Chapter 139: Meeting The Family

Monday, June 20, 1983

We were up at around seven. The train was running a bit late. I knew that right away because we were in the Champaign-Urbana station, and we should’ve been past that.

We pulled on enough clothing to run to the restrooms, then came back and got dressed for real. I bumped into Jas on the way to the restrooms (literally, in fact) and we took the opportunity for a quick kiss.

Once dressed, we opened the roomette door and hung out until Jas and Paige came to meet us.

“Food!” Paige said, grinning. “Hungry!”

Angie chuckled. “Me, too.”

We set off to the dining car. Amtrak breakfasts were nothing to write home about, but they were nutritious enough. I’d put them ahead of some complimentary hotel breakfast buffets, but not others, although relatively few hotels had complimentary breakfast buffets in 1983. That trend was still nascent right now.

The train was nearing Kankakee by the time we’d finished and gotten settled in the observation car. Two stops and under two hours to go before we hit Union Station. With any luck, we’d be there before ten.

Two hours later ... well, we didn’t have quite that much luck. We’d stopped to allow freight trains to pass us four times in the Chicago outskirts.

As we were waiting out the fourth one, Mom and Dad came up and sat down next to us.

“How are you doing, kids?” Mom said.

“Good, Mom!” Angie said.

“This is really fun!” Paige said. “Thank you so much for inviting us!”

Jas nodded. “Yes! Thank you!”

Dad smiled. “It’s our pleasure. We’re really glad you could both come along.”

I said, “How are you doing?”

Dad and Mom took each other’s hand, I think unconsciously, and Dad said, “This has been wonderful, really. I don’t begrudge a minute of time when you ... meaning you, or both of you ... were younger, and we needed to be on top of things, but it’s been...”

“We’re having a great time,” Mom said. “Thanks for thinking of us!”

“I’m glad,” Angie said. “You deserve it.”

They both actually blushed a little at that.

“So, do the delays throw us off schedule at all?” I asked, wanting to change the subject before things got awkward.

“No,” Dad said. “We’d planned to visit Grandmother and Professor Berman in the afternoon, and I’m sure that will still work. If everything works out, Robert and Monica and Kenneth and Ryan will join us all for dinner at that restaurant Grandmother really likes.”

I glanced at Jas, though she probably wouldn’t have any clue why. I said, “It’s a French restaurant, so ... home cooking.”

She giggled. “Well, exactly! We’re more casual about it, I’m sure, though.”

The old me hadn’t ever really gotten past the stuffiness and formality of it all, but this me? I’d be fine. Heck ... it’d be an opportunity to dress up a little. Not a suit — Dad hadn’t even brought a sport coat, and he wore those every day — but a little.

Paige smiled. “I like French food.”

Angie nodded. “Me, too!”

Jasmine chuckled. “C’mon. Everyone likes French food! If there’s anything we’re known for being the best at, it’s food and wine!”

“Indeed!” Dad said. “Though some California wines...”

“That’s heretic talk!” Jas said, but she was grinning.

Mom grinned, chuckled, and said, “Don’t be starting fights, dear.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Dad said.

The freight cleared and we got back up to speed. This time, downtown Chicago came steadily closer, though we could mostly only see it when we made a turn. Jasmine said, “I’ve been in the airport a couple of times, but that’s all of my Chicago experience.”

Paige shook her head. “More than me!”

“You’ll like it,” Angie said. “I mean, okay, I’m biased, since I lived here, but it’s really a nice city. Not that we’ll be in the city, mostly.”

Dad nodded. “Me, too. I mean, biased, but also I think you’ll like it.”

Mom said, “I really liked it when we lived here that little while.”

Between Dad and Angie, Paige and Jas got a quick crash course in Chicago things. I held my tongue quite a bit. I had plenty of things I could add, and most of them were justified by my this-life experiences, but some weren’t. They were the natives, after all.

We pulled into Union Station about two hours later. Baggage claim took almost no time at all, and the car rental place was punctual. The biggest challenge was simply getting the mountain of luggage situated. As large a vehicle as we had, it just wasn’t all getting loaded without a fight.

We wound up compromising in a way no one truly liked. Several suitcases were tucked into the middle and back seat rows and Paige and Angie shared a single seat belt (which wasn’t all that safe, but it worked), and Jasmine sat in my lap with us sharing a belt, too (which might have been safer, or not — I wasn’t sure).

It was that, or have a cab follow us (likely with some of us), or make two trips (which would’ve been ridiculous).

