With the benediction of the Goddess, we wrapped up our conversation with Robbie and Jamie. The children had hardly said a word the whole time but sat listening carefully as we discussed how they and the boys would comport themselves over the next few years. From the little they did say, their attentive expressions and occasional nods, it was apparent they understood what was discussed and agreed to. After the adults finished, the girls got their chance to speak with the boys, but only had a few minutes, as the boys themselves insisted they get to bed at their usual time.
The four of them huddled around the speakerphone speaking quietly to Robbie and Jamie. I didn't deliberately listen in, but I couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. I heard the boys ask them if they understood what we had discussed. The girls exclaimed in the affirmative they did, including Jenny (I am really going to have to take another look at this kid — she's just FULL of surprises!). Then they babbled about how much they missed the boys and how sad they were when they left. As they wound down, in typical little girl fashion, they were happily telling them about the rest of their day playing with the horses and Clyde. And yet ... for all their sounding like newsy waifs, I detected an undercurrent of wistfulness that said this was just a way of maintaining contact a little longer.
Finally, I heard Robbie say, "OK, you guys! Bed time! Give us a kiss, and away you go!"
The girls all made loud smacking telephone kisses and I heard the same coming through the speaker. They exchanged 'I love you's' and 'Goodnights'. After exchanging the Goddess' benediction, the boys were gone.
After they hung up with Robbie and Jamie, we had another quiet chat with the girls before they went to bed. We wanted to make sure, despite what I overheard them say to the boys, that they fully understood what we had been discussing, and that they too, agreed to our conditions. Unlike most children who would view the repetition as totally redundant and boring, our girls remained attentive, showed they understood what was discussed, and agreed to our terms — not that they had much choice as the minor children involved — but we wanted their full co-operation, not just doing it 'because Mommy and Daddy said'.
We took the kids up, tucked them into their bed with Ahab, and the wives acted out a few pages from their latest bedtime book. After we kissed them good night, the little ones curled up into their four-person heap with the cat and drifted off to sleep, contented smiles on their sweet faces.
So ... now our small children had in some mysterious way become adult ... Where to from here?
We met with all the grandparents the next day, Sunday, and informed them of the girls' cataclysmic announcement. Riekie was right — Mom was not very surprised, saying she had felt something with her Sight for a long time. Huh!?
The rest were a little (???) shocked, but not as much as we were, and with Mom's support, effective damage control was relatively easy. By the end of the meeting, everyone was reading from the same page, but like us, it would take some time to fully absorb and adjust to this new paradigm. That night when Bob and Karen made their regular weekly call, we told them, too. Bob wasn't a bit surprised — go figure with him! He said he'd sensed something between the twins and Robbie at Christmas time.
Shit! Are the parents always the last to know?
As we cuddled together in our bed that night commiserating over the last two days, the girls asked me why my Sight didn't give me a heads up like everyone else seemed to get. I had no answer. The best we could surmise was that maybe, just maybe, the Goddess had a warped sense of humour...
The month of July drifted past in a haze of golden summer sunshine and work. Construction on the house carried on apace, somewhat ahead of schedule, largely due to the fantastic weather that year. Our Zero Defect policy helped too, I'm sure. This made the ladies very happy, thus making my life much more enjoyable. The babies continued to thrive and grow, and by the end of the month were mostly sleeping through a whole night.
Robbie and Jamie called every Saturday evening before the kids' bedtime, and talked to all of us. During those conversations, we worked out more of the details of how we would proceed for the next five years, and kicked around what we would do after that. The boys agreed with everything, and as expected, the kids were the ones wanting to push the envelope.
The boys became even closer to us, almost fully integrating into our family. It got confusing when they referred to 'Mom'. Unless apparent from the context of the conversation, we never knew which of the three they meant, and they wouldn't use the kids' convention of 'Momma <Name>'. Once they moved to Toronto, and were able to make their weekly visits, I knew integration would be complete.
