It's a rare occasion when Mum and the girls can all get together for lunch; rarer even when they can pull it off at a really nice restaurant. Mum was sat in the middle of a curving booth looking at her three beautiful daughters; Eileen the youngest, Meagan the eldest and Jennifer the middle child. They were all such beautiful and loving girls; Mum could not be happier. Well, yes she could; If Eileen had a man in her life after that louse Robert . . . No, not today. Mum decided to be happy.
It was Wednesday and Eileen had the day off. The doctor's office was closed for the day as usual, but today the entire staff had off because the office was being painted. Ian was at home with his grandfather, Pappy, and they were probably playing in the back yard. Pappy was happy to be with Ian, he usually was anyway since Ian's father 'ran away'. Ian sees his father every other weekend, but until he is old enough to go to school, Ian is with his grandparents during the day while his mother works.
Meagan has a busy but flexible schedule. She is a licensed Real Estate agent working for the 2nd largest agency in town. Her husband, Jim, is currently on an overseas tour with the Army, serving in Turkey. This is a one-year assignment, called an 'unaccompanied tour' or sometimes a 'hardship' tour. It is not a combat tour so Meg is a little less worried, but she misses him and hopes to meet up with him someplace overseas, probably Germany, if he can get leave. Jim joked that he considers the name 'hardship' tour to be most appropriate since every time he thinks of Meg, at home, he gets a little 'hard'. Meagan's sons are in Middle school and will most likely be doing homework up in their room when her mother comes home.
Jennifer is the only 'stay at home' mom of the three sisters. Her husband John has a good job and her two, very active sons keep her busy. The boys are in school and both of them will come home together on the bus. They are good boys and Jenn doesn't worry too much about them. She should be home by the time they get there, anyway. It was Jenn's idea to have this 'girls' lunch today. Meagan and Jenn will split the tab treating Mum and Eileen. Meg will most likely put the 'Tab' on her business credit card and Jenn will give her the cash for her half. Expenses are a little tough for Eileen, at the moment.
Mum: "I'm just so happy that we're here together. It's so nice of you girls to take your old mother out for a nice lunch."
Meg: "Yes, this is great. I've had a few 'business' lunches here and the food is great. They give us a little break when we are entertaining prospective clients, so in return, we include their menu in the 'welcome to your new house' package that we give to the home buyers."
Mum: "That's really smart. All my girls are so smart and I am so proud of you. All of you."
Jenn turns to Meg: "Have you heard from Jim lately, how is he doing?"
Meg: "Yes, we use the computer-video thing once a week, or so. He is working long shifts and has little time off. Besides his usual job, he has to look after about four dozen younger soldiers. They reminded him that his stripes come with a price; so now, he is a 'platoon sergeant'. He would rather just go to work and be on his own, but his most recent promotion put him into this added responsibility."
Mum: "Will he be able to get leave when you had hoped?"
Eileen: "When's that Mum?"
Meg: "She's referring to the next Equinox."
The girls all shared a knowing look with each other; not a word was said.
Mum: "Well, putting that aside for now, will you be able to see him before he comes home?"
Meg: "I sure hope so, I miss him and I would go for the trip even if it wasn't for the ritual."
Mum: "Well, let's put that behind us for now and talk about something else."
Mum sat there for a minute while the girls all burst out laughing, she eventually caught on to the unintended double meaning of what she had just said, and started an embarrassed giggle. It took a couple of moments for the table to calm down, eventually Mum said: "What else can we talk about?"
Eileen: "I'm going to have two weeks off, with pay, next summer. The doctor is going to Europe and he's giving us all paid vacation."
Jenn: "That's a real good deal, but don't you already get vacation?"
Eileen: "Yes, one week paid and five separate 'personal holidays, but the two weeks next summer will be in addition. We're so happy in the office. I can't wait."
Mum: "What will you do? Will you go away?"
Eileen: "I don't know yet, we just found out about this yesterday. So we're still reacting."
Meg: "Well, I think you should go someplace and get yourself laid."
Mum: "Meagan, such talk, at the table!"
Meg: "It's true Mum, she's been a bit edgy ever since Robert left and we all need a good rogering once in a while, am I right, Jenn?"
Jenn: "Oh, cheeeze, don't drag me into this. But I suppose you're right. What do you think Mum?"
Mum: "Well, I'm not about to tell any of my daughters to go 'get yourself laid' as you put it. But I certainly agree that Eileen could use some male company."
Eileen: "Oh come on, none of you would know if I was 'gett'n any' as you Colonials like to put it."
Meg: "Oh yeah, as spoken by the only Illegal Immigrant at the table."
Mum: "Don't start up here, please, it's too nice a day for you girls to be testy with each other. We should all put our differences . . . . I mean, let's not 'go there' as 'we Americans' would say."
Eileen: "Stop with the Immigration jokes. I will likely become 'street legal' with this country someday, but for now, there is no need to go down that road. Who knows, maybe I might wind up back in the UK some day."
Jenn: "You probably can't even remember being in the UK, can you?"
Eileen: "Sure I can, it was really nice and I liked it there."
Mum: "You're being a little silly dear, I lived there a lot longer than you did and I always felt that it was cold, damp and dreary. Just like my aunt Vernest."
This little joke seemed to lighten up the mood and the girls got back to examining the menus and making their selections. After the lunch orders were made, the girls resumed their conversation.
Eileen: "I think that I will go someplace warm and sunny for vacation next summer."
Meg: "It's warm and sunny right here in the summer, want to see one of my Real Estate brochures?"
Eileen: "No, I mean someplace other than right here. You could look after Ian, right Mum?"