The Renaissance Man Pt. 04

By saying that had put everything in perspective. It had made her look at her situation with new freedom. As a result, she in her spare time was helping me restore the third carousel. This last Saturday we had gone out looking for items that we could restore for those needing families that Mr. Claus could help in December. Everything Mr. Claus did was done to improve those he helped in their quality of life.

It seemed that there were quite a few we knew who if they saw something that was a quality that was worth restoring. It would be set aside to make sure that i got the first chance to look at it.

Most of them would either buy it as cheap as possible or if they got it for nothing sell it to me as cheap as possible.

Some of these items were found during the hundred-mile yard sale they held in the area every year. Most of these were the average Joes who knew that for me the joy was seeing it restored and been used. My network of acquaintances was amazing. Trish finally had a clue how I learned who needed help and when.

Trish had asked me if I went to auctions. I had replied that I wished I could but with my busy schedule, I really didn't have time.

When she told me, she was going to go to work for the foundation full time. I asked her if she was sure. When she said she was I had tears in my eyes. I felt that she was doing it to support me and I was overwhelmed by it. For the first time in my life, I truly understood I no longer walked alone.

The letter she was carrying with her to work was her resignation. She would only work until the end of the month of November. That way she would have extra time to look after those last-minute details concerning the wedding.

She had just come through the door as Stephen did.

"Stephen can you do me a favor," Trish asked as she took the envelope out of her purse. "Drop this letter off at Human Resources this morning during your regular tour."

"Not a problem," Stephen replied as he took possession of the letter. "Can I ask if they will be pleased with your response?"

"Stephen, they put me in the situation with the offer that I am always going to be asking if I earned it or was it offered to me because of Scott. As a result, it's my letter of resignation effective at the end of November." Trish said. "Sadly, they really left me no choice but to leave. I won't work for anyone under those conditions."

Stephen smiled and leaned towards her whispering, "I think the future Mrs. Claus is making the right decision. Tell that man of yours if he needs my help for anything, he's got it."

Trish stood there for a moment just lost in thought. Stephen wondered if he had said something wrong. Then a glow took over her face with a smile that was all-consuming.

"Thank you, Stephen," Trish said. "For giving me an insight into something I hadn't seen. Your words say so much and show a truth about the life I am building with Scott. If anyone asks what I'm going to be doing just tell them that I'm going into restorative work full time."

Stephen watched Trish as she walked off to start her day. Something had just happened, but he did not know what. He just knew that most around her would be caught up in the happiness she was showing.

It was around ten that morning that the head of Human Resources came down the Nurse's Ward holding Trish's letter in hand.

"Trish is there any way you would consider relooking at your decision?" the department head asked.

"No, I'm sorry there's not," Trish replied with a large smile. "Mr. Claus has approved of me coming aboard and working for his foundation full time."

The head of the Human Resources department face went white. He had learned that Mr. Claus was a private man who lived in the area but remained behind the scenes instead of being in front of it. As a result, he had a reputation that was beyond reproach. He stayed out of sight as much as possible.

Those who helped him were known to be very protective of him. Push for information and you were shut down fast. For Trish to be offered a position with his organization spoke volumes about how he saw her as a person. No one but a few knew who he really was and that was the way it was going to stay.

"Well congratulations, I must say that it is we who are losing here. You will truly be missed." The department head said before walking away.

"You're leaving and going to work for Mr. Claus," Jen said. "How in the hell did that happen?"

"Jen I can't answer the question by voice," Trish said. "I will send a text, but you have to promise to erase as soon as you read it and keep it to yourself."

"Okay agreed," Jen said wondering why she said that.

Trish texted; on the second Saturday of December I will not only become Trish Nicole Tait, but I will become Mrs. Claus too.

Jen read the text looked up at Trish before she let her tears flow. Now the Woods family situation made sense. "How long have you known? Do Terry and Robert know too?"

"I had my suspicions the first weekend I met him, but it was not confirmed until he got shot," Trish said "Terry found out the weekend of mom's birthday. No one else knows."

