Party

‘I know exactly what I’m going to wear, Cake,” Melissa dashed up the stairs with her sister right behind her. 

The entire family had converged on Miller’s Bluff once again for a Christening party for the two new grandchildren.  It was early May and Victoria Koenig and Geoff Carter were four months old and their grandmother had deemed them ready to be introduced formally to her wide circle of friends.  The outdoor reception tomorrow would be a big formal affair and the caterers were already at work setting up tables near the poolside and bringing in extra potted plants.  Flowers and food would be set out early tomorrow. 

Today had been a day for family business.  The family attorney had joined the family for a noontime dinner, then they had all retired to the den to sign some paperwork and add both children to the family trust.  Helena and Melissa would be the legal guardians for their respective children’s portion of the trust until the two came of age.  “Uncle Jack” as both girls called the family’s long-time friend and retainer had also made sure each family member had wills, and living wills.  The Koenigs and the Carters had each filled out long questionnaires a month before hand and the final paperwork had been presented to each for signature today.  Before leaving, Jack Hastings had mentioned that his grandson had formed a small band and they would be performing at a honky-tonk up in Mason all weekend. 

Alan Carter had immediately turned to his wife and asked her if she would like to go dancing, knowing the response would be an enthusiastic ‘yes’.  Susan Thompson was holding her granddaughter, whom everyone was already calling Tori, and Robert had a firm grip on his grandson Geoff.  They both volunteered immediately for baby-sitting duty, and John and Helena quickly agreed to go dancing as well.  Melissa had kissed both her parents and practically pulled her sister out of the room in her haste to get ready to go out.

Both sisters had worked hard over the last few months to return to the size four jeans they were once again wearing.  Melissa ran two miles a day, swam, and did a half-hour of yoga.  Helena devoted herself to jazzercise at the gym and a daily workout program.  Melissa pulled Helena into her bedroom and opened up her wardrobe.

“Alan brought home this dress for me the other day.  He thought I could wear it to the party, and I had to be very diplomatic to let him know it wasn’t quite appropriate for tomorrow.  His idea and Mom’s idea of a party are not anywhere near the same.”  She pulled out a short dress that would definitely be tight even on her slim figure.  It was bright red with an overlay of black lace and long black lace sleeves.  Low cut in front and back, her sister could see that it would be a challenge just staying in the dress.

“Does it fit?”  she asked skeptically.

“Barely.  I’m back in my jeans, but my bra cup size is still double D from nursing that hungry little monster of mine.  And my does Alan love that!”

Helena cleared her throat.  “I, ah, noticed that.  Alan’s eyes seem constantly to be looking a bit lower than normal.”

Melissa laughed and pulled another dress out of the closet.  “See if this one will fit you.  I was already hoping we might find some time to go out and just be girls again instead of ‘mommy-things’” This one was a bit more conservative—for Melissa.  It was a dark blue velour with a high neck in front, and a low-cut back.  There were silver sequins in a pattern around the neckline and the sleeves.  “Go on, try it on,” she urged.

Helena smiled and began to unbutton her blouse.  Melissa collapsed into a wicker rocking chair.  “Oh, this will be so much fun!  I feel like I haven’t been out in ages!”

“You said you and Alan had been out a couple of times.  Is everything all right?”  Helena had been concerned that her active and independent sister might come to regret parenthood, even though Melissa seemed to be very taken with her young son.

“We’ve been to dinner, and to a couple of movies.  But I always had to be back pretty quick to feed Geoff.  And even before he was born we had to stop going dancing because I just wasn’t up to it, carrying all that extra weight around.  He’s finally starting to sleep through the night, the greedy little devil.”

“I thought I would throw my own party the first morning I woke up and found we had slept all the way through the night,” Helena replied with a smile.  “Of course, since Tori is on formula, she did that about a month ago.  She can eat more at a time.”

Melissa nodded.  “We started feeding Geoff some cereal last week, right before putting him down in the evening.  That staves off starvation until dawn.  It’s marvelous.  But I don’t regret these,” she indicated her full breasts that strained against the fabric of her t-shirt.  “They certainly turn Alan on in a big, big way.  He can’t keep his eyes off them, or his hands,” she said with a certain smug satisfaction.  She reached up to zip the back of the dress for her sister.  “It fits!”

Helena walked over to the full-length mirror on a stand in the corner.  She turned one way and the other.  It did fit, quite well.  She liked the way the material moved with her, and the way her back was bare from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.  “I like this, Mel.  I may have to borrow it from you for a while.”

Melissa waved a hand.  “Go ahead.  At the moment, I have too much up front for it to hang correctly.”  She moved behind her sister and pulled at her hair.  Both were wearing their hair in its natural shade of honey gold.  “I need to do something with this, and my nails.  I wonder if Mom’s hairdresser could fit us in this afternoon?”

“I think Mother is going in around three.  We could call and go in with her.”

“Excellent!  Oh this is wonderful.  The party tomorrow will be nice and everything, but that’s about the kids and Mom showing them off.  Tonight we are the party!”  She hooked her arm with her sister and they both laughed.

Just before nine that night, the two sisters were standing in front of the mirror again, but dressed, coifed and ready.  Helena was wearing blue, the dress; a sapphire necklace borrowed from her mother and diamond stud earrings that John had given her at Christmas.  Melissa was in red and black, ruby anklet sparkling above black velvet sandals, a ruby and diamond tennis bracelet, and ruby earrings.  When their mother had loaned Helena the necklace, she had also handed Melissa a ruby ring surrounded with tiny pearls that had been her grandmother’s.  Alan’s diamond was on her left hand, the ruby on her right. 

“Do you think I’m going to fall out of this thing?”  Melissa asked her sister, adjusting her tight dress again.

“I’d be careful how I danced if I were you.” Helena cautioned, looking at her sister’s chest. 

