Chapter 2

Christmas morning I heard Matt and Nancy get up early to see what was in their stocking. Thea had filled them with candy and little things. These presents did not mean much, but they were welcomed just to keep the tradition alive. Mary came in for breakfast and we sat in the living room to open the presents that were under a little tree.

The first present Mat passed out was one for me. It was a pair of comfortable shoes. I was so pleased, as mine were worn out. I had put a hundred dollar bill into each of four envelopes, which I put on one limb of the tree. Matt reached up for the envelopes and then changed his mind. He was saving those for last.

Finally, the tree was bare except for the envelopes. Matt passed them around and sat down to open his own. Money had been short for this family. Mary had enough, but she was not able to work for she was keeping her sister's family together and happy by helping as much as she did. When the money was exposed I said, "This money is to be used for something personal that you have hoped for, but couldn't afford. Matt, think of all the chocolate bars on which you can pig out.

"I have one more present for each of you. This is just for the friendship you all have shown me. Matt there is a box under the Christmas tree apron that you missed. Would you hand it to me please?" It was a box about eight inches long, three inches wide, and three quarters of an inch thick. Matt handed to me.

"As you know, I have lost my family. For the last three weeks, I have been included in this one. Warmly welcomed, I must add. I have here what one friend would give to another." I took the cover off the box and picked out of it a smaller one. Matt, this is to remember me by. You won't have much use for it for a few years, but I hope someday when you have occasion to wear it, you will think of the man who gave it to you."

I handed it to him. It was a tie-tac. He did not know what it was. "When you get dressed up someday this will hold your tie from flopping around. See, it goes through the tie and the little chain goes into a buttonhole. The stone in the middle of the Silver Star is a garnet gemstone. You were born in January and that is the birthstone for January." This was something that was too old for a child, but I hoped he would at some point treasure it.

"Matt, your mother's birthday is in the same month as yours. So she gets something much like I gave you." I handed Thea a long box. It was a garnet pendant on a very fine gold chain. Thea's face flushed. She knew this was a nice piece of jewelry.

"Ed, it is beautiful. I have never had a stone for my birthday before. Thank you very much." I next took another small box from the larger one.

I handed this to Mary. "Mary, I found out you were born in June. At least that is what Nancy tells me."

"That is true." I handed Mary the box. She opened it to find a silver ring with a solitary pearl. It was the finest one I could find. "My God, it is so beautiful! It fits too. Thank you so much."

I laughed. "I was going to suggest that you have the ring sized, but if it fits then we are both in luck."

I had to finish this and I knew what I was going to try to say. The box held something similar to what I had given Thea. "Nancy, I had a daughter and her birthday was in April, the same month as yours. I bought this to give to her on her sixteenth birthday. In March, she had a chance to visit Japan. She has not come home and from all indication, she never will.

"You are much like her. I was proud of her and I am proud of you. This is for you and I will ask of you the same as I just told Matt. When you get a chance to wear it -- and you will -- think of the person that gave it to you. Maybe you will send up a little prayer for the girl it was originally meant.

"It sparkles like a diamond. Is it?"

"Yes, it is a diamond." I stood and turned to go to my room. "Ed, you need a hug and I need one too." Nancy hugged me as tight as she could. Thea and Mary followed with the same.

Matt did not know what to do. I laughed. "I'll settle for a high five if you will." This made everyone laugh.

The joy lasted through dinner and then I got to thinking about my lost family and retired to my room. I lay down, but could not sleep. The door opened and I felt someone lie down beside me. I was facing away from the door so I did not see whom it was.

"You are thinking about your family and being with them last Christmas, aren't you? Do you mind if I lay here with you for a little bit? I had Tim for Christmas, but he was gone by New Years. I am dreading the anniversary of his death in the coming week. I can handle it, but I feel so sad for the kids. Ed, you have helped us all by being here. I just wanted to let you know."

I felt her hand on my shoulder and I was comforted. I dozed off. When I awoke some time later, Thea had shifted and snuggled up to me. She needed the contact and closeness that had been lacking in her life lately, I guess. I needed the same, but it was Amaya that I longed for, not Thea.

I stayed for a while and then decided that I would walk off dinner. I eased away from Thea and slid out of bed. Mary was asleep on the couch and the two kids must have gone upstairs for a nap for I did not see them. It was cold and misty and although we were fifteen miles from the sea, you could smell it. I dressed warmly and headed out across the field. I was halfway across the lot when I got off the path. I made my way through the brush and came up on a makeshift shelter. It was a bright tarp strung about three feet off the ground.

