JUDGEMENT DAY
1337 Words
They went out into the living room. Josephine was on the floor playing with Matthew.
“Hey, did you two sleep well?”
“Like a rock Mrs. C.”
“Matt, you’re going to be my son-in-law. I think you can call me something less formal.”
He smiled and said, “Ok Mom.”
“If that’s what you’d like, then fine.”
Kathy said, “We’re going to Matt’s parents' house.”
“Oh?”
“It has to be done.”
“Ok, well, he’s dressed, but probably needs a diaper change.” They both looked at Matt.
“Me? Fine, gotta start somewhere being a dad.” He opened the diaper. “Really? You have to make my first one full of crap?” They laughed. Matt managed to change Matthew without incident. “You two are so funny.”
“Come on, let’s go,” Kathy said.
“Have fun.” She shot her mom a dirty look.
It didn’t take them long to get to his parents' house. Matt pulled into the driveway and put the car in park. “So how do you want to do this? Me go in first or just give them the band-aid effect?”
“Rip off the band-aid,” she answered. “Gives them less time to think about all you just told them.”
“Me?”
“Your parents.”
As they were getting out of the car, Charlene and Jeff pulled in. “What are you doing here?” Matt asked.
“Dad called me all worried about why you needed to come over with both of them home. I told him I didn’t know,” she laughed. “You didn’t think I would miss this, did you?”
Matt sneered at her. “You’re such a loving sister.”
Kathy was getting Matthew out of the car during this conversation. She just shook her head and giggled. They were true siblings.
“Can we just get this over with?” Kathy said.
Charlene gave her a hug and said, “Sure, let’s go.”
Matt opened the front door. He had Kathy’s fingers intertwined with his. She tried to get behind him, but he pulled her up next to him. Charlene stayed back with the baby.
They walked inside. “Dad?”
Matt’s dad came to greet him. “Hey Matthew. What’s going on, son?” He stopped when he saw Kathy. “Oh, hello Kathy. How have you been?”
“Well, thank you for asking Mr. Donner.”
“Well please, come in.”
They followed him to the family room. His mother was sitting on the sofa watching television. She looked up as they entered. The look of shock covered her face. She stood up. “Kathy, what a surprise. How are you?” she asked as she looked at Matt.
“Very well thank you, and yourself?”
“Good, thank you," she said. "Um, what’s going on? We were told you had left.”
“Mom,” Matt warned.
“How did you two find each other?” Mr. Donner asked.
“Remember the guys told you someone left flowers at the dock after it all happened, and then a year later?”
His mom was speechless. Finally, she uttered, “Kathy, it was you?”
“Yes ma’am, I took some there before I left. I brought some when I flew back last year on the day it happened. I just flew back again yesterday to take some again.”
Mrs. Donner was getting misty eyed. “God, you really do love him.”
“I absolutely do, with everything I am and everything I have.”
“I’m so sorry for how horribly I treated you. I had lost my only son, and it was easier to take it out on you. But I was wrong.”
Matt was stunned. “Wow, Mom.”
“Thank you for that, Mrs. Donner.”
Charlene could be heard from the other room. “Knock, knock.”
“We're in the family room, Char,” Matt said. Kathy took his hand.
She and Jeff walked into the room. “Hi guys,” she said.
Their parents looked at each other puzzled. “Matthew?” his dad asked.
Matt took the baby from Charlene. He pulled Kathy close to them. “Mom, Dad, meet your grandson, Matthew.”
They were both speechless. Charlene chimed in, “Surprised, huh?” Matt shot her a look.
“We aren't naive Charlene, we knew they weren't exactly saints.” She paused. “Oh my god, Matthew, he looks just like you,” his mom said. “I can't believe this.”
“Mrs. Donner, the day it all happened, I was going to tell Matt about the baby. Everything happened so fast. God as my witness, I tried so hard to save Matt.” Her voice was getting shaky. “But when that water rushed at me, there was nothing I could do. The guys pulled me from the water before I was swept away too.”
His mom got up and sat next to Kathy. She put her arm around her. “I'm so sorry for how I treated you. I'm sorry you were so hurt that you needed to hide the baby from everyone and leave.” She took Kathy's hand in hers and saw the ring. "I figured one day he was going to propose to you. It's beautiful.”
“Mom, I was going to propose to her that day. I know you would have been upset about it, but once you realized how much in love we were, it would be ok.”
She wiped tears away and asked, “Can I hold my grandson?”
He went over to his mother and handed Matthew to her. “He is so precious. Kathy, thank you for such a wonderful gift. Dad, come hold your grandson.”
“Mom, Dad, I'm going back with Kathy to help her tie up loose ends in LA.”
“LA? You really distanced yourself from here,” his Dad said. His mom elbowed him.
“For how long?”
“About a month,” Matt answered.
“A month? Why so long?” she asked. “How are you going to get that much time off from work, Matthew?”
“I can take a leave of absence.”
“Mrs. Donner, I have to take my NCLEX exam to get my license.”
“License?” she asked.
“Mom, she got her nursing degree from UCLA.”
“Wasn't that where you got that scholarship to?” she asked.
“Yes, Mrs. Donner. I accepted it after Matt was, well, was gone.”
“You went to school and had the baby by yourself?” Mr. Donner asked.
“Yes sir.”
He said, “Wow, that's commendable.”
His mom said, “Kathy, congratulations. We are very proud of all you accomplished.”
“So we will be leaving in a few days,” Matt said.
“You two do what you have to do. You're adults now, not the teenagers you once were,” she said. “We will support any decisions you two make.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Donner.”
“Kathy, we need to discuss how you address us. You will be our daughter-in-law soon enough. If you like, you can just call us Carol and John.”
“Would it be OK if I called you Mom and Dad?”
Carol smiled, “That would be just fine.”
They visited for a little while longer. Kathy was grateful it went so well. Matthew was getting fussy, so they decided to take him home.
“We're gonna take the baby home to nap,” Matt said.
“My son, the father. Ok, make sure you stop back before you leave.”
“We will, Mom,” Kathy said. Carol smiled.
- Writer
