The Scrapbook

"Didn't you tell Mark those were the ashes left over after his wife burned some scrapbook?" Daryl asked.

"You must be hearing things. Steph told me years ago how upset her husband was over a scrapbook. All I said was that she had burned it immediately after returning home that night from the reunion.

"Don't tell me that you thought these were the actual ashes? Surely I didn't give that impression. Why, these are nothing more than some left over ashes after cleaning out one of our fireplaces. I was on my way to throw them in the trash," Amber devilishly laughed.

Both men joined her, laughing out loud as Richard added, "You are so devious, did you pick that trait up while living on the streets?"

"Nope, that comes from being a helpless romantic. What I learned on the streets was how to set up suckers to win their money. Now pay up, a bet is a bet."

Richard started to peel off another bill then handed her the entire money clip and all. "You'll just end up winning it anyway," he said with another of his loving smiles. His wife melted into his arms as they lovingly held each other tight.

"We are going to keep the jar of ashes," her husband informed her with a warm smile. "It will be another fantastic story to tell our grandchildren."

"And the point of the story will be?" Amber quizzically grinned.

"How only you, their bewitching grandmother, could make true love rise and take flight from a jar of worthless ashes." With a loving smile, Richard added, "That in itself, is miraculous."

"Hear, hear," Daryl added in fascination.

**********

As the taxi slowly rolled to a complete stop, Steph wondered, 'What is going on?'

There was a backhoe blocking their path. With its bucket and scoop fully extended, it stretched clear across the roadway between the fences on each side.

Steph watched as George meandered over, his slow gait didn't surprise her. She smiled and thought, 'He's never hurried to anything in his life. But like everyone else, I think the world of him. His slow, laid back, casual attitude belies his ability to get things done.'

The taxi driver rolled down his window and asked, "What's going on, I need to get this lady to the airport."

George leaned against the taxi driver's door, spit out his toothpick, and said, "Sorry for the delay, but we should be finished very shortly. And trust me, when we're done, everyone will end up where they belong."

Glancing down the road, George tapped on the back door window. The driver looked at Steph, she said, "It's okay, lower it."

As the power window went down, George leaned over and asked, "Did you forget some baggage, Steph?"

Noticing his eyes were fixed on something back down the road, she testily inquired, "What are you talking about George?"

"Well either you forgot something important when you left or you stole someone's wallet, because no one runs that fast without a damn good reason," George implied.

Spinning around, Steph and her daughter saw Mark in the distance running, waving, and shouting.

"OH GOD MARK, HANG ON BABY, I'M COMMING," Steph screamed as she immediately started fumbling with the door handle, panicking to get out. George reached down and started opening the door for her, but not fast enough.

Steph literally finished kicking the door open and bailed out, almost falling, forgetting she was wearing high heels. Hopping on one foot at a time, Steph jerked her shoes off and threw them in the ditch as she broke into a full run, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs all the way.

As he watched her running to him, Mark was now able to slow down, the pain in his side had become unbearable. As Steph got closer he realized she wasn't going to stop. Moving over to the side of the road, Mark stood in the grass, waiting.

Still crying and screaming, Steph leaped the last few feet. Mark did his best to catch her as they went tumbling to the ground.

With her husband pinned beneath her, Steph grabbed his face and glued her lips to his as their love poured out. Between their sobs and whimpers the kiss was almost impossible to maintain. But after four years of pent up passion, neither was willing to break the connection, both fought with their very souls to keep it going.

They knew it was much more than just a kiss. It was a rekindling of all their hopes, dreams, and desires, which along with their love, grew stronger with every passing second.

**********

Meanwhile, in the back seat of the taxi, a very frightened pair of young eyes had watched as her mother went crying and screaming down the road. Slowly edging over to the door, she glanced nervously up at George.

Seeing the scared young face staring up at him, George gave her a questioning look.

"Are my mommy and daddy going to be alright?" She asked on the verge of tears.

After seriously pondering the situation for a moment, he replied, "I think for the first time in their lives, your mommy and daddy are going to be a lot more than just ALRIGHT."

Timidly she asked, "Do you think it would be okay if I went to check on them?"

Through misty eyes, George replied, "It's not only okay, but I think you should go check on them," as he once more reached down and opened the door.

After gently slipping off the edge of the seat, Steph and Mark's daughter took a few slow hesitant steps in the direction of her mom and dad. It reminded George of how someone would act if they were trying to sneak away without being noticed. A couple of steps later she picked up speed. Then, evidently feeling she'd finally distanced herself enough, broke into a full run.

As he watched her chasing down the road after her mother, George thought, 'Girl, I don't think they know it. But right now, they need you more than they ever needed anything in their life.' Then reflecting on his own family, he realized, 'Kids... the ties that bind.'

**********

As Mark lay on the ground, he had to ask, "One question, what about that damn scrapbook? I'll never be able to forgive or forget that."

Lying against his side, propped up on one elbow, Steph's free hand was stroking his hair. She lovingly looked down at him and replied, "Then you'll just have to hang on to your memories, because the night of the reunion, the first thing I did when I got home, I burned it. Nothing will ever rise out of those ashes. They were swept out with the trash years ago.

"I do have a new one though. It has all the accomplishments of the father of my kids."

"Kids?" he asked.

"I do believe it's time we seriously consider extending our family," Steph added.

Mark asked, "You think our daughter needs a little sister?"

"Nope," she said, "I think a little brother is more in order, one who's just as wonderful as her dad."

He lost his smile.

"No Mark, don't go there. Never let that thought cross your mind again." Steph stressed the point, "You are her father, always have been, and always will be."

At that moment, their daughter came running up, "Daddy are you okay?"

"Now, do you have any doubts?" Steph smiled as tears rolled down both their cheeks. She turned to hold out her free arm to their little girl, who with a laugh and giggle, squealed as she jumped on top of them. All three laughed, hugged, and kissed.

Watching, George thought, 'Now that's the way a loving family should be.'

As he turned to signal his crew to move the backhoe, they were shocked. None of them had ever seen George smile before.

*********** ********** ********** **********

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