Family First

A harsh cold winter wind blew across the barren Texas prairie.  It was the coldest New Year’s Eve that Central Texas had ever experienced.  Ice hung from the trees and snow covered the ground.   Just about everything was frozen. With weather channel predicting even colder and icier conditions, the town folk hunkered down inside their homes to celebrate the coming of the New Year, including the families at Miller’s Bluff.

The kitchen of Susan Thompson was brimming with family.  The men, Robert, John and Alan, sat around the table playing cards while their wives attended to the evening meal.   In the den sat the four grandchildren playing with an old wooden train, while being supervised by the Koenig’s nanny, Rebecca.  Sammy was still young enough to want to chew on the train rather than play with it.  Robbie, just a few months older kept handing his cousin the caboose and saying “choo-choo”.  Tori and Geoff were planning out the route for the rest of the train to take.  One of Tori’s Barbie’s rode atop the cattle car and Geoff was building a train station from a set of blocks.

Susan Thompson smiled as she watched them from the doorway.  Her eyes swept around the room.  She was indeed happy to have her whole family home for the holidays.  And home they were, the weather being what it was. They’d been locked in the house for four days now.  Their big plans for the evening canceled as a result of the weather.   As she peeked into her oven for the third time in fifteen minutes, she heard her husband say,  “Susan, that turkey’s never going to get finished if you keep opening up that oven door.”

Robert’s comment caught the attention of Melissa. Her newly discovered state of pregnancy was preventing her from assisting with the preparations in any way other than tossing the salad.  The odors of supper cooking had already sent her running from the room twice this afternoon.  The worst was when she had volunteered to make the gravy.  She had been delegated to the odorless salad.  Sensitive to emotions as well as odors right now, Melissa looked over toward Helena.  Both waited to see if a parental fight was about to ensue.

Susan shot her husband a look over her shoulder,  “Well Robert, perhaps you would like to take over the cooking since you apparently seem to know so much about cooking turkeys.” She said sweetly with only a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Robert’s response was pretend to cough as he covered up his smile.  “No ma’am.  You go right ahead and do it your way, Miss Susie.”  Out of the corner of his eye, he winked to his sons in law.  He realized long ago that there were two sides to every argument, Susan’s … and … Susan’s.  He knew where she drew the line of being just peeved or downright pissed.  He also he understood the difference between stepping on the line and crossing it.  And by her tone, he knew he’d only stepped on it.  He also knew that he wasn’t about to cross it.  Retreat was his best option.

Helena watched the scene before her with an amused expression. She knew that no matter how much of a hard nose her father thought he was, her mother really wore the pants.  She softly touched Melissa hand and whispered, “ It’s okay.  They’re just teasing.” 

Geoff and Tori entered the kitchen with a ruckus causing all six of the adults to stop their activities.  “Grammy, we’re starving!”  They shouted in unison.

“It’s almost ready, my sweethearts.”  Susan touched each of them on the cheek.  “Where are Sammy and Robbie?”

“With Rebecca, in the other room playing.”  Geoff responded as he climbed onto a bar stool and reached for a carrot.  “Mom, Tori said we get to stay up until midnight.  Can we shoot fireworks?” 

“Not tonight Jelly Bean, it’s too cold.”

“Awwww, Mommmm” Geoff whined.

“You heard me, now scoot back into the other room.”  She shoo’ed both kids out of the kitchen and back into the den.

“Jelly Bean?”  Helena inquired.

Melissa laughed and rolled her eyes,  “Well, it’s the first thing I thought of.  Heaven help me, I’m turning into my parents!” 

“And what’s wrong with that, little girl?”  Robert came and put his arms around his daughters. 

They kissed his cheeks in unison and said with uncanny timing, “Not a thing, Dad.”

Behind them the oven door opened and Susan proclaimed the turkey to be ready.  The bird was a beautiful brown and its aroma beckoned all the occupants of the kitchen into the dinning room.

As the others filed in to the dinning room, John touched Helena’s elbow and held her in the kitchen.  “Now I know where it comes from,” he said smiling.

“Where what comes from?”  Helena inquired as she handed him the salad and reached for the rolls.

“The Look.”

“What look?”

“The one your mother shot across the room at your Dad.”

Helena looked at John puzzled.

He grinned,  “THE look.”  He said with emphasis. 

Helena only shrugged her shoulders. 

