Ch 106: What to do about the kid

“Damn her!” Jeffery snarled, tossing his cell phone onto the counter.

He had tried more than a dozen times and Karen would never take his call. Well, he did avail himself of her voice mail--several times, in fact--and let her know exactly what he thought of her.

“Damn me,” he muttered, hiding his face in his hands, willing himself not to scream in frustration.

He knew full well he ought not to have done that. He shouldn’t have lost his temper and said half of what he did, but he was too angry. He couldn’t keep it in anymore, not if what Janet discovered was true, and it was sounding more and more like it was. Surely now he lost any shot he had of getting Karen to tell Wendy the truth about what she did, and more importantly, what he didn’t do. 

“Oh, Wendy,” he mumbled, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’m never gonna get you back now and it’s all my stupid-ass fault.”

Ch105 Best Buds

“Hello, Tristan,” Donny said, lowering the poster board he had made with the boy’s picture and name. “Remember talking to me?”

Still clinging to the flight attendant’s hand, the small, blond headed boy stared up with honestly appraising eyes. He pushed his too-long hair out of his eyes and then smiled. 

“Are you gonna be my new daddy?”

Taken completely aback, Donny gaped at him in stunned silence for half a minute then stammered for the other half. He was rescued by the motherly woman who tried her best not to laugh.

Ch 104: Popular Guy

Popular guy

Janet stood in shock as everyone at the party knew her dad—or at least knew of him-- even before she got the chance to introduce him. Who knew he was such a popular guy?

What was even more strange, however, was that no one cared that he was there at Wes' house—except for Jasmine it seemed. Janet couldn’t believe it. Jeff was, after all, an intruding adult at a kids’ party so nobody should have wanted him there. He should have been…well, not exactly persona grata.

“You probably don’t remember me,” Peter said to Jeff.

He stared at him in concentration. “You do look familiar. Are you related to Mike Chandler?”

“Uh…dunno him, so I’m guessing not,” Peter replied with his easy, crooked grin.

Ch 103: What Tangled Webs We Weave

“Let’s try this one,” Luke said, sitting down at the piano and only then letting go of Janet’s hand. 

He had forced her to sit beside him on the bench much to her dismay. Were they really going to sing here at the party in front of everyone, before they were even ready? Janet looked up at Alana who grinned at her and gave her the thumbs up. She must know exactly what was going through Janet’s head.

Peter leaned on the piano staring at Luke’s fingers as they played around the keys and nodded when he recognized the song. “One of my mom’s favorites. Clapton. Sounds better on the guitar, of course, but this will do for now.”

“Do you know this, Janet?” Luke said and he started singing the slow ballad. 

 ♪ ♫…It’s late in the evening; she’s wondering what clothes to wear. She puts on her makeup and brushes her long, long hair…♩ ♬ 

“Blonde…it’s long blonde hair,” Alana interjected.

Luke grinned and shook his head. “Not when I sing it for you, babe,” he said and returned to singing while Alana blushed scarlet.

Ch102 Whether she wants to or not

“Bye, Daddy,” Janet said, holding her father in a semi-death grip. Whether she wants to or not, she had to go now.

Jeff chuckled. “Honey, you’re just going to the movies, right? Not a trip to the moon.”

“Um…yeah, just…” Janet said, biting her lip.

“She’s going to miss you, Mr. Fummel, that’s all,” Wes said, taking her hand and tugging her outside before she changed her mind about going at all. “We’ll see you later.”

“She’s getting so weird,” Stevie said, shaking his head in exasperation as the door closed.

“So, what do you two want to do? Bowling okay?” Jeff asked.

“Oh, please! I haven’t been bowling in so long,” Cindy said. “Wes gave me money and everything, so I can pay for all of us.”

Ch101 When first we practice to deceive

When Janet and Wes showed up in the late afternoon, Jasmine accosted them before they came into the house.

“About time you got home!” Jasmine said, barring them from the house.

“Gotta problem?” Janet said.

“Well, yeah, the party tonight?” Jasmine said.

