WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition by D. D. Scott Page A

around Jan and
offered compliments. Mac gave them a few minutes then came to Jan’s
rescue by whisking her over to the swing where the two of them
could eat in peace. Later on in the afternoon John gave a toast and
the crowd joined him in officially congratulating them.
     

Chapter Five
     
    Mac loved Texas evenings when the shadows
descended and the temperature cooled. The crowd thinned and he said
goodbye to old friends and family. Two of his uncles and their
families relocated inside the house for coffee and dessert. Pat and
Jan exiled themselves to a corner in the living room. His mother
saw this as an opportune time to call him and his father into one
of the bedrooms.
    “I think I know what this is about,” Mac
said, as she closed the door behind them.
    “Mom says she has some concerns about your
marriage plans.”
    His mother sat on the bed and spoke in a soft
but determined tone. “With all that’s been going on today, I
haven’t had a chance to tell your father about the conversation I
had with Jan a little while ago.” She turned to his father with a
grim expression. “She and I were talking about her first marriage,
and the way she referred to her daughters made me curious. So I
asked how old they were. Her answer shocked me.”
    “All right, Ruthie. Just spit it out, will
you?”
    “They are nineteen and twenty-two, only a few
years younger than Grant.”
    “You don’t say?” John’s face broke into a
grin. “So how old is she, son?”
    “Forty-six.”
    “I never thought I’d see you in a
May-December romance. Always imagined you bringing home some young
thing, but you’re clearly in love with her.”
    “I am, Dad. Her age is irrelevant to me. Mom
seems to think I’m making a mistake because Jan’s been down the
motherhood road twice before and doesn’t want to do it again.”
    “Is that what this is all about Ruth,
grandchildren?”
    She glared at him. “It’s a legitimate
concern.”
    “For who? You or me?” Mac challenged her
defiantly. “Do you want grandchildren more than you want me to be
happy with the woman I love? Come on, Mom. How can you be so
selfish?”
    “MacArthur Sinclair, how dare you accuse me
of being selfish?” She rose from the bed and pointed a finger in
his face. “All I want is your happiness, and I’m afraid once you
commit to her, you may find yourself desperately wanting the family
you can’t have.”
    Mac came back at her yet kept his composure.
“Why is it I’m the one who has to be responsible for carrying on
the family name? You do have two other children, you
know.”
    John jumped in and shifted to his commanding
officer voice. “Hold it you two! This isn’t accomplishing anything.
Sweetheart, can’t you see the decision’s already been made? Mac was
good enough to bring Jan here to meet us. He didn’t have to, you
know.”
    “Why did you have to pick a woman who’s only
ten years younger than your own mother?” she whined.
    “Because that’s the way it happened. I’m not
about to throw her back and tell God I don’t want her. I’m very
happy with what He gave me.”
    “I have to agree with him,” John interrupted.
“She’s a smart, good-looking woman. Any man would be proud to have
her as his wife.”
    “Oh shut up, John! You’re not helping this
one bit.”
    Mac took her hand. “Mom, I don’t want to ruin
our visit here, so I’m not discussing this anymore.” He opened the
door, walked back to the living room blowing out a frustrated
breath. Jan and Pat abruptly stopped their animated conversation as
he approached, and he straightened his shoulders.
    “What was going on in there?” Pat asked.
    “Nothing worth talking about.” His cell phone
rang and he went out on the patio to take the call. A few minutes
later he returned wearing a grin.
    “It must’ve been good news in order for your
mood to change so quickly,” Jan said. “Who was that?”
    “Ken. The Will Call window is holding tickets
for us for tomorrow’s