CHAPTER 38: THE BIG MOVE
Didi spent Monday morning washing the clothes she'd worn on Saturday and Sunday and doing some more cleaning. She finished a little before noon and ate the last microwaveable meal she had in the freezer for lunch.
After that, she had nothing left to do, so she called the Mitchells to see if they were ready for her to visit. Wendy answered the phone, saying that Frank was still outside, overseeing some of the work that the farmhands were doing, but she would be glad to see Didi and chat with her for a while.
When she arrived at the farm and parked in front of the long sidewalk that led to the house, Frank greeted her, took the marriage license from her, and followed her up the narrow walk. "Cam called about half an hour after I spoke to you last night," Frank was saying as they walked. "He apologized and made excuses, as he often does when he's been remiss. But we do know he's busy with work . . . and thinking about and missing you when he's not working, so . . . we forgive him." They had reached the foot of the three cement steps that led up to a narrow stoop, and Wendy was holding the screen door open for them.
"Didi, it's wonderful to see you, dear!" she effused as Didi entered the house. Both women then moved aside to allow Frank to enter unhindered.
Said Frank, "Let's go on into the living room and talk. It's early yet, and the ice cream and root beer are both 'on the boil,' so to speak. We have some time."
After Frank carefully put the marriage license away in an old roll-top desk, the conversation centered around two topics: how much Didi had been able to keep in touch with Cam during the week, and how preparations for the move were going. She answered the first issue cautiously, stating only that she had spoken to Cam every night. Then she told them about the plans that she, her father, her brother and Cam had made for the move.
"Cam's going to meet me at a gas station on the edge of town and show me how to get to the apartment building. I've never driven there on my own, and Colorado Springs is a big place. On top of that, I have a terrible sense of direction, and I don't want to get lost; Cam doesn't want me to, either. My dad has a detailed map and is really good at finding his way around, so he should be able to get there without any trouble. Once he pulls into the complex's parking lot, Cam will show him where to park the van he's renting."
Shortly after that conversation, Wendy decided that it was time to make dinner. Didi accompanied her to the kitchen and helped with the food preparation. "I want to learn as much as I can from you," she told her future mother-in-law. "I want to expand my horizons where cooking is concerned. I want to be able to fix dishes that Cam really likes and make them as close to the way you do as possible."
"Cam has never been fussy, Didina," Wendy said. "He'll eat practically anything."
"Yes, I know. He's told me that a few times. Still, I know he loves your cooking, and I'd like to at least try to do a few 'down-home, farm-style' meals for him every once in a while."
Wendy smiled. "Just pay attention, then, dear, and I'll show you all my little secrets. . .."
Much of what Wendy showed Didi was impossible to memorize. Mrs. Mitchell was a member of the "a pinch of this and a dash of that" school of cooking. Most recipes would say "season to taste."
While the food was cooking, the two women set the table. The meal, once prepared, was as delicious as anything Didi had ever tasted. . ..
And the conversation was all about her. Frank and Wendy asked to hear about her childhood, her upbringing—experiences that had left a lasting impression on her. By the time the meal had ended, they were even more certain than they had been before that Didi was the perfect woman for their son.
After the dishes were cleared away, Frank announced that the ice cream should be done by now, and Didi and Wendy followed him. Root beer floats were duly made and happily consumed. Didi was in ecstasy, never having consumed either homemade root beer or homemade ice cream before.
By the time the ice-cold confections were fully consumed, Didi said she had to leave. She wanted to talk to Cam and spend some time telling him about the wonderful time she'd had with them.
Her future in-laws hugged her and kissed her cheeks. Wendy had tears in her eyes and Frank was smiling softly. "Be sure to keep Cam on his toes," he said. "Don't let him get complacent about you or about us. He needs to remember how precious life is and how important family is. . .You're already a part of this family, Didi. The wedding's just going to be a formality."
Didi had tears in her eyes, too. "After Cam and I are married, I'm going to start calling you two 'Mom' and 'Dad'—unless my own parents are around at the same time. But, if Cam and I are visiting you and my parents aren't here, you'll be 'Mom' and 'Dad' to both of us."
"That will be wonderful, dear," said Wendy. "We're looking forward to it."
"I'll walk you out," said Frank.
As Frank and Didi turned to go, Wendy retired to the kitchen once more for clean-up.
"Thanks again for the root beer float," Didi said to Frank as they strolled down the long sidewalk. "It really was the best I've ever had."
"You're entirely welcome."
As they neared her car, Didi said, "Did you know that you're Cam's personal hero? He admires you more than anyone in the world, and he says you're the best father there could ever be."