I was quiet. I didn't think there would be anyone in it, but did want to investigate. I then heard voices. It was Nancy and Matt talking. I could hear my name mentioned, but that was all. Before I got too close, I spoke. "Hey kids, I went for a walk and got lost. You can show me how to get back home."

Both heads popped out of the makeshift tent. "Hi Ed. Nancy and I come out here sometimes when we want to remember our Dad. You, Mom and Aunt Mary were sleeping, so we bugged out. Crawl in under the tarp. The ground is dry."

"Okay." I crawled between the two kids. They were in a couple of sleeping bags and there was a blanket under them. "Pretty neat hiding place."

"Yeah, it was Nancy's idea last summer. Mom was going to throw away the sleeping bags and we got the blanket from a neighbor who put it out for trash pickup. We had another, but it got wet and moldy."

Nancy asked, "Ed, you're going to stay with us aren't you? Matt and I don't want you to leave."

"Kids, I don't know. I have stayed a lot longer than I planned on. I got off the bus for a cup of coffee and was going to get back on a few hours later. I will promise you this. I won't leave without talking to both of you before I go and tell you why I have to leave."

"We will just make you love us so much you can't leave."

"Your Mom is doing that already."

"I know. Hey, I am getting cold. I think we had better go home. I'll show you how to get out of here so you can find your way back if you want to."

"Thanks, Matt." On the way back, I asked the kids to be kind to their mother on the anniversary of their Dad's death. "I know you two adored him, but your Dad and Mom were together a lot longer than you knew him. She will need to remember everything about him. If you want, we can hang out together more on that day."

"Okay, unless she wants us with her."

"Play it by ear then. I know I will want to be alone on an anniversary of my own coming in a few months. I was going by my own feelings and hers could be much different from mine."

Thea asked, "You guys went for a walk? I wish I had known or I would have gone with you."

"Matt and I went out and then Ed found us. We walked back together."

I went to the diner as usual the next morning. I do not think anyone was aware that Thea and I were associated as close as we were. They knew she had rented me a room. She had done this before with someone who worked for her. I usually walked to work and sometimes for the dinner meal as well. She called and said she would not be in until noon, but had called her cook and he would be in early.

It was about ten-thirty when her property owner came in. He didn't seem too disappointed that Thea was not present. He and the cook sat down in the property owner's usual seat in the corner booth. They had their heads together. Finally, they got up, toured the dining room, and came into the kitchen where I could hear them discussing something about Thea and not renewing her lease.

They went into the back room where the freezers and stock were located. I heard the cook state, "But she is a widow and needs the income."

"Maybe I'll propose to her. That would save her job. I'm well-to-do, and she is always on the verge of going broke. I will marry her and solve all of her problems. I am not particularly happy that she has a couple of brats, but that is her fault not mine. I can ship them off to school somewhere to get rid of them."

"I don't know. It seems pretty heartless."

"Maybe, but you would like to run this diner wouldn't you?"

"Yes." He thought a few minutes and then spoke, "Okay, go for it and see how it works. I'm in."

Thea came to work shortly after the property owner left. The cook was watching her. I think he liked her as his boss, but wanted to run the diner himself. Near the end of lunch, I asked, "Thea, today would you give me a ride home? I'll walk back for dinner."

"Sure." We got into the car.

"Tell me when your lease runs out."

"Why?"

"I heard your cook and your landlord talking. Your landlord is not renewing your lease. The cook is going to run the diner for him. The landlord is also going to propose marriage. If you marry him, he is planning on shipping Nancy and Matt off to school somewhere far away."

"That isn't going to happen. No way!"

"Good. Tonight let us sit down and do some planning. Don't say anything about knowing this."

"I wouldn't. I suspected something like this was coming up, but I was not too worried. With you helping, I'm not worried at all."

Thea dropped me off at home. The kids were there. "Sorry guys, I've got some thinking to do. It concerns your mother and the diner."

I sat down and listed what Thea's options were from what information I knew about her. I got out the phone book and looked up a realtor who handled businesses and asked some pointed questions. I was putting facts together, but I needed one more.

