Chapter 7

Senior year was an incredible time for Don and Emily. Engineering courses, especially at this level, were not something that could be ignored. They required intensive work and a lot of study time. However, with both of them in the same field, and, in fact, with mostly the same courses, they were able to spend adequate time in study.

But there were other things, too. Both had lived in apartments and so were familiar with the cooking, cleaning and other tasks required. However, somehow sharing them with each other made them new and more exciting, rather than boring. Both liked to cook and enjoyed fixing meals together. They still went out on dates as they had the last year, still engaged in other activities, but now each night they got to slip into bed together.

Both Don and Emily had found that sex was exciting beyond anything they had ever anticipated. Emily was beginning to think she was nearly insatiable and both of them were ecstatic with this concept. They found themselves making love - or just plain fucking - two or three times a day. Usually in the morning before they rose and definitely every night. In fact, it was very rare for a night to pass without such activity. The only time there were two such nights in a row was when Emily came down with a case of flu, but she insisted they make up for the lack the next week.

They were finding themselves more in love each day and their interest in sex never diminished in the slightest, but rather seemed to increase as they learned more about each other. Both considered themselves lucky beyond belief in this respect.

Almost without their being their being aware of it, the semester drew to a close. Suddenly one day in May they realized that in another two weeks they would be graduating, finally realizing their dreams of becoming engineers.

Emily’s parents, as well as John and Linda, were coming to campus for the graduation ceremonies. Don had no close relatives beyond his father, who was coming. His mother had died several years earlier and he was an only child.

When the day finally arrived, everyone got together for lunch before the five o’clock ceremony. Emily had met Don’s father when he had taken her home one weekend and now she met Linda for the first time. Linda was an attractive, dark haired girl, and Emily and she took to each other immediately.

Everyone asked about their plans. Don and Emily had both found a job with a very small engineering firm in a town some hundred miles off. In fact, small might have been too big a word to describe it. The company, Hickory Engineering, was owned by an older engineer, Frank Stevens. He was in his sixties and expected to retire in the next few years but wanted someone to eventually take over the company. Emily and Don had met him through a friend of a friend kind of thing and the three of them had hit it off quite well. Frank had offered them positions - admittedly at somewhat lower salaries than they might have obtained elsewhere - but with the idea that if everything worked out they might be able to buy the company from him in a few years. Besides the three of them, there would only be one other employee who managed the office side of things.

Don and Emily had spent some serious time discussing the offer. True, they could make more money elsewhere but there were some definite advantages to this. For one, the firm was located in the eastern part of the state, a geography they both loved. Most of the work was semi-isolated. Road construction or remote buildings. A chance to work outside in rural territory. And, of course, the possibility of actually owning their own business in the not too distant future. In the end they jumped at the opportunity.

Their other big plans were also a topic of conversation. The wedding. They had decided to get married the seventh of July. Their work with Hickory would begin the first of August and this would give them a chance for a honeymoon as well as to find an apartment and get everything settled before the wedding. Although neither would tell anyone just what their honeymoon plans were, they had decided to make a camping trip into some of the backcountry. Both enjoyed hiking and camping and the idea of spending a couple of weeks away from everyone except each other really appealed. Not to mention that it would be relatively inexpensive. Neither had a lot of money. Emily’s scholarships and grants had ended as had Don’s GI bill. They had some saved but neither wanted to blow it all on a big trip just then.

There was also the matter of the wedding itself. Emily knew her parents could not afford to spend a lot on a wedding. Fortunately she had never envisioned a big wedding herself. She did want a formal ceremony, but not really anything big. No huge cake or expensive dress. What she did want was Don, and she could have that without a lot of expensive trimmings. She did want a formal ceremony. Not just a room at the county seat. Just nothing too fancy.

She and Don had discussed this and had found that he was in perfect agreement with her ideas. When it came to discussing a location, at first neither had any real ideas. Then suddenly Emily froze. Her eyes opened wide and she said, “Don. What would you say to an outdoor wedding?”

“Fine with me, as long as it’s to you. Did you have somewhere in particular in mind?”

“Well, yes. As long as you’d like it, too. I was thinking about up on the hilltop at home. You know, my favorite place under the big maple.”

She held her breath but saw Don’s face immediately light up. “I think that would be perfect!” Then he added, “As long as it isn’t raining.”

They had decided that the guests would be limited to family and just a few friends. John was acting as best man and Lynn was to be Emily’s bridesmaid. Her parents, Don’s father, Linda and a couple of friends from school would be it. Instead of a formal reception, it was decided that Emily’s parents would provide a nice country dinner outside after the ceremony. Thankfully, everyone involved seemed quite happy with these arrangements.

As five o’clock neared, Emily and Don separated from the others and headed over to don their caps and gowns while the others found seats for the proceedings. Just at five, the strains of Pomp and Circumstance sounded and with a few short speeches they were soon walking across the stage to receive their degrees. After the recessional, they reunited with the family and were talking about were to go for supper when suddenly a voice behind them said, “Emily. Don.”

The pair turned to see Professor Branson approaching. He was still dressed in his regalia, gown, stole and hood with a mortarboard cap. Surprised, Emily responded, “Professor Branson.” As he came up to them she introduced the others. After greetings and a few comments he turned back to the two newly made engineers.

“Emily, Don. Congratulations. You have both been really outstanding students. Don, I have been really impressed with how you have worked, coming back to a field you had left, and especially after what you went through before doing so. And Emily. Seven years ago I first saw you looking at those displays over in the Engineering building and the first impression I had was of a hungry kid outside a candy store. No, that’s not quite right. More of a kid staring at the window of a toy store at something he longed for but never thought he could have. Then as soon as I began to talk with you I saw something else. I saw intelligence, desire and determination. I knew even then that you would never quit until you had what you wanted so much. I have never been disappointed in you. In either of you.”

Emily looked at her mentor. “Professor Branson, if it hadn’t been for you I doubt I would ever have even come close. You have been more help to me that I can ever say.”

“Oh, Emily, you have said thanks to me at least a million times. I was just in a position to provide a little help. But you did it and I never had any doubt you would. The same for you, Don.”

Both thanked him. Then he slowly looked from one to the other. “I know you two are planning to get married in another month or so. I don’t believe either of you could have made a better choice.” He stopped for a couple of seconds before going on. “In all the years I have been teaching I have never done anything like this and I probably never will again, but you two are unique.” He reached into a bag he was carrying and pulled out a wrapped box, some eight inches square. “I don’t know that it would be completely ethical to give you a graduation gift since I don’t for other students, but we can call this an early wedding gift.”

Emily quickly spoke. “Professor Branson, you don’t need to do that. You’ve done so much for us already.”

He smiled. “I know I don’t have to. I want to. I have never felt an urge quite like this with any other students, but, as I said, you two are unique. Please accept this. In fact, please open it now.”