Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. George Douglas 03 - (Confessions) Cathy Douglas and Christopher Henderson looked at each other nervously; the unspoken question was hanging between them. 'How much did they know? Or were they merely suspicious?' Cathy sat in her seat in what, for her, was an uncharacteristic pose, back straight, and her legs neatly together with her hand placed on her lap. George looked at her and inwardly smiled, in the past two years they had got so close that he knew that, although his daughter was acting unconcerned, she was very worried. Chris, on the other hand, was relaxed - well as far as George could tell. Sandra, however, could see how worked up her son was, she could tell that he was acting, and he only did that when he knew he was in trouble. They didn't mention their meeting at dinner. They wanted their children to wonder what was up. Maybe they would decide to spill the beans about the lonely hearts club. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence George suggested some drinks which Sandra agreed with, both their children asked for squashes. The two adults went into the kitchen, leaving the two children alone; as soon as they were away there was the sound of expelled air. "Wheeee!" said Chris, "What do you think?" Cathy shook her head. "I think we should confess everything and throw ourselves on their mercy!" she said seriously. Chris looked at her in surprise. "But what could they do if they did know?", he said smiling, a smile that started to vanish when Cathy told him. "She wouldn't send me to stay with dad, he's so . . . so." He couldn't complete the sentence. "I'm just scared that dad's going to go back to how he was before!" Cathy said, "I spent so much time at Nan's that I was surprised he hadn't forgotten about me! If it wasn't for her suggestion that I learnt how to cook I don't think he'd ever return." "Well she was the one who suggested this, wasn't she?" Chris asked. Cathy nodded. "Only 'cause your Gran and her knew each other and told us how they should be brought together." Chris thought about this and then said, "Well why don't we call them, and see if they can help us?" Cathy looked at him in amazement, she hadn't thought of that. Of course Nan could help her! She nodded her head. "We'd better be quick, or else they'll be back." And the two dashed off to the telephone. ---------------------- In the kitchen George and Sandra discussed their two children. "Cathy's so wound up she's going to explode!" George said to Sandra. She smiled as he said that because she had never seen such control on a girl of Cathy's age. "Well Chris is almost wetting himself!" Sandra confided to George, "So what are we going to tell them?" George shook his head, "I thought you'd had the ideas," he said, dodging as she swung her fist in his direction. "Not me," she told him smiling, "I'm just here for the ride." Just then the phone in the kitchen gave a 'ting' as the other extension was used. George looked at Sandra. "It looks like our kids are calling for re-enforcements." Sandra smiled at him. "So do you think we're going to find out the power behind the throne?", she asked. George shook his head. "Not really, but I think we're going to find out some answers." Sandra looked at him; her smile broadened. "So while we are waiting what shall we do?", she asked licking her lips. George didn't answer her but pulled her close to him and kissed her. She started to stiffen and then melted into his arms. They remained in that position for some time before breaking away from each other, Sandra looked into his eyes. "Very nice for starters but what are you promising?", she said. George just smiled at her. Just then the phone gave another 'ting' as the extension was hung up; again the pair looked at the phone and then at each other. "Well that didn't take long," George said, "And we should be hearing the first part of the explanation in a moment I think." Sure enough a few minutes later there was a knock on the kitchen door and Cathy was looking around the half open door at her father. "Daddy, I need to start cooking, we're expecting some more guests, and will Mrs. Henderson and Christopher be staying?", she asked politely. George looked at Sandra and raised an eyebrow. Sandra turned to the young girl. "Cathy, since I'm a guest here already I think you could call me Sandra, and I hope that I can stay for dinner, where is it?", she added, looking around. Cathy smiled at her. "At the moment the vegetables are in the pantry and the meat is in the fridge, but I'll soon have them cooking," she said in a serious voice. "But where's your cook, I mean who normally does your meals?" Sandra asked in surprise. "I'm here!", replied Cathy. "You should have seen what dad used to make do with, any old thing taken from the freezer and then he would burn it in the oven." She looked at her father in apparent disgust and then back to Sandra to add, "I don't think he even learnt to boil water!" Sandra couldn't help it, she started to laugh both at Cathy's words and George's face. He had dropped