Late summer 1974
Gains Family Home
Seattle, Washington
Audrey and Will arrived at SeaTac International Airport from Las Vegas late on Sunday afternoon. Will went to baggage claim to pick up their luggage, while Audrey found a pay phone to arrange for a ride. They met a half hour later on the lower level of the concourse.
"Got all of our bags, and didn't have to fight too hard to get them out. But Ah will never get used to someone else doin' the flyin'." Will said.
"Yeah, it did feel strange being strictly a passenger. Oh and I called home, and Dad said he'll be coming to get us. He should be here in a half an hour." Audrey replied.
About 20 minutes later, a 1967 Ford Galaxy 500 rolled up, giving off a familiar rumble. It stopped by Will and Audrey, and a tall, broad shouldered older man with thinning brown hair stepped out. Audrey ran to him, shouting "DAD!" as they both hugged each other fiercely.
"Good to see you, 'Drey!" the man exclaimed.
"Dad, this is Will Robinson. Will, this is my father, Tim Gains." Audrey said brightly as she moved to her father's side.
"Pleased to meet y'all, sir" Will drawled politely as the two men shook hands.
"Pleased to meet you too, Will. Let's get your bags in the trunk and we'll be off." Tim replied.
With their luggage loaded, Audrey opened the rear passenger door, as she prepared to get into the back seat. Will stopped her, got into the back seat, and gestured her to sit in the front seat, next to her father. Audrey turned and glared at him, as she slid into the front seat. Tim came around, got in the driver's side and started the engine. As they pulled away, Will leaned forward.
"Sir, it sounds like y'all's got a big V-8 under the hood" he said
"Yes, it's a Police Interceptor 427 special. You got a Ford back in Las Vegas? And call me Tim. When you call me sir, it's sounds too much like someone trying to worm their way into the property room." Tim said, with a big smile.
"Yes Ah do, Tim,. Ah've got a 1970 Shelby Mustang GT 500 with a 428 Cobra Jet." Will stated.
"Great! Hopefully you can persuade 'Drey to give up that GM piece of junk of hers, and get a decent Ford product." Tim declared.
"DAD! I love my Corvair! It's cute and it's really fast, too!" Audrey protested.
Going north of downtown Seattle, Tim took an exit and drove down a street paralleling the shore of Puget Sound. He turned up another street and then onto one on the side of a hill, overlooking the Sound. He stopped at an older three story house, with a small front yard and a large wraparound porch.
"We're home, Drey!" Tim exclaimed.
"Tim, Ah'd appreciate it if y'all could drop me at the nearest Holiday Inn. Ah'll get a room and a rental car, and Ah'll be right back." Will said.
"Nonsense, Will! We've got a fully furnished 1 bedroom apartment in the downstairs that you're welcome to stay in." Tim declared.
"Dad! You actually finished the downstairs?" Audrey asked, incredulously.
"Dad's been working on that ever since I left for Basic Flight Training." Audrey explained, turning to Will.
"Well, it's been done for a couple of years, and even your mother said it looked really nice. Come on, I'll get your bags. Your mom is going to be glad you're home. And both of your sisters are here, too." Tim said.
Audrey and Will walked up to the house's front door. The door opened and Audrey was pulled into a warmly fierce embrace by the person who opened the door.
"Audrey! It's so good to see you home!" the middle-aged woman in the hallway exclaimed.
"It's good to be home, Mom!" Audrey replied fervently.
Audrey moved next to the woman and turned to Will.
"Mom, this is Will Robinson. Will, this is my mother, Janet Gains. Will's a fellow instructor at Nellis" said Audrey, as she introduced Will to her mother.
Will looked closely at Janet. She was almost as tall and solidly built as Audrey. Her reddish-brown hair had strands of silver, and was cut shoulder length. Her eyes were a warm hazel, appearing to welcome him. The family resemblance was apparent, with similarly shaped faces and features. Janet gave Will a warm welcoming smile.
"Glad to meet y'all, ma'am." Will drawled respectfully, as he extended his hand.
Audrey's mother took Will's hand, and surprised him and Audrey, when she pulled Will into a warm embrace.
"Will! It's good to meet you in person, after all the good things I've heard about you from Audrey." Janet warmly replied.
Janet turned to Audrey.
"Audrey, your sisters are waiting for you in the living room" she announced.
"C'mon, Will, I want to introduce to my sisters!" Audrey exclaimed, as she led Will into the living room.
There were two young women sitting at opposite ends of the couch that both stood up when Audrey and Will entered the living room. The one on the left hand side of the couch was almost as tall as Audrey, but much slimmer. Her dark auburn hair was long and pulled back into a ponytail. Her eyes were gray and her complexion was fair with only a few freckles on her nose. She had a big smile on her face. The other young woman, rather a teenage girl, was only as tall as Audrey's shoulder. She was slender, but with a wiry athleticism about her. Her coppery-red hair was shoulder length and her eyes were a bright blue. She had almost as many freckles on her face as Audrey did. Again the family resemblance was strong, as they both had similar facial shapes and features to Audrey and her mother.
