A Texas Family Reunion

by Judy Christenberry

  “Yeah, I am. Don’t you think I should?”

  “Oh, yes, if the price isn’t too high.”

  “Well, let’s go ask the agent how much they want.”

  Again they held hands as they came down the stairs. The agent waited for them.

  “Is there anything you want to look at again down here?”

  David smiled. “No, I want to know the asking price.”

  “Well, it’s a little high, but I think they’d take less.” She named a figure and stood there waiting for David’s response.

  After a minute David suggested they make an offer of ten thousand dollars less than what they were asking. The agent agreed.

  “There’s one other thing I want you to ask the seller,” David said. “My condo was burned in a fire and I don’t really have anywhere to live. So I’d like to rent the house until closing.”

  “What would you be willing to pay as rent?”

  David named a figure that seemed reasonable.

  “All right,” the agent said. “Hopefully I’ll have your answer tomorrow.”

  David smiled and squeezed Alex’s hand.

  HALF AN HOUR LATER, they’d picked up Alex’s car and were eating in a nearby restaurant. As they waited for the food they’d ordered, Alex said, “I think you made a great choice, David. That house is gorgeous.”

  “I agree.”

  “But what if they turn your offer down?”

  “Then I’ll raise the offer.”

  “Will you really, David? You really intend to buy this house?”

  “Yeah, I do. Are you prepared to help me furnish it?”

  “Oh, yes. It’ll be so much fun!”

  “I hope so, honey.”

  Over dinner, they discussed the kind of furnishings he wanted to buy. It seemed to Alex that he didn’t object to much that she suggested. She suddenly felt concerned that he wasn’t making any choices.

  “I can’t do this if you’re not going to tell me what you like, David!”

  He looked surprised. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you’re just accepting everything I’m saying! I can’t help you if you’re not going to tell me what you think.”

  “Honey, I’ll tell you if I don’t agree, but so far your choices are everything I like. What’s the point of arguing when I agree?”

  “You’re not just saying that?”

  “Nope. I’m working on being a happy family. Isn’t that what we learned about a family last Sunday?”

  “Yes, but it’s not something you can fake.”

  “I promise I’m not.”

  “Maybe I’d better wait until I see if you get the house. Otherwise, I’ll be so disappointed.”

  “That’s probably a good idea. Let’s just eat our dinner.”

  She said no more about furnishing. But she still thought about how she’d furnish every room.

  They went back to her place after they’d dined. Alex checked the answering machine and discovered she had messages. In the first one the feminine voice was sobbing so much, it took several seconds to identify it as Susan’s. Alex replayed the message from the start, and Susan’s only coherent words were that she was calling from her mother’s house.

  Alex dialed the number. Her own mother answered. “Mom, it’s Alex. Is Susan there?”

  “Well, yes, she’s here, but I’m not sure June wants you to talk to her.”

  “Mom, I’m going to talk to her. She left me a message. Can you get her to the phone or should I come over?”

  “Oh, no! Please don’t. I don’t want you and June to get in an argument.”

  “Then, see if you can get her to the phone.”

  “What’s up?” David asked as Alex waited.

  Alex shook her head. At last she heard her cousin’s voice. “Susan, what’s wrong?”

  Immediately Susan started crying again.

  “Suse, I can’t understand you.”

  David took the phone from Alex. “Susan, you have to stop crying if we’re to help you.”

  Between sobs Susan moaned, “No one can help me.”

  “Why are you at Mom’s?”

  “Because I…I gave up my place and was living with Pete. We came over here so I could introduce him to Mom and she threw a fit and Pete went away and I have no place else to go! Oh, David! It was awful.”

  “You were living with Pete?” David was clearly in shock.

  Alex took the phone back from David. “Where’s Pete now?”

  “He’s…he’s gone,” Susan sobbed.

  “I’ll be there in five minutes. Don’t worry. We’ll work things out.”

  She hung up the phone, grabbed her keys and purse and headed for the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to get Susan.”

