True Blessings

Epilogue

"He's here!" Sammy yelled, excitedly, having spied his father's car pulling to the curb outside Christie's home.

While most the Guard had returned earlier in the week, Arnold and others remained to help mend 'loose ends', planning to return Christmas Eve day. Sammy hadn't minded, not after seeing photographs of boxes of food being distributed around Brownsville by his father's squad – boxes bearing the words, "Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thoughts and Prayers, Love and Caring!"

He knew many other towns across the country – and Canada and other countries – had helped, but to see those boxes, some he had helped pack, being given to people needing them, gave him great pride.

He rushed to the door as Christie entered the living room from the kitchen.

He pulled open the door and was surprised to see a lady soldier accompanying his Arnold, but he opened the storm door and threw himself into his father's arms.

"Welcome home, Dad!" he said.

Arnold happily greeted his son's embrace. "Thank you, Son. It's good to be home."

Letting go, he motioned to the woman. "Sammy, I'd like you to meet Angela Lee. She's from the Mass. Guard and hasn't anyone to spend Christmas with, so I asked her to spend it with us. I hope you don't mind."

Sammy shook his head, although he had to admit he wasn't sure.

Was Dad replacing Mom?

"I don't mind," he said, reaching his hand to Angela. "Hi, Angela."

"Hello, Sammy," Angela said. "It is good to meet you. You did a wonderful job with the donations."

"Yes, he did," Christie said. "I'm Christie . . . "

"I know," Angela said with a smile. "It's good to meet you."

"Come in out of the cold," Christie said. "I have coffee on – finished brewing minutes ago."

She stood aside as Arnold and Angela entered, curious what was between her son and the girl – anxious how Sammy really felt about it.

"Coffee sounds good," Angela said, whipping off her hat as she entered. "We had it down South, but I stayed with water because of the sweating."

"Same here," Arnold said. "But I don't know how you drink it."

"Just a plop of milk – no sugar," Angela replied.

Inside, Sammy took Alice's hand. Arnold noticed and smiled.

"Hello, Alice. Good to see you again."

"I'm glad you're back safe, Mr. Haines," Alice said.

"It's good to be home."

He cocked his head and looked at Sammy. "Something you want to tell me, Son?"

"Alice and I are dating, Dad," Sammy replied, putting an arm around Alice.

Alice nodded, leaning her head to Sammy's

"I am glad!" Arnold said. "Alice is a beautiful young lady, and smart." He nodded. "Maybe she'll help you improve your damn grades!"

"She already is," Sammy said.

Arnold turned to Angela. "Have a seat and I'll get the coffees."

He turned for the kitchen, Christie following.

There, she stopped him. "I know it's not my business, but . . . "

"Angela?" Arnold asked.

When Christie nodded, he smiled. "I like her. We didn't . . . do anything, but I did take her to dinner a few times, and many times we held each other to cry when shit got bad."

He sighed. "March will be a year since I lost Judy and I'm lonely and I don't want to be a single parent."

Christie took his hands. "I know loneliness, Arnold, and understand. Just remember you have to consider Sammy. That being said, she seems wonderful."

She tapped his chest. "You are a smart man, Arnold. I am proud of you, But don't let your dick guide you and, more important, ignore the mean, rotten, crap I put in your head raising you."

Arnold turned and took coffee cups from a cabinet, poured coffees and splashed milk into two, and sugar into one he'd drink. He left the third for Christie to fix.

"You made mistakes raising me," he said. "But I'm sure I made mistakes also. But I can't use the excuse I was trying to be something I'm not – that I was trying to fill a role I had no clue about filling."

Christie furled her brow. "What?"

He looked her dead in the eyes. "Something Angela told me when I talked to her about you. You pretended to be a man when you weren't, so you failed at the task. I wonder how much better life would have been had Jen and I been raised by two women instead of a woman and an impostor."

Christie's mouth hung open. What was he saying?

Seeing her confusion, Arnold put his arms around her and pulled her tight to him, kissing her cheek. "Don't worry, Mom. Things will be good from here. I love you."

Christie took a breath at that word: Mom. Then she buried her face into her son's chest, crying.

He patted her back, kissing her again. "I love you, Mom."

The End