Synchronicity for Six Pt. 03

"You invited Bruce to come and share a special supper you were preparing for me; do I have that correct?" She could hear Tom's eyebrows arching as he asked the question.

"Oh, Tommy!" Julie buried her face in his chest, wetting his shirt with her sudden tears. "I'm sorry. I just wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, Jules. We had talked about it once before. When I saw his truck in the driveway, I was thinking that we should invite him down for supper one night. But maybe we need to plan ahead a little and get on his schedule. I'll go up and ask if he's coming down."

Tom returned five minutes later and relayed Bruce's gratitude for the invitation as well as an apology for turning it down that night. They did agree that sometime in the coming week another invitation would be issued with a couple of days' lead time.

"You've got time to take a shower before supper is ready if you like," Julie offered. Tom read between the lines and recalled that she expected some 'personal attention' that evening. With a jaunty grin on his face, he hurried to their shared bedroom and quickly stripped off his clothes. He laid out the silk boxers his mother had gifted him a couple of years back as well as some lounge pants and a t-shirt. He swiftly scrubbed the day off of his skin and took the time to shave his face very smooth. Quickly dressing, he towel-dried his short hair and entered the kitchen.

Julie was bent over to retrieve the casserole dish from the oven. Tom's eyes widened in appreciation of the sight before him even though it was not intentional. At least, he didn't think it was intentional. She straightened up, closed the oven door with her foot, and turned to place the dish on trivets on the table. She saw Tom standing in the doorway, just watching her, and she realized she had just put on a little show for him. A smirk was crossing her face when the toaster popped up its prizes.

"Tom, if you would please do the honors with the bottle of sparkling cider, I'll get our bread ready," she offered. As Tom got the bottle and poured its contents into their glasses, Julie lit two tapers and turned off the kitchen lights. "I put some granulated garlic and onion on the chicken, so I'm foregoing garlic bread tonight. I hope buttered toast is sufficient."

"It smells divine, Jules. You did not have to make a special supper, you know." He reached across and took her hands in his. "We are both human and prone to make mistakes. I never expect you to be perfect, just perfect for me. Like you already are."

"Thank you, Tom, but I felt a need to make things up with you after today's faux pas."

"Well, I hear that make-up sex can be some of the hottest around," he recited, bouncing his eyebrows at her.

"I'm counting on it," she retorted.

= = =

With Alan's help, Maggie got the large screen monitor running and connected to his laptop. She also remembered to hook up the audio to the room's speakers. Elliot sat a little nervously in Alan's chair while Alan sat with the ladies on either side of him on the sofa.

"Grandpa, do I need to come over there and hold your hand?" Maggie asked as innocently as she could manage.

"That's all right, pun'kin. I think I can manage here on my own. Let's do this."

Rose had already texted to alert Martha of their call, and they were soon connected and waving at each other. Once the initial pleasantries had been dispensed with, Martha jumped in with both feet.

"Elliot Matthew Reynolds! Why did you try to keep your trip to Middleburg a secret? You know I would have loved to come and be having this discussion in person around the table or in front of a fire."

"Martha, my dear, this is first and foremost a business trip. I had to set some things straight in the Middleburg office today. Ordinarily, I would have been on the plane back home by now. It's just because Rosalie is living here that I could extend my stay overnight. And what would I have done with you while I was addressing the work-related issues?"

"I could have gone jewelry shopping at a nice store downtown, for one." Martha winked her eye as she said this. "Or I could have been investigating the optimal investment for a $25,000 gift we are making to our daughter. I believe she has access to excellent investment instruments."

Rose gave a start at her mother's words and her father's seeming duplicity. "A gift to me, you say, mother?"

Elliot started to fumble and stammer, but Martha squinted her eyes at her husband and pressed on, louder.

"Yes, your father was to present you with a personal check as our gift to you for incidentals likely to arise with your upcoming nuptials. Did he not do so, yet?"

Looking daggers at her father, Rose answered, "Oh, he gave us the check, all right. Except he called it Alan's 'separation bonus'. He implied it was from the company, despite it having been written on your personal account. The pieces are lining up now." Rose's lips became white with the pressure she was applying to keep her mouth closed. Alan stepped in at this point.

"Honey, Rose, it doesn't really matter why they are giving us the money, or even what label they want to put on it. Martha, thank you very much! It was completely unexpected and we are both very grateful to accept it."

Martha glared harder at Elliot. "You, husband, have some explanations to provide. To your daughter and to your wife."

After taking a big gulp and finishing off his third beer of the night, Elliot said, "Alan, I felt very badly about the circumstances for your departure from my company. I am truly pleased with your successful landing at your new position. I thought if I couched the gift as something you may have been owed, then you might think better of me. We intended the gift for both of you to address some of the expenses of your wedding. We have missed out on so much of Rose's life as well as our granddaughters' lives. We just wanted to be closer with all of you, and now I've gone a mucked it all up." Elliot hung his head in shame, looking out of the corner of his eye at his daughter's face.

