by Mark Mueller
“Daddy,” Charlie said.
“Yeah.” I looked at her.
“I want you to give it to Mommy.”
“Are you sure, kiddo?” I was wary.
“Yes, Daddy. Mommy and I talked about it. You and Mommy are going to get married.”
I looked at Maddy. “Did you put her up to this?”
“No. This was her idea.”
Yeah, right.
I looked at Charlie. “Are you’re sure about this?”
“Yes, Daddy. You and Mommy are going to get married. And I’m going to be the flower girl.”
“And you get to write up the engagement announcement in the Bugler,” Maddy said. “And Father Rattigan will perform the ceremony.
I studied the both of them. “Why do I have the feeling the two of you have been conspiring?”
The two of them looked at each other and giggled.
“Uh, huh,” I said. “Just as I thought.” I looked at the ring in my hand again. I still couldn’t believe my good fortune. A year ago I had resigned myself to the idea that I was going to be a lifelong bachelor. I didn’t think I’d ever get a second chance at a relationship after my first trip around the Ferris wheel with Maddy had a calamitous end. Our relationship had been like a hurricane. Exciting at first but ending in disaster.
But despite all that, we had been given a second chance. I found Maddy again, and now Charlie, too. Who would have ever thought I could have the prettiest girlfriend and the coolest daughter in the world? I was the luckiest guy in the world. Wait a minute. Strike that. I’m the luckiest guy who has ever lived. And I’m in love with the two most beautiful girls who have ever lived, too. I didn’t want this moment to end, for fear it was just a dream.
“Mac. Hey Mac! Come in Mac! Earth to Mac!”
“Huh?” I looked at Charlie and then at Maddy. I guess I had visited the twilight zone for a moment.
“Are you okay? Maddy asked.
“Um, yeah,” I managed.
“You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. The real question is, are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Mac. Very sure.”
“You want to get married? For real?”
“Yes.”
“And the three of us will be a family.”
“Yes!”
“Forever?”
“And the day after that!”
“And this ring?”
“I love you, Mac. This ring represents everything we’ve been through to get here.”
“Yes, it does.”
“But you’re not sure.”
“Maddy, this ring will always remind us about what had happened with your family.”
“I know, that’s why the ring is so important. It brought us together through everything that went wrong. That means something.”
“If you say so.”
“Mac, I’m serious.”
“I know you are.” I looked at her for a long moment and then stood up. I took her by the hand and she stood up, and then I kissed her.
Charlie giggled, breaking the moment. I chortled, and then grabbed her around the waist and stood her up on the table bench. I kissed her on one cheek and Maddy kissed her on the other.
I felt as if I was in Heaven on earth.
I turned to Maddy, knelt on one knee, and placed the ring on her finger. “Marry me, Maddy.”
“Thank you, Mac.”
“You didn’t answer me.”
Maddy grinned and shook her head. “Okay, Mac. Yes, I will marry you.”
I stood up and kissed her. “You’re an honest woman now.”
Maddy smiled kissed me back. “Almost.”
“Thank you, Maddy.”
“Are we ready to go home?”
“Not just yet,” I replied.
“What’s wrong?” Maddy asked. She looked at me, bewildered. Charlie looked perplexed, too.
“We’re not done yet,” I said.
Maddy held up her hand and displayed the ring. “Uh, Mac, I said yes, remember?”
“Yes you did. But someone else hasn’t said yes, yet.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I have another proposal to make.” I grinned.
Maddy smirked. “Okay, buster, what’s going on?”
“Yeah, Daddy,” Charlie piped in. “What’s going on?”
“Hold on.” I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out the small, rectangular box I had taken from the safety deposit box.
“What’s that, Daddy?” Charlie asked.
“Mac?” Maddy asked suspiciously. “What are you up to?”
