LIVING, LOVING, AND LEARNING
Chapter 5: Family Get Together
It was a quiet Friday afternoon. Evelyn had just fed Alex, and puthim down for a nap when Nanna walked in.
“Your Aunt Maggie is in the Parlor,” she said quietly. Aunt Maggie was Evelyn’s favorite Aunt, and she smiled placing a soft blanket over Alex then headed downstairs to see her Aunt. Howard Carnahan, Evie’s father had two siblings. Margaret, who was in her late sixties, and Claira who was in her early fifties. As Evie walked down the steps Maggie stood from where she was on the couch talking to Rick, and walked over giving Evelyn a hug.
“Where is that sweet baby nephew of mine?” she asked.
“Asleep for now. What brings you by, I thought you and Uncle Harry were going to Paris for a while,” Evelyn said as she settled beside Rick on the couch. Maggie sat down on the couch across from them and took a sip of tea from the fine china cup that had once been Mariah Carnahan’s Evie and Jonathan’s mother.
“We were, but Edward and Genevieve are coming in to town for a visit. They have two children now you know,” Maggie informed them. Edward was Maggie and Harry’s Eldest son, who had a four year old girl named Lilly and a two year old son named Robert.
“Oh thats wonderful,” Evelyn said as she held her husbands hand then looked past her Aunt as Nanna came downstairs with Alex who was breathing heavy from a fit.
“I’m not certain he was ready for you to leave him so soon,” Nanna said as she gave him to Evelyn. He snuggled against her shoulder, then started to cry more.
“Shh, I’m sorry I left you,” Evie said as she rubbed his back. He relaxed when she sat down on the couch and talked, and as she talked he went back to sleep.
“Why don’t you and Rick bring Alex and come for dinner on Saturday? I’m sure Edward and Genevieve would love to see you, and to meet Rick,” she said. Evie looked at Rick who nodded his head, and they decided to go have dinner.
“Well I better go, I have plans to make,” she said as she stood. Both of them walked her out the door and as they walked Alex woke up once again fussing. Once she had gone Evie and Rick went to their room and she settled on the bed letting him nurse, smiling when Rick settled with her.
“So tell me what Edward is like,” Rick said not so sure about meeting anymore relatives. Thus far it was only Maggie and Claira he had met, and Claira was enough to drive anyone crazy. She was a gossip queen, and neither of them liked that part of her personality.
“Oh you will love him. He usually has too much to drink, though he holds himself far better than Jonathan ever has,” Evie said as she rested her head against her husbands chest.
“What about his wife?” Rick asked as he slid his arm under hers to hold his son. Evie smiled and eased her arm out letting him be a part of her time with the baby, always glad when they had time for that.
“Well she is quiet. Edward is really good to her, but the rest of the family, Jacks side, Claira’s son criticized her for being too quiet. So Edward and I always defend her. The children I’ve never met, well Lilly I met when she was a few weeks old, but Robert was born while we were in Egypt,” Evelyn said smiling as Rick lifted Alex away from her, and placed him at his shoulder. Alex remained asleep as his father rubbed his back and in a few moments burped, remaining asleep. Evelyn put herself back together then settle against Rick.
“Well hopefully Claira’s part of the family won’t be there,” Rick sad softly. Evie hoped so too. Jack was not someone she liked, nor for that matter did most of the family.
~*~
The evening of the family get together arrived, and while Evie got ready father and son were having a bath.
“Now we are keeping this washcloth over you so you won’t spray your daddy in the face anymore,” Rick said as let Alex sit on his stomach supporting him with his hands at his back and head. Alex looked at his daddy with a serious expression.
“When are you going to start smiling for your daddy?” Rick asked as he sat up and cradled Alex in his arms getting his hair wet. Alex smiled for Evelyn all the time but only for her. Rick Nanna and Jonathan had yet to see one of his smiles. After getting his son clean, Rick called for Evie who walked in wearing a long dark blue dress simple but pretty. She got a soft towel and while Rick held Alex up she wrapped it around him then leaned in giving dad a kiss before she took Alex to get him dressed. In their room Evelyn had a dark green outfit for him to wear with a little color on the front of it that had a hand knit Frog on it. As soon as he saw her face he reached for her mouth and smiled at her has she kissed his hands.
“Are you going to share your smiles with daddy?” she asked as she got him dried off. Alex gave her more teethless smiles as she got him ready, then she laid him in his cradle and wound up the little lamb that played Go to sleep, and put that on his chest knowing he would start to fuss in a matter of minutes. Until then, she needed to finish getting her makeup put on and finish with her hair. It was just as she was getting to her hair that Alex started to fuss, and Evie smiled as Rick walked out of the bathroom in his boxers ready to help out.
“Hey Alex,” Rick said. As soon as he saw daddy he quieted and for the first time he gave him a smile
“Evie he smiled,” Rick said feeling on top of the world. Hearing the happiness in his voice brought a smile to her own face, and Evie watched as Rick interacted with their son. It amazed her how good he was with Alex, but then again Rick was a big kid himself, and under his rough go get them exterior was a gentle carrying man, the man she had fallen in love with.
“I think this will have to do,” Evie said as she stood up. Her long black hair fell in waves down her back, and all Rick could do for a moment was look at her, until Evie scolded him. She got the warm sweater she had put out for Alex and put that on him then a little cap to keep his head warm. Once she had done that they left for Aunt Maggie’s home.
