Chapter 4

When we arrived in town, Trudy wanted to see the cottage where she and John would be making their home. I drove slowly up to it. Of course the high board fence took away from the esthetics of the area, but it was at some distance and the cottage didn't directly face it. There were no flowers, but plots could be seen where there had been some planted. The garden spot was overgrown. It was there, though.

Between the house and the woods there were some fruit trees ... peaches and plums and apple, two each. There were pecans before you got into the dense grove of woods. I let her into the house. She walked around, even inspecting the closets. "John and I can make a good home here. His work, I take it is close by?"

"The other side of the fence. My wife and I bought this and lived here for a short time. I expected to have to expand the yard this far and would have torn the cottage down."

"That would be a crime. It is going to be comfortable."

"If John does what I have hired him for, it will never be necessary because many of the spare parts will be cleaned out of the buildings. Enough of this tonight, let's get you and the boys settled. Nora will get us a snack unless everyone is really hungry." No one was.

The boys went upstairs to bed. Trudy asked where her room was. I was carrying her suitcase up for her. "It is down at the end of the hall across from the boys. The bath is opposite the stairwell. There are two bedrooms on this end of the house."

"That's where your room is."

"That's right, mine and Nora's on the left and the guest room on the right."

"Nora sleeps with you?"

"Yes, we find we are the most comfortable that way."

"I shouldn't wonder. I suppose I should be shocked, but after learning this week what she has gone through recently I'm okay with it. From what the boys were joking about earlier, they must know."

"They do. They said as long as their mom was happy they were too. Be assured we will not be flaunting our sleeping together and there will be no untoward display of affection. That might change if our relationship becomes permanent?"

"Good enough for me. Kids are so aware and blasé about sexuality now, we forget how young they are. I think girls are much worse than the boys."

"I know what you mean."

Nora was surprised at Trudy's being okay when I told her she knew we would be sleeping together. It was another night for cuddling.

Saturday morning I had to go into the yard and catch up on things there. Nora and Trudy were going to the cottage and make a list of what was needed to make it livable before moving in. The boys were hanging out with me. Trudy cautioned the boys not to get in my way while I was working.

At eleven o'clock I said I wanted to get my hair cut. Peter and Paul thought they might get trimmed up as well. The barbershop was nearly empty and we didn't have to wait long. My regular barber was open so I got right into the chair. I had my usual flattop. They boys said they would use the same barber so they waited for him to do me. I walked down to the hardware store for a padlock that I needed. When I returned, I laughed for both boys were supporting flattops just like mine.

"What is your grandmother going to say when she sees you?"

"Not much. She commented after she met you the first time that she wished more kids had short hair like they did when she was a girl. We like the way it feels. We will stand out from the rest of the kids now." I went to pay the barber, but he said the boys had paid for their own cuts. The boys laughed and said, "Gram can't blame you if she doesn't like the way we look."

I went back to the yard. The boys went through the gate to the cottage. It wasn't long before Nora came from the cottage and into my office. "Jack, my boys look a lot like you with the haircut they got. If anyone sees you all together, they will think you are family."

"Do you mind? They got the haircuts on their own."

"No, and I'm damned proud of them. George never would have taken them to a barbershop with him. He often seemed ashamed that he had kids. He certainly never had anything to do with them. Anyway I think they really like you. Enough of that, let's all go to Mickey D's. You can drop me off at home when we finish. I'm planning your favorite dinner tonight."

Trudy and the boys came into the yard about 4:00 pm. "Trudy, do you know what size pants and shirts John wears? The same for the boys too for that matter? I'm ordering work uniforms. I might as well start wearing them as well. I have been furnishing work clothes for the guys out in the yard. We might as well have a laundry pick up and deliver. I'll get Nora a couple of sets because when we get settled down, she will be helping out too."

"Sure, that will be great. Most people work better in clean clothes. With delivery and laundry, it will make it easier on Nora and me."

When we got home Nora met me at the door. "Jack, do you remember I was on my way to my Aunt Mary's the day I smashed up the car? I've called her a few times with updates of how my life is changing. I called her this afternoon. She is thinking of going into an assisted living facility. Is there one anywhere nearby?"

"There is a nice modern one here on the outskirts of town. Why don't you and Trudy check it out tomorrow before John gets here?"

"I will."

