Chapter 4: Meet the Family

I lay in my bed after the evening I had just spent with Georgette. I doubted I was going to get much sleep for a while. I was trying to piece together just what was going on with her. We had wrapped up the two interview sessions and she made it clear she was very happy with the results. What was I supposed to think when she suggested we have dinner, picked me up in her incredible car, went for a ride after dinner and let me drive her car as well? Then, to finish the evening off, she invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her family.

It was over two weeks to the holiday and that gave me some time to think about her, and whether I was imagining that she might be interested in me. That seemed a most unlikely possibility. It probably was my imagination. She was rich, more mature ... not just older, had a future mapped out for herself, and could have the pick of just about any man she wanted. So ... why did I get the feeling there was something going on between us?

I won't deny that I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving. Just being able to be with her was good for my ego. What I wasn't so sure of was what kind of reception I would get from the family. I didn't want to embarrass them and have to explain what I was doing hanging around with their daughter or granddaughter. We didn't exactly travel in the same social circles.

Georgette called me the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

"Hi, John. Just thought I'd call and confirm Thursday. Would it be all right if I picked you up about two o'clock?"

"Oh, Hi, Georgette. Uhhm ... yeah ... that would be fine, but you don't have to pick me up. I can ride my bike."

"Oh, no. You might get mud on your tuxedo," she laughed.

"I hope you're laughing because of the mud," I said, hoping like hell she didn't really expect me to wear a tux.

"I'd be happier if I gave you a ride and you didn't have to worry about the weather ... or anything. And I promise, Father won't be wearing a tie."

"Well, if it makes you happier, then I'll gratefully accept. Thank you."

"See you Thursday," she said. If there's such a thing as a smile in someone's voice, I heard it in hers.

"You're not nervous, are you?" she asked as we rode to her home Thursday afternoon. She was wearing a leather jacket that covered a very nice pale yellow sweater and chocolate brown skirt. Simple, but like everything else about her, elegant. I also noticed she wore very little jewelry. Simple studs in her ear lobes and an equally simple slim gold chain around her neck.

"A little bit. I don't want to embarrass myself ... or you. I don't know your parents ... or your grandmother, so I'm not sure what to expect."

"Relax," she smiled. "They're real people, not the stuffed shirts you might be thinking of. I think you'll get a kick out of my grandmother, too. She's quite outspoken and very modern considering her age."

I didn't respond and a moment or so later, she put her hand on mine as it rested on the armrest of the center console. A light squeeze and another smile was all it took and I was starting to feel very energized. When we pulled up in front of her home, I got out and we walked up the front sidewalk and stairs together with Georgette holding my hand. It was just another thing that I didn't expect and didn't know quite what to think about it.

I've heard it said that sometimes people can feel some sort of energy pass between themselves and another person. Like that idea of love at first sight, but in this case, first touch. Sparks fly and you can feel something pass from your partner to you and go throughout your body. I'd never experienced it and, to tell the truth, didn't believe it either. I was wrong. That was exactly what was happening when Georgette touched me. I could feel my chest contract and I was very tense as she held my hand.

I wasn't really paying attention as we turned away from her door and went along the porch to the far end and her parents' door. She didn't bother to ring the bell, but simply turned the knob and entered. When we did, I could smell the roasting turkey and what I thought might be a pumpkin pie as well. I'd been deprived of those smells for two years and I missed them. Not exactly like home, but very nice just the same.

"Come and meet my parents," Georgette said after we hung our jackets on the antique coat stand.

I followed her through the dining room and into the kitchen area. Two women were busy working on preparing the meal and they turned as we entered.

"Mother, Nan, this is John Smith. John, this is my mother Sarah and my grandmother Nanette. She prefers to be called Nan."

We said hello to each other and Nan approached me, giving me a careful examination.

"So ... you're the man that Georgie-Girl's been talking about. I can see why she'd be interested in a big, handsome fellow like you." She stuck out her hand, "Welcome," she said with a firm grip after I finally responded.

Georgette's mother had turned back to her work and wasn't paying attention to anything else. Nan, however, had decided she needed to get to know me better. I took a quick look at Georgette and saw she was hiding a smile at the action of her grandmother. After all, she did try to warn me.

"Where's Father?" Georgette asked.

"He's gone out for his afternoon walk," Nan answered quickly. "I told him to save it for after the meal when he'd really need it, but he paid me no never-mind ... as usual."

I stifled a laugh. The grandmother had a look of mischief in her eyes and I was going to have to be on my guard with her.

"Georgie tells me you're going to invent some kind of water machine. Is that so?"

"Uhhm ... not exactly. I'm working on a system to take water that isn't drinkable or can't be used for irrigation and purify it. I'm trying to make the system very compact and affordable."

"Well, that sure enough sounds like something important to me, Johnny," she said. "You need to talk to my son-in-law. He's in the investment business and is always looking for good opportunities."

"Well, it's a little early for that," I said. "I haven't completed the design and tested it, so I have some work to do yet. Right now I'm looking for money to finish the development."

