Chapter 6

The Christmas turkey had all of the traditional fixings with it, and of course everyone ate way too much. Every one pitched in afterward and cleaned up. What could be safely left out of the refrigerator was. We could snack on it anytime if we came into the kitchen. Food seemed to be addictive and you just had to have one more taste.

Everyone found a place to lie down. I thought Judy might come upstairs as I had mentioned this back two or three days ago. Of course, things had speeded up since then. Lying down and almost asleep, the door opened. It was Peggy and Pete.

"May we lay with you? Brenda and Dad are lying on Judy's bed and Judy is with Charlie talking about him going back to his home. Who is Tina? I heard her name several times?"

"Tina is his sister-in-law. She will be here tomorrow or the next day to pick him up. I understand Tina was in love with Charlie first before his wife, but she lost out to her sister. Tina was going to care for him when he was injured, but it upset him too much. Judy actually was the one to sue the insurance and the trucking company for the settlement.

"Every night for two years, he would get terribly restless and Judy was the only one that could calm him."

"How did she do that?"

"She sang him some lullabies and he would go right back to sleep. The catch was that she had to be right there when it first happened. She resolved this by being in bed with him. I thought it wasn't right when I heard about it, they a brother and sister sleeping together. Judy also led us to believe the worst about herself. I minded, but when I was out west, I thought about it. I decided it was because I was attracted to her and wanted her to be a good woman. She has explained it to my satisfaction and I do believe her, but most people wouldn't understand."

"That would be like me caring for and sleeping in bed with my sister for two years wouldn't it?" Peggy was looking at her brother waiting for his thoughts on the subject.

Then he grinned, "Eww!"

"I'll bet you would care for me if you were needed by me."

"Well maybe. Can we stay here with you Jonathan?"

"Sure, lie down."

"I don't mean just today, I mean for a long time."

"Your father asked me if you could. I agreed you could until he gets a bigger apartment or buys a house."

"Good, we both are having a great time. We were hoping you would say yes."

Judy came into the bedroom. "I have news. Tina will be here in a couple of hours. I gave her directions. She called and Charlie is excited about seeing her. I am glad, for she can help him get over the loss of his family quicker than anyone can. Tina's parents are planning a big New Year's bash to bring him back into their fold."

Peggy asked, "Are you going with them? I would like to have you stay here."

"No, I'm not leaving. I'm making a new life for myself here in Vermont and I hope it will be with Jonathan."

"Good, because Jonathan said Pete and I can stay here for awhile and we'd miss you too."

"I'd miss you as well Peggy." I drifted off to sleep. Judy lying down on one side of me, Peggy on the other side and Pete next to her.

I did not sleep long. I felt Judy squeeze my hand and glanced sideways so I could smile at her. My thoughts turned to where I was going to put everyone. If Pete and Judy were going to be staying, I decided to make the rest of the attic habitable for them, by making two more small bedrooms. This would leave me three bedrooms to rent out. That is if Judy moved her belongings in with me. Brenda could not complain and neither could Pat.

Peggy and Pete were old enough to not take exception and liken this as the same position their father was in. Mom could not say anything and Ben would think it okay after how his mother left me. I would not think Charlie would mind his sister hooking up with me either. I might run it by him though. Again, I drifted off.

I awoke to hear a woman screaming and crying, although it did not sound as if she was in pain or was afraid of something. Judy bounced off the bed, and shouted to me, "That's Tina. She is here." She went bounding down the stairs. I went down more slowly, with Pete and Peggy following me.

Charlie had this woman in his arms swinging her around, happily. Judy pulled Tina away from her brother and they hugged and kissed each other. Tina spoke, "Charlie, Mom and Dad send their love to you, Judy. Charlie, I can't believe you are well again."

"Tina, I guess I'm as well physically as I can be, but I have lost so much of my life. Two years are gone forever, and so much more. Carol and my family can never be replaced."

"We know that. You are happy to see me though?"

"Yes Tina, I am. I'm very happy to see you."