So, we packed in, got snuggly, and got on the road.

Angie got to play tour guide with my occasional help. She pointed out lots of interesting sights along the way, including occasional comments about how close she’d lived to various places once we were in the northern suburbs.

Over the years, she’d come to terms far more with her past. Things that might have been a bad memory might not be, now. I kicked myself a bit for not checking on her more, though. First-life Frank would’ve died months ago and first-life Angie would’ve just moved to Houston a month ago. Still, neither of us had made a point either of Frank’s passing or of Angie’s move. That told me that (probably) those things were receding more and more into Angie’s ‘distant past’ category, which was all to the good.

We made it to the North Shore Hilton around twelve-thirty. Everyone breathed a big sigh of relief at being out of the car. It hadn’t been that bad, but ... still. This was much better.

We shouldn’t need to do this again. Only some of the luggage was going to Uncle Robert’s house, and we might not all go on that outing. Maybe just Mom and Dad would go. It might be nice for him to catch up with his brother without us underfoot.

This time, not only were our rooms separate from Mom and Dad’s room, they were on a different floor. That didn’t seem to throw Dad, and Mom didn’t seem to care. I didn’t think they’d arranged it, but I wouldn’t totally put it past them, either.

Mom and Dad told us to meet at one-thirty in the lobby and left us to our own devices. We took all of the luggage to our rooms, and then unpacked the duffel bags, moving everything we needed for the rest of the trip into the suitcase we’d take with us, and packing the rest into the suitcase that we’d leave at Uncle Robert’s house. We also changed into nicer clothes. Nothing truly dressy, but a polo and slacks for me and nice summer dresses for the girls.

We got down to the lobby a bit early and found Mom and Dad waiting. Everyone agreed we could use a lunch, if probably a light one. The hotel restaurant was fine for that.

We packed the car with the luggage that we’d leave with Uncle Robert, then left for Grandmother and The Professor’s cottage around three. Yes, all of us. I’m sure Dad had let them know we’d have two extra teenagers. He hadn’t told us what to say, but that’s fine. We’d manage. I thought Grandmother could handle the truth about Jas, but not about Angie and Paige.

On the way, we visited the cemetery to pay our respects to Dad’s father and to Frank. Angie was much more settled, but that wasn’t a surprise. I held her hand, Paige held her other hand, and Jas held my other hand as we stood there.

After a bit, Angie let go, knelt, and whispered something. Neither of us believed Frank was actually here, of course (or, at least, that he hung out here.) Whatever we do (or don’t do) when we die, I suspected it had very little to do with where our bodies wound up, at least in the general case. Nevertheless, there are times when you feel a proximity, and Angie did. Both of us believed Frank could be keeping an eye on her. Why not? Stranger things had actually happened, after all.

When she rose, she took our hands again. We stood a bit longer, then went back to the car.

Ten minutes later we were standing at Grandmother’s door. She opened it, with Professor Berman just behind.

“Well, hello, my son,” she said, hugging Dad, who hugged right back.

The hugs continued as we went in, Mom next, and then me. When I hugged her, she said, “It’s good to see you, Steven.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Grandmother,” I said. She was clearly a trifle frailer than before — but only a trifle. I was surprisingly optimistic about her health. I noticed that she was wearing comfortable shoes with a little lift. It looked like her foot issues were probably (hopefully!) behind her.

Angie hugged her next, exchanging greetings.

Jasmine was next, and I said, “Grandmother, this is my girlfriend, Jasmine.”

“I’ve heard so much about you! You must be very special.”

Jasmine chuckled. “Thank you...”

“Call me Grandmother,” she said. “Everyone does! Except Samuel and Helen, of course! Well, and Allan!”

“Thank you, Grandmother.”

She made it clear she expected a hug, and got one.

Angie went next. “This is my friend Paige.”

“I’ve heard quite a bit about you, too. You’re spending the summer with my grandchildren, yes?”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

“Keep them out of trouble!”

Paige chuckled and accepted a hug.

The process was repeated with Professor Berman, though it was a handshake for Dad and me. Hugs were the order of the day, otherwise.

He seemed to be doing well. I was watching him when Angie introduced Paige, and the look he gave me told me he at least suspected something. I didn’t let on (or I don’t think I did), but he missed very little.

Grandmother ushered us to her living room, which was ill-suited for this many people. After a bit of discussion, it worked out that Mom and Dad would sit with Grandmother and Professor Berman, and the rest of us were free to go for a walk or whatever we wanted.

