Chapter 51

November passed, December arrived and after the high school football season ended, the three of us got in the Rover and headed south. Three hours of driving and we arrived in the small down of Independence, Kansas. Population just under 10,000. Yup, blink twice and you could miss it.

Ashlee got us to her parent's house and it was not what I expected. The house was rather normal looking. A simple two story house with a detached garage. The garage was a three car unit, but still, not what you would expect from a family with the funds they have.

A healthy looking woman came out the front door wiping her hands on a dish towel to greet us. Of course it wasn't until Brenda jumped out and yelled "Grandma!!" that she fully understood who had just arrived.

"OH BABY B!!" The two of them reached each other and hugged each other. "I am so glad to see you! And my look at how you've grown! You're all grown up now aren't you?"

"Mom!" Ashlee was a little more reserved, but got a hug from her mother just the same and her mom went on about how skinny she looked and how she needed to 'get some home cooking in her.'

"And who is this?" She finally said after noticing me.

"Mom, I want to introduce you to my boyfriend Paul Johnson. Paul, this is my mother Evelyn Jones. Mom, this is the Paul I was telling you about on the phone."

I extended my hand but she ignored it and stepped right up to me and hugged me. "Oh my, you must work out."

"Yes ma'am I do. Ashlee and I both work out regularly at the gym."

She felt my arm and I flexed the muscle and she smiled. "Well yes you do." She stepped away and welcomed us into her home. Ok, again, completely normal. Living room, kitchen in the back. Stairs going up to the second floor where the bedrooms were located. Dining room off the kitchen. Everything normal. The bathrooms were very normal, no gold, no rare expensive stone work. Ok, I have to stop doing that and accept them as a normal family not some strange billionaires that are going to gold plate everything in sight. A normal family.

"Ashlee, I'm so glad that you are here. We were getting worried that the weather was going to come crashing down on you and prevent you from getting here."

"No worries mom, Paul is a great driver and the Rover is a great car to use in bad weather."

"Well good. Come inside before you all catch a death of cold."

"I'll grab the bags." I went to the back of the Rover and opened the back and started to grab the two duffels that we packed for our weekend.

"Can I help you carry that?"

The man's voice next to me surprised me and I jumped back from the tailgate.

"No, I have it." I said once I was able to breathe and think again. "I'm Paul Johnson."

I held out my hand to the man, he shook it. "Well, that makes me John Jones, Ashlee's dad and Brenda's grandfather."

"Sir, good to meet you. I was hoping to meet you this weekend. I have several questions for you, one of great importance."

"Well, don't waste your breath here. Big questions need to be asked inside over a drink. Come on, let's put these inside and then I'll show you around."

I followed John inside and he showed me to Ashlee's old room which is where I put our bag and then to a guest room where I dumped Brenda's stuff. We then went downstairs and he told his wife "Ma, we're going out back."

He took me out back to the three car garage that we saw when we pulled in. Well, what we didn't see was the large garage on the other side of the property where someone was working. "Pedro, you in there?" John called out as we approached the other garage.

"Yes sir, Mr. Jones. I'm in here."

"Come on, I want you to meet my right hand man around here." We entered the garage and a short yet fit man of Spanish descent. "Pedro, this is Paul Johnson, he is dating Ashlee."

We exchanged handshakes and John went onto explain Pedro's function. "Pedro has been our handyman for what, the past 20 years. He fixes things here and is the winter caretaker of my resort and helps the staff at the beginning of the season to get it ready when the time is right. My all around handy man."

"Yes, I am sir." He turned to me, "I have been working for the Jones family since I was a teenager. My parents came here from Mexico and I started working Mr. Jones during the 70's. It's good to meet Ms. Ashlee's boyfriend."

"Has she brought many home?"

"No. My daughter has brought home two boys to meet us. One back in high school and now you."

"Was the high school boy the father to Brenda?"

"Yes. Nice boy, too bad about him dying so young. Ashlee was pretty hard hit by it all add to that the baby. Well, she was pretty bad off for a while. Luckily, she pulled through and became the woman you love." She paused and turned to me. "You do love her don't you?"

"Yes sir I do. Very much so."

He looked me over evaluating me then said, "Good."

We stood around the garage until it was obvious that nothing else needed to be said and we bade Pedro good bye and we went back into the house. Brenda was on the couch watching TV, Ashlee and her mom were in the kitchen talking and cooking dinner.

"Paul, do you like pot roast?" Evelyn called to me as I came in from the back yard.

"Yes ma'am I do. Can I help any?"

"No. You go and take a seat and I'll call you when dinner is ready." She then shooed me out of the kitchen with a dish towel and went back to talking to Ashlee. "Is he always that helpful or is he just on his best behavior?"

I stopped just outside the kitchen door and listened. I heard Ashlee say in a blatant stage whisper. "He is always that helpful. He and I cook together more often than not. He is what you would call a servant leader."

"Good. You are busy enough as it is to do all the work in a home."

"Mom, I'm not busy at all. I quit my job to travel the world with Paul. I haven't been busy in months. You wouldn't believe how nice it is to sleep in and not rush around trying to get myself ready and then get Brenda out the door to school. It has been very nice."

