Take Two, Julia's Party

 

We might imagine Julia a bit like this lady.

    When he got to Julia’s driveway, he stopped by the mailbox to wave to the woman and her daughter who was awake by now, naturally. The woman rolled down her window and said, “tell Beth that everyone in Washington is well and says they are happy that she is here with you, Jessie. They hope she will stay here and be happy and at peace!”

*0*

    Jessie sat for a moment in the pickup, thinking quickly. Finally, he said, “why don’t you ladies come down to the house? You can tell Beth in person and have some cake.”
    “Sure. We’d like that,” said the laughing woman.
    Jessie drove down the driveway very slowly. The red Passat followed behind. They parked side by side near the house. Jessie got the cake out, preparing to carry it in. The two women got out of their rental, looking all around as if charmed by what they saw.
    “Come on in. Beth is in the house with my Aunt and the baby,” said Jessie.
    “You have a baby! Oh, my goodness! How lovely!” And they followed right behind him.
    “Beth,” he called, standing, holding the cake box. “Would you come here please?” Beth popped out of the kitchen where she had been making petite sandwiches for the afternoon party. “Yes?” she said.
    “I met these ladies in Winslow. They said they were looking for directions to highway 77. So, I said follow me, I’m going there…and here we are.”
    The mother and daughter smiled at Beth, who looked mystified.
    Jessie took the cake to the kitchen. Julia came out to see what was going on. Billy woke up enough on the sofa to take a look also.
    The mother began, “Jessie here suggested we come down to talk to you in person Beth. I had just given him a message for you. Your friends in Washington are happy for you and want you to stay here. Washington would still be too dangerous for you. Now, I don’t know why. I don’t know your friends either really. I am a sort of a facilitator. That is, sometimes I facilitate a message. It just happens and I have no reasonable explanation for it.”
    After everything else that had happened to Beth in Arizona, this did not particularly surprise her. Okay. Message received! She smiled at the ladies.
    “We’re having a birthday party for Aunt Julia here today,” said Beth. “You are welcome to stay. We would love it if you did. Move that old cat if you have to and take a seat. Would you like a coffee?”
    “Are you sure,” asked the mother. “We don’t want to crash!” The daughter looked on smiling at everyone.
    “Please! Sit, how do you like your coffee? Some more people will be coming soon. So, claim a seat before they get here!”
    Sarah, Julia’s daughter and her two teenage grandsons were the first to follow the two ladies. She swept into the kitchen, boys carrying supplies, and took over the preparations. This was secretly just fine with Julia and Beth. Beth needed some time to take care of Emmy.
    Beth brought Emmy out of the bedroom where she had been sleeping and introduced her to the ladies and showed her off to Sarah and the boys. Everyone had to hold Emmy and exclaim over her excellence as a baby and her beauty.
    Very soon Pete Tso and Dr Mary Miller, who was tickled to see Emmy again, arrived and then Ben Sr and his family and the little house was just full of people chatting away and eating sandwiches and drinking coffee or beer. Honda kept his station on the floor by the hall doorway. Billy sat in Julia’s lap the same as he always did.
    Then it was time for cake. Those who knew when Julia’s birthday was had a good laugh. But they didn’t tell. It was a very fine cake everyone said. Jessie said he didn’t have time to drive ice cream home without it melting and he got lots of advice on how he actually could have done that.
    At last Julia said, “I have some announcements to make, now that you are all here and full of cake and sandwiches!”
    “First, I want everyone to know that I am leaving this place to Jessie and Beth. My children are both doing well and have their own quite nice properties, so that seems right to me,” said Julia. “Jessie and Beth, and now Emmy, have been a great blessing to me, plus a lot of fun. Oh Jessie, that includes your uncle John’s mine! I hope there is still some gold out there honey!”
    Jessie spoke for both of them when he said, “Aunt Julia, we hope that day never comes. Truly. But you have our profound grateful thanks. You have been the very soul of grace to us, and we do not forget it!”
    The announcement met with general approval. Everyone agreed that Julia should just forget about leaving them and stick around forever.
    “Second, I would like to move back into the old hogan. I think raising a baby in the house here is much better than roughing it out there. Beth, you need quick access to the bathroom and laundry machines and the kitchen. I really don’t. All we have to do is switch beds.
    “I believe that I would feel closer to John out there. Billy will come with me of course.”
    “Thank you, Aunt Julia,” said Beth. “Thank you for everything.” She took Julia’s hand and gave it a little squeeze and they smiled fondly at each other.
    “Next, when the time comes, Billy will become Emmy’s True Cat. He know this, and he is willing. He is prepared to do his best as a cat for her as he has for me.”
    “Those are my announcements,” Julia said finally. She looked quite pleased with herself too.
    What could they say to that? They just had to accept it. Billy would go to Emmy when the time came. Evening was coming and people started to think about going home.
    Pete said his goodbyes and left first. He didn’t like to drive in the dark. Dr. Miller was next, and she thanked the family for the nice evening and for getting to see Emmy again. Sarah gathered up her grandsons and headed back to town.
    Ben Sr was chatting with his mom in the kitchen, and asked her, “say, who are those two ladies I don’t know? Out on the sofa?” 
    “I don’t know their names, Ben, lets go ask who they are!”
    But when they got out to the other room the two ladies were not on the sofa. No one had seen them leave. No one seemed to remember them very well either. They seemed to fade very quickly from anyone’s memory almost as if they had never been there at all.
    Ben said, “well, it’s time to go home. Got a full day tomorrow coming up! Gonna be up with the chickens!” He and Rosa and Ben Jr all departed.
    No one was left but the family who lived there, picking up cups and plates and discussing moving some furniture around.

    “You really know how to have a party, Aunt Julia,” said Jessie.

 They haven't taken my phone yet.docx