I Need To Know

"I want to know if you would feel comfortable having dinner with me tonight. I kind of want to celebrate the news. Maybe celebrate isn't the right word but I wanted to share it with someone, and that someone is you."

"Okay, Jerry, let me call mom and let her know I'm having dinner out. I finally told her about you. She was a bit surprised but I think she's alright with it. Would you mind meeting her when we drop off the kids?"

"You mean I get to meet the kids too?"

"They know I talk to you all the time and want to know what you look like."

"I'll be there in about an hour. I have to go home and dress up a little. I'm meeting some special people and want to look my best."

"Jerry, just be yourself. I know they'll like you as much as I do."

I showed up at the door and a young lad answered it. "Are you Jerry? I'm sorry - are you Mr. Jerry? My name is Dillon."

"As a matter of fact, I am." I held out my hand. The young lad shook it.

"I'm very glad to meet you, Dillon. Your mom told me you were a big boy for your age. I bet you'd make a great ballplayer."

"Yeah, I love playing baseball. I'm a pitcher in Little League. Do you want to come to my game?"

"I'd like that very much, Dillon. I'll do my best to be there. Who's your little friend behind you?"

"Oh, that's just my little sister, Darla. She's only five. She follows me everywhere. I'm her big brother, you know."

"She's lucky to have a brother like you to look after her. Hi, sweetheart, I'm, let's see, you can call me Uncle Jerry, if you like. You sure are a pretty little girl."

Darla looked at me. "You got kids, Uncle Jerry?"

'Well, Darla, I had a son but he died in a car accident."

"So did my daddy; we miss him."

"I'm sorry to hear that, honey. Just remember him in your heart. I do that with my son. I remember the good times in my heart."

"What was his name?"

"Mikey - his name was Mikey."

Connie came to the door. "Dillon, why didn't you tell me Jerry was here?'

'We were talking, mom. Uncle Jerry's going to come to my games. Aren't you, Uncle Jerry."

"Yes, as long as I'm not working."

"That's what dad always said, but he always worked."

"When are your games, Dillon?"

"Saturday. We always have our games on Saturday."

"I promise I'll be there, Dillon, and I don't break promises."

"Thanks, Uncle Jerry."

Connie was smiling. Looks like I passed the first test. Now I have to meet Mrs. George, Connie's mother.

On the way to Connie's mom's, Dillon asked me questions.

"Uncle Jerry, are you really our uncle?"

"No, Dillon, it's just easier for you instead of calling me Mr. Johnson all the time."

"Do you like my mom? She told me and Darla that she likes you."

"Yes, I like your mother very much. She's a very nice lady."

"Yeah, and she's pretty too, isn't she, Uncle Jerry?

"Your mom is beautiful, Dillon. You and Darla are lucky to have such a nice and beautiful mother."

"Do you want to marry my mom, Uncle Jerry?"

Connie looked surprised, "I think you asked Jerry enough questions for now, Dillon. Sit back and talk to your sister till we get to Grandma's." She looked over at me and started laughing.

We got to her mom's and she introduced me. Her mom gave me a smile and thanked me for helping Connie through such a hard time. I told her it was a very hard time for all of us and it was nice that we could support each other.

Connie and I headed out for dinner. I told her again about Mikey being my son and then I told her about the miscarriage. She was shocked, especially when I told her the baby was conceived around two months ago. I told her it hopefully was just a coincidence.

On the way back to her mother's house, I parked in kind of a lovers lane. We talked some more and then I kissed her. We kissed again and again. We were like two teenagers out on a date. We stopped before things went too far. We knew we were going to be together one day, just not tonight. I took her back and we picked up the kids and I took them all home. I promised Dillon that I'd be at his game on Saturday.

I did make it to his game and Connie and I sat together with a lot of people watching us. Darla sat on my lap for most of the game. Afterwards we all went to Wendy's for a frosty on the way home.

It became a regular thing. Every Saturday I would go see Dillon play ball and hold Darla on my lap. Feelings between Connie and I were getting stronger and stronger. We started taking the kids with us when we went out to eat. We knew the next time we were alone that we would become intimate. It was something we could just feel happening between us.

It was the following week when a bombshell hit me. I got a call from Lydia's doctor.

"Mr. Johnson, could you please come to our office today? It's extremely important," the doctors nurse asked.

"What's this about? Lydia's dead."

"We would prefer to show you in person. We just came across it."

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

As I went into the doctors office I asked, "What the hell was going on? Did Lydia forget to pay a bill or something?"

The doctor asked me to follow him into his private office.

"Mr. Johnson, I want to give you my personal condolences in the loss of Lydia and Mikey. I don't know if you knew that the day Lydia was killed she was in here for a checkup. She was pregnant, about two months along."

