Summer Rain Part 4

Following quickly on from Pt3, this is just a way of rounding off the story of Eddie and Kitty, plus it gave the original title more meaning. (See notes for Pt3.)


Full Circle


Kitty Harrison looked around her kitchen. Today was the big barbecue and she was sure that it wouldn’t run smoothly, it never did. Her two teenage daughters were picking listlessly at their breakfast; both seemed to have something on their minds. Her 9 year old son Chris didn’t seem affected by the unusually quiet atmosphere and was shovelling down food like he hadn’t eaten for a week. But it was Eddie, her husband, that caught her attention. He had never been much of a breakfast person, but he sat in on the family meal because he said it was one of the few times he got to see everyone together. And today he seemed to be greatly amused by something. He kept looking at the girls and chuckling. He was up to something she knew; nearly twenty five years of marriage had taught her to read him like a book. Time to test him then; she nodded to young Chris.
“Dad.” He asked. “Why are ladies bottoms shaped different to men’s?” Julie and Trudi exploded with laughter. Eddie just looked like he had been expecting a similar question. He put down the paper he was reading and looked seriously at his son.
“A good question junior. I think it must be so you have somewhere to put your hands when you kiss them.” Now Kitty burst out laughing as well.
Eddie smiled around the table. He knew Kitty and the princesses put Chris up to these questions and had decided to play them at their own game.
“Have you finished eating Chris?” He asked. His son nodded. “Come on then, time for your haircut.” He looked around the table. “Anyone need anything while we’re out?” There was a shaking of heads. “C’mon then son, grab your helmet.”
“I wish you’d take the car Eddie.” Kate said.
“The quad is perfectly safe love. I got rid of the bike for that reason didn’t I? And the lad likes to sit behind his old man.”
“Just be careful. I don’t want to lose him. Or you.”
Eddie kissed her on the forehead. “We’ll be fine.”

Julie fidgeted until her younger sister left the kitchen. She needed to talk to her mother.
“What’s the matter Julie?” Her mom surprised her by asking before she could say anything.
“You know dad said I could invite my boyfriend to the barbie?” Kate nodded. “Well it might be a bit awkward when he arrives.”
“Why?”
“It’s Jack.”
“Alex’s nephew Jack, from the yard?”
“Yes.”
“Why will that be awkward?”
“Well.” Julie hesitated. “He’s a lot older than me, mom. I don’t know what dad will think.”
Kitty laughed. “I don’t think your father will object to Jack on those grounds dear, after all, Jack’s how old? Twenty five, six. He’s only seven or eight years older than you. Your father is twelve years older than me; I think your bigger problem is Alex.” Kitty smiled at her eldest daughter, and then remembered Eddies chuckling. “Besides which I have the feeling your father knew who you’d ask when he spoke to you.”
“How can he? We’ve kept it very quiet.”
“I just know. Let him have his joke. He’s just getting his own back for Chris.”
Julie smiled. “That one was Tru’s. How did you know we’d primed him?”
“You’ve always got one ready for Saturdays.”
“It was a good answer though.”
“Your dad is not as stupid as he pretends.” Kitty looked out of the window. The sun was shining at the moment but showers were forecast. “Can you check the gazebo and everything are secure love, your dad and Chris put them up, but I think Chris was getting bored by the time they finished.”
“Sure mom, then can I take Tru and get the rolls and buns?”
“All right. I suppose you have to meet Jack while she gets the bread?”
“Mother!” She smiled sheepishly. “How did you guess?”
Kitty just smiled and then went to find Tru.

Trudi was sat on the end of her bed, staring at the wall. Her mother came in and sat beside her. Tru was trying to decide whether to go into further education, a course her older sister had not taken. Julie had gone to work at the council yard as a temporary secretary, and was now an admin assistant. She had used her mothers name to start with, but now everyone knew she was Eddie’s daughter. Trudi, however, had a longing for knowledge that mere reading couldn’t satisfy. Kitty took her hand.
“It’s only you who can decide Tru. Your dad and I will support you whatever you do.”
“Thanks mom. I’m fairly certain I want to go to uni and read history. What I don’t know is what I want to do about Steve.”
“Your on off relationship is off again then.”
Trudi laughed. “At the moment.”
“Perhaps he didn’t want to meet your dad?”
“You may be right. He confuses me mom. Says he loves me for what I am, but doesn’t want me to go to uni.”
“From that I take it that the attraction of Steve does not outweigh the attraction of learning more.” Tru nodded. “Then forget him, find someone who wants what you want.”
“That’s the trick isn’t it?”
“It can be done. Anyway can you go with your sister to fetch the bread? I believe she has something else planned too, just remind her that the barbie is tonight.” Trudi grinned at her mother and then got up and went to find her older sister.

Kitty sighed. Two teenage daughters were a problem. They fed off each other and it was all she could do to steer them away from danger, and now they were close to spreading their wings and leaving home. She was unsure whether this would be good or bad. It was good that they were independent enough to be able to strike out on their own. It would be good to have two less to worry about. It would be good to get back to being just her and Eddie again, (although that would have to wait until Chris left home.) But they were her babies, Eddie’s princesses. (She had asked him why Julie and Trudi were princesses when she used to be his princess. He had told her she had been promoted.) All she and Ed wanted was that they were happy and safe, doing something they wanted to. She sighed again and went back to the kitchen. There was a lot of preparation she needed to do for tonight’s barbecue.

