I want to thank everyone who reviewed Chapter 4...for some reason I was unable to reply to your comments. I really appreciated all of your kind words and comments...and here is the last chapter of this story...enjoy

Chapter 5

"Momma, what's the name of the restaurant we are going to?" asked Neal eagerly.

"June's and the owner is an older lady from Boston," replied El as they walked on.

"How can someone from Boston make fried chicken…I thought it was a southern dish?" asked Neal curiously.

"Maybe she left the South to go North before deciding to come out West but whatever the reason don't you go and ask her, young man or I warm your bottom," threatened El sternly. "It is rude to ask such personal questions when first meeting an individual."

"Yes, ma'am," replied Neal just as they arrived at the Sheriff's Office.

"Neal, you stay here and wait for me; I'll only be a moment," instructed El who didn't want Neal to enter a place where he might be verbally accosted by Jacob and Michael.

El was only inside for a moment before she returned with Peter and the three of them headed for 'June's'. When they arrived they saw that the place was filling up quick and found a place before it was too late. They were approached by a waitress who took their order and hurried away.

It had been hard for Neal to choose…it all sounded so good but he finally decided on fried drumstick and thigh plus an order of beans and something called corn-on-the-cob which is what Peter and El also ordered. While they waited Peter told them that he had gotten telegrams from the families of all of the boys in Jacob's gang and their urging the sheriff to send their children back to him. "I'm sure that when Judge Williams reads these he will order me to send the boys back home."

"What about me, Papa?" asked Neal easily.

"You my son will be staying with us…of that I have no doubt," replied Peter as he ruffled Neal's hair. Neal's endearment of papa didn't go unnoticed by either Peter or El who looked at each other and smiled.

"Peter, your son has something he wants to ask you…remember, son?" prompted El at Neal's blank look. His mind had been on the food he saw everyone eating.

"Oh…Papa will you teach me how to swim?"

"Certainly…I'll teach you in the same manner as my father taught me," replied Peter before adding, "I'll throw you in…trust me you will either learn to swim or sink."

Neal looked shocked and scared at Peter but before he could reply his mother cried,

"PETER! Don't tease him…he really wants to learn," scolded El.

"I was just fooling Neal…I will take it slow and easy and soon you will be the best swimmer in the bunch," Peter assured the boy but before he could add anything else their food arrived and Neal dug in.

"That was excellent," Peter exclaimed as the waitress came back with the bill. "Could we meet the cook and tell her how well her food is?" he added a moment later.

The young black girl who had taken their order smiled and said, "I'll be happy to tell Grandmother June; my name is Samantha," and quickly went in the back to pass their message to her grandmother.

It wasn't long before a stately older woman came out with a yellow apron around her waist and approached Peter's table. "My granddaughter told me that you would like to see me; there was nothing wrong with the meal I hope."

"On the contrary it was delicious," replied Peter, "and my family and I just wanted to tell you so."

June smiled her thanks and said, "You are the first to actually tell me; the others have said how well they enjoyed their meals but not to me; the remarks were always made in passing."

Suddenly Neal spoke up without thinking, "That's why your chicken is so good…you must have been a cook as a slave in the south."

"NEAL CAFFREY BURKE!" El said sternly. "You don't ask those type of questions…we will be having a discussion on manners when we get home," El scolded as she then turned to June and added,

"Please excuse our son's statement June; he didn't realize that it might have been hurtful to you…I assure you that it won't happen again."

"No…it's okay and he's partially right. I was born in the South. I did learn my skill from a former slave…my mother but her owner had freed her upon his death. I was born a few days later. We moved North while I was still a child and my mother worked in a restaurant in Boston where I learned my trade and later married with children of my own and eventually had a granddaughter who you see is now learning from me," June explained quietly.

"Well, you surely learned good; the chicken was great," Neal blurted out once again as she gave June one of his dazzling smiles.

"I thank you young man for your praise even though your grammar could be improved," replied June with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am…and Miss June I'm sorry about what I said early. I didn't mean to hurt you with my words," he apologized sincerely.

"It's okay child, you were just curious and now you know," replied June easily.

"Yeah, but my Momma is still going to explain it again to my bottom once I get home," Neal said regretfully.

"Just call that a learning experience that you won't forget for a while," replied June.

"Yes ma'am, like the one I learned from Mr. Rucker a few days ago," murmured Neal as he hastened to add, "I learned not take something that doesn't belong to me…he made that quite clear Monday."

June looked curiously at the Burke's before asking, "He's not one of the gang that had been terrorizing the town earlier?"

"Yep, but that's behind him or soon will be. The Circuit Judge will be here tomorrow to hear the charges and pass sentence. I feel sure that once he learns that Neal and the other young boys in the gang were forced into it by their keepers Jacob and Michael that all charges against them will be dropped and the young boys will be sent back to their families from where they had been kidnapped. But since Neal's folks are dead we are going to adopt him and have already in our hearts. Judge Williams will make it legal…that's why we are in your restaurant tonight…celebrating a little early," explained Peter.

