Chapter 46
“I hate to tell you this...”
The only word to describe it was shock. Gen felt as though a huge bucket of ice water had just been dumped on her head. Hearing a worried voice on the phone when her boyfriend had just taken off in bad weather did nothing to ease Gennie’s mind. She didn’t know exactly how to react.
“Stace?” she asked, confused.
“Oh, Gen. I am really, really sorry.”
“Do you mind telling me why? What’s happened?”
“John’s supposed to get in tonight, isn’t he?” she sounded rather anxious.
“Well, yeah. Why? Is everything Ok?”
Stacey sensed the worry in her voice. “Oh… well… it’s just mom. Some stuff’s come up with her and I have to take her to the hospital. It’s nothing major, she’ll be Ok, but they’re gonna have to admit her, do some tests and stuff.”
Perhaps a little guiltily, Gen breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, Stace, I’m sorry to hear that. I’m glad she’s gonna be OK, though. But what’s the problem then?”
Stacey hesitated before she spoke. “Well, Josh is out of town and… mom really prefers if someone stays with her when she’s in the hospital. You know how she is.”
“Yeah.” She had an idea of what was coming next.
“So… omigod, I don’t believe I’m asking you to do this… but can the kids stay with you tonight?” It killed her to have to ask. “I know it’s your big night and all. I’ve tried to think of anyone else who could do it for me, but it’s come down to you.” She took a deep breath and held it. She felt terrible for what she was doing to her best friend. “I am so, so sorry.”
“Stace! Don’t worry about it. Of course I will. It’s not a problem.” Well, it was a little bit, she thought, but she would do anything for Stacey. Frankly, she was just relieved that it wasn’t something tragic like she’d originally thought. “Do you want me to come get them?”
“No, actually, they’re in the playroom here in the hospital at the moment.” She paused as she tried to come up with a plan. “Tell ya what. I’m gonna take them back home, pack up some clothes for them, and some for me too, I guess,” she added as an afterthought, “and then I’ll drop ‘em over. Ok?”
“Well,” Gen looked at the clock. “I’ve only got about forty five minutes till I have to pick him up. Can you be here quickly?”
Stacey pondered her schedule. “Sure. I’ll be there in, oh, thirty?”
“Great!”
“Thanks a million, Gen. I really owe you. I just hate to do this to you.”
“Stace, don’t worry. It’s fine. You’ve gotta get your mom taken care of.” They said a hasty goodbye and disconnected.
Gen enjoyed her last minute of calm and checked her face in the mirror. All was fine with the hair and makeup. She considered what she could do in a hurry to make her home more hospitable to a three and a six year old. She dashed into the spare bedrooms and picked up folded laundry and other various and sundry items that had found their way to the unused beds, and made them ready for her tiny visitors. She collected her limited number of kid books, saved for occasions just like this, from her bookshelves and placed them by the beds. Knowing Alex was afraid of the dark, she dug a night light out of the closet and plugged it in beside one bed. She made sure the step stool was by the sink in the extra bathroom for him too. Just as she was certain everything was in order, the doorbell rang.
Two smiling, but sleepy faces greeted her. Stacey pulled their ‘Goin’ to Grandma’s’ bags out of the car and made her way up the walk.
“Ok,” Stacey took a deep breath and tried to make sure she didn’t forget anything, “I think I’ve got everything in their bags. I’ve already put their jammies on them and they’ve brushed their teeth, so they’re ready for bed.” Giving Gen a knowing glance, she winked, “I didn’t think you’d be too interested in getting them ready once you and John got back.”
Gen blushed. “um… Thanks for that.”
“I’ve told them they’ve got to go straight to bed when you get back from the airport.” She looked at the two sleepy kids, “Right, guys? You know you’ve gotta go to bed right away, OK?”
The two pajama’d kids nodded.
“I’ve got their clothes for tomorrow in their bags. You know where Alex’s daycare is, don’t you? And Meggy has to be at school by 8.” She pushed the kids through the door and pulled Gen out on the porch so the kids couldn’t hear. “I hate to tell you this, but I just realized I forgot to pack Meggy’s bear so she may not be easy to get to sleep. Maybe she won’t realize it’s not there. I really did tell them not to bother you tonight, so….”
Gen laughed at her obvious concern with their privacy. “It’ll be fine Stace. We’ll manage.”
“Yeah, but I know you’re not used to kids in the house, so I’m just warning you…lock the door!” She gave Gen a good luck thumbs up and was gone.
Noticing the time, Gennie kicked it into high gear. She looked at the two tired kids holding storybooks. Megan was wearing a short pajama set that passed for clothes, but Alex was looking every bit the sleepy hero dressed in his Superman pj’s, complete with a cape. “Ok, guys. You ready to go to the airport?”
“Gennie,” Megan announced, “we brought books to read while we wait at the airport. We have to be good.”
“Aw, Meggy, I’d really appreciate it if you are,” Gen smiled at her as she got the kids buckled into their seats.
