Midnight in Suburbia

NaNoWriMo Day 14: Chapter 14 - Daniella Packs for Her Trip

Chapter 14: Daniella
Packs for Oklahoma

Daniella took a suitcase out of the walk-in closet and carried it to the bed. She sat in on the bed, opened it, and then went into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She removed a mug for the cupboard, filled it, and carried it back into her bedroom. She took a sip of coffee and then sit it on the bedside stand. Going into the closet she stood in the center for a few minutes assessing what she would need. 'If I'm going to stay until after December 1,' she thought, 'I'd better take a couple of warm sweaters.'

She removed a red sweater with a green Christmas tree on the front and carried it to the suite case. She folded it carefully and then went back into the closet, when she came back out Preston was standing in the bathroom door watching her. This time she folded a pink sweater with a black and white cat on the front. After placing that sweater in the suitcase she went back into the closet and came out again with a pink business suite and matching skirt. She carefully folded it and placed it into the suitcase with the other clothes.

"Daniella," he said as she started back into the closet, "are you going to make a seperate trip for each item?"

"Yes," she replied as she went back into the closet.

"Why?"

"Well," she frowned and set down on the bed. "Because... well, Preston, I don't know." She shook her head, picked up her coffee mug, and took a sip. "I think it must be a nervous habit." She smiled as she sit the mug back down, "either that or I need the exercise."

"In that case," he said as he left the room. "I'll go in the living room and watch T.V. because you're making me nervous."

After he left, she went back into the closet, but this time she took everything else she wanted to pack off their hangers and returned to the bedroom. Once she finished folding the clothes and putting them in the suitcase, she closed it and sit in on the floor by the bedroom then. Then picking up her empty mug she went back into the kitchen, rinsed it out, and turned it upside down on the side of the sink. Going into the living room she sat down beside Preston."

"Finished packing," he ask.

"Yes," she sighed. "If I forgot anything I'll have to purchase it in Blackwell."

"Good," he kissed her on the cheek. "Would you like to eat in or go out."

"I'd like to stay in, if you don't mind having leftovers."

"I love the way you fix leftovers," he laughed. "What are we having tonight?"

"There are a couple of slices of meatloaf and some creamed peas. Would you like a baked potato to go with it?"

"Sounds good to me," he watched her as she left the room.

Thirty minutes later he heard the microwave sound and knew that the baked potatoes were ready. He got up and went into the kitchen, where he removed some plates from the cupboard and begin sitting the table in the breakfast nook. Afther he finished, the table Daniella removed the cook book at lay in the center of the table and place a platter containing two baked potatoes with sour cream. butter, and chives on the side. Then Preston removed a couple of sodas from the refrigerator and they sit down to eat.

"Why are you so nervous about this trip to Oklahoma?"

"I'm not sure," she placed a slice of meat loaf on his plate and then one on her's. "I keep getting this feeling that there is something more wrong with Mom then problems with medication."

"I see," he served each of them a baked potato and some creamed peas. "Well that's possible, after all your mother is 90 years old."

"I know," she cut up her meat loaf. "I just can't think of what the problem could be. I mean, Mom has been so delligant about doctor's appointments, but she missed her last." She sighed, "Then when I talked to her yesterday, she said she had an appointment on December 1, but I think that's a Saturday and..."

"I know Mom's 90 years old," Daniella sighed, realizing she was repeating herself. "Still..."

"You don't want to think of her as getting old," Preston reached across the table and stroked her hand. "I feel the same way about my mother. It's normal to feel that way, we want to remember are parents as young and vital. If we admit their getting, then we have to admit that we're getting old."

"I know you're right," she smiled at him and then took a bit of her meatloaf. "You know, maybe the next time I make meatloaf I'll use Mom recipe."

"She had a different recipe?"

"Yes, Preston," Daniella laughed. "Every good cook has his or her own recipe for meatloaf and it's always changing."

"Why?"

"Because, My Dear, there is always a better way to make it or a new spice to try. It works the same with tamolas or any other dish we cook. We're always trying to make it perfect."

