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More from Walt46
Listed in Folders
In the Family Way
© 2013 by Walter D. Reimer
(Characters courtesy of
Major Matt Mason and 
EOCostello
The story of the duCleds relationship and marriage can be found on the Spontoon Island website, in the following stories:
Inocenta Until Proven Guilty
Valentine's Dazed
The I Do's of March
Art by
TheTiedTigress
______________________________________________
Part 10.
Les:
What the –
“Dad!?”
To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement. I honestly didn’t expect either of them to be here.
But there was my father, looking sleek and very pleased with himself, dressed in a suit and a yachting cap cocked at a jaunty angle, with Mom on his arm dressed in a silk frock.
“Wha – wha – “
“Hi, Son! Close your mouth, boy; you’ll let flies in,” he said in that flat Hah-vahd accent I remember so well.
Now you know why I went to Penn.
“Dad, what are you and Mom doing here?” Mom was hugging Inocenta and making all kinds of approving and complimentary noises over her. My wife was basking in the attention and returning the compliments enthusiastically.
“You think your mother and I’d miss this?”
I found my voice.
“Well, you missed the first one . . . “
“That’s what you get for going to Penn and not Hahvahd. Nice is a lot closer to Delahare than it is to Spontoon, boy. Now, stand aside – I want to kiss my daughter-in-law.” He grinned at Inocenta and she hugged him tightly.
Aunt Catherine shouldered her way through the press and shouted, “Paul Thurston duCleds! Eunice Wentworth duCleds! What on Earth are you doing, daring to show your faces here again!?"
Dad looked away from Inocenta and eyed his oldest sister up and down. “Hello, Catherine. Put on weight again, I see.”
Talk about hitting below the belt.
Or, since we’re duCleds, it was one round, armor-piercing, straight through the glacis.
I was inclined to take notes as my aunts crumbled and fell back. Dad released Inocenta and started shaking paws with Don Carlos, while Mom hugged me.
“Dahling! She’s beautiful! You SIMPLY are the LUCKIEST duCleds!”
I caught myself blushing. “Thanks, Mom.” I hugged her again and asked, “But how did you two know – “
“Dahling, you forget – we STILL get the Society pages, EVEN in FRANCE! As soon as we heard, Paul said that we simply MUST get over here, so we had Jacques and Christiane look after the place while we dropped EVERYTHING and headed for Lisbon!”
My Mom, ladies and gentlemen. Her language tends to swoop down on you.
I should explain.
My Dad’s Paul duCleds (Harvard, Class of 1896, rah rah), and my Mom’s one of the Pennsylvania Wentworths. When Dad felt that he’d made enough money he cashed in, left everything in Uncle Pierre’s paws and ran off with Mom to a villa on the French Riviera, overlooking Nice.
That was about six years ago, shortly before I graduated from Penn.
They spend a lot of the year now cruising around the Mediterranean in their yacht, which is named after Mom. Willow and I met up with them when we passed through Monaco.
Anyway, Inocenta was thrilled to meet her in-laws. Kisses and hugs all around, including those exchanged between my parents and Mom’s side of the family, and we all trooped up to the house for a reception.
The weather was holding up, nicely sunny and warm, so a huge canopy had been raised to cover the back patio and the staff had laid out a very tasty buffet. The centerpiece was a cake about six layers tall and topped with the traditional statuettes.
Several small marks in the icing indicated the presence of my cousins Tom and Dick, who looked a bit red when I glanced at them. Tom was still licking his finger.
Inocenta and I cut the cake as a photographer snapped pictures and everyone applauded.
***
Inocenta:
It is the most splendid that the parents of my Leslie-puppy could be here for the grande wedding! Papi and Mami look the very pleased and happy to meet Papa Pablo and Mama Eunice, especially as Papa Pablo speak the Español with them. I find that they have visited the town of Estoril in España, and have many wonderful memories of my home country.
While Inocenta eat the lunch she overhear some talking about Leslie-puppy’s cousin Louis, who is the reprehensible in the Washingtons.
“Has he asked you for help yet?”
“No, but is there a chance he’ll lose his seat?”
"Pouf!” I say. “He no lose his seat. He have large seat, under tail."
The men stare at Inocenta, then laugh and say that she is right.
Of course Inocenta is right. Is plain as nose on her muzzle.
Tia Toni and Mama Eunice come up with Mami and we all three talk about the puppy-fawn and how he is growing. Mama Eunice is so happy, and she tell Mami that Leslie-puppy would wish for a brother or sister when he was a puppy. Inocenta sure Leslie was the cutest puppy when he was the younger.