Our holiday to the cottage was fast approaching, and I was becoming concerned that Diane would be too close to her time to make the trip. She told me in 'no uncertain terms' I was 'babying' her, and to back off (Rule one!). I got the hint that I may have gone over into a Rule Two offense when I suffered three cold shoulders that night. Despite the summer heat, I almost froze to death ... Peace (piece?) was restored the next day and the temperature recovered miraculously when I publicly stated I thought Diane looked more than fit to travel...
By the end of July, Carol started getting antsy to resume regular intercourse, but decided to stick with oral sex until we got to the cottage, keeping her well within the healing time Riekie and Doc had decreed. Her exercise routine and diet worked wonders. By the end of July, Carol's figure was almost fully restored to her pre-pregnancy svelteness with the exception of her milk-engorged breasts and slightly fuller hips from natural childbirth. She was a knockout!
Near the end of the month, Carol also experienced the return of her menses, and was worried it would last into our holiday. Fortunately, her flow ended normally a day before we left. Riekie then put her on the Pill to avoid her getting pregnant again before we wanted, but cautioned they wouldn't achieve full effectiveness until after her next menses. Ah! The wonders of modern science! Finally! A birth control method safe and effective for those of the Old Blood.
In the heat of the summer and so large themselves, Diane and Riekie could be seen occasionally regarding Carol with envy, but I hardly ever heard a word of complaint from them. They were just happy to be pregnant, and gladly put up with the attendant discomfort. The joy they felt was evident in their positive attitudes and always cheerful faces. They never lost that healthy glow, and radiated health and vitality.
By the end of the month, we started sorting and packing what we wanted to take with us to the cottage. Paul and the aunts asked if they could join us, as the aunts were getting as nostalgic for the place as we were. I called Joe and asked him if the north bedroom was set up to handle another family of three. He got right on it and arranged for a king size bed for that room as well.
Given her age, I was a little concerned about Jo traveling pregnant, but got another Rule One reminder and wisely didn't push it into another Rule Two violation — frostbite in July is just so-o-o uncool! Besides, she looked every bit as healthy and content in her pregnancy as her nieces. Due date the same as Diane's, we knew this was also her last travel opportunity for this year.
Finally, the day to depart for the cottage arrived. We planned an early start and were in bed quite early the night before. I pre-arranged with Dad and Mom to keep the horses watered and to check on Ahab daily, making sure he had food and water. Clyde would make sure of the latter, I imagined. Ahab was, after all, his buddy. We found out when we called home later in the first week that Ahab had virtually moved in with them, and slept in Clyde's bed with him.
We loaded the van with our suitcases and all the baby paraphernalia and made ready to travel. Paul and the aunts used our car, as it was bigger, with more room for their luggage. It also had room for some of our gang if it got too crowded in the van.
Carol and the wives made sure all the children were prepared for departure: "Did you make sure you went pee? Daddy gets mad if you want to stop too soon." Carol fed and changed the babies, and all the pregnant ones made a last minute pit stop of their own. Just before leaving, I called Joe to let him know we were on our way. He said everything was ready for us.
Leaving the farm behind, our little convoy struck out for the cottage on a beautiful summer morning, Friday, August first. Despite all the last minute pee breaks, we got away by eight in the morning. With luck, we should be there shortly after one, allowing for an unhurried trip and a rest stop about half way. Everyone was excited. For the kids, and yes, us adults, we were off on an adventure. For the kids it was off to see something new but which they'd heard much about. For the adults, especially Carol, Riekie and myself, it was an adventure into the past and the future combined.
Despite it being a Holiday weekend, we were away early enough to beat the main rush of traffic, making the trip relatively uneventful. Riekie rode shotgun for the first half. Carol rode in the back with the twins for the whole trip in case they needed to be fed. I planned to stop at a service centre that was almost exactly half-way (more good luck than good management), and we made it there just as the wives' bladders were about to burst. Although it was early, we took time for the picnic the ladies had very thoughtfully prepared in advance.
