Unforgettable

Grand Old Flag.  What could be more patriotic than a George M. Cohan tune?
Enthusiasm almost raised the roof.
“You did a fabulous job,” said Jen to the happy audience at song’s end. “You
must all have had voice lessons sometime in your lives. Honestly, I couldn’t
have done it alone!” She bowed, waved, and invited them to sit back, eat, drink
and relax while she celebrated some of the country’s cities and states.
Looking at the band, she nodded and drifted into John Denver’s Take Me Home,
Country Roads,  a celebration of West Virginia. The applause hadn’t died down
before she began Arlo Guthrie’s City of New Orleans.

---

When she finished, she waved, blew a kiss, wished them a happy Fourth. And
arrived back at her table in time to see salad being served.
“Better than ever,” said Doug. “Every time, you always amaze me.”
“I have a lot of fun,” said Jen. She glanced at her sister. “Remember when…”
Lisa’s hand went up like a traffic cop’s. “Don’t go there. I’m having a good day,
no crying, no exhaustion. I don’t want to look backward.”
“You’ve got it,” said Jen
“I don’t know what any of you are talking about,” said Eddie, turning toward his
son, then looking directly at Jen. “But I do know that she’s a keeper!” He paused
a moment before saying, “Be fair now, Jennifer. You told us you ‘sing a little.’ Is
that what you call a little?”
“Yup,” she said, nodding. “It’s a wonderful hobby. I enjoy it maybe because it’s
not my job. And…in all modesty…I guess I’m pretty good at it.” She
immediately felt heat creep up her neck. Her own fault. Since when did she
compliment herself?
“Pretty good? You’re great!” Doug’s praises had her blushing harder.
“Lisa and I used to….” She stopped herself, glanced apologetically at her sister.
“I forgot. Sorry.”
The server appeared and removed the salad plates before Helen spoke up.
“About the music — I imagine it’s soothing after dealing with all the hard cases
you must have. Homelessness, child protection…gosh, what area are you in?”
Jen ignored her family’s stupefied expressions and glanced at Doug in appeal.
He leaned toward his parents. “Let’s step back a bit. You may have concluded
that Jen’s a social worker, but if you think back, she never claimed to be. What
she said was, ‘I help people, particularly with budgeting.’ You both assumed
social work was what she meant.”
“Oh.” A pink tint stained Helen’s face.
“Well then, why the mystery? What do you do for a living?” Eddie’s confusion

---

reinforced his wife’s.
Jen took a deep breath. “I do help people,” she said. “Just in a different way. I
help them manage their money.” She waved toward the door. “In a building not
too from here. Fidelity Investments.”
The silence around the table was broken by Eddie’s deep laughter. “Financial
consultant! Oh, boy.” He pointed at his son. “Good work. I said it before, this
one’s a keeper. You picked a real winner who’ll help you stay out of trouble.”
##
His father’s words crashed against Doug’s ears and tore his last nerve. He flew to
his feet and loomed over the man. “You listen up, Ed Collins, and listen well.
You may not believe this, but I’m making a good living as a playwright.
“And as for Jennifer, she was a keeper from the first moment I saw her. From the
time she was eighteen. From the time I read her first essay and saw into her
heart. She’s not only smart, she’s beautiful inside and out. Why do you think I
came back to Boston? She’s everything I want and everything any sane man
would want for a lifetime, would want for…a wife.”
His voice dropped to a whisper, and he spun toward Jen. Tears were running
down her cheeks, and he caught them with shaking fingers. “Oh, my God, Jen. I
love you so much. I wanted it to be romantic, on a cruise, or at the beach, but—”
He gazed blindly from side to side, unfocused on everything but the woman in
front of him.
“Jennifer…” he whispered like a prayer, “will you…”
“Yes! Yes!” Her arms came around his neck and in the tiny space between tables
he picked her up, never breaking his glance until he kissed her—-finally—before
lowering her to the ground.
He felt her arm around him while she sought her sister’s eyes across the table.
But Lisa and Mike were already coming over, hugging, kissing, shaking hands
with him.
“Welcome to the family,” said Mike. “I couldn’t be happier…because Jen is
happy. Make sure she stays that way.”

---

Doug studied the other man’s features. His last words carried more concern than
threat. “I will do my very best.”
“Despite the legal definitions,” Mike continued, “I’ve been in loco parentis
since she was sixteen….”
“Thank you for that,” said Doug. “It couldn’t have been easy, but you did a
magnificent job. She’s perfect.”
“Now that’s a man in love!” Mike laughed and gathered his wife to him. “Looks
like we have a wedding to plan.”
Lisa stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband. “You mean, Jen and Doug have a
wedding to plan.”
“Plan is the word,” said Doug, shaking his head. “You’re off the hook on this
one. But who knew that Maguires would be…”
“Perfect,” said Jen. “Good memories here, and you just added to them.”
A deep voice added, “You should thank me, son. Without me, you’d still be
hemming and hawing.”
“Get the duct-tape,” sighed Doug.
“My father can be…ah…trying at times.” Evie leaned over to kiss Jen. “I’m so
glad about this. Doug’s never looked happier. And that you’re right here in town
is great. If I ever have five minutes again…”
“Absolutely,” said Jen, glancing at Lisa. “We know how to do sisters, don’t we?”
“We certainly do. Welcome to the family, Eve.”
Maybe if the best-laid plans often went astray, they left room for the unexpected
events to work out well. Doug had no complaints as they made their way to the
Charles River Esplanade for the concert. Jennifer’s hand was snuggled in his,
and he supposed they had a pair of dopey smiles on their faces.
“Hey, Jen?

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“Yes?”
“Independence Day, huh?”
Her delightful laugh sprinkled the air, and Doug wanted to capture it forever.
And he would. With the rough patches behind them, the road ahead would no
doubt be smooth.

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