I wondered what kind of lease agreement Tim had when he went into business. I took the slip Thea had given me with the safe's combination and opened it. I found the lease and read it, putting it back when I finished. Thea was going to have to move fast. The landlord was trying to do some things that would cost her a bundle if her ducks were not all in a row.

It was getting late in the day. I made a call in Thea's name and got an appointment for tomorrow morning. I just hoped she was okay with what I was trying to do for her.

I had a few minutes to sit and think before I had to walk back to work. I thought back to almost four weeks ago when I first arrived. I had shed some of the crushing sadness I had at that time. I still had times when it came back, but I was definitely better. I could even smile on occasion and not feel guilty.

I made it back to work. The cook said as I came in, "Two more minutes and you would have been late. I don't tolerate tardiness. Thea is too lenient."

"Sorry."

On the way home that night I laid out my thoughts about what I had done. "There will be an appraiser coming into the diner to give you an idea of what you own is worth. How much do you own anyway?"

"Everything right down to the toothpicks in the holders. The place was bare when we set up business. What is the rush, anyway?"

"I read your lease. If you do not give a month's notice that you do not want to renew, you have to pay a daily penalty. This is the twenty-seventh. You have four days to give notice. That means you have to have a letter from your lawyer stating so. Of course, you have to remember your property owner is going to propose. That would put you on easy street."

"I'd rather be homeless. Don't you ever, ever mention him in that context again."

I went to work at my usual time the next morning. Thea came in at the same time I had made an appointment for the appraiser. This was at eight and the night waitress was still on. The short order cook was of course still there and curious.

The appraiser said, "Mrs. Campbell, I'll give you two prices. One is if everything is sent out to auction. The other is for what you should get if you happen to get a buyer and they want everything left in place.

"I'll also give you an estimate of the cost to replace everything new. That would be one of your selling points. Just a fact that you can quote." The appraiser listed everything and its condition. It took him two hours. The waitress dawdled and didn't go home as soon as she usually skinned out. The short order cook on duty, made no pretense of leaving at the end of his shift. He was going to wait for the main cook to come in at eleven.

Thea went to see an attorney as soon as the appraiser left. The short order cook and the dinner cook had their heads together with the news that Thea had the equipment appraised. The cook got on the phone to the property owner as soon as the short order cook finished.

Landgrove, the property owner, arrived at 2 o'clock as lunch was about finished. He sat at the counter until the corner booth was empty. Thea was carrying a tray of dishes to the kitchen. "Campbell, come here."

She kept going and ignored him except to say over her shoulder that she was busy. Finally, she took off her apron and taking her handbag, she slid into the booth across from him. He growled, "What's going on? The cook said you had someone in here looking at the equipment."

"That's right. I own everything here from the bare floors to the bare walls. I was finding out what I could get for it at auction."

"You know, don't you, that I find you quite attractive. I was thinking of maybe dating you and eventually I was going to propose. You could still run the diner.

"Mr. Landgrove, I'm honored to think you think of me that way, but I think not. I am going back to teaching school, which is what I am trained to do. I have had a year of running this diner. It is too much work for me. I'm selling the equipment and what I receive for it will last me until I get my first check as a teacher."

"I could give you the good life. You wouldn't even have to work if you didn't want to."

"No, it is still no."

"Why are you selling the equipment then? Isn't it worth more just as it is?"

"Yes, but I need to give you notice and that only leaves a month for you to find someone to lease the diner and for them to come up with the money for what I own."

"Let me look around and see if I can find someone."

"Okay. I do have the official notice made out and I am not going to renew with you. I might as well give it to you now."

"That's not necessary."

"I think it is." Landrove took it. I had listened to them negotiate. The other waitress was there as well. "Would you like to know what the appraisals came to? I have those with me here. I will give you the one for what it is just as the supplies and equipment are in place. If you had someone take over the lease, I have an estimate for someone to come in and install new equipment. There is between thirty and thirty-five thousand dollars difference.

"I've also been told the name, "The 2TT Diner" is worth a few thousand dollars. If it isn't sold with the business, a new lessor would have to start over from scratch in placing its name and new number in the phone books and replacing the signs and creating new advertising."

Landgrove looked over the appraisal figures. "What would you get if it went to auction?"

"It would be less, but that way, I can walk away and I'll close the doors the first of January. You have the first and last month's lease payment that Tim gave you. I really want to get out of here. The auctioneer could come in and take everything during the next month."

