"From This Day Forward (Part 3 to One Night Stand)"

"Nora?"

Jack: Nora?
A few seconds had past & Nora (Grandma) hasn't said anything to Jack. She was speechless. She had real feelings for Jack, but she just couldn't see herself marrying again.

Jack: Nora?
Nora: I'm sorry, Jack.
Jack: What do you think?
Nora: This ring is beautiful.
Jack: But?
Nora: It's just not for me.
Jack: Oh, well that's no problem. We can exchange it for a ring or your liking.

Nora looked up at Jack & held his hand.

Nora: Jack, I meant marriage isn't for me.

Jack looked at Nora with disappointment. He looked like a hurt puppy dog. He was so confused.

Jack: Nora, we're not getting any younger here.
Nora: I know.
Jack: Well, why don't you just hang on to the ring & think about it for a few days?

Jack bent over & kissed Nora's forehead. Nora knew her mind wouldn't change about this, but Jack was hopeful she'd say "yes" to his proposal. Jack was a widower just Nora was a widow. Jack walked out of the room to give Nora her space. Nora picked up the small box & opened it up again to see the ring inside. She extended her left hand & looked at the ring which sat on her ring finger. It was her wedding ring from her first husband, Luke. She & Luke were so in love. He was her everything. When he passed away, it was as if her whole world came crashing in. It was her son & then later her granddaughter, Summer who gave back meaning to her life. She never verbalized it, but she never wanted to replace Luke & remarry. He had been gone for more than 30 years, but she still loved him. Nora was 80 years old, but was still strong & spunky. Jack was a little younger than she was & sure they had a connection in more ways than one, but she could never love someone the way she had loved Luke. She didn't want to break Jack's heart, but she had to be honest with him.

She went downstairs to meet him in the kitchen.

Nora: Jack?
Jack: Yep?

Jack was washing the dishes & finished up with the last dish. He shut the faucet off, grabbed a towel & quickly dried his hands with it before slinging the towel over his shoulder.

Nora: I don't need a few days to think about your proposal.
Jack: Oh, well then, what's your answer for me, Beautiful?
Nora: Why don't we have a seat?

Nora walked Jack out front & they both sat on the porch swing.

Jack: Nora, before your talk, I think you should know that I understand that I could never replace Luke. And I don't want to replace him. Luke & I we're both two different men. Just as you & my Sascha are two different women. Did I ever tell you how I met my Sascha?

Nora shook her head.

Jack: I was in med school & there I was waiting for class to start when all of a sudden, the prettiest girl walked in & sat right next to me. I'm not the big burly type of man & I'm not the smartest man either, but when she sat next to me, I sure felt like the luckiest man in the world. Time went on & after about a month, I finally struck up the courage to ask her out. And you know what she told me?
Nora: What'd she tell you?
Jack: She said it's about damn time.

Nora giggled a little.

Jack: We continued to spend time together in & out of the classroom & before we knew it, we were an engaged couple of college students. We couldn't wait any longer & although we hadn't met one another's family, we tied the knot.
Nora: Did you have a big wedding?
Jack: No, we went to a small chapel in the middle of nowhere & it was us, the reverend & his wife who played the organ. It was simple & cost us about $30 on a Tuesday afternoon, but we were the happiest people in the world that day.
Nora: Thanks for sharing that story with me.
Jack: Nora, there are only a few times I have ever truly been happy in my life. The first was when I met Sascha, the day Thomas was born & the day you & I bumped into each other in the hospital hallway. On Sascha's deathbed, she made me promise her something.
Nora: What's that?
Jack: It was to remarry. I told her no & I fought her on it. I hated that she even brought it up, but she said she didn't want me living alone & she wanted to know that I was cared for & loved for the rest of my life.

Nora had every intention on sharing her story with Luke, but now that she heard his story, she was in tears.

Jack: Nora, I didn't mean to make you cry...