Mama Eunice she say that she have pictures.
Inocenta hear the aunts walk by, and she hear them talking.
Tia Marie she say, “I didn't like Europe. Full of ruins and such - not as nice as America.”
Tia Louise she give the sniff while she is the smoking. "I didn't like Europe either. Too many low, foreign types there. And I didn't like Spain at all - it was just like Texas."
Inocenta wonder why. Texas was the nothing like España. One can not get the fine chiles relleños in the España. But it is good that Inocenta know what Leslie-puppy’s aunts are saying.
As long as the blood is hot, the puppy-fawn stay warm.
Cousin Madeleine come up to me and have a seat, and we talk about how the wedding day is so magnifico. She get up then and Cousin Ricardo walk up to her.
Now Inocenta know why Cousin Madeleine no allowed out without ladies with her, because she kick very high.
Not as high as Ricardo scream, though.
Cousin Madeleine get taken away by the nurses. So sad; Inocenta make sure she get the slice of cake.
And the pack of ice for poor Ricardo.
Mami say that it is not good for the fine lady doggie to kick the poor puppy. Of course, she is not knowing what kind of doggie Cousin Ricardo is, so the ignorance is bliss for Mami this time.
Suddenly Papa Pablo stand up, a champagne glass in his paw. “Ladies and gentlemen!” he shout. Everyone quiet down, and he say, “Friends, I wish to propose a toast to my son Leslie and his beautiful wife Inocenta.” He turn to me and Leslie-puppy, and Leslie-puppy stand close to me, his tail wagging. I flick the little deerie flag as Papa Pablo say, “A long life, and a happy one, filled with joy – and grandchildren for me to spoil!”
Everyone cheer!
Inocenta have just the small sip of Leslie-puppy’s champagne.
Now Papi stand up as Mami look on proudly. “I, Don Carlos de Ciervos, am very happy to see the grand reception of my daughter into the Family duCleds. I wish my darling little Inocenta and her husband the best of fortunes.” Papi then say something in the Español before he bring the champagne to his lips.
And we hear the shouting.
“I told you! They’re coming at us! General Miles, get under cover!”
It is Leslie-puppy’s Great-Uncle Baltasar, and he throw the fruit at Papi! The apple, it stick on one of Papi’s antlers!
Papi will not the stand for this! He move to take the cover as other people scatter, and he begin to hurl the fruit back at Great-Uncle Baltasar.
Inocenta no can sit idle while her Papi fight!
“Viva España!”
***
Les:
Oh, my God . . .
I suppose I should look on the bright side – there were no cocoanuts, and no sign of any bowls of fondant.
No sign of the Baron either, which was a relief.
The war re-enactment was an interesting, but brief, bit of entertainment as Baltasar’s nurse started dragging him off, my great-uncle shouting “Remember the Maine!” as he was put back into his chair and wheeled off at a rate of knots.
I could hear her alternately apologizing to all the guests and soothing her charge with, “No, Mr. duCleds, we’re NOT in Porto Rico . . . no, Mr. duCleds, they’re NOT soldiers . . . No, Mr. duCleds, I won’t leave you alone with the Germans, I promise . . . “
The French doors closed and the assembled wedding guests applauded the cabaret portion of the day’s festivities. The Steeles, in particular, seemed to warm up to the de Ciervoses out of cervine fellow-feeling.
“Well!” my mother said. “What a simply GHASTLY thing to have happen! That’s YOUR side of the family, Paul.”
My Dad grinned at her and gave her a nuzzle before saying, “And what about your grandfather, my love? I still recall him getting swacked on the champagne at our wedding.”
She laughed and kissed him. “I thought Father would BLOW his top when he saw Grandpa SWINGING from the chandelier,” and she giggled as the rest of us laughed.
Inocenta hugged Papi, calming him down as the emergency seemed to be over, and giggled as the photographer snapped a picture of the Don.
On the one paw, with the apple of his eye.
On the other, with the apple on his antler.
I discreetly removed the adornment before any more happy snaps could be taken, and made a note to myself to buy the negative from him when this was all over. I didn’t want Don Carlos going after the Wiltmington papers.
You don’t anger people who buy their ink by the barrel.
As things calmed down we turned our attention to the presents. Don Carlos and Mami presented us with a silver set for the baby, worked in very fine style and with a few blank areas for the baby’s name.
Since the Grand Unveiling was months away, there wasn’t any use in picking a name just yet.
