A May-September Wedding

by Bill Sanderson

  "Well, your temper's been shorter and you were starting to get dark circles under your eyes."

  Cal covered her hand and said, "That's an interesting decision making technique."

  Phyl reluctantly took back her hand. "Dad used to flip a coin and when he didn't like the answer he'd do the opposite. But that only works for either-or situations. I used this one with Harry when he was asked to set up a false invoicing scheme and splitting the illegal profits with the company presidents he was dealing with. He went to his boss and the boss said that he wanted half of Harry's take. I told him to get as much evidence as he could then quit and go to the police"

  Cal whistled. "So that's what the problem was. I knew he was incredibly anxious when he quit that one job but he never said why."

  "He refused to stay on the job to help the police, but they passed it to Revenue Canada. Their investigators spotted the scheme with a couple of the other salesmen and put a stop to it." Phyl sat down with a cup of tea. "So, how many people can we expect at your retirement party?"

  Cal grinned and they got out a fresh sheet of paper.

  "Paul? I need to see you." Cal cornered his boss in the hall.

  Paul looked at his watch. "I can give you ten minutes now or you can book something with my EA."

  "It shouldn't take longer than ten minutes."

  Cal followed Paul to his office, then shut the door behind him. Cal took as seat in the visitor chair and started, "I put in my retirement papers this morning for the end of next week. My anniversary date is next Thursday and I'll have my thirty-five years. But I wanted to let you know why."

  Paul looked a bit surprised. "You never mentioned anything about retirement before."

  "That's because I was always treated as a valuable member of the team until you got here. I was recruited specifically for my experience in the Engineering branch of the Navy and for my experience solving quality problems with naval architects and shipbuilders. Until the recent reorganization, when I raised an objection about the quality of a project I was taken seriously."

  Paul's face started to get red. "We take your objections seriously, Cal."

  Cal fixed Paul with his commander's stare. "If you had taken them seriously you would have responded to my written questions in writing and given me good reasons why I was wrong. So, I put my objections to this procurement process in writing and, if you check your email, I just sent that report to you with copies to a number of people including the Minister, the chair of the Defence committee and the Auditor General. The reason I stress quality products so much is because I had to attend too many funerals for Sea King pilots and the poor sailors they were trying to rescue. If the only factor in this procurement decision is money, then you'll be sending more young sailors to an early grave and you'll cost the government too much money in the long run."

  Paul stood. "I'll see you fired for this."

  Cal stood, too. "Try it. I'll be retired before you can get any disciplinary action through HR although you could send me home with pay for the next week. I could use the time to plan for my retirement party."

  Paul's eyes narrowed. "I won't send you home. But you are off this project. The only thing I want you to do is sit with Latendresse to transfer your work to him."

  "That's fine, he's got a good head on his shoulders."

  "You know, Richardson, you are such a sanctimonious prick."

  "Thank you, Paul. Coming from you, that's a compliment." Cal put his hand on the doorknob. "I'll get back to work now. And if you say anything abusive or negative about me outside these walls, I'll file a grievance as fast as I can fill one out."

  Phyl was sitting watching Cal preparing the spaghetti and admiring his now relaxed figure. "So, how did Paul take it?"

  "He called me a sanctimonious prick before he read my report. After he read it, he called me into his office again at four to let me know what he thought about my report, my ethics, my parentage, the way my mother earned her extra income and my probable canine ancestors. Then he told me to pack my desk and take administrative leave until my retirement date because he couldn't trust me to keep my mouth shut. I still have to go back in on Friday morning to give back my Blackberry and my pass and make sure that all of the final paperwork is signed off properly. I reminded him of that when he was standing watching me pack my personal items from my cubicle."

  Phyl's eyes were sparkling with humour. "Probable canine ancestors?"

  "Well, there are little pitchers in the house."

  "They'll understand. They hear worse at school."

  "I know. That's another reason I want Felicity to go to Redeemer in the fall."

  "I looked up the fee structure. I can afford to pay for Lydia to go there, too, and I agree that it would be a better choice than the public high school if they get accepted."

  "Anyway, to continue with my day, around two I sent out about a hundred invitations for the retirement shindig at Le French Quarter next Friday. By the time I got home I had sixty people accept and another twenty people who I should have invited ask if they could drop in along with suggestions for another forty or so people. Do you want to come? You could bring the kids after school and we could stay for a celebratory dinner in the main restaurant."

  Phyl looked very pleased and said, "That sounds great. So what are you going to do for the next week?"

  "I think I'm just going to put my feet up and enjoy my freedom. I have a couple of things in the shop that were unfinished when Brenda died. I think I'll finish them and then start figuring out what's next."

  "Mr. Richardson? This is Dierdre from the office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services. Do you have some time to discuss that very interesting report you sent to the minister?"

  Cal asked for her to email him a copy at his home address for his reference because he hadn't been allowed to take a copy when he left the office. Dierdre thought that was a bit strange until Cal pointed out that he was on administrative leave until he officially retired, so his last work day had been the previous Wednesday.

