In Love With An Older Man 14: Argument

November 1993

Do you think that your parents would mind another guest for Thanksgiving dinner this year, Cyn?" asked Gary. "I just got off the phone with my brother, Jason. Debbie's left him. She took Joel and Micah and went to stay with her family in Brooklyn, New York. He's feeling really down right now. I think that the company would do him good."

"Oh, Gary, that's terrible." Cindy was shocked. "I'll run it past my mom, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Of course! Jason's perfectly welcome to join us for Thanksgiving dinner. Peter's new girlfriend will be joining us too. Her name's Wendy, and she has a three-year-old son named Dylan," Carla told Cindy later.

"Well, the more the merrier," Cindy said cheerfully.

"Absolutely," Carla agreed.

"It's so kind of your family to have me over," Jason told Cindy when they arrived to pick him up on Thanksgiving day.

"Oh, that's all right," Cindy told him. "We're all just so sorry about what happened."

Mick and Carla's house was buzzing with activity. All the children and grandchildren were there, with the exception of Carly, who still had a couple of weeks left of her fall term at the university.

"How's Carly enjoying her sophomore year?" Carla asked.

"She's doing fine, Still getting good grades," Cindy told her.

"Is she still with the same boy? Max, was that his name?"

"No, Max was trying to pressure her into some things that she wasn't ready for. She's dating a boy named Ben Levin now."

"My grandmother likes him," added Jake, as if that were the deciding factor.

"You're old enough to drive now, aren't you?" Jessica asked Jake.

"Yes, I am," Jake replied proudly.

"Will you take me for a ride sometime?" Jessica batted her eyelashes at him.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Jake blushed slightly.

"Our little girl sure is growing up fast, isn't she?" Willy guffawed. Miranda glared at him.

"How's Kevin doing in school?" Carla asked Nina.

"He's doing very well. He got all A's on his report card again."

"Very good, Kevin!" Carla beamed at her grandson.

"Thank you," Kevin said shyly.

"Is Penny still enjoying the gifted program?" Carla asked Jane.

"Yes, she is. She's learing how to work with computers right now," Jane said. "No, no, mustn't touch," she told Peyton, pulling her away from a fragile whatnot.

"Oh, that's my fault. I forgot to put that one away," Carla said, hurriedly snatching the whatnot from the table it rested on.

"Cindy, this is my girlfriend Wendy," Peter said by way of introduction.

"It's very nice to meet you," Cindy told her.

"Nice to meet you too, Cindy."

"How long have you been dating Peter?"

"A couple of months. We met through a friend. Say hello," she encouraged Dylan, who had just been offered a toy by Rebecca.

"He's so cute," Cindy said.

"Thank you! So, what's it like to have twins? I can't even imagine having two of him." Wendy laughed.

"It can be exhausting at times," Cindy agreed. "It's worth it, though."

"There's my little buddy!" Billy exclaimed when he saw Jonathan.

"Ba ba!" Jonathan said happily, toddling up to him.

"That's right!" Billy scooped him up and sat him in his lap.

"Justin looks like he's really grown," Carol told Lacy.

"I just started him on cereal," Lacy replied. "He sleeps through the night much better now."

"I'm sure you both sleep a lot better now too."

"Oh, yes." Lacy laughed.

Cindy helped her mother and sisters set the table, and everyone sat down to eat.

"So, what line of work are you in, Jason?" Mick asked.

"Civil law. Contract negotiations, mostly."

"Are you local?"

"Yes, and I also have a couple of branch offices in adjourning counties."

"Which one of you is the oldest, you or Uncle Gary?" asked Kevin.

"I'm two years older than your Uncle Gary," Jason told him.

"I didn't know Jews even celebrated Thanksgiving. I thought you had some other holiday instead," Jessica told Gary, who thought that her remark was very funny, as did Jason.

"Of course we do! Thanksgiving is a national holiday, not a religious one," Gary told her.

"Oh, I didn't know there was a difference," Jessica said.

"Your ancestors didn't come over on the Mayflower though, did they?" asked Nicky. "I thought they came from Russia."

"Thanksgiving is for all Americans, no matter where their ancestors came from," Carla told her grandson.

After the meal ended, the women cleaned up, the men watched TV in the living room, the older kids played video games, and the younger kids and babies took naps.

"I wish Jessica would quit following me around and bugging me," Jake complained on the way home.

"I think she likes you," Cindy said in a singsong voice.

"I'm her cousin, for crying out loud!"

"Only by marriage. I guess to her that makes it okay."

"Well, I think she should find someone closer to her own age to like," Jake muttered.

"That's one thing that definitely needs to be nipped in the bud," Gary said to Cindy later, when they were alone.

"I can kind of understand how it could happen," Cindy replied. "I remember having a huge crush on George for the longest time when we were kids."

"No, you're kidding!"

"No, I'm not. You know I was already six years old when my mom married his dad. I thought he was simply the most wonderful thing in the world at first. I really idolized him."

"How did George feel about that?"

"I don't think he even realized it. I don't think anyone ever did. You're the first person I've ever even told about it."

Gary's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Really?"

"Really!"

"Well, I just don't want Willy and Miranda to think that Jake's encouraging it, because I know he isn't." Gary's mind was back on the situation with Jake and Jessica.

"Oh, they know that. You worry too much, Gary." Cindy came up behind him and began to massage his shoulders.

"Ah, you can do that for as long as you like," he said appreciatively, closing his eyes and leaning back against her.

The next morning Cindy lay in Gary's arms in bed, talking.

"Wendy seems like such a nice girl. I really hope it works out for Peter this time.'

"Mm hm." Gary gently ran his fingers up and down Cindy's back, which she loved.

"She seems so much more mature and responsible than Valerie was. It can't be easy for her, raising a child all on her own like that."

"I don't remember Valerie. How long ago was she?"

"Four years ago."

"Well, no wonder, then." He laughed softly and lightly kissed the top of her head.

"Listen, Cyn, I have to tell you something. I didn't tell you the whole story regarding Jason. The reason Debbie took the kids and left him was that he's involved with a woman named Vicky."

Cindy sat straight up in bed. "What?"

"He feels terrible about what's happened, Cindy. He told me that he didn't plan for it to happen at all. It just did. I think he's just having a midlife crisis and will end up getting back together with Debbie. At least, I hope that's what will happen."

"Why didn't you tell me all of this at the beginning?"

"I was afraid that if your parents knew the whole story then he wouldn't be welcome there for Thanksgiving dinner."

"So you deliberately portrayed Jason as the 'poor, innocent victim' so that my family and I would feel sorry for him and be nice to him." Cindy couldn't keep the anger out of her voice.

"Please, Cyn, he came to me because he didn't have anyone else to turn to. He thought that I would understand. Vicky's a legal assistant in her mid twenties whom he hired a few months ago. He had a great rapport with her, and they had a terrific working relationship, and before he knew it the relationship had advanced to the next level. Very similar to the way things happened for us, if you think about it."

"It's entirely different from the way things happened for us, and you know it is! I never broke up a marriage!"

"I know you didn't, Cindy."

"Do you have any idea how stupid I feel right now? How stupid the rest of my family is gonna feel?"

"I'm so sorry, Cindy. I know it was wrong for me not to tell you the whole story in the beginning."

"It's a little late to say you're sorry now, don't you think?"

"Please, Cyn..."

"Just leave me alone, Gary. I don't really feel like talking to you right now." Cindy stormed out of the bedroom and slammed the door, leaving Gary staring helplessly after her.