On 4/19 (On 4/19 and Beyond 4/20) (24 page)

Their walk lasted for more than an hour. Once, when they were farthest from home and semi-camouflaged by some trees, he dared to take
her into his arms and simply hold her. She was as sad as he’d ever seen her. The disapproval from her parents really shook her confidence, which caused him to wonder if it made her question whether she should stay with him. He couldn’t blame her if she wanted out. He would let her go with no strings attached. Standing there with her nestled in his arms, he had to acknowledge he would do anything for her, absolutely anything.

“Does this make you regret bringing me?”

Without looking up, she nodded. “Not because of them, but because of you. I hate how they’ve treated you. Doesn’t it bother you?”

Smiling, he lifted her head to look up at him. “Do you want to know the truth?”

“Yes.”

“This doesn’t bother me one bit. I hate that it’s bothering you, and because of that I regret coming and ruining your Thanksgiving. But as for me, I have experienced much cooler receptions. To me, this is like water off a duck’s back.”

“I was so afraid you were angry with them. They mean well.”

“If I were in your dad’s position, I’d shoot me. He’s being a good dad, Chels. I respect him for it.”

Back at the house, Chelsea hesitatingly went to help in the kitchen while John watched football with her dad and brothers. Occasionally, she’d go in to check on them and find them all pretty much silent. There would be that odd moment when she would hear them all shout in unison, John included, at some missed play or bad call. In those moments, she hoped they were bonding on some level. Why she cared if they bonded she wasn’t sure. It wasn’t as if they would ever see John again. Of course she couldn’t tell them that without explaining how she knew their end date. Deep down though, because she’d come to love him so deeply, she wanted her family to love him as well. On the rare occasions when she considered their end, she became purely convinced that she’d never find a man who could compare with him. If only they could see in John what she did.

Once everyone was seated at the table and the blessing said, bowls of food began to circulate around the table, each person scooping a
helping onto their plate and then passing it along. Normally loud and talkative, Chelsea couldn’t help but notice how quite everyone was. The entire time, no one spoke to John, even when they handed a bowl to him. No matter what he said earlier, she imagined he must feel terribly uncomfortable. If so, he didn’t act as if he was. When she looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction to such silence, he simply smiled at her and winked. It reminded her of the staff meeting when he had her sit next to him and he announced they were dating. He winked at her just the same way. From the very beginning, he’d been open about their relationship, where she’d hid it from everyone she cared about.

For another few minutes, this silence continued until Chelsea could stand no more. Standing abruptly, she waited until all eyes were on her. Scanning the table, she said, “I want to draw all of your attention to the fact that I’m dating an old guy. As a matter of fact, since Granddaddy is not here this year, John happens to be the oldest person at this table.”

Looking up at her, John smiled and nodded, saying, “Thanks Chels.”

She continued, “He’s the kindest, warmest man I’ve ever known. He’s brilliant and hardworking, and to me, everything a man should be. Before we came here, I all but asked him not to be himself. Usually, he wears tailored Italian suits and has a phone sticking out of his ear. Just seeing him in a pull-over makes me cringe a little. At all hours you’ll find him chasing the deal and merging this company with that. But no matter how busy he is, he is willing to do whatever it takes to make me happy, even if that means coming to Thanksgiving dinner with people who refuse to speak to him. Honestly,” turning to look at John, she admitted, “I don’t know how I got so lucky to find him. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

John grinned at her. She was the absolute best part of his life.

Chelsea turned back toward her family and continued, “And just so you know, John was raised on a ranch in Montana, so he’s not so different from us. But now, he happens to be one of the richest men in California, probably in the U.S. He has his own plane, the one we flew in on yesterday. I live in a million dollar condo that he pays for. Because of him, I’m able to finish my last year of school, and he pays my living
expenses. And no matter what that sounds like or looks like,” her voice softened when she said, “it’s
not
like that. We really care about each other. The truth is, if he lost every penny tomorrow I’d want to be with him, because he makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. So now that you know what he means to
me
, I expect you all to at least act as if you know Jesus and show him some hospitality.” Sitting down, she took a bite of her potatoes, forcing it past the lump in her throat.

Leaning back in his chair as she went through her tirade, John grinned broadly. With such passion in her words and defiance on her face, he could hardly contain himself he was so proud. She was no little guppy after all. As she spoke, inside he was cheering her on. And as he scanned the stunned faces of her family, he could see a softening in their demeanor, especially when she said he made her happier than she’d ever been. That was clearly all they wanted for her. It was certainly what he wanted, so they truly weren’t so different after all.

For a minute the room remained quiet, until finally, Preston asked, “Can I fly your plane?”

Chuckling, John asked, “Do you have your pilot’s license?”

From that point forward, the ice being broken, everyone was much friendlier toward John. Preston, having always been excited about anything to do with aviation, asked John a dozen questions about his plane. They agreed to go out to the airfield in the afternoon so Preston could take a look around. The little boys wanted to tag along and John agreed.

Bobby’s attitude changed drastically too. While he was not at all impressed by John’s money, well, maybe slightly impressed, he was much more relieved to hear how happy he made Chelsea. After things ended with Tuck, Bobby sometimes wondered if she would ever bounce back. At the time, he was so angry by the way things went down, it took him three years before he could talk to Tuck again. He knew Chelsea had never dated since then, and that really bothered him. If this old guy was her pick, then he would support her in whatever she wanted.

Her mother and sisters were intrigued in general. They asked questions about how they met. Those were questions that were the most difficult to skirt around, but she did. It was only her father who remained quiet from that point on, not rude, just quiet.

