The Block Party

"Is Zoe meeting us at the ceremony?" Jeff asked. I couldn't help my smile when he mentioned her. Jeff saw and sighed.

"Seriously?" he asked. "What happened to the crazy partier I roomed with freshman year?"

"You'll understand when you meet the right girl," I shrugged. Zoe was definitely that and so much more to me. We'd bumped into each other at the end of last year completely unexpectedly. I had no idea how we spent three years going to the same school and never met until then, but when we did it was love at first sight, for both of us.

"I'm just glad not to have to share a room with you anymore," Jeff snorted. "You two go at it like rabbits!"

"Jealous?" I asked.

"Of course!" he grinned.

We were finally ready to leave when I saw the envelope on the kitchen table. It was addressed to me.

"What's that?" I asked. Jeff looked and started, obviously remembering something.

"It came in the mail for you," he said. "It's pretty heavy for an envelope and doesn't have a return address. I was so curious that I almost opened it."

"Interesting," I said, getting a knife to break the seal.

"We don't have the time now!" Jeff cried.

"You go ahead," I said. "I'll be right there." I saw him hesitate, torn between seeing what was in the envelope and being late. I waited and raised my eyebrow. I had a pretty good idea what was inside. I wanted to open it alone. Jeff got the hint and left. I used the knife and two pictures fell out. I smiled at them.

The first was of a cute red haired little girl with my eyes. The second was of the same little girl in her mother's arms. Mrs. Nolan looked good. There was also a graduation card. There were no words, but none were necessary.

I didn't love Mrs. Nolan. She didn't love me. I wasn't her George and she wasn't my Zoe, but we had shared a special night together that neither one of us would ever forget, and something, no someone, had come out of it that brought joy to Mae. I couldn't regret that.

I remembered the first time I'd gotten a card from Mae. It was quite the surprise. You see, Mrs. Nolan had been true to her word and we never repeated what happened that night despite me actually trying to get her back into bed once or twice that summer before going away school. I left and by the time I came home for Christmas break she's moved away with no real explanation or forwarding address.

The next summer I received my first card. Written on it were only two words. 'Thank you'. In it was a picture of Mrs. Nolan holding a baby. I think I knew deep inside before then, but seeing the picture was all the confirmation I needed. I had a daughter somewhere.

It hit me hard at first, but slowly I came to accept that this way was probably better. I wasn't ready for a kid and it's not like Mrs. Nolan would have agreed to marry me even if I could find her. I knew that Mae would be the perfect mother and love the child with all her heart. I could see that in the pictures.

Getting pregnant gave Mrs. Nolan a second chance at life and love. It wasn't the same as if Mr. Nolan had lived, but it seemed enough for Mae. I could see that from the pictures as well. I was still looking at them when my door opened.

"There you are!" Zoe cried. "What's the hold up?" I held out the pictures.

"Oh," she said, taking and looking at them. "You made a beautiful kid. I can't wait until we have a couple of our own."

"In four or five years," I said pointedly. I wanted to wait...Zoe, not so much.

"We'll see," she grinned in that way that let me know it would never happen and I couldn't help laughing.

"Can you at least wait until we're married?"

"Depends on how long it takes you to purpose," she retorted pointedly.

"Not until I save up enough for a nice ring," I insisted, pulling her into hug.

"In that case, probably not," she said, kissing me briefly. I think she was joking, but then again with Zoe, you never knew. I found myself wondering if I should borrow the money for the ring from my father. Zoe could be persistent when she wanted to be and I didn't want any more of my kids born out of wedlock. Call me old-fashioned.

"She really is adorable," Zoe said, looking at the picture once more.

I had no secrets from her. You didn't do that with the 'one'. It took her some getting used to after I told her, but she loved me and accepted it in time. No one else knew and that was fine with me.

"You know, one of these days we're going to have to track them down," Zoe said in a matter of fact tone. "I like this Mrs. Nolan from what you've said about her, but it would be nice to know your own daughter's name."

"Zoe..." I began, not sure I liked the idea.

"Oh, not soon!" she interjected. "I want a couple of our own before you see her, otherwise I think I'd be too jealous. Now let's go before we really do miss graduation." I stared at her for a few moments. She looked right back.

"You know I love you with all my heart, right?" I asked. She smiled knowingly.

"Of course," she replied. "On the other hand, a ring would prove it nicely." She been hinting at it for the last few months, but I guess now that we were graduating she wasn't willing to wait any longer.

"You're not the most subtle woman I've ever met! Or patient for that matter!" I laughed, deciding I'd definitely have to borrow some money from my father. I pulled her into a hug and kissed her again.

"I think I've been patient enough considering I knew you were the 'one' since the moment I first laid eyes on you," she said after we broke apart. "And why should I be subtle? I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. You feel the same way. School's over so let's move on in life!"

"Yes dear," I said, trying to use my father's forced patience voice that drove my mother crazy. It must have worked because it caused Zoe to give me quite the look. I laughed again. She shook her head, but didn't comment as she handed me the pictures and opened the door. I glanced at them once more and put them down.

I remembered being hurt when I found out Mrs. Nolan disappeared with my daughter, but I think it was her way of making sure I had my chance at finding what she called 'my George'. Zoe was definitely that. I couldn't be mad as Mae for that. In fact, if Zoe did insist we track them down one day, I'd have to remember to thank her.