Chapter 4 - Plans for a Party


The adjustment to Susan and Melody's schedule on Wednesday was well received by everyone. Melody didn't seem to mind staying home for the day, when Rosemary arrived early to care for her. Susan was sure in her mind that meant Rosemary there to play with her. The rest of the children she and Greg dropped off at the bus stop on the way to the studio; which meant, they only had one car with them and would be able leave together after work that afternoon. Their plan was have dinner together out and shop for Melody's birthday afterwards, instead of going directly home.


"You rode in together?" Richard asked the pair as he walked out to the parking lot with them at the end of their workday.


"We did. Rosemary is staying with the children this evening until Matt gets home so we can shop," Greg explained.


"Do you know what you're getting?" Richard asked curiously.


"A play structure of some type," Susan told him, and she explained what it was they were looking for.


"Ah. I know just the place," Richard told them, and he proceeded to tell them about a store which was essentially a showroom for children's home play equipment.


"Have you been there?" Greg asked curiously.


"We have. Marion was hoping to find something small we could put on our deck for the twins," Richard explained.


"Did you find what you were looking for?" Greg asked his friend.


"We found more than we were looking for ... so we're still trying to make up our mind," Richard said. "We'll probably get them something for their second birthday."


Susan cocked her head. "I suppose you think Melody is too young for something like that?" she asked their friend doubtfully.


"Not in her case, Susan. My brother got some play equipment like you're talking about for Jeremy when he was about Melody's age. It motivated him to try to climb, giving him a reason to use his legs. That's exactly what he needed ... and from what I can see, Melody does too. My only caution about that might be to make sure you have a mat of some kind to put under it. Jeremy fell off his rather regularly until he was between four and five years old," Richard related.


"Jeremy is your nephew?" Greg confirmed.


"Yes. He's a little older than Matt, but at that age, having something he was interested in to help him get moving made a definite difference," Richard said.


Greg cocked his head. "Thank you, Richard. Sometimes I forget you have experience with DS within your family."


"Don't mention it," Richard remarked. "See you tomorrow. Good luck."


"Thank you," Susan said and they said goodbye to their friend.


c


Richard thought about his friends as he drove home. He could remember a time when they doubted Melody would live long enough to have a first birthday party, so he couldn't blame them for wanting to make it as special as possible. He was still thinking about that when he arrived home, where Marion met him at the door.


"Hi," she said with a cheerful grin, holding an envelope in her hands.


"Hi," Richard said with a smile and a kiss as he embraced his wife. "What have you got there?"


"An invitation to Melody's birthday party," Marion told him.


"Funny. I was just talking to Greg and Susan at the studio about Melody's birthday while we were getting ready to leave this evening. They're shopping for some sort of play structure for her to help with her physical therapy," Richard explained. "It sounds like they want to have it in time for her birthday."


"A play structure, Richard? Really?" Marion questioned. "Melody can't even walk yet!"


"No, but she does crawl, and apparently she can climb. They're trying to find a way to encourage her to use her legs on something other than their stairs. That could work, Marion. That's what Charles did for Jeremy when he was little and it did him a world of good," Richard related.


"Did you tell them that?" Marion asked doubtfully.


"I did. So anyway, they're headed for that giant store we went to once in the valley, looking for something like that," Richard told her.


"Okay," Marion said, sounding vaguely distracted. "Did they say anything about the party?"


"Not directly. Why?"


"It's this invitation," Marion said as the twins came toddling down the hall looking for their father.


"Hi," he said and he knelt to greet them each with a hug.


"Are you two invited?" Richard asked Charlie and Melissa. He was actually talking to Marion, but both children were eager to interact with him.


"Of course they are; but Richard, I want to tell you about this," Marion said over the enthusiastic greeting of the twins with Richard, upon his arrival home.


"I tell you two what. How about we find something for you to play with, so your mom can talk to me, hum?" Richard suggested.


