Ian

by Denise Irwin

  She led her mother to meet Miriam Brennan first. “Miriam, this is my mother, Nancy Martin.”

  Miriam said, “It’s such a pleasure to meet you. I’m sure that you were told that I found your son-in-law in the yellow pages.”

  “No, I didn’t know that. What I did know is that Sam went to the West Coast to find your daughter.”

  “That’s right. Walk with me to meet my daughter, she’s standing with Gabin Vasser.”

  Leona watched as Mariam guided her mother to meet Haley Brennan, “Haley this is Leona’s mother, Nancy Martin.”

  Nancy said, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I would like to say you are an amazing woman.”

  “Thank you, but I’m not amazing at all. I was terrified that Tina and I wouldn’t get out. If it weren’t for Tina’s boyfriend and your son-in-law, my guess is that we’d still be lost in Mexico.”

  One look at Nancy’s face and Haley knew that she had to apologize. “Mrs. Martin, I have to apologize for how I spoke to you, but there are just so many people that didn’t get out and they are the true heroes and will never make it home. I thank you for believing that I’m amazing, but I’m not. I was stupid for getting involved with Zachery’s cult.”

  Nancy said, “I understand what you’re saying, but you are still amazing to me, because you and your friend had to find your way out of Mexico and into California, with little food, water or shelter. In my opinion it took a certain kind of woman to do that with courage despite all the odds against you. You and you friend are that kind of women, so don’t be telling me to change my mind because you were scared and stupid.”

  Shelly had been listening to the conversation, but didn’t understand what it was about.

  Haley couldn’t respond, so Nancy wrapped her arms around her hugged her. Nancy then said, “Go back to your conversation with Gabin.”

  Gabin said, “She’s right and you know it.”

  Sam wandered over to see what the ruckus was all about. Leona told him about the conversation between Haley and her mother. Sam told her, “I don’t think that Haley sees it the way the rest of us do.”

  “I think that you’re right. While I have your attention, can you start carving the turkey and I’ll bring the platters of food into the dining room.”

  Brian saw Leona head to the kitchen, so he followed her. “What can I do?”

  “I’m heating up the foods that should be served hot. Everything is in a serving bowl. If you can take them out to the dining room table that would be a big help.”

  She chuckled when he returned for the next warm dish. “It’s still in the microwave.”

  “Then, I’ll take the salad out.”

  Neal said grace when Leona told him that all of the food was in the dining room. “This is a Thanksgiving celebration. Molly and Jack created the atmosphere in their American Indian yard decorations, representing the first Thanksgiving dinner. It reminded me how thankful the pilgrims were that day. So, I think that we also need to be thankful and grateful for the events of this past year. With that said, let’s party.”

  And party they did. Sam put on classical music for dinner and set the volume to low so everyone could hear the conversation. Phil asked, “Did someone send you the floral arrangement on the table?”

  “Yes, Ian and Bonnie Macgill sent it. Isn’t it beautiful?”

  Gregory looked up, “Leona, did they actually send you that arrangement?”

  She chuckled, “If you don’t believe me read the card.”

  As he reached for the card, he said, “I believe you, but I want to read the card.”

  “Please read it out loud.”

  Brian read the card, ‘The Macgill’s will be thinking of you as you celebrate your Thanksgiving holiday’. He then said, “That’s just amazing to me.”

  After dinner, Gregory’s team sat around the kitchen table discussing the Thompson case, while Bill and Neal were in the living room watching the football game. Leona came over to the table to chastise them. “There will be no work talk today. You can all come over tomorrow for left overs and talk about it then.”

  “Yes Mom. Sam go put some rock and roll music on so we can dance off the weight we gained from dinner.”

  There were people dancing in every room of her house and she loved it. She leaned against the kitchen counter drinking a glass of wine with a huge smile on her face. She enjoyed watching people laugh and have good old fashion fun. All of her guests had certainly earned a night off to have fun. She watched as Haley danced with Gabin and hoped there just might me a budding romance or a good friendship since she didn’t believe that either of them trusted anyone anymore.