There was a playground at the service centre, allowing the kids to play and burn off excess energy. Carol used the time to check Benji and Katelyn's diapers and offer them a nipple. It's a lot easier to nurse and change them at rest than in a moving van. The babes were awake taking in everything around them, and took the proffered teat, but didn't appear to be hungry, although their nappies were damp. They smiled and cooed whenever one of the kids played with them, which was almost constant.
We rested there for about an hour, then headed on the last leg of the journey, Diane riding shotgun. It was a little crowded in the van, but we had seatbelts for everybody, and no one wanted to be separated, even if it was to ride with three of our most favourite people in the world. The route was the same I'd taken in September, except instead of staying in the small town, we only stopped long enough at a service station to relieve the ladies' bladders so we wouldn't be rushed on final arrival; then we carried on until we turned onto the cottage road. The wives had all been napping, but as soon as we turned off onto the cottage road, everyone was instantly awake. The excitement in the van was palpable. I took it easy on the last part. It was summer, and small kids could dart out almost anywhere on this quiet road.
When the lake came into view, Diane fell in love. "It's so beautiful here! No wonder my wives and husband have such warm memories of this place!"
Carol laughed. "Yes, it's pretty, but the best is yet to come. You've never seen the cottage, and Princess, you haven't seen it in twenty years. Joe made a lot of improvements. I hope Momma Jo and Momma Pie like what he's done."
Carol and I pointed out names on mailboxes we recognized, and again noted the ones that had changed, remembering the names of the former occupants. Those we didn't remember, Riekie did. It was quite a trip down memory lane. We noted with sadness that the old pavilion was gone. It had been there last September, but had the appearance of abandonment. Now it was gone completely, claimed by a vandal's fire over the winter, another victim of the changing times and attitudes.
We rounded the last bend and there before us was the old cottage. I heard Riekie and Diane gasp. All three uttered one word. "Beautiful!"
Joe had been busy — the lawn was freshly cut and the flower beds were a riot of colour. The place looked even better than when Carol and I saw it last fall. With the natural siding, red roof, and the vibrant flowers, for some reason I was put in mind of Tom Bombadil's house, 'up, down, under hill' — a haven from the trials and tribulations of everyday life. I didn't see any sign of Joe, but he was expecting us, and wouldn't be far away. As we pulled up to the garage, Paul and his ladies pulled in behind us. We'd sort out more efficient parking later.
I was first out of the van and moved quickly around to help Diane and Riekie alight from the vehicle. Once they were out, Carol told the kids to unbuckle and move out. After everyone else was out, I helped Carol lift the infant carriers out and set them on the lawn in the shade of the van. As we finished, Paul and the aunts came round from the car, Pie and Jo exclaiming delightedly over the changes to the house and grounds.
Just then, Joe stepped out of the porch and came over to greet us. For some reason, my imagination still ran away with me, and I half-expected Joe to come bounding up in bright yellow over-sized boots with a song of Goldberry on his lips. I gave my head a shake as I momentarily wondered if the story of 'the Oldest One' as promulgated by Tolkien was really a myth, and re-focused on reality.
With Paul and his family, and including Carol and me, there were thirteen of us to introduce. Without planning it, we aligned in our sub-groups to make the introductions similar to when we met Karen. Carol and the babies were at the head of the line, then Riekie with our twins, next Diane with our two, then Paul's family. We made quite a sight!
Paul and his wives were huddled in an excited whispered conversation, oblivious to the rest of us, as they awaited their turn to be introduced. I learned later the aunts couldn't believe how nicely Joe had remodeled the house and grounds, and couldn't keep quiet, even at the risk of appearing rude.
I was standing with Carol as Joe bounded out of the house, that Tom Bombadil image persistently teasing my brain. He recognized me straightaway and made straight for me. I took Joe's hand and he gushed. "David! It's a pleasure to finally meet the voice at the other end of the phone! I hope the house meets your approval."
I gave Joe a warm hug. "Joe, the house looks fabulous! It's the ladies we have to please, and from what I heard as we drove up, it passes muster very well. You're looking very fit yourself, even better than last fall!"