"Here," Marion said as she retrieved toys the children hadn't played with in a while from their room and enticed the toddlers to the middle of the living room floor to play while their parent's talked.


"You were saying?" Richard asked, once Melissa and Charlie were temporarily distracted, giving them a moment of relative quiet to talk.


"Melody's birthday is on Valentine's Day," Marion began.


"Yes, I know. What of it?"


"Susan included a note with the invitation, not only inviting us to the party in the afternoon, but also extending an invitation to all those with children, to watch them for the evening so their parents can go out, in honor of the day," Marion said breathlessly, hurrying to get it all in before one of the twins interrupted them again.


Richard grinned. "That is an excellent plan! Leave it to Susan to come up with something like that."


"So, should we?" Marion asked tentatively.


"That depends. How many kids are they inviting?" Richard wondered.


"I think it's just the family, and maybe a friend or two from Susan's church. I think she said Ashley and her parents and brothers are coming."


Richard thought over what he knew of those who were probably invited.


"I hate to leave them with so many kids, but they must have a plan for that," Richard mused.


"I'm sure they do. Can we, Richard?" Marion asked. "Can we make plans, and really go out?"


"Did you have some place in mind?" Richard asked his wife.


"That new little place, over by where Greg and Susan used to live. Edwardo's, I think it's called. The place we tried to go on New Year's Eve. I've heard it's really good," Marion suggested.


Richard smiled. "Greg and Susan went there on their anniversary, and they said it's very good. I think that's a wonderful idea, Marion. Tell Susan we're coming. Double check about leaving the kids for the evening, then I'll make the reservations," Richard promised.


Marion grinned. "I don't know when I've looked forward so much to going to someone else's child's birthday."


"I think I am too ... and Charlie and Melissa would be, if they knew what we were talking about," Richard predicted. "They usually like spending time with Melody and the other children."


"Probably," Marion said.


And she went to call Susan before making them all dinner.


c


"So what do you think?" Susan asked her husband as they walked among the various play equipment displays intended for use at home.


"I think one of these expandable systems might be best. We can get the basic toddler's slide and platform first. Use it in Melody's nursery or the cottage as you say until the weather improves in the spring. Then we can move it out onto the children's deck and add to it at the time of Jessie's birthday. That way it could be used by both girls," Greg proposed.


"If we're going to do that, we need to make sure we get one of those expandable mats to put under it," Susan said.


"The inside type or the outside one?" Greg wondered.


Susan frowned. "I don't know. Is there any reason we might need the inside type after we move it outdoors?"


"Is it possible Rosemary might still make use of it to help Melody with her exercises indoors?" Greg asked.


"Maybe. I suppose we could still use it for an indoor play area in the nursery. It would provide her with better padding than playing on the floor. Her floor is carpeted, but it still doesn't offer her as much protection as these would," Susan mused, looking various mats surrounded by tiny play houses, a play kitchen, and a castle, all intended for children a little older than Melody. Beside it were a toddler-sized picnic bench and other tiny furniture in bright colors, also intended for toddlers and preschoolers.


Greg smiled. It would be a long time before Melody would be ready for any of that, but it was good to see Susan looking so far ahead.


"That sounds like a very good idea," Greg agreed and they ordered the play structure and the indoor-outdoor protective mat they'd decided on.


Susan also chose a number of smaller toys and a book for infants. Greg did too, and they headed for home with the back of their family-sized SUV completely full, after only few hours at the store.


c


Susan looked over the back seat while Greg started the car.


"It's a good thing we brought the big car today," she remarked.


"It is occasionally good for hauling things, as well as for transporting our family," Greg agreed as they drove.


They rode together in silence for a time before he asked, "Did I tell you I heard from Brian yesterday?"


"About the elevator?" Susan asked.


"Yes. He dug out the materials he has about our house and our property. He thinks installing an elevator in the shaft in the cave would be considerably less expensive, as the space is readily available; only the materials and minimal construction would be required. He's already called Mr. Van Kirk about it to see what he thinks," Greg said.


