09-02-2020, 01:13 PM
With that interruption out of the way we carried on with our supper and catching up with each other.
Mom was normally off on Wednesdays, and since Rosemary and I didn't have to go to school because of the fire Dad decided to call in "well" and take the day off too. He and I would swing by Jim's in the morning and then we all would go up to the house and check it out. Mom had not seen the cellar, nor any of the secret doors yet, so we decided to take Grandpa and Grandma along too. We were going to need Grandpa's advice before the day was over I was sure.
After supper was over I sat down with Dad in his office and filled him in on more of the details of our discoveries and then I broached the idea I had been mulling over about backing Jim in opening a new store in the Phoenix area. He thought it would be a good idea, at least to look into and discuss with Jim. The biggest issue was going to be finding the right person to run the operation. He didn't feel I would have the time to do much more than occasionally working on some of the electronics that needed warrantee repair, or possibly building out some custom equipment, but he suggested I not try to do any installations.
"Son, you will have the rest of your life to make money. Your purpose in going to ASU is to get an education. I have an idea you will have your hands full with the house. Don't be trying to bite off much more, at least until you have your feet solidly on the ground and know what you are looking at."
It was good advice, and I'm grateful for it. I also ran the idea of a remote release for the carriage house door, giving access to the secret room, and he sat and mulled it over in his mind for a few minutes.
"I'm inclined to say leave it as it is, Son. Sam Johnson obviously left it alone for a reason, and I think he was probably right. If there is no access there is no way anyone can break in from the outside. You did say there is a way in from the upstairs, right?"
"Yeah, from one of the apartments up there. It gives access to the winch."
"I think I'd leave well enough alone. We can take a look at it tomorrow if you'd like."
Our business taken care of, we walked out to the den and joined Mom and Rosemary. Since there was no school tomorrow and Mom and Dad weren't working we were going to watch a movie together. I'm not much of a movie kind of guy, but I knew at least it would be much better than the one I watched with Rosemary and Steph, although it wouldn't be nearly as much fun!
Mom and Dad kicked back in their double LazyBoy recliner and I flopped into the love seat. I expected Rosemary to sit in the other recliner, but she surprised me and sat down next to me and cuddled up to watch. Not that I'm complaining! Before long her hand sought out mine, and we sat and held hands between us where it wouldn't be obvious if Mom looked over our way, and Rosemary rested her head on my shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tom, feeling a little self-conscious, walked from his car to the Winters' front door. He felt awkward because he had nothing to contribute. He had planned to take the ladies out, and didn't have time to stop by the store and pick up any wine, and he had just given Mary flowers. Stephanie opened the door for him right away.
"Hi Dr. Meechum. I'm so glad you could change plans for us tonight."
"Hi, yourself, Stephanie, and please, it's Tom. I'm Dr. at the hospital, not in your home."
"Thank you, Tom. I'll try to remember that. Please come on in. Mom will be out in just a minute or two. I hope you like tomato soup?"
"I do, thank you."
"Good, 'cause tonight is going to be anything but formal. Mom was pretty beat when she got home, and she thought you would be rather tired as well, so I thought there was no reason to go out if you didn't mind something simple at home."
"Hi, Tom. I'm glad you could come over again, and Stephanie could be here this time."
"Hi again, Mary. I'm sorry, but I came empty handed tonight. Since I was planning on going out I didn't have anything to bring, and I didn't have time to stop. I didn't know if wine would be appropriate anyway for Stephanie."
"Nonsense! We aren't formal around here. You don't need to bring anything but yourself when you come to our house. I'm just glad you would change your plans for us. I really hope I didn't disappoint you, but today was kind of tough for me. I'm not used to all of that."
Tom reached out and took Mary's hand and cradled it between both of his hands. "Mary, you did a tremendous job today. I don't think I could have made it through all of that had you not been there. Deborah does a great job, but since she wasn't there I didn't have anyone else on the staff I could work with as I did with you. Unfortunately, they are just there because it is a job. They don't really care about what they are doing as do you. You have a very calming effect on the youngsters, and on me as well." He shuddered just a bit. "I nearly lost it when they brought in Danny. I really thought we were going to lose him, and it is still touch and go, but we got him stabilized for surgery. That was as bad as anything I've seen since Iraq."
Stephanie was half listening from the kitchen, but she pricked her ears when she heard him talk about Iraq, and she looked through the doorway to see the look that passed between her mother and Tom. She fought back a smile. It was not the look of a Doctor to a Nurse, but much deeper. A profound respect was obvious along with a deep liking. Steph knew it wasn't love by any chance. It was still much too soon, but she sincerely hoped it would grow, and quickly. Her mother needed someone in her life; someone who could make her happy and complete again. She had given up so much of her life for Stephanie's sake and it was time now for her to live her life for her own sake for a change.
Stephanie served the soup and grilled cheese as Tom and Mary sat down at the table. "You will have to come back another time when Mom can cook, Tom. She can really cook when she sets her mind to it!"
"Stephanie!"
"Well, it's true, Mom. It's just that you don't usually have anyone to cook for but me."
Tom broke in to stop any squabble, "I know, Stephanie. She did a pot roast last night that was fabulous! I haven't eaten that well in a long, long time."
Mary colored at his compliments and Stephanie saw the look that passed between them. "You'll have to get her to do her lasagna for you some time! And her beef stroganoff is to die for!"
"Stephanie! She exaggerates, Tom." It was plain though that Mary was pleased Stephanie thought her cooking was good. She did so little of it for just the two of them. Between working as many hours as she did and Stephanie's busy schedule with school it seemed she didn't cook as much any more. Most things went into the microwave and that was it. The thought of having someone special to cook for stirred her thoughts and desires.