Frank had tears in his eyes. "He's told me those things a time or two, but . . . you know how it is: you think they're just saying what you want to hear—that they don't really mean it. But if he told you . . . I guess he does mean it."
Didi nodded. "He does, believe me. He wants to be just like you—as a man, as a husband, and as a father. I don't think he could've chosen a better role model."
"Thank you, Didi."
She smiled softly. "I'd better go. Cam's been home from work for a while now; he'll be waiting to hear from me."
"All right," said Frank as she opened her car door. "Drive safely, now." Didi gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and then got into the car.
When she arrived home, Didi sat down on her sofa with her cellphone and called Cam.
"Hi, hun," he said as he answered her call. "What have you been up to today?"
She told him and then said, "So, everything's packed except for a few things in the kitchen and bathroom that I need to use tonight and tomorrow, what I'm wearing now, what I'll be wearing tomorrow and Wednesday, and two pairs of pajamas."
"And you had dinner and root beer floats with my folks."
"Yep . . . and they asked me all about myself. . . I hated talking about me exclusively, but I guess they really wanted to get to know me better—how and why I became the person that I am. They think I'm the perfect woman for you."
"Of course they do, because you are."
"I told your dad that you want to be just like him; he had tears in his eyes. He loves you so much, Cam."
"I know," Cam said quietly, "and I love him, too."
"You should tell him that sometime."
"I will. . . Next time I'm in Auburn, I'll tell him."
"That'll probably be the night before the wedding."
"You do realize, don't you, hun, that that's Halloween?"
"It is? No, I didn't even think about that! Should we change it? —maybe get married a week later, on the eighth? I'd hate to leave your apartment unattended on Halloween . . ."
"Where would you live for a week, Dee? We're getting married on the first so that you can move in with me as soon as your lease is up. . . Anyway, I know from experience that we don't get a lot of trick-or-treaters in the apartment complex. Not many of the tenants have kids, and the ones that do usually take them out of the complex to go trick-or-treating. . . I don't think we need to worry about it."
"You're sure . . .?"
"Yes, hun, I'm sure."
"Okay, then."
"Oh, by the way, Compton's moving out of his apartment tomorrow, but he's kind of a lazy son of a gun, so if he doesn't do a good job cleaning the place, Mrs. Granger will probably have it shampooed and thoroughly cleaned for you. She knows you're a special friend of mine, and she wants to make a good impression."
"That's very kind of her," Didi said in a colorless, matter-of-fact tone.
"What's up, Dee?" Cam asked. "You sound a little . . . detached all of a sudden."
Didi sighed. "It's just so . . . depressing."
"What is?"
"Seeing all my stuff lying around, waiting to be hauled away. Half my life is in these bags and boxes! I can't stand it!" She closed the cellphone and promptly teleported herself to Cam's apartment. "Hi," she said—with distressingly negative energy—as she appeared in front of him.
"Hi," Cam returned, stunned. After snapping his own phone shut, he said, "That was rather . . . impulsive."
"I know," she said with a sigh, plopping down beside him on the sofa, "—but I just couldn't take it anymore! As much as I'm looking forward to moving here and being with you, I've been living in that apartment for three years now, and it feels like a piece of me is being left behind."
"So, the reality of the situation has finally sunk in, huh? I know how that feels. Been there, done that. Just don't get too attached to either your apartment here or mine."
"I won't, since I won't be spending a lot of time in either one."
"Yeah, I'll only have two months left on my lease when we get married, so I think we should start looking for a house right away—especially since I don't wanna be moving over the holidays."
"Do you wanna try to move into a house around the middle of December, then?" Didi asked.
Cam nodded. "Yeah, I think that'd be the best thing."
"We should try to find one with a basement," said Didi. "That way, we can put the best furniture in the living room and put the more worn-out stuff in a family room, downstairs. And, if we get a three-bedroom house, we could put your bedroom furniture in a spare room in the basement, too, since we've already decided to use my king-sized bed. (As you suggested before, though, we may want to buy a new mattress and box springs for it.)"
"And what will we put in the other two bedrooms upstairs?" Cam queried.
"Baby furniture, of course."
"Dee, let's not count our chickens. . . Now, I'm pretty sure we'll be fortunate enough to have kids somewhere down the line. But, until you get pregnant, we may as well put my furniture in one of the upstairs bedrooms. When it's time to go crib shopping, we will. But we won't need to put baby furniture in two bedrooms at the same time, anyway. . ..