"What did he say?" Susan asked in surprise.


"He agrees. He feels there would be some minor excavating needed at the top to free an additional passageway of debris, but his suspicion is there is a natural opening already there. He would have to inspect it to be sure, but that was his opinion," Greg said.


"Did he quote you a price?" Susan wondered.


"Not yet. If we feel we'd like to go that route, he'd like to come by to look at the cave again this coming Thursday, while you are home," Greg said.


"Tomorrow?" Susan asked in surprise.


"Tomorrow is Thursday, isn't it," Greg realized. "Yes, that is the day he suggested. I suppose I should call him this evening to let him know."


"Would you rather do that than to install one on the other side of the house, like Brian suggested?" Susan asked.


"I think currently, that's our best option, Susan. I know putting the elevator in the cave only provides minimal handicapped access to most of the house ... but it does give access to the cave ... all of it ... including the garage, since the passageways we use have all been made even and easily walkable or traversable by wheelchair on both levels, and given there would be no actual construction involved, he expects it would be relatively inexpensive. The other option Brian described to us would involve a more extensive remodel of the house, and would therefore be much more costly to do. However, it would also give those with limited mobility access to more of the house," Greg said.


Susan considered what he was saying. "From the library, it's only a half flight of stairs up to the living room or down to the kitchen and the family room. Those are the rooms guests would tend to use most. They are also the rooms I visited most often when I was restricting my movements before Melody was born."


"True, but it did not give you access to the dining room, or the children's bedrooms," Greg said.


"I don't suppose Brian gave you an actual cost on that?"


"He offered to work on a ballpark figure for me, if we think we'd like to go that way. It wouldn't be detailed, but he thinks he could have something for me in two to three weeks. He thinks George Van Kirk should be able to do better than that by tomorrow," Greg said. "But his guess is the cost will be three to four times as much."


Susan arched her brow. "Maybe we should just wait to hear what Mr. Van Kirk says, to be sure? But I agree with you, Greg. If he's right about the cost, I think putting the elevator in the cave is the better plan."


"That does sound like a better use of our funds to me," Greg agreed as he turned onto Deer Hollow Parkway and approached their gate. He triggered it to open and maneuvered the car down the driveway. "Should we leave everything in the car?" Greg wondered.


"We might as well. The play structure is so big I'm not sure where we could hide it in the house. And I don't think we'll be using this car very much in the next ten days."


"No, but we probably could store it in the cave," Greg suggested. "That would be more convenient for when we are ready to put it together."


"You're going to need Matthew and Zack to help move it. Let's go greet the family, talk to them about it, then decide what to do," Susan said.


"Reasonable," Greg agreed.


And so with their arms full of only the smaller things they'd bought, they went to greet the family, taking over for Rosemary so she could go home.


c


"Thank you so much for staying so late!" Susan told her.


"I didn't mind. Melody and I had fun today," Rosemary assured her as she met them in the library with Melody in her arms. "I think she might be ready for bed though," she commented when Melody interrupted her, reaching for Susan while rubbing her eyes and greeting her mother with a yawn.


"Jessie probably is too," Susan said as she set her packages down and took Melody in her arms. Melody leaned into Susan, resting her head on her mother's shoulder as she talked.


"Jessie and Zack are still working on homework," Rosemary said. "Matt isn't home yet, but he should be soon. I think he said he's getting off at eight tonight."


"He usually does," Susan said. "I've asked him not to work later than that on a school night."


"Are you sure you don't need me tomorrow?" Rosemary asked.


"Not this week, I don't think," Susan said.


"I'll see you out, Rosemary," Greg offered.


"Thank you. Good night," Rosemary said.


"Good night."


Susan was dressing Melody in her pajamas when Greg returned from seeing Rosemary to the door.


"Do you need me to see to Jessie?" Greg asked.


