Tom Collins (and Emma)

At the end of the school year I was scheduled to return to my hometown to help my mother get her house ready for sale so she could go into a retirement home. Most of her friends were already there. Over the years I had tried to get her to move and live with me; she always refused.

"All my life long friends are here. What would I do way out there in the country where you live? You know I don't drive. My friends come and get me or I walk or take the bus or taxi to get places."

I was scheduled to be gone for 10 to 12 weeks. Emma cried at the last dinner before I went away. I was only 2 hours away, but it was like being on the other side of the world most of the time. She or I called 2 or 3 times per week. We spoke about everything and nothing. We treasured our time together.

My mother would sit in the next room and chuckle while we talked. Finally in the 8th week she looked at me at supper and said "Why don't you invite her here for a weekend or two? You miss her so. You do know that you love her; I see your reaction every time you speak."

"You might not approve of her; she used to be one of my students about 10 years ago. Her life has been difficult."

"I don't care if she has horns on her head and breaths fire. I want my only child to be happy. If being with her makes you happy, then I am happy."

Emma was able to make it there the next weekend, with the children. Mom declared that she was a delightful young lady and the girls were angels who could do no wrong. Emma felt the same way about her.

The next weekend was the big yard sale to sell off the things we did not have room for when she moved. There was a solid offer with big money down on the house. It was one of the original homes in town and was considered a real gem. The first and only offer was for the full asking price; the buyer would pay all fees and provide the labor and truck to move her to her new home.

Emma brought her parents that weekend. Mark wanted to see what was for sale as soon as he arrived. He bought more than a fourth of the furniture that was for sale, 16 pieces in all. Cathy Anne was equally excited about many of the knick-knacks and linens and chose a good many of them. They insisted on paying the asking price on everything except a dining table and chair set. Mark told Mom she had priced that way too low and insisted she take his price for them.

When the doors opened the next morning I was amazed to see the rest of his family there to see the things Mom was selling. By 2 that afternoon we were down to less than a dozen items to sell. Cathy Anne called a family meeting off to one side of the yard; a few minutes later she came over with $100 and said "Will this cover the cost of the last items?"

Mom told her that $50 was way too much; $100 was even further out of line.

Cathy Anne told her family to clean up the last of it and left the money on the table.

Mom said "OK, but you all have to stay for supper."

"Only if we can help" replied Mark.

The family moved the saw horses and board tables to the back of the driveway. Between what Mom was taking to the home, what I wanted and the family had purchased we had chairs for everyone.

Mark looked at what I had in the garage and proclaimed that the family had plenty of room to take it back home. "I can keep it in my garage until you are ready to get it."

The next Wednesday all Moms' things were moved from the house to her new apartment. Thursday Morning at 10 she sold her house.

Mom made almost $20,000 from the yard sale of the extra contents of her house and $750, 000 from the sale of the house. The buyers, Emma's family included, were all ecstatic over their finds. Mom was fixed for life. After paying for her apartment she had a little less than $500,000 in the bank.

The last thing she did before I returned home was to hand me a small box. "Do not open this until you have had time to think about what I am going to say. That young woman loves you more than life itself. You feel the same way about her; don't deny it. I have never seen a pair more suited to each other. If you let her slip away you are the biggest fool in the world."

I drove home deep in thought. The next day I opened the box to find a small velvet bag, I recognized the contents. The note in the bag read "Do the right thing. I hope you are as happy as your father and I were."

The next day was Thursday, at 6:10 I walked into the diner to find Emma there waiting for me. We were escorted to a table in the very back. There was a linen tablecloth, candlelight and wine glasses.

"This is to let you know how much I have missed our dinners together."

Mark served us personally. He wore his best suit.

After dinner and dessert I reached into my jacket pocket as I held out my other hand to Emma. We held hands for a moment. "Emma, we have known each other through some tough times and some better times. I would like to know you for a long time, and through the best times ever. Will you marry me?" At that point I held out my mother's engagement ring.

"My Mother and I would both be delighted if you would consent to wear her rings."

Her shriek brought Mark running. When he saw my hand reaching across with the ring he backed out quickly and quietly.

The waterworks were running full speed. Emma covered her mouth with her free hand and sobbed quietly. Then her head started to shake up and down; it was slow at first then it got faster as her hand dropped to the table top. I slipped the ring on her finger. She just stared for the longest time.

It was so sudden that I was frightened for a moment; she jumped up, almost knocking the table over, and sat down on my side of the table we kissed for the first time.

We married just before mid winter break in early February. The day started out dreary, gray and bitterly cold. Soon after the service ended, the temperature rose to the low 50's and the sky cleared to be bright and sunny. The weather held for 3 weeks.

My Mom was at the wedding wearing her mother's wedding and engagement rings. Dad's ring was on a necklace she wore.

The children and I had our own special part of the service where we promised to love, cherish and care for each other for the rest of our lives. As the girls kissed me on both cheeks the youngest, Mary, said "We promise because you is the bestest Daddy in the whole world."

We went to the Virgin Islands for our honeymoon. The first night together in our home was Valentine Day. The Kathy and Mary joined us for breakfast the next morning.

I completed the required courses and 2 years later became Assistant Principal. Emma left her job at the warehouse the week before we were married.

Emma can't get over calling her old teachers by their first names, she thinks it is impolite. They love to watch her blush as she addresses them.

We now have 4 more children, all boys. No, we did not name one Tom Collins Jr.

Through education and counseling and careful behavior we have managed to keep Emma's herpes outbreaks as infrequent as possible and I have not contracted it.

Ron's first wife lost the house she took in their divorce. He never got around to changing his will, so she was awarded the trailer Ron inherited after his mother died. The trailer burned a few years later, killing her and her druggie boyfriend. It made their ending more merciful as they both had advanced AIDS.

Last week I saw a restored orange 1980 Camero, with all the whistles and bells for sale. Emma said I could buy it "...but you need to go to sleep sometime." I think I will pass.