This didn't happen. Trudy received an excited call from John at 9:30 that evening. "Trudy, George has been shot. He is in the hospital, but don't worry he is going to be okay." I walked over and put the phone on speaker when I saw how agitated Trudy was.

"What happened?"

"Phyllis, the woman George was going to start a new firm with did it. He went directly there after court and confronted her about the photograph while we were altogether at lunch Friday. He declared he was having nothing more to do with her. He claims it was her body that was used with Nora's head attached to in the picture. He came over here and stayed with me Friday night and all day today. He was telling me how he realized he had screwed up his life. He wondered if Nora would forgive him and take him back. He wants to have more to do with Peter and Paul, too."

"Damn it John, tell me how he got shot."

"Phyllis Burbank came here this afternoon saying she could make him happier than Nora ever could. Nora couldn't have loved him like she did. He ignored her begging and finally shut the door in her face. She was back at 6:30 again. George opened the door and told her to leave him alone. I was watching and she dug into her handbag and pulled out a pistol.

"Thank God she wasn't much of a shot. She didn't hit anything vital and the gun was small caliber. He was grazed in the left arm and a bullet went through his right thigh. There were some people walking by and heard the shooting. One guy stopped her from getting into her car and held her for the police. They've been here all evening and just left. George called me from the hospital a few minutes ago and said he was going to be okay."

"You didn't go to the hospital with him? Why not, he's your son?"

"The cops said it wasn't necessary and the rescue team backed them up. They wanted to find out what was behind it all so they have been talking to me. I would say that woman would be getting some prison time. Maybe she will find out how Nora felt when crap spatters all over her. She will not only face the shooting of George, but what she did to Nora too."

"You told them about that?"

"Damned right. I'll be down by noon tomorrow. Have some dinner for me."

"You aren't staying with George?"

"No I'm not. The man is thirty-five years old and he got himself into this. He can deal with it on his own. Besides, I start my new job on Monday. I want that job more than I want to babysit my son with all his problems. You can come up if you want to."

"I will. I'll drive up after I talk to you tomorrow. Now you find out if George is okay before you leave there, promise?"

"I will dear. Love you. Everything will be okay. Goodnight, Trudy"

The boys were quiet through all of this. They looked scared, as any sort of violence hadn't touched them before. They headed for bed. I followed them into their room after a few minutes. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, but Paul thinks mom will be going back to dad. Do you think she will?"

"No, I don't, but women are funny creatures. She will be up before you go to sleep. Ask her."

"We will. We want to stay here with you, Gram, and Gramp. You want mom to stay here don't you?"

"Very much. I'll send her up."

"Night, Jack."

"Night, boys."

Nora and I were married the twenty-third of August while my dad and mom were visiting. Dad ran the yard while Nora and I were on our honeymoon. Dad said he wished he was still involved with the business, saying also I was doing much better at managing it than he ever did.

Nora's Aunt Mary did move into the nearby assisted living home. It was a surprise when Uncle Nathan inquired about living in one. He and Aunt Mary chanced to have rooms side by side and are good friends. Neither one was left alone to live out their lives in solitude with no friends the way many seniors have. Peter and Paul would go over and Uncle Nathan would tell about different cases he had been involved in, both as attorney, and judge. Nora was very fond of her Aunt Mary and all would gather together in one room and listen raptly as he talked.

Phyllis Burbank did time for assault with a weapon. She received a sentence three to seven years and was fined several thousand dollars. She most likely would be out in four years.

George Roberts did pay all his back support to his parents in one lump sum. He had been accumulating money for three years to start a law partnership with Phyllis Burbank. To keep his record clear, he began paying support for the boys to Nora now that they were again under her care.

John, the boys, and I worked months in our spare time that first winter building a Funny Car for parades and such. We took the body of the Pierce Arrow and combined it with the front end of a Volkswagen Super Beetle. We had quite a time putting a Volkswagen motor under the high rear seat of the Arrow. We had to cut out the floor of the Arrow. We used the floor pan and motor of the VW, wrapping the old car body down around it. It is fun to drive, fun to ride in, and funny to see.

George had promised to pay a fair share of the twin's college expenses. The boys visited him once a month or so. They were never asked to be with him for holidays or vacations. Nora had to push Trudy to have them get together. I suspected it was more of a duty for both the boys and George to visit as father and sons. That is the way things stood for two years.

