Synchronicity for Six Pt. 16

Synchronicity For Six, Part 16

'Synchronicity For Six' immediately follows the events in 'Spirits in the Material World'. This Part continues from where Part 15 left off. No effort will be made to catch the reader up with the characters or their situations. The prequel to 'Spirits', 'Every Thing She Does is Magic', provides some additional background on some of the characters but is not necessary to understand and, hopefully, enjoy 'Synchronicity for Six'.

Author's note: I calendared and communicated the date of the ACT exam before delving deeply into the details. This is fiction, so please forgive me. In the real world, the ACT exam is offered in September, October, December, February, April, June, and July.

March 1 - 5, 2021

For some, the first week of March seemed to fly by, like sheets being ripped from a Page-a-Day calendar, cast into the early springtime breezes, and fluttering off into the distance. This was certainly the case for the younger generation: Tom, Julie, David, Maggie, and Katie.

It seemed to Katie that her teachers were colluding to keep her from preparing for her ACT exam. The teachers seemed to delight in the groans of dismay as they announced the planned quizzes and tests for that week. The net result was that Katie had to devote most of her non‑class time to homework and studying for the quizzes and tests. Maggie was disappointed when Katie had to beg off from the usual Monday parking lot driving training so she could study for a non‑surprise 'pop' quiz on Tuesday. Despite her sister's offer to help, Katie knew she had to do this work herself and reluctantly declined Maggie's assistance.

Katie paused momentarily to consider how her circumstances had changed for the better in a very short time. She was now enveloped in the love that permeated Alan's and Rose's household. Knowing that her new family had her back gave her such a sense of peace. However, as satisfying as her sense of belonging felt, it didn't provide the answers to the upcoming tests and quizzes. Katie bowed her head over her desktop to review her notes and textbooks.

After a slow and uneventful Monday at home, Maggie was grateful to go to work on Tuesday. Yes, often the store was quiet, especially early in the week, except for the variety of classical music piped in from Jack's satellite radio subscription. But she had a purpose, a reason to get out of bed each morning. She had to keep herself well‑groomed and presentable, and she found the daily routine comforting. Jack exhibited his trust in her by frequently leaving her alone in the store while he checked in at his other store down the street. She found herself looking forward to having random discussions with Jack, or with Maeve whenever she dropped in during lunch.

Tom, Julie, and David found themselves back in their usual class routines, gearing up for mid‑term exams at the end of the second week of March. Despite making time for the nightly calls with Maggie, David found it fairly easy to slip back into the routine for his classes. The Psychology 100 class that he shared with Amanda, his roommate Rob's girlfriend, wasn't as challenging as David had once feared. He had plenty of bandwidth to help Amanda improve her grade while keeping his place at the top of the class. He also had more time for his art projects, which was the original reason for attending the Art Institute.

Julie kept close track of her most fertile times, her 'danger days' as she termed them. Her relationship with Tom never seemed to waver, but they both agreed that they didn't want to make Rose and Alan grandparents any time soon. She was in the middle of her current 'danger days', and she sighed with relief knowing that during the stay in the hotel over the weekend, all of their usual precautions had been taken. Still, it wasn't a good idea to tempt fate, so they were settling for oral intercourse until the middle of the week.

Reflecting on it, she had to admit that Tom had learned how to please her very well. He had begun very favorably back in October, but repetition had honed his skills to the point where it took him very little time to ignite her burners. Those thoughts and memories triggered a question in her; one that was on the tip of her tongue before she caught herself. 'Do I really want to know?' she pondered. Continuing her internal conversation, she concluded, 'No, it's better not even to raise the issue.' The question on Julie's mind was, 'Have I gotten better with my oral game on him?' For the time being, they would remain her thoughts.

= [] = [] =

For Alan and Rose, the first week of March seemed to drag on and on, interminably. Alan's attention was pulled into reviewing a flood of applicant resumes and profiles that suddenly appeared in his Inbox. He felt that his team leads should remain focused on the project milestones rapidly approaching, so he shouldered the burden of performing the initial application reviews. In a rare occurrence for him, he had to take many of them home to review in the evenings. There were just so many! He noted several familiar names from his previous employer and he smiled as he quickly put several of those people in the 'Merits Closer Review' pile. A few others caught his attention over the week, and they, too, were added to the pile for closer review.

Rose had a very trying week. She skipped the Tuesday morning Kaffeeklatsch at Maeve's because she was worried about her missing parents. It was late Thursday afternoon when Martha finally called Rose.

"Rosalie, I'm so sorry I've been out of touch since Sunday. I hope everything is okay with everyone."

Rose snapped in righteous fury, "Mother! What is going on? Where have you been? Why haven't you responded to any of my messages?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, girl! One question at a time, please. First, I've been with your father nearly every minute since I last saw you. He and I have had a number of very long discussions, primarily about our marriage. The long and short of it is that we want to remain married to each other." Rose exhaled audibly when she realized she had been holding her breath. She wasn't sure why, but she immediately felt better knowing her parents wanted to remain together. Martha continued with her answers to her daughter's questions.

"He wouldn't say anything except, 'Trust me,' and he got us checked out of the hotel on Sunday morning and rolling down the road. He asked me to turn my phone off, which I did, and he kept my left hand clasped in his nearly all the time we were driving. I had no idea where we were or where we were going. He can be so decisive at times, if you might recall. It was almost as if he remembered who he was when we were dating." Martha's voice took on a distracted timbre. "He reminded me of why we got married in the first place.

"Anyway, we've been hopping from one Bed and Breakfast to another as we meandered along the Winery Tour, following the river. It was only today that I remembered to turn on my phone. I'm sorry for shutting you out, Rose. You have your life to live and you don't need to worry about us."

Rose found herself grinding her teeth as she listened to her mother's trite explanation for her lack of communication. Through those clenched teeth, Rose grated, "But you promised me, Mother, that you and Daddy, uhh..., Father, would join us at church on Sunday. You promised me. And then you go off on your little jaunt without letting me know of your change of plans. I need to let you go now, Mother. Someone's at my door needing my attention. Bye." And with that, Rose disconnected the call.

Martha tried three more times to speak with Rose, but Rose simply allowed the calls to roll to voicemail. On her third try, Martha left a message.

"Honey, I'm very sorry that circumstances prevented our spending more time together this week. Your father and I are flying back home tomorrow afternoon, but I'd like to meet for an early lunch tomorrow, if possible. I promise to answer your call. Please, Rosalie, call me."

Knowing that it was her mother who left the voicemail, Rose chose to wait until she got home before listening to it. Fortunately for everyone, she chose to listen to it while sitting in her car in their driveway. She angrily slammed the phone down on the passenger seat and it slipped from her hand and bounced into the passenger footwell. Rose had to get out and open the passenger door to retrieve her errant device. Everything just seemed to spin Rose to higher levels of frustration.

When Alan later walked in from the garage, Rose was sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands and she was crying. Quickly piling his coat atop his briefcase, he hurried to her side, fearing the very worst. When she realized he was there, she clung to her fiancé like he was the last life preserver on the Titanic. It took Alan nearly five minutes to get Rose to the point of communicability, then he guided her to the media room sofa.

"Now, Rose, please tell me what has you so upset," Alan tried to say calmly.

"M‑m‑mother called before I left work. She and Father are together and they are fine." Those words allowed Alan to breathe easier. "She said she was sorry about shutting me out, but she wasn't really apologetic about anything else. I can't believe I'm related to such a bitch!" Rose gave a full‑body snort of derision at the idea.

"So, where have they been?" Alan asked.

"She said that Sunday morning Father basically told her 'trust me', checked them out of the hotel, bundled her into his car, and told her to turn off her phone. They've been hopping from B & B on the Wine Tour along the river, where I know there's plenty of cell service. She said she only remembered today that her phone was off. I don't know if I believe her."

"Perhaps they just needed a little time to reconnect?" Alan was grasping at straws, trying to find an explanation for Rose would accept.

"That's kind of what she seemed to be saying their trip was for." Rose swallowed and paused for a few seconds. "But she made promises to me, to us!"

Alan was quiet for a couple minutes, then said, "A long time ago, she made some promises to your father as well. You might recall that last week she seemed near to accepting the end of her marriage. I think she is now in a place where not everyone would be a winner. In that respect, I think you pulled the short straw, or at least it was drawn for you."