Audrey stepped to Will's side and proceeded to introduce him.
"Kerry, Hannah, this is my boyfriend, Will Robinson. He's a fellow instructor at Nellis. Will, these are my younger sisters. The one on the left there is Kerry. She's a junior at the University of Washington, in the pre-Combination Medicine program. The one on the right is my sister Hannah. She's a sophomore at Ballard High School. She's a two-time All-District volleyball player." Audrey proudly declared.
"It's good to see you, Audrey! Hello Will, glad to meet you!" Kerry replied brightly.
"Hello Audrey. Hello Will" Hannah said in a flat neutral tone, an equally flat, neutral expression on her face.
"Glad to meet y'all. Ah've heard so many good things about y'all" Will drawled.
At the sound of Will's voice, Hannah's neutral expression changed to one of interest and curiosity.
"Glad to meet you, Will!"' Kerry responded brightly, her smile broadening.
"Uh, hello Will" Hannah managed to mumble, as she turned away, blushing intensely.
Audrey and Will sat down on the couch together, with Audrey on Will's right side. Kerry sat next to Audrey, while Hannah scooted close to Will. Will turned to look at Hannah, who blushed again, and scooted a little away.
Janet came out of the kitchen, bearing a tray laden with a bowl of chips, a tub of onion dip and a six-pack of Pepsi. This she set on the coffee table in front of the couch. Tim came limping into the living room, and settled down in the recliner. He sighed in relief as he put his feet up. Janet handed him a can of Rainier beer, which he popped open and took a long swig.
"Will, Audrey, I got your luggage to where it needs to be. Will, I'll show you to the downstairs apartment in a few minutes. First of all, Janet and I would like to get to know you better." Tim said, in a deceptively casual tone.
Tim keeps his conversational tone, but the questions he asked Will were deep and probing. It was almost like a police interrogation. Audrey sighed to herself. Tim would often adopt the same manner with her and her sisters when they were younger. For his part, Will answered all Tim's questions forthrightly, still keeping that slow unhurried drawl, phrased with respectful politeness. It was almost comical watching Hannah hanging intently on each word that Will said.
After more than an hour of questioning, with Janet and Kerry adding questions of their own, Tim levered himself out of his lounger and stood up. Janet stood up as well and started heading for the kitchen.
"Let me get dinner started, since it's probably going to take a couple of hours. You two should have some time to unpack, wash up and relax some before dinner." Janet said
"Come on, Will. I'd like to show off some of my handiwork." Tim said, as he led Will to the basement stairs.
"Oh, and Drey, your bag is at the base of the second stairs. I just couldn't make it all the way up there. Hope don't mind." Tim said, over his shoulder.
Audrey bounded up the stairs, found her suitcase and took it to her old room. She set the suitcase down and looked at her old room closely. Everything was where it had been for most of her life, just as she remembered. The bed under the window, the dresser, the desk and chair, even her old toy chest. But somehow it all seemed different. It was like it was smaller, something more suited to a younger and smaller her, and the present her just didn't fit there anymore.
Audrey sighed. Life was moving on and perhaps this was a sign that she should as well. She set the suitcase on the old toy chest and opened it. She fished out a clean set of clothes and her hair brush, then she turned and left for the bathroom she had shared with Kerry. Opening the bathroom door, she smiled, looking at the huge claw foot tub. She ran the water, adjusting it till it was steaming. Looking around, Audrey smiled and reached up to the bottle of lavender bath oil on the shelf. She measured out and poured in at least 4 cap fulls. The lavender scent mixed with the steam of the bath, causing Audrey to inhale deeply and feel the knots in her back and hips loosening.
The tub was now three quarters full, so she shut off the water, stripped off her clothes, clipped her hair to the top of her head, stepped in and lowered herself into the steaming lavender scented water. She sighed, stretching out and relaxing like she hadn't in a long while. As much as she enjoyed vigorous hot showers, there was something so luxurious and decadent about soaking in a hot bath up to your chin. She stayed soaking until the water started to cool. She got out, wrapped a towel around her and went back to her bedroom.
Audrey got dressed quickly, putting on a bra, t-shirt, a pair of bikini panties, jeans and sandals. She took down her hair, and picked up a brush. She worked out the tangles in her hair and tied it back in a low ponytail.
She bounded downstairs, saw her mother busy in the kitchen, and detoured to the living room. It was an unspoken family rule that when Janet was busy in the kitchen, no one goes in there, unless she calls you in.
Janet came out of the kitchen, carrying a platter of food, followed by both Kerry and Hannah, also carrying food and table place settings.