When it came their turn, Mom and Dad smiled at me, and I got nervous.
“Son,” Dad said, “I know you went to Penn, but I’ve forgiven you for that, long ago.” A short ripple of laughter greeted this, and he went on, “But that doesn’t mean your child should be deprived of the best school in the land. Your mother and I have a Hahvahd scholarship already set up for you and Inocenta’s baby,” and he grinned as everyone applauded.
I applauded too.
While gently kissing Inocenta to keep her from launching into a stirring rendition of Royal Reddy Blue.
There was a surprise gift from Reggie and Willow, a full set of baby clothes done in paw-made Belgian lace. Willow was also being a bit cheeky, as she and Rosie sent a large bottle of vitamins.
I was relieved.
I had been expecting a tiki-head wastepaper basket.
As the onlookers oohed and ahhed over the presents, I tapped a fork against a champagne glass.
“Um, well,” I said as everyone turned their attention to me, “I have a gift, too.” I smiled at Inocenta. “I started the application process to make you an American citizen, honeyfur.”
Inocenta’s eyes went wide and she clapped her paws in delight, kissing me as everyone applauded.
With the party winding down a few hours later, Mom and Dad came up to me and Inocenta, and it was hugs and pawshakes all around. “DAHLING!” Mother exclaimed. “You two simply HAVE to take the beach house on Cape May for your honeymoon!”
I must have looked dubious, but Inocenta said, “Cape May? Tia Toni speak of the Cape May.”
“We have a beach house there,” Dad offered.
“Its’s SIMPLY the most WONDERFUL place!” Mom said. “Oh, the OCEAN! The WAVES are SO wonderful, and WAIT until you’re there when a HURRICANE comes through! It’s MARVELOUS!”
Dad said, “There’s a boat waiting for you at the dock to take you there.” He winked at me. “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do – we had the neighbors call the police on us the last time.”
I didn’t wish to know that.
But with that endorsement ringing in our ears, we started on our second – no, third - honeymoon.
***
“Soon after they were married, their honeymoon was spent
In a seaside house on Old Cape May that overlooked the rent.
Les staggered from their bed one day, his face was thin and lined;
He took hold of the window shade and went up with the blind.”
NEXT
FIRST
PREVIOUS
© 2013 by Walter D. Reimer
(Characters courtesy of
Major Matt Mason and 
EOCostelloThe story of the duCleds relationship and marriage can be found on the Spontoon Island website, in the following stories:
Inocenta Until Proven Guilty
Valentine's Dazed
The I Do's of March
Art by
TheTiedTigress______________________________________________
Part 10.
Les:
What the –
“Dad!?”
To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement. I honestly didn’t expect either of them to be here.
But there was my father, looking sleek and very pleased with himself, dressed in a suit and a yachting cap cocked at a jaunty angle, with Mom on his arm dressed in a silk frock.
“Wha – wha – “
“Hi, Son! Close your mouth, boy; you’ll let flies in,” he said in that flat Hah-vahd accent I remember so well.
Now you know why I went to Penn.
“Dad, what are you and Mom doing here?” Mom was hugging Inocenta and making all kinds of approving and complimentary noises over her. My wife was basking in the attention and returning the compliments enthusiastically.
“You think your mother and I’d miss this?”
I found my voice.
“Well, you missed the first one . . . “
“That’s what you get for going to Penn and not Hahvahd. Nice is a lot closer to Delahare than it is to Spontoon, boy. Now, stand aside – I want to kiss my daughter-in-law.” He grinned at Inocenta and she hugged him tightly.
Aunt Catherine shouldered her way through the press and shouted, “Paul Thurston duCleds! Eunice Wentworth duCleds! What on Earth are you doing, daring to show your faces here again!?"
Dad looked away from Inocenta and eyed his oldest sister up and down. “Hello, Catherine. Put on weight again, I see.”
Talk about hitting below the belt.
Or, since we’re duCleds, it was one round, armor-piercing, straight through the glacis.
I was inclined to take notes as my aunts crumbled and fell back. Dad released Inocenta and started shaking paws with Don Carlos, while Mom hugged me.
“Dahling! She’s beautiful! You SIMPLY are the LUCKIEST duCleds!”
I caught myself blushing. “Thanks, Mom.” I hugged her again and asked, “But how did you two know – “
“Dahling, you forget – we STILL get the Society pages, EVEN in FRANCE! As soon as we heard, Paul said that we simply MUST get over here, so we had Jacques and Christiane look after the place while we dropped EVERYTHING and headed for Lisbon!”
