Margaret realises something after a failed relationship
�I�m fine� he said, but all was not good. �You?�
�Fine too� was all she could render. After a long awkward silence she spoke up. �I�m going to be in town for a conference. If you want to meet up.� She gulped over the phone. Nervous only from impending rejection. Every man had rejected her. Every man�but him.
�Sure�will your� he paused to gulp �husband be joining you?�
She cringed �I�m no longer married�we split up after you left�
He couldn�t be happier.
�Okay then�when do you wanna�meet up?�
And so the date was set. January 11th 1955.
She walked into the surgery. She could hear his voice a mile away. She smiled at the sound of a familiar voice. Looking down her smile broadened. At least one good thing came of past relationships.
Going to the front desk she asked for him.
�Would you like to make an appointment?�
�No, I�m an old friend.�
�Oh, the doctor will be out in a moment.�
The grip at her hand tightened. She bent down to pick the small child up. She looked in the baby�s eyes and saw him. Her daughter had his eyes. She sighed and mentally, for that moment, wiped him from her mind. It wasn�t her or her daughter�s fault that her father didn�t want her. She didn�t know if it was the bus incident�or him going back to his old ways�but when she told him he said, there and then he wanted nothing to do with the baby. She refused termination and so they � like all before him � were over.
�Okay doctor. The doctor will see you now�
�Thank you� anything to forget him.
She walked in, baby in arms. He smiled at her, then frowned.
�Margaret�who is this?�
�My daughter Frank�
�Penobscotts?�
�No�
�Then who?�
�She�s mine, her father was never a part of this.�
�Oh�how are you?�
�Better� she smiled at him. �You?�
�I�m okay now.� His goofy smile was still there.
�Your family?� she changed the subject.
Frank�s smile faded. �Louise was killed in a car crash a year ago.�
�Oh Frank, I�m so sorry� she said, putting her hand on his arm.
�So it�s just been me and the four kids.�
�How are they?�
�They�re okay now too.� He paused before continuing �But they need a mother.�
She looked him directly in the eye �My child needs a father too.�
They closed the gap between them.
�I�ve missed you�
�I�ve missed you too.�
�Come home, meet my children?�
�Okay� she nodded.
And the rest as they say, is history. Until�of course�the matter of Margaret�s daughter came up.
�Margaret, darling, who is Laurie�s real father?�
�Does it really matter?�
�Yes. Will he come back into your lives?�
�No. He didn�t want her. And he didn�t want me.�
�Who is he?�
�You know him.�
�I do?� puzzled as to whom.
�Think Korea Frank. Think the Swamp. Think red robe�
�Pierce?�
�Yes Frank.�
�But�how?�
�Things changed, we grew, we�got together and when I was pregnant I realised �things never change�.� She paused before continuing �That�s why I�m back here�sitting in front of you. My soft spot for you never went away Frank.�
�As mine did neither.� He got down on one knee �Marry me Margaret?�
She chuckled �What?�
�Marry me, be my wife, be me children�s mother and I�ll be your child�s father.�
She smiled �Yes.�
