Dreams, Memories & Keys

Chapter 27 - Passover in New York

Most uncommonly, Greg met Susan at the airport on Saturday, March 27th when she arrived in New York, the weekend before the start of Passover.

"To what to I owe this honor?" Susan asked as she embraced her husband on the sidewalk outside the Arrival Terminal an hour past noon.

"I am here because a great number of our family are flying in today. Alan, Cindy, and their children have the flight after yours out from the Oakland Airport. They should arrive around 2:00 this afternoon. Aaron and Rita are flying from Sacramento. Their flight should be landing about 2:30. Jake is coming directly from San Diego. He will be here by 3:00. Julie and Elliot are coming from Los Angeles. Theirs was scheduled to land shortly after 2:00, however they've been delayed and should be here about the time Jake is," Greg related, consulting information stored on his phone as he did. "I've rented a fifteen-seater van to accommodate all of us. It's in the parking lot. Shall we carry your luggage there while we're waiting for Alan and Cindy?"

"We might as well," Susan agreed, and they began to walk in that direction, pulling her small suitcase behind her. She counted the number of people who were coming in her head while they walked. "Including you and me, that's twelve people! Plus, all their luggage and car seats for the children. It sounds like we will need a van to fit everything in."

"We will," Greg agreed.

"Have we decided where we're going to put everyone once we get home?" Susan asked.

She and Greg had been talking about it for the past three weeks over the phone, but he'd been the one here in New York, making the arrangements with the rest of the family, so she wondered what they'd come up with.

"We have. Xavier and his family will be staying with Liam once they arrive on Monday evening, which means Norma's guest room is available for Julie and Elliot to use. Everyone else is staying with us. Alan and his family will be in the two guest rooms. Aaron, Rita, and Jake have volunteered to occupy the futons in the atrium for the time they are here," Greg said.

"When is everyone going home?" Susan asked.

"Aaron, Rita and Jake are leaving next Sabbath. That's all the time they could spare from their studies over Spring Break week. Julie, Elliot, Alan and his family will stay through the following week," Greg shared.

Susan nodded. "I almost wish I could go with them next weekend. Zack, Matthew, and I are all spending Easter on our own this year."

"Would you prefer to return to California when the young people do to spend the holiday with them there?" Greg wondered.

"Not this year. We talked about it, and they've agreed to join me in Oakland for Mother's Day in May. That works out better for everyone's schedules. Besides, for April, I need to be here," Susan assured him.

"I'm glad. Jessie and I have missed you while you were away," Greg told her.

"It's getting old, my going back and forth so much, isn't it?" Susan asked.

"It is what you need to do for your career. I understand that," Greg assured her.

"It is for now, but I'm not the only one who thinks this is getting old. Joanna, Maggie, and me have all had to split our time between sites this year, and everyone is feeling the strain. Our work schedule and lack of work life balance is going to be one of the serious points of discussion during our meeting at the London office at the end of this fiscal year," Susan told him.

"Is your meeting still scheduled to go forward the last week of June as planned?" Greg wondered.

"Yes. The arrangements have all been made. The rooms are reserved for the meeting. We have company approval for us all to travel. I even have my reservations. I'll be at the Doubletree Hotel near Kings Cross Station in London the first week I'm there. We can decide later if we want to continue to stay there or move to other places during our trip," Susan explained.