They drove past a sign that said Welcome to Blythewood and then, according to a wooden street post, they turned onto Longcreek Plantation Drive. The car pulled into a long, winding, tree-lined driveway and finally stopped in front of a massive French-style Chateau and what must have been the Pappas family home.
Janice exited the car along with Xena and Suzanna, while Edison removed the suitcases from the trunk. Both Janice and Xena were awestruck at the sheer size of the dwelling. “Wow. This house is huge,” Janice observed out loud to no one in particular.
“This isn’t a house, it’s a castle,” Xena said, her mouth hanging open, appearing just as awestruck as Janice.
After Janice translated, Suzanna playfully swatted Xena’s shoulder. “You always called it a castle, darlin’,” Suzanna said. “Castles are a little bit bigger than 30,000 square feet.”
Janice’s jaw dropped even further, if that was possible. “Thirty thousand?” Janice repeated. “This seems almost as big as the White House.”
“Not quite,” Suzanna said, chuckling. “Add another 25,000 square feet and maybe.”
Janice admired the exquisite, European style, limestone masonry with iron railings, upstairs balconies and the terracotta clay roof. “How many bedrooms?”
When ‘Melinda’ didn’t answer, Suzanna said, “Fourteen. And before you ask, there are 24 bathrooms.”
Janice turned to Xena, forgetting for a moment that she wasn’t Mel. “You grew up here? Is there jousting in the back?”
Suzanna started to giggle. “Oh, Janice you are just too adorable.”
*****
“I am not adorable, Goddammit,” Janice mumbled to Xena as they followed Suzanna into the foyer.
“Actually you are kind of cute,” Xena said.
Janice abruptly stopped and Xena ran into her back. Janice turned to face her, noticing the grin. “Keep it up, Warrior Princess,” she whispered, harshly, “I’ll insist you make Mel’s famous caramel apple pie.” Xena moved around Janice, and they entered the kitchen through a hallway cloakroom and mud room.
“And then I’ll make you be the first to taste it.” Her attention was instantly directed to the huge kitchen. “This is enormous!” Xena exclaimed, in apparent amazement.
“She says it’s big,” Janice said, just as impressed.
“Melinda! This is the same size it’s always been,” Suzanna said, ready to playfully swat Xena on the shoulder again but Xena just stepped out of Suzanna’s hitting range. “Maybe it looks bigger because you’ve been away so long.”
“You could fit our entire Greek apartment in here,” Janice stated. She took particular notice of the modern décor and the absolute newest models of all kitchen appliances. There were marble countertops, a two-tone glass-marble mosaic backsplash and the floor was covered in porcelain hexagon pavers. There was a wooden butcher’s block of considerable size in the middle of the room, two stoves – one gas and one electric, a refrigerator with a separate icebox and two deep sinks. A king-sized breakfast nook, with a booth big enough to comfortably seat 4 people on each side, sat in front of a substantial bay window. Janice could not imagine ever getting used to this much wealth. She knew whatever she made would go right back into financing her digs.
“Ophelia?” Suzanna called.
“Right here, Miss Suzanna,” a lovely, dark-skinned woman answered as she made her appearance through the side door. “I just fed the dogs.” Ophelia looked at Xena and her dark eyes immediately became warm, and a pearly-white smile split her face. “Miss Melinda, welcome home.” Ophelia walked to Xena and grasped her hands with her own. “You look well.” Then her eyes widened. “Miss Melinda
B. Pappas, did you get a tan? Your mama’s going to throw a fit.” Ophelia leaned in closer to Xena and whispered. “I think it looks wonderful on you.” She backed away and winked.
Xena looked at Ophelia blankly and poked Janice to remind her to translate. After
Janice did, Xena said, “Ευχαριστώ, Οφηλία, χαίρομαι που γύρισα σπίτι,” thanking Ophelia and telling her it was good to be ‘home.’
“Miss Melinda?” Ophelia hesitated. “What’s going on?” She looked at Suzanna, then Janice.
“She’s speaking Greek,” Suzanna told Ophelia and shrugged.
Janice stepped up to Ophelia and extended her hand. “Mel fell and hit her head on the train and sometimes it causes her to talk in a different language She saw a doctor on the train and she’ll be fine once she heals from her concussion. Hi, Ophelia, I’m Janice. Mel and I work together. Nice to meet you.”
