Chapter 67

"All right, Kids," I said, "Why don't we play some more Chutes and Ladders?"

The girls moved the board back to the floor.

I heard a sound coming from the bedroom, kind of a groan. I knew it would turn into a cry if Billy woke up completely in a strange place. I went in and picked him up, holding him close to me as I took him out to the living room where he could see his sister. He pointed at the girls and the board and said, "Nette."

"Where's the box?" I asked.

Annette reached under the couch and slid it out.

I got a set of pieces.

"Are you going to play, too?" asked Laurie.

"No. Billy is."

That got groans from both of them.

I sat down between the girls and said, "Come on, Billy. Sit on my lap and we'll play."

We set him up as a new player and he got a turn every time the two of them played. They played each other as if he wasn't part of the game and he got to roll the dice and move his pieces where I showed him. Plopped the dice might be a better expression of what Billy did than rolling them, but he had a good time at it once I convinced him there was no need to throw them. I pointed to the dots, counting them out loud, making him repeat the numbers as I said them. After a while, the girls started to count out loud with me.

Jack and his two ladies came into the living room. Gina was bouncing around, clutching her pictures to her chest, grinning away. Myra said to her, "I'll give you a call when your CD is ready and we'll work out how to get it to you."

Gina hugged her and kissed her on the cheek and said, "I can always come over here to get it." She turned around and hugged Jack, giving him a kiss on his cheek as well.

He opened the door and said to her, "Don't forget to show them to your friends."

"Oh, I won't!" she said before bounding down the stairs. I heard a muffled "Ohmygod!" about the time she hit the driveway.

Jack closed the door and said, "You're going to have to teach both of us how to use that fancy coffeemaker of yours."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"Hey, it's OK. I don't expect you to make coffee every time I have a client over. We just want to know in case we want to make a pot."

I got up. "Billy, you come with me and you can see how to make coffee, too. Girls, you go ahead with your game. We'll join you later."

Laurie said, "I want to see."

Annette added, "Me too."

"All right. Fine with me. I'm sure the game will still be here when we get back."

We all trooped down the hallway to the kitchen.

"Will you have some if I make a pot?"

Jack said, "Make enough for one cup each. Can you stay for a cup of coffee, Myra?"

"Sure. It's not like I have a baby sitter to worry about." She reached out to me and I handed Billy over to her.

I glanced over at the rug. Bozo was lying on it. He was watching us but he seemed content to stay there. Posie was asleep, half buried underneath him. She wasn't missing us, either.

"I keep the beans in the freezer," I said, pulling out the container of coffee. "It's supposed to keep them fresher."

I opened up the filter cover and removed the old grounds, throwing them in the trash can under the sink. I put a new filter in and pointed to a switch. "If you're using beans, this needs to be in the 'grind and brew' position. If you want to use regular coffee, flip it to 'brew'." I got the spoon they provided from behind the machine. "The grinder pours the ground coffee into the filter. If you're using regular coffee, just put it in the filter like you would with a regular pot. Use a scoop of beans for each cup you want." I put six scoops of coffee in the top.

I looked at Jack. "It sure would be nice if someone put a nail under the counter, right about here." I said, pointing near the pot. "That way I could hang my coffee spoon right where I could find it."

Jack shook his head and said, "Yes, Dear. Work, work, work, work, work."

Taking the carafe over to the refrigerator, I said, "I put enough beans in for six cups." I filled it till it was at the 6 mark on the side of the pot.

"The water goes in here, the carafe goes here and you press this button to start." The grinder started to chop up the beans.

"Mmm, that smells good," said Myra.

Jack sniffed. "Mmmm."

The girls decided the show was over. Annette grabbed Laurie's hand. "Come on. Let's go play the game."

They went toward the living room and Billy squirmed to get down. Myra said, "Uh, uh, Mister. You just got up from a nap and I'm taking you to the bathroom before you pee your pants."

Once they were gone, I said to Jack, "Do you think she's going to work out?"