Alan reached out to keep Rose and Maggie in their seats. Softly, he said, "Again, the label on the money doesn't really matter. I had wondered about a company payment coming from your personal account. That mystery is now explained. This is now truly Rose's to decide what to do with." He handed her the check. "Martha, thank you for such a thoughtful and considerate gift. We will try to use it wisely. Please know that our door is always open to you and Elliot. Although, we would appreciate a couple of days' notice so we can be sure the place is clean enough for company. I am looking forward to developing a closer relationship with both of you."

Elliot's eyes started to brim with tears. Never in a million years did he expect Alan to be so gracious and kind. Rose had truly chosen very well. Suddenly his arms were full of his daughter, and she was kissing his face and trying to dry his tears.

"Grandma, while they're making up, when do you think you could come and visit? Even if you're alone because Grandpa has to work, I'm sure we'd love to have you come for a few days, right Dad?" Maggie put Alan on the spot a little, but he grinned his acceptance. Maggie continued, "I'd love to spend some time with you. Now that David's at school, I might get a little lonely at times. Besides, I'd love to show you the jewelry store where I'm working until I can go to college in the fall."

"We'll have to text chat about that, Margaret, dear. It looks like emotions are running over on your end. It won't be terribly long, I promise, until I can hold you in my arms once again. It has been far too long, you know. Alan, take care of my girls. And Elliot!" Elliot gently pressed Rose away and looked at the laptop camera. "Elliot, we are going to have a discussion when you get home tomorrow. When is your flight?"

"I should land around noon, Martha, and then I have to go to the office to file some paperwork and meet with some people. I'll be home by 5:30, dear."

"Very well, Elliot. Good night to you all." And Martha blew kisses to the girls and gave one last glare at her husband before disconnecting.

"Elliot, would you prefer to stay the night here, as we have an extra bed, or would you like me to call a ride for you?" Alan asked, solicitously.

"I caught a ride from Sam, but I need to return to my hotel, please," Elliot replied.

"Honey, I'll take him," Rose interjected. "It will give us a few minutes to talk without other ears," she continued, looking directly at Maggie, her co-eavesdropper.

Alan and Elliot parted with a handshake, and Maggie gave her grandfather a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. Rose jingled her keys, and father and daughter were out the door. She started in as they backed out of the driveway.

"Father, what's up with you and mother?" Rose demanded. Elliot gave a big sigh. This was not a topic he wished to discuss with his daughter, but he was her captive for the moment.

"There just seems to be more and more times when I piss her off. I'm not doing anything differently, so I'm not the one changing. I'm concerned she may file for divorce someday soon. Perhaps it would be for the best if she did."

"Alan likes to say, 'change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.' Maybe it's not that she's been changing, but that you have not. I spoke with her for a bit this morning. She still loves you although she wonders why sometimes. Do you still love her?"

Elliot was silent for a minute, and Rose broke the silence.

"Here's a guiding question: would your life be better with her or without her?"

"Rosalie, we promised each other and before God and our families that we would love, honor, and cherish each other until we were parted by death. All evidence to the contrary, I do love her. I care deeply about what happens to her. Her caring ways touch me deeper than I like to admit even to myself." He paused for half of a minute. "My life would be much, much worse without her."

"Then, Father, I think you have some fences to mend. When was the last time you told her anything like what we've just been talking about?"

"I can't remember." Elliot began to tear at the thought of life without Martha.

"Uh-huh. Perhaps you need to do that, maybe even tonight before you go to sleep. Just talk with her, Dad." That was a first for her, to call Elliot 'Dad'. It kept the parent-child relationship but made it far less formal. She liked it. She pulled into the hotel parking lot and right up to the door. The valet opened the passenger door for Elliot. "Just talk with her, Dad, not to her. Treat her like the partner she should always have been."

"I'll try, Rose. I'll try very hard. Thank you for holding that mirror up for me." Elliot exited the car and slowly walked into the hotel while Rose watched him. He seemed older now. Rose returned home, comparing her father to her fiancé. Despite many similarities between the two, Alan was not cast in her father's mold, and she was so very grateful for that fact.

Hanging her coat in the closet, she noticed all the downstairs lights were off already. Nodding her head, she climbed up the stairs. She noticed Maggie's light was still on and thought she could hear music. Tapping on Maggie's door, she entered at the invitation.

"Hi, Mom. I'm just about to talk with David. Is there anything you want me to tell him from you and Dad?" 'Dad' seemed to roll off her tongue easier every day.

"Not that I can think of, sweetie. Tell him we love him. Don't keep him or yourself up too late, please." Rose cast an eye at the alarm clock on the far side of the bed which read 9:15 PM.

Maggie gently rolled her eyes, saying, "Yes, Mom. I love you. Goodnight."

Taking that as her cue, Rose kissed Maggie on the forehead and closed the door behind her as she made her way to her bedroom and her partner.

Alan was laying on the bed with Spotify playing on his phone. That was the music that Rose heard coming up the stairs. He was dressed only in his silk boxers, and it seemed like he had been eagerly awaiting her return. At least his cock appeared eager, the way it was tenting his shorts.