"If we end up with two kids of the same sex—and those two are all we have—we can turn the third bedroom into a well-appointed guest room and move my old stuff downstairs, like you said. Otherwise, we'll have separate bedrooms for our son and our daughter—or multiples of either, if God decides to be generous."
"All right," Didi agreed, nodding. "That sounds like a good plan. . . So, did you tell the rest of the gang that we'd been seeing each other while you were in Kansas, and that we're engaged now?"
"I never got a chance. As I told you: by the time I got back, they'd all gone off somewhere again. Let 'em remain in the dark for a while. If and when they finally do come home to roost, I'll ask them to have dinner with us, and you can show them the engagement ring. The stunned looks on their faces will be absolutely priceless!"
"Do you think they will come back?" Didi asked with concern.
"I don't know. But, if General Landry gets the word that none of them want to 'gate travel as a team anymore—and at this point it seems unlikely that they will—there won't be a lot I can do about it. They're individuals with lives outside of the SGC. They can make their own career choices."
"The others have all been at it a lot longer than you have. The novelty hasn't worn off for you yet, while they're probably all jaded and tired of the whole scene—especially now that there aren't really any major bad guys left out there to fight . . . except for the Lucien Alliance. And from what you've told me about them, they're nothing compared to the Goa'uld, the replicators and the Ori."
"No, they're not. Other teams could handle them just as easily as SG-1 could. We'll just have to wait and see what the others decide."
He paused and then said, "The only reason we were put back together and sent to Planet Max as a team was because of the images the MALP sent back. The citadel stuck out like a sore thumb and looked like it was in good condition. General Landry figured it was evidence of the possible existence of an advanced civilization with superior technology. Jackson went to act as linguist, Carter to take a look at the technology, Teal'c as extra security, and Vala . . . well, there's no grounding Vala when she's determined to go. You know as well as I do that she'll follow Jackson anywhere."
"Yes, I do."
"The point is, we couldn't do anything with what we found. The venture was fruitless, and you and I—as far as the others are concerned—almost got killed. I'm afraid it was the last straw for them. I really don't think they'll allow themselves to be dragged back to traveling through the 'gate as a team again, and I have to respect their wishes. They are the very best at what they do—every one of them. But, if they want to move on to other things, I'm not going to stand in their way—not this time."
"So, if they don't come back, will you choose another team? —or will you ask for a transfer to some other duty?"
"I've been at it long enough now to've had a chance to get to know a few more people on other teams—especially during the time that Carter was on Atlantis. If they won't come back, I'm planning to ask General Landry to let me handpick my own team—people I know I can get along with; people who have the necessary skills and who'll watch my back and each other's. . ..
"SG-1 is supposed to be the vanguard—the best of the best—and that's the kind of team I want to put together . . . even if it means stealing someone from another team. I believe it's what SG-1 deserves to be; what it needs to be. I hope General Landry will agree."
"What if he doesn't? What else could you do?"
"Ideally, I'd like to fly something small and maneuverable. I wouldn't mind being a 302 pilot until my reflexes start to diminish. But, being a full colonel and having the experience I have, they may put me in command of a ship. They're building more of them, you know."
"One like the Apollo or the Daedalus, you mean?"
"Yep."
"Would you mind doing that?"
"Not if I could take you with me. . . Of course, it would depend on the mission we were sent on. I might be able to sneak you aboard if it's not too dangerous."
Didi smiled. "I love you, Colonel Mitchell."
"And I love you, Ms. Steadman—soon to be Mrs. Mitchell again."
"That sounds so good! I can hardly wait to be Didina Steadman-Mitchell again: I'm more in love with you now than I was the first time around." She reached up and pressed her lips to his.
The kissing that followed lasted about an hour. Then Didi decided it was time she headed home. "My parents may be trying to call me. If they have been, I don't know what I'll tell them."
"If they were trying to call you and couldn't get you on your land line, they'd probably call your cellphone. It hasn't rung yet, so—"
Ironically, it rang just at that moment. Cam guffawed and Didi answered it.
"Hi, Mom . . . Oh, I just needed to get out of my apartment for a bit: sitting around looking at my life in bags and boxes is depressing. I'm heading home now. . . Yes, everything's packed except what I'm taking in my car. . . I love you, too. G'night, Mom." She closed the phone and sighed heavily.
"What's up?"
"Nothing. Mom was just calling to see how things are going—to make sure everything's packed up and ready to go, since Dad and Mike will be coming over in the morning to start loading it all up." She sighed again. "I'd better get back."
Cam caressed her cheek and kissed her lips one last time. "I love you, Dee."