“We can’t have the party anymore, Jazzy,” Janet said. 

“Why not?”

“Cuz Dad’s here,” Janet said.

“Well, we’re not having it here, remember? We’re going to Wes’ place.”

“I assumed it was off, too. Your dad’s not going to just let us go have an unsupervised party at my house, is he?” Wes said.

“Troy thought of a way to sneak away and Dad’ll never know where we are,” Jasmine said gleefully.

“I dunno, Jazzy. I don’t wanna leave Dad alone,” Janet said, making a face. 

Ch100 The Pessimist and the Optimist

“Good Morn…”

Wes couldn’t finish his greeting because Janet grabbed his face with both hands, pulled him down to her level and kissed him heartily. After the shock wore off, he slid his arms about her and pulled her closer. 

This was some greeting!

“You really know how to get a guy’s motor running, baby,” he said somewhat breathless, pressing his forehead to hers. “Glad to see me?”

She giggled. “Maybe. I made breakfast. Come eat,” she said. She tried to step away, but he resisted and pulled her back against him. “Not hungry?”

“Not for anything in the kitchen,” he said, kissing her again.

“Good morning, Wes,” Jeff said, showing up entirely too soon to please either of them.

Ch99 Making Up For Lost Time

“Good morning, Daddy,” Janet said, giving him a great big hug, a kiss on the cheek and even a butterfly kiss which made him laugh. 

“Boy, I’ve missed this,” he said, giving her an extra squeeze.

“I made breakfast,” she said, pulling away from him.

“I can see that,” Jeff said, eying the mess on the counter. “You’re just like your mother.”

Janet shrugged. “Maybe a little,” she said, going to the coffee maker and pouring some for him.

As she handed the cup to him, he smiled and caressed her cheek. “You didn’t have to go to so much trouble for me, especially on a Saturday. Most teens sleep til noon.”

“Well, I never do,” she said, going to the stove, taking a few bacon strips out of the pan and dishing up scrambled eggs. 

Ch98 Two Favorite Guys

“Wendy, are you sure?”

Good question, but one she didn’t care to address just now. It felt too good to be in Donny’s arms. She so missed being held like this. She didn’t want to think. She only wanted to feel. 

Instead of answering, she kissed him—it was an answer of its own. She pulled off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.

Donny pulled her to him in an endless kiss and slowly unzipped her dress. With only the city lights coming in from the windows, he could just make out her form as he slipped it off her shoulders, allowing it to puddle at their feet. Ever-so-carefully he lowered her to the bed, caressing and kissing her mindless.

At precisely the same time, however, they both spoke. Unfortunately, the names they spoke were of two people not physically present.

Ch97 Wendy Does Boston

“You’re very quiet.”

Wendy roused herself and forced a smile. “I’m sorry, Donny,” she said, looking away from the window of their cab.

“You could go back home if you’d rather, you know. I won’t blame you.”

“No! Of course not,” she said. 

“I won’t be mad,” he said.

She bit her lip and looked out of the window again. “I’m just…”

“Missing your kids something awful, I know,” he said grinning at her. “You should go back home.”

Ch96 Break the Ice

“’Bout time you got here!” Steve grumbled, Janet, Wes and Jeff came into the kitchen. “We’ve been waiting forever.” 

“Some of us have,” Cindy said, eying the half eaten roll in his hand then turning to smile at her brother. “Hi, Wes!”

She hugged him. “Hi, Cindy,” he said and he kissed her cheek.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” Jeff said.

“I only have one little sister,” Wes said.

“Everything’s ready. Grab a plate and let’s eat,” Jasmine shouted.

“How was work?” Cindy asked as she watched Stevie and Troy push each other to be first at the food.

Ch95 What Just Happened?

“Oh, snap!” Jasmine shrieked, pushing Troy away from her.

“What? What just happened?” he said, making a grab for her again. “It was just getting good, babe.”

“It’s my dad. He's here! Get your shirt on quick!” she snapped, straightening her clothes as she went to the door.

“Hi, Daddy!” she breathlessly said, a tad too happy to see him.