Eddie had left his son giving instructions as to how he wanted his hair styled. He wandered into the local bookshop and went to look at Kate’s output. There were now four volumes of bin man stories. He couldn’t believe he’d told her all of the stories; she must have got some from other sources. And she had other sources didn’t she? Kate had been a journalist for eight years before she went freelance, and she had many, many contacts. That was proved by her humorous books about reporters, emergency services, local politics etcetera, etcetera. People lapped them up. He was proud of her. She had taken what were, to him, old stories passed down from generation to generation and turned them into a funny account of what it was like as a bin collector. The only thing she had never written about was what it was like being married to a bin collector. Maybe she was saving that for the future. He hoped that that one would be a comedy as well, or at least not a tragedy. He sighed to himself. The girls, his princesses, were growing so fast now. Soon, one or both of them would be leaving home for one reason or another and the house would become quiet, especially when Chris went, noisy little devil. Eddie wasn’t sure he could cope with quiet after so many years with children in close attendance. But he’d still have Kitty. After all these years he still had Kitty and he couldn’t believe his luck. In his minds eye he could still picture her with wet hair in a damp anorak, delivering newspapers. It was a memory he treasured. And the first time she kissed him. And the dance in the car park. A million memories. And he could have ruined it all when he tried to do “the right thing.” It was a good job Kate was persistent. It was the one thing that he regretted. That evening in the car park when he told her they should split. They could have had five more years together. He ‘hmmm’ed to himself. Perhaps the five years apart had matured their feelings, made them realise what they had lost, and so more determined to hold onto it when they found each other again. Or when Kate had found him again. He sighed and turned back to the “Hair Stylist”. What happened to Barbers, he wondered. Then he recalled the guest list for the barbecue tonight and grinned. Tonight his teasing daughters would get the wind-up of their lives. After tonight they would think twice before pulling their poor old dad’s leg.

“JULIE, these bags are HEAVY. Hurry up.” Trudi told her elder sister, who was talking on her phone at the same time as trying to open her mothers car. Julie got the doors open and popped the boot as well, enabling her younger sibling to put down her burden. “I can’t see why you need to phone Jack, you’ve only just left him at the bakers.”
“It’s important that Jack understands that dad is up to something tonight. I don’t want him scared off.”
“You worry too much Jules. Whatever else dad might do, he won’t interfere with your life.”
“Not intentionally, no, but…”
“Has he or mom ever tried to make us do anything we didn’t want?”
“No, but…”
“Have they ever said we can’t make a particular choice because they don’t like it?”
“No. I know. I’m just worrying for nothing.”
“So come up with a counter plan.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Tell dad he’s going to be a granddad! That should be funny.” The sudden silence from Julie made Trudi look round. “You’re not…”
Julie burst out laughing. “No, but I think Jack wants to ask dad if we can get married. It might be fun to intimate that there’s another reason, if Jack agrees. Thanks sis, you have an evil mind.” The two girls got into the car. “How are things going with Steve?”
“They’re not. It’s all ‘me’ with him. He thinks I’ll stay here with him rather than go to university.”
“Tru, that’s two years from now.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that you’ve got two years to change his mind.” She looked across at her younger sister. “That’s if you think he’s worth it. I mean you’ve only been going out with him since you both were five!”
“We were at least six before we went to the playground together.” Trudi grinned at Julie, who laughed back. “Tonight is going to be such fun.”


Eddie and Chris were in the garden, ostensibly to put up some lights for later in the evening and to start the fire in the barbeque, but mainly for some last minute planning between the two of them.
“Dad, I know you’ve got something planned for Julie, But what about Trudi?”
“I was going to leave that to you Junior. Maybe ask one of her friend’s one of your ‘innocent’ questions?”
“You mean you’d leave it up to me?”
“Sure, why not?”
“All right, I know who I’ll ask, Emily.”
“Emily?”
“Jane’s younger sister, she’s only a few years older than me.”
“She’s thirteen, son.”
“She’s shy though, and cute.”
“Are you sure you want to embarrass her?”
“I think I know what I’m doing dad.”
“Okay junior, I’ll leave it to you.”

