Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 11 Christmas Day Pt. 1

This is  rather short first part to the chapter--Author

There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, like powdered sugar on a pan of gingerbread, as the all the grown children began arriving at the Lassiter home Christmas day.

Chelsea had enthusiastically jumped into Trey’s arms just as John went to greet Harvey, David and his girlfriend, Barbara. She was not usually so impulsive but she was so in love with Trey and happy on this holiday that she threw caution to the winds. Melora embraced Lori and scolded her for leaving her coat in the car.

“I’m just so hot all the time lately,” Lori complained, “It doesn’t even seem that cold to me.”

“That’s the baby keeping you toasty,” Melora nodded, “Well, come in the house and if you get too warm we’ll turn down the heat a little.”

This Christmas day, amidst all the merriment, there was a family secret, one that only John knew. A few weeks ago he had gone to Club Dante and said not a word about it to Melora. She thought at the time he was over at Jim Candeloro’s house. While he was there he ran into Lalique Flynn and thought she was the most lovely and intriguing woman he’d ever seen since he'd first laid eyes on Melora over 40 years ago. At first he didn’t realize she was the little Lalique who used to come over to see Grace with her older sister, Yvette, years ago. She'd lived right next door, in fact, and he’d often seen her in her yard when she was little. Yvette and Grace had been teenagers at the time, and Lalique had been in elementary school while Lori and Trey had only been toddlers. Evidently Yvette was expected to take Lalique with her sometimes when she went next door in those days. John had not seen her in years, though, or at least not noticed her. So he felt uncomfortable when he realized who she was; Melora and he were long time friends with Errol and Olivia. But that news didn’t keep him now from admiring her face and figure. 

John had once been quite a playboy years ago, but when he’d met Melora all that had ended; she was the love of his life. Advancing years, though, had been hard on his ego, which was like any man’s delicate and over-inflated ego--only more so. Part of him longed to have a young and beautiful woman look at him the way many women used to do when he was in his early thirties and even for some time after that.

Lalique had flirted a little with him that night, but she’d been doing that with every man there. Not in a vulgar way, but still quite definitely she was trying to entice. In fact, John had the impression on that particular night that she’d had her eye on Brian Ottomas, who seemed friendly enough to her. Since he was the manager of the club, it was his job to talk with everyone, but he wasn’t responding as though he was seriously interested and John sensed Lalique was working the room to satisfy her own vanity.The problem was; ever since that night John couldn’t get her out of his mind. She was single and he checked around town discreetly and found out that there was no man in her life currently, although she had given birth to twins not that long ago. It was disconcerting to John that she would pop up in his thoughts fairly often and when he least wanted it. It made him feel like he was cheating on Melora even though he hadn’t done anything. Christmas was no different and this bothered him even more. He was finally going to be a grandfather, his grown kids and his wife were all sitting around him and he didn’t want a sexy brunette who was way too young for him showing up even if it was only in his mind.

Meanwhile, the four young couples talked with each other and John and Melora about their new businesses, new plans and what might lay in store for all of them in the year ahead.

Out in the library with his parents and Chelsea, Trey mentioned he was currently in negotiation regarding a new place of business he wanted to purchase, but he didn’t want to reveal which one it was at that time—the deal was iffy and he was the superstitious type. Chelsea’s flower shop was proving to be a real success. Melora wanted to grow closer to her daughter-in-law and volunteered to help out at the shop should Chelsea needed it. She loved flower arranging.

Melora was suddenly struck by the sight of John who was seated right below a portrait of him at about 37. He had been almost too beautiful, Melora thought as she grew a little misty-eyed. In fact, she still thought he was handsome; but it gave her a jolt to suddenly see him suddenly compared to the man he was in youth. Sadly, she knew if he looked at the portrait of her hanging in on the other side of the door to the bedroom he must feel the same. The saying “old age is not for sissies” was not really a joke.

In the front room were Lori and Harvey, Grace and Devon, and David and Barbara. Grace was till working tirelessly at the hospital while Devon's latest book was due out in late January. David, the retired former chief of detectives of Pleasantview, was house-hunting, claiming his bachelor digs were just too small now. Barbara had run into some snags at her new beauty salon, but she thought things would smooth out soon.

Of course, the women were mostly concentrating on the impending birth of Lori's baby; Grace was anxious to be an aunt and didn't mind letting Lori know it.

Harvey kept quiet about the two possible and separate career moves he'd been considering.
 
The conversation was pleasant and the air was filled with the delicious aromas of roasting turkey and Melora's holiday potpourri with cedar, hollyberry and cinnamon.

Next blog update: Harvey and Lori Ferguson Ch. 11 Christmas Day Pt. 2