Competition for 'The Top'

"Sarah's really cool, Top."

"Yeah. She really is."

"And Sierra is really hot!"

Again Josh said, "Yeah. She really is." Only this time he smiled.

A few minutes later they were back and all smiles just talking away like the men weren't even there.

Josh and Rick looked over at each other, shrugged, then started laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" Molly asked.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Josh told her.

"I think that means we're being rude, honey," Sierra told her.

She looked at the men, smiled, then said, "Sorry, but this reunion was long overdue."

"No! No offense taken. We're beyond happy that this worked out so well," Josh said.

"We're pretty happy about that, too," Sierra said.

She looked at Molly then said, "I got my daughter back, and I'm here with someone I find more than little interesting. That's what's called a win-win!"

Molly smiled and watched her mom's eyes as she looked over at Josh before saying, "And I got my mom back and I'm also here with someone I find very interesting!"

"And here we guys thought we were the lucky ones!" Josh said.

All of the pent-up tension melted away as everyone laughed then spent the rest of the evening talking and enjoying one another's company. Before they left they all agreed to do this again soon.

On the way home, Sierra was quiet for a good while and Josh asked if everything was okay.

"Yes. Everything is fine, Josh. In fact, I'm wondering if it could possibly be any better."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Well, if not for you, I may never have patched things up with Molly."

"That is huge," he agreed.

"But it's more than that," she said as she looked over at him.

She offered him her hand and when he took it she said, "I also find myself sitting here thinking I'm living in the most wonderful, amazing dream of my life."

He glanced over at her and smiled before asking, "Would it be presumptuous of me to hope I'm a small part of that dream?"

Sierra laughed quietly then said, "No, not at all. In fact, you're right in the center of that dream, and I'm hoping against hope it won't come to an end anytime soon."

"Are you still doubting my sincerity about not caring about your age?" he asked politely.

"A little," she said. "Okay, I'm not doubting your sincerity, I'm just afraid you'll decide you made a mistake and...move on."

"Sierra? May I share something with you?" he asked as they drove along in the dark, cold night.

"Of course."

"I never imagined being alone before Annie got sick. Never. I thought a few times I might not come home and leave her alone, but it never crossed my mind she might die first. Since then, I've made my daughter the center of my life. I've also had my work, but Sarah has been my world."

He glanced back at her again, squeezed her hand then said, "I'm now at a point in my life where I don't want another child. I love kids, but I don't want to raise another one. So that's not an issue. But I do very much want someone to share my life with. Someone who'll love Sarah as much as I do. On those rare occasions where I allowed myself to wonder if I would ever love—or be loved—again, I had to admit I didn't have much faith. But now..."

He turned her way again and waited for her to look back before saying, "But now I found someone who's everything I want in a woman."

He paused then said, "And not to scare you off, but in a wife, too. So unless you get tired of me or unless you're hiding some part of you that would turn everything else upside down..."

"Like thinking guns are evil?" she said with a smile.

Josh smiled then continued where he left off by saying, "I've found exactly what I'm looking for and I'll stick around for as long as you'll have me."

"Then I guess you'll be sticking around for a very long time," she told him as her eyes welled up with tears again.

When he walked her to her door she said, "I'd ask you to come in, but I know you have another...woman...waiting for you at home. But perhaps you could come in—and maybe even stay—sometime soon?"

"I'd like nothing more, Sierra," he told her.

He stood there looking into her eyes for several seconds before leaning in and kissing her for the first time. There was a soft, slow, short, first kiss that was followed by one that was longer and deeper and much more passionate.

When it ended, Sierra's entire body was tingling with desire, but she knew it would have to wait because she also knew 'the other woman' was the most important thing in Josh Haverty's life. But she couldn't help but finally let herself hope she might soon be the 'other woman' in his life.

"Goodnight, Sierra," he told her as he brushed her cheek softly with the back of his fingers.

"Goodnight, Josh, and thank you. For everything."

She kissed him again before going inside where the realization of all that had happened that evening really hit her. She and her daughter were speaking again. All had been forgiven and forgotten. And were she to be completely honest with herself, she'd have to admit she'd just fallen in love with one of the most handsome men she'd ever known; a man who was many years younger than her but who had convinced her he didn't care. And if it truly didn't matter to him, then it didn't matter to her.

Two days later, Sierra made dinner for Josh and Sarah at her place then two days after that, they all spent the evening at Josh's place where they not only ate together but shared memories.

Sierra spoke fondly of her late husband as she shared details of how they met and fell in love. She teared up more than once as she talked about their life together as well as Molly's birth and watching her grow up.

But the most meaningful moment of the evening was when Sarah opened up, and for the first time, began talking about her mother.

Even Josh teared up as she spoke, but Sarah didn't until she asked if they could watch the movie they made of Sarah's last birthday party when her mom was still alive. Josh knew she was aware of it, but she'd never wanted to see it before until then.

He got it ready to show, and Sarah asked Sierra to sit on her left and her dad on her right.

As they watched it together, Sarah didn't say a word until the camera panned over to her mom who smiled and said, "I love you, Sarah, Bearah!"

Sarah began to cry as she listened then said just one word: "Mommy!"

Josh put his arm around his daughter as she cried harder than she'd ever cried in her life, and for the first time since her mother had died.

At some point, she pulled away and turned to Sierra who also held her close and let her cry it all out. They'd missed most of the video so when Sarah finally got control again, she asked if they could watch it from the beginning.

This time she cried, too, but she also smiled and laughed as she watched her mother watching her play and have fun.

"I miss her so much!" Sarah said when it ended.

"Me, too, honey," her dad said, hoping she hadn't seen him cry at one point.

