Mary and Alvin Ch. 35

The Paradox

Mary pulled into the parking lot of the Granthams Corners Store. The old painted sign had been replaced with an electronic one, but it still read "Cold Beer, Guns and Ammo, Wedding Gowns". In every other aspect the store looked just as it had the first time she'd seen it, more than three decades earlier. There were still stacks of bundled firewood on one side of the front door and a rack of windshield washer fluid on the other. The prices had changed, but the broadsheets in the windows still advertised Moxie and B&M Baked Beans and the state lottery.

She parked in the handicapped space to the left of the door and hung the parking placard on the rear view mirror. Alvin was already out of the passenger seat and waiting for her by the time she had rounded the car.

"Honey, take your cane," she told him.

"I don't need that damn cane. The new knees are working fine."

"If you fall down, I am not going to pick you up."

"What will you do, Miss Mary, leave me lie?"

"I'll send one of the kids down to get you after supper."

Alvin laughed. "Your empty threats don't impress me none." He took her arm and kissed her cheek.

They went inside the store and took turns using the bathroom. When Mary came out, Alvin was waiting by the counter.

"You want a beef jerky?" he asked her.

"No, Alvin, I don't want anything."

"Candy?"

"No."

"Whoopie pie?"

"No, Alvin."

"Cold beer? Wedding gown?"

"I don't expect to need another one."

"Well, I hope the hell not." He bought a beef jerky and a can of Coke.

"Baby, we've got snacks in the car," Mary said as they left the store.

"I don't believe you ought to use their bathroom and not buy anything."

Mary stopped by the car door. "Alvin, listen. Do you hear that?"

Alvin concentrated and then grinned as he heard a distant buzzing sound. It grew louder and he leaned on the car and waited until he saw two motorcycles come around the bend in the road, one equipped with a sidecar carrying a large black dog.

Bonita rode up next to the car and took off her helmet.

"Jeezum, you guys are slow," she said, "We left, like, an hour after you."

Jamie parked next to Bonita. He dismounted and helped Lola lumber out of the sidecar.

"She's getting slow," he said.

"I know the feeling," Alvin replied.

"You guys coming or going?" Bonita asked.

"We were just leaving," Mary said.

"Okay, we'll see you up to camp. Right now, I have to piss like a racehorse."

"So does Lola," Jamie said, walking the dog to a strip of grass at the edge of the parking lot.

"Make sure you buy something," Alvin said as he got in the car.

Bonita waved as Mary pulled back on to the road, then went into the store. After visiting the bathroom, she bought a bottle of Powerade and a couple of Milky Ways. Jamie was helping Lola back into her seat when she came through the door.

"You need to piss?" she asked him as she handed him one of the candy bars.

He looked thoughtful for a minute, then shook his head. "I think I'm probably good."

"You think? How do you not know?"

Jamie shrugged. "It's not that much further. And I can always pull over and go behind a push."

Bonita leaned on her bike and took a bite of her candy bar. "I don't have that luxury," she said as she chewed.

"You could if you really had to."

"No friggin' way," she said, shaking her head vigorously.

Jamie laughed. "No, but I've seen you squat over the side of the boat and pee in the ocean."

"Lots of things in the ocean that might eat my ass, but there ain't no deer ticks."

Jamie stepped closer and leaned against her. "You found me in the ocean," he said in a low voice.

Bonita kissed his cheek. "And you're my favorite ass eater. Now let's get out of here."

They mounted their bikes and got back on the highway. In just a few minutes they zoomed by Mary and Alvin, waving as they passed.

They sped along the forested road until they reached the unpaved turnoff that led down to the family camp.

Jennifer was sitting at one of the picnic tables, watching Danni make a pyramid of split logs in the fire pit. She heard the roar of the motorcycles, and a moment later saw a cloud of dust moving toward the driveway.

Bonita and Jamie pulled in and parked. Their bikes went silent. "Well, so much for our peace and quiet," Jennifer said. There was a pitcher of lemonade and a stack of paper cups on the table. She filled two cups.

"Oh, don't pretend you weren't bored without us," Bonita said. She took a seat across from her mother at the table. Jamie went to the fire pit to help Danni, while Lola trotted down to the edge of the lake to splash in the shallows.

"We saw Papa and Mary at the Corners," Bonita said, "So they will be here in a couple of friggin' hours. Jeezum, they drive like old people fuck."

Danni laughed, "Well, to be fair, they probably fuck like old people drive."

Bonita nearly spit out her lemonade. "You think they still do?" she asked.

"You know Mary is only, like, five years older than Mama Danni and I, right?" Jennifer asked.

