WINTER... At home for Christmas (Part 19d)

As would be expected I spent a restless night trying to sleep. I had to figure out a way to wash up the wet bedding and the towels and washcloths we'd used. I left my grandparents house early in search of a laundromat. I'd heard that a new one had opened up in the area of the road widening that had taken place during the Summer. I'd not had any reason to drive through that area while I was home but I headed there that morning. Sure enough, along with a new gas station (that made eight in our tiny town!) and machine shop there was the laundromat. I'd never been in one before and was quite apprehensive. I got lucky. The owner's wife was there opening the place up for the morning and she, very generously, offered to help. When I explained that I wouldn't be able to stay she even offered to stay and put them in the dryers for me. By the time I left it was time for me to open the gas station so I didn't have time to go and inspect my mattress. It made the moring drag, wondering just how bad the damage would be. All I could think of was trying to fabricate an excuse for my mother if it was really bad.

I went back to the laundromat before picking Elle up for lunch. The lady had not only put my things into the dryer but she'd also taken them out and folded them for me. It was a nice surprise. Where I would've gone to Elle's house for lunch, today I went to my house to try and put things back together. The spot on the mattress was about the size of the turkey platter fom Christmas dinner. It was still a bit damp to the touch so I made the decision to turn it over. Out of sight, out of mind was my only thought. Even though I knew how to make up a bed I certainly didn't do it a well as my mother and that was evident after I'd finished. Next on my list of things to do was to put the towels back and make sure the bathroom was nice and neat. I don't know what made me check the bathtub but when I pulled back the shower curtain there was a pair of panties. My heart skipped a beat, for sure. Not because I was excited to see them but for the thought of what would've happened if I hadn't found them and my mother did. I picked them up and there was a faint feel of dampness. I held them up in front of me and the stain was only on the left side and all the way to the waist. It took a few seconds to figure out why. She'd wet while lying on her side. I folded them up, pot them in my coat pocket and then made double sure that I checked every place that we'd been the night before. As I locked the door I still wasn't convinced that everything was back to normal.

Elle's mother had made me a sandwich which I ate while taking Elle back to work. I hadn't really thought about what we were going to do that night. Too many other things on my mind. Back at work I had a nice surprise waiting for me. Buddy, my sailing friend, had come out from his winter home to check on his parents house. I'd meant to try to get in touch with him during the holidays but hadn't. He was there to invite me to a party at his winter home the next night. A lot of the people I raced against in the Summer would be there and even though it was on short notice, I did want to go. The problem was Elle and would she want to go. I told Buddy that I'd have to get back to him.

With that on my mind I wasn't prepared for Cliff to tell me that he really didn't need me any more. I'd had to, more or less, plead with him to hire me in the first place. If it hadn't been for his need to meet with the oil company representatives on the new building he probably wouldn't have done it. He'd hinted about it but today was the day I got the "word". The day seemed to contail a mix of everything for me.

That night we both decided to "cool it" and just stay at her house. I'd told her about the party the next night and fully expected her not to be interested. It'd been my thought to go to the party and to come right back the same night. But Elle had a different idea. Her roommate from college, Nancy, lived only 15 or 20 minutes from Buddy. Nancy had wanted Elle to visit over the holidays but she, wanting to spend as much time as possible with me, had held her off. If she did go to the party then she could do it. But it meant I'd have to find a place to stay.

I had made a concerted effort to contact my friend from boarding school, Fred, when I first got home but no one ever answered the phone. I decided to try once more and this time met success. He, his parents and his girlfriend Liz and her parents had gone to Florida for the holidays. He was more than happy to put me up for the night so, by the time I left Elle's house the "party plan" had come into being.

To be continued...