Synchronicity for Six Pt. 04

Synchronicity for Six, Part 4

Wednesday, January 20

After the turmoil of Tuesday, life returned to a more normal ebb and flow for the Harrisons and the Lawsons. Everyone began to breathe a little easier as schedules became more routine and predictable. Everyone made it to their respective destinations on time and without incident.

= = =

David's one art class for the semester met for the first time on Wednesday, and he remembered to take his portrait of Laura with him to class. He made a small presentation of the piece to the instructor for the school to display for the semester. The older lady was delighted to accept temporary custody of the artwork, and she began to make plans to have it expertly photographed. She was thinking of including pictures of Laura and the six in the school's advertising; they were that good.

David also had his first meeting of the Psychology 100 course he had changed to. He would miss the English 120 course almost as much as he would miss having a root canal. Not that he minded writing papers, but he disliked the mandatory literature reading. The Psych instructor was a gorgeous blonde in her late 20s or early 30s. She was going to make it very easy for David to be sure he was in class every time. There was only one section offered this semester and there were nearly fifty students in this section, so the likelihood of any one‑on‑one time was very small.

He did not know it, but Amanda, Rob's girlfriend, had dropped one of her classes and picked up this same course. She saw him walk into the large auditorium‑style classroom, and she hung back. She had forgotten neither Maggie's embrace from Monday nor her promise to keep an eye on David. She saw how attractive the new instructor was and how every guy seemed fixated on her. Amanda also took note of the lack of rings on the instructor's left hand. Since the instructor was new to the school this semester, there was no history to base any opinions upon. 'This situation could merit observation', she thought.

Amanda was waiting in the hallway for David once class ended. He seemed surprised to see her and walked up to speak with her.

"Mandy! Were you just in Psych 100?" he asked.

"Yeah, I came in after you and had to sit further back. Maybe we can sit together next time?"

"That'd be great!" David enthused. "I'll be sure to wait so we can walk in and get seats together."

"I'd really like that, David. I've gotta scoot now. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Mandy. Be safe."

= = =

Maggie was practically bouncing as she got off the bus that morning. She looked good and she knew it. She felt the eyes of several of the passengers on her as she disembarked and walked the half block to the store. She tossed her hair and smiled broadly. The sun was shining and everything seemed right with the world.

Jack Johnson was just opening the door when he heard her footsteps approaching. He turned to look, then held the door for her. Smiling fatuously at her, he wished she was truly his granddaughter. She was easy on the eyes, had a great customer focus, and was whip‑smart. He was extremely pleased with how hiring her had worked out so well.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Johnson," she chirped.

"You are most welcome. But please, call me Jack."

"Only if you remember to call me Maggie. I'll wear the nametag for 'Margaret', but I prefer Maggie, Jack."

"Very well, Maggie. You seem happier than usual this morning," he observed.

"I had a nice talk with Mrs. Johnson yesterday, plus a good chat with David last night. I would like to put in my request for two days off, one in February and one in March, please."

"Which days are those?" he asked, pulling the calendar off the wall in his office.

"Saturday, February 6^th, and Tuesday, March 23^rd, please."

Jack made a face when she said the 6^th and she noticed. She quickly countered with, "Or, if the 6^th doesn't work, then Saturday the 20^th?" A hopeful note entered her voice.

Nodding, Jack smiled and said, "Yes, the 20^th is easier than the 6^th. I'm expecting some pre‑Valentine's sales and I really need you here on the 6^th. You know how busy our Saturdays can be. And this year, Valentine's Day is Sunday, so expect last‑minute shoppers on the 13^th."

"Yes, I know, Mr. Johnson."

"Jack, please."

"Jack."

Maggie put away her lunch and took her place on the sales floor. It was a bright, clear winter morning, the sun was shining, and things were looking up.

= = =

"Okay, so I'm getting Saturday the 20^th of February and Tuesday the 23^rd of March off from work," she related that evening.

David had called her at 7:30 and she rushed up the stairs, squealing slightly, and into her bedroom where she flopped onto her bed. Rose and Alan just smiled at each other, knowingly, at her antics which had not diminished much since the families had more‑or‑less blended at Christmas.

"So, should I even come home on the 5^th?" David asked, teasingly.

