Synchronicity for Six Pt. 02

Synchronicity for Six, Pt 02

Breaking from 'tradition', here's a quick recapitulation. Alan Harrison, a software project manager, had married his college sweetheart, Laura, and they had two sons, Tom and David. Laura passed away from pancreatic cancer about a year and a half ago, and the men were lost. Tom met a girl at school, Julie Lawson, and their relationship beginning may be found in 'Every Thing She Does is Magic'. Tom brought Julie home at the start of Thanksgiving week, then they visited Julie's mother and sister. Julie convinced her divorced mother, Rose, to come to Alan's home for Thanksgiving, bringing Julie's sister, Maggie. Hearts and souls clicked and the three Lawson ladies quickly paired up with the three Harrison men. At the Christmas Eve worship, a ghostly image appeared to float upward and bid the Harrisons and Lawsons farewell. The events from just before Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve may be found in "Spirits in the Material World".

From the end of 'Synchronicity for Six':

"Hear me out, Dad. Monday night, you needed to deal with some 'output', right? The usual and customary place for what was implied would be a bathroom and the toilet. You went to the living room to Mom's picture. In my opinion, you need to turn first to Rose for your emotional support, not Mom's painting." Jaws were dropped all around at David's insight. If she could love David any more than she already did, for Rose this would have been a clincher. "I've given this a lot of thought since the semester ended. Mom needed me to bring that picture home so she could manifest in our lives the way she did. And we saw her transition onward as the bell tolled on Christmas. So, the picture is no longer here for her benefit, and I believe it's holding you back, Dad. So, may I take it to school with me?"

"Let me sleep on that, David. We will make a decision before you return to school. By the way, when are you heading back?"

"I will put off going back as long as I can, but I have a class on Tuesday at 9 am," David answered. "I also want to give Robert as much time as possible with Amanda before we have to start negotiating for room time. I have to leave by noon on Monday."

Now, Synchronicity for Six, Part 2

Thursday, January 14

Rose and Alan had a very serious discussion about David's idea that evening in bed. As the head teller and assistant manager of a bank, Rose had experience with helping someone define their issue and finding a resolution that worked for everyone.

"Alan, what is your issue with David taking Laura's portrait back to school for the Spring semester?" she asked while toying with his cock and balls. They were both delightfully unattired, and she was kissing his chest while manipulating his genitals. "Hmmm? This should not be a difficult decision to make."

"I don't know, Rose. I just don't know if I should let her image go back with him. She was such a huge part of my life for so long. I get such a sense of closeness to her when I look at that painting. What if something happens to it?"

She stopped her fondling of him and placed both hands on his chest, forcing him to look her in her eyes. "Really? That's your gating concern? 'What if something happens to it?' Or could it be losing a sense of closeness to Laura when you don't have that painting to look at?" She paused for a moment then craned her head up to kiss Alan lightly. "Have you been having that same sense of closeness to her since Christmas Eve?"

"No, my love, I have not. As they say, 'Elvis has left the building.' And I feel so guilty at times about letting her go. I'm worried that my love for her will diminish with the passing of time."

"Aren't there other pictures of her around that you can look at?"

"The only other one on display is our wedding photo in the dining room, the one where she looks almost exactly like Julie. And, you know, that could start to become creepy for me because of that. I put away all the other ones after she died. Perhaps I should replace the wedding photo with a more recent photo. She will always be a beloved part of the Harrison men's past. You are going to be a beloved part of our future."

"Alan, I understand how important Laura will always be for you. I get it. It's totally different from the relationship the girls and I have with Ron. I do think that David is right, though. You need to lean on me for your emotional support. I don't plan to go anywhere that's not by your side." She paused for a minute, idly stroking his chest. "Have we skipped over some crucial steps in our relationship?"

"Once again, Rose, I don't know. But I am certain that I never want you and the girls to leave us. We are blending our families into one. That's never a simple process. Your presence, yours and Julie's and Maggie's, has done wonders for all three of us since you came into our lives."

"Okay, then, there's something special for you about David's painting of her. Are you worried about it not making it back to school with David?"