Jeff frowned. “You okay?” he said, looking curiously at her disheveled appearance. He then heard a noise from the family room and instantly understood. 

He raised a disapproving eyebrow just as a harried looking Troy entered the foyer.

Ch94 A visit to Uncle Gus' bar

“Wes, we have to go to the bar,” Janet said.

Wes gaped at her. “What?” he shouted. “Babe, I can see you’re happy enough to celebrate, even though I don’t know why…”

“You don’t know why?” she shrieked. “You were right there! You saw how…”

“All I saw was you calling my client—at least I hope she’s still my client-- a bitch and a slut and…”

“No, I wasn’t. That’s what I was calling the woman who wanted my mother to think she had slept with my dad,” Janet corrected gleefully.

“Didn’t you say it was Ms. Harris? That she was one and the same?”

“Yes, but she didn’t know that I knew it was her,” she said. Janet actually did a little happy dance right on the spot and hugged Wes again.

Ch93 Payback's a Bitch

“I can’t believe you’re missing practice for me,” Janet said, feeling unduly guilty about it. “What did you tell the coach?”

He rubbed his stomach and grinned. “Something at lunch didn’t agree with me.”

“Yeah, I can be very disagreeable,” she said, pouting.

He laughed and kissed her. “No worries, I still love you.”

“I really do appreciate this, Wes” she said as they got into his car and buckled up.

He shrugged. “I still don’t see how this helps. What are you planning on doing? I don’t see her volunteering anything like that, especially with you…her lover’s daughter. Sorry, alleged.”

“I thought that would give me the opening I need, actually,” she said. 

“Seriously?”

“Just make sure you mention my last name, okay?" Janet said, excitedly. "I want her to think of my dad. I’ll be able to tell just from her face. You can tell all sorts of things from body language and facial expressions, you know.”

Ch92 Google it

Janet rounded the corner and ran smack into Vice-principal McIntyre.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” she cried as her books flew out of her hands.

“My fault, wasn’t watching where I was going,” he said, helping her pick them up. “I’m a pile of nerves lately.”

“It isn’t wedding jitters I hope?” she said, anxiously.

“Oh, no!” he said handing the books to her. “I can’t wait for that. We’re so perfect together. It’s more my mother and her sisters. They’re taking over the wedding making it far more complicated than it needs to be and it’s making us crazy. What is it with weddings? They make people go nuts!”

“You’re asking the wrong person. I’m thoroughly in favor of eloping,” Janet adamantly said.

Ch91 A Mother's Tears

Jeff had only just arrived home and sat down on the couch in front of the TV with a tall glass of milk and the cherished cookies the girls made for him. He was pretty darn sure he would eat the whole lot of them right then and there, in one sitting. Each bite he took was almost like being with the kids—especially his precious Janet…almost.

He had just selected the third delectable cookie and taken a bite when the phone rang. His heart skipped a beat when he looked at his cell phone and realized it was Wendy.

“Hey, Wendy, you okay?” he said.

“Hello, Jeffery. Yes, I’m fine,” she said.

“I just left the kids. They okay?”

“Yes, we’re all fine. I’m sorry to call so late…”

“Never too late to hear from you. What’s up?”

“Um… just needed to ask a huge favor.”

“Want me come over?” he asked, a mite too eagerly.

Ch90 Little White Lies

“Can I sleep over while your mom’s away?” Troy said with a devilish grin.

“Shut it!” Jasmine said under her breath. “If Mom even hears you say that, she won’t go at all.”

“She’s not even home now,” Troy said.

"Yeah, but she might have the neighbors spying on us. You never know,” Jasmine said, looking around as if to spot one of these supposed spies.

“What are they talking about?” Wes asked Janet as they approached the front porch of her house, following the others. “Where’s your mom going?” 

“New York City. Mr. Frank is taking her for a whole week to see how the finest restaurants are run, and of course, for more shopping,” Janet said. “She’s so excited!”

Wes relaxed. “Oh…that’s okay then. I thought for a minute…” he said shaking his head.