"Yes, I found out from the hospital when she miscarried during the accident. The doctors weren't sure if she even knew," I replied.

"While Lydia was waiting for me to verify the results, she wrote you a letter. I think she meant to give it to you but for some reason, when she left she forgot her receipts and the letter she wrote. We just put it into her file till she would come back. Of course no one read it till this morning."

"Lydia left me a letter?"

"I'm sure she meant to take it with her but forgot it. Our file clerk was going through our files and was getting ready to put Lydia's file in the deceased file folder. Of course we double checked our files first and came across this letter. It's addressed to you. I started to read it to verify it but stopped when it got personal. Here it is, Jerry. I'm very sorry for your losses. I'll leave you alone for a few minutes while you read it."

I read the letter. When I was finished, I was overcome with emotion and started crying. I was there in the office a good fifteen minutes. When I composed myself, I went out and thanked the doctor and the file clerk. I went and sat in my car and read the letter again and then headed down the road.

I called Connie while on my way home.

"Connie, I must see you now. It's important, very important."

"What is it, Jerry?"

"Lydia left me a letter. It was in her file at her doctor's office. I think it answers a lot of questions."

"Come on over, Jerry. I'll take the kids over to mom's house. I should be back in twenty minutes."

Connie invited me in. I sat there with the letter in my hand. I handed it over to Connie to read.

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Hi, Honey:

I was sitting here in the doctors office waiting while they double checked my test. Guess what? Mikey is going to have a brother or a sister. I wasn't feeling too good so I made a doctor's appointment for today. You went into work early so I didn't get a chance to tell you about the appointment. I hope you're happy about it. Eventually, I'll find out if it's a girl or a boy.

I was thinking about when he was conceived. I think it was when you took me out for our anniversary two months ago. When we got home we made love, over and over. Remember? The last time I wore you out like that was when Mikey was conceived.

The doctor went back to double check my tests but he's pretty sure I'm a preggy. It sounds funny saying that. Lydia's a preggy. I haven't told anyone yet. I wanted you to be the first to know. I even have Mikey here with me. I didn't get a sitter because I didn't want anyone to know before you. Are you out of shock yet?

I have an appointment tonight to sell a house so I know I'll get home a little late. I'll be dropping off my papers and the checkbook before I go. I sold this guy a house once before and he seemed pretty decent. I had an appointment with him a month or so ago and he came on to me. I put him in his place and told him I was happily married. I think he is getting a divorce, but anyway I'm taking Mikey along as kind of a security. Wow, my three year old for protection. Really, though, the guy isn't that bad but I want to keep it business. I will probably beat you home and will be sleeping. If you balance our check book tonight like you promised me, then you will see this letter. Otherwise I'll tell you in the morning.

Jerry, I love you and hope you're happy about the baby. Gotta go, the doctor is back with my tests. I see him smiling - Lydia's a preggy.

Love ya bunches

Lydia

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Connie was crying. We finally got closure. To the best of our knowledge nothing happened between Lydia and Derek. She was out to sell the cottage and was speeding and missed the turn. We figure that she thought I was Derek in the hospital and was about to apologize for the accident.

I had no reason to believe otherwise. My Lydia was faithful to me. I held Connie close and just hugged her. We decided to make a few copies of Lydia's letter and give them to our parents and Derek's parents. They could stop the rumor mill. We no longer had to deal with it. There was a new rumor going around now. Dillon has been telling people that his mom and I would probably be getting married and I would become his and Darla's new dad. I guess time will tell.

In the days to follow, we got the cell phone bills. It only showed four calls to Lydia. One was before the days they were together and one the day of.

It's been six months since this all took place. No more information emerged about Lydia and Derek together. Connie did check out a few more of her numbers and found Derek's latest girlfriend. It wasn't Lydia.

We received our insurance checks and they did state that there was no foul play as far as the vehicles went. Everything was pretty much settled when I received a call from Connie.

"Jerry, can you come over right now? I have something to share with you."

"I'll be right there," I said. What could she possibly want to share with me? The case of Lydia and Derek was pretty much solved.

I was at her door in ten minutes. She opened the door and pulled me in. She didn't say a word but gave me one of those very sensuous kisses. We must have kissed over and over again.

"Jerry, are you ready to make love to me?"

"Yes, Connie, I am."

We went to the bedroom and made love. Not a fuck, not a quickie, but sensuous love. We hugged and kissed and made love for a good hour. After that day, we were a couple and let everyone know it. We knew the wedding date wouldn't be that far away.

Life can be rough. There may be a lot of bumps along the road. No one has ever said life is easy. But, as a friend once told me, "Every storm ends and you may see the rainbow."

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Thank You for reading my story

Comments welcome

DG Hear.