"No, not really," Alan answered slowly. "He's been very responsible and good about communicating on his trips to and from school."

"Are you worried that someone might break into the school and destroy that particular artwork?"

He grunted softly, bouncing her head off his chest. "No."

"What if something were to happen to it, Alan? Couldn't David just paint another? Sure, it probably wouldn't be exactly the same, but it would still be a portrait of her. And for the record, I don't feel threatened by pictures of her. Without her, Julie and Maggie would not have their nice boyfriends."

"Okay, okay, your point is made. I give up. Yes, David may and should take the picture back to school with him."

Smiling, Rose turned her head to look at Alan's cock and resumed her gentle caresses of his sensitive bits. Then, she followed it up with her mouth, loving the sensation of his arousal and pleasure. "See, compromise can have its benefits," she said, and then she got serious about demonstrating her love for him. They had to get up and go to work in the morning, after all.

= = =

"Tom what do you think about inviting Dawn and John over for supper next Friday?" Julie asked.

"Hmmm. It could be a good idea, if they're still together. If they've broken up, then it might not be much fun," he answered, thoughtfully.

"Good point. I'll ask Dawn when I see her next."

"Changing the subject now. Jules, what is your schedule going to look like this semester?"

"Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes from 9 to 10, 12 to 1, and 2 to 3. Tuesdays, 12 to 2 and 2 to 4. Thursdays 9 to 11 plus meeting with a professional advisor from 1 to 2."

"'Professional Advisor'? What's that about? Is that something new?"

"Yeah, I don't have a lot of details yet. It's to be a one-on-one time with someone who has actually taught children in the ages I'm targeting," she answered. "How's your schedule looking?"

"It's a good thing for us that we're now sleeping in the same bed. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday my classes are from 10 to 11, 11 to 12, and 1 to 2. Tuesdays are 10 to 12, and Thursdays are 10 to 12 and 1 to 3. Plus, I've pulled rank and will have the late afternoon shift in the accounting lab, so I'll be home for supper and the evenings. And nothing on Fridays."

Julie was plotting all of this out on paper and came to the realization that they could have lunch together only on Thursdays. She looked up in frustration. "Do you see this? There is only one hour in the school day in the whole week where one of us doesn't have class or work!"

Tom looked at her handiwork and admired her creativity. He then observed, "I think you're missing out on what's not there, Jules. Look here. We get to sleep in, together, on Tuesdays until I have to get up and go to class. You could also come by and spend the last of my lab time together on Tuesdays. And we're clear on Fridays from 3:00 through the weekend."

"And here is where we will have lunch together," she declared, pointing at the space on Thursdays.

Tom grinned and nodded in agreement. Setting the schedule aside, she turned in her chair and held her arms out to Tom. He chuckled and pulled her to her feet, allowing her to wrap him in her arms. They rubbed noses, and Tom's eyes got a mischievous glint. He turned her 90 degrees and quickly slid his right arm under her legs and lifted her. Careful not to whack her head, he carried her into the bedroom and gently set her on the bed.

"What are you proposing to do, Mister Harrison?" she inquired, coquettishly.

"Why, to have my way with you, Miss Lawson."

"Oooh, sometimes you have the best ideas, Mister Harrison. Go turn out the rest of the lights first, though."

= = =

Friday, January 15

Maggie took the bus to work and back on Friday. She had found the schedule for the route and knew she had to be at the corner for the 8:37 bus which would drop her off at 8:53. Returning home, she would catch the bus at 4:45 and it would drop her at the corner at 5:02. Beginning on Tuesday, she would not require her personal chauffeur to get to and from work.

Maggie had been working on a new playlist in Spotify, and she'd overheard Alan once say that Laura had especially liked songs by Phil Collins. She wanted to build a 'Tribute to Laura' playlist, and it had included a song from the Disney movie, 'Tarzan'. Sung by Glenn Close and Phil Collins, she found 'You'll Be in My Heart' to be sweet and adorable. When she had previewed the playlist for him on Friday night and that song played, David stopped stock still. His upper lip trembled, and his eyes began to mist over. He tried to maintain control, but the tears were streaming faster than he could wipe them away. Laura used to sing this song to him, and right then he crumpled to the bed as his knees gave way.