"Audrey, could you help setting the table? There's more stuff in the kitchen to bring out." Janet called over her shoulder.
Audrey went into the kitchen and picked up the bowl of roasted potatoes, and the plate of Hawaiian sweet rolls. She brought those out and set them on the table. Seeing that the table was fully set, she moved to her traditional place, at her mother's right hand at one end of the table. Tim seated himself at the other end of the table, gesturing to the chair at his right hand to Will. Kerry sat next to Audrey, and Hannah sat next to Will. Everyone bowed their heads silently for a few moments.
"Let's eat!" Tim said enthusiastically.
At that, everyone started filling their plates with what was in front of them. For this dinner, Janet had prepared all of Audrey's favorite foods. There was grilled halibut, baked salmon, roasted red potatoes, sauteed prawns, fried scallops, sauteed snow peas, green beans, and Hawaiian sweet rolls, with butter and strawberry preserves. Once everyone got what they wanted from what was in front of them, the platters, plates, bowls and so on started making their trips around the table. For the next half hour, there was very little talking, as everyone dug enthusiastically into their dinner.
Audrey felt stuffed full. She had dug into all of her favorite foods and chowed down heartily. So did everyone else. There were empty plates and bowls, along with the discarded silverware and napkins all around the dining room table. Everyone leaned back in their chairs, nodding their thanks and acknowledgment to Janet, who had done nearly all the cooking herself. Janet beamed in response, pleased that her efforts to provide a good meal for her family and guest was successful.
"Will, could you help me clear off the table, do the dishes and clean up the kitchen?" Hannah asked, shyly, as she stood up.
"Hannah Maureen Gains! Will's a guest! You shouldn't be asking him to help you clean up!" Janet admonished Hannah sharply.
"S'all right, ma'am. Ah'd be glad ta do mah part an' clean up" Will drawled, as he stood up and began gathering empty plates and silverware.
Audrey glared at her younger sister, and what it seemed like she had in mind. When a family member wanted a chance to speak directly to another, they'd invite them to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen together. It had evolved into a Gains' family tradition and some unofficial rules had evolved around it as well.
The first rule was that each family member involved in the cleanup, could speak their minds on what ever subject they chose to discuss. Second, Each party in the cleanup would have the chance to speak their piece without interruption. Third, whatever was said in the kitchen, stayed in the kitchen, unless both parties agreed otherwise. Fourth, all cleanup discussions had to end with an agreement, even if it was an agreement to disagree. Of course, honesty and willingness to listen were compulsory.
This family tradition had started when Tim and Janet were first married. Both were working the day shift, and this was a time for them to discuss their respective days. This soon evolved into discussions on important issues between them, and even encompassing local and world events. As soon as Audrey and her sisters were old enough to do the dishes, they were included in the discussions with their parents and each other. For the most part, this seemed to work well for everyone.
However, when Audrey was home on leave after her second Nam tour, things got very tense and heated. Janet did her best to persuade Audrey to leave the Air Force, settle down, get married and start having children. To say Audrey objected strenuously, was an understatement. Both of them had stubborn streaks, and the clash of viewpoints seemed to harden the divide between them. There was a lot of using "outside" voices accompanied by the crash of breaking dishes. Needless to say, the kitchen cleanup took longer than normal, and there was a lot of "agreeing to disagree' between them. The years since had seen a mellowing between the two women, and an acceptance of what was.
Audrey had told Will all this, as part of her informing him about her family. She mentioned that Hannah was a bit of a tomboy, much like Audrey had been. Seeing Hannah shyly flirting with Will and then inviting him to do the dishes with her, aroused Audrey's suspicions. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.
Hannah's still a high school girl, and there's no way that she's Will's type. I'll just have to trust Will and see what happens Audrey thought.
Doing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen seemed to take a lot longer than it warranted. Will came out and walked quickly to the living room, without saying anything to Audrey. Hannah came out next, with a bright smile, almost skipping along. She came over to Audrey.
"Tell you what. If you don't want Will, I think I may take him for myself" Hannah said brightly.
Audrey almost jumped to her feet. She loomed over Hannah, a feral snarl on her face. Hannah shrank back, her smile changing to a look of fear. Audrey was 5 inches taller and some 40 pounds heavier than her sister, and she used all of it to physically intimidate Hannah.
"WILL'S MINE! You'll take him from me over my dead body!" Audrey hissed.
"Okay! Okay! Geez, I was just kidding!" Hannah stammered.
Audrey stood up straight, and ran a hand through her hair, working to regain her composure. She took a deep breath and shook her head.
"You better be, or else!" Audrey growled, as she warned Hannah.
Audrey made her way quickly to the living room, looking for Will. Not seeing him there, she asked her mother.
"Mom, do you know where Will went?" Audrey asked.
"I think he went down to the basement apartment." Janet replied.
