Lois and Carolyn, thanks for the beta...you’re the greatest! I would also like to thank everyone who previewed the chapters for me.
Chapter 36 – In The Attic Sunday Morning…(Day 63) “So, tell me again, why we’re up here?” Emmett casually asked, as he and Debbie were rummaging through boxes in the attic. “I’m looking for those old photograph albums that we stored up here, so they wouldn’t be in the way,” Debbie explained, without pausing in her search. “Why are you pulling them down now?” “I invited Danny over today to look at the pictures of Michael growing up. Just in case he shows up, I want to have something to show him,” she explained. “I don’t want it to look like I invited him over on false pretenses.” “Danny? As in Danny Devore?” “Yes, of course.” “Why did you invite him over?” “I’ve stolen a lot of time from him; he’s missed out on a lot through no fault of his own. I wanted to try, in some small way, to make up for the past. Even though I can’t make it up to him anymore than I can make it up to Michael, I still have to try. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.” “Okay…so what exactly is it that you did?” “I simply told him, last night, that he was a part of this family, and I invited him to dinner today to meet everyone.” “You did this even though things are strained between him and Michael….between you and Michael. You know that Michael is going to be upset with you for interfering.” “Michael has to build his own relationship with Danny. There’s nothing more that I can do there. But no matter how things go with Michael, Danny is now a part of this family. I want him to understand that. Maybe in the process of understanding that, he’ll figure out the rest.” “You do understand that you can’t do anything to help here, either?” “I know. I just want Danny to know that he’s not alone either. He has a support system. We’re here for both of them…Michael and Danny…if they need us.” “That’s a nice gesture, as long as you realize that you can’t undo a lifetime with just a few pictures.” “I know that! I’m fully aware of what I’ve done. I’ve tried to make things right. Danny and I were once very good friends….almost like Sunshine and Daphne. I want that friendship back. Carl and Danny like each other, so do Jennifer and Danny. I think at this stage of my life, I’m entitled to my own circle of friends. And, I really don’t owe anyone an explanation for that. ” “You’re absolutely right,” Emmett finally agreed softly. But underneath it all, he had to wonder what Debbie was truly thinking. He had to wonder if something else was going on with her. Was this guilt or something else? “Thanks,” Debbie answered mindlessly, still rummaging through boxes. “Ah! Here they are,” she said triumphantly, lifting out of a large box, containing a series of photo albums. Debbie retrieved the first album to get a fresh look at some of the pictures inside…pictures of Michael as a baby...pictures of Michael as a young boy. There were also family pictures…pictures of Debbie and Vic as kids. There were also pictures of her once, large extended family. Surprisingly, Debbie started to sniffle. “It’s the dust,” she quickly pointed out. “Of course,” Emmett confirmed with a smile, wrapping his arm around her shoulders…just in case she needed a hug. Debbie quickly pulled herself together. “It looks like we have everything,” she said, pointing to the stack of photo albums. Will you help me get all this stuff downstairs?” “No problem. I may look like a big nelly bottom, but I do go to the gym,” he quipped. “Em, if Brian is to be believed, you don’t go to the gym to be strong…you go there to look good,” she teased. “So are you sure that you can lift these?” “Brian goes to the gym to look good. I, on the other hand…” he said, pausing just long enough to make a muscle with his right arm to illustrate his unspoken point. “Forgive me for doubting you,” Debbie said with a laugh. The two of them picked up the photo albums and headed back down stairs. “So what’s for dinner?” Emmett casually asked. “Usually, you’re really busy the night before, but I guess since you were out last night…” “Don’t worry, I’m not about to let everyone starve. I was hoping that you would lend me a hand, or at least keep me company while I put dinner together.” “It would be my pleasure,” Emmett said with bow. “You scared me for a minute. I thought that we were going to have to resort to take out. I thought that maybe after all these years, Brian had finally rubbed off on you,” he teased. “Listen, you little shit…” she immediately retorted, fully realizing that she was being