Jen smiled and said, "The hospital never had a chance, so when are you leaving."

"The last day of November is my last shift," Trish said.

----------------

At ten to four on Saturday afternoon Shelia and Eve walked out to the hall from their home dressed for the evening. Shelia was a bundle of nerves. Trish had left a lot of questions unanswered and she was dying to know why. At five to four they saw their best friends John and Helen Malley drive-in.

"What are you guys doing here?" Eve asked as soon as they got out of their car."

"Trish called us this morning and told us to be dressed for the evening and to meet her here at four?" Helen said. "So, where is she?"

"That's what I would like to know John," Shelia said. "Trish left me with a lot of questions without answers the last time we talked."

Eve said, "Look what's coming down the country road, everybody!"

They all saw the black Chevy nineteen sixty-four Impala driving down towards them. It was in mint condition and a thing of beauty. To the four of them, it was a walk down memory lane.

All the times they had been stopped by the police came back. The many times they had been escorted home to have their parents waiting. John now knew what Trish and Scott were doing and why?

"Were we ever that young John?" Eve asked. "it seems like a lifetime ago."

As it approached the driveway it slowed down, signaled for left and waited until oncoming traffic drove by John said. "I think we're about to have the opportunity to experience it all over again this very afternoon."

As it drove up the driveway past the house towards the hall, they began to realize that the driver of the car was Trish.

"Where in the hell did, she find that car," Shelia asked? "It looks like what my father in law used to own."

Trish parked the car six feet in front of them. After shutting off the car she got out.

"Dad and Uncle Eve, can you please put the hood down for me if you remember how?" Trish asked. "Happy birthday Aunt Shelia."

Eve and John started doing as requested Trish then walked around and popped the trunk before going and standing beside her mother.

"Aunt Shelia, the reason moms been distant is because I made her promise not to tell you anything. So, blame me for what's going on between you two and let it go," Trish explained. "I want you to promise me that you're not going to pester mom about it, at all. It's my story and most of it will be revealed to you by me over the course of the evening."

"I've been on pins and needles for almost three weeks young lady," Aunt Shelia said. "I will say I will try not to, but no guarantees."

By this time the guys had the hood down and were walking around checking it out. Uncle Eve was filled with the excitement of having this car so close to him.

"Uncle Eve, get in the driver's seat, ladies in the rear. Dad I will need the keys of your car so I can go home and get ready," Trish said. "You also need to get the beer out of the trunk."

When all four were in the car Trish handed her uncle the keys to the car. "She got a full tank of gas. I expect you to be back at seven."

As soon as Eve started the car Trish opened up the glovebox and said, "Sirius early sixties plus do-wop music."

As they back up to head out Trish could see her father twisting the caps off and passing the beers back to the ladies. She went home to get changed and head out to the regional airport to pick up Aunt Shelia and uncle Eve's parents.

As soon as they were out of sight of the house Shelia turned her face towards Helen and said, "Helen what's going on with Trish?"

"I got the daughter I thought I had lost over nine years ago completely back, blue jeans and all," Helen said with all the tears flowing. "How, when, and why will be explained by her tonight."

That one statement had explained a lot of things. Shelia understood how rough a few years that had been for John and Helen. For a long time during that period they had felt that they had lost their eldest daughter.

The four of them drove the back roads as they had back in the days. Eve and John were laughing at their wives as they sang along with every song they knew. It was nice to talk about the good times they had back then. It was Eve that realized that time was catching up to them; they were heading back home trying to catch up.

An old classic Beatles song "Twist and Shout" was blazing through the speaker systems. The girls were standing up hanging on to the back of the seat jiving to the music holding a beer in their hands when the police siren came on.

Eve pulled over and cursed "Every frigging time we drove my father 's car we got pulled over, and we never learned. We should have known better at our age not to behave like young teenagers again."

As they waited an older gentleman got out of the police car from the passenger side and walked towards their vehicle. A young African American police officer stood back watching the events unfold from behind."