“Oh, I intend to dance like a wild woman.  I think Alan is betting I’ll fall out.  When I came up here to feed Geoff before getting dressed, he was asking if I were going to wear this dress and said he’d be watching me.  He was getting a hard on just thinking about me in that dress.  I may have to take him out to the car and blow him after we’ve danced a while.”

“Melissa!”

“What, is?  You think I haven’t blown him before?”  Melissa laughed and turned to gather up her purse and a slinky black crocheted wrap. “Look, I do love the baby, and have found a domesticated side of me that I didn’t even know existed.  But I’m quite anxious to have a night where I can relax and just be me again.  Okay?”

“Well, if you two decide you need to… have some privacy, be sure to let me know so I don’t think you’re ready to leave and we come out and interrupt you,” Helena said with a fond smile. 

“It’s a deal,” Melissa said.    

  The rental Chrysler 300 flew down the Texas highway.  Melissa was almost bouncing in her seat with excitement.  “I haven’t been to the Rusty Nail in ages.”

“When we were teens,” Helena explained from her husband’s arms in the back seat, “She was a regular.”

“Your grandparents let you go there when you were a teen?”  John asked.

“Not officially.  She would climb out her bedroom window after they went to bed and either steal the old pickup or hike down to the highway and catch a ride with someone,” Helena explained.

Both men laughed along with Melissa and Helena.

“Did you ever go too, Helena?”  Alan had to ask.

Occasionally.  Usually she left me behind to cover for her.  Once we had drivers licenses and were dating we both went quite a bit.”

Melissa turned around to face her brother in law.  “John I thought you were going to choke this afternoon when Jack handed out the form for the trust fund.  Didn’t Cake warn you about that stuff?”

John shrugged.  “It suddenly hit me how much money it represented.  Helena told me about the family trust, and how it would take care of Tori’s education, but we didn’t talk about specific amounts.”

“As Mel explained it to me,” Alan said, eyes still on the road, but moving his right hand to caress Melissa’s thigh.  “The trust fund covers all expenses for college, or any private schooling, tutoring or lessons.  When they go off to college, it even includes living expenses and transportation.”

“I had a new convertible every year,” Melissa said smugly.  “It was a great incentive to stay in school.”

“You hated school,” Helena reminded her.

“But I loved the cars!” Melissa returned.

“Our grandparents’ trust would have also established us in business if we needed it.  If I had wanted to go into private practice, I could have done so.  Mel, you used it for that, didn’t you?”

“It’s not quite the same as the education clause.  You have to pay it back once the business begins to make a profit.  It’s almost like borrowing from a 401K though, you don’t have to qualify, just prove expenditures, and it was zero interest, I just paid back the principal.”

“Very generous,” John said thoughtfully.  “Does this one do the same thing?”

“Basically.  When Grandma and Granddad both died, everything went to Mother.”  Melissa explained.  “Granddad’s last slap in the face to Dad from beyond the grave.  The will was very specific about the inheritance, and what Mom could and could not do if it involved Dad.”

“The will was almost embarrassing to read,” Helena added.  “We knew he didn’t like Daddy, but this made it sound like Daddy married Mother for her money.”

“But good old Dad outfoxed him and made his own money.  Enough for Mom and Dad to work around the will and set up a family trust of their own.  Dad can’t ever own Miller’s Bluff personally, but it remains in the family through the trust.  I think, though, they were getting a bit anxious about who would inherit it from them,” Melissa said.

“Especially when you stole a spaceship and headed off after us,” Alan said, reaching out to touch Melissa’s cheek.

Helena shuddered.  “Now that we have Tori, it hits me how much they must have suffered from Breakaway.  And you leaving too…” she trailed off, it was too horrible to think about.

“But,” Melissa reminded them, with optimism.  “It all worked out all right.  We’re all back, and we have two new heirs for them.  Time to celebrate!” 

She turned back around.  They were coming into the outskirts of Mason, and she directed them to the Rusty Nail, a decades old rambling building.  Parts of it were wood frame and others were concrete block.  There were plenty of cars of all description parked around it, and as soon as they pulled in and opened the doors they could hear the bass from the band.

As they exited the car John clapped Alan on the shoulder.  “My turn to be the designated driver.”

Alan tossed him the keys without hesitation.  “You are a good friend.  The tab is mine tonight.”  He put his arm around Melissa’s waist and the Carters led the way.

They picked out a booth in the back and ordered drinks.  Helena chose white wine, and John ordered a glass for himself to nurse for the evening.  Melissa ordered Margaritas for herself and her husband, then pulled him out onto the dance floor before the waiter had reached the bar.  Helena and John could see the dance floor from their dark corner, and Helena settled back into her husband’s arms. 

“I wonder if we should start a pool,” she murmured.

“A pool?” John asked.

“Take bets on how long before she bounces out of that dress,” Helena explained, amused.  Melissa was moving around the dance floor energetically, and the dress was strained to the max.

John watched for a moment, also noticing how captivated Alan was by Melissa’s movement.  “I think he’s hoping she does,” he chuckled.  He shook his head and turned to his wife.  Sometimes he was uncomfortable looking at her twin, watching the sensuous, seductive looks Melissa gave her husband while looking so very much like Helena.  He lifted his glass to his wife.  “To us.  You look beautiful tonight, Helena.”

“Thank you, darling.”  She touched her glass to his.

“Care to dance?”  He asked.

“This isn’t exactly my kind of music.  Let’s wait for the next song.”

They relaxed in their dark booth and enjoyed being together. 

The next dance John held out his hand to Helena and she took it.  They moved out onto the floor together, passing the Carters who were heading for their drinks. 

The music was loud, the drinks were strong and the crowd was rowdy.  John and Helena retreated to the booth for most of the time, and the Carters stayed out on the floor, coming back to the table only long enough to drain their Margaritas and order more.  After about three dances, Helena was more than happy to sit close to her husband and enjoy the chance to be together without wondering if the baby was going to wake up.