"You had better, buster! You promised me that weekend. I'll only be working from 9:00 to 4:30; I'll be all yours for the rest of the time."

The remainder of their time was spent in chit‑chat; simply being connected was sufficient.

= = =

Julie caught up with Dawn at lunch. They had only one class together that semester. They proceeded to briefly share how their holidays had gone. Dawn promised a more detailed account of her break when she and John would come for supper on Friday. This promise elicited an excited response from Julie.

"So, who's your mentor, Jules?" Dawn inquired. The mentoring program for education majors was a new initiative for the school this term. The school was bringing in some outside help from the community, aimed at giving practical advice, experiences, and a more current perspective of some of the challenges facing educators.

"I don't know, Dawnie. My first session with her isn't until tomorrow after lunch."

"So, you know your mentor's a woman?"

"Why, isn't yours?"

"Nope. My mentor's a guy. Helmut Thorssen, to be specific." Then, Dawn began to gush about her new mentor, whom she had met for the first time that morning. Julie was taken aback, especially given Dawn's effusiveness about him.

Dawn continued: "He's a real hunk. Tall, blond, very athletic. Could easily play a Viking on stage. Yes, he's that gorgeous, too!"

Julie's eyes widened in alarm at her friend's words, and Dawn saw Julie's concern.

"But don't worry, Jules. He's totally devoted to his boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?!" Julie's eyebrows were trying to crawl up her forehead and into her hairline.

"Yeah, boyfriend. So, John has absolutely nothing to worry about. Oh, but if only..."

"Well, I'm very glad for you and John," Julie replied. "You really had me worried there for a moment."

"Yeah, I could tell, Jules. To be honest, I was kinda messing with you. Oops! I've got to run now." They stood and Dawn gave Julie a brief yet heartfelt hug and promised to be on time on Friday evening with John in tow.

= = =

Alan had individual meetings with Eddie, Jerry, and Melvin on Wednesday. The reactions from the men were not unexpected. Eddie seemed embarrassed and guiltily admitted he was in over his head. He was genuinely grateful when Alan offered the training. Eddie promised to take the training seriously and vowed his commitment to making it work.

Jerry was stunned into silence at the offer extended by Alan. Jerry had been hoping for the opportunity to advance but had never seriously considered it possible to escape his current position. All he could do was nod his head in acceptance, displaying his understanding and appreciation of what the training would provide him.

Melvin, expectedly, blustered and stopped just short of refusing to attend the training. "I don't need any training for the job I'm already doing!" he refuted. "I know how to do my job!"

"In my estimation, Melvin, you have not been applying that knowledge to my satisfaction. That judgment is based in large measure on these items: the results of your team's deliverable achievements, their self‑evaluations, and my observations for the past month." Alan handed some paperclipped pages to the man. "I strongly recommend that you review these items and attend the training required of you. We'll talk again in a couple of weeks and see how things go from there. Thank you." The anger emanating from Melvin was palpable as he stood and left Alan's office. All Alan could do was shake his head and make alternative plans for that team. He did not see Melvin throw the papers into the wastebasket as he stormed off.

= = =

Rose had her own 'brushfire' to deal with at the AgCU. A customer's loan application had been declined. He wanted the loan to fix up his kitchen, and his raised voice could be heard through her office door.

"What seems to be the problem, Mr. Riley?" she asked.

"My loan request has been declined, that's what the problem is!"

"Let's just stop and take a breath. Then you may come into my office and we can discuss the details, okay?" she asked, sweetly. Seeing as he was getting some attention from an attractive lady, his ire diminished and he bowed his head slightly, then followed Rose into her office and she closed her door.

They got into the particulars of the loan request, and she could see where the issue lay. He was requesting a larger loan than he could reasonably cover. She examined his account balances and his history with the AgCU and pointed out that he should not need that much money to complete the kitchen rehabilitation. He bowed his head and mumbled that he just wanted to have some cushion. Rose re‑worked the amount and the interest rate and was able to offer him enough of a loan to complete the refurb and give him a little cushion. Mr. Riley was almost in tears at the results.

"I din't mean to get so angry, Miz Lawson. I jus' wanted to be able to do it right for my Maggie," he explained. "She doesn't much care for being a 'Naggie Maggie', in her words, but we need to fix up the kitchen."