"I love you, too, Cam . . . Oh! I forgot to tell you: I gave our marriage license to your parents for safekeeping, since we're getting married in Auburn anyway."
"Good idea. I'm sure they'll keep it safe."
"Your dad put it in a roll-top desk; I watched him do it. So, if he forgets where it is, I can remind him."
"I doubt he'll forget. Dad has a mind like a steel trap."
"I'm sure he does," Didi said with a soft smile. She reached up, touched his cheek and said, "I'll see you on Wednesday." Then she closed her eyes and was gone.
(*)
After getting dressed the next morning, Didi packed her dirty clothes from the day before and the pajamas she had just taken off. She then stripped her bed and stuffed the bedding into a large, plastic garbage bag, along with the towels, mats and washcloths from her bathroom. (Because she would be spending the night in her old room at her parents' house—where a washcloth would no doubt be provided for her—she wouldn't need them.)
For breakfast, she had the last of her orange juice and her last granola bar, which she had saved specially for today.
At 8:15, Mike called to tell her that they were on their way. She still had a few minutes before they'd get there, so she began loading her belongings into her car.
When Greg and Mike arrived, they began packing and loading furniture, boxes and bags into the van. They stopped for brunch at eleven and all three of them went out to eat. When they returned, the men finished packing and loading, completing the process by late afternoon. Didi then finished her final cleaning and vacuuming and put the cleaning products she had used into their designated cardboard box, while Greg loaded the vacuum cleaner into the back of the truck.
When they were finished with everything, the men headed down the stairs. Mike got into Didi's car, while Greg drove off home with the truck. Driving to the manager's office and parking nearby, Didi turned in her keys and said goodbye to the manager, who promised to send her the cleaning deposit after she had looked the apartment over. She knew Didi was a good housekeeper and was certain she would get the full refund.
Didi dropped her brother off at his home and then drove to Theresa's house. Her sister would have dinner on the stove, and soon it would be on the table . . . and it would, no doubt, be one of Didi's favorite meals. . ..
(**)
When Didi awakened in her childhood bed at six-thirty on Wednesday morning, she found her mother sitting on the other bed in the room—the one that had previously been used by Thé. Mrs. Steadman seemed to have tears in her eyes, but she was smiling softly, and her face was radiant.
"Mom?" Didi ventured. "Has something happened?" Didi knew that wasn't quite the right question to ask, but she wasn't sure what question she should ask, having no idea what was going on.
"Oh, Dina!" Melinda said, rising from Thé's bed and approaching her younger daughter, "You know I've been worried about the way you and Cameron became so close and got engaged so quickly . . . It frightened me," she admitted. "So, I've been praying about it for days, ranting and raving and venting my anxieties . . . in private, of course. I didn't want your father to know: he's been so sure of everything himself ever since the night of your birthday dinner . . .
"Anyway, last night I took a good, hard look at myself, and I didn't much like what I saw—what I had become. After severely chastising myself, I reminded myself that, every now and then, a relationship comes along that's perfect, right from the start. . ..
"I realized then that all I really needed was to know that yours was one of them. I finally reached the point where I was able to humble myself and to be more concerned with the rightness of your relationship than I was about the rapidity with which it developed. So, I prayed with tender pleading instead of being worried and anxious. God answered my prayer with the most amazing sense of peace that I've ever felt in my life. I know now that you and Cam will be all right—that your love for one another is strong and genuine, despite how short a time you've known each other. I'm no longer afraid for you—for your future. I'm ready to let you go now, Dina. I'll miss you, but I know you'll be fine. Cam loves you and he'll take good care of you. That's all that matters."
Didi was agog. Although her father had believed that his wife had fully accepted Didi's engagement to Cam, Didi had sensed that such was not entirely the case. Her mother had still had reservations, despite her fondness for Cam and all of their best efforts to reassure her. Finally able to speak, Didi got out of bed, looked earnestly at her mother and said, "I tried to tell you this was right, Mom. I'm glad the Lord confirmed it for you. . ..
"There are only a handful of people in this world that I would trust completely," she continued. "You and Daddy, of course, are two of them; Cam is another. He'd do anything and everything to protect me—to keep me safe and secure—just as you and Dad would. Cam is my future—my life. After having had time to get to know him and to learn to love him, I don't think I could face the future without him. Life would be meaningless and empty without Cam."
"I felt the same way about your father," said Melinda. "It just took us a little longer."
"But you and Dad were still young when you met and started dating. Cam and I are both older and more experienced. We know a little something about life, love and relationships. We've both had to learn our lessons the hard way, but . . . at least now we have each other. There won't be any more broken hearts or failed relationships for either of us. This is forever, Mom. For as long as we both shall live."
