THE 1643 HOUSE
RAPPIN WITH THE REV......by Terri
on to next part of STORY
Part 5
And just what are the two of you grinning at? You two look like demented skulls!"
"Oh, nothing! Except this is what you call 'detente'. We don't have it, but neither do you," Sally "said.
Wanda Sue stuck her tongue out and walked on.
William sat near the town square, gazing at the church. Celeste came by and asked, "What is the problem, William? Or should I say 'Governor'?"
"Oh, I was just wondering about the new preacher. He seems a tad off. Any idea what is wrong with him? Maybe you need to access the story and find out if he's allright."
Celeste said, "Oh, he's a switch from Snopnagle allright. Actually, Daisy and I knew him at Woodstock. He was quite fond of the wacky weed. If you know what I mean."
William groaned. "Why can't they send us someone NORMAL for spiritual guidance?"
Celeste said, "Oh, I think he's harmless. He was quite the advocate of 'free love'.
AND DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! I was not one of his followers. Although Daisy was."
"Daisy the plant converser?"
"The very one."
William groaned. "This is one weird group. This is all I need!"
Daniel went back into the house that he and the single guys had built. Hotspur was putting a makeshift bandage on after he had rubbed some salve into his wound.
Daniel said, "What happened, Hots?"
"Aw, I got a blister sawing that big tree out yonder. Celeste had concocted up some sort of ointment from the local herbs, supposed to have antibiotic properties."
Daniel sighed and then looked up at the roof of their crudely built house.
"Ya know, I think we could do a better job..now that we at least have a roof over our head. What if we raised the ceiling in this corner.."
"What ceiling? This is a roof! A roof! Only thing it is good for is to keep the weather out!"
Daniel retorted, "Just because we have to live in it for a short period of time doesn't mean we have to live in something that resembles a chicken coop!"
Hotspur tied his bandage off and laughed. "You just keep on thinking, Daniel! Because that's as far as your ideas ever get!"
Hots went outside to work in the garden. Daniel sat there on his crude cot and said to no one but the walls, "Oh yeah? That's what they think? A dreamer?"
He grabbed his duffel bag and rummaged around. I need a break! Sheesh, why do they think I refused to go back to the 1630's anyways? Too much work! Besides, I like to take a nice shower! He grabbed his CD player and a couple CD's and slipped them under his rough shirt.
As he was leaving, Rafe called out, "Hey, Daniel! That section over there needs hoed and weeded."
Daniel waved him away. "Yeah, yeah. I am going into the woods to check on game. Set some traps yesterday, I want to see if we are eating squirrel or rabbit tonight. Don't worry, I'll have it all done by nightfall. I'm not a slacker, no matter what the rest of you think."
He headed for the woods. When he was far enough away, he sat under a tall tree and turned on his CD player. At least I can get some peace and quiet, he thought.
How the heck did I get here in the first place? Ah...forget the melodious sounds of birds and nature. I NEED JIM MORRISON AND THE DOORS! He put his headset on
and turned the volume up. Leaning against the tree, he closed his eyes. A shadow fell over him and he jerked his head up.
"Hey, duuuude!" Reverend Jim stood there making a peace sign with his fingers.
Daniel turned the volume down and took his earphones off. The Reverend sat cross-legged next to Daniel and said, "Dude, Morrison was like a god...a king! Lizard King!"
Daniel looked dubiously. "Yeah. Right." He closed his eyes again and wished the Reverend would go away. Rev. Jim started swaying to music only he could hear. Daniel opened one eye and said, "Don't you have a flock to shepherd?"
The Reverend looked around and said, "Huh? They gave me sheep?"
Then he started reciting, "Little Bo Peep had a little lamb, it followed her to school one day. Following her tail behind her." He sat there and grinned. "Cool, huh?"
Daniel said, "If you don't mind, I have alot of thinking to do."
"Cool. Can I help you?"
"What?"
"Think."
Daniel shook his head. "You are weird....dude."
Rev Jim stretched out. "So what has you in this thinking funk?"
Daniel said, "If it is any of your business, I am seriously considering a career change."
"Too cool. What, unsatisfaction?"
Daniel said doubtfully, "Something like that."
The Reverend made 'out with it' gestures with his hands.
"How old are you, dude?"
"Thirty."
The Rev nodded sagely, "Ahhh!"
"Ahh...what?"
The Rev said, "It's just like that movie..Free Willy."
"Free Willy? You likening me to a whale?"
The Rev frowned. "No, that isn't it. Slick Willy! That's the one!"
Daniel said, "How many drugs did you do in the sixties, anyways?"
"Guess."
"Alot."
The Rev put his finger on the tip of his nose. "Right on the nosie! Wow! How did you know?"
"Shot in the dark. And Slick Willy was not the name of a movie...unless it was an underground porn flick which I must have missed."
The Rev shook his head, then snapped his fingers. "Now I know! It's that movie with that Academy dude...Crystal! Yeah. 'City Slickers'. Ya know, dude...when that big cowboy dude told him he had to find the one thing that made him happy. It was like this, dude. Cowboy dude said, 'Do you know what the secret of life is? One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean shit.'
That wussie guy said, 'Yeah, but what's that one thing?'
Then the cowboy said, 'That's what you've got to figure out.
Daniel smiled slightly. "Yeah. I just need to figure it out."
Rev. Jim perked up. "A woman? She tweak your melon?"
"What?"
"Mess your mind up."
"Yeah. She did."
"Yeah. Mine too. When I had one."
"A mind?"
''NO! A WOMAN!"
Daniel shrugged. "A logical question, considering."
Rev. Jim rummaged in his shirt pocket, found what he was looking for and lit it.
He rolled on his stomach and surveyed Daniel through a cloud of smoking hashish.
"This woman. She is beautiful?"
"Very beautiful."
"Blonde?"
"Yes."
"Raymond was always right."
"Raymond?"
"Chandler. An author of unparalled..whatever. Chaucer. Shakespeare. Chandler."
"Didn't he write pulp fiction?"
Rev Jim sat up. "Pulp fiction? PULP FICTION? The man is quotable." He drew his eyebrows together in concentration. "Let's see...'it was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window.' "
He leaned back, took a drag on his joint, and smiled self-satisfied. "Am I right? That
describe her?"
"Yeah. Kick a hole right through Westminster Abby!"
Jim took a drag and passed it to Daniel. Daniel hesitated. Then shook his head no.
"Trying to clean up my life a bit. Make something of myself."
Jim nodded sagely. "Yeah. I can dig it. Like I did."
"You. You made something of yourself?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah. Look at me. I am shepherding the flock here. A spiritual leader. Kind of like that church I had in San Francisco. The Church of Spontaneous Combustion."