his eyes, then Cathy started to shoo them both out of the kitchen, but Sandra asked if she could stay and help, which left George to join Chris in the living room. Just as he was leaving the room Sandra quickly whispered to him, "What was it we were going to say to them?" He shook his head. "I still don't know. Let's see who turns up and then we might know who to blame!", he told her and then closed the door. ----------------------- Sandra turned back to talk to Cathy but found that the girl had already started to work on the vegetables. As Sandra walked to her she found a small knife was being handed to her and she was directed to a bowl of potatoes to peel. While she was doing that Cathy was paring some carrots and parsnips. Then she checked the grill and was getting some steaks from the freezer all before Sandra had finished the second potato. "Cathy? Where did you learn to cook?", she asked the girl who paused in her work and looked at her. "From Nan of course! She told me that the best way to get daddy back to normal was to attack his stomach." She smiled and then said, "And you know what? It worked! Oh not at once, it was a whole week before he noticed." And she carried on with her work still talking, "It's funny, but once I started cooking I found that I liked it." She paused before asking, "You won't mind if I help you when you're my mummy will you?" Sandra stopped her peeling and put the knife down; she wiped her hands on a nearby towel and then went up to the girl. "Is that what you really want me to be?", she asked Cathy who suddenly burst into tears. Sandra held onto the girl to comfort her. "Oh yes, ever since Chris told me about you I knew you were the one for daddy, but we didn't know how to bring you two together," she said. Sandra was amazed, of course she had understood that it was their children who had worked hard to do it but she didn't believe it! But here was the confirmation from Cathy herself. She hugged the girl again, "But how did you manage it? And how did you meet Chris?", she asked the sobbing girl, who had started to wipe her tears and was getting herself together. Now that she had owned up to her part in the crime she was starting to feel better. She started to work on helping Sandra with the potatoes, "Chris and I met on the net, we were in the same chat room and seemed to be worried about the same thing, so we opened a private chat and just talked. We traded telephone numbers and I noticed the dialling code were similar so I phoned him and that's how we met," she said, while turning round to start the steaks cooking and placed the vegetables to start cooking away. "And then while we were talking we had an idea, but we didn't know if it would work, so I phoned Nan who made some suggestions and Chris phoned his Gran who added some more." Her face when red at that point and she quickly carried on, "Then we made up this lonely hearts club and told you both that we'd passed on your details to them, and arranged the first date. But then when nothing seemed to happen afterwards we thought you didn't like each other, even though you came back here that night, I was so happy when you went to daddy's bedroom, I thought you might have heard me." Sandra was astounded, there was everything! She was going to have a few words with her son, not to mention Angela Henderson once she caught up with her. Then another thought struck her. "But how could you get the headed paper and the email address, which must have been a problem?" Cathy smiled and shook her head. "Not really, Uncle Pete showed me how to make up a return address. And the headed paper is even easier with a colour printer nowadays; you just make the page up and print it!", she told Sandra her voice showing pride, "Uncle Pete's helped me a lot with the computer side, and I'm really into it now," she added. She turned to Sandra and then said, "I hope you're going to stay with daddy, I miss not having a mummy to talk to." Sandra started to feel choked up when she heard that and she felt the tears starting in her eyes - to cover this she started to work on the sauce. But then finding that Cathy had already prepared it and was just heating it up, she shook her head and sat down. "Cathy, do you really want a mother?", she asked. At the girl's look she gestured towards the cooker, "When I was you age I couldn't cook like that! I didn't think any child could, but you've just sorted out a meal within minutes, it would take me half a day just to plan it, and then a couple of hours to prepare. Why do you need anyone else?" Cathy put the pan down and approached Sandra, and then settled down in front of her and took her hands, "I'm frightened of things that I don't understand! I need the support that a mother can provide; daddy needs the support that I can't give him. He needs someone who understands him and what he does! I'm too young to follow most of what he talks about, and if I have a personal problem the only person to ask is Nan. I guess I'm scared, but I don't know what I'm being scared about." She was crying now causing Sandra to pull the girl