“What are you thinking?”  John murmured into her ear.  Conversation wasn’t exactly easy with the loud music.

Helena shifted in his embrace.  “I’m thinking that they don’t really have much chocolate on the menu.”

John leaned back and eyed her cautiously.  “Are you in need of chocolate?”

Helena smiled and pulled him closer.  “Not in need, exactly.  Just, willing to partake.”

John laughed at her.  “I’d take you somewhere else, if I knew of any place.”  He eyed Alan and Melissa on the floor.  “They’d never know we left.”

“The Dairy Queen is only a block or so away.  And it’s a beautiful night…”

“Are we a little overdressed?” 

“I don’t care,” Helena said.

The song ended and the Carters returned to the table.  Alan signaled for another round as he sat down.

“Helena wants ice cream,” John said as the other couple sat down.

“Do they have that on the menu?” Alan asked.

John shook his head.  “We’ll be back later, okay?”

Melissa waved and scooted closer to her husband. 

“We’ll be right here, mate.”  Alan said, arms around Melissa.

Helena and John slid out of the booth and headed for the door.  Melissa barely noticed them leaving.  They sipped their drinks and held each other close.  Melissa shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. 

“What’s wrong, love?”

“Must be after eleven.”

Alan checked his watch.  “You’re right.  How did you know?”

“I usually feed Geoff around eleven.  It’s getting awfully tight in here.”  Melissa winced.  Just thinking about feeding the baby was enough to bring her milk down. 

Alan nuzzled her neck.  “I could volunteer to help out.”

She turned toward him, her hand moving up his thigh under the table.  “You’d like that a lot, wouldn’t you, flyboy?”  She shifted so her husband could enjoy a view of her cleavage. 

“You know I would, love.”

“Let’s go out to the car, and we can… negotiate.” 

“John just took the keys,” Alan said with regret.

Melissa looked around with a sigh.  “Well, let’s go dance and we’ll think about it.”

“I’m thinking about it a lot, honey.  Especially the way you dance.”

“Flatterer,” she said, holding her hand out as she stood.  “Come on, flyboy.”

They danced, but Melissa’s idea of dancing was not conducive to cooling her husband off.  She danced specifically for him.  Graceful, sensual, and hot for her husband, both wanted someplace more private.  At the end of the next set, Melissa spied a familiar door and took Alan’s hand.  She smiled as he pointed out the ‘Employees Only’ sign on the door, and tugged him into the dark hallway. 

She pulled him to her and kissed him passionately.  “I need some relief, flyboy,” she murmured into his ear.

“You and me both, love,” he said as he pressed up against her. 

“Ohhh, yeah.”  She pressed her hips against him, encouraging his caresses.

“Not in a hallway, love.”

She took his hand and led him down the dark hall then through a door.  The room was an office, paneled with thick knotty pine boards.  There was plush carpet on the floor, and photos on the wall of unknown athletes and men in suits, shaking hands with a tall skinny character.  The background in all the pictures was either the interior or the exterior of the Rusty Nail.  There was a solid oak desk at one end of the room, and a wet bar at the other end.  Two overstuffed armchairs sat on either side of an old potbelly stove, which looked as if it hadn’t held firewood in decades.  Melissa kissed Alan again hungrily.

Alan kissed back, careful of Melissa’s tender breasts.  He unzipped her dress to give her more breathing space.  “You sure this is okay?”

“I’ve known Teddy for years,” Melissa said pointing out the man in the pictures on the wall.  “He’s not even here tonight.  I would have seen him.”

Alan trailed kisses down her neck and over her enlarged breasts.  “Oh, love, I want you so much.”

Melissa reached down to his crotch, caressing him through his pants.  She reached for the zipper, lowering it so slowly he groaned.  His lips sought out her taut nipples.  “Oh, honey, please!”

“Mmmm, I seem to have left my underwear at home, flyboy.”

His hands moved to her hips, and he treated her breasts with a reverent respect, relieving the pressure building up there, knowing that Mel would be relieving his own pressure soon.

Melissa’s hand slipped inside his fly, caressing his hardness gently.  “Oh, Alan!”

The commotion outside the door penetrated their concentration slowly. 

“---robbing me blind!”  They heard as the door banged open. 

There wasn’t anyplace to hide.  Or any time.  Alan reacted as quickly as his tequila-soaked reflexes would let him, straightening, and pulling his wife’s dress back over her breasts as he did so. 

“Melissa!”

“Peter!”

A short stocky Hispanic man stood in the doorway, white linen apron tied around his hips.  Next to him was a tall deputy sheriff with a large nose that appeared to have been broken several times. 

“What are you doing here?” the deputy and Melissa asked at the same time.  The deputy’s eyebrow went up and Melissa sheepishly pulled her hand out of Alan’s pants.

“Honey, Teddy doesn’t own the place anymore,” Deputy Peter said, almost gently in a slow Texas drawl that indicated he was already seeing the humor in the situation.  He turned toward the other man.  “Mr. Gonzales, I can assure you that Ms. Thompson here wasn’t trying to rob you.” 

“I want her arrested.  For trespassing, or being indecent, or something!”  Mr. Gonzales was far from placated.  “And how do you know she wasn’t trying to rob me after she had her fun!”  He sputtered.

“Mr. Gonzales, Ms. Thompson’s family has been here for generations.  I’ve known her since she was a teenager.  She has no need of robbing anyone.”  Peter took the other man’s elbow, turning him enough to let Alan and Melissa put their clothing back together.  “You’ve heard of Miller’s Bluff?  Robert Thompson’s place?”  The man nodded.  “Well, this is his daughter.  She’s been coming to the Rusty Nail for years whenever she was in town.  And she’s always been a special friend of Teddy Niblack here.”  He indicated the man in the photos. 

