XX. The Fairytale Ends -- But Not Too Badly
Last night or not, this was Sunday morning, and you know what that means.
"... Eddie and Caleen ... can we come in?"
Of course they could!
And once again, they found Daddy and Mommy and Nonna Georgia, not wearing any clothes, and we reveled in the miracle of those children horsing around, and playing with us, and all of us loving each other and, well, it's just one of the most wonderful experiences that this life can offer.
But today it had to be a different. The time for bedroom hijinks had to be cut short, because this was the day that Nonna Georgia had to pack up to go see Aunt Lauren and Uncle Matthew and the other aunts and uncles.
We thought about how I was going to get up to Lauren's and Matt's. The bus would take almost three hours, and the train, an hour longer. And by plane -- ridiculous! With check-in, security, baggage claim, and the trip from the airport, going by plane would be almost five hours, for hundreds of dollars more. In the end, Candace and Ted agreed that the very best way would be a road trip to see Aunts Lauren and Jane and Mai and Uncles Matt and Paul and Ben!
Despite the circumstances, we tried to make it a normal road trip, and indeed, it's hard to remain somber when you're in a car with a three-year-old and an almost-two-year-old and you're off to see about a dozen aunts and uncles! I was almost able to forget.
We drove into the guest parking slot in Lauren's condo building and unpacked ourselves and my stuff. We rode the elevator up, and we were surprised at the elevator door by -- well, by everyone! Everybody was happy to see everybody. No surprise that Candace ran over and threw her arms around Matthew and James and started laughing and crying. They, in turn, held her and looked at her, almost proudly, kind of like they were looking at their own daughter. Ted? Ted, of course, wasn't bothered -- he knew Matt and James, and he knew how easy it was to fall in love with his wife.
The children, of course, were fascinated by Lauren's baby -- now only two weeks away.
Caleen was the first. She wanted to know if they could talk to the baby that was inside Lauren. Candace looked questioningly at Lauren, but Aunt Lauren happily replied, "I think the baby would love to have you say 'Hello'."
She pulled up her top to expose her big, round, nine-month belly and told Eddie and Caleen to get close so the baby could hear them. The kids got closer, one on each side, and said "Hello, Baby," and then, "We can't wait for you to come out so we can play together."
Then Eddie asked, "Can we pat the baby?"
"Sure, but gently -- he's only a baby, remember."
So they gently patted Lauren's belly, almost like they were stroking the baby's head.
Then Caleen looked up at Lauren and asked, "Can we kiss the baby?"
A look of abject horror began to appear on Candace's face, when Lauren said, "I think that would be a very nice thing to do -- so the baby will know that people already love him."
So Eddie and Caleen each planted a gentle kiss on Lauren's belly.
What Caleen didn't know what that she had just kissed her future husband for the very first time.
********
The strange thing was, during the entire drive up to Lauren's and Matt's, and all the while everyone was there, and even as they were preparing to leave and we were all saying our good-byes -- there wasn't a word spoken about the preceding three-and-a-half weeks. And no suggestion of "the next time," but also, no implication that "this won't ever happen again."
After everyone left to return home and prepare for the coming week -- Candace and Ted both were headed back to work on Monday -- Lauren suggested we have a cup or two of tea (
Sleepy Time
-- I love that little bear in the nightshirt!).
Then Lauren said, "So, ... ."
So I told Lauren about my weeks-plus -- my arrival, reuniting with the children, seeing Ted again, about the three magical weeks, about Candace's frequent Skipe (?) calls, and her warmth and affection -- and about her desire to share in the happiness that she saw Ted and me experiencing. And without getting into graphic detail, I explained exactly
how
we arranged for Candace to share in our happiness after she returned home. By the time I was finished with my account, Lauren and I were both pretty well exhausted.
Lauren got up to pour the last of the tea. Then she came around behind where I was sitting and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. She rested her chin on my head and then said, simply, "I love you, Grandma."
Then, "I won't ask how you are -- I'm going to make an educated guess. You've spent almost a month living a fairy tale. You spent all that time in an intense situation of loving and being loved, and now it's come to an end, and I'm going to go out on a limb -- I'm guessing that you're left with an incredible feeling of emptiness, right?"
My marvelous granddaughter understood.
"And that's why I think you should be with Matthew for awhile."
********
A little bit about Matt and me.
Matt and I could have had a "thing." Heck, Matt and I could have
been
a thing. Except for one other thing: It was obvious from very early on in my first visit with Lauren and James and their condo-mates, Jane and Matt, that there was something special between Lauren and Matt -- or "Matthew."Apparently, my granddaughter had decided, from very shortly after she first met him, that her roommate's father would be the man in her life, for the rest of her life. Further, this special connection was obvious to everyone -- everyone except Matt, that is. And it's not that Matt is so dense. It's more that he's such a modest, self-effacing man that he could never imagine anyone as exceptional as my granddaughter ever feeling that way about him.
Fortunately for Lauren and Matthew -- and all of us who love them -- Lauren communicated her feelings toward her Matthew by the simple expedient of getting pregnant by him. So a fine man has disappeared from my bed, but he now has a permanent place in my life. I'm so happy for both -- for all -- of them.
But now, my loving granddaughter understood what I was feeling, and in her wisdom knew that spending time in the arms -- and bed -- of her husband would help me make the transition, from the fairytale existence that I had briefly enjoyed with Ted, and the children -- and Candace -- to something that more resembles real life.
But how would Matt take to this generous suggestion, which was, to say the least, "unusual"?
You have to know Matt. He is an extraordinarily smart and capable person. He knows as much about world events as anyone I've ever met. He understands computers, and he started and manages a software services company that has over 40 employees now. Like many people in this city, he has picked up a lot of useful Spanish, but what I didn't know was that he also had four years of Mandarin Chinese in college. He's handy around the house, can fix most plumbing problems, and do electrical wiring. I learned that he even knows how to tear down and rebuild an automobile carburetor (if there's ever a need for that particular skill again!).
But when it comes to understanding personal relationships, Matt knows just two things: One, his wife is a goddess. And two, the women in his life -- Lauren, his daughter, Jane, and now Mai -- know much more about the world than he ever will, and they are usually right, and that if he just does what they say, things will generally work out right.
So when my amazing granddaughter -- yes, I know I'm using that word a lot, but I am continually amazed, by her intelligence, her insight and understanding, and her loving care for all the members of their large "family" ... well, she's simply amazing. Anyhow, when she suggested that maybe I should spend the next several nights with Matthew, I knew immediately that she was right. I remembered how it felt when Matt would stand behind me -- whether we were completely naked or fully clothed -- and put his body against me and both arms around me and -- enfold me, I guess is the best word -- and that total feeling of being cared for that I experienced at those moments, and I knew that was exactly the feeling I needed now.
And so, with these things in mind, Matt came to my room.
********
"Matt, are you okay about this?"
"About what?" He affected a sly smile. "Do you mean, am I okay with getting to spend several days and nights with you? Yeah, I guess I could be okay with that."
"Okay, okay -- will Lauren be all right with this? I mean, this won't put any -- strain, ...hurt the way things are between you and Lauren? I mean, with the baby coming and all ...?"
"I guess I understand your concern. But Lauren says that you need to spend several days -- nights, actually, I guess -- with me. And if Lauren says that's what needs to happen, well, ... I've learned to trust Lauren in things like this, and over the years, she's never been wrong. So, yes, I'm