Chapter 14

“Holy Shit!” was all I could think, and all that I seemed to be able to say, as well.

“The General is coming here?” I finally managed to ask, as Sandy glared amusedly at my sputtering of epitaphs.

“Both Mom and Dad will be here, in an hour and a half. I need you to get ready as quick as you can, and then put the extra leaf on the dining room table, while I finish up with the dinner preparations. Come find me in the kitchen when your done.”

I didn’t dare salute her now, despite the urge that shot through me at her orders. Her father was one stickler for military rules, and courtesy. I had only met the man once, at a faculty gathering at the University. Sandy’s mom, on the other hand, I had met several times when she would come to visit Sandy at school.

Quickly taking a shower, I dressed into the clothes that Sandy had put out for me to wear. It was some of my better semi formal stuff, and fit well. After dressing, and donning my shoes, I headed downstairs.

Recruiting a bodyguard to help, I positioned the extra leaf into the dining room table, and then headed to the kitchen to see Sandy.

“Hello there love, and mother of my child. My chores are done, what can I do to help?” I asked as sweetly as I could.

She flashed me a bright smile, and crooked her finger at me. I came closer, and she gave me a sweet kiss. She then promptly handed me a knife, and told me to start chopping.

I continued to chop, stir, and follow all her directions. We prepared part of the meal, together. The house help was also busily following her directions; as she herded the group, and the meal, to perfection.

I got caught up in the whirlwind of activity, and paused when Sandy said, “Ok, TJ. No more.”

I glanced up from the dish I was stirring, quirking an eyebrow at her.

“Mom and Dad will be here in a few minutes. Go to the living room, and wait to greet them when they arrive.”

I again followed orders, and went to the couch, where I could see any cars approach the driveway. I was nervous. I had been trying to decide if I should ask Sandy quick to marry me, so we could surprise her parents with the happy news; or if I should be more traditional, and ask her father’s permission first.

What a struggle it was. I could feel the ring in my pocket, pressing against my leg as I sat there mulling over the possibilities. I knew that I had run out of time to ask Sandy before they arrived, but I wondered if I could do it at dinner. I knew what I wanted, and putting it off was beginning to drive me nuts.

A flash of reflected light off a windshield, brought me out of my reverie and calculations. I popped up off the couch, and headed for the door. I waited for them to get just to the door, and reach for the doorbell, when I opened it up.

“General Woolen, Cathy. It’s so good to see you again,” I said, putting on my best smile.

Shaking the generals hand, and then receiving a dutiful kiss on the cheek form Cathy, I ushered them inside the house.

“Nice home you have here, son.” the General said.

“Yes, it’s a lovely neighborhood.” his wife added.

“I’ve had it for a few years now.” I told them, while directing them to the living room. “I bought it when it needed some work, and when the market was depressed a few years ago. I’ve put a lot of work into it, but it’s now worth about twice what I paid.”

“Nicely done.” The General said to my small brag.

“Is Sandy getting ready?” Cathy asked.

“She’s right through that door in the kitchen, getting the finishing touches of dinner ready. Why don’t I show you where, and maybe get you a drink, Sir?” I asked.

“Scotch for me, thanks.” He told me.

I lead Cathy to see her daughter. She was waiting for her in the kitchen, and already had a scotch ready for her dad, and myself. I thanked, her gave her a little peck on the cheek, and left the ladies to talk. I new I would have to remember to ask how the conversation went.

I returned to the living room, and handed the scotch to the General. He was ensconced in one of my large leather overstuffed recliners. It looked gigantic on him, as he had yet to regain the weight that his battle with cancer had cost him.

“Sir, how’s your drink?” I asked him.

“Very good son. Now, about my daughter.” He said, his voice trailing off has his thin body, gave me the hard stare of both a boot camp instructor and three star General, retired.

“Well, I love Sandy very much. I want to marry her, and I know she would accept. First though I was hoping to get your permission first, Sir.” I said in a rush. ‘Wow, what nerves to get right to the point!’ I congratulatory told myself.

“I’ve looked you up, son. I’ve even called in a few favors to get the dirt on you. I must say that your record in the military was outstanding.”

“There was my discharge.” I said timidly, beginning to feel that things might not go well.

“Don’t worry about that. It was mostly because you were having trouble over the incident, not the because of the way things went. You got reinstated at your previous rank didn’t you?”

“Yes, Sir, I did.”

“Now the only matter remaining is the fact that you are going to be receiving the Medal. That’s one thing I’m going to be very proud to have back in the family again.”

My eyebrows shot up, was this permission?

“So I have your permission to marry Sandy?”

“Do you have the ring, yet?”

“Yes, I do. I had it custom made, just today.”

“Well then, I guess you have my permission, son.”

“Thank you, Sir!” I told him, careful to keep the excitement out of my voice.

“Now, can I see that ring?”

I glanced around, to make sure that the girls were still occupied, and fished it out of my pocket. I handed it to him, and he took it into one of his large hands.

He eyed it carefully for a few moments, letting the diamond sparkle in the light form the lamp next to his chair.

“Beautiful ring. Did you know that giving solitaire’s as an engagement rings, has been a family tradition for several generations, now?” he asked surprised.

“Sandy mentioned it one day, when she was telling me about how you proposed to Cathy.”

“Good job, son. This ring is amazing, it hardly weighs a thing.”

“The band is made of matter placed in stasis. It’s weightless, and it’s invulnerable to just about anything. I figured the if the stone was going to last forever, so should the setting.”

