Carol's phone rang and rang. I was just about to hang up when Carol answered, out of breath. She said she'd been doing some Christmas baking and couldn't run to the phone because she was taking stuff out of the oven. Ben was sleeping, and probably didn't hear it. She sounded tired and worried and said that Ben seemed to be getting worse. She said Beth came over last week after she talked to us and spent some time with her which she really appreciated, and thanked Mom for calling Beth. Ben must have been wakened by the phone ringing, and picked up the extension in his room. He didn't say much, he was too weak, but he did say hi and stayed on listening as we talked. I told them someone had extremely good news for them.
"David, darling, what someone and what good news? You make everything so mysterious."
"Remember what I told you years ago about being told what is down an old road? The fun is in the exploring? This is similar. Hang on while they sort themselves out."
I looked at the newlyweds. Who was going to speak? Paul took the initiative. "Carol Anne?"
Carol answered with a question. "Hi, Paul. What's your news?"
"Well, there's several bits, and you better be sitting."
"OK, I'm sitting."
"First of all, it's not Paul, it's Uncle Paul to you." Paul said with chuckle.
Carol was stunned, and squealed repeatedly as she struggled to comprehend his news, "Uncle... ? Uh... I don't get... EEEEEK! UNCLE PAUL? The Uncle Paul? Pie and Jo's Paul? How? Why? But... but... I don't understand... but... but... but... I thought you were Muffin's daddy! THIS is just too much!!"
Paul laughed as he told her, "Slow down, Girl! I'm still Muffin's daddy. I just found out yesterday that you're Dolly's daughter and therefore my niece. There's..."
Carol wouldn't let him finish, yelling, "MUFF-FFIN!!"
"I'm right here, Doll, no need to shout! What would you like Sweetheart?" Diane replied, her love for Carol just dripping from her voice.
Carol heaved a long sigh of longing, then, "Aside from having you here with me... you mean we're really cousins and not just something we made up to cover our letters?"
"Mmmm-hmmm! That's what I'm told. I only found out yesterday myself. David kept this to himself for quite a while until he got all the details straight and everything set up to break the news right."
"Set up? You mean my aunts know?"
"Ask them yourself, they're right here. Daddy was going to put them on until you hollered for me."
Carol squealed again in giddy delight, "Pie? Jo? Are you there? How'd you get there, and why? David never said anything to me about inviting you up to the farm."
Pie and Jo laughed at Carol's antics. Pie spoke for both, dropping into her schoolmarm voice, "Yes, Carol Anne, we're here, and have been since yesterday afternoon. David drove down and picked us up because we didn't want to drive, which turned out to be a good thing because we just made it here ahead of a big snow storm. We've never been before, and it's just beautiful! You should see the farm with all this fresh snow — it's breath taking!
"David invited us a couple weeks ago. He said Diane and his family wanted to meet us, and what better time than at Christmas time? Seeing as we were going to be alone over Christmas this year, we accepted. We'll all be here together if you need any of us, too. He kept his wonderful surprise from us, and even told us he was still working on his Quest. Paul didn't know anything either until he arrived last evening in the middle of that dreadful snowstorm. What a wonderful, delirious surprise! We recognized each other instantly after all theses years! When your David makes a promise, he keeps it!"
Carol couldn't stop squealing like a school girl. "EEEEEK! Oh that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you! Is everything OK amongst you now?"
Pie sighed contentedly and said softly, "Oh, yes, everything's fine now, couldn't be any better." She giggled a little. "I'll let Jo tell the rest, but just so you know, Carol Anne, this has been the happiest day and a half of my life. I hope it never ends." Pie's voice had taken on that soft, loving quality she'd had since last night, and Carol could tell that her aunt's life had indeed taken a sharp turn for the better.
Jo spoke up in a similar warm, loving tone as her sister-wife. "Carol Anne?"
"Yes, Jo. You two sound so happy!" Carol replied with another giggle. "What happened? I knew you'd be glad to see Paul... Uncle Paul... if David ever found him for you, but you guys sound like something even more wonderful has happened."
