Chapter 2

Things happened fast in the next two days. Tuesday morning I received a call from Shannon saying Susan had passed away unexpectedly due to a blood clot. Mark and Mary were handling it well, but wished I was there for them. I immediately made reservations to fly out and was with them before evening.

Shannon met me at the airport and was relieved to be able to pass some of the burden onto my shoulders. In the morning I made all of the final arrangements, those that Susan hadn't made herself. Friday afternoon we laid Susan to rest with her parents in the family plot.

Saturday morning I rented a locker for Susan's personal effects and had some of the utilities turned off. I knew I would have to return. There was the will and what to do with the house and personal properties. Susan had warned me that I would be named executor. She did have a large estate to deal with.

I called her attorney to confirm, which he did. The only thing that Susan had not been able to get done was to name Shannon guardian if I didn't take over the children. I informed him that Shannon was going to be with me and I was becoming a full time father to Mark and Mary. I gave him my address and he said there would be a reading of the will after the two cousins of Susan's were contacted.

Sunday morning the four of us stood in the common area of my home. I had two bedrooms. What to do? I ended by calling Gram Dumont. Simple. Put Shannon in Tyne's guest bedroom. Give Mary my guest room and for myself and Mark, bunk together. We dined with her that evening.

As we were leaving she drew me aside saying, "If my granddaughter doesn't fall in love with your children she is no blood of mine. You might have a little more trouble getting her to love your sister-in-law. Shannon is fourteen years younger than her sister, and blonde and as beautiful as they come. You watch yourself, for she adores you and could fall for you without half trying." Another possible complication!

It was to be two more weeks before Tyne would be home according to her secretary. During that time Mark and Mary got used to my being with them all of the time. They enjoyed having a pool to play in. I was working half days and spending much of each afternoon on the phone winding up details concerning Susan. Shannon was a gem. The kids loved her and treated her more as a favorite sister than an aunt.

I became increasingly nervous as it came time for Tyne to arrive home. We had settled in. I asked Gram to be with me when I explained everything to my wife. She promised to be here when she arrived. Hah!

It didn't work out that way. Tyne arrived late at night on a Wednesday. I heard her screaming from the common area. When I opened my door, she stood pointing at Brutus. Brutus was a full grown black lab and had arrived two days previously by pet transport from the kennel we had lodged him in. "It's just my dog. I got him a day ago. Go to bed, I'll explain in the morning." She turned and went into her wing with a very sour look on her face.

At six-thirty she was back pounding on my door. "Barry, you promised you would never do anything to humiliate me when we made our agreement. You have one of your whores in my shower. Get her out of there and get out yourself. I won't stand for it." Tyne was so angry, I almost laughed in her face. Mark peeked around me to see what the commotion was. Brutus, all awiggle, went between my legs and nearly upset me. He went for Tyne and immediately put his nose where it shouldn't be. She backed away turning as she did and ran into Mary.

By this time Tyne was screaming so much no one could understand her. She went into the common area and curled up in the corner of the couch. The four of us stood there. Finally, "Shannon would you make coffee? You might as well get breakfast for all of us. Mary and Mark you help her. I'll call Gram. Tyne, you can't scream at your grandmother and would you get dressed? When your grandmother gets here I will explain.

"Just so you know Shannon Briggs isn't a whore. She is my sister-in-law. I didn't have any place for her in my wing. She has been sleeping in your guest room. She is mothering my two children for the time being."

I got a look of disbelief tinged with hate, but all she said was, "Keep that damned beast away from me."

Gram arrived sooner than I thought possible. Tyne had not appeared from her side of the house. I knocked on her door and asked her to come out as her grandmother had just arrived. Everyone was dressed, but it was as if time had paused. Gram came in and hugged me, then proceeded to collect one from the two kids and Shannon. I poured her coffee and gave her the events as they had unfolded. When I told it I tried to keep it light and I guess it came off that way, for Gram was laughing as hard as she could at her granddaughter.

"Tyne let me explain and I know this isn't funny to you. I thought I could give you some warning before you met this family of mine. Unfortunately that hasn't happened. To tell it all, I'll have to go back to before I came here to work for your father. You see, I was married before to these children's mother. Susan was my wife and these are my children.

"Mark is eleven and Mary is thirteen. Things happened and we divorced. What caused the split was serious enough that I couldn't live with her. I do love Mark and Mary and wanted them to have a somewhat stable life, even when I wasn't with them. For seven years now, I have seen them once a month for three days. A few months ago when I visited, Susan informed me she was dying and only had a few months to live. She didn't know it then, but she didn't even have that much time. She died the day after you left three weeks ago.