My Mom, ladies and gentlemen. Her language tends to swoop down on you.
I should explain.
My Dad’s Paul duCleds (Harvard, Class of 1896, rah rah), and my Mom’s one of the Pennsylvania Wentworths. When Dad felt that he’d made enough money he cashed in, left everything in Uncle Pierre’s paws and ran off with Mom to a villa on the French Riviera, overlooking Nice.
That was about six years ago, shortly before I graduated from Penn.
They spend a lot of the year now cruising around the Mediterranean in their yacht, which is named after Mom. Willow and I met up with them when we passed through Monaco.
Anyway, Inocenta was thrilled to meet her in-laws. Kisses and hugs all around, including those exchanged between my parents and Mom’s side of the family, and we all trooped up to the house for a reception.
The weather was holding up, nicely sunny and warm, so a huge canopy had been raised to cover the back patio and the staff had laid out a very tasty buffet. The centerpiece was a cake about six layers tall and topped with the traditional statuettes.
Several small marks in the icing indicated the presence of my cousins Tom and Dick, who looked a bit red when I glanced at them. Tom was still licking his finger.
Inocenta and I cut the cake as a photographer snapped pictures and everyone applauded.
***
Inocenta:
It is the most splendid that the parents of my Leslie-puppy could be here for the grande wedding! Papi and Mami look the very pleased and happy to meet Papa Pablo and Mama Eunice, especially as Papa Pablo speak the Español with them. I find that they have visited the town of Estoril in España, and have many wonderful memories of my home country.
While Inocenta eat the lunch she overhear some talking about Leslie-puppy’s cousin Louis, who is the reprehensible in the Washingtons.
“Has he asked you for help yet?”
“No, but is there a chance he’ll lose his seat?”
"Pouf!” I say. “He no lose his seat. He have large seat, under tail."
The men stare at Inocenta, then laugh and say that she is right.
Of course Inocenta is right. Is plain as nose on her muzzle.
Tia Toni and Mama Eunice come up with Mami and we all three talk about the puppy-fawn and how he is growing. Mama Eunice is so happy, and she tell Mami that Leslie-puppy would wish for a brother or sister when he was a puppy. Inocenta sure Leslie was the cutest puppy when he was the younger.
Mama Eunice she say that she have pictures.
Inocenta hear the aunts walk by, and she hear them talking.
Tia Marie she say, “I didn't like Europe. Full of ruins and such - not as nice as America.”
Tia Louise she give the sniff while she is the smoking. "I didn't like Europe either. Too many low, foreign types there. And I didn't like Spain at all - it was just like Texas."
Inocenta wonder why. Texas was the nothing like España. One can not get the fine chiles relleños in the España. But it is good that Inocenta know what Leslie-puppy’s aunts are saying.
As long as the blood is hot, the puppy-fawn stay warm.
Cousin Madeleine come up to me and have a seat, and we talk about how the wedding day is so magnifico. She get up then and Cousin Ricardo walk up to her.
Now Inocenta know why Cousin Madeleine no allowed out without ladies with her, because she kick very high.
Not as high as Ricardo scream, though.
Cousin Madeleine get taken away by the nurses. So sad; Inocenta make sure she get the slice of cake.
And the pack of ice for poor Ricardo.
Mami say that it is not good for the fine lady doggie to kick the poor puppy. Of course, she is not knowing what kind of doggie Cousin Ricardo is, so the ignorance is bliss for Mami this time.
Suddenly Papa Pablo stand up, a champagne glass in his paw. “Ladies and gentlemen!” he shout. Everyone quiet down, and he say, “Friends, I wish to propose a toast to my son Leslie and his beautiful wife Inocenta.” He turn to me and Leslie-puppy, and Leslie-puppy stand close to me, his tail wagging. I flick the little deerie flag as Papa Pablo say, “A long life, and a happy one, filled with joy – and grandchildren for me to spoil!”
Everyone cheer!
Inocenta have just the small sip of Leslie-puppy’s champagne.
Now Papi stand up as Mami look on proudly. “I, Don Carlos de Ciervos, am very happy to see the grand reception of my daughter into the Family duCleds. I wish my darling little Inocenta and her husband the best of fortunes.” Papi then say something in the Español before he bring the champagne to his lips.
And we hear the shouting.
“I told you! They’re coming at us! General Miles, get under cover!”
It is Leslie-puppy’s Great-Uncle Baltasar, and he throw the fruit at Papi! The apple, it stick on one of Papi’s antlers!