  “Why? She’s already at Mom’s. She can stay there.”

  “Haven’t you learned anything from the Barlows? Family members help each other. You need to go to Pete’s. If he’s there, get Susan’s clothes so she can change clothes and go to work in the morning.”

  “Damn!” David exclaimed as she left.

  It took Alex ten minutes to get to her mother and Aunt June’s house, and when the door opened, Aunt June stood there glaring at her. “What are you doing here at this time of the night?”

  “It’s only a little after eight, Aunt June. I wanted to visit my mother.” She didn’t dare admit she was there for Susan. She suspected Aunt June would slam the door in her face.

  “She’s watching television,” Aunt June finally said, grudgingly stepping back and allowing her to enter. With Aunt June following, Alex went to the den, where their large-screen television was located. She greeted her mother, who shushed her because she was interrupting her favorite show.

  Alex sat quietly beside her mother. Gladys, her mother, wasn’t evil, as she believed her aunt June to be. Gladys was just set in her ways. But there were always commercials.

  When the first commercial came on, Alex asked about Susan.

  “She’s been crying so much June locked her in her room. Good thing. I could hardly hear the television.”

  “Locked her—” Words failed Alex. Her aunt’s cruelty seemed to know no bounds. “Where’s Aunt June now?”

  “She’s watching television in her bedroom. We don’t like the same shows on Monday nights.”

  “Good. Do you have a key to Susan’s room?”

  “No, of course not. That’s one of June’s rooms.”

  “All right. Thanks, Mom.” Alex left her mother’s side and moved down the hall to the room she guessed Susan must be in. It had been her childhood bedroom. She tapped lightly on the door. “Susan?” she whispered.

  “Alex?” Susan whispered in return.

  “Can you open the door?”

  “No, she locked it.”

  “Can you open a window?”

  “I…I haven’t tried. It’s cold out.”

  “My car is parked out front. If you can get out the window, come get in the car and I’ll take you to my place.”

  “Okay, I’ll try.”

  Alex detected hope in her cousin’s voice. She tiptoed back down the hall to the front door, opened it and went to her car. Once she’d started it and turned up the heater, she climbed out again and went around the house to the window of Susan’s room. She saw the window being raised, could see Susan. She waved and softly called encouragement. After all, it was a bit of a drop to the ground.

  Susan shimmied through the window, and Alex helped her down by gripping her around the thighs.

  “Come on, let’s get out of here,” Alex said, hotfooting it to the car. Susan was right behind her.

  Once they’d driven off, Alex began giggling.

  “What?” Susan asked.

  “I never thought I’d be involved in a p-prison break!”

  Her laugh was infectious and Susan began laughing, too.

  “Me, neither!” After a minute or two, Susan turned serious. “Thank you for coming to m
y rescue…and not saying ‘I told you so.’”

  Alex reached over and took her cousin’s hand. “We’re family, Susan. And you’re old enough to make your own decisions.”

  “And suffer the consequences, I guess.”

  Alex chuckled. “I guess so.”

  “The consequence is that Pete doesn’t want me anymore.”

  “Why didn’t you warn him about your mom?”

  “I thought she’d be better if taken by surprise and presented with a fait accompli—I was already living with Pete. Dumb, huh?”

  “Well, it’s pretty hard to believe your own mother is as prejudiced as she is.”

  “David didn’t have any problem believing it.”

  “He’s a man. I think they accept things as they see them. Women think they can change things. But I’m afraid Aunt June is a lost cause.”

  “Yes, I know that now.”

  “So why did Pete leave?”

  “He…he thought I believed the same as Mom because I didn’t follow him out. But I wanted to stay to tell her how wonderful Pete is. I thought I could bring her around.”

  “Oh, Susan. Well, don’t worry about it. You can stay with me as long as you want. And you’ll get a chance to explain things to Pete.”

  “I doubt it. He’ll probably fire me.”

