Tommy 47

Tommy folded the letter & tucked it into an envelope.  He stood up while licking the flap & sealing it.  He walked into the backdoor almost running into his mother.  "Where are you going in such a hurry?"  Tommy asked, curiously. Ginger reached up & kissed Tommy on the cheek.  "I am off to help your bride become even more beautiful than she already is.  I will see you at the church later, baby."  Ginger reached up to wipe the lipstick tattoo she left on him.  "I left your tuxedo on the back of your door, along with Jeff's.  Love you."  With that "Hurricane Szabo" was out the door. ********** Jeff was helping Tommy tie the purple tie around his neck.  "What's wrong?" Tommy avoided Jeff's gaze. "Nothing at all, Dad." "Tom, please listen to what I have to say."  Jeff sat down on the edge of Tommy's bed.  A place he had sat many times over the last 24 years telling Tommy play by play about an away game or reading him his favorite bedtime story.  He sat there listening to a pre-teen Tommy talk about how he was never going to be stupid over girls like Steve was when he told his little brother to scram while he make eyes at the neighbor girl.  Jeff recalled a few years later listening to a teenage Tommy gush every week about a new love in his life.  Thinking about how quickly his little slugger became the man before him saddened Jeff.  "I just wanted to tell you that I am extremely proud of the man you grew into.  All of your dreams are about to begin when you marry Sam.  I just wanted to tell you that when we had each of you kids, the only expectations we had were that you grow up to be kind & decent people.  Every single one of you has exceeded our expectations.  I hope you & Sam are as lucky as Ginger & I have been.  I love you, son."  Jeff hugged Tommy.  He finally let the tears flow from his eyes. "I love you, too, Dad & thanks, you have made me feel less nervous."  Tommy reached out & gave his dad another hug. *********** Tommy arrived at the church.  He saw his two close friends over in the distance.  While his relationship with Samantha flourished, Shawn's marriage had crumpled.  Ashley, his ex-wife, was a schoolteacher in Cleveland & had begun to have an affair with the principal of her school.  Shawn was left heartbroken & devastated.  Casey's romance with the fashion model Lindsay met a similar fate.   Tommy smiled when she saw Casey animatedly talking to Sam's friend Karen, apparently about baseball considering Casey was swinging an imaginary bat.   Tommy walked over to the guests & kissed his grandmother Anne on the cheek, before taking his place at the front of the church.  The music began as the couples walked down the aisle.  When everyone was the their places, the guest rose as organist played 'Here Comes the Bride'.    Tommy caught his breath as he caught his first glimpse of Samantha on her father's arm walking towards him.

Saturday, 25 April, 1981 Dear Baby Metcalf(s), It is around 6am right now, I am sitting here on my swing hanging from the tree in your Grandma Ginger & Grandpa Jeff's backyard.  Today is the day I am going to marry your mother.  I know she is the writer in the family but I thought someday when you are about to marry the love of your life, you might enjoy reading about how I felt on this very special day. Right now, I am very nervous. Many people are here to celebrate our love, lots of family & some very dear friends.  I spent my last night in my old room.  This house holds a lot of good memories.... my mom's truly awful burnt thanksgiving dinners....  dad playing catch with me.... my mom baking cookies with me to cheer me up while dad was at an away game your Uncle Steve, Aunt Susie & I sitting on the stairs watching my dad kiss my mom when she came home from doing her TV Show. The years have been good to me & I couldn't have asked for better parents.  I never went one day feeling like I was unimportant to them.  My dad is probably my best friend in the entire world.  My mother was everything you could hope for loving, caring & devoted to her husband & 3 children.  I only hope I am half the father my dad was.  I know what love is because my parents showed us all what it means to love someone. I love Samantha more than I ever imagined possible.  There was a big chunk of my heart missing until the day I met her.  Today the last piece of my heart gets filled. I can't wait until you exist & join mine & mother's life.                                                                    I love you                                                                       Dad