  Sam came to retrieve his wife when he put the Platters on and played ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’, to dance with him. Everyone stopped dancing to watch Leona and Sam. When he whispered in her ear, “I love you,” she started to cry.

  Brian put the rock and roll back on and everyone danced again.

  Leona went into the kitchen to put the desserts together. Brian followed her in. “Let me help you.”

  While he sliced the apple pie, he said, “Leona, I want to apologize for bringing up the Thompson case on Thanksgiving.”

  “Thank you for the apology. It’s not often anymore that we just kick back and enjoy one another.”

  “That’s what Phil just told me.”

  She started to chuckle and that grew into a laugh and then she was howling. A number of folks came into the kitchen to see what was so funny. Leona was hanging onto Brian so that she didn’t fall to the floor.

  She finally got control of herself and said, “Then let me thank Phil for that, because I’m quite sure that you would still be sitting around the table talking about work.”

  Brian looked ashamed of himself, so Leona said, “You owe me a dance.”

  “You know that I don’t dance well.”

  “I don’t give a shit, you’re gonna dance with me and you’re gonna like it.”

  Sam put Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman into the player. Brian let Leona lead and they danced in the kitchen. When the music stopped, Leona grabbed Brian and gave him a kiss, “Thank you for the dance. You did quite well. Let’s get back to the desserts.”

  Leona made Irish coffees to go with dessert. The women gathered in the kitchen while the men went into the living room to watch football. They were arguing over who was the better team, the Steelers or the Ravens. The Ravens won, so that ended the argument.

  In the kitchen, the conversation drifted to recipes along with dry or wet marinating. Haley asked her mother, “Mom, can Gabin drive me home?”

  “Yes, will his parents need a ride home?”

  “No, Gabin came in his own car.”

  “Then I guess that I’ll see you at the house.”

  She gave her mother a kiss goodbye, thanked both Leona and Sam, then they were out the door.

  Miriam said, “Liz, I’m not opposed to your son driving my daughter home. How do you feel about it?”

  “It makes me feel happy that he asked if he could drive her home. He lives in such a small and isolated world that having a friend is great in my opinion.”

  Leona didn’t say a word, but hoped that there was a little romance budding going on.

  The guys came into the kitchen to refresh their beverages. Matt asked Miriam, “Did my son ask your permission to drive your daughter home?”

  “Well Matt, my daughter asked me if he could drive her home and I said yes.”

  “Well, he should have asked you.”

  “Don’t worry about it, I’m just so happy that they have so much in common.”

  “Well, he still should have asked for your permission.”

  “Matt, why don’t we do this. If you son wants to ask my daughter out on a date, he’ll need to ask for my permission. Can you live with that?”

  “I’m sorry for being such a hard ass, but I just thought it was the right thing to do.”

  “You’re right and we could debate the proper procedure to ask a
young lady out on a date all night. We’re having such a grand time, why don’t get together and discuss this later.”

  “Liz and I will have you over for dinner.”

  “I would like that.”

  Now that that was settled, Leona made another round of Irish coffees.

  Sam announced that he was hungry. Leona and her mother pulled all the leftovers out and laid them on the counter. Leona said, “I’m not planning to serve the leftovers, so come on up and get what you’d like.”

  Everyone grabbed a plate and put on it whatever they wanted. Everyone sat or stood to eat the leftovers.

  Leona couldn’t believe that her guests were still standing because they’d eaten an immense amount of turkey. Shelly came over and asked Leona, “This might be none of my business, but what was your mother talking about, when she was talking with Haley?”

  “Haley had been forced into a human trafficking van. She and another girl managed to escape. The only thing that they knew was that they were in Mexico. They’d had no food or water or a shower in days, but they started walking north. Haley spoke to members of the House and the Senate about what happened and how she escaped.”

