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It was only a week until Lydia’s birthday.-Janet was surely getting excited.-The first of hers and Bruce’s family from Ireland would be arriving by the middle of the week.-She had dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed and scoured the house from top to bottom.-Then she had helped Chrissy get everything in order at her house.-Johnny had indicated that he planned to sell the trailer but they had decided to wait until after the party.-That meant the trailer had to be cleaned from one end to the other as well.-There would be plenty of places for everybody to stay, though, and that was good.-Everybody would, of course, want to have their turn at spoiling the babies.-They would be one month old on Wednesday and were doing great.-Chrissy was trying hard to get her figure back so she would look good for Lydia’s party and all the visiting relatives.
Aunt Winnie had helped with the preparatory work at Penny’s.-All the bedclothes had been cleaned and the beds made ready for the company from North Carolina and California who would also be arriving this week.-Penny wasn’t getting her strength back as fast as she had hoped.-Penny told herself again that forty-two was way past the age a woman should be having babies.-Little Lorrie Ann was an angel, though, and when she smiled and goo-gooed at her, she was sure she was the most wonderful baby in the world.
Wilhelmina was a little disappointed—well, actually, she was a lot disappointed—that the ghosts had stopped communicating with her.-She made the effort almost every night.-She had a long list of questions she had made up that they could answer ‘yes or no’ with one or two taps; but they weren’t responding.-That first night they had talked had been so exciting to Wilhelmina but since then there had been nothing.-She kept her list beside her bed so it would be ready if they did ‘show up.’-It asked questions designed to find out why they were still there and if there was any way Wilhelmina could help to free them.-She went over the list now:
You did die here in this house?
Were you killed or murdered/
Were you born here in this country?
If not, were you born in France?
Maybe you came from England?
Were you killed by Indians?
Were you killed by the French?
Were you killed by the colonists?
Were you killed by the British?
Did you know about the secret passage?
Did you use the secret passage?
Were you hiding from someone?
Were you helping to hide someone else?
Is there any way I can help you get free of having to stay here?
This was a far as Wilhelmina had gotten with what she thought of as foreseeable questions.-After that she couldn’t think of any thing else they might be able to answer with one or two taps.-After that she’d just have to play it by ear.-She had no doubt, though, that they would communicate with her again.-Sooner or later and she certainly hoped it would be sooner.-It would be necessary for her to go back to Cloverleaf Horse Ranch shortly after Lydia’s birthday party which would be at the end of the week.-If nothing happened before then, she’d just have to get herself invited back again later.
“Oh, here comes Chrissy with Tommy.”-Penny was delighted.-Lorrie Ann was asleep and the twins wouldn’t be home from school for over an hour, yet, so she would have some time to play with her grandbaby.
“Hi, Mom.-I needed some exercise and some fresh air and I knew it would be a while before I’d have a chance after the company starts coming in, so we decided to walk down to see you.-Where’s Lorrie?-Is she asleep?-Darn, I was counting on getting to play with my little sister a while.”
“Yes, she’s asleep but she’ll probably be up shortly.-Here I want my other baby.-Come to Grandma, baby boy.-Oh, he is so precious, Chrissy.-I know his other aunts and uncles and cousins, etc. are going to adore him, too.-Do you have everything about ready?”
“Yes, with Janet’s help, I think everything is prepared.-Grandmother is so excited.-Do you know she’s never had a birthday party in her whole life?-Isn’t that sad?-But she sure is looking forward to this one.”
“Look what I found wiggling around in her playpen in the family room.-I’ve got a feeling she’s looking for her dinner.-Would you like to swap with me, Penny?-They’re both so sweet.-I’m going to miss them a bunch when I go home next week.”- Wilhelmina was already hinting about a return visit.
“Must you go, Aunt Winnie?-You know you’re welcome to stay longer.-I don’t know what we would have done without you the last few weeks.”
“Oh, I’ve enjoyed it a bunch.-But I do need to get back and see how things are going at Cloverleaf.-I’ll be back, though, as long as I haven’t worn out my welcome.”
“You’re welcome anytime, Aunt Winnie.-I hope you know that.”
“Thank you.”
“Where are the twins, Mom?”-Chrissy suddenly missed them.
“They’re in school, Honey.-Had you forgotten?-They’re in the first grade and are both doing fine.-They’ll be home pretty soon and you’ll know it because it’s like a whirlwind came through when they get here,” Penny laughed.-Ed and Johnny should be home shortly after the bus lets them off, too.-I think they expected to finish the job they were on today and then they’ll be off until everyone goes home next week.”
Sean and his bride and Kathleen were the first to arrive.-Johnny was so glad to see them.-Janet and Bruce had really missed them, too.-After all, Kathleen was their baby; and their baby would be starting college the first of the year.-She had planned to start in early September but she didn’t want to miss this trip for Grandmother’s birthday so she said she’d start mid-year.-She had a big surprise for her folks, too.-She had checked out the University of Kentucky’s School of Veterinary Medicine and had found it had an outstanding program.-So she had registered to begin classes there in January.-She was planning to spend the fall with her folks and she figured they would all like that idea.-She had brought most of her things with her from Ireland and the rest would be shipped a little later.-She hadn’t told anyone yet.-She thought she would save the surprise for her Grandmother’s birthday party.
Sean and Marcie had also taken sabbaticals so that they could come to Kentucky for a couple of weeks to see their folks and help Grandmother Lydia celebrate her eighty-second birthday.-They knew her heart attack had been fairly serious and that even though she was feeling pretty well again, there might not be a lot of chances to get to know her better.
Penny was thrilled to be able to show off her new offspring to her Aunt Genny and Uncle Jack.-Penny had been only eleven when her parents had been killed in a car wreck.-Her mother’s sister, Genevieve and her husband had taken her in, adopted her, and raised her with their own children; so they felt like Lorrie Ann was a grandchild.-In fact, Chrissy and Johnny had designated them as grandparents at their wedding.-Andy and Candy, like Chrissy, called them Aunt Genny and Uncle Jack but they loved them as though they were grandparents.-Jack and Genny’s children were special, too.-Webster and his wife Faye had a little girl, Genny, who was the same age as the twins.-They got along fabulously.-Mattie and Emily had been bridesmaids at Chrissy’s wedding so they were beloved, too.
Jack and Genny had a surprise for Penny, too.-Jack had decided to retire in a couple of years and Genevieve had decided they should move to Kentucky to be near Penny and her family.-They were looking for property in or near Fordsville.-Penny was truly excited about that possibility.-
Ed’s father was almost eighty-four now, but Grandpa Fred had come all the way from California in order the see the newest additions to his family tree.-He was also looking forward to seeing Lydia again and he had bought her a gift that he hoped would let her know how special he thought she was.-Ed’s brother, Bob and his family had come with him and they were all looking forward to a wonderful party and another chance to help spoil the little ones.
Johnny’s Grandpa Patrick and Grandma Keara had traveled all the way from Athenry, Ireland, in County Galway to see their son’s new grandson and to wish the best for their daughter-in
-law’s mother on her eighty-second birthday.- Bruce’s brother, Jim and his wife and family had made the trip with Pat and Keara.-Johnny’s brother, Sean and his wife, and Johnny’s sister, Kathleen, had come a few days earlier.-The rest of the family hoped to be able to come later in the year.