Audrey went downstairs to the laundry room and knocked on the door to the downstairs apartment.
"Will, can I talk to you, please?" Audrey asked through the door.
Will opened the door and stood aside as he invited Audrey in.
"Something the matter, Audrey?" Will drawled.
"I just want to apologize for Hannah's behavior tonight. I don't know what got into her for her to be acting the way she did." Audrey said abashedly.
Will smiled that slow smile that always caused Audrey's heart to skip beats.
"Don't y'all worry.! Ah've got a younger sister, too and Ah know how they all can get." Will said in an amused tone.
"Thank you for understanding. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." Audrey stated, as she silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Will came up to Audrey and brushed her cheek with a light kiss.
"Tell y'all what. Why don't we all get a good night's sleep and go have some fun tomorrow?" Will asked.
"Great! I can show you around Seattle! I know plenty of cool places to go!" Audrey replied enthusiastically.
Audrey left the apartment, feeling greatly relived that Will hadn't taken offense at Hannah's forwardness. She bounded up the stairs to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and then went to her room. She laid out some casual clothes for tomorrow, stripped down and went to bed. She was asleep in minutes, snoring rhythmically.
The next morning, Audrey found that both her parents were working the day shift. Tim had left he keys to the Galaxie, and a note telling Audrey to take Will to all the fun places around Seattle, only asking that fill the tank when they brought the car back.
They spent the day in Seattle, roaming the waterfront. They stopped by Pike Place Fish Market, watching with amazement as the fishmongers casually tossed 30 pound salmons and 60 pound halibuts back and forth. They cruised by the piers, watching the passenger liners load and unload people. They then stopped by Ivar's for lunch. Audrey had halibut and chips with clam chowder, while Will had a salmon burger and fries. They stopped by Peet's Coffee House, and both Audrey and Will enjoyed the fresh ground Kona coffee, and relaxed. There was a detour to Seattle Center, where they took the elevator to the top of the Space Needle, and gazed out on the city and Elliot Bay. Driving back home, they stopped at a new small coffee place with an odd logo of a mermaid and a strange name.
"Starbucks? Like what is that? Space Money?" Audrey asked.
"It's an interestin' place, and the drinks are different, but they're pretty pricey. Ah don't know how long they're gonna stay in business" Will observed.
Getting home, Audrey whipped up some hamburgers and hot dogs with potato salad for dinner. No one was in the mood for anything elaborate, so everyone was appreciative of the quick dinner. Will talked about how different Seattle was from Memphis, despite both being port cities. He also mentioned how diversified the downtown area was, ranging from the old built up areas around Pioneer Square, to the thriving waterfront, to the different shops from places all around the Pacific in the International District and to the booming construction all over the shores of South Lake Union. There was discussion on where they would go tomorrow, but nothing was decided. They'd talk about it again in the morning.
The next morning both Will and Audrey were up early. Starting with coffee and pastries, they got into the car and headed north. Taking the ferry over to Whidbey Island, they stopped for brunch in Oak Harbor. Whidbey Island was home to the Pacific Fleet's training base for attack squadrons. They had some fun critiquing all the take-offs and landings of the A-7 training squadrons while they ate.
"Ah, he's coming in too low and fast. Not enough flaps. Looks like he's gonna have to come around again." Audrey observed.
"That one's losing power. Ah can hear him going into compressor stall. That engine just don't sound right. Think he all's gonna need some maintenance work on that engine." Will noted.
"Yikes! He's gonna stall and hit hard! Yep, he sure did. Wouldn't want to be him when his CO demands to know what happened." Audrey said, wincing.
After brunch, they caught the ferry to the San Juan Islands, stopping in Friday Harbor for lunch. They spent the afternoon wandering through the picturesque small town, enjoying the small shops, and the ocean air. Taking the ferry back to Seattle, both Audrey and Will were surprised and enthralled by the escort the ferry got, not only from the orcas, who lived in Puget Sound, but seeing a Navy carrier strike group slowly navigate its way to Bremerton. Getting home, everyone agreed on ordering pizza and there was much chomping and chewing as everyone ate their fill.
Wednesday morning, Audrey and Will drove east over Lake Washington. Stopping over in the small farming towns of Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah, they bought fresh strawberries, blueberries and apples. They drove further into the mountains, and stopped in the town of Leavenworth. Leavenworth was a recreation of a Karlsland mountain village from the 19th Century, with a picturesque town square, period buildings, and other items to add to the atmosphere. They had lunch at an authentic gasthaus, complete with bratwurst, spicy mustard, brotchen, the hard fresh-baked rolls, washed down with cider for Audrey (since she was driving) and beer for Will. Janet had a pot of stew on, and with some fresh baked sour dough bread, it was a hearty feast for all.
