09-02-2020, 11:50 AM
Tom sat and looked at Michael for a couple of minutes without expression on his face before speaking. "I can't say this is unexpected, although it is sooner than I expected. I've tried to prepare myself for it for the last several weeks, but until you are in my position you have no idea how I feel right now. I know you love my daughter, and I appreciate and admire the way you have cared for her and treated her. I also know she loves you. I have no doubts about this either. My question is, 'Is it too soon?', and I know that will be her mother's question, also. On the other hand, knowing the way the two of you feel toward each other to make you wait too long just leads to other problems, and I know what your religion says about that. How will you reconcile religion?"
"I know I will not be approved of in some circles, but I will not pressure her to change at all. I can respect her beliefs, just as I know she has respected mine. I believe we can work this out amicably between us, and I will not allow any from my church to pressure her either." Tom nodded thoughtfully.
"It is as I expected. Where would you live? She is planning to go to ASU, and was planning to live in the Thyme's house up there. Surely you don't want her to commute from here every day?"
"No, Sir. In fact, the answer to that came to me today while we were up there. I had not seriously considered the possibility of marrying her any time soon because of that, but when Justin showed me around the property today we looked at the old carriage house, which has servant's quarters in the loft that could be renovated very nicely into nice apartments, but separate from the house with all of the girls in it. I asked Justin about the possibility of doing so, and we have come to an agreement, based on your answer here, today."
Tom gave a great sigh, and then stuck his hand out to Michael. "You may ask, and I couldn't ask for a better man for her. It is a lot earlier than we had thought, and I'm going to catch flack from the Mrs., but I've been doing that for years."
Michael grasped his hand, and felt relief flooding his soul as he grinned back in understanding. Madge had never impressed him as a shrinking violet type.
"Maybe if I get kicked out of the house tonight I could go over and bunk with you?" Michael laughed along with him, both men feeling tensions leaving them, and both standing to their feet with very different emotions in their hearts. "Let's go see if we can get that old car to run, now." As they started for the garage Tom stopped and said, "Car! You had this in mind when you bought that other car, didn't you?" Michael just gave him a grin and nodded, while Tom shook his head.
***************
"Oh, Mommy, I'm so glad you came up here with us today! I didn't know what to think when Carole brought in that beautiful gown."
Madge smiled over at her daughter as she made her way back onto I-10. "That was indeed very generous of Carole and Joanne. Bringing Jacqui in was very thoughtful, too. Have you notice Joanne seems to be doing everything possible to bring you and Michael together?"
"Oh, Mommy. She's just being nice. She doesn't have to do anything to bring Michael and me together. I really think I'm in love with him. Whenever I'm not with him it seems something is missing, and I keep thinking of him. All day today, all I could think about was him. I really like Joanne, too. She is so thoughtful, knowing I wouldn't know what kind of a dress to get for going with Michael. If she hadn't offered I would have made a fool of myself, and instead, I get to wear the most beautiful gown! I really expected to be grilled when I went to DQ with her this morning, but instead, she was just so nice! All she wanted to do was to get to know me, as a person. If she is what a mother-in-law is like, I have no idea why people talk about them like they do! She's wonderful, and Jeff . . . for such a big guy, he's a big teddy bear." Susie lapsed into silence, her eyes looking far ahead, and her mind obviously far outside of the car in which they were riding.
Madge wisely remained silent, allowing Susie the time and space needed to get her thoughts under control. "Mommy, what was it like when you and Daddy fell in love? Did it feel like you had butterflies flying around in your tummy, and other times it felt like a ball of lead when you thought maybe he wasn't feeling what you were feeling?"
With her hand holding and squeezing that of her daughter's Madge glanced away from the road for a moment to look into her daughter's eyes. "My dear, yes, very often I felt just like that. In fact, there are times, even now, when he will look at me like he used to do, and the butterflies go to flying again. You are growing up, my dear, and I think you have found a very good man. I'm not ready to let you go yet, so I hope he will be patient, but your father and I both like him very much."
