Mary #48

This is a continuing story.  If you want to read from the beginning, please go to my side bar to the labels and click on story-Mary or click here.

48

“Sorry about that” Mary said when she came back into the kitchen. 

“No problem” Eli said.  “I remember what it was like with my mother-in-law.  It was tough.”

“What kind of cancer did she have?”

“Breast cancer, unfortunately, she didn’t make it.  I was hoping Elizabeth wouldn’t ask.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay.”

“I have some good news for you” she said cheerfully.

“What’s that?”

“I’m going to be able to rent that land to you for next spring to plant crops.  That’s if you would still be interested and we can agree to a price.”

“I’m assuming that you worked out whatever you had to with your brothers or am I making an ass out of myself” and he laughed.

“No you’re not” and she laughed with him.

“You’re pretty easy to talk to Mary” and he touched her hand briefly.

“I feel the same way” and she could still feel the warmth from his touch.” 

“So, are you just going to be renting the land and leave the house empty?”

“Well as a matter of fact, I’m going to be turning it into a bed and breakfast inn.”

“Who is going to be taking care of it while you’re in New York?’

“No, I’m moving back. I didn’t realize how much I missed home until I came back.  Elizabeth was the one who suggested turning the place into a B&B.  I don’t know if I can make a go of it but my brothers gave me the go ahead to try.”

“I like the idea.”

“Elizabeth and I have already been making plans on how to fix up the place.  After Christmas, we’ll start doing the renovations and I hope to open up by summer.”

“If you need any help let me know.  You know what farm life is like, I’ll have a lot of free time on my hands until it’s time to start getting the land ready to plant.   Until then I can be all yours.”

“Okay, another time we can talk about what skills you have to bring to the table.”

“You’d be surprised at what skills I have” and he gave Mary a wink.

“Are you getting cold she said” and she shivered.

“It is a little chilly in here.  I think I’m done eating do you want me to make a fire?”

“That would be great.  I’ll clean up in here and meet you in the living room.”

“Okay” and he left.

Mary got up and put the pizza box in the fridge.  She started putting the dishes in the sink.  She took a second and looked at Eli making the fire.  She then turned back, got a dishcloth out of the sink and started wiping the table off.  She went to the doorway of the living room and thought to herself how much she liked Eli and she knew the feelings were mutual.  She suddenly felt happier than she had in a long time. 

“Mary, are you okay” Eli asked.

“Yes, I couldn’t be better.  I guess I got lost in my thoughts.  Wow, that’s a nice fire you made.  I think something might be wrong with the furnace.  I’ve had to make a lot of fires already and it seems too early for that.”

“Believe it or not, furnaces happen to be one of my skills” and he laughed.  “I don’t know if I mentioned but my dad did furnaces and air conditioners for a living.  From the time I was little, he took me on jobs and I helped him. I could look at it for you.”

“Not tonight.  It’s too late.  You can come anytime as long as it’s before winter” and she chuckled.

“I’ll come and look at it tomorrow if that’s okay.”

“Great” she said.  “Let’s sit” and Mary sat on the sofa and Eli sat right next to her.

“You want to see if there’s anything on TV?”

“Sure.”

Mary turned the TV on and flipped through the channels.  There didn’t seem to be anything on but she stopped at a channel with a comedian on and Eli said “Let’s watch this.  He’s pretty funny.”

“Okay, I’m going to get a glass of wine.  Do you want a glass of water?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Mary came back with the wine, turned the lights out and sat down.  “I hope you don’t mind but I like to watch TV at night with the lights out especially when a fire is going.”

“That’s perfect.  I do the same thing” and they both started laughing at a joke on TV.

She was through with her wine and decided she was going to get up and get some more.  Suddenly, she felt Eli putting his arm around the back of the sofa and then around her.  She decided she would forget about the wine.

When the show was over Eli said “It’s 11, I better get going” and he took his arm off her and headed to the door.

Mary walked him out and said “Thanks for bringing the pizza.  It was a lifesaver.  I didn’t really feel like making anything.”

“No problem.  I’ll call you tomorrow when I figure out what time I’ll be over to look at the furnace.”

“That would be great.  Bye” Mary started to turn around. 

Eli touched her shoulder and she turned around.  He took her in his arms and gave her a long, lingering kiss and said goodbye.

