Down by the Lake Ch. 08

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The rest of August became a very normal month.

The women worked, the kids played, I visited.

Jeannie, of course, continued at the shop. Mrs. Patrick adjusted her hours so she would be home at a more reasonable time. Partially, it was possible because she brought in an assistant for Jeannie. Just bragging here, My Jeannie, with her warm personality, had doubled sales in the first eight months. Mrs. Patrick could afford more help.

Madge had called Rose Johnson; the Realtor, Monday afternoon. Wednesday she had the latest listings and maps of the area, with instructions to learn her way around. On Saturday and Sunday, she was assigned to Open Houses, mostly to answer questions. Mid-August, she made her first sale. That did her ego a world of good. That night she was strutting in the bedroom, nude, recounting how well she negotiated the deal. Quite a sight!

Brady's crew finished the spa and roof by the tenth. The girls and I celebrated in the spa that evening with champagne. Followed by a round of blow jobs and pussy eating. A good night indeed.

The Dervishes kept us busy. About every third day, I'd take them down to the lake, they'd fish, paddle around in the canoe. On the hotter days, we'd splash in the shallows. The rest of the time, if I didn't have them on the computer or reading, they'd be biking all over the upper reaches of the property (they weren't allowed out of sight of the house). One day they got curious about the stand of trees upslope of the house. We found the tree house my kids had built twenty five years ago. Well, a little of it, anyway. They wanted their own, so we hauled wood up there, and I let them build it themselves. Ugly thing, but they were proud, and so was I.

***

Mid-month I dropped in on Carl; he'd gotten John Biddle to convert his tail gate to a lift.

Biddle had a farm up the road from the Jepsons; did welding, shoeing, anything to bring in spare money. He did a nice job for Carl; they found a surplus one over in South Prairie at a fair price. A week later, it was good to go.

Carl got his chair, called me over to see it. Damn, I hadn't seen him that happy in a long time.

While I was there, I noticed a dog around the house. It came over, checked me; probably smelled Bogart. She looked like a Cattle Dog, "Man, what are you doing with a high energy dog like that?"

"Some son-of-a-bitch, abandoned her. I watched him from my window. Came to a halt, put the dog out, and took off at high speed. Low lifes like that should be left in the woods. Way out in the woods."

"How'd you get her up here?"

"Hobbled down to the road with a pack of hot dogs. Just figured I'd give her somethin'. She followed me back to the house."

"What are you going to do with her? Does she always pace around?"

"I dunno what I can do with her. Yeah, she paces. I know she needs exercise, but I can't do it. Marie walks her at night, but it's not enough. Can't keep her, sure ain't takin' her to the pound. Just don't know."

"How about I brought Jeannie and the kids over to visit? You haven't seen them since the barbeque."

"Squid, you're up to somethin'. Ya got that look."

"Not me Jarhead. Just bein' neighborly. But don't get rid of the dog yet."

***

The following Monday, we went over to visit. I'd filled Madge in, but left Jeannie in the dark. I wanted to see her honest reaction to the dog. I was one hundred percent certain about JD and Clark.

We all trooped in, Madge and Jeannie fussing over Carl, the boys and I standing back. He was saying it was too bad Marie had to work, when this orange streak came flying in from the kitchen. She ran straight to me, then spotted the boys. She was all over those kids, sniffing, wiggling, rubbing against them. She must have been used to kids, she didn't jump on them. Madge and Jeannie complimented him on his dog, which gave Carl a chance to tell his story. Next thing I know Jeannie is on her knees, talking to the dog!

The boys were jumping around asking if we could have her, Jeannie is giving me calf eyes, and Madge is choking back laughter.

I let them talk me into taking the dog. "Well, we'll have to come up with a name."

"She had a collar on her, said her name is Katie."

"What do you think? Madge, Jeannie, boys? Do we keep her Katie?"

Madge looked over at the dog and just said, "Katie?"

The dog went straight to her, tail wagging a mile a minute.

Katie it was

***

We still had one more vote to go on Katie: Bogart. If he didn't accept her, it was no-go. I explained it to the boys very carefully, and very fully. Bogart has seniority.

Not to worry. The dogs circled, sniffing, doing dog stuff, then Katie lay down on her back. Bogart checked her again, nudged her. She jumped up, started running around, challenging him to play. Soon the two were running all over the yard. She was accepted.

I got an appointment at the vet for the next day, I wanted her thoroughly checked, shots, everything.

The vet trip was just that, a trip. Not only did I take Katie, but the boys, and Jeannie, AND Madge. I couldn't even leave them in the waiting room. Doc Privett wondered what was going on. "I've got me a posse."

"Looks more like a herd."

He checked her over, said she was about a year old, had had a litter. Recommended spaying. Other than catching up on shots, she was fine.

We celebrated with cones at Sundgrens. Jeannie and the boys spotted dog leashes and collars, bought new ones for Katie, toys for both dogs.

***

Over the next week we put Katie through an extensive training course. I wanted her to walk on leash with anyone, especially Clark. She took to training quickly. That dog wanted to learn.

Unlike Bogart, who slept all over the house, Katie slept mostly in my bedroom. Madge and Jeannie were concerned. They hoped she would want to be with the boys, I explained she was still insecure, as she got comfortable, she'd move around. (I was tempted to say 'sleep around', but thought better)

***

While all this was going on, Jeannie took the boys to school for registration. JD was going to third grade, Clark, first.

When she returned, she looked upset. "What's up, Honey? How did it go at school?

"Signing up was alright, but when I gave them our address, the clerk asked 'Isn't that the Murphy place?', and gave me the strangest look."

"Did she say much else?"

"No, but her face screwed up all funny."