“What?”

Ch89 Great Together

“She’s here!” Luke shouted.

Alana jumped up and ran to Janet, then she stopped—as if embarrassed by her eagerness-- blushed and said in a particularly dignified voice, “Hello, Janet.”

Janet laughed and gave her a quick hug. “It’s great to see you again.”

“Welcome to Luke’s music studio,” Alana said.

Janet gasped as she looked around. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. This place is amazing,” she said staring wide-eyed at every imaginable musical instrument residing in its designated spot, ready to be played.

“Um…are more people coming?” she asked. “You know, like a whole orchestra?”

“No, just you,” Luke said, chuckling.

“But you do have other musicians who play with you?” Janet asked.

“Sure, there's Peter, but he couldn’t make it tonight,” he replied. “He has to babysit his little sisters while his mom’s at work and Jonah…well, I just don’t know about him. I think he’s gone. May need a replacement for him.”

Ch88 Bitchin Groupie

Wes stood up, grabbed Janet’s hand and frowned at his father. “Dad, you…uh... staying here long?”

“I don’t know. I’ll leave whenever Wendy kicks me out, I guess,” he replied, laughing when she playfully punched him.

“You can camp out on the couch for all I care,” she retorted.

“Wow, a sleep over. Cool!” Donny said.

“I should be back around nine, I hope, but it depends what they did to the computer,” Wes said, not at all happy with what he considered inappropriate banter.

“Well, I may see you then. Drive careful,” Donny said, then he turned back to talk to Wendy, completely ignoring them. "Hey, have you called your sister yet?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me!" Wendy said.

Reluctantly Wes and Janet said their goodbyes, left the dinner table and went out into the foyer. Jasmine followed them with Troy close behind her.

Ch87 Time Well Wasted

“Oh, just perfect!” Wes snarled, as he was forced to stop for the long line of school buses cutting in front of his car. “Now we’ll never get home!”

“Never, Wes?” Janet said. “Being a bit melodramatic, aren’t you?”

“It sure will seem like it,” he retorted.

“It’s your own fault. If you hadn’t wasted ten minutes kissing me, we would have been out of here way ahead of them.”

“I hadn’t seen you all day and you know I need my Janet time. Kissing you is time well wasted,” he replied, and for good measure he pulled her toward him—as much as the seat-belt around her would permit—and kissed her again. “God, I love you.”

Ch86 Growing up

“I really think May will like this,” Wendy said walking around the empty apartment.

“The kitchen and bath have been remodeled not very long ago,” Donny said, looking at the information he had on this property. “And freshly painted. It’s small, but…”

“But not for May and Tristan. It’s nice and cozy. Besides, they don't have to stay here forever. It's just for right now. I’ll take it!”

Donny laughed and shook his head. “I told you, that’s not how it works. Call your sister and see what she says first. It only just came on the market and I can hold it for a bit.”

Wendy poked around a little more, opening cabinets and closets. “I like it. I’ll call her and…” She stopped at the ringing of her cell phone and she retrieved it from her small pocketbook. “Huh…it’s Stevie. Oh, that can’t be good,” she anxiously said. ”Stevie, you okay?”

Ch85 Huge Score

In quick order the kitchen was once again spotless and Wendy had only to put the cooled bread in bags and store them away while Donny looked through his mail.

“Anything in there for me?” Wendy asked, hanging up the damp kitchen towel.

“Pretty sure there isn’t. Sorry,” he said, smirking. 

“Better take a second look. According to Janet I’m Occupant. So….”

He laughed. “That so? Wish I had known that years ago. I’ve tossed away tons of your mail then. My bad. Here, you can have that and this, and heck, you can even have that,” he said tossing her a circular for a craft store, a card offering a free first visit from a new dentists’ office and a thick envelope with calligraphy-type writing on it.

Ch84 To New Friends

“I can’t believe you actually got me cooking,” Donny said, as he put foil wrap on a small baking dish. “You really are a great new friend, Wendy, and the best teacher.  I might be able to do this on my own thanks to you…I hope.”