"Well, we don't have to get into this yet. Let's put together a meal from the leftovers. You have to get used to Tina again, and Tina, this is Jonathan Rivers. He, his mother, and his wife have made this farm into a place of lodging for guests. That is why Charlie and I came here. Jonathan has also become my special friend. I rented a room from them for Charlie and in some ways have become part of the life here. Charlie is leaving, but I'm going to stay."

"Special friend in what way?"

"Tina, my wife and I are getting a divorce. Brenda is living with Peggy and Pete's father in town. They do not have enough bedrooms, so arrangements have been made for them to stay here at the lodge. It is mixed up I know, but it is convenient for all of us. Ben, my son is here with his wife and our grandchildren. They will be leaving Tuesday. You will meet them and my mother and her new husband this evening."

"This place is just like a big home with lots of members. Can Charlie and I have some time for us to speak alone? We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Come on Tina, we'll go to my room. Would all of you excuse us?" Charlie was holding her hand as he led her to his room.

"She is very pretty," Peggy declared.

Judy expanded on the situation. "Carol was just as pretty. Tina has loved Charlie for several years even before Carol claimed him. If she had been a little more aggressive than her sister had years ago, she would have had the chance to marry him back then. She is also sad because her sister had to die to give her the chance for the happiness she missed before. The chance has come again to be happy. It is not often a woman can have a do over."

I thought to myself that Tina had a fine line to walk and it would not be easy. Her sister as a ghost would always be in both Charlie and her thoughts. Could a relationship survive under these conditions? Not my problem, but I was pulling for them. It would make Judy happy if they were happy and that is what I was hoping.

Pat and Brenda came up for a meal of leftovers. Charlie and Tina came out of his room and she was hanging on his arm. He was receptive of this show of affection. He made a little speech. "Everyone here has been so kind to me and I'd like to stay and get to know you better. However, Tina tells me the business that I am in with my father-in-law needs me desperately. She and I will be staying the night and leaving early in the morning.

"Judy, you have done so much for me and I feel as if I am abandoning you. Will you mind too much if I leave?"

"No Charlie, you have to get on with your life as soon as possible. I'm still your guardian and that is what I am advising."

"Okay then, I thank you for all of the care you gave me for so long. The settlement that was awarded from the accident I will leave in your hands. It is in your name and that does not need to change. It is yours to do with what you want with it. It was you who sued for it and you deserve what is left."

"You are being overly generous."

"That is the way I want it."

Morning found us saying goodbye to Charlie and Tina. Ben, Sandy and the grandkids left after lunch. Brenda and Pat made arrangements to meet Tuesday for Pete and Peggy to go into the school administration office to get them enrolled to start school when the New Year commenced the following Monday. Brenda was going to take both kids shopping for clothes after they finished with enrolling. They hadn't brought enough clothes with them and a new school and new clothes seemed to go together.

Ho and I started building rooms out of what space my room had not taken up in the attic. The aisle to the end of the house was narrow because we wanted the two rooms to be as large as possible. Some day we might raise the roof so a person could stand upright all the way around the room. For now, the foot of the beds went beneath the slope of the roof. The middle room between my room and the end one did not have a window, but for the winter, it didn't matter. We at least would consider skylights if not raising the whole roof.

I wrote down the dimensions and made a materials list. I drove down to the building supply store and ordered the studs, which were loaded onto my truck. When I got home and unloaded, I sent Judy down to pick up the insulation. The sheetrock would be delivered on Thursday. Ho and I started framing the rooms.

Between noon and one o'clock, I called a friend who worked a second shift and held an electrician's license to come wire the rooms before I started putting up the sheetrock. I told him I expected both rooms would be framed before the end of the week. I wanted to start putting up the walls Saturday.

Pat and Brenda came in with the kids in the middle of the afternoon. Pat came upstairs to see what we were doing. "Hey, I'll measure and Jonathan you cut and Ho can do the nailing. Pete can get the 2x4's from the barn. I did a lot of this on a house I owned before I was divorced. I'm pretty good at putting up the wall board too."