Mary went in the house and lay on the sofa.  She put the afghan over herself and murmured "wow" feeling goosebumps but she didn't think it was from the cold.

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Mrs. Dunkin #41

This is a continuing story.  To see the rest click here.  


This will be the last chapter for Mrs. Dunkin for now or perhaps forever.  I'm not really sure. 
Edited:  oops, I don't know why I posted this on Sunday.  Must be senioritis.   

41

I put my nightclothes on in the bathroom and when I came out, I was startled to see Jerry sitting at the table.  “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I didn’t know I was coming either and then I found myself here.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Not really, I do have a couple of things on my mind though that I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Like what?”

“Sue told me about the great time she had doing the bingo but she said you seemed out of sorts.  I was worried about you.”

“I was a little distracted.  I found out Stella was in the hospital again and I was worried. I didn’t really want to tell Sue but Julie called tonight and said Stella is going to be fine.”

“That’s good.”

“What else is on your mind?”

“Can I ask you a question mom?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Why don’t you really want to sell the house all of a sudden?”

Make this good Annie I thought. “I told you on Christmas, I don’t think we’d get a good price for it.  All the work your father and I put into it.  I could almost hear him tell me it’s not a good time to sell. It’s as simple as that.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“Why should there be another reason?”

“No, I’m not saying that.”

“You know I don’t need the money now so why should I take a loss on selling the house.  If you don’t want to move there we can rent it out.”

“I’m not saying that.  We got a Christmas card from an old co-worker of mine who was working for the company in Georgia.  He is transferring back here.  He asked if I knew any place that they could rent because they are over-extended and will probably take a loss on their house.”

“Oh?”

“I called him and asked him if he would be interested in my house.  He’s got four kids and it would be perfect for them.  He said he would be very interested.  I told him I would call him back and let him know for sure.”

“I see and is there a problem?”

“Not really, Sue, the kids and I have talked it over and we think it would be a good move for us.  I would want to pay rent.””

“Oh no, you would be doing me a favor.  You could pay the taxes and of course the utilities.  Since your father died, there are some things that need to be fixed.  You could pay for that.  When do you think you would be moving in?”

“We would be out of our house at the end of February.  They would be coming in March some time.”

“You’ve got a lot of work to do then to empty my house out first.”

“I know but Sue and I thought since she won’t be working full time for a while, she can work on it after she’s done here for the day and then the kids and I can come and help.”

“Sounds like a plan.  Have you told Julie?  I’m sure there are some things she might like.”

“No, I’ll have to do that.  I know she’s taken a few things.  I’ll call her tonight when I get home and talk to her about it.”

“This thrills me to no end Jerry, to know that family will be living there. Too bad Josh will be going to school out of state and won’t get to enjoy it much.”

“Have you talked to him about it recently?  He’s decided now he wants to go to a college in Ohio.  He did apply for a lot of schools in Ohio as well as out of state.”

“I’m surprised.  He always wanted to go out of state.  What changed his mind?”

“He said he wanted to be closer to home so he could come home on the weekends if he wanted to.  Also, when he looked at the cost for out of state he thought it was crazy.”

“Hmm, he knows his grandfather and I have put money away for all of his college, right?”

“Yes, but he seems to think he can get a good education here.  Besides, maybe the school he ends up picking WILL cost as much as out of state would” and he laughed.

I looked at the clock and it was going on 7:30.  I said “You better leave.  Sue is probably holding dinner for you.”

“You’re right.” He gave me a big hug and a kiss and started walking to the door.  He turned and said “Thanks mom, I love you.”

“I love you too Jerry.  Be careful going home.”

I turned the lights off and settled into the bed.  I knew I would have a good night’s sleep tonight.  

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Still fractured

Well, I went to the foot doctor on Thursday.... My toe is still fractured.  No healing whatsoever.  We've been taping the toe for four weeks and I've been wearing the stupid shoe mostly.

She wants me to try an ultrasound thing that we will have to be trained to do.  Gel and do the ultrasound for 20 minutes twice a day.  It's to promote healing.

I was supposed to hear from her office yesterday because they had to check with the insurance company to see if they would okay it now.  Or if I would have to wait until the normal time when it's supposed to be healed.

Unfortunately, I didn't hear anything Friday.  Not a good sign I think.  Brother, this is getting way too complicated now @@.