“You will. It’s all written down and it’s super easy and if you have any questions, I’m only a phone call away,” she said as she placed two other baking dishes, labeled and covered in foil, into the freezer.

“But what am I going to do with all this food?”

“Eat it with your kids, you goof. Have family meals like you used to,” Wendy replied, as she labeled another baking dish and placed it in the fridge. “Now you have several nights’ worth of meals. You just have to pop them in the microwave, make a salad, warm up some crusty bread and there ya go!”

Ch83 Odd How it Works Out

“Hey, kids, homework done yet?” Wendy said, before getting to Cindy’s bedroom door. 

Good thing she did, too, because Stevie had been kissing Cindy. As it was, he had to let go of her hand and move slightly away from her.

“Yeah, I think she’s got it now,” he said, looking adorably guilty as he stood up.

“Really good of you, Stevie, to help Cindy as much as you do,” Donny said, completely oblivious to the potent undertone in the room.

“He is a very good boy. I am allowed to say it even if I am his mother, right?” Wendy said.

Ch 82: Looking Forward

“Thanks for coming to my game, Dad,” Stevie said, giving his father a huge hug. “Come to the next one, okay?”

“Looking forward to it, Buddy. Love you,” Jeffery said, holding on a bit longer than Stevie might have wished, especially in front of his friend.

“Love you, too,” Stevie said and he quickly jumped into the car beside Cindy.

Jeffery stared at the two kids in the backseat for a minute, his fists stuffed into his front pockets.  How he longed to be going home with them. He then shifted his gaze to Wendy.  How he wished he could go home to her bed!

“Jeffery, may I have a word before we go?” Wendy asked.

 “Yes,” he said on automatic.

Wendy moved toward Jeffery’s pickup and he followed. He stood on pins and needles waiting for her to say something, but all she did for about a minute was look at her shoes and kick at the gravel.

“Wendy, what is it?” he said, anxiously. How much worse could this situation be anyway? Would she now ask for a divorce?

Ch81: Biggest Mistake of Your Life

Wendy’s first instinct was to push Jeffery away, shocked as she was to being kissed most ardently and held so closely, right there on the bleachers in front of the Skylerton middle school’s soccer field. The shock wore off quickly, however. How could it not? This was right, this was how it should be.

Oh, how Wendy missed being held like this, kissed like this, loved like this. She clung to Jeffery fervently kissing him back. Her fingers tangled in his hair drawing him closer until she thought she would melt right into him…a part of her did. 

She forgot all else. They both did. The crowd moved about them, alternately cheering the winners of the game and lamenting the losers, but Wendy and Jeffery noticed none of this. They were in their own world.

“Um…I’ll go find Stevie,” Cindy said, slipping past the kissing couple and weaving through slow moving parents and lingering kids to get down off the bleachers and onto the field.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. and Mrs…oh, wait, isn’t that Wendy Meadows now? But this is strange. Aren’t you supposed to be separated? I’m all confused.”

Ch80: Pivotal Point

Jeffery had been watching the game—okay, only some of it. Mostly he stole glances at his beloved wife.  Just like Wendy and unknown to him, his mind had drifted back in time—to the exact same time, in fact. It was, to Jeffery—and to Wendy if you bothered to ask her-- the pivotal point in their lives—the point at which they fell irrecoverably in love. 

For a solid month before that day, however, Jeffery had begged and pleaded, needled and bugged Dawn to please, please, please introduce him to her new best friend, the sassy southern belle who everyone was talking about and wanted to get to know--some more ardently than others, but none so much so as Jeffery. Finally, after the spectacular win over Skylerton’s junior varsity football team, Dawn gave him the best gift any friend could.  That was the day he first met and spoke to the love of his life, Wendy Meadows.

Ch79 Something Bittersweet

“Cindy, would you mind taking this to Stevie. He hates plain water and I know he’s dying of thirst,” Jeffery said, holding out a bright blue sports drink bottle.

“Okay,” she eagerly said. She then ran down the bleacher steps and sprinted to the goal post where Stevie and his team were resting and listening to the coach at half time.