"What?"
Rev Jim waved his hand. "Well..maybe that wasn't the exact name. But hey, it was happening! We had enlightenment!"
"Yeah. You mean you had a light."
"Whatever. So what is this big career move you have in mind?"
Daniel sighed. "I work for my brother. He owns a fitness center. I own 35% of it. But he treats me like a towel boy. He calls the shots. I am thinking when I get out of this--this---settlement, I may try to go for architectural school. I think I have a feeling for design and I want to better myself."
"Better yourself? For the lady?"
"No. For myself. Things always turned to gold for John. Always! And I am sick and tired of living in his shadow. He always got what he wanted."
The reverend took another drag and looked at Daniel. "He got her, huh?"
"Who?"
"The lady in question."
Daniel was silent. The reverend snapped his fingers. "Hey! You aren't that sinner I was talking about, were you?"
Daniel snapped back defensively, "Hey, 'dude'! She wasn't his wife at the time!"
Rev Jim closed his eyes and said, "Wow. That's heavy. Hey--think I need to put you in the stocks? Yeah. This requires some..."
"Thought?"
"Yeah. Hey, dude! You must be a mindreader because you finish my..my...."
"Sentences."
"Yeah. Let me know if I decide to put you in the stocks, OK?"
Daniel got up and shook his head. "Yeah. Later."
"Oh! Hey! That blonde lady out there in the settlement?"
"Yeah. What about her?"
"I know who she is."
"Yeah, I know..."
"She's Jayne Mansfield!"
LYIN'IN WINTER......by Terri
It was evening back in Chappaqua. Rose was sitting on the couch with John, watching TV. The children were already in their beds, asleep for the night. John was stretched on the couch, sleeping. She whispered, "John? John?"
Nothing. No answer. Rose took the remote and flipped through the channels. HBO--no. ESPN...give me a break! ETV--no. SoapNet? Please! I need a break from all that!
She checked out the TV guide. Hmm...Lion in Winter...let's see what this is about...starts in fifteen minutes.
She slid out of the blanket she and John were wrapped in and made some popcorn.
Extra butter. And a Pepsi. If John wakes up, he can get his own.
Rose came back to the couch and slid back under the blanket. John snorfled and rolled over. Rose kept the sound down. No sense waking him up. This isn't his type of movie. She looked at the TV guide again. Hmm...historical romance. Yeah. Let's see how close they come to it. Patrick Stewart. Let's see how hunky he is..if he's playing Henry, he has to be. I mean, as much as Henry was, well, boring--he was gorgeous in a sinister evil way. And this Glenn Close had better measure up to El.
She turned the volume down and turned the station to Showtime.
Rosamond sat there and watched the movie, not believing what she was seeing.
She could not believe that this was supposed to be Henry. MY Henry! She thought. Well, not really MY Henry--just the Henry that El and I spat over. I mean, this guy is supposed to be my son Will's father? I don't THINK so!
John rolled over and Rose peered into his face. He opened one eye and mumbled, "Rose? What are you watching? Is the ballgame over yet?"
Rose flipped the station quickly and said, "No, John, they are still at it. Yankees 6,
Tampa Bay 4."
He mutttered, "Oh. OK. As long as the Yankees are winning....."
He closed his eyes again. Rose flipped back to Showtime. This is supposed to be Eleanor? MY Eleanor? My former nemesis? Why, I could take that Glenn Close with one arm tied behind my back! Don't they ever research stuff? She continued to watch it, making her derogatory comments to no one but the TV screen. That is NOT Eleanor! Eleanor is vital! Eleanor is tempestuous! Eleanor is a force to be reckoned with! And Henry--Henry is about 40 now, isn't he? Henry is dynamic! He's not bald! At least Henry was virile looking! Henry is full of life! Skunk that he is...was...is....this is awful! Just awful! At least they mentioned my name. But it's RosaMOND! NOT RosaMUND! Like 'mundane'? I think not! The only thing they got right is that bit about John being best man at a wedding. That was a joke, considering the train wreck he is! And the only other thing they got right was that I was the love of Henry's life..that our affair was the start of disaster for El and him. But like Eleanor cares! And look at THIS....! In disgust, Rosamond picked up her popcorn bowl, still full of popcorn and unpopped kernels, and hurled it at the screen. She yelled, "TAKE THAT! YOU GOT THE TITLE RIGHT! LYIN' IN WINTER! AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!"
John bolted upright out of his sleep. "Wh-what happened? Someone screw up a double play?"
Rose hurriedly flipped the channel back to the game. John asked, "What's the matter?"
Rose stared at the screen and said, "Nothing. Just someone fumbled the ball."
"Who? Yankees?"
Rose just shrugged and curled up in a ball next to John.
"No. Someone named Henry. And whoever produced this rubbish."
John grabbed the blanket and pulled it over them. He sleepily said, "I don't recall a Henry on any team. And honey, they don't 'produce' this stuff....they have managers. And the Yankees' manager is Joe Torre, not Henry."
He patted her on the head and said, "Guess you should stick to watching your little historical romances, honey."
Rose sighed and said, "Yes. Guess so. At least I know they are fiction! Even if the rest of America doesn't. What crap they put on TV!"
John yawned, put his arm around her and said, "Aw, love, it's only a game...."
Rosamond tossed and turned. She couldn't fall asleep. How can someone scramble history up so bad? And why is it bothering me? Why should I care what happened over 800 years ago? Because you have a reputation to uphold, her inner voice said.
"Shut up!" Rose said in the dark.
John stirred. "Rose? Honey, you are talking in your sleep." He nudged her.
She tried to pretend that was the reason for her soliloquy. "Oh! I'm sorry, John. I didn't mean to wake you."
She pulled the blanket off his head and looked at him. He was sound asleep again.
Rose slipped out of bed and put her robe on. She crept downstairs. This house is so scary without everyone in it! She went into the kitchen and made herself some tea and looked at the clock. It's 2:00 AM. I can tell I'm not going to get to sleep.
She took her tea into the computer room and switched it on. After performing the necessary steps, she logged on to the internet. The information highway. And it wasn't rush hour now.
She took herself to Google search. With a deep breath, she typed in "Rosamund Clifford", sat back and watched the page light up. Like there was no tomorrow.
Oh, wow!" she breathed. "Look at all the entries! And all because I changed it from RosaMOND to RosaMUND!"
She clicked on one of the sites and began to read.
Rosamund, daughter of Walter de Clifford, was the much-loved mistress of King Henry II. He kept her in embowered in a secret garden, defended by his Knight Sir Thomas.
Rose looked at it. Sir Thomas? Who was that? I don't seem to recall any Sir Thomas..
