Dexter's Renaissance Ch. 13-14

"Well, my mother managed to resist it," she growled. Then she looked at me thoughtfully. "You know, Dex, I think you might be a bit like my father. You told me that you were ... what ... socially withdrawn ... not outgoing ... not too many friends?"

I nodded, "Yes, but I don't think I could be compared to your father – at least not as I view him."

"I wasn't thinking of it that way but you aren't like the man you were describing any more either. You are more outgoing and you do enjoy the company of other people. I've watched you as we've held our meetings with the architects and contractors and you've looked at ease and handled yourself very well. I think it was just a matter of allowing yourself to be more social.

"I have a feeling those two women in Sint Maarten had a lot to do with that. You came to Toronto with nothing more than instructions to bring the design department up to date and look what happened. You couldn't have done that if you were the man you described back when you were married. Ask Tom about the changes he's seen. He thinks you've been reborn."

"That's very flattering, Michelle. I know I have changed but I wasn't really aware of it as it happened. I think you're right about the twins. They did have a big effect on me. As for the rest and coming here, Tom gave me a challenge and I didn't want to disappoint him."

"Still having a hard time taking credit for your success, aren't you?" she smiled lovingly.

I shrugged. I had to admit I wasn't comfortable with all the praise being heaped on me. It seemed like what I was doing was just common sense. Nothing radical or groundbreaking – just common sense.

Chapter 14 The Wedding

The day of our wedding crept up on me almost without warning. We had made the changes we decided upon at Billy and Carolyn's that weekend. It would be casual dress, held in the pavilion in the park and it would be a civil ceremony. Michelle had carefully contacted her brothers and sons and let them know of the change and why. There was not a complaint or whisper of disappointment. As far as the other guests were concerned, they simply accepted the change and we had no cancellations.

We had discussed having a wedding rehearsal and dinner the day before but chose not to. We had so many guests and family that it would be difficult to organize on short notice. Several of them, my parents included, suggested they had plans already made. Without them, it wouldn't be an appropriate get together.

Our guests began arriving several days before that special Saturday. My parents had decided to park their motorhome and fly in to Toronto. Their friends picked them up at the airport and brought them to the apartment for a brief reunion.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Michelle Gautier, my soon-to-be bride," I said as they came into the apartment. "Michelle, this is my mother Evelyn and my father Stan."

The two women embraced and I could see almost right away that they were relaxed and comfortable with each other. Dad always was pretty easy-going but Mom could be a little distant, as she has been with Sandra. That didn't seem to be the case with Michelle, though.

Their friends were introduced and I spent my time with them, finding out their history with my parents. It dated back to when they were first married and had been neighbours in Vancouver. When a promotion forced a move to Toronto, they were separated but never lost touch with each other. It was something I admired in my parents; friendships that endured over the decades, despite where they lived.

I'm sure they were only intending to spend a few minutes with us but it was almost two hours later that they finally left, taking my parents with them. We would see them again in a couple of days at the wedding and I would have a chance to catch up with them again.

"Your mother and father are very nice, Dex. They seemed to be very happy for us, too," Michelle told me as we closed the door behind them.

"Good," I smiled. "The body language from Mom was much more relaxed than I remember when she was around Sandra. I guess mothers do have the instinct about people after all."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about. If only my mother was half as welcoming," she said wistfully.

"Give it time, love. We'll work on her. She won't be able to resist my charms," I joked.

"That I can believe," she laughed, wrapping her arms around me and giving me a nice, soft kiss.

Merilee arrived the next afternoon, loaded for bear with two suitcases and a carry-on bag. She too was delighted to meet Michelle as she exited the baggage claim area at the airport.

"It's so good to meet you, Michelle," she bubbled, hugging my fiancée. "Daddy has told me so much about you. He looks so good, too. I was worried after the operation. I thought he might have lost some weight or something. The last time I saw him he was all tanned and fit."

"He's fine now, Merry. I'm so happy it wasn't major surgery. He was back on his feet and back to work the next week. You'd never know he'd been ill."

