When You Least Expect It (52 page)

             
The subject then changed to Ray’s trip.  They were both excited about him going to El Paso. 

             
“When do you think I could come out?  I need to ask for the time off at work.”  Ray could barely contain his excitement.

             
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it.  How would you feel about coming out at the end of May?”

             
“May, huh?  Is it nice there then?” 

             
“Yes, it’s spring like weather; sunny, warm and dry.  You’ll love it.  But there’s another reason why I want you to come then.” 

             
Ray could tell Amanda was about to drop something big.  “Let me guess, you want a May wedding?”

             
They both laughed.  “Very funny, Ray.  There’s an event happening in May that I want you to come to.  Alex is graduating, and I’m going to throw a big party.  Randy and his wife will be here, and well, I need a date.”

             
Ray laughed heartily.  “You want me to come to be your escort?”

             
She laughed nervously.  “There’s more.”

             
“I can’t wait to hear, go on.”

             
Amanda bit her lip, afraid to tell Ray that she wanted him to meet her family.  “The party I’m throwing will be for about sixty people.  I’m having it in my backyard with food, music, dancing; the whole bit.”

             
Ray was impressed.  “That sounds like fun, actually.  So you want me there to help you?”

             
Amanda surged ahead.  “My whole family will be here.”

             
Ray was speechless.

             
“Blossom keeps bugging me about telling the family, so when I tell them in the near future, I want to be able to say they can meet you when they come down.  My family is very protective, Ray.  If they’re ever going to accept you, they’ll have to see for themselves that you’re not an axe murderer.  So, what do you think?’

             
“I think that I’m coming to be your escort.  How will your ex react?”

             
“Who cares?  He won’t say anything to you or anything like that.  It’ll be fine.”  She was so excited.  He was actually going to do it!

             
“Tell me exactly when the dates are, and I’ll ask for the time off at work, then I’ll buy an airline ticket.   Should I get a hotel?”

             
Amanda had not thought through where Ray should stay.  “Well, of course, I want you to stay here, but with my family staying here and all, I’m not sure it would be a great idea.  Will the expense of this be too much?”

             
Ray had not considered staying in a hotel.  He’d have to rent a car too.  “I guess I’d have to cut down my stay a few days. Maybe just come for a long weekend. How does Thursday through Tuesday sound?”

             
“Not long enough, but I understand.”  She was disappointed, but happy that he’d agreed to come for the graduation.  “I think this’ll be great.  I’ll get everything done early so that we have a chance to spend some time together.”

             
“That sounds great.  Since I’m staying at a hotel, we will definitely have to put it to good use.”

             
Amanda blushed happily.  “I can’t wait.”

             
                                          ~~~             

She called Blossom right away to tell her the news.  “So see, now you have nothing to worry about.”

              “Yes I do!  You’d better not tell them that I knew about this all along!  I’m an innocent bystander.  Are you going to tell them you went to Maine?”

             
Amanda considered this for a minute.  “Yes, I am.”

             
Blossom shrieked.  “They better not find out that I knew about that, either!  You’re killing me, here!”

             
Amanda giggled.  “Relax.  So, are you going to come meet him?”

             
“You bet you’re sweet ass I am!  I wouldn’t miss it for the world.  I have to go and inform Julio of this trip.  Call me after you tell the family.”

             
“Good luck with Julio.”

             
She hung up and dialed Leeza’s number.  After the formalities, she went got straight to the point; almost.

             
“So, you’re coming to Alex’s graduation, right?”

             
“I’m planning too, but I’m not sure if Jerry can, or the girls.  It’s a hectic time, plus the kids go to school until June here.”

             
“Alex will be so disappointed.  He’s really hoping for a large family turnout.  He’s way too proud of himself.” 

             
“Well, maybe I can talk Jerry into it.  I think my Mom and Auntie Inez are coming.  Are Blossom and the rest of the cousins going to make it?

             
“Blossom says she is; I don’t know about Trish or Cindy though.”

             
“I don’t know if Tina is, either.”  Tina was Leeza’s sister.

             
“Well, we’ll have to see as it gets closer.  I’ll need a head count, of course.  Randy will be here.”

             
“Why?”  Leeza had no use for Randy, and frankly, never did.

             
“I think it’s because he’s Alex’s father.”  Amanda giggled.  “Why else would he come?”

             
Leeza rolled her eyes.  “Okay, okay, I forgot.  That was a dumb question.  Is he bringing his bimbette?”

             
Amanda laughed.  “Bimbette?  That’s too funny.  I don’t know; I would assume so.”  She took a deep breath.  “I’m going to have a date there, too.”

             
Leeza was shocked.  “You’re dating someone?  Great!  Who is it?  How did you meet?  Tell me everything”

             
She proceeded to tell Leeza the whole G-rated version of their story.  Leeza was quiet through it all, only adding a few “mm-hmm’s” now and then. 

“…so, I convinced him to come when the family was here so he could meet you all.  Cool, huh?”

              “Very cool.  I have a friend who married someone she met on the Internet, and they’re very happy together.  This really is the new age way of meeting people.  I don’t see anything wrong with it.  I can’t wait to meet him.  This is great, Mandy, I’m happy for you.”

