A May-September Wedding (15 page)

"Okay, I can
tell you now without laughing. Mrs. Madison asked your Dad when he
started going out with Mum. And he said that they were just best
friends. Then Ginny got this 'uh-huh' look on her face and said
that he might be fooling himself but he wasn't fooling anyone
else."

"That is so
Dad. I wonder if Ginny is the first person to say it to his
face?"

"Oh, probably.
No one would want to be embarrassed if they were wrong."

"Yeah."
Felicity caught her father laughing at something Phyl said. "They
sure act like they're a couple. And what's with the dress? I
thought Mum was the world's worst penny pincher."

"She got it on
sale, of course, but I heard her going through her closet last
Saturday morning and complaining that she'd lost weight again."

"Who complains
about losing weight?"

"Mum
complained because her old clothes are too big because she's been
swimming so much. So she went shopping on Monday for a whole bunch
of new stuff."

"I want to be
able to wear dresses like that." Felicity looked envious.

"You won't be
able to, you'll never be that tall. Now you'll probably be able to
wear something like that..." Lydia pointed at one of the petite
university students who was wearing a square-necked dress with
short puffy sleeves in white with large print roses on the skirt
before launching into a set of very firm opinions on fashion.

Judy looked
out the window and said, "David, your father and his guests are
here." She lowered her voice for emphasis. "Go make them
welcome."

He got a smug
look at the sight of Phyl, and said, "Duncan, your grandfather is
here. Could you let him in please?"

Duncan and
Brenda raced to the door to greet everyone.

Cal helped
Phyl out of her coat and found himself on the receiving end of an
affectionate sunny smile. Then he saw her face shutter as she said
a polite hello to David.

The kids waved
at everyone before heading downstairs to hang out.

David led them
into the living room. Elaine and Brian were sitting with Emily. One
of Judy's single friends was chatting happily with another couple
while cuddling Elaine's newborn. When the man turned to see who was
joining them Phyl went weak in the knees and looked over to see a
look of triumph on David's face.

David erased
the look quickly and said, "Dad, Phyl, this is Robyn, a friend of
Judy's and these folks are Trevor and Diane Campbell." Turning to
Phyl and Cal he said, "This is my father Cal, and his neighbour,
Phyl Schuyler." Then in an aside to Trevor, "She went by Heddy when
we went to school together."

Phyl barely
contained her temper as she politely shook hands with Trevor.
Putting on a more genuine smile for the women she greeted them
warmly. Cal looked back at David with narrowed eyes and David
wondered if he'd pushed too hard.

Trevor sat
back and asked, "So how have you been... Phyl?" Trevor remembered
the introduction. Phyl glanced at David, whose smug look faded.

Phyl took the
empty chair next to Elaine and said, "Mostly okay. The last year
has been a bit rough, but it's getting better lately."
Involuntarily she glanced fondly at Cal, who took the space next to
his daughter on the sofa so he could play with Emily. Trevor had a
look of sudden comprehension and glanced at David, who was
frowning.

Elaine sat
forward. "I don't think rough really covers it, Phyl." She
continued, "Phyl lost her husband and both her parents in the last
eighteen months. She was also Mom's best friend, so she was just as
lost as the rest of us when Mom died last May. This is our first
Easter dinner without Mom and I'm very glad that Judy volunteered
to do this for us."

Trevor said,
sincerely, "I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Phyl. I liked
your father a lot. He was the guy who advised me to get my math
marks up if I was serious about going into the army."

Diane said,
"Trevor just got posted to Defence Headquarters. We've been out in
Edmonton for the last several years."

Cal asked what
branch of the army Trevor was with and the discussion turned to
postings then base housing then children then schools. Phyl
participated in the conversation but she was more subdued than
usual because she was still angry with David.

The meal was
excellent and David behaved himself although his frown became more
evident when he realized that Trevor wasn't going to help him
embarrass Phyl. Lydia caught some of the undercurrent between her
mother and David but wasn't certain what was going on.

Judy knew
there was some significance to Trevor's invitation, but couldn't
figure it out either, except that she knew Phyl well enough to know
that Phyl was pretty angry with David. After the guests had gone
home, she asked, "Care to explain?"

"Explain
what?"

"Why you
invited Trevor and Diane?"

"Trevor was an
old high school friend. I ran across him at Carlingwood last week.
I wanted to catch up with him and thought it would be good to have
them over." David said in a matter of fact tone.

"Did Trevor
ever go out with Phyl?"

David looked
at Judy. "Since you mention it, yes. But Phyl went out with more
than half the guys in the school."

Judy folded
her arms. "But never with you?"

David let some
of his anger show before he put on a more neutral expression. "No,
I never went out with her."

"But you
wanted to, I can tell. So now you want to be the dog in the manger
and ruin your father's happiness."

"She's too
young for him. He'll look like a old fool."

Judy shook her
head. "David, they're both grown people. And even if they won't
admit it to themselves, they're head over heels for each other.
Your Dad looks at Phyl the way he used to look at your mom and Phyl
looks at Dad the way she used to look at Harry. They're good for
each other and they make a good team." She came forward and said,
gently, "Let it go, honey. It's not healthy to hold a grudge."

"You can't
tell me what to do. But I'm going to tell Dad what I think of him
getting involved with someone my age."

Judy snapped,
"Fine. Do what you want. But I'm not helping you ruin your
relationship with Dad." She stomped off to the kitchen.

Cal sat with
Phyl in his kitchen as the kids were bickering in the family room
over what movie to watch. "Was that the same Trevor as in the
pictures?"

Phyl sighed
and said, "Yes. I could have killed David."

Cal said,
"You'd have to take a number. I was so mad at him when he
introduced you as Heddy. But Trevor is obviously well married now
and seemed genuinely interested in what you'd been doing since high
school."

