Splashdown Ch. 11 - The End

She waited for her mother to finish then answered, "But Mom that isn't what I meant. You've always told me you were sad for me because of the slim chances I could find a man like Dad. Well, I did. I found a man who is always bigger than life. He's upstanding, dedicated, and disciplined. And I adore him, Mom.

"And it's better than that: he adores me back! Mom, he didn't waste time. I know you were worried about my basically living with a man who was still technically married. And I know he had a thing about being wed to one woman when he awoke and betrothed to another when he went to sleep.

"No Mom, the opposite: he didn't like it.

"The very next day after the divorce came through, he took me on an unexpected drive. It's Houston so we ended up Galveston's west coast for the sunset. He slowly dropped behind me. When I turned around, he was down on one knee!

"I said "yes" Mom: just as quickly as I could; just like you told me to if I found THE man! I don't know when he got it, but he already had the ring.

"Mom, I was confident this would happen, though I thought Gary might wait another year to let the dust settle. Thankfully he's a decisive man. His love for his ex-wife had taken major hits. He told me when she finally chose against him, he already had things packed in his car so he could leave immediately and stay away for some time. He said their break was in most ways a mighty relief, yet he still went to a place that was special to them and cried for hours. He'd fought for years to try to save them, yet despite it breaking his heart he'd gotten to the point where he felt their marriage could not work. He just needed Peggy to finally understand that was what she'd truly wanted all along, so she could move on unfettered being happy. Gary said he'd wanted and needed that release for a long while, still feeling duty bound to stick with it because he'd given his vow. And because he truly cared about her.

"So, Mom, when he finally came to me and explained most of the pain was burned out of him and spoke to me so genuinely telling me he would love me forever, I knew he was deadly serious. Or would it be vitally serious? No matter, I knew he loved me and eventually we'd make it official with a marriage, just as I know we'll have children.

"Mom, I had a great career with NASA and my new Space X job is wonderful. I'm still on the cutting edge, just not the tip of the spear. I really believe we'll be the force that takes mankind to Mars. I'll be front and center for that, sitting at my console at mission control. And then I'll go home that night and hug my family!

"Gary's doing a number of things he finds interesting. His "consulting" business allows him to make a difference in matters he finds important. I think he does a lot of planning for his former company. But our priority is each other. I'm not saying it's the answer for everyone, but Mom, I think I feel like you feel about your man. I feel complete in a way I never felt before. I always kept working and striving to find that missing thing in my life, finally I've found it.

"I loved my work, I still do, but I love Gary more and I'll love our kids more too. Our fmaily is where I need to put my energy. Hell, I'll still work harder than most folks, I think the second doctorate proves that. I've simply shifted my priorities. Just like you did Mom. I knew it would make you happy to hear it, you've always been happy for my accomplishments while fearing my priorities were skewed.

"I feel like I finally have my head out of the clouds always planning for tomorrow, and at long last have my feet firmly planted on the ground enjoying the fruits of life today.

"Yeah Mom, isn't it wonderful? In every sense of the phrase, I really am over the moon!"

Epilog Gary T Plus Ten Years

It has to be a pain to know us. Kathy and I are just insufferably pleased with each other. Yes, we do things with others. We both try to be best friends to my ex. Peg doesn't need much, nonetheless when she needs, she needs deeply. Typically, it's just time she needs, time with folks who know the real story, and the real her, and understand. She understands now that her vision, while being the most important thing to her, can be harmful to those rooted in the real world. Sometimes she needs grounding. Normally, like all of us, she just needs someone to understand.

Kathy and I constantly see other folks at work and socially. We enjoy interacting with others, especially doing so as a couple. We prefer doing just about everything together. Maybe that sounds off, however we feel we've already spent far too much time apart and were lucky to have found each other. We protectively covet our time alone together.

Life together still seems like a honeymoon with your best friend. We like pushing each other a little, but only in order to entertain the other, its caring not competitive.

Here's a recent example that started right after a light breakfast and a topped off cup of coffee in a NASA mug, which Kathy always insisted on serving me, which had followed waking each other in a wonderful bed romp to start the day. Kathy had wanted me to pull out and use what I had at hand to douse her breasts, making sure they didn't spontaneously combust. I hadn't made it, which turned her on that I was too far gone and too turned on by her to comply. Now we were eyeing each other happily as we finished our breakfast drinks.

"Well man of mine, I'm wondering if you always produce like you did that time on your former backyard patio. We might need to buy sheets and detergent in bulk."

"Kath, I always aim to please. However, you know that was a special circumstance."

"You mean because you hadn't cum in almost six months and could've filled a small canoe when you finally did?"

"Canoe huh? I'm only interested in what floats your boat."

"Mmm, very good. I confess I masturbated imagining how that blastoff would've felt occurring inside of me."

"I'll make you a deal, Kath. When it's time, we'll screw as long as you want while you're pregnant, then I'll abstain as long as you have to. I bet I'll have a pretty potent amount saved up for you when we, um, get back in the saddle."

"Oh. Oh Wow. Children and massive loads; you invent buttons for me, then you don't just push them, you play them like a piano." She shook her head unable to contain her smile. "Deal! Though having that cannon go off in my mouth would be spectacular too. Decisions, decisions." Kathy gave me a wicked smile.

I returned her volley, "Well, just to make sure you never die of curiosity we might have to have two or more kids so you can compare the experiences.

"Hmpf!" She shook her head ruefully.

I hadn't meant to upset her, "What? What did I do? It was supposed to be fun, Kath." I was serious, I hated the idea of displeasing her.

"Sure, sure but you don't have to change your panties now." She stood and took my hand. "Back to the salt mine for you." She didn't pull me towards the stairs instead we headed for the neighboring family room. She pulled me towards the back of the couch as she dropped her drawers and bent over its back. Looking back over her shoulder with cat-like eyes she stated, "Your work is just beginning." Then she purred, "And you do such a thorough job."

Kathy knows she's captured my imagination. She told me she was proud of that. I asked her seriously which of her many accomplishments she was most proud of; her several rides atop a rocket traveling into earth orbit, or the additions to technology she helped author. Or perhaps the ones she was forging with Space X. She looked deeply into my eyes and said in deepest sincerity that to explain her at her best, to know what and who she was, the most important line of her biography would be that she loved me and one day our children. She knew the exact same story was written on my heart as well.

Kathy had been alone because she hadn't found what she truly longed for. In the interim she found challenges and gave herself to besting them, learning what she could along the way. Until at last, she found and fought for what she truly needed to become the complete self she yearned for: someone more important to her than herself.

My story is somewhat similar but for some startling differences. I thought I'd found what I had sought, only to find myself out in the cold and filth too long, for no good reason; and put there by one I loved. Now that I've truly found myself and my home in Kathy, I know and feel the comfort, love, and heat, of a home with her, I never want to leave its warmth again.

We were lucky to find each other and at the right time in our lives to throw away what came before and use everything it taught and made of us to forge something new and different together, always together.

I still have that picture of Mike's now wife in his and my office, giving my package special handling as we left the German Air Show. We are a "logistics company" after all. Even my wife smiles when she sees that silly picture. My wife is still an astronaut. My wife is still my firmament and my happiness. My wife is still my best friend. My wife is just not the same one I started with. And my wife loves me to pieces, and so do our kids.

My wife, Kathy, was an astronaut and she loves me, and I her, as wide as the growing multiverse and as far as the human heart can expand.