What is marriage? It is secret music heard by only two people. What keeps a couple together? Children, common beliefs, love, lust, that indefinable something? Two people sing their song together with a repetitive chorus that they both know by heart. Their song is sometimes in harmony, sometimes not. This story is not taken from real life …but it could be.

“Do you want toast or English muffins with our omelet?” Lila asked. She and Winston were sitting on their front patio, he with the Daily Star and coffee, she with her Sunday mimosa. Actually, it was her second. They watched the sun spill its radiance over the mountaintop like a bright scroll unfurling down toward the valley. This summer morning was slightly cooler than usual, but the heat was beginning to build.
“What?” Winston leaned toward her cocking his head.
“Do you prefer an English muffin or toast?” Lila spoke sharply louder.
“Don’t yell at me, just don’t mumble. I’ll have whatever you are having.”
Lila shrugged and muttered, “English muffin.”
“What?”
“I’ll fix us both an English muffin. It’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes. Do you want to eat outside on the back patio or in the kitchen?”  She faced him, carefully enunciating each word.
“Are Jen and Mike coming over this today?”
“Yes. Jennifer said something about bringing the kids to swim around three. We’ll eat breakfast out back. The day’s starting so beautifully. I want to enjoy it as much as we can before it heats up. I’ll set the table out there.”
“Are they staying for dinner?”
“I didn’t ask.” She turned and walked into the house.
“What?”

Lila went into the kitchen to cook the omelet. Winston folded his paper, picked up his cup, and followed her into the house. Bowl, pan, eggs, salt, pepper, butter, cheese, green onion, muffins, Lila began to prepare breakfast.

“Wanna watch the CBS Sunday Show?” he asked.
Lila split the English muffins and put them in the toaster oven. “Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes. It’s DVR’d, so let’s wait until after breakfast. Take some silverware and napkins out back to the table and I’ll bring the water.” Lila made sure he was looking directly at her as she spoke.
“Oh, we’re eating outside this morning?”

Lila nodded whisking the eggs until fluffy and adding a wee bit of sour cream. Winston dampened a washcloth and went out the sliding glass door to the back patio to wipe off the table. Birds were chirping in the trees, a mixed choir. He returned to get the silverware and napkins, giving Lila a peck on the back of her neck as he passed her in the kitchen.

“Who loves ya, baby? he said with a wink. Then, “Beautiful morning.”
“Really?  I hadn’t noticed.”
“So are the kids staying for dinner?”
“No, I think they’ll just be here for an hour or so.”
“I could barbecue.”
“I’d rather not have the commotion this evening. Let’s just have a quiet day, just us two.”
“But you said they were coming to swim this afternoon.”
“Only for an hour or so.”
“Do you want to go to a movie?”
“Not especially. I want to enjoy a quiet day, maybe read, a little nap. You know …a lazy Sunday.”
“What?”
“I said no, not especially.”
“I miss those kids. We haven’t seen them for a couple of weeks.  We used to see them every weekend and even during the week.”
“They’re growing up. Jen and Mike have their hands full getting them to all their activities. Grandma and Grandpa don’t fit into their schedules as much as we used to. You remember what our lives were like with three active kids at home. It’s hectic.”
“Well, I remember seeing my folks and your folks every weekend.”
“It may have seemed like it to you, but we were lucky to see them once a month except at soccer or basketball games.”

“Maybe they’re spending time with Jen’s parents,” he said.
“Maybe.”
“Did we do something to tick them off?”
“Win, there is nothing wrong with our relationship with Jen, Mike, and their kids. They’re just busy.
“I miss them.”
“I know.” She added, “You need to get a hobby.”
“What about Bobby?”
“I said you need a hobby.”
“Bobby is such a good little golfer. Maybe I could take him out on Saturdays and give him some tips.”
“Mike is doing a good job, just like you did with him.”

After breakfast and the obligatory Sunday news program, Lila started the weekly laundry. Then she sat in her favorite cane-backed rocking chair to read. Winston turned to the Golf Channel with the sound off to watch the final round of a tournament he had followed since Thursday.  He dozed in his recliner.

Later, Lila pulled out the pool toys from the backyard shed.  Winston took the cover off the pool, checked the pH levels, and swept off the patio.  A little after three o’clock Mike’s family drove up and the cacophony of a nine, seven, and five-year-old broke into the Sunday quiet.  They moved quickly through the house to the backyard tossing beach towels onto the chaise as they passed.