"Davey? David, honey, what's the matter?" Maggie was instantly beside him, stroking his hair. 'Shit!' she thought. 'I'm not good at this touchy-feely stuff.' She kissed his face, tasting the salt from his tears. All she could do was let him cry it out. Fortunately, he regained his self-control after a few minutes. Maggie had ducked out and gotten a hand towel for him as she saw his sobbing was ending.

"Davey, what was that all about?" she asked, wiping away his tears then kissing him tenderly.

"My mom loved Phil Collins' music, as I believe you have discovered. She absolutely adored that song he did for 'Tarzan', where Nala has found and saved the orphaned boy. She used to sing that to me and to Tom to get us to sleep. That song is so intensely special, so intimate between me and Mom. Can you please, please remove it from that playlist?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Of course." She deleted the song from the playlist, then continued the previewing.

"I'm so sorry about that booby-trap, Magpie. You might want to be prepared for other similarly random events. None of us are truly over losing Mom, even Dad. I love that you wanted to build a tribute playlist for her. I'm going to miss you snuggling in next to me in the mornings." He began to mist up again at the anticipated absence of her.

"Hey, hey, we've got this whole weekend still. I've got to work tomorrow and I need my chauffeur in tip-top shape in the morning. Come on to bed. I want you to hold me and tell me you love me." She proceeded to demonstrate her own booby-trap for his hands.

Saturday, January 16

When he picked up Maggie at the jewelry store, David knew the next two days would be tear-filled. He just never expected so many of those tears to be his. He thought he'd gotten most of them out of his system.

Maggie got in David's Jeep after making sure Mr. Johnson had turned out the lights and locked the door. She started to buckle her seatbelt, but David stopped her. He gently turned her head to his and they kissed tenderly. The kiss shared between David and Maggie continued for at least five minutes, and it was filled with promise and desire and love. Jack Johnson just stood, somewhat in shadows, watching. He decided he needed to talk with Maeve about an idea before they went to church in the morning.

Maggie wasn't surprised by David's tenderness, but then she started thinking and tears began to well in her eyes. She thought ahead to the coming week. She would truly miss the chauffeured rides with David. The clock was now ticking loudly inside her head. She now had less than 44 hours with him before he had to return to school. She was silent all the way back home, trying to think of how best to demonstrate how she felt about him.

David noticed her silence but didn't have a good idea how to engage her, so he left her alone with her thoughts. He, too, had directed his ruminations towards the upcoming semester at the Art Institute. He would be taking as many non-art classes as he could, hoping to transfer the credits to the State University. He was returning to the same dorm room as he had in the fall. His roommate, Robert, would also be a known quantity. But now he had a BIG external distraction with Maggie. He now had a much nicer and more reliable vehicle to travel back and forth in, but he did not want to use his lifeguarding earnings (and bonus) on gasoline. He needed to plan out his weekends back home.

David had received an unofficial bonus for saving the mayor's grandson's life at the pool. It came in a holiday card from the whole family, hand-addressed to David and including a group photo. He valued the five $100 bills almost as much as the crayon scribble attempt to sign the card, obviously from the child. He set the card in a visible and safe place on his shelf.

Maggie had decided to be present with David in whatever space he would share with her. They had quickly fallen into the habit of having sex every other day or so, usually at night, with morning blow jobs to get their day off to a great start. She realized it was Saturday night and she knew what she wanted to do. After supper, she got out a serving bowl and led him by the hand to the living room.

"Oh, my darling Magpie, yes! I love the way you think," David declared. He made a little more space by moving the coffee table aside while she started up a new Spotify playlist which she had titled 'Love Songs'. She activated the randomizer setting and John Legend's 'All of Me' started the night for them. Pulling her close, he said into her ear, "Margaret Kathleen, please listen to these words. Take them to heart because they flow directly from mine."

'What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawin' me in and you kickin' me out,

You've got my head spinnin', no kiddin', I can't pin you down.