"Yeah," Bonita shrugged, "But Papa is older than baseball."

Danni rolled her eyes and shook her head. She sat next to Jennifer at the table. "I don't know about now," she said, "But let me tell you, when they first got together, they were at it non-stop."

"Oh yeah," Jennifer nodded, "Mary spent a couple of years walking around with that just-got-fucked look on her face most of the time."

Jamie threw one more log in the fire pit and came to sit by Bonita. She draped an arm over his shoulder and said, "You know, babe, I love you, but if you get too old to fuck, I'm going to get me a boy on the side. Just letting you know."

Danni looked at Jennifer. "Who raised her?" she asked.

Jennifer shrugged. "I blame my dad."

"Oh please," Bonita scoffed, "Like you had nothing to do with it."

"Well, you were always his girl," Danni said, "Do you know that you said 'papa' before Hannah did?"

Bonita shrugged. "I did a lot of things before Hannah did."

"Are we back to talking about sex again?" Jamie asked.

"I didn't say nothing about sex," Bonita laughed, "You just got a dirty mind." She stood up and stretched. "I'm going to lay out in that hammock a while," she said, "You can come with me, but don't get handsy."

Jamie followed her to the hammock. Danni leaned against Jennifer and said, "Just so you know, I don't think there is much chance of me getting tired of making love with you."

Jennifer kissed her and ran her fingers through the hair on the side of her head. "I love this white streak. I think it's sexy as hell." She kissed her again and said, "And you are still the sexiest bitch I ever saw."

Lola trotted up from the lake to where Bonita and Jamie swung side by side in the hammock and shook herself dry.

"Goddamn it, Lola!" Bonita shouted, but the dog ignored her, turned toward the road and began to bark.

"She hears someone coming," Jennifer said, and a moment later, Mary and Alvin drove into the yard.

Danni went to the car and hugged Mary as she got out. "Pop the trunk and let me get your stuff," she said.

"Thank you, dear heart," Mary replied.

"I can get it," Alvin said, coming around the car

Dani waved him away. "I've got it," she said, "go sit down."

Alvin stopped to pet Lola then joined Jennifer at the picnic table, while Mary and Danni went into the lodge with the luggage.

"This place sure has changed since the first time I was here," Mary said as they dropped the bags in the first floor bedroom.

"Yeah, it was just a cabin back then," Danni said. Over the years the family had expanded the cabin, adding an addition on the back, and then a full second floor. Danni had done some of the work herself, along with Tim and Theo and Andy.

"We didn't even sleep in the cabin my first year," Mary said, "We slept in a tent."

"Well, you definitely wanted your privacy back then," Danni said with a laugh.

Mary grinned. "We stayed up late, talking about porcupines."

"Where's your cane, Daddy?" Jennifer asked as Alvin took a seat across the table from her.

"Jeezum," he said, rolling his eyes, "I don't need that damn cane. My knees are younger than yours, ya know."

She poured him a glass of lemonade. "You know, Daddy, you spent a long time taking care of everyone else, you need to let us have our turn taking care of you."

"Well, I don't like to be fussed over."

"Yes, you do, you just don't like to show it."

"Well, a little fussing is good, I reckon."

Mary and Danni joined them at the table. The afternoon had grown warmer, but the breeze off the lake kept them cool. Car by car, the rest of the family arrived. Andy and Jessica pulled in, and began unloading boxes of baked goods from their trunk. Bonita had one box of cookies opened before they had even finished.

Rachel had come up with them, surprising everyone.

"I thought you'd gone back to Boston," Mary said.

"I managed to delay my business so I could stay for the weekend."

"New book out soon?" Jennifer asked.

"There are still a few details to go over. I'm hoping it's out by Christmas."

Tim and Molly arrived next, accompanied by a gloomy Theo.

"Hey, where's that Audrey chick you were seeing?" Bonita asked.

Theo shrugged. "Ain't seeing her no more."

"You can do better, bub."

"I have done better."

"Well, see there."

A massive recreational vehicle lumbered into the dooryard. Seth and Charlotte waved from the front seats.

"Jeezum crow," Alvin said, "That thing is bigger than the old cabin was."

The RV rolled to a stop and Seth climbed down from the driver's side door.

"Damn lucky you didn't rip the roof off that monster on a low hanging branch," Tim shouted. Seth reflexively looked up at the roof of the RV and shrugged.

Charlotte came around from the other side. Alvy was with her, holding hands with a petite, olive complected young woman.

Approaching the family, he introduced her. "Everybody, this is Jasmin."