“Why, hello, Miss Janice. Welcome to the Pappas home,” Ophelia said, pleasantly, as she shook Janice’s hand. Ophelia focused back on Melinda. “Y’all should go get freshened up before Miss Julianna gets home. Can I get y’all some breakfast while you get settled upstairs?”
“No, thank you, Ophelia,” Xena said, as Janice interpreted the conversation, “I’m not hungry.”
“Just milk waffles, then?” Ophelia asked.
Xena looked like she was about to restate what ‘not hungry’ meant, so Janice jumped in. “We’d love some coffee if that’s okay. We may feel hungrier later.”
Suzanna and Ophelia exchanged concerned glances and Suzanna said, “Melinda, when did you start drinking coffee? You’ve always drank tea.”
Janice smiled, sheepishly. Of course, Melinda drinks tea and Xena has no idea what coffee is. “I meant me, sorry. Tea would be great for Mel.” She pulled on Xena’s wrist, ushering her forward. “Come on, Mel, let’s go get situated.” She turned to Suzanna. “Where is the room I’ll be staying in?”
“The east guest room. Melinda can show you. It’s on the way to her room.” Suzanna said.
“By the way, Miss Melinda, I’m looking onwards to you making your special fried pork chops for tonight’s family dinner,” Ophelia said.
Janice had to stop wondering if this visit could get any worse because she began to feel the Fates were taking it as a challenge. Janice told Xena what Ophelia had said.
Xena looked at Ophelia, then at Janice. “Fried pork chops,” Xena repeated.
“They sound delicious,” Janice said, as she gently pushed Xena toward the staircase and tried to ignore the spasmodic movement of her left eye.
*****
Once they got upstairs, they went in search of which rooms had their luggage in them so that they parked themselves in the properly assigned bedrooms. Just as Janice spotted her travel bag next to a large, pink canopy bed, Xena followed her and shut the door.
“If she wants me to cook, you’re going to have to build a fire in the backyard and let me go hunting,” Xena whispered harshly to Janice.
“Oh, yeah, I can see it now, you coming up the driveway, covered in blood, with some kind of beast over your shoulders, yelling, ‘Mama, I’m home.’ That would certainly get the tongues wagging that Mel had completely lost her mind,” Janice said.
“Can you cook?” Xena asked her.
“Yes, but trust me, you wouldn’t want to eat it.” Janice noticed the lascivious smirk Xena tried to hide. Janice rested her hands on her hips. “Why is everything a dirty joke with you?”
“Why do I think you really aren’t offended?”
“I’m not. But of the two of us, I’m the one who’s supposed to have the dirty mind.”
“Well, clearly, you’re slacking.”
Ignoring Xena’s remark, Janice said, “Maybe Mel has a recipe for those pork chops and that pie somewhere. If not, we can use your head injury as an excuse.”
“You mean the head injury excuse we would definitely not use because it wouldn’t be believed?” Xena put her hands on her hips.
“Hey, what do I know?” Janice said and shrugged. “Go find your room so maybe you can take a rest before Mel’s -”
“Melinda! I’m home!” a refined, honeyed voice called out from downstairs.
“Mother gets home,” Janice finished. A new sense of dread came over her.
Xena shook her head. “Can this get any worse?”
Janice slapped her hand over Xena’s mouth. “Don’t ask that!”
She removed Janice’s hand. “Janice, what is wrong with your eye?”
*****
After calling back that they would be right down, Janice went to the bathroom to relieve herself and wash her face and Xena proceeded to Mel’s room to hopefully do the same. She was glad she didn’t have to show Xena how to use a modern toilet, recalling Xena knew how to navigate the receptacle, as was recorded in Gabrielle’s scroll, which Mel roughly translated to be called, ‘Malady and Tartarus.’
When Janice was finished, she waited for Xena to join her to go downstairs. It seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time, so Janice went in search for her. She found Xena in a spacious room, sitting at a vanity, brushing and pinning up her jet-black locks.
“Janice, what happened to my hair?”
“Mel!” Janice rushed to her and enveloped her into a hug from behind. Janice looked skyward. “Thank you, God!”
“Since when did you start believing in God?” Mel looked at Janice in the mirror.