“It’s the ‘Don’t mess with me John Koenig’ look you always give me when I’m about to screw up.  That look came from your mother. If that wasn’t a ‘don’t mess with me Robert Thompson’ look, I’ll drink a glass of Tony’s homebrew. ”

Helena laughed lightly.

“I guess you saw it a few times when you were growing up, huh?”

Helena smiled at him.  “A few times I guess.  I don’t think I do it as well as she does though.”

Now it was John’s turn to laugh,  “Oh Honey, you do a damned fine job of giving it to me.  That’s why I’m such a good boy.”  He patted her bottom with his free hand as they exited the kitchen into the dinning room.

“You’d better be good or else, I’ll give you a look.” She said smugly.

The addition of four preschoolers at the dinner table kept things lively and chaotic through dinner.  Tori claimed the spot next to her grandmother at the foot of the table and Geoff next to his grandfather at the head of the table.  Geoff and his grandfather adored each other.  Robbie sat between his two parents in one high chair.  Sam sat between his parents in the matching high chair across from his cousin.  Rebecca sat between Robert and John. 

Talk was of the weather, with Robert promising to take the children sledding tomorrow.  The older children were excited, but Robbie and Sam were oblivious.  Robbie was concentrating on eating as many cranberries as he could stuff into his mouth, reaching out to his mother’s plate for her share, calling for ‘more jello’.  She looked regretfully at the jellied cranberries that were usually a favorite of hers, and spooned her serving onto her son’s plate.  Alan was watching her carefully as she managed to eat a buttered roll and a dry slice of turkey.  Her mother fussed over her as well, offering bean casserole, salad, and dressing to no avail.

Sam was discovering the joys of dressing.  He really preferred pushing his fingers into it and making patterns with it, but Helena did manage to get him to eat some of it too.

After dinner, Helena and Melissa cleared the table and disappeared into the kitchen.  Alan and John assembled the children for their baths.  The Thompsons watched their grandchildren scamper up the stairs ahead of their fathers.  “Seems like only yesterday, that was us.”  Susan comment as she looped her arm through Robert’s.  He smiled easily at her as he moved them toward the family room.

 “Yeah, but aren’t you glad we’ve paid those dues and now we can enjoy the kids without all that other parenting work?”

Robert crossed over to the fire, adding more wood.  He watched the flames as they danced off the logs.  It certainly did seem like yesterday when he was chasing Helena and Melissa up those same stairs. Oh how he hated the ensuing fights over who would add the bubbles and who would get out first and the dozen of other arguments his girls seemed to have about nothing in particular.  Geoff and Tori seemed to inherit the constant bickering.  Both were rather protective of their younger brothers, saving their aggression for each other.  Still, it was nice to hear children in the house again, and he could almost hear the echoes of the twins in their voices.

“Penny for them.”  Susan called from the couch, wrapped up in a blanket. She smiled as he looked up from the fire.

He crossed over to her and she lifted her blanket allowing him to join her.  Robert pulled her into his arms and held her close.

“Are you going to tell me what you were thinking about?”  She asked after several quiet moments.

He kissed the side of her head.  “Oh, I was just thinking about all the times our girls rushed up and down those same stairs.  Remember when Missy used to slide down that banister?  Damn near killed herself the first time she did it.”  He chuckled against her ear.

“I remember.” Susan laughed.  “I think that’s when I started coloring my hair.”

“I did not damn near kill myself.”  Melissa called from behind them as she entered the room.  “And don’t call me Missy.” 

“Young lady, didn’t I teach you not to eaves drop?”  He father retorted with a smile.

“You tried to teach her, Dad.”  Helena joined in the conversation.  Both women walked around the couch and were facing the older couple.  Helena sat down in the maroon wingback chair as Melissa moved to sit in front of the fire.  She settled into tailor position, moving a couple of cushions against the hearth to support her back.

“Are you feeling better, Melissa?”  Her mother asked.

“It’s off and on.  I don’t think I’ve had it this bad since Geoff.”

“Try some Ginger Ale and saltines.  I practically lived off those when I was pregnant.”

“Things have changed since then, Mom.  There are drugs now.  Speaking of which, can I get some of those magic pills, Cake? ” 

“I can get you some but it won’t be tonight.”  Helena reached over and patted her sister’s hand.  “I thought you and Alan were through having babies.”

Melissa face turned a slight shade of pink,  “So did we.  But I guess we were wrong.”

“Wrong about what?”  Alan asked as he and John rejoined the group. Alan sat beside Melissa and John moved to sit on the arm of Helena’s chair.

