TJM43

Ginger stood next to Jeff, her son's proposal left her speechless but she wasn't the only one. No one was more shocked than Sam herself.

Tommy's smile left his face as he got up off his knees. "Sam, if it is too soon, I understa..."

Sam looked at the man she loved, tears finally escaped her eyes & streamed down her face. "Too soon?" She interrupted, shaking her head. "No."

Confusion washed over Tommy's face. "No?"

"I WANT TO MARRY YOU, THOMAS JEFFREY METCALF!!" Sam screamed as she saw his disappointment.

He reached down & scooped her up, Sam's legs wrapped around his waist & her lips sought his.

Jeff leaned towards them, "Congratulations, you two! We are going to go back, over there." He pointed towards the family.

"Jeff, I don't think they can hear you through all their happiness," Ginger chuckled.

*********

"I have never been so honored in my life. Hell yes, I will be a groomsmen." Casey smiled. He couldn't think of anyone he would rather see his sister end up with. "I hope you make a better husband to my sister than you do an outfielder, Metcalf." Casey enjoyed teasing one of his best friends.

Tommy playfully punched Casey in the arm. "Well, I am not the one who made an error in the last game!"

Shawn walked into the locker room. He had been there for hours warming up his arm for this game. "What are you guys talking about? How Bradshaw can't hang on to that ball at first base?"

"Very funny, Shawn!! We are talking about how Metcalf is going to finally make an honest woman out of Sam," Casey explained.

"You're kidding me! Congrats, Metcalf, you have yourself a really fine young woman there." Shawn hugged Tommy.

Tommy patted his friend on the back as he was released from the embrace. "I am glad you think so, Shawn, because I would like you to be in my wedding, too. My dad is going to be my best man & he told me to tell you guys he'll be calling you about getting the bachelor party planned."

"Sounds good," said Casey. "Let's play some ball!!"

*********

Sam sat in her favorite chair, making a to-do list for the wedding. Tommy & Sam went to the church & talked to Father Callahan about a date for the wedding. They both wanted to get married in April. Tommy's season opener was Monday April 27th, so Sam & Tommy chose April 25th as their wedding day. As she made the list, her eyes were drawn to a photograph on the mantel of the fireplace & all the sudden she burst into tears. All the talk about the wedding just made Sam miss her mother all the more. Ginger was trying her best to help Sam out where ever she could & Sam adored her a lot, but it wasn't the same as having her own mother around. Getting up from the chair, Sam walked up the stairs & into her room. Opening the cedar chest, she pulled out her mother's wedding gown. She held it up against herself as she admired it in the full-length mirror. Ginger's friend, Gina Hailey, offered to make the alterations for her. She could help think her mother would be proud of how she had turned out. Sam's mother, Dollene, was beautiful. Most people told her Sam looked just like her but she disagreed. To her, Dollene was far more elegant & refined than she could ever dream of being. Her dark hair was always perfectly done & she always wore a strand of pearls that Sam's grandmother had given Dollene on the day she married David Bradshaw. Those same pearls now sat in the top drawer of Samantha's dresser in a lavender velvet-lined box. They were the one thing Dollene wanted Sam to specifically have when she died. She planned to wear them the day she became Mrs. Thomas J. Metcalf, the happiest woman alive.