“Since one minute ago.” She released Mel. “I’m so glad you’re back. Your mother just came home. She hasn’t seen you yet so thank you for fixing you hair but you need to know, she’s going to reprimand you for getting tanned.”
Mel studied her reflection in the mirror. “Oh, my. I do have a slight tan. I didn’t even notice.” She looked back at Janice. “What else have I missed?”
“Your Aunt Suzanna and Edison picked us up at the train station. And we met
Ophelia when we got to this castle you grew up in.”
Mel laughed. “I always called this a castle when I was growing up. What else?”
“You’re expected to make a caramel apple pie and fried pork chops for tonight’s dinner.”
Melinda refreshed her lipstick. “I figured I’d have to do that,” she said, with a smile.
“Then do me a favor and write the recipes down in case Xena comes back again.”
“Oh, my. That means y’all still haven’t figured out why she’s here. Okay. Anything else?”
“Um…just that you’ve been speaking fluent Greek since you got here.” Janice said. Off Mel’s questioning stare, Janice said, “Don’t worry, I told them you hit your head on the train and you were seen by a doctor, also on the train.”
“I thought we weren’t going to tell them that,” Mel said.
“Melinda! What are you doing up there?” Julianna Pappas roared from the bottom of the stairs. “I’ve waited a year, that’s long enough.”
Janice could see that Melinda was clearly thrilled at hearing her mama’s voice. Mel stood up and checked her appearance one more time. She turned to face Janice. “What is wrong with your eye?”
As they left Melinda’s room, Janice said, “It’s a tic, Mel. I’ve developed a tic because of the tension of trying to pass Xena off as you. If she comes back again, don’t be shocked if my whole body starts twitching. Your family should really have a hey day with that.”
Melinda stopped, concerned. “Has anyone here treated you poorly?”
“No, no one has but I’m terrified of your mother.” They continued down the long hallway.
“Oh, Janice, you have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, my mother may have eaten a Yankee or two for dinner.” Melinda winked at her.
“Great. On tonight’s menu, fricasseed Janice.” They reached the top of the staircase and started toward the bottom.
“Janice, honestly, you’ll be lucky if you get a word in edgewise.”
*****
“My darling girl, you look wonderful,” Julianna Pappas said. After she hugged her daughter, she put her at arm’s length for a discernable parental inspection. “I was warned about your tan but I don’t think it’s done too much damage. Suzanna told me you had an accident on the train, though. Are you sure you don’t want to see Dr. Applekamp?”
“No, mama, I’m fine,” Melinda said.
Julianna tilted her head, looking surprised. “I understood you were speaking a foreign language.”
“She was!” Suzanna and Ophelia chorused from the kitchen.
“I go in and out of it, mama. It’s really nothing to worry about.”
“Well, I’m glad. I wouldn’t want you to be anyone other than the Melinda I know and love.”
“I have missed you so,” Mel said, her eyes glassy with tears.
“Well, you’d never know it for as long as you stayed away,” Julianna said, kiddingly. Or Janice hoped Mel’s mom was kidding. Julianna then turned to Janice. “And you must be Dr. Covington,” she said, affably. She took Janice’s both hands in her own. “I knew your daddy.”
“Please don’t hold that against me,” Janice said, nervously.
Julianna’s beautiful face broke into a wider smile. “Your father was a rogue, that’s for sure and I cannot speak to his grave robbing reputation because we never saw that side of him, but I do know he was always honest with Melvin and was a great help to Melvin’s research. I’m so very pleased to finally meet you.”
Janice was utterly charmed. “Thank you, Mrs. Pappas. I’m glad to finally meet you, too.”
Julianna let go of Janice’s hand. “Why don’t we go to the kitchen and have some breakfast? Then we can talk about your adventures. Are you hungry?”
“Not really, Mama.”
“Okay, just milk waffles, then. How about you, Dr. Covington?”
“Janice, please, and now that I smell bacon, I’m starving.”
*****
They crossed into the kitchen and were greeted by Suzanna and Ophelia. Suzanna was at the oven overseeing fresh buttermilk biscuits while Ophelia was at the stove cooking eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, grits and gravy for the biscuits.
“Hi, Aunt Suzanna,” Mel said, enthusiastically, as though seeing her for the first time. She reached for an apron. “Can I help?”