“Being out of the baby making business.”  She reached for his hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Oh that.” He favored her with a smile.  “Guess not.”

“Carter, are you ever going to keep your hands off my daughter?

Alan laughed out loud.  “It’s not me, Pops.  She’s the one that can’t keep her hands to herself.”  He winked at his wife.

“I think I need a drink after that bit of information.”  Robert rose from the couch and headed to the bar.

“Miss Susan?”

“Hmm… I’ll have what you’re having.”

“John? Helena?”  Robert asked as he lifted the bottle of Bourbon from beneath the bar.

John looked at Helena.  “Bourbon?”  He asked.

She made a shocked face.  “It’s been a long time since I had Bourbon.”  And for her father’s sake she added,  “I might not be able to keep my hands to myself.”

Susan snickered as she watched Robert’s shocked expression.  “Oh my God! That’s all you two think about!” 

“She got you dear.” Susan said sweetly.

“We’ll take Bourbon, Robert.”  John told his father in law.

Robert reached for two more glasses,  “Alan?”

“Bourbon all a around. And a milk for my little woman here.” Alan gave Melissa shoulder a squeeze as she shot him a look.

John touched Helena’s shoulder.  “See there it is ‘The Look’.  Even your sister does it.”  He finished quietly.

Robert served the Bourbon to everyone except Melissa.  As he handed Alan his drink he asked her in a soft voice.  “Think you can stomach something, sweetheart?”  

Mel looked up at her father’s face and shook her head.  “I don’t think so, Dad.”  Robert simply patted her hand and rejoined his wife on the couch.

‘So, I hope you boys didn’t leave my grandchildren alone in the bath tub?”  Robert said tasting his perfectly aged Bourbon.

“Rebecca’s with them.”  John replied.  “She’s really been a lifesaver.”

“Yes, she’s very gentle.  I watched her with them this morning.”  Susan agreed.

Alan stood with his Bourbon and moved away from the fire.  “How’d you get her to agree to give up her holiday and join us?”

“She volunteered, said her parents were in Europe for the holidays and she didn’t want to go and had no other plans.”  Helena said, her voice holding a bit of speculation that didn’t escape John’s attention.

“Let’s not go through that again.” He replied without realizing he had an audience.

“Go through what?” Robert demanded to know.  He didn’t like the sound of either one of their tones.

Robert’s question caught the attention of everyone in the room.  John looked up to see the four sets of eyes looking at him.  He tried to make light of Helena’s comment.   “Helena, thinks that Rebecca should get out more and meet more people her own age.  She thinks she spending too much time with us.”

“Not us, John, you!”  Helena retorted just a little too quickly.

John looked pleadingly at his wife.  He did his best to give her the male version of Susan’s look.  He hoped it said, “Let’s talk about this later, dear.”

He realized his message was understood when Helena responded to the others in a light voice,  “I think Rebecca has a big case of hero worship with my husband.  She tends to follow him around like a little puppy.”  For emphasis she push lightly on John’s arm,  “Our hero here is a little uncomfortable with the attention.”

Alan and Melissa exchanged a look.  They both could see that Rebecca’s attention toward John was making Helena uncomfortable too.  The exchange of looks between the children was not lost on Susan or Robert.  But before either could say anything, the group was invaded by Tori and Geoff.

“Grammy!” Tori shouted as she ran down the stairs.

She crossed the den and jumped into Robert’s lap.  Hugging his neck tightly.  “Grandpa!”

“Grammy!”  Geoff called as he too ran into the den and jumped onto the couch with his grandparents.  He did his best to worm his way onto his grandfather’s lap too.

“Well, I see you guys are all dressed for bed. Hmm…those flannel pajamas sure look warm.”  Susan laughed as she reached over to tickle Geoff.

“Where are your brothers?”  Robert squeezed Tori.

“Rebecca’s bringing them down.  We’re going to pop some popcorn and watched TV until midnight!” Tori exclaimed.

Rebecca bounced into the room holding Sammy and Robbie.  Her bright young face slightly flushed from the task of bathing and clothing four children under the age of six.  “Wow.  That’s a workout.  Dressing all four of them for bed.”  She laughed.

“I’m sorry.  We should have realized it would be quite a chore.”  Melissa said.  “Alan, you should have helped her.”  she scolded.

“Oh, that’s alright Mrs. Carter.”  She looked toward John. “Mr. K. was a big help.” She smiled at John.

