Catherine and Johns Saga, Ch -22 ______ Labor Day Weekend

            John and Catherine decided to pack the car that night before. Then it wouldn’t be a big rush in the morn. They were leaving at 5 o’clock. It would be cool and not much traffic.

            Catherine wakes up with a start. What was it that made her wake up so fast? She’d been dreaming of John. I can’t remember what it was about. I don’t like I can’t remember the dream. She may as well get up being she was awake. She goes to the kitchen to put water in the tea kettle and lights the burner. She was talking to herself, “I’ll have some wheat toast with strawberry jam. We can stop along the way for a snack.” She decides to call John in case he overslept. He answers after a while. He said he was still sleeping. “Thanks for the call.”

            Catherine gets showered and dressed. She has to get the cooler ready. She eats her toast and drinks her tea. She hopes everything goes well at the farm. She will be glad to see his family.

            She puts the ice packs in the cooler and adds the water bottles and some yogurt and spoons. Some small containers were filled with watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberries in them. She checks the apartment, windows, stove, and refrigerator. She turns off the lights and takes the cooler and purse and goes to John’s apartment. He had unlocked his door. Catherine let herself in. He was getting dressed. She makes him a cup of tea. He didn’t want toast or scone. They check the apartment. Everything seems to be in order. They lock up and go to the car.

            Catherine and John carry the cooler to the car and put it in the back seat. Catherine is going to do the driving. John says he is still tired.

            Catherine says, “Does this happen very often?”

            John says, “Once or twice in a week.”

“Are you doing more things at work?”

            He says, “Yes, we are getting busy.”

            “If that continues, you let me know about it, okay?”  They decided to get some stretching for their muscles.

            They stop at a road side café, where they order some breakfast. Catherine orders scrambled eggs, tea, and a muffin.

            John gets biscuits and gravy only a ½ order. He has to watch his weight. Catherine could eat anything and not gain an ounce.

            Catherine says, “Do you realize it’s the last summer holiday? Where did it go? Time goes by too fast. Remember when we met that rainy day? The BBQ we organized? You helped on the BBQ.” Catherine says she moved to Chicago for her job. My girlfriend had a better job, makes fifty percent more.”

            “Where is your friend?” He moved closer to his job.”

             She has butterflies in her stomach. I thought I’d feel better after eating. John says, “Don’t get yourself all upset. There is nothing to worry about.”

            Catherine says, “I know but I still feel that way. I have a tendency to worry about things I don’t know about.”

            John says, “What is not to know? They like you. That’s the important thing and you like them. Don’t you?”

            Catherine says, “Yes, I do.”

            “I’ll feel better in a little while.” They were getting closer to the farm. John takes her hand and holds it. She feels better.

            When they arrive at the farm, Mama greets them. She was feeding the chickens and getting eggs from the nests. Mama says to John, “Will you go to the sheds and get Papa and Brother to come in for lunch? You don’t have to rush them as we have time before lunch.”

            Catherine and Mama go into the house. Mama puts the eggs in the cool basement. Mama asks, “Catherine, how have you been?”

            Catherine says, “I’ve been fine, how about you?”

            Mama says, “Very busy.”

            Catherine is excited about coming here. “I like it very much here. You have so much going on. Is it always this way?”

            Mama says, “The reason we are busy is because we got behind when we had so much rain.”

            John finds Brother and Papa in the avocado groves. They were glad to see him.”

            Papa says, “I have to rest my ankle and foot. I don’t want to overdo it. It seems to be getting better.”

            John says, “Did you hire some more help?”

            Papa says, “Yes, we did. They worked out real well.”

            They wanted the weekend off. “I need you to take my place in the shed, sorting the avocados. I’m going to rest my ankle and foot. Mama is very strict with me.”

            John is quiet all through lunch. He doesn’t know what he was thinking when he asked Catherine to stay the night. He knows better than that. She’s not that kind of girl.

            Catherine and Mama clear the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Papa went to the porch and lied down on the couch. John and Brother go out to the sheds.

            Mama says, “Let me show you to your room.” It was a nice sunny room on the south side of the house. “John can sleep downstairs in that bedroom.”

            John has to check the trucks as they come in with avocados, so they don’t crush them. Brother is out in the groves.

            Catherine lies on the bed for just a few minutes. It feels so good. I’ll be glad when John can drive again.

            Mama calls to Catherine if she wants to help her take refreshments to the workers. Coffee, iced tea, sandwiches and cookies are served. They all gather in the shed and have their break.

            Catherine asks, “John how he is hold up?”

            “He says not bad. I’ll rest now for ½ an hour. They can spare me that long. I should be okay.”

Mama says to brother, “Will you bring the pots and coolers up to the house when you come in. Catherine and I are going to the garden.” They pick tomatoes, squash, peppers and zucchini. For supper they will use all of them vegetables. Mama likes to make stir fry.

They brought the vegetables to the kitchen. “Will you help clean them?” Mama asks.

Catherine says she would be glad to help. It always goes faster with two people.

Mama chops the vegetables and puts them in containers and in the fridge. We will have chicken to go with the vegetables.

It was getting close to supper time. Mama says, “If you will set the table, then I’ll start the chicken first and then add the vegetables.”

The men were ready to come up to the house. The ladies washed up at the room off the back of the house, took off aprons and combed their hair. They were all tired tonight. Papa didn’t come down to the shed after lunch. Hope he is alright. Brother says he sometimes takes a long nap. Sometimes he has trouble sleeping.

Supper was on the table when they were in the kitchen. Everyone sat down and grace was said by John.

They ate quietly. Each one is thinking their own thoughts. John thought he was glad to be a social worker than a farmer. They talked about the price of fruit. Papa says it will be a good year. Rain didn’t hurt the crop.

When everything was finished in the kitchen they went to the family room and visited.

John told how his leg gets tired. He still can’t drive. That’s the worst of it. John asks, “Brother, why has he been so quiet?” Brother says, “I’ve been thinking how we’re going to get along without Papa not working.”

Papa says, “You will take my job and you can hire someone for your job. Don’t dismiss me so fast. I’m still boss.”

They all said, “We know Papa.”

They decided to call it a night. Catherine gave Mama a big hug. Papa got one also. Brother was a little bit embarrassed when she gave him one. They all said see you in the morning. John waited at the bottom of the stairs. He wanted to talk to Catherine. She gave him a hug and a kiss. He did the same for her. “See you in the morning.” She went up the stairs to her bedroom. John went to his bedroom off the kitchen. He’ll talk to her when they go for a walk.
By G & G