"Oh, yeah. She listens well and follows directions. She did all the prep work and printing of Gina's pictures and she was good out here when we went through them with her. She's the one who told Gina she was going to put together a CD with all the proofs and suggested she could show it to relatives and anybody else who might like pictures of her. Hey, if something she does gets us an order for even one sheet, that's two and half hours worth of her pay."

Myra and Billy came out. "I'm glad I checked. He really had to go."

"I'm sorry, I didn't even think about it when I got him up."

"It seems that he didn't, either. No harm done. He's been remarkably well behaved over here. Annette's usually pretty good but even she seems to have mellowed out a bit tonight."

Jack said, "I imagine there are days you feel like they're ganging up on you."

"That would be most days, yes."

"Well, there are three of us tonight and we're all bigger. They didn't stand a chance."

"You're right. You know, I had to hold my tongue when you let Billy smear ketchup all over his face but it didn't really harm anything. At least you kept him from getting half of his ice cream in his lap or on the floor."

"I learned a long time ago you have to pick your battles carefully. Did you notice that he took responsibility for what he did and didn't fuss when I cleaned him up?"

"I noticed he didn't fuss. Do you think that was why?"

"Probably. I'd hate to think the fact that I'm a male and not familiar may have intimidated him into it."

"You know, I'm always on him to make sure he doesn't make a mess. And I ought to know better. Even if I fed him his whole meal myself, he'd find a way to get some of it on his cheek or his clothes. I should just accept it as part of growing up and do what I can to prevent catastrophes. I'd probably enjoy my own meals more and be a lot more sane."

I said, "Were you relaxed tonight at dinner?"

"It's hard to believe how relaxed I was."

"I bet you didn't work any less with the kids tonight than you usually do, though."

She looked at something in her mind, then looked back at me. "You're right. It's usually more frantic, but you're right. Tonight I wasn't fighting anyone; I just helped them when they needed it. And I didn't have to be all over the place."

Jack said, "Both girls seemed to do real well with their dinners."

"I don't know about Laurie but I was ready to tell Annette not to take that second hot dog. She never would have finished it at home."

"She probably doesn't like fighting with you any more than you do with her."

"Don't get the wrong idea. We don't actually fight."

I said, "I know. But mealtimes still seem like a battle."

"Yes, they do. That's why I eat in the lounge before class sometimes. I keep hoping it will make some kind of difference but it doesn't."

I got some cups and poured coffee for each of us.

Myra took a sip. "This is so good. What is it?"

"It's just a Columbian blend."

"It's so rich and flavorful."

"Part of that's that I just ground it and part of it is it's not as mass produced as the coffees that sell a million cans a day."

"I can tell I'm going to have to spend some time over here."

"Speaking of which, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"Nothing major. It's just the three of us. I hardly talk to my parents anymore. I got pregnant with Annette before we got married and they came real close to disowning me. It seems every time we talk on the phone it ends up in a big argument. His folks live in New Hampshire and there's no way the three of us can fly out there and back for Thanksgiving. I doubt I'll even cook a turkey. It's not like my two will know the difference."

"We're having dinner with Jack's family downstairs. It'll be us, his mom, his sister and her boyfriend, my father and his girlfriend and Laurie. Jack's mother told me to invite you."

"Oh, I couldn't."

"I told her you had this fear of imposing. She told me to twist your arm."

"Are you sure?"

"Myra, I wouldn't invite you if we didn't want you to be there. And don't tell me Annette wouldn't appreciate a turkey dinner with all the fixings. Billy might not know the difference but you know he'll enjoy it. Besides, it'll be a whole bunch of adults against the three kids."

"OK. But she's got to let me bring something."

Jack said, "Do you have a special holiday dish that you like to make?"

She laughed. "I used to make a bean salad but I was the only one who ate it so I kind of gave up on that."

I said, "I'm going to make some cranberry dressing. I can't stand that stuff out of the can. I'll give you her number and the two of you can work something out. You can always bring a pie. You can't have too many pies for Thanksgiving."