She resumed reading. What? I never begged Henry to go with him when he waged war with his son. Eleanor killed Sir Thomas? I don't THINK so! Same old stuff about the silk thread and Eleanor giving me the choice of poison or the dagger. Wonder which one I would have chosen if El gave me a choice. WHAT AM I SAYING?
She read on. Wait! What is this? Her eyes skimmed over the words on the computer screen. She went back and read carefully.
'Rosamund still walks the earth today'. Well, DUUUUHH! Wait a minute...what's this? The White Lady? I visit the Trout Inn? I'm a....GHOST??
Let's see what it says..
Rosamund still walks the earth today, and is well know locally as The White Lady. She visits the Trout regularly, and has been spotted by the locals and staff. She walks on the original floor of The Trout, which has since had additional flagstones added to it (stones taken from the ruins of Godstow Nunnery), and therefore is only seen from the knee upwards.
One staff member saw her late one night, when all the customers had gone home, in May 2000.
"I was putting all the chairs up on the tables, and looked to my right to see if the chairs had been put up in green (the area of the pub that is the oldest). As I looked down the building and through the doorway to green, I saw a figure move across on the other side of the entrance. I thought it was one of my colleagues, but when I went down there, there was no one in the room. I went back to the main part of the pub where all the other staff were, and no one had been in that area for at least twenty minutes. Immediately after I saw this figure, there was a very cold spot where I had seen her?"
Other members of staff and customers have experienced the same cold patches around the pub (which has no air conditioning!), and many people have encountered an unexplained sweet smell, which is consistent with the fact that Rosamund was buried with a sprig of heather in her tomb. Rosamund also makes her presence known by knocking wine bottles off tables and standing behind people in the bar area, which was once a bedroom.
Godstow Nunnery and Abbess's private chapel, June 2000.
Established in 1133, the nunnery acquired valuable estates which provided a good living for the Benedictine nuns at Godstow. But scandal was never far away. Henry II met Rosamund Clifford at the nunnery; she became his mistress for 6 years and bore him two sons. Later the place became notorious for it's 'hospitality' towards young monks of Oxford.
Rose sat there pondering what she just read. I am a..spirit? A spectre? I haunt places? A tear came to her eye and she wiped it away. I wouldn't do that! How can that be? I--I'm ALIVE! People are afraid of me? Am I one of those people little English kids sit around and tell ghost stories around the campfire and scare each other?
She clicked on another website. They all say the same. That Eleanor killed me by dagger or poison and that I was the true love of Henry II. She clicked on another website with her name and Godstow Abbey. She furrowed her brow in concentration...
Rose let out a scream and yelled, "You scared me to death!"
John stood there in his robe, crossed his arms and said, "OK, Rosamond de Clifford Gwinnett....want to explain what you are doing down here at 3:00 AM when you should be snuggled up next to me?"
Rose flipped the computer off in a hurry. "I-I couldn't sleep and I wanted to see if William kept some of his recipes on the computer so I could make you a special dinner. You know. For when we move in our new house."
John frowned and said dubiously, "UIh huh."
Rose wrapped her arms around herself and said in a run-on sentence, "Well--I'mtirednowsoIthinkIcangotosleepnowGoodnight." She rushed past him. John shook his head and followed her upstairs. Women! They sure get strange notions.
After he slid under the covers, Rosamond's voice came through the dark.
"John?"
"Mmmm?"
"John, do you believe in ghosts?"
After half a minute of silence, John said, "Rose, it is 3:30 AM. Let's table this discussion for tomorrow, OK?"
"Fine! Just fine! Goodnight!"
John sighed and rolled over. Where does she come up with it? He rolled over, took 75% of the covers with him, and was asleep, leaving Rosamond to ponder her past--or future past.
The website said I had two children. I can account for Will...but where is the other one? She grabbed her 25% of the covers, added the 25% of hers that John took , and went to sleep.
TAKING STOCK OF ONESELF.....by Terri
Wanda Sue looked around. Sally and Penelope had taken the wagon and went to the General Store. Daisy was giving her tomatoes a pep talk. Including threats to make them ketchup if they failed to live up to salad expectations.
Wanda Sue thought, I am going to take a break! That lake in the middle of the woods looks inviting! And no one would notice. She wiped her sweaty forehead on the sleeve of her rough homespun dress.
Wanda Sue slipped away. From the garden was heard Daisy's plaintive whining.>br>
"And if you DON'T grow up nice and juicy and mouth-watering like a Hampton tomato, I am going to squish and crush and pulverize you and add vinegar--that' right!--vinegar!..."
Wanda Sue whistled to herself, It takes all kinds! Yet--our tomatoes DO look pretty killer! Like that old movie, 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'. When that giant tomato rolled down the street after that guy...
Wanda Sue went down to the lake. But she found she was not alone.
"What are YOU doing here?"
Daniel was sitting there under a tree, his eyes closed and listening to his CD player.
He didn't hear her. "HEY!" She kicked him in the foot.
Daniel's eyes flew open. He hastily tried to hide his CD player ounder his shirt. Wanda Sue sat down next to him.
"Hey, there is no sense in hiding it. I know what you have there. In fact, I think we all have taken a little something from the 21st century with us."
Daniel jerked the earphones out of his ears. "Oh yeah? And what would YOU have taken? I know it's not shampoo or soap."
Wanda Sue sat there smugly. "Let's just say I am not going hungry."
She still had her hydrated HungryMan dinners that she put under the little triangle of rocks in the meadow on the edge of the town. That sun sure gets hot and that becomes a little home-made oven. Daniel looked over at her and surveyed her with a cool eye.
"Uh huh. I can see that you are not starving."
Wanda Sue looked at Daniel's face. "And I can see too that you are not shaving with a clam shell! What are you listening to there?"
Daniel figured he had better keep his cool when he talked to Wanda Sue as she could make alot of trouble for him if she blew the whistle on him. He sighed and showed her a CD cover. Wanda Sue gushed, "Oooh! Trace Adkins!"
Daniel said, "Yeah, what about him?"
Wanda Sue went on. "Oh, I saw him in concert when I lived in Texas. What a voice!
What a hunk! His voice is raw sexuality! He's the kind of guy that would make a woman fling her clothes off and damn the consequences!"
Daniel stood up. "You are WEIRD, Skaggs. Were you like this as a baby? I mean, is it some kind of birth defect?"
He gathered his things to head back. Wanda Sue retorted, "Yeah, well, maybe you should take a page from Trace's book! Otherwise you wouldn't.."
Wanda Sue shut up. Daniel walked menacingly over to her. "Or I wouldn't..what?"
Wanda Sue stuck her tongue out at him. Very mature of her. "Never mind!"
Daniel shrugged and walked back to the settlement.