“It’s quite a piece of work. The band catches and reflects the light, almost as good as the diamond. That diamond is a piece of work, too. It’s the largest solitaire engagement ring in the family, to date.”

“It was a gift, just for the making of this ring,” I told him proudly.

“You didn’t buy it?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“It was a thank you gift, from the people of the future, the people that warned us about the alien attack. I wanted to make it special, so I had the band custom made for the diamond.” I told him, glad to see a partial smile return.

“So. Do you have a box for it? Or do you plan on dropping it into a champagne glass, or something?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t sure what your family tradition was. Mine doesn’t really have any, so I haven’t made any firm plans. I don’t have a box for it, but I’d be willing to consider any ideas you might have.”

He stood, and reached into his pocket, and pulled something out. I stood as well, when he handed it to me. It was a small wooden box, with a brass plate across the top. The plate listed several last names, the final being Woolen.

I opened it up, and a small light flipped on inside, illuminating the bottom of the box, which was filled with a soft velvet pillow, with a small crease to hold the ring in.

“Is this another family tradition, Sir?” I asked.

“Kind of. It’s a tradition on Cathy’s side. It’s for the women of her family. The father only gives it to the man who wishes to marry his daughter, if he has given him permission to do so. It will be your responsibility to turn it over to any young man that comes to court your daughter, or daughters. The restriction, though, is that they must ask for permission. You can’t ask them.”

“Wow, thank you so much, sir.” I told him, shaking his hand firmly. He may be thin, and week from his recovery, but his grip was still strong and firm.

“The other requirement, is that you get it engraved with your last name, just below mine, on your honeymoon.”

“That’s great!” I told him. “I was worried I’d have to get it engraved, before I asked Sandy.”

“It was the same worry I had,” he told me, smiling.

“How many generations has this been used for?” I asked him, looking over the names on the box.

“There are seven names on the box, but one generation only had boys. So, I guess it’s been used eight times, and you make the ninth.”

“Has it always been illuminated?” I asked, slipping the ring into the pillow. I watched as the gem seemed to burst with color and light, under the pinprick of light shining from the top of the box.

“It was Cathy’s grandfather who put the first battery and light bulb in. I redid the lighting mechanism, before asking Cathy to marry me. I updated it to modern bulb, and battery, and put in a switch so it would turn on when opened.”

“This looks like a tiny halogen bulb though. You’ve been married almost thirty five years.”

“I redid it again a few years ago, in preparation for this day. As you are the owner now, you can modify it as you see fit. The only requirement (put to me by Cathy’s father), was that the box itself, remain basically the same.

“You can probably see the side piece I replaced, where the old on/off switch used to be.”

“I do. But you did a wonderful job of repairing, and replacing it.”

“That’s the other condition. All work on this family heirloom, must be done by you, or who you pass it on to. It’s not to be worked on by anyone outside the family.”

“I understand. It’s too valuable to risk damage by outsiders. The light inside is great. I wonder why I’ve never heard of the idea before?”

“Neither had I. But I understood that not marketing the idea, meant that it remained a special family tradition.”

“I can understand that, an idea this cool would be everywhere, if it was ever brought to market. That would ruin the uniqueness of the history behind it.”

“That’s right. Now better close that thing up, ‘cause I think I hear the girls coming,” he said, and washed the last of his drink down.

I snapped the box closed, and slipped it into my pocket.

“Do you know why Cathy’s grandfather made it light up?” I asked.

“Her grandmother loved sitting outside at night, and staring at the moon. He understood that if he was to propose under the moonlight, that the sparkle of the diamond would be diminished, in the low light.”

“Pretty smart guy,” I told him.

“Yes, he was.”

The girls came in at that point, and we were ushered into the dining room. As we sat, I took the head, and the General took the foot of the table. Sandy sat on my right, and Cathy on my left. I said a short blessing for the food, and we dug in. One of the assigned house servants brought the dishes around.

The conversation was light, and good natured. The women dominated the talk; with babies, and upcoming events, like the Medal presentation. I chimed in when appropriate, as did the General. He spent most of the evening watching both his wife, and his only daughter.

As dinner wound down, and we finished desert, the ladies went to the living room to talk. I took the General to my office, for cigars.

After lighting up and puffing softly, I reached into my desk, and removed a nut and bolt set.

I handed it to him, and said, “Tell me what you think of this. I have a group of research students, working with some new technology from the alien craft.”

Puffing on his cigar, he looked the bolt over, and slid the nut around it, with a few experimental flicks. The nut spun easily, with one flick, turning most of the way down the bolt.

“Is this made of that same stuff you made the ring out of?” he asked.

“Sure is. It’s unbreakable. Won’t bend rust, or wear. Ever,” I told him.

“Damn, son. This bolt could change everything.”

I was surprised how quickly he grasped the situation.

“Bridges held together with bolts like these might never fail.”

“It’s more than bolts, sir. Big things; like trusses, and support beams can be made out of it, too.”

“It’s going to revolutionize everything, then. There hasn’t been a major construction material revolution, since the advent of bessemer steel, and that was nearly two centuries ago.”

“Yes, it will. My guys are part of a company that I’ve formed, just to explore the possibility, and to create products for consumers. I’d like to ask you, Sir, if you’d be interested in joining my company. I need somebody with the experience to run things; but also with the wisdom to let the people below him, handle the stuff they know how to handle.”