Open Sesame

By: Hank Horne
(© 2018 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

HHorne@tickiestories.us

Chapter 12

The Christmas party was set for the Saturday night a week before Christmas.  Many of our parents’ friends were invited, including Cal and Mildred Staunton; their son, Howie and his fiancée, Krissy Jenifer; Jim Guthrie would be home from Iraq by then; family friends who were also members of the Club next door; a couple of very close friends of my dad who were also members of the Army & Navy Town Club; and some additional couples who played bridge, canasta and samba (a card game similar to canasta, but using three full decks of cards) with my parents were also invited.  Several of my high school classmates were on the B-CC Rescue Squad and the Fire Department, so they were included, along with members of the GNN staff.  The jinn had given my Arab friends an intensive indoctrination with sign language and they were able to interpret for Greta and Robbie fluently.  Some of their closest friends were included also on the guest list.  The Club catered the affair and I arranged with some of the Army & Navy Club staff to help serve for us.

It was great seeing everyone again because it had been a couple of years since I had been home at Christmas.  Jim assaulted me immediately as he came in the house demanding a rematch before the night was over.  I capitulated with the stipulation that every bottle of alcohol had to be drunk before I would agree to it.  He gave me a tight bear hug, lifting me off my feet then slamming me back on the floor, rocking my entire skeleton.  Howie had just gotten a drink and came to my rescue.  I introduced the two hunks which took Jim’s attention away from me so I could sneak away.  

As the evening went on, I made the rounds of guests trying to touch base with everyone.  Several were interested in chatting with Majid, Dildar and Hassan, apparently curious about their being included in the group.  Cal was one who spent time talking with them and their interest in becoming American citizens.  They had been indoctrinated sufficiently in American-English that only their accents made it obvious they were from the middle east.

Aunt Millie took the opportunity to talk with me, expressing regret not being able to do more for Greta and me when our parents were killed.  Her conversation got around to Cal’s and my dad’s close relationship.  She asked if I knew just how close they were and about their intimacy, which I acknowledged I learned about it from Cal when we met in Bagdad.  I asked how she found out and did my mother know. 

She related the circumstances about how the two wives found out at the same time.

* * * * *

It was a Saturday and Katy had Beverly Allen, Ginger Hopkins and me over here for bridge.  Craig and Cal were up at the lake, as they usually were when the weather and lake water were warm enough that they could go in swimming.  Katy mentioned that this was the second week in a row when they had taken off for the mountains and spent Saturday night at the lake cabin.  Beverly and Ginger looked at each other.  Then Ginger commented that she and Dan had taken their boat up there and Bev and Harvey had gone with them for the weekend.  Bev said that they had seen Cal and Craig skinny-dipping at the lake, acting like teenage boys.  Bev added that they were wrestling, trying to toss each other in the lake.  But they would both end up going in at the same time.  One time, Cal lost his balance and fell in the water and Craig pulled him back on the dock.  Then Ginger said that the strangest thing happened.  When Craig got Cal back on the dock, – they embraced – and – then they kissed, full on the lips – and naked!  Bev said they didn’t mean to be spying, but they saw them on our dock, and would have gone down to speak to them, but without swimsuits and it wasn’t but a few minutes, and then the kissing…. Then Ginger said that Dan put the boat in gear and headed in the opposite direction.  And Beverly added that they all agreed to never mention it again to anyone….  But when Katy mentioned that they were up there, she thought we must know about….

Katy, being the consummate hostess that she was, excused herself, saying she would get the refreshments.  I followed her into the kitchen, having told the others I would help her.  She was as shocked as I was.  We decided to wait until the two of them got home to get to the bottom of this.  I confronted Cal as Katy did your dad.  They both said the kiss was simply an impulse after your dad pulled Cal out of the lake, and so was the skinny-dipping.  They saw Dan’s boat but did not realize it was his or that all four of them saw the whole episode.  They both denied anything like that had ever happened before or would again.  So, your mother and I let the subject drop and never mentioned it again.  Their weekend trips to the lake continued, so I don’t know what they did together after that, if anything.  And frankly, I don’t want to know.  Cal has not been the same since Craig and Katy were killed.  We don’t use the lake cottage anymore and may sell it, unless Howie and Krissy want to buy it.

* * * * *

I gave Aunt Millie a big hug and told her, “I appreciate your sharing that with me.  I can’t say just how close they were, but I do know they both loved you and Mom as much as possible.  That old saying about the water over the dam is just that.  It’s all over and done with.  I know you miss Mom as much as Cal misses Dad.  And you’ll always be my ‘Aunt Millie.’”  I kissed her on the cheek and gave her a big hug as Howie and Krissy came up to us.

“Well Mom, are you going to hog our host’s attention all evening or can he share his charm with some of the rest of us?”

“I haven’t had the chance to talk with Grant in over a year.  So, Howard, you can have your turn now.  Krissy, that dress is spectacular, and you look stunning.”

Krissy walked off with Mildred, so Howie and I had a chance to talk.

“I see that Mom was bending your ear.  Probably about our dad’s intimacies.  When did you find out about that?”

“When I saw him in Bagdad some three or four months ago.  We had a heart to heart talk and that’s when I learned about just what their ‘friendship’ involved.  I didn’t know about the lake incident.  Cal was very amenable to helping me get my cameraman, his cousin and his best friend over here with visitors’ visas, and then if they are interested, permanent citizenship.  You know, what happens in Bagdad, stays in Bagdad!”

