Best of Intentions Ch. 04

After we returned to the living room, I sat in the armchair and Maggie sat on my lap, cuddling.

"I haven't told you why I gave Katie your name," she said.

I hugged her and said, "I just figured that you wanted her to have her father's name."

"I did and I didn't want to give her David's."

"Oh John, I didn't want to be here. I had called David before I got on the plane to come back and he was gloating on the phone. He told me that I would have to get a cab home because he was busy."

"I called Jess and she picked me up. We first went to her house and I started crying and telling her everything. I told her that I was pregnant and that I loved you more than anything."

"Jess told me that I should go back and tell you and make things work. That's when I called Phyllis. Phyllis was crying, she told me that you had just left her apartment and that you hated us both. She told me everything that happened, about you crying and getting angry. She said that you really frightened her and that she could feel the hatred."

"John, I was lost, I completely fell apart. I didn't know what to do. Jess had me stay at her house that night and in the morning she brought me to David's house in Brooklyn Park. He hadn't been home that night and Jess was still with me when he got home."

"He was very civil to Jess and me. He actually hugged me something he hadn't done in a long time. After Jess left, I had a talk with David. I ended up telling him that I was pregnant. He told me that he had a check-up and tests indicated that he was, as he put it "Shooting Blanks."

"He assumed that the baby's father didn't want anything to do with me and I did nothing to change that opinion. We made a deal, we would stay together and we would let everyone think that the baby was his."

"I was surprised that his ego would allow him to take a baby that wasn't his. I think that even the appearance of getting me pregnant was better than having people think that maybe her couldn't produce a child."

"He was, as I said very civil, but he told me that day that he would never touch me again. I was an adulteress and he would not dirty himself by touching me. We slept in separate rooms."

"John, I was glad, I didn't want to be touched by anyone, especially him."

"About two months before Katie was born, David had a massive heart attack while he was driving home from his latest girlfriend's"

"His will left everything to me. His girlfriend tried to threaten me with a lawsuit, but my lawyer made short work of that. Shortly after Katie was born, I sold the house in Brooklyn Park and moved here to Maple Grove."

"When Katie was born, the nurse was going to put her name down as Castleton, but I stopped her. I told her to put John Coleridge down as the father and that her name would be Coleridge."

"Oh John, I have dreamed of you coming and finding me. But, I had given that dream up a long time ago, I never thought that it would come true. Now you are here and I never want to be apart again."

We kissed long and hard. We went up the stairs holding hands and went to bed and made sweet love.

Tuesday and Wednesday, I was in the office with Rick. Fixing problems and making sure that the fixes I made, worked."

Thursday morning, Jess and Rick took Maggie, Kate and I to the airport. They stayed and cried, at least Jess and Maggie did, until we boarded the plane. Kate was in heaven. She had flown before but she didn't remember, because she had been very young.

Kate was sitting in the window seat and gave us a running commentary about everything that was outside her window, the clouds, the rivers, the roads, etc. Daddy loved every second...he was new at this parenting stuff.

We landed on time and so did three other planes. It was so crowded that we had to hold on to Kate because we were afraid that she would get lost in the crowd. The exit ramps were jammed.

Kate didn't want to be carried, so Mommy had one hand and Daddy had the other. It was so crowded that we couldn't walk but had to shuffle down the ramp. That was when I spotted Becky, she was jumping up and waving to us. I waved back and when Maggie saw her, she waved. Because it was so crowded, Becky couldn't see Kate. As we reached the waiting area the crowd began to break up. However, we were only about thirty feet away from Becky, before it was possible for her to see Kate.

When Becky spotted Kate and realized that she was with us, her jaw dropped. Her glance went from Maggie to Kate to me and back to Kate.

Kate saw Becky and looked up at me and asked "Daddy?" I looked at her and said, "That's your Aunt Becky, sweet heart."

Kate pulled her hands out of ours and shot across the waiting area screaming "AUNT BECKY."

Becky fell to her knees and opened her arms. Kate jumped into her open arms and hugged her. The tears were streaming down Becky's face, as she held her niece for the first time. There were big hugs, hundreds of kisses and lots of tears.

As we came near we heard Kate telling Becky, "I'm Katherine, but everyone calls me Katie. But Daddy calls me Kate, that's his special name for me."

"I know all about you, cause Daddy told me lots of stories about you; Aunt Becky."

Becky hugged her niece and looking at me said with a laugh, "Don't believe a word he said, I am really a nice person."

