Authors: Monique Miller
The Marrying Kind (22 page)
“Travis, when can I take this blindfold off?” Beryl said.
“In just a minute. I promise. Just stand right there and don't peek,” Travis said. Then he left her to show the boys something. As soon as he did the boys screamed with delight.
Travis returned to Beryl. “Okay, you can take your blindfold off now.”
Beryl did as she was told. She stood and looked around. Her jaw dropped wide open. “Travis. What in the world?” She did a 360-degree turn, looking at the surroundings of the home Travis had gotten for them to live in. “How in the world are you going to be able to afford this place?”
“Let me just say that I've got friends in high places.”
Beryl nodded her head. “I am really starting to believe that.”
He showed her around their new two-story home. Beryl continued to play along with Travis's game.
“This, my dear, is the kitchen where you can cook all my meals for me,” Travis joked.
Beryl swatted him on his arm.
“And over here in this room, we can sit in front of the fireplace and drink hot cocoa when it is cold outside,” Travis said.
Beryl smiled as she looked at the living room that was empty except for one thing. In the corner of the room stood a fully decorated Christmas tree, adorned with ornaments and colorful lights, which blinked intermittently. “What on earth?”
“Okay, we'll work on furniture for in here later. One thing at a time, baby,” Travis said.
Beryl swatted his arm. “You've been very busy I see.”
“Yes, I have.” Travis knew Beryl had not wanted to spend Christmas in the Escape Inn; they had already spent their Thanksgiving at the inn. He vowed to himself that not only would his family not spend another holiday at the inn, but he'd make sure this Christmas was the best Christmas he and his family had ever had so far. It was pretty close but there were still eight more days before Christmas.
“Thank you, Travis,” Beryl said. Tears welled in her eyes. “You knew I didn't want to spend another holiday in the hotel.”
“I know and I told you I would work things out and I have. Just trust me,” Travis said.
Beryl nodded her head. “I will.”
Travis knew that Beryl's nodding of her head and saying that she would trust him went deeper than just the trust about moving the family out of the hotel. Beryl had had many trust issues with Travis and his many inconsistencies. But over the weeks since they started living together, Travis had been making strides to keep his word and try to alleviate Beryl's mistrust.
“I know I've let you and the boys down in the past but I've learned my lesson. I apologize for what I put you through. Please forgive me,” Travis said.
“I do, Travis. You've shown me that you can be trusted and depended on,” Beryl said. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome,” Travis said. It warmed Travis's heart to hear the words. He put his arms around Beryl and gave her a hug. She in turn gave him a tight hug back.
He showed her the rest of the downstairs, then took her upstairs to show her around the second floor. There he showed her two bedrooms, each with a twin bed and a single dresser. “The boys can have these rooms.” And then he showed her the master bedroom. “You, my dear, can have this room.”
On the floor of the master bedroom was a box spring and mattress without a bed frame. On the wall hung an oil painting of a verdant green countryside with rolling hills.
“As you can see, I am still working on the décor,” Travis said.
“Where are you going to sleep?” Beryl asked.
“I've got that figured out as well.” He stepped out of the master bedroom and into another room. “I'll sleep in here.” This room was virtually empty as well, except for some toys in the corner of the room and a few free weights in another corner.
“You've been really busy I see,” Beryl said. Travis could hear the admiration in her voice.
“I've got one more thing to show you. Come on.”
Travis led the way heading back down the stairs. He opened the back French doors and stepped out onto the deck where Beryl joined him. “Look.” He pointed out to the back corner of the yard.
There Cameron and Jayden were playing on a swing set Travis had purchased and had delivered there the morning before.
“You are really full of surprises today,” Beryl said.
“I am, aren't I?”
“How did you work all this out? What happened to Brent? Where is all of Brent's stuff?”
“Brent has moved to Massachusetts and he took all of his stuff with him. That is, except for all this lawn furniture and the lawn mower in the shed.”
They walked down the deck to the swing in the backyard and sat down together as they watched the kids play.
“As you can see there still needs to be a lot of work done. A lot of furniture to buy,” Travis said. “But it's a start, right?”
“One thing at a time,” Beryl said.
Travis stood. “Let's get the rest of the stuff out of the trunk. I want to cook dinner for you and the boys,” Travis said.
“Okay.” Beryl turned to the boys. “Boys, we are going to get things out of the car. Don't go out of the yard.”
“Okay, Mommy,” Cameron said.
Travis and Beryl retrieved the things from the trunk that Beryl had accumulated since leaving Darrin. Beryl had not heard a thing from Darrin since the day she'd left him. Both she and Travis assumed that he'd probably thrown out all of the items that had been left in his home.
Later on that night Travis put out four plates on the bar. He had purchased four matching barstools with chair backs from the Goodwill store. He put food on each of their plates and poured lemonade in two glasses and two cups for them all to drink.
“Beryl, Cameron, and Jayden, dinner is ready.”
The boys came running and Beryl walked in the kitchen behind them.
“Whoa, was I supposed to change for dinner also?” Beryl asked, looking down at her faded blue jeans and plain T-shirt.
“No. I just wanted to change.”
