Week 8: Early July

Saturday

Kathy returned early Saturday afternoon. She seemed to be disconcerted by the enthusiastic greeting from the girls. Ted watched closely as Jordan told her about getting on the softball team. He saw Kathy's jaw clench and her face flush. When Jordan told her about the diving coach, Kathy leaped to her feet and yelled for Ted. She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him up to their room, slamming the door behind them. She turned, red-faced, and opened her mouth to let him have it, but he spoke first.

"Kathy, why are you trying to tear this family apart? Why are you being so unfair to the girls?" He spoke in a very restrained voice, but the suppressed anger was obvious to her.

"What do you mean, unfair!? I come back home, and you've put Jordan into things that I kept her out of for her own good."

"Why didn't you take Caitlin out of piano, and violin, and voice classes, then?"

"Well... well... why would I do that? She's very talented. You know that! It would be wrong to deny her."

"Jordan is very talented, too. She is a natural athlete. Yet, you denied her the chance to participate and improve. That is unfair and destructive to our family."

"Jordan had the chance to take music classes, just like Caitlin. I wasn't unfair to her."

"Did you order Jordan not to tell me about softball or diving."

"Well, I knew you would want her in those things, and it is just not right. Softball is so dirty and sweaty and unladylike. And those indecent suits they wear for diving! I had to protect her from that. You would not have understood."

"Now, Kathy, you listen to me, and listen well! You are going to support both your daughters in their different talents. You will drive Jordan to every practice that I can't cover. You will attend one softball game or diving meet for every concert or recital. Is that clear!?"

"But, I don't have time..."

"Do I ever miss one of Caitlin's events?"

"N... n... no. You are always there."

"Damn right I am. I have even rescheduled important meetings and trips to be there. We will both do the same thing for Jordan. It is an essential part of being a parent, and we will not screw it up."

"Now, listen! You can't just order me around like this. Husbands can't just..." The battle raged on for over an hour. Kathy had obviously been pumped up and sent off to battle by her mother. Ted's pre-emptive strike had caught her off-guard. She tried again and again to regain some dominance, but he was unshakeable. His contained manner infuriated her. She tried screaming, sobbing, throwing things - actions totally uncharacteristic for her. She felt her hold slipping away and it frightened her.

Totally exhausted and sick at heart, he finally left her sobbing on the bed. He plopped down on the family room couch and both girls cuddled up to him immediately. The three of them cried softly for many minutes. "Thank you, girls. I needed that right now. I told you this could get rough, didn't I?" Both daughters gave him long-faced nods. "It could get even worse. Remember, I do not hate your mother. I still love her. But things must change, and I am trying to make them change. Understand?" Instead of nods, he received two hugs. "Now, it is very important that you mother comes to Uncle Greg's tomorrow. Right now, that is the last thing she wants to do. Are you girls any good at acting?"

Ted spent several minutes laying out a plan and going over and over every detail with the girls. Finally, Jordan told him, "This isn't going to be so hard, Daddy, 'cuz it really would be fun. We don't really have to act!"

"If you have to wait very long up there, you may change your minds. Now, you'd better get in position." The girls scampered off giggling. He hoped they understood how serious this was.

Kathy could not remember ever feeling so alone. She wanted to just drive back to her mother's where at least somebody understood. She had come home certain she could put things back the way they were supposed to be. But, Ted! He had never, ever talked to her like that. And the girls! It was like they were all ganging up on her. Still blowing her nose, she left the master bedroom, almost afraid to venture downstairs. As she passed the common bathroom, she overheard the girls talking.

"I'm glad Mom won't be there."

"Why?"

"Daddy said if she stayed home, we could skinny dip!" A squeal and much giggling followed.

"I think it will be neat to get an all-over tan." More giggling followed.

"Won't you be embarrassed for Daddy to see you? And Uncle Greg?""

"Well, maybe a little. But I think it would be exciting! It makes me tingly just to think about it!" Kathy could barely breathe. She just could not believe what she was hearing. Had things really gone that far? Was her family totally depraved? She raised a hand to push open the bathroom door, but stopped when the conversation continued.

"Do you think Daddy would skinny dip with us?" Loud squeals followed. "I would love to see his thing. I've never seen one."

"Me neither! Maybe we could catch him and pull off his swimsuit!"

"You're really, really, bad, you know! 'Course, if Mom comes along, the skinny dipping is out."

"Yeah, that would be a bummer. She's so mad now, I don't think there's any way she will come along."

Kathy withdrew her hand and quietly stepped away from the bathroom. She would stop this disgusting exhibition! She would just go along tomorrow! She would not even have to confront Ted. As she started down the stairs, a head peeked out of the bathroom door.

In the hot tub that Saturday night, Ted shared all the details of the last week. Then he told Julia he was sure they had pulled off their little drama, and that Kathy would be there tomorrow. Julia told the group, "I guess I will just have to dress for this occasion. I doubt Kathy would even talk to me like this."

