Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 78 - Visits After Dinner

Alan saw Cindy leave with Noah out of the corner of his eye as he danced with the men. He suspected that left Susan watching the children, and when he turned his head, he found he was right. Susan was sitting on the sofa in the back corner of the room, talking to her friend Karen. The two of them were watching Olivia, Melody, Peter, Payton and Cody play while Barbara McGuiness talked to Shelly nearby. Outside, the hour was growing late and it would soon be time for Olivia to go to bed. Alan knew if his mother was still alive, she would probably offer to help; but Susan wasn't his mother. Nor was she Olivia's grandmother. She might be his father's wife, but she had her own children to care for, even when she did try to help.

And so, Alan broke away from the men as soon as the opportunity arose, going to where Olivia stood rubbing her eyes in the corner of the room. He picked her up, encouraging her to say goodnight to Susan and the other children.

"Shall we move the party to the house?" Julie suggested. "That way we can spread out a bit more and the younger children can be put to bed."

"A very good suggestion," Greg said. "Everyone, if you will follow me back to the house."

"We should probably be going, Greg," Howard McGuiness said. "I'm sure Barbara will want to take Cody home to bed too."

"Thank you for inviting us," Barbara added quickly as she picked up her son. She motioned to Tyler to leave when they did.

"I'll see you after a while, Mom," Ashley said.

"There's no hurry, dear. Enjoy yourself," Barbara told her. They said their goodnights and Greg and Susan saw them out the door.

"Would you like to put Payton down in Melody's room?" Susan offered to Karen. "I have our porta crib set up in there, if you'd like to use it."

"Thank you. We're having such a good time, I might just accept your offer," Karen told her.

And so after the McGuiness family said goodbye, everyone else made their way through the cave, entering the Abernathy's house through the library. For most the walk through the cave was a familiar journey, but for a few of their guests, it was new. Once they reached the house, their company began to spread out. Most of the adults went up to the living room, while most of the young people went down to the family room. Susan showed Karen to the nursery, where she put Payton to bed. Alan took Olivia down to the apartment he and his family were using, and was surprised to find Rosemary and her mother in the living room, talking to Cindy.

"Is the party over?" Cindy asked in surprise.

"No. We've just moved it to the house to make it easier to put the kids to bed," Alan said. "Is Noah asleep?"

"I just put him down," Cindy told him. "Come on, Olivia. Let Mommy put you into your pajamas."

"We'll go," Rosemary promised. "Thank you for letting me show my mom around."

"Sure," Cindy said. "We'll see you tomorrow, Rosemary."

"Aren't you coming back upstairs?" Rosemary asked.

"Alan can. I will too, once the kids are a sleep, but that could be a while from now," Cindy told them.

"We should get out of their way. Let's go, Rosemary," Cathy said, and the two showed themselves out, leaving the young family to put their children to bed.

c

Meanwhile back upstairs, Cathy joined her husband, son, and his girlfriend in the Abernathy's living room, visiting with their host's family around the Christmas tree. Suddenly the presence of Christmas in this household was much more prevalent: Susan's preparations for Christmas were more obvious in the way the room was decorated.