  “If he does, maybe David can find you another job in a different department.”

  She’d reached her place. She hit the button to open the garage and pulled in. Then the two of them went up the stairs.

  When they entered the condo, they were both shocked to see Pete sitting at the kitchen table, having a cup of coffee with David.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Pete! What are you doing here?” Susan asked with a gasp. Then, before Pete could answer, she covered her face and ran for Alex’s bedrooms.

  Alex stood there, shocked by Susan’s behavior. Then she looked at David and Pete. “Well?”

  David spoke. “Pete wanted to know if Susan was okay, so he came here. He thought we’d know.”

  “You don’t hate her?” Alex asked Pete directly.

  “No, of course not. I felt bad that I’d left her there. I called to talk to her, but her…mother refused to call her to the phone. Why did she run out just now?”

  “I’ll go see if Susan will come and talk to us,” Alex said with a smile.

  When she opened the door to her bedroom, she found Susan sitting on her bed, tears streaming down her face. “Susan, Pete’s here because he was concerned about you and felt bad leaving you at your mother’s. He even called your mom and asked to talk to you. but she wouldn’t let him talk to you.”

  “He did?” Susan lifted her gaze to Alex’s.

  “Yes. And he wants to know why you ran past him just now.”

  “I didn’t want him to see I’d been crying.”

  Alex pulled Susan up from the bed. “Powder your nose and come to the kitchen.” She turned to go and then looked back at Susan. “If you’re not there in five minutes, I’m coming to drag you out there.”

  The men stopped talking when Alex came back into the kitchen.

  Then David asked, “Where’s Susan?”

  “She’s fixing her face. She didn’t want Pete to know she’d been crying. She’ll be out in a minute.”

  “Was her mother mean to her?” Pete asked.

  “She locked her in a bedroom and wouldn’t let her out.”

  David frowned. “I should’ve gone with you.”

  “Could you have changed her mind?” Alex asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Maybe not, but I think I could’ve shamed her into it.”

  “You’re as delusional as your sister.”

  “Come on, Alex, I am not!”

  “Did Susan say she thought her mother would accept me?” Pete asked.

  Susan was at the kitchen door. “Yes. I thought if I surprised her, she would accept you. And I didn’t follow you out at once because I thought I could talk her into liking you when I told her how wonderful you are.”

  Pete stood up and smiled at Susan. “I gather you weren’t able to.”

  “That’s right. She adores my sister, Janet’s, husband. He sleeps around on Janet, claiming overtime keeps him from home. He’s a stockbroker! Overtime, ha!”

  “Calm down, honey,” Pete said. “It’s not your fault. Are you doing all right? She didn’t hurt you?” Since he’d opened his arms to her while he asked his questions, Susan told him she was fine. He hugged her tightly to him.

  “I thought you hated me!” she exclaimed.

  “I was angry at your mother, but I never believed you thought like her. But when you didn’t follow me out, I decided you wanted to stay.”

  “After I tried to argue with her, she forced me into one of the bedrooms and locked the door. I had my cell phone with me and so I called Alex. That was all I knew to do.”

  “I’m beginning to think,” David said to Alex, “that we’re sadly in the way.”

  “They’ll just have to tolerate us—it’s my place. I’m going to make some hot chocolate. Does anyone else want some? David can tell you about the house he put in an offer for tonight.”

  “I’ll have some chocolate, Alex,” Susan said, taking a chair beside Pete’s. He sat, too. “David, tell us about your house!”

  “Pete and I will stick with coffee. Yeah, I put in an offer for a house. It’s wonderful. It has three regular bedrooms and a giant master bedroom.”

  “Is it two-story or one?” Susan asked.

  “Two-story, with a great backyard.”

  “That’s so we can buy a big dog,” Alex said.

  “We?” Pete asked.

  “Alex offered to pay for half the dog, so I said she could call it hers, too.”

  Pete gave David an odd look.

