Chapter 20

On the way home, they stopped at the new Gettysburg Battlefireld visitors center and looked at some of the exhibits. After checking the prices, they decided not to eat there.

"Explain the Studebaker, the wonderful, beautiful golden Avanti," he asked, once they were back on Route 15.

"Can't. He's got a thing about some cars. Had one of those beautiful Raymond Lowey coupes, a '54 I think, when I was learning to drive. Fine car. But he sold that to buy the Avanti. You ought to see the size of the engine in that thing, almost five liters I think."

"And the MG?"

"Oh, he's had that for years, just a toy. It seldom runs. He's always doing something to it. Right now the head's off, being milled or some such thing. He wouldn't let me drive it."

"It's not a TC is it, a real old one?"

"No, TD I think, fifty-something, but it's right hand drive. How'd you like sleeping by yourself?"

"Daybed's a little hard, but I could hear you and your sisters jabbering away. So I guess you've gotten all the news."

"Just getting caught up. I think Daddy told you, Teresa's really thinking about becoming a nun, one of the teaching orders."

"I felt funny going to Mass with you."

"Glad you did, went with us I mean. Before we get married, we're going to have a session with a priest, a meeting, it's pro forma, but we've got to do it."

"OK, but no Mass, right?"

"Yeah, couldn't talk them into that. But it'll be a nice ceremony at the altar rail, and a blessing, my folks will be happy. OH, and some music too. They used to be stinky about that with a mixed marriage."

"Lucy seemed unhappy. What's her problem?"

"The township she's in is ultra-conservative, bunch of book burners, that sort of thing. No sex ed, of course."

"So?"

"So one of her teachers is gay and is living with another woman, another teacher from elsewhere. It's not exactly a scandal, but they're trying to fire her, get rid of her."

"And your sister's caught in the middle."

"Right, woman's a good teacher, has tenure, really can't be fired just because they don't like her or the way she lives." Meg slowed and steered around some road work. "And there's another thing. The guy Lucy has been seeing for a couple of years vanished, just disappeared, and, although she won't admit it, I think he took some of her money with him."

"Damn!"

"Yeah, and me getting hitched isn't making her feel any better."

"Not much you can do about that."

They rode in silence though the interchanges around Frederick and then onto Route 270 heading south.

"Want to look at some houses, some neighborhoods? We've got some time."

"OK, but not way out here. I don't want to hit this road in the morning. It is solid traffic from about six o'clock on, from Frederick all the way to D.C., to what they call the split. Virginia would be better than Poolesville."

"Uh huh. A couple of English teachers commute from out here, Ijamsville, always complaining, takes them at least an hour, sometimes more, not quite as bad going home. Think they're going to look for jobs out here."

"Not for me. I like walking to work."

"Yeah, I agree, but I don't like apartments, even nice ones which yours is not. I want a yard, my own yard. Remember The Quiet Man, my favorite movie? That's me. I want my stuff, my garden. Oh, and some roses too."