Chapter 19

It seemed strange being back home after our week with Bill, Eleanor and Frank. Having them and all the children around had made all of us feel we were now part of a much larger unit than any of us had ever been before. Now that Shirley had thawed out a bit about her relations with her mother, I could see that our family ties could be extended even further.

Ginny had always had a family she did not know about, but for me this was a strange and new experience and one which I was enjoying. They were not blood ties, but their relationship with Ginny bound me to them. I knew that in the future we would be strongly bound by ties of friendship and that was a very pleasant thought. Ginny was over the moon about the new relations on her father's side and I knew she would be hoping to make the same kind of discovery with at least some of those on her mother's side. Meanwhile we had started preparing for school once more and our senior year.

Once we were back, the weeks flew past and we took up our old friendships and I resumed my Tia Chi lessons with my little group. It was doing the younger ones in particular a lot of good. It gave them a sense that they belonged and were accepted into a very special group. The fact that we all hung about together meant that they faced a lot less harassment and were growing in confidence.

There was a boy and girl who had just moved into their sophomore year who were showing a real aptitude for the discipline. They were thrilled when I suggested they join in with the Tai Chi classes at our Dojo and were making rapid progress. They would be juniors next year and I was hoping that they would be able to carry on and incorporate new students as they entered the school system.

Shirley had her brain back in gear and was studying hard and hoped to graduate through her college work at the same time as us. This would make it a triple celebration. I asked her if she was thinking of college and she had definitely put it on her agenda. The one thing which worried her was that might not get a scholarship because she was so much older than the rest of the students. I assured her she had no need to worry about that as I had ample funds to take care of the three of us. I had also asked if she wanted to apply to the same college as Ginny and me.

She said rather shyly, that she would have liked that, but since meeting Bill again she confessed that this was giving her second thoughts. She told me about the conflict she was having with herself. He had rekindled feelings in her and her heart wanted to go with them, but her head was warning her she could be hurt again. She was afraid Bill's mother would try and come between them once more.

I told her to go with her heart. Bill's mother was no longer dealing with an inexperienced teenager, but a battle hardened colonel of the Marines. I did not think her attempts would carry much weight this time round though it might cause a deep rift between her and her son. If it did that, I told her, then the woman deserved everything she got. Shirley looked much happier after this discussion and I was sure that she would seek a college in Bill's State

Soon it was Thanksgiving, and not only Bill and his children were coming but Frank and Eleanor and their brood were also making the trip. Ginny and Shirley were over the moon about this. But about a week before they were due to arrive, Eleanor phoned Shirley to tell her that her father had died. I asked her if she wanted to go to the funeral but she was adamant that she would not be that kind of hypocrite. Besides she did not feel she could sit through a church service conducted by that clergyman and hear him praise her father for his devotion to God and the church.

Ginny who had also been told about her grandfather's death was in on this discussion. She had looked at her mum questioningly and suggested, that we could ask her grandmother to come and celebrate Thanksgiving with us. We could ask Frank and Eleanor to make arrangements to have her fly up with them. It would let her know that we really meant it when we said we were going to include her in our future family events. I could sense a reluctance in Shirley. But she knew my lady was a soft hearted person who would be disappointed if she said no, so she had agreed that should her mother want to make the journey, and it could be arranged, she could come.

It took several phone calls as Eleanor phoned Bill, Bill contacted Shirley's mother prior to the funeral to tell her Shirley could not come but had invited her to come to her for Thanksgiving. He said that as he and his family was going he would drive her to the airport and she could fly up with them. Shirley had already booked a flight for her if she wanted to go. After being assured it was not a problem for Bill she agreed. Bill went to the funeral and afterwards finalised the arrangements with her.

It had transpired that we would have family from both sides of the divide that had been created all those years ago. This time we would not be meeting them at the airport as there were too many to get into one vehicle. Frank and Eleanor were hiring a car for their family and Bill was doing the same and Shirley's mother would be travelling down with him. Their arrival at the house sparked of a joyful reunion. Her sisters and cousins gave Ginny great hugs and young Billy seemed to have grown another two inches. He told us that he was now a teenager since he had celebrated his thirteenth Birthday in October. I kicked myself for not asking for these important dates and gave myself a mental reminder to do so before they left this time. When Bill and Shirley's mum got out of their car Bill got a hug from Ginny and so did her grandmother.

Shirley turned to the rest of our guests and said, to Frank and Eleanor; I would like you to meet my mother, Fiona McPherson. They all shook hands and Shirley turned to Bill and said that as he had travelled with her mum she assumed they had already introduced themselves to each other. Bill had laughed and said, that he had and that they had an interesting trip down once he convinced Fiona that she had done nothing to him and she had no need for his forgiveness.

