Sally Beth Draper turned 17 on April 18, 1971, two weeks to the day her mother Betty passed away. Although Betty insisted that her brothers go to live with their Uncle William after she passed, Sally had other plans. First so all, none of them, not she nor her brothers, knew William or Judy very well. Secondly, they would have to move to Philadelphia, where they would have to go to new schools, have no friends...the whole thing would be a disaster. Betty wanted a woman in their life, well Sally felt she already was the woman in their life.
After her birthday dinner with her brothers and Henry, she made a decision, and spoke with Henry. He was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper while the boys were working on a puzzle on the floor at his feet.
"Henry, can I talk to you?" Sally asked. "In the kitchen?"
He looked up at her. For a moment she looked just like Betty.
"I'll be right in." He put down his paper and wondered what she could want to talk about. He joined her at the kitchen table.
"What is it Sally? Are you ok, honey? I know this wasn't the best birthday..." The serious look on her face concerned him.
"It was fine, I'm fine. I just, well...I know my mother made her wishes clear, but I don't think her decision was the right way to go."
Sally took a deep breath and continued. "I don't think that sending the boys to Uncle William and Aunt Judy is the best thing. Not for anyone. Number one, we hardly see them, don't even really know them...now they're expected to move in? Number two, they would have to leave all their friends at the end of school this year and move this summer, and next September start school down there...ridiculous. Number three, I didn't like they way either William or Judy behaved with Bobby and Gene at the funeral. A couple of cold fish. What I'm saying Henry, is...I think it would be best if we, ...if the boys...stay here, with you...if you'll have us."
Henry smiles. "Sally, I would love to have you all stay with me. You know that. I talked about it with your mother..." He looked at his hands, and twirled his wedding ring on his finger. "She insisted, she felt that Judy would be, I don't know, a mother figure...I guess."
"Judy is a bitch. And William is a hen-pecked asshole." Sally made her feelings crystal clear.
Henry laughed out loud, for what felt like the first time in months.
"Sally...they're your uncle and aunt..." he tried to contain himself, but he shared her opinion.
"I know. And all assholes are related to someone." Sally said with a smirk.
Henry laughed again. She really was a spitfire. From the day he met her, he knew she was a spunky little girl. Now, sitting here with her, he admired that she was a straightforward young woman.
"It was wrong of my mother, not to ask Bobby or Gene what they wanted. Plus, how often do you think they'll see Dad, if they live in Philadelphia and he is in New York?" she asked.
"You're right. You're right, Sally. You know how I feel. I just don't know how they'll take it, William and Judy." Henry exhaled.
Sally smiled. "You're kidding, right? They'll be relieved. I don't think they were ever on board. Her wussy brother - he just didn't know how to say no to a dying woman."
Henry smiled again. "Well, I think we should ask the boys how they feel, what they want. Don't you think?"
Sally smiled, realizing that they were also making decisions without asking the boys.
"Yes...you're right." She is grateful to have this stable man in her life. As much as she was concerned for her brothers, she wants to remain in their home also. She knew Henry truly loved Bobby, Gene and her, and he had never let any of them down.
"Ok, then let's call them in, see how they feel." He hopes that they will want to stay. He loved them all, but also selfishly, he did not want to be all alone in this big house..and they were his link to Betty.
The boys shuffled into the kitchen. Bobby looks at Sally, then Henry.
"Did I do something?" he asked, quizzically.
Henry put his arm around Bobby, and even though he was nearly eight years old, Gene naturally hopped onto Henry's lap.
"You didn't do anything, honey. We just want to talk to you guys." Bobby sighs, relieved. Henry smiles at him and continues.
"You know, your mom thought it would be nice for you to live with Aunt Judy and Uncle William. But I want you both to know, you do have a choice. You can stay here, with me."
Bobby answered immediately. "You mean we CAN stay here, at home?" He looked at Sally. "Can we? Because I don't want to leave."
Sally looked at Gene. "How do you feel, Gene?"
"I want to stay home. Are you stayin', Sally?" Gene asks, with big eyes.
Sally smiles at her brothers. "Yes. For next year...next school year I think I'm going to go to Rye Country Day."
"Sally, your senior year? You want to transfer? Really?" Henry asks her.
"Yeah. It's no big deal...I like it up there, but I'll be fine. Miss Porter's is ok, but it might be nice to go to a school with boys again" she laughs. "It would also be nice to be home. I want to be home, with family."
"I want to stay home too." Gene asserts.
Henry is so thankful they consider this their home and want to remain at home. Yes, this plan IS unconventional, but it seems to be the best situation for all of them, including Don. Their relationship had been strained at times, but he is their father, and he is in New York. And he would be able to be with his kids more often than if they were living in Philly. Now to break it to William and Judy, what is that going to be like..he wonders.
Sally stands up. She's going to make it easy on Henry. "Ok, then I'm calling Uncle William now."
"I think maybe I should talk to them." Henry tells her.
"Ok, but I want to speak first. I need them to know it's coming from us, that WE want this." she replies. "You can talk to them, but I want them to know where it's coming from. WE don't want the upheaval. And then I'm calling Daddy."
She smiles at all of them. "We're going to be fine. You'll see."
Henry can't help but grin. He is so impressed with her. She has all the best attributes of both, his beloved Betty, and her father, Don.