"Carol Anne, something wonderful did happen! Actually, for me, three something wonderfuls!" Jo dropped her nuclear bombshell straight on target with a happy giggle. "So wonderful, the second one made a baby in me!"
Carol gasped, blasted into incomprehension. "Huh??" Then there was a dead silence, a silence so loud it shouted, as the news penetrated into her numbed brain.
Jo heard the silence. "Carol Anne?... Carol Anne?... Are you still there?" The silence continued as Carol slowly digested this staggering information, and Jo became concerned. "David? I think we lost the connection..."
Carol recovered enough to choke out, "Uh... Uhh... No... No... The connection's Ok... I'm-I'm still here! Tante Joanna Koorstis... How... How... ?"
Jo couldn't resist a jab. "Oh, come on, Carol Anne, I shouldn't have to explain how to you of all people!" She giggled at Carol's discomfiture.
You could almost see Carol blushing as she said. "I should have said 'Who?' and 'How do you know?'." Carol was pretty quick on the comeback, too, and giggled. "David didn't seduce you, did he? I know he thinks you girls are pretty hot for your age..."
Jo caught the reference, and laughed aloud. "No, Carol Anne, David is quite busy enough with his own wives, thank you, and thank you for the compliment." She riposted Carol's crack about me nicely. "Until Paul returned, I might have been tempted though; David is a fine looking man... But, as to who, haven't you figured that out all ready?"
Carol was still trying to assimilate the news of their reunion, let alone on their first night back together, one of them gets pregnant. "Yeah, I guess I have... Pau... Uncle Paul... but so soon after getting back together?"
Jo giggled again. "We're no different than you or David getting together after a long separation and now look at you, your tummy all swelled up! You were trying from the first night, and as I recall, almost dragged David away in your haste!" She laughed heartily then got a little more serious as she answered another of Carol's questions. "Yes, we had some problems to work out, mostly Pie and Paul, but we did, with the help of Lori, and then she tied a new knot for us. Last night was my Wedding Night, Dear, and it was wonderful! So wonderful! I had dreamed of it for so many years!" She giggled some more as she reminded Carol, "Do you remember your own?"
Carol sighed, in happy remembrance, then exclaimed, "Oh I remember the most beautiful night of my life, yes I do! Your wedding night... Jo, I'm so happy for you, but to get pregnant on your first time? And how did you know you were... ?"
Jo explained her thoughts on getting pregnant from her first time and how she 'knew'. "I guess I'm one of the lucky four per cent. I used to use that number all the time when I taught girls' health class to try to discourage young girls from having sex without protection. Now I'm one of the four percent! But I don't regret it for a minute, just to have Paul love me like I wanted all this time! I never thought a woman my age would enjoy it so much!" Her face coloured a bit at speaking so openly of her experience and telling publicly how good it was, but she answered Carol's big question. "I knew the same way you did, Sweet Carol Anne... the same way you did — I saw a flash of light and just had this... this knowing. Your mom says it is so unusual, it must be a family trait."
Jo sighed, and continued, "I was worried about my age, but Lori says while it is very uncommon for women my age to get pregnant, it isn't unheard of, and she's going to watch me closely. My own doctor says my body is much younger than my actual age. I know I feel young now, like a giddy teenager in love; I think you know the feeling..." She was referring to when we were sixteen and so much in love. "We're hoping Riekie comes home soon so she can help Lori with my care. I think we are going to be here for a while then we have to decide where we're going to live after that. Where we live is just too far away from the rest of you, but Paul has a house not far from here, so we'll see."
Carol recovered from her shock and disbelief and squealed her delight for Jo, "EEEE! Oh, Jo, I'm so happy for you, as long as you are! I know there's a long story attached to Paul's return, but I'll worm that out of David another time, seeing as how he kept it a deep dark secret from me.
"Uncle Paul said there was other good news?" It was amazing how quickly she adapted to the new situation and Paul was now 'Uncle' Paul. "I can't imagine any more good news! Let's see now, since September: I have David back; I'm having his twins; Riekie's getting set to come back to us; I have a new wife waiting to join us; I have an uncle back; Pie and Jo found their lost lover; they re-married him last night (there's a story there, I'm sure); Jo had her wedding night after all these years; and Jo is now pregnant from her first time. What more could there possibly be?" She trailed off to a nervous giggle.
