BIG CHANGES... better times (Part 104l)

 I had to go through the lobby to get back to the room and I saw the owner behind the counter. On the back wall was a nest of boxes where they kept the room keys and put any incoming mail. I saw there was something in the box for our room. I asked him for the envelopes and told him we’d be leaving within the hour. He asked how we liked our stay and I knew I couldn’t tell him the truth. I just remember smiling but not what I said. When I looked at the envelopes one was addressed to my grandfather and the other to me. He made a point of telling me to make sure I gave the one to my grandfather to him and to send his best wishes. I assured him I would and then asked if my billing was in the other envelope. When he said it was I was actually afraid to look and see just what the damages were for the two nights and the meals. At first I was going to take it back to the room but he encouraged me to open it. I wasn’t sure why but when I did I couldn’t believe my eyes... PAID IN FULL... was stamped right across it. I didn’t know what to say. I’m sure the look on my face gave him some idea. Before I could mutter anything he told me that it was an honor to have had us stay there. He said it was really rare to have had four generations of one family stay at The Hollywood and he wasn’t sure that we might've been the first. All I could muster was a weak ”Thank you“ and a handshake.

I was back in the room before I looked at the bill and saw that I’d just received a ”gift“ of almost $150. I was still shaking my head as we started our trip back North. Our good luck with the weather ran out about the time we got to the Virginia state line. I stopped at a Stucky’s for gas and a rest stop for Elle and the girls and bought a box of pralines for my grandfather. I figured that they would go well with the letter from his old friend. It was when we headed back to the station wagon that it started raining. It didn’t stop until we got to Maryland. We made it to Nan’s house around 5pm but we didn’t get the same welcome as the first time when Nan and her girls came running out to meet us.

Nan greeted us at the door and before we got inside asked if Elle and I minded sleeping downstairs. I didn’t care as long as I had a place to sleep that night. In a way it was funny because in a split level house you can either go up a small flight of stairs or you can go down but on the first visit I’d not gone down even once. I carried our suitcase down and at the bottom, to my right, was a large unfinished area with a sliding door to the back yard. I’d been impressed with all the space upstairs not realizing what was below. To my left was a small room (maybe 10’ by 10’) and Nan led me in there assuring me that there would be enough room for the baby carriage. It was semi unfinished in that there was sheetrock on the walls and ceiling but nothing else was done, not even a closet. There was a box spring and mattress on the cement floor and a cardboard carton with a small table lamp on it. I’d had no idea that Nan had given up her bed to us and had sleep in such spartan conditions. I actually felt bad. However, for one night it would do. She pointed out a bathroom right across the hall. I was sure that would take care of Elle’s needs during the night.  As we went up the stairs she apologized saying that it had been a stressful week and that she hadn’t had a chance to change the sheets on her bed. As we made the turn by the front door to go on upstairs I finally got a VPL from Nan. For sure, she had on the large crotch VanRaalte panties. I smiled.

Back upstairs I saw the baby food we’d left behind sitting on the kitchen counter. This being a Friday and Nan, being very Catholic, had prepared a tuna fish salad for supper. Unfortunately, if there was one thing our girls didn’t eat it was fish... of any kind. So, after a slight delay while Elle cooked up some macanoonies for them, we sat down to eat. I was reluctant to ask where Harry, her husband, was but Nan volunteered that Friday was ”boys night out“ and made a face while telling us. I just kept my thoughts to myself. After clearing the dishes Nan asked if Elle wanted to go the mall with her as she had to pick up an order she’d placed at J C Penney’s. I was sure she’d say ”No“ but she didn’t. Then she asked me if I would mind babysitting the kids while they were gone. Before I could answer her kids were jumping up and down in front of her pleading to go. She shook her head saying that they had guests and needed to stay and play. However, my two took the cue and asked if they could go as well. That left me with just the baby which wasn’t a problem as long as Elle changed her diaper before they left.

In our free time in North Carolina Elle and I had talked about some of the nice features that we’d observed in Nan’s house. As I mentioned earlier, we’d both been ”dancing“ around the question of how long it would be before we ran out of space in the mobile home. When I saw how much open space there was downstairs I decided to take a much closer look. Split level homes were relatively new at the time and Nan’s was the first that I’d been in. I carried the baby downstairs and took a good look at the big room I’d seen. Other than the lolly collumns that held up the upstairs there was a lot of usable space. The only thing that Nan had down there were a bunch of cardboard cartons. I checked out the bathroom and it was really small. There was a shower stall, toilet and sink but they were really crowded in there. Further on down the hall was another room and this is where the washing machine and dryer were located. It appeared to be about the same size as the bathroom. The next door was closed and when I opened it, even with only the little light from the hallway, I saw panties on a clothesline. The first pair I saw was bright red.

To be continued...