The Pearl of the of Sea

Chapter 38

Over 25 years later it is the first day of school and Jeff pulls up in front of Brick Memorial High School with his wife Neenah and their two fraternal twin children in his big sports utility vehicle. The boy looks like the masculine version of Neenah and the girl looks like the feminine version of Jeff. Jeff turns to his two children who are sitting in the backseat, "Well, kids, you're both starting high school now, are you excited?"
   
Jeff's son crosses his arms, "Dad, when are we ever excited to go to school?"
   
Neenah smiles, "Steven, you're going to love high school, it's a lot better than middle school I promise."
   
Steven gets out of the car, "As long as I don't get shoved into a locker, then I'll be fine!"
   
Jeff laughs, "Oh, that's only because they're jealous of your smarts!"
   
Steven heads into the school, "Yeah, sure everyone's jealous that I'm an honor student and they're not, whatever you say, dad."
   
Jeff turns to Neenah and smiles, "See, he knows they're jealous!"
   
Neenah puts her arm around him and pretends like it's true, "Yep, they sure are."
   
The girl gets out of the car, "Bye mom and dad!"
   
Jeff waves goodbye as his daughter walks up to the school doors, "Bye Mandy, have a great day in school!"
   
Mandy turns around and runs up to Jeff, "I forgot something." She kisses Jeff on the forehead, "Bye daddy, I love you!" she then runs inside the school.
   
Jeff looks over at Neenah, "She really loves me."
   
Neenah kisses Jeff, "And so do I."
   
Jeff kisses her back, and then drives off, "I love you too."
   
After Jeff and Neenah leave, Tom and Annemarie park in front of the school in a handicapped spot. They drive a nice black luxury car with hand controls so Tom can drive it. Annemarie hands Tom a lunchbox, "Have a good day at work, honey." She then kisses him.
   
Tom opens the door, "You're going to work with me."
   
Annemarie gets out of the car, "Yeah, but I don't see you until the end of the day."
   
Tom unfolds his wheelchair by the driver side door and lifts himself into it, "Not always, sometimes I'll visit you on my lunch break."
   
Annemarie pushes Tom into the building, "Yeah, but the boss gets upset with that because we have different lunch breaks."
   
When they get inside Tom kisses Annemarie, "See, you later honey." He leaves after she sits down at the front desk and he heads towards one of the classrooms where he sets up for when the class arrives.
   
One of the students walks in, she is really heavy and has pimples all over her skin. She also has very thin hair and limps while she walks, "Is this remedial English with Mr. Cashlin?"
   
Tom turns around and smiles, "Why, yes it is. May I have your name so I can place it in my attendance list?"
   
The girl sits down at one of the desks, "My name is Shiloh Leonardo."
   
"Would your parents happen to be Angela Leonardo and Jesse Puncher?"
   
Shiloh nods her head, "Yeah, but my dad left after my mom had me. My dad didn't want to be with my mom after she became disabled."
   
Tom shakes his head, "Well some people only love for looks and perfectness, but what don't realize is what makes you happy is what's on the inside, not the outside."
   
Shiloh looks down, "Gee, I wish my dad was more like you."
   
The rest of the class comes in and sits at their desks. Tom places a notebook on each of the students' desks, "Ok, these are your journals, if you like you can use your own notebooks, but make sure you put your names on them, so I know who they belong to."
   
One of the students picks up his journal, "Um, why do we have to write in journals?"
   
Tom rolls up to the student, "Well, this is English and I feel that if we write every day it will help us write better." Tom then raises his eyebrow, "Did you ever see Freedom Writers?"
   
The student shakes his head, "No, why?"
   
"It's a good movie and it will explain more about why I want you to write in your journal, plus it will show me more of how well I'm teaching you."
   
The student looks at his journal and starts to write his name on it, "I guess that makes sense."
   
Meanwhile, Jeff and Neenah are opening up their restaurant. It is an Italian restaurant and Irish bar with an Irish theme in the bar area and a caecilian theme in the restaurant area with grape vines painted on the walls and a brownstone floor. The tables and chairs are all made out of mahogany wood and all have white table cloths over them. Jeff puts his arm around Neenah, "Well it's another day at Dyson's Tavern, wouldn't you say honey?"
   
Neenah smiles, "Yep, another day at the most successful Tavern in all of the Jersey Shore, my mom would have been so proud."
   
Jeff looks up, "Yeah she is watching down on us making sure nothing goes wrong."
   
Neenah leans her head on Jeff's shoulder, "I know, she's always watching over us every day, but I still wish I could see her face again."
   
Jeff hugs her tenderly, "I wish you could too."
   
Neenah looks up, "I wonder what she's doing up there in heaven."
   
As Neenah says that, Mandy is in heaven looking down on them, "I am watching over my beautiful baby girl and I'm very proud that she married a wonderful man and birthed two of the most beautiful kids ever. Now I hope my grandchildren wind up happy too."