Melissa stepped forward.  “Yes, I didn’t realize… I didn’t see Teddy here, and didn’t think he’d mind if we came back here for a few minutes to… cool off.”

“Well,” Mr. Gonzales said.  “Mr. Niblack isn’t here any more, and you need to go somewhere else to do your… cooling off.”

“Sure, we’ll just pay our tab, and go,” Alan said, finally recovering from the shock. 

“You do that.  You have five minutes, then the Deputy will walk you out.”  He turned and nodded at the deputy, who nodded back.

Alan ushered Melissa out of the office and down the hallway.  The two men followed them.  Alan flagged down the waiter and handed him his credit card.  The waiter moved back to the bar and the four stood in awkward silence.  Mr. Gonzales wasn’t leaving them, and he was watching the large antique clock above the bar.  It seemed to take forever for the waiter to return with the slip for Alan to sign.  Mr. Gonzales walked the three of them to the door and opened it for them.  They walked through silently, and he closed it behind them.  They stood on the sidewalk for a moment in silence, listening to the thump thump of the music they had left behind.

Alan ran his hand through his hair and shook his head.  “One thing is certain, love.  You do keep my life exciting.”

Standing on the other side of Melissa, the Deputy said, “Are you actually married to this Texas Tornado?”

“That’s right, mate,” Alan nodded, eyeing his wife fondly.

“Peter, this is Alan Carter, my husband,” Melissa said belatedly.

Peter held out his hand, “Pleased to meet you.”  He turned to Melissa.  “You are one lucky girl.  Mr. Gonzales keeps a sawed off shotgun behind the bar.  If I hadn’t stopped by for a cup of coffee, he probably would have gone in there shooting instead of bringing me.”  He glanced back.  “in fact, we should be moving on.  Where are you parked?”  He looked at both of them intently.  “I’m not going to be forced to bring you in on a DUI am I?”

Melissa offered.  “My sister’s husband has the keys.”

“Are they back in there?” Peter hooked his thumb behind him.

Alan shook his head.  “Helena wanted ice cream so they walked down to the Dairy Queen.”

Peter motioned toward his car.  “Get in, I’ll drive you down there.  Don’t want Mr. Gonzales deciding you’re still trespassing and coming after you with the gun.”

He packed them into the back of the cruiser and they drove off.  Peter asked Melissa what she’d been up to.  Alan was amazed that he seemed to know who she was, but had no idea where she’d been or what she’d done recently.  But perhaps a law enforcement officer had been preoccupied by other things at the time of Breakaway than where his childhood friends were.  Melissa chatted vaguely with him.  Her trip to the moon was seldom a topic of conversation that she liked to pursue.  Peter pulled in to the Dairy Queen parking lot.  He spotted Helena through the window and got out of the car. 

“Hey, Peter!  There’s no door handle in here.”  Melissa said when she tried to get out. 

Peter leaned back into the car.  “I figure you’re safe in there, honey.  I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Peter!  Pete!”  Melissa pounded on the window as Peter walked away from the car.

She turned to Alan.  “What do you think about that?”

“I think he’s probably right,” Alan rubbed his temples and leaning back against the seat.

Melissa fumed for a few seconds, then looked around and turned to her husband.  “Ever done it in a cop car?” she asked speculatively.

Peter opened the door to the Dairy Queen and headed straight for the table where John and Helena were finishing their sundaes.  The two were enjoying the desert and the conversation. 

“Helena?”

“Peter Duncan!  I haven’t seen you in years!”  Helena held out her hand to the deputy.

“It’s good to see you too.” 

“I’d like you to meet my husband, John Koenig.”

Peter shook John’s hand and took the chair they offered him.  “I just saw Melissa and her husband,” Peter began hesitantly.

“Were they behaving themselves?”  Helena asked, amused. 

“Oh, you know Melissa,” Peter drawled. 

Helena put down her spoon.  “What’s wrong?”

“Well, there was a little problem…”

“Are they all right?” John asked, concerned.

“Oh yeah, they’re fine now.  It seems Melissa decided to slip into the back office with her husband, to… um… cool off.”

“Oh my lord!”

“Well, you know how Teddy was,” Peter said.  “That sort of thing never phased him.  And he was hardly ever in the office anyway.  He was always out by the bar.”

“What happened?”  Helena said, her voice turned steely.

“Teddy sold the place to someone out of Galveston about a year or so ago.  Mr. Gonzales thought they were trying to rob him, and got me to go back to the office with him.  We, um, kind of walked in on them.  Mr. Gonzales was not happy.  He insisted I escort them out.  Wanted them arrested, but I didn’t want to go that far.”  He shrugged.  “You know Melissa.”

“Where is she?”

John winced at the tone in his wife’s voice. 

“They’re in the back seat of my car.  I thought it best to get them out of there, and they said you had the keys to the car.”

Helena stood and walked out.   She headed straight for the police cruiser.  She opened the door and Melissa and Alan slid out.  Helena dismissed Alan with one glare and he headed quickly inside.   Alan glanced at the men at the table, ordered two coffees at the counter and joined them.  He put one coffee down in front of Peter.  “I figure I owe you one, mate.”

Peter just nodded, fascinated by the scene outside the window.  The three men watched as Helena and Melissa shouted, pointed and gestured. 

“Kind of like watching some weird mirror dance, isn’t it?”  Alan said quietly.

“But I don’t want to turn up the volume,” John nodded, agreeing.  His wife was pointing at Melissa and talking nonstop. 

Peter shook his head.  “Chick fights.  They’re the worst.  I hate trying to break them up.  You don’t think they’ll come to blows do you?”

“Probably not,” John reassured him.  “We’ll let them blow off some steam, then we’ll go out there and separate them.”

Alan cleared his throat, “You mean, you and me?”

John spoke sharply. “We’ve just barely managed to keep you and Melissa out of jail thanks to Peter here.  I think we should make the effort to keep things that way.”

