Cynthia grimaced a bit. “They were quite a surprise for some, but you sister insisted.”
Ceci and Andrew were already seated at the table, and Mike and his girlfriend joined them as they arrived. “Hey guys.” Kerry was about to sit down, when her chair was pulled back for her, and she paused, giving Dar a brief grin before she dropped into it. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” Dar sat down next to her and surveyed the room. Despite the lack of electricity, everyone appeared to be determined to make the best of it, and she leaned back and folded her hands, hoping they wouldn't encounter any more of Aunt Mildred.
Or Aunt Alice. Or any of the rest of Kerry's relatives, all of whom seemed to have color coordinated baseball bats up their collective asses.
“Hey Dar?”
She looked across at her mother. “Yeees?”
“You going back into the office when you get back?”
“No.” Dar felt a sense of satisfaction in saying that. “Kerry and I are going to go down to the cabin the rest of the week and go back in next Monday.” She leaned back in her chair. “We have the time coming to us.”
“Such a lovely cabin.” Cynthia spoke up. “Really, just charming. And the view from the porch, amazing.” She smiled at both Dar and Kerry. “I completely see why you like to spend time there. So peaceful, really.”
“It is nice down there.” Ceci agreed. “I'm doing a set of paintings from that point, in different weather. “ She said. “The colors are wonderful. The water changes every minute.”
“It does.” Kerry spoke up. “We spent a few weeks out there after we got back from New York. You can really unwind there.”
Cynthia smiled. “I can imagine that.” She looked up as Angie and Brian arrived, and plopped down in seats next to her. “Oh! There you are.”
“Here we are.” Angie agreed. “Hey guys.” She gave her brother and sister a grin. “Sorry we're late, mom. We ended up dropping Brian's mom off at home, she got lost and we passed her heading here.”
“Oh my. She didn't want to come to lunch? I am sure she was invited.” Cynthia frowned.
“Um.. no.” Brian spoke up. “She's kind of... she doesn't like parties.” He said. “She's really just into church.”
“Ah.” Ceci nodded. “She didn't want to hang out with the infidels. Gotcha.” She inspected the basket of rolls that had been placed on the table. “Raisins. Mm. Lunch is looking up.”
Brian had the grace to look embarrassed. “Really, she's more embarrassed and disgusted by me than by anyone here.” He said, in quiet voice. 'It was just hard on her. She's worked in the church for a really long time, and it was hard for her to face all those people.”
“Why does she think she's responsible for what you did?” Angie asked.
He shrugged.
“People who are very traditional are not comfortable with what they view as .. ah.” Cynthia paused. “Well, things that are non traditional.” She finished somewhat lamely. “Just as the pastor felt that I perhaps should have tried to regulate the morals of my family as Roger tried to, many others feel that this lack of holding to traditions has put us all at a disadvantage with God.”
“Really?” Kerry felt her back stiffening.
“I did not say I agreed with that.” Cynthia stated, somewhat more forcefully. “But I cannot ignore the fact that many do, in fact, believe this.”
“Like them people at the church last week.” Andrew spoke up. “Figured to close down that place to keep their kids from walking next to it.” He handed over a plate of butter and knife to Ceci. “Just a lot of hating for no reason.”
Angie nodded briefly. “Yeah, I got some advice warning me not to let my kids near my sister.” She stated. “I don't think the person expected me to slap them.”
“Near me?” Kerry blinked. “Aside from making them want Labrador puppies what am I supposed to do to them?”
“Give them ideas.” Angie said, straightforwardly. “What I told them was, given how bright you are, the best thing that could happen to them is for you to give them ideas.”
'Right on.” Brian agreed, giving Kerry a thumbs up.
“Terrible.” Cynthia muttered. “I must look into perhaps finding another place of worship.”
“Want to try mine?” Ceci suggested. “Bet I could find a c... I mean chapter up here.”
The waiters swirled around them putting plates down on the table. Kerry stared at hers, then she turned her head and looked at Dar, who was leaning forward with her forearms braced on the tablecloth. She could see the flare of her partner's nostrils and as Dar's eyes met hers they were in total emotional sync.
Outrage. Horror. A little revulsion with an outline of anger tinging it. Kerry could see in the set of Dar's jaw and the tension of her hands she was just on the verge of blowing up about it and knew they both had the same ball of tension in their guts for the same reason.
And that, curiously, made everything all right again. Kerry reached over and tweaked Dar's nose, coaxing a smile out of her as she dismissed the bullshit swirling around her like a cloud of gnats.
Screw it. Just wasn't worth it. “Well, I sure can't change what people think if they want to think stuff like that.” She said. “So the hell with it. Let them suffocate in their own close mindedness.”
Cynthia still looked disturbed. She shook her head and pushed her plate forward a little. “Terrible.” She glanced at Ceci. “Perhaps we can talk later about your faith?”
“Sure.” Ceci observed her plate. “Ah. Asparagus.”
“Sorry about the bacon wrapping it.” Angie leaned towards her. “I forgot you were a vegetarian.”
“No problem.” Ceci unwrapped the bacon and handed it over to her husband, who swapped it for his own asparagus. “Andy and I have this all worked out.”
Everyone chuckled, as the servants brought a round of mimosas to the table, setting them down as a hum of voices started to fill the room, while the snow kept falling thickly outside.
“Oh my god.” Kerry crawled under the covers, free at last of her clothing, her relatives, and the room full of intently watching eyes. She snuggled up next to Dar and put her arm around her, taking her reward for having to stand in the downdraft of a shitstorm most of the day. “That was so bogus.”
“Mm.” Dar curled her arms around her and exhaled in satisfaction. “But It's over.”
“It's over.” Her partner agreed. “Now we've just got breakfast to get through, then it's off to the airport. You think the lights'll be back on tomorrow?”
Dar shrugged. “Airport's on generator.”
“Thank goodness.” Kerry exhaled softly. “I keep saying I”ll never come back here. Wonder when that's going to actually be true? How much abuse do I have to take to stay apart of this family, Dar?”
Her partner thought about that for a bit, her fingertips making a slow, gentle pattern on Kerry's back. Then she finally sighed. “Maybe we should have them just visit us. That wasn't so bad.”
No, it hadn't been.
“Ker?”
“Yeah?” Kerry breathed in the scent of Dar's skin, which still held a hint of the perfume she'd put on that morning. It was dark out now, and dark in the room, chilly, and a little damp from the weather outside. There was a small battery powered lamp on the bedside table, giving them just enough light to see by.
“Sorry about all the crap today.”
“Not your fault.” Kerry could hear Dar's heartbeat under her ear, with that tiny little echo thump from her oddly structured heart. “People are jerks. My family is full of them, apparently. But at least my mother's gotten better. Right?”
“Yup.”
“And your mom offering to induct her into paganism was worth the whole day.”