“Okay,” I said, still grinning. “I didn’t want to leave Charlie out, so I got something for her, too.” I opened the box and removed a sterling silver necklace. Suspended from it was a one-carat black diamond. I held it up for to Charlie see. “I didn’t want your mom to be the only one to get a diamond today.”
“It’s just like Mommy’s ring!” Charlie shouted. She pirouetted and half-jumped, and then tried to grab the necklace from me.
I snatched the necklace out of her reach. “Hold on, kiddo, I want to ask you something, first.”
“What, Daddy? I want to hold that necklace!”
I again got down on one knee. “Charlie, I would like to be your father. Will you be my daughter?”
“Yessy, yes! You’re already my daddy!”
“Okay, then. Turn around and stand still.”
An obedient Charlie turned and stood rigid. I clasped the necklace around her neck and then centered the diamond.
“So, what do you think?”
“I love it! I have my own diamond!”
I stood up and looked at Maddy. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it first. I wanted it to be a surprise and I didn’t think—”
Maddy stopped me with a long kiss; her arms went tight around my neck.
Charlie, of course, giggled.
“I take it the necklace meets with your approval,” I said after we came up for air.
Maddy beamed at me in wonder. “I am so in love with you, Louis McMurphy. The necklace is beautiful. It’s perfect, thank you.” She kissed me again.
“Thank you, Maddy. That means a lot.”
“It doesn’t have a name,” Charlie said.
“What doesn’t have a name, sweetie?” Maddy asked.
“My diamond. It doesn’t have a name.”
“Yes it does,” I said. “It has a name.”
“It has a name?” Charlie asked. “What is it?”
“It does?” Maddy asked with a touch of mirth in her voice.
I took Maddy’s left hand and held it up. “Your mom’s diamond ring, here, is the ‘Lachweiler Stone.’ Your diamond is the ‘McMurphy Stone.’”
Maddy snorted and then giggled. “The ‘McMurphy Stone.’ That’s priceless!”
“Yippy!” Charlie cheered. “I have a McMurphy Stone! Wait ‘till Nana and Papa see it!”
Nana and Papa were my parents.
“They’ll love it,” Maddy said.
“Yes they will,” I agreed. I let go of Maddy’s hand and put my arm around her waist, and then put my other arm around Charlie’s. I kissed Maddy on the cheek and then Charlie, holding both of them close. None of us said anything for a few moments. Again, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Life was getting better every day.
We continued to hold each other for a few more moments. Then, we cleaned up and headed for home.
* * * *
When we got home and parked behind Maddy’s Ford Explorer, Maddy looked at me.
“I love you, Mac, so much.”
“I love you too, Maddy.”
“Thank you again for the ring. And thank you for Charlie’s necklace.”
“You’re welcome. I’m just not all that crazy about the ring.”
“It’s just a ring, you know.”
I cut the Charger’s engine and looked at her. “I know it is, and you’re right. But as Freud once said, ‘sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.�
�” I smirked.
She slapped my shoulder and giggled. “Stop it, you.”
“Yes, ma’am.
“Come on, mister, let’s go inside.”
“Yeah, Mr. Daddy,” Charlie chimed in. “Let’s go inside.”
The three of us got out of the Charger and went into the house, where our future was waiting for us.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
I’d like to express my gratitude to those who saw me through this book; to those who provided support, encouragement, and constructive criticism to get this novel completed.
I want to thank my family: my parents, Paul and Carole Mueller; and my siblings: Paul III, Carole, Stephen, Matthew and Peter, who were always there for me in spite of all the time this book took me away from them.
Thank you to Mary Jenkins of the New York City Rescue Mission, who challenged me to explore my love for the written word.
Many thanks to my cousin, Ron Holohan, who read the first draft and offered valuable suggestions to make the story better.
And a special thank you to Joe Little, whose support and sense of humor helped me in an immense way to finish the course and keep the faith.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Mueller was born in Pittsburgh, PA and grew up in Basking Ridge, NJ. A graduate of Kean University, he lives in Clinton, NJ.