  “How did she escape?”

  “She kicked the driver in the balls and then ran like hell.”

  “Wow, I can see why your mother is so impressed with her.”

  It was close to dawn, when their guests called uncle and left for home. Leona and Sam walked them out to their cars. When they returned to the kitchen, Sam asked, do you want a wine?”

  “A wine would be great since I really didn’t drink that much today.”

  As he handed it to her, she asked, “Did I come down too hard on Brian about not talking about work on Thanksgiving?”

  “No, I don’t think so and I’m sure that he understood what you were saying. Phil was shocked when you got him up to dance.”

  ”I was too. Did you hear the discussion about Gabin driving Haley home?”

  “I did and I think that Matt was right. Gabin should have asked Liz if she had any objections.”

  “Wow, I feel for the boy who wants to ask Molly out. I’m going to bed, so I’ll see you on Saturday.”

  “Let me walk the dog and then I’ll be up.”

  <>

  Thompson took his dinner with the other inmates in the dining hall. The other inmates started arguing with him, telling him that he was a stupid mother fucker. His face was red with anger when he punched the culprit in the face, breaking his nose. That earned him a night in solitary, which was fine with him.

  Chapter Ten

  During breakfast on Friday morning, Jack said, “I think that our Thanksgiving decorations were a hit.”

  Leona said, “They sure were. Our guests really thought that raking the leaves with Vinny was amazing.”

  Molly asked, “Mom, are Mr. Gabin and Miss Haley dating?”

  Sam asked, “Molly, where did you get that idea?”

  “Well, they talked a lot together and they danced; and they left together.”

  “Molly that doesn’t mean they are dating. I also saw them talking and dancing. I think that they have a lot in common and enjoy one another’s company.”

  “But Dad I also hear Mr. Matt tell Mr. Gabin that he should have asked Miss Miriam if he could drive her home.”

  Leona stepped in, “Molly, when a young man wants to drive a young lady home, it’s proper to ask her parents first and in this situation, Mr. Matt wanted his son to ask Miss Miriam first. That doesn’t mean they’re dating. If you were listening, did you hear Mr. Matt tell Miss Miriam that if Mr. Gabin wants to ask Miss Haley out on a date that he had to ask Miss Miriam first.”

  “Yes ma’am I did. Dating is complicated, so I don’t think I’m gonna date. I’m going up to my room to finish my homework.”

  After the kids left the kitchen, Sam said, “I dread the day I have to go through this with Molly.”

  “You’re also gonna have to teach Jack what he needs to do.”

  “Yeah, I know, but I’m hoping we have a few more years before we do.”

  <>

  During breakfast Thompson got into a physical altercation with another inmate when the guy said that Thompson’s mother was a whore. Thompson dove over the table to knock the asshole’s head off when a guard’s night stick, hit him across the back. That earned him another night in solitary.

  <>

  Friday and Saturday blew by in a blur. Leona was making breakfast on Sunday morning listening to her excited children, because they had agility training today.

  Sam drove to the school and parked on the lot. Leona walked to the registration desk. “My name is Leona Marksman. I registered both of my children for the class.”

  “I have their name tags here. My name is Shannon. Did you bring your dog?”

  “Yes we did.”

  “Since this is their first class, we typically prefer to work with our dogs who have had agility training. Will that be a problem?”

  “I don’t think so, but I guess that they didn’t know that they wouldn’t be training with our dog.”

  “Oh they definitely will, but we like to use our dogs to start them off with. It can frustrating for everyone when the owner’s dog doesn’t understand what the owner wants it do. The owner or as we call them, the handler, is just as confused and that makes it hard on both the dog and the handler. Watch how we work today. You can practice with your dog at home.”

  “Thank you Shannon, I understand now. Do you want both of my children to come to you now?”

  “Yes, we have several training areas, so they may end up working side by side.”