Alan sighed and nodded.

“And if you think Helena is mad, think about what Susan would be like if we had to go bail the girls out in the morning before the party.  Or Robert.”

Alan winced.  “Okay, you’ve convinced me.”

John finished the sundae he was eating; keeping an eye on the women outside who still hadn’t slowed down.  Fortunately, there were few people in the Dairy Queen at nearly midnight.  A few teenagers sat at a table in the back, not interested in the older people’s troubles, and a cowboy sat at a booth on the other side of the dining area, flirting with one of the workers behind the counter.  He waited until Alan had drained the small Styrofoam cup of coffee then said, “Okay.  I’m sure Peter needs to get back to work.  Helena and I will go get the car while you cool Melissa off.  We’ll come back and pick you up.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“And Carter, keep your hands to yourself for a little while.”  John growled in a good imitation of his father-in-law.  Alan grinned and threw a balled up paper napkin at him. 

John walked out the door and straight to his wife.  He took her elbow and turned her gently.  “It’s time to head home.  You and I will go get the car.”  His tone was his ‘Commander’ voice.  Melissa looked about to protest, but John silenced her with one commanding glare.  Helena also remained silent and turned without another word and walked away with him. Peter stayed with Melissa and Alan while John and Helena walked back to the car. 

The ride home was a quiet one.  Helena spoke once without turning around.  “None of us will mention this to Mother or Daddy.”  There was a chorus of monosyllabic agreement and the journey back to Miller’s Bluff continued in silence.

At Miller’s Bluff, the house was quiet and John and Helena headed straight for their room.  Alan peeked in the nursery at the babies in their matching cribs.  Both were sleeping soundly.  Melissa had already slipped into bed by the time Alan reached their bedroom.  He joined her quickly and turned out the lights.  She lay her head on his shoulder and they lay in silence for a few moments.

“I’m sorry, Alan,” she said in a small voice.

He turned and held her.  “Don’t apologize to me, love.  I’m every bit as guilty as you are.”

“Well, I’m not apologizing to my sister.  She had no right to fuss at me like that!”

“She may not see it that way.  I do suggest you make your peace with her before the party tomorrow.”  He stroked her hair.  “Hey, you and she are always so close.  Don’t let something silly like this come between you.”

Melissa sighed.  “Yeah.  I know.  And I think she always had a kind of crush on Peter.  He had a crush on me, and I just ruled him.”

“You know, I like Peter.  And I think that in order to keep it that way, the less I know about your past with him, the better.”

She smiled and kissed him.  “All right.  I won’t say any more.”  She shifted slightly.  “My breasts still hurt.”

“Well, we can do something about that now,” Alan said, giving her a long slow kiss.

“Alan, I want you,” she whispered in his ear.

He was trailing kisses down her neck, headed for her breasts.  He looked up and grinned, then reached over for the nightstand.  It wasn’t their nightstand; they weren’t at home.  “Did you pack any condoms love?”

“I don’t want a condom,” she whispered huskily.  “I want you inside me.”

“Mel—“

“I’m nursing, Alan, remember?”

“Oh, yeah, I remember that.”

“I haven’t even had a period yet.” 

Her hands were encouraging him and he didn’t need much encouragement.  He loved her gently and thoroughly.  They took their time, knowing the party wasn’t until afternoon and they would have plenty of time.

On the other side of the bathroom, Helena stalked around the small space of her bedroom breathing heavily with hands on hips.  “I can’t believe they did that!  Do you have any idea how embarrassing this whole incident is?”  John moved his pillow so he could sit up in bed and listened indulgently as his wife ranted and raved about her sister.  They had crawled in bed moments earlier but sounds coming from the other room had only caused Helena’s anger to return. Throwing the covers back, she had bolted from the bed in a huff.  John knew that anything he said in comfort would be misinterpreted so he remained silent. He had to struggle not to smile as he watched her pace the room like a caged animal.  They had been together a long time and his pacing habit had rubbed off on her, along with his habit of combining choice curse words.  He covered his mouth to hide a grin when in her anger she repeated several of his more offensive phrases.

Finally exhausted, she collapsed on the bed next to him.  “Helena…” 

She held up her hand and stopped him from continuing.  “Don’t say anything.  It’s not your fault.” 

Without saying a word, John leaned over and kissed her fingers, his eyes held her gently.  It broke her resolve and she started to cry.   “Oh honey,” he said softly.  “Come here.”  She moved into his arms, her head nestled on his chest.  “Shh…It’s over now.” 

He stroked her back as she sobbed against his chest.  On Alpha, he’d watched her deal with confrontations almost daily, handling them with ease.  But this fight was different, it was family.  Those situations seemed to be harder for her to bear.  The last time she was this distraught was when Robert confessed to bribing Harris to keep them apart.  Then and now, John did the only thing he could, he just held her. As her sobbing stopped, John pulled her closer to him.  “Honey, it’s over.  We are all here, safe and sound.”  Helena remained quiet.  “Tomorrow, you can talk to her about this.  You’ll work it out.”      

The Sun rose on Miller’s Bluff revealing a sunny but cool Texas day. A sweeping cold front had pushed through Texas overnight bringing with it cooler temperatures and lower humidity.  The Thompsons were up early and very happy to discover the temperatures were going to be pleasant. Robert were sitting out on the veranda watching his wife command the caterers with the iron fist of any wartime general.  She was truly in her element. On occasion, he’d teased her about it. But in reality, she was the ultimate party planner and hostess. 

Dressed in her jeans and one of his old shirts, Susan pointed and directed the florist to the exactly locations she expected to find her centerpieces come party time.  White patio tables covered with blue and pink tablecloths surrounded the pool area.  Susan had insisted on using fresh flowers, and the smell of Magnolias and Gardenias filled the air.  In fact, Magnolias and Gardenias were everywhere, some were floating in the pool, and others were sitting in the middle of the patio tables.  There were even Magnolia leaves around serving plates on the buffet. Robert watched is wife and the Florist.  Poor Bastard, he thought.  He screws up one arrangement and she’ll be all over him.  Amused by his thoughts, Robert failed to hear Maggie approach from behind. 