Carol's reference to Riekie getting set to come back and Diane waiting to join us reminded me of something I had to do, but for now, I'd let them have their fun.
Jo chuckled, "Oh, yes there's more! Someone else wants to talk to you now. I'll let you go for now — there is just too much to tell you about our reunion, I don't know where to start. Anyway, your other party is bursting with her news, so I'll let her talk to you now."
"Carol Anne?" Diane came into the conversation again, her voice soft and full of love.
Carol heaved a lover's sigh, "Muffin?"
Daine giggled merrily, then dropped her own bombshell. "Oh! I love how you say that! What do you think of raising three babies instead of two?"
Carol was having trouble grasping so much at once. "Huh... ? You mean we're gonna raise Jo's baby? But I thought..."
Diane giggled merrily again, "No, Silly! Our own!"
Carol let out a shriek of delight "EEEEEEK!! Oh, Diane Marie Lloyd! You mean you're... ?"
Diane was almost bouncing as she confirmed her news. "Yes, Carol Anne, me too! I thought Momma Jo was gonna give it away before I could tell you myself. David and I are ecstatic!" Then she sounded a little worried as she asked Carol. "What do you think?"
Carol shrieked again, "Eeeek! That's WONDERFUL, Muffin! I'm so happy for you... for US! When? How long have you known?"
Diane laughed sweetly, telling Carol, "Last night, and I KNEW, just like you! Mom said she knew this morning when I howled." She almost broke up completely, giggling hard as she told Carol about her howling.
Carol giggled with her, exclaiming, "You what... ? Oh! Ha! Ha! I get it! You do that, too, eh? Now I know we're related!"
Diane uttered her relief, "Oh, Carol Anne, I'm so glad you're happy for us."
Carol became reassuring and loving. "Oh, Muffin! I love you and David so much, how could I be anything but happy for you... for US? This is wonderful news!"
Their conversation turned into one of those ones all expectant mothers have about new babies and layettes and all that good stuff. Pie and Jo were enthusiastically included in their conversation about layettes and maternity wear. Mom was the 'medical' expert so she was consulted on what should be expected in each trimester and on the 'care and feeding' of pregnant ladies. Diane, as the one to have babies most recently was the 'old hand' and shared her experiences. Speaker phones are wonderful things for calls like this. The women laughed and giggled and carried on as if they were all in the same room, making Carol feel she really was there, and fully part of our family. We men were pretty well ignored except for the odd question or to acknowledge an order from one of the women to get this or do that in preparation for the births. Mostly, we just sat back and enjoyed the interaction of the five women as they chattered and laughed, mutually happy with the pregnancies.
Finally, it started to get late and I pointed at my watch for the ladies to wrap up. I still wanted to talk to Carol about a number of things, including Ben. The ladies wrapped up their women's group with a lot of tittering and tee-heeing.
Carol sent a noisy phone kiss, then laughed, "Ok, David, we're all finished for now, but lemme tell you, you're in deep trouble for not telling me anything."
I could hear the laughter in her voice, good to hear from the obvious strain when we first called, and replied, "It was on a need-to-know basis, and you didn't need to know. Actually, though Sweetheart, I wasn't sure how things were going to work out, so I thought I'd play it by ear. And if you didn't know, you wouldn't let anything slip, like an inadvertent 'Uncle Paul'. Remember I told you the Quest to find Paul was all tied up somehow with Diane Marie and her father, but couldn't figure it out? Well, it finally all came together.
"In a nutshell, when I found Muffin's dad, I found your Uncle Paul, too. It was almost too easy, like I was supposed to find all that information at one time. When we have more time, I'll explain the whole thing, but basically the Quest only took one afternoon! I've known about Uncle Paul since I found Daddy Paul, but the timing had to be right to tell anybody, and let me tell you, Hon, it was the hardest secret to keep ever. Imagine trying to keep GOOD NEWS to yourself for a month or more, especially news that good! The rest had to do with Diane Marie, herself."
