Meltdown and Cleanup

I don’t know why I lost it after Ed’s remark about the Medicis and Henry the Eighth. At least he didn’t say it was junior high.  The whole thing is, I suppose, but I am too cool to be embarrassed by my own social awkwardness.

Cilla happened to be in the kitchen with us and she looked like she thought she should cry too, but didn’t know why.  She looked at Ed.  He didn’t know what to say.  Josh happened to walk by, took everything in, and asked, “Do you have PMS, Mom?  Would you like some cookies?”

“And a nice cup of tea?” Cilla added.

Ed made me a cup of tea and Cilla brought me some tissues.  Josh found cookies (those sugar cookies from the grocery store that have the icing the color of sidewalk chalk and sprinkles.  I like to just eat the icing.) He even put them on a plate.  I think Betsey’s calling him “Father Josh” has had some effect, because he said, “Now what’s the problem?”

Betsey must have heard the commotion because she came downstairs.  “Mommy’s upset because Grandpa Jack is going to marry Nana because he stole her from Grandpa Doug.”

I was so surprised that I couldn’t even tell them that they were just dating.  Cilla wanted to know if they would get married in Grandma Kate’s church and if she could have a new dress to be flower girl this time.

Later I realized that I really wasn’t thinking straight because I said, “You can probably be a bridesmaid this time since Courtney won’t be in the wedding.”  Courtney is Ed’s sister Allison’s daughter, and of course they won’t be there.  I don’t think Allison is ready for that much healing.

Ed muttered something about Missy’s last wedding being in some field.  Janet had told him he would have to go, and when Doug asked him to be his best man, she’d told him he’d have to do that, too.  She had told Ed and Allison to watch out for cow pies, and Allison, who was going to be a bridesmaid, had said she was just trying to spoil things for her and flounced off to her room.  (I got this story from Janet when we were reminiscing about weddings.)  It didn’t make things any better when Allison did step in one.

Dear Readers:  In case you missed some of the action, the players are:

Jack:  my father, a cute old guy.

Janet:  Ed’s mother, who is now married to Kate, the rector of The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany.  Janet was left by

Doug: Ed and Allison's father,  for

Missy (Nana), who has just left Doug for my father.

Later I found out that Betsey had heard about it from Nikki’s daughter Ilsa, who had heard Nikki talking on the phone to Karen.