by E. M. Sadler
On the rare occasions that we would visit my father, he would always spend the entire trip criticizing my mom's every hobby and joy. Eventually, after years of being told that she didn't have any talent from my father wore her down and by the time I was in high school, our crafting weekends had ceased.
"Mom, I'm so excited for you! Maybe I should start making quilts for the girls. If you find any fun girly fabrics, snag it for me, will you?"
As soon as I had mentioned quilting, my mother's eyes lit up, and I could see the creative gears turning. "Oh! Maybe we can work on the quilts during Thanksgiving since I'll be up there for four days. Shawn has the fancy equipment after all, and I bet she and I can at least get the piecing done on both of them." And then I lost my mother and Aunt Shawn to Pinterest while I finished dinner.
Later that night, after tucking the girls into bed and escaping to my bedroom for the evening, it was a struggle to keep my eyelids open. Lying down for what I told myself would be just "one moment" at around 9:00 pm, I was startled awake by my phone buzzing on my nightstand.
Oh crap! It's already 10:00 pm.
"Hey!" I said trying to stifle my obvious yawn.
"Hey! Did I wake you up?"
"Yes, but I needed to be woken. Not sure what's gotten into me lately. I'm never sleepy till at least 11:00 pm and the last two nights I've been fighting to stay awake past 9:00 pm." Maybe I need to start taking an iron supplement? The last time I was this sleepy was during my first trimester with Mandy.
"Do you still want to talk?"
Part of me wanted to ask him if he would mind cutting our conversation short for the night, but something in his voice screamed disappointment, and there was no way I could go to sleep knowing that he needed me.
"Of course, I want to talk. 10:00 pm is the best part of my day lately," which was an entirely accurate statement.
And with that, we talked companionably until almost midnight, closing our conversation with a beautiful "I love you."
Tuesday morning was a flurry of excitement at my house. Mom and Shawn had woken up at 6:00 am and were dressed in their standard garage sale weekend attire, which consisted of worn-in boot cut jeans and an old concert t-shirt from before I was born. They became so hyper over some of the items listed on the auction website that at one point I had to walk over and confiscate both of their coffees for everyone's protection.
You'd think that after over twenty years serving in the military my mom would have had a little more coordination, but when she started waving those hands around like she was performing a fast pitch on a softball mound, I knew it was only a matter of time before scolding coffee went flying.
Just as I was placing the coffee mugs in the kitchen's deep farm sink around 6:30 am, Mazie decided to make a surprise appearance. Mazie, who never wakes before 7:00 am even on Christmas morning, decided to run into the kitchen and jump around loudly to celebrate the last day of school. This rambunctiousness noise then caused Mandy to wake fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Since we were all awake and ready to go within a few minutes, I told the kids we could forgo cereal this morning and took them for a special treat at Tim Horton's on the way to school.
Later that morning when I was situated at work, my boss called me into a meeting to go over our new schedule that would start on October 15th, which was the first day of Medicare Open Enrollment.
"Good Morning, Tammy!" I said to my favorite boss.
"Good Morning, Kelly! Have a seat and before we discuss your new schedule, let's talk about the great work you did for our groups.
"Thanks to your efforts, we were able to get every company's health benefits situated except for the two. The last time we were able to get that far ahead of schedule, was before you took maternity leave with Mazie. So, thank you."
"No Tammy, thank you! I appreciate you re-hiring me after so many years of being outside of the workforce. You knew how much I needed a job to leave my husband, and I know you created this job out of your own profits to help me achieve that." I loved this woman for taking a chance on me right when the insurance world was so unpredictable. Her selflessness had saved me from not only a loveless marriage but had given me the confidence I had once thrived on before marrying Geoff.
Tammy waved my comments away and continued, "Now I told you last year not to bring that up again, you were worth every penny. And since you came on board again, I have doubled my profits, so let's move on."
Tammy was one of the most giving women I knew but hated to be recognized for it. It was almost as if she thought that compliments would negate the good if she took credit for it. "Here is the schedule we have worked out with the area carriers. As you will see I have signed you up with several of the Medicare kiosks and set up a few education seminars with the local retirement communities.
"The first community, Danville Seasons Retirement Village is rather large and asked if you could do two non-sales workshops starting next Saturday, with the second scheduled for the first Saturday in November.
"Now don't worry, I submitted the approval to the department of Medicare a month ago using both of our names, so if you are unable to make either of them, I can be your back up.
"In addition to these dates, and because some of their residents no longer drive, I have decided to go ahead and purchase a small temporary office space at the office building across the street from the main clubhouse to offer convenience.
"Please take a moment to review the following schedule for the weeks around October 15 thru December 7. Except for our four-day weekend for Thanksgiving, and your pre-approved vacation the weekend of the Halloween festival, it's going to be quite jam-packed," she warned.
"I think that this schedule shouldn't be a problem. My mom and I figured you'd be using a similar schedule as last years," I said confidently. It would be a lot, but once we got through December, I was usually able to work from home three out of five days a week to cut back on the daycare bill. "I've also been able to find a few backup babysitters for days that mom has PR emergencies at work."
