#165: Baby Skip; Ophelia and Her Uncle's Heart-to-Heart Talk

Having opted out of the shopping trip, Regina had gone back to her house to tend her garden.  Her latest project was to grow a dragonfruit plant to give to Andromeda as a housewarming present.

D3, back from school, was doing his homework (with some well-intentioned help from Bill).

Regina was cuddling Scout,

when she suddenly went into labor.

Alice kept Regina company,

and Bill set up the second bassinet again,

before going outside to fish (which was Bill's usual approach to his wife's going into labor).

Regina gave birth just before midnight,

to a son.

_______________

"So this is 'Skip'?" Alice asked, cuddling the new baby.  (Regina had gone up to bed immediately.)

"Technically, 'Skylar'," Bill said, having come in from fishing.  "But we thought 'Skip and Scout' would be fun names for a brother and sister."

Alice handed him the baby, and went upstairs to check on Regina.

'Life is just about perfect,' Bill said to himself.

_______________

Ophelia had decided to stay over with her aunt and uncle after the big shopping trip.  Andromeda had gone to bed early -- exhausted after her long afternoon of spending money and flirting --

but Ophelia stayed up talking with Daedelus.

"Your aunt seems to have had a marvelous time today," Daedelus chuckled.  "I haven't seen her so elated in quite a while.  I take it that the store owner is very handsome?" he asked, with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, in a 'certain' way," Ophelia responded.  "Rafael is conventionally good looking, but he oozes a smarmy kind of charm -- the kind of man you'd suspect could easily hoodwink widows out of their savings."

Daedelus laughed heartily.  "I have always prized your unerring good sense, child -- no one can ever fool you!

"But I do not think we need worry about your Aunt Andromeda," he went on.  "She may end up spending a fair bit of money on clothes at his store -- which would be a good thing, given her current wardrobe! -- but I doubt the man could be a real threat to her financially."

"One thing Auntie HASN'T yet realized," Ophelia said, "is that Rafael lives with Zoe, who is maybe 20 years his junior.  Auntie seems to be under the impression that Zoe is a mere 'shopgirl'."

Daedelus was amused.  "And this despite the fact that the store is named, 'Zoe's Boutique'???"

"Auntie believes what she wants to believe," Ophelia observed, "and ignores what she DOESN'T want to believe."

"Well, we should let her have her fun," Daedelus said, good-naturedly.  "No harm in it.  Now, tell me about YOUR young life -- what are your plans?"  He got up and sat down next to her.

"I ... I'm not sure what you mean, Uncle," Ophelia stammered.  "I have been assuming that you and Aunt Andromeda and I will remain in the U.S. till the worst part of the financial crisis in Greece blows over, and then we will all return home."

"Well, I think your aunt and I will return to Greece at some point, but that's because we have a huge farm to run.  You, on the other hand -- there is nothing you need to do in Greece that you cannot do here, and more easily."

"Do you mean the photography studio I want to open in Athens?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered.  "And I think you would do better to open it here in the U.S.  The Greek bank loan you were expecting was cancelled, anyway.  Also, people here have more money to spend than do people in Athens -- and, as an entrepreneur, you should certainly take that into consideration."