***

As we neared the end of the month, and Labor Day, I sat everybody down for a talk; I had been doing a lot of thinking about the future. Some decisions had to be made and I wanted input from the women on things that affected them. Also, I didn't want anyone feeling blind sided by my kids coming. For the time they were here, I needed the boys to double up. That was the easy part. They understood the need, worked it out for me. Once that was done, I sent them out to play, explaining we were going to get into the adult discussion. "You know, the boring part."

After they cleared the room, I began, "You know I invited the kids up for the weekend. Not just to meet you, but to also help me with some legal aspects. I'd like your opinions on some things I have in mind. Let me lay this out, then chime in; the very first thing I want to do, is make us as legal as possible. If I can't marry both of you, then I want to be as close the law will allow.

Secondly, Knowing I won't out live you, I want to provide for the future..."

"But, Josh..."

"Wait, let me get this all out. Third, I want to provide for JD and Clark. They're smart kids and I want to be sure they can go to college if they want. That's the gist of it. Now you can speak."

For once, Jeannie led off, "Aren't you worried about what they will think of us? The three of us together?"

"No. Remember, they were raised in this house, with all those books, and the discussions Naomi and I had. I don't think it's a problem."

"Well, I didn't join with you for property or things, I'm a bit insulted that it's coming to this."

"Madge, I love you. I don't think you're here for 'things', quite the contrary. This is me, looking way down the road. Knowing several things; not the least is that someone has to inherit this land. Also, I'm already thinking of the boys as mine. I want them to do well."

"So...We don't have a say in this?"

"Jeannie, we're doing this precisely so you do have a say. If you two don't want me doing these things, I won't"

"You want to marry us?"

"Madge, I certainly do. And if anyone can help me set it up, set all this up, it'll be Jessie."

"Well, I like the idea of us being married...'

"So do I!"

***

Four days before Labor Day weekend, Johansen's crew finished the deck around the pool. We spent Wednesday scrubbing it out, then filling. We still had a heater to install, but I felt three days of sun would warm it sufficiently. We truly appreciated the work of both crews, so asked them to a huge barbeque on Saturday.

***

Jessie and Bob arrived on Friday. Bob rented a car, and picked Jessie up at her terminal. I don't know what they talked about on the way out, but they looked worried when they stepped out of the car.

Madge and Jeannie had been busy in the previous week, asking me to dress in a certain way when the kids arrived. So, when they stepped out of the car, I stepped onto the porch; bare foot, ragged coveralls, and a torn flannel shirt. Oh, and straw in my mouth.

As my kids gaped at me, Madge and Jeannie came out; long gingham dresses and bonnets, and straw in their mouths. ten seconds later, the Dervishes came racing around the corner. yup, coveralls and bare feet.

Bob and Jessie must have stood there a good minute, then busted out laughing. We held our silence as long as we could, then let our laughter go.

Kids were running around yelling, dogs romping about barking, and all the adults rolling on the ground gasping for air.

I finally crawled over to the porch, sitting there watching everyone recover.

"So, Dad, what's been going on? Anything interesting?"

"No, Bob. It's been pretty quiet around here."

***

We gathered on the deck. Thankfully, I had shed the coveralls, and flannel, and was back in my shorts and t-shirt. likewise, everyone else had gotten comfortable. Except the boys. They liked the coveralls!

"All right Dad, what's going on?"

"I'm sure it's no surprise I've been alone since your mother died. And when I met these two, I wasn't looking for anyone. But I found two instead."

"Well...that's no surprise."

"Meaning?"

"C'mon, Dad, Bob and I grew up in this house, and the one in town. We saw how you and Mom took Aunt Claire and Uncle Wally's leaving."

"And we read all the books and magazines. Jess and I knew about multiple lovers long ago."

"So Dad, getting any lately?"

"Jess! What kind of question is that for your father?"

"After you called me, I worried you were ill or something. so I made a few calls."

"Calls?"

"Yeah, you know , the usual sources; Marie, Sandy, Shelly. They gave me an over view of what's been going on. And Madge, Jeannie, they were all positive when they talked about you."

"Hmmph, Marie and Sandy I figured for motor-mouths; but Shelly?"

"Barely a word from her. Just re-assurances. Now give us your version."

I filled them in on how it all happened, how I love them, what I wanted to do in the future. We talked for an hour or so; Jessie and Bob asking questions not just of me, but Jeannie and Madge as well. When we wound down, Jessie asked the important question, "So, how can I help?"

"I've talked it over with Madge and Jeannie. I want us to be as legal as we can possibly make it. If you and Bob don't mind, I want them to inherit the property, and the boys to have a college fund."

"And if this doesn't work?"

"Then something else will have to be set up."

Jessie sat in thought for a few minutes, "Ok, I have to do some research. Washington law may be different on this than Colorado and California."

"Have you done this before?"

"Oh sure. Remember, I practice family law."

"In California too?"

"Just the one time."

"Anyone I know?" I asked looking at Bob. Sometimes you start getting an inkling of what's going on as much by what's not said, as by what is.

"Ah,um...well, Sue and I share the house with someone."

"Share? C'mon, you share now. I told you about my two lovers. Fill me in."

"Sue and I have shared a lover for the last year and a half."

"This lover, does she have a name?"

"Emm...he. He has a name. Mark."

"Ok."

"That's all? Just ok?"

"Sure, It's not for me to judge."

Another thought occurred to me. Turning to my innocent looking daughter. Too innocent, in fact. "And you, Missy. What are you hiding from 'Dear old Dad'?"

"Michelle."

I laughed. Straight from the belly, laughed. The others looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. They didn't get it. Here I'd worried how they would take my news. Theirs was just as good!

*****