The older man approached the car and looked at the four sitting in it before saying anything. The four of them were surprised to see who it was. It was the same cop that had stopped them the most when they were young.

"Eve, John, Shelia, and Helen. Shit, I can't believe they brought me out of retirement for this. You know the drill pour the open ones out over the side."

Reaching into the car grabbing the key he threw them to the rookie and said, "Check the trunk, confiscate any unopened booze you find. Then take what's still unopened in the car."

"Everett, I told your dad years ago to sell this dam car because you all were good kids. The problem was when you got behind the wheel of this car you all became blubbering idiots." He said as serious as he could. "I never expected you four would prove me right, but today you just did. You know the drill we will follow you back to where you picked up the car. Got it."

"Yes sir," the four said to the officer.

The officer said, "Oh, by the way, happy birthday Shelia."

John looked back at Helen and they both started laughing. The rookie officer had been Dan Woods and they all had been set up by Trish and Scott.

Sure, enough the police officers followed them back. As they drove in past Eve's and Sheila's house the four of them caught the image of Eve and Shelia's father's standing together with their arms crossed in front of the hall.

Helen looked over at Shelia who was blushing. She had to be thinking can this be any more embarrassing.

The old retired officer walked up to their fathers and talked to them for a while. When he left the four of them got out of the car. Eve and Shelia were given the talking too as if they were sixteen all over again.

Trish and I were watching from the house laughing because it was going as planned. Shelia looked like she was flustered and embarrassed as if she were young again. I went out of the front of the house and got the beer back from Dan and thanked the former police officer for his help in our plan. When I came back Trish was heading out to greet the crowd.

Trish had a wonderful smile on her face listening to Aunt Shelia get big happy birthday's from her two fathers. Once their fathers headed into the hall. Aunt Shelia spoke.

"You set this all up, didn't you?" Shelia said. "Who helped you?"

"It took us a while to find out where Bill Connors was but yet we did," Trish admitted, "Here you go, Aunt Shelia and Mom, is a copy of all the police reports filed when the four of you were caught in a car like this back in your younger days."

"Oh God! Did you read them?" Her mother asked.

"If I had known back then what I do now," Trish said with a smile. "The things I could have got away with."

Trish was trying not to laugh because both her Aunts and her mother's face were beat red. One of the police reports had them caught half-naked with their breasts swaying in the wind while they were standing in the backseat of the car while John was driving.

"Trish," Eve asked. "do you know if this vehicle is for sale?"

"You best ask my date for the evening," Trish responded. "I believe you both know him."

I walked up with the confiscated beer in my hands. I set it on the front hood and began passing them around after opening them. Throwing the caps back into the case.

"Scotts your date!" Shelia said. "We have known him for years. Our lady's book club all consider him an adopted son. He has done so much for a lot of us and never asked for anything in return."

"Here you go Shelia and Eve," I said as I handed them to them

"You know Scott how Trish," asked her aunt.

"I met him when I tried to arrest him," Trish said honestly. "On my twenty-ninth birthday."

"You're kidding me," said Sheila.

"No, I am not," Trish said. "I ended up being cuffed to him for about six hours."

"Here you go mom and dad," I said handing them the two I just opened.

"Scott why did you call Helen and John, mom and dad," Shelia asked.

"Because your best friend told me she would box my ears," I responded. "Until I did."

Shelia turned and looked at her best friend. "Helen you didn't!"

"I did and I would do it again," she said quite proudly as her eyes teared up, "after what he did!"

"Now come on don't put all the blame on me all I did was ask the question," I said as I gave Trish her beer. "Nothing could have happened if it wasn't for Trish."

"Trish!" said Aunt Shelia. "What did you do?"

Holding up her right hand allowing her Aunt to see what she wore on her right hand she said, "I said yes."

Shelia looked at Helen as if what she had learned was unbelievable "Is this what the secret was?"

Helen in tears said, "I'm still having a hard time believing it. Thanks to Scott I got my daughter back. Do you know how hard it was for me watching their relationship unfold over the last few months? I am still having difficulty at times believing it's actually happening."