to her feet and hold her as they both were crying "Cathy your father has asked me to marry him; I think he's being mad!" Sandra said, as Cathy tried to say something Sandra stopped her by saying, "But I've agreed to marry him." She couldn't say any more as Cathy started to jump up and down in joy hugging her, soon to be, mother ----------------------------------- George went into the living room where Chris was sitting nervously glancing towards the window where the road could be seen. "It's useless looking just yet; it's going to be a few more minutes before they arrive." George said in a calm voice, Chris nodded his head, "I know it's just that I think they . . ." His voice trailed off as he realise what had been said, "I mean, that is, I..." His voice went quiet and he looked at the floor, George decided that if someone should take the first step it was going to be him. "Chris, we're not angry at either of you," He said, "In fact we're amazed that you managed to do it in the first place!" Chris looked at the smiling face of George and managed a hesitant smile in return. "You're not?" He asked, "But when mum told me to come here I thought you'd both be mad and wanted to tell us off together." George shook his head, "We knew you two had done something. When I couldn't get a reply from the agency it started to ring alarm bells, but when you turned up here I knew that you were involved." At Chris's look of surprise George gave a low chuckle, "What did your mother ask you to do?", he asked the boy. "Well," Chris began, "All I know is that I had a message at school saying to meet mum here at seven." George nodded, and then said. "How did you know where to come?" Chris looked blankly for a moment and then shook his head. "She didn't give me your address!", he said in a disgusted tone, "All I was told was to come over," he grinned, "I didn't even phone to ask her the address - I'm such a fool!" He started to laugh, which started George laughing as well "Don't worry about it, Chris," George told him, "After all you've been planning something was bound to go wrong, by the way, why did you put holes in the condoms?". Chris was now so relaxed that he started to answer before he could stop himself, "Well, Gran told us that it would be easier if mum was pregnant so that she'd want to . . ." he stopped at that point and looked at George, "You mean you found the holes?" He asked George nodded. "Yes we did, unfortunately it was too late! Your Gran was right after all," George said. Chris looked sharply at him, "But your mother was going to run off and get an abortion." Chris shook his head. "But that wasn't what we wanted!", he said and moved to go into the kitchen; feeling tears starting to fall from his eyes. George stopped him. "I did say she was I didn't say she would." He held onto the sobbing boy, feeling his shoulders shake as the boy tried to hide his tears. George started comforting the boy, "It's okay, she's going to marry me," he said. Chris was shocked out of his mood by that. "Do you mean that?", he asked. George nodded. "But then we didn't need to phone Gran?". "Oh yes you did!" George said, "We need to find out who's behind all of this, and I think your mother is going to say a few words to her," He looked at Chris and winked his eye. Chris looked up at George. There was a strange look in his eyes. "I think you're a marvellous father!", he said. "Would you mind being mine?" George was astounded. "But you already have a father!", he exclaimed. Chris shook his head. "Yes, I know," he said sadly, "But lately he's been too busy to see me." He looked around to make sure that Sandra wasn't in the room. "I think he's got another lover," he confided to George. "And I don't think she knows about me or Mum!", he said. George nodded his head, he knew about the feelings that started to emerge after so long alone. But then he had been completely in love with Rachael and so didn't want to see other women, at least until Cathy had spoken her mind. "So you feel what? That he's not doing the right thing? That he shouldn't meet other women because he should think of you and your mother?" Chris shook his head. "No! Of course not! It's just that he seems to be going behind her back, hiding things." He looked at George; "If you love somebody then you shouldn't start lying to them!" George knew that he could score a point here, if he wanted to, but he found that he didn't. "No, you're right." George said to the boy, "Never start a relationship based on lies, because in the long run they hurt everyone involved." "Too true!" said Chris with conviction, and then his face dropped. "But then that's what Cathy and I have done isn't it?", he asked and then answered the same question; "Of course it is! We went behind your backs, just to bring you both together!" He looked at George. "Does this mean you're not going to marry mum?" he asked. George shook his head, "No it doesn't. I've grown to love your mother, and Cathy does need a proper family to grow up in. But how do you feel? You've said that you want me to be your father but won't that be