"I'm great, fit as a fiddle. I need to be to keep up with Michelle," I grinned.

"Yeah ... well ... you always did have a thing for good looking women, Dad. I never realized my father was a chick magnet."

Michelle burst out laughing as we walked to the parking garage.

"I don't know about him being a chick magnet," she said, "but I have to tell you, the first time I laid eyes on him I thought it couldn't be him I'm supposed to meet. He didn't look anything like a computer nerd. He was handsome and very sexy looking. He got my attention right away."

"I have to admit, my dad is pretty sexy ... for an old guy," Merry giggled.

The banter went on and on, usually at my expense as we got to the car and loaded the luggage into the trunk. Our trip to the apartment was reasonably quick, barely twenty-five minutes once we got out of the parking garage. We put all Merry's suitcases in the guest bedroom and gave her some time to freshen up after the long flight.

Later that afternoon, Michelle was in the kitchen starting dinner preparations and it gave me a chance to talk to Merry.

"How are you doing, Merry?"

"I'm fine, Daddy. I have a new boyfriend. Someone I met at work. He's a contractor that specializes in interior renovations. Mostly older homes. He's very successful."

"That's nice ... but is he a good guy?"

"Yes. The next time you're in Vancouver I want you to meet him. I think he's the one. His name is Scott Boyd. He's from Winnipeg, but he says he's never going back," she chuckled. "I think the ocean and the mountains seduced him and now I hope I've captured him."

I smiled. That was good news, assuming this fellow was right for her. I felt very protective of my daughter, particularly since Sandra and I had separated. She hadn't set a very good example for Merry.

"How is your mother?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know.

"She's better. She has a good job and she's enjoying it. I think she's dating someone but she hasn't told me anything about him. She moved out a couple of months ago and has her own apartment now. I think she could see that we both needed our own space."

"I'm glad to hear she's come out of her depression. I was worried there for a while."

"Were you?" she said in surprise. "I didn't think you wanted to know anything about her any more."

"I've got past that, I guess. You can't be married to someone for all those years and not worry about them, even if we are divorced."

She nodded, "I guess. Anyway, she's in a much better mood these days so I figure it's because of some guy. Maybe I'll meet him soon. Oh ... and by the way ... she knows you're getting married and she asked me to wish you and Michelle the best of good luck. I think she meant it."

It was my turn to smile. It was one of relief as well as pleasure that the bitterness that might have existed between Sandra and me had dissipated.

"You're going to meet some interesting people this weekend. Michelle has two brothers, two sons -- and a father and his girlfriend that you are really going to like. Tom and Wolf will be coming in tomorrow, along with the local people I've met since I came here. It's going to be very informal and, I hope, a lot of fun. If it isn't, it won't be because we didn't try."

"All I care about, Daddy, is that you are happy. It sounds like you are. I can hear it in your voice and I can see it in your smile. I like Michelle from just meeting her. I think she likes me too."

"I'm very lucky to have found her, Merry. Very lucky. In fact, everything that's happened to me since I split with your mother has been good luck. I hope that doesn't sound mean. I don't mean it that way. It's just how things have been. Who would have thought I'd be Vice President and General Manager of this operation in less than a year. I really like the job and it's not going to kill me, either. I can't believe my good fortune."

Tom and Wolf arrived Friday afternoon and we met at the office. I called a quick meeting of our staff at the front just after lunch and introduced them to everyone. Only a handful had met them during the acquisition. Tom said a few words, praising the progress that Trent had made and thanked them all for their contribution. I think that made a lot of friends with the staff.

Later on, we sat in my office and talked.

"I thought John Flannery's office was in the back," Wolf said.

"It was, but I moved it here to be more visible. I wasn't trying to hide. In fact, I wanted to see and be seen as part of the day-to-day operation. John's old office is now the meeting room. It's a much friendlier environment and a good place to take the customers when they visit. I discovered it had a bar and a washroom so that sealed the deal," I laughed.