"Thanks! Glad to help! Must be all the hard work I do for you, clearing trails and rebuilding old barns, Ha! Ha! I don't know about looking better, but I certainly feel better, and not just physically, either. This job has given me something to focus on and a reason to keep going, something I lost when my wife passed away. My daughter, Janet, really noticed it and sends you her special thanks 'for giving my father back his life'." Joe blushed. "Uh ... She tends to be a little melodramatic. You'll meet her. She's going to try to come down this weekend, depending on her schedule. Last I heard, her boss gave her a rough time about this weekend, so I'm not sure."
"Again, you look great, and the place is absolutely gorgeous! I think I'm gonna hafta put you on the payroll yet! Now, I'd like you to meet the family. You met my wife Carol Anne last year, but were never properly introduced. Since you last saw her, she delivered us this wonderful set of twins, Benji and Katelyn." I indicated the babies in the carriers.
Joe bent over and tickled each of them under the chin, eliciting big smiles. He cooed at them like a doting grandparent. "So ye're the two what caused all the stir in June! My! My! Ye're certainly beautiful babies!" He straightened up and gazed wonderingly upon Carol. "Beautiful! So beautiful! I 'member ye now! You were like a ray of sunshine in an old man's life then, and the sunshine has returned! Welcome back, Carol Anne!"
Carol smiled at Joe's compliments and blushed at the memory of bare pussy she'd left with him. She threw her arms around Joe and hugged him close, giving him a big, friendly kiss. "And now we meet as friends, Joe! Talk about beautiful! I love what you've done to the house, and the flowers are simply gorgeous!"
Joe disentangled himself from Carol. "It's a pleasure to keep the house and grounds beautiful to compliment yer own beauty!" Joe definitely had an eye for the ladies, and a touch of the Irish in him from his hint of brogue — I was sure he had at some time kissed the stone.
Joe and Carol exchanged a few more pleasantries and compliments then I had almost to drag him away to introduce him to Riekie. "Joe, please meet my second wife, Riekie, whom we call Princess, and our twins K.P. and D.J. Someday we'll tell you what the initials mean."
Riekie and the twins made their normal greeting, as all three curtsied to Joe and whispered, "How do you do Mr. Carnegie? We're pleased to make your acquaintance."
Joe stared open-mouthed for a second at Riekie, then regaining his composure he laughed, and looked around as if they had addressed someone else. "Mr. Carnegie? I'm Joe. Mr. Carnegie was my father." He bent down and held his arms out to the kids. They promptly giggled and fell into them for a sweet hug as Joe informed them, "My own grandchildren call me Papa. You can call me Papa Joe if you like. Such beautiful children! Lovely little fairy princesses!"
The kids thought that was great. "OK, Papa Joe. Now you should say hello to our Mommy."
Joe straightened back up, regarding Riekie almost with awe, which worthy promptly hugged and kissed him similar to Carol. "I won't call you Papa Joe, but I'll certainly call you Joe. You've been a real friend to our family, and it is a genuine pleasure to finally meet you."
Obviously captivated by Riekie, Joe breathed. "Princess, eh? You certainly look like one. You and your sister-wife have certainly brightened up this old man's day."
They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Joe demonstrated more of his gift of Blarney. Again, I had almost to drag Joe away as I guided him to Diane and our kids. "Joe, this is my third wife, Diane Marie, better known as Muffin, and our two children, Rhiannon and Jenny."
The kids followed the lead of their sisters and curtsied to Joe. "How do you do, Papa Joe?"
Once more, Joe bent down and opened his arms, and yet another pair of youngsters fell into his warm embrace. "My! My! Two more beautiful fairy princesses! There is almost more beauty here today than this old heart can take!"
Releasing the kids from his embrace, Joe straightened up and stared at Diane, then looked back to Carol. "Another sister? Muffin? Why such a name? An old friend of mine used to call his little girl that many years ago. You too, are a Princess and should be called such. Such beauty! Man-oh-man! You take my breath away."