Thursday, they headed south. Will was surprised to see such large farms so close to a major metro area like Seattle. Going through Renton, they saw the huge assembly buildings where Boening built their commercial aircraft. They stopped at the newly opened Southcenter Mall, to have lunch and do some window shopping. Audrey saw some clothing she liked at Nordstrom's, but paled, looking at the prices.
Geez! That sweater is nice, but it's more than my annual uniform allotment! Audrey thought.
But it's SO pretty, it's in your favorite color, and the real cashmere is SO soft and luxurious! Kitana replied.
No! And that;'s final! Audrey stated firmly
At least try it on and see what Will thinks Kitana cajoled.
Oh, all right, but I am NOT buying it! Audrey answered flatly.
Audrey went into the dressing room and pulled on the sweater. The cashmere DID feel soft and luxurious, but the fit seemed wrong. It was sized as a 2X, her normal size, but it felt tight. Coming out of the dressing room, she turned to Will.
"What do you think of this?" Audrey asked.
Will took a long look at Audrey. The sweater hugged every curve of her chest. The color was a Kelly Green that caught the color of her eyes, and made her hair shine in its red-gold splendor.
"That all looks so good y'all! And Ah think it'll go with just about anything! Y'all are gettin' it, aren't you?" Will exclaimed.
"But it's SO expensive!" Audrey said, in a disappointed voice, as she blanched again, looking at the price tag.
"Tell y'all what. Ah'll go halves with you on the sweater, if y'all promise to wear it when we go out." Will offered.
"Well, if you insist." Audrey said hesitantly.
Do it! Will's offering to buy you nice clothing! It's a sure sign that he wants to see you in it! It's also a pretty sure sign he wants to help you take it off, too! Kitana replied in a sly teasing tone.
KITANA! STOP THAT! Audrey retorted sharply.
Tell me I'm wrong. I know all the signs and I see them all here! Kitana thought smugly.
Audrey and Will went to the cashier to pay for the sweater. Both were surprised when the cashier asked if they were members of military. Audrey showed her military ID, and the cashier took 15% off the price. Will pulled out his wallet and paid for all of the sweater.
"Will! I thought we were going halves on the price!" Audrey protested.
"With the discount, it all was well in my budget. 'Sides, when have Ah had the chance to buy y'all some beautiful clothing?" Will drawled, with a big grin.
Leaving the mall, Audrey drove further south to Kent. Going east, she let Kitana guide her to her destination. This turned out to be a house on the east side of the valley, with an impeccably manicured lawn, with big evergreen trees and bunches of rose bushes in the flower beds in front and on the sides of the house. Audrey pulled the Galaxie into the circular drive and parked there. Turning to Will, she addressed him with a serious expression.
"Will, we're here to see my aunt Emily and her partner, Christine. Auntie Em was a Strike Witch, and Christine was in finance when they met in Kita. They've been together ever since then, and have bought this place together. I'll be up front, Will. They are lesbians, and are bonded partners. They are my family, and if you can't accept them, then we need to have a serious discussion about our relationship and future together. I'll be blunt, if it comes down to it, I'll choose them over anyone else, because they ARE my family." Audrey stated flatly.
"No problem for me. Ah figure love is hard enough to find in this world as it is, and it don't rightly matter where y'all find it. 'Sides, y'all's talked enough 'bout them, that Ah'm looking forward to meeting them." Will said with quiet conviction.
Audrey breathed a sigh of relief and offered a silent prayer of thanks to the gods that Will was so understanding and accepting.
Yes! Told you so! I KNEW he's the right guy! Kitana chimed in, again with a smug tone.
They both went up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The door opened and Audrey was gathered into a smothering hug.
"Oddball! It's so good to see you! We haven't seen you since you got back from Nam! We've missed you SO much!" a familiar raspy soprano voice exclaimed.
Audrey managed to pry her face from the deep valley of the bosom that it was buried in. She reached around and returned the hug with equal fierceness. She felt a hand stroking her hair, and she sighed, the familiar feelings of safety and comfort welling up inside her. After a few moments, she moved to the woman's side, her arm still around her.
"Auntie Em, this is Will Robinson. I've talked to you about him. Will, this is my Aunt Emily." Audrey said.
Will stepped forward, and offered his hand.
"Ma'am, Ah'm pleased to meet y'all. Ah've heard so many good things 'bout y'all." Will said respectfully.
Emily reached out for Will's hand. Grasping it in a firm but feminine grip, she pulled him into a slightly less smothering hug,
"It's SO good to finally meet you, Will! Audrey has positively gushed about how wonderful you are! Welcome to our home!" Emily exclaimed.
Pulling back a little, Will took a good look at Emily, who was impressive to say the least. She was as tall as he was, and almost as broad across the shoulders. If he thought Audrey was very curvy with a solid foundation of muscles, Emily was even more so. It was as if she was a mythical Amazon come to life. Her short reddish brown hair had strands of blonde in it, and her hazel eyes sparkled with life, energy, intelligence and humor. Her face was broader featured than Audrey's, but the family resemblance was still there.
