at the threshold

Holly didn't have time to think what was going on at the coffee shop. She was in England, with Dustin..at his mother's.

His mother Marnie was rather cool about everything. They slept in his room and it was pretty much a calm situation. Of course, she wasn't used to a toddler and Dustin's mother had one.

Naturally, Dustin was amused by the little one and, she was quite the show off. Holly wasn't sure to mimic Frannie or just let her fall on her with her silly play-like sneezes..which weren't sneezes at all. Yet, Holly found herself acting more like the little baby than being the grownup.

"Oh, you two are adorable." Dustin's mother seemed to like Holly. Of course, Holly hadn't gone out of her way to impress her.

"Do you get home much?" His mother then asked.

Naturally, Holly's eyes bulged ever so slightly. She shook her head, no..having no intentions of ever making it back to her Danish home.

"You two should go, while you're here." Dustin's mother suggested. They could take the train, just for a day, if nothing more.

She felt bad to mention she never called nor wrote home. Her dad had a new wife.

Holly pressed her lips tight. She'd been anxious about this trip to meet Dustin's family. Wasn't this enough?

"But, don't you think your dad should meet Dustin?" Marnie thought that would be the right thing to do.

"I..I really haven't thought about it." Holly told Dustin's mother that she'd been on her own for quite a long time now. "I really don't want anything from him." She felt as if she was his past and he could only think of his new wife now and new family.

It would be too hard to fake her feelings with his new situation, that was now a decade old. Yes, time had passed, he wasn't that wayward fellow who had almost overdosed on pain killers a couple of times.

It was best not to go back to the horror she'd endured as a child. He might have been better now, but she would always remember this other man who was never quite awake, who barely remembered her existence.

what the world needs now

Tiffany wasn't sure she liked Omaha's girlfriend. Tiffany felt possibly overwhelmed about everything these days.

And now..to be married... She smiled until she thought her face might crack. Honestly, she thought she was at her best with a small scowl on her face, but she knew that wouldn't do with all these old folks who hadn't seen Gordy in ages.

Had they bused them out from the Senior Center?

She was exhausted and the only person her age to converse with was Sheena.

"I really appreciate you being here with Omaha." She'd told her that late afternoon after the wedding.

Still, Sheena looked like the princess who was stuck with the pumpkins, waiting for something delightful to happen. She was straight lipped as if she'd gone to a funeral.

"He's..he's a pretty special guy." That Tiffany knew. She couldn't say he was happy. He was not one to smile all that much, except around Carmen. He was always smiling then. "How..how has he been?"

"He's..he's Omaha." At least, Sheena sounded as if she was not trying to make him something he wasn't. "He dropped everything when he found out about the wedding."

Even now, Tiffany felt bad about that. But it was only a 15 minute ceremony and the potluck lasted a good 4 hours.

She was glad to be at the beach now.

Although, she didn't want to wear a bathing suit. She was fully aware her body was changing. As of yet, she hadn't said a word to Gordy about the baby.

Actually, she'd taken the home pregnancy test only days ago.

She told him she wasn't interested in having kids and he was OK with that.

But now, she knew it was best to tell him the news before he wanted them go on a glass bottom boat tour or to walk the shore line for hours on end.

"Um, are you sure..you're OK..about not wanting kids?" Honestly, he'd been a little hesitant to even have sex with her in the beginning when he moved in to her mother's house with her. But little by little she'd peeled him like an onion and found he was just what she needed all along. Slow at first, then a rush of passion that grew like an ember.

Yes, she knew this baby was from that love. And as geeky as he might have came off to the outside world, well..she knew someone else.

"I thought we discussed this..a lot." He looked at her blankly as if he was supposed to do something that he hadn't.

"But..but if..if it were to happen?" She pressed her lips tight as if this was too hard to keep a secret.

"It..happened?" A smile emerged on his face as if it were some impossible feat. She was certain he was going to faint. Yet, he was giddy as a boy showing the world he was full of laughter, after all.

She told him it was no joke. She wasn't sure she could take to the sea and the sand. She was actually nauseous. Was there anyway, they could go home early?

"We'll just stay in. You, should rest." He was even lipped, even if he did put his arm around her. "I'll pamper you."

"But..but you need a vacation, too." He did so much and school was next week.

"We're having a baby." His smile said it all. They were in this together. It almost took Tiffany's breath away.  She'd never truly believed in his goodness until now.

Final destination

Brick was giddy from the get-go! When would they ever set foot on the amusement park? It was taking forever.

"Now, I don't want you going on any of those rides that could kill you." Grand Betty informed him of every scary story she'd heard about amusement park rides.

"Aw, Granny, stop talking like that." He was here with Lily and if those two old birds wanted to take it easy looking at what old people looked at, then so be it. He came here for the rides. "You go do what you want to do and Lily and I will ride what we want to ride."

It wasn't the way he wanted the day to start. After all, he'd slept with Gran Betty in a bed that wasn't big enough for the two of them while Lily slept with her grandmother in the adjacent bed.

His grandmother told him even then.. she had eyes in the back of her head, and he better behave himself around Lily.

"What do you think I'm gonna do?" He was hurt that she'd be this way. Lily was his friend. They'd rode their bikes all over creation this summer. "I will always take care of Lily. I care about her."

Now his grandmother smiled about that. He was serious.

"All right. Don't get lost. Use your phone when you have, too. Don't go around texting all the time. Pay attention to your surroundings." She informed him.

"I know." He wasn't an idiot. Deep down, he really did want to go into law enforcement. He truly was the opposite of his Dad who was in jail.

"Hold hands." She demanded. They already were.

Lily was grinning from ear to ear.

Yes, this was what he'd been waiting for. Going on the rides at Adventureland with Lily.

Life is a highway

Doris felt as if she'd fallen into a new life. Except, she did miss her old one. Yet, that life became unraveled and her husband had been tucked away in a memory unit now that they could barely afford.

Sometimes, she thought they were talking about a science fiction movie when they spoke of him. He might as well have gone to another planet.

And she moved in with Betty. That truly was the last thing she ever expected.

Yes, she thought of putting the house up for rent, but that would be too expensive to update the house. The cost alone for on going repair would have put her farther in debt. Still, Betty wanted her to come and live with her.

"It won't cost you a thing." Betty fed her countless times with her garden salads and squash casseroles.

Doris' boys, did what they could, but they were young and in the midst of work and their own relationships. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

Maybe she could get in to one of those low income apartments for senior citizens. However, she was barely a senior citizen and there were long list for these places..just for a studio apartment.

"Better come live with me." Betty kept reminding her she wouldn't have to worry so much about  day to day stuff..if she would just come.

Betty had a guest room. It was all ready. She made it sound that life wasn't over. It had just begun.

"But what am I suppose to do?" She couldn't be happy about this.

"What do you want to do?" Betty asked her if she wanted to try to get back on in the school system.

No way. She was too old for that.  Still she felt as if she was in limbo. Although, the summer felt like a vacation, at times.

And to be with Lily on this roadtrip to Adventureland made everything seem possible.

She wanted to sew now. She wanted to make things. She wanted to be the artist she'd always been.

And then some old fellow asked her if she wouldn't mind dancing with him at the wedding.

She looked at him as if she didn't know how, but soon enough she found the steps of the two-step.

Next thing she knew, Lily was asking her how she did that.

Doris smiled. "I guess.. you.. just have to feel the music."