John’s face reddened and he quickly looked at his wife.  “Oh, I didn’t do anything really.”

“Oh yes, you did!” exclaimed Rebecca.  “You got all of them upstairs and into the tub.  Then you and Mr. Carter pulled all the pajamas out.  That was a huge help!”  She finished her statement with a flourish.

Helena smiled at Rebecca indulgently.  “Yes, he’s very helpful like that.”

“Rebecca, can we go watch another movie!”  Geoff called from his grandmother’s arms.

“Let’s put Sammy and Robbie to bed.  They’re tired. Then we can watch!” 

“I’ll get Robbie.”  Melissa moved to stand.  She wasn’t showing yet, but her day-long bout with morning sickness had left her pale and shaky.

“Oh no.  You rest Mrs. Carter.  I’ll just read them a story and they’ll go right down.   It’s no trouble really.”  The young woman gathered the all four of the children and before they headed upstairs, she sent them all to their parents for their goodnight hugs.  After all hugs were collected, she hustled the children up the stairs calling back over her shoulder.  “Good night everyone, Happy New Year.”

“Good night” The adults responded.

“Good night, Mr. K.!”  Rebecca called from the top of the stairs.

John looked over toward Helena unsure if it was okay to respond back.  Her look silenced him.

Melissa muttered, “What kind of twenty year old would rather baby-sit than be out dancing on New Year’s Eve!”

Alan patted her shoulder, “Not your kind sweetheart, we know that.”

Robert was watching the looks exchanged between Helena and John.  

“John, could I see you in the kitchen?”  Robert rose from the couch and stood beside John. His message was clear.  John rose without question and followed Robert into the kitchen.  He knew what was coming.

“Dad--” Helena called as the men reached the door to the kitchen, but her father only opened the door and ushered John into the kitchen.

As the women watched them leave the room, Melissa spoke to Alan.  “Don’t just sit there, go in there with them.  Dad might kill him.”

“No way am I going in there.  If he’d wanted me in there, he would have asked me to join them.”  Just as the words left Alan’s mouth a loud booming voice called,  “Alan.”

Alan rolled his eyes before turning and heading into the kitchen.  As soon as he was inside, Melissa asked Helena,  “Okay, what’s up between Miss Teen America and John?”

“I don’t think anything’s up on John’s side, if that’s what you mean.” 

“Cake?” Melissa demanded.

“Okay, Okay.  Miss Teen America, as you so affectionately called her, has a whopper of a crush on my husband.  She goes out of her way to do things for him and the kids.  I swear I sometimes feel like she’s trying to take my place or something.”

“Well then get rid of her!”  Demanded Melissa.

“It’s not that easy.  She made a place for herself in my house.  She’s great with the kids and they are so attached to her.  If she left, they might think it was their fault.  Plus, she’s been with us since Sammy was born.  He’s known her all his life.”

“Cake! Sam is 18 months old.  It’s not like he’s going to remember her. Wake up! She’s clearly after John.”

“Mel, I’m trying to not overreact to this whole situation.  She’s 24 years old.  She’s young…”

“That’s exactly why, you should get rid of her.  Young woman, nice figure, bouncing around in god knows what in front of him while you not home! You’ve told me yourself that her clothes are a little too revealing.  I sure wouldn’t allow that to happen in my house.”

Helena stood from the chair and moved around the room.  Melissa had clearly hit a nerve.  “Melissa, I’ve got to have someone there when I travel.  And that seems like all the time lately.  John works long hours and travels too.  We try to work it out so that one of us is there all the time, but the children are still a handful. It’s all so overwhelming.”

“Look, Helena, as much as I love and trust Alan, there’s no way I’d leave him at home with some sweet young thing while I travel.  Males just aren’t built to resist that kind of temptation on a regular basis!”

Susan had watched this exchange with interest.  “Hold on Melissa. Helena when did all this start?”

Helena, thankful that her mother, the voice of reason, had decided to enter the conversation said,  “Just recently Mom.  She broke up with her boyfriend and John comforted her.  Every since then she’s gone out of her way to help him and do things for him.”

Susan walked over to Helena and took her hand.  “Do you think he’s encouraging that? Personally, I don’t think that John would do anything to jeopardize your marriage. Besides, after you returned from space, many women were attracted to John.  As I recall he only had eyes for you.”

“It’s not just John. Mom.  She takes great care of the kids.  They love her.  Sometimes, I think they prefer her to me.”  Helena confessed.