The boys were early in their seventeenth year when George informed the boys he was getting married. The boys hadn't met their stepmother to be, or her two children. It was just a short civil ceremony and neither his parents or Peter and Paul were invited. George came down two weeks after the wedding on Sunday to have his new wife meet Trudy and John.

Nora, the boys and I were camping that weekend, so there was no chance of us meeting George and his new wife. All Trudy said to us was that she was a divorced woman, quite pretty and had two daughters who hadn't come with them. She thought the daughters were somewhere around the same age as Peter and Paul. George left bus fare for the boys to come up the next weekend and he would bring them home Sunday afternoon as they were expected to stay over Saturday night.

Peter and Paul weren't too thrilled with the idea, but Nora reminded them that in another year George was paying a portion of their advance schooling. "Jack, can't we drive VW Thing up and we can come home if father hassles us?" Nora had been adamant that the twins stay connected with their father and I concurred with her.

"No, he sent you money. He evidently wants you to meet his new family. Besides you have two stepsisters you have to get to know." The boys knew enough not to argue.

I had made sure that both had their driving licenses when they became old enough to drive. I promised them in return that we would fix up a wreck when one came in if there was one they liked. The Volkswagen Thing had intrigued them and it wasn't damaged too badly.

We had struck a deal early on that if they wanted something they would listen to me and not go against my wishes or suggestions. Nora and I had told them how their mom and I had started out making a business deal on day one of our meeting. It had of course changed immediately to something more after we had fallen in love.

The boys boarded the bus Saturday morning and headed north. Paul called about six that evening, saying they were sleeping on the living room floor in light sleeping bags their new stepmom had furnished. "Mom, I've invited father and Bea for supper tomorrow afternoon. They'll be six of us, counting the girls." He hung up leaving their mother holding a disconnected phone in her hand.

Nora looked at me. "Jack, what in hell do you think is going on?"

I was grinning. "I'm guessing, but I'd say our boys have met their two stepsisters. We'll see them late tomorrow. I would say we will know for sure when George brings the boys home."

Nora shook her head and grinned back at me. "Good, they said tomorrow afternoon. That means me and Trudy can go for a ride in the morning. We'll get back at noon and make salads. You and John can marinate some steaks and we'll have a barbecue."

"How are you going to act around George? You haven't spoken to him since that day two years ago in court have you?"

"No, not directly. I deal with him through Trudy. With us having co-custody it has been easy. I don't know how it will be tomorrow when he shows up here."

"Don't worry about it. This is our home, and he would be the interloper. I don't expect you will bait him. He is the twin's father."

"I know. I'll just stay out of his way. I won't have to speak to him."

"Okay. Call Trudy and tell her your plans for a ride in the morning. That'll clear your mind and you can handle ten ex-husbands by the time you get back."

Nora started giggling, "Wouldn't it be a hoot if George was here when we pulled in. He doesn't know I ride and he damned well doesn't know his sixty-year-old mother does either."

Sunday morning Nora got her bike out at 9:00 and headed over to collect Trudy. She promised to be back by 11:00 ... noon at the latest. I was puttering around the backyard. I had called John and he came over and was watching me while sipping on a beer. I was expecting Nora and Trudy back soon. Just then Peter and Paul came around the side of the house. They had two beautiful girls with them.

Peter did the introductions, "Jack, these are our two sisters. This is Mickey Grant (Michelle) on my left and Sandy Grant (Sandra) on my right. Girls, you can call my dad, Jack. We do. This is my grandfather, John. We call him Gramp, and you can too. Jack, where are Mom and Grandma?"

"She and your grandmother are out for a ride. They will be here any minute. Where is your father?"

"Out front with our new stepmother, Bea. She is looking at the flowers."

Paul spoke up, "I'll get them. I'll bring out more beer. Father and Bea both like it." Paul soon came back with his stepmother right on his heels and his father lagging behind. "Bea, this is my dad. You met my grandfather the weekend Mom and Dad took us camping."

The woman, Bea was large in stature, as tall as George, anyway. She looked as if she could handle anything or anybody. She was wearing nice slacks and a white blouse with a light sweater that was stretched tight across her chest. "So, you're the person who is married to the twin's mother. I've heard good things about you from them and from George's parents. I hope you will look on me with favor the same way." She smiled and then went to John. "I'm pleased to meet you again. How is Trudy?"