"Where'd you find her?" Tim asked.

Alvy blushed. "In my psych class."

"She going to be a shrink? This bunch could use one."

Molly elbowed Tim in the ribs.

"Actually, I'm a business major," Jasmin said. She had a bright smile and did not seem at all fazed by the teasing.

"Mary has a business degree from USC," Alvin told her.

Mary smiled. "I'd be happy to help you in any way I can."

"Where are you from, dear?" Jennifer asked.

"Filter Square," Jasmin answered.

"Where's that?"

"Philadelphia."

"Fuckin' Flyers," Tim muttered.

Rachel stepped forward, carrying a large gift bag. Jasmin blushed when she saw her. "You're Rachel Faulkner Michaud," she said, with a slight stammer.

"I am," Rachel said. "Alvy told me that you enjoyed my books."

"I do. I didn't think you were going to be here."

"Well, I had a change of plans, and I am glad, because it meant I could be here to give these to you." She held out the bag to Jasmin. "I autographed some books for you."

"Oh my god. Thank you. Which ones?"

"All of them."

Jasmin looked stunned, and Alvy beamed with pride.

"Smooth move, guy," Bonita muttered.

Charlotte sat down next to Alvin. "How are your knees, Daddy?" she asked.

"My knees are fine," he scowled, "Don't ask me about the frickin' cane."

"Yeah, touchy subject," Jennifer said.

Charlotte wrapped her arms around her fathers neck. "Now Daddy, I didn't come all the way from Pennsylvania for you to be grumpy with me."

Alvin kissed her on the hand. "I ain't grumpy, just tired of hearing about that cane."

"I didn't bring it up, you did. Now, who's hungry? I'm starving."

"We ought to wait on your sister to get here," Alvin said.

"They won't mind," Mary said, "We can at least get supper started."

She rose from the table and went into the lodge with Jessica and Molly. The younger men gathered around the barbecue grill and lit the coals. Tim joined them, offering to supervise. Danni and Bonita began setting up camp chairs around the fire pit.

Alvin sat at the table with Charlotte and Jennifer.

"I recall a few times it was just the three of us up here," he said.

"I remember when it was four," Charlotte said with a sigh.

Alvin grinned. He looked down at the dock, where Alvy and Jasmin stood, holding hands and looking out across the water.

"Seems like a nice girl," he said.

Charlotte nodded. "Yeah, I think it's getting pretty serious."

"Must be if she was willing to ride with his mom and dad all the way from Pittsburgh," Jennifer said.

"Well, we picked them up in College Station, but yeah, that's true."

When the grill was ready, Andy and Theo covered it with chicken quarters. Every few minutes they would slather the meat with barbecue sauce, sending up sweet smelling clouds of smoke.

"We ought to get our tents up before supper," Bonita said, "We ain't going to be in a mood for it after, and it's getting dark earlier now."

Even after being expanded to include four bedrooms, the lodge could not accommodate the growing family. The bedrooms were reserved for Alvin and Mary, Tim and Molly, Andrew and Jessica, and for Hannah and Omar with their children. Charlotte and Seth would sleep in the RV, everyone else would bed down in a variety of tents strewn about the yard, from Danni and Jennifer's big dome to Theo's one man pup tent. Alvin watched as the tents went up. There was something about it that felt comforting. His little tribe was gathering together, as it did every autumn.

Hannah and Omar arrived just in time for supper. They parked close to the house, then Omar got out and opened the back door to lift Joey from his car seat. The toddler looked around and his eyes landed on Mary.

"Gramma!" he called.

Omar brought him to her. She took him in her arms for a hug and a kiss, then he wiggled away and scampered after Lola.

"Tough competing with a dog for a small boy's attention," Alvin told her.

"But they always come back," she replied with a grin.

Hannah had the baby in her carrier. Before she could reach the picnic table, she was surrounded by Charlotte and Seth, Alvy and Jasmin.

"She looks just like you," Charlotte cooed.

"Well, except she's got more of her father's complexion," Hannah said.

"I think she's beautiful," Jasmin said, "What's her name?"

Hannah smiled at her. "Jeannie. You must be Jasmin."

Jasmin blushed. "Yes, it's kind of weird," she said, "I feel like I know you. Alvy talks about you all the time."

"No, I don't," Alvy muttered, looking down at his feet.

Charlotte draped her arm over his shoulder. "Honey, don't be embarrassed," she smiled at Hannah, "I think that he sees you as a model for what women should be like."

"That's sweet," Hannah said.

Charlotte laughed. "Yeah, well, I'm his mom and he doesn't see me that way."