Alan gently kissed Rose's temple, then migrated down her cheek. He teased her lips with his, then caressed her mouth with the tip of his tongue. Before they got tied up in a serious lip‑lock, Alan murmured, "But that's okay with me. I'm the big winner here with you in my life."

Rose whispered, "Let's take this upstairs, Alan." She rose, slightly unsteadily, to her feet and tugged on Alan's hand. On their way up the stairs, she said, "Would you please give the girls some money so they can go out and get supper for themselves."

Parting ways at the top of the stairs, Alan strode purposefully to the rear bedroom and tapped on the door.

"C'mon in," Katie called out. She turned in her seat at her desk to address Alan. "What's up, Poppa?" Katie's use of "Poppa" still made Alan smile with delight and amusement.

"Here. Take Maggie out and enjoy some pizza or something," he said, extending two $20s. "Your Momma doesn't feel like fixing supper tonight."

It took Katie a couple of seconds to realize what Alan wasn't saying, but when she did, she smiled a little craftily.

"I need a break from this anyway," she said as she waved her hand over the myriad of books on her desk. "I'll be sure we stay out for a while. Go, be good to Momma."

= [] = [] =

"So, what did Poppa say when he gave you the money?" Maggie asked as she fastened the seat belt in Katie's car.

"Just that Momma didn't feel like fixing supper tonight." Katie waggled her eyebrows as Maggie was even slower on the uptake than Katie had been. Then the dawning realization showed on Maggie's face as she flushed slightly. Katie's giggle didn't help matters.

"I guess we should take our time then, huh?"

"Yeah, I told Poppa that we'd stay out for a while. Do you have any preference?" Katie asked.

"Italian or Chinese or Mexican?" Maggie suggested.

"Oooh, let's go to Poppa's favorite, Los Tres Amigos!" Katie enthused.

Maggie and Katie were welcomed by Rosa, who looked at them questioningly, thinking she recognized them, while she led them to a quiet booth in the back. The girls sat eating and talking for nearly an hour and a half, enjoying the delicious food and the stream of free soft drink refills. Katie didn't talk about the upcoming exam on Saturday, and Maggie contributed very little except how slow the customer traffic had been at the store since the Valentine's Day sales.

When they felt they had been out of the house long enough, Maggie signaled for the check. She was rather surprised when Enrique approached their booth. He looked at each girl closely, smiled broadly, nodded as if confirming something, then deliberately tore their check in half and in half again.

"There is no charge for you pretty ladies this evening," he declared.

"But... but... but," Maggie stammered, very confused while Katie was completely agog with Enrique's actions and words.

"There is no charge for my very good friend Alan's family when he is absent," Enrique explained. "I wouldn't mention this to him if I were you, though. He might get a little... upset." Continuing to smile broadly, he added, "You two have a safe drive home, please." With that, he walked away.

Stunned, the girls gathered their belongings and headed for Katie's car.

"What do we tell Momma and Poppa?" Katie asked as she drove them home.

Maggie thought for a minute, then answered, "Tell Poppa 'thank you for buying supper.' We'll have to have some 'girl talk' time with Momma, though. Why do you think Señor Enrique would say, 'no charge for Alan's family when he is not present'?" Neither had a clue and they couldn't guess at an answer. They drove home in silence, each wrapped up in their own thoughts.

There were no sounds coming from their parents' bedroom when the girls listened at the top of the stairs, so they silently made their way to their bedrooms. Texting each other, they agreed that some 'Momma time' on Friday evening would be a very good idea.

= [] = [] =

Katie was a little surprised at how well she had done on the various tests during the week. They all were returned to her during the school day on Friday, and the high scores bolstered her confidence about the upcoming ACT exam.

At lunch, she noticed Rosa just ahead in the hot lunch line and Katie decided to get to know the girl a little better. When Rosa sat at a table by herself, as Katie had observed all week, Katie quickly followed and placed her tray beside Rosa's.

"Hi there! May I sit here with you?" Katie asked the surprised girl.

"Sí," Rosa responded shyly. "Por- why?"

"You looked like you could use a friend. I've noticed you sitting by yourself this week, and you were so nice to us at the restaurant last night," Katie explained.

"My English is not so good. Please forgive me."

"It's fine. I'm Katie O'Shea, by the way. You are Rose?"

"Rosa Fuentes."

Rosa explained haltingly that she was a sophomore and had recently turned 16, which allowed her to work at her father's restaurant. Her understanding of English was much better than her speaking, so she still felt awkward speaking in others' presence. Her smiles were initially tentative, but by the end of the lunch period, the smiles were much more frequent. As they parted to go their separate ways, Katie promised to seek out Rosa on Monday.

Katie's good mood sustained her for the rest of the school day, and she was eager for Maggie and Rose to return home after work. She refused to try to cram any more, rationalizing that if she didn't know it yet, she wouldn't know it in the morning. She was relaxing in the media room when Rose walked in the front door. Katie got up and poked her head out the door to see who had come home.

"Hi, Momma!"

"Hello, sweetheart. How was your day?" Rose asked while slipping off her coat and out of her shoes.

"It was a very good day, Momma. Um, Mags and I would like to have some 'girl talk' time with you tonight, if possible, please."

"Okay, I think we can arrange for something after supper. Your Poppa's been having to review resumes recently. Let me suggest that he have some time tonight to do that. Do you wanna come help me in the kitchen?" Although she phrased it as a request, her words held the steel of a command. Rose strode to the kitchen without bothering to see if Katie was following.

"What are we having, Momma?" Katie asked.

"It's wintertime. An appropriate time for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches with ham slices, don't you think?" Rose answered.

"Do we have any bacon? Bacon makes everything better."

"I think we have some in the fridge. Get it out for us, please."

"Are we adding milk to the soup to make it creamy?"

"That's an excellent suggestion, little one! It didn't occur to me, but yes, let's blend some milk with the water for the soup." Rose looked at the clock. "Alan and Maggie should be home very soon. Let's hold off on making the sandwiches to see how they want theirs prepared."

= [] = [] =

"Rose, how did you get this soup so creamy and delicious?" Alan asked. He looked lovingly at his fiancée at the other end of the shortened table. With only the four of them regularly for meals, the extra leaves had been removed and stored safely.

"We added some milk to the water. It was all Katie's idea, by the way."

"And the bacon inside the grilled cheese sandwiches?"

"Katie again. How did you describe it, honey?"

"Bacon makes everything better," Katie declared proudly.

"Indeed, it does, Katie-kins," Alan averred, trying out a new nickname for his new daughter.

Katie's eyes quickly pooled with her tears and she quickly blotted them with her shirt sleeves. Her sniffles and soft sob caused consternation in Alan.

"Katie? What's wrong?" he asked.

It took a moment, but she eventually responded, "That's something that Mom, I mean Aunt Michelle, used to call me. I'd appreciate it if you'd not use that with me."

Alan's expression was immediately stricken. He sloshed the rest of the soup in his bowl as he scrambled out of his chair to fall to his knees at Katie's side.

"Oh, gosh, Katie! I'm so, so sorry! I didn't know."

"I know you didn't, Poppa," she said, kissing the top of his head. "It is just a very sensitive name for me. But you couldn't know that because I never told you. It's alright, Poppa." She paused for a few seconds, then continued. "I know a way you can make it up to me, though. Mags and I need some Momma-time after supper. Just give us a little time and space and all will be forgiven," she said, magnanimously.

"Okay then. I have some more candidate profiles to review anyway, so I'll hide out in the media room while you ladies have your little natter," Alan said, getting to his feet. "I'll get some paper towels to sop up the soup I splashed on the table."

"Let's clean up from supper then we can go to my bed for our discussion," Rose 'suggested'. Both girls nodded and helped to clean up the kitchen swiftly. After assuring themselves that Alan was ensconced in the media room, the women crept upstairs. Rose led them into her bedroom and quietly shut the door.

Arraying themselves on the large bed, Rose smirked and asked, "Now, what do you girls need to talk about?"

Katie looked at Maggie, who returned her sister's gaze while slightly raising her eyebrows.

"Okay, I guess it's on me, then," Katie said. She fidgeted with her hands for a few seconds as she tried to get her thoughts in order. "Last night, Mags and I went out for supper while you and Poppa 'entertained' each other."

Rose slowly nodded with a wry smile on her face. "And?" she encouraged.

