Chapter Three
That was the big event in third grade. Fourth grade was pretty boring; except for the fact that- after dating for almost a year- Mr. Learner asked her mom to marry him, Harriet remembered, what the note said and moved on with her life. Diana was happy with the way he proposed, because she was able to see the whole thing. It started with a knock on the door. Harriet looked through the peep whole, saw who it was and opened the door right away.
"Hello Harriet, Diana." Mr. Learner said handing her a bouquet of roses. Harriet not Diana, he just winked at Diana, which she didn't understand until after the fact.
"What brings you here at a time like this?" Harriet asked, it was almost seven o'clock in the morning and Diana was eating breakfast before her bus came.
"Well I needed to ask you a question."
"Yes. You look fine, you're not wearing navy socks with a black jacket, you look very handsome."
"Ha ha, very funny, but that was not my question."
"Oh so what was your question?"
John got down on one knee and took a small box out of his pocket.
"Harriet, will you marry me?"
"Of course I will John." He got off his knee, stood up and picked her up in his arms and started twirling her, he was speechless, that's how happy he was.
While they were both so happy, Diana had a flashback. She was back in Alabama, the day that her dad died. He took a small box out of his pocket, just as Mr. Learner had, but instead of a ring, a locket was in that box. The very locket that was dangling from Diana's neck. She fingered the locket sub-consciously and walked quietly to her room in a trance. She sat down on her bed and screamed so loud, that she sounded like a wounded animal. She started crying harder than she ever remembered.
"Honey did you hear that."
"Yeah John, it sounded like a wailing dog."
"It did, but I don't think it was. Wait where is Diana?"
"She was just her a second ago. No, you don't think that Diana was the one who cried like that. Why would she do such a thing?"
"There's only one way to find out."
They both walked into her room and sat down next to her on her bed. Diana sat with her face in her hands sobbing. She didn't even see the two of them walk into the room.
"Diana, sweetie, what's wrong?" Harriet asked very concerned.
"Daddy!" she screamed mid-sob.
"What about your dad?" John asked, equally as concerned as Harriet. He was going to be her father soon, so he had to act like it.
"The way you you you took out the the the ring," Diana said crying, "it reminded me of the day, that day, the day when he he, when daddy died. He did almost the exact same thing as you when he opened up a small box and showed me my locket." She said pointing to it, showing them the golden locket around her neck.
"Oh! Diana, honey, I didn't know. Please forgive me." John begged.
"Of course I forgive you. It wasn't your fault; you had no way of knowing this. It's not like you were in Alabama on December 6, 1987." Diana answered. "It's not like you killed my father," and she started crying again.
"It's okay Di, mommy's here; you can cry all you want. You don't have to go to school today if you don't want to."
"No mom, I want to go to school. It's the only thing that can distract me." Diana said, but what she really meant to say was, "Oh really, I don't want to go to school, but I'll just continue to cry if I stay home."
Scott was another reason why Diana liked school so much, he may have been her best friend, but Diana wanted more than friendship, she was a very ambitious little girl. Diana kept that to herself though. She had the biggest crush on him; anytime she could, she would stare at him and notice every detail about his face and personality. During class, she would sometimes fantasize about him liking her back, as more than a friend, but those were just her daydreams. She thought that what she dreamt of could never become a reality.
"Okay, do you want me to drive you to school then, Di?" John asked. He was a teacher at A.G.C. after all.
"Sure sounds great dad." She said, saying the word dad very slowly, trying to understand what it meant to her. It meant Mr. Learner would replace her father, and mend the emptiness she felt in her heart since her father's death.
"I like that word a lot. Dad." He said overjoyed.
"I like it too." Harriet said, "We're soon to be Diana's mom and dad, dad and mom. Oh! It is like music to my ears. I love you both so much."
"Me too. Bye Harriet, honey I'll see you tonight to introduce you both to my family?"
