Chapter 21. The Sisters Bond
Nearly a month had passed since the late Angus MacDuff's eightieth birthday party. He had been born on the Fourth of July and had always said the fireworks displays were in his honor.
That Fourth of July they were.
He had died on his seventy fourth birthday, right after the fireworks show that night.
Rosa had been in bed with him when he died.
Rosa died in her sleep a week after Angus' eightieth birthday party. She was seventy-eight.
All knew she was close to death so no one was shocked by her demise. But when a well beloved figure at the center of a small town dies it leaves an empty feeling in all. Everyone felt the loss.
None of the sisters were surprised to learn that Rosa's gravesite was next to their mother's. They had been best friends throughout their lives.
Margaret had charged Rosa with the care of her husband as she died from cancer.
The only man Rosa had ever loved was Angus. To all of the MacDuff's Rosa was family.
As had become their custom after major quandaries, events and setbacks the five sisters MacDuff worked things out as they drank single malt scotch in Wendy's hot tub.
The heavy sadness of the previous weeks was broken by one silly remark by Mo.
She broke a long silence when she said, "Well, Daddy got his threesomes back."
Her sisters tried to be outraged but settled for splashing water at her as they unsuccessfully tried to hold back their laughter.
They were down to contented smiles when Allison said, "You know, maybe that wasn't thunder I heard that week."
Their memories flashed back to the sound of the big bed as three bodies lost their inhibitions on it. The bed was directly over Martha and Allison's bedroom.
The new round of laughter lifted the weight of sadness off them for good.
A few minutes of smiles later Wendy asked Allison, "Did you sense the Jodie and Teri's relationship had come to an end?"
"Yes I did, although I also think it was on friendly terms.
Jodie did like the town and us so we may see her again and when we do I would not be too surprised to learn they had shared the same bed. I do think that the going out of their way to see each other part of the relationship is over.
Bobby sort of hinted that Teri saw a side of Jodie she did not like. My guess is she saw the hard-nosed businesswoman."
"That is very possible. No one becomes that powerful in any business unless they have that in them," Wendy said.
"But you are right; she does like Felicity and us. Bobby thinks she will be dropping by un-announced from time to time."
"Miss Jodie Foster certainly loved being in the hot tub with us." Amanda said with a giggle. "I still can't believe that my first pussy ever was that of an Oscar winner".
"We were shocked to see you go down on her. Are you going to keep doing that?" Martha asked.
"Yeah, I will probably go down on every Oscar winner from now on."
She was splashed with gusto.
Wendy was happy the tub had self-restoring water level capabilities; they had already splashed at least ten gallons of water out of the tub.
Martha looked at her little sister and said, "Amanda, I really hate to tell you this since you are such a brat, but that night with Jodie I noticed something I had forgotten. Jodie is as pretty in person as I had always assumed she was.
But you are prettier than she is."
Her big sisters raised their glasses to her as Amanda tried to contain her tears.
"Mo, where is Marie?" Allison asked a few minutes later.
"In Chicago at an art auction. She was caught by surprise by the commercial success of her gallery and needs to replenish her inventory.
She is making some headway into convincing Allen to put up some of his paintings. Edie says that the big one he will not let any us see is a masterpiece but there is little chance that one will ever go on display."
Martha added, "Jason is in Florida doing some photo shoots. All of his pictures in Marie's gallery sold. He took Maggie with him so I don't know how much actual work he is doing."
The sisters giggled and re-filled their glasses.
"We have another kid turning thirty next week. I don't like that at all." Martha whined.
"And another three weeks after that," Mo added. We are too young to have kids that are thirty."
"Tell me about it," Amanda said with a rueful smile.
The sisters prepared to splash her but decided she had a good reason to whine, her daughter Helen was the oldest of her generation.
"Hang in there grandma," Wendy said with some sympathy.
"And that's another thing, how come the brat has grandkids and three of us don't?" Martha asked.
"We are not applying enough pressure, Wendy said. "We need to join Bernice in her crusade."
"Agreed," Martha said. "Anybody with a pregnant daughter?
Amanda raised her hand wearing a brilliant smile.
"You would," Mo complained. Which one?"
"Both of them."
"Helen is pregnant?" Wendy asked with a joyous smile.
"Yes, and Charlene. Both are blaming the Jamaica trip. Both are due the same week sometime around spring break. Both expect to be back to work shortly thereafter.
Charlene might do that. But Martha, I doubt Helen will return until the following year. You know how she is. She will throw all her energy into being a Mom."
"Poor Roger, how is he handling it?"
"He is just as consumed with the idea of being a parent as she is. He takes away her French fries and is limiting her consumption of burritos and sweet plantains. He may be losing that last battle."
"We are all losing that last battle, Martha said.
"Amanda, sweetheart, you will have five grandkids and I have none. Give me Helen's," Wendy said as endearingly as she could.
That got her splashed by all but Mo.
The others noticed that Mo was doing her best not to divulge a secret.
"OK, spill it out," Martha said.
"I am not supposed to say anything until they tell you at dinner tonight," Mo said directly to Wendy.
Mo's daughter Karen and Wendy's stepson Mike were coming to dinner that night.