"He was the
nicest of the guys I went out with that year and the only one my
parents liked. After I got over the shock of seeing him there and
we got to talking, it was okay."

"I wish I knew
what to do about David. It's obvious he still holds a grudge
against you."

"Well, he's
not going away as long as we keep hanging around together."

"Then he's
going to have get used to seeing you around, because I'm not giving
up my best friend because one of my kids disapproves."

Phyl's heart
leapt at Cal's words. She looked up into his eyes and saw that he
was speaking truth. Briefly, she let her eyes show that she was
very attracted to him.

Cal saw the
look in Phyl's eyes and momentarily considered a kiss, but there
were too many reminders of Brenda today and his eyes conveyed an
apology. Phyl gave a regretful sigh but correctly read Cal's
reluctance and decided not to push, this time.

Phyl and her
kids left shortly after the movie ended leaving Cal to ponder the
day. The Easter service and the great news of the Resurrection. The
comments of Mrs. Morrison and the knowing looks on the faces of the
adults at David's house when they were watching Phyl look at him.
Phyl's face filled with longing and appreciation when he said that
she was his best friend.

Did she really
want more than just friendship? Could he give her more? Catching
his face in the mirror with all of the grey hair, he firmly told
himself that there was no good reason to get involved with
Phyl.

Phyl was
brushing her hair out as she sat at her mirror. Cal was frustrating
and she'd be angry with him if she knew he was doing it for
himself. But he seemed to have this quaint notion that he was
protecting her by not getting involved. She looked over to the
small picture of Harry on the dresser.

She was able
to smile at the picture now. He'd been a great friend and a fine
husband and father for almost fifteen years. She'd thought she'd
have at least fifty years with him, but that hadn't happened.

Cal was only
fifty-five. If she could convince him to give her a chance, the
odds were very good that they would have twenty good years together
and possibly thirty-five. He made her feel alive and special in the
same way Harry had, maybe even more special because he was a better
listener and more patient than Harry. Now all she had to do was
convince him that people wouldn't think him foolish for marrying a
younger woman and having more kids. She frowned because there would
be some people who would disapprove.

She looked at
herself again in the mirror. She was still pretty. Trevor confirmed
that with his appreciative looks today. She briefly considered
getting mad at David again, but even she recognized that his ambush
had backfired on him. Trevor and his wife were delightful
people.

She pulled the
covers up to her chin and said her prayers. Chief among them was a
prayer for the strength and patience to wait on Cal and help him
get over his stupid reluctance to consider her as his next
wife.

"Cal
Richardson?" The messenger at his front door asked.

"That's me."
Cal raised an eyebrow.

"Sign here."
The messenger held out a clipboard. Cal signed and the messenger
handed him a large manila envelope.

Curious, Cal
ripped open the envelope and a white number ten envelope fell out.
It was addressed in a familiar hand, "To my dearest Cal."

Catching his
breath, he said, softly, "Brenda." His eyes got moist as he walked
to the study and found a letter opener. Inside there was a small
sheaf of paper, written in Brenda's precise hand.

Dear
Cal:

If
my lawyer followed my instructions, you are reading this on the
anniversary of my death. Rest assured that I am in a better place.
The doctor told me today that I had another two weeks to live. He
may be off by a few days either way, but I believe him. Soon I will
not be able to write through the haze of the morphine, so I put off
the nurse so that I would have a clearer head to write
this.

We
had a truly wonderful time together, Cal. I was hoping for more
than thirty-five years together, but I'm not sorry for anything. If
I had to do it again, I'd still follow you to Victoria and use
Grandma's money to buy the house to convince you I was serious
about wanting to marry you. You were so out of place among the
single students at Royal Roads, but you were so handsome and sexy.
I only wish I could have found the courage to do a few more
impulsive things in my life, but the impulse to follow you was the
best decision I ever made. Well, maybe yelling at you for dumping
Heather was a better decision, but I don't regret following
you.

All
of the wonderful experiences we shared, the kids, the summer in
England, the trip to New Zealand the year before Felicity was born
– I wish we could have some more years to do things
together.

I
know we had such great plans to travel when you retired but then we
got surprised by Felicity. For a couple of weeks I struggled about
whether I should have another child or have an abortion. But the
Holy Spirit and your faith both convinced me that an abortion would
be so very wrong on so many levels. I'll admit that although it was
me that dragged you to church in grade 12, your faith eventually
became deeper than mine. In the end I did the right thing and I
don't regret having Felicity. She is so wonderful and makes me feel
young. I just wish I could dance at her wedding and hold her
babies.

The
other wonderful thing about having Felicity was becoming friends
with Phyl. There was always something about her that was older than
her years, a settled nature that could still have fun. I know you
complained that I wasn't very spontaneous, but it would have been
much worse without Phyl. She coerced me into being a soccer mom, a
library volunteer and a mentor to a group of immigrant women who
needed to learn English. Having your best friend across the street,
almost living in each others pocket, was very comforting,
especially with both you and Harry on the road so much.

So
here are my final requests for you, my love.

-Mark won't need much from you except some space. Mark will
grieve for a long time then just start talking about me as though
he hadn't been avoiding the topic for years. He did that when your
mother died and when his school friend Nick died. So don't worry or
push him, just listen with patience when he finally wants to talk.
By the way, you are a marvellous listener.

-Elaine is also set, finally. Give her lots of hugs every
time you see her and if she asks for anything, do what you can to
help. That's what I didn't do when she was about to marry Colin.
What she really wanted then was to move back to Halifax for
university but when I insisted she go to Carleton that's when she
decided to marry that slug. Let her know that I was thinking about
her and her wonderful Brian and give her a hug and kiss from me.
Emily, too.