Tom took on a serious expression. "You know, Dex, I still marvel at what you have accomplished in this past year. I wouldn't have thought it was possible. We spent a little more money getting Trent up to speed than we estimated but it happened so quickly and so painlessly that anything we invested has been paid back in new business already. You can look forward to a handsome bonus at year end," he promised.

"Thank you, Tom, but don't forget, without yours and Wolf's support, I wouldn't have been able to get this far this fast. The side benefit is the morale around here is sky high. I've got a proposal from the design department that I want to be able to share with you when it's ready.

"A couple of the bright young people there were listening to an architect who was visiting our office and heard him mention solid modelling for presentation purposes. It's an expensive process, especially if there are changes to be made. Usually, it isn't done until the final drawings are approved.

"Autocad has a direct-to-laser feature that would allow us to produce model parts in exact scale and in a matter of hours rather than weeks. The proposal is to set up a division that would produce these models at a much reduced cost and prior to final design approval. It's something we can sell. Anyway, as soon as the proposal is ready, I'll forward it to you along with some projections on cost and return. We're working on this with that architect but he knows it wouldn't be exclusive to him."

I could see the grin on Wolf's face, his brain already calculating how to take advantage of the concept. Tom was nodding, which told me that he wasn't rejecting the idea either. At this stage it was just a proposal and our people had been working on it on their own time. Petra was the originator and she had seconded Miles and Dennis to put the proposal together.

"I like your initiative, Dex. You keep doing what you're doing and this place and Pinecone are going to really thrive. We'd like to take a tour now and meet some of your people personally."

"Let's go," I said, standing.

We started in the administration area and I re-introduced Janice to them, making sure they understood she was the real boss of the operation. They spent several minutes talking with her. Janice introduced our new accounting manager and they welcomed him to Trent personally. I think that made an impression on him.

Rueben and Dick were happy to reacquaint themselves with their new partners and embarrassed me by telling them what a big impact I had on Trent. I knew they were sincere but just the same, it was a bit awkward.

Finally, we made it to the design department where I introduced Terry and Petra. Both of them were very enthusiastic about the company's willingness to invest in their department and again gave me the credit for making it all happen. I let them know quickly that Tom and Wolf were the guys who had the last word on expenditures and it was them they should thank.

Wolf took Petra aside and quizzed her about the modelling project. I could see the look of surprise that I had told him about her suggestion but she quickly recovered and began to explain her thinking and what she had learned from the young architect that had originally fostered the idea. Again, she had Wolf's undivided attention.

The tour was over and Tom and Wolf retired to the Rossmoor Suites. They invited Michelle and me to dinner but I begged off explaining we needed to relax a bit before tomorrow and the wedding and reception. They understood and shook my hand, assuring me they would be at the pavilion on time for the ceremony.

When I got back to the apartment, Michelle informed me that all of her sons and brothers and their families had checked in and were ensconced in their hotel rooms. Apparently, all of them were getting together for a family dinner that night. They tried to convince Michelle to have us come along as well but she wisely declined.

Saturday dawned grey and cool and I wondered about the wisdom of the open pavilion at this time of year. Fortunately, by noon much of the cloud had broken up and we would have a mostly sunny and reasonably warm afternoon. The guests began arriving a half-hour before the two o'clock ceremony and Michelle and I attempted to greet them all individually.

I was busy talking to Michael and his wife when out of the corner of my eye I spotted something that completely distracted me. I turned and looked and I'm sure my jaw dropped as I stared in wonder at ... the twins!

"Oh my God!" I said aloud.

Michelle was quickly at my side. "Don't be alarmed, darling. This was my idea," she said smiling.

"Dex!" one of them squealed as they both rushed toward me. I assumed it was Adi and I was right.

"Adi ... Kat ... I didn't expect you," I said in surprise. "How wonderful that you came. It's so good to see you both again." I was embracing both of them as they returned the gesture with enthusiasm.

"How did you get here?" I asked, knowing immediately it was a stupid question.

"We came yesterday. We could not fail to be at our Dex's wedding. When your Michelle telephoned, we told her we would come and here we are," Adi grinned.

Where is your bride?" Kat asked, looking around.

