The World of Myth Magazine

“The big weekend is just about here.” Cathy smiled at her husband as she said this. She knew well how much Tim looked forward to it.

Tim shook his head in agreement. “Yeah, this time next week they’ll all be here. It’s going to be very strange having all of us back together for a reason other than a wedding or funeral.”

Tim hugged his wife. They were standing in the kitchen preparing to sit outside on the deck in the shade of early evening. Tim thought the best thing there was to having the children grown and gone is being able to have moments such as these with the woman he loved dearly without the inevitable distractions of parenthood. He finished stirring his drink and poured Cathy a glass of white wine. As they moved outside, he said, “I’m glad we haven’t planned anything special. I really do feel it will be best to just do things on the spur of the moment.” Cathy didn’t say so, but she felt part of Tim’s reluctance to plan activities was his lack of knowing what all of his adult cousins would enjoy doing. Keeping in semi-regular electronic contact was not the same thing as truly knowing a person and Tim had several persons to host that he no longer knew well.

But there was a smile on Tim’s face as they settled into deck chairs. The longtime couple sat in silence for several minutes, enjoying each other’s warm and peaceful company. The first guests would arrive Wednesday and Tim felt himself counting down the days as he did when counting down the agonizing wait until Christmas when a child many years ago.

Tim noticed a golf ball near the rear fence and arose to go throw it back to its rightful owner. Sean Owens was a 14 year old boy who discovered golf this summer and oblivious to the fact that he could hit the ball too hard and break a neighbor’s window. That it had not happened yet did nothing to reassure Tim. But, Sean was a nice kid and Tim was hesitant to lecture him too harshly, for he remembered a similar incident with a bat and baseball when he was about Sean’s age. Returning to the deck, he cursed softly to himself, “Damn! Sooner or later, he’s going to bust a window.”

Back on the deck, his thoughts quickly returned to the reunion. Funny, he again thought to himself, I’m feeling the same about this as I did Christmas when we were kids. Aloud, he asked Cathy. “Do you think the emotion of this reunion is what is making me feel like a kid again?”

Cathy took a sip of wine, smiled, and replied, “Oh, without a doubt. I believe this is going to be a magical time for you.” Taking another sip, she continued, this time without smiling. “But, I would caution you to be careful in building this up too highly in your mind. Something or somebody during this reunion is bound to disappoint you.” After a short pause, she patted him on the hand and added, “I wish you wouldn’t worry so about Sean. If he breaks a window, it will be easy enough to replace.’

Tim frowned. One of the few things that annoyed him about Cathy was her hearing. That she could hear him whisper from several feet away bothered him, especially since his hearing was reaching the point where he may soon need a hearing aid. Cathy sensed his displeasure and thought she had overdone it. Having an acute sense of hearing could be a blessing or curse.

But, after taking a big swallow of his beloved rum and cola, Tim stated, “I guess you’re right. I hadn’t thought about that. That’s a good thing to remember.” Smiling, he added, “Your thoughts on the reunion are right too. I’m just an emotional guy who lets things get to him. Thanks, baby.”

Cathy, still a very handsome and desirable woman at almost 60 years of age, arose, reached over to Tim, and kissed him passionately. Tim eagerly returned the favor. Touching his wife’s lips lightly with his fingers he told her, “I’m going to have to buy more of that white wine for you.”

Cathy kissed him again. She, too, was feeling the anticipation and emotion of the upcoming reunion. “I want this to be a wonderful time for you, Tim; a wonderful time for us because I’m looking forward to it, too. But just remember, you really don’t know these people anymore. Not like you did when you were children.”

Soon they were in the bedroom sharing an intimacy only people who had enjoyed a long and successful marriage such as theirs could enjoy.

There was no way either of them could know on this early evening that soon; very soon; the intimacy and trust developed over the course of a 38 year marriage would soon be tested in a very dark and horrifying way.

Leann Coleman was born in Oklahoma City on May 27, 1955, the daughter of Tim’s Uncle John and Aunt Carol. Tim debated with himself as to whether he should present his cousin with a late birthday gift but decided against. It was over a month since her birthday, and they were not that close anyway. Still, of Big Tim’s cousins, he found Leann the most interesting.

Leann was a beautiful woman who, like his wife Cathy, carried her good looks with her to the present time. She had been a beautiful woman 30 years ago. In those days, the long and beautiful straight jet black hair which fell to her waist partially hid a very trim and shapely figure. Her porcelain complexion contrasted nicely with her hair and, as a skilled graphic artist, she knew well how to make herself up with style and just the right amount of accent on her high cheekbones. Today, the hair was short and the shapely figure only slightly less shapely. Tim was more than a bit bothered by the fact that, had she not been his cousin, he could very easily have pursued her in a romantic way. This was a major reason Tim made no effort to keep in touch with her.