"Her funeral was on Friday two weeks ago. In preparation for her death, Susan had persuaded Shannon to come take care of the children. Suddenly I have a family thrust upon me. I have made arrangements to purchase a home for us, if you find it impossible to have them here with me. It will be ready in about a month from now."

Tyne was staring at me, not happy at all. "Why didn't you tell me you had a family? You should have."

"I didn't, and I'm destroying your confidence with Gram here, because our arrangement was for only three years and I didn't see the status quo changing in that period of time. It has. I lost my ex-wife, whom I still had some feelings for and my children have lost their mother. Also remember Shannon has lost her sister too. She deserves some consolation."

"Where does this leave me? Are you going to divorce me now?"

"Not unless you want me to. You purchased me for three years and I will fulfill the contract. Of course you may be the one to end up wanting a divorce."

"What's the point? You have broken the agreement by letting Gram in on it. She'll not leave me the money now. I think I want all of you out of my house as soon as possible." Tyne turned and faced her grandmother. Shame was written all over her face. "Gram, I don't really care about the money. I have enough. I guess I was greedy in wanting more."

"Tyne, I'm disappointed in you. You are going to ask your husband and his children to leave. They have all lost one they loved and that includes your husband. Barry is sad because she was the mother of his children. Are you sure you want him to leave with them?"

Tyne was near tears. Brutus got up from the corner and slowly walked over and put his head beside her and kept his sad eyes on her face. She unconsciously put her hand down and patted his head. Then she looked at him and his sad eyes and burst into tears. He put his paw up and poked her. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head and realized we were watching. She got up and went around to her room and passed from view.

Gram, with concern, said, "Go to her Barry. She doesn't know what she wants."

I went in and found her in the sitting area that each wing has, staring into space. "Hi, I came in to talk if you want to. I know I have upset your life, but remember I didn't plan this. Having it happen the way it has is terrible for all of us. Not being able to warn you before coming home has made it especially bad for you. You should know by now I wouldn't hurt you for the world."

"But Gram knows all about me and my money grasping ways."

"What would you think if your grandmother only set those hurdles before you so that you would go out and find a husband for yourself? The money could be coming to you regardless. You aren't the only one that has their own agenda."

"Do you know this or are you saying this to make me feel better?"

"Educated guess, but pretty certain. After all I see her at least once a week and have for the eighteen months you and I have been married."

"Why have you been seeing her? Are you after her money as well?"

"No, I'm not after her money. Believe it or not, I have money in my own right. Money that came to me when I divorced Susan and my expenses have been minimal. What you are paying me to be your husband is so little it is of no consideration to me. Gram wants something from me though, and I confess I do humor her. It doesn't look as if I am going to be able to give her what she wants, but I don't feel as if I am a complete loser. Over time I have made a wonderful friend and I love her for her own self."

"Tell me what she wants and why you can't give it to her?"

I didn't say anything and stood and walked over to the window, looking out over the swimming pool. Shannon had taken Brutus out and was playing Frisbee with him in the area beyond. I became engrossed in watching. Finally I turned. Tyne had gone and looked out the other window.

"I'm sorry Tyne, I lost my thought for a minute. What your grandmother wants is for you and I to fall in love and be happy. I don't see how that can happen under the present circumstances. You offered certain moneys to me to do something for you. I accepted and in my mind that precludes anything more in a closer relationship with each other."

"I see your point. Now we have other things in the way where we can't even continue as we have been. Shannon, for example. I saw you watching her. She is so beautiful."

"Yes she is. She looks much like my ex-wife. There again though, other than being my sister-in-law, she is being paid to look after Mary and Mark. That pretty much puts her and I into the same situation you and I are in. I am not interested in getting into a relationship with her if that concerns you."

"She certainly has the equipment to make you notice her. If she tried hard enough she would be very hard to resist."

I walked around the room aimlessly. When I came face to face with Tyne, I said, "I think about some things when I have a quiet moment. Mostly at night, but it happens at other times as well. You know you are just as beautiful as she is. We came together when we first were married and consummated the event because you felt we had to. I don't know about you, but there hasn't been a day when I haven't wanted to repeat what we did and I want to make it better. I want to make love to you, not just have sex. So there you know. I still can last the next eighteen months, but I won't be all that happy."

I didn't get any answer and I couldn't read my wife's expression. She changed the subject. "Barry, you have become friendly with Gram. I'm ashamed for what I have done. How am I going to resolve this with her and get back into her good graces the way I used to be? I couldn't take her money under any condition now. I want her to know that."

"I'm sure she will forgive you if there is anything to forgive. That lady has a heart as big as the whole world."