“Helena, that’s just plain irrational thinking on your part.  You know that your children do not prefer that girl over their own mother.”  Susan added.

Helena stopped pacing long enough to lower her head and stare at her feet.

“Helena, could it be that you are a little jealous or perhaps feeling guilty about working outside the home?”

“Jealous? Guilty?” Her daughter looked down into the eyes of her mother.  “I’ve always worked—“

Susan pulled Helena over to the couch and they sat down.  “It’s different when you have children.  It’s perfectly normal for you to feel a little threatened.  After all, you are working and away from the children.  Maybe she’s spending all that time with the kids and you really want to be there. Plus, she’s the one there when John comes home in the afternoon.  Perhaps your view of the whole situation is somewhat skewed by your own misplaced guilt.  You feel guilty for leaving your family to pursue your career however you’re also a little jealous because Rebecca gets to do all the things you wish you were doing.”

Susan took her hand. “Think about it.”

Helena gave her mother a weak smile.

“Honey, you know that John only has eyes for you and that Rebecca’s crush will pass.  She’s an impressionable young girl.  She’ll forget all about John when she finds a young man of her own. But you have to deal with your own insecurities.  Look within yourself.  Don’t be mad at John. He’s not your father.” Susan shot Melissa a look.

“Speaking of our father,” Melissa said.  “Wonder what’s going on in there.”  She pointed toward the door to the kitchen.

“I don’t know but I’m about to find out.”   Susan patted Helena’s hand. 

On the other side of the door, Robert Thompson was holding court. Acting prosecutor and judge, he was about to pronounce sentence on John when Susan pushed opened the door and entered the room.

“John, I told both you and Alan if either of you ever cheated on my daughters you’d live to regret it.”

“I haven’t done anything, really.   Besides, I love my wife.  I wouldn’t do that.”  John tried pleading his case as Alan watched nervously.

“ROBERT!”  Susan yelled.  “Just what do you think you are doing?  These poor boys haven’t done anything.”

“Woman, stay out of this.  This is my duty as a father.” He rose from his seat meeting her in the middle of the room.

John and Alan exchanged a worried look.  There was no doubt that Robert has crossed Susan’s line. 

“Your duty! You of all people should know better.”  She moved behind John and Alan and gently patted them on the shoulders. “You two go back in the den.  We’ll be right out.”

Alan was up and almost to the door when he heard John say.  “Susan, I’m not leaving. I haven’t done anything wrong.  I’m not even attracted to the girl!  She’s young enough to be my daughter! Besides, I wouldn’t do that to Helena!”

“I know you wouldn’t, John.  You go on with Alan.  I’ll take care of things here.” Susan led John over to the door practically pushing them out of the room.  Then she closed the door and turned back to Robert.

“Woman, what’s gotten into you?!” Robert demanded to know once they were alone. “That boy has been cheating on our daughter.”

Susan stood directly in front of her husband and raised her index finger pointing it directly at his nose.  “First of all, don’t call me ‘woman’! If you ever call me that again, I’ll hide your Viagra!”  She stepped away and tried to control her anger.  “Secondly, that ‘boy’, as you so rudely referred to him, has not cheated on our daughter.  In fact, I think the problem is our daughter.”

A look of shock played across Robert’s features.   He stood there silently waiting for his wife to finish. 

“Helena’s feeling guilty about going back to work.  She’s away from the kids and John.  Then along comes this attractive starry-eyed young girl that plays with the kids and tends to the needs of her husband.  Everything’s great until the young girl has a bad day, John shows her some attention and the next thing you know the young girl gets a little more starry-eyed than normal. It’s not John’s fault.  You know he’s a nice guy.  He was probably only trying be nice to her, console her like he did so many others while he was Commander.  He would have told you that if you’d only let him say anything.”

Robert cleared his throat and looked at his wife.

“So one day, our daughter wakes up and notices this young girl throwing all this attention toward her husband.  The same attention she would be able to give him if she wasn’t working. Her mind starts spinning with all these terrible thoughts about what’s going on when she’s not home.”

“Oh Susan, please.  He must be encouraging some of it.”  Robert retorted.

She gave him the look.  “I’m sure some men would encourage it.”

Robert quickly closed his mouth and sat down quietly.

“The problem is not with John.  Helena is feeling guilty about not being at home all the time for the kids.  She’s feeling guilty about not being at home for John.  And when her imagination kicks in some of her guilt is being twisted into jealously.  While Rebecca may be infatuated with John, he only has eyes for Helena.”