They sat there quietly for a few moments before Sarah said, "My dad always gets after me for 'meddling', but I want to say something, okay?"

"Of course, honey," Sierra said just as Josh said, "Sure. Anything."

"When Mom died, I never said anything, but I was so sad I wanted to die, too," she began.

Josh and Sierra both held one of her hands as she continued.

"But I promised myself I would never let you know that, Dad."

"I'm glad you finally did, sweetie."

Sarah looked up at him then said, "For a really long time, I thought I'd never want another mom. I know no one can take her place, but I'm at a point where I do wish I had a best friend who wanted to be my mom."

When she looked over at Sierra, the older woman's eyes teared up again as Sarah said, "I know it's not up to me, but you would be the person I want to be my new mom, Sierra."

Both of them cried and held each other for several seconds before Sierra said, "And I would be so happy and honored if I could, sweetheart."

Sarah pulled back then said, "Dad? I'm not trying to be pushy or anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel, okay?"

Unable to fight it any longer, Josh teared up, and a tear fell from his eye as he said, "I know exactly how you feel, honey. I know because I feel the same way, too."

"You do?" she asked, her brow wrinkled in hopeful anticipation.

He blinked a few times then looked at her and then at Sierra who smiled at him.

"I do. And I'd like that very much, too. Just give us a little more time, okay?"

"Really?" she said.

"Yes. Really."

Sarah stood up, turned around, then pulled on the adults arms until they moved next to each other.

"There. That's better," she said. "Now I'm going to go upstairs and go to bed because I'm sooo tired."

"But it's only 8 o'clock," her dad said.

Sarah smiled and said, "I know," before faking a big yawn and turning around and leaving them alone.

"She's...amazing," Sierra said.

"And smart," Josh told her as he gently turned her chin toward him.

"Yes. Very smart," she said quietly as she parted her lips for a very long and very deep kiss.

It was briefly interrupted by the sound of Sarah's voice saying, "Yes!" a little too loudly.

The happy couple laughed for a moment then went back to kissing.

The following weekend, Molly kept Sarah so that their parents could spend a couple of days together; days in which they made love for the first, second, third, and fourth times.

From that day on, they spent nearly every day together and took turns 'spending the night' at one another's homes knowing that Sarah not only 'knew' but wholeheartedly approved.

On the morning of December 23rd, 'Santa Claus' Haverty drove into the parking lot of a community center in downtown Seattle where nearly 500 children were cheering and pointing when the red Humvee and the huge tractor-trailer rig pulled in honking wildly as the Marines riding in them called out, "Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas!"

Josh, Sierra, Sarah, Molly, Rick, the colonel, the reserve commander and his sergeant major, and every available Marine and teacher from the Academy along with Mrs. Winters were there. They'd all pitched in and wrapped presents for many, many hours; presents that were passed out to the poorest, happiest children in the city.

Puget Sound Academy made it's goal and then some collecting some 6,500 toys while the reservists put together a respectable 3,500. After 'making their day' at the community center, they went to a large football field where nearly a thousand other children where waiting for Christmas to arrive.

A couple of hours later, the kids were gone as was all the wrapping paper that had been placed in dozens of trash bags by those who watched those kids forgot about being poor for a little while.

And then when no one was left but Josh, Sarah, and Sierra, Josh got out a small pad and dropped in it front of him on the ground.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Sierra asked.

"I can't dishonor this uniform by kneeling down on dirty asphalt, can I?" he said with a smile as Sarah smiled happily as she handed him a small, fuzzy, blue box.

"Oh, my..." Sierra said as she covered her mouth with her hands when Josh knelt down placing one knee on the small, black pad.

"Sierra, both of us love you with all our hearts. Neither of us ever thought we'd ever feel this way about anyone again. But we do. Both of us. And while the kind of love we feel for you is different, both kinds are very real."

Sierra was trying not to cry, and Sarah couldn't stop smiling as her dad asked, "Sierra Olsen? Will you marry—us?"

Sierra never did say 'yes' as she couldn't utter a word. But she happily accepted the large, new diamond ring Josh placed on her finger after carefully placing the old one in the box and giving it to her when he stood up. He then took his own ring off and handed it to Sarah who attached it to a gold chain around her neck for the rest of her life.

They were married in a rustic old church on Sarah's 15th birthday. Even Sarah, who'd been around the Marine Corps her whole life, was impressed when she watched her new 'mom' and dad walk through the sword arch his fellow Marines made when they left the chapel for their honeymoon.

Sarah stayed with Molly that week, who hoped but didn't know, that Rick was going to propose to her once the 'Top' got back with her mother. She and her new 'sister', Sarah Haverty, became very close friends for the rest of their lives, and even more so once Molly was no longer her teacher.

Sarah graduated from Puget Sound Academy around the time her father called it quits and retired from active duty. As she began going to college at The University of Washington, her dad took a few months off to fix up the beautiful house he and Sierra bought together shortly after getting married then took a job as a security consultant where he worked part-time and mostly for fun. Work held little interest for him anymore and was more a hobby than a necessity as he preferred spending most of his time with the newest love of his life.

Ann understood that tragedy is a part of life. She knew we all do our best to avoid them, but sometimes they're inevitable, and all we can do is try and react with dignity and grace the way she did when faced with the end of her life.

For those who remain, life offers hope, and when we're ready, other new, wonderful things can happen. One of those things is the possibility of finding new love and happiness. And in the case of Josh and Sierra Haverty, that's exactly what both of them found.

Although several women were interested in the handsome Marine, there was never any real competition for the man his fellow jarheads called 'Top' as Master Sergeant Josh Haverty only had eyes for the beautiful, older woman he fell in love with and married and now loved with all his heart.