"C'mon in! Christine! Oddball and Will are here!" Emily yelled, as she turned to lead Audrey and Will into the house.
The living room was tastefully decorated with 2 armchairs, with an end table and lamp between them. Against the wall was the sofa and a coffee table in front of it. Against the wall with the front door was a television on a stand. To the left of the door, which opened inward, was a closet door. Beyond that, was a formal dining room. All the furniture was Baltland modern, with sleek rounded curves. Coming into the living room from the doorway behind the armchairs, a woman carried a tray with glasses on it. The woman was petite and slender, her light brown hair cut into a pixie cut, her brown eyes sparkling with life and humor. To Audrey, Chris always seemed to remind her of the actress Sandy Duncan.
"Will, this is my partner, Christine. Chris, this is Will Robinson. Of course you know Oddball." Emily said, gesturing expansively.
"Hi there, you both! Thought you'd like some lemonade!" Christine greeting them in a chirpy soprano, as she set the tray on the coffee table.
"Good to see you too, Chris" Audrey exclaimed, as she pulled Chris into a warm hug.
"Ah'm glad to meet y'all, ma'am" Will drawled respectfully, as he extended a hand.
"It's SO good to finally meet you, Will! I've heard such good things about you from Audrey and Emily! Oh gods, he ma'amed me! Please just call me Chris, otherwise it makes me feel like I'm an old lady back in the Air Force!" Chris said brightly, as she took Will's hand and drew him into a light hug.
"Sit! Sit! Have some lemonade!" Emily insisted, as she picked up a glass and settled into one of the armchairs. Chris took a glass and flopped into the other chair. Will and Audrey took their glasses and set themselves on the couch. Emily and Chris sat up, and it looked like they were bracing themselves.
"Will, did Audrey tell you about us?" Emily asked, her voice tight with tension.
Chris also tensed up, glancing at Emily and then back to Will, a set look on her face.
"Yes, she did, ma'am. And Ah'm just glad y'all were able to find each other, bond and share your lives together. Love like that is all too rare, and it don't rightly matter where y'all find it." Will said, with a quiet conviction.
Both Emily and Chris let out, smiled brightly and relaxed. It was apparent that this was a hurdle that had to be tested. They both picked up their glasses and took deep drinks of the lemonade. Chris asked how they met, and both Will and Audrey took turns with the telling of the first mission they had together in Nam during Audrey's second tour. This led to their reconnecting four years later at Fighter Weapons.
The conversation meandered to what Emily and Chris were doing these days. Emily was working as a senior engineer at Boening, concentrating on flight control systems for commercial aircraft. Her familiar, a golden eagle, gave her an almost instinctive feel for how various controls would affect flight dynamics of aircraft, even before wind tunnel testing. Chris was working as a senior accountant for King County. Her familiar, a gray squirrel, gave her the ability to handle basic math on large numbers of figures, almost as fast as a calculator, but with the additional ability to spot discrepancies and irregularities almost instantly. Emily talked about all the renovations to the house, while Chris talked about all the gardening and yard work.
When Chris started talking about the rose bushes around the house, there was a trilling chirp coming from the formal dining room. A tortoiseshell cat, more like an overgrown kitten, came trotting into the living room. She sat for a moment as she licked a paw and rubbed it behind an ear. Then she looked up, as if gauging everyone in the room.
"Oh, I almost forgot! This is the other member of the tortie trio of this house. This is Esmeralda,. We don't know where she came from, but she appeared on the doorstep a few months ago, and invited herself in. She's the real mistress of this place, and we're just the loyal serving staff." Emily said, with a smile.
Esmeralda walked quietly into the room. She brushed Emily's and then Chris's legs, barely acknowledging their pets. She then sniffed Audrey's leg, and then purred quietly as Audrey reached down and stroked her on the top of the head. But when she came to Will. Not only did she sniff his leg, but she rubbed her full body on it, curling her tail around his leg. She tilted her head back as he stroked her between the ears, the volume of her purr increasing. She arched her back to his touch as he stroked her down her spine. To his surprise, Esmeralda jumped up on his lap, curled up, and started butting his hand with her nose for more pets. Her purr grew even louder and more intense, as she flexed her claws in pleasure. After a few minutes, she got up, arched her back at Will's petting down her spine, raising her tail with a double kink as his touch came to the base of her tail. She then jumped down and started licking her chest and tummy.
Emily and Chris had astonished looks at what was going on with Will and Esmeralda. They turned to look at each other, Chris raising an eyebrow, and Emily nodding slightly. Both of them broke into broad bright smiles. To Audrey, it seemed like there was some kind of unspoken communication going on between the two of them.
"Auntie Em, what's going on?" Audrey asked.