teased. “I won’t resort to take out…don’t worry…I just need a little help…that’s all.” “You’ve got it!” he agreed. “And if things are moving too slowly, I’m sure we can call Darrin to come over and give us a hand.” “I don’t think that will be necessary. After all, I’ve been feeding this family for years,” Debbie protested. “Good point!” “Now let me get dressed, in the meantime, how about grating some cheese?” “I think I can manage that,” Emmett agreed with a smile. The photo albums were placed in a corner of the living room. Debbie headed to her room to get dressed, while Emmett proceeded to the kitchen to begin his assigned task. Emmett returned to the kitchen just as Carl was about to hand Jenny Rebecca a Sippy cup with milk. Jenny saw Emmett enter the room, and she immediately ran to him instead, wrapping her arms around his leg. Carl watched as Emmett reached down to pick Jenny up and tickle her. “How quickly they forget…” he commented with a sigh of mock disappointment. “Now, now Carl, I think we all know that you’re her favorite grandfather. You’re the only one who understands her cereal preferences. Look at the scene she made with Michael this morning just to come here and have breakfast with you,” Emmett quickly reminded him. “You do have a point. I wonder what she’ll do when she meets Daniel,” he wondered. “I’m sure that Jenny will eventually love Daniel. She’s going to be a very lucky little girl to now have two grandfathers to spoil her. But like everything else, I think we have to give it some time,” Emmett reassured him. Then he handed Jenny back to Carl. “You’ll have to excuse me Miss Jenny, but Debbie gave me work to do, so I’d better get started before she gets back.” “Good idea,” Carl answered, once again handing Jenny her Sippy cup. This time the little girl contentedly started to drink. Seeing that Jenny was settled, Carl turned to Emmett and asked, “So, what can I do to help?” “Ah Carl, you know how Debbie feels about her kitchen. I would suggest that you and Jenny head into the living room.” “Good point. By the way, where’s Drew,” Carl thought to ask. “He’s traveling, but he should be back sometime tonight.” “I miss him. With both him and Ben not here, watching the game isn’t nearly as interesting as it usually is.” “I know that you miss Ben. You and he had a special relationship, just like you and Drewsie. Give it time, Carl. Things have a way of working out. As my Aunt Lula said, about patience…” “Oh no, not another of your Aunt Lula truisms…,” Carl teased. “I think I get the picture.” Carl looked at Jenny and thought for a moment. “You know, I think I’ll skip the early games today. Maybe, I’ll take Jenny over to the park. That way she can play on the slides and have a chance to get some fresh air.” “That would be good. Then you’ll be spared the spectacle of Debbie and me working on dinner,” Emmett teased. Carl couldn’t resist laughing, as he gathered up Jenny Rebecca to leave for their appointed adventure. A few moments later, Debbie rejoined Emmett and immediately started to bustle in the kitchen. Emmett quickly started to clean up from breakfast, while Debbie focused on gathering the ingredients necessary to prepare dinner. The two of them were a well-oiled team. Soon the elements for dinner were all prepared and ready for the oven, so once again, Debbie and Emmett were chatting as they made the dinner salad. “It’s going to be okay, you know?” Emmett quietly said, seemingly out of the blue. “You know, if I had known that things would turn out like this, I would have handled things differently, a long time ago. But I thought that I could control things, and the truth would never come out. Now, there’s no turning back, is there?” she said wistfully. “No, and this time we’ll all get to know Danny Devore. You knew him when he was only a kid. Now he’s much older. You’ll get to know him again. And he’ll get to meet the rest of us too. Remember, Brian and Justin are in town, so are Mel and Linds and the kids, and Hunter’s coming back too. No matter what, I’m sure that today will be quite an experience for everyone,” Emmett reminded her, trying to point out the positive things ahead. He could sense Debbie’s nervousness, and he wanted to do what he could to ease it…just as she had done so many times for him. “I hope you’re right,” Debbie said quietly. “Trust me, Debbie, I know about these things. Remember, I was once a little gay boy in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Compared to that experience…everything will be a breeze.” “I see your point,” Debbie added with a laugh as she started to relax.