Synchronicity for Six Pt. 11

"Okay, Rose. Lay it on me," he said. "I know that you have something you either want to ask me or tell me about, and it's serious enough for you to set your 'girls' free." He gently caressed her breasts and her nipples stiffened in their appreciation.

"Can't a loving woman greet her loving man without being accused of having ulterior motives?" she asked, batting her eyes. Her lips sought out his once more and she teased his tongue with hers. Meanwhile, Alan's hands were busy squeezing and caressing her very pleasing backside. "Okay, yes, I need to talk with you. Please join me in the kitchen?"

He set his briefcase down at the door to the garage and hung up his coat. He walked to the entry to the kitchen and just watched as Rose prepared the supper for the four of them. Not looking at him but knowing he was present, she began.

"My mother called me today at lunch. She is basically inviting herself to come for a two‑week stay. Now, before you say anything, I've put her off until this evening, but we need to have a video call. I need to tell her about there being 'no room at the inn', so to speak. Do you have any suggestions, my love?"

Alan rubbed his chin, scratching at his two‑day stubble as he thought.

"Having David come home is no big deal; he just bunks with Maggie, as if she'd let him sleep anywhere else. It was kind of Katie and Maggie to give up the big bed for Tom and Julie last weekend, and for a couple of days it worked. But I could not ask either of the girls to endure more than a weekend of that. I suppose we could give up our bedroom..."

"Oh, hell, no!" Rose interrupted him. "My mother and father are sufficiently well‑off; they can afford their own hotel room."

"There you go. Problem solved. Nicely done, my love. Now to communicate that decision. You could also couch it as them needing their own space to get away from the younger ones. If these were my parents, I'd try to lead them to make that decision on their own. It's amazing how an unpleasant decision becomes more palatable if you make it for yourself rather than having it foisted upon you."

"God, you are a sneaky bastard, aren't you?" she marveled.

"I wouldn't say 'sneaky'. I would say 'experienced'. Alternatively," Alan continued, "if they could wait until we move into the Millersville Road house, then there would be plenty of room even if everybody was home from school."

"I don't think she's of a mind to put off this visit any longer. She didn't come right out and say it, but I think she has our wedding plans on her mind."

"We haven't talked about it much, have we? If I had my druthers, it would be a small, low‑key event. With this house purchase, we may have to delay a honeymoon."

"Alan, I've been living our honeymoon since the day my daughters and I moved in with you," Rose answered. That sentence caught Alan unprepared for the little jump his heart gave.

"While I finish cooking the supper, would you please jot down those points we need to mention so Mother can make the decision we want her to make?"

"Of course. What time do we call her?"

"I told her 8:30. Maggie should be done with Katie and Joy by then, I would hope. Oh, crap!" Rose exclaimed.

"What is it, my love?" Alan asked, suddenly worried.

"Today is Wednesday, isn't it? I more or less promised Ruth that I'd go to choir practice tonight."

"And I promised you that I'd go with you as well. Maybe share that with your mother and ask to delay until we get back?" Alan suggested.

Rose grabbed her phone from the table and called her mother.

"Mom? I'm sorry to ask this, but I promised the pastor's wife that I'd go to choir practice tonight... Yes, she heard me at Christmas and I agreed just for this Easter cantata they're doing... We'll call you as soon as we get back, okay?... Yes, Alan's going with me... Thank you, Mom. Bye!"

= = =

Maggie and Katie were side by side on the couch in the media room and waving goodbye to Joy as their call disconnected. It had been another good tutoring session and Joy was to have a quiz on Thursday. Maggie looked at the clock on the display and noted it was 8:09. Their hour had run a little long, but that will happen sometimes when girls get together. Then an incoming call sounded on the computer.

Realizing it was her grandmother, Maggie answered it with, "Hiya, Grandma!"

"Good evening, my angel. Oh, you're not alone," Martha observed.

"Grandma, this is Katie O'Shea, my adoptive sister. She's living with us as part of our family now. Wave 'Hi' to Grandma Reynolds, Katie," Maggie instructed her 'sister'. Katie gave a feeble wave, but smiled prettily to make up. "So, Grandma, wanna know a cool thing? Katie was born the day after I was. Almost like a twin sister."