There was a moment of silence where nothing was said, and then Ashlee started in again. "Ok, yes. I'm a bit bored not working. I liked helping the kids at school seeing them prosper and grow and then graduate. I loved that."

More silence, then Ashlee said. "Mom. Jeez, don't give me that look. Yes, I'm going back to work and Paul is very supportive of me doing that. It's like he knows what I need before I can even admit it to myself. He really wants me to be happy."

"Ok. I'm glad to hear it."

"How do you do that mom? Give me a look like that and get me to confess stuff. You've done that ever since I was a kid."

I heard a sound like someone was patting a cheek, "Years of practice with your father and the rest of the family. Just years of practice. Now, go get the plates and set the table."

I scampered away from the door and got to the couch before Ashlee came out. My sudden jumping onto the couch made Brenda say "Hey" but I ignored her and kept an eye out for her mom coming in through the kitchen on her way to the dining room. "What are you doing?"

I turned to Brenda and she was now closer to me looking over the back of the couch with me spying on her mom. "I'm hiding from your mom after spying on her conversation with your grandmother in the kitchen."

"Really. That is so sneaky. What did you hear?"

"You mom said good things about me and then something about going back to work. Nothing strange."

"Too bad. They usually are very frank in their discussions. I heard them talking about sex a long time ago. That was very interesting."

I looked at her, "I bet it was. Learn anything?"

"Yes." She smiled and blushed, it must have been a very interesting conversation in deed.

Ashlee finished setting the table and when she turned to go back to the kitchen, she spotted the two of us looking at her from the couch. We tried to duck our heads, but didn't get down fast enough. "I got you both!!!" Ashlee yelled out and then grabbed both of us while we had our heads hidden in the couch cushions.

Brenda yelled out and so did I. "AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" A small tickle fight started and it went from us trying to defend ourselves, to us going after her. "Ha ha ha ha ha Wait ha ha ha ha Wait ha ha ha I have to pee ha ha ha!"

"Hang on Brenda, let her up." She got away from us and panting like she had run a marathon got to the bathroom and closed the door. "Well done madam." I said to Brenda holding out my knuckles.

"Well done yourself mister." We exchanged a fist bump and blew it up.

"Ok you two, dinner is almost ready go and wash up." Evelyn said from the doorway. Brenda and I got up off the floor and went to the kitchen to wash our hands. I felt like a kid again being here. It felt good to feel young again not having to worry about making dinner or decide what to have for dinner.

Dinner, as promised, was a beef pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions. Evelyn put it in a serving bowl and John cut into it and made plates for us to pass around. I didn't know that fresh bread was being served so when Ashlee grabbed that bowl and took a big slice and passed it to me, I did the same. I love fresh bread and gave it a smell. Ooooh, so good.

Dinner was excellent and there was enough for seconds.

Once we were all done, the conversation and questions started.

John - So Paul. Let me make sure I understand. You are a widower, is that correct?

Me - Yes sir I am.

John - Ashlee tells me that you lost your kids as well.

Me - Yes sir. It was a car accident that took their lives earlier this year.

Evelyn - How did you manage to come out of that and fall in love so quickly?

Me - My parents and in-laws gave me a verbal ass, sorry, butt kicking and told me to get on with my life and not to wallow.

John - Good. I like them already. I have seen far too many people lose their loved ones and fall into a deep funk for years. Have you gotten over it? Gone through all of the grieving steps completely?

Me - I don't think I'll ever get over it. It will always be part of who I am, but I don't think about it as much as I used to. As for the grieving, well, I think I have and I accept the fact that they are gone and waiting for me beyond this life.

John - When did you start going out with my daughter?

Me - After I came back to work. I asked her out for lunch, she said yes and we started having lunch together until we managed to go out in the evening. Then there was the Maureen fiasco...

Evelyn - You didn't introduce him to Maureen did you?

Ashlee - I did. I don't know why, but I did. They got along until he told us about the lawsuit settlement he got from the two companies that contributed to the death of his family then Maureen got all possessive and then that ended. He continued to talk to me at work and have lunch with me, but it was then that I decided I should be with him instead of her. I mean, she really got all crazy when she heard about his settlement. So did I, but not as bad as she got.

Evelyn - Did you tell him about the family money she blew through?

Ashlee - Yes. He knows all about the oil money and how she wasted it all in Vegas.

Evelyn - Yes she did. It's a good thing that you ended it with her. She would have you in Vegas right now gambling through your money so fast it would make your head spin. That's why we had to put her share of the oil money into a trust and give her just enough to live on. She is really bad with money.

John - So, you have money from a lawsuit settlement. How much of that do you have left?

Me - Most of it. I wrote a big check to my church's building fund so that they could finally get on with building their new building.

John - Which church is that?

Me - First Baptist Church of Blue Springs.

Evelyn - Do you go very often?

Me - When I can, but while I was married, we went every Sunday. It kind of gets hard to go now that I'm a widower. It almost feels like everyone is looking at me feeling sorry for me. I don't want any pity.