“Now you sound and act like my Melinda again. I was telling your mama about your accent and your voice and just how different you were.”
“Did you like my Greek?” Melinda asked, smiling.
“I like your English much better,” Suzanna said and winked at her.
Janice tuned out the conversation and leaned against the counter, observing Melinda in her own element; she saw a confident model of southern hospitality. It only made her more attractive to Janice, which Janice hadn’t thought possible. Melinda sure came from an elegant bunch.
Suzanna carried that beauty pageant air about her. Her mannerisms were regally overexaggerated and she spoke distinctly at a volume which guaranteed everyone in the room would hear her. She carried herself with pride and with a stance of grace and practiced vulnerability that probably made her quite popular with southern gentlemen. Janice had a feeling that Suzanna was different in the company of women than she was in the company of men. Hey, if it works for her, who am I to be the judge?
Julianna Pappas was a stunning woman. She shared all physical characteristics of Mel except for height and eye color. Mel’s mother was a petite, exquisite woman, with a pale, peach complexion, brown eyes that seemed to miss nothing and cheekbones to die for. She was an aristocratic, refined, southern lady. Mel had advised Janice over the past year that Julianna was intellectual, feminine, articulate, and downright fearsome if she was on a tear. Julianna was more outspoken than most southern belles but since Julianna decided she would not remarry after Melinda’s father died, there was no need for her to pretend she was a lesser, subdued being to be bride-bait for a new suitor.
Mel had shared stories of her mother’s blistering tirades on ‘unladylike’ topics like politics, the first and second amendments and would not tolerate rude, bullying, misogynistic behavior. Melinda said her mama had a razor-sharp tongue mixed with a fiery wit that sent many of her targets scampering for safety. Because of her rapid-fire spiels, she had earned the nickname of Tommy Gun Pappas (never said to her face, of course) and most suitably eligible, older divorcees, widowers and bachelors in town were afraid of her. Janice could understand that. She rightfully guessed Julianna Pappas possessed a fearless passion of her convictions that no man was ever going to tear asunder.
And then there was Mel. Sigh. Janice just could not find enough words to describe Mel’s staggering beauty, even hidden behind those thick, black glasses. Everything about Mel was perfect. Her opinion of Mel had come a long way from when they first met, when she thought Mel was a bumbling, uncoordinated, entitled rich girl. Or maybe she was still that and Janice didn’t notice it anymore. Oh, man, I’ve got it bad.
*****
Breakfast was finally served, which Janice noticed was done with everyone’s help, including hers. Ophelia had put Janice in charge of the fried potatoes. A task Janice was sure even she couldn’t screw up, as long as she didn’t let them burn. Everyone took turns from their own cooking and baking to check in on her so Janice was pretty sure the finished project would be consumable. They certainly smelled delicious.
Janice was given a little history of southern fried potatoes, such as how they had to be cooked, why they had to use a cast iron pan, which kind of potatoes worked best, in which spices and oils they needed to be fried, etc. It was a recipe she would probably never use but the conversation surrounding the dish was inclusive and prompted Janice to feel like a welcomed part of the household.
Just as the breakfast meal was placed on the huge, dining room table set up like a Swedish smorgasbord, the door Janice and Xena had entered the house through earlier opened then closed, followed by the excited voices of young children. Suddenly a boy and a girl, approximately six and eight-years-old, respectively, ran up to Mel, throwing their little arms around her, calling her Aunt Melly. She lovingly corrected them and when their father followed them into the kitchen, she said, “Ridley, you know I do not like that nickname. I’m not ten-years-old anymore.”
“Well, good to see you too, Melly.” He approached her and gave her a hug. Ridley was an inch or two taller than Mel and was a masculine version of Mel’s mother. His kids were both miniature models of him.
Mel hugged him back and turned to Janice. “This is my stubborn older brother, Ridley,” she said, then indicated the two kids who had yet to let her go. “My niece, Amelia, and my nephew, George, who have gotten so big I almost didn’t recognize them.” The children giggled and Mel said to them, “And this is my friend and colleague, Dr. Janice Covington.”
