Ian

by Denise Irwin

  Molly asked, “What are we going to see?”

  “We’re not going to see anything until you get dressed.”

  “But, Mom, I really need to know.”

  Jack said, “Don’t ruin this for the rest of us. Just get dressed.”

  She follow her brother mumbling with each step.

  Leona went into the kitchen, “Your daughter is a real pain in the ass. She’s like a broken record asking the same question over and over.”

  “She’s just like her mother.”

  “Are you saying that’s what I do?”

  “When you want me to do something, that’s exactly what you do.”

  “Tell me a time that I did that to you.”

  “I can name a number of times, but the one that sticks out in my mind the most is when it’s time to shop for your garden supplies in the spring. We end up running all over town to see what else is available and end up back at the first place.”

  She started to say something, but her husband cut her off, “Don’t tell me that you have a good reason for doing that because you tell me the same thing every year, just like a broken record.”

  She started to laugh, “You’re right, I do that to you every spring.”

  The kids came into the kitchen and stood quietly listening to their mother laugh. Jack finally asked, “Mom are you okay?”

  “Yes. The two of you look just great, don’t they Dad?”

  “Yes ma’am, they sure do. Let’s get into the car.”

  Sam drove them to the Movie Theater and Molly started to scream, “Look Jack, it’s the movie Frozen. Mom, this is just so cool.”

  “Make sure everyone uses the restroom while I purchase the tickets.”

  It was obvious that Sam saw his daughter doing the wiggle dance, so Leona walked with her to the bathroom.

  When Molly and Leona returned to the lobby, Sam had four tickets in his hand. “Leona, lead everyone into the theatre and I’ll pick up the rear.”

  The theater was packed and Leona wasn’t surprised at all. Everyone was doing just as she and Sam, looking for ways to entertain their children. She heard someone calling her name, “Leona, we’re over here and I’m saving seats for you.”

  Leona told her husband, “Sam, Shelly and her kids are on the other side, she’s saving seats for us.”

  They lined up all the kids so that they could sit together. Shelly and Leona sat side by side with Sam next to his wife at the end of the aisle.

  Once everyone was settled in, Leona said, “Shell, I am so happy that you saw us because this place is packed.”

  “Everyone’s doing what we’re doing. They’re looking for warm places other than home to take their kids.”

  “Where’s Randy?”

  “At work. The Christmas Season is busy, but the Christmas gift returns are unbelievable.”

  The movie started so the theater when silent. It was a ninety minute movie and when it ended, all of the children in the theater jumped up and applauded. Sam, Leona and Shelly sat tight while everyone ran for the door. Leona asked, “Shell, we’re taking the kids out for pizza, do you want to join us?”

  “Is the Pope Catholic? Are you going to the joint next to the arcade?”

  “That’s where we’re going.”

  “I’ll see you there.”

  The parking lot was full and Sam figured that there wasn’t room for one more person in the Pizza joint. He walked over to Shelly’s car. “This place is packed and I’m more than sure every eat in pizza joint in the county is just as crowded, so why don’t we go to my house and decide what we want and we can order it for delivery.”

  “Okay, I’ll follow you.”

  They parked in the driveway, and then everyone went into the kitchen where they decided what they wanted to eat. Leona placed the order. The kids went into the dining room so that they could show Shelly’s girls the games they have to play. Leona then poured a glass of wine for Shelly and one for her. She then handed her husband a beer.

  Vinny came into the kitchen carrying his leash. Sam said, “Leona, I’ll be right back, I think the dog needs to go out.”

  Shelly asked, “Who is that dog and did he bring his leash to Sam? Was it a black standard poodle?”

  “Bailey passed away last summer. Sam was working on the West Coast and the kids didn’t want to tell him until he came home. We had him cremated and his ashes will go into the gardens in the spring. We let the kids decide what they wanted to do about a dog. They told us that they wanted to adopt a dog, so we went to the SPCA center on Falls Road. Vinny had been trained as a service dog and when the owner was moved into a nursing home, her family brought him to the center. We’ve been taking dog agility training classes with him and the kids love it.”

  Sam had just come into the kitchen, when the front door bell rang. He pulled out his wallet to pay for the pizza.

  Jack asked, “Can all the kids eat in the dining room?”

  “Sure, tell everyone to come in and chose which pizza they want and grab something to drink.”

  When the adults were alone in the kitchen, Shelly asked, “Did you take those dog classes as well?”

  “Yes, along with my parents, a state prosecutor and his partner, the forensic specialist and her partner a homicide detective. It was great fun. The kids want to compete and we’re waiting to hear a date and place from the trainer. Do you want me to call you if they sign up for one?”

  “Yes, I really think that it would be great to watch them.”

  “Okay then, I’ll make sure that I call.”

  Shelly said, “I’m so happy that we ran into one another at the movies, but I’ve got to get my girls home and feed my husband.”

  “Shell, before you go, we’re hosting a quiet New Year’s Eve get together here if you’d like to come.”

  “Count my family in. I’ll bring something.”