"Well, normally Esmeralda doesn't like guys, so when they're here, she tends to hide. The only other guy she's done anything similar with, has been your father. Essie been a pretty good judge of character, so her acceptance of Will is interesting. If he's got Essie's seal of approval, you need to hang on to him" Emily stated happily.
Audrey blushed. The thought had often crossed her mind, but seeing it brought out into the open, by a cat no less, was embarrassing. Emily sensed Audrey's embarrassment, and tried to move the conversation into a different area.
"Can you tell me what Jabby has been up to? It's been a while since I talked to my old wing man." Emily said.
This started the conversation down a whole different path. Audrey learned what the "Cranberry Shooters Battle" was all about, and found it was technically a tie. She also learned the whole story of the incident when Jabby was awarded the Medal of Honor, the crash that crippled her, and the subsequent surgery and recovery. Audrey was awed by the story of Jabby's flying skill, tactical sense and marksmanship, as well as her sheer grit and determination. It increased her respect for the General even more.
By this time, everyone had finished their fifth glass of lemonade, and it was starting to get dark. Audrey and Will said their goodbyes, promising to keep in contact. They left and merged with the home bound traffic. It was fully dark when they got back to the Gains' residence, just in time to sit down to a dinner of pot roast, roasted potatoes, fresh green beans and King's Hawaiian bread rolls. They both talked about their day, and how it went. Tim was interested in how Emily and Chris responded to Will. Janet gushed over the sweated Audrey got, and admonished Will for spending too much money, which he laughed at.
"If Ah can't spend mah money on nice clothes for my favorite gal, what am I Ah gonna spend it on?" Will answered.
Both Will and Audrey went to bed, after deciding to take it easy tomorrow. It would be Friday and they were scheduled to leave Saturday. A down day before traveling was agreed to be a good idea, Audrey took a quick bath, brushed her teeth and threw herself on her bed. She was asleep and snoring in just minutes.
The next morning, Audrey got up, got dressed and came downstairs. Janet was at the dining room table, drinking coffee and reading the P-I, the morning Seattle paper. Tim and Will were nowhere to be seen. Audrey poured herself a cup of coffee, sat down and pulled a section of the paper to her.
"Mom, where's Dad and Will?" Audrey asked
"We're both working the night shift, so you dad took Will on a tour of his old beat. Said they'd be home by dinner." Janet replied, taking another gulp of her coffee.
Audrey was a little concerned. The Ballard neighborhood that Tim had patrolled was pretty rough, and some areas were kind of dangerous. But Tim had patrolled the area for over twenty yeas, and was well know and respected.
"Mom, Dad's not taking Will to the Hungry Seagull, is he?" Audrey asked anxiously.
The Hungry Seagull was an old tavern in Ballard, that was a well known hangout of all of the hard-working, hard-drinking, and hard-fighting Baltland fishermen, lumberjacks, and machinists that populated the neighborhood. Tim would often have to break up fights there. sometimes three or four times a night.
"Don't worry. They all know your father there, and know that he won't put up with any nonsense. Will's going to be just fine." Janet said, placidly as she took a gulp to finish her coffee.
"So, what's the deal with Will? Are you going to marry him?" Janet asked.
"Yes, I'd marry him, but he hasn't asked me yet." Audrey said in a sad tone, as she pouted.
"Don't worry about it, He'll be popping the question soon. I just have a feeling." Janet said quietly, a smile on her face
Seeing that Audrey finished her coffee, Janet stood up and made her way to the stairs.
"Come on, Audrey, let's go." Janet said
"MOM! I don't want to~" Audrey protested.
"Don;'t you 'Mom' me, young lady! I am going to see my firstborn daughter married in a proper wedding gown, NOT an Air Force uniform! I said, let's go. NOW!" Janet stated in a tone that brooked no argument, glaring at Audrey.
Audrey sighed. There were times her mother was even more stubborn that she was. She got up and followed Janet up the stairs. The women went to a room on the second floor. Janet opened the door and Audrey followed her inside. Audrey looked around. Janet's sewing room hadn't changed much in the past eight years. There were four sewing machines, a serger, an ironing board, a clothes rack and bolts of various material stacked everywhere. In the middle of the room was a dress form with an elaborate formal wedding gown.
"All right, Drey, you know the drill, strip down.' Janet said, as she picked up a tape measure, a pad of paper and a pencil.
Audrey took off all of her clothes. Janet walked around her, looking critically at her body. Audrey held her arms straight out from her sides, as Janet started taking her measurements and writing down the results.
"You've grown some. Let's see, Bust 46 inches. Waist 33 inches. Hips 44 inches. Inseam 34 inches. Sleeve length 16 inches. Neck 15 inches, Looks like I'll have to readjust the dress form and make some alterations to the gown. How much do you weigh now?" Janet inquired.
