 13, highly intelligent, and cute as a button. He is quite tall for his age with beautiful light brown eyes with the flex of gold surrounding his irises that are noticeable depending on the lighting. His laughter engages everyone who is within earshot. The caliber of his conversation captivated his audience whether they were male or female. He usually outwits his older brother. John is very outgoing; he always wants to be in the middle of what’s happening regardless of what the circumstance. John needed to hear the roar of the crowd. He never wants to be alone not even for a second if it is possible. He’s also a sore loser, but his brother never allows him to win. He knows to win that you have to earn it because that is what his dad taught him. Rosalie always keeps her eye on John for fear that he may one day get himself into trouble. John’s room was the next to be set up, and he had a race car theme that would make you believe that he had a connection with a pit worker at the Indy 500. John thought very highly of his mother and felt shunned by his father. He would test your loyalty to measure if you were someone that he could trust.

The two brothers are the exact opposite. Julius likes to play it safe. John is a risk taker and will chance anything for the thrill of hoping to succeed and not worried about if it fails. Both are great bike riders, but Julius enjoys the ride while John wants to be the first in the group to try and jump over a crater. Julius has a creative side when it comes to the arts and John wants to know how things work by taking them apart and putting them back together. Julius will find one good friend and John wants to lead a group to follow him to the ends of the earth. If they did not share the same DNA, no one would believe that they are brothers aside from the fact that they both cherished their mother.

Rosalie put the boys on a strict curfew being new to the area she did not leave room for any issues. She knows that they are growing up, but they must both be in the house by dark every evening with no exception. She never had to worry about Julius adhering to the rules. It was always John that she had to remind about what was acceptable constantly and the consequences for not following through. The boys knew when they crossed a line with her when they tried to explain their actions and Rosalie did not respond that meant a grounding was about to occur. Depending on how bad the offense determines what pleasures would be withheld.

In the first few weeks, Julius and John were inseparable. They rode their bikes together, walked to the local town store that was on the main road right outside of their subdivision, took an interest in seeing the same movies, and played video games at home. The two would often see other neighborhood boys in their age range, but they would not engage in conversation. A slight head nod as if to knowledge that they’ve seen each before but nothing more. The school year was starting very soon for both of them so making friends could wait as they had bigger worries about acceptance. Julius would be attending Buford High School while John was starting the eighth grade at Twin Rivers Middle School. Each school had a sports program that appealed to both of the boys. Their mom did the best she could to make the beginning of the school year a success. This would be the first time in all of his school years that John would have to start from scratch. He too had a following of kids that he knew from daycare and now in this new state he had no one but his big brother.

It was a very hot day in August just before school was about to start when Julius and John decided to play basketball in the neighborhood. Mommy, we are going over to the basketball court, Julius yelled to his mother as he closed the front door. John jumps down the front steps, and Julius follows. John says with a hearty laugh to Julius I am going to mop the floor with you today, as the walk down the road. As the boys approach the common area, they notice a group of other kids. Julius slows his pace so that he can survey the area. John has his head held high and quickens his pace as if to let them know that he has arrived so let the games begin. Julius and John notice that there is not only basketball but a tennis court and a swimming pool. John looks to Julius as if he is the first one to spot all of the offerings living in this new subdivision gives them. Julius without so much as a word makes a face to acknowledge that he is quite pleased with all the available options of activities to do there. The two reach the group of kids, and the head nodding begins. This silent way of greeting each other was a common practice amongst teenagers. Julius and John head over to the basketball court where there are a few boys already in a game. Julius calls out who’s got next, and he sees two hands go up and he says "okay, I am after whichever one of you