on their faces. Keeping it
A little after 3:00, Mabel told me that someone wanted to talk to me. I accepted the intercom, and it turned out to be Jan. She wanted me to come out and explain some of what I'd done to the house to Robyn and Kim. Since I still had a bit to do, I asked for a few more minutes. Jan quickly agreed, and instructed Mabel to close the connection. About 20 minutes later, I finished up, saved my work, and headed back into the family room. When I got there, I wasn't surprised when Robyn and Kim had trouble looking me in the eye. Kelly and Jan both used their eyes to indicate that they wanted me to sit on the couch, between them. I did, and neither one hesitated to move next to me, each pulling an arm around them. Robyn and Kim's eyes got huge, and when they met my eyes, both blushed before looking away hastily. It didn't take an Einstein to figure out that both had been thoroughly chewed, and were now being slapped down for their actions.
Figuring 'what the hell?', I joined in the process, pointedly asking Robyn and Kim 'So what is it that you wanted to know?', hearing Kelly make a quiet snort next to me on one side as Jan made a soft gasp on the other. Robyn and Kim didn't seem to notice the sound effects: both were absolutely stunned, blushing furiously, and staring at me, Jan, and Kelly by turns.
Not about to let them off the hook, I simply sat there, ever so polite, the question hanging in the air until Robyn managed to squeak out 'Um, how does all this computer stuff work?'
I could feel both girls next to me quietly laughing/giggling, and decided to ratchet things up a bit. Moving my arms from their shoulders, I moved a bit so that I could lean back; re-situated, I put my arms around Jan's and Kelly's waists, hugging them close to me. I could feel them tense a bit at first, before they realized what I was doing; then they went along with it by leaning back against me, each putting a hand over mine, and holding it. Again with the saucer eyes from Robyn and Kim as I started to explain, in simple terms, how the house got it's start, and how it had evolved. The fact that I had two pretty girls in my arms all perfectly natural, of course, and not worth a moment's notice. From the expressions on their faces, I doubt either one heard more than one word in twelve.
When I finished, Kelly asked if I was thirsty. I was, actually, and when I said so, she said she'd get us all something to drink. A few moments later, she called out, asking if I was out of wine. Knowing that she very rarely drank straight wine, I said no, I wasn't, that I'd moved it, and said that I'd show her where it was. Once in the kitchen, Kelly all but broke out laughing as she hugged me, saying 'Dan, that was*so* funny, when you asked them what they wanted to know!'
'Yeah, I figured you and Jan would appreciate it. But what was it you wanted? Remember, we do have guests, and it's not polite to keep them waiting!'
Kelly giggled a bit, and said 'I just need to know if you have any ideas about what we can do to finish them off.'
I went into trance mode for a few moments, and came up with an idea, telling Kelly 'I do have a bottle of white wine that I think you and Jan might like. It's in the fridge; get it out, along with a couple of sodas. When we get back in there, just follow my lead.' as I got some glasses, and set them on a tray.
She did, and together, we headed back into the family room. Once there, I carefully opened the wine and poured some for Jan, Kelly, and myself.
For Robyn and Kim, I poured the sodas, saying 'I hope you'll forgive me that I can only offer you sodas, but I don't feel as though I know you well enough to offer you anything stronger. After all, I don't know what your parents would think about it, and I've learned that it's a good policy not to intrude on how other people choose to live.'
Robyn and Kim both seemed to understand that*I* was aware of what they'd done, and both blushed – again – at the reprimand, covering it by saying that sodas were fine. Jan, and even Kelly, sipped at their wine as though it were an everyday thing with them. Jan and Kelly both chatted with them, but it was a fairly one-sided (two-sided?) process; about half way through their drinks, Kim suggested that she really did have to leave – which seemed to remind Robyn of the same thing.
As they started to get up, I did, too; Robyn was quick to say that she thought she and Kim could find their way out. Both thanked me for letting them visit, and quickly left. After we heard the door close, Jan and Kelly both broke out into almost hysterical laughter, Jan telling me 'Thanks, Uncle Dan! I don't think those two will ever stick their noses into someone else's business again!'
Kelly followed up with 'You better believe it! I loved it when you said you were sorry about not offering them any wine, and why!'
'I trust that you have a good reason to believe that they aren't going to get mad, then?', I asked.
'Oh, no, they wouldn't dare. Kelly and I figured out some stuff a few days ago, and we've got those two right where they don't want to be. We let them know it, and what would happen if they gave us any trouble from now on. They'll keep quiet, all right.', Jan said.
'Yeah. And with what we just did to them, they'll think twice about messing with anyone else, either. Those two, and Kathy and Mary Alice, are the nosiest ones in school. They don't gossip, or talk about people, they just have to have their noses stuck in everything .', Kelly added.
Looking over at Jan, I said 'Let me guess: the next ones you want over are the other two busybodies.'
She blushed a bit, and said 'Well, um, yeah.'
'That's fine. Now that I know what you're up to, I can go along with it a little better.'
Jan looked at me and said 'Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd help.
Kathy and Mary Alice are THE two biggest – what did you call them? busybodies? – in the whole school. We really want to put them in their place, and were hoping you would have some ideas.'
'I take Kelly wants in on this, too?'
'You better believe it! After what they've done, I want to be there to see them get what's coming to them!', Kelly interjected.
'Okay. Let me think about it for a bit, and see what I can come up with.
In the mean time, we've got this nice wine going to waste.'
To my pleasant surprise, Kelly said 'Yeah, it is nice.', which Jan agreed with, before getting up to start some music.
We sat there for a while, just listening to the stereo -my arms around them, both of them with legs tucked under and snuggled into my sides.
Every so often, one or the other would pick up my wine glass and offer me a sip.
After a while, I started getting some ideas, and started refining them by asking Jan and Kelly some questions about their 'subjects'. Before long, I had something I thought we could work with, and explained it to them. Both thought it was great, and with some revision by them, we came up with a way to teach Kathy and Mary Alice some better manners.
With that done, Kelly said that she didn't want to intrude on Jan's time, and excused herself, giving me a firm, but not over-long, kiss before leaving.
Once alone again, Jan set her glass down, and moved over on my lap, facing me.
'Thank you, Uncle Dan.'
'What for, Trouble?'
'For letting me stay here. For not being upset that I told those other girls about us. For not being upset with Kelly because she told. For what you've done for me since I got here. For what you've done with me since I got here.' – this last with a giggle – 'For helping me and Kelly with those two. For helping us figure out how to take care of Kathy and Mary Alice. For being Daddy's friend. For being MY friend. For loving Kelly. For loving me. For being YOU.'
That said, she put her hands on my shoulders, and leaned forward, resting her head on my chest. I put my arms around her, and held her there, content to experience the moment, and the love and affection I felt for her.
A while later, as it started to get dark out, Mabel changed the window blinds. That roused us both with the realization that we'd gone well past suppertime, just sitting there on the couch with each other. I suggested that we snack on some of the barbeque we still had left, and Jan agreed, qualifying it by saying 'But this time, it's just supper, right? That thing with Robyn and Kim kind of wore me out.'