awkward? I mean I've lost touch with things that boys are interested in, could you face being with someone who's out of date with things?" Chris looked at George as if studying him, before nodding his head. "Yes I could," he said, "I know there will be times when you won't be around, but I'll see more of you than I do with my dad now." Chris looked up and then added, "And I'd feel more secure knowing that you and mum were here for us," he paused thinking of his next words, "Cathy and I need you both, I . . . I don't know how I can say this." He took a deep breath, "Cathy misses her mum and her brother, I'm not saying that you don't - I know you do! But she won't admit it to you. She's told me that at nights she finds that she's crying but she isn't sure why. So you see she needs mum, just as much as I need you." Chris had tears in his eyes again, but he was trying hard not to show it, George reached out for him and pulled Chris into a hug. "It's all right Chris, I can't promise I'll be a better father for you, but I will try." And he let the boy relax in his hold the tears pouring down the young boy's cheeks. They remained like that for several minutes, George thought about his own son, Michael and how much like Chris he would have been - thinking more about his sister than himself and trying to show that he was a strong person, even if he didn't believe it himself. ----------------------------------------- The sound of a car pulling up brought them back to the present time. A taxi was outside and two women were stepping out of the doors and then approaching the front door. George looked at Chris, who was surreptitiously wiping his eyes. "Don't you think you'd better let them in?" The boy looked at him and grinned before running to the door. As George heard the door open, the voice of his mother and an unknown woman's could be heard. "Chris, now don't worry we're going to sort this out, if my son thinks he's going to be angry with you two he's got another thing to think about." - That was George's mother's voice. "And don't worry about your mother either," the strange voice added, "I've dealt with her before and she knows it!" George smiled to himself `this was going to be good!', he thought. "Now where is that son of mine?" Margaret Douglas said approaching the living room door, which George opened as the three approached. "Good evening mother, how nice of you to come, Cathy's busy in the kitchen at the moment, do you want a drink?" George was trying to be the host to his guests, although they were really the children's guests. "George! Just what do you think you're going to do with these children?" Margaret asked her son. "Mother! At least you could introduce me to this charming woman you have with you." George smiled inwardly - Let the two of them dig a pit and see how they get out of it. "I'm Angela Henderson," the previously unknown woman said. "I'm Chris's grandmother." Not Sandra's mother George noticed so she must have been John's mother. "I'm glad to see you still love your daughter-in-law enough to help her son with this plan." George said calmly shaking her hand. Both women looked at each other. The atmosphere wasn't what they were expecting, Chris and George seemed almost happy, although Angela could see that Chris's eyes were red where he'd been crying. "Now mother, Mrs. Henderson what can I get you?" George asked again. "Nothing at the moment, thank you George." Margaret told her son she glanced at Angela and then continued, "For either of us." George nodded his head and looked at Chris who was unsure what to say or do. "Nothing for me either sir." Chris said. "After what you've told me I'm sure you can call me George?" George said to Chris who shook his head. "Not yet sir, I'm not sure how mum's going to be and so I'd better be polite," he said with a grin. George was amazed at how well Chris was now recovering. He could see Sandra's influence coming out in the boy. "Right then, I'll get Cathy to have a word with you then! Just be a minute." George said, and left the three of them as he made his way to the relative safety of the kitchen. ------------------------ The smell of cooking was now well established in the kitchen as George entered, Cathy was sitting with Sandra, who was hugging the young girl. He gave a small cough to alert them that he was there. Sandra looked up George smiled at her and nodded back to the door. "My mother and Mrs. Henderson are in the living room at the moment." At his words Cathy pulled back and looked at him. "I'm sorry dad," she said. "We didn't know what to do and thought that Nan and Gran would be able to help us." George nodded his head. "That's okay, cabbage, we needed to have a talk anyway. But I think they want to make sure we haven't been torturing the truth out of you and Chris." Cathy reluctantly moved away from Sandra and walked past her father to join Chris in the living room. "She's a lovely girl." Sandra said to George as she got up and walked towards him, she reached out and grasped him around the neck and pulled his face to hers. They kissed. When they