Chapter 3 - ...Laney...
As Tom made the drive from the cemetery back to his home his mood slowly shifted from one of deep melancholy to one of resignation. He knew his parents were both gone and no amount of wishing would change that fact. His short conversation with Mrs. Nelson had made him accept that the death of his parents could be viewed as the culmination of a tragic set of circumstances. Each of them could have changed their actions at some point, and if they had, things would have been a lot different for all of them.
About the time that he got to that conclusion he pulled up in the driveway of his house. The street in front was full of cars, and he felt a bit surprised by the number of them.
Tom entered the kitchen by way of the back door, coming in just in time to almost run into his grandmother who was rushing across the room with a carafe of coffee. His aunt was cutting a cake and putting the pieces onto a serving tray, along with some of the pastries he had purchased, and then she quickly followed his grandmother around the corner into the dining area. Tom immediately went to the coffee machine to set up another pot.
The next half-hour was very hectic, as people were served and dirty dishes were brought back to the kitchen. Tom got a chance to mingle with the guests, speaking with those he hadn't already talked to at the cemetery, and being introduced to a couple of his mother's coworkers who had attended. The net result of the day's activities had been to make him really realize that there were a lot of people, many whom he hardly knew at all, who had been deeply saddened by the deaths of his mother and father. He received many offers of assistance, should anything come up that would require it. Fred Greenstein and his wife were most emphatic about their desire to help him, not as a legal client, but as friends of the family.
As quickly as the rush had started, it was over, and soon only his grandparents, his aunt and uncle, the Frosts, and his next-door neighbors, Al and Sara Douglas, remained. This comparatively small group now had the opportunity to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee together. Tom made the introductions, and in the process managed at one point to introduce Laney as his girlfriend, a faux pas that brought the color to his cheeks and a couple of small laughs from his guests as he stumbled to correct the record. He noticed that Laney didn't join the laughter, but simply smiled at him.
When their coffee cups were empty, and the Douglases had returned home, Tom offered to show Laney and Grace around his house while the remaining dirty dishes were cleaned up by his aunt and grandmother. They were impressed by the size of the house, and surprised to find out that Tom now owned the home free and clear, the mortgage having been covered by insurance. While they were upstairs he had shown them his room, and then, just before returning to the main floor, had shown them his parents' former bedroom.
They both commented on how large that room was, and Grace followed that with the casual suggestion that perhaps Tom should consider moving into it, once the room had been cleared of his parents' things. It was a thought that hadn't occurred to him, as he always considered the room belonged to his parents. It made sense, though, that he should now think about moving into it himself. Later that night, as he thought again about their suggestion, he realized that it might go a long ways in helping him past the fact that his parents were gone.
When Tom returned to the main floor with Laney and Grace he tried to convince them to join his family for supper. They both thanked him for his offer, but told him that it was better that he spend some time with his family, and that they would join him for supper at a later date.
Now that Tom was alone with his family they relaxed together in the living room. He managed to find a couple of bottles of beer in the fridge for his uncle and grandfather, and opened a bottle of wine for his aunt and grandmother to enjoy. The five of them had a long and pleasant conversation during which his grandparents expressed concern about how he would be able to manage on his own.
Tom explained to all of them the basic state of his finances, and that Fred Greenstein had taken care of all of the legal requirements necessary to transfer his parents' estate into his possession. Once he had explained everything, the others were visibly relieved that he was very well taken care of. His aunt and uncle had known some of these details, but Tom's recent visit with Mr. Greenstein had covered a lot of things that none of them, including Tom, had considered earlier.
Later in the afternoon Tom got each of the adults another drink, and then after he convinced them that he could handle it, he began to prepare supper. He had made a Greek salad and a large bowl of potato salad to accompany the burgers he would be preparing on the barbecue in the backyard. He set everything up including the condiments in the kitchen, and prepared the table on the patio for use for their meal. In less than an hour the burgers were ready, and he called everyone to prepare their plate buffet style in the kitchen and then take a seat at the table on the patio.
Tom was pleased by the reception his meal and preparations received. He was able to tell them he was proud of the kitchen abilities his mother had taught him, and accepted their compliments graciously. Showing them that he was able to prepare and serve up a good meal for guests seemed to remove their last lingering concerns about his abilities to make it on his own. Tom was relieved that things went so well, as it bolstered his sometimes shaky faith in himself.
Later, after the meal had been completed and the five of them were once again relaxing in the living room, Tom reminded them that he would like them to look through his parents' possessions, mainly clothing, that he had decided to dispose of. Each of them found certain items that would be of use or would fit them. There were still a lot of things left, though, when they finally returned downstairs and prepared to say their goodbyes. His aunt and uncle were staying with friends, and were going to return to Omaha the next morning. His grandparents made sure that Tom knew he could visit them at any time, and made a promise to drop in on him often.
Finally, a long day was over, and Tom was able to sit down and relax. It seemed to him that a major turning point had been reached, and that he was now able to strike out on life on his own. From this time forward he knew he could make his own decisions and take responsibility for them. It was a relief, but it was also a bit frightening.
Later that evening, when the last of the cleanup from the day's activities had been finished, Tom phoned Laney. He thanked her for coming to the service that afternoon and apologized for his misspoken introduction.
"I don't want you to think that I wouldn't want you for my girlfriend, but I suspect we should get to know each other a little better before I make that presumption," he laughed.
Laney was laughing too as she said, "You don't need to apologize. Actually, I was quite honored."
As their conversation continued, Tom mentioned that he still had a lot of his parents' clothing that he would have to box up for donation to charity, and said there was a lot of his mother's clothing still in the bedroom.