"I like the way you're thinking, Alan, my love. I'll just be a minute." She hurried to the bathroom to flush and brush. When she emerged, Alan was right by the doorway and he pulled her back to his front, wrapping his arms around her under her breasts. He nuzzled and kissed her neck, making her shiver and dance, and then he began to undress her. First, he pulled her skirt off her hips, allowing it to drop to the floor. His hands caressed her panty-clad ass as she reached over her head and ran her fingers through his hair. Then he gently tugged her panties off, which she kicked to the side once they reached her ankles.

Rose spun about in his arms and pulled her peasant blouse off, tossing it to the floor. She had been wearing a front-clasp bra which Alan now delighted in unfastening, freeing her breasts to the glee of his eyes. He rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, encouraging them to show forth. "You, good sir, have on entirely too many clothes," she declared, and she removed his boxers, piling all the clothes right in front of the doorway to the bathroom. She led him to their bed, turning off all the lights except for the bedside lamp.

= = =

"Hello, Magpie!" came David's voice.

"Oh, Davey, my Davey!" she answered. She did not know why she was channeling the 'Dead Poets Society', but it was working for her. But it went totally over David's head, or he at least did not make the connection. Her delighted laugh struck him in very sensitive parts, though. "Thank you so much for the reminder to set my alarm on my phone."

He chuckled, mirthlessly. "Yeah, if I'd only thought to follow my advice. I woke up late and barely made it to class in time. You know, it totally sucks to sleep alone."

"You are preachin' to the choir, Brother David! Even though I have the luxury of some space as well as a supply of things that still smell of you, last night could have been much better for me as well."

Picking up on her line, David's rejoinder of, "So, how was your day, Sister Margaret Kathleen? God, I made your name sound like a nun!" made her giggle. He so loved being able to make her laugh.

"Mrs. Johnson came in the store this morning and we had, I guess it was a one-month review. She commented that it looked like I had not slept as well last night as I usually did. Then she said that she and Mr. Johnson were very pleased with my skills and work ethic and timeliness for the past month. I kinda owe the timeliness to you, Davey. But I'm good if I'm out the door by 8:30 to catch the bus and walk in about five minutes before 9:00. Then she said that I now merit one day off, paid, each month! I just have to give them two weeks' advance notice so they can get someone else in to cover for me. So, guess what?"

"Hang on, Magpie, I'm still processing what you just said. Okay, you get a paid day off each month. Go on, please."

"I'm gonna use my one for February for when you come home in two and a half weeks! I'm going to ask them tomorrow to have that Saturday off when you're home." Maggie was rather enthused at this prospect.

David's mind was working hard. "Uh, Mags, you know when I showed on the calendar that I thought my Spring Break would be the week of St. Patrick's Day? Yeah, well, it's not until the week after, the 22^nd to the 26^th."

"Okay, Davey. So what?"

"Well, I think that's State's Spring Break week also. If we try to schedule a tour with the school, there may not be anyone there to guide us."

Maggie could see a bigger picture, and she just shook her head in wonder at her boyfriend's limited perspective. "Davey, we have Tom and Jules right there. They can walk us around the buildings. Actually, their being our tour guides might tell us more useful stuff than an official guide would."

A slow smile spread across his face at her words. He gently shook his head in wonder at her perspicacity. "How in the world did I win the Universe's lottery to have you as my girlfriend?" he asked. "That's genius! But you'd need to ask for that Tuesday off from work. We could go on Saturday and come back on Tuesday." David began to get excited about these prospects, especially about sharing a bed with Maggie for over a week.

"Okay, so what days should I ask for?" she inquired, knowing he had a calendar right in front of him.

"I'm coming home on Friday the 5^th, so Saturday the 6^th would be great if you can get it off. If not, then Saturday the 20^th, please. And then Tuesday, March 23^rd when you'll be coming back from a weekend with your sister and her boyfriend at State."

"Got it. I'll talk with Mr. Johnson tomorrow. Eeeee! I'm so excited by all this."

"Mags," and then he tried to emulate Van Morrison, but it came out more like Rod Stewart:

'Have I told you lately that I love you?

Have I told you there's no one else above you?

You fill my heart with gladness,

Take away all my sadness.

Ease my troubles, that's what you do.'

"Oh, Davey, I'm adding that to my 'Love Songs' playlist! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, too. And I miss you. But you need your beauty sleep more than I do, so be sure to set your alarm for the morning."

"Hey! I resemble that remark!"

"Hey yourself. I know what you look like and I see myself in the mirror. You definitely need your beauty sleep more than I do. Sleep well, sweet prince. I love you."

"Sleep well, my princess. I love you, too. Bye."

= = =

"Martha?"

"Yes, Elliot."

"I'm sorry." After a momentary pause, he continued. "I'm sorry for not thinking of asking you to come with me to see Rose, Alan, and Maggie. I've been ten shades of stupid. I do love you. I need you to help me become a better person. Please."

Silence ensued for nearly a minute. Martha was waiting to see if Elliot had anything else to add. He had exhausted his limited reserves and was crying, almost silently. Almost. Then she heard a soft sob, and her hardened heart softened.

"Come home to me, Elliot. We'll work on this together."

"Yes, dear. I'll come directly from the airport. Work can wait until Thursday."

"Good. I love you, too. Get some rest. Goodnight."