~*~
By the time they arrived everyone was there including Maggie’s youngest daughter Katelyn who was in her early forties and older than Edward. Alex had been asleep but as soon as the walked in and everyone came to greet them he woke up and started to cry. He knew his Aunt Maggie rather well and when Rick gave him to her she took him to a less noisy area of the house.
“Aunt Evie can I hold Alex?” Lilly asked as Robert hung on her arm.
“If your Grandma will allow that,” Evelyn said. Maggie was a bit of a baby hog and once she had a baby she was reluctant to let anyone hold him.
“Evie,” Katelyn said as she came and hugged her. Evelyn got along with her as well as she did Edward. Rick hung her coat up then they all went into the parlor where the rest of the family was sitting including Jack. Maggie was busy showing Alex pictures of people, and at least for the moment he seemed content.
“Well don’t you look pretty,” Jack said. Rick eyed him and Jack shut up fast. He had always been the one to tease Evelyn and make her cry, when they were younger, and now Rick wouldn’t allow that, and he had learned to keep his mouth shut. Rick made fast friends with Edward and learned that he and Genevieve lived in Connecticut in the United States.
“If you and Evie ever come down that way let me know. We have a beachfront home with plenty of rooms,” he said. While the guys talked, Evelyn Katelyn and Genevieve sat talking about various things.
“Mother has been after me for ages to get properly wed, but I haven’t found a gentleman whom I like.
“Aunt Evie Grandmama says Alex is hungry,” Lilly informed. Evelyn excused herself and followed Lilly upstairs hearing Alex’s cries.
“I brought her Grandmama,” Lilly said. Maggie was just finishing chaging his nappy, and Alex wasn’t happy.
“Oh your in good hands baby, Aunt Maggie used to take care of all of us,” Evelyn said to her son as she picked him up. Alex was sleep and rested his cheek on her shoulder as Evie settled in the rocking chair.
“Lilly lets give Aunt Evelyn privacy,” Maggie called.
“She may stay if she wants,” Evelyn stated. Maggie nodded and closed the door taking Robert with her.
“Now tell me what you have been doing?” Evelyn asked.
“Well I’m going to be in grammar school next spring. And Robert is learning how to say his ABCs. Aunt Evie what is he doing?” she asked, never one afraid to ask Questions. Evelyn smiled and explained about nursing him, and Lilly nodded her head.
“Robert has a bottle he takes,” she said. Once Alex had finished he was still fussy, so Evie asked Lilly if she minded leaving and she politely did so
Once she was gone Evelyn rocked him and sang to him and that got him to sleep then she laid him on the bed and put pillows around him hoping he would sleep for a while.
~*~
When Lilly walked back downstairs she found her daddy still talking to her Uncle Rick and approached.
“Daddy May I sit here please?” she asked. Edward smiled and made room for her and she sat listening to her Uncle talk about something called a Legion.
“Excuse me,” she said. Edward smiled at her as did Rick
“Yes my lady,” Edward said which made her laugh.
“Uncle Rick may I come to your house someday?” she asked. Rick smiled at her and agreed that she could then she left to go tell her mummy. It was then as well that Claira arrived with her husband Lou who was hard of hearing and always shouted things at people. Rick and Edward went over to them and said their hello, then Edward took Rick to the back of the house where he could smoke his pipe without getting scolded by his mother.
~*~
It was late when they arrived back from Maggie’s and Alex had nursed in the car and gone to sleep. When they walked in Nanna took him letting them have time alone, knowing that generally after seeing the family they needed that, and now they walked out by the fence lining the field where the horses were grazing.
“I really had a good time this time around,” Rick commented as he held her hand in his.
“I’m glad. I was glad actually that Jack passed out on the couch in Maggies sitting room in the back of the house. I think if he would have said anything more to me about my full figure. I would have done the very unlady like thing of busting him in the nose,” Evie said, which made Rick laugh.
“You don’t think I could do that?” Evie asked facing him.
“I remember the time you tried to do that and you ended up in my arms,” Rick said as he kissed her.
“Well I had a bit much to drink that night,” she defended as she pulled out of his arms.
“So you are saying you could lay a good punch because you are sober?” Rick asked hardly believing she could.
“I most certainly could,” she said and without warning she ball up her fist, expecting her husband to be ready for her and threw her punch aiming for the groin area, and yelped as Rick groaned when her fist made contact.
“Ohhhh,” Rick said as he leaned forward and held that area.
“Rick I thought you would defend yourself. I’m so sorry,” she said. Suprised at first, and very much in pain Rick moaned some more then he started to laugh and laughed so hard he fell on his bottom against the wet grass.
“What’s so funny?” Evelyn asked confused, then screeched as she pulled her down to sit with him.
“Oh Evie I never thought you had it in you, and the look on your face when you did that,” Rick said laughing harder. Evie laughed with him and it was a while before either of them could compose themselves enough to stand up.
“I really am sorry,” she said now serious.
“I may make you show me just how sorry,” he said as he pulled her against him. Evelyn reached out and Rick winced as she touched him and as he started to get hard.
“In the house,” He said and they both made fast tracks for the house in their room for some tender loving care.
THE END FOR NOW
Any Ideas for Alex let me know
SHelby