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Thirty Years

Standing straight and tall he casually bounces a basketball in the front hallway.  "How long have they been up there?"

His sister sighs and settles on the bottom step of the stairs.  "Too long.  It's bordering on embarrassing now."

"What's embarrassing?"  Someone calls out from the kitchen.  The owner of the deep voice ambles over, tossing a handful of peanuts in his mouth.

"Mom and Dad, Junior."  Grace replies, rolling her eyes.  "What else?"

He ruffles her hair, knowing it'll infuriate her.  "Who are you calling Junior?  I'm a foot taller than you.  You'd better watch it Shortcake."

Charlie snorts and dribbles the basketball again.

"Mom's going to kill you if she catches you playing ball in the house."  She snaps.

"OK, Marcia."  He holds the ball under one arm and gazes down at her.  "Seriously.  What's your problem?"

"She broke up with the cretin."  Jimmy replies and sits down next to her.   He throws his arm around her shoulder and gives her a squeeze.

Charlie's eyes widen and then he begins to sniffle.  "Oh Gracie Lou - I'm so sorry."

"No you're not."  She replies, trying to suppress a smile.  Collectively, her brothers annoyed the crap out of her, but deep down she loved them dearly.  "And stop calling me Gracie Lou - you know I hate it."

The two young men give each other their patented "Is she kidding?"  look. 

Charlie chuckles at her. "Grace. C'mon.  Why else do you think we do it?" 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

"Jim."

"What?"  He gives her a mischievous grin.

She shakes her head at him.  "Stop looking at me like that."

"It's not my fault I can't take my eyes off you."

"Stop sweet talking me.  We're going to be late.  The kids are waiting."  Pam stands at the mirror and fastens an earring.  Her brow wrinkles as she notices a few new lines around her eyes.  She runs her fingers over them as if that might erase them from her face. 

She can't believe it's really been thirty years.

Suddenly she's distracted further. She swats Jim's hands from her waist when he leans close and whispers in her ear. 

"C'mon.  I can be really quick."  He chuckles.

She turns in his arms and gives him an incredulous look.  "OK.  I would not be bragging about that if I were you."

He laughs louder and then looks down at her, his eyes pleading.  "Pam." 

His fingers move stealthily along her back and the next thing she knows, he's unzipped her dress.

"JIM."  She warns him again but it's futile.  She's already clinging to him.

His hands draw the straps down her shoulders and the skirt of her dress is suddenly bunching at her waist. 

"Oh alright."  She whispers against his neck. "Just how quick can you be?"

He smiles as his mouth covers hers.  "You'd be amazed."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

They sit around the table sipping champagne.   Hidden by the tablecloth Pam kicks Jim sharply in the shin, her eyes catching his and warning him to behave.

He reluctantly takes his hand off her thigh.

Still a bit flustered, she runs her hands over her hair again, convinced the curls in the back are matted due to her little diversion earlier.  

Grace smiles slightly and leans close to whisper.   "You look gorgeous, Mom."

"Thanks sweetie."  She gives her daughter's hand a squeeze.

"So.  Thirty years ago it was a night like this."  Jim begins, his eyes twinkling.

"You were such a wuss." Charlie chuckled.

"You freaking cried."  Jimmy added.

"HEY."  Jim gives his sons a menacing look.  "There was dust in my eye."

"Right."  Charlie grunts.  "We saw the DVD Dad.  You were a total wuss."

Jim leans back in his chair.  "Mock me all you want.  Someday when it looks like the best thing that ever happens to you is going to be lost forever - you tell me you won't shed a tear."

Sitting between them, Grace smacks both her brothers on their arms.  "Daddy don't listen to them.  I happen to think that was the sweetest thing I've ever seen in my life.  I love the way you told Mom you loved her."

"Thank you Gracie."  He nods and gives her a grin and a wink.  "That's my girl."

"Kissing her took balls - I'll give you that."  Jimmy concedes as he takes a swig of his champagne.

"James."  Pam scolds him.  "Watch your mouth."

"Sorry."  He ducks his head and bites back a smile.   His mother always found the weirdest things offensive.  He couldn't - apparently - say "balls" in public but it was perfectly okay for her to tell his father to "suck on it" on multiple occasions.  

"Anyway…"  Jim continues.  "Today marks the anniversary of the greatest day in my life.  I finally got your mother to come to her senses…"

"Jim…"  Pam sighs and rolls her eyes a bit.