"I was 157 pounds at my last flight physical, but that was some 9 months ago. I think I'm probably closer to 165 pounds now." Audrey admitted.
"Good. You're a big girl and you keep some weight on you. I was concerned when you got down to 125 pounds a few years ago. That's far too light for you." Janet said, heaving a sigh of relief.
Audrey got dressed and took a closer look at the wedding gown. Her mom had used silk and linen for the basic form of the dress. It had long sleeves, a full skirt and a short train. Unusually, it was daringly low cut in the bodice, and all the hems, cuffs and bodice were lined with seed pearls. Looking carefully, Audrey could not see where Janet had been altering it to fit Audrey, even though Janet had been working on the dress for some time.
"Mom, how long have you been working on this dress? It seems like it's been forever." Audrey said.
"Every since you came back from your first tour in Vietnam." Janet said distractedly, as she rummaged through her boxes of sewing gear.
"That's a long time, Mom. What made you think I'd ever get married?" Audrey asked.
"I figured you would, sooner or later. I just didn't think it'd be this much later." Janet said, picking up what she was looking for.
"You need to scoot. I've got work to do on the gown and you'd just be underfoot." Janet said briskly as she gently pushed Audrey out of the sewing room.
Audrey went back to her room. She sat on the bed and looked around at everything more closely. The room had been essentially untouched since left for Primary Flight School over 13 years ago. She got up and opened the closet. All of her old dresses, blouses and shoes were still there. She picked up her old softball glove and the Louisville slugger that was her favorite bat. Putting those back, she knelt down and picked up the old pair of saddle shoes. The scuff marks on the toes where she tripped and fell, running back into the house, waving her acceptance letter from the Air Force were still there. She moved over to the dresser, and opened the drawers. Audrey smiled as she picked up her favorite pair of dark green socks. She put them back and closed the drawer.
Audrey went back to sit on the bed again. She put her face in her hands and sobbed quietly. This room was so familiar and comforting, but it didn't belong to her any longer. It belonged to a much younger girl, full of hopes and dreams, looking to make her mark in the world. She had out grown this room, its comfort, safety, certainty, and dreams. She wasn't sure where she belonged, but the only way was forward. If Will asked her to marry him, she would do so with joy and hope She was hopeful that together they could find a place to call home and create safe and happy family amid the shifting chances and fortunes of this world.
Audrey started packing up her bags. Their flight was due to depart in the morning. They'd go from Seattle to Chicago, and then to Memphis after a three hour layover at O'Hare. They were due to land sometime in the late afternoon, so it was going to be a long day traveling. After packing, Audrey laid down for a nap. Audrey was awakened when Tim and Will returned in the late afternoon. Audrey came downstairs to greet them. She was gratified that the two men seemed to hit it off so well. Tim announced that for their departure dinner, they were going to Anthony's, a high end seafood restaurant.
Dinner was fabulous, and the conversation flowed easily. Audrey breathed a sigh of relief. Will and her parents seemed to be getting along well. Asking about their plans for Memphis, Will said that he wanted to show Audrey the area, and to introduce her to his siblings and friends. When Janet asked about his parents, Will simply said his dad died when he was a kid, and briefly mentioned that his mother had remarried. Janet took the information in stride, but she seemed to be even more warmly supportive of Will. Dinner ended with champagne, and Janet offering to drop Will and Audrey at the airport.
Dropping Audrey and Will at Sea-Tac the next morning, Janet got out and helped them get their bags out of the Galaxie and onto a cart. She turned to hug Audrey and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"You have a good time in Memphis and don't forget to call me when you get back to Las Vegas" Janet said.
"Don't worry, Mom I'll call you back once we get back to Nellis and I'll tell you everything." Audrey replied.
"Even how Will pops the question?" Janet whispered.
"MOM!" Audrey exclaimed.
"There's no doubt in my mind he will. I want to hear when, where and how he does it." Janet whispered back, a broad smile on her face at Audrey's blush
Will finished loading the bags on a cart and came over to Janet.
"Ah want to thank y'all for such a warm welcome and a great time. Seattle is a wonderful place and Ah really enjoyed meeting all of Audrey's family." Will drawled respectfully, as he extended a hand to Janet.
Janet surprised both Audrey and Will by pulling Will into a warm tight hug and giving him a light kiss on the cheek.
"It was good to meet you, Will and it's so good to know Audrey has such a good friend to rely on. You're welcome back anytime!" Janet stated.
Will and Janet broke the hug and both Audrey and Will pushed the baggage cart into the terminal, stooping to return Janet's wave as she got back into the car and drove away.
They got their luggage checked, boarded the plane and settled into their seats. Audrey was tense and nervous at the prospect of meeting the important people in Will's life. Would they like her? Would they be nice people? Would they support their relationship? She tried taking deep breaths to still her anxiety, and was asleep in minutes.
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