New Year's Day
'Twas New Year's Day at the house on Grey Knoll; no one was stirring, not even a mouse. Catherine lay in her bed dreaming of Robert. There was no noise out on the snow covered lawn; only the ducks honked as they flew overhead. Her only vision was being in the arms of her new love.
Catherine didn't spring from her bed; but she was awake and she did get up. Her warm bathroom and slippers were waiting for her. Her destination was the kitchen. No coffee for her, hot tea would have to do. And her usual bowl of oatmeal and nuts would fill her belly.
The sitting room of her bedroom was her destination; again she turned on the gas fireplace and the TV. She heard the weather report, 'cold and cloudy, no precipitation anticipated.'
Catherine was in no hurry to dress; she had plenty of time. She found her favorite seasonal old movie was on, The Bishop's Wife. She settled on the settee to watch it.
The house on Hall Brook Drive had one mouse stirring. Robert was in the kitchen preparing the family's traditional breakfast. It was nothing exotic; he fried bacon; made the pancake batter. The eggs were on the counter getting warm; he had learned long ago warm eggs fry up better.
A tiny baby was suckling at her mother's breast. Lori's milk was more than sufficient. She joined her dad in the kitchen.
"I need some food, Dad. Marybeth is nursing very well." She sliced a piece of breakfast bread and drank a cup of milk.
"I'm going to catch a nap while I can."
"Okay, Lori, I am going to fix some snacks for lunch; they'll be in the family room."
The other three joined him within the hour. "As usual, Dad, this was exceptional. Michael and I will go downstairs and play a game."
"And I'm going to tune in the pre-game jibber-jabber; the first game is at eleven o'clock." Jeff told him.
Robert didn't mind they left him; he could daydream about Catherine. Oh, how he longed to hold her and kiss her until her knees bent. Even his thoughts had stirred him.
Before he fixed the snacks, he prepared all the side dishes for dinner. The black-eyed peas had soaked overnight; he added the flavorings and put the pot on simmer. The green beans were easy; two cans of seasoned mushroom soup were mixed with them. They were covered with French Fried Onions. He would bake them later. The sweet potatoes had been boiled, peeled and mashed. The ham was out of the refrigerator; it tasted better at room temperature.
Robert carried the snacks to the family room and joined his family. Lori did the same after she fed Marybeth again.
Catherine had had a snack as well; an apple and some cheese. It was now two o'clock; Catherine was trying to select her outfit. She didn't want to be too dressy; she wanted to be comfortable, yet feminine. She searched her closet.
At first she was exasperated, then she found it. A favorite skirt she hadn't worn in years, a long straight skirt in a nubby tweed fabric. She held it up to her. "I think it still fits."
Before she put it on, she found a long sleeved white blouse. She put it on and slipped the skirt over her hips. Catherine admired herself in the mirror. The base color could be described as light Cappuccino coffee brown. It had a plaid look; formed by many horizontal and a few vertical thick strands of yarn like threads. They were in colors of sunlight yellow, deep sky blue and accented with some in dark green and the dark pink of magenta.
Catherine liked what she saw. She added her jeweled UCLA pin; she attached it to the points of the collar. She had also found a loosely knit cardigan sweater in the same deep sky blue color.
She put on a pair of comfortable shoes. Her brown coat and cream colored scarf were in the closet downstairs.
It was three-fifteen, Catherine rang the doorbell rang at Robert's house. Catherine could hear him. "No, Michael, I'll get the door, you go play Power Rangers with Aunt Jaclyn."
Robert opened the door; immediately he put his fingers to Catherine's lips, "Shh."
"Who's there, Dad?"
"Oh, some poor lost soul."
"Come on, Dad, stop teasing." Jeff walked up the stairs. And rather loudly spoke, "Dr. Howard!" He looked at Robert then Catherine. "Tell me, Dad."
"Catherine's our dinner guest."
"Go on."
"Later Jeff, let's enjoy dinner first." His eyes sparkled. His face held an impish but playful grin.
"May I take your coat, Catherine?"
"Of course, Robert."
Robert admired her outfit; he didn't have time to speak. Neither did Catherine; although she had seen his face. Everyone had heard Jeff and came running. Jaclyn and Michael came from the basement family room and Lori from the downstairs bedroom which was the baby's second nursery.
"You keep surprises well, Dad."
"I suppose, Lori; let's enjoy dinner. Catherine and I will share later."
"Can I help you, Robert?"
"Not much left to do; Jaclyn set our rarely used dining room table."
"I was surprised when he told me to set a sixth place. I never expected it was for you, Dr. Howard."
"He told me, I was a surprise. And please, call me Catherine."
Catherine did follow Robert to the kitchen along with Jaclyn and Lori. They carried the prepared dishes to the table.
"I need to stay right here by the oven, Catherine; I want the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes brown not burnt,"
"Have you ever burnt them?"
"One year, I told the girls, a little charcoal wouldn't hurt them. They scraped off the burnt part anyway. Okay, everyone, they're ready; take your seats."