Eventually Becky got up and hugged and kissed Maggie, more tears. Then she turned to me, held me at arms length and in a mock stern voice said, "YOU, you are in deep...ahh...Poopoo"

Kate heard her and said, "Eue, poopoo, yuck"

Becky looked at me and said, "You knew, when you left didn't you?"

I nodded my head and said, "Yes, I found out about Kate when I was in Phyllis' office."

I looked at her and said, "Becks, I didn't know...and you and Mom would have gone nuts waiting. And if things didn't work..."

"And we would have driven each other crazy," Becky finished for me. Then she gave me a big hug.

We went to the baggage claim area. Naturally, Kate had to hold her Aunt Becky's hand. They were talking and giggling as they walked. Every once in a while the two of them would turn around and look at us and giggle. I can't imagine what Becky was telling her.

We got our bags and Kate's car seat and went to the parking lot. As I was strapping the car seat into the back seat of Becky's car, it was a four door, as opposed to my two-door. Becky said, "Now I know why you told me to bring my car."

As I was finishing, I heard Becky squeal. I turned and saw that Becky was holding Maggie's left hand. She had just noticed the engagement ring. They hugged and I heard Becky say, "My big brother finally came to his senses."

Maggie said, "We both finally came to our senses."

I drove home; because, "Aunt Becky has to sit with me," Kate insisted.

When I pulled in front of the house, Becky got out right away and ran into the house. Maggie and I took our time. We had to get Kate out of her seat.

As we came into the house, we heard Becky telling Mom to sit in the living room. Mom was arguing that she didn't have to be so formal.

Maggie, Kate and I walked into the living room. Mom stared at us. Looking from one to the other.

"Oh, my god," she quietly said. Tears were filling her eyes as she looked only at Kate.

Kate slowly walked up to Mom and in a soft trembling voice said, "Are you my Grandma?"

"Yes, my dear, I believe that I am," Mom answered in a low quivering voice.

Kate threw her arms around Mom's neck and hugged her, crying, "Oh, Grandma, I missed you so much."

Mom was openly weeping. She said, "Oh my little love, I missed you so much, too."

After a long while, Kate and Mom calmed and Kate said, "Grandma, my name is Katherine, but everyone calls me Katie. But, Daddy calls me Kate."

Mom gave me a long hard look and said, "Daddy, is it?"

Kate answered, "Yes, Grandma, he is my Daddy, my real Daddy."

Mom looked at Maggie and I and said, "Well your REAL Daddy is good at keeping secrets, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes Grandma, he is good at that. Daddy and me made a secret about getting Mommy's ring and he never told her, and neither did I. I'm good at keeping secrets too."

Mom looked at Maggie's left hand, "Well, it's good to see that your Mommy and your real Daddy have come to their senses, finally."

Mom got up out of her chair and walked over to where Maggie and I were standing. She gave Maggie a big, warm smile and put her arms around Maggie and wept, "Oh, Maggie I missed you so much."

Maggie hugged Mom and they cried.

They parted after a few moments and Mom looked at me. "You, you, I don't know whether to hug you or brain you. First, for getting Maggie pregnant..."

"I think that I had something to do with that too." Maggie interjected.

Mom laughed, "Yea, I guess that you did. Maybe I should brain the both of you." She hugged me tightly.

"Are you going to brain me too, Grandma? I got brains. Is it good to be brained?" Kate asked very seriously.

Kate and Becky were standing behind Mom.

Becky giggled, "Don't worry Katie, before you go back home. GRANDMA will be threatening to brain you, too."

Kate clapped her hands and jumped up and down saying, "Goody, Grandma's going to brain me too."

Mom laughed and said, "Well, standing here isn't going to get dinner finished, I have to get to work."

"Can I help make dinner, Grandma? I help Mommy cook all the time," Kate asked.

Maggie looked at Mom and rolled her eyes.

Mom smiled at Maggie and said to Kate, "Of, course you can, my love. In fact Mommy and Aunt Becky can help too."

"I'll get the bags out of the car and bring them up stairs." I said.

The four of them went into the kitchen and I went out to the car and brought our bags into the house.

Dinner was fantastic. Kate had to sit between Grandma and Aunt Becky. Mom was beside herself with joy. Loving and enjoying her granddaughter.

We were finished with dinner at around 6:30 pm. And Grandma said, "Now we rest up after dinner and we will have dessert in a little while."

Kate asked, "What is it Grandma?"

Grandma smiled and said, "A surprise."

Kate clapped her hands and shouted, "I love surprises." And we all went into the living room.