  Susan clapped her hands. “Can I chip in, too, and call it my dog, too?”

  “I’m sure David won’t mind,” Alex said with a laugh.

  “It’s all right, David,” Pete said. “We’re going to get a dog as soon as I can find us a house.”

  Pete’s words silenced everyone.

  Finally David asked, “Are you and Susan planning on a future…together?”

  “I am. I hope she is, too.”

  “Oh, I am,” Susan said, leaning over to give Pete a kiss. “And we can have a dog, too? Oh, I love you so much, Pete.”

  “Yes, but are you planning on marrying? As her brother, I have to ask.”

  “Yes, of course!” Pete replied, seemingly surprised by David’s question. “Why would you think otherwise?”

  “Well, the two of you were sleeping together without any mention of marriage.”

  “Maybe not to you, but that’s the reason I went to meet her mom.”

  “Well, if that didn’t scare you away, welcome to the family,” David said, extending his hand. Pete got up and shook it with a grin.

  Alex stepped forward and kissed Pete’s cheek. “Welcome to the family.”

  “Thanks to both of you.”

  The four sipped their drinks and chatted companionably for the next thirty minutes or so until Pete said, “Well, I think it’s time we let you get to bed. Ready, Susan?”

  “Yes,” Susan said, clutching his hand as he led her to the door. But before they left, she turned to hug Alex. “You truly are my family, Alex. Without you, I’d still be in my mother’s house, believing my life was ruined.”

  “I’m glad I could be there for you. And maybe one day you’ll be there for me, too. That’s what family is for.”

  Susan smiled and nodded. Then she took Pete’s hand again and said, “I’m ready.”

  Alex and David followed them to the door and stood watching as Pete, after a brief kiss, helped Susan into the car and then got in behind the wheel and drove away.

  “That was sweet, wasn’t it,” Alex said sadly.

  “Yes, it was. So why do you sound sad?”

  “Nothing,” Alex said, turning away and closing the door.


  David followed her as she went back in the kitchen. Before he could speak, the phone rang. She motioned for him to answer it as she cleaned off the table.

  When he did, he discovered his mother on the line. “David? What are you doing at Alex’s?”

  “I’m living here temporarily because my condo burned down.”

  “What? You can’t do that. You know you’re not really related, don’t you? I mean, we adopted you!”

  “Gee, thanks, Mom, I didn’t know.”

  “Oh, I should’ve told you. It never occurred to me that you would be attracted to Alex. She’s so…so independent.”

  “Yes, she is. By the way, did I mention my condo burned down?”

  “Yes, you did. I’m looking for Susan.”

  “Why?”

  “Because…because I’ve lost her.”

  “Haven’t you noticed that she has her own place? I believe it’s been two years now.”

  “I tried there. The phone’s been disconnected.”

  “Well, don’t worry. I’m sure she’s all right.”

  “Let me talk to Alex.”

  “She’s busy.” He didn’t want his mother to disturb Alex.

  “I insist!”

  Alex took the phone from David even as he protested.

  “Hello, Aunt June.”

  “Bring my daughter back here! I know you took her!”

  Calmly, Alex said, “Yes, I did. It was either that or call the police. You see, you’re not allowed to hold an adult against his or her will. I thought you would prefer that I just help her out rather than cause a scandal.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!”

  “I’m afraid I would. I was a cop, you know.”

  “Your mother would never forgive you!”

  Alex smiled. “I think she would. I’m afraid she’d hardly notice the stir, except that it might interrupt one of her favorite shows.”

  “Just don’t bother to come over here again!”

  “I’ll be over to see my mother whenever I please. But don’t worry. We’ll go out.”

  “Good!” Aunt June declared, and hung up the phone.

  “You didn’t tell her where Susan is?”

  “No, I didn’t. When she realized she’d almost been arrested, she forgot all about Susan.”

  “That was brilliant, honey. We may not hear from her for several weeks.”

  “Unless her plumbing stops up,” Alex said with a smile.