“She’s quick to please,” he said handing Wendy a box of Cracker Jacks.

She stared at the box and an unaccountably bittersweet feeling swept over her. “You didn’t have to get this for me, Jeffery.”

“Sure I did. It’s tradition. Since Stevie was this high on the U-6 team, “ he said holding his hand three feet off the floor, “We’ve shared a box while he played.”

“Perhaps it’s time for new traditions,” she replied, giving back the unopened box.

Ch78: Sweet Sixteen

Cindy started at the beginning. She told Wendy that when she and Steve entered school that day everyone assumed they were now going out, mostly because Steve followed her to her locker, to Spanish class, to Math class and they even had lunch together.

“We’re like…best friends now…kinda,” Cindy said, blushing slightly. “But…I don’t know why everyone thinks we’re like…you know…boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Well, I’m sure that’s because Stevie doesn’t usually hang out with girls unless he’s romantically interested in them. That’s gotta tell you something,” Wendy replied. 

 “But you don’t like Stevie like that?”

“I…uh…I like him a little,” Cindy said, again trying for casual, but failing miserably.

Wendy hid her smile. “Well, I know he likes you,” she said.

“You really think so?”

Ch77 Make My Dreams Come True

“I’ll take it!” Wendy said excitedly.

“Don’t you think you ought to ask your sister first?” Donny said following her from the dirty back room to the even messier front half. “It is for her, after all.”

“Please! If I left it to May, it’ll never get done. I’ll just get it for her.”

“Wendy, there’s more to it than that,” he said. “There is the lease to be signed and she’s the one who has to do that, not you.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s for her business. If you sign it, you would be responsible for it whether or not you got her to move here.”

“No worries there. She’ll come when I tell her I have the perfect spot and then we can switch it to her name.”

“Not that easy, Wendy. The person who is going to be renting the space has to sign the lease. That’s how it works. And it doesn’t matter that she’s your sister. You’re going to have to get her to come up and see it for herself, and if she likes it she can take it.”

Ch76: I could kiss you!

“I could kiss you!” Donny shouted.

He had just waved goodbye to the Escaleras…the very happy soon-to-be-new-owners of the house Donny had just shown them. Yes, the very same couple who thumbed their uppity noses at every house they were shown thus far. Only thing different this time was Donny left the selling primarily to Wendy.

The Escaleras finding this house irrisistable was all due to Wendy’s useful prattle as they wandered throughout the house. She couldn’t help spot the deformities of the house, all that made it a bad choice for her sister and commenting on them.

 Such were her mutterings:

Ch75: Playing Hooky with Wendy

After the last of the kids left and they were now alone, Wendy sipped her peppermint tea and smiled at Donny. 

“Want anything else?” she asked.

What first popped into his mind being completely inappropriate, he shook his head and said, “Are you not eating?”

“Already had my breakfast.”

“Which was?”

“Yogurt with granola,” Wendy said.

Donny stared, astonished. “You really are just like Margarita,” he said.

“Wes seems to think so too,” Wendy said with a shrug.

“That explains so much. Wish I had listened to Luke. He told me you were great. We could have met sooner,” he said.

 “That would have been nice,” she said, taking a seat next to him. She propped her chin in her hand and grinned. “You don’t really want to go to work today, do you?” 

“Want to? Perhaps not.”

“Great! Call your client and tell them you have more important things to do,” she said. She then got up and started clearing the table. “You’re spending the day with me.”

“I’m sorry, what?” he asked, equal parts bewildered and excited.

Ch74 Nothing to Worry About

After Wes and Janet left, Donny stared at Wendy searching for something to say. “Well, um, thanks for everything,” he said, forgetting he had already thanked her.

She laughed. “You’re welcome, Donny. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow. Like omelets?”

“Love them,” he replied.

“Good,” she said, hesitating only a second before she kissed him on the cheek. “Good night, Donny.”