“She’s at it again.”  Maggie said with a laugh.

Robert pointed toward the pool.  “I think she’s gone and purchased every Magnolia and Gardenia West of the Mississippi.  They’re everywhere.” 

“Well, it certainly smells good out here.”  Maggie said.

“Here sit with me, let’s watch the Mistress of Miller’s Bluff in all her glory.”  Robert pulled the chair next to him out and offered it to Maggie.

“I wish I could but she decided this morning to use the glass dessert plates instead of the fancy plastic ones. And of course, she wants the glass ones washed first.”

Robert chuckled.  “She finally made a decision on that, huh?  I saw her corner Helena about that yesterday.  Poor Helena, you know what a pain in the ass Susan can be when she’s planning a big party.  Always wanting every detail to be perfect.”

Maggie smiled. “I think Miss Susan was glad to have Helena here.  They seem to share the same sense of style as well as the same tenets of social responsibility.

 “Uh-oh.  Here she comes, Maggie. Better get back inside while you can. She’s got that look about her.  The one that says ‘there’s a ton of things to be done and you’re just sitting here on your butt doing nothing when you could be helping me.’”

“Robert,” Susan called with a measured voice as she neared the patio.  “Could you please moved that ugly old truck of yours out of sight?  God knows that’s the last thing I want our friends to see.”

“Woman, there’s nothing wrong with that truck.  Our friends see it all the time when I drive it into town.”

Susan stood and put her hands on her hips and stared right at him.

Robert exhaled sharply.  “Okay, Okay I’ll move it later.”

Susan didn’t say a word only stood there staring at him.

“Well, can I at least finish my coffee first?”

His wife didn’t move or say anything, simply stood there.

Maggie cracked a smile as she watched the little scene in front of her.  She’d realized long ago that when Susan wanted something done, she wanted it done right then or she wouldn’t have asked. She wondered if Robert knew that and just procrastinated to piss Susan off or if even after 40 years of marriage he still hadn’t figured it out.

“Shit!”  Robert pushed back from the table and walked past her mumbling something under his breath about who wore the pants in this family.  He was on his way to move that truck.

Susan pushed that chair back under the table and slipped her arm around Maggie's shoulders and they walked back inside the house.  “Are those plates washed yet?”

“They’re in the dishwasher.”   

 “Great.  Are the children up yet?”

“I think Helena and John are up but I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Missy and her fellow.”

“And we probably won’t for awhile.  She took Alan over to the Rusty Nail last night and I don’t think they got in until early this morning.”

“Well, little Geoff’s supplemental bottle is missing so one of them has been up and fed the baby.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”  Susan laughed. “We kept the baby monitor in our room last night.  I think Robert was up with him around daybreak.  He’s totally in love with his grandson.”

The women entered the kitchen to find John and Helena eating muffins and cooing over Victoria.

“Well, I’m glad to see you two make it back in one piece.”  Susan said as she picked up Victoria from her carrier.  “Did you have a good time?”

Helena glanced across the table at John.  “Yes, we did. It was nice to have a night out. Thanks for watching her Mom.” Helena said.  Her eyes never leaving John’s. They had agreed to keep Alan and Melissa’s exploits to themselves.

Susan looked down at her Victoria.  Speaking in her best baby voice she said.  “It’s what Grammas are for.  And today, Gramma’s got a big surprise for her little princess.  Yes, I do you little sweet baby you.   Gramma bought her little Tori a beautiful dress to wear today.”

“Mom, you didn’t have to do that.  I brought her something to wear.” Helena said with amusement as she watched her mother dote over Victoria.

“Well, Gramma wanted to see her little girl dressed in ruffles and bows.” She said still using her baby voice and not taking her eyes off Tori. “She also bought her little Geoffy a nice blue outfit.  Yes, she did.” She cooed.

Robert entered the kitchen still in a huff.  “Well, woman.  My ugly old truck is now hidden in the barn.”

Susan looked up at Robert and smiled.  She held Tori up so that she too was looking at Robert.  “Pay attention, this is your first lesson in how to handle Grandpa, Tori.”  Susan walked over to Robert and gently kissed him on the cheek.  Robert melted.  “See Tori, if you ever want anything from him all you have to do is give him a little kiss on the cheek and you’ll have him wrapped around your little finger.”

“Just like Gramma and Aunt Melissa and your mama.”  Chimed in Robert who was now also doting over Victoria.

Helena looked over at John and winked. He returned her smile.  Then she stood and moved over toward her parents.

“Well, as much as I hate to break this up.  It is time for Tori’s bath.  After all she wants to look her best for this afternoon.” 

Susan handed over her Grand daughter.  “I’ll bring her dress up later.”

“Okay.” Helena replied as she moved toward the door.

“Oh dear, one thing.”

Helena turned around.

“Wake up your sister!  Tell her if she’s not up and in the shower in 15 minutes, I’ll come drag her out of bed myself. Husband or no husband-clothes or no clothes.”

Robert chucked; She’d done it again. Gone from doting Gramma to army general in 5 seconds flat.  He knew without a doubt that both Melissa and Alan would be out of bed before Susan’s time limit expired.

Laughly softly, Susan rose from her seat, sauntering across the room to stand in front of her husband.  She looked him over from top to bottom starting with his feet and finishing with his hair. 

“Well, do I pass?”  He teased, watching her eyes move over him.  

She gave crooked smile.  Then she laced her hands around his neck and kissed him firmly.  “You looked wonderful, Love.”  She said as she patted her palms against his chest.  “Very handsome.” 

“Thank you.”  He watched her return to her seat in front of the mirror.  “Shouldn’t’ t you be dressed?  It’s nearly time for the party.”

