I Kept My Promise

Finally, Alison spoke up. "Daddy, you were right. This was the all time best vacation, ever."

The twins echoed Alison words saying. "Yes! It was the 'bestest' vacation ever. Can we do it again next year?"

When I saw the big smile on Rick's face I couldn't help but reach over, grab his leg and say. "Thank you, sweetheart. It really has been the best vacation ever. I love you so much."

The years rolled on and as each of the kids finished high school they enrolled at the University of Florida.

Alison earned a degree in Business specializing in accounting and went on to become a Certified Public Accountant.

Erica, following in her aunt Linda's footsteps, became a nurse practitioner and eventually went to medical school and became a pediatrician.

William, like his father, secured a degree in electrical engineering with a emphasis in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) engineering.

A year after graduating Alison married a young man she met while at the university. Rick walked her down the aisle and after relinquishing her to her new husband sat beside me with tears in his eyes.

Two years later it was Erica's turn. Again, Rick walked her down the aisle and returned to me once more with tears in his eyes. The tears he shed for both of his daughters were ones of joy. He knew deep down in his heart he would always be their daddy.

William was another story. He dated a lot of different girls. I was always wondering if he would ever settle down. Then one evening he brought a young woman home to meet us. It was the first time he had ever done this.

He introduce her as Evelyn Williamson. She was a very beautiful girl and it was obvious she had strong feelings for William.

"Please call me Eve," she told us. "It's what everyone else does."

Rick and I looked at each other and like so many married couples we exchanged a private look with each other. There would be another wedding very soon.

When Alison presented us with our first grandchild, a girl, Rick and I were overjoyed. Two years later Alison and Scott, her husband, presented us with another granddaughter.

Erica soon followed giving birth to twin daughters. Erica's husband, Michael, called us in the middle of the night with the news. Rick and I piled into the car and drove to the hospital to greet the two new additions to the family.

Four granddaughters in the space of three years. I am afraid that I spoiled them something fierce. But in all fairness I did have help. Rick was just as bad as I was with the grandchildren. He was constantly buying them toys and stuffed animals. I believe the girls cornered the stuffed teddy bear market with his help.

Three years after the birth of Erica's twins William and Eve presented us with our first grandson. We first saw him in the hospital in Eve's arms with William standing right next to the bed. We saw that he was absolutely over the moon with happiness. When I asked what they had decided to name him Eve looked directly at Rick and said.

"We have decided to name the baby after his grandfather, Frederick Wolfgang Steiger."

As soon as Rick heard this he proclaimed, "Oh, my . . . Wolfgang?"

"Yeah, dad. It was Eve's idea. But I think we'll call him Ricky for the time being."

It took some time for Rick to process the news. When it sank in he was speechless but the smile on his face, which spread from ear to ear, let us know exactly how he felt.

It is a funny thing but when you live your life day-to-day time has a way of passing by so very quickly. We had been married for over sixty years and old age had finally caught up with us.

One afternoon after lunch while I was cleaning up Rick went on to the patio and sat in the porch swing. When I joined him he was acting strangely.

"Emily, I love you so very much," he said to me. "I want you to know something. I'll be waiting for you after I'm gone."

"I promise I'll be there waiting for you when it's your time to join me."

"Oh, Rick," I responded, hugging him. "That won't be for many, many years."

Three days later he told me he was feeling very tired and was going to bed early. I told him I would join him in a little while after I finished watching a Hallmark Romance movie on television.

Forty-five minutes later I went upstairs to our bedroom. I found him collapsed across the bed. His breathing was labored and he seemed to be in some pain. I quickly called 9-1-1. While waiting for the paramedics to arrive I cradled him in my arms telling him everything would be all right and how much I loved him.

He regained consciousness, looked at me and whispered.

"I love you so much Emily. Remember I'll be waiting for you, I promise. I'll be waiting . . . for . . . you. I promise I'll be waiting . . . for . . . ."

With that he took a final breath and was gone.

We held his funeral three days later. I was amazed at the number of people whose lives he touched that came to pay their respects. It was comforting for me to have them share the overwhelming grief I felt.

My children got together and decided that I shouldn't live alone in the house that Rick and I had shared for sixty-three years. I told them I wasn't leaving my home. There were too many wonderful and happy memories for me to walk away from. We sat down and, as a family, decided that Alison and her husband would come and live with me.

Twenty-two months later, when Alison came to my bedroom to help me get ready for the day, I told her it was time to gather the entire family one last time. Four hours later the house was filled with my three children, their spouses, my five grandchildren with their spouses and three great-great grandchildren.

I managed to hold and kiss each and everyone of them good-bye. One by one they left my room until the only ones left remaining were my three children. I told them not to be sad for I was going to rejoin their father. With that said I closed my eyes with their faces firmly etched into my mind.

***************

"Emily, Emily open your eyes and look at me," a familiar voice was saying. "Emily, I'm here. I promised I would be waiting for you."

Opening my eyes I saw him, looking just as he did on our wedding day. There was the young, handsome man I had fallen in love with so many, many years ago. Smiling at me he said.

"I kept my promise. I'm here for you, sweetheart."

When I looked into his eyes I saw a reflection of the twenty-three year old girl who had fallen in love with the most wonderful man in the entire world.

"Rick, do you remember what I told you on our wedding day? I said I promise to love and cherish you, for the rest of eternity and beyond. Now I am going to get to keep that promise."

Taking my hand we turned and together walked into the warm rays of the rising sun.

Is this The End . . . or is this just The Beginning.