"Probably a good thing for me," said Ted. "The sight of you naked in the bright sunlight would blind me for sure." Everyone chuckled at that and Julia responded.

"You are a flatterer, Ted, but I like it. Seriously, I can't wait to find out what is wrong with your wife. Just from the way you treat all of us women here, she should be the happiest woman alive."

"Thank you, Julia. If there is any hope for my marriage, it is in your hands."

Week 9 - Mid July

Sunday

Kathy cooked a late, hearty brunch Sunday morning. She never failed to take proper care of her family. Ted was reminded that her caring nature was one of the main things that had drawn him to her. He chided himself mentally for indulging in nostalgia. He had to stay focused. This was tough love time. He could not let his deep-seated love for Kathy soften his resolve.

"Thanks for the great brunch, Kathy." The kids all echoed his thanks. "Kids, are you all ready to head for Uncle Greg's?"

"What do you mean, kids? Am I not part of this family any more? I want to get some sun, too. I'm coming along." The girls put on their well-rehearsed looks of disappointment just long enough to be sure Kathy noticed, then expressed their happiness that she was joining them.

As they walked out onto the patio, Jordan let out a piercing shriek. "Uncle Greg! Did you do that for me? Oh, wow!" Over the weekend, Greg had replaced his standard backyard pool diving board with a competition-quality tower. The height of the board was adjustable, all the way up to three meters.

"If I'm going to have a future Olympian in my pool, I want her to have the best to practice on." The usually reserved Jordan was fairly bouncing with excitement, but stopped suddenly with a disappointed look. Greg motioned her to come over to him. "I know you're worried about your Mom. Well, your Dad wants you to dive for all of us, OK? Oh, and these should keep you from worrying about your suit. One of these should fit." He handed her three tank suits of different sizes."

"Oh, Uncle Greg! How come you think of everything?"

"Jordan, Honey, watching you dive Thursday was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I did this for me."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She gave him a big hug and whispered in his ear "I wish I didn't have to wear any suit!"

"That was the most beautiful part of all, Honey! Now, go get ready and give us a show."

Jordan scampered off, holding up the three suits in turn to check them out. In a remarkably short time, she returned in a green suit that worked very nicely with her natural coloring. She went confidently to the three meter board and did a perfect swan, bringing a gasp from her mother, and applause from her Dad, Greg, Shannon, and Julia. As she was climbing the steps for her third dive, the piano strains of 'Chariots of Fire' flowed from the open patio door. The accompanied diving exhibition continued through several more dives. Caitlin was not trying to upstage her sister. She was applauding her in her own way. When Jordan finally dried off, Caitlin rushed to give her a hug while she was still wet. Everyone congratulated her, except Kathy, who sat looking confused.

Sensing a perfect lead-in, Julia pulled a chair up next to Kathy and introduced herself. She commented on how lovely and talented her daughters were, and how proud she must be. "And your little guy is a real fireball. But he is so polite and respectful - all of your children are. You are to be complimented. You have done a wonderful job with them." Julia continued to build up Kathy with her comments and questions for some time, getting her to open up little by little. By the time Shannon brought cold drinks around, they were chatting like old friends.

"Kathy, why are you not swimming with Ted and the children? They seem to be having a ball."

"Oh, I didn't come to swim, I just came to keep the girls from..." She couldn't tell her that! It was disgraceful and embarrassing. Yet, she had to tell someone, and Julia actually seemed to understand. To her own amazement, she told about the overheard conversation."

"I'll bet if Ted and Greg knew about that, they would be very disappointed!"

"What? You shouldn't joke about that. My daughters cannot show their bodies to men. It's indecent!" A few more minutes calmed Kathy considerably. Again, not knowing just why she did, she replayed the comments about Ted skinny dipping or getting his suit pulled off.

"Now I'M disappointed. I would love to see that."

"See what? You mean Ted naked? That's..."

"Damn right! In case you haven't noticed, your husband is a very attractive man. I'll bet he looks even better without that suit. Just look at the butt on him! Is he an athlete?"

"Well, he played baseball in college, but..."

"I knew it! That's a ballplayer's ass for sure. I'd love to see it flex when it's bare. Say, I'll bet he has a real nice package, doesn't he?"

"Package? I don't know what you mean."

"Sure you do! Package! Cock and balls! Penis and testicles! His are nice, aren't they?"

"Well I don't think we should..."

"Oh, come on, Kathy. Of course we should! Women talk about men like this all the time. Admit it. Don't your friends tell each other all about their husbands and lovers?"

"Th... they talk about a lot of stuff, but I don't...""

"See, it's just natural. And how about you? You have a very nice body. Wouldn't you like to skinny dip with your family?"

"Oh I could never do that, it's not proper."

"It's fun and exciting, and kind of liberating. You know, I'm here a lot with Shannon, and I'm usually naked."

"But Greg..."

"Greg is a very dear friend. He enjoys seeing me naked, and I enjoy letting him."