The Best Valentine in the World Ch. 02

We all clung to each other and cried until Molly looked up at me, "Daddy when the baby comes, just call me when ever it cries and I'll talk with you until it goes back to sleep. I promise."

"Thank you dearest, are we practicing now? I think my sweet love has gone to sleep."

"Not really, I'm just practicing looking like I am asleep."

"Oh! Oh! Daddy, she has it figured out already."

Mark was right on time in the morning. Molly tried to act not too interested but she never took her eyes off of him. He wasn't any better. We finally got underway and motored up the river; which is to the south. The Ocklawaha is a tributary of the Saint John's River, the only major river in the United States that flows north. I insisted Molly and Mark sit in the drivers seat while Serena and I navigated. It was a difficult job because the original riverbank on the west side of the river twists like a snake and was now three or four feet under water. The natural bluff above the river in the 1800s was a half-mile or so from the river on the west. On the east side it was much closer, actually most of the forty-foot high bluffs still loom over the river on that side. Many of the landings on the east side are not hard to find. Every Large plantation, farm, and village along the river in those days had it's own landing.

Most of the commerce in the area in those days was dependent on the river. In those times there were two main types of river craft plying the river, pole boats and steamboats. The pole boats were about 45 feet long and had a crew of eight to ten blacks and a white captain They polled the heavily laden boats up the river, stopping at every landing they had goods for.

The steamboats were up to eighty feet in length had about ten men in the crew also. Four of the crew were blacks, two stood in the bow of the boat and two in the stern. They held long poles, their job was to help push the boats around the sharp turns in the river where the rudders of the stern wheeled boats were not able to make the turns. All of these boats were very shallow draft boats because the controlling depth of the river was only about four feet.

Boats used these landings into the 1930s by taking orders from the inhabitants along the river and then filling the orders in the town of Palatka on the St. Johns River. The residents who had an order put a special flag on the landing and the boat Captain would see it and stop. The goods were delivered on the way back up river. There were also large rafts of logs constantly being floated from timber companies along the river to the sawmills in Palatka.

We anchored for a bit and had a delightful lunch. We learned a lot about Mark and liked him very much. He was a very intelligent and levelheaded young man. Molly was funny to watch. She was on her best behavior; she never teased him or anyone else for that matter. She was so sweet. I finally threw up my hands. I looked at Mark. "OK Mark, what have you done with my daughter?

This girl is an imposter. I want my little bitch back."

Serena started laughing so hard I thought she would fall from her seat. Molly started sputtering, then looked at Mark and saw the huge grin on his face. She looked at him. He grinned happily and said, "I want her back too. Where is the sweet little tease I knew in school? She was lot's more fun than this beautiful stick in the mud." Molly looked at him for a minute and then walked to him and kissed him on the mouth. "Hey! I'm back guys, no more Miss Goody-Two- Shoes. You get just who I am from now on."

Mark hugged her, "Molly I have been wondering where you went. I had a crush for years on the teasing little girl I went to school with. You were just the cutest and most fun person I had ever met. I hoped you were still around. I like the serious girl I took out last night, but I was really looking for you."

"Oh! Mark, I just wanted you to see that there was more to me than just a flighty little girl."

"Molly, I knew that all along. I knew you were as smart as anybody or smarter, but I really loved to see you smile or laugh. You brightened up many of my days. You always stood up for me when the others would tease me because I was such a gangly geek."

"Yeah! You sure were, but there was always more to you than you would let the others see. I loved it when just you and I could talk.I was so proud when I heard you won an appointment to the Academy. Now look at you. She threw her arms around his neck and squealed, 'MY HERO'."

He grinned down at her. He looked up at me and smiled,

"Sir, she is back."

"Thank God." I looked up and jumped to my feet. "Look at that, we have to get out of here." A huge black storm rolled toward us.

I told Mark to get the bow anchor in. I started the motor. I saw he had the anchor in and I turned us around and headed toward our dock, a couple miles down the river. I pushed the power up to cruise speed but had to throttle back because with the wind behind us I had trouble making the turn. The wind was forcing us into the bank. The wind was fierce now. Sheets of cold rain slammed into us. The canvas of the top snapped and slapped up and down, I was afraid it would blow away.

I told Molly to steer us around facing the wind and try to keep us out of the trees behind us. I asked Mark to help me get the top down. We had to be careful or the wind could catch it and rip it away. Mark and I managed to lower the top with the front edge down lower than the back. We lashed it in place. Molly was doing a good job. I told Serena to open the locker and pass out life jackets to each of us. I tried to analyze our situation. Molly was having trouble holding our position. I told her to try to maneuver the boat to the right a ways where we would be somewhat out of the worse wind. She did a good job. I slipped under the front edge of the top and was pummeled by the stinging rain. I located the anchor line and signaled to Molly to move us as close to the trees that made up the riverbank as she could. I managed to flip the anchor into the thick trees. I cleated down the line and watched to see how the boat would ride.