Mom was normally off on Wednesdays, and since Rosemary and I didn't have to go to school because of the fire Dad decided to call in "well" and take the day off too. He and I would swing by Jim's in the morning and then we all would go up to the house and check it out. Mom had not seen the cellar, nor any of the secret doors yet, so we decided to take Grandpa and Grandma along too. We were going to need Grandpa's advice before the day was over I was sure.
After supper was over I sat down with Dad in his office and filled him in on more of the details of our discoveries and then I broached the idea I had been mulling over about backing Jim in opening a new store in the Phoenix area. He thought it would be a good idea, at least to look into and discuss with Jim. The biggest issue was going to be finding the right person to run the operation. He didn't feel I would have the time to do much more than occasionally working on some of the electronics that needed warrantee repair, or possibly building out some custom equipment, but he suggested I not try to do any installations.
"Son, you will have the rest of your life to make money. Your purpose in going to ASU is to get an education. I have an idea you will have your hands full with the house. Don't be trying to bite off much more, at least until you have your feet solidly on the ground and know what you are looking at."
It was good advice, and I'm grateful for it. I also ran the idea of a remote release for the carriage house door, giving access to the secret room, and he sat and mulled it over in his mind for a few minutes.
"I'm inclined to say leave it as it is, Son. Sam Johnson obviously left it alone for a reason, and I think he was probably right. If there is no access there is no way anyone can break in from the outside. You did say there is a way in from the upstairs, right?"
"Yeah, from one of the apartments up there. It gives access to the winch."
"I think I'd leave well enough alone. We can take a look at it tomorrow if you'd like."
Our business taken care of, we walked out to the den and joined Mom and Rosemary. Since there was no school tomorrow and Mom and Dad weren't working we were going to watch a movie together. I'm not much of a movie kind of guy, but I knew at least it would be much better than the one I watched with Rosemary and Steph, although it wouldn't be nearly as much fun!
Mom and Dad kicked back in their double LazyBoy recliner and I flopped into the love seat. I expected Rosemary to sit in the other recliner, but she surprised me and sat down next to me and cuddled up to watch. Not that I'm complaining! Before long her hand sought out mine, and we sat and held hands between us where it wouldn't be obvious if Mom looked over our way, and Rosemary rested her head on my shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tom, feeling a little self-conscious, walked from his car to the Winters' front door. He felt awkward because he had nothing to contribute. He had planned to take the ladies out, and didn't have time to stop by the store and pick up any wine, and he had just given Mary flowers. Stephanie opened the door for him right away.
"Hi Dr. Meechum. I'm so glad you could change plans for us tonight."
"Hi, yourself, Stephanie, and please, it's Tom. I'm Dr. at the hospital, not in your home."
"Thank you, Tom. I'll try to remember that. Please come on in. Mom will be out in just a minute or two. I hope you like tomato soup?"
"I do, thank you."
"Good, 'cause tonight is going to be anything but formal. Mom was pretty beat when she got home, and she thought you would be rather tired as well, so I thought there was no reason to go out if you didn't mind something simple at home."
"Hi, Tom. I'm glad you could come over again, and Stephanie could be here this time."
"Hi again, Mary. I'm sorry, but I came empty handed tonight. Since I was planning on going out I didn't have anything to bring, and I didn't have time to stop. I didn't know if wine would be appropriate anyway for Stephanie."
"Nonsense! We aren't formal around here. You don't need to bring anything but yourself when you come to our house. I'm just glad you would change your plans for us. I really hope I didn't disappoint you, but today was kind of tough for me. I'm not used to all of that."
Tom reached out and took Mary's hand and cradled it between both of his hands. "Mary, you did a tremendous job today. I don't think I could have made it through all of that had you not been there. Deborah does a great job, but since she wasn't there I didn't have anyone else on the staff I could work with as I did with you. Unfortunately, they are just there because it is a job. They don't really care about what they are doing as do you. You have a very calming effect on the youngsters, and on me as well." He shuddered just a bit. "I nearly lost it when they brought in Danny. I really thought we were going to lose him, and it is still touch and go, but we got him stabilized for surgery. That was as bad as anything I've seen since Iraq."
Stephanie was half listening from the kitchen, but she pricked her ears when she heard him talk about Iraq, and she looked through the doorway to see the look that passed between her mother and Tom. She fought back a smile. It was not the look of a Doctor to a Nurse, but much deeper. A profound respect was obvious along with a deep liking. Steph knew it wasn't love by any chance. It was still much too soon, but she sincerely hoped it would grow, and quickly. Her mother needed someone in her life; someone who could make her happy and complete again. She had given up so much of her life for Stephanie's sake and it was time now for her to live her life for her own sake for a change.
Stephanie served the soup and grilled cheese as Tom and Mary sat down at the table. "You will have to come back another time when Mom can cook, Tom. She can really cook when she sets her mind to it!"
"Stephanie!"
"Well, it's true, Mom. It's just that you don't usually have anyone to cook for but me."
Tom broke in to stop any squabble, "I know, Stephanie. She did a pot roast last night that was fabulous! I haven't eaten that well in a long, long time."
Mary colored at his compliments and Stephanie saw the look that passed between them. "You'll have to get her to do her lasagna for you some time! And her beef stroganoff is to die for!"
"Stephanie! She exaggerates, Tom." It was plain though that Mary was pleased Stephanie thought her cooking was good. She did so little of it for just the two of them. Between working as many hours as she did and Stephanie's busy schedule with school it seemed she didn't cook as much any more. Most things went into the microwave and that was it. The thought of having someone special to cook for stirred her thoughts and desires.
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