"Excellent! Since you'll be working from home for the rest of the week, please focus on completing all of your insurance carrier certifications so that we are set for next week."
Every year, each insurance carrier required that agents take a test to prove that they were still savvy enough to sell their products. It was a pain in the butt but was designed to protect the elderly from ill-prepared agents.
As I walked out of the conference room forty minutes later, I began to worry that my new work schedule would affect my new relationship with Dale. To offer myself a little reassurance, I broke my no texting rule and decided to spend my lunch break texting the sexiest principal I knew.
Kelly –
Good Afternoon! How is your day?
Dale –
Great now that I'm talking with you! ;) Just finished monitoring recess. It was intense.
Kelly –
How can recess monitoring be intense?
Dale –
Watched several 5th-grade girls confront a local Lothario for telling all of them he was their boyfriend at the same time.
Kelly –
Poor girls.
Dale –
It worked out in the end. He admitted that he was only using them for their video game consoles and the girls decided he wasn't worth it.
Kelly –
They'll probably be best friends for life thanks to his scheming.
Dale –
Your probably right! Any news from your mom's attack on the mill?
Kelly –
Let me check.
Kelly to Mom –
How is it going? Anything good?
Mom –
Damn TLC show is filming and outbidding everyone. Aunt Shawn and I decided to leave and are currently combing the local fabric store for fun girls' materials and other deals. She's going to head home tomorrow around noon.
Kelly to Mom –
Ugh! I'm so sad for your lost fabric.
Mom –
Calling you.
When my mom says she's calling, it usually means that she's going to talk my ear off for the next 30 minutes. Closing my office door and bracing myself for impact, I was caught off guard when my Auntie Shawn was the one on the other end.
"How's my favorite niece?" My Aunt Shawn asked. It was her usual welcome to me.
"I'm doing great, how is my favorite Aunt? Should I be worried about you two?"
"Not at all, I just had a fabulous idea, and your mom didn't want to take dictation. How about you and your nice man have a date night tonight? Ask him if the twins can stay at your mom's, and we'll watch all four together. Then you won't have to rush back till morning. Wink, Wink."
"Aunt Shawn, saying ‘wink, wink’ doesn't make it any less suggestive," I said rolling my eyes.
"I know honey, but I'm just trying to be subtle."
The woman was getting a new dictionary for Christmas.
"Lord help your boys when they finally get close to marriage. Your granny-lust is starting to get out of hand."
"Honey, my getting out of hand is why you will be married to this man within the year. Mock or mark my words, either way, you'd like, it's about time that you had a little fun," my Aunt said matter of factly.
"Preach it sister!" my mom screamed in the background.
"Aunt Shawn, please make sure my mom's next cup of coffee is decaf!"
After a goofy three-way banter over my mom's coffee addiction, we disconnected, and I decided to text Dale to see if he was up for some shenanigans.
Kelly –
The auction was a bust, but since Aunt Shawn is in town through tomorrow afternoon, they came up with an alternative.
Dale –
Should I be afraid?
Kelly –
Possibly, they want to host a sleepover with your twins so that you and I can have a night to ourselves.
Dale –
Done!
Kelly –
But you don't know any of the details. Are you sure you're okay with the kids staying over at my house with my mom and aunt?
Dale –
Done!
Kelly –
Are you sure?
Dale –
Done!
Kelly –
LOL see you at 6? And you're not allowed to say DONE!
Dale –
See you then!
Chapter 36 - Dale
Arriving promptly on Kelly's doorstep at 6:00 pm, it only took the kids seeing Aunt Shawn to make me invisible to their attention. Shawn was fun and dad was old news. Either way, I was so excited about an entire night alone with Kelly, that I didn't have time to feel self-conscious.
"Good evening Dale!" Kelly's mom said sympathetically as my children forgot my existence. "I see the Shawn-effect has taken over. Don't feel too bad. Kelly used to do the same thing to me when I'd drop her off for the summer. Shawn has a magical way with children."
"Well at least it's not just me," I said trying not to make it obvious that I was searching out Kelly. "So, how are you this evening, Mrs. Persons?"
"You can call me Joan, and if you're looking for Kelly, she's giving Mandy a little nursing time before leaving for your night out. " Then Kelly's mom gave me an exaggerated wink. "Don't worry. You're allowed to be single-minded when you're in a new relationship. I'm not offended."
Caught!
"Am I that obvious?" I asked sheepishly.
"You are, but as long you're making my daughter happy, I can forgive it," she said while peaking around to see if there was anyone within earshot. "I'd like to have a moment to talk with you in private if it's okay."
"Sure, should we step out onto the porch?" I asked warily while pointing my thumb over my shoulder.
"It's a little chilly tonight, why don't we head to the den."
Leading me down a short flight of stairs and turning on a light, I discovered that the den, which I hadn't seen the last time I was here, was an outdated man cave that looked like it hadn’t been touched in at least two years.
Maybe this was where Kelly's dad spent his time.
