Married life with Honey and 3 kids was really good. Expanding the family did mean we would have to move from the big inner city block.
When Honey's mother found out we were trying for the third child, she didn't talk to my lovely wife for 3 months. That was worth it alone.
We were six months before Honey's next birthday and this particular Saturday, my parents in law came to our house for an unexpected visit. Now Honey, not being the favourite daughter, didn't twig as to why they would drive the 90 minutes south.
I was just glad for Honey. Besides all the competitive rubbish with her sister that she refused to engage in, she thought it was nice for them to take the time to see her and one group of grand children. I knew that they didn't care less about me.
It is around morning tea time on a spring morning when they arrived. The children were excited to see their grand parents drop in unannounced for a visit.
Honey brought them upstairs and it was pleasant. Her father was a national captain of industry before he retired, and could be a pleasure to talk to, when his wife allowed.
I started making tea and coffee, Honey brought a cake out of the fridge, together with some other items. Our kids were running around like lunatics, the boys playing chase.
I saw the look pass between the parents. It was disgust. Our lot were always unfairly being compared to their older cousins.
Nothing was said about that, and it was all small talk around the table. Nothing of any significance.
The parents got up to go and the mother made a bee line for our lounge room.
When I originally met Honey all those years ago, she was in a lot of financial strife. Sexully transmitted debt from the ex-husband. So I bought a whole heap of stuff from her to bale her out of this pickle. One of the things was an original piece of art work from a notable artist.
I found the mother standing in front of it, just gazing at the artwork. I'd had the frame replaced with something nicer and it all fixed up well. Honey displayed it proudly.
The mother turns to the father saying "Can you take that picture down and put it in the car. It will look so much better at my beach house."
I said "I don't think so."
"It's not your painting, it Honey's. It was a wedding present when she married that idiot."
"I bought it off Honey."
"Yeah, right."
The father stepped up and removed it off the wall and did what he was told. His ball were in his wife's purse.
Honey grasped my forearm and quietly said to me "We'll get it back one day."
I'm thinking that day can't come soon enough and not just for the painting's return either. If you get my drift.
What a cheek! These people had the hide of the devil and were just plan rude.
It took me a the rest of the day to calm down. I'd moved past the painting heist. In a quiet 10 minutes in the late afternoon, I made 2 quiet phone calls for the birthday plans.
I was putting together a surprise party for Honey. The mother was called and she listened, understanding it was a surprise. Then I called the sister and explained my plans.
She said "Honey will not like a surprise party. Who are you inviting? "
I went against my better judgement and accepted the premise of her question, telling her my list of 26 family and Honey's friends.
"What about Roz, Susie and Fran with their husbands?"
"They're not Honey's friends, they are your camping buddies."
"Honey likes them."
"They're not honey's friends. She wouldn't even know their surnames, little own their husbands first names."
"Well they should come anyway."
"I'm paying for caterers and that's not happening. It's about Honey, not you."
"Ok. See you later."
About 20 minutes goes by. Honey and I always had the similar phone. If hers is silver with blue trim, I'll buy the blue with silver trim. Same dog, different eye brows.
We are having a cup of tea and a chat. The sister would call Honey 3 times a day usually, the first at 07:00. The houses were no more 2 miles from each other. She even had to have a key for our house, however was not reciprocated.
So Honey's phone rings and she puts it on speaker.
The sister says "Hi, we are going out to dinner with Roz, Susie, Fran and husbands on Thursday night. Are you doing anything?"
Honey says "Nothing is planned."
"Good. Well you wouldn't mind baby sitting my kids then."
Honey had been broad sided. She loved her nephew and niece anyway, but not the way she had been duped, or commanded.
Honey said nothing.
The sister continued, "Oh and by the way your husband is planning a surprise birthday for you with people you wouldn't like and you're going to hate it. I've got to go. Bye."
Honey looked at me and I looked at Honey.
I told her what I had planned and the calls to her mother and sister earlier.
How could my such a nice girl, come out of that toxic family. That in itself was a miracle.
By this time in my life I had sold my perfect truck and traded it on a convertible. So I went downstairs to play with it and cool off a bit.
Honey was making lots of dinners for us around then. She and I would have Spaghetti Bolognese. We would have the pasta and meat with cheese. Number 1 son wanted only the meat, number 2 son only the pasta, and number 3, the daughter survived the first 6 years on custard and apple sauce. This was a nightmare for Honey, but she managed it with grace and patience.
After dinner I get the sons to help clear the table so I could stack the dish washer. Then all the children went into the bath. it was pyjamas, story then bed time.