Robert gave his wife a faint smile when she finished. He shook his head ruefully.  “How did you figure all this out?”

“Because I was there.  Right where she is now.”  Susan thought about the times she had tried to pursue her career while the girls were growing up. How hard it was to be away from her family.  “The girls were too young to remember, but you should.  When I tried to go back to the museum?”

Robert watched her quietly, remembering.  Susan had loved her work at the museum, and she had been good at it.  But Robert’s career was taking off and the girls seemed to constantly catch something when they left them with a baby sitter.  She had nearly driven herself crazy trying to come home every evening and be the perfect wife and mother while working all day.  There had been a lot of regret and reluctance when she came to the realization that she couldn’t do it all.  “Come here, Sweetheart.”  Robert said softly. He opened up his arms and pulled his wife up against his chest.

“Oh, Rob.  She’s missing so much of their lives.”

“Shh… It’s not like that.  By sharing all the knowledge she gained while in space, she’ll make their lives better in the long run.”  He kissed the top of his wife’s head. She hugged him tightly.  “Come on, at the risk of losing my Viagra, let’s go back in there Woman!”  He laughed and so did she.

When the Thompsons rejoined their family, they discovered that Alan and Melissa had gone upstairs to check on the children.  Robert apologized to John and Susan explained to them her theory about Helena’s reaction to Rebecca. By the time that Alan and Melissa had rejoined the group everyone had a clear understanding about the situation, even if no solutions were currently presenting themselves.

“Well, they are all asleep,” Alan announced as he helped Melissa to a chair.  He sat on the floor at her feet, his elbow propped on her knee.

“All of them?”  Susan asked.

“Yep, all 5 of them.  Guess they wore poor Rebecca out today.  She’s as sound asleep as Geoff and Tori.  By the way, we moved Tori and Geoff into our room.  Mel thinks it’s warmer than the den.  Robbie is on the toddler bed and Sammy’s in the crib in the nursery. Rebecca’s in the spare room.”

“Where are you and Melissa going to sleep?” Susan asks.

“In the stable, Mom.”  Melissa responded.

“The stable?!”

“There’s a loft there that we’re kind of fond of.” Melissa winked at Alan.

“I see.” Susan smiled at them.  “You’ll need some extra blankets. It won’t be as warm out there as it is in here.”

“I think the cold will do me good.  My stomach seems to feel worse when I get too hot.”  Melissa put her hand over her stomach for emphasis.  “Besides, if it gets too cold, we can just go in your office and sleep on the sofa bed.”  She leaned forward and put her cheek against Alan’s head.  Softly she said, “Wish it was in zero gee.”

He patted her knee gently.  “Unfortunately, there isn’t any kind of hotel up on the Rock.”

“Hmm,” she replied.

Robert placed his arm around Susan,  “Well, it’s almost midnight. What’d ya say we open up the champagne?”  They all agreed and Robert slipped behind the bar for the champagne while Susan retrieved the glasses.

“How about some music?”  Alan moved toward the stereo. He found a jazz station that everyone seemed like.  He lowered the lights and joined his wife, taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

Susan passed out the Champagne. When everyone had a glass, he said. “Let’s have a toast.”  He moved over to Susan and put his arm around her waist.  Holding his glass out, he said two simply words.  “To Family.”

“To family,” they all replied in unison before touching their glasses.

In the background they heard the radio announcer count down the last ten seconds of 2005.  The soft melody of Kenny G’s Auld Lang Syne filled the room. Robert leaned over and kissed his wife softly.  To his surprise, she pulled him closer to deliver a passionate steamy New Year’s Eve kiss of the sort they usually didn’t indulge in when the girls were nearby.  A glance reassured him that they were not being watched.  Alan knelt in front of Melissa, kissing her with equal passion, and John and Helena were likewise occupied.

“Can I have this dance, Miss Susie?”  Robert asked as he sat his and Susan’s Champagne down and pulled his wife into his arms.  Alan stood and pulled Melissa out of her chair.  Helena smiled at John.  He pulled her to him and she laid her head on his shoulder.  Each couple was lost in their own world as they slowly danced around the dimly lit room.  Softly exchanging their own private wishes for the New Year. Outside a cold winter wind blew but inside a warm feeling of family cloaked the occupants of Miller’s Bluff. 

Maureen J. Long

December 31, 2000

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