Melinda nodded. "I know it is, Dina; I know it is." She hugged her daughter, then released her and said, "I'd better go so you can say your prayers and get dressed. Your father and your brother will be wondering what's keeping you. I'll take the blame—tell them I wanted some time alone with you to say a proper goodbye. It's the least I can do."
"Thanks, Mom. I love you—and I am going to miss you whether you believe that or not."
Melinda smiled. "I believe you, Dina. I have to: you're my baby." She placed a hand on Didi's cheek, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.
(≈)
Before leaving town, Didi and her father and brother decided to stop at a Denny's restaurant near the highway and eat a hearty breakfast. When they had finished, Greg paid the check and they went on their way, with Didi taking the lead in her car.
Didi reached the outskirts of the city of Hays, Kansas by early afternoon. As far as she could tell, Hays was pretty close to the halfway point, and even the few hours of driving she had done thus far had tired her. Just off the Interstate, she spotted a gas station with a fast food place attached to it. After filling her car with gas, she went inside and had lunch, taking her time over the meal. It would be at least another four hours before she would get to eat again, and she wanted a short respite from the long drive.
While waiting for her food, Didi called Mike and told him where she was; then, while eating, she contacted Cam telepathically to tell him the same thing. When he had talked to Gen. Landry about his coming in to work in the morning (since Didi wouldn't be arriving until late afternoon), his C.O. had told him not to bother, which meant that he had the entire day off, whether he wanted it or not. Thus, Didi heard back from him—by cellphone—almost immediately.
"Hey, Cam!" she said enthusiastically as she answered his call. "What've you been up to today?"
"I spent some time helping Mrs. Granger do a once-over of your apartment," Cam told her, "then I paid Jackson a visit in the hospital. He's finally back from Atlantis. He said he'd love to see you if you really wanna visit him sometime this week after you get settled in. He's happy to hear we're engaged . . . So, you're having lunch in Hays, huh? Wish I could be there with you."
"So do I. But we'll see each other in a few hours. Then I'll give you a great big kiss."
"Or several," said Cam. "I miss you."
"I miss you, too, Colonel." She sighed. "I'd better go. My food's getting cold. I'll see you in a while."
"All right. Drive carefully, hun. I love you."
"Love you, too. 'Bye, Cam."
(***)
It was after four-thirty when Didi reached the gas station at the edge of Colorado Springs that she and Cam had chosen as their meeting place. She parked her car and gave Cam a call, telling him she was there. "Sit tight, hun," he told her. "I'll be right there and guide you in."
While she waited, she went inside the mini-mart and bought a soft pretzel with cheese dip and a fountain drink to tide her over till dinner. She was just finishing up when Cam pulled in next to her.
After parking his SUV—which looked a great deal like the one he had rented in Topeka—he got out, walked over to her car, leaned down and said, "Hi!" through her open window. She noticed that he was wearing an Air Force Academy T-shirt, along with a particularly worn out and holey pair of jeans. "Why are you eating?" he asked. "Don't you remember that your dad wanted us all to go get fast food after he and your brother get here?"
"I haven't eaten since lunch in Hays," said Didi, "and I was hungry. I expect Dad and Mike will understand. We can all still go out to eat together. A soft pretzel isn't all that filling."
"You're right; you're right," Cam said, nodding. He gazed at her lovingly as he opened her car door. "Here," he said, taking the wrappers and the empty drink cup from her, "I'll throw these away for you. In the meantime, I want you to get out of that car and wait for me. I promised you something, and I intend to keep that promise."
Didi smiled softly as he walked away, getting out of her car and closing the door. When Cam returned to her side, he said, "Now that's where I want you." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. A few people wolf-whistled; others whooped and hollered. When the kiss ended, he touched his forehead to hers, as was his wont, and said, "Welcome to Colorado Springs, Dee. I love you." He then kissed her again. Applause ensued from the interested onlookers. The couple barely heard shouts of "All right!" and "Way to go!" They were too caught up in their own private moment of elation.
"I love you, too, Cam," said Didi. "I'm so glad to finally be here with you—permanently."
"I'm glad you're here, too. . . Now, let's get going. I need to get you to the apartment complex before Mike and your dad arrive." He opened her car door for her and said, "Hop in and follow me."
"Yes, love," Didi replied, getting into her car.
Cam shut the door and leaned on it, talking to Didi through the open window again. "I'll try not to go through any lights that you won't have time to get through, and I'll keep an eye on you in my rear-view mirror, just in case I do screw up; that way I can pull over and wait for you to get through the light."