“Mommy says we’re going to the airport to get a boyfriend for you.”
Her sincerity made Gennie giggle. “Well, Megs, I don’t know what your mom told you, we are going to get a boyfriend, but not just any ol’ boyfriend. My boyfriend. He’s coming to visit from California.”
“What’s his name?”
“Johnny.”
“Johnny is the guy who gave you those presents to give us, isn’t he?”
“Uh huh.”
“I brought Jennifer with me. She’s in my suitcase. But Alex didn’t bring his workin’ machine.”
“That’s Ok.”
“Yeah,” Megan sighed, “he’s asleep anyway.”
John waited impatiently as the plane taxied up to the gate. He was dying to get out and get his arms around Gennie. It had only been a week and a half since he’d last seen her, but it had seemed like an eternity. As soon as they opened the door, he didn’t waste any time getting up and out. He briskly strode through the corridor ahead of everyone else, ready to take her in his arms and give her a scorching passionate kiss as soon as he laid eyes on her. He bounded through the entrance and though it wasn’t what he’d expected, he couldn’t have been happier to see her. But it looked like the kiss would have to wait. Evidently she didn’t expect him to be the first one off because she wasn’t even paying attention. She sat reading a story to a little girl while a small boy sat sound asleep on her lap.
“Darlin’ you weren’t kidding,” he walked up to her, grinning. “This is definitely a surprise.” Her head shot up and he looked into her clear blue eyes. The smile on her face was priceless. He could tell right away that she was as happy to see him, as he was to see her.
“Johnny!” She jumped up with Alex in her arms and gave him the best kiss she could afford him under the circumstances.
“So, let me guess, is this Megan and Alex?” he asked smiling in Megan’s direction.
“Yes.” Megan replied, beating Gen to the punch. “You’re Johnny.”
“Yup, that’s me!”
“We’re gonna take you home with us. Let’s go.” The confident little girl reached for his hand and pulled him in the direction of the baggage carousel.
More than a little taken aback, he gave Gen a quick glance and a stunned smile as Meggy led him to collect his belongings.
Following on his and Meggy’s heels, Gen leaned close and mumbled in hushed tones, “This wasn’t the surprise I had intended for you, by the way.”
John chuckled. “Y’know, somehow, I really didn’t think so. So what’s the occasion?”
“We have two little guests tonight. Stacey’s mom’s in the hospital and so we’ve got the kids cause Josh is out of town.”
“Is everything alright?” he asked with genuine concern.
Megan looked up at Johnny and said happily, “Grandma’s gonna be Ok. She just has to take some tests before they let her go home tomorrow.” She rolled her eyes as if that was the most outrageous thing she’d ever heard.
Gennie was impressed with Megan’s poise in talking to John without ever having met him before. She gave her an approving smile, rewarding her self-confidence. Meg smiled back proudly, obviously pleased with herself.
“So I…we, get to stay at Gennie’s house tonight! But don’t worry. We’re gonna be good. We have to go to bed right away when we get home. Mom made us promise.”
John giggled, turning to Gen and wiggling his eyebrows at her with a flirty grin on his face. “Oh really?”
Just then, the buzzer sounded and the carousel started its rotation, waking Alex from his slumber. “Hey Superman, you wanna meet my friend?” Gennie asked him in a soothing voice intended to keep him from freaking out and causing a scene. She turned so the sleepy boy could see him. “This is Johnny. He’s the one who picked out that truck I gave you.”
Alex smiled timidly, happily recalling his favorite toy, but feeling oh so shy in the presence of this stranger. He tried to bury his tired face in Gen’s hair, but was curious about this new guy who also happened to be holding his sister’s hand. He stole another peek. He couldn’t be all that bad.
“Gen, you didn’t tell me you knew Superman!”
Alex’s face fought to hide the huge smile that he seemed to desperately want to reveal. His cheeks turned pink and he turned his face away from John again. It was almost like flirting, he was challenging this new person to bring him out of his shyness.
“I see you even have a cape. That’s so cool! When I was a kid, I used to have my mom pin a towel to the back of my shirt. I never knew I’d meet the real Superman!” He extended his hand. “Superman, my name’s John. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Alex blushed; he figured he knew him well enough that he could reveal his true identity. “I’m not Superman. I’m Alex.”
A playful look of shock registered on John’s face. “You’re kidding! You look just like Superman!”
Alex struggled to break free from Gen’s hold so he could get down and do some superhero posturing. He was wide-awake now. “Dun da da dah!” He jumped down and thrust a fist in the air. John and Gennie both enjoyed the show he was giving them. Evidently, so did a few other passengers.
When his bag finally emerged from the conveyer belt, John interrupted the performance. “Hey Superman, can I get a hand with my suitcase? It’s pretty heavy.”