Travis had put on a pair of black dress pants, a long-sleeve red dress shirt, and a matching Geoffrey Beene paisley tie.
“You are making me feel underdressed,” Beryl said.
“Nonsense. Now come on in here so we can get ready to eat.”
“Something sure does smell good,” Beryl said. “What's for dinner?”
“Spaghetti with meatballs and red sauce, along with French bread and lemonade,” Travis said.
They each helped the boys get on their stools before sitting down themselves.
“You went all out, didn't you?”
“I did and I only spent six dollars for this whole meal,” Travis said.
“Six dollars? Really?”
“Yep, the grocery store had a deal. For five dollars you could get a forty-two-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce, a bag of meatballs, four pieces of French bread, and a drink. The spaghetti wasn't in the deal. So everything with tax was only six dollars.”
“Wow. You really do know how to find a deal.”
“I learned the hard way.” Travis nodded his head. “Enough talk. Let's say grace and eat before our food gets cold.”
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After dinner, Travis and Beryl washed the dishes together while the boys played upstairs. When they were finished washing the dishes, Travis asked Beryl to sit back down with him at the bar.
“Have a seat,” Travis said.
Beryl did as she was asked.
Travis sat also and took Beryl's hands into his. “Beryl, I don't want to let another minute go by without telling you how glad I am to have you and the boys back in my life. I count it as an enormous blessing.”
Beryl smiled at Travis. “I have to say that it has been refreshing to have you back in our life also. I mean I like the new you. You've really taken life by the reins and turned so many things around that I really thought you'd never be able to. Quite honestly I had given up on you.”
Travis bowed his head for a moment then looked back into Beryl's eyes. “It feels good to hear you say that you like the new me. Especially since I know that you did give up on me.”
“I have to say that the past few weeks of our getting to know each other again have been wonderful. It is as if we are dating again for the first time,” Beryl said. “And I like it.” She smiled again.
In the days since Beryl and the boys had moved in with Travis, the couple had slowly started to get to know each other once again. They had gone on a few dates just like they had when they first met. They also did family outings together with the boys on the weekends. Each Sunday they attended church services together.
Travis had been focused on continuing to excel at his job at the call center while keeping his janitorial job at night. Beryl still had not found work, so Travis was the one who had been supporting them all. Travis had been holding it down for his family for the first time in his life.
“I am so glad to hear you say that,” Travis said. He stood and said, “Boys, it's time. Come on down.”
“It's time, Daddy?” Cameron yelled.
“Yes, come on down,” Travis said.
Beryl's eyebrows rose in question. “Time for what?”
Travis grinned. “You'll see.”
They heard the boys barreling down the steps. When they came around the corner, each boy had a rose in his hand. They stood by their father's legs as if at attention.
Travis moved closer to Beryl and stood right in front of her. He took both of her hands in his. “Beryl, I am so very thankful and blessed that God put you in my life the first time. I am even more thankful that the Lord has given me a second chance to get this whole thing right.”
He took a deep breath and smiled at her. Then he bent down and got on one knee.
“Travis?” Beryl asked in question. “What are you doing ?” A smile started to cover her face.
The boys followed suit and each did their best to get down on one knee and stay balanced. Both Travis and Beryl looked at them and laughed.
“Did you guys plan all this?” Beryl asked.
“Sort of,” Travis said. “But at this point the boys are ad-libbing.”
Beryl looked at both of her sons, who smiled up at their mom.
“You know people can go all around the world looking for something that is right under their nose. I learned over the past year that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. I wanted to find a woman who was loving and also supportive, someone who would be a helpmate as well as someone who was down to earth.”
Travis squeezed Beryl's hands. “I wanted a woman who could hold her own, and want to be held when the time was right. And I've also found that I value a woman with motherly instincts.”
Travis dug in his pocket and pulled out a small black box. “It seems like I've been all around the world looking for what I already had in the first place.”
He opened the box. “Beryl, will you marry me, again?” Travis asked.
Beryl looked at the box and the ring it held. “Travis, what in the world?”
The box contained an engagement ring. It wasn't the same ring Beryl had worn for years while married to Travis. Travis had gone out and purchased a new ring for her.
“I wanted to get you another ring. I wanted there to be a new ring for our new beginning,” Travis said.
“Travis, it is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful,” Beryl said.
“So how about it? Will you marry me?”
Without hesitation Beryl said, “Yes.”
Travis took the ring out of the ring box and placed it on her left ring finger. He then stood and they hugged and kissed. They didn't stop kissing until they both felt tugging on their clothing.
“Mommy, Mommy,” Cameron said.
“Yes, baby?” Beryl said.
“This is for you.” Cameron handed his mother his rose. Then Jayden handed his mother the rose he held.
“Thank you, boys,” Beryl said. She gave each a tight hug. Beryl looked at the ring on her finger with admiration.
“I know it isn't a rock like the one Darrin offered you, but ...”
“But nothing. Darrin is in the past. Thank the Lord I didn't end up marrying that guy with his stalking self. I hope I never have to see him again.”
“If he takes heed to the talk I had with him, then he won't come anywhere near you, the kids, or me ever.”
“I'm glad you were there to intervene. You had our best interest in mind,” Beryl said.
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