Robert carried the hot dish and placed it on a trivet. Catherine found the empty seat; it was to the left of Robert's place at the head of the table. Jeff had the other end; Jaclyn sat next to Catherine. Lori and Michael were on the other side.
"You prepared a feast, Robert."
"Like I told you, it's no big deal; everything is easy to prepare."
"It's been awhile since I've enjoyed a home cooked holiday meal."
Michael said the typical grace recited by most young children. His dad added, "Let's eat."
Everyone was hungry; there was very little talking. Robert and Jeff had a bet going on about the late game, The Rose Bowl. "I must root for UCLA."
It was Jeff who asked. "Why Catherine?"
"I have two degrees from there, undergraduate and medical school. They usually have a pretty good team."
"Girls, don't play football."
"That's true Michael; it fun to watch. My father and I would watch all of them; my mom and grandmother had already given up trying to teach me to cook."
"You don't cook, Catherine."
"Very little, Lori."
"What do you eat?"
"I fix a big bowl of heart healthy oatmeal and nuts every morning. I eat a big lunch at the hospital, if I can. If I don't, I might stop for a take-out-meal. I snack on peanut butter and jelly in the evening."
Robert looked at his watch. "Almost game time; put your plates in the sink. I'll get everything in the refrigerator."
The game was a nail bitter; the score kept changing. Jeff won the bet. Catherine and Robert found them both lamenting their team's loss. Lori looked at the clock; it was eight-thirty.
"Michael, you need to say good night; you have school in the morning."
Michael pouted. "Think of all you have to tell your friends," Catherine told him. "You have a new baby sister and you've made a new friend. Can I have a hug?"
Michael was shy; Catherine grabbed him. "Why don't you call me Dr. Cat, all my children do?"
"Thank you, Dr. Cat, see you around." Catherine thought, I plan to be around a lot. Jeff put him to bed; Lori needed to feed baby Marybeth. Catherine and Jaclyn helped Robert clean up the kitchen.
"Let's go sit in the family room before Catherine needs to go home." Robert was sure Lori and Jaclyn had been talking. They were polite.
"I invited Catherine here for a reason. Sometimes we have no control over events; the unexpected may happen at any moment. Catherine found my cabin after sliding off the road into a ditch. She saw the smoke from the chimney; she had been to the cabin a few years ago."
"Let me continue Robert. I believe you know I'm a widow. My husband Tom died from prostate cancer, a year ago, at the hospice. I can't really explain why I did what I did. I never accepted his death. I never moved beyond my grief and I didn't allow anyone to help me – until that day at the cabin. Your dad tore down the wall I had built."
Robert continued. "We've spent a lot of time together, talking; and I mean that, we talked. We both feel we have many more years left and we don't want to be alone. We want to share them together. We want to get married."
"I have no doubt, you're in love. Did he tell you he and our mom dated only a few weeks before they married?"
"He did, Lori. I never thought I would fall in love again; your dad stole my heart. It's unexplainable."
"When? Jeff asked.
"We need about a week; I'm sure Father Stephen will marry us."
"And where will you live?"
"At the cabin for now, Jeff."
All of them asked, "Why?"
"We need our own space and besides, this is your house, Jeff and Lori."
"Not unless we can work out a deal."
"We'll talk later, Jeff."
"Why not your house, Catherine?"
"Too many memories, Lori, Tom and I built it and it's way too big."
"The housing market favors sellers right now; there are very few on the market. Catherine thinks one of the pediatricians may be interested in it. We don't plan to live at the cabin indefinitely. I know there are several small lake front lots available. We'll build our home together."
"Michael's going to be thrilled. He likes you, Catherine."
"He's easy to like, Lori."
"Your mom and I talked after her diagnosis. She told me not to pass up love if it should come my way."
"Ironically, so did Tom. I believe both of them are smiling. I better get home. I have a department meeting early tomorrow morning. Thank you for dinner."
"You need to thank Dad; he did all the work."
"I plan to."
Robert held her coat. She slipped her arms I and drew it around her. "I don't need to button it, Robert. I'm going right to the car."
"I know, but it is covering your outfit."
"Did you enjoy it, Robert?"
"So you noticed my looks; it does fit you well, Catherine."
"You did stare. We could talk all night; I do need to get home."
Robert took advantage of her unbuttoned coat; he reached under it to hold her close for a kiss. Catherine didn't mind. Their passionate kiss stirred her internal feelings; she had to get her legs under her before she let go. Reluctantly, they both parted.
Robert opened the car door. "Call me when you get home. I want to be sure my future wife is home safe and sound."
Robert watched her drive away. He smiled. In a few days it will all be different Robert.
His family had gone to bed. Robert turned out the downstairs lights. His cell phone rang the moment he entered his bedroom.
"Safe and sound, Robert," he immediately heard.
"Good, I miss you already. I know we both have busy days tomorrow. It will probably be in late afternoon before we can connect."
"Yes, you're right."
The phone call concluded with "I love you," from both of them.