Diane blushed at Joe's praise, and threw her arms around him. "Pleased to meet you too, Joe. Not a sister, a cousin. My Daddy calls me Muffin and everyone else has picked it up. Those compliments deserve a reward!" Diane then planted one of her patented soul kisses on poor Joe. When she released him, I thought Joe was going to faint. His eyes were glazed and he had the silliest grin I ever saw.
After Diane's rather torrid greeting, I heard the girls titter conspiratorially. I steered an unsteady Joe over to meet Paul and the aunts as My Girls turned and started unloading our bags from the van. "Joe, I'd like you to meet my wives' family, and the people you bought the house from before you sold it to me..."
I never finished, as both Paul and Joe's faces lit up in recognition. Paul was incredulous. "Joe? Joe Carnegie? It can't be!"
Joe was almost as incredulous. "Paul? Paul Curtis? My God! It is you!"
They threw their arms around each other and literally danced in a bear hug. When they broke, Paul gasped. "Joe, we were told you were killed in an accident shortly after you transferred! When David mentioned your name, I thought it was a sad coincidence someone else had the same name as a lost friend."
Joe exclaimed. "Well that explains why I never heard from you, then. I was banged up pretty good, but I certainly wasn't killed! I thought when you didn't answer the last letter you didn't want to keep in touch any more. I knew if Shirley saw my letters before you, you'd never get them, so I didn't push it."
"Yeah! I got your last letter just after we heard you'd been killed. I guess Shirley figured you were dead, so she didn't need to hide my mail any more. Fred and I were so devastated we just gave extra to the company survivors' fund and went out and got drunk. Shirley and I were breaking up at the time and I wasn't sure how Jane would be with me, so I never contacted her either."
"You finally had enough and broke up with that cheatin' bitch? What happened to the girls? I hope she didn't get them! I heard some ugly things about her Pollock just before I moved, but never got a chance to tell you, and anyway, you didn't want to hear any of that."
"I should have listened, Joe. It could have saved the girls a lot of grief. The last of David's wives that you met is my youngest daughter. Diane Marie is my Muffin, and David rescued her from the hell she was in."
Joe regarded Diane with new interest and even more warmth. "You're that Muffin, eh? Now I understand."
Paul drew Joe's attention back to him. "There's lots more to tell, and we have lots of time, but we're ignoring some very important people. Joe, please meet my sister-wives. This is Piete Koorstis, and the pregnant one is Joanna Koorstis. I told you about them, I believe..."
Joe stared in open, stunned admiration of those two women, his mouth working, but little coming out. He finally got a grip and gasped. "You're REAL! Paul told Fred and me all about you, but I never quite believed there could be two such beautiful creatures on this earth! Pie! Jo! Please forgive me! You are truly wondrous! Wait until I get hold of that real estate guy! Old ladies indeed! Now I see where Carol Anne and Princess get their looks, with mothers as beautiful as you!"
Pie and Jo blushed prettily at Joe's lavish praise. He was clearly smitten as they embraced Joe warmly and each gave him a rather sensual kiss, not quite as hot as Diane's, but enough to pique his interest.
Pie laughed as she spoke for both. "We are so pleased to meet you, Joe. Paul told us all about his friends. We met Fred at New Year, but Paul told us you were no longer with us. We're pleased to see that, like Mark Twain, rumours of your demise are premature. Paul said you always had a silver tongue <giggle>. Carol Anne and Princess are not our daughters, but our nieces. Their mother was our older sister Dolly, and yes, she was very beautiful. Muffin is now our daughter."
Joe recovered from their kisses then he laughed and laughed (why did his laugh bring back that image of Old Tom again?), stepped back and regarded the whole family. "Oh-ho! I know there's all kinds of stories here — the kind that take a long time and several beers to tell! ... But I'm sure you'd like to get moved in and freshen up after a long drive. I hear the babies getting a little fussy so they're probably hungry. Carol Anne, why don't you and your wives take the tykes on in and look after them? The rest of us can look after bringing in the luggage and mind the other children. There's a rocking chair in the porch for you, if you want to feed the babies now, or you can use the one in the nursery if you want more privacy."
