Cherry Orphan

Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Epilogue Part 1

Surrey, England, Summer, twenty-one years later

Kate and James Nameth loved having guests over on weekends. The small, semi-detached house in Egham wasn't ideal for large dinner parties so they made do with small gatherings on warm afternoons. Their two children could play outside in the garden, affording the adults their boring conversations in peace around the dining table.

Today Kate's sister, Winona, helped entertain their guests, Hugh and Beryl, while Winona's husband worked a weekend shift at the power station. As usual Winona brought over her two boys along with her bachelor brother, Raymond, who'd gotten wind of the gathering and horned in at the last minute for a free home-cooked dinner. Both Kate and Winona were marvelous cooks in the traditional English style.

James hadn't yet returned from walking their dog, Pancake, a flat-faced English bulldog, who insisted this exercise routine happen right after dinner or he would follow through and crap all over the small back garden where the four kids currently played.

Kate and Winona attended to clearing the dishes and tidying up. Beryl offered to help, but the kitchen space became easily congested. Since Beryl weighed in at about 19 stone it seemed best she remain occupied at the table pouring leftover wine and offering around After Eight mints, which she knew the men would decline so soon after pounding down two helpings of Winona's sinful jam roll and custard. Sacrifices must be made. Beryl would heroically tackle the job of eating most of them herself.

"I say, Katie," Raymond called through to the kitchen. "I have an idea for later. Why don't you and Jimmy show Hugh and Beryl the famous photo album? You know the one I mean."

Kate did know. She flashed a distracted look at her sister and whispered, "Oh no, here we go again. I wish Ray had never seen that damn thing in the first place. Now he wants us to show it to everyone that comes over."

Winona grinned. "Well you must admit it always spices up the conversation. Just make sure the kids are not around."

This prompted Kate to look out the open kitchen window. The yells and excited screams seemed to be getting louder as the garden games became rougher. "Peter will you stop it!" she shouted at her son. "You know Calley hates having her hair pulled like that."

The blonde seven-year-old boy turned when he heard his mother's voice hail from the window. "Well she kicked me," he retorted, pointing at his sister.

"Liar!" Calley spat back.

"Just calm down, both of you, and play nice with your cousins. Don't make me come out there."

The laughing and shrieking resumed.

Winona loaded in the last plates and closed the dishwasher. "Hugh and Beryl are broadminded enough. You know Ray won't give up until Jim gets out the album and tells the story again."

Kate removed her apron and folded it. "Yes, but what Ray never realizes is: aspects of it still hurt Jim even after twenty-od years. He forgets Jim suffered in a psychiatric hospital for over a year when he came home from there. Oh yes, Ray assumes he had this fabulous holiday of a lifetime. I live with Jim every day. It left scars inside him that may never heal."

"Humph! What Ray needs is a steady girlfriend to occupy his time. He acts like he's eighteen not thirty-eight," Winona harped, craning her neck to see into the dining room. "He may be our younger brother, but sometimes I think he'll never grow up. All that talk about America and millionaires drives me batty. I wish Jim had never mentioned California."