He had pointed out that Shirley had kept his beautiful daughter alive for him and her, so that they could appreciate her now. Shirley then turned to me and said, to her mother, this is Gibby McThomas, your granddaughter's fiancé. And this is his house, so we are all his and Ginny's guests as she lives here too. I know they are a bit young to be engaged, but they have my full approval, not just for the engagement but for everything else that goes on in this house.

Her mother shook my hand and she went on to say that Ginny told her a lot about me when they met and in her letter's since. I want to thank you for all you have done for her and Shirley. I just hoped that she knew the full implications of what Shirley said when she told her she approved of everything that went on in this house.

When the children discovered we had a pool they all wished that they had brought their swimming things. I had anticipated this and as it was California we were having a glorious day, I told them they would probably find costumes in the changing rooms. I also suggested that before they went in search of them they should first have a drink as I had refreshments prepared for everyone. They rushed their drinks and had a biscuit then sought their parent's permission to head for the pool.

Once they received it they rushed off to get their swimming things from the changing rooms. I said to the adults that there were plenty of seats and loungers around the pool if they wanted to join them. Frank told us that the kids could all swim like fish and as there were enough of them to keep an eye on each other we could safely leave them to it and we would join them later. After we had caught up on each other's news we enjoyed watching as the kids made the place ring with laughter. I thought if we settle here; one day the house might be ringing to the sound of our own children's laughter. As if she knew what I was thinking Ginny reached over from her lounger and took my hand and I smiled at her.

Dinner was a low key affair that evening. Next day however, Shirley and Ginny were joined by Eleanor as they prepared the Thanksgiving dinner which we had all decided should take place in the late afternoon and give us time to digest it before going to bed. Shirley's mum had been rather quite the day before and as she came down to breakfast I was a bit apprehensive, because knowing her religious background I could not be certain of her reaction to the fact that Ginny and I were lovers. However she made no mention of the fact. I sat with her at breakfast and had another coffee; she asked me where I came from. I laughed and told her, apart from being a Scot I said, I would have to say no one place in particular.

I explained I had been born in Glasgow and that we always had a house there, but my dad's job took us all over the world. She told me that she was very sad because I had lost my parents at such a young age. I told her that their upbringing and love had prepared me well to deal with the shock of their death, and although I missed them, I was doing what they wanted me to do and that was to get on with my life. Having Ginny and Shirley over the past year had helped me tremendously.

She asked me about my plans for the future. I told her that Ginny would probably have the pick of the colleges on her list as she was almost certain to be valedictorian and that I would go wherever she chose. Because I could pay my way I pointed out that I did not need to depend on a scholarship. Our problem was what to do about our status. She had asked what I meant by this, so I took the bull by the horns and said that she would have discovered after last night if she did not know beforehand, that Ginny and I are already living together.

She nodded her head but did not say anything. So I let her know that by the time we graduate, we will both be over eighteen. My birthday is in June so I am living with an older woman as her birthday is earlier than that. We think we will marry before then and going to college as husband and wife though we will not be starting a family until we graduate. I laughed and then told her she would have a few more celebrations to attend in the next year. She thought about this some and then said that we seemed to have our lives mapped out for ourselves at a very young age and wondered if that was wise.

I smiled at her and asked at what age she had married. She told me she had been twenty two. I then put in my punch line, and told her she had been older than us when she made her decision, but from what I have heard your marriage did not seem to work out all that well. She looked at me then she gave a sad smile and said "Touché."

"Your granddaughter and I have been living together for over a year now, and we have no doubts in our mind that we have found our soul mates. I think we are both very mature for our age because we have both come through very trying times, Ginny more so than me. I don't think you can judge the quality of our decision making by our chronological age." I told her

She smiled at me and said, "From what I have heard about you from the various people here who know you and from our conversation this morning, I have little doubt that you are right. It is just difficult for me to break out from the concepts that have been drummed into me from childhood."

I got up went round the table and gave her hug and smiled before saying to her, "You seem to be getting there Fiona.

When everything had been prepared for cooking and the turkey was in the oven, Eleanor Shirley and Ginny went over to Shirley's flat. Eleanor was quite impressed that it had two good sized bedrooms and two further attic rooms.

Eleanor looked at her and said,

"It is a very spacious apartment for a single lady." Then she looked at her quizzically and said, "Some of us are wondering how long that status is going to last?"

Ginny let out a giggle, but Shirley looked at Eleanor and said,

"I wish I could tell you the answer to that one, but I don't know myself?"

"If you are worried about how Bill feels, I don't have any doubt he would settle for tomorrow." Eleanor told him.

"Bill is not the problem," Shirley told her. "I have been through this once before and I don't want ever to be hurt as badly again."

"No chance of that," Eleanor told her. "Bill was coming out of the marines anyway because after the death of his wife he did not want his children to fall under the influence of our mother. If he won't let her influence his children he certainly won't let her influence his choice of a wife or cause mischief in his marriage."

Shirley said, "That is what Gibby told me, but after what I have come through, and now that I have my life back on track, you can see why I am hesitant."