Epilogue

It was Wednesday of the first week of school. Caitlin and Jordan had just come home. Extra-curricular practices had not yet started, so they took the regular bus. As they walked from the corner bus stop, they were nearly bowled over by Trish McNamara, a sophomore who lived three doors down. Trish was a freckle-faced flaming redhead. She had a nice figure and attractive features, but was still afflicted by braces. She was considered a nerd by many of her peers because she was at the top of her class, and did not care a whole lot about style. She had always been nice to the younger Caitlin and Jordan, and they enjoyed her company.

"Hey, Guys, don't you have a cousin named Terry?"

"We sure do!"

"Did he, like, just transfer in or something?"

"Yeah, they just moved up from Carlton. So you met Terry, huh?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't get close to him. All the cheerleader types were all over him. Boy, were some of the football guys getting pissed, too!"

"What was he doing with all those girls?" Caitlin felt a slight twinge of unreasonable jealousy.

"Oh, he didn't do anything. I mean he was polite and all, but he didn't go acting all macho or anything."

"You should go and talk to him. Tell him you're our friend."

"Oh, I couldn't do that! He wouldn't want to talk to me. What is he? Like, a Junior? A Senior?"

"Trish, Terry is a freshman."

"No way!!"

"Way! He's fourteen. Won't be fifteen until November."

"Oh, wow!! But, he's such a hunk!"

"You have no idea." Jordan muttered, barely audibly.

"What did you say, Jordan?"

"I just said he is a really good-looking guy."

"Well, it gives me something to dream about. I'll never get a date with a stud like that."

"Uh, Trish, uh, I don't know how to tell you this, but Terry and his sister are going to be our neighbors."

"What? Where?"

Caitlin pointed down the next block across the street. "They're moving into the old house on that big lot with all the trees and hedges around it. They're going to rebuild it."

"Ooooh, neat! Think you could, maybe, like, introduce me."

"How about right now? They're renting a place a few blocks away and he and Janie said they'd be over right after school."

"OhMyGod! He's coming here? Now?"

"Trish, just chill. Terry is a really nice guy. You don't need to be nervous. Why don't you have him show you their new place? It's empty now."

At that point, Terry and Janie wheeled into view on their bikes. Caitlin introduced everyone, then said teasingly, "Come on, Janie. Let's leave these big high school types to themselves." She quickly whispered a couple sentences in Terry's ear, then the three cousins went off giggling.

"Trish, are you the one Caitlin said would be valedictorian some day?" When Trish blushingly admitted it, he responded, "Cool! Maybe if I stick close to my new neighbor some of it will rub off, you think?" Trish was fighting to prevent a swoon and could not even think of responding. When she could speak, she asked him to show her their new place. They spent forty-five minutes just strolling and chatting.

"Um, would you like to come in and meet my Mom?"

"I'd like that. My Aunt and Uncle are the only neighbors I know so far."

As Trish introduced her mother, Terry thought immediately of Julia, because of the coloring more than the shape, although Mrs. McNamara was a good looking woman in her own right. She offered the kids a snack, and after putting it on the table, made to leave the room. Terry said to her, "Mrs. McNamara, why don't you stay and have some with us?"

"Oh, I just thought..."

"I'd like to get to know you better, too. Gee, it's not hard to tell you are mother and daughter. Hmmm. Sisters would be a good guess, too." The mother swatted his arm playfully, and there was no way she was leaving after that.

"Trish, I heard about this Fall Mixer dance. Would you go to that with me?"

"Me!? But... but you had all those cheerleader types around you at school, and I thought..."

"Nah. They all seemed to have more in their bras than in their heads, and... Ooops! Sorry! I shouldn't be so crude. Anyway, some time during the evening I'll for sure want to talk to my date, and I'm not sure any of them would have anything to say." Mother and daughter were both struck speechless at what they had just heard, but Trish managed to stammer out an acceptance.

The three discussed timing and transportation options. When the door closed behind the departing Terry, mother and daughter looked at each other, squealed, and fell into each others' arms, hopping about with glee.

"Kathy, it's your mother." Ted rolled his eyes as she gave him a brief peck and took the phone. She grasped his hand and held him there while she talked.

"Yes, Mother, I've been back about a week and a half, now." A pause while Evelyn spoke. "Yes, what he told you was the plan. I just finished a bit early." Another pause. "Things have been hectic since I got back, with school starting and all. I just didn't get around to calling." This time, she rolled her eyes. "No, Mother, not Sunday. We go over to Greg Laskey's every Sunday, and I don't want to make the kids miss that." Pause. "Of course it's important to see their grandmother. Why don't you drive up Saturday. You can head back home when we leave for Greg's." Pause. "Bye, Mother, see you Saturday."

Ted's shoulders were slumped and he looked sullen when Kathy hung up. "Ted, Honey, I know this will be hard, but I want to use this visit to end this nonsense with my mother once and for all. She will either visit with us on our terms from now on, or we will never see them again. Right now, I don't care which it is. Are you up to some shock therapy?" She described her plan to Ted.

The girls had taken turns watching for Grandpa Snyder's Buick. Jordan saw it arrive and excitedly ran back to the kitchen to get everyone in position. As the older couple rang the doorbell, Kathy shouted out. "Come on in, Mom and Dad. We'll be right out." A few second's after they heard the door close, Kathy emerged naked from the kitchen. The rest of the family, also naked, was right on her heels.

Evelyn started to berate her daughter in her accustomed fashion. "Katherine, you could at least meet... Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" Her scream sounded like a steam whistle. She stood frozen to her spot as the whole family went through their usual greetings as if everything was normal. Her husband was not much better. He made no noise, but could not speak even the simplest greeting.

"Well, Mother, as you might guess, we have some things we need to discuss." She had not mentioned her father, as he just did not figure in anything to do with relationships. He was a nice guy and a good provider, but completely dominated by his wife. Kathy's comment roused Evelyn from her stupor, and she lunged at her husband and tried to drag him to the door.

"Ronald, let's get out of here! This is insane! This is disgusting! It's indecent! Come on!" Ronald held his stance, resisting her tugs.

"If you want to go, go. Something important has happened, and I'm staying to talk about it." He took the car keys from his pocket and handed them to her. "I'll take a bus home."

Evelyn fairly shrieked at her husband. "You cannot stay and look at them! I forbid it!!"

Ronald just looked steadily at his wife, then made a landmark declaration. "Evelyn, your days of forbidding are done. I have not seen a live naked female in more years than I can count. I am staying right here and enjoying the beauty in this room." A staring match between the two followed, broken up only when Ted spoke.