Maggie took Kate up stairs to get her in her pajamas. It was then that Mom started to cry. She put her face into her hands and her shoulders shook as she quietly cried.

I went to her, I put my arm around her shoulders and said, "Oh god Mom, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

She looked up at me and said, "Forgive you? Forgive you for giving me my beautiful grand daughter; forgive you for making me love her, for making me so so happy. No my son, I will never forgive you for that. I will just love you forever. Oh Johnnie, my Johnnie, thank you so much."

She put her arms around my neck and hugged me tight.

Becky came into the living room and sat on the couch next to Mom and me. She put her arms around the both of us. She gave a small laugh and said, "Well, Mom ya gotta say, Johnnie has always known how to throw this house into absolute chaos; and still come out smelling like a rose."

The three of us laughed. Just then Maggie and Kate came down the stairs. Kate yelled, "Come on Mommy, family hugs."

She ran to us and threw herself at us, wrapping her arms around Grandma's neck. Maggie quickly came over and joined us. We were like that for a while and then we let go.

We sat and talked and in a little while the doorbell rang. I got up to answer it and Kate came after me. She hid behind me as I opened the door.

Kate screamed, "Auntie Phyl" and ran out to throw her arms around Phyllis.

There was a rather handsome man standing behind Phyllis, who I rightly assumed was Matt.

Phyllis hugged Kate and then gave me a big hug. I shook hands with Matt. Saying how happy I was to meet him.

Kate then turned to Phyllis and said, "Auntie Phyl, this is John Coleridge, His name is just like mine. And that's because he is my Daddy...my REAL Daddy."

Phyllis laughed and once again putting her arms around me said, "Well then, let me give your REAL Daddy another big hug."

Kate then took Phyllis' hand and pulled her into the living room. She shouted, "Everyone, this is my Auntie Phyl, she is my old aunt."

Phyllis looked aghast and said, "OLD Aunt?"

Becky jumped in and said, "I'm sure she means that as opposed to me, the brand NEW aunt."

Phyllis laughed and said, "Well as opposed to a brand new nineteen year-old aunt, I guess I am the OLD Aunt."

Matt laughed and said, "Very good! Ah, Becky? We could use a tactful and quick thinker like you in the State Department."

We laughed. Kate, who obviously wasn't quite sure what was going on, went over to Phyllis, gave her a hug and said, "Oh, Auntie Phyl, you're not that old."

Phyllis hugged her and said, "That makes me feel so much better."

Kate then introduced her Auntie Phyl and her new Uncle Matt to Mom and Becky.

Mom and Kate then went into the kitchen to get the 'surprise" dessert. It was Boston cream pie. Mom cut the pieces and Kate served, holding the plates in both hands and very slowly and carefully bringing it to everyone. Mom served the tea and coffee.

As we ate, we talked about Maggie and I meeting, the Kindergarten Graduation and the work I did in Minneapolis.

As the conversation turned to Phyllis and Matt's wedding, Phyllis turned to me. She looked a bit concerned and said in a soft voice, "John, I have a big favor to ask."

I smiled and said, "Anything for you, Phyllis...well almost anything."

"John, would you walk me down the aisle on Saturday. Not to give me away, but to be my escort. I had planned to walk alone, but the way things worked out...and you are the only person who I would want to accompany me."

"Phyllis, I would be honored to accompany you down the aisle."

Kate then said, "Daddy does that mean you won't sit with me at the wedding?"

"No, my love, I will be sitting with you. I will just walk down the aisle with Aunt Phyl you are going to be walking right in front of us, carrying the bouquet."

"Daddy, it's not Aunt Phyl, its ANTIE Phyl." She admonished.

"Oh lord, I apologize, Auntie Phyl."

Phyllis and Matt left at around 8:00 pm. Kate was falling asleep in her grandmother's lap.

After they left, Katie gave everyone a hug and a kiss and then said that she wanted Mommy and Grandma to take her to bed. "Daddy you can stay here and talk to your sister."

She then gave me a big hug and a kiss.

As she walked to the stairs holding Mommy's and Grandma's hand, she turned, giggled and shaking her finger, said to Becky and me, "Now you two be good, and no fighting."

Becky and I were laughing so hard that we almost fell off of the couch.

Mom and Maggie were laughing as they took Kate up to bed.

They came down about ten minutes later. Mom plopped down into her seat, looked at me and said, "John, would you? I could really use a drink."

"Sure, Mom. Everyone else?"

Maggie and Becky nodded, so I got up and went into the kitchen and made four big bourbons on the rocks.