"We didn't go for pizza like Poppa suggested. Instead, we went to Los Tres Amigos. Do you remember the girl, Rosa, who served us the last time we all were there Friday after Grandpa Reynolds arrived?"

Rose thought for a second, then confirmed, "Yeah, I remember her. Pretty girl. Her father gave her some instructions in Spanish that I didn't catch."

"Yeah, well, she served the two of us last night. Her English isn't perfect, but I believe it's better than she lets on. Anyway, she served us very attentively. When she brought us the check, her father appeared and said, 'There is no charge for my very good friend Alan's family when he is absent.' He then carefully tore up the check. Oh my god!" Katie exclaimed, covering her mouth. "We didn't even leave Rosa a tip!"

"Yes, we did, Kat; I left her a $10 bill under my plate," Maggie supplied.

"Oh, thank you, Mags! I'm so sorry I spaced that out." Katie pulled Maggie into a quick hug, then recomposed herself.

"Anyway, today I saw her sitting alone in the cafeteria, and I went over and sat with her, uninvited. I know what it is to feel left out, so I hopefully started a little friendship with her."

Rose's eyes quickly moistened at her new daughter's actions.

Maggie saw Rose's eyes begin filling with tears and asked, "Momma? What's wrong?".

"It's nothing to worry about, Magpie. I'm just so proud of Katie for reaching out and extending a little love."

Katie sat back and thought for a minute.

"Momma, I don't think I could have done that while I was living with Mom and Dad; I mean, Aunt Michelle and Uncle Brendan. I don't know exactly why, though."

Maggie took one of Katie's hands in hers and offered, "I think it's got something to do with the air quality in this home."

"Huh?" Both Rose and Katie looked puzzled.

Maggie gave a knowing smile.

"I think it has to do with all the love you feel here, from all of us. You've just never had a surplus of love to share before, and now you do. I've noticed you are smiling almost every day. The type and amount of love and kindness in this home is infectious, in a good way."

"You do seem to be quite a bit happier these days, Katie," Rose agreed.

"Okay, I can go along with that for now. But Momma, why did Rosa's father say that? It's not the best business practice, is it? He also suggested that we shouldn't mention this to Poppa, since he might get upset," Katie pressed.

"Now that's a bit of a mystery, girls. It might take a little time to get to the bottom of it," Rose mused. "Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"

"I'm a bit worried about the ACT exam tomorrow, but I simply can't cram anything else in my head right now."

"That's understandable, dear heart. I think the best thing you can do is call it an early night and get plenty of rest. What time does it start tomorrow?"

"The instructions say to be at the school by 7:45 with at least two number two pencils, not mechanical ones either. I think the testing starts at 8:00."

"Well, then, we'll have to see that you are properly fed and alert so you can do your best tomorrow. How does scrambled eggs, bacon (now that we've used up a good portion of our cooked supply), and cinnamon rolls sound to you?"

"Absolutely yummy, Momma!"

"Yep, the Lawson 'Breakfast of Champions'," Maggie decreed. "That's what you made for my ACT exam last fall, Momma."

"All right then. For now, forget about your bill last night. I'll take it up with Alan a little later. Go and get your rest, girls. I love you both and I'm so fiercely proud of you, both of you." They had a comforting three‑way hug on the bed, then Maggie and Katie headed to their bedrooms. Rose sat on her bed, trying to remember what she had observed of Alan's interactions with Enrique.

Alan entered his bedroom just after 9:00 pm. Rose was propped against the headboard, reading her 'trashy, dime‑store romance' as she put it. She was glad to see Alan and hastily put her book on the floor. Alan grinned at his fiancée as he sauntered into his bathroom to address his nighttime routine.

Once he was finished, he asked, "So, can you tell me what you ladies were discussing?"

"For the most part, we talked about Katie developing a friendship with Rosa."

"Rosa?" The name didn't seem to ring a bell with Alan.

"Yeah, Enrique's daughter who was our server when we were at Los Tres Amigos last Friday with Mother and Father," Rose reminded him.

"Oh, yeah, I remember her now. Cute girl. I believe Enrique said she was his youngest."

"Anyway, Katie has reached out to Rosa at school and started a small friendship, at least during lunch. She makes me so proud, Alan! She's come so far so quickly. She even said that she didn't think she could have made that effort while she was living with Brendan and Michelle. Then we talked a little about her ACT exam tomorrow morning. Would you please set your alarm for 6:00? I promised her a good breakfast; she has to get to the school by 7:45."

"Six o'clock on a Saturday morning! So much for my day to sleep in," Alan mock‑lamented.

"Oh, well, I think we can find something to do once the girls are out the door," Rose smirked and waggled her eyebrows. Alan smiled broadly and chuckled. Now he was really looking forward to the morning.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Katie woke with the scent of cooking bacon wafting up from the kitchen. Mmmm, bacon! That got her up and hurrying through her shower. As she was toweling off, she remembered that she had always been the one to cook bacon and sausage in the O'Shea house. Now someone was cooking it for her!

Maggie soon joined Katie in the kitchen, also drawn by the fragrance of cooking meat. The two girls sat at the kitchen table, not wanting to move far with the delicious food their Momma had prepared. This was a pleasant social time for the two that came to a sudden end when Katie looked at the kitchen clock and noticed it was just past 7:30. Hurriedly, but not rushed, Katie gathered her necessary items in her small purse.

"Here are your number two pencils," Maggie proffered four of them. "Just in case you need to be someone's heroine. I have some last‑minute instructions for you, Kat. Breathe. This examination is somewhat important, but it's not a life‑or‑death thing, okay? Just do your best. Follow all of the directions the teachers give. I suggest that you answer the things you know first, then make another pass for the ones that require thought or calculation. We all love you, Kathleen Margaret. We'll sync up when I get home this evening. Maybe I'll get Poppa to take us out for supper," Maggie said, conspiratorially. "Now go and do your best." Maggie surprised her sister with a kiss on the forehead. Standing behind Maggie, Rose and Alan simply nodded their agreement with Maggie's advice.

Maggie closed the front door when she saw Katie pull away from the curb. She turned to see her mother and Alan watching her.

"You know, for someone who self‑defines as a fact‑based personality, you sure have the makings of a good mother," Rose observed.

Blushing slightly, Maggie riposted with, "Well, I've had a good example to follow. I need to get ready for work, if you two don't mind."

"Never let it be said that I stood in your way. You know, you make us both very proud as well. Not many people can go from high school and jeans to a commercial environment where your appearance makes a first impression," Rose stated.

"I especially liked the way you emphasized, 'Do your best'. Did you know that is the Cub Scout motto?" Alan added.

Rose and Maggie looked at Alan with a bit of wonder.

"What? You know I'm an Eagle Scout. I didn't just hatch in a bird's nest. I had four years of Cub Scouts before I joined the Boy Scouts. I was also a Cub Scout leader while Tom and David were of that age. Some lessons just become ingrained. That was one of them."

"Whatever. May I now go and get ready?" Maggie said. She scampered up the stairs without waiting for an answer.

Alan looked at Rose with a little puzzlement.

"Just when you think you're making progress with turning the teenager into a decent human being, BAM! Right back in your face," he commented ruefully.

"Yeah, I guess she didn't like my pointing out her sympathetic and supportive actions toward Katie just now, bursting her self‑opinion about not being emotionally directed."

"Hmmph. Is everything turned off and put away in the kitchen?"

At Rose's nod, he continued, "Good. Shall we proceed with keeping our promises to each other?" as he floridly gestured up the stairs, waggling his eyebrows. She simply giggled and imperiously, almost regally, and with deliberate slowness climbed up the stairs to their waiting bed.

Before they reached the top step, Alan commented, "You know, the best measure of your parenting is how they behave when they're not right in front of you. From everything I've heard from Jack and Maeve, Maggie has been an excellent choice for their store. You done good there, Momma."

Rose laughed at Alan's countrified words and swayed her hips and rear even more enticingly. He opened the bedroom door for her, then followed her in.

Their playtime together ramped up slowly, as they were waiting to hear Maggie head off to catch the bus downtown. They divested themselves of their clothing, one piece at a time and taking turns. They had just laid on the bed when Maggie's knock on the door startled them.

"I'm heading off now, Momma. See if you can convince Poppa to take us out for supper to celebrate Katie's ACT exam completion," Maggie called through the door. "Oh, and you can be as loud as you wish now." They heard the girl skip down the stairs, giggling, then out the front door.