Diane gave me an odd look, wondering what the hell I was talking about. I continued talking to Carol, though, because next to me, she had more of the background info that any of the others with the possible exception of Paul himself. "Remember when I told you Pie and Jo said we were separated so long was because I'd been sent on a quest to find a replacement for Kit?" That little tidbit of information was going to raise some questions later, I knew.
Carol answered me questioningly, "Y-ee-es? Where's this going, David?"
Now I finished the story. "Bear with me a while longer, Carol Anne, please. When you and I were talking about that, I said this about Diane Marie: 'She's the one in the odd position here. There's something strange about her I can't quite figure, and somehow I think the answer to that has something to do with why we can't have Riekie until Christmas. The quest to find her isn't finished yet.' Well, the quest to find Diane Marie is complete. What I was missing was that a quest can be internal, a journey of self discovery. The quest for Diane Marie wasn't just my quest, it was hers, and last night, or this morning, she completed it. She might not realize it yet, but she did."
I noticed Mom and Dad both nodding their heads and smiling happily. Paul and his ladies were also nodding and smiling in full agreement. Diane still looked mystified as I blew her a kiss. She came over to me, snuggled up, with her head on my shoulder and listened. I kissed the top of her pretty head and continued with Carol.
"Diane Marie's quest was to rediscover herself as a woman of Wicca, a member of the Koorstis family, and most importantly as a fully realized sexual and sensual person. The climax, pardon the pun, came with her ability to know when she conceives. My role, and that of all the other family members, including yourself was to help and guide her in her personal rediscovery. I'm sure I've got lots of questions to answer from her, but Carol Anne, she is now truly one of us, and she MUST be part of our knot.
"The bottom line, Carol Anne, and everyone else, the Quests are finished: my Holy Quest to find Paul Koorstis; my personal quest to reunite Diane and her father; and the unnamed Quest that Pie and Jo recognized to find and heal Diane Marie. Every condition for us to finally re-establish our family has been met, except for one, and if I had had my wits about me that one could possibly have been resolved a long time ago. That condition is Riekie. Carol Anne, she hasn't been following a schedule as such, I think she's been giving me a deadline to basically shit or get off the pot."
Carol sounded incredulous. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, if I don't do something soon, Riekie may very well disappear forever. Remember she told you she was tired of waiting, was divorcing Rick, and closing her affairs in Winnipeg? Did she actually tell you she was coming back to us?"
"Duh! David! Don't you remember what I told you? She said she was coming back to you whether I did or not! Now you're scaring me, David. Talk to me..." Diane was alarmed, too, and hugged tighter.
"OK, Riekie promised me she would come when I called. I never called because I almost forgot that part of her oath. Now she's tired of waiting for the call, and I think has given me an ultimatum. I just hope I'm not too late, or that she'll get the message. Do you have a phone number for her? I don't even know what name she's using, and most doctors have unlisted numbers anyway."
Carol wasn't sure of Riekie's status either and said so. "She signs everything to the family with that funny 'Scott-Lloyd' with the 'Scott' struck out as if she's sending us some message, but I'm not sure what she uses as a legal name, although I suspect she uses just 'Lloyd'. That's what I put on the telegram we sent her. I never heard her referred to as Mrs. Ogden (Funny! That was the first time I'd ever heard Rick's last name!), so I don't know if she took Rick's name or not, and with the divorce, who knows? All I have is her office number, now. I don't think she's at the house anymore because of the divorce. None of her notes lately have had a return address. I'll try to call her myself, too. Here's the number..."
Carol gave me the number in Winnipeg which I jotted down on the pad by the phone as I continued, "She probably won't believe just you, but hearing it from you may fulfill the first half of the conditions she set when she first left us. Just tell her we're back together and to come home — it's time. I think she knows we're back together, because of the babies, but she also knew of the promise, and may think we only got together enough to do that. I'm going to call as soon as we're done here. I hope I'm wrong about her, and that this Christmas deadline we've talked about really is the manipulation of the Power, as we first thought. From what you tell me, I'm probably worrying about nothing, but we just can't take the chance, and maybe the Power has set it up so we have to call her home ourselves. Am I making any sense?"