She handed me Liz' card and a pen and I wrote Mom's name and number on the back of it.

She took it back and said, "We really should be getting home. It's getting past bedtime for my two."

She got the children's sweaters and I grabbed Laurie's. She looked at me questioningly.

"Don't you want to go down and watch them off?"

"Oh. OK."

Jack helped Annette get a second arm in hers while Myra manhandled Billy into his.

I said to Laurie, "Bring Posie. She probably has to go to the bathroom."

Myra had a large envelope of stuff to take home with her. Jack took it from her so she could carry Billy down the stairs. "Don't forget to email me that stuff," she said to Jack.

For once, Bozo showed some restraint. Myra went first with Billy in her arms. Annette grabbed Jack's hand before they went out the door, behind her mother and brother. Laurie came next, both arms around Posie. Bozo got into place next, leaving me to close the door and follow. At least he didn't try to push his way through everybody in front of him.

Myra had a dark blue car. I think it was a several years old Honda or Toyota or something. She opened the back door and Annette said, "Where's my chair?"

Myra held Billy out to me. "Darn, I left it in the kitchen."

Jack said, "Don't worry about it. I'll get it."

He gave me the envelope then ran up the stairs while she got Billy into his car seat. The girls took this as an opportunity to chase Posie around the front lawn. Bozo had long since gone to his spot in the back yard.

Jack came back with the booster seat. Myra's call for Annette to get into the car was met with an "Awwwh."

I said, "It's OK, Annette. You two will get to see plenty of each other. You're coming over to the big house for Thanksgiving dinner and I'm sure there will be plenty of other times."

Annette said, "Mommy, can we have Laurie over to our house one day?" as Myra did up her seat belt.

"We'll see, Honey."

I could see the disappointment on Annette's face when she heard that. I smiled and nodded my head yes and she cheered up. The two girls waved to each other as they drove away.

Posie had started to run after the girls when they came back to the car but stopped to squat and pee.

"Tell her she's a good girl for going to the bathroom," I said to Laurie.

She squatted down and made a fuss over her that got Posie's tail going wildly.

Bozo finally made it out front to see what was going on and I gave him some attention. "You taking good care of Posie, Bozo?"

His answer was to let his tongue hang out and pant. I ruffled up the hair on the back of his neck and said, "Come on. Everyone in the house."

Laurie picked up her baby and carried her up the stairs. Bozo had gotten a jump on everyone else and was waiting at the door before she hit the first step. I looked at the puppy in her arms. She would need to grow a good foot in length before she'd be able to handle those stairs herself.

When we got upstairs, I said, "OK, Laurie. Time to get cleaned up." I took her hand and she followed me into the bedroom.

"Have you ever taken a shower?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No. Only baths."

"Well, then, I guess tonight will be a new experience for you."

I opened the suitcase on my bed and said, "Get your night clothes out."

She got a pair of Miley Cyrus pajamas, some bunny slippers and a blue robe that had seen better days.

I picked up her toiletries bag. "Looks like you could use a new robe," I said.

"No!"

"Oh. Your favorite?"

She nodded her head.

"All right. No underwear?"

She shook her head no.

I opened the closet and pulled out one of my more conservative nightgowns.

"Let's go."

We went down the hallway and into the bathroom. "Do you need to use the toilet before we shower?"

"Uh huh."

"OK. I'll leave you alone. Call me when you're ready."

"OK."

I threw away the coffee grounds and prepared the machine for a new pot of coffee. I set it to turn on in the morning before we had to get up. Tomorrow we'd find out if letting everything sit overnight made any difference in the taste of the final product. I loved the fresh taste but it would be nice to have it waiting for me when I got out of bed, too. I was pouring the water when I heard, "Ready."

"Just a minute." I finished with the coffeemaker and went into the bathroom.

Laurie was naked in the bathroom, her toothbrush in her hand.

"You can brush your teeth now if you want, but you're going to have to brush them later, too. We're going to have a snack before you go to bed."