I may have said that a little louder than I intended. There was a moment of silence that John finally ended.

John - Are you sure about being over it?

Me - Maybe not. I just don't need pity at my loss. It happened, I can't bring them back, so I have to move on and I can't really do that if people still treat me like I'm some freak or something. I may have to change churches if it continues.

Evelyn was closest and she put her hand on mine and gave it a squeeze.

Evelyn - I am sure that they don't see you as a freak, they probably just recognize that you are still hurting and just don't know what to say or what to do for you to make you feel better.

Me - Yes, I suppose you are right.

I took a deep breath, calming the internal storm of emotions I was starting to feel.

Me - Thank you for dinner. It was really good.

Evelyn - Thank you. Have you had a pot roast before?

Me - Yes, we always made them during the winter when we planned ahead. There were days when planning dinner didn't always happen until the last minute.

I let out a laugh at my own joke. Samantha and I were notorious for not planning dinner until it was dinner time and then we would just eat whatever fell out of the freezer when we opened the door really fast. It was a running gag in our house.

Evelyn - Well, I'm glad that you liked it.

Me - yes ma'am. A real treat for me.

John - Paul, you said that you wanted to ask me something. Why don't you stop beating around the bush and ask me what you want to ask me.

Me - Ok. I had hoped to do this just us, but here goes. Mr. Jones, I want to marry your daughter and would like your permission to do so. May we have your blessing?

John looked at his wife and they gave each other a nod and a look then he came back to me.

John - Paul. I am wondering something. Why are you asking me? It is old fashioned and outdated to ask a man for his daughter's hand in marriage.

Me - That may be the case for some, but for me it is the right thing to do. The wedding ceremony has you giving the bride to the groom in front of friends and family and it seems like the right thing to do is to ask for her hand before you give it to me.

John chewed on my words for a moment.

John - Why do you want it?

Me - She completes me. When we are together, no matter what we are going, I feel complete when she is with me doing it. No matter if we are in the kitchen cooking, folding laundry, going to the store for food or just hanging out, I feel complete with her near me.

John - Have you two had sex already?

Evelyn - John. You can't ask that?

John - Yes I can. She is my daughter and I can ask anything I darn well please.

Ashlee and her mother were blushing up a storm and I held onto my composure in the face of his questions. I wanted this so if I had to answer a bunch of off the wall questions, well I was going to do it come heck or high water.

Me - Yes sir. We have had sex.

John - Have you made love as well?

Me - Yes sir. But aren't the two things the same physical act?

He smiled; which sometimes is not a good thing

John - Yes, they are the same act but there is more to it. There is the act of putting your dick into a woman's vagina but beyond the act, there is the entire emotional context that you have to take into account.

Of course I knew what he was talking about. Ashlee and I talked about this a long time ago.

Me - Yes. We have had sex where we just each just needed a release and have used each other to achieve that release. Then, we have made love where every emotion that we had in us was expressed through the same act you just described. We have had both and found both of them very satisfying.

John leaned back in his chair and laced his finger together behind his head. He held me in his gaze for what seemed like an eternity. Then he finally took a breath and asked.

John - When you married your first wife, did you ask her father the same question?

Me - Yes sir I did.

John - Did he give you his blessing on that union?

Me - Yes he did.

John - Why did you ask him?

Me - For the same reason I am asking you.

He raised his eyebrows in what could only be interpreted as a question.

John - Why?

Me - Respect.

John sat nodding his head in agreement with me.

John - I understand that. To do otherwise would be tantamount to stealing. Running off with a man's daughter and not ask for her hand would be very disrespectful.

He moved his chair back away from the table and stood up. I didn't know what to do so I stayed in my chair.

John - Paul. You are only the second man Ashlee has brought into our home. The first one was the father of Brenda here and the two of them came to us together to confess their love had brought about a baby and for that I respected him very much. Yes, he died before they could get married, but when the two of them came and talked to us honestly about what happened. Well, I was impressed by that and had a great deal of respect for that young man.

He moved around the table toward me.

John - Now you are doing something equally honorable, coming to me like a man and asking me for my daughter's hand in marriage. A wise decision.

He took a knee next to Brenda.

John - So Ms B, what do you think of these two?

Brenda - Grandpa, I think it is a good match. He has welcomed me into his life and heart from the very beginning. I never thought of myself as a step kid or an outsider. He has always treated me with respect and love and made sure my needs and wants were taken care of.

John - Good. I'm glad to hear that.

Brenda - He even bought me a car, well two cars actually. One for driving daily and another one that is more race car than daily driver. He didn't have to but he did. He even arranged for all of my friends to fly down to Texas for my birthday. He even made sure that we had boys around to dance with at the party since we forgot our boyfriends back in KC. He is very thoughtful and really cares about me and mom.

John kissed his granddaughter, rubbed her head and stood up.

John - So, you buy my granddaughter cars and trips. Are you trying to buy her love?

Me - No sir. The car she had wasn't very good and I wanted to make sure she had something safe and reliable to get to and from school in. She has told me that she wants to be a race car driver so that other car is more of a toy than transportation.