Janice shook Ridley’s hand and then focused on the kids. She held out her hand to Amelia, who shyly accepted the greeting and then to George, who hesitantly reached over and clasped Janice’s hand. As Janice pumped his hand up and down, she said to him, “Are you nervous?” George shook his head, No. “Then why are you shaking?”
Everybody, including Amelia, groaned but George seemed to find it uproariously funny. He continued to shake Janice’s hand in an exaggerated manor until Julianna said, “Come on, everybody, the food’s getting cold.”
As everyone gathered around the table, grabbed a plate, and started filling it with food, Ridley said, “Jeez, Mother, I haven’t had a chance to visit with Melly.”
“Then you should have arrived earlier,” Julianna admonished him. “And you know how I feel about taking the Lord’s name in vain, including shortening swear words, especially around my grandchildren.”
Ridley bowed his head. “I apologize, Mother.” He then looked at his children.
“See, even daddy’s not too old to get yelled at.”
“I did not yell, Ridley,” Julianna said and smirked.
“Did daddy say a bad word, Nana? He says Jeez all the time at home,” Amelia said, as her father filled her plate with hot food.
Ridley’s shoulders slumped at being squealed on. “Sugar, you and daddy need to have a talk about tattling.”
“You will do no such thing,” Juliana said to her son, giving her granddaughter a sweet smile.
“Where is Roberta?” Mel asked her brother. “Roberta is Ridley’s wife,” she clarified for Janice.
“She’ll be over later. She wasn’t feeling too well this morning,” Ridley said.
“Oh?” Suzanna said, perking up. “Is there a possibility that -”
“It’s more of a probability,” Ridley said, quickly, looking at his curious children.
“But we’re not saying anything yet.” A slight tilt of his head toward Amelia and George clued in Suzanna that this was a non-subject in front of his kids until Roberta’s pregnancy could be confirmed.
“About what?” George asked his father before Amelia could.
“About what’s for supper tonight, right, Ridley?” Janice caught on and tried to help.
All eyes were then on Janice, where Ridley really seemed to look at her for the first time. “That’s right, Jan,” he said, relieved. “Can I call you Jan?” Ridley asked.
“I feel about being called Jan the same way your sister feels about being called ‘Melly,” Janice told him, with a smile in her voice.
“Jan it is then,” Ridley said, with a twinkle in his eye.
“Ridley! You are still such a scamp,” Mel said.
“Daddy’s a scamp!” Amelia and George chorused gleefully.
“Alright, settle down. That’s enough,” Julianna said, firmly but not without affection in her tone.
The occupants at the table ate their food in companionable silence until George spoke up. “Doctor Jan, can you look at my belly? I have a boo boo there.”
“I’m not that kind of doctor, George.” Janice told the child, politely.
“Could you look at it anyway?” George asked.
“There’s no need, George,” Ridley said. “It’s just a scrape and a bruise you got jumping off the roof of the shed.”
“He did what?” Julianna, Suzanna and Mel asked Ridley at the same time.
“Come on, he’s a boy,” Janice said and chuckled. “What’s more normal for a boy than jumping off things, pretending he’s Superman.” Janice looked at George. “Were you wearing a cape?”
George nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Did you jump to the plain ground or was there something on the ground to soften your landing?” Janice asked.
“Yes, ma’am, there was a lot of hay on the ground,” George told her.
Janice looked around the table. “See? He’s just being a normal little boy.”
“Well, Janice, two years ago, this normal little boy jumped off the shed and broke his arm in two places,” Julianna said.
Janice nodded, then looked at Mel. “Ah. So, he inherited your grace,” she said, winking at Melinda.
Ridley burst into laughter that earned a stern look from his sister. “You know what? I like you, Jan, even if you are from those colonies up north,” Ridley said.
“Why, thank you, Ridley,” Janice said, and stuffed her mouth with a forkful of southern fried potatoes.
*****
Janice helped Ophelia with the breakfast dishes while the Pappas family visited in the front room.
“You really don’t have to do this, Miss Janice,” Ophelia said, as she handed Janice another dish to wipe.
“Of course, I don’t have to, but I want to. Let them all enjoy each other without Mel having to worry about whether I’m comfortable or feel like I’m being ignored or whatever she would find to fuss over.”
“Yes, Miss Melinda can be a mother hen. Especially when it comes to her younger brother.”
“I’m shocked,” Janice said and grinned. “When is he supposed to get here?”