Didi nodded. "All right," she said. Then she closed her window, fastened her seatbelt and started the car. She waited while Cam backed out and then fell into line behind him.
It took several minutes to get to the Grenadier Arms apartment complex.
"Oh, this is really nice!" she sent to Cam telepathically as she drove through the gated entrance. The gate was currently open and would remain so until seven p.m., after which it would be locked for the night, and only residents with key cards would be able to get in.
Didi followed Cam to the parking area closest to the complex in which both of their apartments were located. The parking spaces were numbered for their respective apartments. Two- and three- bedroom apartments seemed to have two parking spaces assigned to them. Didi's parking space was a few stalls away from Cam's, so she had to drive a bit farther than he did.
Cam locked up his SUV and walked to where Didi had parked. "Grab your purse," he said to her as she got out of her car. "I have a couple of things you're gonna need to put in it."
As she alit from the sedan, he said, "This is your key card for the gate. You have to use it to get in anytime the gate's locked." He handed it to her. She shifted things around in her wallet to make room for it, and to make absolutely certain that it wasn't back-to-back with any other cards that had magnetic strips, so that they wouldn't adversely affect each other. When she had finished doing that and had put her wallet away, he held up a small metal ring with three keys on it. "These are your apartment and mailbox keys; I think you can tell which ones are which." She took the ring and stashed it in her purse. "I got them all from Mrs. Granger this morning, after I finished helping her with the once-over. I told her you were arriving today and that I'd be helping you move in, so she decided to save you a trip to the office by letting me give them to you myself."
"It says a lot that she trusts you that much," said Didi with a soft smile
"Yeah, I guess it does," Cam averred. Then, rubbing his hands together, he said, "Let's get to it."
It didn't take them long to unload the few items that Didi had brought in her car. As they worked, Didi told Cam about the conversation she'd had with her mother that morning.
His eyebrows went up in surprise. "Wow!" he said. "That's amazing. I kinda thought she still had some issues . . . although not with me personally: I could tell she liked me well enough. . . But she really did think we needed to wait a while to be sure that our relationship is right. . . I'm glad she prayed about it."
"So am I," said Didi. "Everything's coming together nicely for us now, isn't it?"
Cam looked thoughtful. "You told me weeks ago—back on Planet Max—that God was on our side. . . Now I know for sure that you were right. Even after all this time, He's still there, watching over us and helping us along."
"The other clones have all settled nicely into their respective lives," said Didi. "Granted, Vala, Teal'c and Daniel had to go back in time a few years to get theirs in line, but all four of them have what they wanted. We're the only ones who've been struggling to make this new life work for us."
"Mostly 'cause we insisted on staying together . . . and because we're the only ones who have close friends and family ties to worry about—which has been our greatest concern all along. . . So, it's good to see everything falling into place the way it has." He shook his head. "There's no way this could've happened without God's help. He must've opened their hearts—all of them. It's natural that they'd feel our relationship has developed way too fast. But, somehow—one by one—they've all accepted our engagement and are downright happy about it. That's nothing short of a miracle."
"I know," Didi replied, nodding, "but it is what I've been praying for. God knows how much you and I love each other and how much we need each other—especially considering what we are. . . Being able to marry and to live together again as husband and wife means more to us than anything else in the world. He knows that, too, so He's helped things along. We should thank Him when we say our prayers tonight."
"I already have, Dee, and I intend to continue thanking Him for the rest of my life. . . Now, shall we head back down and wait for Greg and Mike to arrive?"
"Let's." Didi was locking her door just as Mike called her on his cellphone to let her know they were approaching the Grenadier Arms complex. By the time she and Cam got back outside, her father and brother were pulling into the parking lot in the rented moving van.
Cam stepped out and directed Greg as to where he should park, greeting the Steadmans warmly as they exited the cab of their vehicle. "Hey, Greg!" he said, extending a hand to his soon-to-be father-in-law. "I'm glad you made it in one piece—and in good time, too." Didi had remained on the lawn, watching. Mike walked around the front of the cab and joined his sister on the edge of the lawn. Cam strolled over and introduced himself to him.
"I know who you are," said Mike. "You're all everyone in the family talks about anymore: Cameron Mitchell this, Cameron Mitchell that . . . how amazing Cameron Mitchell is and how much in love he and Didi seem to be. . . Personally, I don't see what the big deal is."
"Mike," said Didi with characteristic patience, "I think they're just all really glad that I'm happy . . . and they're attributing that happiness—entirely correctly, I might add—to Cam."