"Sure." Harriet said at the exact same moment as her daughter, she loved meeting new people. Especially if she was going to be getting gifts from them. Grandchildren, even if she was a step-grandchild, always got presents from grandma and grandpa. She could not wait to introduce herself to the people that would make her life just that much happier.
"Great! Hurry Di, we don't want to be late, it's your first day of the fourth grade."
"Okay, I know, I'm coming." Diana said wiping away the last of her tears with her sleeve. Now she felt stupid for crying over such a childish thing.
They got downstairs and into Mr. Learner's car. It was a black Porsche, hard to get on a teacher's salary. Diana thought that this meant that his parent's were probably loaded with cash. That just made things even better.
"So," John said slipping into the driver's seat, "you're really fine with me marrying your mother, because I know it must be hard, so if you're not please tell me because I can wait."
"No, please don't do that. I love my mom and I want her to be happy. You make her happy so I want her to be with you." Diana said honestly.
"Thanks so much for saying that, I hope you know how much I love your mom, and I love you too, I want you to know that, because I've been planning to propose for a month now, but I wanted to wait to make it easier for you to adjust."
"I love you too, John, and I can't wait for you to be my new dad." Diana said "John" as a joke.
"Thanks kiddo, well here we are, A.G.C., I'll see you after school then, to take you home?"
"No it's fine, I'm going to take the bus home, and I need to tell Scott something anyway."
"Not Megan? I thought you were the three musketeers?"
"Oh, we still are, it's just that I have to confess my true emotions for him today. I realized over the summer that I need to tell him how I feel."
"At such a young age? What sort of emotion are we referring to?"
"I'm not so sure yet, but I think I love Scott."
"Okay, good luck explaining that to him."
Diana did not realize that Scott had heard that she loved him. It scared the heck out of him, so he avoided her like a plague the whole day. He did this because he was only nine years old; how was he supposed to understand love, he barely understood girls in general. How was he supposed to love something or someone he could barely understand? Scott decided to ask the only girl he could, and that was Megan.
"Hey sis?" Scott asked Megan.
"Yea Scott, what do you want to ask me?"
"Well, it's about Diana." Scott replied.
"What about her?"
"Well," he said nervously, "I heard her tell Mr. Learner that she loves me."
"Yes, she probably does love you, the same way I do, like a brother."
"You're right, thanks Meg. What would I do without you?"
"I don't know. I do know though, that you should talk to Di now and straighten things out." She said pushing him so hard that he stumbled. Right into Diana.
"Hi Scott, can I tell you something before the bell rings?" Diana said trying to say everything as soon as possible.
"Yea about that…" Scott said, "I heard you talking to Mr. Learner, and I wanted to say that I love you to, but like a best friend and a sister, nothing more than that." Diana felt crushed, but she did not want him to know that, so she went along with him.
"Yea, you're like the brother I never had."
"Yea?"
"Oh sorry, I mean yes."
"Now that's more like my best friend." Scott said with a laugh.
That was when the bell rang. The teacher walked in with a new girl behind her.
"Class," the teacher, Mrs. Berger called. "We have a new student. She's from Spain, and I'm sure you will all make her feel welcome."
"Yes we will." Scott mumbled to himself, in away that made it obvious that he thought she was pretty, and she was. She had tanned skin - well, she was from Spain, after all- brown hair, and bright green eyes. This got Diana upset, but that was okay, because she figured that looks would never be enough in the end.
"Her name is Elena Le'sky and she is going to introduce herself, and tell us a little about her home-land and culture." The teacher finished.
"Yes I will," Elena said with a hint of her Spanish accent. "I lived in Spain for six years, for the past three years I've been in America. I recently moved from D.C. to New York, and that is why I am here. My father got a job as the Spanish interpreter for the U.N. and he had to move to New York, because the building is there."
"Wow! That's so cool!" Megan called out.