"Carol sounded frightened. "As usual, you are, and maybe too much so. I'll try to contact her tonight, too."
'Ok, My Love, we can look after that in a few minutes. How's Ben?"
Ben himself answered my enquiry. "I'm alive, if that's what you mean. The pain medication keeps me drowsy all the time and I sometimes wish I could just go to sleep and not wake up."
Carol started to cry. "Ben! Don't you talk like that! We all want you with us!"
There was no reply from Ben. Carol was now really worried, and said we should end the call. We all understood, and said our goodbyes with loud phone kisses and a chorus of 'I love you!' from all in the room. Diane and Carol had their usual private moment at the end, but instead of giving me the phone for my goodbye to Carol, Diane hung up herself.
As soon as I got off the phone, despite questioning looks from all and sundry, especially Diane, I dialed the Winnipeg number. It rang four times then a machine answered and an unfamiliar voice spoke from the recording.
"You have reached the Riverside Family Clinic. No one is in the office right now, to take your call. This office will be permanently closed as of December thirty first. Most of our patients have already been contacted and their files forwarded to their new physicians. We will continue to check our messages until the twenty fourth. If this is David, please say just three words. At the tone, please leave your message, your name and your phone number."
I tried to leave a message, but the machine came back and said her mailbox was full, frightening me. I just hoped it was full because it was a weekend. I'd keep trying.
After Carol's hurried goodbye because of Ben, and the stark realization that I might just have missed the boat on Riekie, the evening got kind of glum. However, there were some other people who were upbeat, and I wasn't going to ruin their night. Paul and his wives were still caught up in the throes of their reconnected relationship and the joy of creating a new life. Diane, though she had questions, was still upbeat, despite Carol's hasty ending of our call. I figured I could let her wait on the question of Kit until we were alone. Mom and Dad were tired, and wanted to go home. I figured Mom just might be on the phone to Beth to get her over to Carol's quickly. Mom and Dad left shortly, Clyde in tow after a wealth of hugs and kisses from Paul, Pie and Jo, the grandchildren, and of course, Diane and me.
Paul and his ladies decided to stay in the living room and do some more catching up. Rhiannon and Jen didn't want to leave Grampa and the Oma's, but it was past their bedtime. They collected more than their ration of hugs and kisses from a doting grandfather and his wives as they said goodnight to the kids. As Diane and I shooed the kids out and started to close the door, they told us to leave it open.
I helped Diane get the kids ready for bed. They both had a bath and I read to Jenny after I tucked her in. She fell asleep at the same spot in the book again. Maybe I should start from that point the next time, eh? Rhiannon settled down as soon as she collected her goodnight hugs and kisses from Mommy and Daddy. After the kids were asleep, Diane and I returned to the kitchen, where for the first time today, we actually had some time and space alone. Mom and Dad had left, the kids were in bed, and Paul and his people were in their own private space.
Diane was thoughtful, and I thought I knew what she was thinking about, but I offered her a penny anyway.
She clued right in. "Oh, David, I think I know what you were talking to Carol Anne about, tonight. I'm just trying to sort it out. Do you think I've changed that much?"
I had to tell her. "Yes you have, Honey. Six months ago, you wouldn't even let me see Pussy up close, now you show her to me every chance you get. You orgasm freely, often and loudly. Again, six months ago, you acted guilty if you came. You're open to new ideas and ways of living. You've accepted the concept of a multiple marriage without question. You've fallen in love with another woman, and you're actually glad she's carrying my babies. You've shown an intelligence, insight and wit that wasn't there before. There's more, but I think you get the idea. Yes, Diane Marie, you have changed, and from my perspective, all for the better. You seem like a completely new person, and I love you more now than I ever did before. You've come into your own and embraced your heritage. Mom can tell you more about that than I can."
Diane was still absorbing this and more. "I believe you, David. I feel so FREE, and I can't ever remember being so happy, or content with myself! I really like the new me! You mentioned Kit several times tonight, what's the story there?"