Carol thanked Joe, saying the chair in the porch was fine. She and the other wives grabbed the babies and their travel kit and headed into the porch. Through the screening, I saw Carol settle into her rocker. Presently one of the others handed her a baby. Paul, Joe, and I unloaded the vehicles, and started carrying luggage into the house. We had to troop through the porch, past a nonchalant Carol nursing just as if we were home. Pie and Jo rounded up the four older kids and took them down to the beach to keep them from being under foot while we brought in our bags.
When we finished, Joe took me on a quick tour of the house. Joe and his wife had not rearranged the interior a lot, but they had redecorated tastefully throughout, and of course, all the furniture was new. The basic layout remained the same, though.
Upstairs, the small hall had been done over and the light fixture changed. In the girls' old room, now the master, the décor was pleasant and neutral. The big king-size bed fit nicely, leaving room for two large dressers, sufficient, with the closet, for all the wives and myself to store our summer clothing for two weeks. I was tickled at the presence of several large scented candles. Joe explained it was his daughter's idea.
The smaller east bedroom, which had been mine and Bob's, was set up for the kids with one queen size bed, and again two large dressers and a closet for their clothes. Like all the upstairs rooms, it was nicely decorated in a neutral colour scheme. Joe must have been listening when I told him about our animals and passed it along: Janet had hung a couple posters of some black horses and one of a gorgeous black cat that was almost a clone of Ahab. I knew the kids would be thrilled.
The west bedroom was a surprise. This was where Joe and his wife had made the most changes to the house. Always the largest of the rooms, despite what I thought when younger (I think it was the original master bedroom), Joe and his wife had divided it unequally in two.
The larger south portion, originally planned as a sewing room, became our nursery. They made the smaller north part into a modern three-piece bath, giving the old house the upstairs bath facilities it had always needed. Checking the built-in linen closet, I was pleased to find it well stocked with large bath towels, and — Surprise! — an assortment of terry bath robes — Joe and his daughter thought of everything!
When I commented, Joe asked me how many times I've come in from doing a dirty, sweaty job, gone straight to the shower and had to call for a robe or clean clothes. Not a big deal when we're home alone, but embarrassing if you have company, which will be more likely the rule than the exception here at the cottage
Pleased as we were with the bathroom, Joe and his daughter outdid themselves on the nursery. Even with the new bathroom cut out of it, the room was as big as an average sized bedroom in a modern bungalow, making it more than roomy enough as a nursery. Along with the cribs we requested, there was a beautiful change table and a rocker to match the ones at home. The cupboard under the change table was even stocked with diapers, baby wipes, and baby oil and lotion. A small closet was well stocked with baby blankets and linen for the cribs.
I even noticed a baby monitor sitting on the dresser. They were relatively new at that time, and me being something of a technophile, it caught my eye. I made a note we had to get one for home. This nursery was a turnkey operation. But the décor! They had actually decorated it as a nursery, with a gender-neutral theme and colour scheme. There were even mobiles suspended over each crib! When my wives saw it, they fell in love! The attention to detail was simply breathtaking.
The north bedroom had been Dolly and Bob Sr.'s room. Joe was able to exchange the new queen size for a king size for Paul and his family. Again, there were enough dressers and closet space to accommodate a small summer wardrobe for each person. I noted there were candles in this room as well.
Joe laughed when I commented on the candles. "When you said it was a family of three, I knew it was another of your Wiccan multiples, so I did what Janet did in your room. It never occurred to me it would be Paul and his sister-wives. Remember when you first told me about you and your wives? You seemed to think I took it rather easily. Well, not only had I read about Wicca in those books I told you of, but I knew of Paul's incestuous multiple marriage. I just didn't know how to tell you how I became familiar with the concept of multiples without revealing my friend's relationship with his sisters and my acceptance of it."
"Joe, there are some stories to tell, but I think you should catch up with your old friend Paul first. Now, let's finish this tour, shall we?"
Joe's daughter was evidently a whiz at interior design. The nursery showed off her talent, but the whole house reflected her touch. Her attention to detail was incredible! Every bed was fully dressed, with a full change of bed linen in every closet, including a spare warm comforter for those colder nights.