What's goin' on in that beautiful mind? I'm on your magical mystery ride

And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, But I'll be alright.

My head's under water, but I'm breathing fine; You're crazy and I'm out of my mind.

'Cause all of me Loves all of you, Love your curves and all your edges, All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you; You're my end and my beginnin', Even when I lose, I'm winnin'

'Cause I give you all of me, And you give me all of you.'

Alan and Rose had wondered where the two had gotten off to. Once they had cleaned up the kitchen, the search began. It wasn't a long search, but the prize at the end was so satisfying. Rose and Alan watched from the doorway as their youngest ones were so wrapped up in each other's gaze. Alan was proud of David's dancing ability. The lessons that Laura had made him take were evident. Rose's eyes teared up with joy at the sight of her somewhat troublesome daughter surrendering herself to her boyfriend. Alan took Rose into his arms and he swept them into the room to enjoy some dancing time of their own.

Maggie had selected a broad mix of tender love songs for her playlist. Some were considered 'standards' from Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin; some were from the 70s and 80s; and others were even more current. Just for her mother, she had included the Turtles' 'Happy Together'.

Maggie decided that she wanted to dance with Alan for a couple of songs, so David exchanged her for Rose. This worked perfectly as Rose had wanted some one-on-one time with David. They were able to have a whispered conversation of some importance.

"David, you have brought about some significant improvements in Maggie's life. She seems much happier, much more aware of what's going on around her. I cannot thank you enough for that. Or for asking to take that," and she gestured with her head, "painting back to school for this semester. Your father will have a discussion with you, probably tomorrow, about his decision. As you noted, he needs for it to be removed for us to grow together."

David softly snorted in assent of the truth of his words. Then he came out with some more surprising words for her.

"Rose, I will assume that you are going to be part of my dad's life from now on, right? May I call you 'momma'? I feel I must reserve 'mom' for my mother, but I never want to refer to you as my step-mother."

Rose stumbled at his request, then caught herself. She had never in a million years expected this level of acceptance from David or Tom. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as she nodded her answer to his questions.

"Oh, David, David, you continually find new ways to embed yourself deeper into my heart. Yes, son, you may call me 'momma' but never 'mommy', please. Just like Alan cannot tolerate 'daddy' from the girls."

They decided to call it an early night after that. Maggie had just tucked her head against Alan's chest and watched her mother dancing with her boyfriend. She reveled in the warmth that emanated from these men, in the safety she felt when held in their arms. It was quite heavenly for her. But now she needed David.

They tidied up the dance space, restoring the coffee table to its proper position and the bowl returned to the kitchen. As they marched up the stairs, Alan reminded them all of church in the morning. "Yes, Dad," came the duo's chorus, which drew a smile from their parents as they went to their bedrooms.

= = =

That night, Jack and Maeve Johnson retired to bed at their usual time of 9:00 pm. While Maeve was in the bathroom, preparing for bed, Jack was getting ready in the bedroom. In a change from his normal pattern, he put on only the pajama bottoms, leaving the top off. He set his alarm to go off at 7:00 and pulled the covers up to his chin. Maeve soon emerged in her usual long cotton nightgown, and she got into bed only to feel Jack's bare arm beneath her. Surprised, she did not resist when he pulled her to him. His nose was whiffling around her ear as he kissed her neck. She arched her back and turned her head to give him easier access.

"Methinks you have on too much clothing, my love," he whispered.

"Then would you please help me, kind sir, become more suitably unattired?"

He helped get her nightgown off. She could feel his interest through his bottoms. His hands cupped and caressed her breasts, and she squealed softly.

"Now good sir, I believe it is you who has on too much clothing. You know, the proper host dresses or undresses to match their guest." Her smile was quite audible through her words. Jack quickly kicked off his bottoms and he continued to hold and caress his wife.

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I like it! Do tell, my love, what has inspired you this evening?" she asked.

"I was just observing young Margaret with David Harrison when he came to pick her up today. Their affectionate greeting reminded me that I need to do more than just say that I love you. I need to show you, and more often, I think."

"Mmmm, I like that idea. I must thank them in the morning."