Steph

Lawrence's mother paced the floor as she waited for he and Steph to arrive. For months now, she had heard about the extraordinary Steph, and who seemed to be the love of Lawrence's life. Clat, clat, clat.

"Hahaha. Would you please take a seat?" Her husband was smiling from ear to ear, as he made the request. "They will be here soon enough, but in the meantime, you walking a hole in our floor will not make them arrive any sooner."

"I know you’re right," she responded, "but I have just anticipated this day for so long, that it is hard to believe that it has finally arrived." She took a seat, but her mind was still running a hundred miles an hour. All she had ever wanted for Lawrence was for him to find someone with whom he could share his life.

She was ecstatic that there was a possibility Steph was the one. There had been numerous others, but never had Lawrence brought any of them home. She had met many of them, but only by chance. He had never made a point to introduce any of the previous young ladies to her or his father. The ones they had met had all been circumstantial. Those circumstances were usually after one of his performance, and it was usually the young lady throwing her arms around Lawrence and planting a kiss upon his lips. He would always pull back as if he were saying, "Please." It was only then that the young lady would even become aware of their presence. The girl would always offer her hand to them as she clung to one of his. He would introduce them, but it had always seemed as though he had only done it to be cordial. That fact had always been disheartening to Lawrence's mother. She had always wondered if he had just used them as playthings. All men use women that way; she knew this to be true.

Why even Lawrence's father had that nature about him. Oh, he had been a faithful husband, but before she came along, he was known as a womanizer. She was a realist. She knew that promiscuity was more common now than when she was young, but she never believed in jumps off bridges just because everyone else was so doing. Besides, she had raised Lawrence to respect women, not to treat them as a running score along his headboard. It was with this thought that she sighed, for she knew that there had been many.

"Today is a new day," she said. "What's that dear?" her husband had replied. "Nothing, just talking out loud," she responded. Lawrence's father continued to read the sports section not even acknowledging the response. The line of questioning had been instinctive and not sincere. In fact, their entire marriage was routine. It lacked the luster of a stagnant pool. She knew when she married him, he was not a romantic, but she, like so many before her, thought that she would be the one to change him. She did love him though, or at least she told herself that she did. She had wished more for her children. She hoped that they would find someone to live their lives with and not just endure their existence with someone.

Her two other children had already been married, but neither of the girls’ marriages had been what one would call successful.

Janie was married for four years when her marriage came apart. Rick was his name, and he had left her for one of his eighteen-year-old undergrads. The end result of this was four long hard years of drug abuse, ninety days in rehab, and Janie moving in with them. It had been two years since she moved in, and it did not appear as if she would be moving out anytime in the foreseeable future. As disappointed as she was that Janie's marriage had not worked, thus far, Marie's marriage had not been any more successful.

Marie had met Jim while attending the university. He was twenty-three years her senior and a respected member of the community, not to mention, a preacher at one of the churches in town. She had been a sophomore when they became acquainted. He was on the board of trustees, and she worked in the dean’s office. It was only a matter of time before they were dating, and they were married before her senior year. The marriage had come about because an unexpected conception had taken place. Needless to say, this created a scandal, and Jim was removed from his ministry. The community as a whole was somewhat forgiving, and Jim was hired at a car dealership in town. He even managed to hold his position on the college's board of trustees for a while longer, but when things did not seem they could get any darker, they did. Marie never made it full term with the child; she miscarried during the second trimester; not to mention, she dropped out of school upon discovering she was pregnant. Marie saw no need to return; Jim made great money at the dealership. Once more, the darkest hour had seemed to pass. There was even a period of bliss; in fact, it appeared that Jim and Marie had rebounded and had begun to build a nice life. They had decided to try again for a child, but the medical experts informed them that Marie would never be able carry one full term. It was then that they looked into adoption. They were in the midst of the placement process when the entire board of trustees came under investigation. Jim and five other members charged, tried, and convicted for "misappropriation of funds". Now he was doing five to ten in state prison.

Then there was Lawrence, her eldest and only son. He could give her what her heart desired. Even more than her desire for her children to be happy, she desired grandkids. She oftentimes tried to visualize what it would be like to bounce them on her knees or hold their tiny bodies in her arms. Oh, and then to watch them grow into fine young adults and start their only families. The thought of it all, well, it put bounce in her step. In fact, prior to today, she had been light on her feet all week, but now there were only nerves. Steph was the one. She knew it to be true. Steph was her savior that would reintroduce joy and blessings into her life.

"GGRUGHHGA," Lawrence's father had fallen asleep again in his recliner, but she could not worry about such things now. She still had so much to do. The timer went off on the oven, and her husband popped up like a jack-in-the-box. "HMMPH," he snorted, just like an old bulldog. "Relax," she replied, "they have yet to arrive." She left the couch and headed to the kitchen; while he, in his starry-eyed state flipped to the other ballgame. She pulled the roast from the oven. It was only matter of time until they did arrive. Janie would not have the opportunity to meet Steph until later. She was a shift manager at the diner and would be working until around supper. Marie on the other hand would be arriving midweek. She had to make the drive up to the big house and visit Jim, before heading down for the week.

"Ahh," she sighed, "my children." It was not disappointment that she was expressing, but rather, a sense of despair. They had been provided with every opportunity in the world. Opportunities that she and her husband only dreamed of having at their age. Yet, to be fair, Marie was still young; Janie did have a degree, as did Lawrence. So, she assumed that her parenting had not been a total wash.

Besides, to be honest Lawrence had achieved success all throughout his life. After all he had excelled in all that he chose to do from youth on through adulthood. In fact, he had just started a production company a few years back, and he already had many moneymaking projects. She just did not understand why he had yet to marry. He always told her that his life was too hectic to create a stable environment in which a family could blossom. She was certain though with the calls over the last several months that his attitude had changed. He was in love, and she knew it. Oh, he had never said it in so many words, but she was sure of it. Mother’s intuition had told her. A mother knows. They always know when it comes to their children.

The roast was now on a serving dish placed in the center of the table. Potatoes and carrots surrounded it. She then pulled salad from the fridge and placed it on the table as well. She had decided to use her best China, crystal, and silver seeing how it was such a glorious day. After all this was the day that Steph was joining the family, and as far as she was concerned, it was none too soon.

She looked at the clock. Her anticipation had caused her to lose sight of the time, and it had flown. Only a matter of moments until they arrived and all her dreams and fantasies would come to fruition and be fulfilled. She was going to have a daughter-in-law, and that would mean grandchildren.

“Okay,” she thought, “maybe I am being somewhat presumptuous, for Lawrence has yet to mention the word marriage.” Who could blame her though? After all, it is every mother’s dream to one day be a grandmother.

It was at this moment that she heard the vehicle pull into the drive. She darted into the living room and stirred the old man. “HUH?! WHAT?!” he stammered. “Get up they’re here,” she stated. He rolled out of his recliner and headed to the bathroom. She checked her hair in the mirror on the wall.

She could hear them moving up the walk towards the door. DING DONG! She did not sprint to the door, rather she waited. She did not want to give the impression of being too eager. DING DONG! This time she headed towards the door in a very dignified and calm manner. This was the moment she had been waiting for as long as she could remember.

She opened the door and Lawrence threw his arms around her. “Hi, Mom,” and kissed her on the cheek. “I have someone here I would like you to meet. Mom meet Steph,” he said as he stepped aside. She extended her hand, only to find herself blanketed by a hug. “Glad to meet you Mom,” Steph said and planted a kiss on her cheek.

She began to tremble for she had felt the whisker brush against her face. Reality had kicked in as she stared back into his big brown eyes. Steph was short for Stephen.