Kathryn’s laughter rings in my ears this time, and I look over my shoulder to find her standing in front of the garage along with my Mother, the Coach, Ron, Reese and Charles. Still through her laughter Kathryn says, “The only thing he injured is his pride.”
Charles chuckles, “That is the best wipeout I have seen in a long time. Jim had a few like that.”
The Coach says, “Do not laugh too hard Kathryn, remember I saw you launch yourself over your handlebars too. You just did not land as gracefully as JJ.” Kathryn sticks her tongue out at her Daddy, to chuckles from the other family members.
Kathryn says, “Oh, Daddy do not tell him that.”
Ron says, “You are just learning, it is nice to know there is some things you are not perfect at yet. Hang in there JJ you are getting it.”
The Coach reminds his daughter, “Kathryn it took you nearly a week to learn to ride and you had your brothers helping you.”
Kathryn interjects, “You think they were helping me, they were seeing how many times I would trust them, and how bad of a wreck I could survive.”
The Coach chuckles, “It only look like that from your perspective. I was watching and they were not doing that bad.”
I sense Kathryn’s anger I know it is not good for a blood pressure and Amanda. I come over and take Kathryn in my arms; looking into her eyes, they are brown. I ask, “Do you want me to beat up your brothers, they have been training so it might take a little more effort this time.”
Kathryn giggles, and her eyes begin the change shades. I speed the process by giving her a long kiss. By the time we break, her eyes are again bright emerald green. Smiling I say, “There is my green eyed wife.” She wrinkles her nose at me, but the sparkle does not leave her eyes.
The Coach pulls me away from my wife saying, “Let us look at the bike you got. That is a nice dirt bike, not the best for pavement but it should be good enough. Looks like a pretty good bike to learn on, it’s a little more rugged than most adult bikes.”
Charles comes over, between him and the Coach I am getting many years of bicycling experience explained to me. Everything from the basics to maintenance, the coach probably has enough use bicycles for all the kids if I had asked. After adjusting the air pressure, I had to little I find it easier to peddle and control the bike. The Coach and Charles take a couple of his use bikes and join me, our road is very quiet with mostly the traffic from our family at the end, and there is only maybe a dozen more families between town and us.
I hope that by the time the girls wake up from their nap if the weather holds I will have enough experience to at least, help them begin to ride. With the Coach and Charles’, help they correct a few areas that my inexperience nearly has me falling again. Before we realize it where at the edge of town and turn to ride back home. Half hour later finds me again pulling into the driveway, I know there is a lot to bicycling that I am still not aware of, but with constant pointers from Charles and the Coach, I am feeling a lot more confident.
Just like, I had guessed all the children are in the driveway, jeans and long-sleeved shirts along with all the safety gear adorn them. Alyssa, Daniel, Marshall, Misty, Helen, Mom and Kathryn along with Jane, MC, Michelle, Kara, and Karen all lined the driveway. I am little uncertain if they want a repeat performance of my bicycle lunch ability, or they are just checking to see if I am still alive on my return. I stop in front of Kathryn and lean over to give her a kiss. I put my foot down the catch myself before I fall, and there is giggles from the children.
After I am stable Kathryn leads in and gives me a kiss, and the girls giggle more. The coach says, “JJ should be good enough now to help you guys as long as we are here.” Of course, he means himself and Charles.
Daniel helps Cindy, which I am glad to see. The Coach takes Crystal, Charles takes Anna, and I am with Sam, Marshall helps Allen, and MC is with Rosy as we help them onto their bikes. Their training wheels help keep them upright. We begin to move them down the driveway remaining beside them as they begin to peddle. We keep spaced apart because we do not want one accident becoming three. After a few trips, the girls find their balance easier than I did, to cheers from their mothers and aunts. It is not long before where only running along beside them as they move on their own. Sam notices that I no longer got a hold on to her bike; she nearly topples herself in her excitement. After that, she realizes she has control over her bike. A wide smile is on her face as she pedals past her Mom shouting, “Look at me Mommy.”
Kathryn shouts back, “Yay Sam!”
Crystal is riding by next, in her excitement she shouts, “Mommy you see, I am doing it!”
Kathryn shouts back, “Yay Crystal!”
