Yes, here I am at it again! I know I indicated that this story was two parts but inspiration won't always cooperate. Here's part three and I hope it will be the last.
After the wedding, Willis and I escorted my brood to the bus station and we sent them safely home. I told everybody that I would be an extra couple of days before I returned since I had some loose ends to tie up and an itch to scratch... Gerry looked at me funny and I suspect he knew what was running through my mind – he probably knows me too well for my own good.
Sparky and I went back over to see the happy couple one last time and, knowing what may happen immediately after a wedding, we pre-arranged it with them so we wouldn't be interrupting anything. I just wanted to give them my very personal congratulations and look them in the eye just once more and be sure they didn't have any misgivings about publishing their story for the world to see. All our discussions so far have been over the phone and sometimes the subtleties are lost when you aren't face-to-face. They were thrilled to see us and were most enthusiastic about my story and gave their full blessing. Sparky and I both hugged and kissed Tony and Daniel and wished them an enduring and happy marriage and bid them farewell by saying that the old folks would be leaving now and they should get on with what comes naturally and we all had a good laugh together. As we were leaving I noted that they had put their two roses into a vase on the kitchen table and I thought it was fitting and a good omen for their future and I started to tear up at the thought of it as I closed the door.
The two of us returned to that familiar motel for a last night together before I returned home and we began a new period of separation. Being mindful of the ruckus we had caused the first time we stayed there, we resolved in our minds that we would lay off the gymnastics and concentrate instead on our shared love and we had a long discussion about the future of our romance and whether we too would marry someday with the memories of the ceremony we had just witnessed clearly in our minds. Neither of us had any misgivings and we decided that once we could live together as spouses that we would also wed and that we would need to do it the same way in the same place and with the same official that Daniel and Tony had used. After that, we fell asleep in each others' arms in a lovely romantic haze.
Next morning I explained to Sparky what my plans were for the next couple of days and I walked him back to the warehouse where I spent a few minutes with Poppa and Matthew and learned that they had been having a similar discussion as we two and it appeared they had come to a similar conclusion as well. I wished them good luck and told them to let me know when they made concrete plans and to know I'd be there to support them.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Lake George in Winter
My plan from here was to satisfy this insane urge I was having to see Lake George in winter and walk the streets Indrajit and I walked and stop in front of his apartment though I know he's home in India and preparing for his wedding. I took that walk down Memory Lane and though it was cold, I ended feeling all warm inside. I also hiked the couple of miles south to Paradise Beach and stood in front of Thad's childhood home knowing that since Natalie has moved to Boston I'd likely never see it again. The memories came flooding back and as I was returning to Route 9, I spotted the motel we stayed at and Thad's old grocery store and I was sure a mess when I stopped in there for an energy bar for the road. I didn't bother to explain the tears but just thanked them for the memories and was back on the street.
