Chapter 54

I woke to the smell of coffee and Di there holding a cup for me. The others were up and gone, I sat up and took the cup from her. A slow swallow and I looked back at her.

“We’re going to go meet your parents today.” She said way too happy at that moment.

“I’m sure you can all that guesses which one of them it might be.” I took another drink.

“A little too much Marker’s yesterday?”

“Didn’t seem to be a bad idea at the time,” I replied emptying the cup.

“I have some more in the kitchen; you could use a shower.”

“Imagine that a shower first thing in the morning.”

“You’re a grumpy bear.” She stuck out her tongue and moved off before I could grab her.

I made my way to the bathroom and found a bottle of aspirin. Dry swallowed a few and then got in the shower. Feeling better as only a shower can do. I shaved, brushed it all, and was back in the kitchen where breakfast was on the table with more coffee there as well. Of course, they were all lined up for a kiss or two so why disappoint them?

We ate breakfast and other than Mary who also seemed less chipper enjoyed it.

“Betty called this morning to confirm us there at 11:30 and we will have lunch later.”

“It’s going to be quite the time I am certain.”

“She was very friendly when she called on Mary’s phone,” Ann said.

“You have read it all. You know what is in the past. Why would they not be as friendly with their son and all of you by default? What is the goal of every parent?” I took a drink of the coffee and got to feeling that much better as it went down.

“To have a happy and healthy family,” Sue said.

“Ah, no.” Any other takers?

“Live long enough to be a problem to your children,” Di said way too happily.

“Ah, no.”

Ann looked at me and Mary was almost just as intense. But no further guesses.

“Want a hint?”

“Of course,” Mary replied.

“What stopped the Roman war after they had stolen all of those women?”

“When they brought out the children for the fathers, brothers, and uncles to see,” Sue piped up.

“Now apply that forward,” I added.

“Grandchildren” Ann spouted off with near glee.

“Exactly, the four of you are beyond their imagination.” I laughed. As that sunk in and they looked at each other.

“Your parents are unlikely to be allowed to travel here from Ireland any time soon. Seattle is a long way away. They are in effect getting unfettered access to grandchildren.”

“They are strangers to us,” Sue said.

“Just like anyone’s parents are strangers when you begin. I have a history that is all with everyone but yours. Where do your father, his wife, and the kids all live?”

“Near Chicago”

“I know what I know now. I was not hiding anything with Mary, and I am certain Betty got as much information out as she could in addition.”

“Should we be frightened or concerned in any way?”

“I think your too young or they might be too old to invite us to swing.” I laughed.

“I need brain bleach.” Mary cried out.

“Look, they are all great people. They are people all the same. Best friends with my parents for decades and for a better term my surrogate parents also. There is nothing to worry about with them. I do what to show you some things, so you know I am completely serious with you and with them.” I got up and went to get my laptop.

“I offered a million to each of them for their houses when I spoke with Fred. I offered them to invest and get a 6% return too on those funds if they wanted. The million is for the property we would make in it a land trust so they can live there for as long as able, and it will only be executed when they pass. It’s a tax ploy for them so they don’t have to pay, and it also keeps the taxes low on that property for now. I’m going to make the offer firm today with them all there. Answer any questions and I wanted to show you I was blowing any smoke the other day.” I opened my browser, logged in with fidelity, and pulled the account up. it had been a while since I had done that and today it said the value was almost twenty million. I turned it around and showed it to them all.

“That’s almost twenty not fifteen,” Ann said.

“What’s a little ROI.”

“ROI,” Sue asked.

“Return on investment, it’s what I earn on the funds. Which reminds me. What is the name of that service you’re using for your classes?”

“Zoom meeting,” Sue replied.

“I need to sell some of what is not performing well and buy that instead.”

I turned the screen around and with a few keys sold off one and bought another.”

“How much did you buy?” Di asked

“Quarter million worth.”

“You just bought a quarter million dollar worth of stock?” Mary asked.

“Sold some others first to have the cash to buy it.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Sue said.

“Nothing to it. Think of it like the pockets on a pair of pants. I just moved from one pocket to another is all.”

“No, I get that. It’s the amount. That is like more than four years of my salary.”

“I told you how I got it. What it means to me. That is in addition to everything else. Look take some deep breaths. It’s a tool and a way many people keep score. The tool I am good with the keeping score matters not at all.”

“You’re going to do what you said you were going to do.” Ann looked at me.

“Now is the time to tell me if you don’t want that.”

