Odd Reunion
The kids are being lazy getting up. They are all three hanging out in the boy's bedroom. I make "Clean your rooms today and who has homework?" noises in their direction with little to no response.
I putter between my room, the living room and the kitchen not really accomplishing anything. I pick up things here and there, wash a dish or two and fluff pillows. It is what I call "busy work." Mindless activities that fill time. They take little to no thought or focus but allow me to avoid the guilt of doing nothing.
As I yell back towards the boy's room from the kitchen, "Anybody hungry? Cereal or Eggs? Maybe pancakes?" Mary's yellow corvette pulls into the parking lot. I meet her half way.
I inquire, "What's up? You okay?"
"You need a phone. I'm fine. Just thought I'd see if you wanted to come out to Summerfield for a Bloody Mary or three?" She blurted out as she picked up one foot at a time to check her heels.The lawn we are standing in was watered over night. "We haven't really visited much lately. I thought it would be fun. Danny's bringing the Bloody Mary fixings. I'll stop at Piggly Wiggly and get a few eats. You got anything to bring?"
I was focused on Mary and didn't notice Lisa jump out of the car. She was already entering my house when I realized she was here too.
As I noticed, Mary said, "Oh and I thought Lisa could stay here with your kids, if you don't mind. She's been bugging me to see Shari all week. You really need a phone."
"You mean, you need me to have a phone. Everybody who needs me to have a phone, you, Charlie, my boss, need to get together and pay for it." I chuckled.
The kids were in the kitchen haphazardly fixing four breakfasts by the time Mary and I got inside. Looks like their delayed answer to my earlier question about breakfast had an "all of the above" answer. I take over, trying to organize the activity and get everyone fed. I offer Mary coffee. She sits down in the living room a little ways out of range. When the kids' breakfast needs are sorted out, I join her with our coffee.
I whine, "I shouldn't, but a Bloody Mary or three sounds good."
Mary says, "Danny is getting a little too serious, I need a buffer. Please come."
"Ok, you go on out. I'll get the kids settled in for the afternoon and join you in a while. I really have to shower and clean up a bit. I'm close to rank." I ramble.
"The crews are working. He has been asking about you. Actually he drives me crazy. I think he has figured out he blew it." Mary interrupts my rambling.
Looking at her with a raised eyebrow, I shrug and say, "whatever."
It had been several weeks since the whole "older woman" incident. Jerry was oblivious to the effect being called an "older woman" had on me. He'd sent me word through Mary a few times. She hated being the "middle woman." I refused his calls at work. The refusals had of course been broadcast over the Squak box. My boss expressed mild pleasure in my new found work ethic. She thought that was what the refusals indicated. My workmates were full of questions, knowing that Jerry had been "the ride."
I cleaned up and dressed, admittedly with a Jerry encounter in mind. The kids decided they wanted to "do something." So, I handed them the newspaper while I threw together a cheese dip to go with the Bloody Marys. They finally settled on a movie. I dropped them at the theater on my way to Summerfield. They had about a 45 minute wait till show time. They seemed fine with it. Chris had Mary's number and change in his pocket. We agreed he would call when they needed to be picked up.
I hadn't even finished my first Bloody Mary when Jack pulled up outside. Mary and I exchanged glances.
Danny chimed in, "Let the poor guy off the hook. It's time."
We all three set there looking at one another, expecting Jerry to come bounding in the door and wondering what his opening line would be. Several minutes later, more than enough time for him to have come inside from his truck, he hadn't. Mary, faking casual, got up and went to her desk like she was answering the phone or the like.
She sat down behind her desk, with a clear view of the parking lot and said "He's not there?"
We all laughed at ourselves and individually kept quipping out scenarios. "He's bent down, in the cab of his truck, hiding, wishing he hadn't come."; "There wasn't any parking closer to the work area."; "We missed him when he got out and walked over to work."; "He climbed up a light post in front of the entrance."