I didn't know where to begin, so I just started talking, working some ideas through as I spoke. I told Diane about Kit as I knew her, and the revelation at the funeral that she had loved me; and my own realization that I had loved her. I told her the whole story about how the aunts thought Kit should have been my third wife, but died before that could come to be. I told her Pie and Jo thought I'd been sent on a quest by the Power or whatever to find a replacement, and that she, Diane, was it. That she was also Paul Koorstis' daughter made it bitter-sweet for them, but fitting, too. I didn't want Diane to feel that she was second-string, either. The quest wasn't finished until Diane became fully self-realized, which happened last night when she was able to tell instantly that she was pregnant. She was Kit's replacement, yes, but she brought her own uniqueness to the mix, and it would be even stronger because of it.
I finished by saying. "You haven't fully grasped that Kit was your sister, have you? You would have loved her, and she'd have doted on you. There's a lot of her in you, but the whole package is just you, and that's what I love about you."
"I think I understand it all, David. I just need to sleep on it." Diane stifled a yawn, obviously getting sleepy. She never did stay up very late, and had always been an early riser. When she started to yawn I knew it was time to wrap up, so I kissed her and said we should settle in for the night. She went ahead to check the kids while I tended the furnace. Paul and the girls were still talking quietly in the living room. I stuck my head in the door and asked them to turn off the lights when they came up.
Diane was already in bed when I entered our room. I undressed and slipped in beside her. She cuddled up close and we shared a very tender kiss. For the first night in a long time, we just went to sleep in each others' arms without making love. There didn't seem to be the urgency now. I slept like a log, and wakened in the morning feeling whole and refreshed with her tiny body still snuggling mine. I never heard Paul and his wives come upstairs, and I never heard them making love, although the glow on the girls in the morning said they did. When I woke, I felt surrounded by a warm fuzzy blanket of love. We did make love in the morning, long, slow and tender. We came together as was becoming our habit and Diane screamed her passion.
Sunday, Dad, Paul and I went Christmas tree hunting, and brought back two, one for each house. It was hard work wading through the deep fresh snow, but we had a good time just the three of us in the cold, fresh winter air. With Paul and the aunts there, the rest of that week until our next time to call Carol went quickly. Paul spent a lot of time with Dad as they forged a deep and lasting friendship.
Our life settled into a pleasant routine with Paul and the girls. Paul was a great help around the house, and quickly learned how to operate the furnace, keeping it fed with wood and maintaining a constant temperature. The girls helped Diane with all the everyday housework, and just like My Girls before them, took especial care of the dining and living room area. The aunts spent time with us, but also tended to gravitate toward Mom. Of course, Mom and Dad were at our place a lot, and we were over there, too. Ben didn't make his Tuesday call, but from the sound of him Saturday, that didn't surprise me. The deep snow from Friday's storm put a temporary damper on outdoor activities, but we already had next year's wood down, so I had time to do other things. I puttered around the house doing more of those odd jobs that piled up over the summer, and with Paul's help they were soon caught up.
We put the Christmas tree up and everyone pitched in to decorate it. Paul and the aunts had a ball. None of them had fully celebrated a family Christmas in a long time. They even took the truck and went Christmas shopping, coming back with bags and bags of secret goodies and laughing and giggling like kids. The day we put the tree up, we lit the Yule log in the pit outside the house. We kept it burning day and night and with Paul to help, it was a lot less work. At night it burned like a beacon, calling My Girls home.
Paul and his wives were truly just like newlyweds, and kept us awake most nights with their loud, joyous lovemaking. Of course, my little Elvin princess and I had to contribute our share to the joy and noise, too. I woke up almost ever day with a morning woody warmly encased in a tight, wet pussy creature, meaning we got the morning wakeup duty. Because we were a little younger, or maybe didn't play quite as hard at night, we were the first ones awake. Diane's morning scream of orgasm and howl of joy became an alarm clock for the rest of the house. She was really enjoying her pregnancy and her final full self-realization. It was a wonder to behold and hear.