“Good night, Wendy,” Donny said. It took all his strength to turn away from her and leave her house. He stepped out onto the porch and very much envied his son who was currently kissing Janet much in the way he wanted to kiss Wendy.

Funny, he thought as he watched them, he hadn’t been attracted to anyone since meeting Margarita more than two decades before, and now, long after her death, he not only was attracted to Wendy, but he was also feeling as randy as any teenage boy. Pity she was off limits, being she was still married.

He cleared his throat effectively separating his son and his girl and after a bit of coaxing they left, but not for long. He would be coming back for breakfast and—if he allowed himself to think it-- to bask in Wendy’s glowing presence. He couldn’t believe how much he was looking forward to it. He was almost certain he would spend half the night dreaming of honey blonde hair, vivacious hazel eyes and a smile which could light up the darkest sky. Of course, thinking of her curves might keep him wide wake!

Janet saw first Wes and then his dad pull away from the curb and she watched until she could no longer see their tail lights. Then she sighed and went back inside, her thoughts on undoing what she had never done in the first place. How was she to keep her mother from Mr. Sebastian?

When she entered the house, she found Jasmine and her mom clearing away dessert dishes, coffee cups and glasses and she hastened to help.

“That was fun,” Wendy said, heading into the kitchen.

“Sure was,” Jasmine said. “We should do that more often.”

“Is the morning soon enough?” Wendy asked.

“Huh?” Jasmine said, as she placed the dishes on the counter.

“Everyone will be here for breakfast, so it’ll be just like tonight only…earlier,” Wendy said laughing.

“Well, not everyone. Mr. Sebastian won’t be here,” Jasmine said.

“I think he will since Mom just invited him,” Janet said.

“You did?” Jasmine said, staring at her mother.

“Only made sense. His kids were going to be here,” Wendy said, as she wiped down the counters. "Couldn't see not inviting him. Doubt he has much home cooked meals."

“Mom, that’s so nice of you,” Jasmine said. “Mr. Sebastian could use to get out more and live a little. He’s so serious all the time.”

“Coulda fooled me. He kept me in stitches all night,” Wendy said.

“I noticed,” Janet grumbled as she loaded the dishwasher. She slammed shut the door and with a vicious twist of the nob set the timer to wash while they slept.

“Are you okay, Honey?” Wendy said. “You’re not annoyed about the swimsuit story, are you? We were just teasing. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Janet stared at her mother and shook her head. “No, it’s nothing about that.”

“Then what?”

Jasmine looked from one to the other and decided she wasn’t needed here. “Well, I’m going to bed. Night, Mom,” she said and she kissed her mother on the cheek.

“Night, sweetie,” Wendy said. She waited for her to be gone then she turned to Janet. “Well, what’s wrong?”

“Do you…do you think it’s a good idea to…uh…you know, get so friendly with Mr. Sebastian?” Janet said.

Wendy’s eyes widened in surprise. “Sweetie, Donny is the one man who most definitely needs a friend. I’ve never seen such a sad man.”

Janet made a weird face. “But you two were laughing the whole time. He wasn’t sad at all tonight.”

“Oh, honey,” Wendy said, caressing Janet’s cheek. “It’s those who laugh the loudest that are the saddest. He’s still hurting about his wife. I thought surely you would see it. I feel so bad for him. He reminds me of May right after Chad died. I need to pull a May on him.”

Janet blinked several times. “A May?”

“Yes, I have to get him over his wife’s death, just like I helped May get over Chad.”

“Is Aunt May over Uncle Chad’s death?”

“Well, not entirely perhaps, but she hasn’t been a widow as long as Donny’s been a widower. He needs fixing more so than even she does. Cindy told me you started him on that path. You were so wonderful, what you did for him, for them.”

Janet gaped. “Uh, what did I do?”

Wendy laughed and hugged her. “Oh, nothing really. You just got him to go out to the movies and for ice cream and to remember he has kids who need him and want him to be happy. You made him realize just because he lost his wife, doesn’t mean he has to stop living, especially when he’s got kids. You started it, but I’ll finish it.”

“Finish what?” Janet apprehensively asked.