separated George nodded, "Chris seems a fine boy as well." he said, "Where did we go right with those two?" "I don't know." Cathy was agreeing with him though, "when you think how they might have developed with the attentions we've been giving them." Then she changed the subject, "You mentioned Angela was with your mother, I wonder how they got together?" --------------- In the living room the two women were gently asking the children about the reaction they were receiving. "They haven't been shouting at you, have they?" Margaret asked directing her question at Cathy. "He didn't try to hit you Christopher did he?" Angela looked at her grandson anxiously. "Gran!", Chris exclaimed, "He's been so cool about it!" and "Nan how could you say that!", from Cathy. "But you were both so worried that I phoned Margaret and we both came over, as I told you we would," Angela said to the two children. Chris and Cathy looked at each other slightly guiltily before Cathy spoke up. "Yes, yes we did! You see we didn't know how Dad and Mum were feeling. They arranged to meet us here but wouldn't tell us why!", she said. Chris nodded in agreement. "But they found out that I knew how to get here!" He turned to Cathy. "Mum's message didn't give the address and like a fool I turned up." Cathy smiled at him. "It's okay Chris, you weren't a fool. We both were!" She looked at the two women sitting in front of her, "If we had just got Dad and Mum to meet, it would have been the same, I'm sure of it." Margaret looked at her granddaughter with interest in her eyes; it was making Cathy nervous although she didn't know why. "That's twice you've talked about Sandra as Mum!", She said, "Is it that certain then?" Cathy smiled at her. "Oh Nan you've no idea," Cathy said, "We've talked in the kitchen, she's so nice and kind, she's just like Mum was, in fact it was almost like talking to mum that I . . . I want her to be my mother." The last was said with tear falling down the girls' face. Margaret stood up and pulled her granddaughter to her, comforting her. Chris looked at his paternal grandmother, "I'm sorry Gran, but I feel the same about Mr. Douglas. I want to call him dad but I don't want to hurt your feelings." Angela smiled at him. "I don't mind Chris, and you must admit my son hasn't been the best of fathers to you," she admitted. She had to confess that George's reaction to their arrival had surprised her. She expected him to be angry at their interference, which it was after all, with his life and that of her daughter-in-law. His calm approach had knocked her slightly. She had wanted to protect her grandson, just as Margaret wanted to do for her granddaughter, but so far it was just like pushing against a ball of cotton wool - she was falling flat on her face! Margaret was also slightly confused, the message she had received was that the children had been found out and that they needed help, she had said a few words to her husband, Simon, before waiting outside for Angela to arrive in her taxi. In the taxi they decided that they would take all the responsibility of the children's plans, after all they were the ones who suggested that Sandra's guilt and Roberts' sense of fair play would force the two to get together, especially if Sandra was pregnant. She knew her son and that he would never leave a lady in the lurch - unlike others she that knew. It had been difficult just after Rachael and Michael had died. Robert seemed to have stayed in the offices and Cathy was more or less permanently at her house. It had been a problem to begin with, the child would just cry every time she thought of her mother and brother, but after some weeks she seemed to recover. At first she started teaching the girl cooking as a form of therapy, but she took to it like a duck to water, which was lucky, as Robert wasn't the type to prepare a meal for himself and his daughter. Margaret smiled as she remembered the excited phone call she received from Cathy that night, the way the girl was so happy that her father had noticed the meal ready for him, although he was late (again!). The way he seemed to realise that he still had a daughter to look after. It was only recently that Cathy started to be slipping back. Margaret knew that she was, apart from Helen Marshall - Rachael's mother, the only female family member that Cathy spoke to, and at her age she did need someone closer - but then how much closer is a telephone? Then, four months ago, Cathy started to appear happier; she shyly told Margaret that she'd met someone on the Internet. Margaret was worried at first - she heard stories of the type of people who preyed on young children in these `chat rooms' - but when Cathy had told her who she'd been talking to her mind was reassured. Margaret knew Angela Henderson; they met on a church committee several years ago and had been comparing notes on their respective families. Angela had been supportive when Margaret had informed her of Robert's loss and then later she had comforted Angela when John and Sandra had got divorced. The fact of their grandchildren meeting each other