Author's note: There is not a single bit of nookie in this installment. Andy and Sara are, (at least in my mind) real people. Real people do more than just copulate (no offense to loyal readers of erotica). It's been fun getting to know these characters -- and the others who will be introduced in coming installments. I hope you enjoy.
Sunday
Andy woke up first and slowly turned his head to consider the woman lying next to him. She was now sans makeup, and her once straight hair had become curly again with a vengeance. She was as beautiful, he thought, as he had ever seen her.
He moved his head back, and stared at the ceiling, considering how blessed and fortunate he was. Did he really believe in being blessed? His spotter, Romeo Garcia certainly did. Romeo was a devout Catholic, who believed in a God who was both, "the man upstairs" and yet intensely personal. Romeo's God ran the whole show, and yet was concerned with the ins and outs of individual human lives. Andy found himself becoming more and more convinced by Romeo's view of God, but then he had been killed before Andy could learn more. He had started attending Mass with Romeo for six months before his friend's death. He'd found great comfort in doing so -- even more after Romeo's death. There was something permanent, solid, and eternal going on there. He hated all the abuse the church had been guilty of, but he loved the tradition and settledness of the Mass.
He looked at his watch. It was 8:30. There was a 10 AM Mass down the street at The Church of the Advent. He quietly slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Sara, and headed to the bathroom. He handled his morning necessities, and turned the shower on. Five minutes later, he had showered, shaved, dressed, and headed to the kitchen.
Not surprisingly, only his grandfather was awake -- well - his grandfather and the cook who was busy preparing Sunday brunch, a staple in the Carlson household. The older man was in the breakfast nook, reading an actual physical copy of the New York Times
Literary Review
, and enjoying his second cup of coffee. An already-read copy of the
Boston Globe
sat on the table as well. Andy grabbed a cup of coffee and slid in across from his grandfather.
Setting his paper aside, the Judge spoke first. "Did you sleep well, son?"
"I did. Thank you."
"How are you this morning? Your grandmother told me there were some tense moments yesterday afternoon." He paused, "Andrew, please know that if you're going to be mad at anyone, it ought to be me. I asked them not to talk to you, Andrew. That was my doing, not theirs. They both love you very much -- but I think you know that."
"I do, and thank you for telling me. I guess -- I guess I had no idea how -- well, I guess how selfish it was for me to want to run off and avenge my parents. It hit me yesterday that all these really important things were going on in the lives of my sisters and I was off trying to kill the people who killed our parents. Now, it sounds really shallow, and childish, and stupid. I met Alex three days before he married Jessica. I should have seen what was going on between Christopher and Ellen -- but you can't see shit when you're playing in the damn sandbox."
"Your military service was a noble thing, Andrew. I hope you know that," said his grandfather lovingly.
"I do -- I just wish I could have been more present for Jess and Ellen -- to say nothing of Mikey, Jake, and Dre. That seems to me to be more important, and I missed it and I can never get that back, grandpa."
"Well, you can be present now -- which you are. You have sisters and brothers-in-law who love you a great deal. It makes your grandmother and I very happy to see the people you've become, and the people who you've chosen as spouses."
"Thank you."
"Which reminds me: I know you've heard this, but Sara is quite something. I have no idea how you chose between the two, but I must commend your choice. She's enchanting, Andrew; just enchanting. I'm very happy for the two of you."
"Thank you. She's so beautiful, it makes me literally hurt sometimes. Watching her sleep this morning -- I mean I know her hair's a mess, and she's got sleep face, and all that -- but she's so beautiful I can hardly see straight."
His grandfather laughed knowingly.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you choose?"
"Eden made the choice for us, and now we don't know how we're going to deal with that. It's weird, grandpa, but if you had asked me Friday morning which one I'd choose, I'd have said Eden hands down. But then Friday evening something just clicked. I knew it was Sara. So then, Eden Face Timed me yesterday, and she'd been crying, and then she gave me some cock-and-bull story about meeting this great guy on the plane and wanting to date him. It's all baloney, but Sara and I aren't sure how to proceed with her. We both care for her, and she just kind of took herself out of the running, so to speak. What do we do with that?"
"You honor it -- just like Michael did when you backed out with Priya. I know you were only boys, but it was a noble thing you did. It was plain to see that Priya liked you, but you removed yourself from the picture. You did it as a choice, out of love for your friend. Eden has done the same thing. That's a brave and noble thing to do, if you ask me. But I understand it doesn't answer the question that's nagging at you," said the Judge' smiling.
"You mean, why did a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman back out of dating me? That nagging question?" Andy grinned.
The Judge laughed.
"Yup, that's the one. But you know the answer. It's not about you. It's about Sara, and maybe you to a lesser extent. She chose a selfless path so her best friend could be happy with a man they're both quite fond of. As I told you at The Lobster Shack, the Adams' are quality people. This does not surprise me at all."
"Well, I'm glad you understand it, because it makes no sense to me," confessed Andrew.
______________________________________________________
Their conversation was halted when they heard Sara and Helen laughing in the hallway leading to the kitchen. While exact words could not be heard, both men could tell the conversation was one of warmth and endearment. Sara had utterly charmed Andy's family, and he could not have been happier that this was the case.
The two women walked into the kitchen, with Helen still laughing and wiping tears from her eyes.
"Ralphie, you have to see this," she said as she paused to kiss Andy, "Ellen had Derek video Andrew when he saw her for the first time in that marvelous dress. It's simply adorable."
She kissed her husband of 52 years, and motioned for him to scoot over so she could set next to him. The Judge took the offered phone, and watched the video, equally enthralled. The old man began to laugh heartily.
"Oh Andrew!" he said laughing. "Son, I know it's not fair given that Sara did look amazing, but that's really funny."
Sara leaned over and kissed Andy, and he too scooted over so that she could sit next to him.
"Sara dear, would you like some coffee?" asked Helen.
"Yes ma'am, that would be great. Thank you."
"How do you take it? Andrew drinks motor oil. I hope you're not as puritanical as he is."