Wanda Sue looked around and found she was alone. She stripped off her clothes and sank into the cool water of the lake. Ooooh! Wonderful! She picked up the brown soap and the little piece of rough fabric and thoroughly scrubbed herself. She washed her hair and swam a bit, kicking her legs to keep the fish from nibbling at her toes.
After about a half an hour, she thought it was about time to get out of the lake. She crawled up the edge of the lake to retrieve her clothes. But there were no clothes. None at all!
In Chappaqua, Rosamond got the mail. Bills, bills, bills! Didn't William want Patrick O'Malley to handle all these while he was gone? She picked up a thin, flat package wrapped in brown paper. What's this? Addressed to me? No return address? She ripped it open. Inside was a CD. She looked at it. Dreamin' Out Loud? Trace Adkins.
Wanda Sue frantically searched around. She crouched down, doing a Groucho Marx imitation while scouting for the missing duds. How am I going to get back to the village? I can't go walking in naked as a jaybird, now can I? She looked all through the bushes. Then the thought hit her. DANIEL!! That pervert! He stole my clothes just to humiliate me. Is he in the bushes watching me? And if he is, does he WANT me?
She slipped back in the lake to think. Somehow, I have to get back. I certainly don't want anyone looking for me. Especially that William! I always thought there was a seamy side to him. The lust in that man's eyes! Of course, he only has eyes for that witch.
Finally, Wanda Sue spotted a huge Elephant's Ear plant. If I take one of them and drape it like this...and one like that....wonder what that three-leafed plant next to it is..
Wanda Sue looked furtively around and then stealthed out of the water. She plucked the leaves and draped them like she thought she could. She poked a hole in the middle of one of the leaves and thrust her head in it. Then she finagled a bit until she was able to cover what she needed to.
She held her head up high as she walked into the village. Hotspur let out a guffaw when he saw her walking back to the settlement.
Sally nudged Penelope and they both grinned. William's mouth dropped open and he dropped his hoe.
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. "What the HELL are you up to, Skaggs?"
Wanda Sue snarled at him, "What did you do with my clothes, you jerk?"
"Clothes?"
"Yes, my clothes! I took a dip in the lake to clean up and when I came out, my clothes were GONE!"
"So what are you trying to say?"
"YOU STOLE MY CLOTHES, YOU PERVERT!"
"I DID NO SUCH THING!"
"THEN WHERE ARE THEY?"
Daniel lowered his voice. "Hey, seeing you in the altogether is a nightmare I am not willing to have! Now shut up!"
"Why? You afraid I will blow the lid on your music? If you weren't such a loser, you wouldn't be here!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"What do you THINK it means?"
"Loser? Look who's talking?" Daniel made the letter 'L' with his thumb and forefinger and put it up to his forehead.
Wanda Sue pushed him and Daniel fell backwards. She hoisted her foliage up. She said in carefully measured tones, "If you weren't such a loser, you would be back in Chappaqua. Cuddling up next to your Rosetramp."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You don't have it."
"Have what?"
"What it takes to make that Rosetramp your own! No wonder your sainted brother won out. You don't have what it takes to keep a woman like that..."
Daniel gave her a mighty shove and Wanda Sue fell over backwards in those three-leafed plants like the ones by the lake.
She jumped up and yelled. "*&^%^$#$$"
Daniel came back with, "&^*)*%^$%)@!"
"&(*^%^*(*"
"*^%$#@"
William ran out, followed by Slim, Hotspur and Rafe.
William flapped his arms. "STOP! NOW! CEASE AND DESIST!"
Wanda Sue took a swing at Daniel and missed. Slim caught her by the stem in the back and then he bearhugged her. She continued to thrash. And she and Daniel continued to hurl expletives at each other. The air turned blue. Hotspur and Rafe both were sitting on Daniel. William thundered, "Enough!"
He whipped out his flintlock and shot it in the air. The two pugilists froze. So did their restrainers.
William was red in the face. "I can't believe the profanity and obscenity I heard here today!"
Rafe said, "Want I should fetch Reverend Philbrook?"
William mopped his face with his handkerchief. "Yes. Please."
Rafe went into the parsonage. He found Reverend Jim sitting there staring at the stained glass window. Rafe said, "Reverend?"
Reverend Jim said, "Shh! If you are quiet and look closely, you can see different animals in the stained glass."
Rafe said doubtfully, "Uh huh. We were wondering if you come outside for a minute."
Rev Jim looked at him and asked, "What did you decide?"
Rafe shook his head. "Please follow me."
Rev. Jim said, "But aren't you supposed to follow ME? Aren't you the flock?"
Rafe said exasperated, "Just get outside!"
Rev Jim walked out into the sunlight and covered his eyes with his forearm.
"Aaarrggghh! Bright light! Bright light!" He started to scream like Gizmo the Gremlin.
Rafe grabbed him by the collar and dragged him over to the scene of the stream of obscenities.
"Hey, watch it!" the Reverend yelled. "You'll flip my collar backwards. Hey! I'm a Reverend. Is it supposed to be backwards? I thought I would just put my shirt on wrong and I'd be all set!"
William stood there with his arms crossed over his chest and was scowling.
"This is a matter of grave concern, Reverend, that may undermine the morals of the community if left to fester."
Reverend Jim looked at William expectantly. The silence grew longer and longer.
William looked at Jim. The silence became unbearable. William said, "Well....?"
"Well? OH! You want me to fetch water?"
Jim turned to head to the well. William grabbed him by the coat. "NO! These two, Miss Skaggs and Mr. Gwinnett were engaging in..."
"Hanky panky? The horizontal mambo? What is the problem then? It's not exactly the Summer of Love..or is it? Ah, I remember the nubile maidens in the spring of my life.."
William looked skyward and rolled his eyes. "Why me?" he petitioned the heavens.
Reverend Jim started humming and swaying to music that only he could hear. He was lost in reverie.
Daniel jumped up and asked Rev Jim, "You were at Woodstock? Far out!"
William exploded. "Forget that damned Woodstock! And speaking of stocks, Reverend, don't you feel that the two of them should be put in the stocks?"
Rev. Jim snapped out of his mental concert. "What? What? Stocks? Why?"
William spouted, "For obscenity! For taking the Lord's name in vain..and on the Sabbath, too!"
"Sabbath?"
"SUNDAY!"
"OH! Why didn't you say so? Sunday--it's a Sabbath? I always considered it the day I sobered up from Saturday night!"
William turned to the colonists and intoned, "As Governor of this colony, I hereby--in the absence of spiritual leadership--invoke my right to administer punishment as I see fit."
William got a gleam in his eyes and saw it as a way to exact a little vengeance on Daniel for all the things he had done to John and Rose. And on Wanda Sue because, well----because she was Wanda Sue. That was reason enough.
