Chapter 38: A Quiet Day At Home

It felt like I had just lay down and snuggled up to Shannon and suddenly it was 5:30 and the alarm was going off. I rolled quickly to shut it off. I must not have moved all night. I stretched to relieve some of the stiffness. Normally I'm up early and shut it off, but this morning the alarm had already done its damage; the girls were awake and stirring as well. Shannon voiced what we all must have been thinking.

"It can't be morning."

Allison stretched and groaned. "It must be, or I wouldn't be this stiff. I don't think I moved all night."

"Me either," I said. "But that's okay." I kissed Shannon's shoulder. "I was fine right where I was."

"Hmm, me too. Good thing, because I couldn't have moved unless one of you moved first."

"The weirdest thing is that I don't think I dreamed at all," I said.

Allison turned toward me with a curious look on her face, "Now that you mention it, neither did I. Or if I did I don't remember it. What about you, Sha?"

Shannon stretched again. "Nope. Don't think so. Nothing I could have dreamed would have been as nice as where I was anyway. But all good things come to an end. And right now, I gotta pee something awful."

She climbed out and a few seconds later we heard the bathroom door close. I rolled over so I was face to face with Allison. "Good morning, Princess," I said and stroked her arm.

"Good morning yourself, handsome," she said and caressed my cheek. "You know, I'm getting attached to waking up next to you. I don't know if I want to go back to waking up alone again."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I kind of feel sorry for Shannon."

"I plan to make it up to her later," she said with a smile. "I'm thinking maybe today we might like a little solo time together. Do you mind?"

"No, don't be silly. You two have the same problem Tim and Angela have, well, had anyway. That was a really nice thing you did last night by the way. Anyway, we all need a little one on one time now and then. Shannon and I will need ours now and then as well. I have some chores I need to get done anyway. Take as much time as you need." Shannon was just coming back from the bathroom. "In fact, why don't you two talk about it while I start breakfast?"

I started to get up but Allison grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. "Oh no you don't, bucko, you did all the work yesterday. You can get up if you want but breakfast is on me. Are you running today?"

"Yeah, I really should. I took it easy yesterday. Can you wait that long?"

"Not a problem. Where are you going?"

"Four I think." It was the longest individual course at just under 5 miles. I wanted a good solid run but didn't feel the need to double up.

"Fine. I'll get things ready and then start cooking when you get back. I think it's my turn in the bathroom. Kiss me."

I kissed her and she bounced off. Shannon had been waiting patiently. "What were we supposed to talk about?"

"Allison thought you two could use a little quality time for just the two of you today and I was agreeing."

"And I don't get a say in this? Just kidding. That's sweet of you to think of us. You won't be lonely?"

"Of course I'll be lonely," I said as I climbed out of bed. "And when you go home you will be lonely. And when you and I need time together, Allison will be lonely. But one on one time is something we all need once in a while no matter how much we enjoy being together. We all know it, we all accept it, and most importantly we all love each other enough to not be threatened by it."

She just stared at me for a second. "Jimmy, you are just about the most amazing, smartest guy I have ever met. Every time a question comes up you seem to know exactly what to say to explain it. And you are right every time. Just another reason to love you I guess."

"I'm not all that," I replied as I pulled clean clothes out of my dresser.

Shannon grabbed my arm and hauled me back around to face her. "Yes you are," she said with some heat. "Don't sell yourself short, Jimmy. You really are the most insightful person I have ever met. You have an intuitive grasp of interpersonal relationships. I don't even know adults that do it as well as you do."

"Yeah? Then why did I blow it so bad with Angela?"

"Jimmy, that's just lack of experience. Don't confuse the two. You did the best you could with the experience you have. And you don't know that you blew it. That situation is still up in the air. You are that good. Don't let me hear you putting yourself down like that again or you're likely to meet a side of me you don't want to get know better. Understood?"

I smiled. "Yeah. I got it. I may not buy all of it, but thanks for believing in me."

I finished getting dressed and turned to leave. Allison was leaning in the doorway.

"And that goes double for me, mister," she said and gave me a hard swat on the butt as I went passed her.

I stretched and checked the time, then headed out. I kept my normal pace until I had about a half mile to go then punched it up a little. The first turn that I can see home from is about a quarter mile away. From there I gave it everything I had. I hit the garage and found that I had taken a full minute off my usual time. And I wasn't even that tired. I took some extra time to walk around the yard and loosen up. A few slow stretches (Angela would be proud) and I hit the shower.

Breakfast was omelets. Allison makes a great omelet. I was half way through with it when a police car pulled into the driveway. A second car pulled up in front of the house. Thank God it was Shannon who answered the door.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Are you," he checked a card in his hand, "Allison Matthews?"

"No sir. I'm just watching the house for the weekend. Is there a problem?"

"I'm sorry, are Allison or James Matthews here."

Something in his tone bothered her. "One moment, please." She started to close the door.

The woman from the second car shoved her way to the front between the two officers. "I'm Mary Sampson with the department of social services and I want to see James and Allison Matthews right now. Now I don't know who you are but you better let us in right now." The officer in front rolled his eyes and stepped back.