Hopes Fulfilled

After the meal the three women bustled around the kitchen and Carmen investigated all the cupboards and drawers there. If she was to stay for a while, then she needed to be familiar with where everything was situated in the home as she wanted to play her part rather than sit back and be waited on. Gina watched this with interest and turned to Daniela.

“Daniela, I think Brett is feeling a bit left out. He was following you around like a puppy at the camp site and he’s been cross with me since I spied on his phone. Can you intervene for me and put him in a good mood?”

Daniela chuckled as she understood what Gina was up to.

“Don’t think I’ve forgiven you yet Gina and I’ll take it out of you in bed tonight but perhaps I need to make peace so we can all be happy.”

She left and went to join Brett on the lounge.

“I bought my guitar Brett will you come and sing with me in the second empty guest bedroom we can use that as our private place when we want to hang out.”

Brett smiled happily and followed Daniela to Gina’s bedroom while she retrieved her guitar then they both headed for the spare guest room and Daniela began to strum the guitar and sing the latest songs on the hit parade and they both began to sing. Eventually Gina opened the door to ask if they wanted to watch a movie with her. Both declined and Gina said she’d watch by herself on her iPad as Scott and Carmen were using the lounge and talking.

Gina went back to her room processing her conversation with Carmen after Daniela had left the kitchen. Carmen had cautioned Gina about what she’d whispered in the older woman’s ear before supper and Gina responded that she really wanted Carmen to be a mother to her. Carmen had hugged the girl and responded that as far as she was concerned, she’d treat Gina as her own daughter but that should be their secret understanding and never shared with her father. She reminded Gina that Scott had a wife he’d loved though now deceased, and Carmen had a husband also deceased she’d loved, and those memories could never be erased. So, while Gina may wish for her and Scott to be together this had to be a mutual thing that grew over time and not something to be engineered by another person. Their conversation that evening was never to be repeated to another. Gina had watched her dad finding common interests at vacation and had a sixth sense she’d get her wish someday.

Carmen’s interview with Malcom and Miriam at the university went well and it was agreed Miriam would take over responsibility of working with accreditors to work on a program to get Carmen back into the US medical profession. It ended up being a one-year orientation and the completion of units of study with mentorship on the wards of the university hospital until Miriam quickly learned Carmen was eminently qualified.

After the initial month staying with the Fischer’s Carmen had announced her intention of buying a place of her own to settle her daughter who’d found a course of study at this university that appealed to her. Daniela decided on hospital administration as a career and from the beginning drank in studies and assignments with intensity preparing for her higher education. Daniela balanced her intense studies with a love of sports and dragged Brett with her on these occasions until Brett started to enjoy this world outside his customary lifestyle of previously avoiding contacts and confining himself to study and home. The more they were together the more infatuated Brett was with his Spanish princess and the fun to be gained in life.

When Scott heard of Carmen’s plan to move on, he struggled with emotions that had lain dormant since their introduction. He struggled with these emotions as Carmen inspected one house after another. He noticed how glum the children were as they watched this development and realized he didn’t want Carmen to move out. But their relationship had to change if he was to convince her not to move out. His colleagues were beginning to rib him about it in a good-natured way and he realized that while he thought what happened in his home was personal somehow all things about a person’s personal life were public knowledge. They’d been seen together at various functions and people were aware they were not related and had lived in the same home together. Naturally they speculated about this relationship.

Carmen came home one evening looking triumphant with a brochure of a beautiful home she’d settled on in an attractive setting. This was reality check time. The kids retreated to their rooms on the news and engaged in whispered conversation. Carmen who’d come home to share the happy news was nonplussed at the retreat of the teenagers and the sad look on Scott’s face. She was suddenly depressed and went to the kitchen to make herself a coffee and consider the reaction.

She turned to bring her drink to the kitchen table and consider this strange change of circumstances only to bump into Scott who crept in behind her and she spilled the coffee in surprise. She sighed.

“I’m sorry Scott, I should have been more attentive but can’t understand why my news has upset everyone. I don’t seem to be doing anything right this evening. Did you get any on you? Let me look.”

Scott took the coffee cup off her and took out a cloth to mop up the floor while she watched uncertainly thankful, she hadn’t scolded him. Scott then stood and she saw tears in his eyes. This was so unlike this man who was always in control. She felt alarmed not knowing what to do and shivered involuntarily. To her surprise Scott moved forward awkwardly and enfolded her in his arms.

“Can’t you stay with us Carmen? We are so good together as families and have so much in common. What do I have to do to change your mind?”

“Scott, I know people are talking about us and I don’t like what they are implying as I’m not that kind of person. I’ve heard it talked about at the university when they didn’t know I was listening. For the sake of your reputation and mine I must move out.”

“Carmen would you consider marrying me? I know you are still yearning for the time you were together with Jose, and I’d respect those memories, but I can see I have to move on with my life without blotting out memories of my time with Amelia. We get along so well together my children love you and Daniela. I’ve felt like asking you to marry me for a long time now but could not pluck up courage before now because I thought you’d feel that inappropriate.”

Carmen’s mood changed instantly.

“Scott, estaré encantado de casarme contigo. ¿Por qué no me preguntaste hace mucho tiempo?”

Scott stood looking puzzled.

“My Spanish is very rudimentary Carmen you’ll have to respond in English, but I fear you are saying no. I’m sorry to have embarrassed you then.

Carmen called loudly for the teenagers, and they came out looking alarmed at the urgency in her voice.

“My children, your father has just asked me to marry him, and I gave him a response in Spanish. How would each of you like me to respond to him in English?”

Daniela spoke to her mother.

“What did you tell him in Spanish mom?”

Carmen repeated her response in Spanish and Daniela rushed to her mother and kissed her on both cheeks nodding.

Gina spoke to Carmen.

“Please say yes mom!”

Brett looked at Daniela is dismay.

Does that mean I can’t marry you when we finish our education because you become my sister Daniela?”

“No, it doesn’t mean that at all Brett so say yes.”

“I’ll interpret mom’s response to you dad. She said yes and chided you for taking so long to ask!”

Scott beamed with pleasure.

“Are we all up to going out to celebrate the engagement?”

Gina spoke.

“Why don’t the both of you go without us. I think it’s time for you to do some more serious bonding without us being around, don’t you? You’ve both been playing at this since vacation time now it’s not too late to find shops open to buy the customary engagement and wedding rings while we sit at home and plot the wedding for you.”

Scott shepherded Carmen to the door with arm around her waist and she snuggled into his embrace. Each felt fulfilled in their new commitment.

Conclusion.

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