With the added help, we were waiting on the load of sheetrock Thursday morning. By Friday evening, we had all the walls up, the joints taped, and the first coat of compound on them. We had something more than the New Year to celebrate Saturday night, as the walls were primed and ready for color. We took Sunday off and relaxed. Judy promised to put paint on the walls on Monday while everyone was either in school or working.

On Wednesday evening, everyone worked to move in a single bed, a bureau, a small table, and one chair into each of the two rooms. We had opted to heat the rooms with electric heaters for the winter, although they wouldn't need much. We were thinking we would wait until warm weather to hook up some sort of central heat.

We had not reserved any of the rooms over the holiday because we needed to concentrate on constructing the bedrooms for Pete and Peggy. We now had the two rooms in the main house free. "You know Jonathan, if you let me move in with you, you would have my room to let out as well. Everyone is aware we are sleeping together."

"Brenda doesn't know."

"So? She will find out soon and I will bet she suspects we are together already. If it is the loss of the money for the room I have been paying, I'll still contribute that amount."

"Oh come on now Judy, I'm tight, but not that tight."

"Well I feel I am taking advantage of you. I come here, rent a room, and then move into your room and not pay anything. What does that say about me?"

"Let's see. You work full time helping with preparing meals and doing the laundry. You painted two bedrooms last week and ran errands everyday. The lodge is taking in some money from the kids because of your efforts. You certainly are more of a wife to me than my own is. Remember also, she is going to be having two stepchildren and the children love you as much as they do her. It is me that should be paying you."

"Let's not talk about money. Jonathan, I have enough money to live the rest of my life. It comes from Charlie's accident of course, but it is in my name and he wants me to have it to do with what I want with it. I'll be your backup position if it is necessary. That said, if you think what I am doing here is worth me having a wonderful warm home, I will take it. That is if you come with it."

"Okay, we'll move your things into my room. I'll be there to welcome you when the lights go out tonight."

Tears appeared In Judy's eyes. "It's not just tonight I'm thinking about. It is tomorrow night and everyone after that as well."

"We can make it happen."

The winter passed slowly. The two kids took the school bus from the farm everyday and either came home on it or went to their father's house from school and came up with Brenda in the evening when she did. Over time, this happened less and less as Brenda did not come as often. Sometimes the kids called me before I got out of work and then they rode home with me.

Pete never spoke of his own mother and Peggy just made a face if she was mentioned. I took it they hadn't liked their stepfather at all and blamed their mother for making them stay with her as long as they did. They set about making sure that Pat made permanent the full custody so they would not ever have to go back to live with their mother again. Brenda became first in their hearts as a Mom. Judy and I weren't far behind as surrogate parents for them as well.

Pat and Brenda had found much happiness in each other and I was comfortable with that. Peggy and Pete helped a lot as they took to Brenda and were looking forward to their father and Brenda marrying when the divorce became final after April 1. The kids begged to stay at the lodge and Pat never even looked for a larger apartment. Both adults came up to the lodge at least three nights a week for supper and spent either Saturday or Sunday with us. The other day of the weekend, the kids spent with their father and Brenda at the apartment.

Both kids had chores at the lodge and I do not know how many times when there was a chore to do, Peggy would glance at me and whisper, "Time to suck up and do something for somebody." This made me crack up every time.

Judy took Pete under her wing and started telling him what went on out in the woods. He was interested in the wildlife and Judy showed him how the woodland gave animals a home and food that grew there. After we found snowshoes for him to wear, he spent much of his free time looking and observing what went on as often as possible.

March brought sugaring season. We had prepared for the season, there was wood cut, stacked and dried, and we had the equipment to produce the syrup. The major problem was that I was working and I was the only one who was familiar with the operation. We solved this problem by having a retired farmer come in and instruct Judy, with Pete looking on and doing most of the firing. We did manage to make thirty-seven gallons. Next year we planned to tap more trees and should make at least a hundred gallons.

Judy and I set about making plans to expand the lodge, with the idea of building on four more rooms to the south of the main house. Mom and Ho left the planning to us. We did include Brenda, as she owned shares. The three rooms we filled every weekend throughout the winter and often had guests staying during the week at least half the time. It seemed when boarders came and liked the place, they would extend their stay if we could accommodate them.