"I understand, Mr. Riley. And we value long‑time members such as yourself. Thank you for being reasonable and working with me to work this out. I hope you have a better rest of your day."

Friday, January 22

Rose had texted her mother that morning before leaving for work, asking if they could talk. It was at lunch when Martha got back to Rose, asking if they could video conference that evening. Rose responded affirmatively and set a reminder on her phone for 7:00 PM. She wondered what had transpired when her father had returned home on Wednesday. Yet, she wanted to be involved in her parents' relationship as much as she wanted them in hers, that is to say, not at all.

= = =

'Free at last! Free at last! Thank God, Almighty, I'm free at last!' David thought as he walked back to his room from his last class. Climbing the stairs, he dodged a few who were descending, most carrying duffle bags. They were likely heading away for the weekend, and that inspired him. He realized he had no assignments due on Monday; therefore no reason to stay at school for the weekend. Entering his room, he quickly placed his books on his desk. David found his duffle bag where it had been kicked beneath his bed. He gathered up a couple of days' worth of clean clothes and crammed them into it. Looking around, he spied his portable hamper with a few days' worth of soiled clothes and grabbed it as well. Finally, he scribbled a note to Robert saying, 'Rob, Gone home. Back on Sunday. Enjoy. ‑Dave'. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, David exited the room with both his hands and his heart full and was soon skipping down the stairs himself.

He had a beautiful girlfriend to surprise!!

= = =

Julie was in a bit of a panic. Here it was 4:30 and she had no idea what they were making for supper. Dawn and John could be there within the hour, and she wanted to make it a perfect evening for the four of them. She had been back in the apartment since 3:30, but she just couldn't seem to focus.

Tom was reclining in the chair, doing some reading for his 'survey' course with Mr. Price, but he kept being distracted by Julie's pacing. Finally, he had enough and called out to her.

"Jules, what's the problem? It's just Dawn and John. They're friends who have eaten their share of dorm food. They'll love whatever you make."

"But THAT's the problem, Tommy. I don't know what to make, and time keeps passing. Would you please help me?" Julie was nearly in tears with her frustration.

Tom set his book on the coffee table and stood. He wrapped Julie in his arms and kissed the top of her head, willing away her worries. She nestled in and soon her heartbeat matched his. Calmer, she craned her head up to kiss him. Reassured, she asked, "What do you think we should serve them?"

"I think simple and filling is the order of the day. How about spaghetti with meat sauce and salad and maybe some fruit?" he suggested. "We can easily pull that together in the time we have left. I'll even make some toast."

"Oh, thank you, Tom! Why didn't you suggest that earlier?"

"You did not ask for my help, Jules. One of Mom's rules was 'stay out of the kitchen unless you are asked to help.' Out of habit, I just defaulted to her rule, I guess. That does not seem to be your rule, so I'll try to break that habit."

Working in concert, dancing around each other in that small kitchen area, the pair got the pasta and sauce ready in time for Julie to change out of her top and jeans for a sweater and skirt combination. Tom was buttering the last of the toast when the knock came at the front door.

Julie dashed to answer it, and soon squeals of delight resounded in the small apartment. Welcoming Dawn with a hug and welcoming her and John inside, Julie took their coats, hung them by the door, and noticed the bottle of wine in Dawn's hand. Tom poked his head out of the kitchen to see their guests and smiled broadly. "You're just in time. We're about to set the food on the table in here."

"Oh, it smells so great!" John practically gushed. "So much better than the glop offered in the caf." Tom gestured to a seat, and John was about to sit when he stopped himself. "Dawn? Where would you like to sit?" When she gestured to the closest chair, he solicitously pulled it out for her, to Tom and Julie's amusement. John then took the seat to her right, and Julie sat across from Dawn.

"Oh! This looks like a good bottle of wine. It has a cork and all," Tom teased. "Shall we have it with the supper, or save it for later?"

"Open it now, Tom, and let it breathe while we eat," Dawn recommended. "Water's fine for us, right John?" At John's agreement, Tom soon found the corkscrew and extracted the cork almost expertly, and returned to the table. John and Dawn picked up their forks while Tom and Julie clasped hands and reached for their friends'. Abashed, the utensils were laid down, hands were clasped, and heads bowed as Tom asked for God's continuing grace, love, and protection for all of them while giving thanks. At his "amen", heads were raised and faces showed smiles of pleasure and a little embarrassment.