"Jesus, you're rushing things."

"Can't help it. I want out."

"Let me talk to the cook. He might be interested."

"I'm going home now. I'll be back at five."

"Okay, I'll see you then."

We rode home. Thea was hoping Landgrove and the cook could come to an agreement and he would have an offer when she got back.

Patrons were starting to come in for dinner when we returned. I headed for the kitchen to do dishes. Thea headed for the corner booth and Landgrove. The cook's face was a study in something. I could not tell what. One minute he looked happy and another he looked worried.

Thea and I had arrived at a figure that she should not go under. I thought it fair. A half hour later I saw Landgrove leave the diner. He had stuck his head into the kitchen and given the cook a thumps up. Thea came into the kitchen and whispered that she had done better than her lowest figure.

We rode home after I finished the last of the dinner dishes. She was silent until we were almost to her house. "Ed, I have a feeling that Tim is the one who sent you into the diner that morning when you got off the bus. I needed help and guidance from someone and you were there at the right time."

"Okay I will let you believe that if it helps."

I thought. "But what about me? Was my family alive, were they dead, and if they were, where were their bodies? Most of all, when they died, which they must have, were they together at the last moment?"

Thea made her announcement to the kids before they went to bed. "Kids, I'm giving up the diner. I still have to be there for one more month, but then after that I will be a substitute teacher. I'm hoping for a full teacher's contract for the coming year."

"That's great Mom, but what about Ed? What is he going to do?"

"Nancy, he hasn't said. Ed?"

"Kids, I am the one who urged your mother to give up the diner. She was going to be out anyway, because I learned the owner would not renew her lease. I am going to stay here if your mom will let me until she does get a teaching contract. That usually comes up in June. I will decide at that time what I'm going to do?"

"You're going to stay with us forever. Mom won't let you go away and Nancy and I won't either."

"We'll see, Matt. I am beginning to like it here and I like you all very much."

After the kids went upstairs, I asked how much Thea received for the dining equipment. "I got my price it was appraised for right where it is. All I have to do is give Mr. Langrove title to it. Where I did well was on selling the name. I said I thought it was worth $5,000, but he negotiated me down to $2,500. I would have given it to him if he had pushed it. I also was prepared to lower the appraisal by 10%.

"Remind me not to haggle about prices with you."

"Landgrove did want me and he did propose. I was nice when I turned him down. That might be why he was willing to offer what I was asking for everything."

"It could be. Tell me, where did you come up with the name for the diner?"

"Thea and Tim." Of course, how could I have missed that?

Thea was taking the next day off, as that was the anniversary of Tim Campbell's death. She and the kids were going to have some family time together. They would visit his grave, and be in church when a mass was said for him. Mary took them out to a restaurant over on the seacoast. I was invited too, but this was the Campbell family and I did not feel as if I should intrude.

On New Years Eve, we all watched the countdown as midnight made its way around the world. I guess all of us were asleep when the New Year finally arrived. I was anyway. I roused up when Thea woke the kids to go upstairs to bed. Mary sleepily staggered out the door to head across the street. I went into my room, stripped, put on my pajamas and got into bed.

There was knock on the door. "Are you decent, Ed? I want to say good night."

"Yes, come in."

Thea opened the door and came in. She came right up to the bed where I was laying with my hands behind my head. "Ed, we have both lost our spouses. Pretend this kiss is from Amaya, and I'll pretend yours is from Tim." She leaned down and softly pressed her lips to mine. I felt tears drop on my face. "Good night, Tim." Thea straightened and smiled down at me.

"Good night, Amaya. God Bless."

"God Bless." Not looking my way again she left, closing the door softly behind her.

I was able to visualize my wife. It had been some time since Amaya had been this clear in my mind. I went to sleep snuggled up with her memory.

I worked with Thea until she turned the diner over to Mr. Landgrove on February 1. Until then, he came in every day to watch how Thea operated things. Maybe it was just to watch Thea. After awhile he paid more attention to how the cook was managing the diner. I think they would make a go of it. My estimation of him rose several degrees.

I stayed on washing dishes when Thea left. She immediately was employed as a substitute teacher. She seemed much, much happier teaching than she was in the diner. I was not surprised. Working there the month of February was also beginning to pall on me and I didn't know what to do about it. Some of it was that the March anniversary of losing my family was soon coming up.