             
It was Amanda’s turn to be speechless. 

             
“Are you there?”

             
“Yes. I just can’t believe you are taking it so well.”

             
“Why wouldn’t I?  It’s a different world out there, and hard to meet men in your forties.  I think it’s great.  It’s not so great that he lives in Maine, but at least you won’t jump into anything unless you are actually ready.  Does he make good money?”

             
Amanda knew it had been too good to be true.  “Yes, he does.”

             
“So he can afford to have this long-distance relationship, and you can just sit back and enjoy it for once.  No jumping in with feet, arms and neck.  You’ve already been married twice, Mandy; give it a rest.”

             
Amanda wanted to come through the phone and kick her cousins’ ass, but instead just muttered, “I will.”

             
She hung up the phone, feeling both relieved and chastised.  Her family was really too much. Even though she had promised Blossom she’d call her back, she decided two family phone calls tonight was enough.  She opted to have a cup of tea and go to bed.

~~~

              The phone ringing brought Amanda out of her dream the next morning.  Before she even brought the receiver to her ear, she could hear Blossom yelling.

             
“Why didn’t you call me?  Don’t you know I was sitting here on pins and needles?”

             
Amanda sighed.  “Well then it must have been a long night for you.”  She giggled.  “I got off the phone with Leeza and was exhausted, so I went to bed.”

             
“Oh god, you called Leeza first?  How did she take it?”

             
“She took it very well and is happy for me…she can’t wait to meet Ray.”

             
Blossom was stunned.  “She didn’t think you were crazy?”

             
“Nope, that would only be you, girlfriend.”

             
“Did you call anyone else?  I’m sure not everyone will react that way.”

             
“I’ll call Aunt Inez, then I’m sure from there, the family circle will take care of the rest.  The news will spread like wildfire.”

             
Blossom laughed.  “You could always tell them not to say anything, and then it will really spread fast!”  Both girls cackled loudly. “We’re so bad!”

             
She hung up and made several other calls.  She called her aunt, the cousins and Kara.  They were all excited Ray was coming and that they were going to get to meet him.  She was then off to Nene’s to tell Hilary over a few margaritas.

             
                                                        ~~~

“He’s coming to meet the family?  You’ve got to be kidding me.  Mandy, you’ve lost your mind.”  She laughed.  “I’ll give Ray this…he’s brave.”

              They ordered margaritas with chips and salsa.  “What do the kids think?”

             
“I haven’t told them yet.  Actually, Elisa and Tom are meeting us here in a little while, and then you can see it for yourself.”

             
“Oh great, I’m sure that will be drama filled.  Elisa is still dating Tom?”

             
“Yes.  It seems to be getting hot and heavy quickly.  That’s not like Elisa, but maybe she is ‘in love’.”  Amanda sighed.  She felt Elisa was way too young for such a serious relationship.  The last thing she wanted for her daughter was to repeat the same mistakes she did.  She wanted her to go to college and experience life before getting married.  After all, she was only twenty.  Elisa had a good head on her shoulders, always claimed she was waiting to get married, so she hoped ‘love’ wouldn’t cloud her mind.

             
“Hi Mom!”

             
Speak of the devil.  “Hey.”  She got up to hug her daughter tightly. “Hey, Tom.”

             
“Hi, Mom!” Tom squeezed her like a long lost friend.  “How goes it?”

             
The four sat down and talked animatedly about everything, catching each other up on their lives.  Amanda was surprised when Elisa brought up Ray.

             
“Still talking to Ray, Mom?”

             
“Yes, of course.  In fact, I have a surprise for you.  He’s coming to Texas.”

             
“Really?  Cool!  When’s he coming?”

             
“He’s coming in May, for Alex’s graduation.”

             
Elisa rolled her eyes.  “Mom, Alex isn’t going to like that.  Why’s he coming then?”

             
Hilary, sat back, drink in hand, watching the show.  “Yeah, Mom; how come?”

             
Amanda shot her a dirty look.  “Because honey, I asked him to come be my date.  Your dad will be here with his wife, so I wanted a date too.  Plus, he can meet the whole family in one shot.  You know they’re going to freak out that I met him on the Internet, but once they get to know him, they’ll see for themselves that he’s a nice guy.”

             
Elisa agreed.  “I guess you’re right.  As long as you don’t make too big of a production of it and take away from Alex’s graduation, it should be fine.”

             
“I’d never do that.  Meeting Ray is just an extension.  Just like the family meeting Tom will be.”

             
All eyes turned to Tom.  Elisa’s eyes were as wide as saucer’s.   “Oh wow, Tom, I hadn’t even thought of that. Are you ready to be under the scrutiny of my entire family?  Not to mention my dad?”

             
Tom shrugged.  “No big deal.  They’re going to love me!”

             
The four of them laughed.   Amanda patted him on the shoulder.  “The part I love about you most is your modesty, honey.  Don’t ever lose that.” 

             
Elisa groaned out loud.  “The funny part is…you know he’s right.  They’re going to love him, and probably Ray, too.  As long as we’re happy, they’ll be happy.  Right, Mom?”

             
She thought about this for a moment.  “You’re exactly right, Elisa.  We have nothing to worry about.”