Brenda drove in on April third. She had Pete and Peggy with her. Peggy looked as if she had a secret she wanted to share. Brenda looked closely at me and did not say much. Pete was not much into keeping secrets. "Jonathan, did you get something special in the mail today?"

"I haven't looked at the mail yet. Why?"

"Just wondering. Brenda looked at hers."

"Oh."

Brenda spoke, "I received my final divorce decree today. We were wondering if you received yours."

"I'll look." It was sandwiched in amongst several magazines and the usual junk mail. "Kids, let me have a moment alone with Brenda, please." Brenda waited for them to leave before speaking.

"This is the end of it for us, isn't it Jonathan. It makes me feel sad and somewhat lost. I know I brought it all on myself and I do not have any real regrets. Pat is a wonderful man and I do love him dearly. How are you feeling about everything?"

"Give me a minute to get used to the idea. I knew the end was coming. I suppose I feel the same way as you do. You know except for the intimacies we had, I don't feel that much different about this or about you than I did before. I still love you and I hope you feel the same about me. We work just as well together as we always have and you are here almost half as much. I think it was a wise move for us to separate when we did. We have both been so fortunate to find someone to fill in the experiences that were deficient in our marriage. I'm very happy with Judy."

"Yes, and I'm happy with Pat. Will you be marrying Judy?"

"Very shortly."

"Pat and I are planning on getting married the week after next during the spring break from school. We did not get away at Christmas time, but are planning a short honeymoon then. I've already asked Ben and Sandy to come for the wedding, but they can't make it."

"That is too bad. I mean it is too bad Ben can't be here. Judy and I are waiting until school lets out in June before we tie the knot. You and Pat will have to stay here while we are away for our honeymoon."

"We certainly will." I had not kissed Brenda but once or twice since I instituted the divorce. We did manage one now, but there was no passion for either of us. Just as friends saying goodbye.

Judy came in and I tossed the divorce decree to her to read as she said, "The kids told me Brenda had received hers. What now?"

"I guess I had better be making an honest woman out of you."

"You don't have to, you know. I'm happy just living here with you."

"Not good enough. Judy, would you please marry me?"

Judy glanced at Brenda, then came, and kissed me. "You dared ask me in front of a witness. I know you mean it and I have been praying for this day for several months. Much longer than you knew, I'm sure."

"Maybe. It does not really matter now. Call your brother. In one way he is the one that brought us to this day even when he didn't know he was doing it."

Brenda spoke up, "You mean by my getting into bed with Charlie last summer, don't you?"

"No, I wasn't thinking of that. It was more of his amnesia and Judy looking for a quiet place to care for him. Judy was here and I was attracted to her. I suppose I used your infidelity as an excuse for the divorce, but on reflection, we both were looking for a way to separate."

"We were weren't we? It has really worked out well without a lot of heartbreak too. Having said all of this, we won't have to visit the subject again will we?"

The town clerk married Brenda and Patterson Brooks just before the office closed the last day before school vacation. Peggy and Pete were there of course. Judy also went, driving Mom and Ho into town. The kids came home with her while Brenda and Pat headed for Boston for their honeymoon. Judy searched my face to see how I felt about this. There was nothing to see, for I was comfortable with the situation.

We had guests to fill all of the empty rooms for the week. The phone rang about nine the next morning and Peggy took the call. I overheard Peggy, who was filling in in the office speaking sharply to a person on the other end. "I'll give you directions to get here, but you will have to get a motel room in town for however long you are here. Just for your information, Dad is on his honeymoon this week. He has married a nice woman and she is a wonderful step-mom to Pete and me. I love her dearly."

Peggy was being questioned, "Pete and me are living with my new grandmother. I also have a stepbrother who is married so I have a sister-in-law and two nieces although they do not live here. I'll fill you and Harry in if you can find the time to be interested when you get here." Peggy proceeded to give directions and hung up the phone. She looked at me.