Mary #47

This is a continuing story.  If you want to read from the beginning, please go to my side bar to the labels and click on story-Mary or click here.

47

Mary put on some more deodorant, brushed her teeth and washed her face.  She combed her hair out and left it long.  When she came downstairs, Elizabeth was already waiting.

“We’re fast when we have to be” she said laughing.

“I’m going to get some plates out and put them on the kitchen table” Mary said with a little tremble in her voice. 

“Okayyyy” Elizabeth said as she got up and followed Mary into the kitchen.  She watched her and said “You seem a little nervous.”

“I am I guess.  Eli kissed me” she blurted out.

“He kissed you?  Details please?  Make it quick too because he should be here soon?”

“The night you stayed at your house.  He came over and cut the grass just before dark.  When he was done, he came in for some water.  He doesn’t drink by the way.  He asked how you were doing.  I told him about me losing my job and that’s when I talked to him about renting out the land for crops.  I don’t know what it is about him but I want to spill my guts to him” and she laughed.

“And what about the kiss, how did that happen?”

“It just happened.  I followed him out the door to say goodbye.  We were on the porch and he turned around.  We were so close that we stared at each other for a couple of seconds and then he just gave me a quick kiss on the lips.”

“And then?”

“He left.  He didn’t say a word, he just left.  I hadn’t spoken to him until tonight.”

“Wow, very romantic.  Oh my, I think he’s here.  I see headlights coming down the driveway” and she squealed with delight. 

“Make sure you act like you don’t know.”

“I will.  Go to the door he’s knocking” she said excitedly.

Mary and Lulu went to the door.  “Hi Eli, come on in.” 

“Hi Mary.”

He saw Elizabeth come into the kitchen and he put the pizza on the table.  “Hi Elizabeth, I don’t know if you remember me but I’m Eli” and he shook her hand.

“Of course I remember you Eli.  How could I ever forget a handsome guy like you” and Elizabeth could see Mary shaking her fist behind his back at her. “It was so nice of you to think about us and bring a pizza.  Here” pointing at the kitchen table “let’s sit over here.”

“Okay” Eli said. 

“What would you all like to drink?”

“I’ll just have water” Eli said.

“Me too” Elizabeth agreed.

Mary put some ice in three glasses, filled them with water and passed them out. 

Elizabeth and Eli had already put slices of pizza on their plates and someone had put one on Mary’s.   She sat down and they started eating. 

“I hope this isn’t an inappropriate time to bring this up but I was sorry to hear about your husband.  I met him a few times here at the farm and he seemed like a real nice guy.”

“He was” Elizabeth said.  “Thank you for bringing him up.”

“This is good pizza” Mary said.

“I always thought so too but something tastes off to me.”

“I know that you just had your treatment Elizabeth it might be from that” Eli offered.

“Yeah, why didn’t I think of that?  They told me this might happen.”

“My wife’s mother had treatments.  I remember certain foods left a bad taste in her mouth.”

“Good thing you mentioned it.  It would have probably taken me a few days before I figured it out.   I had two pieces of Mary’s apple cake earlier and that tasted good.  Maybe I’ll only be able to eat sweets from now on.  Wouldn’t that be grand” and they all laughed. 

“I’ll have to buy chocolate and see if that will be good for you” Mary said.

Elizabeth pushed the pizza away and said “I’m through.  I can’t stomach the taste.”

“I’ll make something else for you” and Mary started to get up from the table.

“No, I’m really not hungry anymore anyhow. I’m more exhausted then anything.  I hope you don’t think I’m rude Eli but I think I’m going to put my pajama’s on and go to bed.”

“No, no, that’s okay.  Don’t worry about it.”

“I’ll help you upstairs” Mary said.

“You don’t have to do that” Elizabeth said.

“No, I insist.  I’ll be right back Eli” and she walked up the steps with Elizabeth.

When they got to the bedroom Mary whispered “Are you really tired or are you just trying to leave me and Eli alone together?” 

“No, I’m really exhausted.  Who knows how I’ll sleep tonight with the steroids.  While I’m tired I’m going to sleep.”

“Okay, then.  If you wake up and you hear us talking you can come down you know?”

“I won’t.”  Elizabeth got into bed and Lulu jumped up with her.  Mary covered them both and closed the door behind her.  

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