Their playtime quickly increased in tempo and intensity.

Once they had sated their prurient desires for each other, they lay together simply holding each other and occasionally caressing an arm or shoulder.

"It seems like it has been quite a while since we've been able to do this without others being around," Rose observed.

"Hmmm?" Alan hummed.

"Oh, sure we've had some early morning fun times, but I haven't been able to really let go and luxuriate in your attention. Maybe we need to schedule some more times like this."

"Do you mean, like on the family calendar on the refrigerator?"

"Absolutely not, you goof! But maybe we ought to have our own plan. It's far too easy to get caught up in the day‑to‑day mundane things, not to mention our move and the upcoming wedding. Do you remember when we started down this road together? It wasn't very long ago, but it was a lot of fun."

"Are you saying that we've lost the 'fun', Rose?" Alan arched an eyebrow at her.

"Not at all," she reassured him. "But living with each other, day in and day out, can take some of the luster off the shiny, new relationship. We just have to be conscious and intentional about keeping things fresh and alive between us. We also need to remain on guard against complacency."

"Hmmm," was Alan's response as he considered something that had been tickling at his conscience lately. He continued his loving caressing of Rose.

"Did your parents get home okay yesterday?" he finally asked.

"Yeah, a two‑word text from Mother: 'Safely Home'. I replied with one word: 'Thanks'."

"Do we need to talk about this further?" Alan inquired.

"I don't believe so, honey. I'm still angry, especially with her, and D- Father, for blowing us off on Sunday and the rest of the week." Rose unclenched her fists and took several deep, cleansing breaths as she tried to find her equilibrium once again.

"Well, I've been thinking that I owe you a huge apology."

"Oh? For what?" she asked.

"I forced you to have that video conference call with them just two weeks after we met. I pretty much bullied you into it, and I was terribly wrong to do that to you. In my defense, I wanted you to have the same kind of relationship with them that I had with my parents."

In her own mind, Rose had quickly forgiven Alan for his pushing and prodding to have that dialogue with her parents. Still, she could see that something had been nagging at Alan for the past couple of weeks.

Cupping his face between her hands, she very sensuously kissed him, saying, "Oh, Alan! I've forgiven you for all that. I just never told you. I'm so sorry, my love. There's something I learned from the counselor I used to meet with after Ron ran away from us. She said, 'If you live in the past, it will cost you your future.' It took some time for that to sink in, but I have internalized it thoroughly."

Alan softly repeated the counselor's phrase and Rose nodded as he had said it verbatim. Silence reigned in the bedroom as Alan considered Rose's mantra and how it applied to his life. As he did that, Rose went to clean herself up a little. Alan had been a little messy, as she had intended.

When Rose returned from their bathroom, she pulled the covers over both of them as she snuggled into his right side. She toyed with his sparse chest hair and delighted in teasing his nipples.

"You know where the girls want to go for supper, don't you?" she asked.

"I suspect Los Tres Amigos."

"That's right. Here's the thing, though: that's where they ate on Thursday. They told me about a strange thing that happened when they were about to leave. The owner came by their table to check on them and then he tore up their bill right before their eyes." Rose felt Alan tense at her words. She craned her neck to kiss Alan softly and continued.

"Is there something special between you and Enrique?" she gently poked.

Alan was silent for a minute, then answered, "Yes, there's something between Enrique and me; it goes back a few years. I'm not ready to share more about it right now, so please leave it alone for the time being. I promise I'll explain things to you in more detail soon. Okay?"

Rose said nothing, but Alan felt her nod against his chest. He breathed a little easier. He never gave his 'investment' in Enrique's restaurant much thought. He didn't even think of it as an investment, per se. But it seemed as though his right hand (his family) was about to find out what his left hand had done.

He did what any sane person would do when faced with a non‑critical situation they wished to avoid: he redirected.

"Rose, dear, it's nearly 10:00. Let's enjoy some time getting each other 'really soapy'. Then, I'd like to go out to the Millersville Road house and do some extra prep work before the movers come for the big pieces. I think we'll be back and forth between here and there a lot this week."

"I like where your mind is at, Alan, my love."

= [] = [] =

It was very fortunate for Alicia Berman that Katie had brought extra pencils with her. Alicia had not thoroughly read all the instructions and had brought her 'lucky' mechanical pencil, which was not permitted. Alicia was profuse in her gratitude that someone she knew had extra pencils.

The test was in four parts, and everyone was done with the examination by 12:30. Katie was surprised at how good she felt. The math part didn't have many questions requiring Trigonometry knowledge and those were the most difficult ones in that section.

Once back at her car, she pulled out her phone and texted Rose. Katie did not know what else was planned for the day, but she knew that Maggie was working until 4:30, as usual. A little to Katie's surprise, a response was quickly received.

"We're at the new house. Want to meet us for lunch?" Rose texted.

"How about Jimmy John's?"

"Alan says OK. 30 minutes?"

"C U there."

Once they were seated with drinks and sandwiches in front of them, Katie toyed with her parents' inquisitive natures by grabbing hands, bowing her head, and softly asking for God's blessing on the food and their lives. With a smile occasionally twitching at the corners of her mouth, she focused on the food before her. Alan could tell she was playing with them, and played right back by talking about what needed to be done to create a proper laundry area in the basement of the new house. The two persisted in their game for two minutes before Rose's exasperation boiled over.

"Would you please tell us about the exam?" Rose nearly demanded.

"Oh. Did you take a test today, Katie?" Alan asked innocently. "Was it important?"

Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Katie laughed as Alan's smile broke through his mask of cluelessness.

"Yes, Poppa. Today was the ACT test. That's why Momma made me a good breakfast this morning."

"Oh, yeah, now I remember. Okay, kiddo, you're on. How did things go?"

"First of all, it was a fortunate thing for another girl that I had extra pencils. You would have been proud of me, Poppa, at the way I stood in the gap and reached out to help someone who had been a heinous witch to me in times past. Alicia was very thankful, so I hope she mends her ways a bit going forward.

"As for the test itself, I feel pretty good about it. There were a couple of difficult math problems, but thanks Maggie's tutoring in Trigonometry and your help, Poppa, I was ready. I did run out of time with one of the sections, but that was my fault for poor time management."

"Do you have a guesstimate about when you'll get the scores back?" Rose asked.

"The teachers said we could start getting our scores back in as little as two weeks. Hopefully I'll have the results before the start of Spring Break at the end of the month."

"Where did you have your scores sent?" Alan asked in between bites of his sandwich.

"To State and to the community college," Katie answered.

Alan nodded at her choices while Rose added, "You do know that you won't have to go to the community college, right?"

Katie's eyes misted over, briefly, then she wiped them clear with her sleeve.

"Yes, Momma, I know that. When I registered for the test, even going to State seemed way out of my reach. Now, thanks to all the love and support I get from you two and Maggie, plus her help with the tutoring, I have reasonable hope to join her and David at State in the fall."

"We'll just see how you did on the test and what sort of financial aid you can get," Rose declared. "That was one thing my parents were pretty good about: quietly helping to fund the girls' college costs. Not that Maggie will need much, what with her full ride, but she will have some expenses. You also remember what Grandma Reynolds said, right? 'I'd like to guarantee that your tuition, fees, books, room and board, and other college expenses will be paid for without your having to get any loans.'"

Katie's hand covered her mouth as that particular discussion replayed in her memory. She had mostly forgotten about Grandma Reynolds' words, but now she was even more reassured about her academic future.

"Now, let's go look at some washers and dryers," Alan said, shifting the discussion.

"Can I come too?" Katie asked.

"Absolutely! Let's see what the appliance store might have for us."

= [] = [] =

Julie awakened to the sound of someone pounding on the door of their apartment. It sure sounded like someone was banging with a clenched fist, not politely knocking with their knuckles. She was still blinking the sleepiness out of her eyes as she pulled the door open, just in time to keep John Wilson from banging on the door once more. John stepped back in surprise, bumping into Dawn with her hands full of loaded paper shopping bags.

"Dawn? John?" Julie asked through squinted eyes.

"Yeah, Jules, it's us. Please let us in. It's freezing out here," Dawn exclaimed.

"Come in, come in!" Julie backed away from the door, allowing her friends to enter, then shutting the door to keep the cold air outside.

"What are you doing here?" Julie asked, pulling her bathrobe more tightly closed.

