It's been a moment, but I finally managed to write something for this. I hope whoever is still reading a Happy New Year!
The vacation fizzled out as life returned to normal. The rest of the summer was spent at home, lounging by the pool, which was mainly the children and their cousins. While the adults worked most days with only Sundays as a break. Grandparents from the island came for a visit in the last weeks of August.
The old doctor still had his devilish smile and grey curls while her mother was still slender with a head of white hair, with a few copper strands that managed to hang on in her senior years.
"Grammy!" Clara clammers from her spot on the sofa as they enter the house. "Grandpa!"
"No, no, this isn't right?" Doctor Blythe shakes his head. "Our granddaughter was only this tall last time? Is that right Anne-girl?"
"Yes I am pretty sure she was much smaller," Mrs. Blythe says amusedly.
"But it is me! I just grew!" Clara says shaking her head. "It's been two whole years since we went to Island that summer. When Mummy got sick…" she says explaining.
"Come along Clara and let them settle in," Rilla says gently to her daughter.
"Are we still going out for dinner?" Rowena asks coming down in a pair of white short-shorts and bright coloured blouse. Hair twisted back from her face that was sun-kissed with extra freckles.
"Not dressed like that," Ken reminds her with a look and Rowena just rolls her eyes at him and the doctor watching it just wears an amusing smile.
"What is the old age saying, for every grief a child gives a family, it will come back two-fold when they have their children?" The old doctor jokes. "I think this is the final payment for how the two of you ran about when you two were engaged?"
"Hardly, Rilla wasn't fifteen," Ken says under his breath.
"I'm sixteen in less than a month, Dad!" Rowena corrects him before turning to her grandfather. "Also what do you mean by that? You mean Dad wasn't such a stick in the mud about anything fun?" Rowena asks outright.
"Your father had a reputation of his own and often wore clothing that we older people thought was senseless," The doctor chuckles.
"Dad," Rilla breaks into the conversation. "Don't egg them on, our peaceful evening will be gone if you get the both of them going. Rowena, go put on an appropriate dress, that is fine to wear around the house and out with friends but that is far from dinner appropriate."
Rowena rolls her eyes and groans but heads towards the stairs and Rilla sighs.
"Is that boy the Rowena kept going about joining us this week?" Rilla hears her mother ask innocently.
"They broke up," Clara pipes up. "I wouldn't ask about him or Roe will start sobbing, she couldn't even kiss another boy at the hotel because it made her cry?"
"What boys?" Ken looked to his youngest sharply and Clara shrugged.
"I don't like I just her complaining to Ollie that even gone away he still managed to make her cry," Clara told them. "I have to go pee," she changes the subject and skips out of the kitchen as everyone shakes their head.
"It's been a tough summer," Rilla says with a sigh. "I thought she was getting over it but I guess I was wrong about that."
"He was too old anyway," Ken says gruffly.
"Calling the kettle black are we," Doctor Blythe says amused by his son-in-law's opinion.
"Rilla wasn't fourteen running about with high school seniors every week," Ken denotes with a valid point.
"Stop this, both of you," Rilla tells them both. "Dating is entirely different these days to the kids of today. Courtship was something else entirely, no one was dating and dreaming of weddings as we did with courting. Dating is fun time with the opposite sex, and she spent most of the time in a group with other dating kids."
"Yes, dear," Ken says and her father merely nods his head.
They have a reservation at the Fairmont Hotel restaurant, where Shirley and Lillian are waiting with their own set of children.
"Sorry we are late," Rilla says kissing Lillian's cheek and hugging her brother. "I don't know how you manage to get out the door in such a timely manner."
"We taught our children well?" Shirley jokes. "Hello Pop, Mum," he says moving to greet his parents.
"They were always perfect angels," Anne says kissing his cheek. "Elodie, I do say you have inherited the Shirley nose perfectly."
"Thank you Ma'mere," She says blushing, her light red hair hanging like a silk curtain down her back.
"Jasper," the doctor says to his grandson with a grin. "How many class pranks have you managed this year?"
"Too many," Lillian says to her son with a look of doesn't encourage him.
"It's not fair he gets all the credit either," Lunette says under her breath. "Hello Pop-pop," she says going to hug him next.
The children sit between the adults here and there, allowing a steady flow of conversation and news to be talked about. What Mackinac Island was like and what Shirley's secretive job was these days.
It was dessert when Rowena dropped the spoon to her pudding out of nowhere stood up and ran out. It took a moment before Rilla saw it herself, she exhaled quietly as the young man approached the table, his parents close behind. She stood up and met them halfway, not wanting to have to introduce him to everyone. Watching Ken who was next to their daughter get up to follow Rowena when Rilla couldn't at this very moment
"I'm sorry I didn't-," he started trying to explain.
"Of course, you didn't," Rilla says with a sigh, taking in uniform. He must be on leave before going out she concluded to herself. "Write to her, I will hold them until she's ready for them." She says looking at his parents.
Robbie nods. "I'll be mostly in England, doing office work. I'm good with numbers and maps," he tells her earnestly. "Let her know that I will be a lot safer than the average…"
"That is good to hear," Rilla says in relief. "I am sure your parents are proud of your courage." She says looking at them. She spots the fear of the unknown of what is to come mixed in with patriotic duty as they nod their heads.
"We are," they say with a nod of their head. "Do you expect?" They look towards Ollie who catches it.
"I can't, I can barely run track, and I had an unexplained seizure this spring," he tells them. "Unless they find me something else to do like write for them…" he says trailing off looking to his father whose interest was entirely peaked.
"I'm sure if you sent your stories and comics around they would be a huge hut," Robbie tells him and Ollie just shrugs.
"We'll let you get back to your dinner," The Coopers tell them, as the husband speaks quietly to the waiter who nods and brings them to a rather distant table.
"Comics?" Rilla looked at her son after she sat back down.
"It's just doodles," Ollie shrugs. "With small stories."
"I know what comics are Oliver, I'm not that old," Rilla says with a look.
"All right, it's nothing just superhero stories, misfits and villains," Ollie shrugs again.
"Slow down sweetheart," Ken's long legs stretch as he tries to catch up to his daughter. "Take some deep breaths and just breathe for me."
"He's not supposed to be here," Rowena stammers.
"Unfortunately it is a public hotel, Doe," Ken tries to wrap his arm around her and pull her closer to hug her. "You can't avoid or hate him forever, he's just doing what every man has done before him, making a choice that makes him feel like he's doing something for the greater good. I chose it once when I was only a few years older than him."
"You hate the war, though," Roe sniffles into his chest.
"I disagree with the loss of humanity that war creates," Ken corrects her. "But I was once no different than every man you see marching today. The only difference is that I have the hindsight that comes with surviving it and seeing death work his way through the trench without a care of who he takes." He tells her kissing the top of her head.
"Same thing," Rowena says mumbling.
"If I may though, don't leave the boy hanging. If you want to end it and never see him again, I will fully support that, but I also don't like to see you hurting and if you ignore him and he moves on and comes back with some French or English bride, you'll only be hurt more by the end of it." He says in his fatherly wisdom. "Now let's finish dessert and then we'll go home."
Rowena nodded but stayed closely behind him as he led her back into the dining room.