"Thanks." Elena answered. "Another really cool thing is that my last name translated in English means the sky, because le in Latin means "the", but sky is not a Spanish word." She said laughing at her own joke and Scott laughed too. He laughed so hard, but the joke was not even funny. Diana knew that he laughed at her joke because he liked her, she probably laughed at all of Scott's jokes too. Especially the ones that were not one bit funny. Mr. Learner also laughed at all of her mother's jokes. She was instantly jealous of Elena because Elena had what she wanted: Scott's affection, but at least he loved Diana. That was enough for now, because soon, when they were older, Scott would fall in love with Diana, and forget about his little crush on Elena. At least that was what Diana hoped for, and now, all she had to do was make it happen.
School ended that day and when she got home, she had to get all dressed up to meet John's parents. Her mom had bought her a beautiful pink dress for the occasion. It made her look stunning. She looked slimmer and taller in that dress and she wanted to take a picture just to show Scott, and Megan also.
"Honey are you almost ready? John is waiting in his car to take us to his parents."
"Yes mom, I'm ready, let's go."
"You seem very enthusiastic."
"I love meeting new people, plus grandparents always spoil their grandchildren."
"Oh, so that is what all the excitement is about. Presents."
"Of course, you even said so yourself, I'm a spoiled brat." She said jokingly.
"Well it's true; your father spoiled you rotten." Harriet said. Mentioning Joe did not bother her anymore, she would never forget him, but she would not hold a grudge either.
She was very happy while she walked to his car, she did not know that this was nothing compared to how she would fell after meeting his family.
"Harriet, Di, I'm so glad you're here," John said in his car. "You don't know how important punctuality is with my family. I did tell you that you're meeting my entire family, right?"
"No, I think you conveniently forgot to mention that, John." Harriet said.
"But that's okay," Diana declared, "You know what they say."
"No, what do they say, sweetie?" John asked.
"The more the merrier!"
"Well, then it will be very merry because all my brothers and sisters and their spouses and children are coming. The Learners are very into family."
"I guess we'll see that soon." Said Harriet.
John drove to his family's house. His parents lived in Brooklyn, and when he got there, all the wonderful memories of his childhood came back to him in a flash. Diana and her mother were amazed. John's parents lived in something that could only be a mansion. It was huge; it was three stories high and was just gorgeous. The three of them got out of the car and John rang the doorbell, his mother opened the door so quickly, and rushed out of the door to give her son a gigantic hug. And she pinched his cheeks, of course, which caused him to blush.
"Mom, I'm a grown man now, you no longer have to pinch my cheeks." John said.
"Of course she does Johnny; you will always be her baby. That's what happens when you're the youngest of six, well five." Sarah, John's older sister said, she seemed like a nice person, even if she was uncomfortable mentioning her brother that died. She still had not changed since her wedding day, beautiful as ever, even after two kids, and expecting a third. Diana only hoped she could look that good after all of that. "And who might these two lovely ladies be."
"I told you Sarah," Julie, John's oldest sister said as they walked into the house. "John said he was coming with his fiancée -assuming she said yes to his proposal- Harriet, and her daughter Diana."
"Oh, right sorry, I forgot. Diana, how old are you?"
"I am nine years old."
"I heard that!" Daniel, Sarah's oldest son screamed from the kitchen, as he ran to the front door. "This is sooo cool, now there's someone my age I can play with!"
"You're nine?" Diana asked, "You look more like a thirteen year old."
"What can I say? I'm tall for my age?"
"You take after me, you know." John said.
"Wow John, I did not know you were always this tall." Harriet admitted.
"I've been 6'6 since I was sixteen."
"That was last year, right?" Jacob, the oldest one of the family joked.
"Right, you just talk that into yourself, to make yourself fell like a twenty year-old again." John said hugging his brother, who lived in California, so he hadn't seen him in a few years. "It's great to see you Jake. How's the wife and kids?"
"Emily is wonderful, and Brad just started high school."