"She's changing too. I promised the children a special story tonight when they're ready. I hope that is alright, but I thought it might be a good idea since we've been gone all evening," Susan said.


"That is perfectly alright. I think I'll check with Zack. Maybe he needs help with his homework," Greg said.


Matt was home by the time the girls were ready for bed. Susan and the four children gathered in Jessie's room and listened while Greg performed one of their favorite stories. It didn't take them long, and soon the girls were asleep while the boys went back to working on homework again.


Susan smiled at her husband feeling content. Their entire family was currently happy, healthy and doing well, and she was feeling very, very blessed.


c


Thursday, in theory, was Susan's day off from work. What that really meant was she didn't go into the studio or work on her programming, but it didn't mean she didn't work. She spent time with Melody, doing her exercises in the pool, and generally being together. But Susan also worked on the menu for her birthday party. She was intending to call her mother to discuss her ideas mid-morning, when the doorbell rang.


"Hello Mrs. Abernathy." It was George Van Kirk standing there, smiling broadly.


"Hello Mr. Van Kirk. Welcome," Susan said with a smile.


"And this must be your little girl," he said with a grin as he looked at Melody in her mother's arms. "The last time I saw you, you were just a twinkle in your father's eye."


Susan smiled as Melody hid her face momentarily against her shoulder before becoming brave enough to take another look at the large black man.


"She's a lot more than that now," Susan said. "My husband told me you're here to inspect the cave as a place to put in an elevator?"


"That's right. I understand from Brian Stevenson you're trying to make your place easier to get around in for those with problems with the stairs," Mr. Van Kirk said.


"Something like that," Susan agreed. "We have several elderly relatives who like to visit, but having so many stairs has definitely become an obstacle for them, especially getting from our guest rooms to the main house and back. We're looking for a solution to that."


"I'd be happy to take a look," Mr. Van Kirk assured her.


"Come on in," Susan invited and she closed the front door behind him.


She led the way down to the library, through bookcase door and into the cave. There Mr. Van Kirk examined the natural shaft they were currently using for the spiral stairs. He went down them, carrying an enormous and very powerful flashlight in his hand, shining it upwards again once he got to the bottom.


Susan followed him down the stairs, looking up into the recesses beyond their usual lights to an area she didn't venture into very often. Sure enough, the bottom of the shaft that held the stairs was much wider than it looked. If one walked past them, into the darkness, there was a space large enough to contain a second, similar set of stairs ... or alternately a small elevator.


"Do you think it really is?" Susan wondered as she and Mr. Van Kirk studied the space.


"Down here it is. What I'm trying to determine is how wide it is at the top. There is a ridge of rock here beside the top of the stairs that I can't quite see past. I don't suppose you could turn off the lights for a moment?" he asked.


"Sure," Susan said. She found the switch and did as he asked, suddenly aware of just how dark it was in the cave without them. Melody started to cry at the sudden darkness, but Susan bounced her gently, talking to her as they made their way back to where Mr. Van Kirk was with his flashlight.


"Do you see up there?" he asked. "Just beyond that jagged ridge where it forms the wall beside the steps at the top of the stairs?"


"Yes. I can see it now without the glare," Susan said.


Mr. Van Kirk nodded. "Just beyond that, what looked like a deep, dark shadow, is actually a space, above this back part of the chamber. It looks like it may open up onto a different chamber up on top. I don't suppose you have a lantern we could use for an experiment?"


"I think Greg has a couple in the garage," Susan said. "I'll get them for you."


She made her way up the stairs in the dark. Turning on the lights again at the top, she retrieved the lantern from the garage and lit it at the top of the stairs before handing it to Mr. Van Kirk. He carried it back down again and set it on the floor in the section of the chamber to the right of the bottom of the stairs. He took a moment to examine the space again before returning to where Susan was waiting at the top.


"Turn the light off again," Mr. Van Kirk directed.