Daniel yelled, "WHAT? Just because I said '*&^$#^' and called her a '(*&%'? What do you intend to do, Big Guy? Send me to bed without victuals? Make me stand in a corner of the settlement?"
William thundered, "Oh, no! There are more---effective---ways of handling it!"
He walked over to the stocks and ran his finger over them very lovingly. "I think these babies will teach the two of you that profanity will not be tolerated. I am running a tight ship as it were. I will not have you take the Lord's name in vain nor call each other disgusting names."
Daniel turned to Wanda Sue and spat out, "Thanks alot, Dirtbag!"
Wanda Sue yelled, "Hey, you aren't putting ME into that contraption! That is inhumane! How do I know that thing doesn't have a blade on it and zap! Heads will roll!"
Hotspur looked it over and said, "No, no blade."
William said exasperatedly, "Of course not! The guillotine was not invented yet!"
Wanda Sue eyed it and said, "*((&*^& no way are you putting me in that (**&^!"
William nodded and said, "OH YES I AM!"
Daniel started to walk off and said over his shoulder, "I bedded 9/10ths of the women in Southold with no repercussions, I am NOT about to be put in the stocks for a little colorful language!"
William nodded to Slim and Rafe, who approached Daniel and grabbed him by the arm. Daniel shrugged them off. "Hey, come on! You guys are my friends!"
Slim said, "Hey, Daniel, we have no choice here."
They grabbed him and shoved his head and arms into the stocks. Rafe particularly felt bad. "Yeah, I didn't want to, Daniel. There but for the grace of God.."
Daniel struggled and then glowered. Wanda Sue stood there, mesmerized by the scene. William then nodded to Hotspur. He sighed and approached her. Wanda Sue kicked and threw a few punches but Hotspur reached over and slung her over his back.
"Hey, William! Where you want this package dropped?"
William pointed to the next set of stocks.
"Right here, Hots! She and Daniel can be stock-buddies!"
Hotspur deftly and swiftly squeezed Wanda Sue into the stocks.
William said sternly, "I am not going to keep you in there too long. Just long enough that you obey the rules of the colony! If I hear one word--ONE WORD!--uttered, you will be in there that much longer!"
The four men turned and went back to their crops.
Sally and Penelope sauntered up with their basket of Daisy's paranoid tomatoes.
Paranoid? Because these tomatoes were scared to death of Daisy! Sally got a tomato out and looked at it.
"Nice and juicy, wouldn't you say, Penelope?"
Penelope nodded. "It may even be a bit..rotten? What do you think, Sal?"
Sally squeezed a bit. "Ooops! Yes, a little too ripe! Here, Penny! Feel THIS one!"
Penelope took it and handled it gingerly. "Oooooh, yes! Very squishy!"
She threw her arm back. Wanda Sue screamed, "Don't you DARE, Penelope Patterson!"
Penelope let it fly out of her hand. It barely missed Wanda Sue. Penelope put her hands to her face, turned to Sally and said, "Oooh! What a butterfingers I am!"
Sally laughed heartily. "You mean like this?" She let one fly and it landed right in Wanda Sue's hair. She screamed.
Daniel tried to look over at Wanda Sue and could barely manage out of the corner of his eye. The girls looked at him with interest.
"Hey, uh, girls? You--you two are really looking good. You know what I mean?"
Sally and Penelope tossed their tomatoes up in the air and caught them. They did that several times. Sally said, "What do you think, Penelope? I mean, after all..he IS a man!"
Penelope looked Daniel up and down appraisingly. "Yeah. He sure looks like John. You know, he was madly in love with me until that Rosetramp tricked him into marriage."
Daniel tried to say with a suave bravado, "Hey,--heh, heh!--I'm not at all like John! He's---well, he's boring! Now take me for example..."
"Ahem!"
Sally and Penelope whirled around. William said, "There will be no fruit throwing...or vegetables. This is humiliating enough without dousing them with food items. Now be on your way!"
Sally stuck her tongue out at him and Penelope stuck her finges in her ears and waggled them at William.
Wiilliam reached over and took their basket of tomatoes. "And I will confiscate this. You may have it back when the sinners are released from their bonds."
He turned to go but not before he heard, "PHHTTTTTT!" behind his back.
He sighed and walked on. Not worth it, he told himself. Not worth it at all.
After a half hour, Wanda Sue felt a burning sensation on her legs. It started to creep up until it reached her derriere. She tried to rub her bottom on the lower end of the stocks. She wiggled. And she fidgeted. Daniel finally said, "WILL YOU PLEASE STOP IT? You are driving me nuts!"
Wanda Sue was miserable. "I can't help it. My skin is itching and driving me crazy. Look at my hands!"
Daniel peered over. "Hey, that doesn't look so good! Look at the blisters and that rash!"
Wanda Sue tried to scratch them on the stocks. "Must be something I landed in at the lake."
Daniel asked, "What did it look like?"
Wanda Sue scratched. "Three leaves. Kind of pretty."
Daniel tried not to laugh. Wanda Sue said crossly, "What is so funny?"
Daniel said, trying all the more not to let out with a roaring laugh. "It just reminds me of something my mother used to say."
"What?"
"Leaflets three, let it be."
Wanda Sue was jiggling her whole body on the stocks like a cat rubbing against his owner's leg. "And what does that mean, smart guy?"
Daniel tried to sound sympathetic but failed miserably. "You, my fellow inmate....you have POISON IVY!"
MATERNITY TALK.....by Terri
Bethia and Rose came into the Bidwell house laden with packages.
"I never realized how much it costs to keep two little ones in Pampers and now Adam is outgrowing his newborn clothes. Bridget is still a tiny one. But she can't be far behind him!"
Rose sat down at Bethia's table and helped herself to the apple streudel Bethia had made.
"Shopping for baby clothes is always fun. They are so cute!"
Bethia handed her a couple bags. "Inside are the maternity clothes you gave to ME when I was expecting. Here! You can use them again."
Rose sighed. "I certainly didn't expect to see them so soon." She looked down at the little pooch in her stomach.
"Wonder what this one will be? Are you and John going to find out?" Beth asked.
"No, John doesn't believe in that stuff. He thinks it is like getting a present and telling someone there is a red sweater in the box but you can't open it for a few months."
Bethia laughed. "I guess we still have that Puritan upbringing where Mother Nature should not be messed with!"
Rose said, "Exactly! If it is a boy, maybe I can quit having babies! Then John will have two boys and a girl."
Bethia took a bite of streudel and said, "Don't count on it! Since he and Elizabeth couldn't conceive, John is acting like he just discovered cake mix!"