"We're being geeks bearing gifts," John quipped. "Do we need a better reason to come and spend time with our best friends?"

"No, I guess that's reason enough. Whatcha got in the bags?"

"Ground beef for tacos and pasta, salad fixings to fill in. We've been mooching off you two for a while now and we were feeling a little guilty," Dawn explained.

"Well, you know the way to the kitchen. Let me get Tom up and we can visit with each other." Julie quietly went to their bedroom while Dawn and John put away the perishable food.

"Tom, we've got company."

"The usual suspects?" he grinned wryly.

"Who else? Our brother and sister aren't due for a few weeks."

"I think you mean 'sisters', plural. I believe that Katie's coming with David and Maggie."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Julie fluttered her hand a little, dismissing the plurality. "Dawnie and John are putting groceries in the fridge. I guess we're having tacos for lunch and spaghetti for supper."

"We've all got mid-terms next week, you realize," Tom reminded her as he emerged from under the covers.

"Don't remind me. I've got a ten-page paper due on Thursday. So does Dawn, for the same class."

"Maybe you two could help each other a bit then. I'm sure John and I could find something to occupy us."

Julie growled softly in her throat as she got dressed to join their friends.

"Hey, Jules," Dawn called, sticking her head out of the opening to the kitchen. "Where's your taco meat seasoning? I can't find the little packets anywhere and I didn't think to buy any."

Julie hurriedly pulled a sweater over her head and was fastening the button on her jeans as she stepped out into the living space of their small apartment. John was sitting on the sofa and had a view of Julie that was a first for him. Ashamed, he quickly turned his head but could not keep the grin from his face. She ignored John as she hurried to the kitchen, scuffing her slippered feet.

As Julie was talking with Dawn, Tom emerged from their bedroom and sauntered over to sit in the recliner.

"How've things been in the lab?" Tom inquired.

"Pretty quiet, Tom, although things have picked up a bit this week." John paused, recalling something. "I did have a strange thing happen on Thursday, though. This girl I'd never seen before came in and seemed disappointed at seeing me sitting there alone. She asked for you, and when I told her that you were working the late afternoon shifts this semester, she frowned and turned. When I asked her name, she said, 'Mary Hanson' over her shoulder as she left."

Tom frowned as he tried to recall anyone by that name, but couldn't. Julie stuck her head around the corner from the kitchen and stared virtual daggers at both Tom and John.

"What‽ That 'Kissing Bandit' bitch from the week after Thanksgiving came back‽" Julie was white hot in defense of her man.

Tom's eyes widened with surprise at Julie's outburst. He knew that they were completely right for each other, but he was not aware of how possessive of him she actually was. For a split second, he wondered if he could be that possessive of her.

For his part, John was dumbfounded at Julie's reaction to the girl's name. He unaware of Tom's previous encounter with that girl. He swiveled his head, looking between Tom and Julie, shell­‑shocked at the turn of events. Dawn noticed his look of surprise and pushed past Julie to sit at John's side. She took his hand in hers and captured his attention.

"You didn't know about that, John. It's okay. This is between those two. Come on, give me a hand in the kitchen."

Dawn pulled John to his feet and led him away as Julie passed them on her way to Tom. Once they were in the kitchen, Dawn and John ducked around the corner and peered at their friends with his head above hers.

Julie settled into Tom's lap, turning his head with her hand to look her in the eyes.

"Ignore them," she advised. "I just need to be sure that you know you belong to and with me." She then enveloped him with a kiss that left no doubt in his mind.

All the while Julie was kissing Tom, John was rubbing his burgeoning erection into Dawn's backside. In response, she gave her ass a little shimmy to encourage him further. John's hands came up to cup her breasts, which she tolerated only for a few seconds before slapping his hands away.

"Save that for tonight, Big John," she admonished him, then quickly followed up with her own kiss. "Come on, help me get lunch ready."

Conscious of their visiting friends, Tom pulled back from Julie's lips. She had her eyes closed and her mouth continued to seek his as she was lost in the sensations of his kiss. Tom struggled to keep his amusement to himself, but he managed.

"I think we'd best provide some supervision in the kitchen," he intoned as he helped lift Julie from his lap.

Over lunch, Dawn and John shared their plans to spend the upcoming Spring Break at her parents' home in Phelps Bluff.

"It's great that your family has embraced John being part of all your lives," Julie noted between bites.

"Yeah, I think her dog misses me more than Dawn," John quipped, earning a half-hearted backhand swipe from Dawn.

"Do you mean the dog misses you, or Dawn does?" Tom teased.

"The dog!" Dawn exclaimed. "Gypsy took a liking to him very quickly. If I ever went back home without him, Gypsy and my sisters would divorce me." John snorted at Dawn's words but did not refute them.

"So, how's your blended family doing?" Dawn asked to shift the focus from her.

"They're moving to a new location, still in Middleburg. A larger place with a separate apartment above the garage," Julie elaborated.

"So, you won't have to sleep on the sofa when you return home for the summer?" Dawn asked with a grin.

"Tom and I have already laid claim to the apartment. Hopefully we'll be able to share it during the summer if Tom's office will be nearby. This new house has five large bedrooms as well as a larger kitchen and dining room. I think two of the bedrooms are being earmarked for guest rooms because Maggie's gonna insist that David share her room."

"You think?" Tom asked with arched eyebrows.

"Anyway, we'll be staying here for Spring Break week. Then Maggie, David, and Katie are set to come and stay for a few days during their Spring Break the week after. They'll be touring the campus as everyone will be returning from the break. If we go home, we'll surely be roped into helping them move into the new place."

"We may go back for a couple of days, but we're paying for this place, so we might as get as much use out of it as we can," Tom justified.

Once lunch was finished, the girls huddled around the kitchen table, jointly working on their papers, while the guys worked on their studies individually. John asked for Tom's help one time on something that was eluding John. Tom quickly and gently helped guide John to reach his own understanding, and John was effusive in his gratitude.

= [] = [] =

Rose and Alan arranged to have their new washer and dryer delivered the next weekend, so they would not have to take time off from work to meet the delivery people. That also gave them the week to get the area in the basement prepped, as Rose wanted the appliances on small platforms. Alan had winced, slightly, at the expense of the new laundry. Obviously, it had been quite some time since he had to buy new appliances.

It was Katie who suggested they buy the extended service plan. She pointed out that every new appliance had many new electronic components and they were no longer easily user‑maintainable. One of her friends at school had shared some horror stories, and Katie thoughtfully communicated them, much to the salesperson's delight. Alan nodded as the recommendation made good sense despite the added expense.

The three of them had spent a long time considering and debating the features available in both the washer and dryer. Alan drew the line at the Internet connectedness, however. He related something from a very old 5th Wave calendar he had in his humor file. "I don't mind living in the house of the future," the guy said, "but I hate being called an idiot by the toaster!" That got a good laugh from Rose and Katie, and they chose not to push the issue further. It was just after 4:00 when they walked out the door.

"I'll see you back at home," Katie said over her shoulder as she walked toward her car. "I'm going to pick up Magpie, and then I think we'll go out for supper to celebrate my exam."

"Celebrate?" Rose asked, raising her voice slightly as the distance between them increased with every step Katie took. "Don't you think you're being a little premature in celebrating?"

Katie stopped about twenty feet away and slowly turned to face her chosen parents.

"Not really, no. You see, I was very ready today. Maggie's help, especially with the mathematics section, was key. I'll have to wait for the actual results, of course, but that will just be another occasion for us all to celebrate." Katie gave them a smirk, spun on her heel, flipped her hair, and continued her purposeful stride to her car. Rose and Alan simply stood there, mouths slightly agape, as Katie got in and carefully exited the parking lot.

"Oh. My. God," Rose said. "What have we done?"

Alan was still recovering from Katie flipping her hair at them.

"Let's get in the car and discuss this further at home and in private," he suggested, to which Rose slowly nodded her assent.

= [] = [] =

"We're celebrating, dear sister," Katie explained as the two girls got into the car. "Where do you want to go for supper?"

"And what, pray tell, dear sister, are we celebrating?"

Katie gave Maggie a broad smile as they closed the doors and fastened their seatbelts.

"I'm confident that I did well on the ACT exam this morning," Katie answered. "So, where do you want to eat?"

Maggie thought for a moment, weighing the options before answering.