The remainder of the afternoon ended up being so much better than she could have hoped for. Chelsea was glad she stood up and said what she said. Had she not, the day would have been a disaster. While she’d not mentioned it to John, she had decided that if things continued on as they were, she would make an excuse for them to leave early. The last thing she wanted was for John to spend another day where he wasn’t wanted. No matter how well he had taken what they dished out, it hurt her.

At one point, later in the afternoon while they were playing a game of touch football on the front lawn, John whispered and told her how proud he was of her, and that he could tell she was no guppy. The fact that he was proud of her was reason enough to be glad she stood up to her family.

All throughout the game, Bobby would tease John, once saying he would slow down if it would help an old man catch up. Not surprisingly, John took it all in stride. But as competitive as he was, she noticed how much more effort he put into tagging Bobby. It was funny in a way, but mostly, she found that the way he treated her family, the respect he showed them, only confirmed what she already knew. No matter their age difference, he was the man for her, and she was thankful to have him with her. Every day she had with him was a gift, and she never failed to be thankful for it.

More than anything, Chelsea was relieved to have the truth out in the open. Other than the circumstances of their relationship, at least she’d been honest. From the moment they arrived, she regretted having asked John to be anyone other than who he was. In all the time they were together, that was the one thing he insisted from her, that she be herself and speak her mind. If she had it all to do over again, she would never have made him feel as if the real John Keller wasn’t good enough for her family.

The following evening as they drove through town on the way to the airfield, Chelsea noticed that one of the old Victorian homes on Main Street was for sale. Pointing out the house to John, she told him, “When I was a little girl, I wanted to live here in town in a house just like that
one. I was certain that when you lived in town you could walk for ice cream every evening after dinner.”

Catching only a glimpse of the house in passing, all he could see was that it was a large blue house with a wrap-around porch. What really caught his attention was her ice cream fantasy. “I think you really may have a problem with dessert.”

“That’s no secret.” Taking his hand, she sighed and told him how grateful she was that he came with her. As difficult as it was in the beginning, what resulted was worth it.

Curious, but having not yet asked, she finally could stand it no more. “What did my dad say to you? Was it bad?”

While Chelsea was still packing, her father had asked to speak with him alone for a minute. Anticipating the “What are your intentions toward my daughter?” talk, John found that he instead thanked him for paying for Chelsea’s school and for taking care of her while she was so far from home. He admitted to having to get a loan for Lexie’s current year at school. Though it wasn’t spoken, John sensed the deep financial struggle Bob was facing. He understood agriculture. The market was lean, and for farms of its size, times were hard.

“He was just glad I was able to help out with school.”

Back at home, having dropped Chelsea off at her place, John drove the few blocks back to his house. Finally alone, he was able to put some thought into his time with Chelsea’s family. They were great people, similar to his family. He liked them very much. And to be around such a large family was a new and eye opening experience for him. With five kids, a son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and five grandkids, the house was loud and festive. What he liked the most was how Chelsea acted around them. She positively glowed. At the least little thing, she giggled with her sisters and mother. And without question, she was her daddy’s girl. He called her sunshine, and considering her personality and temperament, it was the most fitting of names. She obviously sought his approval, and other than her taste in men, he seemed very proud of her.

Thinking of her father’s words that first night, about her being a young widow, the truth of it stung his heart again. Since that night, he
purposefully pushed it out of his mind. But alone with his thoughts, he could think of little else. Recalling the early months after Tracy died, he remembered feeling as if life ended for him too. Guilt over the way he’d treated her consumed him. She was suffering much more than he comprehended at the time, and after her death, he was able to see how dreadful he really was toward her. Even up to a year afterward he could hardly function. From the time they married, he never envisioned a future without her, and then suddenly there he was, trying to pick up the pieces and move on. He made a mess of his life for years afterwards and didn’t want Chelsea to experience such loss at a young age. While she would possibly experience that with any man she married, with him that day would come much, much sooner.

Pulling through his gate and down the driveway, he stopped the car and looked up at the house. Tracy picked it out and talked him into buying it. At the time, she was sure they would have children someday, and her plan was to fill up the rooms. He later wondered if she ever felt that way or if that promise was just her way of getting what she wanted. She knew he’d always wanted children. All along it was an improbable thought though, even before she became sick. Driven in business almost as much as he, every time they discussed the timing of her getting pregnant, she said she wanted to wait a little longer. Time passed, until finally, she was in her late thirties. Just after her thirty-eighth birthday she discovered the lump in her breast. From that point on, there were doctor’s visits and procedures. After her mastectomy and reconstruction were completed, they were devastated to learn the cancer had spread. Time was short from then on, and the end came much sooner than he expected.

The feeling of loss and grief he experienced during that time was something he would never want for Chelsea. No matter how much she loved him, no matter how much he loved her, it just wasn’t worth the risk for her future. Suddenly, contemplating things through the lens of death and loss, all thoughts of a future with her slipped away. No one thing had ever made him sadder.

W
hen Chelsea’s finals were over in December, John took her out to celebrate. After the accident and during her recuperation, they were fairly bound at home. Then school began and the Thanksgiving holiday came quickly after and was packed with family visits, so they’d had no time to travel abroad. He loved being away with her, away from work and schedules. Nothing gave him more pleasure than to see and share new experiences with her. And since Thanksgiving, he’d begun to recognize just how limited their time together was and felt a sense of urgency in taking her to the places she most wanted to go. He’d been making plans over the past few days.