Susan did, and immediately they could see the light from the lantern shining up through the shaft holding the stairs. Mr. Van Kirk seemed to study it for a moment, before going to inspect a series of rock-filled chambers Susan had mostly ignored. She watched as he gingerly climbed one particular mound of loose rock, which mostly filled a chamber separated from the one they used for the stairs by a space and a narrow wall.


"Here we go," Mr. Van Kirk said. "The back part of the shaft is open at the top. From what I can see, it connects here."


"In here?" Susan asked doubtfully as she stepped over a few of the rocks.


Mr. Van Kirk regarded her curiously. "This is more or less what the passageway to your stairwell looked like before we cleared it out. I will probably take my guys a couple of days to do that. We may also need to make the opening a little bigger, but I expect for an elevator, that would be minimal. You don't need as much clearance as we would need for the stairs ... which means most of the labor would be installing the mechanism itself. Do you know what sort of elevator you'd like to have?"


"Oh, I don't know. What are our options for something like this?" Susan asked.


"Let me take some measurements. I need to know the height of the shaft and the size car it can accommodate, then maybe I can make some suggestions," Mr. Van Kirk said. "Do you mind if I bring my truck around back?"


"Not at all. I'll open the gate for you," she offered and she went to do that next.


Susan spent the entire remainder of the morning with Mr. Van Kirk, looking at their familiar cave in a way that felt entirely new. She hadn't been there during the construction, but she guessed this was something like what Greg and Zack had been doing approximately two years before.


"I'll have an estimate for you in about a week," Mr. Van Kirk promised about noon when he left.


"We look forward to it," Susan assured him and she saw him out, relocking the chain across their service road after he left.


That afternoon, Susan spent time on the phone with her mother while Melody napped, talking about the menu for Melody's birthday and ensuring both she and her father could come. She spent time with Melody doing her exercises again, and wrapped her presents while she played in her walker in her room. Before she knew it, the afternoon was over, she was preparing for dinner and their language lessons later in the evening.


c


"How did it go with Mr. Van Kirk?" Greg asked that night, after their language lessons were over and they were preparing for bed.


"Good," Susan said, and she described what it was like exploring the bottom of the shaft they typically used, in the dark.


Greg grinned. "That's exactly how we found the top of the shaft we ended up using for the stairs," he shared. "And he's right. It only took his crew about two days to clear the loose rocks away from the top. I suppose the only question is whether the natural opening behind them is large enough to accommodate the elevator."


"That's more or less what he said," Susan told him. "He wanted to know if we know what kind we want."


"What kind of elevator?" Greg asked.


"Uh hum," Susan said as she pulled her nightgown down over the top of her head. "Have you given that much thought?"


"Not really. I don't suppose Mr. Van Kirk has any suggestions?" Greg asked.


"He didn't say. Maybe he has a catalogue?" Susan wondered.


"An elevator catalogue?" Greg repeated with a thoughtful stare. "Perhaps. I'll call him from the studio tomorrow to ask."


"Okay," Susan agreed as she brushed her teeth.


"Are you coming in with me tomorrow?"


"I plan to. I'm working fewer days next week though, and the week after that I need to go to the Bay Area again, so I'll only be at the studio one or two days that week at most," Susan replied as she finished, and Greg took a turn at the sink.


"I'll tell them," Greg said. "Is Rosemary coming with you on your trip?"


"She may. I haven't asked her yet," Susan said.


"She knows you're going though. She said something about to me the other evening when we got home," Greg remarked.


"Then maybe she will. I'll ask her tomorrow," Susan said as she went to their bedroom and began to turn down the bed. "Are you ready to turn in?"


"In a little while. I'll go out to the balcony to say my prayers," Greg promised.


Susan nodded, kissed him goodnight and climbed into bed. Greg saw her watching him through partially closed eyes, and suspected she's probably be asleep by the time he joined her.


Thirty minutes later, he knew he was right, and he too went to bed.


c

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