The next day...
Steve was preparing breakfast when Mary walked into the kitchen. "Want to live with me forever, brother? It's so nice to wake up and have breakfast prepared by someone other than me."
"I don't think it's a good idea, Mary. I think I'm a bit grumpy, it must be my age. Did you have fun last night?"
"Yes, my neighbor is very fun and lively. You should know her, she is a widow and has three children."
Steve smiled. "No thanks. But I can't help but mention that you sound like Danny trying to set up dates for me."
Joan woke up and heard Steve and Mary talking in the kitchen. She got up and opened her laptop to check if there were any messages from Catherine. "Nothing," Joan was disappointed. The day before, she could see through Steve's eyes how much he missed Catherine. She could see his hope turn to disappointment when she couldn't find Catherine on the social network.
"I can't give Uncle Steve false hope. I need to wait for her to answer, I need to know if it's really her, and I need to know if she's married. If she's married he better not even know," Joan thought.
"Good morning to the best mother in the world and also the best uncle in the world," Joan kissed Mary and Steve on the cheek.
"Good morning, Joan. Sit down to have breakfast with us. Don't forget we need to go to the store to get the party dress," Mary told her.
"How could I forget, Mom?" Joan sat down next to Steve and smiled at him. "I can't put on an ounce of weight until the day of the party, Uncle Steve. If I put on weight the dress won't fit me."
Steve laughed at Joan's exaggeration. "You won't get fat. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen. I'll make you salad every day."
"Thank you, uncle. I love you, you know?"
"I love you too, Joan," Steve replied.
The days passed and Joan's party day finally arrived. Steve was smartly dressed and clean-shaven. Mary smiled when she saw him. "You look handsome, Steve."
"You look great too, Mary. That dress looks great on you."
"Thank you. You can't even imagine how wonderful Joan is," Mary told him with a few tears in her eyes.
Steve sighed. "You know, Mary, I so regret the day I told you to give Joan back."
"Forget about it, Steve. I don't remember anymore," Mary replied indicating that she didn't care about what he had said in the past.
"I was very wrong. You are a wonderful mother to Joan, and Joan is a wonderful daughter to you."
"Yes, she is," Mary replied.
Joan entered the room a little tense and nervous. "I'm ready. Am I beautiful?" She asked Mary and Steve.
"You look stunning, dear. Shall we?" Steve offered her his arm and led her to the car.
Joan's party was beautiful and her nervousness turned to joy. She enjoyed the party with her guests and at the height of the party Steve danced with her and at the end of the dance they were applauded by the guests.
"I found her, uncle," Joan told him as they were cheered on by the guests.
"What?" Steve asked. He wasn't sure he'd heard right.
"I found Catherine. And to your main question, the answer is no. She's not married."
Steve smiled and kissed his niece's forehead. "Thank you Joan. You are a blessing in my life and in Mary's life."
"Go after your happiness, Uncle Steve. I want to see you happy."
Steve agreed and soon a guy approached and asked to dance with Joan and the other guests also formed a pair to dance. Mary was dancing with the widowed father of a friend of Joan's and Steve sat a little apart and just watched the guests and his niece having a good time.
As he sat there, Steve relived his entire history with Catherine. He smiled at the thought of her so young and yet so smart, the sweet eyes that had won him over from day one, the soft voice and the most endearing smile he had ever seen. "I wonder how is she doing. Does she want to see me?" He thought. He was insecure and hopeful at the same time.
PS: Thank you for your review in the previous chapter.