TJM45

"I'd like to propose a toast!" Everyone lifted his glass. "To one of the best friends a guy could ask for. I hope you & Sam will be very happy together. Cheers!" Shawn took a drink of his beer after speaking.

"Cheers!" the remaining guests wished in unison.

Casey patted Tommy on the back. "I can't believe my little sister is getting married in a week."

Tommy looked around the room looking at most of the male population of River Run over the age of 21. He was skeptical when Casey showed up at Sam's house & told him he was to go home & get ready to go out tonight. Finally after Sam's urging that he go out with his friends, he relented. Tommy was unaware that the women all showed up at Samantha's with baskets of goodies & bottle after bottle of wine.

Charlie walked up to where Tommy stood with his friends. He placed his arm around Tommy's shoulder. "You getting nervous, Li'l Mutt? B'cause it's okay if you are The only person who probably wasn't was Mutt, your mom ambushed him at the train station & never gave him a chance to get nervous." Charlie laughed when he thought back to hearing Ginger showed up at Jeff's train with Father Dreher.

"Hey Charlie, can a ask you a serious question?" Tommy once & for all wanted to find out why Jeff & Charlie always seemed at odds.

"Sure, Li'l Mutt, ask away." Charlie took another swig of his beer.

Tommy led Charlie over to an unoccupied corner of the Roadhouse. "Why don't you & dad get along with each other? For as long as I can remember you two have seemed at odds. What's the deal?"

Charlie leaned over to whisper to him, it felt as though a great mystery was about to be solved. "Promise not to tell Mutt?" Tommy nodded. "Jeff is like the little brother I never had. I have been teasing him ever since Mrs. M. first let us in the house to take a peek at him after he was born. I love Mutt & I would do anything in the world for him, he knows that just like I know he'd do anything to help me. Just like you & Steve would for each other."

Tommy nodded, understanding perfectly.

Charlie winked at him. He spotted Jeff not too far. Shouting acrossed the room like only Charlie could, he said "Hey Mutt, let, you, me & Hank show these young kids how to party!!"

**********

"Oh, Ginger, it is beautiful," Sam exclaimed as she pulled an antique vase out of the box. The vase was a beautiful ivory color with a cluster of pink flowers painted on the front of it. She turned it over & inscribed on the bottom was the name M. Metcalf. Sam looked at Ginger puzzled.

Ginger reached out & touched Samantha's hand. "My mother-in-law, Anne, gave that to me when I returned home from Kansas after marrying Jeff. Her mother-in-law, Mary, gave it to her right before she married Jeff's dad, Steven. Mary got it from her mother-in-law, Margaret when she married Steven's father. Margaret is the M. Metcalf who made the vase."

Tears welled up in Sam's eyes, "Normally don't family heirlooms get passed to the first born son & wife?"

Ginger looked at her & smiled. "Well as it turns out Margaret married the second son & was irritated that all the family goods went to her brother-in-law & his snooty wife, so she made this vase strictly to be passed to the second son's wife with each marriage." Ginger chuckled, "The Metcalfs were funny people." Sam walked over to embrace Ginger. "Welcome to the family, Dear."

After opening a few more gifts & going through several bottles of wine, the girls all laughed when Ginger finally admitted to all about how she & Sam met.

Judy was the first to speak up. "Sweetie, if you don't know by now how crazy your husband is about you, you will never know. Jeff adores you."

"We should all be so lucky to find someone that loves us so much," sadness began to overwhelm Linda as she thought about her late husband, Phil.

Ginger began to feel foolish for ever doubting Jeff, here was Linda who lost 2 loves in her life, first Mike Sloan, then Phil Havel at the hands of Ruth Sloan. Ginger sat next to her best friend of 50 years, clasping her hand in Linda's. "I know you miss Phil, Linda, I am sorry that I acted so silly."

"It's okay, Ginny, I just wish you would realize you & Jeff are lucky to have each other." Linda stood up, after drinking so many glasses of wine she was somewhat unsteady on her feet. "I'd like to propose a toast. To Sam, welcome to the Bickersons."