“That’s not what I mean. I mean until I saw that, and you do that. It was just out there. Now it’s real we’re going to have what you said and so much more.”

“Do you think any of that means more to me than any one of you?” We sat there quietly for a minute as they took in the reality that I was playing for keeps.

It was finally Mary who put it in perspective. “You’re showing us that you love us beyond all.”

“It’s difficult for me to say that to you. I admit I still hurt. At this moment what I can do is tell you that this is not all. Once we move forward, you’re all going to be the recipients of my estate in the event anything happens. Simply you and our children shall not suffer financially in the event of my death.”

“Till death do us part?” Di asked quietly

“Till death do us part. Each one of you” I replied loudly.

They each came to me then and sat on my lap there on that hard kitchen chair. Kissed me and said the words “Till death do us part. As I replied in same.

“No to each other we are not just one to me but one to each other. Difficult as it is to think of us as one flesh. You’re all going to be mothers equally to all of the children we have.”

They went around and hugged, kissed, and said the words to each other. It was not the ceremony I envisioned with them for now it would work.

“Can we pay off my student loans?” Di asked.

“You’re all going to be debt free as soon as we sit down and look at everything. Do you want to keep this house or sell it once we move to the compound?”

“What do you think we should do?” Ann asked.

“At the moment there is no rush to do anything. Just remember that money and things are tools. It is when you have an emotional attachment to a tool that you look at it differently.”

“You’re saying that this house is more valuable to us because of our past with it.”

“This home is more valuable. This house is just a tool, a tool for shelter for example. What happens in that shelter makes it a home. That making of the home is what the value quotient is in addition to the house value.”

“Are people tools?” Di asked.

“Their labor is, not the people themselves even though some people have been called tools.” I laughed.

“What about slaves?” Ann asked.

“Can we table that discussion until tomorrow? We need to get ready to head over to meet the parents.” It was nearing eleven, so we needed to get ready, say get dressed and then grab some flowers, etc.

We arrived that Fred and Betty’s a couple of minutes early. I think of always being there before the time that was agreed to. Ann and the others followed us into the driveway. There on the porch were all six of them.

I got out of the car then Mary was out. Ann, Di, and Sue followed, and then the call came over and we walked up together.

“Hello,” I said and got a chorus of Hello’s back.

Let me introduce everyone and then we can sit down it’s such a nice morning.

“Fred and Betty know Mary already. Mary this is Fran and Margo, Vince is Fran’s husband, and this is Emil Margo’s Husband.”

Greetings exchanged I turned to the rest. “This is Ann. She is Mary’s sister, then Diane and Susan. These three all live together in the home Mary, and I are invading.”

“Some invasion, he pays for everything.” Di laughed.

“Ann, Di, Sue this is Betty, Fran, and Margo and their other halves for better or worse. Fred, Vince, and Emil.”

We all got more comfortable on the porch. It was a little crowded, but we could deal with it. Betty and Margo passed out the drinks as Fran poured them.

“I expect that by now and after watching Mary and me at the fort. You have all discussed how I reacted at the fort.”

“Thought you would have opened that box right there and read her letter,” Betty said.

“I took it back with me and they all read it before I did.”

“Why did you do that?” Vince asked.

“Like the six of you and my folks, we’re here for better or worse. I figured that what was even in the letter was about as worse as it was going to get.”

“And how do you feel now?” Emil asked.

“Funny part of it. It’s like having four sets of parents rather than one. I’m still processing the idea of it. The only curiosity I have is the eight white marbles.”

“Hell, we voted to be your parents altogether. Silly really but we all had a white and a black ball. Eight whites and we were all in this together. Didn’t know what to do with those balls then so we just put them in with the letter.” Fred said.

“I never figured I was any different from any other kid. Until I was about eight and we had spent all summer going to one place or another. It was like almost every other week I was headed out on vacation somewhere with my folks or my aunts and uncles. Other kids came back to school and talked about their vacation, and I had all of these stories.”

“Yea, we slowed down a little after that. Your mother mentioned that the teacher mentioned you had a very active family life with all of the aunts and uncles.” Vince said.

“For all of us, you were that bonus child. One that parents get to spoil like they did not the others. Too busy then trying to make it in this world. We had made it enough to be comfortable by then, so we took you along to see the places we wanted to go.” Margo said.

“You have no questions about the letter or all it said?” Fred asked.

“I don’t and these four have not asked any of me. Do you have any questions for them?” I asked looking from side to side.