Chapter 11: DAYS 3, 4 & 5 morning

DAY 3

Up at 07:00. Wear robes. Start coffee. Start breakfast sausages. The entire adult Skully contingent came to breakfast at the same time.

Doug cleared his throat, “Z and Fran, you two ladies, have just made it possible for the firm to make several billion dollars in the EU. I wish I had something physical to hand you. You two now own your Idle Park home. The necessary paperwork is in progress. You will be contacted – should be less than two weeks – when you will need to sign some paperwork and accept ownership.” Hugs all around and Doug continued, “I need coffee and would one of you two new homeowners please heat the water for our oatmeal.”

Okay, we were still housekeepers. Eggs and bacon for the adults; cereal bowls for the children. Karleen helped with the dishes and suggested the zoo.

We saw insects and the lizards and frogs that ate insects. We saw sea lions, regular lions, tigers, and bears. We saw a water buffalo and giraffes. We saw nocturnal critters in their underground dens. Someplace along the line, Doug bought us lunch.

We took the bus tour. We rode both overhead mini gondola rides. We saw everything. We did everything.

On the first gondola ride, Karleen and I shared a mini gondola. Little Kallie rode in her mommy’s lap. I mentioned Alice’s concurs about Kyle’s job. “I already have some concern. Alice was right to share her concerns. As soon as I get back I will put several law firms on retainer for a possible split. They will be ready as soon as I need them. I hope I won’t need their services but I fear I might.”

After the zoo, we visited a nice quiet public park. The older adults sat and watched while the younger adults, that’s us, managed the children. As much as the kids liked seeing the animals, they liked running loose even more. Summersaults by the girls made me want to join them until I remembered, I was wearing a skirt with no panties.

Dinner was at the Towering Palms Golf Estates. I first met Mel and Alice Brand as clients, but I never ate inside the restaurant on that luxury property. Needless to say, I ate well. The children had been asked in the car what they wanted for dinner. Mac and cheese. They loved it. Their mom also ordered carrot sticks and chocolate milk.

The elder men talked business. The merged rental car companies were going to pander to high-end travelers. They planned to meet executives when they deplane with a driver who will take them to their hotels. Drivers available 24/7 as you wish. Something about working groups. That’s about all I understood.

Back at the May’s house, the children wanted to swim. The mommy joined us wearing her usual bathing non-suit.

Karleen read her girls their bedtime stories. Fran and I did the honors with Kurt. Both of us read a chapter from Dinosaurs in Space.

DAY 4

We had breakfast items ready when the Skully’s made their morning appearance. Elane Skully, generally known as grandma, wanted to stop being waited on and cook for a change.

We and the girls took her shopping. But grandma had to drive. We navigated. She bought two good-sized chuck roasts, a 3-kilo bag of potatoes, an assortment of vegetables, and some spices. On her request, we checked the pressure cooker. It worked.

Then we all decided to visit the aquarium. Grandma warned us that dinner would be at least two hours after we got back. Dinner prep went from 16:30 to 18:30 almost on the dot.

All in all, grandma did about 10% of the total cooking; we shared the other 90%. Grandma had the attention of her grandchildren and was loving every minute of it. She had her little ladies measure the cornstarch for the gravy. A 30-second job took 15 minutes and left spills. The love they had for each other was impossible to ignore.

Grandma put both slabs of meat on a large platter and arranged the potatoes and vegetables around the meat. She drizzled a little gravy on the meat and poured the rest of it into a small mixing bowl because that was the most suitable container we could find. We did, however, find a gravy ladle.

We all did “Yah, Grandma!” three times and started eating.

We put the leftovers away and cleaned the kitchen.

We headed out to the pool to join the “nakie” swim already in progress. Grandma was sitting near the pool enjoying her grandchildren. We each gave her a kiss and thanked her for letting us be a part of her loving family for these few days. She thanked us for being so good for Kurt, Kaycee, and Kallie. “You have been the most wonderful help we could ever find. Please come to Chicago and let us fuss over you.”

They would be heading for the airport at 08:00 tomorrow. Suitcases were packed leaving room for last-minute items like toothbrushes and bedclothes.

Bedtime stories had started.

Kyle asked to speak with me outside. I followed. He had plans for the next few days on the island. He was meeting with developers about some kind of island real estate deal and would like to stay at the May’s house until done.