Close to the bank the wind was not as bad. We were somewhat sheltered. The top now protected us from the stinging rain. I was afraid to shut the motor off. I had Molly just take it out of gear. I wanted it available instantly if we needed it. I pushed Mark into the seat next to Molly. I grabbed Serena who smiled a brave little smile at me and I held her tight beside me so I sheltered her from the wind and rain. Mark had his arms around Molly. She looked over at me and mouthed 'You saved us.' Suddenly we heard a deafening roar that lasted almost a minute. I screamed, "Hang on to each other." The noise faded away. Mark looked at me, "Twister?"

"Right, we were just missed by a tornado. Thank God. The wind seems to be calming down mow."

I stood up and looked around. Everything had passed us by. I looked at Molly and Mark. "There were two or three boats back behind us, we had better go check on them." We motored up to where I ha thrown the anchor and luckily I was able to retrieve it. We lifted the top and resecured it back where it belonged. It had a few tears but it looked repairable. I let Molly and Mark relax and I motored back toward where we had seen other boats a little while before.

Then I saw a bass boat bottom up in the channel. I spotted a man in the trees along the bank. I eased over close to him and Mark threw him a line. He was an older man and he said his wife and young son had been with him. We searched along where he was found then I saw movement further upstream. There were two people back in the brush where the current had washed them. Mark said he would go after them. I made him put on a life preserver and tied a rope around him. I had Molly run the boat while I tended Mark's rope. He reached the first person and tied the rope to her and I pulled her slowly out of the brush and trees. I lowered our ladder and helped her into the boat. Serena took her to her husband. I tried to throw the rope back to Mark but missed in four tries, Finally I jumped in and swam to Mark and took the other survivor from him and pulled the boy and I back to the boat. I looked back and saw Mark pulling himself up the line.

I climbed up the ladder and turned and gave Mark a hand up the ladder. He grinned at me. I looked back at Molly and motioned her to Mark. I took the wheel and we started back up the river. I was looking along the right bank when Molly screamed "Over there."

I looked at her and followed her arm. I saw a group of people in the water. We eased over and Mark and Molly and Serena helped four or five children aboard. Two adults followed them aboard. We got them all settled and I went up the river another mile. We saw nothing else. I turned the boat around and headed for our dock.

Were we ever glad when it came into sight? WE got every body ashore and led them to our deck. I called 911 and informed them we needed help. In fifteen minutes we were swarmed with EMT vehicles and fire rescue trucks.

The TV stations were there too! They made us out to be heroes. When every thing settled down and every one was gone the four of us sat in the den and looked at each other. Molly and Mark had their arms around each other. I knelt beside them. "Are both of you guys OK?"

Molly looked into Marks eyes, She sniffled and said, "Yes Daddy we are fine."

I went to my sweet wife. She smiled at me, "I'm fine Dear."

"OK here's the plan, you ladies go get a hot shower and slip into something comfortable, WE guys are going to have a stiff drink and relax until you guys come back." The girls left. I looked at Mark. "Son, you were great today, we wouldn't have made it without you. Thanks!"

"Mr. Murphy. I learned a lot from you today about leadership. You took charge and assigned the jobs to people you knew could handle them while reserving people with more strength for jobs that might require more strength. I was proud to be able to help. Your daughter was magnificent. She never lost her cool. Mrs. Murphy was great too! I could tell she was scared to death but she was there when we needed her."

"I was proud of all of you; especially you Mark. I felt safe knowing if I goofed you could salvage things. It helps a lot to have a back-up you can trust." I held out my arms and we hugged each other.

"Oh! Look Serena, the guys are bonding, isn't that sweet."

"Molly, please hush. I was just telling Mark I was proud of all of you. I am really proud of Mark. He was invaluable in the rescue of all those folks. Molly you were a rock. You were perfect. Serena, when I was worried about you, you always had a smile for me. That gave me strength. I love all of you." I dropped in my chair and closed my eyes. I looked up and all three of them were staring at me. Serena put her hands on each side of my face, "Are you all right, you look a little pale?"

Molly screamed, "Daddy you are bleeding. Momma look at his side." Serena pulled my shirt up. There was a huge bruise on my ribs, with a long scratch across them. Serena helped me get my shirt off. Molly and Serena pressed gently on the ribs and determined nothing was broken. They found the first aid kit and put a bandage on the scratch. I went and dried myself with my wife's help and put on dry clothes. When everyone was dry and comfortable we sat around the dinner table. Mark was able to get into some of my shorts and a T-shirt.

