Monday, August 8, 2011

The Writer and the Ghosts - 9


Jeanie looked up from her book when Linc came into the living room. He gave her a weak smile as he sank down into one of the chairs across from the sofa.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing, well…no, nothing, I just had an idea but it’s probably a stupid one but still…well…umm…”

“Spit it out,” Richard said from the other end of the sofa.

“Well…umm…”

“Linc…”

“Okay I was thinking that we’ve been here for a month now and well, umm…”

Jeanie shot an amused look at her husband. “Well, umm, what, Linc?”

“You need to throw a housewarming party so you can meet the neighbors because it’s nice to know the people in the neighborhood and this weekend would be good because the weather’s nice so it could be out in the back yard and…and that was my idea. Stupid, huh?”

Richard muttered under his breath, “Who are you and what did you do with our son?”

“Richard, behave,” Jeanie responded with a laugh. “I think it’s a great idea. We could have a barbeque. Invite everyone on the block. As far as I’ve seen they’re all our age, more or less, so we wouldn’t have to worry about having children running around.”

Linc deflated when she said that. “All your age?”

“Well there are some ‘boomerang kids’ I think. At least I’ve seen a few young people your age around and about.” She grinned. “We’ll be sure to invite them too.”

“You don’t have to.”

Yes she does.”

Linc tried not to jump when he heard Damian’s voice behind him and almost answered him. Instead he put on his best face and told his mother with a shrug, “I guess it would be nice to meet some people my own age.”

That’s the whole idea,” Giorgio said from beside Linc.

“Will you stop,” Linc growled sotto voce.

Richard looked at Linc in surprise. “Stop what?”

“Sorry,” Linc mumbled, “I was…umm…well…”

Thinking about your story?” Damian suggested; laughter in his voice.

“Yeah that’s it; I was telling myself to stop thinking about my book and concentrate on planning for the party.”

“We’ll do it in the morning,” Jeanie told him. “It’s a bit late to do it tonight.”

“Okay, good.” Linc stood up quickly. “I have to get back to what I was working on before I got the brainstorm.”

“All right, dear, we’ll see you for breakfast then.”

“You bet.” Linc kissed his mother’s cheek and said good-night to both of them before going upstairs.

Jeanie watched him leave and smiled. “I think maybe he’s decided to get back to living again.”

“Looks like,” Richard agreed. “I wonder what brought that about.”

Giorgio looked at Damian and laughed. “Think we should tell them?

Umm, no, not if we don’t want Linc trying to kill us.

Been there, done that, once is more than enough thanks. Now, speaking of bedtime…

Damian grinned and vanished with Giorgio right behind him.

“Now that was weird,” Jeanie said. “I could have sworn I saw something move out of the corner of my eye.”

“You’re just tired.” Richard stood and held out his hand. When Jeanie joined him he put his arm around her waist and winked as he said, “Your bed or mine.”

Jeanie laughed. “Ours?”

“Sounds perfect to me.” He kissed her quickly, then once again with more enthusiasm, before they headed upstairs.

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