As I headed out, trailing the girls, I was surprised (but not very surprised) when Professor Berman put a hand on my shoulder.

“A word, if I might, with all of you, and then just with you, Steve.”

“Of course, Professor.”

He chuckled. “Call me Allan. You won’t, but you could.”

He seemed in good spirits.

We wound up just outside the door. He said, “So, all four of you will be at Northwestern this summer, yes?”

We all nodded.

“I watched the summer program kids every year. Best of the best, in my opinion. It speaks very well of you that you were accepted, but ... I have my sources. I know you’re quite intelligent, and also ... focused.”

Angie and Paige both blushed, slightly, and Jas squeezed my hand. Not nervously, just ... well. I knew what she was thinking.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Enjoy it,” he said. “It’s a great campus.”

“Thanks,” Angie said.

“A bit of life advice, if I may, relevant to the summer program?”

I nodded, and the others nodded, too.

He smiled. “Don’t ever mistake the work that you do for who you are. What you do will change. You’ll change, too, of course, but the two shouldn’t be indistinguishable. Work hard, but enjoy yourselves, and not just as part of your program.”

We all exchanged looks, nodding.

“We plan to,” Angie said.

Paige nodded. “I wouldn’t even be here if people had an all-work, no-play attitude.”

He smiled. “At my age, trust me when I say that life is too short to do that. Now ... as I said, I have my sources, and they tell me you are likely to stay in Texas for your undergraduate education.”

We exchanged looks again. He obviously meant ‘together,’ which was fine.

I said, “It’s hardly settled, but ... it does seem somewhat likely.”

“That’s just fine, as far as I’m concerned. I’d love it if you came here, but you should do what suits you, and I have a great deal of respect for a number of schools there. Don’t forget Northwestern when it comes time for your graduate studies, though.”

“We won’t, I’m sure,” I said.

“That’s good. Now ... might I have a word with Steve alone?”

“Sure, Grandfather,” Angie said.

The girls stepped away.

His eyes sparkled. “I read a most interesting article in the Wall Street Journal. It was about a prom.”

I smiled. “I might’ve seen that particular article.”

“Friends of yours?”

“Friends of all of ours. Very good friends to Angie and me. I’ll miss them next year, but it’s time for them to go on to bigger and better things.”

“Indeed. That’s always the way. I looked a bit more into the story than Jane did, and found a familiar name being quoted.”

I smiled. “They are good friends.”

He nodded. “I’m impressed by the entire thing. It feels to me that it’s a rare case of nearly everyone behaving in a reasonable and responsible fashion. To my mind, the legal precedent is settled enough, but people too often ignore that.”

“The school board had been inadvertently reminded of that precedent last year.”

“How exactly does one ‘inadvertently’ remind a school board of a precedent like that?” he said, chuckling.

“Lizzie ran for Student Council along with me in 1982. Someone tried to disqualify her on a morals claim. The district’s legal counsel was of the opinion that, if it was forbidden to deny a student a purely social activity for that reason, it would seem even more likely to be a poor choice to deny a student participation in a school-sponsored extracurricular with potential college admission implications.”

He chucked more loudly. “Oh, my! That is a wonderful example of the law of unintended consequences.”

“Isn’t it?” I said.

“I’m most impressed with you. And with Angie. You both have always had such promise, but putting the two of you together made it catch fire. I’m certain that Jasmine and Paige must be special people, considering.”

“They both are.”

“Thank you for taking a few minutes for this. If your program schedule permits, I would love to come over and visit a little over the summer. Perhaps a lunch or dinner.”

“We’d all like that, and I’m certain there will be opportunities. I’ll have to introduce you to my debate partner, Cammie, as well. You’ll like her, I’m certain.”

“I will take that for certain as well, then!” he said. Then we shook hands and he said, “Have a good afternoon, and I will see you in a while.”

I caught up with the girls, thinking about things on the way. The world’s timeline seemed ... off ... concerning Professor Berman. Or, perhaps, my first-life’s timeline was the problem. Angie swore that he’d been alive in 1983 in her first life. I was certain that Grandmother had died in 1988 in my first life, and I thought she’d been on her own for at least five years. His death hadn’t been sudden or unexpected, either. Professor Berman was clearly not even slowing down in this life.

I was glad. He was a great guy, and his being healthy seemed to be keeping Grandmother healthier than she had been. Their days were surely numbered, but both of them deserved as many quality days as they could have.