was almost providential. Then when the two children had told their respective grandparents of their plans the two women knew they had to help. And so they did. Angela let it slip that Sandra's cycle was on a perfect 28-day calendar; how she knew that Margaret never did find out! As well as the fact that she couldn't take the pill. - Something about it affecting her body. The rest was left up to Chris to work out. She knew that Cathy had been talking to her Uncle, Peter Marshall, about creating the fictitious lonely-hearts club. - But she didn't tell him what she was doing; as far as he knew it was for a school project. In a way she was so proud of both the children, they had put so much into this that it would be a shame if George and Sandra decided not to stay together. It was obvious that both Angela and she had to say something. "Cathy how long before the dinner is ready?", she asked her granddaughter. Cathy smiled. "Only 15 minutes, Nan. Its pork chops. Like your recipe only I've added to it slightly." She smiled. Margaret had shown her how to cook pork chops for her third lesson - she had been surprised at how easy it was to cook them. It was that ease that had convinced her to continue learning to cook; she `devoured' all the books she could find in her efforts to improve. And Margaret knew how much she had improved! "Then we have 15 minutes in which to talk," Margaret told the two children. "You both say your parents aren't angry with you, which we're pleased with, but there is still something to talk about isn't there?" The two children looked at each other before Christopher spoke up. "It's something that dad, I mean Mr. Douglas, said." When neither Margaret nor Angela spoke he continued, "It was how things started with a lie always went on to hurt people." He could see the puzzled looks on the two women's faces, "But don't you see? That's what we've done. We brought them together by lying!" Angela took his hands and held them before she spoke, "Chris, you and Cathy were working from the best intentions. Your parents weren't really happy with their lives and you both recognised that. Now think how they've been in the past few months?" Margaret nodded her encouragement at that, but then Cathy spoke up. "I know that was what we wanted," she said, "But we didn't ask them what they thought! We just made all the arrangements for them." She looked at the two women and shook her head. "Anyway doesn't it say somewhere `the road to hell is paved with good intentions'?" At this it was the turn of the two women to look at each other. Was this exactly what they had wanted? ----------------------------------- Back in the kitchen George looked at his watch, "I think we've given them enough time to get the idea," and smiled at Sandra who smiled back and took his hand as he led her back into the living room to the uncomfortable silence there. George looked at Sandra before speaking. "Well then is everyone getting along okay?" He said in a happy voice. The faces looking back at him gave their own mute answer. "I'm sure that after we've eaten a good meal that we're be able to sort thing out then. Oh, I nearly forgot Sandra's agreed to marry me!" The look on Margaret and Angela's faces were so perfect that George wished he had a camera with him. "Well? Didn't you want us to marry each other?", he asked them. Margaret was the first to recover. "That's marvellous news George. I'm sure that you will both be happy." Angela also smiled, "Yes indeed, Chris does need a father to look after him. And from what I've learnt about you George I'm sure you're going to be a wonderful father for him." Cathy in the meantime had pulled on Chris's sleeve and pulled him into the kitchen, "I need a hand getting the dinner out!", she explained to Chris and then added, "I want them to be able to talk without us cramping them." Chris nodded and went with Cathy. George looked at Sandra, "Well it seems that Cathy knows when to make an exit," he said to the room in general. And then he turned to his mother. "So when did you decide to become embroiled in our children's plans?" Margaret smiled at her son, she was aware that he knew all about the children's ideas, the fact that he was smiling meant that he wasn't angry with them. "Well it was Cathy who asked me how to bring you two together," she said. "I was surprised when Cathy told me about Chris as I knew Angela before and we are good friends." She nodded to Angela who smiled back. "Yes indeed," Angela agreed, "When Chris started to ask about how I would feel if you re-married again Sandra." Sandra turned to Angela. "And how do you feel about it?" Angela took her hand. "You know my dear," she began. Sandra shook her head. "When you start like that, Angela, it means that you're trying to concoct some story to try to get on my good side," Sandra told her. Angela laughed at that. "You're right, I do, don't I! Very well. When Chris told me that you were unhappy but showed no interest in re-joining my worthless son, he also said that he knew of someone who might be the right man for you. He asked me how he