“John Melvin should be arriving this evening. I guess he had a time of it trying to wrangle leave right now. He’s bringing a superior officer with him because the only way he was allowed time off was if he brought his lieutenant-commander with him.”
“Isn’t that considered blackmail?” Janice asked and smiled.
“Seemed so to me but John Melvin really didn’t seem to mind, as long as he could come home for the Harvest Festival. From what Miss Suzanna says, John Melvin’s guest is handsome, upstanding, comes from money and would be a perfect match for Miss Melinda.”
Janice tried not to react although the thought felt like a gut punch. She cleared her throat. “Yes, Mel has forewarned me regarding Aunt Suzanna’s matchmaking proclivities.”
“She never stops,” Ophelia said. “She matched Ridley and Roberta and several others in the community. She matched John Melvin with Reverend Stonecipher’s oldest girl, Charlotte, but that didn’t last only because with John Melvin’s Naval career, Charlotte didn’t want to leave Columbia to move other places. I wonder if she regrets it now that he’s stationed in Hawaii.”
“I guess some girls just want to stay close to their fathers. I did until mine died.”
“No one would have thought Miss Melinda would have ever left but then Mr. Pappas passed, and it seemed she couldn’t get out of here fast enough. No one expected her to be gone so long, either.”
“I can tell you she really loves what she’s doing as a part of the team.”
Ophelia rinsed a pan and handed it to Janice. “Misses Julianna and Suzanna thought she might come back after her little vacation overseas to settle down, marry and start a family.”
“I don’t think that’s what Mel wants right now, though,” Janice said, gently. “I haven’t heard her say at any time that she wanted to come home permanently.”
“Well, then, maybe the introduction to John Melvin’s friend might be more to her liking. She could travel all over the world with him being in the Navy.”
But that’s not what she wants, Janice’s mind screamed.
“Do you have a beau, Miss Janice?”
Only once and it definitely wasn’t to my liking. “No. The type I attract aren’t really husband material.”
“All rogues?”
“More like unacceptable for polite society.”
Ophelia patted Janice on the arm. “You’re a beautiful woman, Miss Janice. Someone worthy will eventually catch your fancy.”
She already has. “Thank you, Ophelia. You’re too kind.”
*****
“You could have joined us in the front room,” Melinda said to Janice, as they sat on the veranda. Melinda was drinking a sweet tea while Janice enjoyed the refreshing fizziness of a Blenheim Ginger Ale.
“I know but I had a nice visit with Ophelia. By the way, Ridley is a character.”
“Ridley is a brat. He means well. He’s just never outgrown picking on me.”
“Aren’t all siblings like that?”
“I do not have that kind of relationship with John Melvin.” Melinda was distracted by a car coming up the driveway. She broke into a radiant smile and stood up. “Speaking of my baby brother…” Melinda enthusiastically waved. “They’re early.”
Although Janice was looking forward to meeting John Melvin Pappas, she did not feel the same about whoever he was bringing with him since the family seemed to believe the youngest son’s guest was the perfect match for the woman she loved.
The yellow taxi stopped at the front door, to the left of the veranda. Two men in their dress blue Naval uniforms emerged from the back seat. They both wore an identical two-piece uniform of a double-breasted, gabardine suit jacket and matching trousers. Their jackets each had six adorning gilt buttons bearing an eagle clutching an anchor. Their rank insignia was worn around the lower sleeves. They stood tall and handsome, with a definite military bearing.
Before they put their uniform caps on, Janice noticed one had dark hair and the other was blond. She wrongly pegged the blond as the guest until after they retrieved their luggage from the trunk of the cab and walked toward the veranda. Then Janice remembered photos Melinda has shown her and knew Melinda’s brother was the blond.
Janice’s mouth dropped open and she shot out of her chair to join Melinda at the railing. As the officers got closer, Janice said, “Chet?”
Chet looked up, surprised. “Janice?”
Both Melinda and John Melvin gaped in confusion as Chet reached the porch and drew Janice into a short hug.
“You know each other?” chorused the siblings.
“We met on the train. Mel, this is the guy I told you about that I sat with in the
Club Car, who gave me that expensive cigar.”
“Which clearly you have not smoked,” Chet said with a smirk.