We make one more trip before we have the girls stop mainly because the three of us are wended, having to sprint beside the girls. We give them hugs, and the kids return are hugs, before long Crystal practically tackles Sam and me. That seems to start a chain reaction, and all the kids tackle me, someone starts tickling me, I believe Sam. Here six children between the ages of six and three cover me, and two or three of them begin to tickle and there is not much I can do other than lay there and laughed my head off.
Finally, Kathryn comes to my rescue. She had noticed what was happening and waited until I could not take it any longer. Her in the other mothers come and collect their children. Thankfully, that ends our outdoor activities for the day.
No sooner than we have gotten inside that Uncle George gives us a call, Sylvia has survived her surgery and expected to do well. He said the surgically marked, “It is not often of ever felt like this, but I swear someone was guiding my hand as I operated. I believe I got at least ninety percent of the cancer. Sylvia should do well. The cancer though is a very fast growing variety of it. I fear the ten percent that is left if left untreated will still kill her within a year.”
Uncle George remarks, “Sylvia’s health condition came on very quickly, I spoke to her myself only a month ago. She seemed normal, and very happy that her parole would begin shortly so she could be again with her daughter. She remarked there so many things she needed to make up for, and hoped it was not too late.”
Now I see the situation with a little more understanding. Sylvia truly has changed for the better. I hope that we can help her survive to fulfill her wish. In that endeavor, possibly befriend her at the same time. Add her into the family circle that seems to grow by the month now.
At dinner that night, Cindy is in a good mood, possibly the best sense she came to us. She sets with Daniel and Kara near Uncle George, Alyssa, Alan and Anna. Crystal is on my lap, Sam sets with Kathryn, Charles is on my other side, with his wife Jane and Jim his son. Jim watches Bobby’s youngest daughter who is a server intensively. I have noticed she bumps into him several times, or allow her hand to rub across his shoulder. You can almost see is heartbeat faster when she does.
After dinner, Bobby asks me about Jim, and I explain how he is Charles’ son, and their family connection to Sam, Ron and Reese. We call Charles over, after I introduce the two fathers, it does not take them long to begin plotting their children’s future. I guess it has something to do with being a parent. Thousands of years, fathers have arranged marriages for the children, and some things do not change quickly. Given their ages, Jim will be sixteen shortly and Bobby’s youngest daughter Deborah, called Debs just turned fourteen and the fact they are attracted to each other. The fathers agree that they should see each other but in a controlled manner. Neither father wants to see a teen pregnancy and all the problems from that. Jim offered a job that he really cannot refuse although I highly doubt he would. He is going to get the work at Bobby and Mary’s restaurant, which will allow him to see Debs the object of his desires.
Charles calls Jim to meet Bobby, after given the opportunity to work here Jim’s eyes light up as Debs blows him a kiss, the two fathers chuckle at their two children. Jim agrees to the job, something I knew he would do. He will work here after school, and Charles will come and pick him up at the end of his shift. Bobby tells him, if you treat my daughter right, you may get a break with her occasionally.
Jim can hardly wait to tell her, and when she come by Jim says, “Guess what, your Dad gave me a job.”
Debs giggles, “That is just because he wants to get to know you, do not expect it to be an easy job.”
Jim seriously says, “I do not mind working hard. If I get to see you, I would do it without getting paid.”
Debs giggles again, “You better not let Dad know that, you will need the money to take me out when we can go.”
I do not think anything is holding Jim down now, as he seems the float above his chair throughout the rest of dinner. When dinner is over, Bobby comes and grabs Jim telling him it is time to start work, Jim comes back wearing an apron and caring a container for the dirty dishes. Jim will bus tables and be the assistant dishwasher. Not an easy job by any means. Charles chuckles telling his son, “I will be back at the end of your shift.”
That was how our year began, it did settle down the next week into somewhat of a routine. Kara and I did take an afternoon off from school, the day Sylvia was released we took Cindy to meet her mother at the hospital. We had discussed with Cindy beforehand, how important that she can be to her mother’s recovery. How that really started during her time in jail, that once she was off drugs she realize what she has lost, that her mother truly loved her. Cindy was still little nervous it had been a little over two years since the two of them have been together. Cindy’s mother was a different person. Sylvia had tears of joy at seeing Cindy. It did not take the two very long to reconnect, that was bittersweet for Kara. Kara always wants the best for Cindy even that was to be with Sylvia.
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