"I think your meatloaf is perfect, as it is."

"You think all my dishes are perfect and when I fix one a little differently, you still think it's perfect. Even when you notice the change."

"Did you change your recipe? I didn't not anything, even slightly, different about the taste."

"No, I didn't change the recipe again." She took a sip of her soda, "I haven't changed my meatloaf recipe in months." Her brow wrinkled, "And, I'm sure, I haven't made Mom recipe for you yet."

"How about making it for my mother," he took a bit of his peas.

"Sure, does your mother like beef, turkey, or chicken."

"Actually," he sighed. "I think my mother made her meatloaf with ground pork."

"Um, that sounds delicious. Maybe your mother and I can exchange recipes."

"She'd like that."

The finished eating there meal in silence, but Preston noticed that Daniella kept checking her cell phone. 'Perhaps,' he thought, 'she's expecting a call from her mother or Uncle Rodger."

After the meal was over, Preston rinsed the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Then he and Daniella started toward the bedroom, but Daniella stopped at the dining room table and picked up a letter that was laying there. After removing the letter from the envelop, she handed it to Preston. "A letter from my mother and I need to know what you think."

"When did you receive this?"

"Today!"

"Well," he frowned as he read the letter. "I don't know your mother very will, but if my mother wrote me a letter like this I'd probably think she was joking,"

"Mom does have an... Um, how shall I put this... Um, an off the wall sense of humor sometimes. The problem is, that I don't think she's joking."

"Maybe you should request her doctor to do a full medical work-up."

"I will, as soon as I pay for the appointment she missed or forgot about."

"Do you know when your mother begin 'forgetting' things."

"I think it started in September, at least that was when she had the confrontation with Aunt Dolly. According to everyone who witnessed it, Mom actually accused Dolly in public of stealing the antique silver."

"Do you know if your mother got violent?"

"I think so," she said as they started toward the bedroom. "I been told that Mom actually hit Aunt Dolly."

"Had there ever been any physical altercations between them before?"

"No! At least, not that anyone witnessed. I know when Mom first married Larry, Aunt Dolly refused to accept the marriage as legal. However, after he show her a copy of the marriage licence, she had no choice except to acknowledge the marriage."

"The physical altercations sounds like a lot of surpressed feelings coming to the surface." They entered the bedroom, "Maybe your mother misplaced the silver when Dolly visited and..."

"The problem is, that the only times Dolly ever visited was on Thanksgiving and Papa Larry's birthday." she turned down the bed. "After Larry died, she stopped visiting on his birthday and limited her visits to Thanksgiving."

"Why did she continue Thanksgiving visits?"

"She said it was because Ethan was family," Daniella begin to get undressed. "But I think she was more interested in visiting Grandma Hattie's silver instead of Ethan because, according to Emily and Mom, she continued the visits after Ethan left home."

"Are you sure," he said as he prepared for bed. "That she isn't stealing the silver."

"I would put it past her, but I think she would take the entire set at one time instead of a piece at a time." She got into bed, "I know I'd take the entire set if I were going to steal it, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," he laughed, "and most normal people would. However, the impression I got of Dolly is that she isn't normal."

"Oh, I don't know," she smiled. "I think she's as normal as any Shupe I've ever met. I wouldn't exactly call Papa Larry or Uncle Rodger normal; at least, not when it comes to Aunt Dolly."

At that moment, the bedside phone rang. Preston looked at the number and then switched off the light. "I hope you weren't expecting someone to call from Texas?"

"No, I don't know anyone in Texas," her brow wrinkled. "At least not personally, all though I think Ethan said Alice was visiting her father."

"Who's Alice?"

"She the girl he's going to marry. At least, I think that's why he's taking her to meet Mom."

"Well, it's about time he got married," he stroked her hair. "Perhaps we should have a double wedding ceremony Ethan and Alice and you and me."

"That would be nice, but a bit more complicated then we planned."

"No, but it would be a pleasant surprise."