“How do you know that?” Janice asked.
“Because if you had, its magnificence would have been the first comment out of your mouth.”
“Did he also tell you how modest he is?” John Melvin said, as he gave Melinda a hug.
Melinda turned her attention to her younger brother. “Were you on the same train as we were?”
“Clearly Chet was but he had more leave than I, so he visited his family in New York first. I flew into the Charleston Naval Base where Chet met me this morning and then we came here.”
“And you took a cab from Charleston?” Janice asked, thinking that had to be a substantial expense.
“Not even Chet is that frivolous with his money, although Chet is loaded,” John Melvin said and nudged Mel in the ribs. “We took the train to Columbia and the cab from the train station.”
“You should have said something. Edison wouldn’t have hesitated to go get you,” Melinda said.
“I’m sure Edison has much better things to do. Anyway, Melinda, this is my commanding officer but, more importantly, my good friend, Lieutenant
Commander Chet DeGuilliano.”
Melinda took a step back out of her brother’s embrace and stuck her hand out towards Chet. “It’s nice to meet you, Lieutenant Commander DeGuiliano.”
“Melinda, I’m charmed. Please call me Chet,” Chet said, not letting go of Melinda’s hand. “Your brother has shown me photographs but they do not do you justice.” He gently brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it along her knuckles. Mel giggled like a schoolgirl and Janice rolled her eyes, turned away and pantomimed gagging.
Melinda turned to Janice who, not wanting to get caught making faces, put her head down to compose herself, then turned back to face Mel. “Since you two have already met, Janice, this is my brother, Lieutenant John Melvin Pappas. John Melvin, this is my colleague, Dr. Janice Covington.”
“Lieutenant,” Janice acknowledged.
Melinda’s brother shook Janice’s hand. “John is fine,” John Melvin said. There was a twinkle in his eye. “Doctor, huh? That’s impressive.”
“It is,” Chet said. “She corrected me in the first minute of meeting.”
“Well, you called me young lady and that upset me because I’m not young and I’m definitely no lady,” Janice said, maintaining an amiable tone.
“How old are you?” Chet asked.
“Lieutenant Commander, you never ask a lady their age!” Mel admonished, scandalized.
“She said she wasn’t a lady. I never would have asked your age,” Chet said to Melinda, sweetly.
“Looks like I brought home a snake charmer,” John Melvin said, clearly amused by his commanding officer’s end of the conversation.
“Are you calling me a snake, John Melvin?” Melinda asked and crossed her arms.
“Are you charmed, Melinda?” Chet asked, looking directly in her eyes.
Janice rolled her eyes again at Melinda acting toward Chet like a typical teenager with a crush, as if whatever his allure was, worked on her without even trying. Although Janice didn’t want to admit it, that was most likely the main reason something about Chet made her feel itchy. To be honest, Janice wasn’t comfortable with him on the train because she predicted he was exactly the type of guy Melinda would be attracted to, hoping Melinda wouldn’t come looking for her so Melinda and Chet wouldn’t meet. And now, here they were. Janice didn’t believe in kismet unless, of course, it involved her and Melinda’s destiny, but providence did cross her mind at this point.
“Let’s go inside,” Mel suggested, as Chet moved her hand into the crook of his arm. “Mama and Aunt Suzanna will be thrilled to see you and how so handsome and grown up you look,” she said to her brother.
“They’ve seen me in my uniform, Melinda. You’re the only member of the family that hasn’t before today. But it’s not much different from my Annapolis uniform.” As they walked to the front door, John Melvin offered his arm to Janice, who hesitated before she took it, unused to such polite, gentlemanly behavior. After a good, close-up look at the blond haired, blue-eyed, incredibly good-looking, youngest Pappas child, Janice decided that if she liked men, she might be physically attracted to John Melvin. But she didn’t so she wasn’t. Besides, even though Mel constantly gushed about him, as far as she knew, he could be as big of a jerk as she perceived Chet to be.
As they stepped over the threshold, Suzanna tilted her head toward the kitchen and said, “Oh, my, Julianna. You should see two striking couples who just walked into our house.”
Mel and Chet’s grins could have lit up the room, while both Janice & John Melvin looked embarrassed. “Aunt Suzanna, don’t start,” John Melvin said, good naturedly.
*****