"How about Gino's? I'm in the mood for some pizza and Pepsi."

A momentary expression of sadness at the choice flickered across Katie's visage; then she nodded and smiled before starting the car and putting it in gear.

"What was that?" Maggie inquired.

"What was what?"

"That very brief frown when I suggested Gino's."

"It's nothing."

"What? If you don't tell me, I don't know."

"I sorta wanted to see Rosa at Los Tres Amigos."

"Well, why did you give me a choice? Of course we can go there." Maggie hesitated until prompted by Katie. "I think we should insist on paying for the meal, though. Poppa hasn't explained anything yet, that I know of. I just have a funny feeling about the free meal on Thursday."

Maggie's comment gave Katie pause, and the remainder of their drive to the restaurant was in relative silence. Relative, because the radio was on but each girl was quiet with her own ruminations.

Rosa greeted them without looking up as they entered, then broke into a big smile when she saw Katie.

"Just you two?" Rosa inquired. At Maggie's nod, Rosa grabbed two menus and two sets of silverware wrapped in napkins. She then led them to a booth in a quiet corner and accepted their request for water and chips with salsa.

"I be right back."

"She seems really sweet," Maggie commented as Rosa walked off.

"Yeah, I can't help but like her," Katie remarked.

"So, did you do well enough on the ACT this morning to get into State?" Maggie asked.

"Yes, I believe I did. I know I would not have done as well as I did without your help, especially with the math section. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wonder how Joy did."

"We'll have to schedule a Zoom call for tomorrow or Monday," Maggie said as Rosa quickly returned with their water and chips.

Not even bothering to look at the menu, both girls ordered their usual meals and Rosa swiftly departed.

= [] = [] =

"Grilled cheese and soup?" Rose asked as they entered the house from the garage.

"That'd be wonderful, my love," Alan replied.

After hanging up their coats, Rose led the way into the kitchen. She made sure to put a little extra sway in her hips, just in case Alan was watching. She noticed he was and turned her head away from him to hide her satisfied smile.

"It'll be about twenty minutes, then. Why don't you just have a seat at the kitchen table and talk with me while I get things ready?"

She bent over, straight‑legged, to retrieve the squared griddle pan and the saucepan, practically inviting him to eye‑fuck her. If she had been wearing a skirt and not jeans, she'd have slowly lifted the back of the skirt until her pink bikini panties showed. Alas, she'd chosen to wear jeans, so she had to make do with what she had. With the girls out having supper, she intended to fuck Alan within an inch of a heart attack. But first, she would have to appease his physical hunger with food.

There was plenty of bacon left from the morning, so she made three grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches along with a can of tomato soup for their supper. While she was cooking at the stove, she engaged Alan in discussion.

"Alan, my love, since it's just the two of us here now, do you feel like telling me more about your relationship with Enrique? I have the feeling that it would be best if this was shared between us, to some extent."

Alan let out a large sigh and nodded once in acquiescence.

"I met Enrique on a cold and rainy afternoon about five or six years ago. He was sitting on a bench in the park, right across the street from a local bank. I can't exactly remember why I was coming out of the bank. But he sat there, getting soaked by the light rain, with his head in his hands. I guess he was past the point of sobbing and well past the point of caring about how wet he had become.

"He didn't look homeless; he was fairly well‑dressed. There was just an air of hopelessness that surrounded him. I don't know what came over me, but I sat next to him and just shared my umbrella's protection from the drizzle. I didn't say anything; I just shared my umbrella.

"Eventually, he raised his head and realized that he wasn't getting any wetter. He cocked his head enough to see my face out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to study my face even though I wasn't looking directly at him. I just kept looking straight ahead across the street at the bank's doors and keeping the large golf umbrella over us. After a bit more time passed, he shifted his body and offered his right hand in thanks. At that point, I stood, shifted the umbrella to my left hand, and took his hand.

"We walked about half a block to a corner café and each got a cup of coffee." Alan gave a soft snort as he remembered the event. "He doesn't 'improve' his coffee the way you ladies do, but he does load it up with sugar.

"Anyway, we got to talking and he told me how his loan had been denied by a very rude person. He was at the end of his rope and he needed some help. He wanted to bring the rest of his family up from Mexico but could only do so at the expense of his restaurant.

"The long and short of this is I loaned him a small chunk of money with no guarantee or timeframe for repayment. Essentially, it was a gift. Since then, he refers to me privately as his silent partner. He really doesn't like it when I pay for our meal, but I made that a condition of the loan."

Rose had tears forming in her eyes at Alan's sharing.

"How... how could you afford to lend or give him that money?" she asked tremulously.

Alan exhaled mightily.

"My parents died while I was in college, the result of a home invasion. One of the things they stipulated in their will was that their 'bread upon the waters' fund be perpetuated."

"'Bread upon the waters'?"

"Yeah, they latched onto the concept from a Robert Heinlein novel, and it resonated with them so strongly that they made it part of their estate. It's based on a verse from Ecclesiastes. Their 'Asa Hunter Bread Upon the Waters Fund' stems from the book 'Friday'. It's all about paying it forward and not expecting to be repaid. 'Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it.' It has many possible interpretations."

Rose took Alan's hand in hers.

"You're a very good man, Alan Joseph Harrison. I'm proud to call you my fiancé and will be overjoyed to become your wife."

"I'm just continuing what my parents had originated," he pushed back. "I'm nowhere as good a person as I wish to be."

"Well, then, once we finish our supper, we'll just have to find out how 'good' a person you can be, won't we?" Rose as she waggled her eyebrows at Alan.

= [] = [] =

It was 8:30 when Katie and Maggie walked in the door from their supper out. They had wanted to give their parents some private time. Once they were done with supper, the two 'sisters' from different parents, one with dark auburn locks and the other raven haired, headed to the mall. They spent most of their time window shopping and people watching. They even stopped in the Food Court for some ice cream to extend their time away from home. When they returned home, they found the lights off and the doors all locked.

"Let's be really quiet and see if they're still enjoying our being out," Maggie suggested. It hadn't been that long ago when she overheard Rose and Alan in her mother's bedroom in the apartment in Centreville. Katie nodded her agreement, and the two quietly slipped into the house, relocking the front door behind them. Slowly, silently, and carefully they crept up the stairs, listening intently with each step they climbed. At first, all they could hear was their own breathing.

Just as the girls stepped onto the landing at the top, they heard Rose exclaim, "Yes! Yes! Oh, yes! You darling man!" Maggie and Katie looked at each other, then each clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the guffaws that instantly threatened to resound. Maggie grabbed Katie by the hand and tugged her to Maggie's room, which was the furthest away from their parents' bedroom.

"Did you hear something?" Rose asked Alan as she lifted him gently by his ears.

"Just my pulse pounding in my ears," he answered.

They listened for a few seconds, but heard nothing. They mentally shrugged, and Alan resumed his adoration of his fiancée.

Sequestered in Maggie's bedroom with the door closed, the girls broke out into snickers and snorts, muffled by their hands at first; then with pillows, which allowed them to howl with their glee.

Once they had composed themselves, Katie said, "It's really good to know that Momma and Poppa can still keep each other happy."

Maggie couldn't quite wipe the grin from her face as she recalled some of what she had overheard during Alan's visits back in early December.

"Yes, they definitely know how to keep each other happy," Maggie agreed. "But we've got to keep this to ourselves. Not even a hint that we overheard them." Katie nodded her assent, then pulled Maggie into a quick hug. Slowly opening the bedroom door, Katie peeked out but saw nothing. 'Thank you,' she mouthed to Maggie, then crept past the bathroom they shared and quickly ducked into her own room.

Maggie arose from her bed and quietly closed the door that Katie had left ajar. She pulled out her phone and speed‑dialed David, desperate to speak with her boyfriend, lover, and upcoming summer roommate. Just hearing her mother and thinking about what her parents were doing in the privacy of their room was revving her internal engine.

But David's phone just rang and rang, eventually rolling to his voicemail, much to her ire. It was Saturday night, for gosh sakes! What was he doing that he couldn't answer his phone when she called? She finally left a message for him to call, then disappointedly disconnected.