  When she emailed him a copy, he opened it and began to explain certain points that he had thought were clear. It was obvious that either the minister herself or a very senior adviser had penned in a number of the questions because they were more on the political implications than the technical problems. After an intense two hour conversation, Deirdre thanked him for his time.

  Over the next two days, a staffer from the chair of the Defence committee called and so did a senior manager from the Comptroller General's office. Deirdre phoned back to thank him for the report and to pass on the Minister's thanks.

  Phyl walked into the banquet room of Le French Quarter to find it packed. There was a set of microphones set up in one corner. Cal was standing near the podium with Elaine and his Aunt Rosalind. Felicity wiggled through the crowd to stand near him.

  Cal spotted Phyl and immediately relaxed. Phyl could see relief in his eyes as she made her slow way over to him.

  At four o'clock the crowd hushed as a familiar face came into the room. The Minister, trailed by a young redheaded woman, made her way toward the podium and stepped in front of the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my unfortunate privilege today to say goodbye to a faithful public servant, Commander Calvin Richardson, who served our country for twenty-one years as a naval officer and then joined our Department to use the knowledge he gained as a naval engineer to help us buy and build world class ships for our Navy."

  She gave a precis of his career and accomplishments, noting his contributions to the Patrol Frigate program and the many upgrade programs currently underway. Deirdre handed her a framed certificate. "On behalf of the Department, I would like to present you with this certificate recognizing thirty-five years of faithful service along with my regrets that we are losing your passion for public service and your expertise."

  She shook his hand for the photo opportunity and finished. "But for each of us there is a moment when it is time to pass the torch to the next ge
neration. I wish you well in your retirement."

  The Minister then had a brief private conversation with Cal, thanking him for his service and his integrity, then she took fifteen minutes to work the room before leaving for her next appointment.

  The young redheaded woman was Deirdre. "When I told the Minister you were retiring over this, she was pretty angry. There will be some changes soon." Then she smiled, showing her dimples. "I convinced her that the changes would be more effective if she came to give you the official thank you from the Department and she cleared her schedule so she could be here. And I wanted to meet you. Most of the complaints we get are pretty whiny. Yours had some substance and your idea for an independent review panel is a possible solution to the problem."

  Phyl and Elaine were standing at the back, still a bit shocked at what had transpired. Elaine spoke first. "I knew that Dad was held in some esteem by his colleagues, but this is way more than I expected. They must be at capacity for this room."

  Phyl replied, "I overheard someone say that there were almost two hundred people that came and went before I got here." She looked and saw Cal take the podium.

  "I've never been one for long speeches. I can still remember the September day in Esquimalt when I and seventy one of my fellow ensigns swore our allegiance to the Crown and promised to serve her faithfully. I did my best to keep that promise over the past thirty-seven years and I don't consider myself released from it, even though my active service has come to an end."

  "It is a great privilege to serve our fellow Canadians. They rely on us to provide faithful and honest service to them and our reward is knowing that they are benefiting from that service in many ways. To my fellow retirees, thank you for the privilege of serving alongside you and to those who will be returning to the office on Monday, keep up the good work knowing that even though they complain mightily about us, the public relies on you to do your job faithfully and honestly."

  "It was a pleasure and an honour my friends. I'll see you around and I'll keep praying for you all."

  There was a round of applause and then the room began to clear a bit. They stayed until half past five to speak with the stragglers and the people who had late meetings.

  Aunt Ros stayed for supper and the mood was pretty festive. Cal only had mild regrets at retiring so early, but managed to stay positive. Felicity, in her perceptive way, caught the undercurrents that were raised by the Minister's presence. "Dad, is it usual for the Minister to present long service awards?"

  Cal was still pleasantly surprised by the Minister's kind words. "No, Beast. It is very unusual for the Minister to attend one of these retirement celebrations for anyone except a Deputy Minister or someone who works for them directly. It's rare enough, in fact, that one of the newspapers might have a reporter dig into it a bit."

  Lydia raised her eyebrows, "If it's that rare, why you?"

  "Because I spotted a problem with the way we were doing things and I let her know about it. She was there more to send a message to the rest of the Department that she expects people to do their jobs properly than it was to thank me for my service. Although it did feel pretty special to get the certificate from her directly, instead of Paul."

  Phyl smiled and said, "Well, you are a pretty special man." Then, realizing how that might sound, she blushed.

  Aunt Ros and Lydia both nodded knowingly and Cal began to blush, too.

  Chapter Ten – February

  "Thanks again for agreeing to look after the kids after school, Cal."

  "Not a problem." He gave her a comforting look. "At least it's clear and cold today."

  "I don't want to do this, but I think I have to, today."

  Cal moved toward Phyl to give her a reassuring hug. "I understand. Drive safe. I'll have something hot in the crock pot when you get back."

  Phyl briefly rested her head on Cal's shoulder and fed off his solid presence for what felt like an hour but was probably only two minutes. She gave him a peck on the cheek, grabbed her purse and gloves then walked quickly to the car.

