Chapter 7

The first major decision Don made occurred when he was summoned to the Principal’s office towards the end of the school year by Diane. She asked him if he wanted to coach basketball next year. Diane was just going through the motions as she assumed that it was a given he would be the coach but he surprised her with his answer.

“I have spent considerable time thinking about if I want to coach basketball anymore. While I do enjoy coaching my answer is no, it’s time that I hang up the old jock strap. I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted to do as a coach and it’s time to pass the torch. Going out on top is a dream come through and is a way I can go out on my terms. There are very few coaches who have been able to do that.”

“Tucker Carl the JV coach is about the same age I was and has the same experience I had when I became a head coach. I think he will do an excellent job as a head coach and would recommend him to replace me. I will say that I am not leaving the cupboard bare as Josh, Ty, and Marcus will give him a solid base for next year’s team. They are already being recruited by the college scouts.”

“I should mention that Art Dorsey is accepting the ride Miami offered him. Jake Crosby has received many offers from major schools and is discussing it with his parents. Jake told me he would like to follow in his father’s footsteps and wants to join the Coast Guard after college. I did phone the Coast Guard Academy and discussed Jake’s interest in them with their basketball coach. I told him of the interest that these other schools had expressed in Jake and the offers they have made. The coach said it is not that often that a second-team All-American basketball player wants to come to the Academy so I think the Crosby family will be surprised when the coach contacts them.”

“I also called the Naval Academy as a backup and gave the coach there the same spiel I gave the Coast Guard Academy. Being honest with the coach, I told him that I think Jake has a preference for the Coast Guard Academy but who knows. I think that coach will be calling Jake as well.”

Knowing that the Secretary could hear some of the conversation because of Diane’s open door policy Don said in a little louder voice, “Now has a reward for winning this school’s first State Basketball Championship, will you let me take you out to dinner.”

Don could see by her reaction that Diane wasn’t expecting him to say something like that especially with the Secretary hearing his invitation. Don was always surprising her with some of the comments he would make which were completely unexpected. That was one of the many things she liked about him.

There was a lull before Diane responded in her no-nonsense business voice, “Mr. Carlson, I’ll have you know that I have a self-imposed rule of not socializing with my teachers. But I will admit that I am not sure if that rule would apply to a part-time now retiring coach. Let me think about that and I will get back to you.”

They both silently chuckled to themselves as they thought about what the Secretary’s reaction would be to hearing this conversation and wondered who she would tell.

The other major decisions Don needed to make were about the two properties he owned as to whether to sell the one up north and stay here or move back north. It all became easy for him to decide what to do when he gave some serious thought to one more thing, and that was Diane. He was mentally kicking himself in the ass for not realizing much sooner that Diane was the one woman for him. She was the woman he wanted to marry, the woman he wanted to wake up next to in the morning, and that made coming up with the answers to all of his other questions relatively easy to do.

Purchasing the ring was another easy thing to do but how to propose marriage to Diane was something he gave some serious thought to. He looked on the internet and found posted many ways marriage proposals had been made. He knew from her prior reactions that Diane despite what she said to him enjoyed being surprised by him and he definitely wanted her to be surprised when he proposed to her. He thought of how he would do it and assumed because of the relationship they had she would accept, but he could never be sure till he heard her say the magic word of “Yes.”

After dinner one night they came back in his condo and were in bed making love. Don was in the missionary position with his hips moving causing his shaft to enter and withdraw from Diane’s special place. He was bending down and nibbling on her ear. Because of what she had said previously he knew his doing this nibbling and probing of her ear was causing her to have additional sensations.

While he was doing this nibbling he quietly said, “Diane.”

‘Hmm.”

“Will you marry me?”

Quickly releasing her arms that were around him she excitedly said, “WHAT! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?”

Raising himself up on his arms so he could look down at her he said, “I said will you marry me? I love you and all that you are.”

In looking down at her he could see she was stunned by what he had just asked her since it was completely unexpected. She was quiet for a moment but then with what he thought were tears forming in her eyes she put her arms over his shoulders and said in a choked voice, “I..., I have wanted to hear you ask me that question for some time now..., but to answer your question..., yes I will. I have known for a while that you were the man for me. I do love you.”

Laughing a little she said, “I thought you would take the hint to propose when I asked if I could keep some of my clothes in a closet here.”

Don bent down to kiss her and at the same time he put his hips back in motion. She wrapped her arms and legs around him holding him tightly to her.

Later that night before he fell asleep he thought about Diane and the life he thought and hoped they would have. He also thought that in moving or relocating, life is what you make of it no matter where you live. He couldn’t help but think his marrying Diane was going to bless him in having a good life in the coming years.

Epilogue

In the past ten years, Don’s life with Diane was all he had hoped it would be.