Companionship

Chapter 27

After watching movies two days in a row, everyone was ready to go sledding and bake cookies. Marcy still baked every day but only while Aisling slept. With so many of them, they did the siblings' favorite Christmas movies first then the Spouses' the next night.

It was great fun and except for a few films, very Christmasy.

M-A-P

Marcy made everyone pack and the house was (mostly) clean for this interview.

A reporter and a photographer showed up at six in the morning and Marcy met them at the door in her outfit that she'd picked out that Monday.

Mal wore his outfit and Ellen wore hers.

"Hello." Marcy pointed to their feet. "This is a shoe free home. You can put your shoes on this rug and if being barefoot is too weird for you, you can put on a pair of these slippers."

The pair looked at each other but took off their shoes and put on the fluffy white slippers as Diaz checked them out.

The reporter stuck her hand out once she was cleared. "Hi, I'm Candy Greene. This is Ernie Dekker."

Marcy wiggled her fingers. "I'm not really a toucher."

Candy frowned.

"If you really want to shake my hand, we both can either wash in a powder room or use sanitizer."

"Sanitizer is quicker." Candy was confused.

Marcy was hoping to wash her hands but she had given the woman options. "I guess that means we can start in the great room."

All five went to the soothing room and Marcy went to the big jug of hand sanitizer. She pumped twice then quickly but thoroughly rubbed her hands together.

Both Candy and Ernie copied her.

Marcy stuck her hand out. "Hi. I'm Dr. Marcy Chang. This is Dr. Mal Chang and Mrs. Ellen Chang."

Candy was surprised that Marcy had only wanted to be clean and not be colorist (Candy was a stunning mahogany coloring). "It's very nice to meet you."

"Thank you."

Ernie shook her hand next then both he and Candy shook Ellen's and Mal's hands. "Nice to meet ya folks."

"Thank you."

Candy took out a tape recorder. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all." Marcy shook her head.

Candy turned it on. "Okay. Can you tell me about this room?"

"Yes." Marcy looked around. "This is the great room; the biggest of the living areas. I wanted it soothing and calming so that's why it's all blues, creams and silvers. Not many hard things are in here either, nor sharp things. See how the tables are all round?

There's very little carpet in this house but we do have rugs beneath the heavy furniture. We're also big on storage so you'll see these huge wicker baskets all over." Marcy pointed out the three in that room.

"It does look very beautiful in here." Candy noted. "Is that a real working fireplace beneath the mantel?"

"Yes." Marcy went to it. "Here is the wood box. We actually lit this fireplace three days ago."

Candy was surprised. In a lot of rich or celebrity homes, even if the fireplace was real, it didn't get lit. "And on the mantel?"

"Professional photos of our family. There are professional photos of us all over this room." Marcy pointed out slickly placed photos. "There are also crystals. Those and candles are all over the house to help with energy and spiritual alignment."