“Sure!” he exclaimed without breaking character. “ Da dah! Superman to the rescue!” Alex shoved his fists out in front of him and took off running, his cape fluttering all the way, to where John stood. He grabbed hold of the handle on the bag and tugged with all his might.
When they got it off the carousel, Alex looked very pleased with himself. John patted him on the back. “Thank god I had the man of steel here to help me.” Alex kept a hand on the bag the whole time as they rolled it along. You just couldn’t be too careful. Sure, John looked strong, but he didn’t have a big red cape on his back! He might need some more help.
In the car on the ride home, the kids didn’t fall asleep, as she’d hoped. Instead, they monopolized John’s attention by talking to him the entire way home. Gen listened to their conversation, but kept replaying in her mind something that she saw at the airport. While they were waiting for their bags and Alex was demonstrating his superhero talents, she noticed a couple of college age girls staring at Johnny, whispering. They weren’t far off so even though they spoke very quietly, she still heard a good deal.
“Is that who I think it is?” one girl, who was wearing a blue shirt asked, clearly surprised.
Her friend in a red baseball cap replied, “Yeah, I think it is. I heard her call him Johnny.”
“What the hell is he here for?”
“Hell if I know. Maybe that’s his sister. I know he has lots of them.”
“Dude,” the girl in blue sputtered, “I don’t think it’s his sister. Did you see how he took off when the plane landed? And he gave her a major kiss when he saw her.”
“Omigod! You don’t think that’s his wife, do you? Those aren’t his kids?” The girl in the ball cap tried to look everywhere but directly at them, though she tried to keep them in her sights all the same.
“Nah, he’s not married. At least I don’t think so. Not that anybody knows about anyway. But the kids are kinda blond now that you mention it.”
“Hmmm…” the red cap girl hummed thoughtfully, “That poor woman…if she is his wife.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Well, I bet she never sees him. She just raises those kids all by herself here in… in… in Oklahoma!” she stuttered incredulously.
“Yeah, and he never mentions her either. How horrible to be married to someone like that. You know, you think that it would be all dreamy and stuff, being married to a famous guy like that, but I bet it’s gotta suck.”
“Yeah, probably.”
“But he is cute though.”
“Yeah.”
Gen wasn’t sure why she let it happen, but that little overheard exchange bothered her. Of course it wasn’t true. But what if it had been? How accurate would their portrayal of being Mrs. Rzeznik be? She took a deep breath and shook it off. ‘Good thing I don’t have to worry about that!’ she thought to herself.
“Gennie,” a little voice called to her from the back seat, bringing her out of her thoughts, “Are you really gonna make us go to bed? We wanna play with Johnny for a little while. He’s fun.”
John stared at Gen curiously, eyebrows raised and an impish smile on his face. “Ya hear that darlin’? I’m fun.”
She met with a provocative gaze. “I know you are, so I wanna play with you first,” she murmured quietly before she spoke up for the kids to hear. “Guys, I heard you promise your mom…straight to bed, ok?”
“Aw Gennie, can’t we even have a story?”
She knew what was happening. They would milk it for all it’s worth. But she was sort of duty bound to be the one to spoil them when their mom was not around. And she had always tried to do that for them. Whether it be letting them have dessert first, staying up late to watch TV when mom and dad went out, or buying that Britney Spears CD that she and Stace just couldn’t stand, Gennie had a reputation to uphold. A lot was riding on it.
“Pleeeeeease,” Meggy pleaded.
“Please, please,” Alex begged along.
“Ok. You get one bedtime story.”
“Yippee!” Meggy exclaimed. “I want Johnny to read mine!”
“Me too!” Alex chimed in.
John proposed an idea. “How about one of you gets me and one of you gets Gennie?”
“No,” Meggy whined. “I want you to read to me. I think you’re cool.”
“Thanks Megs. Does that mean I’m not cool?” Gen asked, acting hurt.
“No, but I want him to read to me, not Alex. I’m the oldest, so I should win. He’s just the little brother”
“Ah, Megan, better watch what you say,” Johnny interjected cleverly, “I’m was youngest so I’m the little brother in my family. There’s nothing wrong with being the little brother, is there big guy?” he said, winking at Alex.
“Yeah,” Alex grinned and stuck his tongue out at his sister.
“Tell ya what,” John had another suggestion. “How about I read one story to both of you, then Gen can tuck you in and kiss you good night?”
“Ok,” Meggy replied suspiciously. “But I wanna sit next to you. Ok?”
“I’ve got a better idea.” John smiled at the kids in the back seat. “I’ll sit in the middle and you can both sit by me.”
“Yay!” the kids clapped and cheered in unison.
Gen rolled her eyes. “You know, I used to be very popular with them once. Don’t get too used to it. Fame is fleeting with the Sesame Street set.”
John chuckled and patted her on the knee. “Aw, you’re just jealous cause you’re a has been. You’re washed up. You’re yesterday’s news.”
She turned and grinned at him. “I see that bump on your forehead has disappeared.”