Rose sighed, "And he's planning on making so many cakes he can open up a bakery? I am NOT a baby-making machine! This one is courtesy of Travis McGee."
"Well, don't hold that against the little one!"
Rose rubbed her stomach lovingly. "Oh, never! I am going to work on Planet this week. I need to call Billy Bob and arrange to get Juanita."
Bethia said, "If there is a problem, you can always bring the children over here. I have Betty here to help me. Roger said twins would sap my strength and he wants a happy and healthy mommy for the kids. As if I could be anything but!"
Bethia asked, "When are you and John going to move into the new house?"
Rose smiled, "It looks like it will be ready in the next two weeks. I will be so glad. A home with John that is all ours."
Bethia said, "Come on, let's go watch that cooking show on the FoodNetwork. I love what he does with vegetables."
As she clicked through the stations, she heard the announcer say, "...and the storm is headed towards the mountains in New Hampshire. It may reach hurricane strength later today..."
Rose and Bethia both froze and looked at the screen. The weather map showed the storm heading right where they said it would...right where the 1643 settlement was.
Bethia paled, "I can't believe it! Rose, somehow we have to get a warning to them!"
Rose shook her head wordlessly. Finally she found her voice. "There isn't any time, Bethia. And how could we get the information to them? There are no telephone lines. And no cellphones. And even if there were, there are no celltowers. Nothing so frustrating as having a phone and no way to get in touch with anyone! Believe me, I know!"
Bethia said, "At least no one is giving birth!"
Rose grimaced, "I know. Daniel hasn't been there that long!"
DOUBLE WHAMMY.........by Coralynn
"Poison what?!" WandaSue asks, unbelieving.
"Poison ivy, you idiot! You must know what that is!" comes the reply.
"I know I itch like hell is what I know! If this is poison ivy, it oughta be outlawed!"
"You're supposed to know enough to stay away from it!" Daniel is exasperated with this dimwitted woman.
The sky is suddenly becoming very dark, which distracts them from their argument. The wind whips up and dirt flies in the air like a cloud, enveloping them.
"Holy Mother!" WandaSue yells out, "A storm is coming!" which is quite evident as the rain begins to fall harder and harder, being driven by the fierce winds, so that it comes at them sideways.
"HELP!" Wandasue yells out, but all she can see, if she sees much at all, is others corraling the livestock into areas that are sheltered. "HEY!" she yells even louder, "Never mind the cows and sheep! HELP!"
Daniel laughs as only one for whom everything has gone terribly wrong can laugh.
"Forget it!" he yells at her, but the wind is now blowing their voices away from each other as well as the village.
WandaSue squirms and tries to connect the itching parts of her legs with the stocks, and succeeds in rubbing the side of one leg raw. The rain is not helping sooth the itch at all, but does wash some blood from her leg down onto the ground. She sees this and yells, "Bleeding to death! Help!" over and over.
By now the sky is so dark it looks like midnight. The lightning flashes in the sky and lights up the church, where the Reverend is out front, doing some sort of heathenish dance, chanting and looking up at the sky.
William and the others finally get the livestock into areas where they aren't as vulnerable to the storm and run quickly into their houses, just managing to dodge the lightning bolts as they hit the village square.
Celeste and Eleanor run into their house, shutting the makeshift door, leaning against it to keep the wind from blowing it open again.
"Some storm!" Marilyn exclaims, "I hope our village isn't washed out to sea!"
"The sea isn't all that close," Celeste assures her, "but this could blow the roofs off the poorly constructed houses."
They hear a loud banging at their door. Marilyn opens it a crack and sees Daisy outside. She lets her in, wondering why she isn't in her own house, the one built like a triangle.
"Celeste!" Daisy says excitedly, "Our house blew away in the storm! We're going to stay with you."
"Oh really?!" Celeste answers, dubiously.
"Penny and Sally are right behind me, oh, there they are, let them in," Daisy insists.
Penny and Sally don't wait to be admitted, but burst into the room, almost knocking Marilyn down as they fling open the door.
"Our house is......" Penny begins.
"I know, I know, blown away!" Celeste laughs.
"Not funny!" Sally whines as she tries to dry off with the curtains Celeste has fashioned and hung at the one window.
Celeste grabs it away and substiutes burlap bags, which are snatched up quickly.
"Where's WandaSue?" Eleanor asks casually, hoping the woman in question isn't going to also crowd into their house.
"She's in the stocks for swearing, isn't she? Or wasn't she? I know William put her and Daniel in the stocks a couple hours ago."
"Anybody want to go outside and look?" Celeste asks as she sits on one of the benches around the table, obviously not volunteering.
"Ahhhhh, let her get hit by lighning!" Sally comments, "She's not worth the powder to blow her up!"
"If we know she's out there, surely William must also. Maybe he'll rescue her," Bess says to assuage the guilt she feels for not wanting to go out in the storm to help WandaSue.
Yelling is heard and the women crowd around the one window to see the source. Daisy gets there first and tries to keep the others back. Celeste gives Daisy's arm a mighty yank and sends her flying backward so that she lands on her derriere.
"What'da you see?" Bess asks Eleanor, who has the best view from her vantage point.
"I see William and Hots and Rafe getting WandaSue and Daniel out of the stocks," she gives a running commentary, "and I see, oh my word, I see our new reverend outside the church dancing around. EEEKS! He almost got hit by that bolt of lightning! What is the matter with him?"
"Nothing!" Daisy, who has picked herself up from the floor, announces, "He is my one true love. I shall go outside and rescue him. Wait here." she goes outside and runs to where Rev. Jim is whirling like a dust-devil, and tries to pull him toward House #1, but he is not to be thwarted from his feverish dance.
Daisy puts her arms around him and squeezes. He stops dancing, looks at her squarely, his eyes registering alarm. He suddenly dashes into the church, slamming the door behind him.
Since by now Daisy is closer to house #5 than the one Eleanor and her pals are in, she bangs on that door and is allowed to enter.
Henry8, who has been cowering in a corner, frightened out of his wits by the storm, a fear unknown to all historians (but us), looks up and sees her. "OH no you don't," he yells, "You aren't pawning that ugly wench off on me! Take her to the dungeon! Take her to the guiloutine!"
Luke puts down the flute he's made, walks over and snaps his fingers several times in front of Henry8's face. "Hey, this isn't your new bride!"
Henry8's face relaxes. "Thank God! I may be ready to lower my standards, but not that far!"
Daisy picks up a metal platter and whacks Henry8 over the head, "I don't much fancy you either, fatso! My true love is Rev. Jim. He and I are going away together! Soon as the storm stops."
Even over the sound of the thunder, a mighty guffawing is heard by all the residents of the village. As if by providence, the storm then passes off and the clear blue sky returns.