The original bathroom facilities were still on the main floor, but had been modernized. Gone was the old tub I disliked so much, replaced with a large modern shower enclosure. Again, the linen closet was fully stocked with lots of large, fluffy towels and again, terry bath robes of various sizes.
The kitchen was modern with a new propane stove and a fridge with ice and water dispenser in the door. The cabinetry was also new, and stocked with all new dishes, flatware, and cookware, enough to serve at least a dozen people.
A full-size freezer, and a modern washer and dryer graced the utility room. Throughout the house, the décor was tasteful and airy, bespeaking Janet's almost professional touch. And ... the entire house was redolent with the sweet scent and the gloriously brilliant colours of flowers! There were potted flowering plants and vases full of cut flowers everywhere and in every room! My imagination took off in a flight of fancy again, and I fully expected to see Goldberrry with several bowls of floating water lilies at her feet.
When I commented to Joe about the flowers, he said, "My wife, Jane loved flowers and our home was always decorated with fresh flowers of all kinds. I loved the smell, and after she was gone, the smell of any flower always brings back warm memories of her. So, when Janet and I finished fixing the place up for you, I just knew I had to keep her flower tradition alive. I can stop putting them out if you want."
I grimaced at the thought. "Don't you dare, Joe! Not only are you keeping a wonderful memory of Jane alive, the flowers do wonders for the atmosphere of the house, showing that someone who cares, lives here."
Joe said he and his wife Jane had originally planned to use the larger west wing we now occupied as their home, with the east wing kept as a guest suite, either for Janet, or for his son and his family whenever they came for a visit. Joe told me they had redecorated it as well, with one major change — they had converted the smallest bedroom to a modern bathroom.
Joe's wife hadn't lived to see the renovations completed. Some of the interior design work was hers, but after her death, Janet had finished the job. Joe didn't need all the space of the west wing, and had set himself up in the smaller east wing. The kitchenette had new modern appliances and was fully functional for a small family or just a couple.
Janet, in her very early-twenties, was unmarried, and like Jamie, fresh out of school, just starting a career in a nearby small city. Joe said he had hoped she would move back home and use it as her apartment, but she got a place in the city and refused to commute.
His son was married, with two little girls, and lived in the same nearby city where Janet worked. It was close enough that they rarely stayed overnight, preferring to drive back to their suburban home after a day at the lake, although their visits were actually quite infrequent. Joe said his son's wife didn't like staying in the country — it was 'too dark and quiet', just the things that attracted the rest of us. I got the impression he wasn't too keen on his daughter-in-law, but he obviously doted on his grandchildren, lamenting he didn't see them often enough, especially when they lived so close. He said if he didn't visit them, or if Janet didn't bring them out with her, which she quite often did, he would hardly ever see them.
In contrast to the way he spoke of his son and daughter-in-law, whenever Joe mentioned Janet, his face lit up. His pride in his daughter was very apparent. He obviously loved her very much — the sun rose and set in her. Despite her refusal to commute, and a weird schedule at her job, she spent every free minute she had with her dad. I was very touched by her devotion to her father, and by his appreciation of it.
I didn't examine the east wing too closely, feeling I was invading Joe's privacy. I did note the changes to the common room and kitchenette, arranged and furnished similar to the happy day Riekie, Carol and I had our meeting with the family Koorstis.
I had never actually been upstairs in the east wing, so I didn't know what to expect. Again, the bedrooms were tastefully decorated and appointed, all with queen-size beds. One was slightly larger, with built-in bookshelves. I recognized it immediately from Joe's description as Opa's former bedroom/office, and now his.
Joe's walls were festooned with framed photos of his family, and from them, I saw that Joe's wife had been a remarkable beauty in her own right as was her carbon-copy daughter, Janet. Pictures of her and Janet seemed to dominate, and it was hard to tell them apart other than Janet was obviously much younger.
A smaller bedroom, decorated with feminine taste, was next door to Joe's with a connecting door between. Family pictures were also very evident here, but seemed to focus more on Joe and to a lesser extent, his wife.