could make sure that you two met each other." Margaret then spoke up, "Angela phoned me as soon as Chris has spoken to her and luckily just after Cathy had spoken to me, we compared note of the both of you and decided to tell the children about your honourable side." George reddened slightly at that. "So you decided that you would place me into such a position that I would have to marry Sandra," he said darkly. "Oh no George, it was nothing like that." Angela said quickly, but Margaret kept quiet. George said nothing but just looked at her. After a few quiet minutes Margaret clicked her tongue, "Of course not George, I knew that you would always do the correct thing." Not the right thing, George noticed, but the correct thing. "Mrs. Douglas, how could you do that to your own son?" Sandra spoke up. Margaret smiled at her and shook her head. "Oh no! It wasn't for George's sake that I did it." She looked at the door to the kitchen. "It was for Cathy that I suggested it. She does need a real mother to look after her. I could only do so much and I could never know how much longer I'd be able to help her." When Sandra just looked at her she shook her head, "Don't worry there's nothing wrong with me, it just that you never know what will happen." Sandra then turned onto her mother-in-law, "So why did you tell Chris about my calendar?" Angela seemed slightly puzzled, but then her face cleared. Before she could say anything Sandra continued, "I suppose you also suggested that he'd make sure that I carried some defective condoms?" She looked at George, "It's the type of thing that Michael would have suggested". Angela spoke out. "You leave my husband out of this! He knew nothing about it!" She told Sandra, "I only said that people use safe sex nowadays and it would be a shame if there was something wrong with the condoms you used!" She didn't look at Sandra's face when she finished speaking. "So you put the idea into his head?" Sandra asked her, "Enough of an idea to make him put holes into all the condoms he gave me." Margaret spoke up at that, "Your own son gave you condoms? Where would he get them from?" George smiled at the question. "Yes," said George, "I wondered why a twelve year old boy would be giving his mother condoms - but I didn't want to say anything in case Sandra started to ask him awkward questions." Sandra looked at George in surprise, "I didn't think of anything, well I did think it was slightly forward of him but then that's how he is sometimes." She looked at George her eyes were sparkling away in amusement. "I was really stupid wasn't I?" George kissed her lightly on her forehead, "No, you weren't stupid," he told her, "And you're still not." He turned to the two women watching them and said, "You're be happy to know that our children's plan has worked and that Sandra has agreed to marry me." Angela was the first to speak up, "That's marvellous news, I'm sure you're both going to be happy together." Then she looked at Sandra, "And you know what that soothsayer told you than night at the fair." This made George look at Sandra who blushed with the memory. She nodded her head. "That old bit of nonsense!", she said, "It was just a fun-fair that John and I went to, there was a booth `Gypsy Rose Lucy' the sign outside said, I think John was thinking of some-one else because he quickly took me inside. There was a woman in there all dressed up . . . . . . ." -------------------------- The tent was a small one with a table covered with a cloth showing stars and planets. In the center of the table was a large crystal ball. Gazing into the ball was an elderly woman dressed up as a gypsy - actually she was a retired postmistress who liked to think she had second sight, perhaps she did. When John and Sandra entered the tent she was slightly taken aback. Although she could see that they were newlyweds there was something black in their future, she didn't know how she was aware of that! She resorted to the normal mumbo-jumbo that the people expected - long trips, exciting futures, and children - then it started to happen, something seemed to take her over. "No child you will have four children, one by one the other three by another, but you will both have long life but your joint future is rather short." The woman shook her head at their expressions, "I'm sorry but the future is certain on that, your work will drive you apart, but your son will be the best the pair of you will achieve." With that John stood up and stormed out of the tent saying that she was a charlatan Sandra was going to join him when the woman reached out and touched her hand. "You're going to have to be strong my dear, your second husband will make you happy, there will be trials ahead but they will bring you all closer together, you will remember this when you meet your new man, until then be happy in you life." Feeling rather confused Sandra left the old woman who watched her leave and then shook her head and looked around. `What happened to those two, they were here a moment ago?' she thought to herself before dismissing them from her mind - children