“Fixing his broken heart, of course, and I think I know just how to do it, too. May can help with this.”

“How? Are you…you’re not thinking of setting them up together, are you? She’s still living in Texas. How would that work?”

Wendy’s eyes widened. “Wow, I didn’t even think of that. That’s an awesome idea!” She turned to Janet and kissed her cheek. “You really are the yenta, aren’t you? Oh, yes, Donny will be fixed in no time at all. I just gotta get the wheels in motion. Ooh, got so much to do. Good night, Honey. Sleep well.”

Janet watched her mother climb the stairs with a happy bounce in her step. Could it truly be that easy? Had her mother really not been flirting with purpose? But then, didn’t she always? She had always been faithful to Jeffery, even when he made a fuss about her flirtatious behavior. Wouldn’t she continue to do the same? She as much as said she would. Surely she wasn't lying.

“Hope not!” Janet said to herself and then she laughed, shut off the lights and went to bed.

                                                               * * * * *

Janet opened the door before Wes and Cindy climbed the porch steps. Cindy greeted her briefly and slipped inside, but Wes lingered behind for a good morning kiss.

“Hey, Janet baby, How are you?” he said embracing her.

“Good,” she said, melting into him.

“Guess what?” he said. “I was worried for nothing. My dad must’ve gone to work early. I didn’t even see him this morning. ”

“Um…that’s cuz he’s already here,” Janet said.

His smile instantly vanished. “What?”

She pointed to his father’s car parked in front of her neighbor’s house.

“I thought it looked familiar,” he muttered. “So I do have to worry.”

“Actually, maybe not. I talked to my mom last night and she said that she just wants to help him get over your mom’s death.”

“Uh, that’s exactly what I’m worried about. I mean….you know I want him over it but…”

“But not with my mom, I know,” Janet said. “She said she was going to try to get my Aunt May and him together.”

Wes made a face and shook his head until his curls bounced around. “But isn’t she the one you told me lives in Texas? What the hell good is that?”

“My mom says she’s gonna work on it. I know she’s been trying to get Aunt May to move back here, so…She said she wants to fix your dad and at the same time help her sister.”

“Fix him? Didn’t know he was broken,” Wes said.

“Yes, you did. Isn’t that why you hired me? You wanted me to fix him up with a new lady love.”

“But you didn’t do it, did you? You let him get attached to your mom instead.”

“No, not attached.  They’re friends. My mom thinks he really could use a friend and that’s what she’s doing.”

“So, you’re not gonna be his yenta?”

“Well, I guess I outsourced the work to my mom.”

Wes’ eyebrow rose and disappeared into his curly bangs. “Aren’t you industrious for so early in the morning?”

“Guys are you coming to eat or what?” Steve shouted.

Janet kissed Wes quickly and then pulled him into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Wes!” Wendy said. “What would you like on your omelet?”

“Uh, whatever you have,” Wes said.

“Make him one like mine. It was perfect!” Donny said, sipping on some coffee while nibbling on an apple bran muffin.

“Man, this is the best omelet ever!” Troy said.

“Troy, my love, you always say that,” Wendy said as she cracked a few eggs and whipped them until frothy.

“I do?” 

“You’re very consistent that way,” Jasmine told him kissing his cheek.

Within a few minutes Wendy placed a plate in front of Wes and he ate it ravenously.

“We have to get going,” Troy said after putting his plate into the sink.

All the kids got up, thanked Wendy and grabbed their book bags and jackets.

“Dad, are you coming?” Wes asked, his arm around Janet. “You’ll be late for work.”

“Actually, I have time this morning. My first showing is just around the block from here, so I’m staying put until Wendy kicks me out,” Donny said grinning at her.

“Well, then you can help me clean up,” she said. “You thought breakfast here was for free, huh? News flash! You’re stuck on kitchen duty.”

Donny grinned and waved to Wes. “Have a good day, Wesley. I know I will.”

“Nothing to worry about, huh?” Wes said to Janet.

Somehow, Janet wasn't too certain either.