I tried to leave a message on Riekie's machine every day. I tried a couple times on Monday but it was still full. Tuesday, the same thing; I was really getting worried. Wednesday I tried all day, still full. Was she not picking up her messages, or were just so many people calling, which I doubted, that I just couldn't get in the queue? Thursday, I got through, but the tape cut me off before I even said who it was. All through the weekend, her machine stayed full, and I was getting more and more worried I had missed her completely. The only ray of hope was Carol's memory of her conversation with Riekie in which she said she was coming back.
Saturday, we called Carol as usual. She was extremely worried about Ben, who seemed to be spending more time sleeping than awake. She said his doctor had been to the house and increased the dosage of his pain medication. Beth was over every day now, and was a great help. She had become very close to Ben, and was a good friend to Carol, providing a strong arm to lean on and a soft shoulder to cry on. Our conversation that night was fairly short. Carol was tired, and Ben couldn't participate at all. She spent a little time with the girls being giddy over their pregnancies. It was really heartwarming to hear her laugh and joke with them when she was obviously under so much strain over Ben. She said she hadn't been able to get through on Riekie's machine, either, but was still trying. I told her the same.
The conversation ended on a little more upbeat note with a chorus of 'We love you!' and 'Merry Christmas' accompanied by sloppy noisy phone kisses. Diane and Carol had their customary quiet moment at the end, then Diane handed me the phone for my personal goodbye. I talked briefly to Carol of inconsequential items then closed with, "Goodbye my First Love, I love you! May the Goddess go with you and guide your spirit." I hadn't given her the Goddess benediction in many years, but with her worry over Ben, and my newfound hope and faith, it was right.
Carol surprised me by returning the benediction with an addendum, "Good night, David, my True Love, I love you so much! May the Goddess be with you and with your spirit. May she guide our lost one home."
Carol had rarely returned the benediction in the past, so this was something new, and I was touched, especially at her heartfelt emotion. I made a simple reply, and we hung up. "Amen! Goodnight, My Love."
The rest of the weekend went quietly. Mom and Dad were over for Sunday dinner. Rhiannon was out of school on Christmas Break until the sixth of January. I tried to get through to Riekie several times Sunday, but the machine was still full. Finally, Monday, afternoon I heard that now familiar answering machine message, "You have reached the Riverside Family Clinic. No one is in the office right now, to take your call. This office will be permanently closed as of December thirty first. Most of our patients have already been contacted and their files forwarded to their new physicians. We will continue to check our messages until the twenty fourth. If this is David, please say just three words. At the tone, please leave your message, your name and your phone number."
At the tone I was finally able to leave my message. Somebody was checking her messages, at least! I hoped I was still in time. I didn't know how much time I had on the tape, and I wasn't sure what three words she wanted, so I just rushed out. "This is David. I don't know for sure what three words you want, but try these --"
I used all the combinations of three words that might satisfy that enigmatic answering machine message. "I love you. Please come home. We're back together. Come to me. It is Time. I remember this promise you once made, do you? 'I will know no other man but you, and will hold you in my heart forever. This I swear to you by the Goddess and her creatures here are my witnesses. I am yours unconditionally, totally. If you call, I will come, though it be from the ends of the earth.' Well, Riekie, I'm calling." I left our home number, my parents' number as an alternative, and the date and time of the call. All I could do now was hope she got the message, and that Carol got through too.
The aunts had taken over Diane's kitchen, preparing one of their memorable Dutch meals. Mom and Dad were there at their invitation, and the girls were showing Mom and Diane how to prepare some of the dishes. Paul, Dad and I took up post in the TV room, talking and waiting to be called to the trough. The aromas emanating from the kitchen were just too enticing to go far.
Soon the call to supper came, and the three of us almost bolted to the kitchen in anticipation of a superb meal, following our noses. Just as we were about to sit down, the phone rang. Diane wanted me to let it ring, but I'm not that rude, and this was before the days of telemarketers calling at mealtimes. I picked up the phone on the third ring. I started to answer, saying, "Hello... ?" I had to take the phone away form my ear to avoid being deafened by an agonized scream.