The third, smaller room, was also decorated tastefully neutral. The room converted into a bathroom must have been a very small bedroom (if it was ever used as that). It was barely large enough to serve as a modern three-piece bath.
We had lots of room. If the boys were able to make it East in time to spend a few days with us, there were the two bedrooms in the east wing where Joe was living. We could use the one that was reserved for Janet when she wasn't there. If she was, then the boys would have to double-up like they did at the farm.
Joe had become so important to us we would turn guests away before asking him or his daughter to vacate while we entertained. As I casually inspected the house, I was convinced we had gotten more than our money's worth, especially with Joe thrown into the bargain.
When we finished, we returned to the porch where the girls served a light snack to tide us over until supper from the basic groceries we brought with us. I cracked off to Joe about how well the house was stocked with linen and cookware.
He blushed and said. "Thank Janet. She thinks of everything. I'm just the gofer. I hope we didn't spend too much of the maintenance budget getting all these extras. I'm glad you sent me the bank and VISA cards. Life's easier now since I'm not forced to deal exclusively with just those two stores in town. They don't have everything we need, like the towels and bed clothes. I'd have picked up some groceries for you, but had no idea what you liked or how much to get. I did pick up the basic cleaning supplies and some meat for the freezer. Before anyone goes shopping, you should check what's there."
I was impressed. "God, Joe! You and Janet have done wonders! Don't worry about your maintenance budget. The normal annual expenses for the place, even if you paid your own utilities and food, wouldn't use up the interest on the principle. I fully expected to be wasting most of today tracking down all the odds and ends we'd need, and not be able to fully enjoy our first day here. Now we can, thanks to you and Janet."
Once they had Carol and the babies settled, and had served that light snack, Diane and Riekie declared they were taking the car to do some proper grocery shopping. Pie and Jo decided to go with them. I had them check the freezer to see what we had in stock before they left. They had their list made up and were headed to the stores by two-thirty. We'd only been here an hour and a half or so, and already it felt like home. As they were leaving, My Wives informed Joe he was officially part of the family now and would be taking all of his meals with us.
With the other women gone shopping, that left us men and Carol with the four kids and the babies. Carol was a little tired after the trip, so she had me carry the twins up to bed, and she lay down in our room for a short nap.
Paul and Joe installed themselves with some beer in Joe's common room to get caught up with each other, and I was left with the kids. Before Carol lay down for her nap, she helped me unpack the kids, find their swimsuits, and get them changed. I sent Carol to her nap with a lingering kiss and the promise of a walk later this evening. Kissing her in the doorway of her old room brought back a flood of warm memories, and made me glad we'd decided to spend time here.
I took the kids down to our little beach to play in the water and sand. We forgot to pack beach toys, but Joe had some for his grand children, so our kids were able to play in the sand with buckets and shovels. The women folk had an order for beach toys on their list as well as groceries. We'd leave them at the cottage so the kids would always have them. The kids had a ball, and some neighbour kids came over to join them.
Our beach was small, but it was still the best swimming hole on this side of the lake, and was popular with the local children. Our girls made several new friends that day and I got to ogle some teenage eye candy that came over to use our raft. Joe had given the local kids the run of our beach, and I wholeheartedly agreed. There seemed to be a lot more kids around than when we were young, especially pre-teens. Ours would not lack for friends and playmates when we were here, it seemed.
After about an hour, Carol rose from her nap and got Paul to help her bring the babies down to the beach with the rest of us. There was lots of shade, and Carol had them in the cutest little sun hats, so they were well protected from the sun. Those little tykes squealed and smiled whenever another kid came near. I think they had as much fun as any one else! Carol snuggled up to me as I sat on the sand watching the kids. She caught me eyeing up the young stuff parading around in their skimpy bikinis and gave me several playful digs about being a dirty old man. She knew I was just looking, and couldn't resist a little teasing. I didn't look too much past her, though, because she looked absolutely edible in her own rather revealing bikini! Damn! It felt good to be back at this place that held so many wonderful memories!