Leann possessed the artist’s temperament. Kind of heart, she could nevertheless be moody and lash out at others in anger at unexpected times. She would return to quiet and calm as quickly as her anger erupted. Perhaps it was her husband Jack’s steady and easygoing nature that had allowed their marriage, which now was in its 27th year, to be a successful one. But, as with four of the other six Coleman kids, she was childless.

Tim and Leann exchanged Christmas cards and occasionally a birthday card when either of them remembered it, which in recent years had not been the case. Still, they enjoyed visiting with each other very much when attending family events. Big Tim looked forward to hosting her and Jack in a more relaxed setting. Perhaps they would have time for unhurried and uninterrupted conversation. He liked that idea. He liked it very much.

July 2 was the day Tim had looked forward to for a long time. Cathy noticed his anticipation grew to almost an intolerable level after lunch. She long ago learned to weather her husband’s moods so this did not disturb her. As Big Tim fidgeted nervously, Cathy spent the afternoon napping and reading. The preparations were complete. Now they awaited the first arrivals.

Just after 4:00 p.m., cousins Jim and Stephanie arrived from St. Louis, along with Jim’s wife Peggy. Tim was beaming as he assisted them in moving luggage into their respective guest bedrooms. As his uncle John enjoyed those private perfect moments on Christmas Eve half a century ago, Tim enjoyed one now. A naysayer may offer that not all of the Coleman kids were present so it could not yet be a perfect moment, but such times are in the mind and emotions of the beholder, and this was very much a golden time for Tim. The first guests were here and now it was time for him and Cathy to play host and hostess.

After getting them settled in, it was a little too early to sit comfortably outside on the deck. Cathy served wine and the five of them sat and visited in the den for over an hour. Tim was in his element reacquainting himself with his cousins and Cathy was pleased to finally get to have some quality time with persons she had heard so much about. Indeed, she felt as if she already knew them as the preparation and planning for the reunion had taken much of her time, even though there were no activities per se scheduled. Cathy sipped the fine white wine she and Tim selected and chuckled as she observed her husband in animated conversation with his cousins. Tim, as most husbands, could not understand how much planning a wife and hostess has to do simply to have guests under her roof.

Cathy was grateful that Stephanie, Jim and Peggy were the only guests scheduled to arrive today. She appreciated the chance to get to know them in stages. Dinner tonight would be simple and prepared by her. Continued relaxed conversation would follow tonight before more of the Colemans would arrive tomorrow.

Stephanie assisted Cathy in the kitchen with dinner preparation while Peggy rested. Peggy didn’t travel well, and she wanted to lie down for a while before the evening meal. Cathy and Big Tim decided the meals would be filling but simple. Tim did not wish for his wife to be overburdened during the reunion. He wanted her to enjoy it as much as he, even as it was understood this probably would not be the case. Still, it was a noble attitude Cathy appreciated very much. Tonight’s meal would be baked chicken and vegetables with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

“We’ve known each other a long time; I should say, we’ve known about each other but don’t really know each other at all,” Stephanie offered as she removed a tray of chicken from the oven.

Cathy chuckled. “That’s right. I’m glad that I am finally going to get to know all of you better.” A worried look crossed her face as she said, “I hope Peggy is OK.”

Stephanie smiled and said, “Peggy will be fine. Sometimes long trips fatigue her.” She paused for a moment and continued, with a twinkle in her eye, “After this weekend you may wish you had never met us at all.”

This time Cathy laughed and did not try to hide it. “Ask me about that next week!”

Her woman’s intuition told her she was going to like Stephanie very much.

Stephanie Coleman was born in St. Louis, Missouri on March 11, 1956. She and Jim, Jr. were the children of James and Phyllis Coleman. This branch of the family had lived in St. Louis since the early 1950s.

Stephanie was an attractive woman in a family full of attractive women but had never married. She was of medium height, fair complexion and straight brown hair which recently begun to gray. At age 52, her figure was starting to spread but she watched her weight and exercised regularly. Stephanie was big for her age when a child but slimmed down after puberty and feared a return to heaviness. She was a very kind person, somewhat retiring and loved children.