He raises his glass and holds Pam's gaze.  Her cheeks flush and she feels it again.  That flutter in her stomach she still gets when he looks at her like that. 

He smiles widely as he finishes. "…and became the luckiest man on the planet."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

She hears a familiar noise downstairs.  Concern fills her face as she turns over and presses a soft kiss to Jim's cheek.

He mumbles incoherently as she slips from the bed and pulls on a robe.

She finds her sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter huddled over a half gallon of ice cream.

"I'm such a cliché."  Grace says wearily as her mouth closes over a spoonful of chocolate and peanut butter.

Pam smiles softly and grabs a spoon for herself.  She digs in and climbs up on a stool across from her.  "Nothing wrong with that."

They sit in companionable silence for a while, the only sound in the kitchen is stainless steel scraping against cardboard.

"I'm terrible at this."  Grace sighs.

"What?"  Pam's voice is muffled as her mouth is full of ice cream.

"Being in love." 

Pam gently places her spoon down.  "That's entirely not true."

Grace leans back and pulls the elastic band from her hair, curls cascading down her shoulders now.   She sticks her tongue out as she leans against the counter and looks to be deep in thought.

She may have my hair and nose and my height but that expression belongs solely to her father.  Pam thinks dreamily.

"How can you be so sure?"  Grace asks, sounding completely defeated.

"Because…"  Pam replies, matter-of-factly.  "You haven't been in love yet."

Her daughter gives her a look as if she's crazy.  "I have so.  Dozens of times"

"That's my point.  You think you have but you haven’t."  Pam replies.  "Take it from me.  I'd know.  I thought I was in love for ten years.  I was sure of it."  She smiles widely.  "And when it finally happened I knew."

Grace's face breaks into a grin.  "Dad."

"Yes."  Pam nods.  "Sweetheart.  You have no idea…"

"Oh I beg to differ.  I think that I do.  You know that we know what you're doing when you say 'We'll be right down' don't you?" She says, blushing a bit.

Her lot in life was to have three perceptive children, Pam realized.  She's momentarily mortified, but decides that a little mortification is worth it. 

"Well.  Not to scar you or to send you rushing to therapy let me just say that it's different, Gracie.  When it happens to you you'll know.  There's a difference between loving someone and being in love with them and someday, you'll see that for yourself."

"Soon I hope."  Grace grumbles as she throws down her spoon and pushes the carton away

"Maybe soon."  Pam shrugs and hops off the stool to stand next to her.  She brushes a stray curl off her daughter's cheek and then presses her lips there.  "Maybe not so soon.  Just do me a favor…"

Grace smiles.  "What?"

Pam's eyes are watery and her voice shakes a little when she answers.  "Don't pretend you can't see it.   Don't try and talk yourself out of it.  It's been thirty years and I'm still trying to make it up to him."

"I don't think you need to try so hard Mom."  She blinks back tears of her own.  "He really loves you."

Pam ducks her head. "I know."

"A lot."  Grace adds.

Pam meets her daughter's eyes again and smiles widely.  "I know." 

Grace sighs loudly.  "And if I can just find half of something like that for myself I'd be happy." 

Pam shakes her head again and holds Grace's chin in her hands.  "Haven't you been listening to me at all?  I mean it Gracie.  Don't you dare settle for less."

"I won't."  She promises and kisses her cheek.  "Thanks Mom."  She whispers as they walk hand in hand back upstairs.

Moments later as Pam slips back into bed beside him her hand slides around his waist.  Her nails rake gently against his stomach.

"I'm sorry.  I told you.  I can't.  I'm very happily married."  She hears Jim whisper as he turns to face her.

Her eyes gleam with mischief as she looks deeply into his. "Guess what?" Her hand slips lower and she murmurs against his lips.  "I'm about to make you happier."

He sucks in a breath, responding to her touch.  "You make me feel so cheap."

"Then we're even from earlier tonight."  She giggles as her mouth is warm and wet on his ear.  "Against the dresser Jim?  You know I'm pretty sure I still have the imprint of the drawer pull in my back.  I mean honestly…"

"Are you still talking?"  He asks as his lips kiss a trail from shoulder to shoulder.

"Yes."  She gasps as his hands tease her mercilessly.  "I just have one simple request."

"OK."  He can't imagine that he won't give her anything - anything - she asks for at this precise moment.

She laughs as his mouth touches hers.  "Just try and remember.  We're not in any rush this time."