"Really? Now you have a sister your own age right there in Middleburg, don't you?"

Maggie smiled broadly and nodded. "I realize I'm sort of babbling, but I never get to talk to you without Mom around. Oh, Grandma! Alan's the single best thing that could ever have happened to Mom." Katie smiled and vigorously bobbed her head in agreement.

"I take it they're not back from choir rehearsal yet?" Martha asked. "No worries then. I'd love the chance to talk with you, Margaret."

Maggie put on a stern face, then brightened back up soon. "Only Mr. and Mrs. Johnson call me Margaret, Grandma. And that's while I'm working in their store because of my nametag. Oh, and here's another cool thing. I'm Margaret Kathleen, right?" Martha nodded. "Well, this is Kathleen Margaret," Maggie said, gesturing to Katie. Martha smiled broadly as she caught the dissimilar similarity.

"So, who are this Mr. and Mrs. Johnson you mentioned?" Martha inquired.

Maggie did most of the speaking but as Katie got comfortable, she would interject some items into the conversation. They discussed Maggie's job at the jewelry store and Katie's trials with Trigonometry. The girls talked about their tutoring sessions leading up to the upcoming ACT exam in early March, how Katie was teaching her how to drive, and how Katie had moved in to occupy David's room while he was at college.

At 8:35, Maggie heard the garage opening. "Grandma, it sounds like Mom and Poppa are back."

"Poppa?" Martha queried.

"That's probably my fault, Grandma Reynolds," Katie said, somewhat boldly, but with confidence. "I call them 'Momma' and 'Poppa'. The people I was told were my mom and dad are really my aunt and uncle. Honestly, I'd much rather have Momma and Poppa than them."

Martha looked somewhat confused by Katie's admission, but held her tongue. Rose soon entered the media room with Alan right behind her. The girls squeezed together in the middle and Rose and Alan sat to flank them.

"Hello Martha," Alan greeted his future mother-in-law. "No Elliot tonight?"

"Just a minute, Alan, I'll call him. Elliot!! Come here now!" Turning her attention back to the screen before her, she shifted back to a pleasant tone. "Hello, Rosalie. It's good to see you again."

"You're looking well, too, Mom. Oh, hello, Father," Rose acknowledged Elliot's presence.

"Hello, Rose. Alan. Maggie. And..." Elliot's voice trailed off as he did not recognize the fourth person.

"This is Katie O'Shea, Grandpa," Maggie introduced. "She's part of our family now and she's living with us until we head off to college in August."

"Well, then, hello, Katie," he greeted her. Katie just waved back. Martha tried to grab hold of the conversation at this point.

"So, Rose, it, um, looks like there have been some developments we ought to know about."

"Yes, Mother, in addition to the addition of Katie, there are even more that we haven't mentioned yet. They may be best reserved for in‑person discussions. Please don't get us wrong; we would love to have you come for an extended visit. We could jockey things around as far as sleeping arrangements, but I also think you might like some time and space to yourselves. Do you and Daddy think you would be more comfortable staying in a hotel rather than under our roof?"

"You know, you are absolutely right, Rose. Your father has all these Marriott Rewards points he's earned over the years. Maybe we should consider using some of them. I hope you won't think us too rude if we got a hotel room."

"Not at all, Mother. We will reserve the evenings and the weekends for time together. With three of us working and the fourth in school, you would probably be on your own during the work day. Now, when did you want to come?"

"I'll be arriving at 5:30 PM on Friday."

"I'll meet you at the airport, Mom," Rose promised.

"That will be wonderful, dear. I look forward to seeing you all in person. Elliot will be on that same flight, just a week later. Say goodbye, Elliot."

"Goodbye all. Have a pleasant evening." Elliot said, and Martha disconnected their call.

= = =

I'm taking a little break to work on a related story for an upcoming event. Don't worry, there's still a lot to be related about all these people you've come to know (and hopefully love).

- ST0112