"Right here," Michelle answered, appearing at my side to greet the two visitors. "I'm so glad you could come. You've been so important to Dex and I wanted to surprise him. It looks like I have," she said, checking the stunned look on my face once more.

"This is amazing. How did you find them?" I asked Michelle.

"You said you both used Skype so I checked and sure enough they were listed and I called them. We had a very nice conversation about you, Dex. The girls let me in on all your secrets, of course."

"Oh oh. I don't like the sound of that," I said with what I hoped was a bit of humour.

"On the contrary, they were very complimentary about your ... talents," she smirked.

I turned back to the twins, hoping to divert this conversation before it got out of hand.

"I am so glad you came. It's wonderful to see you again. What are you doing these days?"

"I am soon on my way to Aruba. Another project for ABN-Amro. I think this will be my last one. Kat has a boyfriend and I think if she is away too long, she might lose him. She is going back to Utrecht next week."

"And what about you, Adi?" I asked. "Anyone on the horizon?"

"Not yet," she answered coyly. "I am very ... what is the word ... particular? I have been spoiled so I will not be happy with just an ordinary man," she laughed.

"Well, I wish you both the best of luck and thank you for being here today. You've made it very special for Michelle and me."

"You could never stop us, Dex. You are too important to Kat and me. Thank you, Michelle, for letting us be here today," she said, hugging my lady closely. Then, both of them kissed me on the cheek and went off to meet the other guests.

"Wow, that really was a surprise," I said to Michelle.

"I'm glad you thought so. They are delightful ladies and they are very grateful to you for what you did for them."

That seemed an odd thing for her to say. "What do you mean?"

"We had a long talk about you one day. Adi and Kat say that you convinced them that they were beautiful when they didn't think they were. You didn't do it by telling them that as much as how you treated them every hour of every day. You behaved just like the Dex I know. I know they were your lovers but it meant just as much to them as it did to you. Today, they have confidence in themselves and that's a tribute to you."

I just shook my head. I felt like I was being given more credit than I was entitled to. "Look at them, Michelle. They are beautiful. Maybe not like a model or a movie star but they are beautiful women. I hope you aren't jealous. You are a beautiful woman too."

"No, Dex. I'm not jealous of them. I'm marrying you, not them. I know your heart. I don't need reassurance. But those two were important to you at the time, just as you were important to them too. They helped you change your attitude and your outlook. They got you on the road to becoming a different Dexter McLeod. The one I fell in love with," she smiled lovingly.

The ceremony started ten minutes late due to the loose organization of the pavilion. It didn't matter. It was conducted by the local United Church minister and all I had to do was repeat the words he gave me and it was over. I turned to Michelle and kissed her to the applause and cheers of the audience. It was a larger group than I realized and it was a happy one as well.

As I slipped the wedding band on her finger, I looked up at her and knew this was the wisest thing I had ever done. We were so right for each other and I think everyone there could see that. I paid the minister and left a healthy donation to his church as a thank you.

We formed a reception line and it was long and moving slowly. Luckily, the caterers were ready and began to set out the food and drink and that kept everyone happy.

I got to meet everyone except Margaret, Michelle's mother. I was disappointed that she chose not to come. I know that Michael had pleaded with her but that apparently wasn't enough. He told me that he thought she might have come if it were a traditional service in a church but the service we chose was anything but. He reassured me that our more casual and open ceremony was delightful and if only his mother objected then it wasn't a failure.

I met all the family members and had a chance to talk to all of them. Michelle's sons were very pleasant and congratulatory. They were pleased that their mother had found someone after the untimely death of their father. I met brother Mark and his partner, Philip. Again, I was genuinely welcomed to the family.

An hour or so later, I was scanning the reception to see if there was anyone I hadn't talked to. I noticed Adi and Wolf deep in conversation, being very touchy-feely with each other. Wolf was my age and had been a confirmed bachelor. On the other hand, he was very skilled with the ladies and I wondered if I should warn Adi. I decided not to. Perhaps there was a spark there that might change things for both of them.