The Lassiters Ch. 6 The Twins Are Growing Up Pt. 2

One warm spring evening Melora and John found themselves eating supper alone. Trey was still at baseball practice and would probably eat out on his way home and Lori was meeting Melanie and going to the movies. However; Melora and John were pretty sure she and Melanie were going instead to the mall to “hang out” with friends. This wasn’t the first time John and she had dined alone of course, but lately it was happening more and more. It would take some adjustment; they had been pretty much surrounded by children at suppertime since they’d begun having babies.

“We’d better get used to it, John. They will be seniors next fall and then it’s on to college.”

They didn’t want to go through the empty nest syndrome, but they both had quite a few interests; maybe it would not happen to them. Various friends of theirs had been going through some turmoil once their children were grown and out of the house.

They were not expecting either Trey or Lori home until around 9 tonight. It was 7:30 though when their son came through the front door. Melora was in the kitchen and looked up as he went straight to the refrigerator, took out two kinds of lunch-meat, cheese, mayonnaise and mustard and began making two sandwiches, stacking on extra meat and cheese.

“You’re certainly home early,” she commented.

 “Coach is sick. I guess it’s the flu; he started puking.”

“Oh?”

“It was gross.”

Melora watched him. He added hamburger pickles and then, as a topper, potato chips. The stack wobbled.

“Uh huh,” she commented, “It didn’t seem to affect your appetite.”

“Nothing ever does,” John said as he came in to get a cup of coffee.

“Anyway, they called off practice,” Trey moved his feast to the dining room and Melora followed him out and sat down. A few seconds later John joined them at the table.

The front door crashed open again and Lori walked in looking exhilarated, her face flushed.

“Wow,” Melora remarked, “You’re home early, too.”

“How was the movie?” John asked. Lori almost seemed to be in a daze.

They waited for her to answer, but she stared off dreamily, then walked to the refrigerator and got a Coke.

“Okay, then,” John said after a minute, “How was the mall?”

She finally seemed to hear him,

“What? Oh, I didn’t go there.” She sat down at the table too.

“Where did you go?”

“I went to My Muse. Remember I told you I got a membership because of my 10 years of ballet and 7 years on the piano?”

“Oh, that’s right,” Melora nodded, “But I thought you were going to wait until Melanie could go with you.”

“I know, but I got my nerve up and decided to just go and see what it was like. I entered a dance competition but I didn’t win.”

“What kind of dance?” Melora was curious because Lori was quite an accomplished amateur ballerina.

Trey was already starting on his second sandwich. He’d bolted down the first one down in about four huge bites.

“Oh, it wasn’t a ballet competition. This was like with a DJ,” Lori explained.

“Well, what’s the place like?” Melora asked.

“It was wonderful, Mom! There was a room to practice piano, one to practice violin, guitar, clarinet, drums, in fact; every kind of instrument there is in the world!"

Lori still tended to be over-dramatic at times.

“How about a sousaphone, did they have one of those?” Trey challenged. His mouth was so full his cheeks were bulging.

Lori glared at him in exasperation then turned back to her parents,

“Also, they had a synthesizer, which was so cool, but I didn’t have time to stay on it long. Then there was a dance floor where they have the contests. Just popular dancing--you know, everyday stuff. Upstairs there’s a huge loft where they teach ballet and ballroom, though. I got to talk to one of the instructors there, she’s very talented.”

“So were many of your friends there?”

Melora handed Trey a napkin. He looked at her, seemingly mystified.

“No, actually there weren’t any kids I know, in fact; I was the only one there my age. All the rest were older. You know; adults.”

Melora flicked a quick glance at John who asked.

“Who were these adults?”

“Well, the girl who won the competition was really pretty, her name is kind of strange--Renesmee.”

“Renesmee Cullen? We know her parents,” Melora said, “Who else?”

“Um, I didn’t really recognize anyone else, but I did get introduced to some of them,” Lori seemed to hedge a little, but then her face lit up again,

“One guy was really nice, his name is Brian Ottomas.”

 Trey spoke through a mouthful of sandwich, “Brian Ottomas? He’s a freak.”

“Son!” Melora admonished him.

John looked pointedly at Trey and his voice was caustic.

“So you know this guy, do you? I suppose you know for a fact that he actually has some sort of congenital condition?"

“Well, no,” Trey admitted; then went on, “But everybody says he's a freak. There’s supposed to be a curse on him and his twin sister. He’s just strange, Dad."

“He is not!” Lori seemed outraged, “He’s--he’s sweet and he’s funny, too. He made me laugh all the time I was talking to him.”

“A curse?" Melora repeated, “You shouldn’t repeat silly gossip, Trey, and you shouldn't call people names.”

John regarded his son with a rather unfriendly gaze.

Trey just shrugged and started to get up and walk away, but his mother shot him a look and he picked up his plate, and put it in the dishwasher.

I’m just sayin’,” he called from the kitchen.



"All right, that's enough," Melora said.


Trey headed up the stairs to his room sounding regretful, “Okay, just don’t come crying to me when she marries some creepy old guy and has weird kids.”

Lori exploded,

“You are the creepy one, Trey! Mom--can’t you ever make him shut up?” 


They heard Trey's door shut.

Melora looked at Lori pondering her expression and what she’d been saying just before her outburst.

“How long did you talk with him?” she asked.

Lori dropped her eyes and said,

“Not that long.”

“Did you dance with him?”

“…Yes,” she seemed reluctant to answer, but then a half-smile passed over her face. It disappeared in seconds.

Again Melora glanced at John, who spoke up. He always liked to cut to the chase,

“So how old is this dude?”

“I don’t know,” she turned wide innocent eyes on him, “How would I know?”

“Okay, here’s the deal,” John said, “You’re not to go to this club or whatever it is unless you have a friend with you. We don’t care for the idea of you being the only child in a place that’s full of unknown adults.”

“Child! I’m not a child!” Lori protested.

"You are a minor.”

“What’s so wrong with me dancing with an adult?”

“If the adult is your aunt or uncle or cousin or brother, there’s nothing wrong with it,” 

John said mildly, “But in any case, these are the rules. If you go there again, you must go with a friend; we’d prefer more than one. Otherwise, you can’t go. Understood?”

Lori was not happy, but she nodded.

“And from now on, young lady, if you say that you’re going somewhere; that had better be where you go. If you have to change your plans, that’s what your cell is for. You call us first and ask us for permission to go. You’re not 21; you’re 16.”

Uncharacteristic anger flashed in her eyes for a moment.

“Lori,” John said it quietly, but she knew he meant business, “If you can’t abide by these rules, then you are going to be spending every night at home in the arms of your family. Do I make myself clear?”

She bowed her head slightly, “Yes, Daddy.”

“Do you want a bite to eat, sweetie?” Melora asked in a soft voice.

Lori shook her head. She hugged them both goodnight. It was impossible for her to stay really mad at her parents, and she rarely went to bed without hugging them. She went upstairs and they could hear her on the phone.

“She’s calling one of her friends,” Melora murmured, taking John’s cup to wash.

“Well, she’s got to vent to someone,” John replied getting up from the table, “We’re pretty mean, you know.”

He went into his study. John knew almost everyone in this small town and he was wracking his brain to remember what he could about the Ottomas family, and Brian Ottomas in particular. Perhaps the thing to do was call Glenn Caswell. She had the ability and the means to find information on almost anyone, anywhere.

Next update: Glenn Caswell Ch. 4 An Active Boy

 

Next Lassiter update: Ch. 6 The Twins Are Growing Up Pt. 3