I had been directed to leave and take my family with me. I had to know. "You have asked me to leave. Does that still hold? Before you answer I have to tell you that I don't want to."

"No. Stay please. Asking you and your family to leave is too complicated on such short notice. Do just as you have been doing the last two weeks. I think I will go spend a few days with Gram. We can talk Sunday afternoon and we can come to a reasonable resolution to all of this. I have some things to work out about the corporation by next week too. I can do that from Gram's at the same time."

I wanted to kiss my wife at this moment more than I ever had. She knew it too. She went to the door and held it for me to precede her. I did get a beautiful smile just as I went by her. It wasn't there when we faced those that were waiting for us. "Gram, may I stay with you until Sunday? I haven't been visiting you as much as I should. Barry is staying here with his family. I have some difficult decisions to make and I think it would be better to make them out of his presence."

I had my own little family gathering after Tyne and Gram left. "To start with, you still have a home for a few days. Tyne hasn't mentioned that Mary and Mark were too much of a problem. Her problem seems to lie more with you Shannon and how pretty you are. But I think she is coming to the conclusion that you are necessary to Mark and Mary.

"The biggest difficulty is that I didn't mention I had a family when she and I were married. That was my mistake. I love you all and someday this will all play out and we can be happy together. You are my first consideration even before my wife. If I don't stay here, we will have our own home somewhere. Nothing to worry about, I promise."

I was home Saturday morning. A furniture delivery truck drove up. The driver came to the door informing me that he had orders to remove the queen bed from the east wing and install a set of twin beds in its place. The queen bed was headed for storage. An hour later a delivery truck left linens and blankets for the twin beds.

A call from Gram directed me to move Shannon into the room containing the twin beds with Mary. "Barry, I think you will be more comfortable in the room Shannon vacates. Mark is old enough to have his own room. Shannon and Mary can get along fine in the same room, I'm sure. Tyne has some other plans she will tell you about. You might put together a lunch tomorrow for all of us."

"Gram, what about Tyne? Tyne and you, I mean. Is everything okay between you? I don't want either of you hurt."

"We are closer than ever. I'll tell you all about it during our next session playing chess. See you tomorrow." I went ahead and made all of the sleeping arrangements, becoming excited thinking Tyne and I were to have only the connecting door between us. Would it ever open? From Shannon I received a knowing smirk as the changes were taking place.

Gram and Tyne arrived in their respective vehicles shortly before noon Sunday morning. They both flashed me a smile when they came in. Tyne had made some changes in her appearance, but I didn't have time to comment on them.

I had a crab meat salad prepared. Mark had said yuk, so he was having a hamburger. I had French bread to go with the salad and iced tea for a beverage. "You must have beer, Barry?" I found what Gram indicated she wanted and joined her.

Shannon and Mary picked up after lunch and we all adjoined to the common area. Tyne spoke, "For your information Barry, Gram and I have put several of the issues I had at rest. She has also given me some advice and I am inclined to see things her way. At this time I would like to welcome your family into our home. There is no question but what they should be with you and as long as you are my husband, their place is here. That also includes Shannon until she makes other plans and gets on with her life.

"I feel Mark and Mary must see much of their mother in her and need her near for a period of time. This is a sprawled out house and there is no reason it can't sprawl out a little more. There will be a room constructed on the end of each wing and Shannon will have her own room in the east wing. This was in the original house plan, but I ended up being an only child so there was never a need. Now there seems to be. What I am trying to say is I want all of you to feel this is home."

Shannon spoke, "Thank you Mrs. Duncan. We will cause you as little trouble as we can."

"The thank you is a good start, but I think you had better call me Tyne. Mark and Mary, why don't you do the same, although I am almost old enough to be your mother. Rest assured I won't try to supplant her, so to call me Tyne will be fine.

"Barry, I would imagine you are surprised at the way I'm embracing your children and sister-in-law. You have Gram to thank for all of this. The first day I stayed at her house was a rough one for me. I thought for awhile I was going to lose her and of course you wouldn't be here with me anymore. You said a few days ago that Gram had a heart as big as the whole world. Nothing truer was ever said." The look she gave her grandmother showed how she felt.

"Now if the rest of you would excuse us, I would like a few private words with Barry. Maybe you all would like to sit around the pool for awhile. That includes you Gram."

Tyne said no more as everyone went out to the pool. I followed her into her little sitting room where she turned and faced me. "Would you tell me about your wife? In some ways you are as much an enigma now as when I first met you. I've been drawn to you and I don't know why. That is why when I set out to buy a husband, I chose you. As I think back over my moves this was the wrong way to approach you. First tell me about your life before you came here."