I still felt cold even though the temperature in the house was 78 degrees. I noticed Molly was pressed against Mark's body. I asked if everyone was cold. They all nodded. I shut off the A/C. I got some spiced rum and apple juice and whipped up four hum toddies. I zapped them in the microwave for a couple minutes. We all sipped our toddies for a little while. I felt lots better!

"Is every body feeling better?" I asked. I received a chorus of "yeses", I looked at Molly and Mark, and she was still pressed against him with his arm around her and one of hers around him.

"Hey, you guys can let go of each other now, no one is going to get blown away by the wind now. Then again, I guess it could happen, come here my dear wife, I couldn't live if you blew away." Serena put her arms around me and held me tight. I laughed at Molly, "You guys are right, this feels good."

We were all back to normal shortly and the kids went out for dinner and a movie. Serena stayed home, had dinner and a very sweet and loving fuck.

Two weeks later Molly and Mark entered the house in the morning about ten. Molly had not come home the night before.

"Well, here come the Candy Kids."

"Candy Kids? What do you mean?"

"Molly Murphy and Mark McCoy, M&M and M&M!"

Molly walked to me and hugged me. "Daddy, please forgive me for not calling last night. Mark tried to get me to call but then we forgot about it. I guess this is why." She held up her hand showing an engagement ring on her finger.

"Well what the hell took you so long? Momma and I have known the two of you were in love for weeks."

Serena ran to Molly weeping as she ran. "Molly, dearest Molly, we are so happy for you. And Mark, kiss your new Momma."

We all hugged and cried. Finally I said, "Now that all the emotional stuff is out of the way, let's get serious. What are your plans and how can we help make them work for you?"

Mark said, "Sir, we haven't figured all of it out yet. I have less than a week of leave remaining before I report in at Quantico. I will be there about six weeks, and then I report to Camp LeJeune. We are not in a great hurry to get married. I am afraid to wait very long though. She is too beautiful, I am afraid she will find someone else. Anyway, I insist that she finish at Duke no matter what. I think she agrees with me but she won't admit it."

"Well that is about what Momma and I figured. Here is what I would like to do for the two of you. It happens I own a Quadraplex in the beautiful town of Jacksonville, North Carolina. It has four very nice apartments. They are all rented out but one will be vacant in about two months. I am going to Deed it to Molly as a gift. The building is free and clear, upkeep and taxes is all you will be responsible for. It is under contract to a rental management company. They are very good and if you guys use the unit coming empty you will still have most of the income from the other three. My father bought the apartments when he was stationed there fifty years ago. He gave them to me when I was stationed there.

They are in as good shape as when they were new."

Molly stared at me. "Oh! Daddy, how can I ever thank you? That sounds perfect."

"Well Babe, there is a catch, if I do that I am going to have to reduce your allowance."

"How much is the income off of three of them?"

"You should clear about $3,500.00 a month."

"That's more than you send me now."

"I know but you are going to be traveling more."

"We thought you could continue to live with your grand parents. You two will have to work out how you can be together. I know a weekend marriage would be tough. Right now it is the best I can offer."

Mark sat looking at his feet. He looked up with fierce determination in his eyes. "Dad, we can do it some how. I have four years of obligated service ahead of me. I love Molly and want to be with her. I know that during those four years I will be deployed overseas once or twice. Possibly more. Right now Junior Officers are averaging half of the four years away from home. Thousands of couples have done it before, we can do it too if we love each other enough. Your present to Molly is perfect. I do have some property here I inherited from my grand parents. We hope to someday build on it and live there."

"I know, that is the 200 acres next to us isn't it."

"Yes Sir, we would be neighbors."

"Wonderful, Serena, did you hear that?"

"Yes dear, we can baby-sit for each other."

Molly giggled, "Momma, we aren't even married yet."

"Don't wait. I know, I would love for you two to get married the same place your Daddy and I got married and on the same day."

"February 14, 2007 at the Court House, Durham, North Carolina." Said Molly, "It was the best Valentine in the World."

"That is seven months away."

Mark and Molly looked at each other. Molly smiled up at the big man next to her. "We can live together whenever we can until then, would you do that for me?"

"Molly I would do anything in my power to please you."

"Then marry me tomorrow."

"I am more than willing. I have to tell my Mom and Dad."

"Molly, there is something else I can do to help your dream come true. There is money in a bank account that belonged to your mother. I have never touched it. We can go to the bank tomorrow or when you have a chance and I will sign it over to you as a wedding present to you from your mother.

It has been building for about fourteen or fifteen years now. The last statement I got said the total was $870,000.00. That ought to get you a nice honeymoon in Virginia."