I brought the drinks in and gave them out. When I handed Becky hers, she looked at the drink and then at me and said, "What no comments, about underage drinking?"

"Not tonight Becks, after what we put you and Mom through today, you deserve it. Anyway, we were ordered, "No fighting.'"

Becky giggled and looked at Maggie, "Where did she get that from?"

Maggie laughed, "My friend Fran, has a boy about as old as Katie, she often watches them, and whenever she leaves them alone that's what she says."

We spent the rest of the evening talking. It was mostly Maggie, telling Mom and Becky about all of the things that happened the years she was in Minnesota. We went up to bed well after midnight.

Maggie and I slept in my room. Mom just said that, she wasn't going to keep us apart, hell we already have a daughter.

That night we quietly undressed each other and then made wonderful love. Quietly. Even though Mom and Becky knew were in bed together, we didn't want to flaunt it.

The next morning, Kate was up at 6:00 am, calling for Mommy, Grandma, Aunt Becky and finally Daddy. Grandma won the race and she took Kate down to start breakfast. Mommy and Daddy slept.

This was real early even for Kate. The time difference was only one hour but our bodies said 5:00 am. Notwithstanding, Kate was up and ready to go.

Mom and Becky had to get up for work. Maggie and I squeezed every second of sleep that we could get. We were in the kitchen by 7:00 am.

Friday was going to be a busy day. Maggie and Kate were to pick up their gowns. I had to rent a tuxedo. I also wanted to go to the office and see Harry and Ethel.

I took Maggie and Kate to the dressmaker and I went to the tuxedo place. Matt had everything arranged and after a few measurements. I had a tuxedo that matched the wedding parties.

I went back to the dressmaker and picked up Maggie and Kate. We then went to the offices of 3G Computer Consultants.

As we walked up the stairs to the office, Kate was going on about how excited she was going to Daddy's work.

I opened the door and both Harry and Ethel looked up from their desks, "What are you doing here?" Ethel said.

"Johnnie, you're not supposed to be back until next...MAGGIE," Harry shouted.

He jumped out of his chair and rushed over and wrapped his arms around Maggie in a big bear hug. Maggie laughed as she hugged him.

"Harry, it's wonderful to see you. You look great."

"Thanks," said Harry, "But not half as good as you."

Ethel came up behind Harry, she put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Finally, I get to meet you, Maggie. But, I what I want to know, is, who is this gorgeous little girl?"

Ethel squatted down and said to Kate, "What is your name?"

Kate said in a nervous voice, "My name is Katherine, everyone calls me Katie, but Daddy calls me Kate."

Kate came over to Ethel and shook her hand.

Ethel smiled and said, "I'll bet that that's his special name for you, isn't it?"

Kate nodded.

"Well, my name is Ethel and I think that I will call you Katie, Okay?"

Harry was staring at Kate and then her looked at Maggie and me. Maggie shrugged and I just smiled.

"Holy shhh...stuff," Harry stammered.

Ethel put her arms around Harry, laughed and said, "Good one, Harry. That's why I love you."

I started to laugh, "Well, it's about time. So I guess that if I can't get Harry at home I should call Ethel's?"

They were standing close together, with an arm around each other. They both looked a little embarrassed.

Harry said in a low voice, "It would probably be better to call Ethel's first."

I went over to them and put my arms around them. "I am so happy for you both."

"Well it's all your fault, John, if you hadn't gone off last Thursday, to find Maggie, Harry and I wouldn't have gone to McAnn's and then back to my place," Ethel said smiling.

We sat and talked about the past five years, Harry and Ether telling Maggie about school and 3G.

Maggie asked why we named the company 3G.

We all laughed and Ethel said, "Three Geeks."

"What's a geeks, Daddy?" Kate asked.

"It's a funny name for people who work with computers."

"Can I be a geeks, Daddy?" Kate asked.

Ethel jumped up and took Kate in her arms and ran around the room screaming, "NO, NO we can't allow this innocent child to be seduced by geekdom."

Kate was laughing and screaming, loving every moment.

After we all calmed down, we decided to go to lunch. As we ate I talked to Harry and Ethel about the problems that Rick and Ed were having in Minneapolis. Ethel wanted to see the fix I put in.

After lunch Maggie and Kate took the car and went to Phyllis'. Harry and Ethel would give me a lift home.

The three of us went back to the office and I was able to get in the system, the password that Rick had issued me was still good. Ethel then entered the world of systems and codes. After a short time she starts to scream and curse.