After a few minutes of silent thought, Joan finally said, "I'm not sure how to start this conversation. But I wanted to... I wanted to ask what your intentions are with Kelly in the long term. Before you answer, I want to add that regardless of how short or long you're looking into the future, since I know you've both been through a divorce within the last year, that Kelly needs someone who is willing to work through issues and compromise. Right now, she seems happier than I can ever remember seeing her, but once the honeymoon phase of your relationship is over, I need to know that you won't run or shut down at the first sign of trouble." Taking a breath of air, she added, "And I know I shouldn't have to say this, but please don't act like it's your duty to dole out psychological punishments for arguments. She needs someone who will work through arguments when they happen instead of dragging it out for days in silence and putting all of the blame on her."
"Wow! First of all, that's a lot of information to process, so if I forget to answer any of your questions, please remind me. Secondly, I love your daughter, and though I'm not necessarily ready to get married today, I do see marriage in our future.
"As far as how I handle conflicts, I promise you that I am not a grudge holder. I've never been the type to go to bed angry, and I value a quick resolution.
“Lastly, I believe that a relationship is a partnership; thus, neither partner ever has the right to dole out a punishment to the other."
Hopefully, my sincerity was conveyed to Joan through my voice, because I wanted her to know how much I planned on cherishing her daughter for the rest of our lives. "Does that answer your concerns?"
At my admission, any tenseness at the beginning of our conversation appeared to have, thankfully, dissipated.
"They do. Now I hear Kelly talking with the kids so, go and enjoy your evening," Joan said shooing me up the stairs.
After saying our goodbyes to the kids who were now happily eating Shawn's famous grilled cheese sandwiches in the dining room, Kelly grabbed an oversized bag, and we walked awkwardly to my van.
I say awkwardly because, after my heart to heart with Joan, I suddenly felt like I was 14 and taking Kelly to the spring formal.
When I started the car, the Thomas the Tank Engine Theme Song began blaring through the speakers, which caused us both to laugh hysterically and helped to ease our nerves.
With our awkwardness behind us, I pulled out of her mother's driveway and headed back towards my house.
"Since you said you wanted to keep our relationship private to nonfamily, I thought we could go grab some Chinese-to-go from the Panda Express by my house." Hopefully, she didn’t think I was a cheapskate. After all, it was my favorite restaurant, and the food was always fresh.
"Oh, I love Panda Express! They have the best noodles."
"I completely agree. I've tried to get the kids excited about it, but they aren't ready to enjoy it yet," I said smiling at her like a love-struck fool. "So, what time do you need to be home to nurse Mandy in the morning?"
With a hint of shock in her voice, she asked, "You remembered about Mandy nursing in the morning?"
"Of course, I do, it's an important part of your daily life. Plus, I feel like I am a part owner of your milk supply and like to keep tabs." Then I laced my fingers through hers and gave it a tender squeeze.
"If we want to get there early enough to nurse Mandy and avoid too many questions from the kids, I'd say we should be back at my mom's by 6:30 am. That way you have enough time to get the kids to their babysitter, and I can drop Mandy off at daycare."
I wonder why she isn't dropping Mazie off with Mandy?
"Who's watching Mazie tomorrow?"
"I've been trying to give Mazie some extra mommy time when I can. Since my boss gives me the option to work from home some days, I figured it would be a nice day for Mazie and me to go have some quality time together before we leave for her dad
's tomorrow evening."
"I still can't believe you're going to be out of town till Sunday night. Thank God your mom and aunt surprised us with tonight. Maybe I'll send them some flowers. Should my note say, "Dear Joan and Shawn, Thanks for the night of passion? It may add some confusion and shock to the Danville gossip chain, but at least Joan and Shawn will get the meaning," I said teasing her.
"Don't you dare, Dale Fernando Wilson!" she squealed smacking me on the shoulder. "Though, Aunt Shawn would find it hilarious. She's a little bit of a closet perv, you know?"
Flirting with Kelly came so seamlessly easy, that before we realized it, I'd driven into my garage and had forgotten to stop for our food.
After we both realized my mistake, it just caused us to laugh. If I had done this with Maggie, she would have been irritated for the rest of the evening, but not with Kelly. Instead, she teased me companionably the entire ride to and from the restaurant and even peppered my hands with a few kisses between playful taunts.
When we arrived at the house for the second time that evening, I gave Kelly a quick tour of the house and poured us each a glass of wine. Soon we settled into our meal and began sharing stories from our past and the events of our day.
When Kelly had first texted me about our night out, my first thoughts were not just about the fantastic uninterrupted sex we could be having, but that it would be the first time that we could talk all night long and genuinely get some quality time together. That's why, once dinner was over, I asked her if she wanted to cuddle on the couch and talk for a while.
Once we were in the living room, Kelly's eyes immediately zeroed in on the shelf full of family scrapbooks my mom loved to give me for Christmas every year.
"Are these all scrapbooks?"
"They are. My mom gives us one every year. You're welcome to look at them."
Kelly’s excitement over my family photo albums was so intoxicating that we ended up spending the next two hours combing through the history of my life and getting to know each other better. Kelly was even interested in the 15 years I was with Maggie.
She was particularly intrigued by the photographic history of my failed marriage saying, "She's the mother of your children, of course, I want to see those photos as well.”
