A letter (Socks CCCXXXVI)

Late in the day Chris and the woman carried their bags into the room, "We better get going before dark."
"Call as soon as you get home."
"I hope Nixon gets us out soon, I want to move back."
"Be careful at the border, Chris."
"Call me Pete. Want to see my license?"
There were hugs all around.
The next day Cassie left with her bag. The others stayed about a week.
Time slipped by, Honey grew. Margreth knew that Honey was going to school, she had heard the conversations.
One day Edison received a letter, "It's a job offer."

Reception (Socks CCCXXXV)

The man in black told Edison to kiss Dana, he did, and everyone cheered.
Margreth was confused, "What was that all about? They kiss all the time."
Long into the night the party went on, and around nine Opa started singing and clapping Edison on the shoulder. Just after ten Oma guided him upstairs vowing to be back after she tucked him in. She didn't come back until the next morning.
By midnight the only ones at the party were the people that had once lived in the house.
Oma and Honey were up early. Everyone else slept till noon.

A Ceremony (Socks CCCXXXIV)

When the weather turned it's hottest, there was yet another party at the house.
Oma, Opa, Katherina, and Donald were there, as was the couple that Edison called Mom and Dad.
Margreteh had seen these people a few times over the last few years, but not all at the same time.
Cassie was there, and Chris brought a woman.
Cassie and Dana stood on one side of a strange, smiling man dressed in black, Edison and Chris stood on the other.
When Honey carried a pillow through the room all the women cried.
Phil and Margreth agreed, this was strange.

Two Years (Socks CCCXXXIII)

During the party Cassie said that she would go home to Ohio, there was lots of industry there, "Maybe GM needs an engineer."
Margreth heard Chris tell someone that he had two offers, one in LA, the other in Vancouver. "I think Canada would be a good place to live till this all blows over."
Chris and Cassie moved out, Honey got Cassie's room.
Two more springs brought two more parties, then only Edison, Dana, and Honey lived in the house.
Honey was walking, and knew not to pull Margreth's chains, but she did touch them when Dana wasn't looking.

It's a Girl (Socks CCCXXXII)

The next morning Edison came in, his clothes were disheveled, his hair sticking up in places, and his eyes red.
Chris was at the kitchen table, "Well?"
"It's a girl."
Damn, she was right."
"You surprised?"
"Not really."
"Will you wake me if I'm not up by noon?"
"Sure. When can she have visitors?"
"She was asleep when I left, this afternoon I suppose."
Edison dragged himself to his room.
In a few days Honey came home, and stayed in the room with Edison and Dana.
Spring came, Honey was crawling, and there was a party for Cassie and Chris.

Breaking Water (Socks CCCXXXI)

Dana agreed that she was stubborn, "but only when I'm right."
As Dana got larger, Chris, the dark man, would occasionally suggest boy's names.
"Don't need it," was the reply.
One day Margreth watched Dana dusting, cleaning, and cooking. While standing in the kitchen, water pooled under Dana's dress. She sat down for a moment, grabbed a mop, then made a phone call, "It's time," was the gist of the conversation. She carried a suitcase into the room.
Edison came rushing in talking fast, his face red, he tried to get Dana to, "Hurry."
"There's time. Let's not kill ourselves."

One Name (Socks CCCXXX)

Phil and Margreth settled into an easy existence, enjoying each others company, and the company of the people that lived in the house.
As Dana's belly grew, everyone, even the objects, called her Mom.
On one of the rare occasions that the six people living in the house were together, the dark man asked, "What names do you have picked out?"
"Honey Margreth, after my great-grandma."
"Cool, what about boy's names?"
"Don't need one."
"What? You got to..."
"Don't bother Chris," came from Edison.
"But what if..."
"I have a girl in here," Mom pointed at her belly.
"You're stubborn."