  The Marksman family walked the Jordan family to the car. Sam and Leona returned to the kitchen for a nightcap, Leona said, “Who would have ever thought that we ran into Shelly in the movies?”

  “Well, like she said, everyone was looking for things to do while they’re children are off school for the holiday.”

  I think that you’re right.”

  “What’s on your dance card tomorrow?”

  “Well, even though it’s supposed to be a quiet New Year’s Eve, I’ll pull out some decorations that I have stashed somewhere. I’ll also check the liquor supply and then we’ll be all set.”

  <>

  Thompson was still in solitary counting down the days to his sentencing, hoping that the judge would release him or at the very least send him back to the loony bin.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After breakfast on Monday morning, Leona took an inventory of her liquor supply. It was certainly lower than she liked. She told Sam, “I’m gonna run out to the liquor store. We’re running low on some things.”

  “Would you like me to go?”

  “Nah, I know what I want and this shouldn’t take long. I’ll probably need your help to get the booze into the house.”

  “How much booze are you planning to buy?”

  “Enough so that I know my guests will be satisfied because it’s going to be a long night. I’ll be back.”

  Leona drove for three hours to liquor stores to find that they were sold out. She was getting upset, so she sat on a parking lot thinking about what she should do. She’d never run out of booze before, so how did this happen? When she realized there was nothing that she could do, she drove her sorry ass home.

  She walked into the kitchen where Sam sounded concerned as asked her, “Leona, I was close to calling the police. Where in the hell have you been for the last three hours?”

  When he saw that she was crying he backed off. “Sam, I failed. I should have checked my supply before now. All of the liquor stores that I went to were sold out. I’ve never run out of booze."

  “Is that why you’re crying?”

  “Yes it is. Sam, I’v
e never run out of liquor in this house and everyone knows it.”

  He handed her a cup of coffee and a notepad along with a pen. “Write down the names of everyone you invited.”

  “Sam, I don’t want my guests to bring their own liquor to a party at our house.”

  “Why? They’re gonna bring food. We’re not going to ask them to buy liquor because we know the stores are out. We’re asking them to bring what they have at their houses. Write the list and I’ll make the calls.”

  She wrote the list and then said, “Before you make those calls, can you bring the box of New Year’s Eve decoration down from the attic?”

  He brought them down to her and then went into his office to make the phone calls.

  <>

  Leona, Molly and Jack decorated the house. There were some spots that they needed Sam’s help with, but most of it was done by lunch time.

  <>

  Sam started with his in-laws. Bill answered the phone. Sam said, “Leona’s afraid that we won’t have enough booze for tomorrow night. She drove around for three hours today looking for a store that still had supplies.”

  “Sam, after all the booze that you and your wife bought over the years, there’s just no way that I could say no. Nancy and I will bring what we have along with a side dish.”

  “Thanks Bill.”

  Sam worked his way down the list telling them the same story. Everyone said exactly what his father-in-law said.

  He left the office to tell Leona the phone call results to find that while he was on the phone, his wife and children had decorated the house. Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table for lunch. As soon as he sat, Molly asked. “Dad, what do you think of our decorations?”

  “I think that they are great. I’m just amazed at how much you decorating that was done while I was on the phone.”

  “Yes, because you were on the phone for a really long time.”

  “I have to ask, did you think that I was dodging the decorations?”

  “I don’t know what you said means, but I thought that you weren’t planning to help us.”

  “You know that I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I know, but I wasn’t sure because there’s always a first time.”

  Leona said, “There are a couple of places that are too high for us to get to. We’ll need your help with those.”

  “Not a problem, but what’s done so far looks great.”

  The kids asked if they could be excused from the table. Leona told them both, “Yes, and thank you for helping to decorate.”

  Jack said, “Mom, it was a lot of fun. Molly and I are planning how to greet everyone with the dog.”

  After Molly and Jack left, Leona asked, “I not sure that I want to know, but did you reach everyone on the phone?”

  “Yes, I did. Do you want to hear what they said?”

  “Tell me that you told them that I planned to have liquor for everyone.”

  “I did.”

  “Did they think that I was a horrible party planner?”

  “No they did not. Everyone that I spoke to said that they would bring some liquor along with a food dish because you always provide the liquor.”

  She started to cry. “That is truly amazing.”

  “No it’s not. We have good friends, albeit that they are mostly co-workers, but over the years we’ve developed strong bonds. Take a minute and think about how many meetings we’ve had in our home. This is an expression of gratitude from them.”

  “I don’t think that I ever thought of it that way. Thanks for helping me with that. I need you to help with one last thing. Come with me and I’ll show you.”

  She led him into the living room first. I’d really like to string these Happy New Year lights along the top of the curtain rods, both here and in the dining room.”

  “Got it, can you stand here and watch to make sure it’s what you want?”

  When he finished in the living room, she said, “That’s perfect, let move to the dining room and do the same thing.”

  He was about to hang the lights, thinking that his kids would be in the dining room. “Lee, do you know where the kids are?”