For his part, David had been sequestered in the library with three others from his Psych course. Their study group had expanded from just David and Amada (his roommate Robert's girlfriend) to include Bubba Johnson and Tina Ng, who had paired off, becoming the definitive Odd Couple on campus. Bubba was 6'5" and weighed 275 lbs. while Tina was just over 5' tall and couldn't weigh more than 100 lbs. soaking wet. But Bubba, Tina, and Amanda were also focused on getting the best grades they could, to the exclusion of the usual weekend partying. All three acknowledged David as being exceptionally knowledgeable yet very open and willing to help.

When the library closed at 10:00 pm, the quartet was finally evicted, much to the irritation of the student library workers who had hoped to leave much earlier in the evening. Once outside the library, Bubba and Tina headed off toward her dorm while Amanda and David headed for his room and her boyfriend.

David kept Amanda safely close to his side as they made their way to his dorm. There hadn't been anything untoward happen on campus for several years, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. Before they got to the dorm building's door, Amanda gave him a soft, sweet kiss on his left cheek.

"Thank thee, kind sir, for the protection of thy stout right arm," she said teasingly in her attempt to sound like a medieval maiden.

"T'was my very profound pleasure, m'lady," he teased back as he held the door open for her.

When they got to David's and Robbie's room, David once again opened the door for Amanda and ushered her inside. As he set his study materials on his desk, he noticed the message light flashing on his phone, and he quickly determined that a) his phone was still in silent mode; and b) the message was most likely from Maggie.

"I'll let you two have a few minutes alone," he murmured. "I need to see what Maggie needed. The three of us," he said, making a circling gesture with his hand, "need to talk for a few minutes when I return, so don't go anywhere, okay?"

David excused himself and went to the floor's lounge area to call Maggie, but there wasn't a quiet place to sit and talk, so he went back outside to pace along the sidewalk as he called home.

"Where've you been?" Maggie answered crossly.

"I'm sorry, Magpie, but I had my phone on silent while my Psych study group was meeting in the library," he explained.

"On a Saturday night?" Maggie's tone indicated her unbelief in his declaration.

"Yes, on a Saturday night. Bubba had to work until 6:00, and Tina couldn't get there until 6:30. Mid‑terms are coming up this week, and my study group needed help getting ready for the exams. I'm sorry I didn't let you know that we were getting together tonight. It kinda came up last‑minute, and we didn't get out until the library closed at 10:00." David's voice was developing an edge that Maggie picked up on, and she took a deep breath and tried to de‑escalate her emotions.

"Okay, all right, I'm sorry," she apologized. "Bubba?"

"Yeah, he's a good ol' boy from over in Phelps Bluff. Gentlest guy you ever met, once he's off the football field. What had you so wound up, anyways?" he asked.

"Katie and I went out to celebrate her completing the ACT exam, which she thinks she did well on. When we got back home, there were some VERY interesting words and other sounds coming from our parents' bedroom." She went on to repeat to David some of what she heard her mother saying.

"So, I got a little excited and I started to miss you, then got anxious when you didn't answer when I called," she summarized.

"Okay, all right, I guess I can see where you're coming from. I have mid‑terms this week, but I'll be home on Friday night," he assured her. "We won't have a lot of time to talk every night this week, but I'll try to be sure to include time in my study schedule for us to talk. Okay, Kitsune Girl?"

David's reference back to his caricature of her brought a smile to her face.

"Okay, my sweet B. S. master."

They talked for another few minutes, then Maggie yawned audibly.

"I'll let you get some sleep now, my sweet," he told her. "Don't be quite so anxious about me. I'm yours as much as you are mine. I love you, Mags."

"I love you, too, Davey," she responded. "Good night."

Sunday, March 7, 2021

"I wanted to take a moment to remind the congregation that the choir's special Easter cantata will actually be on Easter Sunday in four very short weeks," Pastor John noted before he gave his weekly message. "I know for a fact that they have been working very hard to learn this complicated story of songs, including a couple of new members. I promised I would not call them out, so if you want to learn who our newest songbirds are, you'll have to show up."

Rose gently squeezed Alan's hand in reassurance at Pastor John's words to the church. Katie and Maggie tried to hide their knowing smiles by bowing their heads and covering their mouths with their hands. Alan corralled his expression into bland neutrality as he waited for Pastor John's sermon.

On their way home from church, Rose inquired, "Alan, my love. Are you enjoying being part of the choir? I know you committed to singing only until we perform the cantata. Ruth pulled me aside for a moment after worship and asked that I check in with you."

Alan thought for a minute before answering.

"It's been an okay experience, I suppose. There's strength and security in numbers, and let's face it, the men don't have great numbers. If I had a bit more ego, I'd enjoy being one of the few. As far as the question you didn't ask, I don't know now if I'll want to continue past the Easter cantata performance. It'll be a question to address after Easter. For now, you can tell the director to be grateful that I'm actively participating."

Rose was silent the rest of the way home. She wasn't about to convey THAT particular message. This might require some stroking of the ego that Alan claimed he did not have a lot of, but not on her part. He'd see right through that in a heartbeat.

In Katie's car, she and Maggie discussed the resumption of Maggie's driving lessons as well as the need for Maggie to get her Learner's Permit.

"You need time on the road, Mags. The parking lot isn't going to cut it much longer."

Maggie promised to investigate things further on Monday, on her day off.

= [] = [] =

The pressure to perform ratcheted up on all the college kids during the second week of March. Both schools were giving mid‑terms, and all five students were heads‑down into their studies. David made sure to schedule ten to fifteen minutes each evening at 7:00 to talk with Maggie. Their calls contained little more than David's assurances of his love for Maggie and his repeated promise to come home on Friday.

Tom and Julie found themselves growing a little short‑tempered with each other. It was Julie who recognized the symptoms, and she quickly discussed things with Tom. He appreciated her understanding and quickly scaled back his irritation. He promised to back off and give her a little more room, and she made an effort to be more affectionate. They realized that it would take focused and loving effort on their part to have a strong, positive relationship; that such things didn't happen by magic or by happenstance.

Alan, Rose, Katie, and Maggie began to pack up the less often‑used items throughout the house and made a trip every evening to take things to the new house. This caused some serious discussions between Alan and Rose, including Maggie as well, about what items could be cycled out because they were duplicates.

Alan wasn't keeping close track, but he began to notice a pattern of their keeping Rose's things and purging some of the things he and Laura had acquired. He began to push back a little, insisting on keeping some things of 'sentimental value', especially when Rose couldn't come up with a better reason to keep her 'copy' of the item. They began to become a little snippy with each other as well, though there were no knock‑down, drag‑out arguments per se. But the growing distance was noticed.

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Maggie called Julie on Wednesday night when Alan and Rose were at choir practice, and in the course of their conversation, it became evident that similar things were occurring to both couples. As the local Lawson daughter, Maggie was voluntold to have a discussion with their mother that evening once she and Alan returned home.

"But Jules, you're so much better at the people‑y stuff than I am," Maggie protested.

"Perhaps, but you're right there and I'm here and busy with mid‑terms. Just do it, Mags. Take one for Team Harrison/Lawson."

Maggie ground her teeth at the minor guilt trip, but accepted that her sister was probably correct, this time.

When Alan and Rose came in the door from the garage, Maggie was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on a cup of "improved" coffee.

"Momma? Can we talk for a bit?" she asked.

Alan raised his eyebrows at Maggie's request and headed up the stairs to their bedroom. Rose looked a little puzzled, but nodded, prepared a cup of coffee, and pulled up a seat at the table.

"What's up, kiddo?" Rose inquired, slowly stirring her coffee with a spoon.

"How was choir practice tonight?"

"It was fine, thanks. Alan's presence helps fill out the men's section and balances out the soprano and alto voices. I'm enjoying doing this with him, although I'm not sure he'll want to continue after the Easter cantata.

"What's really on your mind, Magpie?"

"I spoke with Jules tonight, and she shared how the pressure of mid‑terms had made them a bit curt and surly with each other lately. That brought to mind what Katie and I have noticed between you and Poppa lately. Is everything okay with you two?" Maggie's face had a worried expression.

Rose took a long drink from her cup, considering her daughters' words before responding.

"It's just something that Alan and I need to work through, sweetheart. I may have been pushing things about the move a bit too hard in a certain direction, and he's started to push back on some of it. He's generally so easygoing that it's easy to forget that he can be very resistant. I promise we'll talk about things tonight. Everything's going to be all right.

By the way, is everything okay with Julie and Tom? She hasn't called me since they were here last month. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised."

