This is War✔

Twenty-Two

Tom left his brother's office with all haste and went back to the entryway to think. He took a seat on the bottom step of the circular staircase that graced the foyer of the large house. He sat thinking for a few moments, his head in his hands.

   Not only had he not gotten the advice he was looking for from his brother, he had also failed at his attempt to help Declan and Daisy. He felt his niece sit down next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

   "Thank you for trying anyway, Uncle Tom."

   Tom looked up at her. So, she knew. "What will you do?"

   Daisy began to sob quietly into her uncle's shoulder. "I don't know."

   Tom put his arms around his niece. "I'm sure it will all work out Daisy."

   "Will it though?" 

   "I hope." Daisy pulled away from her uncle and leaned down. "What on earth are you doing?"

   She ignored him and went over to the armoir that stood against the wall right across from them and got down on her hands and knees. Tom stared at her for a moment, waiting expectantly.

   "Aha!" Daisy picked something small off of the floor and brought it out from under the piece of furniture to show her uncle.

   "What did you find?"

   Daisy smiled triumphantly and said, "Open your hand."

   He complied and Daisy placed her find in the palm of his hand. It was his wedding ring. He stared at it, shocked.

   "How did you find it?"

   "We were on the topic of weddings and I suddenly remembered that I was meaning to look for your ring in the foyer, but I always forget. I suppose I distracted myself from being upset." She giggled.

   "Well thank you. Your aunt would have murdered me, had she found out."

   "Do you plan on keeping it a secret?"

   "Keeping what a secret?" Declan entered and Daisy's face fell and she began to cry again.

   "He said no!" And she ran out of the room.

   "He did?"

   "I'm sorry, O'Connor."

   He nodded and began to leave but then Tony ran out into the hall. "Mr. Bellevue?"

   "Declan! Oh good, you're here. I've come to say that I've changed my mind. I give you permission to marry my daughter."

   Tom looked at his brother. He was skeptical. "Why the sudden change of heart? You were adamant not twenty minutes ago that he would never marry your daughter."

   "Because of you, Tom. What you said. You said he's a good man and I listened. There's not many left. I would be proud to call one of the last my son-in-law."

   Declan looked from Tony to Tom and back again. "You mean it, sir?"

   "Yes, I do. And Tom, I have this for you. You left it in my office. I threw it in the fire because I thought it was an old correspondence of mine, but when I realized what it was, I got it out as quickly as I could. I hope it's not too damaged to read."

   His brother handed him an envelope that presumably contained the information concerning the April Mission. "Is this a new envelope, Tony?"

   "Yes. I'm afraid the old one was burnt to a crisp, but it was heavy enough to protect the letter a bit. As I said, I hope you can read it."

   "Right. Thank you." Tony left the room and Tom turned to Declan. "Well, I suppose you're getting married, O'Connor. How do you feel?"

   "Happy, sir. Very happy."

   "Ah, don't call me 'sir' in private. Call me 'Tom'. We're to be family after all."

   Declan smiled. "I will."

   "One other thing: do you have a ring for Daisy yet?"

   "No, I don't."

   "Well then, take mine." His extended hand offered his metallic band to Declan.

   "Oh no, sir. Not yours. You have to keep-"

   "It's just temporary. And anyway, you need it more than I do right now."

   After a moment of consideration, Declan took the ring from him. "Thank you."

   "You're welcome, Declan."

   "I suppose I'll propose at supper..." Declan mused as he left the room.

   Tom smiled. He wished that Ellie knew how much his heart ached to see her every time he heard talk of weddings and spouses. He realized that Tony had been right: Husbands and wives do need each other a whole lot more than he had realized.