  Cal watched her drive away, praying that everything would go well and that she would find some measure of peace.

  Phyl looked at the small floral wreath on the front seat of the car with a single word banner that read "Harry". A year ago she had made the same drive to Matawa in a light snowstorm to the morgue where Harry's body was resting and returned to learn her best friend was dying. Today could not have been more different.

  An Arctic high pressure system had driven the temperature down to minus twenty-six and the sunlight streaming down was almost blinding, though it held no warmth at all. As long as the car was working fine, it was a beautiful day for a drive.

  The flowers on the front seat brought reminders of Harry. The first date where he'd brought a corsage to the house when he picked her up. The bouquets of wildflowers he gathered just before heading back home from a canoe trip. The love he had for the flower beds at the house, especially his tulips. The roses to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. The profusion of poinsettas and Christmas cacti every year.

  She had managed to survive the entire year since his death. A full year of holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and special events spent mostly with Cal instead of Harry. A year of sleeping alone without the possibility of being woken with nuzzled kisses at two in the morning when Harry finished a sales trip early. A year with only neighbourly pecks instead of the mutual passion that she missed so much.

  Each sign and turn off seemed to bring memories. A very wet camping weekend at Fitzroy Harbour Provincial Park. Shopping for antiques in Arnprior. Stopping at the Tim Horton's in Renfrew to break up the trip to Algonquin Park. A bad case of sunburn at Logosland. The far too exhilarating white water rafting trip near Beachburg. Watching Harry's pride in Lydia as she played in a regional soccer tournament in Pembroke.

  Most of these memories were also memories of Brenda and Cal. They went camping together, with Brenda laughing at Cal pretending to be an old man. The way that Cal and Harry wedged an excited seven year old Tim in between them on the big raft. Sitting with the girls at the beach on Canoe Lake while Harry and Cal took off for Wolf Lake with Tim in the centre of the lightweight seventeen foot canoe.

  Memories of picnics and literacy fundraisers, the church dinners at the Reform Church in Kanata with Harry's parents, potluck carol sings at their own church – all memories that included Brenda and Cal. Dancing with Cal while Brenda and Harry floated from table to table telling jokes and swapping stories.

  Until this past year, she had never truly understood how much the four of them had meant to each other for mutual support, for friendship and company. How the adults were as close as the girls and only Tim seemed to be left out. Except that both Harry and Cal made sure that he wasn't.

  She passed the crash site before she realized she was there and turned around at the next safe driveway.

  The icy wind and cold temperature conspired to keep her wreath laying very short. She climbed the snowbank and hung the wreath on a fence post that was just sticking out of the snow. The next post downhill was missing and there were still metallic blue streaks on a boulder that was sticking out of the snow. Obviously the owner hadn't repaired the fence since Harry's car took it out.

  Saying a brief heartfelt prayer over the wreath was all she could manage. She turned around and went back to her car, somewhat lost in thought. With her hazard lights flashing and the car running for the heat, she stared at the wreath and let her mind empty.

  A knock on the window intruded into her woolgathering. She rolled down her window to hear an young OPP constable ask, "Are you all right, ma'am?"

  Phyl replied, "I will be soon, officer. My husband died a year ago today about where that wreath is."

  The constable put on a suitably sympathetic expression. "I'm sorry for your loss, ma'am."

  "Well, my mourning year is officially over now, so I guess I should get back to my regularly scheduled life."

  The constable smiled at her c
ourage and reminded her, "Be careful getting back into traffic, ma'am. The big trucks are going faster than you think."

  "Can I follow you out?"

  "That might be safest. But you should go ahead of me."

  Phyl watched the young man climb back into his car and with the lights still flashing, pulled slowly onto the highway. She pulled out in front of him and was soon back up to highway speed on her way home.

  The thought of home and Cal puttering in her kitchen making his delicious beef with barley soup made her mouth water and her heart lighten. She smiled as she thought about him trying to surprise her with a hot supper, but she'd seen the big package of oxtails in the meat compartment, so she knew what was on the menu.

  The drive back seemed to take less time. The sun was at her back and her mood was lighter for having said a true final goodbye to Harry. Now it was time to embrace her future and possibly Cal.

  She detoured to stop at the Antrim truck stop for a butter tart and coffee. As she washed up, she looked at her rings on the counter next to the sink and decided that it was time to move on. Very carefully, she put the rings in a zipper compartment of her purse. Maybe Tim would like to have them when he was ready to propose to his wife, hopefully in ten or more years.

  She dried her hands and put on her gloves. The uncovered area on her ring finger felt naked, especially with the sheepskin lining brushing against the sensitive skin. By the time she got home, she was almost used to the feeling.

  Cal was as used to Phyl's kitchen as his own after months of cooking for the combined group. He set the table for five as soon as he heard Phyl's car pull into the drive.

  He caught a smile and a wave as Phyl took off her boots and coat. She said, "I'm going to shower and change. I'll be down in fifteen minutes."

  Cal acknowledged that then called into the family room that supper was in twenty minutes.