Property of Meredith Willson's estate. I'm just playing.
Chapter Two: Not A Lancelot
Marian was getting increasingly frustrated. Every time she tried to talk to Gregory about what he had shared the night he returned from California, he changed the subject. She knew he regretted opening up that much, even to her.
On the other hand, he still planned to take her and Sean on vacation to Chicago, as soon as her mother got back from her vacation. It seemed that he didn't want to talk about his childhood, he wanted to show her.
Every week, Gregory would take the train and go to Detroit for a few days. She knew he was meeting with the company managers about the plans for the "car dealership", as Gregory called it. She still wasn't keen on moving to Detroit, but she knew Gregory was looking around in the areas just outside of Detroit for a nice house for the three of them. She wanted grass and trees around her, not cement and asphalt.
She was also aware that he was planning a big party over at Madison Picnic Park for just before they left. She didn't know what that was all about either. Overall, she was tired of not knowing for sure what was going on in areas that affected her.
The only thing Marian did know was that Amaryllis was getting very knowledgeable about the library, and when she did leave, it would be in good hands. They had told Winthrop and his fiancée about the plan to move to Detroit. They had been upset about the idea of them moving that far, but Winthrop had accepted the fact that it was a step up for Gregory.
Marian knew her mother would not accept it as well. It had been the three of them for quite a while, then the four of them after she married, then five with the birth of Sean. Mrs. Peroo liked having her family around her.
Marian heard the train whistle from the junction. Gregory was due home on this train. He had sent a message to Winthrop, who had given it to her this morning. She started getting supper ready. Gregory never ate on the train home, and he was always hungry when he walked in the door.
Sean burst into the house, as usual. He didn't know how to be quiet. He had heard the whistle too.
"Is Dad on the train?"
"Yes, Sean."
"Great! Can I go meet him?"
"Yes, Sean."
"Do you know if he brought me anything?"
"No, Sean."
"Can you say something else?"
"Go wash your face, Sean."
Sean made a face at his mother, but dutifully went out to the pump to wash the dirt off his face and hands. After he was a little cleaner, he shouted through the screen door at his mother, "I'm going to meet the train now!", and left.
Marian just smiled and shook her head. He had Gregory's exuberance and outgoing personality that was for sure. If they had another child, Marian hoped for a girl, and one a little more like her.
Gregory and Sean came in a little more than half an hour later. Apparently, they had stopped at the ice cream parlor on the way home. Sean had telltale traces of chocolate around his mouth, and some had dripped on his shirt.
"Gregory! You're going to ruin his appetite for supper!"
"Madame Librarian, you cannot ruin a eight year old's appetite for food. Just watch, he will eat as much supper as he normally does."
Marian and Gregory met in the middle of the kitchen, and gave each other a hug and a kiss.
"EEWWW!" Sean's opinion of his parent's behavior was very vocal.
"If you don't like it, why don't you go upstairs and wash your face again, and get ready to eat supper." Gregory's words were mild, but the reproof was evident in his tone of voice.
"Sorry if I was disrespectful." Sean's voice was subdued.
"Apology accepted. Now why don't you do as your father said, and get ready for supper?"
After supper, Gregory and Marian sat on the front porch, in the swing they had added after they were married. It was warm, but for a change, the humidity wasn't too bad.
"So, how did your meeting go with the people in Detroit?"
"Very well. We are going to move after school starts, I believe. I know you would prefer Sean finish out school here, so I was thinking that he could stay here with your mother and Winthrop until the end of his fourth grade year, then he could join us. That will give us time to look carefully for a house. We could live in a motel for a while. I don't want us to rush finding a house. That is where I plan on us spending the rest of our lives.
"Are you having that much trouble finding something for us?" Marian was dismayed at the thought of leaving Sean behind. She knew he would be fine with Mrs. Peroo and Winthrop, but she had thought she would at least have her husband and her son with her.
"Well, I don't want to buy something, then find out you don't like it, or rush you around to find something when you get up there. Also, if we stay in a hotel, Sean would start school there, then if we find a house where I would like to be, he would have to change schools in the middle of the year."
"I think we should let Sean help make the decision. He would be the one most affected by this."
"I agree. What day exactly is your mother coming home?"
"She should be back this weekend. Her boat was supposed to dock in New York yesterday. It takes a couple of days for the train, so she might be here . . . tomorrow, actually!"
"So, tomorrow morning we'll be up bright and early to clean an already clean house." Gregory's tone was resigned.
"Gregory, you know I want everything to be just right for Mama. She hasn't been home for two months, and I don't want her to feel that she needs to start cleaning as soon as she gets home."
"I was just teasing you. I know you want everything spotless, and I agree. Your mother shouldn't have to start cleaning the minute she gets home."
Marian subsided, and laid her head on Gregory's shoulder. They rocked quietly for a minute, and listened to the crickets.
Later, Sean had been coaxed out of his tree house, and scrubbed and put to bed and been warned not to disappear tomorrow. Marian and Gregory again sat on the swing. Winthrop had come home from Amaryllis' house, and told them that Mr. Johnson was doing much better, and it appeared he would be up and about in time for the harvest. Winthrop had then disappeared upstairs to his room.
"Marian, I would like to leave on our vacation next week. Your mother will be home, and will have had a chance to share all her stories. Sean still has three weeks before school starts. If we go next week, we can have a week in Chicago, and still be back in time to get Sean's clothes and school things."
"Why is it so important for us to go to Chicago now? Chicago in the summertime is not the most wonderful place to be, so I've heard. It seems better to go to the mountains, or to California to the beach."
"Well, Chicago has a beach of sorts, on the lake. The real reason for me is that I want to tell you about my childhood, but it is hard to open up that much. I'm hoping that if I show you where I grew up, it will be easier for me to talk about it."
Marian turned to her husband, overwhelmed by his admission, and for once not caring who might be walking by, threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him full on the mouth. At first, Gregory was surprised by her spontaneous display of affection, but then took full advantage.
After a few minutes, he withdrew his arms from around her waist, where they had ended up, and suggested in a gruff voice, "Why don't we continue this in the house? I would prefer not to give the neighbors more of a show, and in about 20 seconds I am going to have to start removing your clothes."
Marian remembered exactly where they were. She blushed; embarrassed that she had forgotten that they were on the porch. Keeping her eyes on her hands, which were now on her lap, she murmured, "That's fine. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I enjoyed it very much. However, I would like to continue in a more private place."
Marian glanced up, and caught Gregory's grin. It definitely bore a resemblance to the one he wore when he was up to something. It showed just where Sean got it.
Gregory stood up, and held his hand out to his wife. Without hesitating, Marian took it, and allowed him to pull her up off the swing. Going inside, they went down the hall, still holding hands.
Later, as they lay in bed, Gregory asked, "Marian, do you really mind going to Chicago? I've been pretty inflexible about it, but if you are dead set against it, we can go somewhere else."
"No. Chicago is fine. I understand why you want to go there, and I'm proud of you for wanting to open up to me. I don't need it, but I'm glad you feel you finally can. As long as we go to the lake shore for a couple of days, I'll be fine."
Gregory reached over and gathered her into a hug. He kissed her, and the kiss lengthened, and became something else. Eventually, Gregory reached over and turned off the light.
"Madame Librarian, just what book did you get that out of?"
"Balzac earned his reputation."