"She is good, and she'll be here shortly. The boys indicated they weren't coming home until later this afternoon."

"Yes, well the boys have been telling Mickey and Sandy about something that they called a Volkswagen Thing. They said it was something you could ride in. Is it dangerous?"

"No. It's just an old vehicle Jack and I helped them fix up. It has been a good experience for them. One of the crew that works for Jack has taught them how to cut and weld. Jack will pick out another junker soon and we'll fix it up. This one has to be sold to pay us back for teaching them how it is done. Jack is all the time cutting business deals with the boys. It kind of shows them if they want something they have to work for it. That was the deal they made with him."

"Interesting concept to teach kids their age to have to work for something." She looked at her daughters. "I'll have to try it."

The girls said, "Oh, no! Now see what you have done. We'll be slaving away for the rest of our lives." The two broke into giggles at this.

All of this time George was standing there with a sour look on his face. I spoke, "Paul, you forgot the beer." John got up instead and went after the beer. He handed George one and me another one when he came back. He looked at Bea and she nodded yes. The four kids were waiting impatiently. I let them go. "You kids can take off in the Thing. Be back here in an hour."

"Okay. Come on, Peter is driving." The four kids went out behind the big four-car garage and we soon heard the sound of a Volkswagen motor start. Peter came around the corner fairly fast, but knew he wasn't to push it. They hit the street and we heard it speed up.

"Where are they going?" This was George asking.

"They'll take a trip through the woods in back of your father's cottage. Your mother even takes the Thing up there. When I said an hour I was telling them where to go. They'll probably go by the yard on the way back."

"What do you do talk to them in code?"

"No, I don't have to. We just know each other really well." I listened a minute. "Your mother and Nora are back." I went over to the garage and opened one of the doors.

Trudy was leading. She came buzzing around the house in a 300cc Road Runner Trike. She pulled in front of the open door and started backing it into the garage. She goosed it as she shut it down. Nora was waiting until that happened. She had her feet down on the ground bracing the 250cc cruiser bike she had been riding. She pushed herself backward in beside the three wheeler.

Both women got down and started taking off their leathers. Both had darkened face shields on their helmets. Bea and George could now see for sure that it was Trudy and Nora. We watched as they peeled down to slacks and tee shirts. Both were smiling as they came toward us.

I asked, "Good ride?"

"Perfect. We would have been back twenty minutes ago, but Mom had to make a pit stop. It takes a long time to get in and out of leather for a woman." Then she laughed. I made the introduction to Bea. Nora acknowledged George, just saying hello.

"Come on in Bea, and help me make salads and we'll compare kids. Trudy told me you have two girls. I didn't expect you this soon or I would have been here to meet you." She turned to Trudy, "Entertain George, Trudy, I'll get to know Bea. We saw the kids head into the cottage drive when we came by. They'll be back in an hour."

I heard George ask his mother snidely, if she was running with a gang. "You could say that. There are eleven of us women who ride together. It's great fun. We only take day trips and are always home at night. I have a little trailer that goes on the rear of my machine, so we can pack stuff for a picnic."

"Mother, what's got into you? You never did anything like this before."

"I guess it comes from your father having a good job. He is paid well, has insurance, and loves what he is doing. Nora is doing a fine job raising the twins and Jack is a hell of a lot better daddy to them than you ever were. You have a chance to make up for it with them two girls that belong to the woman you just married. You better give it some serious thought." She turned and went into the house.

"Guess I had better." George flicked a glance at me. He didn't look happy. George wanted to change the subject so he asked his father why he had let Trudy ride a motorcycle.

"I didn't have much say about it. She got friendly with the wife of one of Jack's workers. The woman rode a bike. Your mother was afraid she couldn't manage that, but when she saw her first trike, we figured she could handle it. That was last winter. In the spring she told me she wanted to have some fun this summer and so we got one for her. The boys and Nora all ride and Jack got three cruisers just alike. Jack has always ridden and has a Honda Gold Wing. If we go anywhere as a family, I usually drive the Thing loaded with camping gear. It's a way for us to relax."

I left them talking and went off to the side to fire up the grill. I'd be putting steaks and chicken halves on it shortly. I looked at my watch and went inside for the meat. Nora had wrapped potatoes to bake and I put them on immediately. The chicken had been parboiled so it would be cooked through after just a browning. There were hotdogs too if anyone wanted them.