"That wouldn't be Judge Henry Williams that will be presiding over this case?" asked June at once.

"Yes ma'am…do you know the judge?" asked Peter.

"I do and you won't find a fairer judge in the land. I'm sure that all will work out as you hope," June assured them and after a few more pleasantries they parted company.

The walk back home was quiet as El and Peter thought about tomorrow. Even with June's assurances there still was a chance that Judge Williams might not do as they wished and sentence Neal for his part in the crimes committed in Brookville. Neal thought only about how he could avoid having his butt smacked for his earlier comments that night and hurried off to bed as soon as they entered the house.

"Good Night Momma, Papa," he had called out as he hurried upstairs causing Peter to turn to El with surprise.

"What's he up to?"

"He's trying to avoid a promised spanking," replied El knowingly. And at her husband's further curious look she explained. "He was asking how someone from Boston could have fried chicken on her menu since it's not a normal northern dish. I told him that maybe she left the South to go to Boston before deciding to come out West but not to ask her that it would be rude and if he did I would warm his bottom."

"Oh I see…and since he did just that he's now worried that you will carry out your threat," replied Peter.

"He thinks that if he goes to bed without our telling him to that I might let him off without the promised spanking," El replied as she headed up the stairs finding Neal in bed and ready to extinguish his light.

"Not so quick son," El said as she sat on his bed. "I haven't given you your goodnight kiss," she said as she kissed him on his cheek, a practice she had been doing ever since the first night.

"Momma, I'm sorry I disobeyed you tonight," Neal said as he looked up at her.

"I know but saying your sorry doesn't erase that you disobeyed me, does it son?"

"No ma'am," replied the dejected boy. He just knew that he was going to get a spanking.

"So lets not do it again, or next time I might not be so lenient and really warm your bottom for you instead of letting you off only with a warning this time," replied El as she hugged Neal instead.

"You're not going to spank me?" asked a surprised Neal.

"No, it might make the judge wonder why you are squirming when he sees us tomorrow. So go to sleep my sweet boy and tomorrow you will be ours forever and ever."

The next day came early for the Burke family. Peter left soon after breakfast to check on his prisoners and to look out for Judge Williams who was due on the ten o'clock stage.

Peter and El had decided to keep Neal out of school today because of the adoption proceedings would follow that completion of the case which Neal had to be there for as well. All had gone according to plan except when it came to the adoption proceedings.

Judge Williams had heard the evidence presented by Peter and had agreed that the boys kidnapped to do the thefts weren't actually responsible…they had no choice. It was either do as Jacob and Michael ordered or they would be beaten. He approved their being sent home to their families but had sentenced both Jacob and Michael to ten years hard labor at the nearest penitentiary. However, when he learned about the adoption request he had called for a recess to look over all of the papers.

It was during the recess that Peter, El and Neal became anxious. It seemed to last much longer than the whole case against Jacob and Micheal had and they became worried that the Judge had found a legality to prevent the adoption from going through. If they had found out the real reason for the delay they wouldn't have been so worried. June had taken it upon herself to grease the way for Neal and the Burkes and assure herself that there would be no difficulties with the Burkes adopting Neal and so with cake in hand she approached Judge Williams and soon was discussing the case with her friend.

It was an hour later that Peter and his wife were summoned to see Judge Williams and about five minutes later Neal was ushered in. "Neal, I understand that your parents are dead and that you are willing to be adopted by Peter and his wife…is this correct?" Judge Williams asked Neal who nodded is agreement.

"You understand that if I agree you will become the son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke and they will be responsible for you and you must obey them since they have your best interest at heart?" Judge Williams asked simply.

"Yes sir, I do," replied Neal with a smile.

"Do you want to keep your last name of Caffrey or do you want to take their last name as your own?" Judge Williams asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Then your name is now Neal Caffrey Burke…and you are legally the son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke…congratulations, son," proclaimed Judge Williams as he signed his name to the adoption agreements and handed one form to Peter and kept the other to be filed at the capital of Kansas as soon as he returned.

"You can take your son home now," he added as he shook Peter's hand and ultimately left Neal in the custody of his new parents.

"Peter," El whispered later that night while in bed.

"Yes, Hon," replied Peter.

"I want to throw Neal a birthday party. His birthday is the thirtieth of this month. I doubt that he's ever had one…maybe when his parents were alive but I bet he hadn't celebrated one in five years or more," explained El as she snuggled close.

"Sure Honey…just try and keep the uproar to a minimum and don't buy Neal too many presents," replied Peter as they ended the conversation with a kiss.

The End

AN: The next story in the Burke Family series will be called Peter, Elizabeth and Neal and will be coming soon.