"Does he really make you happy, Dee?" Mike queried, looking at Cam askance. "After all, you haven't known him all that long . . ."
"Yes, Mike, he makes me very happy," Didi replied, taking Cam's arm. "It's true that we've only known each other for a short time, but . . . this just feels right, Mike—totally and completely right."
"I just don't wanna see you get hurt again."
"I knew Tad for seven years before we got married," Didi reminded her brother, "but that didn't stop him from hurting me, did it? . . . Everything about Cam is real: what you see is pretty much what you get—and that's not just the remnants of my twelve-year-old self's crush on him talking. . . If you'd just watch the way he treats me—how tender and gentle he is with me—you wouldn't worry so much."
Put in Greg, "When I first met Cam, I warned him against hurting Didi. He put my mind at ease then and I haven't had any reason to question his character or his motives since. If I'm not worried, son, you certainly shouldn't be. Cam and Didi are going to be married . . . and with my and your mother's blessing."
"I know," said Mike to his father, shaking his head, "and I still can't believe it. That ostentatious ring he gave her doesn't prove a thing—except maybe that he's well-off and likes to spend money extravagantly."
"No," said Cam, "I'm not well-off, and I don't necessarily like to spend money extravagantly. I've just lived alone for a long time and I've learned how to be thrifty—to save up for what I want; and I happen to love your sister very much. She deserves the best, don't you think?"
"Of course she does! But who's to say that that's you?"
"I am, Mike," Didi replied. "Cam is the best thing that's ever happened to me. But . . . I understand that, because I'm the kid sister in this family—and because of the divorce—everyone thinks they have to protect me from making another mistake. But, I'm not a high school kid anymore. I know what real love is and what it should be. Everything I ever imagined and wanted for myself when I was young Cam has brought into my life. What more could I ask? . . . What more could you ask? I love him, Mike, and he loves me. That's the way it is. Cam will never hurt me."
"I won't, Mike, I promise you—just like I promised your dad . . . and my dad. They both want to protect Didi," Cam said, smiling wanly, "and I don't blame them. Just so you know: I intend to make it my life's mission to protect her and to do everything in my power to keep her happy."
"Son," said Greg, "if your concerns have been sufficiently addressed, may we please go to dinner now?"
"Yeah," Mike said, nodding, "I suppose we should. I am pretty hungry . . ."
"Are you driving, Cameron?" asked Greg, as he locked the doors to the truck's cab.
"Yes, I am," replied Cam. "We'll take my SUV." As he opened the front passenger door for Didi—and as her father and brother climbed into opposite sides of the middle seat—he said to the group, "Until recently, I had a jet-black Mustang. Since Dee and I are getting married, I decided to trade it in on something more practical. I don't need to show off anymore."
Didi smiled. "I wish I could've at least seen your Mustang before you traded it in . . ."
"Sorry, hun," said Cam, "but, from a standpoint of practicality, this was the best move. There's no way I'd try to take all four of us out to eat in a car that small—especially after all the hours you three spent on the road!"
"So, where are we going?" Greg queried as Cam climbed in behind the wheel and shut his door.
"Since you'd already decided on fast food (so that we can get to work on the unloading sooner), it's just a matter of preference: burgers, pizza, chicken, tacos, hot dogs . . . What do you guys want?"
Wendy's was the chosen destination, and Didi conversed with her brother across the back of her seat while Cam drove. "Mike," she said, "I wrote a song for Cam after we'd known each other for only a couple of days. As you know, I only write lyrics. Even though I know how the melody should go, I don't have the patience to put the notes down on music paper the way you do. . . Would you help me compose an arrangement for it and then accompany me if I perform it at the end of the evening when our wedding reception is winding down? —before the family disperses and heads for home?"
"I guess so. What's it called?" Mike queried.
"I haven't really thought of a title yet. . . Any ideas, Cam?"
"Well, since the primary line in the chorus is 'I think I'm falling in love with the thought of loving you,' I guess that would make a good title but . . . it is a bit long . . ."
"With the content being along those lines, why don't we just call it 'Didi's Declaration'?" Mike asked.
"Hey, I like that!" said Cam as he pulled into the Wendy's parking lot and found a place to park. "'Didi's Declaration' . . . It has a nice ring to it."
"Yes, it does," Greg said, "but since we've arrived at our destination, let's go inside and eat!"
As a means of apologizing for his earlier behavior, Mike volunteered in advance to pay for the meal. Cam accepted, and Greg didn't protest.
