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Word Weaver
Member
since 2011-03-06
Posts 437
California, USA

0 posted 2011-03-20 09:03 PM



"The BBQ"

Any occasion at the Wright's was one to look forward to. Susan Wright had been a chef at an upscale restaurant before she married. She may have retired but she took her skills with her. Whether is was an outdoor BBQ or a sit-down dinner, the food was scrumptous.

Susan loved to entertain and she always threw a party when anyone new moved into the neighborood. These parties followed ones for the people who were moving out. Todays event was a buffet-style dinner for newbies, the Pattersons, and their two kids, both in their teens.

It was an unusually large group. I'd estimate perhaps 30 or so people. You could barely move in the room where the buffet was set up. Thankfully it wasn't too cold outside, still light, and some people took their plates and glasses and wandered out onto the patio. From there you could admire the gardens that Susan dutifully tended. Her talents didn't stop at cooking and entertaining. She was an expert at domesticity. I'd dare anyone to find a speck of dust in the house. I'd always imagined that she even ironed her bed linens. She was the only hostess I knew off who still used charger plates at formal dinners.

With my plate filled to the point of spilling over (there was so much to select from) I too went outside. Mark, Susan's husband, introduced me to the Petersons and their son and daughter; beautiful children. The young boy was especially handsome. A heart breaker for sure. His eyes reminded me of my father's, so blue they looked like the sky. With his blonde hair it made him a knockout. He held himself with the confidence of a much older and wise man even though he couldn't have been more than 15 or maybe 16. My own daughter, Mary Jo, walked up to me and whispered, "Who's that to die for hunk, Mom?" I intoduced her to the group. I could tell Mary Jo was enthralled to say the least by what she called "the to die for hunk." But she was too young to date so I just let her dream away.

The Petersons quickly became part of our "in" group. Whenever the occasion allowed their children accompanied them. Each time I saw the son, James (not Jim or Jimmy he told me in no uncertain terms), I couldn't help but think about how his eyes were like my father's.

The following summer we had a pool put in and gave a party and BBQ to celebrate. The Peterson family was invited. I had just finished a long swim and was sitting on the edge of the pool drying my hair with a towel when James came and sat beside me. "Great party. Thanks for inviting us."

"Our pleasure James. We're glad you could come."

"My folks are gonna have a pool put in. I'm on the swim team at school so they're gonna make it a lap pool so I can practice."

"Your folks are nice people to do that. You're lucky they had you."

"Oh, they didn't have me. My sister and I were adopted. They adopted her first and then 16 years ago they adopted me."

My heart was beginning to hammer in my chest. "Where did you move from James?"

"Philidelphia. My sister and I were both born there. My folks had lived there all their lives but then Dad got promoted and we had to move here to the coast."

My legs would barely hold me up. "Please excuse me James, but I need to go in and change." 16 years ago I lived in Philidelphia and was an unwed mother who gave her newborn son up for adoption. I'd regretted that decision every day since.

I had a lot of thinking to do.

© Marcia Miller-Twiford


© Copyright 2011 Marcia Miller-Twiford - All Rights Reserved
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
1 posted 2011-03-23 01:45 AM


Whew!  Mesmerising!  Hugs to you or the protagonist - no, both!

Owl

Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505
Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
2 posted 2011-03-23 11:22 AM


Good grief!! I see a series here with all of the ways this story could unravel. Daughter falls in love with hunk neighbor kid who may happen to actually be her brother and mother has to find someway to stop it without alienating daughter, just in case he IS her brother.....we're talking major soap opera here. I like it!!
Word Weaver
Member
since 2011-03-06
Posts 437
California, USA
3 posted 2011-03-24 07:55 PM


Glad you like it Ballader. I have three different endings for it making it a much longer story but decided to leave the ending to the reader's imagaination.
Namaste,
Marcia


JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
4 posted 2011-06-03 06:24 PM


Tre bien...James
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