  “Thank you again. Let me go and get Molly and Jack.”

  Leona saw her children sitting with their Dad. “Are you guys ready?” They nodded their heads.

  “For today’s class the trainer will work with already trained dogs since they know what you want them to do. Let’s go. I’ll walk down with you and then I’ll come back and watch.”

  When she returned to the bleacher, she explained what the trainer had said.

  Nancy said, “That makes sense.”

  They saw Jack, and the trainer work with only one obstacle, the railing. She showed Jack how it was done and then turned it over to him. Jack did just as she had and the dog jumped over the rail.

  Molly was in the middle course and the trainer worked with the same obstacle. Molly did the same thing and the dog jumped over the rail.

  The trainer then moved them to the next obstacle and Molly and Jack watched and then did it with the dog three times.

  Nancy said, “This training is really well done.”

  “Mom, I was just thinking that same thing.”

  Amanda said, “I just might have to get a dog because that looks like a lot of fun.”

  Phil added, “Looks to me that it’s a good work out for the dog and the handler.”

  Sam said, “I’m sure that it is. I just hope that the kids like it and plan to continue.”

  They did the entire course, the same way. The trainer first and the kids followed and repeated it three times. When they finished the course, the trainer said that she wanted to talk with them. She said, “The two of you did great today. Next week I’m gonna let you go through the course on your own.”

  Molly asked, “Miss Shannon, will we still be using your dogs?”

  “Yes we will, but I think that your Dad built a course in the back yard, so you can do a little practicing with your dog.”

  Jack put his hand out to shake the trainer’s as he said, “Thank you Miss Shannon. We learned a lot. Will you be here next Sunday?”

  “Yes I will, I’m your trainer, so I will work with you each Sunday.”

  Nancy asked, “What is she talking about with the kids. I can’t hear her.”

  “I don’t know Ma, so I guess we have to wait.”

  Molly and Jack ran to the bleachers. Jack said, “Miss Shannon said that Molly and I did great. She’s gonna be our trainer for the next tw
o classes.”

  Sam said, “I am so happy that you not only did well, but enjoyed it. What do you think if we go to that pizza joint that you like.”

  “Dad that would be cool. Is everyone invited to go with us?”

  “Yes they are Jack. He then turned to face their fan club. “Brian why don’t you follow Bill and Nancy to the pizza place while Amanda and Stefan follow us.”

  Sam said, “Leona go with your mother while I run the dog home.”

  Bill went in first to tell the host that he had a party of ten. “That’s not a problem, we’ll just push some tables together.”

  Sam returned to find everyone sitting at the table, Sam said, “They only serve light beer and you can purchase it by the pitcher. Red and white wines are available. If you don’t like pepperoni, just pick it off and we’ll throw it into the trash.”

  The women voted for red wine and the men were stuck with a pitcher of light beer that tasted more akin to piss water. Sam ordered five pepperoni pizzas with extra cheese.

  Amanda asked the children, “Did the two of you have fun?”

  Jack said, “I think that Molly and I were nervous at first, but Miss Shannon really helped.”

  Leona asked, “What was Miss Shannon talking with you about when you were done?”

  “She told us that we did really well and next week we’ll do the course alone. We’ll use her dogs to do that.”

  Phil asked, “Did it make you nervous know that we were there?”

  Molly said, “No Mr. Phil, it didn’t because we knew that you were there to cheer us on. Jack and I would be really happy if you came next week.”

  Gregory told her, “In that case, count Phil and me in.”

  Amanda said, “Stefan and I will also be there.’

  Nancy told her grandchildren, “Your Grandpa and I will be there.”

  Sam paid the bill and everyone left the pizza joint saying that they would be at the school next week.

  He parked the car in driveway and then said to his children, “Vinny’s gonna know that you’ve been with other dogs, so let him sniff you and then take him out to do his business. Don’t be long because we need to feed him.”