Parkers Island Ch. 03

The summer houses once again started to fill up. Amelia and I spent her day off on the mainland, and when we got back I could tell I was being set up for something. Martha and Mr. Burnett were sitting with Tessa in our house, and the knock on our door came five minutes later. My wife went to answer it while I talked to Martha; it was the child-like giggle that stopped me dead.

When I turned around my wife was holding Abby's little girl in her arms, although when she spotted me she was doing her best to reach out to me. Abby and Hannah were behind her, with Matt, looking very worried, bringing up the rear. In that one moment it all came together.

"Hannah's Photographic."

Hannah smiled and nodded. "One and the same, brother."

I looked towards Abby. "So you own the house across the road?"

My sister nodded, her hand going behind her to hold onto Matt for comfort. "Please don't be mad."

Amelia placed her charge on the floor, and the little girl almost skipped across the room and into my arms. I got the wettest, sloppiest kiss ever that evening, and felt so loved by the five year old. How could I be mad in a moment like that?

Hannah's shop is doing well. She's even dating Hank's nephew at the moment, and both are seen with their hands welded together in public places so we're all standing back and waiting to see how that develops. Matt loses his wife and daughter for a month over the summer, but he does have long weekends here as well. His mom and dad have even stayed for a week when it was decided to hold the family Christmas here, and they insisted on meeting Martha. The real reason became apparent when they put their names on the waiting list for any house becoming vacant in the future.

Amelia does visit Abby across the road, which worried us the first time she stepped in the house. I'm sure the total redecoration and a few alterations softened any after-effects she may have had. Sarah spends time at Matt and Abby's when it's empty and she's come back from a tour. Em and I both know why, and invite her over for dinner when she's around.

She stayed with us for a few nights after her last tour. Her own nightmares meant we both heard the screaming that night, and we raced to comfort her. Em stayed with her that night, and in the morning my wife gave Sarah Dr. Courtney Barstow's card. I leaned on some of the resources from the Department and found out why Sarah was in such a bad way. The row that followed caused Amelia to have to get between us.

Martha came over the same afternoon and all three women went into a huddle. I spent the day on the mainland and came back to an empty house in the evening. My cell rang and Amelia told me she was across the road, and dinner was on Sarah, so I wandered over. After dinner Sarah announced that she had one more tour to go and then she would be leaving the Army.

I had doubts, and Sarah promised that, on this tour, she would not volunteer for the forward medical units but, if rostered, then she would go. She also knew I would check up on her.

*******

Which brings us up to date, and the day of the wedding.

Sarah kept her promise. After her tour they gave her the option of re-signing, but we all knew the answer. Even they did, but they had to ask. Martha was busy while Sarah was away and, since her return, Dr Sarah Richardson resides on Parkers Island. She now runs the only medical clinic here.

Martha found the ideal place for it, and Hank took over from then on, building shelves and cabinets as well as altering rooms. Sarah met Hank when she called him back with a problem. She moved in with him a month later, and the wedding is today. None of us saw that coming, not even Hank. Sarah says she outranks him, so can boss him around whenever she feels like it. I've seen the way they look at each other, and that won't ever happen.

Hank put up a good fight. Age difference got thrown into the arguments they had many times, but she was still the one to get on one knee and ask him. I've never seen a May-September romance before, but when they're in the same room you can't slide a sheet of paper between them.