  “No, I haven’t seen them since breakfast. They said that they wanted to create a greeting with the dog.”

  “I remember them saying that, but I haven’t seen them since breakfast.”

  “I don’t think that they went outside, so they must be in one of the bedrooms upstairs.”

  “Well, I’m sure that they’ll come running for dinner.” He finished hanging the lights and they both went into the kitchen.

  Leona was just starting dinner when the kids came into the kitchen. Jack said, “I need for the both of you to go out on the front porch and then come back in.”

  When they came back into the house Jack and Molly said, “Welcome to the Marksman House.” Jack handed the dog a card, who brought it to them.

  Molly said, “Read the card.”

  The card read, ‘Happy New Year 2014’

  Leona said, “That’s amazing. Will anyone take their coats?”

  Jack said, “We might need some help with that.”

  “Dad and I can help with that.”

  “Lee, rather than run them upstairs, we’ll put them in the office.”

  “Great idea. Now I’m getting excited.”

  After the kids went to bed, Leona and Sam stayed in the kitchen for a nightcap. She said, “I almost feel guilty drinking this wine, since we have so little left.”

  “Leona, you are such a goose. This is the only occasion where you’re low on liquor and you’re beating yourself up about it, which I find totally amusing. Why are you doing this to yourself?”

  “Sam, I honestly don’t know. If I did, I sure as hell would tell you.”

  “We’re gonna have a big day tomorrow, so why don’t we leave this discussion and just go to bed?”

  <>

  On Tuesday morning, Sam came in from walking the dog. As Leona handed him a cup of coffee, he said, “Lee, it looks like snow out there.”

  She laughed and then said, “You said that at Thanksgiving and we didn’t get much of anything.”

  “Well, I’m just saying that this could be the first snowstorm of the year.”

  “Breakfast is almost ready, Vinny go wake Molly and Jack.”

  “When did you teach him that?”

  “I didn’t. This is the first time that I’ve ever said it. I just wanted to see if he would.”

  Molly and Jack came into the kitchen and Jack asked, “Did someone send Vinny to wake us?”

  Sam told them, “Your mother did.”

  Molly asked, “Mom, did you teach him to do that?”

  She laughed and then said, “No I didn’t. I told him to wake the two of you and apparently he did.”

  “Mom, he’s a brilliant dog.”

  “He sure is Jack. Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”

  “Mom, what time is everyone getting here?”

  “I don’t know Jack. We didn’t set a specific time for anyone.”

  “That’s okay, Molly and I will keep an eye out. Can we sit in the living room so that we can see the cars as they pull in?”

  “Of course you can, but it’s really early. Your grandparents always call to ask if they can pick up something on their way. If you wait until that phone call, you’ll have plenty of time to get ready. Just make sure that you stop her before she rushes into the kitchen.”

  “If she does that it’s okay, because Grandpa moves slower and he’ll get the card from Vinny.”

  Leona laughed so hard that she nearly fell off her chair. “Jack, please don’t say that to either of your grandparents.”

  “I won’t, but it’s true.”

  “I know that it’s true, but I don’t want you to hurt either of your grandparents’ feelings.”

  “Okay Ma, I promise I won’t.”

  The house line rang. Leona winked at her son as she answered the phone, “Leona, its Bill, we’re getting re
ady to get on the road. Your mother wants to know if you need us to pick up anything.”

  “No dad, I have everything I need.”

  “I told your mother that, but she still insisted that I call and ask.”

  “That’s my mother.”

  They disconnected the call and Leona told her children, “Your grandparents are on their way.”

  Molly and Jack ran into the living room to watch through the window.

  Leona excused herself and ran into the mud room to howl with laughter. Her husband joined her and together they laughed until tears ran down their faces. Leona said, “Whatever our children concocted should be a hoot to watch.”

  They went back into the kitchen and stood strategically on either side of the kitchen doorway. The children were whispering about when to go into the foyer. When the heard the car’s engine turn off, they went to stand on either side of the door.

  Leona whispered to her husband, “I’m gonna pee in my pants.”

  They peeked just in time to see Nancy walk past the kids and the dog on her way to the kitchen. She saw that her daughter and son-in-law were peeking at something. They all heard Bill say, “Thank you Vinny and Happy New Year to everyone.”

  Leona and Sam couldn’t hold their laughter in any more, they both doubled over leaving Nancy confused.

  Bill entered the kitchen with the card. “The dog handed me this.”

  “Did you say that the dog handed you a card?”

  “Yes, I did, so read it.”

  She read the card and then asked, “This is such a nice card. Why were you laughing?”

  Leona said, “During breakfast this morning, Jack said that you would rush into the kitchen and not see them, but that dad moves slower and he would take the card from the dog.”

  She chuckled and then said, “Bill’s always telling to slow down and smell the roses because I just rush along.”

  Jack came to the kitchen, “Dad, there’s another car parking, can you come and take their coats?”

  It was Brian and Phil and they laughed when Vinny handed a card to each of them as Sam took their coats.

  Next was Bob and Ellie, who were amazed when Vinny handed them the card.