"Now doesn't that make me feel like an old prune?" The real Mr. Learner, their father, asked. "My oldest grandson already a freshman."
"You know you're proud of me grandpa." Brad said coming downstairs from his temporary room.
"Of course I am Bradley."
"Oh by the way grandpa, never call me that ever again."
"I make no promises." Everyone laughed at his joke.
"John, I love your family." Harriet said.
"You mean our family." Diana corrected her mother happily, and she went off with Daniel to play the computer game he was explaining to her.
"Someone seems to be enjoying herself." John's mother said referring to Diana.
"She is. What about you, Harriet, are you being entertained?" John asked Harriet giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"Yes, honey I already feel so at home," she answered with a smile.
"Harriet, sweetie," Mrs. Learner whispered in her ear. "You do not know how happy I am to have finally met you. John has told me so much about you, and you definitely surpass my expectations."
"Thanks." Harriet said with a blush glancing appreciatively at John. "You have an amazing son, and I'm not talking about Jacob." She said in a whisper with a soft laugh.
"John, she's a keeper! And a funny one too! Johnny I think you've met your soul mate." His mother said giving Harriet a kiss on her cheek.
"Yea, I know mom."
"Wait wait wait!" Sarah said. "What about the wedding? Tell us all the details!"
"Actually," John confessed, "We didn't plan anything yet, we wanted you to help, and there's also the fact that we just got engaged, this morning."
"Oh, that's a good point, but it was so considerate of you Johnny, thinking of your family before yourself. So what's in it for you?" Jacob chuckled.
"Why does there always have to be something in it for me?"
"Because you're the youngest, you get everything you want just like me because I'm the oldest."
"That's true, but really the only thing in it for me is that I get to see mom be happy, you know how power-hungry she is."
"Actually, I'm the control freak now; sorry you didn't get the memo." Julie said.
"Okay, enough of all this chit chat children, its time for dinner. Let's call the grandchildren." Mr. Learner announced. "Brad, Daniel, Sam, Hannah, Tiffany, Diana, its dinner-time." He called. This caused Harriet to start tearing.
"Harriet, what's wrong?" John asked sincerely.
"It's nothing. I'm just so touched that you consider her your granddaughter."
"Of course they do honey, once we get married she will be my daughter."
"I know," Harriet, said smiling, "It's just after all that has happened this all seems so surreal."
"Yes," John said, "It really does."
All of the grandchildren came and they went into the dining room for family dinner. Diana and Harriet had the time of their lives. They felt so great to fit in and just be part of a normal family. That was until Jacob asked about Diana's father.
"So Harriet, obviously John is not Diana's biological father, so what happened to him? I'm sorry to pry but we don't want any wedding crashers."
"Don't worry," Harriet, said nervously, "He won't crash the wedding." When Harriet said this, she wiped away a single tear. Talking about Joe was easier for her, but that did not mean that she didn't get emotional every time she mentioned him.
"Jake, was that really a necessary question?" John asked, understanding that this was not what Harriet or Diana wanted to think about now.
"Sorry Johnny, I was just curious." Jacob said feeling guilty.
"Its really okay Jake," Harriet said. "What happened to Joe, Diana's father, well, it is a little difficult to explain."
"No it's not mom, its very simple actually, just say the truth. My dad died."
"Oh, wow, I don't feel stupid at all." Jacob said sarcastically.
"I told you bro, can't say I didn't warn you." John said, feeling proud that he was actually right for once and Jake was wrong.
After that, the meal was great, and very delicious. It was eight o'clock and they had already had dessert, they had to leave, because it was almost Diana's bedtime. The trio left after receiving a hug from every member of the family. John's mother and sisters all quietly told Harriet that they couldn't wait for the wedding and that they were so happy that their son and brother was finally happily in love. They got into the car and Diana dozed right off. It was definitely a wonderful evening for everyone.