Tom and Julie picked up their forks and Dawn and John quickly followed suit. The expressions of delight on their guests' faces as they ate pleased and relaxed Tom and Julie. There was little discussion as the four ate their simple yet filling meal. Once the meal was eaten, Tom gathered up the plates, bowls, and silverware and headed for the sink.

"Jules, I think it would be good to show Dawn and John the 'expansive' apartment we have. I'll take care of the dishes." Tom practically shooed the three from the kitchen.

"Well, folks, as you can see, we have the primary living space which spans the entire width of our apartment. Here is the front door through which you entered. You can see your coats are safe and easily accessible should the need to make a break for it strike you. Our comfortable sofa and chairs surround the coffee table, and there's a pleasant view of the darkening sky out of our window before you.

"If you will follow me, down this short hallway we have a bedroom immediately on the right with the master bedroom at the rear and the full bath nestled cozily between. You may not have noticed, but there is a rear door accessible through the combination kitchen/dining area which leads to the back yard. I'm informed there's a nice egress out there as well.

"I hope you have not gotten lost during this tour. Be sure to tip your tour guide well, please." Julie's smile was ear‑to‑ear as Dawn laughed and John slowly shook his head from side to side, smiling as well.

"May I use your bathroom, Jules?" Dawn asked.

"Of course, Dawn. Now, don't get lost. This is a big place, you know."

John settled onto the sofa, stretched his arms along the arm and back, and just took in the surroundings. Julie stepped back into the kitchen to help Tom quickly finish with the dishes. They returned after a couple of minutes with the bottle of wine and four goblets. Dawn was a minute longer rejoining them, and she settled in next to John on the sofa.

"Jules, I figure y'all are using the master bedroom for sleeping and such. What're you using the other bedroom for?" Dawn asked.

"I use it for studying when I need to focus and Tom has already claimed this space for himself. It's there for occasional overnight guests as well, I suppose. David and Maggie are planning to visit during the first part of Spring Break, when we won't be studying, to tour the campus. David's transferring in and Maggie's gonna be a freshman in August. David is Tom's younger brother," Julie explained, "and you know that Maggie's my younger sister."

Dawn eyed the short hallway leading to the bedrooms speculatively, then settled in to enjoy the wine. Julie took a sip and asked, "Say, Dawn, how did you come by getting this wine? It's very good. Your birthday's not until the end of April as I recall. John, did you pick this up?"

He responded, "Sorry. My birthday's not until the last of March. We're still only 20 years old." He turned to look at Dawn, puzzled. "How did we come to have this bottle, Dawn?"

"Actually, I brought it back with me from home. I raided my parents' little wine closet. I had intended to share it with John, which I guess I'm doing now. It's just that my new roommate, Renée, is just way too curious about my stuff. Besides, I'd much rather share it with you two plus my guy. Oh! That reminds me. We've got something for Tom." Dawn got up and got a wrapped box from her coat pocket. Returning the few steps to the group, she presented the gift to him, saying, "Tom, this is from John and I in special thanks for bringing us together back in October. We're sorry it has taken us so long to give this to you. Open it now, please."

Tom thought, 'For the size of the box, the contents felt rather heavy.' He carefully opened the Christmas wrapping paper from the box and just stared at what he had unwrapped. Disbelieving what his eyes registered on the outside of the box, he opened it up and extracted an oddly‑shaped bottle full of liquid. The box's contents matched the box's outside: a new bottle of 'Business Man' cologne. Julie's eyes widened in surprise and delight at the treasure in Tom's hands. He was speechless; his mouth tried to form words, but nothing came out. He looked up at Dawn and John and saw their pleased smiles at his reaction. Finally, some words emerged from Tom.

"Oh, my God! They don't make this any more. How? How did you get this?"

John answered, "We found two bottles some time ago. We meant to give you one of them before Christmas, but we just never could sync up until now." John took Dawn's hand in his and looked back and forth between Julie and Tom. "I owe, we owe you both so much for bringing us together."