Stephanie was a very sensitive woman and the product of a much less enlightened time, so to this day she kept her sexual orientation a guarded secret. At least, she did to all but one. Brother Jim, three years older than his sister, was a very astute observer who lived in St. Louis near her all of their lives. He noticed early on Stephanie’s lack of interest in the many male would-be suitors who tried to court her and the unusual number of girlfriends she associated with. He knew for sure the truth concerning her when, one night when he was a sophomore at Washington University and she a high school junior, Stephanie arrived home sporting lipstick not her own around her mouth and lips. Upon seeing her, he realized the truth but said nothing. After this act of youthful indiscretion, Stephanie was much more guarded and careful concerning her secret, private life.

Jim and Stephanie are very close. He has never said a word to anyone, inside the family or out, concerning his sister’s private life and sexual orientation. But he knows and she knows he knows and they have never spoken of it, much to Stephanie’s relief and gratitude. The private school where she teaches elementary students is very conservative and, even today, may take a dim view of a known gay person being a member of faculty. Coming out of the closet and risking professional difficulties is something Stephanie will not chance to do.

Stephanie considered this when they arrived at Tim and Cathy’s house. She anticipated a lot of unasked questions in the minds of the many relatives they would be reuniting with. She hoped her nervousness and the reason for it would not be noticeable.

Tim and Jim, Jr. did not have much in common. Jim was five years younger than Tim, just enough for the difference in age to have been a big difference when they were children. They did not have much in common then and had even less in common now. Tim often thought, when thinking of his cousin Jim, that there could not possibly be two professions farther apart than insurance and electrician. Still, he respected his cousin, a man who worked his way up from the bottom to become the successful owner of his own electrical company.

Jim was a very slender and wiry man. He had dark hair and a fair complexion. He was not tall but, at 5 feet, 9 inches, not short. Neither bashful nor outgoing, Jim could relate to just about anybody – when he wished to. He was friendly most of the time but could be moody upon occasion. Early in life he learned that working with his hands was preferable to working at a desk. He was a very skilled electrician and, as his cousin Bob, could as easily have been a successful tradesman in another skill as he was with electricity. Tim, probably because of the difference in lifestyles, always felt slightly nervous around him but realized this was foolish and certainly no fault of Jim’s. This was one of the many goals he had set for this weekend: to get to know Jim in an adult way and make the awkwardness a thing of the past. He was particularly anxious to learn more of Jim’s daughter Ashley.

While Stephanie and Cathy prepared dinner and Peggy napped in the guest bedroom assigned to her and Jim, Tim took his cousin downstairs to the finished basement. This room was his pride and joy. Within it, there was a wet bar, a pool table, and an oak desk with a small portable television upon it. Cathy always chided her husband about this room because his office was upstairs and that was where he went to do real work. In the basement, Big Tim relaxed with fine liquor, the television set and a life size color cut out of Marilyn Monroe which stood in the corner. Through the years, Cathy had teased Tim unmercifully about the cut out, (even inviting him to go downstairs and keep Marilyn company a time or two upon those rare occasions when they when engaged in a disagreement). Tim chuckled as Jim surveyed the room, saying, “It’s bizarre, I know, but it’s my private space. Nobody else is interested in being down here unless we’re having a drink, as we will do now.”

Jim said, “Better make it light. We’ve already had wine.”

“Done,” Tim said, as he handed his cousin a whiskey and seven. For himself he mixed rum and cola. After showing Jim the basement and explaining the Marilyn cut out, (“I loved her in Some Like It Hot. I saw it in an entertainment shop and had to have it”), and the oak desk, which belonged to Tim’s father, Big Tim and his cousin sat down on the small corner sofa to visit. They had not enjoyed a private chat like this in many years and Tim hoped it would be the first of many with all of his guests in the next few days.

As if reading his host’s mind, Jim offered, “We just haven’t done well in keeping close. It’s good of you to host this reunion.”

“It’s not something that was a long term goal, I’ll have to admit. After retiring earlier this year, it just came to me.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re doing it. When will the others be here?”

“Leann and Jack will be here sometime tomorrow. So will Janelle and Larry. Bob will be here Friday. And Mike,” Tim paused to reflect, “Mike is spending tomorrow night in Tulsa to see a friend and will leave early. The same with Bob: he lives in Osage Beach and will leave early.” Tim added, “Bob likes the Lake of the Ozarks area.”

Jim looked Tim directly in the eye, as he always did, smiled, and commented, “So, you’re going to have a house full or relatives.”

Eyeing his glass, Tim answered, “Yeah, we will. Cathy is the unsung hero of this event. I’m going to owe her big time when it’s over. Of course, a trip to Scotland in August will be a pretty good reward.”

“Going to Scotland?”

“Yeah, her ancestral home.” Chuckling, he added, “I suppose I’d better learn some Gaelic.”

Jim grinned but before he could answer Stephanie appeared at the bottom of stairs and said, simply, “Dinner is ready.”

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