Kitty was surprised when she answered the ring of the doorbell. It was Steve, Trudi’s long-time friend. The two had gone to school together for more than ten years but things had been awkward for the last two months, since Tru had announced her intention to go to university. The lad stood shyly at the door.
“Tru’s out at the moment Steve, can I help?”
“You can Mrs H; it’s you I need to talk to.”
“Me?”
“Yes. I need to explain something.”
“Come into the kitchen Steve, though I ought to say that I won’t interfere with anything Tru decides.”
“That’s the problem Mrs H; everyone has misunderstood what I said. I told her I didn’t want her to go to uni without me.”
“That’s what she told me.”
“I never said I didn’t want her to go to uni.”
A light dawned for Kitty. “And she, we, all assumed..?”
“Precisely. I don’t care where she goes, I’ll go with her. If it means I have to wash dishes at night, I don’t care.”
Kitty looked at the earnest young lad and smiled. She hugged him. He stepped back in surprise. “I’m sorry Steve, but you’ve just made my day. Tru never really wanted to go away on her own, but if you want to go with her, either as a student or just to be with her, I’m sure Eddie and I have enough contacts to make sure you’re not washing dishes.”
Steve smiled. “Thanks Mrs H, you’ve helped me a lot over the years, and I’d like to be able to repay you and Mr Harrison.”
“If you can keep Tru happy, I’m sure that will be more than enough for Eddie. Make sure you tell Trudi as soon as possible, and come to the barbeque this evening, tell her I said you were to come.”
Steve got up to leave. “Mrs H, you’re a real brick.” On impulse he kissed her on the cheek, before turning and running off.
Kitty stood stunned holding the cheek he’d kissed. Had she and Eddie had these problems, she mused? Probably not, Eddie seemed to create most of them himself. Sighing she returned to the kitchen, there were one or two things she wanted to prepare for tonight, including Dermot’s special sauce, the recipe for which he had passed on to her before he’d died a couple of years ago.

Eddie looked around the garden. He could see friends, neighbours, workmates, relatives and they were all having a good time. The evening had been a scorcher, although the sky was darkening now. Just for once, nothing had gone wrong. Chris had enjoyed himself by cooking some of the food, Trudi was enjoying some reconciliation with her long-time boyfriend and Julie, between looking around for some huge joke and waiting for some pronouncement from him, had been smooching Jack almost all evening. Kitty had looked harassed to start with, but Eddie had organised his children to take some of the load off their mother, and had made sure she didn’t try to do everything. Now was his moment, he decided. He caught Chris’s eye and the youngster came over to him.
“Sorry dad, I couldn’t do it. She’s too nice.” Eddie raised his eyebrow. “I’ve asked her out instead.” He raised his other eyebrow. “Could you take us to the cinema next week?”
“Junior, you need to be careful taking girls to the movies. I ended up marrying your mother.”
“Is that bad?” Chris asked, knowing that there was no answer.
“Oh, go away Chris; you’re nearly as awkward as your sisters.” The boy scampered off. Eddie went to find Kitty.
She was overseeing the cooking of the last few sausages. Trudi and Steve were giggling as they turned them. Kitty looked at him, he nodded. The two of them went to the edge of the decking and looked out over the throng of friends and family. Eddie cleared his throat and then using the voice that had guided a hundred reversing RCV’s spoke.
“Everyone please, it’s time I said a few words.” The hubbub died down and he carried on. “I’d like to thank you all for coming and thank you even more for not drinking all my beer.” Everyone laughed; Eddie’s little speeches were always funny. “It’s been a good year; we’ve all got a little older, except Kitty of course.” She thumped his arm. “It’s been a lot of fun, apart from the odd day here and there. So a toast to all of us.” Everyone raised a drink in acknowledgement. “Now, you’re all waiting for the big leg pull on my two lovely daughters, who’ve been tormenting me all year.” There was a cheer, and Trudi and Julie looked embarrassed. “Well, I’m sorry to say, there isn’t one.” The girls’ shoulders sagged in relief, everyone else groaned. “I can’t compete with them. They’re much too sneaky for me.” A huge laugh. “So I’d just like to say enjoy yourselves for the rest of the evening, but leave me something to drink tomorrow so I can forget all this.” There was another huge laugh, and some applause. Eddie paused, as if remembering something.
“Oh yes, Jack, I believe you wanted to say something?”
“Yes sir.” The lad stepped forward, looking more than a little worried. “Julie, can I ask you to marry me?” He asked in a clear voice, as if he’d been practising all week.
Julie looked stunned. Kitty whispered in Eddie’s ear. “You are the sneakiest man I know, but I still love you,”
Julie walked over to Jack and kissed him. “Of course I’ll marry you.” She paused. “I‘ll get dad back later.”
“What you forget, my dear Julie is that although I have an office on the second floor, no-one tells me I have to stay in it.” Eddie smiled. “And of course Jack works for me.”
At this point the clouds that had been darkening began to rain. It was a gentle, warm, summer rain. Most of the guests ducked for cover, but Eddie and Kitty began to dance. Julie and Jack followed suit, so did Trudi and Steve. Chris persuaded Emily to do the same, so did some of the others.
“Isn’t it nice to have your own private weather?” Eddie whispered to his beloved wife.
“How do you arrange it?”
“Contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually have any connection with any deity. I just watch the weather reports.”
“I still love you just the same.”
Eddie Harrison looked around at his family, all of them lost in their own happy thoughts. “I’ll always love you Kitty. Thank you for all of this. Without you I’d have nothing.”
Katherine Harrison looked into the eyes of the man she’d loved for nearly thirty years. She saw the same sincerity and honesty that she’d seen that day in the car park, remembering his words. “I couldn’t lie to you or stand you up.” She kissed him. “How soon can we persuade this lot to go home?”