“I’m almost ready.  I just need to slip on my dress and my jewelry.”  She turned around suddenly with a look of panic on her face.  “Robert, you don’t think that Missy will wear something…well…”

“Something that makes her look like a harlot?”  Robert finished for her.

“Not exactly the word I was looking for but something along those lines.”

“I’m not blind, Susan.  I saw that dress she had on last night.  If I were Alan, I wouldn’t let her leave the house dressed like that.  I certainly never let you run around dressed like that.” He grumbled.

Susan chuckled,  “Alan bought her that dress and I do remember a time during the sixties when I had a hell of a time keeping your hands out from under my mini skirts.”

A smile crossed Robert’s face as he recalled how Susan looked in her mini skirts and go go boots and the things he managed to do with her in them.  Those pleasant thoughts  were soon replaced by the image of his overly developed daughter  squeezed into some lace cover spandex nightmare of an outfit.  “Mini skirts were one thing, but that dress she had on last night had a mini top.  I can’t believe that Carter bought that for her.  For God’s sake she’s a mother now.”

Susan watched Robert pace around their bedroom waving his hands about trying to describe Melissa dress. She shook her head ruefully as she changed into her conservative linen pantsuit.

“Hey..hey..hey.” She said gently stepping in front of him.  She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “I didn’t mean to send you into a rigor. I was just hoping that she’d wear something a bit more conservative.  You know something more like Helena.”

It was Robert’s turn to laugh.

A soft Texas breeze blew gently across the patio leading to the pool area.  Magnolias floated majestically on the surface of the cool blue water.  White, pink and blue balloon bouquets were tied to everything and soft music filled the background. The guests arrived and were greeted by waiters offering champagne flutes overflowing with the most expensive of spirits.

The men were in dark suits and Helena and Melissa were wearing dresses of similar style and contrasting colors.  The dresses were full skirted and cape sleeved.  Melissa’s was lavender chiffon and Helena’s was a soft mint green.  Both dresses harkened back to the days of elegant garden parties in high society.  And this was an elegant garden party.

Susan and Robert moved effortlessly through the crowd mingling with their guests. 

“Robert!”  Dr. Ron Freestone called as he greeted the Thompsons at the North end of the pool

Robert offered his hand to Ron,  “It’s great to see you guys.” Susan reached over and hugged Kathryn Freestone.

“Susan, everything looks wonderful!”  Kathryn grabbed Susan’s hand and squeezed as if they were still college roommates. 

“Come on over here and see my grand babies.”  Susan eagerly pulled Kathryn away from the men.

“So what’s it like?”  Kathryn asked.  “You know, being grandparents?”

“It’s great!”  Susan smiled.  “The children are beautiful. The girls are wonderful.  My sons in law are terrific. Life is good,” she finished, beaming.

Across the patio, John stood protectively over Helena as she fed Victoria.  “Helena, what was the cop’s name from last night?”  He asked.

“Peter Duncan. Why?”  Helena looked up from feeding Tori.

“I just saw him come through the gate.  I think I need to talk to him.”  John rubbed her back lightly.  “To make sure the events from last night stay a secret.”

Helena nodded her understanding and John moved off to speak to Peter as Susan and Kathryn approached Helena and the baby.

“Oh Helena!  She’s beautiful!”  John heard Kathryn exclaimed as he moved toward Peter Duncan.

Peter Duncan had stopped by the gate to the pool area by a white jacket clad waiter holding a tray of drinks.  He acknowledged John with a look as he removed his glass.  The waiter moved along as Peter joined John by the furthest table from the pool.

“John.”  Peter presented his hand.

“Peter, it’s nice to see you. Glad you could come.”

Peter tilted his glass toward the sky. “Great weather for a party.  Mrs. Thompson certainly seems to have a knack for party planning.  Her parties are legendary around here.”  His easy smile immediately disarmed John.

“So I hear. This is the first one for me.”

Peter chucked.  “Have you hear the stories of Helena and Missy’s sixteenth birthday party?”

“Can’t say that I have.”  John reached for drink as another waiter quietly moved past.

“It was here at the ranch.  Old man Thompson hired a band.  We spiked the punch with bourbon and Old Dr. Thompson had to...take a nap.”  Peter chuckled.  He watched John to see if it was okay to reveal the rest of the story.  When John smiled, Peter felt comfortable enough to continue.

“As soon as he went upstairs Missy started teasing all the guys.  And she was a tease, gave all us teenage boys hard ons.  Then she picked her favorite and took him into the barn.  Oh the stories that came out of that party!  I tell ya John, I don’t know if you know it but that sister in law of yours is quite...”

“Yes, I can imagine.”  John finished.

“Look, don’t worry about Helena.  She was always a good girl.” Peter followed quickly.  “But Melissa.  Whew, that husband of hers has his hands full.  She hasn’t changed.”  Peter put his empty glass down on the table.

Peter drew up to full height and faced John directly.  “Did they make up?”  He pointed to Helena on one side of the pool and Melissa on the other.

John shook his head.  “I guess.  They are being cordial to one another.”

“Don’t worry about last night.  I didn’t fill out a report and I don’t intend to.”

Koenig reached up and rubbed his forehead.  “Don’t do anything that’s going to get you in trouble.  I mean, if you need to fill out a report....”

“I don’t.  I’m the law in this town and I do what I please.”

John chuckled.  “You sound like my former chief of security on Alpha.”

Peter’s expression grew serious.  “I can do my part but I can’t stop town gossip.”  He pointed to some of the locals that always seemed to attend Susan’s parties.

“How bad do you think it will be?”

“I’ll bet Robert knows before sundown.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.  Want some unsolicited advice?”

John nodded.

“Damage control.  Do it now.  Be the one that tells Robert before someone else does.  He’ll be pissed.  But...”

“If he finds out from someone else...”