The old woman patted me on the arm. "You just keep workin' on it, Johnny. I've got a feeling you'll get it figured out if you're as smart as Georgie-Girl says you are."

I cast a quick glance at Georgette and saw her turn away, but not before I noticed that blush that was so distinctive. Now I was really confused. She had been talking about me to her family? At least to her grandmother. I was surprised and confused once again.

Georgette and I retreated to the living room to allow the two women to continue their work in the kitchen. I was about to sit down when Nan appeared in the dining room.

"Aren't you going to offer the man a drink, Georgie?" she said.

"Oh ... of course. I'm sorry, John. What would you like? Your usual?"

"Sure, that would be fine," I grinned. It would seem that Georgette was getting a bit flustered as well.

She returned a short time later with a tall Pilsner glass of beer and a glass of red wine. We sat close to each other on the sofa.

"I see what you mean about your grandmother. She's really something special," I said. "She's easy to like."

"I love her to pieces," Georgette admitted. "Mother is a bit more reserved and Nan is so alive and feisty that you can't help but love her."

I nodded. That's exactly how I felt. "So, Georgie-Girl, what's that all about?"

She laughed. "Nan's been calling me that since I was born. It was a song title and a movie way back when, and Nan thought it fit me just right. I've been Georgie or Georgie-Girl ever since."

"Oh, sure. I've heard of it. I like it a whole lot better than someone calling you George," I admitted.

"I never thought about it very much. I did notice that you always called me by my full name."

I nodded. "Yes. I like it. I like the sound of it."

Again, a blush formed on her chest. Not quite as full-fledged as in the past, but nonetheless, a blush.

The front door opened and a tall, gray-haired man appeared. He smiled and nodded at us as he hung up his windbreaker and walked into the living room. Georgette and I had both risen.

"Father, this is John Smith. John, this is my father, Thomas."

"How do you do, sir," I said, holding out my hand.

He took it and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you John, and welcome to our home. Georgette tells me you're from Idaho."

"Yes, sir. From Coeur d'Alene."

"One of the truly beautiful places in this country. Let me get myself reintroduced into the kitchen and escape with a drink and I'll join you," he grinned.

Unlike her mother, Georgette's father was an outgoing and likable man. A different personality from his wife it seemed. The thought crossed my mind that he would be a very valuable contact for me in the future.

I heard some talk and then some laughter and shortly afterward Thomas reappeared with what looked like a whiskey and ice and found a comfortable seat near us.

"Georgette tells me that college is the first time you've been away from home. How are you coping with the differences between your smaller home town and the big city?"

"Not too badly, sir. I guess I'm lucky that San Francisco is a very open and friendly city. I don't know if I would be as well off in Chicago or New York."

"No doubt about that, John. But you've chosen an interesting college. It isn't one of the mainstream super-schools, but its reputation is first class. You'll get a good education and it will be recognized by the people who know high-quality."

"That's good to know. I spent a fair amount of time deciding where I should go. I have to say, though, that the climate was a factor in my decision," I grinned.

"No doubt. I understand you ski. We have a lodge in Tahoe. Perhaps you can find the time to spend a weekend up there with us."

"I didn't bring my skis and boots with me to school. I'd have to bring them down after Christmas."

"Do that. I'm sure Georgette would be happy to have someone to ski with besides us old-timers," he smiled.

This was all getting to be a little overwhelming. I didn't know these people at all and they knew so much about me. Georgette was the only source of information they had, so she's been telling them about me. I've spent less than five minutes with Thomas Fulton and he's inviting me to his family ski lodge at Lake Tahoe. What the hell?

I suddenly realized that Georgette was holding my arm in her hands. I had no idea when that had happened, but I didn't see any concern on her father's part. All this was adding to my confusion. When I got the chance, I was going to ask Georgette to explain.

"Georgette tells me you are trying to develop a small-scale water decontamination system," he said between sips on his whiskey. "That sounds like a very worthwhile project. What can you tell me about it?"

"Well, the concept isn't exactly new, only the scale. There are portable water purification systems available, but the size and scale of them are generally much bigger than my concept. The existing units fit into a forty-foot container or a transport trailer. I've been working on developing a system that would fit in the back of a pickup truck."

"Where do you see your market?" he asked.

"At first, I was thinking of third-world applications. But this country has millions upon millions of acres of potentially arable land that is need of clean or usable water. Much of what is available in remote locations is contaminated by natural chemicals or bio-waste. The big farms can afford the big units, but the smaller farms and ranches need something suited to their scale. I also want my system to be capable of being run economically. Maybe wind or solar power could be auxiliary power suppliers along with regular household electricity. That's not my prime objective, but it is a longer term objective."

"That's very ambitious. How far along are you?"

"I've got most of the design engineering in place. I need to enlist some help with certain segments. For instance, I've been trying to get one of the big suppliers interested in micro-filtration membranes. Aqua-Tech is local, but has no interest in anything that isn't either large scale or large volume through distributors. Two others are foreign and have limited technical support in the U.S. That leaves Dow Chemical and their Filmtec division. I'm having a great deal of trouble getting a meeting with their technical representative. I guess I'm not big enough to warrant his time."