THE HOUSE THAT ISN'T THERE...............by Coralynn
Little by little the residents of the village emerge from their houses to survey any possible damage. The cattle are inspected, and found safe and sound. Part of the roof on house #4 has been ripped off, and Daniel, Rafe, Hots and Jerry are already scouting up lumber to repair it.
Daisy, Sally and Penelope leave House #1 to see if their house has totally blown away, as feared.
They find WandaSue standing by the site of what used to be their house, rubbing a piece of wood against her left arm. "What are you doing?!" Penelope asks.
"Daniel said I had poison ivy, and I'm scratching it so it'll go away!" WandaSue looks at the other woman like she must be stupid not to know.
"That'll only spread it more," Sally tells her. "You have to leave it alone till it heals up!"
"And go out of my mind with the itching?!" WandaSue continues to scratch with the wood.
Daisy says the obvious, "Our house is gone......I just see a few pieces of it over there near the woods. Now where do we live?"
William approaches the scene of the devastation and shakes his head, "Your house wasn't built well, ladies. See what happens when you just throw something together willy-nilly?"
"See what happens when we throw you on the ground and trample on you!" Sally snarls.
"I would suggest you sweeten your disposition, Sally. One more rude remark and you will find yourself in the stocks that WandaSue and Daniel just vacated. Now, we have a problem. Four homeless people. Do any of you have an idea on how this can be remedied?"
"Sure!" Daisy steps up to the plate, "We live in house #1 with those women!"
"That would make eight people in the house. Too crowded. But perhaps each of you can live in a different house. Daisy, you live in house #1, Sally, you live in house #3 with the married couples, Penelope, you live in.......hmmmmm......we seem to have run out of houses for women only."
"What about me?!" WandaSue demands.
William hesitates, but finally suggests, "Remember the cave you made your home when we first arrived at the village?"
"The cave? The cave!! And here I am itching from head to toe and you say I should live in the cave?"
"Stay away from poison ivy from now on. Just tell yourself: leaves of three, let it be."
"Leaves of three, let it be!" she mocks in a sing-song voice.
"And you, Penelope, where shall we put you till you're able to rebuild you house?"
"Yeah, where?" she snarks at him.
"I have the solution!" Daisy announces loudly, "Penny can live in house #1 with those women and I shall live in the Church!"
"The church?!" everyone says in chorus.
"Certainly. What better dwelling for me than in a holy place?"
William isn't fully aware of Daisy's obsession with Rev. Jim, so he nods and tells her, "Fine."
Sally and Penny giggle, thinking of the mayhem about to descend upon the village minister. William stops them with a sharp glance and walks away.
Penny is still giggling, "Daisy, you sure put one over on him!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" she answers hautily, then walks triumphantly toward the church and, according to her, 'her destiny.'
If You're Movin' in, then I'M MOVIN' OUT.............by Coralynn
Reverened Jim hears a commotion in the church proper. He goes to the door that separates the parsonage from the church and sees to his horror that wacky Daisy is not only in the church, but advancing toward the door he is standing behind.
He slams it shut, only to hear her pounding on the other side and yelling, "I've been told by William that I should live with you, darling. I'm here! Let me in!"
He continues to lean his body against the door so that, hopefully, she won't be able to push it open, but it's a futile attempt. As she throws her considerable weight against it, the door and Jim go flying.
"Oh there you are, dear!" she attempts to pick him up off the floor. He scootches back as far and fast as he can to avoid her, but she's too quick for him.
She has him in her grasp, so in desperation he yells out, "HELP!" several times. No one comes to his aid. He finally gets to his feet somehow and runs into his bedroom, Daisy on his heels.
She sits on the bed and smiles up at him, "You know, we could always run away together. We don't have to stay here. Now that I've found you, I'm never letting you get away from me again. Don't you feel the same?"
He sees the insane gleam in her eyes as he grabs a burlap bag and stuffs his clothes into it. He reaches for another burlap bag and commences to stuff his other possessions into that one.
"OH, I see you're packing. Good move. When shall we ditch this place and where will we go? I hear the Carribbean is lovely this time of year."
He does not reply, but instead lugs his possessions to the front door and exits. Daisy follows, but when he reaches the Doctor's house and is admitted, she finds the door barred.
Banging on that does no good. She heaves her weight against it and that doesn't work either.
Doc Diamond is surprised by Jim's sudden appearance and also wonders why the other man has slid the bar into place behind the door so that it's impossible to open from the outside.
Pleadingly, Rev. Jim asks, "Let me live with you again, please. That crazy lady has moved into the parsonage."
"Oh, you mean Daisy the woman who talks to the plants in the garden."
"Yeah, that one. She's under the impression that she and I are going to run away together."
Doc Diamond guffawes and gestures for Jim to bring his burlap bags back into a small room he has dubbed 'the guest room.' It has a rough mattress thrown on the floor. "You're moving back into the parsonage didn't last long..." Doc Diamond muses.
"Yeah! A couple hours is all, then that crazy woman came at me again!" he sits on the cot and shudders.
They can still hear banging on the outside of the main door. It goes on for another 10 minutes before it stops. Not trusting that Daisy isn't playing a trick on him, Jim peers out a small window and sees her sitting in the yard on a tree stump.
"She's posting sentry," he tells the Doc. "I may be in here for the duration. Hope you don't mind."
"Not at all, not at all. You never got to see the last part of "Pirates of the Caribbean".....come on back into my TV room and we can watch it and you might want something to drink to soothe your nerves."
"Bring it on, Doc! The strongest thing you have!" Jim says happily as he follows the other man back into his secret room with the latest 21st century technology in it.
The Doc makes sure the blinds are drawn all the way so that none of the others get a chance to discover that he isn't living in 1643 conditions.
The cameramen, who are just finishing up a snack, see Jim and flip on their cameras, asking, "You're back awfully quicly, what happened?"
Rev. Jim grabs a beer, sits down and regales them (and the camera) with the latest chapter in his oddesy, "It all started at Woodstock, you see......" he begins from the beginning, which he is wont to do.
EATING HUMBLE PIE.........by Terri
Later, as the villagers gather more wood and lumber to repair the damage done by the storm, William is mentally reassigning people. He sighed. I guess I can temporarily put Wanda Sue in with Celeste and the girls. Penelope can stay with the girls too. And Sally can stay with the married couples. Unless I should put Sally with house #1 on account of she hates men so much. I couldn't do that to Jack and Vinnie...and this is giving me a headache! OK, so Penelope goes with house #3.
Just for a day or so until we get the lumber sorted out.