“Say hi to grandma and grandpa kids,” Jennifer hollered.
“Hi Grandma, hi Grandpa,” came the chorus of cherubs as they swirled, swiveled, and flew into the pool.

Jennifer shook her head and gave Lila a hug.  Mike and Winston took patio chairs into the shade to watch the mini-Olympic challenges as they developed. Carla, being the oldest, was of course the director.  Bobby and Kyle followed her lead lining up on the edge and diving to swim helter-skelter toward the opposite end of the pool.

“How has the week been?” Lila asked Jennifer as she got the iced tea and lemonade out of the refrigerator.
“Oh, you know the typical mad dash from event to event, friend to friend.  I swear, I’ll be glad when school starts again and we can have a routine that doesn’t involve six hours a day in the car.” Jennifer got glasses and napkins and put them on the big tray.
“Well, you know we can help out.  If you guys need an extra set of wheels, we’d be happy to take one of them to a something, whatever.” 
“I know you would and often I think of it but most things are so spur of the moment I hate to call.  Maybe we can ask you to take one of them to lessons.  They have tennis, swimming, and horseback riding.  I’ll talk to Mike about it.  It would be a big relief to have at least one of the bases covered.”
“Who has what?  Doesn’t Carla have horseback riding?” 
“Yeah, and swimming but not on the same day that Bobby and Kyle have it.  Bobby and Kyle take lessons together on Thursday morning.  Carla has horseback riding on Thursday morning and swimming on Tuesday morning.  Both Carla and Bobby have tennis on Monday morning.  I usually take Kyle to the park while they have lessons.  And interspersed with all that is friend time.  I’m either dropping one of them off at a friend or picking a friend up for the day.  It really does get crazy.  I know that Mike is very sensitive about getting you guys involved in the whole thing so I’ll talk to him first.”
“Why?”
“Honestly?” Jennifer stopped and put down the tray, turning to face Lila, “He may be mad at me for saying this but I think honesty is the best way to deal with it.”

Lila perched on a seat at the kitchen counter bar. “What’s up?”

“Mike is concerned about Dad’s hearing and he thinks he is a bit unsteady driving.  He knows how much Dad doesn’t like to be told he can’t hear and he sure as heck doesn’t want to bring up driving skills with him so he just said he doesn’t want the kids to be in the car with him driving.”

The air sighed out of Lila’s lungs.  She knew it was just a matter of time before this conversation would happen.  She remembered having the same talk with her mother about her dad when his driving became questionable. 

“Jen, you know we wouldn’t put the kids in danger.  Ever.”
“I know you wouldn’t purposely do it but it has crept up so slowly we didn’t think you noticed.”
“Oh I’ve noticed but I guess I haven’t really made….”
“I know, I know.  It’s hard.  If you would promise to do the driving, I think Mike would be okay with it.  He’s just really worried about Dad.  The hearing thing, you know.  He misses half of what is said to him and that could cause a problem with directions or instructions for taking the kids somewhere.”
“We finally have an appointment with the audiologist.  He agreed to go because I said I was having trouble hearing. He set up an appointment for both of us to have a checkup.  I’ll talk to Win but I may need Mike to man up and back me up.  If he says something I think Winston will pay more attention.”
“My dad stopped driving completely and mom only goes back and forth a few blocks to buy groceries once a week.  I’ve been running errands and taking them to an appointment here and there but I just don’t have the time to do it all the time.  We found a car service that will pick them up and take them to some things.  They’re ten years older than you guys and they don’t get around like they used to.  For fifteen to twenty dollars they can get most anyplace they need to go and back home. It’s a small price to pay for their safety. And they only use it a couple of times a month. There is even a free public bus service for seniors, if you don’t have to go at a set time.”
“Good to know but we’re not there yet.”
“Of course not.  I’m just saying there is help when the time comes.”
“Too bad it’s not for transporting active kids all over tarnation,” Lila quipped.
“I like to go to their lessons and stay to watch but sometimes it’s just too much and I take that time to run errands so I don’t have to drag them with me.  Mike helps when he can in the evenings especially after school starts but on summer days it’s mostly me.”

“Hey, where are the drinks?” Mike shouted from the patio.
“We’re coming. Hold your shirt,” Jennifer shouted back, then turned to Lila. “I’ll talk with Mike tonight, and we’ll all talk later, okay?”
“Yeah, thanks for your honesty, honey. You’ve given me something to think about. I’ll talk to Winston too.”