Papi will not the stand for this! He move to take the cover as other people scatter, and he begin to hurl the fruit back at Great-Uncle Baltasar.
Inocenta no can sit idle while her Papi fight!
“Viva España!”
***
Les:
Oh, my God . . .
I suppose I should look on the bright side – there were no cocoanuts, and no sign of any bowls of fondant.
No sign of the Baron either, which was a relief.
The war re-enactment was an interesting, but brief, bit of entertainment as Baltasar’s nurse started dragging him off, my great-uncle shouting “Remember the Maine!” as he was put back into his chair and wheeled off at a rate of knots.
I could hear her alternately apologizing to all the guests and soothing her charge with, “No, Mr. duCleds, we’re NOT in Porto Rico . . . no, Mr. duCleds, they’re NOT soldiers . . . No, Mr. duCleds, I won’t leave you alone with the Germans, I promise . . . “
The French doors closed and the assembled wedding guests applauded the cabaret portion of the day’s festivities. The Steeles, in particular, seemed to warm up to the de Ciervoses out of cervine fellow-feeling.
“Well!” my mother said. “What a simply GHASTLY thing to have happen! That’s YOUR side of the family, Paul.”
My Dad grinned at her and gave her a nuzzle before saying, “And what about your grandfather, my love? I still recall him getting swacked on the champagne at our wedding.”
She laughed and kissed him. “I thought Father would BLOW his top when he saw Grandpa SWINGING from the chandelier,” and she giggled as the rest of us laughed.
Inocenta hugged Papi, calming him down as the emergency seemed to be over, and giggled as the photographer snapped a picture of the Don.
On the one paw, with the apple of his eye.
On the other, with the apple on his antler.
I discreetly removed the adornment before any more happy snaps could be taken, and made a note to myself to buy the negative from him when this was all over. I didn’t want Don Carlos going after the Wiltmington papers.
You don’t anger people who buy their ink by the barrel.
As things calmed down we turned our attention to the presents. Don Carlos and Mami presented us with a silver set for the baby, worked in very fine style and with a few blank areas for the baby’s name.
Since the Grand Unveiling was months away, there wasn’t any use in picking a name just yet.
When it came their turn, Mom and Dad smiled at me, and I got nervous.
“Son,” Dad said, “I know you went to Penn, but I’ve forgiven you for that, long ago.” A short ripple of laughter greeted this, and he went on, “But that doesn’t mean your child should be deprived of the best school in the land. Your mother and I have a Hahvahd scholarship already set up for you and Inocenta’s baby,” and he grinned as everyone applauded.
I applauded too.
While gently kissing Inocenta to keep her from launching into a stirring rendition of Royal Reddy Blue.
There was a surprise gift from Reggie and Willow, a full set of baby clothes done in paw-made Belgian lace. Willow was also being a bit cheeky, as she and Rosie sent a large bottle of vitamins.
I was relieved.
I had been expecting a tiki-head wastepaper basket.
As the onlookers oohed and ahhed over the presents, I tapped a fork against a champagne glass.
“Um, well,” I said as everyone turned their attention to me, “I have a gift, too.” I smiled at Inocenta. “I started the application process to make you an American citizen, honeyfur.”
Inocenta’s eyes went wide and she clapped her paws in delight, kissing me as everyone applauded.
With the party winding down a few hours later, Mom and Dad came up to me and Inocenta, and it was hugs and pawshakes all around. “DAHLING!” Mother exclaimed. “You two simply HAVE to take the beach house on Cape May for your honeymoon!”
I must have looked dubious, but Inocenta said, “Cape May? Tia Toni speak of the Cape May.”
“We have a beach house there,” Dad offered.
“Its’s SIMPLY the most WONDERFUL place!” Mom said. “Oh, the OCEAN! The WAVES are SO wonderful, and WAIT until you’re there when a HURRICANE comes through! It’s MARVELOUS!”
Dad said, “There’s a boat waiting for you at the dock to take you there.” He winked at me. “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do – we had the neighbors call the police on us the last time.”
I didn’t wish to know that.
But with that endorsement ringing in our ears, we started on our second – no, third - honeymoon.
***
“Soon after they were married, their honeymoon was spent
In a seaside house on Old Cape May that overlooked the rent.
Les staggered from their bed one day, his face was thin and lined;
He took hold of the window shade and went up with the blind.”
NEXT
FIRST
PREVIOUS
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Dog (Other)
Size 618 x 800px
File Size 201.6 kB
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