“They’ll be bigger hell to pay.”

John noticed that Helena had finished feeding Tori and moved to stand beside Melissa and Alan.  He patted Peter on the shoulder.  “Thanks for everything.  I’ll discuss this advice with Alan.” He moved off to join his family.

Three anxious faces met John as he walked over to them.  “Well?”  Alan asked.

“He’s not going to do a report.”

“Great!”  Melissa smiled.

However, Helena long used to her husband’s mood remained silent watching John carefully.  “That’s not all, is it?”

“We’re okay with him...” Melissa, Alan, and Helena watched John glanced toward the crowd.

“The town gossips.”  Helena rolled her eyes.  “Oh Mel, you and your hormones!”  Helena’s anger returned as the reality of the whole incident resurfaced.

Melissa shot her sister a look of irritation.  “Shut up, Helena.”

Alan realized the only solution was to tell Robert.  “So when do we tell him?”

“Before them.”

“How about we tell mother first?”  Melissa suggested.

‘Oh that’s so you!  Always running to mother.”  Helena gruffly responded.

‘Well, I wasn’t as close to Daddy as you.  I had to develop an alternative route.”

Helena rolled her eyes and walked off.   “Tell her now.”  John said as he followed Helena across the patio.

Before Melissa could hand Geoff to Alan, the baby began to demand to be fed.  Melissa looked pleadingly at Alan.  “I’m going inside to feed him.  Could you ask mother to meet me inside?”

“Sure Love, want me to help break the news?”

“Better let me do it alone.  She’s kinda used to it.”  She gave him a small smile. 

Alan kissed her lightly on the cheek and watched her enter the house through the sliding glass door. He found Susan and told her Melissa need to talk to her.  He watched as his mother in law entered the house.  He hoped his mother in law would understand. 

More than ten minutes later, Alan saw his mother in law reappear at the party.  She went right to Robert and gently took his hand.  Robert was speaking to an old very distinguished looking gentleman.  The man kissed Susan on the cheek and they stood talking a few moments.  Slowly, Susan maneuvered Robert away from the man.  Melissa had rejoined Alan and he pointed to her parents as they moved away from the guests. 

“How’d it go?”  Alan asked.

“Don’t ask.”  Melissa responded.  She bit the inside of her mouth nervously as she watched her parent’s conversation.

Susan looked up into her husbands clear blue eyes and smiled.  He watched her carefully, his smile changing to a frown. 

“Uh-oh, what’s wrong?”   He knew his wife too well.  The smile she gave him wasn’t her usual.

“I have some news.”

“Really....”

“It’s about...”

“No, don’t tell me.”  Robert lifted his hands and shook his head.

From across the pool, Melissa’s heart stopped.  “Uh-oh, the don’t -tell-me-Susan look.”  Helena said.  She was standing behind Melissa watching her parents.

Melissa turned and looked directly at her sister.  “Would you get off my back!”

“Could you control your hormones!”

Melissa handed the baby to Alan and stepped into her sister’s personnel space.  “What’s your problem?”

“I don’t have one.  I’m not the one that was screwing my husband in a public place!”  She glanced over at Alan.

“Maybe you should screw your husband.  It might help your attitude.”

“My attitude doesn’t need any fixing.”

“Bullshit!  I know your type sister dearest.  You only perform when you HAVE to.  Poor John, half the time he looks as if you’ve promised him a blow job and then refused to perform.”

Alan nudged his wife’s shoulder.  “Mel, cool it.  Here comes your father.”

Robert approached his family at full steam.  His face was red and so were his ears.  He was pissed and Melissa knew it.  “Missy, Alan inside now!”  He spoke through clenched teeth and his tone left no room for discussion. 

Alan handed Geoff over to Helena and followed Melissa and Robert inside.

Susan joined Helena, “Mom?”

“I’m not going to lie to you, he’s pretty mad.”  Susan held out her arms and Helena placed the baby with her mother.  “But he’ll get over it.”

Susan moved away from her daughter.  She was intent on showing off her grandson despite the storm raging inside her kitchen.

By the time Melissa got to the door she was white hot angry.  If Helena had not goaded her on she would have probably once more taken her father’s scolding, stewed for a while then calmed down.  It wasn’t in her nature to remain angry any more than it was her father’s.  They really were very much alike.

All Melissa really wanted was to be happy and enjoy herself.  She had no great aspirations or desires other than her own gratification.  And for the most part, she truly was happier than she had ever been in her life.  She adored her husband and her son, and had spent the past year happily making a home for them while starting a new business that kept her intellectually challenged.  Beginning again in business had been easier than scratching together the remains of her shattered and neglected travel agency, but she still had plenty of contacts and her effervescent personality always stood her in good stead.

Being here at Miller’s Bluff was always a pleasure and a strain for Melissa.  At home she was used to following her own schedule that now included the rhythms of Geoff’s life.  And she was used to doing as she pleased, supported by an understanding husband and numerous friends.  Being with her sister again was as natural as breathing to her, and being pampered and fed by her mother and Maggie was always a pleasure.  Being bullied by her father was always the price she paid for this homecoming and she usually just let it roll past her.

This time, however, she and Helena seemed out of sync with each other, not falling into the easy pattern of support they had enjoyed since infancy.  Helena had been impatient and snappish and Melissa was angry.  She glanced at her mother, at the other end of the pool holding Geoff and talking to her old friend Kathryn.  Seeing her son formed an idea in her head and she entered the kitchen with anger and a plan.

Alan was at her side and she looked briefly into his eyes.  He would follow her lead, she was sure of it.  She touched the back of his hand lightly and his eyes narrowed.  He knew something was up but he nodded ever so slightly, and she knew he had received her silent message.

Robert was pacing in the kitchen, which he had already cleared of caterers with a growl.  “Missy, this in completely inexcusable,” Robert started, winding up to an angry tirade.