"She talked a little about how she and Tom were working through some minor issues, and that she's looking forward to Davey, Katie, and me visiting them for a couple of days during our Spring Break. Other than that, she didn't have a whole lot to say."

"Okay, then. I'll go have a little talk with your Poppa before we call it a night. Don't stay up too late; you have to work in the morning."

"Yes, Momma, I know," Maggie sighed.

Rose did speak with Alan about their 'ruffled feathers', and she acknowledged an unconscious bias against things that he and Laura had in favor of things that she had. She explained that her things had been acquired on a fairly tight budget and had sentimental value for her. She and Alan agreed to try to be more open and communicative, even about little things, and the air between them was clearing, but the trust had gotten a little dinged up.

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Alan and Rose's overnight slumber was not as restful and rejuvenating as either of them would have desired. They were spooned together, but it just didn't feel quite right to either Rose or Alan. They were sluggish in getting going, and the coffee that Rose had thoughtfully set up the previous night was crucial for both of them. As they parted for work with polite pecks on the lips, Rose made a request.

"Alan, at supper tonight, can we please sit and talk together? We don't have time right now; we're a bit behind schedule this morning. I have some things to discuss with you, and I need your full attention and cooperation to do this right. I believe this takes precedence over moving some boxes to the new place."

Alan pressed his lips firmly together, exhaled, and nodded his acceptance.

"Good. Please don't be late," his fiancée asked.

Rose found it difficult to focus on anything at work other than what she wanted to speak about with Alan. Fortunately, only a couple of issues required her involvement or approval, and she was left in peace to assemble her thoughts into a coherent discussion.

The tension at the dining table that evening was palpable. Maggie and Katie kept glancing at the adults at the ends of the table, waiting for some resolution. Alan pushed his plate away, took a big drink of water from his cup, and sat back in his chair, waiting.

"Girls? I think you'd be happier if you were elsewhere while Alan and I have our little discussion," Rose stated.

"Is this about the tension between you two?" Katie asked softly.

At Rose's nod, Maggie and Katie began to rise from their seats and reach for the dishes on the table. They halted, however, at Alan's words.

"I think they should be allowed to stay. Our discussion obviously impacts them; not that I think they'll have much input. But this way, we won't have to recount the story later and possibly leave something out."

The two girls quickly reseated themselves and began to glance from Rose to Alan and back to Rose.

Rose looked questioningly at Alan, whose face did not betray any emotion. A slight inclination of her head indicated her acceptance of his decision.

"Do you want to start, Alan?"

"You requested this conversation, Rose. You may proceed."

She collected herself for a moment, then began.

"Ever since Ron left us, and maybe even for some time before, I've had to be the responsible parent for Maggie and Julia. For more than fifteen years, I've had to make all of the decisions for me and my girls. It was never a democracy; more of a benevolent despotism, and not always benevolent. My word was law and my decisions were not subject to negotiation or compromise. What was right for me was right for my family.

"We haven't really discussed any of this, my love. There hasn't been a need until recently. I'm so very sorry that things have come to a head over something as trivial as which set of pot holders or trivets we keep, for example." Rose closed her mouth and made an offering gesture with her hands for Alan to take his turn.

He sat at his place with his fingers interlaced in front of him. He was silent for a very long minute, his mouth twisted as he considered where she was coming from. The ticking of the wall clock was the only sound heard as all the women held their breath. They sat and watched as he formulated his response. Finally, Alan spoke.

"Thank you for no histrionics, my love. I have defaulted to how Laura and I used to do things. We agreed very early in our relationship that if I had an opinion about something, that was usually the end of any discussion. In turn, I tried to be extremely judicious about when I expressed a differing opinion; it didn't happen often. As a result, to everyone else, it may have looked like Laura 'wore the pants' in our relationship. That was because when we had different opinions, we would talk with each other in private in order to present a unified front to the boys and to rest of the world. I let her have her way most of the time, being very selective about taking a stand on anything. I realized that I've treated our relationship in the same way without even thinking about it. Because it was all being done subconsciously, it never occurred to me to make it clear to you what I was doing.

"Despite all the things we have in common, you and I are coming from dramatically different conditions and experiences," Alan chuckled softly and continued. "In spite of our vastly different backgrounds, together we should be able to be flexible and able to take on whatever Life throws at us. I have not considered what you've had to do by yourself for so long. I also have not considered that you weren't used to having to discuss or negotiate things with your partner, although, now that you mention it, both were grievous oversights on my part. Since Laura passed, I've also kind of gotten out of the habit of discussing things with a partner.

"So, my love, I accept most of the responsibility for where we are. I'm sorry."

Another long moment passed before Rose spoke up.

"Girls, would you please take care of the cleanup and putting away the leftovers? Please be sure the lights are off and the doors are locked when you come upstairs. Your Poppa and I have things to do in our bedroom."

The girls giggled a little and Rose heard Maggie's "of course, Momma," as she took Alan by the hand and led him upstairs.

Once they were in the privacy of their room, Rose cupped Alan's face in her hands. Her lips locked around his and he gracefully acceded to her desire to recline upon their bed. Rose would not allow Alan to do anything except lie atop the covers. When she gently slapped his hands when he began to unfasten his belt, he lay back and allowed his fiancée to have her way with him. He couldn't stifle the grin on his face as he recalled previous times when he let her lead.

He wasn't certain why she was taking command, sexually, right now; just that he was enjoying it immensely. With a little lifting of his hips, she got him naked from the waist down. Then she began her silent tongue‑lashing. And, oh how she let him have it!

Despite the relatively short time of their being together, Rose had thoroughly discovered Alan's sensitive and erogenous zones, and she put that knowledge to good use. Despite his efforts to stave off his climax, his resistance soon became futile. After less than fifteen minutes of her ministrations, Rose got her desired prize of a mouthful of his ejaculate.

"What was that for?" he asked once he had caught his breath.

"It was for, 'I'm sorry,'" she answered. "It was for setting a good, unintentional, and unacknowledged example for our girls. It was for being the wonderful man I plan to spend the rest of my life with. That's what it was for."

"But I wasn't..." his voice trailed off as he recalled an earlier discussion with Tom. 'When you learn to say "sorry" for no reason at all, then you're ready to get married.' "I'm sorry."

Rose allowed Alan to remove her clothing as well as the rest of his. His hands traveled all over her body, making sure that her underwear still fit well and didn't leave too many indentations on her skin. Their bedroom lights were turned off early, and they snuggled and spooned throughout the night.

Friday, March 12, 2021

Rose awoke to the delightful sensation of her pussy being adored. How Alan had managed to lodge himself between her thighs without her waking was beyond her ability to reason at that moment. Alan had crawled beneath the covers from the foot of the bed until he had found his Promised Land. Now his tongue alternated between her clit and her vagina, fluttering first in one spot for a few seconds, then in the other.

A small orgasm cascaded through her as her hands instinctively grasped his head by his ears to keep his focus on her pleasure center. She swiveled her hips, driving his nose and mouth deeper as she started to moan softly. With her juices flowing abundantly, she sensed her body's climb up the next wave.

"Enough!" she stated firmly. "Get in me now!" she insisted. "I don't care what you taste like, my love, just put your wonderful cock in me and... Fuck. Me. Good!" With that, she pulled him up to kiss his messy face.

'They say we're young and we don't know, we won't find out until we grow...' came from the radio on the nightstand as the display flipped to 6:00 am. Sonny and Cher. 'I've Got You Babe.'

Rose started to giggle as the absurdity struck her funny bone. She gave Alan's lips a quick lick and arched her back as he slid home in her. "I've got you, Babe," they moaned in harmony.

The radio continued to play but was hardly noticed by Alan and Rose, who were sharing their souls through their eyes and their very intimate physical connection.

Both Rose and Alan were late getting out the door to work, but with big smiles on their faces that evidenced that things were much better between them than on Thursday morning.

Author's Note(s):

First, I'd like to apologize to those who have passed out while holding their breath waiting for this part of the saga. Life has interfered with my ability to share this.

Second, I'm stopping Part 16 here at the end of the drama between Alan and Rose. In a very saccharine manner, it will be very smooth sailing until they wed in June. In fact, Part 17 will have very little drama and will probably attract all sorts of derision. Yes, there are events that still must come to pass, but the rollercoaster is now coming to the flat part of the track as the train pulls back into the boarding station.

Your thoughts via direct messaging and comments left for all to see are always appreciated.

Storyteller0112