Hannah touched Jasmin's arm. "Don't worry, dear, he likes you just the way you are."

"You think so?" Jasmin asked, nervously.

"Honey, I'm not the only one he talks about all the time."

Molly and Jessica came out of the lodge carrying serving bowls.

"Let's eat," Jamie called. The family filled their plates with barbecued chicken and potato salad. There was bean salad as well, and pickles and sliced tomatoes fresh from the farm.

Jasmin sampled her first dilly bean. "I still remember my first," Mary told her.

Bonita kicked Jamie's leg under the table. "You remember your first, don't you bub?"

Jamie rolled his eyes and glanced around the table, but no one else had reacted to Bonita's remark.

It was getting dark by the time they finished eating, and Danni lit the bonfire. In a matter of minutes, the yard was filled with its golden glow. The remains of their meal were quickly cleaned up, and everyone gathered around the fire.

Hannah was holding Jeannie and was about to sit down next to Omar, when her father came over and touched her shoulder.

"Let's take a little walk," he said.

"Okay, Daddy. Do you need your cane?"

"I do not need my cane. Here, let me carry her." He cradled the baby in his arms and kissed her head.

They strolled down to the edge of the dark lake. Outside of the circle of firelight, the evening had grown chilly. Somewhere in the distance, a pair of bullfrogs was having a lively conversation. Alvin listened to them for a minute before he spoke.

"You know, honey," he said, "it really meant a lot to your mom that you named the baby after her mother."

"I know that, Papa. And I really loved Grandma Jean. You know, she was the only grandparent I ever had."

"Before we were married, your mom and I went out to California. First time I met your grandma. She wasn't much thrilled with me at first." He shrugged his shoulders. "The age thing, mostly."

"She came around though," Hannah said.

"Partly she came around because we had a talk, and I made her a promise."

"What did you promise her?"

"I promised her that, no matter what happened, she would always be a part of your life. Well, not you, in particular..."

"Her grandchild."

"Right."

"And she always was, Papa. You don't need to worry, you kept your promise."

"Thank you, sweetie, but that's not what I wanted to say." He looked out over the dark water for a minute. "Hannah, I have a promise to ask of you."

Hannah put her hand on his back. "Anything, Papa. Just ask."

Alvin drew in a breath, and she realized that he was holding back tears.

"I don't think it's likely that I'll be here to see your children grown up," he said in a very low voice.

"Oh, Papa..."

"Just promise me, Hannah..."

She could barely hear his next words.

"Promise me that your children will always remember their grandpa."

She stood on her toes and kicked his cheek. "I promise you, Papa. I promise with all my heart."

Alvin kissed Jeannie again, then handed her back to her mother.

"You know, Papa," Hannah said as they walked back toward the fire, "Every one one of us, Jen and Charlotte, and me and Nita, Jamie, even Omar...all of us, so much of what we are, we got from you."

"I like that thought."

"And trust me, Papa, many, many years after you are gone, this family is going to be sitting around this fire pit telling stories about you."

Charlotte had made a pitcher of strawberry daiquiri and filled a glass for each of the adults, except Omar and Jessica. She handed one to Alvin and asked Hannah if she'd like one.

"Not while I'm still nursing," she replied.

Alvin sat down in a lawn chair next to Mary.

"Are you okay, love?" she asked him.

"Finest kind," he grinned.

Alvy brought out his guitar, and Charlotte's. "Did you bring yours, Uncle Tim?" he asked.

"No," Tim said, "I don't play much anymore. Arthritis in the fingers."

Charlotte smiled sympathetically. "Well, you taught me, and I taught my son. That seems like a good thing."

"A wicked good thing," Alvin said.

Charlotte began to strum a melody while Alvy tuned up. Mary rested her head on Alvin's shoulder and closed her eyes. She was thinking back to the night when she had met Alvin's family, around a similar fire in the grove behind the farmhouse. Charlotte had seemed so hostile to her, but then they had sung together and began to warm to each other. She opened her eyes and her gaze met Charlotte's. They both smiled and Mary wondered if they were sharing the same memory.

Jennifer handed out sharpened sticks and passed around a bag of marshmallows. Alvin beckoned to Joey. The boy climbed in his grandfather's lap and watched him skewer a marshmallow.

"Are you going to teach that child to set his marshmallow on fire?" Mary asked him.

"The boy needs to know how to do it right."

Mary shook her head and laughed.

Alvin held the marshmallow in the flames until it ignited, then blew it out and waved it in the air until it had cooled. He held the stick out to Joey and the boy ate it greedily, getting as much on his face as in his mouth.