Celeste was alone in the kitchen of their rudimentary house. She was getting her hands into the dough to make bread as the others were tending the animals and working the garden. She sighed. I am glad I had this experience but I sure will be glad when I get home to see the children. And by children, I mean Rose and John, Beth and Roger and respective offsprings. Maybe I could arrange a little afternoon away from here..just to check on them...
There was a knock at the door. Celeste wiped her hands on her apron and went to answer it. At the door was Wanda Sue. Covered from head to toe with a rash and rubbing her back against the porch post. She looked totally miserable. Celeste was moved with pity for this wretch of a woman.
"Wanda Sue, what is the problem? As if I couldn't guess."
Wanda Sue looked at her with pleading in her eyes. "Please, Celeste! I know you are a witch. You have to help me before this stuff gets into my brain!"
Celeste ushered Wanda Sue into the room. "And what do you want me to do?"
Wanda Sue said, "I know you have a magic coin. Could you PLEASE take me back to civilization and get me to a doctor? I am going out of my mind!"
Celeste looked at her skeptically. "If I take you back, what will prevent the others from asking the same favor? And If I take one, why won't I take them too?"
Wanda Sue wailed, "I am going NUTS!"
Celeste weighed the matter carefully. "I am going to have to do this carefully. Give me an hour and I will see what I can do. Don't come back until then."
Wanda Sue cried, "An hour? I doubt I will have any skin left by then! I'll bleed to death! The buzzards and vultures will pick me off! I'll be roadkill!"
Celeste said firmly, "Those are my terms. Until then, here is some ointment that may relieve the itching. Not a cure, but it will help. And you may want to go down to the lake and sit in it for a while. The cool water will help. Like a cold compress."
"But..."
"NO BUTS!" Celeste pushed her out the door.
Celeste sat there and reasoned, 'It's the only humane thing to do, isn't it? I mean, I can't let her suffer...and the cure is back home. Benedryl and calamine lotion...And if I get to see the children meanwhile, what can a little visit hurt? I mean, it is a mission of mercy. And I can be back before anyone knows I am gone. William and the men are busy with the rebuilding."
She got the coin out, closed her eyes and said, "224 Winding Willow, Chappaqua, New York. The present!"
The air swirled and glowed and before Celeste knew it, she was back in her own kitchen.
Celeste let out a sigh of relief and lovingly ran her hand over her stove. At that moment, Rose and John, Bethia and Roger burst in through the back door.
John and Roger were carrying in their golf clubs.
"...and when we got to the sand trap, Roger let his club fly...."
"CELESTE!!" Bethia shouted. She flung her arms around the woman who had become like their mother.
John hugged her. "What are you doing here? Where's William?" He looked around.
Roger pulled the chair out for her and Rose poured her a glass of ice tea.
Beth asked, "Did the project get abandoned? I hope so!"
Celeste said, "No, children, I am just here on an errand of mercy. Seems Wanda Sue is covered from head to toe with poison ivy."
The four of them looked at each other and burst out laughing. Then they couldn't stop. John said, "I don't know why you are helping that miserable excuse of humanity. Don't you remember how she tormented Rose and me?"
Celeste agreed. "Yes, but I think even you may be moved with pity, John. She was put in the stocks along with Daniel."
That really made everyone howl. "Whatever for?" Rose asked, when she caught her breath. "Don't tell me he got friendly with one of the women?"
Celeste shook her head. "Doesn't seem to be any of that going around. Wanda Sue and Daniel got into a cussing match."
Roger asked, "Who won?"
Celeste said, "I think Wanda Sue when she called Daniel a *&^%!"
"CELESTE!" Rose was shocked. "You are starting to sound like Billy Bob when one of his horses threw a shoe."
John grimaced like he always did whenever Rosamond mentioned her ex-husband's name.
"Where are the children?" Celeste asked.
Roger answered, "My kids"---and it was obvious he took so much delight in saying that--"are with Betty their nanny."
"And mine are with Juanita. They went to the park" John said.
Celeste hugged Beth and said, "You bounced back so nicely from having the twins."
John asked, "Can you stay for dinner?"
Celeste shook her head. "No, I just came for Benedryl and Calamine lotion for her. I have to go back before my absence is noticed."
Celeste quickly gave them any and all news.
John asked, "How is Daniel getting along?"
"Remarkably well. He is very industrious.."
Rose cut in with, "You sure we are talking about the same Daniel?"
"...but I think he goes out in the woods and plays air guitar."
Celeste gathered her first aid kit along with what she needed. She said to them all, "I am sorry I didn't get to see the children. Please give them a hug and kiss for me."
Bethia and Roger said goodbye and headed arm in arm back to their place.
Celeste said, "It does my heart good to see them so happy."
John pulled his shirt off and threw it in the laundry basket off the kitchen. Celeste asked, "How goes it with Rhys and Megaera?"
John said, "We hardly see them, they keep to themselves. They are staying over at Daniel's apartment right now taking care of Daniel's dog. When we move out in a few weeks, they will come over here with Daniel's dog. It's just that Ranger and Jake don't get along. Well, I have GOT to take a shower. Rose? You going to make dinner tonight or am I sending out for pizza?"
"Pizza. I am too tired."
John gave Celeste a big kiss and hug and said, "I wish that damned project was over and you all were home." With that he turned and went upstairs. In no time, they heard the water running.
Celeste held Rose at arm's length and surveyed her. "Yes, you definitely are getting a little tummy there!"
Rose asked, "How long will the project go on, Celeste? Any sign of it petering out?"
Celeste said, "No, I think everyone is in for the duration."
Rose said bitterly, "Good. And I hope he gets shocked on his air guitar."
Celeste started to say, "But Rose there is no electricity..." but decided against it.
"Everyone been well and safe? No more trouble with Billy Bob Montgomery?"
"Well, just a little. I'll tell you when you get back for good."
Celeste nodded wisely. "You and John getting along now?"
Rose nodded vigorously. "Oh yes! Tranquil as can be."
Rose then said in a timid voice, "Celeste? Can you tell me if there is going to be an endless stream of babies for me?"
Celeste said, "My crystal ball is 361 years into the past, dear. Besides, that is something you just can' predict. NOW! Let's see if I have it all..." She did a quick survey, nodded in satisfaction and said, "OK, I'm getting ready to leave. Stand back, dear. You don't want to get zapped back with me."
Rose stood back as Celeste closed her eyes.
Rose said, "Celeste, do you believe...."
The air swirled and glowed and Celeste was gone before Rose could ever finish her sentence. Which she said to the air.
"...in ghosts?"
Rose looked at the empty kitchen. Gone. She turned to the calendar and said to no one in particular, "Two more months. Who can last longer....them or us?"
Back to Table of Contents2
[ Read / Sign my guestbook ] Get a free Guestbook