There were multiple options available to them at Wendy's, so everyone ordered what appealed to them most, with both Cam and Greg ordering "The Baconator," which didn't surprise Didi one bit. Her brother ordered a spicy chicken sandwich and a baked potato. Didi ordered a junior cheeseburger and nibbled on Cam's and her father's fries. Before they began eating, Greg and Mike called their wives to assure them of their safe arrival.
After dinner, the unloading of the van began. The group started with items that had been stashed into the tail-end of the truck, behind the larger furniture and appliances: things such as lamps, stereos, VHS/DVD player/recorders, and other electronic devices, as well as some small kitchen appliances. Next came small boxes filled with carefully wrapped breakables, followed by medium-sized ones that held cleaning products and assorted non-breakable odds and ends. There were also large trash bags filled with quilts, comforters, bedspreads and blankets.
The larger boxes—containing dishes; pots and pans; linens; towels; bath sets and bath accessories; books; videotapes; DVDs; and an extensive music collection—came next, followed by the smaller pieces of furniture, such as end tables, nightstands and an ottoman. With the exception of the boxes containing the cleaning products (which were placed either in the bathroom or the kitchen, according to their labeling), all of the other small and medium-sized items were placed against walls and into corners, to get them out of the way until the large pieces of furniture were all brought in and put wherever Didi wanted them to go.
When loading the large pieces of furniture, it had been decided to put Didi's bedroom furniture in front of the living room and dining room furniture, so that it could be assembled as soon as possible, enabling Didi to get the bed made up, and to organize the room immediately afterward.
As soon as she was able to locate them, Didi had begun opening the bags and boxes in which the clothes from her closet had been stored, neatly folded and still on their respective hangers, including the things she had brought with her in her own car to be worn tomorrow morning. (The things in her dresser drawers were still in her dresser drawers; there was no need to do anything with them.)
Just as she finished hanging up everything that needed to go into her closet, the men were ready to bring in her bed and assemble it for her. Once that was done, she put some fresh bedding on it. By that time, the rest of her bedroom furniture had been brought in and appropriately placed, so she began by putting the bedside lamps on the nightstands to either side of the bed, and then decorated each of the other pieces of furniture—her dresser and a pair of small maple bookcases—with jewelry chests, photos, and various other knickknacks. Lastly, the maple bookcases were filled with her favorite hardbound books of both classic and modern literature, which she often enjoyed reading in bed at night.
Once her bedroom was put together properly, Didi started organizing the bathroom, while the men finished unloading and placing the rest of her bigger pieces of furniture. They interrupted her work whenever a new piece was brought in, asking where she wanted it—with the exception of the dining table and chairs. The location for those items was clearly evident, and they even placed the chairs in the proper places around it.
It was after eight o'clock when Cam, Greg and Mike finally finished unloading the van. They were, of course, quite tired and sweaty.
Cam stood in the bathroom doorway and said, "Dee, are you about done in here? I'm taking Mike and Greg to my place for a cold drink. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."
"Why don't you go ahead and take them," said Didi, looking up from her work. "I still have a few things I want to put away here in the bathroom. It won't take long."
"Listen, hun," Cam said, "I know you're anxious to get settled in—and I don't blame you for wanting to get your bedroom and the bathroom organized first—but . . . General Landry didn't just give me today off. I've got the rest of the week, so I can help you with your unpacking and stuff for the next couple of days."
Looking up from her work, Didi said, "After I get the essentials put away in here, I'll be done for the night. You can help me with everything else tomorrow. But, I wouldn't be able to sleep well tonight if my room was in disarray, or if I couldn't at least find my toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, comb, hairbrush and make-up. I have to be able to look around me and feel at home. That's why I had you guys put everything pretty much in the same positions they were in back at my old apartment. I need the secure feeling of familiarity—at least until I move in with you."
Cam nodded, smiling softly. "I understand, hun, but you should spend some time with your father and your brother while they're here."
"I fully intend to. . . Like I said, I only need a few minutes."
"All right. I'll get the guys a drink and then we'll come back here. After you're done, why don't we go out for some ice cream or something?"
"I think you three should get cleaned up a bit before we go anywhere, don't you?" Didi asked pointedly.
"Uh . . . yeah, I guess we should: we are a bit ripe. I'll take Greg and Mike back to my place for a shower and a change of clothes. Then, we'll go get something cold, refreshing and non-alcoholic. And if there's no regular ice cream parlor open by the time we're ready to go, we could always just grab a sundae or a shake at McDonald's or something . . ."
"Yeah, we could. So . . . get going! It's already after eight o'clock! I'll still be here when you get back."
"I love you, Dee."
"Love you, too, Cam. See you in a while."