“I hope you put it to him really rough; he likes it like that,” Howie said.

“How do you know?”

“I caught them together once and your dad was using him the way he likes it.”

I’m sure the surprise showed on my face.  “How long have you known?”

“A couple of years, or so.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“What was I going to do – send you an email with a picture?  Come on, cuz, you’ve been bouncing all over the world and I never got a chance to sit down with you and discuss our dads’ sexual intimacies.  Especially not at the funeral.  And besides, what would you have done?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe return the favor!”

“In your dreams! They were grown men.  They’re both older than we are and were supposed to set the example for us.  Besides, I didn’t want Mom to find out because she would be the one hurt by it.  Although I’m sure it had to hurt Dad the first time Uncle Craig plowed into him with that horse-sized monster he carried around.” 

“Scheeze-Louise, Howie!”

“Sorry, Grant,” Howie said as he put his hand on my shoulder.  “It hasn’t been easy carrying that big secret around all this time, although I’ve signed my government confidentiality oath.  But hey, I’ll always have your back when you need it.  You can share things with me anytime and they’ll go no farther.  You know I think the world of you, like the little brother I never had.”

“Thanks, Howie.  I feel the same about you, big bro.  I think I’ve always loved you – think brotherly love — not in love with you.  But to change the subject, how are the wedding plans coming along?”

“Only six months away.  We’ll be married in Annapolis.  Her family goes back to the seventeenth century in Maryland.  We met at a Sigma Chi – Tri-Delt party at Maryland and things developed from there.  You will be holding me up through it, won’t you?”

“Oh, I’ll be beside you through the entire ceremony, and I can hardly wait for the Best Man’s toast!  Where’s the reception going to be?

“At her parents’ home in the Colonial Manor area.”

“Have you met my guests from Iraq?” I motioned for Maji to come over to us.  “Howie, this is Majid, my cameraman in Iraq, and now my very special friend.”

Howie’s eyes opened wide.  He looked back and forth between Maji and me.  “Are you telling me something I should know?”

“That depends on how you take some possibly unexpected news.”

Wagging his finger back and forth between us, he asked, “You two are — an ‘item?’”

“You might call it that.  We might take off for Canada to make it ‘legal,’ since it’s not ‘legal’ here in the states.”

“Do Dad and Mom know?  Does Greta know?”

“Your dad might suspect as I hinted at it in Bagdad, but I’ve not told anyone outright.  You’re the first I’ve talked with about it, other than the two of us,” indicating Maji.  Greta might have a good idea of what’s going on, but we’ve not discussed it specifically.”

“Well, I’m surprised, and happy for both of you.”  He shook our hands.

Dildar and Hassan walked up to us about then.  “Dildar is Majid’s cousin and Hassan is Dildar’s lifelong best friend.”  Howie shook both their hands.

“Are you two …?”  They both nodded. 

Howie looked at me and I nodded, then replied, “Also confidential.  Your dad’s supposed to fast track citizenship for all three of them if they decide to become Americans at the end of their six-month visitor’s visa.  It’s the only way for it to work out.”

“I think I need another drink!”

“Let me know if I need to go to the Club to replenish the bottles,” I grinned.

Jim Guthrie approached and asked if we could have a private conversation – downstairs. 

“When everyone leaves, if you really think you’re up to it,” I told him.  Then I explained to the others, “I whipped Jim’s ass in Bagdad and he’s demanding a rematch.”

“This I’ve got to see!” Howie said.  “I’ll take Krissy back to the Tri-Delt house and be back here in an hour.  Don’t start without me!”

“Howie, you don’t know what you’re asking.  You may not want to get involved in this situation,” I replied.

“What situation?” Howie’s fiancée, Krissy, asked as she approached the group.

“Krissy, this is Jim Guthrie; Krissy Jenifer, Howie’s fiancée,” I introduced the two.  “Jim is with the State Department.  We got into a discussion before I left Bagdad, and he wants to continue the discussion this evening while we’re together.  Howie wants to analyze the situation as we proceed with alternative possible outcomes — if you don’t mind too much.”

“Well, I was hoping to have some more time alone with my big, hunky Howie this evening — but if it’s really that important for him to be involved, I guess it’ll have to be okay for me to spend the rest of the evening at the House all by myself,” she whined, looking up at Howie with puppy dog eyes. 

The rest of us were rolling our eyes!

“I’ll come back to see you tomorrow, baby doll.  And I’ll be back here in an hour.”

“We’ll see you then,” I told Howie.  “Good night, Krissy.  And have a very Merry Christmas,” I said in my most saccharine voice.

I went back to my guests as some were preparing to leave, and others were still chatting with each other.  The Iraqis were becoming more comfortable interacting with the Americans.  They also were amazing in conversing with the deaf group.  It made me very proud to see them adapting so easily.

The last of the guests left except for Jim, and we all helped the wait-staff clean up and store leftovers in the fridge, dishes in the dishwasher and trash in bags which my three guys took to the trash receptacle outside.  Greta and Robbie went over to her cottage, the wait-staff received generous tips and left, so all who were left were the five of us.  We locked all the doors and went downstairs.

To be continued... 

Posted: 10/12/18