these days just didn't want to listen to the old! When she joined John he asked her, "Well? Did she have anything else to say?" She shook her head, "Not really just a whole lot of nonsense," she told him, and they both went on to enjoy the fair. -------------------------------- Although the whole family knew the first part of the prophecy Sandra had never mentioned the rest, mainly because she didn't know what to make of it! Angela was speaking, ". . . so I had to assume that you were the second," she was saying to George who was laughing. "So I suppose we're going to have three more children then?", he said. Angela nodded slowly. "Well if you believe superstition nonsense. Of course I don't really." Whatever she was going to say next was lost when Cathy and Chris entered carrying the plates for the dinner. Everybody helped set up the table ready for the food which was brought in by Cathy and Chris, vegetables, in dishes, being placed onto table mats. And then Cathy brought in the plates, which held the meat that had been cooked to perfection. George ensured that everyone was seated - Cathy insisted that Sandra sat opposite him, before bowing his head and saying grace. "Lord we thank you for this bounty you have provided us, and for the company that you have brought to share it," Then smiling he added, "I hope you're prepared to accept us if it makes us sick!" "Dad!" A disgruntled voice from his right said; "I've never made you sick - yet!" And, "George that's not nice!" from Margaret. Sandra was trying to suppress a smile as she added her voice to the list of those defending Cathy's cooking. George shrugged and looked up. "I'm sorry Lord, it seems they trust her, so cancel the bookings, and I hope you will bless my wife to be as well as my wife and son with you and ensure that I keep them all happy." He finished. Everybody joined in with the "Amen" and then started to add the vegetables to their meal, there was a small hush when Chris said, "Dad would you mind passing over the potatoes please." George looked up with a strange expression on his face before he responded. "Certainly Chris." And smiling, he passed the dish over to the embarrassed boy. "I'm sorry sir," Chris said abashed, "I shouldn't have called you that." George smiled at the boy and shook his head, "Chris, I really don't mind, if you feel happy calling me dad then do so," Cathy then spoke up, "Please Chris, I'm calling your mother Mum, so I can't see why you can't say Dad." Chris looked at his mother who nodded her head; "It's okay Chris, I don't mind either." Chris smiled back. "Thanks Mum, Dad and Sis, you're the family I wanted." But at the word Sis Cathy choked slightly and tears started to appear at her eyes, George quickly saw them and held her. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry dad," she said quietly, "It just the way that Michael would have called me." George kissed her head. "I know darling, but don't worry about it, I'm sure he didn't know." George said, but Cathy shook her head. "I'm not worried daddy; it's that I do miss mummy and Michael so much. And your prayer just then reminded me of how we used to have dinner," she said still keeping her voice low. Chris was now looking concerned he looked first at his mother and then at George who noticed his face. "It's all right Chris, Cathy's just slightly overcome at the moment." But Chris got up from his seat and went to Cathy and George, he took her hand and as she looked into his face he said, "I'm sorry Cathy, I didn't mean to make you sad." She shook her head. "You didn't silly! I'm just happy that your mum and my dad are going to be together! That's all." She said, drying her eyes, and before either of them realised it she kissed him lightly on his cheek. He returned to his chair slightly bemused by her reaction. Sandra looked at him and smiled to herself. It was during the meal that George also announced his advancement into the realms of senior partnership to the applause of Sandra, Margaret, Angela and Chris. Only Cathy remained silent. "Now what's wrong, cabbage?" George asked her. She put on a smile. "Nothing Dad, its marvellous news isn't it?" But George could see she did have a problem. "Yes it is, it means more money for a start, and I can get that conservatory built now without bothering about the price," he told her, she looked sharply up at him. "But I thought we'd be moving away from here! I didn't think you'd want to stay here, and I've just got settled into secondary school as well." He smiled. "I know, and we've got this house almost the way I want it, so why should we move?" She smiled at him and then looked at Sandra. "But what about mummy? Is she going to move in with us?" This time it was Sandra who answered. "Once I'm married to your father I will be living with him, but at the moment Chris and I will stay in our own house, he's getting on well in his school, we'll sort out any problems then," Sandra told the girl, which seemed to satisfy her. And so they carried on eating the dinner while still talking about George's promotion. ------------------