"Thanks, Mommy. You know I really love you?"
"I know, my dear. I know. How did you get so grown up all of a sudden? It seems you were just learning to ride a bicycle the other day, and now you are getting ready for your Senior Prom and are sparking a young man. Time flies!"
******************
"I know I will not be approved of in some circles, but I will not pressure her to change at all. I can respect her beliefs, just as I know she has respected mine. I believe we can work this out amicably between us, and I will not allow any from my church to pressure her either." Tom nodded thoughtfully.
"It is as I expected. Where would you live? She is planning to go to ASU, and was planning to live in the Thyme's house up there. Surely you don't want her to commute from here every day?"
"No, Sir. In fact, the answer to that came to me today while we were up there. I had not seriously considered the possibility of marrying her any time soon because of that, but when Justin showed me around the property today we looked at the old carriage house, which has servant's quarters in the loft that could be renovated very nicely into nice apartments, but separate from the house with all of the girls in it. I asked Justin about the possibility of doing so, and we have come to an agreement, based on your answer here, today."
Tom gave a great sigh, and then stuck his hand out to Michael. "You may ask, and I couldn't ask for a better man for her. It is a lot earlier than we had thought, and I'm going to catch flack from the Mrs., but I've been doing that for years."
Michael grasped his hand, and felt relief flooding his soul as he grinned back in understanding. Madge had never impressed him as a shrinking violet type.
"Maybe if I get kicked out of the house tonight I could go over and bunk with you?" Michael laughed along with him, both men feeling tensions leaving them, and both standing to their feet with very different emotions in their hearts. "Let's go see if we can get that old car to run, now." As they started for the garage Tom stopped and said, "Car! You had this in mind when you bought that other car, didn't you?" Michael just gave him a grin and nodded, while Tom shook his head.
***************
"Oh, Mommy, I'm so glad you came up here with us today! I didn't know what to think when Carole brought in that beautiful gown."
Madge smiled over at her daughter as she made her way back onto I-10. "That was indeed very generous of Carole and Joanne. Bringing Jacqui in was very thoughtful, too. Have you notice Joanne seems to be doing everything possible to bring you and Michael together?"
"Oh, Mommy. She's just being nice. She doesn't have to do anything to bring Michael and me together. I really think I'm in love with him. Whenever I'm not with him it seems something is missing, and I keep thinking of him. All day today, all I could think about was him. I really like Joanne, too. She is so thoughtful, knowing I wouldn't know what kind of a dress to get for going with Michael. If she hadn't offered I would have made a fool of myself, and instead, I get to wear the most beautiful gown! I really expected to be grilled when I went to DQ with her this morning, but instead, she was just so nice! All she wanted to do was to get to know me, as a person. If she is what a mother-in-law is like, I have no idea why people talk about them like they do! She's wonderful, and Jeff . . . for such a big guy, he's a big teddy bear." Susie lapsed into silence, her eyes looking far ahead, and her mind obviously far outside of the car in which they were riding.
Madge wisely remained silent, allowing Susie the time and space needed to get her thoughts under control. "Mommy, what was it like when you and Daddy fell in love? Did it feel like you had butterflies flying around in your tummy, and other times it felt like a ball of lead when you thought maybe he wasn't feeling what you were feeling?"
With her hand holding and squeezing that of her daughter's Madge glanced away from the road for a moment to look into her daughter's eyes. "My dear, yes, very often I felt just like that. In fact, there are times, even now, when he will look at me like he used to do, and the butterflies go to flying again. You are growing up, my dear, and I think you have found a very good man. I'm not ready to let you go yet, so I hope he will be patient, but your father and I both like him very much."
"Thanks, Mommy. You know I really love you?"
"I know, my dear. I know. How did you get so grown up all of a sudden? It seems you were just learning to ride a bicycle the other day, and now you are getting ready for your Senior Prom and are sparking a young man. Time flies!"
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