"Next time you need a pinch of reality," Shelia said. "Call me because now I am right up there with you."

"Trish and I were wondering if you would like to announce our and engagement publicly tonight," I said.

"Yes, I would be honored too," Shelia said. "When did it actually happen?"

"On our anniversary," said John. "It was a complete surprise to Helen and Trish. It's the first time I got one over on them."

"Aunt Shelia are you still feeling old?" Trish asked.

"No, I haven't felt this young in years," Shelia said honestly. "Thank you for that."

Aunt Shelia hugged her favorite niece. After congratulations Eve told me to name my price. I told him it was not for sale. Helen now free to openly discuss our relationship started telling Shelia about our first weekend together. Once our beers were done, we headed in the hall.

I stayed behind to put the beer away and to transfer a surprise from the trunk of dad's car before joining them.

At the start of the dance, I got up on stage to announce that, "it was on her sweet sixteenth birthday Shelia first met Eve at a junior high dance. Her date had been drunk and disorderly and was treating her with disrespect. She dumped him but he would not let it go lightly. Eve had stepped in and protected her."

"During the next dance, he came back to attack Eve. John seeing him coming stopped him flat, as a result, their friendship started."

"We would like to call Eve and Shelia Brown and John and Helen Malley to dance the very first song the four of them danced together," I said

The band began playing the song "Down in the boondocks" as the four came on the floor to start the first dance.

About halfway through the first session before the band took a break The MC for the night came on and said that Ruby needed someone to help her as a dance partner doing the Fred Astaire part to a song called 'Let's Face the Music and Dance'. If Ruby could still do the routine the Mrc foundation would receive a ten thousand donation.

I stood up and walked over to her and offered my hand. Ruby and I went to the center of the floor. The soundtrack from the original musical started playing. We were both rusty, but we were able to pull it off. When I escorted her back to her seat, I thanked her for making me look so good. The captain got a sparkle in his eye over that.

Shelia had to get me up on the floor for a slow two-step which suited me fine. I needed to recoup from the routine I had done with Ruby.

During the first break, I slipped out and brought in the surprise for Shelia. Placing it on her guest table were friends signed in. Shelia and Eve had just gone from table to table to thank all for coming. That's when she noticed the package. Going over to look at it Shelia saw an image of her parents when they were younger. Putting on her reading glasses she discovered it was a copy of her birth announcement from the newspaper back then. The whole gift was wrapped with copies of that image.

Then she noticed that the ribbon had her date of birth on it. She picked up the envelope sitting on it and opened it up. It too was specially made. It read;

Happy birthday Aunt Shelia.

You will need this key to unlock the mystery hidden within.

Its secret must be kept until it's time for it to begin.

It must be guarded with the strength of your heart.

Until it's time for it to start.

Only then can what you see,

truly be.

Love Trish and Scott.

Shelia teared up and began removing the key attached. Once that was done, she unwrapped the gift very carefully to save the wrapping paper. Inside was a small oak chest. Trish and I were watching her as she opened the top up with the key. We saw the total surprise look on her face as she quickly closed it down again. She looked around to make sure no one was looking towards her before she peaked again.

It was the third look that it registered. Shelia had tears running down her face and she started calling Eve's name. Eve came running to her side to find out what was wrong. Very quickly he came to our table saying his wife wanted us. As soon as we got there Trish moved around beside her.

Whispering into Trish's ear Shelia asked, "Is it real."

"Open it up, and look at the back cover very carefully," Trish replied.

I watched as Shelia did as she requested. "Omg does your mom know. How do I lock it back up?"

I said, "Hold the lid down and pull the key out."

After she did that Shelia said "Eve take this and lock it in our safe. Trish open the silver chain on my neck and slip the key on with the cross."

As Trish complied with her wish she whispered and said, "Terry and Fran's fight was over what Fran said about Scott. Terry asked her to take it back and Fran refused. When we get married in December, I will be taking two names. Not only will I become Trish Nicole Tait, but I will become Mrs. Claus."