FSOG NIGHTMARE 12

Storm break house: Christmas day

I lounge at the pool under the heat lamps. This Christmas is just close family. The others are still miffed they have never been here. This is and always will be are sanctuary from the world and family. I smile at the scene before me. How far we have come in this life.

I worried when we brought them here, that the clothing optional rule would be hard to do. But I was wrong, we thrive here in the rule. Mostly we are clothed or lightly so. But in the pool its nudism run amok. I found the cloth optional rule allows us to interact as individuals without being able to hide our emotions and scars. Forcing us to be open and vulnerable.

Some allowances had to be created, open sex like in the pre-years is banned to the bedroom. But I demand and lead us in never being ashamed of our bodies, our scar. #3 damaged me for years with that phobia. I will never allow it passing down to my children.

"Anna? Want some more Ice tea?" Sophia asks.

"YES. Please." I marvel at the sweet girl. how timid and afraid she was when Jason and Gail finally managed to get her away from her mother. She has blossomed here in the core of our family.

"Do you think he will ever get tired?" she quizzes as she heads to the side cart with drinks and snacks.

I stare at my husband laughing, happy has a bundle of energy runs off the springboard into his arms. Frankie our youngest boy at just four is the very image of his father. Paul tells me he has the Lambert zest for life, with my good manners and brains. Paul the old scamp is still single preferring to be the family Player.

"Frankie hold your knees tighter, cannon ball daddy!"

"Anna! Shut up!" Screams a laughing Chris.

"CANNONBALL" screams my oldest Teddy launching into the pool to drown Frankie and Chris. They laughing chase each other around the pool. Frankie swims like a fish, hasn't got the courage yet to dive into the pool.

"Here you Go Anna." Sophia hands me a glass. Then cannon balls in on the males. She really is still a tomboy at heart. I laugh at the chaos and fun.

"Mom? why did the Poe use animal imagery in his short stories." My eldest daughter has, furrowed brow and chewing the top of a stylus.

"Kelly-Hellen Grey. stop studying and get in the pool. NOW! Sophia needs help against the boys."

"NO! I DON'T!" screams the Harvard freshman. I giggle at her splashing Chris and Teddy.

"OK, mom. Gee you're always yelling at Teddy to study. Me it's always stop studying. You don't want me to outs your husband from CEO. I get it! playing favorites. Me your perfect daughter over ugly old man husband." She is so banned from Kate and Mia for a month. At least Kate's daughter Ava is a super nerd like her and not carefree waif that Mia daughter Gracie is.

I put down my reader. Real books don't last in here since the kids showed up. sneak behind her as she talks up the chaos she plans. Grabbing her I carry her into the deep end of the pool. Diving under her. I grab her ankle, pulling her around in an underwater circle. Heading to splashes the males.

She rises above the water, spiting and yelling threats "MOM!"

Sliding on my back "YES Kelly." I give my sweet butter won't melt in my mouths speech.

"If I don't make junior next year it's your fault!" she drives into the pile of laughing bodies in the shallow end.

She is too smart for her own good. Already a Sophomore at twelve. She is bucking to start college before she is fifteen. Take over Grey house by eighteen. Make my hair turn gray by Monday. I just want her happy and well rounded.

With us all tired out, I walk up the pool steps to Gail holding my youngest; just two our Christmas baby.

Taking her in my arms, wet and all. I giggle and rub the nose-to-nose my Anastasia-Rose Gail Grey. her copper locks and blue eyes mesmerizes me. I towel off and dress in one of Chris dress shirts. My usually attire here.

I bump Kelly and we ladies, all dance down the hall to the kitchen. Gail as made dinner it should be ready in an hour. we grab some fruit, lounge in the great room. Reading and watching the Christmas trees outside the widow sparkle. We don't do the inside tree. But decorate the outside ones.

Annie cuddle in my side as I read and show a popup book to her. Kelly is leaning in bizarre angles over her lazy boy recliner while reading. How her spine bends like that I don't know.

Sophia, Teddy, Jason and Chris are engaged in learning Vulcan Chess (Star Trek: three-dimensional Chess) I watch Teddy pout. He's very intelligent but is still miffed his kid sister is in his high school class. Sibling rivalries.

I can still remember over Thanksgiving at Grey Manor; Elliot, Jose, Chris verse Tim, Aaron, who married Alex's PA. Barney who Married Andrea and Lucky. I always wonder why Grace had a real fire-hose plug and hose in her backyard garden. Now I know why. Luckily only bruise and minor contusions. The game they played before with the kids was much tamer.

I feel my family around me as Gail comes sitting on the other side of Annie. Watching the fireplace flicker and dance shadows around the room. Magically reducing the scene to ethereal bliss. My world, my family.

XX

The intruder alarm goes off. Jason and Chris rush to the security room. I follow, strangle Kelly is dressing. We always keep some cloths near the main door. To not scare the tourist.

"Chris, I don't know what that is? but its landing."

They both exist the room, clothed for outside. The rest of us dress. I watch Kelly slip behind us as we argue to open the door.

"YOU CAME!" echoes in the foyer. We rush out to see a teenage boy in heavy winter gear, walking up the path. Stripping his facemask and hood. A tall brown hair green eyed fifteen-year-old smile at my twelve-year-old daughter. I have the most intense De je Vue; this is Chris and me at the entrance to the log road. This was us at my bench in the WSU demo garden.

She jumps in his arms kissing him. Forgetting we are here. Chris moves to break them up and pummel the boy. I stop him, taking his hand. He looks at me. I shrug. This is their moment.

They finally stop, turning to us with pure bliss on their faces. "Everyone this Clay Graywolf, my boyfriend!" My little miss clone demands. Challenging us. I smirk: so, my daughter in everything.

"Alright inside he looks frozen." I herd them into the kitchen, seating them with hot cider. We wait them out.

"What is that thing you landed in" Chris asks

"My Bensen-gyrocopter, build it myself from plans on the internet. Cool right"

"Where did you fly from?" Jason asks

"Seattle, near midnight. The bird only can cruise at ninety MPH. I tanked at Powel, Namu, Prince Rupert and Craig. Piece of Cake."

"you flew that over open water?" Chris asks horrified.

"YES. Any risk to be with my girl. I had safety gear. The bird is a two-seater. I was fine." From the blue color of his face when he walked up, the trip was not a cake walk.

"Well I will hop you back to Craig, you can commercial back to Seattle." Chris goes all Papa bear on Clay.

"NO, K' invited me. till she says leave I'm not going anywhere." He stubbornly demands. I see Chris in him. I giggle. Everyone looks at me.

"Gail, lets set up the guest room. Kelly you're not allowed in there and he is NO ALLOWED IN YOUR ROOM! AM I CLEAR!" they both nod.

"Good, as a guest here. you'll sign a NDA and house rules apply. If you'd like to return to Craig its your choice." I strip out of my sweat pants, leaving me in a dress shirt and return to the great room.

Later the herd meanders in. Chris is watching Clay like a hawk. He's removed his shirt. the mass of scars and burns speak of a violent event.

"Everyone, Clay as haphophobia, the scars are from his parents dying in a car crash when he was five. I know we all understand the rules about that. but please treat him normal. The scars don't define him. His heart does." My Daughter speaks while stroking his chest. She can touch him, I look at my husband.

He walks over and takes me in his arms crying. Since we've been together he cries more easily. Letting the cage emotions out. I stroke his back. Full circle we have come full circle.

The end: